my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus

this is a lesson to learn that we are salt of the earth

1. ​ 1 I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.“ 2 I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; And my sorrow was stirred up. 3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: 4 "LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. 5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah 6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. Psalms 39 :1-13.

2. 7 "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. 9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did it. 10 Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. 11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah 12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. 13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and am no more." Psalms 39:7-13.

3. David is inviting us tonight to consider our ways and the way we live every day. This resolution of the psalmist to "take heed to his ways" is a note of reminder to us . Can we make the same resolution everyday ? Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Cor 10:12). Mark those things which, like David, we should give special attention to. I will take heed to:

4. My Ways (v. 1). I will scrutinize my motives, my habits and manners. I will not think them right because they are my ways. I will search out whether they are in harmony with God's word and ways. 1 I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.“ 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Ps 27:11 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalms 119:105 5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 2 Cor 13:5

5. My Mouth. "I will keep my mouth with a bridle (muzzle) while the wicked is before me" ( v. 1 ). God is often judged by the ways and mouths of His people, therefore there is need at times for the muzzle. The man that offends not in word is a perfect man ( James 3:2 ). Walk in wisdom toward them that are without ( Psalm 141:3 ). 1 I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.“ 24 For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written. Romans 2:24 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. James 3:2 4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies. Psalms 141:4

6. My Heart. "My heart was hot within me" ( v. 3 ). Blessed are the hot in heart where the holy fire burns. While they ponder on the things of God, their tongues shall speak of His praise. ( Jer 20:9; Acts 17:16). Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, or a lukewarm heart of indifference. (Heb 3:12). 3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: “…But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not. Jeremiah 20:9 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Acts 17:16 12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; Hebrews 3:12

7. My Transgressions. "Deliver me from all my transgressions" ( v. 8 ). To transgress is to backslide; to fail to take heed to it is to fall from grace, and allow sin to have dominion over us ( Romans 6:14; 6:12 ). Although we may fall, we may rise again for the Lord is the Deliverer of His people. (Mat 26:72; 1 Peter 1:4) 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Romans 6:12 72 But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" Matthew 26:72 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:4

8. My Prayer. "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not Your peace at my tears" ( v. 12 ). Take heed to your prayers, see that they are the sincere expression of your inmost heart, and that they are offered in no cold and formal manner. (Heb 5:7; Luke 22:44) They are all the better of being soaked with tears. (1 Thes 3:10) 12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. 7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, Heb 5:7 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? 1 Thessalonians 3:10

9. 1) My Ways (v. 1). 2) My Mouth. 3) My Heart. 4) My Transgressions. 5) My Prayer. God is going to be OUR hope until we are willing to do the same as David!