Well, let's go ahead and stand. It's seven o'clock by my computer clock, so we'll take it. We'll go ahead and sing all four verses of Joy to the World, The Lord is Come, Let Earth Receive Her King. I'd rather be a slave than a prisoner I'd rather be a slave than a prisoner I'd rather be a slave than a prisoner God is with us, He is with us. He comes in the rain, His blood spills from His own flesh, His own flesh, His own flesh, His own flesh, His own flesh. Amen, you may be seated. You know, December the 7th, 1941 is infamously a day that would live in infamy according to FDR. I, frankly, Eleanor Roosevelt, the President of the United States at the time of the Pearl Harbor bombings. I expect in Korean history, December 3, It may not be a day of infamy, but it will be a day that is long remembered. It's certainly a day that made its impact on Koreans, as President Moon saw fit late at night on December 3rd, 2024. 1030 at night he decided that 30 minutes later he wanted to declare Well, it may have been stupid, but we can continue So, you know it all took place overnight as many of us perhaps were sleeping or doing You know other important things and so or some are important or not, but anyway It was something that For many, you know, once they found out once what they were going to do, you know, when you see something like this on the United States... It doesn't work. It doesn't work. Yes, it did fall rather short of his expectations. So when you go to the Seoul Embassy here in Korea, for the American, you see right away that there is a red alert that they still have up there for Americans basically saying, you know, don't be stupid. Don't go where there are people protesting, et cetera. This has caught the attention of, you know, of governments and people around the world. By the way, that was... There's a page just over there. You know, basically, you know, exercise routine safety precautions here in Korea. What the American government is telling parents out here. Yeah, that's pretty common sense. But that does, you know, when you wake up in the morning and find out that potentially that certain liberties might have been under threat and recovered all in a period of three hours, you kind of wonder, how do you take things when, you know, the Earth trembles? When, you know, the political system trembles? When there are things where there is a brush with whether it's mortality or tyranny or a health scare or anything, how do you respond? What is your first response? Is it, oh no, what should I do? Let me suggest that if Your first response is, oh no, what should I do? Maybe it's time for a gut check. Maybe it's time for our first response not to be, what should I do, but oh Lord, what will you do? And so what I want us to consider, we don't appear to be in any pressing danger to what we can understand. is what we need to do or how we should respond when we come to recognize that things are not quite as stable as we thought that they were. Whether it's family relationships or health or any other thing that we had once trusted would be the same or stable and has suddenly become unstable. I came up with four things. You may know that we're going through a Romans, and today we're scheduled to hit Romans 13. And we'll get there. But as we think about this unstable world, let's go ahead and start with Psalm 2. Psalm 2. So you've got your Bibles there, and we're in the Psalms right there in the middle of our Bibles, there in the Old Testament. And what we see here, Is on really we can We see here in Psalm 2 that the world is a mess The leaders of the world are raging whether you call them nations the Gentiles the heathen the people are plotting vain things the kings of the earth are in there setting themselves the rulers taking counsel together and against the Lord, against his anointed, saying, let us break their bonds in pieces and cast their cords from us. And so here is a world in a mess. Here are those in leadership that are not going in a godly way. They are freedom fighters. They are seeking to loose the bonds of God. They are rebels. And they have alliances. They are taking counsel. You know, I'm told that certain cabinet members were not consulted. There were two people that kind of got together from a high school reunion and decided that this thing would happen. But in verse 4, we see that there is one who is just kind of a witness to all this. He sees, he hears, he knows, it's all there. And it says in verse 4, this one is not discombobulated. he is not stressed, he is not anxious. We see in verse four, he who sits in heaven shall laugh, because it's just so pitiful. It's like a toddler having a tantrum. He may hate the world and want to destroy the world, but you know, he really lacks the power to do so. And so he laughs, the Lord shall hold him not just in mockery, but in derision. Then he shall speak to them, to these rebels, in his wrath, and distress them in his deep displeasure. Yet So God is speaking, yet I, Yahweh, the Lord, have set my King, my Messiah, on my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree. The Lord, Yahweh, has said to me, this is now the Son speaking, you are my Son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. This is going to be a core text about the might, the power of our Immanuel. He has a rod of iron. Verse 9 continues, you shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. This is clay. Clay things don't last long, especially when forces apply to consider. These mighty ones are much more fragile than they realize. So the council then, for those who are in rebellion, comes in verse 10. Now therefore, be wise. Wise up. Get with the program. Now therefore, be wise, O kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear. Rejoice with trembling. Kiss the sun. This is a time to make up. Seek peace with the Prince of Peace. So where do we find stability in an unstable world? Our first stabilizer, the thing that brings us stability, is the truth, God reigns. You can use your theological jargon. You can say God is sovereign. He is in control. Whatever you need to get the idea across to your mind, this is not just chaos. It is not out of control. It is under God's control. God is yet on his throne. Whatever it is that is destabilizing Here is the stabilizer. God is in control. God is sovereign. Whatever has happened, God has allowed or God has put here. God reigns. And so this means that God is neither surprised nor particularly upset in the sense of being out of control. He's not upset by the people who create turmoil around us. There are agents of chaos. There are people that are hard to get along with. There are people that may get on our nerves. There are people that do things that are not stable or peace-inducing. But God's not out. God's not worried. God's not out of control. He is in control. And so, the things that make us stressed, that give us ulcers and anxiety, are under God's purview. Whether it's politics, or health, or people, whatever it is that is causing you the most angst, the most turmoil in your soul, that is causing you to go, oh no. It's okay. God is in control. He's still on his own. And not only this, remember that not only is God in control, but he knows about it. In other words, when you get that unexpected diagnosis from the doctor, or when you get somebody blindsiding you, whether it's a president, or your spouse, or your children, or your grandkids, or your aunt or uncle. When someone blindsides you or hurts you, God knows. And remember who the author of Psalm 2 is. This is probably David, right? This is a Davidic Psalm, and what did David experience? His brothers thought of him as a pipsqueak. He's the youngest. His brothers kind of deride him for wanting to kill Saul. He's got a king after him. He's got his sons after him. This is not a guy whose life is easy. But God is in control. He knows what's going on. And not only is God in control, You're in Psalm 2, so turn a couple pages to Psalm 139. Maybe even more than a few. Psalm 139. And the key thing about this is, is that not only does God control things, He knows these things. And here, this is a very personal knowledge. God knows you to your very innermost being. He knows your thoughts. He knows your uprising. And so here is God, we'll just read, let's read verses one through eight, Psalm 139. Oh Lord, you've searched me and known me. You know my sitting down, my rising up. You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path, my lying down. So here are the, Here's the heart under examination. Here are the actions, the paths, the directions under. It's all seen. There are no secrets here. You are acquainted, verse three says, with all my ways. There's not a word on my tongue, but behold, Lord, says you know it all together. You've heard it. Whether it's a thought or the words I actually say or the things that I kind of come out under my breath, he knows it. All right? You have hedged me behind and before. You've laid your hand upon me. So here is God basically with his hand on you when you're going, ah, right? And it's a hand not only of omniscience, omnipotence, but it's a hand of a father because he is your father. Do you remember when you were a kid and you were freaking out? your dad came and just kind of okay, maybe he didn't bring you just And they just kind of put your their arms around you or hugged you tight and things were bad because his hand was it whether it was just reaching out to hold your hand or to put Your hand you laid your hand on me Such knowledge is too wonderful. We know all about that It's high, Kim. Where shall I go from your spirit? Verse seven. Where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, if I make my bed in hell, you are there. And he goes on and goes on, talking about his frame, his body, and all the rest. So here's the one who knows everything. He is everywhere, omniscient and omnipresent. He knows your heart. He knows your actions. He knows the results of all the things that are happening, that are bringing out that heart, God's not surprised. And so what we see when it's the Wiccan that are stressing us, you know, Pharaoh asked, who is the Lord? Who does he think he is? I'm Pharaoh. And the Lord says, I'll show you. And he did, for 10 plagues. And then Pharaoh knew. Pharaoh continued to try, and then comes the Red Sea. Pharaoh, Egypt knew, Israel knew, this is Yahweh. This is the omnipotent reigner, ruler, king of kings, lord of lords, ruler of the nations, The earth, the whole earth is his. He is the maker thereof. And so here is God saying, I am God. I'm the Lord. Let me introduce myself to you. You want to fight? Bring it on. And so we have others who are so full of themselves. that they just can't comprehend that they are not the be-all and end-all. So good old Nebuchadnezzar gets out there and, you know, he's looking, he's seen, had that dream of the image and, you know, that's pretty cool. He's the head, so he's in charge. He's number one guy. He's most, you know, most most, right? He's the head right there. And so what does he do? He says, you know, maybe I should make a statue too. Just, I've got a dream. I'll fulfill that dream. And you know, and he makes statues and that's chapter three. And that doesn't work out for him. He sees three guys walking around in the barn. But then he still has this big head and not just the metal head. But he's got this big head, so he looks around. I mean, he is in charge of Babylon, this mighty empire. He's done some pretty nifty things with the hanging gardens and all the rest. And he says, yowza, I'm cool. And God says, no, you're not. Go eat grass. And so he spends some time out there chewing the cud. And after that cud-chewing experience, pardon me if I'm flipping here. You know, this guy was full of himself and he needed to be brought down. And so he was shown what it would be like to be less than he was. We are made in the image of God. Here he was made to be something that resembled less than that. As his fingernails became like talons. for all those seasons, seven times, seven years. So we pick up in Daniel 4, verse 34. We'll finish the chapter. Daniel 4, verse 34. So at the end of this season of judgment, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to him. My understanding returned to me. He came to his senses. His mind was restored. His sanity was restored. I blessed the Most High. I praised and honored Him who is eternal, who lives forever. For His domain is an everlasting domain. His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth, eight billion and counting at this point, All these inhabitants, all these people of the earth are reputed, you know, in comparison. Nothing. They're reputed as nothing. Now this is Nebuchadnezzar saying this. This one who had, you know, just been seven years before pretty pumped up, pretty impressed with himself. Now he says not only am I less Everyone is This is he's gotten a sense of where he is where we are in the world So we're in Daniel 4 verse 35 continues he does according to his will in the army of heaven among the inhabitants of earth Right? We're establishing the fact that God reigns. Nebuchadnezzar finally says, okay, God, you're in charge. You are king. Not just over Babylon, not just my king. You are king of kings. You are king over all. All things, all peoples, all nations are yours. You are the sovereign. You are the ruler and so we're still in Daniel 4 And here he is with his armies in heaven verse 35 among the inhabitants of earth Now Nebuchadnezzar has just had his hand restrained for seven years Right. He's been eating grass doing all the rest Notice what he says there at the end of verse 35. No one can restrain his hand I'm gonna try to box God you're going to try to tie him up Good luck with that No one can restrain his hand. No one can say to him What do you think you're doing? What have you done? They try Remember we said that song too, you know, they're saying all kinds of Irish But it's worthless words then It's nothing that stands. At the same time, verse 36, Nebuchadnezzar says, my reason returned to me. When he realizes who God is, he realizes who he is in comparison. My reason returns, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me. I was restored to my kingdom and excellent majesty was added to me. So before in his pride he'd been pretty high and mighty, he'd been pretty exalted, and now he's got more than he began with. When God brings you low, he can exalt you high. The extent to which you are humbled is the extent to which In a sense, he can trust you to glorify him. That's why the two talents wisely mess against four, and so forth. That's proportion. And so verse 37 says, now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor myself. No. I've learned that lesson. I extol and honor the King of Heaven, all of whose works are truth and his ways justice. Now this is not the ways of the ancient Near East. It was whatever the king says goes and if he's, you know, got a tummy ache, lion's den for you, right? But God's ways are truth and justice. not based on emotion or the whims of the moment. God is unchanging. And those who walk in pride, he is able to put down? Yes, God resists a crowd, but he does exalt the humble. That's the biblical principle. So, everything's going wrong, everything's messed up, what brings you back on track? God is reigning. Number two, now we hit Romans 13. Please turn with me to Romans 13. You know, when we were hearing 1130 last night about what was going on, you know, we do live in a country where people are able to participate in government, but we also live in a place where And so what the scriptures teach us about authority, about kings, is quite simply, if there's authority, God has given it. This is true of Pilate. Remember, Pilate has to be reminded, you wouldn't have any authority unless God gave it. So whether it's pilot, or a teacher, or a dad, or a mom, any authority, notice we're in Romans 13 now, it says, let every subject, every soul, be subject to the governing authorities. Now we normally just categorize governing authorities as civil. But what I've just said is that authority may be a husband in the heart. It may be the father in a home. It may be a teacher in a school, an employer at a job, because these do have some authority. Not the same kinds, because he goes on to talk about the sword, and I'm not giving any of my teachers swords. All right, so, let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. Now, notice why. Why should people subject themselves to those who are in control? There is no authority. That's why I taught principals, or employers, or teachers, or parents. All of these are authorities in their sphere. Right? There is no authority except from God. And the authorities that exist are appointed or ordained, is what another version says, ordained by God. Appointed by God, ordained by God. Therefore, verse 2, whoever resists the authority, resists, here's the word ordinance again, the ordinance of God. Those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of authority? Okay, do what is good. You will have the praise from the same. Verse four, heed the authority. Verse four, is God's minister to you for good? But if you do evil, be afraid. Remember, we're talking Nero now, and Paul, as he's writing this, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But if you do evil be afraid for he does not bear the sword in vain For he is again second time this phrase issues God's minister an Avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil Therefore you must be subject not only because of wrath In other words because you'll get it But also for that this is right, to obey authority. Verse six, for because of this, you also pay taxes. Maybe not joyfully, but you do it. For they are, again, third time, God's ministers, attending continually to this very thing. Verse seven, render therefore to all their due. What do people do? Well, taxes to whom? Taxes. Customs to whom? Customs. Fear to whom? Fear. So what we see here is that generally speaking, actually universally speaking, the Nero's, the President Xi's of China, that guy up there in North Korea, President Yun, are there by the appointment of God. Now, those of us who have the ability to participate, and Americans don't, in the Korean government, they have the freedom to respond and to participate in elections and such. So we understand that as well. But what we see is that all human authority, the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, all of it, is not simply allowed It's not like God just lifts his hand. It's actually appointed. It's like, you go here. This is what I want you to do. They're actually ordained or appointed by him. So God has chosen who to put in your classroom. If you're a student, God put your teacher there. If you're a teacher, that authority as a teacher is from God. Okay? Now, you don't have a sword, but you do have other ways of discipline, or other ways to appropriately correct. God has chosen each one of these people. So parents, if you've got a mom or dad that you don't like, well, God gave them to you. If you've got some grandkids, you know, whatever, teachers, employers, government officials, whatever, whoever has authority, whether it's the bureaucrat at the local, you know, that makes you want to tear your hair out, or all these authorities, whether petty authority, usurped authority, or whatever, it comes from God. We don't like that. But it's true. And we don't have to like it. We have to accept it. So the reason God gives these authorities is because He is looking to make order. And so what we see is that they are appointed by God, verse 1. If we resist it, we bring judgment. But why are we doing this? Because the right kind of authority will actually reward good behavior. That's verse three. Rulers are not a terror to good works. In other words, they encourage it. Those with authority do have the power to reward those who are doing right, whether it's 100% that they earn or whatever. And notice verse four. He's God's minister to you for good. The guy that makes you wait in line and fill out all kinds of paperwork to get your license or whatever, or the customs to get your books. You know, all these guys are there for your good. I mean, we don't always see that, but that is the principle. Okay, so he's there for, and part of this is to do justice. You know, if you're going to evade taxes, if you're going to Hurt your neighbor, he's gotta be able to bring those things to justice. So, if you're bad, he's got the job, rightfully, to bring justice. The wicked are judged, the good rewarded. And even most tyrannical governments, or the worst governments, the worst ones still do have a net benefit. Because, again, Paul is writing this in New York. And Nero did some terrible things, to Christians in particular. He was a persecutor of Christians. But Paul was speaking of Nero. That was the most immediate application of this. And remember, okay. And so what we see is, I pointed out three times, he's God's minister. He's appointed by God. So you obey him, you obey God. at least this part of God's command. All right, so God rules, God ordains, or appoints, if you want to use a different word. Number three. I didn't say this would be easy. We're still in Romans 13. We've read the first seven verses, now let's finish the chapter, eight through 14. Now what about the laws? Not man's law, but God's law. Verse 8, O no one, except what? To love one another. For he who loves one another has fulfilled the law. Nero's law? God's law. God's law. And who is really reigning even through a Nero? God. All right, so love one another you owe each other that verse 9 for the commandments you shall not commit adultery You shall not murder you shall not steal You shall not bear false witness Does anyone know where those came from? It's 10 commandments, isn't it second half of the law? Uh, you shall not covet the last one number 10 If there's any other covenant commandment, and yes, there are other commandments Uh, they're all summed up in this saying, as Jesus says, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Everything about people, every commandment or law about people is ultimately for this purpose, to love them. So that they're not harmed, so that they benefit. It's all about loving your neighbor. Some of it may be inconvenient, some of it may not be the way you would have done it, but all law, all God's law, is about loving your neighbor. And sometimes, if you really look, sometimes it takes a fine microscope, some of the rules that people make, maybe most of them, are about this. If you love one, it'll be a whole lot easier. Right? That's what you owe when you love your neighbor as yourself. Verse 10, love does no harm. Doctor's first commandment, right? First do no harm. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is a fulfillment of the law. Verse 11, And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to wake up asleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed the night is far spent. The day is at hand, therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust. So two things here. If God has ordained all these things, God has, and as God is in control and God is ruling, then the natural consequence is God's got a law, right? God's got a decree. Thus saith the Lord. This is what you do. Now, Ahasuerus tried to make a law that would stand. The Persians had immovable, unchangeable laws. which Darius found out to his chagrin, right? He's got Daniel in the lion's den. Why? Because he can't change his law. And then we get Ahasuerus. Same deal. He's made a law about destroying the Jews. He can't get out of it. Both Darius and Ahasuerus, these Persian kings, made a law. But they changed their minds. and their laws were changeable. They were revocable, just like President Young's, right? For, you know, Darius spends a night mourning his decree that no one should pray to any other god, right? Because Daniel was out there with the cats, the big cats, the lions, okay? So Daniel's out there with the lions, He's sleeping, and Darius is going, oh no, I did something really dumb. I believed someone I shouldn't have believed. I trusted someone I shouldn't have trusted. A lot of someone's I shouldn't have trusted. And so here is Darius basically wanting to change his law, but he can't. He's stuck. And so what does he do? There was an escape hatch. Daniel survived. The penalty was you go to the lion's den. We did that. OK? Again, the same thing with Nebuchadnezzar. Different system of Babylon. What? You bow down to the image or you go into the fire? OK. Go in the fire. Come out. Sentence served. Ahasuerus has got a law in Esther. Wipe out the Jews. He can't change it. The law's law. It's immutable, he thinks. But he can do a second law to undermine the loophole, right? You can kill, but they can defend themselves. Uh-oh. Right? And so the point here is kings change the laws. Kings change their minds. There really aren't all that many immutable laws. There are some. Don't kill, don't steal, based on the law of God. But human laws? Change. Because people change their minds. But God's law is what? Forever settled in heaven. God's law is by someone whose nature does not change. Yesterday, today, forever, God is the same. We see that in Hebrews. Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus Christ is the same. So the psalm says, all may change, but Jesus never. Glory to his name. Right? It's very stabilizing to know your God is not going to change. He's not going to change his word on a whim. He's not going to change it at all because he's the same. He's good. He's just. He's merciful. He's love. And so God is unchanging. So his laws basically fall under two categories. Number one, love him. That's a great one. Numero uno. Dos, number two, love others. Got those two, you got it all. I mean, everything else flows from those two. And so, if you love your neighbors, as we saw there in Romans 13, you've done it all. I mean, you're not going to have adultery because that's not really loving. That's lusting. And loving and lusting are not synonymous, despite whatever you see on TV or wherever. They're just not equal. It is actually hurting the person that that takes place with. And so you see these laws here, don't murder, obviously I'm not gonna go out and take your life because I love you. Despite, again, what the fictionalization or glorification of death in some places. The Romeo and Juliet, I love you, you're gone, I die. No, you don't do that. True love cares and helps the one who's loved, right? And so it's all basically summed up and we've got one horizontal rule with other people, love them. If they're nice, if they're mean, if they're bad, if they're good, if they're ugly, if they're fat, whatever, love them. If they irritate the spit fire out of you, love them anyway. God's laws, so that's verses eight through 10. And then we have not only do we have this one central law relate pertaining his decree pertaining to one another, then we go vertical, right? The first four commandments. And with God, it's like, okay, don't sin. Be holy for I'm holy. And how can you do that? Don't just grit your teeth and try harder. What do you do? Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. How do you do that? You love him. Don't put on, close your head. If you love the Lord, you put on those robes of righteousness, that Christ is one for one. And so you love him. And so that means you need to be unchanging. Just as God doesn't change, your love for him should be just as immutable. And let's be real. That's not us. We are changeable. We are fitful. Sometimes, you know, there are things that we just say, God and I. But the idea is don't betray your king. Remember God's reign. That's what we've seen. And so don't make any kind of provision for the flesh. Don't try to break his bonds of love. You are now a servant of the king. Don't betray him. Don't deny him. Don't betray him like Judas. Don't deny him like Peter. Do right. And so yes, Cast off the works of darkness, verse 12. Why? Because you don't have much time to do that. Your life's short. It's a vapor. That's verses 11 and 12, right? It's high time to wake up. It's high time because our salvation is near at hand. There's going to be a day when you're in Jesus' presence. And you love him and you want to hear him say, my son, my child, You love him, so make no provision for the flash. You love him, so you don't do the garbage. Finally, briefly, we've covered a lot of ground. All of this has been about God. God brings, God's got, you know, his appointments, his ordinances, where he puts the people in charge. God has given a command, a law, love others, love me. Okay, that's it. But then, when everything is, you know, you're in the Mairi play, when you're surrounded by enemies, whether it's the enemy of your own flesh, or the enemy of someone, or the enemy of your help, whatever it is. Again, in our context, 1 Timothy 2. Remember, God has not promised that the rulers that he appoints are going to be good, that they're going to be kind. The scripture is full of wicked rulers. Some of them were wicked rulers of God's people. C, Samaria, the Northern Kingdom. 100% bad light, but God put them there. Many of the rulers of Judah, the Southern Kingdom, were also bad. I mean, it's Judah that gets Manasseh, for Pete's sake. God never promises that you're going to have a good ruler. a good ruler, oftentimes, not always, but oftentimes, a ruler is kind of where the people are, which says something about where Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar says. All right, anyway, God doesn't promise that human rulers, the Nebuchadnezzars, the pharaohs, the, you name them, Jezebels, doesn't promise that these people are gonna be wise. or even helpful. Although their purpose and the reason God put them in office was to bring judgment, right? I mean, that's what we saw earlier in Romans 13. But people are people. Remember, they're sinners. They're rebels. Psalm 2. Even the ones that God puts there. The Cyrus who appoints, who lets people go home. He says, he's my anointed, but all right. So what do we do when we've got incompetence or wicked people in authority? Well, we've got a solution. And that is free. Turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 2. 1 Timothy 2. And we're going to read verses 1 through 6. Therefore I exhort, first of all, this is a priority, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. Authority zone? No. All men. Neighbors, family members, everybody. Stranger than the street. There's no one who's accepted. We pray for her Verse two four teams. Okay. Now we're in the authorities Now we're here Wicked authorities good authorities Regardless what do we do for kings and for all who are in the authority and that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Why? Why does God want you to pray for these bad people? Because God desires all men to be saved. Whether it's President Clinton, President Biden, President Trump, God wants them to be saved. He desires all men to be saved and come to come to a knowledge of the truth to come to the knowledge of himself as the truth To know the scriptures the right And one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Who gave himself a ransom for all? The offer of salvation is on the table. Kiss the sun. Now's the time to be redeemed. Make peace with your enemy, God. That is the offer that's on the table. He gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in two times. So when persecution comes, when slander comes, remember, God is our Father. How does He teach us to pray? How does Jesus teach us to pray? Our Father, who art in heaven. Here is our Father. We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We are children of the King of Kings. We pray to Him. And when Biden goes to daddy, or when Hunter goes to daddy Biden, guess what? Daddy Biden listens, right? God is his children's protector. Fathers are their children's protectors, whether or not people like it or not. We are safe in his hands. It's almost 8, so we're not going to read Psalm 91. This is a passage where God promises that those about taking shelter under God's wings and angels being given charge, lest we stub our feet. All right? We are in God's hands. He's never going to let you go. So the stabilizer here, God is my God. He's never going to let me go. If I'm going to go through a valley, He's my shepherd going with me. If I'm going through the storm, He's walking on the water with me. He's not asleep. He's in control. You are His. You are safe in Him. Amen. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, Lord, we've covered a lot of ground in this time together. We do thank you for these four stabilizing truths. You do reign. Your son, Jesus Christ, is not only Emmanuel, God with us, but he is a child who is the everlasting Father, the Almighty God, the Prince of Peace. Lord, as we look to your reign and see that you have appointed authorities And you have given us one law for men to love them, one law for you to love you. Lord, we obey the authorities that you have placed in our lives. We pray that you would help us to do so willingly, to earn your commendation, and that we might be able to be a testimony We do pray for those in authority here in Korea, President Moon, his cabinet, his advisors. Lord, this has been a humbling time for these men who expected a different outcome for their plans. We pray that you would grant them mercy. We pray that you would be with those who make decisions about what happens next. We pray for wisdom for those who make these decisions. We do pray, Father, that as First Timothy teaches us, that you would enable us in this time of some uncertainty to be able to continue to lead quiet and peaceable lives. We pray for leaders of our nations, whether they're in the Philippines, in Africa, here in the, or there in the United States, Canada, the Muslim nations, we pray for these leaders to come to know the Messiah, the Christ. Lord, let them come willingly, submitting to the Prince of Peace, to the King of Kings, lest your anger be amassed, lest they face your judgment and the humbling of pride. And Father, we pray for mercy that they may not see judgment. But Lord, we know that you are on our side. We will be accountable for how we respond to authority. And the authorities also are accountable to how they serve under you as your delegates, as your appointees. Help them to serve well, righteously, with wise counsel. Lord, we do pray that you would help us to remember to pray for others, to love one another, to meet one another's needs. We pray, Lord, that you would be glorified in our lives. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, I had a feeling that I would go a long way