When Good Is Good Enough Part 2

Have your Bible turned back with me to Psalm

118 as we try to finish when good is good enough.

We're going to try to finish that. Amen. I would

have hit a little bit of that. I just can't remember

enough of it. But as we were singing that. The

old, when the redeemed are gathering in. That

song come to my mind. Wash like snow and free

from all sin. How we'll shout and how we'll sing

when the redeemed are gathering in. I don't know

where your mind's been lately, but mine's been.

Gravitating toward the gathering moment. Amen.

I'm ready to see the Lord. I'm ready to see Jesus.

Amen. And every born again, blood bought, prayed

up, living right, saint of God ought to have

the same focus. We ought to be longing to see

the Lord. I don't need any more time. I don't

need to make anything else right. I try to keep

up with that stuff on a daily basis. Amen. I

don't need to hear another sermon or message

to get my heart right. My heart's right. Well,

what about those that are not? What did Jesus

tell Lazarus when he said, would you just not

go up there and tell my brother? He said, look,

they got the prophets and they got the preachers,

and they wouldn't hear me if I come back. Well,

and they didn't. And he did. Did he not? So I

don't need to preach another sermon, but I'm

going to as long as I'm here. But I'm ready to

see the Lord. Psalm 118 reads, I digress. Verse

1, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good,

because his mercy endures forever and ever. There's

no end and there's no ceasing. When good is good

enough. Father, we love you today. Thank you

so much for your kindness towards your people.

I thank you, Lord, for the anointing that's in

this house and your presence that is here. And

I ask God now that you continue to have your

way, Lord, with that wonderful liberty that causes

it to be easy to preach. Bless in this house

today, sweet Holy Ghost, have your way in Jesus'

mighty name. And the church said, amen. You can

be seated. Tell your neighbor, good is good enough.

Lord, we love you today. Just worship for just

a minute. I'm trying to make my way through something

right here. If you would, just lift your hands

toward heaven. Just love on the Lord for just

a minute. I'm trying to make my way through right

here. Have your way today, Lord. We do love you.

Hallelujah. Sweet Holy Ghost, have your way among

us today, Lord. Speak to heart and mind. How

many of you, where you're seated right now, there's

this little bit of sense of urgency for a burden

or a trial or something going on in and around

you and affecting you immediately, right? I mean,

right now, it's affecting you. I mean, if I may.

Would you just come and stand across the front

here? Yeah. Uh -huh. I see I was talking to somebody

about standing in. Sister, I went. Sister Lynn,

come stand in for Sister Linda. Yeah. I am literally

trembling. Yeah, he is here. There's a... Sister

Barbara, if you need to sit on the edge of that

altar, just have you a seat right over there.

Just sit right on that altar. She's so weak.

She's just... Grace of God that she's even in

the house today. There are... Some major needs

represented in this altar right now. And the

Lord wants you to know he is mindful of you.

He knows where you're standing. And exactly what

it is facing you. He simply nudged me really

quick twice already to let you know that. He

is good. And I know sometimes in facing stuff

like what some of you are dealing with, Sister

Linda Geislinger is in the hospital. They're

going to take a brain. out tomorrow, a little

tumor. They're going to take it out and test

it to see if it's whatever. Been in the hospitals

this week, getting over, trying, and still not

past issues of the body and the flesh. And God

said he knows your flesh. He created your flesh.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. But something

else he also knows, I shared with Sister Barbara

in the office this morning. He knows how willing

your spirit is. He knows you pushed yourself

to be in this place this morning. And there's

others not here today that just weren't able

to push. Just wasn't able to push through to

get here. He knows what you had to go through

to get here. I may do this and I may not. But

this he wants you to know, he's mindful of you.

Every situation. Because if it's serious enough

to drive you here, it's serious enough to be

on his mind. You're not off the radar. He's a

controller that's never off the job. And you're

always more than just a blip on his screen. He

knows your altitude. He knows your attitude.

He knows your location and all about your position,

what's gotten you there, and how he's going to

take you from where you are to where he desires

for you to be. I tell you what, if there's some

of you that have a good measure of faith going

this morning, if y 'all will take a half a step

forward, I need some folks that will believe

with me and just kind of come and just stand

behind these. And the rest of you, just stretch

your hand this way. If you're not going to come

this way, just lift your hand, and I want your

mind on heaven. I'll preach a little bit until

you hear it a little bit. Oh, my Lord, God, you

know. Something wonderful happened. Father, in

the name of Jesus, you know today. You know today.

You know today. You're mindful of your people

this morning. You know their dilemma at every

point, at every turn, and at every twist, and

every obstacle, every roadblock. You know it

this morning. You know it this morning. Lord,

you know what's anguishing our soul. You know

what's tearing us up from the inside out. You

know what it is, and now I give it to you. I

give it to you. I give it to you. I give it to

you today. Lord, touch Sister Kim this morning,

recovering. Lord, touch Sister Donna, recovering,

Lord. Touch and move and heal in body, soul,

mind, and spirit today. Lord, only you are able.

To add strength. And only you are able to add

grace, Lord. Only you are able to move within

the situations of this place. Lord, you know

what your people are dealing with. We know what

you're dealing with, Lord. Put it right there,

brother. Right there. Father, in the name of

Jesus, we're trusting you for great grace. We're

trusting you for great grace. And your faithfulness,

Lord. You are good. You are good. And we give

thanks to you today, Lord, for your goodness.

And Lord, you know the situation. You know exactly

what we're dealing with. Lord, you know exactly

what's going on. And Lord, we're trusting you

to deal with it. We're trusting you, oh God,

to take over. We're trusting you, oh God, to

have your wonderful and mighty way in heart and

mind, souls and body today. Lord, in families

and Lord, we know that you can. In our bodies,

Lord, there's those who need a healing touch

today. There are those who are needing a continual

healing touch in body, soul, mind, and spirit

this morning. Oh, and I ask God that you do great

works, that you do mighty works among your people

today. Lord, that you do a mighty work among

your people today. Heal. and deliver and set

at liberty. Lord, there are those with tormented

minds and who need peace. need your peace. Lord,

there are those who are emotional wrecks today.

Lord, we just pray for Sister Linda this morning.

Lord, if Sister Linda stands in the gap, we're

in the hedge this morning. We're building up

a faith wall in the breach today. Lord, I know

that anxiety is overwhelming her, and I know

fear is gripping her by the mind and by the moment,

and I ask God that you take authority over that

today. Lord, give her a peace that passes all

understanding this morning, a peace that passes

understanding. Lord, touch Brother Fred today.

He has surgery tomorrow. They're going to put

a new knee in. I ask God that you guide the hand

of the surgeon. Lord, give him a peace and grace.

Lord, we know that you're able today. We know

that you're able this morning, mighty God. We

know that you're able this morning, mighty God.

We know that you're able today. Yes, God, we

know you are. Lord, we trust you. Father God,

we're in desperate mode today. for a lost sister.

Lord, you know where she's at today, so we ask,

sweet Holy Ghost, Lord, that you begin to convict

her heart. Begin to draw her to the foot of Calvary's

old rugged cross. Draw her to Jesus. Sweet Holy

Ghost, begin to convict today. Lord, knock on

that hardened heart. Knock on that heart's door,

Lord. We know what your word declares. Behold,

you'll stand at the door and knock. And you said

if they'll open, you'll come in and you'll sit

and sup with them. And we ask, Lord, that she'll

open to the knocking of your spirit. Lord, knock

on that heart. Be a reminding presence to her

today, sweet Holy Ghost. Reminder of the goodness

of your grace. Hallelujah. Touch and move this

morning. Touch and move this morning. Father,

we know that you're able, Lord, to heal and to

deliver and to strengthen today. Lord, we know

that you are the one who always offers divine

orders of protecting. You are our protection.

You are the one who watches over. You are who

are around us, over, beneath, and beside us.

And I ask God today that you continue to grant

it this morning. Father, do a healing work in

body today. Do a healing work in body. Almighty

God, we're trusting you. Lord, our confidence

is in you and your great grace. Father, you're

God over all things. Lord, the life is in the

blood. That's the declaration of your word. And

Lord, I pray. for a healing in the blood in this

body. Lord, we rebuke low blood sugar. Take authority

over high blood pressure. We ask, God, that you

do a work in the body today. Father, you are

healer and deliverer. And we ask, God, in our

desperation. Lord, in our desperation this morning.

Oh, Lord, we're desperate for a touch. We're

desperate for a move today, almighty God. We

need a healing. Touch this esophagus and digestion.

Lord, touch her digestive system, Father. name

of Jesus, add flesh to the body and strength

to the body, nourishment to the body. Father,

we'll trust you. Lord, Lord, you know the situation

at work. You know what's going on there. You've

got to intervene, Lord. There's a thousand or

more, several thousand, Lord, and their jobs

are at stake. So I ask God that you just move

in, move in and let your calm and peace prevail

over situations. Lord, touch and move today.

Father, we take authority over home. grandchildren,

Lord. I see where Paul told Timothy, I'm reminded

of the faith that I first saw in your granny

and then in your mama and I know it's in you,

son. Let the faith of the Lord, we stir up the

gift that's in us. Take authority over the wicked

things in the name of Jesus today. Lord, victory

in the home. Release in the home, Father. Oh,

Lord, we know that you're able to grant great

grace. We know that you're able to grant great

grace and great mercy. Touch and move. Touch

and move in the house today. Touch and move in

the house today, Father God. Let your grace and

your glory, Lord, move in hearts and minds today.

Hallelujah, Lord, continue to touch and move

and heal. Lord, it's our commitments unto you,

Lord. We renew afresh and new. We renew afresh

and new. Afresh and new, almighty God. Father,

we come to you today. Every cause of turmoil

that the enemy's trying to arise with and everything

he's trying to divide and to destroy with, we

take authority over it and we choose your great

grace. Lord, you are the healer. You are the

healer. Bring unity. Bring unity, Father, in

the name of Jesus. Lord, I pray for Travis's

hands. Lord, you know it's his livelihood. You

know that's how he makes his living. And, Lord,

as this attack of the flesh is against his livelihood,

Lord, his trust and confidence is ultimately

in you. And so, Father, I pray a divine healing.

Lord, over these joints and these knuckles and

the muscles in his hand. Lord, take authority

today. And in the name of Jesus, work a healing

in his body. This morning, Father. This morning,

Father. In the name of Jesus. In the name of

Jesus. Lord, touch Rebecca today. Do a healing

in her foot, Lord, in this ankle. Do a healing

today. Do a mighty work, oh God. Do a mighty

work over this place today. Lord, let your grace

and your glory move, Lord, among your people.

Let your healing touch move among your people.

Hallelujah. Anybody else, I didn't get to pray

for you and you need prayer, just make your way

on over here. Come on, we're going to anoint

you today. I don't want you to leave untouched.

The Lord will touch you where you are, but if

you need it, require it, we'll put a little oil

on you. Hallelujah. He is faithful and he is

just today. Lord, we love you and we thank you

for your goodness and grace and mercy. Hallelujah.

And because it endures forever. As he goes by,

reach out. Father, we come to you today. Lord,

standing in the gout for a mental warfare among

this generation. As enemies tormenting their

minds and trying to steal, kill, and destroy

life from these young people, I ask God that

somehow you display your glory that they may

see and know that there's a God in heaven. Lord,

and speak of peace over their minds, those that

are tormented today. For you and you alone are

peace. You are help. You are hope. And Lord,

we're trusting you to move among them today,

Father. In the name of Jesus. In the name of

Jesus today. Hallelujah. Touch the Lord as he

calls. Father, we come today. Dad's standing

in today. Lord, we see what the enemy's endeavoring

and see how he's attempting. But we stand against

it with everything that's within us today, and

we resist the devil. We resist the enemy. And

we know according to your word that he'll flee

from us. So we stand today. I pray, Lord, that

you'd grant wisdom to this father. Lord, give

him knowledge. Give him understanding. Lord,

give him grace and give him strength, Lord, as

he withstands the evil one that's coming against

his family today. Give him grace and give him

strength, Father, in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Give the Lord praise in his house,

would you? Hallelujah. You can be seated for

just a few minutes. I've learned over the years

that if you obey God, things go better. It goes

better if you just obey the Lord. Good is good

enough. Because God is good. And we need nothing

else. So if God is good, then good is good enough.

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good,

because his mercy endures forever. I used to

quote that quickly, and I'd leave out the because.

We do that sometimes. Oh, give thanks to the

Lord for his good, his mercy endures forever.

But the because, I think, is probably the strongest

word in the entire verse. Because it connects

it all together. The because connects the goodness

of God to his mercy. Because of his mercy, he's

good. We're not going to retrace all the steps

on he's good. That'd take us too long. But just

trust me, God's good. Amen. I'm going to give

you the Pastor Cliff notes, and then I'm going

to let you go. I made a statement to you as we

were closing last week. When God grants mercy,

he extends grace. Goodness and mercy are gifts

of the extension. Of God's grace. Mercifully

in its simplest form means leniency, compassion,

forgiveness, kindness, pity, tolerance, or charity.

Mercy refers to the kind and compassionate treatment

extending biblically to forgiveness and a gracious

bestowal of that which is not deserved. God's

mercy is the divine goodness exercised with respect.

to the miseries of his creatures, feeling for

them and making provision for their relief. That's

what just happened. He has a strong desire because

of our misery. He grants mercy and extends grace,

providing for us a relief. You remember, some

of you might be old enough to remember, plop,

plop. Oh, how many of you have no clue? Go ahead

and raise your hand, Pastor. I done seen it on

your face. I don't even know what to do with

that. Man, about to turn 40 years old. Anybody

else care to raise your hand? You didn't know

what that was either? According to my dad, well,

we just lost this whole thing. I should have

quit and let you go home. But I saw 20 minutes

on the time clock. According to my dad, that

was a commercial. According to my father, who's

86, it is the cure for cancer. That low blood

pressure, plop, plop, fizz, fizz. High blood

pressure, Plop, plop, fizz, fizz. That coupled

with a domes pill, now I know I'm over some of

you. I know some of you gone for sure. I'm telling

on myself. That's why we were back in the archives

from the last century. Those are old medications

that probably now just have new names and you're

taking them anyway. Alka -Seltzer. You know what

that is? Plop, plop, fizz, fizz. That's a commercial.

You got it now. Cure all. God sees the misery

of his creatures. In a sin -sickened and fallen

world, the only joy that we manage to pull out

of the misery of a sin -indated world, is the

relief that the goodness of God brings into our

life, extended by His grace because of His mercy.

In the case of sinners, God's mercy can be described

as long -suffering and patience toward those

who keep putting off. The extension of his grace

for salvation. God's mercy is boundless. Psalm

108 and 4, for thy mercy is great above the heavens.

Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. God's mercy

is undeserved. The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger, plenteous in mercy. He will not

always chide. In other words, God doesn't always,

He just doesn't continue to punish because of

wrongdoing. You repent, He doesn't keep on punishing.

He doesn't chide. He doesn't continue that punishment.

Neither will He keep His anger forever. Aren't

you so glad? We've lost the awe and the fear

and the revere of a holy God. But the Bible declares

it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of

an awesome God. He hath not dealt with us after

our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so

great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

As far as the east is, you know this one, from

the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions

from us. Like as a father pitieth his children,

so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. That's

in the definition of mercy. I am so glad that

God had pity on me. I'm so glad he did not visit

me according to my iniquities and my transgressions.

I'm so glad for that goodness in this verse.

Because of his mercy. That's why that goodness

is extended toward my life. I'm so glad he didn't

deal with me that way. God's mercy is very intimate.

Psalm 145, 8, 9. The Lord is gracious and full

of compassion. Slow to anger and great of mercy.

The Lord is good to all. And his tender mercies

over all his works. God's mercy prongs life.

Lamentations 3, 22 and 3. It is of the Lord's

mercies that we are not consumed. Because his

compassion, one of those definitions, they are

new every morning. He doesn't keep score. And

I am not consumed because of his mercy. And that

God's mercy extends salvation. Titus 3 and 5.

Not by works of righteousness, which we have

done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.

Mercy is in forgiving of sins. Micah 7 and 18.

Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity?

Passes by the transgression of the remnant of

his heritage. He retaineth not his anger forever

because he delights in mercy. 2 Peter 2 and 9.

Is the gateway that we may obtain that wonderful

gift of salvation. The Lord is not slack concerning

his promise as some men count slackness. But

is long suffering to us. We're not willing that

any should perish. But that all. But thankfully,

he's merciful even in judgment. Lamentations

3, 31, 32. For the Lord will not cast off forever.

He's not just going to keep letting you slide.

But though he calls grief, yet will he have compassion.

That's one of our words, mercy. According to

the multitude of his mercies. He's not going

to let us go forever. He is wonderful. He's merciful.

Amen. Last week we did a little symbolic interview.

We could have that same interview again according

to God's mercy. And if you were to interview

Noah and ask him, what about God's mercy? He

would tell you that it was an extension to me

because of his grace. Men's hearts are only on

evil continually. And God said, A man's not going

to live forever. But Noah found, where you at

Bible readers? Found grace. Noah said, I could

have drowned it in the flood, but he had mercy.

And because of his mercy, that extension of grace.

You could have drowned it in the flood of life,

folks. Joseph, while in prison, God. Was merciful

to him. And if you were to pose that question

to Joseph. Is God merciful? 3921 of Genesis says

this. But the Lord was with Joseph. And showed

him mercy. And gave him favor. In the sight of

the keeper of the prison. You see how that grace

extension just gets. All right, English teachers,

just plug ears. Gooder and gooder and gooder

and more good. That mercy, that mercy is like

this double -blossomed, what's that rose bush

that won't die, what we call them things? Huh?

What's that? Knockout roses. You cut it back

to your ankle in February and it'll be over your

head by the end of July. That's the way God's

blooming shield of mercy works. It just gets

gooder and gooder and gooder and gooder and gooder

and gooder. Moses would tell you, for the Lord

thy God is merciful God. He will not forsake

thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant

of thy fathers which he sware unto thee. If you

were to really pin him down, say, well, exactly

where did God's mercy show up for you, Moses?

Well, let me tell you, there was a day when he

told me to speak to a rock, and I did. And there

was a day he told me to speak to it again, and

I didn't. I struck it. The water came forth,

but I didn't get to go in. But mercy kept me

from being swallowed up by the earth. Oh, he'd

already been doing stuff like that, you know.

Ah, that's mercy. That's mercy. David would surely

tell you, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow

me all the days of my life, and I will dwell

in the house of the Lord forever. The only...

Way we get to dwell forever because of mercy.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. And

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I'm looking for the forever. And because of that

marvelous extension of grace, mercy. Shadrach,

Meshach, and Abednego, we could have been burned

alive. Daniel, I could have been eaten alive.

Right? Jeremiah said, The Jews threw me in a

pit to die, but God sent an Ethiopian man to

rescue me. My countrymen cast me down, but a

stranger lifted me up. Mercy? Where do we see

mercy? I see him in the life of the prodigal

son. Huh? Get the prime rib out. My son's coming

home. Come sit with me sometime and ask me. About

mercy. He spared my life. David O 'Bull. He spared

my life. Several different moments. Mercy, because

mercy come in. And goodness follow. Oh, give

thanks. Thanksgiving's Thursday. Eat your turkey,

your ham, your lasagna, your casserole. Go ahead

and have about four or five of them Sister Schubert's.

Have two for me. And I'll do this. And you'll

do this. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord. Started

off last week by telling you that wonderful presence

of joy that flooded the vehicle the other day.

The Lord just said, hey, I know. What's that

old song? Is this road you are traveling dark,

deserted, or dim? Is there hope for tomorrow?

Put your trust in him. And that's the last I

got. This weary road we're traveling. But the

Lord, I'll soon be leaving to that land of endless

peace. Well, I can see of home. Oh, I can see.

Stand up. We're going to dismiss that. On his

throne. Back now. Oh, praise the Lord. And when

here shall end, goodbye to this old world of

sin. And in that fair land, I'll take mine. It's

good to be for glory land. Hang on because of

his mercy. Some of you were by that song like

Pastor Brian was the commercial. Just lost. I

could see that headlight look in your eyes. Just

go Google it after a while. Or get on YouTube

and search it. And you'll be blessed. Because

you'll think about the journey that you're on.

God's been good to me. He's good to me. He's

good to my family currently because he's merciful.

Amen. Lord, I love you. I thank you for your

goodness. I thank you because of your mercy.

Extension of that grace is added to my life daily.

I thank you for what you've done in this altar

today. Lord, continue to go with your people

as they've laid their burden. They cast them

at your feet today. Desperate they are. But favored

they will be. Bless your people as we go in grace.

In Christ's lovely and mighty name. Have a happy

Thanksgiving. No service Wednesday night. Do

your cooking. Get everything done. And we'll

see you come Sunday. God bless you. You're dismissed.