We open our Bibles together this morning to Psalm 119 at verse 105. We'll read the section there, none, 105 through 112. Psalm 119 at verse 105, and verse 105 will serve as our text for the morning. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much. Quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word. Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offering of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgments. My soul is continually in my hand, yet do I not forget thy law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I erred not from thy precepts. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end. 105, thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. If you would turn to Proverbs chapter six, speaking of that word in verse 21, Proverbs 6, 21, hear the word of God as it comes to us through parents, but yet the word of God. which is our light. So Proverbs 6, verse 21, bind them continually upon thine heart and tie them upon thy neck. Verse 22, when thou goest, it shall lead thee. When thou sleepest, it shall keep thee. And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. and the reproofs of instruction are the way of life. And then, if you turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter, where again we have the word of God likened unto a light that shines in a dark place. 2 Peter 1, verse 19. 2 Peter 1.19, we have also a more sure word of prophecy, and that's a reference, if you just jump up to verse 18, Peter has been talking about his presence on the Mount of Transfiguration, and when he was on the Mount of Transfiguration, he said, he heard the voice from heaven, this is my beloved son. And then he says, even though he was on the Holy Mount and heard the voice from heaven, he says, we, you and I this morning, have a more sure word, even of that, of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The scriptures are the light that shines into the dark place. So our text is, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Let's ask God for his blessing in a brief moment of prayer. Lord, we do stand at the beginning of another year, and we, oh Lord, wish to bow before the holy scriptures, and that through the preaching of the word, we may all take thy word as the light upon our way that will direct us in this year. So do, O Lord, what no human word can do. By the Spirit, open this word to our hearts and place it there and keep it there. In Jesus' name, amen. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, we stand at the opening hours of the year of our Lord, 2026, and the future of this year is unknown to us as we cannot look beyond the moment of the present. We do know that the counsel of the Lord shall stand in this coming year and that he will do all his good pleasure But as to what will happen and transpire in the world or in our own lives, we do not know. Psalm 119 verses 105 teaches us with all of the scriptures that the future to us as children of God is often dark. We cannot see and it is perilous. The picture here is of a traveler in that verse. He's on a path and he's surrounded by cliffs and he's in darkness. He's afraid even to bring the next step forward because he can't see. He needs light, not a dome light, but he needs light to find and to pick out his way in this coming year. So it is for us as we begin this year. Do you have any insurance that will prevent you from being flat on your back this year? Do you have any assurance that you could not be struck dead the next time you get into a car? We don't know whether our worst fears, whether our joy or sorrow will come in this year. We don't know if there might be a reoccurrence of cancer. We don't know if there will be prosperity in the business or collapse. We're not assured of mental health or perhaps mental breakdown. We simply cannot see beyond the moment of the present. But there is one source of light in this world and that light is able to guide us inerrantly and perfectly in this world. There is only one light in this world whereby we can walk, and that is God's Word. As we read in 2 Peter 1, the light that shineth in a dark place whereunto you and I do well, that this morning we take heed to that light. God's Word is the light in our darkness. a light for our path, a lamp to our feet. Now, this morning, I don't want to necessarily dive into the depths of that verse, but I want to do that verse. I want to bring to your remembrance from Scripture familiar truths of Scripture, which we must constantly be keeping before our hearts, and therefore, when we do that, we are walking in the light of God's Word. The figure of our text is not the figure of one great big dome light, A great big light which makes the darkness almost become day and we can see everything. That's not the figure of the text. But these are lights, God's words are lights for our pathway. The figure is those ground lights that perhaps are becoming more popular that take their solar energy and at night they will mark out your sidewalk. The figure is that this is a dark path and There are lights that we must follow. There are lights that we must shine upon our feet if we are to walk and not fall and hurt or plunge down in crashing ruins. Truths then of the Word of God that we must have before our eyes and apply each day to our lives. That's what the text is talking about. Lights. for our pathway in the year 2026. Truths, established truths of the Word of God that we believe, but not simply believe and then stick them far away in a closet and occasionally remember them, but they need to be there. And we need to shine them upon our pathway each day. Truths which are made powerful by the Holy Spirit. in our hearts, truths which will comfort us, which will convict us and lead us. So I call your attention to lights for our pathway in the coming year of 2026. And if you did not get a copy of this at the table outdoors, be sure you get a copy before you leave today. There are six lights. that I would like to call briefly to your attention. The first light upon our pathway in this coming year is nothing will come into our lives but that which is ordained of God for our highest good. Nothing in this year will come into your life except that which is ordained by your God for to work your greatest good. The text is Romans 8, verse 28. So God's word is our light, so we look at the word of God. Follow me. Even though it's a familiar verse, look it up in your Bibles. Romans 8, verse 28. Here's our light. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Our first light, I said, was not that nothing would come into our life, but that which was ordained for our pleasure. Nothing will come into our life which is not going to be to my liking, but I said nothing will come into our life but that which is for our highest good. And what is that highest good? We know that all things work together for good. What is that good? Well, look down to verse 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, Our good is that we be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, His Son. Nothing will come into your life but that which God ordains in order that you and I may be more and more conformed to the image of God's Son in this coming year. The apostle says, we know that. He doesn't say we necessarily feel that or that we see that or can figure that out, but we know that. We know that by the certainty of faith. The Apostle says everything that comes into our life in this coming year, without any exception, will work, will lead, will be subservient unto our highest good. Our Father through everything is going to conform us to the will, to the image of his Son. That's the light upon our pathway. That's what you must shine in front of you every step of this year. Now, Either God is true, either that is true, that all will serve our good, either that is true, or God is a liar. And God is no liar. Such would be blasphemy. And therefore, at the beginning of the year, we take this light. Nothing. In all the days of this year, nothing will come into my life but that which Father has ordained to work my highest good. When everything seems to be coming apart and unknown things would strike you and wipe away any joy or any smile from your face, When there is sickness, when there is death, when there is something unbearable, whatever it is, it is ordained of God to conform me to the image of his son. Are you ready to say that at the beginning of this year? Say that. Before you put a foot forward, say that. The perfect illustration of this, very briefly, is found in the life of Joseph and Jacob, and this is so familiar to all of us. When Joseph, at the end of the book of Genesis, says to his brethren, as for you, ye meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. The whole story of the life of Jacob, because what Joseph was talking about were the very things that Jacob talked about. When in Genesis chapter 42, Jacob said after his sons returned from their first trip to Egypt, he said, Joseph is not, he's dead. Now Simeon is not, he's in jail. And you want to take Benjamin the next time you go. All these things are against me. And then Joseph, at the end of the book, speaking to his brother, saying of those same things, I know that you meant that for evil, but God meant it for good, to save much alive. Through that whole history that is known to us, What was God doing? He was preserving the seed, the promise of Christ, so that it would become a great nation, that he would preserve that seed to the whole Old Testament and bring forth Jesus Christ and bring forth his kingdom. God was busy at work with great things, good things. In this year, God is busy at that work, ordaining everything in our lives for that great good, to wean us from this world, to tear the love of the world out of our hearts, and to give us the thirst for Him. Whatever happens, nothing will happen in your life except that which is ordained of your Father. for your highest good. Light number two. Nothing will come into our life but that God himself will be with me as I bear it. And now we turn in the Bible to Hebrews. The book of Hebrews chapter 13. And the verses 5 and 6. Hebrews 13 verses five and six, let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have. For he has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man shall do unto me. The words we're looking at there are in verse five, I will never leave thee nor will I forsake thee. many, many times in the Old Testament. Paul is quoting from the Old Testament. Many times God says that. He's quoting there from Deuteronomy 31, verse 6. But many times God would say, He said to Joshua, Fear not, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And now the Apostle Paul is quoting that verse for the Hebrew Christians because they were facing the future with tremendous difficulties because of their attachment to Jesus Christ. They were converted Jews. And because they were converted Jews, their families were casting them aside. Their possessions were being taken from them. They were being persecuted. They were getting it from every angle. And so the apostle says to them, don't be covetous, be content with such things. It is, don't covet the things of this world, your possessions that you're losing because you're confessing Jesus Christ. Don't covet the things of this world to comfort you. But remember that as you go through these trials for Christ's sake, you are not alone. The Lord is your helper. He will not leave you, nor will He forsake you. In this coming year, as we go through adversity or trials, whatever God sends to us, God is not absent from you. He is not only working them together for your highest good, but He is with you in them. He is not at a distance from you. God promises His presence, His protection in everything that you face, every stress, every tear, every moment. He will not forsake you. He Himself will be with you. It's the promise of God. If you turn now on this point to Acts chapter 18 in your Bible, this is what the Apostle Paul learned as well. In Acts 18 verse 9 and 10, the Apostle Paul has come to the church at Corinth for the first time. He's just gone through a period, very difficult, that he was alone. He was separated from Titus and from Timothy and Silas, and now he's come to Corinth. And when he came to Corinth to preach the gospel, he says in the opening verses, he faced a wall of opposition, and he was blasphemed, and they cast him aside. And then verse 9. Acts 18, 9, Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, continue to preach, and hold not thy peace, for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this place. God was saying, My servant Paul, No matter what you experience, because of your attachment to Jesus Christ in this world and all the oppositions that are going to be ahead, don't be afraid. Keep speaking. Keep preaching. Don't be silent. When you see the world zeroing in on Christianity in this coming year, don't back away. Let not this church back away. Preach. preach and speak and live. For God says, I'm not a God who was. I'm a God who am. I'm not a God who's far off in a distant place as the idols are and as all other gods are. But I am with you. I will always be with you. Light number three, nothing in this coming year will be able to separate us from the love that is in Christ. We go back now to Romans chapter eight in our Bible. And we make, and we concentrate now on verse 35 and following. And you remember in Romans chapter eight, that the Apostle Paul has been asking a series of questions and issuing great challenges. Verse 31, if God before us who can be against us, Verse 33, who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Verse 34, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God. The apostle has been asking bold, pointed questions. to bring to us the power and the assurance of our salvation, that we have been justified, that Christ is glorified, that there is none who can condemn us as we are in Jesus Christ. And then he takes that doctrine and he asks this question in verse 35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Who shall separate us from God in this coming year? If God has so accomplished our salvation as revealed to us in Scripture, and as we confess it, if He is committed to our salvation, and He is, then what in this coming year can separate us from the love of God? You know that at verse 35, he begins to list all the things that try to do that. Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword. And then he says in verse 38, concerning all those things, that death, nor life, nor angels, principalities, powers, things present, things to come, height or depth, any other creature, I'm persuaded that they can't separate us from Christ. He doesn't say, I like to think in this coming year that God won't allow me to be separated from him. I hope that's the case. Paul doesn't say that. Paul says, I'm persuaded. That means, boys and girls, that something took place between his ears, a work of God in his renewed mind, and what took place in his mind filtered right down into his heart. And he said, nothing. Whatever happens, it cannot separate me from the love of my Savior. Do you make that your confession this morning? Is that your life? Nothing. There are things that are certain for 2026. We will sin. We will stumble. We will fall. We will show our weakness. Job 14 verse 1, man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. We're not in heaven. But this is also certain. None of those things by the grace of God can separate us from him. This light now is not for presumption, It's not for the heart or the mind here that would hear this to say, well, because nothing can separate me from Christ, it doesn't matter that I'm young or whatever, or this particular case, that I'm not holy, that I can walk in a way of sin because nothing can separate me. No, no, that's not the way that works. You cannot. Lay hold. Think of yourself, young man, as on a bar to do a pull-up. You can't lay hold of that promise of God. If your hands are slimy with sin, we can't lay hold of the promises of God with unholy hands. To those who are in Christ and living in Christ and their burden is sin and they long to be holy and they want more and more to live that Christ-like love. To those who are justified and therefore also sanctified, nothing in this year can separate you from the love of God. Nothing. Nothing. In hell below, not in all the world, nothing. Light number four, nothing in this coming year is going to be expected of you in God's will, but that God's grace and his strength will be sufficient for you. And we can be, perhaps we're saying to the first three lights that we've talked about, all that comes into this coming year will work for my highest good. We say, I believe that. We say nothing will come into my life but that God will be present with me. And we say, and I know that nothing will separate me from the love of God. We might say that I agree with, I agree to all of that, we might say, but we might say, As we look out into this year, that there are things that I simply cannot do. I cannot bear this burden any further. It is totally unthinkable to me that I could possibly go through another year as the one that I just went through. I can't do that. I believe those things. But I can't. I'm done. God says that there will be nothing set upon your pathway in the will of God in this year which you will not be able to do by his grace. He says that to you knowing the pathway of the last year and the pathway that he has ordained for this year. He says it to you at the get-go of this year. Our first passage on this one is Philippians chapter 4, that beautiful chapter, verse 13. And in that chapter, both the Philippians and Paul are concerned about each other and Even though the apostle Paul is saying to the Philippians, I'm fine, I appreciate your gifts, I'm fine, I don't need them. They know that nevertheless, he has concerns about what he's gonna eat. He's in the prison of Rome. He has concerns about what's going to happen in the gospel. He's anxious within himself. And he says in verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can through Christ who will strengthen me. Nothing will happen in this year to you which God by his grace will not strengthen you to walk with him. The other passage that I have on the outline is 2 Corinthians chapter 12, and it's the verse 9, which is very familiar to us, and this is about Paul's thorn in the flesh. And you remember that the Apostle Paul, after he was given a revelation of paradise, of great revelation of God to him of truth, he says, in order that I not be lifted up in pride, gave me a messenger of Satan, a thorn in my flesh. And he prays, he says three times that that thorn in the flesh would be taken from me. And the scriptures do not tell us what that thorn in the flesh is, and we're thankful for that, because you and I are of the makeup that if Paul had told us, well, this is my thorn in the flesh, and this is what God said about it, we would say, well, Paul, that might be true of you, but it's not true of me. And the thorn that I have, and the biting thing that is in my life, so he doesn't tell us what the thorn is. And he had gone to God, and he had said, which gave him an ultimatum. He had said to God, either take the thorn away, or I can't. I just can't continue as an apostle. One of the two. I'll either quit being an apostle and have the thorn or the thorn's gone and I'll be an apostle. And God said to him, verse nine, and he said unto me, that's very emphatic, that's like a father, your child comes to you today four or five times with the same request and you've answered him and then you answer him and your child goes back to their siblings and say, Dad said, Dad said, he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee. That's what God says. That's your light, that's your light. My grace is sufficient for you. That means, now hear carefully, Every measure of grace that you need for whatever the will of God is that you need has been earned for you on the cross of Jesus Christ. It's been earned for you, and God will, without fail, supply you that grace. The problem The tears, the agony, the struggle that you will face in this year have been ordained of God to show you the power of the grace that is in Christ Jesus. You must remember this light. You must hold this light in your soul. When the way is too hard, and it's too lonely and it's too heavy, nothing will happen in your life for which God's grace is not sufficient. Light number five. Nothing in 2026 will frustrate the saving purposes of God. In 2026, God has purposes. He has purposes for the church, for this church. He has purposes for the covenant in your family and marriage. He has purposes in our schools. He has purposes for you individually. And those purposes are his saving purposes in Jesus Christ to save his church and to glorify his church. And on this day, we are like the disciples in the boat, and there are the winds and the waves. There are real forces that want to frustrate God's purposes. This is the reason, this is what's going on in the world in 2026. There is the kingdom of God and his gospel that he will extend, and the power of his gospel in Christ, and there is this world, who is strong and opposes that, who forces are being united and marshaled more and more against God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and against all who will confess it. That's what's going on in the world. No one in the world knows, apart from faith, what's going on. We do. There is a hellish rage of sin and the devil in the world against God's Christ. against all the gospel and what it would attain in our lives. And they are interested in your spiritual genocide. They want you spiritually dead. And if not spiritually dead, then just dead. But they cannot frustrate. Nothing can frustrate. the saving work of Jesus Christ in 2026. No one, not the whole world, can bind the word of God in Jesus Christ. The word, Matthew 16, 18, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Ephesians 1, 20 through 22, where God says he wants to open our eyes that we might behold the power that is revealed in Jesus Christ and that he has placed all things under his feet for the benefit of the church. 1 Corinthians 15, which tells us that Jesus, the risen savior, must reign. We do not, as other Christians today, look forward to a thousand year reign of Christianity, post-millennialism, in which finally Jesus Christ will reign on this earth. We do not look forward to a thousand year, as pre-millennials will say, of the reign of Jesus Christ over the Jews in Jerusalem. We do not look forward with them or anyone else who says, The rule of Jesus Christ must come. But we live in the comfort that right now, Jesus Christ reigns. And he rules. And he rules over his kingdom. And he gathers his kingdom in the hearts of all he saves. And he rules over them. And nothing can stop him. We are called to be faithful. We are called to cherish the truth. As a church, we are called to bring the word of God, to be unashamed of the word of God. But nothing will frustrate the advancement of the gospel in 2026. Nothing. Though the forces gather to oppose the gospel, Jesus Christ at God's right hand He rules, and in the coming year, nothing will frustrate the work of God. Are you involved in the work of God? You are. Is this church involved in the work of God in holding forth the word of life, the preaching of the gospel, and in our lives? Are you doing that in your marriage with your children? Are you bringing them up? Are you involved in the work of God? Are you committed to that work this coming year? Do you see how hard, we say how hard it is, how hard this is, how everything is working against this? Nothing in this year will frustrate the work of God. Only depend upon Him. Only ask for grace to be faithful. But nothing will stop. God's saving work. Nothing will work, stop God's saving work in the lives that you love in your life in this year. And then finally, the final light this morning is that every passing moment in the coming year will bring us closer to the coming of Christ. We turn now to the book of Romans again, and it's Romans 13, and it's verse 11. We read, and that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. So do we know the time of 2026? Are we watching the signs that the Lord has referred to us? Are we awake spiritually? Are we sleepy? We're supposed to wake up this morning spiritually here in this house. We must awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believe. Did you think when you woke up this morning, we're nearer, we're closer to the completion of our salvation than ever before, than any saint on earth has ever been. We are nearer to that day. Each day brings us closer, nearer. to the attainment of all that our heart desires. We come closer perhaps to our own entrance into glory in death. But we come closer as a church with all the Church of God throughout all the ages. We're getting closer. We're getting closer with them to that day when the heavens shall be parted and Jesus Christ shall appear every eye is going to see him that day when the archangel will sound his trumpet and the dead shall rise from the dead and from the grave and those who are alive and Christ will be changed in the twinkling of an eye and when the angels will go out and summon the word come ye righteous of my father enter into the glory that is prepared for you we're closer Are you ready? Is this what we're looking for? Is this what you want? Do you want this year more of the things that will vanish? Do you want more of your own earthly life? Have we made that our goal, our idol? Or do you want that moment when the Lord will come for you and me in all of his glory? The Lord spoke of a servant in his house, and he said, my Lord's coming is delayed. He's not coming. And he did evil, and he lived the way he wanted. And then the Lord said, blessed are those servants who are found in my house, waiting and watching and expecting me to come. Are you looking for Him? Are you discouraged? We're closer. Every tick of every second in 2026, every second is controlled by Jesus Christ who's opening the book that the Father has given to Him. And every second brings us closer. to all that lives in our hearts and our hope. Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Those are the six lights. There's more, but those are six. I did not tell you anything new, not one thing. We stand at the beginning of this year and we take God's word to be our light. Nothing will come into my life but what is ordained of God for my good. Nothing will come to me but that God will be with me. Nothing will separate me this year from the love of God in Christ, nothing. will be expected of me by God, but by His grace, He will not make me sufficient for it. Nothing will stop the saving purposes of God in 2026. Each moment, tick of the clock in 2006, brings us closer to the moment that we shall see Him face to face. Then with those lights, it may be said of you, the path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more and more onto the perfect day. And then we will hear the word of the Lord to us in this new year morning. When you see all these things come to pass in the world, Then lift up your head, don't drop your head, lift up your head. For your redemption draws nigh. Amen. Father in heaven, we thank thee for the holy scriptures, the light that shineth into a dark place. It shined into a dark place in our own hearts and gave us faith in the Dayspring, Jesus Christ. Now take thy word in this coming year. Renew us, Lord. Give us to search the Scriptures and then apply the light of Scripture and its truths to our pathway. in 2026. To thee be the glory. Amen.