It was on June 4th, 1940. And they had just finished the Dunkirk evacuation where they had rescued 338,000 and some hundreds of people from certain death or captivity. And so that was the setting. And at that time, the German war machine seemed like an absolutely invincible juggernaut. They had at that point annihilated Poland. They had defeated and occupied Czechoslovakia. They had occupied Latvia, Lithuania, the Baltic states. There were German vassal states. And of course, he had defeated Belgium, the Netherlands, and France was virtually defeated. And Great Britain stood alone. At that time, the United States was not actively engaged in war. They had extended some services, but it was very minor. And so here they were, this tiny little island nation, facing what again, what to all physical appearances looked to be an invincible war machine. Within the country, the name escapes me now, but there were people, the Pisers, that were like, let's make a deal with Germany. Let's capitulate, let's just give up. Think of all these people that are gonna die. And legend has it that Winston Churchill was grappling with how to present his case to the nation to stir up the will to resist. And he took a train ride. His security people had no idea where he was. But one morning he took a train from his residence to the Buckingham Palace. And he talked with the people and he asked them, should we should we resist or should we capitulate? And they were like, never, never capitulate. And so in his speech, um this is part of what he said. This was a lengthy speech. I'm just getting a few of the nuggets. But when Napoleon lay at Bologna for a year with his flat bottom boats and his grand army, he was told by someone there are bitter weeds in England. There are certainly a great many more of them since the British expeditionary force returned. Sir, I have myself full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, and if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's government, every man of them. That is the will of the Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, and we shall never surrender. And even if which I do not for a moment believe this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our empire, beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British fleet, would carry on the struggle until it's God's good time, the new world, with all its power and strength, steps forth to rescue and the liberation of the old. Again, just very stirring words. So if there's anyone in here this morning looking out, feeling defeated, thinking that it's almost in vain, that the world is going to pot, I just want to be here to encourage you that with you and God you have the majority. Sometimes the service of Christ has a cost. There are a great many martyrs who gave their life willingly, but in the end, they were victorious. The Bible tells us that we shouldn't fear those who have the power to destroy our body but can't touch our souls. So it's also often known as perseverance. And according to dictionary.com, that is a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. And then it actually says that in theology, it is a continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation. I thought that was pretty profound. And there's so many examples throughout the Bible of people who persevered. Of course, the first one that often comes to mind when dealing with difficult circumstances was Job. He lost everything he owned and his entire family, all his children, in the space of a matter of hours. We know the story. But I think the big difference between Job and me sometimes when we're feeling afflicted is that I can't imagine Aina ever telling me to curse God and die. But he was in such a sorry state. That's what his wife told him. And he said, You speak as a foolish woman. It's a wonder he didn't have more injuries after that. But he, you know, we know the story, but that's kind of, but I want to talk a little bit about Joseph. There's another example of a person that just wouldn't give up, he just kept on keeping on. And I've not had this experience in life, but I'm not sure how we would feel if our brothers, the only family that we've ever known, would be so jealous that they would throw us in a pit and sell us to the nearest slave traders that happened to be coming by. And I'm sure that his experience was made more difficult by the simple fact that he had always been his daddy's little darling. And we could make another message out of that. But I can't imagine what that must have been like. But we get a glimpse of it when Reuben was telling his brothers, he said, We are paying for what we did to our brother Joseph, even though we observed the anguish of his cries, and yet they didn't heed when they sold him to the Ishmaelites. And we know the story. How he was obviously just an outstanding character, and how easily could he have said, I'm 17 years old and I'm in Egypt. Who's ever gonna know if I go out and have a good time? But he didn't do that, and he was approached by his master's wife, we know that story. Um how he was able to conduct himself is just truly amazing, especially for a person of that age. I'd like to share with you a little uh something from Max Lucato, and he's talking about Joseph and Peter, and this is what he says he says, even though Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, God used the situation to bless Joseph. First, an Egyptian officer entrusted his household to Joseph. When Joseph rejected the sexual advances of the officer's wife, he she falsely accused Joseph of rape and had him jailed. Again, even in prison, God developed Joseph's character. In order to experience God's power, leaders must often endure hardship. Then they emerge to make their contribution. Turn a deaf ear to the old voices, open a wide eye for the new choices. Who knows, you may be a prayer away from a nevertheless. God loves to give them. God released Satan's stronghold on his tongue. For proof, read Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2. God turned impatient Peter into the or impetuous Peter into the Apostle Peter. And Joe, the failure, fired by his family, jailed by his employer. Can jobless Joe ever amount to anything? Joseph did. He became the prime minister of Egypt. And what about the five-time divorcee? The woman whom men discarded, Jesus discipled. Last report had her introducing the entire village to Christ. The Samaritan woman was Jesus' first missionary. Further proof that our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy's strong places. And that gives reference in the 2 Corinthians 10, verses 3 through 5. And here again, this is just a ringing call to persevere, to be faithful. For he says, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. But mighty in God, for what? It's for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. So those are a few examples of people being faithful in very difficult circumstances. So we have difficult circumstances too. We all do. Moses started out his life in a little basket on the river, adopted into Pharaoh's household, knew a life of absolute, I don't know, like I guess you would say luxury for his time. He would never have wanted for anything, was educated. And yet he also knew that he was different. And we know the story of how he had found two Israelites fighting. Well, first he found an Israelite and an Egyptian. The Egyptian was abusing the Israelites, so he killed the Egyptian. And then the next day, two Israelites, and then they said, Are you gonna kill me too? I guess the instigator asked that, and he knew he had to flee. So for 40 years he lived in the lap of luxury, and then for the next 40 years he was a shepherd in the desert. I'm here, my position, my opinion would be that he learned much more that was of use to him later in life in the 40 years in the desert than he learned in the 40 years in the palace. And we know how he confronted Pharaoh. That would have taken a lot of personal courage to walk in there day after day, and we know I'm not getting into that, but then David developed faith and courage through daily challenges such as fighting lions and bears, and then also fighting a giant. Now I love hunting, I really do, and it's it'll never happen, I'm sure. But I would really, there's nothing I would love more than to do a dangerous game safari in Africa. And being just a little bit of an adrenaline junkie, I would dream of being charged with a roaring lion and slaying the beast with his nose touching my toes when he goes kaput. But from what everything I've read and from personal experience that I have talked to, I actually talked with a person who shot a charging lion. And he said, it's the most awe-inspiring and scary sound ever. When he said, it literally, when they roar, the earth vibrates. And it doesn't sound to me like David would have been armed with a 375 H magnum, but he killed the lion, and he killed bears, and we know the story about Goliath with his little sling and five stones, and it only took one. Going through life, I found out that God always gives us enough stones. Sometimes it feels completely inadequate to the task, but you'll have enough. He gives us enough for today, and he'll give you enough for tomorrow. And then his we see a glimpse of who David really was when his own son Absalom turned against him, and he had to flee for his life, and we see the how David grieved for his enemy. I think that's largely why it says that he was a man after God's own heart. But he kept on keeping on. And I wish I would be a little better versed in technology, but one of my favorite examples of just keeping on is this picture of a great blue heron trying to swallow a frog, and the frog's reaching out around, and he's got the heron by the neck. I love that. That's just that refusal to give in. And so when we fall and when we struggle, we can either stay in the dust and feel sorry for ourselves and make excuses, or we can get up off of our feet and ask God to forgive us and to guide and strengthen us, and God does. Persevere, keep on keeping on. And these people didn't know whether they were going to have food tomorrow or next week or not. But what does he say? In chapter 3, I believe it's verse 22 or 3, where he says, For his compassion, because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed. For his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, the Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him. Situations don't really determine our outlook. But it is how we are plugged into God, into Jesus, that really determines how we deal and handle those situations as they come. I would like, if you have your Bibles or want to turn to Hebrews chapter 12, I'm gonna read the first several verses. This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. But it says, Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. And I found it interesting, he's saying that we should lay aside the sin, but then he talks about every weight. And just speaking for myself, I think that part of that every weight is just the minutia that we surround ourselves with. And in speaking to me personally, sometimes on social media, you get lost in the weeds. It's not sin, but it's not that helpful, it's not that edifying, it's just a waste of time. We surround ourselves with white noise. But here he says to lay aside every weight, anything that slows us down, or anything that keeps us from becoming one with Jesus Christ, and to live the way that he wants us to live, is we need to lay aside every weight, and we have to keep our focus. And this is what I love. He says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest any of you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons. My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him, for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seems best to them, but he for our prophet, that we may be partakers of his holiness. Now his chastening seems to be joy seems now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. Nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness in those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down and feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. And I'd like to key into that a little bit. A part of this running the race with perseverance, of never surrendering, of always, you know, keeping on. Is it what if we allow that, it will help us to live more holy lives? And it's in black and white. Holiness in the way we conduct our everyday lives is not an option because it says here that if we don't live holy lives, that we will never see God. I don't know about you, but I want to see God face to face. And I want to know, and I do know that if I am faithful and just to confess my sins, or if if I confess, he is faithful and just to not only forgive us of those sins, but he will cleanse us from unrighteousness. Oh, the blood of Jesus. That is our only hope. But holiness is a part of perseverance. But we all fail and we stumble. Every last one of us. You know, I've been thinking a lot, uh, most of you probably are aware, our youngest son is getting married next Saturday. And so I've been pondering, you know, what do you say in the in the message? And it occurred to me that after 30 years of watching mom and I, there's probably not much that I'm gonna tell him that's any news. But he knows, did I love his mom? Did I love him? And I think back of all the mistakes. I certainly have never been anywhere close to perfect, but we keep on, keeping on. Daniel was another example of someone who just had the faith to keep on, who persevered. And another just outstanding individual of being taken, captured by enemy troops. I don't know how old he was, but he was quite young. And how he was chosen for obviously an outstanding intellect. I think he probably had a physical presence, but he stood out, and so he was taken with was it 50? I haven't actually researched the story, but with another group of outstanding young people, in our day and age, they would have been voted the most likely to succeed. And they were gonna be given the best food, the best wines. And Daniel said, no, no, he said, just give me, it's called pulse. I have no idea, probably a grain porridge. But it was very frugal and very simple. And at the end of the trial period, he looked much better than the rest of them did. But he advanced up into society, and of course, any time that we advance, it seems like there's people who get jealous, and there were princes who were very jealous. But Daniel, knowing that this could cost him his life, still openly opened his windows toward the east and prayed. Wow. And we know what a difference that made to the ruler of the day. Esther again risked her life and position as queen to save her people from destruction. And I love what her uncle told her. She didn't know what to do or how she was going to do this. And he said, Don't think for one minute that you're going to escape destruction if you sell us down the river. I'm paraphrasing. But who knows, perhaps, that you were born for this moment and for this day. I don't know what your moment is, but I do know that all of you, every one of you, God is preparing for a moment. And I would pray more than one moment. But God uses the circumstances in our life to prepare us, and God is willing and able to put us through the test and through the school of life. If He has one soul in mind for us to touch and to bring to God, a lifetime of toil and of disappointment is worth it for the soul of one lost person that God wants you to reap. And I trust there's many more. We don't have to stop at one, but it's worth it. But it takes a life of discipline and of keeping on, and of not losing sight of the goal and not losing sight of all the difficult things that happen is just preparation for what is to come. We were going through some extremely difficult times of our life. It hurts when friends betray you. But a dear friend of mine came up to me and he says, You're going to make it. You're a fighter. You'll never give up. But he said, and he just said, God's preparing you for something big. How faithful have I been to that calling and to that preparation? I imagine most of you can answer that question better than I have can. But I do know that God has brought people into my life where I've been able to have the opportunity to share Jesus. So the things that we go through are worth it if we remain faithful. The Apostle Paul. What an example of perseverance he was. He says he would have every reason to boast of all the things. He had the highest education, he had a position of power within the Jewish culture, their religion. He was famous, he was an extremely intelligent, he was well spoken, he could hold his own with the philosophers of the day, with people that I'd quite frankly be very ill-suited to probably making a ringing defense for the gospel. And yet he said he counted that all as dung, as dirt. And he proclaimed Jesus wherever he went. Not his mother. We don't read about his father, apparently Joseph had passed away. But his brothers, they they weren't buying it. And we know how he had just how the life he lived. And the very people closest to him all abandoned him. I know what it feels like to feel alone, and it's not a good feeling. It's amazing now. I spend a lot of time alone, but I don't feel alone. What a difference Jesus makes in your life and a good woman behind you. But Jesus kept on. And in the final agonies of his soul, he was like, Father, not my will, but yours. If we can just get to that point. And then another example of persistence is just the persistent widow. And it just illustrates the importance of persistent prayer and not giving up in the face of obstacles. I'd like to share a couple of scripture verses now and heading towards the close. You don't have to turn to them. I'm going to read them. In James chapter 1, verses 12 through 15. He says, Blessed is the man who endures temptations, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he himself tempt any one. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sins, and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. Not a lot of room for it's just that's what it is. That's if we engage in sinful acts, it will result in spiritual death. In Galatians chapter 6 and verse 9. And let us not grow weary when doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. In Romans 5, verses 1 through 4. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance character, and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given to us. In Romans chapter twelve, verses nine through twelve, says, Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what is good, be kindly affectionate one to another, with brotherly love, in honor, giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints, and given to hospitality. And then the last reference I have, this is another one that just is so precious to me. Philippians 3, verses 12 through 14, where he says, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. You know, God is not nearly as concerned about what happened yesterday or this morning or last week as he's concerned about what where we're going. We have the opportunity not only every day or every hour, but literally every minute to wipe the slate clean and start over. And we press on toward that prize. What a day that will be. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I'm just so grateful to you for all that you have done in our lives, for how you have held us in your hands. I give you the honor and glory. Not just pray for our congregation here, pray a special blessing on each one here and each one not here. Pray that you would keep them. Just be with us, guide us, direct us, and give us the courage and the will to persevere, to keep on, and help us to keep our focus on Jesus. Oh Lord, we give you the honor and glory for all good things, and just pray all these things, and let's all together pray, our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen. And then the benediction to the King of Ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.