The Hand of God

TURN to 1 Samuel 19

MESSAGE FOR ME TODAY; HOPE IT’S A BLESSING to YOU...

Intro:

EVER AGREE W/: SOMETHING GOING to BE DONE RIGHT…MUST DO IT YOURSELF??

EASY to WANT to TAKE MATTERS INTO OWN HANDS

BE CAREFUL WITH THIS THOUGHT as CHRISTIANS...

WHY?--- ULTIMATELY WE KNOW WE AREN’T SOVEREIGN.

OUR HANDS AREN’T SOVEREIGN…WE’RE SUBJECTED to the SOVEREIGN HAND of GOD.

EVEN WHEN WE/ TAKE THINGS INTO OUR HANDS…WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THEY’RE in the HANDS of GOD…&& WE’RE LIMITED...

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Recap:

Last Week:

GROWING SUCCESS of DAVID && GROWING JEALOUSY of SAUL...

BEGINNING W/ GOLIATH,, GOD GRANTS DAVID CONTINUAL SUCCESS

WOMEN of ISRAEL RESPOND: SAUL HAS KILLED THOUSANDS…DAVID 10-THOUSANDS!!

SAUL GETS SO JEALOUS—TRIES to KILL DAVID.

PINNING W/ SPEAR

GIVING DAUGHTER FOR WIFE— HOPING PHILISTINES WILL KILL DAVID...

WE LEARNED: BE CONTENT W/ MEASURE of SUCCESS GOD GIVES…

ENVY SAYS: “GOD YOU’VE BEEN TOO GOOD TO THEM & NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO ME”

STORY PICKS UP TODAY: GROWING SUCCESS of DAVID…SAUL = INCREDIBLY JEALOUS.

(T) And our TEXT TODAY begins in CH. 19 VS. 1..., and it says,

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Text (1 Samuel 19:1-24)

Setting/Inciting Incident: “Saul’s Desire to Kill David” (v1)

1 Samuel 19:1–24 (ESV)

1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David.

SAUL DETERMINES AGAIN to KILL DAVID...

SO IMPORTANT: BRINGING OTHERS ON BOARD FINALLY… JONATHAN + ALL SERVANTS.

TELLING JONATHAN = MISTAKE…FOR JONATHAN LOVES DAVID…LAST WEEK THEY ENTERED INTO COVENANT...

(T) So, with the CROSSHAIRS on DAVID, what will they do? WILL the SERVANTS OBEY KING SAUL?? Will Jonathan decide to obey his father rather than do what is right? The text goes on to say in verse two,

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Rising Action: “Jonathan’s Desire to Save David” (v2-3)

2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.”

SAUL MADE MISTAKE TELLING JONATHAN---JONATHAN WARNS DAVID.

JONATHAN = INTERMEDIARY—TRYING to RESCUE SITUATION...

THINK: JONATHAN SPARING DAVID = SELFLESS…FOR JONATHAN = LOGICAL HEIR to THRONE!

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JONATHAN SETS ASIDE PERSONAL INTERESTS to DO WHAT’S RIGHT...

the TEST COMES WHEN IT’S MORE CONVENIENT to DO WRONG THING...

ADVANCING CAREER/BUSINESS BY DOING SOMETHING DISHONEST...

TAKING ADVANTAGE of OTHERS FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT...

JONATHAN GOES HARD ROAD: TO ATTEMPT to SAVE DAVID...

(T) The only question now is WHETHER or NOT JONATHAN’S PLAN WILL WORK??. The text goes on to say in verse 4,

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Partial Climax: “Jonathan’s Effort to Save David” (v4-5)

4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?”

JONATHAN ADDRESSES SAUL W/ HARD TRUTH:

“Saul, David has been nothing but good to you.”

DAVID RISKED LIFE to FIGHT GOLIATH FOR ISRAEL!

DAVID’S SUCCESS BENEFITED ISRAEL && SAUL!

DAVID’S VICTORIES = SAUL’S VICTORIES...

&& DAVID HADN’T SINNED AGAINST SAUL… DAVID WAS INNOCENT...

SAUL WAS ERRATIC—WILLING to KILL JONATHAN OVER SILLY VOW… && WILLING to KILL DAVID BECAUSE of JEALOUSY...

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REMEMBER: LAST WEEK…ENVY MAKES FRIENDS INTO FOES.

COVETOUSNESS SPLITS MEMBERS of SAME TEAM & BRINGS DIVISION.

JONATHAN POINTS OUT WELL: WHAT HAS DAVID DONE???

(T) But see, the PROBLEM has been all along that SAUL ISN’T EXACTLY A REASONABLE PERSON... so how will he respond to Jonathan’s reason? Surely Saul has no excuse or justifiable reason for why David should be killed…Will he continue on his own plan and determine evil against David, or has Jonathan won his father? The text goes on to say in verse six,

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Resolution: “Jonathan’s Success in Saving David” (v6-7)

6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

GOD USES JONATHAN to SPARE DAVID’S LIFE...

SAUL LISTENS to JONATHAN & DECIDES to SPARE DAVID...

&& DAVID MUST BE FORGIVING…FOR HE RETURNS to SAUL’S SERVICE…AFTER SAUL ALREADY TRIED to KILL HIM TWICE!

(T) So, THINGS have at least FOR a MOMENT SETTLED DOWN, and now our text is going to turn in verse eight and says,

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Setting: “David’s Success” (v8)

8 And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him.

PEACE BETWEEN SAUL & DAVID....BUT NO PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL & PHILISTINES....

WAR ERUPTS.. & GOD GIVES DAVID GREAT VICTORY.

GOD’S BRINGING SUCCESS to HIS CHOSEN SERVANT & FUTURE KING.

(T) So finally, THINGS seem to be GOING WELL FOR DAVID and again DAVID is EXPERIENCING GOD’S BLESSING. But we know that the good seasons at this point just don’t seem to last, so let’s see what happens next in verse nine.

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Inciting Incident: “Saul’s Desire to Kill David (v9-10)

9 Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

FAMILIAR SCENE:

SAUL SUFFERING FROM TORMENTING SPIRIT

DAVID PLAYING LYRE

&& SAUL DETERMINES to KILL DAVID & THROWS SPEAR @ HIM AGAIN!

HARMFUL SPIRIT from GOD = JUDGMENT on SAUL FOR LACK of REPENTANCE...

SPIRIT NEVER DROVE SAUL to HIS KNEES in REPENTANCE…SAUL ALWAYS RESISTED GOD.

INSTEAD, SPIRIT PROVES TIME & TIME AGAIN…SAUL = DISQUALIFIED.

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DAVID SPARED BY GOD’S PROVIDENCE…DODGING SPEAR.

**3 TIMES SPEAR STICKS INTO WALL (AMONGST OTHER THINGS)

SITUATION REMINDS ME of COYOTE & ROADRUNNER… W/ COYOTE’S (SEEMINGLY FOOLPROOF) PLANS ALWAYS FAILING

GOD WAS WITH DAVID… & GOD WAS PRESERVING DAVID’S LIFE...

(T) So, again, DAVID ESCAPES WITH his LIFE INTACT, so what will Saul plot now? The text goes on to say in verse 11,

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Rising Action: “Saul’s Effort to Kill David” (v11)

11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”

PLOT to KILL DAVID VIA JONATHAN & SERVANTS FAILED...

SPEAR FAILED AGAIN...

TIME for NEW PLOT: SEND MESSENGERS to HOUSE to TAKE & KILL HIM!

REMEMBER MICHAL & JONATHAN = BOTH SAUL’S CHILDREN...

NOW TWO of SAUL’S CHILDREN TRIED to FOIL SAUL’S PLANS....

(T) So, WILL DAVID ESCAPE out of the house alive? Will Michal’s plan work as Jonathan’s had? The text says in verse 12,

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More Tension: “Michal’s Effort to Save David” (v12-13)

12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. 13 Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with the clothes.

DAVID ESCAPES SAUL’S CLUTCHES...

MICHAL W/ CLASSIC MOVE, HIDING THINGS UNDER BLANKETS...

**APPARENTLY RELIGIOUS DUALITY in MICHAL’S LIFE… HAVING an IDOL in the HOME...

(T) And then the text says,

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Further Tension: “Michal’s Success in Saving David” (v14-17)

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”

16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’ ”

MICHAL’S TRICK WORKED TEMPORARILY....

MESSENGERS COME for DAVID.

MICHAL REPORTS HE’S SICK.

MESSENGERS REPORT BACK to SAUL

MESSENGERS SENT to TAKE DAVID…WHILE SICK!

BRING SICK DAVID…IN BED… & WE’LL KILL HIM

**DAVID HAD ALREADY ESCAPED… GOD USED MICHAL to SAVE DAVID’S LIFE...

WHEN CONFRONTED…MICHAL LIES, CLAIMING DAVID THREATENED HER...

REGARDLESS…DAVID = SAFE.

(T) And so WHERE DOES DAVID GO now that he has fled? Well the text goes on to say in verse 18,

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Resolution: “David’s Escape” (v18-19)

18 Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

NOWHERE ELSE to GO? DAVID GOES to SAMUEL APPROX. 3 MILES AWAY (RAMAH)

SAMUEL = WISE & HEARS FROM GOD....

GOOD PLAN.

(T) But we also see now that SAUL HAS HEARD that DAVID is WITH SAMUEL at Ramah, so we anticipate that Saul hasn’t quite given up yet.

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Inciting Incident: “Saul’s Attempt to Kill David” (v20-21)

20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

SAUL SENDS MESSENGERS to TAKE DAVID...

HOLY SPIRIT OVERWHELMS THEM…CAUSING THEM to PROPHESY—DECLARE GOD’S WORDS & PRAISE

GOD’S PROVIDENCE HAS BEEN ACTIVE…HELPING DAVID DODGE SPEARS, USING JONATHAN & MICHAL...

NOW GOD GETS DIRECTLY INVOLVED.

THIS HAPPENS 3 TIMES…SPIRIT of GOD = ACTIVE

(T) So, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN you run OUT of OPTIONS? Well, we’ll see in verse 22,

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Resolution: “God’s Success in Saving David” (v22-24)

22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

WILDEST PART of STORY TODAY!

BACK in CH. 10— SAUL PROPHESIED & SAYING WENT AROUND...

& GOD’S SPIRIT COMES on SAUL AGAIN...

MAKES a REBELLIOUS KING BOW TO TRUE & LIVING GOD.

***WHEN PLANS FAIL…SAUL TAKES MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS…NOT REALIZING GOD’S HAND is STILL ACTIVE...

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ENCOURAGEMENT: GOD IS IN CONTROL.

NO MATTER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE—GOD IS IN CONTROL.

WHEN NATIONS ARE RAGING—GOD IS IN CONTROL...

WHEN the ENEMY IS ANGRY—GOD IS IN CONTROL.

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SAUL, TOOK MATTERS INTO OWN HANDS…NOT REALIZING THEY WERE ACTUALLY in THE HANDS of GOD...

TO PROVE IT: GOD PUTS on a SHOW...

NOT ONLY DOES SAUL LOSE CONTROL…BUT HE ENDS UP STRIPPED & a PUBLIC SPECTACLE.

GOD DISPLAYED THAT NO ONE CAN TOUCH HIS ANOINTED UNLESS THEY GO THROUGH GOD FIRST.

LAST WEEK: JONATHAN HUMBLY REMOVES HIS WEAPONS, ETC… NOW, SAUL FORCED to BOW.

**GOD CAN STEP IN & DO WHATEVER HE WANTS, WHENEVER HE WANTS.

OUR FREE WILL/AGENCY = CONSTRAINED BY GOD’S POWER & SOVEREIGN REIGN...

(T) And so, we should LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE TODAY, the idea that,

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Homiletical Idea:

When human beings try and take matters into their own hands, they’re never outside the sovereign hand of God, and no hand can come upon God’s people without His permission.

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WE FORGET THIS...HEAR of TRAGEDIES...

BUT GOD’S HAND = ACTIVE in WORLD TODAY & GOD FAITHFULLY PRESERVES HIS PEOPLE...

***NOT a QUALIFIER to TEMPT GOD…BUT NO REASON to WORRY...

HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY & DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY = BIBLICAL DOCTRINES in TENSION...

GOD HAS FINAL WORD.

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Gospel:

THIS SHOULD BRING US GREAT JOY TODAY!!

COMMON FEAR: DEATH… & DAVID HAD REASON to BE AFRAID.

IF YOU’RE a BELIEVER: 2 REASONS NOT to FEAR DEATH.

CLEAR FROM TEXT: SOVEREIGNTY of GOD...

DOESN’T MEAN NO HARDSHIPS…BUT WE’LL BE BROUGHT THROUGH

DALE DAVIS: “Sometimes the clearest evidence that God has not deserted you is not that you are successfully past your trial but that you are still on your feet in the middle of it” (p. 200).

**GOD WILL PRESERVE US UNTIL DAY HE’S DONE W/ US.

2. 2ND REASON: IF YOU’RE SAVED…DEATH = ENTRANCE to GLORY.

APOSTLE PAUL—PHILIPPIANS 1… FOR ME to LIVE IS CHRIST & TO DIE IS GAIN...

LIVING = FRUITFUL LABOR

DEATH = BEING W/ CHRIST.

And I want to ask you, DO YOU HAVE THAT HOPE THIS MORNING?

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FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE: NO REASON to FEAR DEATH.

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T BELIEVE: DEATH = DAY of JUDGMENT.

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FOR BELIEVERS in PRESENT: SURELY GOD SPARES US FROM MORE THAN WE’D EVER REALIZE.

FOR NONBELIEVERS: EACH DAY = GOD’S MERCY...

GOD OFFERS TIME of THIS LIFE to TURN in REPENTANT FAITH to HIM...

(Q) HOW DO YOU RESPOND??

Romans 10:9–10 (ESV)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

CHRIST BY HIS DEATH—HAS REDEEMED US FROM FEAR of DEATH…DESTROYED ENEMY W/ HIS OWN WEAPON...

(Q) ARE YOU FREE FROM FEAR of DEATH TODAY??

(T) And now as we close, I want to share a few TAKEAWAYS with you all today.

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Takeaways:

LEARN ABOUT GOD?

GOD WILL USE VARIOUS MEANS to KEEP HIS PEOPLE...

GOD USED JONATHAN

MICHAL

HOLY SPIRIT… & MIRACULOUS RESCUE.

GOD USES VARIOUS THINGS to PRESERVE US.

GOD = SOVEREIGN OVER ALL...

GOD CAN EVEN OVERRIDE OUR HUMAN AGENCY IF NEED-BE!

GOD CAN TAKE THOSE DEAD in SIN & DRAW to FAITH...

GOD is SOVEREIGN WHETHER WE SEE it OR NOT...

LEARN ABOUT US?

CHALLENGE: TRUST GOD W/ ETERNITY… & W/ LIFE TODAY....

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App:

YOUR LIFE = COMPLETELY WITHIN GOD’S HANDS....

WHITFIELD/WESLEY: “We are immortal until our work is done,”

YOU MIGHT SAY: “I’M NOT DAVID”

OBVIOUSLY…EVEN IF YOUR NAME is DAVID...

PROPOSITION:

GOD DOESN’T LOVE DAVID MORE.

NOTE PAUL’S TEACHING on BODY of CHRIST—INSIGNIFICANT in WORLD’S EYES = STILL IMPORTANT & SIGNIFICANT to GOD.

GOD = NO RESPECTER of PERSONS...

GOD DOESN’T LOVE ME as PREACHER MORE THAN: CARPENTER,, ENGINEER, STAY @ HOME MOM,, OR SCHOOLTEACHER...

ALL of US HAVE a GOD-GIVEN TASK & RESPONSIBILITY… & UNTIL YOU’RE DONE, YOU’RE NOT GOING HOME.

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DIFFICULTY = NO ONE KNOWS WHEN OUR WORK is DONE...

SO MANY PEOPLE DIE UNEXPECTEDLY in OUR EYES...

WE MUST ACCEPT (for BELIEVERS) THEY’VE COMPLETED THEIR WORK & THEY’VE GRADUATED.

***EVEN JESUS COULD’VE DONE MORE W/ MORE TIME, BUT DIED @ 33....GOD’S PLAN PREVAILS, EVEN IF WE DON’T UNDERSTAND.

SURELY GOD HAS SPARED US ALREADY MORE THAN WE’LL EVER REALIZE...

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CLOSE: GOD = SOVEREIGN OVER DAY of OUR DEATH…OUR DEATH WON’T EVER BE UNEXPECTED to GOD...

COVID isn’t sovereign.

CANCER isn’t sovereign.

CAR ACCIDENTS aren’t sovereign.

HEART FAILURE isn’t sovereign.

GUNS aren’t sovereign.

STROKES aren’t sovereign.

KIDNEY FAILURE isn’t sovereign.

NATURAL DISASTERS aren’t sovereign...

(Q) WILL GOD USE SOME of THESE THINGS to TAKE US HOME??....SURELY...

BUT to GET to YOU…THEY HAVE to GO THROUGH GOD FIRST!

CLOSING: SHARE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES of VARIOUS WAYS GOD TAKES US HOME:

DAVID SURVIVED:

LIONS

BEARS

GOLIATH

SAUL

PHILISTINES

EVENTUALLY DAVID STILL DIED.

ADAM & EVE SPARED FROM IMMEDIATE DEATH BECAUSE of SIN…BUT ABEL (SON) WAS MURDERED,, & BROTHER WAS PROTECTED.

JOB LOST FAMILY…BUT WAS PRESERVED BY GOD

NOAH & FAMILY = SPARED FROM GLOBAL FLOOD…EVENTUALLY DIED.

ELIJAH (PROPHET) DESIRED DEATH & WAS TAKEN to HEAVEN…BUT ELISHA (SUCCESSOR) 2X SPIRIT DIED of SICKNESS!! & HIS BONES RESURRECTED SOMEONE!

HEZEKIAH & JOSIAH = RIGHTEOUS KINGS DURING DIVIDED KINGDOM...

HEZEKIAH = SICK.. & GOD SPARED HIS LIFE...

JOSIAH DIED in BATTLE W/ PHARAOH NECO.

JOHN the BELOVED WASN’T MARTYRED…BROTHER JAMES WAS KILLED BY HEROD...

PETER & PAUL BOTH SPARED COUNTLESS TIMES (MIRACULOUSLY) && EVENTUALLY BOTH WERE MARTYRED.

PAUL:

STONED & LEFT for DEAD.

WHIPPED/BEATEN

SHIPWRECKED

BITTEN BY VIPER

RIOTING CROWDS

OUR JOB ISN’T to FIGURE IT OUT…OUR JOB is TO TRUST GOD…HIS EYE = ON THE SPARROW… & I KNOW HE WATCHES ME....

SOMETIMES WE’LL STILL BE SURPRISED…WE’LL THINK PEOPLE DIED TOO YOUNG, OR TOO SUDDENLY...

BUT WE MUST BELIEVE…IF THEY WERE BELIEVERS,, THEY DIDN’T DIE UNEXPECTEDLY in GOD’S EYES… & THEY HAD a WELCOMING PARTY READY FOR THEM.

GOD KNEW NUMBER of OUR DAYS B4 WE EVER EXISTED...

TRUST & BELIEVE—GOD = SOVEREIGN & GOOD...

WHEN HE’S DONE WITH US: TODAY, TOMORROW, 50 YEARS FROM NOW,, THEN HE’LL BRING US HOME…

IN THE MEANTIME, WE LIVE FOR HIM, UNTIL the DAY WE’LL BE WITH HIM, AMEN?

CLOSE in PRAYER