"And this is eternal
life that they may know you,
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the only true God,
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and Jesus Christ
whom You have sent."
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Welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming.
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Hello and welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming 2018.
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Well, Ryan, that's
kind of a mouthful.
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But we are so glad
that you are joining us
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maybe through TV,
radio or the internet.
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What a blessing we've
already received here.
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I'm calling it camp
meeting, Homecoming,
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however you want to describe it,
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but our audience here,
have you been blessed already?
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I don't know if you heard that
but there was a hearty amen.
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And I know for Jill and myself,
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what a joy it's been
to be here in Australia.
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We've never been here before,
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but wow, what an
incredible experience.
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What a blessing to
me each one of you.
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That's right.
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Earlier, before we
started this program,
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talked to several of
you, some have driven, Ryan,
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over 18 hours to
come to this event.
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Isn't that amazing?
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That's a lot of dedication.
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Yeah, we were just
saying that we flew
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over the Pacific Ocean 15 hours,
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and I can imagine
having to drive 18 hours,
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I guess across Australia,
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so that's powerful
and that's dedication.
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And yeah, we hope you brought
your Bibles at home and here
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because we're going to be
having a powerful Bible study
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as we continue on
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with our
Knowing God, Homecoming.
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That's the theme,
Knowing God. That's right.
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You know, Brother
Ryan, you've just joined 3ABN
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over the past few months.
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Right. And you've already...
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He is part of the family.
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It's like you've never...
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It's like you've
been here forever.
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That's right.
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But unfortunately, your wife
is not able to make this trip
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because she is a teacher,
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so she's
teaching the young people
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back home in USA.
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But I know you'd
love for her to be here.
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Yes.
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But Ryan and
his wife, Stephanie,
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what a blessing
they are to 3ABN.
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Yes, it's such a blessing
to be a part of the team.
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And I would
just give a shout out
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to my lovely wife Stephanie.
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She has actually
just finished school
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about 30 minutes ago.
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They got out of the school.
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She's the principal
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at the
Thompsonville Christian Academy
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there in the US, so yeah.
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Amen.
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So I have to say
our message today,
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I'm really excited
about this because I know her,
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she is Jill, she is my wife.
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We've been married
for a wonderful 16 years.
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We just passed our
16th wedding anniversary.
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She is a woman
of the Word of God.
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She loves to
study the Word of God,
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but she's also,
she loves people.
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And how you see her,
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and how you've seen her on
3ABN is how she is at home.
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I'm so blessed, God
has brought us together,
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and what a privilege it is
to minister at 3ABN together,
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to be a part of
saving souls for eternity.
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And 3ABN is not just the people
you see in front of the camera,
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it's all of you,
it's all of you at home
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that make up what
3ABN is all about.
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So today, Jill's going
to bring the message to us
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and it's entitled, of course,
our theme is Knowing God,
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but then it's
through the trials of life.
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But before that, our music.
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Absolutely,
actually in the mean time...
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Oh, that's a pretty good segue.
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In the mean time,
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we have a
wonderful special number.
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It's going to be
brought to us by Tim Parton,
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and the title of the
song is "In the Meantime."
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So after Tim, you'll see Jill.
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Thank you.
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If you know the story of Job,
these words will ring to you.
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I am broken in a room alone
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Where the only light is You
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And I am beaten
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By the days of tribulation
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I've gone through
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My life has been laid bare
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Right before your eyes
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Today my heart despairs
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And tomorrow I may die
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But in the mean time
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You're the lifter of my head
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And in the lean times
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You're the giver of my bread
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Lord, Your goodness
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Is too wonderful for me
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I believe my redeemer is alive
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Even in the mean times
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I have nothing
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You have given
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And you've taken it away
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Oh but, Lord, I thank you
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For all I really need is you
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And You have stayed
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You formed me from the dust
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Your spirit gave me breath
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I am Yours in life
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And I am Yours in death
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And in the mean time
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You're the lifter of my head
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And in the lean times
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You're the giver of my bread
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Lord, Your goodness
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Is too wonderful for me
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I believe my redeemer is alive
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Even in the mean times
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Lord, your goodness
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Is far too wonderful
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For me
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And I believe
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My redeemer is alive
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Oh, I believe
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My redeemer is alive
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Even in Your mean time
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So much, Tim.
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What a blessing.
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In the meantime,
God is on the throne.
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In the meantime,
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we can trust Him with our lives.
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What a tremendous privilege
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to be here down
under in 3ABN Australia
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in the Avondale Memorial
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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for the Homecoming.
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Greg and I had been
looking forward to this time
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to come and to
share with each one of you
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and you are all
wonderful group of people.
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We had the
privilege to meet a few,
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and we are looking forward
to meeting the rest of you.
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God has people everywhere.
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Praise the Lord for that.
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Our theme this camp meeting,
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Homecoming, is Knowing God.
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The theme scripture, John 17:3
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and "This is eternal
life, that they may know you,
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the only true
God, and Jesus Christ,
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whom You have sent."
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How do we know Him?
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We know Him by His Word.
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We know Him through
His Son, Jesus Christ.
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We know Him by His
character and through His law.
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We know Him through prayer,
through life's experiences,
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and today I'm
talking about knowing God
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through the trials of life,
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through the joy and pain,
through the grief and loss,
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through the
acceptance of what has been
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and the surrender
of what might never be,
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through anything and everything,
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knowing that He is good,
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that He is love and
that He can be trusted.
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Let's pray.
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Holy Father, just now
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I asked that You would hide me
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behind the cross,
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that You would
get me out of the way
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that Jesus could be seen,
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that Your Word would go forth
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and we would be
healers and doers of Your Word,
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that we could
see the love of God
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in a way that maybe we
have never seen before.
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And we thank you
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in the precious
and holy name of Jesus.
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Amen.
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It was a Sabbath afternoon,
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Greg and I had just come out
of church and greeting people,
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you know, how
you do after church.
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It was a...
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We were out west
in North America,
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and a lady came up to me
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that I had never
seen before and she said,
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"Jill, I want to
talk to you for a minute."
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And I thought, "That's
great, you know, let's talk."
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She said, "I read an
article in the Adventist Review
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that you wrote about your
journey with infertility."
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And instantly I thought,
"Okay what's coming next."
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Because when you open
yourself up to be vulnerable
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and to share some of the issues
that you have gone through,
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some people encourage him pray,
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and some people
have many suggestions
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or we could say some
constructive criticism.
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Have you ever experienced that?
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So I didn't know which direction
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she is coming from.
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"Is this okay?
This is an issue Jill,"
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or she coming for to encourage.
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So I said, "Okay."
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And she said,
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"I want to thank
you for being honest.
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You have helped me a great deal.
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Can I tell you a story?"
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And I said, "Sure."
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And so we kind
of step to the side
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because there's all these people
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after church mingling.
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And she said, "My husband
and I couldn't have kids,
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and we desperately wanted
to have kids and we couldn't.
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And we didn't know
what to do and we prayed
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and God put on our
heart that we ought to adopt."
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And I said, "That's wonderful.
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Adoptions are great thing."
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She said, "You haven't
heard the whole story, Jill.
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So we decided to adopt
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and we were gonna
do a foreign adoption."
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Now in the States if
you do a foreign adoption,
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it can be expensive.
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You can spend
$30,000, $40,000, and $50,000
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to adopt kids
from a foreign country.
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She and her
husband spent thousands,
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they received the news
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that they were gonna
get two little girls.
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They were four and five,
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we'll call the
girls, Sarah and Mary.
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And they
already named the girls,
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they were so excited.
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They were gonna
come home to them
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and they were
gonna be a mom and dad.
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They had paid all
these money for the adoption.
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Then she said, "We waited
and the girls didn't come.
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And we waited
and they didn't come.
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And then we got the news
that the girls had been sold."
00:11:32.35\00:11:38.66
They lost the money,
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the girls were not just sold
to someone else to be adopted,
00:11:41.40\00:11:44.93
neither were they
sold to be workers,
00:11:44.97\00:11:49.00
they were sold in the sex trade.
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So the very kids
that were to be theirs
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that they had paid money
for, that they could adopt...
00:11:55.91\00:12:00.12
They were so
excited to be mom and dad.
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Now they had to
live with the knowledge
00:12:03.28\00:12:06.12
that those precious little girls
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were possibly dead or worse.
00:12:09.02\00:12:12.79
It had been several years
since that time, and she said,
00:12:12.83\00:12:16.60
"Jill, I don't even know
how to deal with the pain.
00:12:16.63\00:12:19.03
I can't get over this."
00:12:19.07\00:12:20.74
And I thought,
00:12:20.77\00:12:22.10
"What I've been through
is nothing compared to that."
00:12:22.14\00:12:24.21
I can't even imagine
going through pain like that.
00:12:24.24\00:12:29.41
How do you find
the faith of Christ
00:12:29.44\00:12:32.41
when you are going through pain?
00:12:32.45\00:12:34.28
How do you find Him
00:12:34.32\00:12:35.95
when you can't
even feel His presence,
00:12:35.98\00:12:38.35
when you don't even
know where to look for Him?
00:12:38.39\00:12:43.02
I want to talk today,
knowing God through trials,
00:12:43.06\00:12:45.93
a little different angle.
00:12:45.96\00:12:47.76
We are gonna talk
about answers to prayer.
00:12:47.80\00:12:50.53
When I was growing
up, I was always taught,
00:12:50.57\00:12:52.57
there were three
answers to prayer.
00:12:52.60\00:12:54.57
One is...
00:12:54.60\00:12:55.94
Can you tell me? Yes.
00:12:55.97\00:12:57.87
Then there is one
over here which is...
00:12:57.91\00:13:00.31
No, and what's
the one in the middle?
00:13:00.34\00:13:03.35
Wait. Right, okay.
00:13:03.38\00:13:05.51
I'm gonna submit to you
00:13:05.55\00:13:06.88
that there is
four answers to prayer.
00:13:06.92\00:13:09.65
Over here, number
one is, no, not yet.
00:13:09.68\00:13:15.49
That would be the wait, right?
00:13:15.52\00:13:17.03
That would be the
maybe, it's the same one.
00:13:17.06\00:13:18.93
We're gonna spend a
little bit of time on that.
00:13:18.96\00:13:21.00
How do we know God
in the waiting time?
00:13:21.03\00:13:25.13
What do we suppose
to do while we wait?
00:13:25.17\00:13:27.60
This is no, not yet.
00:13:27.64\00:13:29.20
Then we have this one,
00:13:29.24\00:13:31.54
which is no, I
love you too much.
00:13:31.57\00:13:36.85
How can love be a no?
00:13:36.88\00:13:40.12
We're gonna spend
most of our time on that.
00:13:40.15\00:13:42.85
No, I love you too
much, how can love be a no.
00:13:42.88\00:13:47.72
Then there is, yes, I
thought you would never ask
00:13:47.76\00:13:52.39
and then there is
yes, and so much more.
00:13:52.43\00:13:57.53
Let's start with
no, the first one was...
00:13:57.57\00:14:01.10
No, what?
00:14:01.14\00:14:02.47
Not yet. No, not yet.
00:14:02.50\00:14:04.04
We'll start with that.
00:14:04.07\00:14:05.41
How do we know God
during the waiting time?
00:14:05.44\00:14:07.74
If you're like me,
I do not like to wait.
00:14:07.78\00:14:11.21
It drives me nuts when
I have to sit and wait,
00:14:11.25\00:14:14.22
that bothers me.
00:14:14.25\00:14:15.75
They say that on
average people wait 15 minutes
00:14:15.78\00:14:19.32
at a restaurant for a table.
00:14:19.35\00:14:21.66
Twenty minutes a day
for the bus or the train.
00:14:21.69\00:14:25.89
Thirty-two minutes
at the doctor's office.
00:14:25.93\00:14:27.93
Now, you know why
00:14:27.96\00:14:29.30
you don't like to go
to the doctor's office.
00:14:29.33\00:14:31.13
If you're waiting
for a life time...
00:14:31.17\00:14:33.50
If you spend
your whole life time,
00:14:33.54\00:14:34.87
if you average out
a person's life span,
00:14:34.90\00:14:37.51
people spend six
months of their life in line
00:14:37.54\00:14:40.74
waiting for something.
00:14:40.78\00:14:42.44
People spend 43 days on hold
00:14:42.48\00:14:45.21
with that automated phone system
00:14:45.25\00:14:47.08
that you hate so much.
00:14:47.12\00:14:48.68
People spend 27
days of their life,
00:14:48.72\00:14:51.49
waiting at the bus
platform and get this,
00:14:51.52\00:14:54.86
and average nine
years of your life
00:14:54.89\00:14:56.99
on your cell phone.
00:14:57.03\00:14:58.93
Something's wrong with that.
00:14:58.96\00:15:00.63
The difficulty of waiting...
00:15:00.66\00:15:03.47
Now, the waiting
I just talked about,
00:15:03.50\00:15:06.00
waiting at the restaurant,
or waiting for the bus,
00:15:06.03\00:15:08.67
that's the type of waiting
00:15:08.70\00:15:10.04
that maybe makes us
just a bit impatient.
00:15:10.07\00:15:13.17
For what about when the
waiting is something different,
00:15:13.21\00:15:16.34
when you're waiting for
the result to the biopsy,
00:15:16.38\00:15:20.22
you are waiting
for the door to open,
00:15:20.25\00:15:22.02
for the job you always wanted,
or the home you dreamed of,
00:15:22.05\00:15:26.82
or even to have a home at all.
00:15:26.86\00:15:30.13
What if you are waiting
for finances for school?
00:15:30.16\00:15:34.50
What if you are waiting
your whole life for a spouse,
00:15:34.53\00:15:38.20
or for kids, or for a friend?
00:15:38.23\00:15:42.40
What do you do then?
00:15:42.44\00:15:44.07
Why do we wait?
00:15:44.11\00:15:45.74
We wait because
we have no choice.
00:15:45.77\00:15:47.78
If we had a choice,
we wouldn't be waiting.
00:15:47.81\00:15:49.68
We wait because
we have no answer.
00:15:49.71\00:15:52.41
We wait because
we have no way out,
00:15:52.45\00:15:55.32
we are unable to fix it,
remedy it or make it better.
00:15:55.35\00:15:59.49
We are incapable of
changing our circumstances.
00:15:59.52\00:16:03.19
How do we wait?
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.00
What do we do in the
midst of that process?
00:16:08.03\00:16:12.70
I think there's
three ways that we wait,
00:16:12.73\00:16:14.80
when God says no, not yet,
00:16:14.84\00:16:17.87
there's three ways that we wait.
00:16:17.91\00:16:20.18
In the midst of that process,
00:16:20.21\00:16:21.54
first we wait and surrender
and submission to His will.
00:16:21.58\00:16:26.68
Psalm 40:8, Jesus
says, "I delight..."
00:16:26.72\00:16:31.85
Do you know how it finishes?
00:16:31.89\00:16:33.25
"To do your will, oh my God,
Your law is within my heart."
00:16:33.29\00:16:39.29
Now that word delight
in Hebrew means desire.
00:16:39.33\00:16:44.10
So what is He saying?
00:16:44.13\00:16:45.47
"I desire to do your will."
00:16:45.50\00:16:50.01
Have you ever really
desired to do something,
00:16:50.04\00:16:52.77
desired to do
someone else's will?
00:16:52.81\00:16:54.88
How do we even know
what the will of God is?
00:16:54.91\00:16:57.91
I desired to do Your will.
00:16:57.95\00:17:00.72
In order to know His
will, we have to know Him.
00:17:00.75\00:17:05.15
And this is life eternal
that they should know Him,
00:17:05.19\00:17:08.39
the only true
God in Jesus Christ
00:17:08.42\00:17:10.69
whom Thou has sent.
00:17:10.73\00:17:12.36
We have to have
personal firsthand experience
00:17:12.39\00:17:16.46
in order to know Him and
to know Him is to love Him.
00:17:16.50\00:17:21.60
To know Him is to desire Him.
00:17:21.64\00:17:25.21
Often, you know,
in my waiting time
00:17:25.24\00:17:27.41
when God says no, not
yet, you know how I wait?
00:17:27.44\00:17:30.61
I wait in frustration.
00:17:30.65\00:17:33.28
I wait in self-pity.
00:17:33.31\00:17:36.95
I wait in fear and yet God says,
00:17:36.99\00:17:41.49
"Don't do any of those things,
00:17:41.52\00:17:43.56
wait and surrender, and
submission to His will."
00:17:43.59\00:17:48.90
I'm not very good
with either one of those.
00:17:48.93\00:17:50.97
Surrender and submission,
00:17:51.00\00:17:53.90
giving up my way
choosing to accept
00:17:53.94\00:17:57.91
the way of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
00:17:57.94\00:18:00.51
One of my favorite
poems, I have written,
00:18:00.54\00:18:04.08
typed up in a thinner
frame right beside our bed
00:18:04.11\00:18:06.92
and it says, "In
acceptance lies peace,
00:18:06.95\00:18:10.42
all my heart be still.
00:18:10.45\00:18:12.19
Let die restless worries
cease and accept His will."
00:18:12.22\00:18:17.26
Though this test
or though this trial
00:18:17.29\00:18:19.89
is not my choice, it is His.
00:18:19.93\00:18:22.96
Therefore, rejoice.
00:18:23.00\00:18:24.83
In His plan there cannot
be anything to make me sad.
00:18:24.87\00:18:28.47
If this is His choice for me,
I want to take it and be glad.
00:18:28.50\00:18:34.11
Make from it some lovely
thing, to the glory of my King.
00:18:34.14\00:18:38.35
Cease from sighs and murmuring,
sing his loving grace.
00:18:38.38\00:18:42.95
This trial means my
furthering to a wealthy place.
00:18:42.98\00:18:48.76
From my fear he will get release
00:18:48.79\00:18:51.86
and in acceptance lies peace.
00:18:51.89\00:18:53.90
So how do we wait?
00:18:53.93\00:18:55.26
We wait in surrender
and submission to His will.
00:18:55.30\00:18:58.43
Number two, we
wait in active service.
00:18:58.47\00:19:02.30
Not in idleness
or discouragement...
00:19:02.34\00:19:05.74
Remember the
Parable of the Ten Talents,
00:19:05.77\00:19:07.61
and the King sent...
00:19:07.64\00:19:09.81
Remember, he
went on a far journey,
00:19:09.84\00:19:11.41
the noble man and he
gave to a certain man
00:19:11.45\00:19:13.68
so many talents and others.
00:19:13.72\00:19:15.42
Luke 19:30, he said,
"Occupy until I come."
00:19:15.45\00:19:22.06
In other words,
practically speaking,
00:19:22.09\00:19:24.09
we don't sit at home
and mop in self pity.
00:19:24.13\00:19:26.66
We don't sit in fear,
we occupy until He comes.
00:19:26.70\00:19:33.10
We actively choose
to engage in service,
00:19:33.13\00:19:37.94
seeking out other
people serving with joy.
00:19:37.97\00:19:41.34
First, we wait in surrender
and submission to His will.
00:19:41.38\00:19:43.71
Second, we wait
in active service,
00:19:43.75\00:19:46.05
not in idealness
or discouragement
00:19:46.08\00:19:48.25
and third, we wait
in eager expectation
00:19:48.28\00:19:52.52
of what God is
going to accomplish
00:19:52.55\00:19:55.49
in our lives.
00:19:55.52\00:19:57.03
Turn with me to Romans,
Pastor John said last night,
00:19:57.06\00:19:59.86
Romans is one of...
00:19:59.89\00:20:01.23
I think he said
it's his favorite book,
00:20:01.26\00:20:02.90
and it is one of
my favorite books
00:20:02.93\00:20:05.00
as well.
00:20:05.03\00:20:06.37
Romans 5,
00:20:06.40\00:20:10.97
we're gonna read verses 3-5.
00:20:11.01\00:20:14.61
Roman 5:3, "And not only that,
00:20:14.64\00:20:17.65
but we also glory
in tribulation..."
00:20:17.68\00:20:20.82
Now, I want to stop right there,
00:20:20.85\00:20:22.18
the word tribulation in
Greek means internal pressure.
00:20:22.22\00:20:26.76
There's actually two
different words for pressure,
00:20:26.79\00:20:29.22
or struggle, or tribulation.
00:20:29.26\00:20:31.53
One means internal.
00:20:31.56\00:20:33.09
There is another
one that means external.
00:20:33.13\00:20:35.96
This one is flipsis,
which means internal struggle.
00:20:36.00\00:20:39.97
So it says, "We
glory in tribulations."
00:20:40.00\00:20:42.87
So that doesn't mean,
00:20:42.90\00:20:44.24
we're glorying in
external physical issues.
00:20:44.27\00:20:48.08
The tribulation that
Paul's talking about here
00:20:48.11\00:20:50.25
is the mental struggle.
00:20:50.28\00:20:51.61
Would you agree
that's the worst kind?
00:20:51.65\00:20:53.31
Any type of trial
that we go through,
00:20:53.35\00:20:55.95
it's the battle of the mind,
that is the biggest challenge,
00:20:55.98\00:20:59.05
at least for me it is.
00:20:59.09\00:21:00.42
It's a battle to whether
00:21:00.46\00:21:01.79
I'm gonna wallow
in self-pity or not.
00:21:01.82\00:21:03.76
It's a battle,
00:21:03.79\00:21:05.13
whether I'm
going to get depressed,
00:21:05.16\00:21:06.49
or I'm going to be afraid,
00:21:06.53\00:21:07.90
or I'm going to
splash out in anger,
00:21:07.93\00:21:10.30
all of that's the
battle of the mind.
00:21:10.33\00:21:12.67
So we glory in tribulations,
00:21:12.70\00:21:14.97
this is that internal
struggle or internal pressure,
00:21:15.00\00:21:18.91
knowing that
tribulation produces what?
00:21:18.94\00:21:22.44
Perseverance or patience,
depends on your version.
00:21:22.48\00:21:26.31
Tribulation
produces perseverance
00:21:26.35\00:21:29.58
and perseverance character.
00:21:29.62\00:21:32.65
That is the character
that is forged under trial
00:21:32.69\00:21:37.69
and character produces hope.
00:21:37.73\00:21:41.20
Meaning in Greek,
eager expectation.
00:21:41.23\00:21:45.43
Now, hope does not disappoint
or hope is not an illusion.
00:21:45.47\00:21:50.21
King James says,
"Hope maketh not ashamed."
00:21:50.24\00:21:53.44
Because the love of God
00:21:53.48\00:21:54.81
has been poured
out in our hearts
00:21:54.84\00:21:56.75
by the Holy Spirit
who was given to us."
00:21:56.78\00:22:01.48
So the first category,
when God says, "No, not yet."
00:22:01.52\00:22:06.09
And when we are in the
midst of the waiting time,
00:22:06.12\00:22:09.62
we wait in surrender
and submission to His will.
00:22:09.66\00:22:12.73
We wait in active service,
00:22:12.76\00:22:15.10
not in idealness
or discouragement,
00:22:15.13\00:22:17.63
and we wait in eager expectation
00:22:17.67\00:22:20.77
of what God's gonna accomplish.
00:22:20.80\00:22:22.77
Now I told you,
I wanted to spend
00:22:22.80\00:22:24.14
the balance of our time
with this one right here.
00:22:24.17\00:22:27.31
When God says no...
00:22:27.34\00:22:29.94
I love you too much.
00:22:29.98\00:22:33.52
How can love be a no?
00:22:33.55\00:22:40.16
Now I do not
begin to understand this
00:22:40.19\00:22:43.96
and I want to be
clear about that.
00:22:43.99\00:22:46.23
This is a deep topic,
we could spend days on
00:22:46.26\00:22:50.07
and we can't
even truly understand
00:22:50.10\00:22:52.13
the mind of God.
00:22:52.17\00:22:53.90
But in my study,
I found three times,
00:22:53.94\00:22:57.21
three reasons...
00:22:57.24\00:22:59.24
And now there's more
granted, I'm just saying three,
00:22:59.27\00:23:01.48
we are talking about today.
00:23:01.51\00:23:03.18
Three reasons why love is a no?
00:23:03.21\00:23:07.55
I'll give you
three illustrations
00:23:07.58\00:23:08.95
to show them and then
we'll unpack each one of them.
00:23:08.98\00:23:11.92
How many of you are parents?
00:23:11.95\00:23:14.52
So three-quarters at least, 75.
00:23:14.56\00:23:18.93
So if you're a
parent and your child...
00:23:18.96\00:23:22.20
Say you are boiling
something on your stove
00:23:22.23\00:23:23.90
and the child reaches
up to touch the hot burner,
00:23:23.93\00:23:26.47
what do you say?
00:23:26.50\00:23:28.00
No.
00:23:28.04\00:23:29.70
What if your child
runs out into the street?
00:23:29.74\00:23:33.27
And there's car
coming, what do you say?
00:23:33.31\00:23:34.84
No.
00:23:34.88\00:23:36.21
Now, you don't just say,
00:23:36.24\00:23:37.58
"Okay, I guess,
don't do that honey."
00:23:37.61\00:23:38.95
No, right, you'll be
pretty firm about it.
00:23:38.98\00:23:40.98
No, get out of the street,
get your hand of the stove.
00:23:41.02\00:23:43.82
Why?
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.19
Because love is protection.
00:23:45.22\00:23:49.22
Sometimes when God says no,
00:23:49.26\00:23:53.40
I love you too much.
00:23:53.43\00:23:55.86
He said no because He
wants to protect you and I
00:23:55.90\00:24:01.44
from stepping outside of
the boundaries of His will.
00:24:01.47\00:24:05.41
Love is protection,
we'll unpack that in a minute.
00:24:05.44\00:24:08.58
Illustration number two,
00:24:08.61\00:24:09.98
if you're
married, a husband or wife,
00:24:10.01\00:24:13.28
if the other one steps
outside of the marriage
00:24:13.31\00:24:18.15
into adultery.
00:24:18.19\00:24:20.22
The spouse, say
the husband steps out
00:24:20.26\00:24:22.86
and the spouse is the
one who says the husband
00:24:22.89\00:24:24.73
just stepped out into
adulterous relationship.
00:24:24.76\00:24:28.76
The wife says, "No."
00:24:28.80\00:24:31.80
Why?
00:24:31.83\00:24:33.17
Because love is ownership.
00:24:33.20\00:24:37.31
When you get married,
00:24:37.34\00:24:41.84
and you say "I
do," what is that mean?
00:24:41.88\00:24:44.71
You belong as if
were, to the other person,
00:24:44.75\00:24:48.68
love is ownership.
00:24:48.72\00:24:50.69
God is saying,
"We are His children,
00:24:50.72\00:24:53.89
we belong to Him,
00:24:53.92\00:24:55.39
and anything that comes
00:24:55.42\00:24:57.53
in between our
relationship and Him,
00:24:57.56\00:25:01.20
he gets jealous over.
00:25:01.23\00:25:02.96
And he says, "I
don't want that."
00:25:03.00\00:25:05.47
Love is ownership.
00:25:05.50\00:25:06.84
We will unpack
that more in a moment.
00:25:06.87\00:25:08.20
Number three,
00:25:08.24\00:25:09.57
Jesus at the
Garden of Gethsemane,
00:25:09.60\00:25:12.27
remember Him
prostrate on the ground.
00:25:12.31\00:25:16.98
God, please, I don't want to
go to the cross, I can't do it.
00:25:17.01\00:25:23.22
My humanity won't let me.
00:25:23.25\00:25:26.02
Please, if it's possible,
God, I don't want to go.
00:25:26.05\00:25:30.13
And God said, "No."
00:25:30.16\00:25:34.56
Why?
00:25:34.60\00:25:36.03
Because love is sacrifice
for someone else's salvation.
00:25:36.06\00:25:42.57
First, love is
protection, love is ownership,
00:25:42.60\00:25:46.41
and love is sacrifice
for someone else's salvation.
00:25:46.44\00:25:49.38
If Jesus had not
gone to the cross,
00:25:49.41\00:25:52.41
there would be no hope of
salvation for you and for I.
00:25:52.45\00:25:55.88
So let's unpack those
three, love is protection.
00:25:55.92\00:26:00.59
Why does God says,
"No, I love you too much,"
00:26:00.62\00:26:03.69
because He wants
to protect you and I.
00:26:03.73\00:26:06.80
His law and His boundaries
are really for our protection.
00:26:06.83\00:26:12.67
The Garden of Eden,
00:26:12.70\00:26:14.04
remember when God
created Adam and Eve,
00:26:14.07\00:26:15.90
and He said don't...
00:26:15.94\00:26:17.74
What did He say?
00:26:17.77\00:26:19.11
"Don't eat of the fruit
00:26:19.14\00:26:20.78
of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil."
00:26:20.81\00:26:22.98
Now, why did He do that?
00:26:23.01\00:26:25.28
It was for their protection.
00:26:25.31\00:26:27.88
If they stepped outside
the boundaries of His will
00:26:27.92\00:26:31.29
and if they went and
took of the fruit and ate,
00:26:31.32\00:26:35.56
there would be sin,
there would be pain,
00:26:35.59\00:26:38.83
there would be
separation from God,
00:26:38.86\00:26:41.80
there would ultimately be death.
00:26:41.83\00:26:45.53
He wasn't being
harsh, he wasn't being cruel,
00:26:45.57\00:26:48.80
it was for their protection.
00:26:48.84\00:26:51.47
The same thing with
The Ten Commandments,
00:26:51.51\00:26:52.87
the law of God.
00:26:52.91\00:26:54.24
God is not
giving arbitrary rules,
00:26:54.28\00:26:57.05
He's not saying,
00:26:57.08\00:26:58.41
"Okay, don't go out
Jill and kill someone
00:26:58.45\00:27:01.68
because I want to
be mean about it."
00:27:01.72\00:27:03.99
What is He saying?
00:27:04.02\00:27:05.35
"I love you and
I can enable you."
00:27:05.39\00:27:08.86
So you don't even
have hatred in your heart
00:27:08.89\00:27:11.79
toward your brother.
00:27:11.83\00:27:13.26
These are for your protection.
00:27:13.29\00:27:16.26
What about the second one?
00:27:16.30\00:27:17.63
Love is ownership.
00:27:17.67\00:27:20.44
Now remember the
example with a husband and wife
00:27:20.47\00:27:22.47
stepping outside?
00:27:22.50\00:27:24.97
Now if I were to ask you,
00:27:25.01\00:27:26.98
is jealousy a good
thing or a bad thing?
00:27:27.01\00:27:30.18
How many would say
jealousy is a good thing?
00:27:30.21\00:27:33.45
Okay, I saw a little bit.
00:27:33.48\00:27:35.28
Now, how many would
say jealousy is bad?
00:27:35.32\00:27:37.92
We could all agree
jealousy is bad, right?
00:27:37.95\00:27:39.85
And we know that.
00:27:39.89\00:27:41.52
But could there be a time
00:27:41.56\00:27:43.66
when there's a
godly form of jealousy?
00:27:43.69\00:27:49.76
Godly jealousy is God
is jealous for us, why?
00:27:49.80\00:27:54.30
Because He owns us.
00:27:54.34\00:27:56.04
You and I, humanly
from an ungodly perspective,
00:27:56.07\00:28:00.44
are jealous of other people
00:28:00.48\00:28:03.48
or jealous of other things, why?
00:28:03.51\00:28:05.71
We don't have any rightful
ownership over them, right?
00:28:05.75\00:28:08.28
And we're coveting or wanting
00:28:08.32\00:28:11.05
something that
doesn't even belong to us.
00:28:11.09\00:28:15.29
Godly jealous, jealous
for us is a divine trait.
00:28:15.32\00:28:20.26
Jealous of us is an
ungodly or evil trait.
00:28:20.30\00:28:25.23
Why is God jealous for us?
00:28:25.27\00:28:27.34
Because He owns us.
00:28:27.37\00:28:28.70
He made us in the beginning,
00:28:28.74\00:28:30.97
and then He bought us
back with the blood of Jesus.
00:28:31.01\00:28:36.01
Turn with me to Isaiah 43.
00:28:36.04\00:28:38.21
This is one of my
other favorite books.
00:28:38.25\00:28:40.48
Isaiah 43:1,
00:28:40.52\00:28:46.99
Isaiah 43:1,
00:28:47.02\00:28:48.36
"But now, thus
says the Lord, who,"
00:28:48.39\00:28:51.56
what's that word?
00:28:51.59\00:28:53.73
"Created you."
00:28:53.76\00:28:55.66
In Hebrew, it literally
means to form or shape.
00:28:55.70\00:28:59.83
"Thus says the
Lord who formed you."
00:28:59.87\00:29:02.37
He created us, He made us
00:29:02.40\00:29:05.54
in the beginning
in the image of God.
00:29:05.57\00:29:08.44
"Thus says the
Lord, who formed you,
00:29:08.48\00:29:11.85
O Jacob, and He who formed you,
00:29:11.88\00:29:14.98
O Israel, 'Fear not,
for I have redeemed you,'"
00:29:15.02\00:29:21.02
So He made us in the beginning.
00:29:21.06\00:29:22.49
We rightfully belong to Him
00:29:22.52\00:29:24.13
because He made
us in the beginning,
00:29:24.16\00:29:26.06
then He bought us back.
00:29:26.09\00:29:28.86
We chose to walk away,
we chose to turn our back.
00:29:28.90\00:29:34.57
I chose to spit in
His face, and yet, Jesus,
00:29:34.60\00:29:41.41
while I was yet a sinner,
00:29:41.44\00:29:43.71
while I was still
wallowing in the mud,
00:29:43.75\00:29:45.98
while I still had...
00:29:46.01\00:29:49.08
I was fighting
Him like a little kid,
00:29:49.12\00:29:50.75
you know, hitting on the parent.
00:29:50.79\00:29:52.45
I was kicking
against Him, He died for me.
00:29:52.49\00:29:56.06
He bought me back, and He said,
00:29:56.09\00:29:59.03
"Jill, all I'm asking,
will you make a choice?
00:29:59.06\00:30:02.53
And will you follow Me?"
00:30:02.56\00:30:04.47
Love is ownership.
00:30:04.50\00:30:05.87
No one can claim ownership
more than the Lord Jesus Christ
00:30:05.90\00:30:08.77
'cause He made
us in the beginning,
00:30:08.80\00:30:10.21
and then He went to
the cross to buy us back,
00:30:10.24\00:30:14.94
so that we can belong to
Him again for all eternity.
00:30:14.98\00:30:19.71
So sometimes when I pray,
00:30:19.75\00:30:21.98
and I say, "God, why is it a no?
00:30:22.02\00:30:25.09
Why are you saying no to
something I so dearly want?"
00:30:25.12\00:30:29.42
He says, "Jill, My daughter,
00:30:29.46\00:30:31.96
I'm saying no
'cause I love you so much.
00:30:31.99\00:30:35.43
There is this
certain thing in your life,
00:30:35.46\00:30:38.53
you have made an idol.
00:30:38.57\00:30:40.54
And I not only own you
00:30:40.57\00:30:42.30
and created you
in the beginning,
00:30:42.34\00:30:43.67
I bought you back.
00:30:43.71\00:30:45.04
I don't want
anything between me and you."
00:30:45.07\00:30:48.68
There's a circumstance,
00:30:48.71\00:30:50.05
a situation
something in your life,
00:30:50.08\00:30:52.15
I'm bringing you
to a straight place,
00:30:52.18\00:30:55.08
I'm bringing you
to a narrow place
00:30:55.12\00:30:56.99
and a hard place, why?
00:30:57.02\00:30:58.59
To show you what
is in your heart,
00:30:58.62\00:31:01.22
so that you can give it to Me.
00:31:01.26\00:31:03.16
Psalm 37:4, David says,
00:31:03.19\00:31:06.70
"Delight yourself in the Lord,
00:31:06.73\00:31:09.66
and He shall give you
the desires of your heart."
00:31:09.70\00:31:14.74
I remember earnestly
praying for something,
00:31:14.77\00:31:17.64
agonizing with God,
00:31:17.67\00:31:19.07
"God, please, I
want this please.
00:31:19.11\00:31:22.31
Why can't it be a yes?
00:31:22.34\00:31:24.11
Please."
00:31:24.15\00:31:25.51
And He said,
"Jill delight in me,"
00:31:25.55\00:31:26.92
and I said, "I am."
00:31:26.95\00:31:28.62
He said, "No, you're not."
00:31:28.65\00:31:32.25
Don't you love
it, God's so honest.
00:31:32.29\00:31:34.99
Praise the Lord for that.
00:31:35.02\00:31:37.39
He said, "No, you're not."
00:31:37.43\00:31:38.76
I said, "Why
aren't you giving me
00:31:38.79\00:31:40.13
the desire of my heart?"
00:31:40.16\00:31:41.50
And He said, "The
desire of your heart
00:31:41.53\00:31:43.67
is not in harmony with My will.
00:31:43.70\00:31:48.40
Surrender that
desire, delight in Him,
00:31:48.44\00:31:52.31
I will bring your
desires into harmony with Me."
00:31:52.34\00:31:58.81
Turn with me to 2
Corinthians Chapter 12.
00:31:58.85\00:32:02.38
Paul knows what it is
like for God to say no,
00:32:02.42\00:32:06.79
to say no because
He loved him too much.
00:32:06.82\00:32:10.76
2 Corinthians Chapter 12,
00:32:10.79\00:32:13.29
now we could debate what
the thorn in the flesh is,
00:32:13.33\00:32:15.70
but we won't get into that.
00:32:15.73\00:32:17.07
2 Corinthians 12:7,
it says, Paul speaking,
00:32:17.10\00:32:20.84
"Lest I should be
exalted above measure
00:32:20.87\00:32:24.07
by the abundance
of the revelations,
00:32:24.11\00:32:26.51
a thorn in the
flesh was given to me,
00:32:26.54\00:32:29.14
a messenger of
Satan to buffet me,
00:32:29.18\00:32:32.35
lest I be
exalted above measure."
00:32:32.38\00:32:36.58
So Paul prayed,
what does it say?
00:32:36.62\00:32:38.29
If you go on the
next verse, three times,
00:32:38.32\00:32:40.59
"God, please take this.
00:32:40.62\00:32:42.42
God, I don't want this, please.
00:32:42.46\00:32:45.69
Couldn't it be a yes?"
00:32:45.73\00:32:47.76
Now the Bible
doesn't say God said no,
00:32:47.80\00:32:49.66
at least in this
passage, it doesn't,
00:32:49.70\00:32:51.63
but what does God say?
00:32:51.67\00:32:53.10
"My grace is sufficient for you,
00:32:53.13\00:32:56.30
for My strength is
made perfect in weakness."
00:32:56.34\00:33:00.74
Now I don't know
when we get to heaven,
00:33:00.78\00:33:02.94
we would truly
understand God's purpose,
00:33:02.98\00:33:04.71
so I can't begin
to understand that.
00:33:04.75\00:33:07.55
But at the same
time since Paul said,
00:33:07.58\00:33:09.72
"Lest I should be
exalted above measure,"
00:33:09.75\00:33:12.05
that tells me that
there was maybe a little pride
00:33:12.09\00:33:16.52
going on in Paul's
life, I don't know.
00:33:16.56\00:33:18.96
But because he said that,
you could kind of pick that up,
00:33:18.99\00:33:21.50
and maybe, just maybe the reason
00:33:21.53\00:33:25.73
God said no to
removing that thorn,
00:33:25.77\00:33:29.44
to removing that trial
was because God had ownership,
00:33:29.47\00:33:33.58
and He said, "Paul, I don't want
00:33:33.61\00:33:34.98
anything in your life
00:33:35.01\00:33:36.48
that would
separate you from Me."
00:33:36.51\00:33:40.32
Love is protection.
00:33:40.35\00:33:42.25
Love is ownership.
00:33:42.28\00:33:44.49
Love is sacrifice
00:33:44.52\00:33:47.06
for the
salvation of someone else.
00:33:47.09\00:33:49.76
Back in 1956,
00:33:49.79\00:33:52.69
there was a
group of missionaries
00:33:52.73\00:33:54.50
who went from
America to Ecuador,
00:33:54.53\00:33:56.80
you probably know the story.
00:33:56.83\00:33:58.47
And they went as missionaries
00:33:58.50\00:34:00.64
to the tribesmen
there in Ecuador.
00:34:00.67\00:34:04.47
And five of the young men
00:34:04.51\00:34:06.41
in that mission
party were killed.
00:34:06.44\00:34:09.18
Two of the most famous would
be Jim Elliot and Nate Saint,
00:34:09.21\00:34:12.38
but there were three
other men that were killed.
00:34:12.41\00:34:13.85
They were in their
late 20s, early 30s.
00:34:13.88\00:34:16.82
Now if I had been
involved in that situation,
00:34:16.85\00:34:21.66
if I'd been the wife,
if I'd been maybe them
00:34:21.69\00:34:25.29
before they were finally
speared to death, and thinking,
00:34:25.33\00:34:28.26
"God, but we
came as missionaries,
00:34:28.30\00:34:29.93
but we're on a mission for You,
00:34:29.96\00:34:31.37
but we're seeking to serve
You, and we're doing everything.
00:34:31.40\00:34:34.14
Why?"
00:34:34.17\00:34:36.64
And yet God said,
"No, I love you too much."
00:34:36.67\00:34:38.67
How could that be love?
00:34:38.71\00:34:40.04
How could You allow
the death of my spouse?
00:34:40.08\00:34:42.78
How is that even love?
00:34:42.81\00:34:45.18
And what happened?
00:34:45.21\00:34:46.78
Those women, the widows,
they went back to the tribe,
00:34:46.82\00:34:52.75
they not only forgave the people
00:34:52.79\00:34:54.49
who had killed their husbands,
00:34:54.52\00:34:56.39
they lead them to Christ.
00:34:56.42\00:34:58.86
God said, "No,"
00:34:58.89\00:35:02.30
so that someone
else could be saved.
00:35:02.33\00:35:05.03
Sometimes the
difficulties that we go through
00:35:05.07\00:35:08.07
have nothing to do with us.
00:35:08.10\00:35:10.11
Everything to do
00:35:10.14\00:35:11.57
with the
salvation of someone else.
00:35:11.61\00:35:16.81
Nate's son, his
name is Steve Saint,
00:35:16.85\00:35:19.41
He said, "The distinction
00:35:19.45\00:35:20.78
of the five men
and the five women,
00:35:20.82\00:35:22.48
who are even more
heroic than the men."
00:35:22.52\00:35:24.55
And I... Wouldn't you agree?
00:35:24.59\00:35:26.05
I mean, I'm a
woman, so ignore that.
00:35:26.09\00:35:28.52
But anyways, it seems to me
00:35:28.56\00:35:30.53
that the women
were extremely heroic
00:35:30.56\00:35:32.69
because they had all
gone as missionaries,
00:35:32.73\00:35:34.56
but the men were killed,
00:35:34.60\00:35:35.93
and now the women are going back
00:35:35.96\00:35:37.47
to the same people
who killed their husband.
00:35:37.50\00:35:39.60
That takes tremendous
forgiveness and courage.
00:35:39.63\00:35:44.24
He says, "The
distinction of the five men
00:35:44.27\00:35:46.07
and the five women,
00:35:46.11\00:35:47.44
who are even more
heroic than the men
00:35:47.48\00:35:49.51
is simply that they
cared about other people
00:35:49.54\00:35:53.58
and were willing
to give their lives,
00:35:53.62\00:35:56.15
so that someone
else could live."
00:35:56.18\00:35:59.55
That was Jesus in
the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:35:59.59\00:36:02.32
"Father, if it's possible,
let this cup pass from Me."
00:36:02.36\00:36:06.16
And what did He say?
00:36:06.19\00:36:07.53
No, because the whole
world then could be saved.
00:36:07.56\00:36:11.27
That would be Esther.
00:36:11.30\00:36:13.40
I don't know anyone
00:36:13.44\00:36:14.77
who wants to go be a
concubine for a king.
00:36:14.80\00:36:17.71
Now she became the queen,
00:36:17.74\00:36:19.07
but she didn't know
that when she went in.
00:36:19.11\00:36:20.98
Going into a harem,
00:36:21.01\00:36:22.34
I don't know anyone
who would want that.
00:36:22.38\00:36:24.05
I'm sure, she
begged and pleaded God,
00:36:24.08\00:36:25.78
"Can I have a
good Jewish husband?
00:36:25.81\00:36:27.92
Why have You
given me this pagan?
00:36:27.95\00:36:29.52
Why am I..."
00:36:29.55\00:36:31.39
And yet God said, "No." Why?
00:36:31.42\00:36:34.09
Because the whole
nation was going to be saved.
00:36:34.12\00:36:37.53
Now, I want to be clear.
00:36:37.56\00:36:38.89
This is not
saying that the evil,
00:36:38.93\00:36:40.63
and the suffering,
and the destruction
00:36:40.66\00:36:42.53
that happens in the
world is caused by God.
00:36:42.56\00:36:45.17
We know, the enemy comes
to steal, kill, and destroy.
00:36:45.20\00:36:48.74
Jesus said, He came
that we would have life,
00:36:48.77\00:36:50.97
and have it more abundantly.
00:36:51.01\00:36:52.74
But in the midst
of this world of sin,
00:36:52.77\00:36:56.75
God can turn
something around for good
00:36:56.78\00:37:00.32
for the
salvation of someone else
00:37:00.35\00:37:02.38
or even for our own selves.
00:37:02.42\00:37:07.72
How do we handle the hurt?
00:37:07.76\00:37:10.63
How do we handle the trial?
00:37:10.66\00:37:12.69
How do we handle the pain?
00:37:12.73\00:37:15.73
How do we handle
when God says, "No, Jill.
00:37:15.76\00:37:18.17
And I'm saying no
'cause I love you too much."
00:37:18.20\00:37:21.54
What do we do with that?
00:37:21.57\00:37:23.84
I think one of the best ways,
00:37:23.87\00:37:25.24
this is just from my
own personal experience,
00:37:25.27\00:37:27.61
and there's many
ways we could talk about,
00:37:27.64\00:37:28.98
I just want to talk
about one that is to praise.
00:37:29.01\00:37:33.72
Praise is not
about God, it's about me.
00:37:33.75\00:37:37.52
It doesn't change
God, it changes me.
00:37:37.55\00:37:41.36
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
00:37:41.39\00:37:45.13
"Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing in,"
00:37:45.16\00:37:51.00
only the things I like,
00:37:51.03\00:37:53.74
only the things
that make me happy,
00:37:53.77\00:37:56.30
only the things that...
00:37:56.34\00:37:57.67
No, "in everything give thanks,
00:37:57.71\00:38:01.54
for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you."
00:38:01.58\00:38:06.68
I remember when Greg and
I first got our diagnosis.
00:38:06.72\00:38:09.75
This was 14 years ago maybe
that we couldn't have kids.
00:38:09.78\00:38:13.46
And the doctor
called on the phone,
00:38:13.49\00:38:15.66
which is kind of peculiar.
00:38:15.69\00:38:17.03
I don't know why they
didn't do that in the office,
00:38:17.06\00:38:18.43
but anyways, he
called on the phone,
00:38:18.46\00:38:19.79
Greg was at work.
00:38:19.83\00:38:21.40
And I remember
hanging up the phone,
00:38:21.43\00:38:25.60
and running out the front door.
00:38:25.63\00:38:27.94
We live on a gravel
road in the country.
00:38:27.97\00:38:30.01
3ABN is really...
00:38:30.04\00:38:31.37
US is really in the country.
00:38:31.41\00:38:33.34
And running
down the gravel road,
00:38:33.38\00:38:35.64
and I was just
crying, and I couldn't stop.
00:38:35.68\00:38:38.51
Just thinking, "God,
it's everything I wanted,
00:38:38.55\00:38:41.65
and thought it was
going to happen and dreamed,
00:38:41.68\00:38:45.42
why are You saying no?"
00:38:45.45\00:38:47.66
And it was a sunny day.
00:38:47.69\00:38:49.39
It was April.
00:38:49.42\00:38:50.76
It was spring
time, birds were singing,
00:38:50.79\00:38:53.03
but I couldn't
feel the sun on my face,
00:38:53.06\00:38:55.06
and I couldn't hear the birds,
and I didn't know anything.
00:38:55.10\00:38:59.23
All I knew is I hurt,
00:38:59.27\00:39:02.07
"And God, why did You
allow this to happen to me?"
00:39:02.10\00:39:07.38
And I remember, I
got a ways down the road.
00:39:07.41\00:39:10.38
And then it was like,
00:39:10.41\00:39:11.75
I felt God tap me
on the shoulder now,
00:39:11.78\00:39:13.31
not literally, okay?
00:39:13.35\00:39:14.68
But, you know, you
sense the presence of God.
00:39:14.72\00:39:18.45
And He said, "Jill,
My precious daughter,
00:39:18.49\00:39:20.42
count your blessings."
00:39:20.46\00:39:22.52
And I thought,
"What's wrong with you, God?
00:39:22.56\00:39:24.69
I mean, I'm going
through a hard time,
00:39:24.73\00:39:27.10
the least You
could offer is some pity,
00:39:27.13\00:39:29.53
the least You could give me
00:39:29.56\00:39:30.90
is to put Your
arm around my shoulder
00:39:30.93\00:39:32.67
and give me some comfort.
00:39:32.70\00:39:34.57
Why am I supposed to
praise when it hurts?"
00:39:34.60\00:39:38.57
And I didn't understand
why, but I made a choice.
00:39:38.61\00:39:41.54
"Okay, God, I'm
going to do it anyway."
00:39:41.58\00:39:44.61
And so I said, "God, I thank You
00:39:44.65\00:39:46.38
because You're
good, and I thank You
00:39:46.41\00:39:47.75
because You are on the throne,
00:39:47.78\00:39:49.12
and I thank You that Your
love even though right now
00:39:49.15\00:39:53.05
it doesn't feel like You are,
00:39:53.09\00:39:54.46
but I'm still
choosing to thank You.
00:39:54.49\00:39:58.13
And I thank You for my husband
and for ministry and family."
00:39:58.16\00:40:00.93
And you know what happened?
00:40:00.96\00:40:03.00
As I praised, as I chose,
00:40:03.03\00:40:07.10
made a mental choice
in my mind to give thanks,
00:40:07.14\00:40:11.07
God began to change my heart.
00:40:11.11\00:40:13.68
And I could feel the sun,
and I could hear the birds,
00:40:13.71\00:40:18.25
and it was like
the presence of Jesus
00:40:18.28\00:40:21.15
just wrapped me up in a blanket.
00:40:21.18\00:40:25.32
That's what
happens when we praise.
00:40:25.35\00:40:28.26
It's not about God,
00:40:28.29\00:40:30.19
it's about the
change that He wants to do
00:40:30.23\00:40:33.16
in our lives.
00:40:33.19\00:40:34.53
What does praise do?
00:40:34.56\00:40:36.20
First, praise takes
the focus off of me,
00:40:36.23\00:40:39.27
and it turns it to God.
00:40:39.30\00:40:42.20
Psalm 35:28,
00:40:42.24\00:40:43.74
"My tongue shall
speak of Your righteousness
00:40:43.77\00:40:45.64
and of Your
praise all day long."
00:40:45.67\00:40:48.44
Now have you ever
noticed that you can't speak
00:40:48.48\00:40:50.11
about two different
things at the same time?
00:40:50.15\00:40:52.21
Now I can definitely think
many thoughts at the same time,
00:40:52.25\00:40:54.98
but I cannot speak many
things at the same time.
00:40:55.02\00:40:57.99
So if I'm speaking praise
to God, what does that mean?
00:40:58.02\00:41:03.06
That means then I
cannot be nurturing my own pain
00:41:03.09\00:41:07.33
focused on my own stuff.
00:41:07.36\00:41:09.26
When I'm speaking praise to God,
00:41:09.30\00:41:11.63
it takes the focus off of me,
00:41:11.67\00:41:14.17
and turns it outward and upward
on to the Lord, Jesus Christ.
00:41:14.20\00:41:18.74
Number two, praise
makes the enemy flee.
00:41:18.77\00:41:22.44
Remember
Jehoshaphat, king of Judah,
00:41:22.48\00:41:24.68
when the
Moabites and the Ammonites
00:41:24.71\00:41:26.48
came against him,
00:41:26.51\00:41:29.92
that whole chapter is
great in 2 Chronicles,
00:41:29.95\00:41:32.22
but verse 22 says,
00:41:32.25\00:41:33.62
"Now when they
began to sing and praise,"
00:41:33.66\00:41:35.89
what happened?
00:41:35.92\00:41:37.26
"The Lord set ambushes
against the people of Ammon,
00:41:37.29\00:41:41.03
Moab, and Mount Seir,"
00:41:41.06\00:41:42.86
who would come against
Judah, and they were defeated."
00:41:42.90\00:41:45.83
Praise makes the enemy flee.
00:41:45.87\00:41:49.14
Do you feel surrounded by Satan?
00:41:49.17\00:41:53.38
Do you feel in your life
00:41:53.41\00:41:55.08
like you're going
through a hard time,
00:41:55.11\00:41:56.75
you're going through a trial,
and Satan is oppressing you.
00:41:56.78\00:42:01.12
Praise makes the enemy flee.
00:42:01.15\00:42:05.85
Number three, praise,
especially united praise,
00:42:05.89\00:42:10.63
invites the presence of Jesus.
00:42:10.66\00:42:14.40
2 Corinthians...
00:42:14.43\00:42:15.76
2 Chronicles, sorry,
00:42:15.80\00:42:17.33
turn with me to 2 Chronicles,
we're going to verse 5.
00:42:17.37\00:42:21.34
I love this scripture.
00:42:21.37\00:42:22.70
2 Chronicles Chapter
5, excuse me not verse.
00:42:22.74\00:42:25.84
2 Chronicles 5:13, 14.
00:42:25.87\00:42:30.91
2 Chronicles 5:13, 14,
00:42:30.95\00:42:35.05
"Indeed it came to pass
00:42:35.08\00:42:36.55
when the trumpeters
and singers were as one..."
00:42:36.58\00:42:42.56
Is that unity, when
you come together as one?
00:42:42.59\00:42:45.23
Okay, so when the trumpeters
and singers were as one,
00:42:45.26\00:42:48.53
so we have unity,
"to make one sound,"
00:42:48.56\00:42:51.53
there we have that unity again,
00:42:51.57\00:42:52.90
"one sound
00:42:52.93\00:42:55.20
to be heard in
praising and thanking the Lord,
00:42:55.24\00:42:57.97
and when they
lifted up their voice
00:42:58.01\00:42:59.64
with the trumpets and cymbals
and instruments of music,
00:42:59.67\00:43:02.34
and praised the Lord,"
00:43:02.38\00:43:03.71
So this is the praise session,
a united praise session.
00:43:03.75\00:43:07.48
So they're
coming together as one,
00:43:07.52\00:43:09.28
they're lifting up
their voices in praise,
00:43:09.32\00:43:12.79
"saying, 'For He is good,
00:43:12.82\00:43:15.12
for His mercy endures forever.'"
00:43:15.16\00:43:18.73
What happened?
00:43:18.76\00:43:20.10
What was the result when
they came together as one,
00:43:20.13\00:43:23.53
and when they praised
the Lord, what happened?
00:43:23.57\00:43:28.57
That's right.
00:43:28.60\00:43:30.57
"The house of the Lord
was filled with a cloud."
00:43:30.61\00:43:33.07
Now that is the presence
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:43:33.11\00:43:37.11
"So that the priests
could not continue ministering
00:43:37.15\00:43:39.68
because of the cloud,
00:43:39.71\00:43:41.05
for the glory of the
Lord filled the house of God."
00:43:41.08\00:43:43.52
Now that's incredible,
because we're not talking about
00:43:43.55\00:43:45.95
a light cloud that just kind
of drifted into the tabernacle,
00:43:45.99\00:43:49.89
we're not talking
about just the little haze
00:43:49.92\00:43:52.06
and you think, I
think, maybe I see a cloud,
00:43:52.09\00:43:55.30
it was so thick
00:43:55.33\00:43:56.83
that they could not
even continue ministering.
00:43:56.87\00:43:59.33
What does that mean?
00:43:59.37\00:44:00.74
Praise invites God's presence.
00:44:00.77\00:44:06.01
Do you need the
presence of Jesus in your life?
00:44:06.04\00:44:08.34
Choose to praise.
00:44:08.38\00:44:10.35
Praise invites His presence.
00:44:10.38\00:44:12.71
Number four, praise
gives strength and joy.
00:44:12.75\00:44:17.59
Psalm 16:11, "You will
show me the path of life,
00:44:17.62\00:44:21.39
and Your presence
is fullness of joy,
00:44:21.42\00:44:23.99
at Your right hand are
pleasures forever more."
00:44:24.03\00:44:29.03
So remember, the united praise,
when they came together as one,
00:44:29.06\00:44:32.80
and they praised, what happened?
00:44:32.83\00:44:34.60
The presence of God came.
00:44:34.64\00:44:36.97
Now in this verse, we see that
00:44:37.01\00:44:39.47
if we're in the
presence of God, we have joy.
00:44:39.51\00:44:44.85
So if we need
joy, we need to praise
00:44:44.88\00:44:49.68
because that will
bring the presence of God,
00:44:49.72\00:44:52.79
and then the
presence of God brings joy.
00:44:52.82\00:44:58.19
Next verse, Nehemiah 8:10,
00:44:58.23\00:45:00.06
"The joy of the
Lord is my strength."
00:45:00.10\00:45:03.23
So the joy leads to strength.
00:45:03.26\00:45:08.70
I was never very good at math.
00:45:08.74\00:45:10.61
I hated algebra, and geometry,
and all of those theorems,
00:45:10.64\00:45:14.64
and, you know, those things,
00:45:14.68\00:45:16.01
but I do
remember one about like,
00:45:16.04\00:45:17.85
if A equals B,
and this equals C,
00:45:17.88\00:45:20.18
then A equals C.
00:45:20.22\00:45:21.55
Remember one of those equations?
00:45:21.58\00:45:23.22
So if I praise unitedly,
00:45:23.25\00:45:28.69
and that brings
the presence of God,
00:45:28.72\00:45:31.09
and then if I have
the presence of God,
00:45:31.13\00:45:33.40
that gives me
joy, and if I have joy,
00:45:33.43\00:45:37.17
that gives me strength.
00:45:37.20\00:45:38.53
What does that mean?
00:45:38.57\00:45:39.90
If I'm weak, if I'm
tired, if I'm discouraged,
00:45:39.93\00:45:41.84
if I'm having a hard time,
00:45:41.87\00:45:43.74
I got to go back
to the beginning,
00:45:43.77\00:45:45.64
and I need to praise.
00:45:45.67\00:45:47.18
Praise gives us strength.
00:45:47.21\00:45:49.38
Praise gives us joy.
00:45:49.41\00:45:51.61
Praise invites
the presence of Jesus.
00:45:51.65\00:45:55.88
Praise allows God to
work, that's number five.
00:45:55.92\00:46:00.46
Praise allows God to work.
00:46:00.49\00:46:01.82
Remember Paul and Silas,
00:46:01.86\00:46:03.53
when they were
in jail in Philippi,
00:46:03.56\00:46:05.93
what does the Bible say?
00:46:05.96\00:46:07.30
"At midnight,"
now it could have been
00:46:07.33\00:46:08.66
literally at midnight,
but I think even emotionally,
00:46:08.70\00:46:11.87
they felt like it was midnight.
00:46:11.90\00:46:14.54
But they chose to
praise and sing praises.
00:46:14.57\00:46:18.34
They were praying
and singing hymns to God,
00:46:18.37\00:46:20.74
what happened?
00:46:20.78\00:46:22.11
God showed up,
and delivered them.
00:46:22.14\00:46:26.05
So praise takes
the focus off myself,
00:46:26.08\00:46:28.18
and it turns it to God.
00:46:28.22\00:46:30.05
Praise makes the enemy flee.
00:46:30.09\00:46:32.72
Praise invites God's presence.
00:46:32.75\00:46:35.59
Praise gives me
strength and joy.
00:46:35.62\00:46:38.99
Praise allows God
to work in my life.
00:46:39.03\00:46:44.00
Now you might be saying,
00:46:44.03\00:46:45.43
I'm just not
real good at praise.
00:46:45.47\00:46:47.10
I remember
there was a gentleman,
00:46:47.14\00:46:49.84
all of you from 3ABN US
00:46:49.87\00:46:51.24
would know exactly
who I'm talking about,
00:46:51.27\00:46:52.87
who's always happy.
00:46:52.91\00:46:54.48
And so if you say to
him, "How you doing today?"
00:46:54.51\00:46:57.41
"Oh, I'm praising
the Lord, I'm doing good.
00:46:57.45\00:47:00.12
Oh, God is good, and
he's always giving praises,
00:47:00.15\00:47:02.58
and always excited, and happy."
00:47:02.62\00:47:04.95
And I remember he broke
his hip a couple years ago,
00:47:04.99\00:47:07.16
and Greg and I went to
see him in the hospital.
00:47:07.19\00:47:09.42
And we went to encourage him.
00:47:09.46\00:47:11.96
And, you know what happened?
00:47:11.99\00:47:13.33
He encouraged us.
00:47:13.36\00:47:14.76
So he had broken his
hip, and he's in pain,
00:47:14.80\00:47:18.70
and yet he's telling us
00:47:18.73\00:47:20.07
how he's given out
literature to the nurses,
00:47:20.10\00:47:21.44
and how he is witnessing
for Jesus, how he's...
00:47:21.47\00:47:24.61
And I came away encouraged.
00:47:24.64\00:47:26.54
And the next day, I
was at work at 3ABN,
00:47:26.57\00:47:28.74
and there's a lady
who's on the other end
00:47:28.78\00:47:30.38
of the spectrum,
not on the praise end,
00:47:30.41\00:47:33.01
she could be on
the critical end.
00:47:33.05\00:47:34.82
And so I said to her,
"How you doing today?"
00:47:34.85\00:47:37.12
We call her Sarah.
00:47:37.15\00:47:38.49
"How you doing today, Sarah?"
00:47:38.52\00:47:40.39
And she says,
"It's one of those days."
00:47:40.42\00:47:44.89
And I said, "Guess what, Sarah?
00:47:44.93\00:47:46.36
I went to see this gentleman
in the hospital last night,
00:47:46.39\00:47:51.00
and I went to encourage
him, and he had broken his hip,
00:47:51.03\00:47:53.94
and he encouraged me."
00:47:53.97\00:47:56.84
And she said, "Oh, some
people are just like that."
00:47:56.87\00:47:59.97
And you know what?
00:48:00.01\00:48:01.64
That is true.
But do you know why?
00:48:01.68\00:48:05.41
It's a practice, it's a habit.
00:48:05.45\00:48:09.58
You know, when I
was a kid growing up,
00:48:09.62\00:48:12.09
they always said,
practice makes perfect.
00:48:12.12\00:48:14.02
I don't know, if you
teach that in Australia.
00:48:14.06\00:48:16.02
Practice makes perfect.
00:48:16.06\00:48:17.69
Well, I don't believe that
because if you practice, Tim,
00:48:17.73\00:48:20.50
if you practice the
wrong note on the piano,
00:48:20.53\00:48:22.13
and you always hit a B flat
instead of a B, what happens?
00:48:22.16\00:48:24.97
You have it perfectly wrong.
00:48:25.00\00:48:27.44
Practice does not make perfect,
practice makes permanent.
00:48:27.47\00:48:33.68
So that means we can
make a choice to praise.
00:48:33.71\00:48:40.12
That can become
a permanent habit.
00:48:40.15\00:48:45.02
Greg and I were at
the zoo in Florida,
00:48:45.05\00:48:48.19
and I like to
look at the big cats,
00:48:48.22\00:48:50.93
that lions, and the tigers,
and I love those animals.
00:48:50.96\00:48:54.26
And it just
reminds me in heaven,
00:48:54.30\00:48:55.76
we'll be able to
sit down with them,
00:48:55.80\00:48:57.37
and what a tremendous blessing.
00:48:57.40\00:48:59.10
So the leopard, I
don't remember his name,
00:48:59.13\00:49:02.24
but one of the
types of leopards.
00:49:02.27\00:49:04.57
He was in his cage,
and it was a nice big cage,
00:49:04.61\00:49:07.08
and he had all
kinds of room in it.
00:49:07.11\00:49:09.84
And yet when Greg and I
were there, he did this.
00:49:09.88\00:49:12.91
He's walking up one side.
00:49:12.95\00:49:14.28
He's right against
the edge of the cage,
00:49:14.32\00:49:16.45
and then he turned around
and he started on this side.
00:49:16.48\00:49:18.42
Now he had a whole
00:49:18.45\00:49:19.79
another section
over here, right?
00:49:19.82\00:49:21.16
That he could have walked
in, he had all kinds of stuff,
00:49:21.19\00:49:23.56
and he walked right
along the edge of the cage.
00:49:23.59\00:49:26.73
Now there was nice
grass and everything was lush,
00:49:26.76\00:49:29.80
but the grass was gone here.
00:49:29.83\00:49:32.07
And guess what?
00:49:32.10\00:49:33.44
It was dirt, and not only
was it dirt, it was a rut.
00:49:33.47\00:49:36.87
A rut had
formed where he walked.
00:49:36.91\00:49:40.61
See, you know
what, as Christians,
00:49:40.64\00:49:43.95
we, I can fall into a
rut, and I start walking,
00:49:43.98\00:49:49.48
"Woe is me, I can't believe
00:49:49.52\00:49:51.15
all the problems
I'm having in life."
00:49:51.19\00:49:54.06
Boom, turn around.
00:49:54.09\00:49:56.29
"Oh, I wish
someone would give me
00:49:56.32\00:49:58.33
some more affirmation,
00:49:58.36\00:50:00.16
I'm having such a hard time."
00:50:00.20\00:50:02.03
Turn around.
00:50:02.06\00:50:03.40
"Oh, Father, I don't know
why aren't You smiling on me,
00:50:03.43\00:50:07.20
and I can't feel Your presence?"
00:50:07.24\00:50:08.97
Turn around.
00:50:09.00\00:50:10.47
But what if I made
a choice, and I said,
00:50:10.51\00:50:14.74
"God, I'm stepping out," right?
00:50:14.78\00:50:16.68
"I'm stepping out.
00:50:16.71\00:50:18.05
God, I'm tired of
living in the rut.
00:50:18.08\00:50:21.22
God, I'm tired of life
with pain, and life with fear.
00:50:21.25\00:50:27.79
I'm tired of life with jealousy.
00:50:27.82\00:50:30.63
I'm tired of
life as I'm living it.
00:50:30.66\00:50:33.73
I'm tired of questions.
00:50:33.76\00:50:35.40
God, I want to step out.
00:50:35.43\00:50:38.10
I make a choice.
00:50:38.13\00:50:40.64
Thank you that
You're my Father."
00:50:40.67\00:50:42.87
Now I'm half in
and half out, right?
00:50:42.90\00:50:44.77
Half on the
grass, half on the rut.
00:50:44.81\00:50:47.18
God, I thank You
that You've redeemed me.
00:50:47.21\00:50:52.15
God, I thank You
that I am Your daughter.
00:50:52.18\00:50:55.55
Another step.
00:50:55.58\00:50:56.92
God, I thank You
00:50:56.95\00:50:58.29
for the privilege
of reading Your Word.
00:50:58.32\00:51:00.22
Another step.
00:51:00.26\00:51:01.59
God, I thank You that
every experience in life,
00:51:01.62\00:51:05.46
You can turn.
00:51:05.49\00:51:06.83
Romans 8:28,
00:51:06.86\00:51:08.20
"For good to those who love You,
00:51:08.23\00:51:11.17
to those who are the called
according to Your purpose."
00:51:11.20\00:51:14.50
And you know what happens?
00:51:14.54\00:51:16.37
Step-by-step,
promise-by-promise,
00:51:16.40\00:51:21.51
we walk from the devil's pit,
00:51:21.54\00:51:25.91
from the devil's rut
00:51:25.95\00:51:28.35
right out into
the arms of Jesus.
00:51:28.38\00:51:33.29
There's the last two
we haven't gotten to.
00:51:33.32\00:51:35.46
God says, "No, not yet."
00:51:35.49\00:51:37.39
What do we do in the
midst of the waiting time?
00:51:37.43\00:51:40.20
Then He says, "No,
I love you too much.
00:51:40.23\00:51:45.80
I love you, and I
want to protect you.
00:51:45.83\00:51:49.37
I love you, and
I want to own you,
00:51:49.40\00:51:51.94
and buy you back and redeem you.
00:51:51.97\00:51:56.04
I love you.
00:51:56.08\00:51:57.55
You are mine.
00:51:57.58\00:51:59.71
I love you."
00:51:59.75\00:52:02.62
Even this trial can work
for someone else's salvation,
00:52:02.65\00:52:06.25
we can make a choice to praise.
00:52:06.29\00:52:08.39
What about "Yes, I
thought You'd never ask?"
00:52:08.42\00:52:14.13
James 4:2,
00:52:14.16\00:52:15.50
"You have not
because you asked not."
00:52:15.53\00:52:21.27
Psalm 2:8,
00:52:21.30\00:52:23.27
"Ask of Me, and I
will give you the heathen
00:52:23.30\00:52:27.11
for your inheritance,
00:52:27.14\00:52:28.64
and the uttermost
parts of the earth
00:52:28.68\00:52:31.68
for your possession."
00:52:31.71\00:52:33.85
What are we to ask for?
00:52:33.88\00:52:35.22
Ask for the
conversion of your family,
00:52:35.25\00:52:37.65
your friends, your neighbors,
your enemies, the world.
00:52:37.69\00:52:41.16
Ask for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:52:41.19\00:52:45.13
Ask for revival and reformation
to spring forth in your life.
00:52:45.16\00:52:50.07
Ask for a new
heart, a heart of flesh.
00:52:50.10\00:52:53.50
Ask for God to write
His law in your heart,
00:52:53.54\00:52:57.24
and in your mind.
00:52:57.27\00:52:58.61
Ask to become a new
creation in Christ Jesus,
00:52:58.64\00:53:03.24
ask that He could be
glorified in your life
00:53:03.28\00:53:07.45
in the midst of your trials.
00:53:07.48\00:53:10.85
Ask for spiritual
blessings in Christ Jesus.
00:53:10.89\00:53:14.96
Ask to have His name
written on your forehead.
00:53:14.99\00:53:18.66
Ask to have your name written
in the Lamb's book of life.
00:53:18.69\00:53:23.33
Ask to be
transformed into His image.
00:53:23.37\00:53:26.03
Ask for grace to endure
and strength to overcome.
00:53:26.07\00:53:29.97
Ask for victory from sin.
00:53:30.01\00:53:32.77
Ask for
deliverance from bondage.
00:53:32.81\00:53:35.48
Ask for freedom in Christ.
00:53:35.51\00:53:38.45
Ask for a peace that
passes all understanding.
00:53:38.48\00:53:43.89
And what do we do? We thank Him.
00:53:43.92\00:53:46.52
Thank Him that all
His promises are yes,
00:53:46.55\00:53:50.86
and amen in Christ Jesus.
00:53:50.89\00:53:55.53
What about the last category?
00:53:55.56\00:53:57.60
Yes, and so much more.
00:53:57.63\00:54:02.94
Higher than we can think
00:54:02.97\00:54:05.14
or even imagine is God's ideal
00:54:05.17\00:54:10.31
for you and I, as His children.
00:54:10.35\00:54:13.18
Jeremiah 29:11,
00:54:13.21\00:54:16.15
"I know the plans I
have for you," says the Lord.
00:54:16.18\00:54:19.15
Plans to prosper
you, and not to harm you.
00:54:19.19\00:54:22.89
Plans to give you
a future and a hope.
00:54:22.92\00:54:27.06
Ephesians 3:20,
00:54:27.10\00:54:29.36
"Now to Him, who is
able to do exceedingly,
00:54:29.40\00:54:33.23
abundantly above all
00:54:33.27\00:54:35.17
that we could ever ask or think,
00:54:35.20\00:54:37.87
according to the power
of God that works in us,
00:54:37.91\00:54:43.24
to Him be glory in the church
00:54:43.28\00:54:45.61
by Christ Jesus
to all generations
00:54:45.65\00:54:48.98
forever and ever."
00:54:49.02\00:54:50.59
Amen.
00:54:50.62\00:54:51.99
So how do we know
God through trials?
00:54:52.02\00:54:56.76
What if we're in this stage
over here, and we're praying,
00:54:56.79\00:54:59.53
and asking, and waiting
desperately for an answer.
00:54:59.56\00:55:04.53
And God's saying, "No, not yet."
00:55:04.57\00:55:08.27
What if we're here, and...
00:55:08.30\00:55:09.80
I know some of you here today
are in this place right now.
00:55:09.84\00:55:15.51
Everything you wanted or
asked for or dreamed about
00:55:15.54\00:55:22.45
seems like it's
just crashing around you,
00:55:22.48\00:55:25.45
and it's been shattered.
00:55:25.49\00:55:27.96
And God says, "No,
I love you too much."
00:55:27.99\00:55:34.43
What if you're
over here, and God says,
00:55:34.46\00:55:38.97
"Yes, I thought
you would never ask."
00:55:39.00\00:55:43.74
Or what if we're all the
way over here, and He says,
00:55:43.77\00:55:46.01
"Yes, and so much more."
00:55:46.04\00:55:48.21
No matter where we are today,
00:55:48.24\00:55:51.88
God invites us to know Him.
00:55:51.91\00:55:55.55
He invites us to experience
Him as we never have before.
00:55:55.58\00:56:01.89
It all comes down to trust.
00:56:01.92\00:56:04.53
Do I trust Him with my life?
00:56:04.56\00:56:08.46
Do I love Him enough?
00:56:08.50\00:56:11.00
The trust is leading
no matter what happens.
00:56:11.03\00:56:16.40
Do I love Him?
00:56:16.44\00:56:17.77
Do I even really know Him?
00:56:17.81\00:56:22.14
"This is eternal life,
that they may know Him,
00:56:22.18\00:56:26.38
the only true
God, and Jesus Christ
00:56:26.41\00:56:29.08
whom Thou has sent."
00:56:29.12\00:56:30.85
Let's pray.
00:56:30.89\00:56:32.22
Father, we thank
You that You are love.
00:56:32.25\00:56:35.72
We thank You that You are good.
00:56:35.76\00:56:39.93
We thank You that You created us
00:56:39.96\00:56:42.16
and formed us from the dust
of the ground in the beginning,
00:56:42.20\00:56:46.60
and that You
redeemed us at the cross,
00:56:46.63\00:56:50.11
and that you
want to recreate in us
00:56:50.14\00:56:54.38
the image of Jesus.
00:56:54.41\00:56:57.15
Father, just now I
give my life to You anew,
00:56:57.18\00:57:01.95
and my brothers and
sisters here do as well.
00:57:01.98\00:57:04.12
We ask that You would do
00:57:04.15\00:57:05.75
a new thing in
our hearts and lives,
00:57:05.79\00:57:08.82
and that we could
know and trust You
00:57:08.86\00:57:10.99
even in the midst of the trial.
00:57:11.03\00:57:12.73
And we thank You
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:12.76\00:57:15.96