WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:45.940 --> 00:00:46.940 Well, good morning. 00:00:47.860 --> 00:00:51.680 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Psalm 46. 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:54.080 That's where we're going to be this morning. 00:00:54.980 --> 00:00:59.620 As you turn there, I want to give you an important date to put on your calendar that did not 00:00:59.620 --> 00:01:03.840 make the slides for this week, but will be in there as we go forward. 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:08.540 I'd like for you to make a special note for November the 21st. 00:01:09.080 --> 00:01:14.020 On Sunday, November 21st, that's the Sunday before Thanksgiving, we're going to gather 00:01:14.020 --> 00:01:15.320 here like we always do in the morning. 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:20.440 We'll still be in our series on the Psalms, but we're going to come back on Sunday evening, 00:01:20.440 --> 00:01:26.940 not for our regularly scheduled ministry activities, but we'll gather back together as a church family 00:01:26.940 --> 00:01:33.020 at four o'clock for a special night of focus on missions and prayer. 00:01:33.720 --> 00:01:39.100 And I'd like to ask each and every one of you to join us for this evening. 00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:45.000 Now, we are going to have a special guest speaker that will be here with us that evening. 00:01:45.780 --> 00:01:51.560 And because of where he has served, I cannot share details with you, a lot of details with 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:53.880 you right now because we're live streaming. 00:01:54.100 --> 00:01:56.800 And for security reasons, they've asked us not to. 00:01:56.900 --> 00:02:03.900 But I can tell you that we will have a missionary who has served for many years alongside his 00:02:03.900 --> 00:02:10.200 wife in a very prominent war-torn country that many of us are aware of. 00:02:10.880 --> 00:02:16.740 He's going to be with us that evening to share openly and honestly about what it's like to 00:02:16.740 --> 00:02:19.360 live and do ministry in this country. 00:02:19.900 --> 00:02:26.620 And also to share with us what God has been doing, and even in the midst of the crisis of 00:02:26.620 --> 00:02:31.480 this country finds themselves, which caused him and his family to have to be evacuated, 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:34.140 what God is continuing to do. 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:39.840 After he shares, we're going to have a time where we'll take some time to pray for all of 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:44.600 our ministry, I'm sorry, all of our mission partners together as a church family. 00:02:45.240 --> 00:02:49.800 And then like good Baptists, we'll have a time after that where we'll eat some sweets 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:50.540 together, okay? 00:02:51.020 --> 00:02:55.920 But I want to make sure that you're there for the important part for that on Sunday, November 00:02:55.920 --> 00:02:56.740 21st. 00:02:57.040 --> 00:03:03.040 We'll get out more details as we can, but not on anything that's going to be on the internet 00:03:03.040 --> 00:03:05.560 or social media or in those capacities, all right? 00:03:05.600 --> 00:03:07.440 So please mark it on your calendar. 00:03:07.600 --> 00:03:07.980 Be there. 00:03:08.060 --> 00:03:09.320 It'll be a phenomenal night. 00:03:09.500 --> 00:03:14.620 So as we're continuing on in our series in the Psalms, and the band is going to lead us 00:03:14.620 --> 00:03:20.920 at the conclusion of this message in Psalm 46, but I want to kind of give some background 00:03:20.920 --> 00:03:24.260 of what's going on in Psalm 46. 00:03:24.540 --> 00:03:28.340 Now, this was probably written by King Hezekiah. 00:03:28.500 --> 00:03:34.340 We aren't 100% sure, but that's what most theologians believe, that King Hezekiah wrote 00:03:34.340 --> 00:03:39.260 this during the time when Jerusalem was held captive by the Assyrians. 00:03:39.260 --> 00:03:45.180 And now you can read that story starting around 2 Kings chapter 18, and we're not going to 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:48.640 jump there and read all that, but that's kind of the background of what's there. 00:03:48.900 --> 00:03:56.060 A lot of what's written during that section of 2 Kings is recorded also in the prophet Isaiah. 00:03:56.220 --> 00:04:02.960 This is the time that the prophet Isaiah was being the mouthpiece for the Lord to Israel 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:11.260 during this time, and the emphasis of this passage is going to be the presence of the Lord with 00:04:11.260 --> 00:04:12.260 His people. 00:04:13.060 --> 00:04:14.480 It's an important thing for us. 00:04:15.480 --> 00:04:17.420 It's an important thing for all of God's people. 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:24.880 A continual reminder in spite of everything that surrounds us, in spite of what our brain 00:04:24.880 --> 00:04:32.380 says to us, in spite of what our emotions make us feel, the ever-steady presence of the Lord 00:04:32.380 --> 00:04:33.340 with His people. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:41.740 And we're going to see a beautiful, honest assessment of this from the hand of Hezekiah as we read 00:04:41.740 --> 00:04:42.560 Psalm 46. 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:44.100 So let's go ahead and start. 00:04:44.180 --> 00:04:45.840 We're going to read the first three verses. 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:48.820 He writes and he says, 00:04:49.380 --> 00:04:55.120 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 00:04:56.520 --> 00:05:03.500 Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains be moved into the 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:11.720 heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:16.980 And so here's what's happening during the reign and rule of King Hezekiah. 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:21.440 Jerusalem is being held captive by the Assyrians. 00:05:22.080 --> 00:05:23.880 It's a time of chaos. 00:05:24.180 --> 00:05:26.000 It's a time of war. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:34.160 It's a time of fear in the life of King Hezekiah and a time for God's people in Jerusalem. 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:41.940 And so Hezekiah goes in the way that he can and begins to record what he is feeling in 00:05:41.940 --> 00:05:44.400 line with the truth of who God is. 00:05:45.280 --> 00:05:46.680 And I think that's important for us. 00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:51.320 We all have our roller coasters of ups and downs, amen? 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:56.020 We all feel better on some days than others, amen? 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:57.920 Like, we walk through this. 00:05:58.300 --> 00:06:01.240 It's the picture of life that's there. 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:08.040 But oftentimes, you and I get so lost in the roller coaster of emotion that we're facing, 00:06:08.200 --> 00:06:15.780 and it's real, and it's honest, and we can forget in that the absolute truth of who God 00:06:15.780 --> 00:06:16.040 is. 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:23.460 And what I love about Psalm 46 is Hezekiah is saying, man, this is what I'm feeling. 00:06:23.700 --> 00:06:25.100 This is what we're going through. 00:06:25.100 --> 00:06:32.220 But here's the truth of who God is, in the midst of that. 00:06:33.260 --> 00:06:36.660 And so the first thing that we see, we're going to look at three different things that point 00:06:36.660 --> 00:06:37.960 us to the Lord in this. 00:06:38.080 --> 00:06:40.540 The first one that we see is that God is our strength. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:42.260 God is our strength. 00:06:43.620 --> 00:06:46.400 Verse 2 and 3 do not paint a very good picture, right? 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:50.400 From His words, He says, the earth gives way. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:54.980 Now, let's be honest, how many of you have been to the state fair this year? 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:55.520 Raise your hand. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:56.420 Let's just a little quick poll. 00:06:56.500 --> 00:06:57.400 How many of you have been, all right? 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:00.040 How many of you, by show of hands, went for the food? 00:07:00.080 --> 00:07:00.940 Let's be honest, all right? 00:07:01.400 --> 00:07:02.200 That's me, right? 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:06.700 It's the only time that you're willing to pay $38 for a corn dog and french fries, right? 00:07:06.700 --> 00:07:10.840 But we do it, and it is phenomenal, and it's all organic and healthy. 00:07:10.960 --> 00:07:12.100 That's what I tell myself, all right? 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:13.860 It's good for us, right? 00:07:13.940 --> 00:07:15.300 Adds years to your life, right? 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:17.700 So, I'm not a rides guy anymore. 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:18.900 I used to be a rides guy. 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:27.560 And somewhere around the age of 35, rides went from fun to miserable, like overnight, right? 00:07:27.760 --> 00:07:31.260 We went to North Augusta to a thing that they have there. 00:07:31.300 --> 00:07:32.340 It's kind of their local fair. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:33.440 North Augusta is my hometown. 00:07:34.320 --> 00:07:36.080 And it's called the Jack-o'-lantern Jubilee. 00:07:36.780 --> 00:07:38.620 And my daughter, they have like three rides there. 00:07:38.700 --> 00:07:39.700 It's real small, you know? 00:07:39.940 --> 00:07:40.520 They're real small. 00:07:40.620 --> 00:07:41.720 And they have like three rides. 00:07:41.980 --> 00:07:46.340 And one of them was that ride, it's like the teacups at Disney World. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:47.060 Y'all know what I'm talking about? 00:07:47.440 --> 00:07:49.480 I think it's called like the Scramble or something like that. 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:51.580 And my daughter, she's like, Dad, ride this with me. 00:07:52.200 --> 00:07:52.920 And I was like, all right, cool. 00:07:53.320 --> 00:07:53.900 I can do this. 00:07:54.540 --> 00:07:56.680 So, we get in there, and I'm excited, and she's nervous. 00:07:56.880 --> 00:07:58.600 And I'm like, hey, hands up the whole time, right? 00:07:58.640 --> 00:08:00.620 And she's like, all right, absolutely, hands up the whole time. 00:08:00.660 --> 00:08:05.440 And so, I went from like hands up the whole time to like, please, get me off of this thing 00:08:05.440 --> 00:08:07.140 as fast as you possibly can. 00:08:07.300 --> 00:08:10.420 And like the rest of the day, I'm just walking around like I get hit by a Mack truck, all right? 00:08:10.580 --> 00:08:12.680 So, the earth gives way. 00:08:13.980 --> 00:08:17.500 When I was thinking about this, I thought of the fair. 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:21.940 And I thought to my life when I was a little kid and I would go to the fair, 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:24.820 and one of the things that I loved to do was to go to the funhouse. 00:08:25.760 --> 00:08:29.380 And you'd walk through the funhouse, and there was the punching bags that you could run through, 00:08:29.380 --> 00:08:31.860 and people were knocking them, and you'd fall all over. 00:08:32.380 --> 00:08:35.700 There was the mirrors that you would walk through, and they would distort you 00:08:35.700 --> 00:08:40.100 and show you look in different ways, or the maze of mirrors that you'd have to navigate through 00:08:40.100 --> 00:08:41.280 and try to get the maze. 00:08:41.500 --> 00:08:47.300 But my favorite one was when you would walk, and you would see the floor was moving, right? 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:51.040 Like, I'm not sure how this thing passes insurance, but it does, okay? 00:08:51.220 --> 00:08:55.100 And it's there, and you walk on there, and as a little kid, it's just so funny 00:08:55.100 --> 00:08:59.560 because you're falling down, and then you get back up, and you fall down again. 00:09:00.880 --> 00:09:04.900 Hezekiah says, where we're at right now, as a people, 00:09:05.540 --> 00:09:09.560 it literally feels like the earth is giving way. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:14.420 He said that the mountains, it feels like they've moved into the sea. 00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:22.340 What's around him, what's surrounding him that should be good and normal and stable 00:09:22.340 --> 00:09:23.940 feels like it's crumbling and falling apart. 00:09:25.140 --> 00:09:26.540 And he describes the waters. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:33.020 He said the waters, they roar and they foam, and the scariest word of them all, 00:09:33.180 --> 00:09:35.480 they're swelling, right? 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:40.680 Here's what Hezekiah is saying, like, everything that was stable is gone, 00:09:41.500 --> 00:09:45.020 and what is there feels like it is consuming me. 00:09:45.800 --> 00:09:46.900 And this is how he felt. 00:09:47.860 --> 00:09:49.580 What should be stable is not. 00:09:49.700 --> 00:09:56.820 What surrounds him is falling apart, and what is there is absolutely trying to consume him. 00:09:57.820 --> 00:10:01.980 And when the Assyrians threatened Jerusalem, though, the prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah, 00:10:03.100 --> 00:10:06.840 and he said, do not be afraid because of what you've heard. 00:10:07.400 --> 00:10:10.360 Do not be afraid because of what you've seen. 00:10:10.840 --> 00:10:14.540 The prophet Isaiah tells him, instead, what you need to do 00:10:14.540 --> 00:10:20.060 is you need to trust in the covenant relationship of God. 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:22.520 That you are his people. 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:30.060 As Leslie and Amanda sang, you were chosen, not forsaken. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:35.860 This is who you are, in spite of all that surrounds you. 00:10:36.580 --> 00:10:41.160 In spite of where the earth begins to move and sway. 00:10:41.160 --> 00:10:43.780 In spite of what's there. 00:10:44.640 --> 00:10:48.880 And so what Hezekiah does is he speaks to the truth of God 00:10:48.880 --> 00:10:51.400 in the midst of all that surrounds him. 00:10:51.640 --> 00:10:52.520 He says, you know what? 00:10:52.780 --> 00:10:55.120 In this, God is our refuge. 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:57.500 He's our place of protection. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:02.440 And God is our strength in spite of all of this. 00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:05.560 What we're going to see in verse 7 and verse 11, 00:11:05.660 --> 00:11:10.640 there's three different times where Hezekiah says that God is our refuge. 00:11:10.640 --> 00:11:16.780 In verse 1, when he uses that word, it's a picture in a piece of shelter. 00:11:17.460 --> 00:11:20.440 A place that you would go in, in the midst of the storm. 00:11:21.040 --> 00:11:24.720 Don't stand out there in what is happening, what is beating you up. 00:11:24.980 --> 00:11:27.480 Instead, find your refuge in the Lord. 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:29.400 Go into Him. 00:11:29.880 --> 00:11:31.600 Shelter into Him. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:35.360 And in verse 7 and verse 11, it's the same concept, 00:11:35.500 --> 00:11:38.180 but instead, the word of the fortress is used. 00:11:38.180 --> 00:11:42.940 So when you are attacked, when the arrows come, when the fight is there, 00:11:43.180 --> 00:11:45.260 make sure that you find your fortress. 00:11:45.560 --> 00:11:49.020 Make sure that you find your shelter in the Lord and in Him. 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:51.540 Now, I don't know about you, but when I think of shelter, 00:11:51.800 --> 00:11:57.500 when I think of fortress, it's a place that we go to wait until the battle's over. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:00.080 We wait until this passes. 00:12:00.740 --> 00:12:05.780 But Hezekiah gives us a different picture of what it means to shelter in, 00:12:06.020 --> 00:12:07.880 to fortress in the Lord. 00:12:07.880 --> 00:12:13.640 He says that when we do this, what we find is our purpose of where God has for us 00:12:13.640 --> 00:12:17.760 is to find our strength as we're here. 00:12:19.140 --> 00:12:23.940 And so he says, God is our refuge and strength, 00:12:24.520 --> 00:12:27.900 a very pleasant help in trouble. 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:33.600 And so God shelters us so that He can strengthen us, 00:12:33.780 --> 00:12:35.900 so that He can send us. 00:12:36.760 --> 00:12:39.620 God shelters us so that He can strengthen us, 00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:40.960 so that He can send us. 00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:42.060 Now, I want to ask you this. 00:12:42.160 --> 00:12:45.660 I saw some heads nodding just a few minutes ago 00:12:45.660 --> 00:12:48.920 when we were beginning to talk about the circumstances and the things around you. 00:12:48.920 --> 00:12:51.220 What do you need shelter from right now? 00:12:52.780 --> 00:12:55.580 Where do you need to be fortressed right now? 00:12:56.520 --> 00:13:01.780 What is going on in your life where it feels like the earth is moving, 00:13:02.040 --> 00:13:03.820 the mountains are collapsing, 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:08.320 and the sea is rising and about to consume you right now? 00:13:09.540 --> 00:13:12.940 What do you need to be brought in from? 00:13:13.780 --> 00:13:16.020 What do you need to find strength in? 00:13:18.140 --> 00:13:22.440 Right now, what I look at and what I see and what I experience, 00:13:22.520 --> 00:13:24.320 even within myself and with others, 00:13:24.520 --> 00:13:27.160 is, man, there's people that are struggling in their finances. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.880 I need my finances to be strong. 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:33.720 So many marriages right now 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:38.660 are in the battle of the fight headed toward destruction. 00:13:39.800 --> 00:13:46.020 I talk to parents who are broken because of the battle that they're facing with their kids 00:13:46.020 --> 00:13:46.900 and what that looks like. 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:51.020 I talk to men and women with their careers of what God has for them 00:13:51.020 --> 00:13:53.240 and say, you know what, I want strong finances. 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.840 I want strong marriages. 00:13:55.100 --> 00:13:58.380 I want strong relationship with my kids or even some of us. 00:13:58.500 --> 00:14:00.800 I want strong relationship with my parents. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:04.320 I want a strong career that glorifies God. 00:14:05.280 --> 00:14:10.740 But so many times we want strength in these places, 00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:13.020 but we're just going to go to ourselves 00:14:13.020 --> 00:14:17.100 instead of going into him, 00:14:17.800 --> 00:14:20.320 into him, our refuge, 00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:22.860 and doing it in his will. 00:14:23.660 --> 00:14:29.720 I want you to picture you're somewhere and a storm comes up 00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:32.700 and there's a shelter that's there 00:14:32.700 --> 00:14:35.480 and the shelter's got a door. 00:14:36.420 --> 00:14:39.740 But you say, no, I'll be okay because I can see the shelter. 00:14:41.400 --> 00:14:44.400 I'll be okay because I'm standing near the shelter. 00:14:45.620 --> 00:14:48.260 I'm good because I know where the shelter is. 00:14:49.020 --> 00:14:50.520 None of those things work. 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:53.780 And you and I would be foolish if that's what we would do. 00:14:54.660 --> 00:14:55.460 What do we do? 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:56.680 We go into them. 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:57.880 We go into them. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:58.620 And we say, no, no, no. 00:14:58.920 --> 00:15:02.400 This is where it's found is inside of it. 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:03.400 Right? 00:15:04.820 --> 00:15:06.200 Instead of I know about it, 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:08.880 I can tell you about it. 00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:10.520 I've seen it. 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.160 I've even experienced it in the past. 00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:17.400 And instead of diving into it, right? 00:15:17.940 --> 00:15:21.080 So what does it mean to be in the Lord? 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.660 What does it mean to be in his refuge? 00:15:24.660 --> 00:15:28.160 What does it mean that he is our fortress? 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:30.260 And what I find as I read through this 00:15:30.260 --> 00:15:31.620 and studied through this way 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:33.680 is that what you and I have to say, 00:15:33.880 --> 00:15:35.140 what you and I have to agree to 00:15:35.140 --> 00:15:37.700 is that going into God is going into his will. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:41.300 Going into God is going into his presence. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:42.900 And I want to be honest with you. 00:15:42.980 --> 00:15:45.000 What I've noticed within my own life 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:47.140 and in the life of so many people 00:15:47.140 --> 00:15:49.120 that we deal with on these four topics 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:50.560 that just seem to be standing out 00:15:50.560 --> 00:15:52.300 more and more ever-present 00:15:52.300 --> 00:15:55.000 in our society and in our church today 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:56.000 is let me tell you this. 00:15:56.160 --> 00:15:58.560 Our finances struggle because we do it our way. 00:15:59.780 --> 00:16:01.300 That's why finances struggle. 00:16:01.620 --> 00:16:02.320 Let's admit that. 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:04.180 You and I, we're not good with it 00:16:04.180 --> 00:16:06.020 when we do it our way. 00:16:06.800 --> 00:16:07.580 But God says, 00:16:07.660 --> 00:16:09.140 you want strength in your finances? 00:16:09.860 --> 00:16:10.920 Give me your tithe, 00:16:11.060 --> 00:16:11.940 give me your offering, 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:12.860 and watch me provide. 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:16.180 Refuge in me in your finances. 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:18.980 Do it in my will, do it my way. 00:16:19.900 --> 00:16:20.900 You and I, you say, 00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:22.460 man, our marriages struggle. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:24.700 Well, they struggle because we do it our way. 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:27.220 They struggle because we do it as an individual. 00:16:27.760 --> 00:16:29.900 They struggle because we do it with a goal 00:16:29.900 --> 00:16:31.160 or with a heart to get right. 00:16:31.160 --> 00:16:32.160 But God says, 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:34.220 you want your marriage to be strong? 00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:36.440 Then do it my way. 00:16:37.660 --> 00:16:38.820 Do it in my will. 00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:41.340 So husbands, 00:16:42.220 --> 00:16:44.100 love sacrificially. 00:16:45.700 --> 00:16:46.500 I get this. 00:16:47.420 --> 00:16:50.700 Think of her first and primary. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.500 You are not there to be served. 00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:56.480 It's not what God's word tells us. 00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:59.020 But you are there to serve her well, 00:16:59.160 --> 00:17:00.480 to love her well, 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:02.920 and to do so with an end goal, 00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:05.080 not so that she'll serve you in return, 00:17:05.360 --> 00:17:06.440 but with an end goal 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:09.180 so that she will grow and mature in Christ. 00:17:09.320 --> 00:17:10.980 That's God's will for your marriage. 00:17:11.760 --> 00:17:12.280 That's it. 00:17:13.780 --> 00:17:14.400 So husbands, 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.180 get off your throne 00:17:16.180 --> 00:17:18.680 and serve. 00:17:20.620 --> 00:17:21.300 And so wives, 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:23.960 trust your husbands. 00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:26.000 Trust them. 00:17:27.600 --> 00:17:28.320 Follow them. 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:30.740 encourage them. 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:33.700 And love them in a way 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:35.780 that empowers them 00:17:35.780 --> 00:17:37.900 to seek the will of God 00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:38.560 for your family. 00:17:40.540 --> 00:17:42.060 Understanding that both of these 00:17:42.060 --> 00:17:45.340 demand a deep level of sacrifice 00:17:45.340 --> 00:17:47.360 from the husband and the wife. 00:17:48.540 --> 00:17:48.800 Right? 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:51.000 This is what God calls us to. 00:17:51.880 --> 00:17:53.760 This is what it means to refuge in Him 00:17:53.760 --> 00:17:56.260 so that our marriages can be strong. 00:17:57.260 --> 00:17:57.940 How about your relationship 00:17:57.940 --> 00:17:58.560 with your kids? 00:17:59.580 --> 00:17:59.740 Right? 00:18:00.140 --> 00:18:01.520 They struggle because we want it 00:18:01.520 --> 00:18:02.700 to do them our way. 00:18:03.540 --> 00:18:04.660 We want to beat into them 00:18:04.660 --> 00:18:05.380 what we think. 00:18:05.840 --> 00:18:07.040 We want to beat into them 00:18:07.040 --> 00:18:08.440 what we think they should be, 00:18:08.540 --> 00:18:09.600 what we have experienced 00:18:09.600 --> 00:18:10.660 to learn from us 00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:12.060 that we are the authority 00:18:12.060 --> 00:18:12.840 instead of fighting 00:18:12.840 --> 00:18:14.260 for their hearts. 00:18:15.260 --> 00:18:15.600 Right? 00:18:17.100 --> 00:18:17.860 Instead of fighting 00:18:17.860 --> 00:18:19.440 the world 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:20.460 that's seeking 00:18:20.460 --> 00:18:21.480 to capture their hearts. 00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:23.200 God says to love, 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:23.700 shape, 00:18:24.020 --> 00:18:24.360 nurture, 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:25.180 and release 00:18:25.180 --> 00:18:26.620 all with an attitude 00:18:26.620 --> 00:18:27.880 and a heart of peace. 00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:29.400 But they are His 00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:31.380 and we are stewards of them. 00:18:32.280 --> 00:18:32.560 Right? 00:18:33.080 --> 00:18:34.180 They are not our clone. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.720 They are not to accomplish 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:36.340 what we couldn't 00:18:36.340 --> 00:18:37.220 within ourselves. 00:18:38.040 --> 00:18:38.860 They are the Lord's. 00:18:39.840 --> 00:18:40.040 Right? 00:18:40.080 --> 00:18:40.600 Our careers. 00:18:40.740 --> 00:18:41.520 We want strength 00:18:41.520 --> 00:18:42.620 in our careers 00:18:42.620 --> 00:18:43.340 but we need to stop 00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:44.120 doing them our way. 00:18:44.840 --> 00:18:45.040 Right? 00:18:45.060 --> 00:18:46.160 We work for our boss. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:47.500 We work for our promotion. 00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:48.920 We work for our ego. 00:18:49.300 --> 00:18:50.500 We work for what we determine 00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:51.060 is right. 00:18:51.340 --> 00:18:52.220 But God says, 00:18:52.420 --> 00:18:52.640 no, no. 00:18:52.780 --> 00:18:53.740 Whatever you do, 00:18:53.900 --> 00:18:54.760 you're doing it for me. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:55.940 You're not doing it for him. 00:18:56.100 --> 00:18:56.980 You're not doing it for her. 00:18:57.180 --> 00:18:57.700 You're not doing it 00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:58.320 for the paycheck. 00:18:58.640 --> 00:18:59.860 The honor and the integrity 00:18:59.860 --> 00:19:01.000 in which you are doing it with 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:02.100 is done in a way 00:19:02.100 --> 00:19:03.900 to seek to glorify me 00:19:03.900 --> 00:19:04.900 and to serve me. 00:19:05.020 --> 00:19:06.120 So whatever you do, 00:19:06.300 --> 00:19:07.700 do it all for the glory of God 00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:09.080 in everything 00:19:09.080 --> 00:19:10.860 of who we are. 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:12.620 So if you're miserable 00:19:12.620 --> 00:19:13.880 in your career right now, 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.780 let me ask you, 00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:17.220 who are you focused in on 00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:17.880 in that? 00:19:19.180 --> 00:19:19.980 And is it Jesus? 00:19:20.560 --> 00:19:22.540 In where we find ourselves. 00:19:23.220 --> 00:19:26.380 When we refuge in his will 00:19:26.380 --> 00:19:27.860 and in his way, 00:19:28.040 --> 00:19:30.640 what we find is the strength 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:32.000 to go and do 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:33.720 what he's called us to do. 00:19:34.520 --> 00:19:36.040 But we've got to be in him. 00:19:37.020 --> 00:19:39.660 Why would God give you his strength 00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:41.160 so that you could do it his way? 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:43.620 It's been a hard lesson for me this week. 00:19:44.980 --> 00:19:46.860 Why would God give you his strength 00:19:46.860 --> 00:19:47.760 for you to turn around 00:19:47.760 --> 00:19:48.520 and do it your way? 00:19:49.520 --> 00:19:51.220 But he gives you his strength 00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:53.000 so that you and I 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:55.040 can do it his way 00:19:55.040 --> 00:19:56.400 in his will 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:57.720 for his name 00:19:57.720 --> 00:19:58.860 for his glory. 00:19:59.360 --> 00:20:00.840 Let's keep reading verses 4 and 7. 00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:02.800 There is a river 00:20:02.800 --> 00:20:04.520 who streams make glad 00:20:04.520 --> 00:20:05.480 the city of God, 00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:07.360 the holy habitation 00:20:07.360 --> 00:20:08.320 of the Most High. 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:10.780 God is in the midst of her. 00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.840 She shall not be moved. 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:14.460 God will help her 00:20:14.460 --> 00:20:15.940 when morning dawns. 00:20:16.280 --> 00:20:17.760 The nations rage. 00:20:18.020 --> 00:20:19.320 The kingdoms totter. 00:20:19.580 --> 00:20:21.040 He utters his voice. 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.220 The earth melts. 00:20:23.340 --> 00:20:24.320 The Lord of hosts 00:20:24.320 --> 00:20:25.100 is with us. 00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:26.980 The God of Jacob 00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:28.880 is our fortress. 00:20:29.860 --> 00:20:31.080 And so not only do we see 00:20:31.080 --> 00:20:32.160 in these times of trouble 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:32.880 that we're reminded 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:34.460 that God is our strength, 00:20:34.560 --> 00:20:35.880 but we're also reminded 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:36.860 that God is our joy. 00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.400 When the Assyrians 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:39.900 held Jerusalem captive, 00:20:40.020 --> 00:20:41.380 they camped around the city. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:43.080 And this was a technique 00:20:43.080 --> 00:20:43.980 that was used 00:20:43.980 --> 00:20:45.300 by most armies 00:20:45.300 --> 00:20:46.120 during this time. 00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:46.760 You'll even see 00:20:46.760 --> 00:20:47.680 God's people 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:49.340 as God's leading them 00:20:49.340 --> 00:20:51.200 to overtake the promised land. 00:20:51.480 --> 00:20:52.540 What God would do 00:20:52.540 --> 00:20:53.980 is he would call oftentimes 00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.100 the people to camp 00:20:55.100 --> 00:20:55.880 around the city. 00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:57.040 And what would happen 00:20:57.040 --> 00:20:57.860 in these cases 00:20:57.860 --> 00:20:58.900 by doing that, 00:20:59.080 --> 00:21:00.000 they would cut off 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:00.880 the supplies 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:02.700 that the people would need 00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:03.680 in the city 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:05.200 in order to survive. 00:21:05.340 --> 00:21:06.100 And one of these, 00:21:06.420 --> 00:21:07.840 particularly in Jerusalem, 00:21:08.180 --> 00:21:09.700 was water, right? 00:21:10.020 --> 00:21:10.620 Like you can be 00:21:10.620 --> 00:21:11.640 without a lot of things. 00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:12.540 You cut people off 00:21:12.540 --> 00:21:14.240 from water still today 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:15.380 and civilization 00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:17.780 is not going to thrive. 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:19.160 And so the Assyrians thought, 00:21:19.380 --> 00:21:20.920 man, if we can just cut them, 00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:21.640 if we can cut 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:22.900 the people of Jerusalem 00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:24.480 off from the water 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:26.880 that they desperately need, 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:27.880 then we'll be over 00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:28.760 to overtake. 00:21:29.020 --> 00:21:29.880 But Hezekiah 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:31.200 had done something different. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:32.600 He'd done something 00:21:32.600 --> 00:21:33.280 that the Assyrians 00:21:33.280 --> 00:21:34.000 didn't know. 00:21:34.340 --> 00:21:35.060 Hezekiah built 00:21:35.060 --> 00:21:36.280 a water system 00:21:36.280 --> 00:21:38.540 underneath Jerusalem 00:21:38.540 --> 00:21:40.320 that connected Jerusalem 00:21:40.320 --> 00:21:42.060 to an outside water source. 00:21:42.300 --> 00:21:43.060 And so in this, 00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:43.580 he says, 00:21:43.580 --> 00:21:45.140 there is a river 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:47.060 whose streams 00:21:47.060 --> 00:21:48.260 make glad 00:21:48.260 --> 00:21:49.680 the city of God. 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:51.720 This could have been 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:52.840 a literal explanation 00:21:52.840 --> 00:21:54.360 of what's happening, right? 00:21:55.120 --> 00:21:55.880 He did this. 00:21:56.360 --> 00:21:57.360 It's the city of God. 00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:58.380 It's Jerusalem. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.420 There's a river 00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:01.420 who will bring this in 00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:03.060 and make us glad, 00:22:03.220 --> 00:22:04.120 but Hezekiah 00:22:04.120 --> 00:22:05.800 has a spiritual implication 00:22:05.800 --> 00:22:07.460 for this as well. 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:09.520 As the waters come, 00:22:10.360 --> 00:22:11.880 so too does God, 00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:13.320 and with it comes 00:22:13.320 --> 00:22:15.040 the victory, right? 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:17.000 Where do you find joy? 00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:19.780 Where do you find joy? 00:22:21.800 --> 00:22:22.660 I had a pastor. 00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:23.520 I had lunch with him 00:22:23.520 --> 00:22:24.000 on Wednesday. 00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:27.160 He asked me two questions. 00:22:28.300 --> 00:22:28.920 As he was talking, 00:22:29.060 --> 00:22:30.060 he's new 00:22:30.060 --> 00:22:31.200 and we were having 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:31.840 a conversation. 00:22:32.080 --> 00:22:32.360 He said, 00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:33.960 where does your happiness 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:34.660 come from? 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:36.540 We talked a little bit 00:22:36.540 --> 00:22:37.040 about that. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.420 He says, 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.100 where does your joy 00:22:39.100 --> 00:22:39.620 come from? 00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:42.560 Two different questions. 00:22:43.820 --> 00:22:45.000 So many of us 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:46.080 find our joy 00:22:46.080 --> 00:22:47.960 in the circumstances. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:50.060 And when our joy 00:22:50.060 --> 00:22:50.880 is found 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:52.080 in the circumstances 00:22:52.080 --> 00:22:53.480 of life, 00:22:53.820 --> 00:22:54.840 so many of us 00:22:54.840 --> 00:22:56.320 lose our joy 00:22:56.320 --> 00:22:57.620 in the exact 00:22:57.620 --> 00:22:59.260 same means. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:00.520 For the people 00:23:00.520 --> 00:23:01.080 of Jerusalem, 00:23:01.260 --> 00:23:01.920 they look out 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:02.480 and they see 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:03.140 this army 00:23:03.140 --> 00:23:04.220 surrounding them. 00:23:04.780 --> 00:23:05.600 They see that 00:23:05.600 --> 00:23:06.100 they are about 00:23:06.100 --> 00:23:07.100 to take them 00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:08.200 and take from them. 00:23:09.360 --> 00:23:10.040 But instead, 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:10.620 they're called 00:23:10.620 --> 00:23:11.280 to remember 00:23:11.280 --> 00:23:12.700 who God is 00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:13.880 and what God does 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:14.560 and that is not 00:23:14.560 --> 00:23:16.100 in what surrounds them 00:23:16.100 --> 00:23:16.840 where their joy, 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:17.720 where their hope, 00:23:17.840 --> 00:23:18.520 where their peace 00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:19.180 is found, 00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:20.060 but it's found 00:23:20.060 --> 00:23:20.540 in him 00:23:20.540 --> 00:23:21.720 who flows 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:22.860 through them. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:24.640 It's easy 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:25.760 to look around us 00:23:25.760 --> 00:23:27.520 and think 00:23:27.520 --> 00:23:28.300 that God has failed. 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:30.400 It's easy 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.420 to look in your life 00:23:31.420 --> 00:23:32.160 and in my life 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:33.060 and to see situations 00:23:33.060 --> 00:23:34.100 that didn't play out, 00:23:34.420 --> 00:23:35.120 situations that we 00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:35.920 would not have chosen 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:36.760 and to see 00:23:36.760 --> 00:23:37.480 where God has failed. 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:38.380 And I imagine 00:23:38.380 --> 00:23:39.740 if I'm Hezekiah, 00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:40.660 if I'm a person 00:23:40.660 --> 00:23:41.700 in Jerusalem right now, 00:23:41.800 --> 00:23:42.680 I'm looking out, 00:23:42.840 --> 00:23:43.540 I'm looking around 00:23:43.540 --> 00:23:44.320 and I'm seeing 00:23:44.320 --> 00:23:44.980 the army 00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:46.260 that is around me 00:23:46.260 --> 00:23:47.280 and the reality 00:23:47.280 --> 00:23:48.540 of what's happening, 00:23:48.660 --> 00:23:49.300 the reality 00:23:49.300 --> 00:23:50.440 of what's taking place. 00:23:50.700 --> 00:23:51.420 And in that 00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:52.600 and in this situation, 00:23:52.780 --> 00:23:53.820 it's easy to look 00:23:53.820 --> 00:23:54.180 and say, 00:23:54.360 --> 00:23:55.280 we've messed up, 00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:56.380 this is what happened 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:56.880 to us, 00:23:57.000 --> 00:23:58.600 but where are you, 00:23:58.780 --> 00:23:59.140 God? 00:24:01.040 --> 00:24:01.920 And have you ever 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:02.320 been there? 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.660 Have you ever been, 00:24:05.760 --> 00:24:06.460 where are you, God? 00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:08.480 Why God? 00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:10.740 I don't understand God. 00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:12.740 But God 00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:14.620 will always 00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:15.880 hold true 00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:17.140 to His word 00:24:17.140 --> 00:24:18.200 and true 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:18.820 to His promises. 00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:21.500 That the Israelites 00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.680 were chosen, 00:24:23.120 --> 00:24:23.920 not forsaken, 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:25.120 and that you 00:24:25.120 --> 00:24:26.020 and I 00:24:26.020 --> 00:24:26.660 can cling 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:28.100 to the same truth 00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:29.760 in spite of 00:24:29.760 --> 00:24:30.660 what surrounds us, 00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:32.240 in spite of 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:32.720 what comes 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:34.260 to consume us. 00:24:35.180 --> 00:24:35.560 So God 00:24:35.560 --> 00:24:36.300 rescued His people. 00:24:37.300 --> 00:24:38.080 He rescued His people. 00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:39.400 The Assyrians 00:24:39.400 --> 00:24:40.080 would not take Him. 00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:41.680 And God did it 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:43.580 in a miraculous way. 00:24:44.380 --> 00:24:44.780 One night, 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:45.300 the angel 00:24:45.300 --> 00:24:45.980 of the Lord 00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:46.900 came and struck 00:24:46.900 --> 00:24:47.420 down 00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:50.080 185,000 00:24:50.080 --> 00:24:50.980 Assyrians. 00:24:52.040 --> 00:24:53.160 And the king 00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:54.400 of Assyria 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.220 fled. 00:24:57.300 --> 00:24:58.000 You and I 00:24:58.000 --> 00:24:58.620 look for joy 00:24:58.620 --> 00:24:59.460 in a lot of ways. 00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:01.400 We look for joy 00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:02.260 in our circumstances. 00:25:03.360 --> 00:25:04.480 We look for joy 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.200 in our timing. 00:25:06.340 --> 00:25:06.940 We look for 00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:07.660 for joy 00:25:07.660 --> 00:25:08.720 in the creation 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.740 that we've been 00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:10.360 blessed with. 00:25:11.100 --> 00:25:11.820 But instead, 00:25:12.100 --> 00:25:12.800 we need to remember 00:25:12.800 --> 00:25:13.560 that our joy 00:25:13.560 --> 00:25:14.240 does not come 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.380 from our circumstances. 00:25:15.380 --> 00:25:16.200 That our joy 00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:16.740 does not come 00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:17.480 from our timing. 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.080 That our joy 00:25:18.080 --> 00:25:18.620 does not come 00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:19.340 from creation. 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:20.580 But that our joy 00:25:20.580 --> 00:25:21.720 comes from the one 00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:22.940 who's over the circumstances. 00:25:23.420 --> 00:25:24.080 That our joy 00:25:24.080 --> 00:25:24.980 comes from the one 00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:25.920 who is sovereign 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:26.880 over the timing. 00:25:27.040 --> 00:25:27.620 That our joy 00:25:27.620 --> 00:25:28.780 comes from the one 00:25:28.780 --> 00:25:30.780 who created creation. 00:25:31.380 --> 00:25:31.460 Right? 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:32.920 Romans 15, 00:25:33.100 --> 00:25:34.160 13 tells us, 00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.020 May the God 00:25:35.020 --> 00:25:35.480 of hope 00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:36.160 fill you 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:37.820 with all joy 00:25:37.820 --> 00:25:38.360 and peace. 00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.080 Comma, 00:25:41.760 --> 00:25:42.720 as you trust 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.000 him. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:45.040 As you trust 00:25:45.040 --> 00:25:45.260 him. 00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:46.640 Right? 00:25:47.340 --> 00:25:47.480 Well, 00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.040 I don't feel joy 00:25:48.040 --> 00:25:48.480 right now. 00:25:49.560 --> 00:25:49.820 Well, 00:25:49.820 --> 00:25:50.080 I don't feel 00:25:50.080 --> 00:25:50.420 peace. 00:25:51.300 --> 00:25:51.660 Why are you 00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:52.240 trusting the Lord? 00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:54.240 You trust him. 00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:55.340 You trust him 00:25:55.340 --> 00:25:55.960 and watch 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:56.360 where the joy 00:25:56.360 --> 00:25:56.860 comes from. 00:25:57.140 --> 00:25:57.800 You trust him. 00:25:58.040 --> 00:25:58.660 You trust him 00:25:58.660 --> 00:25:59.440 and you watch 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.200 where the peace 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:00.720 comes from. 00:26:01.080 --> 00:26:02.400 Joy comes from trust 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:03.920 and trust 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:04.840 comes from releasing. 00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:06.000 So I want to ask you 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:06.540 this question. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.060 What do you need 00:26:08.060 --> 00:26:08.800 to release today? 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.900 What do you need 00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:11.580 to release today? 00:26:12.620 --> 00:26:13.140 What do you need 00:26:13.140 --> 00:26:13.260 to say, 00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:13.380 God, 00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:17.180 it's 185,000 00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:18.000 soldiers 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:20.640 and I can't do it. 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:22.320 And God's saying, 00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:23.380 I know. 00:26:24.100 --> 00:26:25.200 So stop trying. 00:26:26.260 --> 00:26:27.060 What do you need 00:26:27.060 --> 00:26:28.680 to release today 00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:29.780 and trust 00:26:29.780 --> 00:26:30.980 that God will do 00:26:30.980 --> 00:26:32.180 as he wills. 00:26:32.820 --> 00:26:34.000 That God will do 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.880 as he plans. 00:26:36.100 --> 00:26:36.780 And that God 00:26:36.780 --> 00:26:37.880 will bring the end 00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:38.920 and we trust him 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:40.120 all the way through it. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:41.140 Lastly, 00:26:41.300 --> 00:26:42.840 verses 8 and 9. 00:26:44.540 --> 00:26:45.460 Hezekiah writes 00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:46.900 and he says, 00:26:47.160 --> 00:26:47.520 come behold 00:26:47.520 --> 00:26:48.560 the works of the Lord 00:26:48.560 --> 00:26:50.920 how he has brought 00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.800 desolations 00:26:51.800 --> 00:26:53.000 on the earth. 00:26:53.820 --> 00:26:55.040 He makes wars cease 00:26:55.040 --> 00:26:56.400 to the end 00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:57.100 of the earth. 00:26:57.620 --> 00:26:58.920 He breaks the bow 00:26:58.920 --> 00:26:59.560 and shatters 00:26:59.560 --> 00:27:00.620 the spear. 00:27:01.280 --> 00:27:02.880 He burns the chariots 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:03.640 with fire. 00:27:04.620 --> 00:27:05.280 Be still 00:27:05.280 --> 00:27:05.880 and know 00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:07.000 that I am God. 00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:09.000 I will be exalted 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:09.880 among the nations. 00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:11.880 I will be exalted 00:27:11.880 --> 00:27:13.300 in the earth 00:27:13.300 --> 00:27:14.780 and the Lord 00:27:14.780 --> 00:27:15.760 of hosts 00:27:15.760 --> 00:27:16.940 is with us. 00:27:17.280 --> 00:27:17.960 The God 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:18.940 of Jacob 00:27:18.940 --> 00:27:20.340 is our fortress, 00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:20.620 right? 00:27:21.120 --> 00:27:22.200 And for so many of us, 00:27:22.260 --> 00:27:22.780 we just heard 00:27:22.780 --> 00:27:23.340 that verse, 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:23.560 right? 00:27:23.620 --> 00:27:23.800 And went, 00:27:23.900 --> 00:27:24.140 aha, 00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:25.220 there it is. 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:26.460 Be still 00:27:26.460 --> 00:27:27.540 and know 00:27:27.540 --> 00:27:30.260 that I am God. 00:27:31.040 --> 00:27:32.020 In the midst 00:27:32.020 --> 00:27:33.280 of all of this, 00:27:33.460 --> 00:27:34.660 this is the heart 00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.820 and the posturing 00:27:35.820 --> 00:27:36.620 of what God 00:27:36.620 --> 00:27:37.480 is calling us to. 00:27:37.740 --> 00:27:38.400 And in this, 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.380 what we will see 00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:40.520 is that God 00:27:40.520 --> 00:27:42.220 is glorified. 00:27:43.060 --> 00:27:44.860 What we exist for, 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:46.260 what our purpose is, 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:47.200 where our meaning 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:47.780 is found 00:27:47.780 --> 00:27:49.000 in the glory 00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:50.900 and in the exaltation 00:27:50.900 --> 00:27:52.120 of the one 00:27:52.120 --> 00:27:54.200 and only God, 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:56.440 the living God. 00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:58.260 And so right now, 00:27:58.320 --> 00:27:59.460 you feel like you're surrounded. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:00.540 Right now, 00:28:00.620 --> 00:28:02.040 you feel like you lay in fear. 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:02.840 Right now, 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:03.920 you wake up 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:04.300 and that 00:28:04.300 --> 00:28:05.700 in which has held you 00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:06.560 in captivity 00:28:06.560 --> 00:28:07.460 is gone. 00:28:07.600 --> 00:28:08.800 And this is what happens 00:28:08.800 --> 00:28:09.620 to Jerusalem. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.760 They just wake up 00:28:10.760 --> 00:28:11.280 one morning, 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.380 they look out the windows, 00:28:12.680 --> 00:28:13.280 dead bodies. 00:28:14.800 --> 00:28:16.080 They wake up one morning 00:28:16.080 --> 00:28:17.620 and equipment 00:28:17.620 --> 00:28:18.920 that's been walked away from, 00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:21.300 tents that are empty. 00:28:22.140 --> 00:28:23.840 They wake up one morning 00:28:23.840 --> 00:28:24.820 and weapons 00:28:24.820 --> 00:28:25.820 that were held 00:28:25.820 --> 00:28:26.480 and challenged 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.560 to their life 00:28:27.560 --> 00:28:29.800 are laid down. 00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:31.580 But yet, 00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:32.320 no battle 00:28:32.320 --> 00:28:34.460 on this earth 00:28:34.460 --> 00:28:36.380 amongst men 00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:38.460 has taken place 00:28:38.460 --> 00:28:40.180 and God 00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:41.460 has won. 00:28:42.840 --> 00:28:43.460 And God says, 00:28:43.620 --> 00:28:44.060 in that, 00:28:44.560 --> 00:28:45.300 what we do 00:28:45.300 --> 00:28:46.240 is we give Him glory. 00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:48.040 We give Him glory. 00:28:48.660 --> 00:28:50.180 To give God glory 00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:52.640 is to rightly acknowledge 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:53.400 and give praise. 00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:54.880 Right? 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:56.620 And so this verse 00:28:56.620 --> 00:28:58.720 that we've uttered, 00:28:59.340 --> 00:29:00.160 this verse 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:01.800 that we've clinged to 00:29:01.800 --> 00:29:03.220 begins to be more 00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:04.580 and more real 00:29:04.580 --> 00:29:05.400 as we see 00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:06.100 and understand 00:29:06.100 --> 00:29:07.660 of what's going on. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:08.900 Be still 00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:10.800 and know 00:29:10.800 --> 00:29:11.700 that I am God 00:29:11.700 --> 00:29:14.820 and I will be exalted 00:29:14.820 --> 00:29:16.100 in the earth. 00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:16.600 Right? 00:29:17.700 --> 00:29:18.800 There's three phrases 00:29:18.800 --> 00:29:20.280 that form one sentence 00:29:20.280 --> 00:29:21.780 that give us so much hope 00:29:21.780 --> 00:29:23.360 and purpose 00:29:23.360 --> 00:29:24.620 and passion 00:29:24.620 --> 00:29:25.320 for the gospel. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:26.220 Right? 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:27.140 God says first, 00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:27.700 be still. 00:29:28.780 --> 00:29:29.440 Be still. 00:29:30.340 --> 00:29:31.420 This phrase, 00:29:31.520 --> 00:29:32.020 be still, 00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:33.400 literally means 00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:34.160 take your hands 00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:34.700 off of it. 00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:35.700 Right? 00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:37.740 Take your hands 00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:38.300 off 00:29:38.300 --> 00:29:40.340 and relax. 00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:42.200 And relax. 00:29:42.760 --> 00:29:43.840 So what's going on 00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:44.720 in your life, 00:29:44.800 --> 00:29:45.620 what's going on 00:29:45.620 --> 00:29:46.380 in those battles 00:29:46.380 --> 00:29:47.780 is the reminder 00:29:47.780 --> 00:29:48.400 right here 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:49.240 that you 00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.380 in your ability, 00:29:50.800 --> 00:29:51.260 that you 00:29:51.260 --> 00:29:52.340 in your means, 00:29:52.600 --> 00:29:53.100 that you 00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:54.240 in your own power, 00:29:54.440 --> 00:29:55.280 you do not have 00:29:55.280 --> 00:29:55.740 the fight. 00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:56.540 God does. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:57.200 Be still. 00:29:58.440 --> 00:29:58.960 Let it go. 00:30:00.280 --> 00:30:00.860 Let it go. 00:30:02.080 --> 00:30:03.520 But letting it go 00:30:03.520 --> 00:30:04.400 acknowledges 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:05.400 that it's no longer 00:30:05.400 --> 00:30:06.240 about your way. 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:08.860 Letting it go 00:30:08.860 --> 00:30:10.300 means that you 00:30:10.300 --> 00:30:11.000 let it go 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:11.380 and that you 00:30:11.380 --> 00:30:12.220 let go of control. 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:14.220 And he says, 00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:15.520 know that I am God. 00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:17.520 Know that I am God. 00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:19.600 Acknowledge him. 00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:21.960 Stop taking credit 00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:23.200 in the victory 00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:25.120 and give God 00:30:25.120 --> 00:30:26.240 the credit he deserves. 00:30:27.320 --> 00:30:28.360 We do it all the time. 00:30:28.660 --> 00:30:29.720 I do it all the time. 00:30:30.300 --> 00:30:32.020 We do it in our mind. 00:30:32.320 --> 00:30:33.920 We do it in our hearts. 00:30:34.120 --> 00:30:35.720 We do it in our words 00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:36.640 and our action. 00:30:37.020 --> 00:30:37.980 God blesses. 00:30:38.260 --> 00:30:39.020 God works. 00:30:39.300 --> 00:30:40.080 And let me take 00:30:40.080 --> 00:30:40.900 the credit for it. 00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:41.080 Right? 00:30:42.020 --> 00:30:42.640 But instead, 00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:44.000 declare who he is 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:44.840 and what he's done. 00:30:45.040 --> 00:30:46.300 So you gain victory 00:30:46.300 --> 00:30:47.780 in your finances. 00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.740 Let people know 00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:50.760 it's because of the Lord. 00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:52.840 You gain victory 00:30:52.840 --> 00:30:54.380 in your marriage. 00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:55.540 Let them know 00:30:55.540 --> 00:30:57.080 that it's because of God 00:30:57.080 --> 00:30:58.420 and let people know it. 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:00.820 You gain victory 00:31:00.820 --> 00:31:01.840 in your relationship 00:31:01.840 --> 00:31:02.840 with your kids, 00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:03.720 at work, 00:31:03.900 --> 00:31:04.620 with your neighbor. 00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:06.320 Let everyone know 00:31:06.320 --> 00:31:07.160 that it's not 00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:08.180 by your doing, 00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:08.960 that it's not 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:09.900 by your power, 00:31:09.900 --> 00:31:10.660 that it's not 00:31:10.660 --> 00:31:11.760 by your means, 00:31:12.080 --> 00:31:12.660 but instead, 00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:14.060 it's by the gracious 00:31:14.060 --> 00:31:16.180 working of the hand 00:31:16.180 --> 00:31:17.000 of God. 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:19.480 And we praise him for it. 00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:21.360 We praise him for it. 00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:23.520 And he says, 00:31:24.520 --> 00:31:25.100 and I 00:31:25.100 --> 00:31:27.100 will be exalted 00:31:27.100 --> 00:31:28.660 in the earth. 00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.640 I will be exalted 00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:31.220 in the earth. 00:31:32.500 --> 00:31:32.840 You know, 00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:34.980 God's people then 00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:37.400 and God's people today 00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:40.120 continually look 00:31:40.120 --> 00:31:41.100 to others 00:31:41.100 --> 00:31:41.800 to help them 00:31:41.800 --> 00:31:42.560 in the time of need. 00:31:43.560 --> 00:31:44.140 God's people 00:31:44.140 --> 00:31:45.120 during this time 00:31:45.120 --> 00:31:46.660 thought about Egypt. 00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:47.860 Well, 00:31:47.860 --> 00:31:49.000 I wonder if the Egyptians 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.240 could come 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:50.800 and help us. 00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:51.780 You remember 00:31:51.780 --> 00:31:52.680 the Egyptians 00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:54.060 that held us captive, 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:55.240 the Egyptians 00:31:55.240 --> 00:31:56.980 that enslaved us, 00:31:57.300 --> 00:31:58.100 the Egyptians 00:31:58.100 --> 00:31:59.240 that brought us from 00:31:59.240 --> 00:32:00.760 and that God saved us 00:32:00.760 --> 00:32:01.580 and that God 00:32:01.580 --> 00:32:02.620 redeemed us from. 00:32:02.920 --> 00:32:05.000 Maybe they can be 00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:05.900 the ones 00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:07.080 that help us. 00:32:07.420 --> 00:32:08.420 They can be the ones 00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:09.180 to set us free. 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:09.820 But God says, 00:32:09.900 --> 00:32:10.160 no, no, no, 00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:11.300 it's about me 00:32:11.300 --> 00:32:12.300 and what I'm gonna do. 00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:13.520 So what does that 00:32:13.520 --> 00:32:14.240 look like for us? 00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:15.600 You ever been 00:32:15.600 --> 00:32:16.560 in a financial trouble 00:32:16.560 --> 00:32:18.140 and thought, 00:32:18.460 --> 00:32:20.260 if I just have more money, 00:32:21.260 --> 00:32:22.280 then I could fix it. 00:32:23.040 --> 00:32:23.940 But if you did, 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:24.640 here's the truth, 00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:25.120 then the money 00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:26.140 would be what saved you 00:32:26.140 --> 00:32:26.680 and not God. 00:32:28.100 --> 00:32:29.000 Have you ever thought 00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:29.980 if my spouse 00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:31.120 would just change, 00:32:32.060 --> 00:32:32.920 then my marriage 00:32:32.920 --> 00:32:33.840 would be strong. 00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:35.920 But then your spouse 00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:36.900 would be what saved 00:32:36.900 --> 00:32:37.480 your marriage 00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:39.340 and not God. 00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:41.160 Or maybe this is 00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:42.020 even more like it, 00:32:42.260 --> 00:32:43.020 if my spouse 00:32:43.020 --> 00:32:44.140 would just listen to me, 00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:46.380 but then you would be 00:32:46.380 --> 00:32:47.180 your own savior 00:32:47.180 --> 00:32:48.260 of your own marriage 00:32:48.260 --> 00:32:49.680 and not God. 00:32:50.360 --> 00:32:51.220 if my kids 00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:52.020 would just change, 00:32:52.080 --> 00:32:52.700 if my job 00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:53.680 would just change. 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:56.040 And then in all of these, 00:32:56.160 --> 00:32:57.300 the glory goes to you, 00:32:57.420 --> 00:32:58.500 the glory goes to me, 00:32:58.640 --> 00:32:59.920 the glory goes to others 00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:01.940 instead of it 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:02.660 just being to God. 00:33:04.320 --> 00:33:05.320 I'm gonna ask you this morning. 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:08.120 as you look out 00:33:08.120 --> 00:33:10.700 into the battlefields 00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:11.360 of your life, 00:33:11.800 --> 00:33:13.080 what do you see? 00:33:14.760 --> 00:33:15.700 Where's the battle 00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:16.820 that's taking place? 00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:19.960 Where do you see 00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:21.140 that the struggle 00:33:21.140 --> 00:33:22.260 is coming from? 00:33:23.260 --> 00:33:23.960 Let me ask you this. 00:33:24.380 --> 00:33:24.940 Are you finding 00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:25.700 your strength 00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:27.220 in God 00:33:27.220 --> 00:33:28.660 and power 00:33:28.660 --> 00:33:29.420 in his will? 00:33:30.420 --> 00:33:31.460 Do you feel 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.700 that your joy 00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:34.500 comes and goes 00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:35.900 and flows 00:33:35.900 --> 00:33:37.440 and in and out? 00:33:37.540 --> 00:33:38.280 Well, maybe you're 00:33:38.280 --> 00:33:39.340 looking for joy 00:33:39.340 --> 00:33:39.820 in something 00:33:39.820 --> 00:33:41.020 that was never created 00:33:41.020 --> 00:33:41.800 to give you joy. 00:33:43.180 --> 00:33:43.340 Right? 00:33:45.260 --> 00:33:46.940 And when the victory comes, 00:33:47.820 --> 00:33:49.700 when the battle is won, 00:33:51.500 --> 00:33:52.920 who do you declare 00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:54.580 is the victor? 00:33:56.260 --> 00:33:56.500 Right? 00:33:56.520 --> 00:33:57.580 What a great testimony 00:33:57.580 --> 00:34:00.800 to those at work, 00:34:01.540 --> 00:34:02.980 to those in your home, 00:34:03.700 --> 00:34:04.760 to those that God 00:34:04.760 --> 00:34:06.100 have given you. 00:34:06.900 --> 00:34:07.880 Of, you know, 00:34:07.900 --> 00:34:08.300 my marriage 00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:09.100 was falling apart. 00:34:10.560 --> 00:34:11.620 My finances 00:34:11.620 --> 00:34:12.380 were struggling. 00:34:13.560 --> 00:34:14.160 My kids 00:34:14.160 --> 00:34:15.200 are in rebellion. 00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:17.140 And it's not 00:34:17.140 --> 00:34:18.120 because I read a book. 00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:20.160 It's not because 00:34:20.160 --> 00:34:21.320 I started doing things 00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:22.400 differently. 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:25.080 It might have been used. 00:34:25.160 --> 00:34:25.520 It might have been 00:34:25.520 --> 00:34:26.520 a part of it. 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:28.200 But ultimately, 00:34:29.080 --> 00:34:29.800 the glory 00:34:29.800 --> 00:34:31.040 and credit 00:34:31.040 --> 00:34:32.440 goes to the Lord. 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:34.220 Because he 00:34:34.220 --> 00:34:36.020 is faithful. 00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:37.580 Would you pray with me? 00:34:44.040 --> 00:34:44.680 Lord God, 00:34:44.680 --> 00:34:45.580 we praise you 00:34:45.580 --> 00:34:48.140 that you are 00:34:48.140 --> 00:34:48.820 our refuge 00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:49.680 and our strength. 00:34:52.780 --> 00:34:53.220 Lord, 00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:53.700 as we look 00:34:53.700 --> 00:34:54.420 at these words 00:34:54.420 --> 00:34:55.140 that are found 00:34:55.140 --> 00:34:56.600 in this scripture, 00:34:57.200 --> 00:34:59.300 we're reminded 00:34:59.300 --> 00:34:59.920 of the battles 00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.720 that we face 00:35:00.720 --> 00:35:01.940 on a daily basis. 00:35:03.740 --> 00:35:04.420 A battle 00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.320 that when we face 00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:06.260 in our own power 00:35:06.260 --> 00:35:07.240 and on our ability 00:35:07.240 --> 00:35:08.080 is too much. 00:35:10.180 --> 00:35:10.940 It feels like 00:35:10.940 --> 00:35:12.920 185,000 soldiers 00:35:12.920 --> 00:35:14.200 that have surrounded us. 00:35:16.040 --> 00:35:17.120 And we need to run, 00:35:17.220 --> 00:35:17.940 we need to flee, 00:35:18.060 --> 00:35:18.880 we need to wave 00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:20.040 the white flag. 00:35:20.820 --> 00:35:21.560 We need to look at 00:35:21.560 --> 00:35:22.120 someone else 00:35:22.120 --> 00:35:23.500 to come and secure us 00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:24.960 and rescue us. 00:35:26.700 --> 00:35:27.220 Lord, 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:28.080 instead of 00:35:28.080 --> 00:35:29.920 falling down 00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:30.560 before you, 00:35:31.560 --> 00:35:32.960 to be still, 00:35:33.640 --> 00:35:34.760 to know 00:35:34.760 --> 00:35:35.700 that you're God. 00:35:36.780 --> 00:35:37.380 Lord, 00:35:37.420 --> 00:35:38.300 and to release 00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:41.200 and to give you glory 00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:43.700 because of your faithfulness. 00:35:45.740 --> 00:35:46.140 Lord, 00:35:46.180 --> 00:35:46.540 I pray 00:35:46.540 --> 00:35:47.340 that as we 00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:49.600 go through the battles 00:35:49.600 --> 00:35:51.620 and daily fights 00:35:51.620 --> 00:35:52.380 that we face, 00:35:53.700 --> 00:35:53.940 Lord, 00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:54.300 I pray 00:35:54.300 --> 00:35:55.160 for the depth 00:35:55.160 --> 00:35:56.580 of trust 00:35:56.580 --> 00:35:59.120 that you've 00:35:59.120 --> 00:35:59.740 called us to. 00:36:01.600 --> 00:36:02.240 The depth 00:36:02.240 --> 00:36:02.780 of trust 00:36:02.780 --> 00:36:03.740 to lean not in 00:36:03.740 --> 00:36:04.340 on our own 00:36:04.340 --> 00:36:04.920 understanding, 00:36:05.180 --> 00:36:05.260 Lord, 00:36:05.340 --> 00:36:05.760 but to know 00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:06.300 that you 00:36:06.300 --> 00:36:08.140 are sovereign 00:36:08.140 --> 00:36:08.840 and holy 00:36:08.840 --> 00:36:09.560 and in control. 00:36:13.500 --> 00:36:14.060 To know 00:36:14.060 --> 00:36:14.800 that the victory 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:15.680 is found 00:36:15.680 --> 00:36:19.120 in a greater plan 00:36:19.120 --> 00:36:20.220 and a greater purpose 00:36:20.220 --> 00:36:24.820 than what we 00:36:24.820 --> 00:36:25.620 could ride out. 00:36:29.100 --> 00:36:29.540 Lord, 00:36:29.600 --> 00:36:29.840 Lord, 00:36:29.900 --> 00:36:30.300 we just need 00:36:30.300 --> 00:36:31.080 to trust you. 00:36:33.020 --> 00:36:33.960 Not in some, 00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:36.780 but in all. 00:36:40.180 --> 00:36:40.580 Lord, 00:36:40.620 --> 00:36:41.000 I pray 00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:41.540 as we got 00:36:41.540 --> 00:36:45.180 our battles 00:36:45.180 --> 00:36:45.920 that we face 00:36:45.920 --> 00:36:49.960 through your grace 00:36:49.960 --> 00:36:50.640 and your kindness, 00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:51.060 Lord, 00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.560 that we find 00:36:52.560 --> 00:36:53.120 strength 00:36:53.120 --> 00:36:54.320 in you 00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:56.160 and in you alone. 00:36:58.000 --> 00:36:58.440 Lord, 00:36:58.480 --> 00:36:59.680 draw us to you 00:36:59.680 --> 00:37:01.840 so that we can 00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:03.480 refuge in you. 00:37:05.380 --> 00:37:06.380 Know your will 00:37:06.380 --> 00:37:08.900 and know your purpose 00:37:08.900 --> 00:37:11.120 and know your plan. 00:37:13.740 --> 00:37:14.300 Lord, 00:37:14.340 --> 00:37:14.880 remind us 00:37:14.880 --> 00:37:15.920 of your faithfulness, 00:37:16.700 --> 00:37:17.720 of our joy 00:37:17.720 --> 00:37:18.420 that is found 00:37:18.420 --> 00:37:18.900 in you. 00:37:19.700 --> 00:37:20.460 our hope 00:37:20.460 --> 00:37:21.020 that is found 00:37:21.020 --> 00:37:21.520 in you 00:37:21.520 --> 00:37:22.980 and our peace 00:37:22.980 --> 00:37:23.460 that's found 00:37:23.460 --> 00:37:23.980 in you. 00:37:26.040 --> 00:37:26.320 And that, 00:37:26.560 --> 00:37:26.560 Lord, 00:37:26.620 --> 00:37:27.680 for us to experience 00:37:27.680 --> 00:37:28.460 that is to 00:37:28.460 --> 00:37:29.420 trust you. 00:37:30.180 --> 00:37:31.180 Not with a part, 00:37:31.300 --> 00:37:31.860 but with a whole. 00:37:33.580 --> 00:37:34.700 Not with a section, 00:37:35.740 --> 00:37:37.600 but with all of it. 00:37:41.760 --> 00:37:42.360 And, Lord, 00:37:42.400 --> 00:37:43.340 may we be still 00:37:43.340 --> 00:37:45.500 and know that you 00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:45.960 are God 00:37:45.960 --> 00:37:48.880 and see that your name 00:37:48.880 --> 00:37:50.840 will be exalted 00:37:50.840 --> 00:37:52.720 among the nations. 00:37:52.720 --> 00:38:10.180 thanks again for listening 00:38:10.180 --> 00:38:11.320 to the Willow Ridge Church 00:38:11.320 --> 00:38:12.300 weekly podcast. 00:38:12.580 --> 00:38:13.620 We hope that you enjoyed 00:38:13.620 --> 00:38:14.920 listening to this week's message. 00:38:15.160 --> 00:38:16.480 If you'd like to learn more 00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:17.320 about who we are 00:38:17.320 --> 00:38:18.940 or explore additional resources, 00:38:19.540 --> 00:38:20.420 visit us online 00:38:20.420 --> 00:38:23.980 at www.willowridgechurch.com 00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:25.180 or by searching 00:38:25.180 --> 00:38:26.200 for Willow Ridge Church 00:38:26.200 --> 00:38:27.520 on Facebook and Instagram.