E-pistle for March 2, 2012
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E-PISTLE
FreeWay Foundation March 2, 2012
God is good . . . all the time!
(Psalm 125:1-5)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
Concentration: on those persons who trust in God
1. They are like Mount Zion, v. 1.
2. WHY? Because they are strong and cannot be moved, abiding forever, v. 1.
3. They are like the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, v. 2.
4. WHY? Because the Lord surrounds and protects His people from "this time forth
and forever," v. 2.
II. Meditation: on those persons who do not trust in the Lord
1. They shall not rule over the land God promised to His people: "the scepter of
Wickedness shall not rest . . . " v. 3.
2. WHY NOT? Because such evil persons could cause God's people to sin: "reach
out their hands to iniquity," v. 3.
3. They are walking in 'crooked ways," v. 5.
4. They shall be "led away" by the Lord . . . cast into hell for eternal punishment, v. 5;
Matthew 25:41.
III. Revelation: on the goodness of God
1. God IS good . . . all the time.
2. "Do good, O Lord," v. 4 . . . Because God IS good, He DOES good.
Character determines actions; what we do reflects what we are.
3. "Do good . . . to those who are good," v. 4 . . . But no one is good except God,
Matthew 19:16-17, and man is "god" only as he receives the righteousness of Christ,
I Corinthians 5:21.
4. Man's goodness is a matter of God's inner spiritual transformation which produces
"those who are upright in heart," v. 4; Matthew 15:17-20.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Trust in the Lord, Who is my strong protection through time and eternity.
2. Ask the Lord to deliver me from the bondage of sin, Matthew 6:13; I Corinthians 10:13.
3. Thank God for His unfailing, active goodness toward me.
4. Rededicate my heart to upright living by the grace of God.
Sow in tears; reap in joy
(Psalm 126:1-6)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on God's people in captivity and exile
1. Israel's disobedience brought punishment from God, II Chronicles 36:14-19.
2. Babylon captured Jerusalem in 586 BC, and took the Jewish people into Babylonian captivity.
3. Seventy years of captivity in exile passed, fulfilling the prophesies of Jeremiah in
II Chronicles 36:20-21; Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10.
4. The Babylonian Empire fell to the Persians, and Cyrus, King of Persia, released the Jews
to return to their homeland, Ii Chronicles 36:22-23.
II. Meditation: on the joy of being delivered and restored
1. It was like a dream, v. 1 . . . almost too good to be true!
2. Their mouths were filled with laughter (joy and gladness), and their tongues sang praises
to the Lord. v. 2.
3. The people testified to unbelieving, heathen nations that: "The Lord has done great things
for us," v. 3.
4. The people were refreshed and revived, as when God sends streams into the desert, v. 4.
III. Revelation: on God's "cause and effect"
1. Persons who sow God's word with tears of compassion shall reap in joy, vv. 5, 6.
2. Persons can expect to harvest a crop only if they sow the good seed of God's word, v. 6.
3. Persons who continually go forth . . . shall doubtless come again, v. 6.
4. Persons who compassionately, continually, and expectantly witness to others using the
Word of God shall win souls (bring "sheaves" unto the Lord), v. 6.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Testify to unbelievers that "The Lord has done great things" . . . salvation, deliverance, and
restoration.
2. Continually and compassionately witness to the lost.
3. Claim the promises of God, and with faith expect Him to produce spiritual results out of my labor.
4. Make an effort to "bring" God's sheaves to Him . . . through the strength of the Holy Spirit, strive
to become an effective soul-winner.
"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
--Will Rogers
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