1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:06,800 Since October of last year, we have been on this pathway of 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,240 praise. It's a journey that takes us 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,920 from the time we are saved until the time we enter into glory 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:21,400 where our praise will fill all of heaven in the presence of the 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,920 living God. And during this time, we've 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,920 given you a key verse. I'm not going to give you a quiz 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,640 this morning for fear that you might fail early in the new 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,840 year. But there's a, there's a verse 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,360 that we've used as the theme verse. 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:41,480 It's in Isaiah 43 verse #21 You should have it memorized by now. 11 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:44,480 If not, it will be good to memorize it, which says the 12 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:48,600 people that I have formed for myself, they will declare my 13 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,800 praise. Now that is such a powerful 14 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:58,520 statement because the question comes, well, how will the people 15 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,800 that God has formed for himself declare his praise? 16 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:06,840 Or why would the people that God has formed for himself declare 17 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,120 his praise? Why is that possible? 18 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:15,240 How is that possible? Well, we've just come fresh off 19 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,920 the Christmas season, and the Christmas season is about what 20 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:25,720 the Angel said to the shepherds. Fear not, for I bring you good 21 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:32,080 news of great joy. The good news is that the 22 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:38,720 Messiah is here. The great joy is that the 23 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:44,080 Messiah's ministry will bring you joy that's incomparable to 24 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:49,920 anything else. And so that was always the theme 25 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:56,320 of Christmas, that there would be the gospel that now is given 26 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:01,080 that brings great joy. But if you have your Bible, turn 27 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:08,000 with me to the book of Isaiah, the 61st chapter, Isaiah 61. 28 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,440 You remember Isaiah is writing to those who are about to go 29 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:15,480 into captivity. He is warning them about the 30 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:21,440 judgement that's going to come. There will be turmoil, there 31 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:27,680 will be tears, there will be tragedy all-encompassing the 32 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:32,160 Babylonian captivity. He's warning them to repent and 33 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,840 turn, but they do not. They do not listen. 34 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,600 But He's prophesying all this going to happen. 35 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,400 In the meantime, all the prophecies send us around the 36 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,280 light that will come in their darkness, the dawning of a new 37 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,720 day, the coming of the Messiah, and all that that means. 38 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:55,560 The Man of Sorrows, Isaiah 53. And Isaiah presents to us this 39 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,240 great servant of the Lord, this Messiah who's going to come and 40 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,640 bring to them what they so desperately need in spite of 41 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:05,440 their captivity, in spite of all that's going to happen. 42 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:12,320 The Messiah is their hope. So when you come to Isaiah 61, 43 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,200 you have a very familiar passage. 44 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,280 It's familiar because Jesus would read this passage in the 45 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:24,800 synagogue in Nazareth and Luke chapter 4, and he would tell 46 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:34,280 them that today this scripture has been fulfilled, telling them 47 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:38,880 that He was the fulfillment of what the Bible said concerning 48 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,120 the Messiah and the Spirit of the Lord being upon him. 49 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,160 So this is what it says in Isaiah 61. 50 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:49,120 The Spirit of the Lord of God is upon me because the Lord has 51 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,200 anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. 52 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,040 He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim 53 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,680 liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the 54 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,560 favorable year of our Lord. And he closed the book and said 55 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,360 this has been fulfilled. When the Angel said, we bring 56 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:15,160 you good news of great joy, he was telling them that Isaiah 61 57 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,440 is going to be fulfilled. This is the good news. 58 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,320 Prisoners will be set free. Those in bondage to sin will be 59 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,560 set free. The emancipator has come, and 60 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,880 when he frees you, he sets you free. 61 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:37,240 From that which enslaves you, great joy comes. 62 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,240 Notice what else he says about the ministry of the Messiah. 63 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:50,200 It says in the end of verse 2 to comfort all who mourn. 64 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,480 Isn't it interesting that Jesus begins his sermon in Matthew 65 00:04:55,480 --> 00:05:02,520 chapter 5 with these words? Blessed are those who are poor 66 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,560 in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. 67 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:13,120 Blessed are those who mourn over the sin, for they should be 68 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:17,240 comforted. Jesus is saying the exact same 69 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,480 thing that the prophet Isaiah said about how the Messiah will 70 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:22,400 bring comfort to those who mourn. 71 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:25,080 In fact, he goes on and says this. 72 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:31,560 He says to grant those who mourn in Zion those who mourn in Zion. 73 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:35,040 In other words, Israel is going to go back to Jerusalem, Israel 74 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,200 is going to go back to their hometown. 75 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,520 Israel is going to be there and they're going to mourn. 76 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,640 And he's going to bring comfort to those who who mourn over 77 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:48,440 their sin. Then he says this, giving them a 78 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:56,040 Garland instead of ashes for those who who are comforted 79 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:03,680 because of God's forgiveness. They are those who are crowned 80 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:11,400 with God's loving kindness. God's going to give you a 81 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:18,680 diadem, A tiara, a crown. Those who mourn, mourn with 82 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:23,040 ashes upon their heads to show their grief and their sorrow. 83 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:29,280 But the Lord's going to replace all that with a crown, a crown 84 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:32,680 that signifies his, his beautifulness, his loving 85 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,720 kindness, granted to those who mourn because those who mourn 86 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:41,560 are comforted, comforted by God's forgiveness. 87 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:50,160 Note the next phrase he says, the oil of gladness instead of 88 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,680 mourning. The oil of gladness instead of 89 00:06:54,960 --> 00:07:00,920 mourning those who are comforted with God's forgiveness and those 90 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:06,560 who are crowned with His loving kindness are those who are 91 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:14,920 covered with His gladness. You see, the oil was the perfume 92 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,920 that was presented to the special guest of honor at the 93 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,960 table. That that's why David would say 94 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:27,560 in Psalm 23, verse #4 that that thou prepare us to table before 95 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,920 me in the presence of my enemies, and you anoint my head 96 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,040 with oil. I am the honored guest at the 97 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:42,200 table of God. And Isaiah is telling us about 98 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:47,120 those who are covered with the oil of gladness. 99 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:53,080 They are honored, They are the special ones because they've 100 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:56,800 been comforted by God's forgiveness. 101 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:03,040 They've been crowned with God's loving kindness, and therefore 102 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:11,120 they are now comforted, or they are now covered with God's great 103 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:16,200 gladness. But the next phrase is where 104 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,480 we're at. It says the the garment of 105 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:29,840 praise instead of fainting or feebleness, the garment of 106 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:34,240 praise. Why is it Isaiah would say in 107 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:38,320 chapter 43, the people that I have formed for myself, they 108 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:42,280 will declare my praise. Why would he say that? 109 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,720 And how can he say that? It's because the people that God 110 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,800 has formed for themselves, for himself, are those who have been 111 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:54,040 comforted by God's forgiveness. They have been crowned with 112 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:57,160 God's loving kindness, they have been covered with God's 113 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:03,240 gladness, and they are now clothed with thankfulness. 114 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:11,760 You receive a garment, you receive a cloak that covers your 115 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:17,120 body. Why is it, Isaiah would say the 116 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,520 people that I have formed for myself, they will declare my 117 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,040 praise. It's because you've been covered 118 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,160 with praise. You've been cloaked with 119 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,680 thankfulness. You can't help but give thanks 120 00:09:28,680 --> 00:09:33,840 to God. It it's all-encompassing praises 121 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,440 and the people of God have been have been clothed with this 122 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:42,200 garment of praise. It covers us. 123 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,720 It is the distinguishing mark of the believer that there's 124 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,880 something unique about our lives that that offer praise to God 125 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:58,320 and then it says so they will be called oaks of righteousness. 126 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,960 The planting of the Lord that he may be glorified. 127 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,560 All this is done so that God will be glorified. 128 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,720 You will give praise to him so that he will be glorified. 129 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,280 You will be oaks of righteousness. 130 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:15,040 You're not going to be like feeble reeds that blow in the 131 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,440 wind. You're you're, you're like oaks 132 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,600 that are planted by God, that they're immovable, they're 133 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:25,120 sustainable. And it's by the righteousness of 134 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:31,400 God that you are planted by him to give glory to his name. 135 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:36,560 But but the key for us during our our pathway to praise is 136 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:42,720 that is that we are we are cloaked covered in this garment 137 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:51,480 of praise over in Isaiah 61 verse #10 is this I will rejoice 138 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:55,560 greatly in the Lord. My soul would exalt in my God, 139 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,240 for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. 140 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:04,480 He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness as a bridegroom 141 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,560 decks himself with a Garland and as a bride adorns herself with 142 00:11:08,560 --> 00:11:14,160 jewels. Isaiah is saying what what God 143 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:19,960 does is you receive the garments of God, and part of the garments 144 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:25,320 are the cloak of praise. You, you adorn yourself with the 145 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:31,280 with the robes of righteousness. The the garments of God consists 146 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:37,920 of the robe of righteousness and the garment of praise, so much 147 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,760 so that as the bridegroom would adorn himself, as the bride 148 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:46,640 would adorn herself, making them the best possible presence to 149 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:51,640 those who are there, so too is the child of God. 150 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,080 So important to understand this. It's no wonder the psalmist said 151 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:04,680 in Psalm 147 verse #1 It is good to sing praises to the Lord for 152 00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:10,280 this pleasant and praise is beautifying. 153 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:17,680 It's becoming why? Why does praise change the 154 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:19,560 scene? Why? 155 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:25,360 Why does praise enhance your situation? 156 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:30,000 Because when you walk into the situation, you are covered. 157 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:33,600 You are clothed with a cloak of praise. 158 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,800 You've adorned yourself with the garments of God. 159 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:40,920 Do you understand that? What that means? 160 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,720 When you come to church, or you go out on a date, or you go to a 161 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,120 wedding, or you go someplace special, what do you do? 162 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,080 You adorn yourself in the best that you have because you want 163 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,600 to present to the Lord and those around you the beauty and best 164 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,080 that you have. Well, God has clothed you with 165 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:03,480 the best that He has, so that when you walk into a room, you, 166 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,800 you are clothed already with the garments of praise. 167 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,560 You're already wrapped in the robes of righteousness. 168 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:16,640 You've already been adorned by God himself. 169 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:23,200 So as we travel the pathway of praise, we can understand why 170 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,600 Isaiah would say that. The people I have formed for 171 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,400 myself, they will, without a doubt. 172 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:34,960 It's a guarantee. Declare my praise. 173 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,040 Why? Because it's all about the glory 174 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,960 of the living God. So on. 175 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,640 As we journey along the pathway of praise, we find ourselves 176 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:52,640 looking at the perpetuity of praise, the state or quality of 177 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,920 longevity. In other words, the perpetuity 178 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:00,840 of praise talks about how it is praise now, continues on and on 179 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:05,520 and on and on and is never ending and continues into glory. 180 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:11,320 It's the perpetuity of praise. It's what makes the pathway so 181 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,600 enjoyable. And so we say, OK, so if that's 182 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,640 the case, how is it I engage in never ending praise? 183 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:26,400 Well, we told you last week, we do it because he recognized that 184 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:32,800 God's power, God's power is always available. 185 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:36,880 He's empowered us with His spirit. 186 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:44,920 He's clothed us with all that we need, and His power is always 187 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:51,480 available. In other words, He is able to do 188 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,200 exceeding abundantly, above all that we ever ask or think, by 189 00:14:55,200 --> 00:15:00,000 the power that works within us. There's already a power that's 190 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,280 active. The power of God is not dormant 191 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,960 in the life of the believer. The power of God is always 192 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,760 active in your life. It's always available. 193 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,080 And therefore, when you tap into that power of the Spirit of God, 194 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,680 you praise Him and give glory to His name. 195 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:28,880 God's power is always available. It's actively available #2 His, 196 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:34,080 His presence is, is, or His promises are are absolutely 197 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,720 undeniable. The promises of God are 198 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:42,400 absolutely undeniable. For all the promises of God are 199 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:47,600 yes, in Christ Jesus. Now remember, Revelation 3 tells 200 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,800 us that Christ is called the Amen. 201 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,280 He is faithful and true. He is called the Amen. 202 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,680 It's the confirmation. It's the affirmation of all that 203 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,440 God has promised is fulfilled in Christ. 204 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:07,360 Isaiah 65 tells us that the Messiah is the God of truth. 205 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:12,480 OK, He's the God of the Amin, or the God of the Amen. 206 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,840 He's the God of affirmation. He's the God that's undeniably 207 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,560 going to prove all that He has said. 208 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:26,440 That's the promises of God. So in the Book of Numbers, the 209 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:31,240 23rd chapter, it says God is not a man that he should lie, nor 210 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,000 son of man that he should repent. 211 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:41,280 Has he said and will he not do it or has he spoken and will he 212 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:48,840 not make good? Yes, He is, because His promises 213 00:16:49,760 --> 00:17:00,280 are absolutely undeniable, His power is actively available, and 214 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:07,560 #3 His presence is actually unavoidable. 215 00:17:09,079 --> 00:17:14,119 In other words, there's no way you can get out of the presence 216 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:19,040 of God. Listen to the words of Moses in 217 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:25,440 the book of Exodus, the 33rd chapter very carefully. 218 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:30,400 Listen to what he says. God says, My presence shall go 219 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,320 with you, and I will give you rest. 220 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:38,800 The Lord is speaking to Moses. Then Moses said to him, if your 221 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:43,520 presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 222 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:49,440 In other words, we need you. For how then can it be known 223 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:51,200 that I have found favor in your sight? 224 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:58,040 I and your people, is it not? But you're going with us, said 225 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:02,240 we. I and your people may be 226 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:07,000 distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of 227 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,920 the earth. Moses makes a statement that is 228 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:16,720 so unique that so many times we miss it. 229 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:22,640 What distinguishes you from the unbelieving world is the 230 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:28,520 presence of God in your life. Moses made it very clear. 231 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,960 The only way we are distinguished from the people in 232 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:38,280 in the land of Canaan is because of your presence with us. 233 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:45,680 How would he know that? How would Moses know that? 234 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:53,240 Remember the life of Joseph. The life of Joseph is a unique 235 00:18:53,240 --> 00:19:00,920 and and special life in the book of Genesis, the 39th chapter. 236 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:06,600 I want you to remember what it says about Joseph. 237 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,280 Remember, Moses is the author of Genesis, so he would have 238 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:15,520 already written this in his life, probably by now. 239 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,200 Listen to what it says. Genesis 39. 240 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,320 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an 241 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,680 Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought 242 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:31,160 him from the Ishmaelites and he'd taken him down there. 243 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:40,520 The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. 244 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:46,160 But read on, and he was in the House of his master, the 245 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:49,360 Egyptian. Now his master saw, listen 246 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:53,400 carefully. The master saw that the Lord was 247 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:58,200 with him, and how the Lord caused all that he did to 248 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:04,040 prosper in his hand. In other words, Potiphar was 249 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:10,280 able to see the presence of God in the life of Joseph because 250 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,280 that is the distinguishing mark of the believer. 251 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:20,040 God's presence among us separates us from those who do 252 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:24,400 not know Him. Joseph is the classic example, 253 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,920 and you read on in Genesis chapter 39, and it says these 254 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:33,800 words in verse #21 But the Lord was with Joseph and extended 255 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:38,720 kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief 256 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,920 jailer. So it was the presence of God in 257 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:46,480 the life of Joseph that distinguished him, so much so 258 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,280 that Potiphar saw the success in his life, and that the chief 259 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,960 jailer would see something different about Joseph as well 260 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,360 because of the presence of God in his life. 261 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,560 Verse 23, The chief jailer did not supervise anything under 262 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:07,080 Joseph's charge because the Lord was with him in whatever he did. 263 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:14,720 The Lord made to prosper. You see that what made Joseph so 264 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:19,920 unique in his journey from being sold to the Israelites to go 265 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,920 into Potiphar's house, to being lied about, thrown into prison, 266 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,760 and then becoming the greatest leader in Israel, greater than 267 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,000 even Potiphar or Pharaoh himself? 268 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:31,840 It was because the Lord was with him. 269 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:35,880 The presence of God was seen clearly in his life. 270 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:40,200 So the question comes, is the presence of God clearly seen in 271 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:46,120 your life by your boss, by your teacher, by your coach, by your 272 00:21:46,120 --> 00:21:48,240 wife, by your husband, by your children? 273 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,120 Is the presence of God clearly seen because you are so 274 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:56,600 dependent upon Him for everything? 275 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:04,840 That's why we praise Him. The presence of God is actually 276 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:09,400 unavoidable. You can't get away from him. 277 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,360 He's always there, which is a good thing. 278 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:19,600 It's never a bad thing. And so the reason we can live a 279 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:25,080 life of perpetual praise is because the power of God is 280 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:31,200 actively available. The promise of God is absolutely 281 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:40,040 undeniable in the presence of God is actually unavoidable, and 282 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:43,400 we praise him for that. Here's the next one. 283 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:52,360 The Providence of God is admitted, admittedly 284 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:59,600 unsearchable. The Providence of God is 285 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:09,320 admittedly unsearchable. 2025 is past. 2026 is present. 286 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:15,480 As you look back on 2025, there are things that have taken place 287 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,640 in your life that you have no understanding of. 288 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:22,680 You don't know why things happened the way they did. 289 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,080 You don't know why God did what he did. 290 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:27,320 You have no understanding of that. 291 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,440 As you embark on a brand new year, you're going to face all 292 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:37,080 kinds of things that you'll shake your head at, you'll 293 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,840 scratch your head at, you'll wonder what it is God is doing. 294 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:46,800 But the Providence of God is unsearchable. 295 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,680 In other words, you're never going to understand it. 296 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:53,760 You must come to grips with that. 297 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,760 And that's what causes us to praise Him because He's in 298 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:02,920 charge and you're not. Remember, God's sovereignty is 299 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:09,640 the entire show. God's Providence are the details 300 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,920 that define the show. That's how you tell the 301 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:18,640 difference. God's sovereignty is how God has 302 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:25,440 this complete and total show that's happening, but the 303 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,320 province of God are the details on how the show was ran, and 304 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:36,800 those details are unsearchable. You're going to ask the question 305 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:40,480 why? That's always the wrong 306 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,680 question. The question is always who. 307 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,920 That's why when Job asked the question why he never received 308 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:57,440 an answer, he never received an answer as to why, even after the 309 00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,600 Lord gave him twice as much as what he had before. 310 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:04,600 He never understood why. Because the Providence of God is 311 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:10,120 unsearchable. And God wanted Joe to understand 312 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:12,600 like he wants you to understand. That's not a question of why. 313 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:17,200 It's a question of who. It's who I am. 314 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:21,640 It's a revelation of who I am. God does all these things in 315 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:29,800 your life, whatever they may be, to demonstrate His person who He 316 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:35,040 is, because He wants you to worship Him for who He is. 317 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,840 He's the God who is sovereign over all. 318 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:43,240 He rules over all. Let me let me just read to you a 319 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,960 couple of verses to set this in your mind. 320 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,400 Some of them will be familiar to you, others will not. 321 00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:55,640 Romans 11, 33 O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and 322 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,400 knowledge of God, How unsearchable are His judgements, 323 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:05,040 and unfathomable His ways. For who has known the mind of 324 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:09,440 the Lord, or who became His counsellor, or who has first 325 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,520 given to him, that it might be paid back to Him again? 326 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:19,480 For from Him and through him and to Him are all things, to Him be 327 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:21,000 the glory forever. Amen. 328 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:30,360 All things are from Him, all things go through Him, and all 329 00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:35,400 things come back to Him again. Paul would say to him, be the 330 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,160 glory. Praise Him for this. 331 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:48,320 His ways are unfathomable, His wheel is unsearchable, His 332 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:53,640 wonder is unimaginable. You cannot conjure up in your 333 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:57,200 mind, in a finite mind, all the things that God is doing, but to 334 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:01,000 him be the glory, to Him be the praise forever and ever. 335 00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:03,920 Because we know this. It's all from Him. 336 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:08,800 It goes through Him and back to him again, because it's all 337 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:13,080 about God. See what what is happening to 338 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:17,720 you in 2025 and what will happen to you in 2026 is never really 339 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:22,160 about you. It's about the Lord and all that 340 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,960 He's doing in and through you, that he might be glorified. 341 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:33,240 That's why his Providence is admittedly unsearchable. 342 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,040 But to him be the glory and praise, forever and ever. 343 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:43,000 Amen. How about this Deuteronomy 32, 344 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,640 the song of Moses? He's closing out his life. 345 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:49,440 He's about to die. He's going to give it a 346 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:54,080 historical perspective on Israel and then a prophetical 347 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,120 perspective for Israel. It's a great song. 348 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:01,760 He says this verse one, give ear, O heavens, and let me 349 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,000 speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. 350 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:08,120 Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the 351 00:28:08,120 --> 00:28:12,480 dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass, as the showers on 352 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,720 the herb. For I proclaim the name of the 353 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:20,080 Lord, ascribe greatness to our God, the rock. 354 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:26,200 His work is perfect. All his ways are just a God of 355 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:31,120 faithfulness and without injustice, righteousness and 356 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:38,280 upright is He. Our God is the rock, and even 357 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,720 though you might not understand anything about him, He is 358 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:42,760 immovable. He is unchangeable. 359 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:49,040 There is stability in God and all his ways are perfect. 360 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:53,480 None of his ways are imperfect. They're all perfect. 361 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:55,960 Why? Because they're couched in His 362 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,600 righteousness, in His judgments that are pure and right. 363 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,760 He goes on to say this in verse #8 when the Most High gave the 364 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:07,600 nation's their inheritance, when He separated the sons of man, He 365 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,680 set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number 366 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:12,320 of the sons of Israel. God did this. 367 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:15,520 God gave you your inheritance. God set your boundaries. 368 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:18,920 In other words, God gives you what you have, and God shows you 369 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:23,560 where you live. He sets the boundaries of and 370 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:27,240 the parameters of your home. God does all that. 371 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:33,320 We think we buy our house. That's so funny. 372 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,400 We think we buy our house. We think we get our jobs. 373 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:40,760 We think we do all. We are so narcissistic. 374 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:45,000 We think we do all that stuff. God grants you the inheritance 375 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,840 and God grants you the boundaries by which you live. 376 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,200 God does all that. He goes on to say this in verse 377 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,160 #10 he encircled him, he cared for him. 378 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,400 That's Israel. He guarded him as the pupil of 379 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:58,280 his eye, like an eagle that stirs up it's nest that hovers 380 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,560 over it's young. He spread his wings and cut 381 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,640 them. He carried them on the in his 382 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:05,200 opinions. The Lord alone guided them. 383 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,800 In other words, he's, he's reviewing Israel's history and 384 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,480 saying, look, you are where you are because God protected you. 385 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:15,040 God guarded you. God took you from where you were 386 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:17,880 and placed you right here. God did all this. 387 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:21,760 He's saying don't take credit for anything. 388 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:28,200 Give God all the credit for everything because God did it. 389 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:34,000 It says in verse #39 see now that I, I am he, and there is no 390 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,720 God beside me. It is I who put to death and 391 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,680 give life. God does this. 392 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:42,800 Nobody dies unless God puts them to death. 393 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,440 Nobody lives unless God gives them life. 394 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:54,040 He says I have wounded and it is I who heal and there is no one 395 00:30:54,680 --> 00:31:00,800 who can deliver from my hand. Moses is accentuating the 396 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,680 Providence of God in the life of Israel that they might learn to 397 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,360 sing praises to his name and glorify him. 398 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:11,040 Because God is in charge of everything and directing every 399 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:15,240 aspect of your life. What a marvelous statement. 400 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:26,480 So Nebuchadnezzar had a vision. He needed someone to interpret 401 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,200 the vision. So he chose the chief of the 402 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:33,520 magicians, Daniel. And Daniel would tell him of his 403 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:38,000 vision of the great tree and told him what was going to 404 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,400 happen in his life. But Nebuchadnezzar never 405 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:45,720 repented. 12 months later, everything happened just as the 406 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:50,480 vision was prophesied. After seven years, 407 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:54,320 Nebuchadnezzar says this. At the end of that period, I, 408 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:58,000 Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason 409 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,520 returned to me, and I blessed. I praised the Most High and 410 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:03,800 praised and honored him who lives forever. 411 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:06,200 For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his 412 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:08,320 Kingdom endures from generation to generation. 413 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:12,040 All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, but He 414 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,200 does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the 415 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:19,400 inhabitants of earth, and no one can warrant off his hand or say 416 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,680 to him, what have you done? This is Nebuchadnezzar. 417 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:27,040 He's realized that God is providentially in charge, that 418 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,080 God is the king and Nebuchadnezzar is not the king. 419 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:34,120 God's the true king, he says in verse 37. 420 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:37,480 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of 421 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:41,480 heaven, for all his works are true and his ways just, and he 422 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:44,760 is able to humble those who walk in pride again. 423 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:49,480 He is acknowledging the Providence of God working in his 424 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,280 life because God is king over all. 425 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,920 He is the one who's to be praised and exalted because he 426 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:59,200 is the one in charge of everyone and everything. 427 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:07,800 And that's why his Providence is admittedly unsearchable. 428 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:16,960 He says, Nebuchadnezzar, who can ever say, what have you done? 429 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:22,000 But we say that, Lord, what are you doing? 430 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,760 Lord, why do you do this? And Nebuchadnezzar, the Pagan 431 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,200 says, look, you can't say what have you done. 432 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:35,840 Let's let God do what he does and rest in his Providence 433 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:42,440 because he's in charge. And then you have, of course, 434 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:48,840 Psalm one, O 4 verse 24, which says, O Lord, how many are your 435 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:55,440 works in wisdom? You have made them all the work 436 00:33:55,440 --> 00:34:01,080 of God is done by his wisdom. It's the wisdom that causes God 437 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:06,240 to work the way he does. And every child that's born in 438 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:10,600 every event that happens, in every circumstance that goes by, 439 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:17,560 it's all under the work of God, formed by the wisdom of God. 440 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:23,520 The earth is full of your possessions, he concludes. 441 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:30,320 How about this Ecclesiastes 3 verse #1 There is an appointed 442 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:35,840 time for everything, and there is a time for every event under 443 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:39,480 heaven. This is Solomon speaking. 444 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:42,679 There is an appointed time for everything. 445 00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:45,600 In other words, everything that happens is done by divine 446 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:50,280 appointment. Everything, nothing is by 447 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,360 accident. Everything is by divine 448 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:56,639 appointment. And then he goes on to say, and 449 00:34:56,639 --> 00:34:59,600 he has made everything beautiful in it's time. 450 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,720 That's in verse #11 not everything, not, not only is 451 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:06,920 everything appointed, but everything that's appointed is 452 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:11,160 beautiful in its time because God is the author of beauty. 453 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,440 And God through his wisdom performed the works that he did 454 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:19,760 in order to bring about his glory that he says this verse 455 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:22,840 12. I know that there is nothing 456 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,480 better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's 457 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:27,800 lifetime. Moreover, and every man who eats 458 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:29,680 and drinks sees good and all his labor. 459 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:33,360 It is the gift of God. I know that everything God does 460 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,960 will remain forever. There is nothing to add to it. 461 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:38,960 There is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that 462 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:42,480 men should fear Him. I know that you can't change 463 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:45,320 anything God does. And in fact, you can't add to 464 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:48,520 what God has done, and you can't take away to what God is going 465 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:52,840 to do because what He has done, He has done, so that man will 466 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:56,600 learn to fear him. Other words, God's plan is 467 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:01,400 concrete and God's plan is complete because you can't do 468 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:05,240 anything to change it, add to it, to make it any better or 469 00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:11,360 worse than it is. And then He says these words, 470 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:16,880 that which has been already, and that which will be has already 471 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:22,480 been, for God seeks what has passed by. 472 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:27,480 In other words, God requires an account for how did you respond 473 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:33,000 to all that has taken place. Then he says in Chapter 7 of 474 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,520 Ecclesiastes these words, verse 13. 475 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:41,800 Consider mathematical term which means to look at all the facts, 476 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:47,400 add them all together. Consider the work of God, for 477 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,320 who is able to straighten what he has bent. 478 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:55,640 In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of 479 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:59,320 adversity consider that God has made the one as well as the 480 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:03,120 other, so that man will not discover anything that will 481 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:08,160 happen after him. God's Providence is 482 00:37:09,240 --> 00:37:15,920 unsearchable. No way will you be able to ever 483 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:17,640 understand why God does what He does. 484 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:24,680 You have a finite mind, He has an infinite mind, so you rest in 485 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:30,720 what he says and does. Earlier in the book of Proverbs, 486 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:36,880 Solomon who said these words. Verse Chapter 16. 487 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:41,920 Verse #1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of 488 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:48,520 the tongue is from the Lord. You have plans for 2026. 489 00:37:50,720 --> 00:37:53,240 The answer, the final word is from the Lord. 490 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:56,600 Verse 4. The Lord has made everything for 491 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:59,360 its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil. 492 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:04,800 God makes everything for His own purpose. 493 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:14,640 He even makes the wicked boss the wicked coach for the day of 494 00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:21,440 evil. Verse #9 of chapter 16. 495 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:23,960 The mind of the man plans his ways with the Lord, directs the 496 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:27,440 steps. Again, man has a plan. 497 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:33,360 We set goals and objectives, but it's God who directs the steps. 498 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:38,120 Then you go over to verse 33, same chapter. 499 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:44,920 The lot is cast into the lap, but every decision, so the Lord 500 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,320 God has the final word on everything. 501 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:57,320 Chapter 19, same author, verse #21 He says these words. 502 00:38:58,720 --> 00:39:05,160 Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord will 503 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:11,240 stand. We have plans, but the counsel 504 00:39:11,240 --> 00:39:16,400 of the Lord stands. Chapter 20, verse #24 says this 505 00:39:17,720 --> 00:39:20,600 man's steps are ordained by the Lord. 506 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:25,480 How then can man understand his way? 507 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:29,360 Answer. He can't. 508 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:35,880 You have plans. You have plans to get married. 509 00:39:37,720 --> 00:39:43,520 You have plans to move. You have plans for a new job. 510 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:51,520 You ever ask yourself why I can't find a husband? 511 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:57,800 Why I can't find a wife? Where are they? 512 00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:01,840 So you make a plan. You make a plan to find a wife. 513 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:04,840 You make a plan to find a husband. 514 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:09,160 I think God laughs at those plans. 515 00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:13,520 Because God in his Providence has ordained that person 516 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:17,320 already. God's going to bring them to you 517 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:20,640 in his time. He's in charge. 518 00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:25,120 Man has a plan, but God directs his steps. 519 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,040 God is in complete in charge of everything. 520 00:40:31,720 --> 00:40:35,520 And yet we can't understand why? Because Solomon made it very 521 00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:39,440 clear. He says your steps are ordained 522 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:43,480 by the Lord. How can you ever understand his 523 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:46,520 ways? You can't. 524 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:51,840 So what do you do? You just praise him. 525 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,800 To him be the glory and honor forever and ever. 526 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:58,040 Lord your, your your ways are unsearchable. 527 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:03,320 Your wonder is unfathomable. Your will is unimaginable. 528 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,560 There's no way I can grasp what you're doing. 529 00:41:07,240 --> 00:41:10,200 Why? Why did you take my wife? 530 00:41:11,720 --> 00:41:15,800 Why did you take my husband? You'll never get an answer to 531 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:19,680 that. God is not obligated to answer 532 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:25,160 the why question, but He always gives you the answer as to who 533 00:41:27,240 --> 00:41:28,800 He gives life. He puts to death. 534 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:34,400 He's in charge, He has a plan, and in the Providence of God, 535 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:36,240 this was what He ordained to happen. 536 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:40,680 And although we don't have an answer, we sit back and say, 537 00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:43,160 Lord, I rest in the Providence of the living God. 538 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:48,160 And even though I can never understand why you did what you 539 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:50,960 did, I praise you because you did what you did. 540 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:57,280 You are the God in charge. And I thank you, Lord, that I'm 541 00:41:57,280 --> 00:42:00,480 not. And that's a good thing. 542 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:07,200 You don't want to be in charge of your life because you're 543 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:10,720 going to make it a mess. God's in charge. 544 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:19,280 Let him do what He does and rest in His Providence. 545 00:42:20,720 --> 00:42:24,920 Psalm 33 First, sorry, Psalm 31, verse 14. 546 00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:31,640 But As for me, I trust in you, O Lord, I say, you are my God. 547 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,280 This should be your verse for 2026. 548 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,720 But As for me, I trust in you. O Lord, I say you are my God. 549 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:47,280 And then verse 15, my times are in your hands. 550 00:42:47,280 --> 00:42:51,240 Isn't that great? That is so good. 551 00:42:52,280 --> 00:42:57,760 That should be your theme verse Psalm 3114 and 15 for 2026. 552 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:03,840 Lord, I trust you. You're my God in all my times, 553 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:09,320 all my days, all my events, all my circumstances, because you 554 00:43:09,320 --> 00:43:13,360 have made everything beautiful in it's time and you've 555 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:15,880 appointed all things to happen at a particular time. 556 00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:22,000 My times are in your hands. My dating life is in your hands. 557 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:25,240 My marriage life is in your hands. 558 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:29,480 My work life is in your hands. My school life is in your hands, 559 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:35,760 my emotions in your hands, everything about me, Lord, is in 560 00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:37,280 your hands. I trust you. 561 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:42,480 Why? Because you are my God and I 562 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:44,680 praise you. Let's pray. 563 00:43:45,680 --> 00:43:51,480 Father, we thank you for today. There is so much to to read in 564 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:56,760 Your word that will help us get a better grasp on all that 565 00:43:56,760 --> 00:44:01,960 happens, but yet we realize, Lord, that You are in control of 566 00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:06,080 everything. Our prayer today, Lord, is that 567 00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:08,200 we would be the kind of people who trust You and believe in You 568 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:09,800 and never waver in our commitment to You. 569 00:44:09,800 --> 00:44:13,600 And that, Lord, we would trust You because our times are in 570 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:17,520 Your hands. May that be a theme for our 571 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:24,240 lives as we lift, as we leave this planet one day into Your 572 00:44:24,240 --> 00:44:27,400 presence. To that time, may we be found 573 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:33,840 faithful in praising our God as we travel the pathway of praise 574 00:44:35,520 --> 00:44:37,120 in Jesus name, Amen.