Let's pray together. Father, as the word is open to us this morning, I pray that you might speak to our hearts. I pray that we have come this morning prepared to hear your word. I pray that we've come prepared to be challenged by your word, encouraged by your word, and guided by your word. Pray for Pastor Aaron as he preaches this morning, as he shares your word that you have laid upon his heart with us. May he speak with boldness and clarity. I pray that you might use your word to penetrate our hearts this morning. It's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. At this time, the children's can be dismissed at Children's Church. I see some of you doing that. That's great. Ages four to third grade. Turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 1. It's good for us to be together today and to to gather together. Every week, it's good for us to gather together. We often go through our weeks, and sometimes we get to Saturday, even Sunday morning, and the lie, deceit from the evil one may have creeped into your mind, thinking, maybe I could do this without Christ. Maybe I'm good without him. I got through this week just fine. Maybe I can get by without yielding again to Christ. It's good for us to be together, to remind one another that we cannot, we cannot. Not a day, not an hour, not a minute without our lives yielded and submitted to Christ on this narrow way that He's called us to. My mother-in-law has a picture in her home, one of my favorites. I still want to purchase it. I still need to do that. But it's a picture of the two roads. You've probably seen many depictions of the two roads, the narrow way and the broad way. And on this picture, there's a lot to look at. It's one of those really detailed ones. Great pictures and illustrations, lots of verses, lots of scripture passages at each turn and at each kind of picture. The saddest, I think the saddest part about that picture, I should say one of the saddest I've looked at in a while, there's a lot to remember, but I specifically remember looking at it And on the narrow way, there's a gate halfway down. It's a little pass that people are getting off of the narrow way using this pass. And they're going to the Broadway because the narrow way was too difficult. That's one of the saddest pictures, saddest points in that picture because there's people who They didn't go through the gate to begin with. They didn't enter through the narrow gate to begin with. The door, which is Christ. They jumped the fence somewhere along the way. And when they reached the hill, hills of difficulty, as it says in Pilgrim's Progress, they're looking for a way out. This narrow way that God has called us to, it starts narrow, it continues narrow, and it'll end narrow until it opens up into glory. This is the call that Timothy is being called to by Paul in 2 Timothy. We had our last passage in this book was chapter 1, verses 8 through 14. Chapter 1, verses 8 through 14, this was back at the beginning of the year. When I have the opportunity, I'll speak from 2 Timothy, it's one of my favorite books. But if you kind of look back in your Bible there, what Paul has been calling Timothy to, he's been calling him to the gospel ministry, calling him to not be ashamed of what he has been called to in the gospel. You'll be reminded that it's a gospel and a calling that he has been called to from before time began. And the grace that allows him to minister is grace that has been Timothy's before time began. It says there in verse eight, Sharon's suffering for the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. This calling and this grace that enables Timothy has been for him since the ages began and and Christ. This grace was manifested in Christ. When he came and abolished death. And brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And Paul says this is why I suffer because this is the gospel way. This is the way. Of the gospel. It starts narrow and it continues narrow. But he says, do not be ashamed. And why is the reason Paul's not ashamed? I know whom I have believed. And I am convinced that he's able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. What has been entrusted to Timothy and to Paul, God will make sure that he fulfills his part of entrusting and guarding that gospel and bring it to fruition. Bring salvation and glorification to fruition. And he charges Timothy, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within you, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. I think you can say that throughout this book, and even in 1 Timothy, we can safely say that Timothy has grown timid. He's grown afraid or fearful of what might come because of this gospel life that he lives. What people will think of him, what people will do to him, And he's grown ashamed of the gospel and the testimony about the Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul wants to call Timothy back to a lasting ministry, to remind him of the ministry that lasts on the narrow way. Ministry that does not shortchange things, ministry that does not take the shortcut, ministry that doesn't jump over the fence, go for a little while, and then take the Broadway, but ministry that lasts. And we're gonna see in our passes today what Paul says, essentially, to Timothy to encourage him towards a ministry that lasts, a gospel ministry that stands the test of time. And to all of us who have been called by this gospel, to all of us who have been saved by this gospel, it is a gospel that we cannot pick and choose what parts we like and what parts we don't like. We've been called in this narrow way, and God will give grace to walk it. Let's pick up in verse 15. Whose kid is that? Verse 15. Says this, please read along with me. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are fragilis and homogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses and trust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also, share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hardworking farmer who will ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. The first thing we see here as we turn to 2 Timothy 1, verse 15, that's where we'll begin, is that Paul is going to give Timothy an example of someone whose ministry has stood the test of time, whose ministry has lasted. He reminds Timothy of this example of Onesiphorus, a man who encouraged Paul, a man who refreshed Paul. And he uses this as a way of giving Timothy a picture in his mind, an encouragement. to remember when he is ashamed, when he is discomforted, when he is weary on the way, to remember even Onesiphorus, to remember a man who searched for Paul earnestly, left his family back in Asia Minor, and went looking for Paul. We also have a negative example. Look at the example of the jealous and homogenies and those who went with those men. By way of a negative example, we see men who have turned away from Paul. Why did they turn away? Why have they turned away from Paul? Paul says, you remember, you're aware that all who are in Asia turned away from you. That's where Timothy is ministering in Asia Minor now, and he probably even knows these two men. Paul reminds them and brings their names to Timothy's mind, maybe even to have him to watch out for them. You know who these men are. They deserted me. We thought they were one of us, but they aren't. They deserted me when the going got tough. and watch out for them. They might even be a part of this group of false teachers that have invaded the Church of Ephesus. Paul says, beware of them. He names them even by name, which is a pretty big deal for Paul to do, especially if this letter is going to be read out loud before the Church, which I think is the intention of these letters from Paul. Paul is not afraid to call these men out, these men that have gone off of the narrow way, and they're chasing the broad way now because the hill got difficult. The jealous and homogenies. But, there's a good example. Not all have gone this way. And not all will go this way, because God, in through Christ, has genuinely saved. Has his elect. who will walk the narrow way by his grace. He says, may the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me. This was a man who refreshed Paul with food and drinks and drink and fellowship, visited Paul, fellowshiped with him in his house when he was in house arrest in Rome. And he was, most importantly, not ashamed of the chains that Paul wore. This is something that Paul calls Timothy 2. Do not be ashamed of my chains. It would be easy to be ashamed of Paul's chains. I'm a man in prison for the gospel. A new gospel. The gospel of a crucified Messiah. this message being relatively new, it would be very difficult to walk by faith in those days. It's difficult now. But in those days, we think, oh, they say they had Christ, they saw all these things. But the message of a crucified Messiah was not an easy one to follow, let alone proclaim in the streets and cities and towns and the byways and highways like Paul and his teammates did. And he's in chains as a result of it, and he calls him, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. This way seems tough now. And is it even bearing fruit? But there is a peaceable fruit of righteousness coming, Timothy. and take heart in looking at the life of Monociferus. He says in verse 17, when he arrived in Rome, he couldn't call Paul or text him. Hey, where are you at? What's your address? He searches for him. He puts his love for Paul to the test. He's even got to walk around Rome asking, have you seen Paul? Do you know where Paul is? That's pretty dangerous. You're talking about the Paul? The Paul that's in prison? The Paul that's on house arrest? The Paul that preaches the gospel? The Paul that's about to be executed? Yeah, that one. Yeah, I know where he's staying. I'll show you the way. You're putting your life on the line like I'm a syphilis. He's got a family back home. He's got a family back in Ephesus. Why didn't he just stay there? It would have been easier. And many people even think that this man died in Rome, that he was caught and put in prison like Paul and executed because of the way that it talks here about his family, the Lord grant him to find mercy. Everything is past tense here. This man very, very well may have given his life in Rome. But the gospel compelled him. The love of Christ compelled him. He must. He's a genuine believer who's been called by this gospel, this gospel that Paul describes earlier, called to a purpose, a calling by the grace of God that has been in Christ Jesus before the ages began. It's true of every single one of us, whether we're in vocational ministry or not. A purpose and calling for our life in the gospel before the ages began that we've seen manifested in Christ. He says something interesting in verse 18. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. This isn't Paul crossing his fingers saying, I really hope he gets some mercy before God at the end of time. We're not really sure, but let's just pray for him. That's not what Paul is saying here. Essentially what he's saying is he's praying, praying that God would find, would give mercy, Christ would give mercy and see the works that this man has done and reward Onesiphorus on the judgment day of Christ, at the judgment seat of Christ, the beamless seat. Paul sends up this prayer saying, may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord. May the Lord see his good works that he has paid me, and may he be rewarded in the last day. What a perspective. We know that Paul lived with such a perspective of the end, of the glory. of even the Bema seat in 2 Corinthians 3, the riches, the crowns, the treasures and rewards that will be ours in Christ at that seat. Paul lived with that in mind, and he even lived with it in mind for Onesiphorus. May the Lord grant him to find mercy, and you know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. So what's the difference between these groups of people? What's the difference between the omnisiphorous and the phagellous and homogeneous, those who have gone away? What's the difference between these men? Well, to illustrate that, I think we need to turn to Matthew 13. If you turn to Matthew 13, the parable of the sower, parable of the seed. In Matthew 13, there's different seed that is spread on the ground. Some falls on good soil, some falls on bad soil, some falls on rocky soil. And in giving a description of the rocky soil, Matthew 13 verse 20 says this. As for what is sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. And when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. There's some that's been planted on good soil, and it takes root, and it grows, and it flourishes. It lasts. Some seed falls on rocky ground, and that's, I think, where phagellus and homogenies were. Seed that fell on the rocky soil, it sprouted up, and it showed fruit and life for a little bit, because the ground was so shallow. But what comes? When trials and pressures and hardships come, it dries up. It had no real fruit to begin with, no real root to begin with. Those that did not go through the gate, through the door, John 10 says, Jesus, I am the door. Anyone who jumps over, those are thieves and robbers who jump over into the fold. That's not what Onesiphorus was. That's not what Onesiphorus was. He was a man who was changed by the gospel. His life was living proof that the gospel had taken root in his heart. He was a man who knew the gospel, that Christ died in our stead on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He was a man who was changed by the gospel. He was a man who the gospels, the heart of the gospel, the full gospel took root in his life. He knew that the way that he lived in the past could absolutely not be the way that he lives now. That's not why Christ died. Christ died to save, to justify, to cleanse us, to sanctify us daily as we walk with him. He was living the denying, taking up, and following kind of life that Jesus calls us to. Anyone who comes after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. So even today, as we look at these examples, we look at them from very many different perspectives as we read this. We look at them and think, which camp are we in? Have I jumped the gate? Have I gone through the narrow way? That's a question that you need to answer. If the answer is yes, I have. I know I have. We often grow weary. Hebrews 12 says, Do not despise the discipline of the Lord. It is for discipline they have to endure. All discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Do not grow weary in your walk with the Lord in the gospel as he changes you from the inside out. Engage with that gospel. and see others that have gone before. Others whose lives in the day to day were just as difficult, but in the end, whose lives proved God to be true and his promises to be true, the peaceable fruit of righteousness born in their lives. That's where Timothy was. He was discouraged. He was ashamed. He was weary. Paul gives the example and now he turns to give him two essential principles. that he must live by for lasting ministry. Two essential principles. The first one is this in chapter two, verse one. You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. This you then is kind of, I think, pointing back to Onesiphorus. As Aniciferus was strengthened by the grace of Christ, you then, my child, be strengthened by the grace. He calls him my child. This is a man who Timothy led to the Lord. Timothy was saved under the ministry of Paul. You can sense the true bond that they had in the gospel and in Christ. My child. one who I've seen come from death to life in a supernatural way that only Christ and God can do. You then, my child, as you're saved, what do we say? By grace through faith, Ephesians 2. As you're saved by grace through faith, do not abandon that way. You who have been saved by grace, not of your works. It's a gift of God, lest anyone should boast. You now think that you can live daily based on your works. That's why I think it's so important for us to be together. I've come to this place time and time again and sat in these pews and have had a sense that I can do it myself. And I've needed the body, I've needed the fellowship to remind me that it is not of works lest anyone should boast. It's of grace. Be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. This is the grace that was in Christ before the ages began, the grace that he has already described in verses 8 through 14. We don't tend to like this grace, though. We hear about it all the time, but in the moment of weakness, in the moment of trial and pressure, we don't really like this verse. Because grace is, we see it as intangible or immaterial When I was, this week, I was not feeling well, and I was definitely missing out on some sleep. And in the middle of the night, this passage, this verse, kept going through my mind. It's amazing how God trains us. But in those moments, I don't want grace, God, I want sleep. I want sleep, that's what I want. I want something now. I want something physical. That's what's going to strengthen me. He did end up giving sleep, but he had to train me first that a man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. This grace that has been ours before the ages began, this grace that is not a result of works, been given freely in Christ. It's been seen on the cross, seen in his coming, his living perfect life, his dying in our place. Bearing my sin, my punishment on the tree. dying in my place, rising again, and then God giving me freely this grace where I once stood condemned under the law. Legally standing condemned if it were not for the grace of Christ freely given to me. What love, Compassion and mercy, which is the characterizing, characteristic of our God. He is grace. He is grace. And he's gracious. Freely giving his grace. And now the Bible says, Romans 5, that we stand in this grace. This unmerited favor that has been ours from before time began. We stand in this grace. Sin no longer has dominion over us because of this grace. And Ephesians 2, if you remember Ephesians 2, quoted earlier, you're saved by grace through faith, not of works. It is a gift of God, lest anyone should boast. What does it say in the next verse? For you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. So this grace that saves us, God is using God is working to create a masterpiece, an artwork. We are his workmanship, by his grace, created in Christ Jesus. The full picture of this gospel, and God's intent for it in our lives. This grace trains us, as Titus chapter 2 says, The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live upright, godly lives. So you can see, and even in 2 Corinthians, you can't miss this one, where God's grace is enough. God's grace is enough. Where you can see Paul, he wanted the physical strength. He wanted the thorn to be removed. He pleads with God three times to remove this thorn because it is, it's too much for him, and he's growing weary of it. And God, as you know, says, my grace is sufficient for you. It may not feel that way. You may not think that to be true. That this immaterial thing that I can't see, I can't touch, can really be for me in this way and can really be mine through Christ. God says it is, and it doesn't matter what you think or what you feel. He says, my grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness. Paul, who knows that, says, you, then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. I know you don't feel it now, Timothy. I know that you're weary. But I'm telling you, This is God's way. Be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Humble yourself. Humble yourself before the Lord. James says that he yearns jealously over those, over the spirit that he's made to dwell in us. He gives more grace. God gives more grace. It says, therefore, he opposes the proud. And if your heart is proud, he will oppose it until you're humbled. But he gives grace to the humble. Humble yourself before the Lord. And then the second essential principle that Timothy must cling to and must do. be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. So this very gospel that Timothy has received and that Paul has taught him and passed on to him, this gospel that involves being strengthened by the grace of God as we see our weaknesses and he exposes our weaknesses, This gospel that you know to be true in your life, Timothy, you must pass it on. You must teach it to others, and they will come alongside you and help you in this ministry, and it will be ministry that lasts, because you have brothers and sisters who are around you who are engaged in the same gospel that you are walking in. who are teaching the same gospel message that you are teaching. We must have people around us. Again, why I say it's so important to be here. So important to be like-minded in the gospel. Like-minded in what God's intentions are in our lives and in the world and the people we know through the gospel. So important to be like-minded. If you're a believer today, I ask you, are you aware of God's working in your life in this way, using the pressures and trials of your life, even responsibilities and joys? Are you aware of His way in this? Are you aware that He wants you to love the gospel more than you love anything else, to love Him more than you love anything else, to know the gracious God more than you know anything else? Are you aware that God is desiring to work this way in you? Why does it say, yeah, it's painful rather than pleasant, but it yields later the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it? Because he knows that's what we need more than we need anything else in this life. It's himself. His grace. Our Creator's grace. Relationship with Him. He knows this about us more than we know ourselves. As he continues on into chapter, into verse three, you'll see he says and gives three metaphors, almost, for ministry. And this is our last point, the point that ministry that lasts does not take The easy way out. Ministry that lasts. It's the road less traveled. It's God's way. Let's read this and I want to look and see what these three have in common. Verse three says, Sharon's suffering is a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuit since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hardworking farmer who has to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. the soldier, the athlete, the farmer. Studying this this week and thinking, what do these have in common? What's the bond that joins the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer? Well, it's the soldier who is not entangled in civilian pursuits. He's doing his job, the job that he was called to do. It's the athlete who competes according to the rules, and not bending the rules, not changing them. And it's the farmer who waits faithfully for the crops to come, and sows the right way, and is faithful. These three have in common that they did not take the easy way out. They legitimately did the work. They legitimately walked the walk that they were called to. The athlete didn't like the glory of being the athlete, but refused to walk by the rules, run by the rules. The soldier didn't like the glory of being a soldier or the prestige of being a soldier, but then when it came time to obey the rules of his commander, he didn't go wander off into civilian pursuits. The farmer sowed well. and he waited, and he will share in the good harvest. They're not shortchanging their job. The soldier, if you look at the soldier, verse three says, share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. We're gonna see, we saw back in verse eight, and we'll see again in chapter three, verse 12, that Paul calls Timothy to suffer. This is not a possibility. He's not saying, hey, beware, you might suffer. And if you do, this is going to happen. This is what you should do. It might happen, and we're not sure. No, he actually calls him to actively share in it, to welcome. None of us welcome suffering. We don't want suffering in our lives, and that's okay. It's not normal to want suffering. But when it comes, and it will, to know God's way in it, to know what God is doing through it, through the gospel, sanctifying us, share in suffering. He's basically essentially saying, suffer. Like the good soldier, a good soldier suffers because the soldier is in the battle. Why is a good soldier suffering? Because he's in the battle. The soldier is not wandering away from the battlefield to be entangled in civilian pursuits, which are easier. He's a good soldier because he wants to please the one who enlisted him and fight the good fight. That reminds us of chapter four, who Paul, at the end of his life, who's writing to Timothy, who's in the thick of it, and Paul's in the thick of it himself, too, but he sees the end. He knows it's coming. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. At the end of his life, Paul looks back And he says, by God's grace, I was a good soldier. By God's grace, I finished the race according to the rules. And by God's grace, I was a good farmer who faithfully waited. It's worth it, Timothy. It's worth it. According to Ephesians 6, we're in a battle too. According to Ephesians 6, we are in battle, and we've been fit for battle by our Savior. And it's not a battle against flesh and blood. Can you see it? It's a battle against principalities and powers of the air. It's a battle against the deceiver. It's a battle against sin. It's one that we daily walk in. Paul says, do not avoid the battle. You've been called to this. The grace of God has called you to this. You've been saved in the gospel. Don't be entangled in civilian pursuits. Fight. Fight the battle. Be strengthened by the grace of Christ. Continue to go back to His grace being enough. His power is made perfect in weakness. The athlete, he's not taking the easy way out. He's competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer is faithful to plant, to sow, to reap, over and over and over again, doing it well and doing it legitimately. In the book, Pilgrim's Progress, Similar to the picture that my mother-in-law has, the book Pilgrim's Progress, Christian has walked through the door. He's walked through the door, he's laid his burdens down at the cross. And he continues on the narrow way, the narrow way that started narrow and continued narrow. He continues on the narrow way, just as he's been called. And as he's walking, he sees two men jump over the wall. Two men jump over the wall, formalist and hypocrisy. He catches them jump over, and he's a little bit confused. He's a new Christian. He's new to this walk. And he's, where'd you guys come from? How did you get on the path? He sees them tumbling over the wall. Could I have done that? He says, what are you doing? And he's concerned seeing these men jump over the wall. And the men say, oh, don't worry about it. People from our country have been doing this for thousands of years. And we're pretty sure they've made it to the celestial city. Christian is a little bit concerned. He knows that they have to go through the gate. He knows that their burdens have to be laid down at the cross. and that they must walk. So he continues on, and if you know the story, he reaches the Hill of Difficulty. And the narrow way leads straight up the hill. And there's two ways that go around the hill, or we think they go around. We're not really sure where they lead. In the book, I think they're, in the book they're called, one path is called Danger, and the other, I think, is called Destruction. But the two men don't really heed those signposts, They get to the hill of difficulty, and they look straight up the hill. And Christian, you know which way he's going. But these men, they kind of debate amongst themselves, and they say, well, I'm going to go left. You go right. Let's see what happens. Timothy, or excuse me, Christian, picks up his walking stick, and he heads straight up the hill. On this path, On this narrow way, we've got to abide by God's rules. God's the good judge. He's the righteous judge. He's set the rules for this life because he knows the best way. He knows the best way. And one rule is that you cannot jump the wall. You must go through the door, which is Christ. You can't have the glories of the Christian walk for a short time and then take the broad way. You look and you face the hill that's in front of you, no matter which way, no matter where the narrow road takes you. And you walk in faith by grace. That sounds very familiar to the way that I was saved, by grace through faith. And yet, even this week, I'm sure you found yourself in the hardness of your heart, in the hardness of my heart, saying, I can do this on my own. I'll find a different way. It's not going to come on my knees. It's not going to happen going on my knees for grace. I want something different. There's one door, and it's Jesus Christ. There's one way, and it's the way of the cross. And God has designed this glorious way so that only his grace is sufficient for the pressures he allows as he makes us holy and dependent on him on this road. And when we're more dependent on Him, ministry lasts. It's ministry that bears fruit in your life and in the life of other people. I asked this question early on in my Christian walk. I asked this question because God was beginning to show me through His Word and through life circumstances that I'd seen in other people, and in my life, I asked. Is there any other way in the Christian life but through suffering? Is there any other way? Is there any other road I can take to grow? Is there any other road I can take to walk? And I believe I found that the answer is no. That the answer is no. That suffering is not the only way to grow, but if you're going to grow, you're going to suffer. That's why Paul says, share in suffering. He knows how God works through it, providing his grace that is sufficient. There wasn't another way for Christ. You remember him in the garden? If there is another way, yet not as I will, but as you. And he suffered, and he died in my place. He saved me by this glorious gospel, redeemed me, leading me by grace. When the going gets tough, there's only one place to go. My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness. Take up the charge. Putting God and his word to the test, he will prove his promises to be sure, his grace enough. Let's close in prayer. Dear Father, you call us even in this last verse of this section. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Dear God, I pray that you would help us to think over what you're saying in your word. To think over the truths of your word. To think over the gospel, the glorious gospel. Cause us to reflect on the gospel. Cause our eyes to look and see the gospel. Cause us to see the road in front of us and your sufficient grace. Help us not to look for any other way. us to walk the path that you've laid before us. Give us grace and strength. And please, God, I pray, according to your great promise, bear the peaceable fruit of righteousness in my life and in the lives of these people. You're a good father and a good God. I thank you. Let's stand and respond to God's word.