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this church this morning welcome to any visitors that are amongst us just a few a few announcements Pastor Butler is away today he's speaking preaching at the C Reformed Baptist Church because Michael Kirkpatrick the pastor there is a way on vacation he he only has there's a very short window of opportunity for vacation so he took it this week and so past a butler had committed to to preaching there for some time now so that is where pastor Butler is Pastor Porter and Tracy there they've they're enjoying a nice vacation as well they're away at a cabin enjoying a weekend of just repr even and collecting and and we can certainly pray continue to pray for them as they as they seek seek God's blessing in their life and and just a renewal especially for kin who who I believe you all understand has just had a very difficult time dealing with just a lot of a lot of issues at this particular time just a lot of pressures and certainly can pray for him and and ask God to to bless bless him and just restore him to to health and and usefulness again in the in in here in this church this evening pastor Conrad sorry I do not know how to pronounce his last name I believe pastor Butler announced it or it was an email Pastor Conrad will be preaching tonight the Sira Reformed Baptist Church will be joining us as well so that's a first be nice to have them join us those that we lost some time ago to that sir Reformed Baptist Church there they're going to be fellowship with us tonight and pastor Conrad who will be with us who is pastor Conrad he is a he's a he's a he's a minister he's a pastor at a at a Baptist Church as well as he works as a in a professor role at the Christian University in Lusaka Zambia so he'll be bringing the word this evening that he will be this after the evening service there'd be a fellowship time they we unfortunately have to say goodbye to the to the butler's that's the josh butler's in case anyone's concerned well we're losing our pastor as well I know pastor Jim Butler will remain here that Josh and Katie will be leaving as well as Hans and tumeric rule we'll be leaving as well they're both moving to different locations so we're going to miss them and we want to say goodbye to them this evening there would be a time the fellowship up in the up in the fellowship room coffee and perhaps something to eat so make sure you you come tonight and are prepared for that there's no Bible study this week pastor Butler's sister and her husband are out from California so so pastor brothers hoping to take a little bit of time off this week and just have a bit more of a relaxed schedule so he he would like to take this Wednesday off so no Bible study this Wednesday I believe he's already sent out an email in regards to that so just a reminder don't come here on July the 25th Wednesday July 25th I believe that is it for announcements now let's go to God in in in in by reading a by reading a Psalm Psalm 25 to be prepare our hearts for worship Psalm chapter 25 Psalm 25 a plea for deliverance and forgiveness a psalm of David to you O Lord I lift up my soul o my god I trust in you let me not be ashamed let not my enemies triumph over me indeed let no one who waits on you be ashamed let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause show me your ways o Lord teach me your paths lead me in your truth and teach me for you are the God of my salvation on you I wait all the day remember O Lord your tender mercies and your loving-kindness for they are from of old do not remember the sins of my youth nor my transgressions according to your mercy remember me for your goodness sake o Lord good and upright is the Lord therefore he teaches sinners in the way the humble he guides in justice and the humble he teaches his way all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth - such as keep his covenant and his testimonies for your sake for your name's sake o Lord pardon my iniquity for it is great who is the man that fears the Lord him shall he teach in the way he chooses he himself shall dwell in prosperity and his descendants shall inherit the earth the secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him and he will show them his covenant my eyes are ever toward the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net turn yourself to me and have mercy on me for I am desolate and afflicted if the troubles of my heart have enlarged bring me out of my de-stresses look on my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins consider my enemies for they are many and they hate me with cruel hatred keep my soul and deliver me let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in you let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait for you read deme Israel Oh God out of all their troubles amen well please turn with me in your hymn book to to begin worship this morning to him number 136 I'll ask you to stand 136 [Music] [Music] d-dude well let's go to God in prayer and ask his blessing to be upon our meeting this this morning and our worship our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we praise you Lord that you are enthroned in the heavens that you are trying to transcendent God that you are that you are far above anything in this world father you you hold within the palm of your hand all the all of the universe all the galaxies and how great how great you are father we pray that we would worship you this day in your greatness and in your in your mightiness and your awesomeness we thank you Father that you are God who providentially cares for your people and for this world you cause the Sun to rise this morning and you you give to us that the warmth of that Sun and the refreshment of reigns at the proper seasons and father you are kind God and a good God and a merciful God and we thank you for that how we praise you Father that you're a God who is also very near to us and you where God who is the head of the church said the Lord Jesus Christ and how grateful we are for such a head for such a husband as the Lord Jesus who has promised to care for his church for his bride and so Lord we pray that your blessing might be upon here in this place this day as we gathered together father we pray that you would be pleased too first and foremost forgive us of our sins and cleanse us afresh in that precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ how grateful to our father for the fact that the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ does sanctify and does does does bring us a forgiveness of sins and how we pray Lord that as we gather this day in your presence we before an audience of one before the High King of heaven give to us father heart a hearts disposition to to praise you in to worship you for all that we have in your son the Lord Jesus Christ we pray that Christ be lifted up here in this place and throughout our city of Chilliwack and other places as well where the Word of God has preached how we pray Lord that you would be gracious that you draw near to your people and cause the cause the word of the word of God to go forth both from this place and from other places of worship here in this community and throughout the Lora Mae and father we praise you that you are God who was gracious you were God who was kind and we pray that your kindness and your mercy might be might be upon those who are sick amongst us father we pray for the new Feld's we pray for that that you would be pleased to alleviate them of of discomfort this day we pray Lord that they that they would know your grace which is sufficient for all circumstances and we pray Lord that they would that they would walk with you and enjoy your presence and your smile upon them even even this day probably we do pray for pastor Porter as well or that he might know your gracious hand upon his upon his life when we pray Lord that she would just restore him with energy and cause him Lord to to know that that that helped in that age which is from on high now to comfort and courage and and lift us up and we pray Lord that he would he would know that strength in in in this day and in the coming days give to it give to Tracie wisdom as well and we pray that she would be that that that that helped me to him that would just encourage him and cause him Lord to to regain that strength has found only in you we know Lord that our resources are not found in ourselves but rather they are found in in the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray that he might that he might know that of a truth this day and that you would just encourage his heart and and cause him to walk with you Lord we do pray for your blessing to be upon the C Reformed Baptist Church we pray for pastor Butler as he brings the word there this day we thank you Lord that there is another church a sister church in our in our area that we can pray for we pray that he would be given that aid and help an unction from on high to preach your word and we pray that word would be received gladly by that congregation there in Surrey we pray Lord your blessing be upon Mike and Jessica as they enjoy a little vacation time we pray that Lord you'd be gracious to them and we thank you that you are gracious God you give to us times of of recreation and times of of enjoyment and just getting our energy back we pray Lord that they would know that strength that comes from on high and that enjoyment of just time away we pray your blessing upon the church in Vernon as well or that church plant we pray for pastor Dabney who is there this week or this weekend today to preach your word we pray Lord that strength to be given to him as well and you that you would bless that congregation with that with the Word of God and with with the Spirit of God we pray they might be unified in the things they have gathered together to to be instructed in and we pray Lord they too would receive the word gladly and that that they would that they would seek to be Berean and and search the Scriptures and and be sanctified by the Word of God and we pray Lord for any and all who would be in our church here or in the surrey church or the Vernon Church who know not the things of Christ how we pray Lord that you would be gracious to them cause your spirit Lord's come upon them convicting of sin and cause them to to to see the the loveliness the wonder of knowing that our sins are forgiven that they are cast as that into the deepest part of the ocean to be remembered no more to know that we have peace with God when we pillow our heads at night how we pray Lord that that that this might be known this day by those whom you choose to call to yourself father we do ask your blessing upon churches in our area as well we think of the the Kirkland church the Lindblad is there and and your blessing upon them we pray Lord they might know your help and your age there in that church unify them father we pray for the church in in SeaTac as well who are without a pastor we prayer though that you would just give to them a pastor in due time and we pray for the Institute Reformed Baptist Seminary as they begin studies in in the in the coming months how we pray Lord that you would raise up young men raise up men of God to go into these pulpits perhaps into Kirkland and and to be a man of God to be a biblically ordered church with it with a full-time elder who was able to who was able to preach and teach and and and and and draw the people together we pray Lord your blessing upon all these things thank you Lord that we are not alone thank you that the church universal is a church that is known to you both individually and as a as a as a group we think we think father this day also of the persecuted church who were also part of that church Universal as we reminded the last hour certainly persecution continues in very difficult countries we do pray Lord for those who are in prison for the gospel sight for churches who are perhaps not able to meet this day because they have been shut down by the authorities Lord we pray that you would put a hedge of protection around them cause those who are in prison to know your spirit and your help your aid this day to to be encouraged by by the things of Christ we pray Lord that they would that they would know your strength from from day to day and for loved ones outside of the prison cells who who who also bear bear burden with the loss of husbands or Father's to the children we pray Lord that that that you would bless them as well give them wisdom from day to day provide for them provide for their needs we do pray and we thank you God that you are a kind God a merciful God and you do surround your people with with with bounty and we pray that they might know these things this day so Lord we ask your blessing upon our meeting time we pray that we would truly worship the God of heaven and earth and we pray that as we worship you in song in hymns that father our hearts might be lifted heavenward that we might sing these songs as hymns to our eternal gods who are loving heavenly father in heaven who hears us for Christ's sake and we just pray these things now in Jesus precious name Amen please turn with me then in your hymn books to our second him which is 271 271 a hymn with with deep with deep deep words and trust that as we sing them that we can sing them with with meaning so I'll ask you to stand here number 271 [Music] it may be seated for our scripture reading this morning please turn your Bibles to Luke chapter 17 Luke 17 as we continue to consecutively read through the New Testament in our morning we're going to read Luke 17 11 to the end so Luke chapter 17 verse beginning of verse 11 I'll read to the end of the chapter now what happened as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee then as he entered a certain village there met him ten men who ten men who were lepers who stood afar off and they lifted up their voices and said Jesus master have mercy on us so when he saw them he said to them go show yourselves to the priests and so was that as they went they were cleansed and one of them when he saw that he was healed returned and with a loud voice glorified God and fell down on his face at his feet giving him thanks and he was a Samaritan so jesus answered and said we're not ten cleansed but where are the nine were they were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner and he said to him arise go your way your faith has made you well now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come he answered them and said the kingdom of God does not come with observation nor will they say see hear or see therefore indeed the kingdom of God is within you then he said to the disciples the days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man and you will not see it and they will say to you look here or look there do not go after them or follow them for as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines in the other part under heaven so also the Son of Man will be in his day but first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation excuse me and and as it was in the days of Noah so it will be also in the days of the son of man they ate they drank they married wives they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all likewise as it was also in the days of lot they ate they drank they they bought they sold they planted they built but on the day that lot went Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all even so it will be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed in that day he who is on the housetop housetop and his and his goods are in the house let him not come down to take them away and likewise the one who was in the field let him not turn back remember Lot's wife whoever seeks to save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life will preserve it I tell you in that night there will be two men in one bit two men in one bed the one will be taken and the other will be left two women will be grinding together there one will be taken and the other left two men will be in the field the one will be taken and the other left and the answered and said to him where Lord so he said to them wherever the body is there the Eagles will be gathered together amen well let us be like the the the the the one leper who returned to to give glory to God that's why we're here this day to give glory to God why would we give glory to God because he saved us he's redeemed us and that's worthy of great worship this day so may that may that be in our hearts and our minds as we as we worship God this day for what purpose we are worshiping it's because we serve a glorious God who has redeemed we his children and and he is worthy of all praise so turn with me please new hymn books to him number 400 hymn number 400 and I'll ask you to stand [Music] [Music] [Music] amen please be seated I'll ask you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 34 Psalm 34 before we read God's Word I'll just open or begin this time with the word of prayer and ask God's blessing to be upon his word let's pray our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we thank you Lord that you have promised your spirit to attend your word and so Lord we pray that your blessing might be upon your word this day we seek to lift up your son to Lord Jesus Christ we seek Lord to glory and not in the things of this earth not in the glory of man but rather in the glory of your son the Lord Jesus and the salvation is ours through him so Lord how we pray your blessing might be upon this this next these next few moments we pray Lord that you would remove from us from here from me anything that would that would seek to to take away from your word we pray Lord that we might hear from you and that you would be well pleased to bless your word and cause your word to to find to find its mark in each one of our hearts and lives for those that are unsaved that they would see see the the winsomeness of the Lord Jesus Christ the loveliness of Christ the the the knowledge of forgiveness of sins and for those who are in Christ that father we would be edified and built up in our most holy faith that we would be challenged but also much encouraged by your word we thank you that your word is like is an encouragement to the people of God in this lore world so Lord how we pray that your blessing might be upon this time and your gracious Holy Spirit would be here in this place forgive us of all of our sins and cleanses afresh and that's precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ it's and it's in his name we pray amen well if you have your your Bibles open to Psalm 34 it begins with the the title the happiness of those who trust in God a psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech who drove him away and he departed so I just want to stop there for a moment because the title of the the title of this Psalm obviously tips us off to the circumstances that that are found in 1st Samuel 21 David intended here to commemorate that event the events of Psalm era of 1st Samuel 21 with with wall carved memorials as were of not of himself because he has nothing to be memorialized in first samuel 21 but 2 memorial carved well carmem Orioles of God's mercy God's mercy to David thus he wrote this it's an acrostic poem it doesn't come out in English but in the Hebrew there's 22 letters in the in the Hebrew and each each of these verses begins with a with a successive letter in the Hebrew alphabet there's only one other chat the only there's only one other Psalm like that Psalm 25 that was a song we opened as well.you perhaps maybe you've noticed but there's 22 verses in that Psalm as well so they're both acrostic acrostic psalms a acrostic poems as it were again speaking of of God's God's mercies and trying seeking to be a memorial of God's mercy so because that is the that's the title of the song I'm going to ask you to keep your finger in psalm 34 but anyway should flip over to first samuel 21 so we get the context we understand well where where was David at why did he write this song what are the circumstances to David writing this Psalm and chapter 21 of First Samuel if you if you flip to that I'm going to read verses 10 to 15 the the context being David is fleeing from Saul and ultimately fleeing for his life not just not just fleeing because he thought Saul would was going to rail against him or or say nasty things to him Saul wanted to take David's life and it was a he wasn't he was he was it was he was he was running for his life David was and so we pick up the chapter or the verse 10 of chapter 21 in 1st Samuel ax says then David arose and fled that day from before Saul and went to a Koosh the king of Gotham I just say that a Koosh is probably the name of the King Abimelech is more of a title the king king or Abimelech so it is the same person we're speaking of in case you think well that's odd it says it's AB in black in in in the in Psalm 34 but it's talking about a Koosh here so sorry just read that again verse 10 sunday then David arose and fled that day from before Saul and went to a Koosh the king of Gath and the servants of a Koosh said to him is this not David the king of the land did they not sing of him to one another in dances saying Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands now David took these words up to heart and was very much afraid of a Koosh the king of Gath so he changed his behavior before them pretended madness in their hands scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva fall down on his beard then a Koosh said to his servants look you see the man is insane why have you brought him to me have I need of madmen that you have brought this fellow to play the madman the madman in my presence shall this fellow come into my house well certainly he was fearful for his life because ultimately a Koosh would have perhaps taken his life had he thought that David to be of a sound mind so it's not a it's not a high point in David's life and so therefore David in Psalm 34 goes back and he he's going to he's going to speak about that event and let's begin reading Psalm 34 the our text for today and I simply hope just to go through each verse and draw some drawers can't draw attention draw some conclusions draw some encouragement from from each of the verses so beginning of verse 1 of Psalm 34 I bless I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth my soul shall make its boast in the Lord the humble shall hear of it and be glad o magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears they looked to him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed this poor man cried out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles the angel of the lord encamps all around those who fear him and delivers them o taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusts icer who trusts in him Oh fear the Lord you his Saints there is no want to those who fear him the Young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing come you children listen to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord who is the man who desires life and loves many days that he may see good keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it the eyes of the Lord are on there are on the righteous and his ears are open to their cry the face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth the righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers that delivers him out of them all he guards all his bones not one of them is broken evil shall slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned the Lord redeems the soul of his servants and none of those who trust in him shall be condemned Amen well I trusted in ingratitude we can see the psalmist is prompted here in this in his chapter to record the goodness of the Lord in providing him and and undeserved deliverance from that from that incident in 1st Samuel 21 just an awful incident and I'm sure it plays upon the conscience of David as he thought back to what he had done before the the the madness that he had that he had embellished before Abimelech yet yet David weaves in this chapter he weaves none of those incidents which i think is curious it's interesting he weaves none of the incidents specifically of first samuel 21 into into this narrative but rather he dwells on the grand fact of being heard in his hour of great peril okay he wasn't great peril and that's what he wants to focus on God heard me in that hour of great peril and we may learn from his example not to parade our sins before others not to parade the things that perhaps we've done wrong and and somehow think that there's potential that only brings glory to ourselves but rather parade before our fellow man the goodness of God and the fact the God is a gracious God and he does provide escape let's so let us along with David parade God's goodness to one another procure a parade God's kindness parade God's mercy parade God's long-suffering because certainly here in this chapter David he played the fool before Abimelech but he was not so foolish as to as to write a psalm exploiting his sins exploiting his folly you see in your handout I should have said the announcer in the announcements that there were some handouts being given at the back of you didn't get one during one of the hymns you could have gotten gotten up and got one so my apologies if you don't have it but for those who do have it you can see that the the chapter divides into two major divisions the first verses 1 to 10 we will we will take kind of as a section and the psalmist here is expressing his praise to God almost like a hymn that's what we do when we sing hymns where we're expressing praise to God and verses 11th it's 11 to 22 while the psalmist turns his address to men it's a sermon so really we've got we've got it we've got a hymn and we've got a sermon not unlike what we have on a Sunday morning or Sunday evening where we sing hymns and we hear from God's Word we hear what what what the Word of God has to say so those are the two major divisions that that I trust you'll be able to see as we go through this through this chapter so verses one to three you will see in your handout this is where David vows to to bless the Lord and invites the praise of others that's his desire is to to bless blood and to praise God and express that praise to God in in hymns so verse 1 it says I will bless who I will bless the Lord David is resolved he's fixed it says I will not maybe not eventually not someday not one day but I will praise the Lord let other people do as they may he himself personally is determined to be appraiser of God that's his desire that was his heartbeat was to praise God and ought to be our heartbeat as well be determined that I will bless the Lord and to whom is that praise it's to Jehovah it wasn't a second ozs david certainly could have said well didn't I act the brilliant man I acted mad and I got away from Abimelech a bit like didn't didn't come out and he didn't take my head off what wasn't I a wonderful fellow and almost in a sense glory in his own second causes and being grateful for that well David may have had warrant to think you know he would have shared in that transaction with God and that's where it would have been sin he would have robbed god of the honor that was due him it was God that got him out of that circumstance it wasn't David's madness David did use that means and and God overlooked it in many ways but that was not the thing that David looked back on and said wasn't I a wonderful fellow wasn't I a smart fella didn't I use ingenuity and creativity and getting out of the circumstance know he wants to heat praises upon God I will bless the Lord because otherwise would be to rob god of the honor that was due him God all fee has a monopoly on his creatures praise and and if you are given a gift by someone do we praise the gift or do we praise the giver do we thank the giver sure we're grateful for the gift for the gift but it would be something wrong with us if we if we were controlling consumed by the gift that was given to us let's praise the giver of that gift and that is God himself the the second half that first line at all times to bless the Lord is never unseasonable it says at all times it's not a matter of you know it's been waiting for the right time to praise God I'll wait till Sunday and I'll praise the Lord on Sunday I'll wait till my my prayer time tonight before I go to bed or I'll wait til tomorrow morning's devotional time that's when I'll praise God no it says I will bless Lord at all times and not not necessary at the right time or at the right place in every situation under every circumstance in bright days in dark days in in difficulty in happiness and joy our duty as Christians is to bless the Lord at all times if I could have you turn your Bibles to Deuteronomy 6 this was known as the Shema in Old Testament Israel and I think David is simply taking and being practical with the Shema without ever without actually saying this is the Shema but if you've not I know pastor Butler has spoken a great deal about it so I don't think it's a it's an uncommon term to us but it was it was a prayer that that the Old Testament Israelites were to pray and just notice notice as I read this Shema Deuteronomy 6:4 2:9 that it's this idea of all times I will bless the Lord at all times not sometimes not when I feel like it not just in dark days not just in difficult circumstances but all days all the time Deuteronomy 6 verses 4 to 9 here o Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your strength and these words which I command you today shall be in your heart you shall teach them diligently to your children and shalt talk of them when you sit in your house when you walk by the way when you lie down and when you rise up you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes you shall write them on your doorposts so on the doorpost of your house and on your gates so that is what we are to do we are to be praises of God bless God at all times if we look at verse or the second half of verse 1 his praise shall continually be in my mouth not in my heart oh I feel I feel joyful I'm happy in my heart no it's in our mouth that's what that's what David the psalmist says God does not want dumb children I don't mean dumb is and not intelligent but dumb as in deaf and dumb I can't speak God wants God wants us to our tongues to be used to glorify him at all times times of private prayer may our private prayer be times of worship glorifying God or times of corporate prayer that we'd remember to worship God to bless God at all times when we sing hymns privately or him humma him to ourselves that's an opportunity that's a time when his praise shall continually be in my mouth one we gather for corporate worship that's a time an opportunity for our singing in corporate worship to be the praise of God in our mouth in our conversations with one another I believe David intends here to to to indicate that our conversations with one another that we would seek to praise him continually let it be like a perfume a perfect sigh if a lady is wearing a perfume and it it's it spreads out it's in the air everyone around can smell and usually it's a good thing that we can enjoy that they we can enjoy that perfume so let our worship of God let our blessing God at all times let our praise of God be like a perfume that goes out from us so instead of giving voice to discontent we're cataloging all the blessings of God instead of complaining we're showing contentment in our conversation in our speech instead of slandering other people we're giving voice to complimenting other people encouraging them instead of perhaps giving voice to bitterness we've got a joy about us if we are if we are praising God continually instead of Freddie and some of us are given to fretting given to the cares of this world instead of fretting well we're gonna see all the blessings that we have so I believe that's what David the the psalmist here is attempting to sit to do when he says his praise shall continually be in my mouth verse 2 my soul shall make its boast in the Lord so it's not self boasting it's not but its soul boasting okay self boasting I think we all know what self boast it is it's as natural as breathing it's as natural as drinking water we all do it we have a natural because of the Adamic sinful nature we have a propensity to boast about ourselves I did this Oh aren't I wonderful we may not say in those words but perhaps we may come across that way that's called self boasting I think that I think the the psalmist here is speaking of soul boasting my soul shall make its boast to the Lord so boasting requires you know the mind to conjure up thoughts of God before expressing them that's what's so boasting is where we're going to we're gonna see David's boasting here in who not in David even though these circumstances he could have you could have rejoiced in his ingenuity in getting out of a difficult circumstance slipping through from from Abimelech but but no David's boasting here's in Jehovah in his attributes in his in his covenants in his promises in his works that's what God that's what David is boasting in here that's what I think he intends for us to do when we talk about my soul makes boast in the Lord continuing on verse to the humble shall hear it and be glad do we do we feel or ever feel uplifted when we're when we're in conversation with someone who's a bragger no it doesn't lift us up it doesn't it doesn't encourage us when we are with someone who who brags it's rather you know it's the humble that we desire to be with it's those who genuinely see themselves before God think of when you were conversing with someone who's genuinely talking about the Lord's goodness in their lives well that only helps to confirm our trust in a faithful God it encourages our hearts we want to we want to praise God along with them when they're not boasting themselves they're boasting in in the things of God it makes those around us feel glad and happy and and genuinely uplifted in our souls verse 3 he says oh magnify the Lord with me David's address here is all to me again to the humble man the humble woman and we're not inclined to come alongside someone who's not humble someone who is proud it's just not someone we naturally want to be with we tend to probably shy away from someone who who boasts of their own proper proud proud doings and and whatnot and I believe that when someone is magnifying the Lord it doesn't always have to be in a demonstrative manner we were someone recently who a great tragedy had come into their lives and they they were truly boasting in the Lord not not in a again not in a demonstrative way they were just speaking of the goodness of God the kindness of God the smile of God how God had been so gracious to them how God was being gracious to them in that very difficult circumstance that situation that they had been called to go through and that just to Leslie myself that just encouraged our hearts we felt uplifted by the fact that that they were magnifying the Lord and and so let's be of that of that ilk people let's let's let's be those who demonstrate who seek to magnify the Lord in our speech I have a quote here from CH Spurgeon which I think to some degree says it says no praise can excel that which lays us prostrate under a sense of our own nothingness while divine grace like some topless ALP rises before our eyes and sinks us lower and lower in holy awe that's what it means to magnify the Lord with me and the last part of verse 3 and exalt let and let us exalt his name together now let us exalt his name let us exalt his name together pastor Butler has been preaching through acts and at the end of Acts Acts chapter 2 verse 47 the pattern is set down for the church they broke bread they ate together and they praise God no I don't get the impression that they pray I'm sure they did praise God individually in their homes but you got the impression that these are the things they were doing corporately together they were breaking breaking bread eating together and praising God I think that's what that's what the psalmist here is saying when he says let us exalt his name together that's what we do when we gather together for prayer meeting for morning worship for Wednesday night for Sunday evening we're gathering together to magnify magnify the Lord and exalt his name together all the way this is what the redeemed are going to be doing in heaven so why would we not want to do it here on earth why would we not want to do it with God's people here on earth if exalting his name together is going to be a full-time our full-time job I guess you could can't really call it a job our full-time occupation in heaven is exalting God well we ought to glory and joy and exalting his name together here on earth let's turn to the next section as you see in your handout verses 4 to 7 David relates the circumstances of his experience they'll continue in that him but David here is as relating the circumstances of his experience verse 4 it says I sought the Lord and he heard me it must have been very much been a very confused confused conflicted manner that David prayed back in 1st in 1st Samuel 21 because he resorted some very Rubeus methods by pretending to be a mad raving lunatic but be encouraged were never shut out from the Lord because of some because of our sin God doesn't say I don't want to listen to anymore I don't want to hear you anymore God invites through David here God God encourages us that that truly he does not close the door to - to our prayers this this quote is from spurge as well and I have depended on Spurgeon very much for this outline that comes from Spurgeon there's another quote from Spurgeon which I think speaks very well to this - this idea of I sought the Lord and he heard me David's poor limping prayer had an acceptance and brought him succor the more reason for then celebrating the abounding mercy of the Lord we may seek God even when we have sinned if sin could blockade the mercy seat it would be all over for us but the mercy the mercy is that there are gifts even for the rebellious and an advocate for men who sin so I think that ought to encourage us brethren this morning as we consider that that that idea of seeking the Lord and he heard me the next the next section he delivered me from all my fears the second half of verse four he delivered me from all my fears simply God answered David's prayer David David shot a prayer to God and God answered that prayer you may note in these verses thus far these first three three and a half three and a half or so maybe some egotism over the first four verse I guess a little bit of egotism on the on the part of David I don't think it is I think the answer is found in this last in this last line of verse 4 of he delivered me from all my sins David's aim is not to glory in glorify himself but to give glory to God for his deliverance and that ought to be the aim of our lives that we would seek to be to give glory to God he delivered me yes maybe I was sinful that time maybe I wasn't thinking right thoughts of God but I'm not going to pray those I'm just gonna glory in the fact that he delivered me from all my fears he delivered me from all of my discomforts and uncomfort if we look at verse five he looked too they looked to him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed when were sorely tried is is it the time spent with a friend or the time spent before the Lord that brings true settle 'no stew and to the soul I would say it's time spent with with the Lord yes friends are good friends are comforting friends can be encouraging but it's ultimately if we're seeking our pleasures that were seeking our comfort in the Lord there is true there is true comfort when we seek that I've three examples we think of the disciples in Matthew eight they were in a storm their boat was being tossed to and fro they were afraid of drowning what did they do they said help Lord and he helped them he save them he did it that's all they had to do was just ask the Lord to save them Jesus the good physician who did he heal but blind Bartimaeus blind Bartimaeus just simply looked to the Lord Jesus and he saved them think it was like he is as well who was up in the tree Zacchaeus certainly he he was delivered from from from from from the difficulty that he was in as well on the unsafe condition think of the Israelites when they looked they looked to that brazen serpent in the wilderness I think that there's evidence there again that David is drawing all these things together in verse five when he says they look to him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed we need to look to the Lord Jesus we need to look to him look to his spirit for comfort help and aid verse six this poor man cried out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all of his troubles David's life was in a very real danger he was in great touch great jeopardy before Abimelech we read it of course we see the end of the story but at the time David David perhaps maybe this man was thinking this is the end this is the end of my life my head may be cut off from bio bin life so what does he do his prayer I didn't have time for a long intercessory prayer his prayer was a cry this poor man cried out it was a cry it was brief it was bitter it was earnest but it was simple and God nonetheless got that it was it was God who was powerful in heaven came and answered the prayer David so David is saying that prayer can can clear trouble away as easily as the Lord cleared the frogs and the Flies of Israel away the frogs were all over the place in our certainty in Egypt the frogs and the Flies they were everywhere they were in the rooms out of the rooms just there's almost not a spot where they could not be and simply through a simple prayer of Moses and God cleared it all away let that be our our let that be our testimony as well as David's here in this verse it's David's personal testimony ultimately to us so let's let's make it ours and and take heart be of good courage this verse is for us just as it was for David this poor man cried out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his trouble so if you're in a difficulty today if you're experiencing discouragement disheartening great great anxiety what ought we to do well let's take verse 6 as our as our marching orders for this day and cry out to the Lord he does hear just as he heard the people in the Old Testament Moses and eat in Egypt and David's personal testimony here from first first samuel verse 7 the last verse in this section the angel of the lord encamps all around those who fear him and delivers that what an encouragement that is we may never know how many providential deliverances we owe to those unseen hands of God which have been charged to bear us up lest our foot - against against a stone I am repeating perhaps a familiar verse - to do those who who are familiar with it if you turn to Psalm 91 Psalm 91 that is that is Psalm 91 verses 11 and 12 Psalm 91 11 and 12 so take this as our encouragement the angel of the lord encamps all around those who fear him and delivers them Psalm 91 11 and 12 says for he shall give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways in their hands they shall bear you up lest you dash your foot against a stone so we don't know where well you know how many times in a day how many times in a week how many times in our lifetime thus far we have been we have been kept and delivered by the God who sees all and knows all and the last section of of this hymn is verses 8 to 10 verses 8 to 10 david exhorts the godly here in verses 8 to 10 to constantly constancy in faith is our christian life one that has ups and downs ups and downs ups and downs or are we steadily marching to heaven are we steadily being steadied by the Word of God steady by the Spirit of God so we are growing in faith growing in the things of God I trust that that I trust that's what our lives said demonstrate and if not if your life doesn't demonstrate that then be encouraged this is this is David's secret he's in these next these next three verses as he exhorts us to just constancy in the faith so we don't have a have a Christian Christian faith that goes up and down verse 8 he says excuse me Oh taste and see that the Lord is good we cannot taste and see God's deliverance by Kary ously we can't see it through someone else it's got to be personal we've got to see it ourselves we've got to it's got to be experiential we must taste the Lord's deliverance for ourselves and we can trust God for deliverance from circumstances deliverance from sin but it's something that we have to do it's something we've got to take on I would just refer you to a First Samuel chapter 14 as an example of this First Samuel chapter 14 it's similar in the in the same vein as as what this context context was with Jonathan and David on the run from from Jonathan's father First Samuel chapter 14 verse 24 to 31 and again under this theme of verse 8 in in Psalm 34 of tasting and seeing that the Lord is good it has to be done by ourselves as we've done to ourselves for ourselves and we can't live the Christian life vicariously through someone else so first Mule chapter 14 verses 24 to 31 and the men of Israel were distressed that day for Saul had placed the people under oath saying Kirsten is the man who eats any food until evening before I have taken vengeance on my enemies so none of the people tasted food now all the peoples of land came to a forest and there was honey on the ground and when the people had come into the woods there was the honey dripping that no one put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath but Jonathan had not heard his father charged the people with the oath therefore he stretched out his he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth and his countenance brightened then one of the people said your father strictly charged the people with an oath saying curse it is the man who eats food this day and the people were faint but Jonathan said my father has trouble to land look now how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey how much better if the people had eaten freely today have the spoil of their enemies which they found for now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines now they had driven back the Philistines that day from McMath and a Jalan so the people were very faint so we see the evidence there that it was as David or sorry as Jonathan experienced the honey something as simple as that that he was he was he was brightened by he was lightened by it and he was he experienced deliverance as he as he tasted the goodness of the Lord in that circumstance the second half of verse 8 blessed is the man who trusts in him ultimately the allure of trusting ourselves in others in second causes that just robs us of the comfort in the Christian life of walking with Christ and join all of his benefits let let her walk be a walk that trusts in God not trust in the not trust in others or even perhaps in second causes verse nine I'll fear the Lord you his Saints the the first the first part of verse nine the first half verse 9 I'll fear the Lord you his Saints what does this look like for the child of God to fear God well that's to have a childlike reverence we ought not to everything of God is our buddy as as just a little bit bigger than ourselves as just a little smarter a little wiser a little stronger than ourselves it's to have a childlike reverence that's what David had he had to walk in God's laws have respect for the will of God for the law of God to tremble to offend him do we tremble to offend God I think that's what David is saying here Oh fear the Lord you his Saints and be ready to serve him that's what God is looking for those who are ready to serve Him and in thus demonstrating that fear of the Lord the second half of verse 9 for there is no want to those who fear Him Jehovah will not let his children suffer needlessly doesn't mean we won't suffer but he won't let us suffer needlessly we he may not give God may not give us all the luxuries but he will supply the necessities that he has promised to do many of our whims many of our wishes may remain on gratified but the but the real wants that we have the Lord will supply that's what David is saying here he will supply Paul's testimony in 2nd Corinthians chapter chapter 12 verse 9 he was speaking of that thorn in the flesh that thing that we don't know what it was but that thing that he desired to be rid of he wanted it to be gone he prayed to the Lord he sought the Lord well the Lord didn't remove it but he did say Paul can't Paul faithfully said my grace is sufficient or God said to Paul my grace is sufficient for you he was able to endure that difficulty so therefore there is no one for those who fear Him he is he is a kind God he's a good God to his children in the last verse verse 10 of this section this first section which which is at him is the Young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good things interesting that Lions come up because lions are usually fierce they're cunning they're crafty they get what they want but it says here in the scripture sometimes even they go hungry sometimes they can go without but not so with the child of God the Christian in the humbles of circumstances whether it be humble mentally physically whatever it may be the humbles of circumstances who's walking with God well we have all we need do we not I trust that your testimony I trust that's my testimony I have all I need because I am I am I am a Christian I am I am one of God's children we may be called foolish by this world standards but light but this life is not the end for the Christian certainly death may reveal some some things that life doesn't so we ought not to look with with with with with with desire towards those around us who are not Christians more like those so well for them life just seems so so happy for them cast your mind upon Luke 16 and verse 19 and 4 and and onward from there Lazarus the the parable of Lazarus and the rich man life looked miserable for Lazarus lit life looked horrible for Lazarus and looked very good for the rich man but what the eternity show the reverse things were very different for Lazarus in the life to come and I think that's what the that's what David is saying here the Young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those who seek the Lord you're not gonna like any good thing always keep your eye upon the mark upon the upon the finish line for the Christian it's heaven it's eternity it's forever and ever and ever and that ought to encourage our hearts I don't encourage our souls that that the the last has not been written and certainly death may reveal what this life certainly doesn't if we look at the next section verses 11 to 22 the psalmist turns is addressed to men so now it's it's almost like he preaches a sermon and he starts a sermon by giving direct exhortation to the people of God or to those who are going to read this Psalm and who's he turn to but verse 11 come you children perhaps the boys and the girls of Gath of that particular day maybe they were making sport of David in his seeming madness I'm sure the story got around how David acted like a madman saliva dripping down his beard scratch of the walls scratch at the doors he may well have been made fun of by that by the people by the children of Israel well here he he draws the attention of the children and perhaps his aim is to undo the mischief that he had previously done he's not proud of it and therefore come show it come you children listen to me the second half of verse 11 listen to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord so here's the job of the parent the grandparent the pastor the teacher the Sunday School where the Sunday school teacher is ultimate to teach the fear of the Lord we must teach them in a winsome manner not in a steer manner you fear God or you know you know terrible things are going to happen you let's do it a winsome manner to our for our children for our families to teach them to fear God not repelling them with harsh words and and you know God's going to get you if you do this or if you do that but rather with a with a desire to - to lure them give them the allure of the fact the things the Lord our worth are worth fighting for the the fear of the Lord is something that that we ought to desire it's not something we ought to we ought to push away but just to keep that uppermost in our children's minds because the allure of the world certainly is is they're all things that are shiny all things that are great all things that that just seem so smooth and and wonderful that's the allure of the world but what ought we to be doing as parents or whatever stage of parenting you were at but rather teaching the children to fear the Lord verse 12 who is the man who desires life and loves many days that he may see good well against me if we believe this is speaking to the children it's a perfectly normal desire for no matter what age you are particularly for children for every single person a we desire that we have long life we desire that that that things go well for us the psalmist possesses their poses the question to sharpen our focus on this question and ultimately must read on to find the answer for who is the manager desires life and loves many days that he may see good well verse 13 continues on and tells us how we might enjoy that how are we going to enjoy long life keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit guard with careful diligence that dangerous member of badi the tongue pastor brothers been recently was preaching through James and James 3 tells us that the danger of the tongue it's a it's a it's it's a it's a very very powerful instrument of the human body and we need to keep it we need to guard it deceit and a happy life do not go all together if we're if we're if we're if we have evil if we're speaking lies it just doesn't go with a happy life cast your mind I'm sure you all know someone who who is full of deceit who is full of lies they don't have a happy life because it's a miserable life it's an unhappy life it brings disease disease to the body disease to the mind and it's difficult Spurgeon says clean and honest conversation by keeping the conscience at ease promotes happiness but lying and wicked talk stuffs our pillow with thorns and makes life a constant world of fear and shame it's a great a great imagery there who wants to lay their head on a pillow of thorns we don't well how to do that how to seek long life by keeping our tongue from evil and our lips from speaking to see David certainly had tried the deceitful life before Abimelech but here he's denouncing it to the children so don't do this don't do what I did learn from my example steering others away from the error of his ways verse 14 depart from evil verse 14 depart from you'll get away from it don't try and domesticate it don't try and well I'll just do a little bit no stay away from it clear away from it set a distance between yourself and evil even the temptation to do evil what does proverbs 580 can pass to brother speaking has been speaking of through proverbs lately it says keep a path far from her do not even go near to her house that's how far away were to depart from evil and keep away from evil and do good depart from evil and do good the Christian life is always not about don't don't don't don't it's about putting off and putting on put off evil and put on put on what good scripture is very practical ok be active be energetic be persevering in what in doing good that's what we ought to be as Christians persevere in doing good be energetic about it be active about it because when we're doing good we're sure to avoid evil it's just an it's its nature it's all it's almost like the laws of nature if I were to drop something it will fall through the it will fall to the ground it's as natural as that and we're seeking to do good then we cannot do evil and the last part of verse 14 seek peace and pursue it seek peace and pursue it do not merely prefer peace but with zealous but zealously promote peace what can bring health of the soul but peace with God peace in our own heart and peace with our fellow man when we have animosity when we have difficult circumstances situations with our fellow man that doesn't that doesn't bring us peace Psalm 133 verse 1 says how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in peace and unity well I think it's talking about the church but we could we could also say between spouses we could say within a family brothers sisters parent to children when we're living in peace when we're how good and pleasant is when brothers live together in peace and unity and we're proverbs 6 16 again pastor Butler spoke recently about this six things the Lord hates yes even seven are an abomination a man who stirs up dissension among brothers so I think it's very very wise of David to to to encourage the people of God to depart from evil and do good and what else seek peace and pursue it with our fellow man though the last section I'd like to like to go through is verses 15 to 20 to 15 to 22 David Falls up with didactic didactic teaching it's an encouragement how to live how shall we then live is is basically David's David's call here as he continues with his sermon the last section of his sermon so verse 15 the excuse me the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their cries and encouragement to us though the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous he sees us here if we're seeking to be righteous if we're covered in the blood of Christ that his eyes are upon us and his ears are open to our cry that ought to be encouraged to us we have dealings with a God who was near we perhaps fall between two to Aires or some churches may fall between two Aires they emphasize the transcendence of God over the eminence of God God is far far away far removed a holy God who is just beyond anything that we could ever ever come close to there's that error and then there's also the error of God's imminent God's my buddy God's my friend God's right here I can have conversations with him in a in the way in which I had a conversation with a friend no we need to have both both both theological positions correct yes God is an is a transcendent God but he's also an imminent God so we ought to respect and we ought to recognize he is a holy God but he's also a God who is closed the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their cry I hope that's an encouragement to you today as you go home this afternoon as you as you go into tomorrow this ought to be a great encouragement to the Christian on Monday morning on Tuesday morning on Thursday night that God's eyes are upon me his ears are open to my cry no matter what my cry is I trust that you'd be encouraged by that juxtaposed to verse 15 is verse 16 the face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the face of the earth what a contrast will be in verses 15 and 16 the eye the face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the face of the year of the earth God's not indifferent to sin he's not indifferent to sinners he sets his face against them that's that's that's ominous words as anyone here today who is not a believer who's not trust in Christ that those are ominous words I would far rather be a verse 15 then verse 16 because verse 16 sounds like a very very heavy heavy thought to take into our day to take into our week God is resolved that the ungodly shall not prosper certainly it may appear that they prosper for a time we look around we see the we see the ungodly prospering and they do to some degree but ultimately utter destruction is going to be there a lot is going to be the law of the ungodly and think about Lazarus and the rich man the rich man had everything going for him but not in eternity an eternity is forever and ever and ever Lazarus in this world didn't have a whole lot going from him but he's you know if he was a real person of course he's not it's a parable but for all of eternity he's enjoying the pleasures of God the benefits of God so it's a warning a warning to us the state from evil again I refer to proverbs 5:8 keep up keep to a path far from her now of course again in the context it's an adulterer or maybe that I would say the temptation to sin in general but keep to a path far from her do not go near the door of her house that's a warning a warning to us but as I say I trust that verse 15 is an encouragement to you verse 17 the righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles that ought to put a smile on her face if we haven't in a small yet that ought to put a smile on our face verse 17 the righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles so like Peter on the water what if Peter was sinking what did he do he cried out to the Lord he looked to the Lord and the Lord lifted him up out of that water like the Israelites in Egypt who cried out to the Lord under the under the oppression of Pharaoh they were lifted out of their difficulty out of their troubles our afflictions they could be numerous they can be very complicated life is complicated life is messy sometimes we sometimes our difficulties our troubles can be complicated but what is the answer the answer is that prayer can set us free from them they can sanctify us through them so I see that I trust you see that in verse 17 the righteous cry out doesn't say the righteous will have a perfect life a smooth life a life with no with no hurt no no discomfort no no no uncomfortableness no the righteous have to cry out because there must be difficulty but what's the next part the Lord hears and delivers them out of their troubles and if it's just simply for our sanctification then that's a blessing verse 18 the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit broken hearts think God is far away at the time when your heart is breaking God just seems far away but he's not he's not the Lord is near that's what the verse says so if you feel this day that the Lord seems far from me I'm going through a difficulty I'm going through a circumstance and the Lord just feels far away from me read verse 18 get it into our conscience fill our conscience with that that he is not the women at Jesus tomb when they went to to see Jesus they were disheartened they were discouraged they thought he's going to be in the tomb but they they went away filled with joy because they met the Lord Jesus and and Christ does bring happiness and joy to his children verse 19 many are the afflictions of the righteous so scripture is very honest doesn't promise us a bed of roses there's not a bed of roses for the Christians Christianity offers no false pretences there's difficulty troubles can come to us from every direction like mosquitos on a on a warm Chilliwack evening I'd say in Amma sphere we don't here enjoy quite as many mosquitos but I do believe that there's a lot more here in Chile they come at you from the left from the right from the top and they come at you from every direction difficulties can come to the righteous but there's there's a but after at the end of that that section verse 19 many are the afflictions of righteous but that's an important but but the Lord delivers him out of them all verse 20 he guards all his bones not one of them is broken what a blessed but that is in verse in verse 19 the second half of verse 19 Spurgeon again says the same Lord who sends the afflictions will also recall them when his design is accomplished but he will never allow the fiercest of them to rend and devour his beloved we read that one more time he is such a such an important such an important verse they're such important quote on this verse the same Lord who sends the afflictions will also recall them when his design is accomplished but he will never allow the fiercest of them to rend and devour his beloved and that's who we are we are God's beloved he's not going to allow us to be devoured by the difficulties verse 21 evil shall slay the wicked evil shall slay the wicked afflictions have been proven in this Psalm to not be ruinous to the righteous because the Lord delivers his children out of them all however we're told here that evil in the unconverted man woman boy or girl what it proves fatal it is fatal and that ought to concern us if our if our souls are outside of the kingdom of God evil shall slay us but for the righteous not so and those that hate the righteous shall be condemned the last part of verse 21 they hated the best of company in life and they shall have none of it in eternity those people who are who do hate Christians who hate Christianity who hate God are pushing God away hell shall be hell for those individuals because it will be absent of the goodness and the kindness and the mercy and the love of God so it's a great warning to us may we take that warning take that warning it is there in the scriptures for us verse 22 the last verse the Lord redeems the souls of his servants Christian are you joyful this day are you happy joyful this morning because the Lord has so graciously purchased your soul with his blood and delivers you from trials by his providential power we ought to be we ought to be encouraged I hope you'll leave here this place this place this day saying well I came to scourge but I'm leaving encourage this Psalm has brought encouragement to my heart that yes the Lord has redeemed my soul I may not have all my difficulties put washed away our smoothened out but I do know that he has redeemed my soul and what are the disciples say in the New Testament what are they to count account worthy account counted worry that your souls are written in the Lamb's Book of Life if you do not may not be able to cast out demons you may not be able to do this or that but just rejoice this one thing your souls are written or your as your souls are written in the Lamb's Book of like your name sorry your names are written in Lan's book of life that is something to rejoice in and I think that's what's that's what David is ending here with in verse 22 and the last part of verse 22 and none of those who trust in him shall be condemned so it's a walk of faith marks the Ransom believer it's a walk of faith right these we this Psalm does not does not it's not specific to your life to my life through the circumstances of your life to the circumstance of my life life is messy life is difficult but we can we can know that a walk of faith does mark the Ransom believer and that's what David is saying here so wherever trust and faith is seen though it may be ever so small though the your faith may be shaky at times it may be immature at times it ensures that you are God's child and in that be encouraged David is seeking to encourage you none of those who trust in him shall be condemned you shall never be deserted you shall never be forsaken you shall never be given up for ruin why because God is your God he's your guardian he's your friend so as you leave the state this morning to go back to your homes and prepare for worship this evening and you perhaps have on your heart or have on your mind things that could bring discouragement things in your life that are difficult right now be encouraged God is your God he's your guardian he's your he's your friend he has promised that none of those who trust in him shall be condemned and we have all of eternity to look forward to the the redeeming the redeeming effect of that blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we don't deserve it we don't deserve anything but God has graciously given it to us and we ought to rejoice in that that's let's close the word prayer our gracious God in our loving Heavenly Father how grateful we are Father for such a father as you for such a God as you a God who is transcendent a God who is far above all that we have here all the way all that we are here in this room this day we are simply creatures father we are like the worms in the garden in comparison to you you are far far above us and how we praise you Lord that you have something to do with us that you have entertained to give to us your son the Lord Jesus Christ you've given to us your word as an encouragement as a balm to our souls how we pray law that it would be just that this day there will be a balm to everyone's soul who is here this day certainly a warning in many ways but a balm and encouragement to know that the redeemed shall be kept for all of eternity and how we pray that as we leave this place that today father that we would go away from here rejoicing in you celebrating you and seeking to live according to your holy word as as we've heard it this day and we just pray and bless you and thank you and pray in Jesus precious name Amen we'll just close with with it with some some plane of the music or playing of the piano and then when the piano stops we will be dismissed