The Shocking Promise

Welch I grew up in a home and I had a three other siblings. And my oldest brother he actually just turned 40 and my little sister she is 30. So there is four of us in a 10-year Gap and over the course of our childhood. There were three words that I can remember very strongly and they were not I love you. They were it's not fair. It's not fair. My parents had the impossible task as many other parents. If you've raised children, you know this to be true if you had multiple children balancing this whole idea of what I do for the oldest may not be what I do for the youngest and yet they're still going to be complaints. There's different privileges with different ages and just different opportunities and my siblings are constantly always looking in at one another saying it's not fair. The main reason is we knew how Wicked each other were we tortured one another we were mean to each other and so when somebody got something we didn't think they deserved It's not fair. I remember my brother turned 16. He got this 94 Nissan Sentra this just a little box. I think three guys to pick this thing. But my parents he got this car for MC started going to private school and it was sporty and red and he had that cruel bowl cut than the undercut in the hair parted and then my sister but your sister I would have came time for her to get a car. I don't even know what this thing was some Ford a hatchback. What what's that? Okay, and she definitely look at my brother and it's not fare. Well, then then my dad went into business for himself and my brother came to me one day and he said you think Sharon got a bad you're going to get the biggest piece of junk if you get anything at all. And I got as a shoot sense of humor. Cuz the same year I turned sixteen is the same year and my parents tumbled onto a wonderful account and I ended up getting a Jeep Wrangler and

it's not fair. It's not fair and those words can actually flow out of her mouth. So seamlessly even into adulthood can't they? Why does it work out in their life and not in my life? Why did they get healed and they didn't get healed it when we say it's not fair. It actually reveals something about our own hearts and it revealed a position that we take with God whether we actually mean it or not the position that it deals with an our heart is we're constantly comparing two people around us. We're looking at how their life is going and we have a pretty good view right now. Don't worry. I mean you just flip on your phone or your computer screen and you can get an idea of how somebody wants you to think their life is going really quickly and it's very easy to say, but God it's not fair. And what we end up doing when we say that as we assume that we deserve something better or we deserve more or dare. I say it God you're not coming through for me. It's not fair to point to ourselves and Elevate ourselves and what we think we deserve I deserve the good things that other people are getting. I mean after all look, I haven't missed a Sunday in months. I'm generous I'm kind why doesn't work out for me like everybody else. I want to let this idea this morning kind of seep into our hearts. Because often we want God to be fair. Let me tell you something. You don't want God to be fair. You ain't got to be gracious. You want God to be gracious? Because if we got what we truly deserve on the fairness scale, it would not look pretty for anyone of us and I can guarantee that it's so this morning we're going to tackle a very difficult story a story in which we can look at the lives of these people and say but God, why didn't you work sooner? Why didn't you come through when they were younger. Why don't you move? Why didn't you actor. Why why the story with even marry in this kind of awkward is her husband going to leave her or put her away. This is not fair in the way that you're working and we can sometimes sound like the solemness who says Lord. Why do the wicked Prosper? Why are they getting away with it? Why is my idea fairness not played out? Add a new chapter one. We're going to pick up in verse 5. It says in the days of Herod of Judea. There was a priest named Zechariah of the division of abijah and he had a wife from the daughters of Erin and her name was Elizabeth and they were both righteous before God walking blamelessly in all the Commandments and statutes of the Lord. Before we get into this passage too much and want you to consider a little bit about this man Zechariah and his wife the scriptures do not use the words that somebody's walking righteously and blamelessly very lightly. Do they We don't hear that about a lot of people and we look at the life of Zechariah. And this man is a priest but silver about 18,000 others that serve all throughout the region but not only that it came from a very dumb people don't kind of town married to a woman who could not bear children and worst was past the age of having children at the scriptures speak of this man in his lifestyle and they say hand and his wife their righteous. It's different than the kind of righteousness that Paul uses in 3 Romans 3:21 through 31 living his life according to the law and the statutes of God. He's blameless even when he says she's quit you confess them. He's quick to admit his fault people can't bring these accusations that are going to stick against him. He's walking and all the Commandments in the ordinance of the Lord. The faithful st. In this passage set you up for this Strong pedigree of a man who seems like I'd be deserving of anything and everything. He ever could ask of God because he is living his life in a way that exemplifies what it means to be Godly. But it takes a terrible turn in verse 7. And exposes this radical truth and it's not about fairness. It's about God's grace. It says but they had no child because Elizabeth was Barren then worse. They were both advanced in years. What is this? There's old as dirt Church. It ain't going to happen for them. It's setting you up for this strong sense of disappointment. Now we talked about this numerous times. We looked at Genesis and even mentioned last week, but in that culture for a family and specifically for a woman a mother having a child is where so much of their identity worth in value would have been wrapped up in could you imagine the amount of disappointment in a town where everybody knows your name where your husband is the priest? He's the one serving there in that synagogue and your situation is one of barrenness. What makes it even more difficult is the questions that would have been asked of them would have been the similar questions of jobs friends. Baroness was seen as a curse from God. You must have some hidden sin. You must have done something wrong. Why wouldn't God give you guys children? And can you imagine the emotion The Sting the hurt and the pain every time this gets brought up within that Community every time you would look at his own life and possibly make a defense look on living righteously.

I can't explain why this isn't happening for us. And in the way that the Bible puts these two together is beautiful because he's saying Your Righteous life does not gain you extra favor with God, but it's God's grace upon your life that shows his favor towards you. Amazing. It really dispels this idea that if we live a certain way he owes us something. The didn't cause this displeasure, but they felt this pleasure. And if anybody could have said it's not fair Lord, I would say it's this couple. Cuz they were servants and they love God. And they were faithful and it hadn't happened for them yet. Now, we're going to read a big chunk of scripture 8 through 17 pretty miraculous Story. The reason being is that of all the priests that served in the land of Jerusalem once a year 1 through the casting of lots would be chosen to actually go into the temple and to serve on this day. And this was a time of great expectancy and looking forward to this event for any priests that would be chosen to serve in this manner and they would hope that something great would happen and it says in verse page that while he was serving as a priest before God when his division was on duty according to the custom of the priesthood. He was chosen by lot to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. It's the Super Bowl of being a priest big moment. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside of the hour of incense and there appeared to him an angel the Lord standing on the right side of the altered incense and Zechariah was troubled when he saw him and fear fell upon him for the angel said to him do not be afraid Zechariah for your prayer has been heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you should call his name John and you will have joy and gladness and many Will Rejoice at his birth for he will be great before the Lord. He must not drink wine or strong drink. He'll be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God and he will go before them before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready for the Lord of people prepared. This is crazy. He goes into the temple and his Angel appears to him and he says your prayers have been heard.

I'm going to say something that I think is implied, especially with his response. So it's not necessarily explicit but Zechariah is pretty much past the age of continuing to pray for having a child cuz he knows I'm as I mean, it ain't happening been a while. Okay, and he goes In this next verse how how can this be going to ask this question? There's going to be this doubt that fills his heart. Look at Verse 18 Zacharias said the angel how should I know this for? I am an old man. My wife is advanced in years and the angel answer him. I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news and behold you'll be silent and unable to speak into the day that these things take place because you did not believe my words which be fulfilled in this time now. Just picture this your whole life. You've been praying praying praying. Poem you're in the temple where nobody else is supposed to be and all of a sudden you're talking to Gabriel you're talking to an angel of Lord. This spiritual being shows up and says, I know you've been praying for this. I've heard your prayers and I'm going to tell you they are going to be fulfilled and answered this was a sore spot in his life for years with pain and sorrow surrounding the news of not being pregnant over and over again and Zechariah. Here's the promise and he doubts he down now follow me on this because I think this is a game that we all play. The game that we all play with God now, here's the deal. I don't think Gabriel showing up today. All right. I'm just going to throw that one out there don't think so and maybe never even in your lifetime, but in scripture God's word. We have all sorts of promises that are given to us and you want to know the response often is how can this be? Not for me. It's long past due. This could never happen in my life. And if you think to the dark nights when your soul has cried out and the promises of God seem so difficult and hard to believe they're elusive WeChat grab hold of them. They can't be true for me. We've been begin to have all kinds of excuses and reasons why we believe these can't be true for me. Do you know the kind of life that I have lived Shirley that negates the promises of God in the scriptures for my life, but you know the kind of life I'm living right now. It's terrible horrible. I wouldn't want to share it with anybody if there is no way that God can actually love and care for me. Do you know my situation I've lost loved ones. How can God Comfort me and we act as if God was unaware of our situational circumstances when the scriptures were penned because no way could this be for me? We discredit the power of God. Sovereign command of God who oversees our circumstances and our lives Promises of God go out and then those moments they can seem so absurd don't they? Maybe in one of those moments where it's hard and difficult. How can this possibly be this morning? When I asked you personally, how do you handle the promises of God in scripture? I'm not talking some bad Pizza. You felt something speak to you that may or may not have been from scripture. Right I go I had this feeling I had this just turning in my God. I'm talking about concrete.

Promises that God has given us. Ones that are so cliche we get so tired of hearing but they're still just as valid in real Romans 8:28 all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purposes all things work together for good. You believe that. wife put you in a place of Despair and misery and it doesn't seem like you can claw out of whatever you're in about 2nd Corinthians 2. 2nd Corinthians 1 3 through 5 in the God of All Comfort comfort you and your trial so you can comfort those who go through likewise trials. Are you an uncomfortable painful difficult circumstances that have caused misery in your life? Do you believe that God in those moments can come for you? How about Ephesians chapter 1 we get this promise that God works in our life and salvation. He saves us eat seals us. 1st John that you are loved. And you can come across these texts in your life. And these have to be realities and Troost that we cling onto and hold onto Even in our darkest moments and it'll change the way that we look at and view the world around us. Is Dark Nights? Only get horrible news. When everything comes crashing down on you, why do we suddenly think that these promises are less true than on a Sunday when we're all singing a good songs and more happy. Why all the sudden is the comfort of God so distant from us? Why is it so hard to Fathom when we're in our darkest moment will resend so terribly wrong. We think no. Cannot. Let me know God cannot let them he cannot rescue. He cannot save why do we so quickly? Turn our backs like Zechariah saying, how can this be?

And he's real practical ways. How do we handle these promises when those close to us die? People get sick and not like the kind of sick. You just puking your guts up, but the kind of sick or there's no coming back from it only feel betrayed by others when extended love and we've been rejected. When all these promises semen surd? Difficult, I feel impossible. What are we do two things we tend to do really going to respond and Hope and Faith or in doubt and disbelief. I'm going to watch TV this little bit this morning to clean to the very words of God and hold on to him for help and strength ever going to look at all of this and say that is a sham. That cannot be trusted that cannot be real. What is Zechariah teach us about this doubt. reality is we all struggle a different times in our lives without the problem. Even for the righteous make sure it was CS Lewis wrote about this CS Lewis before becoming a believer in a follower of Jesus was an atheist that very very intelligent. I called him often and he wrote this on moments of Doubt believe in God and you have to face hours when it seems obvious that this material world is the only reality just believe in him and you must face hours when this material world seems to shout out at you that it is not all no conviction religious or are religious will have his cell and once and for all the fifth columnist in the soul that tagonist expera that fifth columnist what that means on the practice the faith resulting in the habit of faith will gradually do that what he's saying is doubt is no stranger whether you believe in God or not for some of us and our Darkness. Commence, which had doubts of God. Is this real God? Can you work. Can you move we feel like it's those dirty little secret they have to bury deep within that we ever even wondered. If God was there but great men and women of Faith had issues of Doubt throughout the scripture. Do you remember Sarah when the angel of the Lord came and said you're going to have a baby? What did she do that was not allowed to have joy was one of doubt just want to doubt. She didn't believe that he can work that he could move in that way because she chew was like Elizabeth past the age of having children. How about the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth? You might know him as John the Baptist or John the baptizer? Three three famous. Jesus said not a greater man. Born of a woman has ever lived. That's a pretty high claim placed upon his life. He's in prison play in there by Herod and John sends his disciples to Jesus with one question. Are you the one or should we look for another because in the back of his head, he knows the Bible. He knows the Old Testament and he's thinking yes, the blind will see the deaf will hear and the captives will be set free Jesus. Are you the one doesn't say a word because I'm to perform a miracle after Miracle after miracle in front of the disciples. And he says you go tell John on the one and they'll never be another. And you what happens to John? Off With His Head It doesn't play how it how he expected. It doesn't go how he thought he would and in that moment though. He receives the word and he believes it. That's a strength for him. She'd out. We think is his dirty secret that I could ever creeps into our heart or whatever creeps into our lives. Navigate to be ashamed of it and not talk about it, but doubt is no stranger to even the person of Faith. Have you are you doubting the promises of God today? Do you know what God says about you this morning? Do you actually believe it?

First thing we need to do is when you look at our hearts. Doesn't stem from a lack of evidence. But often it stems from our sinful hearts.

Here talk to somebody have you share the gospel with them and they said something along the lines of I just had a miracle. I could just see something amazing then I believe. Zechariah is as human as it gets because he's in the temple and an angel appears and tell them something miraculous is going to happen and he's like not for me miracles. Do not produce belief children of Israel had Miracle after Miracle daily with the breadman are coming down from heaven on top of cease being parted and pledge coming down and you can just talk about all the rest and they still had issues of hard-heart and doubts as he brute Peters talks about It's not wrong to want evidence for our face. Look at Luke 1:3 it seemed good to me. Also having followed all things closely for some time past to write an orderly account for your most excellent Theophilus that you may have certainty concerning the things that you have been taught you want proof you want truth. That's not a bad thing to desire belief in God is Not groundless, but there is an evil and demanding signs Beyond with a humble and open heart should want to require. Let me give an example of this you can turn over to Luke Chapter 11. verses 29 through 32

Just when the crowds were increasing he began to say this generation is an evil generation. It's 6 for a sign but no sign of a given to it, except the sign of Jonah 4 as Jonah became assigned to the people of Nineveh. So will the son of man be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment and the men of this generation to condemn them for you came from the ends of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon to behold something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn it for the repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold something greater than Jonah is here. Jesus is not belittling wanting some evidence for Faith, but he's saying your hearts this generation is a wicked generation cuz they require sign after sign after sign in order for belief. The scares me for modern-day evangelicalism. very scary place to be in it's no different than saying Jesus if you're real. Prosper me you get me out of trouble.

You keep me healthy you give me everything that I could ever ask for.

Casa Leda groups that say God if you're real we have to sense that in a way the motion we have to know that your presence is here until what age churches do often though. Dim the lights really well and they'll get really heavy synth on that music and the lead us into some heavy drum beats and they'll try to conjure up the atmosphere in which we can you feel and sense the weighty heavy presence of God. Kennedy comes like a drug that Christian seek after over and over again. I've got to experience this presence of God, which is not not what's being talked about hear God's presence is with every believer where we go and it's sad and breaks my heart when there's this idea and mentality that we have to have this present in order to believe that God is right next to us. Redeemers, I don't think this is a problem that the majority of us struggle with in here personally, but I think that there's an area that we struggle with and it's more like God why didn't you come through for me? Can't you just throw me a bone in the situation? Is that a little bit? I can be the same sort of experience is trying to seek after some of the emotional or Prosperity type of belief in God. Why didn't God heal? Why didn't God provide? Why didn't he do what I wanted him to do a lot of my conversations over the last few weeks. One of the things that have been a reoccurring topic is I got through some really dark times.

And I wouldn't wish them upon myself again. And I wouldn't want to wish them on anybody else, but it's been in those moments and those quiet evenings when God has moved in my heart in my life and it's a radically changed and shaped me. He showed up in a way that I never thought he ever could. Seen his glory in those moments. Jimmy often look at our circumstances and think they give us cause to doubt because God's not doing what we want him to do. But you are not God's God. Think about that. He is your god and sometimes he allows for us to be like Elizabeth and Zechariah and discuss it year after year and to plead the cry out to ask. And it takes time and it takes time and it takes time. But in the midst of that were promised that God is with us as we suffer the God cares and loves us and he's not neglected North forsaken us or rejected us. He is with us in the midst of our troubles. Do you cling to those promises doubt Creeps in because it's off connected with disappointment are long-term trials. This was thankfully not my experience growing up. Maybe it was some of your experiences growing up. I'm not sure, you know people like this but just imagine the father that gets talked about who's always telling their son or daughter. I'll be at the game this week. I'll be at the game this week and they never show. They never show year after year game after game at some point. What is that child start doing child right Dad. You ain't coming. It's not going to happen. Why because over time our disappointments long-term trials begin to doubt that somebody's ass. She going to do what they say they are going to do and it leads us to this idea that they will never come through for me. So you give up and you don't. Count a raise of hand, but maybe a raise of your heart who's in that place today. How are you? Cause me to question your goodness to question if you're actually show up because you're not doing what I asked you to do.

long-term trials and disappointments can lead to doubt I think of Elijah after he went to war with the prophets of Baal and there he goes and just self-pity finds himself in this cave saying God. I'm the only one that serves you and he says now there's 7,000 other Prophet Elijah. I got it covered. Don't worry. There's seven others have not bowed their knee to Baal. That's a lot of us are like Elijah God. Where are you? I look at a man like Joseph who trial after trial thrown in a pitch put into slavery. Even when he does good that still happens is a faithful man who loves God through it. So what are we to do we talked about this before but we can't shake it. What would it look like to doubt your doubts? God's not good. That's a doubt about doubting that God is not good. God is Not faithful. God will not see me through God will not comfort me. How about doubting those doubts and believing that God can work in that way. How do you asking if you have intellectual doubt and actually approaching the scripture and digging in and talking about it? But what I found most people don't struggle intellectually where they struggle with doubt is emotionally it's where there's been hurt where there's been pain where there's been suffering and it's those reasons that give cost for doubt in our lives. It's those reasons except people on a crusade to disprove God. What are your occasions preferred out this morning? What are your occasions for it emotional pain physical pain? experience of loss Here's the problem. We don't doubt her doubts until it's often too late. It's a big problem. Graphing to find yourself asking those questions until it's too late. What would it look like to come in early and say hey Pastor Elder somebody's been walking in the face for longer than myself is all kinds of wonderful mature Believers in this room seek them out and say I'm not here right now. Talk to you when I get some questions about suffering. I got some questions about when God doesn't show up. Can you help me walk through those things? Your doubts are not embarrassing because great men and women of Faith doubted. Don't suppress those doubts in healthy Seasons, but ask questions before the chaos breaks fourth ask ask about those things which are going to end. How are we to respond flip over to Luke 1 verse 26

Chest in a 6-month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and of the virgins name is Mary and it came to her and said greetings are favored one. The Lord is with you. She was greatly troubled at the same and try to discern what sort of greeting this might be and the angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for your found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your room and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the most high the Lord will give to him the Throne of the Father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and it was Kingdom will be no end and Mary said the angel. How old is Steve since I am a virgin question Zacharias a question. Zacharias the question and gave excuses this can't be because I'm old because she's old that's where his doubt comes into play. Mary says, how will this be? Look at this first 35 the angel answered her the holy spirit will come upon you in the power of the most high will overshadow you there for the child to be born to be called. Holy the Son of God who situation sounds crazier. Mary's. All right, that's gnarly check this out. And behold you relative Elizabeth in her old age also will conceive a son and this is the 6-month with her who is called Baron for nothing will be impossible with God and Mary said behold on the servant of the Lord, let it be according to your word and the angel departed from her. She believed she believes she's not chastise for asking a question is she it was Zechariah disbelief. If you read a story that has mouth was shut out a sign or you wanted to sign Zechariah. I'm going to give you the sign that every wife been wanting. You're not going to talk bro. You're just going to when you're going to serve and you're going to be all right as we saw last week he believes. She believes and it's very very different. Let it be as you have commanded. This is the gnarliest man. This is the gnarliest statement that I seen in the scripture here. Is this young 13, maybe 17 year old girl living in a culture where you are pregnant outside of wedlock your own family might Stone you it's a disgrace to the entire community that you live in she's betrothed to a righteous man. We read in Matthew. Do you know what he's going to do? He's going to quietly put her away not kill her not have her put to death, but he's going to divorce her she is going to experience shame upon shame for something. She doesn't even do angel Gabriel peers there to Joseph. He's like that are fall in line on this one, but their name would be tainted throughout that Community. Oh, you're the crazy woman who believes her son's God. How would you like that name walking around town? How would you like Got To Be Your Mother? And the life but she maybe would have felt and the pressure and what does she say? I believe book? Mary does not just believe the Lord. She believes in him. Cheney married is not just believe in him. She believes him. Changes believe that God exists. He just sort it out there and she can believe that there is a God she believes the very word of God that has come to her. She trust in his promises. And here's what so you need for you and I we have this same hope you can read all of Hebrews 6:12 through 19. But if we're closing out, I just want to end on this last kind of segment of that verse that says we have this hope as an anchor for the soul. Mary Mary believes the very word of God. She doesn't have this Western Americanized. Yeah, I believe in God or in a God and a higher power. She literally believe his word. She takes it for what it's worth Reimers. We do not believe in the Prosperity Gospel. That's not a promise that we can clean too and hold onto that. We get really whatever we want as long as we live righteously enough, but I'll tell you what whether you live in right or wrong because of God's grace is your follower Jesus. You can hold on to the fact that he loves you and he cares for you. You can live and walk in the promises that God has for you cleaning mm trusting that because you are his he's going to work in your life is communicating his glory to you. This morning if you have doubts, let's talk. What do we do with the story here?

15 years ago 14 years ago I met this young man. Using my youth group. He's 12 13 years old for about two or three years. We spent a lot of time together too much pizza hung out talked about the gospel kind of went away and he did his own thing eyedropper Trinity after 10 years to take him out just this last week he came into town. And I don't know how this was going to go. I didn't really know where his life was at and as we were driving back after lunch she goes, how do you believe when life's really bad? Email me that question first, then we'll meet up and talk about.

Okay going to put me on the spot and it put me on the spot. I worked at this young man. There's a few things when I have doubts. I said don't tell people there's a few things when I have doubts. Here's a few things one of those moments of dark nights when I struggled and wondered where are you God when I cried tears for people and you didn't show up and you didn't work and you didn't move when I question is all of this a scam or not because I myself have been placed in those moments in situations since don't tell anybody but I've been there man. I have those moments. I looked at him and said, First of all, I look at creation Psalm 19:1 tells us it's his handiwork that stretched forth the heavens. I look at the world around me and go by chance not so much too complex has to be a creative mind behind all of this. There has to be a God, I believe there is a God absolutely. I believe as I look at this world and go to ancient writing for the Ritz other historical tax or what is truly God's word in describes who he is. I told him I come to scripture man when I'm struggling when I'm doubting. The Bible tells me who got is and actually tells me who I am and it's not surprised or shocked my doubt. The next day it's really important for me cuz I gather with the Saints regularly every Sunday. I miss just a handful of Sunday's even when I'm not preaching all show up because there's something about the community happened to your husband corporately praise God and take communion together that we mutually encouraged each other. We're taking in the word of God together and there's something in that that God works and move you need to get yourself in a church. You need to be reminded who God is and then I also told him I also weekly find a deeper sense of community because we can't all know each other on the deepest level. Can we but I said I have groups of guys that I meet with throughout the week that encouraged me in the Lord. I'm in dark and hard seasons. That's where I go when I die out. What about you? How about you? What situation seems absurd and do you need encouragement in? I'll try to fight it on your own. Allow for God to work and move in you this is the gospel changing us transforming us married her responses. I believe redeemers. Do you believe he loves you? Do you believe that he knows you and cares for you? I'll tell you as we celebrate Advent and we're looking at looking back at what they looked forward to we know he loves us cuz this God went to the cross for us as we say he gave himself for us to make us his own he cares and loves and knows where you're at. Shootouts see his face was private. Thank you for your word for your kindness and your mercy. I think you that you're not angry or frustrated with us when we have doubts, but you come close to us in the midst of those doubts that you provided ample opportunity for us to be encouraged by the Saints through the corporate Gathering of one another your small group Gathering to your own creation, which screams that you were real that you exist.

Thank you. Thank you for the way that you show up in our lives. I pray this morning that would be deeply encouraged together if we sing praises to your name. Did you bring light to the community because you brought light into our lives that we see your Mighty hand at work. Go before us. working our lives in Jesus name we ask these things about