1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,680 You're listening to Key Life Fellowships pulpit ministry 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,880 podcast. We thank you for tuning in as we 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,280 learn from God's Word together. If you would like more 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,720 information regarding Key Life or to speak with one of our 5 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,920 pastors, please visit us at keylifefellow-ship.com. 6 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,400 The Lord has given us that privilege in Himself to trust in 7 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:30,120 Him and to lean on His everlasting arms, and He's 8 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:35,840 promised in His Word that He will uphold us with His 9 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,040 righteous right hand. Anyone here thankful for that 10 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:46,040 this morning? What a great hymn to end our 11 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,560 time of singing praise to the Lord and prepare us to go into 12 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,360 looking at the Word of God because that hymn speaks of the 13 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,160 confidence that we have in Christ. 14 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,680 And I want to talk to you a lot this morning about confidence, 15 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,200 specifically confidence from God's Word. 16 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,960 As we continue looking in the 119th Psalm, as we have been 17 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:10,960 walking this journey for quite some time now, learning to live 18 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:15,960 life and light of God's Word. Today, what I want us to see and 19 00:01:15,960 --> 00:01:19,200 what I believe that the psalmist properly outlines for us to see 20 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:24,080 is that we can truly walk in confidence from God's Word. 21 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,920 And we know this, we know in this world is that there are 22 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,520 some things that we just cannot put confidence in, right? 23 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,920 For example, the stock market. The stock market can rise or 24 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,000 fall based on things that. Are completely out of our 25 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,120 control. We can't put confidence in our 26 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:48,680 four O 1K because of that. How about the weather man? 27 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,440 We can't put a whole lot of confidence in the weather man, 28 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:55,520 can we? In fact, the weather man has has 29 00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:00,520 cost me mini a fishing trip because the weather man said 30 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,720 that it was going to be windy and raining and lightning and 31 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:05,520 Thunder. And I said, you know what, I'm 32 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:07,640 just going to wait. I'll wait to another day. 33 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,039 And and you know what happened, just as it happened at my house 34 00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:14,280 yesterday, the rain and the Thunder and the lightning never 35 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,120 came. And I know you got it here. 36 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,360 I didn't get it where I was, but we can't trust the weather man. 37 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,360 We can't put a whole lot of confidence in him. 38 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:26,040 In fact, we know this. He's the only man who can get it 39 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,280 wrong most of the time and still keep his job. 40 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:33,480 What about cell phones and Wi-Fi signal, right? 41 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,440 When you need that the most, that's when you have it the 42 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,560 least. We can't put confidence in these 43 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,000 things. Oh, at the risk of opening 44 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,560 Pandora's box, I'll close it very quickly after our I open 45 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:45,840 it. But. 46 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,240 We can't put a whole lot of confidence in politicians 47 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,760 closed. Not up for discussion, not here, 48 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,600 not now. But The thing is, we know that. 49 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,080 We've seen time and time again where they say one thing and 50 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,400 then they do the exact opposite of that when they claim to be a 51 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,680 part of one party and then they defect to the other party. 52 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:07,680 And so we can't really trust in the stock market, weatherman, 53 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,600 cell phones, Wi-Fi signal, weather, I mean politicians and 54 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,600 people. In general, myself included. 55 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,600 I, I can tell you this, you can't put your, your full 56 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,000 confidence in this guy because this guy's going to let you 57 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,120 down. And, and I'm not foolish enough 58 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,720 to think that I can put full confidence in you or any other 59 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,840 human being for that reason, because we're human beings and 60 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,200 we're flawed and, and at times we're going to let even those 61 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:38,200 people that we love the most down. 62 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,960 So in a world where it's difficult to have confidence in 63 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:49,320 many things, I want us to learn today that as believers, we can 64 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,560 have full confidence in the Word of God. 65 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,360 We can have full confidence in everything that the God has 66 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:03,160 declared in His Word, and we can fully trust every single one of 67 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:08,680 His promises, precepts, statutes, truths that He reveals 68 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,200 in Scripture. In fact, Isaiah understood this 69 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,280 one. He says in Isaiah 55 and verse 70 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,240 10. He says as the rain and the snow 71 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,839 come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering 72 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,200 the earth, and make it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed 73 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,600 for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes 74 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,240 out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, 75 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,560 says the Lord, but will accomplish what I desire and 76 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,840 achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 77 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,440 Isaiah had learned to have complete, and in fact is 78 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:46,200 communicating that complete trust that we should have 79 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:50,920 confidence that we should have from God's Word and in God's 80 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,080 word. And today as we pick up in the 81 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,920 119th Psalm with the Hebrew letter EIN, the 16th letter of 82 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:02,480 the Hebrew alphabet, followed by then those subsequent 8 verses, 83 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:05,640 we're going to see that the psalmist is going to teach us 84 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:10,680 about confidence from God's Word, what that confidence looks 85 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:15,160 like, how we can walk in that confidence and all the areas 86 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,440 that we can trust God in concerning His words. 87 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:23,400 Psalm 119, verse 121. Again under that Hebrew letter 88 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:29,720 9, it says I've done what is righteous and just do not leave 89 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,320 me to my oppressors. Ensure Your servants well-being. 90 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:38,880 Let not the arrogant oppress me. My eyes fail looking for Your 91 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,880 salvation, looking for Your righteous promise. 92 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,360 Deal with Your servant according to Your love and teach me your 93 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,560 decrees. I am Your servant. 94 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:55,920 Give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. 95 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:02,120 It is time for You to act. O Lord, Your law is being 96 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,480 broken, He says then in 127, because I love your commands 97 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,440 more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all 98 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:15,160 your precepts right, I hate every wrong path. 99 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,240 That it's kind of stemming from our message last week where we 100 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,560 learned what biblical hatred truly is, what a righteous 101 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,360 hatred looks like biblically. The Psalm is still holding to 102 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:25,840 that. Theme. 103 00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:29,880 I hate every wrong path, including the paths that he is 104 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:34,080 prone to take. And so we see here as we examine 105 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:39,080 these 8 verses, we have much to learn about the confidence that 106 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:43,160 we can receive and that we can possess from God's Word. 107 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,080 Let's pray together. Father, in the name of Jesus, we 108 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,680 thank you for your word. Lord, we thank You that as your 109 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,280 word goes out, You were going to accomplish exactly what you 110 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:55,440 desire to accomplish through Your word. 111 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,000 Lord, we pray that Your will would be done. 112 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:02,000 We pray that your will would be done. 113 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,360 Not our will, not our desires, but that You would accomplish 114 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,440 exactly what you desire to accomplish this morning. 115 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,120 God, I pray as we learn more. From your word that we would 116 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,880 stand more confidently in the truths that we see in scripture, 117 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,000 That by doing so You would be glorified in our lives, and 118 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,760 others would see their need for Christ and that they would trust 119 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,240 Him. God, I pray for any lost soul 120 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,120 who may be here this morning. Lord, I ask. 121 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,680 That you are merciful and kind to God. 122 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,280 And in your kindness, Lord, you would lead them to repentance 123 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,000 this morning. That you would bring them to a 124 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,280 place of faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. 125 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:46,080 That you would graciously save them from their sin, from the 126 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:47,880 wrath that is to come upon the center. 127 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:50,640 And God will be careful to give you all the glory and all the 128 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:52,680 praise for it. And we pray all of these things 129 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,160 in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen. 130 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,600 So as the psalmist unfolds this section for us, he is focusing 131 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,080 on and walking in the confidence that he does have and that he 132 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,600 has gleaned from the Word of God. 133 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:12,320 And isn't it true that the Word of God does give us confidence? 134 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,200 In fact, many people when you preach the Word of God 135 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:19,680 unapologetically and boldly, they will accuse you of being 136 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,240 arrogant or sometimes even. Cocky in your approach. 137 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,880 I'm here today to tell you this. We need not apologize for the 138 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,280 fact that we trust in the Word of God to a degree that it gives 139 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:36,320 us great confidence. I am not here today standing 140 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,440 before you saying thus saith Kirk Hall. 141 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:44,159 What Kirk Hall says does not matter when we open the Word of 142 00:08:44,159 --> 00:08:46,520 God. What we are proclaiming is thus 143 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,720 saith the Lord. So any confidence that you may 144 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,040 see come from me this morning, please know this. 145 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,760 That is confidence and that is trust fully in the Word of God, 146 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:00,880 which can be fully trusted. So the psalmist understands 147 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:05,240 this. He understands that we can truly 148 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,560 receive and walk in confidence from God's Word in many. 149 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:13,320 Areas of our life, and in fact, all areas of our life. 150 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:15,880 He starts with this one that that the word of God gives us 151 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:22,000 confidence in verse 121 God's defense he says I have done what 152 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,560 is righteous and just do not leave me to my oppressors. 153 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:33,080 Ensure your servants well-being. Let not the arrogant oppress me. 154 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:39,400 He is trusting here fully in the fact that God is going to defend 155 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,160 him against his unrighteous enemies. 156 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:50,480 And as we learn and study the Word of God, we can't help but 157 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:56,080 grow in our confidence that God always has and always will 158 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:01,640 defend the righteous. In fact, it is He who through 159 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:07,520 Christ has made you righteous. It is He who is making you 160 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,240 righteous, not only positionally, but practically in 161 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,240 your life as you live out the Christian faith. 162 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:20,160 And He has promised in His Word over and over and over again to 163 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,680 defend the righteous. We see it in the Psalms. 164 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:24,320 We see it all throughout Scripture. 165 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,800 We see it here today in the 119th Psalm that God has 166 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,840 promised to defend the righteous. 167 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,520 And the Word of God gives us great confidence in knowing 168 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:39,360 this, that God has truly promised to defend his people 169 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,640 who are right. That's good news for us, isn't 170 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,720 it? And a world who is seemingly 171 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,480 against the believer at every turn. 172 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:54,240 Have you noticed that everybody in our society can have rights 173 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,400 and be respected except the person who adheres to the Word 174 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,280 of God? When a person begins to adhere 175 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,560 to the word of God, the enemies arise from every direction, 176 00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:09,240 don't they? If you haven't experienced. 177 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:14,160 This in your life, you're not living loudly enough, because 178 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,960 when we truly live out the word of God before the lives of the 179 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:22,400 Pagan, in the eyes of the Pagan, they will despise the light that 180 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,840 they see because they know nothing of darkness. 181 00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:30,680 But in all of that, God has promised to defend His people, 182 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:33,920 the righteous. He's promised this in his word. 183 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,400 The psalmist understanding this and having confidence in it, He 184 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,520 says in Psalm 34 verse 15, the eyes of the Lord are on the 185 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,320 righteous. And his ears are attentive to 186 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:44,760 their cry. But the face of the Lord is 187 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,960 against those who do evil to blot out their name from the 188 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:50,040 earth. The righteous cry out, and the 189 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,480 Lord hears them. He delivers them from all their 190 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:53,680 troubles. That's for all the people who 191 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:55,560 think that God's on everyone's side. 192 00:11:55,560 --> 00:11:59,840 He's not. Please make this known today. 193 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,360 He is on the side of righteousness because he is a 194 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:07,840 righteous and a holy God. Therefore he cannot side with 195 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,200 anything else. He will not ever defend the 196 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:15,320 unrighteous, but he has promised to always defend the righteous. 197 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:19,120 Just as we saw in our Scripture reading from Psalm 46 this 198 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,640 morning, we can trust in that. We can trust in the fact that He 199 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,280 is the defender. Of the righteous, Proverbs 2 200 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,840 verse 7 says he holds success in store for the upright. 201 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:35,040 He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards 202 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,960 the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful 203 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:40,800 ones. What confidence that we have 204 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,760 from that knowing this, that if I am in Christ and I am doing 205 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,880 and living what Christ has commanded me to do and live 206 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:51,400 according to His Word, empowered by His Spirit, that God is 207 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:56,160 defending me all the way. I am thankful that I have 208 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:01,080 learned this lesson in life because I, like many of you, 209 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:07,480 unfortunately used to think it was my job to defend myself even 210 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,520 when I was doing the righteous work of God. 211 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:15,880 For instance, when you. Do teach and preach the word of 212 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,760 God. You are going to have critics 213 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,560 and there are going to be people who say all sorts of ugly things 214 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:27,840 against you that are not true. And you know that they're not 215 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,120 true because you know your heart. 216 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,040 And God knows that they're not true because God knows your 217 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,720 heart. And I have learned, thankfully, 218 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:41,360 with years. I pray that you wouldn't wait as 219 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:43,560 long as I did to get this lesson. 220 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,680 I have learned that God is my defense, that He defends me even 221 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:55,160 when I don't know it. If I am walking in 222 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:59,440 righteousness, I can trust that He's a shield who Shields me 223 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,920 from the attacks of the enemy. The psalmist here. 224 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,240 Trusting in that confidently I I've done what is righteous and 225 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,360 just do not leave me to my oppressors. 226 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,000 He knew that the Lord was not going to abandon him to his 227 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:13,960 enemies. He says ensure your servants 228 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,800 well-being. Let not the arrogant oppress me. 229 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:18,880 He's the Lord I am trusting in you. 230 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:24,120 I have done what I am to do. I have walked in righteousness. 231 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,840 I have walked justly. Now I'm confident in you. 232 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:34,560 And what your word declares that you will be my defense. 233 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:36,320 Psalm 710. He says it like this. 234 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:41,640 My shield is God Most High who saves the upright in heart. 235 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,600 I pray today that you would examine yourself and ask 236 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,320 yourself that question. Am I upright in heart? 237 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:52,160 In the depths of my being is my desire to live a righteous life 238 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,560 before a holy God. For the believer, that will be 239 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:57,760 the depths of your heart. That will be your desire. 240 00:14:57,880 --> 00:14:59,640 Maybe you're still growing to that point. 241 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:01,360 You're not yet there. That's OK. 242 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:03,440 We're all in this process, aren't we? 243 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:05,840 What is the desire of your heart? 244 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:09,600 Because that's what God knows. That's what God is concerned 245 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,800 with when our desire is righteousness, doing what is 246 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:19,680 right. We can trust in the promise of 247 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:21,760 the Word of God that He'll defend those who desire to do 248 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,200 what is right. Add an old man. 249 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:28,920 Tell me one time very simply, you can't go wrong doing right. 250 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:33,000 Isn't that true? You can't go wrong doing right. 251 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,600 Even if people say all sorts of evil things against you. 252 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,920 When you're doing right, God knows you're doing right. 253 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,320 You're doing what would please him to the best of your 254 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:48,160 knowledge, and God defends you. So we see that the psalmist is 255 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,880 walking in great confidence in God's defense because God has 256 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:54,520 promised to defend the righteous. 257 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:59,000 Not only that, God has proven to defend the righteous. 258 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,080 Oh, I love when we see promises in the Word of God that we can 259 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,080 cling to like we've already talked about it. 260 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,800 God being our defense, God being our shield, He being our refuge, 261 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,200 our ever have, our ever present help in our time of need. 262 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,000 But I also love to see when He proves himself to be faithful to 263 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,520 that which He has promised. We see it all throughout 264 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:18,800 Scripture and all throughout history. 265 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,720 The psalmist is confident in those things. 266 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,000 The fact that God has proven to defend the righteous. 267 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:32,320 You see examples like Noah, when the wicked and the unrighteous 268 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:36,720 of this world were destined to die in the deluge. 269 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:42,520 Noah, a righteous man who found. Favor in the eyes of the Lord, 270 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:47,440 He and his family were saved, and they were secured in the 271 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,840 ark. That God had instructed him to 272 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:54,360 build, Then God leading him there, placing him in that ark, 273 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,640 shutting and sealing the door for his safety and salvation 274 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,680 from the flood that would come. So God defends. 275 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,359 Those who are righteous, how about Abraham and Lot? 276 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,280 They're in Sodom and Gomorrah. And yes, Sodom and Gomorrah was 277 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,720 destroyed because of homosexuality, because we can 278 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:13,560 read the account. And what happened was this, 279 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,560 Contrary to what any liberal theologian wants to tell you, 280 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,319 what happened was this. Two angels were there and they 281 00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:22,400 look like men, and the depraved men of Sodom desire to have 282 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,839 sexual relationships with them. That is homosexuality. 283 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,760 And God destroyed those cities because of that. 284 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,160 But in destroying those cities, what did he do? 285 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,600 He defended Abraham and Lot. And he took those who he 286 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:40,320 considered righteous, and he removed them from the equation. 287 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,000 Aren't you thankful when God defends you and removes you from 288 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:48,320 the equation? How about Moses and the 289 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:49,640 Israelites? At the red. 290 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:56,000 Sea that day, Speaking of how God is our defense, God parted 291 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,040 the seas of the Israelites and Moses. 292 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,920 All of His people could pass safely through on dry land. 293 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,680 And then when the Egyptians following them, pursuing them, 294 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,440 tried to do the exact same thing, what did the Lord do? 295 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:12,600 He closed the waters up. We know that it engulfed them 296 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,760 and killed them instantly. Why? 297 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,880 Because He was defending His righteous people. 298 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,600 So we see that God has always been, by example, the defender 299 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,160 of the righteous, proving that he does this constantly. 300 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:32,720 How about David, as he faced a little guy named Goliath, who 301 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:36,240 was no little guy at all, And David went out there and what 302 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,200 did he go out there clothed in? Not armor. 303 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,320 Saul's armor wouldn't fit him. He went out there clothed in the 304 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:44,000 righteousness of God. He went out there to stop a 305 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,280 blasphemer who was blaspheming his God and Father. 306 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:53,320 And we know that God defended him that day, just as He's 307 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,800 always done and as he continued to do in David's life. 308 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:02,840 Continued to defend him as Saul tried to take his life. 309 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,840 Oh, you remember the account? Saul hurling a spirit David. 310 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,560 Do you think for a second, Saul, being the warrior that he was, 311 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,080 did not know how to throw a spear accurately? 312 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,640 But someone intervened and defended the righteous. 313 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,880 We know that God intervenes and he defends. 314 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,080 The righteous. And so we see that God has 315 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,320 proven to defend the righteous over and over again. 316 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,440 He's promised in His word to defend the righteous, and we can 317 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,600 have full confidence in the fact that He will defend us just as 318 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,880 Daniel did when he was cast into the lion's den. 319 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,320 You know the story. He refused to stop praying. 320 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,760 He continued to pray because that's what he had always done. 321 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,120 He wasn't staging some kind of coup or rebellion. 322 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:46,720 He was just praying as commanded by God to pray that morning. 323 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:49,960 When others arrived, what did they take note of? 324 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:54,640 There was no harm done to Daniel, and the lions were still 325 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,360 hungry. What happened here? 326 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:05,280 Our faithful God intervened and defended His servant against the 327 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,240 lions and against the tyranny of his day. 328 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,120 Oh, and we need also to remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 329 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:15,840 the friends of Daniel. We know this. 330 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,040 And because they refused to bow to the golden image that 331 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,680 Nebuchadnezzar had made, they were thrown into the fiery 332 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,600 furnace that was heated 7 times hotter than usual. 333 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,800 Yet when all the onlookers took note, they saw something 334 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,720 interesting. That there is another there in 335 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:41,240 the furnace with them who looks like a son of God. 336 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:44,320 That's the only way they knew how to describe the preincarnate 337 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:47,320 Christ, that he doesn't look like it normal folk. 338 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:49,640 There's something powerful about Him. 339 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,560 There's something going on here. They're dancing in the fire. 340 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,680 They are celebrating the fact that nothing is happening to 341 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:58,160 these men. And even when they pulled them 342 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:00,400 from the fire, what did it say? Their clothes didn't even smell 343 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:02,640 burned. Why? 344 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,840 Because God is always there with His righteous people, defending 345 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:11,160 them. We see he's faithful to do that. 346 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,320 We can have great confidence. And then how can we have great 347 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:14,880 confidence? Because it's declared in his 348 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:17,600 word, through his promises, and through the proof that he gives, 349 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,040 through the defense that he has given to his people throughout 350 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,720 the ages. Aren't you thankful that you 351 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,320 serve the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? 352 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:27,400 Aren't you thankful that you serve the God of Daniel? 353 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,040 Aren't you thankful that you serve the God of David and of 354 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:31,560 Moses? Aren't you thankful that you 355 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,120 serve the one true God through the Lord Jesus Christ? 356 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:35,600 Aren't you thankful for that this morning? 357 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,040 That you can have great confidence from God's Word, that 358 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,000 that same God who said he'll never leave you and he'll never 359 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,000 forsake you is defending you right now even without you 360 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,840 knowing it. So we can't have that confidence 361 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,960 from God's Word in regard to God's defense. 362 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,080 God always has, He always will be the defender of the 363 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,440 righteous. So if you err in life, err 364 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:05,120 toward righteousness, err toward holiness, and you'll find that 365 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:11,040 that is no error at all. Lean on the everlasting arms, as 366 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:14,680 we sang about a moment ago. Trust in His ability to defend 367 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,080 you and to uphold you. Secondly, we see this from this 368 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:19,800 text. The Word of God gives us 369 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:25,920 confidence in God's defense, but it also gives us confidence in 370 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,160 God's declarations. Look at verse 123. 371 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:32,160 He says, my eyes fell looking for your salvation, looking for 372 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,960 your righteous promise. He says, I'm waiting for the 373 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,520 salvation that you have promised to bring to me. 374 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,320 And then he says in verse 124, deal with your servant according 375 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:45,920 to your love, and teach me your decrees. 376 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:52,800 Here we have the psalmist again. Longing as he confidently trust 377 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:58,720 in God's promises according to his Word, he is looking intently 378 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:02,800 toward the salvation that God has promised that he will 379 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,280 receive. So what is he? 380 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:14,360 Doing He's longing for what has been declared, promised. 381 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,760 God has promised to save him. How many of you here today say, 382 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,920 yes, God has promised to save me in Christ Jesus? 383 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:27,320 Are you longing for that? Are your eyes fainting for that? 384 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:32,040 Do you look toward the eastern sky daily and say, Lord, and let 385 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,000 today be that day that you deliver the salvation that you 386 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,880 have promised to deliver to all who believe and trust in you? 387 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:44,480 Lord, let. Today be the day, the psalmist 388 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:48,240 here, he's trusting in God's declarations to save as if they 389 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:51,560 are today, he says. My eyes, they're growing tired 390 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,800 from looking for your salvation all the time. 391 00:23:57,120 --> 00:23:59,120 You know what's upsetting about the church in America? 392 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,520 We don't look for His salvation all the time. 393 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,280 We think things like this. Lord, would you just delay so 394 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:09,480 that my children can graduate high school? 395 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,720 Would you just delay so that I can see them graduate college 396 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,440 and get married and have a fun? Would you just delay till I get 397 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,280 that promotion and that raise? Would you just delay so I can I 398 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:23,400 can retire and enjoy life? Yes. 399 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:27,440 We have no sense of confidence in that which God has promised 400 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,480 to those who has promised to save. 401 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:35,080 Lamentations chapter 3 says this verse 25. 402 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:38,560 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who 403 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,920 seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for 404 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:46,520 the salvation of the Lord. Are you waiting quietly for that 405 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:50,120 which you have been promised in Christ Jesus? 406 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:52,920 Because God has. Promised to bring salvation to 407 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:57,320 all who by faith trust in Him according to His Word. 408 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,240 You trust in that. You trust in Philippians 16. 409 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,680 Being confident is that he who began the good work and you will 410 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,520 carry it on to completion. Do you long for that? 411 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,640 The day you were glorified and you were in the presence of God 412 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:15,000 forever because of what Jesus Christ did for you at the cross, 413 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:17,720 Are you clinging to those promises? 414 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,400 Are you yearning for that day and longing for that day? 415 00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:24,600 Because we ought to have confident trust, shouldn't we? 416 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:30,000 And everything that God has declared about salvation will 417 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:34,960 come to pass. He's made declarations that he 418 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,680 will save. You said, well, I already am 419 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,160 saved. You are positionally, but please 420 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,080 know that you have not seen the full fruition of salvation yet. 421 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:48,680 Until He returns, until you are glorified and can actually 422 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,800 really experience everything that He has promised you in 423 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:55,720 Christ Jesus. The sad part of the American 424 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:57,240 church is we don't long for that. 425 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,960 We're OK with living life in this world as long as we get to 426 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:05,480 go to heaven in the end. No, I am not OK until I see my 427 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:10,120 Savior face to face, until I see the scars in His hands and His 428 00:26:10,120 --> 00:26:13,520 feet and I know He's the one who bled and who died for me. 429 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,640 He is the reason that I exist, the reason that I am forgiven, 430 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,440 the reason that I have eternal life. 431 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:23,360 That's what I'm longing for. That's confidence and salvation. 432 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,000 The psalmist, you're confident in that My eyes fell looking for 433 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,840 your salvation, looking for your righteous promise. 434 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:35,400 God has promised to bring salvation to all of us who trust 435 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,360 in Christ. In that manner, you can 436 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:44,000 confidently take that to the bank, and everything that he has 437 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,520 said about salvation that will be delivered to His people will 438 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:52,400 be delivered on that day. The Saints of old longed. 439 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,840 For this. Romans 822 We see this, even the 440 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:01,240 earth longs for this. It says, We know that the whole 441 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:04,520 creation has been groaning, as in the pains of childbirth, 442 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:06,600 right up until the present time. Why is creation groaning? 443 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,960 Because creation was made susceptible to sin. 444 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:15,320 When man fell in the garden. Creation fell with man, he says 445 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:17,360 in verse 23. Not only so, but we ourselves, 446 00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:20,960 who have the first fruits of the Spirit, indwelling Holy Spirit 447 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,760 in US, guaranteeing the inheritance that he has promised 448 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:28,320 us, the eternal life that he has promised us, He said. 449 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:30,480 Those of us who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also 450 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:33,280 groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our. 451 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,280 Adoption, the sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 452 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:43,040 Anyone here eagerly awaiting the redemption of your body because 453 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:44,560 you can look at yourself, you can look at me. 454 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:50,200 We're we're not saved bodily yet we still have on corruptible. 455 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,600 But just like Paul, he said one day I shall put on 456 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:54,480 incorruptible. He knew that he would be 457 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:58,000 transformed as he said in the moment and in the twinkling of 458 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:01,320 an eye. Then he would be ushered into 459 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,640 the presence of God, where he would dwell forever. 460 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:08,600 What a promise are you longing for that are you resting? 461 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,760 In that Psalm 63 verse one says this. 462 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:18,000 It says you God are my God. Earnestly I seek you. 463 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:23,080 I thirst for you. My whole being longs for you in 464 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,240 a dry and parched land where there is no water. 465 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:30,600 Where are the Christians who are longing for the salvation that 466 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:34,680 He has promised, confidently knowing that He who has made 467 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:39,240 these promises to us is faithful yearning? 468 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:43,680 For that day. Hebrews 928 says this. 469 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,800 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many, and 470 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:52,680 he will appear a second time. Not to bear sin, but to bring 471 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:58,040 salvation to those who are waiting for him. 472 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:07,040 A church that is not waiting for him is not a church. 473 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:14,520 He is bringing salvation to those who are waiting for Him. 474 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:18,120 What is He talking about? Who are waiting for the promises 475 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:21,040 that He has made to glorify those who He has? 476 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:26,400 Justified and fellowshipping with them for all eternity. 477 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:33,880 What great confidence we can have when we dive into the Word 478 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,760 of God and we see God's declaration of these things, 479 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:41,800 knowing that one day we will be delivered from the filth and the 480 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:47,400 mess of this world. And because of God's Word, we 481 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:52,920 long for that longing to be delivered so that we can bow and 482 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:58,000 kiss the feet of the Savior who bled and who died for us. 483 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:02,680 Are there any believers who are longing for that? 484 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:08,480 Because all professing believers should they should be, they 485 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,560 should be like the apostle Paul in second Timothy chapter 4 486 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,640 where he says there in verse seven, I fought the good fight, 487 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:16,360 I finished the race, I've kept the faith. 488 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,360 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness with the 489 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,720 which of the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that 490 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:30,240 day, and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for 491 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:32,240 his appearing. What is he saying? 492 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:37,440 Those who have received imputed righteousness from Christ will 493 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:42,200 be longing for His appearing until the day that that 494 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,560 righteousness is filled, when that crown of righteousness is 495 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:48,880 placed on your head, and you can kindly take it off and lay it at 496 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,320 the feet of Jesus, thanking Him for the righteousness that He 497 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:58,640 gave for you. But the Word is where we find 498 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,960 confidence in God's declarations, His declaration to 499 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,600 save. This also speaks of His 500 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:08,000 declaration to sanctify. He says my eyes fell looking for 501 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,240 your salvation, looking for your righteous promises. 502 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:13,360 He then says, deal with your servant according to your love 503 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:19,880 and teach me your decrees. Isn't it true that as we wait 504 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,160 for those promises of ultimate salvation, there is something 505 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,440 else going on known as sanctification? 506 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,640 He is making us more like Christ. 507 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:33,280 He is conforming us to His image and so we have to trust 508 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,160 confidently in those promises that He has made us, that if we 509 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:41,880 are in Christ we will be sanctified and set apart for. 510 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:48,320 Christ Romans 622 says this. But now that you have been set 511 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,080 free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you 512 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:54,840 reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life. 513 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:58,840 So as we are waiting for the end result, eternal life. 514 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:04,880 We in the sanctification process are being led to holiness. 515 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:07,880 How? By the Word of God. 516 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:12,480 Jesus, we know in John 17 says sanctify them by truth. 517 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:16,560 Your Word is truth. And so we can have confidence in 518 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:20,400 God's declarations concerning salvation, but we can also have 519 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,800 confidence in His declaration to sanctify us, those declarations 520 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:28,800 concerning sanctification, that He who has begun this good work 521 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:30,880 in us will carry it unto completion. 522 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:34,880 We can go back to John 17 and we can read that high priestly 523 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:36,760 prayer there. Go ahead with me in your Bible, 524 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:42,120 turn to the Gospel of John, and let us read that together in 525 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:52,960 John 17 verse 19. Excuse me, verse 11. 526 00:32:52,960 --> 00:33:02,120 We're going to read to 19. I love the sound of pages 527 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:03,440 turning. How about you guys? 528 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:12,960 I'll wait for you, he says in 11 I will remain in the world no 529 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,200 longer. But they are still in the world 530 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaking of his followers. And I am coming to you, Holy 531 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:20,240 Father, Protect them by the power of your name. 532 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:22,160 Is he not the defender who protects us? 533 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:25,680 Of course, He is the name you gave me so that they may be one 534 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:27,760 as we are one. He's setting them apart. 535 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:30,040 They may be one as he and the Father are one. 536 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:31,440 What fellowship? What communion? 537 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,280 He says while I was with them, I protected them and kept them 538 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:38,400 safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the 539 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:40,640 one doomed to destruction so that scripture would be 540 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:42,080 fulfilled. He's saying Judas Iscariot's the 541 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:44,080 only one he's lost was scripture said he was going to be. 542 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:48,640 He goes on and he says this. I am coming to you now, but I 543 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,920 say these things while I'm still in the world, so that they may 544 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,560 have the full measure of my joy within them. 545 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:59,640 I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them, for 546 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:02,560 they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 547 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,040 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that 548 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:08,000 you protect them from the evil one. 549 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:10,639 They are not of the world even as I am not of it. 550 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,320 He says this in verse 17. Sanctify them by the truth. 551 00:34:15,159 --> 00:34:20,040 Your word is truth as you sent me into the world. 552 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:23,719 I have sent them into the world for them. 553 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:30,800 I sanctify myself that they too may be truly sanctified. 554 00:34:31,679 --> 00:34:36,560 May we see there what Christ did for us, setting himself apart by 555 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:39,280 going to the cross and bearing the sin and the wrath that 556 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:44,400 belong to us, so that we then could by God be set apart for 557 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:45,120 His. Glory. 558 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:51,280 And for his purposes God has declared to sanctify and to set 559 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:55,280 apart all those who trust in Christ. 560 00:34:55,920 --> 00:35:00,920 And so the psalmist here saying, deal with your servant according 561 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:04,960 to your love, and teach me your decrees. 562 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:09,680 Aren't you glad that those of us who are in Christ, God deals 563 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:16,040 with us according to His love? There are many who think that 564 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:19,280 God will deal with everyone forever according to His love. 565 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:25,400 But I have news for all of you. The ungodly will be dealt the 566 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:30,480 indignation and the wrath of God for all eternity as we 567 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:35,640 experience His love according to His promises, just as we are 568 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:40,640 experiencing that now, as we are being sanctified by His Word. 569 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:44,000 Let us rest. And confidence in the things 570 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:48,840 that he has declared, his declarations to save and his 571 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:54,280 declaration to sanctify, knowing this, that one day, because he 572 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:58,520 has started this, the author and the perfector of my faith will 573 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:02,760 finish this rest in that with great confidence. 574 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:12,120 We move thirdly to psalmist next area for discussion, which is 575 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:17,080 the Word of God gives confidence not only in God's defense and 576 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:21,960 God's declaration, but also in God's discernment. 577 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,920 I like points like this because they're very helpful to the 578 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,200 preacher who likes to use alliteration. 579 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,840 God gave me the D for my alliteration here. 580 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:35,000 I don't have to think about it. I don't have to. 581 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:38,640 Consult at the source here, he says plainly, I am your servant. 582 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:43,160 Give me discernment. That I may understand your 583 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:46,760 statutes. You know what a privilege it is 584 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:51,480 to be able to trust confidently in God's discernment, His 585 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,880 insight, his wisdom that He gives from His Word. 586 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:57,960 If you've walked as God long enough and you've walked in His 587 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:01,080 Word long enough, you know the Word of God gives us that 588 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:05,000 insight and that discernment that we would otherwise not 589 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:10,520 have. So we just as a psalmist is 590 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:13,680 doing here, we should confidently trust in the 591 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:17,080 discernment that he gives us from His Word, the insight that 592 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:21,800 we received directly from the Scriptures, in fact. 593 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:25,800 Second Peter. Chapter one, verse 3, it says 594 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,000 this his divine power has given us everything we need for godly 595 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:32,680 life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own 596 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:36,480 glory and goodness. And where do we find the 597 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,960 everything's that we need? We find them in the pages of 598 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:41,320 Scripture. He. 599 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:48,800 Gives us this powerful insight, this powerful discernment in the 600 00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:54,320 pages of His eternal Word. And so we see as we look at 601 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,800 God's discernment and how we can have full confidence in that as 602 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:01,040 we trust in the discernment from His Word. 603 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,360 Note some things here that the psalmist mentioned, and I want 604 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:06,960 you to write it down first. We see that it's supplied to 605 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:10,720 God's servants. God knows that the psalmist 606 00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:14,200 belongs to him. But the psalmist reiterates 607 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,800 this. I am your what servant. 608 00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:21,160 I belong to you. Now, news flash, everyone here, 609 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:24,840 You don't have to tell God in order for him to know something. 610 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:28,480 He's omniscient. He already knows all things. 611 00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:34,240 What the psalmist is declaring is his right as a servant of God 612 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:39,480 because he knows that God's discernment is reserved for 613 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:44,240 those who truly belong to him, that this discernment is 614 00:38:44,240 --> 00:38:47,920 supplied to God's servants and God's servants. 615 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:54,720 Alone because God's Word promises insight to those who 616 00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:59,880 belong to God. Proverbs chapter 2 verse 6, it 617 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:02,960 says for the Lord, it gives wisdom from his mouth come 618 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:07,080 knowledge and understanding, all wisdom and knowledge and 619 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:10,480 understanding, true wisdom, knowledge and understanding that 620 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:14,400 which is from God and not from man or man's own intellect, his 621 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,680 own devices. It comes directly from God. 622 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:22,880 To his servants, in fact, James, in first chapter of the Epistle 623 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:25,800 of James in verse 5, what does he tell us to do? 624 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:28,480 He says if any of you lack wisdom, that's me. 625 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:31,440 How many of you here lack wisdom? 626 00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:36,520 All of you, because he's talking about godly wisdom. 627 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:40,920 He says if any of you lack wisdom, you should do what? 628 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:45,840 Ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and 629 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:49,920 it will be given to you. Now when you ask God, here's 630 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:53,480 where you need to go and find it in the pages of scripture. 631 00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:56,320 Why? Because it's God and His word, 632 00:39:56,320 --> 00:40:00,200 as we saw in Proverbs 26, that gives us insight and knowledge 633 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:03,400 into the things of God. It doesn't work like this. 634 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:08,040 God, give me wisdom. And then you just stand there 635 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:11,520 staring at the wall and all of a sudden, sudden wisdoms going to 636 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:15,560 be imparted to you. No wisdom comes as you study the 637 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:19,440 Word of God, as you dive into the depths and the insight and 638 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:23,400 the knowledge of Scripture, as you glean wisdom from the all 639 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:27,560 wise, all knowing God. He supplies that to his 640 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:31,040 servants. And this insight is not for 641 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:33,080 everyone. That's why the psalmist declares 642 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:34,960 I am. Your servant. 643 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,000 It's reserved for only those who belong to God. 644 00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:46,360 This insight is not understood. By everyone, but only those who 645 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:50,800 are are being directly taught by the Holy Spirit of God who lives 646 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:54,160 in you. That's why the psalmist declared 647 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:56,680 just a few weeks ago ago, I have more insight than all my 648 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:58,120 teachers. Why? 649 00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:02,840 Because he was receiving direct insight from God as God led him 650 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:10,200 and as God taught him through. The Scriptures, So the psalmist 651 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:14,640 here standing in great confidence in God's discernment, 652 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:19,720 knowing that he will be supplied with all the discernment, all 653 00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:22,720 the wisdom and all the insight that he needs from the Word of 654 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:26,720 God. Because he belongs to God and. 655 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:30,240 He also knew that those who do not belong to God do not have 656 00:41:30,240 --> 00:41:32,440 access to these things. First Corinthians chapter 2 657 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:35,280 verse 14 you should know this. It says the person without the 658 00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:37,560 Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit 659 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:40,320 of God, but considers them a foolishness. 660 00:41:40,720 --> 00:41:43,560 And cannot understand them because they are discerned only 661 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:45,680 through the Spirit. What is he saying here? 662 00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:49,240 Well, he's saying just this. We know that the the the word of 663 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:54,560 God breathed by the Spirit of God as he carried the men of old 664 00:41:54,560 --> 00:42:00,680 along. Now if this is spiritual and its 665 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:03,840 birth, it remains spiritual for all eternity. 666 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:07,120 And the natural man can't understand the Word of God 667 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:11,680 without discernment from God. And the interesting thing is 668 00:42:11,680 --> 00:42:15,760 that discernment from God comes from the Word of God, as the 669 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:19,760 Spirit of God gives you insight and wisdom concerning the very 670 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:25,840 things of God that flow. Off of these pages and you have 671 00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:29,720 to understand that that those who are not servants of God 672 00:42:29,720 --> 00:42:33,520 don't have inside on anything concerning God. 673 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:36,280 That's why we see them and they're walking around as if it 674 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:38,800 seems in total ignorance Yes, it is ignorance. 675 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:43,720 In fact, scripture says they're walking around in darkness and 676 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:45,200 you're walking around in the. Light. 677 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:48,400 What is light? Light is truth, and you were 678 00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:50,840 brought to the truth. And how are you brought to the 679 00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:52,760 truth? Through the preaching and 680 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:56,440 teaching of the Word of God. God use that to open your eyes 681 00:42:56,440 --> 00:42:59,840 to see your darkness, exposing it with His light. 682 00:43:00,720 --> 00:43:03,440 Now you understand those things because the Holy Spirit lives in 683 00:43:03,440 --> 00:43:07,760 you, give you that direct insight and knowledge into the 684 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:11,440 things of God that you knew not of prior to your conversion. 685 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:16,600 In fact, Ephesians 4 says this about the lost verse 18. 686 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:19,400 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from 687 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:22,440 the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to 688 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:28,160 the hardening of their hearts. A person with a hard heart can't 689 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:30,880 understand the Word of God. That's why you must first be 690 00:43:30,880 --> 00:43:33,840 regenerated where you receive a new heart. 691 00:43:33,840 --> 00:43:36,320 That heart of stone is taken from you and it is replaced, 692 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:38,920 according to Ezekiel and the promise there, with that heart 693 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:40,080 of flesh. And then when that heart of 694 00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:43,360 flesh is then transplanted into you, you can now understand the 695 00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:47,640 things that are flowing from the pages of Scripture as the Holy 696 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:50,600 Spirit moves in. And He is that guide, and He is 697 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:54,480 that teacher in your life, that interpreter of the very Word of 698 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:58,800 God as you read it. And so we see that we can have 699 00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:01,840 and should have great confidence in. 700 00:44:02,120 --> 00:44:04,040 The word of. God in regard to God's 701 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:08,240 discernment, the insight that he does give us, Isaiah speaks of 702 00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:12,200 this and Isaiah 11 verse two, he says the Spirit of the Lord will 703 00:44:12,200 --> 00:44:15,040 rest on him, referencing Christ, the Spirit of wisdom and 704 00:44:15,040 --> 00:44:18,320 understanding, the spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit 705 00:44:18,320 --> 00:44:21,680 of the knowledge and the fear of the Lord Spirit resting on 706 00:44:21,680 --> 00:44:24,960 Christ, same Spirit living in US, the third person of the 707 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:29,400 triune Godhead and dwelling us so that we can then confidently 708 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:32,400 take the scriptures and we can confidently receive discernment 709 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:35,520 and insight and wisdom and knowledge from the word of God 710 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:39,560 as we learn and as we study it. But it's supplied to God's 711 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:45,280 servants, and it's supplied so that we can understand God's 712 00:44:45,560 --> 00:44:49,400 Scriptures. He gives us wisdom from His Word 713 00:44:49,400 --> 00:44:52,880 so that we can then understand greater wisdom from His Word. 714 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:55,040 Those of you who have walked with Christ long enough, you 715 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:58,000 know this. When one door is opened, you go 716 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:01,280 into another room and you learn all that is in that room. 717 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:03,560 And then when that is done, the Spirit takes you through another 718 00:45:03,560 --> 00:45:06,680 place and you learn more. And we see that building block 719 00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:08,160 after building block is produced. 720 00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:12,560 As you grow in your understanding of the Word of 721 00:45:12,560 --> 00:45:16,320 God, as you grow in your depth of insight and knowledge. 722 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:20,440 And the Scripture supplies that for us, and God has promised to 723 00:45:20,440 --> 00:45:24,160 give us that insight that we need that insight for living 724 00:45:24,160 --> 00:45:28,800 this Christian life. It's all found here in God's 725 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:31,960 Word where we can confidently rest in the discernment that he 726 00:45:31,960 --> 00:45:34,000 gives us. Richard Sid said this. 727 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:36,920 He said those that care not for the Word are strangers to the 728 00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:39,120 Spirit. And they that care not for the 729 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:41,080 Spirit never make a right use of the word. 730 00:45:41,240 --> 00:45:43,880 What is he saying here? He's letting us know that yes, 731 00:45:43,880 --> 00:45:46,680 Scripture supplies for us knowledge, but the indwelling 732 00:45:46,680 --> 00:45:50,840 Spirit has to interpret and has to grow that knowledge in US. 733 00:45:50,840 --> 00:45:52,560 And He is more than capable of doing that. 734 00:45:53,080 --> 00:45:55,880 The sad and misfortune thing is, most Christians these days are 735 00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:57,720 so carnal in their approach to everything. 736 00:45:57,840 --> 00:46:00,680 They approach the Word of God through their flesh. 737 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:03,840 They want to understand this like they understand poetry. 738 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:05,840 They want to understand this like you understand. 739 00:46:05,920 --> 00:46:08,440 Shakespeare. It is an entirely different 740 00:46:08,520 --> 00:46:14,280 animal because the things of God are spiritually discerned, and 741 00:46:14,280 --> 00:46:18,000 if the Holy Spirit does not live in you, dwelling in you, you 742 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:20,200 cannot understand the Word of God. 743 00:46:20,680 --> 00:46:24,280 If you are a Christian and the Holy Spirit is indwelling you 744 00:46:24,440 --> 00:46:27,640 and you are not yielding to him as you study the Word of God, 745 00:46:27,880 --> 00:46:30,520 right, Because this should be our approach, not just Lord. 746 00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:33,480 Let me check the box of reading Scripture today so that I can 747 00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:37,040 feel like I did the right thing. But this Holy Spirit revealed to 748 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:41,160 me exactly what it is that You want to give me today in Your 749 00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:43,960 Word, the insight and the discernment and the knowledge 750 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:46,200 and the wisdom that I need for today. 751 00:46:46,240 --> 00:46:48,640 Thank you, Lord, for being faithful to doing that. 752 00:46:49,320 --> 00:46:53,400 That's having confidence in God's discernment that the 753 00:46:53,400 --> 00:46:56,040 Spirit lives in those who are in Christ and the Spirit lives in 754 00:46:56,040 --> 00:46:59,240 those who are in Christ so that they can discern the Word of 755 00:46:59,240 --> 00:47:03,000 God, the things of God. Have confidence in that. 756 00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:06,600 Trust in that. God reveals wisdom to you from 757 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:11,360 His Scriptures as the Holy Spirit teaches you, as He guides 758 00:47:11,360 --> 00:47:12,640 our steps. Aren't you thankful that He 759 00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:17,000 guides our steps? Psalm 32, verse 8, He says, I 760 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:19,640 will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. 761 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:24,160 I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. 762 00:47:25,840 --> 00:47:28,200 Well, I'm thankful that God never takes His eye off of me, 763 00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:30,880 that He's always dwelling in me and that He's leading me and 764 00:47:30,880 --> 00:47:34,080 He's instructing me and He's in and He's teaching me His word. 765 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:36,840 I can have confidence in that discernment. 766 00:47:37,480 --> 00:47:39,840 I sit down week after week after week. 767 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:45,760 I open the Word of God and I say, Lord, I need Your help to 768 00:47:45,760 --> 00:47:49,200 teach me what this says. Is that not what the psalmist 769 00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:51,360 says? Give me discernment that I may 770 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:54,120 understand your statutes every week. 771 00:47:54,120 --> 00:47:57,000 Lord, give me discernment that I may understand your statute. 772 00:47:57,000 --> 00:48:00,520 Show me what it is that You want me to see so that I can teach 773 00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:04,200 Your people the Word of God as a spirit in them confirms, Yes, 774 00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:10,040 this is true. Follow after it guides your 775 00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:12,360 steps. Psalm 25. 776 00:48:13,440 --> 00:48:15,600 Verse four, he says, show me your ways, Lord, teach me your 777 00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:19,200 paths, guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my 778 00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:23,600 God, my Savior. My hope is in you all day long. 779 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:27,040 Or as we know by now, Psalm 119, what does it say? 780 00:48:27,040 --> 00:48:30,280 Your word is a lamp into my feet and a light into my fat path. 781 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:34,120 And Psalm 119 one O 5. Hopefully by now you've 782 00:48:34,120 --> 00:48:37,960 memorized that in the series. And what light He gives to our 783 00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:41,080 life, what insight, what wisdom that we glean from walking in 784 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:44,320 the Word of God, trusting in the Spirit to show us those things 785 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:46,920 that we need to know. He guides our steps through His 786 00:48:46,920 --> 00:48:50,560 Word, empowered by His Spirit. Not only that, He governs our 787 00:48:50,560 --> 00:48:54,520 lives as we fully and confidently trust in His 788 00:48:54,520 --> 00:48:56,440 discernment. I'm thankful that He governs my 789 00:48:56,440 --> 00:49:00,200 life. He knows what lies ahead and 790 00:49:00,200 --> 00:49:02,880 through discernment from His Word, He is actively 791 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:08,360 participating in governing my life, leading my every step 792 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:14,840 along the way, governing, guiding, just as he says that he 793 00:49:14,840 --> 00:49:17,000 will. Second Timothy chapter 3 Paul 794 00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:18,840 speaking to Timothy says this in verse 16. 795 00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:21,240 He says all scriptures God breathed and is useful for 796 00:49:21,240 --> 00:49:23,920 teaching, rebuking, correcting and training and righteousness. 797 00:49:26,040 --> 00:49:30,760 He is constantly by His Word, governing our lives as we study 798 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:35,800 the Word of God, teaching us, even rebuking us, correcting us, 799 00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:39,200 and training us. We can have full confidence in 800 00:49:39,200 --> 00:49:40,920 that. That is His desire as He's 801 00:49:40,920 --> 00:49:45,000 molding and as He's shaping us into the image of Christ. 802 00:49:45,480 --> 00:49:51,880 He's governing our lives just as Joshua prayed that the people 803 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:55,160 would understand when he said this and Joshua 1/8. 804 00:49:55,960 --> 00:49:58,360 It's just keep this book of the law always on your lips. 805 00:49:58,360 --> 00:50:01,640 Meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do 806 00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:05,760 everything written in it and then you will be prosperous and 807 00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:08,240 successful. What was he saying? 808 00:50:08,800 --> 00:50:14,680 Trust in the discernment from the Word of God to what govern 809 00:50:14,680 --> 00:50:18,480 your life, to lead your life, to bring you success. 810 00:50:18,480 --> 00:50:21,480 Not success as the world measure it, to bring you prosperity, not 811 00:50:21,480 --> 00:50:25,240 as the world measures it, but success and prosperity in the 812 00:50:25,240 --> 00:50:27,280 eyes of God. Trust in the Word. 813 00:50:27,280 --> 00:50:29,000 Be confident in God's discernment. 814 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:32,640 The believer can have that great confidence from the Word of God. 815 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:34,720 You ever been in a situation where you didn't know what to 816 00:50:34,720 --> 00:50:35,480 do? Anyone here? 817 00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:37,480 Ever been there? All of us? 818 00:50:40,160 --> 00:50:41,960 You know what the best thing to do when you don't know what to 819 00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:45,040 do? Be overwhelmed with anxiety, 820 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:49,400 freak out, worry and fret. I've found that to be rather 821 00:50:49,400 --> 00:50:54,320 productive in one's life. Those of you who are spiritually 822 00:50:54,320 --> 00:50:56,920 discerning, you just picked up that I have the spiritual gift 823 00:50:56,920 --> 00:51:01,520 of sarcasm. What I'm saying is this. 824 00:51:01,880 --> 00:51:07,120 No, that shouldn't be how we react, should it? 825 00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:10,160 No, you know what? We don't know what to do. 826 00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:14,320 You know what we should do? We should seek advice from the 827 00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:18,320 One who knows what to do in every situation and who governs 828 00:51:18,320 --> 00:51:23,040 our lives through His Word. And we should go to His Word, 829 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:25,000 and we should say, Lord, I don't know what to do, but You know 830 00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:27,480 what to do. Show me through Your Word. 831 00:51:27,480 --> 00:51:30,800 Give me that discernment. Empower me with Your Spirit to 832 00:51:30,800 --> 00:51:33,760 understand what it is that I'm seeing so that I can walk in 833 00:51:33,760 --> 00:51:37,040 confidence. Trust in Your discernment from 834 00:51:37,040 --> 00:51:38,840 Your Word. He says I'm your servant, give 835 00:51:38,840 --> 00:51:40,960 me discernment that I may understand your statutes. 836 00:51:40,960 --> 00:51:44,360 He didn't want to understand his statues then blatantly disobey 837 00:51:44,360 --> 00:51:47,560 him. Psalmist wanted to do what was 838 00:51:47,560 --> 00:51:49,440 right. He's proven that over and over 839 00:51:49,440 --> 00:51:52,200 again. So we see the word of God gives 840 00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:53,520 us confidence in God's discernment. 841 00:51:53,520 --> 00:51:56,920 And lastly we see this, the word of God gives us confidence in 842 00:51:56,920 --> 00:52:01,960 God's dealings. God is constantly dealing with 843 00:52:01,960 --> 00:52:06,480 mankind, and He will eternally. Deal. 844 00:52:07,560 --> 00:52:12,680 With mankind and we can be confident in these dealings. 845 00:52:12,680 --> 00:52:14,320 Watch what he says here in 1/26 He said. 846 00:52:14,320 --> 00:52:19,280 It's time for you to act O Lord, Your law is being broken because 847 00:52:19,280 --> 00:52:21,840 I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and 848 00:52:21,840 --> 00:52:23,480 because I consider all your precepts right. 849 00:52:23,480 --> 00:52:26,640 I hate every wrong path the psalmist here is having. 850 00:52:26,640 --> 00:52:30,680 Full confidence from God's Word that God will deal with mankind 851 00:52:30,680 --> 00:52:34,040 exactly as He has declared. Please know He's not being 852 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:37,480 forceful here. He's not telling God what to do. 853 00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:40,160 I can understand where you would think that when He says it is 854 00:52:40,160 --> 00:52:43,040 time for you to act, O Lord, your laws being broken, like 855 00:52:43,040 --> 00:52:45,520 he's telling God what it is that God needs to do. 856 00:52:46,000 --> 00:52:47,680 And I hope everyone don't make that mistake. 857 00:52:47,680 --> 00:52:55,400 You know what he's simply doing. He's simply understanding how 858 00:52:55,400 --> 00:53:00,080 God deals with the unrighteous. He's looking around and he's 859 00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:02,960 seeing wickedness and sin. He's seeing his oppressors. 860 00:53:02,960 --> 00:53:06,560 He's seeing evil men trying to. Dismantle him. 861 00:53:08,320 --> 00:53:12,960 And he says, OK, Lord, you have promised to deal with the 862 00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:18,160 ungodly, and I know that you are going to do this, that you are 863 00:53:18,160 --> 00:53:22,160 going to deal with the ungodly, exactly how you said. 864 00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:26,680 That you will. He knows this with great 865 00:53:26,680 --> 00:53:31,840 confidence, that God has promised to deal with the 866 00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:36,880 ungodly and the unbelieving, that God has promised to execute 867 00:53:36,880 --> 00:53:44,160 His justice on all wickedness and all evil and all unbelief. 868 00:53:44,400 --> 00:53:46,320 How do we know this from the Word of God? 869 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:49,360 Has that changed? Has it been a race? 870 00:53:50,200 --> 00:53:52,240 I know in the minds of the American church, perhaps it has. 871 00:53:52,240 --> 00:53:54,080 But it hasn't been changed and it hasn't been erased. 872 00:53:54,280 --> 00:53:58,280 God is still going to deal with the unbelieving, wicked, 873 00:53:58,400 --> 00:54:00,520 unrepentant sinners of this world. 874 00:54:00,600 --> 00:54:03,240 We can quickly look at all the things around us and we can 875 00:54:03,240 --> 00:54:07,600 quickly get on the bandwagon. Oh, man, oh, this world's 876 00:54:07,600 --> 00:54:09,440 falling apart around us. It is. 877 00:54:11,040 --> 00:54:14,000 That's true, just like you said. But watch this. 878 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:19,240 He's going to deal with it all. He is going to deal with the 879 00:54:19,240 --> 00:54:23,160 ungodly. God is going to execute justice 880 00:54:23,160 --> 00:54:31,080 on them, eternally punishing all unrepentant lawbreakers. 881 00:54:31,080 --> 00:54:34,160 I know, not popular in today's church culture, is it? 882 00:54:34,320 --> 00:54:38,640 But it's still biblical. The Psalm is here, resting in 883 00:54:38,640 --> 00:54:39,920 that. It's time for you to act. 884 00:54:39,920 --> 00:54:42,040 Oh Lord, your law is being broken. 885 00:54:42,840 --> 00:54:44,560 People are blatantly spitting in your face. 886 00:54:44,560 --> 00:54:46,360 You know what he's saying, Lord, I know you're going to do 887 00:54:46,360 --> 00:54:48,720 something about it. I know you're going to avenge 888 00:54:48,720 --> 00:54:51,200 Your holy name. I know You're going to take care 889 00:54:51,200 --> 00:54:53,840 of everything that You promised concerning the wicked and the 890 00:54:53,840 --> 00:54:56,840 unrepentant. He's simply trusting in that. 891 00:54:57,840 --> 00:54:59,400 He has confidence in that. Let me just tell you this, I 892 00:54:59,400 --> 00:55:01,200 have confidence in this. Are you ready? 893 00:55:01,200 --> 00:55:02,920 It's going to sound old fashioned. 894 00:55:03,480 --> 00:55:05,920 It's going to even sound Hellfire and brimstone stonish. 895 00:55:07,120 --> 00:55:10,040 I have confidence of this because the Word of God declares 896 00:55:10,040 --> 00:55:14,560 it that all unrepentant, unbelieving sinners who do not 897 00:55:14,560 --> 00:55:19,680 turn to Jesus Christ in this last lifetime will experience 898 00:55:19,680 --> 00:55:24,600 the lake of fire, which is the second death for all eternity. 899 00:55:24,880 --> 00:55:30,480 You will face the wrath and the judgment of God in hell. 900 00:55:30,720 --> 00:55:32,240 Why? Because I think that's a fun 901 00:55:32,240 --> 00:55:34,320 thing to believe in. No, because that's what 902 00:55:34,320 --> 00:55:37,680 Scripture declares. Now will not go against the 903 00:55:37,680 --> 00:55:41,560 Scripture for your comfort. I'll confidently stand there and 904 00:55:41,560 --> 00:55:44,720 say that God has promised to deal with the ungodly, and He is 905 00:55:44,720 --> 00:55:48,360 going to deal with the ungodly. And your only hope of escape is 906 00:55:48,360 --> 00:55:51,000 to repent of your sin and to turn to Jesus Christ as your 907 00:55:51,000 --> 00:55:53,920 Lord and Savior and to trust in Him according to the Word of God 908 00:55:53,920 --> 00:55:56,280 and according to the true gospel that we see in Scriptures. 909 00:55:56,400 --> 00:55:59,600 And in doing that, God then has mercy upon your soul. 910 00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:02,520 He rescues you from that judgment that you deserve. 911 00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:05,680 He adopts you into his Kingdom as a son and as a daughter. 912 00:56:06,440 --> 00:56:08,440 You're welcomed into his family to commune with him. 913 00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:12,120 Not just to commune with him spiritually speaking in this 914 00:56:12,120 --> 00:56:14,560 lifetime, but to commune with Him for all eternity. 915 00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:17,920 And so the world Word of God gives us great confidence in 916 00:56:17,920 --> 00:56:21,200 God's dealings that He's promised to deal with the 917 00:56:21,200 --> 00:56:22,880 ungodly. That would make things urgent 918 00:56:22,880 --> 00:56:25,760 for us if we understood. That wouldn't it that loved one 919 00:56:25,760 --> 00:56:28,040 who does not know Christ, we would be eager to tell them 920 00:56:28,040 --> 00:56:29,960 about Christ. That total stranger does not 921 00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:33,600 know Christ, We wouldn't make us eager to tell them about Christ. 922 00:56:33,600 --> 00:56:35,480 Why is it he's the only hope that anyone has? 923 00:56:38,960 --> 00:56:42,040 But you have to really believe that he's going to deal with the 924 00:56:42,040 --> 00:56:47,440 ungodly, just as he's promised that he will, executing his 925 00:56:47,440 --> 00:56:52,440 justice upon the wicked and the unbelieving, punishing them for 926 00:56:52,440 --> 00:56:56,280 all. Eternity under his wrath and 927 00:56:56,280 --> 00:56:58,280 judgement, you say? When, pastor, I don't like that 928 00:56:58,280 --> 00:57:01,080 kind of preaching. You like unbiblical preaching, 929 00:57:01,080 --> 00:57:04,640 my friend, and I can tell you this. 930 00:57:05,360 --> 00:57:07,800 There's much of it to be had. There are lots of places that 931 00:57:07,800 --> 00:57:10,040 you can go where they won't even touch the topic. 932 00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:14,480 And I grieve for you if you have a desire to be there. 933 00:57:16,400 --> 00:57:18,840 But since we are here at a place who preaches the full counsel of 934 00:57:18,840 --> 00:57:20,840 the Word of God and who has confidence in the full counsel 935 00:57:20,840 --> 00:57:22,120 of the Word of God, I will tell you this. 936 00:57:22,120 --> 00:57:25,040 Just as the psalmist has declared, God will, as promised, 937 00:57:25,040 --> 00:57:32,200 deal with thee ungodly. He will deal with him forever 938 00:57:33,280 --> 00:57:38,160 and an eternal fire with a worm never dies, and the fire is 939 00:57:38,160 --> 00:57:41,440 never quenched according to the words of Christ, Romans chapter 940 00:57:41,440 --> 00:57:45,000 2, verse 5, for the unbeliever know this. 941 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:46,920 It says because of your stubbornness and your 942 00:57:46,920 --> 00:57:50,200 unrepentant heart, you were storing up wrath against 943 00:57:50,200 --> 00:57:53,000 yourself for the day of God's wrath when his righteous 944 00:57:53,000 --> 00:57:55,360 judgment will be revealed. There's a warning for you in the 945 00:57:55,360 --> 00:57:57,440 word of God, His dealings with unbelieving men. 946 00:57:57,600 --> 00:58:00,240 He says right now, because you have not turned to Christ, you 947 00:58:00,240 --> 00:58:02,360 are storing up for yourself wrath. 948 00:58:03,840 --> 00:58:06,800 Every day that you spit in the face of God and you blasphemy 949 00:58:06,800 --> 00:58:10,600 him with your life, you were storing up more and more wrath. 950 00:58:12,240 --> 00:58:15,920 That will ultimately, unless God has mercy on your soul allowing 951 00:58:15,920 --> 00:58:19,080 you to repent, and I pray that he will. 952 00:58:19,920 --> 00:58:23,240 I pray that he does this very day because you're at his mercy 953 00:58:25,200 --> 00:58:26,920 unless you do repent and believe in Christ. 954 00:58:27,840 --> 00:58:32,280 Every day of your life is the storing of wrath for that moment 955 00:58:32,280 --> 00:58:34,960 that you face God in judgment, and rightfully so. 956 00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:42,080 Nahum chapter 1. Don't turn there because you 957 00:58:42,080 --> 00:58:47,560 probably can't find it, but Nahum 1-2 says this. 958 00:58:47,560 --> 00:58:49,280 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God. 959 00:58:49,280 --> 00:58:51,680 The Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. 960 00:58:52,760 --> 00:58:55,640 The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vinces wrath against 961 00:58:55,640 --> 00:58:57,080 his enemies. This is for all of you who 962 00:58:57,080 --> 00:58:59,240 thought God was just this teddy bear in the sky. 963 00:59:01,520 --> 00:59:03,440 He's not a weak and he's not an impotent God. 964 00:59:03,440 --> 00:59:06,200 He is a God who will deal with all the unbelieving justice he's 965 00:59:06,200 --> 00:59:08,000 promised to do. Have confidence in that. 966 00:59:09,720 --> 00:59:11,040 He goes on. He says the Lord is slow to 967 00:59:11,040 --> 00:59:12,600 anger but great in power. Thank you. 968 00:59:12,600 --> 00:59:15,320 Lord that you're slow to anger the great in power. 969 00:59:15,320 --> 00:59:17,600 And the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. 970 00:59:18,480 --> 00:59:22,800 His way is in the whirlwind, in the storm clouds are the dust of 971 00:59:22,800 --> 00:59:25,240 his feet. Oh, he'll not leave the guilty. 972 00:59:25,240 --> 00:59:26,960 Unpunished. I know what the question is 973 00:59:26,960 --> 00:59:28,320 next. Well, Kirk, are you saying that 974 00:59:28,320 --> 00:59:30,160 you're not guilty? Absolutely. 975 00:59:30,720 --> 00:59:34,200 I'm guilty, but I can claim not guilty. 976 00:59:34,720 --> 00:59:36,680 And you know why I can claim not guilty. 977 00:59:37,040 --> 00:59:40,040 I can claim not guilty because Jesus Christ more the guilt of 978 00:59:40,040 --> 00:59:43,360 my sin on a cross 2000 years ago, where he bore the wrath of 979 00:59:43,360 --> 00:59:46,800 God in the judgement of God in my stead, in my place. 980 00:59:47,120 --> 00:59:49,520 And I can tell you this, I am a guilty man who can claim not 981 00:59:49,520 --> 00:59:50,080 guilty. Why? 982 00:59:50,200 --> 00:59:52,120 Because his righteousness was imputed to me. 983 00:59:52,240 --> 00:59:56,080 My sin was imputed to him. He bore my sin. 984 00:59:57,320 --> 01:00:00,760 I bear his righteousness now I'm thankful for that, that he who 985 01:00:00,760 --> 01:00:03,600 knew no sin became sin, so that I might become the righteousness 986 01:00:03,600 --> 01:00:06,320 of God. But those without Christ have no 987 01:00:06,320 --> 01:00:08,240 hope. Those without Christ, you are 988 01:00:08,240 --> 01:00:11,320 condemned already according to John chapter 3, in the words of 989 01:00:11,400 --> 01:00:13,680 Jesus Christ. And unless you believe on the 990 01:00:13,680 --> 01:00:16,760 Son of God and trust in him as your Lord and Savior, you will 991 01:00:16,760 --> 01:00:20,800 face the promised judgment that will come upon all the wicked 992 01:00:20,800 --> 01:00:24,720 and the unbelieving. The psalmist here understanding 993 01:00:24,720 --> 01:00:27,000 that, confident in that, in God's dealings. 994 01:00:28,480 --> 01:00:33,560 The dealings that are promised to the ungodly, but also this. 995 01:00:36,000 --> 01:00:40,360 He's confident that God has promised to deliver the godly. 996 01:00:41,560 --> 01:00:42,880 Aren't you? Thankful if you're in Christ, 997 01:00:42,880 --> 01:00:45,880 that He has promised to deliver us from the judgement and the 998 01:00:45,880 --> 01:00:48,080 wrath that we do rightfully deserve. 999 01:00:50,360 --> 01:00:53,640 And He will do this eternally, rescuing those who believe the 1000 01:00:53,640 --> 01:00:56,600 Word of God in regard to Jesus Christ and submitting to Him, 1001 01:00:56,600 --> 01:01:02,840 truly surrendering to Him, denying yourself and taking up 1002 01:01:02,840 --> 01:01:09,240 your cross and following Him. His promise to deliver all who 1003 01:01:09,240 --> 01:01:14,120 obey the Word of God in regard to this repenting of their sin, 1004 01:01:14,120 --> 01:01:17,200 repenting of the evil in their life, Trusting in Christ, not 1005 01:01:17,200 --> 01:01:22,920 according to your opinion or pop culture, but believing in Jesus 1006 01:01:22,920 --> 01:01:24,520 Christ according to the very word of God. 1007 01:01:25,640 --> 01:01:28,520 Trusting in Him for who He is and how He says that we must 1008 01:01:29,200 --> 01:01:35,000 trust in Him. Proverbs 11 verse 21 says this. 1009 01:01:35,000 --> 01:01:36,720 Be sure of this. The wicked will not go 1010 01:01:36,720 --> 01:01:40,680 unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free. 1011 01:01:40,960 --> 01:01:45,840 Thank you Lord, that You have imputed righteousness to all of 1012 01:01:45,840 --> 01:01:48,320 us who by faith have trusted in Jesus. 1013 01:01:49,200 --> 01:01:50,800 Lord, I pray for those who have not. 1014 01:01:52,520 --> 01:01:54,960 Because when you read things in the Word like that, be sure of 1015 01:01:54,960 --> 01:01:57,920 this. You ought to go on and highlight 1016 01:01:57,920 --> 01:02:00,320 them and underline them. There's no way around it, he 1017 01:02:00,320 --> 01:02:01,040 says. Be sure of this. 1018 01:02:01,040 --> 01:02:02,600 The wicked will not go unpunished. 1019 01:02:03,720 --> 01:02:06,280 I'm thankful that God does not count me among the wicked 1020 01:02:06,360 --> 01:02:10,640 anymore, because I was once counted among the wicked. 1021 01:02:11,400 --> 01:02:15,880 Deserving of the wrath of God. But instead, because of Christ, 1022 01:02:16,680 --> 01:02:20,520 I'm forgiven and I'm cleansed. I'm now counted among the 1023 01:02:20,520 --> 01:02:23,360 righteous. I will forevermore be counted 1024 01:02:23,360 --> 01:02:25,960 among the righteous because of Jesus and what He did for me at 1025 01:02:25,960 --> 01:02:27,720 the cross. Can you say the same thing? 1026 01:02:29,360 --> 01:02:31,440 Because he's promised to deliver the godly. 1027 01:02:31,440 --> 01:02:33,480 He's promised to deal with the ungodly. 1028 01:02:33,480 --> 01:02:37,480 You have one of two. Sides of the fence to stand on, 1029 01:02:37,480 --> 01:02:40,200 don't you? You stand with the unbelieving 1030 01:02:40,200 --> 01:02:42,960 and the ungodly, and you are promised to face the judgment of 1031 01:02:42,960 --> 01:02:46,160 God. You stand on the opposite side 1032 01:02:46,560 --> 01:02:51,600 in Christ. And God has promised to deliver 1033 01:02:51,600 --> 01:02:56,640 you eternally, rescuing those who believe and who trust in 1034 01:02:56,720 --> 01:02:59,880 Jesus Christ according to God's holy word. 1035 01:03:00,720 --> 01:03:05,480 Oh, be warned, Sir. Be warned, ma'am, this morning 1036 01:03:05,480 --> 01:03:08,920 of what the word of God says, Psalm one, verse 5. 1037 01:03:08,920 --> 01:03:11,080 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor 1038 01:03:11,080 --> 01:03:12,520 sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 1039 01:03:12,520 --> 01:03:14,360 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous. 1040 01:03:14,360 --> 01:03:16,160 But the way of the wicked leads to destruction. 1041 01:03:17,840 --> 01:03:19,720 There will be destruction for the wicked, and there will be 1042 01:03:19,720 --> 01:03:26,160 deliverance for the righteous. Paul says this in Romans 10. 1043 01:03:28,520 --> 01:03:31,640 He says in verse 11 as Scripture says, anyone who believes in him 1044 01:03:31,640 --> 01:03:34,720 will never be put to shame. But there is no difference 1045 01:03:34,720 --> 01:03:37,640 between Jew and Gentile. The same Lord is Lord of all, 1046 01:03:37,640 --> 01:03:42,680 and richly blesses all who call on him. 13 says, For everyone 1047 01:03:42,680 --> 01:03:46,760 who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 1048 01:03:46,760 --> 01:03:48,640 And why would we call upon the name of the Lord? 1049 01:03:50,760 --> 01:03:57,440 Because a preacher has just told you that those who do not trust 1050 01:03:57,440 --> 01:04:01,520 in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and as their Savior 1051 01:04:01,520 --> 01:04:05,080 will face the promised destruction and judgment that 1052 01:04:05,080 --> 01:04:07,920 awaits the ungodly and the unbelieving in hell. 1053 01:04:10,440 --> 01:04:13,000 That same preacher has implored you this morning. 1054 01:04:14,600 --> 01:04:16,840 To have confidence in the promises of God, to deliver the 1055 01:04:16,840 --> 01:04:18,200 godly. And how can you be godly? 1056 01:04:18,200 --> 01:04:20,360 You can't be godly on your own. You've proven that there's 1057 01:04:20,360 --> 01:04:21,720 nothing righteous. No, not one. 1058 01:04:22,160 --> 01:04:26,840 No one seeks after him. The making of a godly man in the 1059 01:04:26,840 --> 01:04:28,760 making of a godly woman begins with God. 1060 01:04:29,000 --> 01:04:33,240 His grace extended to you in Christ, for it is by grace you 1061 01:04:33,240 --> 01:04:37,000 were saved through faith. It's not of yourself. 1062 01:04:37,000 --> 01:04:40,040 It's the gift of God, not of works so that no man can boast. 1063 01:04:40,040 --> 01:04:42,200 It is a work of God. And I pray for you this morning 1064 01:04:42,200 --> 01:04:46,800 that God do a work in your life even now, ushering you out of 1065 01:04:46,800 --> 01:04:50,880 the sight of darkness, ushering you into His marvelous light, 1066 01:04:52,000 --> 01:04:54,920 moving you to. Call. 1067 01:04:54,920 --> 01:04:58,720 Upon the name of the Lord, Because all who call upon the 1068 01:04:58,720 --> 01:05:04,040 name of the Lord will be saved. Surely He's moving in lives this 1069 01:05:04,040 --> 01:05:11,600 morning, calling you, drawing you, leading you to a place 1070 01:05:11,600 --> 01:05:14,640 where you in desperation see the judgment that awaits for you, 1071 01:05:14,640 --> 01:05:17,280 and you cry out to him for mercy and deliverance. 1072 01:05:17,280 --> 01:05:21,440 And know this, He is faithful to deliver all who call on him. 1073 01:05:21,440 --> 01:05:24,240 He's brought you to this point not so that you can get mad at 1074 01:05:24,240 --> 01:05:29,600 me, a preacher who still talks about hell, so that you can cry 1075 01:05:29,600 --> 01:05:34,360 out to him that he might rescue you and bring you. 1076 01:05:36,440 --> 01:05:39,880 Into eternal heaven, eternal life in Christ. 1077 01:05:40,640 --> 01:05:43,960 What great confidence we have in God's dealing with men. 1078 01:05:43,960 --> 01:05:48,400 I'm confident 100% God is going to deal with mankind one of two 1079 01:05:48,400 --> 01:05:50,360 ways. He's going to sentence the 1080 01:05:50,360 --> 01:05:52,160 unbelieving, the unrepentant to hell. 1081 01:05:53,680 --> 01:05:55,960 And he's going to welcome, welcome those who have 1082 01:05:55,960 --> 01:05:59,080 surrendered to Christ into his presence for all eternity 1083 01:05:59,080 --> 01:06:01,960 because they have been cleansed by the precious blood of the 1084 01:06:01,960 --> 01:06:06,600 Lamb. Which side of the fence are you 1085 01:06:06,600 --> 01:06:09,320 on? As we prepare to close this 1086 01:06:09,320 --> 01:06:10,840 morning, let us ask that question. 1087 01:06:12,080 --> 01:06:14,000 Let us ask. Ourselves many questions as we 1088 01:06:14,200 --> 01:06:16,640 contemplate and meditate on the word that we have seen this 1089 01:06:16,640 --> 01:06:19,120 morning. Believer, ask yourself this 1090 01:06:19,120 --> 01:06:20,160 question. Are you walking in the 1091 01:06:20,160 --> 01:06:22,600 confidence that comes from knowing knowing God's word? 1092 01:06:23,520 --> 01:06:25,480 Are you walking in that? Do you know enough of God's word 1093 01:06:25,480 --> 01:06:30,000 to be confident in it If not, herein lies the problem. 1094 01:06:31,200 --> 01:06:34,200 Those of us who. We devote ourselves to learning 1095 01:06:34,200 --> 01:06:36,720 the Word of God. We can rest assured of this, 1096 01:06:37,960 --> 01:06:41,800 that we can have confidence in God's defense that He is 1097 01:06:41,800 --> 01:06:45,600 defending the righteous all of the time, night and day, never 1098 01:06:45,600 --> 01:06:51,920 sleeping, never slumbering. We can confidently trust in His 1099 01:06:51,920 --> 01:06:53,600 declarations. Everything that He said will 1100 01:06:53,600 --> 01:06:55,600 come to pass, and everything that He said is true. 1101 01:06:56,920 --> 01:07:00,720 We can confidently trust in His discernment, the insight and the 1102 01:07:00,720 --> 01:07:03,080 knowledge that He gives us, the wisdom that does not come from 1103 01:07:03,080 --> 01:07:05,760 this world, that comes from God directly, and we can have 1104 01:07:05,760 --> 01:07:07,840 confidence in His dealings. Do you have that? 1105 01:07:08,640 --> 01:07:12,160 Are you walking in that? To the unbeliever who may have 1106 01:07:12,920 --> 01:07:20,520 slipped in this morning, God is going to deal with the 1107 01:07:20,520 --> 01:07:25,720 unrepentant sinners justly. And I wish I could paint a 1108 01:07:25,720 --> 01:07:30,200 different picture for you, but I can't and I won't. 1109 01:07:32,240 --> 01:07:37,320 And unless you repent, you will perish for all eternity under 1110 01:07:37,320 --> 01:07:38,880 the wrath and the judgment of God. 1111 01:07:40,080 --> 01:07:46,360 And we've seen that in His Word. Let me declare for you one last 1112 01:07:46,360 --> 01:07:55,800 time today. He will have mercy upon all and 1113 01:07:55,800 --> 01:08:00,600 deliver all who by faith trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord 1114 01:08:00,600 --> 01:08:03,560 and Savior. And I would encourage you with 1115 01:08:03,560 --> 01:08:08,440 all the strength that a man has to encourage another man to 1116 01:08:08,440 --> 01:08:12,240 encourage another woman. I would encourage you today 1117 01:08:13,520 --> 01:08:16,560 because tomorrow is never a guarantee and Scripture is very 1118 01:08:16,560 --> 01:08:19,120 clear that today is the day of salvation. 1119 01:08:19,120 --> 01:08:23,760 I would encourage you to today repent of your sin. 1120 01:08:24,880 --> 01:08:29,000 I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ crying out to Him to 1121 01:08:29,000 --> 01:08:34,600 rescue you and save you and to confidently know that according 1122 01:08:34,600 --> 01:08:37,680 to His Word, He will, just as He's promised. 1123 01:08:38,040 --> 01:08:39,880 Let's pray together. Father, in the name of Jesus, we 1124 01:08:39,880 --> 01:08:43,960 thank you so much for your word. Oh, the truth and the insight 1125 01:08:43,960 --> 01:08:45,640 and the depths of your knowledge. 1126 01:08:47,319 --> 01:08:52,240 Lord, thank you for giving us a glimpse into those things today, 1127 01:08:54,080 --> 01:08:58,920 but I pray that your Spirit move and hearts now that you would 1128 01:08:58,920 --> 01:09:02,720 through this message, encourage the believer leading them where 1129 01:09:02,720 --> 01:09:05,760 it is that you purchased them to be. 1130 01:09:07,600 --> 01:09:10,279 God, I pray for those who are here in an unbelieving state. 1131 01:09:10,279 --> 01:09:14,680 Lord, I pray that through the regenerative power of Your Holy 1132 01:09:14,680 --> 01:09:20,040 Spirit, even now You would quicken them to life, birth in 1133 01:09:20,040 --> 01:09:23,080 them faith and power to repent of their sin and turn from their 1134 01:09:23,080 --> 01:09:27,520 wickedness and turn to Christ, showering them with Your mercy 1135 01:09:28,120 --> 01:09:32,720 and Your grace, giving them the direction and the insight and 1136 01:09:32,720 --> 01:09:37,040 the wisdom to call on the name of Jesus and be saved this 1137 01:09:37,040 --> 01:09:39,720 morning. And we'll give you all the glory 1138 01:09:39,720 --> 01:09:42,120 for it. We pray these things in Christ 1139 01:09:42,120 --> 01:09:46,560 name, Amen. You've been listening to Key 1140 01:09:46,560 --> 01:09:49,319 Life Fellowships Pulpit Ministry podcast. 1141 01:09:49,680 --> 01:09:52,840 Join us each week for more teaching from God's Word.