Learning on the Way
Have you ever prayed “Lord help”? Describe your state of mind and how God answered this prayer.
The psalm gave three ways to know if your culture is in decline: flattery and doublespeak, rebellious tongues, and tainted values. How do you see this in the culture? Have you ever been or are you currently guilty of participating in these aspects of the culture?
The psalmist gave ways to have hope in a declining culture. God promises to help and protect the weak, poor, and needy. Do you see yourself as weak, poor, and needy? How do you resist these ideas when thinking of yourself?
The sermon identified two lies that Christians often fall into believing. 1. That having a specific political ideology and having specific leaders in power will solve all of the problems in our culture. 2. That we should retreat and isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. Have you found yourself believing any of these lies at some point in your life? How have these ideas driven you away from the gospel? How can you see how these ideas have contributed to a decline in our culture?
The second prayer is for God to stop the lips of the enemy. However, Dale cautioned us to examine our own hearts first. Are you ever hesitant to allow the Holy Spirit to examine your heart? Why? Have you ever prayed a prayer like this? What effect did it have on you?