1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,480 Father in Heaven, Lord, we are so grateful for this opportunity 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:07,600 to gather together on this day that reminds us of all that you 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:12,160 have accomplished for us. Father, in Genesis, it reminds 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,200 us that we are created and not evolved. 5 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,360 In Exodus and Deuteronomy, Father, it reminds us that you 6 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,720 are the only one who can set us free from sin. 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,480 And in the New Testament, Father, when Jesus says it is 8 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,200 finished, it reminds us that we are to rest in what he has 9 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:30,720 accomplished and not try to save ourselves. 10 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,720 So, Father, thank you for the Sabbath. 11 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,880 Thank you for this day, for the shelter that you provide for us 12 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,560 each week. And Lord, as we open your word, 13 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,960 we pray that you would be with us and show us, Father, more 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,040 about your love than your plan for us. 15 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:52,200 We pray in Jesus name, Amen. All right, welcome, Welcome. 16 00:00:52,200 --> 00:01:00,640 Welcome to Portland Church. All right, so my question this 17 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,400 morning is what does God want from you? 18 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:07,440 What does God want from you? Anybody have any thoughts on 19 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:08,640 that? What does God want from you? 20 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:11,080 Let's see what your thoughts are. 21 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:19,560 Obedience. Ah, who said that? 22 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:25,960 Your heart, yes, that's a typical answer, Joe obedient, 23 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:28,400 but I'm going to go with the heart, which will lead to 24 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,240 obedience. All right, Obedience will come, 25 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:33,680 but he, he really wants our heart. 26 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:35,720 Yes, yes, absolutely. That's what he wants. 27 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,440 He wants us to trust him, right. So we're going to talk about 28 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:43,360 that a little bit today. So Deuteronomy 31 six, it says 29 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,760 be strong and courageous and do not be afraid or terrified 30 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,600 because of them. So for those that read the 31 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,160 Bible, we know that there are demons out there. 32 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:54,880 Are there not? Yes. 33 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,800 And we talked about that a couple of months back. 34 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,880 And they try and whisper things in your ears, but God is saying 35 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,840 do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for it is the 36 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,520 Lord your God who goes with you. So who's with us? 37 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,240 God, do you believe that? All right, Amen. 38 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,040 And you'll notice it's highlighted in yellow. 39 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,240 He will what? Never, I should have highlighted 40 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,240 underlying that He will never leave you or forsake you, right? 41 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,280 Never leave you. We can leave Him, but He's not 42 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,120 going to leave you. Amen. 43 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,720 So He'll give you a choice. If you want to walk away, you 44 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:34,840 can do that. Who walked away? 45 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,320 Of the 12 disciples? Judas decided to do what? 46 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:43,040 He decided to walk away, right? But even up to the Last Supper, 47 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,240 what did Jesus do to all of the disciples? 48 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,240 What did He do? He washed their feet, including 49 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,840 Judas, who he knew was going to betray him. 50 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,360 Amen. So God stayed with him. 51 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,920 But then Judas got up and walked away. 52 00:02:58,920 --> 00:03:01,160 He walked away from the Savior of the world. 53 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,680 So this was spoken to Moses, to Joshua and the people of Israel 54 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,640 as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. 55 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,920 And are we on the verge of the Promised Land? 56 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,000 Wow, that was lame. Come on. 57 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,120 Are we on the verge of the promised land? 58 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,200 Yes, right. Just look at the news. 59 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:25,120 It's going to tell you read the read the great controversy and 60 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,160 we got, we got to get some of these out, right? 61 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,080 How many cases do you guys still have? 62 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:34,320 10. All right, so we got to get some 63 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,000 of these out. We still have, I think we have 64 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,080 four or five still at 3 angels. We've been giving them out, but 65 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,400 we said we need to get these out because this is a powerful book, 66 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:45,400 but we need to pray before we give it out. 67 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:51,000 Amen, Amen, Amen. Now also another announcement on 68 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,600 giving stuff out. So I just passed over to Joy 69 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,600 this past week, some memory sticks. 70 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:01,080 Pastor Tom went down to Tennessee and filmed the insert 71 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,200 into the Thunder in the Holy Land series. 72 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,280 Anybody know what Thunder in the Holy Land series is? 73 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:06,920 A couple of us. All right. 74 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,800 So it's it's a series that was filmed over. 75 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,200 It was filmed in Egypt, in Israel, and they brought in a 76 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:18,240 bunch of archaeological information and they had some 77 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,360 young people do it. It's very, it's very well done. 78 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,040 And the gentleman who put it all together offers to have pastors 79 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,560 inserted at the beginning, the middle and the end so that when 80 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,280 you pass these out and people come to visit, they'll know the 81 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:36,800 person who's there. Amen. 82 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,400 Now pastors in his fourth year. So. 83 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,720 But here's the thing, usually their contract is when the 84 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,960 pastor leaves, the videos leave with him. 85 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,120 But we negotiated a contract where when the pastor leaves, 86 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,280 guess what? We get to keep the videos. 87 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,080 Amen. So it's a 30 minute video, 88 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,800 there's 26 lessons and they have studies that go with them. 89 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,680 It's really, it's really good to do it in a group. 90 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,480 So if you have a laptop, you invite some friends over, you 91 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:11,360 play the video and then you go through the the written lesson 92 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,600 and they're really, they're really, really very good. 93 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,080 So I suggest you talk to Joy and Fred about that and they'll 94 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,680 explain how that works. All right, let's move on. 95 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,560 Hebrews 13 five, keep your lives free from the love of money and 96 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,840 be content with what you have. So what is God telling us here? 97 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:35,480 Be content and don't worry about what tomorrow we're getting 98 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:37,280 more, right? Don't worry about getting more. 99 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:41,360 Be happy with what you have for he God has said, never will I 100 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,080 leave you, nor will I forsake you. 101 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,760 So once again, we have from the Old Testament, we have from the 102 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,680 New Testament A reiteration. So when God says something two 103 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:50,160 or more times, what does that mean? 104 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:59,160 He wants you to remember, right. When somebody repeats something, 105 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,880 they want you to remember what they've said. 106 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,080 So that's important. So first, John 19 says if we 107 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:09,400 confess our sins, he is what? Faithful and just to forgive us 108 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,840 our sins. And this is important. 109 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:16,840 And to do what? From how much? 110 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:22,160 Oh, unrighteousness, right? So God wants us to come to Him 111 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,280 when we fall and confess our sins, and He will. 112 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:30,080 This is a promise. He will cleanse us from all our 113 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,320 unrighteousness. Now God calls us to confess our 114 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,640 sins and to humble our hearts before Him, while also trusting 115 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,200 Him as a loving Father. So does He have your best 116 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,520 interest in hand? Yes, absolutely. 117 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,440 He has your best interest, right? 118 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,240 Who will never abandoned those who rely on him. 119 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,680 So we saw those two promises from the Old and New Testament. 120 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:51,920 He says I will never leave you or forsake you. 121 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,680 Too often we live by sight rather than by faith. 122 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:00,240 Now, faith means believing in the things that we haven't seen 123 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,120 yet, but trusting in what God's Word says. 124 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,000 Amen. So if we want to trust God's 125 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Word, where do we need to be? Sister, you're on the mark 126 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,080 today. You're on the mark today. 127 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,400 Nothing dishonours God more than doubting His truthfulness or 128 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,080 questioning whether He is sincere and faithful to us. 129 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:26,640 So He wants us to trust Him. Now, trust comes from getting to 130 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,000 know somebody, right? So that means we need to spend 131 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,920 time with him. So Fred, you were talking about 132 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:33,760 what was one of the things we need to do today? 133 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:39,280 What's one of our weapons? Prayer, right? 134 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:43,880 So we need to be in the Word and we need to be in prayer because 135 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:52,560 the Word is God speaking to us, and prayer shouldn't be us just 136 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:54,640 talking to God. That's not what it's all about. 137 00:07:54,960 --> 00:08:01,040 It's not just talking to God, it's pausing and listening for 138 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:02,920 him to speak. Amen. 139 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,240 So it's important, it's important that we pause and 140 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,160 speak. Jeremiah 31 three, the Lord has 141 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,480 appeared to us in the past saying, I have loved you with a 142 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,240 what type of love, everlasting love. 143 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,640 I have drawn you with unfailing kindness, right? 144 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,600 So this verse emphasizes God's eternal love and kindness 145 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,400 towards us, right? Because it says it's everlasting 146 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:33,400 love, right? So when those who decide to walk 147 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:39,120 away from Jesus as Judas did, and they're lost, God will miss 148 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:43,520 them for all eternity, right? How many parents could say that 149 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,320 if they lost a child, they still wouldn't miss that child, right? 150 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,400 That's that's what it's like for God. 151 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:54,840 It's very important. So Romans 838 and 39 says, For I 152 00:08:54,840 --> 00:09:01,080 am convinced that neither what death nor life, neither angels 153 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:05,080 nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 154 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,400 neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation 155 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:14,160 will be able to do what separate us from the love of God that is 156 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,280 in Christ Jesus our Lord. So there's nothing in this world 157 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,360 that can separate you from the love of God, including your sin. 158 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,120 Your sin does not separate you from the love of God. 159 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,520 It separates you from God, but not from his love, right? 160 00:09:29,680 --> 00:09:32,160 He still loves you. And what does He want for you? 161 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:36,080 He wants the very best. So He calls us to repentance, 162 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,880 right? Because He has an amazing plan. 163 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,680 God doesn't abandoned us because of our sins. 164 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:46,160 Though we may err and grieve His Spirit, when we repent and come 165 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:50,440 to Him with humble repentant hearts, He will not reject us. 166 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,880 Amen. Right. 167 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,600 Barriers must be removed. Cherished wrong attitudes such 168 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,960 as pride, self-reliance and patience and complaining 169 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:04,320 separate us from God. And God wants us to turn from 170 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,320 those things. But He knows the only way we can 171 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:11,200 turn is through His Holy Spirit drawing us away from those 172 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,280 things and changing our hearts, right? 173 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,080 Because you and I can't change our hearts. 174 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,720 Though the Bible asks, can a leopard change its spots? 175 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,960 No, right. So can we who are sinners change 176 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,600 ourselves? No, that's what we have to 177 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,440 understand. We can't change ourselves, but 178 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:32,600 God can change us. Amen. 179 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,200 Amen. Right. 180 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,520 So we want to, we want to war from this higher spiritual 181 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,400 ground, which is trusting God in His Word and claiming those 182 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,560 promises. So God desires us to become 183 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:48,560 learners in the school of Christ, and only Christ's 184 00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:51,760 righteousness qualifies us to receive the blessing of that 185 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,640 covenant of grace. So his disciples, how long did 186 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:58,800 they spend with Jesus? 3 1/2 years, right? 187 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:04,560 3 1/2 years of being under the tutelage of God Incarnate right 188 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:06,200 here on this planet. Isn't that amazing? 189 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,120 Were they still, were they perfect at the end of that time? 190 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:14,320 No, right? Were they better than they were 191 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:17,760 when they started? Yes, because they were on a 192 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,920 journey, right? They were still learning. 193 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:23,960 They were still learning. So don't give up because you're 194 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:25,640 struggling. Don't give up because you 195 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,040 stumble. The Bible says a righteous man 196 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:32,400 gets up how many times? 7, right? 197 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,920 Which is a perfect number, which means you just keep getting up, 198 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,360 right? When you stumble, confess to God 199 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,840 and move on, right? Because God is amazing. 200 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:47,080 He is amazing, right? So for a long time many of us 201 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,200 have desired the blessings and struggled to obtain them because 202 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,760 we're trying in our own strength. 203 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,480 And God has said, stop trying in your own strength. 204 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,480 Trust me. He's saying trust me. 205 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,000 Trust me, I will give you the peace that you really desire, 206 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:05,320 right? Amen. 207 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:10,760 Amen. Isaiah 55, seven says through 208 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:14,680 his prophet, the Lord declares, let the wicked forsake his way, 209 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,600 and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return 210 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:24,600 unto the Lord, and he God will have mercy upon him and to our 211 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,080 God, for he will abundantly pardon. 212 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:28,760 So once again, here's another promise. 213 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:33,560 What is he calling us to do? Let the wicked forsake their way 214 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:36,400 and the unrighteous their thoughts. 215 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,360 So he's talking about our actions and our thoughts, right? 216 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,440 That sound a little bit like Revelation where there's a mark 217 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:44,800 in the hand and that and the forehead, right? 218 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,440 So we need to forsake those things, turn back to the Lord 219 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,920 says return unto the Lord and he God will do what? 220 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:58,840 Have mercy, praise God, right? That's all we have to do is turn 221 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,960 back to him and he'll have mercy and he will send you to hell. 222 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,480 Is that what it says? What does it say? 223 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:12,920 He will abundantly pardon, praise God for that abundantly 224 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,960 pardon. So we are called to trust this 225 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,200 promise that God's calling us to trust his promise not to 226 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,600 substitute it with feelings, but to trust in faith that if we do 227 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:25,640 what he's asked, very simple, right? 228 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,560 Forsake the way, right? And if you're having trouble, 229 00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:32,200 forsake, if you have a besetting sin, just call out the God and 230 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,360 say, Lord, this is something I, I can't overcome. 231 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:36,880 Is there any sin you and I can overcome? 232 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:38,920 Fred, you talked about this this morning. 233 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:39,800 Say it loud. Come on. 234 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:44,640 No, there's no sin that you and I can overcome by ourselves. 235 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:50,680 But with Christ, what all things are possible. 236 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:52,360 Thank you. Thank you. 237 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,720 When we fully trust God and rely on the merits of Jesus as our 238 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,480 sin pardoning Savior, we will receive all the help we could 239 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:00,880 ever need. Amen. 240 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,560 Amen. All right, so this is from 241 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:07,920 Spirit of Prophecy. We often focus on ourselves as 242 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:09,640 if we have the power to save ourselves. 243 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:14,160 But Jesus died because we can't save ourselves. 244 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:16,600 So I modify her English to be a little bit more modern. 245 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,680 Is that OK? Is that all right with you guys? 246 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,200 Our only hope is God's mercy giving us the grace, which is 247 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,280 power. Grace is power. 248 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:29,000 Faith and forgiveness we need. He wants us to understand our 249 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:35,920 righteousness is found only where only in him, right? 250 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:39,160 So don't become discouraged or afraid thinking you don't, you 251 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,280 have no strength, right? Because we don't. 252 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,960 Let's be realistic. But when we call on him, and we 253 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,880 talked about this in in the class this morning, when we call 254 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,080 to God, he's going to send angels to help you and then 255 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,160 they're going to encourage you. The Holy Spirit will come to 256 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:58,280 give you the strength, but it's being willing to admit that 257 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:03,440 you're too weak to fight the battle yourself, right? 258 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,040 We need the Calvary, you know. You know in the old times they 259 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,440 said, call the Calvary. Well, the Calvary is the angels 260 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:15,880 of God, and when we call like that, they will come if we want 261 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:16,960 them. Amen. 262 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,720 Numbers 21/8 says, And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee A 263 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:27,000 fiery serpent and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass 264 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,400 that everyone who was bitten, when he look at the pawn, it 265 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,480 shall live. So this is the story. 266 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,040 This is from the story in Numbers. 267 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:34,880 Where, what are the people of God? 268 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,800 Do they sinned, right? And what did God do? 269 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:43,160 Did he send fiery serpents in? No, what he did was he pulled 270 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,440 back his protection and the serpents that were always there 271 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:51,240 began to bite people and people began to die, right? 272 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,400 So they were in the wilderness and God allowed the poisonous 273 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,600 snakes to bite the rebellious Israelites. 274 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,520 He instructed Moses to lift up the bronze serpent to tell the 275 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,880 people to look at it and they would be healed. 276 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,400 So what did they have to do to be healed? 277 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:10,720 What they have to do? Look and believe what they were 278 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,400 just told, right? So they had to look at the 279 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,080 bronze servant and believe that what Moses had just said. 280 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:21,320 If you look at this serpent, God will heal you, right? 281 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:27,720 So what do we need to look at? We need to look at Jesus, right? 282 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:32,880 And Jesus asked us to believe that when we look to him, he 283 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,760 will leave us in sin. Is that what he says? 284 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:43,720 No, that he will heal us, right? And it says still they focused 285 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,560 on their pain, their suffering, and their coming death until 286 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,840 their strength failed and their eyes grew dim, when they could 287 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:54,320 have been healed instantly by trusting and obey God's simple 288 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:58,440 instruction, which is look and live right. 289 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:03,720 God says, trust my son, Amen, trust my son, look to him. 290 00:17:05,079 --> 00:17:08,520 John 314 and 15 says, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in 291 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,920 the wilderness, Even so was the Son of Man lifted up that 292 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:18,040 whosoever the prostitute, we talked about that this morning, 293 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,200 right? The drunk, the drug addict, the 294 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:25,680 murderer, the adulterer, whosoever believeth in him 295 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,600 should not perish, but have what? 296 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,680 Eternal life, right? Because God changes people. 297 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:36,440 That's what he likes to do. He loves to change people. 298 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,720 So if you're conscious of your sins, don't devote all your 299 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:43,800 powers to mourning over them. Give your sin to God. 300 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,640 Say God, this sin is yours. Now you deal with it. 301 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:52,120 I give you permission to work through me to deal with this 302 00:17:52,120 --> 00:17:53,480 sin. Amen. 303 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:58,040 And he will, He will. If you're allowing and if you're 304 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,560 struggling with the allowance, ask him. 305 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:04,520 Say, Lord, make me willing to be made willing to allow you to 306 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,840 deal with this sin, right? Praise the Lord. 307 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,120 So say out loud, I have a risen Savior. 308 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:14,160 Come on, repeat after me. I have a risen Savior. 309 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:20,440 I trust in Him. He will never let me be put to 310 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:27,960 shame. Through His name I have victory. 311 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:36,200 He is my righteousness and my source of joy. 312 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,840 Can you say Amen to that? Amen. 313 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:43,760 First, John 19 says if we confess our sins, He is faithful 314 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,280 and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all 315 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:47,680 unrighteousness. Amen. 316 00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:52,080 So come to Jesus, receive that, rest in peace and you will be 317 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:53,320 blessed. Amen. 318 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:58,000 So don't think that anyone here is beyond help because you're 319 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,320 not because God is greater than your sin, right? 320 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:04,360 He is and He's going to speak to you and you may feel 321 00:19:04,360 --> 00:19:07,120 uncomfortable with what He says. I know at times when He speaks 322 00:19:07,120 --> 00:19:10,120 to me, it's is it comfortable? Is it always comfortable? 323 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,040 No, no, because he says, you know what, Daryl, I need to work 324 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,400 on this thing. And I say, really, can't we work 325 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,160 on something else that's easier? He goes, no, I want to work on 326 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:22,880 this right now. Right. 327 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:24,960 And if you allow him to, what's he going to do? 328 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,160 He's going to do a miracle. He's going to take care of that 329 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:34,560 thing, right? So he's, you know, we're broke. 330 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:35,840 Are you broken? I'm broken. 331 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,840 Anybody else out there broken? I'm broken, right? 332 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:43,040 But God, he created the earth from nothing by doing what? 333 00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:46,400 By speaking. If He can do that, He can fix 334 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:51,240 all of us, Amen. But He's just asking us to trust 335 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:56,960 Him and believe his Word, Amen. Matthew 5-6 says blessed are 336 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:00,520 those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be 337 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,160 satisfied. So God's telling us here that if 338 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:07,720 we really want to be like Jesus, if we really want it. 339 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:13,680 He's saying you will get it, but you got to want it, right? 340 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:17,800 Do you understand that? He's saying you will be filled 341 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,840 as Jesus promised, but you need to want it, right? 342 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,720 All right. So some of us may feel like we 343 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,440 need to prove ourselves. Don't get into that trap, right? 344 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:33,800 Come to Jesus as you are. Don't try and do better. 345 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:38,200 Just surrender and give your heart to Jesus and let him do 346 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,000 better through you. Amen. 347 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:44,000 When you sin, don't say God's abandoned me because he hasn't, 348 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:45,960 right? If you're still breathing and 349 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,920 you can still think and you feel the Spirit talking to you and 350 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,240 say, look, you just sin and go to God, Don't say, well, I can't 351 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,000 go to God. I have to do something else. 352 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,320 But no, no, go to God, right? Then go to God, right? 353 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,440 Then don't wait, right? Because we're sinful, we're 354 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:05,280 helpless, and we need to be fully dependent on Him. 355 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:07,480 That's where our victory will be. 356 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:12,400 Amen. Matthew 1128 says, Come to me, 357 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,840 all you who are weary and burden, and I will give you 358 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:18,280 rest. Amen. 359 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:22,560 Romans 58 says, But God shows his love for us and that we were 360 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:26,280 still what we're sinners. Think about this. 361 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:30,000 We were still sinners, we hated Him, and Christ still came and 362 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:34,160 died for us. Think about all those people who 363 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:36,160 crucified him. Did Christ die for them? 364 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,120 Yes, right. Did he die for Judas? 365 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:42,680 Yes. Did he die for the Pharisees and 366 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,560 the Sadducees? Yes. 367 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:49,040 Did he die for the disciples who ran away in fear? 368 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,960 Yes, right. What the Bible says in another 369 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,040 area while we were still enemies, Christ died for us, 370 00:21:58,320 --> 00:21:59,280 right? Think about that. 371 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,640 He died for us while we hated him. 372 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:05,320 Anybody ever hate God? I'll be honest, at one point I 373 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,320 did. I'll tell you a little story 374 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:10,560 that you may have heard or may not have heard. 375 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:15,360 When I was growing up, my, my father's parents, so my 376 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:18,520 grandparents on my father's side, I used to go over there 377 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,400 and, and spend some weekends with them when my parents were 378 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,480 away and stuff. And I became very, very attached 379 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:25,920 to them. Very attached. 380 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,160 I loved going over there. They let me. 381 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:31,920 My grandfather had this old riding mower. 382 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,600 I used to sit on his lap and we would ride and he'd cut the 383 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:39,840 grass and, and my grandmother would make this amazing toast 384 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,840 with butter. It was so crispy and delicious. 385 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,480 I just, I still remember those things and I had a really good 386 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,000 time. But one one day my grandmother 387 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:53,160 had a stroke and she was in the hospital and I was praying 388 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,720 fervently. I was raised a Methodist and I 389 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:58,320 didn't know I could pray for people. 390 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,240 And you know, God, sometimes he heals him. 391 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:02,520 And I was praying for my grandmother. 392 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,200 And unfortunately, my grandmother did not make it. 393 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:11,080 She passed. And I became very, very angry at 394 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,840 God because of that, very angry at God. 395 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,320 I was young. I hadn't been taught about God's 396 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:20,040 promises and that, you know, sometimes he doesn't always 397 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,080 answer in the way we want. And I had nobody to really 398 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,880 counsel with at the time. And so I, I walked away from God 399 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,920 at a young age for years, right? But he got my attention later 400 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,520 on. But I'll, I'll tell you, you 401 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,160 know, there are things in our lives that we may really, really 402 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,600 want. And sometimes God just says, no, 403 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,080 that's not what's best for you right now, right? 404 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,240 And he asks us to trust him. And sometimes that's hard. 405 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:49,480 As a young child, that was very hard for me to lose that, that 406 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,440 grandmother. It was really, really hard, but 407 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,200 He was merciful to me and he brought me back and I'm thankful 408 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,760 for that. So Jesus is our ever present 409 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,040 Savior. Do you believe that? 410 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,560 All right, so the work he's begun in our hearts, He says 411 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,680 what? I will complete it. 412 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,040 That's what he promises, right? I will complete it. 413 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:18,680 So here's a short video and I want you to see this is just one 414 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,560 scenario of what we're being called to. 415 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,400 What's the pay? The pay, yes. 416 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:29,120 The income, the daily rate, housing arrangements, what you 417 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:32,480 have that all worked out? There is no pay, at least not in 418 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:37,760 the earthly sense. I'm a rabbi and I'm asking you 419 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:42,920 to follow me. It was nice meeting you. 420 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:44,520 You'd be part of changing the world. 421 00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:49,280 Become part of a family. Not of relatives, but of blood 422 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:58,360 bonds just the same. Spend your days with some of the 423 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:12,000 most interesting, unfettered, funny, driven, brave, neutering, 424 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:32,960 smart, strong, passionate, fiery, loyal, loving, imperfect 425 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:50,920 people to ever walk the earth. You'll see and to things you 426 00:25:50,920 --> 00:26:07,920 cannot imagine will be adored, hated, needed, lost and found. 427 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:15,920 You will live everywhere and nowhere. 428 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:24,440 You will lose friends. You will lose all your friends 429 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,960 and your own life. You will go to the ends of the 430 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,920 earth and you'll be part of the beginning of the greatest 431 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:42,040 movement on earth. People will say you were a fool 432 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:46,000 and that I was a fool and that it was all a lie. 433 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,800 They'll call us heretics and liars and frauds. 434 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,560 Others will celebrate and venerate your memory and call 435 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:03,760 you a St. But none of that's the point. 436 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:12,320 The point is that you will have said yes to the world's no, that 437 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:19,520 you hoped against hope and believe against belief, that you 438 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:24,200 surrendered everything and held fast to the very end. 439 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:42,440 Will you follow Kingdom eternal value? 440 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:54,040 So the question is not only will you follow Jesus, but are you 441 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:59,280 willing to be willing to give everything up to follow him? 442 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,160 That's what the disciples had to do. 443 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:03,880 That was the choice that they had to make. 444 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:06,960 And we are called to be disciples of Christ. 445 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,680 In Matthew 1038 it says and whoever does not take up his 446 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:14,280 cross and do what follow me is not worthy of me. 447 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,880 John 1511 says these things I have spoken to you so that my 448 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:23,600 joy may be where in you. So Christ wants to give us his 449 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:29,080 joy and that your joy may be with what may be made full. 450 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:33,760 Matthew 419 says and then he said to them, follow me and I 451 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:37,040 will make you fishers and men. So Christ is calling us today 452 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:44,080 not just to follow him, but be willing to follow Him 110%. 453 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:47,800 Amen. Amen. 454 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:53,240 Let us bow our heads, Father. We are humbled and challenged as 455 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,760 we read your word. You are calling us to be willing 456 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:00,200 to surrender everything, Lord, as your Son did when He came. 457 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,520 He stepped down from His throne in the worship of all eternity, 458 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:09,160 all the universe, Father, all the angels to come to this dark 459 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:14,200 forbidden planet and to show us the way of life and to show us 460 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:18,200 how to have joy. Father, please forgive us for 461 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:22,200 our failings. Encourage us on the path and be 462 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,120 with each of those who are here and those who watched online. 463 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:29,000 Father, bless them, encourage them some angels that excel and 464 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,600 strengthen might and love for you to encourage each of us on 465 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,480 this path of life. Father, and send your Holy 466 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:39,720 Spirit to give us the strength and the wisdom we need to walk 467 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,800 your path. I pray in Jesus name, Amen.