First i want to thank Conocanary for the wonderful pastoral Anniversary . Each and everyone of you

To Sister Crowe, and the Committee I truly am appreciative .i want to thank Indian Woods and Rev Moore.

I know it seems as if the trouble we face will never end. As soon as one thing stops ,or seems to stop something else rears its ugly head.

I know I thought we had faced this Covid-19 problem, suffered through it and this variant comes and starts the whole thing over again.

Some have a pessimistic view of life and for them statements like if its not one thing its another seems some appropriate.

The bible says it a little different for when Job was at his ;ow point he uttered the words man who is born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble.

And so this defeatist attitude does exist but I don’t believe the God i serve has brought me this far to leave me. I don’t believe that the god i serve will not turn this thing around.

Let us look to King David for some inspiration.

2 Samuel 22:2–4 NLT

He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

Father, i come humbled but thankful,

I come looking for you to make away for me. Let me speak you words with boldness, and confidence. let me say something that will strengthen a saint or bring someone to the Altar saying what must I do to be saved. I do thiss in the name of your son Jesus the Christ , amen.

Trouble don’t last always.

As i was saying earlier some of us can get caught up looking at life as a downward spiral that continues to do go down. If i was to tell you i never had some valleys, that I never was depressed, bitter or drained. i would be lying. But i want you to know that for every time I faced that feeling, experienced that situation, that there was a God that was by my side. See you missed your shout. Every time, there was God that was by my side. i may not have known it at the time but there was a God by my side.

Anybody here know anything about that God i am talking about!

Anybody ever had a little of that Jesus in their life that lifted them when they were in need of lifting.

Let us look at David, Jesse son!

Family

Favored by God! Even after he survives his father in law trying to kill him, and some of you thought you had in law trouble, and he survives to become King.

one son rapes his half sister, her whole brother kills him.

Another son Absalom rebels and tries to take the Kingdom from David. he is killed. and then another insurrection led by a man named Sheba tries to take Israel , and when that is put down here come the Philistine with their giants.

David had family problems that kept popping up, different of variations but still family problems,

David had ruling problems, different problems but variations but still governmental problems !

David had war problems , especially with the Philistines and their Giants, different Giants , but still Giant problems.

Variants can do that. The enemy can do that, You see just when you thought that the problems was solved, the enemy defeated that the enemy will come at you the same way with just a different slant , a variant of his initial attack.

And if you are diligent, I f you are in the word of God, if you don’ have a prayer life , then you can get caught up.

Look at David !

Having defeated the giant Goliath as a boy , you would think that as a man he would not have to face giants. You would think that having defeated the Philistines in the past, they they would stop trying him. But that is not how it works.

I tell you you have to be vigilant , stay on guard and be ready because the enemy is busy.

But come with me to verse 15, of chapter 21 of second Samuel. For the thing that got me was, when the Philistines finally attack , David goes out to fight. Scripture says in the middle of the fight, he grows weak and tired. A giant sees his his condition , corners him and is about to kill him. But Abishai, one of David men comes to the rescue and kills the giant.

Ram in the Bush

Two things, sometimes on this battlefield you get tired. Sometimes you are exhausted, you don’t think there is anybody watching, you don’t think anybody cares. You don’t think anybody sees but the enemy and they are coming to kill steal and destroy.

Somebody here might feel as if they are on their last ,can’t make it anymore, been praying, be faithful doing all you can do, hold on. There is an Abisha in your future, M y God has a ram in the bush. Don’t give up ,and don’t , I say don’t count my God out. he is able .

For every new giant , there was a champion to face the giant and to defeat the giant.

You got to know God has a plan for you. that trust in him and believe in him and he will see you through.

Jesus is a rock

For every trouble there is a answer!

For sickness there is mercy

For trouble there is peace

For pain there is grace.

For the God we serve is mighty .

David said it best in the following chapter.

The lord is my rock

my fortress my savior

he is my shield that power that saves me my place of safety.

Somebody here knows what he talking about.

You may not say it like that maybe you say like the hymn writer

Jesus is rock in a weary land a shelter in a time of storm

Jesus is a rock in a weary land

Shade by day defense by night Jesus is a rock

No fear alarms no foes afright Jesus is rock

Jesus is a rock in a weary land

A shelter in the time of storm

Has he ever made a way when you didn't have a dime?

Has he ever stepped in just right on time?

Has he ever picked you up when you were down?

Has he ever placed your feet on solid ground?

Then you know he is a rock in a weary land