0:00:01.066,0:00:02.349 Pastor John Greene 0:00:02.349,0:00:03.912 from Mount Pleasant, Texas 0:00:03.912,0:00:09.361 will encourage us toward prayer. 0:00:13.496,0:00:18.259 Good morning. 0:00:18.259,0:00:22.299 It's great to be here. 0:00:22.299,0:00:25.575 It's great to meet new brethren, 0:00:25.575,0:00:27.151 new friends, 0:00:27.151,0:00:31.346 people we will live [br]forever with in eternity. 0:00:31.346,0:00:33.745 This is our family. 0:00:33.745,0:00:35.860 It's great to meet [br]new family all the time. 0:00:35.860,0:00:37.546 I want to, just very quickly, 0:00:37.546,0:00:43.299 remind you of an experience 0:00:43.299,0:00:47.995 of a man who was anointed king 0:00:47.995,0:00:51.842 and yet he had not yet taken the throne. 0:00:51.842,0:00:54.858 The sweet psalmist of Israel - 0:00:54.858,0:00:57.882 a man after God's own heart; 0:00:57.882,0:00:59.372 a man with like passions 0:00:59.372,0:01:02.875 just like you and me. 0:01:02.875,0:01:05.752 You know, for a time, he was pursued 0:01:05.752,0:01:08.559 by King Saul, 0:01:08.559,0:01:11.048 and he fled in fear. 0:01:11.048,0:01:13.216 The particular instance I'm referring to 0:01:13.216,0:01:17.930 is when he fled to Achish, King of Gath, 0:01:17.930,0:01:22.285 to the land of the [br]Philistines out of fear. 0:01:22.285,0:01:25.274 He fled in fear. 0:01:25.274,0:01:31.157 And then, here is penned in Psalm 34 - 0:01:31.157,0:01:33.897 here's the words of this man who fled 0:01:33.897,0:01:36.497 to a pagan king out of fear. 0:01:36.497,0:01:42.073 He says, "I will bless [br]the Lord at all times. 0:01:42.073,0:01:46.758 His praise shall continually [br]be in my mouth. 0:01:46.758,0:01:50.429 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord. 0:01:50.429,0:01:54.981 The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. 0:01:54.981,0:01:57.967 Oh magnify the Lord with me, 0:01:57.967,0:02:00.631 and let us exalt His name together." 0:02:00.631,0:02:02.378 Now isn't that puzzling? 0:02:02.378,0:02:07.734 How did he get from full of fear to there? 0:02:07.734,0:02:09.892 I'll bless the Lord at all times. 0:02:09.892,0:02:11.425 Magnify the Lord with me. 0:02:11.425,0:02:12.990 Let us exalt His name together. 0:02:12.990,0:02:16.923 How in the world do you [br]get from there to there? 0:02:16.923,0:02:18.462 Well, here's the key: 0:02:18.462,0:02:20.281 Verse 4 of Psalm 34, 0:02:20.281,0:02:24.744 "I sought the Lord and He heard me, 0:02:24.744,0:02:32.234 and delivered me from all my fears." 0:02:32.234,0:02:38.229 How often, beloved, do [br]we not seek the Lord? 0:02:38.229,0:02:43.055 The Lord is saying, "Seek Me." 0:02:43.055,0:02:46.419 "Seek Me. I will hear you." 0:02:46.419,0:02:49.859 He said, "I sought the [br]Lord and He heard me." 0:02:49.859,0:02:52.745 This was the God of Heaven who's saying, 0:02:52.745,0:02:54.578 "I'll hear you." 0:02:54.578,0:02:56.927 "I will hear you." 0:02:56.927,0:02:59.321 So that's my admonition this morning. 0:02:59.321,0:03:04.407 The Lord delivered David [br]from all his fears 0:03:04.407,0:03:06.751 because he sought the Lord. 0:03:06.751,0:03:08.742 The Lord delivered David from these fears 0:03:08.742,0:03:12.262 because the Lord [br]delivered His Son to death 0:03:12.262,0:03:15.558 for a man of like passions - David. 0:03:15.558,0:03:17.221 Someone just like you and I. 0:03:17.221,0:03:18.411 I love the Psalms. 0:03:18.411,0:03:21.736 We see the highest highs 0:03:21.736,0:03:24.275 that a person seeking [br]the Lord can attain to. 0:03:24.275,0:03:26.041 We see the lowest lows too 0:03:26.041,0:03:27.914 and everything in between. 0:03:27.914,0:03:30.091 This is our brother David - 0:03:30.091,0:03:32.144 a man of like, precious faith; 0:03:32.144,0:03:34.875 a man of like passions. 0:03:34.875,0:03:37.613 He sought the Lord, [br]and the Lord heard him. 0:03:37.613,0:03:39.415 We're going to seek the Lord today, 0:03:39.415,0:03:41.121 and as our brother last night 0:03:41.121,0:03:46.267 so aptly and eloquently encouraged us, 0:03:46.267,0:03:49.299 we have a loving Heavenly Father. 0:03:49.299,0:03:52.756 We have a Father who bids us to come. 0:03:52.756,0:03:54.194 Seek Him in prayer. 0:03:54.194,0:03:55.661 He will hear you. 0:03:55.661,0:03:59.804 He loves us. 0:03:59.804,0:04:02.654 Don't be anxious about anything, but what? 0:04:02.654,0:04:06.385 In everything, by prayer and supplication 0:04:06.385,0:04:08.203 with thanksgiving, 0:04:08.203,0:04:11.126 let your requests be made known unto God. 0:04:11.126,0:04:14.939 And the God of peace - 0:04:14.939,0:04:18.757 He will give you peace [br]beyond all understanding. 0:04:18.757,0:04:21.694 In everything, give thanks, we're told. 0:04:21.694,0:04:25.006 For this is the will of God [br]concerning you in Christ Jesus. 0:04:25.006,0:04:26.871 Blessed be the name of the Lord, 0:04:26.871,0:04:28.666 from this time forth and forevermore. 0:04:28.666,0:04:31.126 What? From the rising of the sun 0:04:31.126,0:04:32.965 until the going down of the same, 0:04:32.965,0:04:34.851 the Lord's name is to be praised. 0:04:34.851,0:04:37.719 So, again, I just want to focus [br]your attention real quickly. 0:04:37.719,0:04:39.722 How did David get from there - 0:04:39.722,0:04:41.709 full of fear, running for his life - 0:04:41.709,0:04:43.093 do you remember what he did? 0:04:43.093,0:04:44.446 He acted like a madman. 0:04:44.446,0:04:47.688 He's drooling and acting [br]like a madman out of fear; 0:04:47.688,0:04:49.973 completely acting out of character. 0:04:49.973,0:04:52.050 And we don't know the exact circumstance, 0:04:52.050,0:04:54.300 but at some point, He began to seek 0:04:54.300,0:04:56.089 the Lord in prayer. 0:04:56.089,0:04:57.531 And the Lord heard him, 0:04:57.531,0:04:59.278 and then flowing out of his heart, 0:04:59.278,0:05:00.967 he says I will bless the Lord 0:05:00.967,0:05:03.948 at all times - even at this time. 0:05:03.948,0:05:07.755 His praise shall continually [br]be in my mouth. 0:05:07.755,0:05:10.281 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. 0:05:10.281,0:05:12.392 The humble - people like you - 0:05:12.392,0:05:15.349 shall hear that and they will be glad. 0:05:15.349,0:05:18.422 So, brethren, magnify the Lord with me. 0:05:18.422,0:05:21.328 Let us exalt His name together. 0:05:21.328,0:05:23.837 Let's seek the Lord and He will hear us 0:05:23.837,0:05:27.028 and deliver us from every fear we have. 0:05:27.028,0:05:35.111 Would you pray with me? 0:05:35.111,0:05:39.203 Almighty God - our Heavenly Father, 0:05:39.203,0:05:42.905 we come before You boldly 0:05:42.905,0:05:46.005 because of the merits, the life, 0:05:46.005,0:05:47.239 the Person, and the work 0:05:47.239,0:05:50.990 of our dear Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 0:05:50.990,0:05:55.926 We approach You with confidence 0:05:55.926,0:05:58.825 by a new and living way. 0:05:58.825,0:06:00.693 That veil has been rent in two 0:06:00.693,0:06:02.732 through the body of His flesh. 0:06:02.732,0:06:04.228 We have a Great High Priest 0:06:04.228,0:06:05.569 over the house of God - 0:06:05.569,0:06:08.505 Jesus Christ the Righteous; 0:06:08.505,0:06:10.768 an Advocate with the Father. 0:06:10.768,0:06:13.488 Oh Lord, we come to You through Him. 0:06:13.488,0:06:16.307 We pray that You would hear us 0:06:16.307,0:06:18.456 because of Your Son. 0:06:18.456,0:06:21.628 You are the high and lofty One[br]who inhabits eternity. 0:06:21.628,0:06:22.784 Your name is holy, 0:06:22.784,0:06:25.021 but You are pleased to dwell with those 0:06:25.021,0:06:27.263 of a broken and contrite spirit; 0:06:27.263,0:06:29.177 even those who tremble at Your law. 0:06:29.177,0:06:32.010 So, Lord, we come that way. 0:06:32.010,0:06:34.279 We come boldly to Your throne of grace 0:06:34.279,0:06:36.935 knowing we can receive mercy and grace 0:06:36.935,0:06:38.525 to help us in time of need. 0:06:38.525,0:06:41.045 So would You be pleased today 0:06:41.045,0:06:42.804 to magnify Your name? 0:06:42.804,0:06:45.374 Exalt Your name, Your Son, 0:06:45.374,0:06:47.920 that He may be lifted up in our hearts 0:06:47.920,0:06:49.028 in these meetings, 0:06:49.028,0:06:50.658 in our conversations. 0:06:50.658,0:06:53.410 Oh, Lord, let us consider one another, 0:06:53.410,0:06:55.358 how we can provoke one another 0:06:55.358,0:06:57.152 to love You more, 0:06:57.152,0:06:58.668 and to love one another more, 0:06:58.668,0:07:01.154 and to do good works. 0:07:01.154,0:07:03.272 Lord, we desire that all would come 0:07:03.272,0:07:06.107 to the knowledge of the Savior. 0:07:06.107,0:07:09.230 And we desire that we would [br]love You more today. 0:07:09.230,0:07:13.452 Thank You, dear Lord, [br]for hearing our prayers. 0:07:13.452,0:07:15.153 We ask in Christ's name, 0:07:15.153,0:07:16.338 Amen.