<inaudible>, We are appreciative of the presence of any everyone, especially those on the stream, as a result of the rain and a few other things we’re running a little behind. So thank you for your patience as we still things up and going, uh, as with previous weeks, the questions for tonight’s lesson are on the website. Um, and so hopefully,
well, I say that and I just tested it and that’s not working. So we’ll have the questions up afterwards. Uh, and we’ll work through that. Uh, we are going to begin with a song, so, uh, we’re going to sing, stand up, stand up for Jesus, and then we’ll have prayer and begin our class period. Stand up,
stand up, or Jeez, uh,<inaudible> live<inaudible> uh, yeah. Uh,<inaudible> No Prob<inaudible> his army. Ah, he, the<inaudible> squished for Christ his lawn and Stand up, stand up. Pose.<inaudible><inaudible> Oh boy.<inaudible><inaudible> Yay.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> drives with<inaudible> and Strang to strengthen up.<inaudible> Stand up, stand up,
pose. Jeez, uh, Stan in his strength<inaudible> flush we’ll fax you<inaudible> trust your<inaudible> And watching on too<inaudible> Duty calls all day been wanting Stand up, stand up. Jeez. Uh, the strive will not be long this day. The<inaudible> To him that<inaudible>, Uh,<inaudible><inaudible> He with the King? Sorry, shall rainy.<inaudible> Let’s begin with a prayer and then we’ll begin our class.<inaudible> Our gracious heavenly father.
We bound before your throne grateful for the day that you’ve given to us for the life that you’ve granted, the opportunities that we have to serve you. We’re thankful for the rain. The provides nourishment to the ground provides life to this earth. We’re thankful for all of the many blessings that we do not appreciate and do not thank you for on a regular enough basis.
We’re thank you for we thank you for our homes, our families, our loved ones who are safe and doing well. And in good health, we are mindful of those who are struggling with their health or having health issues. We pray for them to return to their health and be back in their desired condition. We’re also mindful of those who are struggling and terminal illnesses.
We pray that you will give them strength to cope and to endure each and every day and that you will be with them and comfort them as they seek that comfort from you, pray that you be with their families and their loved ones and their church families, as they strive to help them and labor with them and encourage them and serve them. We pray for the congregation here at Collierville for all that,
her, for all her works and for all her labors, that they may be blessed by you, that they may grow and prosper and bring fruit into your kingdom. We’ll pray and are mindful of missionaries throughout the world and missionaries throughout this country, we pray that they have opened doors of opportunity and that they remained faithful and are bountifully blessed as they serve you.
Pray this time of study, that the things that we study will encourage us focus our hearts and our minds on your word and help us to become better Christians and better people to understand your working in history and to understand your plan for eternity. All this, we pray in Jesus name, Amen. Our study this evening continues in Kings. We are in first Kings Chapter.
Oh, I’m in second Kings. No wonder it didn’t look familiar. We are in first Kings chapter 21 and our, uh, study this again, is dealing with the reign of a Hab. It is dealing with a hub as the King, over the Northern kingdom of Israel. And of course, during a Habs rain, we have the situation with,
uh, Jessebelle being his wife, a Hab doing that, which he was evil in the sight of God. And so we’re dealing with the repercussions in the SA, uh, the Northern kingdom of Israel of having such a wicked King. We’re dealing with the repercussions of having one who does not stand up to those around him who are doing exceedingly evil things.
And instead is one who will choose a path that looks good for himself instead of serving the Lord, uh, in the last chapter in chapter 20, as we were discussing the, the things and the events of chapter 20, we noticed that God had given deliverance for Israel. Uh, the King of the Syrians had come against Israel and Ben, Hey,
dad had surrounded the city of Samaria and had surrounded, uh, a house and had given him an ultimatum and basically terms of, of tribute and subservience to Ben. Hey, Ned and Ahab had given in, he had agreed to those terms, except when he agreed to the terms, then Ben, Hey, dad came back and changed the terms. And so at that point,
a Hab said, I cannot do this. I cannot agree to the new terms and God would end up delivering the Northern kingdom of Israel. But through the prophet, he will make it clear Ahab. I’m not doing this because of you. I’m not doing this because you deserve to saved or Israel deserves to be saved. I’m doing this so that Syria might know that I am the Lord.
And that you might know that I am the Lord. A Hab was not deserving of what God did for him. Israel was not deserving of what God did for them. And yet God did it because he was the Lord. And because it would declare not only in Israel, that he’s the Lord, the same way he did there during the contest, uh,
at, um, Mount Carmel, with the prophets of bale and the prov and Elijah. But also it would declare this to the nations, around them, to the Syrians that he is the Lord. Now, after that defeat and after that route and the, the, um, running away of the forces of Syria, then in the spring, the next year,
God told Abraham in the spring of the next year, Ben hate ads coming back. He’s going to return you better strengthen your cities. You better be prepared. And so it seems as though Ahab heeds the warning, he’s ready for Ben. Hey dad, when Ben, Hey, dad returns. But the description of Israel’s forces versus Ben, Hey, dad’s forces.
When they go out to meet one another, because they don’t, they don’t besiege the cities. They, it’s not a surprise attack. They’re waiting on them. They’re expecting them. So they meet in the Plains because Ben Hayden’s advisor said, listen, they’re gone is the God of the mountains. We can defeat them in the mountains there, God will defeat us.
So we’ve got to go to the Plains where their God can’t help them not understanding who the Lord was. And so, as a result of that, Israel meets Ben, Hey, dad’s forces in the plane, but the description of Israel versus Ben, Hey, dad’s forces is that Israel is like a small number and the forces of Syria we’re covering the plane Surrounding them entirely.
And yet God defeats Syria again. But in this, God had given Ben, Hey dad, into the hand of a Hab, We find out in the end of chapter 20, as we read the concluding verses the prophet said, verse 42, because you have let slip out of your hand, a man whom I appointed to utter destruction. Therefore your life shall go for his life and your,
for his people, God intended a Hab to be his instrument of judgment against the evil King of Syria, But a rehab cut a deal. Instead I know probably in your life, you’ve turned on the television and you’ve watched, uh, a crime show or a police show where the da has red handed, a bad criminal and cut a deal. And nobody can understand why,
why would you cut a deal with this heinous criminal? God said, here’s the King of Syria. Here’s this one. Now remember back in chapter 18 or chapter 19, God told Elijah, you go anoint the next King of Syria, Okay? God sent his prophet to go anoint the next King because God was getting rid of this King. God had appointed his end,
But a hub didn’t follow through. You may remember a time. Go, go back in your old Testament history to a previous King. God told Saul, you go to the ambula kites and you do battle against the Amalekite and you don’t take any of them alive. You don’t allow any of them to survive. You don’t take any cattle. You don’t take any livestock.
You completely wipe them off the face of the earth because I’m bringing judgment upon them for their sins. So Saul goes out to battle. Saul goes to me, he’s the Amalekite. He comes back from the Amalekite Samuel. The prophet goes out to meet Saul. And as Samuel arrives to meet Saul, Saul says I’ve done what the Lord told me to do.
Samuel says, what’s the bleeding of the sheep that I hear and the lowering of the oxygen. Well, the people wanted to keep those, to bring them back to sacrifice to your God. And then Samuel sees, or, or Saul brings out the King of the AMA guides. He hadn’t obeyed. He had kept the King of the Amalekite it’s alive and brought him back.
Samuel will take the life of the King of the Amalekite, but Samuel makes a point there in that passage in first Samuel chapter 15, that God wants obedience more than worship And to hearken than the fat of lambs. And that rebellion is as the sin witchcraft, Samuel makes it clear when you don’t obey what God said, you can worship all you want.
You can praise God, all you want, but if you won’t obey him, You are rebellious and you might as well be practicing witchcraft. Well, here’s a Hab God put the King of Syria in his hand to bring about judgment. God, by all indications had instructed him what to do. And instead A Hab cut a deal. So God says to Ahab through his prophet,
your life is going for the life of the King of Syria. You have brought your own judgment on your head. Now chapter 21 begins and it came to pass after these things that nave off the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel next to the play next to the palace of Ahab King of Samaria. So Ahab spoke to Naval saying, give me your vineyard,
that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near next to my house. And for it, I will give you a vineyard better than it, or if it seems good to you, I will give you it’s worth in money. Ahab sees this vineyard that he desires. Some people they’re they’re planners, they’re they’re idea. People. They see something go,
you know what? That’d be the perfect piece of property right there. I would just love to have, you know, my garden would just go just so nice right there. And In some nations, Some monarchies, The King gets whatever the King wants. Right? Well, you know, Ahab’s, Ahab’s maybe trying to be a good King. Um,
and at least to some degree, so they have goes to Neval. He doesn’t just take his vineyard. He doesn’t, uh, bring it in by eminent domain. As we would say, in our terms today, he goes to neighbor off and he says, I want to buy your vineyard from you Either. I can give you a better vineyard than this one,
or I can pay you money, whichever you desire. Now something’s interesting here. That’s significant inverse too, Because a how, Yeah. Has the opinion That the quality of the vineyard is determined based upon Maybe the fruit it produces or the soil that it has, or the substance of the vineyard, or maybe even the size, Hey, Habs perspective is I am going to evaluate these two things and I put a value on this one because it’s close to me.
It’s what I want, but I’ll give you a substantively better vineyard. If you’ll give me the one that I want, Notice a Habs valuation of the vineyard. It’s either got a value equating to money or a value equating to this other vineyard, which he declares to be better. Now, all we have is they haves word that it was actually better.
We don’t know. Uh, but we’ll, we’ll just take that at face value. Here’s the problem. A hub Has reduced the value God placed on the vineyard to being of complete no, or completely no consequence. As far as they have is concerned what God said, doesn’t matter what God declared in the law or declared through the inheritance and the giving of the inheritance into the families that didn’t even come into play.
It was a complete non-issue. What mattered to him is this is what I want. And I’ll get it by either buying it or trading something of better substantive value. But here’s the problem when we run into Yeah. When we begin to value things in this life, Okay? Based upon their monetary worth, instead of their eternal worth, Something that is of little value,
monetarily may have great value. Eternally notice neighbor, boss, response, reply to a rehab, but Neval said verse three, the Lord for bid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers to you. Neval said that as long as my Lord’s alive, God forbid that I do this thing. Why? Because according to the law, Moses declared God declaring through Moses that the Israelites were not to sell their inheritance.
Now there was the situation and there was the possibility of a situation where one is, or a light would become a bond slave to another. Maybe he had debts. He couldn’t pay. And his land would perhaps be sold to pay his debts. But on the 50th year, every 50th year, the year of Jubilee, according to the law, if they were keeping the law,
the year of Jubilee was the year of release. Every 50th year, every piece of land went back to its original family inheritance. So whatever family, even if that family had been sold into slavery to another Israel aligned or had become a bond servant to them, they were made free. And if they had property, their property was released back into their hand.<inaudible> Neighbor off comes,
or excuse me, Ahab comes to neighbors and says, let me have your vineyard. I’ll trade it for a different vineyard. Neval says, no, that doesn’t work. That’s not my inheritance. This is my family’s inheritance. I cannot sell you this land. It doesn’t matter if it’s for money. It doesn’t matter if it’s a trade for other lands,
I cannot give you this land. It’s not mine to give. And there’s our lesson about obedience. Nabeel’s perspective is I’m a steward. I don’t get to choose. I don’t get to determine whether or not I obey God’s commands. God already commanded it because God already commanded it. I’m going to do it because God commanded it. That’s not going to sit well with Ahab.
That’s not the life. And the, the, the, the character and attitude of Ahab. So neighbor both said, God forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to use. So Ahab went into his house, Solon and displeased because of the word, which name off the Jezreelite. It is Jezreelite had spoken to him for. He had said,
I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. When Ahab is told by name off, no, I won’t give you the land. You can’t have the land of my, of my father’s inheritance. You cannot take possession of this land. He goes back into his palace,
lays down on his bed and his Solon and displeased, uh, basically acts like a child. He throws a little pity party and lays down on his bed because he can’t have what he wants In this. You get a picture of a Habs character. Why would a King marry a woman like bell? Well, you can see in this where, which person,
the strong personality is in this family. If opposites attract, and this is the character of Ahab, you can imagine the character of Jezza bell. So notice what happens. But jazz rebel, his wife came to him and said to him, why is your spirit so Solan that you eat no food? And he said to her, because I spoke to name off the Jezreelite and said to him,
give me your vineyard for money or else. If it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it. And he answered, I will not give you my vineyard. Then Jesse Bell, his wife said to him, you now exercise authority over Israel. Look at the rebuke. Let’s look at the statement, jazz rebels, like aren’t you King, How can he hold it back from you Use the power.
You have take it by force. It’s yours. You’re the King<inaudible> There’s a event back in the life of David. We discussed a number of months ago Where the arc of the covenant comes back into, comes into Jerusalem and is placed there in the tabernacle that David had prepared for it. And David is the art comes into the city as it’s retrieved and makes it back successfully.
It didn’t the first time He’s jumping with joy and he’s in plain clothes and he’s humbling himself before the people. He’s not acting like a King And Michael, the daughter of Saul Rebukes him for it.<inaudible> And David’s reply is I will be humbled before my God.<inaudible> The perspective of Michael is you’re a King. You need to act like a King.
The perspective of David is I’m a servant of God. I need to act like a servant of God. The perspective of jazz, a belly is your King. You have absolute authority in the land. You take what you want. And the attitude of they have is I didn’t have what I want.<inaudible> Then Jess Bell’s wife Said, you now exercise authority over Israel,
arise, eat food and let your heart be cheerful. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. And she wrote letters in a halves name, seal them with his seal and sent the letters to the elders and the Nobles who were dwelling in the city with nave off. She wrote in the letter saying proclaim a fast and seat. They boss with high honor among the people and seat two men scoundrels before him to bear,
witness against him saying, you have blasphemed God and the King. Then take him out and stone him that he may die.<inaudible> Jesse rebel, who knows no law and no rule, but her own, Who would seek to take the life of God’s profits will now invoke God’s name In her plot to kill neighbors off<inaudible>. And as willing accomplices, she’ll get the elders of the city.
They’re in a Jezreel to go along with her.<inaudible> To me, you see here just a little glimpse forward into the life of Christ. Think about the motivation of the Sanhedrin, the motivation of the chief priests and the elders. This person has to die. Why did Jesus have to die To, to utilize or to paraphrase the words of one of the Sanhedrin?
It’s better. That one man die than the whole nation<inaudible>. But the real reason was they couldn’t get what they wanted so long as Jesus was alive, they would be declared for what they really were so long as Jesus taught the people, their power, their influence was something that was being checked. And if they could get rid of him, if they could kill him,
they’d have their power back. They’d have what they want. And so Jezza bell will enact this decree. She will, you of course use a Habs name. She will use a Hab seal. She will write it as a decree from the King, but here’s where we need to be clear. Ahab’s held guilty for it. Jessica Bell did it, but she was under the rule of a Hab,
As husbands, as fathers, as head of a house. Ultimately we’re responsible For what the people in our house do. We’re responsible for the actions of those in our house. Yeah. And Ahab was responsible for the actions of Jezza bell because he allowed it to happen. There’s a reason why, when you read in the new Testament, concerning elders, that they’re described as those who are worthy of double honor,
because they must give an account for the souls of others. They’re held accountable for the actions of those around them. Those who are members of that body. So Jezza Bella. And actually the plan, the elders will go along with it. So the men of his city, the elders and Nobles who were inhabitants of his city did as Jezza bell had sent them.
And as it was written in the letters which she had sent them, they proclaimed a fast and seated neighbor with high honor among the people. And two men’s scoundrels came in and sat before him in the scoundrels witnessed against him. Uh, Winston witnessed against him against, off in the presence of the people saying neighbor off has blast themed God and the King.
Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones so that he died. Isn’t it kind of strange the, the reaction and the animosity of a people. Who’s no longer following the Lord. Who’s no longer obeying his commandments who have allowed the profits of bail on the profits of Ashcroft to just destroy the land with their idolatry will now stone a man.
Okay. Because he blasphemed, God. Don’t see. I think that’s just a little bit strange. Oh, but there was that second part. Yeah. He blasts themed God and the King. See, now you’re touching something that actually matters to the people You’re touching the authority of the King. Yeah. So these people in indignation take neighbors who here they are,
you know, putting him in a position of honor a position of praise. And now they’re taking him out to be stoned. It came to pass. When Jezza bell heard that name off had been stoned and was dead that Jessebelle said to Ahab arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give to you for money for<inaudible> is not alive but dead.
So it was when they have heard that nave auth was dead, that they have got up and went down to possession of the vineyard of Naboth. The Jezreelite Having brought about the demise of name off having, uh, taken his life Jessebelle comes in and she says, all right, I have get off. I, I did your dirty work for you.
I got you. I got you. What you want? Nave auth is dead by the way I have doesn’t protest. Okay. Hey, have does it go on? You kill me? No. And he’s like, I ain’t gonna get my vineyard now because what was important to Ahab was Ahab. Hey, have at the very beginning, wanted something and was willing to spend money or trade to get it,
but he didn’t have that offer accepted. And then he was a willing to allow someone else to do evil, to get it and all throughout the entire thing. The only thing Ahab is interested in is himself. Selfishness Bring so much evil into this world, But Ahab’s only concern was himself. He wasn’t concerned about neighbors off. Even though neighbors was one of his subjects,
one of his servants, one of his people, he was only concerned with himself. Then now I want to point out over this last, these last two chapters, Elijah kind of went away. All I just gaped down. He went to Mount Sinai. Then God told Elijah, you go back through Syria and then you go annoying Elijah and go anoint the next King of,
of Israel. And then during the events with Syria, we don’t read about Elijah. We don’t have the name of the prophet who spoke to Ahab, but it’s no indication that it was aligned to, But now here’s Elijah. He’s back then the word of the Lord came to Elijah. The Tishbite saying arise, go down to meet a ham King of Israel who lives in some area.
There he is in the vineyard of name, off where he has gone down to take possession of it. You shall speak to him saying, thus says the Lord have you murdered and also taken possession. And you shall speak to him saying, thus says the Lord in the place where dogs lick the blood of name off dog shall lick your blood, even yours.
So Ahab said to Elijah, have you found me? Oh my enemy. And he, I have found you because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord. God gives the message to Elijah. Here’s what you’re going to say to Ahab. You’re going to tell a hub in the same place where those wicked people in this city took name off and dumped his body unceremoniously.
They didn’t bury him. They didn’t give him a proper burial. They didn’t take this upstanding citizen who actually loved the Lord and obeyed his commands at give him a dignified barrel. No, they threw his body out For the dogs to consume. And God through Alijah is tells Ahab. You’re going to have the same fate And in the exact same place. So Lija comes to Ahab and AMZ says,
Oh, here, here he is again. Have you found me? Oh my enemy. There’s another place in scripture. Do I become your enemy? Because I tell you the truth. That’s the entire reason why Elijah was the enemy of Ahab is because Elijah spoke the truth. So Elijah says behold, Uh, he says, I have found you because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity. And I will cut off from Ahab. Every male in Israel, both bond and free. I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of knee bent. And like the house of Beja the son of a hijab because of the provocation, which with which you have provoked me to anger and made Israel sin and concerning.
Jessebelle the Lord also spoke, saying the dong shall eat. Jessebelle by the wall of Jezreel. Wait a minute. What city was it that all this happened in? Oh, it was jazz real As though if you picture the palace, remember neighbor’s vineyard was right there near the palace, a have wanted the vineyard because it was right next to his house.
And God says, Ahab, you’re going to die right here. And Jezza bell is going to die right here Because of the wickedness you two have done. So notice what he says. He says, the dog shall eat. Whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city. And the birds of the air shall eat. Whoever dies in the field, this is the same proclamation that was made against the descendants of,
uh, of Jeroboam this, the same declaration that was made against the descendants of basic. God says, you’re going to have the same thing happened to you the same way it happened to them because every single one of you were given a chance. Every single one of you were given an opportunity to obey and you didn’t do it instead. You caused more and more and more sin to come upon my people.
But there was no one verse 25, like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord because Jessebelle, he, his wife stirred him up and he behaved very in Bo abominably in following idols, according to all that, the Amorites had done whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. So it was when they have heard the,
those words that he tore his clothes and put sack cloth on his body and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about mourning. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah. The Tishbite saying, see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me. I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son,
I will bring the calamity on his house For once They have kind of gets it right For once a Hab responds the way he should have. Now, he’s not going to entirely turn back. He’s not going to turn back on his back on idolatry. And as a result of that, he’s not going to get the restitution of his throne. He will get the delay of the condemnation,
But not in regards to his life and not in regards to jazzy bells, just in regards to his descendants. So all of these things are going to occur. The throne is going to be taken from him and is going to be taken in the following chapters as they have will die in battle in chapter 22<inaudible> Weakness. Weakness is a description of a Hab,
Oh, he could do battle. But you remember when the city was surrounded, who went out first, The young rulers, and only when the people of Syria were running away, did they have come out from behind the walls? And here a hat gets turned down and he goes and pouts in his bed. And then when a bell gives him the vineyard,
he doesn’t care a thing about the person whose life was taken to get it. He just has his vineyard. Hey, have, as the Bible describes, it sold him self. How many times do we sell ourselves? How many times do we give ourselves over to iniquity and to sin? Because it’s what we want. Or because we’re just not willing to be strong enough to saying no,
It takes strength to deny yourself. It takes strength to tell yourself, no, It takes a determination of mind to say, just because I want something or just because my body tells me I want something or desire something or hunger for something doesn’t mean I need it. And doesn’t mean it’s mine to have, But we have a society that loves to promote,
take what you want, do whatever you want, fulfill your desires.<inaudible> That’s not compatible with God’s word or with God’s laws. We need to be those who learn the lessons of Ahab, Who are warned by the lessons of women. Like Jessebelle, Oh, it’s not just women who have that kind of influence. But when a woman like Jessebelle exists,
there’s a reason why Jezza Bell’s name comes up so many times, even in the new Testament, all the way into the book of revelation, Jezza Bell’s name keeps coming up. Why? Because she, her influence in her wickedness and her strong personality encouraged so much evil. And even one of the churches in the book of revelation is described as those who were giving in and allowing that wicked Jessebelle to have influence over them,
They were being weak, like a Hab. They weren’t standing up. They weren’t saying no. We need to be those who learn these lessons who are encouraged by them and stand strong as a result of them. Now we will go through the questions. As I mentioned, we’ll post them, also put them in the front lobby, but we’ll go through the questions next week,
uh, as, and review those before we get into it, since we don’t have them out for tonight, uh, we’re going to have one more song and then we’re going to conclude with a prayer to Christ. Be true To who cries<inaudible> true is. Mmm<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> To Christ long beach. True. He will go with you And how You are yours Conflicts through to cries the Lord beat To cry.<inaudible> Lamb Be true.
He needs Bray ball<inaudible> To Stan<inaudible> by frowns on<inaudible> To<inaudible> True. Fuck. He will go away. Uh, And have you all yours Conflicts through to cry the Lord be<inaudible> To cry.<inaudible> true. And no balls.<inaudible> Yo<inaudible> To CrowdRise the lawn bead Four, he will go away<inaudible> And hell<inaudible><inaudible> to<inaudible> To who cries<inaudible> Be true.
And he will be yours. And the fan ding and pro tag<inaudible> try on and to Chrysler long beach. Oh boy. Well go away.<inaudible><inaudible> New York conflicts Through to<inaudible> beach.<inaudible> Let’s close with a word of prayer. Our gracious father in heaven. We are admonished in heart and mind To remember the need for strength, to remember the need to stand up against evil,
to remember the need, to say no to temptation and to wickedness and to weak, wicked into individuals who will come to us with the ability to turn misfortune into fortune, through evil deeds. We pray for those who may be in the midst of temptation in their own lives. They will choose to be strong that they will true choose to be like neighbors and to choose to do what’s right,
no matter who comes to them and encourages them to turn their back and disobeyed God, We pray that you watch over this nation. She struggles with so many evils and so much wickedness inside her, but yet there is great light. And there are so many who are doing good. We pray for the deeds and the works of congregations of your people throughout this great country that their light shine brightly in the dimness and the darkness of the sin of this nation.
We pray for those who make choices every single day to do good. Even when faced with temptation, we pray for those who sorrow for those who are lost because of the evil deeds of others. We ask that you be with those who are sick. Those, especially from our own number, we pray that you’d be with Sylvia and others that are recovering from health issues.
Pray that you watch over us care for us, protect us, give us your grace and your mercy, your kindness as you do each and every day. Forgive us. When we sin and fall short of your glory, all this, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.