The Fool Says in His Heart ...

Psalm 14 and verse one to begin this morning. Psalm 14 verse one. Big long passage here to start today. Psalm fourteen one. The fool has said in his heart, there is no god.

They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none that doeth good. Once again, the first part of that verse is, the fool has said in his heart, there is no god. Let's go to the Lord in prayer.

Lord, thank you for this day and this opportunity to proclaim your word, to worship here together with your people. I pray Lord that indeed your spirit will move among us. Lord, that you would work in our hearts. Lord, that we would see if there be any wicked way in us, that you'd lead us in the way everlasting. Lord, we pray if there be one who's never trusted the Lord as savior today that this would be their day of salvation and we thank you for the opportunity to exalt the name of Jesus.

In Jesus name, we do pray, amen. We'll start this morning with a question Why are you here? Now, not not why are you here at Missouri Avenue Baptist Church this morning but why are you here? Why are you alive? Why are you here on this Earth?

You know that's a question that a lot of people ask for which they do not have an answer but the Bible has the answer. We can know why we are here and it does matter greatly with how we live our life. So sad to say there's a lot of people today that are living their life aimlessly without direction and without purpose. Why? Because they don't know what.

Why they're here. The Bible tells us clearly why we're here and why they are here. It says in Revelation four eleven, thou art worthy oh Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We are created beings created by a holy, almighty, loving God who made us. He made us and created us for his glory, for his honor, to demonstrate his power and for his good pleasure.

That is why we are here today. We are created to bring glory and honor and pleasure to the one who created us and made us. We inherited that that that same nature from our God. If you invent something, if you make something, if you create something, you create it and you make it for your what? For your pleasure.

And you find pleasure in that thing that you created and that you made whether it be a painting or whether it be a a toy for a kid. Or whether it be a building to live in. We create and make things for our pleasure. God did the same. He created you and he created me for his pleasure.

And when we fulfill our purpose in life, guess what we experience? Pleasure. That's right. When we fulfill our purpose. Yet mankind continues sadly to deny his creator, to deny his creator the glory and the honor and pleasure that he is due.

Question is this morning, how about you? How about you? Are you denying your creator the glory, honor, and pleasure he is due? Or are we living in such a way by faith? We're walking by faith, living by faith in him so that we do bring glory and honor and pleasure to the one who make us.

Basically, there are two ways that man deals with God. Either he says yes to God or he says what? No to God. Either you say yes to God who created you or you say no to the God who created you. If you say yes to God, you are rewarded.

Hebrews eleven six, but without faith, it is impossible to please him that is to please God. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a what? Rewarder of them that diligently seek them. I think brother Mike mentioned that in one of his sermons this week. God is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him of those who say yes to God.

Matthew six, it says, but when thou doest thine alms, not not thy left hand, know what thy right hand doeth, that thy alms may be in secret, and thy father which see it in secret shall reward thee openly. God rewards those who say yes to him. Not because we are deserving of that reward. But by the grace of God. Who deserves the reward?

Jesus Christ deserves the reward. He's the one who came from heaven. He's the one who died lived the perfect life. He's the one who died on the cross in your place and mine. He is the one who offers to us everlasting life.

It is Jesus today that has earned the reward but if you say yes to God by faith, you will also enjoy some of that reward with him who has made us part of his family. If you say no to God, you are punished. The Bible is also very clear on that. It says, in second Thessalonians one eight and nine, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel that to be saved by gross through faith of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be what? Punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.

God promises in his word. He promises those who say yes to him That he will reward them with everlasting life and many other wonderful things. He also promises those who reject him and say, no. God, he promises them everlasting destruction. John three eighteen says, for he that believeth on him that is Jesus is not condemned but he that believeth not in Jesus is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.

So, your eternal destiny starting with today is the term is all dependent upon what you do with Jesus and on what you say to God. Whether you say yes, I will receive Jesus as Lord and I will trust in you as savior. I will believe in you as my creator God or whether you reject the God who made you and the son whom he sent. Let's look at the latter category first for just a moment. Let's look at the latter.

That's the those who say no to God and sad to say, which do you think there is more of in this world? Those who say no or those who say yes? Sadly, the answer is those who say no. The Bible calls the way that leads to destruction the broadway because it says that there are few that find the narrow way but there are many that are on the broadway which leads to where? Which leads to destruction.

Matthew seven. Sad to say, there's a lot more on the Broadway he say no to God and there's many different ways you can say that people can say no to God. They can simply say as this verse says, there is no God. A matter of fact if you look in the passage there, if you have a King James version you'll know there is is in italics. That means it was added by the translators for understanding.

Literally the passage says, the fool has said in his heart, no God. They added there is to help us to understand what it meant by no God. There is no God. And there are many today that do that. They call themselves atheists and they say they believe that there is no God.

And people ask me sometimes, well how do you prove to an atheist there is a God? You don't prove to an atheist that there is a God. God has already given proof to an atheist that there is a God. The problem is they will not accept the evidence that God has already given them. He has given them the creation of the world in which they live.

The heavens declare the glory of God and God says because of that they are without what? Excuse. God has given us a conscience with which we are born that tells us there is a right and there is a wrong and that there is someone who makes the rules for right and wrong. Who is that? That is God there without excuse.

The God has given us the Bible, the Word of God which is translated now into hundreds of languages and is broadcast in many different forms all over the world. Yes there are many people who still have not heard the Word of God but close to the majority today probably have heard some of it. They are without what? Excuse. But yet many still claim that there is no god.

Many others, likewise, say, well, yeah, there is a god, I guess, but it doesn't affect how they live. Doesn't affect how they live. Some of those people call themselves agnostics. Agnostics believe that, well, there is a god but you can't really know who he is or or know what he wants. Well, sorry.

I've right here. He's given us his word so that we might know who he is and we might know what he wants. Praise God for the word of God but sadly to say, there are some people that say, well, yeah, I believe there's a god but you know, others are, they're not agnostics. They they just don't what? They just don't care.

They just don't care what God thinks. Matter of fact, I think that defines the majority of people. You go out and ask the average person on the street, do you believe in God? What are they going to say? Yes.

Okay, then ask em, how does it affect your life that you believe in God and then you'll find out if they really believe in God or if they don't because if they believe there's a god, they really believe it and it matters to them. It's going to affect their what? It's going to affect their life in somewhere. They're they're going to church. They're going to go to church.

They're going to go to some kind of study. They're going to have a code, a moral code that they live by that that that affects their thinking every day because there's a god in heaven for whom they're going to give an account. But so many people as defined in Romans three, it says, there is no fear of God before their eyes. They say, yeah, there's a god but they don't seem to care what he thinks. Bible says, sadly, one day, they'll care.

And then it'll be why? And then it'll be too late. It says of them in Psalm ten four, it says, the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not at all in his thoughts and how sad that is and how true of humanity. Without God's intervention in our lives, we'll just continue go on our way down the broad way that leads to what?

That leads to destruction. Romans one twenty eight says, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. So, they said no to God. No. Well, maybe you're there but no, I don't want you to be part of my what?

To be part of my life. Let me be, leave me alone. I'm going to do it my way and so God says in his word that he gives those people, many of them over to a reprobate mind so that they continue Some of them merrily on their way to destruction and then there are those who put their fist in in God's face and yes, I know there's a god but you're not going to tell me what to do. We call those people rebels and there's a lot of those today too. When Jesus Christ returns at the end of the tribulation to set up his kingdom on Earth, he's going to be met with a army in the Valley Of Megiddo, probably the largest army that the world has ever seen.

They're going to be there with their fist in God's face saying you will not reign over us and God will wipe them out and he will establish his throne. Sad to say today that's already the case among many people. Even among God's own people. The Jews. It says in John one eleven, he came unto his own in his own what?

Received him not. Jesus came to his own people to the Jews. He had written the Old Testament scriptures were written by mainly Jews, Hebrews. God gave them revelation so they might recognize the savior when he came and the savior came and those who worshiped or said they worshiped almighty creator God thumbed their nose at the Messiah and said, no. We will not have this man to rule over us.

How do you think God's going to take that? Not well. Look if you would in Luke. Turn if you would to Luke chapter 19. Luke chapter 19 and we're going to look at 11 through 14.

I'll give you just a moment to find it. Luke chapter 19 and verses 11 through 14 and then we're going to skip down for the sake of time to verse 27. Okay. So, Luke nineteen eleven through 14 and then we're going to skip down to verse 27 to see the final end, okay? So, verse 11 and as as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

Who is Jesus talking to? He's talking to the Jews. To the religious leaders in particular but to the Jews, his own people. He said therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return and he called his 10 servants and delivered them 10 pounds and he said unto them, occupy till I come. But his citizens what?

Hated him and sent a message after him saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. Who is Jesus talking about? He's talking about himself. Who are the citizens he's talking about? The nation of Israel.

He came unto the nation of Israel. And then he went back to heaven after dying on the cross for their sins and ours and before his resurrection and after his resurrection, the nation of Israel said, we will not have this man to rule over us. What will God do when he returns to this Earth that he created and those he made? What will he do with those who have refused and rejected and rebelled against his authority and have said, we will not have this man, this God to reign over us. It tells us in verse 27.

Verse 27, but those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me. Other passage it says they will be cast into outer what? Darkness. Where there's gnashing of teeth. Place called hell.

The fool has said in his heart what? There is no god and whether he's an atheist or an agnostic or whether he's just somebody who just simply says, well, yeah, there's a god but he ain't telling me what to do. He said in his heart, there is no god. Some replace the true God with false ones. That's that's an easy way to get around God.

You just simply make up a what? You make up a new God that is fine with the way you want to live and that's what much the world does. They originally all started out knowing the true God. They started out at Adam and Eve knowing the true God and they turned from him and God had to destroy the world with a flood. They started out again with Noah and his family knowing the true God and what did humanity do again?

It turned away from God and God had to confuse their languages and he started again with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and what did the nation of Israel do? They turned idols away from the true God. Didn't like the restrictions. Didn't like whatever about the true God so they went to false ones which agreed with how they wanted to live. They made made idols.

What are the first two commandments? Thou shall have no other what? Gods before me. The second one, thou shalt not make into thee any what? Graven images.

Romans 121 through 23. I'll just read it for you. Romans 121 through 23 say this, because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools, changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man into birds and four footed beasts and creeping things. That's what mankind does when he turns his back on the true God.

He turns to idols or he turns to false religion. The bible says there's only one way. Jesus said I am the what? The way, the truth, the life. No man comes to the father but by me.

You can't get there through Mohammed. You can't get there through Buddha. You can't get there through Confucius. You can't get there through Joseph Smith. You can't get there.

You fill in the blank. There's only one way to heaven and that's through faith in who? Jesus Christ. He is the only way. But many people choose false religions Others go about trying to please God the wrong way.

Trying to please God. You know, there is a wrong way to try to get to heaven. There's a wrong way to try to please God. You may even say, I believe in God. You may say, I believe in Jesus Christ.

But many people who say those things are still trying to get to heaven the wrong way. What's the wrong way? The wrong way is through good works, through self righteousness. That's what the Pharisees were trying to do when Jesus came to this Earth. The Pharisees, the leaders of and the teachers of the Jews believed they were going to make it into the kingdom not because of their faith but because of their self righteous works.

They thought that they were better than everybody else and therefore, they had earned the right. Everybody else had. The Bible says, for all have what? Sin and come short of the glory of God. The Bible says in Ephesians two eight and nine, for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of what?

Works, lest any man should boast. Not of works, lest any man, not of works. That's the wrong way. The only way you can be saved is by God's grace through faith in his son, Jesus Christ, who died for you and rose again. The Bible says in Titus three five, not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy, he saved us.

Galatians two sixteen concerning the works of the law, it says this, should say two sixteen not three. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, You're not just the word justified means declared guiltless or innocent. We're not declared guiltless before God based on the works of the law. But by the faith of Jesus Christ. How are we declared justified before God?

Through faith in who? Through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. Paul's taught, we, even we Jews, have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be just, not just Gentiles but we Jews also have to be saved the same way you do. We can only be saved by faith.

That we might be justified by faith of Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. You can't get to heaven through doing the works of the law. You can't get to heaven by doing the works of the church. You can't get to heaven by doing good to your neighbor.

Now should you try to keep the 10 commandments? Yeah, you should. That's God's moral law. You should be honest. You shouldn't steal.

You shouldn't kill. You should be faithful to your spouse. You shouldn't take God's name in vain. Okay? However, keeping those things or trying to keep those things is not going to get you to heaven.

The only things that can get you to heaven is faith in Jesus Christ in receiving God's grace, his gift of everlasting life. So sadly there's many ways of saying no to God. Either you say no. God I don't believe you exist or say God no you're not going to tell me what to do or you say no. God I'm going to choose a different God or you say no God I'm going to try to get to heaven my way and not your way.

Many different ways that people say no to God. But all of those who say no to God are still on the broadway that leads to what? Destruction. All find their end as place the Bible calls a lake of fire. Now, let's look at the other way real quick.

The other way. Those who say what? Not no but yes. Those who say yes to God. John three sixteen says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoso believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans ten nine says that if thou, if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus that he is Lord, believe in your heart that God had raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Save from what? Save from sin and its eternal penalty in the lake of fire. That's what God wants for you.

He wants you to go to heaven. He died for you. He offers you a gift. If you will receive it by faith, if you will say yes to God, if you'll surrender to Jesus as Lord. You will receive God's gift eternally.

Says this in John six and Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger. He that believeth on me shall never thirst and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise why? Cast out. If you'll come to him, he will not cast you out.

He will receive you. Trust those who put their trust in God and choose to come to God through faith in the son of God for salvation from sin and hell will by God's grace be granted eternal life and never perish. What a reward. What a reward that Jesus earned for us. That is ours to be had in Jesus Christ.

However, not all those who say yes to God for salvation experience and receive the same measure of assurance. The same measure of blessing and the same measure of reward. Let me say that again. Not all those who say yes to God for salvation experience and receive the same measure of assurance, the same measure of blessing, and the same measure of reward. Yes we who accept Christ will receive reward in that we will go where?

To heaven to a place he has prepared for us. But you will not necessarily receive the same measure of reward or the same measure of assurance or the same measure of blessing particularly on this earth or even in the world to come. If you would turn in your bibles to two Peter. Two Peter chapter one and we'll read a few verses here as we wind down. Two Peter two Peter chapter one we're going to read verses one through 11 and if you'll give me just your undivided attention for about ten more minutes I would appreciate it greatly.

Second Peter chapter one verse one, this is important. Most of you that are sitting here to this morning have said what? Yes to God and you're a child of God and you're going to heaven. However, however, remember we don't all receive the same measure of assurance and the same measure of blessing and the same measure of reward and there's a reason for that. Look if you would second Peter chapter one and verse one.

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ to them that have obtained precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord according to his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us unto glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Peter is talking about those who are saved. Okay?

Those who have been saved by the grace of God through faith in his son. Look if you would in verse five. Speaking of their faith he says, And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith the faith that made you whole in Christ Jesus that saved your soul add to that faith what? Virtue. And add to virtue knowledge.

And to knowledge temperance self control. To temperance patience. To patience godliness. Add to godliness brotherly kindness. To brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that passage is describing this kind of Christian. This is someone who lives each day in the knowledge of their relationship with God. They wake up every morning and they think about and they pray about and they pray to whom? God.

They know the Lord and he's part of their life and they grow to be more like him day by day spending time reading his word, spending time like you are this morning, hearing his word. Spending time heeding, obeying his word, and talking with him in prayer. Serving him with their lives. That's the kind of person described here. Someone who is growing in the faith and is adding to faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and they're becoming more like who?

More like Jesus Christ. They're being conformed to the image of God's son. They're growing. They're changing. God is blessing.

It's wonderful because God is part of every day of their life, every hour of every day and they're growing and what does the Bible say about that person? Look back in verse eight. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you're a growing Christian, if you're hearing God's word, if you're spending time in prayer, if you're serving the Lord, you are going to produce fruit. Spiritual fruit.

The the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, long suffering, goodness, meekness, gentleness, those things. You're going to reproduce in the lives of others as you share with them Jesus Christ. You're going to produce fruit and that is going to bring you joy. Why? Because you are fulfilling the purpose of he who what?

Created you and it will bring joy and it will bring assurance. You will have confidence in your relationship with God. Why? Because he's part of your life every day and he's changing your life and so you will have assurance and you'll be in the place of blessing. And you're laying up treasure where?

In heaven. That is the first person here. Now, some have ups and downs. Maybe even stray for a time but in the end, they come back to the Lord and become faithful servants to their God. You know, a lot of people, they get saved and they keep growing and off they go.

A lot of people do a little bit of what? A little bit of this. It happens. It happens. Some people do a little bit of this and some people do a few of these big things.

But in the end, because they're a child of God because God's working in their life. They get it right. They come to revival. They come to church. They read God's word.

God, God pulls and tugs on their heart and they get right and they get back in church and get back in the word of God and they start again to what? They start. They rise up again. That's what that song was about. I sang.

Psalm 37 says this, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and the Lord delighted in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be what? Utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. You fall, you say, I've fallen. Do you know the Lord as he's savior?

Then, you can get back up. You can get back up and you can do that today and you can be this person and you can have that blessing and assurance in your life. Proverbs twenty four sixteen, for a just man falls seven times and rises up again but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Bible says in first John one nine, if we confess our sins and we all sin still, sad to say but if we'll confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all. He'll cleanse us from that.

He'll pick us back up. He'll put us back in the right way. Bring blessing and produce fruit. Maybe that's you today. Maybe you say, yeah, that's me.

I was there and now I'm here or maybe that's you today and that you're down and you need to get what? You need to get back up and you can. But then there's this this other. Look if you would in verse nine. But he that lacketh these things, he that lacketh, who hasn't grown, who hasn't added to faith virtue and the virtue, knowledge, and brotherly kindness, and patience and temperance and love but he that lacketh these things is what?

Blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he purged was purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things you shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. You see there's this other group. Some who half heartedly fluctuate or vacillate through their Christian life from Sunday to Sunday.

They only think about God. God is someone for Sunday and not Monday through Saturday. So they come and they sit in a pew on Sunday and then they don't think about God till when? Next Sunday. Or from year to year.

These are the people you know they show up at Easter, they show up at Christmas, they show up for special events. They're not here on a regular basis. Or from revival to revival or crisis to crisis. Going, giving God their time when it is convenient or necessary in their mind. This person, to this person, God is more like a genie who is there to grant their wishes, to help them out of a fix when they need him rather than a father to obey or a savior to cherish, a friend to love or a god to serve.

To them he's more like a genie than those other things. They call on him when they get in a problem. They remember him then. The rest of the time they're going about their own business. Some give only a second thought to their heavenly father's wishes for their life and the rewards which he offers causing them to stagnate and even doubt their salvation if indeed they do possess it.

These are those referred to in verses nine -eleven. Those who lack these things. Maybe they made a profession of faith. Maybe they got saved. I don't know.

Their heart only God looks on the what? Only God looks on the heart. But they're not producing fruit. They are not growing. They are not consistent in their life.

God really isn't a part of their everyday life. That's a red what? That's a major red flag. Peter says there's a problem. And you know that kind of person they become dull in their sight and they become shortsighted.

Everything's only about today and they don't see eternity and they're not living for eternity. And many of them forget. They even for, it says here, forget that their sin. Those who were truly saved but aren't growing, they forget what God did for them. And they're not living for him.

And they don't have assurance. They're not sure. If you talk to him, are you going to, well, I hope so. Well, I think so. Well, did you trust?

Oh yeah, I trusted Christ but I, you know, what's the problem? The problem is, they haven't added to faith, virtue, and the virtue, knowledge, knowledge, and they become stagnant and they lack assurance and they and they and they get upset because God just doesn't just bad things keep happening. God doesn't care about them and why is it that this happens and that happens and let me ask you a question. What are you doing for God? What did John Kennedy say, ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.

God says don't ask what I can do for you. Ask what you can do for me. Why? Because I've already done it for you. Jesus already did it where?

On the cross of Calvary. It is our turn to not ask God, well, what are you going to do for me today? Instead, we need to be asking what? What am I doing for you today? God will bless.

God will give peace. He will give assurance. If you come to me and you say pastor I don't have assurance. I can't give you assurance. Only God can do that.

But if you've trusted Christ as savior and living for him you should have that. But if you're not living for him likely you don't. And what are we told here? Look in verse verse 10 again, wherefore, the rather give diligence make sure brethren, your calling and election. Then what does that mean?

Make sure you're saved. Make sure that you truly genuinely came to Christ and received him as Lord. Because there are a lot of Christians quote unquote sitting in pews in churches today that really aren't sure and many who really aren't going to heaven. So, make sure because if you aren't growing, there is a what? There is a problem.

Figure out the problem. By God's grace, fix it. The question I am asking this morning is who are you? Are you the one who has said no to God this morning? And by faith needs to say yes to Jesus and to the gift of salvation he offers you.

Do you need to say yes today to Jesus? Do you need to be saved? For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. If any, as many as received him, that's Jesus to them, gave you power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name. We give the invitation a moment.

Please come. I'll show you. I'll pray with you. I'll help you to make sure. Are you one who has said yes to God and there was a time when you were experiencing his blessings and growth but you fallen away from his blessing and service and you need to rise up again.

You need to repent of your sin and do the first works. You need to start again to add to your faith the things mentioned in second Peter. Is that you this morning? You can make that decision that you can you can rise up again. You need to have a talk with who?

You need to have a talk with God about it. Confess those sins. Confess those sins. Get back on the right path. Are you one who has stagnated in your Christian life and maybe this morning, there's no fruit, no joy, and maybe you have thought to yourself, am I really a Christian?

God says this morning, make sure. Don't sweep it under the rug till next week. We're not assured of another week. Make sure today. Maybe you never really said yes in the first place.

Or maybe there's sin in your life you need to deal with. Whichever it is today. Don't let it pass. Please. Don't let it pass.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your grace that you have shown toward us. For Jesus Christ who died for us. Thank you Lord for those that have come today to hear the preaching of your word. I pray Lord that you will use it and have used it in their life and in mind to open our eyes, to draw us closer to you, to challenge us, who are growing in the faith to grow more, and to thank God every day for the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus and for those who are struggling, I pray Lord that you would would raise them up.

Lord, help them to confess whatever sin, whatever stronghold has been holding them down, to cast off those sins and weights, and to run with patience the race set before them, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith. Lord, I pray today as we pray that they would pray. And confess their sins to you and I pray Lord if there's one here again never trusted you. I pray they would. They would come as we give this hymn of invitation and be safe today.

In Jesus name, amen.