1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,440 When the New Testament looks back at the Old Testament. 2 00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:06,240 What it? Says in summary. 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,160 Form. Quoting Romans 15. 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,480 Is whatever was. Written in former. 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:18,480 Days was written for our instruction that by the 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,920 steadfastness and the encouragement. 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,800 Of the scriptures. We might have. 8 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,000 Hope. Everything. 9 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,160 In the Old Testament was written to give you hope. 10 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,560 This story about Asus Folly was written to give. 11 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,840 You hope this morning so my. Purpose, I believe, is simply 12 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:46,520 God's purpose, namely to unpack the story written and told, to 13 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,920 give. Bethlehem and. 14 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,880 Everybody in this room. Hope this morning. 15 00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:59,840 That's my goal. ASA made a big mistake. 16 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:02,080 Very foolish. Mistake. 17 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:07,840 He didn't rely upon God. He relied upon man and my. 18 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,960 Goal is to just so unpack the. Reasons for that? 19 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:16,120 Folly in such a way that they grip you and don't let that 20 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:20,120 happen in your life so that you walk out of here sort of 21 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:26,200 medicated against Asa's folly immune to ace's folly that the. 22 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,200 Temptation rising. To commit Ace's folly in your 23 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,000 life would not happen. You won't. 24 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,280 Catch that disease Now let me illustrate what I mean by the 25 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:38,560 alternative, perhaps of Ace's folly. 26 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,440 The opposite of Ace's folly is trusting God or. 27 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:49,840 Hoping in God yesterday as I began to put my hands on the. 28 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,400 Keyboard to type out this message. 29 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,960 I stopped because I had. Asus folly in my mind. 30 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,160 Real clearly. And I bowed my head and I said. 31 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:10,199 Lord, I have. I have a text, I have an idea. 32 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,400 I have a mind. I have hands, I have a computer. 33 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,240 I have time. A free day, Lord willing, 34 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:26,440 uninterrupted. I can write this sermon, but. 35 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:31,760 Lord. Very consciously now, I renounce 36 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:40,920 reliance upon my text, my idea, my mind, my hands, my computer, 37 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,000 my day, my freedom. I renounce reliance. 38 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,640 Upon all these good things that you have created and. 39 00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:51,400 Given to me, I renounce reliance upon them right now and I. 40 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:57,600 Look away from me to you. And I pray. 41 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:02,000 That in and under and around and through and on top of. 42 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,880 This effort now on this. Saturday you will so powerfully 43 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:11,520 and deeply work that what will be made will not simply be the 44 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,720 work of a man, but the work and the Word of God. 45 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,760 These people don't need another man made. 46 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,040 Thing they. Work with man made. 47 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,840 Ideas and man. Made things all week long. 48 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,560 They don't. Need another man made? 49 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:32,240 Thing come. Do something, move. 50 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:34,520 That's what I'm praying, by the way. 51 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,760 Well, Tom's reading the text as well. 52 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,160 That's what I want to happen in your life more and more. 53 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,840 In more and more areas, more and more. 54 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,560 Times. More and more deeply pausing and 55 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,080 saying, all right. I must do this and that. 56 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,720 But. I very consciously look away now 57 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,760 from reliance upon me and my human resources and those around 58 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:07,440 me, and I fix my eyes on the sovereign God, and I depend on 59 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,680 you. For making what I do. 60 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,160 Significant and eternally valuable. 61 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,480 Now that's what I want to happen and I don't want to get give the 62 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,880 impression that it it only has to do with religious things like 63 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,560 sermons. I use sermon as an example 64 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,120 because that's where I live. That's my. 65 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,320 Life but. Here's another illustration 66 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:35,800 that's different. I also took a bike ride 67 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:41,400 yesterday morning and as I put my right. 68 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,920 Foot into the strap. To get on. 69 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:49,320 The bike I. Stopped and thought, hmm, Ace's 70 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:53,600 father and I just did the same thing I said. 71 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:58,320 Lord. I've got legs, I've got a sturdy 72 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,400 bike, I've got arms, I've got hands, I've got eyes. 73 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:03,800 I can ride to many high falls in back. 74 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:05,880 Piece of cake. I've got an extra tube and a 75 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:07,240 pump and a. Patch Kit. 76 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,360 Even I've covered it, I'll make it I can. 77 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:17,640 Do this but Lord. Very consciously now, I renounce 78 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:23,240 reliance upon my legs and my arms and my hands and my patch 79 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:28,960 kit and my bike, and I look to you to make this ride something. 80 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:35,120 Really special. Meet me, open my eyes to your 81 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:39,480 glory, speak to me, use me, protect me. 82 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,960 Do. Something in this 54 minutes. 83 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,880 Or so that will change me make. Me a better. 84 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,160 Pastor, a better father, a better husband. 85 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,520 Lord, I don't want just. What I can do in this moment? 86 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,720 I want what you can do. Get it? 87 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,920 ASA didn't do that, and he made a big mistake. 88 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,960 That's Asa's folly. Not to do that now let's. 89 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:08,360 Get. Let's get. 90 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,600 The situation before us here because God's word is more 91 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,160 important than my My illustrations from my life, 92 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,520 1000. Years before Jesus was born. 93 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,960 There was King David. Everybody knows King David. 94 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,040 So I'll start there. King David, Great king. 1000 95 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,000 years exactly. King David is there. 96 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:30,080 He dies. His son Solomon takes over the 97 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,560 United Kingdom of Israel. When Solomon dies, there's 98 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,040 conflict and separation, and you all know the Kingdom of Israel 99 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,400 divides into a southern Kingdom. Which is usually. 100 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:41,880 Called Judah. Made-up of Judah and Benjamin 101 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,360 and Northern Kingdom, which is usually. 102 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,160 Called Israel. Made-up of the other 10 tribes 103 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,360 and Jeroboam and. Raheboam rule. 104 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,840 Over these two. Kingdoms Raheboam's son is 105 00:06:53,840 --> 00:06:58,840 Abijah. And Abijah's son is ASA, and 106 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:03,480 that's where we are. ASA the King not too long after 107 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,440 the division and he reigns for 41. 108 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,920 Years. And almost all of those years 109 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,960 are wonderful years of peace. God blessed us. 110 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,200 God filled him with all. Kinds of good. 111 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,520 Things and honored all his laborers. 112 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:27,040 He was a good king. For about 35 years and then 113 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:32,080 something happened. I have no idea what happened to 114 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:38,320 make ASA change. It's a tragic change, but 115 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,560 Chapter 16 describes the trouble that comes in the 36th. 116 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,320 Year of Asa's reign. Verse one says that Baasha. 117 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,000 The king of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. 118 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,400 Went. Up against Judah, that is 119 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,520 against. ASA and he built a city at Rama 120 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,840 as a kind of siege and blockade so that he could determine who 121 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:00,560 goes. In and out to the Southern 122 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:06,600 Kingdom and right at. That point ASA. 123 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:15,840 Made a colossal blunder. He trusted in man and not God. 124 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:22,480 Verse 2. He took silver and gold from the 125 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,720 treasures of the House of the Lord. 126 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,640 This is called prostitution. By the way. 127 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,360 From the House of the Lord to buy a substitute for the. 128 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:33,280 Lord in other. Words. 129 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:37,000 He took silver and gold from the treasures of the House of the 130 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,440 Lord and the King's house, and sent them to Ben. 131 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,240 Heydad the King. Of Syria or Aram? 132 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,000 It might say in your translation same thing. 133 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:50,240 In other words, he the first thought that comes into Ace's 134 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,960 mind when he's in trouble with. Baasha the King. 135 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,280 Of Israel is got to get a political alliance first 136 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:58,200 thought. Got to have money, got to have 137 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,320 political alliance, got to have military might first thought. 138 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,400 And so he sends the. Money up to Syria. 139 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,120 Ben Heydad takes it, comes in and cleans. 140 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,600 House on the Northern Kingdom. Destroying several cities Baasha 141 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:11,680 has to pull. Back from. 142 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:13,600 Building Rama. It worked. 143 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,640 It worked. And there's a great lesson here. 144 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,520 When you stop trusting God and start. 145 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,880 Relying upon your. Resources. 146 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:33,800 It works for a while. Things go well. 147 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:40,960 The portfolio grows, the business grows, the house is 148 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:49,280 nice, all the toys are in place. It's working for a while and it 149 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:59,280 worked worked for ASA. But it cost him dearly, it cost 150 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,440 him a missed blessing, and it cost him great hardship. 151 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,640 Here's the blessing he missed verse 7, second-half of the 152 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,520 verse, the prophet says to him. Because. 153 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,480 You relied. On the king of Assyria. 154 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,520 Or the king of Syria. And did not. 155 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,840 Rely on the Lord your God, the army. 156 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,760 Of the king of Assyria. Has escaped you What? 157 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:25,960 Does that mean? That means that had he relied 158 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,680 upon the Lord, here's here's the scenario that the prophet is 159 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:32,760 painting. If he had done this, Lord I am. 160 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,920 Really in trouble because Vyasha is coming against me and. 161 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:37,440 And on top of him, there's. Syria. 162 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,720 They might strike a league against me and I'd be done for. 163 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:45,360 Lord help me. If he had done that, the prophet 164 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,400 says you would have had not only Bayasha, you would have had 165 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,960 Syria. I would have given them into 166 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,720 your hands and you missed it and you'll never have it. 167 00:10:56,680 --> 00:11:00,720 So when we stop trusting the Lord, it may look like it's 168 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,000 going well. I can do it. 169 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,960 I mean, I'm smart, right? I can ride my bike. 170 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,520 I can type my computer. I can run my business. 171 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,000 I can, father. My family. 172 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:17,200 I can run a church, right? And not only does it cost us 173 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:21,200 blessings, but it brings hardship. 174 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:25,080 Verse nine. Second-half of the verse. 175 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:31,800 The Prophet says you have. Done foolishly in this for from 176 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,920 now on. You will have. 177 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,760 Wars so not. Only do we miss. 178 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,280 Blessings when we stop trusting God and start trusting human 179 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:43,720 resources. We get. 180 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:53,080 Hardships eventually now we know from other Bible passages like 181 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:59,560 Romans 828, First Samuel 1225 and numerous others that. 182 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,120 If you repent. After such a blunder. 183 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:10,480 God not. Only will forgive, but he will 184 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:17,680 take the hardships and turn them into fatherly discipline. 185 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:20,560 Rather than judicial. Condemnation. 186 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:27,760 You got a handle on that? If you repent after. 187 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:32,800 Such a blunder. God won't necessarily keep the 188 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,040 consequences of your bad unbelief from happening. 189 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,080 He will simply. Make them. 190 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:43,640 Fatherly chastising. Discipline for your. 191 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,680 Good rather. Than judicial condemnation for 192 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:52,840 your sentencing. Now ASA didn't repent as far as 193 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,680 I can tell. Look at verse 12. 194 00:12:55,960 --> 00:13:00,520 This is so tragic. Three years later in the. 39th 195 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,200 year. Of his reign. 196 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:09,000 ASA was diseased. In his feet and his disease 197 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,400 became. Severe. 198 00:13:10,680 --> 00:13:14,640 And yet, even in his disease, he did. 199 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,080 Not. Seek the Lord. 200 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:18,880 But he sought. Help. 201 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:25,600 From physicians, something tragic had happened in Asa's 202 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:30,080 life. He had become over 35 years of 203 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,200 God. 'S blessing and peace. 204 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:37,920 And bounty a secular humanist 2800 years before the. 205 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:44,040 Term was invented. Secular Humanist. 206 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:45,920 You thought that was a new? Thing. 207 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,280 It's not a new thing. Military threat? 208 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,840 What's the first thought? Money. 209 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:59,320 Political alliances? Military might? 210 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:02,120 That's secular. Humanism. 211 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,160 Physical problem? What's the first thought? 212 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,520 Medicine. Doctors. 213 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,840 God gone. He's gone. 214 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,160 He's gone out of this. Man's mind. 215 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,240 Or maybe it came in way late way. 216 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,320 Down underneath 5th, 6th down after he tried all the 217 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:23,720 medicines. Maybe God? 218 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:27,560 That's secular humanism. God is out of his. 219 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:31,720 Mind as a precious. Warm day by day. 220 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,520 Communion whereby he says I've got a problem. 221 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,080 I consult. You first. 222 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:41,240 I seek your. Power first, I ask your guidance 223 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,560 first. I need your help first. 224 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:48,040 I don't know what to do. Secular humans don't talk. 225 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:49,800 Like that? Weak. 226 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,840 Lamb like, helpless. Christians. 227 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:59,520 Talk like that now. I said that there were. 228 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:05,960 Two. Reasons why it was folly for ASA 229 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:10,440 not to trust God that I see in this text here's #1. 230 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,760 God had proved. To ASA in the past, that when he 231 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:18,120 trusted him, great things happened for good. 232 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,960 The first reason it's folly for ASA not to trust God is because 233 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:28,920 the past, Asa's whole past, says I'll do it, I'll take care of 234 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,680 you, trust me, I'll defeat. Enemies for you. 235 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,720 I'll prosper you. Your whole history is a 236 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,160 testimony that it's stupid and foolish not to trust me. 237 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,200 Let's go. Back to chapter 14, I want you 238 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:48,280 to see this because. Well, before you go back, we've 239 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:49,920 got to read verse 8 because. That's what sent. 240 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:54,400 Me back verse eight in chapter. 16 says here's the prophet 241 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,320 trying to figure out ACE is mine. 242 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:01,120 We're not The Ethiopians and the Libyans, a huge army with 243 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:02,880 exceedingly many Chariots and horsemen. 244 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,960 And yet because. You relied on the Lord, He gave 245 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:06,880 them into your. Hand. 246 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:14,080 Now let's go back and read about that chapter 14 in verse nine of 247 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:19,800 chapter 14, Second Chronicles. It says that Zahra the 248 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:21,920 Ethiopian. Came up against. 249 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:26,400 ASA with 1,000,000. Soldiers that's. 250 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,960 Twice as many. As were in Asa's country. 251 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:36,760 One million soldiers and three. 100 Chariots then verse 10. 252 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:43,760 It says ASA went out to meet him in battle with his small army. 253 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:49,480 And then verse 11 is the crucial difference from what happened 254 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,680 35. Years later, ASA. 255 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,880 Cried to the Lord his. God, oh Lord. 256 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,280 There is none like thee to help between the mighty and the weak. 257 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:08,079 Help us, oh Lord our God, for we rely on Thee and in thy. 258 00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:10,000 Name. We have come against this 259 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,160 multitude. Oh Lord, thou art God. 260 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:19,520 Let not man. Prevail against thee, that's 261 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,079 the. Opposite of Asa's father, 262 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:22,200 that's. The way ASA. 263 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:27,119 'S life and ministry began. Now I want you to notice 264 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,320 something he had. An army. 265 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:36,600 I have a computer, I have a bike, and I go to doctors. 266 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:42,320 The. Point is not that bikes and 267 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:47,840 computers and doctors are bad. The point is, it's bad. 268 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,360 Not even to. Think about God and rush off to 269 00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:55,240 your own human resources. Doctors, computers, bikes, 270 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,880 brains, legs, anything. God is #1. 271 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,360 If we don't go to God first, if we don't consult God and rely 272 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:07,600 upon God and ask God and trust God and seek God before. 273 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,040 Then we're foolish, we're missing blessings, and we're 274 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:15,480 bringing hardships upon ourselves. 275 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,160 But ASA prayed and verse 12 and chapter 14. 276 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,080 Here's what happened. So the Lord. 277 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:30,960 Defeated The Ethiopians before ASA and before Judah, and then 278 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,520 as though not. To let ASA miss the point, look 279 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:35,920 at chapter 15. The Prophet comes. 280 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:38,480 To him. And interprets for him. 281 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:42,000 How he should understand what's going on here in God's blessing. 282 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,200 Verse one. Second-half of the verse in 283 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:50,520 chapter 15. Hear me, ASA and all, Judah and 284 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:57,600 Benjamin, the Lord is with you while you are with him. 285 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,960 That simply means. God. 286 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:08,920 Will help you if you trust him. If you seek. 287 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,040 Him he will be. Found by you. 288 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:17,080 But if you forsake him, He will forsake you. 289 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:20,880 And that's what happened, evidently, at the end of Asa's 290 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:28,320 life. 35 years of prosperity. Mark this. 35 years of divinely. 291 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,480 Sent blessing and ASA turned from the Lord. 292 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:35,760 So the 1st. Reason. 293 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:38,200 That it's. Folly for ASA. 294 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,080 To trust in himself and his money and his military might and 295 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,880 his political alliances is because he had a whole history, 296 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:46,600 decades of blessing from from God. 297 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:49,680 Now here's the second and last reason. 298 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,480 Ace's Reliance. Upon himself and upon human. 299 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:57,040 Resources is foolish. Because the nature. 300 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:00,760 Of God. Is such that he is eager to show 301 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,040 his power on behalf of people who trust him. 302 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:04,720 This is the main point this morning. 303 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:09,480 I hope you get this. The nature of God is such that 304 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:16,400 he is eager on His tip. Toes. 305 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:23,960 On the edge of his chair. To pour out omnipotent power on 306 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:30,120 behalf of people who trust him. I get this from verse nine of 307 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:33,240 chapter 16. Verse nine it's. 308 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:34,520 One of my. Favorite verses? 309 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:38,000 I hope you will memorize it after this morning and fight the 310 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,880 devil with it. The eyes of the Lord run to and 311 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,160 fro throughout the whole earth to show his might. 312 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:48,800 I really think that's. The best translation. 313 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:54,880 I like this better than the NIV. To show his might in behalf of 314 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,520 those whose heart is. Blameless. 315 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,960 I don't like that translation. It's very misleading. 316 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:00,720 Blameless sounds perfectionistic. 317 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,440 That's not at all what's intended here. 318 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:07,400 Rather, the word Chalene Hebrew means whole. 319 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:09,960 Complete good translation would be. 320 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,840 Whose heart is? Whole toward him. 321 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:14,480 Wholly reliant. Wholly. 322 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:16,000 Devoted. Wholly committed. 323 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:18,760 There's a sense of wholeness, like love the Lord your God with 324 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,160 your whole heart. That's the implication here. 325 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,840 Do the the context demands a focus on? 326 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:25,480 Reliance. That's the issue. 327 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,080 He didn't rely upon the Lord, had he wholly. 328 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,040 Relied upon the. Lord, the eyes of the Lord would 329 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:34,680 have picked it up, and Almighty Omnipotent power would have come 330 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:39,120 forth. On Ace's behalf, now God. 331 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:41,200 Means for you as I. Close the service. 332 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,080 God means for you to. Learn something about him this 333 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:49,280 morning. About his character and his 334 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:53,160 nature. That'll change your life. 335 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,080 He wants you to know him in a new way this morning. 336 00:21:57,560 --> 00:21:59,640 For some of you, it's not. Totally new but for a. 337 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,760 Lot of people in this room. This is a. 338 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,240 New vision. Of God a. 339 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:09,000 God who is on his tip toes, on the edge of his chair, looking 340 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,560 for ways to show himself powerful on behalf of people who 341 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:19,120 are weak and who trust in Him. It is God's nature to want to be 342 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:21,720 powerful for you if you are childlike. 343 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:26,480 And wholly trusting him and not running after Ben Haydad. 344 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,040 Let me try to use a couple of illustrations to get at this 345 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:34,720 verse. This is an. 346 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,880 Awesome verse. Oh, I hope you don't ride. 347 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:40,200 Lightly over this. Verse It is awesome. 348 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,320 Suppose I were to say to you the eyes of the. 349 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:47,560 Narcotics agents. Run to and fro throughout the 350 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:51,400 city seeking to find. Drug dealers and bring them to 351 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:55,080 justice. What I would mean by that is 352 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,240 it's the job of narcotics. Agents. 353 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,240 To find drug dealers. And they really are about it. 354 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,560 That's what I mean when I say their eyes are running to and 355 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,840 fro throughout the whole city seeking to find drug dealers. 356 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,600 And bring them to justice. That's their job and they're 357 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,880 really going to do it. That's what it means to. 358 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,280 Be a narcotics agent or here's another one. 359 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:24,240 The eyes of the scouts of the athletic departments of the Big 360 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,520 10 schools run to and fro throughout the high schools of 361 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,960 America to find the best athletes to bring them. 362 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,320 Into their athletic. Program. 363 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:37,560 Now, what I mean when I say that their eyes, these Scouts eyes 364 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,400 are running to and fro throughout the high schools is 365 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:45,200 that's their job. That's their job and they really 366 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,520 mean to do it. It's the very nature of a scout 367 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:56,920 to find athletes all right. Now, if we're on the. 368 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:03,080 Right track when the Bible. Says the eyes of the Lord, the 369 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,960 Maker of heaven and earth, the sustainer of the universe, are 370 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,600 running to and fro throughout the whole earth. 371 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:19,520 To seek to show himself mighty on behalf of those who wholly 372 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:24,120 trust him. That means it's God's job to 373 00:24:24,120 --> 00:24:29,720 help people, and he really means to get his job done. 374 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:38,680 That's his living. Do you believe that God's 375 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:51,480 living, his nature, why he exists is to show off His power 376 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,600 for weak people who trust in Him? 377 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:58,560 I tell you, if you believe that, it changes everything in your 378 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:02,160 life, that that's the nature of God. 379 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:08,840 He exists to show off power for weak people who trust. 380 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:13,120 In him. I love this verse. 381 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:21,400 I love this God. God is not doing this just on 382 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,280 the weekends. God does not do this. 383 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,720 After hours. This is not a hobby. 384 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:35,920 This is not God's recreation. This is God's life. 385 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:42,600 It's his life. What else does it mean that his 386 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:47,600 eyes are running to and fro? I must find someone to help. 387 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:52,200 I must find someone to be powerful, for I can't live 388 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:58,200 without being powerful. For my people, that is the image 389 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:03,880 that is God. He's the God and Father of our 390 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,840 Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us. 391 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,560 He's the God who hears all your prayers. 392 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:15,080 He's the God who created this. Universe and holds it in being 393 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,160 by the word of His power. He's the God. 394 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:25,400 Who's in this room right now? Teaching through my teaching and 395 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:29,160 calling you to believe calling you to. 396 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,800 Trust him. Let's pray together. 397 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:47,080 When this service is over, it won't be over. 398 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:57,040 There will be standing at the front here teams of, of prayers 399 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,520 who want to pray with you about the issues you're facing in your 400 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:05,000 life, things that you've been frayed about, things that you 401 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:10,640 need to trust God for. And I just pray that every team 402 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:15,440 will have people ready to pray. I think many of you shouldn't 403 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,160 leave right after the service. You should sit and pray. 404 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:23,320 Some of you, some should just come up with the teams and tell 405 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:25,520 what you'd like support in prayer with. 406 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:30,920 And others, of course, will will leave and pray this afternoon. 407 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:38,440 Father, there's a great work that you want to do in the lives 408 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:45,240 of your people, revealing who you are, what a God you are. 409 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:53,840 Your eyes run to and fro. Seeking to show. 410 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:59,680 Yourself powerful on behalf of those who are weak and helpless 411 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:06,520 and wholly turned away from human resources to you and 412 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:10,120 trusting you, Lord God, help us to trust you. 413 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:15,160 We look to you, we wait upon you, we bow before you. 414 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:20,280 Lord, speak to us as Mike sings.