As you can imagine, I often receive a wide range of questions as a pastor. From practical concerns about ethics or the Christian life to deep theological inquiries. I get these types of questions on a somewhat regular basis. Among these, the most pivotal questions I receive often revolve around salvation. And more importantly, probably the better way to describe it would be assurance. How can I know that I'm saved? And, such questions echo a profound biblical inquiry, such as we find in Psalm 15 this morning, where David asks, who can sojourn in the Lord's tent, and who shall dwell on his holy hill?

Explore Psalm 14 as we navigate through themes of human depravity, the distinct lives of the righteous, and the profound promise of God's deliverance. Discover how these ancient truths can guide us in today's complex world. Tune in to find wisdom and encouragement for your spiritual journey.

Consider these questions as you listen:

1. How does recognizing our own depravity help us appreciate God's grace more deeply?

2. In what ways can you see the difference between the lives of the righteous and the ungodly in your own community?

3. What practical steps can you take this week to live out the truth that God is your refuge and deliverance in times of trouble?

We've all been in situations where we feel that we can't just say how we feel. Maybe it's a meeting at work or a discussion you're having with a friend, a spouse, or a parent. But we just feel that we can't say what we really feel in that moment. We have something that we feel deeply. We want to express it. But as it approaches our tongues, we stop. And we think it might be a better idea not to let it get past our lips. It probably isn't beneficial for us to put out there what we are thinking and feeling. Now, I'm not talking about a... quick, hot burst of emotion here. I'm talking about something that has been on our mind for quite a while. We've considered it.

In our time, there are many things that we take for granted. I've used an example before, but I think about it regularly. We walk into a room, and we flip a switch, and we expect a light to come on. We just expect this. This is what we do. We reach into our pocket, and we can get information from all over the world, and we can communicate with pretty much anyone, anywhere. We just take this for granted. Technology has made our lives pretty simple compared to the way things were in times past. And really, I think we would all agree, it's truly a blessing that we don't have to labor over things at all that once were of a great concern for those who came before us. And arguably, one of the things that we maybe take for granted the most is clean water. In times past, finding good, drinkable water was the most important thing for us. It was difficult.

A few weeks back, I mentioned the importance of finding a good shelter in a storm. And how, when we experience a storm, we find ourselves running to the most secure location that we can find. And regardless of how strong a storm is, we are going to always choose something substantial over, say, a pup tent. When we see the storm clouds form, we look for something to get under. We look for refuge. Now, I recently learned that this is not something that eagles do. They don't look for something to get under. Under, as we would, instead of seeking shelter, like many birds and like we would, eagles actually use the winds of the approaching storm to gain higher altitude. So they position their wings in such a way that the wind moves them above the storm.