Facing The Future with Confidence - How to Face the Future in Times of Confusion, Part 2

I'd like to ask you a forthright question. What do you do when you feel confuse me torn inside about how to move forward. What to do you get frustrated, angry, you throw your hands in the air and yelled like with will. There are six questions God wants to ask you when you're confused, and as you asked these questions and promises something clarity you need clarity today. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping Living on the Edges and international discipleship ministry open Christians live like risk. So let's get specific causes you the most stress and confusion right now the election relational your job for this program. Ship continues a series using the future with conference by saying whatever it is that's got you tied up in knots. God's got up and help Jeff using Psalm 90 to help us sort it all out.

So let's get to part two of his message how to face the future in times of confusion.

Ask yourself why is life so short he tells us in the very next section is because sin is serious. Verse seven were consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. Moses writes we have sent you a set our iniquities before your secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath. We finish our years with the loan. This is a guy who's been around the block. The length of our days is 70 years or 80, if we have the strength yet their span of trouble and sorrow, and they quickly passed and we fly away where what's Moses talk about. They fly away to judgment. Moses looks back online pieces since the fall since entered the sin of the world was never God's plan. God wanted to live with Adam and E forever in a perfect environment, no death, no sin, no relational conflict, no fallout, but in Genesis 3 happened. And since Genesis 3 happened some terrible things have occurred. The world isn't the way God wants it to be but were called to live out a very different kind live in this world you have that pen handy when it let me get a little quick Bible study lesson. Would you circle the word consumed out of verse seven circle the word terrified circle the word moan circle the word trouble circle the word sorrow and circle the word quickly pass. Does that sound like happy news to you. Does that sound like life is just one big party and everything's going to go your way. That's a fallen world and if you want to get more revealing put a box around the word anger in verse seven. Put a box around the word indignation at the end of verse seven. Put a box around wrath and what you understand is that is not only a fallen world. But God is a just God. He is great. Life is short, but sin violates his holy character and what we have Moses saying is sin is serious. It's so serious. 100% of the time. God judges he judges it in this world and he judges it in the next God will not be not as a man or woman sows so will you reap right you know you just people you use your money and unrighteous way you act like a jerk when he can experience in this life. You know what you sow you reap, or in the vernacular. What goes around comes around. So I God set up life, but it's beyond just this life. Hebrews 927 son is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment.

See sin is serious question number three. When you're confused and wonder what's going on.

Ask yourself, am I taking sin seriously God's holiness demands that he judges. He's serious was notice carefully follow with me here sin clouds our minds and hardens our hearts jot down in the corner. Hebrews 313. The reason were gathered and worship the reason you need to sit around the table and home talk about what God's doing your life the reason you have to be in community. The reason you have to be in a small group. The reason you have have authentic relationships is Hebrews 313 says encourage one another, day after day, lest anyone of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. See my problem is I get sucked into this world's culture wake up one day and say I think I like to be a Christian whose materialistic. I know anybody says you know what lessee it's Tuesday sound like a good day for an affair, throw away my marriage throw away my kids go against everything I've always believed it never happens that way, the deceitfulness of sin. It's an advertisement here. It's a flashing thought here. It's kidding around here. It's a little flirting here. It's a little small decision with your money here is like waiting out into the water and it gets faster and faster and you don't think anything is happening and pretty soon, like when you go to the beach member when he swung the beach. What was happens you look back at the shore and you can't find anybody and you realize you were sure you were swimming right in front of where your family or friends, work, and now you look up and there about 90 yards or 300 yards back that way.

That's what sin does in your life and deceitful and so Moses says the only way to be clear got to ask am I taking sin seriously had a guy come to me after radio service had a big decision to make and he prayed and tried and I'm searching in a pool. I just don't God won't speak to me and so I started probing little bit masking is always do so how's your time in the Scriptures is the only way to keep your mind clear. The only way to understand God's will is is the spirit of God to the word of God into the community of believers informed Cigna. I just try not read the Bible much right to get a big decision like decision you assemble, is there any area in your life, struggling with well yeah so what is this deal with my girlfriend will what's the deal with your girlfriend what were living together right now and I know it's wrong. I just can't. I can't just can't make the break. Okay. And you're asking God who is pure and holy to review his plan for you.

His will for your life right are you obeying what God is already shown you so you want me so I open my Bible this one. So let's let's do a little research God's will is not a mystery open up the first Thessalonians 4 sit for this is the will of God, your sanctification that you abstain from all sexual morality you know, that's for sure is well right you obeying this one. No. I said so why do you think God would give you more information about the future if you're not obeying what you know that's a drastic example.

But I wonder about us wonder about us sort of more sanitized believers know the Bible a bit better. What if God's just not interested in whether you sleep together, or whether you're still cussing.

What if the kind of sins like the motives of your hearts and in pressing people and image casting and projecting that you're more holy and acting in certain ways publicly, but acting in different ways, privately what if there's some unresolved anger issues with some people. What if you have lack of forgiveness in your heart and bitterness and resentment toward your ex mate or your in-laws or one of your kids or your parents. What if you have a propensity in your mouth to speak evil of people at work or at church and the Bible calls it gossip and God says is one of the seven deadly sins. Could it be just just checking in here. Is it possible that the reason that some of us are confused about God's will is that we don't take sin seriously. See Moses gets really clear pretty quickly. Doesn't he says. Start with basic one God is great to get perspective basic to life is short. That's about priorities basic three. It's about purity versus pollution. You're living in a polluted world you as a believer must have a commitment to keep your mind and your heart your motives and your behavior pure before God will then Moses goes on anything to say. Well, in light of this difficult life that we live in a fallen world. Wisdom is essential.

Who knows the power of your anger for your wrath is as great as the fear that is do you think about who wrote this.

Can you imagine being Moses and watching people who stiff arm God and in a rebellious and then come to have one is experience is like 12 God told Cora bring the team together you like your sensors and no air and I'll write arson if God happens to open the earth and swallow you and close it down will know who is really no such you know when Moses is writing here who knows the power of your anger for your wrath is as great as the fear that is do you he is summarizing what is learned in the last I think hundred 20 years that sin is serious. Life is short. God is great, and though he be merciful and loving which will learn about until we grass until we grass it is a serious serious thing to live a righteous life in a fallen world and were not ready to pray the kind of prayers we need to pray. Notice what he prays in light of that about you, but Moses really saying is you know what this is hard you live a pure life in an impure world you keep your motive straight. I'm lurid and pulled in so his prayers teach us what to number our days are right that we may gain a heart of wisdom. What he saying is I don't get it.

It's hard the entire world is flowing this way and to live a righteous life you live this way and it's difficult and I'm pulled in my struggle and I feel guilty I get confused.

What I do. Wisdom is essential. That's the basic wisdom is essential for ask God to teach you to number your days and by the way. Wisdom is it like getting smarter. Wisdom is the skill. The Hebrew word for skill or the ability to live life his way according to his plan even in a fallen world. He saying, Lord, the whole world in relationships this week. Teach me to number and arrange my days so I do relationships is what the whole world thinks about money and power and prestigious like teaching wisdom so I can learn to do it this at 20s asking for the keyword here is the idea of purpose, let me do a quick math object lesson for you.

If you are 25 years old, you have approximately 16,200 days to live.

If you're 35 years old, you have approximately 12,775 days to live.

If you make the 70 if you're 55 years old. Here, if you get you threescore and 10.

You have 5000 5557 days to live here 65 years old you get, 1925 days left.

Unless God gives extreme mercy and grace. 2000 days in what Moses is saying you understand God is great. You understand life is short you understand sin is serious. You understand, you really need wisdom to do it his way.

You don't keep living life mentally, morally and spiritually. Like get your hands behind your head floating in the Bahamas on your life raft trying to get a good tan is not why you're here, there will be great time for refreshing enjoyment. But what he saying is if you're confused, you gotta get clear and real about what life is all about. I like to suggest that until you accurately and clearly grasp the reality and the bad news of living in a fallen world, you'll never appreciate the grace and the mercy and what we actually have as believers basic one for sure God is great in my rightly related to him number two life assured him I prepared to die soon is serious. Am I taking it seriously question for semi spending or investing my life about you. See you spend something is not a return. If you remain for eternity living inside of time in a fallen world, and God is great and life is short and sin is serious and judgment is coming and you need wisdom. Are you investing in your life and that which counts or are you unconsciously just sorta float downstream.

Then Moses shifts gears and it's great because we ought to feel a bit under it.

At this point we ought to feel overwhelmed. Got a few I don't think I can make it, we ought to feel a deep sense of boycott. If this is the standard I'm in big trouble. But basic number five is that mercy is available. Reliance. Oh Lord, how long will it be have compassion on your servants satisfies in the morning with your unfailing love life that we may sing for joy and be glad all of our days is some bad news. Make us glad for as many days as you've afflicted us for as many years as we seen trouble. Mercy is available. He has three specific requesters three Burke verbs one world length, have mercy. God I need your help. When's the last time you prayed. I think unconsciously, we'll think we're doing pretty good. When's the last time is all gone. When I look in my heart will look at my motives.

When a little comes out of my mouth when I look at where my money goes and how I'm not aligning Micah, but is beyond just mercy and compassion, is the Hebrew word for out of the bowels.I want you to feel about me and Kurt with me and enter into my life the way a mom does with a small child's of sick God sizzled and then it moves from just getting relief and help us in the midst of a fallen world's slimy fill me to the brim with what your unfailing never changes. Don't satisfy me with stuff it's gone to satisfying the circumstances. All are aligned for this brief moment of season and the economy breaks a girl gourmet taken away. Don't satisfy me just with people as wonderful as they are there here today and gone tomorrow, satisfying me with that which does not change your unfailing love, and this is what it produces, that we may sing for joy and be glad all of our days.

The early church had a marketing plan, the early church is marketing plan was to love one another and when they love one another the market out there of a fallen world to know and they all carried a business card when you got close to an early church New Testament believer. The marketing plan was their love for one another and their business cards had joy and they were living under unbelievably difficult times and persecution and in the midst of all that you know what their life characteristic was joy, happiness, nothing's going their way, not a government that aligned with what they were trying to accomplish and where they come from. Jot down in the corner where you Psalm 1611, in thy presence is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forever. The question I ask myself what I'm confused, and this gets to the issue of prayer is am I experiencing the joy of the Lord. You notice this mercy is available. It's a prayer you're a prayer away of having your confusion gone and your realignment. Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.

Joy the mean. Everything is joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God, can I ask you, with no intent whatsoever make anyone feel guilty during your time with the Lord. Is there any singing going on during your time with the Lord answer that since admin the world is falling to pieces. And honestly I'm scared to death that had concerns here and don't what to do about here year the infinite reference point right I'm the object of your love and despite all of the things that I've done internally and externally to mess up you love me, you sent your son for me and you found yourself breaking out into a little course for him in the morning as you start your day. And you know what happens when Nehemiah said the joy of the Lord is my strength circumstances are your strength. Other people want your strength anything and everyone will let you down except finally all of the final part. Success is possible you know when you read the first two thirds of this, you said yourself Moses I'm glad you learned this, but I don't think I can cut it and he tells us basic number six success is possible. Notice is prayer continues. May your deeds be shown to your servants literally. He's praying reveal your deeds to your servants, your splendor to their children. Moses say I want something great to happen here in the midst of this conflict and I want to happen for my kids made the favor in the word literally is beauty of the Lord rest upon us, and then he repeats it twice, establish the work of our hands for yes, establish the work of our hands. If I wanted to translate that phrase that little prayer into today's English. I would say Moses is praying, Lord, number one, we want to see you work among us. We want to do religion we wanted to church would want to go through the motions we see your splendor to see what we want to see what the early church that we want to see what we hear about happening around the world. We want to see you work here.

Never before and when our kids to get want them to look at us and say Montana never seen you live like this and you say will something happen in my heart. Second thing he praises. We want to leave a legacy to our children, and the third thing he praises. We want to impact our world every day in every way. Moses knew it wasn't a spiritual issue. He asked the question, here's the key. Am I impacting my world for good in here.

The keyword is productivity. You making a difference and you know what it's a spiritual to change a baby as an act of worship in his prayer prayer.

It's a spiritual go into the marketplace and do a business deal right and with integrity as it is to be a pastor.

It says spiritual to be at home with kids as it is to be making a difference in the marketplace. All of life whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, right. There is no sacred and secular. There's no clergy and laity on a regular guy your regular guy your regular girl will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

The cross is accomplished. He's raising the dead were new and him and were a team together living every day before the face of God and he says now establish the work of our hands every work, every thought, every prayer done unto him has the permanence of eternity. When it's done as an act of worship that he see how happens you realize he is great, infinite reference point you realize life is short so the priorities need to get refocused you realize sin is serious and you better not just mess around with that anymore and you realize I need wisdom because I can't do this in the midst of you say mercy is available and then you say success is possible. God wants to do in you and through you exceedingly abundantly beyond what you could ask for. Think if you could just get a sneak peek into heaven is so glorious it was but it's begins with you and me going back to the basics. Getting clear, reducing complexity and increasing clarity will be right back quickly go to message you just heard is from his series facing the future with confidence. This reporter outlines how you can positively face life's most challenging circumstances even in the midst of overwhelming doubt and despair chip discusses the truth that God has a plan just for you to bring good out of evil. You sure so you can have complete trust that God is working out his good plan even when the odds seem against you and how you can begin enjoying life to the full the resources for facing the future with confidence are discounted for a limited time, so now's the time to take advantage for complete ordering information, go to LivingontheEdge.org Current offers on the chip and remap or give us a call at AAA 333-6003, which are being reminded of what's important is really helpful. Thanks for that. Here's the challenge though I'm only one person. So the temptation is to kinda fall back and say nothing I do will really make much of a difference what your response to that one day I get that.

I'm just one person to but what I found is when you team with other people that can do what you can't do, then you can make a real difference and for many of you, you think I'm just one person but you realize there's about a million people this week that are listening to this message.

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I want to give you a suggestion because I went pretty fast today and I know a number of you probably did not hear yesterday's message. Psalm 90 is my go to passage in times of confusion and sometimes I memorize verses and on rare occasions I actually memorize outlines and this is one of those occasions because I get confused. I have a big decision to make her a look at the whole world situation. I get confused and what this does is this little outline that I went through the six basics of life.

When I go through them and meditate on them. Bam I mean I get perspective.

All of a sudden I remember one God is great to life is short. Three. Sin is serious for wisdom is essential. Five. Mercy is available in six success is possible and I would encourage you to open your Bible to Psalm 90 and and go ahead and write that little outline in.

I would encourage you maybe to take that little outline on the on a 3 x 5 card and and write you a basic one basic to basic three and then cut them all over, and then when you start feeling the pressure wave psychic God is great. He created the universe and then when you get start up the old life is short you know priorities, you sin is serious. I can't be messing around Mercy's available no matter where that God's forgiving is loving. He's caring and then you know success is possible you know God will place his hand on my hand and he can take me through anything.

Can I encourage you today just I mean sometimes you just need to get the content write down those and if you're thinking, oh I can't write that fast him in the car go to the website LivingontheEdge.org it'll have this series up there. Click on message notes and all that information is for you. We want to help you grow you'll find the message notes trip just mentioned it a couple places online. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org and click the broadcasts tab. App listeners will find by tapping filling notes.

These six points and everything chip just talked about. Are there for you and a lot more will be sure to join us next time a strip continues his series facing the future with confidence to live is Steve Drewry saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge