Welcome to 1224 by Worship Transforms. We want to empower you to live your best life through
biblical inspiration and through connecting with Jesus in at least 12 minutes of meditative worship.
Why 12 minutes? Well, because research has shown that meditating on a good God for at least 12
minutes has the ability to form new neural healthy pathways in our brain that are aligned with the
one that we're focused on. So today we're looking at Psalm 27 verses 11 through 14 and those verses
will be in the description below. I want to tell you a little story about John Bunyan. John Bunyan
was the author of a very famous book called Pilgrim's Progress. It was one of my very favorites as a
kid. I had a youth version and it's basically an allegory about the Christian life and I think it was
so much based on John's life himself. But it's about this character named Christian who's on
his way to the celestial city and the road is not always easy. And in fact, it's usually pretty difficult.
One of the days he was with his companion and it was especially difficult and they saw this other
road right next to it called Bypath Meadow and they thought, hey, we could just go on this for a
short distance and it'll take us right back to the road we're on. So they decided to detour onto that
easier path and wouldn't you know it, a storm came up and actually kept them there overnight.
They were captured by the giant despair and taken to doubting castle. Well, as I said,
I think this was based on John's life. John Bunyan in the 1600s was living in a society in England
where it was illegal to preach the gospel outside of the walls of the Church of England. And anybody
who did that was subject to imprisonment. Well, John was passionate about preaching the gospel and
meeting with others, which was also illegal. And so he was imprisoned. You could get out of that prison,
you would be released from jail if you would simply agree not to do it anymore. But John wouldn't
because he knew that that was a mandate that he felt from God. So he chose to stay on that hard road.
But in the midst of it, he actually experienced a lot of depression and despair. You see, he
had left behind a young wife and their young daughter, as well as four other kids from a previous
marriage, one of whom was blind. So he was really battling this despair and depression. Listen,
look at what he wrote in his character, Christian. Christian held in this castle of despair. It was
actually doubting castle, right? Filled with despair. Actually, the giant and giant tests were
trying to get he and his companion to commit suicide. But Christian remembered a little
key that he had in his pocket, and it's called the key of promise. And with that key of promise,
he developed the bravery and the courage to make his way out of the castle and be free
from the despair and doubt that he had been saddled with. And John, same thing, he held on to the
promise of God's goodness, knowing that God had a purpose for this hard road that he was on. And so
he held on and found the bravery and the courage to not give in. Do you know that his book that was
finished at the end of that 12 year sentence or 12 year time of imprisonment, went on to, by some
literary editors, be considered the most influential English book outside of the Bible. It influenced
a host of literary giants, if you will, just a few like C.S. Lewis, Louisa May Alcott,
John Steinbeck, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Mark Twain, just a few. Look, let me encourage you.
You may be on a hard road right now, and you may be dealing, battling with despair and depression,
or you may be facing, knowing you're facing a hard road, or you might actually be at a crossroads,
and you're considering which road to take. If we hold on to the goodness of God, knowing the plans
that he has through us and for us, we hold on to that promise, he's going to give us that same
bravery, that same courage to face whatever it is we know we need to face. Because let's be honest,
at the same time, there are voices, accusers that are trying to take us out, that are trying to speak
lies about our identity, about the fact that we may be rejected, not true, that we may not have
enough courage to deal with this, that we don't have enough strength, whatever it is, it is a lie.
We need to hold on to the goodness of God, and he's going to give us the ability then to go
through whatever that is, knowing that his plans are good. Holy Spirit, we just invite you
to invade this time together. Father, we ask that you would teach us your ways.
We ask that you would lead us on the right path. We know that there are so many voices, voices of
the accuser that come and try to steal what you mean for us. So don't let us fall into their hands,
don't let us buy into those lies. Help keep our eyes fixed on you, because we know your goodness
is all pervasive. Your goodness is real, and it's something we can count on. We know we'll see your
goodness in the land of the living. So may we be brave to infuse us with courage
as we hold on to your goodness.
You teach me how to live, oh Lord,
lead me on the right path.
For my enemies are waiting for me, but don't let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me night and day.
Don't let me fall into their hands with every word they threaten me.
So teach me how to live, oh Lord,
lead me on the right path.
For my enemies are waiting for me,
but don't let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me night and day.
Don't let me fall into their hands
with every word they threaten me.
Yeah, I'm confident that I will see your goodness, Lord.
Yeah, I'm confident in you.
Yeah, I'm confident that I will see your goodness, Lord.
While I am here in the land of the living.
You teach me how to live, oh Lord,
lead me on the right path.
For my enemies are waiting for me,
but don't let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me night and day.
Don't let me fall into their hands
with every word they threaten me.
Yeah, I'm confident that I will see your goodness, Lord.
Yes, I'm confident in you.
Yeah, I'm confident that I will see your goodness, Lord.
While I am here in the land of the living.
So don't let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me night and day.
So don't let me fall into their hands.
With every word they threaten me.
Yeah, I'm confident that I will see your goodness, Lord.
Yeah, I'm confident in you.
Yeah, I'm confident that I will see your goodness, Lord.
While I am here, I'll praise you.
While I am here, I'll lift my gaze.
While I am here in the land of the living.
Cause all my life you have been faithful.
All my life you have been so, so good.
With every breath that I am able.
I will sing of the goodness of God.
All my life you have been faithful.
All my life you have been so, so good.
With every breath that I am able.
I will sing of the goodness of God.
Cause your goodness is running after, it's running after me.
Your goodness is running after, it's running after me.
With my life laying down and surrendered now, I give you everything.
Your goodness is running after, it's running after me.
With my life laying down and surrendered now, I give you everything.
Your goodness is running after, it's running after me.
Cause your goodness is running after, it's running after me.
With my life laying down and surrendered now, I give you everything.
Cause your goodness is running after, it's running after me.
So be brave and courageous.
Oh my soul.
Be brave.
Wait patiently for Him.
So be brave and courageous.
Oh my soul.
Be brave.
Wait patiently for Him.
So be brave and courageous.
Oh my soul.
Be brave.
Wait patiently for Him.
Be brave and courageous.
Oh my soul.
Be brave.
Wait patiently for Him.
I'll be brave.
Wait patiently for Him.
I'll be brave.
Wait patiently for Him.
May you go out today and know how much He is for you.
His goodness is always at work on your behalf.
So no matter what you're going through, you can count on Him.
You can count on Him and His plans for you as you hold on to Him
and trust. May you be blessed in all that you do
in your comings and your goings throughout this entire day.