God: Our Rock, Refuge, and Daily Trust

In you oh Lord I put my trust and it might be kind of hard to read up on the screen there the we we tried to use the um uh the title and it probably didn't work well with this one in you oh Lord I put my trust let me never be put to shame we must place our trust in the right place Amen in you oh Lord I put my trust and it's very important that's why kind of wish the young adults could hear this the teenagers what are you putting your trust into even as Christians we can be swayed in the wrong direction you know my my job my profession my 401k I talk to a lot of people you know there the first thing they do in the morning is they go and look at what NASDAQ Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange where's my cryptocurrency where's my xrp my xlm my my all these Bitcoin and that's the priority and that when that happens we can become very frustrated uh because we're putting our trust in the wrong thing so it's just a good reminder to ourselves in you Lord I put my trust and I have to remind myself often Lord I'm putting my trust in the wrong things I'm putting my trust in people or I'm putting my trust in situations God help me put my focus back on you [00:55:48]

Lord incline your ear to me and save me what a plea I love the Psalms he said Lord incline your ear to me which we might think is is a rather interesting maybe I mean God hears us and why why do we have to you know say this or doesn't he know I hear that have to answer that question like well God already knows what I need he already knows what I want he know why do I have to pray well there's a very important spiritual principle that um says ask in order to receive and if you look at the scriptures you wonder if I don't ask I mean how many promises or how many gifts maybe or blessings are we missing because we fa to ask Lord save my children before you even give me any Lord I would love to live at a certain place or buy that house and I don't think those are bad things if the heart's right see it's never the things that are bad it's the love of those things he that loves the world the love of money is the root of all evil asking God bring me the right spouse for some of you or heal my marriage or and if we don't ask God's not like a Genie in a Bottle just just kind of doing whatever you know he wants obviously his Sovereign control is plays a role in there and he does accomplish his Sovereign purposes without us asking anything but we do see throughout scripture that there is a need to ask and so we must ask God to Incline his ear [03:31:59]

a refuge is something you run to you run into Lord I need you to be that strong Refuge to which I may Resort continually don't miss this you have given the Commandment to save Me For You Are My Rock and my Fortress so three things we see here a refuge a place of safety a rock a place of stability and a fortress a place that guards him but he said be my strong Refuge to which I may Resort it means where I will go to continually continually and there's something about the word continually in the Hebrew language in the Greek language it's it's a little bit different but it's a a process and I've talked about it be before he is a rewarder of those who diligently continually seek him that is the Christian walk and sometimes we think well I did that a while ago I'm good or I had this experience with God and fully surrendered back in 2020 well did you know as you're filled with the Holy Spirit de muy reminds us that we're also leaky vessels oh I'm full today but come Friday I'm a leaky vessel and all the married couples say Amen there's nothing that can leak you more than family life and that's why we have to run to him continually and that's one reason why we encourage daily discipline of reading the word daily discipline whether you're a morning person evening person it needs to happen that's the time where you pray Lord incline your ear hear me again God I'm running to you as a refuge I'm going through all types of difficulties some people have court cases going on that are heavy I wish that Trump would run to the Refuge right now I wish this would wake him up right I wish Biden would run to the Refuge I wish I wish people would run to God and and have him rebuild their life and strengthen them but as Christians we we have to do that continually in these words if you seek me you will find me guys it's a battle it's a struggle often we have to do the things that are the most important when we don't feel like it it's a continual process again Refuge run to and hide in it continually wait a minute I thought Christians were to fight and hold our ground yeah we don't run like a coward but we run to God I do I don't know about you amen Lord this is coming against me I'm running to you I'm running to the prayer closet I'm not retreating I'm running to you to get ammunition I'm running to the prayer closet to reload my weapon because as you know you've been coming here the weapons of our Warfare are not physical you get spiritually reloaded in the prayer closet you get that clip that's empty and you start putting in those 9mm prayer closet prayers and you get Reloaded it up and now you're ready and then you come out all right I need to run back to the Refuge and get and get reloaded again and go back that's the image I run to you continually continually going back and forth to you we must seek we must knock we must ask and when he's asking him the call Lord save me the call to save requires a response from from us we have to there's something that is required on our end have you ever thought about that all these great things in the Bible for unbelievers you know if you if you repent and believe whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved if you seek me you will find me if you turn from your wicked ways I will heal your land if you repent I will begin to hear your prayers there's a lot of conditional things in the Bible that we forget about there's and I I don't know the exact balance of it but God's Sovereign but we're also responsible for our actions and we can tilt the scale in a certain direction based on the choices we make and how we live [06:34:11]

again a rock is stable it is strong it is unmovable and you have to remind yourself that those are also the characteristics of God what is more stable than God what what what's a close second nothing at all I mean when you think of stability has God ever slipped has he ever tripped has he ever made a bad mistake has he ever changed his mind and and doesn't know what to do never it's it's stability it's stability that's why you build your life like Jesus said he who builds his life on the Rock how do you build it he who hears my sayings and does them he's like a man who built his house on the rock the stability a rock is strong one of the hardest things I've ever when I was in heavy running heavy equipment whether it's you know those big excavators they're just awesome to run you feel the power but you couldn't do a lot when you hit a rock just stop there's nothing you could do so what do you have to do you have to dig around it dig all around it get the dirt around it and then here's this big rock and then hopefully you can get out of the way and then hopefully you can put it somewhere and get rid of it but it's strong it's stable it's unmovable think about those attributes of God and the reason that's so important is because as Christians yes we know God but also fear comes into our lives and doubt and worry and we have to remember Lord help me build on that stability and that strength and then of course the Fortress as I said it's a covering it's a shelter for us and that's what he's talking about and then he goes on to say Lord deliver me deliver me oh my God out of the hand of the wicked out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel Man For You Are My Hope Oh Lord God you are my trust from my youth isn't it interesting he already knows all this stuff and God knows us what's he doing he reminds himself I don't know exactly you know of course how it works there are people much smarter than me who study the brain and Christians but if there's a continual focus on the negativity and the the the difficulties and the struggles constantly looking at Fox News right or seeing it's like go man it drained you it and and we worry look at all all these people coming into the board across the border not everyone's a good guy you know and you see all the stuff and you're watching videos and and the more you focus on that the more your mind goes to negativity and gloom and doom I understand we have to be wise we have to know what's going on but he's reminding himself throughout a lot of the Psalms who God is what's God going to do he's telling himself you know they call it selft talk positive thinking you know I'm not into any of that but I am into reminding myself who God is because something changes in the mind the more you do that the the brain scientist they call it neuroplasticity where the brain can actually change and begin to different neurons begin to think differently and you begin to turn into negative from negative Nelly to positive Patty because of what you're focusing on there's a there's a there's a leap in your step there's a smile on your face you never ever wonder where that smile went oh man just driving around upset at work upset at church upset and so that's why it's so important to read the word read the daily devotionals and and say these very same things oh God deliver me deliver our family deliver our nation take us take us out of the hand of the wicked and these ungodly things that are happening in our nation in our state especially what California just passed with parental notification in the schools it's it's it's just we're in the Twilight Zone we are just we're calling evil good and good evil and he said here You Are My Hope Oh Lord you are my trust from my youth from my youth youth so the point I made here is ask the Lord to deliver you ask the Lord to deliver you and remember there is only one hope there is only one solution and is God and God alone you are my trust from my youth from my youth from my youth marks a continual pattern of trust he's reminding himself that even from my youth even from my youth I began to trust you I've wavered I feared I've doubted I've had to to fight Goliath I've had to fight lions I don't know if David wrote that I forgot to even look but it it's it's it's a reminder that even from my youth Lord I began to follow you it's a good reminder for kids and parents to to we have to start them at a young age I didn't bring the statistics with me but it it's it's so high that when kids become Christians at age you know 10 11 12 it really sticks and the older they get the harder it becomes the the percentage is so low and it's also very low in the home when only the mom is the Christian but when the father is the Christian the power of influence uence and and I think we our nation needs an incredible wakeup call I I pray I pray that things don't go sou South I pray that there aren't major attacks and things but we need a major wakeup call to get us back on the right footing you know for for men to stop chasing all these things and start praying for their families leading their families for for women too to just be on fire for God and we get we get so distracted and that's what's happened in America our greatest blessing that God has blessed us abundantly can become your greatest curse it's it's a pattern throughout the Old Testament is when there's bondage and and you get free from that and that freedom leads to some apathy and complacency and that leads back to bondage again it's it's a cycle that we see and the that God gives us these wakeup calls [12:02:02]

my praise shall be continually of you and you alone I'm reminded of that I this week I prayed Lord help my praise be on you and you alone get my when you CU When you get your heart back to a place of thankfulness and praise life is enjoyable when when when it's the opposite it's hard life sucks can I say that okay okay it it it's it's bad it stinks when you're negative and upset and fearful and been robbed of your joy isn't that what the enemy wants to do yes when he robs us of our joy we become ineffective in the kingdom of God because when we don't have joy we don't want to do much for God I don't want to read the Bible and then what else we send that type of message to people we know oh he's a Christian wow I don't want anything to do with that or our kids watching us it's okay if you go through challenging situations we do as well but the key is to repent and to get back on track I praise you continually Lord give me that Joy give me that Joy because I've become a Wonder to many but you are my strong refuge and what he means by that is is I've become a Wonder to many we would say I've become an outcast uh to many I've become a enemy of of many and this is as a Christian is so important because you're seeing the dividing line even more aren't you I mean for standing up for biblical truth you're you're seeing there's a there's a dividing line and people are getting they just get upset especially with pride month coming up here in June uh in your workplace and and just the the the arrogance and the in your face and the mocking of Christians but regardless my praise shall be continually of you oh Lord continual praise is a continual challenge did you catch that continual pray prise is a continual challenge because it is a changing of our mind as much as we want to blame people blame others blame situations shift blame blame shifting we have to own this that that my praise is up to me and you can make a conscious effort we know it we we we know the thoughts that come and we know we can take those thoughts captive do we choose not to do that or not many have mocked many mocked this person but he chose to run to God and he he adds here verse 8 n let my mouth be filled with your praise let my mouth be filled with your praise and with your glory all the day I had thought about that too can you imagine if obviously we can't do it perfectly and you know we have other things to do and talk about but if we focused on on seizing our words with Grace just try it maybe for a week how about if that's hard how about till Sunday just encouraging others praising others your kids finding the good things I don't know why it's so easy to find the fault isn't it it's just like you don't have to do anything yesterday I think it was I decided I was like oh my goodness the dishes are piling up anybody else out there so so all right I'll do them and then like 40 minutes you know the next like later that evening I see all these dishes I'm like you guys what's going on here this when you use it clean it what and and all my Joy's gone now it's gone these little things and so we're going to try that till Sunday what do you think just encourage people maybe look at the media a lot less for a while I don't know golly it drives me crazy and I don't I don't personally if you look at how we were created I don't know if we were even we're even supposed to know what's going on in Nebraska Maine Vermont New York Florida I this guy got stole the car and beat this lady up in in Texas and down here in Oklahoma are we supposed to know all that I don't know I don't think so because that's a lot of negativity coming in a lot of things that you know I think of Philippians take the Philippians 4 test so when Paul was concluding his letter to the church in Philippi he said finally Brethren whatever things are pure okay well let's think about this for a minute pure Noble meaning you know Noble upright of character positive pure Noble upright things that are worthy of Praise good things coming meditate on these and then something interesting follows Called Peace and the peace of God will guard your heart I know it's hard especially some of our jobs I feel for for law enforcement and correction officers talk about environment my goodness we need be praying for them and lifting them up but we can make a choice to continually fill our mouth with praises so I'm going to work on that till Sunday if you guys want to as well and then hopefully keep taking a little bit longer the reason that's so important is Again by default I say that a lot but you you don't have to do anything and here comes negativity you I mean just no Here Comes This me mean nasty text your spouse because you're in a bad mood or you just pop off or you just right just come it just comes naturally negative about this negative about that so it has to be fought for Joy has to be fought for it's part of the battle of putting on our our our breastplate of righteousness and all the gear there's there's got to be a reminder of of Joy I know it's hard but at the end of the day as we're reading in Revelation there will come a day when there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth and God will get Vengeance vengeance is mine saith the Lord there will be a great white Throne judgment every sin will be exposed every evil charlatan will be judged but we want it now Justice now so let my mouth be filled Lord with your praise do not cast me off in the time of old age do not forsake me when my strength fails what a what a plea how many of are here over 50 well I think that's where it starts I don't know but maybe it's me it's hard to get old like I remember at 50 we were at jet Hawk Stadium four years ago and I I run all the way the fence sprinting racing my son now I going to try that what happened four years got glasses everywhere just in case harder to get out of bed I don't want to what Lord this is not good and as you even get older and older you start to feel even more disabled more challenged more are worried that's and that and worry becomes to come come in doesn't it too especially if you have those you're protecting you know when I had the little kids at 40 I could do a lot more damage if I had to get into a scuffle then now you can it's like I can just tell things are not like they used to be and and You Begin your body begins weaker you begin to digress you are dying and so he's reminding us here God even in my old age do not forsake me even oh what a promise what a promise and I just thought I wrote it down many of you have heard the verse death and life are in the power of the tongue and I notice he a lot of these psalmist they're negative sometimes but then they they switch to being positive in other words like they let it out okay Lord why are my enemies doing this ah but then they restrain themselves and focus on God again Benson commentary said the tongue that loves much talking shall eat the fruit thereof they shall receive either good or evil according to the quality of their speech and there's another verse that says in the multitude of words sin is not lacking have is it just me or have you never notice that the more you talk the more you're going to get in trouble correct yes the more you talk the more you're going to get in trouble it's best to to be quick to listen slow to speak weigh those words carefully I'm better now I still haven't perfected it but I I really think things okay well is this even worth it right is is this is this even worth it to say where's this going to go I'm I've got enough battles going on I don't need to have another one Matthew Henry in his commentary about 300 some years ago many a person has caused his own death or the death of others by a false or injur injur injurious tongue just reminder of the life we speak into our even our families our spouses who has to work on that tonight now the rest of you can put up your hand when but just the words we speak are so important and then he adds for my enemies speak against me and those who lie and wait for my life they take counsel together they conspire together and they say God has forsaken him let's pursue him and let's take him for there is none to deliver him always remember God always has the final say God always has the final say enemies enemies always say that they come together H let's do this there is no God and they find out very quickly that there is a God I don't know if you're here Sunday at the end of the message I talked about that I I looked online and I looked at all the the famous celebrities who died in the last couple years and it was shocking I mean you think of famous atheists athletes I mean 99% of them shook their fist at God or said there is no God a lot of them were were pretty what's the right word here um did not have good political views right they just you know from abortion to gate whatever and and they're just they're just shaking their fist of God they're conspiring together there's no god let's come against these Christians let's come against God's word let's let's let's and legislators that died all of them all of them are judged by God and have no other opportunity they will not prev Prevail the billions of people of the planet if all of them came against God they would be but a vapor and dust in the sight of God that's how powerful God is amen and then he continues I love this prayer oh God oh God this is my prayer tonight for many of us do not be far from me oh God do not be far from me oh my God make haste to help me the irony is God Is Not far he doesn't travel to Saturn for a while I just watched yesterday to a docu have you ever watched like about the size of the universe it's mindblowing like I rewind what did he say how many how many solar systems how many how how long have they measured 100 million light years how far light travels in a year at 176,000 m per second or whatever what that God that God is over your life and you're going to worry man I just I honestly went to bed with a headache I like you you can't what what what does a 100 billion stars look like why don't they hit each other yeah why is this little blue dot out there just that you're sitting on supporting life out in this little tiny Speck of a Milky Way galaxy when there's all other kind of galaxies too black holes dark and and just these it's it's just like are you kidding me and so God is not far but sometimes it feels that way can you relate amen things are going good prayers are being answered blessing and John and mine are on worship together and you're just at the altar and you're just you're just feeling oh God you're so close you're so close and then comes Monday and the letter from the IRS and the letter for your landlord that your rent is going up in Southern California Edison says you owe $800 cuz you went over your that's that's my life what where's SC at now and so he doesn't leave but sometimes we feel that uh distance because of what we're going through so he says God make haste help me help me don't worry that iring was a good thing finally a refund let them let them be confounded let them be in other words he's saying let my enemy be confounded and Confused they are my adversaries let them be covered with reproach and dishonor those who seek my hurt but I will hope continually in you and I will praise you even more in other words this is amazing the more I go through the fire the deeper My Worship becomes that's the secret to success but as a pastor I see this all the time the deeper people go through the storm the more they run from God very few people very few people run to the Fountain of Living Water when they're going through hell they usually allow bitterness to set in and distance from God and they dig their heels in and they are victims have you you know have you heard the victim mentality what does that mean everybody's responsible except me they're the problem and my mouth will tell of your righteousness God all the days of my life I will go in the strength of the Lord God will make mention of your righteousness oh God you have taught me from my youth and to this day I will declare your wondrous Works he said I will go into the strength of the Lord and and I want to just talk about that briefly what does it mean to go into the go go into things go in the strength of the Lord into your day for example I'm going into the into my day with the strength of the Lord because as Believers we can walk in into things even as Believers in our own strength that means I'm going to handle it my way I'm going to do things my way my attitudes a little off I'm going to handle this I'm a little angry I'm a little feisty I'm gonna go into my own strength I'm going to chew them out versus I'm going to go in in the strength of the Lord I spent some time in morning in prayer I'm not rushing into this I'm reading the word there's some scriptures that come to mind Lord I give this to you I'm going in your strength so this he will give Grace to that he says I resist the proud I resist the proud but I give grace to the humble so when you go into situations you can go into the strength of the Lord you ask him Lord help me I need your help I can't I I I know this might sound bad for a pastor but I'm just going to be honest because all of you can relate I mean I'll pray sometimes Lord I just I need your strength I need you to handle this because um the old chain is not good right now I might say some things that are not too nice right you might get angry you might get frustrated and Lord I need to go in your strength so what you do is you repent you humble yourself and that allows the freedom of the Holy Spirit now to work in your life life you you give up control of self and you allow the Holy Spirit then to now guide you and now you go into the situation knowing I'm prayed up and and there's a calm there's a joy so even if you're yelled at or or mis Mis um misunderstood or you know you go into that knowing I'm in the strength of the Lord but when I go into my own strength this side again there's problems usually ever been there couple days later you're apologizing man I don't know what happened I don't know what came over me flesh yes so I just want to be honest nobody's mastered this I try that's difficult isn't it I could give you so many examples but I put myself out there enough and he says now also again when I am old and grey-headed reminding himself of Aging God do not forsake me do not forsake me this has been my prayer too until I declare your strength to this generation in other words words Lord I'm ready when you say I'm ready I want to give my strength to this generation we want to reach the masses I want to give your power to everyone who is open also Lord your righteousness oh God is very high you have done great things oh God who is like you who is like you and this is this is interesting as we get older we know that you know retirement can be um something we look forward to but when it comes to God's work we never retire that's actually a good time to to do God's work the statistics I don't have the exact numbers but we can handle without even coming up short all the counseling needs here all the discipleship everything with not not even be a problem if men and women who were retired would step up but sometimes because we're retired that means I'm retired from anything hey C can you help with this couple I'm retired y that means you have a lot more time than me so we can plug people in say hey I available now and that doesn't maybe just meeting with a couple meeting with the wife meeting with the husband and just just coming alongside and having a A can you imagine hundreds of people go here hundreds of retired people I mean they could and what a blessing talk about the wisdom and I know I try to tell people this because I've got there's right now four people you know I still to meet with they want to meet with me and I want to let them know that I I don't have the magic I don't I don't have some special magic power in my prayers I mean I'm being pulled to my daughter's this my son's this this leading the church the radio transmitter I'm I I can get you as somebody who can actually do a much better job helping you and discipling you and walking through life with you and it's hard because everybody you know they want the pastor and I understand that cuz you're up here and you but I don't have I I would set you up with my mom 10 times more than me the wisdom right the wisdom the knowledge to be able we we've had counselors here who they would sit and talk I don't know if is roquel here she maybe she's here rajie I know you've helped even R when she was here others I'm I'm like I'll say how'd it go good we spent about three hours with them three hours what yeah it was we had a great time we looked to the word they broke they repented it's incredible and There's A discipleship because the time to invest you can't you can't discipleship is not quick and that's my concern for me is hey I got 30 minutes I can do that's I can't I disciple the body did you know that my job is here this is a big big shocker for people my job is to equip the you but everybody wants to give to me wait no no no no you you you disciple too and I disciple our leadership team our deacons going to lunch having this and working with them we got situations all the time I'm discipling I'm working I'm leading but then ultimately the body is who does the greatest work so think about that if you do have some time let the office know and it's not a lot we get calls in I've had people stop me I need some marriage counseling my life is my family is just not good can somebody help me we need somebody to come alongside 30- minute lunch with me is not going to fix the problem we need somebody to come alongside them and help them and be be available we've had other people um that that are suicidal not right at that moment because that's a very serious thing but they're they're going through depression someone to to walk alongside of them and that's Christianity 101 but usually we can't because we're too busy we're actually not too busy it's how we spend our time because we have plenty time for this thing hey let me see your phone how many hours have you been on social media this week let me see your hisory oh oh four hours on YouTube every day oh yeah you're pretty busy guy let me see your Netflix schedule and your Amazon Prime see we have the time and some of you older retire people you have a wealth of knowledge that's why the Bible says the older women train the younger women the older men the elders who have been through hell and back it's why it's funny even now when I talk with my teenagers I don't want teenager jokes they might listen to this but and I remember this age like you think you know everything right remember that at 178 my dad yeah whatever but by 29 I'm like go if I could talk to him again he knew knew what was up he warned me of this and that don't do this to your truck don't get a 6-inch Lift and put big old m m tiles on there you're going to regret oh yeah yeah you don't know what you're talking about every single thing they said they knew what they were talking about everything why because wisdom I've been through it they've been through you've been through it that's what wisdom is knowledge is knowing it wisdom is applying what you know and going through things so this that's not even in my notes so if you feel compelled let the office know you'd like to to help just mentor and disciple now and then it would be a great help and then verse two we close up here you have shown me great and severe troubles Lord you have shown me difficult things but you shall revive me again there's that word there's that word and bring me up again from the depths of the earth you shall increase my greatness and comfort me on every side God revive me I have a confession make I got upset on Twitter a couple days ago this lady posted I don't even know said I don't know why pastors are always talking about Revival America's going to hell and we're destruction we're waiting for the Rapture Jesus is coming what's the point what number one that's not biblical whereas one verse that says give up give up Let the unfruitful works of darkness pervert all your kids don't say anything controversial just sit and wait for Jesus they've been waiting for Jesus for well over 150 years and we don't know exactly when he's returning obviously it looks like things are getting very difficult and challenging but God always says now in your generation expose the unfruitful works of darkness and I think I think I just let me vent here for a minute I think people don't understand when I talk about Revival other pastors we're not saying God bring Utopia back bring it back where we can leave our doors unlocked and ride our bikes and walk kids walk to this no that's over there's no 1940s 50s coming back again we're not praying for Utopia we're a asking for God to Ren the heavens come down in specific moments of history upset this whole evil system and bring some families revive some families revive some drugs dealers revive stop the sex trafficking in certain Lord bring some Revival in the midst of the darkness that's all that means and the prophets would pray oh God revive us again he says here oh God revive us again Psalm 85 wilt thou not revive us again that thy th my people may rejoice in the it's a it's a prayer it's a call God give us spiritual resuscitation fill me so overflowing with your spirit that I am contagious with your love and with your grace and your joy God I want to I want to be able to go and I want to pray for people and I want to see them set free I want to have discernment I want to pray over my children I want to get rid of all this social media that's pulling me away oh God revive me again so I can rejoice in you very biblical very sound Revival is God Reviving his people not putting things back to a perfect State that's not coming soon but as the enemy comes in we need Revival that's what holds him back the floods of Revival Usher in the power and presence of Christ to hold back evil it's very biblical and then he concludes also with the loot I will praise you and your faithfulness oh my God to you I will sing with the harp again it's okay to get a little expressive during worship isn't it think of these the the loot and the harp these this I mean it would been incredible to see in the temple these these musical instruments that were that were praising up to God and using the instruments to to usher in that power and presence of God it's interesting Saul the distressing spirit from Saul would leave when David would come in and play the har there's something to that there's nothing wrong with instruments but make sure you're a worshipper before you're a worker there's too many workers in the church and not enough worshippers too many workers it's easy to work isn't it I want to serve I want to be whatever area of ministry I'm serving I'm serving I don't want to be a worshipper let me stay outside the sanctuary and work it's much easier it's comfortable but all good service must flow first from a heart that a is a worshipper any scriptures you can think of on that one oh Jesus said oh Martha Martha oh Martha do you guys remember that one Jesus I'm working I'm working cleaning this house and my sister she just sitting here at your feet tell her to help me oh Martha Martha you're worried about you're worried about all these other things but she chose the best to worship me and then from out of that worship comes a heart that is able to work even better and he said my lips will greatly rejoice when I sing to you and my soul which you have redeemed my tongue shall talk of your righteousness all the day long remember he said for him to revive him this is the fruit of that and Lord confound my enemies bring them to shame and again worship flows from a thankful holy heart desperate for more of God so I'm going to recap so you can remember these six things and we will be done the Rock and The Refuge here is how as the title said earlier God can be your rock and your Refuge here's how number one at the beginning put your trust in him sounds simple but it's not easy what are you trusting in here's here's here's how you know what upsets you when it doesn't go your way what it's irritating you it's not going my way I'm TR because when you trust in God it doesn't matter what way it goes when you're when you're trusting in God you look at NASDAQ and you've lost $500,000 not a good thing but my trust is not in that it's in God or or whatever you can fill in the blank there's many different things put your trust in God that's how he becomes your rock and your refuge and then number two incline your heart so he inclines his ear you position yourself so God can hear you through repentance and Brokenness respond to his call run to him and seek Him continually number four ask him to deliver you as you line up with his will and then number five attitude determines your altitude Praise Him and pursue him and then finally worship flows from a joy-filled thankful heart and that's how you make God The Refuge and the rock of your life [23:34:14]

and then verse 6 and 7 by you God I have been upheld from birth from birth you are he who took me out of my mother's womb when does Life Begin according to God at conception when that child is conceived and there is life God brings the life of that child very very young age that's where God views life I'm not going to get into biology many of you know but when that happens there's the life that child starts to grow so this nonsense that they can do things to babies even up to 9 months is is is utter embarrassment it's shocking it's murder amen it's what it exactly what it is yes [19:46:32]

and I just thought I wrote it down many of you have heard the verse death and life are in the power of the tongue and I notice he a lot of these psalmist they're negative sometimes but then they they switch to being positive in other words like they let it out okay Lord why are my enemies doing this ah but then they restrain themselves and focus on God again Benson commentary said the tongue that loves much talking shall eat the fruit thereof they shall receive either good or evil according to the quality of their speech and there's another verse that says in the multitude of words sin is not lacking have is it just me or have you never notice that the more you talk the more you're going to get in trouble correct yes the more you talk the more you're going to get in trouble it's best to to be quick to listen slow to speak weigh those words carefully I'm better now I still haven't perfected it but I I really think things okay well is this even worth it right is is this is this even worth it to say where's this going to go I'm I've got enough battles going on I don't need to have another one Matthew Henry in his commentary about 300 some years ago many a person has caused his own death or the death of others by a false or injur injur injurious tongue just reminder of the life we speak into our even our families our spouses who has to work on that tonight now the rest of you can put up your hand when but just the words we speak are so important [29:49:12]

and then he continues I love this prayer oh God oh God this is my prayer tonight for many of us do not be far from me oh God do not be far from me oh my God make haste to help me the irony is God Is Not far he doesn't travel to Saturn for a while I just watched yesterday to a docu have you ever watched like about the size of the universe it's mindblowing like I rewind what did he say how many how many solar systems how many how how long have they measured 100 million light years how far light travels in a year at 176,000 m per second or whatever what that God that God is over your life and you're going to worry man I just I honestly went to bed with a headache I like you you can't what what what does a 100 billion stars look like why don't they hit each other yeah why is this little blue dot out there just that you're sitting on supporting life out in this little tiny Speck of a Milky Way galaxy when there's all other kind of galaxies too black holes dark and and just these it's it's just like are you kidding me and so God is not far but sometimes it feels that way can you relate amen things are going good prayers are being answered blessing and John and mine are on worship together and you're just at the altar and you're just you're just feeling oh God you're so close you're so close and then comes Monday and the letter from the IRS and the letter for your landlord that your rent is going up in Southern California Edison says you owe $800 cuz you went over your that's that's my life what where's SC at now and so he doesn't leave but sometimes we feel that uh distance because of what we're going through so he says God make haste help me help me don't worry that iring was a good thing finally a refund let them let them be confounded let them be in other words he's saying let my enemy be confounded and Confused they are my adversaries let them be covered with reproach and dishonor those who seek my hurt but I will hope continually in you and I will praise you even more in other words this is amazing the more I go through the fire the deeper My Worship becomes that's the secret to success but as a pastor I see this all the time the deeper people go through the storm the more they run from God very few people very few people run to the Fountain of Living Water when they're going through hell they usually allow bitterness to set in and distance from God and they dig their heels in and they are victims have you you know have you heard the victim mentality what does that mean everybody's responsible except me they're the problem and my mouth will tell of your righteousness God all the days of my life I will go in the strength of the Lord God will make mention of your righteousness oh God you have taught me from my youth and to this day I will declare your wondrous Works he said I will go into the strength of the Lord and and I want to just talk about that briefly what does it mean to go into the go go into things go in the strength of the Lord into your day for example I'm going into the into my day with the strength of the Lord because as Believers we can walk in into things even as Believers in our own strength that means I'm going to handle it my way I'm going to do things my way my attitudes a little off I'm going to handle this I'm a little angry I'm a little feisty I'm gonna go into my own strength I'm going to chew them out versus I'm going to go in in the strength of the Lord I spent some time in morning in prayer I'm not rushing into this I'm reading the word there's some scriptures that come to mind Lord I give this to you I'm going in your strength so this he will give Grace to that he says I resist the proud I resist the proud but I give grace to the humble so when you go into situations you can go into the strength of the Lord you ask him Lord help me I need your help I can't I I I know this might sound bad for a pastor but I'm just going to be honest because all of you can relate I mean I'll pray sometimes Lord I just I need your strength I need you to handle this because um the old chain is not good right now I might say some things that are not too nice right you might get angry you might get frustrated and Lord I need to go in your strength so what you do is you repent you humble yourself and that allows the freedom of the Holy Spirit now to work in your life life you you give up control of self and you allow the Holy Spirit then to now guide you and now you go into the situation knowing I'm prayed up and and there's a calm there's a joy so even if you're yelled at or or mis Mis um misunderstood or you know you go into that knowing I'm in the strength of the Lord but when I go into my own strength this side again there's problems usually ever been there couple days later you're apologizing man I don't know what happened I don't know what came over me flesh yes so I just want to be honest nobody's mastered this I try that's difficult isn't it I could give you so many examples but I put myself out there enough and he says now also again when I am old and grey-headed reminding himself of Aging God do not forsake me do not forsake me this has been my prayer too until I declare your strength to this generation in other words words Lord I'm ready when you say I'm ready I want to give my strength to this generation we want to reach the masses I want to give your power to everyone who is open also Lord your righteousness oh God is very high you have done great things oh God who is like you who is like you and this is this is interesting as we get older we know that you know retirement can be um something we look forward to but when it comes to God's work we never retire that's actually a good time to to do God's work the statistics I don't have the exact numbers but we can handle without even coming up short all the counseling needs here all the discipleship everything with not not even be a problem if men and women who were retired would step up but sometimes because we're retired that means I'm retired from anything hey C can you help with this couple I'm retired y that means you have a lot more time than me so we can plug people in say hey I available now and that doesn't maybe just meeting with a couple meeting with the wife meeting with the husband and just just coming alongside and having a A can you imagine hundreds of people go here hundreds of retired people I mean they could and what a blessing talk about the wisdom and I know I try to tell people this because I've got there's right now four people you know I still to meet with they want to meet with me and I want to let them know that I I don't have the magic I don't I don't have some special magic power in my prayers I mean I'm being pulled to my daughter's this my son's this this leading the church the radio transmitter I'm I I can get you as somebody who can actually do a much better job helping you and discipling you and walking through life with you and it's hard because everybody you know they want the pastor and I understand that cuz you're up here and you but I don't have I I would set you up with my mom 10 times more than me the wisdom right the wisdom the knowledge to be able we we've had counselors here who they would sit and talk I don't know if is roquel here she maybe she's here rajie I know you've helped even R when she was here others I'm I'm like I'll say how'd it go good we spent about three hours with them three hours what yeah it was we had a great time we looked to the word they broke they repented it's incredible and There's A discipleship because the time to invest you can't you can't discipleship is not quick and that's my concern for me is hey I got 30 minutes I can do that's I can't I disciple the body did you know that my job is here this is a big big shocker for people my job is to equip the you but everybody wants to give to me wait no no no no you you you disciple too and I disciple our leadership team our deacons going to lunch having this and working with them we got situations all the time I'm discipling I'm working I'm leading but then ultimately the body is who does the greatest work so think about that if you do have some time let the office know and it's not a lot we get calls in I've had people stop me I need some marriage counseling my life is my family is just not good can somebody help me we need somebody to come alongside 30- minute lunch with me is not going to fix the problem we need somebody to come alongside them and help them and be be available we've had other people um that that are suicidal not right at that moment because that's a very serious thing but they're they're going through depression someone to to walk alongside of them and that's Christianity 101 but usually we can't because we're too busy we're actually not too busy it's how we spend our time because we have plenty time for this thing hey let me see your phone how many hours have you been on social media this week let me see your hisory oh oh four hours on YouTube every day oh yeah you're pretty busy guy let me see your Netflix schedule and your Amazon Prime see we have the time and some of you older retire people you have a wealth of knowledge that's why the Bible says the older women train the younger women the older men the elders who have been through hell and back it's why it's funny even now when I talk with my teenagers I don't want teenager jokes they might listen to this but and I remember this age like you think you know everything right remember that at 178 my dad yeah whatever but by 29 I'm like go if I could talk to him again he knew knew what was up he warned me of this and that don't do this to your truck don't get a 6-inch Lift and put big old m m tiles on there you're going to regret oh yeah yeah you don't know what you're talking about every single thing they said they knew what they were talking about everything why because wisdom I've been through it they've been through you've been through it that's what wisdom is knowledge is knowing it wisdom is applying what you know and going through things so this that's not even in my notes so if you feel compelled let the office know you'd like to to help just mentor and disciple now and then it would be a great help and then verse two we close up here you have shown me great and severe troubles Lord you have shown me difficult things but you shall revive me again there's that word there's that word and bring me up again from the depths of the earth you shall increase my greatness and comfort me on every side God revive me I have a confession make I got upset on Twitter a couple days ago this lady posted I don't even know said I don't know why pastors are always talking about Revival America's going to hell and we're destruction we're waiting for the Rapture Jesus is coming what's the point what number one that's not biblical whereas one verse that says give up give up Let the unfruitful works of darkness pervert all your kids don't say anything controversial just sit and wait for Jesus they've been waiting for Jesus for well over 150 years and we don't know exactly when he's returning obviously it looks like things are getting very difficult and challenging but God always says now in your generation expose the unfruitful works of darkness and I think I think I just let me vent here for a minute I think people don't understand when I talk about Revival other pastors we're not saying God bring Utopia back bring it back where we can leave our doors unlocked and ride our bikes and walk kids walk to this no that's over there's no 1940s 50s coming back again we're not praying for Utopia we're a asking for God to Ren the heavens come down in specific moments of history upset this whole evil system and bring some families revive some families revive some drugs dealers revive stop the sex trafficking in certain Lord bring some Revival in the midst of the darkness that's all that means and the prophets would pray oh God revive us again he says here oh God revive us again Psalm 85 wilt thou not revive us again that thy th my people may rejoice in the it's a it's a prayer it's a call God give us spiritual resuscitation fill me so overflowing with your spirit that I am contagious with your love and with your grace and your joy God I want to I want to be able to go and I want to pray for people and I want to see them set free I want to have discernment I want to pray over my children I want to get rid of all this social media that's pulling me away oh God revive me again so I can rejoice in you very biblical very sound Revival is God Reviving his people not putting things back to a perfect State that's not coming soon but as the enemy comes in we need Revival that's what holds him back the floods of Revival Usher in the power and presence of Christ to hold back evil it's very biblical and then he concludes also with the loot I will praise you and your faithfulness oh my God to you I will sing with the harp again it's okay to get a little expressive during worship isn't it think of these the the loot and the harp these this I mean it would been incredible to see in the temple these these musical instruments that were that were praising up to God and using the instruments to to usher in that power and presence of God it's interesting Saul the distressing spirit from Saul would leave when David would come in and play the har there's something to that there's nothing wrong with instruments but make sure you're a worshipper before you're a worker there's too many workers in the church and not enough worshippers too many workers it's easy to work isn't it I want to serve I want to be whatever area of ministry I'm serving I'm serving I don't want to be a worshipper let me stay outside the sanctuary and work it's much easier it's comfortable but all good service must flow first from a heart that a is a worshipper any scriptures you can think of on that one oh Jesus said oh Martha Martha oh Martha do you guys remember that one Jesus I'm working I'm working cleaning this house and my sister she just sitting here at your feet tell her to help me oh Martha Martha you're worried about you're worried about all these other things but she chose the best to worship me and then from out of that worship comes a heart that is able to work even better and he said my lips will greatly rejoice when I sing to you and my soul which you have redeemed my tongue shall talk of your righteousness all the day long remember he said for him to revive him this is the fruit of that and Lord confound my enemies bring them to shame and again worship flows from a thankful holy heart desperate for more of God so I'm going to recap so you can remember these six things and we will be done the Rock and The Refuge here is how as the title said earlier God can be your rock and your Refuge here's how number one at the beginning put your trust in him sounds simple but it's not easy what are you trusting in here's here's here's how you know what upsets you when it doesn't go your way what it's irritating you it's not going my way I'm TR because when you trust in God it doesn't matter what way it goes when you're when you're trusting in God you look at NASDAQ and you've lost $500,000 not a good thing but my trust is not in that it's in God or or whatever you can fill in the blank there's many different things put your trust in God that's how he becomes your rock and your refuge and then number two incline your heart so he inclines his ear you position yourself so God can hear you through repentance and Brokenness respond to his call run to him and seek Him continually number four ask him to deliver you as you line up with his will and then number five attitude determines your altitude Praise Him and pursue him and then finally worship flows from a joy-filled thankful heart and that's how you make God The Refuge and the rock of your life [36:53:13]

and then verse 6 and 7 by you God I have been upheld from birth from birth you are he who took me out of my mother's womb when does Life Begin according to God at conception when that child is conceived and there is life God brings the life of that child very very young age that's where God views life I'm not going to get into biology many of you know but when that happens there's the life that child starts to grow so this nonsense that they can do things to babies even up to 9 months is is is utter embarrassment it's shocking it's murder amen it's what it exactly what it is yes [19:46:32]

and I just thought I wrote it down many of you have heard the verse death and life are in the power of the tongue and I notice he a lot of these psalmist they're negative sometimes but then they they switch to being positive in other words like they let it out okay Lord why are my enemies doing this ah but then they restrain themselves and focus on God again Benson commentary said the tongue that loves much talking shall eat the fruit thereof they shall receive either good or evil according to the quality of their speech and there's another verse that says in the multitude of words sin is not lacking have is it just me or have you never notice that the more you talk the more you're going to get in trouble correct yes the more you talk the more you're going to get in trouble it's best to to be quick to listen slow to speak weigh those words carefully I'm better now I still haven't perfected it but I I really think things okay well is this even worth it right is is this is this even worth it to say where's this going to go I'm I've got enough battles going on I don't need to have another one Matthew Henry in his commentary about 300 some years ago many a person has caused his own death or the death of others by a false or injur injur injurious tongue just reminder of the life we speak into our even our families our spouses who has to work on that tonight now the rest of you can put up your hand when but just the words we speak are so important [29:49:12]

and then he continues I love this prayer oh God oh God this is my prayer tonight for many of us do not be far from me oh God do not be far from me oh my God make haste to help me the irony is God Is Not far he doesn't travel to Saturn for a while I just watched yesterday to a docu have you ever watched like about the size of the universe it's mindblowing like I rewind what did he say how many how many solar systems how many how how long have they measured 100 million light years how far light travels in a year at 176,000 m per second or whatever what that God that God is over your life and you're going to worry man I just I honestly went to bed with a headache I like you you can't what what what does a 100 billion stars look like why don't they hit each other yeah why is this little blue dot out there just that you're sitting on supporting life out in this little tiny Speck of a Milky Way galaxy when there's all other kind of galaxies too black holes dark and and just these it's it's just like are you kidding me and so God is not far but sometimes it feels that way can you relate amen things are going good prayers are being answered blessing and John and mine are on worship together and you're just at the altar and you're just you're just feeling oh God you're so close you're so close and then comes Monday and the letter from the IRS and the letter for your landlord that your rent is going up in Southern California Edison says you owe $800 cuz you went over your that's that's my life what where's SC at now and so he doesn't leave but sometimes we feel that uh distance because of what we're going through so he says God make haste help me help me don't worry that iring was a good thing finally a refund let them let them be confounded let them be in other words he's saying let my enemy be confounded and Confused they are my adversaries let them be covered with reproach and dishonor those who seek my hurt but I will hope continually in you and I will praise you even more in other words this is amazing the more I go through the fire the deeper My Worship becomes that's the secret to success but as a pastor I see this all the time the deeper people go through the storm the more they run from God very few people very few people run to the Fountain of Living Water when they're going through hell they usually allow bitterness to set in and distance from God and they dig their heels in and they are victims have you you know have you heard the victim mentality what does that mean everybody's responsible except me they're the problem and my mouth will tell of your righteousness God all the days of my life I will go in the strength of the Lord God will make mention of your righteousness oh God you have taught me from my youth and to this day I will declare your wondrous Works he said I will go into the strength of the Lord and and I want to just talk about that briefly what does it mean to go into the go go into things go in the strength of the Lord into your day for example I'm going into the into my day with the strength of the Lord because as Believers we can walk in into things even as Believers in our own strength that means I'm going to handle it my way I'm going to do things my way my attitudes a little off I'm going to handle thi