1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:11,000 To have found God and still pursue Him is the soul's paradox 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:18,160 of love, scorned by the all too satisfied religionist, but 3 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:24,240 justified and happy experience by the children of burning 4 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:29,920 hearts. This famous quote from AW Tozer, 5 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,400 the renowned author and long standing pastor of a church in 6 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:38,280 the South Side of Chicago, captures one of the greatest 7 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:45,000 paradoxes in the Christian life. On one hand, a believer has 8 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:51,160 already found God, meaning they have encountered him, they have 9 00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,360 experienced him, they've been saved by him. 10 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,520 But on the other hand, the pursuit continues of him, 11 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,680 meaning even after finding God or being found by him, there is 12 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:10,760 a deep longing and desire to know Him, to experience him, to 13 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:16,960 grow in a relationship with Him. That being said, that desire is 14 00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:21,240 not universally shared by all professing Christians. 15 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:26,240 Tozer calls them the religionists, those who have a 16 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:32,000 basic knowledge of God and are satisfied in that place, feeling 17 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,600 as though they have already arrived spiritually. 18 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,080 Whereas you have those that he calls the children of burning 19 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:44,120 hearts, who have this overwhelming desire and longing 20 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:51,040 to know him more and more. And to those believers, it's not 21 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:55,360 a burdensome obligation, It's the natural response of being 22 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,760 exposed to the glories that they have seen in the Lord Jesus 23 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,800 Christ. Now, is what Tozer said 24 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,080 something that you can find in your Bibles? 25 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,039 I say absolutely. And we can go through the entire 26 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:14,680 New Testament to find examples and exhortations of this truth, 27 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:20,400 but nothing demonstrates this reality more, I believe, than 28 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,160 the book of Psalms. And within the book of Psalms, 29 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:29,680 one of the most notable chapters that paints this paradox is 30 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:34,440 Psalm 63. And I invite you to turn there 31 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,560 with me as we read it in its entirety. 32 00:02:43,410 --> 00:02:54,660 Psalm 63, a Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of 33 00:02:54,660 --> 00:02:59,220 Judah. Oh God, you are my God. 34 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:05,800 Earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you, My 35 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:10,720 flesh faints for you. As in a dry and weary land where 36 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,040 there is no water, so I have looked upon you in the 37 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,480 sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 38 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,120 Because your steadfast love is better than life. 39 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,800 My lips will praise you, so I will bless you. 40 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:30,160 As long as I live in your name, I will lift up my hands, my soul 41 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,120 will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will 42 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,480 praise you with joyful lips when I remember you upon my bed and 43 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:40,680 meditate on you in the watches of the night. 44 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,640 For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wing I 45 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,000 will sing for joy. My soul clings to you. 46 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Your right hand upholds me, but those who seek to destroy my 47 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,680 life shall go down into the depths of the earth. 48 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,160 They shall be given over to the power of the sword. 49 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,880 They shall be a portion for jackals. 50 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,440 But the king shall rejoice in God. 51 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,040 All who swear by him shall exalt, for the mouths of liars 52 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:16,480 will be stopped. Lord, it is my sincere prayer as 53 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:22,440 we come together as a family to expound Your word that it would 54 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,200 enlarge our hearts. Again, Lord, it has to be Your 55 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,000 power. It has to be Your work in us. 56 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:32,320 It has to be an intervention from heaven if there's going to 57 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,720 take any change in our hearts. So we ask for that. 58 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,960 That would be our portion today, and we thank you for it in Jesus 59 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,800 name, Amen. There are two vital details that 60 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,360 you and I have to acknowledge if we want to make the most out of 61 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,000 this song. The first one is a 62 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,280 superscription, the heading of this Psalm. 63 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,840 We read it, but look at it again, a Psalm of David right 64 00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:01,400 before verse one when he was in the wilderness of Judah. 65 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:06,560 Now people debate, was this when David was running away from King 66 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,040 Saul? Or is this when David was 67 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,000 running away from his son Absalom? 68 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,920 You can make a case for both, but I think there's a clue that 69 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,360 tells us that this was happening while David was fleeing from his 70 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,040 father-in-law. Look at verse 11 again. 71 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:26,320 But the king shall rejoice in God Speaking of himself. 72 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,960 The king shall reduce. Well, David wasn't a king while 73 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:32,640 Saul was occupying the throne. Obviously. 74 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,280 So I believe that's a helpful way of helping us understand 75 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,960 that this is David when he was running for his life from Saul. 76 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,360 Either way, he penned this while in the wilderness and we're 77 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,480 going to make reference to that throughout this text because 78 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,400 it's going to bring a depth to some of these statements and 79 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:56,320 declarations. The second vital detail that we 80 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:01,000 have to grasp here is that I believe there is a structure to 81 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,280 this piece. Why I say that is because if you 82 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:11,280 read carefully, David mentions his soul three times, and when 83 00:06:11,280 --> 00:06:13,600 you look at it even more carefully, you'll realize that 84 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,800 every time he makes reference to his soul, there's a progression 85 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,000 that's taking place. Look again with me and verse one 86 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:25,080 to the last part. My soul thirsts for you. 87 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:30,760 Look at verse 5. My soul will be satisfied. 88 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:36,160 And come here to verse 8. My soul clings to you. 89 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:41,120 Do you see it? Should we expect any less for us 90 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:45,600 as an invitation? Should we expect anything for us 91 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,200 who obey? What David models here? 92 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,240 That when you seek after God, he's not talking about seeking 93 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,560 God in salvation. He's saved. 94 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,240 He's seeking after God, and when he seeks after God, he is 95 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:03,000 satisfied in his soul. And when he is experiencing that 96 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,600 satisfaction, he realizes I still have a responsibility and 97 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:11,400 that's the cling to my God so that I can continually drink 98 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,000 from this. Well, in order for the 99 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:17,080 satisfaction to be sustained. Oh yes, there's a development 100 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:23,320 taking place here and I want to organize our thoughts with those 101 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:28,760 points, meaning they serve as headings and we're going to 102 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,040 collect our reflections under these three headings. 103 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,480 So this day you came to church to hear about 3 things. 104 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,800 You came to hear about the seeking soul. 105 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,200 The second thing is the satisfied soul. 106 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:49,120 And lastly. The clinging soul, The seeking 107 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,760 soul. Verse 10 God, you are my God. 108 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:58,040 Earnestly I seek you, my soul thirst for you. 109 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,720 What a way to set up this prayer, he says. 110 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:05,200 Oh God, he doesn't just address God as God, but as. 111 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,000 His God. Oh, God, you are my God. 112 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,160 The Lord is not just a concept to David. 113 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,080 He's not just a distant figure. No, no, no, no. 114 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:21,680 He's a living reality, a personal companion in his 115 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,880 everyday life. Don't you dare make the mistake 116 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:29,320 that by David saying oh God, you are my God. 117 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:34,960 That he is making merely a Pledge of Allegiance, as though 118 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,360 he was saying I believe in God and though I live in a time 119 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:40,720 where there are many, many, many gods that are acknowledged, I 120 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:44,039 ascribe to the God of Israel. It's much more meaningful than 121 00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:47,600 that. He's not just declaring that God 122 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,400 is the true God, that God is infinite. 123 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:52,640 He's declaring that God is intimate. 124 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,280 He's my God. He's personal. 125 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,280 In other words, the way you can summarize his his understanding 126 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:02,240 here is that God is knowable and he is approachable. 127 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,240 I belong to him, He belongs to me. 128 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:12,640 He is my God, and that's why in the next part he says earnestly, 129 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,360 I seek you. Now the the word earnestly in 130 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,520 the Hebrews is interesting because it can be translated as 131 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:24,600 early, like early in the day, or diligently so. 132 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,400 If you have an English translation like the King James 133 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,360 for example, it would read and it would be rendered as early. 134 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:36,520 Will I seek you? Either way, the same conclusion 135 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,720 stands. David, in his heart of hearts, 136 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:47,720 saw the seeking of God. As his top priority, whether 137 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,040 it's early or it's earnestly, what he is reflecting here is 138 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:56,160 that this is my ultimate desire. And that longing was so real to 139 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,000 him that he defines it as thirst. 140 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:03,240 Earnestly. I seek you. 141 00:10:04,560 --> 00:10:09,840 My soul thirsts for you. That's helpful because all of us 142 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,240 in here know what it's like to be thirsty. 143 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,560 Whether you're exercising, working outside, running from 144 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:20,120 meeting to meeting. When your mouth is parched, it 145 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:24,040 occupies your mind. And even in the midst of 146 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:29,000 activity, you are periodically planning, how am I going to take 147 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:34,120 care of this dry mouth of mine? How am I going to quench this? 148 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,280 And in the same way, listen very carefully. 149 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:42,760 When the soul longs to know God more deeply, it cannot be 150 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:47,000 satisfied with where it's at, in the same way that a thirsty 151 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,680 person will not be content remaining thirsty. 152 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,720 My soul thirsts for God. How does that look like? 153 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,720 Lord, I know that You have opened my eyes to Your Word in 154 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:02,320 the past, and I thank You for all those precious moments where 155 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,720 You have manifested Your sweet presence to me. 156 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:12,920 But I want more. I'm desperate for more, I'm 157 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:19,880 thirsting for more and so intense can that desire be not 158 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:24,120 just in David, but in any person who has tasted of the goodness 159 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,600 of the Lord that this Holy Spirit reveals an extraordinary 160 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:33,680 phenomenon at the end of verse 1, something that can occur. 161 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,920 Look what he says here after he says my soul thirsts for you, my 162 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:45,520 flesh faints for you. He didn't say my soul faints for 163 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,960 you. He said my flesh faints for you. 164 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,240 How can that be? Because when you read your New 165 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:57,000 Testament, you learn very quickly that the flesh is 166 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,800 naturally opposed to God and to the things of God. 167 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:06,360 And Galatians 517 we're. Told that the flesh is against 168 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,200 the Spirit, wages war against the Spirit. 169 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,840 And then you read this, for example, and you discover 170 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:18,000 something different. Not that the flesh is against 171 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,400 the things of God, but it's actually in concert. 172 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:26,800 Not my soul faints for you. No, no, no, no, no, my flesh 173 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:30,440 faints for you. Do we have a contradiction here? 174 00:12:30,680 --> 00:12:32,520 No, there is no contradiction in the Bible. 175 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,480 You have a deep, deep theological truth that is 176 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,600 experiential. He says here. 177 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,360 In other words, our longing to know the Lord can become so 178 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:47,600 fierce that it consumes every part of who you are, silencing 179 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:49,600 the lust of the flesh in the process. 180 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,480 Your soul can become so fervent, and your. 181 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,520 Desire to know God, that he can overpower the impulses of the 182 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:02,640 carnal man. And some of you can remember 183 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:06,800 even when you were first saving, you first were exposed to the 184 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,320 mercy of God, the reality of who Jesus Christ was. 185 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:15,280 It just envelops you. You feel like you're on a 186 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,640 different planet and you came from a different planet almost. 187 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,880 It doesn't have to remain in the first parts of your salvation. 188 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,000 David here is in the wilderness experiencing one of the greatest 189 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:32,560 hardships of his life, yet he can say my flesh, every part of 190 00:13:32,560 --> 00:13:36,520 who I am is committed to this cause of knowing God. 191 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:42,040 You know what the appropriate follow up question would be to 192 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:46,280 this truth? How can I arrive at that place? 193 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,160 You're saying that this is possible for me? 194 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:53,240 Then how can I get there? And I believe David provides a 195 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,640 very helpful clue at the end of verse one. 196 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:57,600 Notice what he says after my flesh faints for you. 197 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,520 As in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 198 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:06,320 Can you see it, David? There sitting in the wilderness, 199 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:12,520 looking out to that barren land, dry and cracked up? 200 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,640 And the thought came to him. This is what my soul is like, 201 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,480 without the ever increasing presence of God. 202 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,960 In the same way that water is the only thing that can bring 203 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:30,320 life to this desert. So only God can give my soul the 204 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,240 vitality and delight that it craves. 205 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:41,520 My soul thirsts for you. And listen, if you want to know 206 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,560 what Davis anger because I'm going to get to this point in a 207 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:45,600 moment. I don't want to get ahead of 208 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,560 myself. But if you want to to be able to 209 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,920 look at these verses and say I know what that's like. 210 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,400 I know what David is speaking about here. 211 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,880 I I argue that what you find at the end of verse one is the 212 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:03,680 first step for you to even entertain the possibility of it. 213 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,080 What's the first step? You have to be convinced of the 214 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:11,400 same truth that David spells out here, that nothing in this life 215 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,160 will actually and truly satisfy you. 216 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,760 Yes, there are things in God's creation that satiate the 217 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,120 material parts of who we are, but listen to this. 218 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:27,560 Only closeness with Jesus Christ can address the deepest. 219 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:31,400 Part of who you are. You're not just material, you're 220 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,680 not just physical. You have a spirit, you have a 221 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:40,160 soul and only nearness with Christ, only communion with 222 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:45,600 Christ can touch that part. If you don't even believe that 223 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,480 to begin with, if you, if you don't have that kind of 224 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,840 foundation in your understanding how your relationship God works, 225 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,760 you'll never, you'll be a wanderer forever. 226 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,320 David is convinced in the same way that I'm looking here and 227 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,680 there is nothing there is not. It's barren. 228 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:05,480 I look out to this world with all its shiny toys and all its 229 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,800 trinkets. It does nothing for me. 230 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,000 It's surface level. It bounces off of me. 231 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,360 It's there for a moment and evaporates the next day. 232 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:17,520 Oh, I need God. If it's possible to know God, 233 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:21,680 then I I thirst for that. I need that. 234 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:26,560 I'm seeking for that, and I can hear it. 235 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:30,320 Now some might be wondering, OK, you're talking about thirsting 236 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,520 for God and seeking it, but what does that actually look like in 237 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:35,560 practice? I'm glad you asked. 238 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,960 Look at verse 2. So I have looked upon you in the 239 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:44,120 sanctuary, beholding your power and glory, because your 240 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,480 steadfast love is better than life. 241 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:49,120 My lips will praise you. So David here is reflecting. 242 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,400 He's recollecting. He's exiled in the desert, and 243 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,600 he remembers. He remembers something that 244 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,640 stimulates this seeking and this thirsting. 245 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:02,000 He remembers the days where he would go to the House of God, 246 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,319 because he's speaking about worshipping at the temple here. 247 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,640 He remembers going to the House of God and beholding. 248 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,839 Something of his power and glory. 249 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:13,560 I wonder what that looked like for David. 250 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:18,119 I'm sure it had something to do with him witnessing the 251 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:22,079 elaborate protocols of the sacrificial system where he 252 00:17:22,079 --> 00:17:23,720 would see all those beasts. Slain in the. 253 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,880 Bloodshed. And as he was processing all of 254 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,880 this, he he stood in awe of the holiness of God. 255 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,720 And as he considered further and looked at these unworthy 256 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:39,840 priests, imperfect vessels doing the ministry, he stood back and 257 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:43,880 he reflected on the absolute mercy of God to use such people, 258 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,120 to be able to mediate and to come into such contact with his 259 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:49,600 presence. I wonder if he considered the 260 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,200 ark of the covenant that was behind that veil. 261 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,680 And more than being scared about it, he was actually moved by it, 262 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:01,280 because for God to create that space demonstrated to the people 263 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,000 that he longed to come and dwell with man. 264 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:08,560 And so he was, he was enthralled by the love of God. 265 00:18:11,120 --> 00:18:13,200 I what? I have looked upon you in the 266 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,320 sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 267 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:19,520 David experienced something. So again, don't make the mistake 268 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:23,400 that David, when he would go to the House of God, was analyzing 269 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:29,080 things doctrinally and trying to have a more accurate theological 270 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:31,880 understanding. Theology is important, but David 271 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,840 is doing more than studying God. He has truly savored him. 272 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:40,280 This isn't just head stuff. This is heart stuff. 273 00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:43,040 This is like my soul has moved. You're saying, How do you know 274 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:43,920 that? Look at verse 3. 275 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:46,880 Because your steadfast love is better than life. 276 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:55,200 That is not the vocabulary of somebody who just studies and 277 00:18:55,200 --> 00:19:00,760 can give you good definitions. That is the language of somebody 278 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,440 who has come into contact with the truth in a personal way. 279 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,960 Because your steadfast love is better than life. 280 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,880 Life is not life without God's love being experienced and 281 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:14,120 known. What is life? 282 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:18,440 This is what he is saying. And the point that I'm trying to 283 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,040 make is if you want to know what it means to seek God, if you 284 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:26,160 want that seeking soul to be activated and to experience Him 285 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:28,720 the way that David experienced them, then here's what it 286 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:30,880 includes. It includes beholding Him. 287 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,720 Beholding Him to the degree that the conclusions that you make 288 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:40,920 from what you see in God's Word primarily apply to you on an 289 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:45,240 individual basis. And here's what's so glorious. 290 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,400 This invitation to behold God's power, His glory, to taste His 291 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,680 love, is not reserved for kings and Old Testament prophets. 292 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:58,160 In fact, you and I have greater access. 293 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,640 What did Paul say in 2nd Corinthians 318? 294 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,840 And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, 295 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,000 are being transformed into the same image from 1° of glory to 296 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,320 another. This comes from the Lord who is 297 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:17,600 the Spirit. So you and I also have access to 298 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:21,520 behold the glory of the Lord and Christ. 299 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:26,520 Remove the veil from our faces, from our eyes so that we can see 300 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:32,840 clearly beholding. Can I just pause here and do 301 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,240 something? I want to pause here and 302 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,800 actually kind of show you by way of example what that might look 303 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:44,400 like so personally. Not my sermon prep, no, no, no. 304 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:46,200 My sermon prep is a different thing. 305 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:50,120 My personal reading, my personal beholding of God's Word. 306 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:52,400 I'm in the gospel of Luke. I started in Genesis. 307 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,280 I end in Revelation. I don't keep count. 308 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,160 I'm not trying to follow a pace. If it takes me a year, 10 years 309 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,240 to go through the Bible once more, doesn't matter to me. 310 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:00,240 I'm not counting. You ask me. 311 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:01,480 I don't know how many times I've read through it. 312 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:03,240 I'm not interested in counting numbers. 313 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,160 I'm interested with meeting with God every time I come to His 314 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,600 Word. But I'm now in the book of Luke 315 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,120 and in Luke 1, I was this is earlier this week I was looking 316 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:17,960 at Mary's song and in the same chapter Zacharias prophecy, the 317 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,400 father of John the Baptist. So I want you to just see, come 318 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,560 with me to Luke chapter 1. And this is just person again, 319 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:30,240 not sermon prep, just reading my Bible before the day starts. 320 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:39,680 Look at Luke 1. 50. I discovered a few things that 321 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:42,760 moved me not just in the moment but listen revelations of God 322 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:44,400 that have kept me full till today. 323 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:52,000 Luke 150 Look what Mary says. And his mercy is for those who 324 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,640 fear Him from generation to generation. 325 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:57,920 So I read. That, and I thought, that's 326 00:21:57,920 --> 00:21:58,440 wonderful. Yeah. 327 00:21:58,440 --> 00:21:59,880 His mercy is for those who fear him. 328 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,200 And then I'm reading through the same chapter and I come to the 329 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:07,880 Zacharias prophecy over his son. And look what it says here in 330 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:13,000 Luke 174. He talks about Christ earlier, 331 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,960 talks about John the Baptist later in the same text. 332 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,920 But notice that we, being delivered from the hand of our 333 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,120 enemies, might serve him without fear. 334 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:24,560 So here's what happened just two minutes ago. 335 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,120 I'm reading a merry song and I learned verse 50. 336 00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:29,320 And His mercy is for those who fear Him. 337 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,800 And then I come back here, the 7174 of chapter one, that we may 338 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,120 be delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him 339 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,320 without fear. Well, which one is it? 340 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:41,600 Do you want me to have fear or no? 341 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:46,000 No Fear. And then what dawned on me was 342 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,800 one of the verses from that glorious hymn, Amazing Grace, 343 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:56,000 and I think most people miss it. Twas grace that taught my heart 344 00:22:56,360 --> 00:23:00,960 to fear and grace my fears relieved. 345 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,640 Another paradox, if you will. What is John Newton saying 346 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:09,480 there? This grace that I've experienced 347 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:14,680 has caused my heart to fear you the way God wants you to fear a 348 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:19,400 reverential awe of Him. And that same grace has relieved 349 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:21,200 me. From all other illegitimate 350 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:25,000 fears. So you have Mary saying here, 351 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,800 yes, his mercies for those who fear him. 352 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,400 And then in the very same chapter you have a promise that 353 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:36,480 Christ has come, that we might serve him without fear doesn't 354 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:37,600 end there. I kept reading. 355 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:45,400 Look at verse 76 of Luke 1 as he now turns to John his son, And 356 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,600 you, child will be called the prophet of the Most High, for 357 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,560 you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways to give 358 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,080 knowledge of salvation to His people and the forgiveness of 359 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:58,240 their sins. Pause there. 360 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,000 This is not a point for this message, but just worth noting 361 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,400 just in case. Notice that John was called to 362 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,840 give the message of the forgiveness of people's sins. 363 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,480 What was John's favorite word in his sermons? 364 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:13,200 Repent. So for those who think that 365 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,320 repentance is not necessary for salvation, what are you going to 366 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,320 do with this? Because by the Holy Spirit he 367 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,320 was called to give knowledge of salvation to his people. 368 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:22,000 When John opened his mouth, you know what he said? 369 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:26,560 Repent. That's not the part that moved 370 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,440 me. Verse 78 because of the tender 371 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,920 mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on 372 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:35,640 high. You know what touched me? 373 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,200 The Holy Spirit could have simply said in 78 because of the 374 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,720 mercy of our God, but he included a word before it. 375 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:45,200 Because of the tender mercy of our God. 376 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,360 And there I am on my little chair in my office, in my house, 377 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:53,600 and I'm looking at that word after I was just wrestling and 378 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:57,760 dealing with that fear. Fear him. 379 00:24:57,760 --> 00:24:58,800 Fear Him. Don't fear. 380 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:03,120 Yes, I come to this and I realized something about God's 381 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:04,880 mercy. It's not just there, it's 382 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,800 tender. What does tender mean? 383 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:10,160 So I look it up. You know what it means. 384 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:16,000 Ready for this bowels saying what's the point of that? 385 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:22,560 His mercy comes from the inside. It overflows from his heart. 386 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,000 It it's not merely a duty, it's not forced mercy, it's not 387 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:29,440 superficial, it's not surface level. 388 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:31,720 It comes from it's a feeling mercy. 389 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:35,560 God has he, he has mercy and he feels merciful. 390 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:42,240 Ready for this towards me. So what are you? 391 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:43,560 What are you doing? Why are you explaining all this? 392 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,960 I'm trying to show you, at least to the best of my ability, what 393 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:49,200 beholding looks like Beholding him. 394 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:51,960 So there I am. You said, well, you're a pastor. 395 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:52,840 You. No, no, no, no, no. 396 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,080 There's nothing to do with being a pastor because this isn't 397 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:56,920 sermon prep time. That's later in the week. 398 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,680 And I can show you markings in my Bible from the days when I 399 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,760 was a college student and when I was working in advertising where 400 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,600 the beholding was taking place. This is available to any of us 401 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,640 where you look at these things. And it's not just OK, I read my 402 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,040 book. No, it's beholding. 403 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:17,920 And then you're moved by it and you're drawn to it. 404 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,960 And then what happens? Now God speaks to you, and now 405 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:23,200 you speak to him. Lord, help me believe that your 406 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:27,840 mercy is tender for me. Like your heart is moved when 407 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:31,040 I'm broken in my sin. When I seek you, help me really 408 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:36,280 believe that you feel tenderly. And help me understand that you 409 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:37,600 have mercy for those who fear you. 410 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:39,480 So help me have this reverential of you. 411 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:44,280 That's what it looks like. And you go about your day and 412 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,720 you do your things and you do your hobbies, but you're still 413 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,240 meditating on those things. And when you're when your mind 414 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:57,480 goes into default space, it rests there, the seeking soul. 415 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,320 And you do that long enough and you practice it and you believe 416 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,560 that it can work and you'll come to the next point. 417 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:08,200 And that's the satisfied soul. Come back to Psalm 63. 418 00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:11,400 Notice what he says here in verse 5. 419 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,280 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my 420 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,480 mouth will praise you with joyful lips. 421 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,440 Listen, David compares the gratification that comes from 422 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:30,040 beholding to sitting at a table before the most exquisite, 423 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:35,400 delicious feast you can. Translate his point in the 424 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,480 following way when the Lord manifests His presence to me. 425 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:46,760 It's like feeding at a banquet and he gives us a glimpse of the 426 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:52,480 incredible impact of of what it's like for the Lord to open 427 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:58,200 your eyes, open your ears, open your heart to Him beyond. 428 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,560 What you knew in the gospel, The gospel is paramount. 429 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,040 The gospel sustains us. Everything stems from the 430 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:04,800 gospel. But deeper things about who he 431 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:06,320 is. When you taste it and you taste 432 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,480 it and you taste it, look at this impact. 433 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,320 Look what he says here in verse 6. 434 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,120 When I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the 435 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:17,200 watches of the night. Here's what's so significant. 436 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,440 David is writing this again. Remember the heading of the 437 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:21,880 Psalm. He's in the wilderness, he's in 438 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,560 the desert, he's sleeping in random caves. 439 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,280 And as he's reminiscing, being in the wilderness, being in 440 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,560 exile, Listen, he's, he's cut off from virtually everything, 441 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,320 but you know what he is not looking back to? 442 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:41,760 He's not aching for the comforts of his palace. 443 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:48,320 He's not remembering the taste of royal delicacies. 444 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,560 He's not even rehearsing the relationships and the 445 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,040 interactions that he had with people that he had to walk away 446 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,680 from when he had to leave into the wilderness. 447 00:28:57,680 --> 00:28:59,640 None of that. What is he thinking about? 448 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,000 At the end of the day, when the stillness of the night comes and 449 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:07,640 all the busyness slows down and it's just you and your soul with 450 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,360 your heavy head on that pillow, what is he thinking about? 451 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:15,080 He's reflecting on past testimonies of his walk with God 452 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,760 and it's only causing him to want more testimonies. 453 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,880 That's what he's saying here. He's saying, how do you know 454 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:23,800 that? Because look what he says in 455 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,640 verse 7. For you have been my help. 456 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,200 You've been my help. This is what he's reflecting on 457 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,440 as he's laying there. I I'm remembering the times when 458 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:35,440 the Lord has intervened in my life. 459 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,480 Beyond coincidence. Beyond a sermon. 460 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,160 Beyond. What I've heard from other 461 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:42,640 people know I have my own testimonies of God coming 462 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:46,080 through, and the thought of it alone is satisfying me and it's 463 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:54,550 causing me to want more. But it's the second part of 464 00:29:54,550 --> 00:29:56,390 verse seven that deserves our attention. 465 00:29:58,830 --> 00:30:03,080 For you have been my help. In the shadow of your wings I 466 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:09,520 will sing for joy. If you read this over and over 467 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:11,480 again, the whole Psalm, you'll observe something. 468 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:16,480 You'll observe that there's numerous mentions of praising 469 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:18,800 God in it. So let's revisit it. 470 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:22,040 Look at verse three. What does he say? 471 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:24,480 Because your steadfast love is better than life. 472 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:28,080 My lips will praise you. My lips will praise you. 473 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:31,440 Look at verse 4. So I will bless you as long as I 474 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,200 live. Look at verse 5, the second 475 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,720 part, My mouth will praise you with joyful lips. 476 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:41,560 And finally, verse 7, I will sing for joy. 477 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,000 I will sing for joy. I will praise you. 478 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,440 I will bless you. Or he even goes beyond that to 479 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,440 something that might make some people uncomfortable. 480 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:50,800 He says I will lift my hands in your name. 481 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:58,360 What's happening here? There's a clear connection and 482 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,080 here's what I want to say. In love, there are well meaning 483 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:02,120 believers who, if they are honest, struggle to relate what 484 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:06,040 David is expressing here because what he is actually writing 485 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:10,680 about is spontaneous praise and heartfelt joy. 486 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:15,960 It's one thing to sing, it's another thing to sing with joy. 487 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:20,640 He's singing with joy here and he can't help himself and listen 488 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:23,680 it. It genuinely, genuinely breaks 489 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:26,160 my heart. I'm fully aware that we are 490 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,800 living in a day where our land is plagued with biblical 491 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,400 illiteracy. I believe in the. 492 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:32,960 I believe you need to get back to truth. 493 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:35,160 Truth Trump's over everything you're feeling, your emotions, 494 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,040 your experience. I'm there, but it breaks my 495 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:43,200 heart also to learn of believers who have very little feeling in 496 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:49,080 their religion. Some of those believers have 497 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:54,520 been taught that having feelings that are stirred within you or 498 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,880 even expressed is dangerous and should be discouraged. 499 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:00,600 Meanwhile, you have other believers who listen. 500 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:04,040 They believe the gospel, they believe in the saving message of 501 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:08,760 Jesus Christ, but they find themselves in mechanical motions 502 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,200 and they can't seem to break free. 503 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:18,160 This joy stuff, this songs of praise being overcome by the 504 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,160 revelation of who God is. That's foreign to many people. 505 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:24,120 And to some people it's even offensive. 506 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:26,240 They they came from a certain denomination of background where 507 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:30,000 it's like, let's look down upon, OK, how do you read the Psalms? 508 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:34,320 Like how do you do it? It's like offensive to read it 509 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,200 with a monotone voice. How it's like it's, it's, it's 510 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:42,120 has life in it, emotion in it, and emotions are not sinful. 511 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,400 They are gifts from God. Can they lead you into sin? 512 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:47,840 You better believe it. Can they cause you to not trust 513 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:48,600 the truth? Yes. 514 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,200 Can they betray your convictions? 515 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,440 Absolutely. But what a joy it is when they 516 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:56,560 line up with the truth. That's God's will. 517 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,000 And does a spirit provide any kind of instructions for those 518 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,160 who find themselves in such a spiritual rut? 519 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,040 Yes, he does. Look carefully at verse 7 again. 520 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:12,080 For you have been my help, For you have been my help. 521 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,200 And in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 522 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,480 Where does he say that he experiences this ability to sing 523 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:22,120 for joy in the shadow of God's wings? 524 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:24,800 God doesn't have literal wings. This is poetic. 525 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,360 Wings speak of protection. Wings speak of power. 526 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:31,520 Wings speak of ability. Sure, but that's not what he's 527 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:36,680 even getting at. Being in the shadow of anything 528 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:42,160 demands close proximity. I can't stand in your shadow 529 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:44,000 even if I'm in the same building as you. 530 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:47,560 I can't stand in your shadow even if I'm in the same room as 531 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:49,760 you. I can only stand in your shadow 532 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,120 if I am shoulder to shoulder with you. 533 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:55,400 Here's a point that I'm trying to make. 534 00:33:55,920 --> 00:34:00,120 David could sing. With joy, because he was near 535 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:07,560 God, He was close to God. And I was reflecting on this and 536 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:11,920 I thought to myself, this is true throughout the Scriptures 537 00:34:13,199 --> 00:34:16,920 and this is from months ago. There are many verses that you 538 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:19,040 read and you should just keep it in your pocket. 539 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:21,199 And don't forget about a highlighter. 540 00:34:21,199 --> 00:34:22,840 Do whatever you need to do because you never know when it 541 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:24,600 will come and help. Sometimes I'll help you with 542 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:28,679 your sermon, by the way, But can I can I invite you to turn to 1 543 00:34:28,679 --> 00:34:30,520 little sentence from the book of Job. 544 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:32,320 It's it's right by Psalms. So it's not going to take too 545 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:35,280 much effort. But go to Job 35 verse 10. 546 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:37,679 I was sharing this with some brothers on a Wednesday night. 547 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:50,199 We read, but none says, where is God my Maker? 548 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:55,040 Who gives songs in the night? It's that second part that 549 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:56,760 touches me. What does God do? 550 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:58,680 He does many things. You know what He also does? 551 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:05,280 He gives songs in the night. I love how He gives it in the 552 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,640 night, because no matter what you go through the day, if 553 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,960 you're close to God, close enough where He can reach out 554 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,520 and give something to you, He'll give you a song. 555 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:18,160 At the end of the day, no matter what happened, no matter what 556 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,840 was taken from you, no matter what burden was added to you, 557 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:23,960 God is able to give you a song in the night. 558 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:26,360 That's what David is talking about here. 559 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:33,160 Even if you're in the wilderness, only God can do 560 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:39,760 that. I read a Spurgeon quote where he 561 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:45,880 says the following. We read of beds of ivory, but 562 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:51,840 beds of piety are far better. We read of beds of ivory, the 563 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:59,880 beds of piety are far better. The satisfied soul. 564 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:05,720 And the same cause and effect is found in our last point, the 565 00:36:05,720 --> 00:36:09,680 clinging soul. Notice what he says here in 566 00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:12,640 verse 8. My soul clings to you. 567 00:36:13,240 --> 00:36:17,600 Your right hand upholds me. You know what that word cling is 568 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:19,880 in the Hebrew. It's the same word found in 569 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:23,160 Genesis 224, where we're told that a man shall leave his 570 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,200 father and his mother and he shall hold fast to his wife. 571 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:30,640 Or in the King James shall cleave to his wife. 572 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:34,120 Speaks about being glued to somebody. 573 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,120 And David uses the same word with his relationship with God. 574 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:44,600 My soul clings to you. Here's what he's saying. 575 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:46,920 Yes, in this season, I have sought you. 576 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,200 In the past, I have been satisfied. 577 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:54,240 In this moment, I'm satisfied. But oh, I know the temptations 578 00:36:54,240 --> 00:36:56,120 of life that can take me away from this. 579 00:36:56,120 --> 00:37:01,240 Place so I'm committing myself to yes, seek you and continue to 580 00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:05,560 seek you and to stay there. I'm clinging to you. 581 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,320 I want to be near you for the rest of my life. 582 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:13,800 And he, he unveils yet another incentive for you to have that 583 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:15,920 ambition above all other ambitions. 584 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:18,320 No matter what you do, how much money you make, how many 585 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:21,000 responsibilities you have, this is possible for all of us. 586 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:25,360 And he gives another reason for you to make it a reality. 587 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:28,800 Look at verse 8 again. My soul clings to you. 588 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:32,240 Here's the outcome of that. Your right hand upholds me. 589 00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:37,640 So here's what David's saying. Now only does closest to God 590 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:42,040 open up. The ability to sing but also 591 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:45,840 grants me supernatural strength. Is it not true? 592 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:50,920 Listen, is it not true that when there is needless distance 593 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:55,200 between you and God, always on our part, needless distance that 594 00:37:55,200 --> 00:38:00,480 we create, that it always causes us to feel depleted, That there 595 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:05,960 is that sense of strength and energy that is drained from us? 596 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:13,040 Temptations feel stronger when you are walking at a distance 597 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:18,200 from Him. Sin looks shinier, lies become 598 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:22,320 louder, irritations become more familiar, and even persecutions 599 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:23,760 feel. Harsher. 600 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:32,000 And this is so, so crucial for you and I to know because this 601 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:35,800 man here who seeks God sets an example for anybody who seeks 602 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,240 God. If you know how to do that and 603 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:41,920 you know that satisfaction and you cling to him, it does not. 604 00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:45,000 It promises many things, but it does not guarantee you the 605 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:50,600 elimination of afflictions. To get the notion that if I walk 606 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,360 with that kind of walk, it's going to blast away all trials. 607 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,400 No. Did you read the last two verses 608 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:57,760 of this song? Look again. 609 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,560 Let's read it right after. He talks about my soul clinging 610 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:03,000 to you. He says, But those who seek to 611 00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:06,680 destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth. 612 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:08,920 They shall be given over to the power of the sword. 613 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:10,560 They shall be a portion for jackals. 614 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:12,360 But the king shall rejoice in God. 615 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:15,160 All who swear by him shall exalt, for the mouths of liars 616 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:17,520 will be stopped. So in the same breath where he 617 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,400 says I'm pursuing God, David says people are pursuing me. 618 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:29,720 Having a close walk with God doesn't delete your problems, 619 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,080 but it does provide a strength. To endure them. 620 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:39,080 My soul clings to you, Your right hand upholds me and it's 621 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:41,440 upholding me in this moment while I'm in the wilderness, 622 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:44,280 fleeing my enemies who are slandering me, who hate me, who 623 00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:48,760 actually want to kill me. I know the stability and the 624 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:52,120 strength that only can come from you and OK can come from him 625 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:57,440 when you're close to him and this incredible. 626 00:39:57,440 --> 00:39:59,760 Way of life is not only spelled out here, it's found throughout 627 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:02,560 the Bible, including the Psalms. And some, some of you have 628 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:04,800 probably read some of these verses and thought, what is he 629 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:06,080 getting at? Can I give you an example? 630 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:09,720 As we're ready to close in a moment, go to Psalm 119. 631 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:13,320 Many people believe that this Psalm, which is the largest 632 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:21,600 Psalm when the Psalm tree is from David, Psalm 119, verse 633 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:23,960 161. So don't go too far. 634 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:26,440 Back. Notice what he says here. 635 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,080 Princess persecute me without cause. 636 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,680 But my heart stands in awe of your words. 637 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:44,480 What? What are those two things have 638 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:49,280 to do with each other? Princess are planning my death. 639 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:51,080 They're persecuting me. They're lying about me. 640 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:54,280 But I stand in awe of your words. 641 00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:58,400 Seems cryptic. It seems sporadic. 642 00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:02,000 Doesn't seem cohesive. No, it's actually spirit LED, as 643 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:03,760 you know. You know what David is saying 644 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,160 here. He's confessing that although 645 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:10,240 there is leaders who are plotting against him, he's not 646 00:41:10,240 --> 00:41:14,440 overcome by their threats. He's not shifting by their 647 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:17,960 slander. He doesn't feel the heat of 648 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:19,240 their hatred. You know why? 649 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:23,320 Because he is already captivated by the promises. 650 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:26,760 And the presence of the one who is greater than his enemies. 651 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:32,720 This man has beheld God long enough, consistently enough. 652 00:41:32,720 --> 00:41:36,520 He has tasted of the sweetness of who he is, enough so that 653 00:41:36,520 --> 00:41:40,880 when even Princess have plotted against them, he's unshaken. 654 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:46,640 I know the one whom I believe. My soul has seen. 655 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:48,800 My soul has tasted. My soul is convinced. 656 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:52,680 And I'm captivated and so I'm standing in awe even though 657 00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:59,200 people want my head. There's reward in this. 658 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:04,040 There's life altering truths in this and this kind of calm can 659 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:09,200 only be known in a place. Of clinging communion. 660 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:13,480 Where's David's strength in this season of his life? 661 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:16,520 It's not in retaliation. It's an adoration. 662 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,800 I love Mary of Bethany. She's there demonstrating one of 663 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:26,480 the most beautiful acts of worship in all of the Bible. 664 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:29,280 And while she is worshiping the Lord with the revelation that 665 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:32,160 he's going to die and I want to anoint him and honor him, you 666 00:42:32,160 --> 00:42:35,560 have disciples of all people that are criticizing her. 667 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:38,040 Doesn't take that much, Mary. We can actually use that for 668 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:40,400 other causes. And what I love about that story 669 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:43,800 is that when Mary is doing this, she doesn't open her mouth to 670 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:46,760 defend herself. Who defends her? 671 00:42:47,640 --> 00:42:52,400 Jesus defends her. And when you're in that place 672 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:55,400 where you love the Lord, you worship the Lord, you honor the 673 00:42:55,400 --> 00:43:01,480 Lord, it's amazing what he does on your behalf. 674 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:07,960 It's amazing how his love is louder than what other people 675 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:11,960 say. I don't want to be the Christian 676 00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:15,080 that with every wind, every attack, every visitor, every 677 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:16,840 surprise I'm knocked over. I'm here. 678 00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:19,800 I don't want that. And I'm, I'm granted here. 679 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:25,200 The secret to that strength? Stay close to him, behold him. 680 00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:29,680 Behold them until those truths are stamped on your eyes so that 681 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:32,200 when you see anything or anything comes before you that 682 00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:34,320 you didn't invite, you see it through the lens of the one that 683 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:40,960 you've been staring at. I don't just have that verse, 684 00:43:41,880 --> 00:43:44,800 the famous verse Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd. 685 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,120 Have you ever considered verse 5 as we use this text as our 686 00:43:48,120 --> 00:44:02,730 closing text? Psalm 23, verse 5, You prepare a 687 00:44:02,730 --> 00:44:06,690 table before me in the presence of my enemies. 688 00:44:08,810 --> 00:44:14,610 You anoint my head with oil. You know what most people would 689 00:44:14,610 --> 00:44:17,440 want? You removed my enemies from me, 690 00:44:18,320 --> 00:44:22,160 so I thank you. That's not what he says. 691 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:30,840 God didn't take the enemies away, He just brought a table to 692 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:37,400 fellowship with. The Lord does not always remove 693 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:40,880 the presence of our foes, the knowledge of their cruel plots, 694 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:43,240 or the sting of their sharp slander. 695 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:48,320 But He always makes a way for fellowship, even if you're in 696 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:53,400 the wilderness and He's with us in the midst of it all. 697 00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:57,680 And it's in that fellowship that you know of fortification. 698 00:45:01,640 --> 00:45:04,440 This is possible for each of us in this place. 699 00:45:05,200 --> 00:45:08,080 You don't have to be a minister to know what I'm speaking about. 700 00:45:08,080 --> 00:45:10,080 In fact, can I say something that's so sobering? 701 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:13,240 There are many ministers who don't know what I'm talking 702 00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:17,640 about and they might have those letters beside their name and 703 00:45:17,640 --> 00:45:19,760 have studied years and years and years. 704 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:23,040 They've studied God, but they haven't savored Him. 705 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:27,480 You could be a construction worker, you could be a stay at 706 00:45:27,480 --> 00:45:30,440 home mom. You could be working in 707 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:32,880 business. You can be an entrepreneur, you 708 00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:35,560 can be a policeman. You can be anything. 709 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:40,840 And this is available to you, the seeking soul. 710 00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:43,120 How do I even start? Well, you first have to be 711 00:45:43,120 --> 00:45:46,480 absolutely convinced that no amount of entertainment, no 712 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:49,680 amount of traveling, no amount of fashion, no amount of 713 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:52,440 improvement on your physical looks, no amount of people that 714 00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:56,160 you know, the networking, nothing ultimately will satisfy 715 00:45:56,160 --> 00:45:59,800 you. That's the ABC's of this thing. 716 00:46:02,160 --> 00:46:05,960 And then beyond that, now you trust God and you seek Him in 717 00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:06,800 His Word. And you ask? 718 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:10,480 Him, the same David who said I'm satisfied as with fat and rich 719 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:12,680 food, is the same one who said open my eyes that I may behold 720 00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:13,560 the wondrous things out of your law. 721 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:15,440 I can't do this. Do you know how many times I've 722 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:18,040 prayed that prayer? How many times? 723 00:46:18,080 --> 00:46:23,280 Lord, if you don't satisfy my soul, I know myself enough, I 724 00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:27,640 will go searching for broken vessels and dirty wells. 725 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:31,720 You need to satisfy me. You need to sustain me. 726 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:34,920 This needs to become more than just duty and discipline. 727 00:46:35,080 --> 00:46:39,360 I need the light. Unlock that for me and he's so. 728 00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:43,400 Faithful. He's so faithful because if he, 729 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:46,560 if he didn't do that, I wouldn't be preaching to you today. 730 00:46:46,560 --> 00:46:57,400 And then when you're there to stay there, to stay there to 731 00:46:57,400 --> 00:46:59,880 stay close to him. And if you if you drift away, 732 00:46:59,880 --> 00:47:03,200 come back. And you know well, I've never, 733 00:47:03,200 --> 00:47:05,400 ever, ever, ever met a genuine Christian. 734 00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:07,080 Christian who is lukewarm and was happy. 735 00:47:08,360 --> 00:47:10,800 Have you show me? I've never seen it. 736 00:47:11,160 --> 00:47:13,080 And they know it well, but they stay there. 737 00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:16,160 Snap out of it. I know I'm not where I'm 738 00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:18,560 supposed to be with the Lord. OK, Move. 739 00:47:20,520 --> 00:47:23,960 What are you waiting for? The table's been set. 740 00:47:24,600 --> 00:47:27,000 Come to him. Come to him with your dryness. 741 00:47:27,240 --> 00:47:28,400 Come to him with your indifference. 742 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:30,200 Tell him about it. He already knows. 743 00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:33,000 Not telling him something that's going to surprise him. 744 00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:37,240 Lord, I'm lukewarm as it can be. I love my job more than you. 745 00:47:37,240 --> 00:47:40,040 I find more pleasure in basketball, not against sports. 746 00:47:40,040 --> 00:47:43,360 Don't, don't pin this on me. Don't I know it can go out 747 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:44,040 there. No, no, no. 748 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:46,040 I'm not against things. I don't want to sound legalistic 749 00:47:46,040 --> 00:47:47,400 here. I'm not against any of those 750 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:48,560 things. What I'm trying to tell you is 751 00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:50,440 that there's something better than those things. 752 00:47:50,880 --> 00:47:56,040 That's what I'm saying to you. I Lord, I, I'm just honest. 753 00:47:57,000 --> 00:48:00,560 But I come to Psalm 63 and I read this language and it's like 754 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:09,080 doesn't resonate. Can you show me what it's like 755 00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:12,920 for my soul to be satisfied as with fat and rich food? 756 00:48:13,560 --> 00:48:17,880 I don't know how this works. Lead me. 757 00:48:20,160 --> 00:48:22,360 You know Psalm 23, five where it says the Lord is my shepherd. 758 00:48:22,360 --> 00:48:25,600 That's all about God's guidance and verse 5 is included. 759 00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:31,320 So guide me to that table. Like, I want this word to be 760 00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:33,800 fulfilling. I want prayer to be enjoyable. 761 00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:35,280 And it's not going to happen every single day. 762 00:48:35,280 --> 00:48:37,880 It's a fight, I get it. But at least the knowledge of it 763 00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:39,800 should encourage you to seek after it. 764 00:48:44,920 --> 00:48:50,760 Ministry is a misery if you don't have what I'm speaking 765 00:48:50,760 --> 00:49:00,320 about, it is. And ministry becomes tragedy for 766 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:03,760 many people because they got caught up in the mechanics of 767 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:07,760 serving God and not enjoying Him. 768 00:49:11,640 --> 00:49:16,800 This is for all of us, and I want you to seek after it today. 769 00:49:17,800 --> 00:49:28,730 Can we bow our heads? Listen, please, as you're about 770 00:49:28,730 --> 00:49:33,570 to pray. This is the way to answer. 771 00:49:33,570 --> 00:49:36,050 This is the way to response. Lord, if this is true, this is 772 00:49:36,050 --> 00:49:38,440 real, I want it, but I don't know how to do it. 773 00:49:38,440 --> 00:49:39,960 You have to help me. That's how you do it. 774 00:49:40,200 --> 00:49:43,640 Let him lead you. Don't strive and and and wrestle 775 00:49:43,640 --> 00:49:46,480 and beat yourself up. Now seek God in honesty. 776 00:49:48,080 --> 00:49:50,120 And I believe that if you're sincere, you can walk out of 777 00:49:50,120 --> 00:49:54,440 here with a fresh motivation. A fresh motivation as people's 778 00:49:54,440 --> 00:49:56,000 heads are bowed. If I can ask the praise team to 779 00:49:56,000 --> 00:49:58,640 join me because we're going to sing heartfelt songs to the 780 00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:00,800 Lord. Just take your time. 781 00:50:00,800 --> 00:50:39,870 Please take your time. Oh Lord, how we need you. 782 00:50:41,150 --> 00:50:47,110 How my heart needs you, Lord, Oh, deliver us from complacency, 783 00:50:47,110 --> 00:50:52,750 God, Lord, by your spirit, renew a hunger for you. 784 00:50:53,830 --> 00:50:56,270 Help us know how to navigate through all our responsibilities 785 00:50:56,270 --> 00:50:58,350 and all the things that occupy our thoughts. 786 00:50:59,870 --> 00:51:01,470 Lord, bring us to the place of thirsting. 787 00:51:01,470 --> 00:51:03,270 That even while we're doing things in our mouths, our 788 00:51:03,270 --> 00:51:05,150 parched, we still think about water. 789 00:51:05,640 --> 00:51:07,640 Lord, help us be the same way. That through all the things that 790 00:51:07,640 --> 00:51:10,760 we have to do, you are ultimately there in our 791 00:51:10,760 --> 00:51:13,560 meditations, in our longings, Lord. 792 00:51:13,640 --> 00:51:16,120 And on those days where it's hard, on those days where we 793 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:19,560 don't feel like our flesh is even close to crying out to you, 794 00:51:19,800 --> 00:51:24,120 help us seek you in that place. Say, Lord, I want, I want more 795 00:51:24,120 --> 00:51:28,320 than this. Help us know the freedom of 796 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:30,240 being able to communicate that to you. 797 00:51:32,840 --> 00:51:36,200 So Lord, if there's anybody here that wants this, Lord, we pray 798 00:51:36,200 --> 00:51:38,480 by your Spirit today that this would be the turning point in 799 00:51:38,480 --> 00:51:41,640 their lives for those who once knew it before they, they, they 800 00:51:41,640 --> 00:51:44,800 can say, I know what it's like. I know, but I haven't known that 801 00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:47,360 in the years. Let today be a new day. 802 00:51:48,160 --> 00:51:52,640 We pray that your Holy Spirit would do what no, nothing or no 803 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:54,160 one can do. We admit that. 804 00:51:55,040 --> 00:51:59,120 And Lord, even now as we sing, may it be with joyful lips, may 805 00:51:59,120 --> 00:52:01,520 we really bless. Your name may come from the 806 00:52:01,520 --> 00:52:05,040 place, because we have beheld your glory today and your power 807 00:52:05,840 --> 00:52:09,200 and your steadfast love in Jesus name, Amen. 808 00:52:09,720 --> 00:52:14,240 Listen, if you really want to meet with God, you don't have to 809 00:52:14,240 --> 00:52:16,360 stand at this point unless you want to. 810 00:52:16,880 --> 00:52:19,520 If you want to stay seated with your head down and as they're 811 00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:22,280 playing and singing over you, you can do that. 812 00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:23,840 You can stay seated and talk to the Lord. 813 00:52:23,840 --> 00:52:25,600 If you want to stand and sing, you can do that as well. 814 00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:27,720 There's no rush here. We don't all have to do this 815 00:52:28,760 --> 00:52:30,160 this thing the same way we always do it. 816 00:52:30,160 --> 00:52:31,520 This is a time to respond to the message. 817 00:52:31,520 --> 00:52:33,640 So if you want to stay seated, if you want to stand up, you can 818 00:52:33,640 --> 00:52:35,600 do whatever you need to do as long as it's not distracting. 819 00:52:35,600 --> 00:52:38,360 Let's spend a little bit time with the Lord before we close 820 00:52:38,360 --> 00:52:38,880 the service.