Welcome to Delight in Grace, Rich Powell, Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston Salem. This is part three of a message that was first preached on February 10, 2024 at Grace Bible Church in Winston Salem. To hear the whole message, you can visit www.delightingrace.com to the rigid posture.
I am not standing before you giving you a self-help list of recommendations. You with me? This is the Word of God. When you fret, it only tends to evil. That's why David says, don't fret. It's why he says, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Because if you fret, if you have this inner disposition of alarm and rage and you have this rigid posture that you need to be about fixing life and other people and circumstances, even if it may be for the glory of God, fretting doesn't accomplish that.
Because it tends only to evil. It means this, it means you're being driven by emotion. When you fret, and that is the impetus for your behavior, you're being driven by your emotions. You're being guided, you're being directed by your emotions.
You know what that is? That's irrational. You're not doing what that means.
You're not thinking through things. You have not taken the time to hear the Lord saying, look at me, remember what you've been told. Remember who I am, remember what I've done, remember what I have promised I will do.
Remember your training. You are driven by your emotions if you are acting irrationally, which is common today. It can only mean this, that you are not loving God with your mind.
You're not loving God with your mind when you act irrationally. On the back of your bulletin is an article by Marvin Olasky. Let me read just a part of it here. It's the psychology of rant. There's a lot of ranting going on today, isn't it?
It's just another form of fretting. Christians, do you know who's doing a lot of ranting? Christians.
So be challenged by this this morning, please. Only the Christian can have the resource not to fret in all the nonsense that's going on around us today. Here's what Marvin Olasky says, a rant may make me feel better for a few minutes, but it doesn't help me make godly disciples.
It's good, isn't it? In fact, a rant may push people away. You think? Let's look at the psychology of a rant. It may make me feel righteous.
Maybe I gather those who already agree with me. Maybe I even create solidarity with those who feel besieged, but I do little to communicate about God. And we miss the point. When we fret, we miss the point. Equally, Psalm 29-11, which ought to be underlined in every one of our Bibles, Psalm 29-11 says, a fool gives full vent to his spirit. In other words, a fool vents all his feelings.
But a wise man quietly holds it back. Because when you are fretting, when you're guided by your emotions, you will inevitably say something incorrect and regrettable. You are not serving God. If you're not loving God with all your mind, then you cannot possibly be serving God. And James 1-20 makes it clear the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. When we react in outrage, we are impulsive. And when we are impulsive, we do harm. And when we do harm, we are doing evil. And you are then returning evil for evil. Does the Bible have something to say about that?
It does. Romans chapter 12, repay no one evil for evil. We are not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good. That's the biblical invitation. That's the biblical prescription. And we can do this because of everything that we sang about this morning, the Holy Spirit come breathe new life in me.
May that be our prayer this morning. So instead of being overcome by evil, let's again do what he promises in verse, what he says in verse 7 and promises in verse 9. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
Why? Because in verse 9, those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. Wait for the Lord. Verse 3 of Psalm 37 says, trust in the Lord and do good. As we considered 1 Peter 2 last week, I will reference it again. We are instructed to continue entrusting ourselves to the faithful creator who judges justly.
Sit back and take it and do nothing. There is a place for righteous indignation. The sense of wrath of injustice, but it's a controlled directed passion. Two things are important. Number one, what you're angry about.
Is it important or is it petty? And then secondly, what you do with that anger that you sense. If it is truly something that is important, what do you do with that anger that you sense?
Do you fret and you rant about it? That doesn't accomplish anything. We've already made that pretty clear, but you need to be angry at what is truly important. Secondly, you need to direct passion to constructive remedy. Provide a solution and answer, not just ranting and condemnation. David Pauluson put it this way.
This is really good. The opposite of sinful anger is not ignoring what's truly wrong in this world. Instead, godly anger constructively engages what is wrong in a way that is patient, merciful, forgiving, and honest in tackling what needs tackling. Our sinful anger causes hurt, destruction, and alienation. Godly anger becomes an instrument in God's hands to make the world better. Trust God's character and His purpose for the outcomes. That's what it means to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. I want us to read this morning Romans 12 verses 17 to 21.
You ready for this? Let's read this together. I want you to envision the church, the whole community of God's people. This is what we're called to.
Let's read this together. But give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For by so doing, you heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Isn't that a wonderful portrait of the church being the church?
Being a community, a society of people who are still before the Lord waiting patiently for Him. That's who we are. Last point today. You introverts are feeling affirmed today, aren't you? Be quiet. Yes.
You extroverts in type A personalities are like, who do I do? Let me make this point. Being quiet does not mean silent. Does not mean silent. It doesn't mean don't say anything. It doesn't mean don't do anything.
You see it as a disposition. Internally be quiet before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. First Timothy two, verses one to two. First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high position. Christians, underline that in your scriptures and obey that command. That we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
It doesn't matter if you're an introvert or an extrovert. This verse is for you. First Thessalonians four eleven says that we need to aspire to live quietly inside and out, to live quietly. If we're quiet inside, if we are still before the Lord and waiting patiently for Him, we will have the confidence to be able to speak truth with grace. We will be able to speak truth in love. We will be able to fulfill Colossians four verses five and six that we will walk in wisdom toward outsiders, always letting our speech be gracious, seasoned with salt that you may know how you ought to answer each person. You see, the assumption of scripture is not that you are silent, but you are quiet. And it begins with an internal quietness, being still before the Lord and waiting patiently for Him. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good and your deepest satisfaction in Him, the one who is infinitely good. We hope you'll join us again on weekdays at 10am.
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