The Joy of Forgiveness

Good evening again to you as pastor Michael Carnes of beacon Baptist Church conducting another lifestream midweek prayer service for congregation and others who perhaps are tuning in. Grateful for your presence with us tonight and let me read the words of the hymn. This is what we need.

I think above most any for everything else in our day in our world and in our lives revive. I work, oh Lord thy mighty arm make their speak with the voice that wakes the dead, and make thy people here revive iWork oh Lord, disturb the sleep of death. Quicken, the smoldering embers now by design, Almighty breath revive iWork oh Lord, create soul first for the and hungering for the bread of life. Oh, may our spirits be revive iWork oh Lord, exalt thy precious name and by the Holy Ghost, our love for the & inflame will will said words set to music to focus our thoughts and minds and attention where they need to be on the prayer sheet to top of the sheet is Psalm five verse 11 and 12 but let all those rejoice, who put their trust in you. Let them ever shout for joy because you defend them. Let those also who love your name be joyful and you for you, oh Lord will bless the righteous with favor you will surround him.

As with a shield. Would you please join me as we look to the Lord of all our hearts and minds before him quiet our hearts and ask him to draw near to us and to meet with us and bless our time together. Father, we acknowledge our weaknesses. We acknowledge our frailties are finiteness our creature status. We acknowledge that the earth is yours and the fullness thereof, and all will therein that it is indeed in you that we live and breathe and have hard being. We owe our very existence to you are very life to you and we acknowledge that tonight you hold our lives in the palm of your hand. Therefore, Lord, we ask that you would strengthen us in the inner person make this time profitable for our souls. Lord, we confess that we can very easily get distracted and lose our way in this fallen world, and we need reminded that we are but pilgrims simply passing through looking for a city whose maker and builder is God. Lord we ask you to draw near to us. We ask that you would enliven our hearts, do what even the hymn writer has expressed create soul first for you cause us to hunger and thirst for righteousness, or is the hymn writer is put it for the bread of life and oh God if it would please you to bear your arm and Quicken. Those who were dead in trespasses and sins, and make them alive, you have done that for all who know you in a saving way. That is our hope for those who were yet strangers to your grace that you would do for them what you have done for us and we thank you for the truth that you who have begun a good work in us will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that you are working in this world to accomplish your eternal decrees that you are working in us both to will and to do according to your good pleasure. So encourage us with these truths and bless our time together as we look to you for that blessing. We pray in Jesus name, amen. Well, we will continue on Sunday as we have grown accustomed to over these past four or five months together on Sunday morning for people present service would encourage you to come and we are trying to accommodate you for social distancing every other pew is marked off encouraging you to common wear a mask and I hear people talk to someone again on Sunday said I just I just hate wearing a mask and I want to say will join the club all on.

I don't know anybody says you know what I just I enjoy awareness it make such a fashion statement. I feel so much better. Nobody thinks that nobody feels that way, but were doing that because it's a way of serving one another is ministering to one another is not focused on me. It's focused on other people and we serve one another and show concern for one another by protecting one another and we wear those particularly as we sing so just a reminder about that would be sad if we had visitors who would come sir's church perhaps is eating more reps or visitor to the area. They come and look around and say well. People aren't serious about following protocol in protecting one another. I not comfortable here. I think I'll not come back would want anybody to not return to a place where they can receive spiritual benefit for some temporal reason like that. So let's be mindful and let's be other centered as we think about our responsibility and our stewardship next Tuesday, November 10, the elders, the beacon elders and deacons will be meeting for their monthly meeting fellowship also is reminder concerning that continue to lifestream on Wednesday night and Sunday night particular focus on Sunday nights added to our typical routine is a video update for from a particular field of mission service aware in partnership with someone we had about an 11 minute video from Tom and Connie Chapman from Chile last Sunday night this coming Sunday night. I was very encouraging a video to share with you from a Paul and Trish Snyder their ministry so look forward to that. Look at prayer requests here in a minute. Let me for lack of a better way of speaking to this, let me address the the elephant in the room and that is our concern over the elections that took place yesterday and most of us were when Arnold I can't speak for anyone I know. I personally was up late watching at an interested what was developing so little short on sleep last night and perhaps you and you were the same, but a few days ago I was checking the website concerning Samaritan ministries, which is a health sharing ministry that I participate in form my own health care on that site was this short article 4 ways Christians should respond to the election results not keep in mind we did know any results. It simply was basically a generic article to suggest how Christians should be responding in the author is Daniel Darling. He is a an author don't know much about them but what I read. Encouraged by him again read the whole article, but I want to read a couple of things about it as he said four ways Christians should respond to the elections. Those four ways were number one. Be thankful number 2B, C, be gracious. Number three be hopeful. Number four be prayerful and I thought for our purposes tonight might find benefit by me reading this short part of its speaks to being thankful.

He says yes I know, elections can be nasty politicians often appeal to our basest instincts. TV ads depict opponents in the worst possible light.

And everyone argues online for reasons nobody really quite stance and yet we should in some ways, be thankful for the noise in the chaos and the rancor of our representative republic. It means that our leaders are not put in power by force or by birthright, but by the vote of the people the partisanship we so often decries a feature of the people most people around the world have no choice in who leads them. They don't get a vote.

Leaders are instead put in power by military might and autocratic rule.

There is much to lament about America's growing instability and it could lead in the future to increased instability. When Christians engage in tribal partisanship, it damages our Christian witness. But we should be thankful for the privilege of free elections in the stewardship God has granted us to use our influence to shape the governments that lead us and that's the first thing and then the last thing be prayerful, be prayerful, be thankful and be prayerful, be prayerful, we may be uncertain about what the immediate future holds after this election but we are certain about our responsibility as followers of Jesus. Paul commands Timothy and first Timothy chapter 2 in verse two to pray for all of those in authority. Imagine if we prayed as much as we tweeted our text text or posted about politics and in a postelection environment. We should pray specifically, both for the leaders who have been voted out of office in those who are newly elected and he says some specifics about that but just a reminder of our God-given responsibility to be prayerful for those that God has put in authority above us in the political sphere so that's all I intend to say tonight about the elections, but I do want to say that Carly Nayar proud grandparents of our first grandson's name is Daniel Webster Hemmings born to our daughter Abigail and her husband Dan last evening around 1030 after a long protracted labor of about 30 hours but God was kind and gracious to Abigail and to Daniel Webster and he is a healthy little boy and Abigail had courage and endurance and stamina to endure the labor and they are recovering his name comes from both sides of our families. Webster was the middle name of Dan's great-grandfather and his name was Daniel C. Yes, his name was Daniel Webster Hemmings, our son-in-law, Dan was named after him in our grandson's name is Webster Davis Webster Davis Hemmings Ross are come sorry man I'm not to get this straight. His name is Webster Ross Hemmings. I think I've given them by three different names there tonight. His name is his name is Webster Ross Hemmings Webster Ross Hemmings Ross. His middle name is Carly's father's name.

Abigail's grandfather, so they wanted to honor Abigail's grandfather and Dan's great grandfather.

So again, our grandson's name is Webster Ross Hemmings boy got I got that straightened straightened out.

So thank you for praying for for Abigail and for our grandson and we are thrilled with God's kindness to us is take a look at the prayer side of our sheet with that reminder to pray for those in authority.

Leaders we want to remember the government official. The wiki lawn Mayor Jerry Talley praises of already mentioned our grandson, Webster Ross. He weighed 9 pounds. 6 pounds. 9 ounces and was 18 and three-quarter inches long. Scott Hayes look had hernia surgery and is recovering from that for which were grateful Bill Trousdale had surgery for an aneurysm that went well last week and is scheduled for an additional surgery on tomorrow at Duke to repair another aneurysm so remember him if he would from under members Amanda Abernathy is struggling a bit. Quite a bit of discomfort yet from a dislocated shoulder. She's caring for caring for three children and that is complicating her recovery drew Guthrie had a procedure does stretch her esophagus on Monday and they have biopsied a mass that they found it is cancerous and she is very much in need of our prayers. Others really doctors are trying to determine what it is they can do for her right now there don't believe that where this where the cancer is that it's operable so please pull Drew in the family as they wait on the Lord concerning this need. Nelly Hunter is set recovering from recent surgery on her elbow. Larry was having some issues.

Went to the doctor and they said they need to help him with his salt intake so dietary instructions are for Larry continue remember both of them in prayer. Lily Norris is recovering from a cracked wrist and broken bone in her arm or Pope struggling with health issues and COPD, Mary Shaw, she's facing a long rehab with her shoulder surgery and Shirley Watkins as she is weak but at home and recovering some strength so please pray for Shirley Brooke Faust, daughter Johnny and Pam fast was involved in a serious car accident.

I think this happened on Saturday evening.

She's in Moses Cone Hospital had one surgery to repair a badly broken hip facing additional surgeries and other needs. There in that situation we would ask you to pray Sue Lynch's see Eddie Phillips is a neighbor to a friend of Sue Lynch got his hands caught in a corn picker lost all of his fingers on one hand and held up his other hand pretty badly. Let's sad sad. Please remember this man, Eddie Phillips under missionaries continue. Remember Trevor and Teresa Johnson and their family: Trish Schneider Stuart wall and Laverne is there in Johannesburg. Stuart, recovering from recent liver transplant haven't really heard anything recently which normally means that things are progressing, but I did see on the wire come across on my computer that things are very very deteriorating economically in Zimbabwe.

Please remember the country.

The churches the pastors those we know and love their in the section of sympathy for remembering the family of Gary Hendrix, his family and his home going Max Hudson and uncle of Jamie Henshaw and Tracy Gary Max was that a local rest home and had contracted COBIT but had recovered from it and died rather suddenly. I don't know that they have determined the cause, but he will be missed.

So remember that family and then Ben Vestal, brother of Lori Craig and Lee Vestal former member of beacon passed away this past Sunday morning in Lynchburg, Virginia. Ben had a solid testimony of faith. Christ read all of this, but this was an email forwarded to us by Lori Craig and I just read this paragraph here at 19 years old then reached out to God asking about the true meaning of life.

God led them out of a life of sin and darkness and to himself.

In 1975 but then began attending Liberty University and while there is life was most changed by his apologetics and creation studies that provided him with a firm foundation for his faith in Christ.

As he approached death.

Ben spoke often about the PC had in the Lord. He knew what awaited him was his eternal destiny and he told us the cancer was just his ticket to get there.

He loved to quote Henry M. Morris quote the future is bound up in the past ones belief concerning his origin will inevitably determine his belief concerning his purpose and his destiny. Ben lived long enough to celebrate his 67th birthday with his family but he is now in the presence of the Lord. We are envious of him, but sorrowful for his family and those who loved him, who were left behind under salvation. There are two names that are highlighted and that is Andrew Fleming is a nephew of Amy Freeman was in a motorcycle accident over the weekend very banged up, but his life he was wearing his helmet and there, praying that the Lord will use this to work in his heart and then you see the name of Dr. Margie persons.

This is a sister of Bonnie Hoy. She fell down some stairs and fell on cement. On Saturday, October 31. She's to be having some plastic surgeries because she fell on her face. So please, so uphold this person is Margie persons in prayer not only for these physical needs, but her need for the Lord Jesus Christ to new names. Well, not new names but to highlighted names under the cancer section that does not mean any of the other names are less important is just we have updates here concerning Shirley Rocky. Shirley is a teacher elements Christian schools in the hospital last week with stroke symptoms and after a lot of testing, they found cancer in her lungs. So there's real need there and Shirley Rocky's life. This is Jim Rocky. Laura Rocky's son who was a member of this church for four years. Shirley is Jim's wife and then Gaylord Rempel, father of Leanne Michael Hannon.

He is scheduled for surgery this coming Monday, November 9 to remove the lower right lobe of his lung.

So been diagnosed with cancer, but they believe that the cancer is localized there in their planning to remove that portion that's cancerous. He is 81 years of age and has heart and liver issues. So he is a bit at risk. So I know Leanne would much appreciate our prayers for father. Well try to get a lot of things done here this evening. Let me mention this accident facts supply these out here on the table in the connecting hallway. What caught my attention is an article on hummingbirds by design fascinating article about the is the incredible way. God is created. These birds send their navigation system and just so many interesting things that will cause you to rejoice in such a God that would create such a bird for our enjoyment and for his own glory so I picked that up hummingbirds by design accident facts here is just a short reminder from Piedmont rescue mission. Their motto is offering a hand up, not a hand out and I love that he's talking about the greater vision banquet that the typically have in October. But because of COBIT have had to augment and make some adjustments so there's no banquet per se this year but they're having a fundraiser is a greater vision online event. He says this. We are already getting responses from churches and of our former guest speakers who will be who will be coming or making a video for us to share with you the night of the event night of the event is a week from tomorrow night, November 12 from 630 to 830 and he said you be able to get the link to the event through the PR M website or the Piedmont rescue Mission Facebook account, so he says we will also have women from the pregnancy services men from the rescue mission giving testimony as to how God has worked in their lives.

So just a heads up that is a week from tomorrow night 630 to 8 o'clock to noon for part of it or all of it and learn about this ministry and be encouraged about what God is doing through Piedmont rescue mission. This is from Mike and Melanie Webster who are serving the Lord in France. He has a couple sections here at first his victories. He says in June. Churches were allowed together again for public worship.

After two months of strict lockdown, much is required for reopening, including rearranging the building sanitizing in a number of other things he says reopening proved to be as much of a challenge as adapting to online ministry has been in March.

But in spite of it all, a sweet spirit is prevailed in our services. Ever since said a special blessing. In recent weeks was the salvation of a dying husband known and prayed for by the church over many years. He is now with the Savior challenges and the challenge that he speaks of is not unique to France at something that's happening all over the all over the world really, but he says evidence of a second wave of the coronavirus is brought about renewed regulations and restrictions in much of Europe are areas currently under a strict curfew and masks are required in public, even outside. This is again making it difficult to meet during the week since people need time to make it home before the 9 PM curfew work and school schedules make it hard for them to come earlier. Over the years Melanie has struggled to control different sensory issues linked to her epilepsy mask wearing is extremely difficult for her as our the odors related to hand sanitizer hand sanitizers some that's what I'll mention there in terms of challenges, and then he says, like many, like many of the world over. We are experiencing a reality were planning is difficult and subject to change Mike's current health situation is added a new dimension. See, he's had a biopsy at a colonoscopy had a biopsy there waiting on a second result so there are a bit up in the air concerning his health so he says please pray with us for clarity and direction on things and for the grace of God to accept his will in what he wills and plans for our lives.

So that's Mike and Melanie Webster and this is from a C loss longer compos in Brazil dear friends in Christ, greetings from Brazil. The highlight of this month was our annual conference for pastors and church leaders over the last 15 years we've had an attendance of 2000 pastors this year. We had 1340 L online for which we are very thankful different speakers talk about different aspects of biblical counseling. God used each one of them to instruct and encourage these leaders. Most of them are young pastors leading small churches in the interior parts of Brazil. I see loss had the opportunity of closing this event with a sermon on Psalm 107. This song reminds us that our God is a merciful God describe several acts of deliverance that God did, even to people who had been unfaithful to him four years ago we received the challenge of revitalizing an old Baptist Church located in the old downtown area of campanile city. It is a large city with more than 1 million people with God's blessing through the preaching of the word. The church is growing spiritually and numerically.

Some members were disciplined and responded well. Others left the church but God's added new people, giving us a healthy kind of growth now. Our greatest challenge is the church building is too old and too small in the parking spaces very limited. Pray with us that God may give us a solution.

So that's an update and request from Campos who are serving the Lord in Brazil well let me turn your attention to Psalm 32 Psalm 32 if you take your Bible and find your place. Read those 11 verses and then bring the short devotion from Psalm 32 Psalm 32. The Psalm is entitled the joy of forgiveness.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for days for day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.

I acknowledge my sin to you, and my and Nick the I have not hidden. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found Shirley in a flood of great waters, they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place. You shall preserve me from trouble you have surrounded me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with my eye.

Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding which must be varnished harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous and shout for joy, all you upright in heart. I remember in high school literature.

This goes back many and many a year was an assignment given to read and analyze Edgar Allan Poe's the telltale heart familiar with that the main character has committed murder and the guilt associated with his evil deed begins to eat at him and all at him and it makes him psychotic. He begins to hear the heartbeat of the victim that he has buried in his basement.

A cold sweat covers him as the be be be goes on.

Finally, it becomes clear that the pounding which drove the man I had was not the man buried in the basement but his own very heartbeat in his own chest. Guilt will do that to you. Feelings of guilt can do overwhelmed people and that's what David is describing in this song that was his experience, it become physically and emotionally.

Trouble is, he tried to cover his sin ignore his guilt and live in the state of unforgiveness.

The sin and the experience. The background of the writing of this Psalm, as well as Psalm 51 is David's sin with Bathsheba. The cover-up that he engaged in the death of Uriah the Hittite in God's dealings with him over that sin. Another 262 Psalms in particular that have that historical sad event as a backdrop and one of them is Psalm 32 and the other is Psalm 51 if you're familiar with those two Psalms Psalm 51 was written first during David's anguish, David's guilt, which he suffered quite severely. Psalm 32 that were looking at here this evening was written after the anguish, after he had been forgiven and his peace of mind and restoration returned so David is in a state of communion and fellowship with God and he is looking back on that experience and I think we can learn some things about what God took him through. So tonight let's look at this Psalm under four headings number one expression of present joy. That's verses one and two, number two reflection on past sins. Verses three through five number three provision for future needs. Verses six through eight and then verses nine through 11 applications for every believer. So let's look at these quickly number one expression of present joy.

Verse one into Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. I don't know what causes you joy. I don't do not know what brings the experience of joy into your life. But if you're a Christian, this should be something we do not get away from. Do not forget. We do not diminish the joy that comes over us when we reflect and think about the blessing of our sins being forgiven. That is cause for great rejoicing. Blessed is he. It's an expression of relation of joyful exuberance and its associated with the experience of forgiveness. Now there are people who are who have lived their entire life who know nothing of this. They had never come to God seeking mercy and seeking forgiveness acknowledging there sending him and they are weighed down with guilt and shame because the burden of sin hangs over them. It takes the operation of the spirit of God working in a man or woman to bring them to the place where they acknowledge that sin on that sin, confess that sin repent and forsake that sin and in so doing, receive the forgiveness of God and with that forgiveness is joy that comes in we should never get over that sense of joy of having our sins forgiven, knowing that when we pillow our head at night is a believer in Jesus Christ that our sins have been washed away. They have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west. They been thrown into the depths of the deep sea, and God does not hold our past sins against us.

Notice what it says. Blessed is the man who home the Lord does not impute iniquity.

He does not impute iniquity. He does not count against us and why is that because our sins have been imputed have been put to the account of Jesus Christ and have been judged in Jesus Christ and therefore we are free from the penalty of those sins. That's why God won't against us anymore because his son paid the penalty of those sins in full. We sing that him Jesus paid it all, all to him I oh sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow door for specific terms in these couple of verses that speak of his sin, his wrongdoing, these words are not synonyms, but there different nuances or variations of sin and sing together.

They describe the downward steps that lead a person to the agonizing condition that David was living in before he confessed his sin and wrongdoing to God. Notice what he says.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. Transgression means to rebel or revolt that describes a willful act of disobedience, blessed is he whose transgression is for forgiven, whose sin, sin is covered. So there's the second nuanced word transgression, sin.

Sin is the from the Hebrew word for wrongdoing. It means to miss the mark to deviate from the path of blessing. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity.

That's our third word iniquity. This Hebrew word carries the idea of guilt and punishment, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

There is our fourth word notice for works, transgression, sin, iniquity, and deceit what is deceit deceit is treachery, deception and self-deception in here. David is tracing out force the downward spiral of sin there. It has this destructive pattern.

Think with me these this is just not him using different words to describe the same thing.

This is very intentional.

This is inspired Scripture, God has something to teach us here first. We rebel against God's revealed will.

First step. Secondly, that rebellion causes us to miss the path of righteousness. This is followed by number three, the guilt and inner turmoil in the feelings associated with guilt and shame and forth deceit. It's that word it speaks of us entering in to sin and choosing the route of covering our sin trying to cover our tracks in Proverbs 28 verse 13 says he who conceals or covers his sin shall not prosper, but whosoever confesses his sins shall find mercy apart from the spirit of God working in our lives.

We are all masters at covering concealing our sin, being deceptive about that again.

Keep in mind he who covers his sins shall not prosper, but whosoever confesses and forsakes his sin shall find mercy and that's what we all should be interested in the mercy of God. Number two reflection of on past sins. Now David is looking back and he's describing the effect that this period of his life was having upon his life. When I kept silent. Verse three my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer is what he says he's describing this inner conflict that was brought about by what is known as psychosomatic illness that is the presence of physical pain that's resulting from mental or emotional conflict.

It's a spiritual matter, but is manifesting itself in a Physical Way, God's hand was upon him. God was dealing with him.

He was under conviction and he was resisting God's dealings in his life. I want you to see. He says when I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groanings all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Then he says I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity.

I have not hidden. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Notice with me that confession proceeds, forgiveness. Forgiveness is always predicated upon confession and repentance and the forsaking of our sins. And if we want forgiveness from God were going to have to confess that is say the same thing about our sins that God says, and forsake it repent of it if were unwilling to forsake our sins and repent of our sins.

Then God will not forgive us confession proceeds, forgiveness will, God had mercy upon David forgave his iniquity forgave him of his sin, because what is he say I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity. I have not hidden. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. God forgave completely because David confessed completely.

David reflecting on past sins number three provision for future needs versus six, seven and eight for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found Shirley in a flood of great waters, they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place. You shall preserve me from trouble. You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with my eye provision for future needs are three things mentioned here versus 678 number one is an invitation and invitation for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time that you may be found here is an exhortation seek the Lord while he may be found go to God, pray to him seeking him out and he who comes to God, he will in no wise cast out.

Here's an invitation. Jesus said, to me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest is an invitation is number two protection verse seven. You are my hiding place.

You shall preserve me from trouble. You shall surround me with songs of deliverance protection. What a comforting picture that is I think that's one of the things it's going to surprise us in heaven when we get there. If God allows us to review our life's history. We will be amazed at how many times God delivered us how God protected at protected us how God sent angels to care for us when we were in place of danger, sometimes you may have known about it. Sometimes it may not have known about it, but that is the God in the provisions that he's made for his people. So an invitation, protection, and then number three.

These are provisions for future needs guidance verse eight I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.

I will guide you with my eye. Who of us lacks lust does not need instruction.

Who of us does not need guidance we face all kinds of perplexing situations.

Wonder what we should do about this. How should we handle that.

Things that were up that are true about our present life.

Things that we will be facing that we know not of we constantly are in need of instruction and guidance here is the promise of future provision. God says I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with my mercy and then application to every believer application every believer versus nine, 10, 11, do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bid and bridal else they will not come near you. Many sorrow shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous and shout for joy, all you upright in heart applications to every believer. One will be stubborn. Don't be stubborn.

Don't be like a mule. Don't be like a resistant animal because God has a way of bringing us into submission.

Just like the owner has a way of getting that bridal and that bit in the horses mouth to bring it into submission. God has his ways and God will do that. Don't be stubborn.

We have a choice to make yield ourselves to the Lord or refuse to submit to him. Do not be like a horse or like the mule, which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bid and bridal else they will not come near you notice this many sorrows shall be to the wicked is a contrast describing two ways of living life.

One way of living life is in rebellion and in insubordination to God, and it results in many sorrows. Many sorrow shall be to the wicked.

Now there's enough sorrows in this life, because we live in a broken fallen world, but we can bring many sorrows upon ourselves by refusing to submit to the Lord and follow him must not choose that path. Many sorrow shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord mercy sup shall surround him. That's quite a contrast.

Mercy, on the one hand, for those who trust in the Lord many sorrows. On the other hand, for those who refuse to submit to the Lord applications for every believer.

Be glad here's the final exhortation, be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous and shout for joy, all you upright in heart shout for joy again.

What we what is the source of our joy. I think it goes back to the very beginning of the song.

Blessed is he whose transgression is first given. Who sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute so let's be reminded on this Wednesday night of where real source of joy is where we ought to find contentment and satisfaction is not in favorable circumstances and is in all the things that concern us getting worked out in a favorable way. We like to see those things but as long as were in this world and broken in fallen and were sinners and we live among sinners.

There's going to be all kinds of difficulties and challenges us just the way life is. But in the midst of that we can know joy because we are in right relationship with the God of heaven. The God who made us, created us, saved us for himself.

He's redeemed us. We belong to him. So let's return to that fundamental reality find joy in a right relationship with God knowing our sins of been dealt with fully and finally by God in the person of his son Jesus Christ. So again for things expressions of pass of of present joy. Reflections on past sins provision for future needs and applications for every believer. Well I took a little longer than I had anticipated, but I wanted to get through that Psalm let me lead us in prayer. Remember some of these needs. When you join me please as we seek the Lord. Father, we want to begin by giving you thanks and praise for the gift of salvation for the joy of sins forgiven. Knowing that it cost your son is very life he shed his blood he gave his life that we might be forgiven.

Help us to understand that that forgiveness is costly, help us to rejoice the provision that you made for repentant sinners, Lord, for any who are listening to me this evening who are in a state of un-repentance. Would you by your spirit work in their hearts and help them to see themselves as you see them.

Help them to confess their sins, repent of their sins, and in so doing fine forgiveness. We thank you that we can pray to you and rejoice in your kind gifts or thank you for the gift of Webster Ross to Dan and Abby.

Please continue to help Abigail to recover from the archers of labor and allow her to leave the hospital soon and return home. Thank you for bringing Scott Hazel through hernia surgery for Bill Trousdale in the aneurysm that he's already had addressed in the one he faces again tomorrow be with Amanda Abernathy help her as she continues to recover from shoulder surgery as we think of her. We think Mary Shaw along the same lines.

Pray that you would speed her rehab and that she would have courage and she would know successes as she makes progress for John Spencer who had total knee replacement on Monday.

Pray for his healing. Again, we marveled at doctors in her ability to perform the surgeries that are necessary and help us on our way in this life. We pray for Libby Noris and her healing from her crack wrist and broken arm and validity Noris the same as she recovers from those needs. Nelly Hunter. She recovers from a broken elbow or burden for Drew Guthrie in the cancer that's been discovered in or draw near to her helper to look to you and trust you give wisdom to the doctors as they seek a course of treatment for her burden for Brooke Faust and the needs in her life circumstances surrounding this accident.

We committed you pray for your mercy and your dealings in her heart and life. This man who's got his hands tangled up in a corn picker will God draw near to him helping father to to know that there's this serious is this is as painful as it must be that it's something that you can use in his life. We pray that if he doesn't know you that this would be used to drawn to you and if he does that he would understand that even this can work for his good and your ultimate glory. We ask you to minister to the families of Gary Hendrickson, Max Hudson and Ben Vestal. There each of their passing. Pray for Andrew Fleming this nephew of Amy Freeman been in a motorcycle accident over the weekend or this young man needs you and we pray that you'll arrest his attention and draw him to the Savior. We pray for him. We pray for Bonnie coy sister Margie persons. This woman whose very intelligent is earned a medical degree and yet so does not know you, does not think she needs you, Lord, would you bring her to to the end of herself, for she will acknowledge her utter dependence upon you and cry out to you for mercy. Pray for Shirley Rocky. She's dying been diagnosed with lung cancer that you guide doctors and have mercy on her and for Leanne Michael Hannon's father, Gaylord Rummel face-to-face faces a surgeon to remove this portion of cancer from his lung on Monday. Lord, you know the risks involved here.

We pray that you bring them through the surgery and that it would indeed accomplish that which the doctors have purposed Lord, we pray for our country and the potential for great unrest and rioting and instability. Lord, please cause there to be peace in the land.

Pray for a resolution to the unknown of the election that there would be a humility on both sides of the aisle father.

We acknowledge that these matters are in your hands that you have sovereignly decreed, who would who would rise to the place of authority in government and who would be replaced. We thank you rule not only in the heavens above been on this earth beneath, and we pray that your will would be done on earth.

Even as it is in heaven.

Thank you that we can gather in this way of God on Wednesday night to pray to you, to humble our hearts and minds before you to receive your word to be updated concerning missionaries and were invested in what we pray you will bless the Webster's in France. We pray that you bless this online. He might rescue mission event be participated in wholeheartedly leading direct and guide and that made accomplish what it's intended and for C Lawson longer composts in Brazil.

Encourage them in the work you've called them to. We are grateful our God for salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ for the sustaining of our lives for the hope of heaven for the confidence we have will use this as ambassadors of yours in this world. Help us to shine his light. Help us to be the preservation in this decaying culture, hear our prayers receive them. We pray through the merits of your dear son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen and amen