With God's help this morning, we resume our series in the book of Acts. Please turn with me to Acts 27, and we return to Paul's voyage all the way to Rome, and we reach the moment when Paul and the entire crew of the ship that he is in, they reach Malta. We then turn our attention this morning to Acts 27, verses 27 through 44, as we come to the conclusion of this section in the narrative this morning. Acts chapter 27, beginning in verse 27, this is God's holy and inerrant word, hear it with faith. Now when the 14th night had come, As we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. And they took soundings and found it to be 20 fathoms. And when they had gone a little further, they took soundings again and found it to be 15 fathoms. Then fearing last we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern. and prayed for day to come. And the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship when they had let down the skiff into the sea under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow. Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment. This is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you. And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then they were all encouraged and also took food themselves. And in all, we were 276 persons on the ship. So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea. When it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they observed a bay with a beach unto which they planned to run the ship, if possible. And they let go the anchors and let them in the sea, meanwhile losing the rudder ropes, and they hoisted the mansail to the wind and made for shore. But striking a place where two seas meet, they ran the ship aground. And the prow was stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves. And the soldier's plan was to kill the prisoners lest any of them should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose and commended that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land. And the rest? some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. Thus far the reading of God's holy word. Let us pray. Almighty God in heaven, we once again, O Lord, come before Your holy presence rejoicing in Your law, in Your revelation unto us, and how it is, O Lord, a source of encouragement and guidance and comfort and direction to our souls and our lives. And therefore, Father, now we pray that You would lead us, O Lord, unto all truth, that You once again, O Lord, would make us see Christ in these words and how You encourage us to live for His glory. Lord, we pray that at this time, despite of the feebleness of our minds, despite, O Lord, of how frail we are and how late we are to understand and to respond to your Word, that you would vivify our hearts and souls in understanding, and that as you apply this Word to our lives, may you, Lord, make us live for your glory. In Jesus' name, Father, we pray. Amen. You see, there are several ways in which believers are identified, in which believers are marked. The Bible talks about believers as the light of Christ, as the Israel of God. And in this way, the Scriptures place in the believers a mark of a nation, a group that is united under the rule of one sovereign governor and Lord, the Lord, the triune God Himself. The Bible also describes the believer as those who have been redeemed by grace, which is a reminder that once they were lost and completely involved in perdition, but now they are those who will inherit the new heavens and new earth. And that even now, right now, they experience the saving grace of the Lord as they walk on earth. There's another description of the believers which perhaps bring some question marks to our minds and hearts, which is, the believer is he who lives by faith. You see, this expression of one who lives by faith we find not only implicitly but explicitly in Scripture. Romans 1, chapter 17, Galatians 3, verse 11, Hebrews 10, verse 38, all these verses over and over and over and over again, the believer is described as one who lives by faith. But what does that mean? What does it mean to be one who lives by faith? How can we indeed look at our own lives and acknowledge and see the saving work of the Lord leading us to live by faith? We encourage one another saying that, that we live by faith and not by sight, that we are those who along with Abraham, we live by faith. But what does that look like, especially when our lives face shipwreck? See, this is what this text is all about. This text this morning, brothers and sisters, point us how one lives by faith and continues to live by faith even when shipwreck takes place. And therefore, let us together, as we turn our attention to verses 27 to 44, learn from the Lord what it is to live by faith. And as we understand and as we learn what it is to live by faith, let us pray that we would live by faith. Let us seek in the Spirit the strength to live in the very same way we see the Apostle Paul in these words, in these verses, living by faith despite disaster. As we considered in these verses this morning, this is what we learned. We learned that even when the Christian is in adversity, even when the Christian is facing shipwreck and adversity, his faith is alive. Even when you are in the midst of shipwreck, Christian, your faith, because of Christ, because of the work of His Holy Spirit, is alive, and it's holding, and it's living, and it's experiencing all of God's promises. Learn this this morning, Christian, and be encouraged by the teaching of God's Word, which this morning reminds us that even in adversity, a Christian's faith is alive, and it's holding, and it's living, and it is experiencing all of God's promises. We see then this text under three headings this morning. First of all, we notice that a living faith will cling to God's promises. This is how we know the Lord has indeed given us a living faith, when we cling to God's promises. We see that in verses 27 through 32. Secondly, we'll notice that a living faith will act upon God's promises. It will not only cling, it will not only know, but it will act upon the promises of the Lord. And we see that in verses 33-38. And lastly, we'll notice that a living faith will taste. Oh, what a blessed comfort. What a blessed encouragement. A living faith will taste of God's promises. And we see that lastly in verses 39-44. Even in adversity, Christian, your faith is alive through Christ. And it continues to hold, it continues to live, and it continues to experience God's promises to you. Now, as we turn our attention to the text, it's important for us to briefly remember what happened in the previous verses, isn't it? Verses 1 through 26, as we considered a month ago. In here, we notice that Paul begins his way all the way back to Rome, and we notice in those verses that Paul is pursuing the Lord's will to its T. Even facing challenges, the Lord is leading the Apostle Paul to pursue his will for him to reach Rome, and the Apostle Paul is counting on the divine help and divine aid of the Lord to help him, to assist him in this journey. We notice how he was ready to face challenges, how he was confident in the divine way, and in this way, he was then enabled by the Spirit to pursue this way to Rome. But we notice that this was a very dangerous journey. Please look again at verse 9. As the winds for sailing had changed, the text reminds us that the sailing became dangerous, having the fast been already over. Autumn and winter was arriving and therefore the winds became not very propitious for the trip. Despite the instructions of the Apostle Paul, what we notice is that stubbornness led the man into a very dangerous situation to the point, look at verse 20, that all hope that they would be saved in the midst of the storms was finally given up until God's revelation came, until God's promise to Paul was given. Verses 22 all the way to 26 reminds us of that moment when the Apostle Paul stands up and urged the man to take heart. Look at verse 23, he says, For there stood by this night an angel of God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, Do not be afraid, Paul, you must be brought before Caesar. And indeed, God has granted you all those who sail with you. God's promise. In the midst of shipwreck, God's assistance. In the midst of disaster, God's faithfulness. And what we see now in the next verses is then how the apostles respond to this promise. The Lord has promised that they would arrive safely at a specific place. The Lord has promised that none of the lives would be lost, that all those who sail with them, the Lord has granted them Notice in verse 25 how the Apostle Paul appeals to faith. There's a call. Obviously a call to those who already knew the Lord, who was accompanying the Apostle Paul, but also a call to repentance, to those who were unbelievers sailing with him, that they would turn from unbelief and believe in God. Verse 25, Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God, that it will be just as it was told me. The Apostle Paul will live by faith. God has told so. And despite of the disaster, I trust God's Word. Despite of the shipwreck, I cling to His promise. That's the Apostle Paul disposition. Christian, is that your disposition this morning? Perhaps you sit here this morning and you are experiencing shipwreck in your life. Or perhaps you sit here this morning and you know someone close to you who is living in shipwreck and who is experiencing disaster in their own lives. Are we ready to come alongside them and say, trust in the Lord. Abandon unbelief and cling to God's promise. Well, that's exactly what the Apostle Paul does, isn't it? Verses 27-32, we notice that unbelief is creeping in. Notice there were some sort of preparations. The text tells us that the ship has been drifting away for 14 nights. Some commentators explain that for 14 nights they were drifting around the Adriatic Sea, and this is really in the middle of nothing. If you do have one of those Bibles that have a Paul's missionary journeys map on the back, you will find the little tiny island of Malta in the midst of nowhere. It's a world of sea and just a tiny piece of land. It's a world of perdition and yet just a little tiny place where salvation will take place. Isn't that fascinating? How the Lord prepares, preserves, and guide all things, even elements of creation, so that His will be done, especially towards the life of His people. There was little Malta in the midst of the Adriatic Sea. Nobody could see a thing. The text tells us that they do some testing, verse 28, and they notice that they are approaching land, but they can't see a thing. It's pitch black. The day has not dawned yet. And we notice that the sailors are involved in some sort of way preparing the sea, the ship, to reach those rocks and not to be destroyed by it. They desire that the ship will find a place safe to be placed. Verse 29 concludes the sentence saying that those in the ship were praying for day to come. This is not necessarily an expression of spirituality. Look perhaps at the bottom of your Bibles. You will see another translation possible for the word prayed. They were wishing. They were desiring for night to come. In fact, what we notice here is that unbelief is creeping in. The sailors, they went out. Verse 30 tells us that they trust more in a skiff than in the promise that the Lord has given to Paul and has been announced unto them. They are letting down a skiff and they want to get out of that ship. You see, that's what unbelief many times will lead even those who are in Christ to do, isn't it? Not to trust in God's revelation, but to trust in a little skiff. A skiff made out of their own hands. A gift made out of their own dreams, made out of their own desires, made out of their own devices, unbelief will lead not only unbelievers, but even sometimes believers will tempt them not to listen and to give heed to God's own promises and revelation, but to trust in their own devices. But the Lord equips Paul to respond in a different way. Notice in verse 31 that clinging to the promise of the Lord and exercising publicly his faith, the Apostle Paul then again turns to the centurion and says, if these sailors get out of the boat, we cannot be saved. Now, it's quite a puzzling statement and it has probed at all sorts of debates and discussions. What is Paul referring to here? Is he referring and fixing on God's promise that all souls would be saved? And therefore, if these souls, the souls of the sailors, would leave the boat, they would be in danger. And the other souls that will remain of the passengers, the crew, those souls would also be in danger. Is that what the Apostle Paul means here? Or is the Apostle Paul simply using common sense and saying, unless we have sailors, we cannot sail the ship to its safe position. Well, regardless of which position you take in interpreting verse 31, here is the indisputable fact. Paul is acting by faith. The Apostle Paul is clinging to the promise of the Lord. The Lord has promised. Direct, divine, supernatural revelation has been given me. All souls will be saved. And therefore, we must cling and embrace and attach ourselves to this promise. Praise the Lord. The text tells us that the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and the sailors could not escape. in their man-made salvation. And the Apostle Paul then shows to us in these verses what it is to live by faith, even when disaster comes, even when it's looking like that the promise of the Lord may not come to fruition. We cling ourselves to the promise of the Lord. We do not let it go. We embrace it strongly. We live by faith, Christians, clinging to the promises of the Lord, clinging to His revelation unto us. And this implies two things, doesn't it? Number one, it implies that we must know God's promises to us. We cannot create. You see, that's one of the reasons why so many Christians fall into snares and traps and are deceived because they believe in promises of their own making, or they believe in promises of someone else's sort of leadership making, some sort of book making, but not in the promises that God has clearly revealed in His Word. They fill their minds with illusions and with things that the Lord has never said. And therefore, when things do not turn as they expected, they grow discouraged, they abandon the faith, they curse the Lord, and they experience shipwreck in their lives. But the Apostle Paul reminds us this morning and is a great illustration of how one lives by faith. We cling to the promises of the Lord. That means that we must know the promises of the Lord. That means that we are to be reminded that the promises of the Lord are His supernatural revelation. That we are to cling to them and know them and live by them and memorize them and guard them in our hearts. You see, just like the apostle here in the midst of a shipwreck, that's the main temptation perhaps we suffer or we experience when it comes to cling to God's promises. We're tempted to look at the circumstances, and when we look at the circumstances, then we doubt the promises of the Lord. Do you notice that's exactly what happened in Genesis? Notice how Satan uses the circumstances to make Adam and Eve question and doubt God's promise to them. He points to the fruit and says, look, this fruit is beautiful. How can this fruit kill you? Then he points to the Lord and says, of course, the Lord is not going to kill you because of that. You're not going to die. Actually, if you taste of this fruit, you're going to become like God. They heard the promise of the Lord, didn't they? I promise to you, says the Lord to Adam and Eve, that if you do not touch of this fruit, you will live. But if you touch in this fruit, if you eat of this fruit, not touch, but if you eat of this fruit, you will die. The Lord has given them a clear promise, just as he has given Paul here in this passage, a clear promise. All lives will be saved. And yet, when you look at the circumstances, the circumstances lead us to unbelief. O Christian, let us know God's promises and let us keep them alive in our minds. Let us not let the circumstances bring us a foggy mind, a foggy memory. Let us not allow the circumstances to discourage us and to make us blind or to give us some sort of spiritual amnesia that we don't remember God's promises anymore. Let us be reminded this morning, the Lord has called us and equipped us to cling to His promises. And that's how one lives by faith. You see, this is how we see Jesus in this first portion of the text, isn't it? In John chapter 14, we notice how the Lord issues this call to His people. He says, if you love me, keep my commandments. And then again in verse 21, he goes even deeper, he says, He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me. And he who loves me will be flawed by the Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. The one who claims to God's promises and to God's commands is one whose the love of God himself has been given and tasted. We live by faith clinging to God's promises because the love of Christ has already drawn us to Himself and has already empowered us and equipped us. And although sometimes we feel so frail, we feel unable, and we experience ourselves so forgetful of God's promises, the Lord comes this morning and reminds us, my son, my daughter, my people, live by faith, clinging to my promises, for I have loved you first, so that you may keep the promises I give you. Be reminded of that this morning. This is how we live by faith. We live by faith clinging to the promises of the Lord, knowing them, keeping them afresh in our minds, clinging, holding, embracing the promises of God even when disaster takes place. But secondly, we notice in this text as well, another mark or another characteristic, another expression of how does one live by faith. One lives by faith clinging to God's promises, but also one lives by faith acting upon the promises of the Lord. You see, a living faith is not an idle faith. A living faith is not a faith that simply waits, fiddling with the toms. A living faith is one that is actively working and operating through the power of the Spirit in accordance to the promises of the Lord. Verses 33-38 show us that. It's a great illustration of how one acts upon the promises of the Lord. We notice that this section is all about preparation. Notice again back in verse 28, we notice that all the crew, the sailors and the passengers, have observed that they are approaching land, 20 fathoms, 15 fathoms, and now even more land is getting closer. Paul is observing all the circumstances. Isn't it interesting? Verse 33 tells us that the day was about to dawn. The Apostle Paul is observing. Remember the command of the Lord that we should observe the signs? That's all about being temperate. Exercising temperance is observing the signs, being observant of the circumstances surrounding us so that we may respond in a godly manner. 20 fathoms, 15 fathoms, land is approaching, the day is breaking, Paul says it's time to be prepared. The Lord will save us. The Lord has promised he will save each one of the souls in this ship. He has given them to me. That's what the angel said. Now, therefore, let us act upon the promise of the Lord. And the first action of this action, the first characteristic, if you will, of this action is let us feed ourselves. Let us strengthen ourselves so that we may swim." So Paul implores them to take food. He says, today is the 14th day you have waited and continued without food. Therefore, verse 34, I urge you to take nourishment. Look again at his reasoning. For this is for your survival. The Lord will save us. The Lord will bless us. The Lord will be merciful with us. And yet, let us act upon the promise of the Lord. Let us make sure that our actions are working accordingly in harmony with the promise of the Lord. He said He would make us live. He said He would make us survive. Let us therefore act in light of this blessed revelation. Let us nourish. our bodies so that we may survive." There's a second one, notice. They also lighten the ship. As you look at the end of the section, verse 38, there's the second action that Paul leads the crew to take in response to the promise of the Lord. So, when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea. Well, lightening the ship will make it easier for the ship to reach a safe place. You see, a living faith acts upon the promises of the Lord. A living faith knows the promises, a living faith cling to the promises, but a living faith act in accordance, in harmony with the promises. Let me bring to your attention four marks of these actions that we find here in verses 33 to 38. The first one I have already mentioned, it is to be aware to the conditions, to be attentive to the circumstances. Paul is very much attentive to the circumstances. But a second aspect is that as he acts upon God's promise to save the crew, notice that his action is a response motivated by the promise. Notice again, he says nourishment, he associates nourishment with survival. The Lord has promised survival and yet he's encouraged the sailors and also the passengers to eat and to nourish themselves. You see, a living faith is one who respond motivated by their promise. The Lord said he would make us survive. The Lord said he would preserve our lives. Let us walk and proceed accordingly, according to survival. Third, notice that this response, this action, is in the direction or the trajectory of the promise. Again, the promise was survival. Let us therefore, in harmony, in that same direction, respond. Respond with nourishment. Respond with lightening the ship. You see, the Apostle Paul knows where the Lord is taking the ship. It will take the ship ultimately to a safe spot, to a safe place. And therefore, he acts and he leads others to act accordingly to that promise. In the direction of that promise, that's where the Lord is going. That's where my actions, my thoughts, my words must also lead myself and others. Fourthly, Notice how in all this action, Paul is not ashamed to express his faith. So some years ago when I was in Brazil, I remember having coffee with an elderly man in the congregation. And when we came to this public place to have coffee together and to talk and to encourage one another, I asked him to bow his head and pray so that that meeting would be a blessing to us. And he said, no, no, pastor, let's not do that. I said, why? That may be awkward for other people surrounding us. He said, what? They are the ones who should feel awkward for not praying to the only true Lord and we are to witness about our faith as we act upon God's promise. Does God promise He will listen to our prayers? Does God promise and assure us that through the aid of the Spirit and through the mediation of the Son, He is attentive to our prayers? Yes. So how do we act upon that promise? We pray! It doesn't matter the circumstance, it doesn't matter who's surrounding us, we bow down our heads and pray. And that's exactly what the Apostle Paul does, isn't it? Verses 35 and 36 says, he breaks bread and he gives thanks. Now remember, he had only two other companions who were believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have here an overwhelming majority of people who does not share the faith of the Apostle Paul, but he's not ashamed to express his faith publicly. That's how one lives and acts upon God's promise. That's how one lives by faith. One acts upon God's promise without any concern of publicly expressing his faith. Christian, is this how you have been living by faith? Young ladies and young lads, here is a very challenging portion of the text to your lives. Not only for you, please don't get me wrong, it's challenging for all of us. But particularly you, who are sometimes tempted to cave, to cater to others' opinions, who are so tempted to bow down to other people's standards, who desire to be accepted and well-received, to the point sometimes of disguising and suffocating your faith, the Word of God challenges even you, especially you this morning. Are you living by faith in this manner? acting according to the promises of the Lord, publicly, unashamedly, always in the direction and in the trajectory of the promises of the Lord. That's the challenge for us this morning, isn't it? You see, the Lord promises us, for example, in Proverbs 22, verse 6, that we are to teach our children the way that they should walk. And even when they are old, They will not deviate from the path that was taught them. As parents, we are to cling to that promise. But as we cling to that promise, we are to exercise the promise. Applying the very same principle we see in these verses, as the Lord has promised to guide our children, we are to take upon ourselves the responsibility to take seriously the matter of instructing and teaching and guiding, not only in religion, but making sure that our children are equipped to read God's Word, to understand God's Word, and to apply God's Word to their lives. We have the promise. Now we act in faith upon the promise. We have also the promise in Matthew 6.33, seek the kingdom first and all other things will be added unto you. And yet, when it comes to time management, we find so little time for the kingdom. Isn't that true? We have time for all sorts of activities with our families or for ourselves. The ball game, the nice trip, walking in the park. And there's nothing wrong with these things. It's wonderful to be able to make a fun and relaxing trip with your family and to walk in the park or to go to a ball game or to participate in sports. And yet the Lord reminds us that while these things are profitable and there's nothing sinful in them, the main interest of my soul and the soul of my family is the kingdom of God. That's the promise. And when I seek the kingdom first, then all things will be added. Therefore we act upon the promise." Just like the Apostle Paul is acting upon the promise that all will be saved in that shipwreck. Christian, are you acting upon the promises of the Lord? In that same trajectory, in that same direction? Not doubting, but through the power of the Spirit of God, And through Christ who lives in you, are you seeking to live and to act upon the promises of God? This is exactly how we see Jesus in this passage, isn't it? Galatians chapter 2, verse 20. We look at this tremendous challenge, which is to live and to act upon our faith and upon the promises of the Lord. And we say, I am unable to do that. And you are right. But here's God's word for you and for me this morning. Galatians chapter 2, the Apostle Paul reminds us how can one act upon the promises of the Lord. He says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. Now listen to this. In the life which I now live, a life by faith in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. You are very right today if you think it is a huge challenge to act upon God's promise. It is indeed. And yet the Lord reminds you, I am with you. And the life you live, you live not by your own strength, but you live because Christ in His crucifixion crucified you with Him. and in this way has set you free and empowered you to live for me." A living faith cling to God's promises. A living faith Christian act upon God's promises. But lastly, we notice that a living faith taste of God's promises. As we reach the conclusion of this chapter, we notice now that the promise of the Lord comes, becomes true. If you read the very last verse of this whole section, you notice what a glorious conclusion. And the rest, some on the parts, some on boards, and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that all escaped safely to land. The promise of the Lord was fulfilled. What he had revealed to Paul, despite of the shipwreck, despite of the destruction, the Lord is true to His word. We may be not true to our word, but the Lord is faithful and true, and He always brings to fruition His promises. But I want to bring something very special in this passage so that we may not think that the Lord, even in this section, It's simply being merciful to a crowd of 276 men. For the text tells us that the special grace, care, and love of the Lord is bestowed upon His servant, verse 43. It's interesting, isn't it, that the inspired writer, Luke, the inspired writer, would make this parenthesis for us. Yes, all are being saved, but look at this. The soldiers are now planning to kill the prisoners. What the Roman soldiers have in mind is that if they lose a prisoner, whatever was the penalty or whatever was the charge against that prisoner would be laid upon him. The soldiers are responsible for the charge and also for the condemnation of the ones they are transporting. So if someone was sentenced to death and that person escaped, then the soldiers would now take that penalty upon them. And so the natural reaction of the soldiers is to kill them all. Let's kill the prisoners and therefore we are not going to be guilt of anything. But look at verse 43, the centurion. whom we have already noticed the Lord in His providence and care has made Paul develop a relationship with the centurion. The centurion has one person in mind. He wants to save Paul. Are we to think that this is the fruit of the good heart of the centurion? Or are we to think that this is the blessed Lord using even an unbeliever so that His protective care and love for His servant is expressed? Even through the hands of an unrighteous man like the centurion. What we notice in verse 43 is that ultimately, the Apostle Paul, as he cling to the promise of the Lord, as he act upon the promise of the Lord, he experiences the promise of the Lord. All will be saved, and especially Paul, for the Lord has taken Paul for himself. And isn't that true of you as well, Christian? Has not Christ taken you for himself? Has not Christ paid the price for your sin? Has not Christ resurrected you in His resurrection? Is not Paul's Christ your Christ? Therefore, as we seek to live by faith, clinging to God's promises, and acting upon God's promises, let us be reminded that we will taste of God's promises. For we are His special people. And despite of the shipwrecks or disasters that may come upon us, the promises of the Lord will never go void. There's nothing that can make them know. And whatever they are, We will experience them. And especially, we will experience the promise of a heavenly life. Just as we sing together in verse 4 of Selection 446. When ends life's treason dream, when death's cold sullen stream, would o'er me roll less Savior than in love. Fear and distrust removed, O bear me safe above. a ransom so. Live by faith, Christian. Even in adversity, your faith continues to live. Hold to God's promises, live, act upon God's promises, and trust that you will experience God's promises for that is the will of God for the life of His people, our faithful and redeeming Savior. Let us pray together. Almighty God in heaven, we thank you for your life-giving, full-of-power Word, who teaches us even how to live by faith. Lord, we pray this morning that it would help us to live by faith indeed, clinging to your promises, acting upon your promises, trusting that we will taste of your promises, for you are the covenant promise-keeping Lord. Father, despite of the discouragements and temptations we may experience in the present life, help us to live by faith. Help us, O Lord, through the power of Christ, through the aid of Christ, through the Christ who lives in us and who crucified us with Him in His cross. Father, we pray that you would remove from us discouragements and shadows of doubt, that we would delight in your promises and live by them. in the assurance and certainty that in your timing, we will taste of them for your glory and for our edification. In Christ's name, Lord, we pray. Amen.