Well, good morning. It is good to be back at Olena Primitive Baptist Church. I was here last in September, I believe, at Joe's meeting. And a lot of things has happened since that time. At that time, my wife Alice was with me, but since that time, she has gone home to be with the Lord. She went to be with the Lord on March the 23rd. And so we have really missed her, and I miss her being here with me today. But I am thankful that she is listening from afar today. So it is good to be back, even though it is a little sad with the situation. But God's grace is sufficient. I'll say that I'm Elder David Lawrence. I'm co-pastor with Brother Herb Hatfield at Mayhew Primitive Baptist Church between Starkville and Columbus, Mississippi. So it's a privilege. for you to ask me to come and to speak once again. So you pray for me as we try to look at some scriptures this morning. I want to, if my message have a title, it would be It is well. Now, we have to know the background of this scripture. If you'll turn with me to 2 Kings chapter 4, and I'll begin reading with verse 8. But the title of my message today It's taken from verse 26. And if you'll notice. It says run now I pray thee to meet her and say unto her. Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with that child? And she answered it is well. Now, I have to know the background here. This is Elijah in the time of Elijah, Elisha. And he was a prophet of God. And he traveled from one place to the other. And he was coming by, oftentimes, by this Shulamite woman's house. And this woman was a faithful follower of God, believed in God. And so when she saw this man coming by, often when she said, told her husband, says, I perceive that this man is a holy man, that he is a righteous man. And she wanted to do something for him. And so she said, we ought to build a chamber or a little room on the side of our house with a bed, with a table, and with a lamp stand so that he'd have a place to rest when he comes by. So this is kind of the background. And I'll begin reading with verse 8. And it fell on a day that Elisha passed to Shushan, where was a great woman, and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was that as off as he passed by, he turned it thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passes by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall, and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick. And it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. And it fell on a day that he came thither, and he turned unto the chamber, and lay there. And he said to Gersha his servant, called this Shulamite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto him, say now unto her, behold, thou hast been careful for us with all of this care. What is to be done for thee? Wouldst thou be spoken for the king or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among my own people. And he said, what then is to be done for her? And Gershon answered, verily, she hath no child, and her husband is old. And he said, call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. And he said about this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid. And the woman conceived and bear a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her according to the time of life. And when the child was grown, it fell on a day that he went out of his father's, to his father, to the reapers. Now it says here that the child was grown, but evidently it was still a child because it said that, and he said unto his father, my head, my head, and he said to the lad, carry him to his mother. And when he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon and then died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door upon him and went out. And she called unto her husband and said, send me, I pray thee, one of the young men and one of the asses that I may run to the man of God and come again. And he said, wherefore wilt thou go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath. And she said, it shall be well. Then she saddled an ass. and said to her, Sir, drive and go forward. Slack not thy riding for me except I bid thee. So she went and came unto the man of God to Mount Carmel, And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gersha his servant, behold, yonder is that Shulamite. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her and to say unto her, is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered, it is well. And when she came to the man of God through the hills, she caught him by the feet. But Gershiah came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, let her alone, for a soul is vexed within her. And the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. Then she said, did I desire a son of my Lord? Did I not say, do not deceive me? Then he said to Gershiah, gird up thy loins, Take up thy staff in thy hand, and go thy way. If thou meet any man, salute him not. And if any salute thee, answer him not again, and lay my staff upon the face of the child. And the mother of the child said, and the Lord liveth, as thy soul liveth. I will not leave thee. And he arose and followed her. And Gershire passed on before him and laid the staff upon the face of the child, but there was neither voice nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him and told him, saying, the child is not awake. And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead and laid upon his bed. And he went in therefore and shut the door upon them twenty, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up and laid upon the child, put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands. And he stretched himself to the child, and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned and walked in the house to and fro, and went up and stretched himself upon him. And the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gershon and said, call this Shulamite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, take up thy son. Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground and took up her son and went out." Now we see here a lady that's has ultimate faith in God. And she believed in God's promises that he would never leave her nor forsake her. And she believed that. And so it takes complete trust and faith in our Heavenly Father in the situation that she was in. Now, we know things happen. Things happen mighty fast. And we don't understand it sometimes, as we are in the flesh. But we say, and we Affirmative Baptists say, that we believe in a sovereign God. We believe that God is in control of all events. at all times with all people in all places. And we do. But sometimes our faith does not show forth that sometimes because we are in the flesh and sometimes that hinders us sometimes. But we see that this woman, even though that we noticed in this reading that He asked her, was there something that he could do for her? And she says, no, I dwell among my own people. But evidently, his servant had talked to him and had found out that she desired a child. But her husband was old. So Elisha prayed for her and told her that she would bear a child in her due season. And so that happened, and God granted his prayer. So when this happened, that she didn't even tell her husband that the child had died, and that she told her servant to prepare and ask for them to go. And she went to see the man of God, the prophet of God. She didn't even tell her husband. And we see the faith that she has that she didn't even plan a funeral. And so This is an extraordinary faith that she has. So when she was going to sin, Elisha saw her coming and says, go and ask that you, my woman, is it well with her? Is it well with her husband? Is it well with your tribe? And she says, it is well. Now, that's hard for us to do sometimes. But that's what the grace of God will help us to do in our faith. And she answered it as well. Those are easy words sometimes. Sometimes we speak, you know, words are easy to say sometimes. say that I believe God. I believe that He is sovereign. I believe He is in control of all things and all situations. Sometimes that talk is easy to come by and easy to say. But to have a heart that is suitable to that situation is one of the highest attainments of faith. To be sure, it is well. We know that in the end, for God's elect people, it is well. But that is easy to say when everything is going our way. When there's nothing that crosses our decisions or the warts our desires, that sinks our hopes or awakens our fears. Submission to Almighty God under all situations is easy. work then when everything's going good. But to have the things seemingly against us, to have God smiting in the tenderest parts, unraveling all of our schemes, contradicting our desires, and standing aloft from our very prayers How do our souls behave then? You know, it's not when the things are doing good for us, but it's in the good and the bad. Can we say as in the good times and in the bad times as well? It's hard in a situation that when things come in our lives that is not pleasant. can we say in all circumstances it is well, whatever it might be. So this lady was able to do that even her only child in her old age that God gave her had a stroke. He told his father that day when he went out to the where he was working in the field. He says, my head, my head. And so he sent the child with a servant to his mother and said he sat on her knee. And then it said he died. But she was able, when Elisha asked her, how's things with you, with your husband, and with your child? She says, it's well. So faith sets aside every obstacle. Faith don't look at circumstances. You know, we don't base our faith and our belief upon Almighty God under circumstances. We believe and have faith in God because He is God and He is the sovereign God of the universe and He is in control of all things. So it shall be well and the end will be peace She said, God is with me, and He will make all things work together for good. We as primitive Baptists, we love Romans 8, 28. And it is true. In Psalm 37, 37, it says, mark the perfect, or the mature man, and behold the upright, For the end of that man is peace. 1 Corinthians 15 and 10 says, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. And His grace was bestowed upon me. It was not in vain, but I labor more abundantly than they all. Yet not I, but the grace of God, which was within me. That was Paul saying, that I labored abundantly above all, but I did it. It wasn't me. It was the grace of God. So when we're able to say that it is well under all circumstances with God, then that is God working and giving us grace and power to do that. Romans 8, 28, and 29 says, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are they called according to his purpose. 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. Now, in what this woman's faith appeared, it is now made manifest. That's what's so important, that we can say that I love God. I believe that God is sovereign, that He's in control of all things. That's easy. to say, but it really doesn't come home and true until it's manifested in our lives. Are we able to do that? So it's not what we say. The Lord says it's not those that say, but it's those that do will inherit the kingdom of God. So here was a dependency upon God's promise and abiding by that. God had promised her son, a son not to lose him, but to have comfort in him. And it is as if she says, as for God, his work is perfect. My son is dead, but God, all is sufficient, liveth. Why should I mourn as though I have no hope? God's power and faithfulness. There is no abatement in them. There is no, cannot be reduced to faithfulness and the power of Almighty God. If He is not a God that is in control of all things at all times, then He's not God. So we need to understand that. So whatever circumstance we find ourselves in today, it is happening by the will of God. And we need to understand that. And we need to have faith to be able to believe that. And we can only do that by the grace of God. He will help us to do that. We notice that she made no preparations for the burial. and tells her husband nothing of the death, but seeks God by the prophet and expects help from him. So Sina, she expresses herself, when Gersha, the servant of Elisha, asked her, is it well with thee? Is it well with our husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered, here's the way up. Here is the greatest submission and the deepest distress. This is where the test comes, is to see whether we are true followers of Christ and of God. is that how do we perform under the worst circumstances? So she had a great submission to God in the deepest distress. Her son, her only son, the son of all of her love, the son of her old age, he is taken away with a stroke. all is well. There's nothing amiss in the dispensation had she been to choose it. She would not have chosen this situation. Neither would we. But as God has chosen, it is well. It is best. And she has nothing to object to. So we need to get to the place in our life that whatever situation we find ourselves in, good or bad, that we can say, in our hearts and be satisfied that it is well because God has done it. He has done it. Here are submission and faith, both discovered in their sweetest exercise. Submission to what God has done. Faith in what He is able to do. and in what she believes that he would do. So faith in God's promises and power will bring a man to submit to the sorest and the most trying dispensation of his life and his providence. So even in this time of distress, She believed God. To put it another way, faith, where it is in exercise, will teach the Christian to say, of all God's does. It is well. That's hard to do sometimes, isn't it? So this well does not suppose us insensible of this evil affliction. So God has made a way in 1 Corinthians 10 and 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who has not suffered you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bury. So in our afflictions and our trials and our tribulations, God says, I will not take that situation away from you, but I will have made a way of escape for you. And that is that Jesus Christ died on the cross for his people. And we were justified and brought right before God because of what Christ has done for us. So it is through what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross, Calvary, that God has made a way of escape and that God and Jesus Christ will carry us through whatever situation we find ourselves in. So we see the faith of this woman. What submission is? What is submission? It's justifying God. Submission to the will of God is justifying God in all that He does. It is well. God cannot do amiss. He cannot do anything wrong. All things that He does is good. and righteous. It's hard for us to understand in the flesh with our finite mind. But like Romans 8, 28 says, for we know that all things work together for good for them that love God to them who are they called according to his purpose. all things, not some things. Ephesians 1 and 11 says, in whom also that we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Isn't it comforting to know that we have already obtained an inheritance? How have we done that? Because we've been bought with a price by the precious blood of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ. As far as God is concerned, I'm already in glory. In the purpose and plan of His counsel, I'm already in glory because it's that sure. because will is faithful. And he'll do what he says he will do. Israel, in the time of Israel when they were coming out of the captivity, in Ezra 9 and 13, it says, and after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great transgressions, great trespasses, seems that thou, O God, has punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and has given us such deliverance as this. In the captivity, when Israel was taken into Babylonian captivity, and then God brought them out of Egypt by the mighty hand of God, come to the Red Sea, departed the Red Sea. They came across on dry land. And then when Pharaoh and his army was coming after them, God allowed. the waters to come back to and destroy them. So as we're saying here, that even though all these transgressions that we have done, it caused God to have to carry them into captivity, but he has brought them out by a mighty hand. And Ezra says, whatever punishment it is given is not enough as what our iniquities require. So Lamentations 3, 39 says, wherefore doth a living man complain? A man for the punishment of his sins. So long as we are out of hell, God punishes us less than our iniquities deserve. We all deserve hell. We need to understand that. And I think if we could understand that, that that might help us by the grace of God. to make our faith stronger and to have more trust in Him. Approving what God does, this submission implies in it our approval of all that God does. Not only is it not amiss, but it is right. It is the best way, the only sure way to bring about our good. Job 1, verses 21 and 22. And said, naked came I out of my mother's womb. Naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. So God gives life and it takes life. Job understood that. In verse 22 he says, In all of this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. We don't need to question God because all He does is right. Job 13 and 15 says, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. But I will maintain mine own way before him. Job had that faith, like this woman did, that he believed that even after his skin burns will leave his flesh, that one day He will see His redemption. And He says, though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. No matter how bad situations we may get in, can we say, yet I will trust Him. If we as God's elect people are not yet in the yet, we need to live in the yet of our faith. Like Job did. He said, though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. If we're not living in the yet of our faith like Job and this woman was, then we're not where God wants His elect people to be. God wants us to trust Him to the uttermost. in all things and in all times. Turn with me to 1 Peter. 1 Peter. Chapter 1, verses 1 through 7. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience. Notice that. Unto obedience of faith and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ's grace unto you in peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Listen, verse five. Who are kept by the power of God through faith, and to salvation ready to be revealed in the last times. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you're in heaviness through manifold temptations. That the trials of your faith be much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be trialed with fire, that it might be found under praise and the honor and the glory at the appearing of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ. So the faith that this lady has and that Job that I have mentioned here is much greater than, much more precious than a gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire. You know, when gold is put through the fire, It is made stronger, it's got all the dross, all the unnecessary things off of it. And then our faith, after it's gone through the trials and the fire, that it be found under praise and the honor and the glory at the appearing. of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ. So, these disciples, Peter, Paul, John, James, all of these went through trials, tribulations, But the Scripture says here that in the end, the faith will be purified, that it will be unto the praise and the honor and the glory at the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 10, 34, for he hath compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that you have an Heaven, having heaven, a better and an enduring substance. See what we have to look forward to. What we endure here. The scripture says this is but light afflictions. This is really nothing what we go through here in this life. It could be compared to the glory that we'll have in Christ Jesus. Hold that blessing. Knowledge. Get conference. Refresh us. And feels the soul. And live a man above himself. Say we're nothing we can do nothing. Without the power and the grace of God. Every path that God takes is right. Then it's safe. And the believer chooses to walk in it. His God. His father. Has marked it out. Nothing. Go so against the grain. But that is well, which the father does. His will is brought to be one with God, and the soul approves of all that God does. Isn't that a wonderful place to be that we can come into agreement with Almighty God that we would say that it is well, whatever situation we find ourselves in. It is because that according to Philippians 2.13, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. So cleaving to God, submission to God's will implies our clinging to God in all things. To be pleased with God as a friend when He seems to be coming forth as an enemy. But the Lord says, those that I love, I chase them. So we don't like chastisement. We don't like whippings. I didn't when I was a child, and I got plenty out for my earthly father. But I'm still here. It didn't kill me. So it don't hurt. It's a necessity to discipline a child in the way it should go. When it's old, he'll not depart from it. So God likewise disciplines his children. It is by the grace of God. Thus to cling to God when we do not find comfort from him, this is believing indeed. Can we continue to bless and to believe and to trust in God? No matter what situation we find ourselves in, this is real belief indeed. We can say, I believe all day. But the proof of the pudding is in the manifestation of our actions under certain circumstances, is it will. That is a grace. To love the hand that smites, that is true grace and great grace. A noble act of faith was that Job in 1315, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. But I will maintain mine own ways before him. In Romans 4, verse 20, it says, He, Abraham, staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Abraham cleaved to God, abode by His promise in a way of faith and firm obedience. This is the true nature of submission, and it is contained in that expression, it is well. So Elijah's servant, Gershah, asked the Shulamite woman, is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy child? And she answered, it is well. So this good woman had but one to lose and no hope of another in place of him. Yet, says she, it is well. She, like Joe, was living in the yet of her faith. Complete trust in the most entire situation. Do not think the trials sanctified until you have a suitable frame to the trial, whatever it be. A trial or affliction has not accomplished its purpose until After that trial and that affliction, that tribulation, has it caused you to be more humble? Are you more prayerful? Are you more submissive to God? Have you looked inward and confessed your sins, saying, take away all iniquity. Has our life's afflictions brought us those changes in our lives? If not, if afflictions have not brought you to this point, it has done you no good. For all that you have borne is anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 25 says, Therefore is the anger of the Lord God Almighty kindled against His people, and He has stretched forth His hand against them, and has smitten them, and the heels did tremble. and their carcasses was torn in the midst of the streets. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." God is good to his people. He will rescue his elect people. In Acts chapter 17, and the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commendeth all men everywhere to repent, because that he hath appointed a day unto which that he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he that hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. There is coming a judgment one day. Everyone will bow to the authority of Almighty God. His elect will bow to Him in righteousness and in honor and glory and thanking Him for what He has done. But the unsaved will make God in judgment for their damnation and for their ruin. So the child of God can say, it is well. The foundation of submission, we come to show that what are the grounds of this submission to God's will, or which it is that a believer says, All God does is His will. The sovereignty of God. The sovereignty of God is a ground of this submission. God has an absolute power, right of dominion over all of His creatures to dispose and to determine of them as seeing good to Him. And He has a right to do what He will do with His own. Leviticus 10, 1 and 2. We see here an incident of Aaron's two sons that was priest. And they misused the office. And God killed them. And Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censers, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded him not. And there went out fire from the Lord God of heaven, and devoured them, and they died before It is a dangerous thing to fall into the hands of a living God. Romans 9, 20 through 24. Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hast not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel under honor and the other under dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fit to destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he hath aforeprepared unto glory? Even us, whom he hath called not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. So, faith acts here with the greatest reason, for it is the highest reason to leave all with him who worketh, ordereth, and overruleth all that befalls us. for his own glory and our spiritual good. This, therefore, is one reason for the grounds of the submission." This Shulamite woman, under the dire circumstances, knew God would do what he promised and said he would do. And she says, it is well. Romans 12 verses 1 and 2. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And verse