The Highway of Holiness

Good evening to you again this evening from Beacon Baptist Church. We've come together to conduct a Wednesday night midweek service. Thank you for joining me.

It is the last Wednesday night of 2020. I've been doing some thoughtful meditation of the past year, trying to reconcile that with what Paul said in Philippians chapter 3, forgetting those things that are behind and pressing on to the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And we don't want to live in the past, but we all have a past, and this 2020 is in the rearview mirror.

And I think it's good to revisit the past and think through the past and learn from the past. When Paul says forgetting those things that are behind, I think what he's making reference to is anything that would hinder you making progress in your relationship with Christ. Forget those things. Lay those things aside. Because there's too many things said in the scriptures that would remind us that the past is viable to us, where you are to learn from the past.

In the Old Testament, they were instructed to make stones of remembrance, to remember God's dealings, significant times of God's intervention and interaction with them. And the same for us. So I don't know what 2020 has been to you, but it's been a challenging year in many respects. But God, again, has proved himself faithful to his people. He has sustained us. He has provided for us.

He has raised us up for which we're thankful. There's a hymn in our hymnal 495, Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah. Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah, pilgrim, through this barren land.

I am weak, but thou art mighty. Hold me with thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.

Feed me till I want no more. Open now the crystal fountain whence the healing stream doth flow. Let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through. Strong deliverer, strong deliverer, be thou still my strength and shield. Be thou still my strength and shield. William Williams, who penned these words, is making reference to the wilderness churnings of the children of Israel and how God led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through.

We have something far more reliable and trustworthy, and it's the indwelling Spirit of God, whose promise to lead us into all truth, to be our comforter, and to be our earthly companion all the days of our life. And then the hymn concludes, When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside. Death of death and hell's destruction land me safe on Canaan's side. Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will ever give to thee. I will ever give to thee. No additional progress in our Faith Promise project, but we are encouraged with where we are on this December 30th. We've received 78 cards, our mission total stands at $151,430, and our building fund total $11,488.

And we will no doubt receive some more cards before the project is done. So pray with us about this matter and thank you for your eager and generous participation. Lord willing, we'll be coming together for People Present Services coming Sunday, the first Sunday in 2021. Pastor Barkman is due back from vacation.

He and Marty are at Hilton Head enjoying some time away, relaxing and exercising and regaining their strength from their recent bout with COVID. And we will live stream all the services Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, and in People Present only on Sunday morning. I think that's all I will say in terms of announcements. I want to read Psalm 100 verses 3 and 4 that's printed on your prayer sheet. Know that the Lord, He is God, it is He, who has made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name. Let's review the request side of our prayer sheet. Barbara Kobel is much improved from her recent battle with COVID, as is Carly and I. As is Pastor Bob and Jane and Pastor B and Marty.

We were all down for a time and there was a time when we were all down together with it. But God has renewed our strength and for which we're thankful. Tracy Airy had foot surgery on the 18th of December and is recovering. I know he'd appreciate your prayers. Drew Guthrie as she battles with cancer and is dealing also with COVID. Larry Hunter as a procedure scheduled for January 5. Exploratory surgery, possible tumor removal from his bladder. When he had bladder cancer a number of years ago, they told him there was a strong possibility that it could return. And it appears that that's what he's dealing with at this time. But time will tell as he has this procedure scheduled for January 5.

Alice Marley is recovering at home from a broken pelvis. Ruth Patterson had tested positive for COVID and she is doing better. Pastor LaTour talked to someone that knows of her present state and she's improving. Our Pope has an MRI scheduled.

I think that was scheduled for yesterday. Probably have to wait on the results of that and then he's having a breathing test in the early part of January. John Spencer is recovering from hernia surgery. And Shirley Watkins is at home regaining strength from a recent time in the hospital. Under others, Sue Lynch's sister-in-law, Denise Keeler, she fell and broke a vertebrae. She had surgery. She is recovering and Sue would appreciate her prayers on her behalf. Jack Petry has been readmitted to UNC Hospital due to breathing difficulties. Pastor LaTour talked to him I believe today and then his son. And Jack was in good spirits but just dealing with complications of growing old and breathing problems and dialysis issues.

So please uphold John. Some of us know him as Jack Petry. Michael Philippi, this is a cousin of Cheryl Engle. He is an ARMC with COVID. Darryl Preston is a cousin to Sue Lynch and due for a liver transplant in January.

Darryl Preston. No updates that I have currently concerning the Edens or the Johnsons or the Sniders. Their needs are ongoing.

So thank you for upholding them regularly in your prayers. The latest concerning Stuart Waugh, on the 17th of December he traveled from South Africa back to Zimbabwe. He was only there a few days, got sick, had to return to South Africa a week later. And got him in the hospital. They drained some abscesses off of his liver. But he's got a major issue with an artery that's blocked. They cannot do surgery. So as he improves with his health his plan is to return to Zimbabwe.

Because this other issue, which is a bigger issue, is something the doctors cannot treat surgically. But he's feeling better, regaining strength. So pray for them, Laverne and Stuart. Under sympathy, Dolly Binesch is making us aware of a former coworker who passed away last Saturday, Bill Disher. Bill Martin is a cousin, is Cheryl Ingold's cousin's husband who passed away on Monday due to COVID.

Joyce McAllister, a long time friend of Dolly Binesch, passed away on Monday from complications from COVID. And then Jane Owen, former Beacon member, passed away on December 22. Her husband passed away in March from cancer. Pray for their daughters, Terry Smith and Millie King and their families. And then under salvation we've added, well we haven't added, but we're highlighting the name of Josh Boyd.

This is the son of Thad and Angela Boyd. He's got some pretty serious medical issues and he is in real need of the Lord. Under the cancer section, David Moxley, a friend of Nancy Verdi, had got some good news today.

The cancer, the tumor that he has, has shrunk due to the treatments he's received and they're encouraged by that. Betty Duncan, another one of our shut-in members, is at home and she is dealing with severe back pain. Our government official of the week is Gibsonville Alder Yvonne Maseland.

Pray for her. Those are our requests for the evening. Let me go over a few missionary correspondences with you. This came on Tuesday of this week from the Mahalis. The church plant, Anthony says, continues to grow as we stand on Christ's promise that he will build his church. Our weekly Bible studies, discipleship meetings, prayers and monthly worship services all went on with some adjustments as we continue to see the emerging of a new body of Christ in this spiritually barren land. In our Bible studies, we are finishing up the book of Ephesians and in our worship service, we continue to work through the key passages of redemptive history. Anthony is busy with the Czech Bible Institute. He's taught several courses on Christian doctrine, the doctrine of God, the doctrine of man, the doctrine of sin. He has other brothers who have also been teaching and he is working on curriculum for this coming year. He says we're hopeful and in prayer that the COVID situation will improve so that we can have our annual Bible conference in June, which they had to cancel this past June.

And he says if all goes well, Paul Washer should be with us. And they're in a busy reconstruction project on the home that they bought. They knew that when they bought it four years ago. The house, the home is a hundred years old or so. So they've had to tear down a major section of it and are getting the permits and working through all the things necessary to do the renovation. Some prayer requests. He says continue to pray for our church planning efforts here. Pray for our daughter Rachel. She has been battling anemia for years now.

The cause of the anemia had been misdiagnosed a few years ago, but now we hope that we are on the right track to help her. Pray for our reconstruction that God would provide dependable workers and resources to complete it. Pray that we'd be able to have our annual conference and other large outreach and ministry events such as English camp. Pray for Anthony's family as they recover from COVID.

His mom, dad, sister and sister's family all have it. And then pray for the Czech Bible Institute, its students and faculty in this transitional year. Pray for humility, wisdom and unity among the leaders. So that's an update from the Bajalas in the Czech Republic. David Anderson sends us an update with Capital Commission as he labors there in Richmond, Virginia.

He says, let's see. We're thankful for another thrilling year of ministry and our Virginian leaders. We had the privilege of having our regular Bible studies and wonderful gospel centered visits with our legislators during session. Then the COVID crisis hit and the Lord provided extra time to work on his book.

He's writing a sequel to the other book that he wrote, The Great Intercession. He says from July onward, every available weekend was filled with opportunities to preach in churches. And we were so thankful to observe a growing emphasis in their public prayers for their leaders. He says, in spite of the virus between our actual in-person attendance and the live stream attendance at other churches throughout our state, for our election eve capital cookout and prayer walk, we had a greater participation than ever before. So that's good news. He says, we covet your prayers as we look forward to the legislative session in January 2021 with the new regulations regarding COVID.

Only the legislators and their legislative assistants are allowed in the General Assembly building and the capital. Such would primarily remove our access to those to whom we minister. So we need your prayers at this time that the Lord will enable us to continue our Bible studies and minister to all of our leaders. So his ministry is having to adjust to COVID like everyone else. And here's an update from Tim and Ruth Bixby in France.

This came a week ago and they've dealt with shutdowns and the government making mandates and so on and so forth. He says, interestingly, we were able to officiate a wedding during this time by Zoom. One of the members of our church was planning to be married on December 4. The couple's original plan was to rent a large hall for the ceremony and the reception. Then the restrictions tightened to the point that in November the government was allowing only six people, including the couple, to meet at the mayor's office for weddings. However, a week before their wedding, the government loosened restrictions a little on worship services. So in less than a week's time, a new plan was made and a few friends and church members prepared the different elements for the ceremony and decorated our church building for a wedding.

And we had to have fewer than 30 people physically present, but more than 100 joined by Zoom. So that's interesting. There's some pictures there of the wedding. This is probably the most significant update, and that is concerning their building. He says, thank you for your prayers regarding the meeting with the owners of our church building. I and another brother had a positive meeting with them, and because our finances are still uncertain and because they do not want to take any risks in a time when most businesses are suffering, they asked us to turn over a large sum of money as a down payment that would be non-refundable should we decide not to buy.

I quickly realized that the legal implications were beyond my abilities. We needed to pray, not only for financing, but for much wisdom. And within a few days, the Lord dramatically answered this request in two ways. First, a Christian businessman who grew up in Sarsalis accepted to become the point man and lead our committee through the next steps toward the purchase.

He immediately took over the communication aspects with the proprietors and the lawyer to my immense relief. So that's a major answer to prayer. Now, this is a little longer paragraph, but try and follow the providence of God in the arranging of these circumstances. He says, the second way the Lord provided was by leading us to a Christian property lawyer.

In France, since the time of Napoleon, all property sales have to go through a specialized property lawyer. God had already given us a Christian architect to help us design the interior of our building and bring it up to code, but we didn't know of any lawyer. God was already working to answer our prayers.

Last February, when our family just happened to take a week away in a region we had never visited before, six hours from our home, we were ignorant at the time that the country would be in lockdown just a few weeks later. We found a church within driving distance to attend. A family in the church just happened to befriend us and invite us to their home. There they shared with us how their church purchased a facility. Well, Ruth just happened to think of this family and wondered if the experience they had gained might give them some ideas that would help us. They said that they did not feel qualified to advise us financially, but that they could give us the address of the Christian real estate lawyer that they had used.

This man lives about eight hours away from us in another direction. However, when the Christian businessman who was now leading our team contacted this property lawyer, he immediately accepted to help us. When he was asked how we could pay, when he was asked how we could pay, he told us he would not accept any payment beyond the normal closing costs paid at the sale of the building.

Those are the government regulated fees that we would pay anyway. This means that God has given us two Christian men to lead us forward, a highly qualified financial businessman and a property lawyer at no extra cost. Rejoice with us in this gracious provision of providence. And then they detail some gifts that came in, some churches that have committed additional resources to help them in the purchase, so that currently they stand at about having about half in hand of what it's going to require to purchase this building.

So they're encouraged. He says, we're now more than halfway to our final goal. Though there is still a long way to go, we are encouraged by these donations and see in them a sign of God's good care of us and an encouragement to pursue this purchase. So cause for thanksgiving and rejoicing with Tim and Ruth Bixby and their church planning efforts there. Let's have a word of prayer and then we'll get into the scriptures. Father, we thank you for this Wednesday evening, the last Wednesday of 2020. We thank you as we think back over the past and all that this year has brought to us, how you have been with us, how you have ordained and orchestrated all things for our good in your own glory. We rejoice in your incredible faithfulness to us.

Indeed, your mercies have been new to us every morning. Thank you, Father, for the way you have raised us up, those who've been sick with COVID. Many in our church have contracted the disease and we're grateful for how you have intervened and led and directed and guided.

Thank you for those who've been protected from the virus and we would pray that that may continue. Lord, we thank you that we can be in partnership with some wonderful Christian servants. We thank you for the Bixbys, we thank you for the way you have provided this businessman who is the point man who's taking the responsibilities off the shoulders of Tim who, by his own admission, seemed as though he was in over his head.

So thank you for that and then thank you for the way you have directed them to a lawyer, a Christian lawyer. And we rejoice in the financial gifts that have come in and the new commitments that have been made toward the purchase of this building and we pray that you would continue to provide for these needs and that we will be able to rejoice together in you bringing this to completion. We thank you for the Valhalla's and for the unique way you have gifted Anthony and given him a love for his native country, for his family there and for the encouragement that they've received as a small group of believers have gathered and are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ. We thank you for the institute that Anthony's involved with, we pray that you'll bless those efforts, that you would grant them additional students that you'll provide for the faculty, give humility and wisdom as they've asked for that. We pray that you would supply the funds necessary to complete this renovation of the home in which they are living with their family of seven. We pray for their daughter who has been dealing with issues of anemia.

We thank you that there's been a new course considered. We pray that that might bring renewed health and strength to her. And thank you for David and Anju Anderson as they labor there in Richmond, Virginia. Give wisdom to David as COVID is going to greatly restrict his access to the legislators. But help him, Lord, to retool and think of creative ways in order to carry on this ministry that you've entrusted to him.

Thank you for the way you have provided for them. We pray for our country and ask that you would lead and direct and guide, give wisdom, give humility. Give us God-fearing men and women who would be looking to you for direction and wisdom in the decisions that they are weighing and facing. Thank you now that we can look to the word of God for help on this last Wednesday night of 2020. We commit our Bible study time to you now, in Christ's name.

Amen. I'm in Isaiah chapter 35, and I want to consider this short chapter with you. There's 10 verses in it, and it is a prophecy of God's intention to transform this cursed world that has come under the curse of sin, and God's intentions to redeem this world through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So let me read these 10 verses, and then we'll consider some exposition. The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God. Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, be strong and do not fear. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God.

He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing, for waters shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water.

In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, there shall be grass with reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there and a road and it shall be called the highway of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, for it shall be for others.

Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast be up on it. It shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing. With everlasting joy on their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. I do not need to tell you that we live in a world that is constantly groaning under the weight of human sin. And when Adam sinned in the garden, God cursed the garden and indeed the entire world. And despite the curse of God, there remains yet a beauty. There is a remnant of the pre-curse glory that we still enjoy, and it is a reminder of what yet will be. God allowed a great deal of beauty to survive. The transformation of the earth to a cursed desert is part of His just penalty for human sin. There was the beautiful Garden of Eden, and because of the curse of sin, it became a desert-like place. And Romans chapter 8 verses 19 to 23 makes it plain that creation, all of creation, is groaning under this curse every single moment.

It's locked in bondage unto decay. But as we look here in Isaiah chapter 35, this chapter stands as a glorious prophecy of God's intention to transform this cursed world through Christ. Notice how the chapter begins. The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God. The chapter begins with the desert rejoicing and blossoming like a rose, singing praises, singing praise songs to the God of salvation.

And again, this is prophetic. This is a picture of the restored earth that will come to be at the consummation. The proclaimed, the reclaimed earth, the restored earth will proclaim at every moment the glory of God. Notice how it goes on there in verse 3. God says, strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who are fearful hearted, be strong, do not fear. Behold, your God will come with vengeance. He will come and save you. He is promising a new order in which all the effects of sin and death will be removed forever. And in this new order, what will be the condition of men?

Notice what it says, verse 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing. For water shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

The parched ground shall become a pool in the thirsty land, springs of water in the habitations of jackals, where each lay there shall be grass with reeds and rushes. What will life be like in the new order? When the effects of the curse are reversed and God comes and brings full redemption to humanity and to His creation. Well, in the new order, there will be no blind eyes, there will be no deaf ears, there will be no lame legs, there will be no mute tongues. Every single human being will function as God intended in the original creation. Joy will fill people's hearts as they look at a universe that has been redeemed from the curse, water flowing where once there was desert. And how is this going to be?

What will bring this about? Notice the language of verse 4. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, be strong, do not fear. Behold, your God will come.

With vengeance, with the recompense of God, He will come and save you. Again, this is a prophetic passage. Isaiah is looking forward to a time of transformation that had not yet occurred. And verse 4 points plainly to that transforming event.

And what is that? He will come and save you. It's a picture of the coming of Jesus Christ, coming in two events, coming in His first advent to atone for the sins of His people, to lay His life down, to justify His people, to be resurrected and returned to glory. And yet then a second coming, when He will come and restore to this earth all of His redemptive purposes. Our God has come, and He has come to save us in Christ. And there is yet a new heaven and a new earth that is on God's redemptive timetable. We do not know when, but it is a certainty. It is being prophesied here by Isaiah. And Isaiah speaks there in verse 4 of the recompense of God, of the vengeance of God. What he is referring to there is that those who are in rebellion to God, those who are rejecting Him, they will be winnowed out of God's glorious kingdom when He comes the second time.

And only the redeemed will be there. But we are not there yet. We are not there yet.

We've still grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for the redemption of our bodies. And in the meantime, we must travel. We must travel. We are, as the hymn writer said, pilgrims, guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land. We are pilgrims.

This is not our home. We are looking for a city whose maker and builder is God. The Old Testament is full of pictures and symbols. Sometimes we miss that. You remember that God gave instructions in Exodus chapter 23 to the children of Israel that there were three feast days that they were to remember. They were to remember the feast of Passover that commemorates their deliverance out of Egypt. They were to remember the feast of Booths. The Feast of Booths was a feast, it was a festival, it was a time where they were to remember their wanderings in the wilderness.

They were to build Booths and live in these rough Booths for seven days to remind them of what life was like as they were sustained by God in the wilderness. And we are traveling, folks. We live in a day where we have these wonderful devices on our automobiles. Sometimes they're built right into the system, into the instrument panel. Sometimes we have to plug them in and set them up on our dash, and they're called a GPS, a global positioning system. They work from satellites, and there is an extensive database that is contained in that device.

Every highway, every boulevard, every avenue, every street, every road, every way, every lane, every bypass, etc. is in that device. And then it has software that enables it to constantly evaluate where you are and the best directions from getting you from where you are to where you need to go. Fascinating device. And there's several ways of using that device and accessing the information in that device. One is simply to read the screen as it navigates through it.

And if you don't want to hear that metallic voice that's talking to you, you can mute that. Or if you want to leave it on, it will tell you. In three quarters of a mile, you'll need to be exiting to the left or to the right. And when you make a mistake and miss your turn, what does it tell you?

Recalibrating, recalibrating, recalibrating. And folks, God has set every one of His children on a highway. And there is a highway from where we are to where He has intended for us to get to, and that is Heaven.

And we have an internal GPS system. And it's not a device that you purchase, it's the Holy Spirit of God who dwells within. And He is the one who says, this is the way, walk ye in it. When we find ourselves missing a turn, it is the Holy Spirit of God who directs us and puts us back on the straight and narrow way.

And for all of that, we can be thankful. I want you to notice with me that there is a path that God is drawing our attention to in this chapter of Isaiah chapter 35. A highway, and it is called the highway of holiness.

Notice verse 8. A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the highway of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others.

Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it. It shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. That's our prospect. We are marching to Zion.

Notice the language there. And who is it that's traveling on this highway? It's the redeemed. Verse 9 says, the redeemed shall walk there, the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to where? Come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and then this good part, sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

That's the prospect that we have as believers. But there's this highway of holiness. Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 21 says, whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it.

You see, there are many paths and many detours and many road hazards in our way. And those times when we turn right when we should have turned left, or we go straight when we should have turned to the right or to the left, Isaiah 30 verse 21 says, whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it. And what is the way? Jesus said, I am the way. I am the way, the truth and the life. And it is the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit that is our navigation system.

Romans chapter 8 verses 13 and 14 teaches us that those who are led by the Spirit, they are the ones who are putting sin to death. And moment by moment the Spirit speaks to the heart of a child of God saying, this is the way, walk in it. Psalm 23 tells us, reminds us, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He what? He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. So we have the promise of God to lead us, to guide us, to direct us as we make our way in this life of holiness. The highway of holiness.

What does it imply? A highway shall be there and a road and it shall be called the highway of holiness. It implies the need for the pursuit of holiness. For the Bible says that without holiness no one shall see the Lord.

It's only the redeemed. It's only the child of God. It's only those who have been saved by grace who are being sanctified by the Spirit of God who have any interest in pursuing a life of holiness. They're the only ones that are going to be found on this highway of holiness.

They're the only ones interested in traveling this way. So we have the name of this highway and it is the highway of holiness. And again it implies the need for the pursuit of holiness. We're to be holy even as God is holy. God is light in what?

In Him there is no darkness at all. We're to walk in the light as He is in the light and as we do we have fellowship one with the other. So notice number two that this highway of holiness is an exclusive way. What do I mean by that? Well what I mean by that is that only the righteous may travel on it.

Notice what it says. The unclean shall not pass over it. The unclean, the unholy, the ungodly. They shall not pass over it.

It shall be for others. This is an exclusive highway. The unclean cannot travel on it. The wicked cannot. The unholy cannot. Because it is the highway of sanctification. Those who have been justified by faith are those who are being led by the Spirit of God to progressively put on Christ and put away sin. It says the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for others.

Now notice this. Whoever walks the road, although a fool. So what's he saying? He's saying even those who are on this highway, have been placed on this highway, who are progressing on this highway, sometimes make foolish decisions. Although a fool, not fully wise, being foolish at times, shall not go astray.

Shall not go astray. You see because there's two ways. There's the broad way that leadeth to destruction and there's the narrow way that leads to life.

And you're either on one or two of those highways. And if you're on the straight and narrow way, it doesn't mean that you will always walk perfectly on the straight and narrow. Sometimes we can make decisions that are quite foolish. But if we're on the straight and narrow, we shall not go astray.

Why is that? Because he who has saved us is keeping us and he will keep us in the way. So this highway of holiness is not only an exclusive way, it is a protected and secure way. We'll not wander off of it.

We will not lose our way. No lion shall be there, verse 9. Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it. You won't be devoured here.

You won't be protected. It is a secure way. It's only for the redeemed. The redeemed shall walk there and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing. So the point is, all those who are on the highway of holiness, everyone who begins that journey will most certainly finish that journey and end up in the glorious heaven. Because the final destination of those traveling the holy way is Zion, the city of God, where God and man will dwell together. And again, those feasts, Old Testament feast days, they were shadows and prophetic fortes of the journey that all of the redeemed must travel to enter the New Jerusalem, where they will have what? Everlasting joy, full salvation. He says, everlasting joy on their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

So on this last Wednesday night, it's good to think about the past, learn from the past, rejoice in those things that God did for us and did in us, but to be reminded of the future. That is as certain as it can possibly be if we are God's children and we are making our way on this highway of holiness. Holiness is a subject that is fallen out of favor. We don't hear much talk of holiness, but it must be part of our Christian lives.

So that would be my challenge to you tonight as you think about the new year, that you would be more diligent, more vigilant in your pursuit of holiness. Not because God wants to restrict your joy and your enjoyment in this life, but he wants to maximize that. Jesus said, I've come that they might have life and have it what? Have it more abundantly. The abundant life, the life that overflows with joy is a life of holiness, a life of purity, a life in communion and in fellowship with God.

So that's my challenge for us tonight. Let's rejoice that we have a God who cares enough about us to set us on the highway of holiness, to give us this internal navigation system, the Holy Spirit of God who's promised to lead us and guide us and direct us, to convict us, to bring us to repentance, to restore us. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for what the Lord upholdeth him with his right hand. So let's bow and pray together.

Let me remember some of the requests that we have talked about already this evening. Father, thank you for this wonderful prophetic passage in Isaiah 35. We thank you for your purposes for us in Christ. We thank you that you have begun a good work in us. We'll continue it until the day of Jesus Christ. We thank you that there is a glorious heaven that awaits us, free of sin, of strife, of sickness and of death. No more tears, no more disappointments, none of those things that plague us in this life.

What a day that will be. We thank you for those of our number who've gone on before us and are enjoying those things that we can only anticipate. We pray, our God, that you would keep us in the way, keep us pursuing you on this highway of holiness as we make our way through this treacherous and difficult life. We thank you, Father, for the way you have shown yourself strong on behalf of those who have looked to you in believing faith.

Thank you for restoring health to many of our people who have been down with COVID. We pray for Tracy Aries' healing of his foot. We pray for Drew Guthrie as she battles cancer and is dealing with COVID, that you'd draw near to her, that you would lead and direct and guide in her life.

Fill her heart with joy in anticipation of what yet awaits her. For our brother Larry Hunter as he faces this procedure on January 5, thank you for this brother. Thank you for his love for you and his love for truth and his love for those folks that he has ministered to faithfully in the facilities in our area.

Strengthen him for this procedure. For his dear wife who has been through surgery, we thank you for her recovery. We pray for Alice Marley as she recovers from a fractured pelvis.

For Art Pope as he is dealing with COPD issues and facing this test on January 7. We lift up John and Linda Spencer and ask you to draw near to them and encourage them and bring healing to John. For Shirley and Patty Watkins as Shirley is regaining her strength at home. We pray for Sue Lynch's sister, Denise Keeler, who has fallen and broken vertebrae. Lord, please bring healing to her body. For dear Jack Petry, we pray that you'd superintend his life, give wisdom to the doctors and to his family as they seek to know what's best for his care. And for Michael Philippi and for Darryl Preston who are facing serious medical issues. We pray for Donna Edens today and ask you to encourage her and bring healing to her from this recent serious car accident that her and her daughter were in. For Trevor and Theresa Johnson as they're dealing with health issues and seeking your wisdom to know where to re-engage in the work of missions.

For Stuart and Laverne Waugh, we thank you that Stuart was able to get back to South Africa and receive medical treatment. We pray for his ongoing recovery, leading direct and guide in his life. We pray for Mike Webster as he faces colon cancer and battles with that. For those who have lost loved ones, Bill Disher and Bill Martin and Joyce McAllister and Jane Owen, folks who were dear and loved by others, we ask you to minister to these families. For Josh Boyd, Lord, work in this young man's heart and life, give wisdom to the doctors as they run tests and determine how best to help him.

Thank you that David Moxley has gotten a good report from his cancer that it has shrunk and that's very encouraging to us. And we lift up Betty Duncan and Ruth Patterson to you and ask you to minister to them in their time of need. Lord, again, we've come to the end of, nearly to the end, one more day in 2020. We bow to give you thanks for your grace that has kept us and has sustained us and has grown us and has taught us. Lord, you have been a faithful God to us. Thank you for the way you've met the needs of our church. We look to you, Lord, for our needs as you know them to be in this new coming year. Keep us, sustain us. Thank you that may count as making recovery from COVID. For Randy making progress as well.

Watch over them as they return to Florida in the coming days. Lord, again, we thank you that we can pray to you. We look to you with confidence and believing faith, rejoicing that the fervent prayer of a righteous man does indeed avail of much. Hear us, our Father, we pray, through the merits of your Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.