How To Keep It Together In A World That Is Falling Apart

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Times Square Church Sermons – "How To Keep It Together In A World That Is Falling Apart"

Speaker: Pastor Tim Dilena
Date: March 1, 2026
Podcast: Times Square Church – Sermons (TSC.NYC)

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Episode Overview

This sermon addresses the central question: How can Christians stay faithful, calm, and hopeful in a chaotic, ever-shifting world? Pastor Tim Dilena draws from Psalm 46 to explore how believers can "keep it together in a world that is falling apart," emphasizing the unchanging and sustaining presence of God. Set against a backdrop of global turmoil, recent violence, and personal uncertainty, this message calls listeners to dig deep spiritual wells and stay tethered to God, the only unfailing source of hope and strength.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: A World in Turmoil

• Pastor Tim welcomes listeners from 63 nations, 45 states, and multiple universities, acknowledging the global distress and uncertainty, from warfare in the Middle East to social and moral upheaval worldwide.
• He frames the sermon: “There has never been a time when it is more difficult to be a Christian—and there’s never been a time when it is more necessary to be a Christian.” (04:09)

2. Psalm 46: The Anchor in Chaos

• Pastor Tim unpacks Psalm 46, describing scenes of “utter confusion and wild chaos,” likening it to the current world situation:

  “The earth is changing and reeling in shock... Institutions and values that have been there like a mountain will start to move lower and lower into the depths of the ocean.” (07:10)

• He notes the psalm’s shift from chaos to hope:

  “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God. God is in the midst of her; she will not be moved...” (09:25)

3. The Secret River: Historical and Spiritual Lessons

• Drawing on the history of Jerusalem under siege (Hezekiah’s tunnel, diverting the Gihon spring), Tim highlights the metaphor of a hidden stream bringing life during siege (10:16–11:26).
• The call to action: In times of great battles, believers must "dig their own wells"—find private streams of connection to God, especially in prayer and scripture.

4. On Worship & Psalm 46’s Unique Designation

• Pastor Tim points out that Psalm 46 is “a song set to Alamoth,” meaning it was sung by women. He humorously extols the spiritual energy women bring to worship, inviting the women to sing “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less” to stir courage for the congregation (14:11–17:20).

5. God as Our River: The Repetition of Refuge

• The sermon meticulously counts 19 mentions of God in 11 psalm verses, underlining God’s centrality:

  “I don’t know about you, but there is no secret who is our river. God is our river.” (18:10)

• Despite worldwide headlines of war, unrest, and confusion, the speaker urges listeners to rely on God as their present help in trouble, not politics or worldly solutions.

6. Practical Steps: How to ‘Dig’ and ‘Connect’

• Tim urges listeners to maintain spiritual disciplines—prayer, scripture, community—calling these the “wells” believers must dig to tap into living water (23:49–25:38).
• He extends a challenge for “digital missionaries” to support the global TSC online community, especially those in persecuted or war-torn nations.

7. The God of Jacob: God’s Miracle and Mercy

• Twice in Psalm 46, God is called “the God of Jacob,” which surprises Pastor Tim:

  “There’s no single sentence as startling and striking that illustrates God’s miracle and God’s mercy at the same time.” (28:04)

• This name underscores God’s identification with flawed people—Jacob the trickster, a type for all struggling believers.

  “On your worst day, God is your stronghold. On your best day, God is your stronghold... On any day, God is our stronghold.” (29:40–30:30)

• Pastor Tim reflects on his own “Jacob days,” showing vulnerability in leadership and faith.

8. Cease Striving: Let Go and Relax

• The call from Psalm 46:10—“Cease striving and know that I am God”—is literally “let go and relax.”

  “Surrender your anxiety, be silent, and stop your striving... Let go and relax. God is in charge. He can do it for us.” (32:05–32:17)

• He shares a powerful answered prayer: the recovery of Debbie Wilkerson from pancreatic cancer, demonstrating God’s miracle through communal prayer (34:22–35:38).

9. The Power of Words and Encouragement

• Tells the story of a Holocaust survivor who vows never to say anything to a loved one she wouldn’t want as her last words:

  “I will never say anything that couldn’t stand as the last thing I would ever say.” (40:28)

• Applies this lesson to modern “keyboard warriors,” calling for speech that builds up rather than tears down.

10. Paul in the Storm: The Christian’s Role in Crisis

• Using Acts 27, Pastor Tim parallels Paul’s encouragement during shipwreck with the Christian’s role today:

  “There are 275 lost people on this boat and one Christian in this storm... There’s never been a time when it’s more difficult, and more necessary, to be a Christian.” (38:37–39:02)

• Paul’s persistent encouragement (“keep up your courage”—repeated three times) is credited with saving all the passengers (43:03–45:02).

  “The only thing that gave them hope was a man in chains that had a word from God.” (46:14–46:39)

11. No Other Stream: C.S. Lewis & the Exclusivity of Christ

• Shares an allegory from Lewis’s “The Silver Chair,” where Jill is told of a stream guarded by Aslan:

  “‘There is no other stream.’ ... There is no other stream but God, and God alone.” (50:25–51:39)

• Reminds listeners that no worldly achievement, substance, or relationship can satisfy; only spiritual connection to God can truly quench thirst.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “When you are down to nothing, God is up to something.” (21:07)
• “You are God’s merciful project, and you are God’s miracle today.” (28:18)
• “Let go and relax. God is in charge.” (32:05)
• “There is no other stream but God, and God alone.” (51:39)
• “On your worst day, God is your stronghold. On your best day, God is your stronghold.” (29:40)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Global Welcome and Setting the Stage: 00:00–04:08
• Main Theme Statement: 04:09
• Psalm 46 Chaos Described: 07:10
• The River in Chaos: 09:25
• Hezekiah & The Hidden Stream: 10:16–11:26
• Women Leading Worship (Alamoth): 13:31–15:35
• Psalm 46 Analysis & God’s Names: 17:20–19:10
• Modern Chaos Headlines: 20:03–21:38
• “When you are down to nothing...” 21:07
• Three Promises for the Believer: 22:44–23:22
• Digging Spiritual Wells & Digital Missionaries: 23:49–26:56
• The God of Jacob Discussed: 28:04–30:59
• Cease Striving / Let Go and Relax: 31:32–32:43
• Testimony: Debbie Wilkerson’s Miracle: 34:22–35:38
• Holocaust Survivor Story—Power of Words: 38:37–41:04
• Paul on the Ship—Role of Courage: 42:03–46:37
• C.S. Lewis – “The Silver Chair” Allegory: 48:19–51:39
• Final Application & Call to Surrender: 53:32–58:06

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Tone & Language

• Warm, candid, urgent, pastoral—Pastor Tim is honest about his struggles and the broader uncertainties of the world but always points resolutely towards faith in God as the solution and sustainer. He deftly mixes biblical exposition, humor, personal stories, and calls to communal action.

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Stay Connected: No matter how dark or turbulent the times, intentionally pursue your relationship with God—the only inexhaustible source of hope and strength.
• Dig Your Wells: Invest in spiritual disciplines—prayer, scripture, worship—especially while it is peaceful, to have deep reserves for times of trouble.
• Word of Caution: Be mindful of how you speak to and about others; your words may live longer or reach farther than you expect.
• Your Worst Days: God is with you, even when you feel like “Jacob”—deceitful, weak, or failing. God is not ashamed to be called your God.
• Let Go and Relax: Rest in God’s sovereignty—He is in charge when you are not.
• No Other Stream: Ultimately, nothing else satisfies—no job, money, achievement, or relationship. Only God can quench soul-thirst.
• Be a Voice of Encouragement: Like Paul in the storm, Christians today are called not to mirror the world’s fear but to offer courageous hope that is contagious.

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(For new believers: If you prayed the closing prayer, you’re encouraged to text “DECIDED” to 51,000 for further support.)

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Transcript

[Pastor Tim]

We're so thankful that you're here today. We want to welcome all of not only those that are here watching with us live in person. Those are watching in our annex or Jersey campus. But you have made it to 51st and Broadway. What a blessing. God has put us here as a lighthouse right in the middle of Times Square. And I just tell you, lighthouses get brighter and brighter when it gets darker and darker. Amen. We also welcome all those we just say we're so thankful that you're watching from all over the world. And with us from all over the United States. We say hello to us. Live with us is Kenya and Nigeria. We say hello to Uganda and South Africa, Namibia, Tunisia. We say hello to Madagascar and Ethiopia. Tanzania, Eswatini. We welcome Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo. We are praying that God would protect those Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our friends from Asia that are alive with us, we sail to Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India and Azerbaijan. We're praying for the United Arab Emirates. We are also believing and thank God for Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, the Netherlands, France, Poland and Finland. We're also believing as we begin. Continue to pray for Russia that is watching with us live in Ukraine. Let's pray and believe for God to stop that war. We welcome Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland, Romania, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Denmark, Sweden, Sweden, Norway, the Navajo Nation. And then we also have a brand new nation, a first nation, people from Panama called the Nobe Bugle tribe.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

From Panama, we welcome you, not just

[Pastor Tim]

the Navajo Nation and also our new friends from Panama, the key first nation from Saskatchewan. We welcome you, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica, Cuba.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

We say hello to Trinidad and Tobago,

[Pastor Tim]

Barbados, Guatemala, Panama, French Guyana, Bermuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Colombia, Suriname, Venezuela. We're believing for a miracle in Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Puerto Rico

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

and the Dominican Republic. Would you welcome all those that are watching?

[Pastor Tim]

63 nations, 45 states. We welcome you from around the United States. And my favorite part is to welcome those that are watching from universities. Carnegie Mellon University, University of Texas, nyu, Shanghai, Johnson and Wales University, Greek Bible

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

College, Rochester Institute of Technology, Pace University, University of Georgia, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida State University. Would you welcome all of our universities that are watching.

[Pastor Tim]

Now for these next few moments? I was going to ask you to lock in. I'm going to ask you to do me a favor. This, this is very important. We understand. People sometimes come by, wait, they want to hear a gospel choir and then they're going to Take off. And so I'm going to ask you in the next few moments, I really want to just ask you just to lock in, because I want to share. I understand the world is starting to change. And in these last 24 hours, we're all wondering what's going to happen. And I want to speak to this today. I want to speak to you today and to those that are around the world, our friends in the Middle east and the those here in New York City. I want to speak to you. I understand no matter what I say, I'll not say enough. For some people, it's not enough of end times and not enough of prophecy. I know with other people, it's not enough about Israel, not enough about commending the government or denouncing the government. Not enough about Iran and suffering people or an evil regime. Not enough about Purim. And the signs in the sky have people talking about the six planets that are aligning last night in the sky. I have to just tell you this. I understand it's not going to be enough. I have to say what God has told me to say. That's just the bottom line. Not what you, but what God says. Someone said it like this. Make sure it is God's trumpet you are blowing. That goes for all of us. If it's only yours, it won't wake the dead. It'll just disturb the neighbors.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I want to wake the dead.

[Pastor Tim]

Amen. I want to wake the dead. You will hear at the end of this message, a man that blew a trumpet on a sinking ship in a horrible storm and 275 lives are saved. Let me be clear. Let me just blow this trumpet. Number one, we love Israel. Number two, we have ministries for nations that are suffering. Those that are in Gaza, those that are in Iran. We believe that these are our brothers and sisters that we're praying for and we want to help. We pray for our leaders in our country. We thank God for our nation, but we know our answer is not in politics. We believe in the rapture of Jesus Christ and he will return. And we understand that prophecy centers not in New York City, but it centers in the Middle East. We understand all of that. Now let me tell you what God has put on my heart. With all that is happening around the world and what's happening even just outside these doors, I want you to get this down. I want you to take a picture, post this on your social media. Here it goes. There has never been a time when it is more difficult to be a Christian and there's never been a time where it is more necessary to be a Christian. Let me say that again. There's never been a time where it has been more difficult to be a Christian. And there's never been a time when it's been more necessary. So today I want to talk to you how to keep it together in a world that is falling apart. I want to talk to you about how to keep it together in a world that is falling apart. Things are falling apart. I just told God, I said, you got to help me. And so when I said, you got to help me, and I walked outside and saw it snowing this morning. I said, I need a lot of help this morning. Let's pray. Father, in these next few moments, I just pray that you would speak to me. I've been asking you the very prayer. When Moses was asking as he's starting the journey in Exodus 33, he asked you three things. He said, show me your glory, teach me your ways, and we won't go without your presence. I'm asking the same thing, God, show me your glory, teach me your ways. And we will not move unless you go with us. Lord God, we need you. We need your presence in these next few moments in Jesus name. And everybody said, amen. God bless you. You may be seated. Thank you, choir. Thank you, worship team. Thank you so much. Psalm46 is going to be how to keep it together in a world that's falling apart. When you read the opening verses of this psalm, you're going to find yourself in a scene of utter confusion and wild chaos. The psalmist will use graphic, descriptive words to picture the mayhem and the turmoil that he is witnessing with his own eyes. There's something about Psalms, all the Psalms, that it seems to describe our story, your story, even before the story happens. The psalmist describes it like this. He's going to tell us that the earth is changing and reeling in shock, that it will be felt and happening, even though, like we're experiencing thousands of miles away. He talks about that institutions and values that have been there like a mountain will start to move lower and lower into the depths of the ocean. Until you see those things that you thought would never move now beginning to sink out of sight. You begin to realize that waters are rising up. It seems like the floods are rising up and you're hearing the roaring and the waves coming against. It's almost like an enemy is approaching. And the psalmist tell us that violence will be the order of the day against anyone that has any disagreement with them. Listen to the words of Psalm 46, he says this so we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the ocean depths, and even if the seas roar and rage and the hills are shaken by the violence. The psalmist is reminding us that the ground is shaking and we will feel it and we will begin to experience it. He says things we thought would never move are being done away with those mountains that are slipping into the oceans and slipping out of sight. And once again, he says, we'll hear

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

the rage and the war, even against

[Pastor Tim]

biblical values, against why it's necessary, more necessary today to be a Christian than ever. And then you'll find out that violence against those we disagree with is shaking society in every capacity, from workplaces to universities to high schools and even to elementary schools. That's what's happening not just in our nation, but in places all over the world. Then suddenly the unexpected happens in this story that the psalmist is telling. In Psalm 46, the unexpected happens and just jumps on the scene. As you're watching mountains shake and slip into the ocean and the earth reeling, something takes place, and the chaos is simply met with a river. A river, A river flowing to stand against the shaking, the roaring, the removing, and the violence. Listen, right after he says this, this is what the psalmist says. He says, there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God. God is in the midst of her.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

She will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. That river that the psalmist is talking about.

[Pastor Tim]

Because the reason why I keep saying psalmist and not David is because many believe it was Hezekiah that wrote this or those around Hezekiah. Because this, this psalm has a historical background to it.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Jerusalem is unique in all the ancient

[Pastor Tim]

cities because it's really the only city

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

of its times where they would begin

[Pastor Tim]

to see a major city that had

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

no river in it, no stream in the middle of the city. In Bible times, cities were always founded either on or close to the banks of a river. So there would always be a water source, but not so for Jerusalem. So what the psalmist is talking about here is something significant.

[Pastor Tim]

Let me tell you what was taking

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

place that you could read in. I believe it's second kings 18. The Assyrians were besieging Jerusalem. They were shaking the ground. There was a fight, there was a

[Pastor Tim]

war that was taking place. And so one of the ways that

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

you would begin to fight is you

[Pastor Tim]

would begin to guard that city as an enemy. So no one can get out, nothing can come in. So they Thought we'd not only starve

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

them out, but we cut off any access to water.

[Pastor Tim]

Here's the part I want you to notice.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

But while they saw on the horizon, the Assyrians were on their way, King Hezekiah did an amazing thing. Outside the city walls in the Kidron Valley, there was a spring called the Gihon Spring. Knowing the Assyrians were coming, Hezekiah ordered his men to dig a tunnel almost 1800ft long. And when they were done, they dug a tunnel from the Gihon Spring right into Jerusalem. And they began to hide it and cover it. So they said when the enemy came in and. And thought that they had them surrounded and thought that there was no access

[Pastor Tim]

to any living water, they already dug

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

the wells and saw the water coming in to their city. They knew something was beginning to take place. They knew that there was a well and water coming in. And I want to show you today, for just a few moments, that secret river, that secret stream in the middle of an. An encroaching enemy, in the middle of a society that just seems to be dumbfounded, falling apart. I want to show you a secret river right here in Psalm 46. When it seems that everything is unraveling, we need people that are willing to dig, willing to make sure that even in the middle of our city. Let me speak to New York City. I want to make sure right in the middle of here, we are connected to a river from God, that we are connected to what God wants and from heaven. And I have to tell you, I think there is a river here. I think the psalmist was trying to show us not an. Not a river in the natural, but something deeper to connect to something more. Listen to this 10 times in these

[Pastor Tim]

11 verses in Psalm 46, you're going

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

to see God or Lord used by the psalmist. Somehow I've got to believe God is that river for us during turbulent times, that how to keep it together in a world that is falling apart. It's by finding that river, by finding God is where it all comes from. And that's why it's always finding that when everything is shaking around us that we are finding ourselves getting connected back to him.

[Pastor Tim]

There is an old hymn.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Sometimes we sing it.

[Pastor Tim]

I know.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I grew up with this song. And this hymn called My Hope is

[Pastor Tim]

built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and righteousness.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

You know, I was thinking about that

[Pastor Tim]

song, and there's a phrase I want

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

to draw your attention to, but I want to point something to you. I want to point something out to you. This psalm does something that no other psalm does.

[Pastor Tim]

In all of the 150 Psalms that are there, sometimes a psalm will put

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

a little, a little line above it. It's not part of holy scripture, but

[Pastor Tim]

it's put in there to remind us what this was.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

The word psalm just simply means song. And it puts in there a, a

[Pastor Tim]

phrase that means it's interesting. It's a song. It says a song set to Alamoth. It says it right in the, in the thing above the psalm.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

The word Alamoth means young women. They were saying that this was a song that were sung, that was sung by the ladies, that the women would sing this song.

[Pastor Tim]

I was, I was amazed as I was reading.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

No other psalm has this. I, I, I don't even know why they would begin to set this to the women other than I'm telling you, when it comes to worship, I, I've been to women's conferences and I've been to men's conferences. I choose the women's conferences. I'm just telling you. I watch men read the words on a screen and stare at it. I watch people. I watch men that will put their hands in their pocket and just stare. In a worship service where God is moving, not those ladies, I don't think, I think almost that the Holy Spirit was saying, I'm gonna put a powerful psalm here to help you through chaos,

[Pastor Tim]

and I want the men out of it.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I want the women singing this song. I want the ladies lifting up this song. So can I, can I just for a moment, can I just encourage you ladies? Can we just go Alamoth for just a moment here? For just a moment? I'm gonna need the ladies here for just a second because I want to go back to that song. My hope is built on nothing less. Ladies, can I have you sing that end the chorus for us so we

[Pastor Tim]

can get a little Alamo in this room?

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I don't trust the guys to sing such a powerful song today. How many of the ladies are with me on this?

[Pastor Tim]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

None of you. None. Even the men didn't even fight against

[Pastor Tim]

that saying, Give us a chance.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Come on, ladies. Let me get your son. My hope is built. Okay, ladies, I want you to sing this part loud on Christ the son. Come on, ladies. Now, ladies, I need you to sing this third verse for me. His oath is covenant Come on, ladies. When all around Sing it, ladies. On christ. Come on. Sing it loud. Hallelujah. That's why we let the ladies sing this. That sentence of my hope is Built

[Pastor Tim]

is really Psalm 46: His. When the Bible says when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Stay for just a moment.

[Pastor Tim]

I want to read those 11 verses.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I want you to see how important

[Pastor Tim]

that that river is, that we are connected to him. When it seems mountains are slipping into the ocean and earth is reeling and shaking. When it seems violence is the order of the day and it seems that

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

the rivers, the oceans are roaring and

[Pastor Tim]

there's a rage that is coming towards the shoreline.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I want you to see not just

[Pastor Tim]

the Lord and God in this chapter, but I want you to see how

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

many times it will say he and continue to point to God.

[Pastor Tim]

Listen to these words and you count in your mind every time God is mentioned. God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in time of trouble.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Therefore we will not fear.

[Pastor Tim]

Though the earth give way, the mountains

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

fall into the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the most high dwells. God is within her. She will not fail. God will help her. At break day, nations are in a rub roar, Kingdoms are falling. But He, God lifts his voice and the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations He, God, has brought here on this earth. He, God, makes war cease. Hallelujah. To the ends of the earth God. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He, God, burns the shields with fire. He, God, says, be still and know that I am God. I, God, will be exalted among the nations. I, God, will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Hallelujah, folks. I counted it 19 times. The Psalmist speaks about God in 11 verses. 19 times. I don't know about you, but there is no secret who is our river. God is our river. God is who we look to. Psalm 46:2,3 says, I will not be afraid. Though that earth is shaken, the ground is shaking and we feel it. The earth is in turmoil. Yesterday with the bombing of Iran and the Middle east in upheaval, we have

[Pastor Tim]

friends and ministries all over the Middle

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

east and all different nations, from those that were from Bahrain to Qatar to Israel to Iran, they're in shelters, in homes and hotels.

[Pastor Tim]

And it just seems that everything is

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

shaking all around us. Even this week I just go, God,

[Pastor Tim]

the world is happening.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Even this week in Newsweek. North Korea has now the leader. The President of North Korea. The dictator just elevated his 13 year old daughter to be the missile chief of the nuclear bombs. 13 years old. Folks, it's chaos what's happening out there. We better be connected to God in the midst of all this. The chapter starts with God is our refuge, God is our strength. Say those words with me. A very present help in trouble. Here's what I've learned. When you are down to nothing, God

[Pastor Tim]

is up to something.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

When it seems like we have no more hope, we don't know what to do. And folks, that's why I believe we're about to go into a time not only of turmoil, but awakening. How do you lead? How do you act as a Christian? How do you stay encouraged but yet sober minded? How do you walk in faith, but walk in carefulness? You stay connected to God. You stay connected to him. Not. Not people's opinions, not people's. Not people's likes of you.

[Pastor Tim]

No.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

What they say? I stay connected to God. You can't even make this up. Some anonymous person wouldn't even put their

[Pastor Tim]

name on it, decided he was going to help me with my preaching and

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

sent me two theology books in the

[Pastor Tim]

mail to help me with doctrine.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

But you can't even make this up. But he forgot to pull out in those books. He had two lottery tickets that he put in those books as bookmarkers. I wanted to begin to say who's really trusting God here? Your 2 pick 3 lottery tickets are in those books. Tickets with the current numbers. I knew they weren't even drawn yet. He was holding, believing for God to do something. I wanted to go. You keep your books and keep your lottery tickets. I've already found my source. I've already found a river. It is God and God alone. He says in verse 5, God is in that city and it won't be shaken. Hallelujah. God will do three things.

[Pastor Tim]

I want you to write these things down to keep us together when the world is falling apart. Number one is we will find a secret river in the middle of battle. That's the first thing. You will find the middle of chaos. You will be connected to that secret river that will come in that the

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

enemy can't find and the enemy can't stop.

[Pastor Tim]

The second thing is he.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

He is not ashamed of his children.

[Pastor Tim]

God is not ashamed of his children. And he will be with you all. He is with every single one of you.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Whether you live in New York City, whether you live in London or Lima or Los Angeles. God is with you.

[Pastor Tim]

And finally, this is the important one.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

He will calm us down when we

[Pastor Tim]

find ourselves frantic, when we think, what are we going to do here? Let me explain this to you.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

We will find a secret river in the middle of the battle.

[Pastor Tim]

Hezekiah knew the war was coming and started digging so the water could flow. Listen to it.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

A river and its streams bring joy

[Pastor Tim]

to the city which is the sacred

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

home of God, most High.

[Pastor Tim]

God is in that city and it won't be shaken. Folks, I want to say this to you. Some.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Some see the battle coming, but you're not digging.

[Pastor Tim]

You see a battle that's on its

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

way and you have no source. There's no connection. There's a battle that's raging and I don't know how much more that you can. Whether you live in New York City and outside these doors yesterday, there's a thousand people protesting. There's things happening all around us. And the order of the day is this. You've got to dig. You've got to find that stream so there would be water, so that water

[Pastor Tim]

would start to flow.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Dig, find the water. Ricardo talked about it. He found water in a new prayer meeting. When this noon prayer meeting opens up at noon every single week, or the Wednesday night prayer meeting that begins to happen online, or you begin to come here early on Sundays, you're digging, you're finding God, a stream to God. You're finding something. Not. Not with your head in the phone or a head in the movie. Find God, dig a river. You're going to need a stream with the encroaching enemy. And it's found in prayer. It's found whether it's in. Found in the Word, it's found in these scriptures. That's why we began to go chapter by chapter every day to keep people in the word of God. Why are we doing that? So you can have a well when the hard times come. So there's words that will begin to get in your heart and spirit when the enemy encroaches. I want to make sure that I've got a well deep inside of my soul that nothing else. I'm not worried about theology books. I'm not worried about all the other voices. I want to stream from God today. And that's why it's so important. I want to just speak to those watching online, to all the nations that

[Pastor Tim]

are watching, all the universities that are watching.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Folks, there are some people that are digging a well because they don't know where to find water, whether it's in

[Pastor Tim]

a closed country to the gospel, whether

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

it's one of the reservations that are watching from the U.S. canada down to

[Pastor Tim]

Panama, whether it's universities from Florida all the way over to Athens, Greece, over,

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

over in Canada, wherever these are, I really want to just challenge some of you to help people find that.

[Pastor Tim]

Well, I just want to speak to those as, as, as we're reaching the

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

world, we need people even to volunteer online to help them, we call them. We need 20 or 30 digital missionaries that will say, we'll be there to pray with you. We'll be there with our teams, we'll meet with you on the zooms and pray with you.

[Pastor Tim]

Stand with someone in a real crisis time.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

For those that would watch in all those nations that were attacked yesterday, all

[Pastor Tim]

those are people that watch this service,

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

we need digital missionaries. We need people's voices, people, Holy spirit filled people to say, you know what, I can begin to do that from, from a laptop. Let's use, let's use our laptops to be digital missionaries to the world. And, and if you would even do

[Pastor Tim]

it, I want you just to email online at TSC NY just to go ahead and say, I want to be part of that.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I want to be part of praying for people. Those that are watching from the Republic

[Pastor Tim]

of Congo are under incredible, incredible persecution.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Those that are watching from Nigeria, there's parts that are under incredible persecution. Those that watch from Ukraine and Russia, Venezuela and other parts of the world,

[Pastor Tim]

they need people that would stand with them.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

They need help to dig that river

[Pastor Tim]

that they can find just the word of God and the people of God.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

The second thing that has become emotional

[Pastor Tim]

to me is this one, that God is not ashamed of his children and he will be with them in the middle of trial. No one is left out. God associates himself twice in this chapter with a surprising name. It's the first time I've ever seen it. And in fact it's used so sparingly in the scriptures that it's here that God calls himself something that you don't hardly see this anywhere else in the Bible. He calls himself the God of Jacob.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

The God of Jacob is our stronghold

[Pastor Tim]

is what it says.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

You'll read the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but God never or hardly ever singles out Jacob. It's amazing.

[Pastor Tim]

Listen to it. He says, the Lord of hosts is with us.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

The God of Jacob is our stronghold, Selah. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold, Selah. My opinion is both times he says that he uses that Hebrew word selah, which means pause and think about what he just said. I think he was going like, I know you're surprised because I want you to realize what I just said. God of Abraham.

[Pastor Tim]

I get it.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

God of Daniel, I get it. God of. God of Moses. I get it. God of Jacob, I don't get it. Because you're associated with someone who's known for lying, conniving, manipulating. God did change him. But God goes, I took this man, this crooked manipulator, this deceitful person, and he says selah because it's amazing. No title is more startling than he's called the God of Jacob. What does that mean, Pastor Tim? It means this. That no one seems more likely for God to attach his name to. There's no single sentence as startling and striking that illustrates God's miracle and God's mercy at the same time. Can I just tell you? You are God's merciful project, and you are God's miracle today. You are sitting here today as a miracle. And because of God's word, you shouldn't even be here today. We're all part of being part of that group, the God of Jacob, miracle and mercy that God goes after. Here's the good news. At your worst point and on your worst day, God is your stronghold. On your best day, God is your stronghold. Here it is. On any day, God is our stronghold. That's the part I've got to hold on to. He chooses this name, and he's not ashamed. He says that in Hebrews 11:16. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God because he has prepared a city for them. It's God beginning to say the worst of the worst. I want you to understand. You can receive a miracle. You can receive his mercy. He is not just the God of Abraham, he's the God of Jesus, Jacob. He's the God of those that are preachers and the God of those that are strugglers. And folks, can I just tell you, as a preacher, we're strugglers, too. I need God every single day. I'm telling you, I have more Jacob days than Abraham days. I don't feel like I'm a man of faith. There are times, like Jacob, when you get up, you just look at this. Last week, you're going, God. We dealt with a blizzard.

[Pastor Tim]

This.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

This a week ago. Then I had to deal with the funeral. Then I'm dealing with. With what happened in the Middle East. I'm going, God. And I started to speak and act like Jacob, and God goes, I'm still your stronghold. When you complain, I'M still your stronghold when you have failed. I'm still your stronghold in the middle of anything you're going through. He is the God of Jacob. He's the God of miracles, and he's the God who's there. Hallelujah. And finally he tells us he'll calm

[Pastor Tim]

us down when we find ourselves frantic. Listen to these words. Cease striving and know that I'm God.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Can I just tell you what my

[Pastor Tim]

Bible says right on the margin of what that phrase cease striving means? You ready for this? The words cease striving literally means let go and relax. That's what it means.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Let go of trying to fix it.

[Pastor Tim]

Do it and relax. God is in charge.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I Love what Psalm 46:10 says, paraphrased like this. Surrender your anxiety, be silent, and stop your striving.

[Pastor Tim]

And you will see that I am God.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I am the God above all the nations. I will be exalted throughout the whole earth. Hallelujah. Let go. Let God and relax. He's in charge. He can do it for us. Folks, I'm telling you, I started to realize this about three or four months ago.

[Pastor Tim]

I brought before you a very important prayer request that you just have to

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

let go and relax and go, God,

[Pastor Tim]

you're gonna do this. The founder of this church, David Wilkerson, and founder of Teen Challenge, wrote, the Cross of the Switchblade has just his. That precious family, when they said yes to New York, has just gone through battle after battle after battle. Gwen Wilkerson, David Wilkerson's wife, has faced up to 20 cancer operations before she went home to be with the Lord. And what's amazing is that the children have faced those same struggles. And about four to six months ago, I brought before you, with their permission, Debbie Wilkerson, who is the oldest of all the children of David Wilkerson. Debbie Wilkerson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I said, can we just pray? In man's eyes, that's a death sentence. That's a death sentence. I'm listening to a podcast now by a man. It's an interview with a senator that has pancreatic cancer that they give no hope to. And I'm listening to his words as he's speaking about his children, his wife. And I'm thinking about Debbie Wilkerson. Debbie Yonker is her married name now. And I remember getting a call from her husband saying, tim, we just got one of the hardest diagnosis for Debbie, and we just need a miracle. And this church prayed.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Can I read to you What?

[Pastor Tim]

I'm coming back from a funeral on Thursday and I couldn't pick up the phone and I got this voicemail. I'm going to read it to you. This is from Roger, her husband, Debbie Wilkerson, husband. I want you to listen to it. Hey, Tim, I just wanted to let you know about the good news. Just got back from talking to Debbie's oncologist. They did her PET scan on Tuesday and there's no visual signs of cancer in her pancreas.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He says, not only that, there's no visible sign of any cancer in the DNA of her blood. He said, the doctor came in and said, I got some fantastic news for you. And he said, I can't call it a cure because in the medical world you have to wait five years of

[Pastor Tim]

being cancer free, free before you could say they're cured.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

But he goes, but I will tell you, this is a miracle. And then Roger said, I just wanted to thank you and the Times Square

[Pastor Tim]

Church family for praying. Folks, can I just help you with

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

ever you're going through?

[Pastor Tim]

Let go and relax. God's in charge.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

God is in charge. God knows what he's doing. There are times it's going to feel that. Some psalmist says it'll feel like the earth is reeling, the earth is quaking. And if you've never been in an earthquake before, I've been in two. I've been in one in Rwanda and one in Brooklyn. Those are the two places I've been in earthquakes. I was sitting at my desk and the room started to shake in Brooklyn, and I'm going, where am I? You can't. Even if you live in New York, you're gonna. You're gonna fight, fight, fight. But when that happens, you. You have no control. You feel helpless. And this is where I just started to realize, let go and relax. God is in charge. Let go and relax. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Let go and relax. We have a river that is coming in, that will. Comes from the throne of God, that will nourish us every single time. And I found that river. I want to conclude today by reading to you from Acts 27.

[Pastor Tim]

Paul is on a boat in a storm. He's the only Christian on this boat heading to Rome, where he will stand trial and he will eventually die. It's his last boat ride and probably his last time in an arena speaking to this many people at the same time while the storm hit the boat and it started falling apart. The Bible says for the. For 275 people. All hope was gone. Listen to this. Acts 27:18. The next day as we were being violently storm tossed, Paul is a prisoner on this boat. They began to jettison the cargo. They're trying to figure out how do you get stop this storm. And on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. Since neither there was sun nor stars appeared for many days. It was no small storm that was assailing us from then on. Listen to these words. All hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned. This is amazing because there's one man amongst 276 people. 275 people. It's a lot of lost people in one Christian. It's a lot of lost people and one man in the middle of it all. Remember what I said. There's never been a time when it's more difficult to be a Christian and it is more necessary to be a Christian Christian. There are 275 lost people on this boat and one Christian in this storm. Listen to it. Verse 37. All of us in this ship were 276 people. One of them was a Christian. One of them would hear from God. One of them whose words were going to make a difference. I was listening to a story of a woman who survived Auschwitz. I'm going to pause here for a second. And she tells this story. She said she and her 15 year old brother, she was 15 and her 8 year old brother as Jews were on a train heading to the concentration camp. They were heading to Auschwitz. I had the sobering experience of being at one of those concentration camps. I was at Buchenwald. It was emotional, it was gruesome to look at what took place there and to think of the parents of these children that were at this camp who were lost and killed. But I want you to think this woman was saying she was 15 and her brother was 8 and they were on a train going to Auschwitz. Don't miss this part. Some of you need to hear this. Some of you online need to hear this. While they were on the train she looked down and saw that her brother's shoes were missing. And she said. I blurted out these words, you are so stupid. Why can't you keep your things together for goodness sake? Listen to that. She said, she blurted out, you are so stupid. You can't even keep your things together for goodness sake. And she said, she said it was something that an older sister would say to a younger brother. Unfortunately would be the last words I would say to him because I would never see him again because he never survived. When she left the concentration camp, she said, I walked out of Auschwitz into life and I made a vow. Listen to this. Now listen for just a moment. Some of you that post stuff, comments like you're a comment warrior online, I want you to listen for a second. This is what she said. She said, I will never say anything that couldn't stand as the last thing I would ever say. Keep that on the screen for a moment because some of you need to hear this. I would never say anything that couldn't stand as the last thing that I would ever say. I wouldn't say anything. So before you're sitting there going like, I don't agree, why didn't pastor today stop? Here's a word for all of you keyboard warriors. Listen. Let go and relax. God is in charge. God is in charge. And I have to tell you, I don't even read it anyway. Why? Because I found a better stream.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I found a stream that connects to God.

[Pastor Tim]

But look at those words again. I will never say anything that couldn't stand as the last thing I ever say. Paul, I think realized this could be the last time I address a group he does have an assurance that they're not going to die. I started to realize as the musicians come that courage is contagious. I think discouragement is contagious. I think negative people are contagious. How many know what I'm talking about? Just look straight ahead. People that praise God are contagious. People that talk in faith are contagious. That's who I want to hang out with.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

So here's what Paul does.

[Pastor Tim]

There's 276 people in a storm, one Christian.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

And he, here it comes. Sets the thermostat on a boat that's about to be destroyed. This man comes up and says, I'm gonna make sure that the last thing I say is gonna begin to be something that is gonna put hope inside of people. Listen to what Paul does. When they had gone a long time

[Pastor Tim]

without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, men, you've ought

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

to have followed my advice and not

[Pastor Tim]

to have set sail and incurred this damage.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage. Keep up your courage. There will be no loss of life

[Pastor Tim]

among you, but only of the ship.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

For this very night, an angel of God to whom I belong and whom

[Pastor Tim]

I serve, stood before me saying, do

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

not be afraid, Paul.

[Pastor Tim]

You will stand before Caesar.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

And behold, God is granted you. All those who are sailing with you,

[Pastor Tim]

basically saying, we're going to keep them all alive.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Therefore keep up your courage, men. For I believe God. That will turn out exactly as I've been told. He's the only Christian on board who heard from God. He's not listening to everybody else's comments. And. And there was no other stream. Paul had one stream. I'm going to listen to what God has to say. And when you're going through a time where it seems that the world is falling apart, here's a thought. Turn off the TV and listen to

[Pastor Tim]

God

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

just for a moment saying, God, you speak to me. You're here today. And my job is to put courage in the middle of a storm, to put courage in the middle of the city, to encourage in whatever city you're from, around the country and around the world. Paul had a word from God in the middle of a storm. He heard from God while the ship was being thrown back and forth and he was going to speak life to the people who were falling apart. And like that trumpet that we said, blow the right trumpet, he blew a trumpet on that ship and people started to. People will listen when you have a word from God. If you're just trying to grab it. What are they saying on the Internet here? What are they saying on the Internet here? What is this book telling me? What is this place? He listened to what God is saying. Listen to what this word is saying.

[Pastor Tim]

Here's what happens. Verse 33. Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them to take some. There's courage again saying, Today is the 14th day. You have been constantly watching.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

You haven't eaten for 14 days.

[Pastor Tim]

You haven't even taken anything.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Therefore I encourage you.

[Pastor Tim]

It's the third time he said it. Take some food for this is your preservation. For not a hair from the head of any of you will perish. Having said this, he took bread, gave thanks to God in the presence of all. He broke it, began to eat. And all of a sudden the Bible

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

says all of them were encouraged. 275 people

[Pastor Tim]

from a man in chains. But a man that had a word from God. A man whose stream was connected to God. Connected to God. A man that realized just a few

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

chapters before he blew it.

[Pastor Tim]

When he was calling the. The priests and the leaders, he was calling them sepulchers and snakes and God and felt and got slapped right in the middle. Paul. That's when God started to tell him, I'm still the God of Jacob. Even at your worst moment, I'm still with you. And in a storm I'm the God of Jacob. And here's the good thing. And right in the middle of a storm. Let go and relax. God is in charge of this. God is in charge of this. God is the one that is able to do this. He tells them to take courage. They took. They took it. And not only were their lives rescued, the ship was destroyed. Everything they trusted in was gone.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

And the only thing that gave them

[Pastor Tim]

courage was no longer a ship. Not their navigation ability, not the school they went to, not because you have a doctorate in politics and navigation. The only thing that they realized that gave them hope was a man in chains that. That had a word from God. That was the only thing.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

They took that word.

[Pastor Tim]

Rescued, brought to an island and saw miracles. 276 people survived that day because God said they would survive. Connect to a stream. To a stream. To a stream. Stand with me. I want to tell you a story real quick, If you'd allow me for a moment. I want to go. To a book among seven books that C.S. lewis wrote called the Chronicles of Narnia. And there's one of the books that sometimes gets pushed off to the side reading them, they have so encouraged me. And it was the book called the Silver Chair. And you don't have the normal characters that are in this. And a little girl named Jill finds her way into Narnia. And as she's there, two things happen. She gets there, is on a journey and is dying of thirst. And she sees the stream. But the problem was she sees the stream and she has not met Aslan yet. And there's a stream and there's a big old lion right there. I've got. I've got a stream. And now she's.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

She hasn't been introduced to Aslan the lion.

[Pastor Tim]

And all of a sudden she's. Lewis writes, she says, if I run away, it'll be after me, thought Jill, and if I go on, I shall run straight into its mouth anyway. She couldn't have moved if she tried, Lewis writes, and she couldn't take her

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

eyes off the lion. How long this lasted, she could not be sure. It's seem like hours.

[Pastor Tim]

And the first, the thirst became so bad that she almost felt like she would not mind being eaten by the lion as long as she can get

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

a mouthful of water.

[Pastor Tim]

And then she has a conversation. Listen to it. The lion said, are you not thirsty? Jill said, I'm dying of thirst. Then drink, said the lion. Jill goes, may I? Could I. Would you mind going away while I drink here? She said, Lewis writes, the lion answered

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

this only By a look in the very low growl.

[Pastor Tim]

And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

well have asked the whole mountain to

[Pastor Tim]

move for her convenience. Then it says the delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Will you promise not to do anything to me if I do come?

[Pastor Tim]

Said Jill. I love this.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I make no promises, said the lion. Jill was so thirsty now that without noticing it, she even took a step closer. And then she asked the lion, do you do. Do you eat girls? Listen to the answer. I have swallowed up girls, boys, women, men, kings, emperor, cities, realms, said the lion. And it didn't say this as if you were boasting, nor as if he were sorry or nor if he was angry. He just said it. Boy, that sounds like God.

[Pastor Tim]

Well, I daren't come and drink, said Jill. Then you will die of thirst, said the lion. Oh, dear, said Jill, coming up another step. I said, Mo, suppose I must go look for another stream.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

There is no other stream. And may I tell you, from around the country and around the world, there is no other stream but what Psalm 46. 5 says, that's the only stream. Everything you look for every person that you think, if I can just get this boy to ask me out, I know it's not. There is no other stream. No man can make you happy. No marriage can make you happy. No money can make you happy. There's a stream that comes from God. There is no other stream. That's why you're thirsty. That's why you're thirsty. As soon as you make your first million, you're going. Now I got it for a week.

[Pastor Tim]

And your marriage is still messed up and your home is still falling apart.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

And that million didn't fix the drug

[Pastor Tim]

addiction that's in the house, or the pornography addiction, or a wife that wants a divorce because it doesn't fix it. There is no other stream but God, and God alone.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

There is no other stream. This is what some of you are asking.

[Pastor Tim]

Well, if I. If I get into that, does. Does he eat people? Yes, he does. What does that mean? That he's not just interested in Sundays and you coming for two hours? He wants to consume us and be part of every part of our lives. That's what the psalmist was doing. He was telling a story before it even happened.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

The psalmist was telling us this.

[Pastor Tim]

There's a stream with the earth shaking in the Middle East. There's people that are protesting what would happen from between the nations. There's people that are applauding all that stuff. All I can do is find a stream. And while you're asking me what side, which side, I am locked into a stream. I have let go and relaxed. And you know what I'm happy about? Even on snowy blizzard days, he's the God of Jacob. And I.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

When I read that, when I read

[Pastor Tim]

that weather report and I saw a snowflake on Sunday, I turned all Jacob on God. And that moment, I'm going, seriously, more snow.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

More snow.

[Pastor Tim]

More, more snow.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

And it's March.

[Pastor Tim]

And he's still the God of Tim. He's still the God of Tim. Not the God of a preacher, not the God of a minister. He's not the God of a Times Square church. He's the God of Jacob. In my worst times, he's still there. In my worst moments, he's still there.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

That's why he says, salas, pause and think about it.

[Pastor Tim]

Why? Because it's outrageous that he loves you even on your worst days. So while you're trying to find some other stream on Wall street, if I can just get this job on Broadway, if I could just go ahead and cash in on this hedge fund, if I can go ahead and be selected and make it through spring training and play for this team, I'm just telling you, there is no other stream. Would you bow your head and close your eyes for just a second as we close? I won't hold you much longer. Just simply this, There is no other stream. If you're here today, watching online, and in this room, you would just say, pastor Tim, I've tried so many different streams, but I realized God is. God is the one that I've got to surrender to. God is the one. While the earth is reeling, the oceans are swallowing up the mountains. The things that you would never think would be gone now. They're out of sight. Values and beliefs now have been swallowed up by our culture and society. They're out of sight now. That's what he says in Psalm 46. 2. He said, the. The ocean and the battles are coming in like roar. Like a roar and a rage. It's coming after us. And you thought the shore would be safe. He says, now the shore's not safe. As the. As the waves are coming up. And finally violence has become the order of the day. If you won't listen to me, I'll make my point. Whether. Whether I take out dozens of elementary school students or college students or whoever it is. So what do I do? Somehow, in the midst of chaos, there's a stream. There's God. There's God. There's God. And if you're here in this place, I'm here to tell you God is real and God is alive and he loves you on your best day and on your worst day. Can I tell you, today, he is the God of Israel and he is the God that loves Iran. He is the God that loves those protesters that are outside our doors. He is the God of Jacob. He is the God on our worst days and he is God on our best days. And life doesn't work without him. There is no other stream. And may I say it this way, there is no other God. There is no other God. If you're here today, simply and say, tim, I've tried every other stream and I'm still thirsty. Some of them I made it to and I've taken a drink and I still can't find satisfaction. But today I'm gonna come close. I want to. I want God in my life. If that's you, I'm gonna ask you to do this just as we close. If you're here today and just say, I need God in my life. Not church, not a religion. I need God in my life. If that's you, I'm just gonna pray, pray, prayer right now. If you're saying, I want God in my life, if that's you, just raise your hand. Say, I need him in my life. Hold it up high, hold it up high so I can see. Keep those hands up. Say, I need him in my life. I've tried all those things. I've tried everything. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hands are all over this place. Annex New Jersey online. Put your hands down for a second. Can we all pray together? Just say, God, I need you. God, come in and change me.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I drank at all the other streams,

[Pastor Tim]

but today I'm coming to you in

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

the middle of chaos.

[Pastor Tim]

You've sent a stream in the middle of chaos.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

You said, let go and relax. In the middle of chaos.

[Pastor Tim]

You are the God of Jacob.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

I surrender my life. I give my life to you. Come and change me today. In the middle of all that's going on, I lift up my head and

[Pastor Tim]

say, God, I need you in my life. In Jesus name.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

And everybody said amen and amen and amen. I, I want to encourage those

[Pastor Tim]

that said that prayer, that said, I want that stream. Here's what we're gonna do. Just all you have to do is just text the word decided to 51,000. Let us help you on that journey. And online you'll see a link. But here's what I want us to do. We're gonna sing a song and close. And this is the part that I just. I want you to understand. We're all. We're all in the middle of all that's going on. But Psalm 46, I'm telling you, there's something there for us. It's the sum. Ladies, that's your song. That's your song. It's tuned. It says, in fact, alamoth also means soprano. Ladies, it's tuned for you. It's tuned for you.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

So just when you feel like you

[Pastor Tim]

want to give up, get to Psalm 46 and say, My God, my refuge and my strength. A very present help in time of time. How many. Thank God for that today.

[Co-Pastor or Worship Leader]

Come on, let's sing one song before we leave today.

[Podcast Host or Announcer]

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