2022 Bible School Chorus Program & Sermon

Good morning. Welcome to all. Let's begin our worship service this morning with Psalm number 7.

Psalm number 7. Stand up and bless the Lord.

Oh, stand up and bless the Lord, he be full of his joy. Stand up and bless the Lord, your God, with heart and soul and voice. The Lord above all praise, above all blessing time. Who would not fear his holy name and what can thank if I?

O Lord, the living flame from his own altar brought to touch the lips of our minds inspire and raise human hearts. God is our strength and song, and his salvation ours. Then heed his loving cries proclaimed with all warmth sometimes.

Stand up and bless the Lord, the Lord your God adore. Stand up and bless his glorious name as for forevermore.

Number 26.

Hymn number 26. Oh, bless the Lord, my soul, taken from Psalm 103.

Oh, bless the Lord, my soul, let hope within me join, and in my town to bless his name whose favors are divine. Oh, bless the Lord, my soul, know that his mercies lie forgotten in unthankfulness and without praises die.

Tis he forgives thy sins, tis he relieves thy pain, tis he that heals thy sicknesses and gives me strength again.

He crowns thy life with love, when rescued from the rain. He that redeemed thy soul from death hath found thus far to save. He fills our poor with good, he gives our sufferers rest. The Lord hath justice for the proud and mercy for the oppressed.

So we sang two songs about blessing and praising God, and now we'll sing a song about coming into his presence, Psalm number 136.

136. Father, in thy mysterious presence.

Oh, Father, in thy mysterious presence merely, faithful our souls came to thy giving love. For we are weak and his undeep revealing of trust and strength and calmness from above. Lord, we have wandered for true love and sorrow, and thou hast made each step and onward one.

And we will ever trust each unknown morrow; thou will sustain us till its work is done.

Now, Father, now, in thy dear presence merely, our spirit turns to feel thy giving love. Now make us strong within thy deep revealing of trust and strength and calmness from above.

Amen.

Psalm number 118 to finish our worship. This is a reflection on our response in coming into God's presence and what it should do to us in opening our hearts to listen to what he has for us. Psalm number 118.

Oh, dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways. Reload us in our rightful mind, in pureer lives thy servants find in deeper reverence grace.

In simple trust thy cares to her beside the Syrian sea. The gracious calling of the Lord let us like them without a word rise up and follow thee.

O Senate, rest thy Galilee, O come, how fills above, where Jesus knells to share with thee the silence of eternity interpreted by love.

With that demuched of doing all our worst and worst and drown, a tender whisper of thy call has noiseless let thy blessing fall as fell the man of doubt.

Draw thy children of quietness to all our shining seas. Take from our souls the strain and stress and let thy order thy compass. Let's commute thee of thy peace. Breathe through the ease of our desire thy fullness and thy home.

Let sands be dumb, let flesh retire speed through the earthquake, wind and fire. O stills mourn voice of calm.

Good morning. Good morning, everyone. Good morning.

I remember as a child being in meetings where people said the moderator would get up and say, "I'm glad to see the house is well filled." And I feel like that's kind of an understatement this morning. We are indeed glad for everyone that's here, friends, family, and we're very glad to have all these students here. I had the privilege of interacting with them all week, and hopefully it was a profitable week, I believe it was. Did a little bit of calculating looking over the student list this morning. We have students here from 11 different states.

I believe the award goes to we have a student here from Alaska, and it also represents approximately 35 different church fellowship congregations. So a very diverse group. And I just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your cooperation.

We worked on promptness, and as the week went along, we actually made progress, and I was very, very happy about that. Our theme verse comes from the memory passage they had this year. It's 2 Timothy chapter 2, and the theme verse is a very familiar verse: "Be diligent to present yourselves approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed."

And there were three classes this year. Brother Conrad taught about the Bible, why and how to study the Bible. And the main theme that was put out there was that the Bible is really it's a story, and it teaches us or the purpose of that is to teach us to live and act like Jesus. That was, I would say, the overarching theme of that class. Brother Omar taught a class on gaining God's approval, and of course, part of that, a big part of that is what militates against God's approval is the approval of man. So there was a lot of time spent on how do we relate to seeking man's approval versus gaining God's approval.

And then Brother Brandon taught on 1 Samuel and the lessons from the life of David. And the Bible says David was a man after God's own heart. So the connection there about seeking God's approval. So during the week, they divided into eight different groups, and this morning they're going to quote for us 2 Timothy chapter 2. And after they're finished, this is not their choir arrangement. So after they're finished, they're going to file back out and reshuffle, and we'll have another congregational song as soon as they're out. We'll have another congregational song and give them a chance to regroup, and then they'll come back in. So at this point, go ahead and say your memory work.

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses. Commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life. That he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

And also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

This is a faithful saying, for if we die with him, we shall also live with him. If we endure, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we are faithless, he remains faithful. He cannot deny himself.

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the ears. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But a shun profane and idle babbles where they will increase to more ungodliness.

And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and they overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless, a solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: the Lord knows those who are his. And let everyone in names of the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also, youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of the pure heart.

But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Very, very good. Thank you very much. So at this point, you can file out, and then we'll have a song, and then we'll come back in and look forward to the program.

Song number 360. God of grace and God of glory. 360.

O God of grace and God of glory, all thy people for thy house, crown thy nature church in a story, bring her forth to glorious laud. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage for the facing of his hour, of his hour, for the facing of his hour.

Lord, help all to be foremost, for thy Christ has sailed his ways. From the fields that long have bound us, free our hearts to faith and praise. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage for the living of these days, of these days, for the living of these days.

Cure thy children's worrying madness, let our rise to thy control. Shame our wants and selfish gladness, rich in peace and pouring soul. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage. Bless we miss thy kingdom's dawn, kingdom's dawn. Bless we miss thy kingdom's dawn.

Set our kingdom of deep places, gird our knights as they may be. Armored with waters like bracelets in the bight, true sad men free. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage. That we never men nor he, men nor he.

That we never men nor he.

Save us from the dressed nation to the evil's greeding moor. Let us search for thy salvation, be our glory evermore. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage. Serving thee whom we adore, we adore. Serving thee whom we adore.

Glorious hymns of thee are spoken, Zion city of our God, he whose word cannot be broken, for me for his own abode.

On the rock of ages founded, what can shake thy shore repost? With salvation's walls surrounded, thou may smile at all thy foes.

See the streams of living waters, springing from eternal life. Well supply thy sons and daughters, and of here a pond removed. Who can faint while such a river ever flows earth hers so sage? Grace which like the Lord the giver never fails from age to age.

Savior Nephon, Zion city, I through grace amember ever. Let the world deride your pity, I will glory in thy name. Fading is a worldly's pleasure, all is false at pump and show. Solid joys and lasting treasure, none but Zion's children know.

No way.

I will lift up my eyes, I will lift up my eyes, I will lift up my eyes, I will lift up my eyes, I. I will lift up my eyes to the hills from where it storms my hell.

My help comes from those who may inevitably. He will not allow your foot to be wounded. He will keep you will not tosper. Behold, behold, kids in your hell, shall thy faiths bowward or sleep? Slumber nor sleep, slumber nor sleep, slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper, is your shade, is your shade at your right hand. The Lord, the Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil, he shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out from this time forth and forevermore. From this time forth and forevermore.

Nor soul removed.

Glory comes with thousands standing, once for favored sinners slain. Thousand thousand saints attending, dwell the triumph of his trinity. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, Christ appears in thou to reign.

Every eye shall now behold him, roped in dreadful majesty. Those who set at naught and sold him, pierced and nailed him to the tree. Deeply welling, deeply welling, deeply welling, shall the true Messiah see.

Now redemption long expected, see in solemn pomp a fear. All his saints by men rejected, now shall be tinned in the air. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, see the day of God appears.

Yea, your men let all adore thee, high on thy eternal throne. Savior, take the power and glory, claim the kingdom for thy norm. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, O come, great we, come, Lord, come.

Lord. Jesus saith thou to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man come ever unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus saith thou unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus saith thou unto the Father, I am the truth, and the life. No man come unto the Father, but by me. Jesus saith thou unto the Father, I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No man come ever unto the Father, but by me. But by me.

By me.

No lot of me. Hear my prayer, O God, and listen to my plea. Faithful righteous one, give ear and answer me. Judge me not, I pray, no merit dare I claim. Knowing my own faults, I trust in your just name.

Hounded by a foe who crushed me to the ground, I am like the dead of those in prison bound. Hopeless, numb by fear, I ponder all your care. Thirsty as parched earth, I lift my hands in prayer.

Answer soon, O God, my spirit faints in me. Do not hide your face, for I will cease to be. When the morning dawns, make known your love on you. Show me how to walk, for I will trust in you.

Keep me safe, O God, and help me learn your will. Let your spirit lead through level pathways still. For your great name's sake, my griefs and fears dispel. Free me from my foes, that I may serve you well.

This week has been a really good week for me.

Quite a number of things play into that. I enjoy being around people my own age and enjoy fellowshipping together. I guess the class that probably stuck out to me the most this week was Brother Lamar Showalter's class on gaining God's approval. He talked a lot about the fear of God versus the fear of men. And it's something that I guess I never really I've always heard a little bit about, you know, you should fear God more than men. But thinking about the fact that the fear of men is the number one enemy of fearing God just brought it to a whole new level and challenged me. How much am I fearing God versus how much am I fearing men?

Nor you.

Nor the way my Savior leads me.

What am I to ask besides?

Can I doubt His tender mercy, who through life has been my guide?

Have thee things divine that's all forth near my paradise dwell. For I know what ere before me Jesus doeth all things well.

Nor the way my Savior leads me.

Cheers each winding path I tread.

Gives me grace for every trial. Feeds me with a waving breath.

Though my weary steps may falter, let my soul first may be. Gushing from the rock before me, blow a spring of joy I see.

Nor the way my Savior leads me.

Oh, the fullness of His love.

Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father's house above. When my spirit grows demored, all wings its fly to realms of day. This my song through endless ages. Jesus lead me all the way.

Nor you.

Cause me to hear. Cause me to hear. Cause me to hear. Cause me to hear. In the morning. In the morning. In the morning.

For in you do I trust. For in you do I trust. Cause me to know. Cause me to know. Cause me to know. Cause me to know. The way I should walk. For I lift my soul to you.

Deliver me, O Lord. Deliver me, O Lord. Deliver me, O Lord. Deliver me, O Lord. From my enemies, deliver me, O Lord. Deliver me, O Lord. From my enemies, deliver me, O Lord.

In you I take shelter. In you I take shelter.

In you I take shelter.

In you I take shelter.

Teach me to do your will. Teach me to do your will. Teach me to do your will. For you are my God. Your spirit is good.

You are my God. Your spirit is good. Your spirit is good. Cause me to hear. Cause me to hear. Cause me to hear. Cause me to hear. Your loving kindness. Your loving kindness. I lift my soul to you.

I lift up my soul.

I lift up my soul. My soul. To you. I lift my soul. My soul. To you.

Nor we.

Oh, break me open, Jesus, set me free. Then find and keep your own good ground in me.

Thy long, your simple story of the Sower. With all its close attention to the sower. His movement from the knowledge to the knower. His tales on the tenacity of chore. I feel the policy of sower scatters. So equally available to all.

Your story takes me straight to all that matters. Yet understands the reasons why I fall. Oh, deepen me where I am thin and shallow. Uprising me the thistle and the thorn. Keep far from me that swiftly snatching shadow.

That seizes on your seed to muck and score. Oh, break me open, Jesus, set me free. Then find and keep your own good ground in me.

Nor misol.

Ponseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana. Ponseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana. Ponseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana. Bonseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana. Cubabana. Cubabana. Cubabana. Bacualesa. Cubabana. Cubabana. Cubabana. Bacualesa. Cubabana. Cubabana. Cubabana. Bacualesa, Cubabana. Cubabana. Cubabana. Bacualesa. Ponseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana. Ponseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana. Ponseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana, Cubabana. Ponseábamo el bóquel en la valle del Macaacubabana. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Bacualesa. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Bacualesa. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Bacualesa, Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Bacualesa, Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Muyayaya. Bacualesa. Bonseábamo. Bonseábamo.

Nor sow. Nor for thy tender mercy's sake. Lay not our sins to our chart. But forgive that is past and give us grace to amend our sinful lives. True divine from sin. And divine to virtue. That we may walk in a perfect heart. That we may walk in a heart that we may walk in a heart. That we may walk in a perfect heart. Before thee, now and evermore. That we may walk in a perfect heart. That we may walk in a heart that we may walk in a heart that we may walk in a heart. That we may walk in a perfect heart. Before thee, now and evermore.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Well, what can you say but praise the Lord and amen.

I want to commend the choir for a job well done.

Just open it up for a few minutes. If anyone has any comments, any testimony they want to share, we'll give opportunity for that at this time.

The voices blended so nicely.

Followed the music well. Some of these pieces were not really easy, so I commend them. Extra hard work. Thank you. They worked very hard all week, so it goes to show that effort does pay. Anyone else?

The song that we didn't understand the words, I'm trying to remember exactly. It has something to do with only those who are Christian can sing. I believe it's a very simple message, but it as I thought about it, it's actually very profound. I recently read that singing is really Christian Christianity is only really the only faith where singing is part of that. There's some chanting and things in other religions, but so that song, the message of that song was only those who are Christian will sing.

So that's a blessing as well.

Anyone else?

Really enjoyed the Kumbayama.

OK, I'm going to give a few announcements here. We're going to be lifting an offering today, and the offering that we lift today is going to be given to CAM to aid the crisis in Ukraine. So here in a bit, we're going to have two congregational songs, and during that time, the ushers will lift an offering. So that is where that will be going to the situation in Ukraine.

There's a fellowship meal provided in the basement after the services, and all are welcome. And we're going to look to Brother Harvey Wright for a message here after we have prayer.

And after the two songs and the offering, then we'll look to Harvey for a message. There's a few announcements for the local congregation here. This Tuesday evening is our closed sorting, CAM closed sorting. And Wednesday morning, we have early morning prayer at 6:00 o'clock for those who want to participate in that. And then next Sunday morning, we're planning an Easter sunrise service here at 6:30.

And so bring your chairs and blankets and come prepared to share an inspiration, a song, something to share. And then if you plan to stay for breakfast, bring something along to share in that as well. And because of the weekend this weekend and the sunrise service, our normal fellowship meal next Sunday will be canceled.

Anyone else have anything they would like to share before we come to prayer? Any special prayer request on your mind? I think we really do need to remember the situation and the brothers and sisters in Ukraine.

We're here today, and we're all gathered together, and we really have no fear. But you know, that's not the case for the folks in Ukraine, and I think we sometimes lose sight of that. So let's pray that God would uphold them, the Christians there, and that His name could be lifted up. Also like to just remember in prayer, our Bible school students are, like I say, from a lot of different areas. There'll be a lot of traveling going on here today, and we want to ask for the Lord's protection in that.

At this time, why don't we stand for prayer? And Edso, would you want to lead us in prayer? And then we'll have two congregational songs, and then we'll look to Brother Harvey.

Holy Father, we thank You for this time to be together. We thank You, Lord, for the word that we've heard already. And Father, we pray that every word would not fall empty, but would speak into our hearts and lead us into the truth and into Your righteousness, that we might be pleasing and fruitful before You.

Father, I just pray for Brother Harvey as he breaks forth for us the word of life as we just give him unction from on high. And Lord, I also just pray that You would be with the situation in Ukraine. Bring peace there, Lord. Protect our brothers and sisters in Christ. Keep them safe from harm. And Lord, help us to do what we can to be messengers of Your peace and of Your good will. These things we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Number 174 to begin with. 174, The King of Love, My Shepherd is.

Oh, the King of Love, My Shepherd is. Whose darkness shall ever

fade. I know thee my giver. And He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow, my friends, I'm so healing breath. And where the fern and pastures grow, with food stillest shall be yet.

Herbs and foolish oft I stray, but yet in love be so deep. And on this shoulder gently lay, and hope rejoicing brought me.

In death's dark hill I fear no will. With thee dear Lord beside me, thy rod and staff, my comfort still, thy cross before tonight me.

And so through all the length of days, thy goodness haileth ever. Thy shepherd may I sing thy praise, within thy house forever.

Number 510. 510, and let's all stand and we say.

Jesus, I have come to offer.

Oh, Jesus, I have come to offer. Heart and soul to thee forever. All the joy that thou have bear. Sinned thee God, am not beharing. Will I turn from you uncaring? I will not look back again. I will not look back again.

Though my heart has been divided, though my steps have been misguided, to a solid choice I'm led. Now to yield my will completely, to defer to Jesus only. Night and day to serve my God. Night and day to serve my God.

Lord, to thee I freely offer all I love, a joyful waiver. See, I'm keeping nothing here. Search me, try me, prove my yearning. If to trifles I am turning, take them from me right away. Take them from me right away.

What the world and flesh adore me, nothing harsh shall now deter me. Christ for thee my all shall be. If in all things I may haver, in thine eyes behold thy pleasure. Mine is joy that knows no end.

Mine is joy that knows no end. You may be seated.

Well, good morning to you all. Wow, it feels like I'm going to be held accountable from all directions this morning. Good to see you all. May God bless us as we look into His word again. You can turn your Bibles with me to Matthew chapter 5, beginning in verse 1.

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. So persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trotten underfoot of men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." I'll stop there. I know for the sake of time and especially the seating arrangement here, I plan not to keep you very long this morning. We have a passage of scripture in front of us this morning that we could spend hours with. We call it the beginning or the Sermon on the Mountain. We're just going to touch a little bit, hopefully, on the first couple of verses here.

So a little bit of the setting here. As we understand it, this is the first of Jesus' recorded sermons that he gives. And if you notice, he was leaving if we back up in chapter 4, verse 25, and he says, "And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilea and from Dicapolis and from Jerusalem and from Judea and from beyond Jordan." And if you look at your maps, you'll see that probably surrounds and collects together people from a hundred-mile radius or more.

And there's great multitudes. And I don't know what that means. When Jesus says great multitudes, I'm guessing there's many, many. They come together. But if you notice, he went up into the mountain and he was seated like you guys are seated right now, and I'm standing, the reverse. So he sits down, and if you notice, the disciples are the ones that seem to be pressing forward next to him. I can only picture the multitudes are sort of halfway down the mountain and just sort of following from a distance as Peter did. But the disciples, you notice, they come right up next to him. So it seems like this message maybe is given more to the disciples today, to those that consider yourself a Christian.

This is a message for us. Most of us, I'm sure, are considering ourselves disciples. So the message is for us. If we notice, maybe some of the purposes of the message here that stood out to me. First of all, if you notice, he mentions the word blessed.

Blessed are you. Blessed.

Do you know it's God's desire? Probably one of his greatest desires is to bless his people. And we don't know this morning exactly what that means, is to bless his people. But I think he repeats this seven or eight times here.

And every one of the blessings has a promise that follows.

When we leave here today, I'm guessing we're going to use that word probably a number of times. Well, God bless you as you travel home, students. God protect you. We use that word quite frequently. I'm not sure if we really know what it means.

We'll talk about that just a little bit later. But we see the first purpose here of this message. God wants to bless his people. And I think this is an important thing to keep in mind. When God created us, when he created Adam and Eve, and he breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life, that, I believe, was a breath of blessing. It wasn't anything that we dislike. It was good. It was goodwill. It was part of his own presence that he was breathing into him eternal life. So let's keep that in mind as we think about blessing this morning.

Another thing that stands out about God's blessing, we can say, "Well, God bless you," but that means what we say, I guess. But when God blesses somebody, we see that back in Israel's history when the Israelites had just destroyed or had war against the Amorites, I believe it was, and they were just ending right up to Moab. And then the king there was fearful because he saw what they did, and he's fearful. And he says, "They're going to come up, and they're going to lick us up just like an ox licks up the grass of the field." What a description. You ever see a cow that's hungry, and she comes along, and she just licks the grass of the field, and it's gone.

That was the picture. And he was fearful. But there's something that Balak understood about that army that I don't think we understand. He somehow knew that they had the blessing of God upon them. And he said, "If we could somehow undo that blessing" the story he called for Balaam. He sent for Balaam because he was known to be this man that would be able to reverse blessing and put on curse.

And Balaam came, and he opened his mouth three times, I believe the Bible tells us, to curse these people. Balak knew that somehow if God's blessing was taken away and a curse put on them, they're going to lose their power.

In other words, it's his way of disarming them. And you know the story. Balaam opened his mouth three times to curse them, and all that came out was a blessing. I love that story. If God is for us, who can be against us when God's blessing is on our life? We're safe. We're protected. In the spiritual realm, we're all armed up, aren't we, with God's blessing and protection over us?

The other thing we notice in this short passage we read, he talks about being a salt to the earth. And I don't know for sure what that means. I did a little more research on the word, and I understand the word earth there simply means soil.

So he's looking to us, and especially you young fellas. He's looking to you all. He's not looking to the politics today to preserve the earth. The money that's spent on all the climate study and the Chesapeake Bay and other bays that are being polluted, can you imagine? They can study, and they can spend money, but they're not going to preserve this earth. If there's anyone here yet on this earth that is going to bring saltiness and preserve the earth, the soil and I don't know how all that works, but if God put a curse on the soil when Adam and Eve sinned, then when he reverses that and he blesses his people and we walk in his blessing, then somehow there's also a reverse in the soil.

Isn't that exciting? And the light of the world, another purpose of us being here yet, the light of the world. As the world's getting darker and deeper, infested with sin and dishonesty and everything that is folks, he's going to look to us. He's going to look to the next generation. He's going to look to you guys and you young ladies. He's going to look to you to be a light. The sad part is so many people today just begin to blend in more and more with the society and become a part of the problem. God wants us to be a remedy, to stand up, to be men and women of God to make a difference, like the flashlight in a dark room.

What a blessing.

And then another thing that we see in this, in the end, he's going to cause the society of the nations to stand up and take notice, not to you or me, but they're going to give glory and honor to God the Father, his purpose.

Last week, we had a rain come through here one evening, and there was a rainbow. Maybe some of you locals saw that. I don't know. I told my wife, my children, I don't know if I've ever seen one that was so nice and clear and bright just the whole way around. And when we see that, what do we do? We typically take the family out. We call them together. We nowadays send a picture of this, and we say, "Look at this beautiful thing. There's a rainbow." We just go out there, and you know what?

I'm probably not as impressed with the beautiful colors, but I'm so drawn to the one that's behind the colors. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God. Thank you for being faithful to your promise, your covenant that you made to us. It's just a refreshing reminder that God said, "This is what I'm going to do as a token, as a covenant with my people." And he still does it. He still does it. Praise God.

That is what Jesus is asking us to be, is that rainbow where it causes the world to stop and to call everybody together and say, "Look at this," and they're all going to turn to God and glorify him because of your life, your life that speaks of Jesus. It's not you. They're not going to marvel at you, but they're going to marvel at your great God, the king of the universe. So our life is supposed to be a reflection of our maker.

The first thing he says, "I'm going to bless you." The title this morning is The Pathway to Blessing. "I'm going to bless you." Now, there's been a study done in America, North America, I understand. They took about 52,000 Americans of about all age groups, and they asked the question, "Now, if you were to pursue happiness to its fullest, what were some of the things you would be going after?"

And I know some of the dictionaries, some of the commentators, use this word blessing here and say it simply means in our language, happiness. And something about that just doesn't sit right with me unless I misunderstand the word happiness. I understand the word happiness has to do with circumstances.

So everything goes good for me today. I'm going to be a happy man by the end of the day, hopefully. But anyway, back to this research they've done, there was this cycle and the pattern of man from young to old. And it was things like this. People, young children, might say, "Well, they think once they can go to school, they're going to be happy. Once they were in school and they graduate from that, then they'll be happy." And the next step and so on, driver's license, and then getting married, and then having children. And then the next group said, "Well, when all the kids leave home, then there will be genuine happiness."

Careers, jobs, education, the list went on. But the sad part about it, the last-ditch effort was retirement. Have you ever met retired people that are really happy? There's some around, but according to Brother Miller's book and his study he did on retirement, he said, "That is one of the highest rates of suicide, unfortunately." Isn't that sad?

You go through life, and every step of the way, you're finding these bits and pieces of happiness. And, well, it just does last a short time. And then I need another step of happiness. And so it goes. And so it goes. And the sad part is I've spoken for a number of older people that were retired, and they look back over their life, and they say, "I don't really know the purpose of life. I've never figured it out yet."

And a lot of people go to their grave just that way. They haven't figured it out, the purpose of life. Jesus this morning wants us to take us deeper than just the happiness, even happiness to its fullest level because there's something in here that doesn't fit with happiness. If blessed really means happiness, then we should say, "Happy are you when you're persecuted."

Does that fit? It doesn't really fit because it's not in the list of the study when people said, "Well, I think I can really be happy once I'm persecuted." But Jesus says, "You're going to be blessed when you're persecuted." Is that possible? And how? And what does it mean?

Let's look at the first

thought here.

When I think of the blessings of God, the blessed, I think more of the breath of God. I think of a covenant that God makes with his people, a promise, a, could we say, a commitment like he did with the Israelites.

And Balak and Balaam couldn't undo that no matter how hard they tried. They could not undo that. You see the protection.

When we look at the Ten Commandments, we see Ten Commandments that were given by God to Moses for his people that had to do with thou shalt not, things that we shall not and we cannot do as God's people. But here in the Beatitudes, we see eight or nine, seven or eight, I believe there are, of things we ought to become. So it's not about doing or not doing so much, but who are we going to become? And that's a challenge I want to leave for the young folks especially. If you consider yourself this week, my wife and I were at a viewing.

A wife of an old school friend of mine passed away sort of suddenly. These were folks I haven't seen, some of them, since school days. I mean, that takes us back 40 years maybe. And the one young lady said, "Oh, Harvey, I remember you all those years ago."

And she had a scoop of questions about your siblings. "How are they doing? How's your sister so-and-so? How's your brother so-and-so? Where are they? Are they married? Where do they live?" And I'm like, "Oh, this is strange." I mean, we're talking about all these years that we haven't talked.

I went home, and I thought over that a little bit. I thought, "In 40 years from now, you students have connected, maybe some of you, for the first time. And maybe it's going to be a several-year relationship here maybe, maybe not.

Maybe some of you won't hear about each other for many years, maybe 40 years." Seems like, "That makes me feel pretty ancient this morning." But talk about 40 years. I'm not that old. I might look old. I'm 55 for your information.

But I'm saying that's a short time. It really is. That went so swiftly. It was only but a few years ago, it seems like. I was your age. It's just how life is. The older you get, the quicker it goes, I think. I don't know. Does it or does it seem like it?

So in 40 years from now, if you would meet an old Bible school student and the questions would be, "What happened to so-and-so?" or let's think of that a little bit different. We think of terms of, "Did I get married? Did he or she get married? Do they have children? Do they have grandchildren? What kind of job do they have? Where do they live?" Those things are important, and they're important to God. But when I look back over my life, I say, "How important are those things?" If I could redo my life and I could go back 40 years and I could make some of those crucial choices, what would I do different? I'm not sure if I'd do much different.

I'd probably marry the same girl.

I'd probably just be an old farmer again all over. I would probably just live in the same house I did the last 40 years in the good old state of Pennsylvania. I don't know. I don't know I'd do. But if I could go back 40 years and start over, I can tell you what I would do different or what I would work at, where I would get a jump start at, is at the characters that Jesus is going to point out to us.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Blessed is the farmer or blessed is the mechanic. Blessed is the applianceman. Blessed is the, "What are you today?" Blessed is he that gets married. Blessed is he that has children or grandchildren. Blessed is he when he gets retired finally.

Is that what Jesus is saying? Am I saying those things aren't important to God? Not at all. But I think we need to focus on what is the most important to God. It is our spirit. These blessings have all to do, whether or not we're going to cultivate the spirit of Jesus or we're not.

Jesus said one day, "Except a corn of wheat fall to the ground and die, it abideth alone." And I think we could talk about that for a long time. What does that mean? Brother Clyde back here is a seed salesman. He would know more about what goes into corn seed than I do. But I mean, I know corn seed is tremendously expensive anymore, and I'm guessing that's why, is because there's a lot of input. There's a lot of research. There's a lot of study. There's genetically modified now, whatever that all means.

A seed of corn is very valuable. But Jesus said, "Except it fall to the ground and die, it's going to be alone," saying it's going to be worthless. And I think of that this morning, and I know you students heard a lot from God's Word this week.

Studying God's Word, it's so important to know God's Word, to memorize God's Word. But it's just like that seed, except we as a people learn how to build character. We can know Scripture from beginning to the end. We can memorize it. We can sing it. We can know it all so well. But Jesus is telling us this morning, "Except we fall to the ground and die."

We die really hard. I don't know what this means for sure, but he says we are to become poor in our spirit.

Our society says not so. You need to stand for your rights. And if you lose, you have 100 attorneys out there advertising for you to come to your rescue. Defend your rights. Be strong. Know who you are. Jesus turns that upside down, and he says, "If you don't learn how to become poor in your spirit, you can't receive this great blessing."