PSALM CHAPTER 27
MAINTAINING HAPPINESS:
Why Be Afraid ??

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1. UNDERSTANDING THE RANGE OF FEARS COMMON TO MAN—MENTIONED
IN THIS PSALM.
        HAVE YOU SEEN ALL THE ONES YOU REALLY HAVE ?
        JOB 3:25. PSALM 34:4, 2 TIMOTHY 1:7.
   A. FEAR OF PHYSICAL ENEMIES. V.2.
        CRIMINAL ATTACKS. 2 COR. 7:5-7.
        SOMETHING THAT COULD EAT UP MY FLESH.
                         FEAR OF GETTING SICK.
                         FEAR OF GETTING OLD. PS. 71:18.
        A THORN IN THE FLESH. 2 COR. 12:7
               A GENETIC WEAKNESS TOWARD A DISEASE OR
               CONDITION. MATT. 9:35, NONE IS IMMUNE.
   B. WHAT WAR OR ATTACK COULD BRING. V. 3.
        SIEGE, OR LOSS OF ABILITY TO GET WHAT YOU WANT.
             2 KINGS 6:28-30, 2 KINGS 6:25.      AMERICA ?—ISAIAH 66:4.
             I COR. 16:1-3—Christians Suffer results of famines, etc.
             *(Does MATTHEW 24:7 apply to Christians, as well ?)
             OUR SECURITY: PHIL. 4:19—ONLY IN GOD.
   C. FEAR OF LOSING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
             HEB. 11:7, PHIL. 2:12, PS. 2:11.
   D. FEAR OF LOSING EARTHLY RELATIONSHIPS.
             MOTIVATES THE WEAK. MATT. 10:37,
             MOTIVATES THE STRONGER. MATT. 19:29.
   E. FEAR OF BEING FALSELY ACCUSED.
             MATT. 5:11, I PET. 3:16.

2. COMFIDENCE FROM A GODLY COMMITMENT. V.8-14.
   A. IT REQUIRES SPECIFIC ACTS ON OUR PART.
        —THOUGHTS OF CONFIDENCE COME AFTER
            COMMITMENT—PROV. 16:3
        —COMMITTING WHATEVER WE DO TO GOD BRINGS
            BOTH CONFIDENCE (FAITH) AND GOD'S BLESSING.
            PS. 37:5.
   B. IT INVOLVES GOD REPLYING COMMITMENT TO US.
        —GOD'S WORD IS HIS COMMITMENT. IS. 55:11.
            EX. 6:6, 7:5, NUMBERS 11:23, JER. 23:29, GEN. 1:3.

3. THE ESSENTIALS OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
   A. TEACHING FROM GOD. V. 11. TWO INGREDIENTS NEEDED.
        —TEACHING (GOD'S PART). JOHN 14:26, DEUT. 4:14,
             I SAM. 12:23, PS. 34:11.
        —LEARNING (OUR PART). DEUT. 31:12
                       HARD SCHOOL. (MOST COMMON). GEN. 30:27
                       EASY SCHOOL. MATT. 11:29, MARK 13:28
                 WILLINGNESS & DESIRE. JUDGES 13:8, LUKE 11:1
                 COMMITMENT TO LEARN. MATT. 11:29... THE YOKE.
   B. PROTECTION FROM THE ENEMY. V.12. LUKE 10:19
   C. FAITH IN GOD. V.13. HEB. 11:6
   D. SHARING WITH OTHERS. V.14. HEB. 13:16, JAMES 4:17.

4. NO FEAR BECAUSE OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUTURE. V.13.
   A. POWER IN PRAYER NOW. MATT. 18:19.
   B. AUTHORITY NOW. MATT. 18:18, PHIL. 4:19.
   C. ETERNAL LIFE BEGINS NOW. I JOHN 2:25.

5. NO FEAR BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO TO SERVE. V. 14.
   A. A GOOD SERVANT KEEPS HIS MASTER WAYS. PS. 37:34.
   A. GOD’S SERVANT RECEIVE THEIR STRENGTH FROM THEIR
        MASTER. PS. 59:9.