All right. Let's pray and ask God to speak in a great way. Heavenly Father, Lord, as best as we can, we come to you and we present ourselves to hear your word. Lord, I'm so thankful for the guidance, the promises, the direction, and yes, the conviction that we find in your word. Lord, may this passage teach us greatly these next two Sundays. I pray in Christ's name, amen. Would you take your Bibles, and turn to the 73rd Psalm. Psalm 73. This Psalm is attributed to a musician that was there, worked together with David. Probably he wrote this. There's debate back and forth when it comes to commentators. But this is Asaph. And with this, we're going to learn something very precious these next two Sundays. Now, I want you to take note as we go through here, because you very well may identify in a great way. I know I do. I've entitled the message something very familiar. It's right there at the beginning. Truly God is good. Now listen, somebody a lot smarter than I am once said, the most important thing about you. Now listen carefully. The most important thing about you. is your view of God. Now let that sink in. That's not just for time, it's for eternity. The most important thing about you is your specific view of God. It reflects in your daily life, even in the smallest things. Someone else said this, you tell me your view of God and I will tell you your destiny. That speaks volumes too. I mean, years ago, I came across this Psalm. It has been one of my favorites. I can't honestly remember the last time I preached it here. It's been a long time, but I believe God directed me here. This is something that we need to be hearing right now. Now, in this Psalm, I think what we have at the very beginning is the conclusion. that Asaph came to. Look at verse one. There's a confidence here, a confidence. Truly God is good to Israel. Now again, listen. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. That, I mean, to me, that hearkens right back to Romans 8, 28. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Are you listening? Here's a man, now, when it's gonna seem, you're gonna catch a greater appreciation of what he says right here after we go through the rest of the psalm. We're only gonna be going through half of it this morning, but that again speaks volumes. This man is talking about the journey of a lifetime. By the way, you will notice as we go through this psalm, you're going to see places, I call them exits, where he will make a statement and it's like, is this where you really wanted to quit Asaph? Now, what you go through might not be exactly what Asaph went through, but how he identified each area we can generally apply that to the challenges that we went through. Now, you know, we have spoken volumes about this. I love the promises of God. You know, God has a habit of keeping his promises. In fact, Jim Berg, said that God in creating the universe, he created it to rotate around each of his promises. If God made a promise, this universe is created that he will keep that promise. You stop and consider these. Now again, listen to this. Isaiah 26 three, thou will keep him, in perfect, what's the word? Peace. Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee. And you know what the challenge is? People will come to God and almost accusingly say, well, Lord, where's my peace? Where's my peace that you promised? This, this, and this is going on. And gently the Lord has to come back and say, your mind hasn't been stayed on me. It's been stayed on other things, other places that you've been trusting. We look at Old Testament Israel and we think how foolish they went after certain idols instead of trusting in the living God. But you know what? We've got idols too. And we've trusted them. Oh, we won't come right out. We don't recognize it as such. But it might be money. It might be position. It might be a relationship. But the point is, we are to be stayed on him. Are you with me so far? Listen, trust ye in the Lord forever. For in the Lord, Jehovah is everlasting strength. David, in his challenges, wrote this in Psalm 4, I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. Again, I love that. He challenges us in Psalm 27, wait on the Lord, be of good courage. Why? And he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 46, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Now, again, please think about that. You have to admit with me, if there is one thing that many Christians have a challenge with in these days, it's meditating on the Word of God. We'll hit it like a speed bump on a road and just keep on driving. No, we gotta stop. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory, my Christ Jesus. Amen? That's it. Psalm 84, 11, for the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord will give, like we were singing about, grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Now you can either debate it with the God of heaven or just trust that he'll keep his word. I would rather trust him. I'd rather do that. So this is his confidence. Couple of others. Psalm, excuse me, Isaiah 41 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee. You know, sometimes we pray and we beg God to do what he's already promised. Lord, will you be with me? I'm with you. Lord, will you help me? I'm here. That's what he says. Be not dismayed, I am thy God. I will strengthen thee. Yea, I will help thee. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. I got to meditating and studying this last week, the words of the apostle Paul in Galatians 2. I love this. Sometimes you just got to go back and milk this cow again. Galatians 2.20, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Now wait a minute, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me. Now, I was gonna go into that a little bit more, but brother Reyes is staring at me right now, wondering if I'm gonna be keeping my word. And so, you know, I can't let him down. You know, I love hearing about the saints that have trusted the Lord so greatly. There was a missionary by the name of Alan Gardner. He went through many physical difficulties and hardships through his serving his savior. Despite his troubles, he said this, quote, while God gives me strength, failure will not daunt me, unquote. 1851, at the age of 57, he died of disease and starvation while serving on Picton Island, the South part of South America. When his body was found, his diary was laying nearby. He wrote of hunger, thirst, wounds, and loneliness. But he's like one of those missionaries that we praise God for today. They found his last entry. They could tell because of his weakened condition, the difficulty he had in writing this into his diary. But his last words in his diary were these, I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God. I read that and you talk about something that brings, oh, I'm telling you, conviction, but reflection. Truly, God is good to Israel. even to such as are of a clean heart. That is his confidence. But folks, Asaph then had a confession. Now look at verse two. But as for me, now look up here, please. Look up here. I don't know about you, But I believe in just knowing people and knowing myself. Many times, many of us. In fact, I'm convinced all of us who truly named the name of Christ, one time or another, we have a but ask for me moment. Are you listening? I don't wanna waste this time, folks. I wanna make, this needs to be heard. because there are places, danger that are coming in the verses ahead. We need to hear the words of this man. But as for me, can I ask you something? Is it possible that you're going through a but as for me moment right now? Now, again, we're gonna be looking at this a little bit deeper, but everybody to one degree or another in the trials and the testings, something happens. Something is being used by the Lord to try us, to stretch us, grow us, One of my favorite quotes from A.W. Tozer is this, and I love it. I've given it to you before. He wrote this in his book, The Crucified Life. If we understand that everything happening to us is to make us more Christ-like, it will solve a great deal of anxiety in our lives. everything, but we have a choice to make. Right? But as for me, now listen to what he said in the rest of the verse. But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nigh slipped. Now remember what he wrote in verse one, truly God is good to Israel, even to such as of a clean heart. Amen, praise God. Closing prayer, we're gone. No, he's got a place he wants to take us. He's trying to tell us about a but ask for me moment. Listen to this. Watch carefully. As we go down these verses, we need to recognize that we wind up dealing with situations again, like what happened with him. He says there's a challenge to his faith. Now we've already seen before challenges to faith. For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed. Genesis 13, Abraham dwelled in the land of Canaan. Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Can I inject something here? A lot of times, most of the time, I dare say, our problem is that in some place in our lives, we pitch our tent towards Sodom. We're loving the world. We're loving things in the world. We wind up getting wrapped up in that. Listen, yesterday, the gospel proved once again that there is nothing more important than a soul coming to Christ, recognizing their sin, realizing there is a free gift, turning from sin to Christ, and praise God, we can rejoice. We know where Pat Taylor is. But then there's us. There's people that we know. The Bible says that Lot was just Lot, but Lot lost everything. Everything. Everybody. Why? Because he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Now for Asaph, I don't believe that took place. He's going to explain a little bit. He says, here is the challenges to my faith. By the way, can I inject this? Please don't forget this. Circumstances are terrible counselors. you can wind up in a situation where things are going south on you like crazy. And instead of getting into the word of God and rejoicing in the promises there, we look at the circumstances and it's like, God doesn't love me. I know, I've been there. I've been there. I stood in this pulpit. And I preached, God so loved the world. I just didn't believe he loved me. That was 25 years ago. I'm so glad that's 25 years ago. But again, situations, circumstances, they'll wind up drawing us from the promises of God. That's what took place with Asaph. First of all, take note, look at verse three, write this down. There was confusion. Now that's how you are going to respond. Wait a minute. For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. That's taking place all the time nowadays. I mean, we see people, they've got money, they've got fame, they've got talent, and then there's us. But Asaph is looking and going, now, wait a minute, I can understand some people getting ahead in life, but Lord, these people don't even love you. And yet they are excelling in this world. Look at verse four, for there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men. Now, I want you to notice something here real quick. He starts to use superlatives. There's no bands, no this, no that. Now he doesn't know that, but to him, Everything's good. See, when we wind up starting to slip into this, we wind up seeing things really as they are not. He's just seeing what Satan wants him to see. These people are happy. It's like people in Hollywood. People with talent. Oh, everything's great. Everything's fine. Man, they're, you know, look at that. And that actor, he is so happy. Yeah, I know he's been married 57 times, but you know how many, you know, things are just doing, no, no, scratch, zip, nothing. What comes out of that, notice this now, the confusion, and you can read it in four and five, and it continues in six and seven, is a distorted perspective. Check it out. Look at verse six. Therefore pride compass them about as a chain. Violence covereth them as a garment. This is what he's seeing. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. Now, again, this is his perspective, but to him, this is his reality. He's looking at these people and you know what? On the outside, they'll put on a good show. Yeah, I'm doing good. Doing a lot more than you, Mr. Christian. Now, first of all, it's a lie. But secondly, that's something that Satan wants us to just kind of go after. Look at verse eight. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. These are the elites. Rules for thee, but not for me. I'm gonna have what I want. I'm gonna tell you, you know, keep your emissions down on your car as I get into my private jet and fly around the world condemning people that they're using a car that's 25 years old. And so they need to get it off the road because, oh, you know, I mean, it's no, no, I'm not gonna park there. I gotta keep going. But do you realize how many laws have been passed by state and federal government that do not apply to those that pass the laws? Check it out. I was working there in the Capitol, here, when those kinds of laws were being passed. But let's move on. Look at verse nine. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Oh man, now it's getting personal with Asaph and his God. Lord, you'd understand, they're cursing you. And they're going through this world like you don't matter. It's just not right. They're flaunting their wickedness as they seek to destroy your law. This is what he sees. Now, somewhere along the line, there might be a place where you look and you go, you know what? I remember getting a distorted perspective. I remember getting confused a little bit and Satan came along and said, you know what? Why don't you just leave it? There are people that have left places just like this. There are people that have left this place because of confusion and a distorted perspective. You know what? It's just not working for me. I heard of a man, a young man, who is the son of a very dear pastor to me. And this son said, well, I guess the prayer just didn't work for me. And off he went. And that was it. Now, again, this hearkens back to the gospel itself. We're going to see right now just how important that was, how it started to affect Asaph. Look at verse 10. Therefore his people return hither and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. It grieves them to see these wicked, what they're doing to the God of heaven, his word. And they say, how does God know? And is their knowledge in the most high? You know, When the wicked come here, they go, ah, God's not paying attention. That's it, don't worry about it. And he continues, look at verse 12. Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches. Again, he continues to bemoan the fact, but now he comes to a place, this really gets bad. It grieves. This might be the place where somebody that you know made an exit. It might be where you were tempted to make it. Look at this. Suddenly it comes back on Asaph and it can come back on us. We have a devalued sense of purpose. Look at verse 13. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain. You know what? It just wasn't worth it. I got taught this all my life. It hasn't worked out. It just wasn't worth it. I washed my hands in innocency. Why? What's the problem? I'll tell you what the problem is. Look at verse 14. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. You know, Lord, I see these people, they're getting away with all kinds of stuff. But I get up and I have my devotions and you convince me or convict me of sin. And it's not that big of a sin. but you want me to deal with that sin. Oh boy. So here they are, they're having a ball, but here I am Lord, and it's not fun. That brings a deep sense of pain. Now, why does it bring that? Because Asaph, is in a position of influence, but more than that, he is a lover of his God. But there was a place where he was going through this. Don't know when, but he was having a challenge. Let me ask you, you ever thought about taking an exit? Look at verse 15. If I say I will speak thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. I got a granddaughter sitting back here. I love that young lady to death. God help this man. If I ever blew my testimony and said it's not worth it in front of her. Because Jesus Christ is worth it. I want her to know that from her papa. That the gospel is worth it, the Bible is God's word, there is a heaven, there is a hell, and we need to know Christ as savior. But Asaph, Oh man, this is getting rough. Verse 16, when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. This man, listen, listen, listen, listen. This man is in anguish. You know, there have been times, and maybe if I asked for a raise of hands, you could raise yours, where it's not just a difficult time, You are as close to hell as you ever want to be. When I thought to do that, I thought about, you know, just leaving it all. No! Lord, help! And he did. Look at verse 17. There is a change to his vision. Until I went and to the sanctuary of God. Then understood I their end." Now, listen, I'm almost done. I'm almost done. This is what Asaph was seeing. There's the tabernacle, there's the place, where inside there's the holy place and the holy of holies, in there is the scripture. On top of that is the mercy seat, where God's presence is. And he knew where he needed to go. I want you to go to one place and we're done. go to 2 Timothy 3.16. 2 Timothy 3.16. You see, this is what we've got to do. We've got to go to the God place. All scripture, look, we sometimes quote this. Again, it's one of those verses, eh, I learned this when I was five years old. No, no, no, no, no. All scripture is given by God and is profitable. It works. Profitable for doctrine, teaching. for reproof, you know, conviction. Hey, you're doing all, but it's not just reproof. Praise God for correction. Listen, this is how you get it right. And then instruction and righteousness. This is how you stay there. I encourage you if you desire, this week, Start here at verse 17 and go through the rest of Psalm 73. Lord willing, that's where we'll be next Sunday, but you'll love it. He's got a changed vision, but it didn't happen until he went into the sanctuary of God. Now, don't sit there and think about someone that you might know, and you're thinking to yourself, you know, I hope they would do that. I'm gonna tell them they need to hear this message. No, you need to do it. I need to do it. We all need the right perspective. Because every one of us, One way or another, the wicked one, until he is cast into hell, he is working on God's people, seeking to give them a, but ask for me moment. Hey, come on, are you sure it's worth it? Yeah, it's worth it. Oh yeah, well, let me show you something. Did you hear about how pastor so-and-so is doing? Yeah. Praise God. This is where we'll be next Sunday. Let's pray.