And so good evening, and greetings in the name of the one that the songwriter was writing about when he said that he is the shepherd of tender youth. What a — what beautiful words. The one that is a shepherd, and he's a shepherd of tender youth. And so with that, tonight we give a special welcome to you as youth that are here. Thankful that you're here. I expect in these front seats here we have more energy tonight and vitality and vigor and passion than anywhere else. And may that be for the glory of God. And may God bless you this evening. We'd like to read something from the Bible. Brother James already read to us from God's holy word, and tonight we're thinking, for this message, we're thinking of something else we read in God's holy word. In the Bible, we find these words. In the Bible, it says, let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, an example of the believers, an example of how the rest of us should live. Is that asking too much? We just, we read this word and of course it was applicable here and we just want to use this as a foundation to think of sharing from, speaking from this evening. How is it that in the word of God it would call you to be an example of the believers? of how believers should live, of how we should live. I'd like to share a story with you as youth tonight. To me, it brings out a point that we can apply here. Remember, many, many years ago, our oldest son, Wendell, was just a little boy. And we raised chickens. We raised broilers. And we had them at that time. We had a dog, an old dog. Her name was Fluffy. And Fluffy was a good farm dog. She was there. The day came that someone wanted to give our son, Wendell, another little puppy. And we, we, Bertha and I really didn't, we didn't want a puppy. We didn't want another puppy. You know how puppies are, they dig holes, they destroy things, they tear up things. We really didn't want another puppy. But we accepted it for Wendell's sake. We had another puppy. We called him Neil. Neal turned out to be just an amazing dog, little even as a puppy, when he was still a puppy, was just an unusual dog, little puppy rather. And so Wendell helped us with the chickens, and those of you here tonight, that raise broilers, you know that when you start those baby chicks out, there's a certain part of the chicken house you start them out in. A place where there's warmth and feed and water. And at least for us, we use a double, a two-fold protection to keep them from getting where they shouldn't be going. We use a fence and a curtain. And tonight, I think we could, actually. We could use that as being symbolic of our conscience and A church fellowship that has taken the Bible and made application of those Biblical principles. And it's something there to protect us, protect youth, protect older people. Sometimes baby chicks, they look for a hole in the fence and the curtain and they get through. They go back where there's no feed and water and warmth. But it looks like it's just free sailing back there. It looks like it'd be a big area, plenty of space and plenty of place to move around in. They like that freedom and so they get back there. And so, Wendell, our little son, he would go into the chicken house and when chicks get back there, if you don't get them back up where they're supposed to be, they're gonna die there. And that's a picture of where many, many youth are tonight. Wendell, with the old dog Fluffy, he could go in there and he had to do all the work. He had to chase the chicks, try to get them in a corner, try to pick them up, get them across the fence. Many would, you know how it is, they scoot away, go away. But the day came when Neil was on the scene. This young puppy, an untrained young puppy. And he took Neil with him into the chicken house. And he goes, and these chicks are behind the fence. And he goes in there to herd these chicks up and to get them back over into the warmth and feed and water. And Neil was right with him. of all things, Neal does things the old dog never did. Neal herds those chicks with him, helps him herd those chicks. When those chicks try to get away from him, Neal had it within himself to herd those chicks up in a corner. And when our son Wendell was there trying to grab those chicks, put them across the fence, And they'd try to get away, Neil would put out his foot and stop him. And the other way, the same way. And it was just amazing to us that young Neil, this puppy, did things that the old dog Fluffy never did. Neil was an example for Fluffy. And even so, blessed is the church that has youth that are what we want to title this message tonight as, youth with godly passion. There are many youth in the world today. Youth normally have passion. They have more passion normally than us older people have. There's something alive and real in you tonight as youth. You're young, you're healthy, basically, and vigorous. You have a lot on your mind and thinking you like life. You have energy and vitality. But tonight, we didn't just say youth with passion. It's youth with a godly passion. And blessed is the church, the family, the community that has youth with godly passion. In many cases, sad is the family, the church, the community when they're just youth with a passion and it's not a godly passion. And we hope tonight that you will be blessed and challenged to just consider your life. You know, one of the reasons, one of the reasons that I wanted to bring this bow along, now here is a bow and an arrow. But, and we want to talk about this arrow some more. And you know this arrow has three, what do you call it, you hunters know, fletchers or three feathers, three fans on there. That's so important if you're going to use a bow and arrow and you want to do anything with it. It's like a must if you want to hit the mark. But I wanted to bring this bow. This is our son-in-law Francis' bow and arrow. We call them our sons. They married our daughters, but they're really, I guess, our son-in-laws. But the reason I wanted to bring this bow and not just the arrow is, well, for several things. One thing is, you know, if we think about using this bow and arrow to hit the spot, youth with godly passion. We think about pulling this string tonight with this arrow on it, and your life and how it is. But the main point with this is, is to impress you as you look at this bow tonight and this one arrow, to remind you as youth, you have one shot at it. One shot, only one shot. You know, I thought the other evening we were thinking about deer hunting, and it would make a difference if you have, I guess you hunt deer with slugs and shotguns, it'd make a big difference if it's an automatic with three slugs in it versus a single barrel. And you have a single barrel. You have one shot. And tonight, there are so many people in this world that would love to have opportunity to be back where you are right now. They would just desire to have one more chance in being where you are right now. One more opportunity to do it differently. But they're on down the road, and this arrow for their life has been somewhat like shot, and they can't go back to where you are tonight. And you know, as I thought of endeavoring to preach this message, I thought, well, you could think, I mean, why do we preach like this? All of you look so nice here this evening. You look, you know, wonderful. You look like you're in place. But you know, the sad thing is, there have been so many youth So many youth that have sat right where you're sitting, as it were, maybe in another building, another place. They've sat at the table with a godly family and home. And so many, they're not there tonight. And where are they? They're living a life, they have a never-dying soul that's going to be somewhere in all eternity. Not for ten years or a hundred, but all eternity. I think tonight of the time when our dear daughter that just had twins, when she was a baby girl, a little girl, and she stuck her finger up on the stove and she burned her finger, and it hurt so badly. And that night, I remember so well that night, the only way she could sleep is if we held a piece of ice on her finger. Such pain. We had to hold a piece of ice on her finger. And I thought about the fact, you know, we as parents then, we could still do something for Nellie. We could help her. We could help relieve that pain. But if we make choices in life and we let that arrow fly, then we have one shot at it. And if we do it wrong, and thankfully anywhere in that cycle we can turn to God, but if we do it wrong, I mean, once we have died in sin, and that happens, there are many youth today that are dying lost. And once we're gone, there is not — there's no one that can relieve us of the pain. There's no one that can span the great gulf that will be fixed between us and God and heaven and grandma and grandpa. And mom and daddy that live for the Lord and we're faithful to him. And so one reason for bringing this bow is that we think about it, you know, it's like it's one shot. And the title tonight is Youth with Godly Passion. Now, if one of you young men, we can ask you to come up here and try to hit that door over there or further. And you know, you and if you just pull this string back two inches and let it go, you know, you're not going to hit the mark. And as it relates to godliness, we pray you would, I mean, pull the bow. Pull it back. Passion for God and what is good and right. It's true. Thousands are doing terrible things and you might be discouraged with some of us older ones and the way we're doing things and the way we have church and what's happening in our midst. You don't have to get bogged down because of that. Don't let that cause you to not be what you should be. Show us how to do it. Be an example of the believers. And so that is one of the reasons for bringing that bow and arrow. And there's more to think about as we think of that arrow tonight, but that bow, you know, it's your life, one shot. You're youth, you're young. We have one son that's still not married. And of course, we've tried to tell all our children, you know you are making decisions today that are going to affect your life for the rest of your life. Now, some of us up here, we have quite a few years behind us. And that arrow's on out there somewhere. We can still change and do things differently, but you're young. You're just in the prime of life. And what you decide on now You're going to reap for the rest of your life. And there's something else tonight we hope to use that really brings that out in illustration. At least I think it does, in my opinion, or it does for me. What is the oldest known Christian hymn that we have? Now, maybe Brother Mark would know something different than this. But as far as I know, I've read this. I think the oldest Christian hymn we have is this hymn about the shepherd of tender youth. It's dated somewhere back around 170, I think, to 220 AD, a Christian hymn. The title is Shepherd of Tender Youth. I love this song. I hope you like it. This Shepherd of Tender Youth, it says, guiding in love and truth. Brother James talked to us tonight about truth. He guides in love and truth. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth, young people, came by Jesus Christ. And that is so wonderful. You're not living under the law now. Just think for a moment. If we'd know that veil in the temple was still closed and we couldn't go in there, we'd have to go to find some priest to offer up a sacrifice for our sins, and we had hoped maybe through all that ritual that, you know, we can find a sense of relief from our guilt. And we'd live that way, that's the way we're living. And then suddenly we hear the veil in the temple is rent and we can come to the Lord, we can have our sins forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. I think we all ought to be running in there. And how is it that some of us would hold out on God? He guides in love and truth. And this songwriter has said, through devious ways. What does it mean? It means, devious means cunning ways. Places and things that are deceptive and remote and out of the way places. Devious ways, and you're there, young people, you're there. There are so many things. I think Brother Mark had, yes, right there we have something. It's on the screen, the virtue of purity is something that glorifies God, but is a tremendous threat to Satan's purposes. He will use his most enticing temptations to destroy it. And that's why we thank God that through Jesus Christ, He always causes us to triumph. and be victorious, but that is just one area that you're called to be an example in. That's one area the devil will cause you, want to tempt you to fall because where there is purity and godliness, that is a threat to what he is doing. So this shepherd of tender youth, he guides through these devious ways. It says in another verse, it's like a prayer, ever be thou our guide, our shepherd and our pride. That's Jesus. That's the good shepherd, our staff and our song. I ask you as youth tonight, what is your song? Another thing we want to look at on the screen a little later, Lord willing, is a song of the Lord. And can I just share that story with you right now? You'll see the picture maybe a little bit later. The story is told of Many, many years ago, it was sailboats needed to go and make their passage and hauling freight and different things they were doing, and they needed to pass this island. And on from this island, there was always these very amazing, alluring, tempting sounds that came from that island. And there were sounds that men were drawn to. and they were allured by, and often, many times, those ships would turn in, they would hear the sounds, and they were attracted, and they would go in that direction. not knowing that the water was very shallow and there were rocks there and many, many shipwrecks were had in that part of the ocean because they were going in the direction of the alluring sounds. Many souls were lost there, and so there were some people that wanted to safeguard themselves from having shipwreck in that ocean, and so they took one shipmaster, he had his men, he took and put wax in his ears, something in his ears so he couldn't hear those sounds when they would pass by there. And he even had him ask his men to take him and like wrap his arms around the beam of the boat so that they could not turn the sails. Those sounds were so alluring and so tempting. And you face it, you have it, it's available. You can go there, you can do it if you choose to, but pray God you won't and that you'll be an example of the believers. Tonight we think of the man, the man on one of those boats that as he knew they were getting close to that island, and he knew the temptations that might be there, he started singing the song of the Lord. And that song was so beautiful and so melodious, they went by the island and didn't need to listen to the alluring, tempting sounds coming from the island. And so tonight, you know the question is about the song of the Lord, is that is that the song that we are singing, the song that we're glad to sing and singing from our hearts, He is our staff and song. Jesus, thou Christ of God, by thy perennial word. I like that that's in this song. The word of God is perennial. It keeps coming back. And I pray it would come back to our minds tomorrow. You know, perennial, perennial grasses, they might freeze out in the winter. In the spring, they're right back. And may the Lord cause his perennial word to come to our hearts and our minds. And the songwriter went on to say, lead us where thou hast trod and make our faith strong. An article Brother Philip Cohen wrote many, many years ago. I don't know where Brother Philip is now. This was written, I think, in 96. And it's a message, he wrote this article, and the title is To Our Youth. So I'd like to just share something here that he had to say. And at that time, it was from A Christian Father's Burden. And he said, youth is a time of beauty and strength. And indeed it is. Beauty and strength. It is there, and we are thankful it is that way. It is also a time of many perils and struggles. He says it is, he encourages us in a time of our youth to remember that you were created and acknowledge your creator's claim upon you. For soon your body will return to the dust and your spirit will stand before God. But this is the part I want us to think about this evening, you as youth, us as youth. In his writing, he said, more lives are ruined during youth than at any other stage of life. More lives are ruined. in the time of life that you're living in right now than any other time of life. The devil doesn't want you to get to be 25 years old living for God because then the tracks are set a little more and you're a little more stable and, and, and committed and, and you have a direction. He wants to get you now before you get to be a rooted in the Lord strong Christian and child of God. And so, we're thankful for this verse that reminds us of the need of being an example of the believers. Youth with godly passion. Passion reminds me of the word fire. You know, a fire that's controlled can do so much good. It's so wonderful. A fire out of control is disastrous. And so, may the Lord be your guide and be your shepherd and help you and enable you and grant you the grace to be like a youth with a passion for God and godliness. in Glacier National Park, up in Montana and Canada. I understand, I've read, it's the only place in the world this happens. There is a place where water flows, and from that one spot on the high point way up in Glacier National Park in the mountains, as this water flows from this one place, it goes out in three different directions, and that's not unusual, but the unusual part is water that was once flowing together goes into three different oceans. Part of that water runs north up into the Arctic. Some of it runs west into the Pacific Ocean. Some run southeast down into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. And why would we bring that into this message tonight? The reason for bringing that into this message is the fact that to think about it, Here tonight, we're all sitting here together. The water is flowing right here together, as it were. And we think of the great separation in where that water goes. It makes such a big difference if it goes north, if it goes west, if it goes east. And it's going to be separated probably forever. And separation from what is terrible and sin and wrong is sure good. But to be separated from what is good and godly and of the Lord is very, very difficult. And I would remind us tonight that the Bible tells us that when the Lord returns again, that great trumpet sound, when He comes it talks about being glorified in His saints. At the same time, it's going to be flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not God and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that does indeed get our attention. So tonight, I pray that as we sit here, and as we go our separate lives, and we're living our life, and we have one shot, that we are very careful about how we pull the string and how we aim this arrow. I just plead with you to consider the fact of your life. Don't be like so many people that 20 years down the road, they wish they could be right here where you are tonight, your age, and make some choices that would be different and that have a better harvest. Now, there are many examples here tonight of those that made good choices and they're reaping beautiful fruits and blessings from it. May you follow their example. This arrow. You hunters, you know that these feathers, these three feathers, Fletchers, whatever it is, are extremely important on an arrow. And it's like a picture of your life. And I'd like to think of these three and make application of these three things tonight. And it might be different for you. There's so many things we could relate this to. But your life, and to hit the mark, Please, do not forsake the law of your mother and the commandment of your father. And, and, and last night we had that, that lamp right there and the light on. And if that's your father and your mother, or if they aren't that, there's surely plenty of other good examples around here that you can look at and follow. And that I'd like to call one of these, one of these tonight. And you'll see one of these just about to come off. Before coming, Francis told me I could do this. And we could wind up just tearing one off here as an example. But godly examples study their life. And before you make that decision that's going to affect the rest of your life, please consider what happened with others that made a decision 50 years ago that was a similar thing they were faced with and what it resulted in. and follow good and godly examples. We would just plead that you would do that, and don't forsake that. That's a blessing you have. That's a feather on this arrow, and it'll help you. They aren't perfect. No one is perfect, but it will help guide you, and there's some more to go with that, but that reminds me of this cover right here. This is a very special cover. I got this cover from — we did — from mama and daddy. A very special cover. Now you know what? You look at it, you see the holes? Some of you probably saw the holes. It has more than one hole in it. What shall I do with this cover? From mama and daddy, but it has holes in it. I could, I could just decide I'm gonna put it up on a shelf, you know, just as a relic up there. And I'm thinking about things I've received from my mom and daddy that have been such a tremendous blessing in my life. But I could just, you know, just set it up on a shelf and, and look at it as a relic. It's, that's from mom and daddy and it's just part of a showpiece up there. You know, some of us may have been tempted, and I think many times youth are tempted. You know, I think you face the temptation. You see so many holes in maybe us older ones, our life, our practices, maybe even the way we preachers do, and church life, and what's going on around here. And you see all those holes, and you just, I mean, just throw the whole thing away. I mean, all we see is the holes. And it's just cold, and it's formalism, and I mean, just throw it away. What are you going to do with a cover like that with holes in it? Wouldn't it be, isn't the right thing to do to take this cover and to use it, to use it as a blessing? I mean, it does still provide warmth. It still does serve a need. And maybe we can try to knit those holes, because mom and daddy didn't do it perfectly. But there's still a lot of value here. It still provides warmth, and I would plead that you would not just throw away the example of godly men and women, boys and girls, all through the Bible, and those living around you that have lived a life of faithfulness. And look at their life. It doesn't mean it's going to be easy. But if they have lived a life of faithfulness from their youth, there are blessings that they're experiencing today that are just wonderful to have. And so one of these feathers we're going to consider as being godly examples. Don't go over there and just think, that's one you don't need. And you, because our next point is really where I had planned to start. It is the most important point. But you could think, you know, I have this one, I don't need that one. That is, as I think of it, of course, the Holy Spirit of God within your heart and the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God applying His truth to your heart and your life. That is an extremely important feather in this arrow. You must have it. Without it, we won't hit the mark. We have to be birthed of God and born of the Spirit of God and know the Lord. But that is then like one of those feathers that's going to guide your life, lead us into all truth. As we heard this evening, don't we want to know that? We do. Don't go shoot your arrow without Holy Spirit guidance and the Lord in your life. You'll miss the mark and you will be sorry sometime that you did. That you pulled that string, you had passion, and you shot the arrow, but it didn't have the feather of the Holy Spirit of God from His Word on it, or the example of others. And just, you know, Daddy, he's so old-fashioned, he really just doesn't understand. I mean, how it is in 2019. Do we ever hear that maybe you don't in Holmes County, Ohio. I know that can come from the lips of youth It's possible. Maybe you don't I hope you never do now. I hope you don't think that Draw from it It's not perfect but but draw what you can from that cover and use it as We think of a third feather. And again, yours might be different, what your three are. But I'm going to tell — I'm going to say that here in Holmes County, Ohio, I have received a great blessing because of church fellowships that are represented here. And there is no perfect church represented here, but there is representation of people that love the Lord and church fellowships that I believe are a type or a part of the end that we thought about last Sunday morning, that end, the church. And we can either, we can pick it apart, we can pick the ministers apart, the people apart, and go against that. look about look at what a blessing it is to draw from a brotherhood of believers and church fellowship and what they are and who they are and if they aren't doing it right you be a neil be a neil And show them, be an example, not in pride. I don't mean that in a prideful way, but just let the Lord use you and call you to be what He wants you to be. And then with those, at least those three protections in your life, guides in your life, you can pull the string and you can aim your bow, your arrow, and you can pull it way back. Pull it with passion. It has been such a blessing from home to get messages from youth at home. And in encouraging me and just, they're praying for me and all, I don't have to go into all those details, but I can't tell you what a blessing that is. And you know, I had to think of it, they could do one of three things. One thing, first of all, they could just be very, I mean, non-committal. You know what that is? I mean, after all, Donnie, he's the one that said he'd go do it. I mean, big wolf, I hope he goes okay. Just noncommittal. They wouldn't have to tell me a thing. They could just think, well, hope it's okay up there. That's one way to do. Second thing they could be doing is just living a rebellious life, doing their thing, making trouble in church. Don't you know, it is just, I can't tell you what a blessing it is to get a text message. We're up here in Holmes County, Ohio, from a 17-year-old sister that's just giving her blessings. She's praying, she's on her knees for us up here. I'm gonna tell you, that is a wonderful blessing. And you can be that here. You can light that fire in this place and make it happen by the grace of God and make a difference. In being what God would call you to be as youth here in this place, as you endeavor to faithfully walk with God in those ways, as we think of youth with a godly passion, we think tonight of Daniel standing before the king. And we think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and Nebuchadnezzar telling them, if you don't bow down to this image, Daniel chapter 5, I think it is, or 3, you know what's going to happen with you? I mean, the Bible tells us His visage changed. He was so mad. He was a proud man, and there wasn't going to be anyone to go against him. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. They had a godly passion, and they let him know, you know, God is able to deliver us. If He doesn't, we're still not going to bow down to that image, King. We can't. God is in heaven, and we won't be found bowing down. And those were young men. They were young men. And don't you think that made a difference? Now, where were those young men? Were those young men in Israel, in a place where there was just beauty and glory and Holmes County churches there? No, they weren't. They were down in Babylon. They were like slaves down there in slavery. But there were some of them that weren't a part of that system. And they stood out, and they were real. We think of David tonight. And David, a young man, your age, a lot of you, I think when his father called him from herding sheep and to go check on his brothers, and he goes, he faithfully goes, and he goes out there and he hears this big giant Goliath come out and defy the armies of the living God. What are you going to do, youth, young men, when you hear that happening? You hear something happening in your church fellowship, someone is defying the Lord and the church of Jesus Christ. Are we just going to say they have so much trouble there? You know, it's so — I don't want to be there. Are we going to be willing to stand in the gap like David did and fight Goliath if that's what God wants us to do, in humility, but to be willing to stand there? David said, you know, who is this uncircumcised Philistine? David says I will go fight him and and it was so amazing. The king of Israel said, you know, whose son is this? May you live such godly lives that people in Holmes County, Ohio will wonder who you are and and why you're so different They heard you in Walmart singing the song of the Lord and you then something else and and you know I It's so important that it's in our hearts, not just that we look right, but that we are right. And people feel it, see it. Well, David, he said he'll go fight Goliath, Philistine, and so many, even his brothers. You know, can I say it this way? It's just like a joke. David, where are those sheep? What are you doing out here? I know, you know, the naughtiness of your heart. Where'd you leave those sheep? But David had a passion of godliness in his heart, and it was not to be deterred. And so he prepared to go into battle against Goliath, and he was armed with an armor that he said he couldn't go with. David went, he went against Goliath. He went down to the brook with his little, his sling and his bag, and he picked up five stones. And he took those stones with his sling and he went against Goliath. I like to think of him putting those in his shepherd's bag just like you taking the word of the Lord, that bat, that baseball bat right there. The word of the Lord that you need to fight those battles. Or they're going to overcome you, and you don't want it to happen. He put those stones in his shepherd's bag. It's like the word of the Lord in his heart, as it were. And he goes out against Goliath. And they had these words. And here's this big giant of the land. But David had the Lord with him. And David, you know, he slung the stone. And the stone went into Goliath's forehead, and he fell over. He took Goliath's sword and cut his head off. Why did David have five stones? It is interesting at least to note in 2 Samuel 21, I will try to get there and read a verse that is at least interesting to consider. 2 Samuel 21, we find there was a battle going on. This was after Goliath was killed. Remember there were five stones. And here the Bible tells us in verse 22, there was a battle and, and if you read all these verses, it says there was a battle and this, this, this man of David killed a son of Goliath and another son of Goliath. And verse 22 says, these four were born to giant, to the giant in Gath and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants. Four more. Giants were killed. Five stones. I would just, the point we would like to get here is for you as youth to remember, God does have a stone for every giant in your life. Every giant you face. The giant of immorality. The giant of amusement and entertainment. You know, the Bible says, while I was musing, the fire burned. Muse to muse is the opposite of amuse. And we are tempted today with amusement for real, for sure. God wants us to amuse. It's to meditate. And then the fire burns. That's a stone we use against, you know, wrong amusement and entertainment. The giant, there are many other giants. The giant of insubmission. The giant of what's the use? The giant of making a decision that's easiest for here, right now. And not making a decision in light of time and eternity that would be for the glory of God. Jesus said, Jesus said, enter ye in at the straight gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there are that go in there at. Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it. We have those words lead to destruction, lead to life. What a difference it is. And to me, this simple little funnel here just brings out such an important point in this. Jesus said, enter ye in at the straight gate. Straight, that word straight means narrow. In at the narrow gate. Because when you go through the narrow gate, through Jesus, to Jesus, and it's true, not just anything and everything can get through that door and that gate. It is, things have to be cut off and given up and forsaken and yielded. Indeed it is. We cannot preach an easy believism gospel. But what does the Bible tell us there? What did Jesus say? He said that way leads to life. If you follow every one of us as adults, I like to think of, we're in this funnel going one way or the other tonight, as it were. If you enter in through the straight gate, the narrow, the small part of this funnel, what's going to happen with your life? I'm thankful we can tell you. Now, it doesn't mean life is going to be easy, but as it relates to your conscience, to blessings, to goodness, to fruitfulness, to what makes happiness. Enjoy, Jesus said, blessed are, for example, the poor in spirit. They're the ones that go in through this door. Blessed are they, happy, blessed. You know, just this evening and last evening, and I hear the ministering brethren talk about the blessings of the Lord, the goodness of the Lord, how much we have to be thankful for. Why is it? It's because they entered in through the straight gate. And as they travel life's journey, life becomes more beautiful, more meaningful. There's blessings. There's blessings of Christian fellowship. And yes, maybe I am sick and in the hospital and all kinds of awful things happening, but I have so many blessings, the people of God. And life becomes more beautiful and more meaningful, I tell you. And in the end, you go out and you go, it's glory in heaven forever. And isn't that wonderful? That's what we want. And on the other hand, if we choose, Jesus said, go in the broad way. If we choose to go in the broad way, where anything goes, you don't have to discipline yourself, give up all those things. You can have any kind of music and drink and whatever else you want to do. and just live your life. And you don't have to yield. And it is truly amazing that after all that Jesus did for us, that He still gives us the choice. He gives us a choice tonight. He gives us a choice to yield to Him or to rebel against Him. We go in the big way, the big door. And why is it that those people traveling that way, by the thousands they're committing suicide. They're taking their life. Life is miserable. They look haggard and depressed and discouraged and life is hard. I think of tonight, the fact when Voltaire died. Voltaire, an infidel in Europe, he had a nurse taking care of him. And after his death, his death was so horrible. Now he was trying to say there is no God. You see, he was going down the wrong way, the broad way. There is no God, no one to be accountable to. Will there be no judgment is what he was thinking. You can live your own life and have all you just do like you want to do. But when he came to the end of his life, his condition was so terrible, so miserable. His nurse that nursed him and tried to take care of him till his death, the way I read in history, she said, for all the wealth of Europe, I would not see another infidel die. Now that says something to us tonight, and I say we are not infidels, I trust none of us are infidels here, but we're going the same way if we're doing this to God and saying no and not yet. And it's, you know, I'm not willing, I'm not ready to yield my life to you, and so And in the end, life becomes hard and miserable, and because of choices people made when they were your age, and they're suffering for it. And in the end, you go out into an eternity that is forever banned from the presence of the Lord, and that we never ever want to experience. The Bible says, save yourselves from this untoward generation. The Bible speaks of being vessels unto honor, sanctified in meat for the master's use, prepared unto every good work. Maybe you're discouraged tonight. Maybe there's things that have happened that make you very discouraged. We talked about David tonight. There was a time when David, when he was gone into battle and he came back to Ziklag, someone had come and stolen his wives and children and their belongings. And his army were so discouraged, they took up stones and talked about stoning him. But the Bible says, but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And what a difference it made. When he encouraged himself in the Lord his God, he went after those enemies and everything was recovered. Tonight, if we're living in the devil's territory, there have been some things taken from us. We don't have peace, and that's just one of the things God wants to give you back. And God wants to give you the song of the Lord, and God wants to hear you sing. When the waves are crashing around you, when the fiery darts surround you from the devil, and despair is all you see, God wants to hear your voice when the wisest man has spoken and said, your circumstance is as hopeless as can be. That's when God wants to hear you sing. And even there, he can put a song in your heart to the praise of his glory. Jesus, on that last day, that great day of the feast, he stood and cried. Seldom did Jesus do this, but he did. He stood and he cried and he said, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Those are beautiful, wonderful words of Jesus. And then on further, if you read there further, it said, and he that believeth in me as a scripturist said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. So what's flowing from my life tonight? Living water or something that comes as a result of the Lord not being in my heart? So we have that, and then here is that picture of the song of the Lord, the ship. You are sailing the ship of life, and it is important to be singing the song of the Lord, that the sounds of the enemy can be drowned out and we can truly be able to face the end of life like this sister did. Think of the difference. Voltaire was looked up to by many people as a great, like, you know, a great man or philosopher or teacher or, you know, a man that said there's no God. Think of this humble, brave sister, and which one do we want to be? Who do we want to die with or die like? The brave sister, the clear voice of a woman singing could be heard in the narrow streets of Manchow. It vibrated against the buildings. It caught the people's attention, and many came running. It was unusual. It is unusual to have that song of the Lord in our hearts. People, officials were passing along a street toward the river. In their midst was the singing woman, her face as bright and clear as her voice. Although she was obviously a prisoner, Maria seemed to have the only cheerful face in the crowd. One of the bystanders overheard her say, this is my second wedding day. Maria had waited a long time for this day. She had been arrested by the bailiff a year earlier because she was a Christian and had been baptized as a sign of her faith. The bailiff had threatened her and had even tried to bribe her. He wanted Maria to attend the state church. Since she consistently refused, she was condemned to be drowned. a merciful form of execution it was considered. They brought Maria down to the water's edge, but did not throw her in. For two and a half hours, they enticed her to leave her faith." Think of it. And here we have such freedom, and we can choose tonight. to come to Jesus. Well, they tried to get her to give up her faith. Maria, Maria, it will not go well with you. Look at the water, whispered one. A little boy picked up a stone and threw it. It splashed into the river and circles widened from it, spreading over the surface. The water shimmered and looked so cold, Maria could almost feel the shock of it suddenly enveloping her. But then she spoke, I adhere to my God. What God began in me many years ago will be finished today. She shook off her shoes and prepared to be thrown in. They tied her tightly so that she could not swim. Oh, Father, Heavenly Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. And she was drowned. in that place because of her faith in God. Tonight, will we die a death like Maria did, with the faith Maria had? Or are we going to live in any way, be an identity of Voltaire? Because we also don't believe. We don't, we don't believe it's really that serious. Well, it is very, very serious, and tonight, again, each of us, we're shooting our arrow. We're in that funnel, and the Lord bids us come to Him while it is yet day. And so, tonight, for the invitation, I'm going to ask that you would just all close your eyes right where you are. Bow your heads and close your eyes. I'm going to read this song. I'm just going to read this song. This is the invitation tonight. This beautiful song, Shepherd of Tender Youth. It has five short verses. If there's anyone here tonight you would like, you feel a need. You know you're not where God wants you to be. And we would plead with you, or at least let you know, the way is open. Someone would be happy, most happy, to talk with you. If you'd like to come into this prayer room, why, you just do so as we read these five verses in conclusion. Again, shepherd of tender youth, guiding in love and truth. Through devious ways, Christ, our triumphant King, we come, thy name to sing. Hither our children bring to shout thy praise. Thou art our holy Lord, the all-subduing Word, healer of strife. Thou didst Thyself abase, that from sin's deep disgrace Thou mightest save our race and give us life. Thou art the great High Priest. Thou hast prepared the feast. of heavenly love. While in our mortal pain, none calls on Thee in vain, help Thou does not disdain help from above. Ever be thou our guide, our shepherd and our pride, our staff and song. Jesus, thou Christ of God, by thy perennial word, lead us where thou hast trod and make our faith strong. And in conclusion, one more verse tonight. So now, until we die, sound we thy praises high and joyful sing. Infants and the glad throng, who to thy church belong, unite to swell the song to Christ our King. And so may we in His name stand together for a closing prayer.