Transcription downloaded from https://services.pcumc.org/sermons/27379/january-3-2016/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] We will rejoice and be glad. [0:19] Any kids want to come up and join us sing, they're welcome to do so. This is the day that the Lord has made. [0:52] Let us rejoice and be glad in Him. This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made. [1:08] Welcome to Pendleton Church. Fill out your friendship card so we can get to know you. We have a gift for our visitors here at the Connection site. I hope you guys have a great day. [1:20] Enjoy the service. Well, it's good to have you here at church this morning. The opportunities for ministry on the clipboard today are helping with our Niagara Falls dinners. [1:31] And also, if you can provide food or like to provide food for the Winter Youth Retreat, that's also going around. Speaking of the Winter Youth Retreat. Forms and payments are due today. [1:43] So if you need extra paperwork, let me know. But today is, we have a short amount of people that we have available. So please sign up today. All right. So if you want to go on the youth retreat, you've got to get a hold of Pastor Sherry now. [1:57] Also, this Wednesday, this Wednesday, most of our programming begins. We're going to have our choirs and our Bible studies and our Wednesday night dinner. So if you participate in those or would like to start participating in those, they start this Wednesday. [2:12] Let's turn our hearts to the Lord in prayer, shall we? Dear God, it is an amazing thing to be able to come and worship you. Come and bless us and strengthen us and be present with us, Lord, that we might experience the living God in this place, in our hearts, in our lives. [2:30] For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. If you're able, I'm going to invite you to stand as we sing together. Guide me, O the great Jehovah. Guide me to life. [3:08] Oh, the great Jehovah, dear friend, through His bearing land. I am weak, but Thou art mighty, hold me with Thy powerful hand. [3:25] Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, give me till I walk alone. Give me till I walk alone. [3:42] Open now the crystal fountain, when the healing stream doth blow. Bread of fire and cloudy pillar, lead me on my journey through. [4:00] Strong deliverer, strong deliverer, be Thou still my strength and shield. Be Thou still my strength and shield. [4:15] When I tread the verge of Jordan, did my anxious fears of sight. [4:26] Death of death and hell's destruction, let me save my pain inside. Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee. [4:45] I will ever give to Thee. The Lord be with you. Yes, the Lord be with you. Take a moment, if you will, and greet your neighbor with the peace of the Spirit. [4:57] Any kids want to come up and join me? [5:21] They're welcome to come up now. Morning, how are you guys doing? [5:34] I got something new for Christmas. You know what this thing is? It's a Fitbit. That's what it is. It's a Fitbit. It goes on my wrist and it measures, somehow, what I sleep and how many steps I take and all kinds of stuff like that. [5:51] And then it tells my cell phone all that information, which is pretty cool. So, so far today... Uh-oh. I don't know if it's going to work. [6:06] Uh-oh. Well, anyway, so far today I've walked. And I've slept and done some things. You know what the problem is? [6:17] Is if this doesn't tell my phone what's going on, I don't know what's going on. It doesn't really mean anything. It's just a fancy wristband. Yeah. [6:28] Your brother has a Fitbit? Yeah. And your brother could probably figure out how to make my phone work right. But I can't. So, it's telling me I'm in trouble. [6:40] We'll put that away. Anyways, it's the same thing with God. If we don't stay connected with God, it doesn't matter how much we talk about God. It doesn't matter even if we know about God. [6:54] If we don't stay connected to God, pray to God, and spend some time thinking about God, learning about God, then God being powerful won't help us much. We need to stay connected. [7:04] We need to pray with Him at least every day, like before you go to bed, maybe when you get up in the morning too, over our meals. And just stay connected. And if we do that, then we won't have the problem I just had with my phone. [7:16] We'll always be connected with God. Okay? What are you guys thankful for this morning? Raise your hand if you want to share something. [7:52] to walk from God to church school now. This morning I'm thankful that I got up and walked out to get my newspaper and there was no snow. [8:13] I'm happy about that. Some of you aren't, you know. I know you're steers. It's snowing down there. It's okay. But the snow that I have to deal with and contend with and trunch through another day without snow. [8:25] Yes! I'm thankful for that. It's a little blessing. But sometimes the little blessings we forget to thank God for. So we're thankful to God for the small blessings and the large blessings and the wonders he gives in our lives. [8:39] As we're thankful to God, let's return our thanksgiving with our morning tithes and our rites. and the known уст and the Vilken Light of the world, you step down into darkness. [9:36] Open my eyes, let me see. Beauty that painless heart adore you, hope of a life spent with you. [9:52] So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you're my God. [10:05] You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me. [10:16] We come all days, oh, so high in its heart, for us in heaven are only. [10:30] We come to you pain, to the earth you created, long for us in the kingdom. So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you're my God. [10:54] You're altogether loving, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me. [11:05] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [11:17] Thank you. And that is that there can be a church to see. [12:00] So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to save and you're my kind. [12:12] Joy to the world, Joy to the world, Joy to the world. [12:42] Joy to the world, Joy to the world. Joy to the world, Joy to the world. [12:58] Joy to the world, Joy to the world, Joy to the world. and holy glory and holy glory dear God let your grace pour down on these gifts we thank you for everything you've given to us and we return these as our thanksgiving multiply them, magnify them let them be used for what you want to accomplish in this world through us, through this church, through the wonders that you can do, for it's in Jesus name we pray, amen please be seated this morning I wanted to share a joy let's see if I can read this right because if I get it wrong I'll be in trouble Peter Benjamin Laffer was born nine pounds three ounces, that seems to mean something to women, it doesn't mean something to us men, I don't know why but anyways, a new great grandchild for June Smith, so we do want to keep keep the family in our prayers for the blessings they're receiving [14:13] I also wanted to mention a couple of people who have particular concerns this week we want to be in prayer for Jim Accord who's in the hospital downtown with health concerns he's going to be going for some tests for his heart this is Sally's husband and Pastor Sherry's father so keep him in your prayers and also Sarah Deer who's a preschool mother she's 34 years old has a little child in our preschool and she passed away this week after some extended illness so we want to keep the Deer family in our concerns and our prayers and all the things we might be able to do for that Bob Wurtenberger Norma Wittig and Tim Zutch are having continuing concerns that we also want to lift up to God and keep them in our prayers as they go through this week and I'm sure you all have other thoughts and people that you're concerned about this morning so we're going to take a moment to just lift those up to God in prayer shall we? [15:13] Dear God you are a blessing to us you give us such wonderful things you fill our lives with simple things that we sometimes neglect to even thank you for the wonders of life the joys we have the hope the families and friends and blessings we pray that you'll be with us that you'll strengthen us and continue to help us to live in an attitude of gratitude towards you for all you've already done for us and yet Lord we have some concerns we want to lift up to you and ask that you might bless us again be with these people that are struggling with health concerns and difficulties in the hospitals and just pray that you'll be with them with Bob with Jim with Norma with Tim that you'll just watch over and care for them help them to be healed and strengthened we pray for Sarah and her family her soul [16:26] Lord we give to you and yet your family help us to be mindful caring and nurturing that they might get through this difficult time with your power and our help Lord there's so many things that go through our mind troubles we have that we face concerns about other people physical problems problems with our finances or in just facing this world fears and worries that we have Lord we know that you you you can help us with these things and so Lord we dare to offer them up to you listen as each of us shares our concerns with you and our Lord lift away from us our concerns our worries our troubles our anxieties our fears all the things that we face just pull them away from us help us simply to focus on you be with us Lord and fill us and let your your Holy Spirit descend in a powerful way this morning to touch us to move us that we might understand these ancient words of scripture with a new meaning for our lives that we might meet the living God and experience you you in the prayers the songs the table the words bless us Lord be with us lift up our souls before you and come to worship you in Jesus name [18:13] Amen and now shall we listen to the word of God good morning today's scripture lesson comes from Exodus chapter 13 verses 17 through 22 and chapter 14 verses 5 through 15 when Pharaoh let the people go God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country though that was shorter for God said if they face war they might change their minds and return to Egypt so God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea the Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle [19:27] Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath he had said God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place after leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert by day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light so that they could travel by day or night neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people when the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said what have we done we have let the Israelites go and have lost their services so he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him he took 600 of the best chariots along with all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites who were marching out boldly the Egyptians all Pharaoh's horses and chariots horsemen and troops pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Piahiroth opposite [20:53] Baal Zephon as Pharaoh approached the Israelites looked up and there were the Egyptians marching after them they were terrified and cried out to the Lord they said to Moses was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die what have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt didn't we say to you in Egypt leave us alone let us serve the Egyptians it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert Moses answered the people do not be afraid stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring to you will bring you today the Egyptians you see here today you will never see again the Lord will fight for you you need only to be still then the Lord said to Moses why are you crying out to me tell the Israelites to move on this is the word of the Lord thanks be to God thank you Bill [21:56] Christmas Eve I was talking about how as a culture to begin to forget about God we remember God at the holidays we remember God when we're in a crisis we remember God when we have struggles we remember God for baptisms for confirmations for funerals and weddings but God is not as much a part of our life as God used to be that happened to the Israelites they went down into Egypt and when they got down there they were blessed by God because they were faithful to God and God filled them with all kinds of wonders they multiplied and prospered but then they forgot God and little by little their prosperity started to fade and they found themselves enslaved by the Egyptians no longer prosperous at some point along the line they remembered God and cried out to him and God sent Moses down to Egypt and he did wonders plagues and things that caused [23:00] Pharaoh to say get these people out of my country and they went out into the desert and in the desert they remembered who God was so for the next few weeks we're going to look at lessons we can learn from the desert about how we can remember God and we're going to use illustrations from our own desert we call it winter and what it might teach us as well I really I love the look of a new fallen fresh snow it's wonderful but I've got to be honest with you I'm tired of snow have you ever shoveled a driveway I don't mean plowed it I mean shoveled a driveway and you get it all cleared out and you're standing at the road and the plow comes along and dumps a pile of snow right in front of you and you're like curses curse the plow you couldn't lift that plane when you went by my house like you're going to do that up and down up and down or just for you right it feels sometimes like every time we're just making progress somebody puts an immovable obstacle in our lives like we're facing struggles and problems and sometimes those problems are so huge they seem impossible to overcome like the Israelites marching out of Egypt with confidence they find themselves at the end of this story at the edge of the Red Sea with Pharaoh's army coming down on this is where we get the saying caught between the devil and the deep blue sea they're saying [24:41] God how could you do this and they cried out to him much like when Jesus cried out quoting Psalm 22 my God my God why have you forsaken me why are you so far from saving me so far from my cries of anguish where are you God we blame our leaders they blame Moses we blame God we do the same sometimes life seems impossible we're up against struggles that are just overwhelming they could be relational struggles they could be financial issues they could be a combination of things they could be health issues it just seems as if the whole world is opposing us and there's no way out I was at Missouri when they had floods like they're having now we've never seen so much water as that like Lake Erie in the middle of the country those people just watched as a boat would smash into bridges seeming impossible and when that happens do we trust in God do we really trust in God when we're facing things that seem overwhelming to us this is the most powerful army in the world coming after a few refugees out of [26:09] Egypt some former slaves that have very little to fight with oh they went up armed for battle but they didn't know anything about fighting they'd never been in a battle in their lives they are facing the Egyptian army the most powerful military in the world at that time they had chariots which are like tanks today and they came down on them and there they were up against the Red Sea saying it would have been better if we just died out in the desert Moses dude what did you bring us here for when we face problems we sometimes resent God we don't trust God we forget God we try to rely on who and what we are what we know kind of like like passing a snow plow how many of you have ever passed a snow plow this is not a smart thing to do first of all the blade of the plow sticks out in the left hand lane so when you go to pass them you're really actually on the shoulder driving along in this crazy sort of a mess trying to get around this plow and when you get in front of the plow what do you find yourself in? [27:25] a bigger mess because the plow was pushing the snow out of the way now you've got to drive through it blinding and everything else because we know better we know how to get there we're in a hurry we've got some place to be there are lessons we can learn about winter if we pay attention snow is snowing wind is blowing but I can't weather the storm you betcha I can and you can too now it's winter here in Buffalo and so far a pretty mild one but I've been around long enough to know it's coming I'm not looking forward to it and I don't want it it's a rare and odd duck that loves the blustery freezing harsh winter but I gotta say that over the years I've developed an appreciation for those blasting storms of winter now my name is Robert Sled but my friends call me Bob and I want to pass on some wisdom about weathering the storm to those young saplings in western [28:27] New York or to those weak southerners who are terrified of a few flurries they're afraid to go anywhere with a light dusting of snow but not us we are stronger than a six foot snow bank and we aren't going to let it take us down and how do we get that courage how do we get that strength because of the plow that's right the snow is snowing the wind is blowing but we can weather the storm because there's a plow that paves the way be patient watch listen and then follow the plow if you need to get somewhere listen and then follow the plow if you need to get somewhere don't go down that road where the plow is not going follow the plow at night especially with the blinding snow whipping around we watch for it the lights spinning around like a beacon saying it's okay I'm here we listen for the crunching of snow as the heavy piles that blocked our path had pushed aside those sounds give us the power and energy we can do it you out there get behind the plow and let the plow take the lead you want to get where you are going in the middle of winter storms follow the plow it will pave the way guiding you to safety keep your eyes and ears open and don't be afraid to follow the one who paves the way [29:40] I'm the man keep me warm we appreciate Bob Sled giving us words of wisdom follow the plow only a fool would pass the plow because somehow we've decided we know more and we have more power in our little cars than a 35 ton truck with a plow on the front we do the same thing with cotton when we're in trouble we turn to our own abilities our own strength our own ingenuity our money our jobs everything except for God because we don't appreciate who God is we don't trust Pharaoh is coming out after the Israelites they kind of were going along and wanted him out of the country after all their firstborn had died they had all these plagues and then they're like dude who's taking out the garbage oh the Israelites are gone who's going to pick the crops in the field oh the Israelites are gone we've got to go get those guys back we've lost our business we can't survive without our business model then it says [31:02] God hardened the heart of Pharaoh see when we turn against God God pushes us away we think God like chases after us God pushes us away you turn against God God will say okay then I'll push you farther away hardened Pharaoh's heart they came out to get the Israelites back the Israelites are shaken by the Red Sea it would be better to serve the Egyptians than to die out here in the desert they say we can understand it can't we when we see the things that we've relied on in life to answer our problems and our concerns we start to get worried and afraid and discouraged we get stuck and we don't know which way to turn and we're not sure which problems to face and the problems can seem so huge we don't know how to get past them my wife and I were driving up in Florida one time we got to South Carolina pulled in went to the hotel slept had a nice evening sleep got up in the morning place was going nuts and as we're going down to get our breakfast all we could hear them talk about was the weather the weather we're looking outside it was like two inches of snow what what so we went back to our room we packed we came down to check out at the front desk and there were like three or four of these big big construction type guys out there all dressed in their equipment everything you can't go out there what are you crazy it's snowed we're like dude man just get your people out of our way and we'll be fine you know we got a big heavy car front wheel drive two or three inches isn't a problem but to them it was a complete panic they could not imagine how they could get through the kind of people we would assume would face down any fear we're immobilized we forget about God and so we get stuck and we don't know which way to turn we forget that the scripture says to us nothing is impossible with God what's impossible nothing is impossible with God [33:16] Philippians says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me we forget it because we're in a hurry we got places to go things to do God's schedule doesn't seem to work like ours in fact God doesn't even seem to do things the way we would do it God's time God's ways they're not the same as ours Isaiah said my ways my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts we feel like we can only take so much trouble just like they are and they're feeling weak and so God took them by a long way around the way to Canaan was just a straight path but he didn't do that he took them down by the Red Sea because even though they were dressed for a fight they weren't ready for a fight just because you put on a bunch of military equipment doesn't make you a soldier [34:29] I mean picture these guys have never been in a fight in their lives and they're facing the Egyptian army with trained soldiers experienced in warfare God knew they weren't ready for that so he took them a round about way to give them time to be prepared we came out of the hotel toured by a couple of these southern drivers found our way to the thruway and drove 100 miles south we didn't go north we knew what we were going to face going north we'd have to go through South Carolina North Carolina Virginia three states full of people who don't know how to drive in the snow not doing that so we went south south 100 miles then we went west and we came up through West Virginia where there was a bit of snow sometimes what seems like the most obvious way isn't the right way and God will even direct us and guide us and put obstacles in our way so that we'll go the right way if we'll let [35:34] God do it see we think we're ready for everything they thought they were ready to go out and face the world they were armed for battle God knew they weren't ready and sometimes we want to jump into things we're not ready for I just got a four-wheel drive vehicle they're cool I never had one before you know I tried it out on that little bit of snow we got man that thing drives well you know but one of the things I found out about four-wheel drive vehicles is even though they go better than two-wheel drive vehicles in the snow they don't stop any better that's why these guys that are bailing down the road in their four-wheel drive vehicles you see them in the ditch have you ever been in that kind of situation where you're driving and all of a sudden you have no control your vehicle is just going and you're going with it yeah we think we're ready we think we're prepared sometimes we feel like our life is really out of control and we're facing something so big we don't know what to do with it you see one of the biggest problems we have is our [36:39] God is too small we've shrunken down God in recent years we only have a God when we're in an emergency or it's a holiday or we've got a special occasion we cry out to God because we have a problem but we don't have a connection with God so does God even hear us are we any better than the Egyptians we've taken God and shrunk them down to a size we can control we can manage we can get our heads around if we can't figure God out he obviously can't be anything more than what we have in our mind I read a book about somebody who was proving God didn't exist the other day because they couldn't get their head around it it was impossible we want to take God and stick him in our pocket pull him out during church or when we have a special occasion and put him up there to say some kind of pretty prayers for us we've made God into a statue our God is too little part time God because of it we get part time results we don't hear him he doesn't listen up we get in a crisis and we cry out my God my God why have you forsaken me like Psalm 22 when we should be living in [38:06] Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he leads me Moses was led by God he had a confidence he had a power because he knew God he had experienced God he'd been out in the desert with him he'd seen God go through through the plagues and miracles he heard the voice of God and so he was prepared to listen to God we go out in the middle of the snow we don't think anything of it you know why because we've experienced it you want to know why people in the south are afraid of the winter I'll show you why this is what their plows look like we're coming up on the south carolina snow plows ain't doing nothing smoothing it out snow plows we were counting on we'd be hiding in our houses too the difficulty people have with God is they haven't experienced him enough they're afraid because they don't trust in a God they don't know their God is too small [39:32] Moses trusted in God he wasn't afraid he told the people don't be afraid this is a small thing for God they're like freaking out you don't understand there's the greatest army in the world that way and there's the Red Sea that way this is impossible Moses and he said just relax it's okay God's got it to quote Isaiah surely God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid the Lord the Lord himself is my strength and my defense he has become my salvation Moses says God will fight for you God will take care of you and where did the courage come from it came from from the inside he had an internal connection to God an internal faith in God a guidance an assurance that he could count on I put on my Fitbit yesterday walking around my wife was in a store so I just walked [40:33] I'm going to get my steps I'm feeling so confident and cool because my Fitbit is going to tell me I am the man so I sat down with my phone and did exactly what happened this morning it said dude you're not connected you haven't done anything nothing nothing I've done nothing not a single step nothing it's useless because it's not connected it's not synced quite honestly our faith in God our belief in God is useless if we're disconnected if we're disconnected if we don't have that that sense of an internal guidance the power of God comes from us being in prayer with God being in constant communication with God spending time with God knowing God understanding God experiencing what God has done even in the midst of troubles and once we've experienced it we're not afraid why do we go out in the middle of what the southerners think is crazy weather because we have the plows 35 ton trucks going down the road in front of us we're not afraid dude we got machines to push that stuff out of the way and if we can trust in a plow don't you think we should trust in the God of the universe we have a God that can do what seems impossible to us if we have the real God the God that changes the course of nations the God that can change the course of the world the God that can change the course of your life not some little tiny manby pamby little weenie God that we stick in our pockets only bring out on a special occasion here is only an opportunity to show our faith in God [42:30] God makes a way for people who have real faith I know some people will say well you must not have faced any real problems I've faced real problems some of you have heard about them some of them I don't even tell you about we all have struggles we all have pains we all have heartaches we all have obstacles we all have disappointments and discouragements where we feel as if our life is going to go nowhere but with God we have the confidence to do what we need to do Moses says to the people be still now listen to him he says be still knock it off settle down it's okay it's interesting Moses tells them to be still and they're looking around going but there's nowhere to go and interestingly God says tell the people move on how do people move on you got a picture hundreds of thousands of people right and he's saying move on move on which way go that way there's a sea over there just follow the people in front of you you can see that right you can't even see over them you're just kind of following this crowd where are we going [43:46] I don't know but he says follow them I can't see there's nothing that way you can see just keep going ever been in a place where you have nowhere to go before we were coming up through Pennsylvania one time and we're driving along we've just gotten over the West Virginia border and we noticed that nobody was going in the left lane we didn't either because it was kind of getting kind of crummy out and snow was coming down and then we saw the left lane disappear you know just like it was gone I don't mean like it was gone you know I mean it was gone like we looked to the left and there was about this much snow in the left lane there's no left lane it's gone and that was disconcerting until we realized there were no exits they were gone now I'm telling you man that's even worse I mean having snow in the left lane is one thing but having the exit gone is completely different all we've got is vehicles in front of us we're all going 30 miles an hour just say follow the guy in front of you follow the guy in front of you can't see past the big truck there's always a big truck can't see past the big truck right you know just keep following everybody stay and keep going and we won't have a problem but there's no way out it doesn't matter just keep going [44:52] I imagine that's what it was like going through the Red Sea right water's parted up just keep walking just keep walking go look at the water just keep walking that's what we're doing then we look to the left the other side disappeared there's no cars coming from that way this is really not good because whatever we're going into has stopped all the vehicles from coming that way and we're going this way but there's no turning around there's no getting off there's no passing anybody there's nothing we can do just trust in the truck there's got to be a plow out there somewhere that will clear this path because we're still moving we just kept moving I want you to think about what it would be like if you were a southerner driving a man you would be freaking out you'd probably stop and mess up the whole thing which it wasn't much further up that we saw a truck from the south trying to get up a hill and then we realized why there was no traffic coming this poor guy didn't know how to drive in the snow and for 50 miles they were all backed up this one guy stopped and stopped keep going believe there will be a plow there will be a plow and around Pittsburgh we got off now if we can trust in the snow plow why don't we trust in God if we think a 35 ton truck is so impressive why aren't we impressed by a God that holds not only that 35 ton truck but the entire universe in the bottom of his hand we don't need God to do what's possible we need God to break through the impossible things in our lives the things that seem overwhelming the things that seem like they're going to crush us we don't need a pamby pamby tiny little God we need a real God our God is too small if you ever read the book of Job and I don't recommend it it's very impressive if you ever read the book of Job here's a man who faced some of the greatest struggles anyone could face in life and this is what he said [47:10] I know my Redeemer lives and then in the end he will stand on the earth I know that ultimately God will make it work when you're standing between the devil and the deep blue sea you trust God when you're standing in impossible choices and you want to cry out to God remember the Lord is a shepherd you don't have to worry he'll take you even through the shadowy valleys of death that you don't have to fear evil you have a God that's a great God a powerful God reconnect sync up with God and watch God transform the impossible and hiçbir amo the impossible assassin just it's a great lesbian or paleo yeah death of the there's an love [48:23] On my knees in worship Giving all I am To seek your face Lord, all I am is yours My whole life I am In your hands Out of mercy On the light bow down In your presence At your throne I call you answer And you came to my rescue And I want to be where you are [49:29] I hold my fire Place in your hands God of mercy On my own I bow down In your presence At your throne I call you answer And you came to my rescue And I want to be where you are I want to be where you are I want to be where you are [50:32] I want to be where you are My life Be lifted high in our world Be lifted high in our love Be lifted high I call you answer My life Be lifted high in our world Be lifted high in our love Be lifted high I called you answer I called you answer I called you answer I called you answer And you came to my rescue [51:35] And I want to be where you are You are You are You are You are You are I send it back I will trust in my old times He has delivered me От all of us He has delivered me from all fear [52:38] He has delivered me from all fear. He has set my feet upon a brush. [52:57] I will not be moved. And I'll say, oh Lord, you are my shield, my strength, my portion delivered. [53:16] My shelter, strong power, my very presence, you'll be right on me. [53:32] I will not be moved. [54:02] I will not be moved. I will not be moved. I will not be moved. You are my shield, my strength, my portion delivered. [54:18] I will not be moved. I will not be moved. Strong power, my very presence, you'll be right on me. I will not be moved. [54:29] I will not be moved. I will not be moved. My portion delivered. My portion delivered. My shelter, strong power, my very presence, you'll be right on me. [54:51] My very presence, you'll be right on me. My very presence, you'll be right on me. My very presence, you'll be right on me. My very presence, you'll be right on me. My very presence, you'll be right on me. [55:03] My very present health in times of need It does make me glad that God is our help in times of need It gives a joy and a strength that we can lean back on the everlasting arms And we can just enjoy life because we know someone's carrying us through It may seem a little scary for deathly in all those everlasting arms What a fellowship, what a joy divine Leaning out the everlasting arms What a blessedness, what a peace is mine Leaning out the everlasting arms [56:04] Because we're leading, leading Safe and secure from all the lives Leaning, leading Leaning out the everlasting arms Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way Leaning out the everlasting arms Oh, how bright to bear, rose from day to day Leaning out the everlasting arms Because we're leading, leading Because we're leading, leading Leaning, leading Safe and secure from all the lives Leaning, leading Leaning, leading Leaning out the everlasting arms Leaning, leading [57:05] Leaning, leading Leading on the everlasting arms. I have blessed peace with my Lord so near. [57:16] Leading on the everlasting arms. We're leading, leading. Safe and secure for all the lost. [57:30] Leading, leading. Leading on the everlasting arms. [57:41] Please be seated. You know, when we come to a prayer of confession, we often think about the little things that we've done wrong. And I don't mean that they aren't sins, that they aren't important, because God does want us to confess those sins. [57:57] But Jesus has told us all along, but it's not these things that keep us out of heaven and glory, to keep us out of the power of God. It's that we've rejected God, we've turned our back on God, and we need to repent. [58:10] So it's not really even the actions that cause most grief to God. It's the inaction. It's the shrinking God down and ignoring God. That's what we really need to confess. [58:22] Because that's what takes away the possibilities, the power, the wonder of God. It gets us out of sin. We need to get back. Sin, good God. [58:33] Let's pray, shall we? Dear God in heaven, I have sinned. You know what I've done wrong. Forgive me, Lord. Help me to change. [58:47] But help me also, Lord, to live for you. Connect up my life with you. Remember you. Live in you. [59:00] And have you live in me. Forgive me, Lord, for what I haven't done when I haven't lived for you. In Jesus' name we pray. [59:13] Amen. God said that when we confess our sin and repent or turn around and change our direction, he will forgive us. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. [59:25] In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Glory to God. Amen. Be still, my soul. [59:37] Your God will undertake to guide the future as in ages past. [59:51] Your hope, your hope, your confidence, let love you. Let nothing shift in. [60:14] All our mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul. [60:27] All waves and winds still bow. Our cries to rule have won in well beyond. [60:41] The Lord be with you. [60:57] And also with you. Lift up your hearts. Lift up your hearts. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to do our thanks and praise. It is right and a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. [61:16] You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. [61:27] You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets. And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. [61:41] Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. [61:55] Hosanna in the highest. Holy are you and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ. your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people. [62:17] He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death. [62:30] And made with us the new covenant by water and the Spirit. When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always in the power of your word and Holy Spirit. [62:42] On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread and he gave thanks to you. And he broke the bread and he said, this is my body, which is broken for you. [62:54] Take this and eat in remembrance of me. When the supper was over, he took the cup and he gave thanks to Father Almighty. [63:08] and he poured it out saying, this is the blood of the new covenant who poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. [63:24] Drink of this often in remembrance of me. And so in remembrance of these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith. [63:44] Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine. [63:55] Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ. That we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by this blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. [64:18] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. Amen. [64:29] Now let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [64:43] Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [64:58] For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. For those who are serving, please come forward. of all of us whom are the dor who are Amen. [66:03] Amen. That's where we come. [66:31] Remember whose we are. Everyone here is invited to the table. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, where you've been, or even if this is the first time you've ever been with us. [66:42] God calls you and invites you. Reconnect with him today. Come and be blessed. At the table, the rail, the prayers for healing and anointing, the light of candle, come and join us with you. Amen. [67:02] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. [67:34] Amen. Amen. [68:04] Amen. Amen. [68:34] Amen. Amen. [69:04] Amen. Amen. Exactly. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. [70:03] Amen. Amen. [71:03] Amen. Amen. [72:03] Amen. Amen. [73:03] Today is the day you help me, I will rejoice and be right in it. Today is the day you help me, I will rejoice and be right in it. [73:20] And I won't worry about tomorrow, I'm giving you my tears and sorrow. Where you lead me, I will follow, trusting in what you say. [73:34] Today is the day. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Today is the day. [73:46] Today is the day. Today. Today is the day. [73:58] Just start trusting God. Not tomorrow. Tomorrow the blizzard might already be here. We don't know. Today is the day. Open up your heart and let God in. [74:12] You get synced up. It does amazing things. So I sit in the restaurant and I figured it out and all of a sudden, I got myself 9,600 steps. [74:23] Yeah. Synced up is where the power is. God has already laid out the power for you. He's got it waiting. [74:34] All you got to do is open up your heart. Let him pour it in. And God will start doing the impossible thing. And make it your way through it. Trust in God. Believe in God. [74:45] That's the first lesson from the desert. Thank you. Thank you. [75:04] Thank you.