Faith Built on a Rock

Faith Built on a Rock
Job 4:1-8
June 17-18, 2023

On what is your faith built, is the question of the book. This book will stir up your faith and strengthen your faith. When I was young, we used to sing a hymn in the church, On Christ the Solid Rock. I love the lyrics of it because it just declares that foundation of faith. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name on Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, but then verse 2, when darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace in every high and stormy gale, in other words, in every storm of life that comes, my anchor holds within the veil. I love that declaration. My anchor holds.

See, when you're in distress and life's troubles, you need to know that your anchor holds on Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. That has everything to do with the book of Job. It has everything to do with how you interpret the circumstances of life when life begins to be difficult. Everything is against Job here in the story. Many of you know, of course, that Job is famous for the enduring of the suffering of Job. Will he curse God and die, which is what the enemy wants him to do, or will he hold on to his integrity in spite of the circumstances?

This book is about building a foundation for your faith that is beyond the circumstances of life. You see, it causes us to look more deeply. We need to look more deeply at what is happening in our life so that we don't make wrong conclusions. If you make wrong conclusions, you will make tragic decisions, and they will bring terrible consequences. The book of Job begins a whole new section in your Bibles. You might know the first five books are the Pentateuch, the books written by Moses. The next section, we could call history, that brings us from when Israel was in Egypt and enslaved there, all the way up to the point where they are returning back from their exile in Babylon history. Then the next section, which we're just beginning here, would be called poetry. That would be Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. Those are all we would call poetry.

Now, Hebrew poetry, it's important to note, is different than our, let's say, English poetry. Hebrew poetry rhymes in thought, not sound. See, our English poetry rhymes with sound. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you. It's rhymy. That's what makes it a poem. It sounds rhymy. Well, that doesn't work so well in French, even though French is a beautiful language, that doesn't work, or Greek, or Russian, but here's what's interesting. If you take a Hebrew poem, you can translate it into any language in the world and it will translate because it is the rhyming of thought.

Now, the book of Job is one of the oldest books of the Bible. It takes place probably during the time period of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, somewhere around there. It deals with some of the deepest issues of life. It has to do with how do you interpret life? How do you interpret circumstances, especially tragedies, because we want to know why. See, we're deeply burdened by things, and we, "Why? Why is this happening?" What we understand out of the book is that what we need is an anchor for the soul. We need a rock on which to stand. We need to know that faith can endure and not be shipwrecked. This book reminds me that there are many things I do not understand about God, which I readily admit. For I then say that if I understood everything about God, He would be as small as my understanding. You see what I'm saying?

No, there's so much more that I do not understand. In fact, let me give you a couple of verses that I think say that. 1st Corinthians 13:12, "Now we see as in a mirror dimly." Now, our mirrors are quite good, but in those days, a mirror would be polished metal, which would not be good. You look all distorted. He says, "Now we see as in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known." See, there is that perspective. We're limited in our understanding, but then we will know as we are fully known.

Then Isaiah 55:8-9, God says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways," declares the Lord, "for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." There's that perspective. There's so much more I cannot understand. I cannot understand, for example, why, why something happens. A great tragedy arises, why did that happen? I don't know why. The book of Job helps us to see that there is something greater at work that God has not yet explained. As we will see, by the time we reach the end of this book, God does not owe me an explanation either. The question has to do more with the integrity of faith. How will you respond when you don't know why? Will you curse God and die, which is what the enemy of course wants Job to do. Will you shipwreck your faith, or will you hold on to your integrity? Will you honor His name, even if you do not know why?

Now, the story begins by describing Job's character. Now, again, we're looking at the verse by verse around this on Wednesday, and that's where we were looking at this. The very first chapter begins by describing Job's character. He says he's blameless, he's upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil. Now, in other words, Job is a good man with a heart after God. Now, we need to see that it's very important in the story, foundational to the story, that he's a good man with a heart after God, and he's very blessed. It tells us he has seven sons and three daughters. Now, in those days particularly, it was a huge blessing to have a lot of sons. That way, they can help you work in the farm. Job had seven, and three daughters, and was very, very wealthy. In fact, I would say he was probably the wealthiest man outside of kings that lived there in the East.

Then we are brought into a scene of the angelic realm where angels are presenting themselves before God, and Satan also comes. Now, right there it bothers us that Satan has access there. Even in the book of Revelation, it describes and says that the accuser of the brethren, that would be the enemy of your soul, the devil and Satan, the accuser of the brethren accuses them before God day and night. Now, we know what his end will be. We know that he will be cast into the lake of fire that is at the end of the age reserved for him and his evil realm. For reasons beyond my understanding, the accuser of the brethren is not cast down until the events of Revelation take place. He is not cast into the lake of fire until the end of the age.

Now, until that time, it appears, that he has access to a realm about the earth inciting evil, accusing brethren, and having access to God. Now, if God had asked me my opinion, I would have suggested a different plan, but God did not ask my opinion, which is my point. See, by faith, I believe that there is a purpose that is greater than my understanding. I believe also that God will reveal all things. Now, we know in part, but then we will know fully. God will reveal all things, and when God does reveal all things, I submit that we will give him all the glory. As the angels of heaven declare the glory of God, so will we when we know fully.

Now, back to our story. All right, we're brought into that scene where angels are presenting themselves before God, and Satan also comes. God says to him, "From where do you come?" Satan answered, and he said, "From roaming about on the earth, and walking around on it." Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job for there is none like him on the earth. Blameless, upright, fearing God, turning away from evil."

Now, as I mentioned at the Wednesday service, if God and Satan are having a conversation, I would say, please do not bring up my name. Whatever you do, don't mention me. Satan then argues that Job only honors God because he's so blessed. "You have placed a hedge around him and blessed him. Now, you remove that hedge and all that he has, and Job will curse you to your face." Satan responds. Now, that hedge of protection, by the way, is an important, a spiritual principle, which I do believe applies. See, Satan will be allowed to put his hand on Job, but only by permission and only so far. The story unfolds that tragedy befalls Job, and he loses all that he has. Great tragedies, his great wealth, his family are destroyed. Yet in all of that suffering, Job does not curse God. He responds and says, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord is taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

It says, "Through all of this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God." Now, do you see Job's perspective? "I came into this world with nothing, and I'll leave this world with nothing." God, you don't owe me anything. Anything that I have, God gave it to me. The Lord gave, the Lord is taken away. God, you don't owe me anything. Blessed be in the name of the Lord.

Now, then he struck with sore boils from the soul of his foot to the crown of his head, his health now is affected, and so he takes a pot shirt, that's a piece of broken pottery, scraping his boils there as he's sitting among the ashes in his grief. That's when his wife famously, or maybe infamously says to him, "Are you still holding onto your integrity? Curse God and die, man." How much suffering can a man endure? Are you still holding onto your integrity? Curse God, give it up, curse God, and die, man. Which is what Satan wants him to do. That is actually the theme of the book. That Job does not curse God but holds fast to his integrity. You might say the integrity of his faith. That's why this book is inspiring. That's why this book will encourage you, encourage your faith. He holds on, he says, "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and that adversity? You speak as one of the foolish women speaks," he says, and in all of this, Job did not sin with his lips.

All right. Now, that's the point in the story, that we meet Job's friends. As you might know in the story, three of Job's friends come to join him. We meet a fourth one later. Now, I say that these are indeed friends. They're just terrible counselors. They're terrible counselors because they're misinformed, and their lack of understanding causes them to accuse Job of hidden sins. You're only going through this trouble because you did something to deserve it. Why don't you just admit it? Why don't you just come out with it? Why don't you just say it? Why don't you just let it be known so that God, you can repent of it? Now, let me just say it right there. That's not exactly how you comfort someone when they're going through tragedies. They're just terrible counselors, and they're wrong. You see, that's why this book is so important.

I. Look for that Which is Deeper

Many people draw wrong conclusions when it comes to the troubles of this life. What we need is to have a deeper understanding of life. We need to look more deeply of the issues of life. We need a deeper understanding, and we need to see that faith can endure through the distresses and troubles, and not be shipwrecked. God will use this book to strengthen and encourage you. We're in chapter 4. We'll begin reading again. We look at the verses around this at the Wednesday service.

Chapter 4, Eliphaz is one of those friends. He's the first to speak. By the way, a little context more here. When these three friends first join Job, they sit down with him in the ashes and do not say anything for seven days. They're just sitting there because they see that his pain is so great. No, I submit that that actually is a good thing right there. They're good comforters. Sometimes when a friend goes through something really tragic, you want to say something profound, you want to say something really deep to really help them in their healing, but sometimes the best thing you could do is just be there. That's what they do. That part's good. They're just there.

The first one to speak is Job. That's in the previous chapter where he starts to speak and he says, "I ruined the day that I was born. I wish I had never been born." Oh, my birthday. You know how it is. Everybody celebrates their birthday. No, Job says, "I despise the day of my birth. I wish I had never been born."

All right, so now Eliphaz speaks, 4:1. "Then Eliphaz, the Temanite, answered, 'If one ventures a word with you, would you become impatient? Who can refrain from speaking?'" In other words, I've got to say something. I'm sorry. I've got to respond. I've got to talk now. He starts out by saying, "Now, look, behold, you have admonished many, you have strengthened doing cans. Your words have helped the tottering to stand, and you have strengthened female knees." Which is to say, now, Job, you have been a leader, you have been an instructor, you have helped others, you have helped other people. You've helped plenty of other people when they've been going through troubles. Now that it's come to you, now you're impatient. Now that it touches you, now you are dismayed."

Well, sure, with all of everything he's been through. No, he's accusing Job. Oh, is not your fear of God your confidence, is not your integrity of your ways your hope. Here it comes, verse 7. Here we go. "Remember now, whoever perished that was innocent? Do the innocent perish? Or where have the upright been destroyed? Look, according to what I've seen, those who plow iniquity, and those who sow trouble, harvest it, and by the breath of God, they perish, and by the blast of His anger, they come to an end." These are the verses I want us to look at. Again, we'll look at the other verses on Wednesday. There is a lot for us to see and to take hold of in these verses, starting with this.

Look for that which is deeper. We need a deeper understanding. Eliphaz has jumped to the conclusion that Job must not be innocent, he must be guilty, and his suffering proves it. The fact that you're going through this trouble proves that you deserved it. Now, his reasoning is faulty. Here is a dangerous part of his argument. He is in fact stating something that is true. This is why it is such a dangerous argument. He is stating a true principle, but it's like if you take a principle and then you apply it wrongly, you're going to get wrong conclusions and wrong results, and it could be disastrous.

A. Wrong conclusion - God is punishing you

It's, for example, it's like taking a Bible verse and then wrongly using that Bible verse like that. That's the truth. You just took that truth, but you wrongly applied it, and the results are going to be disastrous if you don't rightly apply truth. Correct? Problem is, this reasoning is correct, but this reasoning does not work in reverse. He's made wrong conclusions. We're going to look at that first wrong conclusion. God is punishing you.

Now, let's start with, first of all, what is right about what he said. Again, as I say, he's using as a premise here, a truth. Now, it is, in other words, straightforward, that if a person sins, if a person does iniquity, he is sowing the seed that will bear unpleasant fruit. Is that not true? Yes, it's true. If a person sins, if a person does iniquity, they are indeed sowing seeds that will bear very unpleasant fruit. That's the main premise of his argument.

It's true, when looking forward, notice verse 8, according to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble harvest it, and by the breath of God, they perish. God is punishing you, is the assumption. As I say, he's giving a truth, it is out of the Bible, I'll give you the verses. There's several, but I'll give you two key ones. Hosea 8:7, "For the sow to the wind and they'll reap the whirlwind." All right, that's one. Probably the main one is Galatians 6. Galatians 6:7-8 contain what I call the Principle of the Harvest. Very key, very important, you would be very wise to take hold, and to really know and understand these verses. It starts out, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked." Now, right there is a pretty strong way to start any verse.

That means this is very important. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, this, he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh, will, from the flesh, reap corruption. The one who sows through the Spirit will, from the Spirit, reap eternal life." It's an important truth, and it's the truth. It's the Principle of the Harvest. Everyone would be wise to take hold of that great truth. Again, it's important to rightly understand how to apply it. It's looking forwardly. If you sow to the flesh, you will, from the flesh, reap corruption. We know that is a great truth, but can you make the same conclusion in reverse?

In other words, if someone is going through trouble, can we conclude that they sowed the seeds that brought about their trouble? See, now, that's why the first chapter of this Book of Job, so very clearly, from the earliest verses, so very clearly points out that Job is upright, fearing God, turning away from evil. In other words, he's not going through this trouble because he's evil, he's going through this trouble because he is righteous. Be very careful about coming to that conclusion.

Is it possible to do something righteous, and then it bring forth trouble? Is that possible? Sure it is. Try standing up for God today in the culture in which you're now living, and you'll see what kind of trouble comes. You try to take a no-compromise stand in the name of Jesus Christ in today's modern world, and then you'll see what kind of troubles come. Is it possible to do something righteous and then troubles come? Yes. Be very careful, in other words. The conclusion, we need to look deeply.

For example, all right, Jesus one time came upon a man born blind. The disciples were with him. The disciples, seeing that the man was born blind, they said, "Now, Teacher, who sinned that this man was born blind?" In other words, we've already concluded someone had to sin, we just don't know who it was. Teacher, who was it? Was it this man? Somebody had to sin. Was it this man or was it his parents? Teacher, who was it?" John 9:3. Jesus said, "No, neither. It was neither that this man sinned nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

Are you going through some difficulty or some great period of trouble? Could it be that the works of God might be displayed in you? Don't assume that what God is doing is to punish, maybe God is preparing. Maybe God is preparing to display something of glory in your life. Don't assume. Do you know, the reason that people oftentimes jump to that conclusion is because everyone has enough sin to "prove" that conclusion is right? Everyone has sin in their lives. Therefore, there's enough sin that you could "prove" that conclusion, but we need to look more deeply.

B. Wrong conclusion - bad things shouldn’t happen

For example, wrong conclusion number two, bad things shouldn't happen. Well, to say it more completely, bad things shouldn't happen to good people. Now, it's very common for people to come to that conclusion when something bad happens. In other words, it's the same kind of thinking, it's the same kind of logic used in the first conclusion. If every tragedy is the result of sin, then every good thing is a result of doing something good that you deserved it.

Then they take it one step further and say, if a person does good things, then it ought to protect them from bad things. In other words, bad things shouldn't happen to good people, good things should happen to good people. As I used an illustration on Wednesday, Imagine you're golfing, and you hit a shot, and it goes flying down the fairway and then veers off to the right. I know all about this, I've seen many people do it. You hit a shot, it goes careening off to the right, ricochets off a branch, flies up into the air, and lands right in the middle of the fairway. Then what do you say? "Wow, I'm good." No. You know what happens? You careen that shot off to the right, ricochets off them. The more branches it ricochets off, the better, and it comes down right in the middle of the fairway. Inevitably, somebody in your group will say, "Man, you must be living right." See, that's the way we think. Oh, you must have done something right.

Here's another example. You know the movie Sound of Music? In the movie, Sound of Music, after they figure out what to do with a problem like Maria, Maria discovers that Captain von Trapp is in love with her. She sings this song, which I am now going to sing for you. No, I'm not. No, I'm not, but I am going to quote the words of this song because the words of this song contain that thinking. Notice.

Perhaps I had a wicked childhood,

Perhaps I had a miserable youth.

But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past,

There must have been a moment of truth.

For here you are, standing there, loving me.

All right. That's it. That's all I'm going to give you, forget it.

Here you are, standing there, loving me,

Whether or not you should.

So somewhere in my youth or childhood,

I must have done something good.

Nothing comes from nothing,

Nothing ever could.

So somewhere in my youth or childhood,

I must have done something good.

See, many people believe that if you're doing something good, something worthy, something honorable, then you ought to be protected from bad things happening. Therefore, when something bad does happen, they cannot understand. Why, when I've been doing something good? Why does it not protect me from something bad?

Surely after our daughter was killed, maybe you know our story. Our daughter was killed. She was murdered. In fact, this year marks 10 years. When it first happened, the reporters were outside our door. For several weeks, we did not speak to them, but finally, I did realize we must. I went out to speak, and one of the first questions that a reporter asked me was this, "You're a pastor, how do you reconcile this with your faith?" Now, do you see the assumption behind that question? The assumption behind that question is, I'm a pastor, and because I'm a pastor, and because I'm a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, only good things should happen to me. No need for an umbrella for me. When I walk in the rain, I don't get wet.

Bugs don't splatter my windshield. I don't get burned in the sun. No, only good things happen to me. Really? Then why was I raised in extreme poverty? Why did I have an alcoholic father that abused our mother? Why was my daughter killed by someone who simply wanted to know what that felt like? The other question might be, why do bad things happen to good people, and why do good things happen to bad people?

There is Psalms 73. Psalms 73 takes on this question. The psalmist here is Asaph, he was David's main worship leader, which was a significant position. He writes-- You've got to read the whole of The Psalms, it's quite amazing. I'm going to give you the cardinals of the Psalm. Psalm 73:1.

Psalm 73:1, "He lays out here a premise of a truth," which is right. Surely, God is good to those who are pure in heart. Now, that is the truth, that is a right principle. Isn't that true? Yes, it's true. Surely, God is good to those who are pure in heart. However, as for me, my feet came close to stumbling. My steps almost slipped, for I was envious of the arrogant, and I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They were not in trouble as other men. In other words, it troubled me, good things were happening to bad people. Then he says, "Surely in vain, I've kept my heart pure. Surely in vain, I've washed my hands in innocence, for I've been stricken all day long, I've been chastened every morning. Oh life, he says, life is hard for me. Well, life is hard. He said, when I pondered this, when I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome to me, troublesome in my sight, until that, is I came into the sanctuary of God.

Then his view, then the way he sees it is changed. It troubled me until I came into the sanctuary of God. Then I perceived their end. Surely, you set them in slippery places. Surely, you have cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they have been destroyed in a moment. See, in other words, what he's declaring is, I know, in other words, my faith is that I know that God will settle all accounts. God will see to it. All accounts will be settled. Therefore, I trust Him. I trust Him with my eternal life, and if I trust Him with my eternal life, then I will trust Him with my life here on earth. That's why he concludes Psalm 73, in a grand way. Psalm 73:25, where he says, "Therefore, whom have I in heaven but you, and besides you, I desire nothing on this earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and God is my portion forever."

In other words, what He's saying is, I've come to see something. I've come to understand something far greater, that my soul is made alive. God is the one who gave me a soul. There is something far greater than what my eyes can see. By God's glory and God's presence, he has made my soul to be alive. Because of God, my soul now sings whom have I in heaven, but you Lord. There's nothing on this earth that I desire, but you, for you are the one who's made my soul alive, and if your soul is alive, the meaning and the purpose and the depth of life is fulfilled. God, your glory and your presence, means everything to me. Because of you, my soul sings. Amen. Amen. Let's give the Lord praise and glory. Amen.

II. God has a Higher Purpose

Then we also see this in the story. God has a higher purpose. You see, we see what they could not see, which is why we have this book, to give us a deeper understanding. We see what they could not see that there is something greater at work. Here's an example. During the days of Elijah, a widow was kind to him. She allowed Elijah to stay in a room that she had prepared on the roof. She provided food. She treated him kindly. In other words, she was doing good. Sometime later, her son died. Now, at first, she drew the same conclusion as Job's friends. 1 King 17:18, she said to Elijah, "What do I have to do with you, oh man of God? You have come to bring my iniquity to remembrance, and then put my son to death." You see how she sees it? Everybody has enough sin, and so she said, "What do I have to do with you, oh man of God? You've come to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death."

Now, at first, Elijah didn't understand what was happening either. "God, are you causing her son to die?" And then he prayed for the child's life to return. The Lord heard Elijah's prayer, and the life of the child returned to him. This is where we see a different view, different perspective. Something greater was at work. There was a purpose He could not see. This had nothing to do with this woman, whether she did good or bad, and nothing to do with her at all. It had to do with the fact that God was doing something greater. There was a greater work. God was even preparing the way for the Messiah. For when Jesus raised a widow's son, everyone exclaimed. Everyone remembered Elijah. When Jesus raised a widow's son, everyone remembered Elijah. Behold, a great prophet is among us. God has visited His people. God was preparing the way for the Messiah all the way back in the events of Elijah.

A. God transforms us through our pain

There is a greater work, a greater purpose, and one of those is that God transforms us through our pain. We know also that God can use it in our lives. There is something greater at work. God can bring beauty out of ashes. This is a great hope for us. God is able to bring beauty out of ashes. God can use the pain to transform us, and I know that He has.

The story of our daughter, as I mentioned-- By the way, you can pray for us in the sense that the Oregon Supreme Court has overturned the conviction due to a technicality, and the whole thing has to be retried, which will very likely happen this year or perhaps early next but pray for us. Nevertheless, sometime after our daughter was killed, shortly after a few weeks, I was having coffee with a friend. We were discussing the case. At some point in the conversation, my friend mentioned the killer by name. I interjected, "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't use his name." I didn't want to hear his name. It was so raw. My friend graciously responded, "I know it hurts, I know, but God will heal this. I know that someday you will let go of this. I know someday God will heal your hurt. You will not hold on to anger," and he was right. God did heal, God did transform, so much so that I went from not wanting to hear his name, to standing in front of him in court and offering him forgiveness by name. God can heal, God can transform, God can bring beauty out of ashes. God can use it for His glory. Do you believe? This, I know, God does not cause, but God is the one who can bring beauty out of ashes. God does not cause, but God is the one, and God is the only one that can bring beauty out of ashes, that much I know. Amen. Let's give the praise. Exactly right.

B. Our hope is not for this life only

Then we see this, our hope is not for this life only. See, in other words, our perspective, how we see, it's so limited. We commonly see things only in the light of what is happening in the moment. There is a bigger picture, there is something, there's more to life than what we see with our eyes. For example, it takes a long time for a little child, it takes a long time for them to understand the idea of a future of tomorrow. A child has to grow into that understanding. In the same way, we oftentimes, we only, we see things so limitedly. We evaluate things according to what we see with our eyes. When God brings purpose out of our pain, God is giving us an eternal perspective. There is so much more to life than what you can see with your eyes.

1 Corinthians 15:19, "If we have hoped in Christ for this life only, we are of all men most to be pity." No, our hope, our glory is eternal in perspective. Here's an illustration. For example, many of you know the name Fannie Crosby. Fannie Crosby was born with perfect sight. She could see perfectly well for the first six weeks of her life, but she developed an eye inflammation, and as was common in those days, the doctor applied mustard poultices, which is like a mustard paste, which was a lack of understanding, but that was common in those days, but it was far too strong, and it burned her eyes, and she was blind.

Later, she wrote, and I just quote here from what she wrote, "It seemed intended by the providence of God that I should be blind all my life," and I thank him for it. I thank him for the disposition. If perfectly earthly sight was offered to me tomorrow, I would not take it. I would not accept it."

Now, would you notice there, "If perfect earthly sight could be given to me, I would not take it," because in her physical blindness, she was given tremendous spiritual depth and insight to perceive. She went on to write more than 8,000 hymns and poems, some of the most powerful in church history. She is the one who wrote Blessed Assurance. Jesus is Mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love. This is my story. This is my song. Praising My Savior. All the day long. She could see.

There is more to this physical life. There is more to life than this physical world in which we live. God's purpose is higher. There is more to life than what we can see with our eyes. God wants you to change the way you see your perception, to look deeper, to understand God's heart. This is what you must know. God is faithful. God is faithful in His love for you.

When Jeremiah, the prophet, saw the Babylonian army destroying his beloved Jerusalem, impended these words in Lamentation 3:21-23, the Babylonian army was destroying his beloved city, yet he wrote this, "This, I recall to my mind. Therefore, I have hope that the Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease. His compassions, they never fail. They are new every morning. New every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." Ah, those are the words that is the foundation of the great hymn, Great is thy faithfulness. Oh God, my Father, there is no shadow of turning with thee. For His mercies are new every morning. New every morning. Great is their faithfulness. This is what you must know. God is the one who gave you a soul. God, He gave you a soul to sing, to be alive. There is far more to life than what you can see with your eyes. God wants to give you a depth of understanding that your soul would be made alive and that your soul would sing, "There is purpose, there is meaning, and there is life." That your soul would be made alive in the presence of the King.

Let's pray. Lord, we are so thankful to you that you help us to understand that there's more, more than what we can see with our eyes. You are the one that poured life. You're the one that made our soul to be alive. You're the one that made our soul to sing. God, we know that there's where purpose is found. There's where meaning is found. We give you glory and honor. Make our souls alive. That's our prayer. There's far more to life than what we see with our eyes. God, we say it to you today, make our souls alive. Make our souls to sing, by the glory of the presence of the King.