Hello, I'm Jill Morikone
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and welcome to
another 3ABN Worship Hour.
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I love this hour
that we have together
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where we can open
up the Word of God,
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we can study together.
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Have you ever
experienced the silence of God?
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Have you ever
gone through a trial
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or walked through a circumstance
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or just been in some
situation where you wondered,
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where are You God?
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I'm not hearing You talk back.
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I'm not sensing Your presence.
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Where are You?
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I'm going through a
silent time, as it were.
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I was driving once and saw,
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you know, the little
marquee outside of a church
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and it said, the
teacher is always silent
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when the test is given.
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Are you going
through a testing time?
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Does it seem like
the teacher meaning God
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is silent right
now in your life?
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This message today is
entitled, The Silence of God,
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what we are to
do and what God does
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when we think
He's apparently silent.
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He's not silent at all.
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He's actually
working in our behalf.
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That's where we're
gonna look at today.
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You know, God has
always desired connection
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with His people.
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From the very
beginning in the Garden of Eden,
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we have Adam and Eve, what?
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God walked with
them and talked with them
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through the cool of
the day, every evening,
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He met with
them as His children.
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He always desired to
dwell with His people.
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Of course, sin
entered this world
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and brought a disconnection.
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There was that disconnection
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God could no
longer be in the presence
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of sinful human beings
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because sin cannot be
in the presence of God.
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And so God said,
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"I still want to
dwell with My people,
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I love My people, I
want to be with them."
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We read in Exodus 25:8,
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"Let them make Me a sanctuary,
that I may dwell among them."
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As you look at the Old Testament
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all the way through to the New
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you see this concept
of God desiring to dwell
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with His people.
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In Hebrew, the word is
Shakan, it just means to dwell,
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to settle down, to abide.
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God wants to
settle down with us,
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He wants to abide with us.
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We see the same
word in Exodus 29:46,
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"They should know that
I am the Lord their God,
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who brought them out of
the land of Egypt," why?
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"That I may dwell among them."
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Shakan. God wants to abide.
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He wants to settle down.
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He wants to take
up residence with us.
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We see the same
word in 1 Kings 6:13,
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"I will dwell
among the sons of Israel,
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and will not
forsake My people Israel."
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The same word dwell, Shakan.
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We have the same
word in Zechariah 2:10,
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"'Sing for joy, and be
glad, O daughter of Zion!
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For behold, I am coming
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and I will dwell in your midst,'
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says the Lord."
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Then we jump over
to the New Testament.
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Remember, in the Old Testament,
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God actually
dwelt with His people
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with Adam and Eve physically,
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and then sin
brought that separation,
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and God dwelt with His
people through the sanctuary,
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His presence was there,
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but we get to the New
Testament in the Book of John
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and we discover
that Jesus came in flesh
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that He could physically
dwell with His people again.
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We see then in John 1:14.
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Now it's not the Hebrew word.
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Now it's the Greek word skenoo,
but it means the same thing,
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to have one's tent
to dwell, to reside.
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John 1:14,
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"And the Word it became
flesh and dwelt among us."
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There's our word dwelt.
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"And we beheld His glory,
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as of the only
begotten from the Father,
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full of grace and truth."
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Now, of course,
Jesus ascended to heaven,
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and the Holy Spirit was
sent to dwell with you and I,
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we know in 1 Corinthians 6:19
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that the Holy
Spirit dwells in us,
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we are the temple of God
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through the power
of the Holy Spirit.
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Again, Christ wants to dwell
in our hearts through faith.
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And then we get all the
way to the end of the Bible,
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Revelation 21.
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And we're going to dwell
with God for all eternity.
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Revelation 21:3,
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"I heard a loud voice
from the throne saying,
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'Behold, the
tabernacle of God is among men,
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and He will dwell with them,"
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there's a word dwell,
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"they shall be His people
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and God Himself
will be among them."
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God has always wanted
to be with His people.
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God has always had a people
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that He has a
special relationship with.
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Think of Enoch,
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he had such a special
relationship with God,
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what happened to him?
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Enoch walked with God
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and he was not for God took him.
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He had such a
special relationship with God
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that he was
translated to heaven.
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Think of Noah,
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he had an incredibly
special relationship with God.
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Now you might say,
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"Well, then, what about
all the other inhabitants
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of the antediluvian world?
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Was God's singling
out?" No, not at all.
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Everyone was
invited to be on the ark,
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everyone was invited to safety,
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but only eight
people made that choice,
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that they wanted
God to be their God too.
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And they wanted
to dwell with Him.
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Think of Abraham or
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses,
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these are people
throughout the Old Testament
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that God had a
special relationship with.
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God wants a special
relationship with you,
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but what if you can't find Him?
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What if you can't
feel His presence?
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What if you
can't sense His favor?
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What then?
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What are we to do as Christians?
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As people who have accepted God,
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what do we do with
the silence of God?
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Let's pray.
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Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus.
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And we thank You that
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even in the
apparent silence of You,
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when it seems
like we can't see You,
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or sense You or hear You,
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we thank You that
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You are even then
working in our behalf.
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Would You open up our
minds and hearts to see You,
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to experience You in a new way
through the power of Your Word,
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and the anointing
of Your Holy Spirit,
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and we thank You in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Greg and I were
in Phoenix, Arizona.
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And we were there, 3ABN,
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we were doing an
evangelistic series.
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This was several years ago.
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And right at the end
of the church service,
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we came out
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and we were kind of
at the back of the church
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and a woman came up
to me, and she said,
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"You know what, Jill?"
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She said, "I really
want to talk to you."
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And I said, "Oh, that's great."
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Because I love
to talk to people.
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And I said,
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"Yeah, let's step over here.
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So we kind of
went to this alcove
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at the side of the church."
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And she said,
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"I read an
article that you wrote
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in the Adventist Review
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about you and your
husband's infertility."
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And instantly, my
mind went to something
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that had happened
fairly recently at 3ABN
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just before this time.
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A woman called in,
she was from New York.
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Now that's
nothing against New York,
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it just happened to
be where she was from.
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And she called in and she said,
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"Jill," she said,
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"I understand
you and your husband
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would like to have children."
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Because Greg and I
have been very open
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about our infertility
journey for the last 19 years.
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She said, "I
understand you and your husband
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would like to have children,
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I want you to know,
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if you made my
recipe for beef stew,
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you're gonna have a baby."
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And I said,
"Okay, thank you, ma'am."
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And she said, "No, no, are
you writing down the recipe?"
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And I said, "Okay,
I'll write down the recipe."
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So I remember scribbling
I'm at my desk at work,
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scribbling down
two pounds of beef,
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and so much
celery, and so many onions.
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And then she said,
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"Now, I want to make sure that
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you make this recipe
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because if in three months,
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I watch 3ABN,
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and there's nothing
happening with your tummy,
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I'm going to come to 3ABN,
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and I'm going to
cook beef stew for you."
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And so when this
lady in Phoenix said,
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"I read the
article that you wrote
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about your
journey with infertility."
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And I thought,
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"Oh, please, God,
are we going to get
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another recipe for beef stew."
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But it had nothing
to do with that at all.
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She said,
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"My husband and I had a journey.
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I'd like to tell you about it."
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And I said, "Of course."
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She said, "We tried for 10 years
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to have children,
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and we could not have children.
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And then we decided
we're going to adopt,
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we were going to adopt two
little girls from overseas.
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We got their pictures.
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We put their
pictures on the fridge.
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We named them."
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And I forget the names.
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We can call them Sara
and Mary, I don't remember.
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"We named them.
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We prayed for them.
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For the day they were
already our girls in our hearts.
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We're just
waiting for the paperwork.
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They would come from overseas,
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and they would be
our girls forever.
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We prayed every
day over their lives.
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Their pictures
were on the fridge.
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We paid a great deal of
money for this adoption.
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And then one day we got
the news that the two girls
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who were going to be ours,
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the two girls that we
already considered our daughters
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have been sold in
the sex slave trade."
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And she began to cry.
00:09:47.02\00:09:48.58
And she said,
00:09:48.62\00:09:49.95
"Everyday, Jill, every day,
00:09:49.98\00:09:51.75
I live with the
knowledge that the girls
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who were supposed to have
been mine are being abused,
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and they might even
be dead, I don't know.
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And it had been several
years since that experience."
00:10:00.93\00:10:06.17
She said,
00:10:06.20\00:10:07.54
"What if I cried at God?
00:10:07.57\00:10:09.64
But He's not hearing me.
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He is silent.
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Is He even listening right
now to what I am going through."
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You know the children of Israel,
00:10:19.58\00:10:20.92
they experienced
the silence of God.
00:10:20.95\00:10:23.49
Turn with me to
the Book of Exodus.
00:10:23.52\00:10:26.22
After Joseph died,
00:10:26.25\00:10:28.06
they increased in numbers that
they multiplied supernaturally.
00:10:28.09\00:10:32.36
They're in Egypt 'cause
they were there in Egypt
00:10:32.39\00:10:33.93
for 400 years.
00:10:33.96\00:10:35.30
And in Exodus 1:7
00:10:35.33\00:10:37.27
we have five verbs that describe
00:10:37.30\00:10:39.73
the supernatural
multiplication of the children
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of Israel and Egypt.
00:10:42.94\00:10:44.91
Exodus 1:7, it says,
00:10:44.94\00:10:46.31
"But the children of
Israel were fruitful,"
00:10:46.34\00:10:48.24
that's verb number one,
00:10:48.28\00:10:49.71
"and increased abundantly,"
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number two,
00:10:51.55\00:10:52.88
"multiplied and
grew exceedingly mighty,
00:10:52.91\00:10:56.99
and the land was
filled with them."
00:10:57.02\00:10:59.55
Now the new king who
arose did not know Joseph,
00:10:59.59\00:11:02.79
and he began to feel threatened
by the children of Israel.
00:11:02.82\00:11:06.76
The first thing he decided to do
00:11:06.80\00:11:08.26
was to force
them into servitude.
00:11:08.30\00:11:10.83
They had to
make bricks in cities
00:11:10.87\00:11:12.63
and service in
the land of Egypt,
00:11:12.67\00:11:14.37
and they became
slaves in bondage in Egypt.
00:11:14.40\00:11:19.04
The second
thing he decided to do
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when he thought this forced
slave labor was not enough.
00:11:20.54\00:11:23.81
He decided to kill
all the newborn baby boys
00:11:23.85\00:11:27.82
who were born to the Israelites.
00:11:27.85\00:11:30.15
They were in
slavery, they were in bondage.
00:11:30.19\00:11:33.19
They cried out to
God, for how long?
00:11:33.22\00:11:36.06
Four hundred years.
00:11:36.09\00:11:38.73
God promised to deliver them.
00:11:38.76\00:11:40.40
Yet it could have
appeared as if for 400 years,
00:11:40.43\00:11:45.43
they were left in slavery.
00:11:45.47\00:11:46.87
They were left to languish.
00:11:46.90\00:11:48.90
I want to tell you right
now when it seems God is silent,
00:11:48.94\00:11:52.01
He is not absent.
00:11:52.04\00:11:53.58
When it seems God is
silent, He is not still.
00:11:53.61\00:11:57.21
When it seems God is
silent, He is not finished.
00:11:57.25\00:12:01.05
You know Job cried out
the same anguished cry,
00:12:01.08\00:12:04.85
where are You God?
00:12:04.89\00:12:06.25
We see this in Job 30:20.
00:12:06.29\00:12:09.19
"I cry out to You,"
he's talking to God,
00:12:09.22\00:12:11.39
"I cry out to You,
but You do not answer me.
00:12:11.43\00:12:14.66
I stand up, and You regard me."
00:12:14.70\00:12:18.43
It says in the NIV,
00:12:18.47\00:12:19.80
"I cry out to you,
God, but you do not answer.
00:12:19.83\00:12:22.97
I stand up, but
you merely look at me."
00:12:23.00\00:12:27.01
It says in the New
Living Translation,
00:12:27.04\00:12:28.88
"I cry to you, O
God, but you don't answer.
00:12:28.91\00:12:33.35
I stand before you,
but you don't even look."
00:12:33.38\00:12:38.85
Have you ever felt like that?
00:12:38.89\00:12:40.46
Have you felt like
God I'm crying out to You?
00:12:40.49\00:12:43.79
Where are You?
Are You answering me?
00:12:43.83\00:12:46.09
Are You just
merely looking at me?
00:12:46.13\00:12:48.23
Or are You not even
seen the difficulty I'm in,
00:12:48.26\00:12:52.73
the trouble I'm in.
00:12:52.77\00:12:54.30
What I am
experiencing right now?
00:12:54.34\00:12:57.04
Jesus did the same
thing. We see this in Psalm 22.
00:12:57.07\00:12:59.84
This is a messianic Psalm
speaking of Jesus on the cross.
00:12:59.87\00:13:04.38
Psalm 22:1-2, He's crying,
00:13:04.41\00:13:06.95
"My God, My God, why
have You forsaken Me?
00:13:06.98\00:13:11.15
Why are You so
far from helping Me,
00:13:11.19\00:13:14.26
and from the
words of My groaning?
00:13:14.29\00:13:16.66
O My God, I cry in the
daytime, but You do not hear.
00:13:16.69\00:13:22.10
I cry in the night
season, and am not silent."
00:13:22.13\00:13:27.10
When it seems God is silent.
00:13:27.14\00:13:29.87
We are called to
trust the promise,
00:13:29.90\00:13:33.44
not the perception.
00:13:33.48\00:13:34.98
We are called to
trust Him in the storm,
00:13:35.01\00:13:37.08
as well as in the sunshine.
00:13:37.11\00:13:38.71
We're called to
trust Him by faith,
00:13:38.75\00:13:42.42
not by how we feel inside.
00:13:42.45\00:13:45.99
I want to talk to you today
about seven things that God
00:13:46.02\00:13:49.82
is doing when it
appears that He is silent.
00:13:49.86\00:13:53.13
You see that you
and I it might seem
00:13:53.16\00:13:55.00
that He's not doing anything.
00:13:55.03\00:13:56.36
It might seem
that He's walked away.
00:13:56.40\00:13:58.57
It might seem that
He has neglected us
00:13:58.60\00:14:01.00
or is ignoring
you, but He's not.
00:14:01.04\00:14:04.24
There are seven
things that He is doing
00:14:04.27\00:14:06.88
even in the midst of
these seemingly silent times.
00:14:06.91\00:14:12.38
Number one, He hears.
00:14:12.41\00:14:15.02
Let's go back to Exodus.
00:14:15.05\00:14:16.38
Exodus 2, this is
the children of Israel.
00:14:16.42\00:14:18.19
Remember, they are in bondage
slave labor for 400 years.
00:14:18.22\00:14:22.69
They're in Egypt, their newborn
baby boys are being killed
00:14:22.72\00:14:25.99
and murdered by the Pharaoh.
00:14:26.03\00:14:27.40
They're in Egypt.
00:14:27.43\00:14:29.16
And yet in the
midst of their fire,
00:14:29.20\00:14:30.67
in the midst of when it
seemed that God might be silent,
00:14:30.70\00:14:34.50
He was actually listening.
00:14:34.54\00:14:35.97
God hears.
00:14:36.00\00:14:37.34
Exodus 2:23,
00:14:37.37\00:14:38.91
"Then the children of Israel
groaned because of the bondage,
00:14:38.94\00:14:42.64
and they cried out, and
their cry came up to God
00:14:42.68\00:14:45.28
because of the bondage.
00:14:45.31\00:14:46.65
So God heard their groaning."
00:14:46.68\00:14:48.52
What's that word? God hears.
00:14:48.55\00:14:50.95
"He heard their
groaning, and God remembered
00:14:50.99\00:14:53.49
His covenant with Abraham,
00:14:53.52\00:14:55.32
with Isaac, and with Jacob."
00:14:55.36\00:14:58.23
I want to tell you
today when it seems like God
00:14:58.26\00:15:00.56
is not listening,
when it seems like God
00:15:00.60\00:15:02.73
is silent in your
life, He hears you.
00:15:02.76\00:15:06.23
Exodus 3:7,
00:15:06.27\00:15:08.00
"The Lord said,
00:15:08.04\00:15:09.37
'I have surely
seen the oppression
00:15:09.40\00:15:12.37
of My people who are in Egypt,
00:15:12.41\00:15:14.31
and I have heard their cry
00:15:14.34\00:15:16.78
because of their taskmasters,
00:15:16.81\00:15:18.71
for I know their sorrows.'"
00:15:18.75\00:15:21.75
Psalm 34:15, David
tells us the same thing,
00:15:21.78\00:15:24.52
"The eyes of the
Lord are on the righteous,
00:15:24.55\00:15:26.76
and His ears are
open to their cry."
00:15:26.79\00:15:30.49
So I want to tell you today,
00:15:30.53\00:15:31.86
if you are
walking in a silent time,
00:15:31.89\00:15:33.90
if you are going through a time
00:15:33.93\00:15:35.33
when it appears
that God is silent,
00:15:35.36\00:15:38.90
He's listening.
00:15:38.93\00:15:40.27
God hears you.
00:15:40.30\00:15:41.90
Anytime you open up your heart,
00:15:41.94\00:15:44.04
anytime you cry out
to God, He hears you.
00:15:44.07\00:15:47.91
What's the
second thing He's doing?
00:15:47.94\00:15:49.68
He cares.
00:15:49.71\00:15:51.58
I don't know if
you've ever experienced this,
00:15:51.61\00:15:55.08
but there have been times,
and I've actually been guilty
00:15:55.12\00:15:58.09
of this myself, I
have my cell phone here,
00:15:58.12\00:16:00.42
someone might
be talking with me,
00:16:00.46\00:16:01.82
might be in a meeting
visiting in my office,
00:16:01.86\00:16:04.79
and I'm listening to them,
I'm looking them in the eye.
00:16:04.83\00:16:07.63
I'm hearing them.
00:16:07.66\00:16:09.96
And then all of a sudden,
a text comes in something
00:16:10.00\00:16:12.80
urgent happens, and my
eyes shift from the person
00:16:12.83\00:16:15.77
and I look down here,
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.14
"Oh, I got to
take care of this."
00:16:17.17\00:16:18.51
Oh, this is happening.
00:16:18.54\00:16:19.87
Has that ever happened to you?
00:16:19.91\00:16:21.24
Where maybe you're distracted
00:16:21.28\00:16:22.61
from the
conversation you're involved in.
00:16:22.64\00:16:24.38
When it happens to
you, what do you feel like?
00:16:24.41\00:16:27.22
I don't know about
you, but I kind of feel like
00:16:27.25\00:16:28.68
maybe that person
doesn't care so much.
00:16:28.72\00:16:30.82
Or maybe they're
not really interested.
00:16:30.85\00:16:33.69
Or maybe they're
not really focused
00:16:33.72\00:16:36.19
or paying attention,
00:16:36.22\00:16:37.56
but God doesn't just hear us.
00:16:37.59\00:16:39.26
God cares.
00:16:39.29\00:16:40.63
God is focused
and pays attention.
00:16:40.66\00:16:43.16
Matthew 10, Jesus
tells us the story
00:16:43.20\00:16:45.83
of not even a
sparrow falls to the ground,
00:16:45.87\00:16:49.20
but God notices.
00:16:49.24\00:16:50.57
Now you think
about the sparrows,
00:16:50.61\00:16:51.94
who are the sparrows?
00:16:51.97\00:16:53.31
They're not
beautiful, like the bluebirds
00:16:53.34\00:16:55.08
and the
cardinals and all of that.
00:16:55.11\00:16:56.58
And we say, it's a
common everyday sparrow,
00:16:56.61\00:16:59.98
not even a sparrow
falls to the ground,
00:17:00.02\00:17:03.42
but that God does not see
and hear and care about that.
00:17:03.45\00:17:09.02
Psalm 34:18,
00:17:09.06\00:17:10.79
"The Lord is near
the brokenhearted,
00:17:10.83\00:17:13.33
and saves those who
are crushed in spirit."
00:17:13.36\00:17:16.70
So when it seems that
God is silent in your life,
00:17:16.73\00:17:20.14
He hears, He cares.
00:17:20.17\00:17:22.50
Number three, He understands.
00:17:22.54\00:17:26.07
You know, if you're
going through a difficult time,
00:17:26.11\00:17:27.91
sometimes you
might not need advice.
00:17:27.94\00:17:29.44
You just want a listening
ear or need to know that someone
00:17:29.48\00:17:31.91
cares or someone
understands, or just hears
00:17:31.95\00:17:35.18
where you're coming
from, you know what?
00:17:35.22\00:17:37.09
Jesus does.
00:17:37.12\00:17:38.49
Hebrews 4:14-16, I love this.
00:17:38.52\00:17:43.89
There's an inherent need
in all of us to be understood.
00:17:43.93\00:17:46.29
And you might say, "Well,
my spouse doesn't understand
00:17:46.33\00:17:48.20
or my kids don't understand,
my boss doesn't understand,
00:17:48.23\00:17:51.83
Jesus understands.
00:17:51.87\00:17:53.74
Hebrews 4:14-16,
00:17:53.77\00:17:56.97
"Seeing then we
have a great High Priest
00:17:57.01\00:18:00.14
who has passed
through the heavens,
00:18:00.18\00:18:02.11
Jesus the Son of God,
00:18:02.14\00:18:03.71
let us hold fast
to our confession.
00:18:03.75\00:18:06.95
For we do not have a High Priest
00:18:06.98\00:18:08.48
who cannot sympathize
00:18:08.52\00:18:10.32
or be touched
with our weaknesses,
00:18:10.35\00:18:13.69
or the feelings
of our infirmities,
00:18:13.72\00:18:16.32
but was in all points
tempted like as we are,
00:18:16.36\00:18:19.59
yet without sin.
00:18:19.63\00:18:20.96
Let us therefore come
boldly before the throne
00:18:21.00\00:18:24.07
of grace that
we may obtain mercy
00:18:24.10\00:18:26.97
and find grace to
help in our time of need."
00:18:27.00\00:18:30.14
What does Jesus understand?
00:18:30.17\00:18:31.57
Jesus clearly
understands temptation.
00:18:31.61\00:18:34.04
Turn with me to
the Book of Luke.
00:18:34.08\00:18:35.71
We look at the
temptation of Jesus.
00:18:35.74\00:18:38.91
This is right after baptism.
00:18:38.95\00:18:40.28
Remember, he went out,
00:18:40.32\00:18:41.65
the spirit led him
into the wilderness,
00:18:41.68\00:18:43.65
and he was tempted of
the devil for 40 days.
00:18:43.69\00:18:46.12
Luke 4:1 and the
first part of verse 2,
00:18:46.15\00:18:49.26
"Then Jesus, being
filled with the Holy Spirit,
00:18:49.29\00:18:52.96
returned from Jordan
and was led by the Spirit
00:18:52.99\00:18:56.06
into the
wilderness, being tempted for,"
00:18:56.10\00:18:58.60
one day, two days, five days,
00:18:58.63\00:19:01.80
"forty days by the devil."
00:19:01.84\00:19:04.34
Can you imagine going
through something like that?
00:19:04.37\00:19:06.44
Forty days of temptation.
00:19:06.47\00:19:10.55
Unrelenting, consistent,
Jesus understands temptation.
00:19:10.58\00:19:15.38
Are you going
through an experience
00:19:15.42\00:19:17.29
where you feel
you're being tempted
00:19:17.32\00:19:18.79
beyond your strength to endure?
00:19:18.82\00:19:20.62
Are you
wrestling with addictions?
00:19:20.66\00:19:23.32
Are you going
through that and saying,
00:19:23.36\00:19:25.23
"Well, no one
understands the trouble I'm in,
00:19:25.26\00:19:27.53
no one
understands this temptation
00:19:27.56\00:19:30.17
is so strong for me."
00:19:30.20\00:19:32.40
Jesus, He
understands temptation.
00:19:32.43\00:19:35.27
Not only that, He
understands hunger.
00:19:35.30\00:19:37.47
If you keep reading in verse 2,
00:19:37.51\00:19:38.84
we're in Luke 4 the
second half of verse 2.
00:19:38.87\00:19:40.74
"He was there forty
days tempted by the devil.
00:19:40.78\00:19:43.95
And in those
days He ate nothing,
00:19:43.98\00:19:47.12
and afterward, He was hungry."
00:19:47.15\00:19:49.82
Now I don't know about you.
00:19:49.85\00:19:51.45
If you've ever fasted,
00:19:51.49\00:19:52.82
I have gone a
meal without any food.
00:19:52.85\00:19:56.83
I've gone a day
without any food.
00:19:56.86\00:19:59.63
I've gone a couple of days.
00:19:59.66\00:20:01.00
I have never gone
a week without food.
00:20:01.03\00:20:02.46
Never.
00:20:02.50\00:20:03.83
I've never gone a
month, 40 days with no food.
00:20:03.87\00:20:08.60
Anytime you
think, but I'm hungry,
00:20:08.64\00:20:10.61
but I'm tempted.
00:20:10.64\00:20:11.97
Jesus understands that.
00:20:12.01\00:20:13.64
He also understands poverty.
00:20:13.68\00:20:15.31
Matthew 8:20.
00:20:15.34\00:20:17.38
Matthew 8:20,
00:20:17.41\00:20:18.75
"And Jesus said to them,
00:20:18.78\00:20:20.12
'Foxes they have holes
00:20:20.15\00:20:21.48
and birds of the air have nests,
00:20:21.52\00:20:23.12
but the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay His head.'"
00:20:23.15\00:20:27.12
Are you homeless?
00:20:27.16\00:20:28.66
Do you not have enough
money to put food on the table?
00:20:28.69\00:20:32.06
Do you not have
enough money to make it
00:20:32.09\00:20:34.30
through the week?
00:20:34.33\00:20:35.93
Are you in poverty?
00:20:35.96\00:20:37.30
Jesus understands poverty.
00:20:37.33\00:20:39.47
He also understands weariness.
00:20:39.50\00:20:41.60
We're in John Chapter 4.
00:20:41.64\00:20:43.20
This is, of course, the woman
at the well Jesus experience
00:20:43.24\00:20:45.77
with a woman of Samaria there.
00:20:45.81\00:20:47.44
John 4:6,
00:20:47.48\00:20:48.88
"Now Jacob's well was there.
00:20:48.91\00:20:50.88
Jesus therefore, being
wearied from His journey,
00:20:50.91\00:20:55.02
sat by the well.
00:20:55.05\00:20:57.12
It was about the sixth hour."
00:20:57.15\00:20:58.49
Now John kind of clearly
said Jacob's well was there
00:20:58.52\00:21:00.76
and Jesus came to the well,
00:21:00.79\00:21:02.12
the disciples
went in to buy food,
00:21:02.16\00:21:03.79
and then the woman came out,
00:21:03.83\00:21:05.16
but I find it
interesting that he said
00:21:05.19\00:21:07.43
Jesus was
wearied by His journey.
00:21:07.46\00:21:11.73
Jesus understands weariness.
00:21:11.77\00:21:13.97
If you feel
overworked, or overtaxed,
00:21:14.00\00:21:17.21
or going through
certain circumstances,
00:21:17.24\00:21:19.44
you say, "Boy, I am weary."
00:21:19.47\00:21:21.01
I just spoke
yesterday with a new father.
00:21:21.04\00:21:23.51
And I said, "I'm so proud of you
00:21:23.55\00:21:25.35
'cause we
actually know this person."
00:21:25.38\00:21:26.72
And I said,
00:21:26.75\00:21:28.08
"I'm so proud of you
being a dad and all of that."
00:21:28.12\00:21:29.95
And he said,
00:21:29.98\00:21:31.32
"I'm just lucky to get sleep.
00:21:31.35\00:21:32.69
I am so tired.
00:21:32.72\00:21:35.86
Every time the baby
sleeps, I can take a nap."
00:21:35.89\00:21:38.06
Jesus, He understands weariness.
00:21:38.09\00:21:40.50
Not just that, Jesus, He
understands disappointment.
00:21:40.53\00:21:43.33
Luke 13:34.
00:21:43.37\00:21:46.77
Luke 13:34,
00:21:46.80\00:21:48.27
Jesus is speaking, He says,
00:21:48.30\00:21:49.90
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
00:21:49.94\00:21:51.84
the one who kills the prophets
00:21:51.87\00:21:53.54
and stones those
who were sent to her!
00:21:53.58\00:21:56.91
How often I wanted to
gather your children together,
00:21:56.95\00:22:00.18
as a hen gathers her
brood under her wings,
00:22:00.22\00:22:04.09
but you would not,
00:22:04.12\00:22:06.25
or it says you
were not willing."
00:22:06.29\00:22:09.82
Do you think about it?
00:22:09.86\00:22:11.19
The children of Israel
were God's chosen possession.
00:22:11.23\00:22:14.30
If you read in Deuteronomy,
00:22:14.33\00:22:15.76
if you read in Exodus 19,
00:22:15.80\00:22:17.77
they were a chosen people,
00:22:17.80\00:22:20.00
above all the
people on the earth
00:22:20.04\00:22:22.24
and they weren't
chosen because they were rich,
00:22:22.27\00:22:23.97
or because they
were intelligent,
00:22:24.01\00:22:25.34
or because they
were good looking,
00:22:25.37\00:22:26.71
or strong, or anything.
00:22:26.74\00:22:28.11
They were chosen
because God loved them.
00:22:28.14\00:22:30.88
And because they were
to be His special people.
00:22:30.91\00:22:34.58
They were to be a
light set on a hill,
00:22:34.62\00:22:36.72
they were to spread
the message of the one God,
00:22:36.75\00:22:40.42
Jehovah, to the entire world.
00:22:40.46\00:22:44.19
And yet they had
failed in that mission.
00:22:44.23\00:22:46.43
And not only
that, when Jesus came,
00:22:46.46\00:22:48.36
most of them,
some people recognize,
00:22:48.40\00:22:50.57
but most of them
failed to recognize
00:22:50.60\00:22:53.34
that He was the Messiah,
00:22:53.37\00:22:54.80
that He was there
long looked for deliverer.
00:22:54.84\00:22:59.67
You think Jesus
understands disappointment.
00:22:59.71\00:23:01.71
He wanted these
people to accept Him.
00:23:01.74\00:23:04.85
He wanted, He
came to die for them.
00:23:04.88\00:23:08.18
And yet, He wanted
to gather them together.
00:23:08.22\00:23:11.12
He wanted to save them.
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.19
And they would not allow that.
00:23:13.22\00:23:14.82
Jesus
understands disappointment.
00:23:14.86\00:23:18.13
Jesus understands
rejection, John 6.
00:23:18.16\00:23:20.90
John 6:66-67.
00:23:20.93\00:23:23.33
Now before this time,
remember, the popularity
00:23:23.37\00:23:26.40
of Jesus was so strong,
I think about the healing
00:23:26.43\00:23:28.97
of the paralytic,
just before then Jesus
00:23:29.00\00:23:31.47
healed that leper.
00:23:31.51\00:23:33.34
And it said, the fame
of Jesus spread abroad
00:23:33.38\00:23:35.84
throughout Galilee
and the entire region.
00:23:35.88\00:23:38.35
And He was so popular
that people flocked from all
00:23:38.38\00:23:42.08
over to see Him, to hear
Him, to be healed by Him.
00:23:42.12\00:23:46.52
Remember, when the
paralytic was healed,
00:23:46.55\00:23:48.42
it was so many
people in the house
00:23:48.46\00:23:50.86
that they had to open up
the roof and let Him down.
00:23:50.89\00:23:53.40
So before this time, many
people are following Jesus,
00:23:53.43\00:23:56.23
He's hailed as the coming King.
00:23:56.26\00:23:58.63
And yet what happens in John 6?
00:23:58.67\00:24:00.64
John 6:66,
00:24:00.67\00:24:03.14
"From that time many
of His disciples went back
00:24:03.17\00:24:06.74
and walked with Him no more.
00:24:06.78\00:24:09.24
Then Jesus said to the twelve,
00:24:09.28\00:24:11.31
'Are you also going to leave me?
00:24:11.35\00:24:13.05
Will you also go away?'"
00:24:13.08\00:24:14.82
And of course, Simon Peter,
the first one to always speak.
00:24:14.85\00:24:17.05
What did he say?
00:24:17.09\00:24:18.42
Lord, to whom will we go?
00:24:18.45\00:24:21.12
You have the words of life.
00:24:21.16\00:24:23.66
So Jesus, He
understands rejection,
00:24:23.69\00:24:25.69
He understands what it's like
to have people walk with You.
00:24:25.73\00:24:29.03
People love You.
00:24:29.06\00:24:30.73
People be part of
Your inner circle,
00:24:30.77\00:24:33.23
and then turn
around and walk away.
00:24:33.27\00:24:36.04
Jesus also understand sorrow.
00:24:36.07\00:24:37.97
Matthew 26:38.
00:24:38.01\00:24:40.74
Now this is, of course,
right before the crucifixion.
00:24:40.78\00:24:44.25
This is the garden of
Gethsemane experience.
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.95
And he says,
00:24:46.98\00:24:48.32
"He said to them,
00:24:48.35\00:24:49.68
'My soul is
exceedingly sorrowful,
00:24:49.72\00:24:51.55
even to death.
00:24:51.59\00:24:52.92
Stay here and watch with Me.'"
00:24:52.95\00:24:56.62
Jesus understands death.
00:24:56.66\00:24:57.99
Remember Mary,
Martha, and Lazarus
00:24:58.03\00:24:59.93
were His special
friends and companions.
00:24:59.96\00:25:03.47
And Lazarus died.
00:25:03.50\00:25:04.97
And it says in John
11:35, that "Jesus wept."
00:25:05.00\00:25:08.67
Now did He weep because of
their hardness of heart? Yes.
00:25:08.70\00:25:11.91
Did He weep because
they did not understand
00:25:11.94\00:25:13.98
that He was the Messiah,
00:25:14.01\00:25:15.34
and He was the
resurrection and the life?
00:25:15.38\00:25:17.08
Yes.
00:25:17.11\00:25:18.45
But I believe He also wept
because they were His friends,
00:25:18.48\00:25:21.18
and their grief
was His grief as well.
00:25:21.22\00:25:25.29
Jesus also
understood loneliness,
00:25:25.32\00:25:28.39
and the silence of God.
00:25:28.42\00:25:29.86
We see this in Matthew 27.
00:25:29.89\00:25:31.43
This is, of
course, Jesus on the cross.
00:25:31.46\00:25:32.99
Matthew 27:46,
00:25:33.03\00:25:35.36
"About the ninth hour
00:25:35.40\00:25:37.07
Jesus cried out
with a loud voice
00:25:37.10\00:25:39.37
saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama,'
00:25:39.40\00:25:42.34
I can't pronounce that,
00:25:42.37\00:25:43.71
"that is, 'My God, My God,
00:25:43.74\00:25:45.97
why have you forsaken Me?'"
00:25:46.01\00:25:48.38
So anytime you go
through a silent time,
00:25:48.41\00:25:52.25
when it feels that
God is apparently silent,
00:25:52.28\00:25:55.42
and you say, but
I'm tempted, Jesus was,
00:25:55.45\00:25:58.42
but you say, but
I'm hungry, Jesus was,
00:25:58.45\00:26:01.22
but you say I
don't have, I'm weary
00:26:01.26\00:26:03.12
and I'm worn out and
I'm tired with a fight,
00:26:03.16\00:26:05.53
Jesus was, you say, but
I've encountered rejection
00:26:05.56\00:26:08.63
and disappointment.
00:26:08.66\00:26:10.23
And there was all
these trials against me,
00:26:10.27\00:26:12.70
that happened to Jesus.
00:26:12.73\00:26:14.07
You say, but I'm
dealing with sorrow,
00:26:14.10\00:26:15.44
or someone I love
dearly has just died.
00:26:15.47\00:26:18.04
Or I'm dealing with loneliness.
00:26:18.07\00:26:20.94
Jesus understands because
He went through all of that.
00:26:20.98\00:26:25.48
What else does He do?
00:26:25.51\00:26:26.92
He hears, He cares, He
understands, He comforts.
00:26:26.95\00:26:31.15
How does He comfort us?
00:26:31.19\00:26:32.55
He comforts us by His Word.
00:26:32.59\00:26:34.32
Psalm 119. Turn with me there.
00:26:34.36\00:26:36.39
Psalm 119:49-50,
00:26:36.42\00:26:39.59
"Remember the
word to Your servant,
00:26:39.63\00:26:41.76
upon which You
have caused me to hope.
00:26:41.80\00:26:45.23
This is my
comfort in my affliction,
00:26:45.27\00:26:49.37
Your word it has given me life."
00:26:49.40\00:26:52.07
So when you walk
through a silent time,
00:26:52.11\00:26:55.54
when you say, but
God, I can't see You.
00:26:55.58\00:26:57.45
He's listening.
00:26:57.48\00:26:58.81
But God, I can't hear You.
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.72
He cares for you.
00:27:00.75\00:27:02.08
But God, do you even
know what I'm going through.
00:27:02.12\00:27:04.52
He understands.
00:27:04.55\00:27:05.89
But not only that, He
wants to bring you comfort.
00:27:05.92\00:27:08.02
And how does He bring us
comfort in those silent times?
00:27:08.06\00:27:11.63
How does He bring us
comfort in those dark times?
00:27:11.66\00:27:14.43
Open up the Word of God.
00:27:14.46\00:27:15.86
Discover the
promises in His Word.
00:27:15.90\00:27:19.67
His Word brings life.
00:27:19.70\00:27:21.74
His Word brings power.
00:27:21.77\00:27:23.30
His Word brings peace.
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.24
2 Corinthians 1:20,
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.14
"All of His promises are
Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus."
00:27:27.18\00:27:31.08
I just talked to a woman
00:27:31.11\00:27:33.68
a couple of
weeks ago on the phone,
00:27:33.72\00:27:35.05
she called the office.
00:27:35.08\00:27:36.42
And she said,
"Jill, I just I'm so alone,
00:27:36.45\00:27:38.52
and nobody loves me.
00:27:38.55\00:27:39.89
And my life is miserable.
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.46
And I just really, I don't know,
00:27:41.49\00:27:44.16
I read the Bible, and
I'm not getting anything.
00:27:44.19\00:27:46.59
I just need help. I need hope.
00:27:46.63\00:27:48.80
I need encouragement."
00:27:48.83\00:27:50.47
I said, "How are you
reading the Word of God?"
00:27:50.50\00:27:52.60
'Cause you and I
can open up the Bible.
00:27:52.63\00:27:54.60
And we can read and say,
00:27:54.64\00:27:55.97
"Okay, I'm supposed
to read a chapter today
00:27:56.00\00:27:57.34
because that's what
good Christians do."
00:27:57.37\00:27:58.74
So this is what
I'm supposed to do.
00:27:58.77\00:28:00.11
And I'm going to open up.
00:28:00.14\00:28:01.48
And I'm going to
start reading Ezekiel.
00:28:01.51\00:28:03.41
"The Word of the Lord
came to me again, saying,
00:28:03.45\00:28:04.91
'Son of man, say
to the prince of Tyre.
00:28:04.95\00:28:06.41
Thus says the Lord God."
00:28:06.45\00:28:07.85
Okay, are you
going to get anything
00:28:07.88\00:28:10.69
from that study of the Word?
00:28:10.72\00:28:12.55
Maybe not.
00:28:12.59\00:28:13.92
First things when
we go to the Word,
00:28:13.96\00:28:15.42
we ask God for the
anointing of His Holy Spirit
00:28:15.46\00:28:18.53
to enlighten our
mind and understanding.
00:28:18.56\00:28:20.90
The second
thing, open up and find
00:28:20.93\00:28:23.60
where Jesus is speaking to you.
00:28:23.63\00:28:25.90
Find those
promises in the Word of God,
00:28:25.93\00:28:29.00
claim them over your
life, I love to write them down.
00:28:29.04\00:28:32.74
And I've pulled
them out and I read them
00:28:32.77\00:28:35.11
and read them again,
00:28:35.14\00:28:36.48
when I need them the most.
00:28:36.51\00:28:38.25
The Word of God has
power to bring comfort.
00:28:38.28\00:28:42.25
Pray the Word
of God back to Him.
00:28:42.28\00:28:44.55
Read those scriptures aloud.
00:28:44.59\00:28:47.26
Romans 4:17.
00:28:47.29\00:28:48.62
It says,
00:28:48.66\00:28:49.99
"That he calls
those things that are not
00:28:50.03\00:28:52.09
as though they already were."
00:28:52.13\00:28:53.76
So you might feel like,
00:28:53.80\00:28:55.13
"Well, I'm not
accepted, and I'm not beloved,
00:28:55.16\00:28:56.97
and I'm not chosen,
and I'm not forgiven."
00:28:57.00\00:29:00.07
Look at what the Word
of God says about you.
00:29:00.10\00:29:03.91
And then claim those
promises over your life.
00:29:03.94\00:29:06.51
So He comforts us by His Word,
He comforts us by His Spirit.
00:29:06.54\00:29:10.31
That's in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
00:29:10.35\00:29:14.48
And there's actually five words
00:29:14.52\00:29:17.12
that are used
here five times, sorry,
00:29:17.15\00:29:19.35
the word comfort is used here.
00:29:19.39\00:29:21.89
And it's used in
reference to the Holy Spirit.
00:29:21.92\00:29:24.86
2 Corinthians 1:3-4,
00:29:24.89\00:29:26.70
"Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:29:26.73\00:29:29.53
the Father of mercies
and God of all comfort,"
00:29:29.56\00:29:32.43
there's the first time
we see the word comfort,
00:29:32.47\00:29:34.64
"who comforts us,"
00:29:34.67\00:29:36.64
there's the second time,
00:29:36.67\00:29:38.01
"in all our tribulation,
00:29:38.04\00:29:40.68
that we may be able to comfort
00:29:40.71\00:29:43.98
those who are in
trouble, with the comfort
00:29:44.01\00:29:48.55
which we ourselves
are comforted by God."
00:29:48.58\00:29:53.66
Now all of those
words for comfort,
00:29:53.69\00:29:56.32
come from the word parakletos
or derivative of that word.
00:29:56.36\00:30:01.36
And parakletos, of course,
00:30:01.40\00:30:02.93
is used to refer
to the Holy Spirit,
00:30:02.96\00:30:05.27
someone who calls to
one's aid, who comforts,
00:30:05.30\00:30:09.10
who brings encouragement.
00:30:09.14\00:30:11.24
We see that in John 16:7.
00:30:11.27\00:30:13.58
"Nevertheless I
tell you the truth."
00:30:13.61\00:30:15.14
Jesus is speaking here.
00:30:15.18\00:30:17.25
He says, "I tell you the truth.
00:30:17.28\00:30:19.05
It is to your
advantage that I go away,
00:30:19.08\00:30:22.98
for if I don't go
away, the Helper,"
00:30:23.02\00:30:24.62
the parakletos
that is the Holy Spirit,
00:30:24.65\00:30:27.62
"will not come to you,
00:30:27.66\00:30:29.49
but if I depart, I
will send Him to you."
00:30:29.52\00:30:33.29
So how does God comfort us?
00:30:33.33\00:30:34.66
He comforts us by
the power of His Word,
00:30:34.70\00:30:36.50
claim those
promises over your life.
00:30:36.53\00:30:38.60
He comforts us by the
power of His Holy Spirit.
00:30:38.63\00:30:41.54
He also comforts
us by His presence.
00:30:41.57\00:30:44.34
Psalm 23:4,
00:30:44.37\00:30:47.51
"Yea, though I walk
00:30:47.54\00:30:49.21
through the valley
of the shadow of death,
00:30:49.24\00:30:51.85
I will fear no
evil, for You are with me,
00:30:51.88\00:30:56.85
Your rod and Your
staff, they comfort me."
00:30:56.89\00:31:00.56
He comforts us by His presence.
00:31:00.59\00:31:03.16
So God hears, God understands,
God cares, God comforts.
00:31:03.19\00:31:06.73
Number five, God accompanies.
00:31:06.76\00:31:09.70
Do you feel like you're alone?
00:31:09.73\00:31:11.07
You feel like,
00:31:11.10\00:31:12.43
"Well, I have the Word.
00:31:12.47\00:31:13.80
Well, I do have the Holy Spirit,
00:31:13.84\00:31:15.17
but I'm still not
really sure about this God."
00:31:15.20\00:31:17.77
He walks with us in the
midst of the difficulty.
00:31:17.81\00:31:22.68
Isaiah 43. I love
the Book of Isaiah.
00:31:22.71\00:31:24.85
We have the Book of Judgment,
00:31:24.88\00:31:26.21
which would be like
the first 39 chapters,
00:31:26.25\00:31:28.62
and then jumping into
Chapter 40 to Chapter 66,
00:31:28.65\00:31:31.75
we have the Book of Comfort.
00:31:31.79\00:31:33.99
There's incredible
promises in the second half
00:31:34.02\00:31:36.93
of the Book of Isaiah.
00:31:36.96\00:31:38.73
We're in Isaiah 43:1,
00:31:38.76\00:31:40.70
"But now, thus says the Lord,
00:31:40.73\00:31:44.00
who created you, O Jacob."
00:31:44.03\00:31:47.04
You can put your name in there.
00:31:47.07\00:31:48.40
"And He who formed
you, O Israel, 'Fear not.'"
00:31:48.44\00:31:51.74
Why do we not have to be afraid?
00:31:51.77\00:31:53.81
"For He has redeemed us.
00:31:53.84\00:31:56.21
He has called us by
name, we belong to Him."
00:31:56.24\00:31:59.25
Now here it comes the verse 2,
00:31:59.28\00:32:00.75
"When you pass
through the waters,
00:32:00.78\00:32:02.38
when you walk
through the silent times,
00:32:02.42\00:32:03.89
when you have difficulties,
I will be with you.
00:32:03.92\00:32:08.02
When you pass
through the waters,
00:32:08.06\00:32:11.66
I will be with you,
00:32:11.69\00:32:13.03
and through the rivers,
00:32:13.06\00:32:15.26
they shall not overflow you.
00:32:15.30\00:32:16.93
When you walk through the fire,
00:32:16.97\00:32:19.57
you will not be burned,
00:32:19.60\00:32:20.94
nor will the flame scorch you."
00:32:20.97\00:32:22.64
So what is He saying to us?
00:32:22.67\00:32:24.91
What is God saying to us?
00:32:24.94\00:32:26.31
He's saying when you
enter the fiery furnace,
00:32:26.34\00:32:29.04
you might not be delivered
from the fiery furnace,
00:32:29.08\00:32:32.51
but I will walk with you in
the midst of the fiery furnace.
00:32:32.55\00:32:37.39
I love that.
00:32:37.42\00:32:38.75
In Hebrews 13:5, He says,
00:32:38.79\00:32:40.12
"I'll never leave
you nor forsake you."
00:32:40.16\00:32:42.19
Joshua 1:9, remember,
00:32:42.22\00:32:43.56
Joshua took over the
leadership of the children
00:32:43.59\00:32:46.83
of Israel after
the death of Moses,
00:32:46.86\00:32:49.80
and he's given this promise,
00:32:49.83\00:32:51.47
"The Lord your God will
go with you wherever you go."
00:32:51.50\00:32:56.44
So it does not mean
00:32:56.47\00:32:57.81
that you and I will
not have silent times,
00:32:57.84\00:32:59.87
it does not mean that we will
not encounter grief and pain,
00:32:59.91\00:33:04.88
maybe death,
trouble and tribulation,
00:33:04.91\00:33:07.58
but it means
that God walks with us
00:33:07.62\00:33:11.42
in the midst of
that circumstance.
00:33:11.45\00:33:13.62
Let's look at number six.
00:33:13.66\00:33:14.99
What does He do?
00:33:15.02\00:33:16.36
He answers.
00:33:16.39\00:33:18.23
Now the answer is not
maybe always what we want,
00:33:18.26\00:33:21.86
or what we pray
for, or what we expect,
00:33:21.90\00:33:26.60
but He always answers.
00:33:26.63\00:33:28.80
Now when I was growing up,
00:33:28.84\00:33:30.17
I'm gonna take a
little diversion here.
00:33:30.21\00:33:31.54
When I was growing
up, I was always taught.
00:33:31.57\00:33:33.68
There were three
answers to prayer.
00:33:33.71\00:33:35.34
I don't know if
you were taught that.
00:33:35.38\00:33:37.11
Yes.
00:33:37.15\00:33:38.81
Maybe?
00:33:38.85\00:33:40.92
No.
00:33:40.95\00:33:42.28
Were you taught that?
00:33:42.32\00:33:43.65
God sometimes says yes,
00:33:43.69\00:33:45.02
sometimes says
maybe, sometimes says no.
00:33:45.05\00:33:48.82
In my study, I
think there's actually
00:33:48.86\00:33:50.36
four answers to prayer.
00:33:50.39\00:33:51.93
The first answer
is way over here.
00:33:51.96\00:33:54.00
This is no, not yet.
00:33:54.03\00:33:57.07
This is very similar to
the maybe here or the wait,
00:33:57.10\00:34:00.00
it just simply
means it might be a yes,
00:34:00.04\00:34:03.04
but the yes is not right now.
00:34:03.07\00:34:04.87
It is a time of waiting.
00:34:04.91\00:34:07.48
And I don't know about
you, but I'm not very good
00:34:07.51\00:34:09.24
at waiting when I wait in
line at the grocery store.
00:34:09.28\00:34:12.58
I think, can they not hurry up?
00:34:12.61\00:34:15.08
When I go through the grocery
store, people sometimes laugh,
00:34:15.12\00:34:19.29
strangers come up and say,
why are you in such a rush?
00:34:19.32\00:34:21.86
'Cause I can actually
run in the grocery store.
00:34:21.89\00:34:24.29
So it just seems
like I don't like to wait.
00:34:24.33\00:34:28.13
And yet there are times
in the life of a Christian
00:34:28.16\00:34:31.93
when we are called to wait.
00:34:31.97\00:34:34.74
The answer is no, not yet.
00:34:34.77\00:34:38.51
And during that waiting time,
00:34:38.54\00:34:41.38
we have opportunity to
petition the throne of grace.
00:34:41.41\00:34:45.51
We have opportunity to grow
in grace in our own characters.
00:34:45.55\00:34:50.95
We have opportunity to
trust our Heavenly Father,
00:34:50.99\00:34:54.19
and to bloom
where He has planted us
00:34:54.22\00:34:57.43
with what He has put
in our hands right then,
00:34:57.46\00:35:00.96
not pining for
what we don't have,
00:35:01.00\00:35:03.37
not wishing for something
else, but just being thankful
00:35:03.40\00:35:06.70
and grateful for what
God has given us then.
00:35:06.74\00:35:09.07
So that's number
one is no, not yet.
00:35:09.10\00:35:11.87
This is the waiting answer.
00:35:11.91\00:35:14.51
The second
answer to prayer is no
00:35:14.54\00:35:17.98
because I love you too much.
00:35:18.01\00:35:21.12
This is the anguish of the no
00:35:21.15\00:35:22.48
because it's already been given.
00:35:22.52\00:35:23.85
It's not the waiting.
00:35:23.89\00:35:25.22
Oh, it might be a
yes, it might be a no,
00:35:25.25\00:35:27.06
I'm not sure, this is the no.
00:35:27.09\00:35:29.76
And it's been given.
00:35:29.79\00:35:31.13
And the answer might go
against your deepest prayer.
00:35:31.16\00:35:33.76
It might go against
your heart's desire.
00:35:33.80\00:35:36.36
It might go against
everything you ever wanted,
00:35:36.40\00:35:39.23
or ever hoped for and dreamed.
00:35:39.27\00:35:41.70
So I want to ask
you, how can love be a no?
00:35:41.74\00:35:44.57
How can this answer
to prayer be from God no?
00:35:44.61\00:35:48.94
I love you too much.
00:35:48.98\00:35:50.31
How is that even possible?
00:35:50.35\00:35:52.05
I think there's at least
three reasons why love says no.
00:35:52.08\00:35:54.95
The first reason is protection.
00:35:54.98\00:35:57.45
Love creates
boundaries for our safety.
00:35:57.49\00:36:02.32
Those of you who have children,
00:36:02.36\00:36:03.69
if your child were to
go up and were to touch up
00:36:03.73\00:36:05.99
stove that was super
hot, what would you say?
00:36:06.03\00:36:08.46
Oh, honey, just
do whatever you want.
00:36:08.50\00:36:10.47
You wouldn't say that.
00:36:10.50\00:36:11.83
You would say no,
when you would run
00:36:11.87\00:36:13.23
to pull their hand back.
00:36:13.27\00:36:14.74
Why? Because love is protection.
00:36:14.77\00:36:18.01
Sometimes no is to protect
you and I from being burned.
00:36:18.04\00:36:22.84
Or you and I from
being hit in the street
00:36:22.88\00:36:25.35
if we were to run
out in front of a car.
00:36:25.38\00:36:27.62
That's another time where you
would yell at your child to say
00:36:27.65\00:36:30.45
no get back from the
street because no is protection.
00:36:30.49\00:36:35.42
No is also ownership.
00:36:35.46\00:36:39.56
Love is protection.
00:36:39.59\00:36:41.16
Love is ownership.
00:36:41.20\00:36:43.03
Now what do I mean by that?
00:36:43.06\00:36:45.23
There's two types of jealousy.
00:36:45.27\00:36:47.30
I used to always believe
that jealousy was only ungodly,
00:36:47.34\00:36:49.74
but I don't believe
that because God is jealous
00:36:49.77\00:36:52.81
over you and I as His children.
00:36:52.84\00:36:55.88
Ungodly jealousy is jealous of,
00:36:55.91\00:36:59.18
this would be I'm jealous
of someone else's position,
00:36:59.21\00:37:02.95
or someone else's spouse,
00:37:02.98\00:37:05.29
or someone else's
looks, or someone else's car,
00:37:05.32\00:37:08.96
or money, or what at friends
00:37:08.99\00:37:12.06
that would be
jealous of something
00:37:12.09\00:37:13.50
that we don't have ownership
over does not belong to us,
00:37:13.53\00:37:16.87
that is ungodly jealousy.
00:37:16.90\00:37:19.33
Godly jealousy is the
jealousy God has over you and I,
00:37:19.37\00:37:22.64
this is jealous for,
meaning, God owns us.
00:37:22.67\00:37:27.28
We belong to Him.
00:37:27.31\00:37:29.78
He created us, He redeemed us.
00:37:29.81\00:37:32.71
We are His children.
00:37:32.75\00:37:34.88
This godly jealousy is
when you belong to someone.
00:37:34.92\00:37:39.12
They have a godly
jealousy over you.
00:37:39.15\00:37:40.96
So they want
nothing between you and them
00:37:40.99\00:37:45.16
or the object of that love.
00:37:45.19\00:37:47.70
So in other words, this
means sometimes love is a no
00:37:47.73\00:37:52.17
because of ownership.
00:37:52.20\00:37:53.54
Sometimes God says no
in my own heart and life
00:37:53.57\00:37:57.81
to something I want,
something I've asked for
00:37:57.84\00:38:00.48
because He says Jill if
it were a yes, that yes,
00:38:00.51\00:38:05.05
would lead to
separation between you and Me.
00:38:05.08\00:38:07.72
And I love you so much.
00:38:07.75\00:38:10.35
I will not give
anything into your life
00:38:10.39\00:38:13.22
that could pull us apart
00:38:13.25\00:38:15.42
or separate us from each other.
00:38:15.46\00:38:19.59
Love is a no
because of protection.
00:38:19.63\00:38:21.53
Love is sometimes a
no because of ownership.
00:38:21.56\00:38:23.73
Love is also sometimes
a no because of sacrifice.
00:38:23.77\00:38:27.27
What do I mean by that?
00:38:27.30\00:38:28.64
Think about Jesus,
before He went to the cross
00:38:28.67\00:38:31.04
in the garden of
Gethsemane falling prostrate
00:38:31.07\00:38:35.31
before the Father,
what did He cry out?
00:38:35.34\00:38:38.31
Please God, if it's possible,
let this cup pass from Me.
00:38:38.35\00:38:43.28
What does that mean?
00:38:43.32\00:38:44.65
He did not want
to go to the cross.
00:38:44.69\00:38:46.19
His humanity
shrank from the sacrifice,
00:38:46.22\00:38:50.69
shrank from going to the cross,
00:38:50.73\00:38:54.00
shrank from the
separation from His father.
00:38:54.03\00:38:57.77
And yet what did God say?
00:38:57.80\00:38:59.83
He said, "No." Why?
00:38:59.87\00:39:02.07
Because He wanted
you and I to be saved.
00:39:02.10\00:39:06.17
Sometimes love is a
no because that sacrifice
00:39:06.21\00:39:11.11
involves
someone else's salvation
00:39:11.15\00:39:15.38
as in Jesus' sacrifice involved
salvation for the entire world.
00:39:15.42\00:39:20.06
So we have those
four answers to prayer.
00:39:20.09\00:39:22.26
No, not yet.
00:39:22.29\00:39:23.63
This is the waiting time
where we learn to wait on God.
00:39:23.66\00:39:27.33
Then we have no
because God loves us too much
00:39:27.36\00:39:31.13
to allow it to be a yes.
00:39:31.17\00:39:32.97
And sometimes that's
because of protection for us.
00:39:33.00\00:39:35.67
Sometimes it's
because of ownership.
00:39:35.70\00:39:37.61
And He wants to make sure
there's no idols in our heart
00:39:37.64\00:39:40.71
between Him and us.
00:39:40.74\00:39:42.18
Sometimes the sacrifice,
I think of the missionaries.
00:39:42.21\00:39:47.32
Jim Elliot, Elisabeth
Elliot, if you think about that
00:39:47.35\00:39:50.49
incredible story of
sacrifice, giving their lives
00:39:50.52\00:39:55.52
so that the gospel could go
forward to the native people,
00:39:55.56\00:40:00.76
that is a sacrifice.
00:40:00.80\00:40:02.23
The third answer
to prayer is yes.
00:40:02.26\00:40:06.10
I thought you would never ask.
00:40:06.13\00:40:07.90
You know, James 4:2 says what?
00:40:07.94\00:40:10.31
"You have not
because you ask not."
00:40:10.34\00:40:13.58
So ask and seek and find.
00:40:13.61\00:40:15.01
How many times does God
want to bless your life?
00:40:15.04\00:40:17.38
How many times does He want
to open up doors for ministry?
00:40:17.41\00:40:20.92
How many times does He want
to do a new thing in your life
00:40:20.95\00:40:24.65
and we never ask?
00:40:24.69\00:40:26.02
You know, every
time I read Psalm 2:8,
00:40:26.05\00:40:28.59
I'm reminded of that.
00:40:28.62\00:40:30.93
Psalm 2:8 says,
00:40:30.96\00:40:32.29
"Ask of Me, and I
will give You the heathen
00:40:32.33\00:40:35.16
for Your inheritance,
00:40:35.20\00:40:36.53
and the uttermost
parts of the earth
00:40:36.56\00:40:38.80
for Your possession."
00:40:38.83\00:40:40.17
What does that say
to you? I don't know.
00:40:40.20\00:40:42.70
I can't say what it says
to you because I don't know,
00:40:42.74\00:40:44.84
but I can tell you
what it says to me.
00:40:44.87\00:40:46.68
It says to me,
00:40:46.71\00:40:49.91
that there might...
00:40:49.94\00:40:53.08
Not be someone in the kingdom
00:40:53.11\00:40:56.08
because I neglected to pray
00:40:56.12\00:40:58.22
because I neglected to
ask for their salvation.
00:40:58.25\00:41:02.22
If you and I are
challenged here to ask God,
00:41:02.26\00:41:05.66
for the heathen
for our inheritance,
00:41:05.69\00:41:07.63
if we are challenged to ask God,
00:41:07.66\00:41:10.07
for the salvation of
our family and our friends
00:41:10.10\00:41:12.57
and our neighbors and our
enemies and our co-workers.
00:41:12.60\00:41:16.84
That's our responsibility.
00:41:16.87\00:41:18.21
He says, yes, you have
not because you ask not.
00:41:18.24\00:41:21.58
What do we ask for?
00:41:21.61\00:41:22.94
We ask for the conversion
of family and friends,
00:41:22.98\00:41:25.61
neighbors, enemies.
00:41:25.65\00:41:27.12
We ask for the
conversion of the world.
00:41:27.15\00:41:28.95
We ask for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
00:41:28.98\00:41:32.15
for revival and
reformation to spring forth
00:41:32.19\00:41:34.72
for a new heart,
a heart of flesh.
00:41:34.76\00:41:38.19
We ask that God would
write His law in our hearts,
00:41:38.23\00:41:41.46
and in our minds.
00:41:41.50\00:41:42.83
We ask to become a new
creation in Christ Jesus.
00:41:42.86\00:41:46.20
We ask that He could
be glorified in our lives.
00:41:46.23\00:41:48.60
We ask for spiritual
blessings in Christ Jesus
00:41:48.64\00:41:51.61
to have His name
written in our forehead,
00:41:51.64\00:41:54.21
to have our name written
in the Lamb's Book of Life,
00:41:54.24\00:41:57.91
to be
transformed into His image,
00:41:57.95\00:41:59.78
to have strength to
endure and grace to overcome,
00:41:59.81\00:42:02.78
to have victory from sin
and deliverance from bondage,
00:42:02.82\00:42:06.02
to have freedom in Christ,
00:42:06.05\00:42:07.92
to have the peace that
passes all understanding.
00:42:07.96\00:42:10.66
And then we thank
Him that all those things
00:42:10.69\00:42:13.06
I just mentioned, all
those promises are ours,
00:42:13.09\00:42:16.13
they belong to you and I,
00:42:16.16\00:42:17.70
they are ours who say
yes and amen in Christ Jesus.
00:42:17.73\00:42:22.27
So there's so many blessings
00:42:22.30\00:42:23.97
that God wants to
pour out into your life.
00:42:24.01\00:42:26.14
There are so
many answers to prayer
00:42:26.17\00:42:27.64
that He wants to give to you.
00:42:27.68\00:42:29.21
There are so many
times He wants to answer
00:42:29.24\00:42:31.81
in the midst of a silent time.
00:42:31.85\00:42:34.72
And yet, you and
I, we might not ask.
00:42:34.75\00:42:37.82
So answer number three is yes.
00:42:37.85\00:42:41.09
I thought you would never ask.
00:42:41.12\00:42:43.36
So that's what I want
to tell you today is ask.
00:42:43.39\00:42:46.36
Every spiritual
blessing that God has promised
00:42:46.39\00:42:49.13
is yours in Christ Jesus.
00:42:49.16\00:42:50.87
All you have to do is ask.
00:42:50.90\00:42:53.97
And what is the fourth answer?
00:42:54.00\00:42:55.34
This is really
similar to the third,
00:42:55.37\00:42:56.77
but I just like it,
that's why I separated out.
00:42:56.81\00:42:59.11
It says yes, and so much more.
00:42:59.14\00:43:01.64
God wants to do Ephesians 3:20,
00:43:01.68\00:43:03.68
"Exceedingly, abundantly
00:43:03.71\00:43:05.88
above all that you
could ask or think."
00:43:05.91\00:43:09.85
The plans God has for your life,
00:43:09.88\00:43:11.59
Jeremiah 29:11,
00:43:11.62\00:43:13.32
"Plans to prosper
you and not to harm you,
00:43:13.36\00:43:15.36
plans to give you
a future and a hope."
00:43:15.39\00:43:18.09
Are you wallowing in addiction?
00:43:18.13\00:43:19.86
Do you want to be set free?
00:43:19.89\00:43:21.96
Are you dealing with the silence
00:43:22.00\00:43:23.97
or the apparent silence of God?
00:43:24.00\00:43:26.23
And you say, but God,
I'm just, I'm a victim.
00:43:26.27\00:43:30.04
I don't even
know what to do next.
00:43:30.07\00:43:32.77
God wants you to
open up your heart
00:43:32.81\00:43:35.88
and to ask Him,
00:43:35.91\00:43:37.85
ask for those blessings,
00:43:37.88\00:43:39.51
ask for Him to come in
00:43:39.55\00:43:41.78
and to transform
and to change you.
00:43:41.82\00:43:44.19
So number seven,
00:43:44.22\00:43:45.55
what's the seventh
thing that God does
00:43:45.59\00:43:47.96
when it appears to you
and I that He is silent?
00:43:47.99\00:43:52.13
He delivers. Let's go back.
00:43:52.16\00:43:54.00
We started with
the children of Israel.
00:43:54.03\00:43:55.36
We're going to end there.
00:43:55.40\00:43:56.73
Let's go back to
Exodus Chapter 3 now
00:43:56.77\00:43:59.60
verses 7 and 8.
00:43:59.63\00:44:01.60
What does He deliver us from?
00:44:01.64\00:44:03.20
He delivers us from bondage.
00:44:03.24\00:44:04.81
Exodus 3:7-8,
00:44:04.84\00:44:07.01
"And the Lord said,
00:44:07.04\00:44:08.38
'I have surely
seen the oppression
00:44:08.41\00:44:11.11
of My people who are in Egypt.
00:44:11.15\00:44:13.25
I've heard their cry
00:44:13.28\00:44:14.75
because of their taskmasters,
00:44:14.78\00:44:17.99
for I know their sorrows.
00:44:18.02\00:44:20.79
I have come down
to," what's that word?
00:44:20.82\00:44:23.19
"I've come down to deliver them
00:44:23.22\00:44:26.23
out of the hand
of the Egyptians,
00:44:26.26\00:44:27.83
and to bring
them up from that land
00:44:27.86\00:44:30.37
to a good and large land,
00:44:30.40\00:44:32.17
to a land flowing
with milk and honey."
00:44:32.20\00:44:35.47
That word deliver
00:44:35.50\00:44:36.97
literally means to
snatch away in Hebrew
00:44:37.01\00:44:39.41
to recover, to deliver.
00:44:39.44\00:44:42.64
Do you want
deliverance in your life?
00:44:42.68\00:44:44.35
Do you feel that
00:44:44.38\00:44:45.71
you are walking in a silent time
00:44:45.75\00:44:47.32
and you might say,
00:44:47.35\00:44:48.68
"Okay, well, Jill, I
understand that God can hear me.
00:44:48.72\00:44:51.09
I understand
that He cares for me
00:44:51.12\00:44:52.99
and He can comfort me."
00:44:53.02\00:44:54.62
But God, He
wants to deliver you,
00:44:54.66\00:44:57.53
He wants to
deliver you from bondage.
00:44:57.56\00:44:59.89
Are you walking
in bondage to sin?
00:44:59.93\00:45:02.60
Are you walking in
addiction, in slavery?
00:45:02.63\00:45:06.33
God wants to set you free.
00:45:06.37\00:45:08.67
John 8:36, it says,
00:45:08.70\00:45:10.84
"If the Son makes you free,
00:45:10.87\00:45:12.44
you shall be free indeed."
00:45:12.47\00:45:15.41
He doesn't just
deliver us from bondage.
00:45:15.44\00:45:17.25
God delivers us from trouble.
00:45:17.28\00:45:19.95
Psalm 34:17,
00:45:19.98\00:45:23.42
"The righteous they cry,
00:45:23.45\00:45:25.39
and the Lord hears,"
00:45:25.42\00:45:26.86
there's a word hears,
00:45:26.89\00:45:28.26
"and delivers them
out of all their trouble."
00:45:28.29\00:45:31.89
Are you going
through a troublest time?
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.50
Are you going
through a time where you say,
00:45:33.53\00:45:35.13
but you don't know the
troubles I'm dealing with?
00:45:35.16\00:45:36.97
You don't know what's
going on in my life right now.
00:45:37.00\00:45:40.04
God wants to
deliver you from trouble.
00:45:40.07\00:45:42.80
God can set you free.
00:45:42.84\00:45:45.04
God can deliver
you from bondage.
00:45:45.07\00:45:46.88
He doesn't just
deliver us from bondage.
00:45:46.91\00:45:48.81
He doesn't just
deliver us from trouble.
00:45:48.84\00:45:50.88
He delivers us from fear.
00:45:50.91\00:45:52.58
We see this in Psalm 34,
00:45:52.61\00:45:53.95
the same psalm we're
going back to verse 4.
00:45:53.98\00:45:57.62
Psalm 34:4,
00:45:57.65\00:45:59.49
"I sought the
Lord, and He heard me,
00:45:59.52\00:46:03.22
and delivered me
from all my fears."
00:46:03.26\00:46:09.20
Are you going
through a fearful time?
00:46:09.23\00:46:10.87
Are you walking in fear?
00:46:10.90\00:46:12.53
And sometimes fear
takes many different forms.
00:46:12.57\00:46:14.84
We can clearly be
afraid of things around us.
00:46:14.87\00:46:17.74
We can be afraid of other
people, and what they think.
00:46:17.77\00:46:21.31
We can be afraid of, are
we really going to be saved
00:46:21.34\00:46:24.68
and afraid for salvation?
00:46:24.71\00:46:26.41
We can be afraid of death
or fear what's going to happen
00:46:26.45\00:46:29.65
to a loved one or
fear of the future.
00:46:29.68\00:46:31.85
There are so many
fears, but God says,
00:46:31.89\00:46:34.42
"I sought the
Lord, and He heard me,
00:46:34.46\00:46:37.86
and delivered me
from all my fears."
00:46:37.89\00:46:41.03
I love 1 John 4:18,
00:46:41.06\00:46:42.53
"There is no fear in love
00:46:42.56\00:46:44.43
because perfect
love, it casts out fear."
00:46:44.47\00:46:47.94
So God does not just deliver
us from bondage and addiction,
00:46:47.97\00:46:51.17
He does not just deliver
us from trouble or from fear.
00:46:51.21\00:46:54.68
He also delivers us from sin.
00:46:54.71\00:46:56.95
Matthew 1:21,
00:46:56.98\00:46:59.78
"He shall save His
people from their sins."
00:46:59.81\00:47:03.79
Let's turn to
the Book of Romans.
00:47:03.82\00:47:05.22
Romans 6, you know, I
love the Book of Romans,
00:47:05.25\00:47:07.52
it's probably my
favorite all time book.
00:47:07.56\00:47:10.19
If you look at Romans Chapter 6,
00:47:10.23\00:47:12.53
we have this whole
analogy of death to sin,
00:47:12.56\00:47:17.77
death to the old
man or old woman,
00:47:17.80\00:47:21.37
that death and the symbolism
of the burial with baptism
00:47:21.40\00:47:25.77
into that watery grave,
00:47:25.81\00:47:27.94
and then you and I
rise up to newness of life.
00:47:27.98\00:47:32.41
We can live in the Spirit
by the power of the Spirit.
00:47:32.45\00:47:37.52
Romans 6:16.
00:47:37.55\00:47:40.66
"Do you not know that to
whom you present yourself
00:47:40.69\00:47:42.56
slaves to obey,
00:47:42.59\00:47:44.13
you are that one's
slaves to whom you obey,
00:47:44.16\00:47:46.80
whether of sin leading to death,
00:47:46.83\00:47:48.73
or of obedience
leading to righteousness?"
00:47:48.76\00:47:50.90
That just means every
morning and every moment
00:47:50.93\00:47:53.50
of the day.
00:47:53.54\00:47:54.87
You and I have a choice.
00:47:54.90\00:47:56.24
Are we going to follow Jesus?
00:47:56.27\00:47:57.61
Are we going to say yes to Him
when He calls for our hearts?
00:47:57.64\00:48:00.34
Are we going to choose
to walk in our own way,
00:48:00.38\00:48:03.58
which is by default,
walking in the way of the enemy?
00:48:03.61\00:48:07.52
Verse 17,
00:48:07.55\00:48:08.88
"But God be thanked
00:48:08.92\00:48:10.25
that though you
were slaves of sin,
00:48:10.29\00:48:11.62
yet you obeyed from the heart
00:48:11.65\00:48:12.99
that form of doctrine to
which you were delivered."
00:48:13.02\00:48:14.79
Verse 18,
00:48:14.82\00:48:16.16
"Having been set free from sin,
00:48:16.19\00:48:20.26
you became slaves
of righteousness."
00:48:20.30\00:48:22.40
Having been set free from sin.
00:48:22.43\00:48:25.27
Do you want to be
set free from sin?
00:48:25.30\00:48:27.14
Is sin binding
you in its clutches?
00:48:27.17\00:48:31.14
Jesus came that you and I
00:48:31.17\00:48:33.71
could be set free.
00:48:33.74\00:48:37.48
It was a hot day,
00:48:37.51\00:48:39.48
Greg and I had
come home from work.
00:48:39.51\00:48:41.28
And we had to go out and
visit some church members.
00:48:41.32\00:48:43.55
And at the end of the day,
00:48:43.59\00:48:44.92
we opened up the door
going into the garage,
00:48:44.95\00:48:47.99
and the heat in the
garage just hit me in the face.
00:48:48.02\00:48:52.19
I looked at the
little temperature gauge
00:48:52.23\00:48:53.96
know the garage door open
00:48:54.00\00:48:55.33
and it has a
little temperature gauge.
00:48:55.36\00:48:56.70
And it said it was
100 degrees in the garage.
00:48:56.73\00:48:58.83
Now 100 degrees in
California might not feel so bad
00:48:58.87\00:49:01.57
or in Phoenix, Arizona
'cause it's a dry heat,
00:49:01.60\00:49:03.91
but 100 degrees in
Southern Illinois is hot,
00:49:03.94\00:49:08.04
humid, sticky.
00:49:08.08\00:49:10.95
And we were just about
ready to get in the car.
00:49:10.98\00:49:14.05
And I heard this noise
fluttering kind of at the roof.
00:49:14.08\00:49:18.12
So I looked up and
there was a hummingbird,
00:49:18.15\00:49:21.42
itty-bitty hummingbird
right at the peak of the roof.
00:49:21.46\00:49:25.96
And if it was 100
degrees where we were there,
00:49:25.99\00:49:29.26
I know, it had to be hotter
at the peak 'cause heat rises.
00:49:29.30\00:49:33.57
And so we open
up the garage door,
00:49:33.60\00:49:35.87
and I thought
maybe he's gonna be smart
00:49:35.90\00:49:40.94
and fly out
because he would die,
00:49:40.98\00:49:43.04
if he stayed in the
garage he was gonna die.
00:49:43.08\00:49:46.05
So maybe he's gonna
fly out and recognize
00:49:46.08\00:49:48.05
that the doors open, recognize
there's an easy way out.
00:49:48.08\00:49:51.42
All he has to do is come
down a bit from the rafters
00:49:51.45\00:49:54.42
and fly out to the open
door, but he didn't do that.
00:49:54.46\00:49:58.19
And so then I ran outside
and I tried plan number two,
00:49:58.23\00:50:01.83
and I grabbed the hummingbird
feeder which is bright red
00:50:01.86\00:50:04.73
and I carried it in the garage,
and I held it up and I thought,
00:50:04.77\00:50:07.77
well, maybe he's gonna
see the red and be attracted
00:50:07.80\00:50:10.11
and come down and
then when he lands on it,
00:50:10.14\00:50:12.04
I can pull him
outside, but that failed too.
00:50:12.07\00:50:16.11
So Greg tried plan three.
00:50:16.14\00:50:18.48
He grabbed the
ladder, opened it up,
00:50:18.51\00:50:21.38
pulled on some old work gloves,
00:50:21.42\00:50:23.49
and he climbed up the
ladder to the top of it,
00:50:23.52\00:50:26.09
and then he stepped
down to the rafters.
00:50:26.12\00:50:29.26
And I kind of held my breath
'cause I'm afraid of heights
00:50:29.29\00:50:31.96
as he stepped
from rafter to rafter
00:50:31.99\00:50:34.60
until he got right underneath
where the hummingbird was.
00:50:34.63\00:50:38.63
He reached up his
gloved hands and he caught her.
00:50:38.67\00:50:42.27
And she began to squawk
in a way I have never heard
00:50:42.30\00:50:45.94
hummingbird squawk.
00:50:45.97\00:50:47.31
He wasn't crushing
her. So it wasn't from pain.
00:50:47.34\00:50:49.31
I don't know if it was fear,
00:50:49.34\00:50:50.68
I don't know, but
it was a loud squawk.
00:50:50.71\00:50:52.38
And then he's
holding the hummingbird,
00:50:52.41\00:50:54.25
stepping from rafter to
rafter until he got right over
00:50:54.28\00:50:59.55
where the ladder was.
00:50:59.59\00:51:01.86
And then he stepped
and started walking down
00:51:01.89\00:51:03.89
the rungs of the ladder.
00:51:03.93\00:51:05.26
I'm holding the ladder.
00:51:05.29\00:51:06.63
He comes down,
walks outside the garage,
00:51:06.66\00:51:11.30
and I'm there with
a hummingbird feeder.
00:51:11.33\00:51:12.93
He opens up the gloved hands.
00:51:12.97\00:51:15.80
And the bird was so tired.
00:51:15.84\00:51:18.47
It was so worn out.
00:51:18.51\00:51:21.01
It didn't try to fly.
00:51:21.04\00:51:22.91
It didn't try to fight.
00:51:22.94\00:51:24.71
It did nothing,
but just lay there.
00:51:24.75\00:51:27.22
And I could see his little eyes.
00:51:27.25\00:51:29.18
And so I held the
hummingbird feeder
00:51:29.22\00:51:30.89
as close as I could
to Greg's gloved hands,
00:51:30.92\00:51:33.99
and picked out its little beak.
00:51:34.02\00:51:36.46
And it began to drink.
00:51:36.49\00:51:38.59
And we just watched in
wonder 'cause when do you have
00:51:38.63\00:51:41.00
the opportunity to be
that close to a hummingbird?
00:51:41.03\00:51:44.20
We just watched in
wonder is it drank,
00:51:44.23\00:51:46.74
and drank, and drank.
00:51:46.77\00:51:49.00
Pretty soon it got
just enough strength.
00:51:49.04\00:51:52.87
And it lifted off.
00:51:52.91\00:51:54.91
And it flew away.
00:51:54.94\00:51:57.51
And we got in the
car, it was really hot,
00:51:57.55\00:52:00.48
started driving over
to see the church member.
00:52:00.52\00:52:04.09
And I was
reminded of how many times
00:52:04.12\00:52:08.36
I have walked in the
ways of my own choosing.
00:52:08.39\00:52:12.09
I've gotten stuck at
the peak of the roof,
00:52:12.13\00:52:16.23
stuck in some sort of sin,
00:52:16.26\00:52:18.80
stuck in some sort of addiction.
00:52:18.83\00:52:22.57
And I couldn't
figure out how to get out.
00:52:22.60\00:52:25.07
I refused the easy way.
00:52:25.11\00:52:28.34
Jesus opened the garage
door and said just come to Me.
00:52:28.38\00:52:31.18
It's great, come, forgiveness,
00:52:31.21\00:52:34.42
healing,
acceptance, deliverance.
00:52:34.45\00:52:38.59
It's right here.
00:52:38.62\00:52:39.95
And I continued
my dance with sin,
00:52:39.99\00:52:43.53
my dance with death
00:52:43.56\00:52:47.00
at the very top of the roof.
00:52:47.03\00:52:49.90
And so Jesus had
gotten out the ladder.
00:52:49.93\00:52:55.04
How often had he climbed
the ladder of my stubbornness
00:52:55.07\00:53:00.38
and pride
reaching out scarred hands
00:53:00.41\00:53:05.41
to pick me up,
exhausted from my battle,
00:53:05.45\00:53:09.52
desperate to find a way out.
00:53:09.55\00:53:13.36
And the strange thing
is, how often had I cried out
00:53:13.39\00:53:19.09
against the very thing he
was using to bring me home?
00:53:19.13\00:53:22.23
You see, it was
those scarred hands
00:53:22.26\00:53:23.73
that He used to bring me home.
00:53:23.77\00:53:25.43
It was those scarred
hands that He was using.
00:53:25.47\00:53:28.94
He wanted to bring redemption.
00:53:28.97\00:53:30.81
He wanted to bring healing.
00:53:30.84\00:53:32.74
He wanted to bring forgiveness.
00:53:32.77\00:53:36.78
And yet I squawked
out against the very thing
00:53:36.81\00:53:41.32
that He used to bring me home.
00:53:41.35\00:53:46.29
When I got outside the garage,
00:53:46.32\00:53:50.99
he opened up His hands again
because that's who our God is.
00:53:51.03\00:53:56.00
He gives you and
I freedom to choose.
00:53:56.03\00:53:59.80
He gives you and I
the ability, He saves us.
00:53:59.83\00:54:04.04
And then He opens up His hands.
00:54:04.07\00:54:05.87
And He says,
00:54:05.91\00:54:07.24
"You're free My daughter, Jill,
00:54:07.28\00:54:09.34
you're free, My son,
whatever your name is.
00:54:09.38\00:54:12.91
You're free.
00:54:12.95\00:54:14.48
You can make a choice.
00:54:14.52\00:54:15.88
You can go back in the
garage, you can dance with sin,
00:54:15.92\00:54:19.55
you can die, or you can be free.
00:54:19.59\00:54:21.96
You have a whole world out here.
00:54:21.99\00:54:24.43
I died to set you free,
00:54:24.46\00:54:26.80
but it is still your choice."
00:54:26.83\00:54:30.10
I don't know where you
are in your walk with God.
00:54:30.13\00:54:34.27
Does it feel as
if God is silent?
00:54:34.30\00:54:37.04
Does it feel as
if He is far away?
00:54:37.07\00:54:41.18
Does it feel as
if He doesn't hear?
00:54:41.21\00:54:43.45
I want to tell you
today that our God He hears
00:54:43.48\00:54:47.32
that our God He cares,
00:54:47.35\00:54:50.19
that our God He understands,
00:54:50.22\00:54:54.02
that our God He comforts,
00:54:54.06\00:54:56.89
that our God accompanies you,
00:54:56.93\00:54:59.29
walks with you through anything,
00:54:59.33\00:55:02.83
that our God He answers,
00:55:02.86\00:55:05.40
most
importantly, our God delivers.
00:55:05.43\00:55:09.14
Do you want to be
set free from bondage?
00:55:09.17\00:55:11.07
Do you want to be
set free from sin?
00:55:11.11\00:55:12.84
Do you want to be
set free from trouble?
00:55:12.87\00:55:15.01
Do you want to be
set free from fear?
00:55:15.04\00:55:18.68
Open up your heart to Him.
00:55:18.71\00:55:20.68
He says, "Whoever the Son
sets free is free indeed."
00:55:20.72\00:55:25.49
Let's pray.
00:55:25.52\00:55:26.86
Holy Father, we come before You
00:55:26.89\00:55:28.22
in the name of Jesus.
00:55:28.26\00:55:30.23
And we are so
grateful for the gift of Jesus.
00:55:30.26\00:55:33.66
We're so grateful that in You,
we have hope of eternal life.
00:55:33.70\00:55:39.03
And right now I just
want to say a special prayer.
00:55:39.07\00:55:41.50
For my brothers and
sisters who are watching,
00:55:41.54\00:55:43.57
God, those who
are in difficulty,
00:55:43.61\00:55:45.57
those who are in trouble,
00:55:45.61\00:55:47.61
those who walk in poverty,
00:55:47.64\00:55:50.05
those who are
struggling with temptation,
00:55:50.08\00:55:53.31
those who walk in
loneliness, and fear,
00:55:53.35\00:55:56.35
and addiction.
00:55:56.38\00:55:59.35
God, would You reveal
Yourself in their silent time?
00:55:59.39\00:56:05.29
Would You reveal who You are?
00:56:05.33\00:56:09.30
Would You reveal that
You are a God who cares,
00:56:09.33\00:56:11.50
and You are a
God who understands,
00:56:11.53\00:56:13.27
and You are a God who comforts?
00:56:13.30\00:56:15.34
Would you speak to
them through Your Word, God,
00:56:15.37\00:56:18.91
through the
anointing of Your Holy Spirit?
00:56:18.94\00:56:22.01
Thank You for
coming to set us free.
00:56:22.04\00:56:26.11
And we give You praise and glory
00:56:26.15\00:56:27.88
because of who You are,
00:56:27.92\00:56:29.72
and what You have done.
00:56:29.75\00:56:31.75
And what You
will do in our lives
00:56:31.79\00:56:34.36
and we ask all this,
00:56:34.39\00:56:36.02
in the precious
and holy name of Jesus.
00:56:36.06\00:56:38.66
Amen.
00:56:38.69\00:56:40.46
What a gift
00:56:40.50\00:56:41.93
that you and I
have the opportunity
00:56:41.96\00:56:44.43
to spend time in God's Word.
00:56:44.47\00:56:46.30
What a gift that you
and I have been granted
00:56:46.33\00:56:49.40
not only the gift of salvation,
00:56:49.44\00:56:52.71
but the hope of eternal life
00:56:52.74\00:56:54.51
and the anointing
of the Holy Spirit.
00:56:54.54\00:56:58.81
So I just want to encourage
you to write to us here at 3ABN.
00:56:58.85\00:57:03.08
We love to hear from you.
00:57:03.12\00:57:04.45
We love to hear what
you are going through
00:57:04.49\00:57:06.55
and how we can pray for you.
00:57:06.59\00:57:08.66
We love to hear the
victories that God has given you
00:57:08.69\00:57:12.16
in your life.
00:57:12.19\00:57:14.03
And we want to be able
to share those as well.
00:57:14.06\00:57:16.00
We want to pray
with and for you.
00:57:16.03\00:57:19.07
No matter where you are,
no matter what you have done,
00:57:19.10\00:57:22.74
you are not alone.
00:57:22.77\00:57:24.17
God is with you.
00:57:24.21\00:57:25.87
He loves you and He
wants to deliver you.
00:57:25.91\00:57:29.58