Hello, I'm Lyle Southwell.
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
Welcome to Let God Speak.
00:00:02.73\00:00:04.30
Today, we focus
on the only solution
00:00:04.33\00:00:06.80
to our greatest problem,
the problem of ourselves.
00:00:06.84\00:00:10.87
We are going to study the life
00:00:10.91\00:00:12.24
of the master
teacher Himself, Jesus.
00:00:12.27\00:00:14.84
Well, on our panel today,
00:00:40.64\00:00:41.97
we have Morgan
Vincent and Danny Milenkov.
00:00:42.00\00:00:44.94
And as we begin our program,
00:00:44.97\00:00:46.31
as always, let's
start with prayer.
00:00:46.34\00:00:49.14
Father in heaven,
we thank You so much
00:00:49.18\00:00:50.95
that we have the
privilege of being able to read
00:00:50.98\00:00:53.48
and study Your Word
00:00:53.52\00:00:54.85
and to hear Your
voice speaking to us.
00:00:54.88\00:00:57.32
We pray that as we do so today,
00:00:57.35\00:00:59.39
that Your Holy Spirit
will be here to guide us
00:00:59.42\00:01:01.52
and to draw us
into Your presence.
00:01:01.56\00:01:03.76
We ask in Jesus'
name, amen. Amen.
00:01:03.79\00:01:07.10
So modern education today
00:01:07.13\00:01:09.00
and modern
philosophy really teaches us
00:01:09.03\00:01:11.97
to focus on ourselves.
00:01:12.00\00:01:14.04
You know, we hear these mantras
00:01:14.07\00:01:15.40
that go around, you know,
you deserve it, you can do it.
00:01:15.44\00:01:18.07
And I guess, you know,
00:01:18.11\00:01:19.44
my pet peeve is
the one that says,
00:01:19.47\00:01:21.48
you know, be true to yourself.
00:01:21.51\00:01:25.48
Morgan, isn't this kind
of like the very first thing
00:01:25.51\00:01:29.48
that Satan ever sent to
Eve in the Garden of Eden,
00:01:29.52\00:01:32.12
the first great temptation?
00:01:32.15\00:01:33.66
Yeah. Absolutely, it is.
00:01:33.69\00:01:35.02
And, Lyle, we'll go
straight to the Bible.
00:01:35.06\00:01:36.79
And it says in
Genesis 3, we find the words
00:01:36.83\00:01:39.93
that the serpent
says to the woman.
00:01:39.96\00:01:42.86
And in Genesis 3, and
we read verses 5 and 6,
00:01:42.90\00:01:46.03
the Bible says, "For
God knows that in the day
00:01:46.07\00:01:47.94
you eat of it your
eyes will be opened,
00:01:47.97\00:01:50.64
and you will be like
God, knowing good and evil."
00:01:50.67\00:01:53.17
That's this lie.
00:01:53.21\00:01:55.21
And that's what
you were saying earlier
00:01:55.24\00:01:56.58
that modern thought is,
00:01:56.61\00:01:57.95
will you be like
God, you'll advance,
00:01:57.98\00:01:59.48
you get to this place
where you'll be like God and...
00:01:59.51\00:02:02.32
It's all about you. Yeah.
00:02:02.35\00:02:03.69
It's all about...
You're the center of evidence.
00:02:03.72\00:02:05.19
That's right.
You have a solution.
00:02:05.22\00:02:06.92
Exactly.
00:02:06.96\00:02:08.29
In verse 6 it says,
"So when the woman saw that
00:02:08.32\00:02:10.29
the tree was good for food,
00:02:10.33\00:02:12.16
that it was
pleasant to the eyes,
00:02:12.19\00:02:13.53
and the tree
desirable to make one wise,
00:02:13.56\00:02:16.50
she took of its fruit and ate.
00:02:16.53\00:02:18.17
She also gave to her
husband with her, and he ate."
00:02:18.20\00:02:21.97
So again, it's
all about themselves.
00:02:22.00\00:02:25.04
Focus is there
on themselves. Okay.
00:02:25.07\00:02:27.18
Now, of course, their
lives were vastly different.
00:02:27.21\00:02:29.31
Danny, was it improvement
00:02:29.34\00:02:30.68
when they
decided to be like gods
00:02:30.71\00:02:33.55
and to receive all of
this information that,
00:02:33.58\00:02:36.35
you know, Satan
was promising them
00:02:36.38\00:02:37.95
as a result of eating the fruit.
00:02:37.99\00:02:40.52
It was certainly
different, was it better?
00:02:40.56\00:02:42.92
It was a disaster,
to put it in a word.
00:02:42.96\00:02:45.89
Unfortunately, they recognized
00:02:45.93\00:02:48.93
what God had told them
00:02:48.96\00:02:50.30
that the day
that you eat in this,
00:02:50.33\00:02:51.80
you will die and that day,
00:02:51.83\00:02:54.04
they had a
spiritual sever from God,
00:02:54.07\00:02:59.27
in a way that they had
never experienced before.
00:02:59.31\00:03:01.58
They experienced shame
00:03:01.61\00:03:03.04
and pain and
guilt and ultimately,
00:03:03.08\00:03:06.01
they held the
death of their son Abel,
00:03:06.05\00:03:09.72
not so long afterwards.
00:03:09.75\00:03:11.25
And they
experienced the true fruit
00:03:11.29\00:03:13.72
of what it means to sin,
00:03:13.76\00:03:15.56
of what it means to
live in separation of God,
00:03:15.59\00:03:17.69
of what it means a
distrust the Word of God.
00:03:17.73\00:03:21.00
And to me, it's
really interesting that
00:03:21.03\00:03:24.33
the serpent tempted
Eve into believing that
00:03:24.37\00:03:28.24
God was withholding
something from her and Adam,
00:03:28.27\00:03:31.54
that would be to their good.
00:03:31.57\00:03:33.44
And that has been a temptation
that has gone all the way
00:03:33.48\00:03:35.91
down through history,
where you cannot trust God,
00:03:35.94\00:03:38.85
that He doesn't have
Your best interest in,
00:03:38.88\00:03:41.48
you need to take
matters into your own hands,
00:03:41.52\00:03:44.72
you need to do,
as you pointed out,
00:03:44.75\00:03:46.99
you need to do it
your way was Frank Sinatra
00:03:47.02\00:03:50.29
saying that very popular
song, you know, I did it my way.
00:03:50.33\00:03:53.63
And we experienced, sadly,
00:03:53.66\00:03:55.86
the consequences of
doing things our way.
00:03:55.90\00:03:58.60
That's right. Absolutely.
00:03:58.63\00:04:00.10
And, you know, I
started off by mentioning
00:04:00.14\00:04:01.90
that mantra that we have today,
you know, be true to yourself.
00:04:01.94\00:04:05.17
And we hear all the time,
00:04:05.21\00:04:06.54
we even hear
Christians make this statement.
00:04:06.57\00:04:09.68
You know, the
last thing in the world
00:04:09.71\00:04:11.05
I ever want to do is
to be true to myself.
00:04:11.08\00:04:15.75
I want to be
true to Jesus Christ.
00:04:15.78\00:04:17.42
I want to die to self.
00:04:17.45\00:04:19.79
But, you know,
Morgan moving on from here,
00:04:19.82\00:04:22.82
God comes to Adam and Eve,
00:04:22.86\00:04:25.19
after they have
fallen for this temptation.
00:04:25.23\00:04:27.86
And He asks, "Where are you?"
00:04:27.90\00:04:30.23
Isn't that the strangest
00:04:30.27\00:04:32.17
kind of question for God to ask?
00:04:32.20\00:04:33.84
I mean, doesn't God know
where we are all the time?
00:04:33.87\00:04:36.10
He knows that we are
right here, right now.
00:04:36.14\00:04:38.81
Yeah, absolutely.
00:04:38.84\00:04:40.18
It seems strange,
and it's not as that
00:04:40.21\00:04:41.54
God's asking it
00:04:41.58\00:04:42.91
because He needs
to acquire information
00:04:42.94\00:04:44.81
or know their
geographical location
00:04:44.85\00:04:47.65
but rather God's asking
00:04:47.68\00:04:49.02
it because
sometimes if you were to ask
00:04:49.05\00:04:52.05
someone a question a
family member or friend,
00:04:52.09\00:04:54.39
you ask that
question in the hope
00:04:54.42\00:04:56.83
that the person
you're asking it to
00:04:56.86\00:04:59.19
will come to a realization.
00:04:59.23\00:05:01.00
And so God here is
asking this question
00:05:01.03\00:05:02.86
where are you, not
for His benefit per se
00:05:02.90\00:05:05.63
but more so that
Adam and, the woman,
00:05:05.67\00:05:08.40
Eve can know, "Hold
on, we're distant from God.
00:05:08.44\00:05:12.27
We've been running from God."
00:05:12.31\00:05:14.11
That's why He's
asking the question.
00:05:14.14\00:05:15.48
And you can kind of imagine,
00:05:15.51\00:05:16.85
you know, Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eden,
00:05:16.88\00:05:18.21
as you know, this
question is asked,
00:05:18.25\00:05:20.92
they're hiding,
00:05:20.95\00:05:22.68
but they know that
God knows where they are.
00:05:22.72\00:05:25.52
And then God asks the question,
00:05:25.55\00:05:28.36
you know, that would hit
00:05:28.39\00:05:29.72
pretty close to home wouldn't it
00:05:29.76\00:05:31.09
if you sort of just put yourself
00:05:31.13\00:05:32.46
in that kind of a situation?
00:05:32.49\00:05:34.03
Okay.
00:05:34.06\00:05:35.40
So, Danny, what
does this tell us about
00:05:35.43\00:05:36.77
the results of sin?
00:05:36.80\00:05:39.07
Well, as I shared earlier,
00:05:39.10\00:05:40.44
the result of sin
is experiencing that
00:05:40.47\00:05:42.97
which God never
intended for the human race,
00:05:43.00\00:05:45.37
it was always God's plan
00:05:45.41\00:05:46.74
for the human race to
enjoy the abundant life,
00:05:46.78\00:05:49.74
to enjoy a holistic life
where they grow physically,
00:05:49.78\00:05:55.12
spiritually, emotionally,
socially, in every aspect,
00:05:55.15\00:05:58.59
that was God's plan.
00:05:58.62\00:05:59.95
And so when sin comes
into this world, it's a virus,
00:05:59.99\00:06:03.19
it's a rotten virus,
and we're very well familiar
00:06:03.22\00:06:05.76
with a rotten
virus doing the rounds
00:06:05.79\00:06:08.86
around the world right now.
00:06:08.90\00:06:10.60
And so as this sin
problem comes into this world,
00:06:10.63\00:06:13.94
we discover the
consequences of sin.
00:06:13.97\00:06:15.90
And as I pointed out earlier,
00:06:15.94\00:06:17.27
there's guilt, there's shame
which comes into the story,
00:06:17.31\00:06:21.48
there's suffering, there's pain,
00:06:21.51\00:06:23.11
and the ultimate
consequence of sin
00:06:23.14\00:06:26.68
is alienation from God,
that separation from God,
00:06:26.72\00:06:30.89
which brings
about with it, you know,
00:06:30.92\00:06:35.42
the greatest consequences
that one can imagine
00:06:35.46\00:06:38.39
because God is the
life force of the universe.
00:06:38.43\00:06:41.16
He is the one that
gives the abundant life.
00:06:41.20\00:06:42.86
So ultimately, sin
separates from God.
00:06:42.90\00:06:45.43
It's like a cancer. I
illustrate it like a cancer.
00:06:45.47\00:06:47.94
Cancer separates
loved ones from one another.
00:06:47.97\00:06:51.84
It brings pain, it brings hurt,
00:06:51.87\00:06:53.48
it brings suffering,
and all of us at one time
00:06:53.51\00:06:55.81
or another have experienced
either cancer ourselves
00:06:55.84\00:06:59.15
or someone who we
love has had cancer.
00:06:59.18\00:07:01.25
And that's what
sin is. It's a cancer.
00:07:01.28\00:07:03.35
So you're a pastor, and no doubt
00:07:03.39\00:07:05.22
you've come
across people on occasion
00:07:05.25\00:07:06.96
who deny the existence of sin.
00:07:06.99\00:07:08.79
I mean, after all, if we come
from an evolutionary process,
00:07:08.82\00:07:11.63
how can sin exist?
00:07:11.66\00:07:13.13
Do you think people who
deny the existence of sin
00:07:13.16\00:07:16.53
actually are able to
sidestep those feelings
00:07:16.56\00:07:19.97
of shame and guilt?
00:07:20.00\00:07:21.60
No, I don't think so.
00:07:21.64\00:07:22.97
Because we know firsthand
00:07:23.00\00:07:27.84
what it feels
like to suffer pain,
00:07:27.88\00:07:30.81
we just know that that's
part of the human experience,
00:07:30.85\00:07:34.28
and sin brings
about pain and suffering.
00:07:34.32\00:07:38.62
And so whether you
denied or not is irrelevant.
00:07:38.65\00:07:43.73
You can deny that if
you jump off a cliff,
00:07:43.76\00:07:46.36
that you're going to end
up in not such a good place
00:07:46.39\00:07:48.70
at the bottom of that
clip, you can deny that
00:07:48.73\00:07:50.70
but the reality is
that's what's going to happen.
00:07:50.73\00:07:52.80
And so regardless of
what we might think or...
00:07:52.83\00:07:56.34
What we think or don't think,
00:07:56.37\00:07:58.11
the reality is that
sin separates us from God
00:07:58.14\00:08:02.58
and the
consequences of that follow.
00:08:02.61\00:08:04.75
Absolutely.
00:08:04.78\00:08:06.11
Now, you know, while
we're talking about that
00:08:06.15\00:08:07.48
because that's an
interesting subject.
00:08:07.52\00:08:08.92
You know, what
is the modern notion
00:08:08.95\00:08:11.02
of sin today?
00:08:11.05\00:08:12.39
What kind of,
Morgan, ideas are you finding
00:08:12.42\00:08:15.12
when you go out
to the community?
00:08:15.16\00:08:16.49
What do people
actually think of that sin?
00:08:16.52\00:08:18.56
Yes, some can just
straight out deny it
00:08:18.59\00:08:20.53
and say that
there's no such thing
00:08:20.56\00:08:22.36
as a like a moral fall or,
00:08:22.40\00:08:24.10
you know, a separation from God.
00:08:24.13\00:08:26.20
Of course, if you
don't believe in God,
00:08:26.23\00:08:27.60
then there's nothing like sin
00:08:27.64\00:08:29.20
that surely would
exist in terms of morality,
00:08:29.24\00:08:31.64
evil, these kinds of
things, pain, suffering,
00:08:31.67\00:08:34.04
well, it's just a fact of life,
00:08:34.08\00:08:35.48
and we better
just get used to it.
00:08:35.51\00:08:37.85
But if you come from
a worldview of faith,
00:08:37.88\00:08:40.22
then you see it
as something serious.
00:08:40.25\00:08:42.12
There's consequences,
separation from God.
00:08:42.15\00:08:44.85
And when we read
00:08:44.89\00:08:46.22
the first few chapters
of the Bible, the first six,
00:08:46.25\00:08:49.49
we find just
the spiral downhill.
00:08:49.52\00:08:52.33
And just everything
00:08:52.36\00:08:53.70
that could go
wrong, does go wrong.
00:08:53.73\00:08:55.90
Yes, absolutely.
00:08:55.93\00:08:57.27
Now as believers,
00:08:57.30\00:08:58.63
we recognize that humanity
is the source of the problem.
00:08:58.67\00:09:02.90
We recognize our own
depravity as human beings.
00:09:02.94\00:09:05.07
Danny, do you think
that that solved the problem,
00:09:05.11\00:09:07.51
that recognition?
00:09:07.54\00:09:09.91
It would be nice
if I could say yes.
00:09:09.94\00:09:14.12
But... Just recognize it.
00:09:14.15\00:09:17.59
The truth is right
there in the garden,
00:09:17.62\00:09:19.55
when you read Genesis 3,
00:09:19.59\00:09:22.46
you discover
God has to intercede
00:09:22.49\00:09:28.43
on behalf of Adam and Eve,
00:09:28.46\00:09:30.20
God has to intervene in
order to help them understand
00:09:30.23\00:09:34.27
that they have sinned,
00:09:34.30\00:09:35.84
that the consequences of
sin are horrible and horrendous.
00:09:35.87\00:09:41.08
And God has to help Adam
and Eve recognize their sin
00:09:41.11\00:09:46.11
because what's their
natural response is to blame.
00:09:46.15\00:09:50.55
And that's not
how we deal with sin.
00:09:50.59\00:09:52.52
We don't deal with sin
00:09:52.55\00:09:53.89
by blaming someone or
blaming the situation.
00:09:53.92\00:09:57.16
We deal with sin
by confronting it,
00:09:57.19\00:09:59.83
realizing that,
yes, I have sinned,
00:09:59.86\00:10:02.30
I need a
Savior. I need a Savior.
00:10:02.33\00:10:04.70
And that's
ultimately what God was trying
00:10:04.73\00:10:07.40
to help Adam and Eve understand,
00:10:07.44\00:10:08.84
what God is trying
to help us understand.
00:10:08.87\00:10:11.17
So Adam and Eve were
able to, you know, to learn
00:10:11.21\00:10:13.91
and to understand
about God's grace.
00:10:13.94\00:10:16.14
And we have other
examples in the Bible.
00:10:16.18\00:10:17.55
We're going to look
at another example here
00:10:17.58\00:10:19.28
for just a moment.
00:10:19.31\00:10:20.65
And this is in
Genesis 28 verse...
00:10:20.68\00:10:24.05
Let me say,
starting in verse 10,
00:10:24.09\00:10:25.42
the Bible says,
00:10:25.45\00:10:26.79
"And Jacob went
out from Beersheba,
00:10:26.82\00:10:28.52
and went toward Haran.
00:10:28.56\00:10:30.59
And he came
upon a certain place,
00:10:30.63\00:10:32.16
and stayed there all night
because the sun was setting.
00:10:32.19\00:10:35.56
And he took a
stone of that place
00:10:35.60\00:10:37.47
and put them for his pillow,
00:10:37.50\00:10:39.23
and lay down in
that place to sleep."
00:10:39.27\00:10:40.94
You know,
interesting story right here.
00:10:40.97\00:10:42.94
I don't know how good of a sleep
00:10:42.97\00:10:45.07
he had that particular night.
00:10:45.11\00:10:48.14
What was Jacob doing sleeping
with a stone for a pillow
00:10:48.18\00:10:51.18
under the stars.
00:10:51.21\00:10:52.55
I mean, he just
gone on a camping trip
00:10:52.58\00:10:53.92
and forgotten his swag.
00:10:53.95\00:10:55.72
What's going on here, Morgan?
00:10:55.75\00:10:57.72
Well, he's
basically doing the same thing
00:10:57.75\00:11:00.16
that Adam and Eve did
as soon as they sinned.
00:11:00.19\00:11:02.22
He's running.
00:11:02.26\00:11:03.63
He's running from his family
from what's familiar to him.
00:11:03.66\00:11:07.46
And that's the
strange thing about sin.
00:11:07.50\00:11:10.50
In that selfishness,
what we're talking about today
00:11:10.53\00:11:12.60
is that he's running away.
00:11:12.63\00:11:13.97
He's deceived his father,
he's wronged his brother,
00:11:14.00\00:11:16.20
and now he's wanting
to just get away from it,
00:11:16.24\00:11:18.04
hoping that the consequences
will go away as well.
00:11:18.07\00:11:21.88
But obviously, it
doesn't. No, it doesn't.
00:11:21.91\00:11:23.35
I mean, Danny,
00:11:23.38\00:11:24.71
what an epic sinner
you've got right here.
00:11:24.75\00:11:26.28
Can you believe
that God calls himself
00:11:26.31\00:11:27.88
the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
00:11:27.92\00:11:31.02
It's interesting,
someone once pointed out to me
00:11:31.05\00:11:34.19
that the lower you are,
the worse your condition,
00:11:34.22\00:11:40.30
the further God is willing
to go in order to rescue you
00:11:40.33\00:11:44.53
and to save you.
00:11:44.57\00:11:45.90
And that's what we find
all the way through Scripture.
00:11:45.93\00:11:48.37
And once again, you know,
00:11:48.40\00:11:49.90
like Morgan pointed out,
Jacob here is running away.
00:11:49.94\00:11:53.94
And then we find ourselves
00:11:53.98\00:11:56.14
as humans running away from God.
00:11:56.18\00:11:58.31
And I remember, I
think it was Dwight Nelson,
00:11:58.35\00:12:01.22
Pastor Dwight Nelson
coined the phrase back in 1998,
00:12:01.25\00:12:04.12
many years ago,
00:12:04.15\00:12:05.49
God is not
someone to be afraid of,
00:12:05.52\00:12:07.76
someone to run away from
but God wants to be our friend,
00:12:07.79\00:12:11.23
someone to be a friend of.
00:12:11.26\00:12:13.19
And so this is
quite interesting.
00:12:13.23\00:12:16.56
It's just the
consequences of sin,
00:12:16.60\00:12:18.03
we just run away from God
00:12:18.07\00:12:19.83
instead of running to
God who is our only solution.
00:12:19.87\00:12:24.14
Of course, we have the story
00:12:24.17\00:12:25.51
of how God visited
with Jacob that night.
00:12:25.54\00:12:27.54
And that tells us something
00:12:27.58\00:12:28.91
about the grace of God
right there because, you know,
00:12:28.94\00:12:31.25
God hasn't gone anywhere.
00:12:31.28\00:12:32.81
God is with him the whole time.
00:12:32.85\00:12:34.35
And here in verse
16, the Bible says,
00:12:34.38\00:12:35.98
"Jacob woke out of
his sleep and said,
00:12:36.02\00:12:38.65
'Surely the Lord
is in this place,
00:12:38.69\00:12:40.59
and I did not know it.'"
00:12:40.62\00:12:42.32
More do you resonate
00:12:42.36\00:12:43.69
with Jacob's
response to the dream
00:12:43.73\00:12:45.59
that God gave Jacob that night?
00:12:45.63\00:12:47.10
Yes, definitely.
00:12:47.13\00:12:48.46
You know, there
are times in my life
00:12:48.50\00:12:49.83
where all I'm
thinking about is myself.
00:12:49.86\00:12:52.53
And there is no
solution to myself,
00:12:52.57\00:12:55.84
if I look to myself.
00:12:55.87\00:12:57.67
And he, Jacob,
you know, he's alone,
00:12:57.71\00:12:59.54
he's faced with the
trials, he's going through.
00:12:59.57\00:13:02.04
But then he realizes
that God is actually with him.
00:13:02.08\00:13:04.88
And the lesson for each of us
00:13:04.91\00:13:06.25
and for those
who're watching is that
00:13:06.28\00:13:07.62
God is with us in our
trials, and maybe perhaps,
00:13:07.65\00:13:11.42
shame and guilt isn't something
to separate us from God.
00:13:11.45\00:13:15.12
But God uses it as a
bridge to bring us back to Him.
00:13:15.16\00:13:18.89
That's what I found...
00:13:18.93\00:13:20.26
Okay, we're just
following this story through.
00:13:20.30\00:13:22.03
Danny, where does
Jacob go in his life
00:13:22.06\00:13:25.33
from this particular point?
00:13:25.37\00:13:26.74
What impact is this
event have on Jacob's life?
00:13:26.77\00:13:32.17
Well, this has a
huge impact on him,
00:13:32.21\00:13:34.28
in that he makes a
decision right there and then,
00:13:34.31\00:13:37.95
that he wants God to journey
00:13:37.98\00:13:40.42
with him all the way through.
00:13:40.45\00:13:42.08
And I might just
continue reading here
00:13:42.12\00:13:44.32
from Genesis 28:20-22,
00:13:44.35\00:13:49.02
where it says,
"Then Jacob made a vow,
00:13:49.06\00:13:51.36
saying, 'If God will be with me,
00:13:51.39\00:13:53.86
and keep me in this
way that I am going,
00:13:53.90\00:13:56.33
and give me bread to
eat and clothing to put on,
00:13:56.36\00:13:59.37
so that I come back to
my father's house in peace,
00:13:59.40\00:14:02.17
then the Lord shall be my God."
00:14:02.20\00:14:04.37
Verse 22.
00:14:04.41\00:14:05.74
"And this stone, which
I have set as a pillar,
00:14:05.77\00:14:08.31
shall be God's house,
and of all that You give me
00:14:08.34\00:14:11.68
I will surely
give a tenth to You."
00:14:11.71\00:14:13.72
So here Jacob
makes a promise to God
00:14:13.75\00:14:18.09
and it's almost as if
he's reaching out to God,
00:14:18.12\00:14:21.36
he wants a covenant with God.
00:14:21.39\00:14:23.56
He's, "God, you have
revealed Your grace to me
00:14:23.59\00:14:26.26
in a powerful way,
00:14:26.29\00:14:27.63
and I want to
make a decision today."
00:14:27.66\00:14:31.30
Here is a stone and
stones are very symbolic.
00:14:31.33\00:14:33.67
In the Bible, we
have stones established
00:14:33.70\00:14:36.74
and we have altars
established in different places
00:14:36.77\00:14:39.44
as visible signs of a
decision to follow God
00:14:39.47\00:14:43.14
and to be faithful to Him
and to make that connection
00:14:43.18\00:14:46.65
with Him to make
a covenant with Him.
00:14:46.68\00:14:48.28
And this is what Jacob does.
00:14:48.32\00:14:49.85
And he talks about tithe here.
00:14:49.88\00:14:51.89
I mean, at a time like
this when he is penniless,
00:14:51.92\00:14:56.66
he's talking about tithe.
00:14:56.69\00:14:58.19
Morgan, any comments on that?
00:14:58.23\00:14:59.56
Yeah, it does
seem a strange thing
00:14:59.59\00:15:00.93
but to follow on from
what Danny was saying that,
00:15:00.96\00:15:02.66
you know, God
wants our entire lives.
00:15:02.70\00:15:05.33
And this is he
what God is wanting,
00:15:05.37\00:15:06.84
in what Jacob is
to respond by doing.
00:15:06.87\00:15:09.64
And so then by
giving a tithe or a tenth
00:15:09.67\00:15:11.91
of what he has
as income, you know,
00:15:11.94\00:15:14.08
it's a test of his
loyalty to God will God provide,
00:15:14.11\00:15:17.95
will God be with me, and
he knows that to be true.
00:15:17.98\00:15:20.38
But we have a saying, you know,
00:15:20.42\00:15:21.75
put your money
where your mouth is.
00:15:21.78\00:15:23.12
That's right.
00:15:23.15\00:15:24.49
And if you really believe
in something, you will do that.
00:15:24.52\00:15:27.99
And even Jesus said, you
know, where your treasure is,
00:15:28.02\00:15:32.46
that's where your
heart will be also.
00:15:32.49\00:15:34.63
So you know, we
know full well that,
00:15:34.66\00:15:37.63
you know, finances are
important part of life.
00:15:37.67\00:15:40.17
But often, individuals will
put their finances ahead of God.
00:15:40.20\00:15:43.97
But here, he had Jacob places
his finances in the context
00:15:44.01\00:15:48.94
of being faithful to God.
00:15:48.98\00:15:50.31
"And, God, You have
everything You have my life,
00:15:50.35\00:15:52.18
You have my
finances, You have everything,
00:15:52.21\00:15:54.28
it's all belongs to You.
00:15:54.32\00:15:55.65
I want to be faithful,
00:15:55.68\00:15:57.02
and I want to
have union with You
00:15:57.05\00:15:58.39
in every aspect of my life."
00:15:58.42\00:15:59.75
And what an
experience, you know,
00:15:59.79\00:16:01.12
when you are
feeling so far from God,
00:16:01.16\00:16:02.82
and suddenly realize
that God is right there that
00:16:02.86\00:16:04.86
God is chasing you down.
00:16:04.89\00:16:06.80
You know, the Bible
study takes us to John 1,
00:16:06.83\00:16:10.37
"In the beginning was the Word,
00:16:10.40\00:16:11.73
the Word was with
God, the Word was God.
00:16:11.77\00:16:14.80
The same was in
the beginning with God,
00:16:14.84\00:16:16.64
all things were made by Him,
00:16:16.67\00:16:18.44
and without Him
was not anything made
00:16:18.47\00:16:21.11
that was made."
00:16:21.14\00:16:22.74
How important are these truths
in actually doing this, Danny,
00:16:22.78\00:16:26.98
in giving our
life completely to God?
00:16:27.02\00:16:29.08
Well, this for me is
just an incredible passage
00:16:29.12\00:16:32.85
that reminds us of Genesis 1,
00:16:32.89\00:16:36.52
where it says,
"In the beginning,
00:16:36.56\00:16:38.26
God created the
heavens and the earth."
00:16:38.29\00:16:40.23
And here you have
that same language,
00:16:40.26\00:16:42.03
"In the beginning was the
Word and the Word was with God."
00:16:42.06\00:16:45.00
God wants to be with us
from the very beginning.
00:16:45.03\00:16:49.27
When I read these passages,
I discover the beautiful truth
00:16:49.30\00:16:52.81
that God wants to be
in union with us 24/7.
00:16:52.84\00:16:56.24
That was God's
original plan for Adam and Eve.
00:16:56.28\00:16:58.31
But sadly, they
chose a different route,
00:16:58.35\00:17:00.82
but God wants to be with us.
00:17:00.85\00:17:02.48
And this is God in human flesh,
00:17:02.52\00:17:04.09
coming to this earth
in order to restore us
00:17:04.12\00:17:07.59
back to himself.
00:17:07.62\00:17:08.96
I think it's just
a beautiful picture.
00:17:08.99\00:17:10.33
It is.
00:17:10.36\00:17:11.69
And it's something
that John the Baptist,
00:17:11.73\00:17:13.06
I think, understood really well.
00:17:13.09\00:17:14.43
When you go a little bit
further down here in verse...
00:17:14.46\00:17:16.67
Let me see, where are we?
00:17:16.70\00:17:18.03
Verse 26, the Bible says,
"John answered them saying,
00:17:18.07\00:17:20.30
'I baptize with water,
00:17:20.34\00:17:22.60
but there's One among
you whom who you do not know.
00:17:22.64\00:17:25.84
He it is, who coming
after me is preferred before me,
00:17:25.87\00:17:29.68
whose shoe laces I am
not worthy to unloose."
00:17:29.71\00:17:33.98
Morgan, what is it that
John is saying right here?
00:17:34.02\00:17:37.09
You know, he's
acknowledging how good,
00:17:37.12\00:17:39.45
how great how amazing
God is in the flesh of,
00:17:39.49\00:17:43.02
you know, humanity
being Jesus Christ.
00:17:43.06\00:17:45.36
And then
interesting, I'll read on while
00:17:45.39\00:17:48.16
and it says in
verse 29, it says,
00:17:48.20\00:17:50.47
"The next day John saw
Jesus coming toward Him,"
00:17:50.50\00:17:53.77
note that Jesus is
coming toward John,
00:17:53.80\00:17:58.71
it's not the other
way around, "And he says,
00:17:58.74\00:18:00.08
'Behold the Lamb of God
00:18:00.11\00:18:01.44
who takes away the
sin of the world.'"
00:18:01.48\00:18:03.51
Verse 30, This is
He of whom I said,
00:18:03.55\00:18:05.61
'After me comes a Man
who is preferred before me,
00:18:05.65\00:18:08.35
for He was before me.'
00:18:08.38\00:18:10.95
He calls out and realizes that
00:18:10.99\00:18:12.32
Jesus is the one to
fix this sin problem.
00:18:12.35\00:18:16.42
Danny, how did he know that?
00:18:16.46\00:18:18.76
Well, the Bible says,
as you continue to read,
00:18:18.79\00:18:21.86
that the Holy Spirit
impressed that upon him.
00:18:21.90\00:18:25.37
And I just wanted to
pick it up in verse 33,
00:18:25.40\00:18:29.80
where he says,
"I did not know Him,
00:18:29.84\00:18:32.37
but He who sent me to
baptize with water said to me."
00:18:32.41\00:18:36.24
Okay, this is
speaking of the Holy Spirit,
00:18:36.28\00:18:38.25
and he was imbued
with the Holy Spirit,
00:18:38.28\00:18:39.88
the Bible says, from his
birth, from his mother's womb,
00:18:39.91\00:18:43.95
"Upon whom you see
the Spirit descending
00:18:43.99\00:18:46.02
and remaining on Him,
00:18:46.05\00:18:48.06
this is He who
baptizes with the Holy Spirit."
00:18:48.09\00:18:50.83
And then he goes on,
00:18:50.86\00:18:52.19
"And I have seen and testified
that this is the Son of God."
00:18:52.23\00:18:55.56
Indeed.
00:18:55.60\00:18:56.93
And you can see here, you
know, when we think about Jacob,
00:18:56.97\00:18:59.80
he's recognized this,
00:18:59.83\00:19:01.17
John the
Baptist recognized this.
00:19:01.20\00:19:02.54
One of the things I love
00:19:02.57\00:19:03.91
about the story of
Jacob is, you know,
00:19:03.94\00:19:05.27
when he wrestles with the angel,
00:19:05.31\00:19:06.64
which turns out
to be Jesus Christ,
00:19:06.68\00:19:09.18
and there's that
persistence, you know,
00:19:09.21\00:19:10.68
"I will not let you
go unless you bless me."
00:19:10.71\00:19:13.11
And that comes through
00:19:13.15\00:19:14.48
in another one of
these stories right here,
00:19:14.52\00:19:16.08
in if we go over to Matthew 15.
00:19:16.12\00:19:19.72
The Bible says, "And
behold, a woman of Canaan,
00:19:19.75\00:19:22.39
who came out of the same
coast cried to him saying,
00:19:22.42\00:19:24.89
'Have mercy on me,
O Lord, son of David.
00:19:24.93\00:19:29.50
My daughter is
grievously vexed with a devil.
00:19:29.53\00:19:33.77
But He answered her not a word.
00:19:33.80\00:19:35.97
And His disciples came
to him and beseeched him
00:19:36.00\00:19:38.81
and besought him
saying, 'Send her away,
00:19:38.84\00:19:40.38
for she cries after us.'"
00:19:40.41\00:19:41.74
Now if we go down through
00:19:41.78\00:19:43.11
this story a little bit further,
00:19:43.14\00:19:44.51
and we continue on to verse 25.
00:19:44.55\00:19:47.22
Then she came and worshiped Him,
00:19:47.25\00:19:49.02
saying, "Lord, help me!"
00:19:49.05\00:19:51.59
And of course, skipping
ahead, down to verse 28,
00:19:51.62\00:19:55.46
"Jesus answered and said to her,
00:19:55.49\00:19:57.33
'O woman, great is your faith,
00:19:57.36\00:19:59.79
be it unto you
even as you will.'"
00:19:59.83\00:20:03.16
I mean, what a story of faith
God taking place right here.
00:20:03.20\00:20:08.44
What's God's
attitude here, Morgan?
00:20:08.47\00:20:10.84
'Cause it kind of seems like
a strange story, doesn't it?
00:20:10.87\00:20:12.97
Yeah, it does
seem a bizarre story,
00:20:13.01\00:20:14.58
but it's a posture of one
where He's wanting to help.
00:20:14.61\00:20:17.81
You know, God looks...
00:20:17.85\00:20:19.18
Jesus, He's looking
and He's wanting to help.
00:20:19.21\00:20:21.78
He's wanting to listen.
00:20:21.82\00:20:23.18
And so similar to that
00:20:23.22\00:20:24.69
if we're praying
people, we can be like,
00:20:24.72\00:20:26.99
Jacob, we can be like this woman
00:20:27.02\00:20:28.96
and know that
God's actually here.
00:20:28.99\00:20:31.19
God actually wants to help us.
00:20:31.23\00:20:33.29
He's he and how
good is it that He is.
00:20:33.33\00:20:36.60
I think Jesus...
00:20:36.63\00:20:38.73
I think His face
and His body language
00:20:38.77\00:20:42.10
gave Him away.
00:20:42.14\00:20:43.47
Even though,
even though he said,
00:20:43.51\00:20:46.11
"You know, I'm sorry, I
didn't really come for you."
00:20:46.14\00:20:49.31
And He's trying to put her off.
00:20:49.34\00:20:51.71
But the thing is, body
language, gave Him away,
00:20:51.75\00:20:54.25
I think just His smile,
00:20:54.28\00:20:55.62
just the love on
His face, and so forth.
00:20:55.65\00:20:57.55
He wasn't able to hide that,
00:20:57.59\00:20:58.92
and this woman is able
to see through His words.
00:20:58.95\00:21:02.36
And she's able to
see, this is my only hope.
00:21:02.39\00:21:06.43
And He really does care
for me, he really does love me.
00:21:06.46\00:21:09.06
And my faith in
Him will be shown that,
00:21:09.10\00:21:15.04
yes, He will do for
me what I've asked Him
00:21:15.07\00:21:17.44
because I believe by faith.
00:21:17.47\00:21:18.81
Yeah, absolutely.
00:21:18.84\00:21:20.18
And that really does illustrate,
00:21:20.21\00:21:21.54
you know, why
she was so tenacious
00:21:21.58\00:21:24.01
in this particular situation.
00:21:24.05\00:21:28.52
So Morgan just a question here.
00:21:28.55\00:21:30.42
What do we do when things
we pray about and, you know,
00:21:30.45\00:21:33.32
we pray for something
00:21:33.36\00:21:34.69
and doesn't turn
out as we expect?
00:21:34.72\00:21:36.06
What should we do there?
00:21:36.09\00:21:37.76
Often, I find when I
pray, it can be, you know,
00:21:37.79\00:21:40.26
give me what I want,
Praise Lord, I need this,
00:21:40.30\00:21:41.93
I need this, I need this,
00:21:41.96\00:21:43.30
and the focus is
all about me, right?
00:21:43.33\00:21:46.23
That will bring disappointment.
00:21:46.27\00:21:48.20
But I want us to
turn in our Bibles
00:21:48.24\00:21:49.70
to the book of 1 John,
00:21:49.74\00:21:51.91
right at the end of
the Bible in 1 John,
00:21:51.94\00:21:53.94
and I'll read chapter 5,
and I'll read verses 14 and 15.
00:21:53.98\00:21:58.51
And here's this amazing
passage of the confidence
00:21:58.55\00:22:02.08
we can have in prayer.
00:22:02.12\00:22:04.09
Verse 14, says, "Now
this is the confidence
00:22:04.12\00:22:06.89
that we have in Him,
00:22:06.92\00:22:08.79
that if we ask
anything according to His will,
00:22:08.82\00:22:10.89
He hears us."
00:22:10.93\00:22:12.26
It's important for
us to know God's will.
00:22:12.29\00:22:14.20
And verse 15,
00:22:14.23\00:22:15.56
"And if we know
that He hears us,
00:22:15.60\00:22:17.27
whatever we ask,
00:22:17.30\00:22:18.63
we know that we
have the petitions
00:22:18.67\00:22:20.67
that we have asked of Him."
00:22:20.70\00:22:22.47
When we yield to God's will,
00:22:22.50\00:22:24.17
it will bring
the results from God
00:22:24.21\00:22:26.31
that He wants and so, you know,
00:22:26.34\00:22:28.51
sometimes that
involves patience,
00:22:28.54\00:22:30.65
which can be a
challenge, but we know
00:22:30.68\00:22:33.08
and it can have confidence,
it says in praying to God.
00:22:33.11\00:22:36.38
Amen. Yes, indeed.
00:22:36.42\00:22:38.12
There's another
story of great persistence
00:22:38.15\00:22:40.52
that we find in the Bible.
00:22:40.56\00:22:42.19
And I love to read this story.
00:22:42.22\00:22:44.26
We find this one in Mark 10:46.
00:22:44.29\00:22:47.53
The Bible says,
"They came to Jericho.
00:22:47.56\00:22:49.00
And as He went out of Jericho
00:22:49.03\00:22:50.80
with His disciples and
a great number of people,
00:22:50.83\00:22:54.74
blind Bartimaeus,
the son of Timaeus,
00:22:54.77\00:22:58.17
sat by the highway begging.
00:22:58.21\00:23:01.91
And when he heard that
it was Jesus of Nazareth,
00:23:01.94\00:23:05.25
he began to cry out and say,
00:23:05.28\00:23:07.42
'Jesus, Son of
David, have mercy on me!'"
00:23:07.45\00:23:11.25
Here you got
this interesting story
00:23:11.29\00:23:13.52
where you've got
blind Bartimaeus,
00:23:13.56\00:23:16.06
he's blind, Jesus is
nearby, there is no way that
00:23:16.09\00:23:20.40
he's going to
let this opportunity
00:23:20.43\00:23:21.76
get past him.
00:23:21.80\00:23:24.67
Why so much
persistency here? Morgan.
00:23:24.70\00:23:27.14
Yeah.
00:23:27.17\00:23:28.50
You know, sometimes,
00:23:28.54\00:23:29.87
we will only seek
something to the degree
00:23:29.90\00:23:31.94
that we know our need.
00:23:31.97\00:23:33.58
You know, I'm only
going to seek to see a doctor.
00:23:33.61\00:23:35.74
If I really know,
I need to see doctor
00:23:35.78\00:23:38.21
because I'm sick, right?
00:23:38.25\00:23:39.68
And he will see
Bartimaeus you know,
00:23:39.71\00:23:41.22
he's crying out, "Jesus,
00:23:41.25\00:23:42.92
son of David,
have mercy upon me."
00:23:42.95\00:23:44.75
You know, this persistence.
00:23:44.79\00:23:46.12
I love it because
we cannot burden God
00:23:46.15\00:23:49.22
with persistence in
prayer, we cannot tie God
00:23:49.26\00:23:51.49
or make Him think,
"oh, boy, he's Morgan,
00:23:51.53\00:23:54.40
again, praying,
00:23:54.43\00:23:55.76
why don't you just get over it?"
00:23:55.80\00:23:57.13
God will always
answer our persistence,
00:23:57.17\00:23:59.03
and see the
persistence in our heart.
00:23:59.07\00:24:01.27
So when these
stories of persistence,
00:24:01.30\00:24:03.54
and I guess this is
the question, you know,
00:24:03.57\00:24:04.97
a major question of I've got,
is it a situation where we are,
00:24:05.01\00:24:10.35
I guess, wearing God down
00:24:10.38\00:24:12.18
so that if we
keep persisting enough,
00:24:12.21\00:24:14.22
sooner or later
God will be like,
00:24:14.25\00:24:15.58
"Well, you know what,
00:24:15.62\00:24:17.02
I just can't
handle these guys anymore.
00:24:17.05\00:24:19.59
I'll answer their prayer."
00:24:19.62\00:24:20.96
Is that what's going on
here? No, I don't think so.
00:24:20.99\00:24:22.99
Or is it then a situation
where God doesn't actually
00:24:23.02\00:24:26.46
know our need
until you've asked him
00:24:26.49\00:24:28.46
like 20 times?
00:24:28.50\00:24:29.83
No, certainly not.
00:24:29.86\00:24:31.20
Is it then a situation
that God doesn't want to help us
00:24:31.23\00:24:33.67
the first time that we asked?
00:24:33.70\00:24:35.04
Most definitely not.
00:24:35.07\00:24:36.40
So what's going on
00:24:36.44\00:24:37.77
with these
stories of persistence.
00:24:37.81\00:24:39.14
This is for our own best.
00:24:39.17\00:24:42.31
God knows what's
for our own best.
00:24:42.34\00:24:44.08
Like at the very beginning,
00:24:44.11\00:24:45.45
God knew what would
bring the greatest joy, peace,
00:24:45.48\00:24:48.62
and happiness for Adam and Eve.
00:24:48.65\00:24:50.82
And He created that
perfect environment.
00:24:50.85\00:24:53.49
So when it comes to
asking and continually asking,
00:24:53.52\00:24:57.09
and it appears that
God is not answering,
00:24:57.13\00:24:59.56
it appears that God is dead.
00:24:59.59\00:25:00.93
It's not that God
is not interested,
00:25:00.96\00:25:02.96
it's not that God
00:25:03.00\00:25:04.33
does not want to
answer us immediately.
00:25:04.37\00:25:06.77
But God knows that it's
not in our best interest
00:25:06.80\00:25:09.07
just like a parent, a
parent doesn't give in
00:25:09.10\00:25:11.64
to their child
every single time,
00:25:11.67\00:25:14.28
they asked for
something right away.
00:25:14.31\00:25:16.64
That's because the parent knows
what the child doesn't know,
00:25:16.68\00:25:19.81
and that is
they may need to wait
00:25:19.85\00:25:21.95
or they may need to
understand a few more things
00:25:21.98\00:25:24.62
before they receive
what they are asking for.
00:25:24.65\00:25:26.92
Or maybe they are
best not to receive that.
00:25:26.96\00:25:29.96
So God is our heavenly parent.
00:25:29.99\00:25:31.53
So we need to trust
in His timing, His ways,
00:25:31.56\00:25:34.13
and ultimately, His answer.
00:25:34.16\00:25:35.63
One of my favorite books
00:25:35.66\00:25:37.00
in the Bible is
the Book of Daniel.
00:25:37.03\00:25:38.37
There's some great
lessons in the Book of Daniel.
00:25:38.40\00:25:39.73
And in chapter 10,
00:25:39.77\00:25:41.10
you'll find the
story of Daniel praying,
00:25:41.14\00:25:43.41
and he fasts and prays.
00:25:43.44\00:25:44.77
And of course, he's
one of the great men
00:25:44.81\00:25:46.14
of the Bible, isn't he?
00:25:46.17\00:25:47.51
You know, when you
think about Daniel,
00:25:47.54\00:25:48.88
he's fasting and praying,
00:25:48.91\00:25:50.25
you think, well, a
great man like that.
00:25:50.28\00:25:51.61
He's just going to...
00:25:51.65\00:25:52.98
You know, God's going to
answer his prayer on the spot.
00:25:53.01\00:25:55.38
While he's fasting and
praying for three weeks,
00:25:55.42\00:25:59.49
and he sees nothing happen
00:25:59.52\00:26:02.72
for that entire
period of three weeks.
00:26:02.76\00:26:05.96
And to me, that's
a great illustration
00:26:05.99\00:26:07.63
because often we get discouraged
00:26:07.66\00:26:10.30
by God wants
Him to keep praying.
00:26:10.33\00:26:11.67
You see, when we pray...
00:26:11.70\00:26:13.03
You know, if God just comes down
00:26:13.07\00:26:14.40
and intervenes in
every little thing
00:26:14.44\00:26:16.27
in relationship to these people,
00:26:16.30\00:26:18.21
then Satan's going to have
some accusations to make that,
00:26:18.24\00:26:20.61
you know, "God, you
gave me this opportunity
00:26:20.64\00:26:22.74
to show what my plan looks like.
00:26:22.78\00:26:25.15
And you're just
interfering all over the place."
00:26:25.18\00:26:29.12
But when we
pray, God can turn up
00:26:29.15\00:26:32.89
and God can interfere
00:26:32.92\00:26:34.26
and Satan can come
with his accusations.
00:26:34.29\00:26:35.62
And God says,
"Look, I'm here by request.
00:26:35.66\00:26:38.13
Not only am I here by request,
I'm here by persistent request.
00:26:38.16\00:26:44.00
Not only am I here
by persistent request
00:26:44.03\00:26:46.13
but by
persistent, earnest request."
00:26:46.17\00:26:49.77
And you kind of
see that happening here
00:26:49.80\00:26:51.47
with the story of Bartimaeus.
00:26:51.51\00:26:54.14
You see, he's by the roadside,
00:26:54.18\00:26:56.91
and he is persistently
earnestly asking for Jesus
00:26:56.95\00:27:00.78
to do something.
00:27:00.82\00:27:02.15
And he's crying out, you know,
00:27:02.18\00:27:03.52
he's not going to let
this opportunity pass.
00:27:03.55\00:27:05.35
This is his one
great opportunity.
00:27:05.39\00:27:07.39
He won't let it slip.
00:27:07.42\00:27:08.76
And of course,
00:27:08.79\00:27:10.13
you've got a great response
to His healing right there.
00:27:10.16\00:27:13.23
When Jesus sets us
free, like Bartimaeus,
00:27:13.26\00:27:16.30
we will want to follow Him.
00:27:16.33\00:27:17.73
We want to learn more from Him,
00:27:17.77\00:27:19.43
be like Him, we
want to make our lives
00:27:19.47\00:27:21.84
to make a
difference in the same way
00:27:21.87\00:27:23.87
His life made a difference.
00:27:23.91\00:27:25.94
Thank you for joining
us on Let God Speak today.
00:27:25.97\00:27:29.14
If you would like to
view any of our past programs,
00:27:29.18\00:27:31.68
go to our website,
3abnaustralia.org.au.
00:27:31.71\00:27:35.68
Teachers can
download teaching notes there.
00:27:35.72\00:27:38.25
You can email us on
lgs@3abnaustralia.org.au.
00:27:38.29\00:27:43.83
Do join us next time
00:27:43.86\00:27:45.59
and may God bless
you in a special way.
00:27:45.63\00:27:47.40