Turn to Psalm 46. Psalm 46. I thank you all for your care.
Phone calls and text messages and cards. It means much. Thank you. I called
my doctor in Cleveland Friday night, I believe it was. This
guy's different than anybody I've ever, this is one of the
most renowned surgeons in the whole world. And he calls you
and talks to you on his cell phone. I've got his cell phone
number. I called him, he picked it up,
talked to me. I mean, it's crazy. I don't know where this guy come
from. He's supposed to be the best, but anyhow. And in the
course of conversation, we was talking about my case and everything,
and I just, I said, can I ask you a question? I said, is my
situation, is it a dire situation? Is my situation desperate? And
he said, oh no, no, no it's not. He said, it's complex. It's very
complex. But he said, no, I wouldn't say
it's desperate. So we talked a little bit and
we got off the phone. And I went on to bed a little bit later
and I got, I'd lay in there in bed and I was thinking, how in
the world would he know if my situation's desperate or not?
There's only one that knows, John. There's only one that knows
about my situation. God knows. He's the only one.
This fellow's going to do all he can. He's going to do the
best he can. And Brother Buddy's going to go to have surgery tomorrow. And it's already determined. It's already determined the outcome
of this surgery. And we'll give Him the glory
if He gives us the grace to say that I will be done. Let's read Psalm 46. God is our refuge and strength.
God is. No place else. I've learned a
lot in this last year. I really learned this. And I
still need to learn more, but He is. He's our refuge. He's
our strength. He's a very present help in trouble. He is. You got trouble? Any of
you got trouble? Cecil, you got trouble? You know
where to go. We know where to go. He's our help. He's our help. Therefore will
not we fear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains
be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof
roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the
swelling thereof. There is a river. The streams
thereof whereof shall make glad the city of God. That river,
it can be many things. It can be the gospel. The gospel's
a river of overflowing goodness and rest and comfort and hope
and help to a lost sinner. You lost? You lost your way.
There's a river. Go to that river. Go to that
river. When I was a kid, my dad's grandparents up on top of a 64-acre farm way
out in Lawrence County. And he took me up there and he
showed me, went clear to the top of that hill. Down over the
hill a little ways, there was a little flat area there. And
in that flat area, he said, come here, I want you to see this.
I was about 12 years old. And over there was a bricked up little
catch basin. And there was water running into
that catch basin. And he said, get you some of
that water. And I put my hand out there and I got me a drink.
It was just cold and refreshing. And he said his grandmother called
that the spring in the little meadow. And he said it will never
run dry. Ever. He said it's never been
dry. And he said it's almost to the top of a hill. Water usually
percolates down through and the last place there's water is down
in the valley. He said this place will never run dry. Never run
dry. That's what we're talking about
here. There's a river. Never runs dry. Never runs dry. It's full of comfort and hope
and help and rest. And if you need help and hope
and rest, go to that. Go to Christ. Go to the Gospel.
Go to the Lord Jesus Christ. There's a river, the streams
whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the
tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She
shall not be moved. And God shall help her. End that
right early. The heathen rage. There's what's
going on all around us. This is a description of the
of the day we live in. The heathen raged. The kingdoms
were moved. He uttered His voice. Listen
to all this that's going on around. Is anybody in turmoil about this?
I am. I am. I confess to you, I am. Not for me. Not for my wife.
You know, our day's over. We've lived in the best times
that the Lord's ever prospered this creation of His. We have.
Any of you that's 70 years old or older, you've lived in the
best times. The absolute best. And yet, they're rapidly fading. And I don't grieve for me and
Jackie. We've been blessed. But oh, I do for the kids. And
to the grandkids. What are we leaving them? What
are we leaving them? Well, he knows because listen
to this. The heathen raged. The kingdoms
were moved. He has to utter his voice. And
the earth melted. He may be pleased to do that.
He may be pleased to do that. All he has to do is just utter
his voice. It will all settle down. It will settle in. The
Lord of hosts, He's with us. And the God of Jacob, He is our
refuge. Come, behold the works of the
Lord. What desolations He hath made in the earth. He maketh
wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh the bow
and cutteth the spear and sundered. He burneth the chariot in the
fire. Oh, be still. Be still. That's Him speaking
to us. Put your name right there. Dale,
be still. Just be still. Be quiet. Be comforted. Be comforted and know that I'm
God. Be still. We've got a little
great-granddaughter and when we have the opportunity to be
with her, she'll be sitting there and we'll be playing or whatever
and I'll get right down just real close to her. Get right
down face-to-face, eye-to-eye, nose-to-nose. Her name's Daisy. I sing, Daisy, Daisy, give me
your answer true. I'm half crazy over the love
of you. It won't be a stylish marriage.
I can't afford a carriage. Oh, but you'll look sweet upon
the seat of a bicycle built for two. And she'll just look at
me. My eyes will be just wide open. And she'll just look at me. And
she is comforted. She is comforted. I'm not going
to let anything happen to her if I can keep her. Be still. This is our God talking. He's
talking to you and me. John, you be still. Be still. Be still and know I'm God. That's all we need to know. We
don't need to know anything else. Just be still and know that I'm
God. Know that I'm God. I'll be exalted
among the heathen. I'll be exalted in the earth.
Oh, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob. He is our refuge. Isn't that something? Isn't that
something? Just about lay down right here
and go to sleep. Oh, just the peace. That's what our Lord brings. That's what our Lord brings. Our God and our Heavenly Father,
we come into Thy presence and oh my, are we a thankful people.
Lord, we have so much to be thankful for. In the material realm, You've
blessed us abundantly. You've given us the fruit of
the land. You've given us the good of the
land. You've given us the prosperity of the land. We've had jobs and
homes and You've blessed us with family, children and grandchildren
and oh my goodness, the material things You've blessed us with.
But oh, our Heavenly Father, I hope we never stop there. I
hope we never fail to give Thee thanks for sending Your dear
Son down here to save our wretched souls. We've lived a long time down
here, and we've wasted and squandered everything You've given us. But
as we draw near this battle, as we draw near this The journey's
end. Oh, Father, let us know and let
us see the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us rest in Him. Let us look
forward to His return. His coming to gather us unto
Himself. We indeed be a blessed people.
And Father, we're blessed that You've sent Frank our way. You've
sent us the Gospel in this place. This work that You began with
John, When you've passed on to Frank, it's the gospel. It tells who we are, and it tells
who you are, and it tells our only hope is in that one who
came and sacrificed Himself to redeem us unto Himself. Father,
I hope we never forget. Remind us daily, whatever it
takes, whatever it takes to get us off our feet, get us flat
of our back, and look Him under this, Our only hope. Be with us, Father, in the days
to come. Continue to bless us. Be with those that are in a time
of trouble. We continue to pray for our brother
Cecil. You visited him in trouble. Ongoing trouble. Father, we pray
that You be with him. Be with him and Sheila in a special
way. Comfort their hearts. Comfort
their hearts. Be with our brother Buddy as
he continues to battle this that you've brought his way. Be with
the doctors, give them much wisdom. And be with us all when it be
our time to go through the valley. Give us grace. Say, thy will
be done. In our Lord's name, we pray and
get ready. Amen. All things work out for good,
we know. Such is God's great design. He orders all our steps below. for purposes divine, for purposes
divine. This is the faith that keeps
me still, no matter what the test, and lets me glory in His
will. For well I know tis best. For well I know tis best. So now the future holds no fear. God guards the work begun. And mortals are immortal here
Until their work is done Until their work is done Someday the path He chose for
me will all be understood. In heaven's clearer light I'll
see all things worked out for good. All things worked out for good.