Malaise: The Curse of Our Age

The title today, Malaise the Curse of Our Age. Malaise, age. Malaise, the curse of our age. What is that word, Malaise? First of all, let's define Malaise, a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify. Another source defines Malaise in this way, feeling uncomfortable, lack of energy, but you cannot explain the cause.

Here are some synonyms for Malaise. Disheartenment, discouragement, dispiritedness, downheartedness, low spirits, hopelessness, despair, wretchedness, melancholy, gloom, gloominess, melancholy, sorrow, sadness, grief, distress, unhappiness, defeatism, pessimism, the doldrums, the blues, heartache.

Malaise. Virtually all those synonyms at one time or another in the past year or so, I have experienced in some form or another. Perhaps you have not. But it seems that it is a time in which people are struggling in so many different areas of life and some are ready to give up. Of course, the trials seem to mount. And in view of that, what does God expect us to do?

You know, Laodiceaism is one of the synonyms for Malaise. If you would turn to Revelation chapter 3 and verse 14. It's also the age of being cool. Nothing bothers me. I'm so cool that my brain is frozen. And I cannot think. I walk around in a daze. I'm sort of zombified. And I'm neither hot nor cold.

And so God addresses that in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 14. We begin in the message to the seven churches. And under the angel, the messenger, the angelos of the church of Laodicea write these things, as the Amen. The faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know you are neither cold nor hot. I know your works. You're neither cold nor hot. How would you were cold or hot? So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.

So quite a warning there. We did not want to be spewed out of the mouth of God. Quite graphic language there. Because you say, I am rich, increase with goods. It's like, and of course, there is a Dublian tandre here, which is mainly speaking in spiritual terms. It could be applied physically, but mainly spiritually. Increase with goods. I have need of nothing. I know it all. I've been there before. The average tenure in the church is about 35 years, and I've heard everything they have to say and more.

And know not that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. Our counsel, Utabayomene, Goldtried in the fire, symbolic of holy righteous character, that you may be rich and white rhema, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of the nakedness does not appear and anoint your eyes with eyesave, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. We're familiar with the Scripture, and Hebrews 12 says that if you are without chastisement, then you are accounted as illegitimate.

God in Christ deeply desires that we be filled with earnest expectation, excitement, enthusiasm. Paul admonished the young evangelist, Timothy, to stir up the spirit that he received with the laying on of hands. Let's read that in 2 Timothy 1 and verse 6. Second Timothy 1 and verse 6, one of the prison epistles when Paul wrote this. He was in prison, and Timothy was beginning to fall prey to Malays, to Laodiceanism, to discouragement, being maybe ashamed and a little bit wondering, well, what's happened? Here's the one who ordained me. Here's the one that sent me forth. Here's my teacher, and he's in prison, and it seems like nothing is happening.

What's going on here? And so Paul writes to Timothy, wherefore—this is for a second Timothy 1.6—"wherefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up." Stir up, the word stir in the Greek, is a six-syllable word. It's an adzo poreo. That's a good tongue twister, but you don't want to remember that anyhow. Meaning to kindle up, to inflame one's mind, strength, and zeal. Stir up, to inflame, to kindle up with zeal one's mind. Stir up the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands. And those of you who are baptized receive the laying on of hands, and you have been begotten by God's Spirit.

To a large degree, the spiritual things conform somewhat to the laws of biology of use and disuse. If you use a muscle and overload it, it gains in strength. If you use the spiritual tools that God has given you, they are increased, and God waters that gift that He's given you and increases it.

Stir up the gift of God in you by the putting on of my hands, for God has not given us the spirit of fear. You don't have to fear Timothy because I'm in prison. The spirit, actually that word fear is cowardice-ness. To be, you don't have to be a coward. You don't have to sort of huddle and withdraw because I'm in prison, but a power and of love and of a sound mind.

Be not you therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner, but be your partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. The afflictions of the gospel by the apostle Paul suffered were so many.

Another thing that can bring about Malaise, as I mentioned earlier, if you'd be turning to Galatians 6, back a few pages to Galatians chapter 6 and verse 8. As I said, the average tenure of the church member is 35 or so. I wouldn't be surprised if it were more. That was what it was. In one of the last feast surveys that I saw was 35 years, and so many of us are well past 50, 60, and even 70 in some cases, and even 90 in some cases. So in Galatians chapter 6, and of course this is an admonition here to all of us, Galatians 6 and verse 8, For he that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sows to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As I've said many times, we have to hold to the end of the road. He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. God, of course, expects us to keep on keeping on and to never give up. You would be turning now to Matthew 24 and verse 14. Matthew 24 and verse 14.

A give-up attitude can be equated with a lack of endurance. You know, you can draw the analogy of physical things, sports, that will usually reach our psychological limits way before we do our physiological limits. Can I walk another step? Yes, I can walk another step. Can I run another wind sprint? Yeah, I can run another wind sprint. Can I do this or that? Yeah, I can go one more step. In your mind, the mind is saying, I can't make it. I can't make another step. A give-up attitude can be equated with a lack of endurance, which is really the loss of will and desire to keep on keeping on, regardless of situation or circumstance. So you note here, Matthew 2412, which introduces another cause for malaise and all of these synonyms that go with it. Matthew 2412, and because of iniquity, lawlessness shall abound. The love of many shall wax coal. And we know that lawlessness currently abounds, and there are no absolutes according to those who want to govern you.

So we have to choose to be governed by God, or to be governed by man. I would choose God. Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax coal. The spirit of the times catches people up and causes them to turn away. But he that shall endure unto the end. The same shall be saved. So as we've noted, this directly relates to the spirit of the times. Because iniquity abounds, because everybody else is, quote, doing whatever it is they're doing, it seems like that gives me license or cause or an excuse to do whatever I want to do. That is an easy trap to fall into, and so many young people fall into that trap. We're admonished time after time in Scripture that we must come out of this world. Now let's look at 1 John 2, verse 15. These are some of the strongest words, admonition, exhortation, in the whole Bible that I'm about to read. 1 John 2, 15, then we'll go to James 4, 4. But in 1 John 2 and verse 15, remember John is the the apostle of love. Of course, it is in the book of John that you get a definition of sin. Sin is a transgression of the law. You get a definition of love. But the love of God is to keep His commandments. His commandments are not grievous. But here we are reading this admonition about coming out of the world. 1 John 2, verse 15, love not the world. This present order of things, the kamah, cosmos, this age. 2 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. That means if you place greater affection to anything in this world than you do for God in His way, then the love of the Father is not in him. Now, the apostle James, I would say, goes a step farther than this. If you look now to James 4, in verse 4, you adulterers and adulterers know you not that the fellowship of the world is enmity with God. In other words, anyone who would involve themselves and plunge into the world, as we'll see, is an enemy of God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. These are the words of inspiration that these writers, the men of God, were inspired to write to each one of us. Brethren, we are here on a quest for eternal life in the kingdom of God. We are here to seek glory, immortality, and honor in the kingdom of God. Let's notice this in Romans 2, verse 14, Paul writing this epistle here in Romans chapter 2, and we'll start here. I don't know what I said, but I'll find it here. We want, in Romans chapter 2 and verse 4, Romans 2 and verse 4. In Romans 2, verse 4, "...or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering." You see, that's what we try to get across with regard to the opportunity to be born into the church of God, to be called into the church of God. It is a sacred calling. It is not given to everyone. The opportunity is not given to everyone. You know, we have the analogy of Esau trading his birthright for a bowl of soup. That which is sacred. The birthright was sacred. It was a gift from God to the first born. We shall be first born in the kingdom of God, the first fruits, Jesus Christ being the first of the first fruits. "...despise you the riches of the goodness and forbearance and long-suffering of God, knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance." Because God is love, and because of His grace, His divine favor, He has ordained the great plan of salvation.

He has raised up the church of God, and the gospel message is supposed to lead you to repentance, supposed to convict you, and you're to make a commitment to it, as we shall see. "...but after your hardness and impenitent heart, treasure up unto yourself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation in the righteous judgment of God." If you have that kind of attitude, then it's too bad. "...who will render to every man according to his works." We heard that in the sermonette. We are individually and personally accountable and responsible to God. "...to them who by patient continuance and well-doing seek for..." Here's what we're here for. "...we're seeking for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace to every man that works good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile, for there is no respect of persons with God." So, brethren, if we don't attain unto eternal life and mortality, our life has been in vain. We were created for the purpose of attaining to eternal life. Now, let's look at another thing that causes malaise, and that is Proverbs 13 and verse 12. Let's go there. Proverbs 13 and verse 12. In Proverbs 13 and verse 12, here's a scripture that is so vital in so many different ways, and we'll spend some time with a more complete explanation of this. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. Since hope is one of the vital spiritual tools that lead to salvation, we should define hope. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for certain things to happen. Once again, desire for certain things to happen. Expectation and desire. Synonyms, desire, wish, expectation, ambition, aim, plan, dream, longing, yearning, craving, wanting, desiring it to happen. Now we look at hope in Romans 8 and verse 24.

In fact, there are two or three things that God says that you are saved by, and one of them is Romans 8, 24, and that is hope. So we could say once again that hope can be equated with earnest desire and expectation. In Romans 8 and verse 24.

For we are saved by hope, earnest desire and expectation. Do you have earnest desire and expectation? We're saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. So we see here that hope is in an abstract dimension. Hope that is seen, that is just all you have to do is pick it up, and there it is. For what a man sees, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for that, we see not. Then do we, with patience, wait for it. We are in a race. He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. How many fall by the wayside, because they do not endure to the end. Now here's a critical point to understand more about hope. We go to 1 Corinthians 13 and verse 13.

Back in the day when I was in high school, each class had a motto. The motto of our class was this verse. The teacher who was a, and that was way back, a liberated Episcopalian, didn't like for us to have this. She was our class sponsor for our motto, but we chose it anyhow. And now abides faith, hope, charity. These three. But the greatest of these is charity.

As I've already mentioned, we see that hope is an abstract state of mind. Hope cannot be seen, per se, and it is best described as a state of earnest expectation of achieving a desired result of hope. What do you hope for more than anything else?

Simply put, expectations are beliefs that spring from a person's thought processes. After examining the evidence, you examine the evidence, the basis for your hope, our expectations are not always correct because of flaws in our logic and the bias that might exist. Sometimes we get our hopes up based on a false premise or misreading of the evidence that is before us. Often we form expectations automatically without conscious effort. We just expect certain things to be the way they've always been. But things are not always going to be the way they've always been. When expectations are not met, a kind of uneasiness ensues, and we often place blame on the something or someone who did not live up to our expectations. How many people have fallen from the Church of God and the truth of God based on their faults, the expectations, unrealistic expectations about what the Church is about? And I use the Church in the generic sense of what the plan of God is about and what God is doing.

So we note once again in 1 Corinthians 13, 13, that three things endure, but now abides. So these three things abide. In preceding verses, Paul talks about things that will pass away. But these three things abide. Hope and charity are products of living faith. Let me say that again. Hope and charity, that is love, becoming love as God is love, are products of living by faith. Faith, hope, charity. In other words, faith is the anchor point. It's the causative agent. Remember our Hebrews 12, 6, he who would come to God must first of all believe that he is and a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So the first article of faith is to believe that God exists. I have hope and expectation because I have faith in God and his word. Am I going to choose God and his word, or am I going to choose what man might say? I don't care how brilliant or high-high they are, I.Q. Which one am I going to trust? Which one am I going to believe? Which one am I going to trust for eternal life? Let's look at Titus chapter 1 verse 1. Titus, another young man that Paul ordained in one of his journeys. In Titus chapter 1 and verse 1. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgement, acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life. In hope of eternal life. See, that's our greatest hope. In hope of eternal life. Now, what would you trade eternal life for? Would you trade it for this world or anything that this world has to offer? Oh, Satan dresses up this world with a glamour and glitz, and in some cases people can attain to what is called glory and fame, but it's only in the human sense. I remember the poem suddenly pops into my mind that we used to use when coaching sports teams to win or lose matters not, but rather how you played the game for Saturday's scores or soon forgot, a moment's fleeting touch of fame, but those who played who gave their all are heroes true beyond reproach, but first, let's fire the coach.

It's everybody else's fault but mine.

In hope of eternal life, which god that cannot lie, promised before time began.

But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior, to tithe us mine own son after the common faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. For this cause left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed you. If any be blameless and so on, it goes on to give qualifications of an elder. In hope of eternal life, so do you come to church with great expectation that you're going to grow in grace and knowledge, that as a result of the experience, the fellowship, the camaraderie, the being here, the message, the reading of God's Word, the studying of God's Word, that you're going to grow in grace and knowledge. For decades, beginning in the 1930s up to the early 1980s, the majority of members who associated with the church came to church with a hope and perhaps expectation they would learn more and more about what? About conversion? No. Some did about conversion, but many were on a knowledge trip and more specifically a prophecy trip as opposed to a conversion trip.

The principal message that resounded with people was what is called eschatology. In theological terms, eschatology is the study of end things. It's from the Greek eschatos, meaning the branch of theology occupied with the study of the last part of life, especially death, judgment, heaven, and hell. To a large degree, we're an eschatological church. The end is near. The end is near. We're on the gun lab. We're almost there. So many people fall by the wayside. They don't endure because, remember the scripture, hope deferred makes the heart grow sad. So you have to, using a Jesse Jackson phrase, by the way, Jesse Jackson and I met one time face to face. We were in the World Affairs Council in Beverly Hills, California. We had tickets there to go to the council. They brought in speakers from all over the world. This particular day, Jesse Jackson was the speaker. It just happened as I was exiting, Jesse Jackson was coming off the stage, and we met just face to face. He stuck out his hand and said, and you, how are you, friend? I said, I'm doing well. How are you? He kept on walking. Jesse, one of his sayings was, keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep expectation alive. People were excited about learning end time events. We know this. We know that. And I gave a sermon some time ago. Are you on a knowledge trip or a conversion trip? I believe one of the greatest lessons that God has been trying to teach us is that knowledge alone will not save anyone. I could have, which I cannot, but if I could, memorize the whole Bible.

And that alone, is that going to save me? No. You could quote scripture after scripture. Satan can quote scripture. And we could go down the line with various things that you might do. But we are here to be converted. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 8.1, the knowledge puffs up, but charity, agape, spiritual love, edifies. However, we could rapidly say a certain critical threshold of knowledge is necessary for one to be convicted of the Word and Spirit of God. The gospel must be preached. The gospel must be published. Let's turn to Romans chapter 10 and verse 14. The two convicting agents are the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. And here Paul writes in Romans 10.14, How shall they call on him of whom they have not believed? How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent as it is written? How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed the gospel for, Isaiah said, Lord who has believed our report. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. So a certain threshold of knowledge is necessary for God to convict you through his Spirit and through his Word. A plan of salvation is about faith, repentance, surrendering a person's being to God. You know, I know at times it's more exciting to talk about what's going on in the world, maybe, than to talk about conversion. Who wants to talk about conversion? Did you know such and such just happened in the Middle East or wherever it is? And surely I think we should be apprised to those events as much as possible. Another cause, and here's one that weighs heavy on me, is heaviness of the heart and mind. Heaviness of the heart and mind is another cause of malaise and all the synonyms, and perhaps the most difficult one to overcome.

Heaviness of the heart and mind. Let's go to Proverbs 12, 25. In Proverbs 12 and verse 25.

Proverbs 12 verse 25, I'm there, are you? In Proverbs 12 and verse 25, the clock's wrong, thankfully.

No, that's right. I got messed up with the 230 thing. In Proverbs 12 verse 24, no, I want 25. Proverbs 12 and 25, heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop. Heaviness in the heart of a man makes it stoop, but a good word makes it glad. And of course, we all have the power of life and death in the tongue, and how much good can a good word do? In some cases, it is a wellspring of life. Now let's go to 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 6. We're in you greatly rejoice through now for a season if you be in heaviness. The heaviness of the heart makes it stoop. A good word makes it glad.

We're going to talk about this. We're in you greatly rejoice so now for a season. If need be, you are in heaviness through manifold trials.

In a sense, malaise is another word for the cause, manifold trials, and another way of saying, lumping in a generic sense, the cause of malaise, discouragement, and so on. That the trying of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Trials of all sorts can cause sorrow and heaviness of heart to the point that it can be almost unbearable. In some cases, it does become unbearable in the minds of some, and they give up and quit. Some even commit suicide. Some become angry and vindictive.

Some blame God and anyone that crosses their path on the way to the pits of despair and destruction. So, the mass shooting of the week was in Wisconsin, Milwaukee area. Employee fired. He's mad. He's fired. He goes home, gets his gun, comes back, kills five people. Just about everyone who has lost a child would say what David said in 2 Samuel 1833. Let's go there. 2 Samuel 1833. Not only a child, it might be a wife, it may be a husband, it may be a son, it may be a daughter.

But I'm sure that, as David said this, that many of us who have experienced this could say the same thing. But the irony of this is, any trial is a potential for growth or it is a potential to plunge one further into malaise in the various synonyms.

In 2 Samuel 18 and verse 33, Absalom, he led a rebellion against his father. It didn't go very well and he wound up running under a tree and hanging himself by the hair of his head, and he died. In 2 Samuel 18 verse 33, And the king was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, I would to God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son. When having his grips the mind to the point of breaking Satan the devil, he is there, and he's always trying to push us over the edge. At times I wonder how the Apostle Paul was able to cope with the fact that he was responsible for torturing and killing Christians before he was converted. That must have been a heaviness to him or David. How was he able to cope after he numbered Israel and it resulted in the death of thousands? Heaviness. When all is said and done, final judgment will be rendered to every person who's ever lived. It will be up to God to determine what happens to that person. Let's go to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 and verse 7. Of course, once again, Philippians is a prison epistle. By the Apostle Paul, he was in prison.

Philippians, to a large degree, is an epistle about humility. Jesus Christ humbling himself. Philippians 2.7. These few verses here are so very critical in the total understanding of the plan of salvation and what's going to happen to every person. But made himself of no reputation, that is Christ, took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. You talk about from great exaltation to being a man. None of us have experienced that kind of quote viewed in the physical sense as demotion, but for Christ, for the joy that was set before him, he did it. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the stake. Wherefore, God has also highly exalted him, given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God our Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, once again in prison, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. See, all of us continually are standing before the judgment seat of Christ every day.

This is one of the main reasons for impressing upon the minds of young people that God will be the ultimate judge, and I don't care who you are, where you are, when you're born, or anything like that, that day will come. So the greatest commitment of all time is to commit to God.

So how do we overcome the malaise that does so easily beset us? A relationship and a commitment to God. Let's notice what some of the people did when they faced great tragedy. Note the words of the Apostle Paul in Hebrews. I have referred to this just a moment ago, for the joy set before him. What did Christ do when he was facing the the stake? I think sometimes we don't think about this. When Christ was facing the stake, did he have a big picture in his mind of what was going to happen? He could see men and women in the kingdom of God, the joy that was set before him. In Hebrews 12, verse 1, Wherefore seeing we also are accomplished about was so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience. See, that is one of the great keys that we have to understand. We have to run the race with patience. There will be ups and downs. There will be good times, bad times. There will be mountains to climb and valleys to cross, but it's oftentimes in the valley where people fail because they begin to take things for granted. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the stake, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. See, he could see in his mind's eye. He had hope. He had earnest expectation. He was love, and he gave his life, and he could see you and I in the kingdom of God.

Sit down on the right hand of the throne of God, for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. You have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children. My son despises not you the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him, for whom he loves he chastens, scourges every son whom he receives. And if you be without it, you are counted as illegitimate. David, when he lost his family, let's go to 1 Samuel 30 in verse 1 now, what did he do when he lost his family, because he was able to regain them to a large degree in 1 Samuel 30, and he was blamed by all the people for losing them and for losing their families as well, those who were with David, 1 Samuel 30 in verse 1.

1 Samuel 30 in verse 1, It came to pass when David and his men were come to Ziklag. On the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire, and had taken the women captives that were therein, they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way, a mass kidnapping. So David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters were taken captive. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up the voice and wept until they had no more power to weep. One of the things that people do, and it's easy to fall into this, one of the things I say at sermons, it is good and proper that we are grieving here today, but we must not let grief become our master, because the person who's died would never want that.

See, life, as they say, life goes on. You can choose to live it and meet the challenges or to withdraw. And David's two wives were taken captive, a Hennom, and just realitis, and Abigail, the wife, and Abol, the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved. They were so filled with discouragement, despair, distress, and every man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged himself, and the Lord is God. How do you encourage yourself in God?

This word encouraged in the Hebrew is kazakh, k-a-h-a-w-z-a-k, kazakh, phonetically. It means to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, be resolute. When Hezekiah was told he was going to die, he turned his face to the wall. Fifteen years were added to his life. So how do you strengthen yourself in the Lord? How do you encourage yourself in the Lord? We're in the Old Testament. We'll look at Psalm 119 verse 9. This may sound so simple, but this has to do with power, because we're talking about spiritual power. We're talking about life. Where does it reside?

In Psalm 119 verse 9, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way, by taking heed thereto according to your word? With my whole heart have I sought you. O, let me not wander from your commandments. Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you. So what about this word? Look at verse 50 of Psalm 119. Verse 50 of Psalm 119. It is very similar to what we'll read.

This is my comfort in my affliction, when I am down and out in my affliction, when I'm ready to give up. What is the Psalmist's right? This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has made me alive. It quickened me. It brought me back. It gave me life.

Now we look at John 6 verse 63.

Hopefully you memorize that verse by now. Now, it is the spirit that quickens. John 6, 63. It is the spirit that quickens. The flesh profits nothing. The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life.

So the Word of God will serve to lift up a person and change their mental outlook. The Word of God is spirit and it is life. The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life. Keep your eyes, and everything I say is to myself as well, because I have been there. Keep your eyes, heart and mind, on what lies ahead, as we read from Romans 2. Glory, honor, immortality. Keep the big picture in mind as Christ did when he was facing death on the stake. He could see you and I in the kingdom of God. One of the great obstacles today is that we're so overwhelmed with the survival mode syndrome. Or I gave a sermon, if you might recall, about a year ago about the survival mode addiction. We become addicted to the way we live our lives. We get in a rut. We can almost impossible to break the routine. And why do we stay where we are in thought and behavior? It is because we are comfortable there. It doesn't take as much effort. We're comfortable with it, not willing to put forth the effort necessary to change. And I don't think at times we necessarily even think that we're not going to put forth the effort. It just happens. We remain in the rut in the comfort zone. But at the same time, we're involved in the vernacular of what is called the the rat race, survival. We don't seem to have time for anyone or anything but ourselves. How will I survive? And to break the survival mode addiction will require a lot of saying no and getting our eyes off ourselves and on to God.

Finding a cause that is greater than yourself. Look at Psalm 77. Psalm 77 depicts a person who is paralyzed with all the synonyms that go with malaise. And then there is suddenly the remedy. I cried unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me.

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. My sore ran in the night and ceased not. My soul refused to be comforted. My soul refused to be comforted.

Because why? I remembered God and was troubled. And this word I complain means I communed. I commune with myself. I had a talk with myself. I went over all of my problems. I commune and my spirit was overwhelmed when I saw all of my problems. You hold mine eyes waking. I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of all the years of ancient times. I called a remembrance my song in the night. That same word I commune with my own heart. My spirit made diligent search. What's wrong? How can I get out of this?

Will the Lord cast off forever? Will he be unfavorable? Will he be unfavorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone forever? Does his promise fail forevermore? Have God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? And sometimes a person can come to think, well, what if I've committed the unpardonable sin? I've drifted so far away. Is there a way back? Hopefully there is a way back. And that cord is not broken. And I said, this is my infirmity. What was the infirmity? My problem is my problem. All of these things are broken. But in contrast to that, I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. And you see, you begin to see Jesus Christ and the suffering that he went through on the stake. I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely I will remember your wonders of old. I will meditate also of your work and talk of your doings. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary. In other words, in God's presence. Who is who created God as our God? See, that is the remedy for breaking out of the survival mode addiction. The ultimate battle is of the mind and the spirit. Save the devil is battling for the mind and the spirit.

There is a continual battle being waged by Satan, by society, with all of its tentacles from peer pressure to media control of your mind. No one but you ultimately controls the key to your mind unless you permit outside influences to control your mind.

Sometimes you might be in counseling, you would say, I wish I just had a key that I could turn, and they would see things differently. So you're the one who has to turn the key. Hence, in Proverbs 4, 23, it says, keep your heart with all diligence. Keep that mind because out of it flow the issues of life. Now we go back to Philippians. We'll close with this because this, in a sense, is the summary of how to break forth into the light no matter what the situation or the circumstance is. Remember it is a prison epistle. Paul is in great distress. The Philippians aren't in distress, but he tells them to look to Christ who suffered so much. He was on the God plane and made himself into the form of man. Philippians 4 verse 1. Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech your dias and beseech St. Tixi-Chi that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat you also, true yoke fellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life. Now the admonition, the exhortation. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.

How many times have we rejoiced in the Lord in recent times? Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. God is present. His Spirit abides in you. God and Christ live in you. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God. See, there are two kinds of peace spoken of in the Bible. Peace with God, which we do at conversion when we are no longer counted enemies of God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report. If there be any virtue, there be any praise, think on these things. So keep your heart with all diligence. You don't have to be in the state of malaise. You can stir up the Spirit that is within you, and you can keep that big picture burning brightly in your mind. You can endure to the end. You can go one more step, yet even perhaps one more mile. So let's continue to fight the good fight of faith.