you So you have fresh water. Do you need anything else? Most. In. That. OK. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to our church this morning. I'm thankful you're all here. Let me read a few announcements to you. We're thankful Janie is back. Answered prayer right there. All the prayers that were raised answered this morning. The Bible study at Barbara and Neal's house will continue on Wednesday. And the boxes in the back and the setup is for Operation Christmas Child. The boxes are free. If you are unable to, you can include a $10 donation to help cover shipping and handling. but the church usually handles that, but I'll leave that up to your discretion. And we have about six weeks left before we have to collect the boxes and take them in. And let me mention this, on the news last night, there was a picture, several pictures of this big white cargo jet that had landed in Gaza. And on the cargo jet was water, food, medicine, medical supplies, and trained medical people. And on the side of the plane it said, Samaritan's Purse. It's a godly ministry. There's no politics there. People helping people who have a need. So you can participate in that by filling a box or two or six or ten and turn them in and some of them may go to Gaza. Some youngster in Gaza may come to find Christ because of the small things that we put in there. So let's remember them as well. And our prayer emphasis of the week is for the Presbyterian Mission Union, Casey Sunderland. And, uh, that's a lot of work for him to do not only administratively, but keeping the churches that he is, uh, in charge of a minister's to, uh, functioning. So with that, uh, I'll call us to order. and read our call to worship this morning, which comes from the book of Proverbs, chapter one and verse seven. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise wisdom and no instruction. So if you would, I'll let Neil take over for the songs. Let's all stand, please. We're going to sing Be Thou My Vision. It's in the bulletin. And then right after that, In Christ Alone. If you need the Trinity hymnal, it's number 642 in the Black Book at number 62. But it's easier just to follow out of the bulletin. ♪ Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart ♪ ♪ Lord be all else to me, say that Thou art ♪ ♪ Thou my best thought, by day or by night ♪ ♪ Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light ♪ ♪ Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word ♪ ♪ I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord ♪ ♪ Thou my favor, O Lord, I Thy true son ♪ ♪ Thou in me dwelling and I in Thee one ♪ Be Thou my battle shield, sword for my fight. Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight. Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower. Raise Thou me and burden all of my power. Riches I heed not, nor man's tempting praise, Thou art in their presence, love and awaise. Thou and Thou alone make waste in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art. High King of Heaven, Thy victory loud May I reach heaven's doors, all pride hands on. Heart of Ireland, I'll never be found. Still be my vision, O Rudder Island. In Christ alone my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song. His form is stone, this solid ground. Fought through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when striving cease. My comforter, my all in all. Here in the love of Christ I stand, in Christ alone who took our flesh. Fullness of love and helpless pain, this gift of love and righteousness. Scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross, as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied, For every sin on Him was laid. Here in the depth of Christ I live, Here in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain, And bursting forth in glorious day, Up from the grave He rose again, And as He stands in glory, Since Christ has lost His grip on me, For I am his, and he is thine, bought with the precious blood of Christ. Built in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of hell, You can be seated. At this time, we're gonna have our, oh yes, our psalm. We'll do our tithes and offerings. All right. Thank you, Josiah. All right. I thought I did what's right. I thought I had the answers. I thought I chose the surest road. But that road brought me here. So I put up a fight. and told you how to help me. Now just when I have given up, the truth is coming clear. Lord, you know better than I. the way. I've let go the need to know why, for you know better than I. If this has been a test, I cannot see the reason. But maybe knowing I don't know is part of getting through. I try to do what's best, and faith has made it easy to see the best thing I can do is put my trust in you, Lord, you. You know the way. I've let go the need to know why. Lord, you know better than I. I saw one cloud and thought it was the sky. I saw a bird and thought that I could follow. But it was you who taught that bird to fly. But because you chose me, now will you teach me? Lord, you know better than I. You know the way. Let go the need to know why I'll take what answers you supply Lord, you know better than I Good morning. Today's reading is from Proverbs chapter 2, verses 1 through 12. My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding. For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding. If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth, from knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and he preserves the way of his godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity in every good course. for wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things. Please join with me in prayer. Father, we do praise you and thank you, and as the song said, Father, you do know better than I. You know better than all of us, Father. You're the way, the truth, and the life. And Lord, we're grateful for eternal life. We're grateful for the forgiveness of sins. We thank you for your mercy, Father, your word, your spirit, and we praise you for who you are, and Lord, and thank you for your faithfulness to us. Father, we lift up our congregation today, Father, and pray for our leaders, for our pastor, that you guide him and lead him in all things, Father. Help him to walk according to your perfect will. We pray for our leaders, that you give them wisdom and direction for the church, Father. Help them and strengthen them, them and their families. Lord, we pray for all of us in the congregation, Father, with those of us who have heavy hearts, who are experiencing loss, that you would be our comfort, Father. For those of us who are struggling, Lord, you'd be our wisdom and our deliverance. For those who are discouraged, Father, you would be our encouragement and that you'd help us to lift our hearts to you, Lord Jesus, and see you in your purity. Father, we pray for the body of Christ at large. We pray for those who are suffering in Africa, Father, who are being just tortured and demolished, Father. We ask your hand of mercy to come upon our brothers and sisters in Christ. in Africa, Lord God. Lord, we ask you to also come upon those who are doing the evil. Father, you would save many, but Lord, also destroy those who are being destructive. Lord, we pray for our government leaders. Lord, we pray for those who are upholding righteousness. You would strengthen them and encourage them, help them to stay true to you. Lord, we also pray for the wicked, that you would save some of the wicked ones, Father, and for those who are causing havoc and destruction in our nation. He would silence them. Father, we pray for today's service. We ask your blessing upon Frank that you would guide him, lead him, speak through him, Father, and pray for our hearts that we would be humble and soft and tender to you and allow you to do a great work in our hearts. Lord, we thank you. And Lord, we also want to thank you again for Janie for being here, for the miracle and touch upon her life. And thank you for protecting her. And we commit it all to you in Jesus' name. Amen. And thanks, Tom. Appreciate that. So with our next song, we're going to sing, O Church, Arise. O church, arise and put your armor on Hear the call of Christ our captain For now the weak can say that they are strong In the strength that God has given With a shield of faith and belt of truth, we'll stand against the devil's lies. An army bold, his battle cry is love, reaching out to those in dark mass. Our call to war, to love the captive soul, but to rage against the captor. And with the sword that makes the wounded whole, we'll fight with faith and valor. We're faced with trials on every side, we know the outcome is secure. And Christ will have the prize for which he died, an inheritance of nations. ♪ Arise, shine, for your light has come ♪ ♪ Arise, shine, where there is no sun ♪ ♪ Lift your eyes, we are his reign and crown ♪ ♪ Arise, O church, arise ♪ Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet, as the Son of God is stripped down. Let's see His face, like Christ beneath His feet, for the Conqueror has risen. And as the stone is rolled away, and Christ emerging from His grave, His victory march continues till the day every eye and heart shall see Him. So Spirit come, with strength in every stride, give grace for every hurdle, that we may run with glee to win the prize of a servant good and faithful. As saints of old still long array, rejoicing triumphs of His grace, we hear the calls and hunger for the day, For the course we stand in glory. Arise, shine, for your light has come. Arise, shine, for the risen sun. Lift your eyes, we are here to reign. Arise, O Church, arise! Arise, shine, for your light has come! Arise, shine, Thank you, Janie. Brother Frank. If you are already in the Book of Proverbs, I would admonish you to stay there, because we will be looking at a number of different proverbs this morning. But as I begin the message today, I want to open it with a German proverb. Okay? Listen up. Did y'all get that? Okay. What's the American? What is the literal translation in English? too soon old, too late smart. It can phase the idea that people get old before they become wise. Now the book, the book signposts from Proverbs states the following, the book of Proverbs is practical and pointed. It is very positive. God knows the very real traps and pitfalls of this life and the wisdom to know how to deal with them. The whole Bible is full of the knowledge and wisdom revealed to us by him to help us find his help and his love. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Himself God's wisdom and revealed Word. God's Proverbs guide us to see how to cope with the complexities of daily living and the subtleties of the temptations which surround us. All that's very true. A good little book. Have you ever said to anybody at any time, when are you going to wise up? When are you going to what? Wise up. Get wisdom. Get knowledge. When are you going to begin to learn what pleases God? So in seeking to acquire godly wisdom, when does this begin? Proverbs 1 7, our call to worship, tells us the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. It is a teaching and learning process throughout life until we are able to make God-pleasing decisions regularly. I would suggest to you that this even begins in infancy. When you teach your children to trust and obey in their parents, as their parents trust and obey in Jesus. Wisdom, knowledge, is teaching them right from wrong. News yesterday had a 13-year-old and two other juveniles shoot and kill an Uber driver in Texas. 13 years old, they were never taught right from wrong. Knowledge and wisdom is teaching children, teaching us behaviors that please both God and us. Teaching us about those behaviors that don't please God. Both the child and us learn that actions have consequences. In Proverbs chapter 13, verse one says, a wise, a wise son, that's us as Christian, heeds his father's instruction. In Hebrews chapter 12, there were six verses that begin with, have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement? My son did not make light of the Lord's discipline and do not lose heart when he rebukes you because the Lord disciplines the one he loves and then chastens everyone he accepts as son. So when God tells us Head to the back room, child. And he reaches up and gets the paddle off the wall. He is not disowning you as a child. He is teaching you that you need to obey your parents who are obeying God. Later on, the writer of Hebrew said, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace by those who have been trained by it. This is the beginning of knowledge. What is the harvest of righteousness? It is wisdom that enhances sanctification. So how does wisdom enable us to mature and develop spiritually? Well, who do you talk to when you want to participate in an organized sport? Your child comes and says, where do you think I should go to college? And in what discipline of learning should I look to choose? What career field should I choose, Dad? I've got three of them in front of me. They're all sound. They're all stable. They all have promise of retirement. They all pain well. One is going to college to study engineering. One is looking into medicine and being a medical tech, or maybe even a doctor. One is with the military service. And I have feelings for each of them. What do you think I should do? How about when you buy a car? You go to somebody else and say, hey, what do you think of this make and model? What do you know about the mileage you get out of it, or how dependable is it? Or if your child comes to you and says, Dad, I'd really like to know what you and Mom think because I'm thinking of marrying. I'm going to choose a life's mate, and I want your input. What about decisions going forward in life that we all have to make every day? How do we arrive at the answers? What do we have to do? We have to talk to somebody. That's how it all starts. How do you mature and develop your relationship with your Heavenly Father unless you are talking to Him? If you read the words of the song Barbara sang this morning, you thought this was right. But in the long run, it wasn't. God's wisdom was better. Are you talking to God at least once a day? Every day? I read in a devotional that when you wake up in the morning and you turn on the bed and you put your feet on the floor, that is the first opportunity you have for that day to talk to God and ask Him to order your day and give you grace to get through it. Are you asking Him for help and guidance and wisdom on everything? The little things in life? Lord, I have to go out and buy new shoes. Well, in the old days, us old people used to call them sneakers. But now they have a whole variety of different names. You think that's kind of trivial? Or do you want God's direction as to where you should go and what you should buy because it's foundational to your foundation to your being upright, to your walking, your standing? That's not a small request. How about a big request? I have to go to the doctors. I have to have this test. I have to have these tests. because my physical showed this, that, and the other thing. Lord, I don't know what the doctor was going to tell me, but I know this, that you know the results and that you are in charge and that my body, the God, the Holy Spirit lives within me. So I'm trusting in you to get those results back to me in a way that pleases you. So do you come before the throne of grace boldly, several times a day, looking for grace and wisdom? Now, coming before the throne boldly, what does God say about that? Remember, this is God Almighty, Elohim. Well, He said something to James. James wrote down in chapter 1, verse 5, of you lacks wisdom. You should ask God, talking to God, who gives generously without finding fault to all, and it will be given to you. Do you need wisdom in dealing with something in your life right now? Talk to God. Ask him for the wisdom for the direction you need to go and he will give it to you generously. That's his promise in James chapter one. How do you ask for something? Well, you've got to talk to somebody. When was the last time you talked to with God about anything and everything in your life? How do I do this? How do I talk to God? In Matthew 7, verses 7 and 8, Jesus Christ makes this perfectly clear. Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. The one who seeks, finds. And the one who knocks, the door will be opened. This story, these words are repeated in Luke chapter 11, verses 5 through 13. And you know the story. Guy goes to bed, puts his children to bed, and he's in bed and just about to fall asleep and... Who is it? It's your neighbor next door. I've just had company arrive from out of town and I need some bread. Can you give me a loaf? Go away. I'm in bed. My family's in bed. What? Really? Can you get out of bed and get me a loaf of bread? So the guy gets up and gets his neighbor a loaf of bread. Okay. What's the central thrust of that story? It's not the impatience of the guy who is in bed. It's the perseverance of the guy who knocked and knocked and knocked until he got what he wanted. And that principle applies to us. We live in a microwave age where we can go press a couple of buttons and get a hot, nourishing meal in under a minute. It doesn't work like that. It takes time. Wisdom takes time. In Jeremiah 33, God said to Jeremiah, call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. What do you think Jeremiah would have thought of Electricity. Of automobiles. Fine. Nuclear fission. These are great and hidden things that God has revealed to us. He says, call to me. And I will answer you. That's his problem. That is almighty God speaking to his prophet. That is almighty God speaking to us. He wants you to talk to him, call to him. And then he says, well, we say, how do we do that? Well, We've got to read his instructions. Now, we've all got something that we set down before us, and we unpackaged it, put the directions in, and we get it all together, and it didn't work. Or it didn't work well. Well, okay, so we went back and did this and that. It doesn't work. Still doesn't work well. So what do we do? We go back to the box and we read the directions on what we have to do to get this thing working, get it run right. That's what God is saying to us. Read the directions. A child who is learning to read can read the Gospel of John. It is so simple. When all else fails, read the directions. In John chapter 5, talking to the Pharisees, Christ said to them, you search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. No. Those scriptures are testifying to me. They are pointing at me. You need to see me in those scriptures. Luke writes in Acts 17, 11, now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica. They were, for they, the Bereans, received the word with great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether those things are so. What didn't happen a month ago, almost a month ago? Come on, there's something that didn't happen to us as Christians. It was a month ago. We all missed the rapture. Why did we miss it? Because we knew that that was not God's will. That was a false prophecy. How can you say that? Because Christ said so in Matthew 26. No man knoweth the day or the hour except the Father. So in my lifetime, in the last 40 years, I don't know how many prophecies there have been about the rapture is going to take place. And they're all false, because they're not true. There's only God the Father knows when that's going to happen. In Romans 15, Paul writes, for whatever was written, the instruction book, In earlier times, it was written for our instruction, through perseverance and the encouragement of scriptures, we might have hope. Are you in a box right now? And you can't see your way out? You don't know what the solution is? You're not sure which way to go? The scriptures provide you encouragement and hope. You want to see that in written form? Start reading through the Psalms. Start reading through the encouragement that God gave David, even in his darkest days, even when his family was fractured. The scriptures give encouragement and hope. Okay, I'm learning the fear of the Lord. That's the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. What are the benefits of wisdom? In studying for the message, I came across something in my notes that I put together a long time ago. How does the fear of the Lord produce knowledge, wisdom, and understanding? I wrote down 79 reasons, and there are more than 79. Okay? So, that's your assignment this week, your homework. You go through the Book of Proverbs, the whole book, 31 chapters. every verse you write down the fear of the Lord produces what blessings of wisdom knowledge you do it I'll be at the door next Sunday morning turn in your research okay what are the benefits of the fear of the Lord in producing wisdom well in Proverbs 3 verse It says, health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Does it tell you what to eat and what exercises to do? No. You fear God, you're going to know that you don't eat deep fried chocolate chip filled Fudge-covered Twinkies. Okay, that's not good for you. Those aren't good. Okay. You take care of your body. Why? My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I'm gonna keep it clean, and I'm gonna keep it well nourished. Reading God's Word and fearing God helps that. Proverbs 10, 27. It adds to the length of your life. You wanna live a little longer? Fear God and obey his commands. And how does it add to the length of your life? It gives you smarts so you don't get up and say, hey y'all, watch this! You know better than doing something like that, okay? Proverbs 10, 14, the wise store up knowledge. Now maybe some of you, maybe all of us have a little extra food put away in case of a storm that knocks out power or electricity goes for some other reason. I got a note card today from Duke Energy. We'll be working in your neighborhood. We're changing the transmission lines, and we don't plan on interrupting power, but if it, pardon me, if it happens, it'll get restored quickly. No sweat. I'm wise, I've got candles, I've got matches, I've got flashlights and batteries. I may even have a generator. I store up for things that are coming. the wise store of knowledge. We look at situations and say, that is opposed to God's word. This whole trans movement today is in direct opposition to what God has said. God has said, I have created men, I have created women, and I stopped creating. There is no in between or extra added on. You're either a man or a woman. You store up knowledge and you get that knowledge from reading the directions, from reading God's book. Proverbs 14, 16, you learn to fear the Lord and shun evil. You learn to fear the Lord and shun evil. James again, God breathed on James and James wrote down, resist the devil, shun evil, draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Have you ever said in your life, good Lord, I will never do that again. That's wisdom. No, I'm sorry. We are not going to watch that. We are not going to go there. We are not going to participate in this. We are not going to read that or whatever the situation is, because it is not godly. God is not there. I am going to shun evil. And the devil is going to come after you and say, hey, there's no harm. You need to go there. You say, Get behind me, Satan. Lord, I'm being tempted. I need you to come near to me. And God says, OK, here I am. Resist evil, and he will flee. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. I want to read Proverbs 14, verses 26 and 27 a little bit apart. on the benefit of wisdom. Proverbs 14 verse 26. Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress. Ring any bells? Psalm 46 10. A mighty fortress is our God. Be still and know that I am God. Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress. That's where we're living or should be living today. And here's Another part of that, verse 26, and for their children, it will be a refuge. Our children will see in us that we are taking refuge in God, no matter what the circumstances. So when life has a left turn on them, and they're not sure what to do, they said, Mom and Dad got through that. Mom and Dad got me through that. Their fort is my refuge. Verse 27, the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Who was it that was looking for the fountain of life in, was it Augustine, Florida? Cortez, or one of the Spanish explorers, says here, the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. There are pulpits in our nation today where there is no fear of God, and people are being led to this spiritual death. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Compare that to Proverbs 4, verse 23. What does Proverbs 4, verse 23 say? Guard your heart! For it is the wellspring of life. The fear of the Lord is the fountain of life. You guard your heart with the fear of the Lord. and you will be rescued from the snares of death. But we might be going through some really difficult stages of our life, some really dark times, and we're not sure what the future holds, the immediate future. Charles Stanley said, Godly wisdom is the capacity to see things from God's point of view and respond according to the principles of scripture. Whenever you're going through deep, dark times, whenever you find yourself in that box and you can't see your way out, Take a look at the situation you're in through God's point of view and find out what He has in mind for what is going on in your life. And then respond according to the principles of scripture. But by grace are you saved through faith, not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Remember that. Remember Romans 8, 28. Nothing seems pleasant at the time, but all things work together for good. Look back in your life and see a bad situation. Bad. a difficult situation, in that you pled Romans 828, God, I don't know what you're doing, and I don't need to know what you're doing, but I trust you, I believe in you, and I don't think you will deliberately harm me. I need to learn a lesson from this. And God says, this is working out for your good, whether you can see it or not. And your seeing it is not and understanding it is not necessarily an issue in me bringing it to pass. Proverbs 28, 26 says, whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. Didn't we read that in Proverbs 1, 7, our call to worship? Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Don't do that. You don't want to do that. You're not wrong with that. I can do that if I want. I'm warning you, it won't please God. And from my own personal experience, it's not going to please you in the long run. Don't do it. They go ahead and do it, and what happens? Boom. They find out it was not the right thing to do. The wages of sin is death. Okay? He who walks in the Lord, in wisdom, will be delivered. And wisdom takes time, I mentioned that earlier. It is not something that we pray for wisdom, and bingo, we get it. Wisdom takes time to develop and mature in us. What is the best teacher for us in helping wisdom grow? Bad experiences. I'll never do that again, okay? Wisdom takes time, but we learn. We learn through meditation, another gift. of wisdom and knowledge. Reading the Bible to impress it on your senses. I see it. Your mind interprets it. Read it out loud. Read a verse. What are the words in this verse? What does this verse have in relationship to the verse in front of it, to the verse following it, to the story in general? Ask, seek, knock. What is God teaching me there? Meditate on scripture. God breathed on scripture. It's his words. Proverbs 5 and chapter 8. Proverbs 5 and chapter 8. Proverbs 4. Have you ever gone to somebody and in love and concern to them, just take out and grab them by the shoulders. Just give them a loving and firm grip and say to them, listen, pay attention to what I have to say. I'm doing this for your own good. Listen, a wise son listens to instruction. You want them to change. And when you see wisdom and maturity and the fear of the Lord beginning to set in, you say, OK, now you're understanding. Proverbs chapter 6. Get busy, get to work, like those little ants down there. Use what you have learned. For what purpose? 2 Corinthians 1, to help other people that are going through what you are just, what you have just gone through. Use your wisdom, use your instruction, use the blessing of wisdom and knowledge to help other people. God tells us in Ecclesiastes chapter 7, verses 7 and 12. Simple, simple stuff. Wisdom. Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. Wisdom is a shelter, as money is a shelter. But the advantage of knowledge is this, wisdom preserves those who have it. How does wisdom preserve us? Well, wisdom preserves us because it taught us the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of knowledge, so that when God turns the porch light on and says, it's time to come in, we're ready. We are preserved eternally. We have no fear of death. 1 Corinthians 15, death, where is your sting? Where is your victory? Think of all the people that you know, family, friends, whatever, who have died as Christians. They're a whole lot better off than we are. They have been preserved by the fear of the Lord and the benefit of having that knowledge and wisdom. So, in conclusion, are you talking to God? Are you developing a close relationship with him? Are you asking, seeking, and knocking on a daily basis to learn the fear of God, which is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom? Are you desiring God's direction for help in every event in your daily life? If you are, praise the Lord, stay strong, keep going. But if you're not, then you can start right now. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father. As I look at the congregation, I can see your children. People who at some point in time were taught in some manner the fear of the Lord, and that brought us knowledge. Knowledge brought us wisdom. Wisdom brought many, many blessings of perseverance. And we are preserved in that, Lord, in that someday we will know that because you gave us, you taught us your fear and gave us knowledge and wisdom, that we accepted you as the atonement for our sins, as Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the righteous one, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. We ask that you would enrich our lives, Lord, as we go forward in wisdom and knowledge, and help us make decisions on a daily basis, perhaps even on a moment-by-moment basis, that please you. Teach us, Lord, the fear of God as the beginning of knowledge. We ask these things in the precious and holy name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Let's all stand and sing for our final song. It's in your Trinity hymnal, number 338, or in your bulletin, Spirit of God, descend upon my heart. Spirit of God, descend upon my heart. Weave it from earth through all its pulses move. Stoop to my weakness, mighty as the wind. ♪ And make me love thee as I ought to love ♪ ♪ I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies ♪ ♪ No sudden rending of the veil of clay ♪ ♪ No angel visit, no opening sky ♪ ♪ To take the dimness of my soul away ♪ ♪ Has now not been as loved thee, God, and he? ♪ ♪ All am I known, soul, heart, strength, and mind ♪ I see thy cross there, teach my heart to play. O let me seek thee and your love divine. Teach me to feel that thou art always mine. Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear. To check the rising of the rebel sun Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels do One holy passion filling all my frame Do you have a benediction? May the grace, peace, and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ abide with you now and forevermore. Amen.