Trusting God

Well, good morning. Welcome just a few announcements bible study on Tuesday morning for the men at the Baptist Church at 10. So you're all welcome to come there. And then on Wednesday evening at 6. We have the David Bible study here at church. So come to either one of those board meetings coming up here next month. So those of you or board members and if you'd like to come you're certainly welcome as well, but the board meeting on October 6th or 3rd at 36 getting my numbers mixed up, aren't they? Okay. Well, let's get started with a word of Prayer. Our gracious, father, how wonderful it is to come before you the Mighty God, who is above all things? It is a pleasure and a joy to worship you and to trust you for our Lives. May you bless us richly, as we look to you this day in Jesus name. Amen.

Nothing about that is right people and how they left after being slaves there for like 400. I'm glad have the Promised Land. and, you know, they didn't just

but they did get to the Can, you know, we have a promise, man? And why do we have trials on the way? Right, you know, we're not any more special than the Israelites were with their. Trials and tribulations, they had and all the ways that God would lead us to that blessed Promised Land. He'll guide us with his eye and will follow until we die. And we'll understand it. Better by-and-by is fascinating to see the parallel. Passover, angel that night when the Passover angel came, in the blood of the Lamb.

And the blood of God land is all of us and we will get to our promised land to understand.

I know where.

The Lord in Korean.

Call Burcham and will.

are reading this morning is taken from Isaiah chapter, 37 verses, 35 to 37 looking at The life of Hezekiah the struggles. He went through, we're going to look at a another struggle as well, that the Jude Jude. I just had a so this is kind of a lead into it, Isaiah 3735, 237. I will defend. The city says the Lord and save it for my sake. And for the sake of David, my servant, the angel of the Lord went out and put to death, 185,000 in the Assyrian camp. And when the people got up the next morning, there were all these dead bodies. So sennacherib the king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there, and you'll see it's overcoming something that you and I cannot overcome, but Recognizing that God Cam. And that's where we're going to look at today. Trust in God. Several prayer requests that I want to mention. We had a young lady and some of the you kids might recognize the name, Katie Munsell. She is a young lady from Butte Falls. She graduated just a couple of years ago when I say you young people might recognize him because she played on their sports teams alive. She was just a vibrant. Young Gallant actually went to the your summer stuff with Kane and Tanya one time. Anyway, she passed away in a car accident this week, and we need to pray for her family. Also. Well, we need to remember remember the just the The coming together of the people to seek God at the right after 9/11. I wouldn't it be wonderful if somehow we had that type of desire in our nation now and we need to pray for that the Revival in our land. So let's go to prayer. Oh, precious father, you who are the guide in the line for our lives. You're the mighty one who has not only created, but you do guy the lives of those who cry out and call upon your name. And so, father. That's what we do. When we come to you in prayer, we call out to you for the needs that we recognized. Not only in our own law that in the lives of those around us and in our world today. And so father, we, we come before you with hearts, that seek change in the lives of people change to seek you and follow you with all their hearts. And so, father, we want to remember the the people of our community of powers. You have called us here to live here and to be your Like you're in that community and this community and we pray that you would help our light to shine that we would glow in the power of the Living, God and give testimony to the life-changing work that you've done in our lives and can do and others. We pray for your Revival here in our community. Father, we also want to pray for the family of Katie Munsell. I know that she had a heart for you and a desire to serve you and we know the family has taken a beating with this, you comfort their hearts and also Father may it be a time when they are drawn closer to you and people turn to you that don't hurt. We do want to remember what happened in 9/11 and how that challenge to our nation actually Drew people to you because there was so much uncertainty and the sense of Despair and loss father or whatever. It takes, father. May you draw Us close to you. May you help us too long to seek after you in our lives. Why do we also want to remember the unspoken request that that each person here has that is laid upon their hearts and their our desires for change in their lives, in other's lives, for healings or restoration of things bother, you know, each and every desire and request that is made. And so may you comfort hearts and guide people in Drawing Near to you through the circumstances. Father, we also want to desire your presence and power to appear to be Mighty as we worship you and song. And in your word. May you bless us. Richly in Jesus name. Amen.

Now, I can play Lord. I Lift Your Name on High Lord. I love to seeing your baby. I'm so glad you're

I'm So Glad You Came to Say.

Straws.

The grave from the grave to the sky.

Lord, I Lift Your Name. I'm so glad you're in my life.

I am so glad you came to save us.

Lacrosse.

Well, after us.

And all of you is all of me.

more than, you know,

You are my friend.

You are worthless.

Awesome.

He is more than he now.

Call mehdi.

Cuz all of you is more than ready now.

Will it start with the word prayer? Our gracious, father, how thankful we are for. Allowing us to worship you with Clarity of. Challenge and Lord that might not always be but we thank you today that we can come before you to praise your name into thank you and the guidance of your word in our lives, we pray for the power of your spirit to be active and alive and each of our hearts for father. You're the one that teaches us that helps us to know and so father may you also be active in my heart and life. That is your word. That I would be leaning upon you to be the true God and the true strength and everything, for a father. You're the one that changes Hearts. No human can, but you can. So God bless our mighty one in Jesus name. Amen. Well, we've been looking at the life of Josh, if that, and we've seen some real positives and some real struggles that he's had in your life. And now, I think that most of us can identify with that, that we've had some of those moments that are wonderful and some of those moments of struggles in our lives where we wonder, you know, am I truly following God, but if we learn anything from Josh if that we learned that even when he fell down and he's struggled, he went back. And his desire was to seek after God and had to know him and follow him in all the things he did. And we're going to look at an event today where God brings a struggle in his life that he can do. Absolutely nothing about Have you ever had that in your own life where there is something that comes up and you just don't know anything to do, you can't do anything. If you are in the hands of God Alone to see that through, you know, when as most of you know, I went through that experience. Eight years ago now, where I've been struggling for literally years, but particularly hard for about a year with balance and just finding my way and not knowing what was happening with me. And finally, we had an eye doctor that recommended a cat-scan and eventually went to an MRI and I found out exactly what was the problem. I had a brain tumor that was literally taking up 1/4. Rest of my skull and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. And so they put me in a hospital in as I was thinking through it. God brought me to a number of scriptures that just encourage me all along the way. And so we had the doctor that was going to do the surgery on may come into the room the night before the operation. And he was trying to somehow convey the thought that, hey I'm going to do everything I can but you know, it's not like Laney. Told a story of how he had lost a dear friend that had gone through a very similar circumstance, and it just didn't work out. And I had the opportunity to tell him, you know, I appreciate everything you've done and are going to do, but my hands are not in your pants are in the hands of the Living God and I trust in Jesus Christ. Is my Lord and Savior? So whether I go have come through this surgery and Survivor, I don't, you know, that's God's choice and I'm just trusting that he will lead me along the way. And I felt this incredible piece all the way through it. There was no concern or whether I would survive or not survive through this surgery because I was trusting that God knew what was best in it. And when we get to that point and we truly begin to trust that God knows what's best in our circumstances because we look at our circumstances to say, I can't do anything anyway. You know, do I Rely Upon gone or do I try to figure out how to get through it on my own and very often we do. We trying to think, well, let me see if I can do this or that and none of the things that we do make a difference. But what God does it makes a huge difference because above taking us through what we have. Trusting in Him allows us to have peace and comfort through even the massive struggles that we might face. And we're going to take a look at that in the life of Jehoshaphat joshafat and the people of Judah as we conclude these messages on joshafat. So if you want to go with me to Second Chronicles, 20 will read the first 13 versus here and we'll see what the struggle is. What is it? That he cannot overcome, but God can This after this the moabites and ammonites and some of the immune Knights came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Josh if that a vast Army is coming against you from Edom from the other side of the Dead Sea, it's already and has is on tomorrow that is in Getty alarm. Joshafat resolve to inquire of the Lord, you know, when we go through struggles. Is that our first thought. Wow, this is a toughie, shall I go to God, not to inquire of the Lord and He proclaimed a fast for Judah? The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord indeed. They came from every town in Judith to see, Kim. You know, the struggles and yet the comprehensive look by all the people to God, then Josh Evette stood up in the Assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Temple of the Lord in front of the new Courtyard, and said Lord, the god of our ancestors. Are you not The God Who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms and Nations power and might are in your hands, and no one can withstand you as truly recognizing who God is, and his bow. Okay. Our god did not drive. Did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your People, Israel and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham? Your friend. They have lived in it and have built it. Did it in it. A sanctuary for your name, saying if Calamity comes before us, whether by the sword, Judgment or plague or famine? We will stand in your presence before the temple. That bears, your name and will cry out to you in our distress. And you will hear us and save us is not confidence confidence. We need to have when we go before it got. But now, here are men from Ammon Moab, and mount seir whose territory would not allow you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt. And so they turned away from them and did not destroy them, see how they are repaying Us by coming to drive us out of The Possession you gave us as an inheritance. Our God. Will you not judge them for? We have no power to face. This vast Army. That is attacking us. We do not know what to do. But our eyes are on you all the men of Judah with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord. And, you know, there are times there are times in our lives when we Face these struggles and trials. And why do we do with that? How do we respond to think about? Some of the things that you faced, recently, you go to the Lord right away and say this is on my plate than I need your help to guide me through it each and every time are we trusting. God remember, we read about Hezekiah and what he did remember, he they were living in the time of Assyria, which was the greatest nation on Earth. They had just gone through and they had conquered Israel and totally destroyed them took the Israelites and spread them all over their empire. And Then they invaded Judah and they came down into the country and they'd captured literally, every city in Judah. But one Jerusalem and they were standing outside and they were ready to destroy them with the most powerful army in the world. And what did Hezekiah do? Well. He went to the Lord 2nd Chronicles 32:1 after all that has akkaya had so Faithfully done. So that crib King, The King came and invaded Judah. He laid Siege to the Fortified cities. Thank you too, conquer them himself. Remember, but Hezekiah, didn't turn away from the Lord. He look to the Lord. He sought God's guidance in God said, no problem. I'll take care of it. And then one night, an angel came down, one angel came down, killed a hundred and eighty-five thousand soldiers, and Israel didn't have to do anything. All they had to do, our Judah didn't have to do anything. All they had to do was trust that God was there. And that's wisdom for you. And I to take a hold of and grasp, a hold of, if we truly want to follow God. We need to seek after him in all our circumstances because someday a giant circumstance may rise up and how we respond to that. Circumstance is often a part of how we have responded to the little circumstances that happened in our lives. Wisdom 2nd, Chronicles, 14-7. This is back to the time of Asa, who is the father of Josh at and how he responded as says, he says, let us build up the town's, he said to Judah and put walls around them with towers and Gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought Our God, the Lord Our God. We have saw him and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. You see? Josh, if that is responding to God because his father passed on that, that desire to follow the Living God in his life. And so Josh, if that was doing that and so here, we see that wisdom calls upon you and I to respond to God, by going to him, in the circumstances. They come our way. We need to recognize him Deuteronomy 431. Here is God what God promises to do for the Israelites and Judah for the Lord. Your God is a merciful god. He will not abandon or destroy you or forget the Covenant with your ancestors, which he confirm to them by Ayo, and if you remember the prayer, Josh, if that God, he referred back to what God had done in the past. And what his promise was to watch over and protect them? Okay, we have a burden that we can't take care of, but I recognize that you can and we need to be able to go to God and say, you know, I know you promise to take care of your people. You can't promise to take care of us. So be with us through the circumstances, speak his face, and that's exactly what you two did. Not only did the king seek his face. But remember all his teaching that he sent out to do, while he was earlier on, it is his Reign and then after he had faltered he went back to teaching the people. Well, this is the response of the people. They have been taught follow the Living God and so they respond and they come to the Lord and seek him. Psalm 25:14 and 15. The Lord confides in those who fear Him, He makes his Covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord. For only, he will release my feet From The Snare recognizing that he is a pathway for our lives. Always. Great story will. How does God respond when we go to him? And we fall down and say Lord. I can't do it. I want to leave it in your hands. Okay, let's take a look at the Lord's response versus 14 to 19th. And then the spirit of the Lord came that you're hazy. O son of Zachariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of jail, The Son of Neptune, Nia Ali, Biden, descended of ASAP. As he stood in the assembly. He said, listen King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says. Do you do not be afraid. Discouraged of this this vast Army. For the battle is not yours, but God's and that great Don't Be Afraid or discouraged. His promises to Joshua's. Well, uh tomorrow March down against them. They will be climbing up. The passives is and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the desert of Jay Ja Rule. You will not have to fight this battle, take up your positions, stand firm and see the Deliverance of the Lord. The Lord will give you Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you Josh, if that bow down with his face to the ground and the people of Judah, and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the and then some of the Levites from the KOA fights and the Cora fights stood up and praise the Lord, the god of Israel with a very loud voice. Imagine that God saying you don't have to worry. You just go on out as if you're prepared to do the work, but just watch this watch. I'll take care of them. I'll take care of them for you, you know. It takes away the fear. Of what you're going through when you truly, trust God to do the work and here he comes to you and says, hey no problem. I'm going to take care of this for you. You don't have to worry. Just watch what I do. I want you to come out here and be in the grandstands while I do the work. Don't fear, don't be afraid. Isaiah 41:10 says, so do not fear for I am with, you do not be dismayed for I am. Your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right. Hand are those wonderful words of God's comfort as we looked at him and trust in him. We have no fear because you know that God is going to work it out for the best for whatever you have. It's always the best when it's in the hands of the Living God and we can trust him for that.

Are you trusting him for the things in your life? He is our protection and our love, you know what? I'm My my dad that fought in World War II. He was a navigator Gunner on a v24 in nineteen, forty-four and forty-five, and I, he he loved the Lord and one he went overseas. He chose some 91 to feed the song that he memorized and he followed as he was over there. A fighting these battles and it's a great song and one that you can hold onto versus 14 and 15 says, because he loves me. Because God loves me. The Lord says I will because I love him. The Lord says, I will rescue him. I will protect him for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. You see, when we truly are seeking God. Continually. Remember, if you take a look back at those other chapters that we see Josh, if at doing, he is truly seeking God through those chapters. When he doesn't look to Israel for help, you know, he has his struggles as you, and I all have our struggles. We can learn from Josh. If that, that if we trust in him, God will trust in God as he did. God will watch over Ponce. Continuing on. In Psalm 91:8, you will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. Isn't that amazing? Do what I've called you to do, and watch what I do and you'll see my work done. You know, in one God it when we've truly believe the promises of God. We can look at him even before we see the results of his work even before the results, get there. That's truly Faith, you know, is your worship God and then you see the results. It's not worshiping just after the results, but worship him even before the results. And that's what we the people of Israel doing. That's what we see Joshua fat doing. He's falling on his face before the Living God and so are all the people of Israel. And then their leading in worship and praise what a wonderful picture of how we need to respond to the Living. God at all times. Not just in these ending times, trust in the Living God. Let's go on and finish it off. What does God do? How does he respond to this Worship in this Praise of him and how and the Fulfillment of his promises starting in first 20, early in the morning. They left for the desert of Toccoa as they set out. Jehoshaphat stood and listened to me. Judah, and the people of Jerusalem have faith in the Lord your God, and you will be upheld. Have Faith In His prophets and you will be successful. You know, do you really believe it have faith in him? Then after Consulting, the people joshafat, appointed men to sing to the Lord and praise him for the Splendor of his Holiness as they went out at the head of the army saying, give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever. Imagine that imagine if we had to let the singers before our on Mason said, okay, you lead us out and you praise the Living God as you go forward and then we'll expect a victory. Probably not going to happen. Is it? But isn't that amazing? I think back to the days of the scotch, you know, they used to have their there. What is a bag of their backpacks in a bag? Bagpipes, you know, when they used to go out before the Army and they would be playing there bagpipes as they go, kind of encouraging the soldiers along and themselves, you know, when putting themselves In Harm's Way and yet, in some ways that's kind of a picture. We see here of the, the singers, the worshipers going out, first to celebrate the Living God, and that's part of our Lives. Well, let's continue on. As they began to sing and praise the Lord, set ambushes against the men of Ammon. And Moab, and mount seir who were invading Judah. And they were defeated the ammonites in the mall bites, rose up against the men of Mount sier to destroy and annihilate them. And they finish slaughtering the men of from Seer. They helped destroy one. Another, when the Menace that overlooks the desert, and look for that vast Army. This all only dead bodies lying on the ground. No one had escaped. So Josh, a Fearless man went down to carry off their plunder and they found among them great amounts of equipment and clothing, and all articles of value more than they could take away. There was so much blunder. It took them three days to collect it on the fourth day of the assembled, in the valley of beracah, which means blessing. Are they praise the Lord? This is why it is called the valley of beracah. And to this day, then led by Josh. I fed all the men of Judah and Jerusalem rejoined. Joyfully to Jerusalem for the Lord, had given them cause to Rejoice over their enemies. The inner Jerusalem and went to the Temple of the Lord with arbs and liars and trumpets. The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard, how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel in the Kingdom of Jehoshaphat, was it peace? Where is God, is giving him rest on every side? You know, the results. That we want in life are peace and comfort but they only come when we choose the right path. The path. That honors the Living God, you know, we want so much from life. But are we willing to yield it over to the Living God? And God says, if you do, I'll take care of, you trusting, me. Allow me to do the work. And I'll take care of you. One of those great versus that. You and I learned when we were little kids and in grade school, and going through church is, are these verses from Proverbs chapter 3, verses 5 and 6. Just trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways. Trust in me and I will make your paths straight, you know, God wants us. To trust him. He wants us to give our lives over to him, because he promises if you'll just do that. You'll see my mighty work in your life. Guiding you along the path of life. But you know so often we get involved in situations like this and say I need to take care of this myself. Imagine if they had going out and taking that are me out and fought against these people. They would have been destroyed. Josh rats. Kingdom would have been lost. There would have been no more Judah or Israel. But they trusted in the Living, God, and allowed him. To do the work. You know, so much. We need to do that in our lives. Think about what they did when they went out to sing. What were they doing? They were praising. God through scripture, you know, it was one of the songs that they were singing to the Living. God recognizing God's. Love doesn't change, you know, God loves you. Did you know that he loves you? And he wants to make a difference in your life. And that's what they were singing. Psalm 118 for says let those who fear the lord say his love endures forever. Understanding. I'm going to change the only struggle you have in your life is your change that you make to turn away from the Living. God. He doesn't turn away from you. He's there. Even when you're going through, the deepest struggles, he's there he wants to make things, right? But it's you who makes a difference but change your life and allow him to make a difference. Other one of those scriptures that it is very recognizable as the scripture, for my Isaiah chapter 40, verse 31 and it talks about the the eagle. And I've often given you a story that I had about this, but it's a wonderful picture of God's hand, the idea. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings, like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Remember the eagle, it's sores, not because it is so strong. But because it trust in that wind to lift it up and allow it to just fly, doesn't do any work. It just uses what gun is given. The fly. And that's the way we need to be. We need to be Allowing God, to use our lives, and allow us to fly in power and strength as we trust in him. You know, and if we have that whole sense of trust going on the Living God, if we're allowing him to lead our lives and different moments, the fear disappears. Remember what John says about this? You know, when When Love is filled up here is gone. You know. And when our love for God fills up, we don't have any more fear in our lives and that's was the people of Judah. They didn't have to fear. Why. Because they thought the Living God with all their heart. everyone in Judah, sought the Living God And God answered powerfully, and we need that, we need God to be taking away that fear. Deuteronomy. 225 says, this very day. I will begin to put Terror and fear of, of all the Nations under Heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble, and be anguish because of you, you see that fear is given to others when it's taken away from you. Because you walk in the power and the strength of the Lord. And people will see that and they will honor it but we need to be trusting and believing in the Living God. Okay. Few things to take from this message that you know.

God gives us these pictures from the Old Testament to help us understand. He deals with people. I think that they bring life to what we read in the New Testament. I think that they're powerful messages that clarify what we see and you know, in this powerful message that that is given to us in the New Testament in quick, quick ideas is given to us in Broad pictures in the Old Testament. We see that they here as we study the life of Jehoshaphat and one of the things that we ought to

Finding these messages that belief in God, really trusting in Him and allow him to take. Hold of those issues that are in our lives. In those struggles, those things that cause us to fear, we can lay at his feet and ask him to relieve that fear and strength, and it comes with truly believing that he can do it. You know, that's what faith is is just belief that God can do it. I mean, there's no doubt that he can think about it. He's the God who called all things into existence. He's the god that is given you life. He's the God who allows you to continue in life. Can he do whatever he desires to do? And he can't all those things that we struggle with, we can lay at his feet.

Put it in his hands, allow him to take care of it.

Trust him to help you. The second thing is just just trust. You know. Go to him more often in your days. You know, we have we run into things that we are struggling with each day for you teachers. Every time you have a new class, come around, you know, you can say, Lord, help me identify with you in taking care of these young. People remember to know you or some of the others battles and struggles that you face in this life football. Coaches. You know, what are you going to do with the team seek God's guidance. Seekersguidance for those health. and then the last of all, Trust him to bring the victory to your life. You know, when when you say okay, I'm trusting God. I know I'm going to have Victory and then you try to go out and you try to make things all by yourself rather than really looking day. I'm in France again for the victory. It may not come probably won't come because you've taken it back. You've given her over God and then you take it back and say I got to do all this stuff. But God wants us to trust in him to allow him to do the work. So look for the victory, look for victory in your lives. Because he's ready to give it and he wants to bless each of us with those victories.

Our gracious Father in heaven. We thank you for True victory in you. For all those who called upon your name is our Lord and savior. There is Victory. And that is a gift. A wonderful gift from you. But father you want us to be walking with you in everything we do in life. Not just those Monumental moments, like, we looked at this morning, but in each and every moment you want us to be looking to you and finding that Victory and those little things so that when the big things come along, there is just the willingness. The trust you and allow you to carry us through those giant moments with victory. Guide us to follow you in Jesus name. Amen. As soon as we close.

Call.

And then one day I'll find love.

My gracious Father in Heaven, how we thank you for being The God Who Lives, who is the god of victory in our lives, as we look to you and trust you. And so as we go out today, help us to resolve to live life. Trusting, you and having the faith to know that you will be with us and you will guide us in each and every moment that we face in this week. For your The God Who has promised that you will help us a trust that promise. Oh Lord Our God in Jesus name and through his Precious Blood. We ask these things. Amen. Race car from