Sunday Morning Worship | 6.23.24

Channel: Bible Baptist EL RENO

Transcript

Language: English (original, YouTube automatic captions)

[0:30] all

[1:29] my

[1:35] my

[1:39] [Music]

[1:51] theck

[1:53] [Music]

[1:54] theck St all the St that

[2:01] [Music]

[2:12] theck

[2:14] [Music]

[2:21] [Music]

[2:36] well good morning everybody how's

[2:37] everybody doing this morning if you

[2:40] would with me we're going to go ahead

[2:41] and start off with our scripture verse

[2:43] for this morning if you would stand in

[2:45] honor of the God's word and if you would

[2:47] read along with me I would appreciate it

[2:50] we do it all together uh Psalm

[2:53] 100 the Bible says a Psalm of Praise

[2:57] Make a Joyful Noise un to the Lord All

[3:01] Ye Lands serve the Lord with gladness

[3:05] come before his presence with singing

[3:09] know ye that the Lord he is God it is he

[3:14] that may made us and not we ourselves we

[3:18] are his people and the Sheep of his

[3:22] pasture enter into his gates with

[3:25] Thanksgiving and into his courts with

[3:28] praise be thankful unto him and bless

[3:33] his name for the Lord he is good his

[3:37] Mercy is

[3:38] Everlasting and his truth endureth to

[3:42] all generations amen let us pray dear

[3:46] heavenly father we come to you this

[3:47] morning Father thanking you thanking you

[3:50] so much father for having another day a

[3:52] day to come and worship you this morning

[3:54] Father I thank you Father for allowing

[3:57] everybody that came in to be faithful to

[3:59] your house this morning Father we ask of

[4:02] one thing and one thing only father we

[4:04] invite you this morning to meet with us

[4:07] we invite you father to overwhelm us

[4:09] with your presence let the Holy Spirit

[4:10] do a great work this morning Father just

[4:12] move through all the congregation in a

[4:14] great way father and any distractions

[4:17] that are to come our way shut them out

[4:19] dear Lord leave them out of this

[4:20] building dear Lord and let your will be

[4:22] done father I ask father there's one

[4:24] Among Us that has not recognized her

[4:27] lost condition father and accepted Jesus

[4:29] Christ as our Lord and savior I get I

[4:31] pray dear Lord that that is done today

[4:33] and that is settled today father I pray

[4:35] dear Lord if there's one here father

[4:37] that needs and wants to join our church

[4:40] that they would move on that today dear

[4:41] Lord and father I pray that there's one

[4:43] here that needs to rededicate their

[4:45] lives to you father father God for

[4:47] whatever need needs to be fulfilled this

[4:49] morning Father just take care of every

[4:51] burden father in a great way and do your

[4:53] will father empower the preaching of

[4:54] your word in a mighty way dear Lord fill

[4:57] our pastor with the words he needs to

[4:59] speak father hide them behind the cross

[5:01] dear Lord and let them deliver your

[5:02] words and your words only father let our

[5:05] worship this morning Father be done in

[5:07] truth and not in vain father we thank

[5:09] you for everything you've done we thank

[5:11] you for all your blessings and we just

[5:13] want to give you praise and glory this

[5:15] morning father in Jesus holy precious

[5:17] and most powerful name we pray

[5:23] amen if you would join me as we turn to

[5:25] song number

[5:27] 58 song number 58 NE KNE at the cross

[5:31] Christ will meet you

[5:34] there kneel at the cross Christ will

[5:38] meet you there come while he waits for

[5:43] you list to his voice leave with him

[5:47] your care and begin life a

[5:52] new

[5:53] near at the

[5:56] cross

[5:58] give every

[6:01] pray

[6:03] kneel at the

[6:04] [Music]

[6:07] cross Jesus will meet you

[6:11] there kneel at the cross there is room

[6:16] for all who would his glory

[6:20] share Bliss there a way harm can never

[6:25] befall those who are anchored there

[6:31] kneel at the

[6:34] cross

[6:36] leave every

[6:39] care

[6:41] kneel at the

[6:42] [Music]

[6:45] cross Jesus will meet you

[6:50] there kneel at the cross give your Idols

[6:54] up look unto Realms above

[7:00] turn not away to life sparkling cup

[7:04] trust only in his

[7:08] love

[7:09] kneel at the

[7:12] cross

[7:14] leave every

[7:17] care

[7:19] kneel at the

[7:20] [Music]

[7:23] cross Jesus will meet you there

[7:32] you may be seated amen well we're

[7:34] thankful you're here this morning and

[7:36] we're excited to have missionary Jack

[7:37] Parker and his wife and family with us

[7:40] so I'm GL have brother Parker come he's

[7:41] going to introduce his presentation and

[7:43] we're going to see that this morning

[7:45] then right after that uh he'll take some

[7:47] questions if we have any questions this

[7:48] morning so brother Parker you come

[7:49] introduce your presentation this

[7:55] morning amen well good morning sure a

[7:57] blessing and get to be with you all here

[7:59] today today as you mentioned my name is

[8:00] Jack Parker and then my wife Lizzie and

[8:03] our three kiddos Jaylen Jason and meline

[8:06] uh we are on our way to the country of

[8:08] Japan uh and in particular I was sharing

[8:10] with Sunday schools uh the northern part

[8:13] of Japan the island of hul kaido uh

[8:15] Hokkaido is the land of the snow it is

[8:18] the the great white north of Japan uh

[8:20] they get about 20 to 30 feet of snow in

[8:23] just one winter time uh and it's no joke

[8:26] we were there on our survey trip last

[8:28] January and it snowed I think every day

[8:30] we were there uh so pray for us because

[8:33] that's a lot of snow for anybody uh snow

[8:35] as tall as I am which isn't all that

[8:37] impressive unless it's snow uh but lot

[8:41] of snow but in addition to the snow

[8:44] there's a whole lot of people uh a whole

[8:46] lot of people that are in great need of

[8:48] the Gospel of Jesus Christ uh and really

[8:51] that's what the video kind of does a

[8:52] great job and just showing the scale the

[8:55] scope that out of all these millions and

[8:57] millions of people you that are just

[9:01] regular old people like you and me just

[9:02] going about their daily lives when it

[9:05] really sinks in as you you see their

[9:06] faces you hear these statistics and

[9:08] different things that those people maybe

[9:11] have never even had the chance to hear

[9:13] the gospel at all not even accept it

[9:15] just hear it in the first place uh it

[9:17] does something to you I I hope

[9:19] throughout the day as you get to see the

[9:21] video and uh even ask some questions

[9:23] that not only will it give you a burden

[9:24] for Japan that we certainly have that

[9:27] and we want you to have that as well but

[9:28] it will just continue to renew in us a

[9:31] burden for the Lost everywhere because

[9:33] you don't have to fly 14 hours on a

[9:35] plane to Japan to find lost people folks

[9:37] all we got to do is walk outside uh and

[9:39] there's people men and women boys and

[9:40] girls that have the exact same need as

[9:42] anybody in Japan and that's the need for

[9:44] a savior uh so at this time we'll play

[9:46] our video and I'll be happy to do my

[9:48] best to answer any questions you may

[9:49] have thank

[9:52] you

[9:53] Japan Japan is a beautiful country in

[9:56] East Asia full of Rich history a total

[9:59] of

[10:01] 6,852 islands form the Japanese

[10:04] archipelago Japan is part of the ring of

[10:07] fire with 110 active volcanoes 47 of

[10:11] them being monitored constantly

[10:13] mountains occupy over 80% of Japan's

[10:16] landmass including the famous Mount Fuji

[10:20] resulting in some of the most densely

[10:22] populated cities in the world it is a

[10:25] country slightly smaller than the state

[10:27] of California but containing meing

[10:29] roughly three and a half times the

[10:32] population while the scenery and

[10:34] architecture are breathtakingly

[10:36] beautiful Japan's truest beauty is its

[10:39] people they possess a huge focus on

[10:42] Integrity respect and honor and a strong

[10:45] work ethic defines the fabric of society

[10:48] it is also within the top 10 safest

[10:50] countries as a whole Japan is one of the

[10:53] most technologically advanced countries

[10:55] in the world but its people are still

[10:57] holding to many of the tradition

[11:00] and rituals of the past namely the hold

[11:03] of idolatry that has been in Japan since

[11:06] its beginning Generations have been lost

[11:08] worshiping false Idols because they do

[11:11] not know the truth

[11:16] [Music]

[11:45] 126 million that's the number of people

[11:48] who will more than likely be born live

[11:51] and die without hearing a presentation

[11:53] of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the two

[11:56] main religions are Shinto and Buddhism

[11:59] which Japanese people often practice

[12:02] simultaneously these two beliefs

[12:04] influence every aspect of the Japanese

[12:07] culture and rejected them can often have

[12:10] extreme costs there are over 8 million

[12:13] Kami or gods that are worshiped in

[12:15] Shintoism a religion that originated in

[12:18] Japan while Buddhists believe that the

[12:20] human life is one of suffering and that

[12:23] meditation spiritual and physical labor

[12:25] as well as good behavior are the ways to

[12:28] achieve enlightenment when a Japanese

[12:30] person accepts Christ he is turning his

[12:32] back on his entire family past and

[12:35] present Japan is a nation rich in

[12:38] culture consumed with perfection led by

[12:41] tradition and motivated by fear and

[12:44] shame they are looking for a purpose in

[12:46] life but statistically speaking few will

[12:49] receive it they live without the Hope

[12:51] joy and peace of Christ many Christians

[12:54] have given up on the field of Japan due

[12:56] to its difficulty and magnitude some

[12:59] would even call the task impossible

[13:02] Matthew 19:26 says but Jesus beheld them

[13:05] and said unto them with men this is

[13:08] impossible but With God all things are

[13:11] possible

[13:12] [Music]

[13:35] the gospel isn't limited they can be

[13:37] reached they can have hope joy and peace

[13:40] and understand that there's no greater

[13:42] life than one lived for the one true God

[13:46] we are the Parker family Jack Lizzy

[13:48] Jaylen Jason and meline we are sent at a

[13:51] Faith Baptist Church NOA Kansas Pastor

[13:54] Wes Stewart to help share the Risen

[13:56] Savior in the Land of the Rising Sun

[14:00] our initial goals include learning the

[14:01] language and serving with a

[14:03] pre-established work while we learn the

[14:05] culture and develop

[14:08] relationships once we are able to speak

[14:10] the language our goal is to spread the

[14:12] gospel disciple and counsil converts

[14:15] plant churches taking Jesus to the

[14:18] Japanese people we plan to build a life

[14:20] in Japan and are seeking permanent

[14:23] residency please pray with us as by

[14:25] God's grace we Endeavor to accomplish

[14:28] these goals

[14:30] [Music]

[14:43] amen well thank you again for letting us

[14:45] come and did anybody have any questions

[14:47] about Japan or H kaido or anything uh of

[14:50] that nature happy to do do my

[14:55] best yes ma'am

[15:02] oh an interpreter that goes with us no

[15:04] ma'am uh the

[15:06] goal uh I don't speak Japanese yet

[15:10] my my Japanese isn't too good yet but we

[15:12] are getting there uh that'll be one of

[15:14] the first big hurdles to overcome uh

[15:17] there in Japan is learning the language

[15:20] uh very difficult language one of the

[15:21] hardest to learn in the world uh for

[15:23] people that speak English uh so that's a

[15:26] huge prayer request is that we'll just

[15:27] grab a hold of the language be able to

[15:29] learn it quickly uh we did start

[15:31] language classes uh last year we're

[15:33] coming up on almost a year ago uh there

[15:35] at the end of August so we're we're

[15:37] getting there we're learning what we can

[15:39] while we're

[15:40] here yes ma'am we've already

[15:45] started we hope

[15:48] so yes ma'am thank you anybody else here

[15:51] this

[15:53] morning yes ma'am

[16:13] cure

[16:16] yes yes that's a very very good question

[16:18] I don't know if I've ever been asked

[16:19] that very good question very thoughtful

[16:21] uh yeah that is certainly a challenge

[16:23] they they are always kind they're nice

[16:24] to everybody uh they would never turn me

[16:26] away or say you know get out of my face

[16:28] go away I don't I don't want you here or

[16:30] anything like that though they may think

[16:32] that inside they would never dare say

[16:34] that out loud they wouldn't want to be

[16:35] rude or offensive in that way so that is

[16:37] certainly a challenge and any culture

[16:39] you go to that is accustomed to having a

[16:42] a multitude of gods in their religion it

[16:45] can be very easy for them to just add in

[16:48] one more uh but that's not how it works

[16:51] we serve one God one true God uh so it

[16:54] it takes time A lot of time a lot of

[16:56] Labor and just being faithful loving on

[16:58] people really getting them to the place

[17:00] where they they understand the

[17:02] difference uh the difference that Christ

[17:04] can truly make in somebody's life uh

[17:07] that at first especially in early

[17:09] witnessing there there's certainly that

[17:11] aspect the danger just of being polite

[17:13] and taking it but not really receiving

[17:15] it uh so it just takes a time and again

[17:17] going to them getting to know them a

[17:19] little bit beyond but that surface level

[17:23] interaction anybody else any other

[17:26] questions oh didn't have to go

[17:38] [Music]

[17:39] far

[17:45] yes what cuses whates aate the high

[17:49] suicide rate is such an interesting

[17:51] thing and the the education is certainly

[17:52] part of it but it it truly is a a

[17:54] mindset that has been throughout

[17:56] Japanese culture for centuries and and

[17:59] you can go back to some old Samurai

[18:01] Traditions what's called uh the way of

[18:04] the bullido the way of the warrior I

[18:06] mean even thinking of World War II and a

[18:08] kamakazi pilot that was willing to take

[18:11] their own life to in their mind you know

[18:13] bring Victory eventually to their

[18:15] country well that mindset that it's

[18:18] honorable to be willing to die or to pay

[18:21] that high price for even failure or

[18:24] shame that's trickled all the way down

[18:26] to even children and teenagers the the

[18:28] vast majority of the suicides in Japan

[18:30] are people 20 and under it is kids it's

[18:33] young people often times with school

[18:35] that even just failing a test or

[18:37] something like that uh they they don't

[18:39] just think I made a mistake they think

[18:41] I'm the mistake and the only way to

[18:44] restore honor where there has been shame

[18:46] or failure is to take the mistake away

[18:49] uh it's really a a tragic thing a

[18:51] heartbreaking thing and it even further

[18:53] demonstrates how great the need is for

[18:55] the gospel be because of the tradition

[18:58] there um with failure do they consider

[19:00] not just like failing themselves it's

[19:02] more of like failing their ancestors

[19:04] absolutely it's yeah it's so much more

[19:06] than just you it's failing everybody

[19:07] your family your friends your

[19:09] neighborhood your your community your

[19:11] ancestors

[19:20] everybody just more on that note is it

[19:22] still considered a tragedy if say you

[19:24] had a child that committed suicide or is

[19:26] it looked as culturally acceptable in

[19:28] the asp ECT of oh they brought honor or

[19:30] is it still considered something sad or

[19:33] frowned upon the death I think would

[19:35] still be frowned upon uh but a lot of

[19:38] times difficult things like that Japan

[19:40] is great at just sweeping things under

[19:41] the rug that you know you just don't

[19:44] talk about it you don't bring it up you

[19:45] just gumbat you just keep going keep

[19:48] moving forward and everything will be

[19:49] just fine uh so again it further can add

[19:53] to their own grief or their own pain

[19:55] that just stays inside and never comes

[19:57] out yes do you have any um Independent

[20:01] Baptist Churches over there that you'll

[20:02] be working with there's just a few you

[20:05] know I mean everywhere needs more

[20:06] churches but Japan has very very few up

[20:09] in h kaido in particular our area uh

[20:12] there's just a handful uh in the saporo

[20:16] that City there's maybe less than five

[20:19] just three or four uh churches of like

[20:21] mind there uh but they are there and the

[20:24] church in the video there is in a town

[20:26] called Kito hios Shima so it's just

[20:28] outside of the larger City and they've

[20:30] been there about 31 years this

[20:33] year I just wanted to make a statement

[20:35] my husband he's 80 now but he he uh was

[20:40] an

[20:41] artist and he had a girl from Japan that

[20:46] came to America hiding from her parents

[20:50] because she wanted to be an artist and

[20:52] her parents didn't want her to be an

[20:54] artist they wanted her to be an

[20:56] engineer and she was hiding from her

[21:00] parents

[21:01] because uh she had shamed them because

[21:04] she wanted to do what she wanted to do

[21:06] and she shamed the family because they

[21:09] wanted her to do what they wanted her to

[21:12] do and if she did not make Straight

[21:15] A's they would make tie her to a pole

[21:19] naked in the yard for everybody to see

[21:23] that's how they treat their

[21:25] children and she was never ever ever

[21:28] gonna go back to Japan that's how they

[21:31] are treated they are just the parents

[21:34] just rule the children and if they die

[21:38] they die yeah it's a it's a very

[21:41] difficult thing to really even

[21:42] understand but really to me when I when

[21:44] I hear things like that and uh I've

[21:46] heard similar stories even for like

[21:48] little boys playing baseball or just

[21:50] things that seem so foreign but really

[21:52] what it should paint a picture in our

[21:54] minds of how difficult it is for them to

[21:56] get saved that what could make you more

[21:59] different more un Japanese than to put

[22:01] aside everything your ancestors believed

[22:03] your family believes to trust in Christ

[22:06] it's a a huge cost a cost that at least

[22:08] my me and I'm sure many of us could

[22:10] never fully understand uh but you know

[22:13] they need the Lord they need prayer uh

[22:16] and the ones that do get saved that

[22:18] that's the best part about being in

[22:20] Japan is going to church and meeting

[22:22] those folks because you truly can see

[22:24] the difference that Christ has made in

[22:26] somebody's life that when they a culture

[22:29] of fear of shame that now they have joy

[22:33] and peace they have a new relationship

[22:35] with Christ a family and Christ a church

[22:37] family that was totally different from

[22:39] everything else and it was such a

[22:41] wonderful thing to see that's why we're

[22:42] going so that people can know the

[22:48] Lord not necessarily go into hiding uh

[22:52] there

[23:03] M the the these days you wouldn't face

[23:07] as much like you would have maybe

[23:10] several years ago uh it'd be more just

[23:12] the interpersonal uh difficulties you

[23:14] know your family wouldn't really want to

[23:15] talk to you anymore or maybe even

[23:17] difficulties uh keeping your job or some

[23:19] influence in community uh it looks a

[23:21] little different in each person's life

[23:24] um but yeah still a huge cost a huge

[23:27] cost

[23:31] mhm yes

[23:36] ma'am you're in the

[23:47] back and it would

[23:49] affect you need a mic yeah okay sorry

[23:53] that's okay can you kind of talk about

[23:55] how healthc care works for the Japanese

[23:57] culture and then how accessible and easy

[24:01] it might be for you and your family uh

[24:04] the only way that really we would be

[24:06] able to get would be paying for it they

[24:08] they do like American money but yeah as

[24:11] far as health care and all sorts of

[24:13] different things it does again it just

[24:14] looks different uh a lot of things are

[24:17] very affordable and very cheap I've

[24:19] heard a lot of like uh dental work that

[24:22] we would typically would be very

[24:23] expensive here like you can get a root

[24:25] canal for 40 bucks in Japan some like

[24:28] that very quick and easy but eyeglasses

[24:31] or different things are seen as a lot

[24:32] more expensive uh so it just looks a

[24:35] little different uh but Japan does have

[24:37] a bit of that that socialist mindset

[24:39] where pretty much everybody's has the

[24:41] same health care across the board I

[24:42] don't know all the details of how it

[24:45] works uh but overall health care- wise

[24:48] it's fairly affordable for most people

[24:50] uh in that way but some things are more

[24:52] expensive some things are cheaper it

[24:54] just kind of depends on the situation

[25:00] uh Pastor just asked on support we're

[25:02] about 71% supported uh currently so Lord

[25:05] willing uh throughout the rest of the

[25:07] summer and the rest of the year will'll

[25:08] be able to wrap it up and be ready to

[25:10] head to Japan the very end of this year

[25:12] or the early part of next year's the

[25:14] current Target uh

[25:24] date many church are in

[25:28] churches how many churches in Japan now

[25:31] that's a big question for the whole

[25:32] country I'm not sure there's a lot to

[25:34] the military and a lot down south in

[25:37] honu uh I know there's a a Facebook

[25:40] Facebook group of wives that that my

[25:42] wife is in and I believe she recently

[25:44] mentioned there's about 50 in that so

[25:46] that's most of the people that that we

[25:48] would associate with the Independent

[25:50] Baptist community so around 50 uh but

[25:53] that's kind of the best estimate I have

[25:55] uh there may be more that I'm not aware

[25:56] of or that really really hate Facebook

[25:59] so they refuse to join I I don't know

[26:01] but about 50 would be my guests for for

[26:03] the whole country uh which when you

[26:05] think about an entire

[26:07] country 50 churches we need a lot more

[26:11] there's more than 50 churches in

[26:13] Oklahoma there might be more than 50

[26:15] churches in like a a 10- mile

[26:18] radius any other pre preacher we good on

[26:21] time two more

[26:30] is Japan communist like would you have

[26:33] to worry about them hunting you down for

[26:35] being different no uh Japan is not

[26:38] communist uh right now it's actually one

[26:40] of the blessings about Japan uh you can

[26:43] go over as a missionary so you don't

[26:46] have to be secretive or anything like

[26:48] that um the church in our video they

[26:50] used to have a building just in the

[26:52] middle of town square here's the bank

[26:53] the barber shop and the Baptist Church

[26:55] uh just right next to each other the

[26:56] mayor has visited so at the moment again

[26:59] you know 10 years time a few different

[27:01] politicians it may look a lot different

[27:03] uh when I'm come on a Furlow someday uh

[27:05] but right now it is open where you can

[27:07] go and and preach and things like that

[27:10] uh and we're very thankful for that and

[27:11] pray that it stays that

[27:13] way anybody else think just one more in

[27:16] the

[27:21] back that's a great question Japan is

[27:24] very Japanese uh unless you're in pretty

[27:28] much Tokyo which is a whole other ball

[27:30] game a whole different animal uh there's

[27:33] a lot more foreigners down there uh but

[27:35] H kaido is a unique place there's no

[27:37] milit American Military in Hokkaido uh

[27:39] so you don't have that influence from

[27:41] the Americans there uh it was pretty

[27:43] much all Japanese I think we met there

[27:46] was two University students that were

[27:49] just up there for a festival that

[27:51] typically live in Tokyo going to school

[27:53] and I think one of them was from

[27:55] Oklahoma or something but just going to

[27:57] University in too we met a handful of

[28:00] people that would speak English you know

[28:01] there may have been more that just

[28:03] weren't super comfortable speaking

[28:05] English with Americans because we're

[28:06] kind of we're kind of intimidating uh

[28:08] they do teach English in school but I I

[28:10] usually joke with places it's probably

[28:12] about as well as you remember your high

[28:14] school language

[28:15] credit which if you're anything like me

[28:17] if you got asked to let's say you maybe

[28:19] you took French are you ready to go to

[28:22] Paris right now and start speaking

[28:24] French to everybody there and be totally

[28:26] comfortable doing that probably not

[28:29] unless you were very gifted as a

[28:31] 15-year-old uh but that's about what

[28:33] their English is like they may know more

[28:35] than they let on but Americans that talk

[28:38] very fast and are very comfortable with

[28:40] English uh scary no thanks don't want to

[28:43] do that uh so we met one waiter at a

[28:45] little coffee shop who spoke good enough

[28:47] English where I didn't have to point and

[28:49] grunt to order my coffee uh but it was

[28:51] few and far between Japan is very

[28:54] Japanese but all right

[28:58] thank

[29:04] you if you are able to would you join us

[29:07] as we stand together if you're able for

[29:10] 241 song number 241 Grace that is

[29:14] greater than all our sin

[29:20] 241

[29:22] marvelous grace of our

[29:25] loveing Lord L Grace that

[29:30] exceeds our sin and our

[29:35] guilt y on

[29:38] calvary's Mount

[29:42] outpoured there where the blood of the

[29:47] Lamb was

[29:50] spilled

[29:52] gra

[29:54] Grace

[29:56] God's grace

[29:59] Grace that will paron and cleans

[30:05] within

[30:07] Grace

[30:09] Grace

[30:11] God's

[30:13] Grace Grace that is greater than all our

[30:20] sin on that third verse dark is the

[30:22] stain that we cannot

[30:24] hide dark is the stain

[30:28] that we

[30:30] canot

[30:32] hide what can

[30:35] aail to wash it

[30:40] away look there is Flowing a

[30:45] Crimson

[30:47] Tide wher than snow you may be

[30:55] today great

[30:59] Grace

[31:01] God's

[31:03] Grace Grace that will pardon and

[31:08] cleanse

[31:10] within

[31:12] Grace

[31:14] Grace

[31:16] God's

[31:18] Grace Grace that is

[31:22] greater than

[31:25] all our sin

[31:30] and at this time we'll have a time of

[31:32] prayer for the offering um Brother Sam

[31:35] gar could you pray for our offering this

[31:37] morning

[32:04] amen you may be seated

[32:06] [Music]

[33:25] [Music]

[33:39] How Deep The Father's Love For

[33:45] Us how vast beyond all

[33:52] meure that he should give his only

[33:59] son to make a wrch his

[34:06] treasure how great the pain of searing

[34:13] loss the father turned his face

[34:20] away as wounds which Mar the chosen one

[34:28] bring many sons to

[34:34] Glory

[34:36] behold the man upon the

[34:41] cross my sin upon his

[34:46] [Music]

[34:49] shoulders

[34:50] ashamed I hear my mocking

[34:56] voice call Out Among the

[35:03] scarers it was my sin that held him

[35:10] there

[35:12] until it was

[35:17] accomplished his dying breath ha brought

[35:22] me

[35:25] life I know that it is

[35:33] finished I will not boast in

[35:39] anything no gifts no power no

[35:47] wisdom but I will boast in Jesus

[35:53] Christ his death and resur

[36:00] rection why should I gain from his

[36:07] reward I

[36:09] canot give an

[36:15] answer but this I know with all my

[36:22] heart his wounds shall bleed my rest

[36:30] handsome but this I know with all my

[36:38] heart his

[36:40] wounds have paid my

[36:47] [Music]

[36:54] Rome praise the Lord for that if you

[36:57] have your Bible go to the Book of Ruth

[36:59] Ruth chapter number one this morning

[37:01] Ruth chapter number one we're thankful

[37:03] that you're here today and looking

[37:05] forward to a great time in the word of

[37:07] God this morning if you're visiting with

[37:09] us you're our honored guest we're glad

[37:11] that you're here and thankful that you

[37:13] made it today Ruth chapter number one a

[37:16] familiar portion of scripture when we

[37:19] look at the Book of Ruth as you study it

[37:21] and read it but today we're going to

[37:24] approach it and look at some characters

[37:26] in the study of Ruth Ruth and so this

[37:29] morning we if you're able would you

[37:31] please stand in honor of the word of God

[37:32] we're going to read a lengthy portion

[37:35] and then we'll get into the message from

[37:37] there in the Book of Ruth this

[37:39] morning Ruth chapter number one

[37:42] beginning in verse number one now came

[37:43] to pass in the days when judges ruled

[37:46] that there was a famine in the land and

[37:48] a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to

[37:50] sojourn in the country of Moab he and

[37:54] his wife and his two sons the name of

[37:57] the man was IMC the name of his wife

[38:00] Naomi the name of his two sons maon and

[38:03] chilon ephra ties of Bethlehem Judah

[38:06] they came into the country of Moab and

[38:08] continued there IMC Naomi's husband died

[38:13] she was left in her two sons they took

[38:16] them wives of the women of Moab the name

[38:19] of the one was orpa and the name of the

[38:21] other Ruth they dwelt there about 10

[38:24] years milon and chilon died also both of

[38:28] them and the Wellman was left of her two

[38:31] sons and her husband then she arose with

[38:35] her daughters-in-law that she might

[38:36] return from the country of Moab for she

[38:38] had heard in the country of Moab how the

[38:41] Lord had visited his people in giving

[38:44] them bread wherefore she went out of the

[38:46] place where she was her two

[38:48] daughters-in-law with her they went on

[38:51] the way to return into the land of Judah

[38:53] Naomi said unto her daughter two

[38:55] daughters-in-law go return each to her

[38:57] her mother's house the Lord deal kindly

[39:00] with you as ye have dealt with the dead

[39:03] and with me the Lord grant you that ye

[39:08] may find rest each of you in the house

[39:10] of her husband then she kissed them and

[39:13] they lifted up their voice and wept they

[39:16] said unto her surely we will return with

[39:18] thee unto thy people Naomi said turn

[39:21] again my daughters why will you go with

[39:24] me are there yet any more sons in my w

[39:27] whom that they may be your husbands turn

[39:30] again my daughters go your way for I am

[39:33] too old to have an husband if I should

[39:35] say I have hope if I should have had an

[39:38] husband also tonight and should also

[39:41] bear Sons would you Terry for them till

[39:44] they were grown would you stay for them

[39:47] from having husbands nay my daughters

[39:50] for it grieveth me much for your sakes

[39:53] that the hand of the Lord is gone out

[39:56] again me they lifted up their voice and

[40:00] wept again and or had kissed her

[40:01] mother-in-law but Ruth clave unto her

[40:04] she said behold thy sister-in-law has

[40:06] gone back unto her people and unto her

[40:09] Gods return Thou after thy sister-in-law

[40:13] and Ruth said entreat me not to leave

[40:15] thee or to return from following after

[40:17] thee for whether thou goest I will go

[40:20] where thou lodgest I will Lodge thy

[40:22] people shall be my people and thy God my

[40:25] God where thou dest will I die and there

[40:28] will I be buried the Lord do so to me

[40:31] and more also if ought but death part

[40:34] thee in me when she saw that she was

[40:36] steadfastly minded to go with her then

[40:38] she left speaking unto her so they too

[40:42] went until they came to Bethlehem came

[40:44] to pass when they were Come to Bethlehem

[40:46] that all the city was moved about them

[40:49] and they said is this Naomi she said

[40:51] unto them call me not Naomi call me Mara

[40:56] for the Almighty

[40:58] hath dealt very bitterly with me I went

[41:01] out full and the Lord hath brought me

[41:04] home again empty why then call ye me

[41:08] Naomi seeing the Lord had testified

[41:11] against me and the allmighty hath

[41:14] Afflicted me so Naomi returned and Ruth

[41:18] the moabitas her daughter-in-law with

[41:20] her which returned out of the country of

[41:23] Moab and they came to Bethlehem in the

[41:25] beginning of bar early

[41:28] Harvest looking forward to this morning

[41:30] what God has in store for us had a

[41:32] message prepared and yesterday God

[41:34] changed the message it's always nervous

[41:36] as a preacher when you think you know

[41:39] and then God says no and he changes the

[41:41] message so we're looking forward today

[41:42] let's go to Lord in prayer Heavenly

[41:44] Father Lord we're thankful for the

[41:46] opportunity to preach your word this

[41:47] morning Lord I pray if you would please

[41:49] cleanse me of sin and empty me of myself

[41:52] that I might get out of the way this

[41:53] morning and your word may go forth Lord

[41:56] I pray that you'd speak to our hearts

[41:58] today help us to pause and consider your

[42:01] word Lord help us not to be hearers of

[42:04] the word but to be doers also Lord if

[42:07] there's anyone here today that does not

[42:08] know you as Savior May today be their

[42:11] day of salvation Lord we pray that you'd

[42:14] encourage hearts that need encouraging

[42:17] strengthen hearts that need strengthen

[42:20] and work in a mighty way in our services

[42:22] Lord we pray that you'd bind Satan keep

[42:25] him far from this place and his for is

[42:27] far from this place let the Holy Spirit

[42:30] have free course to do his work this

[42:32] morning in your name I pray amen thank

[42:35] you for standing you may be

[42:38] seated ALC makes a decision he makes a

[42:43] decision that has

[42:45] consequences ALC decides there's a

[42:48] difficult situation in his homeland of

[42:51] Bethlehem Judah there's a difficult

[42:53] situation there is a famine there and in

[42:56] this moment of famine he decides to

[43:00] forsake what God has given him as an

[43:03] inheritance and to leave to sojourn in

[43:06] Moab now Moab is a gentile country so

[43:10] IMC leaves what God has given to his

[43:13] family and he sojourns in Moab and he

[43:17] takes off when the difficult situation

[43:20] came he didn't wait on the Lord he

[43:23] didn't trust in the Lord he trusted in

[43:25] his own self he said I have a plan to

[43:28] take care of my family we're loading up

[43:31] and we're going to Moab not knowing the

[43:36] consequences of that

[43:38] decision that the consequences of that

[43:41] decision took aimc to his

[43:44] grave and it could possibly be that IMC

[43:48] went to his grave

[43:49] early because of consequences of this

[43:52] decision now the Bible doesn't tell us

[43:55] that that's the reason immc died so I'm

[43:57] not going to say that's the reason he

[43:59] died when the Bible's silent we ought to

[44:01] be silent when the Bible says it we

[44:03] ought to say it so IMC he goes he

[44:06] sojourns in the land and he

[44:08] dies now

[44:10] imc's name is kind of

[44:14] important his name means my God is

[44:17] king that's a pretty good name my God is

[44:21] King Naomi his wife her name means

[44:25] delightful or Pleasant one

[44:28] that's a good name I'm not going to ask

[44:30] for a show of hands how many of you want

[44:32] a pleasant wife I'm not going to ask

[44:34] that because you should say preacher

[44:36] already got one right right that should

[44:38] be the answer there amen if not some of

[44:40] you just got elbowed in the

[44:42] side verse number two it says the name

[44:45] of the men was IMC the name of his wife

[44:47] Naomi and the name of his sons meon and

[44:49] chilion which have a a meaning of sick

[44:51] or sickness which is very

[44:53] interesting but they're from Bethlehem

[44:56] Judah which means means Bethlehem means

[44:58] House of Bread so they left the house of

[45:01] bread to go to

[45:02] Moab it's interesting they they leave

[45:05] and they Journey there verse three ALC

[45:07] na husband he

[45:09] dies and she was left and her two sons

[45:13] so now she's a widow that's difficult

[45:16] she's a widow in in a new land not her

[45:20] hometown not where possibly some of the

[45:23] extended family are just your two sons

[45:25] in her she's a widow

[45:27] it says they took them wives verse four

[45:31] of the women of Moab so imc's

[45:35] decision to take his family from

[45:37] Bethlehem Judah to Moab brought about

[45:41] these sons getting involved in marrying

[45:46] people that one of them for sure orpa

[45:51] had a negative impact on their

[45:52] relationship with

[45:54] God now Ruth follows the Lord that's

[45:59] later

[46:00] on doesn't appear that Ruth was

[46:02] following God

[46:06] before they got married it was the

[46:09] result of afterward by the way I don't

[46:11] think the Bible teaches missionary

[46:13] dating that you ought to go find a

[46:15] unsaved person young person and you

[46:17] ought to date them so that they'll get

[46:18] saved I don't think the Bible teaches

[46:20] that at

[46:21] all very contrary to the word of God and

[46:23] the teachings of the word of God so we

[46:25] find here that they marry these

[46:28] women and the woman was left with her

[46:30] two sons her

[46:31] husband then the boys died but notice

[46:35] they dwelt there 10

[46:37] years 10 years now when it says they

[46:40] sojurn means they were taking a trip

[46:43] they were going there for a period of

[46:45] time IMC died and they stayed 10

[46:49] years and then maon and chilon

[46:53] died and verse six she arose with her

[46:56] daughters inlaw that she might return

[46:58] from the country of Moab I love this

[47:01] next part look at it with you if you

[47:03] would in verse six for she had

[47:08] heard in the country of Moab how that

[47:12] the Lord had visited his people in

[47:15] giving them bread how God had blessed

[47:21] them and brought them food again in

[47:24] other words the famine was over God was

[47:26] bless blessing Bethlehem

[47:29] Judah it's encouraging to know that no

[47:33] matter where life's journey takes you

[47:35] watch this away from God God still has a

[47:38] way to get a hold of you wherever you're

[47:41] at God had a way to get a hold of some

[47:44] news to Naomi now here's the other

[47:46] exciting part when I read this somebody

[47:49] told

[47:50] her about the good news that God had

[47:54] visited Bethlehem Judah somebody spoke

[47:56] up

[47:58] when we go out into this world somebody

[48:00] ought to speak up about the good news

[48:01] that Jesus Christ died for Sinners no

[48:04] matter who they are or where they're

[48:06] from we ought to be concerned about

[48:08] souls this morning so somebody tells her

[48:12] that the Lord had visited his people and

[48:14] giving them bread so she's going

[48:17] back she went forth out of the place

[48:19] where she was verse seven and her

[48:21] daughter-in-law and she tells them to go

[48:22] and then she tells them to go

[48:24] back go return I want you look at verse

[48:27] eight and if you underline phrases in

[48:29] your Bible you ought to do it because I

[48:31] think it'd be interesting for you as we

[48:33] get to the end of the chapter Naomi said

[48:35] unto her two

[48:37] daughters-in-law go

[48:40] return go return each to her mother's

[48:44] house the

[48:45] Lord deal

[48:48] kindly with

[48:51] you the Lord deal kindly with you

[48:58] so she tells somebody else go

[49:01] back and the Lord's going to deal kindly

[49:04] with you we want God to deal kindly with

[49:06] you Lord there all caps it's the name

[49:09] Jehovah God so she says Jehovah God he's

[49:12] going to De kind it wasn't little G god

[49:14] Jehovah God is gonna deal kindly with

[49:16] you as ye have dealt with the dead and

[49:18] with me then she says in verse n the

[49:20] Lord grant you that you may find rest

[49:25] each of you in the house of her husband

[49:29] then she kissed them and they lifted up

[49:31] their voice and they wept they go back

[49:35] so Naomi is in a place that looking at

[49:38] orpa and Ruth she wants the Lord to deal

[49:42] kindly with them she wants the lord to

[49:46] bless

[49:48] them

[49:51] oh she has a desire that she knows that

[49:56] God God can because of his character

[50:00] deal kindly with

[50:05] people so she tells them to go back orpa

[50:08] leaves goes Ruth has this great speech

[50:12] that she gives verse

[50:17] 13 she says would you te talking about

[50:20] if she went got married had kids that

[50:22] night are they you going to wait till

[50:23] they're grown men so you can marry them

[50:25] talking about the culture of the day

[50:27] the culture of the day if if a siblings

[50:30] died and they had a wife then the next

[50:33] brother up would marry that one that was

[50:35] the culture of the

[50:39] day so she asked if you would wait if

[50:42] you car for them till they're grown

[50:44] would you wait for them from having a

[50:48] husband nay my daughters for to grieveth

[50:50] me much for your sakes this is what she

[50:54] says that the hand of of the Lord is

[50:58] gone out against

[51:01] me the hand of the Lord is gone out

[51:05] against me her husband died her sons

[51:09] have died and it is her determination

[51:12] that God is against me the hand of the

[51:15] Lord is against me but she just said

[51:18] previously that the Lord could deal

[51:20] kindly with you but not with

[51:24] me the Lord deal kindly with with you

[51:27] but not with me the Lord's against

[51:30] me continues

[51:33] on orpa goes back Ruth tells her the

[51:36] I'll go I'll never leave I'll leave thee

[51:38] or return from following alone for thee

[51:40] whether thou goest I will go all of that

[51:43] great disort there where thou dest I

[51:47] will die all of those things verse 19 so

[51:51] they too went until they came to

[51:53] Bethlehem which means House of bread

[51:56] they came to pass when they were Come to

[51:58] Bethlehem that all the

[52:01] city was moved about them and they said

[52:06] is this

[52:09] Naomi the delightful

[52:11] one the pleasant

[52:15] one and she said unto them verse 20 call

[52:19] me not Naomi call me Mara which means

[52:25] bitter the person who went out

[52:27] delightful and pleasant has now returned

[52:31] bitter she said for watch this the

[52:36] almighty hath dealt with very bitterly

[52:41] with me the almighty the Lord God hath

[52:46] dealt very bitterly with

[52:50] me then she says this I went out

[52:54] full and the Lord Lord hath brought me

[52:58] home

[52:59] again

[53:01] empty why call ye me Naomi seeing the

[53:06] Lord hath testified against me and the

[53:12] almighty hath Afflicted

[53:15] me so Naomi returned and Ruth the

[53:18] moabitas her daughter-in-law with her

[53:21] which returned out of the country of

[53:23] Moab and they came to Bethlehem in the

[53:27] beginning of barley

[53:32] Harvest Naomi says God's against

[53:36] me why is she saying

[53:39] that circumstances in her life has

[53:44] brought her to a belief that God is

[53:48] against

[53:50] her circumstances in her life has

[53:54] brought her to the point that God God is

[53:57] against

[53:58] her how

[54:00] sad how sad that she

[54:04] feels because of circumstances in her

[54:07] life that God is against

[54:11] her you ever been

[54:15] there come on you ever been

[54:19] there where you have said in your heart

[54:22] because of things happening in your life

[54:24] God's against me

[54:30] is God ever against his

[54:34] children I want you to think about

[54:37] it well yeah he was against Naomi and

[54:42] against immc limc died meon and chilon

[54:46] died preacher I heard you say it could

[54:48] be because of the decision that he made

[54:51] God doesn't chasen because he's mad at

[54:54] us God chastens because he loves

[54:57] us the word of God teaches that he

[55:00] chastens and scourgeth every son whom he

[55:02] receiveth because of his love for them

[55:05] so now now

[55:07] Naomi God's chastening was

[55:10] real the circumstances were

[55:13] real the hurt she's feeling is

[55:16] real all of the things that are

[55:19] happening are real and

[55:21] genuine however her response to real

[55:27] circumstances is not

[55:32] correct difficult

[55:35] circumstances do not give you and I

[55:38] permission to be

[55:41] bitter difficult circumstances in our

[55:43] life does not give us permission to

[55:46] think that God is against us because

[55:49] we're his children and he loves us and

[55:52] he cares for us and he has a compassion

[55:55] on us so even when difficult things are

[55:57] happening in our life it is not because

[56:00] God is against you it is more because he

[56:03] is for

[56:04] you and he's using difficult

[56:07] circumstances to grow

[56:10] you but your

[56:14] response does not give you permission to

[56:17] be bitter at

[56:18] God to be angry and feel that God is

[56:22] against you notice the word she used the

[56:25] almight Mighty hath Afflicted

[56:29] me

[56:30] wow what a

[56:32] statement the almighty hath Afflicted me

[56:38] that's what she feels in her

[56:40] heart I want you to notice this next

[56:44] phrasing she says that

[56:47] she went out

[56:51] full and the Lord hath brought

[56:54] me home

[56:57] again

[57:00] empty who's standing next to

[57:03] her

[57:06] Ruth who's getting ready to become part

[57:10] of the lineage of Christ Ruth who's

[57:14] getting ready to be used by God to bring

[57:19] food and subsidence into the house of

[57:21] Naomi

[57:23] Ruth who came back right at the

[57:27] beginning of barley Harvest Right On

[57:31] Time how did that

[57:33] happen see her perspective is I came

[57:36] back with nothing but what she forgot is

[57:39] she had the Lord and when you got the

[57:42] Lord you have more than enough so he

[57:45] brought her back at Barley Harvest he

[57:48] brought her back with Ruth Ruth goes and

[57:51] she serves in The Barley field she meets

[57:53] the kinsman redeemer she meets Boaz and

[57:57] she becomes part of the lineage of Jesus

[57:59] Christ and is a beautiful picture of

[58:02] Gentiles being part of the family and

[58:04] lineage of Jesus Christ and a picture of

[58:07] the future blessings that God has of

[58:10] bringing people into the family of God

[58:13] and being part of the family of God it's

[58:16] an amazing picture and it's not on

[58:21] accident God brought them back right on

[58:24] time

[58:26] now wait let's

[58:27] rewind what sent her back she had

[58:31] heard see there are Divine appointments

[58:33] when God directs you and I to talk to

[58:36] somebody about what God's doing in your

[58:39] life and what God has done through

[58:41] salvation in your life there are Divine

[58:43] appointments that all of us need to

[58:45] share what Christ has

[58:49] done so she hears and she comes back and

[58:52] right on time she arrives back in

[58:56] Bethlehem Judah but she thought she was

[58:58] empty she thought she had

[59:00] nothing but God brought Ruth back with

[59:04] her God had a bigger plan now listen

[59:06] let's rewind for us

[59:09] today you ever felt like God's against

[59:13] you you ever felt like you had

[59:16] nothing that you were

[59:20] empty you ever felt like the Troublesome

[59:24] times of your past have been in a place

[59:27] that you feel

[59:31] empty or the Troublesome times of your

[59:34] past are influencing your present and

[59:37] discouraging

[59:39] you your past can help you move forward

[59:44] and Advance or your past can be an

[59:46] anchor to your

[59:49] soul it's your

[59:52] choice it's your

[59:55] choice I'm looking forward to the days

[59:57] ahead with our our young adults and we

[60:00] were talking about a upcoming event that

[60:02] we're going to be doing for our young

[60:03] adults and excited about that

[60:06] and it is common place in the world we

[60:11] live in

[60:12] today to feel

[60:17] circumstances consequences of

[60:20] life that God is against me

[60:26] and because we feel it we start to

[60:29] believe it and it starts to affect our

[60:33] every day

[60:35] life so if you're feeling empty this

[60:39] morning I want to remind you about a few

[60:41] things

[60:43] today

[60:46] God is more than enough for

[60:51] you you may feel empty

[60:56] and that you have

[60:58] nothing because of the consequences and

[61:01] the circumstances of Life your emotions

[61:05] have hijacked the promises of

[61:09] God and your emotions have taken control

[61:13] of you now listen the circumstances can

[61:17] be

[61:18] real the situations can be hard and

[61:24] difficult but it doesn't give us

[61:27] permission to go contrary to what the

[61:30] word of God teaches who God is and how

[61:32] he lives and how he works in our

[61:37] lives people can get overwhelmed with

[61:41] life because they forget about first

[61:44] John that says greater is he that is in

[61:46] you than he that is in the

[61:51] world but the circumstances don't go

[61:53] away

[61:56] I wish this

[61:57] morning that I didn't have to be on this

[62:00] walker right now and I could walk down

[62:03] the platform and do preaching like I

[62:06] want to preach because in my heart I'm

[62:08] already down there walking around having

[62:10] a good old

[62:11] time but the circumstances are still

[62:15] real my legs are still coming back from

[62:19] surgery and the the weakness that's

[62:20] there but I have to remind

[62:24] myself that seven weeks

[62:26] ago I was in a

[62:29] wheelchair I have to remind myself of

[62:33] where I came

[62:36] from and what God has brought me

[62:40] through now listen in your life

[62:43] circumstances in your life can get so

[62:44] overwhelming that if you and I are not

[62:47] careful we will

[62:49] believe how we

[62:52] feel how we feel affects how we think

[62:55] and how we think affects how we feel

[62:58] it's a

[62:59] cycle and if we don't guard our

[63:02] hearts Bible says to guard your heart

[63:04] for out of it are the issues of life

[63:08] every issue of life is an issue of the

[63:11] heart so when you let your heart run

[63:14] away and guide you and direct you I know

[63:20] Disney told all of you princess girls to

[63:23] follow your heart and you'll find the

[63:24] man of your dreams but that's not

[63:27] true best way to do it is to trust in

[63:30] the Lord and wait on the Lord and he'll

[63:31] bring you the right person at the right

[63:33] time if you focus on becoming the right

[63:36] person God will bring you the right

[63:38] person at the right moment at the right

[63:40] time but

[63:41] caution the devil's really good at

[63:43] sending

[63:46] decoys years ago in youth ministry we

[63:48] did a split session with our youth group

[63:50] and my wife taught a session to the

[63:52] girls she was telling me about the

[63:53] session she was going to teach and I

[63:55] thought man so good I wish I'd have

[63:57] thought of

[63:59] that it it was one of those ideas that

[64:02] was like man that's that's amazing so

[64:05] she gathered all the youth group girls

[64:07] in there and she said throughout this

[64:09] room is

[64:11] hidden

[64:13] jewelry and

[64:16] rings and if you find it you can have it

[64:21] man those teenage girls took

[64:23] off they're finding these drinks all

[64:28] throughout they came up they're looking

[64:30] wow this is

[64:31] shiny look at the gold on this

[64:34] one that's not

[64:36] gold that's $3 costume

[64:40] jewelry but it's

[64:42] shiny it looks

[64:43] [Music]

[64:45] real my wife said now there is one in

[64:48] here it's 14 karat gold it's got real

[64:51] diamonds in it if you find

[64:54] it they're looking they're looking

[64:56] they're looking NOP they found all the

[64:59] decoys every single one of

[65:02] them then my wife just raised her hand

[65:05] said see this one right here this is the

[65:09] real one had on her wedding ring see I

[65:12] did

[65:13] good at least once in my

[65:16] life and I married up so that really

[65:21] helps but she presented that to those

[65:24] ladies that even though it's shiny that

[65:27] even though it's sparkly if it's not the

[65:30] real

[65:31] thing it's not what you

[65:35] need the devil's good young ladies and

[65:38] young men it's sending decoys your way

[65:41] who look

[65:42] shiny Who present themselves

[65:46] well but when you find out the

[65:49] truth they're not worth the $3 plastic

[65:52] they're made of they're a

[65:54] decoy so be careful what you need to

[65:57] focus on is becoming the right person so

[66:00] God can bring you the right person in

[66:02] his

[66:04] time Satan's really

[66:06] good at convicting and directing people

[66:11] to change their thought

[66:14] pattern so Disney says follow your

[66:18] heart the Bible says guard your heart

[66:22] the Bible says your heart is deceitful

[66:25] desperately wicked who can know it now

[66:29] we said your heart is the seat of your

[66:31] emotions I'm so thankful I don't live in

[66:34] the Old Testament

[66:36] times because in the Old Testament times

[66:38] in the Hebrew language it was the bowels

[66:41] that were the seat of the

[66:44] emotions now we're going to be carnal

[66:46] for a minute but there's a lot of love

[66:48] songs about my

[66:51] heart that if you change the word to bow

[66:56] it wouldn't be such a pleasant

[67:00] song you look at your spouse say honey

[67:03] you move my heart be glad you're not in

[67:06] the Old Testament honey you move my

[67:10] bowels that's not a very pleasant way to

[67:12] look at your

[67:15] wife you know I I Left My Heart in San

[67:18] Francis I left my bowels in San

[67:22] Francisco we can get real car don't tear

[67:26] my heart my achy breaky heart well

[67:28] change it don't tear my bowels my Achy

[67:30] Breaky you got a problem you got Achy

[67:31] Breaky

[67:34] bowels come on now now I've got to move

[67:37] on because some of you have already

[67:38] started singing the songs in your head

[67:39] and I can't go any farther we're goingon

[67:41] to need an altar call

[67:43] soon but listen our our heart's

[67:45] deceitful it's desperately

[67:47] wicked you say well I feel

[67:50] it I believe it in my heart that God is

[67:55] against me your heart's lying to you

[67:57] it's

[67:59] lying God's word reveals how he deals

[68:02] with his children and if your heart

[68:04] tells you that you're empty and you have

[68:07] nothing it's lying to you but I feel it

[68:11] you can feel it all you want doesn't

[68:13] make it

[68:15] true you ever let your emotions affect

[68:18] how you

[68:20] think I I I can't help it he's he's a

[68:23] good illustrator I always think of eor

[68:25] from wiy to

[68:27] pooh he's miserable all the time he's

[68:31] downtrodden all the time he's just

[68:33] sad you know everything bad's going to

[68:36] happen is going to happen to him now

[68:38] listen there are a lot of Christians who

[68:40] live the same

[68:42] way I call it they're very good at

[68:45] coloring in the dark

[68:48] shade they said no I'm a realist well

[68:51] some of you may think that you are but

[68:53] you're really good at finding the dark

[68:55] gray and the black in the

[68:58] picture now my wife and I are different

[69:01] she's claims to be a realist and I'm a

[69:04] sunny side

[69:06] person I'm all the time looking for the

[69:08] brighter side of things it drives her

[69:11] nuts it's so much

[69:14] fun so say I'm really feeling this I

[69:17] said well you know it could be don't

[69:20] Don't Preach to me said You Preach

[69:23] enough to me I said I know okay

[69:26] I'm just going to Love You Through It

[69:27] encourage no and and so there's this

[69:31] perspective of things but listen even

[69:33] people that are Sunnyside people can go

[69:36] through seasons of

[69:39] discouragement and emotional

[69:41] overwhelming and feeling that God is

[69:45] against

[69:49] them be transparent with you this

[69:53] morning halfway through rehab

[69:55] impatient

[69:57] rehab I had an

[70:00] evening where I was

[70:03] struggling I'm the preacher I'm supposed

[70:05] to keep it all together I counsel people

[70:08] on how to keep it all together but I was

[70:11] having the evening that I was

[70:13] struggling so I could have stayed in the

[70:15] bed because one I couldn't get out of it

[70:18] at that moment time I could have stayed

[70:19] in the bed and wallowed in my

[70:22] self-pity wallowed in my sadness in my

[70:26] frustration and ate my feelings that God

[70:31] was being difficult and contrary to what

[70:34] I

[70:35] wanted because I kept

[70:38] praying that I could hurry up and get

[70:41] better I kept praying that physically I

[70:44] could do this I kept praying I kept

[70:46] praying and the pressure came because

[70:48] there was an appointment coming up where

[70:51] they were going to determine whether

[70:52] they were going to let me stay in

[70:54] impatient re rehab and continue to do

[70:56] the physical work or if I was going to

[70:59] have to look for a hospital bed to

[71:01] delivered to my house and have Home

[71:04] Health Care come work with me that's not

[71:08] fun at 41 years old to have to think

[71:14] about it's not easy to have those

[71:17] thoughts running around in your

[71:24] brain but I'm

[71:27] thankful that God brought scriptures to

[71:32] mind and it was on a Wednesday night and

[71:35] I watched the live stream on Wednesday

[71:37] night while I was in the rehab

[71:39] facility one of our men preached that

[71:41] Wednesday

[71:42] night and I was was customary for me

[71:45] every preacher who preached while I was

[71:47] in the hospital I'd call and talk to

[71:48] them after the

[71:49] service so I called and talked to this

[71:52] individual and I thank them for the

[71:54] message that

[71:56] helped and then we talked for about an

[72:00] hour I woke up the next

[72:04] morning back to being encouraged in the

[72:09] Lord so I want you to take your Bibles

[72:11] with me is Psalm chapter

[72:14] 42 Psalm chapter

[72:20] 42 because even though I'm a preacher

[72:23] even though I'm a pastor even though I

[72:25] counsel people circumstances in my life

[72:28] are just as real as circumstances in

[72:30] your

[72:30] life feelings that I deal with can be

[72:33] just as real as the feelings that you

[72:36] deal

[72:44] with Psalm 42 verse number

[72:49] 11 why art thou cast down oh my soul and

[72:56] why art thou disquieted within me hope

[73:02] thou in God for I shall yet praise him

[73:08] who is the health of my

[73:11] countenance and my

[73:17] God that morning when I a woke this is

[73:20] the passage that I read earlier in the

[73:22] passage in verse number five

[73:27] why art thou cast down oh my soul why

[73:29] art thou disqui it in me hope thou in

[73:33] God for I shall yet praise him for the

[73:36] help of his

[73:40] countenance I got to have verse five so

[73:43] I can get to verse

[73:45] 11 his countenance his presence has to

[73:48] help me before it'll help my

[73:52] countenance being with him in the word

[73:54] and being with him in prayer and his

[73:56] countenance see Mara became bitter her

[74:01] face they questioned if it was

[74:04] Naomi her presence was affected by the

[74:08] bitterness in her

[74:10] heart and the circumstances of your life

[74:13] could get so

[74:14] overwhelming that it affects your very

[74:18] countenance my friend if you'll go and

[74:22] spend time in the countenance of the

[74:24] Lord

[74:25] and in his

[74:27] presence now I want you to notice you

[74:29] ought to Circle verse number 11 and

[74:32] verse number five's first word

[74:36] why it is never wrong to ask

[74:43] why but you ought to accept what God

[74:48] says is

[74:51] true it's never wrong to ask why but you

[74:54] ought to to accept what God says is

[74:58] true David is doing some

[75:02] reflection David says why art

[75:06] thou cast down oh my soul is inner being

[75:12] he's feeling it he's living it his soul

[75:16] is cast down I think of other vers in

[75:19] the psalm says Thou oh Lord are to

[75:21] shield for me the glory and the lifter

[75:25] of mine

[75:28] head why would he have to be the lifter

[75:31] of my

[75:34] head it's because there's times when my

[75:37] head is

[75:39] down and your head is

[75:42] De but hope thou in

[75:46] God hope thou in God Naomi feels

[75:52] empty but God shows her in the next few

[75:56] chapters she's got more than she even

[75:59] realizes standing right next to her and

[76:03] you may have circumstances and troubles

[76:05] in your life that you feel

[76:08] empty but if you're a Believer you've

[76:11] got more in you than you even

[76:15] realize who can help in a very present

[76:21] help in times of trouble

[76:25] this

[76:26] morning let us not get bitter and let us

[76:31] not think that God is against us when

[76:34] God is working it's always for us it's

[76:39] for his glory and it's for our good but

[76:44] you may not see it in the

[76:47] moment but it's always for our good all

[76:51] things work together for good

[76:56] but all things working are not

[77:00] good listen circumstances situations

[77:04] difficulties in life are not all good

[77:07] but they're all working for

[77:10] good don't try to make that AB bandaid

[77:12] verse well you're going through

[77:14] difficult time all things work together

[77:16] for good yeah but it's still not good

[77:17] while you're going through it it's still

[77:22] difficult but God's at work and when

[77:24] he's at work it's for our

[77:27] good so let's evaluate

[77:29] today how do you feel about God and His

[77:34] dealings with you if it's contrary to

[77:37] his word you're wrong he's right if it's

[77:42] contrary to the word you're wrong but I

[77:44] feel it uh doesn't matter say I know it

[77:48] in my heart your heart's deceitful and

[77:50] desperately wicked you can't even know

[77:52] it I feel it I think it I believe

[77:54] believe it whoa It's contrary to his

[77:57] word you're wrong he's

[78:00] right so let's run to Our Hope let's

[78:05] find strength in him because if you're

[78:09] not

[78:10] careful you'll become

[78:12] Mara you'll become

[78:15] bitter anger left unchecked at God

[78:19] produces

[78:21] bitterness Hebrews describes it as a

[78:23] root of bitterness springing up you

[78:26] didn't even realize it was springing up

[78:29] but because you didn't deal with your

[78:30] feelings and your anger at God it

[78:32] Springs up in your

[78:35] heart how about it

[78:37] today past circumstances are they

[78:40] anchoring you and holding you down from

[78:42] moving forward for God because there's

[78:45] some feelings you have that God did this

[78:49] against me God did that against me my

[78:51] friend if it's contrary to his word

[78:53] you're wrong and he's right you need to

[78:56] let go and let God have his way you got

[79:01] bitterness in your heart you need to let

[79:02] go and let God give it to him

[79:06] today don't pretend to have it all

[79:10] together because we

[79:13] know our flesh is

[79:16] weak our minds are weak our hearts can

[79:21] be led

[79:23] astray our things thinking and our

[79:25] emotions can be hijacked by our feelings

[79:29] if we're not

[79:31] careful we will feel it and feel that

[79:34] it's so real that it goes contrary to

[79:38] what God

[79:39] says don't

[79:42] pretend to be a quote unquote good

[79:45] Christian and have it all together when

[79:47] internally you're falling all

[79:50] apart run to the one who can pick you up

[79:54] and put you back together and make you

[79:56] better than you were before when you run

[80:00] to him let's all stand with our heads

[80:02] bowed and eyes closed this

[80:08] morning you're here this morning with

[80:10] your heads bowed eyes close say Pastor

[80:12] would you pray for me I'm struggling

[80:15] with my emotions I'm struggling with my

[80:18] feelings I have moments where I feel

[80:20] like God is against me and God is

[80:22] afflicting me pastor would you pray for

[80:25] me would you please pray for me if that

[80:28] you just slip your hands up and put it

[80:30] back down and see those hands thank you

[80:31] see those hands thank you thank you

[80:34] thank you I've got good news for you

[80:36] this morning God cares how you feel and

[80:39] he wants to hear from you how you feel

[80:42] so pour your heart out to him David

[80:44] worded this way I poured out my

[80:45] complaint before the Lord just pour it

[80:48] out today don't keep it bottled up pour

[80:51] it out give it to God

[80:54] give it to God first Peter says casting

[80:57] all your care upon him because he carth

[80:59] for you you're here this morning say

[81:01] right now preacher everything's good

[81:03] right now everything's great can I tell

[81:05] you there's another day coming where it

[81:06] may not be so draw your strength in God

[81:09] file this message away for a future day

[81:12] and hope thou in God this morning if

[81:15] God's dealing with your hearts the

[81:17] altars are open would you do business

[81:19] with God today would you let God have

[81:22] his way in your heart today

[81:25] if you're a broken mess don't

[81:27] pretend that you got it all together

[81:30] when you truly need help from the

[81:33] Lord this morning let God take the

[81:38] burden take your burden to the Lord and

[81:41] leave it there heavenly father I pray

[81:44] your will be done during this invitation

[81:47] time help us to respond to you and your

[81:50] word in your name I pray amen as Brother

[81:54] Sam leads us you do business with God

[81:59] today have thine own

[82:03] way

[82:06] Lord Have Thine Own

[82:09] [Laughter]

[82:12] Way Thou Art the

[82:18] pot I Am The Clay why thou me so why are

[82:25] you making so

[82:28] much th and God

[82:33] after my life's a mess God can clean it

[82:38] up let God have his

[82:43] way

[82:44] yielded

[82:49] and you hold the words would you sing it

[82:52] with him this morning

[82:55] Lord have thy own

[83:01] way

[83:03] wounded and

[83:05] [Music]

[83:08] we help me I

[83:14] pray power all

[83:20] power

[83:22] surely is

[83:24] [Music]

[83:27] touch me and

[83:31] heal

[83:33] me

[83:35] saor de we're going to continue to play

[83:38] you may quietly be seated have you let

[83:41] God have his way in your heart today

[83:45] have you let

[83:46] him say preacher it hurts too bad let

[83:50] God have his

[83:52] way preacher I feel it so strongly let

[83:56] God have his

[83:58] way God wants to do a work in your life

[84:01] today if you will let him the amazing

[84:05] thing about our God is he wants your

[84:09] permission to search your heart and to

[84:13] do work in your

[84:14] [Music]

[84:16] life Revelation tells us he says behold

[84:19] I stand at the door and knock If any man

[84:22] hear my voice I will come in unto him

[84:24] him and will sub with him and he with me

[84:26] God standing at your heart's door

[84:28] knocking saying let me in I want to

[84:30] fellowship with

[84:32] you but if bitterness has got a seat at

[84:34] the table it's taking the Lord's

[84:37] seat if anger and affliction has a seat

[84:40] at the table it's taking God's seat let

[84:46] go it's hurting you more than it's

[84:49] hurting anyone else let go let God have

[84:54] it this

[84:56] morning it's truly amazing what our God

[85:00] can do with willing people who let him

[85:06] have his way in their

[85:12] life dear heavenly father Lord I'm so

[85:15] thankful that we could gather today in

[85:18] this place and sing praises to you and

[85:23] to hear the word of God preached and to

[85:25] have our hearts challenged about the

[85:26] need of a church in Japan and souls

[85:31] there that need to be saved and I'm so

[85:33] thankful you're still calling people to

[85:35] go Lord maybe this morning somebody in

[85:38] the room you want them to be willing to

[85:40] go but lord they're hanging on when they

[85:43] need to let go Lord I pray that you'd be

[85:46] with us the rest of this

[85:48] day we pray for tonight's service at 6

[85:51] o' that you'd Empower brother Parker to

[85:53] preach

[85:54] tonight and you use him mightily in our

[85:57] service this

[85:59] evening Lord we pray today as we go home

[86:02] that we think about you and this week if

[86:06] circumstances happen we won't think

[86:08] God's against me but we'll say God's

[86:11] working in me around me and Lord

[86:16] hopefully through us this week in your

[86:20] name I pray amen I want to thank thank

[86:24] you for being here this

[86:25] morning tonight's service starts at 6

[86:28] o'clock choir 4:45 for choir practice

[86:31] look forward to a great time choir

[86:33] working on some new songs want encourage

[86:34] you choir be here at

[86:36] 4:45 young people pay attention we got

[86:38] impact this coming Friday and looking

[86:41] forward to that I think college class

[86:43] has an activity the crew should say the

[86:45] crew's got an activity on Saturday right

[86:47] brother Jesse crew got an activity on

[86:49] Saturday so make sure you check out with

[86:51] brother Jesse and Miss Priscilla for

[86:53] that activity and next Sunday fifth

[86:55] Sunday Fellowship Sunday morning service

[86:57] then we're having lunch in the Family

[86:59] Center having an afternoon service down

[87:01] there brother Josh can be leading a

[87:02] volleyball activity for all those who

[87:03] want to stick around play volleyball for

[87:05] those who want to stick around and laugh

[87:07] I mean encourage the people playing

[87:08] volleyball you're welcome to do that and

[87:11] so we're going to have a great time if

[87:12] you haven't signed up yet please sign up

[87:14] in the fory year that helps us to know

[87:16] how many seats and tables to set up but

[87:18] have that opportunity to sign up in the

[87:20] four year we greatly appreciate that and

[87:22] so thankful that you're here this

[87:23] morning brother Parker you and your wife

[87:24] make your way out to the table and make

[87:26] sure you stop by get a prayer card if

[87:28] you're going to pray for him get a

[87:29] prayer card now I told us in Sunday

[87:31] school the new baby's not on the prayer

[87:33] card so you got to look at the new baby

[87:36] so you know what face to pray for all

[87:38] right so make sure you check out the new

[87:39] baby and it's also good to have the new

[87:43] round of ships brother Ben and Miss

[87:46] Audrey back from their honeymoon and so

[87:48] glad to have them and I saw her in

[87:50] Sunday school this morning and somebody

[87:52] said Mrs ship and she turned around

[87:55] and so pretty good after only one week

[87:57] of being married and so we're glad to

[87:59] have them back make sure you tell them

[88:01] if you didn't get a chance

[88:02] congratulations on their new life

[88:04] together and so so thankful for that

[88:06] let's all stand brother Samuel's going

[88:08] to come and lead us in our dismissal

[88:11] [Music]

[88:20] song we're going to be dismissed with

[88:22] that third verse of song number three

[88:25] amazing grace verse number three through

[88:28] many

[88:30] dangers through

[88:33] many

[88:35] dangers

[88:36] toils and

[88:38] snares I have

[88:43] already

[88:46] come to

[88:49] Grace ha brought me save

[88:54] th

[88:55] far and

[88:57] Grace will

[89:00] lead me

[89:04] home you are dismissed

[89:22] [Music]