It's a pleasure to be
here today. I'm glad that
00:01:00.52\00:01:02.55
I've the
opportunity to speak with you.
00:01:03.10\00:01:04.13
I held from Niagara
Falls, Canada. And, today I'm
00:01:05.82\00:01:09.88
going to tell with
you about "God in a Box".
00:01:10.78\00:01:12.60
I want to certify
giving the brief illustration
00:01:15.34\00:01:17.09
from the life of Count
Leo Tolstoy. If anyone of you
00:01:18.59\00:01:20.98
know history
Count Leo Tolstoy was
00:01:21.01\00:01:22.54
a Russian Count, he
was a noble man in Russia
00:01:22.57\00:01:24.53
more then a century
ago and he was a prolific
00:01:26.61\00:01:28.33
writer, he wrote
many books, several which
00:01:28.36\00:01:31.17
dealt with
spiritual issues. Now, he seem
00:01:31.20\00:01:34.21
to have been
obsessed throughout his life
00:01:34.24\00:01:35.49
with religion and ritual
and different things like
00:01:36.03\00:01:38.49
that. It seems that
I've stumble upon a story
00:01:38.52\00:01:42.13
that might shed
some light as to where
00:01:42.59\00:01:43.80
this lifelong pursuit came from.
00:01:43.83\00:01:46.07
You see, when
Count Leo Tolstoy was
00:01:46.94\00:01:49.18
five years old, his
older brother Nicholas,
00:01:49.74\00:01:51.71
declared to him that
he had discovered the
00:01:53.62\00:01:55.24
secret for the
pursuit of happiness.
00:01:55.27\00:01:57.53
And he said, this
secret was simply for everybody
00:01:58.84\00:02:02.69
to love everyone
else. And, if people follow
00:02:03.24\00:02:05.98
this advise, the
kingdom of heaven would surely
00:02:06.01\00:02:08.55
come to every man
and women on earth.
00:02:08.58\00:02:09.94
Then his brother
Nicholas told Leo, that this
00:02:11.23\00:02:13.96
secret was written on
a stick that was buried
00:02:14.82\00:02:17.53
deep in the forest,
it was a green stick,
00:02:18.02\00:02:19.58
sticking out of the dirt
at the edge of the ravine,
00:02:20.71\00:02:22.39
deep in the forest,
where no person had ever
00:02:22.42\00:02:24.51
traveled. And, so
this story stuck with Leo
00:02:24.54\00:02:28.63
and he spend most of
his life searching for
00:02:30.27\00:02:32.18
this fabled greenstick,
and obvious it was various
00:02:32.21\00:02:34.58
shapes and sizes and
forms. He realized that
00:02:34.96\00:02:37.58
it was a very
metaphorical sort of
00:02:38.29\00:02:40.10
stick and so he
spend all his time seeing,
00:02:40.13\00:02:44.17
where it might
appear. Now, he had answers
00:02:44.20\00:02:48.34
that he was
desperately looking for.
00:02:48.37\00:02:49.87
Today, I want to point
out another stick, that
00:02:51.19\00:02:54.89
the children of
Israel had look for.
00:02:54.92\00:02:56.13
And, how Leo story
is not quite as new as
00:02:56.85\00:02:59.46
we might think.
Let's pray us in pray.
00:02:59.49\00:03:01.72
Father of heaven, I
speak, I ask that, it will
00:03:04.04\00:03:07.74
be your words and not
mine. And, I ask that,
00:03:07.77\00:03:10.38
each one listening
today, be blessed. My words
00:03:11.68\00:03:16.02
from your Holy
Scripture, and I ask that all
00:03:16.05\00:03:19.41
things, that you our
Lord and savior Jesus Christ
00:03:19.44\00:03:22.51
would be glorified and
lifted up. I pray these
00:03:22.54\00:03:24.84
things in your name, Amen.
00:03:24.87\00:03:26.36
If you turn with me to
the book of first Samuel,
00:03:28.91\00:03:31.03
Chapter 4, Versus
2:11, First Samuel Chapter 4.
00:03:31.53\00:03:35.92
So, First Samuel,
chapter 4, Versus 2:11.
00:03:37.11\00:03:46.23
This is what it
says, "The Philistines drop
00:03:46.92\00:03:48.74
in battle ray to meet
Israel, when the battle
00:03:48.77\00:03:53.71
spread, Israel was
defeated before the
00:03:53.74\00:03:55.63
Philistines, who
killed above four thousand men
00:03:55.66\00:03:57.81
on the battle
field. When the people came
00:03:57.84\00:04:00.18
into the camp, the
elders of Israel said,
00:04:00.21\00:04:02.21
"Why has the
Lord defeated us today
00:04:02.63\00:04:04.45
before the Philistines.
Let us take to ourselves
00:04:04.83\00:04:07.72
from Shiloh the
Ark of the Covenant
00:04:07.75\00:04:09.41
of the Lord that
it may come among us
00:04:10.36\00:04:11.87
and deliver us from
the power of our enemies.
00:04:11.90\00:04:14.59
So, the people sent
to Shiloh and from there
00:04:16.37\00:04:18.23
they carried the Ark of
the Covenant of the Lord
00:04:18.26\00:04:20.13
of host, who sits
above the Cherubim.
00:04:20.58\00:04:22.07
And, the two sons of
Eli, Hophni and Phinehas
00:04:23.17\00:04:25.25
were there with the
Ark of Covenant of God.
00:04:26.52\00:04:28.41
Now, as the Ark of
the Covenant of the Lord
00:04:29.69\00:04:31.11
came into the camp,
all Israel shouted with
00:04:31.14\00:04:33.62
a great shout.
So, that the earth
00:04:33.65\00:04:35.30
resounded, when the
Philistines heard the
00:04:35.33\00:04:38.19
noise of the shout,
they said, what is the
00:04:38.22\00:04:40.40
noise of this
great shout in the camp
00:04:40.43\00:04:41.95
of the Hebrews
mean, then they understood
00:04:41.98\00:04:45.00
that the Ark of the
Lord had come into the camp.
00:04:45.62\00:04:47.96
The Philistines were
afraid for they said,
00:04:49.48\00:04:51.28
God has come into
the camp and they said,
00:04:51.79\00:04:53.69
Woe to us! For nothing
like this has ever happened
00:04:54.12\00:04:56.62
before. Woe to us! Who
shall deliver us from the
00:04:56.65\00:05:00.91
hand of these
mighty Gods? These are the
00:05:00.94\00:05:03.18
the God's who smoke the
Egyptians with all kinds
00:05:03.21\00:05:05.06
of plagues and
wilderness. Take courage
00:05:05.09\00:05:07.83
and be man of Philistines
or you'll become slaves
00:05:07.86\00:05:10.34
to the Hebrews, as they
have been slaves to you,
00:05:10.37\00:05:12.49
therefore be man
and fight. And, so the
00:05:13.09\00:05:15.72
Philistines fought
and Israel was defeated,
00:05:15.75\00:05:17.83
and every man fled to
his tent and the slaughter
00:05:18.49\00:05:20.86
was very great; for
there fell of Israel thirty
00:05:20.89\00:05:23.55
thousand foot soldiers.
And the Ark of the God of
00:05:23.58\00:05:26.66
God was taken and the
two sons Eli, Hophni and
00:05:26.69\00:05:29.68
Phinehas died. And,
so reading through this
00:05:29.71\00:05:35.23
passage one begs a question
what happened? What when
00:05:35.26\00:05:39.74
wrong? It seems like
God had abandoned the
00:05:39.77\00:05:44.48
Israelites. And, so
the answer today that I'm
00:05:44.51\00:05:48.00
going to give from
the Bible is going to be
00:05:48.03\00:05:50.11
three fold and it
goes like this. Number one,
00:05:50.14\00:05:52.82
Rebellion against
God confuses discernment,
00:05:53.32\00:05:55.46
it confound our
judgment. Rebellion against God
00:05:56.39\00:05:59.34
inevitably leads to
further Rebellion and
00:05:59.95\00:06:03.33
third most God sends
judgments to save rebels.
00:06:03.36\00:06:06.13
Now, the battle
between Israel and the
00:06:08.80\00:06:11.84
Philistines that are
written of in the fourth
00:06:11.87\00:06:13.51
chapter of first
Samuel, took place at a low
00:06:13.54\00:06:16.44
point in the history
of Israel in the history
00:06:16.47\00:06:19.85
of God's people.
When we take a look at
00:06:19.88\00:06:21.96
to the Book of Judges,
chapter 21 verse 25, it
00:06:21.99\00:06:25.90
describes the times in
a very interesting matter,
00:06:25.93\00:06:29.08
first turn to the
Book of Judges, you bounce
00:06:29.57\00:06:31.34
back two books from
first Samuel to truth and
00:06:31.37\00:06:33.35
then to judges, 21st
chapter that's the last
00:06:33.38\00:06:35.84
chapter of the Book
of Judges in verse 25,
00:06:35.87\00:06:37.61
it says this, this is
the final conclusion in the
00:06:38.21\00:06:40.18
Book of Judges. In
those days, there was
00:06:40.21\00:06:42.52
no king in Israel,
everyone did what was
00:06:42.55\00:06:45.38
right in his own
eyes. So, in that time of
00:06:45.41\00:06:49.48
Israel history,
everybody was doing what
00:06:49.51\00:06:52.11
they felt was
right. There was no one to
00:06:52.14\00:06:53.85
guide, no one to lead
them, no one that really
00:06:53.88\00:06:56.08
provided a stover path, no one
00:06:57.29\00:07:01.89
provided a solid path
for them to follow, everybody
00:07:01.92\00:07:04.95
just kind of did,
what was okay in their own
00:07:04.98\00:07:06.88
eyes. And, so it
kind of reflects today's
00:07:06.91\00:07:09.16
culture melayu
it reflect today's,
00:07:10.76\00:07:12.70
we've doing
things, for example, you go
00:07:14.45\00:07:16.77
today in our
postmortem mindset, what you
00:07:16.80\00:07:20.47
believe is okay,
what I believe is okay,
00:07:20.50\00:07:21.72
your truth is your
truth, my truth is my truth.
00:07:22.15\00:07:23.80
I can worship his,
you can worship that,
00:07:24.90\00:07:26.26
we all worship
different things and everybody
00:07:26.29\00:07:27.99
is go in a heaven,
it was the same way
00:07:28.02\00:07:29.87
in the time of the
Israelites. Everybody
00:07:29.90\00:07:32.56
did whatever they
wanted, one guy worship
00:07:32.59\00:07:34.30
Bale, and other
guy worship Molech,
00:07:34.33\00:07:35.87
somebody else
worship to Ashtarout and
00:07:35.90\00:07:37.63
another person
worship Yahweh. And everybody
00:07:37.66\00:07:42.98
thought that they were okay.
00:07:43.01\00:07:44.19
And, so in other
words there was really no
00:07:47.42\00:07:51.86
standard of right
and wrong, everybody just
00:07:51.89\00:07:53.55
fought along and did
what they thought was
00:07:53.58\00:07:55.32
okay. In addition to
sons of Eli, the high
00:07:55.35\00:07:58.18
priest, these two
man Hophni and Phinehas,
00:07:58.21\00:08:00.01
who are supposed to
lead God's people in
00:08:00.04\00:08:02.48
truth and who are
supposed to teach God's
00:08:02.51\00:08:04.53
people his ways.
In fact led God's
00:08:04.56\00:08:06.97
people to further apostasy and a
00:08:07.00\00:08:08.70
Rebellion against God.
This only had the result
00:08:08.73\00:08:14.51
of increasing
darkness and misery and hurts
00:08:14.54\00:08:17.15
and pain all throughout
the land, and it was in
00:08:17.18\00:08:19.99
this setting that
the prophet Samuel began
00:08:20.02\00:08:21.80
his ministry.
You see, Israel had
00:08:21.83\00:08:24.98
fallen away from God.
The leaders were corrupt
00:08:25.01\00:08:26.88
and the enemies were
closing in like jackals.
00:08:27.51\00:08:29.17
In verse two of
First Samuel chapter 4,
00:08:30.38\00:08:33.36
we read that the
Israelites went out
00:08:33.81\00:08:35.02
to meet the Philistines
in battle, but rather
00:08:35.05\00:08:36.97
than victory, they
met with crushing defeat.
00:08:37.00\00:08:39.14
Let's take a look
at that passage again.
00:08:40.61\00:08:41.72
It says, that the
Philistines drop in
00:08:42.99\00:08:44.04
battle ray to meet
Israel. Now, Israel
00:08:44.07\00:08:45.90
had a history of
beating overwhelming God's back
00:08:46.50\00:08:48.79
in those days. But
instead of beating,
00:08:48.82\00:08:52.41
the Philistines this
time. The Philistines
00:08:52.98\00:08:54.87
crush the Israelites.
And, so the Israelites
00:08:54.90\00:08:56.97
realized that
something had gone drastically
00:08:57.93\00:08:59.37
wrong decided that
they are going to go
00:08:59.40\00:09:00.79
back to Israel, they
were going to go back.
00:09:00.82\00:09:02.71
A final war
taken place, I can just
00:09:05.01\00:09:06.92
imagine the
soldiers tramping back to the
00:09:06.95\00:09:08.70
camp disheartened,
struck down, and they
00:09:08.73\00:09:13.86
did the first
thing that came to mind,
00:09:13.89\00:09:15.28
the logical thing,
they want to ask the elders
00:09:16.01\00:09:17.72
what had happen?
Why had God defeated us
00:09:18.20\00:09:20.27
this way? In fact, in
the text itself, it says,
00:09:20.30\00:09:22.58
"Why has the Lord defeated us?"
00:09:23.38\00:09:24.98
Right, they
recognized that this was no
00:09:25.50\00:09:27.55
ordinary
circumstance that something
00:09:27.58\00:09:29.50
supernatural was in
the mix. And, so the
00:09:29.53\00:09:38.37
elders quickly recognized
that it was the hand of God,
00:09:38.40\00:09:40.49
that had brought judgment
Israel. And at this point,
00:09:41.38\00:09:45.86
we begin to realize
the deceptiveness of sin.
00:09:46.44\00:09:47.95
You see the elders
rather than enquiring
00:09:48.80\00:09:50.46
of the Lord or
perhaps enquiring of
00:09:50.49\00:09:52.81
Samuel, simply
decided to follow their own
00:09:52.84\00:09:57.40
judgment, follow
their own ways of doing
00:09:57.43\00:09:59.57
things. They just
prolonged to what they
00:09:59.60\00:10:01.94
thought was best.
We realize at this
00:10:01.97\00:10:06.09
point that the
deceptiveness of sin
00:10:06.12\00:10:07.66
confound judgment.
Rebellion against God,
00:10:09.10\00:10:11.30
confounds ability
to figure out, what's
00:10:12.29\00:10:14.56
right and wrong.
What the best path
00:10:14.59\00:10:15.98
to take is? And, so the people
00:10:16.01\00:10:19.84
of God realized that
the God caused their defeat,
00:10:19.87\00:10:23.80
but they had no clues
to why? And, the men who
00:10:23.83\00:10:26.79
should have been
able to lead were in fact
00:10:26.82\00:10:29.14
clouded as well.
Their minds were numb
00:10:30.23\00:10:31.97
and they had no
answers. So, they basically went
00:10:32.52\00:10:35.19
about and came up
with their own solutions.
00:10:35.22\00:10:38.57
Now, Samuel later compares
Rebellion as to the sin of
00:10:39.77\00:10:44.56
witchcraft and idolatry.
Now, the reason that this sin
00:10:44.59\00:10:47.32
is so pernicious, so devious
is that it puts the sinner
00:10:47.35\00:10:50.59
under the direct
control of Satan.
00:10:50.62\00:10:52.00
You see, anytime that
we knowingly choose to do
00:10:52.41\00:10:54.68
something that
directly contradicts or
00:10:54.71\00:10:56.35
contravenes God's will.
It puts us directly under the
00:10:56.38\00:11:00.39
control of deceiving spirits.
You see, Job declared it in
00:11:00.42\00:11:03.27
this way, those who rebel
against the light, they do not
00:11:03.30\00:11:06.09
want to know it's ways
nor abide in it's paths.
00:11:06.12\00:11:08.67
They shut themselves up
by day, they do not know
00:11:09.53\00:11:11.81
the light, for the morning
is the same to him as thick
00:11:11.84\00:11:14.54
darkness for he is familiar with
00:11:14.57\00:11:16.39
terrors of thick
darkness. The mind of the one,
00:11:16.42\00:11:19.81
who rebels against
God becomes confused.
00:11:19.84\00:11:21.95
Darkness overwhelms him
and sets in all the sun the
00:11:22.13\00:11:25.95
ability to discern is blunted.
Light and darkness seem to
00:11:25.98\00:11:31.66
become one to this individual.
Isaiah calls the mode on it
00:11:31.69\00:11:35.90
by saying, you've
seen many things, but
00:11:35.93\00:11:37.87
do not observe
them. Your ears are open,
00:11:37.90\00:11:39.90
but none hears. And, in
the New Testament, for our
00:11:40.37\00:11:44.19
New Testament Christians,
I hope that each one of us
00:11:44.22\00:11:47.18
here is a New Testament
Christian, the result of
00:11:47.21\00:11:49.26
actions that contradict
God's will is as though
00:11:49.29\00:11:54.83
we've our consciousness
seared with the branding iron.
00:11:54.86\00:11:57.62
And, so going back to
Israel lacking was them
00:11:58.07\00:12:01.39
inside, their minds
are darkened in sin.
00:12:01.42\00:12:03.17
The elders responded with
what they thought was best,
00:12:03.87\00:12:06.34
with what was seem
logical. If God won't go with us
00:12:06.37\00:12:09.89
into battle then we
will simply have to take God
00:12:09.92\00:12:12.64
along with us. Now, this
goes to show that spiritual
00:12:12.67\00:12:15.67
things can only be
discerned by the spirit of God,
00:12:15.70\00:12:19.24
outside of this we can
only be deceived and so the
00:12:19.49\00:12:22.63
children of Israel thought
that by bringing the Ark of
00:12:22.66\00:12:25.06
the Covenant into battle
with them they were going
00:12:25.09\00:12:27.87
to be able to determine
the outcome of the fight.
00:12:27.90\00:12:29.43
And, so an essence at
this point, God's Ark becomes
00:12:29.46\00:12:33.16
like a lucky rabbits food,
if you take the lucky charm
00:12:33.19\00:12:35.70
with us or we bring that
into battle then that's going
00:12:35.73\00:12:39.19
to make all the difference.
And, so once again in this
00:12:39.22\00:12:43.59
passage, the Philistines
go to meet the children of
00:12:43.62\00:12:46.10
Israel, the children of
Israel stomped out confidently
00:12:46.13\00:12:49.14
because they have
the Ark with them.
00:12:50.47\00:12:51.47
And they figured, if you
got a rabbits foot, God is
00:12:51.50\00:12:53.95
here with us, we are
unstoppable, we're going
00:12:53.98\00:12:55.87
to squash these Philistines.
But, the problem is this,
00:12:55.90\00:12:58.65
that they had lost their
understanding of who God was
00:13:00.85\00:13:02.74
and what his purposes in
this whole drama that was
00:13:02.77\00:13:05.56
unfolding were. They had simply
00:13:05.59\00:13:09.38
remembered that back
in the days of Mosses and
00:13:09.41\00:13:12.13
Joshua, when the Ark
had gone out in the battle,
00:13:12.16\00:13:13.90
the children of
Israel had been victorious.
00:13:14.33\00:13:15.99
And, so simply put,
they thought that they could
00:13:18.52\00:13:20.67
control God like you would
control a remote control car.
00:13:20.70\00:13:23.53
And, so the Israelites want
them to regain that glory of
00:13:27.27\00:13:30.13
former days, went out into
battle, treating the Ark as
00:13:30.16\00:13:34.54
though it was an idol,
as though this goal box with
00:13:34.57\00:13:37.56
some Angels on it
had some sort of ability
00:13:37.59\00:13:40.74
intrinsically to save,
to deliver Israel from the
00:13:40.77\00:13:44.05
hand of the Philistines.
Now, let's take a look what
00:13:44.08\00:13:50.42
we read here in verses
7 and 8 of the passage.
00:13:50.45\00:13:52.66
It says that the Philistines
were afraid because they said
00:13:53.08\00:13:56.00
God has come into the
camp and they said, woe to
00:13:56.03\00:13:58.58
us for nothing like this
has happened before, right.
00:13:58.61\00:14:02.35
The Philistines being
pagans, being heathens
00:14:03.58\00:14:05.82
thought hey, the Israelite
God is in the camp that
00:14:06.62\00:14:08.94
Ark right there,
that's their God.
00:14:08.97\00:14:10.60
Nothing like this has
ever happened before, we're
00:14:10.98\00:14:12.72
going to get
stopped. They got scared.
00:14:12.75\00:14:14.74
Now, in verse 3, the
Israelites said, hey let's
00:14:16.13\00:14:20.07
take to ourselves
Shiloh, the Ark of the Covenant
00:14:20.10\00:14:21.80
from the Lord that it
may come among us and deliver
00:14:21.83\00:14:23.56
us from the
power of our enemies.
00:14:23.59\00:14:24.79
The Israelites just like
the Philistines think that there
00:14:25.27\00:14:27.60
is something
special about this box.
00:14:27.63\00:14:29.11
Completely forgetting that
it's not the fact that the box
00:14:29.87\00:14:33.52
is going with them, but
it was the Lord of hosts that
00:14:33.55\00:14:36.56
was their shield and
protector, it was God
00:14:36.59\00:14:39.06
almighty, who was
their Lord and savior.
00:14:39.09\00:14:41.33
They forgot and as a
result disaster followed.
00:14:43.10\00:14:46.96
You see, God can't be
placed in a box, that's an
00:14:48.64\00:14:52.77
impossibility and the
Israelites forgetting the
00:14:52.80\00:14:56.22
fact that the lord of
heaven was too big to fit into a
00:14:56.25\00:14:59.82
box like that, so they
put their trust in a bunch of
00:14:59.85\00:15:04.22
paneled wood, needless to
say the children of Israel
00:15:04.25\00:15:08.19
lost the fight that day, they
got stumped by the Israelites
00:15:08.22\00:15:10.93
or by the Philistines.
And, the Philistines that
00:15:11.35\00:15:14.41
day routed the Israelites
not simply killing 4000
00:15:14.44\00:15:17.15
men, but killing
30,000 men this time.
00:15:17.18\00:15:19.33
They captured the Ark and
while Hophni and Phinehas,
00:15:19.67\00:15:22.08
the wicked sons of Eli,
who would led Israel into
00:15:22.75\00:15:25.54
deeper apostasy or
caring the Ark, they were slain.
00:15:25.57\00:15:29.11
And the rest of
the chapter tells the
00:15:30.32\00:15:31.60
story pretty clearly.
Now, there was sadness in
00:15:31.63\00:15:35.12
Israel, when the
news of tragic defeat
00:15:35.15\00:15:37.38
reached the
tribes. I can just imagine,
00:15:37.41\00:15:39.61
it's spreading from town
to town from place to place,
00:15:39.64\00:15:41.64
what had happened? Has
God completely abandoned us?
00:15:41.92\00:15:44.75
You see, the Israelites
had forgotten that it was
00:15:45.58\00:15:48.42
necessary to have an
abiding faith in Lord.
00:15:48.45\00:15:51.03
There was necessary to
have a true faith; the place
00:15:51.61\00:15:54.34
to penance on God,
their faith had only become a
00:15:54.37\00:15:57.60
nominal one, they
had abandoned the ways of
00:15:57.63\00:15:59.42
God and decided to follow
the ways of other nations.
00:15:59.45\00:16:01.76
They had decided to do what
was right in their own eyes.
00:16:02.46\00:16:05.00
And, so as a result their
faith had lost it's ability to
00:16:07.11\00:16:10.00
prevail with God.
Instead of providing hard
00:16:10.03\00:16:14.39
service to God, they
only provided lip service,
00:16:14.42\00:16:17.05
they had forgotten
the Covenant blessings and
00:16:17.48\00:16:20.22
curses uttered by
Mosses, as they prepared to
00:16:20.25\00:16:22.08
enter the promise land.
If we turn to Deuteronomy
00:16:22.11\00:16:24.37
chapter 28, let's see
that right now, that's
00:16:24.40\00:16:26.82
Deuteronomy chapter 28,
00:16:26.85\00:16:28.23
we see in verse
2 of chapter 28 in
00:16:42.23\00:16:44.14
Deuteronomy, all these
blessings will come upon
00:16:44.17\00:16:46.44
you and overtake you, if
you obey the Lord your God
00:16:46.47\00:16:48.68
and then Mosses goes to list
off all the various blessings
00:16:48.94\00:16:51.59
that will take place, they'll
never have want for food,
00:16:51.62\00:16:55.19
they'll have protection,
God will defeat the enemies
00:16:55.40\00:16:57.78
if they ever come against
Israel, God will establish
00:16:57.81\00:17:00.60
his people, but the
converse of that was that if
00:17:00.63\00:17:04.96
they disobeyed
then God will remove
00:17:04.99\00:17:07.02
his hand of protection.
In verse 15 of the 28th
00:17:07.05\00:17:11.06
chapter, it says but it
shall come about, if you do not
00:17:11.09\00:17:13.70
obey the Lord your God
to observe to do all his
00:17:13.73\00:17:16.29
commandments and a
statue to which I charge
00:17:16.32\00:17:18.04
you today, that all
these curses will come upon
00:17:18.07\00:17:20.52
you and overtake you.
You see, if the Israelites
00:17:20.55\00:17:25.19
choose deliberately to
back away from God to walk
00:17:25.39\00:17:27.94
away from the provisions
that he made for each one
00:17:27.97\00:17:30.17
of them, for each of
the tribes, for each of the
00:17:30.20\00:17:31.86
families, for the nation
as a whole then God said I'll
00:17:31.89\00:17:35.27
release you from your
contract, I'll release you
00:17:35.30\00:17:37.78
from his Covenant so
you can do whatever you want
00:17:37.81\00:17:39.37
and when it's time for
you to comeback, you can
00:17:39.40\00:17:41.97
comeback, but remember my
protection won't be over you.
00:17:42.00\00:17:46.78
And, so where would
Israel had made it's choice
00:17:50.61\00:17:55.70
and now the
consequences followed.
00:17:55.73\00:17:57.55
You see in their disobedience,
Israel had become like one
00:17:57.93\00:18:00.87
of the heathen
nations, when the people obeyed
00:18:00.90\00:18:03.52
the holy precepts
nothing was impossible for them,
00:18:03.55\00:18:06.19
the Lord would work
with his muddy right hand
00:18:06.22\00:18:08.38
and deliver them with
his infinite power, but now
00:18:08.95\00:18:11.02
when they looked upon
the Ark and did not associate
00:18:11.34\00:18:13.56
this Ark with God nor
honor his revealed will by
00:18:13.59\00:18:17.47
obedience to his
law, it was little to them
00:18:17.50\00:18:20.39
than an ordinary box.
The Ark with the staff of
00:18:20.42\00:18:23.81
Aaron and the twin
tablets and the Jar of Manna
00:18:23.84\00:18:26.58
pointed to the God, who
was able to deliver them.
00:18:28.48\00:18:31.15
The God, who is a lawgiver,
the God, who is able to
00:18:32.54\00:18:35.20
provide life from the
dead piece of wood, the God,
00:18:35.23\00:18:38.10
who was able to
sustain his people in the dead
00:18:38.13\00:18:40.54
wilderness by bread from heaven.
00:18:40.57\00:18:42.77
These things contain the
side of the Ark were only
00:18:45.66\00:18:47.67
significant and so far
as they pointed to the one,
00:18:47.70\00:18:50.24
who is a provider for Israel.
God and all of these things
00:18:50.27\00:18:56.68
is understood to be a
lawful and yet benevolent
00:18:56.71\00:18:59.39
and merciful ruler.
When Israel looked to the
00:18:59.42\00:19:02.78
Ark, as though the pagans
looked to their own idols,
00:19:02.81\00:19:06.61
as though it possessed
in itself the elements of
00:19:08.90\00:19:10.96
salvation, as though it
possessed in itself some
00:19:10.99\00:19:12.83
sort of value to save,
it was an upfront and an
00:19:12.86\00:19:17.15
abomination to God. The
results of this apostasy
00:19:17.18\00:19:20.94
were formalism,
hypocrisy, and idolatry.
00:19:20.97\00:19:23.78
Hence the Prophet
Jeremiah later in Israel's
00:19:24.05\00:19:26.19
history wrote
about Israel's rebellions
00:19:26.22\00:19:29.22
against God in this
way. For my people have
00:19:29.25\00:19:31.84
committed two evils,
they have forsaken me, the
00:19:31.87\00:19:34.50
fountain of living
waters and to, and have gone to
00:19:34.53\00:19:37.57
hue for themselves
cisterns. Broken cisterns
00:19:37.60\00:19:39.94
that can hold no
water. Not only had Israel
00:19:39.97\00:19:42.62
pushed God away, but
tried to replace him.
00:19:42.65\00:19:44.86
They had tried to
replace him by their
00:19:46.30\00:19:48.52
own cheap
imitations. Now, you might say,
00:19:48.55\00:19:51.16
listen the Ark was no
cheap imitation, I mean,
00:19:51.19\00:19:52.80
it was gold, you know,
there was and also it's a
00:19:52.83\00:19:54.82
fancy craftwork on it,
but when compared to the God
00:19:54.85\00:19:57.24
of the Universe
there was no comparison.
00:19:57.27\00:19:59.81
And, so now God want to
reveal what would happen
00:20:02.23\00:20:04.59
as a result of his
removing his hand of protection
00:20:05.32\00:20:08.56
from his chosen
people. You see, Israel's only
00:20:08.59\00:20:11.83
hope at this point
was to run back to God.
00:20:11.86\00:20:13.94
Israel's only hope
was to run back to God.
00:20:16.49\00:20:18.02
You see, they had tried
everything in their power
00:20:18.26\00:20:21.17
to find solutions to
their own problems on their own
00:20:22.40\00:20:24.48
without God's intervention.
When they had failed they
00:20:24.51\00:20:28.09
went to their elders and
tried to come up with their
00:20:28.12\00:20:30.52
own solutions and it's
funny because Rebellion,
00:20:30.55\00:20:33.05
as I said before inevitably
leads to further Rebellion.
00:20:33.46\00:20:35.87
The sins that they had
preceded with only went
00:20:37.74\00:20:41.35
into a deeper pit and they
only felt deeper and darker
00:20:41.89\00:20:45.48
into confusion and chaos.
What started off is just a
00:20:45.51\00:20:51.22
loss of 4000 lives and of
being loss of 30,000 lives
00:20:51.25\00:20:54.37
until the Philistines
with the very borders and the
00:20:54.40\00:20:56.26
Philistines themselves
had captured the Ark and taken
00:20:56.29\00:20:58.79
it back into their
own territory, into
00:20:58.82\00:21:01.05
their own country. For
the Israelites, this was
00:21:01.08\00:21:03.45
a crushing loss, for
them their God had been
00:21:03.48\00:21:06.75
conquered, for them it
seemed like all hope was gone.
00:21:06.78\00:21:09.50
And, yet at this point, at
this dark point in Israel's
00:21:10.18\00:21:12.33
history, when it seems
that all hope was gone that's
00:21:12.36\00:21:15.34
when God interceded,
when God intervened to let
00:21:15.53\00:21:18.73
them know, that when
they were hopeless, they could
00:21:18.76\00:21:21.61
come to him, fallen
him completely in their
00:21:21.64\00:21:24.52
desperation and
that he would answer.
00:21:24.55\00:21:26.26
You see, Israel's sins
had separated them from their
00:21:28.87\00:21:31.20
God and he could not give
them the victory until they
00:21:31.23\00:21:33.91
had repented and, from
the wickedness that they were
00:21:33.94\00:21:36.85
doing, until they turned
away from their idolatry,
00:21:36.88\00:21:38.88
until they turned away
from their child sacrifices
00:21:38.91\00:21:41.08
and until they turned
away from their adultery from
00:21:41.11\00:21:43.31
defiling of each
others wives and women.
00:21:43.34\00:21:46.01
You see, it was not enough
that the Ark in a sanctuary,
00:21:47.08\00:21:49.54
where in midst of
Israel. God's presence needed to
00:21:49.57\00:21:52.32
be in the midst of Israel.
It was not enough that the
00:21:52.35\00:21:56.39
priest offered sacrifices,
it was not enough that they
00:21:56.42\00:21:58.94
provided atonement
through these animal symbols.
00:21:58.97\00:22:01.82
It was not enough that
they carried the name of
00:22:05.15\00:22:06.99
Jehovah or Yahweh. You
see, the Bible tells us
00:22:07.02\00:22:12.62
that God does not regard
the request of anyone who
00:22:12.65\00:22:15.43
regards sin in his own heart.
00:22:15.46\00:22:17.20
Proverbs 28 verse 9 tells
us that, he who turns away his
00:22:19.80\00:22:22.40
ear from listening to
the law even his prayer is an
00:22:22.43\00:22:25.25
abomination, but the
children of Israel, who are
00:22:25.28\00:22:27.78
not even interested
in turning back to God in
00:22:27.81\00:22:29.68
their state of self-sufficiency,
00:22:29.71\00:22:31.41
self-sufficiency and
satisfaction had no recourse.
00:22:31.88\00:22:36.76
So, God sent a crisis, God
decided that hey, if you're
00:22:36.99\00:22:40.74
not going to turn to me or
if you don't feel well out of
00:22:40.77\00:22:43.49
your own volition then
I'm going to put you in a
00:22:43.52\00:22:45.06
position where you don't
have any option except to
00:22:45.09\00:22:47.98
either keep on your
course to destruction or to be
00:22:48.01\00:22:53.57
saved by my hand.
And, so God sends a crisis.
00:22:53.60\00:22:57.73
Same thing happens in
many of our lives, you see
00:23:01.94\00:23:03.84
when we're not willing
to listen to God, when we're
00:23:03.87\00:23:05.98
down the path towards
destruction, when we're
00:23:06.01\00:23:07.76
moving towards Rebellion
brothers and sisters, when
00:23:07.79\00:23:10.40
we're running
from God that's when
00:23:10.43\00:23:12.60
he places crisis in our paths.
00:23:12.63\00:23:14.01
It's at those moments when we
realize our dependency on God.
00:23:15.34\00:23:19.04
You see in the Beatitudes, Jesus
00:23:19.07\00:23:23.35
tells us that, blessed are
those who are poor in spirit.
00:23:23.38\00:23:26.38
Poor in spirit is a
colloquial term, it's a turn
00:23:27.29\00:23:29.76
of phrase that doesn't
really translate, but the
00:23:29.79\00:23:33.82
essence of it means
desperate. Those who are poor in
00:23:33.85\00:23:36.88
spirit are desperate and
it's those people that realize
00:23:36.91\00:23:39.74
the need of God and God
calls them blessed, he calls
00:23:39.77\00:23:42.64
them happy, the ones
who are desperate are happy
00:23:42.67\00:23:44.59
because they know,
where their salvation lies.
00:23:44.78\00:23:48.07
They've tried everything,
they've done everything
00:23:49.72\00:23:51.51
they could possibly can,
they've no other options,
00:23:51.54\00:23:55.34
they've to come to God.
And, so in our lives often
00:23:55.37\00:24:02.59
times God uses crisis
to bring us back to him.
00:24:02.62\00:24:05.17
To let us know, there
are striving is for nothing,
00:24:05.75\00:24:09.64
it will not achieve
anything unless God is there
00:24:11.10\00:24:13.99
fighting with us
and fighting for us.
00:24:14.47\00:24:16.44
And, so the Israelites
went out twice to fight the
00:24:17.62\00:24:22.51
Philistines and they
got thrashed completely.
00:24:22.54\00:24:24.74
34,000 Hebrews died in
the course of two battles,
00:24:25.97\00:24:28.74
that's an overwhelming
defeat and to make things
00:24:29.57\00:24:31.67
worse, the Ark of the
Covenant was captured by
00:24:31.70\00:24:34.07
the heathens,
by the Philistines.
00:24:34.10\00:24:35.66
And all of this happened
because Israel has rebelled
00:24:36.19\00:24:38.29
against God and refused
to repent to their sins.
00:24:38.32\00:24:40.67
And, so it was at this
point that Israel realized their
00:24:41.11\00:24:44.36
utter helplessness
and their dire need
00:24:44.39\00:24:46.54
in God's power to
save. After their second
00:24:48.23\00:24:53.73
disastrous defeat,
Israel was ready to hear God's
00:24:53.76\00:24:56.47
word and so the prophet
Samuel, chapters later in
00:24:56.50\00:25:00.60
the First Samuel, chapter
7 tells the people to repent
00:25:00.63\00:25:03.83
and forsake their
idols, their wishy washy ways
00:25:03.86\00:25:07.07
and to surrender
completely to God,
00:25:07.10\00:25:09.11
not just 50%, not just
75%, not even 99%, but he says
00:25:09.77\00:25:14.37
surrender all the way,
turn your backs on your sins
00:25:14.40\00:25:17.17
and comeback to
Jesus, comeback to God.
00:25:17.37\00:25:19.52
And it was that time,
at that point when Israel
00:25:21.68\00:25:25.52
exercised simple faith
in the God, who delivered
00:25:25.94\00:25:28.59
them from Egypt, and
the God who promised to be
00:25:28.62\00:25:31.30
there when it matter
most, when they exercised that
00:25:31.33\00:25:34.41
simple faith that
was when he answered.
00:25:34.44\00:25:36.87
You see, when they took
God in his word and turn
00:25:40.53\00:25:43.08
back that's when things
happened and in this way
00:25:43.11\00:25:46.92
we can see how God
demonstrates his love for
00:25:46.95\00:25:50.31
his repentant children,
you see the Israelites went up
00:25:50.34\00:25:55.69
with Samuel to offer
sacrifices at Mizpeh.
00:25:55.72\00:25:57.88
The Philistines always
on the look out, always
00:26:00.50\00:26:03.47
wanted to make sure that
the Israel, Israelites were
00:26:03.50\00:26:05.23
under their thumb came
and started seeking out
00:26:05.26\00:26:07.78
searching, looking what
was going on, they thought
00:26:07.81\00:26:10.27
maybe they're gathering together
00:26:10.30\00:26:11.51
to start up another
war. So, the Philistines
00:26:11.54\00:26:14.49
thought you know what,
let's launch a preemptive
00:26:14.52\00:26:17.34
strike, let's smash the
Israelites, while we still
00:26:17.37\00:26:20.04
have the chance
before they can really a mass
00:26:20.07\00:26:21.92
numbers and
gather together and maybe
00:26:21.95\00:26:23.87
deal us a deadly blow.
And, so they surrounded
00:26:23.90\00:26:29.30
the worshiping Israelites
at Mizpeh as Samuel was
00:26:29.33\00:26:31.93
offering sacrifices planning
to slaughter all of them.
00:26:31.96\00:26:34.60
Now, the Israelites were
there in a spirit of peace,
00:26:34.63\00:26:37.90
in a spirit of repentance,
they simply wanted to
00:26:37.93\00:26:41.80
comeback to God, they
wanted God's favor restored.
00:26:41.83\00:26:44.40
And, so it's at this
point that Samuel intercedes and
00:26:49.33\00:26:51.57
he prays to God and God
answers in a mighty way.
00:26:51.60\00:26:54.52
You see, God sent a
devastating storm to smash
00:26:54.55\00:26:58.88
the Israelite or to
smash the Philistine forces,
00:26:58.91\00:27:01.12
to confound their ways
and to scatter them allover.
00:27:01.15\00:27:04.26
Now, it's funny, I
come from Canada, where
00:27:07.14\00:27:09.50
storms are just
like regular old storms.
00:27:11.32\00:27:14.13
I thought that I
had seen plenty of
00:27:14.92\00:27:15.89
storms in my
lifetime. My brief 28 years, but
00:27:15.90\00:27:18.51
when I went down South
for the first time to a youth
00:27:19.79\00:27:23.12
conference in
Tennessee in Chattanooga
00:27:23.15\00:27:25.03
last, last Christmas.
I remember getting caught
00:27:25.06\00:27:30.27
in the storm on the way
down, I was driving on the
00:27:30.30\00:27:31.89
highway with several
friends and my breaks
00:27:31.92\00:27:35.53
were started to fail and
the torrential downpour started
00:27:35.56\00:27:38.39
and to make things
worse the torrential downpour
00:27:39.83\00:27:42.92
was followed by
lightning. Now, at home when you
00:27:42.95\00:27:46.70
see lightening, it's no
big deal, it's just regular old
00:27:46.73\00:27:48.76
lightning, and you know it
spreads across the sky, you
00:27:48.79\00:27:50.43
know, it's kind of
interesting, but nobody
00:27:50.46\00:27:51.72
really pays attention to
it. Now in the deep South,
00:27:51.75\00:27:54.28
when you see lightning,
a lightning storm with the
00:27:55.80\00:27:59.17
downpour that I saw,
it's like nothing I had ever
00:27:59.20\00:28:01.18
seen before in my
life. It was a crazy event,
00:28:01.21\00:28:04.46
it seemed like the
heavens literally were torn open
00:28:04.49\00:28:06.70
and water started to
pouring out and lightning
00:28:07.15\00:28:10.34
bolts perhaps from,
from who knows, where came
00:28:10.37\00:28:14.40
out and just started
smashing into the ground,
00:28:14.43\00:28:16.17
it was like bolts of energy,
the biggest lightning bolts
00:28:16.72\00:28:18.85
I had ever seen in my
life were just touching down
00:28:18.88\00:28:20.94
and smashing into the ground.
I just thought, you know,
00:28:21.30\00:28:23.66
what I'm really
glad, I'm in this car.
00:28:23.69\00:28:24.99
You know, the breaks are
failing, I'm just really glad,
00:28:25.83\00:28:27.37
I'm inside this car on
four tires made of rubber,
00:28:27.40\00:28:29.22
so that if I get hit,
now what's gonna happen.
00:28:29.74\00:28:32.71
I was glad that I was
not stuck on the outside.
00:28:33.74\00:28:35.57
Now, I can just imagine,
a storm like that coming
00:28:36.21\00:28:38.41
down into this open
plain by Mizpeh scattering the
00:28:38.44\00:28:42.15
Philistines, making
them run in terror as they
00:28:42.18\00:28:47.47
prepared to attack the
Israelites, almost all their
00:28:47.50\00:28:50.92
plans were confounded,
almost all everything that
00:28:50.95\00:28:52.84
they wanted to do was
thrown into an uproar.
00:28:52.87\00:28:55.50
They could not complete
their task, the God of the
00:28:55.53\00:28:58.09
Israelites to whom
there were sacrificing and
00:28:58.12\00:28:59.79
turning to, was going
to deliver them and the
00:28:59.82\00:29:03.96
Israelites seeing how
God was delivering them, how
00:29:03.99\00:29:06.71
he was acting on their
behalf, how he was taking
00:29:06.74\00:29:09.48
them and protecting
them? Grab their weapons and
00:29:09.51\00:29:12.98
they chased the Philistines.
Not only back to the
00:29:13.01\00:29:15.84
borders of their
country, but beyond the
00:29:15.87\00:29:17.24
borders of their country.
And, so from this, we can
00:29:17.27\00:29:21.21
learn the lesson that God
will never turn his back on
00:29:21.24\00:29:23.37
us, if we come to him in
humility recognizing our need.
00:29:23.40\00:29:27.21
And, so in the midst of
this huge mess, in the midst of
00:29:29.44\00:29:32.41
this chaos, God had
good news in spite of the
00:29:32.44\00:29:36.36
destruction, in spite of the
slaughter, God had good news.
00:29:36.39\00:29:39.11
You see he had put into
action, a plan of salvation
00:29:39.60\00:29:42.01
to save Israel from
it's, from it's stubborn
00:29:42.04\00:29:44.13
stubborn hard hardiness.
The point here is that in the
00:29:44.16\00:29:47.12
state of emergency God
uses emergency measures
00:29:47.15\00:29:49.83
to reach us and
to save his people.
00:29:49.86\00:29:52.10
When God's followers
will not hear that still small
00:29:53.29\00:29:55.43
voice then God
will use a megaphone and
00:29:55.46\00:29:58.60
loudspeakers, where
these lessons are not taken to
00:29:58.63\00:30:02.28
heart then God will
use even stronger tactics,
00:30:02.31\00:30:07.58
a louder megaphone,
it's funny, if these lessons
00:30:08.55\00:30:13.30
were to have been taken
to heart by Israel then they
00:30:13.33\00:30:16.10
would not have tried
the course that they had
00:30:16.13\00:30:17.71
throughout history.
And, today we face a
00:30:17.74\00:30:20.76
similar situation in
world you see, in today's world
00:30:20.79\00:30:24.80
many profess Christians
live apart from any true
00:30:24.83\00:30:26.97
knowledge of God and
are absent of a daily
00:30:27.00\00:30:29.96
experience with him, just
like Israel we live for the
00:30:29.99\00:30:32.88
here and now forgetting
the eternal realities that are
00:30:32.91\00:30:35.49
presented to us in God's
word. Far too often, we like
00:30:35.52\00:30:38.97
Israel worship God's
throne rather than the risen
00:30:39.00\00:30:41.37
savior, rather than the
almighty God, who dwells
00:30:41.40\00:30:44.41
on that throne. You see,
Israel's critical mistake was
00:30:44.44\00:30:47.29
they worshipped the God that
they thought was in the box.
00:30:47.32\00:30:49.34
They forgot that God
can't be put into a box,
00:30:50.13\00:30:52.07
they forgot that God could
not be fit into a wooden box.
00:30:52.10\00:30:55.72
And, in forgetting this
they stopped worshipping the
00:30:58.88\00:31:02.27
creator and started
to worship his throne.
00:31:02.30\00:31:04.44
And just like Israel,
who suffered from the case of
00:31:08.25\00:31:11.35
mistaken identity, the same goes
00:31:11.38\00:31:13.55
from many of us
in today's world.
00:31:13.58\00:31:14.91
We think because we
have the accessories, because
00:31:18.02\00:31:20.31
we've the accoutrements,
we've the final product,
00:31:21.17\00:31:23.51
we've the whole deal.
Our great crises today is to
00:31:24.08\00:31:28.77
see the utter foolishness
of our own lukewarm hearts
00:31:28.80\00:31:31.43
in our lukewarm condition
and to sense our need of
00:31:32.74\00:31:35.56
that goal, which is
refined in the fire, which God
00:31:35.59\00:31:39.42
gives to us freely.
For some the issue is that
00:31:40.45\00:31:45.34
we only have a
superficial understanding of who
00:31:45.37\00:31:47.18
Jesus Christ is? And,
what is sacrifice on the cross
00:31:47.21\00:31:49.49
means for each and
every single one of us?
00:31:49.52\00:31:51.00
Often times, we try
and find solutions to our
00:31:56.09\00:31:58.43
problems, we try and
find ways of coping with the
00:31:58.46\00:32:00.93
sufferings and struggles
of this world by feeling that
00:32:00.96\00:32:03.81
God shaped hole in each
of our hearts through cheap
00:32:03.84\00:32:06.73
imitations. We take
money, drugs, alcohol,
00:32:06.76\00:32:10.81
relationships with men
or women, whoever might be,
00:32:12.03\00:32:15.42
pack them into our
hearts, looking for some sort of
00:32:16.83\00:32:20.04
solace from the emptiness
that's there, we try and fill
00:32:20.07\00:32:25.95
that hole that
specifically designed for God's
00:32:25.98\00:32:29.03
dwelling, for his
spirit to live in with
00:32:29.06\00:32:31.20
things that cannot fill
us. We replace the cisterns
00:32:31.23\00:32:34.98
with word of life from
God and hue for ourselves
00:32:36.79\00:32:40.09
broken wells that can't
hold any water, and will
00:32:40.79\00:32:44.28
never, will
never slake our thrust.
00:32:44.31\00:32:49.86
For some of us, it's
trying to figure out, where God
00:32:55.00\00:32:56.76
fits in this puzzle or crazy
lives, trying to figure out
00:32:56.79\00:32:59.96
how to gain that deeper
walk, how to gain a deeper
00:33:02.24\00:33:04.23
experience with his
God, who he can't see, how to
00:33:04.26\00:33:07.23
make him real to us.
For some it's realizing the
00:33:07.26\00:33:11.00
formalism, religious
ritual and drew salvation by
00:33:11.03\00:33:17.77
works commandment
keeping will never achieve
00:33:17.80\00:33:20.41
the results that we wanted
to. It's realizing that those
00:33:20.44\00:33:24.70
things are the signs of a
dead or dying faith that can
00:33:24.73\00:33:28.28
never save us. A faith
that has lost its connection to
00:33:28.31\00:33:31.55
Jesus, truly the teachings
that are found in the Bible,
00:33:31.58\00:33:35.06
that are found in scripture
are powerful, they're able
00:33:35.34\00:33:38.24
to move mountains, they're
able to bring life to the
00:33:38.27\00:33:40.81
dead, the word of God is
sharper than a two edge sword.
00:33:40.84\00:33:44.01
It can accomplish mighty
things, but the trouble is
00:33:46.11\00:33:48.27
this, that if the word
of God is not looked at from
00:33:48.30\00:33:54.66
the foot of the cross
even the mightiest theological
00:33:54.69\00:33:58.88
ideas and concepts
will not make a difference.
00:33:58.91\00:34:02.73
You see, our faith needs
to be grounded in our Lord
00:34:03.69\00:34:06.73
and savior Jesus
Christ, our faith needs to
00:34:06.76\00:34:10.52
recognize that there is
only one way to overcome, our
00:34:10.55\00:34:14.42
faith needs to cry out
in desperation to Jesus.
00:34:14.45\00:34:19.13
You see, listen to Christian
music, isn't gonna buy us a
00:34:22.72\00:34:26.07
ticket to heaven,
wearing Christian T-shirts or
00:34:26.10\00:34:28.94
carrying Christian key
chains is not going to give
00:34:28.97\00:34:30.77
us a place at the
welcome table in heaven.
00:34:30.80\00:34:33.26
Try and keep all the
commandments and, and
00:34:35.45\00:34:37.27
doing this could work and
that could work and trying
00:34:37.30\00:34:39.25
to do this and that, be
nice to your neighbor, do all
00:34:39.92\00:34:41.61
these different things,
those things and none of
00:34:41.64\00:34:43.50
themselves offer no
merit because we can't do
00:34:43.53\00:34:47.45
anything to save ourselves
brothers and sisters, we
00:34:47.48\00:34:49.58
cannot do a single thing
to earn our way to heaven,
00:34:49.61\00:34:52.54
all we can do is cry out
in desperation to the Lord
00:34:53.55\00:34:55.80
God, who saves us. The
reason we do these things,
00:34:55.83\00:35:01.12
reason that we're able to
follow God's will, to obey
00:35:01.44\00:35:04.41
his commandments, to stay
faithful to him is because
00:35:04.44\00:35:06.82
he is the one, who saves
us. He provides us with the
00:35:06.85\00:35:09.64
strength, the will
and the direction to
00:35:09.67\00:35:13.55
do his good works. You
see, Jesus alone at the
00:35:13.58\00:35:18.37
cross of Calvary earn for
each one of us, a place in
00:35:18.40\00:35:22.22
the kingdom of heaven.
The question for us is are
00:35:22.25\00:35:26.02
we willing to step out in
faith and grab hold, seize
00:35:26.05\00:35:30.50
hold of that opportunity
that he is affording to each
00:35:30.53\00:35:33.02
one of us. Jesus alone
earned us a place in heaven
00:35:33.05\00:35:38.10
and can give us
access to heaven.
00:35:38.13\00:35:39.60
If we think at any point
in our Christian walk, in our
00:35:41.96\00:35:44.63
experience with God
that we can somehow add to
00:35:44.66\00:35:47.09
that, how we can somehow
give ourselves a place in
00:35:47.12\00:35:50.78
heaven then we're deceived
and we're all, we're taking
00:35:50.81\00:35:55.09
the first step just as
Israel took into destruction.
00:35:55.12\00:35:58.77
The Christian writer
Ellie Froome once wrote, too
00:36:00.96\00:36:03.34
many times I found myself
placing hope in a system of
00:36:03.37\00:36:05.90
beliefs rather
than believing in a
00:36:05.93\00:36:07.88
crucified and risen savior.
Now, friends today, if we
00:36:09.89\00:36:11.45
find ourselves doing
the same thing, a foolish
00:36:11.48\00:36:17.00
talking to Hippocratic
ritualism, formalism, if we
00:36:17.03\00:36:22.44
think that by what we
do, we can somehow buy
00:36:22.47\00:36:24.73
ourselves a ticket to
heaven. We need to wakeup
00:36:24.76\00:36:28.32
perhaps this is your
wakeup call today, perhaps
00:36:29.13\00:36:31.84
this is the day of
deliverance, maybe you are
00:36:31.87\00:36:35.91
struggling with sorrows,
maybe you are struggling
00:36:35.94\00:36:38.13
with difficulties, maybe
life is not turning out the
00:36:38.16\00:36:40.69
way that you wanted
too, maybe things are falling
00:36:40.72\00:36:43.59
apart with the sins,
maybe God is calling you today,
00:36:43.62\00:36:49.46
and saying hey,
I've got the answers
00:36:49.49\00:36:52.07
that you're looking
for. God wants to draw each
00:36:52.10\00:36:56.34
one of us with codes
of love, God's wants each
00:36:56.37\00:36:58.99
one of us to come to him
and seek solace under his
00:36:59.02\00:37:05.02
hand of protection.
Sometimes when we are
00:37:05.05\00:37:08.51
not listening, God
remove that hand and let us see
00:37:08.54\00:37:11.25
what life is really
like. Let us see, how horrible
00:37:11.28\00:37:15.69
things can get, but God
promises to never abandon
00:37:15.72\00:37:18.63
us, he is always there
waiting like that's, like that
00:37:18.66\00:37:22.43
father, who is waiting
for his prodigal son to
00:37:22.46\00:37:24.26
comeback, God is
always waiting too.
00:37:24.29\00:37:26.14
And, he does the seeking,
God is always seeking us,
00:37:26.17\00:37:29.83
calling out today are we
willing to follow that call.
00:37:31.85\00:37:36.33
Today, if you found that
nothing in your life so far
00:37:38.62\00:37:41.19
has worked, if
you're finding that all the
00:37:41.22\00:37:44.44
solutions to the
problems that you think you had,
00:37:44.47\00:37:47.34
have seemed to fray the
ends and come apart, don't
00:37:47.37\00:37:52.07
delay and give
your life to Christ.
00:37:52.10\00:37:54.27
Jesus is the only way,
he can deliver you from the
00:37:56.61\00:37:59.39
bondage of sin, he can
heal the sorrows, he was a man
00:37:59.42\00:38:04.48
just like us, he knows
what we're going through, he
00:38:04.51\00:38:08.63
knows what you're
feeling today brother, he knows
00:38:08.66\00:38:10.95
what you're going through
sister and today Jesus calls
00:38:10.98\00:38:14.34
each one of us to place
our dependence entirely on
00:38:14.37\00:38:17.83
him, to let go
and let him catch us.
00:38:17.86\00:38:20.87
You see, God can't be
found in a box, but he can
00:38:25.66\00:38:30.28
be found in the hearts
and minds of those who believe
00:38:30.31\00:38:32.97
his words. God can't be
found beside a box, but his
00:38:33.00\00:38:39.32
Angels can be found
beside those, who trust in
00:38:39.35\00:38:41.38
his word. God can't
be found on top of a box,
00:38:41.41\00:38:46.42
but his voice can
be found discerned
00:38:49.23\00:38:51.48
written in the word of
life. The Apostle Paul once
00:38:52.59\00:38:59.52
wrote that the words of
the prophets were written
00:38:59.55\00:39:01.76
down as a warning and
a reminder to those who
00:39:01.79\00:39:03.86
would come after, let
us take the words of that
00:39:03.89\00:39:06.26
Apostle to heart. You
see, today we are living in
00:39:06.29\00:39:12.19
similar
circumstances as Israelites
00:39:12.22\00:39:15.48
have all used to live
in. Today, we live in a
00:39:15.51\00:39:18.03
society, where everything
goes, you can be who you
00:39:18.06\00:39:21.52
want to be, do what
you want to do, morality
00:39:21.55\00:39:23.60
doesn't matter
anymore, people have thrown the
00:39:23.63\00:39:28.79
God's law, people
have thrown the God himself
00:39:28.82\00:39:31.45
from the schools, from
the churches, from society,
00:39:32.15\00:39:35.14
having a phone of
Godliness they deny the power
00:39:39.13\00:39:40.90
thereof and today
we're experiencing to follow
00:39:40.93\00:39:47.30
from those decisions,
from those choices. Today, each
00:39:48.24\00:39:52.76
one of us has a choice
to make, every single one of
00:39:52.79\00:39:57.58
us can choose either to
serve God or serve the devil.
00:39:57.61\00:40:01.69
There is no middle
ground friends, there is
00:40:02.65\00:40:04.25
no middle ground.
Are we going to serve
00:40:04.28\00:40:08.31
vitals that can't deliver,
are we going to place our trust
00:40:08.34\00:40:12.14
in something that has
no hope of ever meeting our
00:40:12.17\00:40:16.30
needs, are we going to
place our hope in the God
00:40:16.33\00:40:19.03
who is able to
deliver, to deliver.
00:40:19.06\00:40:20.58
God sends his judgments
to save his rebels, if you
00:40:24.55\00:40:29.93
found do you descend
into Rebellion, that you're
00:40:29.96\00:40:33.42
running from God, that
you will like that prodigal.
00:40:33.45\00:40:35.59
I invite you, I encourage
you to stop running, walk
00:40:37.26\00:40:41.67
away from the pigs straw,
walk away and come to Jesus.
00:40:41.70\00:40:47.17
Go back to God, he
is waiting with his arms
00:40:48.67\00:40:51.07
outstretched, waiting
to put his own robe on you,
00:40:51.10\00:40:53.31
waiting to put his finger
on your hand, and all you've
00:40:53.34\00:40:56.80
to do is say yes. It
doesn't matter how far you've
00:40:56.83\00:41:01.95
gone, doesn't matter
how low you've gotten.
00:41:01.98\00:41:05.99
God is never too far away.
There is a story about Bill
00:41:07.18\00:41:13.41
Myers, he was a runner in
the Olympics several years ago,
00:41:13.44\00:41:19.46
native American runner
and he had trained hard to
00:41:20.10\00:41:25.45
go to the Olympics, he
was a long distance runner,
00:41:25.48\00:41:28.59
he had been in the
army, he had trained in both
00:41:30.14\00:41:31.99
boxing and running and
then one day he decided
00:41:32.02\00:41:34.52
that he just want
to run for his country.
00:41:34.55\00:41:36.54
And, so he started
training long distance, 10,000
00:41:37.09\00:41:38.86
meter runs and when he
was in the trials for the US
00:41:38.89\00:41:43.62
Olympic team, he went to
the finals, but this time
00:41:43.65\00:41:48.26
wasn't that grade, he
was quite a bit of a distance
00:41:49.33\00:41:53.35
behind the guy that
came in first, Bill came in
00:41:53.38\00:41:56.09
second and so when
it came town to handout
00:41:56.12\00:41:59.32
shoes because the
budget was limited for the US
00:41:59.35\00:42:01.46
Olympic team at that
time. They decided, hey you
00:42:01.49\00:42:04.62
know what, we're not
going to give you any
00:42:04.65\00:42:05.72
shoes because we really don't
think you're gonna make it.
00:42:05.75\00:42:07.49
We don't think that you've
got a shot at winning the title.
00:42:10.49\00:42:12.77
And, so they gave him a
choice, you rather provide
00:42:13.23\00:42:15.05
your own shoes or you
just your own shoes or you
00:42:15.08\00:42:16.05
don't go. Now, he had
trained a longtime, long
00:42:16.06\00:42:19.63
and hard. He pursued his
goal, Bill had pursued this
00:42:19.66\00:42:25.63
goal for a longtime and
then he came to the point
00:42:25.66\00:42:29.07
where he decided,
you know, what I've got
00:42:29.10\00:42:31.81
nothing to lose, I might
as well go forward and so he
00:42:31.84\00:42:34.49
got his own shoes and
he went to the Olympics.
00:42:34.52\00:42:36.31
Now, somehow through
miracle, he had managed
00:42:36.92\00:42:39.32
to make it to the finals
at the Olympics. And, so he
00:42:39.35\00:42:42.76
was in the final, final
race. As he was getting ready,
00:42:42.79\00:42:48.51
the announcers were
speaking and it came up
00:42:48.85\00:42:51.07
that he was not very
favorite to do anything
00:42:51.10\00:42:55.73
even remotely remarkable.
In fact it came out that, he
00:42:55.76\00:43:00.50
was not even offered
shoes by the Olympic team.
00:43:00.53\00:43:02.53
Now, in spite of that,
he had managed to make it to
00:43:02.56\00:43:05.61
the finals and now as the
gun went off and the finals
00:43:05.64\00:43:09.19
began, he maintained a
healthy distance behind the
00:43:09.22\00:43:12.22
rest of the pack, but
as time progressed it was
00:43:12.25\00:43:15.68
known as several runners
fell away, there are only
00:43:15.71\00:43:18.39
three left and the third
one was Bill. And, he had
00:43:18.42\00:43:22.01
gauged his distance
behind the two man that were
00:43:22.04\00:43:27.55
leading him. He gauged
what they were doing, he
00:43:27.58\00:43:30.27
observed carefully, and he
wouldn't let them out of his
00:43:30.30\00:43:33.65
side, even though he
was behind, he was not
00:43:33.68\00:43:35.93
out of the race.
And, so Bill just
00:43:35.96\00:43:38.38
kept down trailing them
and he noticed that the two
00:43:38.41\00:43:40.55
men in the lead kept on
fighting back and forth,
00:43:40.58\00:43:43.79
back and forth,
back and forth, wearing
00:43:43.82\00:43:46.14
each other down.
And, when the time
00:43:46.17\00:43:48.19
was right, Bill decided
that he was gonna make it go
00:43:48.22\00:43:51.49
forward, he was gonna
make an all out sprint and
00:43:51.52\00:43:53.92
to the surprise of everyone
in the bleachers, in the
00:43:53.95\00:43:57.10
stands, Bill made a run
for it and completely knocked
00:43:57.13\00:44:01.09
his competition out
of the race, completely
00:44:01.12\00:44:03.95
out of the game.
This man scored one
00:44:03.98\00:44:06.11
of the greatest upset
victories in the Olympic
00:44:06.14\00:44:07.77
running history.
Knocked the two favorites
00:44:07.80\00:44:10.13
out of the race and
beat them by minutes.
00:44:10.16\00:44:12.65
And, so the story that
we've here is that no matter
00:44:15.35\00:44:18.56
where you're in life,
no matter what's going on,
00:44:18.59\00:44:20.91
no matter how hard times
might seem, no matter how
00:44:21.23\00:44:23.51
far away God might seem
to be don't give up because
00:44:23.54\00:44:27.54
God has assured each one of
us victory through Jesus Christ.
00:44:27.57\00:44:30.58
God has told us through
his word that we've what it
00:44:30.89\00:44:35.77
takes to win. Not because
of who we are, but because
00:44:35.80\00:44:40.81
who he is? Philippines
4:13 tells us, I can do all
00:44:40.84\00:44:44.56
things through
Christ, who strengthens me.
00:44:44.59\00:44:46.24
If you believe that
promise today or if you simply
00:44:47.05\00:44:50.51
want to believe today,
if you don't know, if this
00:44:50.54\00:44:54.30
whole thing is new,
now I encourage you pray in
00:44:54.33\00:44:59.30
your heart today, ask Jesus
Christ into your heart, ask
00:44:59.33\00:45:02.56
the Lord to show himself
to you, to let you know, on
00:45:02.59\00:45:06.26
no one certain terms that
he is there for you and that
00:45:06.29\00:45:10.01
he is going to take care of you.
00:45:10.04\00:45:11.05
In this life, there is
nothing more valuable then
00:45:14.39\00:45:19.28
relationship with
God. You see, brothers and
00:45:19.31\00:45:21.68
sisters all these things
that we've down here are going
00:45:21.71\00:45:23.79
to burn one day, this
world is coming to an end.
00:45:23.82\00:45:28.06
When we look at the news,
when we look at newspapers,
00:45:28.89\00:45:31.97
when we look at media
reports, we see all the
00:45:32.00\00:45:33.86
chaos that the world is
in. We see that the righteous
00:45:33.89\00:45:40.36
are being attacked while
the wicked prosper; we see
00:45:40.39\00:45:44.54
that things cannot go
on for very long and God is
00:45:44.57\00:45:47.46
calling each one of us
to comeback to him like a
00:45:47.49\00:45:51.57
hen wanting to gather her
chicks, God calls each one
00:45:51.60\00:45:55.09
of us to comeback to
him. And, so today God asks
00:45:55.12\00:46:01.75
each one of us to comeback.
And unlike Count Leo Tolstoy,
00:46:08.09\00:46:09.06
who searched his entire
life looking for that fabled
00:46:09.61\00:46:12.02
greenstick, that stick
that could not possibly deliver
00:46:12.05\00:46:15.79
in all it's various
forms, he died a man with lot of
00:46:15.82\00:46:21.63
questions and few
answers. He saw religion not in
00:46:21.66\00:46:27.47
relationship, but rather as
a series of rituals and for him
00:46:27.50\00:46:32.79
it was sorrow and
dreary. God does not want us to
00:46:33.77\00:46:36.46
have a
relationship with him like that.
00:46:36.49\00:46:38.08
God wants us to be joyful,
to be happy, to be peaceful
00:46:38.11\00:46:41.49
and content in the fact that
he is our provider that just
00:46:41.52\00:46:44.41
like for Israel revolt,
he is a God, who is able to
00:46:44.44\00:46:48.05
provide us with guidance
for our lives through his
00:46:48.08\00:46:51.00
word and the Ten Commandments.
00:46:51.03\00:46:52.96
He is a God, who is able
to provide for us just as he
00:46:53.42\00:46:56.93
provided for Israel.
So long ago with a man in
00:46:56.96\00:47:02.08
the desert, he is a God
who is able to raise the dead,
00:47:02.11\00:47:05.72
he has power over life
and death that God is able to
00:47:05.75\00:47:09.40
provide for us. And,
so today we've the answer
00:47:09.43\00:47:15.50
that Count Leo Tolstoy,
so desperately searched for
00:47:15.53\00:47:17.48
and that answer is right
there, it's not in a stick,
00:47:17.51\00:47:20.41
it's not in ravine, it's
not found somewhere in the
00:47:20.44\00:47:27.43
desert in the wilderness,
God's word is available
00:47:27.46\00:47:30.09
to each one of us.
We're not going to find the
00:47:30.12\00:47:33.23
answers in riches, in status,
in fame or all the writings
00:47:33.26\00:47:37.45
of wisdom ever
conceived by the minds of men,
00:47:37.48\00:47:40.14
but we'll find it in
God's word because it's no
00:47:41.51\00:47:46.62
ordinary word, this word
is the word of God, the Holy
00:47:46.65\00:47:53.22
Spirit moving upon men,
who want to know the real
00:47:53.25\00:47:57.88
answer, who want
to know the truth.
00:47:57.91\00:47:59.39
You see Jimi Hendrix in
the Nova concert, one day
00:47:59.94\00:48:08.31
at the height of his
career suddenly stop playing
00:48:09.58\00:48:11.96
and just shouted out in
the audience can anyone tell
00:48:14.84\00:48:18.23
me what the truth
is. A man, who is at the
00:48:18.26\00:48:22.39
height of stardom, at
the height of fame, a man who
00:48:22.42\00:48:25.08
thought he had it
all, suddenly came to the
00:48:25.11\00:48:29.09
realization that there
was something missing, no
00:48:29.12\00:48:32.49
matter where you are, no
matter who you are, don't
00:48:32.52\00:48:36.55
deny that need that
each one of us has, today ask
00:48:36.58\00:48:42.90
the questions that
count, ask the questions that
00:48:42.93\00:48:43.90
matter, come to the
Lord Jesus Christ and
00:48:43.91\00:48:51.36
seek the word of life.
We'll never find fulfillment
00:48:51.39\00:48:59.18
in the things of this world,
we'll never find fulfillment
00:48:59.21\00:49:02.30
in goals of this
earth, but what we will find
00:49:05.76\00:49:07.70
fulfillment in is
relationship with Christ.
00:49:07.73\00:49:10.22
We'll find the answer
in a person named Jesus.
00:49:12.89\00:49:14.87
Today, is a day of
visitation, today salvation
00:49:16.91\00:49:20.96
is coming near, don't
turn you backs, just as God
00:49:20.99\00:49:28.22
spoke to Elijah in a
still small voice, just as God
00:49:28.25\00:49:31.18
spoke to men of
world he speaks to us today
00:49:35.34\00:49:37.19
in his
scripture. And, if you ever
00:49:37.22\00:49:44.87
had questions then it's
never too late to find answers.
00:49:44.90\00:49:50.51
It's never too late
until they carry out your,
00:49:50.54\00:49:55.00
it's never too late until
you find to leave this earth,
00:49:59.49\00:50:04.29
it's never too late until
you finally leave this world and
00:50:05.11\00:50:09.47
we don't know, when the
time comes for today while
00:50:09.50\00:50:11.90
you still have an opportunity,
00:50:11.93\00:50:12.93
give it a shot, I guarantee
you that you won't regret it.
00:50:16.51\00:50:21.79
So, today, if you hear
God calling your name, if you
00:50:22.56\00:50:24.42
hear God calling your voice,
00:50:24.45\00:50:25.42
don't delay and don't turn away.
00:50:29.34\00:50:30.99
And, so I want to review
the three points that I made
00:50:34.82\00:50:37.06
earlier on, Rebellion
against God confuses our
00:50:37.09\00:50:42.02
judgment, it confounds
our discernment, Rebellion
00:50:42.05\00:50:45.15
against God is so devious
and pernicious because we
00:50:45.18\00:50:48.66
don't realize how
diluted and how deceived we
00:50:48.69\00:50:51.69
really are. Just as the
Israelites went from sin to
00:50:51.72\00:50:54.92
sin and dig a, dug a hole
deeper and deeper and felt
00:50:54.95\00:50:58.28
further and further into
apostasy, so the same case
00:50:58.31\00:51:01.15
is with us, if we do
not realize what's going on,
00:51:01.18\00:51:04.50
if we simply just keep on
bailing down the hill into a
00:51:04.53\00:51:07.60
snowball of sin or
going to end up at the bottom
00:51:07.63\00:51:10.64
wondering how we got there.
The deceptiveness of sin is
00:51:11.60\00:51:17.34
what it makes so
dangerous and so we need to make
00:51:17.37\00:51:20.20
sure that we stay faithful,
that we stay zeroed in onto
00:51:20.23\00:51:24.43
God's will, that we
see obedient to his ways,
00:51:24.46\00:51:27.43
not even a small turn, a
small deviation away from
00:51:28.15\00:51:31.38
God's paths, that ones that
he has given to us, the ones
00:51:31.41\00:51:33.50
that he is told us to
walk in not even a small turn
00:51:33.53\00:51:36.77
can be allowed.
Just as Israel went
00:51:39.62\00:51:44.16
into a snowball affect,
the same thing could happen to
00:51:44.19\00:51:49.04
each one of us. Let's
not allow that to happen,
00:51:49.07\00:51:54.81
let's squash it, just as
Rebellion leads to further
00:51:55.96\00:52:00.60
Rebellion, we need to say
stop, it's going no further,
00:52:00.63\00:52:05.92
whoever you are in your lives,
00:52:05.95\00:52:07.53
say today, I'm
turning my life around.
00:52:11.25\00:52:14.14
Today, I'm not going
to do the same thing that
00:52:14.17\00:52:16.56
happened to the Israelites.
You see, because God does
00:52:16.59\00:52:20.88
not want us to perish, he
will do whatever it takes to
00:52:20.91\00:52:23.18
bring us into the kingdom
of heaven, sometimes even
00:52:23.21\00:52:25.43
if it hurts us a little.
You see, Jesus told us, it's
00:52:25.46\00:52:28.29
better to enter blind
or lame into the kingdom of
00:52:28.32\00:52:30.28
heaven then to be
thrown into hellfire having
00:52:30.31\00:52:32.52
everything that
you need and you want.
00:52:32.55\00:52:34.41
God will send
judgments upon us to turn our
00:52:37.00\00:52:39.98
thoughts back to him.
God will send a crisis in
00:52:40.01\00:52:43.17
our way, so that we can
realize who we have need
00:52:43.20\00:52:48.68
of and who are trust should
lay in, not in man, not in
00:52:48.71\00:52:53.18
riches, not in wealth,
not in fame, but rather in God
00:52:53.21\00:52:57.55
almighty, who is able to
deliver. If today, you find
00:52:57.58\00:53:01.56
yourself walking in
Rebellion, if you find
00:53:01.59\00:53:03.88
yourself not being where
you want to be, if today,
00:53:03.91\00:53:06.52
you realized that you
know what, my spiritual
00:53:06.55\00:53:08.78
experience is not the
way I wanted to be, I'm far
00:53:08.81\00:53:11.87
away from God,
then comeback to God,
00:53:11.90\00:53:17.42
take this time to say
Lord, I want you in my life
00:53:19.52\00:53:24.52
and I want you to take
away those things, that are
00:53:25.72\00:53:27.63
placing a
separation between me and you.
00:53:27.66\00:53:29.38
And, I know, it might be a
struggle, but I'm not gonna
00:53:30.25\00:53:33.99
have an other plan be,
I'm going to trust and I'm
00:53:34.02\00:53:37.26
going to obey, and I'm
going walk with you and
00:53:37.29\00:53:40.11
sometimes even if it
hurts I'm gonna clean to you,
00:53:40.14\00:53:42.81
I'm gonna hang on for
dear life because I know, that
00:53:43.22\00:53:45.73
there is no other life
jacket, there is no other life
00:53:45.76\00:53:47.58
preserver, that's gonna
carry me through, there is
00:53:47.61\00:53:50.85
nothing else that works.
And, if you are willing to
00:53:50.88\00:53:56.79
do that God says, that he will
carry us all the way through.
00:53:56.82\00:53:59.94
He tells us in the last
verse of Matthew that he is with
00:54:03.92\00:54:07.12
us always, even to the end
of the age, not on and off,
00:54:07.15\00:54:11.81
not as a part-time savior,
but through thick and thin,
00:54:12.26\00:54:16.22
through the happy
times, through the hard times,
00:54:18.17\00:54:19.72
through joys and
sorrows, God promises that he is
00:54:20.49\00:54:23.18
going to be there with us
and so rather than standing
00:54:23.21\00:54:26.56
on the edge of the
ravine and looking over hoping
00:54:27.44\00:54:31.46
that maybe somehow
things will workout,
00:54:32.61\00:54:34.08
take the plunge and ask
God for his mighty hand to
00:54:34.63\00:54:39.39
catch. There was a
man named Henri Nouwen.
00:54:39.42\00:54:41.79
I want to
conclude with the story.
00:54:42.50\00:54:43.80
He is a famous
Christian writer and he was also
00:54:44.84\00:54:48.29
a very prolific speaker,
lecturer, he worked with
00:54:48.88\00:54:54.07
a community of mentally
handicapped folks in Canada.
00:54:54.10\00:54:57.21
This man said that he
had befriended some acrobatic
00:54:58.36\00:55:02.39
artists, some trapeze
artists, who worked for circus.
00:55:02.42\00:55:05.32
And, it was incredible the
relationship that these two
00:55:05.35\00:55:10.73
performers have to have,
he said that it taught him
00:55:10.76\00:55:14.36
a lot about spiritual
lessons and interest in God.
00:55:14.39\00:55:17.14
You see, he said that
when you're the catcher
00:55:17.17\00:55:20.55
in a trapeze act your
job is to hang from the bar,
00:55:23.55\00:55:28.10
as it's swinging and
to catch the guy or girl,
00:55:28.33\00:55:30.91
who is going to
jump, that's your only job.
00:55:30.94\00:55:33.19
You don't worry
about trying to do a jump
00:55:34.10\00:55:35.18
yourself you're simply worried
about catching the person.
00:55:35.21\00:55:37.44
Now, for the person that's
jumping it's not their job to
00:55:38.69\00:55:42.41
try and catch the
person that's gonna be catching
00:55:42.44\00:55:44.14
them, that's why the name
is not the catcher, that's
00:55:44.17\00:55:46.71
why they are called the jumper.
00:55:46.74\00:55:47.75
Their job is to jump and
you train that move, that
00:55:48.27\00:55:51.28
technique, so you can do
it flawlessly and so that you
00:55:51.31\00:55:54.67
don't try and reach out or
frail or get anxious, but as
00:55:54.70\00:55:58.47
you are flying through the
air, you simply wait for the
00:55:58.50\00:56:02.11
catcher to catch you,
you simply wait for that
00:56:02.14\00:56:07.80
person's arms to come
out and grab the hold.
00:56:07.83\00:56:10.01
If you don't do that, it can
result in disaster or perhaps
00:56:11.07\00:56:13.92
even death and this man
said that one of the hardest
00:56:13.95\00:56:18.10
things to do was to
wait, to wait in the air as the
00:56:18.13\00:56:22.24
catcher was coming towards you.
00:56:22.27\00:56:24.14
And, so the same
thing takes place with us.
00:56:25.52\00:56:27.52
Sometimes it's incredibly
hard to wait, sometimes it's
00:56:28.59\00:56:32.59
hard to wait for God's
deliverance, sometimes it
00:56:32.62\00:56:35.27
becomes almost excruciating.
We are curious creatures
00:56:35.30\00:56:39.97
and we want to know
the end from the beginning,
00:56:40.00\00:56:42.28
but because of our
finiteness because of the
00:56:44.14\00:56:46.22
fact that we cannot see
all the possibilities, we just
00:56:46.25\00:56:48.78
have to trust in God and
know that he will carry us
00:56:48.81\00:56:53.02
through, that he will see us
to the end and he knows best.
00:56:53.05\00:56:56.81
So that even when things
are getting hairy, we can
00:56:57.73\00:57:00.26
recognize that God is
carrying out the work of
00:57:00.29\00:57:02.54
salvation for each one
of us. Just as Paul wrote in
00:57:02.57\00:57:07.42
Book of Romans all things
were together for the good
00:57:07.45\00:57:10.40
of those that love God, Amen.
00:57:10.43\00:57:13.31