Good morning once again. I would invite you to turn your Bibles to 1 Samuel 12. 1 Samuel 12. So last time I spoke to y'all, I spoke from here, and I'll just read here and through. So starting verse 20 of 1 Samuel 12, it says, and Samuel said unto the people, fear not. You have done all this wickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord. But serve the Lord with all your heart, and turn ye not aside. For then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver. For they are vain.

For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great namesake. We just heard about that is for his namesake. Because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and right way. fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he has done for you.

So yeah I spoke to y'all back in November and we went over verses 20 and 21. We read how Samuel was a prophet, a teacher, priest, a governor, And he had also entrusted his sons to do similar duties as governors. But they didn't do it the same way he did it. They did it for their own benefit. So the people of Israel no longer wanted a governor over their people. They wanted a king. And Samuel really said, hey, you don't want this. This has big ramifications. But Samuel had the Lord's ear. They really spoke to one another. And the Lord said, give the people what they want. Give them a king. And so they sent Saul.

But even though the people got what they wanted, they were still not happy. And so in Samuel, in verse 20, we read where Samuel says, fear not. And this is a phrase that we should tattoo in our hearts. I can tell you myself. I can tell myself I'm not gonna fear, but unfortunately, my fear is a result of my sin. The only way I can truly fear not is to look to my Redeemer, to look to Christ alone and not myself. Such a common term these days, oh, just believe in yourself, you can do anything. How about believe in Christ and thou shalt be saved? If I'm saved by the blood of Christ, I truly have everything.

This world is but a vapor. We just heard about that a while ago also. We're here for a short bend and then gone. Man thinks too much of himself and believes he's going to live to a gray old age, and that is the path for some, but some not. I attended a funeral once. Some others here did also, and the pastor made a true statement. He says your entire life, you got two dates, and your entire life is summed up in that dash. but a vapor.

There's a catchphrase back in the day that some of y'all might have heard, and it was placed in stickers and t-shirts, and it was called, no fear. Man made slogan for profit and to build man up. But if I don't believe in what God says in these scriptures right here, I have much to fear, no matter how many slogans I make up. But if I'm found in Christ, I have nothing to fear. If I believe on Christ, if I've placed everything on Christ, I truly can say no fear.

In verse 20, Samuel is encouraging the people of Israel. And then we'll begin in our next text, in 22, where it says, for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because he hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Brother Marvin just talked about how that Lord in all caps means Jehovah, the existing one, the absolute unchangeable one, the one ever coming into manifestation as the God of redemption, this unchangeable one. If you'll turn your Bibles to Hebrews 7, 22.

Here in Hebrews 7.22, it says, by so much was Jesus made a surety, as in a guarantee of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath a unchangeable priesthood. Doesn't change. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

It's not the first time we've heard this phrase, the Lord will not forsake. What is it to forsake? It's to leave, it's to cast off or away, it's to abandon or to quit or to desert. In Deuteronomy 31.6, it says, Be strong and of a good courage. Fear not, nor be afraid of them, for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Jehovah thy God, he goeth with thee, he's with thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

In Deuteronomy 31.8, it says in the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee. He will be with thee. He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee, fear not, neither be dismayed. With thee, will not fail thee, neither forsake thee, be broken or afraid. Joshua 1.5 says, there shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.

Just trying to hit this not forsake thee home. Hebrews 13.5 says, let your conversation be without covenants. Don't covet over other things. And be content with such things As he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. In this verse, he talks about his people, his people being those elected before the beginning of time, the sheep. And not a one of his sheep will be lost, because they will be found in the shepherd's flock. Those that are his sheep, he will not leave them to themselves. He will not abandon them, for his people are his inheritance.

For his great name's sake, the great of his name means it is loud and sound. His great name has importance. His great name is distinguished. His great name is mighty. Jeremiah 10.6 says, for as much as there is none, none, not a single one, like unto thee, O Lord, thou art great. Thy name is great in might, in power, Psalm 86, sorry, Psalm 8610, for thou art great and doest wondrous things. Thou art God alone.

Natural man talks about what he did for God and what God wants you to do. No, I know his name is great because these scriptures read just that. Thou art great, mighty, distinguished, important. and doest wondrous things. Who is this that is great and doest wondrous things? He says, thou art God alone. Verse 11, teach me thy way, O Lord. I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name. This is what I need. I need thy, O Lord, to do at every moment, not just when we meet here, but teach me thy way.

When the Lord God teaches us his way, he will make us to walk his truth. He goes on to say, and I love this, he says, unite, give me a singleness of heart. Unite my heart to fear, who have a reverential awe of thy name. Make me to revere his great name. I believe when man is truly shown who he is and what he is, less than a worm coming from dust and going back to dust, he was shown how awesome our God is, our triune, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. If he or she is one of his, man will be made to run to him. Man will be made to have a reverential awe of his great name.

Thy Lord will knit our hearts with him, giving our new man a singleness of heart, giving us a one-track heart. You always hear that term, a one-track mind. That person's got a one-track mind. Have a one-track heart for Christ. Says, for his great name's sake, sake, on account of, because of, in order to. There's a common term you hear sometimes. He or she has made quite a name for themselves. A lot of times it's positive. but sometimes it has a negative connotation.

The Lord will not forsake his people for his great namesake. He's made a name for himself. He's made a name for leading people, for caring for his people, teaching his people, for being merciful, for showing loving kindness, for saving his people. In Psalm 86, 15, It says, but thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion and gracious, long-suffering, and plentuous in mercy and truth. Psalm 106.8 says, even so he saved them to defend the honor of his name. and to demonstrate His mighty power. Nevertheless, He saved them for His name's sake that He might make His mighty power to be known.

When the Spirit of God saves a sinner, breathes new life into that sinner, He makes His mighty power to be known. He does it by His will, and He saves them for His name's sake. Back in our text, it says, because it hath pleased the Lord to make you His people. because it had pleased, because he hath determined, he hath undertook, he hath willed. Psalm 115.3 says, sorry about this, y'all. I was wondering why it kept coming up looking different and everything. Psalm 115.3 says, but our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Psalm 135, 6 says, whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas and all deep places. And Ecclesiastes 8, 3 says, for he doeth whatsoever please with him.

If we're made to be his people, it will be pleasing to the Lord. And remember, he doeth whatsoever please with him. If you'll turn your Bibles to Colossians 1, And we'll begin in verse 4 of Colossians 1. Colossians 1 verse 4 says, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which is come unto you as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you since the day you heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth. And you also learned of Ephras, our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ, who also declared unto us your love in the spirit.

For this cause, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patients and longsuffering with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. who have delivered us from the power of darkness and have translated us into the kingdom of his dear son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, All things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things. And by him all things consist. And he is the head. of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things you might have the preeminence, for it pleased the father, that in him should all fullness dwell. And having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven.

and you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. If you continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, am made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and feel that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church."

I'm reading this because I'm trying to identify what does it mean to be his people In verse 4, it's the love you have to all the saints. In verse 5, it's only the true hope his people have is that which is laid up in heaven for his people, and that which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. In verse 6, it's the gospel brings forth fruit, the grace of God in truth. In verse 7, it says a faithful minister of Christ declared unto us the love in the spirit. Where else can you call it when the Spirit of God sends forth an effectual call to a sinner, makes their eyes and their ears and their hearts opened anew and having a new song in their heart? It is the love in the Spirit, the love of the Spirit.

First John 4, 16 says, and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. What does it mean to be his people? Verse nine says, since the day we first heard the gospel, don't cease to pray for me, and I won't cease to praise for you. Just because the Lord saved us doesn't mean everything's gonna be great and easier now. It's actually gonna be a lot harder. Your trials, tribulations, they're gonna be so much more vivid. Be not dismayed, have courage. He will not forsake his people. He continues on with, I pray that you might be filled with knowledge of his will. His will, the only will that matters in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

In verse 10, he talks, walk not your path, walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. This is fruitful in every good work in increasing the knowledge of God. What does it mean to be his people? In 1718, we are fruitful in every good work and increase it in the knowledge of God when we grow in his grace and have the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 15, 16 says, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whosoever he shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. According to the scriptures, the Lord knows what we need before we even think it. What does it mean to be his people?

Verse 11, strengthened with all might, with all power, with the increasing of knowledge of God. The might is in which his majesty excels. according to his glorious power unto all patients and long-suffering with joyfulness. Verse 12 talks about giving thanks unto the Father which he hath made us meet. He hath qualified us to be partakers of.

Ephesians 111 says, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, we obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to his purpose, that purpose being his will.

In verse 13, who have delivered us from the power of darkness and have translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. Who are his people? They are those delivered from the power of the darkness. Normally a translation is in regards to language, but translated here means remove from one place to another. Translated from the power of darkness to the kingdom of his dear son.

Fourteen, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. There in verse 13, there's a colon translated to the kingdom of his dear son, of whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. And then we continue on, and I'm going to end this at verse 21.

And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now have he reconciled. Though you were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet, but moreover, now hath he, Christ, reconciled. from one condition to another. How did Christ do this?

In verse 22, in the body of his flesh through death, when his body was hung on Calvary's cross, when he bore all the sins of his people, when he shed his own blood for those the Father gave to him, when he was made sin for us who knew those sins. Why did Christ do this? To present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

And in verse 23, it says, if you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, have made a minister. What does it mean to be his people? It means to continue in the faith of Christ, grounded and settled. What grounds us and settles us? The hope of the gospel. What grounds me and settles me the fact that all the work is done. I don't have anything to do. Christ finished all the work. Keep looking to Christ.

Back in our text of 1st Samuel 12. 23. Moreover, as for me, God forbid. or let it not be, that I should sin against the Lord and cease Him to pray for you, but I will teach you the good and the right way. To forbid is to refuse or to allow. Samuel's saying, God refused to allow me to sin against the Lord and cease Him to pray for His people. As we discussed before, the people of Israel have been in their wicked ways, but Samuel's encouraging them through the gospel. Encouraging them in Christ and not themselves. The only true encouragement we get is God-centered, Christ-honored. This takes me back to our last verse where we discussed Psalm 8611. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name. Samuel, just like any true Christ-centered preacher, says, I will teach you the good and right way. not the way of Samuel, but the ways of his Lord. A true preacher of the gospel is gonna preach Christ. If Christ is not the complete center of any message from a pulpit, then it's not a good and right way. Heard me say many times before, there are none good, no, not one, and that is the truth. Here, the good way Samuel's speaking of is not in reference to him, but in regards to thy Lord, to his Lord. I will teach you that He is the potter and I am the clay. I will teach you that his way is the only good and right way.

In 2 Kings 22, verse one and two, it says, Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign. And he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidiah, the daughter of Adiah of Boschath. In verse two, and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. and walked in the way of David, his father, and turn not aside to the right hand or to the left." Back in November, when we went over verse 20 and 21, it said, turn ye not aside. And we talked about how he didn't just say it once, but he said it twice. And that's pretty important there. Turn not your eyes away from the Lord. Continue in your following of the Lord. Don't look to your left hand. Don't look to your right. Keep centered, keep centered on Christ.

If you want to turn to Psalm 25 verse one. Psalm 25 verse one. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. Oh my God, I trust in thee. Let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed. Let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show me thy ways, O Lord. Teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth. Lead me in thy truth and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation. On thee Do I wait all the day? This is really fitting in correlation with Samuel telling the children of Israel, I will teach you the good and right way. And he says here in verse five, lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation. On thee do I wait all the day. Where else do I have to look? I have nowhere else to look but to him.

Back in our text in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 24. Broken down in three parts. The first part says, only fear the Lord. Only fear the Lord. In Deuteronomy 10, 12, it says, and now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear? But to fear. And sometimes you hear that fear word, and it's interesting to me because it's kind of like a scared thing, but here it means, via the concordance, it means to revere or honor, but to honor thy Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. Pretty simple, right? Just honor him. Honor the Lord thy God.

Verse 13 says to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statues, which I command thee this day for thy good. When a center is made to see who and truly what they are, they have no ability to satisfy God's holy law themselves, that they are one in the same of their first father, Adam, failing to obey God and his commands. The center is shown. They have no hope but that of Christ Jesus in Christ. We are made righteous when Christ was nailed to Calvary's cross, he satisfied God, his father's holy law perfectly saving his people from the wrath of God.

Verse 14 says, behold, behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also with all that therein is. This really touched me quite a bit because with all that therein is, every single thing. You can turn your eyes away from God all you want, but guess what? You're still his. You're still his. I think we got it all figured out, but, and some people don't have a need for Christ. Well, you're fooling yourself and you're lying to yourself because the earth also, and with all that therein, is the Lord's by God. He'll have his way because his will is the only will that matters. If we get it through our thick skulls, we only would.

Apart from Christ, this verse speaks volumes of those that not looking to Christ in his finished work. Isaiah 56, 11 says, yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough. They are shepherds that cannot understand. They all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter or his own end. From the greedy dog's position or quarter, it's all about me, me, me, when what they need to realize it's all about he, him, God Almighty.

Ecclesiastes 8.12, it says, though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. The sinner sins over and over again, but they that doth fear God, it shall be well with him. well with my soul.

Second part of verse 24 says, and serve him in truth with all your heart. As I was studying for this, I was just going through the Bible and going through concordances and looking for all your heart. And it was right there back in verse 20 of our text that went over back in November. It just shows how frail we are and how we just don't get it sometimes. Samuel knows the heart is an important organ of the body. This heart is the seat of senses, affections, emotions, the mind. The heart is part of the inner man. Mind, will, soul, understand, determination. Serve the Lord in truth with all mind, body, and soul.

How can I truly serve the Lord with all my heart? Believe on the Lord. Believe in the Lord is faith in the Lord. Faith in the Lord is believing in things not yet seen. I believe because these scriptures say it so. If you want to turn to John 20, verse 24. I love this passage here. John 20 verse 24 says, but Thomas, one of the 12 called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord, but he said unto them, except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand inside, I will not believe. And after eight days again, his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger and behold my hands. Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side. Be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said of him, my Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, Thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet believe.

And jump into verse 31, it says, but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the believing ye might have life through his name. Deuteronomy 10 12 says and now Israel what doth the Lord thy God required thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul I Was really enamored for a while when I was studying this and I just as Brother Marvin will tell you when you're preparing these is that, you know, seek the Lord's guidance. Seek him. That's that's the only place you're going to get any true wisdom or direction. And. And he just he sent it forth. And so. Once again, that's a strong mark, how to walk in his ways and how to love him and how to serve the Lord by God with all with all their heart.

And in Joshua 24, 14, it says, now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth. And put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord. In 2 Corinthians 1, 12, it says, for our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and God's sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, by unmerited favor. We have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you word. And in Matthew 6 24 says no man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold or be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon, riches and treasures, that is, which is opposed to God.

I will trust him with all my heart by fearing the Lord, by honoring him, honoring my creator, my heavenly father, by serving him in sincerity and in truth, rejoicing in our Lord in simplicity and godly sincerity. It's pretty simple, right? He accomplished it all. There's nothing for us to do but look to him and serve him. Not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God. Lean not on my own understanding. Micah 6-8 says, he hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? to do justly is the attribute of the justice of man. I know the difference between right and wrong, but the true justice of God, I cannot do that because I do not know the entire justice of God. You know why? Because only one has ever truly experienced the complete justice of God on earth, and that's our Christ, Jesus. The only way I can do justly for you is to point you to Christ. The only way I can do justly is to look to Christ to look to what he satisfied on Calvary's cross. To do justly, I need to be found in Christ, and truly I won't know that until I take my last breath on this earth.

To love is, to love mercy or loving kindness is, especially is extended to the lowly, needy, and miserable. In Christ, mercy and truth meet together. To walk humbly is to be lowly, to show humility. A sinner shown truly who and what they are has no other place but to be lowly. Psalm 138, 6 says, though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly, but the proud he knoweth afar off. Proverbs 34, the end of it says, he giveth grace unto the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

And as we end in our text at verse 24, it says, for consider how great things he hath done. Job 5-9 says, which doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. Job 37-14 says, hearken unto this, O Job, Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Psalm 71, 17 says, O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also, when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not. until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to everyone that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high. Who has done great things, O God? Who is like unto thee? Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness and comfort me on every side. That's how great he is. He shall comfort me on every side.

Psalm 111, verse two says, the works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honorable and glorious, and his righteousness endureth, E-T-H, endureth forever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. Psalm 126 to says that then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue was singing. Then said they among the heathen. The Lord have done great things for them. The Lord have done great things for us, where of we are glad. We're glad he have done these great things. These great things the Lord have done. They are unsearchable. marvelously innumerable works by the hand of God. When we meet and proclaim the word of God, we are remembering once again the wonderful works our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ hath completed. We keep in remembrance the work the Spirit of God does in our hearts and continues to do in our hearts. And we pray that he will do the same for our friends, our family, and our children. And so I'll just end with our text. in 1 Samuel 12. Verse 22, 1 Samuel 12, verse 22, for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great namesake, because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Man, what a wonderful thing to be his people. Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you, but I will teach you the good in the right way. Only fear the Lord, only revere, only honor the Lord. Serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things he hath done for you. And that last verse, I didn't study it thoroughly, but I'm just gonna read it, because it, I pretty much sent it home. But, but if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king. And then I'll leave you with this quote by Pastor Don Fortner says, if you are without Christ, you are without life, without hope and without God. I pray the Lord blesses this for his glory and for his people. Amen.