Burn Like a Fire in Me What is Burning in You the Oil for the Spirit or Turmoil?

Burn Like a Fire in Me

What is Burning in You the Oil for the Spirit or Turmoil?

Learning how to be angry and sin not

takes discipline and trust in the Lord.

Don’t let the inter turmOIL burn out of control.

Or else, the tongue we praise with will be a tongue of cursing.

Ever get upset about something?

You try to keep your mouth shut but you can

not stand it any longer and what was burning

in your heart is now burning on your tongue.

This is what the Psalmist is struggling with in Psalms 39.

He says…

"I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.

I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me."

He wants to live right and guard his tongue.

Maybe the Psalmist is in the lunchroom at

work or listening to the neighbor’s gossip.

Or, he could be watching the equivalent to TV

hearing the politician’s debate or the news.

Or, maybe he is in his own home and the

kids are arguing or the spouse is complaining.

No matter what is going on he is burning

up with the ungodly actions and talk.

He must have heard the saying…

 “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.”

So he doesn’t even speak a good word.

But he keeps thinking about it,

in fact he can’t think of anything else.

Finally he can’t take it any longer.

Like fire under a pressure cooker,

he feels like he is going to explode.

The inner turmoil gets the best of him.

Now his words are ignited and are not pretty.

Words of anger, words that can never be retrieved.

He has vented as if he were God.

Or, by the choice of his words

he had vented like the devil.

He realizes he has let a little matter take

over, in comparison to the scope of life.

After he realizes his godly testimony is shot,

 he asks God to “Rescue me from my rebellion.”

It can be so hard to take our anxiety and give it to

the Lord especially when we want results yesterday.

The Psalmist realizes this is not a one time problem

as he is weary of God’s discipline in his life.

The tongue…with it we praise God and we curse men.

The tongue…gets its fire from what is burning in our hearts.

There are so many things that make us angry

there is too much ungodliness in the world.

Ungodliness affects us every day.

 We cannot allow it to get the best of us.

We must learn how to cast those cares

on our loving God who cares for us.

Learning how to be angry and sin not

takes discipline and trust in the Lord.

Don’t let the inter turmOIL burn out of control.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 39 NLT

39 1 I said to myself, "I will watch what I do

and not sin in what I say.

I will hold my tongue

when the ungodly are around me."

2 But as I stood there in silence—

not even speaking of good things—

the turmoil within me grew worse.

3 The more I thought about it,

the hotter I got,

igniting a fire of words:

4 "Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.

Remind me that my days are numbered—

how fleeting my life is.

5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.

My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;

at best, each of us is but a breath."

Interlude

6 We are merely moving shadows,

and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.

We heap up wealth,

not knowing who will spend it.

7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?

My only hope is in you.

8 Rescue me from my rebellion.

Do not let fools mock me.

9 I am silent before you; I won't say a word,

for my punishment is from you.

10 But please stop striking me!

I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.

11 When you discipline us for our sins,

you consume like a moth what is precious to us.

Each of us is but a breath.

Interlude

12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!

Listen to my cries for help!

Don't ignore my tears.

For I am your guest—

a traveler passing through,

as my ancestors were before me.

13 Leave me alone so I can smile again

before I am gone and exist no more.