This sermon emphasizes the importance of counting our blessings and acknowledging the works of God in our lives. It delves into the power of words and the impact they can have on others, highlighting the need for uplifting language and the avoidance of vulgarity. The sermon also touches on the significance of family dynamics and the role of prayer in bringing blessings to the family table. Additionally, it discusses the authority and power of Jesus in driving out evil spirits and the necessity of spreading the scriptures for the well-being of a nation.

Now dear friends, I don't know how you look or take an inventory of the works of God. You know, when I try to take an inventory of the works of God, I say, Lord, I'm afraid I have to give up. There are so many, I have received so many of your mercies. I can't count them. So it happens that when I sing that song, count your blessings, name them one by one. I say, Father, here's something which I cannot do. I can't count them. They are so innumerable, yet it does us much good to stop and not only count our blessings, but to look upon him who is the author of every good and perfect gift. So let us turn to Luke 4, chapter please, 22nd verse. And all bear him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, is not this Joseph's son, our neighbor's boy? So one of those marvelous things that takes place when the Lord Jesus touches us and there is real repentance, what happens? There comes a different kind of expression, something which ennobles people, something which uplifts people, something which brings healing to people. You know, folks, in our natural pride and arrogance of times, we are incapable of such words. It is amazing some of the language that one hears in most of these popular shows. I think some of these popular shows are popularizing foul, vulgar speech. Vulgarity has become the order of the day. Nothing beautiful, nothing refined. You can hardly find one word where you feel you need to refer to a dictionary. So there is very little to lift your own language higher or anything of that sort either. But in the midst of that, let us come to the family table. The family table can be a place of great blessing or it can be a place of high pollution and many infections. You know, you gather some dirt somewhere and you come in and you pour it out. That's your natural inclination. My father used to say, when you come in from your office or your place of work, remember you're bringing a different spirit. And when you come into the home, go into the bedroom and spend a few minutes in prayer before you even open your mouth. You know, if people just did that, how much blessing they would bring to the family table. Why should the family table become such a place of contention, of argument? Of painful discussion and debate? Why is that? Should the devil take over, you know, at the head of the table? No. My mother always used to say, the devil came to the children of Israel when they were eating and they would grumble. Oh, for the leeks and the onions of Egypt. Oh, to go back to Egypt. My dear friends. So my mother would say, my business at the table is to drive the devil away. And she would do it very effectively to drive the devil away. Folks, what fights break out in the table. And here we see our Lord early in his ministry. He's just beginning. He opens the scripture and all bear record, witness and wonder at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. You know, on one of those meetings, which I addressed in a medical college very early in my life, while I had just come out of university, I recall offering a lift to one of those students to put him in the commuter train. Well, he was in the car for just a few minutes, but I spoke to him a few words. All right. You know, when some of these fellows have a step around their necks, there was a song which used to say, I felt that I was the goddess of healing. You know, there's a kind of craze in some quarters that if you will only procure a placement in a medical college, you have made it. You have got wealth and you have got everything. So I tell people, I tell these medical students, look here, if that is the goal and motivation in your life, you will achieve nothing in the profession. You will do little good. So friends, this, the upshot of that little conversation was that young fellow was so convicted, he went alone and prayed, humbled himself, and he became a new man. I recall one day, he said, I have brought one of my patients along. Who was this patient? He was a powerful politician. But you know, sometimes when your doctor invites you, you go along, you know. A few words spoken by God's prompting or God's love, a few words, what a change can come over a whole life. So we see in the course of this chapter, the words of Jesus. You see, 36th verse. And they were all amazed and speak among themselves, saying, what a word is this? For with authority and power, he commanded the unclean spirits and they come out. You know, folks, when I found that in Guyana, we were not cutting much ice, not doing much good. It was getting washed out. We sent doctors, nurses, and, but nothing was really being accomplished. I said, Lord, what does this mean? The Lord showed me that we were up against the powers of darkness. See, that the whole direction of a country can be controlled and led by magicians and astrologers. Seems too absurd for normal sanity or sane thinking. But that is happening in some quarters. You see, when rhetoric is taken for a track record, for instance, as a matter of fact, one of my observations learned through many years is people who really achieve anything speak very little. They speak very little. As a matter of fact, I don't like to go around advertising what I do or what I plan to do. It's all, I say, no, I'm not going to waste my breath that way. So, we have got nations being led out of God's plan and purpose. Mr. McHenry was one of the signatories of the Constitution. And this is what he advocated. He said, we need to spread the scriptures. We need to give out the scriptures. Any amount of promulgation of laws and big government is not able, will not save our institutions or safeguard us. You see, any amount of penal laws cannot save the nation. If you don't have the scriptures, you will need big government. You see, a policeman to be scanning the movements of each individual. What do you have? You have something far worse than a police state. You know, when I was preaching in East Germany at the height of communism, I had to be very careful what I spoke because there would be hidden microphones in hotel rooms. And when I bowed my head and prayed out for the company in a restaurant, thanking the Lord for the meal, somebody evidently observed me in that crowded restaurant. And when I fell into a conversation with him, he offered to come to my room. Unfortunately, I had to decline because it was a police state. And here I was, a Christian, preaching the word of God, a person who can be easily snapped up and simply put out of the way, never to be heard of again. So, the founders of the nation had a totally different vision. No revisionist is able to eliminate history. So, here we are. Is the word of God going to be current and powerful in the nation? Or is it just a bunch of babblers holding forth from pulpits who have nothing to show for it? No, my dear friends, you shall know them by their fruit. So, we see our good Lord, whatever he did, you see, in the 39th verse. Well, after he had done with the synagogue, he went into Peter's house and found Simon's mother-in-law, 38th verse, was taken with a great fever, and they besought him for her. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately, she arose and ministered unto them. Isn't that wonderful? You know, when somebody has had a very bad bout of fever, naturally, you would say, please rest. We can help ourselves. But on the contrary, immediately, she arose and ministered unto them. You know, my dear friends, I'm still under jet lag, and I worked to a point of great exhaustion, so that the last two days, I was even having fever. But last night, after the prayer meeting, my wife told me, even the children prayed for you. I said, okay, let us check the fever now. Do you know the fever had touched normal? Just a couple of hours earlier, we had checked the fever, and Lily said, like any solemn doctor, you have fever. Well, you know, folks, the word of our Lord Jesus carried power with it. And whom do we worship? Whom does heaven worship? And where do we wish to spend eternity? We are going to spend it in the presence of Jesus. And when we don't enjoy it on earth, I tell you, it is a grave contradiction that such people should expect to be in heaven at all. You know, as I was coming by on the eighth mile, I noticed cars parked almost opposite Napier. Normally, there's no parking place. The games field, you know, with the ardent boys and girls going off to the soccer ball. Well, the cars had spilled over. I said, alas, so all these children and parents must be kept from the Lord's Day and from worship, but partly because nobody protests and the pulpits stay mum and silent. It's a game. And a game is elevated to such a place of prominence that the day of the Lord and the worship of Jesus should be washed out. Well, when people begin to have that kind of attitude, I suppose God himself will take some action. Let's pray. Oh, Father, to know that we have such a Savior, such a wonderful Savior who can put some of his wonderful words even into our foul mouths. Oh, what a wonderful Savior that he can give to us some of that beauty, that holiness, that love, that courage to do what is right. What a Savior. Lord God, have mercy on all those who are attempting to live without you. What a futile endeavor. How can they ever make it? Cows and monkeys are not going to make the difference. Save the nation, Lord. Save the nation. So help us, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.