Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / Do Not Be Deceived About The Goodness of God | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Maranatha Shabiba 2022)

Transcript

Do Not Be Deceived About The Goodness of God | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Maranatha Shabiba 2022) · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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I don't we just prayed but why don't we just for a brief
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moment. Ask the Lord, as we open the
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word to help us, shall we? What we thank you for your word,
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we are humbled. We're grateful for the Chance in
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This time of History, to be gathered in a room with no fear
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of any attack, any persecution any hostility and Lord, you
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know, the hearts of all men that is your prerogative.
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And we asked, oh God, that by the power of the Holy Spirit,
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the word may be honored. And that it would come in full
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conviction. It would come in the Holy Spirit
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would come with power load. We we need you.
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Thank you for the testimonies from the years before this
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meeting lines. Have been changed on a Friday
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night. We pray that the same would
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happen today with no manipulation, no coercion of the
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flesh by the compelling work of the Holy Spirit.
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Help us Lord save us from deception, rescue us from our
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hearts own lies, and bring us into the light that sets us
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free. We ask these things in Jesus
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name. Amen.
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When it comes to discussing the dangers of deception.
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Usually, in the mind, the general idea around that
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discussion, is that there are great misconceptions.
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About the Holiness and the justice of God that is usually
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what is threatened. When we talk about the deception
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about the nature, about the character of God and let me tell
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you that it is no. Doubt.
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It shouldn't be a doubt that there is a great delusion that
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is plaguing Our Generation concerning, not just the
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kindness of God, but as the Apostle Paul says this severity
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of God, the severity of God that's in Romans 11. but at the
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same time, The Perils of deception.
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The Jeopardy, that comes with a false view of God are not
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limited to a skewed or Twisted view of his righteousness.
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It goes beyond that you can have people and it's equally
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possible. For some to actually be misled
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about their understanding concerning, the Supreme goodness
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of God, and you can even have followers of Jesus Christ who
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have a diluted understanding of the depth of the compassion
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tenderness kindness. And the love of their Heavenly
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Father. So, what I want to present to
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you today is that the word of God, actually, cautions
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Christians, to be aware of of having a blurred perception, not
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about what we heard today, merely his Holiness, his
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righteousness, his call for repentance, but even the depth
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of his heart concerning, his personal love, and affection
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toward you as an individual. That is precisely what James was
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concerned about. When he wrote to his readers in
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chapter one of his letter and that is where I'm asking you to
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meet me in your Bibles and James chapter 1, James by the spirit
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was concerned that his readers who were steeped in various
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trials dispersed across the known world of being misled by
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their circumstances, concerning the goodness of God.
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And more importantly, it's the Holy Spirit through James who
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anticipated that there would be people even today, who would
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fall into the same trap of not being able to understand who God
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is. And his goodness and that is the
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main focus of our time together. Tonight, I want you to realize
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that as we are speaking about deception this weekend at there
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is the threat about owing about being deceived concerning.
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God being the source of every good and perfect.
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Given your life, James 1 verse 16, we read a familiar phrase,
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do not be deceived Christians, do not Be deceived my beloved
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Brothers, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
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coming down from the Father of Lights with whom.
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There is no variation or Shadow due to change.
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Some wonder if verse 16 the the charge not to be deceived is
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connected to the thoughts presented before verse 16, or is
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a way for James to introduce his argument after verse 16.
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And if you if you really look at it in the wisdom of the spirit,
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you will understand. And I'm under the persuasion
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that verse 16 is actually a hinge between both thoughts.
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And so he is saying, do not be deceived about what I just said
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and don't be deceived what I'm about to say.
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Because the the section is dealing with the same idea, and
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here's the idea that we even as Believers in the Lord, Jesus,
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Can fail to interpret the dealings of God in our
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day-to-day lives. and what's incredible is, we don't have
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time, but if you go to verse 13 down to verse 15, it's the -
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understanding meaning James clarifies who God is Not God is
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not my beloved Brothers the source of your Temptation.
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God is not a sadistic God who takes pleasure in your pain and
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so he drags you along through some trials with the intent of
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seeing you fail. God is not the source of your
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Temptation and then you go to verse 17 onwards and you see the
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positive aspect of this. So James wants to clarify who
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God truly is and who God truly Is is the source of all good?
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He is the stream in which everything.
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Perfect and everything that you would identify as a blessing and
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even failed to identify as a blessing, he is the Wellspring
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of every good and perfect gift and oh how we are often deceived
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about this. And let me tell you a subtle
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way, we are to see the about this.
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You have many people of their honest with themselves though.
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They wouldn't confess it though, they speak fluent christianese
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God is good all the time. God is good all the time and you
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know what they're saying? Because in their minds, if you
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really investigate, what you will see is that many Believers
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believe God is good, but for some things, he is responsible
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for some of the good. But when I look around and I
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look at myself, I realize that there are other vessels.
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The other contributors to the goodness that I have in my life.
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And so you have these people who have categories of where and
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what and who, and so God is good, and he is a source of good
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and saving my soul. He sent his son to die on the
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cross for my sins. So glad I have this ticket to
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eternal life and I can escape the fury of God's Wrath, but but
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there's some goodness here and there's some goodness there.
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And my wife is good, my children are good, my job is good, my
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puppy is good and my yacht is good.
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And and so they create these, these false categories and their
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minds and what James is trying to get across is no, no, you
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don't realize God isn't just the source of the gift of Salvation.
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He's a source of every gift. Every good every blessing and
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despite the means by, which those blessings come from,
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whether they seem to come from your abilities or whether they
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seem to come from your spouse or whether they seem to come from
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your children, or even your pastors behind all of it, God is
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the originator. He authorizes it.
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He signs off on it. And he has you in mind when he
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provides it. This is something that we have
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to understand, listen behind all the basic services that you
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engage with day-to-day that seem to make your life a little more
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easier. All the way to the events.
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That orchestrate our history as mankind.
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God is the one in a very deep way.
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We should be crowned as the source of all good.
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He's the one who steers everything, even when those
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vehicles are very unlikely to be related to God.
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And I want you to understand that and different examples by
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want you to see this in a very profound way, God spoke to his
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people, the people of Israel. One point they were in Exile
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they were in Exile and it seemed hopeless.
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There's sin brought them to Babylon and here they are not
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knowing really when they're going to go back though.
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Some of the righteous. You stood that there was a set
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time when they're going to go back and God gives a prophecy
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through the prophet Isaiah and he Comforts his people for them
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to see something that they could not see on the surface that they
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would not be able to interpret at face value.
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Because what God says in a particular prophecy which is one
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of the greatest apologetics for the supernatural origin of the
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word of God. God actually gives a prophecy
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about a ruler many years before his time by name, by the way, by
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name and his name was Cyrus and this ruler would be raised up by
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God though. You had no Covenant.
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With God though, he had no adherence to his Commandments.
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God would handpick a man. Who did not even believe in him,
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raise him up and threw him released, the people to go back
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into the promised land. And I want you to see the goal
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behind God, doing that. I want you to see the motivation
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and the Heart of God and doing something so Grand.
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And spectacular you can turn there if not the still be on the
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screen and Isaiah 45 verse 4 to 6.
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God speaks through his Prophet, to comfort the nation of Israel
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that were in bondage. Judge by of foreign Foe and he
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says, in Isaiah, 45 verse 4. Hey, listen again, if you want
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to really Evangelize and you want to defend the faith?
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I can't think of a greater tax. They're a great tax but this one
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is astounding as a prophecy, Isaiah prophesied someone.
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Hundreds of years, maybe they say between 180 220 years before
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his time by name and we read here in Isaiah, 45 verse 4 and
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6, for the sake of my servant. Jacob and Israel, My Chosen I
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call you by your name. I name you though.
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You do not know me speaking. The Cyrus.
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I am the lord, and there is no other besides me.
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There is no God. I equip you though.
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You do not know me. That people may know from the
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rising of the Sun. And from the West, that there is
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none besides me. I am the lord and there is no
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other Notice the goal. It's right there in the first
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part for the sake of my servant. Jacob.
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Listen, this history shifting event that took place for Cyrus
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to become a world. Dominating power would surely be
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interpreted differently by the nation's who are watching this,
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but in God's book, it is clear that all of this took place to
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prepare his people. To reposition His People Israel
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and he's telling them ahead of time.
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So that when it happens they can say, there's no one like you.
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There's no one like you. What I'm trying to communicate
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through this is that in this prophecy.
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The Holy Spirit explains in one way.
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The mindfulness of God that he was the factor behind a secular
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Pagan King being raised up, who had no Covenant with God, for
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the sole purpose of his people being liberated and then him
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receiving glory for it. So, how much more Comfort do you
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need than that in these times where we're seeing nation's rage
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and politicians becoming tyrannical, and lost shifting
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and dishonesty and all these conspiracies in these rumors of
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what's to come? How much more can we be
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comforted to know that God is Sovereign over at all?
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And not only is he Sovereign, but the same God, who had his
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chosen people at the time Israel as a priority in the purposes of
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his orchestration and Over the Nature's, is he no different for
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his bride. I look at everything and you can
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watch whatever station you watch and you know what I see behind
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it all there is a God on his throne and he has his people and
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they're good, they're purification their
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sanctification in mind as the primary goal of all this and he
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will receive the glory for it. May God open our eyes to see
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beyond what may seem irrelevant. What may seem disconnected to
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our faith. Cyrus had no relationship to
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Israel. Cyrus name and relationship to
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God and yet God says he doesn't even know me.
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I'm going to equip him. He doesn't even know me.
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I'm going to raise him up and through that.
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I'm going to bless my people. So just do that.
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I mean, how much do we fail to see?
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Concerning the goodness of God behind what we see in major
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events and in small micro events in our lives.
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How much do we actually fail to see.
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James wants to reinforce this truth believe that God is the
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source of all good. Even if you can't interpret the
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goodness yet, even though it's something that is difficult to
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understand in the moment, and I want you to understand that
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Satan seeks to deceive the people of God, in this, for many
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reasons. And here's here's a, here's an
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umbrella. Reason, you ready for this?
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If we fail, To see God as the source of every good and perfect
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gift, then we will fail to give him glory in everything.
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If we cannot attribut and we cannot crown him as the one who
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is the Wellspring of all that. We enjoy and drink fun.
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Then it's going to be very difficult to do what the Bible
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tells us throughout the scripture and that's glorify him
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and everything. And I want you to see a perfect
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example, we've been talking about David, a lot, we're
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talking about him again more year, I want you to see an
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example of what is unlocked when this conviction as simple as it
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may be not just in theory, but when it is really, really fixed
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as a foundation in your heart, what it will unleash, what kind
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of blossoming will come out of it and you're like, the
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fragrance that will come about when we really, really believe
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this. I mean, when you really look at
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everything and all C is God's autograph on it.
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David gives us a perfect example when he dedicates the temple, he
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had it on his heart. I want to build God, a house.
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My house is, more is more beautiful and he's living in a
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tent. This can't be.
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So he has this desire to build God house.
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God says, there's too much blood on your hands.
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You're a man of war. Men of War cannot build my
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house. I want a man of Peace, so his
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son would do it. But but David does what he can
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to prepare the resources for this Temple to be made when he
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would pass on into glory. And there's this wonderful
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prayer. Dedication and I would really
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encourage you to turn those pages to First Chronicles 29.
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And verse 12 2. Verse 14.
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What am I trying to communicate you?
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When I'm trying to explain what is unlocked?
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When we step into the place of really believing that God is the
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source of every good and perfect gift.
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And here's what we see in David's life.
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First Chronicles, 29. Verse 12.
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I'll wait for you to get the. I remember when I went to one of
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my first conferences, I didn't had zero, knowledge of the
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Bible. So the preacher went up there
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and he says, turn to the book of Hebrews and non-hebrews Jews has
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to be in the Old Testament. I was looking at the Old
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Testament, somebody beside me say the other side has like turn
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it to the other side. I always remember that.
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God is so patient. Here's what David says, both
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riches and honor come from you. And you rule over all in.
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Your hand are power and might and in your hand, is to make
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great and to give strength to all and now we thank you, our
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God, and praise your glorious name.
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But, who am I and what is my people that we should be able to
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thus offer willingly for all things come from you and of your
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own have we given you for all things come from you?
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This is what King David believe. Wholeheartedly and he expresses
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it joyfully as he comes near the end of his life.
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Listen by declaring all things come from you.
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What he is saying, is every material, every ounce that we've
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been able to retrieve was ultimately prepared and provided
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by God, but it's not limited to that because when he says all
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things, he really means all things.
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Things beyond the event that he is celebrating now, when he
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means all things, he means my kingship, he means my babies my
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children. My friends, my loyal soldiers,
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all the evasions of the enemy trying to take my life, my
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physical mobility. And if you read the Psalms even
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the soundness of my sleep comes from the one who sustains me.
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While I sleep, all things come from you. and because of this,
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we see, That David was able to recognize God's intentional and
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personal provision and listen in the same passage.
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You see the fruit of this conviction visit, this actually
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might solve a lot of the reason why you feel like you cannot be
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a praise full person. Notice in verse 13, when this
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conviction is truly set in your soul, it will produce genuine
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unashamed heartfelt, worship worship, and now we thank you.
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Our God and praise your glorious name.
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This is a praise that is particular and it is connected
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to the realization that from the hand of God comes power, might
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and strength and here's the principle that an accurate
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acknowledgement of God stirs. The appropriate adoration for
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God, the accurate acknowledgement of God, stirs
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the appropriate adoration for God, this may sound like it will
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judge but it's okay. We should judge righteously.
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I have a hunch that maybe one of the reasons why there are some
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Cannot get themselves to praise whether it's privately or
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corporately is because they don't firmly believe that their
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successes and its various forms has been enabled by Heavens
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Authority. That has to be one of the
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reasons why? Because you are compelled, there
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is a rumbling in your heart when you have the Revelation ever.
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Before you that everything that I know everything that I enjoy,
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every success that I have experience comes from the hand
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of God. That was personally extended to
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me. And if you don't really believe
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that it will prove itself in one way and that is Unable to
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praise. Unable to praise spontaneous.
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Praise unable to praise when you have gifted musicians before you
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unable to praise when you experience something sweet.
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Unable to praise when you were celebrating some event in your
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life. Unable to praise, I can tell you
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one thing about people, it goes beyond personality.
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I'm sorry. I can't buy it.
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It goes beyond. Well, this is just the way I'm
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wired. It goes beyond that.
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You have to dig deep and realize that have you really believed
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Thank God, has poured out everything upon your life that
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you consider good and perfect. The temptation to forget God's
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authorship behind all of our compliment apart accomplishments
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was so great, listen to this, God understands our nature to
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the degree that in the old Covenant.
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He actually had to set a day in the law apart so that we would
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mute and silence all activity in order to have undivided
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meditation and recognition for the very same thing.
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That David is saying here was called the Sabbath And you read
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an exodus 31 very clearly that the reason why God gave this
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sabbath to, the nation of Israel was so that they would remember.
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Once a week, it is the Lord who sanctifies me.
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It's the Lord who has set apart me as a special person, as a
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special people, and all the blessings that we enjoy.
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It is the Lord, and listen, this was so serious in the eyes of
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God, that to disobey that command was punishable by Death.
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Why? Because it has direct
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relationship between nurturing worship.
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As you meditate on the fact that he is the author of everything.
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And to neglect that would actually feed into the itch of
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idolatry. So to neglect, that would
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actually be a major contribution to so much of the mishaps and
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the mistakes and the intentional deviations from God.
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That's even if you look at why they went into Exile, God
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measured their punishment based on the Sabbath that they have
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missed. Because you did not honor the
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Sabbath, you're going into Exile, you want to worship false
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gods, then go to the nation, that worships false gods and
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until you make up for the time that you missed the Sabbath
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until then, can you come back? What does that tell you?
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Tells you this that their neglect of a day that was
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designated to say, let's just pause and everything and reflect
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on the fact that God is the one behind all of our business
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success, our family success. All that we know is from him
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because of that. There was something there in
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terms of their idolatry being Alive and well.
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Another message would would be helpful in understanding the
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Sabbath principle for us. Christians today.
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But you know what? That tells me that God's
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non-negotiable command to that degree teaches us that we by
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default. Listen are going to sway in the
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direction of failing to see God as a source of everything that
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is good. That is your default frame of
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mind. We need to be trained and we
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need to intentionally renew our minds and rehearse over
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ourselves that this is the sanctifying post that I must
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abide by He is the source of everything that constant
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conscious awareness of God is absolutely crucial to our
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sanctification. I hope you're convinced of that
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but it goes further than just appropriate worship.
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Look at this in verse 14 of the same passage notice in the first
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few words of David how his awareness of God's provisional
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mercies humbles and but who am I Who am I?
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Who am I to deserve? And be a recipient of everything
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here. This man was unable to praise
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himself. This man was refusing to be
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praised by others because of this great offering that he was
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making for the the house of God. You know why?
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Because he really believed all, I'm really doing all.
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This is recycling, God's resources?
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You read end of verse 14, says, here of your own.
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We have given you Giving is not very difficult.
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When all you're doing is giving God back.
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What he gave you. Here's the thing.
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Do we really believe that? Do you see how it affects?
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So many aspects of our life? David was so convincing that
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look, all I'm doing is returning.
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What you gave to me, I'm just recycling your resources.
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It's very difficult to be. Puffed up very difficult, even
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in your righteous and your sacrificial Deeds, when you
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know, that you are simply a channel.
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By which God's gifts flow. So, you know, when James says,
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do not be deceived, my, beloved Brothers, every good and perfect
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gift comes from above. He's not just speaking about the
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gifts that come to you. He's speaking about the gifts
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that flow through you. Even those gifts and this
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incredible because that's A Mighty Fortress against Pride.
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The Revelation not only puts God in his place that puts you and I
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in our rightful place as well. David was there he was right
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there. He had no concern about being
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Smitten by God like Herod was because it's very difficult to
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be self. Exalted when you have something
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so powerful in your thinking that's W away.
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Every single idea that wants to float in your head that says she
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wore something you are something and seeks to eclipse the glory.
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That is due unto God with this truth.
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Does it shoots those thoughts down?
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And no, wonder Satan wants us to be deceived in this.
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Because to fail to see God in every area of our success is to
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position us to be tempted to believe that we have some
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contribution in it and ultimately to take glory for it.
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This is the key to humility. You want to know how you can
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remain humble, believe what James is saying?
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Don't be deceived. Don't be tricked.
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Learn how to bounce everything. Back to the Lord.
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Lord has a reflex to see him as the originator.
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And the source there was a time where a man who is very
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successful in his ministry was told by one of those who are
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blessed by his ministry. Hey, You see what Jesus, and his
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men are doing their baptizing more people than you, you know,
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who I'm speaking about, right? John the Baptist, he was told
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Rabbi he who is with you across the Jordan to whom you bore
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witness? Look, he is baptizing and all
26:26
are going to him and John Answer something astounding and John 3,
26:29
26 and 27. A person cannot receive.
26:33
Even one thing unless it is given him from Heaven, a person,
26:38
cannot even receive one thing, one thing.
26:42
Do you think you can do one thing without God be honest.
26:47
Don't give me the Christian, he's answer, be honest.
26:50
No brother. God is good.
26:51
All the time, all the time. Got ho, ho be honest.
26:54
Do you believe That you can do one thing without God.
27:03
This is where people get a little offended, like, why are
27:05
you speaking to us like Sunday school kids?
27:08
John was no Sunday school kid. You struggle with jealousy.
27:16
Do you struggle with Envy? When you see God, blessing
27:20
someone as we see, somebody's Ministry growing when you see
27:23
somebody that's being used by God, do you have difficulty
27:26
rejoicing in that? Or are you one of those who in
27:29
order to comfort yourself find criticisms and allegations in
27:33
your head to try to justify why you perhaps are not being used
27:37
in the same way? John did not struggle with
27:41
insecurity. And guess what?
27:44
He didn't need to do some counseling to go and reach down,
27:46
deep inside to see what kind of trauma.
27:48
He experienced for him to feel so insecure.
27:51
He just had one revelation. God is the one.
27:55
God is the one who issues blessing.
27:57
God is the one who expands the breadth of Ministries.
27:58
And God tells me I'm done here. I'm done here.
28:00
Praise God. If God blessed, praise God,
28:03
praise God. This is all for God, and God,
28:08
does it? It's coming back to him?
28:10
It's through him, it's for him. I Rejoice at the voice of the
28:15
bridegroom. I Rejoice if God is being
28:18
glorified through me or part, for me, I rejoice.
28:24
Rats were not convinced. Perhaps, we're not convinced,
28:27
it's as simple as this of really, believing what James is
28:30
saying to believe in? And I want to tell you that the
28:34
Rebellion that we are preserved but from is still tied to this.
28:39
Remember we talked earlier about David's sin with Bathsheba,
28:41
right? Have you ever wondered what
28:44
encouraged him to do such an atrocious thing?
28:48
Have you ever wondered what stirred him?
28:50
Have you ever wondered what was the deep-rooted reason why he
28:53
would even entertain the thought of sleeping with another man's
28:58
wife? And in order to cover his sin
29:01
killing her husband You know, what's fascinating?
29:05
It probably is not what you think right now.
29:08
Because God speaks through the prophet Nathan and God exposes
29:12
the deep-rooted reason why David did what he did.
29:18
And so, Nathan speaks on behalf of the Lord.
29:20
And first Samuel 12. And in verse 78, listen
29:23
carefully to what is said. Nathan said to David.
29:29
You are the man. All that we would have prophets
29:32
today. Prophets that look at people
29:35
with a bony finger and say you're the man.
29:39
You are the man, thus says the Lord the god of Israel.
29:42
I anointed You. Look What the Lord is saying to
29:44
David. I mean, you read this separate
29:46
from the event and you would think that there's a different
29:48
scenario going on here. God is addressing David and
29:52
revealing the source of his adultery.
29:56
I anointed you King over Israel. And I delivered you out of the
30:00
hand of Saul and I gave you your Masters house and your Masters
30:05
wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel, and of
30:09
Judah. And if this were to little, I
30:11
would add to you as much more, huh.
30:18
I mean if somebody falls into adultery you know what I would
30:20
think. I mean hey you let your lust
30:21
consume your judgment. You were enveloped by the
30:26
passions of the flesh. That's not what God says to
30:28
David. He says two things.
30:30
The first thing is you were capable of this because you
30:34
forgot how good I've been to you.
30:40
You did not remember how I was the source of everything that
30:43
you were enjoying and everything that you have.
30:45
And the Lord was very specific, was he not the Masters house,
30:48
your Masters wives, the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
30:53
God was specific. So, you know what?
30:55
That tells me? I got to be specific with my
30:56
Thanksgiving. I got to be specific with my
31:00
Thanksgiving if God was specific in listing the very blessings
31:03
that he was responsible for then I must be specific in my
31:06
Thanksgiving to him in order to know the full power of how
31:10
gratitude keeps me and puts a seat belt around me.
31:15
So I don't go flying in two directions that I would later
31:17
regret. You forgot how good I've been to
31:22
you. And here's the second thought
31:23
which is, I believe more profound. if this were too
31:27
little, even though I gave you all of this, if this were too
31:32
little, I would have gladly added more to you.
31:38
I would have given more to you. What does this mean?
31:42
Why did you have to sin to try to add something to you?
31:46
Because everything you need is from me.
31:50
And in me, you see what he's saying?
31:53
Why did you have to wander off? So at any point when David felt
31:58
this dissatisfaction, what he, what he could have done it, what
32:02
he should have done is come with that, hollowness in his soul and
32:06
be broken before his maker. And say, Lord there's something
32:12
in my heart, that's not at rest. I'm smelling the buffet of this
32:19
world and I feel my feet shifting, you need to do
32:23
something about this and what God is saying is I would have
32:27
gladly added exactly what you needed to know so that you can
32:31
experience that wholeness that keeps you still.
32:38
And James says, every good and perfect.
32:40
Gift is from above. You know what?
32:41
He's trying to say. If ever you are tempted to try
32:46
to find something good outside of God, you're being deceived.
32:52
You're being deceived. The moment you begin to sense,
32:56
thoughts creeping, and you want, you want to know how, you know,
32:59
you have the infancy of deception crawling into your
33:03
soul. This is how the moment, you feel
33:06
these thoughts whispering to you, suggesting to you.
33:12
There's something good out there.
33:15
There's something there. I think I need to have an affair
33:21
to spice up my my life. I don't feel like I'm in love
33:28
anymore with my husband. I don't feel like I'm in love
33:31
anymore with my wife. I think I need a just add some.
33:36
Some fantasy to my existence. Yeah.
33:41
You know, I think I'm just back up for my commitment to church.
33:46
I work so much already but I need to work some more.
33:47
I want to make some more money because I think what we're
33:49
really really make me happy if I just get the new edition of the
33:52
car that I already have, I think I think that's what's really
33:55
going to help. It's just a website.
34:01
Not hurting anybody. Images on a screen by myself,
34:06
nobody has to know. I just need to medicate the pain
34:11
in my life. And surely, this will be enough
34:14
to distract me. It's just another glass of wine.
34:20
It's another glass. It's not like I'm driving. just
34:25
need a scape. You want to detect whether
34:31
something is good, but there's something is from God or not,
34:34
here's your gauge. If God said he is the source of
34:38
all good. But what you were being tempted
34:42
with is something that God is saying is not good.
34:47
You're being deceived. Isn't that simple us?
34:51
So wonderful. So simple.
34:56
But the more we entertain, those thoughts, like, David did the
34:59
more we open ourselves up to the seductions of this life, to end
35:02
up causing deep, wounds and pain.
35:06
Don't be deceived. You will never find anything,
35:10
satisfying outside of God himself.
35:13
I promise you. but we see here also that the Holy Spirit has
35:21
something else in mind, when he wrote about this in James When
35:25
we fail to perceive the graciousness of God, there's a
35:28
there's a wider context that really, really suggest probably
35:32
the greatest time when we are tempted to be like, yeah.
35:37
And he died for me, but it's really hard to believe how he is
35:42
good with how things are going in my life.
35:44
Zoom out of James one and understand the initial thought
35:48
and realize how this connects with that first thought, what we
35:52
just read do not be deceived my beloved Brothers.
35:54
Every good and perfect gift is from above.
35:56
Well, what context did he say that all you have to do is read
35:59
the first 23 verses to understand what James is dealing
36:03
with, with his readers. And this is what he's dealing
36:06
with in verse 2. You know it, you've quoted it.
36:08
I hope I hope you memorize it. Count it all joy. my brothers,
36:15
when you meet Trials of various kinds, He is writing to a burden
36:21
group of Christians, he is writing to people who are
36:23
experiences various kind of Trials to the point.
36:27
Now, they are tempted to actually accuse God of not being
36:30
good. And though the trials of life,
36:36
there are a variety of them. They all have one thing in
36:39
common. You want to know what it is.
36:40
Each of them are eager and ready to tempt you.
36:45
To believe that God is really not good.
36:50
And when we are having our comfort Disturbed, when we are
36:55
helplessly watching somebody that we love suffer, it does not
36:59
take much time though. You've attended all those Bible
37:02
studies, though you've heard sermons do you have podcast that
37:05
you listen to on the way to work that are edifying.
37:07
It does not take very much time when the sting is severe and the
37:13
heat gets hotter for you to come to the point where you hear
37:16
things such as how can God really do this to a child of his
37:24
And Satan's voice amplifies and all the conversations that you
37:29
have 8th, with atheist starts to make a little bit more sense, at
37:32
least to the flesh. How this is, what you get to
37:37
sign up for Jesus. This is what he offers you.
37:43
I don't know. It was it was easier finding a
37:45
spouse before I got saved. Right.
37:50
It was much easier to cruise on through this life before I was
37:54
very vocal about Mike, is this? What I get?
37:58
James knew that the Holy Spirit knows that he knows that Satan
38:03
the world. This flesh will weaponize your
38:05
trials. Well, weaponize your suffering.
38:10
Instead of counting it with all joy that you would count it.
38:13
And then accuse God because of it.
38:18
This is what James would say. Don't be deceived, especially as
38:22
you endure, trials. I love what he says here.
38:25
He says count it all joy. My brothers when you meet Trials
38:27
of various kinds of, didn't say if Huh?
38:32
When it's about time, it's inevitable.
38:35
Yeah, it might take you by surprise but if you're a
38:38
follower of Jesus Christ is just a matter of when not, if I'm
38:41
just giving you a heads up. And this is where those.
38:48
Who have scars, who are familiar with trials, who may be enduring
38:53
something? Now, might be wondering, I get
38:56
what you're saying. Preacher.
38:57
But can you give me a little bit more to work with to know how I
39:02
can actually really believe like believe to the point where I can
39:07
sing. About how good God is, when this
39:10
this pain is just too powerful. If you're not careful, you start
39:16
thinking things and people have said this and it makes me wonder
39:19
just how how far deception could take people well because they're
39:23
suffering there. Can't be a God.
39:25
How can there be a good God if we suffer, how can God let me
39:28
suffer like this and and claim to be good?
39:31
And then demand for my rejoicing about his goodness.
39:34
So they can't be good. Here's my simple answer.
39:36
It's not very deep, it's not very philosophical.
39:38
It's very simple. How does that help you?
39:41
By canceling, the existence of God, does that make her
39:44
suffering better? Does that put more meaning to
39:48
your suffering are less meaning to your suffering?
39:52
So OK, cancel God from your belief.
39:54
Remove God from your acknowledgement.
39:57
Now, what? That create more clarity or
40:01
create more problems. Thank you.
40:03
You're smart enough to see where I'm going with that.
40:08
Here's my answer based on the word of God, James says count,
40:11
it all joy. Because in verse 34, you know
40:14
that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness it
40:18
produces something always always, there's something that
40:22
is carved in you there's something of a facet that is
40:26
sharpened. That could not be discovered.
40:30
That could not be realized apart from the pressure of that pain.
40:35
Apart from the burning of that fiery trial.
40:39
There's something that is realized, there's something that
40:41
is known. And if there's anything that
40:44
comes out of it, it's the genuineness of your faith.
40:46
I was just having this conversation with other people
40:48
about job and his suffering. Job is a mysterious book to some
40:53
degree philosophers who don't even believe in God and love to
40:55
discuss it. Usually teaching in their
40:58
indoctrination centers, I don't call them University more. try
41:01
to cause people to say what kind of a God is that has Bets with
41:04
Satan and And there are many answers to the suffering of Joe,
41:08
but one of the things that suffering does is that it
41:11
reveals to you the sufferer, the genuineness of your faith.
41:17
It shows you, it teaches you, it reveals to you if your faith is
41:22
legitimate. And so, what happens to you is
41:27
that you see the realization of the work of God by the holy
41:31
spirit, in your life. When you, when you still can
41:35
cling to Jesus Christ, his word, his righteousness, his commands,
41:39
even though it doesn't pay off in the moment.
41:46
James says confidently, you can actually count it all joy,
41:50
genuine Joy because you have a revelation that this is surely
41:55
going to produce something. The psalmist said it this way
41:59
I'll read it to you. In Psalm 119 verse 71 it is good
42:03
for me that I was afflicted that I might learn your statutes.
42:08
It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn
42:13
your statutes. Now here's what's amazing.
42:16
You read that and he says it in the past tense.
42:20
It is good for me that I was afflicted.
42:23
And usually, that's when you realize that it was good when
42:25
you come out of it, when you go through it and when you see the
42:30
polishing power of that Affliction.
42:32
And that was actually good, it wasn't in the moment and it feel
42:35
like it at least. And now that God has pulled me
42:39
through. I can actually say confidently,
42:41
it was actually good. But in the New Covenant, we
42:46
suck, we have something more powerful because you know what?
42:48
James says, count it all joy. My brothers when you meet the
42:51
trial, never mind. Go through it when you
42:54
confronted in its immediate see when you realized it right now.
42:57
When you know man this I'm headed towards the storm.
43:00
I can see it that phone call comes in that doctor's report
43:04
comes in Things begin to brew and it's out of your control and
43:10
you try to you, try to put some kind of safety nets around it
43:14
and it's not working. And here's what James is saying,
43:16
you don't even have to wait till after the fact you can have such
43:19
a faith in God in his goodness. That when you meet it, you can
43:22
count it all joy. That's the New Covenant.
43:27
That's the power of the truth that we have with the fullness
43:29
of the revelation of the word of God.
43:31
You know, what the psalmist was working with when he said this
43:33
Leviticus Numbers. The things that we can barely
43:38
read through. And yet you can say it was good,
43:43
that I was afflicted. I learned something in my
43:45
affliction. James goes beyond that says, you
43:49
can meet it and you can meet it with a smile.
43:54
I pray that that would be your experience.
43:56
I pray that that would be your testimony.
44:01
I'm going to stop here. I want to stop here with a
44:03
story. There's a man by the name of
44:06
Robert Robinson. Robert Robinson was born in the
44:13
mid-1700s. And this young boy, the age of 8
44:18
years old. Had his father died.
44:24
Difficult. Not growing up with a dad, is
44:28
not an easy thing. His mother had great trouble
44:31
raising him. He was a little Rebel.
44:38
This obedient causing Ruckus has so much.
44:41
So that later on in his early teens she shipped them off to
44:45
London to a trade school. Whatever her intention was, it
44:50
didn't really help because once he went there, all he did was
44:52
join a gang. And he was the leader of it.
44:56
So now he has these rebels in their teenage years and what
44:59
they would do is drink. Gamble.
45:03
And cause issues. one day, this man, Robert and his friends
45:11
decided to get a fortune teller drunk They just want to mess
45:17
around. so, she drinks and a strange series of events during
45:23
that time, as they're sitting there, this woman intoxicated
45:27
Looks at Robert and says, you will live.
45:31
To see your children and your grandchildren.
45:36
It's very Simple statement. But with this hardened heart, it
45:41
did something to him because he thought to himself.
45:43
Well, if that's if that's the case, I can't be living the way
45:47
I'm living but he pushed aside the thought and he'd never
45:49
considered again until Not too long after that and evangelist
45:56
came to town. And there was much, talk about
45:59
this evangelist. This evangelist was named George
46:03
Whitefield. George Whitefield.
46:06
If you haven't heard of him, read about him.
46:08
If you're a serious follower of Christ, he will humble you.
46:12
This man in his early 20s saw Revival in the thousands and he
46:16
was in Roberts town and so Robert looks at his friends he
46:21
goes I have an idea. Why don't we go to the meeting?
46:25
Let's Heckle the guy. Let's go to the meatless, cause
46:28
a Ruckus, this friends agree. This is why I'm not discouraged.
46:34
When people come to meetings like this for reasons, apart
46:37
from God, you're sitting under God's word, he set you up.
46:45
And so Roberts there with the intention.
46:49
Of causing trouble. And George Whitefield gets up.
46:54
What do you think? George Whitefield.
46:55
Preached in that sermon It wasn't everything's going to be
47:01
okay. Just, you know, you might have a
47:04
good life just add Jesus because, you know, he created
47:07
you and just tuck them in somewhere.
47:09
Not on, you know what, he preached with somebody in that
47:12
crowd, who didn't grow up with a father, who was Hollow, who is
47:15
empty, who suffered, who is none, because of sin.
47:18
You want to know what he preached, George Whitefield, you
47:20
brood of vipers. Who warned you to flee from the
47:25
Wrath to come stuff? You don't hear a lot today.
47:30
There was this man. Robert steering with his
47:33
friends. Shook, I can tell you this, he
47:36
didn't Heckle, you didn't cause a ruckus for three years, that
47:42
sermon haunted, him, 3 years, So guess what else?
47:48
I'm not discouraged by the lack of response to the message the
47:51
same night. You preach it.
47:55
Because this man didn't answer any altar call.
47:57
He didn't come up to George Whitefield to talk.
47:59
He didn't look for a preacher. He just went on his way for
48:01
another three years. And after three years, he
48:05
finally bend the knee and gave his life to the Lord Jesus
48:08
Christ. And this young man.
48:12
Follow the call of God to become a pastor and he preached the
48:16
word of God and he declared the word of God and very shortly
48:19
after his conversion. He penned a him.
48:25
A him that churches still sing today ahem that doesn't make
48:29
sense for somebody who lost their dad at eight years old,
48:32
somebody who had every right to look to the heavens and say how
48:35
can you a good god? Take my dad away.
48:40
How can you inflict suffering as a young child?
48:45
How do you expect me to believe in a God?
48:48
Who apparently love me enough to die for me but couldn't keep my
48:51
dad in my life that man who could have used all the excuses
48:55
in the world. Penned Come Thou Fount of Every
49:00
Blessing. Tune, my heart to sing thy Grace
49:05
streams of Mercy, never ceasing. Call for songs of loudest.
49:12
Praise teach me some melodious. Sonnet sung, by flaming tongues
49:18
above, praise the mount. I'm fixed upon it.
49:22
Mount of God's redeeming love. You have a choice in this life.
49:34
What you will do with your suffering.
49:38
It will either Harden you to hate God and to go about your
49:43
way only to incur more suffering. because you are
49:47
turning your back on the one who made you and who has purpose
49:51
even behind the pain, or you allow that suffering to bring
49:56
you with a soft and heart to say, I may not understand it,
50:00
but I realize There is no such thing as innocent people
50:06
suffering because none of us are innocent.
50:10
None of us are innocent. There is only one person who is
50:13
innocent and who suffered in a way, that doesn't make sense,
50:18
and that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
50:22
What are you going to do with your suffering?
50:24
What are you going to do with your upbringing?
50:26
What are you gonna do with your trials, where you going to go?
50:28
Are you going to go into deception?
50:34
Maybe the fish that you're raising to heaven.
50:39
Can be Unwound by God and it be turned into a hand that would
50:43
sing his praises and right of his glories.
50:47
You think this is a fake thing. That Robert was writing about I
50:50
was very real is very real. There is a tasting and a seeing
50:55
of the Lord. That goes beyond explanation.
51:00
There's some things that can be explained and I believe that we
51:03
should explain Doctrine and theology, but we have to go
51:06
beyond explanation and into the realm of experience.
51:11
That is what is available to you.
51:15
A my message here is not particular for the person that
51:17
doesn't believe in Jesus Christ. My messages to the believer,
51:19
tonight, that you'd be built up in your faith.
51:23
To make sure that you can go to a deeper level with god with the
51:27
simple Revelation that you set before you, he is indeed.
51:32
The source of every good and perfect gift.
51:36
And I pray that you would come to that realization.
51:39
And I trust that the Holy Spirit through this brief message.
51:43
I will honor and not because it's the words of man, but the
51:45
word. Of God himself.
51:49
Lord, we thank you for this meeting.
51:59
Help us see what David saw. For all things come from you
52:05
though. We pray that tonight, if there
52:06
would be anything, it would be the sound of crowns being laid
52:09
at your feet. All of our trophies and all of
52:14
our prizes would be removed from this, the shelf of self.
52:19
And brought before the throne of grace and that in this place,
52:24
father inspired by the work of the spirit.
52:26
There would be loudest. Praise That we can truly say,
52:31
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
52:36
Call for songs of loudest, praise.
52:39
Lord, we just ask for those who have a complicated case of a
52:45
trial that your word would do a deep surgery.
52:50
Lord, let the revelation of your word, he'll Hearts tonight and
52:55
we pray that tonight, there would be a new level.
52:59
A new level of trust, a new level of adoration toward the
53:02
one. That provides all that, we love.
53:07
And all the things that we fail to see as a blessing, Lord
53:10
receive Glory receive maximum Glory and Honor in this place.
53:14
And in Jesus name we pray. Amen.