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The Gospel and Your Anxiety · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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It is our general habit as a church to preach through books of the Bible, verse by verse, working our way from the very beginning to the very end of each of them.
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But from time to time, we take breaks from the primary text to bring up other matters, other issues.
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This morning, we will once again be taking a break from our exposition of the book of Hebrews to continue what we purpose to make a periodically presented series on the gospel and counseling.
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Some of you may remember some months ago, we talked about the gospel and your sorrow.
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Beloved, it is altogether possible to understand the gospel for the salvation of your soul, which is its primary purpose.
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Praise God if we understand it in this way, that you would be saved from the judgment to come.
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But to miss that the gospel has implications for the way that you think and feel and act today.
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We flee to Christ to be saved from hell and we flee to Christ to be saved from sin, or at least we should.
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We have much opportunity as a church of the living God to make him known in the world through the careful application of the gospel to the daily struggles of this life.
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This certainly does not preclude gospel proclamation, but it should accompany it.
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So today's sermon is entitled The Gospel and Your Anxiety.
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I shared with you last week, having, through a number of circumstances, I think kind of a pile up in my own heart,
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having what I only know to describe as an anxiety attack.
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I kind of loaded us into the end of Hebrews chapter 7,
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trying to give careful application to the necessity of a foundation, a life built on a foundation that is Christ.
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And I told you as I spoke about that off the cuff, that I ran for refuge to Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 through 8,
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each of us have and will likely experience some measure of anxiety.
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In this life.
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Certainly some of us have a greater propensity toward it than others.
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But it is inevitable that fallen people living in a fallen world will, from time to time, feel the weightiness of our reality.
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Some people are abundantly aware that they are anxious.
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Many are not.
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The truth is that none of us escape this.
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Some people experience crippling anxiety.
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Some of us just worry in a way that we should not.
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It is faithless worrying.
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If you aren't presently finding yourself an anxious person, you will at some point in your life, most likely.
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So I hope two things for our time together this morning.
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Number one, that you will have a clear understanding of your anxiety, your personal anxiety, and be better equipped to fight for your joy.
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And number two, that you will have a clear understanding of another's anxiety, and be better equipped to fight for their joy.
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This is why the title, the gospel, and your anxiety is applicable in either case.
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And we're going to continue to do that as we walk through this series periodically.
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Beloved, we are instructed to love one another.
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And Paul tells us in Galatians chapter 6 and verse 2 that if we love one another, we will bear another's burdens.
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We are to take on the trouble of others.
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If you are in relationship with other people, you are going to be asked to give some measure of counsel.
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If you have any meaningful relationship, relationships that step off the computer screen and sit down together,
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you're going to have need to pick up somebody else's burden.
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And we should definitely aim to give biblical answers to spiritual problems.
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So I hope that you'll understand your anxiety, and I hope that you'll understand the anxiety of another.
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So Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 through 8.
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Before I read it, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us, written for his glory and our good.
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As such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Rejoice in the Lord always.
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Again, I will say, rejoice.
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Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
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The Lord is at hand.
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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
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let your requests be made known to God.
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And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,
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if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
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I was once at a biblical counseling conference some years ago, and in an afternoon session, the speaker began his lesson by saying,
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tell me what you worry about or what makes you angry, and I will show you your idols.
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And I love this kind of teaching.
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Many of you are patient with me under it.
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I like to state the premise up front, big and strong, to make you go, huh?
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I have discovered that often that makes you guys shut down and not listen to the explanation of the statement,
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which is what happened to me in this case, but I think in a most helpful way,
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because I found this emphatic statement just too strong not to wrestle out its implications.
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He probably did that.
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He was probably going on to say more about it, but the statement was so strong, I just had to say, wait, is that true?
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So I spent the next hour writing down things that worried me or angered me and tracing each thing to its source,
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really thinking about why is it that this worries me?
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Why is it that this thing angers me?
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And I was shocked to discover that most, if not all, of my worry was sinful anxiety.
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It had at its base some form of idolatry, a faith in something other than God.
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It was a good and instructive hour for me.
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Paul tells us in verse 6 of our text this morning, do not be anxious about anything.
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He gives the command to not be anxious.
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However, in 2 Corinthians 11, verse 28, he writes, as he's concluding all of the sufferings that he experiences,
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he says, and apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
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I take this to mean that it's possible to be faithfully concerned about a matter.
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Paul has the pressure of his anxiety, and I don't think he's suggesting to us that this is sinful in that case,
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but it is faith-filled anxiety.
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But the command here, Philippians chapter 4, to not be anxious about anything,
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is in reference to a faithless concern.
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And this is an anxiety that must be remedied for our good and for the glory of God.
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Now, before I give you the outline for the text and we begin our study of it,
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I want you to see something significant.
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Everything Paul is teaching us is an expansion of what he has previously declared that we are.
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What he's teaching us to do, he's teaching because it comes from who we are.
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Let me show you this by looking up at verse 1 of chapter 4.
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He says,
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Now, this is all kinds of packed with identity, right?
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He calls them brothers.
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And ladies, even you want to be brothers in this sense, joined to the family of God,
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co-heirs with Christ.
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He says that he loves them and he longs for them, that they are his joy and his crown,
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and they are beloved.
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All kinds of identifiers.
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But the encouragement here is for them to stand firm thus in the Lord.
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What does standing firm look like?
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Well, he goes on in chapter 4 to explain this.
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Verse 2 and 3, Paul tells us, it is working toward and maintaining the unity of the church.
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And then the other things that follow in our text, which we'll go on to consider.
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But chapter 4, verse 1 begins with a therefore.
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Paul is saying, stand firm because of something.
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Because of a reality that he's already stated, he's saying, so stand firm.
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What is that something?
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It is the reality of who you and I are in Jesus Christ if we have placed saving faith in him.
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Look at the end of chapter 3, verse 20 and 21.
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But our citizenship is in heaven.
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And from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body
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by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
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This is the reality that he goes on then to say,
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therefore, brothers, the ones I love and long for, my joy, my crown, my beloved.
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It's coming out of this reality of who Christ is toward his people.
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Beloved, we are part of a theocracy being ruled by King Jesus,
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who is bringing all things under his reign.
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This is the reality of who we are that's meant to inform how we live.
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So there's a therefore.
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And now we've arrived at the outline for the text, which is as follows.
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And I never expect that you get all this down in your note taking.
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But for the sake of time, I like to give it to you, give you a structure and move on.
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So number one, fight for your joy.
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Number one, fight for your joy.
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Number two, be gracious toward others.
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Be gracious toward others.
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Number three, turn to God with all of your concerns.
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And number four, and you won't get this in the notes if you don't write really fast.
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Dehabituate by rehabituating.
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Dehabituate.
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That makes me smile more than Sunday with Sunday, doesn't it?
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Dehabituate by rehabituating.
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All right, number one, fight for your joy.
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Verse four, rejoice in the Lord.
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Always, again, I will say, rejoice.
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And I love that Paul adds emphasis, right, to the exhortation by saying it once again.
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And that's exactly what he's doing here, right?
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He's saying, rejoice.
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I'm just going to say it again because you need to get it.
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Rejoice.
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Beloved, lasting joy is not circumstantial.
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We may find temporary happiness in our circumstances.
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There are things in this world that are lesser joys, I would suggest to you, that are meant to point us to greater joys.
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But they're temporal.
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They don't last.
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And if we find all of our happiness, all of our joy in these things, we will just as readily find great misery in our circumstances.
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You have all lived long enough to have high highs and low lows.
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The children in the room know this.
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Life is tough.
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Paul here exhorts us, though, to rejoice always.
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To rejoice despite circumstances.
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He's saying it doesn't matter what the circumstance around you is.
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You should rejoice.
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How is this possible?
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It is possible if we find joy in an unchanging, eternal source of joy.
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And he says it in the text.
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Rejoice in the Lord.
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This is not some far-off concept.
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What he's saying to us is recognize who Christ is and who Christ is to you.
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Find in that an eternal source of joy.
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And if we rightly understand the weightiness of our sin before a most holy God,
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if we get our rebellion against him and the death that it deserves,
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if we have experienced in any measure a separation from God,
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how horrid that can be,
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then we have much to rejoice in as we draw near to God through Christ.
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And beloved, this is ultimately a battle of the mind.
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If you are to have joy, you're going to have to fight for joy.
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And this is a battle that will happen in your mind.
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If it's an uncircumstantial joy,
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it's not based on what's happening around you.
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It's based on what's happening within you.
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This will be a battle of the mind.
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I fear as a church, as I talk about the mindfulness of Christianity,
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that I sway us too far towards stoicism,
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that we separate out our thinking from our feeling.
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I never want to do this.
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But what we see happening so much in the church in America
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is that it's primarily emotionally driven.
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People are looking for spiritual highs.
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If the guitar riff is just right,
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it'll take us there.
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We should have feelings.
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That's what this verse is about.
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This is about rejoicing,
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but it's not because I've repeated the chorus for the 20th time,
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and everyone around me seems to be happy,
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and so I'm going to join in.
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It's about a mindful meditation on the truth of who Christ is
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and who He is to us that brings about this kind of joy.
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Non-circumstantial joy.
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Paul writes in Romans chapter 12,
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Do not be conformed to this world,
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but be transformed, what?
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By feeling, no.
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By the renewal of your mind.
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We are dichotomous people.
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We are body, and we are soul.
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There's an outer, and there's an inner.
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And the way that our inner is shaped
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is through our mental faculty.
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We're transformed by the renewal of it.
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And I wish,
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I desperately wish as a pastor,
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that all we needed to do
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when anybody was experiencing any trouble in this world
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is declare to them the truth,
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and it would snap into place in their minds.
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And they would go,
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Oh, well then I have a great reason for joy.
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And off they'd go, joyous.
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It's a battle.
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We are left with our sinful flesh,
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being new creations,
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but we carry the baggage of who we once were.
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The old Nathan shows up all the time,
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tempts me away,
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causes me not to believe
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the great truth of who Christ is to me,
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to forget it.
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And so it has to be rehearsed,
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and rehearsed,
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and rehearsed.
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In our study of Hebrews,
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we will soon come to the end of chapter 10,
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where we see a suffering church
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acting absolutely bizarrely, right?
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Not at all like the world,
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but like transformed people.
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Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 34.
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The author writes,
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You had compassion on those in prison,
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and you joyfully accepted
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the plundering of your property.
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I don't know.
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I don't think I,
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I don't know that anybody here
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would have somebody ransack their house
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because they're a Christian,
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spray paint on the wall,
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go away Christian,
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would show up happy about that.
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Well, these weird Christians did.
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They rejoiced,
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and they joyfully accepted
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the plundering of their property.
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Why?
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Since you knew
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that you yourselves
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had a better possession
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and an abiding one.
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You knew you had a better possession
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and an abiding one.
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But if you've been with us
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in our study of Hebrews,
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you know the reason
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the letter's being written
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is because many of them
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were being tempted
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to abandon the faith.
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Things had gotten
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more uncomfortable.
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These Christians
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who once joyfully accepted
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the plundering of their property
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were now being tempted
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to forsake Christ altogether.
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And so they were having
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to rehearse once again.
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And the author of Hebrews
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is so carefully rehearsing
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for them who Christ is
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and who Christ is
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to them.
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Beloved,
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if you are in Christ,
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you have a better possession
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and an abiding one.
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Heavenly treasure.
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A future to look forward to
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that is going to be
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beyond our wildest imagination.
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And yet we get so fixated
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on the here and the now
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and the circumstance.
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And what Paul's here telling us
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is that we have to lift
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our minds beyond
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what's going on
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right around us.
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We have to look
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to the future reward
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because of what Christ
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has accomplished.
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John Newton,
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18th century Anglican minister,
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famous for Amazing Grace,
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the hymn Amazing Grace,
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once wrote this,
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suppose a man was going
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to New York
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to take possession
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of a large estate
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and his carriage
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should break down
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one mile before he got
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to the city,
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which obligated him
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to walk the rest of the way
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to the inheritance.
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So his circumstance changed.
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He's riding in comfort
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and now he has to walk.
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What a fool
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we should think him
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if we saw him
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wringing his hands
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and blubbering out
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all the remaining mile.
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My carriage is broken.
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My carriage is broken.
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And many of us
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act this way.
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We are headed
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to a great inheritance.
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And something bumps
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in the road
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and we fall apart.
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I fall apart.
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C.S. Lewis
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wrote in
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The Weight of Glory,
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We are half-hearted creatures,
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fooling about
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with drink
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and sex
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and ambition
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when infinite joy
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is offered to us.
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like an ignorant child
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who wants to go on
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making mud pies
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in a slum
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because he cannot
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imagine what is meant
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by the offer
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of a holiday
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at the sea.
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We are far
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too easily
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pleased.
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I love that.
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Beloved,
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we have to fight
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for our joy
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in the way we fight
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for our joy
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is with the truth
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of who we are
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in Christ
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and all that that means
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for our lives.
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So that's the first point.
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Fight for your joy.
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Secondly,
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be gracious
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towards others.
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We see this in
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verse 5.
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Let your
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reasonableness
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be known
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to everyone.
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Now,
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I think,
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I hope,
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you're listening enough
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to go,
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why is the point
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be gracious
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toward others
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if we're to let
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our reasonableness
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be known
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to everyone?
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And that's because
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the Greek word
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translated reasonableness
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in the ESV,
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which is what
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most of us here
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are using,
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is a very,
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very rich word.
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It's one of those
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difficult words
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where there's not
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a fantastic
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English equivalent
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to it.
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It needs phrasing
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and so it gets
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brought down
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to a single word
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which just falls
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a little short
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of what it means.
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Commentators
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and translators
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have varied widely
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on its rendering.
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Here's some examples
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for you.
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Reasonableness,
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generosity,
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goodwill,
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friendliness,
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magnanimity,
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charity,
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mercy,
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leniency,
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big-heartedness,
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moderation,
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forbearance,
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and gentleness
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are some of the
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attempts to capture
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the meaning
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of this word.
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Possibly
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the best word,
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and I am no
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Bible translator
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nor should I be.
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So I'm not
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standing in judgment
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over our ESV translators,
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but possibly
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the best word
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is
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graciousness.
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So it has
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more latitude
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than I thought
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of it,
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even narrowly
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thinking of it
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as reasonableness
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as it concerns
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anxiety.
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That we want
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other people
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to see
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our reasonableness
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because
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the end of verse 5
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says the Lord
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is at hand.
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So we want
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others to see
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that we understand
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that the Lord
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is at hand.
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And it does
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include this idea,
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right?
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Reasonableness
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is a fair word
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to put
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in that place.
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But the aim
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of it
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is that we're
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doing that
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for the sake
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of others.
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That we're doing it
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in order to
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serve
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others.
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Some of
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those words
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that I rattled
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off to you.
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Generosity,
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goodwill,
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charity,
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mercy,
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leniency,
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aiming at
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helping
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others,
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and some
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of those
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renderings
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like
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forbearance,
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magnanimity,
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goodwill,
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because we
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may find
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that it's
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people
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that are
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the circumstance
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that's causing
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our anxiety.
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very often
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this can be
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the case.
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So it is a
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complex word
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and it's a
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many-layered
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word and
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probably we
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could have
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just talked
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about verse
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five this
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morning.
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For the sake
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of time,
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we won't
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labor on
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with it.
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But how
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we respond
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to the
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challenges
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of life
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have bearing
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on other
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people.
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And at the
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end of verse
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five,
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we can see
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that we are
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meant to
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express
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the reality
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in the
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way that
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we act
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that the
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Lord
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is at
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hand.
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And it's
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a very
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interesting
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phrase to
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be at
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the end
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of verse
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five.
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Some would
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suggest it
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belongs at
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the beginning
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of verse
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six.
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And these
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separations are
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not inspired.
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Neither is
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the punctuation
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because there
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is no
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punctuation
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in Greek.
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So translators
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do this
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very difficult
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and careful
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work of
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putting a
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period at
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the end
25:29
of everyone.
25:30
starting a
25:31
new sentence
25:31
with the
25:32
Lord
25:32
is at
25:32
hand
25:33
and then
25:33
a
25:33
semicolon.
25:36
I am not
25:37
nearly
25:37
intelligent
25:37
enough to
25:38
tell you
25:38
exactly
25:39
which it
25:39
belongs
25:39
to,
25:40
but I
25:40
think
25:40
that it
25:40
links
25:41
the two
25:41
things
25:41
together
25:42
to be
25:43
sure.
25:44
Paul is
25:44
not rapid
25:45
fire
25:46
shooting off
25:47
exhortations.
25:48
He's bringing
25:49
together an
25:50
idea about
25:51
what the
25:51
Christian life
25:52
should look
25:53
like as it
25:53
stands firm
25:55
in the
25:56
reality of
25:56
who we
25:57
are in
25:58
Christ.
26:00
And so
26:01
we're meant
26:02
to display
26:04
to other
26:05
people
26:05
that God
26:07
is near.
26:10
Beloved,
26:10
this is an
26:10
astounding
26:12
reality.
26:13
I think that
26:14
I too often
26:15
take it for
26:15
granted that
26:16
I have full
26:17
unfettered
26:17
access to
26:18
the throne
26:19
of God.
26:20
It's like
26:20
this assumed
26:21
thing for me
26:22
sometimes.
26:23
It's not
26:23
extremely
26:24
precious
26:25
that the
26:26
God of
26:26
the
26:26
universe,
26:27
infinite,
26:29
eternal,
26:30
all-powerful,
26:32
like why
26:32
should I
26:33
have any
26:33
access at
26:34
all to
26:35
such a
26:35
God?
26:36
But as
26:37
we learn
26:37
in Hebrews
26:38
chapter 7,
26:39
because of
26:39
Jesus'
26:40
priesthood,
26:41
through
26:42
him we
26:43
can draw
26:44
near
26:45
to God.
26:48
It's an
26:48
incredible
26:49
reality that
26:50
he has
26:50
great care
26:52
for us,
26:54
that he
26:54
is in
26:54
the
26:55
midst
26:55
of
26:56
the
26:57
circumstances
26:57
in which
26:58
we walk.
27:00
So we
27:00
should fight
27:01
for our
27:01
joy,
27:02
we should
27:02
be gracious
27:03
toward others.
27:05
Third,
27:07
turn to
27:08
God
27:08
with all
27:10
of your
27:11
concerns.
27:12
Turn to
27:13
God with
27:13
all of
27:14
your
27:14
concerns.
27:15
Verses
27:15
6 and
27:16
7,
27:17
Paul says,
27:18
do not be
27:18
anxious about
27:19
anything,
27:20
but in
27:21
everything
27:22
by prayer
27:23
and supplication
27:24
with
27:24
thanksgiving,
27:25
let your
27:25
request be
27:25
made known
27:26
to God,
27:26
and the
27:27
peace of
27:27
God,
27:28
which
27:28
surpasses
27:29
all
27:29
understanding,
27:30
will guard
27:31
your hearts
27:31
and your
27:32
minds in
27:33
Christ Jesus.
27:35
There is
27:36
an alternative
27:37
to your
27:39
anxiety
27:39
and mine.
27:41
Faith.
27:43
This is the
27:43
alternative.
27:45
Believing
27:45
in the
27:46
promises
27:47
of God.
27:49
Paul says,
27:50
do not be
27:50
anxious about
27:50
anything,
27:51
but in
27:52
everything,
27:54
we can
27:55
turn
27:56
to God.
27:58
Having been
27:58
granted
27:59
full,
28:00
unfettered
28:00
access to
28:01
God.
28:02
The Lord
28:02
is at
28:03
hand.
28:04
Beloved,
28:05
we can
28:06
give everything
28:07
over to
28:09
Him.
28:10
And if we
28:10
have a small
28:11
view of
28:12
God,
28:12
we will
28:13
not think
28:13
that He
28:13
can do
28:14
anything
28:14
about
28:15
anything.
28:17
But if we
28:18
have a
28:18
good and
28:18
proper high
28:19
view of
28:20
God,
28:20
that's an
28:21
astounding
28:22
reality.
28:24
Why would
28:24
I not,
28:25
rightly
28:25
considering
28:26
who God
28:27
is,
28:27
give
28:27
everything
28:28
to Him,
28:30
creator and
28:31
sustainer of
28:32
the universe?
28:34
I should.
28:35
I should
28:35
necessarily.
28:38
How often
28:39
do we find
28:40
ourselves so
28:41
very
28:42
prayerless?
28:44
Given the
28:44
great gift
28:45
of being
28:46
able to
28:47
enter the
28:47
presence
28:48
of God
28:48
Almighty
28:49
and we
28:51
stay in
28:51
our own
28:52
minds,
28:53
our own
28:53
inner
28:53
dialogues,
28:55
our dialogue
28:55
with one
28:56
another,
28:56
how often
28:57
do we talk
28:58
about our
28:58
problems and
28:59
we don't
28:59
go to the
29:00
Lord together
29:01
with our
29:02
problems?
29:03
It's an
29:04
astounding
29:05
thing,
29:06
as if
29:07
He's a
29:08
man and
29:08
can't be
29:08
bothered.
29:11
He's God
29:11
Almighty.
29:12
He can
29:12
handle
29:12
anything
29:13
that you
29:14
throw at
29:14
Him.
29:15
prayer,
29:17
supplication,
29:18
and requests
29:19
are all
29:20
synonyms.
29:21
You don't
29:21
have to
29:22
think too
29:22
far out
29:23
beyond this.
29:24
And they
29:24
all refer
29:25
to direct
29:26
petitions
29:27
made of
29:28
God.
29:29
I believe
29:30
that Paul
29:30
uses this
29:31
repetition
29:32
to note
29:33
that our
29:34
going to
29:34
God with
29:35
all of our
29:35
concerns
29:36
will be
29:37
often and
29:38
it will
29:38
be varied.
29:39
It's going
29:40
to have to
29:40
happen all
29:42
the time.
29:42
and it's
29:43
going to
29:43
have to
29:44
happen about
29:45
a variety
29:46
of issues.
29:48
To not
29:49
be anxious,
29:50
we will
29:50
need to
29:51
pray.
29:52
And we
29:52
will need
29:53
to pray.
29:54
And we
29:54
will need
29:54
to pray.
29:56
If we're
29:57
going to
29:57
go with
29:58
thanksgiving
29:59
in everything,
30:01
we're going
30:02
to be
30:02
praying
30:03
continually.
30:06
And Paul
30:06
instructs us
30:07
to do this
30:08
as we're
30:08
doing it
30:09
with
30:10
thanksgiving.
30:11
it is
30:13
not
30:15
unlike us
30:15
to go
30:16
to God
30:16
demanding
30:17
things of
30:18
him,
30:19
not
30:20
humble,
30:21
acting as
30:22
if we
30:22
deserve
30:23
anything.
30:25
Paul
30:25
is helping
30:25
us to
30:26
see that
30:26
we should
30:26
go to
30:27
God
30:27
recognizing
30:28
what he's
30:29
already
30:29
done.
30:31
The fact
30:32
that God
30:32
has done
30:33
much,
30:35
already
30:35
worked in
30:36
so many
30:37
ways,
30:39
gives to
30:39
the Christian
30:39
a confidence
30:40
that he
30:41
will
30:41
continue
30:42
to do
30:43
so.
30:45
We're
30:45
in the
30:45
midst
30:45
of a
30:46
tough
30:46
circumstance.
30:47
It can
30:47
be so
30:48
difficult
30:49
to
30:49
remember
30:50
or to
30:51
notice
30:51
anything
30:52
positive.
30:54
We get
30:54
consumed
30:55
with that.
30:57
In our
30:57
sinful nature,
30:58
we are
30:59
this way.
30:59
Somebody
30:59
has a
31:00
bad
31:00
experience
31:01
at a
31:01
business,
31:01
they're
31:01
likely
31:01
to
31:02
share
31:02
it
31:02
with
31:02
ten
31:02
people.
31:03
They
31:03
have
31:03
a
31:03
good
31:04
experience,
31:04
they're
31:04
likely
31:04
to
31:04
share
31:05
it
31:05
with
31:05
two.
31:05
Oh,
31:07
the
31:08
world
31:08
of
31:08
online
31:09
reviews.
31:13
Just,
31:13
boy,
31:14
are they
31:14
brutal.
31:15
Boy,
31:15
are they
31:16
brutal.
31:17
A really
31:17
simple
31:17
example
31:17
in our
31:18
life,
31:18
I was
31:19
just
31:19
noting
31:19
this
31:19
to my
31:19
wife,
31:20
Sam,
31:20
the
31:20
other
31:20
day.
31:21
We
31:22
use
31:22
a
31:22
stuff
31:22
that
31:23
gets
31:23
diluted
31:23
really
31:24
heavily
31:24
called
31:24
thieves.
31:27
Like
31:27
thieves
31:27
cleaner,
31:28
it's a
31:28
good
31:28
cleaner.
31:30
And
31:30
we
31:30
have
31:30
a
31:30
bottle
31:31
that
31:31
we
31:32
wipe
31:32
down
31:32
just
31:33
about
31:33
everything
31:33
with.
31:34
And
31:35
it
31:35
seems
31:35
like
31:35
that
31:36
bottle
31:36
is
31:36
always
31:37
running
31:37
out
31:37
of
31:38
liquid.
31:39
It
31:39
seems
31:39
like
31:39
I'm
31:40
constantly
31:40
going,
31:41
gosh,
31:41
the
31:41
thieves
31:41
is
31:41
out
31:42
again.
31:43
But
31:43
that
31:43
bottle
31:44
gets
31:44
filled
31:44
up.
31:45
It
31:45
clearly
31:45
gets
31:45
filled
31:46
up.
31:46
Sam's
31:46
not
31:47
carefully
31:47
metering
31:48
off
31:48
just a
31:48
little
31:48
tiny
31:49
bit
31:49
at
31:49
the
31:49
bottle
31:49
to
31:49
frustrate
31:50
me
31:50
all
31:50
the
31:50
time.
31:52
That
31:52
bottle
31:52
gets
31:52
filled
31:53
to
31:53
the
31:53
top
31:53
and
31:54
it
31:54
gets
31:55
used.
31:56
And
31:56
I'm
31:56
never
31:56
thankful
31:57
when
31:57
it's
31:57
full.
31:58
It's
31:59
inclined
31:59
that
32:00
way.
32:01
The
32:02
thieves
32:02
is
32:02
out
32:02
again.
32:03
Rather
32:04
than
32:04
praising
32:05
the
32:05
Lord
32:05
that
32:05
the
32:05
thieves
32:06
is
32:06
full
32:06
and
32:06
half
32:07
full
32:07
and
32:07
a
32:08
third
32:08
full
32:08
and
32:08
a
32:09
quarter
32:09
full.
32:09
That's
32:10
a lot
32:10
of
32:10
times.
32:11
There's
32:11
plenty
32:11
of
32:11
liquid
32:11
in
32:12
that
32:12
bottle.
32:13
But
32:13
my
32:13
mind
32:13
attunes
32:14
to
32:14
the
32:14
negative
32:14
thing.
32:15
This
32:15
is
32:16
what
32:16
I'm
32:16
trying
32:16
to
32:16
say.
32:17
And
32:17
especially
32:18
when
32:18
in
32:18
the
32:18
midst
32:18
of
32:18
difficult
32:19
times.
32:20
We
32:21
have
32:21
to
32:21
stop
32:22
this
32:22
battle
32:22
in
32:22
our
32:22
minds
32:23
and
32:23
reflect
32:24
upon
32:24
the
32:24
good
32:25
things
32:26
that
32:26
God
32:26
has
32:27
done
32:27
and
32:28
he
32:28
is
32:28
doing
32:29
and
32:29
it
32:29
will
32:29
give
32:29
us
32:30
the
32:30
confidence
32:30
that
32:31
he
32:31
will
32:31
continue
32:32
to
32:33
do.
32:33
His
32:34
promises
32:34
are
32:35
sure
32:35
beloved.
32:37
By
32:38
the
32:38
mere
32:38
fact
32:38
that
32:38
he's
32:38
God
32:39
and
32:39
he
32:39
said
32:39
he
32:39
would
32:39
do
32:40
it
32:40
we
32:40
should
32:41
believe
32:41
this.
32:42
But
32:42
he's
32:42
also
32:43
shown
32:43
us
32:43
so
32:44
much
32:44
loving
32:44
kindness.
32:46
In
32:46
our
32:46
frailty
32:47
we
32:48
can
32:48
grab
32:48
on
32:48
to
32:49
this
32:49
that
32:49
he'll
32:50
continue
32:50
to
32:51
do.
32:53
We
32:53
far
32:54
too
32:54
often
32:55
find
32:56
ourselves
32:57
prayerless
32:58
in
32:59
trials.
33:00
No
33:00
wonder
33:01
we
33:01
become
33:02
anxious.
33:03
No
33:03
wonder.
33:05
1
33:06
Peter
33:06
chapter
33:06
5
33:07
6
33:08
through
33:08
8
33:08
Peter
33:09
writes
33:09
humble
33:10
yourselves
33:11
under
33:12
the mighty
33:12
hand
33:13
of God
33:13
so
33:14
at the
33:14
proper
33:14
time
33:15
he
33:16
may
33:16
exalt
33:16
you.
33:17
Casting
33:18
all
33:19
your
33:19
anxieties
33:20
on
33:20
him
33:21
because
33:21
he
33:22
cares
33:24
for
33:25
you.
33:26
He
33:27
is
33:27
concerned
33:28
for
33:29
you.
33:30
We
33:31
can
33:31
cast
33:31
all
33:32
of
33:33
our
33:33
anxiety
33:33
on
33:34
him.
33:36
And
33:36
as
33:36
I
33:36
read
33:37
commentaries
33:37
about
33:38
this
33:38
particular
33:38
verse
33:39
all
33:41
the
33:41
commentators
33:41
stopped
33:42
there.
33:43
Stopped
33:43
at the
33:43
end
33:43
of
33:43
verse
33:43
7
33:44
casting
33:44
all
33:44
your
33:45
anxieties
33:45
on
33:45
him
33:45
because
33:46
he
33:46
cares
33:47
for
33:47
you.
33:48
But
33:48
I
33:48
want
33:48
to
33:48
read
33:48
verse
33:48
8
33:49
because
33:50
I
33:51
think
33:51
it's
33:51
really
33:52
helpful
33:52
to
33:53
us
33:53
as
33:54
we
33:54
talk
33:55
about
33:55
it
33:55
being
33:55
a
33:55
battle
33:55
of
33:56
the
33:56
mind.
33:57
Peter
33:57
writes
33:57
be
33:58
sober
33:59
minded.
34:02
Cast
34:02
all your
34:02
anxieties
34:03
on
34:03
him
34:03
because
34:03
he
34:04
cares
34:04
for
34:04
you.
34:05
Be
34:06
sober
34:06
minded.
34:07
Be
34:08
watchful.
34:09
Why?
34:11
Your
34:11
adversary
34:11
the
34:12
devil
34:13
prowls
34:14
around
34:14
like a
34:14
roaring
34:15
lion
34:15
seeking
34:16
!
34:16
He
34:17
is
34:17
seeking
34:17
someone
34:18
to
34:19
devour.
34:21
Could
34:21
it be
34:22
that many
34:22
of us
34:22
are being
34:23
devoured
34:24
by
34:24
anxiety?
34:26
We are
34:26
minimizing
34:27
the glory
34:27
of God
34:28
the goodness
34:28
of the
34:28
gospel
34:29
in our
34:29
lives
34:30
because
34:31
we're
34:32
not
34:32
sober
34:33
minded
34:34
watchful
34:35
casting
34:35
all of
34:36
our
34:36
anxieties
34:37
on
34:38
him
34:39
because
34:40
he
34:40
cares
34:40
for
34:41
us.
34:43
My
34:43
mind
34:43
was
34:43
drawn
34:44
to
34:44
a
34:44
hymn
34:44
we
34:44
sing
34:45
from
34:45
time
34:46
to
34:46
time
34:46
called
34:46
What a
34:46
Friend
34:47
We
34:47
Have
34:48
in
34:48
Jesus
34:48
to
34:49
this
34:49
verse
34:50
Oh
34:51
what
34:51
peace
34:52
we
34:52
often
34:53
forfeit
34:53
Oh
34:54
what
34:54
needless
34:55
pain
34:55
we
34:56
bear
34:56
all
34:58
because
34:58
we
34:58
do
34:58
not
34:58
carry
34:59
everything
35:00
to
35:01
God
35:01
in
35:02
prayer.
35:04
So
35:05
go to
35:05
God
35:05
with
35:06
all
35:06
of
35:06
your
35:07
concerns.
35:08
And
35:09
then
35:09
there's
35:09
a
35:09
promise
35:10
in
35:10
verse
35:10
7
35:11
And
35:12
the
35:12
peace
35:13
of
35:13
God
35:13
which
35:14
surpasses
35:15
all
35:15
understanding
35:16
will
35:16
guard
35:16
your
35:16
hearts
35:17
and
35:18
your
35:18
minds
35:19
in
35:20
Christ
35:20
Jesus.
35:22
Now
35:22
I've
35:23
wrestled
35:23
with
35:23
this
35:24
a
35:24
little
35:24
this
35:24
week.
35:25
My
35:25
immediate
35:26
assumption
35:26
of
35:27
this
35:27
verse
35:27
has
35:27
always
35:28
been
35:28
that
35:29
there
35:29
would
35:29
be
35:29
a
35:30
feeling
35:31
of
35:31
peace
35:32
that
35:33
would
35:33
come
35:33
that
35:34
I
35:34
would
35:34
feel
35:35
peaceful
35:35
if
35:36
I
35:36
just
35:36
rightly
35:36
cast
35:37
anxiety
35:38
and
35:40
I'm
35:40
just
35:40
no
35:40
longer
35:41
so
35:41
sure
35:41
that
35:42
that's
35:42
what
35:42
Paul
35:43
is
35:43
trying
35:43
to
35:44
communicate
35:44
here.
35:46
I
35:46
have
35:47
often
35:47
said
35:47
it's
35:48
a
35:48
piece
35:48
that's
35:49
weird
35:49
and
35:50
strange.
35:50
It's
35:50
a
35:50
piece
35:51
that
35:51
surpasses
35:51
understanding
35:53
and
35:54
maybe
35:54
that's
35:55
still
35:55
tied
35:55
into
35:55
the
35:56
meaning.
35:56
I
35:56
just
35:56
didn't
35:56
have
35:56
time
35:57
to
35:57
work
35:57
it
35:57
all
35:58
out
35:58
this
35:59
week.
35:59
But
36:02
I
36:02
think
36:02
as we
36:03
go back
36:03
to the
36:04
end of
36:04
chapter
36:04
3
36:05
and
36:05
Paul
36:05
is
36:05
stating
36:05
who
36:06
we
36:06
are
36:06
in
36:07
Christ
36:07
and
36:08
the
36:08
beginning
36:08
of
36:09
chapter
36:10
4
36:10
and
36:10
verse
36:11
1
36:11
that
36:11
we're
36:11
to
36:11
stand
36:12
firm
36:13
in
36:13
that
36:13
reality
36:14
that
36:16
what
36:16
Paul
36:16
is
36:16
talking
36:17
about
36:17
is
36:17
the
36:18
peace
36:18
that
36:18
we
36:18
have
36:19
with
36:20
God.
36:21
The
36:22
peace
36:22
of
36:23
God
36:23
that
36:23
we
36:23
have
36:24
with
36:25
God
36:26
because
36:28
Christ
36:28
has
36:29
made
36:29
peace
36:30
on
36:31
our
36:31
behalf.
36:32
Because
36:33
we've
36:33
entered
36:33
in
36:33
now
36:34
as
36:34
these
36:34
citizens.
36:35
We're
36:36
not
36:36
those
36:36
if you
36:36
go up
36:37
further
36:37
in
36:37
the
36:38
end
36:38
of
36:38
chapter
36:38
3
36:38
who
36:39
are
36:39
going
36:39
to
36:39
be
36:39
cut
36:40
off
36:40
and
36:40
destroyed.
36:40
We're
36:41
citizens.
36:42
We have
36:42
peace
36:43
with
36:43
God.
36:43
Romans
36:44
chapter
36:45
5
36:45
verse
36:45
1
36:45
Therefore
36:46
since
36:46
we
36:46
have
36:46
been
36:46
justified
36:47
by
36:47
faith
36:48
we
36:48
have
36:48
peace
36:49
with
36:49
God
36:50
through
36:50
our
36:51
Lord
36:52
Jesus
36:53
Christ.
36:55
And
36:56
I
36:56
think
36:56
that
36:56
this
36:57
is
36:57
a
36:57
peace
36:58
that
36:59
surpasses
37:00
all
37:00
understanding.
37:02
Why
37:02
oh
37:04
Lord
37:04
such
37:05
grace
37:05
to
37:05
me?
37:07
Why
37:07
would
37:08
you
37:09
have
37:09
such
37:10
kindness
37:10
and
37:11
compassion?
37:12
Why
37:12
would
37:13
you
37:13
be
37:13
near
37:13
to
37:13
me?
37:14
Why
37:14
would
37:14
you
37:15
care
37:15
for
37:15
me?
37:18
And
37:19
Paul
37:19
says
37:20
that
37:20
this
37:20
reality
37:21
will
37:22
be
37:22
set
37:23
as
37:23
a
37:24
guard,
37:25
as
37:25
a
37:26
sentinel,
37:27
our
37:27
hearts
37:28
and
37:28
our
37:28
minds
37:29
in
37:30
Christ
37:31
Jesus.
37:33
He
37:33
lands
37:33
that
37:34
reality
37:34
that
37:35
we
37:35
are
37:35
found
37:36
in
37:37
Jesus.
37:38
And
37:38
so
37:38
as
37:39
we
37:39
contemplate
37:40
in
37:41
prayer
37:42
with
37:43
this
37:43
thanksgiving
37:44
who
37:45
Christ
37:45
is
37:45
and
37:46
who
37:46
Christ
37:46
is
37:47
to
37:47
us,
37:49
we
37:49
can
37:50
be
37:50
joy
37:50
filled
37:51
and
37:52
we
37:52
can
37:52
be
37:52
faith
37:53
filled
37:54
and
37:54
not
37:55
anxious.
37:58
Jesus
37:59
taught
37:59
his
37:59
disciples
38:00
in
38:00
Luke
38:00
chapter
38:01
12
38:01
beginning
38:02
in
38:02
verse
38:02
22.
38:03
Do not
38:04
be
38:05
anxious
38:05
about
38:05
your
38:06
life,
38:07
what
38:07
you
38:07
will
38:07
eat
38:08
nor
38:08
about
38:08
your
38:08
body,
38:09
what
38:09
you
38:09
will
38:09
put
38:09
on.
38:10
For
38:10
life
38:11
is
38:11
more
38:11
than
38:11
food
38:11
and
38:12
the
38:12
body
38:12
more
38:12
than
38:12
clothing.
38:14
Consider
38:14
the
38:14
ravens,
38:15
they
38:15
neither
38:15
sow
38:15
nor
38:16
reap,
38:16
they
38:16
have
38:16
neither
38:16
storehouse
38:17
nor
38:17
barn,
38:18
and
38:18
yet
38:19
God
38:19
feeds
38:20
them.
38:21
Of
38:21
how
38:21
much
38:22
more
38:22
value
38:23
are
38:23
you
38:24
than
38:24
the
38:25
birds?
38:26
Much
38:26
more
38:27
is
38:27
what
38:27
Jesus
38:27
is
38:28
saying.
38:28
So
38:28
much
38:29
more.
38:30
And
38:31
which
38:31
of
38:31
you
38:31
by
38:31
being
38:31
anxious
38:32
can
38:32
add
38:32
a
38:32
single
38:33
hour
38:33
to
38:34
a
38:34
span
38:34
of
38:35
life?
38:36
If
38:36
then
38:37
you
38:37
are
38:37
not
38:37
able
38:37
to
38:37
do
38:37
as
38:38
small
38:38
a
38:38
thing
38:39
as
38:39
that,
38:40
why
38:41
are
38:41
you
38:41
anxious
38:41
about
38:41
the
38:42
rest?
38:43
Consider
38:43
the
38:44
lilies,
38:44
how
38:44
they
38:44
grow,
38:45
they
38:45
neither
38:45
toil
38:46
nor
38:46
spin,
38:47
yet
38:47
I
38:47
tell
38:47
you,
38:48
even
38:48
Solomon
38:49
in
38:49
all
38:49
his
38:50
glory
38:50
was
38:50
not
38:50
arrayed
38:51
like
38:51
one
38:51
of
38:52
these.
38:53
But
38:53
if
38:53
God
38:54
so
38:54
clothes
38:55
the
38:55
grass
38:55
which
38:55
is
38:55
alive
38:56
in
38:56
the
38:56
field
38:56
today
38:57
and
38:57
tomorrow
38:57
was
38:57
thrown
38:58
into
38:58
the
38:58
oven,
38:59
how
38:59
much
38:59
more
39:00
will
39:00
he
39:00
clothe
39:00
you,
39:01
oh
39:02
you
39:02
of
39:03
little
39:03
faith?
39:06
And
39:06
do
39:06
not
39:06
seek
39:07
what
39:07
you
39:07
are
39:07
to
39:07
eat,
39:08
what
39:08
you
39:08
are
39:08
to
39:08
drink,
39:09
nor
39:09
be
39:09
worried.
39:10
For
39:10
all
39:11
the
39:11
nations
39:11
of
39:11
the
39:12
world
39:12
seek
39:12
after
39:13
these
39:13
things,
39:13
and
39:14
your
39:14
father
39:14
knows
39:15
that
39:16
you
39:16
need
39:16
them.
39:18
Instead
39:18
seek
39:18
his
39:19
kingdom,
39:19
and
39:20
these
39:20
things
39:20
will
39:20
be
39:21
added
39:21
to
39:21
you.
39:22
Fear
39:23
not
39:23
little
39:24
flock,
39:25
for
39:25
it
39:25
is
39:25
your
39:25
father's
39:26
good
39:26
pleasure
39:27
to
39:28
give
39:28
you
39:28
the
39:28
kingdom.
39:30
If
39:30
we
39:31
are
39:31
in
39:32
Christ
39:32
and
39:33
we
39:34
are
39:34
mindful
39:34
of
39:35
this,
39:36
we
39:36
are
39:36
faith
39:37
filled
39:38
because
39:39
of
39:40
this,
39:40
then
39:41
we
39:41
have
39:41
no
39:42
need
39:43
to
39:44
be
39:44
anxious.
39:45
We
39:46
can
39:46
have
39:46
great
39:47
and
39:47
abounding
39:48
joy.
39:49
because
39:50
Christ.
39:54
I
39:55
came
39:55
across
39:55
this
39:56
old
39:56
quotation
39:57
and
39:58
I
39:58
stuck
39:59
it
39:59
here
39:59
and
39:59
I'm
40:00
wondering
40:00
now
40:00
if
40:00
it
40:00
even
40:01
fits
40:01
but
40:01
I'm
40:01
going
40:01
to
40:01
read
40:02
it
40:02
to
40:02
you
40:02
all
40:02
the
40:02
same.
40:05
Maybe
40:05
as we
40:05
tie
40:06
the
40:06
idea
40:06
of
40:06
joy
40:07
together.
40:09
This
40:10
was
40:10
the
40:11
account
40:11
of
40:12
the
40:12
conversion
40:13
of
40:14
Blaise
40:14
Pascal
40:15
who
40:16
was
40:16
a
40:16
17th
40:16
century
40:16
French
40:17
mathematician
40:18
and
40:19
it
40:19
was
40:19
found
40:20
he
40:20
had
40:20
written
40:20
it
40:21
down
40:21
on
40:21
a
40:22
piece
40:22
of
40:22
paper
40:22
sewn
40:23
into
40:23
his
40:23
coat
40:24
it
40:25
was
40:25
found
40:25
eight
40:25
years
40:26
after
40:26
his
40:26
death
40:26
he
40:28
had
40:28
written
40:28
this
40:28
account
40:29
of
40:29
his
40:29
conversion
40:31
and
40:32
this
40:32
is what
40:32
he
40:32
wrote
40:32
year
40:34
of
40:34
grace
40:34
1654
40:36
Monday
40:37
23
40:37
November
40:38
feast
40:39
of
40:39
Saint
40:40
Clement
40:40
from
40:41
about
40:41
half
40:42
past
40:42
ten
40:42
at
40:42
night
40:43
to
40:43
about
40:43
half
40:43
an
40:43
hour
40:44
after
40:44
midnight
40:45
fire
40:45
God
40:47
of
40:47
Abraham
40:47
God
40:48
of
40:48
Isaac
40:48
God
40:49
of
40:49
Jacob
40:49
not
40:50
of
40:50
philosophers
40:51
and
40:51
scholars
40:51
certitude
40:53
heartfelt
40:54
joy
40:55
peace
40:56
God
40:56
of
40:57
Jesus
40:57
Christ
40:57
God
40:58
of
40:58
Jesus
40:59
Christ
40:59
my
41:00
God
41:00
and
41:00
your
41:01
God
41:01
joy
41:02
!
41:06
Jesus
41:06
Christ
41:07
may
41:08
I
41:08
never
41:09
be
41:09
separated
41:10
from
41:10
him
41:10
that
41:12
cool
41:12
okay
41:14
number
41:14
four
41:14
dehabituate
41:18
by
41:18
rehabituating
41:20
finally
41:21
brothers
41:21
whatever
41:22
is true
41:22
whatever
41:22
is honorable
41:23
whatever
41:23
is just
41:24
whatever
41:24
is pure
41:25
whatever
41:25
is lovely
41:26
whatever
41:26
is commendable
41:27
if there
41:27
is any
41:28
excellence
41:28
if there
41:29
is anything
41:29
worthy
41:30
of praise
41:30
think about
41:32
these things
41:33
we are not
41:34
going to
41:34
take the
41:34
time to
41:35
talk about
41:35
each of
41:36
those
41:36
things
41:37
right
41:38
there
41:39
are
41:40
things
41:40
to be
41:40
said
41:40
about
41:40
each
41:41
of
41:41
those
41:41
pure
41:41
lovely
41:42
commendable
41:43
right
41:43
he's
41:44
building
41:44
an idea
41:45
right
41:45
there
41:45
are
41:45
many
41:45
things
41:46
that
41:46
can
41:47
be
41:47
thought
41:47
about
41:48
that
41:48
are
41:48
going
41:49
to
41:49
be
41:49
good
41:49
for
41:50
our
41:50
thought
41:50
life
41:51
most
41:53
often
41:54
this
41:55
is preached
41:55
through
41:55
verse
41:56
7
41:56
I
41:57
think
41:57
verse
41:58
8
41:58
is
41:58
so
41:58
incredibly
41:59
important
41:59
as
42:00
we
42:00
continue
42:01
to
42:01
think
42:01
about
42:01
taking
42:03
our
42:04
thoughts
42:04
captive
42:04
battling
42:05
in
42:06
the
42:06
mind
42:07
that
42:08
we
42:08
would
42:09
think
42:09
about
42:10
stuff
42:11
that
42:11
is
42:11
helpful
42:12
to
42:13
us
42:13
rather than
42:14
fixating
42:14
on the
42:14
things
42:15
on the
42:15
circumstance
42:15
!
42:15
but
42:16
that
42:16
we
42:16
would
42:16
lift
42:17
our
42:17
minds
42:17
higher
42:18
we
42:20
are
42:20
creatures
42:21
of
42:22
habit
42:22
we
42:24
just
42:24
form
42:25
habits
42:26
so
42:27
readily
42:28
most
42:29
of them
42:29
bad
42:30
an
42:31
example
42:31
Sam
42:31
and I
42:32
recently
42:32
moved
42:33
we
42:33
moved
42:33
from
42:33
Gainesville
42:34
and it
42:34
took
42:34
me
42:35
a
42:35
full
42:36
week
42:36
of
42:36
turning
42:37
on
42:37
to
42:37
our
42:37
old
42:37
road
42:38
to
42:38
remember
42:38
that
42:38
we
42:38
didn't
42:38
live
42:39
there
42:39
anymore
42:39
I
42:40
made
42:40
a lot
42:41
of
42:41
detours
42:42
on
42:42
my
42:43
way
42:43
to
42:43
the
42:43
place
42:43
we're
42:44
currently
42:44
living
42:45
because
42:46
I
42:46
just
42:46
do
42:46
it
42:46
automatically
42:47
right
42:48
it's
42:48
the
42:48
impulse
42:49
the
42:49
natural
42:50
thing
42:50
that
42:51
I
42:51
do
42:52
I
42:53
bet
42:53
that
42:53
each
42:53
and
42:53
every
42:53
one
42:54
of
42:54
you
42:54
put
42:54
on
42:54
a
42:54
particular
42:55
shoe
42:55
first
42:56
and
42:57
you
42:57
probably
42:57
don't
42:57
know
42:57
which
42:57
one
42:57
it
42:58
is
42:58
but
42:58
I
42:58
bet
42:58
you
42:59
do
42:59
by
43:00
habit
43:00
they
43:00
just
43:00
tend
43:01
to
43:02
pick
43:03
up
43:03
whatever
43:03
mine's
43:04
my
43:04
right
43:05
because
43:05
I
43:05
paid
43:05
attention
43:05
to
43:06
that
43:06
kind
43:06
of
43:06
thing
43:06
but
43:08
you
43:08
don't
43:08
really
43:08
give
43:08
any
43:08
thought
43:09
to
43:09
it
43:09
at
43:10
all
43:11
at
43:12
the
43:12
end
43:12
of
43:12
the
43:12
first
43:13
song
43:13
set
43:13
Jordan
43:15
prayed
43:15
in a
43:15
place
43:16
he
43:16
doesn't
43:16
normally
43:16
pray
43:17
you
43:18
guys
43:18
noticed
43:18
that
43:18
or not
43:18
he
43:18
made a
43:19
little
43:19
comment
43:19
about
43:19
it
43:20
he
43:20
normally
43:20
prays
43:20
for the
43:21
preaching
43:21
at the
43:21
end
43:22
of
43:22
the
43:22
offering
43:22
he
43:24
said
43:25
a
43:25
little
43:25
prayer
43:25
at
43:25
that
43:25
point
43:26
and
43:26
I
43:26
got
43:26
panicky
43:27
because
43:27
I
43:27
thought
43:28
was
43:28
that
43:28
the
43:28
offering
43:28
song
43:29
I
43:29
don't
43:29
I
43:29
sort
43:29
of
43:29
grabbing
43:30
my
43:30
stuff
43:30
in the
43:30
back
43:30
to
43:31
come
43:31
up
43:31
front
43:31
and
43:31
I
43:31
went
43:31
oh
43:32
wait
43:32
wait
43:32
he
43:34
broke
43:34
out
43:34
of
43:34
the
43:34
routine
43:35
right
43:35
because
43:36
we
43:36
are
43:36
so
43:36
geared
43:37
habitually
43:39
and
43:40
so
43:40
if
43:41
we
43:41
are
43:41
to
43:41
change
43:42
in
43:43
this
43:43
case
43:44
the
43:44
way
43:45
that
43:45
we
43:45
think
43:46
we're
43:48
going
43:48
to
43:48
stop
43:48
thinking
43:49
negatively
43:50
we're
43:51
going
43:51
to
43:51
stop
43:51
focusing
43:52
on
43:52
the
43:52
circumstance
43:53
we're
43:54
going
43:54
to
43:54
have
43:54
to
43:54
work
43:55
at
43:55
refocusing
43:57
on
43:57
something
43:58
else
43:59
it's
44:00
not
44:01
merely
44:02
enough
44:02
to
44:03
put
44:04
off
44:04
sinful
44:04
thinking
44:05
because
44:06
then
44:06
there's
44:06
a
44:06
void
44:07
well
44:08
now
44:08
what
44:08
are
44:08
you
44:08
going
44:08
to
44:08
think
44:09
about
44:09
Paul
44:10
tells
44:10
you
44:11
what
44:11
to
44:11
think
44:11
about
44:11
true
44:14
and
44:14
honorable
44:14
and
44:15
just
44:15
and
44:15
pure
44:15
and
44:16
lovely
44:16
and
44:16
commendable
44:16
excellent
44:17
things
44:18
this
44:18
is
44:18
what
44:19
you
44:19
should
44:19
fill
44:19
your
44:20
mind
44:20
with
44:20
and
44:20
we
44:20
have
44:21
such
44:21
a
44:21
fantastic
44:21
source
44:22
for
44:22
all
44:22
those
44:23
things
44:23
the
44:25
holy
44:25
writ
44:25
the
44:26
scripture
44:26
itself
44:27
the
44:28
most
44:28
excellent
44:29
of
44:29
things
44:29
are
44:29
spoken
44:29
about
44:30
in
44:30
this
44:31
text
44:31
we
44:32
have
44:32
our
44:32
minds
44:33
drawn
44:33
to
44:34
God
44:34
who
44:35
we
44:36
are
44:36
in
44:37
Christ
44:38
and
44:40
this
44:40
is
44:40
a
44:40
work
44:41
it's
44:41
a
44:41
work
44:42
that
44:42
must
44:43
be
44:43
done
44:44
Paul
44:44
writes
44:45
to
44:45
Timothy
44:45
1st
44:45
Timothy
44:46
chapter
44:46
!
44:47
4
44:47
the
44:47
last
44:47
part
44:48
of
44:48
verse
44:48
7
44:48
he
44:49
says
44:49
train
44:50
yourself
44:52
for
44:52
godliness
44:53
some
44:53
other
44:53
translation
44:54
will
44:54
say
44:54
discipline
44:55
yourself
44:56
for
44:58
godliness
44:58
again
45:00
it doesn't
45:00
just
45:00
happen
45:01
it doesn't
45:01
just
45:01
click
45:02
into
45:02
place
45:03
it's
45:04
a
45:04
work
45:04
that
45:04
must
45:05
be
45:05
taken
45:06
up
45:06
J.
45:07
Adams
45:07
in his
45:08
fantastic
45:08
book
45:09
the
45:09
Christian
45:09
Counselor's
45:10
Manual
45:10
!
45:11
talks
45:11
about
45:11
dehabituation
45:13
by
45:13
rehabituation
45:14
that's
45:14
why I
45:14
picked
45:14
up
45:15
and
45:15
why I
45:15
love
45:15
the
45:16
phrasing
45:16
so
45:17
very
45:17
much
45:18
he
45:19
wrote
45:19
this
45:19
in
45:20
response
45:21
to
45:21
1st
45:21
Timothy
45:21
4
45:22
7
45:22
this
45:22
idea
45:23
of
45:23
disciplining
45:24
yourself
45:24
for
45:25
godliness
45:25
he wrote
45:26
how may
45:27
I
45:27
discipline
45:27
myself
45:28
first the
45:30
counselor must
45:30
indicate that the word
45:31
discipline clearly shows that godliness cannot be zapped
45:34
!
45:35
it cannot be whipped up like instant pudding
45:37
godliness doesn't come that way
45:40
discipline means work
45:42
it means sustained daily efforts
45:45
the word Paul used is the one from which the English word gymnastics and gymnasium
45:51
have been derived
45:52
it is a term related to athletics
45:55
!
45:55
an athlete becomes an expert only by years of hard practice
45:59
there are no instant athletes
46:02
it takes years of regular practice to achieve athletic skills
46:07
no weightlifter for example says here's a very heavy weight I have never lifted weights before but that looks like the largest one
46:15
I'll try to press it
46:16
he's likely to break his back
46:18
he can't do it that way
46:19
he must start out with a small weight the first week then gradually over the months and years add heavier and heavier ones
46:24
he must work up to the heaviest one
46:26
nor does he decide this week I'll lift weights for five hours on Friday and then I'll forget about it for the next six weeks
46:32
athletes practice regularly
46:35
usually every day for at least a short period of time
46:39
they work daily day after day until what they are doing becomes
46:43
natural
46:45
second nature
46:46
right
46:47
habit
46:48
to them
46:49
that is what an athlete does
46:51
and that is exactly what is involved in the word that Paul used here
46:56
continued daily effort
46:59
is an essential element
47:01
of Christian discipline
47:03
if we are to be a people who are not
47:06
anxious
47:07
a people who are rejoicing always
47:09
it's going to take daily
47:11
work
47:13
all of us
47:14
all of us desire
47:16
massive monumental
47:18
moments in our life
47:20
all of us want
47:22
in an instant
47:23
right
47:23
like chocolate pudding
47:25
to be whipped
47:27
into some new maturity
47:29
in our life
47:30
and there have been times
47:32
maybe in your life
47:33
certainly in the lives of others
47:34
that we can read about
47:35
that there is
47:36
massive transformation
47:37
in their Christian
47:39
block
47:39
but most regularly
47:41
it happens
47:42
bit by bit
47:43
degree by degree
47:45
and if you are waiting around
47:47
for that to happen
47:49
if you are not taking up
47:51
all that God has offered you
47:53
right
47:53
he has given to you
47:54
his word
47:55
he has given you Christian fellowship
47:57
he has given to you prayer
47:59
that you would know it
48:00
believe it
48:02
right
48:02
be able to think upon it
48:04
then you are going
48:06
to falter
48:07
in your Christian maturity
48:09
we are meant to
48:11
press into
48:12
the truth
48:14
and we are meant to do it
48:14
every single day
48:16
we are meant to be
48:17
disciplined
48:18
for godliness
48:20
in conclusion
48:23
Charles Spurgeon quote
48:24
that is on your bulletin
48:25
this morning
48:25
he wrote
48:26
the pleasures
48:26
arising from a right
48:28
understanding
48:29
of the divine testimonies
48:31
are of the most
48:32
delightful
48:33
order
48:33
earthly enjoyments
48:35
are utterly contemptible
48:36
if compared with them
48:37
the sweetest joys
48:39
yea
48:39
the sweetest
48:40
of the sweetest
48:41
falls to his portion
48:43
which has God's truth
48:45
to be
48:46
his heritage
48:47
so we have great reason
48:49
because of who Christ is
48:51
and because of who he is
48:53
to us
48:55
our reigning
48:56
king
48:57
to fight for joy
48:59
to be gracious
49:00
towards others
49:01
to turn to God
49:03
with all
49:04
of our concerns
49:05
and to
49:06
dehabituate
49:07
by
49:08
rehabituating
49:10
may we be a people
49:11
who lay
49:13
faithless anxiety
49:14
down
49:15
for joyful
49:16
peaceful
49:17
faithfulness
49:18
may we be a people
49:20
that live in a way
49:21
that the world
49:22
would see
49:23
how very
49:23
reasonable
49:24
we are
49:25
because of how great
49:27
Jesus Christ
49:28
is
49:29
let's pray together
49:30
thank you
49:32
thank you
49:32
thank you