In this sermon, Brother Denny emphasizes the importance of prayer in the lives of believers. He begins by highlighting the various situations in which prayer is necessary, such as affliction, joy, and sickness. He encourages the congregation to turn to prayer as their first response in times of trouble. Brother Denny also emphasizes the power of faith in prayer, citing the example of Elijah. He concludes by reminding the listeners of the authority and inspiration of the Scriptures, urging them to heed its teachings and prophecies.

Hello, this is Brother Denny. Welcome to Charity Ministries. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold. You are welcome to make copies for your friends and neighbors. If you would like additional messages, please go to our website for a complete listing at www.charityministries.org. If you would like a catalog of other sermons, please call 1-800-227-7902 or write to Charity Ministries, 400 West Main Street, Suite 1, EFRA PA 17522. These messages are offered to all without charge by the free will offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. Praise God. That's amazing love. Wonderful love that God should love me. Our cups are full. I think we could just go home right now and have been richly blessed to be in the house of the Lord. But if you feel your cup can contain a bit more, we'll trust God to give us some further blessing as we look into His Word. We have this morning a sure word of prophecy. Whereunto ye dwell, ye take heed, as unto the light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came, not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Thank God this morning we have a sure word of prophecy. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. This morning we'd like to continue in James chapter 5. You may turn there with me. For those of you who are here this morning for the first time, visiting amongst us, God bless you. Thank you for coming. I have been desiring to preach through the book of James. And we are presently at James 5 and verse 13. Can we stand together for the reading of the Holy Scriptures? James 5, beginning in verse 13. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing songs. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain. And it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Brethren, if any of you do error from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. Let's pray together. Father in heaven, we bow our hearts before you, Lord, this morning. Father, who is fit, who is able to take these holy scriptures and expound therein. Oh God, we look away from ourselves, and we look unto Christ. And Father, we pray this morning that you would look upon your servant in mercy, Lord. And by that same Spirit that moved holy men of God, that Spirit that breathed out the Word of God, and it is written for our admonition, for our correction, for our instruction in righteousness. Oh Lord, would you anoint your Word, Father, that we may hear and receive by that same Spirit, the Spirit of the Lord, the Word of God, as you have intended it, Lord. As you have designed it, Lord, when it was breathed out by the Holy Ghost, and holy men moved by your Spirit, wrote as they were moved. And Father, you intended your Word that it should be for instruction, it should be for a furnishing of the man of God, that we wouldn't be unbalanced or without instruction or without the knowledge of your will for our lives, Lord. So Father, this morning, I just do pray. Father, please help me, Lord. Anoint your servant, Lord. Anoint your Word, God, that I wouldn't be diminishing from it, Lord, or adding to it, Lord. But Father, that our hearts can be opened to receive. Bless this congregation. Thank you for speaking to us this morning. Thank you for refreshing our hearts as we gazed upon Jesus and His amazing love, and the precious blood and the cross of Christ. Oh Father, thank you, Lord. We have no other place to run, no other place to stand but in Christ Jesus. So Lord, bless now the remainder of this service. We pray Thy will be done in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. Title for this message today is Let Us Pray. Throughout these verses, we see that admonition over and over again, calling us to prayer. Beginning in verse 13, we want to take the second part first. Because the matter of affliction and prayer flows into verse 14. If any sick among you, let them pray. And verse 15, the prayer of faith. And verse 16, confess your faults one to another and pray one for another. And then the example of Elijah as he prayed. So we're going to begin in verse 13, part B. Is any merry? Let him sing songs. Is any merry? When we think of the word merry today, we think of something which is attended with laughter, or which causes people to be silly or a merry jest. But that is not what this word means in the scripture. The scripture definition is a word that has the meaning of a state of mind that is free from trouble. It's a state of mind that is free from trouble or agitations of fears and distresses as such if it were. It's free from worry. And it's a state of mind that is cheerful and it's rejoicing in God. Is any merry? It's to have a mind that is well. The Greek word literally means to have the mind well. A frame of mind that is at peace. It's a frame of mind that is free from trouble or troubled with worries and things of that nature. This word also appears in Acts 27 where it is translated be of good cheer. Paul was in the middle of a storm on a boat and he said to those about him, be of good cheer or have a merry heart. Now that sounds pretty strange. In the middle of a storm with the waves beating and the people being tossed about in the ship. And it's been many days now this way. And when you look at circumstances of life, it doesn't look very hopeful. They have already loosened the weight of the ship by casting overboard a lot of the cargo. And they are in dire straits. They can't even see to navigate because it's so cloudy. There are no stars and there's no sun and they are being driven by the storm. But now Paul stands forth in the midst of them and says, you should have listened to me. You shouldn't have left loose from Crete and gained this harm and loss. But now I exhort you, be of good cheer. And that be of good cheer is the same Greek word as is translated is any merry. And I found that very interesting. And it gives us an interpretation of the meaning and definition of the word is any merry. When we look at how it is applied in this situation. He says, I exhort you, be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of man's life among you but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God of whose I am and I serve, saying, fear not, Paul, for thou must be brought before Caesar. And, lo, God has given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer. For I believe, God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Is any merry? I believe these verses here very clearly point out to us that our being merry or in a state of mind that is free from trouble and agitations and distresses, as it were, is not based upon our outward circumstances. Because Paul, in the middle of his outward circumstances, when everything looked hopeless, he was looking to God. He was looking beyond the waves and the circumstances around him and he was looking to God. And he said, be of good cheer. Have a heart that is trusting and is free from fear. Because I believe God. God spoke to me and He told me that no one is going to lose their life. There's going to be loss of the ship, but no one's going to lose their life. They were 14 days fasting and taking nothing. And Paul finally stands up in the midst there in Acts 27 and he said, I pray you, take some meat. For this is for your health, for there shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you. But I can't swim. It doesn't matter. I believe God. Those who can't swim, God's going to provide boards for you and pieces of the broken up ship and you're going to get a hold of those things and we're all going to make it to land. No one's going to die. It's amazing to me. Then he stood there in the midst and he took bread and he gave thanks in the presence of them all and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer. There's the word again. Then were they all of good cheer. Their hearts were encouraged. And they also took meat and ate. What I see here is the effect of one man's faith. One man's walk with God to such a close walk and relationship with God that it doesn't matter though I'm on a boat with a bunch of heathen. My God is still in control of all the circumstances and my God will control those waves as to how hard they beat upon that ship and he'll arrange everything as that boat is driven up on the rocks and breaks apart. God is arranging every circumstance. I need not fear. Be of good cheer. Take some meat. Because I believe God that it shall be even as it was said unto me. And his effect of his faith filled life and his walk with God in the midst of the storm so effected those around him that they also were encouraged. And they began to trust. They could see this man believes what he's saying. It's real. He believes his God. I guess we can have a little faith too. We can have a little confidence also. Is any merry? Is any of good cheer? Oh, spread a little cheer. Spread a little sunshine as you go. Let your light shine. Don't just hold it into yourself. Is any merry in a state of mind free from trouble? Well, we know those verses well. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. A faith-filled heart, it makes a cheerful countenance. But by sorrow of the heart, the spirit is broken. A broken spirit dryeth the bones. Is any merry? Dear Christian friends, brothers, sisters. Is any merry? Let him sing songs. I've been so blessed this morning how the Lord has just unfolded the service. And the verses that I had down, Brother Eric read, concerning singing songs. Let him sing songs. And then in children's class, Brother Joel, where are you? Yes. Did you not say that songs is mentioned 104 times in the Scripture? Is any merry? Let him sing songs. Now, this word, songs, is an interesting word. And right out of the Strong's definition, it tells us, it's number 5567 from Strong's definition. And it says, to rub or touch the surface, to twitch or twang, to play on a stringed instrument. To celebrate the divine worship with music and accompanying odies, O-D-E-S. And then I think of the beautiful example that God gave to us of David. In Chronicles 16, verse 1. Where he says, as they brought the ark of the Lord and set it in the midst of the tent. And they made their burnt offerings and their sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord. And then in 1 Chronicles 16, verse 7. Then on that day, David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. And then he gives him the psalm. Give thanks unto the Lord. Call upon His name. Make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him. Sing psalms unto Him. Talk ye of all His wonderful works. Glory ye in His holy name. Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. And on and on goes the psalm. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. God ordained that. He ordained that we should sing psalms. And then we can turn right over to the New Testament. And you don't need to turn there for sake of time, but I'll give you the references. And I think we know them well, but I'll give them anyway. Ephesians 5. He brings this matter of singing psalms down to our personal level. And he says, be not drunk with wine where it is in excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. He brings it down to our personal, devotional life and walk with God. And he says, ye that are filled with the Spirit, let it bubble out of you in praise and psalms unto the Lord. Singing to yourselves. Oh, I picture that. Getting in your closet, alone with God. And you just begin to pour out psalms of praise unto the Lord. I sometimes like to do this when I'm all by myself. Take a psalm and just invent the tune as I go and sing it. What a blessing it would be, if in the midst of the congregation, there are those in our midst who have a gift of putting music to the psalms. And they would sing psalms unto the Lord, psalms right out of the scriptures. You know, and I know some of you, I know some of you have this ability. You sit at your keyboard or your piano or you take your musical instruments, I don't know what you have, but you sit there and you worship the Lord. And an overflow comes out of your heart and you just begin to put music to a psalm. I have often wondered, oh, if I could just hear a little bit, what the psalms were like as David commissioned Asaph and all of those other singers and they sang the psalms unto the Lord. What were they like? You know, wouldn't the Lord have us today that we would be singing psalms unto the Lord, putting some of these psalms to music and singing psalms to the Lord? In your closet, yes, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing, making melody in your heart to the Lord. Oh, how rich that can be when you're alone with God and you worship Him with psalms and hymns singing in your heart unto the Lord. Sometimes, Matthew, it's just in your heart. It's not even expressed in a tune, but it's in your heart and you're having communion and fellowship with God personally. Another reference to psalms is Colossians 3.16. And now here I see it branching out farther. He says, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. Don't just keep it to yourself. He says, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. And one of the ways that we teach and admonish one another can be in psalms. It can be in singing with hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. This is a very important verse here this morning. Music teaches. Music has a message. I don't believe music is neutral. Music without any words also teaches. The enemy of our souls, I believe, knows that right well. And music is teaching multitudes across the world to be haters of God, to be lovers of themselves, to be full of pride, pumping up man, teaching lies, teaching doctrines of devils, going straight to the emotional being of man and stirring them up. Music is powerful. Therefore, we must be wise and we must be discerning of the type of music that we allow to minister to our souls, to our hearts. It teaches doctrine. They take a little phrase and just repeat it over and over. It indoctrinates people of how they think. Music is very powerful. Therefore, dear fellow Christian, be wise, be discerning, and let's have right music, psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, the word of Christ dwelling in us richly, in all wisdom. And we could preach a whole sermon on music this morning, which we do not have time for. But examine music. Is it rich in the word of Christ? Is it sound in its doctrine? Is it right in its principles? Oh, what a blessing it is, like this morning, to have a family admonish us and teach us with godly music. Amen? Isn't that a blessing? Full of the word of Christ, admonishing and teaching one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord, singing with grace, not a performance, not a show, but the grace of Jesus Christ, the spirit of Christ, ministering. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. It's another verse found in 1 Corinthians 14, 26. Beautiful. He says, how is it then, brethren, when ye come together in the church, when you come together and you meet together, brothers and sisters, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto Edify. When you come together, brethren, it's fitting that there's a psalm and there's a doctrine, there's a tongue, there's a revelation, there's an interpretation, but all things are done unto the Edifying of the body of Christ. Isn't that beautiful? Is any merry? Let him sing psalms, personally, one with another, and in the church. Now, James 5, 13. A. Is any among you afflicted? Afflicted? Is any among you undergoing a hardship? Strong's definition is to undergo hardship. It's to suffer trouble. This word is also found in 2 Timothy 2, 8, where it says, remember that Christ Jesus, the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. Is any among you afflicted? Is any among you undergoing hardship? Suffering hardship? Well, don't think it strange, brothers. In 1 Thessalonians, he tells us, we are appointed to afflictions. He says in 1 Thessalonians 3, when I could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone and sent Timotheus, our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith, that no man should be moved by these afflictions. For yourselves know that we are appointed thereto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and ye know." Afflictions are nothing strange to the people of God. Sometimes I think we are more affected by the feel-good gospel than we realize. And we say, oh, just accept Jesus into your life, confess your sins, repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you'll be full of joy, and everything will be wonderful, and no more trouble from here on out. But the Bible says, we need to... I was getting concerned, Paul says, because I was thinking that perhaps, maybe you are being moved. And we had a concern, and we sent Timotheus, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith. See, the faith of some, when affliction comes, trouble comes, hardship comes, they're not expecting it. Nobody told me that we must, through much tribulation and persecutions, enter into the kingdom of God. They told me it's all going to be easy now. It's all going to be wonderful now. So, I want to make certain that your faith is established in Christ, that no man should be moved by these afflictions. For yourselves know that we were appointed thereunto. But I believe we're all tried. All of us. We're all tested. We all undergo hardships and suffer troubles. And in the parable of the sower, Jesus said it this way. He said, there's those who, when they receive the word, they receive it immediately with gladness, but they have no root in themselves, and they do it for a while, then when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And see, that goes right along with what Paul was wanting to get across to the Thessalonican church saying that, we want to see you being established and comforted concerning your faith, that no man should be moved by these afflictions. Because we're appointed to these. These will come the way of the Christian. Jesus said in the parable, when affliction or persecution arises, there are those that are offended. Oh, but he said, these which are sown on good ground are such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. But you know what? I believe the scriptures very clearly teach that all of the things that Jesus gave there in the parable of the sower, every believer will face and will be tested with, some to more or lesser degree, depending perhaps what nation and country we live in. He says there are those that are, that the cares of this world, they choke out the word. There are those that the deceitfulness of riches, well now some countries, they're very poor, they don't have that deceitfulness of riches to the extent that we do here in America. And the lust of other things, and afflictions, and persecutions, and he chokes the word, and they become unfruitful. Oh, but those who hear the word, and receive it, it bringeth forth fruit. They face those same trials of afflictions, but they receive the word of God that said, don't be moved away from the steadfastness of your faith, because of afflictions, because we're appointed thereto. We know, we expect that. Don't take it strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try you. I saw some strange thing happen, and you say, well where did this come from? I wasn't expecting this. We have the example of Moses. Moses by faith, when he was come to years, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater riches and the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of reward. There is a beautiful example. Moses, when he was come to years, and he was weighing out this whole thing, and looking at it, he took a stand, and he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He refused to have that identity. He made a choice for God, and the people of God, and he knew it would cost him suffering. But he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God. Wise choice, Moses. To suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. How could he do that? Oh, because he saw God. He saw Him who is invisible. He saw Him through the eye of faith. He saw Him. Affliction, yes. Affliction with the people of God, yes. Paul wrote to Timothy, and he said, 2 Timothy 1, 6 through 10 or through 9, he said, Wherefore, I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling. Afflictions, distresses, suffering trouble, undergoing hardship. Timothy, God didn't give you a spirit of fear. Timothy, stir up the gift of God that is in you. Timothy, be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. Timothy, remember, we are appointed to afflictions. Timothy, be a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. God knows exactly what you're facing. The Lord Jesus Christ was tempted in all points as we, and without sin. He is able to come to our aid in our afflictions. He understands. In your prayer closet, you can dump it all out to him. Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus. All our griefs to bear. All of our burdens to carry to him in prayer. Afflictions, yes, they bring us to the end of ourselves, and they draw us to God. Afflictions lead us to the throne of grace, if we are rightfully exercised in them. There would be many examples we could turn to, but Psalm 107 is a beautiful reading. I'll give just a little bit. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way. They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. Psalm 107, verse 10. Such as sit in darkness in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and errand, because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore he brought down their hearts with labor. They fell down and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and break their bands in sunder. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Jonah is a beautiful example. Jonah, he cried and he prayed unto the Lord out of the fish's belly. He said, I cried by reason of my affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me. Read Jonah, chapter 2. Jonah, at wit's end, seaweed wrapped around his head, down into the bottoms of the mountains and the earth, her bars about me and fainting. And in the middle of it all, he remembered the Lord. Paul said it this way in 2 Corinthians 12. He said, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. How could he say that? Oh, because the Lord spoke to him. Jesus spoke to him and said, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul said, most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest. Upon me. Afflictions, they bring us to the end of ourselves. Yes, even as Christians. May I say that this morning? Even as children of God. They bring us unto the end of ourselves. Paul crying out to the Lord for deliverance from this infirmity of his flesh. But Jesus spoke to him and said, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect. My strength is fulfilled and completed and shown most effective in your weakness. See, when my strength is still in there trying to, trying to persuade or trying to do it, it interferes with God's strength. It's a beautiful word meaning here. Word picture where he says, most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. That word rest is a beautiful word. In the Strongs, it has the first definition given to it is, pitch a tent over to abide. Oh, he says, now that I understand, Lord, I will gladly, I will most gladly glory in these infirmities because I want the power of Christ to rest, to pitch a tent over me, to abide upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches and in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak in my human strength, oh, then am I truly strong in divine strength. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Brethren, take the examples of the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, an example of suffering, affliction and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure and that is just in James 5 verse 10 and 11. Well, I'm not sure what to do. It's 11.35. There's some real meat here for us. Shall we continue? It would require a good bit of time. Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. Thank you, Lord, that you've ordained affliction. Thank you, Lord, that you bring us to see in our affliction and our troubles that Christ is all sufficient. When I am weak, then am I strong. Father, I pray that you would encourage our hearts that as we face distresses and afflictions and troubles and hardships, Lord, that we would be drawn to you, Lord. Looking away from ourselves, looking away from the waves and the circumstances and be of good cheer and believe God. Lord, bless this congregation. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Turn the time over to you, Brother Emmanuel. Thank you. Thank you, Brother Aaron, for preaching the word to us. Amen. Like a river glorious, flowing out. I was very blessed. I think he got through one verse. Hallelujah. I didn't want him to go on because I knew the next one would take more time than what he was going to give it. So, look forward to the next time with Aaron. But I wonder if there's anyone here that would have a clear testimony of how the affliction of God brought them closer to the Lord. How afflictions brought them closer to the Lord, I say. I'm having thoughts on that. Or if you have something else to share, we'll get a mic to you. And just allow you a few minutes here to share. If someone has something, open up to the congregation here. Anyone else, get your hands up so we can get the next mic to you if someone else wants to share. Go ahead, Brother Luke. Oh, I'm suffering the affliction of back pain, I guess, again. And I wonder how long, Lord. In the opening, we heard how the children of Israel, they lacked faith and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. And time and again, I read how they've fallen back into idolatry and they lost their land and the wars. And they went around and circled often. The Lord had to bring them back and often wondered why, you know, why was it so slow learning? But now I realize now it's our turn. And we're now in that same school. And now, where am I going around in the same circle again and again and not learning and not drawing close to the Lord like I should? And, you know, what does he have to teach me? And I don't want to wander in the wilderness for 40 years to learn what I could learn in a short moment of time. So I guess pray for me that the Lord would teach me what he has for me that I can go on in him. Thank you, Brother Luke. Anyone else? I guess I don't have a real big testimony of what God's done for me in affliction except for I remember one time I was in Ghana and a period of time, close to six months, that I was sick, not in bed, but not flat on my back with sickness, but I was pretty sick just for a long time, an extended amount of time. And I wondered, what is God having that? And at that time, I didn't understand. And I can't really stand here and say that now I understand what God did, except that I came out of it a different person than when I entered in. And for those who are suffering and they don't understand, I just want you to know that it's okay to not understand what God is doing in your heart. Just lean by faith on that God is working. He knows what he's doing. And he will purify you and bring you out as purified like gold in fire. Thank you, Brother Dan. I'd like to read just a couple of verses from Romans chapter 5. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. That's a glorious, wonderful truth, principles of justification by faith. But the next verse, it says, but not only so, it doesn't just stop there, but we glory in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience, and experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. What I'd like to draw attention to is there's such a progression there. Knowing this, that tribulation worketh patience, patience, endurance, the ability to go through a hard experience and come out better. And experience, that's when you've gone through something. You know about it because of having participated in it. And after you have participated in it, it works hope. You have an expectation. And what I find in my life is that after having gone through some hard experiences and seen the beauty of what God has done through that, the hope and expectation rises that whenever you face an affliction again, anticipation for something good. And that's by faith because we have experienced the goodness of God in the past temptations. And there's a real stepping process there. And I think we call it Christian maturity. Amen. There was one thing the Lord was speaking to me this morning and it fit in with what was shared here about Psalms. But Aaron was challenging us about singing Psalms. Perhaps even taking a Psalm and meditating on it and musing through that and maybe even putting some music to that. As we muse and meditate on God's Word, like David did. David put melodies and put music to the Psalms. What the Lord seemed to be saying to me this morning was that how did these Psalms come about? And I believe these Psalms, they came about as David went through numerous trials, temptations, difficulties, and even victories. And he wrote them down. He wrote down his thoughts. He wrote down his temptations and his trials and then how it came to victory. And a lot of the Psalms begin with difficult situations, afflictions, and they end up in praise. And so the challenge that I felt the Lord was saying to me was that it would be good for me to write down what God is doing. And then just put some things on paper and then maybe in a couple days or a week later look back at what I was musing on. What was God saying? And maybe I could even write the finishing verses of victory a couple days later. I don't know how David did all that, but I believe that is how those Psalms came about. That's how they came to being. I see so often that I just go about my life and just continue on as normal. But I was pondering this and I thought, now, I wonder what would happen if I were on a Monday morning as I go before the Lord, I would write down some things of where I'm at, what God is doing, what God is saying. And then come back at the end of that week, maybe on Sunday evening, and I just go back to what I wrote before. Maybe even write some more to that. Just meditate on what God has done this week. It seems so often we just continue through life so hurriedly. We don't even take time to reflect. David reflected on what God was doing. He wrote down what God was doing in his life. And then he would reflect on that. And he'd probably take a Psalm he wrote last week and he'd sit down and meditate on that and probably put some music to it. That's what I think. Something maybe like that. Evidently, David had been schooled. Evidently, these Psalms were written. They were written by David. And he was able to take them and put music to them. And he was able to reflect back on what God had done. And I believe that that encouraged him. I believe that encouraged him. I just, as I heard Aaron sharing about Psalms there that came to me, I'm not sure why the Lord gave me that this morning, but I thought I should share that. So I don't know if I'll be able to do that, but it would be good. Does anyone else have something to share here yet? One in the back here. I hope I can share this in a way that is as clear to you as it was to me when I was thinking it when Aaron was preaching. He talked about the Apostle Paul being there on the ship and having the faith to tell all the others on the ship that we're going to get through this fine. As I pondered that Psalm, you know, he knew, part of the reason he was able to do that is because he knew the Lord wanted him to be in Rome. And he had that, he had that faith. And as I think about if I were in the same spot, I would too easily think, well, if I wouldn't have said that to that guard, maybe I'd be on a different ship. I must've messed up somehow to be in this spot. But for the Apostle Paul to have the faith to meet God in the spot where he was, and not in a sense, not to struggle over what all had happened in the past to get him in the ship that was obviously going to crash, but to meet God where he was. And to see that the Lord would get him through it. Maybe he was supposed to be on a different ship. But that in a sense didn't matter. He had the faith to know that God was going to accomplish the purpose that he had for him. And the Lord can do that with us too. Thank you, brother. That's a good word. Not to be harling yourself as to why you got into this place, but to meet God there and go from there. That's a good word. It's good. Thank you for sharing that. That's a kind of... I've gone up here a frontier yet. I so appreciate brothers sharing their thoughts like that and adding to the weight of the message. It's a real blessing. Yes, I was also greatly encouraged by the message and mostly by the worship, the way it started. Just how you can enter in with praise and thanksgiving. And to just see how we can be brought to the end of ourselves. So many times we talk about being brought to the end of ourselves, of self when it actually happens. It is a painful experience. It's an affliction. It's a labor and a heavy laden. Sometimes it takes a long time before we finally see that there is hope. And during those times, many times we think the Lord has left us and has given up on us. But a lot of times it's just His grace that is just waiting and waiting. The way He waited, the illustration about when Peter said, I go fishing. He fished for a long time and it was a labor and a heavy laden. And God could have came and... The Lord could have came at 12 o'clock, but He waited till morning. It was over. It was like there's nothing. And then God just... He just gave it. He poured it out, a blessing. It was just when He came and was honest that we have caught nothing and there's nothing here. So I was greatly encouraged by the message, how to just enter into a rest and behold His face and be changed by looking at Him. It seems so difficult, but even in my life, I have gone through a lot of afflictions, but it seems like recently coming to a place of just beholding Him. There's so many lifelines, it seems like I've been holding on to. And now to let them go one at a time and just to cling to the only lifeline that will endure, that He is a refuge. And I've been struggling with just condemnation and feeling forsaken. And during those times, it's hard to approach the Lord. And when you were talking about receiving a word and jotting it down and coming back a few days later, I just found myself, I read in the Psalms that the Lord will be a refuge to the oppressed. And He says, O Lord, thou hast not forsaken them that seek you. And I found myself just sitting just, Lord, I still seek you even though I feel so alienated, but yet it's evident you have not forsaken me. And a few days later, I had totally forgot. And I was brought back to it again. And there's no hope unless you can approach God and on the basis that He has not forsaken you and to see that He still has purpose for your life. So I was just greatly encouraged by the message and just want to announce too that I will be going back to Manitoba next week. And I just want to thank the Brotherhood here for just helping me out and counseling and praying for me and just being a family. And I thank you for the families that have invited me and the Lloyd for allowing me to come and stay with them. It's been a blessed experience. And I hope that a lot of things that will not be forgotten and a lot of principles that have been learned. So I just want to request prayer as I go back home. I have no idea what I'm going to be facing. It seems so impossible. So I can't even dare to plan to just say, Lord, here, take it. So I just want to say thank you. Are you going back just to visit or are you going back to stay? I'm going back to stay. Hmm... We're going to miss you. But God bless you as you go back there. May the Lord make you a blessing to your family, those around you there, and keep you and strengthen you. Thank you for sharing that. I think probably as you've walked through some of those things, maybe you've realized anew that David also struggled with those things. He also said, Lord, he also felt like he was forsaken. At times, but he realized later that God had not forsaken him. So God bless you, Darcy. Thank you for sharing and letting us know that you're going back so we can at least say goodbye.