Hello, and welcome to another Faith Chapel. 00:00:31.72\00:00:34.43 I am Martin Fancher. 00:00:34.70\00:00:35.67 I Pastor the DeFuniak Springs and 00:00:35.68\00:00:37.85 Fort Walton Beach Seventh-day Adventist 00:00:37.86\00:00:39.23 Churches. It's my privilege to be here 00:00:39.24\00:00:41.35 today to share with you a subject that's important 00:00:41.36\00:00:43.39 to my heart that I have been entitled 00:00:43.40\00:00:45.01 "Look and Live." Before we get into today's study, 00:00:45.37\00:00:50.44 would you bow your head with me as 00:00:50.45\00:00:51.96 we invite the Lord's presence to be here. 00:00:51.97\00:00:53.69 Father in heaven, open our hearts and minds 00:00:54.15\00:00:56.99 that there may be in tune with you. 00:00:57.36\00:00:59.14 Send the Holy Spirit to us to open our 00:00:59.88\00:01:03.27 hearts and minds. We may truly understand 00:01:03.28\00:01:06.34 the message from you for us today, 00:01:06.35\00:01:09.60 for we pray these things in Jesus name, Amen. 00:01:09.61\00:01:12.78 I felt for a long time that one of the 00:01:14.68\00:01:16.49 particular temptations for maturing Christians 00:01:16.50\00:01:19.65 is the danger of getting accustomed to the 00:01:20.16\00:01:23.80 blessings of God. Yes, like the world traveler 00:01:23.81\00:01:27.46 that's been everywhere, no matter where they go, 00:01:27.47\00:01:30.25 they can kind of I've been there, 00:01:31.10\00:01:32.96 I've seen that it's old to me. 00:01:33.34\00:01:35.82 Well, I believe that's dangerous for us as 00:01:36.66\00:01:39.78 Christians to take for granted that which God 00:01:39.79\00:01:43.32 in His love has given to each one of us. 00:01:43.33\00:01:46.13 In fact, it was the poet Emerson that said, 00:01:46.14\00:01:48.84 if the stars came out only once a year, 00:01:48.85\00:01:50.78 everyone would stay up all night to behold them, 00:01:51.11\00:01:54.52 he's implying that because the stars do come out 00:01:55.41\00:01:58.14 every night and we see them so often that 00:01:58.15\00:02:00.85 we miss the mighty handy work of our creator 00:02:00.86\00:02:03.60 by not looking up and seeing what He has made 00:02:04.03\00:02:07.06 for us to enjoy. Let's take a look at the 00:02:07.40\00:02:10.63 Israelites of old and see how they became 00:02:10.64\00:02:12.98 accustomed to the blessings of God. 00:02:12.99\00:02:15.05 You have your Bible, we'll turn to 00:02:15.47\00:02:17.17 Number 21, verse 4 through 9. 00:02:17.34\00:02:21.15 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way 00:02:22.52\00:02:25.13 of the Red sea, to go around the land of Edom; 00:02:25.14\00:02:27.59 and the soul of the people became very discouraged 00:02:28.09\00:02:30.88 on the way. And the people spoke against God 00:02:31.17\00:02:33.90 and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up 00:02:33.91\00:02:36.60 out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? 00:02:36.61\00:02:38.40 For there is no food and no water, 00:02:38.41\00:02:40.81 and our soul loathes this worthless bread." 00:02:41.12\00:02:43.60 So the Lord sent fiery serpents among 00:02:44.45\00:02:46.44 the people, and they bit the people; 00:02:46.45\00:02:48.55 and many of the people of Israel died. 00:02:48.56\00:02:51.13 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, 00:02:51.90\00:02:54.60 "we have sinned, for we have spoken against 00:02:55.09\00:02:58.34 the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord 00:02:58.35\00:03:01.04 that He take away the serpents from us." 00:03:01.05\00:03:03.82 So Moses prayed for the people. Then the Lord said 00:03:03.83\00:03:07.01 to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, 00:03:07.02\00:03:08.83 and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone 00:03:08.84\00:03:11.83 who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." 00:03:11.84\00:03:14.67 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it 00:03:15.43\00:03:18.26 on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten 00:03:18.27\00:03:21.32 anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, 00:03:21.33\00:03:24.45 he lived. Wow! What a miraculous story 00:03:24.97\00:03:28.89 we find here but we also find some clues to 00:03:28.90\00:03:32.32 dissatisfaction and the discouragement of the 00:03:32.33\00:03:34.97 children of Israel. The first complaint 00:03:34.98\00:03:37.09 we find out is there complaint over this bread, 00:03:37.10\00:03:40.00 they've grown accustomed to that 00:03:40.01\00:03:41.42 is to say in our language they've been eating 00:03:41.43\00:03:44.19 it too long and were growing tired. 00:03:44.20\00:03:46.70 Well, we know that as the holy manna, 00:03:47.18\00:03:49.92 the manna that God provided everyday along 00:03:49.93\00:03:53.27 their journey but Oh! If only that were the only 00:03:53.28\00:03:56.90 thing that He discouraged them, 00:03:56.91\00:03:58.74 but no, we can go back and we can find out 00:03:58.75\00:04:01.53 that they started to be discourage from the very 00:04:01.54\00:04:04.20 beginning while still in bondage in Egypt. 00:04:04.21\00:04:07.85 Moses came at the biding of God, 00:04:09.26\00:04:11.99 confronted the Pharaoh and now they were tasked 00:04:13.37\00:04:17.35 to make bricks with no straw so they 00:04:17.36\00:04:19.43 complained to Moses, finally God threw the 00:04:19.44\00:04:23.30 plagues, allowed the Pharaoh to release 00:04:23.31\00:04:27.11 His chosen people and Moses led them away, 00:04:27.12\00:04:29.60 among they came to the sea, they were standing 00:04:29.61\00:04:32.82 there when Pharaoh's army comes up behind them 00:04:32.83\00:04:35.33 and the people seeing that they were trapped 00:04:35.34\00:04:37.84 between the Pharaoh's army and the sea, 00:04:37.85\00:04:40.17 said to Moses why have you brought us out 00:04:40.50\00:04:42.82 here to die. Again another discouragement, 00:04:42.83\00:04:45.51 and then in the chapter proceeding this one 00:04:45.52\00:04:48.28 on the snakes we find that they were out 00:04:48.29\00:04:50.32 of water and God allowed Moses to provide water 00:04:50.33\00:04:53.80 for them but they were complaining, 00:04:53.81\00:04:55.46 seems like complaining for the children of God 00:04:55.71\00:04:57.63 seems to be an everyday occurrence but I hope 00:04:57.64\00:05:00.63 that we will learn some lessons and realize 00:05:00.95\00:05:03.04 that we are God's people, we have absolutely 00:05:03.35\00:05:07.25 nothing to complain about. 00:05:07.26\00:05:09.86 Well, one of the evidences that 00:05:10.54\00:05:12.64 we've that we've grown accustomed 00:05:12.65\00:05:14.24 in our spiritual walk is that we tend to be 00:05:14.25\00:05:17.09 critical and we tend to complain about the 00:05:17.41\00:05:20.30 little things of lives way when in reality 00:05:20.31\00:05:23.17 we will discover that we are so immensely 00:05:23.48\00:05:26.34 blessed and the little things that we think 00:05:26.35\00:05:29.97 are causes for discouragement 00:05:30.74\00:05:33.09 and complaint. When put into prospective 00:05:33.10\00:05:36.09 really have no meaning whatsoever. 00:05:36.75\00:05:39.42 Well, there was the pillar by a fire that 00:05:39.89\00:05:42.83 led them by day and there was the, 00:05:42.84\00:05:45.00 that by night rather and the cloud that led 00:05:45.67\00:05:47.97 them by day. Here was the manifestation of 00:05:47.98\00:05:50.96 God's presence Himself right there in their midst. 00:05:50.97\00:05:54.35 They knew God was there, of course we have 00:05:55.22\00:05:57.89 earthly sanctuary that was there, 00:05:58.41\00:06:00.24 and we find that through all of this 00:06:00.41\00:06:02.73 there was still a complaint over what 00:06:03.33\00:06:06.58 God was or rather what they thought 00:06:06.59\00:06:09.17 God was not doing that He should be. 00:06:09.71\00:06:12.12 I hope that we can learn some lessons 00:06:12.88\00:06:14.97 there because God should be telling us 00:06:14.98\00:06:17.31 what to do and not we telling God what to do? 00:06:17.32\00:06:20.30 Well, the people grumbled against Moses 00:06:20.97\00:06:23.64 and against God ultimately and what they didn't 00:06:23.65\00:06:27.55 realize was that the serpents that 00:06:27.56\00:06:29.10 around the camp, the natural enemies of the 00:06:29.11\00:06:31.88 people through their wondering were being 00:06:31.89\00:06:34.05 held by the protective covering of God, 00:06:34.06\00:06:37.73 and when the people complained against God, 00:06:38.25\00:06:40.64 God's simply remind them by removing the hedge 00:06:41.04\00:06:45.18 of protection around them and when that 00:06:45.19\00:06:47.39 hedge of protection was loosed the serpents 00:06:47.40\00:06:50.58 which formerly could not get through, 00:06:50.59\00:06:52.96 made their way into the camp, and they're called 00:06:53.14\00:06:56.79 fiery serpents for a reason its because 00:06:56.80\00:06:59.68 their bite was fiery and it was fast pain 00:06:59.69\00:07:03.83 and a fast death. Wow! Now all of a sudden 00:07:04.16\00:07:10.40 they lay there, some of them in agony, 00:07:10.81\00:07:13.03 some of them dying, loved ones looking at 00:07:13.04\00:07:17.44 their relatives who are bit and immediately 00:07:17.45\00:07:21.54 they are confronted with their own guilt. 00:07:21.55\00:07:24.58 They understand that it was their complains 00:07:25.44\00:07:29.25 against the living God, that caused God 00:07:29.26\00:07:32.16 to catch their attention and remove 00:07:32.72\00:07:35.56 His protective covering. Well, now of course, 00:07:35.57\00:07:38.81 as we know their tune changed immediately, 00:07:38.85\00:07:41.29 immediately they put a delegation together 00:07:41.59\00:07:43.53 and went to look at Moses. Moses they said, 00:07:43.54\00:07:46.35 we have sinned against God. 00:07:46.79\00:07:48.70 What do we need to do? Moses being the emissary 00:07:49.20\00:07:53.17 makes contact with God and God gives him 00:07:54.01\00:07:57.88 the answer through a method of salvation 00:07:57.89\00:08:01.55 that is very, very unique. God didn't send doctors, 00:08:01.89\00:08:06.17 God didn't send miracles to do that snakes away, 00:08:06.97\00:08:10.86 God didn't send people to touch, 00:08:10.87\00:08:12.97 God in fact used the symbol of the snake 00:08:13.26\00:08:16.53 to save them from the snake. 00:08:17.04\00:08:20.27 That's also where the symbol today 00:08:20.96\00:08:22.77 for the medical practice gets their symbol 00:08:22.78\00:08:25.79 of the snake around the pole is right here 00:08:25.80\00:08:28.47 from the verses we have looked at today. 00:08:28.48\00:08:30.90 And now as we look Moses fashions a serpent 00:08:31.28\00:08:37.66 and he puts it on a pole with a simple words 00:08:38.87\00:08:42.29 "Look and Live." Wow! Those are powerful words 00:08:42.81\00:08:48.61 even for today, for if we understood the power 00:08:48.62\00:08:51.81 and that there, we have the chance to look 00:08:51.82\00:08:53.90 to Jesus and be saved maybe more of us 00:08:53.91\00:08:57.81 would look at Jesus. Well, the Bible continues 00:08:57.82\00:09:02.08 to tell us that even though they found 00:09:02.09\00:09:04.26 that way, they still had to look. 00:09:04.58\00:09:08.45 Picture it with me, there are moms and dads, 00:09:08.46\00:09:11.45 grandmas and grandpas maybe grandchildren 00:09:11.46\00:09:13.64 that are going after their loved ones, 00:09:13.91\00:09:16.42 they are looking for them and they are finding them, 00:09:16.43\00:09:18.77 they're turning their beds, they're turning 00:09:18.78\00:09:21.40 their heads to get a glimpse of the serpent, 00:09:21.41\00:09:24.32 that's up on this pole. And the Bible records 00:09:24.33\00:09:28.53 that all who looked were healed. 00:09:28.54\00:09:31.93 You know, what would cause a 00:09:33.81\00:09:35.74 person not to look. 00:09:35.75\00:09:38.29 We will go back to the story in the 00:09:41.12\00:09:44.01 Old Testament where Naaman was sick 00:09:44.02\00:09:48.08 with the disease, and he was asked by the 00:09:48.09\00:09:51.97 prophet of God to go and dip seven times 00:09:51.98\00:09:55.46 in the river. Now, thankfully Naaman 00:09:55.72\00:10:00.71 had a little Christian servant girl with him 00:10:00.72\00:10:02.70 or the story might not be exactly how 00:10:02.71\00:10:05.58 we receive it today and that is he dipped 00:10:05.59\00:10:09.67 in the river and nothing changed. 00:10:09.68\00:10:11.81 He dipped in the river again 00:10:12.29\00:10:13.82 and nothing changed. He dipped in the river again 00:10:14.64\00:10:17.58 and nothing changed. His faith was growing 00:10:17.59\00:10:21.66 weak and I imagine his anger was moving north, 00:10:21.67\00:10:26.33 but the little girl who had trust in God said 00:10:27.14\00:10:32.08 to him if he the prophet of God had asked you 00:10:32.09\00:10:36.73 to do great things, paid great sums of money, 00:10:36.74\00:10:39.86 you would have done it, but God has not asked 00:10:39.87\00:10:44.14 you to do great things. 00:10:44.15\00:10:45.31 He has asked you to do this. 00:10:45.32\00:10:47.23 And the Bible records the wonderful miracle 00:10:48.95\00:10:51.13 that as he came out of the water, 00:10:51.14\00:10:53.11 the seventh time, he was fully healed 00:10:53.12\00:10:58.01 but he was almost not healed. 00:10:59.47\00:11:01.05 If he had got out of the water after six times, 00:11:01.06\00:11:03.24 six out of seven, doesn't make it so. 00:11:03.25\00:11:05.02 Following after God requires a full 00:11:05.93\00:11:08.80 commitment from the heart. 00:11:09.10\00:11:11.25 God through Moses wanted to make that clear 00:11:12.52\00:11:15.67 to his people. As we continue looking through 00:11:15.90\00:11:19.97 this story we discovered there are yet other 00:11:19.98\00:11:22.25 parallels that we can see, Moses prayed for 00:11:22.26\00:11:27.02 the people. He didn't just pray to God for 00:11:27.03\00:11:30.45 an answer, he prayed on behalf of the people. 00:11:30.46\00:11:33.97 If you remember Moses felt that these people 00:11:34.04\00:11:37.43 were his people, he took responsibility for them 00:11:37.44\00:11:41.15 to the point where he told God if you can't save 00:11:41.16\00:11:43.79 them then don't save me. 00:11:43.80\00:11:45.16 Oh! The Bible says true love. 00:11:46.33\00:11:48.15 There was no greater love then this when a man 00:11:48.92\00:11:51.10 lays down his life for another, that's exactly 00:11:51.11\00:11:54.02 what Moses was doing. He was working, 00:11:54.03\00:11:57.77 he was being an intermediary between 00:11:58.66\00:12:00.89 God's people and his people that God had 00:12:01.63\00:12:06.10 choose him to lead. Well, the Lord said to Moses, 00:12:06.11\00:12:10.50 make the fiery serpent, set it on a pole, 00:12:10.51\00:12:12.96 so that everyone who is beaten shall look and live. 00:12:12.97\00:12:15.91 Now it's interesting if I have been there 00:12:15.92\00:12:19.15 that time I would have certainly like to provision 00:12:19.16\00:12:21.06 to beat that anybody that looks at it. 00:12:21.07\00:12:22.64 Who hasn't beaten yet won't get beat. 00:12:22.65\00:12:24.56 See God didn't take the serpents away. 00:12:26.26\00:12:29.56 God simply made provision for those who were bit. 00:12:31.10\00:12:37.03 See it's only the sinner that stands in need 00:12:38.33\00:12:41.41 of repentance, forgiveness, and needs 00:12:41.42\00:12:44.33 the cleansing of God. Jesus didn't come to 00:12:44.34\00:12:47.04 die for those. They didn't need that 00:12:47.05\00:12:49.60 which of course the Bible says, we've all sinned 00:12:50.44\00:12:52.65 and fallen short of the glory of God and 00:12:52.66\00:12:55.29 praise be to God that He did send Jesus 00:12:55.30\00:12:57.62 for each one of us. Not only did the people 00:12:57.63\00:13:01.08 grumble against God and God took matters 00:13:01.09\00:13:03.36 into His hand, removing His protective hand. 00:13:03.37\00:13:06.79 God also had the people come to a realization 00:13:06.80\00:13:10.66 and admit their complicity in the sin. 00:13:10.67\00:13:14.27 It was a sin to complain against God, 00:13:15.50\00:13:19.37 and God removed that protective hand 00:13:21.08\00:13:23.34 and once they realized that it was their 00:13:23.35\00:13:25.48 complaining that brought this on them. 00:13:25.49\00:13:27.95 I believe that the complaining stopped, 00:13:28.75\00:13:32.58 at least on those that wanted to get better, 00:13:33.39\00:13:35.73 true repentance requires a change of heart. 00:13:35.74\00:13:38.85 If I hit someone and then say I am sorry 00:13:39.11\00:13:41.45 and then hit him again, was I truly sorry? 00:13:41.46\00:13:43.36 No, of course not. To remorse is turning away 00:13:43.83\00:13:48.34 from sin. I won't do that again. 00:13:48.35\00:13:51.65 Well, God's plan for salvation offered 00:13:52.12\00:13:56.30 this simple solution. The solution of putting 00:13:56.31\00:13:59.39 the snake and having people look, 00:13:59.72\00:14:02.50 they didn't have to touch it, 00:14:02.51\00:14:03.48 they simply hadn't to have the faith to look. 00:14:03.86\00:14:07.34 I don't know if I had been there what kind 00:14:09.23\00:14:12.16 of faith I had but I would certainly hope that 00:14:12.17\00:14:14.99 I had a living faith that took God at His word. 00:14:15.00\00:14:18.89 They had so much history together, 00:14:19.52\00:14:21.28 they had just been rescued from Egypt, 00:14:21.29\00:14:23.78 they had gone against obstacles. 00:14:24.13\00:14:25.87 I don't know about you but just simply walking 00:14:26.35\00:14:29.45 through the red sea with the water parted would 00:14:29.46\00:14:32.60 have really shown me the ultimate power of God, 00:14:32.61\00:14:35.68 and the pillar of fire at night in the cloud by day 00:14:36.16\00:14:39.58 for them follow would have always been visual 00:14:39.59\00:14:41.95 reminders to me that God was here. 00:14:41.96\00:14:45.14 But as we said earlier about the stars 00:14:46.70\00:14:49.04 in the sky, sometimes that which is right in 00:14:49.05\00:14:52.34 front of us, often time is missed because 00:14:52.35\00:14:57.01 we've grown accustom to looking at it. 00:14:57.02\00:14:59.86 I wonder my friend, if you and I have become 00:15:01.28\00:15:03.73 too accustom to church, to religion, 00:15:03.74\00:15:08.46 to Bible study, to prayer that it has become 00:15:09.64\00:15:12.31 common place to us, and if it has then in our lives 00:15:12.32\00:15:17.16 it will have lost it's power. 00:15:17.17\00:15:19.86 Oh! Like a power tool that's not plugged 00:15:21.58\00:15:25.38 in has no value, so a Christian not plugged 00:15:25.39\00:15:29.34 into the power of almighty God doesn't 00:15:29.35\00:15:32.42 have much use either. We need to plug in 00:15:32.43\00:15:35.72 and tap the true source in our lives today. 00:15:36.11\00:15:39.98 Just as Moses lifted the serpent upon that pole 00:15:40.78\00:15:45.80 those who looked upon it were saved. 00:15:45.81\00:15:50.65 I don't know how many were lost that day, 00:15:52.48\00:15:55.44 who chose not to look because right here in our 00:15:55.45\00:15:59.11 day people refuse to look to God for help. 00:15:59.12\00:16:04.46 Oh! It's much easier to blame God then it is to 00:16:05.29\00:16:09.30 look for real solution then to trust God 00:16:09.75\00:16:13.28 it's far easier to blame Him as the cause and 00:16:13.29\00:16:18.53 move away. But my friend, the story in the 00:16:18.54\00:16:21.69 Old Testament is not a story that has no value 00:16:21.70\00:16:25.91 for us today. For that text that we read just 00:16:25.92\00:16:29.98 moments ago is the same text referred to in the 00:16:29.99\00:16:34.44 New Testament. We're going to look at 00:16:34.45\00:16:36.63 John chapter 3 verse 14 through 17, read with me, 00:16:36.64\00:16:40.95 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent 00:16:41.23\00:16:44.98 in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man 00:16:44.99\00:16:48.88 be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him 00:16:48.89\00:16:52.85 should not perish but have eternal life. 00:16:52.86\00:16:56.25 For God so loved the world that He gave 00:16:56.63\00:17:00.04 His only begotten Son, that whoever believes 00:17:00.05\00:17:04.25 in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 00:17:04.26\00:17:08.20 For God did not send His son to the world to 00:17:09.10\00:17:11.79 condemn the world, but that the world 00:17:11.80\00:17:14.03 through Him might be saved. 00:17:14.04\00:17:16.61 Did you catch that last part in there? 00:17:16.62\00:17:18.80 God did not send His son into the world to 00:17:18.81\00:17:21.02 condemn us in our sin, He send His son to 00:17:21.03\00:17:23.89 save us from our sin. Now there's a power 00:17:23.90\00:17:27.22 there my friend. There is nothing that we can do 00:17:27.23\00:17:30.16 that will cause God not to love us and not 00:17:30.49\00:17:33.42 to want us. There is no sin that's too big for 00:17:33.43\00:17:36.71 God to forgive into forget, there is no sin 00:17:36.72\00:17:40.07 so great unless we get so big that we refuse 00:17:40.08\00:17:45.27 to ask forgiveness for that sin. 00:17:45.28\00:17:47.01 My friend that's what happens when we begin 00:17:47.62\00:17:50.00 to complain when you see a little bit of bitter 00:17:50.01\00:17:52.38 spirit within you, maybe it's time to do 00:17:52.39\00:17:54.31 a little math. Time to add it often see, 00:17:54.32\00:17:56.30 am I becoming spiritually dull? 00:17:56.70\00:18:01.36 Am I becoming too accustomed to the 00:18:01.68\00:18:06.76 blessings of God that what I see no longer 00:18:06.77\00:18:10.29 add up to me as a blessing, and if that's 00:18:10.30\00:18:13.45 the case then we need to pray that God will 00:18:13.46\00:18:15.10 open our hearts and change us from 00:18:15.11\00:18:17.44 the inside out. God wants to save us, 00:18:17.45\00:18:20.51 we must want to be saved. 00:18:20.94\00:18:23.31 Well, just as Jesus sent His Son to die on the 00:18:23.89\00:18:29.74 cross for us and He put that snake on the pole, 00:18:29.75\00:18:32.57 the Son of God had to be lifted up, 00:18:32.58\00:18:34.96 and placed on that pole and of course we called 00:18:35.22\00:18:37.61 that Calvary. We know that God send His son 00:18:37.62\00:18:40.41 so that all of us who believe in Him 00:18:40.42\00:18:42.49 there's a key, not everybody but everybody 00:18:43.05\00:18:45.70 who believes in Him should not perish but 00:18:45.71\00:18:48.92 be able to live eternally. What a blessing that 00:18:48.93\00:18:54.11 God has in that verse. But it doesn't end there, 00:18:54.12\00:18:58.32 that verse continues that says, 00:18:58.77\00:19:01.25 God didn't send the Son to condemn it but 00:19:01.26\00:19:04.75 that the world through Him might be saved. 00:19:04.76\00:19:08.00 You and I have a great need to look upon the 00:19:08.01\00:19:11.13 uplifted Savior today. This very moment 00:19:11.14\00:19:14.66 and every moment He offers to us the 00:19:14.94\00:19:18.40 opportunity to look to Calvary. 00:19:18.41\00:19:21.86 You can turn on the news, pick up any newspaper 00:19:23.49\00:19:27.94 and read of the natural disasters that are 00:19:28.39\00:19:30.72 occurring all across the country, 00:19:30.73\00:19:33.10 all across the world; hurricanes, tornadoes, 00:19:33.11\00:19:36.74 avalanches it doesn't matter what they are only 00:19:36.98\00:19:39.67 the names are changed, the devastation is real. 00:19:39.68\00:19:42.68 And the person in the midst of that devastation 00:19:43.33\00:19:46.16 if they don't turn to see God where God could 00:19:46.55\00:19:51.60 help but rather instead complain that the Lord 00:19:51.61\00:19:54.86 took my house, it flooded, the wind blow it over 00:19:55.16\00:19:58.87 and missed the blessing of God's spread 00:19:58.88\00:20:01.65 their lives maybe they have become too accustomed 00:20:01.66\00:20:06.93 to the blessings of God and are missing the 00:20:06.94\00:20:10.16 everyday blessing. In fact, for those who 00:20:10.17\00:20:14.55 are listening, God blessed us with life today. 00:20:14.56\00:20:18.07 We woke up this morning and God indeed 00:20:18.95\00:20:22.13 is responsible for that and we thank Him 00:20:22.14\00:20:24.92 for every breath, every heart beat that 00:20:24.93\00:20:28.79 we have belongs to Him. The people of God 00:20:28.80\00:20:33.19 were changed when Moses picked up that pole, 00:20:33.49\00:20:36.93 people looked and they lived, the hedge of 00:20:36.94\00:20:40.04 protection was no longer there for the serpents. 00:20:40.05\00:20:43.13 They continued to come into the camp because 00:20:43.14\00:20:45.15 it's implied by the fact that everyone who was 00:20:45.71\00:20:49.20 beaten could look and they continue to look but 00:20:49.21\00:20:51.65 amazingly enough if you were beaten and 00:20:51.98\00:20:54.36 you looked you were saved. Oh! It is the savior 00:20:54.37\00:21:00.88 who calls us to Him each and everyday of our lives. 00:21:02.09\00:21:06.78 He bids us the same as we see here in these 00:21:06.79\00:21:10.08 verses to simply look and live, oh I pray 00:21:10.09\00:21:15.30 it's your desire that you want to 00:21:15.31\00:21:16.74 look and to live for Jesus this day and everyday 00:21:16.75\00:21:20.43 because Jesus died that we might live forever. 00:21:21.67\00:21:26.78 For God's so love the world that He gave 00:21:27.59\00:21:30.04 His only begotten Son. That's true love. 00:21:30.42\00:21:35.91 Love that God has for us that knows no bounds. 00:21:36.23\00:21:40.15 God gave His Son. Now, as we look to the 00:21:41.56\00:21:46.90 ending of world, as we just look to 00:21:46.91\00:21:50.11 live day by day, may we see a peaceful spirit 00:21:50.12\00:21:57.17 in us for Jesus promise to give us a peace 00:21:57.18\00:21:59.82 that passes all understanding, 00:21:59.83\00:22:01.66 He promised never to leave us or forsake us. 00:22:01.67\00:22:04.72 He promise never to give us more 00:22:04.73\00:22:06.67 then we can endure. Oh! My friend I know 00:22:07.20\00:22:09.36 there are days when it seems like that line 00:22:09.37\00:22:11.83 is being pressed that the load is getting heavy 00:22:11.84\00:22:14.30 and that there is not one more step we could take. 00:22:14.31\00:22:17.05 But our faithful Father above. 00:22:18.70\00:22:20.52 In the wisdom that only God can have knows 00:22:21.39\00:22:24.80 how much is enough, and He will always allow 00:22:24.81\00:22:28.83 us to have a chance at salvation. 00:22:28.84\00:22:32.62 So when we look we have the same opportunity 00:22:34.12\00:22:38.26 to live as the children of Israel in Moses day. 00:22:38.27\00:22:42.63 Look at Jesus and live. 00:22:43.49\00:22:47.22 It's a fun thing to be able to see how God 00:22:48.64\00:22:52.12 works in mysterious ways. We pray for one 00:22:52.13\00:22:55.93 thing someone else prays for another. 00:22:55.94\00:22:57.73 How does God deal with that? 00:22:57.74\00:22:59.34 God does what is best for each one of us. 00:23:00.50\00:23:03.89 God looks at us and He causes us to change. 00:23:04.58\00:23:09.60 We don't change God's mind as much as 00:23:10.46\00:23:12.95 God changes ours. He draws us to Him, 00:23:12.96\00:23:17.30 He causes us to see Him as He truly is which 00:23:17.94\00:23:23.48 in turn will cause me to see me as I truly am, 00:23:23.49\00:23:27.50 poor, blind, naked, wretched all spiritually 00:23:28.33\00:23:33.57 tapped out. But praise be to God who is the 00:23:33.58\00:23:37.51 author and the finish of all things. 00:23:37.52\00:23:39.41 He can fulfill me and make my cup to run over, 00:23:39.42\00:23:44.57 that's I guarantee. 00:23:45.09\00:23:46.97 I would love to been a part of the 00:23:48.55\00:23:51.20 children of Israel, with the snakes story 00:23:51.21\00:23:54.20 we just read. I would have been incredible 00:23:54.21\00:23:56.31 to see what would have happened after that. 00:23:56.32\00:23:58.71 The Bible is silent on what happen. 00:23:58.72\00:24:00.83 One thing there is not silent about, 00:24:01.88\00:24:03.46 it was not the end of the grumbling. 00:24:04.44\00:24:07.52 It was not the end of the complaining and 00:24:08.56\00:24:10.71 in fact, we can go all the way through Numbers, 00:24:10.72\00:24:12.90 all the ways through remainder of the 00:24:12.91\00:24:14.35 Old Testament and all the way through to the 00:24:14.36\00:24:16.26 end of the New Testament and we can 00:24:16.27\00:24:18.17 still find the children of God complaining. 00:24:18.18\00:24:21.06 Oh! God wants to give us a peace. 00:24:22.63\00:24:25.59 He wants to give us the strength to overcome 00:24:25.60\00:24:30.25 that which inside our sinful hearts 00:24:30.53\00:24:34.00 wants to do. Oh! I love to complain, 00:24:34.01\00:24:35.66 I feel good when I complain. 00:24:35.67\00:24:37.02 Actually sometimes less I complain to someone 00:24:37.03\00:24:40.34 who actually has it worse then I do then 00:24:40.35\00:24:42.46 I feel bad. But we have a way around that, 00:24:42.75\00:24:45.63 we complain and then we run, don't give them 00:24:45.64\00:24:48.27 the opportunity to complain or share back 00:24:48.28\00:24:50.81 that's not how God would have it to be. 00:24:51.42\00:24:53.43 God wants us as Christians, Bible believing 00:24:53.88\00:24:57.08 Christians to be the happiest people around. 00:24:57.09\00:24:59.96 We are to be satisfied Paul says, 00:24:59.97\00:25:02.22 to be satisfied with what we have. 00:25:02.23\00:25:05.01 And if we are truly satisfied 00:25:06.67\00:25:08.33 we've what we have. We will have that peace 00:25:08.34\00:25:12.63 and contentment and not feel the need or desire 00:25:13.32\00:25:17.65 to bicker or complain against anyone. 00:25:18.03\00:25:20.66 Let alone complain against Almighty God. 00:25:22.12\00:25:25.31 And so today would be the best opportunity 00:25:26.83\00:25:30.66 that one could take to make a recommitment 00:25:31.10\00:25:34.45 to your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:25:34.46\00:25:37.06 As Jesus was lifted up to save the world 00:25:38.23\00:25:41.03 so those in the world as we look up on 00:25:41.04\00:25:44.90 His face can be saved. 00:25:44.91\00:25:47.68 Do you want to be saved today? 00:25:48.60\00:25:50.48 Do you want to take this opportunity to invite 00:25:50.95\00:25:54.34 Jesus into your hearts, is never to let young 00:25:54.35\00:25:58.89 or old whether you've done it once 00:25:58.90\00:26:01.94 or hundred times before. 00:26:01.95\00:26:03.37 Now is the acceptable time, 00:26:04.78\00:26:07.27 Jesus wants sin so bad. 00:26:08.88\00:26:10.33 All we have to do is let Him in. 00:26:11.74\00:26:14.32 For God so love the world it says, 00:26:15.80\00:26:18.68 that He gave. My response in love to Him 00:26:19.58\00:26:24.22 is to give myself fully and wholly to Him. 00:26:25.17\00:26:30.87 Can you do the same? Are you willing to make 00:26:32.37\00:26:35.49 that commitment? If so you will be able to 00:26:35.50\00:26:39.94 look and to live. Lets ask God to bless us. 00:26:39.95\00:26:44.17 Bow our heads as we pray. Father in heaven, 00:26:44.83\00:26:46.97 we thank you so much for the opportunity that 00:26:47.61\00:26:50.05 you give to us to look to Calvary 00:26:50.06\00:26:52.78 and live eternally. Thank you Father for 00:26:53.91\00:26:58.62 the gift of Jesus, thank you that 00:26:58.63\00:27:01.22 you will provide every day protection for us 00:27:01.23\00:27:04.71 and when we become accustomed and callous 00:27:04.72\00:27:07.98 to the very gifts you give, open our hearts 00:27:07.99\00:27:10.85 and eyes afresh that we may see as you would 00:27:10.86\00:27:14.96 have us to see. In appreciation not in 00:27:14.97\00:27:18.32 grumbling or complaining but in true, genuine 00:27:18.33\00:27:22.56 appreciation for what Jesus has done for us. 00:27:22.57\00:27:26.63 We pray these things in His name, Amen. 00:27:27.58\00:27:31.08 May God grant to you this day and everyday, 00:27:32.56\00:27:35.82 a new walk with Jesus and when you slip 00:27:36.68\00:27:40.97 and fall simply raise your eyes 00:27:40.98\00:27:44.62 to Jesus and look and live. 00:27:45.26\00:27:49.94