Got To Keep Going

We begin singing to God's praise in Psalm 125, Psalm 125.

And this is from the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 125 in the Scottish Psalter.

They in the Lord that firmly trust shall be like Zion Hill,

which at no time can be removed but standeth ever still.

As round about Jerusalem the mountains stand always.

The Lord his folk doth compass so from henceforth and foray.

For ill men's rod upon the lot of just men shall not lie,

lest righteous men stretch forth their hands unto iniquity.

Do thou to all those that be good thy goodness, Lord, impart.

And do thou good to those that are upright within their heart.

But as for such as turn aside after their crooked way,

God shall lead forth with wicked men on Israel.

Peace shall stay.

We'll sing the whole Psalm 125,

They in the Lord that firmly trust.

In the Lord that firmly trust shall be like Zion Hill,

Which heart of God can be removed,

But standeth ever still.

And round about Jerusalem the mountains stand always.

The Lord his folk doth come us all,

From men's work and foray.

For ill men's rod upon the lot,

All trust men shall not lie,

Lest righteous men stretch forth their hands unto iniquity.

Good love to all those that be good,

My goodness, Lord, impart.

And do thou good to those that are upright,

And do thou good to those that are upright within their heart.

But as for such as turn aside after their crooked way,

God shall lead forth with wicked men,

All Israel peace shall stay.

Let us pray.

O Lord, we bow before you today,

Giving thanks that we have this day

Where we're able to come aside from all the other things of life,

And where we're able to think about you.

We give thanks, Lord, for the fact that you speak to us in your word,

And help us, Lord, to hear what you say to us.

Because you've given us this book, the Bible,

Which is the greatest book in the world.

And help us, Lord, to be reading it,

And help us, Lord, to understand it.

Because so often we can't understand without your help.

So we pray that you will help us in that.

We pray to bless us all here today,

From every age, from the very youngest to the oldest.

And we give thanks, Lord, that we can bring all our needs,

And all our worries, and everything that is down on us,

On our minds, and you're able to lift us up.

And we pray that we might hear you,

And that you will indeed speak loudly into our heart.

We pray to take away all the things that so often

Take away our mind from the truth.

And help us, Lord, to understand and to believe in you.

Pray your blessing, especially just now upon the young people.

We give thanks for them.

And we pray that they may all grow up to know you,

To love you, and to follow you.

Watch over us then, we pray,

And take away from us our sin.

In Jesus' name we ask it. Amen.

Amen.

I'm just going to say a wee word to the young folk.

I'm sure you know that crossing the road

Can be a very dangerous thing.

Because cars come very quickly.

And sometimes cars come and we didn't really see them.

So it's very, very important that we take a lot of care

When we cross the road.

There's what is known as the Green Cross Code.

I remember they used to put a lot of time talking about it.

And the Green Cross Code tells you to do four things.

Four things about crossing the road.

You're to think.

You're to stop.

You're to look.

And you're to listen.

First of all, you think,

Where's the best place to cross the road?

Well, you wouldn't cross the road at a busy junction

When there's cars coming up and down and across.

That would be silly.

So you think, where's the best place,

The safest place to cross?

So first of all, you think.

And then when you get to the place where you're going to cross,

You stop.

And then after you stop, you look and you listen.

It's not enough to listen.

Because just by listening,

There might be somebody coming on a bicycle very fast.

Or there might be an electric car.

And you wouldn't hear.

So yes, you've got to listen.

But you've also got to look.

And we're told that we're to look right.

We're to look left.

We're to look right again.

And if there's nothing coming, then we cross.

But you know, we should use the green cross code

With regard to God as well.

We should stop and look and listen and think.

I'm putting it in a different way.

Because the first thing we should do is stop.

Because we live very busy lives.

And even in the holidays, it's busy.

Because you're always doing different things.

And God wants us to stop at times.

That's one of the things He's done by giving us today.

God's day.

The Lord's day.

Sunday.

It's a day for us to stop.

And it's a day for us to think.

It's a day for us to listen to what God is saying to us.

Because God speaks to us in His Word.

And He tells us so many wonderful things.

And every day we have to look at the Bible and listen to what God is saying.

And we have to look.

We have to look to Jesus.

Because that's what the Bible says.

Look to me and be saved.

Look to Jesus and be saved.

You know, if you look up at night.

And you go out at night and it's dark.

And it's an open sky.

And you're somewhere where there maybe aren't too many streetlights.

When you look up at first, you'll see, maybe you'll see a few really bright stars.

And then you'll begin to see lots of other stars.

And the longer you look, you will see more and more.

And then you'll see, oh, there's hundreds of stars.

And then you'll see, there's thousands of stars.

Well, we know that there's even more than thousands.

There's millions and probably billions, billions of stars.

And even people with the best telescope in the world can't work out all the stars that are there.

But you know, the Bible tells us that one of the men who wrote the Psalms, helped by God to say what to put down.

He said, when I look up to the heavens, to the sky, which your own fingers framed, and to the moon and to the stars, which were by your ordained you, Lord, put these things there.

And you know, the Bible also tells us that God counts the number of stars.

And he names them one by one.

So, by looking, we see the wonder of God.

So, every day we should be in the way of thinking about God, stopping to think, stopping to look, because we see so much of God everywhere.

And every day listening to what God says to us.

So, you remember that green cross code.

Yes, for crossing the road, very important.

But also, every day with regard to God, stop, look, listen, think.

We're now going to say the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day your daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen.

We're going to sing again from Psalm 32.

And this is from Sing Psalm, Psalm 32.

The tune is Arlington.

Psalm 32, and we sing verses 1 to 7.

The tune is Arlington.

How blessed the one who has received forgiveness for his sin,

whose sins are covered from God's face, whose debt is cancelled in God's grace.

There's no deceit in him.

When I kept silent, all my bones with groaning were worn out.

Beneath your hand I felt entrapped.

Both day and night my strength was sapped, as in a summer drought.

Then I laid bare my sin to you, the guilt that lay within.

I said, O Lord, I have transgressed, and you forgave when I confessed.

You pardoned all my sin.

So let the godly pray to you while you are to be found.

Surely when waves are sweeping past and mighty waters rising fast,

you'll keep them safe and sound.

To the end of verse 7, 5 stands as Psalm 32 to the tune Arlington.

O bless the one who has received.

O bless the one who has received.

O bless the one who has received.

O bless the one who has received.

O bless the one who has received.

For illness, for his sin.

Whose sins are covered from God's face.

Whose debt is cancelled in God's grace.

There's no deceit in him

When I can't silence all my bones

With rolling wherefore not

Bring your hand, thy belt and track

Both day and night, my strength was up

As in a summer drought

Then I made clear my sin to you

The guilt that lay within

I said, O Lord, I have lost grace

And you forgive when I confess

You pardon all my sin

So let the glory bring to you

While you are to be found

Surely when waves are sweeping past

And mighty waters rising fast

You'll keep them safe and sound

You are my hiding place, O Lord

My true security

You give me safe and troubled days

You circle me with joyful bliss

When you have set me free

Let's turn now to read God's word

And we read it in Matthew's Gospel

Matthew chapter 24

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 24

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 24

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 24

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

And we'll read to the end of verse 31

Jesus left the temple and was going away

When his disciples came to point out to him

The buildings of the temple

But he answered them

You see all these

Do you not?

Truly I say to you

There will not be left here

One stone upon another

That will not be thrown down

As he sat on the Mount of Olives

The disciples came to him privately

Saying, Tell us

When will these things be?

And what will be the sign

Of your coming

And of the close of the age?

Jesus answered them

See that no one leads you astray

For many will come in my name

Saying, I am the Christ

And they will lead many astray

And you will hear of wars

And rumors of wars

See that you are not alarmed

For this must take place

But the end is not yet

For nation will rise against nation

And kingdom against kingdom

And there will be famines

And earthquakes in various places

All these are but the beginning

Of the birth pains

Then they will deliver you up

To tribulation

And put you to death

And you will be hated

By all nations

For my name's sake

And then many will fall away

And betray one another

And hate one another

And many false prophets

Will arise

And lead many astray

And because lawlessness

Will be increased

The love of many

Will grow cold

But the one who endures

To the end

Will be saved

And this gospel

Of the kingdom

Will be proclaimed

Throughout the whole world

As a testimony

To all nations

And then the end

Will come

So when you see

The abomination

Of desolation

Spoken of

By the prophet Daniel

Standing in the holy place

Let the reader understand

Then let those

Who are in Judea

Flee to the mountains

Let the one

Who is on the housetop

Not go down

To take what is in his house

And let the one

Who is in the field

Not turn back

To take his cloak

And I'll ask for women

Who are pregnant

And for those

Who are nursing infants

In those days

Pray that your flight

May not be in winter

Or on a Sabbath

But then there will be

Great tribulation

Such as has not been

From the beginning

Of the world

Until now

No one ever will be

And if those days

Had not been cut short

No human being

Would be saved

But for the sake

Of the elect

Those days

Will be cut short

Then if anyone

Says to you

Look here

Is a Christ

Or there he is

Do not believe

For false prophets

False Christs

And false prophets

Will arise

And perform

Great signs

And wonders

So as to lead

If possible

Even the elect

To lead astray

See I have told you

Beforehand

So if they say to you

Look

He is in the wilderness

Do not go out

If they say

Look

He is in the inner rooms

Do not believe it

For as the lightning

Comes from the east

And shines as far

As the west

So will be the coming

Of the son of man

Wherever the corpse is

There the vultures

Will gather

Immediately

After the tribulation

Of those days

When the sun

Will be darkened

And the moon

Will not give its light

And the stars

Will fall from heaven

And the powers

Of the heavens

Will be shaken

Then will appear

In heaven

The sign

Of the son of man

And then all the tribes

Of the earth

Will mourn

And they will see

The son of man

Coming on the clouds

Of heaven

With power

And great glory

And he will send

Out his angels

With a loud trumpet call

And they will gather

His elect

From the four winds

From one end

Of heaven

To the other

Amen

And may God

Bless to us

This reading

Of his holy word

Let us again

Bow in prayer

Amen

O Lord

As we bow

In your presence

And as we've

Come under your word

We've sung it

And read it

We pray that

This word

Of yours

May indeed

Lodge deep

Within our heart

We know that

Your word

Is transforming

And it changes lives

And we pray

That our lives

Might be changed

More and more

By it

Those who

Still don't know you

That your word

Will today

Change their lives

So that they

Will come to

Follow you

And those who

Already are following you

We still need

That our lives

Will be changed

And renewed

Day by day

We give thanks

O Lord

That you are the God

Of heaven

And of earth

The God

Who ultimately

Controls all things

And we see

Even as we read there

That we are living

In times

Where nation

Is rising

Against nation

And kingdom

Against kingdom

We are seeing

The earthquakes

And the famines

All round

And these are things

That you spoke

About 2000 years ago

Which would be

Just as it were

At the very beginning

Of the end

Help us then

Lord

To live

In the light

Of your coming again

Help us Lord

To have an expectancy

And help us

To have a vision

Beyond the here

And now

So that there might

Be more of heaven

In our lives

Than of earth

And that we might

Seek to follow you

With all our heart

Forgive us Lord

For when we're lukewarm

Forgive us Lord

For when we don't

Follow you

In the right way

Forgive us O Lord

For when we say

And do

And think things

Which are so

Contrary to your word

Forgive us Lord

For how complacent

We so often become

In the society

That we live in

And where we become

Used to

The way things are

Help us Lord

To always see

That your word

Is the standard

By which we ought

To live

Because it is

According to your word

That we will glorify you

And we're told

That that is

The chief purpose

Of our being here

We pray then

That you will bless

Every single one

Of us here today

As we come

With all our own

Individuality

With all our own

Needs and worries

Concerns

With our hopes

And aspirations

With our longings

And we pray

That we might be

Always going to you

With everything

We're told in your word

That in everything

By prayer

And supplication

With thanksgiving

Let your requests

Be made known

To God

There's nothing

Too big

Or nothing

Too small

To bring to you

And so we pray

For the faith

That every day

We will do that

And that we will

Look for the answer

So often we pray

But we don't see

The answer

Because we're not looking

Because sometimes

Your answers

Are different

To the way

That we expect

And so we pray

That we might have

Spiritual eyes

To see

Help us to see

You in everything

And to see

That you are

In everything

Help us always

To remember

That it's in you

That we live

And move

And have our being

And so we pray

That you'll be near to us

And that you'll open

Our hearts

To your word

That your spirit

Will be present with us

That we'll be conscious

That the Lord is here

We know from your word

That you are

But make us

Aware of it

That we may

Have a sense

A felt sense

Of your presence

Pray to bless

Every home

And every family

We pray for those

Who are in need

For those who are

Going through

Really difficult times

And hard times

Lord we pray

For those who are

Ill and seriously ill

Lord today

We remember Francis

And all the family

She's very very

Seriously ill

We commit her

To your care

At this time

And we do so

With all who are

Going through

That momentous time

Where they are

Facing the

Going to death's

Dark veil

Oh Lord we pray

That as a shepherd

Who has led

In the green pastures

And by the still water

That you will be

Where you have promised

To be

In death's

Dark veil

With your rod

And with your staff

To support

And to comfort

We pray Lord

For those who mourn

Those whose hearts

Are heavy and sore

Death changes

So much in life

And so we pray

For every broken heart

Today

Whether the

Death has been

Of recent times

Or long ago

That it's

Life is never

The same

When loved ones

Are taken

And so we pray

For your comfort

And your help

And your strength

And your grace

When it is most needed

We pray to bless

Us as a congregation

Bless all the work

That is done here

We give thanks

For every willing heart

And willing hand

That is engaged

In the work

We give thanks

Oh Lord

That nothing is done

For you

But you take note of it

Help us to do

By faith

Help us to do

In love

Help us Lord

To go forward

Looking to you

At all times

Pray Lord

To bless us

And we pray

For our young people

And we give thanks

For school holidays

And we pray

For Sunday school teachers

And we pray

For our school teachers

And we pray

That you will help them

We pray Lord

For our nation

And we pray

For wisdom

To be given

To our leaders

And even although

They might not look

To you

We still ask

That the wisdom

From above

Will be given to them

So that they will

Direct us

And lead us

In the right way

And it is our duty

We are commanded

In scripture

To pray for kings

And those in authority

Over us

And so we do

We pray for King Charles

We pray

For our prime minister

And first minister

And we pray

For all our governments

And we pray

For our council

And we ask Lord

To grant wisdom

And direction

And we pray

More and more

That the ways

Of your word

Might be the ways

That are lived

In our land

We pray for all

The nations

Of this world

And remember

In particular

The Middle East

It seems like

A boiling point

Just now

And we look

In horror

At the things

That have happened

Oh Lord

Our God

We pray

That you might

Indeed bring peace

We ask Lord

That you will

Indeed intervene

That you will

Show your hand

We remember Lord

That you are

The God of heaven

And of earth

And we pray

That you will

Indeed intervene

And we still

Remember Ukraine

And all the troubled

Areas of this world

All throughout this world

There's conflict

And hatred

And violence

And bloodshed

Some of it

We know about

How little we do know

But it's taking place

Day by day

Oh Lord

Comfort

And build up

And we pray

That the nations

May turn to you

We read there

That all the nations

Of the world

Will yet hear of you

And in many ways

We pray to hasten

That day

Because that's the only hope

For this world

And so we ask

That you will bless us

And be near to us

And grant us your grace

Be with James

In the seminary

Be with Calum Murdo

And family

And holiday just now

Watch over

Each and every one

Grant us your grace

In all that we do

And cleanse us

From our every sin

In Jesus name

We ask it

Amen

We'll continue singing now

In Psalm 31

Psalm 31

And it's at verse 19

This is in sing psalms

Psalm 31

And sing psalms

Verses 19

To the end

Five stanzas

Your goodness

Your goodness Lord

Is very great

Prepared for those

Who fear your name

You show your goodness

Openly to all

To all who

Your protection claim

Your presence

Hides and shelters them

From those who plot

To take their life

And in your tent

You keep them safe

From evil tongues

That stir up strife

The Lord be praised

Because he showed

The wonders

Of his love

To me

When in a city

I was trapped

Surrounded

By the enemy

Psalm 31

Psalms 31:19–24

Verses 19

To 24

The tune is

We're home

We sing to God's praise

Your goodness Lord

Is very great

Your goodness Lord

Is very great

Prepared for those

Who fear your name

To show your goodness

Openly

To open your protection claim

Your blessings

And in your tent

You keep them safe

From evil tongues

That stir up strife

And in your tent

You keep them safe

From evil tongues

That stir up strife

The Lord be praised

The Lord be praised

Because he showed

The wonder of his love to me

When in the city

I was trapped

Surrounded by the enemy

In my alarm

I rashly said

That I was hidden

From your eyes

But when I called

To you for help

In case you listen

To my cries

Oh love the Lord

All you his saints

The faithful will be kept by God

But he will give

The proud

There to be strong

Take heart

Oh bend the Lord

Let's turn again

For a little

To the chapter

That we read

In Matthew's gospel

Chapter 24

Looking again

At verse 12

And because lawlessness

Will be increased

The love of many

Will grow cold

But the one who endures

To the end

Will be saved

And this gospel

Of the kingdom

Will be proclaimed

Throughout the whole world

As a testimony

To all nations

And then the end

Will come

Now as we know

The future

Has always fascinated

People

And every generation

Is trying to predict

When the end will be

People of course

Don't know

Every generation

Tries to make predictions

Scientists will tell us

That the way

That things are going

That the world

Cannot keep going

They might even

Make predictions

As to when

It is likely to end

Leaders of various sects

And cults

Have from time to time

Issued statements

Saying that the world

Will end

At such and such a time

Even Christians

At various periods

Have made predictions

As to when the world

Will end

But they don't know

Nobody knows

And if anybody

Ever gives this prediction

You know with a certainty

That they don't know

Because the Bible

Makes it very clear

Jesus tells us this

But concerning that day

And hour

No one knows

He says

Not even the angels

In heaven know

But Jesus warns us

To be ready

Because he's going to come

At a time

When nobody expects

That's what he says

Therefore

You also must be ready

For the Son of Man

Is coming

At an hour

That you don't expect

And that's an all

Important question

That we'd have to ask

Ourselves today

Because we do not know

When the Son of Man

Will return

And if we were told

Today that he was

To return

How would you feel?

How would you react?

What would your

What would your

Take on it be?

Are you ready

For the Son of Man

To return?

And of course

We know the only way

To be ready

For the Son of Man

To return

Is by coming

To know him

As our friend

As our Lord

As our saviour

Because if we are

Safe in him

Then we have nothing

To worry about

But if we're without

Jesus

Then it's in a bad

Place we are

And to reject Jesus

Really is

The most

Stupid thing

That any person

Can do

Because

To turn our back

On Jesus

Is to turn our back

On the most

Wonderful invitation

That has ever

Been given to anybody

There's been

Never a greater

Display of love

In this world

Than God's

Love to us

In sending

His Son

The Lord Jesus

Christ

To save us

From our sins

Because you see

By nature

We don't love him

By nature

We don't care

About God

We're not interested

In God

We don't have

Many thoughts

About God

Maybe sometimes

When people

Are in trouble

They might

All of a sudden

They might

Say oh

I need to pray

There's a sense

Of crying out

To God

For help

But that's it

It's just a passing

In that particular

Moment

And then God

Is forgotten again

People

By and large

Don't think about God

And they're not

Too bothered

About God

But God's love

Is so great to us

That he's given us

This book

And he's given us

This spirit

To show us

How things are

Because

We would never

Work it out

Ourselves

We wouldn't know

How much

We need

To get right

With God

Because we have

Within ourselves

What's called

Self-righteousness

Where we think

We're okay

And that's the problem

With so many people

That's why

There's so much

Animosity

Towards the Bible

Because people say

There's nothing in there

That's of any good

That's just telling people

That they're bad

And they don't want

To hear about it

But it's

God in his mercy

Has given us

This

Because we couldn't

Work it out ourselves

We wouldn't know

Were it not that God

Shows us in his word

And shows us by his spirit

How things really are

And that not only

Has he shown us

How things are

But he has shown us

In his word

He's given us

A remedy

A cure

For the problem

And he's saying to us

You are distant from me

You are away from me

You don't care about me

And as things stand

You're under

My wrath and condemnation

Now we don't know that

Apart from God's word

But God is saying

I provided for you

I provided a saviour

I provided my son

In order that you can

Come back to me

Return to me

And to be

At one with me

And so we should be

So thankful

For this great provision

That the Lord has made

Now Jesus

In this passage

Is beginning

By highlighting

Many of the things

That are going to happen

Before the end comes

And as we read through it

It's obvious

That we are living

In the times

The first times

That Jesus describes

Where nation is fighting

Against nation

And kingdom

Against kingdom

And there's famines

In different places

And there's earthquakes

We're seeing it all the time

Every year

In our news bulletins

These things

Of famines

And earthquakes

And wars

We're seeing it

And it's becoming

Because of how easily

News is transmitted today

We're being

What's happening

These things are being

Brought into our homes

So we can see it

And we see also

That not only that

But many false prophets

And false religions

And then you find

That they're coming

To the point

Of hating one another

And betraying one another

And so there's

This terrible catalogue

Of sin and suffering

And it's a picture

Of a world out of control

But you know

The one thing

That we're so thankful for

Is that the Lord

Is in control

And part of this control

Is that

Jesus is telling us

Two thousand years ago

About what it's going

To be like

And it's happening

Because the Lord knows

The end from the beginning

But because

Of this incredible

Force of lawlessness

And we're living in such days

Where there's a

Complete lawlessness

Towards God

It's talking about lawlessness

Towards God here

Because of this lawlessness

Because of this lawlessness

Because of this lawlessness

We read that

The love of many

Will grow cold

And of course

It's speaking here

About to the Christian

Because Jesus goes on

In the very next verse

To say that

Those who keep going

Those who persevere

Keep going to the end

These are the ones

Who will be saved

Who will discover

What salvation really is

Now as we know

That the love of God

Which we have in our heart

Begins with God

We love him

Because he first loved us

That's the order of things

We wouldn't love him

Unless he first loved us

And by nature

As we said

We're going in the opposite direction

We want away from God

Adam showed that

At the very beginning

He ran

And that's how we've run

Ever since

We're running away

But God in his mercy

Called Adam

And he's calling us as well

And that's the beauty of it

And we're drawn to him

When his love touches our heart

When we hear his call

In the gospel

When we're drawn to him

It changes everything

We begin to think about him

We begin to think about him

In a way we never thought

About him before

But we don't just think

In a kind of empty way

We find that there's a

A drawing within our heart

We begin to

We begin to think about him

That's how love works

If you love somebody

You think about that person often

And so it is

With a Christian

When the Lord begins to work

Within our heart

We begin to think about him

A lot

And there's a complete change

Takes place in our life

Because

The overwhelming power

Of God's love

Changes

Our thinking

Our mind

Our will

Our affections

Our emotions

Our heart

Everything

Goes out to him

And that's why

Sometimes when

People are converted

Particularly people

Who maybe

Aren't too much

Of a church background

And their friends

Can't understand

What's happened

Because all of a sudden

This person

Has changed

Still the same person

Still doing the same work

Still involved

In the same things

But they can't understand

That there's a

It's because

There's a new

New desires

New affection

A new love

Has been born

In their heart

Which changes

The way they think

It changes the direction

In which they're going

And that's

That's this

This great love

That takes place here

It's an all compelling love

But we see here

That it tells us

That because of this lawlessness

That the love of many

Will wax cold

But this love of God

Displays itself

In our life

By loving God

And how do we love God?

Well in many ways

It is shown through

Our love for all

That belongs to God

For instance

We love his day

And we're thankful

For this day

It's this day

That God has given us

He's given us

The six other days

To fulfill everything

And on this day

He says

We term it

The Lord's day

New Testament mentions it

As the Lord's day

The day that

Jesus rose from the dead

And it's this day

Where we're able

To give our mind

As we were saying

To the young folk

To stop

And to think

And to look

And to listen

That's one of the great things

About today

We're able to think

About the Lord

We're able to stop

We're given this time

To draw aside

And so

The Christian is someone

Who loves the Lord's day

And we love the Lord's word

Because the Bible

Becomes so precious to us

You know when you were

First converted

You couldn't get over

When you would read it

You would say

I feel the Lord

Speaking to me

You would find

That the situation

That you were in

In that day

That the Lord

Was just there

And he was directing you

He was showing you

From his word

And you were

You were saying

Wow

This is amazing

And so

As the Bible says

His word is more precious

Than gold

And you know

When you're in trouble

Or in difficulties

Or in sorrow

Or in pain

Or whatever

God's word

Is so important to you

Because often

You will find

Something there

And you say

Oh you know

That really lifted me

That spoke to me

That gave me hope

That I didn't have before

Again we love God's house

Psalmist said

I joyed

Went to the house of God

Go up

They said to me

Because God's house

Is a refuge to our soul

You'll find Asaph

Remember in Psalm 73

Asaph was going through

All kinds of problems

He was envying the godless

He was seeing how

People were getting on

He was a believer

And he was saying

I've done all the right things

And nothing is working

In my life

And he said

It's been a waste of time

Then he went to God's house

And when he went there

The Lord spoke to him

Because you see

God is present here today

The Lord promises that

And that's one of the great things

That when he went there

And he began to speak to the Lord

And the Lord to speak to him

His vision was changed

His problems in his mind

Were restored

He saw God was in control

He saw at the end

That he was the one

Who had everything

Whom have I in the heavens

I but thee O Lord alone

And in the earth

Whom I desire

Besides thee there is none

And also when we

Become Christians

We have our love

To the church family

They are our brothers

And our sisters

It's one of the evidences

Of grace is

We're told that

We know that we've passed

From death to life

Because we love the brothers

We love the sisters

And there's this

Sense of identity

Sense of belonging

That they're all one

We're all one together

In Christ Jesus

But sadly

Our verse tells us

That many

The love of many

Will grow cold

And why?

Because of the lawlessness

And because lawlessness

Will be increased

And that's where the whole ways

Of society

Are today

Lawless against God

And you know

The sad thing is

That not only is society

Within the individuality

Lawless

But even

Even our governments

Are putting lawlessness

In place

For us to

Keep lawlessness

Against God

It's quite extraordinary

But you know

When we

When we get

We get

It's part of human nature

We begin to get used

To anything

And however things are

And things that

Maybe a while back

Would say

Oh no no

We begin to become

Complacent

And used to it

And we begin to

Say oh well

It's alright

It's this

It's that

Well in God's sight

It's lawlessness

And it's

It's affecting

The whole being

And it influences us

It affects

Our soul

Our mind

Our thinking

Everything

We get sucked in by it

And because of the

Deceitfulness of sin

Within and around us

It often has an impact

Upon our souls

And that's why it's saying here

That the love

Of many

Will grow cold

And an evidence

Of that love

Becoming cold

Is we see it

In the very things

That we mentioned

With regard to our love

For God

We become cold

To his day

Day doesn't mean

That much to us anymore

It was a day

We really appreciated

The Lord's day

Today it doesn't mean

Maybe it doesn't mean

That much

It's the same with the word

We call God's word

The daily bread

There was a time

We would never miss

Having our fill

Of the daily bread

But when our hearts

Grow cold

It might be days

Before we pick up

His word again

It doesn't have

The central place

In our lives

That it used to

We take it

And we leave it

We maybe just

Skip through it

Somebody says

What were you reading today

You'd have to

I haven't a clue

It's had no impression

No impact

Because our hearts

Are getting colder

And it's the same

With God's house

There was a day

We loved going there

And now maybe

Maybe we struggle

Maybe it's more

Out of a sense

Of duty

Than desire

Same with the church

Family

You see the way

Of the world

When the way

Of the world

Touches the church

The church begins

To think like the world

What does the church

What does love

Want to do

You think of a family

Love protects

Love covers

Love wants to do

The best for

But so often now

In the church

There's a devouring

There's no

There isn't the protection

There isn't

There's

You know we live

In a world today

Where people want

To expose everything

And there's this

Just this

There's always

This glare

Of everything

Is out there

And it's a cruel world

And we must guard

Against that

Sort of spirit

Within the church

Because the church

Is a family

Church of love

Family of love

So we've got to guard

Against the ways

Of the world

Beginning to

Impact us

Because the more

We resemble

The world

The less

We resemble

The Lord

But then we see

Despite

All the lawlessness

And despite

The love

Growing cold

It tells us

The one who endures

To the end

Will be saved

And that's a great thing

Because you know

The wonderful thing

Is that

Once we're safe

In Christ

We're safe

That's what Jesus said

I will give them

Eternal life

And they shall never

Perish

Neither shall anyone

Pluck them out of my hand

Father

Son

And spirit

Are involved

In your salvation

Involved in saving you

Looking after you

In this world

And taking you home

It's all part of the work

Part of their great work

And although

We may stray

And our hearts

Grow cold

And maybe

For some

Or all of us

Today we have to say

You know

I'm not where I used to be

I have to confess

That maybe

Maybe you're having

To say that

Yeah

That's me

Sadly

God's house

God's word

Doesn't mean the same

To me

God's people

Don't mean the same

To me

God's day

Doesn't mean the same

To me

Well if so

We need to repent

That's what Jesus said

To the church

In Laodicea

You've got to repent

He said it quite often

To the churches

But you know

The wonderful thing is

That

The Christian

Will keep going

Despite the falls

Despite

And let's remember

That we live in a world

That's powerful

That sucks us

In

But you know

When you go to the Bible

There are exceptional saints

Like Daniel

And you look at him

He was greatly loved

Beloved of the Lord

He was an exceptional man

But there were a lot of other

Exceptional men

And they fell

That's one of the beauties

And the honesty of the Bible

And you look at your lots

Righteous lot

The New Testament calls it

Look at David

What was the term

That was used to him

A man after God's own heart

What a declaration

What a unique believer

David was

And yet

We see David succumbed

To temptation

And then not only

Did he succumb to temptation

But he tried to cover his tracks

In the most awful way

By murder

A saint of God

You look at Peter

There was nobody

Who voiced his love

For Jesus more

Oh

He said

So other people

Will do this and that

Count on me Lord

And yet a little later

You're seeing Peter

With oaths

And with curses

Denying that he ever knew

Anything about Jesus

You see

We're weak

We're frail

But you know

God's love is so great

He doesn't let us go

Despite that

He's still holding on to us

That's the beauty of it

Because he's saving us

Saving us from ourselves

But it isn't just a matter of

Being saved as it were

In this world

In the sense that our soul

Is saved from the Lord Jesus Christ

Because

When Jesus says here

We'll be saved

He's talking about the full salvation

Our salvation has begun

The moment

We've come to trust in Jesus Christ

But that's not the end of it

Our souls

Will pass

Into glory

The moment

We die

That's what will happen

For every single one

Who trusts in Jesus

And at that moment

We will discover

What salvation is

In an ever greater measure

We will see

What it involved

And we will see the

Towards the end results

Of the wonder

Of the glory

That has been prepared

For us

But that's not the end

Because we have to leave

Our bodies behind

And our bodies

Which are so important to us

And in our Christian life

Have been such a part

Of our Christian work

Hands that served

Tongues that sang

And confessed

Feet that carried us

Our bodies

And so often

We see this

Oh it's awful

Have to put the body

But it's not the end

Because the body

Will just

As Jesus rose from the dead

So shall we

And our bodies

Will be fitted

They will be made

Right

Same body

Not somebody else's

Or not other

Components

But our own body

Will rise

And reunite

With our soul

Being made

Suited and fitted

For the glorious

Environment

That we will be in

Forever

And only then

Will we fully discover

What being saved

Actually means

Because that is

What Jesus is talking about

Those who endure

To the end

Will be saved

That is the full

Salvation

That awaits

And the wonder

Of this gospel

Is that it isn't

Confined

Just to one

We spot

Before the end

Comes

The gospel

Will reach

All nations

And then the end

Will come

And now

What a wonderful

Prospect that is

Are you today

Safe in Jesus

Because there's

Nowhere else

It's a cruel

World out there

But there's

A safety

A security

A warmth

A peace

In Jesus

And there's

Nothing that the

Lord would

Love more

Than you to

Ask him

Right now

Lord

Come into

My heart

Be

My saviour

Let us pray

Lord our God

We pray

Today to bless

Us

As we read

Your word

We see

Difficulties

But we see

Blessings

We give

Thanks for

Your word

And we pray

That we might

Listen to it

Well

And that we

Might act

Wisely on it

By your grace

We pray to

Watch over

Each and every

One of us

Bless the cup

Of tea

In the hall

After

Take us all

Home safely

We pray

Do us good

And take

And take away

Every sin

In Jesus

Name

Amen

We're going to

Conclude singing

In Psalm 80

The 80th

Psalm from

The Scottish

Psalter

Psalm number

80

From the

Scottish

Psalter

It's on page

334

Verse 17

The last three

Verses

Oh let thy

Hand be still

Upon the man

Of thy right

Hand

The son of man

Whom for thyself