and preach for us what the Lord would have for us today. I appreciate him being willing to jump up here whenever I ask him to. Thank you, brother. I appreciate it. Thank you, Brother Keith. It is a privilege to be in God's house and to be with God's family. There is no greater family upon earth than God's family. If you will today let us be turning to Philippians chapter 1 and verse 6 and today's message is about God's good work in us. God's good work in us. You know God has always had a plan and a purpose for all of His little children. It's all about getting us forgiven. It's all about getting us to heaven and seeing us with a glorified body. So God has always had a wonderful plan for His children. here in Philippians chapter 1 in verse 6 the Bible tells us being confident of this very thing that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ so we see here in this verse that it is a good work that God is going to perform in us he never ever gets tired never ever gets weary of us we are his little children that he has and everlasting love for. In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 8, the Bible tells us, For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. So we see that we are God's workmanship. He's never going to give up on us. Hebrews chapter 13 tells us that he said that I will never leave thee. nor forsake thee. So we have a Father that will always be with us. I want us to notice today these four I wills of Almighty God in concerning this wonderful good work that He has for His little children. He said, I will be merciful to their unrighteousness first of all. He said, I will remember their sins no more. That's why we need Jesus. That's why His blood covers us from all of our sins. He also said, thirdly, I will be for them, Romans chapter 8. And fourthly, we're going to notice, he will be a father unto us. Let us pray today. Your gracious heavenly Father, we're so thankful for your love and your mercy, for your son's precious blood that was shed upon Calvary so that our sins could be paid for in full. Lord, without your pardon, Lord, we could not go free. So Father, we're so thankful for what you've accomplished for us, instead of your only begotten Son to die upon that cross for our iniquities. We could not save ourselves, so Lord, you provided a way. We're thankful for your omniscience. Without your wisdom, Lord, we would be astray the entirety of our life. So Father, we're thankful today to be in your house. We're thankful for Brother Keith and his family. In each one here, Lord, we pray a special blessing upon them. And Father, we pray that you would heal according to thy will, all these on the prayer list. And we'll give you the praise and the honor. And Father, we ask also that you would give me the power and the strength to preach thy holy word. For without you, Lord, we are nothing. For Jesus' sake, we ask all these things. And I will, but thou wilt be done. Amen. When we see God's purpose and His plan in our lives, it gives us hope every day that we wake up. You know, I like waking up of the morning knowing that I am free from condemnation, knowing that God has begun a good work in my life and that God Almighty will never ever be against me. He will always be for me and that God is merciful to my unrighteousness. You know, we all sin and fall short of the glory of God and we need more than anything in this world, mercy toward us. And I'm thankful that we serve a God that has started working us, wherein He shows us mercy to our unrighteousness. And if you will today, I want us to turn to Hebrews chapter 8. Hebrews chapter 8, I want us to notice there in verse 12, where the Bible teaches us this. Under the new covenant of grace, the Bible tells us, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. That's us, that's his little children. This is why Christ went to the cross for our sins. And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. When I consider how great God's love for us, I stand amazed. Because His love is from eternity. God loved me when I was in my sins. Romans chapter 6 tells us that when we were yet enemies. Enemies. You know, Christ loved us. God committed His love toward us. When we didn't know Him. At all. But He had His eye upon us. Always. And so we can rest in His love and in His faithfulness to be very, very loving to us whenever we are in an unrighteous state of mind, when we fall short of His glory. I want us to look in Hebrews chapter 4 also today. Hebrews chapter 4 tells us in verse 12 that we can come boldly. to his throne to obtain this mercy in our unrighteousness. We can back up to verse 14 and 15 as well because it shows us our great high priest. The whole purpose of this text here is to show us that he's merciful to our unrighteousness. He's going to help us when we fall. And it's just not if we're going to fall, but when, isn't it? Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the filling of our infirmities. See, Jesus is touched. When we fall short, He knows He's going to help us. Because of the good work that God has begun in us. but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." See, He's without sin, but we are with sin. Verse 16, "...let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." When we fall short of the glory of God, When we sin, there's not a just man upon the earth that do us good and sin us not, the Bible teaches us. So we need his faithfulness every day of our life. We need to hear God say, I will be merciful to your unrighteousness. I will be merciful when you fall short of my glory. We love him because he first loved us. You know in 1 John chapter 4 in verse 10, here in His love, not that we love God, but that He loves us. And sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. This is why God sent His only begotten Son. He is our advocate. 1 John chapter 2 in verse 1, He tells us, My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not, but if any man sins. See, He knows we're gonna fall short. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. He's the only righteous person that ever lived. He's the only one that could fill our infirmities because our sins got laid upon Him. This is why God is merciful unto us. Aren't you thankful for His great love? Look at Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4 today. I want us to notice here in verse 10. Ephesians chapter 4, or not in verse 10, excuse me, in verse 7. Ephesians chapter 2, excuse me, Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 4. Ephesians 2 verse 4. It says, but God who is rich in mercy. I'm glad he's not poor in mercy. I'm glad he's not saying, I don't have enough mercy for you today. You've fallen so short. I'm not going to be able to pick you up today. No, you see, he's rich in mercy. As I read, he fills our infirmities. He loved us. Even when we were dead in sins. Did you see how much God loves you? Even when you were dead in sins? Have quickened us together with Christ by grace. You are saved. I look at this with the story that Jesus told about with the prodigal son. You know, his father knew he was out there in sin. His father knew that he was wasting his inheritance. But when the prodigal son came to himself, I believe that's whenever he was quickened by the Holy Spirit. He came forth repenting. And he came to the father and there was something so interesting about the father. He wasn't poor in mercy. The father ran to him and embraced him and kissed him. He was so glad to see him coming home. And you see, this is the way God is with us when we get our life right whenever He gets our life right for us. Let me rephrase that. And He saves us by His marvelous grace. He welcomes us back into His family. He will be merciful to our unrighteousness. Let's go back to the book of Hebrews today. Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 17 tells us Wherefore, in all things, it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of his people. Wherein that he was tempted, he is able to secure it to help them that are tempted. You know, in Hebrews chapter 3, verse 26, where for holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider our great high priest, Christ Jesus, this apostle, this one that has made reconciliation for our sins. Consider this one that is your advocate, this one that pays a penalty in full, 100% for you. This is why God is merciful to our unrighteousness. Jesus feels all of our infirmities. It's hard to imagine that He could feel all of my infirmities. But I know He does. The Bible tells us so. God's justice has been satisfied whenever Christ was hanging upon the cross. God saw the travail of his soul, Isaiah tells us in chapter 55, and he was satisfied. So therefore, he's going to be merciful to me all the days of my life. He said also, in Hebrews chapter 8, as we've read in the latter end of that verse, 12, I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. I look at this and I see that in the Scriptures there is a huge contrast between Almighty God not remembering your sins and Him remembering your sins. So today, I'm going to show this contrast here in the book of Revelation here in just a moment, but to realize that God said, I will remember your sins no more. And to know that you have a pardon from Almighty God and that Jesus has set you free from condemnation, gives you hope and happiness all the days of your life. In John 5, verse 24, Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death into life. You pass from death into life because you've been quickened by the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the Bible tells us. The flesh profits nothing. And so, the Lord gives us everlasting life. He remembers our sins no more. Look, if you will, in Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4. I want us to notice there in verse 7 and 8. The Bible states, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. How blessed are you today? We are greatly blessed, aren't we? Knowing that Almighty God is not going to remember our sins no more. It's because Christ has atoned for all of our iniquities. In Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 12, the Bible states, This is the past tense. He obtained eternal redemption for us. We are redeemed today and tomorrow and forevermore. And the devil can't change that. So when we wake up in the morning, we can sing, I am redeemed. I am forgiven forever of my iniquities. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 21, the Bible tells us that Christ has made sin for us. He states, for He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. You see, God sees us through Christ. It's not my obedience that's going to get me to heaven. It's His obedience that makes me righteous. Romans chapter 5 and verse 19 tells us that through one man's disobedience, speaking about Adam, we're made sinners. And so by the obedience of one, that's Christ, we're made righteous. See, the devil would like for us to get self-righteous and try to keep the law in order to be saved. But, you see, Christ kept the law in order for me to stay saved. And so, therefore, the righteousness of God has been fulfilled in me by Christ. And so, therefore, we are forever forgiven. We are forever saved because of His goodness, of His love, and of His mercy toward us. That's never ever going to change. The devil would like to see that change, but that's not going to because he remembers our sins no more. I want us to turn, if you will, to Revelation chapter 16. Here's the contrast where God said, I will. Remember their iniquities, those that would not repent, those that would not obey the gospel call. Revelation chapter 16, and this is a frightful few passages of scriptures, but this is the consequence of those that do God's children very badly. In Revelation chapter 16, I want us to notice there in verse 9 through 11, this is in the latter end of the great tribulation period. And God is pouring out His wrath upon the unbelievers that would not repent. It's because He remembers their sins. And men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed in the name of God. which had power over these plagues, and they repented not to give him glory. In verse 9, verse 10, And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and the kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. This is why they are being punished, because they would not repent of their deeds. Let us go on over to Revelation chapter 18, if you will. Revelation chapter 18, beginning in verse 4. It states, And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven. Notice this. God's little children, when their sins are covered under the precious blood, they never reach to heaven. But those that repent not, one day their sins will reach to heaven. And God has remembered her iniquities. You see, either God's remembering your iniquities or He's not. If you're washed in the blood of the Lamb, your sins are covered forever. Now, that doesn't mean that God doesn't chasten us. out of His love and compassion for us when we sin and fall short of His glory after we're saved. He does. He can even chasten us unto death, the Bible teaches us, to bring us on home, but He doesn't remember our iniquities in order to pour out His wrath as He's pouring out His wrath upon those here that would not repent nor obey the gospel. You keep in mind the angel in the great tribulation period is preaching the everlasting gospel. And they are not repenting. Many are not. Many do. But here are these that are not. And so in verse 5, the Bible teaches us that for her sins have reached unto heaven and God has remembered her iniquities. Verse 6, reward her even as she rewarded you. And double unto her double according to her works. In the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double. So now God is pouring out His wrath. in a double portion upon those that are not repenting. He remembers their iniquities. How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her, for she saith in her heart, I see the queen and am no widow, and shall see No sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, dead and mourning and famine. And she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her." It's a horrible thing for God to remember your sins. But it's the most blessed thing in the world to have God to remember your sins no more. I'm glad He said, I will remember your sins no more. I'm glad I'm washed in the blood of the Lamb. I want us to notice, if you will, in verse 20 as well. Revelation chapter 18 and verse 20. Look at what he tells the saints that are in heaven. after this great tribulation period. Rejoice over her, thou heaven and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. Sometimes we think, when is God ever going to do something to those that just keep harming us? See, God has never forgotten the least little thing that the devil has done to you. And he has not forgotten those that have done you wrong. Even though many times, you know, we are praying, Lord, be merciful. God is merciful. He's merciful to His own, to His loving little children. And He said, Amen. Thirdly, I want us to notice that He said, I will be for them. This is the good work that God is carrying on in our lives as His family. I will be for them. In Romans chapter 8, I want us to turn, if you will, there in verse 31. Romans chapter 8 in verse 31. The Bible tells us there, if God be for us, who can be against us? We can wake up every morning knowing that God's on my side. God's going to help me throughout this day. God's going to get me through it. I've heard many people say, well, I don't know what today may hold, but I know who holds today, who holds tomorrow, and every day after that. God holds us in the palm of His hand. Jesus said it like this in John chapter 10 and verse 27. He said, My sheep, hear My voice. And I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. He said, My Father which gave them Me is greater than all. And no man is able to pluck Him out of My Father's hand. He said, I and My Father are one. I'm in My Father's hand. And you are too. And He's going to be merciful to your unrighteousness. Because of this wonderful work that He has begun in you. He is not going to remember your sins anymore because Christ has paid the sin debt in full for you. And he is always going to be for you. You know, in verse 30, it tells us that in Romans chapter 8, what shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? What things was he talking about? He was talking about there how that God one day is going to give us a glorified body. And that one day God Almighty was going to justify us and call us. There's five things that He was talking about. Glorifying us, calling us, justifying us. All because of Him predestinating us to be saved. All because we were on His mind. Romans chapter 8 verse 28 tells us, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called, and whom He called, them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified. That's the five things that He was talking about. If God be for us, In all these different ways here, we have a lot to thank Him for, don't we? We have a lot because God has a plan and a purpose for all of His little children. And I think He's going to succeed, don't you? I think I'm going to make it to heaven. I know I'm going to make it to heaven because of what He's doing. I'm kept by the power of God, 1 Peter 1 and verse 5. And you are too. All of God's little children are kept by the power of God because He had you upon His mind in eternity. And He's going to keep you upon His mind for an eternity. Forever and ever and ever and ever. And this is why we can have assurance all the days of our life. Jesus said in John chapter 6 and verse 37, All that the Father giveth Him shall come to me. Not just one or two or half. of them that the Father gave him in eternity, but all, he said, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing. but should raise it up again at the last day. Isn't that wonderful? We're going to be raised up. There's that glorified body we're going to get. All because Jesus is not going to lose any of us. The power of Almighty God is amazing. He's in control of this world. He's in control of us. He's the one that leads our hearts and our minds and helps us throughout the day. A good man's step for ordered by the Lord, the Bible tells us. And so, we can take courage in knowing that God Almighty said, I am for you. If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who is He that condemned? It is Christ that died. Yea, brother, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of the throne of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? The Bible tells us as it is written. We are killed all the day long. We are kind of sheep for the slaughter. It says, nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Oh, aren't you thankful for the love of God? Aren't you thankful that Jesus is always there with us, helping us? God said, I will always be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will. Remember their sins no more. I will be for them. He's the one that has called us out of darkness into his marvelous life. We are a chosen generation. Oh, we must be long-suffering like Almighty God as his little children and be impatient, waiting for God to bring about the new birth in our friends and our enemies and our families. I like what the Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3, verse 9. It states, For God is not slack concerning His promises, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to usward. That's the elect of God. Is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish. God's not going to let any of His little children perish. He gives us all everlasting life. But that we should come to repentance. God's not willing. And my friend, if God's not willing, it's not going to happen, is it? In Job chapter 23 and verse 13, the Bible tells us that He is one mind, and who can turn Him? What His soul desireth, even that it doeth. I'm glad that God has desired to send His only begotten Son to die for a sinner such as I. The Apostle Paul said, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Christ died to be ungodly, didn't he? Many people are deceived by the devil thinking, oh, it's too late for me. Oh, God would not have me. I ask you, are you ungodly? I ask you, have you sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? Saul of Tarsus was a murderer. Saul of Tarsus was the one that was persecuting the church. He wasn't looking for Jesus, but Jesus was looking for him. And that's chapter 9 on the road to Damascus. It's amazing how God finds all this little lost sheep at His appointed time. God has a time for everything, doesn't He? A lot of times we run ahead of God, don't we? We don't want to just shake salvation into someone. We want to get their life right, right now, right then. But God is He starts that work Himself. He begins that good work. We just make a mess of things, don't we, when we try to do that. But you see, God, He patiently waits. And He works. As Jesus was sitting at the well for the Samaritan woman to come through that had five husbands, and the one that she was with was not her husband at that moment, who was looking for her? She wasn't looking for Him, was she? Oh, Jesus was waiting right there. with the water of life. She came thirsty for the wrong water. But you know, isn't it amazing that when Jesus had finished talking with her, she left her water pot. She had got the water of life. She had received Jesus as her Savior. She had drank from that well, which was Jesus. I ask you today, have you drank from that well? Do you know Him as your personal Savior? Has He revealed Himself to you? Jesus said, Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. Do you need rest from all your iniquities? Do you want God to wipe all your sins away? God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, meaning He is elect. There's no Savior like Jesus. There's no one that can forgive you but Jesus. The Apostle Paul said, Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which it could not be justified by the law of Moses. In Acts chapter 13. Peter said, Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none of the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. We get forgiveness Only through Christ do you need a Savior today. Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Believing and coming is one and the same, isn't it, Brother Keith? Oh, do you know it? Will you surrender all to Him? Let us pray today. Dear Gracious Heavenly Father, we're so thankful for Your Holy Word. We're so thankful for Jesus. giving His life a ransom for many. Oh, Lord, without You, we would be so miserable. We would have no hope. But because of Your grace, we can be crucified with Christ. And we can realize that His labors have not been in vain. That You are accomplishing Your purpose as You always have. And Father, today, if there's any here lost, Lord, we just pray that they would Surrender their lives to Christ. For Jesus' sake. Not our will, but Thine will be done. Amen. 258 in the green book. I heard the glory. Just a moment. You heard the glorious gospel today. You heard the gospel of Christ. If you can believe it, believe it. Brother, now, go, same course. I hear the Savior say, Thy strength indeed is small, Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in me Thine all in all. Jesus paid in all, All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He was divine as snow. For now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone Can change the leper's spots And melt the heart of stone Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. Be in prayer for service this afternoon. I'm so thankful for that message this morning. Thank you, Brother Steve. That was an encouragement, a blessing this morning. It was rest for my soul. That's a blessing. Be in prayer for service this afternoon. Be in prayer for Joshua as he stands before us today, this afternoon. He's a little bit nervous. So just be in prayer for him. And Lord willing, we'll see each one back. 3 o'clock, if not 4. Alright, so let's be dismissed now. Brother Mark, would you dismiss us?