Have your Bible turned back with me to Psalm
118 as we try to finish when good is good enough.
We're going to try to finish that. Amen. I would
have hit a little bit of that. I just can't remember
enough of it. But as we were singing that. The
old, when the redeemed are gathering in. That
song come to my mind. Wash like snow and free
from all sin. How we'll shout and how we'll sing
when the redeemed are gathering in. I don't know
where your mind's been lately, but mine's been.
Gravitating toward the gathering moment. Amen.
I'm ready to see the Lord. I'm ready to see Jesus.
Amen. And every born again, blood bought, prayed
up, living right, saint of God ought to have
the same focus. We ought to be longing to see
the Lord. I don't need any more time. I don't
need to make anything else right. I try to keep
up with that stuff on a daily basis. Amen. I
don't need to hear another sermon or message
to get my heart right. My heart's right. Well,
what about those that are not? What did Jesus
tell Lazarus when he said, would you just not
go up there and tell my brother? He said, look,
they got the prophets and they got the preachers,
and they wouldn't hear me if I come back. Well,
and they didn't. And he did. Did he not? So I
don't need to preach another sermon, but I'm
going to as long as I'm here. But I'm ready to
see the Lord. Psalm 118 reads, I digress. Verse
1, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good,
because his mercy endures forever and ever. There's
no end and there's no ceasing. When good is good
enough. Father, we love you today. Thank you
so much for your kindness towards your people.
I thank you, Lord, for the anointing that's in
this house and your presence that is here. And
I ask God now that you continue to have your
way, Lord, with that wonderful liberty that causes
it to be easy to preach. Bless in this house
today, sweet Holy Ghost, have your way in Jesus'
mighty name. And the church said, amen. You can
be seated. Tell your neighbor, good is good enough.
Lord, we love you today. Just worship for just
a minute. I'm trying to make my way through something
right here. If you would, just lift your hands
toward heaven. Just love on the Lord for just
a minute. I'm trying to make my way through right
here. Have your way today, Lord. We do love you.
Hallelujah. Sweet Holy Ghost, have your way among
us today, Lord. Speak to heart and mind. How
many of you, where you're seated right now, there's
this little bit of sense of urgency for a burden
or a trial or something going on in and around
you and affecting you immediately, right? I mean,
right now, it's affecting you. I mean, if I may.
Would you just come and stand across the front
here? Yeah. Uh -huh. I see I was talking to somebody
about standing in. Sister, I went. Sister Lynn,
come stand in for Sister Linda. Yeah. I am literally
trembling. Yeah, he is here. There's a... Sister
Barbara, if you need to sit on the edge of that
altar, just have you a seat right over there.
Just sit right on that altar. She's so weak.
She's just... Grace of God that she's even in
the house today. There are... Some major needs
represented in this altar right now. And the
Lord wants you to know he is mindful of you.
He knows where you're standing. And exactly what
it is facing you. He simply nudged me really
quick twice already to let you know that. He
is good. And I know sometimes in facing stuff
like what some of you are dealing with, Sister
Linda Geislinger is in the hospital. They're
going to take a brain. out tomorrow, a little
tumor. They're going to take it out and test
it to see if it's whatever. Been in the hospitals
this week, getting over, trying, and still not
past issues of the body and the flesh. And God
said he knows your flesh. He created your flesh.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. But something
else he also knows, I shared with Sister Barbara
in the office this morning. He knows how willing
your spirit is. He knows you pushed yourself
to be in this place this morning. And there's
others not here today that just weren't able
to push. Just wasn't able to push through to
get here. He knows what you had to go through
to get here. I may do this and I may not. But
this he wants you to know, he's mindful of you.
Every situation. Because if it's serious enough
to drive you here, it's serious enough to be
on his mind. You're not off the radar. He's a
controller that's never off the job. And you're
always more than just a blip on his screen. He
knows your altitude. He knows your attitude.
He knows your location and all about your position,
what's gotten you there, and how he's going to
take you from where you are to where he desires
for you to be. I tell you what, if there's some
of you that have a good measure of faith going
this morning, if y 'all will take a half a step
forward, I need some folks that will believe
with me and just kind of come and just stand
behind these. And the rest of you, just stretch
your hand this way. If you're not going to come
this way, just lift your hand, and I want your
mind on heaven. I'll preach a little bit until
you hear it a little bit. Oh, my Lord, God, you
know. Something wonderful happened. Father, in
the name of Jesus, you know today. You know today.
You know today. You're mindful of your people
this morning. You know their dilemma at every
point, at every turn, and at every twist, and
every obstacle, every roadblock. You know it
this morning. You know it this morning. Lord,
you know what's anguishing our soul. You know
what's tearing us up from the inside out. You
know what it is, and now I give it to you. I
give it to you. I give it to you. I give it to
you today. Lord, touch Sister Kim this morning,
recovering. Lord, touch Sister Donna, recovering,
Lord. Touch and move and heal in body, soul,
mind, and spirit today. Lord, only you are able.
To add strength. And only you are able to add
grace, Lord. Only you are able to move within
the situations of this place. Lord, you know
what your people are dealing with. We know what
you're dealing with, Lord. Put it right there,
brother. Right there. Father, in the name of
Jesus, we're trusting you for great grace. We're
trusting you for great grace. And your faithfulness,
Lord. You are good. You are good. And we give
thanks to you today, Lord, for your goodness.
And Lord, you know the situation. You know exactly
what we're dealing with. Lord, you know exactly
what's going on. And Lord, we're trusting you
to deal with it. We're trusting you, oh God,
to take over. We're trusting you, oh God, to
have your wonderful and mighty way in heart and
mind, souls and body today. Lord, in families
and Lord, we know that you can. In our bodies,
Lord, there's those who need a healing touch
today. There are those who are needing a continual
healing touch in body, soul, mind, and spirit
this morning. Oh, and I ask God that you do great
works, that you do mighty works among your people
today. Lord, that you do a mighty work among
your people today. Heal. and deliver and set
at liberty. Lord, there are those with tormented
minds and who need peace. need your peace. Lord,
there are those who are emotional wrecks today.
Lord, we just pray for Sister Linda this morning.
Lord, if Sister Linda stands in the gap, we're
in the hedge this morning. We're building up
a faith wall in the breach today. Lord, I know
that anxiety is overwhelming her, and I know
fear is gripping her by the mind and by the moment,
and I ask God that you take authority over that
today. Lord, give her a peace that passes all
understanding this morning, a peace that passes
understanding. Lord, touch Brother Fred today.
He has surgery tomorrow. They're going to put
a new knee in. I ask God that you guide the hand
of the surgeon. Lord, give him a peace and grace.
Lord, we know that you're able today. We know
that you're able this morning, mighty God. We
know that you're able this morning, mighty God.
We know that you're able today. Yes, God, we
know you are. Lord, we trust you. Father God,
we're in desperate mode today. for a lost sister.
Lord, you know where she's at today, so we ask,
sweet Holy Ghost, Lord, that you begin to convict
her heart. Begin to draw her to the foot of Calvary's
old rugged cross. Draw her to Jesus. Sweet Holy
Ghost, begin to convict today. Lord, knock on
that hardened heart. Knock on that heart's door,
Lord. We know what your word declares. Behold,
you'll stand at the door and knock. And you said
if they'll open, you'll come in and you'll sit
and sup with them. And we ask, Lord, that she'll
open to the knocking of your spirit. Lord, knock
on that heart. Be a reminding presence to her
today, sweet Holy Ghost. Reminder of the goodness
of your grace. Hallelujah. Touch and move this
morning. Touch and move this morning. Father,
we know that you're able, Lord, to heal and to
deliver and to strengthen today. Lord, we know
that you are the one who always offers divine
orders of protecting. You are our protection.
You are the one who watches over. You are who
are around us, over, beneath, and beside us.
And I ask God today that you continue to grant
it this morning. Father, do a healing work in
body today. Do a healing work in body. Almighty
God, we're trusting you. Lord, our confidence
is in you and your great grace. Father, you're
God over all things. Lord, the life is in the
blood. That's the declaration of your word. And
Lord, I pray. for a healing in the blood in this
body. Lord, we rebuke low blood sugar. Take authority
over high blood pressure. We ask, God, that you
do a work in the body today. Father, you are
healer and deliverer. And we ask, God, in our
desperation. Lord, in our desperation this morning.
Oh, Lord, we're desperate for a touch. We're
desperate for a move today, almighty God. We
need a healing. Touch this esophagus and digestion.
Lord, touch her digestive system, Father. name
of Jesus, add flesh to the body and strength
to the body, nourishment to the body. Father,
we'll trust you. Lord, Lord, you know the situation
at work. You know what's going on there. You've
got to intervene, Lord. There's a thousand or
more, several thousand, Lord, and their jobs
are at stake. So I ask God that you just move
in, move in and let your calm and peace prevail
over situations. Lord, touch and move today.
Father, we take authority over home. grandchildren,
Lord. I see where Paul told Timothy, I'm reminded
of the faith that I first saw in your granny
and then in your mama and I know it's in you,
son. Let the faith of the Lord, we stir up the
gift that's in us. Take authority over the wicked
things in the name of Jesus today. Lord, victory
in the home. Release in the home, Father. Oh,
Lord, we know that you're able to grant great
grace. We know that you're able to grant great
grace and great mercy. Touch and move. Touch
and move in the house today. Touch and move in
the house today, Father God. Let your grace and
your glory, Lord, move in hearts and minds today.
Hallelujah, Lord, continue to touch and move
and heal. Lord, it's our commitments unto you,
Lord. We renew afresh and new. We renew afresh
and new. Afresh and new, almighty God. Father,
we come to you today. Every cause of turmoil
that the enemy's trying to arise with and everything
he's trying to divide and to destroy with, we
take authority over it and we choose your great
grace. Lord, you are the healer. You are the
healer. Bring unity. Bring unity, Father, in
the name of Jesus. Lord, I pray for Travis's
hands. Lord, you know it's his livelihood. You
know that's how he makes his living. And, Lord,
as this attack of the flesh is against his livelihood,
Lord, his trust and confidence is ultimately
in you. And so, Father, I pray a divine healing.
Lord, over these joints and these knuckles and
the muscles in his hand. Lord, take authority
today. And in the name of Jesus, work a healing
in his body. This morning, Father. This morning,
Father. In the name of Jesus. In the name of
Jesus. Lord, touch Rebecca today. Do a healing
in her foot, Lord, in this ankle. Do a healing
today. Do a mighty work, oh God. Do a mighty
work over this place today. Lord, let your grace
and your glory move, Lord, among your people.
Let your healing touch move among your people.
Hallelujah. Anybody else, I didn't get to pray
for you and you need prayer, just make your way
on over here. Come on, we're going to anoint
you today. I don't want you to leave untouched.
The Lord will touch you where you are, but if
you need it, require it, we'll put a little oil
on you. Hallelujah. He is faithful and he is
just today. Lord, we love you and we thank you
for your goodness and grace and mercy. Hallelujah.
And because it endures forever. As he goes by,
reach out. Father, we come to you today. Lord,
standing in the gout for a mental warfare among
this generation. As enemies tormenting their
minds and trying to steal, kill, and destroy
life from these young people, I ask God that
somehow you display your glory that they may
see and know that there's a God in heaven. Lord,
and speak of peace over their minds, those that
are tormented today. For you and you alone are
peace. You are help. You are hope. And Lord,
we're trusting you to move among them today,
Father. In the name of Jesus. In the name of
Jesus today. Hallelujah. Touch the Lord as he
calls. Father, we come today. Dad's standing
in today. Lord, we see what the enemy's endeavoring
and see how he's attempting. But we stand against
it with everything that's within us today, and
we resist the devil. We resist the enemy. And
we know according to your word that he'll flee
from us. So we stand today. I pray, Lord, that
you'd grant wisdom to this father. Lord, give
him knowledge. Give him understanding. Lord,
give him grace and give him strength, Lord, as
he withstands the evil one that's coming against
his family today. Give him grace and give him
strength, Father, in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah.
Hallelujah. Give the Lord praise in his house,
would you? Hallelujah. You can be seated for
just a few minutes. I've learned over the years
that if you obey God, things go better. It goes
better if you just obey the Lord. Good is good
enough. Because God is good. And we need nothing
else. So if God is good, then good is good enough.
Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good,
because his mercy endures forever. I used to
quote that quickly, and I'd leave out the because.
We do that sometimes. Oh, give thanks to the
Lord for his good, his mercy endures forever.
But the because, I think, is probably the strongest
word in the entire verse. Because it connects
it all together. The because connects the goodness
of God to his mercy. Because of his mercy, he's
good. We're not going to retrace all the steps
on he's good. That'd take us too long. But just
trust me, God's good. Amen. I'm going to give
you the Pastor Cliff notes, and then I'm going
to let you go. I made a statement to you as we
were closing last week. When God grants mercy,
he extends grace. Goodness and mercy are gifts
of the extension. Of God's grace. Mercifully
in its simplest form means leniency, compassion,
forgiveness, kindness, pity, tolerance, or charity.
Mercy refers to the kind and compassionate treatment
extending biblically to forgiveness and a gracious
bestowal of that which is not deserved. God's
mercy is the divine goodness exercised with respect.
to the miseries of his creatures, feeling for
them and making provision for their relief. That's
what just happened. He has a strong desire because
of our misery. He grants mercy and extends grace,
providing for us a relief. You remember, some
of you might be old enough to remember, plop,
plop. Oh, how many of you have no clue? Go ahead
and raise your hand, Pastor. I done seen it on
your face. I don't even know what to do with
that. Man, about to turn 40 years old. Anybody
else care to raise your hand? You didn't know
what that was either? According to my dad, well,
we just lost this whole thing. I should have
quit and let you go home. But I saw 20 minutes
on the time clock. According to my dad, that
was a commercial. According to my father, who's
86, it is the cure for cancer. That low blood
pressure, plop, plop, fizz, fizz. High blood
pressure, Plop, plop, fizz, fizz. That coupled
with a domes pill, now I know I'm over some of
you. I know some of you gone for sure. I'm telling
on myself. That's why we were back in the archives
from the last century. Those are old medications
that probably now just have new names and you're
taking them anyway. Alka -Seltzer. You know what
that is? Plop, plop, fizz, fizz. That's a commercial.
You got it now. Cure all. God sees the misery
of his creatures. In a sin -sickened and fallen
world, the only joy that we manage to pull out
of the misery of a sin -indated world, is the
relief that the goodness of God brings into our
life, extended by His grace because of His mercy.
In the case of sinners, God's mercy can be described
as long -suffering and patience toward those
who keep putting off. The extension of his grace
for salvation. God's mercy is boundless. Psalm
108 and 4, for thy mercy is great above the heavens.
Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. God's mercy
is undeserved. The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, plenteous in mercy. He will not
always chide. In other words, God doesn't always,
He just doesn't continue to punish because of
wrongdoing. You repent, He doesn't keep on punishing.
He doesn't chide. He doesn't continue that punishment.
Neither will He keep His anger forever. Aren't
you so glad? We've lost the awe and the fear
and the revere of a holy God. But the Bible declares
it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
an awesome God. He hath not dealt with us after
our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so
great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is, you know this one, from
the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions
from us. Like as a father pitieth his children,
so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. That's
in the definition of mercy. I am so glad that
God had pity on me. I'm so glad he did not visit
me according to my iniquities and my transgressions.
I'm so glad for that goodness in this verse.
Because of his mercy. That's why that goodness
is extended toward my life. I'm so glad he didn't
deal with me that way. God's mercy is very intimate.
Psalm 145, 8, 9. The Lord is gracious and full
of compassion. Slow to anger and great of mercy.
The Lord is good to all. And his tender mercies
over all his works. God's mercy prongs life.
Lamentations 3, 22 and 3. It is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed. Because his
compassion, one of those definitions, they are
new every morning. He doesn't keep score. And
I am not consumed because of his mercy. And that
God's mercy extends salvation. Titus 3 and 5.
Not by works of righteousness, which we have
done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.
Mercy is in forgiving of sins. Micah 7 and 18.
Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity?
Passes by the transgression of the remnant of
his heritage. He retaineth not his anger forever
because he delights in mercy. 2 Peter 2 and 9.
Is the gateway that we may obtain that wonderful
gift of salvation. The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise as some men count slackness. But
is long suffering to us. We're not willing that
any should perish. But that all. But thankfully,
he's merciful even in judgment. Lamentations
3, 31, 32. For the Lord will not cast off forever.
He's not just going to keep letting you slide.
But though he calls grief, yet will he have compassion.
That's one of our words, mercy. According to
the multitude of his mercies. He's not going
to let us go forever. He is wonderful. He's merciful.
Amen. Last week we did a little symbolic interview.
We could have that same interview again according
to God's mercy. And if you were to interview
Noah and ask him, what about God's mercy? He
would tell you that it was an extension to me
because of his grace. Men's hearts are only on
evil continually. And God said, A man's not going
to live forever. But Noah found, where you at
Bible readers? Found grace. Noah said, I could
have drowned it in the flood, but he had mercy.
And because of his mercy, that extension of grace.
You could have drowned it in the flood of life,
folks. Joseph, while in prison, God. Was merciful
to him. And if you were to pose that question
to Joseph. Is God merciful? 3921 of Genesis says
this. But the Lord was with Joseph. And showed
him mercy. And gave him favor. In the sight of
the keeper of the prison. You see how that grace
extension just gets. All right, English teachers,
just plug ears. Gooder and gooder and gooder
and more good. That mercy, that mercy is like
this double -blossomed, what's that rose bush
that won't die, what we call them things? Huh?
What's that? Knockout roses. You cut it back
to your ankle in February and it'll be over your
head by the end of July. That's the way God's
blooming shield of mercy works. It just gets
gooder and gooder and gooder and gooder and gooder
and gooder. Moses would tell you, for the Lord
thy God is merciful God. He will not forsake
thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant
of thy fathers which he sware unto thee. If you
were to really pin him down, say, well, exactly
where did God's mercy show up for you, Moses?
Well, let me tell you, there was a day when he
told me to speak to a rock, and I did. And there
was a day he told me to speak to it again, and
I didn't. I struck it. The water came forth,
but I didn't get to go in. But mercy kept me
from being swallowed up by the earth. Oh, he'd
already been doing stuff like that, you know.
Ah, that's mercy. That's mercy. David would surely
tell you, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life, and I will dwell
in the house of the Lord forever. The only...
Way we get to dwell forever because of mercy.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. And
I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I'm looking for the forever. And because of that
marvelous extension of grace, mercy. Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, we could have been burned
alive. Daniel, I could have been eaten alive.
Right? Jeremiah said, The Jews threw me in a
pit to die, but God sent an Ethiopian man to
rescue me. My countrymen cast me down, but a
stranger lifted me up. Mercy? Where do we see
mercy? I see him in the life of the prodigal
son. Huh? Get the prime rib out. My son's coming
home. Come sit with me sometime and ask me. About
mercy. He spared my life. David O 'Bull. He spared
my life. Several different moments. Mercy, because
mercy come in. And goodness follow. Oh, give
thanks. Thanksgiving's Thursday. Eat your turkey,
your ham, your lasagna, your casserole. Go ahead
and have about four or five of them Sister Schubert's.
Have two for me. And I'll do this. And you'll
do this. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord. Started
off last week by telling you that wonderful presence
of joy that flooded the vehicle the other day.
The Lord just said, hey, I know. What's that
old song? Is this road you are traveling dark,
deserted, or dim? Is there hope for tomorrow?
Put your trust in him. And that's the last I
got. This weary road we're traveling. But the
Lord, I'll soon be leaving to that land of endless
peace. Well, I can see of home. Oh, I can see.
Stand up. We're going to dismiss that. On his
throne. Back now. Oh, praise the Lord. And when
here shall end, goodbye to this old world of
sin. And in that fair land, I'll take mine. It's
good to be for glory land. Hang on because of
his mercy. Some of you were by that song like
Pastor Brian was the commercial. Just lost. I
could see that headlight look in your eyes. Just
go Google it after a while. Or get on YouTube
and search it. And you'll be blessed. Because
you'll think about the journey that you're on.
God's been good to me. He's good to me. He's
good to my family currently because he's merciful.
Amen. Lord, I love you. I thank you for your
goodness. I thank you because of your mercy.
Extension of that grace is added to my life daily.
I thank you for what you've done in this altar
today. Lord, continue to go with your people
as they've laid their burden. They cast them
at your feet today. Desperate they are. But favored
they will be. Bless your people as we go in grace.
In Christ's lovely and mighty name. Have a happy
Thanksgiving. No service Wednesday night. Do
your cooking. Get everything done. And we'll
see you come Sunday. God bless you. You're dismissed.