Check to see if this was drunk out before. It might have, but... Not enough that I'll get some typhoid fever or something. And I was talking all morning and my mouth was all dry and I didn't get a piece of gum for my wife. And as I was preaching, I could spit out at you and hit one of you, so it's probably safer that I cut the gum out. What a day it is to be in the Lord's house on Sunday. Anytime the doors are open, I count it an honor to be in His house and to feed on His Word. I do remember our pastor. He was teaching this morning at Sunday school and he's preaching now. and services, I believe, at Carmichael. So I know he desires your prayers. I talked to him earlier this week for that. Of course, Brother Ron will be preaching tonight. So he's preaching at another church in Lexington this morning, I believe, and he'll be back tonight to bring the message tonight. And on Wednesday night, he'll be preaching as well. And then next Sunday morning, he'll be preaching. After Christmas and Sunday night, I'll be preaching. So he's got three in a row. Boy, how that was figured out, shame on me. But he's used to it, he's toughened up. We are in Haggai though, chapter one. I'll try and let you out all before one. Haggai chapter one, verses one through seven. The message this morning is on consider, just one word, consider. I think our Lord God gives us through Haggai. The book of Haggai chapter 1 verses 1 through 7. In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai, the prophet, unto Zerubbabel, the son of Sharetiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Josedek, the high priest, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house shall be built. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it not time for you, O ye that dwell in your sealed houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and ye bring in little. Ye eat, But ye have not enough. Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink. Ye clothe you, but there is none warm. And he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider your ways." Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we thank you for this day again that you've given us. And truly, in John 15, 5, you said, without you, we can do nothing. I'm daily reminded that, Father, and now as I stand before your people to bring your word, I pray that you would give them what they're in need of, what I'm in need of, that you would burden our hearts and cause us to be sober-minded, considering our ways and everything that we do and say. You'd be with our pastor and his family as a vacation. You watch over them. Ultimately, Lord, we seek your glory. We seek your honor in this service today. May Christ be high and lifted up, that you may get all the glory and praise. For it's in Jesus' name we ask. Amen. As we look at this passage this morning in Haggai, I trust you'll see that the key area here in which I've titled it is to consider our ways in many areas. that will not only make our life more joyful, but will also make our life more focused on that which really matters. So during our time this morning, I just want us to look at five areas. I've tailored this back. I had this a two-part message. It was going to be nine areas. I thought I didn't think I could get through all nine without truly keeping you till one. so through five areas that we should step back for consideration that in turn we may learn what really matters what really will affect our life for Christ is ultimately that's what our goal should be as a child of God and for anyone here since I don't know the hearts of people do not know Christ have not seen Christ relevant for their life through repentance and faith I pray this message will lead you to Christ So Haggai is said to be born during the 70 years Israel was in captivity in Babylon. And Haggai here comes through the power of the Lord and the leadership of the Lord to the people of God to get them to restart the building or the rebuilding of the temple that was halted by Artaxerxes. as detailed over in Ezra chapter 4, verse 24, where it says, then ceased the work of the house of God, which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased into the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia. Now as Haggai encouraged his people to rebuild the temple, they've grown indifferent to the work and try to make believe that it's really not time. You know, to prophesy. And that haggai needs to wait a couple more years. You know, we've seen this in our own lives. You know, sometimes God leads us to do something, but we just don't feel in our hearts and our minds that it's right. But that's when we lean onto our own understanding, isn't it? That we tend to move that way. And that's what the people were doing. They obviously weren't listening to God's man, who was directed by God, but they were listening to their own hearts. that was corrupt and had been perverted by getting too much into the world's ways as far as that goes. So the real issue was here within these particular scriptures from Haggai is that they were filled with their own desires, creating their own mansions per se, thinking that that's what brought joy and success. Unfortunately, it wasn't. And it was working, you know, it wasn't working as God pointed out. So God tells his people to consider your ways, literally set your heart on your ways. is what that is saying. See, they're more concerned about making worldly houses and all that these houses would bring instead of rebuilding God's house that would actually truly bring them what they were not getting through all their efforts through their worldly life. Verse 5 says, Now therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider your ways. Then he elaborates in verse 6. He says, You've sown much and bring in little. Ye eat, but ye have not enough. Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink. Ye clothe, but there is none warm. And he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. That word with holes is pierced through. It's like a sieve, and it just continues to go through. And then he says again in verse 7, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your ways. So the reason these people needed to adhere to what was being said was not because Haggai was saying it, but because who was saying it. the Lord of hosts, the Lord God Almighty. And any of God's prophets were speaking on behalf of God, and man needed to understand that when one of his prophets spoke, it was God speaking directly to them, and they needed to hear. When we hear the Word of God, it is not myself, or the pastor, or Brother Ron, or whoever is behind this pulpit that is speaking, but if it's from the Word of God, it's God speaking. And we need to adhere, and we need to listen up, and we need to put aside whatever our minds may be telling us, whatever our emotions may be telling us, and whatever our logic may be telling us. Because when we're in the flesh, our logic is faulty. It's bad logic. And we need to understand that. So too often, though, we get lost in this world just as they are. And instead of remembering that we are in His world, but not to be of the world, we make ourselves part of the world through our lives and actions. And the result becomes a never-ending lack of satisfaction and fulfillment in our lives, yet we're convinced that by continuing to do it, that it'll somehow turn around and we continue to fill ourselves with lack of satisfaction and fulfillment as God's people when we get caught up in the same things that the world is. You know, making everything that we do of none effect for Christ, but only the devil getting glory out of this. God's asking you and was asking them, basically in verse six, how's your things doing? How's it working for you? You know, I think back in the early 2000s, across many of the people across this country got sucked into the housing boom, you know, through low interest rate, variable mortgages, where they could end up having, you know, $500,000 homes on the monthly payment of a $200,000 home. And it was like, this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I can live like a king, but be a middle life pulper. Just be a little good, but we're not poor, but we can live like kings. You know, how could this happen? I don't know, but I'm going to jump on the bandwagon. And thousands did jump on that bandwagon. And then come 2008, the economic collapse took place. And millions were out of work. Auto companies were shut down. People were losing their jobs. And then at the same time, simultaneously, all these loans that they had gotten at these variable interest rates were now coming to fruition to be transferred into true interest rate mortgages. at sometimes seven and eight percent per year above what they were already paying. So they were going from mortgages of possibly, you know, $900 to $1,100 to $2,800 to $3,500 a month. I don't know about you, but it would give me a heart attack if I had to go from today to tomorrow from 1,100 to 3,500. But that's what was happening because they made unwise decisions, because they desired the things of the world more than the things of God. And, you know, living for today because the tomorrow may not be. That was the way of the world. But what's sad is that the devil tricked many Christians, many good Christians, into the same mentality. of living for today for tomorrow may not be. And yet they were into the same bubble and they suffered. And I'm not saying everybody suffered like that. There were some that beyond their own control. you know, could not control the things, and so they sort of reap the consequences along with those that made bad decisions. And that's what happens when bad decisions are made. You know, we think that if we do, you know, we want to think that if we do good, if we do what's right, we'll always reap the blessings of doing good and doing what's right. But unfortunately, we reap the bad as well as the good while we're here on Earth. And the focus is how that we can help. keep ourselves from reaping that bad as much as, unfortunately, it usually happens to us. So John 6, 27, if you want to turn over there, John 6, verse 27, He says, labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you. For him hath God the Father sealed. So we as God's people should do everything possible to keep from falling into and feeding the loss of our flesh. And one of the ways that we can do that is by adhering to laboring not for the meat which perishes. but focus on that which is everlasting within our life. The joys that come from living right before God and realizing that it's not the temporary things in this life that should feed our hearts and minds, but the things that are eternal, the things that are eternal, that bring forth peace and enjoyment and true joy, and passing those on to our family and our loved ones, that they might experience the same thing that I talked a little bit about in Sunday school. Starting now and in the future, when Satan, the world in our flesh, tries to convince us that it is the things of this world that truly will bring us joy as his people, may we stop and remember the actual disappointment that comes from a worldly lifestyle and what that will bring. Isaiah 55, too, says, wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not? Harken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." See, God tells his people, don't be confused at what the world and the devil and your flesh may see, because it will always let you down, but turn unto me and eat that which will truly fill your soul with fatness and goodness and joy and peace. whether we're here today and have not seen the value of having God personally in our life, or we're here as God's child. There's many things that we need to consider this morning, in addition to considering the disappointment of a worldly life. And I truly believe that if we consider these things, and we consider the following five things that I discuss, we'll definitely do better at helping to assure ourselves from getting lost within this world. So number one, we need to consider first and foremost the marvel of God's interest in man. When we talk about considering, turn over to Psalm chapter 144.3. The marvel of God's interest in man. I mentioned in Sunday school how that we as God's people just don't spend enough time in truly meditating on God's Word and His interactions within our life and His workings within the Word within our life to truly help not only humble us, but to help see how special we are in His sight. Psalm 144.3 said, Lord, what is man that Thou takest knowledge of him, or the son of man that Thou makest account of him? Nothing is more humbling or will put things in better perspective for us and to set our hearts on our standing in comparison to God. We are nothing. After all, man is compared to a worm. In Job chapter 25, verse 6 says, how much less man that is a worm and the son of man which is a worm. There's not much lower you can get than a worm. And how sad to see a worm after a long rain that's stuck on a sidewalk that can't get back to his ground. That's pretty sad. I think I feel so bad for them. But I very rarely pick them up and put them back in there. Shame on me. Telling my sin. But we need to look at that. We need to look at how we're considered in comparison to an atom in a natural universe. in Psalm 8, 3 and 4 says, when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast adorned, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visited him? All things that will help us really get focused on who we really are before God. Because until we get our understanding of our standing before God, we can never appreciate truly as God's people what he did for us and how special it is that despite all of this he chose to save us for those who are redeemed. We think of a grasshopper when compared to God. Isaiah 40, 22 says, it is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. All these areas that help sort of put a proper perspective for man in our standing before God. Yet as minute as we are in the sight of an almighty God, he's given man dominion over the works of his hands. Have you ever thought about that? In Genesis 1.26, and God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the flesh of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creepy thing that creepeth upon the earth. Yet as minute as we are, we're still under the watchful care of the Almighty. Isaiah 41.14 says, fear not. Thou worm, again, a worm, Jacob, and ye men of Israel, I will help thee, saith the Lord, and I redeem her, the holy one of Israel. Understanding our standing before God will help us truly appreciate who we are in Christ Jesus. And understanding our standing before God, if you're not a child of God, will realize that we have no hope without Him. if we don't turn toward him through repentance and faith, through Jesus Christ. Also, secondly, we need to consider the history of the past. Have you ever heard that adage, 20-20? Hindsight is always 20-20. You know, it's always good if we could go back and correct the future, you know, from the past that we learned that's now past, if we could correct the future. Hindsight's always 20-20, but we don't get that privilege. Deuteronomy 32-7 says, remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask thy father and he will show thee, thy elders and they will tell thee. Generation after generation, God has said that we can learn from the past. Throughout the entire Old Testament, we have learnings from the past that can keep us from failing in the future and even here and now. But how much do we give attention to that? How much do we consider the history of the past and the benefit for us to learn from in the future? or even here now. Oh, how much better we would be living for Jesus if we would learn to benefit from our fathers, our forefathers, and those that have seen and learned of things yet not experienced by us who are younger. Oh, how much better our children and grandchildren would be if we would share those things that God has done in our lives. What a blessing that would be. Turn over to Job chapter 26. Job 26, verses 6 through 14. Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and a cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds until the day and night cometh to an end. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. He divideth the sea and his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens. His hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him. but the thunder of his power, who can understand? How sad is it, and Joe brought out the most important part of all this awesomeness of God, when he said, lo, these are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him. If we are in Christ Jesus, we should spend our life talking about him. talking of him, talking of all that he has left for us to hear of him and our ways, and telling that to our others. Why? Well, Deuteronomy 31, 13 said, and that their children, which have not known anything, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land, whether ye go over Jordan to possess it. Possessing Jordan, my friend, which I consider in the here and now when we think of possessing Jordan for us as God's people, is possessing the blessings of life. My friend, if we want to possess the blessings of life, they begin with hearing and learning to fear the Lord your God. If we want our loved ones, if we want our children to reap Jordan, to possess Jordan, to possess the blessings of life that God has for each of his people, then we need to begin by teaching them and letting them hear the Word of the Lord and seeing it within our life. Parents, we need to start with that with our children. Some of us are older, but some of us still have children at home. And my friends, just because they're growing up doesn't mean they're no longer our children either. They can still benefit from us. They're still our children. Deuteronomy 6, 7 says, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And you say, my children are grown. They're not sitting in my house. Do they never come to visit? Well, cook them a meal, and I guarantee you they'll come to visit. That's how my children are. Never pass over a good meal. I taught them one thing, and that one thing is never pass over a good meal. And as you can tell, Joyce fixes good meals. So we need to, but when they're sitting in the house, let's not spend our time talking over trifle things, but let's talk about the Lord. Let's talk about his, his working in our life and let's share the joy of things that happen. That doesn't mean we have to spend our entire time together, you know, all right, kids, you know, because then no matter how great Demeo may be, they might, you know, think we need to spend time fellowshipping as well. But the word of God. should encapsulate all our conversations, even if it's not verbally verbatim of the Scripture. But our mannerisms, our talk, our conversation should be that which is holy and upright, that that is productive and encouraging and exhorting to those to walk closer with Jesus and to learn that there is joy in this life beyond what the world may call joy. Deuteronomy 11, 19 says, and ye shall teach them your children. Speaking of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up. It's repeated twice. It's repeated many more times than that. But I think it bears seriousness, soberness, in our responsibility to start as parents on teaching our children. We as parents have a duty to talk of God's wonderings and his workings within our life and within those around us to our children. You know, if we hear, if somebody shares with us a friend or a colleague of how God has worked with, you know, in their life, we should rejoice with them, but we should be willing to share that with others. so that we're all continually reminded that God is working. And even if you don't see God working within your life, or you're going through chaos and things are just clouded, you have the comfort of knowing that God is still working. He's working in his children's lives. And if you're his child, he'll work in your life also. I believe it includes, like I said, our grown children that are on our own. that God, the creator of heaven and earth, would select us, who have been called to salvation to be his child, should cause us excitement and should cause excitement within us to share his workings within our life. Now, for those that say you might use the excuse that we do have grown children, many of us have grandchildren. So I speak to the grandparents and great-grandparents. I feel that I'm a great-grandparent, but I'm not a great-grandparent. yet, as you know. But if they ever doubt it, I can have my grandkids just ask me, and I'll say, yes, I'm a great grandparent. But we have double and triple duty to share God's workings within our life. Because how much more have we experienced, hopefully, the workings of God in our life and been able to see around us all that God does within us? You know, I think of some of the great times with my grandfather and how he taught me many things, including a respect for God, even though I'm not confident that he was saved. You know, because he grew up a United Methodist, and of course, it's ultimately through repentance and faith in Christ that salvation is wrought. But he never really spoke that way, but he was always reading the Word of God, and he was always faithful and serving, and he was always teaching morals and ethics. But again, morals and ethics and right living is not what gets you or your family to heaven. It's in what Christ did. But I pray that one day I will see my grandfather in heaven because of the things that I reaped by walking in his way and him always drawing my eyes toward the Lord and the goodness that God has, you know, within his people and within his works and such. And many of you have grandparents too that you can relish in as well. How much better can we who have possessed Christ as our Savior? do and should we do with regards to teaching our grandchildren and great-grandchildren respect for God and all that he means for us. You know, a lot of times with kids, you were a child one time, you know how it is when your parents talk to you, you sound like Charlie Brown's teacher, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah. But grandparents tend to sound a little different. And they tend to listen. I know how it was with my grandparents. I only had a grandmother during my life and then a grandmother and grandfather on my side. Some don't always have that experience. But what precious time you have because they do listen to grandparents, especially when they're young and when they're moldable, when they're shapeable. Because once they get to preteen and teen, you're right, we become just like their parents or anybody else. We don't have time for you. We got more important things. Xbox, DS3s, hoverboards, whatever you name it. They're definitely more important than you. But, you know, we can change that if we start with them while they're young and realize, you know, I enjoyed being around my grandparents. No matter how old I got, I enjoyed, while my grandfather was living, going over and working with him downstairs on his bandsaw. And he made little crosses and things like that. And it wasn't the little crosses he was making. that I enjoyed. I just enjoyed being in his presence and hearing the conversations that he would have. And when I'd have frustrations with my parents or with things around me, he had a way of putting things in perspective that helped me keep perspective even as a young child and bring me back to solid ground. And I appreciate that. And I think if we understand our influence on our grandchildren, we would spend more time talking to them about the Lord. Because it's truly the Lord that will change their life eternally. and we have that opportunity. Deuteronomy 4.9 says, only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thine heart all the days of thy life. But teach them thy sons and thy sons' sons. You may ask, what should we share? Well, I think David provides some good lessons and great ideas in Psalm 145, read that later, the whole thing, but here's some other things he tells us we should talk about that he talked about in Psalm 145, and that is the glorious honor of his majesty and his wondrous works. That's a good start, isn't it? How about the might of his terrible acts, as well as declaring his greatness, the parting of the Red Sea, the crossing over Jordan. Those accounts never get old. They're not stories, my friend, they're factual accounts, and we need to let our children and our grandchildren, our great children know that. How about speaking of His glory, the glory of His kingdom, and talk of His power? How about make known to him the sons and men, starting with your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Those are some things just from Psalm 145 that we can learn out of his word that brings our eyes and our minds on what we can share with our children. But what about speaking of his grace and his mercy, his patience, his long-suffering, his forgiveness? How about speaking of Jesus? the author and finisher of our faith, and what he's done for you personally. There's no greater impact, my friend, that you can have with a grandchild of yours or a great-grandchildren child of yours than to share what God has really done for you, how he has worked in your life. That will take a child and cause him to sit up and pay attention. Thirdly, God's wonderful works. We need to consider God's wonderful works. Turn over to Job 37. Job 37. Verse 14. Hearken unto this, O Job, stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Oh, to set our hearts and reflect on the wondrous works of God will truly help not only brighten our lives, but help us when we share with those around us of the wonderful works of God. Psalm 114 says, he hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. Do you set your heart on them? That's what we need to ask ourselves. They were set for us, for us to remember, and for us to share. We need to set our hearts on the wondrous works of God, and if we do that, we'll never run out of things to talk about, because His wondrous works go on forever and ever. Psalm chapter 40 verse 5 says, Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us word, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." So when you think about what can I talk to my grandchildren, what can I talk to my great-grandchildren, parents, what can you talk to your children about? You'll never run out if you talk about the wonderful works of God because they're overflowing, ever going. Set our hearts on the wonderful works of God. Set our hearts on God's creation of the heavens and the earth, on the birth of a baby girl or boy, as well as the creation of life itself, which starts at conception, my friend, not at birth. The parting of the Red Sea, the walls of Jericho, the taking of Elijah up in a chariot, or of Enoch, who walked with God and was not. The young boy David, who became king, But prior slew a giant with God's help. God's wondrous work of salvation, is there anything greater to share than a work of salvation within your own life to those around you? And the salvation that God can wrought within the hearts of all men who would repent and turn their heart toward Jesus. Exodus 1511 says, who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Oh, how blessed is the wondrous works of God. And when we talk of the wondrous works of God, we just roll right into number four, which is the matchless life of Christ. Let us consider the matchless life of Christ. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 3 says, For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. When we look at the matchless life of Christ, we must set our hearts on his verse. Despite the opposition, the ridicule, the persecution he received from his own people, Christ still endured the process necessary to redeem man back to God. the matchless life of Christ, unfathomable. And yet, He's our Savior, if you're here bought by the beloved Jesus Christ. With that said, we consider the matchless life of Christ, may we consider our lives in Him. Take His yoke upon you, He said, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls. So not only do we need to consider the matchless life of Christ, may we consider our lives for him and what we do with those lives in Christ. Jesus told his disciples and applies to you and I as well. I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. That comes from John 13, 15. No greater life could you live and learn and benefit from for here and our preparation for eternity than the life of Christ. If we would just live. Our life seeking out his life and what he left for us throughout his word. And how that we can emulate that by his grace and his workings of the Holy Spirit within us. We can truly be blessed. First Peter chapter two verse 21 says, for even here unto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. Throughout God's Word, we're told to consider the matchless life of Christ and then put it in action within our life to live it out. No greater life could you and I learn or benefit from than the matchless life of Christ. Fifthly and lastly, the blessings. Consider the blessings of providence. I think we need to learn from that. Turn over to 1 Samuel chapter 12. 1 Samuel chapter 12. verse 24 for Samuel 1224 says only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you now we've all talked about sharing the matchless love of Christ we talked about just sharing God's wondrous works with those we love But considering the blessings of providence within our life is another thing that we can share, but also that we can praise and glorify God by walking in his pathway, by living out Christ before a lost and dying world, by the angels who desire to see the workings of salvation wrought within man, who is nothing but worms. The angels desire to look upon us and they desire to see, we went over this in Sunday school this morning, what are they seeing out of your life? What are they seeing out of my life as a child of God? Do they hunger? Do they revel in what God is rotting within your life? Or are they saying, I don't really see much? And then they turn their eyes towards someone else who truly is rotting the works of Christ within their life. How wondrous is it how much we should consider the blessings of providence. To think that at least in America that the poorest of Americans are better off than many throughout the rest of the world. I believe it's all due to the providential hand of God upon this nation and his people within this nation. So let us never forget to set our hearts on this very fact. Let us never take for granted That doesn't mean that we should always think, well, we have it so great, look at the rest of the world. But we should also at the same time think, we do have it great. God is wondrous unto us within this nation. And he's placed each and every one of you, his children, here above others that are in other nations that are still his children that may be reaping the sufferings of Christ more than we are reaping of. And we seem to be reaping more of the blessings of God than they seem to be reaping. But yet we're all God's people. What are we doing with those blessings? What are we doing with the providence of God's blessings within our life? Are we sharing them? Many times God's people look to that which they don't have. And may I say don't need. And complain, not considering all that they do have. because of God's providential hand in their life. Has it been you? I know it's been me at times. And it's shameful when you start to think about that. Deuteronomy 10, 21, he is thy praise and he is thy God. That hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen. Job 5.9 says, which doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. God's providence, my friend, upon you and I is innumerable. But how much do we spend in meditation realizing those things, bringing them back to our remembrance? We should meditate at the end of the day. Every day we should start the day off in the Word. and ask for God to open our eyes to what he would have us see this day and his wondrous workings within our life that we may share with others. And at the end of the day, we should meditate in prayer and say, God, reveal to me again those things you wrought in my life this day, that I may praise you throughout all eternity, for you are truly worthy. Let us focus on these five things. I think if we focus just on these five topics of God's workings within our life and consideration, we have nothing but to say, Thou art worthy. Thou art worthy, God. And how great Thou art in my life. There is no greater good that can come than when you as God's people and me as God's child focus on what God does in your life and in my life and share to those that don't have it in their life. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we thank you for saving us for this morning. Father, may we consider all that you do in our life, all that you do in the lives of everyone that walks this earth, and how that ultimately you brought Christ to a cross that for all those who would repent and believe could experience everlasting life. Father, when we share the gospel, may we preach and teach ourselves within our children what God has done for us and his wondrous works, and ultimately the wondrous salvation that he offers to all those who would repent and believe. Forgive us for our failures or shortcomings. Work a work in our life that we might glorify you in a more perfect way as you are worthy of. For it's in Christ's name we pray, amen.