I want to tell you about my week
so far. In the study, some of the men
were talking about their week. I'll tell you about mine. I knew
that as soon as everything happened the way it did, I was going to
tell you about it. Monday morning, I woke up, my
dad was there, and Glenda was there, and we had some breakfast.
Hannah made breakfast, and we had some coffee, and we were
just sitting there talking. We never get to do that. Relaxing,
having a nice, relaxing time, and then it hit me. I forgot
about the drywall guys. They get here about 8, 8.15.
It's 9.30. I'm here to let them in, you
know. So dad and I run over here to the church and they had just
beat us here. They were apologizing. We're
so late and I said, no, I'm glad. Brother Roy was here. Somebody
was quoting a roof for us. So we got them going and I went
back home and got cleaned up and dad packed and got on the
road and came back over here and realized the conference is
next weekend. And I started thinking about
calling men I wanted to have read and people I wanted to have
sing. So I started making phone calls
and writing down orders and stuff and stuff and stuff. And then
I finally got to a place where I thought it's time to start
studying for Wednesday. It's time to get to work. And
so I went to Acts chapter 6 and read what would be our text and
saw a verse that stood out to me and a mindset of things and
so I started looking up definitions of words and writing them and
such on and so forth and I always have a jumbled mess and the next
morning I come in and make sense of it, put it all together. So,
okay, we'll do that. So Tuesday I got here and here's
all my mess and I'm trying to make sense of it. I'm trying
to put it together and it's not happening. And I had to go somewhere
at lunchtime. I came back and the whole time
I'm Worried. And I get back and I'm still
worried. And I'm trying to make sense of it. And it's kind of making sense.
But it's not doing much for me in my heart. And I realize I'm trying to put
together an outline of what I'm trying to do. Trying to get A
in front of B. And trying to get C after B. So about four o'clock I realized
this is not the message. Now two days down of a five message
week and I don't have the message. It was four o'clock. I was looking
at the clock. So I started turning. I first go to the Psalms. I always
go to the Psalms. Turn with me to Psalm 119. I
started turning And I turned to every psalm I could think to
turn to and psalms I couldn't think to turn to and I couldn't find anything. Nothing. And what I mean by that is I
couldn't find one thing. The message. A lot of beautiful
verses. I couldn't find the message.
So I went to Job, I went to Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Genesis,
Revelation, the Epistles, nothing. So I quit turning. This is not
the first time this has happened. It happens often. But I just want to tell you about
it today. So I quit turning. I've done all I can do. My brain has tried to do all
it can do for this. Okay? And here it is now about five o'clock
in the afternoon on Tuesday and I don't even know where my text
is for Wednesday night. No idea. So I start begging for
the message. I was praying before. I prayed
when I got here Monday and Tuesday, and I called on the Lord through
it, but now I'm begging. I am begging. I am begging. You know, even though there's
just a few of us, and even though nobody in this town even knows
what we're doing here, this is a big deal. This is a big deal,
and I am begging, and I'm begging. And the Lord gave me some peace
on the fact that He would send His message. He always has. I
believed He would. He gave me some peace to beg,
and beg, and beg, and wait on His message. And then beg, and
beg, and I would turn somewhere and go back to Acts chapter 6.
No, still not it. And after about an hour of that,
This thought popped into my head. This is something that was a
real thought, but it was a sweet thought to my soul. I was sitting
there begging and begging and begging, and I thought, I'm glad
the Lord waited to send the message, because I love needing Him this
much. Do you know what I'm talking
about? You know how we need Him, but
sometimes in mercy, He puts us in a place where we need Him. I needed Him. I can't do this. I've exhausted everything I know.
I've preached everything I know. From here on out, I got nothing
new. I got nothing new. And I needed Him. And I thought, I'm glad that
he waited so that I could feel this need. And at that moment,
Psalm 119 verse 71 popped into my mind. And my brain said, there's
the message. All right. Psalm 119 verse 71. It is good for me that I have
been afflicted. that I might learn thy statutes. You know that? It's good for
me that I have been afflicted. Any man who's ever had to stand
up and do this has experienced that. And anybody who's experienced
that knows it's no fun. But I could be standing here
right now telling you my child has cancer. where my wife has
cancer. What a light affliction that
was. A light affliction. This section of verses, it starts
at verse 65 and it says, Thou hast dealt well with thy servant,
O Lord, according unto thy word. Can we not say that at all times? In the heat of the moment, we
don't think we can. You know it? We don't think we
can. But under all circumstances,
thou hast dealt well with thy servant. Circumstances can be very hard. But no matter what they are,
when we peel back that curtain, and when we see Christ standing
behind it, Can we not say he did all things
well? I'm so glad to be standing here
with a message right now. I hadn't been this thankful in
a long time. Really. He has done all things well in
sickness just like in health. We're saying it when everything's
healthy. Man, he's blessing us. He's doing everything well. It's
going my way. Ask our dear sister Mary Bell.
Ask her if you get a chance to see her or write her. Ask her,
do you believe that your Lord, Jehovah, has done well by you? Ask her and see what she says.
See what her response is. Paul said, for me to live is
Christ. It's Christ. He said, everything
that was me before, I count every bit of that dung. For me to live
is Christ. He said, if I die, it's gain. It's gain. Whatever he does even if he puts
me in poverty instead of wealth, sickness instead of health, He
is doing all things well. All things well. The circumstances
that our Lord puts us in, that cause us to wring our souls out
to Him, that's a, man, what a precious time. What a precious time. Those times when we are begging
him, needing him. That ringing and that begging
and that needing is greater riches than Donald Trump and Bill Gates
or any man like that has ever known. They think that they've
known some riches, but they haven't. That need is comforting need. You know that?
It's greater riches than any man like that has ever known. He could have left us in what
we believe to be more pleasant circumstances. You know that?
He could have left us in what we think are more pleasant circumstances. He could have left us rich, increased
with goods, in need of nothing. having no idea that we're wretched
and miserable and poor and blind and naked. That's Revelation
3.17. And had he left us there we would
have never wrung out our souls and he would have never heard
us cry and mercy would have passed us right on by. You know that? Go with me over to 2 Corinthians
chapter 4. 2 Corinthians 4. Verse 15 says, For all things are for your sakes,
all things, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving
of many. What produces thanksgiving? Lack. Lack does. Through the thanksgiving of many
that it may redound to the glory of God, for which cause we faint
not. But though our outward man perish,
this outward man is dying. This outward man is just not
doing well. Oh, wretched man that I am. Who's
going to deliver me? Who's going to deliver me? Verse
16, which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day. The inward man. For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things
which are seen. You know, it doesn't take much.
You look around. It doesn't take much to get you
down. Just look around. Just look around. And you will be depressed. Turn
on the news and you'll be depressed. I promise. While we look not at the things
which are seen. but at the things which are not
seen. For the things which are seen
are temporal, but the things which are not seen, those are
eternal. Our Lord hasn't just done well.
In every circumstance, He has been exceedingly good. Every
circumstance. Exceedingly kind. Exceedingly
gracious. Exceedingly merciful. Just like
He said He would be. just like he said he would be.
Go back over to Psalm 119 verse 65 says, Thou hast dealt well with thy
servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. You've dealt well with
us just like you said you would in your word. Hasn't he said
that through the whole word? You know, the promises of this
book, the promises of this book, the way he said things would
be, they are in perfect agreement with these providential steps
that I'm taking throughout this life. Every one of us. They're
in perfect agreement. Every one of them. I can honestly
say Every one of them has been yay and amen. I can honestly
say that. You know, one of the biggest
things that happened to me in my life was the death of my mother.
I can honestly say everything about that was yay and amen.
Praise the Lord. It really was. His grace was
sufficient. It really was. He did all things well. He never
promised me health, wealth, and happiness in this world. Not
one time in His Word did He. He promised me every bit of that
in Christ. You know that? Every bit of it
in Christ. And you know, this flesh is so
acquainted with the world, we expect to see it in the world.
And then we're shocked when we don't. But if we would just cling
to that word, he never promised that. He said, it's all in Christ. It's all in Christ. He said in
the world, you're going to have tribulation. But then he said,
be of good cheer. I overcame the world. Verse 65 says, Thou hast dealt
well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. What
breaks my heart is knowing that I have not done the same to him. I haven't. Everything he's given
me, everything he's done for me, I have complained about it. I've been ungrateful for it.
Somehow, at some point, I always prove that I'm nothing more than
an unworthy and unprofitable servant. That's all I am. Why
doesn't He just do away with me? Why does He put up with me? Why
doesn't He just do away with us? He told us why. in Malachi chapter 3. He said,
I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore, you
sons of Jacob are not consumed. That's good news. Man, that is
good news. Go with me over to Psalm 103. Verse 1 says, Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless
the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth
all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth
thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindness
and tender mercies. who satisfieth thy mouth with
good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles. The
Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are
oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses,
his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful
and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. He will not
always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever. Now look
at verse 10. He hath not dealt with us after
our sins. Aren't you glad? Nor rewarded
us according to our iniquities. Why? Because he dealt with Christ
after our sins. It had to be dealt with. He rewarded Christ according
to our iniquities. So back over in Psalm 119, verse
65, David says, and we say right with him, thou hast dealt well
with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. And he says in
verse 66, teach me good judgment and knowledge. For I have believed
thy commandments. Teach me good judgment and knowledge. What he's saying is, I'm afflicted
because of my own sin. That's what's bringing me down.
It's my own sin. I'm afflicted because I'm nothing
but wrong. Change me. That's what he's saying. Change me. The word for means
because. Because I have believed thy commandments. Now should that be credited to
my doing? No. Because you chose me. Because you quickened me. Because
you opened my eyes. Because you opened my heart.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge. Because you started the work,
would you finish the work? Teach me good judgment and knowledge.
Teach me to live in your word. Teach me to respond with your
word. May my inner judgment and my
inner feeling be according to your word, not according to this
old sinful flesh. Go with me to 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Corinthians 13, look at verse 9. For we know in part, and we prophesy
in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that
which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake
as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when
I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through
a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part,
but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth
faith, hope, charity." That's love. These three, and he's saying,
I know in part, but I know this much. The greatest of these is
love. That's the greatest. You know, when God burdened David's
heart to pen Psalm 119, David didn't have the New Testament
Scriptures like we do. You know how much learning and
knowledge we've gained from the New Testament Scriptures? Grace. He didn't have the verse of Scripture
where God said, the greatest commandment of all, I'll give
you two of them, love the Lord thy God with all your heart and
your neighbor as yourself. Those are the greatest. Love. He had the Old Testament Ten
Commandments, but the Lord said, let me give you the greatest.
He didn't have that, but God taught him, didn't he? God taught
him. He said, oh, how I love thy law. It is my meditation all the day.
I love thy law. I love my God. I love what He
has said. I love His people. I love His
Word and His Spirit and His people. I love it. I truly love it. Go back with me to Psalm 119. Verse 67 says, Before I was afflicted, I went
astray. But now have I kept thy word. Before I was afflicted, I was
in the heart of the world, that's where I was, astray. I was on
Main Street. I was on Broadway. But spiritually,
I was so far from my God. Far, so very far from God, I
could not far be. He says, but now, After the affliction,
I'm clinging to your word. I was off doing my own thing, loving this, we call it this
life, it's this death really is what it is, just loving death.
I was just loving death. And in God's mercy he afflicted
me and now I am clinging to the word of life. clinging to life. Verse 68 says, Thou art good. I thought this world was good,
but now I see thou art good, and doest good. Teach me thy
statutes. The song says, Jesus, lover of
my soul, let me to thy bosom fly. While the nearer waters
roll, while all this is going on right here in front of me,
right here in this world, while the nearer waters roll, while
the tempest still is high, hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the
storm of life is past. Safe into the haven, guide me. O receive my soul at last. Other
refuge have I none. I got one refuge. Hangs my helpless soul, where
does it hang? On thee. Leave, ah, leave me
not alone. Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed. All my help from thee I bring,
cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing. Verse
69 says, the proud have forged a lie against me, so I will take
matters into my own hands. No. No. I'm just going to dwell on your
precepts with my whole heart. That's what I'll do. I think
I'll just stand still with your word and dwell on your precepts
and just wait to see the salvation of the Lord. I think that's what
I'll do. I'm going to put the afflictions
in your hand. That's what I'm going to do.
and I'm gonna take comfort in your promises. I'm gonna keep
them with my whole heart. My whole heart. Verse 70 says,
Their heart is as fat as grease, but I delight in thy law. They delight in fatness, is what
he's saying, but I delight in thee. I delight in thee. And I would have never known
that I delight in thee, and I would have never known that. I would
have never known that with my whole heart had it not been for
my affliction. I would have never known it.
I delight in thee. I really do rely on thee. When he gets you to that place
where you throw up your hands and say, I'm done, I'm Lord,
I really do look to thee. I really do wait on thee. I really
do bow to thee, your time, your way, your will. And I'm so thankful. So David says, and we all say
with him, verse 71, it is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I might learn thy statutes. It's good because it teaches
me to be thankful. It's good because it teaches
me to trust his word, trust his word, trust his word. With your
whole heart, trust his word. It's good because it teaches
me good judgment and a right attitude. And it's good because
it draws me closer to my God. But here's the most blessed reason.
Here's the most blessed reason. It's good that I have been afflicted
because it reminds me of His affliction. It reminds me that he was afflicted. He said, I am the man that has
seen affliction. You know it? What are any of my afflictions
compared to the affliction that he endured for my soul? I sit
back there and whine and complain as though I've ever gotten a
message in the first place. I never put one together yet.
He gives them all. And it's as though, well, I'm
going to have to give up now and wait on the Lord. He gives them
all. And He always has. And He did this time too. What are any of my afflictions
compared to the affliction He endured? I don't care what I'm
going through. It's good for me that I've been
afflicted. That I might learn thy statutes.
If all the affliction does is cause me to remember His death,
it's a good affliction. If all it does is cause me to
cry out to the Savior of my soul, I got one Savior of my soul. And if that affliction causes
me to holler out to my Savior, then it's a good affliction.
He's the one who can help me because He's the one who did
help me. He saved me eternally. Eternally. He can save me temporally. He can help me right now. If
it causes me to look to Him, it's a good affliction. You know
it. If it causes me to hurt for Him, and cry to him and love him and
long for him. It's worth it. It's worth it. That's it. It's worth it. Verse
72 says, The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands
of gold and silver. David says, This word, this commandment,
this covenant is what I'm hanging my life on. You can have the gold and silver.
I'm hanging my life on this. I want to close with 2 Samuel
23. Go with me to 2 Samuel 23. 2 Samuel 23 verse 1 says, Now these be the last words of
David, the man who wrote Psalm, penned Psalm 119. These are his last words. Verse
5, he said, although my house be not so with God, although
my life And my home has been nothing but affliction." If any
man knew something about affliction, it was David. The Apostle Paul
knew something about affliction, didn't he? He had his own sin to deal with. His son spent his days trying
to kill him. His own son spent his days trying
to kill him. He lived in fear. He hid in caves. And he says in verse five, although
my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me. an everlasting covenant. Whatever the affliction is at
this moment in time that I'm going through, I can say by the
grace of God, yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and sure. This is all my salvation and
it's all my desire, although He make it not to grow. He's
given me all my desire. every bit of it. So he said,
it's good that I've been afflicted. So I can leave this world clinging
to thy statutes. I want to leave this world locked
on to the Word of God. What's your hope? God said, if
I'm in the blood of Christ, I'm safe. the blood of Christ, clinging
to thy statutes, resting in thy word. We all have afflictions,
you know it, every one of us. May they draw us nearer to our
God, and may they cause us to rest in his word, just rest in
his word. Okay, let's stand together.