Psalms 90: The Plan B Prayer Lesson 4: Turn and Return

Introduction: "Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men." (Psalms 90:3)

1. Life
• Comes from God (Gen 1:27)
• Reflects our Creator (Gen 3:22, 1 Thess 5:23)
• Length is determined by God (Job 14:1-5)
2. Death (of life as well as an idea/dream/Plan A)
• The inevitable part of the sin curse (Gen 3:19b)
• Time of death not known until it actually happens (Eccl 9:12)
• God has an active part (Acts 17:25-26)
• He is sovereign over all, even death (Ps 102:19, Deut 32:39, 1 Sam 2:6)
• Not passively watching or not watching at all (Mat 10:29)
• Meant to draw us to Him and His grace, not turn us away from Him.
3. Life and Death
• If you can praise God for life, you can praise God for  death (Job 1:21)
• Death does not extinguish your existence, just your physical form (Eccl 12:7)
• Life's significance and meaning give hope in death (1 Cor 15:55)
• To die is to be present with Him (2 Cor 5:8, Luke 23:43, Acts 7:56, 59, Phil 1:23)
• We cannot awake to new life until we have slept the sleep of death (Dan 12:2)
• Live as God gives you life. Die with grace when God "calls your number." (Eccl 9:10)
• As believers, we need to get over the fear of death and move forward.

Conclusion:

    "It never helps us to fret about the day of our death. Nor does it pay to pine away dreaming of an elusive utopia on earth. It is more profitable to focus our time and attention on the day we have and the task at hand. Knowing that God is with us now and that He knows our future appointment in the air is sufficient for us to have the confidence to give our whole hearts to whatever God's will is for the moment."

Additional Study;

1. What part of God's plan was made secret since the world began?                                         (Rom 16:25, Eph 1:9-10, 3:1-6)
2. Who made the command that this "mystery" should be manifest in time?                     (Rom16:25) "the ____________God."
3. When did this mysterious manifestation happen according to Ephesians 1:10:                             ". . . in the ____________ of times."
4. Do you think everything in God's plan happens in this manner?                                               (Gal 4:4)
5. With David, what will we say in light of this knowledge?                                                         (Psalms 31:15)

GB Essie