I'm going to ask you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah chapter 40. I'm going to be looking at a couple of different passages tonight and I've got something that The Lord is truly laid upon my heart, and I pray that this message would be a blessing to all of us.

I know I need it, and I'm sure that you do too. I've entitled this message Needful Words in Time of Doubt. The scripture says in Isaiah 40, verses 1 and 2, and this is a word to God's preachers, comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord's hand double, adequate for all her sins.

When I first came to Katie, As we all had the privilege, most of us here had the blessed privilege, some more than others, to sit for years under Brother Scott. And I'm not here to say anything more than Brother Scott, but this. I am so thankful that God raised up a preacher and taught him the gospel. It gave him a heart to want to preach here for 50 years, somewhere in 50 years. What a blessing. But the characteristic that I continually noticed after I came here, Brother Scott was here for seven years after I got here. And you that were here knew him here. You felt just like I do. He was my pastor. Officially on paper, I guess, you know. But Brother Scott was our pastor. But the thing that I want to say is this.

One thing I noticed is that when he stood and preached, He preached Christ. He preached Christ and Him crucified. He preached a finished work accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. He preached the glory of God in the Savior, the Redeemer, the Advocate before God for His people. And that message was a comfort, was a comfort to me and a comfort to you that know him.

Now I want us to just go in our mind's eye to the day of judgment. Now we're all here tonight and we're sitting here in a nice comfortable, you know, room and thankful for it. But I'm going to tell you something that one of these days, maybe sooner than we even imagine, we're all going to stand before God. We won't be in a congregation, but we'll be standing before God Almighty.

I want you to hold your place there in Isaiah, but turn with me to Revelation chapter 20, Revelation 20. Revelation 20. Now here is what is going to happen. This is what's going to happen. And we're all going to be aware of it. Everybody's going to be aware of this.

Revelation chapter 20, starting in verse 11, says this, John writing under the inspiration of God's Spirit, and I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place, as I've told you before, no place, when I preached through that, looking up the tents and what we're talking about, no place to hide, no place. There was found no place for them.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and the dead hell delivered up their dead, the dead which were in them. And they were judged every man according to their works, according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Now that That day is coming. That day is coming. All men, all women that have ever lived on this earth are going to stand before God. Now that is a sobering thought for me. I know it is for you too. And as I thought on that, I began to think I need some comfort. I need some comfort.

Every believer knows the Lord in truth. But I'm telling you, there's still an old man there that raises his ugly head. And wars against what we know is so. He wars against it. A believer is one that, as Paul the Apostle said, I know, I know whom I have believed. And I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. Every believer knows that. And every believer knows that he sees in himself. A battle going on. An old man that wars against him. And he longs to be delivered from that body of death.

And as I thought on these things today, I thought about, in my mind, I just started going down, I started going down the aisle. I just started at the beginning. Rochelle, I started with you because you're right here where I can see you, right there. That's where I started. And I began to think of the trials of virtually 95% that I know of that's going on in this congregation right here. I look at this little congregation and I think, starting where my mind's eye goes and going from there and just going right down and just thinking of everyone that I know of that's going through trials and sufferings.

Not only physically, but emotionally, spiritually, trials. A believer's one that doesn't presume on God. He loves the Lord, he trusts the Lord, and he knows his flesh. I think about old John Newton when he wrote that song, "'Tis a point I long to know." Oft, it causes anxious thought.

Do I love the Lord or no? Am I his or am I not? If I am, why am I thus? Why this dull and lifeless frame? Surely, could they be worse who have never heard his name? And he asked the Lord at the end of that song, Lord, settle this doubtful case. If I've never known you before right now, truly, Lord, help me to love you. today and begin right now. Let me, I don't want to look back on an experience. Do I love the Lord right now? Do I trust Him right now? Has He given me a heart to cast myself on Him right now? I don't want to go I don't want to go back to experience. I don't want to go back to something I've done. I don't want to hear what somebody has to say. You've done the best you got. Don't tell me that. Lord, I need to hear from you because you're the one I'm going to stand before. You're the one, Lord, that's going to settle this thing openly as we see the twilight of our days coming more and more into reality.

Every believer wants that renewed assurance of safety, safety in Christ. You say, well, every believer knows he's a believer. I know that. But you that know him know what I'm saying. Lord, I need to hear from you again. I need to hear from you. I'm not trying to cast any doubts. I'm just telling you the way we are. We've got two natures in us, and we struggle. What is the one that was in the scriptures that says, Lord, I believe. Help mine unbelief. Help me. Help me.

I find a believer casting himself afresh Every day, every moment, casting himself again on the Lord. Lord, now here's the consistency of a believer. I told you this a couple of days ago, a week ago, I don't know. Here's a believer. Lord, save me. Save me. Lord, help me.

Now with that thought in mind, I want us to look at this passage of scripture that's found Proverbs, Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3. I've been, I've found myself more and more lately going back to Psalms and Proverbs, Psalms and Proverbs.

I'm gonna give you some scripture tonight that I need and I know you do too. I need some comfort. I need a word from God. I want you to take this passage of scripture and let's just read it. It's Proverbs chapter three. I'm gonna read verses five and six. Proverbs 3. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Trust in the Lord.

I took those two verses of scripture right there, and I did what I normally try to do. I'm gonna go and I'm gonna get a good concordance, and I'm gonna look them up. I wanna know what they're saying. I've preached out of this passage before, preached out of here two or three times. That's fine. I wanna look at it again, Dave. I wanna hear it again, one more time.

Trust in the Lord. Trust. Here's the word. Go for refuge, for hope, for confidence, and security. Trust. Go to Him for refuge. The only way that a man or woman can go, when you say we're going to come to the Lord, you only have one way to do it, by faith, believing. Lord, in my heart, this is all I've got. I can't move from one spot to another and make any difference whatsoever. Come unto me. How do you do that? By faith in my heart. Trust.

Go for a refuge. The Lord asked the apostles after that group left them. He asked them, he said, will you go away also? Peter said, Lord, where are we going to go? What are we going to do? Where am I going to go? I'm going to stand before God, and I need a refuge. I need someone. I need a hiding place. Trust in the Lord. And I noticed again when I read that, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D. Trust in Jehovah.

Triune God, the existing one is what it means. Trust in the Father. Lord, I know according to your word, you say it, according to your word, that there's a remnant according to the election of grace. Lord, if you had not left us a remnant, we'd all been like Sodom and Gomorrah. Trust in the Father. He has chosen us in Him. That's what Ephesians 1 says.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in Him, Lord. I'm asking you. I'm asking you, Lord. Lord, as the only one that I can come to, The choosing God. Lord, choose me. Choose me. I mean, with a believer, everything is present. Lord, save me. Lord, help me. Lord, keep me. Right now. Trust in the Lord. Trust in the Father. who was pleased according to his eternal will and purpose to choose a people out of the mass of humanity.

A people who by nature were rebels against him and know it. Lord, I'm asking you. Lord, I'm asking you. I just read out of Revelation all that were not found written in the book of life. Lord, would you save me? I don't have anything else. What? I don't have anything. I'm just asking. I think about that thief on the cross. Lord, when you enter into your kingdom, would you remember me? Lord, would you have mercy on me?

Trust in the Lord. Trust in the Father. Trust in the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who covenanted with the Father and the Spirit, he would take upon himself the form of sinful flesh. He who knew no sin, born of a virgin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, not by man, not by a man born in Adam.

Scripture calls him this holy thing, that holy thing. I've said before, If the Lord said that, I'd say that the holy thing. But can you imagine if you could, if you'd never read that in the scripture saying that believers that I'd, I'd have never said that. But if God said it, that's what I'll say it.

Lord Jesus, you came into this world bearing the sins of all your elect. That's what you said, Lord. Lord, you said you laid down your life for the sheep. Now, men of this world, women of this world can say he died for everybody, but Lord, you said that you laid down your life for the sheep. Lord, would you have mercy on this needy sinner?

Lord, just the thought of you showing mercy to me, that God would show mercy to me. Trust in the Spirit. Trust in the Lord. Father, Son, Spirit. Lord, you who by your Spirit, it's like the wind, you blow where you will. We don't know where you go, where you're coming from. We don't know. But Lord, would you blow in mercy on me? Lord, if If it please you, would you show mercy to this needy, helpless sinner? This world's passing away. I'm seeing myself getting older, more frail. I can't think like I used to. I can't remember like I used to. But Lord, you who never forgets, Lord, would you remember me?

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Totally, meaning in the inner man, the soul of God's creation, that new man, born of God. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lord, the only way I can trust in you is for you to give me a heart. Lord, that trust. Lord, I'm believing. I believe you. I believe you. I believe that I'm not able to come up with this in my own ability. I'm not. I'm trusting in you, Lord, who has chosen sinners, redeemed those sinners, and called those sinners by your grace. Lord, could I be found in that number?

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and listen to this, and lean not unto thine own understanding. That is to say, do not trust in your natural ability, in your wisdom, or your cunning, or your prudence. Don't trust in your own understanding. These precious promises are beyond my comprehension. Lord, I would never be able to come up with these truths. But Lord, as you say it is, you said, don't lean on your own understanding. Lord, I'm leaning on you who alone knows I'm not here to offer you anything. I'm here as a begging sinner.

Verse 6, in all thine ways acknowledge Him. That is to say, in all thy ways, in the totality of the course of your life, in all thine ways before you knew him in grace and power. And then after he was pleased to reveal himself to you in grace and power. My mind immediately goes back to growing up. Just growing up like any other kid, punk, you know, smart aleck. In all thy ways, Lord, acknowledging you in this light, when I didn't have sense enough to get out of the rain, you kept me.

When I think about how many times, can I say it like that? But for your grace, my life could have been snuffed out in a moment. In all of my ways, in all of that, and when it says in ways, it means the course of your life. In all of the course of your life. You think about what we've been kept, God's elect have been kept from. that he would not let them perish before. In his good timing, he was gonna cause them to cross paths with the gospel in all your ways. I think about how I got here, how I got to Katy. I think back years ago, years ago, first time I heard the gospel, first time I ever heard it, I've told you this. Most ridiculous thing I ever heard in my life. Who in the world could believe that? Everybody knows that God loves everybody. Everybody knows that. Oh, but in the process of time, in the course of my life, in all of my ways, acknowledge him. Lord, you were the one.

I was going to a little old church there Louisiana. And a man came and preached. He preached the truth of God's grace. Why in the world the pastor invited him, there was no explanation for the pastor inviting him. He was free will. The pastor was. There was no possible way, humanly speaking, knowingly, and the pastor knew who he was. This free will pastor that I was sitting under invited a man that preached the gospel as plainly as I could hear it said.

And it intrigued me. I had never heard anything like that. It really did. I mean, at first I thought it was ridiculous, but then I remembered in In time, I began to look in the scriptures, and I'd look in the scriptures, and it was just so perplexing to me, because what this man was saying was running diametrically opposed to what I had been taught. It just doesn't make sense. And then, in time, When I see time after time after time, that is what it's saying. And the Lord gave me a heart to want to keep going back and going back.

And the man that was pastoring the church, I asked him about it one day. And he said, I know what you're talking about now. You're talking about that Calvinism stuff. He said, I'm telling you, If you ever grab a hold of that, if you ever open up that box of, you know, trouble, you'll never be able to close it. But those words have come back to me since I was young. You're right.

In all of your ways, acknowledge him. Lord, you put me under the sound of the gospel. And how you did it was marvelous in all of your ways, the whole course of your life, before you knew him, keeping you, after you knew him, putting you where he would, sending you here, sending you there. In all of your ways, acknowledge him. Acknowledge him.

Here it is. Perceive that it was God. It wasn't my cunning, it wasn't my ability, it wasn't my this, no. In all of thy ways, acknowledge him. Perceive by God-giving faith. Lord, you taught me this. You put me here. You kept me here. And how many that there were in that congregation? I'd say 99%. Heard the same thing I heard, same thing. But Lord, that you'd show mercy to me. And then raise up this nobody.

Grant him the privilege to preach the glorious gospel of your grace to a people of your choosing. In all of your ways, acknowledge him. Acknowledge him. Confess him who preserved you before you were even blessed to hear with a new heart that he was watching over. In all your ways, acknowledge him. The one who, when it pleased him, ordering your steps and causing you to cross paths with the preacher.

Think about how blessed I was. Crossed paths with Brother Henry, came Stayed in my home for a week. Stayed in my home for a week. God gave him a heart to let him come sit in every night. He preached a conference for me, five days. The little church kicked me out, but that, you know. But I had five days, and I just sat there and just listened to the gospel. And God was pleased to bless it.

In all of your ways, you acknowledge him. But now here's in closing, I've got this final blessing out of Proverbs 3, 5, and 6. Verse 6, in all thy ways acknowledge Him. Now listen to this. Now this is talking to me, it's talking to you that know Him, love Him, those that He loves. and he shall direct your path. Now I started this message tonight saying this. I went down and I started thinking about all the trials and tribulations and physical ailments and things, just everything that's going on in the life of this little congregation right here. And everything that you're going through right now, everything you're going through right now, rest assured, I'm telling you, from according to the Word of God first, and just from experience, and He shall direct your path.

The way that He's going to bring you to Himself is exactly the way that He has ordered to bring you to Himself, glorifying Himself, and it's going to be for your good and my good. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not unto your own understanding. In all of your ways, in all the course of your life, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path. I pray that God blesses to our hearts for Christ's sake. Amen.