178 ~ STUDYING THE PSALMS ~ PART 6

Hi and welcome to the Via Zion Sermon podcast.

We are a local church based here in Chennai, India.

We are so glad you are with us and hope that this will

encourage, inspire and instill fresh faith in you.

We finish our series today on the book of Psalms where we

looked closer at this book and gleaned from it invaluable

treasure. We believe that through this

series your worship of God went deeper and your love for Him

grew stronger. We have geshroom share with us

from Psalm 73. And helps us understand.

How we can approach God unashamedly and unafraid,

knowing that He will hear and answer us.

Hi Church, welcome to Church Online and for those of you who

are watching, or for those of you who are later on listening

to God's Word. I considered a joy and a

privilege that I get to stand here in front of you and speak

God's word to you today and even before we get into God's word, I

just want to take some time to just say a quick word of prayer

so that His word will fall on good soil, on our hearts.

Not even right now. I just thank you, Lord, for this

time. Thank you, Lord, for all those

who are watching online and those who are listening.

I pray even right now. Lord, even as we listen to your

word, and even as we meditate on your word, may it come alive.

Lord Jesus, in us, Holy Spirit, would you do your work.

If areas where we need to change convict us for areas where we

need strengthening so that our faith can be secured, kindly do

that lot. We are desperate for you.

We want to lean into you lot. Be with us and bless us your

most renamely pray. Amen.

Amen. So church, we are coming to the

last part of this seas that we've been doing on Psalms,

studying the Psalms and over the course of the last five weeks

we've seen from Psalm 22169439 and 34.

And going through all this, it's evident that if there's one

overarching theme is the fact that we can come to God as we

are. We can come to God as we are.

And today I've taken from Psalm 73.

It's a Psalm of Asaf. And even as I was reading

through a whole bunch of psalms that were written by Asaf, there

was something that I could relate with him on a personal

level. He was a musician.

He was appointed by David so that he can bring glory to God

in God's house. He was giving of himself.

That's why he was there. He many a times was being honest

about what he felt standing in God's presence.

And even as I was meditating, I realized God wanted me to come

to that place of being honest. It may be for those of us who

are serving in some capacity, big or small, we all tend to get

lost in our serving. For some who are shying away

from serving, we feel like if we go there, we will be expected to

do certain things. And I think one of the

liberating things is the fact that you can only be real within

between yourself and God. And ASAP has done that.

And so my sermon title for today is the Standpoint of faith.

Today we all have to take a stand with regard to our faith.

We all have to take and make decisions with regard to our

faith. And So what did Asaf do that

would strengthen his faith? Because he's here.

He's a chief musician, You know, when you look back, he served,

he was appointed by David. He served under Solomon's

regime. He also was there during the

dedication of the temple. He was skilled, definitely,

because to last from David to Solomon, from a worship leader

himself to appoint someone. You know, I feel like many a

times we are in security place. But here ASAP is a very secure

person. He knows who he is and who he's

called to serve and he did it diligently.

And so even as we go through this Psalm entirely, there are a

couple of close to 20 verses. We'll go through it part by part

and as we meditate on it. Im sure there are areas that the

Holy Spirit will convict because he convicted me when I was

preparing. He convicted areas where I have

questioned him time and again. But I want to look through that

entire thing of what ISAF did because theres a way in which

hes written the entire sum. At the end of it he goes back to

God. So today our main intention of

doing this is so that we go back to God that because.

We know when we are in His room, when we are in His sanctuary,

when we are in His church, when we are amongst believers who are

of the same faith, we can only go back to Him.

So let's read from Psalm 73 today.

Psalm 73 versus one to three, and this is what it says.

Surely God is good to Israel to those who are pure in heart.

But As for me, my feet had almost slipped.

I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envy the arrogant when I

saw the prosperity of the wicked.

ASAP starts the Psalm by saying you know God is good to Israel

For those who are pure in heart. He's heard the stories of how

Israel has journeyed from Egypt from slavery, how they've

experienced freedom, how they've been allotted lands, and how

they've, you know, been through the seasons of judges and now in

the season of kings. And he says we need to have a

pure heart. God is good to those who have a

pure heart. And he starts off by saying this

because he feels that he is not having a pure heart.

Today in 2023, a lot of us are just coming to church to put

attendance. We want to mark and say, you

know what, I'm here. But are we coming here so that

we will get our heart right, so that the remaining 6 days of the

week we will live? According to what he's called us

to live. And so today he says here God is

good to those who are pure, who are pure in heart.

And he knows that he's not had a week probably where his heart

has been pure. He's harnessed.

He comes down to saying, you know, my feet almost slipped.

I nearly lost my foot hold. If you see people are climbing

mountains, all they need is a small area to keep their foot

and stand. And many a times we feel like

our faith is not standing on firm ground because we are

struggling with our coworkers. We are struggling because our

integrity is coming in the way of how we need to do things

because we are followers of Jesus.

And the world is expecting it differently.

Or you feel like you're lost, you're not included in the

crowd, and you're away from certain things.

And so we try including ourselves, and most often times

we make decisions where we feel like you're slipping or some of

us are even slipped. And so today, even before guilt

and shame can set in, Asaf is starting to look at his heart.

God, I have slipped. I have.

I have thought of things that probably are not right of me.

To think I have seen, you know, through a lens of the world and

not through the lens of you. Because he goes on to Saint

Versi for I envy the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the

wicked. And today it might look to us.

Everyone outside of the faith is thriving.

They've got a good, they've got good jobs, they've put in good

positions. Their business strategies are

working. They able to make ends meet and

travel the world. Today we need to come to a place

of being real with God. And so can I ask you, church,

can we come to a place of being real?

Many a times we mask it. Today we are as Christians.

Many a times we're jealous of those who are within the

community of faith. Leave it on the people who are

outside of the faith. We think you know what that they

are prosperous and I'm not prospering but ASAP here is like

God. I feel like I've slept.

I've started thinking outside of the goodness that you've called

me to live. And ASAP, when he's talking

here, he's clearly talking of two camps.

Our Christian faith is 1 where we need to choose which camp

you're part of, the camp which belongs to Jesus or the camp

which is not belonging to Jesus. And we, especially in this

situation, can. We are in the camp of Jesus, but

we feel like our foot. Is slipping.

We are not able to stand on ground and we are looking and

comparing ourselves to the people on the other side of the

camp. And so how do we look at God

matters because maybe a lot of us are having one struggle after

the other and we are questioning God.

But it's interesting that if we've decided to follow Jesus,

which means he is ahead of us and we are behind him and

following him. Wherever Jesus goes, we go.

We will experience certain things.

We will experience storms. We will experience hurricanes.

We might experience hail. But if we ask Jesus to follow us

and the minute storms come, we will disown the faith and we

will move off to the other side. And I think when I.

And when I was looking at these verses, it reminded me that a

lot of us are in this place of contemplation where we don't

know whether Jesus is ahead of us or He's behind us.

Because if He's behind us, we can reason out and give up on

the faith that we are called to live.

But if He's ahead of us, our eyes have to be on Jesus.

Let's go on from verses 4 to 6. It goes on to say they have no

struggles. Their bodies are healthy and

strong. They are free from common human

burdens. They are not plagued by human

health. Therefore, pride is their

necklace. They clothe themselves with

violence. And so ASAP here is looking at

the other side. And he's like God.

They don't even have struggles in their body.

They seem to be healthy. They are.

They are strong. They seem to be, you know, free

of all the common burdens. Of school fees, of business

doing well, of marriage being OK.

They seem to have everything, and they are confident in who

and how they live. God's calling us today not to

live lives of comparison, not to live lives of comparison.

If there's anything that we can compare today is between us and

God, not us and fellow human beings.

The life that we've chosen to live is the one where we follow

Jesus and our comparison can only be with Him.

Our grievances can only be with Him.

The way that we see blessings can only be with Him.

The way we see fulfillment can only be with Him.

If we have to compare it to the people around, we will see

things we will. Spirit of jealousy sets in

Spirit of. You know, discontent sets in

spirits of envy, malice. And before we know it, we're not

exhibiting God's love, the love that he has for us to show in

this earth. We in fact are insecure.

We start belittling what he's doing.

But here we see Asaf being honest before God.

He looks at them. He says God, Why God?

He's comparing only to God. He's not going and comparing it

to other people around. He's careful about that.

He knows he can only take it to God.

So he's being honest with God and many a times though

outworking of our salvation happens from inside out.

The problem when we compare with people outside they their

fulfillment of life is is seen from what the way they live

outside. And here I'm not here to say

that you know what we don't have to grow socio economically all

that is good but often times. We are judging everyone by what

is portrayed outside. We don't know what's happening

inside. Our salvation is an inside out

experience, which means it works in and through us and manifests

itself outside so that others can experience.

My change is just not a one off change.

It's a living out change, which means it's lived out every day,

every year, every season. Romans chapter 8, verse 18 says,

Romans 8:18

for I consider from the standpoint of faith, that the

sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared

with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us.

Paul writes to the Romans and he says, you know what?

Our faith is not worth comparing because we are not going to

enjoy this life here on this earth temporary.

This is a very short face. This is a very short face.

We see a lot of people who are aimless here.

They think if they have made it here, we are striving to build

something for us. For those of us who are in our

40s want to establish, establish ourselves for those of them on

their 50s want to build a legacy.

But I think if we are following Jesus, we will do what he is

calling us to do and everything else will follow.

We will leave a legacy for Jesus so that his name will be

glorified, so that his name will be caught by many others in the

coming generations. So let's stop comparing how they

are living. The second part of Asap's

comparison is comparing how the others are behaving.

And hes being honest with God. A lot of us, many a times are

comparing. We have these mind talks just by

ourselves. Or we, you know, have our

besties and we are talking to them about it.

But can we take it to God? He says in Psalm 73 versus 7 to

10. From the careless hearts comes

iniquity. Their evil imaginations have no

limits. They scoff and speak with

malice. With arrogance they threaten

oppression. Their mouths lay claim to

heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.

Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in

abundance. Today you and I are comparing a

lot between how we live and how others we see their behaviour.

We see you know what, God, I'm here exhibiting the fruit that

you want me to exhibit because I have the Holy Spirit, you know.

But they seem to be getting away with it.

They make to be you know they they cause a fanfare of all the

little things that they do and they seem to be doing something

their Lord. Why why do I not get the

visibility that they are getting?

And I the problem is our comparison over the years has

just magnified and today, you know you don't have to be

amongst them. You can just be sitting in your

home all by yourself. For those of you watching our

church online right now can also just be simultaneously scrolling

through some other Instagram posts and be seeing God.

Why are they having the life they seem to be travelling to

destinations they seem to be having it put together?

They seem to be putting it all. They have everything they you

know. We don't know the struggles, but

we make assumptions based on their behaviour.

But today? Are we making life choices,

faith choices based on comparison of how others are

living and how others are behaving?

Or are we making life choices and faith choices based on what

God's asking us to do, which means I have to live a life of

contentment? What does comparing look like?

Are we coveting another person's wife?

Are we coveting another person's family?

Are we coveting another person's wealth?

Are we coveting another person's body?

Because I'm not happy the way I was created.

By God. Am I coveting another person's

skin color because I feel this has given me a bad deal?

Take it to God. Take it to God.

You will soon realize the way God created you was for a

purpose. The doors that are meant to be

opened by God for you will happen the way He's created you,

not the way you want to be created or what the things that

you want to have. Many a times we fail to see God

wants to open doors the way He has created us to be, and soon

we come to that realization. We'll be comfortable who is

created and we will be able to see differences happen today.

Can we look beyond comparing? Can we look beyond?

John Piper says this. This is God's universal purpose

for all Christian suffering. More contentment in God and less

satisfaction in world, more contentment in God and less

satisfaction in the world. We are not called to be

satisfied by the world. Rather, the world will use us.

It will see what it can benefit from us, leave us there, and

move on. But we need to have a

contentment in God. What does contentment in God

look like In a season where im used?

I know why gods using me for that season.

The season where im doing the next thing.

Ill see that gods enlarge my tent to do something a little

different from what ive done and I start encouraging those who

are coming, you know after me. And as this goes on youll see

beautifully that as Paul writes the older at looking after the

younger. They are teaching them ways,

decisions, and in turn what happens?

His Kingdom expands, His love expands, his sufficiency

expands, his his community expands.

So today can we stop comparing? And as Asaf says, our cry can be

only taken to God. And Asaf is in this position as

a chief musician, as a chief worship leader.

He knows he can't take it to the king.

He knows he can't take it to others at all.

But being in the Presence, he can only take it to him.

And so my encouragement today is find a community.

You need to be amongst other believers.

Come to a place where you can gather every week.

We gather here every week, and I know many of them don't feel

like coming, but it's when they come here, I'm sure God is

speaking and ministering to them.

Bring your questions to his sanctuary.

So our cry is to God alone so that He will listen to us.

Psalm 73 versus 11 to 12, they say.

How would God know? Does the most I know anything.

This is what the wicked are like.

Always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

Was 13 to 17, was on to say, surely in vain.

I've kept my heart pure and I've washed my hands in innocence.

All day long I've been afflicted and every morning brings new

punishment. If I'd spoken out like that, I

would have betrayed your children.

When I try to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till

I entered the sanctuary of God. Then I understood their final

destiny. We see here that you know, as

Asaf is talking, he's going to God.

He's in God, I know you, but these are my struggles.

My flesh is struggling because all this is happening.

It feels like I've, you know, kept my heart in me.

It seems like all that I've done till now seems useless because

others are not even following this discipline, are not

following this correction that you're giving.

This revelation of your truth allows them to, you know, I'm

living in in. Within the boundary lines, they

are living. Outside the boundary lines, they

seem to be prosperous. Why?

Why God it? See.

He says that every morning when I wake up it seems like I've

been afflicted with new things. The thing about following Jesus

is he carves out the things of the world outside.

He peels it out of our very nature.

If lying was something, he removes that.

For those of us who are struggling with addictions he

handles. He gives us a grace to.

Push through that so that we make the right choices.

For those who have angry issues, he allows his spirit to saturate

us so that we won't have those outbursts.

For those of us who are mentally, you know, wanting to

give up and feeling like a cloud is sitting over our head, A dark

cloud. He's encouraging us to push

through and come out and it feels heavy.

The author here ASAP is talking of.

The heaviness that comes with following him, he says.

I'm not able to speak it out because if I speak it out,

others in the community will feel like I'm betraying their

faith and we can only bring it to God.

God alone can handle our distress.

God alone can handle our insecurity.

God alone can handle our struggles.

You know, in this day and age of mental health being big and

counselors being big. You know, I would encourage you,

for those of you who are following Jesus, if you can

really be honest with Jesus, stop pursuing and being so

honest with your counselor. You know, at the end of it, if

it's all about feeling good, go ahead.

But if it want change to happen, go to God.

If you want to see a change happen in your child, go to God.

If you want to see a change happen in your marriage, go to

God. If you want to see change happen

within yourself, go to God. By me saying this, I'm not

denouncing going to counseling. It's not for some of us, it's

very serious. We need to go there, but don't

discount what God can also do. There's a reason why ASAP says

here I have if I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed

your children. There is a sense of I need, I

can only bring this to you. I can only bring this, this,

this heaviness that I have, the the reason why I feel like I'm

slipping, the reason why I feel like I'm struggling, I can only

bring it to you, he says. Till I entered the sanctuary of

God, then I understand the final destiny, which means he's able

to see I am not about the temporary.

I'm about the eternal. I'm not about, you know, getting

it right here. I'm about getting it right for

eternity. Oftentimes in a pursuit of

getting it right, here we compromise.

We make certain choices which you know, does not cause us to

be happy or we are not proud of. But with Jesus with eternity in

mind, we will be living heaven here on earth.

We will be living a life of contentment, of love and joy and

of peace. So today are you feeling?

Heavy. Are you feeling?

Are you feeling this heaviness? Take it to God, don't take it

anywhere else. ASAP didn't take it anywhere

else. He took it to God.

And so today I would ask you to take it to God.

You're warning that breakthrough?

Have you sought God honestly or are you trying to control

everything by yourself? And the reason why?

ASAP says I'll bring it to the Sanctuary is my struggle and me

taking it to God. Will bring encouragement to

another person who is also struggling in the community.

Two Corinthians chapter one, verse 3, says Praise be to God

and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion

and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles

so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we

ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly

in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through

Christ. And so, Church, I want to

encourage you. You're not in this alone as ASF,

he as he is struggling in this alone.

He steps out, takes it to God, finds God, and then is amongst

people. He's still there.

He's still worshipping, He's still leading, but he's leading

from a right place. As we conclude this song, as I

was reading through, I came across a story by Sadhus and the

Singh. It says, you know, he was on a

long journey and he rested in front of a house.

Suddenly there was strong winds that's coming and he saw the

Sparrow that was struggling to fly against the wind and the

other side. He saw this eagle come.

He knew that in a moment the eagle can snatch the Sparrow,

but the Sparrow conveniently saw this him sitting that he just

just came straight and fell on, you know, his lap and the eagle

couldn't come close. And this is what he says when he

narrates the story, he says. As the Sparrow was threatened

from a different direction, the Sparrow flew into my lap by

choice. Would not It would not normally

do that. However, the little bird was

seeking for a refuge from a great danger.

Likewise, the violent bills of suffering and trouble blow us

into the Lords protective hands. Your questions are right.

You're you've been abandoned. You've been struggling in the

relationship. You're broken up.

You've struggled in work. You're struggling with your

self-confidence. All these are real.

All these are real issues. Take it to God, your

insecurities. Take it to God your

insufficiency. Take it to God.

Fall in this protective hand. Don't allow the world to devour

you today. How does the world devour self?

Help. The world devours you through

ways in which they try giving you coping mechanism which is

not even proven and tested at the end of it.

Do they actually tell you how peaceful they are?

Never trust content because at the end of the day it's

marketing. It's it's not the right way to

consume. It's not lived out.

Consume content that's lived out.

Lean into people who've lived out their faith.

Asaf comes to a conclusion saying God at the end of this I

dont want my opinions to thrive. I want your truth to rise above

Psalm 73 versus 18 to 20. And this is what it reads.

Surely you place them on slippery ground, you cast them

down to the wind. How suddenly are they destroyed?

Completely swept away by terrors?

They are like a dream when one awakens.

When you arise Lord, you will despise them as.

Fantasies. When my heart was grieved and my

spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant and I was

a brute beast before you and Asaf realizes at the end of it.

I'm sorry lot for comparing because I know where they are

headed. I know where they are at.

I know what position that they hold.

If their riches crumble, they will crumble with it.

If things fail around them, they will fail with it because they

have no hope. But my hope is in you.

And so today, for those of you, it says, yeah, how completely

they are suddenly swept away by terrors.

They are like a dream and one awakens.

They seem like fantasies. So today, trust the process.

Let's be repentant. Of the eight times when we've

failed to trust the process God's taken is from.

Abundance is good, but the road leading to abundance is one of

struggle. And you know hardship, where our

faith is renewed, tested, and made fine so that it lasts a

lifetime. So today, ask God to take your

doubts to Him. Take your questions to him.

Allow him to answer. Seek him diligently.

When when we want things here on this earth, we do it diligently.

Take that same diligence to him. You want that breakthrough in

your life. Go to him diligently.

Be honest with him. Tell him, God, I'm messed up.

I I don't know what I'm doing. Would you please deal with me

ASAP? Goes on to say this beautiful

thing, he says. God, your strength will become

my strength. Psalm 73 versus 23 or 26, it

says yet. I am always with you.

You hold me by my right hand, you guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire

beside you. My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Those who are far from you will perish.

You destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But As for me, it is good. To be near God, I have made the

sovereign Lord my refuge. I will tell of all your deeds.

Asaf comes to this conclusion saying, God, you are the

strength who have high in heaven but you.

There's nothing that I desire beside you.

My flesh and my heart will fail, but God is the strength of my

heart and my portion forever. There's a worship song that was

sung with the same exact words. And I believe as we are entering

into the next season, as we've completed six months of 2023, as

we are entering into the remainder of the six months, may

you not go into a place of comparing and feeling, you know

what, I've not achieved anything, but may you go into a

place of fullness knowing that, God, you are my strength, you

are my portion. I'll seek contentment.

I'll be happy at the place that you call me in.

You know, many a times we are looking for what is pleasing to

our ears, is convenient for us, is easy for us.

In fact, we choose churches which are convenient for us.

We choose communities which have the certain vibe that we want.

But if you're all following the same God, shouldn't every

community matter? Shouldn't every gathering be the

same, even if it's in a different language?

Wouldn't it be the? Place where people of God are

gathered together because it's the same God, it's the same

police spirit who's ministry to us.

And so today wherever you're at, if you've not plugged into a

community, if you've had hesitation, I would say don't

look for something that will vibe with you, but rather see

are they really having Jesus in their congregation and get

plugged in because your strengthening of your faith will

happen in situations like that. Your strengthening of your inner

man will happen there. Your life's journey will be

increased and strengthened there.

You know, many a times we think I need to surround myself with

these kind of people. But God wants you to be

surrounded by people who love him, care for him, I mean, who

love him wholeheartedly, who are doing what he's called

wholeheartedly. Surround yourselves.

Surround yourselves with people who have taken those steps of

faith and seen God come through. Surround yourselves with people

who have the miraculous God Work in and through their lives so

that you will be able to experience that miraculous in

your own life. Today we take a lot of time to

put ourselves together. We set our clothes up.

We make sure we follow the right influences of what to wear with

what of how to look, of whether my hair is good, whether I put

the right band, or whether I have the right strap for my

watch. It will all pass away.

Where is your heart? Are you filling up certain

things because your heart is empty?

Are you trying to make certain things look right?

Because you're feeling unfulfilled entirely inside.

Never judge things by an outward appearance.

I've learnt that time and again. I've learnt that time and again

we need to move to a place of finding God's strength to be our

strength, God's portion to be my portion, God's.

Everything to be my everything. And as I was reading this I

wanted to be encouraged. And the beautiful thing about

this is this entire verse especially was 24 says you guide

me with your counsel and afterward you will take me into

glory. The word counsel there in the

passion translation it says secret wisdom.

So this is not wisdom that comes of following certain leadership

gurus who are giving out wisdom, secret wisdom.

Which means God wants to speak certain things exclusively to

your ears. Decisions that you can make that

will change the course of your life.

That secret wisdom you wants to speak into your ears.

Are you tuning your ears for that?

Are you willing to listen to him?

Are you willing to commune with him?

So how does God speak? Oftentimes we are pursuing

saying, God, I want to know how you're speaking.

But the right question that we need to be asking is how do I

listen to God's speaking? Because God is speaking.

Am I listening? Right.

To hear his secret wisdom, I need to be close.

Anything that has been spoken in secret is done.

Like how we talk. It's at that close.

So today, what is our take away from?

This entire Psalm that Asaf has written suffering will come.

In fact you know Tim Keller wrote in his in one of his books

he's given this quote which says if you see God as the non

negotiable good of your life you will get happiness thrown in.

If however you aim mainly at personal happiness you will get

neither. You will get neither.

He has to be the non negotiable good of your life.

And today, many a times he is the negotiable thing.

Today am I leaning into God wholly and solely.

A lot of us today, you know if you have to have this response

like ASAP because he only leaned into God today.

A lot of us even after your married, we are struggling to

lean into our spouse. You are rather leaning still

into our parents. How can God speak something for

your marriage when you're leaning on to someone else?

Today, as a young person, you're probably leaning on to the

patterns of this world, the systems of the world.

He's asking. Would you lean on to me?

What is he speaking to you? What is he wanting to encourage

you? You're scared you'll be part of

the rat race, but he'll say being part of it, I can still do

something new. I can still do something

different. Today, when that one dream job

of yours goes out of your hand, do you think life is over or

still? Do you have God who is in

control of you? Situations will change, but if I

have to find fulfillment, it comes down to me leaning on God

wholly and solely. Romans 12 says this Do not

conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the

renewing of a mind. Then you will be able to test

and approve what God's will is, is good, pleasing and perfect

will. If some doors have not opened

for you this year, it's probably because God's will is not for

that to be opened. He has something else better

come to terms with it. Allow Jesus to go forward and

follow Jesus. And as ASAP said, you are my

strength, you are my portion. You are my everything.

So today I don't know who I'm talking this for, but I believe

a lot of us today are pursuing things which need us to come to

a place in God. Is this of you or is this not of

you? And as if this is not of you,

Lord, let me pursue what is of you, so that his good and

pleasing and perfect plan will become into fulfillment.

Trust is timing. He knows the beginning from the

end. He knows everything that's ahead

of us. I would trust God and follow him

every day till I close my eyes here on the earth or till I see

him face to face. So today, Church, even as I

conclude the standpoint of faith is first, we stop comparing how

we live. We stop comparing how the others

live, how the others behave. And we come to terms with the

fact that, Lord, I am on slippery ground.

I have been doing this and be honest with God alone.

And so that because when we are honest with Him only he will

listen. Many times people around will

not understand, but he only understands.

And I come to a place of realizing that his truth will

prevail, my opinion will fade away, and that his strength will

become my strength. Can I just pray for you?

As Asaf sought encouragement from his word, I want to speak

that over your life that God's strength will be your strength.

Whom I am high in heaven but you and earth has nothing I desire

beside you. My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever,

Not even right now. I just pray for each and

everyone. Lord Jesus, who are listening to

this? I pray if they are going through

a hard time, a hard season, and if all that we've done is

compare. Lord, we ask for repentance.

Right now we say we are sorry and we ask that you would come

into our situation right now. We openly ask and lift our

hands, Lord, in submission and say you are our strength.

You are our portion who have I in heaven but you.

There's nothing that I desire beside you.

Lord, my heart and my flesh may fail, but you are the strength

of my life. Would you come down, Lord Jesus,

into each and every home right now, into each and every

situation right now, into each and every decision that we all

have to take? I pray we'll come to a place

where we are not afraid to come to you without doubts, are free

to come to you without questions, are free to come and

be honest with you, Lord. And even right now as people do

that as they take time this week to be honest with you.

Would your revelation happened right now, Lord?

And even right now I just recommit all of us that you will

go ahead of us, Lord Jesus, that we will follow you.

We will follow our leader. We will follow our God.

We will follow the plans and the and the things that you have set

out for us. Lord Jesus, go before us.

Strengthen us. I pray that Lord your peace and

your joy will prevail. Strengthen each and everyone.

God, we give you the glory and the honor.

In your most holy name we pray. Amen.

Amen. So, church, even as you step

out, I pray specifically that God will be your portion.

God will be your strength. If you're having heartaches and

strife and questions, please take it to God.

And we as a community of believers are here to pray

alongside with you, to see and intercede so that God's

miraculous will come and work in and through you.

I pray specifically that God will work in and through your

lives, that He'll step in you, that He'll bless you.

And that you will be changed inside out, so that in due time

you will bear a harvest so that many others can taste of his

goodness and see what he's done and follow the same God that

you're following. I pray that you'll be

encouraged. God will strengthen his

strength, will be your strength this week and for the days to

come. God bless you all.

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