He is exalted The
King is exalted on high
00:00:35.30\00:00:40.97
I will praise Him
00:00:41.00\00:00:43.17
He is exalted forever exalted
00:00:43.20\00:00:46.88
And I will praise
00:00:46.91\00:00:50.25
His name
00:00:50.28\00:00:55.25
He is the Lord
00:00:55.28\00:00:58.95
Forever His truth shall reign
00:00:58.99\00:01:03.49
Heaven and earth
00:01:03.53\00:01:07.30
Rejoice in His holy name
00:01:07.33\00:01:11.80
He is exalted
00:01:11.83\00:01:13.64
The King is exalted on high
00:01:13.67\00:01:19.77
He is exalted
The King is on high
00:01:19.81\00:01:25.35
I will praise Him
00:01:25.38\00:01:27.65
He is exalted forever exalted
00:01:27.68\00:01:31.42
And I will praise
00:01:31.45\00:01:34.72
His name
00:01:34.76\00:01:39.69
He is the Lord
00:01:39.73\00:01:43.47
Forever His truth shall reign
00:01:43.50\00:01:47.90
Heaven and earth
00:01:47.94\00:01:51.67
Rejoice in His holy name
00:01:51.71\00:01:56.11
He is exalted
00:01:56.14\00:01:57.91
The King is exalted on high
00:01:57.95\00:02:04.22
He is the Lord
00:02:04.25\00:02:08.06
Forever His truth shall reign
00:02:08.09\00:02:12.43
Heaven and earth
00:02:12.46\00:02:16.36
Rejoice in His holy name
00:02:16.40\00:02:20.97
He is exalted
00:02:21.00\00:02:22.64
The King is exalted on high
00:02:22.67\00:02:29.04
He is exalted
00:02:29.08\00:02:30.88
The King is exalted on high
00:02:30.91\00:02:36.18
Blessed assurance
00:03:04.15\00:03:08.48
Jesus is mine
00:03:08.52\00:03:12.65
O what a foretaste
00:03:12.69\00:03:16.66
Of glory divine
00:03:16.69\00:03:21.06
Heir of salvation
00:03:21.10\00:03:25.23
Purchase of God
00:03:25.27\00:03:29.34
Born of His Spirit
00:03:29.37\00:03:33.41
Washed in His blood
00:03:33.44\00:03:37.38
This is my story
00:03:37.41\00:03:41.62
This is my song
00:03:41.65\00:03:45.55
Praising my Savior
00:03:45.59\00:03:49.92
All the day long
00:03:49.96\00:03:54.06
This is my story
00:03:54.10\00:03:58.30
This is my song
00:03:58.33\00:04:02.40
Praising my Savior
00:04:02.44\00:04:06.74
All the day long
00:04:06.78\00:04:11.01
Perfect submission
00:04:11.05\00:04:15.22
Perfect delight
00:04:15.25\00:04:19.52
Visions of rapture
00:04:19.55\00:04:23.39
Now burst on my sight
00:04:23.43\00:04:28.03
Angels descending
00:04:28.06\00:04:32.23
Bring from above
00:04:32.27\00:04:36.37
Echoes of mercy
00:04:36.40\00:04:40.61
Whispers of love
00:04:40.64\00:04:44.78
This is my story
00:04:44.81\00:04:48.95
This is my song
00:04:48.98\00:04:53.25
Praising my Savior
00:04:53.29\00:04:57.39
All the day long
00:04:57.43\00:05:01.76
This is my story
00:05:01.80\00:05:05.97
This is my song
00:05:06.00\00:05:10.21
Praising my Savior
00:05:10.24\00:05:14.58
All the day long
00:05:14.61\00:05:16.71
Perfect submission
00:05:31.33\00:05:35.80
All is at rest
00:05:35.83\00:05:40.10
I in my Savior am happy
00:05:40.14\00:05:45.01
And blest Watching
00:05:45.04\00:05:49.28
And waiting
00:05:49.31\00:05:52.65
Looking above
00:05:52.68\00:05:56.65
And filled with His goodness
00:05:56.69\00:06:01.09
Lost in His love
00:06:01.12\00:06:05.09
And this is my story
00:06:05.13\00:06:09.56
This is my song
00:06:09.60\00:06:13.80
Praising my Savior
00:06:13.84\00:06:18.14
All the day long
00:06:18.17\00:06:22.44
This is my story
00:06:22.48\00:06:26.75
This is my song
00:06:26.78\00:06:30.99
Praising my Savior
00:06:31.02\00:06:35.52
All the day long
00:06:35.56\00:06:39.83
Praising my Savior
00:06:39.86\00:06:44.57
All the day long
00:06:44.60\00:06:49.37
Everyone needs compassion
00:07:08.12\00:07:11.19
Love that's never failing
00:07:11.23\00:07:15.56
Let mercy fall on me
00:07:15.60\00:07:20.67
Everyone needs forgiveness
00:07:20.70\00:07:23.71
The kindness of a Savior
00:07:23.74\00:07:28.14
The hope of nations
00:07:28.18\00:07:33.78
Savior, He can
move the mountains
00:07:37.82\00:07:43.12
My God is mighty to save
00:07:43.16\00:07:46.46
He is mighty to save
00:07:46.49\00:07:50.07
Forever Author of salvation
00:07:50.10\00:07:55.77
He rose and conquered the grave
00:07:55.80\00:07:59.27
Jesus conquered the grave
00:07:59.31\00:08:03.38
So take me as You find me
00:08:17.23\00:08:20.56
All my fears and failures
00:08:20.60\00:08:25.57
Fill my life again
00:08:25.60\00:08:30.07
I give my life to follow
00:08:30.11\00:08:33.44
Everything I believe in
00:08:33.48\00:08:37.85
Now I surrender
00:08:37.88\00:08:42.78
I surrender
00:08:42.82\00:08:47.49
Savior, He can
move the mountains
00:08:47.52\00:08:52.63
My God is mighty to save
00:08:52.66\00:08:56.06
He is mighty to save Forever
00:08:56.10\00:09:01.64
Author of salvation
00:09:01.67\00:09:05.04
He rose and conquered the grave
00:09:05.07\00:09:08.61
Jesus conquered the grave
00:09:08.64\00:09:12.85
Shine your light And
let the whole world see
00:09:12.88\00:09:17.62
We're singing For the
glory of the risen King
00:09:17.65\00:09:24.06
Jesus Shine your light
And let the whole world see
00:09:24.09\00:09:30.00
We're singing For the glory
00:09:30.03\00:09:33.13
Of the risen King Savior,
00:09:33.17\00:09:38.84
He can move the mountains
00:09:38.87\00:09:42.31
My God is mighty to save
00:09:42.34\00:09:45.81
He is mighty to save
00:09:45.85\00:09:49.25
Forever Author of salvation
00:09:49.28\00:09:54.69
He rose and conquered the grave
00:09:54.72\00:09:58.23
Jesus conquered the grave
00:09:58.26\00:10:02.36
Let me be filled
00:10:27.32\00:10:31.93
With kindness and compassion
00:10:31.96\00:10:35.06
For the one
00:10:35.10\00:10:39.23
The one for whom You
loved and gave Your Son
00:10:39.27\00:10:45.21
For humanity
00:10:45.24\00:10:49.04
Increase my love
00:10:49.08\00:10:53.28
Help me to love with open arms
00:10:53.31\00:10:56.89
Like You do
00:10:56.92\00:11:00.39
A love that erases all the lines
00:11:00.42\00:11:03.93
And sees the truth
00:11:03.96\00:11:07.60
Oh that when
they look in my eyes
00:11:07.63\00:11:10.73
They would see You
00:11:10.77\00:11:13.74
Even in just a smile
00:11:13.77\00:11:16.71
Hey would feel the Father's love
00:11:16.74\00:11:21.74
Oh how You love us
00:11:21.78\00:11:25.61
From the homeless to the famous
00:11:25.65\00:11:28.78
And in between
00:11:28.82\00:11:32.89
You formed us
00:11:32.92\00:11:34.66
You made us carefully
00:11:34.69\00:11:38.99
'Cause in the end
we're all Your children
00:11:39.03\00:11:45.97
So help me to
love with open arms
00:11:46.00\00:11:49.77
Like You do
00:11:49.80\00:11:52.91
A love that erases all the lines
00:11:52.94\00:11:56.24
And sees the truth
00:11:56.28\00:11:59.81
Oh that when
they look in my eyes
00:11:59.85\00:12:02.78
They would see You
00:12:02.82\00:12:05.59
Even in just a smile
00:12:05.62\00:12:08.42
They would feel
the Father's love
00:12:08.46\00:12:13.40
So let all my life
tell of who You are
00:12:13.43\00:12:20.34
And the wonder of
Your never-ending love
00:12:20.37\00:12:27.28
Oh, let all my
life tell of who You are
00:12:27.31\00:12:34.25
That You're wonderful
and such a good Father
00:12:34.28\00:12:40.96
So let all my life
tell of who You are
00:12:40.99\00:12:47.80
And the wonder of
Your never-ending love
00:12:47.83\00:12:54.67
Oh let all my life
tell of who You are
00:12:54.70\00:13:01.51
That You're wonderful
and such a good Father
00:13:01.54\00:13:08.28
You are wonderful
and such a good Father
00:13:08.32\00:13:14.52
So help me to love
with open arms like You do
00:13:14.56\00:13:21.43
A love that erases
00:13:21.46\00:13:23.26
All the lines and sees the truth
00:13:23.30\00:13:28.20
Oh that when
they look in my eyes
00:13:28.24\00:13:31.24
They would see You
00:13:31.27\00:13:33.91
Even in just a smile
00:13:33.94\00:13:36.91
They would feel
the Father's love
00:13:36.95\00:13:40.75
Even in just a smile
00:13:40.78\00:13:43.59
They would feel
the Father's love
00:13:43.62\00:13:46.49
Almighty Father
00:13:55.86\00:14:00.74
Who dost give
00:14:00.77\00:14:03.71
The gift of life
00:14:03.74\00:14:07.71
To all who live
00:14:07.74\00:14:11.48
Look down on all earth's sin
00:14:11.51\00:14:17.65
And strife
00:14:17.69\00:14:19.85
And lift us
00:14:19.89\00:14:22.49
To a nobler life
00:14:22.52\00:14:28.46
Lift up our hearts
00:14:29.96\00:14:33.90
O King of kings
00:14:33.94\00:14:37.81
To brighter hopes
00:14:37.84\00:14:41.81
And kindlier things
00:14:41.84\00:14:45.88
To visions
00:14:45.91\00:14:48.45
Of a larger good
00:14:48.48\00:14:53.92
And holier dreams
00:14:53.96\00:14:58.09
Of brotherhood
00:14:58.13\00:15:04.20
Your world is weary
00:15:04.23\00:15:08.70
Of its pain
00:15:08.74\00:15:12.21
Of selfish greed
00:15:12.24\00:15:16.18
And fruitless gain
00:15:16.21\00:15:20.22
Of tarnished honor
00:15:20.25\00:15:24.95
Falsely strong
00:15:24.99\00:15:28.32
And all its ancient
00:15:28.36\00:15:32.76
Deeds of wrong Hear
00:15:32.79\00:15:38.13
Thou the prayer
00:15:38.17\00:15:42.80
Thy servants pray
00:15:42.84\00:15:45.94
Uprising from
00:15:45.97\00:15:49.74
All lands today
00:15:49.78\00:15:53.52
And o'er the vanquished
00:15:53.55\00:15:58.12
Powers of sin
00:15:58.15\00:16:01.56
O bring
00:16:01.59\00:16:04.03
Thy great salvation in
00:16:04.06\00:16:10.07
Almighty Father
00:16:13.30\00:16:18.04
Who dost give
00:16:18.07\00:16:21.71
The gift of life
00:16:21.74\00:16:25.88
To all who live
00:16:25.91\00:16:30.29
Look down on all earth's
00:16:30.32\00:16:35.02
Sin and strife
00:16:35.06\00:16:38.63
And lift us to
00:16:38.66\00:16:43.26
A nobler life
00:16:43.30\00:16:47.97
Oh, God, we've
been much in worship.
00:16:54.68\00:16:57.31
I have a few moments left.
00:16:57.35\00:16:58.95
We go to the
Word of God together.
00:16:58.98\00:17:02.15
But as the singers just saying,
00:17:02.18\00:17:06.72
open our
smiles, open our hearts,
00:17:06.76\00:17:08.89
that the world might see
00:17:08.92\00:17:12.19
the Father's love.
00:17:12.23\00:17:15.06
It may be the only chance.
00:17:15.10\00:17:19.43
So use us we
pray in Jesus' name.
00:17:19.47\00:17:23.97
Amen.
00:17:24.01\00:17:27.38
We've had focaler press season.
00:17:27.41\00:17:31.41
I'm talking about since last,
00:17:31.45\00:17:32.78
the end of August till
summer began this weekend,
00:17:32.81\00:17:36.28
this last weekend.
00:17:36.32\00:17:38.45
We had American
apocalypse that was heavy laden.
00:17:38.49\00:17:40.59
We had the maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:17:40.62\00:17:42.62
That was heavy laden.
00:17:42.66\00:17:43.99
And we had marriage
that we just finished up.
00:17:44.03\00:17:45.56
That was heavy laden.
00:17:45.59\00:17:47.76
So for a
summer, come on let's do
00:17:47.80\00:17:49.76
something a bit lighter.
00:17:49.80\00:17:51.13
How about animals?
00:17:51.17\00:17:52.50
Don't you just
love this graphic?
00:17:52.53\00:17:54.20
I just love that
picture of those animals
00:17:54.24\00:17:57.51
for the love of an
animal, four Sabbaths in a row,
00:17:57.54\00:18:00.01
summertime has begun.
00:18:00.04\00:18:02.38
What can we
learn from an animal?
00:18:02.41\00:18:03.75
Well, we'll start today.
00:18:03.78\00:18:05.11
I'm not gonna tell you
what today's animal is.
00:18:05.15\00:18:07.62
The title is for the
Love of an Animal-Ehaw.
00:18:07.65\00:18:10.85
You'll just have
to kind of guess ehaw,
00:18:10.89\00:18:13.46
but you will know.
00:18:13.49\00:18:14.82
You don't know yet
until we get into it.
00:18:14.86\00:18:19.06
I grew up in a
home that loved animals.
00:18:19.09\00:18:20.73
In fact when I was
born, my parents had an animal
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.63
in the house, a German shepherd.
00:18:22.66\00:18:24.17
You ever owned
a German shepherd?
00:18:24.20\00:18:25.87
Wow. What a dog?
00:18:25.90\00:18:27.27
The dog's name was
Rhetser, a good German name.
00:18:27.30\00:18:30.71
And in fact, I
just show you a picture
00:18:30.74\00:18:32.94
because I came along that year
00:18:32.97\00:18:36.18
and that was my first Christmas,
00:18:36.21\00:18:37.95
but there's that
German shepherd, Rhetser.
00:18:37.98\00:18:40.48
This is my dad, handsome dad,
and that's my beautiful mother.
00:18:40.52\00:18:44.09
And my dad never had the courage
00:18:44.12\00:18:45.69
to tell his
brother-in-law Fernan Rhetser
00:18:45.72\00:18:48.42
that he named the dog after him.
00:18:48.46\00:18:52.56
But he needed a
German name for a German dog.
00:18:52.59\00:18:55.53
Although both of us, the
dog and I were born in Japan.
00:18:55.56\00:18:58.03
So I don't know how that work.
00:18:58.07\00:19:00.24
But when I was
about three years old,
00:19:00.27\00:19:03.04
somewhere in there, I
was playing in the backyard
00:19:03.07\00:19:05.01
there in Japan and
somebody left the gate open.
00:19:05.04\00:19:07.34
So out I went gone.
00:19:07.38\00:19:10.25
My mother is frantic
when she finally discovers,
00:19:10.28\00:19:13.42
the boy is not here.
00:19:13.45\00:19:17.29
She says, well, I'll
go down and check the lake
00:19:17.32\00:19:18.85
where there was a city park,
00:19:18.89\00:19:20.22
and there was a
lake in that park.
00:19:20.26\00:19:21.59
I'll go down
and check that lake.
00:19:21.62\00:19:22.96
And when she got there,
00:19:22.99\00:19:24.33
she saw a crowd of
Japanese adults and children.
00:19:24.36\00:19:26.93
They're all staring at something
00:19:26.96\00:19:29.33
and she works her
way through the crowd.
00:19:29.36\00:19:30.70
And there's this
little tiny American boy,
00:19:30.73\00:19:32.67
three years old.
00:19:32.70\00:19:34.04
This is in the mid 50s.
00:19:34.07\00:19:35.40
And so American boy was
rather rare on those premises,
00:19:35.44\00:19:39.57
but the crowd was standing back.
00:19:39.61\00:19:40.98
You know why?
00:19:41.01\00:19:42.34
Because Rhetser
had seen me leave
00:19:42.38\00:19:44.31
and had trotted along beside me,
00:19:44.35\00:19:46.61
my little guardian angel.
00:19:46.65\00:19:49.78
I grew up loving
animals. You know what?
00:19:49.82\00:19:51.69
I believe we all did.
00:19:51.72\00:19:53.29
We took a show
of hands right now,
00:19:53.32\00:19:54.66
we'd all raise our hands.
00:19:54.69\00:19:56.02
Oh, me too, Dwight.
00:19:56.06\00:19:57.39
I really love animals because
God made us to love animals.
00:19:57.43\00:19:59.69
You know why? Because
God is an animal lover.
00:19:59.73\00:20:02.10
Let me run some one-liners
by you just to prove to you,
00:20:02.13\00:20:05.17
in case you had a doubt.
00:20:05.20\00:20:07.10
This is the
Book of Job 12:8, 10,
00:20:07.14\00:20:10.21
"But ask the animals, Job says,
00:20:10.24\00:20:12.57
and they will teach you
or the birds in the sky,
00:20:12.61\00:20:15.04
and they will tell you in
the Lord's hand is the life
00:20:15.08\00:20:19.15
of every creature and
the breath of all mankind."
00:20:19.18\00:20:21.88
Same God, same Creator.
00:20:21.92\00:20:23.45
We all came from His hand.
00:20:23.49\00:20:25.95
He loves animals.
00:20:25.99\00:20:27.32
The maker of all things
loves and wants you and me too.
00:20:27.36\00:20:29.26
He loves all of us. Ah, come on.
00:20:29.29\00:20:31.36
Here's the great Psalm 104,
00:20:31.39\00:20:32.99
"The earth is full of
Your creatures, oh God.
00:20:33.03\00:20:35.73
All creatures look to
you to give them their food
00:20:35.76\00:20:38.63
at the proper time."
00:20:38.67\00:20:40.87
He's feeding the
human race as best again,
00:20:40.90\00:20:45.04
hoping that will help,
00:20:45.07\00:20:47.04
but He's feeding the
animal kingdom as well.
00:20:47.08\00:20:49.81
We got to feed her.
00:20:49.84\00:20:51.98
Right off our deck and
the raccoon just loves it.
00:20:52.01\00:20:55.75
We put the feeder out.
00:20:55.78\00:20:57.12
The raccoon was
there last night.
00:20:57.15\00:20:58.49
I checked this
morning. He loves this feeder.
00:20:58.52\00:21:00.39
He thinks it's for him.
00:21:00.42\00:21:01.92
It's a Baltimore oriole feeder
00:21:01.96\00:21:04.36
where you put a jar
of Welch's grape juice
00:21:04.39\00:21:09.03
and you turn it upside down.
00:21:09.06\00:21:10.40
And it just, as they
eat, it just keeps going.
00:21:10.43\00:21:12.27
And the raccoon
has figured it out,
00:21:12.30\00:21:14.00
old rocky raccoon.
00:21:14.04\00:21:15.37
And when he
flips the feeder over,
00:21:15.40\00:21:17.01
we know he's come in.
00:21:17.04\00:21:18.37
It was flipped
over this morning.
00:21:18.41\00:21:19.74
Look at it. That's God
for you. He gives them.
00:21:19.77\00:21:21.71
I don't know if
that's concerning
00:21:21.74\00:21:23.61
Welch's grape jelly,
00:21:23.65\00:21:24.98
but He gives them their
food at the proper time.
00:21:25.01\00:21:29.48
Look at this,
00:21:29.52\00:21:30.85
hitting the wrong button, Jonah.
00:21:33.69\00:21:35.56
Okay, let's go to
the Book of Jonah.
00:21:35.59\00:21:37.73
That's a great book
by the way, 13 questions.
00:21:37.76\00:21:39.46
The final line in
Jonah is a question
00:21:39.49\00:21:41.40
and God is asking.
00:21:41.43\00:21:42.76
You want to know what
kind of animal lover God is.
00:21:42.80\00:21:44.90
Take a look at
this. God is speaking.
00:21:44.93\00:21:47.27
This is petulant Jonah
pouting because God didn't nuke
00:21:47.30\00:21:50.07
the city of Nineveh.
00:21:50.11\00:21:51.71
So Jonah is pouting.
00:21:51.74\00:21:53.11
And God said, yo boy,
00:21:53.14\00:21:54.54
should I not have concern
for the great city of Nineveh
00:21:54.58\00:21:57.55
in which there are
more than 120,000 people
00:21:57.58\00:22:01.08
who cannot tell their right hand
00:22:01.12\00:22:02.52
from their left
and also many animals?
00:22:02.55\00:22:05.72
You want me to nuke that
city, I'm not gonna do it.
00:22:05.75\00:22:08.46
I'm not gonna
lose that many animals.
00:22:08.49\00:22:10.63
He loves animals.
00:22:10.66\00:22:12.19
Today, you know, we call
it within the bloody wars
00:22:12.23\00:22:14.33
that occupy this planet.
00:22:14.36\00:22:15.80
We call it collateral damage.
00:22:15.83\00:22:17.20
Oh, so sad, the
animals got killed.
00:22:17.23\00:22:19.53
We even treat humans as
collateral damage in war.
00:22:19.57\00:22:22.80
Well, we killed a
few, we didn't mean to.
00:22:22.84\00:22:25.84
There's no collateral
damage with the love of animals.
00:22:25.87\00:22:28.44
You know God said,
00:22:28.48\00:22:29.81
I'm not gonna
take that city out.
00:22:29.84\00:22:32.58
From the very beginning,
00:22:32.61\00:22:34.68
from the get go, God
has been a lover of animals.
00:22:34.72\00:22:37.85
And I'm gonna
tell you something,
00:22:37.89\00:22:39.22
from the get go,
00:22:39.25\00:22:40.59
the devil has been
a hater of animals.
00:22:40.62\00:22:43.59
The moment Adam and
Eve yield sovereignty
00:22:43.63\00:22:46.49
to Lucifer's fallen hands.
00:22:46.53\00:22:48.60
We had this planet.
00:22:48.63\00:22:49.96
We give it to you
now because we obey you.
00:22:50.00\00:22:53.13
The moment they did that,
00:22:53.17\00:22:55.24
that diabolical mind began
cell by cell to disassemble
00:22:55.27\00:23:00.94
and destroy the
creation and creatures of God.
00:23:00.98\00:23:04.15
Just like that it started.
00:23:04.18\00:23:06.21
Look at.
00:23:06.25\00:23:07.58
What'd you think
Paul is talking about here
00:23:07.62\00:23:08.95
in Romans Chapter
8, the famous line.
00:23:08.98\00:23:10.85
Oh, you've... No
doubt, read this.
00:23:10.89\00:23:12.89
Romans 8:20-22,
00:23:12.92\00:23:14.32
"For the creation was
subjected to frustration."
00:23:14.36\00:23:17.23
Are you kidding?
00:23:17.26\00:23:18.59
"Not by its own choice."
00:23:18.63\00:23:20.53
Innocent creatures suffer.
00:23:20.56\00:23:21.93
You know why?
Because you sin and I sin,
00:23:21.96\00:23:23.97
that's why they suffer.
00:23:24.00\00:23:25.90
They're suffering right now.
00:23:25.93\00:23:27.97
"Frustrated, not
by its own choice,
00:23:28.00\00:23:29.67
but by the will of the
one who subjected it in hope
00:23:29.70\00:23:31.84
that the creation
itself will be liberated
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.48
from its bondage one day,
00:23:34.51\00:23:36.48
bondage to decay and
brought into the freedom
00:23:36.51\00:23:38.91
and glory of the
children of God."
00:23:38.95\00:23:40.45
Now keep reading.
00:23:40.48\00:23:41.82
We know that the whole
creation has been groaning,
00:23:41.85\00:23:46.99
groaning as in the
pains of childbirth,
00:23:47.02\00:23:49.76
right up to the present time.
00:23:49.79\00:23:51.19
This little mother that
we just met a moment ago,
00:23:51.23\00:23:53.56
she's given birth
to a few children.
00:23:53.60\00:23:55.66
You heard that.
00:23:55.70\00:23:57.63
She groaned to get
that last child out,
00:23:57.67\00:24:00.20
didn't she?
00:24:00.24\00:24:01.57
That's what nature
is doing, groaning.
00:24:01.60\00:24:04.17
When do we get delivered
of this mess on the planet?
00:24:04.21\00:24:09.01
No, God is an animal
lover and it kills Him.
00:24:09.04\00:24:14.22
In fact, did over the
pain of this creation.
00:24:14.25\00:24:19.55
Sin has shafted the
creation, shafted it.
00:24:19.59\00:24:24.46
Oh, this is Desire of Ages,
00:24:24.49\00:24:25.83
that classic on
the life of Jesus.
00:24:25.86\00:24:27.20
Oh, this is a
heavy reading right here.
00:24:27.23\00:24:29.03
"Satan's hatred against God
00:24:29.06\00:24:31.30
leads him to hate every
object of the Savior's care.
00:24:31.33\00:24:35.30
He seeks to mar
the handiwork of God,
00:24:35.34\00:24:37.41
and he delights in destroying
even the dumb creatures."
00:24:37.44\00:24:42.51
They're all road kill
to him. He doesn't care.
00:24:42.54\00:24:46.01
I got another one.
00:24:46.05\00:24:49.65
"It is only through
God's protecting care
00:24:49.68\00:24:52.02
that the birds," and
I'm adding the words,
00:24:52.05\00:24:54.29
"and the birds and the
beavers and the baboons
00:24:54.32\00:24:56.56
and the blue whales are
preserved to gladden us."
00:24:56.59\00:25:00.23
God is keeping
this planet going.
00:25:00.26\00:25:02.70
He is the sustainer,
not just to the human race,
00:25:02.73\00:25:06.07
but of the entire ecosystem.
00:25:06.10\00:25:08.57
He loves animals.
Do you understand that?
00:25:08.60\00:25:10.27
He loves animals
because He's an animal lover.
00:25:10.31\00:25:15.48
Loren Eisley, the
great anthropologist
00:25:15.51\00:25:19.21
and naturalist, a
collection of his essays.
00:25:19.25\00:25:21.68
I had to go on the
amazon.com to get it.
00:25:21.72\00:25:23.32
I read it once
upon a time years ago,
00:25:23.35\00:25:25.39
I found a used
book and I bought it.
00:25:25.42\00:25:27.19
It's worth it.
00:25:27.22\00:25:28.56
His essays under the
title, The Star Thrower.
00:25:28.59\00:25:31.99
Ooh, he's making
a point. Watch this.
00:25:32.03\00:25:34.76
"Some scientific
research can result in behavior
00:25:34.80\00:25:38.13
so remarkably cruel,"
it's talking about science now,
00:25:38.17\00:25:42.80
"behavior so remarkably cruel
that it ceases to be objective,
00:25:42.84\00:25:45.81
but rather suggests a
deep grain of sadism,"
00:25:45.84\00:25:48.24
that's the joy over suffering
00:25:48.28\00:25:50.51
"grain of sadism
that is not science."
00:25:50.55\00:25:52.68
No, it is not.
00:25:52.71\00:25:54.05
"The experiments are too
revolting to chronicle here."
00:25:54.08\00:25:57.52
He writes in
this particular essay.
00:25:57.55\00:25:59.35
"The cost, a half a million
dollars to mutilate cats."
00:25:59.39\00:26:02.32
Somebody got a
grant from the government,
00:26:02.36\00:26:04.03
half a million
just to strip cats down
00:26:04.06\00:26:06.13
and kill them
while they're alive.
00:26:06.16\00:26:10.60
"The cost,
00:26:10.63\00:26:13.30
it would appear," keep reading,
00:26:13.34\00:26:15.30
"lies, not alone
in animal suffering,
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.84
as bad as that is,
but in the dehumanization
00:26:17.87\00:26:20.61
of those willing to engage
00:26:20.64\00:26:22.54
in such blind
and random cruelty."
00:26:22.58\00:26:25.85
Mercy, what have we
done to this planet?
00:26:25.88\00:26:30.15
And what are we doing to
the animals in our homes?
00:26:30.19\00:26:35.06
Oh, you want to talk about pets?
00:26:35.09\00:26:36.89
Why not?
00:26:36.93\00:26:38.26
This is a
four-part series on animals.
00:26:38.29\00:26:39.63
You might as well.
00:26:39.66\00:26:41.36
I'm gonna share with you
00:26:41.40\00:26:42.73
one of the
strangest animal stories
00:26:42.76\00:26:44.10
in all Holy Scripture,
because it makes a point.
00:26:44.13\00:26:47.17
Just think the
words animal cruelty
00:26:47.20\00:26:50.11
as we go to this story.
00:26:50.14\00:26:51.47
Open your Bible
00:26:51.51\00:26:52.84
'cause I'm not
putting it on the screen,
00:26:52.87\00:26:54.21
Numbers Chapter 22,
00:26:54.24\00:26:55.58
open your Bible to
Numbers Chapter 22.
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.85
The children of Israel
are poised on the brink
00:26:57.88\00:27:01.35
of the Promised Land.
00:27:01.38\00:27:02.72
They are there.
00:27:02.75\00:27:04.09
The next steps would
be to cross the Jordan.
00:27:04.12\00:27:06.69
And I wanna tell you something.
00:27:06.72\00:27:08.06
When the devil knows
00:27:08.09\00:27:09.42
that we are on the
brinks of eternity,
00:27:09.46\00:27:10.79
he marshals every deception
he can to destroy God's people.
00:27:10.83\00:27:15.03
Watch what's gonna happen
right now in front of our eyes
00:27:15.06\00:27:17.80
here in Numbers Chapter 22.
00:27:17.83\00:27:20.24
So there's this king
of Moab named Zippor.
00:27:20.27\00:27:24.41
All right.
00:27:24.44\00:27:25.77
So he's the
king of the Moabites.
00:27:25.81\00:27:28.84
And when he sees this,
00:27:28.88\00:27:30.78
as he calls it
hoard of liberated slaves
00:27:30.81\00:27:34.15
that it now
surround his kingdom,
00:27:34.18\00:27:36.15
tents as far as the eye can see.
00:27:36.18\00:27:38.32
He says, I gotta do
something, I gotta have.
00:27:38.35\00:27:40.26
I'm gonna curse.
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.06
I'm gonna have
these people curse.
00:27:42.09\00:27:43.43
That's what I'm gonna do.
00:27:43.46\00:27:44.79
He knows that there is
over near the Euphrates River.
00:27:44.83\00:27:46.93
There is a prophet
of the Most High God
00:27:46.96\00:27:50.10
who believes in
the God of creation.
00:27:50.13\00:27:51.97
He says, I'll get
Balaam. That's what I'll do.
00:27:52.00\00:27:53.97
I'll get Balaam and
I'll gonna offer him money.
00:27:54.00\00:27:56.77
And I'll say,
boy, come over here
00:27:56.81\00:27:58.37
and curse these
people because I know
00:27:58.41\00:27:59.94
that what you curse gets cursed
00:27:59.97\00:28:01.38
and what you bless gets blessed.
00:28:01.41\00:28:02.91
So I'm calling you.
00:28:02.94\00:28:04.28
So he sends a
delegation of his officials,
00:28:04.31\00:28:06.01
Midianite, Moabite
officials, and they show up
00:28:06.05\00:28:09.72
near the Euphrates River.
00:28:09.75\00:28:11.15
They show up, that's a
long way to go for a curse.
00:28:11.19\00:28:13.96
They show up and they say,
00:28:13.99\00:28:15.56
we're from King
Zippor's greetings.
00:28:15.59\00:28:19.33
We want you to
do something for us.
00:28:19.36\00:28:20.70
And they read the message of
the king, curse these people.
00:28:20.73\00:28:23.33
You know what Balaam says, guys,
00:28:23.37\00:28:25.10
you might as well
spend the night with me,
00:28:25.13\00:28:26.47
'cause I have to
talk to God tonight.
00:28:26.50\00:28:28.00
So drop down to verse
8. That's what he says.
00:28:28.04\00:28:30.71
Spend the night
here, Balaam said to them,
00:28:30.74\00:28:32.37
and I will report back to you
00:28:32.41\00:28:34.11
with the answer
the Lord gives me,
00:28:34.14\00:28:36.01
so the Moabite
officials stayed with him
00:28:36.04\00:28:38.71
and guess who shows up at night?
00:28:38.75\00:28:41.88
Here comes God.
00:28:41.92\00:28:43.65
'God came to Balaam," verse 9,
00:28:43.69\00:28:45.89
"and He asked, 'Who
are these men with you?'"
00:28:45.92\00:28:49.42
Why this?
00:28:49.46\00:28:50.86
Why are they
bunking up with you?
00:28:50.89\00:28:52.99
"Balaam said to God,
well, 'Balak the son of Zippor,
00:28:53.03\00:28:55.56
king of Moab, has
sent this message.
00:28:55.60\00:28:56.97
A people that
has come out of Egypt
00:28:57.00\00:28:58.57
that covers the
face of the land,
00:28:58.60\00:28:59.93
come and put a curse on them,
00:28:59.97\00:29:01.50
perhaps then
00:29:01.54\00:29:02.87
I may be able to fight
them and drive them away."
00:29:02.90\00:29:05.21
That's what he told me.
00:29:05.24\00:29:06.57
"But God said to Balaam,"
00:29:06.61\00:29:08.21
this seems pretty clear
to me, "Do not go with them.
00:29:08.24\00:29:12.55
You must not put a
curse on those people
00:29:12.58\00:29:14.88
because they are blessed."
00:29:14.92\00:29:16.45
That's the divine passive.
00:29:16.48\00:29:17.92
The divine passive in
Hebrew means God is the subject.
00:29:17.95\00:29:21.86
And what God is
really saying is,
00:29:21.89\00:29:23.22
I blessed them.
00:29:23.26\00:29:24.69
Don't you touch them,
don't you put a finger on them.
00:29:24.73\00:29:26.80
I blessed them.
00:29:26.83\00:29:29.16
So Balaam the next morning,
wakes the guys up and said,
00:29:29.20\00:29:32.30
guys, you might as well
hit the road because I just got
00:29:32.33\00:29:34.80
the message from God.
00:29:34.84\00:29:37.97
Verse 13, "Go back
to your own country,
00:29:38.01\00:29:40.31
fellas, for the Lord has refused
00:29:40.34\00:29:42.78
to let me go with you."
00:29:42.81\00:29:44.15
Now, I'll tell you,
this is how Balaam said it.
00:29:44.18\00:29:46.25
My mommy won't let
me come out and play.
00:29:46.28\00:29:49.88
My daddy said I can't play
any more baseball with you.
00:29:49.92\00:29:53.56
Petulant child,
that's what Balaam is.
00:29:53.59\00:29:58.36
The delegation
goes back to Moab.
00:29:58.39\00:29:59.76
They said, "Oh
great King Zippor,
00:29:59.79\00:30:01.13
guess what?
00:30:01.16\00:30:02.50
He says, no." No,
you can't be serious.
00:30:02.53\00:30:04.77
Offer him more money.
00:30:04.80\00:30:06.13
And now he says,
I'm sending the top
00:30:06.17\00:30:07.87
officials of my kingdom.
00:30:07.90\00:30:09.47
And that's exactly what he does.
00:30:09.50\00:30:10.91
They show up, the top officials.
00:30:10.94\00:30:13.48
Now and they got baksheesh.
They have money to spare.
00:30:13.51\00:30:19.01
We'll pay you handsomely
and notice Balaam's response,
00:30:19.05\00:30:22.98
which was pretty
good until he kept going.
00:30:23.02\00:30:25.32
All right? So here is
his response in verse 18,
00:30:25.35\00:30:28.12
"But Balaam answered
them," the second delegation,
00:30:28.16\00:30:30.66
"even if Balak
gave me all the silver
00:30:30.69\00:30:33.26
and gold in his palace,
00:30:33.29\00:30:35.23
I could not do
anything great or small
00:30:35.26\00:30:37.07
to go beyond the
command of the Lord, my God."
00:30:37.10\00:30:39.83
And he finally calls God
00:30:39.87\00:30:41.54
the names of the
Israelites have given him.
00:30:41.57\00:30:43.81
Yahweh, that's my God.
00:30:43.84\00:30:47.54
If he had just stopped
there, we'd have been fine.
00:30:47.58\00:30:52.68
Israel had been okay, but oh no,
00:30:52.71\00:30:56.79
he's got a cash register
with dollar signs in his eyes.
00:30:56.82\00:31:01.62
And he goes on. He
should have stopped.
00:31:01.66\00:31:03.22
He goes on and says,
"Listen, why don't you spend
00:31:03.26\00:31:04.73
the night here so
that I can find out
00:31:04.76\00:31:06.09
what else the
Lord might tell me?"
00:31:06.13\00:31:07.66
You know what?
00:31:07.70\00:31:09.03
Balaam is just like you
and me, we know it's wrong.
00:31:09.06\00:31:11.53
Our conscience
tells us it's wrong.
00:31:11.57\00:31:13.00
God has told us it's wrong.
00:31:13.03\00:31:14.37
We keep going back to
God and say, you know what?
00:31:14.40\00:31:15.94
How about this time?
00:31:15.97\00:31:18.27
This time is
surely will be right.
00:31:18.31\00:31:19.87
This time will be
okay with you God.
00:31:19.91\00:31:23.91
Stay here, I'll ask him again.
00:31:23.95\00:31:26.41
Oh, brother.
00:31:26.45\00:31:27.78
I wouldn't want
to be Balaam now.
00:31:27.82\00:31:29.15
Verse 20, "That
night God came to Balaam
00:31:29.18\00:31:31.79
and he said, 'Since these
men have come to summon you,
00:31:31.82\00:31:33.69
go with them, but do
only what I tell you.'"
00:31:33.72\00:31:36.29
You know why God said that?
00:31:36.32\00:31:37.66
Because there's no
sense in saying no.
00:31:37.69\00:31:39.03
God has been saying,
00:31:39.06\00:31:40.40
God has said to
Balaam which side...
00:31:40.43\00:31:41.76
Which part of the no
do you not understand,
00:31:41.80\00:31:44.43
the N or the O?
00:31:44.47\00:31:47.47
I don't understand, Balaam says.
00:31:47.50\00:31:48.84
I mean, do you
want me to do this?
00:31:48.87\00:31:50.37
It's really not clear to me.
00:31:50.41\00:31:51.74
Give me a break, God says.
00:31:51.77\00:31:53.11
Okay, you go, but
you say only what I say,
00:31:53.14\00:31:55.61
what I tell you.
00:31:55.64\00:31:56.98
So that's exactly what happens.
00:31:57.01\00:31:58.35
But Balaam got up in the morning
00:31:58.38\00:31:59.71
and saddled his donkey.
00:31:59.75\00:32:01.08
There it is, ding, ding, ding,
ding, ding, ding, ding, ding
00:32:01.12\00:32:02.78
today's animal, boys and girls.
00:32:02.82\00:32:04.75
We just saw it.
00:32:04.79\00:32:06.12
He saddles up his donkey
00:32:06.15\00:32:08.32
and he went with
them all by the officials.
00:32:08.36\00:32:11.06
But God was very
angry when he went.
00:32:11.09\00:32:14.03
You know, the
maker of all things
00:32:14.06\00:32:15.40
loves and wants us.
00:32:15.43\00:32:16.77
I get it.
00:32:16.80\00:32:18.13
But don't you forget
that the maker of all things
00:32:18.17\00:32:19.50
can get pretty angry
00:32:19.53\00:32:21.54
when His creation is at stake
00:32:21.57\00:32:23.41
or His friends are
threatened, He gets angry.
00:32:23.44\00:32:26.81
And so God was very angry
00:32:29.91\00:32:31.25
when He went and the
angel of the Lord, by the way,
00:32:31.28\00:32:33.68
code language in Hebrew,
oftentimes for the second
00:32:33.72\00:32:37.12
person of the triune God,
00:32:37.15\00:32:39.62
this would be the
pre-incarnate Christ.
00:32:39.65\00:32:41.39
He often shows up as
the angel of the Lord.
00:32:41.42\00:32:44.39
"But the angel of the
Lord stood in the road
00:32:44.43\00:32:48.10
to oppose him."
00:32:48.13\00:32:49.46
Balaam was riding on his donkey
00:32:49.50\00:32:51.60
with his two servants
who were with him and went.
00:32:51.63\00:32:54.00
Now, go get this and went.
00:32:54.04\00:32:55.40
Verse 23, "The
donkey saw the angel
00:32:55.44\00:32:57.74
of the Lord standing in the road
00:32:57.77\00:32:59.64
with a drawn sword in his hand."
00:32:59.67\00:33:01.81
And he's pouring in the sword.
00:33:04.81\00:33:07.28
And you know what
that drawn sword is saying?
00:33:07.32\00:33:09.45
One more step.
00:33:09.48\00:33:14.49
And the donkey who in this story
00:33:14.52\00:33:17.09
turns out brighter than Balaam.
00:33:17.13\00:33:20.23
The donkey
knows what that means.
00:33:20.26\00:33:25.43
Balaam is so ticked off.
00:33:25.47\00:33:27.04
He takes the end
of that, those rings.
00:33:27.07\00:33:29.24
When that donkey gets him
out in the middle of the field,
00:33:29.27\00:33:30.87
he's just a bad set, whipping.
00:33:30.91\00:33:34.08
You stupid, dumb creature.
00:33:34.11\00:33:37.38
Oh Balaam he knows
who the dumb one here?
00:33:37.41\00:33:39.61
You are such an idiot.
00:33:39.65\00:33:44.62
He gets a donkey
back on the road.
00:33:44.65\00:33:46.22
They're going now.
00:33:50.09\00:33:51.56
Then verse 24,
"The angel of the Lord
00:33:51.59\00:33:53.43
stood in a narrow path
00:33:53.46\00:33:55.23
through the vineyards
with walls on both sides.
00:33:55.26\00:33:57.60
And when the donkey saw
the same angel of the Lord
00:33:57.63\00:34:00.57
with the sword, it
press close to the wall,
00:34:00.60\00:34:03.41
crushing Balaam's
foot against his."
00:34:03.44\00:34:05.97
Aw, oh, you, you, you,
00:34:06.01\00:34:10.81
have you ever
seen a man kick a dog?
00:34:10.85\00:34:13.68
Ever seen a woman
throw a cat across the room?
00:34:13.72\00:34:16.75
Animal cruelty is not relegated
00:34:16.79\00:34:19.65
to the story of Balaam's donkey.
00:34:19.69\00:34:23.32
Animal cruelty
happens all around us
00:34:23.36\00:34:25.99
and sometimes among us.
00:34:26.03\00:34:27.36
I'm not talking
about spousal abuse now,
00:34:27.40\00:34:29.66
that's a whole another sermon.
00:34:29.70\00:34:31.03
I'm talking about animal abuse.
00:34:31.07\00:34:33.94
You want social
justice in your repertoire.
00:34:33.97\00:34:37.31
Once you take up animal cruelty,
00:34:37.34\00:34:39.34
that'll keep you
busy for a while.
00:34:39.37\00:34:40.78
Then in verse 26, "The
angel of the Lord moved
00:34:43.81\00:34:46.31
on ahead and
stood in a narrow place
00:34:46.35\00:34:48.22
where there was no room to turn
00:34:48.25\00:34:49.78
either to the
right or to the left.
00:34:49.82\00:34:51.32
And when the donkey
saw the angel of the Lord,
00:34:51.35\00:34:53.76
there was nothing left to do.
00:34:53.79\00:34:55.12
He just
collapsed in, on all fours.
00:34:55.16\00:34:58.83
Maybe, I don't know,
00:34:58.86\00:35:00.36
maybe Balaam's legs got cut
or pinched under the donkey.
00:35:00.40\00:35:05.00
We don't know,
but it gets worse.
00:35:05.03\00:35:07.87
It's not the rains now.
00:35:07.90\00:35:09.70
Balaam reaches
into his little saddle
00:35:09.74\00:35:11.74
and you know what he pulls out?
00:35:11.77\00:35:13.61
Verse 27, "When the
donkey saw and laid down,
00:35:13.64\00:35:16.88
Balaam was angry and he
beat it with his staff."
00:35:16.91\00:35:20.62
He brings out a wooden staff.
00:35:20.65\00:35:22.25
I wish there was...
00:35:22.28\00:35:23.99
I wish this was a
sword. I'd get you right now.
00:35:24.02\00:35:26.09
I would lock that old dumb
head of yours off your body,
00:35:26.12\00:35:29.06
but I'm gonna beat you now
until you never forget this,
00:35:29.09\00:35:31.49
bam, bam, bam,
bam, bam, you get it?
00:35:31.53\00:35:36.03
Do you get it yet?
00:35:36.06\00:35:37.40
Hey, donkey, how
does this feel? Huh?
00:35:37.43\00:35:40.37
Some people treat
their wives that way.
00:35:40.40\00:35:43.57
Some people treat
their children that way.
00:35:43.61\00:35:46.44
It's sad. It's tragic.
00:35:46.47\00:35:49.94
But this is an animal
just as sad I suppose.
00:35:49.98\00:35:55.18
Animal lovers
looking on as we are.
00:35:55.22\00:35:59.62
But the story
gets even stranger.
00:35:59.65\00:36:02.49
Verse 28, then the Lord
opened the donkey's mouth.
00:36:02.52\00:36:05.99
Look out, when God
opens a donkey's mouth,
00:36:06.03\00:36:08.40
you better just
get out of there.
00:36:08.43\00:36:09.76
That's I'm telling you
00:36:09.80\00:36:11.13
if you meet a
talking donkey again,
00:36:11.17\00:36:13.07
just get out, just go.
00:36:13.10\00:36:16.00
"Then the Lord
opened the donkey's mouth
00:36:16.04\00:36:18.37
and it said to Balaam."
00:36:18.41\00:36:20.18
I love this exchange.
00:36:20.21\00:36:21.91
"What have I done to you
00:36:21.94\00:36:24.25
to make you beat
me these three times?
00:36:24.28\00:36:26.85
Balaam answered the donkey."
00:36:26.88\00:36:28.55
That's the funniest part of all.
00:36:28.58\00:36:30.89
This is his donkey.
00:36:30.92\00:36:32.45
This is his donkey.
00:36:32.49\00:36:33.82
Who's the donkey now?
00:36:33.86\00:36:37.83
Balaam answered the donkey,
"You have made a fool of me."
00:36:37.86\00:36:40.36
Balaam, you already
did a good job yourself.
00:36:40.40\00:36:44.50
You made a fool of me.
00:36:44.53\00:36:45.87
If only I had a
sword in my hand,
00:36:45.90\00:36:47.40
I would kill you right now."
00:36:47.44\00:36:49.07
And the donkey is not through.
00:36:49.10\00:36:50.44
"The donkey says to
Balaam," yo, wait a minute.
00:36:50.47\00:36:52.27
"Am I not your donkey?"
00:36:52.31\00:36:54.28
Balaam mentioned,
Yeah. Yeah, you are.
00:36:54.31\00:36:56.68
"Would you have
always ridden to this day?"
00:36:56.71\00:36:58.95
yeah, yeah. It's a
good point, you are.
00:36:58.98\00:37:01.88
"Have I been in the habit
of doing this to you before?"
00:37:01.92\00:37:05.59
No, I don't ever recall
ever come to think of it.
00:37:05.62\00:37:08.72
And then the Lord who's
opened the donkey's mouth
00:37:08.76\00:37:12.79
opens Balaam's eyes.
00:37:12.83\00:37:15.73
And he's down on all
fours, just like the donkey.
00:37:18.93\00:37:22.60
Verse 31, "Then the
Lord opened Balaam's eyes
00:37:22.64\00:37:24.97
and he saw the angel of the Lord
00:37:25.01\00:37:26.81
standing in the
road with his sword drawn
00:37:26.84\00:37:28.51
and he bowed down
low and fell face down."
00:37:28.54\00:37:30.21
Now watch this.
It's not over quite.
00:37:30.25\00:37:32.08
"The angel of the Lord asks him,
00:37:32.11\00:37:34.02
'Why have you beaten
your donkey these three times?
00:37:34.05\00:37:36.32
I have come here to
oppose you because your path
00:37:36.35\00:37:38.72
is a reckless one before me."
00:37:38.75\00:37:40.79
How many times do
we set out on a path
00:37:40.82\00:37:42.22
that's already
reckless and we know it,
00:37:42.26\00:37:43.79
but we go into that path anyway.
00:37:43.83\00:37:46.16
"It's a reckless one
before me and the donkey saw me
00:37:46.19\00:37:48.66
and the donkey
turned away wisely
00:37:48.70\00:37:50.47
from me these three times.
00:37:50.50\00:37:52.10
If it had not turned away,
00:37:52.13\00:37:53.80
I would certainly
have killed you by now,
00:37:53.84\00:37:56.24
and I would have
spared the donkey."
00:37:56.27\00:37:59.27
Wow. That's
pretty heavy language.
00:37:59.31\00:38:03.11
"Balaam says to
the angel of the Lord,
00:38:03.14\00:38:05.11
'Oh, I have sinned.
00:38:05.15\00:38:06.48
I did not realize you
were standing in the road
00:38:06.51\00:38:08.18
to oppose me.
00:38:08.22\00:38:09.55
Now if...
00:38:09.58\00:38:11.15
What? Did you see this?
00:38:11.19\00:38:13.96
If you are displeased.
00:38:13.99\00:38:18.43
Man, when you wanna
sin you're just gonna sin
00:38:18.46\00:38:20.23
no matter what God says to you,
if you are displeased Balaam,
00:38:20.26\00:38:24.40
what do you think he is?
00:38:24.43\00:38:25.87
Happy?
00:38:25.90\00:38:27.67
"If you are
displeased, I will go back.
00:38:27.70\00:38:29.47
The angel of the
Lord said to Balaam,
00:38:29.50\00:38:30.84
'Go with these men, but
speak only what I tell you.'"
00:38:30.87\00:38:33.21
So Balaam went
with Balak's officials
00:38:33.24\00:38:37.31
and guess what?
00:38:37.35\00:38:38.68
That's the end.
That's the end for us.
00:38:38.71\00:38:41.48
The story, the
story doesn't end there
00:38:41.52\00:38:43.69
because Balaam can't
say what he wants to say.
00:38:43.72\00:38:45.92
So there's no money in that.
00:38:45.95\00:38:47.29
Instead he
concocts a strategic plan.
00:38:47.32\00:38:49.62
The people of God are on
the verge of the Promised Land
00:38:49.66\00:38:52.79
and Balaam
designs a sexual assault
00:38:52.83\00:38:56.46
strategy on Israel
through fornication,
00:38:56.50\00:38:58.47
adultery and sex gone mad.
00:38:58.50\00:39:01.00
How sad?
00:39:01.04\00:39:03.10
Makes you wonder when
the people of God to come
00:39:03.14\00:39:05.71
to the borders of eternity,
00:39:05.74\00:39:07.48
will the M-O-B the
same for the same Satan,
00:39:07.51\00:39:11.25
will he turn sex loose
00:39:11.28\00:39:14.75
amongst the people of God?
00:39:14.78\00:39:19.19
Wow!
00:39:19.22\00:39:20.56
Did God bless that donkey?
00:39:23.36\00:39:24.86
And He did for
the powerful appeal.
00:39:24.89\00:39:29.33
The story that that domesticated
00:39:29.36\00:39:32.00
creature brings to us,
00:39:32.03\00:39:33.37
the powerful appeal
are these two words,
00:39:33.40\00:39:36.57
human kindness,
00:39:36.60\00:39:39.01
human kindness.
00:39:39.04\00:39:42.81
Would Jesus had treated
00:39:42.84\00:39:44.71
Balaam's donkey
the way Balaam did?
00:39:44.75\00:39:46.41
Give me the answer. What is it?
00:39:46.45\00:39:48.52
Of course not. Are
you kidding, Dwight?
00:39:48.55\00:39:50.95
Jesus, can you imagine that?
00:39:50.99\00:39:52.99
Not only was Jesus, by the way,
00:39:53.02\00:39:54.76
the pre-incarnate
creator of donkeys,
00:39:54.79\00:39:57.36
His very first bassinet
or cradle was a wooden box
00:39:57.39\00:40:00.33
of donkey feed,
we call a manger.
00:40:00.36\00:40:04.90
He is close to donkeys.
00:40:04.93\00:40:07.64
His first bedroom
00:40:07.67\00:40:09.57
is a smelly
barnyard, animal's stable.
00:40:09.60\00:40:13.94
He loves animals.
00:40:17.01\00:40:18.85
His story began
surrounded by animals.
00:40:18.88\00:40:22.35
Don't ask me, does
Jesus love animals?
00:40:22.38\00:40:25.65
They're sprinkled in
the stories about him.
00:40:25.69\00:40:27.99
They're embedded in
the stories from Him,
00:40:28.02\00:40:30.79
His parables,
animals, animals, animals.
00:40:30.83\00:40:33.63
Jesus was a lover of animals.
00:40:33.66\00:40:37.43
That's the truth
00:40:37.47\00:40:39.87
is that love or the
lack there of for animals
00:40:39.90\00:40:44.41
says something very
major about human character.
00:40:44.44\00:40:50.05
Very major
00:40:50.08\00:40:51.41
to the place in
the organization.
00:40:54.98\00:40:56.32
You ever heard of PETA,
the organization P-E-T-A?
00:40:56.35\00:40:58.85
Yeah, you have.
00:40:58.89\00:41:00.22
People for the
ethical treatment of animals.
00:41:00.26\00:41:01.59
They have gained
a global reputation
00:41:01.62\00:41:03.16
for animal care
and animal rights.
00:41:03.19\00:41:05.13
Oh, listen to this. I
went to their home page.
00:41:05.16\00:41:07.13
Although I
discovered by the way,
00:41:07.16\00:41:08.53
finding their home page,
that there's a big controversy
00:41:08.56\00:41:10.57
out there about PETA strategies
00:41:10.60\00:41:12.13
because PETA's
strategy is simple.
00:41:12.17\00:41:13.80
Just euthanize every
animal you can get a hold
00:41:13.84\00:41:15.70
of and deliver that
animal from its suppression,
00:41:15.74\00:41:18.87
which is kind of a
crazy, in some terms strategy.
00:41:18.91\00:41:24.38
But in the name
of animal rights,
00:41:24.41\00:41:25.91
look what PETA advocates.
00:41:25.95\00:41:27.95
Let me put this on the screen.
This is from their home page.
00:41:27.98\00:41:30.55
So speaking of
animals, the question is not,
00:41:30.59\00:41:34.32
can they, can animals
reason nor can they talk,
00:41:34.36\00:41:38.43
but the question
is, can they suffer?
00:41:38.46\00:41:40.73
And that's what
PETA is telling us.
00:41:40.76\00:41:42.86
And in that
passage, Jeremy Bentham,
00:41:42.90\00:41:45.03
who deals with moral philosophy.
00:41:45.07\00:41:46.70
Okay?
00:41:46.74\00:41:48.07
So Jeremy Bentham points
to the capacity for suffering
00:41:48.10\00:41:51.04
as the vital characteristic
that gives a being the right
00:41:51.07\00:41:54.38
to equal consideration.
00:41:54.41\00:41:56.68
I want to
challenge that thinking.
00:41:56.71\00:41:58.25
As PETA founder,
Ingrid Newkirk has said,
00:41:58.28\00:42:01.42
I'm quoting her now.
00:42:01.45\00:42:02.78
"When it comes to pain,
love, joy, loneliness, and fear,
00:42:02.82\00:42:06.99
a rat is a pig,
00:42:07.02\00:42:09.16
is a dog, is a boy.
00:42:09.19\00:42:13.36
Each one values his or her
life and fights the knife."
00:42:13.40\00:42:19.00
I beg to differ with you
00:42:19.03\00:42:20.80
Sister Newkirk,
00:42:20.84\00:42:25.11
because I disagree
with your statement
00:42:25.14\00:42:27.31
that conflates animal creatures
00:42:27.34\00:42:29.08
into some sort
of moral equivalence
00:42:29.11\00:42:30.98
in value with human beings.
00:42:31.01\00:42:32.71
I can understand
somebody embracing Darwinism
00:42:32.75\00:42:34.98
to embrace what
you've just suggested.
00:42:35.02\00:42:37.75
But as a Christian,
I thoroughly believe
00:42:37.79\00:42:39.45
that of all the creatures
that the Creator created,
00:42:39.49\00:42:42.12
there's only one creature
00:42:42.16\00:42:43.73
given the divine
as the theologians
00:42:43.76\00:42:46.53
call it the Imago
Dei, the image of God.
00:42:46.56\00:42:51.03
There's only one creature.
00:42:51.07\00:42:52.40
There's no
misunderstanding in God's mind.
00:42:52.43\00:42:54.14
Let's see, is the
pig the same, is the...
00:42:54.17\00:42:56.71
No, there's no misunderstanding.
00:42:56.74\00:42:58.27
I reject this
business of a rat as a pig,
00:42:58.31\00:43:03.14
as a dog, as a boy,
that sort of symbiosis
00:43:03.18\00:43:06.05
and conflation,
they are not the same,
00:43:06.08\00:43:08.98
which however, let us be
quick to remind ourselves
00:43:09.02\00:43:12.65
that does not diminish
our human responsibility
00:43:12.69\00:43:14.89
to provide creation
care for creation creatures.
00:43:14.92\00:43:19.93
I like the way the SPCA puts it.
00:43:19.96\00:43:21.56
You've heard of
the SPCA, haven't you?
00:43:21.60\00:43:23.16
Society for the
prevention of cruelty to what?
00:43:23.20\00:43:26.67
Animals.
00:43:26.70\00:43:28.04
The local chapter
here in Southwest, Michigan
00:43:28.07\00:43:30.94
on their front
page, home page, the...
00:43:30.97\00:43:33.98
I'm quoting now, "The
SPCA of Southwest Michigan
00:43:34.01\00:43:36.81
is a no kill shelter,"
we don't kill our animals,
00:43:36.85\00:43:40.15
"dedicated to
working for the well-being,"
00:43:40.18\00:43:41.98
and I say bravo to them,
00:43:42.02\00:43:43.42
"dedicated to working
for the well-being of animals
00:43:43.45\00:43:45.55
and creating an
adoption focus community
00:43:45.59\00:43:48.32
in Southwest Michigan.
00:43:48.36\00:43:50.33
Our goal is to end
senseless animal euthanasia
00:43:50.36\00:43:53.93
and Southwest Michigan,
00:43:53.96\00:43:55.63
and provide all animals
with a loving, caring home.
00:43:55.66\00:43:59.47
Now I think that's a
rather creative solution.
00:43:59.50\00:44:02.60
Don't euthanize them,
just find homes for them.
00:44:02.64\00:44:06.57
It's still a
challenge. I'm sure,
00:44:06.61\00:44:10.21
but we need to stand
you and I against cruelty
00:44:10.25\00:44:12.21
toward animals, the
kind of cruelty that Balaam
00:44:12.25\00:44:14.85
has demonstrated very vividly
before our eyes this morning,
00:44:14.88\00:44:18.19
or listen up now,
00:44:18.22\00:44:19.55
the kind of mass produced
slaughter house animal cruelty
00:44:19.59\00:44:22.59
that keeps
America's fast food counters
00:44:22.62\00:44:24.96
and home table
supplied with animal flesh
00:44:24.99\00:44:28.10
and animal products.
00:44:28.13\00:44:30.03
Now nobody is listening.
00:44:30.07\00:44:32.17
I believe social
justice for animals, Dwight,
00:44:32.20\00:44:33.94
but don't talk to me about diet.
00:44:33.97\00:44:36.77
No, I'm not
talking to you about diet.
00:44:36.81\00:44:39.47
We must stand
against such cruelty.
00:44:39.51\00:44:41.28
I get it.
00:44:41.31\00:44:42.64
You want social justice?
00:44:42.68\00:44:44.18
Defend the way these
animals are being slaughtered
00:44:44.21\00:44:47.58
by the thousands
for America's appetite,
00:44:47.62\00:44:50.82
by the thousands.
00:44:50.85\00:44:52.75
Look at the
methods of slaughter.
00:44:52.79\00:44:55.49
Just look.
00:44:55.52\00:44:57.99
I like the way John
Peckham in his brand-new book,
00:44:58.03\00:45:00.73
Divine Attributes
describes what we're faced with.
00:45:00.76\00:45:06.30
It's a
wonderful book by the way.
00:45:06.33\00:45:08.34
And I'm two-thirds of
the way through the book.
00:45:08.37\00:45:12.24
He describes
God's sovereign care
00:45:12.27\00:45:14.18
for His creation
and His creatures.
00:45:14.21\00:45:16.08
And in that chapter,
He makes this statement.
00:45:16.11\00:45:19.78
I want you to get it.
00:45:19.81\00:45:21.15
"God calls
humans to be stewards,
00:45:21.18\00:45:23.95
even in some sense corulers
00:45:23.99\00:45:27.06
of this planet as
Genesis 1:28, makes very clear.
00:45:27.09\00:45:30.19
Humans are to be caretakers
rather than dominators,
00:45:30.23\00:45:33.86
valuing fellow
creatures as God's creation
00:45:33.90\00:45:36.46
and taking care of
creation as best we can.
00:45:36.50\00:45:39.20
We might pay closer
attention to our diet,
00:45:39.23\00:45:42.60
fostering ethical
eating, and moving toward diets
00:45:42.64\00:45:45.51
that are more earth friendly.
00:45:45.54\00:45:47.68
And as he writes, my
colleague Rahel Wells puts it.
00:45:47.71\00:45:51.41
She teaches in the
undergrad religion department,
00:45:51.45\00:45:53.28
cruelty free.
00:45:53.31\00:45:55.35
Oh, I like that.
A cruelty free diet.
00:45:55.38\00:45:58.62
As Scripture
repeatedly emphasizes
00:45:58.65\00:46:00.82
God cares for animals,
00:46:00.86\00:46:03.46
and a righteous man has regard
for the life of his animal.
00:46:03.49\00:46:07.56
Proverbs 12:10.' We just
looked at that moment ago.
00:46:07.60\00:46:09.56
To return to the point,
00:46:13.23\00:46:14.80
Jesus was
obviously an animal lover.
00:46:14.84\00:46:19.11
He not only talked the talk,
00:46:19.14\00:46:22.11
but He walked the walk
00:46:22.14\00:46:24.75
and displayed
kindness to people and animals.
00:46:24.78\00:46:29.45
Oh, I've got to
share this with you.
00:46:29.48\00:46:30.82
This is such a beautiful
depiction of Jesus here.
00:46:30.85\00:46:33.22
This is Desire of Ages again.
00:46:33.25\00:46:34.59
"Jesus was the fountain of
healing mercy for the world,
00:46:34.62\00:46:37.96
and through all those
secluded years at Nazareth."
00:46:37.99\00:46:40.53
I mean, we know He went
to the temple when He was 12,
00:46:40.56\00:46:42.36
but what happened before
12 and what happened after 12?
00:46:42.40\00:46:45.40
Through all those
secluded years at Nazareth,
00:46:45.43\00:46:48.20
His life flowed out in currents
of sympathy and tenderness.
00:46:48.24\00:46:52.61
The aged, these are the
people He loved on, the aged,
00:46:52.64\00:46:55.38
He was kind to the aged,
00:46:55.41\00:46:57.05
the sorrowing
and the sin burdened,
00:46:57.08\00:47:00.05
the children at play
in their innocent joy,
00:47:00.08\00:47:02.75
the little
creatures of the groves,
00:47:02.78\00:47:04.65
the patient beasts of burden,
00:47:04.69\00:47:06.76
all were happier
for Jesus' presence.
00:47:06.79\00:47:09.52
Could that be said about
you when you leave a room
00:47:09.56\00:47:12.03
or you leave a
neighborhood all were happier
00:47:12.06\00:47:14.70
because you were there.
00:47:14.73\00:47:16.06
Wow. Wow, indeed.
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.67
"He whose word of
power upheld the worlds
00:47:19.70\00:47:22.94
would stoop to
relieve a wounded bird."
00:47:22.97\00:47:25.71
He didn't have the power.
00:47:25.74\00:47:27.08
Your birdie
broken wing, be healed.
00:47:27.11\00:47:29.88
He didn't do
that. He couldn't do it.
00:47:29.91\00:47:32.01
Didn't want to do it,
00:47:32.05\00:47:33.55
but He stooped to
relieve a wounded bird.
00:47:33.58\00:47:36.15
I'll take you home
birdie. I see that wing.
00:47:36.18\00:47:38.19
Ooh, I think we can set
it and get a little wood
00:47:38.22\00:47:40.02
from my carpenter shop.
00:47:40.06\00:47:41.39
I think we can set it out
for you till you're strong
00:47:41.42\00:47:43.46
and then we'll let you go.
00:47:43.49\00:47:44.83
"There was nothing
beneath Jesus, notice,
00:47:44.86\00:47:46.90
nothing to which He
disdained to minister."
00:47:46.93\00:47:50.87
Amazing.
00:47:50.90\00:47:52.23
He was kind, He
was kind to animals.
00:47:52.27\00:47:54.37
He was kind to humans.
00:47:54.40\00:47:56.14
Jesus was a kind
man. And guess what?
00:47:56.17\00:47:58.11
We must be kind men and women
00:47:58.14\00:48:00.78
and teens and
children and young adults.
00:48:00.81\00:48:03.51
We must be a kind people.
00:48:03.55\00:48:08.02
Didn't get one
amen for that? Amen.
00:48:08.05\00:48:10.75
You love the Balaam part
00:48:10.79\00:48:12.12
but now you're
just sitting there.
00:48:12.15\00:48:14.49
We must be kind people.
00:48:14.52\00:48:16.16
1 Corinthians 13:4,
00:48:16.19\00:48:18.16
Love is kind.
00:48:18.19\00:48:21.36
We gotta be kind people.
00:48:21.40\00:48:22.73
When we walk out of a room,
00:48:22.76\00:48:24.10
they're saying
those are kind people.
00:48:24.13\00:48:27.24
Those are my
kind of people. Yeah.
00:48:27.27\00:48:31.61
Abraham Joshua Heschel,
the great rabbi and scholar.
00:48:31.64\00:48:36.41
"When I was young, I
admired clever people.
00:48:36.44\00:48:39.65
Now that I am old,
I admire kind people."
00:48:39.68\00:48:44.92
Are we kind?
00:48:44.95\00:48:47.12
Are we known, are you
known as a kind person?
00:48:47.16\00:48:52.03
I'm gonna
confess something to you.
00:48:52.06\00:48:55.50
When I was younger in ministry,
00:48:55.53\00:48:58.83
I used to think of leaders,
00:48:58.87\00:49:00.50
good leaders as take
charge, kind of people,
00:49:00.54\00:49:04.07
you know, they know
where they're going.
00:49:04.11\00:49:05.44
They know how
they're gonna get there.
00:49:05.47\00:49:07.28
And oh, boy, they
would just demonstrate
00:49:07.31\00:49:09.94
that kind of
aggressive forward thinking.
00:49:09.98\00:49:12.68
They were not unkind.
00:49:12.71\00:49:14.05
Don't misunderstand me,
00:49:14.08\00:49:15.42
but they were not
so focused on kindness.
00:49:15.45\00:49:18.55
In fact, I came to the place
00:49:18.59\00:49:20.56
where I saw kindness as a trait,
00:49:20.59\00:49:22.56
almost on the edge of weakness.
00:49:22.59\00:49:27.53
You know, I mean please.
00:49:27.56\00:49:32.73
Kinder people are a bit
weaker, you know, I saw it.
00:49:32.77\00:49:36.00
Less aggressive, less
destined for great things.
00:49:36.04\00:49:40.11
I had a father
whom I love dearly.
00:49:40.14\00:49:42.88
And do to this day
though he sleeps in Jesus.
00:49:42.91\00:49:46.01
He was very kind.
00:49:46.05\00:49:49.02
He was fun to be
around. He was a hoot sometimes,
00:49:49.05\00:49:51.39
but he was a kind
person and he was a leader.
00:49:51.42\00:49:54.62
But I confess this to my shame.
00:49:54.66\00:49:57.16
I wondered sometimes
if he wasn't too kind,
00:49:57.19\00:50:00.60
he didn't make the right moves.
00:50:00.63\00:50:02.63
He didn't set
himself up for something.
00:50:02.66\00:50:04.47
He was always looking
out for the other people.
00:50:04.50\00:50:07.04
Why would you do this?
00:50:07.07\00:50:10.34
But as the years have gone by,
00:50:10.37\00:50:13.58
and I suppose life
has a way of mellowing us.
00:50:13.61\00:50:18.41
I've come to realize
how wrong I have been.
00:50:18.45\00:50:22.72
I have discovered
kindness is not a weakness.
00:50:22.75\00:50:26.52
It is a towering strength,
00:50:26.55\00:50:31.83
strength.
00:50:31.86\00:50:33.19
My father
possessed that strength.
00:50:38.03\00:50:40.14
And I've seen
others who do as well.
00:50:40.17\00:50:42.04
Listen to me carefully.
00:50:42.07\00:50:44.04
If you have to abandon kindness
to get to where you're going,
00:50:44.07\00:50:47.48
okay, I'm talking to you now.
00:50:47.51\00:50:49.38
If you have to abandon kindness
to get to where you're going,
00:50:49.41\00:50:52.61
then where you are
going isn't worth going to.
00:50:52.65\00:50:56.12
Do you understand me?
00:50:56.15\00:50:58.15
I repeat that.
You didn't get it.
00:50:58.19\00:50:59.79
If you have to abandon kindness
00:50:59.82\00:51:01.79
to get to where you are
going, then where you are going
00:51:01.82\00:51:04.43
isn't worth going too.
00:51:04.46\00:51:06.06
We're in a political
season in this nation
00:51:09.60\00:51:12.57
where the press and the public
00:51:12.60\00:51:15.04
reward men and women
who are unkind to others,
00:51:15.07\00:51:18.27
who publicly belittle and
make fun of their opponents,
00:51:18.31\00:51:21.78
whose trash talk is
somehow a virtue to aspire to.
00:51:21.81\00:51:26.58
That's the
America we live in now.
00:51:26.61\00:51:30.59
To the place those who advocate
00:51:30.62\00:51:33.02
kindness or demonstrate it
00:51:33.05\00:51:34.56
or attempt to
live it are mocked.
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.59
They're belittled,
sadly rejected by a public
00:51:36.62\00:51:39.59
that has become as unchrist
like as its political leaders
00:51:39.63\00:51:43.50
or maybe it's
the other way around.
00:51:43.53\00:51:45.23
The leaders have
become like the people.
00:51:45.27\00:51:47.97
Now look at, I am not suggesting
00:51:48.00\00:51:50.97
all political
leaders must be Christian,
00:51:51.01\00:51:54.84
but I'll tell you this.
00:51:54.88\00:51:56.85
I am saying, as
clearly as I know how,
00:51:56.88\00:51:59.78
that all leaders of moral worth
00:51:59.81\00:52:03.28
will be kind people
00:52:03.32\00:52:05.52
because kindness is a virtue,
00:52:08.69\00:52:11.59
a noble virtue, a strength.
00:52:11.63\00:52:13.29
And you know what?
00:52:13.33\00:52:15.63
I will not follow a leader
00:52:15.66\00:52:19.70
who is not kind.
00:52:19.73\00:52:22.24
I will not catch my wagon
00:52:22.27\00:52:27.94
to his destiny or her destiny.
00:52:27.98\00:52:30.05
Why?
00:52:34.85\00:52:37.59
I'm not saying all politicians
ought to become Christians.
00:52:37.62\00:52:41.42
I'm saying everybody needs
to be kind just like Jesus.
00:52:41.46\00:52:47.33
And I wanna be like Jesus.
00:52:47.36\00:52:49.96
You say, "Dwight,
how can I be like Jesus?"
00:52:50.00\00:52:52.07
I'll tell you how.
00:52:52.10\00:52:54.17
You just follow
this universal law.
00:52:54.20\00:52:57.31
What we behold, we become.
00:52:57.34\00:53:00.78
Never forget that.
You can't break that law.
00:53:00.81\00:53:05.41
It can break you.
You can't break it.
00:53:05.45\00:53:08.82
What you behold, you become.
00:53:08.85\00:53:13.02
So I promise you
00:53:13.05\00:53:15.59
that if you will set aside
some quiet time every morning
00:53:15.62\00:53:18.49
to focus your mind
and your heart on Jesus,
00:53:18.53\00:53:22.36
read one of the gospels
through one story a day,
00:53:22.40\00:53:25.53
one story at a time.
00:53:25.57\00:53:27.14
Read the Desire of Ages through,
00:53:27.17\00:53:28.54
be my guest, one story at a day,
00:53:28.57\00:53:31.17
one story at a time,
00:53:31.21\00:53:32.57
I promise you that if
you will spend your time,
00:53:32.61\00:53:35.38
sometime at the
beginning of every day,
00:53:35.41\00:53:39.48
beholding Jesus.
00:53:39.51\00:53:42.58
I promise you that
00:53:42.62\00:53:45.29
you will become
imperceptibly to you,
00:53:45.32\00:53:49.56
but noticeable
to those around you,
00:53:49.59\00:53:52.43
you will become more
00:53:52.46\00:53:54.43
and more like Jesus.
00:53:54.46\00:53:59.17
And that's what I wanna be.
00:53:59.20\00:54:01.44
I wanna be kind like Jesus.
00:54:01.47\00:54:06.98
Let's pray.
00:54:07.01\00:54:08.38
Oh God have mercy on us.
00:54:08.41\00:54:14.08
We all stand convicted.
00:54:14.12\00:54:18.65
Thank You for
loving us through this.
00:54:23.36\00:54:26.43
Please love us out
of it, our unkindness.
00:54:26.46\00:54:31.00
Love us out of our unkindness.
00:54:31.03\00:54:34.90
Let us become more
and more like Jesus
00:54:34.94\00:54:39.51
who was strong,
00:54:39.54\00:54:42.24
who was kind, and who was God.
00:54:42.28\00:54:47.65
We wanna be like
Him in His name we pray.
00:54:47.68\00:54:52.75
Amen.
00:54:52.79\00:54:55.72
Amen.
00:54:55.76\00:54:57.13
Earthly pleasures vainly call me
00:55:22.45\00:55:27.66
I would be like Jesus
00:55:27.69\00:55:32.53
Nothing worldly
shall enthrall me
00:55:32.56\00:55:37.87
I would be like Jesus
00:55:37.90\00:55:43.57
Be like Jesus this my song
00:55:43.61\00:55:49.04
In the home and in the throng
00:55:49.08\00:55:54.75
Be like Jesus all day long
00:55:54.78\00:56:01.69
I would be
00:56:01.72\00:56:04.56
Like Jesus
00:56:04.59\00:56:09.70
Be like Jesus this my song
00:56:09.73\00:56:15.27
In the home and in the throng
00:56:15.30\00:56:20.61
Be like Jesus
00:56:20.64\00:56:23.24
All day long
00:56:23.28\00:56:27.65
I would be like Jesus
00:56:27.68\00:56:33.25
I would be like Jesus
00:56:37.89\00:56:42.93
I would be like Jesus
00:56:42.96\00:56:47.57
Help me walk
00:56:47.60\00:56:49.77
Through daily growth
00:56:49.80\00:56:53.78
More and more
00:56:53.81\00:56:56.58
Like Jesus
00:56:56.61\00:57:02.12
Thank you for taking the time
to join us in worship today.
00:57:07.62\00:57:10.23
I'd like to spend another moment
00:57:10.26\00:57:11.59
with you here at
the end of our program
00:57:11.63\00:57:12.96
to share a word of hope.
00:57:12.99\00:57:14.33
In fact, that's what
this sort of book is all about
00:57:14.36\00:57:16.13
in these uncertain
times, and let's face it,
00:57:16.16\00:57:18.13
they're uncertain
all over this planet.
00:57:18.17\00:57:20.17
This book entitled,
00:57:20.20\00:57:21.54
The Great Hope
will help you understand
00:57:21.57\00:57:23.51
not just what God has
planned for your future,
00:57:23.54\00:57:25.84
but for the future of
the entire human race.
00:57:25.87\00:57:28.41
Light keep shining
on this dark old world
00:57:28.44\00:57:30.38
and new truths long forgotten
00:57:30.41\00:57:32.15
are being
constantly rediscovered.
00:57:32.18\00:57:34.32
If you need a fresh
dose of hope for your life
00:57:34.35\00:57:36.32
these days, or
you know somebody else
00:57:36.35\00:57:38.15
who could sure
use that gift of hope.
00:57:38.19\00:57:40.49
Then I'd like to
invite you to grab your phone,
00:57:40.52\00:57:42.06
dial our toll free number
877 the two words HIS-WILL,
00:57:42.09\00:57:46.19
877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:46.23\00:57:48.06
And at no charge to you,
00:57:48.10\00:57:49.46
we'll get a copy in
the mail to you right away.
00:57:49.50\00:57:52.27
Till the next time we meet,
00:57:52.30\00:57:53.77
may the peace and hope
00:57:53.80\00:57:55.54
of the Lord
Jesus be with you 24/7.
00:57:55.57\00:57:58.44