Daily Bible Challenge: Day 567 Psalms Chapter 89

In this chapter, there are many complimentary words about God and that describe God. There are also several words from God that compliment King David. There are also words describing the unfaithfulness of mankind.

A few conclusions that I have drawn from this passage:

1. We can't compliment people enough. People are prone to be negative about themselves. To be hard on themselves. To look down upon themselves. So we need to be intentional about our compliments so that we can encourage others and build them up. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome word come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen.”

On the other hand, we don't want to be blind to people's sin. If a Christian friend is struggling in an area of sin, or they get caught in sin, then out of love we need to lovingly confront them with the goal of seeing repentance and restoration with the Lord.

It's more comfortable to compliment people. It's no fun confronting people we love and have established friendships with. Fear settles in. I'm afraid I'll offend them or I'm afraid I'll lose their friendship. We can't let fear interfere with helping restore someone with the Lord.

– More often than not, they respect your confrontation.

– Sometimes they act angry but come back to thank you.

– Sometimes they are hopping mad and offended and reject you from their lives, but come back years later to apologize and thank you.

– Sometimes you find out they don't really want to be restored and that hurts.

Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently…”

In 2nd Timothy 4:1c-2 God says, “I give you this charge (command), preach the word. Be prepared in season and out of season (at all times). Correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.”

Confrontations are to be done gently, lovingly, and carefully. Not with cruelty and not with a self-righteous heart. We can't be arrogant when we confront somebody acting as if we are better than they are because we're not.

Why is it so important to God to lovingly confront people?

– because unchanged people die in their sins. And worse yet, unchanged people result in a host of unchanged groups of people, which result in a nation of unchanged people. So left unchallenged, it can spread sin like wildfire affecting a great number of people. Sin destroys the souls of people.

2nd Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”

If we can get people to be in the word then we can feel confident that God will speak to their hearts through his Holy Spirit to help them in areas where they need restored. The Word of God is powerful.