Our Response to the Day of Distress - Pastor Brad DeLong

I want you to turn with me to the word of the Lord. This is how we connect with God. Psalm 107. I'm going to forewarn you. This will not be a typical sermon with a typical response. That response depends on you and me. But together, we're going to follow the Holy Ghost. As we walk through this psalm together in the coming moments, I'm going to invite you to respond throughout the message. We're just going to see how far we get. All right. Okay. That message in tongues included verbiage from this psalm.

The Lord knows where we are. He knows where we are. Psalmist writes this psalm as a pattern to showcase the response of the people of God to trouble storms as well as God's response to our response. It's 43 verses long. We're not going to read them all at once, but it has four moments that show us a scriptural pattern for when we face distresses and when we face trials. Verse one, oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good. That's a good response when we're facing something.

For his mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Whom he's redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered out of the lands from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. And verse four, though he gives the first calamity, the first plight. They they wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way. They found no city, no place to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. And then it gives the response to this plight.

But then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go into a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men, for he satisfies the longing soul. If you came in with a longing soul today, God's going to satisfy it. He fills the hungry soul with goodness. At least three more times.

The psalmist shares different plightes of the people. He interchanges the calamity several times, but the response is always the same. It follows the same pattern. It says, "Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses." Today, with this psalm in mind, I want to preach to this wonderful church, our response to the day of distress. our response to the day of distress. I wonder if you would cry out to the Lord right now. Whatever distress you're facing, would you lift your hands and voices and look to heaven?

Set your sights on him, the one who's on the throne, oh God, at any moment you can bring healing and restoration, strength and peace. And we know, Lord, and trust in you that your timing is perfect and that your way is perfect and that your word is perfect. You're going to help us and speak to us today. and we invite it in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You can be seated for just a couple moments. I'm going to preach a little and then we're going to respond and we're going to do as the psalmist said.

I want to tell you just to start. I recall vividly the setting the moment in the Dong family house and our family home. We had just endured a grueling season of sickness and loss and cancer together. We had lost two family members to the same type of cancer that my mom contracted. My great-g grandandmother, we lost our aunt shortly after to the same type of cancer. And then the news comes that mom has this cancer and her her journey begins and the struggle with that sickness begins.

And and six surgeries later and we basically lived up at uh St. John's or Mercy Hospital for a while. I knew what every day of the week what the food court was serving. I knew it was Taco Tuesdays because we were up there Tuesdays all the time. We kind of relocated. We did our homework up there. We stayed up there for quite a while and and it was a a grueling season. And thank God for the church and thank God for the people of God. And we made it through to a clearing with mom's clean bill of health and with the help of the Lord and with the help of this church, we were finally able to breathe again.

So it seemed. Then then another doctor's visit and then another diagnosis and then another day of distress and discouragement and grief. Anybody there today? It's like you breathe for a MOMENT AND THEN THEN in comes the doctor and the doctors are wonderful and and they're great, but you're PLUNGED ALL THE WAY BACK UNDER. ANYBODY? All right. It was as IF WE CAUGHT OUR BREATH JUST TO BE PULLED TO THE ABYSS. And and this morning I recall the moment we got that news. As we were standing in the living room of our house and in Hazlewood and I remember seeing my dad's face.

It was almost as if the life drained out of him in that moment. I remember him asking the Lord why why not not in in rebellion, not in insubordination, but in honesty and exasperation but and and HE LOOKED UP AND WHY is this happening? But thankfully I can tell you that was not the END OF THE MOMENT. That was not the end of the story. That was not even the end of his conversation WITH THE LORD. HE SAT ON THE COUCH WHEN SOME OF US KIDS AROUND and mom was in his right arm there and he looked up at us.

All of a sudden, he found his footing in the Lord and he looked up. He said, "Get over here. Let's pray. Come here. WE'RE GOING TO PRAY." AND I REMEMBER WE PRAYED AND IT WASN'T PRETTY. It wasn't. It was an ugly prayer, an honest prayer, A PRAYER NONE OF US PROBABLY WANTED TO PRAY. We We prayed a tearful prayer. When we prayed a prayer like we read in Psalm 107 throughout the scriptures, mom and dad, as they always seem to do, they assumed a prayer first posture when faced with trial and calamity.

They taught us that we need to process THESE THINGS, NO MATTER the type of it, in prayer. And in that critical moment when we're in the edge of being swallowed up and and overrun by storm, THESE WORDS WERE IN MY NOTES BEFORE THAT MESSAGE EVER ever came across. The Lord knows where you are. We were in that moment almost being overrun by that storm and circumstance. And prayer was the response. Prayer was our recourse. Prayer was our first line of defense and offense. Prayer invited heaven into the equation.

PRAYER STOPPED THE WAVE of grief FROM DROWNING US. PRAYER SILENCED THE VOICES of doubt and discouragement and FEAR. IT WAS PRAYER AND MORE THAN THAT, THE GOD TO WHOM IT'S DIRECTED. A prayer from a broken family. Prayer from A FRACTURED MOMENT. PRAYER FROM A PIT THAT PULLED US OUT OF there that brought us peace, that brought us strength. You want to know what to do in A DAY OF DISTRESS? PRAY. SEEK THE LORD. CONNECT WITH HIM FIRST BEFORE YOU GO TALKING TO ANYBODY ELSE, WHY don't you GO BOLDLY INTO THE THRONE OF GRACE to receive grace AND HELP IN TIME OF NEED.

BEFORE YOU DESPAIR, WHY DON'T YOU PRAY? BEFORE YOU THROW UP YOUR HANDS, PRAY. Before you give up, before you get down in the dumps, pray. Before the enemy can start whispering in your ear, why don't you whisper out the name of Jesus? Why don't YOU WHISPER A PRAYER? WHY DON'T YOU CALL ON THE LORD OF HEAVEN'S ARMIES? Before you go in a hole or you go in a pit, go in a prayer closet first. Before you throw in a towel, why don't you cast some cares first?

HOW DOES THE CHURCH respond in a day of distress when facing a storm? We respond in prayer to our God. We respond by getting into the book. We respond by praying the word of God. This has been the disposition and response of the people of God from the beginning. Psalm 102, get ready. Here's a barrage of scriptures for you. It says, "He shall regard the prayer of the destitute. He shall not despise their prayer." Psalm 118, I called on the Lord in distress. The Lord answered me and he set me in a broad place.

Philippians 4, rejoice in the Lord always. REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS, HE WRITES FROM A PRISON CELL. AND AGAIN, I SAY IT, REJOICE. LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE KNOWN TO all men. The Lord IS AT HAND. BE ANXIOUS for nothing, BUT BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD. AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. OH, why don't you pray? First Peter, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and he may lift you up in due time.

In due time, this is he said, casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. You don't have to wait till the end of this message or our first or second altar call. You can start casting cares right now. You can start bring it to the Lord right now. Colossians 4, continue earnestly in prayer. Be vigilant in it with thanksgiving. Ephesians 6, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. being watchful to the sin and with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Romans 11. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhore what's evil. Cling to what's good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love and honor. Giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints. In case you're not convinced yet, I want to give to you James 5. Is anyone among you suffering? Let them pray. Is anyone cheerful? Little thanksgiving. Sing some songs. Is anyone among you sick?

And I'm calling for the elders OF THE CHURCH. THEY CAN TALK ABOUT eternal and let them pray. Anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up. And if he's committed any sins, he'll be forgiven. He says, "Confess your trespasses to another. Pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective ferd prayer of a righteous man avails much." Says Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. AND HE PRAYED EARNESTLY.

EARNESTLY, and it would not rain, and it didn't rain on the land for three years and six months, but then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced fruit. Pray, church. Why? For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. First Peter says, "His ears are open to their prayers." Psalm 34, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit." Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all.

Just because you're afflicted does not mean you are unrighteous. It might mean that you are righteous, but we've got a call in the name of the Lord. Psalm 145, the Lord is righteous in all his ways, gracious in all his works. He's near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. Prayer is the appropriate response. It's an apostolic response. It's a biblical and disciplined response. Prayer invites the holy one into the middle of the storm. Prayer invites peace into a troubled heart.

Prayer invites a wisdom that is so much greater than yours and mine. A wisdom that's higher, a power that's greater, a strength that's made perfect in the middle of weakness. Prayer is right, church. It's the right thing. You know what Jesus did on critical days in his life? He prayed. He prayed. Jesus spends some of his last breaths on this earth praying. Jesus just before he faces what could have been considered the worst day in humanity's history. He goes to a garden and he could have been spending time with family and he could have been teaching his disciples and he could have been enjoying more the last supper.

But instead he goes and he prays. His disciples do the same. We get this honest people of God. This is our response. This is how we respond in in times of distress. So if you're facing a storm today, pray. If you're facing sickness today, pray. If you're facing turmoil and internal struggles, pray. If you're facing stress and strain, pray. If you're If you're battling addiction, pray. If you're battling darkness, pray. If you're facing fear, pray. If you're facing anxiety, pray. IF YOU'RE FACING UNREST, YOU SHOULD PRAY.

IF YOU NEED COMFORT, WHY don't you pray? IF YOU NEED HELP WITH A PROBLEM, PRAY. IF YOU NEED A FRIEND, CALL ON THE LORD AND PRAY. If you need a listening ear, pray. IF YOU NEED REST, IF IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, pray in everything. Pray. WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE to do, go ahead and pray. When you don't have answers, PRAY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY STRENGTH. PRAY uh when YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER OPTIONS. PRAY. WHEN YOU'VE TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE, PRAY BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE.

PRAY. Why don't you pray right now? Would you lift your hands all across this place? AH, WOULD YOU PRAY? WOULD YOU CALL ON THE Lord of Jesus? We cry out to you, oh God. We need you, oh God. We trust in you, Lord. We trust in your timing. We trust in your peace. We trust in your plan. We look to you, oh God. And every day of distress, every moment of distress, we call on you, Jesus. We need you. Sometimes all it is is just his name.

If you just insert that name right now, someone would you just begin to call on the name of Jesus. The name given to us. The name after which every knee will bow and every tongue confess. Jesus, we need you, Jesus. I was at my house Friday putting the kiddos in the car. I heard a loud noise. I looked up to see a car went off the highway and it rolled over and over again. And I saw for a split second a silhouette of a human being fly out of that car.

Close that door. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. I don't know what else to do. I'm not an EMT. I I don't I was probably unwise. I'm trying to get across the fence. And we're looking for this poor precious woman. Pray for her name is Catherine. What do we do when we don't know what to do? Pray. I stood over Catherine. I didn't know what to do with Andrew. I was hoping you would be there. She came too. She had been thrown over 100 feet. Just stood there.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. What do we do now? Did in that moment there were no angels. I didn't I I believe they were there, but I call on the name of Jesus. Katherine, help's coming. Help's coming. Help's coming. EMTs were coming. But I felt the Lord's help. We don't know what else to do. Why don't you pray? This is what they did in Psalm 107. Here's what we're going to do, church. I'm going to I'm going to name these four calamities and if you're battling one of these, we're going to stop and we're going to pray.

We're going to pray for you. I could get to the end of them and we could all come and and we could pray and that'd be great. I just for whatever reason felt that we need to do it this way. The first group that called the wonders in Psalm 107, they wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way. They found no city, no safe place to dwell. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. I read that this week. Someone here today can resonate. Your soul is heavy and weary and you're ready to faint.

And you may be wondering and wandering in an aimless malaise of sorts and you're looking around and wondering where to go and you don't know where safety is. You don't know where peace is. And the Lord himself, I'm telling you, is the only one who can satisfy your hunger and your thirst and your weariness. He's the one who can sustain you in the middle of that wilderness right now. The psalmist and the people of God realized it. So it says as they wandered, THEN THEY CRIED OUT to the Lord in their trouble.

He delivered them out of their distresses and he led them forth by the right way like a shepherd would that they would go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the childrens of of men. For he satisfies a longing soul, fills the hungry soul with goodness. Does anyone believe the Lord can do that right now? We're going to take him at his word. Would you stand with me? We might be staying a little while.

So, if you need to take breaks and rest, that's all right. If you are weary, if you're weak right now and you're needing the touch and relief and help of the Lord, we're going to cry out to the Lord together for you. There's a reason the psalmist names particular groups of people, different plightes, just to show that the Lord is able to deliver from every one of them. We're going to get to the others, but if you are needing strength right now, you're weary, would you just raise your hand?

Anybody? All right, keep that hand up if you don't mind. Again, our church family knows this is not to shame anybody. This is not to embarrass anybody. This is because we're a body and we need each other. Now, I'm not trying to trick those who raise their hand. But if you got your hand up, can I just ask you if you're comfortable if you'd come down to the front of this building? So, I'm going to ask every group to do this. All right, just giving you a heads up.

If your hand was up, you need strength. You're weary. You've been wandering a little bit. Come tonight. If you wouldn't mind, just come to the front of this altar. You need the Lord's strength. We've got several coming. All right. All right. The Lord knew you were here. He's got strength for your for your longing heart and soul. He's got strength in the midst of weariness. Now, people of God, if you've ever been touched by the Lord and he's given you strength, this is how we respond to a day of distress and a day of trouble.

We pray. I'm going to invite you to come right now. If you have faith that the Lord's going to strengthen those who are here, if you feel like you need to stay in your seat, that's all right. Just stretch your hand towards them. If you know of someone who's weary and welloing and they need strength, would you begin to call in the name of the Lord for them right now? This is our first altar call. Let's just respond in in the name of Jesus. This is how we respond.

Lord, when we don't know what else to do and when we're lacking strength. Oh Lord, you said those who wait on you shall renew their strength and they'll mount up with wings like eagles. We pray a strength over brothers and sisters. We pray Lord that the God of all peace and the God of all strength that that strength would be made perfect in their weakness today. They have a longing. They have a void in their life. They have a void in their soul. Fill it. Verse 10 of the psalm starts the next pattern.

If you're praying, continue on. This is just turn this into a prayer room. Calls them the prisoners. says, "Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons, rebelled against the words of God, despised the counsel of the most high. Therefore, he brought down their heart with labor, fell down, there was none to help." But then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. Same pattern. And he saved them out of their distress. He brought them out of darkness in the shadow of death.

He broke their chains in pieces. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children of men. For he has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron in two. I recognize the implication there may pertain to sin and this disconnection from the Lord. But I'm going to broaden this category because there's often times when life itself or the attack of the enemy try to imprison you. And there may be some in the room that are battling darkness, snares, and devices of the enemy.

Maybe it's oppression or depression, fear, and doubt that are trying to come against you. And maybe maybe you're already bound in some way, shape, or form or the enemy is attempting to do so. I know it does often stem from some mistakes, and we're going to pray for those who are bound by sin. But I also want to cover those imprisoned by circumstances, by life, by the enemy. It may not be your fault that you are imprisoned, but you find yourself there nonetheless. Prayer is going to bring you out.

There was a morning, I think it was a Tuesday morning several years ago, I was battling. It was like every morning, every time I'd go to pray, the enemy would come against me and I just face discouragement after discouragement. One day I had enough and I prayed and I prayed something specific. I opened my Bible to Psalm 1 and I read it for whoever was listening, including whatever that enemy was. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, or sits in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he'll meditate day and night. And he'll be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. Ah, whose leaf won't wither. It'll bring forth fruit in its season, and whatever he does will prosper. Maybe you just get a hold of a scripture and pray it right now. If you're battling, you feel like the enemy is coming against you, trying to overtake you, or maybe you already feel like you're in a prison, would you just lift your hand again?

And again, this is not to shame. We've got persons with their hands lifted. Yeah. Some are already down here. If you need deliverance, if you need relief, lift that hand right now. And I'm going to ask if we just if you're not if your hand isn't lifted, just step back a little bit. And we're going to make room for those whose hands are lifted. If your hand is lifted, would you come right now? Would you come to the front of this altar? And again, saints of God, people who can pray some scripture, people who can pray prayers of deliverance, we're going to agree together.

Lift your hand if you need prayer right now. Some already praying. This is your opportunity. If you're battling right now, if you need the strength of God, if you need the Lord to break something in your life or break something in your family, this is that chance. Jesus, a son of David, have mercy on us. Oh Lord, we know that the weapons of our warfare are not they're not carnal, Lord, but they're mighty through God TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS. And we don't wrestle against flesh and blood or principalities and powers and rulers of darkness and the enemy that's trying to come against us.

We claim victory right now in the name of Jesus. We stand strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. You are the deliverer. You will break every chain. Oh Lord, I pray for power and love and a sound mind right now in the name of Jesus. We pray it over every family. We pray it over every couple. We pray it over every individual, anyone. If the enemy is targeted anyone, Lord, if the enemy is coming against anyone battling in their mind or someone, there's deliverance for you today.

There's deliverance in his name. I pray you'd break every chain right now in the name of Jesus. And you'd break, Lord, you would silence every voice, every distraction, every voice of the enemy, every voice of doubt. We stand in the power of the word of God. We stand on your promises. We stand in your peace. Oh Jesus. Oh Jesus. I believe there's someone in this room, might be many persons battling in your mind right now. Paul told Timothy, "I've been given you a spirit of timidity or fear, but one of power and of love and of a sound mind." So, we're going to claim that for you, and we're going to claim God's covering.

I want to do this in a specific way. Just a short time ago, I just felt like I was being embattled. And I got up that morning, talked to the Lord. Just before we left, I pulled Mila and Wes over. I said, "Hey, put your hand on dad's head and pray over my mind." Those babies put their hand on me and they began to pray and the power of the Lord moved. And just this week in preparing, I just felt a strong desire or need to pray for those who are battling in their mind.

Many of what we're facing, much of what we're facing here. And Philippians does say, "Pray, offer thanksgiving, and the peace of God will guard your mind." Also, the next verse says, "You have a part to play to think on things that are good and just and lovely and of a good report. We're going to pray over your mind." There's someone here. Again, this is not to sh I know this is personal and we're going to be this is a safe place and we're going to help you and we're going to we're going to pray.

If you've been battling in your mind of late, would you just lift your hand? Anybody? Anybody here? All right. Now, I'm going to ask for the church to do something specific. If there's someone with their hand lifted, would you just go and reverently lay your hand on their mind and pray right now? If you've got faith that God can touch him, we've got hands up across this room. The Lord is able to touch their mind. Lift your hand if you need prayer. Yeah. We're just walking in faith right now.

We're trying to follow the Holy Ghost and his word, Jesus. There are persons, Lord, who've been tormented in their mind and you ARE ABLE TO STOP IT. You're able to cause it to cease in your name and by your power. We claim it right now in the name of Jesus. We claim your power, oh God. We claim your touch, Lord, that they would have a sound mind. They would have a mind that thinks on things that are good and just and lovely. things on things that are true and of a good report.

Things on things that are praiseworthy, oh Lord. Oh Jesus, your peace will be a guard over our hearts and minds. And I pray that you'd give us the discipline to do our part, not to dwell on things that we shouldn't dwell on. Oh Lord, not to give place to the enemy or to the to darkness, oh God, but oh Jesus, we pray for sound minds throughout the room. Oh, this is our response, people of God. Lift those voices. There's going to be freedom today. There's going to be deliverance today.

To those persons battling in your mind, I want to read you Jeremiah 33. Says, "Moreover, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time while he was still shut up in the court of the prison." said, "Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it and established it. The Lord is his name. Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know, even while in prison." Our God is able. Call on the Lord and keep calling on him until you have a sound mind.

Read his word. Get godly counsel. You have a spirit that lends itself to power and of love and a sound mind. That's your birthright. The last two want to addresses sickness and affliction. We're going to pray for these together. They cried to the Lord in their trouble. He sent his word and healed them. Verse 20 says, I believe that's what the Lord's doing right now. He said he was going to heal us. He sent his word and healed it. And the last one pretty much covers the rest of us.

This group's called the storm tossed. Anyone feel like you've been tossed around a little bit, maybe with some news cycles? Those things We're planted here. Shouldn't toss us. Storms will try to pick you up off your bedrock faith and you'll be tossed with every wind and storm. Says, "Those who go down to the sea," this is verse 23, "do business on great waters. They see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep. For he commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.

They mount up to the heavens. They go down again to the depths. Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro. They stagger like a drunken man. They're at their wits end. Someone is at the end of their rope. At the end of your wisdom, at the end of your strength, at the end of your peace. How do I respond? Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses. I want to hear this. He calms the storm so that its ways are still.

Then they're glad because they're quiet. He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children of men. Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the company of the elders. Have no fear, stormtossed people of God. We know the master of the winds and the storm. The one who leads us beside still waters. The one who restores our soul. And I believe that God is leading you into a safe place and into a haven.

And he can quiet the storm around you. What do we do when we're in a storm? We cry out to the Lord. Paul did. Jonah did. No, I don't believe you're going to be in the belly of a fish. But if you are, the Lord will hear you there. If you feel like you've been in a storm or you've been afflicted in your body, would you just raise your hand again right now? The Lord can cover it all. Anybody in a storm? Oh yeah. Anybody tossed around right now?

It might be. It might be that you raise your hand all four times. That's all right because we're going to call on the Lord again. Raise that hand high right now. Somebody raise that hand. Let's go to prayer church. This is how we respond. Oh God, we've been in a storm. We've been knocked around. We've been tossed around. Lord, every day brings a new challenge. Every day brings a new wave. But we're not alone. Our God stands by us in the middle of that storm. Our God is with us in the middle of it.

Our God, he can speak to that storm at any moment and say, "Peace be muzzled." He can speak to my storm and my calamity, my affliction. He can speak to a mountain and tell it to be removed. Oh. I look across on any given Sunday and I see persons and I see families. And I wonder why Lord did you send or at least let another wave hit them. But then I talk to them and I hear their faith and I hear their testimony and I hear their stories and I see one of them, Sister Elaine Castro, whose colon came back to life shouldn't have been here by the grace of God.

And usually the response that wells up in me is the one that the psalmist writes in a pattern says they cry out to the Lord and the Lord delivers them from their distress. And when he does, even before he does, it says, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord." I don't know why, Sister Sue, Brother Mike, Sister Elaine, I don't know why we had to go through all that. and you had to go through all that. When I see this precious lady and I see you all, a praise starts to well up in me.

And I can't help even even knowing that there's still storms going on. I can't help but look to the master of the winds and the storm and say, "You know what, Lord? You're good and you're wonderful and you're I hear some people amen and why don't you start to amen with your praise right now?" This is our response, people of God. right here. This is our response. Why you praising? WHY ARE YOU PRAISING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM? BECAUSE I KNOW the one who can silence it.

I know his voice. I know his presence. Someone, someone that's in a storm right now, would you just start to lift your voice? And you don't have to lift it too loudly if you don't feel comfortable, but would you just start to praise the Lord right in the middle of that storm? Exalt your God. Someone facing a sickness, someone battling in your mind. Why don't you start to praise the Lord? Oh, that men would praise the Lord and give thanks to the Lord. Oh, hallelujah. Oh, hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Jesus. What do we do? What do we do, people of God? We pray. We cry out to the Lord with thanksgiving. We read his word. We get deep into the book. And then we praise him again. And we glorify him again. And lastly, we do it together. We do it together. I wonder if you'd find somebody right now, take them by the hand all across this place and would you just begin to you can pray for them or you can praise with them. Whatever you feel, whatever your response is, would you take someone by the hand right now?

Oh God, we worship you. We worship you, Jesus. We praise you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.