1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,320 The Bible says in Hebrews Chapter 11 that without faith it 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:10,280 is impossible to please God. In other words, unless you 3 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:14,760 understand what it means to live a life of faith you you will 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,200 never please the true and living God. 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:20,400 So the question comes, what is faith? 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:27,840 Well, faith defined by two words is simply trusting obedience, or 7 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:33,680 defined by 4 words. It's believing absolutely and 8 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:39,120 behaving accordingly. You believe absolutely in all 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:44,080 the Bible says that he is, and you behave accordingly to all 10 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,960 that he says he is. That's called trusting 11 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,000 obedience. That's what faith is all about. 12 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:52,880 So the right of Hebrews says that without faith it's 13 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,640 impossible to please God. So those who who come to God 14 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:03,320 must believe that he is, He is what He is. 15 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:08,120 Everything he says he is, you must believe that He is, and 16 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,800 that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 17 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,600 So those who come to Christ by faith, they understand who he 18 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,560 is. They believe, excuse me, in who 19 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:26,640 he is. They understand who he is. 20 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:35,120 So John in his gospel begins to open up to us the identity of 21 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:40,560 the Christ. He says that many of the signs 22 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,360 that Jesus do, but these are written that you might believe, 23 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,080 and that believing you might have life in his name. 24 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:55,000 You might understand who the Son of God truly is. 25 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,320 That's John's purpose for writing that you might truly 26 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:05,120 have the faith to believe exactly who he says he is. 27 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:14,280 So John says these words in John chapter one in the beginning was 28 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,960 the word. In other words, in the beginning 29 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:24,560 continuously was the word. So you must believe it is 30 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,620 eternality. You must believe that he pre 31 00:02:29,620 --> 00:02:36,200 existed before time. Then he says this, and the word 32 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:42,000 was continually with God or literally face to face with God. 33 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:48,520 In other words, this word, Christ Himself who lived 34 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:55,160 eternally, is face to face with the eternal God. 35 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:01,600 In other words, they stand equal together face to face. 36 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,880 In the beginning was the Word, and the word was face to face 37 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,920 with God, Speaking of the personality of the eternal 38 00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:12,960 existence of the living God. So you must believe in His 39 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:17,280 eternality, and you must believe in His personality. 40 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:27,320 And then the Bible says, and the Word was God, or literally God 41 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:32,480 was the Word, you must believe in his deity, because the Word 42 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:38,600 became flesh and dwelt among us. And so the Word actually is God. 43 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,960 So you believe in the deity of Christ, that Jesus Christ is 44 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:48,200 100% God and 100% man, and you believe it wholeheartedly. 45 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,840 So he comes to God, must believe that He is, He's what he is 46 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,640 eternal, He is personal, He's God in the flesh. 47 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:03,720 And then he says this. He says he was in the beginning 48 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,960 with God. All things came into being 49 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,200 through him and apart from him, nothing came into being that has 50 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:18,640 come into being. Nothing exists without this 51 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:25,760 eternal word because God is the God the Father is the architect 52 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:32,280 of creation, and God the Son is the agent of creation. 53 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:38,480 Nothing came into existence without the eternal God bringing 54 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,880 it into existence. That's the Colossians 116 and 55 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:48,160 17, says First Corinthians 8 verse #6 recognizing that God is 56 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,120 the creator of all things. This is his creativity. 57 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,520 This is his activity. You must believe in who He is. 58 00:04:55,760 --> 00:05:00,720 He's the eternal God who personally existed with God, who 59 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,200 is actually God, who created everything. 60 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,120 Unless you believe that you cannot be saved, because that's 61 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:10,400 what the truth of the Scripture say. 62 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,600 That's who He is. You can't believe in parts of 63 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:16,960 Jesus. You got to believe in all of 64 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,400 Jesus and who he is. He is Lord of all, He is King of 65 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,400 all. But he says that He brings all 66 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:31,000 things into existence that without Him nothing came into 67 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:32,320 being. In fact, it says that in verse 68 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:36,840 10, these words, He was in the world and the world was not, was 69 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:40,360 made, excuse me, through him and the world did not know Him. 70 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,400 What did the world not know about Him? 71 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:49,120 If the world didn't know Him and He came and lived among them, 72 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,080 what did they not know? They did not know that He was 73 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,840 creator. They did not believe in God as 74 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:01,040 the ultimate creator of all things and that Jesus Christ is 75 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,560 God in the flesh and he was the agent of all creation. 76 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:10,720 They did not believe that. And I wonder today if you 77 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:18,520 recognize Christ as creator, if you recognize him as the creator 78 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:24,520 of everything. In fact, it's so important that 79 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,400 you do because this is how, remember, we talked to you last 80 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:27,440 week. This is how God introduced 81 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:31,120 himself to the world in the beginning, God created. 82 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,360 This is how God wants to introduce himself to to the 83 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,800 world. And not only is this God 84 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:43,840 introduce himself that way, note this, this is so important that 85 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:49,840 when you get to heaven, this will be the subject of your 86 00:06:49,840 --> 00:06:55,560 praise. Listen to Revelation 4 verse 11. 87 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:03,320 It says that the church before living creatures, the angels 88 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:11,960 will say, worthy are you, O Lord our God, to receive glory, honor 89 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:21,600 and power. For you created all things, and 90 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,440 because of your desire they existed and were created. 91 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:32,400 When you get to heaven, your praise is centered on God the 92 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,520 Creator. That's how he introduced himself 93 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,880 from the very beginning. Genesis chapter one verse #1 And 94 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,520 when you die and go to heaven, you will be worshipping God, not 95 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:49,440 as the God who loves you, although he does, not the God 96 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:55,520 who was gracious to you or merciful to you, but the God who 97 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,080 created you. That's how you're going to 98 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,240 worship him. In fact, if you go further down 99 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,560 in chapter 5 of Revelation, it says this. 100 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,800 Here's the new song ready. Worthy are you to take the book 101 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,880 and to break its seal. For you were slain and purchased 102 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:16,960 for God with your blood. Men from every tribe, tongue, 103 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,360 and people and nation. Verse 10 You ready for this? 104 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:29,000 You have made us. You have made us to be a Kingdom 105 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:35,280 and priest to our God, and we will reign upon the earth again. 106 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:41,240 Lord, you made us, You created us, You fashioned us, You did 107 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,640 this. God needs to be recognized as 108 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:50,320 Creator. It is so powerful, so important 109 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:54,600 for you to realize this. So John introduces Christ to us 110 00:08:55,280 --> 00:09:00,040 because he wants you to believe in all that He is so that you 111 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:05,600 might follow him and serve Him. You must not just believe in his 112 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,640 eternal existence. You not, just must not just 113 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,600 believe that he existed personally with God, face to 114 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,640 face with God as God. You must recognize that He is 115 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:22,200 the agent of creation. And I wonder if you have 116 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:36,960 recognized God as your Creator. In fact, Psalmist says Psalm 95. 117 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:41,080 Listen to these words. Oh come, let us sing for joy to 118 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,520 the Lord. Let us shout joyfully to the 119 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:47,320 rock of our salvation. This come before his presence 120 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,840 with Thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to him 121 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:55,800 with Psalms. So what are you going to shout? 122 00:09:58,280 --> 00:09:59,480 What are you going to praise Him for? 123 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:02,920 What are you going to thank Him for? 124 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:09,640 He tells you, For the Lord is a great God and a great king above 125 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:17,440 all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks 126 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:22,320 of the mountains are his. Also the sea is His, for it is 127 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:33,000 it was he who made it, created it, and his hands form the dry 128 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,720 land. The psalmist knows that that the 129 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:44,560 creation of God is the central focus of his praise, for without 130 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:48,600 him there's nothing, because he's the creator of all things. 131 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,440 And you read through the Psalms and you go back and you examine 132 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,680 them and realize how many times the Psalms go back to the 133 00:10:57,680 --> 00:10:59,840 creation from the very beginning. 134 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,280 Because it's all about how we're going to forever praise Him in 135 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:11,160 glory. But note this for six Come, let 136 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:19,400 us worship and bow down. Let us bow down before this 137 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:26,720 great God. Let us kneel before the Lord our 138 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:30,560 Maker. See the reverence there? 139 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:37,560 We talked about this in November of last year. 140 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:43,440 Yahweh Hassinu, the Lord our Fashioner, the Lord our Maker, 141 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,760 bowing down to worship God, to praise Him, to glorify His name, 142 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:52,960 is focused on God as Creator. Ever notice that when we bow 143 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,800 before God and we sing praises to His name, it's all about us 144 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:02,480 and not about Him? How many of the songs of today 145 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:09,680 focused in on us and what God does for us instead of who God 146 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:14,120 is and what He does? The Psalms recognize His 147 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:18,080 creative power. He is the God who forms us, who 148 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:22,080 creates us, who makes us, and we get to heaven. 149 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:26,480 It was we were purchased by your blood because you made us a 150 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,320 Kingdom of priests. Excuse me? 151 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,800 You created us to be in your Kingdom. 152 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:37,040 You made us this way. That's what you did. 153 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,920 So it says, come this worship and bow down. 154 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:48,160 Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God, and we 155 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,400 are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. 156 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:57,680 Today, if you would hear his voice, do not harden your 157 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:01,680 hearts. Don't harden your hearts against 158 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:11,200 what God is creator, God is fashioner, God is maker of all 159 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:15,720 things. This is crucial for us to 160 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:19,600 understand. And so this is how John 161 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:25,880 introduces Christ to us. For by by him all things came 162 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,320 into existence. All things were created by this 163 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:35,240 word, by this God, by this Christ, the word that became 164 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:36,680 flesh. This is who he is. 165 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:45,400 This is what he did. His creative powers sets a tone 166 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:51,240 for how you praise him. John wants us to recognize 167 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:56,600 Christ as Creator, as Maker, as fashioner. 168 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:03,480 Interesting that Solomon would say these words in Ecclesiastes 169 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:10,760 12 verse #1 Remember, Solomon writes Ecclesiastes at the end 170 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:15,280 of his life and he chronicles all the things that he did 171 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:22,160 during his sinful escapades. And the Ecclesiastes is like a 172 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:27,520 book of repentance for Solomon, recognizing that all the things 173 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,160 he went after and all the things he sought for never amounted to 174 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,360 anything. They were all empty, futile, 175 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,200 never brought him what he thought they would bring. 176 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:47,880 So he concludes his his book, his journal with these words to 177 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:57,080 his son, Rhea Baum to he might understand, remember your 178 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,040 Creator in the days of your youth. 179 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:03,080 It's almost as if he's saying, you know what? 180 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:07,840 I didn't do that. And I want to challenge you as 181 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,360 my son, to remember your creator in the days of your youth. 182 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:16,600 While you're young, while you have your whole life ahead of 183 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:23,080 you, you must act obediently to your creator. 184 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,120 You must follow your creator. You must understand your Creator 185 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,160 because if you do, it will change everything about how you 186 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,920 live your life. I didn't do that. 187 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:38,920 I don't want the same for you, my son. 188 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:45,840 Very next phrase is important. Remember now your Creator in the 189 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:51,360 days of your youth, before the evil days come. 190 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,840 In other words, the evil days are coming, the bad days are 191 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:01,880 ahead, temptations going to rise, trials are going to come. 192 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,880 So before the evil day ever comes upon you, Raybone, I want 193 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:10,760 you to remember your creator act obediently until your creator 194 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:15,960 act decisively according to all that he says, before the evil 195 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:17,480 days come. Because if you don't, when the 196 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:19,200 evil days come, you will not stand. 197 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:22,920 That's how important it is to remember your Creator. 198 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:28,600 So I wonder, have you recognized your Creator? 199 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,840 Do you even remember your Creator? 200 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:42,040 To act in obedience to His name? If you remember your Creator, 201 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:49,480 you will Revere your Creator. That's the psalmist says to 202 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:51,880 Psalm 95 verse #6 let us kneel and bow down. 203 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:59,000 Let's kneel and bow down. Let's come before his presence 204 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:05,400 with Thanksgiving, but let's kneel before him in complete and 205 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:10,520 total surrender in reverence to his name, because he is the one 206 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,680 who's fashioned us. He is the one who made us. 207 00:17:15,319 --> 00:17:17,760 You know, like Israel was made, created. 208 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,040 The Jewish nation was created. Do you understand that? 209 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,440 Right. You've heard me say this before, 210 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,840 and I've said it to my Jewish friends. 211 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,080 You were me before I was ever you. 212 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:36,160 And they say, well, what do you mean? 213 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,400 I say, well, you were Gentiles before you ever became Jewish. 214 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:42,680 No way. Yeah, you were. 215 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,200 You were the original Goem. No, you weren't. 216 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,920 Yes, you were. Where was Abraham before he 217 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,640 crossed the river Euphrates? Early Chaldees. 218 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:57,040 Abraham was a Pagan Gentile. The word Hebrew means to cross 219 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:02,560 the river. So God called Abraham to the 220 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:07,480 Promised Land and caught on the cross over the river, the great 221 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:11,840 river Euphrates, because that would be a boundary line for the 222 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:17,560 Promised Land. And so therefore Abraham became 223 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:19,840 the father of a nation. What nation? 224 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,920 The Jewish nation. There were no Jews before 225 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,800 Abraham. And so Abraham became the father 226 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:35,360 of a great nation, the father of the Jews, and God created that 227 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:37,920 way. There are only two races in the 228 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:46,480 world, Jew and Gentile. Asian is not a race. 229 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,720 Black is not a race. Caucasian is not a race. 230 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,760 That's what the world tells you. That's not what the Bible tells 231 00:18:55,760 --> 00:19:02,040 you. There are two races, Jew and 232 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,920 Gentile. That's it. 233 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,320 There is no other race. I'm not saying that to offend 234 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:10,760 you, understanding what the Bible says. 235 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:15,680 And so you have to understand that that that God has created a 236 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,840 Jewish race. Let's kneel before the Lord, our 237 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:24,240 maker, the one who fashioned us, the one who made us into a a 238 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,400 nation who fashioned us as a people. 239 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,600 We need to Revere him and, and worship him and honor him and 240 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,000 glorify his, his precious name, because that's who he is. 241 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,640 So I ask you, do you do you Revere your creator? 242 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,920 He's the Lord who fashions you. He fashioned your first Kingdom. 243 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:55,520 He made, He molded, He took and brought together everything that 244 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,160 you have because He's the ultimate fashioner of life. 245 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:07,120 Do you Revere him for that? See, if you recognize your 246 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:09,120 Creator, you will remember your Creator. 247 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:10,680 That is, act in obedience to Him. 248 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,760 Because the word remember in according to the Scripture is to 249 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,440 act decisively in obedience to God. 250 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:21,640 So Solomon says, remember now, son, you're creator of the days 251 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:25,000 of years, earth, your youth. Excuse me, before the evil day 252 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:30,120 comes, because they're coming. And if you don't remember him 253 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:33,920 and recognize him and obey him now, you certainly won't when 254 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:39,520 the evil day comes. And then make sure you Revere 255 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:48,120 your Creator, You bow before Him and worship Him, and humbly and 256 00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:54,480 gratefully and joyfully thank Him for how He has fashioned 257 00:20:55,000 --> 00:21:02,480 your life, how He's brought you into His Kingdom to glorify His 258 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:08,880 great name. If you recognize your Creator, 259 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:18,360 and you remember your Creator, and you Revere your Creator, you 260 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:27,200 will rest in your Creator. You will rest in your Creator. 261 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:39,960 This is how Peter says it in First Peter chapter 4, verse 12. 262 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:47,600 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which 263 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,520 comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing 264 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:58,920 were happening to you. Remember, he is speaking to Jews 265 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:04,320 who've been scattered abroad. He's speaking to Jews who have 266 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:08,960 gone through great suffering, persecution because of their 267 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:16,960 belief in Christ. And many of them were put on 268 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:22,640 poles and wrapped in pitch and set on fire to light Nero's 269 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:27,720 gardens. Others were thrown to to the 270 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:31,960 lions, wrapped in animal skins and eaten alive. 271 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:38,480 That that's that's suffering. Your hangnail is not suffering. 272 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:47,600 That is suffering. But Peter says, beloved, I don't 273 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:53,360 want you to think it's strange that this fiery ordeal and it's 274 00:22:53,360 --> 00:22:56,080 truly a fiery ordeal. Would you not say because some 275 00:22:56,080 --> 00:23:03,440 of them were really, really set on fire, this fiery ordeal which 276 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:07,760 comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing was 277 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:09,360 happening to you? Why do you think it's strange? 278 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,800 All those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer 279 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:18,200 persecution, right? So Peter says, don't think it's 280 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,120 strange. And Peter knows Peter's gone 281 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:24,440 through persecution. Peter's been in prison, Peter's 282 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:28,440 been beaten. He understands this is this. 283 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,840 But the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ keep on 284 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,800 rejoicing. So you also with the revelation 285 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,000 of his glory, you may rejoice with exaltation. 286 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,080 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed 287 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,240 because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 288 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:51,000 Make sure that that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, 289 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:53,920 or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler. 290 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,920 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, he's not to be 291 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:02,600 ashamed, but is to glorify God in His name for his time for 292 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,400 judgment to begin with the household of God. 293 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,600 If it begins with us first, what will be the outcome of those who 294 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:14,560 do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty 295 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:18,880 that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless 296 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,800 man and the Sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer 297 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:31,840 according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a 298 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:37,120 faithful Creator in doing what is right. 299 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:46,160 He says, look, you need to rest in your Creator. 300 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:52,040 Your Creator does no wrong. The one who fashioned you does 301 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:55,280 no wrong. You might be going through a a 302 00:24:55,480 --> 00:25:02,160 fiery ordeal, but our God is the Creator of everything, and God 303 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,160 has allowed this testing to come your way. 304 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:06,880 So don't think it's strange about this fiery ordeal. 305 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,800 Instead, just keep entrusting your soul, keep resting your 306 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:15,600 soul in your faithful Creator, and continue to do what is right 307 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:19,280 before Him. The only ones who can do that 308 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:24,760 are those who recognize Christ as Creator, who remember the 309 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:29,320 Creator in the days of their youth, who Revere the Creator. 310 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,320 Those are the ones who will rest in their Creator. 311 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,000 If you're having a hard time going through that, what you're 312 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:42,440 going through, ask yourself if you recognize God as the Creator 313 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:48,680 of all things, and do you remember your Creator in the 314 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:50,880 days of your youth? And do you Revere your Creator? 315 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:56,480 Because if you do, you will rest in your Creator. 316 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:12,520 And then if you recognize your creator, you will always run to 317 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,440 your creator. You'll run to him. 318 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:22,640 Why? Where else are you going to go? 319 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:28,880 Who are you going to run to? Nobody else can help you, so you 320 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:35,880 run to your Creator. Listen to what the psalmist says 321 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:45,200 in Psalm 96. Sing to the Lord a new song. 322 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:47,880 Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his 323 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,560 name, proclaim good Titans of his salvation from day-to-day. 324 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:53,920 Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds 325 00:26:54,120 --> 00:26:56,400 among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and 326 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,880 greatly to be praised. He has to be feared above all 327 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,280 gods, for all the gods of the peoples are idols. 328 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,040 But the Lord made the heavens again. 329 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,520 See the psalmist goes back to the creative power of God, 330 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,400 spender and majesty before him. Strength and beauty are in a 331 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,440 sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord. 332 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,360 O families, the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 333 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:19,680 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name. 334 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:21,640 Bring an offering and come into His courts. 335 00:27:22,120 --> 00:27:26,280 Worship the Lord in the splendor of His Holiness. 336 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:31,520 Tremble before him all the earth say among the nations the Lord 337 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:34,240 reigns. Indeed, the world is firmly 338 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:35,480 established. It will be. 339 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,240 It will not be moved. He will judge the peoples with 340 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,040 equity. Let the heavens be glad. 341 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,800 Let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar and all it 342 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,400 contains. Let the field exult and all that 343 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,480 is in it. Then all the trees of the forest 344 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,760 will sing for joy before the Lord, For He is coming, for He 345 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:56,720 is coming to judge the earth. Interesting how the psalmist 346 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,880 talks about creation all throughout a Psalm about praise 347 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,080 and ascribing glory to the name of God because of his creative 348 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:15,830 power and what he does. In Psalm 119 the psalmist said 349 00:28:15,950 --> 00:28:29,280 these words. Psalm 119 verse #32 I shall run 350 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:39,680 the way of your commandments, for you will enlarge my heart. 351 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,440 I, I will I will run the way of your commandments. 352 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:50,000 Why? Because when I do and understand 353 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:58,720 what you say and who you are, my heart grows strong, my heart is 354 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:02,400 enlarged. My, my heart is able to, to 355 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:07,040 handle all that's coming my way. So I run to your commandments 356 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:12,120 because I want you to enlarge and strengthen and fortify my 357 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:16,240 heart. Those who recognize their 358 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,840 creator, they run. They run the way of their 359 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:25,400 creator. They can't wait to get there, to 360 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:33,360 hear, to see what he says. He who comes to God must believe 361 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:38,720 that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently 362 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:43,920 seek him. He is what he's everything he 363 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:50,560 says he is. So John says he's eternal, He's 364 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:59,080 personal, He's God, He's Creator, that's who he is. 365 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:04,920 Run to him. Run to him because he's the one 366 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:13,200 who fashions everything. Those who recognize God as a 367 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:20,360 Creator, they rejoice in their creator. 368 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:30,360 Psalm 100 Again another Psalm. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all 369 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:32,600 the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness, 370 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,800 Come before Him with joyful singing. 371 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,240 Know that the Lord Himself is God. 372 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:48,400 It is He who made us, if you made us, and not we ourselves. 373 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,400 We are who we are because of Him, not because of us. 374 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:55,720 We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. 375 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,880 Enter his gates with Thanksgiving, His courts with 376 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:02,680 praise. Give thanks to him. 377 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,200 Bless his name for the Lord. As good as loving kindness is 378 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:09,120 everlasting, and his faithfulness to all generations. 379 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:13,880 He rejoiced as Creator. So who made us? 380 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,760 When was the last time you rejoiced and said, Lord, thank 381 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:20,240 you? I praise you for the way you 382 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:27,440 fashioned me, the way you made me, how you made me a part of 383 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:31,040 your Kingdom, how you made me the way I am. 384 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:33,680 You're, you're You're my creator. 385 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,320 You did this. And because of the way you 386 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:39,600 created me, I praise your glorious name. 387 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:45,560 Because I was formed in the inward parts of a mother's womb. 388 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:53,520 I was manufactured by hand by the true and living Creator of 389 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,800 the universe. God did this. 390 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:00,200 God's in charge. He's the Creator. 391 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:03,320 He's the one we trust. He's the one that we believe in. 392 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,000 And so you rejoice in your Creator. 393 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,000 Why? Because you simply run the way 394 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:11,640 of your Creator. Why? 395 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,800 Because you Revere your Creator. Why? 396 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,200 Because you remember Him. And why do you remember Him? 397 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:28,680 Because you recognize exactly who He is and therefore you 398 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:30,920 simply trust and rest in your Creator. 399 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:35,640 How about you? How's your rest today? 400 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:40,520 Is your heart enlarged because you've run the way of your 401 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:43,360 Creator? Does your heart have the energy 402 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:48,400 to continue on because you rest in your Creator and continue to 403 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,440 do that which is right before your Creator. 404 00:32:55,200 --> 00:33:00,840 It's always good. This is the next point is to is 405 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:09,440 to read about your creator. I mentioned this last week 406 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:16,560 Matthew chapter 19 Christ says have have you not read that male 407 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:21,840 and female created he them? Have you not read I? 408 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,800 I find it always interesting how the Lord indicts the religious 409 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:30,200 establishment on how they don't read right or or or they read 410 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:34,120 but they but when they read they, they miss the Christ and 411 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:36,400 Christ says if you read my word and you miss me, you didn't read 412 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,240 it right. Go back and read it again and 413 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:41,040 obviously they didn't read it right because they missed the 414 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:44,880 Christ in their reading. So he says to them, have you not 415 00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:47,400 read male and female created he them. 416 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,080 God is the Creator of all things. 417 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:54,440 So read about your creator, spend time in the Word, read the 418 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:57,600 Word, memorize the word, meditate upon the word that you 419 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:01,400 might understand the creative power of God who reigns and 420 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:09,960 rules over all things. If you have not recognized your 421 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:17,040 Creator, if you have not remembered your Creator, if you 422 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:23,520 do not Revere your Creator, if you don't read about your 423 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:30,719 Creator, if you don't rest in your Creator, if you don't 424 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:41,679 rejoice in your Creator, it's time to repent and return to 425 00:34:41,679 --> 00:34:45,400 your Creator. It's time to do that. 426 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,760 Remember Job. That's what Job said. 427 00:34:52,159 --> 00:34:55,440 So interesting. Remember, God revealed himself 428 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:59,200 to Job. God never explained anything to 429 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:01,920 Job but why he was the way he was or what happened to him. 430 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,560 Never explained anything to him. What did he reveal to Job? 431 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,000 He revealed his creative powers to Job. 432 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,200 That's all he did. Went back and revealed how he 433 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:16,120 created everything. I was in charge of everything. 434 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:22,000 Listen to what Job says. Job 40 the Lord said to Job, 435 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:26,040 will the fault Finder contend with the Almighty? 436 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:30,440 Job was the fault Finder. God says to Job, you want to 437 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:35,280 continue to find fault with me. Job, after you understand how 438 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:39,000 I've created everything upon the planet I formulated all 439 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:43,080 together, how I hold it all together, and you want to find 440 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:51,440 fault with me, your creator, let him who reproves God answer. 441 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:56,080 Job, you have an answer. Next time you want to argue with 442 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,920 God about his creative power, you want to argue about what he 443 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:01,640 is, how he's fashioned you and formed you, and what he's 444 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:03,800 created to come into your life. Next time you want to argue with 445 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:07,640 God about those things, read what Job says. 446 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:16,080 Job says, Behold, I am insignificant. 447 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,360 I'm a nothing. I'm a nobody. 448 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:23,960 Oh, by the way, the reason you find fault with God is because 449 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:28,640 you think you're somebody, that when you realize you're a 450 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:34,160 nobody, there's no fault with God, He says I'm insignificant. 451 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:40,000 What can I reply to you? What can I say? 452 00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:47,520 I laid my hand on my mouth once I've spoken, I will not answer 453 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:54,160 even twice and I will add nothing more. 454 00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:01,240 How did Joe get to that point? How did he for 39 chapters ask 455 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:05,800 the question why, what is going on in my life? 456 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:11,120 And God comes to him and reveals his creative power by speaking 457 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:14,560 to Job. And Job says, I got nothing to 458 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:17,000 say. You're everything. 459 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:23,560 I am nothing. And then Job listens to God 460 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:31,600 again through chapter 41. In chapter 42, he says, I repent 461 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,280 in dust and ashes. I got nothing to say. 462 00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:41,920 I was wrong. I should not have questioned my 463 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:44,640 God. I should not have questioned my 464 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:48,920 Creator. And John comes along and says, 465 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:50,280 I'm going to show you the word of God. 466 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,560 This is what it is. And I'm going to show you the 467 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:54,280 God of the Word. That's who He is. 468 00:37:56,960 --> 00:37:58,200 He brought everything into existence. 469 00:37:58,200 --> 00:37:59,680 He is the Creator. Do you believe that? 470 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,120 For he who comes to God must believe that He is. 471 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:09,400 He is everything He says He is. He's a reward of those who 472 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:15,640 diligently seek Him. He reward you because you want 473 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:20,000 to truly be like him, for you see him truly as he really is. 474 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,240 In the Scriptures, John says, I've written these things that 475 00:38:23,240 --> 00:38:29,080 you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. 476 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:35,520 Do you believe? Let me pray with you, Lord God, 477 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,960 thank you for today. We are reminded once again of 478 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:43,360 the power of Your Word and how it's so instrumental in all of 479 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:46,800 our lives. Forgive us, Lord, for not 480 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,400 remembering You as our Creator, not recognizing You as our 481 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:55,040 Creator, especially not revering you as our Creator. 482 00:38:56,840 --> 00:39:00,600 Oh Lord, please, if there be one among us today who does not know 483 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:05,720 You, may today they come to the true and living God. 484 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:14,440 Repetitive sins and follow Christ, the Creator of the ends 485 00:39:14,440 --> 00:39:18,320 of the earth. Pray this in Jesus glorious 486 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,720 precious name was coming again. Amen.