ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE

Psalm 37:1-9

Pastor Rick Jackson

Amazing to me how the world sometimes discovers Bible truths without knowing they are Bible truths (Don’t Worry, Be Happy). There’s an old song which was sung in the 1940s by Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters (among others) that starts out:

You've got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive

Eliminate the negative

Latch on to the affirmative

Don't mess with Mister In Between [Johnny Mercer]

I. ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVE [v. 1-2]

1. Do Not Get Worked Up Because of Evildoers [v. 1a] a primitive root; to glow or grow warm; figuratively-to blaze up

2. Do Not Envy Evildoers [v. 1b-2] a primitive root; to be zealous, i.e. (in a bad sense) jealous or envious

II. ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE [v. 3-4]

1. Trust in the Lord [v. 3] a primitive root; properly, to hie for refuge

2. Delight in the Lord [v. 4] a primitive root; to be soft or pliable ‘Be Flexible”

III. LATCH ON TO THE AFFIRMATIVE [v. 5-7]

1. Commit to the Lord [v. 5-6] a primitive root; to roll commit, remove, roll (away, down, together), run down, seek occasion, trust, wallow.

2. Rest in the Lord [v. 7] a prim root; to be dumb; by implication, to be astonished, to stop; also to perish:--cease, be cut down (off), forbear, hold peace, quiet self, rest, be silent, keep (put to) silence, be (stand) still, tarry, wait.

IV. DON’T MESS WITH MISTER IN-BETWEEN [v. 8-9]

1. Don’t Be Conformed to the World [v. 8-9a, Rm. 12:2]

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2. Wait on the Lord [v. 9b] a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting)

Basically the phrase means for us to be bound to God’s will. Not half our will and half His. Don’t be a carnal Christian. Don’t mess with “Mister In-between”

Genesis 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

Jeremiah 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

You've got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive

Eliminate the negative

Latch on to the affirmative

Don't mess with Mister In Between [Johnny Mercer]