1 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,120 Good morning. Wait a minute. 2 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,600 You hear that, Brett? Good morning. 3 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,600 Now there you go. OK, we're here now. 4 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:51,680 It's great to y'all have have y'all here this. 5 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,080 Morning. It's a great day to be in the 6 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,040 House of the Lord. We have a few announcements to 7 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:00,640 make. We had men's breakfast elders 8 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,560 meeting this morning and it's a board meeting. 9 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,800 Following church service. Today, back in the back, also on 10 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,600 Wednesday, I think we have. A outing, don't we, Brad? 11 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,360 Beau reminded me that instead of the van leaving at 10:30. 12 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,960 It's going to leave at 10:00. I think that's right. 13 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:20,360 So. Instead of 10/30. 14 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,960 Be here at 10. Be ready to go. 15 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,920 Youth activity got youth. Activity this week, Brad? 16 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:30,280 Yes. Sir, enquire. 17 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:37,120 Youth Enquire this week. I think that's all. 18 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,240 Yes. Oh yeah. 19 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:44,200 I didn't know this morning till I got. 20 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,520 Here, the church that we're celebrating Lee Herron's 100th 21 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,760 birthday today. So. 22 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,840 If y'all would like to wish Lee a happy 100th birthday, I'm sure 23 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:00,680 he'll be happy to hear it. And I noticed that breakfast 24 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,160 this morning. What anything wrong with his 25 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,800 eating? For sure, he's still got a good 26 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,479 appetite, so he's probably good for a few more years, but had to 27 00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:11,560 pick it, Lee, a little bit. We have to have a little fun, 28 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,600 you know, but men's breakfast is a good it's a good deal. 29 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,720 We have a good time at men's breakfast and do a lot of 30 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,720 picking and going on. But anyway, we do, we do wish 31 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,160 you a happy birthday, Lee. Congratulations. 32 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,440 All the other announcements, anybody? 33 00:02:30,120 --> 00:06:09,240 All right, ladies. Sophie has something to say. 34 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:16,320 I know God passed away, but he but he did it for us. 35 00:06:29,340 --> 00:06:33,820 Please stand, turn to #148 He keeps me singing. 36 00:06:34,220 --> 00:06:36,940 We'll do the first, second, and fifth verse. 37 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:12,200 You may be seated. The call to worship this morning 38 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,720 comes from John. Chapter 8. 39 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:20,000 Verse 12. Again, Jesus spoke to them, 40 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,000 saying, I am the light of the world. 41 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,760 Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have 42 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,280 the light of life. Then the Pharisees said to him, 43 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,000 You're testifying on your own behalf. 44 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,680 Your testimony is not valid, Jesus answered. 45 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:40,600 Even even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid 46 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:45,360 because I know where I have come from and where I am going. 47 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:50,440 But you do not know where I come from or where I'm going. 48 00:09:50,560 --> 00:09:54,200 You judge by human standards. I judge no one. 49 00:09:54,560 --> 00:09:57,480 Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is valid. 50 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,200 For it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent 51 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:16,480 me. The strength of a man consists 52 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:21,040 in finding out the way God is going and going that way. 53 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:28,200 Will you bow our heads? I Heavenly Father, we thank you 54 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,640 so much for being here today. We hope, Father, that we're 55 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:33,720 going the right way, the way you're going. 56 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,200 And if we're not? We pray to you that. 57 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:39,560 You will help us get on the right track and care our lives 58 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:44,280 the way You have us to do. We know that we make mistakes, 59 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,840 but we know that You're there for us when we do, Lord, and we 60 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,240 ask that You continue to strengthen and bless us as we 61 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:52,760 go. We ask these things in the name 62 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:57,120 of the one who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father who art 63 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:03,120 in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be 64 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,320 done on earth as it is in heaven. 65 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:12,040 Give us this day Our Daily Bread, and forgive us our debts, 66 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:17,720 as we give our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but 67 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:22,480 deliver us from evil. For thine is a Kingdom and power 68 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,240 and a glory forever. Amen. 69 00:11:37,860 --> 00:11:39,780 Oh. Yeah, your own. 70 00:11:39,780 --> 00:11:42,140 Service. We have a children's service 71 00:11:42,140 --> 00:12:11,410 this morning I think. Now, thank you. 72 00:12:11,410 --> 00:12:14,370 All right, good morning. So I want, I want to tell you 73 00:12:14,370 --> 00:12:16,370 all the Bible verse that we're going to talk about, OK? 74 00:12:16,610 --> 00:12:20,650 It's Genesis 12/1. The Lord had said to April, 75 00:12:20,730 --> 00:12:25,410 leave your country, your people, your father's household, and go 76 00:12:25,410 --> 00:12:26,850 to the land. I will show you. 77 00:12:28,130 --> 00:12:30,290 All right, So when we do something for the first time, 78 00:12:30,290 --> 00:12:33,640 it's kind of scary, isn't it? When you when you do something 79 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:39,510 with that you cried, was it scary? 80 00:12:40,190 --> 00:12:43,070 But now it's not so bad, is it? Because you've been a week, so 81 00:12:43,270 --> 00:12:48,550 it's good, right? Yeah, she does play in the 82 00:12:48,590 --> 00:12:51,310 playground, and the playground's still fun. 83 00:12:51,310 --> 00:12:56,870 It has something. You run on OK and you cry. 84 00:13:01,110 --> 00:13:06,000 God love her teacher. What about like when you rode a 85 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,760 bike for the first time? Was that scary? 86 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,360 Wait, have you read the? Bike. 87 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,360 Is it, was it scary the first time you did it? 88 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:15,440 No. Well. 89 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,360 That's how you want things. Scared of the rider's bike with 90 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:25,040 no. Yeah, I fall off when they do 91 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:25,320 that. I know. 92 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,760 That's scary, right? Hurt. 93 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:29,880 My. Arm, I know you did it. 94 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:32,080 That was her first stitches. Thank God that didn't happen in 95 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:33,600 our house. It happened to the parents 96 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:34,920 house. All right. 97 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,720 What about going swimming for the first time? 98 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:38,840 Was that scary? Were you scared to get the water 99 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:40,600 so. That was fun. 100 00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:42,960 I just swim now. I. 101 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,440 Can't. I swim before with you. 102 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:47,200 I know you did. I'm a. 103 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:51,640 Great swimmer now. The first time you know. 104 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:53,960 You. Were scared, I remember it. 105 00:13:54,280 --> 00:14:02,520 You were scared. All right, so I'm. 106 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,240 I'm going to do some. Hey, hey, hey, Attention. 107 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:06,960 All right, I'm going to do something. 108 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:09,440 Boy, I need you. I need you to help me do 109 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,200 something, OK? I want you to come stand up. 110 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,080 All right, Come stand right here. 111 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,680 You sit down. I don't have one for you, so you 112 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:21,600 sit down. There it goes all. 113 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:23,560 Right all. Right. 114 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:24,320 Pay attention. What? 115 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,040 So what I'm going to do is I'm going to blindfold you, and I'm 116 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,200 going to get you to walk and get that handle right there, OK? 117 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,400 And we'll get you. All right, Let me go on and hold 118 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:33,240 you. All right? 119 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:38,080 So should I let you just walk by yourself and let you stumble and 120 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,920 possibly fall and because you don't know where you're going, 121 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,560 start walking? Are you scared you're going to 122 00:14:43,560 --> 00:15:02,160 run into something? OK, come on. 123 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:06,640 Well, that's cheap. I'm going to make it wild on her 124 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:08,000 so we can. She can't cheat. 125 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,600 Spin her around twice. Yeah. 126 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:12,840 All right. So if you can find the book. 127 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:18,160 See Memorizing what happened. To. 128 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:28,400 That So what y'all did walking blinds like that except those 129 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:29,360 that cheated? I did not. 130 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,080 Well boy cheated, but we won't call him out for that anyway. 131 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:38,520 So just like just like y'all did, y'all were blindfolded up. 132 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,920 Abraham and Sarah experienced the same thing in today's Bible 133 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,200 letter. God told Abraham to leave 134 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:45,800 everything and move to a country. 135 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,240 He didn't even tell them which country they were going to. 136 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,400 They didn't know where they were going, what they would find when 137 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,400 they got there. It was like they were we're in 138 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,600 the blindfold. But they trusted God, just like 139 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,400 y'all sort of trusted me to get you to the book to get the book. 140 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,320 Every day we face new things and and they're always going to be a 141 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,160 little bit scary, but there's there's one thing that we can 142 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:16,840 always remember, but one thing that we can always remember is 143 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,360 to trust in God, right, because he's always there for. 144 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,840 So anytime you get a little bit scared about doing something 145 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,120 new, then you just trust in God and talk to him. 146 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:32,760 Yes, ma'am, I want to tell everybody quick. 147 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,280 Do you? Know why I have this heart faced 148 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:41,400 with it reminds me of God because it reminds me that God's 149 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:42,720 always. Good for us. 150 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,000 That's right, she a little hyper. 151 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:55,480 All right, let us pray. OK, be quiet and let's pray. 152 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:57,960 All right, now your head's down. All right. 153 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,480 Dear Father, sometimes we're afraid to go where we've not 154 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:02,600 gone before. Help us to remember that you're 155 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,359 always with us wherever we go. And remind us always to look to 156 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,680 you for the guidance we need in every situation. 157 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:10,119 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 158 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,359 All right, here, take your shoes, take your foot away. 159 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:16,160 Y'all work on these and they're in the nursery. 160 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:28,560 Yeah, go to. The. 161 00:17:34,290 --> 00:17:35,890 Nursery. I'm sorry I forgot to make one 162 00:17:35,890 --> 00:17:39,210 announcement. I think I did, I can't remember 163 00:17:39,210 --> 00:17:43,330 so if I repeated it'd be OK. Baptist Church is having a 164 00:17:43,330 --> 00:17:46,480 revival Sunday night through Wednesday night. 165 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,720 It's 6:00. So if you'd like to attend you. 166 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,840 You're more than welcome to be there Sunday through Wednesday. 167 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,200 Sunday through Wednesday night. It's 6:00. 168 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:57,720 At the Baptist. Church. 169 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:01,440 Yes, All righty. I'm through baby. 170 00:18:04,120 --> 00:18:06,720 We got room. If you're not, please stand. 171 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,760 Turns to #229 Are you washed in the blood? 172 00:18:09,960 --> 00:19:57,320 We'll do the 1st and 4th 1st. Would you pray with me, Heavenly 173 00:19:57,320 --> 00:19:59,120 Father? We do give thanks this morning, 174 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:03,240 Lord, for your love for us, Lord, for Your grace and your 175 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:07,600 mercy that you bestow upon us, which we have not deserved, we 176 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,920 have not earned, but You give it to us anyway. 177 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,800 Well, we pray this morning that as we come to look into your 178 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,400 Word, that our hearts and our minds would be in a tune with 179 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:21,400 Yours, Lord, that we would lay aside the things of this world 180 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,400 that distract us and that we would focus totally upon what 181 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:30,040 you have for us here today. Lord, we thank You for Your Word 182 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,160 written so many thousands of years ago, but it's still 183 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:38,520 powerful and effective and given to us to use each and every day. 184 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:43,120 Or we pray that we will listen, Lord, we pray that we will apply 185 00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:47,360 it to our lives and that Lord, we will leave here changed and 186 00:20:47,360 --> 00:20:50,320 becoming more and more like your son Jesus Christ each and every 187 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,280 day since. Jesus name I pray, Amen. 188 00:25:55,430 --> 00:25:57,150 We give with joy, faith and love. 189 00:25:57,390 --> 00:25:59,310 In your holy name we pray. Amen. 190 00:26:12,010 --> 00:26:14,770 Our Communion hymn is number 405. 191 00:26:15,250 --> 00:26:17,810 In remembrance, of course, first and second verse. 192 00:29:25,470 --> 00:29:31,600 This morning as we come to the table, I want to ask you, do you 193 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,000 feel invited by Christ to come to this table? 194 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:43,200 Do you feel worthy? Do you feel honored to come to 195 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,640 this table? Do you feel accepted? 196 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,320 We look back over this past week of our lives and I'm sure we can 197 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:53,240 think of things where we have fallen short, where we have 198 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,880 failed, where we have said, God, I don't even deserve to be here. 199 00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:01,480 And yet he says, come. There are things that have 200 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:05,200 happened within our lives that lead us to the place where I I 201 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:11,760 just don't feel like I can come. And he says, come, come and 202 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:16,040 remember the sacrifice that was made for you, the willingness 203 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:21,400 that I had to give of myself on that cross for your sins. 204 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:28,760 The invitation is always there for my Lord every single day, no 205 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:31,800 matter how much we have failed, no matter how unworthy we feel, 206 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,880 He always says, come back to me, let's pray. 207 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:38,640 Father, we come with that table today. 208 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:41,640 Thank you for our many blessings and thanking you for the 209 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,240 ultimate sacrifice, Lord, that you made for each one of us and 210 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:48,240 we protected this Lord, Let us do so in a way that will be 211 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:54,960 pleasing unto you. Lord, we come before you humbly 212 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:00,160 this morning acknowledging that we have fallen short. 213 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:06,800 We do not follow exactly as Jesus would have us to be for 214 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:11,160 living our lives. We come asking forgiveness. 215 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:18,240 We come knowing that you are a forgiving, merciful God that we 216 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:21,920 serve. Bless us now as we protect of 217 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:30,480 the emerald of the blood. Remind us that Jesus loved us so 218 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:37,520 much he was willing to sacrifice his life for us as we could come 219 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:44,040 to take this love cub. We're reminded that it was this 220 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:48,080 sacrifice that we're taking in Jesus name. 221 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:49,760 My prayer. Amen. 222 00:35:15,410 --> 00:35:18,290 The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread. 223 00:35:19,170 --> 00:35:21,650 We had given thanks. He broke it and said, this is my 224 00:35:21,650 --> 00:35:25,050 body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 225 00:35:30,090 --> 00:35:33,810 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, This cup 226 00:35:33,810 --> 00:35:38,080 is the new covenant in my blood. Do this whenever you drink it in 227 00:35:38,080 --> 00:36:04,620 remembrance of me, or whenever you eat this bread 228 00:36:04,620 --> 00:36:08,980 and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 229 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:52,200 This morning as we get started, I want to I want to say two 230 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:54,080 things before I go to the scripture. 231 00:36:55,400 --> 00:37:00,240 This first one is this last week as I was preaching, I had 232 00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:02,840 someone say that they felt like that I was being a little hard 233 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:09,080 on on marriage and that was not my intent. 234 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:13,400 But what I wanted you to get from what I was saying was this. 235 00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:19,720 Our Scripture was Psalm 27 and verse 14, and it says wait for 236 00:37:19,720 --> 00:37:24,280 the Lord. I talked about that. 237 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,160 We waited for things in life. We waited to get married and we 238 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:29,680 waited for all these things. We thought they were going to 239 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:32,240 happen with marriage. And this is what I wanted you to 240 00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:34,840 get, which it didn't seem to come across. 241 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:42,240 When done right, marriage is absolutely glorious, but we have 242 00:37:42,240 --> 00:37:44,320 to start out with Christ in the center. 243 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:47,640 If we put all our hope and all our trust and we're waiting on 244 00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:51,120 that other person to fill us and make us and to give us 245 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:53,160 everything that we need, we're missing out. 246 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:57,800 We got to wait for the Lord. And when we are in the 247 00:37:57,800 --> 00:37:59,800 relationship with him that we need to be, then the 248 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,400 relationship with with between the husband and wife will be 249 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:07,280 what what it should be and can be and with our children and 250 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,160 with those that we come in contact with. 251 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:14,240 So if I LED you to think I'm against marriage, that's 100% 252 00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:16,240 wrong. All right, here it is for today. 253 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:21,600 We're in Joshua and we're going to start in chapter 1. 254 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,240 And I want to give you a little bit of a little bit of 255 00:38:24,240 --> 00:38:25,720 background before I start reading. 256 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:35,360 Joshua, if you will remember, was Moses's eight, his kind of 257 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:39,840 right hand man. Joshua had been with Moses when 258 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:46,600 they left Egypt. As they headed out, Moses was in 259 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,320 charge. Problems came up. 260 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:52,960 It always stop the buck, stop with Moses. 261 00:38:59,130 --> 00:39:05,170 If you remember, Moses has a an issue with something that God 262 00:39:05,170 --> 00:39:07,290 tells him. He didn't really like it. 263 00:39:07,290 --> 00:39:10,770 He got angry, he struck the rock. 264 00:39:11,210 --> 00:39:13,490 God said that's not what I commanded you to do, and you 265 00:39:13,490 --> 00:39:16,440 will pay a price for that. There will be consequences. 266 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:19,840 He will not get to go into and lead the people into the 267 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:24,840 Promised Land as He had planned for 40 years. 268 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:26,400 The people wandered in the desert. 269 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:33,120 It's now time for them to get ready to go into the Promised 270 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:36,440 Land. And God gives this word to 271 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:40,440 Joshua after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, The 272 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:43,480 Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses his aide. 273 00:39:44,240 --> 00:39:49,240 Moses, my servant is dead. Now then you and all these 274 00:39:49,240 --> 00:39:52,280 people get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land that 275 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:55,240 I'm about to give to them to the Israelites. 276 00:39:56,280 --> 00:39:58,600 I will give you every place where you set your foot. 277 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:02,240 As I promised Moses, your territory will extend from the 278 00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:07,000 desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates, all 279 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:10,760 the Hittite country to the Mediterranean Sea in the West. 280 00:40:11,720 --> 00:40:14,600 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your 281 00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:17,240 life. As I was with Moses, so I will 282 00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:20,000 be with you. I will never leave you nor 283 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,480 forsake you. Be strong and courageous because 284 00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:26,040 you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to 285 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:31,000 their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. 286 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:35,440 Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you. 287 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:40,320 Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be 288 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:44,600 successful wherever you go. Keep this book of the Law always 289 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:47,480 on your lips and meditated on it day and night, so that you may 290 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,640 be careful to do everything written in it. 291 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:53,920 Then you will be prosperous and successful. 292 00:40:54,720 --> 00:40:58,720 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. 293 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:03,800 Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your 294 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:06,560 God will be with you wherever you go. 295 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:14,200 I want you to imagine if you are Joshua for just a moment and you 296 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:18,520 have been following Moses and Moses has been leading, and you 297 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:23,320 knew that everyone looked to Moses as the one to, to fix the 298 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:30,200 problems, to answer the questions, to, to, to take care 299 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:34,480 of your doubts and your fears. And Moses has passed away. 300 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:41,360 Moses is no longer the one that everybody counted on, is dead, 301 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:45,840 and everyone is now looking to you. 302 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:52,720 How would you feel? Would you feel up to the task? 303 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:58,120 Would you feel ready? Would you feel excited about it 304 00:41:58,120 --> 00:42:00,560 or would you be apprehensive? Would you think it would be 305 00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:07,520 things going through your mind like I'm not Moses, I'm I'm not 306 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:15,920 the one that everybody trust? I'm going to fail, I'm not going 307 00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:20,400 to do, I'm not going to be able to fill Moses's shoes. 308 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:27,000 Let me put it to you like this. You've been on the Chicago Bulls 309 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:32,680 and you've played with Michael Jordan and Michael Jordan has 310 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:39,160 LED you to 6 championships. You've won the NBA championship 311 00:42:39,160 --> 00:42:42,800 6 times with Michael Jordan and all of a sudden Michael Jordan 312 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:48,760 says I'm done. Scottie Pippen, it is now your 313 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:53,400 time to shine. This is your team now you got to 314 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:57,040 take it over. Who wants to fill in for Michael 315 00:42:57,040 --> 00:42:59,120 Jordan? Not me. 316 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:05,720 But this is what Joshua? This is the exact place that he 317 00:43:05,720 --> 00:43:11,880 is. The man is gone and he now has 318 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,560 to step up and fill in the shoes of Moses, the greatest leader 319 00:43:15,560 --> 00:43:18,160 that they have had up until this point. 320 00:43:20,240 --> 00:43:25,960 And God says to him, be strong and be courageous. 321 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:33,640 This morning I want to ask you how strong and how courageous 322 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:39,800 are we as we go forward in our lives each and every day? 323 00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:46,640 When we have to face new things, when trials come into our lives, 324 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:53,160 when we have doubts, when we have fears, when we're wondering 325 00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:56,720 how we're going to pay this next bill, how we're going to get 326 00:43:56,720 --> 00:44:00,000 through a situation, how we're going to deal with it. 327 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:07,040 God says to you and me, be strong and be courageous. 328 00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:09,280 Why? What does he say? 329 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,040 Let me go back and give it to you. 330 00:44:12,040 --> 00:44:13,720 I will give you every place where you set your foot. 331 00:44:13,720 --> 00:44:16,200 As I promised Moses, your territory expand from the desert 332 00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:18,960 to Lebanon, from the great river, the Euphrates, all the 333 00:44:18,960 --> 00:44:21,120 Hittite country to the Mediterranean Sea in the West. 334 00:44:21,560 --> 00:44:24,280 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your 335 00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:26,960 life. As I was with Moses, so I will 336 00:44:26,960 --> 00:44:29,400 be with you. Listen to this I will never 337 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:35,920 leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous because 338 00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:38,280 you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to 339 00:44:38,280 --> 00:44:43,440 their ancestors to give them. This is the promise that he made 340 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:48,000 to Joshua, and that very same promise that he made to Joshua, 341 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:51,680 he makes to us. And he says to us, be strong and 342 00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:55,320 be courageous. And he says, I will never leave 343 00:44:55,320 --> 00:44:59,920 you or forsake you. We're not going through this 344 00:44:59,920 --> 00:45:02,600 life alone. It is not all placed on us. 345 00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:05,040 It is not all our responsibility. 346 00:45:05,240 --> 00:45:08,520 Notice that he said to Joshua, he said I'm going to give you 347 00:45:08,760 --> 00:45:12,120 all of these places. Every place that you set your 348 00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:15,520 foot, I'm going to give you. That's what God says to him. 349 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:18,520 I am going to give this to my people. 350 00:45:19,960 --> 00:45:23,520 You are going to lead, but it is me that's going to be doing the 351 00:45:23,520 --> 00:45:28,560 work. It is not on you, it's on me. 352 00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:32,640 That's what God says to you and to me each and every day. 353 00:45:32,640 --> 00:45:37,400 The one thing that he asked or commands for Joshua to do, 354 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:42,160 besides be strong and very courageous, He says, be careful 355 00:45:42,160 --> 00:45:45,280 to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you. 356 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:48,880 Do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be 357 00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:54,080 successful wherever you go. Keep this book of the Law always 358 00:45:54,080 --> 00:45:56,240 on your lips. Meditate on it day and night, so 359 00:45:56,240 --> 00:45:59,800 that you may be careful to do everything written in it. 360 00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:03,720 Then you will be prosperous and successful. 361 00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:08,400 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. 362 00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:11,520 Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, for the 363 00:46:11,520 --> 00:46:16,880 Lord your God will be with you wherever you go this morning. 364 00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:21,560 I want to give you another passage of Scripture that goes 365 00:46:21,560 --> 00:46:23,960 along with that. For me. 366 00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:29,040 We go to first John in chapter 5. 367 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:36,480 And no, we're not trying to lead a people out of Egypt. 368 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:40,120 We're not trying to finish the job that Moses has started and 369 00:46:40,120 --> 00:46:46,800 going into the promised land. But we have all of this 370 00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:50,400 responsibility upon us each and every day. 371 00:46:50,400 --> 00:46:52,200 We have a life that we have to live. 372 00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:55,440 It's our responsibility to get up out of the bed and to take 373 00:46:55,440 --> 00:46:57,320 care of the things that we have to take care of. 374 00:46:57,320 --> 00:47:00,040 Sometimes we don't feel like it. Sometimes we don't want to. 375 00:47:01,560 --> 00:47:05,080 Sometimes we don't want to be strong and courageous. 376 00:47:07,840 --> 00:47:10,680 In first John chapter 5 verse one, it says everyone who 377 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:15,200 believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and 378 00:47:15,200 --> 00:47:18,640 everyone who loves the Father loves his child as well. 379 00:47:19,720 --> 00:47:23,360 This is how we know that we love the children of God by by loving 380 00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:26,040 God and carrying out his commands. 381 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:32,520 In fact, this is love for God to keep his commands and his 382 00:47:32,520 --> 00:47:35,720 commands are not burdensome for everyone born of God will 383 00:47:35,720 --> 00:47:39,280 overcome the world. This is the victory that has 384 00:47:39,280 --> 00:47:41,040 overcome the world, even our faith. 385 00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:43,560 Who is it that overcomes the world? 386 00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:47,400 Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 387 00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:52,440 This morning I want you to consider for yourself. 388 00:47:53,280 --> 00:47:56,920 Each day that you wake up, each day that you go forth into this 389 00:47:56,920 --> 00:47:59,880 world, are you strong and courageous? 390 00:48:00,840 --> 00:48:03,320 Do you believe that God is going with you? 391 00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:06,280 Do you believe that He will never leave you, that He will 392 00:48:06,280 --> 00:48:10,640 never forsake you? Do you believe that He desires 393 00:48:10,640 --> 00:48:14,640 good for you? That He wants you to accomplish 394 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:22,440 His will? Do we sometimes look at the word 395 00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:24,840 of God? And I'm going to go back to this 396 00:48:24,840 --> 00:48:27,520 in just a moment, but but sometimes do we look at the word 397 00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:29,400 of God and we think that it's a burden? 398 00:48:30,560 --> 00:48:32,680 Do we think that it's hard to follow? 399 00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:37,200 Do we think that it is putting restraints upon us that it is 400 00:48:37,600 --> 00:48:42,880 that it is causing us to to feel weighed down? 401 00:48:45,560 --> 00:48:48,120 Or do we feel like when we look into the word of God that we 402 00:48:48,120 --> 00:48:53,880 find life, that we find hope, that we find truth, that we find 403 00:48:53,880 --> 00:48:58,720 the very thing that we need to encourage us to move us forward? 404 00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:09,520 Do we desire to carry out God's plan for our life or we still 405 00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:11,280 want to do about do it ourselves? 406 00:49:13,600 --> 00:49:17,000 She'd have been very easy for Joshua to just say I can't do 407 00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:21,360 this. I'm not the one, I don't have 408 00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:26,800 what it takes, I'm not Moses. It's very easy for us to go into 409 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:30,400 first John chapter 5 and look at it and what it says. 410 00:49:30,400 --> 00:49:34,360 And it says to us that it is our responsibility if we love the 411 00:49:34,360 --> 00:49:38,640 Father is to keep his commands. And we simply say, I can't do 412 00:49:38,640 --> 00:49:40,280 that. It's too much for me. 413 00:49:42,120 --> 00:49:46,000 It's it's putting a weight upon me that I cannot bear. 414 00:49:50,040 --> 00:49:53,080 God says to you and to me, if you love me, what? 415 00:49:53,240 --> 00:49:56,280 Keep my commands. And then he tells us here 416 00:49:56,280 --> 00:49:59,600 they're not burdensome. How many times have you ever 417 00:49:59,600 --> 00:50:05,320 noticed that as you're walking with the Lord that the things 418 00:50:05,320 --> 00:50:07,960 that you once thought we're going to be difficult, The 419 00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:10,920 things that you thought we're going to be hard, that we're 420 00:50:10,920 --> 00:50:16,080 going to to absolutely terrify you, But when you're walking 421 00:50:16,080 --> 00:50:18,800 with the Lord, you realize I can do this. 422 00:50:20,160 --> 00:50:22,280 It is not a burden for me to keep God's word. 423 00:50:22,280 --> 00:50:25,600 It is a pleasure for me to keep God's Word. 424 00:50:27,520 --> 00:50:32,120 Sometimes we wake up on Sunday mornings and we think I am so 425 00:50:32,120 --> 00:50:35,000 tired. I've had such a terrible week. 426 00:50:36,080 --> 00:50:38,520 I cannot get up and go to church today. 427 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:43,960 I can't do it. And we lay in the bed, and we 428 00:50:43,960 --> 00:50:46,560 try to go back to sleep, and we toss and we turn, and some of 429 00:50:46,560 --> 00:50:51,640 you may go back to sleep. And you don't go to church that 430 00:50:51,640 --> 00:50:54,640 day. And Monday morning rolls around. 431 00:50:54,640 --> 00:50:57,600 In another week, work week is starting. 432 00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:01,840 You haven't been recharged. You haven't been in the House of 433 00:51:01,840 --> 00:51:03,720 the Lord. You haven't heard God's word. 434 00:51:03,720 --> 00:51:05,320 You haven't been with God's people. 435 00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:09,120 You haven't been rejuvenated and that work week is going to be 436 00:51:09,120 --> 00:51:11,200 worse than the one that you had before. 437 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:20,320 But Satan is telling you and me, just lay in the bed, you're 438 00:51:20,320 --> 00:51:24,720 tired, you deserve a day off. You work 6 days straight, take 439 00:51:24,720 --> 00:51:32,200 the day off. God says to you and me as we 440 00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:38,240 wake up on Sunday morning. Come to my house, come and hear 441 00:51:38,240 --> 00:51:41,200 my word, come and be with my people. 442 00:51:42,120 --> 00:51:45,160 Come and experience my Holy Spirit. 443 00:51:46,240 --> 00:51:51,160 Come and realize that everything that you need will be found in 444 00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:56,920 this book. This morning and Sunday school. 445 00:51:56,920 --> 00:52:06,720 We, I say we, I'm going to, I got off into chasing a whole lot 446 00:52:06,720 --> 00:52:09,520 of things that didn't go along technically with our lesson. 447 00:52:09,840 --> 00:52:11,640 Now, I thought that they were really good things for us to 448 00:52:11,640 --> 00:52:16,120 discuss, but they didn't go along with our lesson. 449 00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:22,600 And my Sunday school class was willing to go with me and to 450 00:52:22,600 --> 00:52:28,840 listen and to discuss and to consider what I was saying and, 451 00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:32,120 and what their opinion was. And we had this great 452 00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:37,040 discussion. Now we'll tell you that if I, if 453 00:52:37,040 --> 00:52:40,040 I was to ask them in Sunday school right now, what was our 454 00:52:40,040 --> 00:52:43,400 scripture that we talked about this morning in Sunday school, 455 00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:46,320 I'm going to bet you that almost every one of them says, I'm not 456 00:52:46,320 --> 00:52:50,600 really sure. But I will tell you that if I 457 00:52:50,600 --> 00:52:54,280 ask you what we discussed, I can guarantee you a lot of them are 458 00:52:54,280 --> 00:52:58,160 going to say a whole lot of things that we did discuss. 459 00:52:59,240 --> 00:53:04,880 My point is this, we may go or come with the intent of 460 00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:09,200 receiving something and we may leave with something totally 461 00:53:09,200 --> 00:53:10,640 different than what we ever expected. 462 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:14,560 We were going to get God's word for you. 463 00:53:14,560 --> 00:53:17,600 As I read this passage of Scripture and as I preach this 464 00:53:17,600 --> 00:53:20,600 to you, you may get something totally different than what I 465 00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:22,720 get. It's the amazing thing about 466 00:53:22,720 --> 00:53:26,440 God's Word. It meets us where we are for 467 00:53:26,440 --> 00:53:29,240 those of us who are walking with the Lord, and we are, we are in 468 00:53:29,240 --> 00:53:32,760 a good place and we are, we are right where we feel like that we 469 00:53:32,760 --> 00:53:36,120 should be and we are, we are walking in step with the Spirit. 470 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:41,080 It's good. Sometimes I come into this 471 00:53:41,080 --> 00:53:43,680 pulpit and I'm standing here and I'm reading this passage of 472 00:53:43,680 --> 00:53:48,280 these passage of Scripture and I realized, my my Lord and my God, 473 00:53:48,280 --> 00:53:51,160 I have failed you and I have failed you miserably this past 474 00:53:51,160 --> 00:53:53,920 week. Forgive me. 475 00:53:58,680 --> 00:54:00,720 Sometimes we have to simply acknowledge God. 476 00:54:00,720 --> 00:54:04,080 I have failed you. I have not lived the way that 477 00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:06,680 you desired for me to live. I have not done the things that 478 00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:10,400 you have desired for me to do. And as we talked about at the 479 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:16,840 table, he simply says to you and to me, Come, confess those sins 480 00:54:16,840 --> 00:54:18,920 to me. Confess those shortcomings to 481 00:54:18,920 --> 00:54:22,720 me, and I will take care. I will forgive. 482 00:54:23,840 --> 00:54:27,440 I will make you whole again. I will bring you back to the 483 00:54:27,440 --> 00:54:30,640 place where you feel that you are walking with the Spirit. 484 00:54:34,360 --> 00:54:37,960 It is not a burden to love the Lord. 485 00:54:38,880 --> 00:54:43,280 It is a joy. But Satan is always trying to 486 00:54:43,280 --> 00:54:46,640 pull us into that opposite direction of saying God's word 487 00:54:46,640 --> 00:54:51,280 is too burdensome. God's word is too hard to live 488 00:54:51,280 --> 00:54:54,040 by. He doesn't let you have any 489 00:54:54,040 --> 00:54:57,000 freedom. He keeps you from doing the 490 00:54:57,000 --> 00:55:06,600 things that you want to do. God says this is love for God to 491 00:55:06,600 --> 00:55:09,880 keep his commands and his commands are not burdensome for 492 00:55:09,880 --> 00:55:12,720 everyone born of God overcomes the world. 493 00:55:14,160 --> 00:55:16,280 This morning I want to ask you, do you want to overcome the 494 00:55:16,280 --> 00:55:22,800 world? Do you want to come to the place 495 00:55:22,800 --> 00:55:25,960 in your life where you realize that all of the chaos around 496 00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:31,600 you, it's not for you, It's not where you want to be. 497 00:55:34,200 --> 00:55:37,320 Keeping up with what everybody else has, wondering what they're 498 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:40,480 doing, where they're going, how much money they have in their 499 00:55:40,480 --> 00:55:42,840 bank account, how successful they are. 500 00:55:46,320 --> 00:55:48,600 Trying to explain to our children why we don't have a 501 00:55:48,600 --> 00:55:53,680 boat and why we don't have jet skis and why we don't take 4 502 00:55:53,680 --> 00:55:57,040 vacations a year and why we don't do this and that and that. 503 00:55:57,040 --> 00:56:03,680 Will these other children do? Well, we're not them and don't 504 00:56:03,680 --> 00:56:07,680 compare yourselves to them. Our life is not based upon what 505 00:56:07,680 --> 00:56:11,920 we have, what we can consume in this world. 506 00:56:11,920 --> 00:56:17,960 Our life is based upon what Christ has done for us and that 507 00:56:17,960 --> 00:56:21,120 He desires to live through US and with us. 508 00:56:22,120 --> 00:56:24,120 Remember what God said to Joshua? 509 00:56:24,120 --> 00:56:26,520 He said I'm going to be with you. 510 00:56:28,200 --> 00:56:32,160 Every place that you set your foot, I'm going to give to you. 511 00:56:32,960 --> 00:56:34,960 I am going to give you that land. 512 00:56:35,960 --> 00:56:39,560 You can't conquer it in and of yourself, but with me you will 513 00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:48,120 be strong and be courageous. Put your faith in me. 514 00:56:50,480 --> 00:56:55,200 Put your love and your focus in this life in me. 515 00:56:58,440 --> 00:57:00,400 Who is it that overcomes the world? 516 00:57:00,400 --> 00:57:04,480 Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 517 00:57:05,000 --> 00:57:09,080 The world we live in today tells us that the Bible is archaic, 518 00:57:11,360 --> 00:57:14,280 that it was a great story a long time ago, but it's really not 519 00:57:14,720 --> 00:57:18,640 relevant for today. There are those who will say 520 00:57:18,640 --> 00:57:21,160 that Jesus was not really the Son of God. 521 00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:24,560 He was simply a good man. He was a good teacher. 522 00:57:24,760 --> 00:57:26,800 He did some good things while he was here. 523 00:57:29,400 --> 00:57:32,800 He didn't die on the cross for to pay the price for your sins. 524 00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:35,040 He didn't. He was not raised from the dead 525 00:57:35,200 --> 00:57:38,080 because no one has been raised from the dead. 526 00:57:38,080 --> 00:57:42,640 If you're dead, you're dead, but not with God. 527 00:57:44,320 --> 00:57:47,440 God says to you and to me that we are dead in our trespasses 528 00:57:47,440 --> 00:57:52,920 and our sins, and we are. But with Christ we have hope. 529 00:57:53,480 --> 00:57:56,840 We have a future. We have the expectation of a 530 00:57:56,840 --> 00:58:00,560 place that he is prepared for us, where there is no more death 531 00:58:00,560 --> 00:58:06,600 or mourning or crying or pain. There is no more sin, there is 532 00:58:06,600 --> 00:58:11,040 no more temptation. There is no more worry about the 533 00:58:11,040 --> 00:58:18,440 things that this world offers. We've talked before about the 534 00:58:18,640 --> 00:58:21,680 the need that we have when we when we see things on 535 00:58:21,680 --> 00:58:26,200 television, when we see things on social media that that other 536 00:58:26,200 --> 00:58:29,960 people have, the other things that they are doing and we want 537 00:58:29,960 --> 00:58:32,440 a part of that we won't in on that. 538 00:58:33,520 --> 00:58:37,040 We strive to do the things that we can so that we can attain 539 00:58:37,040 --> 00:58:42,760 those things, that we can have those things, but they all fall 540 00:58:42,760 --> 00:58:47,120 short. The only thing that satisfies, 541 00:58:47,120 --> 00:58:51,360 the only thing that gives us what we are looking for is that 542 00:58:51,360 --> 00:58:55,840 relationship with the Lord. Do you have a relationship with 543 00:58:55,840 --> 00:59:00,560 the Lord this morning? When's the last time that you 544 00:59:00,560 --> 00:59:02,400 spent some time communing with Him? 545 00:59:02,560 --> 00:59:05,720 When is the last time that you spent some time in prayer? 546 00:59:08,360 --> 00:59:10,800 When is the last time that you have simply said to him, God I, 547 00:59:10,800 --> 00:59:14,320 I am falling apart right now. I need you. 548 00:59:15,720 --> 00:59:18,080 He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. 549 00:59:18,520 --> 00:59:21,440 He is there waiting to answer that call. 550 00:59:23,680 --> 00:59:30,030 I. Want to close with this? 551 00:59:32,510 --> 00:59:35,510 He concludes the last part of this chapter with these words. 552 00:59:36,270 --> 00:59:39,550 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son 553 00:59:39,550 --> 00:59:43,190 of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 554 00:59:43,920 --> 00:59:47,160 This is the confidence we have in approaching God, in 555 00:59:47,160 --> 00:59:51,120 approaching God that if we ask anything according to His will, 556 00:59:51,440 --> 00:59:55,080 He hears us and we know that He hears us. 557 00:59:55,080 --> 01:00:00,280 Whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked for from 558 01:00:00,280 --> 01:00:06,600 Him. When's the last time you spent 559 01:00:06,600 --> 01:00:10,320 some time in prayer? When's the last time that you 560 01:00:10,360 --> 01:00:16,080 asked the Lord to hear you? To answer you, to draw near to 561 01:00:16,080 --> 01:00:20,120 you, God never forces himself upon us. 562 01:00:20,120 --> 01:00:28,200 God never makes us love him. We were discussing this morning 563 01:00:28,200 --> 01:00:30,440 the Sunday school and I know I'm off on another one, but I'm I'm 564 01:00:30,560 --> 01:00:34,000 going to wrap it up quick. We were discussing the fact of 565 01:00:34,000 --> 01:00:37,920 the sovereignty of God, that nothing happens outside of God's 566 01:00:37,920 --> 01:00:44,600 will, of God's control. We, we cannot usurp God, but yet 567 01:00:44,600 --> 01:00:49,440 also God gives us free will. It is our choice to make whether 568 01:00:49,440 --> 01:00:53,680 we accept or reject him. It is our choice to decide 569 01:00:53,680 --> 01:00:58,880 whether Christ died for me. He will not force me to accept 570 01:00:58,880 --> 01:01:01,000 that. God's Word says that God's 571 01:01:01,000 --> 01:01:03,560 desire is for all men to be saved. 572 01:01:04,560 --> 01:01:07,400 But he doesn't force us because that's not love. 573 01:01:09,360 --> 01:01:13,840 Loving God is a response to what He has done for us. 574 01:01:14,840 --> 01:01:17,600 We hear that God, that Christ died on the cross for us. 575 01:01:17,600 --> 01:01:20,840 We know that God paid the price for our sins through his Son 576 01:01:20,840 --> 01:01:27,400 Jesus, and he simply calls to you and to me, will you love me? 577 01:01:28,520 --> 01:01:31,360 Will you accept this free gift that Ioffer to you through my 578 01:01:31,360 --> 01:01:36,800 Son Jesus Christ? And when we do, we show that 579 01:01:36,800 --> 01:01:39,600 love by following his commands, by doing the things that he 580 01:01:39,600 --> 01:01:44,840 desires for us to to do. Are you walking with the Lord? 581 01:01:46,120 --> 01:01:48,600 Are you in need of simply just saying, God, I need you? 582 01:01:49,600 --> 01:01:54,520 I've fallen short. And he says, come, let's go. 583 01:01:54,520 --> 01:02:01,680 Lord in prayer, Heavenly Father, we give thanks to you for how 584 01:02:01,680 --> 01:02:08,440 you love us, the compassion that you have for us, the desire that 585 01:02:08,440 --> 01:02:11,080 you have a relationship with each and every one of us 586 01:02:11,080 --> 01:02:14,560 individually. The Creator of the universe 587 01:02:16,480 --> 01:02:22,440 looks down at his creation and wants to commune with me with 588 01:02:22,440 --> 01:02:27,600 all of my shortcomings, with all of my sinfulness because of His 589 01:02:27,600 --> 01:02:30,280 Son, Jesus Christ. I'm not seen that way. 590 01:02:32,080 --> 01:02:36,120 I'm seen as righteous because of Christ. 591 01:02:37,200 --> 01:02:39,680 Heavenly Father, I simply pray this morning, if there's one 592 01:02:39,680 --> 01:02:42,680 here that needs to answer the call that you have offered your 593 01:02:42,680 --> 01:02:47,360 love to them, that they will answer that call today, that 594 01:02:47,360 --> 01:02:50,520 they will accept it. For those of us who've been 595 01:02:50,520 --> 01:02:53,560 Christians for a long time, Lord, I pray that we will renew 596 01:02:53,560 --> 01:02:58,320 our relationship with you, that we will realize that each and 597 01:02:58,320 --> 01:03:02,040 every day you have new things to show us, new things for us to 598 01:03:02,040 --> 01:03:06,960 experience, if we will call upon your name. 599 01:03:08,680 --> 01:03:12,760 Lord, we thank you that you're a loving God, a forgiving God, a 600 01:03:12,760 --> 01:03:17,040 patient God. Lord, we also thank you that you 601 01:03:17,040 --> 01:03:21,600 are a holy God and that we have the opportunity to come together 602 01:03:21,600 --> 01:03:25,920 this morning and to worship you through everything that we say, 603 01:03:25,920 --> 01:03:29,280 through everything that we do, we give you glory and we give 604 01:03:29,280 --> 01:03:30,880 you honor. In Jesus name I pray. 605 01:03:31,280 --> 01:03:38,730 Amen. Please stand. 606 01:03:39,050 --> 01:03:41,370 Turn to number 505. Bow the knee. 607 01:03:41,650 --> 01:06:03,240 We'll sing it through twice. Questions if we need answers or 608 01:06:03,280 --> 01:06:07,120 I pray with you about the need that we will call upon you and 609 01:06:07,240 --> 01:06:10,760 if you will answer, if you will give us comfort, if you will 610 01:06:10,840 --> 01:06:12,600 give us peace, that you will give us hope. 611 01:06:14,320 --> 01:06:17,880 There's nothing else in this world and we thank you for that. 612 01:06:18,200 --> 01:06:19,000 Jesus name I pray.