1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,720 But may I also say that we need God's help with everything. 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,400 I got to tell you, in my life, every time I've tried to tackle 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:13,240 something by myself, thinking I got the way, I came up short. 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,280 I made a mistake. I stumbled, I ran into 5 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,520 roadblocks and difficulties. Every time I try to do it on my 6 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:21,760 own. I think that's everybody. 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:25,560 I'm going to make a statement now that may seem redundant 8 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:28,240 because I've said it many times, and if it's redundant, I'm going 9 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,400 to say it's OK, I'm good with that. 10 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:35,840 But when we pray to God, I believe with all my heart I 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,600 believe this to be true, that God wants us to be vulnerable to 12 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,400 him. I realize that the word 13 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,360 vulnerable is not a very fun word, and it's not a word that 14 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,800 people like to say because you know why people think 15 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,440 vulnerability is weakness? And it's not. 16 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,960 God wants us to be vulnerable to Him, So much so that without it 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,160 or the lack of vulnerability comes with it, The lack of 18 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,080 humility. And that's everything in our 19 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,640 demeanor. Before God, God wants us to be 20 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,080 vulnerable. What else, though, the Bible 21 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,000 does tell us, though, to be? Courageous and to be strong. 22 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,080 And I got to tell you, in my whole life, my kids can tell 23 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,360 you, my family can tell you. I have always been about trying 24 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,200 to live by the principle of never quit, never give up. 25 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:30,640 No matter what I have always felt in my life, I've always 26 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,800 thought, I've always looked at examples of people motivating 27 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,240 examples, for example in sports where somebody didn't give up, 28 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,480 because I think that transfers into life. 29 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,280 I really do. I think about Dave Waddle in 30 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,120 1972 in Munich. Remember that he wrote Ran the 31 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,480 800. He told his story 50 years later 32 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,840 He said the 1st 200 meters of the race. 33 00:01:53,840 --> 00:02:01,200 It was absolutely hopeless, but something inside me said never 34 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,360 give. Up and he came from behind and 35 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:11,600 he won the race, made history. I believe in courage. 36 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,640 I also believe in the concept of this very fact right here. 37 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,720 There is no such thing as courage where there is No Fear. 38 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,320 So fear's not the problem. Courage is your reaction to it. 39 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,920 I believe in that. But hold my point I I I'm 40 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:27,080 talking about being vulnerable to God. 41 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:28,720 I'm going to get there. I got a point here. 42 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:36,480 The Bible even talks about being courageous and being strong, not 43 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:37,480 just being vulnerable. I'm. 44 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,000 Going to give you an example of don't turn there, I'm just going 45 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,320 to, I'm going to refer to it. So stay with me, just listen to 46 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,960 me. But in Joshua chapter one, it 47 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,440 was right after Moses had died. And God told Joshua he said, my 48 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:56,200 servant Moses is now dead. And then he tells him this. 49 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,920 He said, you be strong and of good courage. 50 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:04,120 And then he told him why, How you going to do it? 51 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:09,600 He said as I was with Moses, I will also. 52 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,400 Be with you. That's number one. 53 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,880 Why else could it be strong and of good courage? 54 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:17,960 The second thing God said? He said. 55 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,560 I will never leave you nor forsake you. 56 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:25,160 How about that? It's great to understand. 57 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,040 I got to be strong. Just know where the strength 58 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:28,720 comes from. It comes from God. 59 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:30,080 It's not. Us. 60 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,520 And when you're vulnerable to God, when you pray, I believe 61 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:36,440 with all my heart, that's when God shows up. 62 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,320 When you try to tackle it on your own, you make. 63 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:45,240 Mistakes Judas Iscariot. Betrayed Jesus, Peter denied the 64 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,800 Lord and all the disciples forsook him and fled when they 65 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,560 focused on their own opinions, their own thoughts, and their 66 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,080 own strength. We need God in everything. 67 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,000 Before we go into the passages that are before us beginning in 68 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:04,000 verse 11, though, you remember that Jesus taught a lesson about 69 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:05,600 prayer. Remember that and I'm going to 70 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,240 be. Very brief about our review. 71 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,360 He taught a lesson about prayer and he said this is how you're 72 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,520 not going to pray. Don't do this, don't pray like 73 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,320 the hypocrites do to be seen by men. 74 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,600 Don't do that. He said if you do that, and 75 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,240 that's the reason that you pray, is to be seen by men and get the 76 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,840 Pats on the back from people. He said you're getting nothing 77 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:27,240 from God. Then he said if you go in your 78 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,480 private place and you pray to God and you do it in secret, 79 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,280 even that which God sees in secret, he's going to reward you 80 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:34,720 openly. Great stuff, right? 81 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,120 Then he gives a model prayer on things to pray for and this is 82 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,560 what he says. Again, these were words that 83 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,720 were never to be memorized and recited over and over again. 84 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:48,880 He gave a model prayer and this is what he said beginning in 85 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:53,680 verse nine of Matthew chapter 6. In this manner, therefore pray. 86 00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:57,000 And then the first thing he says, this is review our Father. 87 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:02,960 This describes God's paternity. God's paternity is twofold #1 He 88 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,560 is the Almighty Father. He is the Heavenly Father. 89 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,360 He is the great creator of all things. 90 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,520 That's Father. But not only that, he is our 91 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,280 Father. Like Paul said, we cry ABBA 92 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,760 father. That is an Aramaic term of 93 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,600 endearment that children use for their dad. 94 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,760 It's another word we can plug in their dad or daddy. 95 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,160 I said this, Terry, you weren't here when I preached on this, 96 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:29,280 but your father stood right here many years ago and said he is 97 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:33,120 our daddy. That's ABBA. 98 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,720 So when you pray to God, that's the relationship that you have 99 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:42,200 with him in that grade. But remember his lofty position. 100 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,280 He's in heaven. And even his name is to be 101 00:05:47,280 --> 00:05:50,080 praised. We don't ever take it in vain. 102 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,120 His name is to be praised. Then he said this your Kingdom 103 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:58,280 come or when the Kingdom comes. Now I said this last time, I'm 104 00:05:58,280 --> 00:05:59,920 not going to go very far into this. 105 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,760 It is not appropriate to pray for the Kingdom to come because 106 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:08,160 the Kingdom has already come. This phrase right here, your 107 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,600 Kingdom comes means when the Kingdom comes. 108 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:12,520 And we already established that what is the Kingdom? 109 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,880 Well, first of all, Jesus is reigning over his throne, on his 110 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,400 throne over the Kingdom. Now the Kingdom is the church. 111 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,280 Who's the church? The church is the people. 112 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:25,600 In fact, the word church is the word Ekklesia, meaning the 113 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:29,480 called out ones. We are called out by the Gospel 114 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,600 Romans 10/17. We obey the gospel when we're 115 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:34,440 baptized for the remission of sins. 116 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,520 We become Christians and we're in the Kingdom. 117 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:41,560 Remember this. It's a spiritual Kingdom. 118 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,400 Remember what Jesus said to his disciples. 119 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,280 The Kingdom is within. You. 120 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,520 I love that. Kingdom is within you and he's 121 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:52,640 reigning now, so we don't pray for a Kingdom to come in the 122 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:53,680 future. It's already here, all right. 123 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:58,520 In a secondary sense, the only future reign of Jesus is not in 124 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:00,040 another Kingdom that's going to come. 125 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,080 The only future reign of Jesus because the word Kingdom 126 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,600 actually means rain. So the only future reign of 127 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,920 Jesus where he is not reigning now but will reign someday is in 128 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,920 the heart of a non believer today that becomes a child of 129 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,080 God down the road and then Jesus can reign in their hearts too. 130 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,080 That's the only future reign of Jesus because the Kingdom is 131 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,280 already here and it's going to be in the same Kingdom that 132 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:26,320 those people come to too. So anyway. 133 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:30,880 And Jesus says your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 134 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,160 All right. It's interesting though, before 135 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:40,400 Jesus says specific things to pray for and ask for, he tells 136 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,960 us to honor God, and that's really important in our prayers. 137 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,800 That we first honor God. Philippians chapter 4 talks 138 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:48,920 about that very thing too. You begin by praise and 139 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,640 adoration to God before you pour your request out to him. 140 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,600 But we're going to talk about 3 specific things that we need 141 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,720 help with from God that we need to pray for three three very 142 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,120 specific things. Matthew chapter 6 and verse 11. 143 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:05,720 Jesus says give us this day Our Daily Bread, You know, later on 144 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,840 in this chapter. And verses 25 through 34 is a 145 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:14,440 beautiful depiction of how God cares for his own He cares for 146 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,120 us. In this verse is one of the 147 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,520 specific things that we pray for, and that is our daily 148 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,280 provision. David even said this in Psalm 37 149 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,400 and 25. I've been young and now I'm old, 150 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,039 yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his 151 00:08:33,039 --> 00:08:38,200 descendants begging bread. Jesus says right off the bat, 152 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,120 give us this day, Our Daily Bread. 153 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,080 So I want to say this though too. 154 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:47,560 Even though God is our provider and all of that, there's a 155 00:08:47,560 --> 00:08:49,360 condition. On receiving, have you ever 156 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,280 stopped to consider that in James chapter? 157 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,880 Four and verse 2. James says you do not have 158 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:03,640 because you do not ask. I was driving down the road the 159 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:09,080 other day and I thought of this. My family, and I know it is the 160 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,680 same for all you other fathers too, but my my family is 161 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:16,720 everything to me and I would give my family anything and 162 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,640 everything and I would do anything and everything for 163 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,400 them. That's just how I feel in my 164 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,240 heart and I will do it regardless. 165 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,520 But I kind of want them to ask if they want something from me. 166 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:44,200 And then I kind of wanted to thank me when I do now, if I 167 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,760 feel that way, Can you imagine how God feels that provides 168 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:51,280 everything? In James Four and two, it says 169 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,120 you don't have it because you don't ask for it. 170 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,720 So we have to. Ask, one man said a long time 171 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:58,840 ago. An unclaimed promises, like an 172 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,960 uncashed check. When there are things that are 173 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,480 promised to us that are dependent on prayer, we need to 174 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:09,160 ask in order to receive it. God knows our needs. 175 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:11,160 He knows our needs. He knows our thoughts. 176 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,040 He knows everything. Can you imagine a God that knows 177 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,280 us so well that the very hairs on our head are numbered? 178 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,800 That's an amazing statement there, that the Bible talks 179 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,160 about how well God knows us, but yet He knows our needs. 180 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:29,240 But. We need to ask first the phrase 181 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:30,960 right here. Give us this day. 182 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,360 This obviously is depending on God for our immediate needs. 183 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,720 If you drop down to verse 34 and I'm just going to make a 184 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,800 reference to it, it shows that our concern about the future is 185 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:46,680 unnecessary because God takes care of the things that we need 186 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,560 daily. Israel's journey through the 187 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:52,600 wilderness illustrates this concept by the way that God 188 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,960 adequate adequately provided each for his daily bread or 189 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,600 portion or manna. You know what happened, though? 190 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:04,480 Some of them didn't trust God, and they greedily stored up more 191 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:05,800 than just for their daily provision. 192 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,680 You know what happened? Exodus 16 and 20 193 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:10,880 notwithstanding, they did not heed Moses. 194 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:15,320 But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms 195 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,800 and steak, and Moses was angry with them. 196 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:24,480 I know this is all of us. And I'm going to say before I 197 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:26,400 make this statement, this is me too. 198 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:34,040 But sometimes we spend so much time about tomorrow that we fail 199 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,640 to recognize and appreciate and be thankful for what we actually 200 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:42,320 have today. It's hard. 201 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:51,920 It's hard because you know why? Because we know we need to plan. 202 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:53,720 I'm going to get to that in a minute, by the way, right? 203 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,760 Kind of planning. We know we need to plan. 204 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,480 But unfortunately what we do is we add to the planning worry 205 00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:08,160 instead of being focused on what we have today and be thankful 206 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,720 for what God provided today and also trusted he'll provide for 207 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,200 tomorrow. Instead of being thankful for 208 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:21,000 today, we worry about tomorrow. I love that song that Ivan Kosta 209 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,000 wrote a long time ago. I love this song. 210 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:27,120 It's called Just A Handful, part of that song says. 211 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:31,600 Oh, the quiet that we forfeit over wealth and keeping up, 212 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,680 never learning in a hurry. That a handful is enough. 213 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:42,200 Then it says, Lord, I pray for just a handful and for quiet in 214 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,440 my soul. Help me spurn the greed of 215 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,760 others and use my handful for the Lord. 216 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:54,640 Beautiful words. God wants us to rely on him for 217 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,920 our daily needs. A great example of this, or a 218 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,640 great illustration of this principle is found with the 219 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,760 shepherd and the sheep. And by the way, in ancient 220 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:07,640 times, it wasn't the plush green fields of Palestine where you 221 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:11,720 found the sheep. Listen, this powerful stuff. 222 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,560 Think about it. Where'd the sheep go? 223 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,880 They didn't have the plush green fields of Palestine. 224 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:19,760 You know where they Had you found them? 225 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:21,360 That was prevalent to see the sheep. 226 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:28,480 In the desert of South Palestine wasn't in Galilee plus fields of 227 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,040 Galilee, it was in the. Deserts of South Palestine as we 228 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,560 found the sheep, what's the point? 229 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:40,200 Every one of those sheep never worried about tomorrow of the 230 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,320 little green grass that would be taken that they would have to 231 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:44,400 eat for tomorrow. You know why? 232 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,120 They trusted in the shepherd. The shepherd came every day, 233 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,800 took him out of the fold, and took him to some green patch 234 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:54,440 somewhere where they ate. Don't you see? 235 00:13:54,440 --> 00:14:03,280 That's us. The Lord is our shepherd, and I 236 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:08,360 shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green 237 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,480 pastures. He delivers me beside the still 238 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,400 waters. He restores my soul. 239 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:19,120 When you trust in the Lord as your shepherd, understand we are 240 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,320 the sheep. Don't worry about provision. 241 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:26,400 God will provide. God provides those needs. 242 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:33,160 The Lord does not provide abundance or does not promise 243 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:34,360 abundance. And I'm going to tell you, if 244 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:35,440 you have abundance, good for you. 245 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,320 And that's wonderful because it's a blessing from God. 246 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:39,240 And if you have abundance, great for you. 247 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:40,320 And there's nothing wrong with that. 248 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,880 But there's no promise at all for abundance, the promises for 249 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,880 provision that we need daily. This phrase right here, Our 250 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,320 Daily Bread, obviously bread is the staff is of life. 251 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,360 It is what we need to physically sustain our needs. 252 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:57,920 But if you look at this phrase right here, Our Daily Bread, the 253 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,360 context here goes beyond that. And it is talking about all of 254 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:07,800 our daily needs, everything that we need every day from God. 255 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,560 The Lord's instruction is both practical and necessary. 256 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,000 Why is that The Kingdom that we've been talking about is a 257 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,760 Kingdom of workers. I'm going to say something to 258 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:23,680 you. I appreciate our brother praying 259 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,760 for me as a preacher and praying for preachers that preach the 260 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:31,920 gospel, but I'm going to tell you all something right now. 261 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:38,200 What you said was true and thank you, but you're all preachers 262 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:45,160 with your life and you are preaching sermons with your life 263 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:49,200 and everybody's watching and in fact those. 264 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,920 Sermons are more powerful than anything proclaimed verbally 265 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:56,080 from the pulpit. You know why, 'cause if it 266 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:00,160 doesn't go along with your life and your example, it has no 267 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,040 value. It has no merit, has no power, 268 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:06,800 has no effect. The way you live. 269 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,440 The way you act, the way you treat people, are you really 270 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:12,600 Christ like? Does the beauty of Jesus really 271 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:17,240 be seen in you in your life? Do you live the life of a 272 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:18,920 Christian? Do you live a life that 273 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,800 professes what you say? You believe all of these things? 274 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,800 That's the sermon of your life, and that's important and that's 275 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:28,360 powerful. We are a Kingdom of workers, and 276 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:29,920 you know what we need as workers. 277 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,600 We need our needs sustained. All of us. 278 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,480 Not just a preacher that preaches for a living, but every 279 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:40,080 child of God needs provision too, because they are preachers 280 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:44,640 taking the sermon of their life, their example to everyone that 281 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:50,160 watches. We can't be preoccupied with the 282 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,440 cares of life too much, folks. I know this. 283 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:00,080 I know we live in a country right now where we are very 284 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:01,680 blessed. I know that. 285 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:05,520 And somebody might say, well, it's really easy to say it 286 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,000 living in the United States about God providing it's really 287 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,880 easy to say that because, I mean, look around. 288 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,720 Us. I drove here today and I had to 289 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,160 turn down the seat because it was too hot. 290 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:21,640 The heated seat. Tina had it turned. 291 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:22,760 I don't like that I turned it off. 292 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:26,359 I was driving her car. I don't like that hot seat. 293 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:31,760 My point is, look at the luxury we live in. 294 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:39,160 But I'm going to tell you this, God's promise is to third world 295 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:45,680 country people too, not abundance, daily provision. 296 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,480 I've been very fortunate and blessed to be a part of the work 297 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:50,920 in the Philippines. I can't anymore. 298 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,800 I can no longer travel overseas, but I've been there 15 times. 299 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,320 You know what I've found In the poorest places that you can 300 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:02,320 imagine in the world, They all had something to eat. 301 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,120 All the Christians. Everywhere we went. 302 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,040 They had shelter and they had food. 303 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:14,040 They had what they needed every day. 304 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:17,480 That's what God provides. That's what God promises. 305 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:20,160 OK? So let's not be overly 306 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,120 preoccupied with worrying about our needs. 307 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:25,560 So what's the difference between planning and being overly 308 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:27,160 occupied? You know, even the. 309 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:29,760 Apostles understood that you got a plan, and my dad told me my 310 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:31,280 whole life. My dad, oh, my dad was 311 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,240 repetitious. Some of you knew him very well. 312 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,040 My dad was extremely repetitious. 313 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,960 And you've heard me say this too, You know he thought you 314 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,080 only had retained 1/3 of what you heard, so he told everything 315 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:45,120 three times. My dad was extremely 316 00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:47,360 repetitious, but one of the things that he constantly told 317 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:51,400 me is the phrase that you've all heard people don't plan to fail. 318 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:57,320 They simply fail to plan. That's a good concept. 319 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:00,760 You got a plan. The apostles understood that 320 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,200 there's a measure of planning that has to be done, but not to 321 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:07,760 do it with boastful arrogance. Listen, understand, when you 322 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,800 plan, don't do it with boastful arrogance because such is evil 323 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:14,520 according to James. Notice in James Chapter 4, 324 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:19,200 beginning in verse 13. Come now, you who say today or 325 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,760 tomorrow, we will go to such a city, spend a year there and buy 326 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,680 and sell and make a profit. Sounds great, right? 327 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,920 That's called a business plan. And by the way, I got to back up 328 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,840 little history real quick. Back then, ancient cities were 329 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:32,400 taken in. They were starting all over and 330 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:33,960 they were taking in whoever would come. 331 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,680 They wanted citizens in ancient cities, OK? 332 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,480 If a person was a vendor or a businessman and they brought a 333 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:45,880 business, they gave immediate citizenship automatically to 334 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,360 that business in their new city. You know why with business 335 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:51,120 brings people with people bring money. 336 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,640 So picture this. James is talking about a guy 337 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:57,800 that's going to make a business plan. 338 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,800 He gets a map out of some sort and he says you don't want to 339 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,520 do. We're going to go to such a city 340 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:04,400 and we're going to stay a year there. 341 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:06,960 We're going to buy and sell and we're going to make a profit. 342 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,520 It's going to be great. Sounds great, right. 343 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,200 Watch. Whereas you do not know what 344 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,240 will happen tomorrow. That's number one. 345 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,560 Do you know why you don't just plan like that? 346 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,200 You don't just plan, like I just said, like they were doing and 347 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,640 what James was correcting. Because the first thing you 348 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:25,280 don't know is the uncertainty of life. 349 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:30,520 And I'm going to tell you right now, I know by experience and by 350 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:31,640 God's will. I didn't. 351 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,160 I wasn't taken out of here, but I was almost gone twice. 352 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:37,800 And you know what? Every time I thought, hey, I got 353 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:44,920 tomorrow, I'm doing great. Something happens, some people 354 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,200 aren't as fortunate and they are taken out. 355 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,240 When you make your plans, understand there are things that 356 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:56,200 are beyond your control, one of which is the uncertainty of 357 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,960 life. Let's go further, for what is 358 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:00,800 your life? It's even a vapor that appears 359 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,320 for a little while and vanishes away. 360 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:07,680 Instead you want to say, get this, please, if the Lord wills 361 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:12,680 I talked. To this man right here all the 362 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:17,080 time, Jose and we study together. 363 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,880 We talk all the time. And I love what he says, hey, 364 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:26,240 let's do so, he says, God willing, God willing. 365 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:31,200 We should all be saying, Lord willing, God willing. 366 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,240 Hold that thought. What does it mean about God 367 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,760 willing you've? Heard my sermon of old, the fact 368 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:42,360 I preached it so many times over the country. 369 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:45,160 I don't preach anymore. I got tired of it, but I have a 370 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:47,760 sermon on God's will, and I talk about how God imparts his will 371 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:49,520 in three ways. And this is the words that I 372 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,320 told you many years ago. I'm going to modify it because I 373 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:53,640 think it's a little easier to remember. 374 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:58,760 OK, God imparts his will in three ways. #1 There's God's 375 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:03,120 determined will. Then I said there's God's 376 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:07,160 desired will. And then I said there's God's 377 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,240 permissive will. OK, that's true. 378 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:11,800 But I'm going to change the words a little bit. 379 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:13,280 I'm going to call it the three PS. 380 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:15,320 It's easier to understand because I get asked this all the 381 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:16,640 time. What were those three things? 382 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:18,160 Again? What are the three ways? 383 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:22,000 Again here 3 PS God imparts his will in three ways. 384 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:27,360 Here they are God's providential will, God's preferred will, and 385 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:32,520 God's permissive will. God's providential will is God's 386 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:34,760 determined will. That means this God determines. 387 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,400 It and he makes it happen. By Providence, he says, it's 388 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:39,400 going to happen. That's God's Providence will. 389 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:45,680 Secondly, God's preferred will. God's preferred will, by the 390 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,560 way, is what God prefers. But it doesn't necessarily 391 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,720 always happen, because he leaves it up to us to do our part. 392 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,560 For example, the Bible says the long-suffering of God is 393 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:57,760 salvation. Not willing that any should 394 00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,880 perish, but that all should come to repentance. 395 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,920 That's what God wants. But not everybody comes to 396 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,160 repentance. Not everybody comes to Jesus. 397 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,960 So it is God's preferred will. That's what he wants. 398 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,960 But it doesn't always happen. What did Acts chapter 2 say? 399 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:14,360 When the gospel is being preached? 400 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:17,880 They said save yourself. In other words, do your part, be 401 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,800 baptized for the remission of sins, repent of your sins, 402 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:24,120 confess Jesus as the Son of God, and then live the Christian 403 00:23:24,120 --> 00:23:27,200 life. But this is the one I want to 404 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,600 talk about right here. Permissive When you pray, if the 405 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,680 Lord wills, what you're saying is if the Lord permits or the 406 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:41,960 Lord allows, that's what you're saying when you make your plans. 407 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:48,040 Say I plan to do this. But Lord willing, or if the Lord 408 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:54,240 allows, if I'm still going to be alive, if it is OK with God. 409 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,320 You know, a good example of doing that the wrong way was the 410 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:04,000 rich fool in Luke chapter 12. He looked at all of his stuff, 411 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:05,560 all of his crops. He said. 412 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,400 I don't have big enough barns. I'll pull down my barns and I'll 413 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,560 build greater. He had a business plan. 414 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,040 He had a retirement plan. What's the problem? 415 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,320 Notice. He said. 416 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,840 I'm going to pull down my barns, build greater, I'm going to have 417 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,680 all this stuff and then I'm going to sit down and take my 418 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:24,960 eaves. You know what? 419 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:26,200 He didn't take any consideration? 420 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,200 The uncertainty of life and the Lord and the Lord's will. 421 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,120 Two things. You know what Jesus said about 422 00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:35,160 that fella? He said, You fool. 423 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,400 This night your soul shall be required of you. 424 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:39,720 And as I paraphrase, then what are you going to do with all 425 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,640 your stuff? If you're out of here, what's 426 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,400 all that stuff going to do for you? 427 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,280 What was his problem? Planning. 428 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,280 No, no problem. What was the problem? 429 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:58,880 His plans didn't include God. God's got to be first and 430 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,400 everything falls into place because God is ultimately in 431 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,360 control. So the first thing we pray for 432 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:05,920 regarding ourselves as our daily needs. 433 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,640 The second one's found in verse 12 and it connects a very, very 434 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:13,760 important concept. Please get this forgiveness from 435 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,760 God for our debts and we'll get to what debt? 436 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:20,200 Means. And forgiving others of their 437 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,680 debts. And by the way, we need God's 438 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:26,880 help for this too. We obviously need help getting 439 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:31,480 God's forgiveness of our sins. But maybe, just maybe, we also 440 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,440 need. Help getting helping us. 441 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:41,120 Forgive other people. Some people have a hard time 442 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:48,280 with that. Some people hold grudges. 443 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:54,040 Some people can't let go. Don't do that. 444 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:00,080 Because according to Jesus, there's a connection between God 445 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,440 forgiving us if we want God's forgiveness. 446 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,440 There's a connection between the way we forgive others and God 447 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:11,880 forgiving us. You know, I think there's 448 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,800 there's a really, I think this is brilliant by the Lord. 449 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,640 Everything the Lord did was brilliant, but he just gets to 450 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:21,040 talking about provision. And just lest we think, lest we 451 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,800 think that God owes us something by our own merit for provision, 452 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:25,800 it kicks in sin. Oh by the way, you need this. 453 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:28,280 You're not perfect. All are sinners. 454 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:32,960 Bible says that Romans chapter 3 and verse 23. 455 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,880 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 456 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:40,040 First Peter 225 for we are like sheep going astray. 457 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,640 But now I've returned to the shepherd and overseer of your 458 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:44,240 souls. Everybody sins. 459 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,960 The point is, we all need a savior and we all need 460 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:52,280 forgiveness. Have you ever stopped to 461 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:57,160 consider that when you ask for forgiveness, you're accepting 462 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:04,480 responsibility for your actions? Remember, growing up, your 463 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:06,800 parent might say I'm proud of you because you accepted 464 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,760 responsibility. You took responsibility for your 465 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,560 action. And as a parent, there's always 466 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,800 a softening, isn't there? You can be angry or irritated 467 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,040 with a child when they do something, and if they're 468 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:22,400 continually rebellious against it and they're not listening to 469 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:24,120 you, it makes you even. More angry. 470 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,000 But when they accept responsibility, there's a 471 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,480 softening in the heart of the parent. 472 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:37,080 Always. When you repent and you ask for 473 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:40,520 forgiveness, you are accepting what you've done. 474 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,800 That's what God wants us to do. Repentance and confession is 475 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,240 required for forgiveness. In fact, somebody said one time, 476 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,000 I love this. Jesus cannot wash the feet of 477 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:54,480 those that are not presented to him. 478 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:57,880 We have to take it to him, Take it to God, John. 479 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:00,320 Said it this way in first John one and nine very familiar 480 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,800 passage. If we confess our sins, He's 481 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:04,840 faithful and just. To forgive us our sins and 482 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,560 cleanse us from all unrighteousness, we need God's 483 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:08,880 help. We need forgiveness. 484 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:14,520 This word, confession, means confessing the sin to God with 485 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:18,440 repentance and godly sorrow. That's what confession means. 486 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,400 Solomon said this Solomon the wise man of old in Proverbs 28 487 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,720 and 13. He who covers his sins will not 488 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:30,680 prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have 489 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,520 mercy. Jesus adds this about 490 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:35,480 forgiveness too, by the way. Here we go. 491 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:42,640 He adds this as we forgive our. Debtors. 492 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,480 Now, Jesus was not saying that if I forgive other people, I 493 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,160 earn forgiveness from God. That's not what he's saying. 494 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,360 What he's saying, though, is if I want the forgiveness of God, I 495 00:28:55,360 --> 00:29:03,760 have to forgive other people. I don't know about you, but man, 496 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:09,800 I need all the extra credit and the mercy that I can get from 497 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:10,760 God. I need that. 498 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,680 I don't want to be snake bitten, shoot myself in the foot and 499 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,320 disqualify myself for being forgiven because my heart won't 500 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:23,480 forgive somebody else. I don't want to do that. 501 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:26,040 More on that in a minute by the way. 502 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:30,960 More passages. You can't earn your forgiveness 503 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:34,920 by forgiving others, but you have to forgive in order to be 504 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,040 forgiven. In Matthew chapter 6, verses 14 505 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:39,920 through 15, I'm going to drop down a little bit. 506 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,520 There's more said about trying to understand what the word 507 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:48,120 debts mean in Matthew 6 beginning in verse 14. 508 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,800 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father 509 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,560 will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men 510 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,960 their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your 511 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,960 trespasses. What is the word trespasses mean 512 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,680 in this passage? It gives us a better idea of 513 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:06,920 what Jesus means when he talks about debts. 514 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,600 The word trespass here in the Greek literally means to slip or 515 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:14,160 fall. So in other words, you could say 516 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,560 it like this. And for if you forgive men when 517 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:21,360 they slip and fall, your heavenly Father will also 518 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,000 forgive you when you. Slip or fall? 519 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:29,880 In Luke Chapter 11 and verse 4. By the way, this is another 520 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,880 parallel passage when the disciples came to Jesus and they 521 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,880 asked him teach us how to pray like John taught his disciples 522 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,360 and that Jesus gives the same kind of verbiage that he's 523 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:40,400 giving. In Matthew chapter 6, this is 524 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,720 what he says. So we say in Matthew 6 and 12 he 525 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,800 says debtors or debts. In Matthew 614 and 15 he says 526 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,200 trespasses. But let's look at Luke Chapter 527 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:54,160 11 and verse four and forgive us our sins. 528 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:01,920 Folks, the word sin means miss the mark, and everybody has 529 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:05,320 them. When taken together, these words 530 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:07,160 paint a full picture about forgiveness. 531 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:12,720 Every person has a moral and spiritual death that goes beyond 532 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:16,120 his ability to pay. And if we. 533 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,720 Expect God to forgive us. Then we have to be willing to 534 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:20,960 forgive other people too. Do you remember in the 5th 535 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:25,240 Beatitude Jesus's Blessed are the Merciful, for they will 536 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:28,400 obtain mercy. You might remember months and 537 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,280 months ago when I preached on that and I talked about the idea 538 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:34,160 that there is a practical application, but there's also a 539 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,480 spiritual application. The practical application is a 540 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,000 5050 thing. The spiritual application is 541 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:43,680 100%. Let me give you the practical. 542 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:50,760 If I'm merciful to Terry, good chance he'll be merciful to me 543 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:54,120 and I think he will be. I think that's 100%. 544 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,800 I think Terry would be let's just grab somebody out that I 545 00:31:57,840 --> 00:31:59,120 don't know and. I show mercy. 546 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,040 It doesn't necessarily mean that that person's going to show me 547 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,920 mercy. What's 100% is the spiritual 548 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,720 application. If I show that person mercy, God 549 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,400 will show me mercy. That's 100%. 550 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:16,440 That's the mercy that I'm going to get. 551 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:17,760 For sure. That's God's mercy. 552 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:23,200 OK, so when we pray for ourselves, we pray for daily 553 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,800 provision. We also pray for God to help us 554 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,600 with forgiveness. And also, if we're struggling 555 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,720 with forgiving others and holding grudges, we ask God to 556 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:36,280 help us with that too, so we can let that go. 557 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:40,720 By the way, I got to slip the sand. 558 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,120 He's got to do it. Just make it very brief. 559 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:49,200 But remember, when you forgive somebody else, even when they're 560 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:53,360 not worthy of your forgiveness, you're not letting them off the 561 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:54,760 hook. You're letting you off the hook. 562 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,880 You're saying I'm not going to be negatively influenced by this 563 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:02,040 anymore. You're letting you off the hook. 564 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:07,000 Just remember that they've got to answer to God, by the way, 565 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:08,840 and they can't get forgiveness from God without repentance and 566 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:11,480 confession to God. But you can do anything you want 567 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:14,080 to, and you can let yourself off the hook. 568 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:19,040 OK, now we come to a phrase that we got to take a look at here. 569 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,480 Then Jesus says this. After he said two things to pray 570 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:23,280 for, they said this the third one. 571 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:28,240 And do not lead us into temptation, OK? 572 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:30,640 Some foundational things that we have to notice. 573 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:32,800 First of all, God is a God of protection. 574 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,920 Two, God cares for it provides for His children. 575 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,920 David actually sang a beautiful song when he was delivered from 576 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:45,480 the hand of King Saul. Some foundational passages that 577 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:48,760 describe that in Second Samuel 22 and two. 578 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:52,520 And he said, the Lord is my rock and my fortress and my 579 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:55,240 deliverer. In Psalm chapter 18 and verse 580 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:58,120 two, he said More. He said he is my God, my 581 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:01,640 strength in whom I trust, my shield, and the horn of my 582 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:04,800 salvation, my stronghold. OK. 583 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:10,280 If that's the case, then why would we ask God not to lead us 584 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:16,040 into temptation? Why would we do that if God is 585 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:19,440 our fortress? If God is our stronghold, If God 586 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:24,199 is our deliverer, if God is our refuge, why would we feel the 587 00:34:24,199 --> 00:34:27,199 need to ask him not to lead us into temptation? 588 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:33,280 Especially when James says that God does not tempt anyone? 589 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:37,400 Notice James 113 and 14. Let no one say when he's 590 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:38,920 tempted. I'm tempted by God. 591 00:34:39,199 --> 00:34:42,560 For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he himself tempt 592 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,719 anyone. But each one is tempted when 593 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:47,560 he's drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 594 00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:52,440 So why, if that's the case, do we pray for something that God 595 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:57,840 never does? OK, the answer to that question. 596 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,200 Comes down to the word temptation. 597 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:02,400 I'll get to that in just a moment. 598 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,880 But remember this though. There are trials in our life. 599 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:09,440 James talks about trials that come our way and that we should 600 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:13,800 have joy in those trials because of why, knowing that the testing 601 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:19,240 of our faith produces patience, we are tested, we are tested in 602 00:35:19,240 --> 00:35:22,160 our life. It should be noted though, when 603 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:25,840 you talk about the word temptation, the word temptation 604 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:28,720 there in the Greek is morally neutral, meaning this. 605 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,440 It has no inherent connotation to good or evil. 606 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,520 It doesn't. So the word could actually mean 607 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:38,200 two things. When it says temptation, it 608 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:40,960 could mean one of two things. It could mean testing and 609 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:45,160 proving. And it can also mean inducement 610 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:47,880 to evil. We know God does not induce us 611 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:51,960 to evil, so what's my point? The context has to bear it out, 612 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:55,960 has to determine the meaning. What does the scripture? 613 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,440 Say that tell us about being tested. 614 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:01,960 Yeah, the Bible talks about We are tested. 615 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:07,720 And we are tested as God allows certain situations in our life. 616 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:12,560 And sometimes we look at those things and we say, that's not 617 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:13,400 fair. That's not fair. 618 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,160 It's not for us to know what's fair. 619 00:36:16,240 --> 00:36:18,200 Remember my sermon on God pruning us? 620 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:21,120 God only prunes the good. And sometimes things happen in 621 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:23,480 our life. Situations happen in our life. 622 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:29,800 We are being tested by those situations and through those 623 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:32,920 tests that come our way, that and those trials that come our 624 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,560 way. When we make it through to the 625 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:40,280 other side of that trial by manifesting proper conduct, 626 00:36:41,240 --> 00:36:46,720 exercising proper will on our part, we emerge victorious 627 00:36:46,720 --> 00:36:50,320 through it and stronger and more refined. 628 00:36:52,240 --> 00:36:56,160 Yeah, we all, we all have that. It's called maturity that 629 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:59,680 happens in our life. And I'll tell you this too. 630 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:03,520 I would imagine there's something in your life that you 631 00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:08,440 have had to endure, that you made it through, and you're 632 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:12,560 better now because of it. I guarantee it, because 633 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:16,600 everybody has that. You've had a hard thing. 634 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:20,120 You dealt with it, you got through it, you got God's help. 635 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,320 And you know what happens? You got through it. 636 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:27,080 And because of that, you're better on this side of it. 637 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:30,880 Way better. It's called maturity. 638 00:37:32,720 --> 00:37:34,840 Another example though, of how someone was tested. 639 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:38,960 How about Genesis 22? God told Abraham, take your son, 640 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:41,040 your only son Isaac, that you love, and offer him as a 641 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:42,640 sacrifice unto me Takes him to the. 642 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:46,400 Place the Bible says these exact words. 643 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:52,120 God tested Abraham. Abraham passed the test. 644 00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:58,640 God said don't touch the boy and he provided a a substitute, a 645 00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:01,000 ram that was caught in the thicket for the sacrifice. 646 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:06,160 He passed the test. We have things that happened in 647 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:07,760 our life too, that we are going to be tested. 648 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:11,680 It's the way that it is. However, please get this. 649 00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:16,000 God does not on a whim induce his children to do evil. 650 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:18,240 Furthermore, what else does God know as our refuge? 651 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:21,960 He knows our weaknesses. And he also provides a means of 652 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,320 escape so that we can emerge from the trial more refined and 653 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:27,840 not be destroyed. First Corinthians 10/13. 654 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:32,520 No temptation has overtaken you as such, as is common to man, 655 00:38:32,720 --> 00:38:35,280 but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted. 656 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:38,360 Beyond that, you're able, but with the temptation will also 657 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,680 make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it. 658 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:45,480 So what's the Lord's point by saying do not lead us into 659 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,240 temptation? Here's the point. 660 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:53,360 The Lord's point is we should pray that we can escape those 661 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:59,320 things that, in view of our weaknesses and Satan's deceit, 662 00:39:00,720 --> 00:39:04,760 might bring us to sin. JW Mcgarvey said it this way. 663 00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:09,000 The petition expresses our natural desire not to be this 664 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:13,160 LED, but at the same time by adding deliver us from evil. 665 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:16,480 It indicates that we expect to be brought more or less in a 666 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:19,120 conflict with evil, notwithstanding our expressed 667 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:22,760 desire to avoid it. And then we have this phrase 668 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:25,600 right here. But deliver us from the evil 669 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:27,040 one, you who that is, That's Satan. 670 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:35,000 Deliver us from Satan and all of his devices need to pray for 671 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:37,640 that. I'm going to say something about 672 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:41,480 the devil, and this is really encouraging because I know what 673 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:44,120 the Bible says about the devil. He's a roaring lion. 674 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:46,280 He's seeking about. He's all those things. 675 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:48,080 He's the father of lies. He's terrible. 676 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:50,560 He's all those things and all that's true. 677 00:39:52,240 --> 00:39:54,720 But I'm going to say something very encouraging to somebody 678 00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:58,680 that's when washed in the blood of Jesus, been baptized for the 679 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:00,240 remission of sins is a Christian. 680 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:02,160 Let me tell you some very encouraging things. 681 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:05,960 Satan cannot do anything to you that you will. 682 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:08,640 Not allow. You know why? 683 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:11,880 Because Satan took a weapon at the cross. 684 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:18,120 I like what one? Guy said one time He says Satan 685 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:21,840 is a vanquished foe, He's limited. 686 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:24,600 He was destroyed. He was whipped at the cross. 687 00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:26,760 Let me give you Bible Colossians 215. 688 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:30,720 Having disarmed principalities and powers he made, Jesus made a 689 00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:34,080 public spectacle of them triumphing over them in it. 690 00:40:34,240 --> 00:40:37,320 Another passage here, Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 14. 691 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:40,960 This is talking about Jesus, Jesus, death, and the devil in 692 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:43,480 as much then as the children have been partakers of flesh and 693 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:46,120 blood. He himself likewise shared in 694 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:50,080 the same that through death he might destroy him who had the 695 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:51,760 power of death. That is the devil. 696 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:56,920 So the word destroy in your mind may think blew up and gone with 697 00:40:56,920 --> 00:40:59,200 the devil still there. So what's the word destroy mean? 698 00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:02,560 The word destroy means remove the power or. 699 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:05,040 Dominion. Who did that? 700 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:08,120 Jesus. Jesus did that. 701 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:14,440 So what's the encouraging part? If you're a Christian, guess 702 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:15,840 what You share in that same victory. 703 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,640 And Satan has no power over you that you will not allow. 704 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:24,800 It's kind of like I just heard it described like this. 705 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,240 The devil is like a dog, a vicious dog on a chain. 706 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:32,880 As long as you don't come in the realm of where that chained dog 707 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:36,760 is, you're in good shape. But if you get inside the realm 708 00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:38,160 of that chained dog, you're in trouble. 709 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:46,480 Years ago, we had a dog. His name is Barney and Louise. 710 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:50,600 My sister had this fella come over for the afternoon and me 711 00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:53,520 and Scotty and this guy were throwing the ball around. 712 00:41:54,080 --> 00:41:56,720 We kept telling the guy Barney's chained up, he's a Queensland, 713 00:41:56,880 --> 00:41:58,360 he will bite you. He's a watchdog. 714 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:00,720 Stay away from the dog. Kept telling him over and over 715 00:42:00,720 --> 00:42:03,760 and over, kept going over where the dog was and Barney would get 716 00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:06,000 real close to Barney would just leap out and just, I mean just 717 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:09,720 on the end of that chain. Well, the ball flew over there 718 00:42:09,720 --> 00:42:11,640 and he just runs over there. Instead of just pulling up and 719 00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:13,760 letting one of us go over there, he runs over there and he falls 720 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:17,680 on the dog. Barney jumps up and bit him on 721 00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:20,360 the calf. I mean a good one, Stitches and 722 00:42:20,360 --> 00:42:23,960 all. And we got sued. 723 00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:29,840 So what they do is, by the way, small claims court, the People's 724 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:32,040 Court, Judge Wapner, I don't know if you remember that, but 725 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:35,360 Judge Wapner and the People's Court back in the day called us, 726 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,320 said you want to go to People's Court and have them settle the 727 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:38,160 case. We said sure. 728 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:43,040 So they paid off whatever, whatever it is, the case, and 729 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:44,440 then they pay you 100 bucks for losing. 730 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:47,200 That was us. We lost because dogs can't bite 731 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:48,320 people and get away with it, right? 732 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:51,480 We tried to explain. My dad got up and explained with 733 00:42:51,480 --> 00:42:53,480 it, with a guy attacked the dog and the judges attacked the 734 00:42:53,480 --> 00:42:55,040 dogs. Yeah, he fell on and he went 735 00:42:55,200 --> 00:43:00,400 right inside the chain. The entire point is this. 736 00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:06,280 That is a picture of the devil, and it doesn't matter what the 737 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:10,200 devil is if you stay outside. The realm of the chain. 738 00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:14,600 You're fine. If you enter into his realm with 739 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:18,160 temptation and you allow that to be overcome, and you surround 740 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:21,920 yourself with people, for example, that are the wrong kind 741 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:24,160 of influence, you're going to fall back into temptation again. 742 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:26,720 You got to avoid that, got to stay away from that. 743 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:29,360 That's how you do that. Got to do your part. 744 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:32,600 James 47 here, you got to do it. This is our part. 745 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:35,920 Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from 746 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:37,280 you. I'm going to tell you this, and 747 00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:40,040 I'm almost finished. There's a big difference between 748 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:47,000 a couple of things. Like, well, everybody's got 749 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:48,040 their own thing. I get it. 750 00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:51,520 And everybody has their own struggle. 751 00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:55,600 And if you don't think you have a struggle, I'm telling you 752 00:43:55,600 --> 00:43:59,240 you're wrong. And if you ever get to the point 753 00:43:59,240 --> 00:44:01,240 where you think, man, I've been a Christian for 50 years, I'm 754 00:44:01,240 --> 00:44:07,200 good, be careful. Because now you just took the 755 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:10,440 humility out again. And that's the humility we need 756 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:14,320 for life. Sometimes we are really good at 757 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:16,800 garnishing our own traits and tarnishing the traits of 758 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:18,960 everybody else. We're great at that. 759 00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:22,440 We are really great at examining everybody else, and we never 760 00:44:22,440 --> 00:44:25,640 examine ourself. Have you ever had a conflict 761 00:44:25,640 --> 00:44:27,520 with your spouse? I have. 762 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:29,680 I've been guilty of this. I've been wrong in this. 763 00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:35,200 What happens is when two people have a conflict, when they're 764 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:37,560 both angry. In the conflict or the argument, 765 00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:41,400 each person is thinking about what the other did and not what 766 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:43,560 you did and not what you need to change. 767 00:44:45,720 --> 00:44:49,240 That's what we do. We point the finger at what the 768 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:53,000 other did in a conflict instead of looking inside at ourselves 769 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:55,960 with a retrospective idea of what we are. 770 00:44:57,640 --> 00:45:00,960 That's the point. As Christians, let's be more 771 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:05,080 proactive and looking at us and not necessarily be so proactive 772 00:45:05,080 --> 00:45:06,640 in examining the faults of others. 773 00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:08,520 And by the way, I got to make this point. 774 00:45:09,240 --> 00:45:10,480 Is there anything wrong with judging? 775 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:15,440 No. There's a difference, though, 776 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:17,840 between judging and being judgmental. 777 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:19,480 And I'm going to get to that difference in a moment. 778 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:24,320 Big difference. Sometimes somebody judges 779 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:26,280 something or makes a judgment. Somebody says, oh, you're being 780 00:45:26,280 --> 00:45:27,240 judgmental. No, they're not. 781 00:45:27,240 --> 00:45:29,760 I'm going to make another bold statement. 782 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:32,240 Every one of you, you make judgments. 783 00:45:32,240 --> 00:45:36,680 Every day, every one of you. Somebody might say, well, I make 784 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:37,680 judgments. I don't judge people. 785 00:45:37,680 --> 00:45:40,800 Yeah, you do. Somebody commits a horrible 786 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:42,920 crime, does a terrible thing. We all say that was terrible. 787 00:45:44,560 --> 00:45:46,800 That man was awful. That was a horrible thing. 788 00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:49,000 He's wrong. He should be punished for that. 789 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:51,640 Just judged. No problem. 790 00:45:53,160 --> 00:45:54,600 That's not judging by appearance. 791 00:45:54,720 --> 00:45:56,800 The Bible says judge not according to appearance, but 792 00:45:56,800 --> 00:45:59,480 judge righteous judgment based on facts, right? 793 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:03,840 And evidence big difference. So what's the difference 794 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:06,640 between? For example, the difference 795 00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:11,440 between. Judging and being judgmental. 796 00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:17,360 Here's the difference. Making a judgment is an action. 797 00:46:18,240 --> 00:46:22,320 It is a decision based. On evidence, that's a judgment. 798 00:46:23,800 --> 00:46:29,320 Being judgmental is an attitude that's being overly concerned. 799 00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:31,800 This is a direct definition, being overly concerned with 800 00:46:31,800 --> 00:46:34,840 judging. That's what it means to be 801 00:46:34,840 --> 00:46:37,120 judgmental, by the way. Not that you just made a 802 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:39,720 judgment. It's an attitude. 803 00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:44,320 So yeah, we have to make judgments, but be careful of the 804 00:46:44,320 --> 00:46:47,760 attitude. And let's not have the attitude 805 00:46:47,760 --> 00:46:50,840 where we condescend to other people because guess what? 806 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:53,280 We may not think that we're have all these weaknesses, that 807 00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:55,080 everybody else has to be careful because you just became the 808 00:46:55,080 --> 00:46:57,320 Pharisee that poked fun at that tax collector. 809 00:46:57,320 --> 00:46:59,480 Be careful that, well, I don't do it either. 810 00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:02,480 Don't do that. Because when you have that 811 00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:03,800 attitude, you guess what you just did. 812 00:47:04,760 --> 00:47:10,280 You just send, and when you pray for the evil, deliver us from 813 00:47:10,280 --> 00:47:11,560 the evil one. Maybe that's your weakness. 814 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:14,400 Pray about that. Whatever your weakness is, 815 00:47:15,600 --> 00:47:18,480 Whatever that is, though, one final passage. 816 00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:20,960 The Lord's going to help us through Hebrews 2 and 18. 817 00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:23,560 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, He is 818 00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:26,400 able to aid those who are tempted. 819 00:47:26,760 --> 00:47:29,560 We got the Lord by our side all the way. 820 00:47:29,560 --> 00:47:32,680 So in conclusion, today we've talked about 3 specific areas, 821 00:47:32,840 --> 00:47:37,240 three things to pray for specifically for ourself because 822 00:47:37,240 --> 00:47:39,160 we need God's help, our daily provision. 823 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:43,200 Trust him that he will provide that and ask him for it, and 824 00:47:43,200 --> 00:47:48,680 thank him for that forgiveness for our sins, and also as we. 825 00:47:48,680 --> 00:47:50,720 Forgive others. And if we're struggling in that, 826 00:47:50,720 --> 00:47:54,080 ask us to help him. Ask him to help us forgive 827 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:59,440 others, and finally to deliver us from evil or the evil one. 828 00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:02,280 I'm through this morning. Thank you so much for your kind 829 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:05,480 listening. I hope these were things that 830 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:07,480 were helpful to you. These were things that were very 831 00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:10,440 helpful to me. These are very practical things. 832 00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:13,040 These are things that you can apply to your life 'cause you 833 00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:14,720 know what? These are things that apply to 834 00:48:14,720 --> 00:48:16,440 everybody. They just do. 835 00:48:17,240 --> 00:48:19,480 We never know the hearts and minds of those that are present. 836 00:48:19,480 --> 00:48:22,160 We always want to extend an invitation to someone that might 837 00:48:22,160 --> 00:48:24,680 be subject to the gospel call. I don't know how it is with you. 838 00:48:25,000 --> 00:48:26,560 Are you here and you're not a Christian? 839 00:48:26,720 --> 00:48:28,280 The steps to become one are very simple. 840 00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:31,240 Romans 10/17 says you got to hear the word of God. 841 00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:34,840 So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 842 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:37,600 Then we must believe with all of our heart. 843 00:48:37,600 --> 00:48:40,440 Hebrews 11 and six. Without faith it's impossible to 844 00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:42,520 please him. For he who comes to God must 845 00:48:42,520 --> 00:48:45,240 believe that He is and that he is a rewarder of those who 846 00:48:45,240 --> 00:48:49,520 diligently seek Him. Then we must repent of our sins. 847 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:53,320 Acts 17 and 30 Truly these times of ignorance God overlooked, but 848 00:48:53,320 --> 00:48:55,440 can now commands all men everywhere to repent. 849 00:48:56,560 --> 00:48:59,280 Then Jesus says, we got to confess him as the Son of God. 850 00:48:59,840 --> 00:49:02,880 In Acts 8 and 37 Philip said this, If you believe with all 851 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:04,800 your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I 852 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:08,440 believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God upon taking these 853 00:49:08,440 --> 00:49:10,320 steps. You are now a fit candidate to 854 00:49:10,320 --> 00:49:13,920 go to the point of salvation to be baptized for the remission of 855 00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:15,600 your sins. Mark 1616. 856 00:49:15,880 --> 00:49:19,840 He who believes in his baptized will be saved, but he who does 857 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:23,000 not believe will be condemned. If you've never taken these 858 00:49:23,000 --> 00:49:25,200 steps of obedience, we'd love to assist you in that today. 859 00:49:25,200 --> 00:49:27,440 Maybe you have. Maybe there is something in your 860 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:29,920 life that you need to correct. If we can assist you in any way, 861 00:49:29,920 --> 00:49:33,400 come forward while we stand and we thank you. 862 00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:37,200 For listening to our podcast put on by the Church of Christ at 863 00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:42,440 2215 Plans Rd. in Bakersfield. If you would like any additional 864 00:49:42,440 --> 00:49:45,720 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 865 00:49:45,720 --> 00:49:49,600 correspondence course by mail, please e-mail us at 866 00:49:49,600 --> 00:49:56,080 info@churchofchristbakersfield.com. Our service times are Sundays at 867 00:49:56,080 --> 00:50:01,520 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM and Wednesdays at 7:30 PM. 868 00:50:02,200 --> 00:50:05,720 Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our 869 00:50:05,720 --> 00:50:06,560 honoured guest.