Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

Good evening again to you tonight. Thank you for Joining us for our midweek prayer service. Uh it has been a Rainy, dreary day. And I think most of our people are thankful that they didn't have to go out tonight. Although I suppose the fact we haven't been able to meet, you would have come out.

even if it was raining. But in the providence of God uh We are still Abiding by restrictions and uh deem it wise to Live stream our Wednesday night service, and we'll be live streaming our Sunday night service. for a while yet. We gathered for the first time as a church this past Sunday morning and we're um delighted to be able to come together.

So, um Just a word about that. Uh we really didn't know prior to opening things up, how many would come. But we had uh hundred and twenty four people in attendance. And as I sat here in the auditorium. People were seated, every other pew.

six foot apart. husbands and wives together, families together. As I sat there and looked around, I thought, you know what, there's room to accommodate quite a few more. even here.

So uh Just to um alert you to that. Um we weren't violating that Six foot Social distancing? And uh We were able to accommodate That many people, so we would encourage you to come out if you didn't come out this past Sunday, and if you didn't, we understand. We're all different about this.

Some are more cautious than others and There are factors that would cause us to be that way if we are. Older and have compromised health, those are reasons to. Err on the side of caution.

So just um We're planning to Gather again the uh this coming Lord's morning. Uh this coming Sunday morning again.

So I plan to be with us, if you can. I want to open the service. By Reading The text of a hymn that we have in our hymnal: Rejoice, the Lord is King. And this hymn focuses our attention on a a a God who's ruling, a God who's majestic, a God who's enthroned in the heavens. And because He is who He is, we worship Him.

We submit to him. we find peace and consolation In a turbulent world, knowing that there's a God overseeing all things. Rejoice, the Lord is King. Your Lord and King adore Rejoice, give thanks, and sing And triumph Evermore. Lift up your heart Lift up your voice.

Rejoice again. I say rejoice. Jesus the Savior reigns. the God of truth and love. When he had purged our stains, he took his seat.

above Again, lift up your heart. Lift up your voice, rejoice again. I say rejoice His kingdom cannot fail. He rules. or earth and heaven.

The keys of death and hell Our two are Jesus Given. Lift up your heart, lift up your voice. Rejoice again, I say, rejoice. He all his foes shall quell. Shall all our sins destroy Our songs of praise shall swell with everlasting Joy.

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice. Rejoice again I say rejoice. and then the final stanza of Charles Wes Charles Wesley's hymn Rejoice in glorious hope. Our Lord, the Judge, shall come. And take his servants up.

to their eternal Home. We soon shall hear The archangel's voice, the trump of God, shall sound Rejoice Listen to a short psalm that draws our attention to a ruling, reigning, sovereign, majestic God. Psalm ninety three The Lord reigns He is clothed with majesty. The Lord is clothed. he has girded himself with strength.

Surely the world is established so that It cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old. You are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord. The floods have lifted up their voice.

The floods lift up their waves The Lord on high is mightier. Than the noise of many waters than the mighty waves of the sea. Your testimonies are very sure. Holiness adorns your house. O Lord Forever.

Let us pray. Father, we bow before your majestic throne, rejoicing. That you are seated there, ruling and reigning in this world that you have created. We thank you that from everlasting to everlasting. You our God.

We thank you for. your plans and your purposes for your creation. We acknowledge, our God, that you are the Creator and we are your creatures. that we owe our existence to you. That it is in you that we live and breathe and have our being.

That you have a right to demand obedience from us. We Acknowledge, our God, that apart from your grace, We would be rebelli rebellious toward your authority? We would Be striking out on our own. We would be running from you We would not be in submission to your authority. But thank you for your sovereign grace that has subdued our hearts.

and brought us into sweet surrender. We ask you, our God, for grace to continue to be submitted to you. Forgive us for our failings, forgive us for our sins, forgive us for our disobedience. Forgive us for Our resistance to your authority For questioning your wisdom. for not trusting you.

the way we ought to. for not loving you the way you deserve to be loved. We confess our God that too often Our hearts are cold, our hearts are not warm. Our affections are not solely towards you. We acknowledge our God that we have.

enemies that we must Battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. But we thank you tonight that greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world. We thank you that Jesus has overcome this world. And we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. We thank you that we can come together as the people of God to consider.

The Word of God. to be informed, to be instructed, to be challenged. Lord we need these things We thank you for the appointed means of grace that you have given. For our help and edification, for our instruction and righteousness. We would yield ourselves to you during this hour and ask that you would bless our time together, cause our hearts to be submissive and warm and affectionate.

Toward spiritual things, that we would have a mind. That is are centered upon you. that you would by your enabling grace Help us to gird up our the loins of our minds that we might um worship you. Through these means. Hear us, Lord, we pray.

For Jesus' sake. Amen. I'd like to consider. this psalm tonight, Psalm ninety three. It was on my mind earlier this week and I had encountered Some devotional material that was related to this.

Just a couple of days ago, I had it on my mind last night when I was working around my yard. And um when I came in this morning My mind went to a couple of other resources to help me. get my mind around these five verses. I want you to listen to what Steve Lawson. has to say about this supreme doctrine of the sovereignty of God.

Listen to what he says. The foundational truth of all Christian theology. is that bedrock doctrine of all doctrines the sovereignty of God. Here is the immovable mountain, that towers above all theology, the Mount Everest of all truth. The absolute reign of God represents His.

undisputed right. to govern all that he has created. God's reign is the continual unhindered free exercise of his supreme authority overall. This must be the first article. of doctrinal creed.

the chief cornerstone of all divine truth. Every other doctrinal teaching must be brought into alignment with this God exalting truth, and rest squarely upon it. The sovereignty Of God means quite simply that God is God. not merely in name, but in full reality. That is God always does as He pleases.

when he pleases, where he pleases, how How he pleases. And with whom he plays us. Herein is the truth of divine sovereignty. His unrivalled right to rule over all the works of his hands That's a powerful statement about the sovereignty of God. And as we look at Psalm 93.

I'd like for us to look at it under these three headings. I want you to see number one: the sovereign reign of God in verses one and two. Secondly, the sinful rebellion of the world in verses three and four. And then thirdly, the sure revelation of God in verse five Notice with me the sovereign reign of God. Verses one and two.

The Lord reigns. He is clothed with majesty. The Lord is clothed He has girded himself with strength. Surely the world is established so that it cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old You are from everlasting.

The sovereign reign of God The psalmist begins with this declaration. of the ultimate truth about God. What is that? The Lord reigns. Yeah.

That's as clear as it can get. He reigns. He has a throne. He's enthroned upon it. And upon that throne he is ruling and he is Raining.

He's enthroned in the heavens. and he's there constantly exercising his will An exercising rule over everything. Notice what it says. He is clothed with majesty. It's describing the regal garments worn by a victorious king.

He's clothed with majesty. It's a word picture to Get our minds around. Who this God is, and how we are to understand Him. He's not weak. He's not.

at the mercy of men and circumstances. No, he's robed in majesty. He is a victorious king. Notice It says he has girded himself with strength. That speaks of power, it speaks of omnipotence.

He's armed with strength. He's girded himself with strength. It's the might that's appropriate. to a victorious king. And because God is sovereign.

the world in which he created is established. Notice that? He has girded himself with strength. Surely the world is established.

So that It cannot. Be moved. It cannot be moved. Here's something that's certain. Here's something that's unmovable.

Here's something that's dependable. Here's something that's not Move by Wien dun Circumstances. The world is established. When we talk about the world, we're not just talking about the physical world itself, the planet. We're talking about the moral, the social, the spiritual aspects of the world.

All those laws that He has made, that He has fixed. that he has ordered. That's how he rules and reigns. in his world. The Lord has put everything in its proper place, and it is fixed.

He reigns over The earth, and it cannot be moved by men or nations. In spite of Threats of earthly powers. The eternal counsel of the Lord. cannot be altered by the plans of mere men. Notice verse 2, he says, the psalmist says, Your throne is established from of old.

You are from everlasting. This God is uncreated. This God. is from everlasting. No beginning, no end.

He's been the sovereign ruler. When? Since before the foundations of the world. Your throne is established from of old. You are from everlasting.

So, our first. Truth. That the psalmist is expounding for us is the sovereign reign of God. Settle that in your mind. Secondly, Notice with me the sinful rebellion of the world.

Verses three and four. The floods have lifted up, O Lord. The floods have lifted up their voice, the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves. of the sea.

What is he saying here? This is a picture. This is a word picture of the sinful rebellion. of the world. The seas, he's talking about the seas.

Notice there at the end of verse 4: then the mighty waves of the sea. The seas have lifted up their voice. The seas have lifted up their pounding waves. This roaring thunder from their chaotic waters is a poetic. representation of the moral disorder that's present in this world.

And like The relentless pounding of the waves against the beach, the sea symbolizes. All that comes against and opposes the the Lord's kingdom. And his reign Man's sinful rebellion is set against the sovereign word. But in spite of that, In spite of that, verse 4 says, The Lord on high is what? He's mightier.

He's mightier than the noise of many waters, then the mighty waves of the sea. The strong resistance of God is far greater. Yes, there's rebellion. Yes, there's resistance. But God has power to subdue it all.

He's not moved. He's not intimidated. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea. The Lord on high is mighty. Again.

Verse 4 The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters. than the mighty waves of the sea. And then the third Heading here is the sure. Revelation of God. the sure revelation of God.

Notice verse five The psalmist says, Your testimonies are very. Sure. Holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever. That's the final stanza of this short. Psalm declares two more characteristics of God's kingly rule.

First, His kingdom is a kingdom Of five. Fixed. Law. Your testimonies are very sure. My translation says.

The ESV says it this way: Your testimonies are very sure. The Lord's commands stand. Firm. They are Life giving directives and they are completely Trustworthy. And the second thing, the second characteristic of God that's being highlighted in verse 5.

His Holiness Holiness adorns your house, O Lord. Forever. God is unchangeably Holy He's unchangeable in his Holiness And because of that. His justice is an inflexible justice. We must understand that.

We must understand that our God is holy, and because He's holy, sin must be punished. His justice demands that. The wages of sin is death. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Oh.

Not some, not a few, not most, but all. have sinned. and fallen short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin is death. Death.

But the gift of God is eternal life. through Jesus Christ our Lord. And because God Is a god of of compassion and mercy and grace. He satisfies his own justice. By punishing sin in the substitute Jesus Christ.

We rejoice. in that this evening because apart from that, We would Perish, we would have no hope, we would be eternally separated from this holy God. God has Imputed a righteousness to. that he demands of us He clothes us in a perfect righteousness. And that righteousness is in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is Jehovah Sidkenyu. The Lord our righteousness And we rejoice in him this evening. Because that is what allows us to come into this the presence of this holy God, and find acceptance Now I want you to know this evening that this subject of the sovereignty of God, the rule of God, the reign of God. Is not just for high-minded people. It's just not for theologians.

It's not something to be debated. In Theological discourse. It is a bedrock truth. That sustains us And keeps us in dark times. I came across A um A statement concerning Johnny Erickson Tata.

I brought it with me tonight. I want you to To hear this.

Well, where did I put it? Huh. Here it is. Jim Elliff, who is the director of Christian Communications Worldwide, a man we've had here at our church. has ministered among us.

He has a brother, And, um His brother Tom asked Johnny How she made it through the difficult battle with her paraplegia Listen to what she said. Quote I suppose What helped make what I'm s I'm sorry, I suppose what helped me get through the more than get through that more than any one thing. was reading Lorraine Bettner's Reformed Doctrine of predestination. End of quote. That's amazing.

Of all the things that have helped that woman become the incredible Christian that she is, She points to that, her understanding of the sovereignty of God in salvation. Lorraine Bettner's Reformed Doctrine. of predestination. Wow.

So, I trust that your heart rejoices in this truth, that your life is anchored to it, that you're not resistant to it, that you're not. contending with the Lord about who He is. It is what makes God God. R. C.

Sproll, who's now with the Lord, said: if God is not sovereign over all, Then if he's not Lord overall, he's not Lord at all. He has to be. Logic demands it. The scriptures attest to it. But it is.

Not embraced by a large majority of Christendom. And many people. argue over it and resist it, and do not submit to it. One of the devotional books that I made reference to when I began the service is this book by Theodore Cooler, C U Y L A R God's light on dark clouds. Written in the late 1800s.

The man lost two children in infancy. lost a daughter. at twenty one years of age. And He writes.

Well, the back cover here says it has been said. That 2 Corinthians 1:4 deserves to be written in letters of gold, for it is one of the hardest. and noblest works in all Christianity to be able to bring divine comfort to others in trouble. and yet by sufferings God fits and prepares his people for this noble and difficult service. And this man Was prepared by God to minister to others, and he writes.

Uh so powerfully. There's a chapter in this book entitled The Lord Reigns. And now you've heard me. walk you through Psalm 93. Listen to what he has to say here.

He says The LORD reigneth, He is clothed with majesty, the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself. Thy throne is established of old. Thou art from everlasting.

Now listen to what he says. Here we have the empire of love, the royal robe, the girdle of omnipotence, and the immovable throne. The psalmist would seem to have been thinking of the problems of life, its dark things and its mysteries.

So many things seemed irreconcilable with the divine goodness that he admits that clouds and darkness are round about him. But this truth flashes out through the clouds. The Lord rests. Yeah, yeah. And that is enough.

He does not try to put into the council I'm sorry, he does not try to pry into the council chamber. He cannot get behind the cloud. But Love reigns there. And justice and righteousness are the foundations. of that throne.

And in this chapter, he talks about God's. Chastening. And Some of the purposes that God has for chastening his children. He says sometimes he chastens his chastisements are punitive.

Sometimes they are preventative. And then he says still others are sent to purify character. And I want to read from this page, p page sixty seven and part of page sixty seven or part sixty six and part of page sixty seven, what he has to say here about God's chastening. His afflictions are sent to purify character. It's so um rich.

He's so um able to communicate Wonderful truth. He says, quote, God sits. As a refiner beside his furnace He heats it until the metal melts and the dross runs away. He keeps his silver in the furnace until He can see his own face reflected in the clear metal of the heart as in a mirror. Then the affliction has done its work.

God has made the vessel. unto his own honour. There is such a wretched amount of self-will and pride and covetousness and unbelief even in. undoubted Christians that they require the fining Pot very often. Many a man and woman has been the worse for want of this kind of discipline.

It is a wholesome process to be taken down. occasionally. The grass in every lawn requires to be taken down by a mower. The oftener it is mowed, the richer and the thicker is the growth. The lawn never looks so beautiful as after the keen edged cutter has gone over it.

I have observed that some Christians in my charge have never appeared so attractive in their humility. in heavenly mindedness as when God's mowing machine has been passed over them. And then he Comes to the conclusion of the chapter and he says, We have discussed. in this short chapter just one aspect of God's government. namely, his personal rule of our own personal lives and lot.

His sovereignty on the grander scale of the natural world and of his vast spiritual kingdom we leave out of sight. It is a blessed thought That the Lord reigns over little, short, lived me as truly as over the whole Church, or the whole universe. He numbers the hairs of my head and orders my steps. Let it be my daily and devoutest aim to lay the plan of my life on God's plan. If his immovable laws push me back, And hedge me in from sin then all the better.

If his sharp knife prunes me, then I am only the more sure that he loves me. Afflictions are like the cactus plant of his making. Very unsightly. and full of thorns, But they bear marvellous flowers. in their time.

God's government. Is the solidest ground of my confidence and joy. It underlies all my theology. And it is the very rockbed on which I rest my salvation. While Jehovah reigns Let me rejoice to obey him.

To oppose him is to invite His retributions And that means hell. To submit to him is to win his favor. and to secure his love, and that means heaven. The nearer we get to the throne, the more loudly shall we sing. The Lord Omnipotent.

Rainf Amen. And amen. Lord, I trust this has been helpful to you tonight. As I said, I tried to Be faithful to the text. In Psalm 93, I wanted to.

Bring it. to bear practically and help you to see that Even in the The throes of life when life is hard, when it's difficult, it couldn't have been any harder for. Johnny Erickson Tata. What sustained her? What helped her more than anything?

Lorraine Bettner's book on predestination, the sovereignty of God. And what does this man speaking to the very same thing. lost two children in infancy and then a twenty one year old daughter. What does he say? He's anchored.

His life to this doctrine. Nothing else will keep you. Nothing else will stabilize you. The foundations of this world will shake. God will see to it.

And only those things that are standing. and resting on solid ground will remain.

So Hear this, receive this, rejoice. in this tonight. Let me. Share just a couple of. correspondences with you.

This is from Randy Cornelius. harbour and the light and the wind would He says They're in Um the West Indies. Just one paragraph here. He says, It never ceases to amaze us how the Lord provides for his work to continue. We're constantly reminded that it is not by might nor by Power, but by my spirit, says the Lord.

Recently, we received a lovely gift from a second generation. Second generation listener. She says that as she was growing up her mother always turned on the harbor light in the mornings and listened all day.

Now, as an adult, she is listening and finds blessing and help through the programming for her own life and walk with the Lord. Her gift was a thanksgiving offering to the Lord so that others will continue to hear and be blessed by the programming as she has been. God uses many people to meet the needs of the work here. We along with many Listening, thank the Lord daily for those whom He has enabled, whether great or small. To fellowship with us in shining the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ here.

in the windwards, through the radio and around the world through the live streaming.

So just to encourage you and what they're encouraged by. And then this from C Loss and Wanger Compost. There In Brazil They write dear partners in the gospel. warm greetings in our Lord's precious name. Rejoice with us.

First, because we know thousands of people here in Brazil, But we don't know anyone who was sick with this virus. Secondly, because all of our daughter and son-in-laws and most of our friends have not lost their jobs. Thirdly, because although we had to cancel most of our church plans and projects, Over the Internet our preaching of God's Word is reaching thousands of people. And fourthly, because of our certainty that Jesus is the resurrection and life. Whoever believes in him does not have to fear the coronavirus or death.

He will not be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.

So he's writing to encourage us to rejoice with Him. And then secondly, the second part of this short update is pray for us, pray for Brazil. He says we are having the longest quarantine ever. and thousands of small businesses or going bankrupt. Hundreds of thousands are losing their jobs.

Our death rate is low. But the media keeps terrifying the population. Besides that, Most of our governors are taking advantage of this situation. to get Federal emergency funds and to weaken our President, He doesn't play the old corruption game and has traditional values against abortion, gender. ideology and Marxism.

Sixty percent of the people support him and, like never before, or going into the streets to protest peacefully against the dishonest opponents. Brothers and sisters, Thank you very, very much for your love, prayers, and financial support. We love you in Christ, Celos and Vanger.

So just those two correspondences tonight. Let's take a look at our prayer requests. Yeah. Let's see. Our government official of the week is U.S.

REMP Representative Mark Walker. We're grateful and thankful for him and to be able to pray for him. I know you've been praying for Drew Guthrie. She's home from Bryan's Center in Durham. She still has a continuous feeding tube.

We're praying for strength for her. and for uh an appetite to return to her that she might renew her strength. Our Pope is having difficulty with his COPD. Shirley Watkins is recovering from some pulmonary issues that she had recently. Under others, tonight we're asking you to pray for Amanda.

Duba? This is the wife of Jared Duba, grandson of Shabbat. Cherry. Kane, a nephew of Diana Wood, Amanda's in a real desperate situation. She's in need of kidney transplant.

They had to slow her dialysis down due to corrective surgery, so she's very weak.

So we want to stand with. her and her husband. And with Sherry and with Diana during this time. Cynthia. Geringer.

Is printed on your prayer sheet. She has MS and some other health concerns. This is a request that's been submitted by Steve and Sue Lynch. We've mentioned to you on Sunday. Max Hudson is an uncle of Jamie Henshaw and Tracy Eyre.

He's a resident at White Oak Manor. and has tested positive for COVID-19. and he is very weak. Things are Very Dire. there, at white white oak manor.

Michael Wood called me this afternoon and informed me that they post an update on Tuesdays and Fridays. And the latest update is that at White Oak Manor, thirty seven staff members have tested positive for the virus. sixty six residents have. and nineteen residents have died. at White Oak Manor.

So that has really affected that place.

So pray for it's a reminder. of a number of things. It's a reminder of the critical Oh Necessity of the ministries that our men are carrying on in these rest homes. Michael Wood's been in there holding services. and so many of other of our men.

Uh we're in fifteen, sixteen, maybe seventeen different nursing homes, or have been. And that's all been uh postponed for now. But our men are going in and ministering the word of life and preaching the gospel. And For many of our men and their wives, and some where their families are going, it becomes their own little. Um congregation that they're uh praying over and ministering to.

It's thrilling. What our men are doing. But um We see how absolutely critical it is. Here are people at the end of life, and here are nineteen residents of White Oak Manor who have died because of this virus.

So pray for our men to continue in the work and that these opportunities will be given again soon. and that God will give success to his gospel. is It's given out. Pastor Eric Johnson had surgery on his neck yesterday. I wasn't aware of that.

Uh and says he may Uh go home from the hospital today, so I'll have to check on Pastor Eric. A Terry Owens Smith. Is recovering from surgery to have a tumor removed from her spine that left her numb. If you remember, we've been praying for her. She's um s had some tingling.

in some of her limbs From her waist down, this is Darla reporting this to us.

So continue to remember Terry Owens Smith. Under missionaries I know you're praying for Trevor Johnson and his wife, for Paul Snyder and his family. For Stuart Waugh, we do not have an update concerning his situation there in Johannesburg as he's waiting for. a suitable donor. for a liver transplant.

But Laverne is there with him. And thank you for praying for him and for her. Under cancer There are a couple of names highlighted on your sheet. Don Hammond, Is the married daughter of Eddie and Clara Driver. Uh dawn.

Is in the hospital here at ARMC with blood clots. She's still battling cancer. and receiving chemotherapy treatments. And then Marie Cardwell makes us aware of Randy Trayer and his wife Laura. That's T-R-A-Y-E-R.

and his wife Laura, They recently retired from Mount Zion Bible Institute and Chapel Library. which the church supports I believe um Larry and Marie support. Randy has many health issues. AFib cancer has been on dialysis for years. and in recent months he's been having increased memory issues.

Marie knows them, Marie and Larry know them. They testify that they're wonderful believers. and we're being called upon to pray for them.

So I'm going to pray here in a moment. I wasn't sure whether I'd have time for this, but Um I wanna Also draw from Another book that I've been reading from. This is um hardback copy of Johnny Erickson. Tata's book, A Place of Healing. Subtitle wrestling with the mysteries of suffering.

Yeah. And God's sovereignty. And then The book There's chapter five that's entitled, How Can I Go On? like this.

Now it's been a while. She's um Inner sixties. But um On the thirty-eighth anniversary of her diving accident when she dove into the uh Chesapeake Bay. and hit her head on a sandbar. and broke her neck.

Her and her husband, this was in July, they were on that particular day, she said they were celebrating. And she says Celebrate, you say? And they had some friends over and they were eating crab cakes And you'll see in a minute why that's significant. She says, Celebrate, you say? The dictionary defines the word as observing a day or commemorating an event with ceremonies or festivities.

Honestly, she says, I can't think of a better word, given all the good things that have happened as a result of my wheelchair. This particular anniversary marked exactly thirty eight years since that fatal day of my injury, and we commemorated it with crabs. And why not? She says We all knew I'd be dead were it not for the feisty Chesapeake Bay blue crab that bit my sister in the water. When that crab snapped at her toe, she whirled around and screamed to me, Johnny, watch out for crabs!

Cathy had no idea. I had just dived off the raft, She didn't know my head had struck a sandbar cracking my neck, and that I was floating face down. holding my breath, and desperately hoping she'd see me, that she'd come and rescue me. Thankfully, God got her attention with a crab. And when Cathy couldn't see me, she became alarmed.

That's when she caught sight of my blonde hair floating on the water's surface. Johnny, she yelled, Johnny, are you okay? Little did she know. I was within seconds of drowning. She swam to me in the thick of in the nick of time.

As Cathy hoisted me out of the water, I sputtered and gasped for oxygen. When I saw my arm slung over her shoulder, yet couldn't feel it, I became nauseous. I knew something terrible had happened. From that instant, life would never be the same. And it was so long ago.

This is again They're celebrating the thirty eighth anniversary. She says later after we finished dinner, we took a minute to close out the anniversary dinner with a short reading. From John chapter five This is John 5, verses 2 through 6.

Now there is in Jerusalem near the sheep gate a pool, which is which in Aramic is called Bathsaida. and which is surrounded by five covered Colonnades. Here, a great number of disabled people used to lie, the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been there in this condition for a long time.

He asked him Do you want to get well? Johnny says at that point we stopped. Look at that, I said smiling. Here it is, my 38th anniversary of quadriplegia, and it actually states that Jesus thought 38 years of paralysis was a long time. What an anniversary present.

The Lord of the universe, who lives outside the confines of time, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, who existed before time began, this Jesus feels that living without the use of your legs for thirty eight years is a long time. I'm glad for that, I said, shaking my head, because I sure think it's a long time. There have been occasions, I will admit, when I wondered if God empathized, I mean really understood how I felt. How I have groaned in my paralysed body and hurt As each year brought more aches and pains. I've wondered because of verses like 1 Peter 5:10, which says, And the God of all grace, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.

I like the part about being made strong, but that passage seems to imply that 38 years of suffering is considered only a little while. In other words, the Bible makes it sound as if those years of anguish are but a blink of an eye. Doesn't God know? How long thirty eight years is? And particularly in a wheelchair, isn't he aware of how endless is How endless a sleepless night, shot through with searing pain, can seem.

What kind of wristwatch is he wearing? In fact, he does know. He is aware. And for me, The sweet passage in the Gospel of John lays the issue to rest. When Jesus saw the paralyzed man lying on the straw mat by the pool of Bethsaida, We can picture his eyes welling with tears.

He saw more than a lonely, disabled man waiting, without any real hope, by the waters rumored to heal. We can imagine Jesus kneeling down to gently touch him. the Saviour's heart went out to that poor soul whose legs were withered and useless. It's no mistake that holy writ says that God thinks thirty-eight years of paralysis is a long time. I thought that was a wonderful story.

She's such an incredible Christian. God has manifested His grace in remarkable ways and has used her in ways he could have never used her. apart from her quadriplegia.

Well, thank you for joining us tonight. Let me Ask you to Join me around the throne of grace as we Remember some of these requests. Father, We thank you tonight for this reminder that you are ruling and reigning in your universe. That you can be trusted, that you're not affected by what affects us. Nothing moves you.

You are from everlasting to everlasting. Thank you for this reminder. That despite what our five senses might tell us. The truth of your word remains steadfast Thank you for the revelation of yourself to us. Help us to anchor our hearts and minds and lives to this.

And Lord, help us that we might. be used of you to instruct others to have their lives anchored as well. We're living in troubling times. Not just The coronavirus is affecting the United States of America, but it's affecting countries all over the world. Scarcely a country perhaps no country has escaped the effects of it.

And here we have this report from Sealoss in Brazil. Sickness around them. Quarantine Jobs being lost. Lord, we pray. that you will Accomplish your Divine purposes in all of this.

That we would trust you, that we would rest in you, that we would believe you. that we would not be unsettled. That we would know a peace that passes understanding. Because we know the God of peace. And that you are working all things for the good of your children and for your own ultimate glory.

Tonight, we want to pray for Drew Guthrie. We would ask you to. encourage this dear sister. That her appetite would return to her, that her strength would be renewed. Bless those who are ministering to her.

For Art Pope, for Shirley Watkins. Thank you that Shirley has recovered somewhat? Thank you that Patty is caring for her mamma. Thank you for arts, dear wife. Lord, please.

Save her, Lord. Use art Use others. Two Bring her to Christ. We pray for Amanda Duba. We're burdened when we hear of Her condition.

Lord, we pray that you would superintend her life, that you strengthen her, that you would Facilitate this dialysis that she needs and the acceleration of it. that um It would. Cleanse her system and allow her to continue to live. And, Lord, if it would please you that you'd provide. uh a transplant for sustainer in the meantime.

For this friend of Stephen Sue Lynch, Cynthia Geringer, with M.S. minister to her needs for Max Hudson and and so many others who were affected at White Oak Manor. Lord, for the staff, the thirty-seven who've contracted the disease, we would ask you to Be merciful there, restore health. Lord, we thank you for the courage of the frontline health care workers Lord, sustain them. Help them not to become weary in well-doing.

Preserve them, protect them, we pray. For Pastor Johnson, who's had surgery, we pray that that has gone well. For Terry One Smith, we Pray that She would know. I continue with a mind of feeling returning to her limbs. For Trevor Johnson and his wife.

for Paul Snyder and his family. For Stuart Wong. Sister Laverne. Lord, these needs seem immense to us. Only when we forget that we're praying to the God of the universe.

the God who has no limitations, the God Who is able to meet all of our needs according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus? Lord, you're sovereign over every what appears to be delay. You're sovereign over every what seems to be obstacle. We rejoice in this. Meet the needs of these we know and love and support.

Encourage their hearts. Help them to look to you. in believing faith. Strengthen them in the inner person, we pray. We pray for Don Hammond.

and ask that you would Cause the treatment she's receiving to break up these blood clots, and that the chemotherapy would have its desired effect. We pray for Randy Trump. Prayer. who has multiple issues going on. We thank you for their life, for their ministry there with Chapel Library We thank you for the investment of their lives.

We thank you that you have uh brought improvement to Marty as she's recovering from Um these fractured ribs. We thank you that they have been able to get away for a few days We pray that you would grant them time of refreshment, time of relaxation together. Lord, we're mindful that Perhaps More so now than what we We were conscious of, and yet it didn't matter whether we were conscious of it or not, we are. Always, constantly. daily, moment by moment, dependent upon you.

Lord of nothing else comes out of this. A greater awareness of our weaknesses, a greater weakness of how Uncertain life is and how little control we have of it, and the God who does have control over everything. Strengthen our Faith and our trust and our confidence in you, and help us to. Trust ourselves less and less. Then be reminded of really how weak we are and how dependent we are upon you.

Thank you that we were able to gather as a church body this past Sunday. We're mindful that many of our folks were not able to. For various sundry reasons.

Some away on vacation because it was Memorial Day weekend, others. just being careful and cautious. Lord, continue to protect us. Leading direct and guide. Continue to meet the needs that we have as a church.

Lord, we long and look forward to the day that we'll be able to gather without restrictions, without concern. At least without this concern. No doubt there will be others that will replace this one. It's the way life is in a broken world. Lord, thank you that you are Redeeming this world.

From this curse from the corruption The man's disobedience has brought Thank you for full Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you that we have a Saviour. who is a friend of sinners, who has redeemed us. Who has reconciled us to A holy God. Thank you that the Spirit of God lives within every believer.

That you are working in us both to will and to do according to your good pleasure. Encourage us with the fact that you have begun a good work in us, will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ.

So, Lord, please hear our prayers. Receive our prayers, answer our prayers. according to your own wisdom and power. and cause us to be ready to give you thanks. for the answers to those prayers.

We remember Mark Walker tonight. We thank you for him, and we ask that you would. Give him courage. Give him the mind of God. Cause him to be God-fearing.

Help him to be principled. Help him to be. a scriptural in his thinking. Is he interacts with other other legislators and has influence over the lives of people in our In our area. Thank you for him.

Lord, we're mindful that the king's heart is in your hand, and as the rivers of water flow, you turn in. The king's heart, whithersoever ye will, we rejoice in this to night. Dismiss us now with your blessing, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.