Lessons from the Life of Job: Week 5

Well, good morning everyone.

I was trying to stop when the music stopped and

I fell just a little bit, but it's okay.

It's so good to see you family.

I'm so glad to be here with you this morning,

and so glad to be sharing this fifth installment on

this series. But at the same time that I'm here,

we have things going on all over the place. Are

you've left this morning to go and do work camp,

and so they're going to be away this week. Pray

pray for them as they're going to serve and to

make a difference in those spaces. Also, Pastor James, Pastor Andrew,

Pastor Isaac, and several other staff members are at the

Church of God Convention in Denver representing our congregation Amen,

and so we're so glad that they're there and being

a part of the global gathering, if you would, of

the Church of God. And so there's so many things

happening this weekend. We had our food exchange going on

through the One More Ministry, and so we had a

lot of people out. I pulled up on Saturday and

I just saw cars and I was like, Wow, this

is amazing that we just have so many things happening

in the Body of Christ. Our young adults are meeting

this morning in room two thirty one, two thirty two,

just in case you're a young adult and you didn't

know where you're supposed to be.

Amen.

So but anyway, it is so much going on, so

I am excited to do this fifth installment.

Well, let me be honest with you.

When I was in the educational wing and Pastor Andrew

walked up to me and said, for summer we're gonna

do we'll be studying the Book of Job, I was like, really,

it's like some are supposed to be fun, and.

When I think of fun, I don't think of job.

And so but over time I'm understanding that sometimes God

is gonna give you some unfun stuff in the summer,

but it's gonna be good stuff.

Amen.

And I've been receiving so much this series, and so

this morning, I pray that you're blessed by the message.

Let's sorry, Father, I thank you, thank you for your word.

It's so good and so life changing. So I pray

that in this space where we're all gathered here, in

this room and online, that Lord God you will speak

to us individually and collectively that we might be the

body of Christ that you're calling for in this time.

I pray right now, Lord God, that you might speak

through me, take my tongue, say what you want to say,

take my mind, let me think the thoughts that you

have for your people. And Lord, at the end of it,

when it's all said and done, get all the glory,

all the honor, and all of.

The praise in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

Well, this morning we are picking up the fifth week,

and the focus for today is being focused on what

matters in the world around us. We can so easily

be distracted and unfocused and literally turned around by other things,

other thoughts of their opinions, But it's important for us

to be focused on what really matters. Life has a

way of stripping us down to the bare foundations. When

the winds and the waves and all the things that

happen in our life rage on in our lives, what's

left standing reveals our true heart and where and what

we really value. In Job twenty seven and twenty eight,

we encounter Job at his lowest point. He's childless, he's bankrupt,

he's diseased, he's friendless, and he's rejected. And yet his

focus is not on the horizontal. His focus is turned vertical,

and he's focused on the Lord. In these verses he

meant God over eleven times. He becomes the focus and

is the focus of his scenario and all that he's

going through. He does not collapse inwork, but he lifts

his eyes upward and he guards, rejects treasures, and seeks. Today,

I want to ask you a question, provide a thought,

and give a challenge, and then finally encourage you. As

we look at these chapters of the book of Job,

Jove twenty six really is the start of his discourse.

Now everyone's spoken, all of his friends have said everything

they wanted to say. They go back and forth, back

and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and then

Job is at a point He's like, now it's my

turn to speak. And his discourse is like, listen, Gods,

you have all of this wrong. I am now going

to put the focus on where he really needs to

be placed. I'm going to put the focus on what

really matters. And so he begins to speak. Job selects

posture over position. Let me help us with that. All

of us have a position, right, you have a position

in the world. You may have a position at home,

a position on your job, a position in your community,

a position.

This is what you're known for, this is what you

do right.

So if you're a teacher, you teach right, and so

that's your position at the school.

You're a teacher.

But Jove doesn't think about his position as one who

is upright.

He selects a.

Posture of one who is humble before God, who is

struggling and going through. But he selects the posture that

honors God. So Job teaches us four strong principles throughout

these chapter. There's so much that can be learned from

these two chapters. And to be honest, if we were

to really break it down, it is inexhaustible what you

can do just from one verse, right, But we're gonna

pick out four things that Job teaches us. The first

thing that Job teaches us, he teaches us to guard

our integrity. I want to encourage you today to guard

your integrity. In verse one through six says this, It says,

and Job continued his discourse. As surely as God lives,

who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made

my life bitter, as long as I have life within me,

the breath of God in my nostrils. My lips will

not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies.

I will never admit you are in the right till

I die. I will not deny my integrity. I will

maintain my innocence and never let go of it. My

conscience will not reproach me as long as I live

in this passage. Job is saying to his friends, Hey,

I don't care what you guys have been saying. Y'all

said a whole lot, and y'all probably said too much,

and y'all said.

A lot or wrong.

But no matter what you say, I am not going

to deny the fact that God is God and I

have not done any wrong. I am standing here before

you to say that, yes, I'm going through some things,

but just because I'm going through some things, it doesn't

mean that God has abandoned me, that he's left me,

that he's rejected me. He's saying, listen, I'm not gonna

change my story. Some of us we change our story

based upon what we're going through. Some of us are

with God as long as God is blessing us, as

long as we got a house, a car, the family

all the things that we would like to have.

We're good.

But as soon as those things start to disappear, we

start saying God, who, God what? We get confused about

our commitment. But Job was focused vertically, and so the

Bible teaches us or talks about integrity. In this term,

integrity is defined as the quality of being honest, upright,

and sincere in one's character, actions, and motives. And Job

is known to be upright. This is what God loved

about Job. This is what God identified in Job. This

was the quality that he identified. And because he identified

that quality, this is why he allowed hear that, He

allowed Job to go through what he went through, because

he knew who he was.

Amen. Many of us we struggle with that. Does God

know who you are?

Yes?

He does? But can we handle the weight that God

puts on us? Job did?

Job refuses to compromise his integrity even when suffering unfairly.

I remember working with kids, and I don't know, abot,

if you ever work with kids. The one thing that

kids love to say, it's not fair. It's not fair,

and and so often it's true. It is not fair.

The thing, the situation may be going on, You look

at you say Yeah, that's not fair. It's really not fair.

But just because it's not fair doesn't mean you can

stop it from happening. Some of us are going through

some unfair situations, maybe unffair situations at work, at school,

in our community, and some relationships.

It's unfair. But God is just.

His identity isn't built on his circumstances. It's built on

his relationship with God. Job had a relation relationship with God.

So when the scenario change and the situation changed, Job

didn't change.

Oh hear that.

When everything else changed, he didn't change. Some of us

we can change on the drop of a dime. You

ever met somebody who's spiritually bipolar? God is good, Holley

and Loujah, holland Loujah. Then they get that one call

and they're like, man, Job didn't change his situation did

but he did not. When life strips you of everything,

don't lose your integrity. That's the one thing you carry

before God and others. Your integrity is what you do

when no one's watching. And say that again, your integrity

is what you do when no one is watching. I

was talking to somebody this morning and we had this

conversation and they came to Thursday night service.

I got to say that in first service.

And they walked up to me and they said, they said,

I enjoyed your message. And he said I was talking

to a friend about it and I told them one

word and they understood the whole message.

And I said, I said, what, you know, what was

that the one thing?

I was like, you summed up my whole forty five

minute sermon in one word. He said, well, actually too,

stop signs. I actually sat in a lobby this month.

Was like huh. And then he's like, I'm a truck

driver and stop signs. Integrity is when no one is watching.

Uh huh, amen, ay, uh huh. They don't just work

for truck drivers. And some of us two amen, If

I would be honest, some of us are rolling stoppers.

But if there's a police officer there, we do a

full stop, wait two seconds, right, because that's the appropriate

thing to do, that's the right thing to do.

Right.

So integrity is where nobody is watching, and not just

we're not just talking about stop songs. We're talking about

our lives when no one is watching. How is your

relationship with God? Is it the same or is it different?

We're working hard with our young adults, just talking about

that authentic community.

Can we be real with each other? You know? Can

I keep it real? That's what we usually say, right,

Can I keep it real?

And sometimes we can't keep it real. But in the

places where we cannot keep it real, it's dangerous. Who

are we when no one is watching? We must be

people of integrity. Proverbs eleven three says this. It says

the integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful

are destroyed by their duplicity. In other words, they're going

back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Make

up your mind how you feel about God. Either you're

with them or you're not. He's made up his mind

about you, and he says, I'll be with you until

he ends of the earth. Psalms forty one to twelve says,

because because of my integrity, you uphold me and set

me in your presence forever. Integrity keeps you connected to God.

You're in his presence forever. So here's the question I

want to ask you. Remember this fourth parts of this.

This is a question how are you handling what's pressing

you right now?

Are you compromising to get relief.

Are you clinging to righteousness even when it cost I

want to let you know, integrity is going to cost

you something. Some people prefer a lie. Have you ever

been in a meeting and they do true truth and

a lie. When people start telling the truth, you're like, oh,

they want to know that about it. We want to

believe the lie. We want to believe the untruth. But

integrity won't let you do it. We'll call it three truths.

So how are you handling it? Righteousness is God's way

of doing it. Job did it God's way. Secondly, Job

teaches us that we have to reject the gain of

the wicked, reject the gain of the wicked. Let me

let you know something. The wicked is always gonna want

to one up get something. They got a scheme, they

got a plan, and it always puts them ahead.

Right.

And so Job is saying, I'm not gonna take the

shortcut here. The shortcut here is to agree with you guys,

and hopefully you guys will be like, okay, acceptance, and

you guys will rally around me.

Oh, I'm so glad you confess this stuff. Job, now

we can help you.

No, no, no, no, I am gonna hold onto my integrity,

and I am not gonna about down to the ideas

of the wicked or the systems of this world.

I am gonna stand firm. And so Job says to

his friends.

He says, may my enemies be like the wicked, my

adversary like the unjust.

For what hope have the godless?

When they are cut off, when God takes away their life?

Does God listen to their cry? When distress comes upon them?

Will they find delight in the Almighty? Will they call

on God at all times? I will teach you about

the power of God, the ways of the Almighty. I

will not conceal you have all seen this yourselves. Why

then this meaningless talk. In other words, Job is saying

to them, listen, I'm gonna show you what it really

looks like to be a person who is following God.

I will show you well about the things of God.

And even though I am going through, I am going

through with God. I'm not going through against God. And

God is not against me. I am going through with God.

If you're going through something, please go through it with God.

Do not try to go on your own. Don't try

to make up your own plan. Allow God to leave you.

Job goes through his scenario with God. He says, I'm

gonna show you something. We'll teach you about the power

of God. God's power sometimes may introduce us to suffering,

into situations that we didn't plan for. But if God

is there, we're gonna be okay.

Amen.

Job describes the fleeting success of the wicked, their wealth,

their power, their status. All of this is temporary. I

wanna let you know that everything we have is temporary.

Everything we have is temporary. The house that you live in,

somebody is waiting to get something repaired.

Today, you're waiting for the man to fix it. Next week.

You might have gotten a brand new car.

But I just want to let you know there is

a mechanic waiting for you. He said, it's just a

matter of time. She's like, it's just a matter of time.

They'll be in here to get that fixed.

Right.

This stuff is gonna fade away. It's gonna pass away.

Everything that we have. You remember when things look so

brand new. You remember that that cute baby.

Oh they're so cute. Then they turned thirteen.

Jesus, it's gonna pass away. There's a story of a

rich man. He was pretty well off and he was

kind of known. He had some shady work dealings and

business dealings. But he had a couple friends and he

was coming to his time where he was about to transition,

and so he called his friends together. And he had

three friends. One was a doctor, one was a priest,

and the other was a lawyer. And he called his

friends in and he said to them, he said, listen,

I know my time is nine, but although my time

is nine, I'm going to do something that no one

has ever done before. I am going to try to

take it with me. And they all looked at him,

and he said, listen, I need your help them. So

he gave them all a envelope that contained two million

dollars in it, and he said, when I die, I

want you to come to my funeral and I want

you to put this in the casket. And all the

guys they're like, okay, okay, strange requests.

But okay.

So he gives them and some of you laugh already,

like you already got plans for that money already, didn't you.

So I wish somebody asked me.

But anyway, so he gives it to his friends, and

the time did come and he passed away. And so

they had the funeral, and its friends came, and each

one indeed did put an envelope inside of a casket.

They shut the casket and put their dear friend in

the ground. And as they were walking away away from

the cemetery, the doctor spoke up and he said, hey, guys,

I gotta make a confession.

See, I know what he asked for.

But the other week, I was thinking about the fact

that we really need to put this new wing onto

the hospital for the children of our community. We don't

have a place that really can service them. And so

I didn't put the envelope in the casket. I put

an envelope with old newspaper in the casket. And immediately

the attorney said, oh my lord, I can't believe you

did that. How could you do that? That is criminal.

This is our friend. Why would you do that to him?

He asked you to do something you couldn't even throw

simple instructions.

And all of a sudden, the priest chimed that.

We said, my son, before you draw go to any

conclusions or jump too far. I too, was in the

rectory the other night, and I was thinking about the

mission and the way that we are serving the homeless,

and we're feeding the needy, and all of these things

that we're doing to serve them. And I too decided

to give the money to the mission, and I put

old newspapers in as well and put it in the casket.

And then the lawyer was enraged. He turned beat red

and he said, Hey, I can't believe you guys are

so evil and so cruel. I think I should file

charges against you guys because of what you've done. You

had a responsibility. Our friend told us what he wanted

to do, and you didn't do it.

You should have been more like me.

I took the envelope and I put the cash in

a safe in my office, and I too came to

the funeral and I put the envelope in the casket.

It didn't have the cash in it. I wrote a check.

Good luck. Cash in that check.

So the reality is that all these guys had these

ideas about how they could progress or do something good,

but still their integrity was at state right because they

have agreed to something. And we can't allow ourselves to

get in that space, because even that deed in itself

can be considered wicked. Good outcome, but the process by

which we got there wicked, and so Job warns us

against these things.

Do not envy the week wicked.

Don't desire the path, because the destination will lead you

to ruin.

What you pursue reveals who or what you trust in.

Scripture support that by Psalms thirty seven to one says,

do not fret because of those who are evil or

be envious, for like grass, they will soon wither. I

want to let you know it's temporary. How many times

have you had to cut your grass?

The season.

Seems like it is every other day, right, storm comes

and then the next day you look.

Like, oh man, I got to go back out here. Right.

It's cut down consistently and continuously.

Withers. It'll be gone soon.

Proverbs twenty three seventeen says something like this, Do not

let your heart in these sinners. There is surely a

future hope for you, because we our hope is in Jesus.

We cannot place our hope in anything else or anyone else.

Our hope must remain in Jesus.

Even when there are opportunities for us to do well

in this world, if that opportunity pulls us away.

From Jesus.

Leave it alone, don't desire the things of the wicked.

Here's the thought question. Thought in a world where shortcuts,

shortcuts seem attractive and quick gain is celebrated, how are

you choosing God's way over the worlds? Are you actively

choosing God's way even when it could be so much

easier to do it that way? I always talk about

food when I talk about shortcuts. I'm just I gotta

be honest. It's always better when you just wait for it.

If it goes in that oven and you wait, it.

Just tastes better.

You know why, it tastes better because you're hungrier because

it took so long. Anybody know what I'm talking about.

I'm telling I'm gonna eat good today. No, really, I am.

I planned it already and I'm waiting. I'm waiting until

after Arabic service, right, I already planned it. I'm like,

I'm gonna get me a good meal to day because

I'm gonna preach three times a day. I'm gonna eat Amen.

Amen.

How are you choosing God's way over the world. You

gotta choose. You can't have it both ways.

Choose.

Thirdly, job teaches us to treasure wisdom. Job twenty eight

twelve through nineteen says this is so good. But where

can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? No mortal

comprehends its worth. It cannot be found in the land

of the living. The deep says it is not in me.

The sea says it is not in with me. It

cannot be brought with the finest goal, nor can its

price be weighed out in silver.

In other words, where can you get this wisdom from?

And I know some of us we think we can

just get it from Grandma because Grandma is wise. I

want to let you know there's a difference between knowledge

and wisdom. If you live long enough, you're gonna have knowledge.

But just because you have knowledge doesn't mean you're wise.

I'm messing up somebody's grandma story and they're like, damn, no,

grandma know a whole lot of stuff because she doesn't

seen a whole lot of stuff, right.

But wisdom is something precious that even Joe says, where

can you find it?

And if it's at Grandma's house, tell me where Grandma lives,

because I'm going there to No, that's knowledge that's experienced,

that's lived lessons, but wisdom is much deeper. Well Job

reflects on the mystery of wisdom, how priceless it is,

and how it cannot be mind purchased or manufactured. You

can write a book called the Wisest Things Ever, and

guess what.

Twenty years from.

Now people will say, what are you talking about? Because

that's fleeting. It won't stand. But the wisdom of the

Lord stands the test of time because it is always

fresh and new. It's applicable to today. It's like the

daily bread that we pray about and ask God for.

That's wisdom. Wisdom is more valuable than silver, gold, or fame.

When trouble come, wisdom, not wealth, guides us forward. I

want to let you know you can have all the

money in the world and still be a fool. You

can't buy wisdom. You can have seven degrees. You can

be a doctor of doctors, who doctor the doctor, who

doctor the doctor.

But after all the doctors, you can still be a fool.

If you don't have wisdom, you can't educate wisdom. It

only comes from God. Wisdom is more valuable than gold

and silver and fame. Proverbs three thirteen says it's blessed

are those who find wisdom. She is more precious than rubies.

I love the fact that Proverbs compares wisdom to a woman,

all the women in the house who say Amen, Amen, Amen,

praise the Lord. I just want to let you know, guys,

I know where to stand when it all comes down.

I live in a house with four daughters and one wife,

and guess what they win.

Amen. But there's something about wisdom.

My wife is all wise because I'm sometimes I'm like

as rational as I can be and as spiritual as.

I could think I am. Sometimes sometimes I don't think.

My head is all out here. I'm trying to make

a decision. I gotta get to it, get to it.

And then my wife will say something that's so wise,

And when it's so wise, I go, you right. Wisdom,

it's precious, more precious than Rubi's. Ecclesiastes says this wisdom

preserves those who have it. Wisdom will save your life.

It will save you, It will save you from yourself.

Wisdom will keep you. Here's the challenge.

Are you seeking God's wisdom like hidden treasure or are

you casually hoping it shows up? The Bible says this.

Matthew six thirty three. But seek first the Kingdom of

God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be

added unto you. Seek first the kingdom. I want to

let you know, if you seek God, you seek wisdom,

you will have wisdom and all the other stuff will come.

You remember Solomon.

Solomon, when he had the opportunity to choose anything, he

chose wisdom because wisdom was paramount to him.

Wisdom was the most important thing. He wanted to know how.

To leave God's people, and he said, the only way

I can leave them it won't be because of my power.

It won't be because of my wealth. It's got to

be because of wisdom. And wisdom helped him not only

to have wealth, to have power and to live.

A long life, but he was surrendered to God.

Submit it to God. Are you seeking it like treasure?

We're just waiting around? Seek wisdom and connected to this

point four, seek the Source job teaches us to seek

the source. I love his passage right here. Listen to

this job twenty eight twenty through twenty eight. Where then

does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? It is

hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even

from the birds, in the sky destruction and death.

Say, only a rumor of it has reached our ears.

God understands the way to it, and he alone knows

where it dwells, for he views the ends of the

earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he established

the force of the wind and measured out the war,

he made a decree for the rain and the path

of the thunderstorm. Then he looked at wisdom and appraised it,

and he confirmed it and tested it.

I love that verse right there.

God appraises wisdom, He appraises it.

Now check this out.

Now I'm gonna say this so I won't have to

have a conversation like thirty two times, because everybody asked

me this like every week, and it's so good, thank God,

because people know how to pray. So I'm gonna we'll

direct the prayers a different way. Now, still pray for me,

but that's directed a different way. And so we found

a house. Amen, Praise the Lord.

Hall.

We just got a close but praise the Lord. We

got a house.

And you know, I told somebody the other day, I said,

I said, you know what, it's been interesting. We didn't

have a house. But I was never homeless. Amen, isn't

that a blessing? Didn't have a house? But I was

never homeless. I've been staying with the Grangers, and I

tell you, they have just open their home to me.

And I mean, it's just been wonderful. I come and

go as I please. They feed me, sometimes we watch

games together. I'm gonna kind of hate to leave. I'm

telling you, light's cost anyway, Hem's but there are the

kindest people I know, and and so it's a blessing.

But when I went through the process, there is a

moment where you not only have to go through the inspection,

but there's also an appraisal, right, And that appraisal tells

you the value of your home. They use comps other

houses in your area to decide the value of your home,

because this household for this and that household for that.

So this is what the market value would be. But

not only do they count what is around it, but

it also count what's in it.

Oh, that'll preach all by itself. What's in wisdom?

God appraises wisdom, He appraises it, he tallies it up.

He says, this is the price of wisdom.

And this is what he says it says, and he

looked at wisdom and appraised it. He confirmed it confirmation

and tested it. He tested wisdom, and he said to

the human race, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to shun evil is understanding.

This is after the appraisal.

Notice this that when the Lord says the fear of

the Lord is wisdom, we're not talking about being scared,

being afraid of God. But we're talking about reverencing God,

being obedient and surrendering to God.

That's what fear is. God.

I reverence you, God, I obey you God. I surrender

to your will and to your way.

God.

I want what you want. I don't want my own.

I want your way. Your way is the best way.

That is wisdom. James one and five says this, if

any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God and

it will be given to you. Listen, there's no other

place I know that I can just walk in and

ask for something and be given to me.

Because if that was the case, I go to the

bank and I'm like, yo, can I.

Get a million dollars? They're gonna look at me and

look at my credit and say no way. But if

you ask for wisdom. If you ask God for his wisdom,

he will freely give it to you because.

He knows you need it.

All you gotta do is ask, Lord, help me to

be wise in my marriage, Help me to be wise

with my children. Lord, give me your wisdom as it

relates to my job. Giving your wisdom as to relates

to this relationship. Give me your wisdom as it relates

to ministry. God, I don't know what I'm doing, but God,

if you give me wisdom, I don't have a way

to go. We need his wisdom. It's so precious. So

I want to encourage somebody today. If you're confused, hurting, uncertain,

start by drawing near to God. That's where wisdom begins.

As you get closer and you ask. As you draw

near to Him, he would draw near to you. Growing

up in the church, I always loved the spontaneous way

that church was. We'd have devotionals and we would have

prayer times and we'll say, hey, this is a prayer service,

and while we're praying, somebody would just say.

Draw me near.

Near, Rublessed Lord to the cross where thou has died.

Draw me need ne, Rublessed Lord.

To thy precious bleeding side.

As a kid, I didn't understand why they would want

to draw near to his precious bleeding side.

But the cross represents suffering.

And if you are suffering today, if you're hurting, confused

in pain.

That's where you need to be.

You need to draw near to God, near to Jesus,

near to the Cross, near to the space where you

know you can receive the healing, you can receive the

breakthrough that you need. That's where you need to be.

That's where wisdom is. It's at the foot of Jesus.

Because.

When you draw close to him, he will provide wisdom.

Job was going through some unimaginable proportions, yet his gaze

was never lowered. He kept his sight on the God

that he trusted. So if you're going through today, I

want to encourage you guard your integrity, don't let go

of it no matter what happens. I want to encourage

you to refuse the bait of the wicked. I also

want to encourage you to value God's wisdom above everything

and finally seek the source of all wisdom. If you

do that, you will have your mind focus on what

really matters, because everything that we see will pass away,

but his word will stand forever.

And I know one thing that I can rest upon.

I know one thing that I can be sure of

is that the foundation, when it is christ it will stand.

It will stand, It will stand. Listen.

I don't know about you, but I remember growing up

and they used to tell me that story, the story

of the three little pigs. You remember that, all right.

There's a whole lot of huffing and puffing going on

a man, But the house that was built out of brick,

when the wains came, it was solid. I want to

let somebody know right now. I want you to just

keep on building with bricks, keep on building on the

firm foundation, and you will stand through the storm. As

I think about Job, there's one passage that I really love,

or at least one verse I love. And I didn't

understand it fully when I was younger, but it's so good.

Job says this. He says it in thirteen, the thirteenth

chapter and the fifteenth verse. He says, though he slays me,

yet will I trust him?

Wow? Though he slaved me? Yet will I trust him? Though?

I'm going through opposition, through situations, through circumstances, through things

that are devastating, that are painful, that are hard, that

are difficult, I will still.

Trust the Lord. My trust is in the Lord. I

don't matter.

It doesn't matter if the wind blows, if the waves come,

it doesn't matter if I feel the shaking.

Of the world.

I will still trust in the Lord. I will not

let go of my faith.

I will let go of my integrity. I will not

let go of my God, because he is sturdy, he

is sure.

Hold on.

Will you stand with me this morning? Brothers and sisters,

keep your eyes vertical.

You may not have all the answers for your situation,

but if you have integrity, you have wisdom, and you

have God, you have everything you need. You're gonna make it.

You're gonna be okay. I want to pray for you today.

I remember when my kids were little, and I don't

know why I feel glad to say this today. When

they were little, they were often get aurys, a lot

of alys, and after a while I was comforting them,

I would say, you're gonna be okay. And I don't

know why I feel so glad to even say that.

Right now, there's somebody in this room today. That's what

you need to know. That it's gonna be okay. You're

gonna be okay. You're gonna get through the storm. You're

gonna make it through this because you are in God's

hands and He's got you.

Father.

I thank you right now. I thank you for your

spirit that is in this place. Lord, we fill the

storms and we feel a little like job today. Lord God,

seems like everything is breaking down, systems are breaking down.

But Lord God, we will not lose our integrity because

you are our integrity.

We will not compromise, we will not resort to the

ways of a wicked.

God.

We will lean into wisdom and we will seek you

for it.

Because you are our only hope, God, your only health.

God.

You are a healer, our deliverer, our savior, our friend

when we are friendless, our shelter in the time of storm.

You're our bread when we're hungry, our water in our desert,

our shade when the sun is beating upon us. God,

You're our resource, and we trust you. God stirs somebody's

hope today. Sorry that you speak to your son and

your daughter and tell him you're okay.

You're gonna be okay. I know because I got a

plan for you. Oh glory to God. God, help us

to keep focused on what really.

Matters, and that is you and you alone.

We honor you and we thank you. In Jesus' name.

We pray a man and a man