Welcome to this
hour of blessing on 3ABN
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Spring Camp Meeting 2011.
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The Pillars of our
Faith continue here,
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and I would just like to say
that it's a blessing to be here
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at Camp Meeting. Would
you say "Amen" to that?
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Amen. Amen!
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So those of you that are
watching anywhere in the world
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that are enjoying the
programs in your homes
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or wherever you are, we
would like to encourage you
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to make an effort to
be here for Camp Meeting.
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There will be a
Fall Camp Meeting,
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and so we would like
to encourage you to come
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and enjoy the blessing here.
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There's a blessing at home, but
there seems to be an atmosphere
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here, a very spiritual
atmosphere, that is a great
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blessing. Would you say
"Amen" that that's true? Amen!
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Amen. Praise the Lord!
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During this hour we will
have a message from Kevin Hart.
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He works in the Pastoral
Ministries Department at 3ABN.
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Perhaps if you have
called with a Bible question
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or needed prayer, you may
have talked to Kevin Hart.
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You may have also
seen him during the program
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Books of the Book as one
of the hosts in the program.
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So he will be sharing a
message entitled "Origins. "
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And he has been
praying and studying hard
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and asking for the
Holy Spirit to use him,
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and I'm sure that
you will be blessed.
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We also are going to be
blessed in a moment with music
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but before that we
would like to encourage you
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to join me in prayer for
this hour to be a blessing
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not only to all of us here
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but also to the
people joining us by radio,
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television, and the Internet
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so they can also be blessed.
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So would you
please stand for a moment
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so we can pray together?
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Let us pray.
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Our loving Heavenly Father,
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how great Thou art!
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We see evidence of
Your love in our lives
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and in the lives of others
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and we see
evidence of Your concern.
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And Father, we pray
that during this hour
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You will help us to do our part
to pay attention to the message
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You have for us through
Your servant Kevin Hart.
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And we pray, Lord, for
everyone here to be blessed.
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And we pray that the
signal will go out strong
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and reach the hearts and homes
of millions around the world.
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We pray for Your Holy Spirit
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to vivify the
understanding of each individual
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so that they can
understand Your concern for them
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and Your love for them.
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And we pray, Lord, that as
we look through the scriptures
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we will recognize the
voice of God speaking to us.
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We pray for Your
blessing upon the music.
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We pray for Your
blessing upon all this equipment
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that You have blessed us with.
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Bless the technical staff.
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And we pray for Your name
to be honored and glorified.
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We ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
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You may take a seat.
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I've been very
blessed by the music of
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Reggie and Ladye Love Smith.
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And during this hour
they will be participating,
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actually any second now they
will be walking here next to me,
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and the message in song
that you will hear is entitled
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Somewhere
Between Heaven and Earth.
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I would like to invite
you to listen to these words
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as you are brought
to God's throne of grace
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through the ministry of
Reggie and Ladye Love Smith.
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God bless you.
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After this you will
hear the voice of Kevin Hart.
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Suspended above
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the world that He made
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and below His home
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in the sky.
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God in flesh
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came down to man
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and man raised Him up
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to die.
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And there on a tree
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the destiny
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of every fallen man
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was held by the nails
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driven through
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His sinless feet
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and hands.
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Somewhere between
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heaven and earth
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stood a symbol of grace
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not based on our worth.
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It was there He endured
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what we deserved.
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For the cross held
the hope of the world
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somewhere between
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heaven and earth.
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Somewhere between
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time and space.
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Somewhere between judgment
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and grace.
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He became the sin
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He'd never known.
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As the skies turned black
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His Father turned His back
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and for that moment
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He was left alone.
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He was left alone.
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Somewhere between
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heaven and earth
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stood a symbol of grace
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not based on our worth.
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It was there He endured
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what we deserved.
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For the cross held
the hope of the world
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somewhere between
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heaven and earth.
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Stood a symbol of grace
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not based on our worth.
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It was there He endured
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what we deserved.
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For the cross held
the hope of the world
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Yes, the cross held
the hope of the world...
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Yes, the cross held the hope
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of the world
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somewhere... somewhere
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between heaven
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and earth.
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Suspended above
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the world that He made
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and below His home
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in the sky.
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Amen.
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Welcome to Camp Meeting.
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Somewhere Between Heaven
and Earth. Boy, those are words
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to contemplate.
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It's a privilege to stand here.
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I'm not even going to try
to fill Asscherick's shoes.
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Number 1: I don't
know what size he is
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and Number 2: they're too fast!
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So I will... I
will do what I can.
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It was asked of me to
speak and I humbly accepted
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in terror and in fear.
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But God has a way of
using those who are willing,
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so I figure if I
make myself available
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maybe He'll use
me. Amen. God is good.
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And before we...
Yeah, all the time.
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Before we go any
further, I'd like to open up
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with a word of prayer.
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Our Father in our
heaven, we thank you so much...
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Our Father which art in
heaven, we thank you so much
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for Your love toward us...
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your unfailing love toward us.
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A love that
nothing can separate.
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A love that's always
initiated and a love, Lord, that
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changes us and softens us.
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I pray today, Lord, that
You will use me in some way.
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That I will be hidden
and Christ will be visible,
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and that Your
name will be lifted up
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and You will receive all
the honor and glory today.
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We pray that hearts might
be touched and souls drawn up
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to Thee in love and gratitude
is our prayer in Jesus' name,
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Amen. Amen.
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Memory is an interesting thing.
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Memory is like a
mental file cabinet
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where we store information
from all of life's experiences.
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It's kind of the
cabinet where we hide memories.
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It's where we store memories.
It's where we cherish memories.
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It's the place where
things are forgotten as well.
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And sometimes the process
by which the forgetting happens
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is an interesting one.
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Sometimes an external impact
to someone's brain can impact
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the capability of
someone to recall certain pieces
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of information.
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Sometimes drug use can affect
someone's ability to recall
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certain pieces of information.
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Old age affects our
ability to remember over time.
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And sometimes a
traumatic experience can
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alter the patterns of the brain
where we have trouble accessing
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certain periods of our life.
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It's that strange mental
file cabinet that we all need
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and it's the same mental file
cabinet that we all draw from
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in our decision making.
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Amen. The title of today's
message is called "Origins. "
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And I know that when you first
hear that, most of our minds
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will go back to the
beginning of creation...
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the creation of our world.
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But today's message is
not about creative origins,
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it's about redemptive origins.
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Because I think while
both are extremely important
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I think our redemptive origins
somehow are a little more...
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have the upper edge.
Memory is a beautiful thing.
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It can bring us back to a
time long ago when we were
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children and we
played out in the yard
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at our home under the warm sun
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under a large grand blue sky.
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Amen. As the clouds
slowly drifted overhead
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as a child time
didn't really seem to exist
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till our parents
called us back in the house.
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It's a beautiful thing.
00:12:58.77\00:13:00.73
Memory can bring us
back to a time when we first
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learned how to drive.
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Y'all remember that?
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I'm not that old,
but I'm old enough
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that when I was a child...
A child... I think maybe 11
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when my dad started doing this.
He would place me on his lap
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while we were
driving in the car.
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So that kind of
dates me a little bit.
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Um, and we would
drive down the road.
00:13:23.34\00:13:25.28
And his feet would be on the
pedals; my feet couldn't reach.
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And he would do all the
pedal working and I would do
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the steering. And
then maybe a year later
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as I learned to shift the gears
he would let me shift the gears.
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You do that today...
If we had done that today,
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I guess my father and I
might have ended up in jail.
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So memory is interesting.
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And that's a
beautiful period of one's life
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remembering our
first time driving.
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There could be a
high school sweetheart
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remembering
could bring us back to.
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Some of you have married
your high school sweetheart,
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and that is just
a precious thing.
00:13:54.95\00:13:56.68
But memory also can
be... have its pitfalls.
00:13:57.81\00:14:01.91
It seemed with Israel
as we look over the history
00:14:02.31\00:14:08.06
of Israel, it seems as though
they had a memory problem.
00:14:08.26\00:14:12.13
Some sort of spiritual
amnesia, put it that way.
00:14:12.70\00:14:16.76
And as I thought about
what to talk about today
00:14:17.79\00:14:20.79
my mind was brought back to a
passage that I had always felt,
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that I always gravitated to.
00:14:24.74\00:14:26.73
Never really figured out
how to put it into a sermon
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and I pray that
I'm able to today.
00:14:29.43\00:14:30.65
But the Lord put
it onto my heart again
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and it's found in Ezekiel.
And I would encourage you
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to turn there with me.
00:14:36.25\00:14:38.01
Turn with me to the
16th chapter of Ezekiel.
00:14:39.79\00:14:44.10
And I will start
reading from verse 1
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through verse 5.
00:14:53.26\00:14:55.06
Memory is an interesting thing.
00:14:57.00\00:14:58.60
The Word of the
Lord came to Ezekiel.
00:15:02.05\00:15:03.61
He said: "Again the
Word of the Lord came to me;
00:15:03.91\00:15:06.84
Son of man, cause Jerusalem
00:15:07.88\00:15:10.73
to know her abominations.
00:15:10.94\00:15:12.71
and say: 'Thus says
the Lord God to Jerusalem:
00:15:13.80\00:15:17.12
your birth and your nativity
are from the land of Canaan;
00:15:18.57\00:15:21.37
your father was an Amorite
00:15:22.62\00:15:24.24
and your mother was a Hittite.
00:15:24.44\00:15:27.10
As for your nativity
on the day you were born,
00:15:27.53\00:15:29.94
your navel cord was not cut
00:15:30.15\00:15:31.64
nor were you washed
in water to cleanse you,
00:15:32.75\00:15:35.27
you were not rubbed with salt
00:15:35.57\00:15:37.98
nor wrapped in
swaddling clothes. ' "
00:15:38.18\00:15:41.14
A common practice
to the ancient folks.
00:15:41.37\00:15:44.22
"No eye fitted you to do
any of these things for you
00:15:44.45\00:15:50.18
to have compassion on you.
00:15:50.21\00:15:52.08
But you were thrown
out into the open field
00:15:52.18\00:15:55.75
when you yourself were loathed
on the day you were born. "
00:15:55.95\00:15:59.03
The setting was grim.
00:15:59.33\00:16:03.38
Babylonian
captivity had just begun
00:16:04.87\00:16:07.69
under the reign
of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:16:07.89\00:16:09.25
The northern kingdom
of Israel was destroyed
00:16:09.75\00:16:12.36
with its 10 tribes
over 100 years before
00:16:12.56\00:16:15.07
at the hand of the Assyrians.
00:16:15.27\00:16:17.23
And because the southern kingdom
of Judah continued in its
00:16:17.54\00:16:20.66
persistent rebellion, mimicking
its northern brother so to speak
00:16:20.86\00:16:25.24
God had finally allowed
them to be overtaken by Babylon.
00:16:25.55\00:16:30.99
They continued down the
path of apostasy until there was
00:16:31.29\00:16:35.49
nothing more the Lord could do.
00:16:35.69\00:16:37.24
The Lord had tried everything
to call His people back to Him,
00:16:37.54\00:16:40.79
but no response.
00:16:41.09\00:16:43.04
And so finally under
the reign of Nebuchadnezzar
00:16:43.35\00:16:45.99
Ezekiel along with many,
many others was carried captive
00:16:46.19\00:16:50.13
to Babylon. And now
they sit by the river Chabar
00:16:50.23\00:16:53.78
contemplating
their circumstances.
00:16:54.08\00:16:57.03
Strong language here, isn't it?
00:16:57.43\00:16:59.54
It's almost repulsive.
00:16:59.95\00:17:02.05
But to the ancient mind
this was common language.
00:17:02.25\00:17:05.17
And it wouldn't have
been as shocking to them
00:17:05.48\00:17:08.40
when they heard it. But
maybe we need to be shocked
00:17:08.60\00:17:11.76
a little bit today. Amen.
00:17:11.96\00:17:14.61
It's not the kind of language
one would think was needed
00:17:14.91\00:17:17.31
for a
discouraged people. Remember,
00:17:17.41\00:17:18.64
they're in Babylonian captivity.
00:17:18.74\00:17:20.08
The complete destruction of
the southern kingdom of Judah
00:17:20.20\00:17:23.09
was about to happen within
a few short years of this.
00:17:23.29\00:17:25.53
But Israel as a nation
had always called themselves
00:17:26.51\00:17:29.81
God's chosen people.
00:17:30.01\00:17:31.37
They prided themselves as
the descendants of Abraham.
00:17:31.67\00:17:34.91
So much so that even before
the northern kingdom of Israel
00:17:36.16\00:17:38.87
was destroyed, while they
were setting up the high places
00:17:39.07\00:17:41.85
of worship after the
pattern of heathen nations,
00:17:41.95\00:17:44.12
polluting the temple of
the Lord, setting up idols,
00:17:44.32\00:17:47.68
bowing down to wood and stone,
00:17:47.88\00:17:49.55
worshiping carved images,
they had should I say the nerve
00:17:49.76\00:17:53.50
to believe that
their worship was accepted.
00:17:53.70\00:17:55.46
As if their lineage sanctified
their every act as the
00:17:57.18\00:18:01.64
descendants of Abraham
00:18:01.74\00:18:03.41
and that God
would turn a blind eye.
00:18:04.83\00:18:07.36
And now they sit in Babylonian
territory with a similar mindset
00:18:09.04\00:18:12.40
and God has to
remind them of something.
00:18:12.60\00:18:14.63
Memory is an interesting thing.
00:18:15.92\00:18:17.85
You see, when the
Lord said to them:
00:18:19.00\00:18:20.40
"Your father was an Amorite
00:18:20.60\00:18:22.81
and your mother was a Hittite"
00:18:23.01\00:18:24.24
it really was a two-fold rebuke.
00:18:24.44\00:18:26.22
Because they didn't
realize that ancestral lineage
00:18:28.31\00:18:31.14
means nothing if one's actions
reflect the ways of the world
00:18:31.24\00:18:36.30
around them. And so God
was putting into perspective
00:18:36.50\00:18:41.19
that even though they
had established the land
00:18:41.39\00:18:43.33
of Palestine, by
example and behavior
00:18:43.53\00:18:48.19
and attitude they were really
children of the heathen people
00:18:48.39\00:18:52.77
before them.
00:18:52.97\00:18:54.14
Father was an Amorite and
your mother was a Hittite.
00:18:54.34\00:18:57.11
It was a rebuke. I mean...
we're children of Abraham.
00:18:57.31\00:19:01.26
How dare you call us
children of the heathen?
00:19:01.66\00:19:05.56
But it was a lesson
God wanted them to learn.
00:19:07.14\00:19:08.85
It was a lesson that God
wanted them to learn in times
00:19:08.95\00:19:11.89
of prosperity.
00:19:12.09\00:19:13.65
And they failed
to learn the lesson.
00:19:13.95\00:19:15.69
They failed to learn
that character assimilation
00:19:15.99\00:19:19.37
is so much more important
than ancestral lineage.
00:19:19.57\00:19:21.91
It was a lesson that they
failed to learn over and over
00:19:22.11\00:19:24.46
and over again.
They forgot to remember
00:19:24.66\00:19:27.34
that origins mean nothing
00:19:27.54\00:19:29.82
if they're acting
like those around them.
00:19:30.22\00:19:33.11
And they'd also forgotten the
nothingness from which God had
00:19:33.41\00:19:37.05
rescued them. And so contained
within this realistic allegory
00:19:37.23\00:19:42.65
we find three
fundamental questions.
00:19:42.85\00:19:46.16
Not questions but it's implied.
00:19:46.46\00:19:48.58
We're talking about origins.
00:19:48.88\00:19:51.20
The first question is this:
00:19:51.50\00:19:54.30
where were they
when the Lord found them?
00:19:54.50\00:19:56.92
The second question
is: what were they doing
00:19:58.53\00:20:01.68
when the Lord found them?
00:20:01.98\00:20:03.02
And the third
question is: who were they
00:20:03.62\00:20:06.28
when the Lord found them?
00:20:06.68\00:20:08.76
These three questions
had great significance
00:20:11.06\00:20:13.51
for the children of
Israel for in their long history
00:20:13.71\00:20:16.06
since the deliverance
from Egyptian bondage
00:20:16.26\00:20:18.84
to the very seat they
were taking now in Babylonian
00:20:19.04\00:20:23.41
captivity we find them over
and over and over and over again
00:20:23.51\00:20:27.64
forgetting the where,
the what, and the who.
00:20:27.84\00:20:31.82
The where is depicted
by this child in misery
00:20:33.41\00:20:37.13
in the open field. You
see, Israel was no great nation.
00:20:37.33\00:20:40.94
God did not call them
because they were great,
00:20:41.34\00:20:45.26
because they were
smart... or intelligent.
00:20:45.56\00:20:48.35
God did not call them because
they were strong or wise.
00:20:49.72\00:20:53.16
God called them out of Egypt.
00:20:53.56\00:20:56.25
They were slaves.
00:20:56.55\00:20:58.51
And the circumstances are
quite clear when we go back to
00:20:59.01\00:21:02.37
Exodus chapter 1 and we
read verses 8 through 14.
00:21:02.57\00:21:08.18
Says: "Now their
arose a new king of Egypt
00:21:11.61\00:21:14.03
who did not know
Joseph. " We all know the story.
00:21:14.33\00:21:16.10
"And he said to his people:
'look, the children of Israel
00:21:16.40\00:21:21.07
are more and mightier than we.
00:21:21.27\00:21:22.76
Come let us deal
shrewdly with them
00:21:23.06\00:21:25.72
lest they multiply and it
happen in the event of war
00:21:26.02\00:21:28.90
that they also join our
enemies and fight against us
00:21:29.10\00:21:31.67
and so go up
out of the land. ' "
00:21:31.87\00:21:34.80
Therefore, they set
taskmasters over them
00:21:35.10\00:21:38.03
to afflict them
with their burdens.
00:21:39.68\00:21:41.94
And they built for
Pharaoh supply cities... "
00:21:42.95\00:21:44.91
Not out of wood and nails.
00:21:45.01\00:21:46.51
Ever see the rocks that the
city of Egypt was built with?
00:21:46.72\00:21:51.24
Those pyramids?
00:21:51.44\00:21:52.89
I wouldn't want to have
to put those things together.
00:21:53.19\00:21:55.59
"So they built for
Pharaoh supply cities
00:21:58.22\00:22:00.56
Pithom and Rameses.
00:22:00.76\00:22:02.18
But the more they afflicted
them the more they multiplied
00:22:02.38\00:22:04.85
and grew, and they were in
dread of the children of Israel.
00:22:05.05\00:22:08.06
So the Egyptians made the
children of Israel serve with
00:22:08.36\00:22:11.31
rigor and they made their
lives bitter with hard bondage.
00:22:11.51\00:22:15.62
And mortar and brick and in all
manner of service in the field,
00:22:15.92\00:22:20.20
all their service in
which they made them serve
00:22:20.40\00:22:22.87
was rigor. "
00:22:23.07\00:22:24.40
Time and time again, they forgot
00:22:24.70\00:22:28.73
where they were
when the Lord found them.
00:22:28.93\00:22:31.54
This child was thrown
out into the open field
00:22:33.53\00:22:36.07
and its misery is clear.
00:22:39.04\00:22:40.91
The navel cord was not
cut. Something pretty important
00:22:41.21\00:22:45.02
for independent life.
00:22:45.22\00:22:47.08
It wasn't washed.
It wasn't cleaned.
00:22:48.88\00:22:52.35
It wasn't pampered
with swaddling clothes.
00:22:52.55\00:22:56.34
No, Israel was in a desperate
situation when the Lord
00:22:56.64\00:23:01.34
found them. They were in need.
00:23:01.54\00:23:04.91
They were
anything but independent.
00:23:05.21\00:23:06.70
Life was hard and cruel.
00:23:08.61\00:23:10.06
Life was a series
of whips and lashes.
00:23:10.26\00:23:12.68
A series of directions
and kickings and bruises.
00:23:12.98\00:23:16.54
There was no relief... no
light at the end of the tunnel.
00:23:19.59\00:23:22.08
It was joyless from infancy
to adulthood: life in Egypt.
00:23:22.48\00:23:27.29
And though they were in
the midst of the most powerful
00:23:27.79\00:23:29.94
growing nation on earth
00:23:30.14\00:23:31.76
their lives really more
reflected the vast, arid deserts
00:23:32.06\00:23:35.94
around them.
00:23:36.34\00:23:38.60
And it's amazing that
they forgot all of that.
00:23:43.61\00:23:47.22
I wonder... where were
we when the Lord found us?
00:23:47.52\00:23:52.08
It's amazing how we can forget
probably the most fundamental
00:23:52.49\00:23:57.47
question to be answered
in our Christian experience.
00:23:57.67\00:24:00.41
Where were we
when the Lord found us?
00:24:00.81\00:24:03.84
The what is depicted by the
child gasping and struggling
00:24:05.74\00:24:09.72
for air and
wrestling in its own blood.
00:24:09.93\00:24:11.81
The King James says "flailing"
00:24:11.91\00:24:13.72
I believe... wallowing.
00:24:13.92\00:24:16.24
Israel was well nigh devoid
of hope during Egyptian slavery.
00:24:16.74\00:24:21.24
The promise given to
Abraham was all but forgotten...
00:24:21.54\00:24:24.03
except by the Lord
00:24:24.13\00:24:25.22
and Israel was gasping for air.
00:24:26.77\00:24:28.21
They were multiplying in numbers
00:24:28.41\00:24:29.41
but their misery was
proportionate to their growth
00:24:29.51\00:24:31.38
because of the
decree that Pharaoh had made
00:24:31.68\00:24:35.98
to the Minister of
Population Control.
00:24:36.18\00:24:38.45
Exodus chapter 2 verse 23 says:
00:24:40.21\00:24:42.19
"Now it happened in
the process of time that
00:24:42.29\00:24:43.82
the king of Egypt died.
00:24:44.02\00:24:45.69
That all the children of Israel
groaned because of the bondage
00:24:45.89\00:24:48.90
and they cried out. And their
cry came up to the Lord God
00:24:49.00\00:24:51.83
because of the bondage. "
00:24:52.03\00:24:53.40
What were they
doing? They were groaning.
00:24:53.81\00:24:57.12
What were you doing
when the Lord found you?
00:24:57.42\00:25:00.16
Did you have it all together?
00:25:00.46\00:25:02.23
And who were they?
The who is indicated
00:25:03.40\00:25:07.94
in verse 5 of
Ezekiel chapter 16.
00:25:08.24\00:25:11.63
It says: "No eye pitied
you to do any of these things
00:25:12.03\00:25:16.56
for you" - this poor baby
lying in this field helpless -
00:25:16.76\00:25:19.09
"to have compassion on you.
00:25:19.29\00:25:21.79
But you were thrown
out into the open field
00:25:21.99\00:25:23.73
when you yourself were loathed
on the day you were born. "
00:25:23.93\00:25:25.85
It's very important
to remember who we were
00:25:26.15\00:25:28.63
before the Lord found
us... when the Lord found us.
00:25:28.93\00:25:32.09
It's hard to imagine that
no eye would pity a struggling
00:25:33.45\00:25:37.20
infant in an open field,
00:25:37.40\00:25:39.75
exposed to the heat of the sun,
00:25:39.95\00:25:41.68
wrestling in its own blood.
00:25:41.88\00:25:45.17
It's hard to imagine that no one
would have compassion on it...
00:25:46.83\00:25:49.72
on a little infant as that.
00:25:49.86\00:25:51.68
And even today in
our modern society
00:25:51.88\00:25:53.84
from what I understand
even in the prison systems
00:25:54.04\00:25:56.93
one of things you do not
want to end up in prison for
00:25:57.13\00:25:59.28
is child abuse. Because even
the most hardened of criminals
00:25:59.39\00:26:02.80
for some reason
that's a sore spot with them.
00:26:03.00\00:26:04.67
It's hard to imagine that no one
would take pity on this child.
00:26:04.97\00:26:08.98
The Egyptians didn't care
about them as long as they met
00:26:12.08\00:26:15.15
the daily quota of brick laying.
00:26:15.25\00:26:17.02
Nobody else cared.
00:26:17.32\00:26:18.48
Boy, origins are so
important, aren't they?
00:26:19.32\00:26:21.48
And it's when we
forget our beginnings
00:26:22.84\00:26:25.95
that everything else suffers.
00:26:26.05\00:26:28.00
And it's also interesting
to note that when God
00:26:29.92\00:26:32.87
finally brought
them out of Egypt
00:26:32.97\00:26:34.44
and brought them to Mt.
Sinai and gave them His law
00:26:34.64\00:26:38.34
it's interesting that
even the Decalogue itself
00:26:38.47\00:26:40.54
that we exalt so high
because we recognize it as
00:26:40.74\00:26:44.08
the transcript
of God's character
00:26:44.28\00:26:45.85
that the preamble,
the historical prologue
00:26:46.05\00:26:47.78
begins with these
words: "I am the Lord your God
00:26:47.98\00:26:50.36
which brought you out of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage. "
00:26:50.57\00:26:54.57
It's so important... origins...
because it sets the stage
00:26:54.87\00:26:58.47
for everything
else that follows.
00:26:58.67\00:27:00.49
It's the
springboard for every action,
00:27:00.79\00:27:03.99
every word, every
look, every choice we make.
00:27:04.19\00:27:08.95
Where were we
when the Lord found us?
00:27:09.25\00:27:11.73
Who were we? What were we doing?
00:27:12.03\00:27:14.45
Pretty powerful
scene... this scene here.
00:27:17.47\00:27:21.45
But it was a fitting
representation of the history
00:27:21.85\00:27:26.55
of Israel.
00:27:26.65\00:27:28.20
But then it shifts from this
00:27:30.30\00:27:32.24
helpless child to probably
00:27:32.34\00:27:34.59
the most glorious passage I find
00:27:34.79\00:27:36.24
in scripture. I just...
00:27:36.35\00:27:37.43
something here just
really connected with me.
00:27:37.63\00:27:40.55
Verse 6 says,
speaking of the Lord Himself:
00:27:42.12\00:27:45.33
"And when I passed by
you I saw you struggling
00:27:45.55\00:27:48.72
in your own blood. And I
said to you in your blood:
00:27:48.92\00:27:52.36
'Live! ' Yes, I said to
you in your blood: Live! ' "
00:27:52.56\00:27:56.13
You know, God never
gets tired of searching.
00:27:57.37\00:27:59.29
He's depicted here as a traveler
00:27:59.49\00:28:01.05
who just so happens to show
up at the most critical moment
00:28:01.35\00:28:04.47
in this infant's life.
00:28:04.67\00:28:05.89
Isn't that just
like our Lord? Amen.
00:28:06.19\00:28:09.18
You know, He may never be early
00:28:09.32\00:28:11.30
but He's definitely never late.
00:28:11.50\00:28:12.89
Never late.
00:28:13.19\00:28:14.95
Never stops roaming;
never stops searching
00:28:15.25\00:28:19.14
for lost and dying souls.
00:28:19.45\00:28:21.86
Never stops caring
for those who are hurting.
00:28:22.16\00:28:24.07
God is ever on the
move tracking us down.
00:28:24.37\00:28:27.88
We use the term "when I
found the Lord, " but really
00:28:28.12\00:28:30.48
it's when God found us.
00:28:30.58\00:28:31.68
And some say: "Well God
always knew where you were! "
00:28:31.78\00:28:33.47
But we never seek after
God. That's what the Bible says.
00:28:34.90\00:28:37.67
"There is no one
righteous... no not one. "
00:28:37.77\00:28:39.75
None that seeketh after God.
00:28:40.05\00:28:42.45
If it hadn't been for the Lord
initiating the relationship,
00:28:43.58\00:28:45.96
we wouldn't even be here...
we wouldn't even be having
00:28:46.06\00:28:47.55
Camp Meeting.
00:28:47.65\00:28:48.95
And that is what Israel failed
to remember... their origins.
00:28:49.45\00:28:53.83
That God had
initiated the relationship.
00:28:54.61\00:28:57.42
God had been...
honored the covenants.
00:28:57.72\00:29:00.14
God was the One who had blessed
them with so many things.
00:29:00.44\00:29:04.16
It was a gift!
00:29:04.29\00:29:05.78
God was not obligated
to do any of these things.
00:29:06.08\00:29:08.53
He established the
covenant with Abraham,
00:29:09.03\00:29:11.57
but He even initiated that.
00:29:11.77\00:29:13.03
Men may not notice
what you're going through.
00:29:16.66\00:29:19.47
Women may not notice
what you're going through.
00:29:19.77\00:29:21.45
But God's eye is
on the sparrow. Amen!
00:29:23.10\00:29:25.69
He numbers the
hairs of our head.
00:29:25.82\00:29:27.96
He has loved us
with an everlasting love.
00:29:28.47\00:29:31.09
Yes, God cares! Even
when men and women do not.
00:29:31.20\00:29:34.93
But the problem is that
when we - His people - live
00:29:35.23\00:29:40.33
out of a disappreciation,
an unappreciation for all
00:29:40.53\00:29:44.32
that He has done for us
00:29:44.42\00:29:46.10
the issue is that
we misrepresent Him.
00:29:47.42\00:29:49.97
And that really was
the issue with Israel
00:29:51.45\00:29:53.48
time and time and
time again, you know.
00:29:53.68\00:29:56.05
It wasn't... it DID
have to do with the fact
00:29:56.36\00:29:59.40
that they had become like
the heathen nations around them
00:29:59.60\00:30:01.84
so many times. And
God had to send judgments
00:30:02.04\00:30:03.71
and bring them back. And
the cycle repeated itself
00:30:03.91\00:30:06.93
over and over and over again.
00:30:07.13\00:30:08.24
That was bad in and of itself.
00:30:08.44\00:30:09.70
But what really made
it worse was the fact that
00:30:09.90\00:30:12.26
they called themselves
"God's chosen people. "
00:30:12.46\00:30:15.41
And this was no
secret title like the Masons.
00:30:16.80\00:30:21.50
This was no secret thing.
00:30:21.80\00:30:23.32
All the surrounding nations
knew that they took that name
00:30:23.62\00:30:26.06
on themselves:
"God's chosen people,
00:30:26.16\00:30:27.63
descendants of Abraham. "
00:30:27.83\00:30:29.23
Well, what kind of an
example were they giving
00:30:29.43\00:30:31.57
when they were
bowing down to images?
00:30:32.90\00:30:34.58
Throwing their children
in the fire as we find out...
00:30:34.78\00:30:37.44
that they let themselves
be debased to such a level.
00:30:38.75\00:30:42.41
What do these three
questions mean for us today?
00:30:42.81\00:30:45.76
Why are they so important?
00:30:46.06\00:30:47.81
Why is it so
important to remember origins?
00:30:48.11\00:30:50.82
Well, it really is everything.
00:30:51.89\00:30:53.97
You see, because how we
view what God has done for us
00:30:54.27\00:30:59.31
affects every
single aspect of our being.
00:30:59.51\00:31:02.29
It affects everything...
00:31:02.59\00:31:03.95
including our
relationship to one another.
00:31:04.25\00:31:06.98
In Luke chapter 7... turn
there with me if you would.
00:31:08.41\00:31:11.00
In Luke chapter 7
we find Mary Magdalene
00:31:14.04\00:31:17.36
anointing the feet of Jesus.
00:31:17.56\00:31:20.21
And after she anoints His feet
00:31:23.72\00:31:25.62
Simon the Pharisee
00:31:25.93\00:31:28.61
mutters under his breath:
00:31:28.92\00:31:31.74
"If the Lord only knew
what kind of woman this was. "
00:31:31.94\00:31:34.04
And of course
the Lord heard that.
00:31:34.44\00:31:37.04
You can whisper, but
the Lord still hears.
00:31:37.34\00:31:39.47
You know, you don't have to
say anything and the Lord hears
00:31:40.50\00:31:42.32
because He reads our hearts.
00:31:42.43\00:31:43.47
And even if Simon had
said nothing, the Lord still
00:31:43.77\00:31:46.00
would have read what...
the spoken words of his heart.
00:31:46.10\00:31:49.65
"If He really knew
what kind of woman this was,
00:31:49.85\00:31:53.28
He would have
nothing to do with her. "
00:31:53.48\00:31:55.56
But then Jesus responds
to Simon with this parable.
00:31:55.86\00:32:00.48
Says: "Jesus answered and said
to him, 'Simon, I have something
00:32:00.78\00:32:03.32
to say to you. '
'Teacher, say it! '
00:32:03.43\00:32:06.92
Simon replied. 'There was
a certain creditor who had
00:32:07.02\00:32:10.54
two debtors: one owed
500 denarii and the other 50.
00:32:10.74\00:32:15.26
And when they had
nothing with which to repay
00:32:15.57\00:32:18.08
he freely forgave them both.
00:32:18.28\00:32:19.79
Tell me, therefore, which
of them will love him more? '
00:32:19.99\00:32:25.73
Simon answered and said:
00:32:26.03\00:32:28.41
'I suppose the one
whom he forgave more. '
00:32:28.61\00:32:30.50
And He said to him:
'You have judged rightly. '
00:32:30.70\00:32:34.43
The degree to which we
appreciate all that God has done
00:32:39.19\00:32:43.94
for us is the degree to
which we love one another.
00:32:44.14\00:32:48.63
And that's why God had
to... needs to remind us
00:32:49.59\00:32:54.03
from time to time.
00:32:54.24\00:32:55.32
The degree to which I appreciate
what God has done to me...
00:33:00.99\00:33:04.34
for me... is the same degree,
it's directly proportionate,
00:33:04.54\00:33:08.69
to the level of love that
I have for those around me.
00:33:08.89\00:33:12.16
How lost I comprehend
myself to have been before God's
00:33:12.46\00:33:15.64
intervention in my life
determines how I treat those
00:33:15.84\00:33:18.85
who have not let the
Lord intervene in their lives.
00:33:19.05\00:33:21.43
Perspective is so important.
00:33:23.23\00:33:25.95
And it's important because
it's always about relationships.
00:33:27.12\00:33:30.93
God is a God of relationships,
00:33:31.23\00:33:33.34
and that's what frustrated
Him with Israel so much.
00:33:33.64\00:33:37.05
We find in Isaiah: "Is this the
fast that I have called for? "
00:33:38.83\00:33:41.69
Wanted them to
feed, to visit the widow.
00:33:42.92\00:33:45.10
Feed the fatherless, to
take them in. I'm paraphrasing.
00:33:45.30\00:33:47.75
That's what frustrated
Him so much is that His people
00:33:48.05\00:33:50.64
who were called by His name,
00:33:50.74\00:33:52.03
who were supposed to
represent Him in character
00:33:52.43\00:33:55.82
to the heathen
nations around them,
00:33:56.02\00:33:58.88
were no better. In fact,
they were so often worse.
00:33:59.08\00:34:02.18
That's why it's
important... because
00:34:04.01\00:34:07.43
how we perceive what
God has saved us from
00:34:07.64\00:34:10.27
will completely determine
the way that we relate to others
00:34:10.47\00:34:14.31
and interrelate with others.
00:34:14.41\00:34:15.52
So when we talk
behind each other's backs,
00:34:17.75\00:34:20.00
and we do that sometimes,
00:34:21.86\00:34:24.18
when we discourage
instead of encourage,
00:34:25.58\00:34:27.77
when we segregate and separate
instead of drawing together,
00:34:27.97\00:34:31.30
we cast a shadow
on God's character.
00:34:31.40\00:34:33.38
And that is why Israel
found themselves in captivity.
00:34:36.11\00:34:38.47
You see, it was
always about God's character.
00:34:40.96\00:34:44.14
God's plan for Israel
in the beginning was to
00:34:44.44\00:34:47.30
make them a thriving nation,
00:34:47.50\00:34:49.40
an example to all
the other nations,
00:34:49.70\00:34:52.20
a nation that the
others would look at and say:
00:34:52.41\00:34:54.02
"Why are they so blessed? "
00:34:54.12\00:34:55.27
"Why are they so blessed? "
00:34:55.87\00:34:57.77
"Who is this God
that they serve? "
00:34:57.97\00:34:59.33
"Why do they call
themselves a peculiar people? "
00:34:59.53\00:35:01.62
That was God's
original plan for them.
00:35:03.11\00:35:05.18
Gratitude. Are
you grateful today
00:35:06.55\00:35:10.95
for what the Lord
has done in your life?
00:35:11.26\00:35:12.87
I believe you are. I know I am.
00:35:13.18\00:35:16.14
And by the way,
I'm preaching to myself
00:35:16.38\00:35:17.97
because I'm not perfect.
00:35:18.07\00:35:19.16
I don't stand up here
as a perfect person...
00:35:20.37\00:35:22.01
well, that's kind of a given...
but I'm far from perfect,
00:35:22.11\00:35:24.44
put it that way.
00:35:24.64\00:35:25.80
If we really believe
that we've been saved by grace
00:35:28.00\00:35:30.51
through faith and
that not of ourselves,
00:35:30.71\00:35:32.07
if we really believe
that it's a gift of God
00:35:32.27\00:35:34.11
and cannot be contributed to,
00:35:34.31\00:35:37.08
then why do we not treat others
00:35:37.28\00:35:39.53
as if they're
deserving of the same gifts?
00:35:41.02\00:35:43.27
I mean, if it never originated
with us, then why would
00:35:43.58\00:35:45.83
we treat someone
else as less than us?
00:35:46.03\00:35:48.65
It's about
attitude and gratitude.
00:35:50.01\00:35:52.40
There are some
husbands who once knew the Lord
00:35:55.64\00:35:58.84
and for various
reasons have drifted
00:35:59.04\00:36:02.18
and now they're treating
their wives as subservient
00:36:02.48\00:36:05.85
and inferior...
as less than nothing.
00:36:06.06\00:36:10.23
It's amazing. I get calls like
that all the time in Pastoral.
00:36:12.50\00:36:14.98
There's wives who
once loved the Lord
00:36:16.02\00:36:18.31
and for various reasons they've
allowed themselves to drift
00:36:18.51\00:36:21.26
and now they don't want anything
to do with spiritual things.
00:36:21.46\00:36:24.05
They don't care about
the things of the Lord.
00:36:24.15\00:36:27.51
There's children that are
disrespecting their parents
00:36:30.04\00:36:33.42
left and right.
Children old enough to know
00:36:33.62\00:36:35.37
what God has done for them.
00:36:35.57\00:36:37.36
A sign of the times, really.
00:36:37.76\00:36:40.14
And then when we look at society
00:36:42.10\00:36:44.50
we just see the results of sin.
00:36:44.80\00:36:47.99
We see a world out there
that could really care less
00:36:49.94\00:36:52.53
about one another.
00:36:52.63\00:36:54.21
We hear of these organizations,
humanitarian organizations,
00:36:54.51\00:36:57.99
you know...
humanity. On what basis?
00:36:58.19\00:37:00.76
It's always about
what God has done for us.
00:37:01.06\00:37:04.64
You know... You do know that
what gives something its value
00:37:04.94\00:37:09.27
is the fact that
God loves that thing?
00:37:09.57\00:37:13.23
The object upon
which God places His love
00:37:14.40\00:37:17.04
is what gives
it its value. Amen.
00:37:17.14\00:37:19.75
Because without God's
love we have no value.
00:37:19.99\00:37:22.56
Not in and of ourselves.
00:37:22.86\00:37:25.15
So what does
attitude and gratitude?
00:37:27.30\00:37:29.38
Why are these three fundamental
questions so important?
00:37:29.48\00:37:32.06
Because it should change the
way we relate to one another.
00:37:32.36\00:37:35.56
In the home, in our
neighborhoods, on the job.
00:37:35.86\00:37:39.51
At the bus station
and in the marketplace...
00:37:40.01\00:37:44.11
and Black Friday.
00:37:44.41\00:37:46.69
When everybody is
shoving for the door.
00:37:46.99\00:37:48.34
The Lord just threw that
in my head. I don't know why.
00:37:48.64\00:37:50.45
But it's
relevant because of this:
00:37:53.19\00:37:55.23
I was in a dark place
when the Lord found me.
00:37:55.43\00:37:58.31
Therefore when I encounter
others who are in a dark place
00:37:58.61\00:38:01.46
I'll remember what
the Lord did for me
00:38:01.56\00:38:03.64
and I treat them the same.
00:38:03.94\00:38:06.39
I was a mess when
the Lord found me!
00:38:06.69\00:38:09.11
And therefore when I
see others who are a mess
00:38:09.51\00:38:12.63
I don't recoil and turn
the other way or walk to the
00:38:12.83\00:38:16.44
other side of the street.
00:38:16.54\00:38:17.70
But I have
compassion and I have sympathy
00:38:18.10\00:38:21.14
because I was a mess
when the Lord found me.
00:38:21.24\00:38:23.01
Amen! Origins are so important.
00:38:23.21\00:38:25.24
Redemptive origins
are of utmost importance.
00:38:25.45\00:38:27.60
I wasn't the brightest
bulb when the Lord found me.
00:38:27.91\00:38:30.41
And I wasn't.
00:38:30.61\00:38:32.67
I was a high school dropout.
00:38:32.87\00:38:34.03
I got kicked out of
three different high schools
00:38:34.33\00:38:36.19
and then finally I
was... It was just a mess.
00:38:36.49\00:38:38.62
I dropped out of high school
00:38:38.92\00:38:40.67
and I was a mess
when the Lord found me.
00:38:41.07\00:38:42.97
I didn't really look
like a mess on the outside,
00:38:43.27\00:38:45.24
but inside I was
just... I was a mess.
00:38:45.44\00:38:47.26
And I wasn't the
brightest bulb on the tree.
00:38:47.56\00:38:50.39
But when I encounter others
who may not be as eloquent
00:38:52.59\00:38:54.78
or articulate as myself
00:38:54.98\00:38:56.45
I encourage them
and point them to Jesus.
00:38:57.62\00:38:59.57
Amen. Because He is the
light of the world. Amen.
00:38:59.87\00:39:02.35
I was definitely not the
brightest bulb on the tree.
00:39:03.08\00:39:05.38
And I remember that I
Corinthians 1:26-28...
00:39:05.68\00:39:09.40
somewhere in there...
00:39:09.60\00:39:11.72
that "God chooses the
foolish things of the world
00:39:11.93\00:39:15.00
to put to shame the
things that are mighty. "
00:39:15.20\00:39:18.41
I remember these things,
and that's why I treat people
00:39:19.69\00:39:21.96
different. Amen!
That's why I have compassion.
00:39:22.06\00:39:24.78
Amen! Not
inherent in and of myself.
00:39:25.08\00:39:27.34
I'm selfish by nature. We
all are selfish by nature.
00:39:27.64\00:39:30.20
And there are hurting
people left and right.
00:39:31.36\00:39:34.48
We rub against them every day.
00:39:34.68\00:39:35.99
We bump shoulders
with them every day.
00:39:36.20\00:39:37.42
It's about attitude
and it's about gratitude.
00:39:38.65\00:39:41.15
Amen. And when we forget
00:39:41.45\00:39:44.17
what God has done for us
whether it be by neglect,
00:39:44.38\00:39:48.62
by choice, by cherished sin,
00:39:48.82\00:39:52.81
the relationship with the
Lord is not the only thing
00:39:54.13\00:39:55.90
that's affected but it's our
relationship with one another.
00:39:56.00\00:39:58.38
So what does your
Christianity consist of today?
00:40:00.40\00:40:02.83
is the question you
need to ask. Vege-pattie?
00:40:03.89\00:40:06.69
Vege-loaf? Vegan?
00:40:06.89\00:40:09.66
Fri-chick? Morningstar?
Skirts to the ankles?
00:40:09.96\00:40:12.55
Not a splash of makeup?
00:40:12.75\00:40:14.20
Humble car? Don't
drink; don't smoke?
00:40:14.40\00:40:15.87
Meaningless if in attitude
00:40:16.37\00:40:21.58
and behavior we are a reflection
of the world around us.
00:40:21.88\00:40:24.53
Now, all these things
are important. They are!
00:40:26.76\00:40:28.88
But they're meaningless.
00:40:30.07\00:40:31.74
Descendants of
Abraham: what does that mean?
00:40:32.79\00:40:35.39
We are spiritual
Israel. What does that mean?
00:40:36.61\00:40:38.97
We are the remnant.
What does that mean?
00:40:39.27\00:40:41.85
I don't think any of us
have been dancing around the
00:40:44.47\00:40:46.44
golden calf lately.
00:40:46.55\00:40:48.86
I don't think any of us
have bowed down to wooden images
00:40:49.06\00:40:50.79
lately or set up
idols on a high mountain.
00:40:50.89\00:40:52.70
Most of us don't
swear and we don't' drink.
00:40:52.90\00:40:54.54
And we don't cheat; we
don't party all night long.
00:40:54.74\00:40:56.75
But could we in our
own way be more trusting
00:40:56.95\00:40:59.04
of our heritage
and church membership
00:40:59.24\00:41:02.09
than of the Lord who
is the head of the church?
00:41:03.33\00:41:06.48
Because many of us have
it subconsciously that if we
00:41:08.35\00:41:10.49
show up every Sabbath
morning and sit in a pew
00:41:10.59\00:41:12.59
and hear the sermon and
even get moved by the sermon
00:41:12.79\00:41:15.07
and then stay after for potluck
00:41:15.37\00:41:17.62
and fellowship with the saints
00:41:18.73\00:41:21.32
all the while we pass
by lost and dying souls
00:41:22.91\00:41:25.96
what does it mean?
What does the remnant mean?
00:41:26.16\00:41:29.02
The remnant of what?
00:41:29.32\00:41:31.62
When you go back in
Israel's history, the remnant
00:41:35.36\00:41:37.50
were the few that
remained faithful to the Lord.
00:41:37.70\00:41:41.85
Amen! And if we are
the remnant church of God,
00:41:42.15\00:41:44.72
then we should be examples
of faithfulness to the Lord.
00:41:44.92\00:41:47.90
And yes, I have
fallen. Yes, I make mistakes.
00:41:48.20\00:41:50.41
We've all fallen
short of the glory of God.
00:41:50.71\00:41:53.06
But sometimes we need
to remember our origins.
00:41:54.39\00:41:58.23
It's a sad thing when
we become comfortable.
00:42:00.97\00:42:03.76
It's a very sad thing. And
that's the danger with time.
00:42:05.02\00:42:08.10
It's always a danger with time
that we forget these things.
00:42:08.40\00:42:11.43
You know, I was baptized
when I was 21 years old.
00:42:11.83\00:42:14.25
I don't want to keep
talking about myself.
00:42:14.35\00:42:15.40
It's not because... I'm just
the best example I can think of.
00:42:15.50\00:42:19.18
Because I know me, you know.
00:42:19.48\00:42:21.64
I was baptized
when I was 21 years old.
00:42:21.94\00:42:24.00
And I'm not going
to lie... I'm 39 now.
00:42:24.30\00:42:25.90
It's almost 20 years ago.
00:42:26.11\00:42:27.56
Twenty years is
a long time, see?
00:42:27.86\00:42:31.50
A lot of you have a
lot more years on me
00:42:31.83\00:42:34.52
and I... I respect that.
00:42:34.82\00:42:37.13
There's nothing more precious
than someone who's advanced
00:42:37.33\00:42:40.45
in years. I've
always loved elderly people
00:42:40.65\00:42:43.73
because it seems like
they've got the richest stories.
00:42:43.93\00:42:45.94
Amen. You know, a
rich heritage of memory.
00:42:46.14\00:42:49.80
And that's just
a precious thing.
00:42:50.20\00:42:52.30
One of our dear church members,
Helen, is our babysitter now
00:42:52.50\00:42:57.06
and she's... you know,
she's advanced in years
00:42:57.36\00:43:00.98
and boy, is she a spark.
00:43:01.08\00:43:02.47
I... I came home the other
day. Our schedules are so crazy.
00:43:02.77\00:43:06.53
I came home the other day...
Rather, I was already home.
00:43:06.73\00:43:09.23
She takes over
babysitting around noon.
00:43:09.43\00:43:11.57
And the night before the
garbage cans were set out.
00:43:11.77\00:43:14.28
Not the little ones, you know...
these giant things that they
00:43:14.48\00:43:15.92
give you now. What is it?
80? 150-gallon garbage cans,
00:43:16.02\00:43:19.61
I don't know. And
so she likes to walk.
00:43:19.71\00:43:22.07
I mean, we always see her
walking back and forth in town.
00:43:22.27\00:43:24.59
Helen. Boy, she's a
fitting example of health.
00:43:24.89\00:43:29.59
Um, and I looked out the window
00:43:29.69\00:43:31.50
and Asher, you know,
my little boy, he says:
00:43:31.70\00:43:34.38
"Oh, Helen's here. "
00:43:34.48\00:43:35.64
And so I look out the
window and there she is
00:43:35.78\00:43:36.95
pulling in my garbage cans.
00:43:37.15\00:43:38.63
Precious lady.
00:43:40.58\00:43:42.09
And that's why we appreciate
having our kids around
00:43:42.39\00:43:45.21
someone who's elderly
because she has a rich
00:43:45.41\00:43:47.61
experience to draw from.
00:43:47.71\00:43:48.85
But the danger with time is
that we forget these things.
00:43:50.15\00:43:52.83
We forget where we
were when the Lord found us.
00:43:52.93\00:43:56.63
Continuing in the
16th chapter of Ezekiel.
00:44:00.53\00:44:02.64
And we won't have time,
because this is a big chapter...
00:44:05.43\00:44:07.76
we won't have time to
deal with all of it today.
00:44:07.96\00:44:10.15
But the Lord
continues to speak saying:
00:44:10.45\00:44:15.19
"I made you thrive
like a plant in the field.
00:44:15.39\00:44:18.97
And you grew and matured
and became very beautiful.
00:44:19.27\00:44:22.62
Your breasts were
formed; your hair grew;
00:44:22.93\00:44:25.33
but you were naked and bare.
00:44:25.53\00:44:27.03
When I passed by you
again and looked upon you
00:44:27.53\00:44:30.22
indeed your time
was the time of love. "
00:44:30.42\00:44:32.70
And the allegory at this point:
00:44:34.34\00:44:35.89
Israel had already
grown into a nation.
00:44:36.09\00:44:38.50
Um, and it was their
time of love. It was when God
00:44:38.80\00:44:43.45
really had established
them under the Davidic kingdom
00:44:43.65\00:44:45.78
and Solomonic kingdom
where God really wanted
00:44:45.99\00:44:48.40
them to flourish
and fit the ideal.
00:44:48.50\00:44:50.54
Everything He
wanted to give them,
00:44:50.64\00:44:51.98
everything that He wanted them
to reflect in His own character.
00:44:52.18\00:44:54.99
"Your time was a time of love.
00:44:56.45\00:44:57.77
I washed you in water. I
thoroughly washed off your blood
00:44:57.97\00:45:00.49
and I anointed you with oil.
00:45:00.70\00:45:01.91
I clothed you in embroidered
cloth and gave you sandals
00:45:02.11\00:45:04.25
of badger skin. I
clothed you with fine linen. "
00:45:04.45\00:45:06.37
A lot of this language
is confusing for us today.
00:45:06.57\00:45:08.53
But back in those times,
I mean, that was the deal!
00:45:08.73\00:45:10.82
Badger skin? Badger skin!
00:45:11.12\00:45:14.37
We don't wear badger
skin today but back then
00:45:14.67\00:45:16.61
that might have been like
Lord and Taylor, I don't know.
00:45:16.81\00:45:19.11
"I adorned you with ornaments
and put bracelets on your wrists
00:45:20.46\00:45:22.93
and a chain on your neck
and I put a jewel in your nose,
00:45:23.13\00:45:25.21
earrings in your ears, and a
beautiful crown on your head.
00:45:25.41\00:45:27.37
Thus you were
adorned with gold and silver
00:45:27.67\00:45:29.87
and your clothing was of fine
linen, silk, and embroidered
00:45:30.07\00:45:32.15
cloth. You ate pastries of
fine flour, honey, and oil.
00:45:32.25\00:45:35.28
You were exceedingly beautiful
00:45:35.38\00:45:37.28
and succeeded to royalty. "
00:45:37.48\00:45:39.92
And this is the key
verse and always the clincher:
00:45:40.22\00:45:44.04
"Your fame went
out among the nations
00:45:44.44\00:45:47.02
because of your
beauty for it was perfect
00:45:47.22\00:45:50.45
through My splendor
00:45:50.66\00:45:53.38
which I had bestowed on
you says the Lord God. "
00:45:53.68\00:45:56.53
How was Israel's beauty perfect?
00:45:57.59\00:45:59.68
By His splendor.
00:46:00.18\00:46:02.69
How are our stains
today covered and washed?
00:46:03.09\00:46:06.48
By His righteousness.
00:46:06.68\00:46:09.05
And when we start to
take the blessings of God
00:46:10.33\00:46:12.90
and hoard them up for ourselves
00:46:13.10\00:46:14.36
if you happen to be so blessed,
00:46:14.56\00:46:16.08
something
usually starts to change.
00:46:18.37\00:46:20.81
And verse 15
tells the tale of that:
00:46:22.15\00:46:23.80
"But you trusted in your own
beauty and played the harlot. "
00:46:24.00\00:46:26.44
And it goes on to say how
Israel took the blessings of God
00:46:26.74\00:46:30.89
and started to act as
if they were inherently...
00:46:30.99\00:46:33.38
they possessed them
inherently in and of themselves.
00:46:33.58\00:46:35.19
Origins are so important.
00:46:37.71\00:46:39.97
Because what they failed to
remember was that everything
00:46:40.27\00:46:42.52
they had during their hey-day,
during the glorious years,
00:46:42.62\00:46:45.83
the golden years... they forgot
that everything they had was
00:46:46.03\00:46:49.02
because God had
given it to them.
00:46:49.22\00:46:50.82
That reminds me
of Deuteronomy 8...
00:46:52.37\00:46:54.57
Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 7.
00:46:54.87\00:46:58.61
Turn there very quickly here.
00:46:59.01\00:47:01.36
Possessions and blessings,
00:47:06.79\00:47:09.53
things that the
Lord loves to give us,
00:47:09.83\00:47:11.19
are things that He will not
hesitate to take away from us
00:47:11.49\00:47:14.49
if by attitude and ingratitude
00:47:14.69\00:47:18.40
we fail to realize
the giver of them all.
00:47:18.60\00:47:20.71
"For the Lord God... "
verse 7 chapter 8 in Deuteronomy
00:47:22.19\00:47:24.55
"For the Lord God is
bringing you into a good land...
00:47:24.65\00:47:26.41
a land of brooks and
water, of fountains and springs
00:47:26.61\00:47:28.82
that flow out of
valleys. " This... this is, um,
00:47:28.92\00:47:31.79
pre-Palestinian establishment.
00:47:32.29\00:47:36.26
God wanted to bring them
into the Promised Land, but He
00:47:36.56\00:47:38.47
gave this to them ahead of
time so that they would remember
00:47:38.67\00:47:41.36
their origins.
00:47:41.66\00:47:43.65
"A land of wheat and of
barley, of vines and fig trees,
00:47:43.95\00:47:46.28
pomegranates, a land
of olive oil and honey,
00:47:46.48\00:47:48.47
a land in which you will
eat bread without scarcity;
00:47:48.67\00:47:50.76
in which you will lack nothing.
A land whose stones and iron
00:47:50.96\00:47:54.50
and out of whose
hills you can dig copper.
00:47:54.70\00:47:56.66
When you have eaten and are
full, you shall bless the Lord
00:47:57.07\00:47:59.67
your God for the good
land which He has given you.
00:47:59.87\00:48:01.93
BEWARE that you do not
forget the Lord your God
00:48:02.43\00:48:07.02
by not keeping His commandments,
His judgments, and His statutes
00:48:07.23\00:48:10.81
which I command you today.
00:48:11.01\00:48:12.32
Lest when you
have eaten and are full
00:48:12.62\00:48:14.90
and have built beautiful
houses and dwell in them.
00:48:15.10\00:48:17.14
And when your herds
and your flocks multiply
00:48:17.34\00:48:19.56
and your silver and
your gold are multiplied
00:48:19.66\00:48:21.35
and all that you
have is multiplied
00:48:21.45\00:48:23.20
when your heart is lifted up
and you forget the Lord your God
00:48:23.50\00:48:26.35
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt... "
00:48:26.38\00:48:28.20
Origins.
00:48:28.41\00:48:30.32
"from the house of bondage"
00:48:30.52\00:48:32.24
Origins.
00:48:32.44\00:48:34.26
"who led you through the
great and terrible wilderness
00:48:34.56\00:48:36.37
in which were fiery
serpents and scorpions
00:48:36.48\00:48:38.47
and a thirsty land
where there was no water,
00:48:38.77\00:48:42.39
who brought water for
you out of the flinty rock.
00:48:42.59\00:48:44.94
Who fed you in the
wilderness with manna
00:48:45.24\00:48:46.82
which your fathers did not
know that He might humble you
00:48:46.95\00:48:49.58
and that He might test you
00:48:49.89\00:48:52.05
to do you good in the end. "
00:48:52.35\00:48:55.40
You ever wonder why the
Lord tests us sometimes?
00:48:55.70\00:48:57.98
It's to do us good in the end.
00:48:58.38\00:49:00.38
Amen.
00:49:00.69\00:49:02.02
We look at Job's experience
and it's certainly nothing any
00:49:02.52\00:49:05.31
of us would want to go
through. But so many of us go
00:49:05.41\00:49:06.96
through that to a
degree on a daily basis.
00:49:07.06\00:49:10.36
Called all the
time. People hurting!
00:49:10.66\00:49:12.37
Going through all
kinds of difficult stuff.
00:49:12.57\00:49:14.49
And I can't say to each
one of them why they're going
00:49:14.79\00:49:17.76
through it. But certainly I
think this principle applies
00:49:17.86\00:49:20.53
every once in a while.
00:49:20.63\00:49:21.68
"That He may do
good to you in the end. "
00:49:21.88\00:49:24.39
"And then you say in
your heart: 'my power
00:49:25.75\00:49:29.23
and the might of my hand
have gained me this wealth. '
00:49:29.43\00:49:34.26
And you shall
remember the Lord your God
00:49:35.55\00:49:38.28
for it is He who gives
you power to get wealth
00:49:38.48\00:49:40.81
that He may establish
His covenant which He swore
00:49:41.22\00:49:44.93
to your fathers as
it is to this day. "
00:49:45.13\00:49:47.28
Origins are so important.
00:49:47.58\00:49:49.31
Everything we
have... everything we own.
00:49:50.84\00:49:54.13
And it may not be much.
00:49:54.33\00:49:55.82
You know, in some countries
it's really nothing at all.
00:49:56.12\00:49:58.80
But anything we have, anything
we're able to accomplish,
00:49:59.30\00:50:03.52
is simply because
God loves us so dearly.
00:50:03.82\00:50:06.85
Amen. And because
of the covenant He made
00:50:07.05\00:50:09.05
with our forefathers
long, long, long, long ago.
00:50:10.40\00:50:13.03
God is faithful. Amen!
00:50:13.43\00:50:16.28
God is so faithful;
God loves us so dearly.
00:50:16.49\00:50:18.58
He's always the
initiator of the relationship.
00:50:18.68\00:50:20.83
Amen. He's always the One
that lifts us up out of the pit.
00:50:21.13\00:50:24.48
Out of the mud; out of
the dirt and the filth.
00:50:24.88\00:50:27.67
He's always the
One that cleans us up
00:50:27.78\00:50:29.41
because we can
never clean ourselves.
00:50:29.51\00:50:31.14
Amen.
00:50:31.44\00:50:32.68
Any time we start to
act like those around us
00:50:35.63\00:50:38.59
it's usually a simple reason.
00:50:38.79\00:50:40.82
It's because memory
has been stifled by pride
00:50:41.91\00:50:44.81
and disobedience.
00:50:45.01\00:50:47.10
And I think of the
words of Ellen White.
00:50:48.32\00:50:50.46
Very short, but it's always
resonated with me. She says:
00:50:50.66\00:50:53.22
"We are creatures
who are slow to learn
00:50:53.42\00:50:55.26
and quick to forget. "
00:50:55.46\00:50:57.79
Amen. Slow to
learn; quick to forget.
00:50:57.99\00:51:00.81
It seems like God has to bring
us sometimes like Israel of old
00:51:01.01\00:51:03.30
40 years in the
wilderness, back and forth
00:51:03.40\00:51:04.91
over the same
ground. Over and over
00:51:05.11\00:51:07.08
and over again
until we finally get it.
00:51:07.28\00:51:09.04
If I ever look back over my
life and be honest with myself
00:51:09.34\00:51:12.15
I can see some
loops that I've done.
00:51:12.35\00:51:14.13
You know, but God
loves us that much.
00:51:15.37\00:51:17.64
Amen. And He doesn't
let us continue down a path
00:51:17.94\00:51:20.26
where there's a
giant pit at the end of it.
00:51:20.47\00:51:22.15
Amen. And so if it means
bringing us back and forth
00:51:22.45\00:51:24.86
over and over
again until we learn it
00:51:25.06\00:51:26.81
it's always in
our best interest.
00:51:27.11\00:51:29.28
Slow to learn
and quick to forget.
00:51:31.09\00:51:33.04
Israel was quick to forget.
00:51:33.14\00:51:34.73
We don't want to be
like Israel of old, do we?
00:51:35.88\00:51:38.00
I mean, hasn't God
done so much for us? Amen!
00:51:38.71\00:51:43.11
Hasn't He loved us with
an everlasting love? Yes.
00:51:43.31\00:51:46.89
Haven't there been moments in
our life when we can truly see
00:51:48.05\00:51:51.62
where the Lord just
showered us with His love?
00:51:51.83\00:51:53.95
Protected us
because of His love?
00:51:55.07\00:51:57.38
Encouraged us
because of His love?
00:51:57.68\00:52:00.02
Saved us out of a depressing
state because of His love?
00:52:00.93\00:52:04.25
God is always the One
who walks around the field of
00:52:06.39\00:52:08.91
our life's experience
00:52:09.01\00:52:10.78
looking to see who's
wallowing in their own mess.
00:52:10.99\00:52:15.06
I think He'd have
us do the same today.
00:52:16.20\00:52:18.18
Don't you think? Amen!
00:52:19.32\00:52:21.94
I think God would
have us do the same today.
00:52:22.24\00:52:24.65
Remember: the degree to
which we love one another -
00:52:25.62\00:52:30.86
those outside and those within -
00:52:31.06\00:52:33.59
is always directly proportionate
00:52:33.89\00:52:36.45
to the degree that we perceive
the mess that God saved us from.
00:52:36.48\00:52:41.89
Amen.
00:52:42.19\00:52:43.84
Human history will close
with a record of ingratitude.
00:52:44.04\00:52:47.17
II Timothy 2:3 says that.
00:52:47.37\00:52:49.66
"Men will be lovers of
themselves and unthankful. "
00:52:49.96\00:52:53.70
But God is faithful.
00:52:55.63\00:52:56.75
The good work He has begun
in us He is faithful to complete
00:52:56.95\00:52:59.46
if we will just simply remember.
00:52:59.56\00:53:02.71
Sometimes that memory
just means simply going back
00:53:04.32\00:53:06.87
to the foot of the cross.
00:53:06.97\00:53:07.98
And you know the ground is
level at the foot of the cross.
00:53:08.18\00:53:10.23
Amen. There's no
place for boasting.
00:53:10.44\00:53:12.94
It's all the same sea level.
00:53:13.34\00:53:15.07
Same altitude.
00:53:17.11\00:53:18.96
And sometimes that's what
it takes. We need to go back
00:53:19.26\00:53:21.85
to the foot of the cross.
00:53:22.05\00:53:23.57
And it doesn't mean you
need to be a drug dealer
00:53:23.77\00:53:26.27
or a partier or a criminal
00:53:26.58\00:53:30.69
to appreciate what
God has saved us from.
00:53:30.89\00:53:33.56
Amen!
00:53:33.86\00:53:34.87
Because one look at
the cross of Calvary
00:53:35.17\00:53:37.87
and it should become
painstakingly apparent
00:53:38.17\00:53:41.40
what our sins cost.
00:53:41.70\00:53:44.31
Only a God of love
would look upon us with pity
00:53:45.63\00:53:50.74
when no eye pitied us.
00:53:50.95\00:53:54.00
No eye.
00:53:54.30\00:53:56.50
Is there anyone here
today that has forgotten
00:53:59.91\00:54:02.94
what the Lord has done for you?
00:54:03.14\00:54:05.62
I know there may
be many out there
00:54:06.95\00:54:10.77
among our viewing audience...
00:54:10.87\00:54:11.88
You know, maybe
you, too, have forgotten
00:54:11.98\00:54:16.04
and maybe it's
time to go to the cross
00:54:16.24\00:54:19.76
and stay at the foot of the
cross - Amen! - until the Lord
00:54:19.86\00:54:22.71
softens our hearts again
00:54:22.81\00:54:24.25
and we remember
our humble beginnings.
00:54:24.55\00:54:27.29
The words of probably
the most famous hymn go:
00:54:29.87\00:54:35.73
"Amazing grace...
how sweet the sound
00:54:36.03\00:54:40.63
that saved a wretch like me. "
00:54:42.16\00:54:45.82
Amen.
00:54:46.12\00:54:47.13
Flailing in my own mess.
00:54:47.23\00:54:48.57
"I once was lost
but now I'm found... "
00:54:48.87\00:54:52.13
Amen. Why?
Because the Lord found me.
00:54:52.23\00:54:55.65
The Lord found you. Amen.
00:54:55.95\00:54:58.43
He was the One
looking. "I was blind...
00:54:59.46\00:55:01.68
but now I see. " Yes.
00:55:01.99\00:55:04.25
Origins are so important.
00:55:08.10\00:55:10.78
They're so
important to remember.
00:55:11.18\00:55:13.76
As Isaiah says: "Remember the
rock from which you were hewn
00:55:13.96\00:55:19.17
and the pit from
which you were dug. "
00:55:20.28\00:55:23.28
Boy, I pray that we never forget
00:55:25.58\00:55:27.69
what God has done for us.
00:55:27.99\00:55:30.50
I pray that we never
forget how deep that pit was.
00:55:30.80\00:55:33.82
How hopeless we were;
how powerless we were.
00:55:34.12\00:55:36.88
And I hope that with
every blessing He sends our way
00:55:37.19\00:55:40.48
should we be
privileged to have those things
00:55:40.78\00:55:43.06
whatever it may be in your mind,
00:55:43.26\00:55:44.76
I pray that we will never
see that as something inherently
00:55:45.06\00:55:49.37
deserving in and of ourselves
00:55:49.47\00:55:50.90
but realize that
every good and perfect gift
00:55:51.20\00:55:54.05
comes down from the
Father of lights. Amen.
00:55:54.25\00:55:57.36
May the Lord bless all of
you as we remember our origins
00:55:57.56\00:56:00.75
and may that always affect
and change the way we relate
00:56:00.95\00:56:04.71
to others. The
Lord bless you today.
00:56:05.01\00:56:07.51
Amen.
00:56:07.81\00:56:10.19
Amen, amen. Praise the Lord.
00:56:10.49\00:56:15.18
Kevin Hart from 3ABN
Pastoral Ministries Department.
00:56:15.68\00:56:19.29
The Lord has marvelous ways in
which He blesses His children.
00:56:19.69\00:56:24.10
Amen. And we are so
grateful for what God has done
00:56:24.40\00:56:29.16
in each of our lives.
00:56:29.36\00:56:31.40
I know that every one of you
is a story that should be told.
00:56:31.80\00:56:37.78
And I look forward to the
moment when we can all sit down
00:56:38.08\00:56:41.61
in heaven and
start hearing the stories
00:56:41.71\00:56:45.61
of how God worked
in each of our lives.
00:56:45.81\00:56:48.76
Amen. And God will
draw back the curtain
00:56:49.06\00:56:52.46
and show us things
that He has done for us
00:56:52.66\00:56:56.16
that we were not
aware that He was at work.
00:56:56.37\00:57:00.28
Amen. And we will thrill
00:57:00.58\00:57:03.28
and rejoice and
praise the Lord even more
00:57:03.48\00:57:07.37
than we know how
to praise Him now.
00:57:07.57\00:57:10.58
And I praise the Lord
that we will not be bothered by
00:57:10.78\00:57:15.45
"Oh, I've got to go somewhere. "
00:57:15.65\00:57:17.89
We will have
plenty of time to rejoice
00:57:18.29\00:57:21.60
in the great things
that God has done for us.
00:57:21.80\00:57:24.89