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[0:00] Well, tremendous testimony to God's goodness, really, right through our lives.! I don't know about your week, my week's been a bit crazy actually.

[0:13] I don't know about anybody else, it's been a bit crazy, hasn't it, Sue? It's been a bit bonkers. But I finally sort of got to steady myself sort of midweek and finally asked a question that I should have asked a question probably a couple of weeks ago, which was, what do you want me to speak about tonight, Lord? And God very graciously always does come through with something, doesn't he? And, you know, having had not a particularly prayerful week, I would say, not having had a lot of chance to seek the Lord, I asked him what he wanted me to speak about. Now, I can't say the Almighty shook the room and wrote on the walls what he wanted me to do. But something kept coming repeatedly to my mind was this phrase, do you trust me? Do you trust me? And this has been going around my head for the best part of a couple of weeks, but without any real spiritual context to it. It's not like

[1:13] God said, oh, look at this scripture here and that's where it fits in. And, you know, so I sort of thought to myself, well, where's this come from? You know, is it you, Andy? You know, are you answering your own questions here? Because all people who speak have that doubt, don't we? Yeah. We all have that doubt that what we're going to say is actually going to be more of us than it is of God. And that's the last thing we want, really. So I thought to myself, I started to think where it had come from. So I did what all good preachers do, and I Googled it. To no avail, I'm afraid. Everything that came up, I'd got no references for the one. I'd never seen, never heard that one before, never done that, except for one that came to mind. And that was from the certain Disney film called Aladdin. Yeah. Where actually it occurs twice. Firstly, when Aladdin and Jasmine jump off of a tall building to escape capture.

[2:11] Yeah. And then later when Aladdin gets Jasmine to jump off the royal residence onto a flying carpet. So I thought, well, that's good enough for me. No, I thought to myself, nah, you must be, you must be talking, you're talking rubbish here, mate. You know, start again, you know, screw the paper up, trade in the bin. But the phrase has stuck with me. So he goes, I'm jumping in with both feet. And I've had a couple of sort of confirmations that this is for people tonight. Do you trust me? I've absolutely no doubt that the phrase in one form of occurs in lots of films. And it's usually when people have to take a chance and take a step into a perilous situation. So they have to do something like jump off a building or something like that.

[2:59] Or move into a position that's a bit perilous. Usually, the option is either the more perilous situation where they are, and then they have to do something perilous to get out of that situation. Probably into the outstretched arms or hands of someone offering what seems like, on the surface of it, very little support. But which offers the only possible means of escape.

[3:36] Now, at the same time as this thought's been going through my head, I've kept coming across this scripture, and it keeps coming up. And I'm not sure whether it's even come up in church recently or not, but it's this scripture. And it's from Psalm 121, if you want to follow it in your Bibles, verse 128. And it starts by saying it's the song of ascents. We'll talk about that in a minute.

[3:58] I lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip.

[4:19] He who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

[4:29] The Lord watches over you. The Lord is your shade at the right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

[4:48] The Lord will keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life. The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forever. What a tremendous promise.

[5:08] Now, there seems to be a lot of uncertainty about what was originally meant by the first phrase, I look to the mountains or the hills. Jerusalem, indeed, was on a hill. And this psalm, along with a number of others, were originally sang by people ascending to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the three main annual Jewish feasts or festivals. And traditionally, by some of the priests as they ascended the steps to the temple.

[5:34] Now, it could be that whoever wrote this psalm, some say David, some say it's anonymous, whoever he is, and anonymous, could have been looking up to the temple, to the presence of God with them.

[5:52] With them yet distant, beyond the reach of common man in pre-Christian terms, wrapped up in ritual and mystique. Or perhaps he was looking at the strength of might of the mountains, which in man's lifetime seem immovable, unchanging, the physical, solid, unchanging reliability of the mountains.

[6:18] To some extent, I don't feel it matters a jot. Because we could get into these debates and go on and on, couldn't we, to be quite honest. And it becomes a matter of conjecture. But the real thing is, I don't feel it matters because neither will ultimately bring us help.

[6:39] Neither the religious law and our feeble attempt to keep it, or the pursuit of all that is physical, touchable, and seeable. And we can look to both these things before we look to God in any situation.

[6:58] In any situation where we require help. And just a precursor there, don't think that you won't have trouble in this life. You will. You're absolutely guaranteed it.

[7:13] So we will need help. But where are we looking for our help tonight? Is it in a devotion to church?

[7:27] Or to its systems? Or its rules? Is it doing all the good things that we've taught that we should do?

[7:39] Well, I pray. I read my Bible. I sing songs of praise. I'm always listening to worship, you know. I lift my hands.

[7:54] I speak in tongues. All credible things. But they're not where our help should come from. Or maybe you're one of those people that church is too nice, really.

[8:11] It's too nice, but too unreliable. You need something a bit more physical. A challenge that you can get hold of life and just get on with it for yourself.

[8:22] Working your way through in your strength. Or maybe in the strength of other people. Our leaders. Our politicians.

[8:35] Our employers. Our jobs. The work of our hands. Verse 1 asks this question.

[8:45] Where does my help come from? It's a personal question. It's an individual question.

[8:59] A question that everyone will have to personally answer for themselves. In verse 2.

[9:11] Why was David. Or an anonymous. Able to say. My help comes from the Lord. And this is the kicker.

[9:24] Because he knew. This God. Not just as an authority figure. But as his Lord. Yes, John stole part of my.

[9:36] You know. This morning. He'd humbled himself. And made the person of God.

[9:47] His Lord. He wasn't just the God of Abraham and Jacob. He knew him. He knew who he was. He recognized.

[9:59] That the heavens and the earth. Were not just made in some kind of. Cosmic accident. As a song used to say. An old song. I can remember. But they'd been made and formed by God.

[10:10] He recognized. That his Lord. Cared. And loved him. And the rest of Israel. So much. That he wouldn't let their foot slip. From where it should be.

[10:22] If only they put their trust in him. He knew his Lord's commitment. That he wouldn't sleep. Not even closing his eyes for a second. No slumbering.

[10:35] He knew. God's love and protection. Would see him through. The scorching heat. Of his day. Whether that be a physical heat. Or just a difficult situation.

[10:49] He knew. He knew. He knew. His Lord. Would preserve him. For doing. Or being the victim. Of evil.

[11:00] In the place. Where it matters most. In his soul. Perhaps. Most importantly. He knew him.

[11:11] He knew him. That he would preserve him. As he went about. The business. Of his real life. His coming. And his going.

[11:22] Both. At that point. In his life. But it says. Both now. And forever. And forever. Is a long. Long time. And that word.

[11:36] You see. Forever. Is really important. We may think. We can get through life. Reasonably well. Without doing. Too much wrong. And being very successful.

[11:47] In some cases. But when it comes. To the end. Of this life. What happens next? When you're faced.

[12:00] With a perilous situation. Either in this life. Or maybe the jump. From this life. Into the next. Where will.

[12:11] Your help. Your help. Come from. Will it come from the one. Who designed you. And who knit you together.

[12:22] In your mother's womb. Will it come from the one. Who made. The heavens and the earth. Will it come from the one. Who knew you.

[12:34] And knew that you were lost. And that you'd wandered far from God. But loved you so much. So so much. That he sent his very self.

[12:46] In the person of Jesus Christ. To humble himself. And become a servant. Even. To the extent. That he would be rejected.

[12:57] By you. Yet still. Die for you. So that you might be forgiven. And live a life.

[13:09] Now. And forever more. And forever more. With him. You know. In all these films. There's always.

[13:21] A connection. Between the person. Who says. Do you trust me? There's always been a moment of. Either. I've fallen in love. With this person. I'd give everything for them.

[13:33] Or a. Floppy neck. He's the only one. Who's getting me out of this situation. Yeah. A trust.

[13:48] In the person. Who's asking you. To make. The jump. Who do you trust? Who do you put your trust in today?

[13:58] Look at the character of Jesus. Not at your experience of church. Or of other people.

[14:09] Because they will fail you. Is Jesus someone. Who you trust. If he held out his hand. To save you. Would you take his hand.

[14:24] As he says. Trust me. I believe that God. Is asking everyone tonight.

[14:35] Whatever situation you're in. Whatever situation you're in. Do you trust me? Do you trust me?

[14:47] And your response tonight. Has eternal consequence. Don't get me wrong.

[14:58] You may walk out of this building. And live a very very long life. And you may have the luxury. At the end of it. Of to take stock. And say. Yeah.

[15:09] There might be something in this thing. And God will honor your commitment. At whatever time in life. You make it. But the thing is.

[15:20] We don't know. When that moment will come. We don't know. When we will have to make that choice. To say. I trust you.

[15:31] I'm going to put you in charge of my life. I'm going to honor you. As Lord. My wife.

[15:42] Read a beautiful thing. Actually this morning. I don't know. If she's actually got it with her. I don't think she has. But there was a beautiful word. In a dwell word. This morning. Which is basically. The thing that actually made me speak.

[15:54] This word tonight. Because I was unsure. And then Sue read it out. And it's all about. Trust in God. Trust him. Trust him. Trust him.

[16:05] Trust him. Trust him. I'm going to challenge you tonight. Put your trust in Jesus. Put your trust in Jesus.

[16:17]  And you will never. Be put to shame. Because that's his promise. Amen. Amen. Let's pray shall we.