his wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable minds, I'll never fail. He treasures up his bright designs and works Don't be so much dread, harping with mercies, and shall break the blessings. ♪ I'm holding every heart ♪ ♪ You hold me well ♪ ♪ With your tasteful, sweet-smelling love flower ♪ ♪ I am weak and it's short to bear ♪ together. Father we thank you for another hour to bask in the the presence and the power of God. We thank you for the fellowship and the communion we have with you and that communion extended to your people. We do thank you for the love and the unity that you give to us. We thank you for Jesus Christ, whose blood covers all of our sins. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, who is our enabling power, the power of grace in our hearts. comprehend the love of Christ, to comprehend what is freely given to us by you, and we pray that we might know that expansion of mind as we search the scriptures and hear them expounded to us this afternoon. In Jesus' name we ask, amen. Please be seated. Jeremiah. I almost said 89. I've been reading Psalm 89 in conjunction with Jeremiah. 19 is our chapter in Jeremiah. Psalm 89 interests me as a connecting... I've really got a problem here. My phone is really... Anyway, in, oh there it is. Psalm 89 rehearses God's. promise regarding the Messiah and the Messianic Kingdom and the glories of that God's glorious promises regarding the Covenant King and Psalm 89 it is David of course once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to David, but then the psalm takes a sudden shift and things Come back to the way things are now and The kingdom would be established forever and yet there's a sudden shift at verse 38 But you have cast off and rejected you have been full of wrath Against your anointed you have spurned the covenant of your slave, etc And that's where we are in in the book of Jeremiah we're At that point where God is going to reject his people and Give them over to the king of Babylon this chapter starts out with Yahweh again using the pottery potters earthenware Example to teach the people a lesson and first he gathers the elders and of the people and some of the elders of the priests at the opening of the chapter and then at the end he goes back to the house of God and he preaches the same message again this time to all the people. This is a message that You almost want to give the warning like some newscasts give that this contains disturbing images. The things that God is going to bring upon his people are indeed disturbing. We are going to be looking at them eating their own offspring. And this eating of offspring is a is a judgment on them that God predicted. where God warned them about, didn't predict, but warned them that it would come upon them way back in Deuteronomy when they came out of Egypt. In chapter 28, God warned them about this. This is something that they had already seen in Samaria. This has already occurred once in the history of Israel in a famine that occurred there. That was in Elisha's day. And I wonder if Judah would have thought, yeah, well, that would happen to the half-breeds in Samaria. But that would never happen to us. But it will, indeed, come upon them. And so this horror, if you will, that God brings upon his people Yet they will not turn from their sin. There's already been He's also going to talk about Tophet which was a place where they burned their children in sacrifice And the judgment that would come upon that Josiah Jeremiah began his ministry in the 13th year of of Josiah and in Josiah's 18th year was when he performed the many cleansings and carried out these judgments and one of them was on Tophet. And yet it seems here that we might be even a little bit later, Josiah's son Jehoiakim It almost appears that they have reinstated those horrible things that they were doing there. And so God is going to bring horrible judgments upon them in the lesson. a lesson anyway, is that sin cannot and will not be deterred by any of God's threats, no matter how severe they are. God's threats alone are not sufficient to turn the sinner's heart away from them. Grace alone can do that. Thus says Yahweh, go and buy a potter's earthenware jar and take some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests. Then go out to the valley of Ben Hinnom, which is by the entrance of the Potsherd Gate or East Gate, and there call out the words that I tell you and say, Hear the word of Yahweh, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, behold, I am about to bring a calamity upon this place at which the ears of everyone that hears it will tingle. because they have forsaken me and have made this a foreign place and have burned incense in it to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. I don't know if you've noticed how many times God makes sure that he tells them why. That word because is there and they do not need to wonder whether this was just, as Micah was saying, just the natural order of things. is to happenstance. This is why they have filled this place, the blood of the innocent for me and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever come upon my heart. Therefore, behold, days are coming, declares Yahweh, when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben-Hinnom, but rather the Valley of Slaughter. I will empty out the council of Judah and Jerusalem to the point of destruction in this place, and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of those who seek their life, and I will give over their carcasses as food for the birds of the sky and beasts of the earth. I will also make this city an object of horror and of hissing. There's that word hissing again. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and hiss because of all its slaughtering. I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters. And they will eat one another's flesh in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress them. Then you are to break the jar in the sight of the men who accompany you, and you shall say to them, thus says Yahweh of hosts, just so will I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter's vessel, which cannot again be repaired, and they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place for burial. or until there is no place left for burial. Verse 12, this is what I will do. To this place and its inhabitants declares Yahweh so as to make this city like Topheth and the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth because of all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the heavenly host and poured out drink offerings to other gods. Then Jeremiah came from Topheth, where Yahweh had sent him to prophesy. And he stood in the court of the house of Yahweh and said to all the people, Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have spoken against it because they have stiffened their necks so as not to hear my words. All right, let's continue singing together in Trinity number 502. Trinity 502, Rejoice, ye pure in heart. Would you stand with me? Rejoice, ye pure in heart. Rejoice, give thanks, and sing. Your bread's no better. of Christ our King. Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, we praise and sing! The new-bred school of age, the men and women Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice in heaven's good sleep. Yet on through life's long path, still chanting as we go, Rejoice Rejoice ♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ Through the perilous fight ♪ I think most of you are aware of the fact that for the first time in close to forty years uh... we can refer to our staff here at reform baptist church of linoleum uh... there are two of us that are now employed uh... by the church which we are thankful for and it is a gift that god has given to us please pray for us i've never had a fellow able elder who labors full-time with me in the ministry. And I know Mike has never had another full-time elder ministering with him, but I rejoice at the opportunity to labor with my dear brother, not only as my pastor, but he has become my friend and I'm thankful for that. So pray for us. It'll be at an adjustment period here, who's doing what, when, and all that. But I'm thankful for that, and we give praise to God for that, for this is His doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Well, take your Bibles and turn to Philippians, Philippians chapter 4, a familiar passage of Scripture. But this afternoon, I wanted to take the opportunity to consider the things that Paul instructed the church at Philippi in as he brought this letter to a close. I find it interesting that as he is closing this letter, and thinking about the saints there at Philippi, and that's what he calls them there in chapter 1, saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, and he wanted to see those believers so live that their lives demonstrate that they've been mastered by the gospel of Jesus Christ. And so he sort of ends this letter by expressing to them his desire to see them grow in certain virtues of the Christian life. And though I've read this many, many times, and I've preached through this passage a few times, I notice that the virtues that he's wanting to see in the lives of these believers, and to see them growing in these virtues, are virtues that were very pertinent for him. Remember, he's writing this letter when he has been falsely accused and now thrown in prison. And now he writes this letter to the Church of Philippi, and he says to them, starting in verse four, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. And be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus." The Apostle Paul desired that the believers at Philippi live in this world filled with uncertainty, with all kinds of concern and calamity, but the apostle now comes to them in the midst of that world in which they live, and he instructs them, even by way of command, that their lives should be marked by what? Joy, a gentleness, and a peace. joy, gentleness, and a peace. Our Lord himself says, in this world, you will have tribulation. How's that for transparency? You wanna follow me? In the world, you're gonna have tribulation. But he says, be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Well, how do we navigate through this world with all that's involved, with its brokenness, with its concern, with its calamity? How do we navigate through this world with joy and gentleness and peace? And as believers, I pray, this is our desire. I have found this week my prayer being, Lord, make me a joyful person. Help me, even in my old age, I don't want to be a grumpy old man. I've met too many grumpy old men, but help me to be gentle, and then help me not to be anxious with regard to anything that you bring into my life. No promise is ever given to us as believers that as we live in this world, our life would be free from difficulties, but we are assured If we're going to live godly, there will be hardships, persecutions, and calamities. And so I just want to spend time this afternoon by going over these three virtues. There's no doubt. If I would have asked you as you were walking in, what are the three virtues that Paul mentions in Philippians chapter four, most of you would have known them. Joy. gentleness, a lack of anxiety. We know that, but do we live in that realm as we travel through this world? I often don't, and I want to grow in these areas. So the three things I've simply labeled this way, there is to be, our lives are to be marked by a continuous joy, Secondly, by a noticeable gentleness. And thirdly, by a calm trust. A continuous joy, a noticeable gentleness, and a calm trust. Now let's look at them. A continuous joy. There in verse four. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. This comes to us as a commandment to rejoice. The word means to be glad. It's found in what we would call the present active imperative. It means it is a command that is ongoing. Go on being glad in the Lord. We could translate that. Go on being glad in the Lord. Now, you notice he emphasizes this. Rejoice in the Lord. Again, what? I say rejoice. Well, you want to look at Paul and say, Paul, don't you think we heard you the first time? And I think he would say, yeah, I think you heard me. But I want to emphasize that reality of rejoicing in the Lord always. This was not to be an occasional joy, but a continuous state of rejoicing, irrespective of our external circumstances. So it's a thing that is emphasized by the Apostle Paul. What's at the foundation of this joy? Now notice that. Paul says, rejoice in the Lord. He's calling us to a continuous joy that is done in light of the reality of our union with Christ. I was thinking about this this week. When Paul says, you're to rejoice always, what does that look like? Now we as a bunch of Christians go around always with a smile upon our faces, and whatever we go through and whatever challenges we face, we're just giddy and happy. Listen, in this world, you will have tribulation. I mean, think of what the Apostle Paul is going through as he's writing this. I'm sure it was not an occasion in which there was this external joy. He's in prison. He is not sure if he's going to live or he's going to die. He doesn't know at what moment that prison door may open and they come and grab him and say it's time and the next few minutes his neck is going to be severed and his head is going to end up in a basket. And I don't believe the Apostle Paul was sitting in prison saying, oh, this is so good. This is so much fun. I would imagine it was quite stressful to live in that reality. I mean, we prayed this last Wednesday for the believers in Somalia. And as we read that about them and what they go through, where if someone in your family even thinks you might be converted to Christianity from Islam, you can be put to death. If your neighbors find out that you're following after Christ, you could die. And then, if you want to teach your children, And one of your children goes to somebody and says, oh, you know what? Mommy and daddy last night, they told me about Jesus Christ and how he's our savior. That someone could soon come knocking at your door and killing you. So even in telling your children about Christ, your life could be in danger. I would imagine that would bring great grief to our hearts as parents and sorrow with regard to the danger we would even put our children in if we talked to them about Christ. This world is filled with tribulation. When the apostle Paul writes this letter to the church at Philippi, he mentions a man by the name of Epaphroditus. And Paul says that he's going to send Epaphroditus to them, or he looks forward to seeing Epaphroditus, because he has been sick unto death. Epaphroditus had been so sick, he almost died. And the apostle Paul says this, God had mercy on him, which he rejoiced in, because Paul says this, had he lost Epaphroditus, that would have brought sorrow upon sorrow. In this world, you will have tribulation. Just before writing this in Philippians chapter four, do you remember what the Apostle Paul says in the first three verses? There were two ladies in the church who were quarreling with one another, causing a disruption in the church, and Paul has to deal with that. I would imagine that brought grief to Paul's heart. that this quarreling was going on within the church that could disrupt the unity of the church, that would have brought grief upon the Apostle Paul. In this world, you will have tribulation. For us, it could be that we get a diagnosis one day that the illness that we're experiencing is terminal. How many of us have been disappointed or hurt or grieved over the actions of our friends? Dear friends, it hurts. Some of you suffer with chronic pain and difficulties physically. And that hurts. In the world, you will have tribulation. Grief, sorrow, sadness, hurts, pain, death, is all experienced in this world. And yet Paul says, Rejoice. In the Lord. Again, I say rejoice. And what Paul is challenging the believers at Philippi and what I believe the Apostle Paul is challenging us with is this. Don't lose sight of the reality of your union with Christ. Your union with Christ. You are, Paul says, saints of Christ Jesus. He goes on to say further in this letter, chapter one, verse 11, you are a people that have been filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes through Jesus Christ. What you are in Christ. what you one day will be in Christ never changes despite the outward circumstances you may be traveling through. And in that, you can rejoice. Rejoice in who you are in Christ. Rejoice in what you're becoming in Christ. Rejoice in what one day you will be in Christ. Circumstances never change that. And even as Pastor Micah reminded us this morning, for the righteous, it will be well. And in that, we can always rejoice. And that's what sets us apart as believers. In the midst of sorrow, there can be joy because of what we are in Christ. In the midst of disappointment, there can be joy because of our union with Christ. In the midst of pain, in the midst of calamity, we can rejoice because one day it will all be made right. So this is not a commandment to rejoice over those things that bring grief and sorrow and pain. Our Lord knew what it was to grieve. Our Lord knew what it was to weep. But it's a rejoice. A rejoicing that comes because of who we are in Christ. A continual rejoicing. Secondly, a noticeable gentleness. Let your gentle spirit be made known to all men. The Lord is near. I mean, consider with me just for a moment the times a few times that that that word gentle is used in the scriptures. For example, when it comes to the requirement of an elder in First Timothy three, three, we read that you're to be gentle and someone may say, oh, good. I'm glad that's for the elders because I'm not an elder. But my friends, except for apt to teach and lead, every one of the requirements of an elder ought to be in the life of every true believer. were to be gentle. We ought not to be men who strike back or seek revenge when mistreated. And I think one of the reasons Paul is wanting these people to have a noticeable gentleness is he's in prison on false charges. He's been mistreated. And our natural response in the midst of being mistreated is to get revenge, to strike back, or to grow bitter. And Paul doesn't want them to do that. He wants them to be gentle. In Titus chapter 3 and verse 2. I didn't write it down, so I'm going to have to turn over to it. Titus 3 and verse 2. Let's start at verse one. Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceful and gentle, showing consideration to all men. Be careful not to lash out. When you think you're being treated unjustly or unfairly, be careful how you respond toward other men in the midst of circumstances that aren't to your liking. So I were told to be slow to speak, quick to hear. I don't know about you. But oftentimes, in the midst of circumstances, where I think someone is wrong, or I think they've treated me in an unfair way, I immediately want to respond. When there are times, I should just go, give me five minutes, and then just stay silent. And then respond. Don't be quick to latch out. when you think things don't go your way. This isn't what I wanted, wasn't what I expected. It's used in James, James chapter three, verse 17. But the wisdom from above, the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy, and good fruit." Here's a man who's learned how to respond appropriately and reasonably. That's wisdom. And one of the ways that he's responding is with gentleness, not with harshness. Not with anger, not with tension, but gentle. Gentle. Gentleness is a key virtue. We don't often hear about it. It is one of the fruit of the Spirit. There in Galatians chapter 5. And perhaps we hear very little about being gentle because gentleness is often associated with what? Weakness. Gentleness is often associated with weakness. But my friends, it is not weakness, but it is strength to be gentle, to be self-controlled, and not respond in kind or seek revenge or lash out. but to treat others with respect, showing restraint. We live in a culture and a time where people have very little self-control. That's why when somebody cuts you off, you don't say, I hope you're careful next time, just be careful. No, you, what are you doing, man? You're frustrated and you lash out. And sometimes, It takes self-control. I read a story. Let's see if I can remember. I didn't write it down. I read a story about a guy getting on a train, and in the compartment in walks this guy who is a bit abbreviated. What's it called when you're drunk? You know, inebriated. Thank you. He's a bit inebriated. And he sits down, and he pours a drink. And he looks over at the man, and he says, you want one? And the guy says, no, no. And he drinks it. Pretty soon he takes it out again. You want one? No, no. Third time, takes it out, takes a little drink, looks at the man. You want one? No, no. And then the guy who's a bit tipsy looks at him and says, you must think I'm a beast. And the other man responds, no, I don't. I think you're quite a generous man. Because he kept wanting to give him a drink. He didn't think of the worst, he tried to think of the best. I think you're a generous man. Moses is an example of a meek man. In Numbers chapter 12 in verse three, now Moses was very humble, more than any other man on the face of the earth. What a great epithet. It'll never be on my tombstone. He's a humble man. more than any other man on all the earth. Paul was a man of gentleness. First Thessalonians 2 and verse 7, what did he say to the church at Thessalonica? We proved ourselves to be gentle among you. And then Paul says, as a nursing mother cares for her own children. This is how I acted towards you as a nursing mother. who cares for her own children. And then, I don't have, I was just reading this week. Look over to Isaiah 40, because it came to me this morning as I was thinking about this a little bit. In Isaiah 40, let's see if I can find it here. Yes, there in verse 10. Behold, the Lord your God will come with might with his arms ruling over him. Behold, his reward is with him and his recompense before him. And then later on, you read about how great this God is. Look at verse 21. Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it been not declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundation of the world? It is he who sets above the circle of the earth, and in its habitats are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heaven like a curtain, and he spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He it is who reduces rulers to nothing. He makes judges of the earth meaningless. Scarcely have they been planted. Scarcely have they been sown. Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, but he merely blows on them And they went wither and the storm carries them away like stubble. Wow. What a powerful God. That's no weakling. Right. Would you agree that's no description of a weakling. And yet, listen, let's go back. Let's go back to verse 11. And here's how he's notice what he says, like a shepherd. He will tend his flock, his arm, He will gather in his arms, he will gather the lamb and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead the nursing ewes. Get that? In the midst of speaking about all this strength and all this power that God has, he says, I'm going to shepherd you and I'm going to gently care for you. There's a picture of gentleness. It's not weakness. It is strength to be gentle. Jerry Bridges says, gentleness is an active trait describing the manner in which we treat others. How do we treat others? What do others say about us? Did you ever meet somebody who said, you know so and so? Yeah, I know them. Man, are they rough. They are so harsh. I mean, they have an opinion, and everybody's opinion ought to agree with theirs, or they're not going to like it. We've got to be careful not to be so strongly opinionated and dogmatic that others are afraid to express their opinion in our presence. I don't want to say it to them because I know how they may react. And I don't want to deal with that. Be careful. Colossians 3.12 says believers are to be clothed in gentleness. And what Paul's saying is this, your gentleness should be noticed by all men. Your gentleness should be noticed by all men. It's to be known by all men. Is that what people think of us? That we are gentle? Or I'm sure I've heard this about people. Oh, they're very opinionated. Or you don't want to cross them or when my phone rings and I see their number, I wanna pretend like I don't hear the phone ringing, because I know what's gonna be on the other end. Gentleness should be seen by others in our lives, even when we're mistreated or unjustly treated. How do we respond? I'm not saying we need to be wimps. I'm not saying don't have a backbone. But how do you come across, even in the midst of disagreements with other people, or even when you have an opinion that isn't being carried out the way you think it ought to be carried out? To have that gentle spirit. And to motivate us, he says, the Lord is near. Now there could be a couple things that Paul has in mind here. First of all, you could have in mind that he's ever near watching what you do. Watching how you respond. Watching the way you speak to other people. He's there, and he sees, and he hears. You know, the Apostle Paul can speak about the reality of only a certain people supporting him, but he says, all have deserted him. All of them have deserted me. But he said, the Lord stood with me. Even in the midst of being deserted by what he thought were so-called friends, what kept him with a gentle spirit was he knew the Lord stood with him. And so be careful. with your response because the Lord is near. He hears. He knows. And may I say this? He not only knows what you say, but He also, I guess I could say this, He also knows when your inners aren't being gentle. When your mind's not being gentle. You may not say it, but you're thinking it. And you may not express it, But it's there, God knows. Be gentle, for the Lord is near. Or he could have in mind the return of Christ, the return of Christ. He says, listen, again, this touches what Pastor Micah spoke on this morning. Even the righteous, will be treated unjustly and unfairly. Even the righteous might experience the judgment of God upon a nation because you live in that nation. But the Lord is near, he will return, and one day he will make all things right. It will be well, I underlined that this morning, it will be well with the righteous. So I don't have to be a bully. I don't have to be an angry Christian. God will make all things right one day. And then thirdly, there needs to be a continuous joy A noticeable gentleness. And then thirdly, a calm trust. A calm trust. Notice what he says. Let me get back to Philippians. Be anxious for nothing. Anxiety should not be a part of our lives. Now let me say this. I say that, but there is an anxiety that is a virtue. Do you know that? There is an anxiety that's a virtue. That's not what Paul has in mind here. But you might recall that previously Paul talks about his own concern. His concern, look over at chapter 2 and verse 20. Here he's talking about Timothy. And he says, verse 19, but I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned, and it's the same word, anxiety, who's anxious, for your welfare. Timothy was concerned or anxious about the welfare of the believers at Philippi. He has a genuine concern for them and for their well-being. That type of concern is a virtue. But here the Apostle Paul, when he writes, be anxious for nothing, is speaking of the anxiety which is a vice. And anxiety becomes a vice where the concern seems to outweigh who God is. When the concern begins to hide the face of God and a trust in Him. When we become concerned about what we will eat and what we will drink and what we will wear, Matthew 6, that anxiety is sinful. This concern displays a lack of confidence in God. And so the commandment is, be anxious for nothing. And in the original, nothing is placed at the beginning. Nothing. Be anxious. It is, again, a present imperative, which is a command. It's not an exhortation. It's not just an exhortation. It's not simply an option that hopefully you'll decide to do. It is a command, and it's in the present tense again, which talks about it ought to be your habitual practice. Stop doing something. And what do they want him to stop doing? He wants them to stop worrying to the point that it hides the face of God. We could translate it, stop worrying and do not under any circumstance worry about anything that hides the face of God. So that's the commandment. But notice the cure. Well, how do I do that? There are certain people that are anxious all the time. I'm worried about this or I'm worried about that. How do you keep from that? Well, Paul tells you, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. Pursue a life of prayer. Run to him. Pray. On the occasions when you are tempted to sinful anxiety, pursue God's face. Listen to the psalmist. Psalm 34. It's a familiar psalm. I will bless the Lord at all times. But notice what he says here in this psalm, verse 17 and 18. the righteous cry and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. When your circumstances have you down, when your circumstances seem to be a bit overwhelming, when your circumstances surprise you and you're uncertain as to what the outcome is, run to God. Seek his face. Go into his presence. Pursue him and pray. Paul says pray. It's a general word for prayer with supplication. It's the idea of pleading and asking God for something. How often in the midst of circumstances that are trying, have you prayed? as opposed to trying to figure out some other solution as to how to get out of the circumstances that you're now in. To pray, to seek God. Psalm 55 in verse two, cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. Oh, how many times, I know, how many times have I been shaken? with certain news that was unexpected, shaken. And here we are told to cast our burdens on the Lord. He'll sustain you and never allow the righteous to be shaken. And we're to do it with thanksgiving, thanksgiving. Pastor MacArthur says this, people become worried anxious and fearful because they do not trust God's wisdom, power, and goodness. Think about it. People become anxious because they do not trust God's wisdom, his power, and his goodness. Don't you find that true when you're anxious? They fear that God is not wise enough, strong enough, or good enough to prevent disaster. It may be that this sinful doubt is because their knowledge of him is faulty, or that sin in their lives have crippled their faith. Thankful prayer brings reliefs. brings release from fear and worry because it affirms God's sovereign control over every circumstance, and that his purpose is the believer's good. Praying with thanksgiving. Pray, pray, and trust God. And he may not always answer exactly the way we ask, And that happens many times, but you know, I have to stand back and say, you know what? He's far wiser than I am. Do you believe that? In these circumstances, here's what I think is best. And Lord, if you would do this, oh, your name would be praised. And Lord, if you would do that, oh, people would be astonished at your goodness and greatness. And then he doesn't do it. And I thought I had it figured out, and I thought, this is for your good, God. And then I realized, wait a minute, God is far wiser than I am. And I can trust him. So we have the command, we have the cure or the remedy, and then we have the consequences. The peace of God which surpasses all comprehension. A peace that surpasses comprehension. Did you ever go through a circumstance and have someone say to you, boy, I don't know how, you seem so calm going through that. How did that happen? And most of us would have to say, bro, it wasn't me. It was God's grace toward me in the midst of the circumstances that helped me to get through it. What I trust is in a God honoring way. So that I did not bear reproach upon his name in the midst of going through it. A peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Two places where anxiety plays a big role, your heart, your emotions, and in your mind. Your emotions with regard to your love for God and not growing bitter against God, and your mind of thinking bad thoughts or hard thoughts of God as opposed to thinking true thoughts of God in the midst of those circumstances. a peace, a calmness in the midst of going through many deep waters. John Calvin says it is on good ground that he calls it the peace of God. in as much as it does not depend upon present aspects of things, and it does not bend itself to the various shifting of the world, but it is founded on the firm and immutable word of God, the peace of God. What deep waters Will some of us pass through even in this coming year? Only God knows. And how difficult will this journey be in the midst of going through those things? Who knows? But in the midst of them, we can have continuous joy because it will not separate us from the love of God. I don't care how bad it gets, how difficult it gets, how much it may hurt. It'll never separate us from the love of God. Not even death can do that. And in that we can rejoice continually. And then to find ourselves with a gentle spirit on how we respond to others, even when mistreated, or hurt or disappointed by others' behavior. In the midst of thinking about it, I thought about several times those dear people, their believers in Somalia. And I can't imagine what it'd be like for them to come knocking, the authorities to come knocking at my door, taking my wife because I'm a believer and doing who knows what and not want to lash out. I would not be a happy camper. but I still know my God loves me and he will make all things right. It will be well with the righteous. Seems to be my theme today. Thank you, Micah. It will be well with the righteous. And then to have a calm trust in God. that he is at work in every circumstance for my good and he cares for me. He cares for me. And that's, I have found that to be a wonderful help in the midst of difficult circumstances. When my wife went through what she went through a couple years ago, my only solace was the fact that my God loves her more than I do. And I got to trust him. And even when I first heard the news that my family heard this week concerning my gift of a grandchild, my first thought was, my God loves that little baby more than I do. And I've got to trust him in the midst of going through it. It's not easy. May God help us, because God knows. As I told you Wednesday night, I think I told you this Wednesday night, I mean, I told my kids, tell me if it's a boy or a girl, because every time I pray, I'm one time praying for him, and next time I'm praying for her, because I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet. Even with that uncertainty, God knows. God knows, and he knows what he's doing in that womb. And I've got to trust him, because it's not easy. but he knows what's best. So, let's pray for one another. I need your prayers. I got a feeling you might need my prayers. But to have a calming trust in the midst of this storm. Continuous joy, a noticeable gentleness, and a calming trust. Let's grow in these virtues together. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we pray that you would help us to be a people that are ever growing into your likeness. And whatever you bring into our lives, help us, Father, to trust you, help us to be gentle in our response. And Father, we're thankful that in the midst of sorrow and grief, pain, we can have a joy, a joy that the world doesn't understand. But because of what we are in Christ, that joy is ours. And so Father, we pray that as your children, These things would mark our lives. We pray for some who may be among us even now who find all this confusing and wonder how this could be. May they see that the difference is knowing Christ. They might pursue you with all their hearts and run to you even this day. so they might know something of what it is to have this continuous joy, a gentleness and a trust. So take your word and use it for your glory and honor as we ask these things in Christ's name, amen. Well, in closing, take your Trinity hymn books and turn to 579, 579. Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side. 579 in the Trinity hymn book. Let's stand together if you can as we sing. ♪ Is on our side ♪ Where we should be ♪ The cross shall be our pain ♪ Leave to thy God ♪ To order and provide ♪ In every change ♪ We people will remain I. ♪ I hope I go where peace and love remain steady ♪ ♪ Oh, how mysterious shall be God at last ♪ ♪ He's so small, how great's His power? ♪ be still It shall be better, thou wisdom, this hour, Who comes to soothe thy sorrow with thy tears. and we shall ♪ When change and tears forget us ♪ ♪ Oh, say can that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ And the home of the brave ♪ you