Spiritual Myopia - 6

Highly and I impairment called my audio. For those of you do not know what myopathy is the layman's term for that is nearsightedness. Therefore I wear corrective lenses to address the need and I was encouraged recently when I went to have my drivers license renewed in the asked me this I was wearing glasses you want to take this visual test of street signs with or without your glasses and I said well what's what with different well. She said if you can pass without your glasses than you. That will be on your drivers license and you will be required to wear the soaking was given a shot so she's agreed to stop the top line. She said you pass saws encouraged to think well my sites improving. That's a dangerous condition may have no problem with folks up front, but without my glasses in the back. I would know who you are because you sit repeatedly in the same place I but without that I would be like guessing at some of you it sitting where I sit, I would have to take my glass put my glasses on.

To correctly identify some of the people in the choir now. The danger is driving, particularly at night. Street signs street light names are blurred and you it's it's problematic but me tell you something that's more dangerous it's spiritual myopathy. And that's what a self suffering from my message tonight is called myopic faith. Here's a man who was nearsighted he was interpreting life only from the temporal only from the visible only from the physical and he had lost sight of long term perspective, he did not see the eternal, he didn't see the things that last beyond this life. This is another of the lament Psalms you been with us through the series. You know that there are 30 of the hundred and 50 Psalms that are of lament. This doesn't follow the normal pattern.

It wouldn't be some quickly identified as a lament song because it doesn't have those conspicuous questions where the psalmist race that whoever might be is asking questions and usually the questions are buyer how long your why this or why dad and we don't see those markers here, but this is a lament Psalm and he is lamenting a couple of things he's lamenting number one.

The prosperity of the wicked is not so much wrestling with the question, why do bad things happen to good people. He's wrestling with the question why often is it that good things happen to bad people. That's what he's wrestling with. He's lamenting that he's observing that he's lamenting that and he's also lamenting the fact of what it has done to him observing the gods not only good be Israel, he seems to be very good to the wicked.

He's observing and he's lamenting what that is doing to his own heart.

What is it envy that cancer of the heart has crept in and is seeking to find lodgment in his heart he is willing to trade away. All he has in Christ that he might trade places with the wicked who are prosperous.

I want what they got. He is saying so notice with me as we look at this song together. This lament the theme of the Psalm is the goodness of God truly God is good to Israel to such as are pure in heart.

He says they need understand that what's going on here that were truly truly God is good Israel is something that he is saying here at the beginning, but he is saying it in response to a crisis of faith that he is had he doubted whether God was good Israel.

He thought God was good to the wicked, and he envied that and he's been through a crisis of faith is belief is been tested he's been chastened of God. He's been instructed by God. He has received can I say.

This way, corrective lenses, he's suffering from nearsightedness and God has given to him.

The corrective lens of Scripture, and he now sees what he had been able to see before and now he is saying that at the beginning truly God is good Israel. I believe that in the past, but now that I live life experience life and try to interpret life and all that God has taught me. I've come to this settled conviction. In conclusion, truly God is good. Know why that's so important is I don't know that there is a more fundamental confession to the Christian life than that we teach our children that very simple mealtime prayer God is great God is good. Let us thank him for our food right by his hand. We all are fed, give us Lord our daily bread, a man. God is good fundamental conviction belief why it's so fundamental is why it's so foundational why it is so necessary is that is the. The point of attack that the evil one often brings and comes to me you go back to the Garden of Eden. What was his attack is is that his approach was basically if God were good he would not withhold the enjoyment of that tree.

He is forbidding that tree and it's because God is not good. See how fundamental that Lions and as we live life in this broken and fallen world. Our belief in the goodness of God will be tested will be things happen and will stop and will ponder and will wonder is God really really good and we will were too spiritual to vocalize that outline, we may say that to our spouse or to a close friend, but is not something were to stand up on Wednesday night and say please pretty please pray for me.

I'm struggling with my belief in the goodness of God.

I haven't been here 24 years.not heard anybody do that on Wednesday night, but I'd be willing to bet that we have that we been together on Wednesday night and that thought is been on our minds because we been bombarded by life.

We try to interpret life of their own mind. With this spiritual ailment of nearsightedness. So here is Asaph saying truly God is good to Israel. Do you believe that is that I settled conviction. You've got come what may, regardless of what his calm and what may come. God is good and must be it must be foundational must be where our hearts are anchored and we have that foundational belief now he comes to that conviction truly God is good, Israel had always believe that five he's gonna walk us through four stages in this song. The God took him through to where he finally was able to arrive at that and be able to say that so he says it at the beginning is kind of a theme for the Psalm and then you'll see him working through an wrestling with in his he's having this crisis of faith. So again, there are four stages that he walked through a number one is discontentment discontentment notice with me. Truly God is good Israel to such as are pure in heart, but but as for me, my feet had almost stumbled my steps had nearly slipped. This is a this is a spiritual leader. This is a man who was a music director leading worship congregation late in the temple.

Here's a man used of God to write inspired Scripture. This is not a I don't know my wanting say ordinary Christian. There's nothing ordinary about any Christian right if you're a Christian, that is extraordinary right you are a work of a sovereign God who has redeemed you, who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

He has given you life where you were dead previously, so there's nothing ordinary about that, but my point is this is this is a leader. This is a man who's been gifted of God. This what I'm saying to you is this temptation. This difficulty, this potential for stumbling and slipping is just is possible here is it is there.

I asked for me, my feet had almost stumbled my steps had nearly slipped those of you who walk with the Lord for number of years. Does your mind go back to times where now is you.

Looking back and you said you think yourself well. I was in a I was in a dangerous place. I was in a place of weakness. I was a place of vulnerability I could say my feet had almost stumbled my steps had nearly slipped.

Things were honest, most of us would say I can. I can go back to times and it's not in the two distant past, either because of this, and because of that and because of temptations and because of just the struggles of life and working out my salvation with fear and trembling. This man in his confessing discontentment and what was it that caused this discontentment. What was it did put his feet on unstable ground where he was. He nearly fell. He nearly stumbled.

He nearly slipped for.

I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Again, my, my, my point is he's not wrestling with that question that so often people wrestle with. Why do bad things happen to good people.

These wrestling with. Why is it that so often it is seems to me that good things are happening to bad people. This doesn't seem to add up what you kind of hear echoes of that has leaked into his theology is hints of the prosperity gospel.

Now we would disavow that out a hand and say has no place we wouldn't embrace that whatsoever. But if we are careful and think about it. Remnants of that can easily slip into our thinking. What is the prosperity gospel, prosperity gospel is of the fly do this, then God's obligated to bless me and if I disobeyed God and disavow then the God gonna punish me while he's talking about the wicked. If that's true that's the prosperity gospel then why in the world of the wicked prospering. They should get not the favor of God, but the disfavor of God. I don't understand it.

He say, but what really is causing him to say is one thing to observe that in going on.

I don't understand this. How is it that man was no time for God seems to diminish anything spiritual, anything he touches turns to gold. He's please prosperity we wrestle with that is one thing to wrestle with that. It's another thing for what we observe in that to create envy in our hearts. Here he is envious while what is envy. Here's a definition of envy, envy is a painful and resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another accompanied by a strong desire to possess the same advantage.

I'm envious of what you have a memory as to what the wicked have and I want the same enjoyment. He was envious he would have traded in this bad place he was in feet almost slipped almost stumbled. He was in a place spiritually that he was willing because he was envious training what he had in Christ for prosperity material prosperity that was temple, but thoughts never crossed any of our minds the right sure it has four stages that I want you to see that he walked through and he's willing to lay his life. Bear here in the pages of Scripture. This is inspired text. God is given it to us here, for instruction in righteousness. We speak so often of God's purpose in the life of every Christian to conform us to the likeness of Jesus Christ to make us more like his son the Lord Jesus, but sometimes we talk of of that in such general terms that there is no specificity. We don't we don't really know and if you could, you would ask people is your your Christian yes okay, in what way right now is God working to can warm you to the likeness of his son. Think about that question, but would you say in what specific area is God working to conform you into the likeness of his son.

Most of us would go to think on that. Here's a here's a here's an example you read first Corinthians chapter 13 there are eight things. Love is not in one of the things love is not his love is not envious. So as a follower of Jesus Christ. One is being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. There is no place for envy in our hearts. I envious got to go. God is at work in rooting out envy in our hearts and in its place. Putting contentment. So here's an example here is where the rubber meets the road.

Here is a life example right in the world we live life.

This is what it means in this regard are being conformed to the likeness of Christ. If you're envious God is going to go to work in route that out and in its place. Put contentment.

And that's what's going to happen to this man whose bearing his life on the pages of sacred Scripture.

So the first stage was what discontentment he was discontentment. He was envious of the prosperity of the wicked and what fed that what fueled that misunderstanding. That's the second stage she's going to speak to how he misunderstood. God misunderstood God's dealings misunderstood God's purpose. This man was desperately trying to make sense of this world, but notice what he admits in verse 16. What I thought, how to understand this. It was too painful for me was too painful for me. He realizes that he was guilty of a serious misunderstanding not so much of human nature but of God in his wisdom, he says when I tried to understand this when I tried to interpret as he gave me a headache now I didn't say headache, but that's since we sent it was too painful for me. It was too painful for me later on he tells us in verse 21 he says my heart was grieved I was vexed in my mind I was like a beast before you behave like a beast he had behaved like a natural man eat there was nothing spiritual about the way he was thinking he had gross misunderstanding folks. We just have to understand that because of our finiteness and because of who God is and because of the limits of our minds. We not only are prone, but we were all we will often be guilty of misunderstanding.

We we we desperately want to understand God and his ways and yet the faculties that we have to try and do that or some limited in God's ways are so much higher than our ways that will be guilty what this man was guilty of. He misunderstood and when he misunderstood God and God's wisdom and God's ways it certainly didn't create peace in his mind he created havoc it created distress, vexation of mind and we just have to keep coming back to these themes that God is more concerned not with us understanding all of his ways.

He's more concerned with our character as his children and he is our wealth.

He's more committed to our Christ likeness. Then to our self-indulgence and he desires our progress in obedience much more than he does, or material prosperity.

What aggravates things here for him.

What exacerbates things here for him is that his turmoil was increased because God was chasing him single. What did he do what was God chastening for sometimes we think God chastens us only because of wrong behavior, but God's chastening this man for wrong thinking for entertaining thoughts that are unbecoming of a Christian, a follower of Jehovah.

Notice what he says in verse Home EC verse 14 he says for all day long I have been plagued and chastened every morning. You see, God's not going to allow this man to entertain misunderstanding God's chastening him and that is exacerbating his turmoil here is trying to understand all this is fighting this envy of the wicked, and in God's chastening him, what kind mercy.

What kind mercy of God to disrupt us and chasten us and thinking things that are on biblical and on that are not true of him, nor true of a correct interpretation of this world, we often think like that, but that's what is going on so I came to realize that the way was reasoning was faulty. This man was suffering from what meiotic faith is.

Faith was shortsighted, nearsighted. He wasn't viewing life with a long view and perspective is a thought about things beyond the temporal.

It was all fuzzy to God was in the business of correcting his spiritual eyesight with the lens of Scripture so that brings us to 1/3 stage which seemed discontentment and misunderstanding. Not when you to see slight correction slight correction where we see that notice what he says what I thought hot understand this. It was too painful for me. Verse 16 until until I went into the sanctuary of God, then then I understood their end. There is this huge pivot in the Psalm, which we see in many of these lament songs are taken on a journey, you're seeing a man lamenting questioning God is praying to God he's got questions he seeking God in prayer and God comes and answers his prayer and you see this shift many many times away from himself away from this despair to statements of renewed faith and confidence and trust in God will see the same thing here. Here's this pivot point in the song until I went into the sanctuary of God. Then I understood therein. What we make of this sanctuary experience. What are we to read into that well there's not a lot of detail given to us. Did he have in Isaiah -type experience did he see God high and lifted up in the in his train, filling the temple that did he have that kind of a eye-opening experience. Will we don't know that. But what does seem certain that in this place in the sanctuary of God and where is that that is where God manifests his presence with the people of God in the context of worship in the presence of God among his worshiping people. He Asaph saw life in a different perspective altogether. He now sees things as they seem in the light of eternity.

That's what he was missing before, including the truth about those whose lifestyle he had earlier envied. He completely has a change in perspective. It's as if God gave them spiritual eyesight. Corrective lenses were did that take place to place in the sanctuary of God and I find it very very interesting doesn't say when God revealed truth to me when I open my Bible when I knelt in the sanctuary of God. There's something peculiar about corporate gatherings is a place where God sanctifies us is a place where God brings truth to us. It is a place where we get our orientation corrected is a place where we get our feet settled back on solid ground. We must not despise that we must hold the corporate gatherings in high esteem. That's what the writer of Hebrews is driving at that thought just came to my mind. I hope I can find it. Yes Hebrews chapter 10 verse 23. Let us hold fast the confidence or the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful and let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, is the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.

I think that happens more unintentionally than it does intentionally when we come together. I think that's one of the purposes God has for our corporate gatherings is for our spiritual well-being. It's for spiritual health is for our progress. How many times have you had the experience of coming to church in a certain state of mind wrestling with this wrestling with that? This question about that and the word of God is come to you and it is answer your dilemma is brought light where there was darkness and confusion before you left church Lincoln and I'm glad I did miss church today, God had a word for me.

I think it happened more often than not know. This is the place.

This is the place where God conspicuously in on purpose manifests his presence and brings help to the people of God. Now not saying the NA and obviously we we find help in personal devotions, our own quiet time and but there's a reason why the corporate gathering of the saints is singled out here in Psalm 73.

This is again this is inspired text. This is instruction in righteousness. This is where we get help. This is how we get our orientation back. This is how we get our eyesight corrected because what is one of the prominent things that goes on when we come together in corporate worship. The ministry of the word God is pleased to bless his word to our hearts so Asaph has been viewing life to the wrong end of the telescope.

No wonder man is seemed so great and significant.

While God has seem so small and obscure. No wonder spiritual reality seemed like 12 material things seem so weighty and important, but there's been a change in this man is not the same spiritual site restoration is taken place and were looking at four stages that God walks this man through his. He has this basis of faith and is brought to a place where he confesses truly, truly God is good Israel not believe that before but boy, now that he's been through this and his faith is tested and tried he didn't have an ostrich kind of faith. The never his head in the sand, faith he's had his eyes open.

He's been around the world. These live life. ECC Nessie saying that and after seeing everything in having his perspective corrected by God. Not easy really can say truly God is good is good. Israel so it's his fourth stage number one was discontentment number two was misunderstanding number three was site restoration.

The fourth stage we see him got taking them to is a place of satisfaction, place of satisfaction. What is gone here in his perspective is former envy, it's gone is not envying the wicked in their prosperity anymore.

Notice what he says again when I thought how to understand this. It was too painful for me until I went into the sanctuary of God then understood therein.

Shirley, you set them in slippery places a word we see that word before slippery places that was his condition when he was in the wicked.

He said verse two. As for me, my feet had almost stumbled my steps had nearly slept. Now he says Shirley you set them in slippery places. Who's the place of danger now is the people that he was envying previously. It's the wicked who were standing on slippery ground who were building their life and their castles and gathering all their stuff in your building on what sinking sand on how to know I'm sure you're like me when you when you see the reports of catastrophe and and people's lives being just swept away and all that they've accumulated in life go on there there left clean life itself. Your your heart, your heart goes out to them.

Your your sad for them. Your grief for them. But what an object lesson one object lesson got a scream into us live your life like this. Live your life for the accumulation of things gone that's way can be and then what then what if you live your life for it can be snatched away in a moment, and you have nothing. But if you have God you're rich in him.

All I can happen to you and your still rich you're still rich, you, this is what is learned if he but the licensing God the so-called advantages of the prosperous wicked disappear before his eyes, both in this world and in the next you cast them down to destruction.

All how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment. They are utterly consumed with tears as a dream when one awakes so Lord when you awake you shall despise their image. You know how we characterize the wicked how everything goes well for them. They never have a bad thought they never have a bad day that that's an exaggeration. Right. That's that's not reality, but even in that place where he was envying the wicked. He wasn't even being honest and accurate with this assessment. It's interesting to read but through those verses that I just briefly looked at no now he's getting the right perspective the stage for satisfaction. He says thus my heart was grieved and I was vexed in my mind I was so foolish and ignorant. I was like a beast before you. It's almost like he's he's ashamed he is just appalled that he could've entertain thoughts that are now being shown to him to be so faulty were seek. How far is he come. Asaph is now prepared to face physical affliction. If only he can enjoy the presence of God.

Listen to verse 26 my flesh in my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. My flesh in my heart can fail. But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. He now sees himself not in not the victim of injustice, but he sees himself in the best possible position position of advantage.

What is that place of advantage. He's near the sovereign God. He says for is good for me to draw near to God. I put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all your works so he's come on quite a journey. He was in a bad way listening. He was he was entertaining thoughts that were unbecoming of of a follower of God. Listen. Listen to what he says. He says if I had said again he's reflecting back if I had said I will speak thus speak what thus speak like he's talking here about envying the wicked and how much more advantage. They've got over the righteous. He was basically saying I'm certain I wonder if it even pays to be a man of integrity. If it even pays to be pure in heart. My wasting my time with living a righteous life notice.

He said she verse 13 Shirley, I have cleanse my heart in vain and wash my hands in innocence for all day long I've been playing and chastened every morning. Then he says if I'd said if I had said I will speak thus behold I am with you I would've been untrue to the generation of your children. He's saying this to God. God, if I would've said that I would've been lying. I would have been untrue to the next generation that is not true.

What's not true. To live a life of holiness is a waste of time to live a life of righteousness is a waste of time that would be untrue. So he was in a dangerous place. So what we how do we attribute this turnaround on the money conclude this message by encouraging your heart because I thought I saw too hard for us to find ourselves and identify with this man might not be envy.

It might be pride might be lost. It might be.

It might be a lot of things. How do we explain this turnaround in this man. Here's how we explain God was chasing him with Artie took note of that notice what he says. He says in verse 23.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you, you hold me by my right hand know who's holding who's hand this man is in a difficult place. He was struggling he was having a crisis of faith and who was holding his hand. Was he holding God's hand was God holding his hand. He says you hold me by my right hand. How important was that will man was getting ready to stumble.

The man was getting ready to slip spiritually speaking, and God hand and if God did By the hand he was going to fall flat on his face. You hold me by my right hand, you will guide me with your counsel. How does God guide us with his counsel guides us with his word through preaching times like this and other times that you've enjoyed the day and afterward receive me to glory. So is been kept by God is receive guidance from God.

He's been enabled, overcome what his foolishness with sound counsel. So Asaph here now is boasting is boasting with renewed faith, who don't have IN heaven, but you whom have IN heaven but you what's the answer to that rhetorical question. No one no one but God could help him. And here is previously had been envying the envious of the wicked. Where is he now he desires nothing but God uses my flesh in my heart. His whole being fails. But God is the strength of his heart and his portion forever. So what a what a journey God took this man on and I believe that that's this is the way God deals with us.

God meets us where we are in life were struggling in this particular area. He doesn't leave us floundering, he doesn't let us figure it out on her own, he comes to us he chastens us he brings the word of God to bear in our life where we need help. We need correction where we need the corrective lens of Scripture and then we find ourselves back on solid ground and were that way we think and how in the world that I get there.

Lord help me never to get in that place again only never get to a place where almost all glory almost fall like I did.

Then, because looking back and look so foolish to us doesn't say how in the world that happen. Well, it happens because we've got a threefold them enemy in this world. It's called the world the flesh and the devil.

I don't have the time to go back and show you how important what he was thinking was playing here and how God was coming to him and addressing his mind, but that's the heart of this matter. We have this exhortation in Romans chapter 12 be not conformed to this world but what we renewed or be transformed but by the renewing of your mind.

We just witnessed this man being transformed. How was he transformed, he was transformed by the renewing of his mind and there in Romans chapter 12 verse two that's in the present indicative present tense. That is something that should be ongoing in our life.

We are in such a need that we need constant renewal that our minds and our hearts might be transformed and when that become stagnant and nonexistent were going to be conformed to the world were not going to be transformed were going to be conformed to the world. So that's the challenge. As we walk into a new week were going to observe for going to seek to interpret life were going to struggle in areas where you need help, God's gonna bring help to us through his word. God may use what you heard this morning. Maybe what you heard in Sunday school. Maybe what you read your devotions what you here tonight. God is a good God in that regard is any to bring help to us timely help. Let's pray our father we bow to thank you for the way you shower unmerited blessings upon us or please keep us from envying the wicked. They're all around us. Forgive us for thinking wrong thoughts about you grant us contentment with what you have given to us.

Help us to not only agree, but to hold it is a hard conviction that it is good for us to be near you in the house of God with the people of God because you are our strength. You're the strength of our heart and our portion forever.

We pray in Jesus name, amen