The Faithful Creator

The words of Peter, the Apostle Peter, after he had lived, for him, was basically a full lifetime. Because he was in his 60s, his martyrdom death is not very far in front of him, and he knows that. Here are some of the words of wisdom and admonishment and encouragement in 1 Peter 4 and verse 19. 1 Peter 4 and verse 19. And you know, when someone has spent a lifetime, and especially as one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, and he's at a point where he can look back over his life and all that he's gone through, and say, you and I don't know what all Peter went through. We know some of the things, a few things are recorded, but most of the things that happen to Peter, there's a whole long list of experiences and trials and tests and challenges that we'll find out about someday that aren't recorded. But we do know that at this point in time, he had a lifetime of experience with God and His Spirit, and relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. And he says this in 1 Peter 4 verse 19. He says, wherefore, let those, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to Him and well-doing as unto a faithful Creator. Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to Him and well-doing as unto a faithful Creator. That's what Peter did, and it worked. And he knew that it worked, and he knew that it works. So, let those who, number one, set themselves on a course in well-doing, and we set ourselves on a course in well-doing, haven't we? Number two, commit the keeping of their being, of their existence to Him. Number three, because there will be some suffering along the way. There's no avoiding it. And number four, but He is a faithful Creator whom you are dealing with, who will look out for you, and who will look after you, and your needs. And here in this Scripture, there is an emphasis here on faithful, faithful, as unto a faithful Creator. God is faithful. You can count on Him. That counting on somebody is tied to their faithfulness. You can count on God. He is trustworthy. He doesn't let us down. He won't let us down. And when we commit ourselves to a course of well-doing, and what is a course of well-doing? Well, a course of well-doing is coming out of sin, for one thing. Coming out of sin. I dealt with a situation in recent times where a particular person who has not called for the truth right now, but they had come out of a certain sin. I'll just put it that way. And they did not stay out of it very long, sadly, because they didn't practice what's called clean company. And they got back with poor company that was involved in the sin that they had come out of, and got sucked right back into the sin.

You and I, we just came through the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which pictures us being unleavened in Jesus Christ, and to engage in the battle to stay unleavened, not to go back into the leaven that we've been delivered from, to fight against the leaven of sin, to fight to stay free of sin, because we're committed. And when we're committed to, of course, the well-doing, it means coming out of sin, yes, but it also means taking on what we should take on. It's not just the issue that, well, I need to get rid of this and stay rid of this, but it's also the issue, I need to be such and such, and I need to fight to take on such and such. And, of course, when you do that and you fight to come out of sin, which includes coming out of dirty company, keeping clean company, which doesn't set well with certain people, obviously, especially the dirty company, and who do you think you are? You're putting on airs. You're holier than me. You're saying that these are standards you must live by. These are values that you want to take on. Who do you think you are? Well, the long and the short of it is that when you set yourself on a course of well-doing, there's going to be a certain amount of danger. There's going to be a certain amount of need. There's going to be a certain amount of suffering. Because, as the old Garth Brooks song says, you're going against the grain. You're going against the current. You're going against the grain. And you know what you need if you're going to do that? You need somebody backing you. You need somebody backing you, don't you? And the most important somebody to back you is God. How would you have felt if you were Joshua? I'm going back to Joshua 1. How would you have felt if you were Joshua and you had just spent 40 years as an assistant to Moses? And Moses was the man where the buck stopped at his desk, as we say. You've been with Moses and been through all of that, those wilderness years, the time in Egypt and coming out and the plagues and the 40 years in the wilderness. And there was a certain amount of security there, what had to have been a certain feeling of security with Moses. I mean, Joshua with Moses. The people look to Moses.

And then, of course, one day you find out. I'm not exactly sure when, necessarily, when Joshua knew, but the time came that you were informed. You're Joshua, and you're informed that Moses is not taking him in the promised land. You are Joshua. Moses is going to be put to sleep. Moses is going to die and be buried, and nobody will know where his grave is. And it's you, Joshua. You're going to carry the mantle. And you're going to have to lead Israel into the promised land and oversee their settling there and the conquest that will take place to have it. I think you would be pretty... let's just put it this way. It would be an intimidating situation, wouldn't it? You betcha! It would be very intimidating. Notice what God says to him. Joshua 1, verse 5. Joshua 1, verse 5. There shall not any man be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. You want to talk about wonderful words of encouragement. If strengthening, I will not fail you, nor forsake you. Commit ourselves in well-doing to a faithful Creator. I will not fail you. Isaiah 51, verse 12. I, God says, I, even I, am He that comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the Son of man which shall be made His grass? God knows. You don't have to tell Him. You might tell Him from the standpoint of letting Him know that you continue to realize it, that you don't forget because God doesn't. God knows. You know, if I say, God, I know that without Your faithfulness, I'm doomed. God knows that without His faithfulness, we're doomed. Period. Our success depends on His faithfulness. That Scripture right there that I just read here in Isaiah 51, verse 12. There have been many times in my lifetime, through 21 congregations, counting these, probably what in all right and reason are the last three I serve in. Through these 21 congregations, 16 different states, I don't know how many thousands of different situations there have been many times in my work that I have brought this Scripture to mind. Whether in the face of physical danger, enemies that hated me and hated the church, situations that would have taken me out, taken me out of life. Many times in my work, I've brought this Scripture to mind. God's backing and God's support is what makes for success. And His going before us, His going before us, is the cutting edge that leads to it. He's faithful, He's dependable, and He's constantly on the job. He will not sleep. In Psalm 121, verses 3 and 4, now we read Scriptures like this and we say, well, you know, that is so obvious. Why is it even in there? Why was this even written? Because don't we all know that? Behold, He that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

We know God doesn't slumber. We know God doesn't have to sleep. The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade upon the right hand. Because we do slumber, we do sleep, and sometimes we transpose those things over. We know God doesn't sleep, but it's like, okay, no, He doesn't sleep. But does He really... does He every minute of the day? Does He every second of every minute? Does He every split second? Constant, without a break? Stay focused on us individually with that measure of focus, attention? And I say, yes, He does. Without break.

Back in the words of Peter again. And someday, I want the rest of the story. I want to know, Peter, would you take the time to go through your life's experiences in the church, in the work of God, what you dealt with? I would like to know, and someday I will. I mean, if you've got eternity together, you've got plenty of time to catch up. It's not like, oh, we've got to hurry and get caught up. No. You've got plenty of time. But 1 Peter 3 and verse 12, For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers.

There isn't a time, not even a second, where He's not aware of what you're thinking, of what you're saying, and what you're doing. Now, I understand. Some people don't want that close to scrutiny. They don't want that kind of focused attention. It's like, God, could You just kind of forget me for a while so I can go off and do something I shouldn't do?

I don't want you to see what I'm wanting to do. But for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are thankful for that kind of focused attention. And those who are striving to do the right thing, they are very glad to know. And whether you're doing the right thing or the wrong thing, you have that kind of focused attention, because God has put His hand to you, and He will not abandon.

Hebrews 13.5. Hebrews 13.5, Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have, because He has said, I will never leave you. I'll never leave you, nor forsake you. It's an encouraging Scripture, that final one in the book of Matthew 28. And the way it's worded, Matthew 28, verse 20, Now He's talking to Peter, He's talking to John and James, He's talking to the disciples, He's talking to the apostles.

But you know, they died, if you just want to round it off, they died about 2,000 years ago. And of course, before they died, along with the ones that were called and converted, when they were, there were additional ones. And as some are dying off, there's others that are additional. And so, from generation to generation, the church. The names of those who are alive, comprising the church, changes, because those who had comprised it died, and they're awaiting a resurrection. But there's always new names coming on board that comprise the church.

And when Christ says, the last sentence in verse 20, Lo, I am with you, He's not just singling Peter out or the disciples, He's talking about the church, those who are called, which at that time were those He's talking to. And then, shortly, others are going to be added on the Day of Pentecost. Yes, but when He says, I am with you always, even to the end of the world or the end of the age, we're all the way down to 2023.

And the promise was, I will always be with the church. You're part of the church. You are the church. You're part of the church. You're part of the body. I'm with you. I'm with you. Now, we read certain statements in the Bible that we've read many a time, and we'll read many a time more as the years go by.

And we read things like, I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. And we say, yeah, that's right. God is faithful. He won't leave us. He won't abandon us. But do we operate that way sometimes in the midst of a trial or a test? God, where are you? God would say, if He answered, I've not gone anywhere. Well, I don't see any evidence of your presence. What do you mean, you don't see any evidence of my presence? Well, I know you said you'd never leave us or abandon us, but I don't really see any proof that you are close by, that you are here. I mean, give me some evidence.

We could fall into that. See, you and I are not immune to being affected by the attitudes around us in society. And it's like a woman said to me years ago, it's hard for me to dress God as Father because my Father was extremely abusive. And the word Father is not a good word to me. And she said, I realize I've got to grow and I've got to change, and I realize God the Father is not like my physical Father was.

But I'm still affected by that term. What do we see in society around us? We see abandonment in society. It's all around us. We see spouses abandoned. We see children abandoned. We see parents abandoned. Take children being abandoned. We see grandparents, sometimes great-grandparents, having to raise their grandchildren. Some having to raise their great-grandchildren because their parents abandoned them. Now, I realize too, there are times when there are situations where grandparents are having to raise grandchildren due to deaths and accidents and all.

I understand that. But I'm talking about it is a growing thing in society to see grandparents having to raise their grandchildren because their own mom and dad have abandoned them. That's part of our society. It's part of the corruption of our day and age. Satan loves it. And he wants us to think or to feel, look, God's the same way. And he doesn't care if we feel a whole lot that God's that way or just a little bit that God's that way.

So he wants us to doubt God. God, do you really care? I mean, I know me and I know you know me and I don't feel very lovable. So maybe you don't really love me. Like the Scripture says, our own humanness gets in the way sometimes. Let me make this statement. There never has been and there never will be a spiritual abortion. There never has been. There never will be a spiritual abortion. And I'm being very specific in how I word that, a spiritual abortion.

This is what Paul is saying in Philippians 1.6. In Philippians 1.6, being confident of this very thing that He which has begun a good work in you, who has generated and caused that good work, will perform it or finish it to the day of Jesus Christ. God the Father never, the one who engenders that life in us, that new work, that new life, He never says, oh, I think I'll just go ahead and abort, so and so.

I just don't want to deal with Him anymore. I'm God and I can call the shots like I want to.

They're thriving, but they're growing. They're alive, but I just decided I don't want them. I'm going to abort them. I don't want this child. I'm going to abort it. No, there will never be. Never has been. Never will be a spiritual abortion. God starts what He finishes. Because, see, with an abortion, you're backing out on the child. You're backing out. Okay, I don't want this life. You're backing out. God never backs out on us.

Now, listen carefully. One may spiritually miscarry. There is a difference.

One may spiritually miscarry, but God never spiritually aborts.

There is a difference between a spiritual miscarriage and an abortion.

One may initiate their spiritual death, but God never will.

One may initiate the death of God's Spirit in them, but God never will.

Again, 1 Peter 4.19, that scripture as into a faithful Creator. A faithful Creator. Emphasis here on Creator.

Creator. A Creator creates. Unless He creates, He's not a Creator.

A Creator creates a creation. 2 Corinthians 5.17. 2 Corinthians 5.17.

Therefore, if any man or woman be in Christ, he or she is a new creature or creation.

Old things are passed away, or also are passing away, and behold, all things are becoming new.

So, a Creator creates a creation. And if you're in Christ, you're a new creation. There's a new creation going on. And that is the work that is being referenced in Philippians 1.6. That is the work that has begun in us. Philippians 1.6, that's what it's talking about. And God has set us into a process that He will stay with. He will stay with it from its inception and its beginning until the end or the finish.

And all along the way, and I'll go back to Philippians, Philippians 2, and all along the way of Him staying with it, He will mutter it.

And He will maintain it. And He will stimulate it. That's what it's talking about in verse 13. Philippians 2, verse 13, when it says, For it is God which works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. He'll monitor, He'll maintain, and He'll stimulate. God sets us upon a course that will develop us. When we were first called, we were in no shape for the kingdom of God. When we were first called, what we were as a person was in no sense ready or fit or prepared to be given eternal life.

We just weren't. But He sets us upon a course that will develop us, that will grow us. He sets us into a process that will process us. I've got to be careful now. He sets us into a process that will process us. I don't want to get into a word salad like Kamala does. Acts 20 verse 24. Paul here, in getting with the elders in all of Ephesus, he says in verse 24 of Acts 20, But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself.

So that I, and it's interesting, neither count I my life dear unto myself. If He had counted His life too dear, He would have avoided certain things that He did not need to avoid because they were for His development. But they involved unpleasant times and unpleasant things and some sufferings and trials. So that's partly what he's referencing when he says, neither count I my life dear unto me. Let Him who commits Himself to well-doing. He was committed to well-doing. He says, so that I might finish my course with joy.

When I read what he told them, that I might finish, not get stymied in it, not go spiritually AWOL from it, but finish my course, and then have joy because I finished my course, then I think automatically of when He did finish. 2 Timothy 4.7. I think of the time it came where he wrote Timothy and he said in 2 Timothy 4.7, I have fought a good fight. I can simply say that, he said in so many words, he can say that just logically, accurately because it was the truth.

I fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I've kept the faith. God sets us into a process that will process us. And I'm not speaking of predestination. That word means different things to different people and I can tell you this, there's a lot of misunderstanding about that word, even with some in the church. But what I'm saying is God knows what must be developed in us. God knows what's missing from us, that is not there, that must be there, and how to work Himself with us in a way to help process that into us.

And He also knows what's in us, it shouldn't be, and what it's going to take to carve and chill and sometimes knock that out of us and get it out of us. Again, that scripture of 2 Corinthians 5.17, when we read it, and I'll go back and read it again, because when it says, old things are passed away, it doesn't mean that everything that is old is automatically gone.

It's also in the process of passing away because there are things that are embedded in us, habits, concepts, perspectives, that we have to isolate and identify and recognize and realize, oh, that shouldn't be part of me in work. They are passing away also, current tense in that sense. And the same thing about all things have become new. We realize there are things that aren't a part of us, that need to be a part of us.

Now, I've gone halfway or more through this message. And I haven't given you a title, have I? I didn't forget. But I have talked about faithfulness, and I have talked about the Creator. So the subject and the title, one and the same, three words, the faithful Creator. That's what I'm talking about, the faithful Creator. These two words go together because the creating will be completed due to the faithfulness behind it. See, this is why you can look to God and trust Him with all you have, with all your being.

Matthew 22, 37, that's what that is really asking us or telling us to do. Because when Jesus, when that lawyer was tempting Him, questioning Him, Master, which is the great commandment in the law, there is nothing that supersedes this. There's nothing that can supersede this in terms of the challenge put upon us. And that challenge is, Jesus said to Him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. Is there something that has your heart more than God? Then that's an idol. Sorry, it's an idol. Can there be people you love in your heart?

Better be. But if they have a hold on your heart more than God, then you've got an idol. God must have your heart. There's room for others in your heart.

But God must be the one that has your heart first and foremost. And with all your soul, that is, with all your being, you're living, you're existing.

Are there things that literally mean more to you than God does?

Well, again, that's the form of idolatry, if that's the case.

Can there be other things that are right and proper that should mean tremendously to you? Absolutely. But is there anything that in your living, you're existing, that means more to you than God? Then that's a form of idolatry. And with all your mind, you know, to really make changes, they have to first and foremost become a part of your thinking.

Your mind runs your body. The mind, your thinking, your mind, that's the real you.

For things to really become a part of you, to incorporate God's ways, they must become a part of our thinking.

But when you look at this Scripture and the challenge that Christ presents, it's also, if this is followed, then it also is saying you're looking to God and trusting Him with all you have with your whole being. And much earlier in this ministry in Matthew 6 and verse 33, you know that, again, prime order, but think you first the kingdom of God.

No, I'm going to seek first political office. No, I'm going to seek first to have this position and this company. No, I'm going to seek, you know, whatever, other than seeking first the kingdom of God. And anything that conflicts with that, it's going to get kicked out of the way because I'm seeking first the kingdom of God. I love fishing, but I'm not going fishing because it's the Sabbath and I'm going to be keeping the Sabbath, etc. I love football, but it's Friday night and I'm not going to break the Sabbath by going to the football game and I'm not going to be watching on TV either. I'm seeking the kingdom first and His righteousness because you can say, well, I'm seeking first the kingdom, but if you're not seeking His righteousness without His righteousness, you can't be in the kingdom. That's why that is tagged on with it because you seek the kingdom by learning how to do the right thing by seeking His righteousness. By seeking His righteousness, you're automatically growing in the qualifications and there are qualifications, yes. And to qualify and to earn aren't the same thing. I wouldn't give a five-year-old of the keys to the car and I got a five-year-old grandson and I would not give him the keys to the car because knowing him, he would probably go out there and he would know how to insert it into the ignition and crank it and he would probably be able to put it in gear. I wouldn't dare.

Now, a 15-year-old, I might go help him get a permit, driver's permit, but you know, qualify and earning is not the same thing. But to qualify for the kingdom, God's righteousness has to be involved. Seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness because He can be fully counted upon. You do that. You're going to be taking on His righteousness through His Spirit, through Christ, and you're going to be drawing closer to the kingdom. And He tells us that if we will stay the course and not quit, He'll be able to finish in us what He has started. I mean, God doesn't bail on us. No, there's no spiritual abortion. But there could be a spiritual miscarriage. When the disciples came to Christ, tell us the end of the age, tell us about your coming, what to look for, etc., He told them in Matthew 24, 13, He said, He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. We do not believe in the traditional Protestant or Catholic doctrine of once saved, always saved, because of the way they mean it is not scriptural.

He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. The end for me is when I take my final breath. That can be my final breath of then going to the grave, or it can be my final breath as a human being, as I'm alive when Christ returns, and I start being changed on my feet and be lifted into the skies to meet the returning Christ, immediately following the dead in Christ, who rise before I do. Galatians 6, 9, He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. That's a promise, but it's predicated on one not quitting. And Gentiles that were called and converted and became, quote, spiritual Jews and part of the church, Paul shared that with them. In Galatians 6, verse 9, he said, let us not be weary in well-doing. Peter talked about committing ourselves to a faithful creator as we go about well-doing. And Paul here says, let us not be weary in well-doing.

Sometimes people just get tired of doing what is right. Because well-doing is a phrase that covers the whole range. Sometimes people get tired of just simply doing what's right.

And I sadly have seen that happen with some of God's people over the years.

They get tired of well-doing and they quit. And I had found that I did everything I knew to try to stimulate them to get going again and could not make it happen. Let us not be weary in well-doing for induced reason. We shall reap if we faint not. In other words, we don't quit. Here's my confidence.

God will get me there if I don't quit. God will get me there if I don't quit.

God is faithful. God is sure. His help is guaranteed. The question mark is never about Him.

The question mark is with us. We're the only ones that are ever in question.

God has none of what we call pride, ego, or vanity. That's Him.

But He has supreme confidence in His power to accomplish it.

In Jeremiah 32, verse 27, He said, I am the Word of the Lord, that Jeremiah is saying. And of course, Jeremiah writes this quote down. Behold, I am the Lord. And you know, there's no one like God. When I say God, I'm talking about the Father and the Son. There's nobody like God. He says, Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. I am the Eternal. I am the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me? And frankly, no. And we always think about back in those days of Abraham and the one that was the Logos, the Word, who would come as Jesus Christ later. He comes walking down the dusty road one day with two angels and meets Abraham.

You're going to have a sign. Sarah's going to get pregnant. You're going to have a child by Sarah. And Sarah, on the other side of that thin tent wall, heard it and she laughed. Why did Sarah laugh? She couldn't be sane. She was dead and she had cover. But of course, God's got ears like we don't. I mean, He can hear. He laughed. And maybe not. I think part of the laugh was somewhat disbelief and chuckling too, thinking, I'm an old woman now and I'm going to have a kid. Me? Get pregnant? And have a child? And she laughed. Why did Sarah laugh? I didn't laugh. I didn't laugh. Oh, yes, she did. And for that, you've got to name the kid laughter. Can't avoid it, just this and funny and humorous and all. God's got a sense of humor. But Isaac means laughter. So, all of his growing up and all the years yet that Sarah would live, laughter, come here. She's constantly reminded of that episode by the name of her own son. And God's got a sense of humor. There's just no doubt about it. You know, 1 Peter 4, 19, again, we find there a faithful creator. And there's emphasis on faithful, full of faith. God is full of faith in His power to accomplish it. There's no doubt in God's mind. When God calls somebody and they respond to Him, and they go through that proper process of repentance and baptism and receiving God's Spirit, and that new work started in them, God has no doubt that they can be in the kingdom of God if they'll stay the course. Because He knows that if they won't quit on Him, if they will stay with Him no matter what they have to go through, no matter what happens, no matter what happens. And again, I'll flip back to 1 Peter 4, because this really is such a significant Scripture in 1 Peter 4, in verse 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, they're paying a price for doing the right thing. They're paying a price for hanging in there with God in His will and doing His will. Commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator, because as long as they don't quit on Him. Yeah, if it's sunshine, you keep going. If it's rain, you keep going. If it's snow, you keep going. If it's ice, you keep going. If you're 20, you keep going. If you're 50, you keep going. If you're 80, you keep going. If you're 100, you keep going.

You don't quit on Him. He's full of faith in His power to accomplish. There's no doubt in His mind He can get us there.

He's extremely positive as long as we don't quit and we hang in there with Him no matter what is on the trail in front of us or what's on the trail with us right at the moment. The instant we look down at our feet, we keep going. He will get us there, but we have to not quit on Him.

And He speaks of those things that are not as though they were because they will be. This is an interesting and encouraging Scripture in Romans 4.17.

Romans 4.

In verse 17, Paul writes, As it is written, Have made you a father of many nations, before Him whom He believed, even God, who quickens the dead, gives life to the dead, notice, and calls those things which be not as though they were.

God speaks of those things that are not, that are going to be as though they are.

That's interesting. He speaks of those things that are not, that are going to be as though they are.

Because He's got that kind of confidence because He knows that it will, that's where it's going to wind up because of His power as long as we stay with Him.

He has supreme confidence and His power to carry out what He starts out to accomplish.

And again, back in Philippians 1, in Philippians 1, in verse 19, this confidence is expressed through Paul here.

For I know that this shall turn, or that it is result to or in my salvation, through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Through your prayer and the Spirit, and Jesus Christ.

A confident, confident, all-powerful being who will stay with those who stay on the course to see that the job gets done.

And all along the way, aware of our needs and willing to supply them. Philippians is an amazing book. It's extremely encouraging.

And you find in the final chapter, chapter 4, in verse 19, that, "...My God shall supply all your need." Not luxuries, not always extras, but shall supply all your need according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus.

Because think about this. When it says, "...But My God shall supply all your need according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus," without His maintenance of us, through provision and protection, God's work cannot be finished in us.

There is no work in the grave. That's Ecclesiastes 9 and 10. There is no accomplishment in the grave.

And the point is, there's times God has to keep us alive.

There's times God has to extend our lives.

There's times God has to do things for us in terms of provision and in terms of protection.

The physical necessities of those things in order to buy time, for us to have more time for growth and development. And sometimes, too, yes, a person may have come to the point where God says, I can let so-and-so die today, go to sleep, whatever. They'll be in the kingdom, but I'm going to give them additional life just for extra growth, or additional life to be there for others, to help others, or because they simply want to be around to serve more and share and be there for their loved ones and family.

Psalm 37, verse 25.

Psalm 37. As it ever occurred to you that God can't save everybody, He can't save people that quit and are not stimulated to renew.

That's another reason why we just never allow ourselves to quit, because if we ever quit, some do come back.

Some get renewed, and there are some various reasons for that, but at the same time, it's a dangerous position to ever be in.

And certainly, it's not a position God ever wants us to be in.

But God does do maintenance. He does provide in order to help us to be alive and to go forward and to grow. But I like David's words here, because they're very encouraging. Psalm 37, verse 25, he says, I have been young.

How many of us in here can say, I have been young?

A bunch of us, right?

And now I'm old.

David had a lifetime, and yet he says, I've not stained the righteous forsaken. There were people that he knew in Israel that lived a lifetime truly trying to put God first and obeying what they knew to do.

But he didn't have the experience of being able to look at someone who was righteous and being forsaken of God. He says, I have not stained the righteous forsaken, nor his seed, begging bread. God looks after His own. No one gets lost in the shuffle or left out in the code.

And that is why God intervenes when, where, and how, as necessary to maintain His work until it is finished.

As I wrap this up, let me share part of a letter.

This was a letter that was written to dear Rick and Angela and area members April 6, 1990.

It had to do with a fellow pastor who had heart bypass surgery.

He was in his 30s. He was a young man in his 30s.

He's diabetic, childhood diabetes, when he was in his 30s.

And he had necessary heart bypass surgery, and his life was extended. He's dead now, but his life was extended several, several more years, which his wife and children were very thankful for that. Let me read what he says here.

He said, We've seen God's intervention at many steps along the way.

We're trying to keep a list of specific blessings.

One of the more interesting was how the physician, the doctor, who would later put me on to checking my heart, literally ran into me on the local main street, hitting with his vehicle, this fellow pastor's vehicle with his vehicle, ran into me on the local main street. The damage was so minimal that I was not required to report it to the police. It was my option.

And the physician was grateful I didn't. He offered me a free physical, and the process began.

It started the process by which this pastor realized, found out that he had to have heart bypass surgery.

I can tell you, that was not time and chance that that physician bumped him with his vehicle.

And as we say, God works in mysterious ways. The most important thing is He works.

God is a faithful Creator, and I will close out with Philippians 3.14.

God is a faithful Creator.

This is why we can press toward the mark with full confidence.

And in the words of Paul expressing that, Philippians 3, verse 14, he says, I press.

That means you push.

You pressure.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Because we have the backing of a faithful Creator.