1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:17,280 Thank you for listening to this message from Life House Church. 2 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,160 Well good morning church. 3 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,660 Some of you may have noticed already but Pastor Kip and Dixie are not with us here this morning. 4 00:00:23,660 --> 00:00:28,960 They are out in Philadelphia for the church of God camp meeting and they are going to 5 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:33,040 be out in the church this morning but they send their regards and say hey and they will 6 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,560 be back later tonight. 7 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:37,960 But this morning we do have a special guest with us here this morning. 8 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,280 We have Dr. Ken Bell with us here. 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,960 Dr. Ken Bell was a previous state overseer here. 10 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,400 Overseer as well in western North Carolina as well. 11 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,360 He has held two pastorates and the reason they are back in the area he has retired and 12 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:52,480 wants to be close to family. 13 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:55,760 He's got his daughter and son-in-law and two beautiful grand babies here this morning. 14 00:00:55,760 --> 00:01:04,760 Could we honor Dr. Ken Bell as he comes and brings the word this morning. 15 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:06,400 Thank you very much. 16 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:10,120 What he is saying is I'm a has been. 17 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:18,640 For years my wife has been referred to as Ken Bell's wife and now I'm referred to as 18 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,560 Trish Bell's husband. 19 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:27,200 So this is a delight to be here and I appreciate Pastor Kip and trust me with his congregation 20 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:28,200 today. 21 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:33,600 I first met Kip and Dixie when we came as overseer in 2010. 22 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:37,600 I think I'd met him when I'd been here for a Bible study for the camp meeting and he 23 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,600 had just planted the church and was meeting at the sports and poem. 24 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:45,800 As anybody to now you've got two services and I just commend Pastor Kip and Dixie for 25 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,960 the outstanding job they've done. 26 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,960 Andrew is doing a great job and Zach is doing a great job music. 27 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,520 And Jenna she's telling me she's retired now too. 28 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,440 She was doing a good job with the young people. 29 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,880 But it's a delight to be with you today. 30 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:07,480 Now I know I'm on a time limit this morning and I'm reminding of a young southern minister 31 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,680 who went up north to pastor. 32 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,680 He'd never been up north and they had a huge snowstorm. 33 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:20,240 He went to church and only one farmer showed up. 34 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:25,440 And so the pastor said to the farmer, well I guess since it's just me and you we'll call 35 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,360 off service. 36 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:32,360 And the farmer said, well pastor if I go out to the field to feed my cows if one cow shows 37 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,720 up I feed it. 38 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,440 He said, well we're just going to have church then. 39 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:39,600 So he called him up to the choir. 40 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,760 Those days when they call people up to the choir and him and the farmer sang a couple 41 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:48,000 of hymns and then he took the farmer's prayer request, asked the farmer if he'd like to 42 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:49,720 sing a special. 43 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,000 And asked him if he'd like to testify and went ahead and let him testify. 44 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,600 Then the pastor preached this message, called the farmer down to the altar and had prayer 45 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:57,600 around the altar. 46 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,720 He said, why don't we go ahead and celebrate communion and feet washing. 47 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:02,880 So he went ahead and celebrated communion and feet washing. 48 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:08,000 So after the service the pastor said to the farmer, well you taught me a lesson today. 49 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,960 Farmer that we need just go ahead and have church. 50 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:13,880 And the farmer said, well I don't think you got the whole lesson. 51 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:18,160 He said, when I go out to the field to feed the cow if only one shows up I don't give 52 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,440 it the whole load. 53 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,840 So since I'm on limited time you may not get the whole load this morning. 54 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,200 It could be good or bad. 55 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,480 But it is the light to be here and again I commend your pastor and his wife for the 56 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:33,960 great job they're doing him. 57 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,040 I want to preach to you this morning on the thought of being tested. 58 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,240 How many of you like to take tests? 59 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,240 Any of you like to take tests? 60 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:42,240 Nope. 61 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,080 Hey there's one guy. 62 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,120 There's always one in the congregation that likes to take tests. 63 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,040 But you know we experienced tests all of our lives. 64 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,200 I think the pandemic was a test for the church and for us as individuals. 65 00:03:55,200 --> 00:04:01,240 I taught at East Coast Bible College for 17 years in Charlotte, North Carolina and my 66 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,520 students feared my test and I tried to prepare them. 67 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,440 I'd give them a study guide and they just had to study. 68 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:13,000 But I would give multiple choice questions through false questions fill in the blank. 69 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:18,960 And I gave some essay questions until I got tired of reading all the bunk. 70 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:23,720 I tried to think of a good word that they wrote including essay questions. 71 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:28,040 And one had one student come up to me after a test and he got his grade back. 72 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,320 He said, Dr. Bell I don't think I deserve this F. 73 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,480 And I said, I don't either but it was the lowest grade I could give you. 74 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:39,600 That's cold in it. 75 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:44,080 I heard of a college student going to secular college and he was studying ornithology and 76 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:45,880 study of birds. 77 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,160 And went into class one day and the professor handed out a pop quiz. 78 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,040 You know what pop tests are? 79 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:56,160 No study and it was a page with pictures of bird legs, two bird legs in a blank, two 80 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:57,160 bird legs in a blank. 81 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,000 He said identify the bird that belongs to these legs. 82 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,000 He looked at it. 83 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,880 He didn't have a clue what birds those legs belong to. 84 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,280 He just got up and turned his test back in. 85 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:10,680 He pointed out the door and the professor said wait son you didn't sign your name. 86 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,480 How am I supposed to know who you are? 87 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,280 He raised his pants like he said you tell me. 88 00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:24,880 But we're all familiar with testing. 89 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:26,240 And I want to share a scripture with you. 90 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:32,120 It's found in Genesis chapter 22 verses 1 through 14. 91 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,320 I used to didn't read all the verses of scripture. 92 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:35,520 I would tell people. 93 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:39,040 And Megan reminds me I would say you know the story. 94 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:44,440 But people don't know the story as much now as they used to. 95 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,400 This is the story of Abraham and Isaac when God tells Abraham to take his son and offer 96 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:49,400 him as a burnt offering. 97 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,040 So let me read it to you. 98 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,160 Genesis chapter 22 beginning at verse 1. 99 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,320 That came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham. 100 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,080 Who tested him? 101 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,760 God tested Abraham and said to him Abraham. 102 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:05,680 And he said here I am. 103 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,920 Then he said take now your son your only son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of 104 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:14,600 Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell 105 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:15,600 you. 106 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,080 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men 107 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,640 with him and Isaac his son. 108 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:28,160 And he split the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God 109 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:29,600 had told him. 110 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,160 Then on the third day Abraham went to his eyes and saw the place afar off. 111 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:39,480 And Abraham said to his young men stay here with the donkey the lad and I will go yonder 112 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,440 and worship and we will come back to you. 113 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:48,160 So Abraham took the word of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son and he took the 114 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,080 fire in his hand and a knife and the two of them went together. 115 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:56,960 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said my father and he said here I am my son. 116 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:03,200 Then he said look the fire in the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering. 117 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:08,080 And Abraham said my son God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering and 118 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,040 the two of them went together. 119 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,000 Then they came to the place of which God had told him and Abraham built an altar there 120 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,000 and placed the wood in order and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar upon 121 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:19,000 the wood. 122 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:24,280 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 123 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:28,800 But the angel of the Lord called him from heaven and said Abraham, Abraham so he said 124 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:29,800 here I am. 125 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:34,400 And he said do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him for now I know that 126 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:39,040 you fear God since you have not withheld your son your only son from me. 127 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:44,040 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket 128 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:45,200 by his horns. 129 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:50,600 So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of a son. 130 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:55,320 And Abraham called the name of the place in the King James as Jehovah Jireh which means 131 00:07:55,320 --> 00:08:04,840 the Lord will provide as it is said to this day in the mount of the Lord it shall be provided. 132 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:06,440 Someone talked about being tested. 133 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:13,520 Let me say that you are either being tested today, being positioned for a test or have 134 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:17,080 completed a test and preparing for the next test. 135 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:18,080 That's the way life is. 136 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:22,080 Preparing God is not an event, it is a process. 137 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:27,080 It's wonderful when you get saved that is an event but that just begins the process. 138 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,480 It's just like today in life we experience the COVID test, you have a stress test, you 139 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:36,160 have blood tests, you have breathing tests, there are oral tests. 140 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,720 I had to defend my doctoral dissertation. 141 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,320 If you take a job interview that's like an oral test. 142 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,240 There are skill tests I think they still require you to know how to drive before they give 143 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:50,680 drivers license or sometimes I question them. 144 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:54,280 If you get a CDL license you have to take a test. 145 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:58,320 If you want to fly a plane you have to take a test and then there is life tests that every 146 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,000 one of us experience. 147 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:05,760 There are relationship tests between husband and wife, between parents and their children, 148 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:10,840 between neighbors with one another, between pastors and members, between members and 149 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:12,880 other members of the church. 150 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:17,320 There are financial tests when sometimes the outgo is more than the income and you wonder 151 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,960 what you're going to do or how you're going to make ends meet. 152 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:24,000 There are emotional tests when you cry about a situation until it seems like you can't 153 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,040 cry anymore and you don't know what to do. 154 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,000 And there are physical tests when you have an ailment in your body, some sickness, some 155 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:34,880 disease and you have to deal with pain or deal with many doctors visit. 156 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:42,600 And here's the thing, we often want deliverance when God wants development. 157 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:48,360 We want God to just take the pain away, just ease it, take it away, get us out of there. 158 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:53,840 But what God often does, He lets us be in those situations because He wants to develop 159 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:54,840 us. 160 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,320 I believe that life is a continual cycle. 161 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:04,400 There's a lesson God wants us to learn and then He gives it to us in a message or a song 162 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:09,320 or while you're reading your Bible at home, there's some lesson He wants to teach you 163 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,640 and for example, He may want to see if you really trust Him or not, so He then puts you 164 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,640 in a situation where He tests you to see if you will trust Him. 165 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:24,680 And here's the thing, if you pass the test, you move on to the next lesson He wants you 166 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:25,680 to learn. 167 00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:31,800 If you fail the test, you'll come right back around to another test and some people get 168 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,440 stuck and that's why their lives just go round and round. 169 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:39,760 They never go in God because they don't learn what He's trying to teach them. 170 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,760 We're all familiar with the third verse of Amazing Grace, through many dangers, toils 171 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:49,520 and snares I have already come, to grace that brought me safe thus far and grace that will 172 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:50,520 lead me home. 173 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:55,120 Here's the thing, folks, nothing that happens to us catches God by surprise. 174 00:10:55,120 --> 00:11:00,760 He knows what's coming and Satan is not in control. 175 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:02,560 God is in control of this world. 176 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:04,060 He hasn't abdicated the throne. 177 00:11:04,060 --> 00:11:05,960 He hasn't been removed, hasn't been voted out. 178 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:10,200 And if we believe that Jesus is the Lord of this world and Lord of our lives, then we 179 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:14,360 can look forward to the day when every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going 180 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:18,200 to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 181 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:19,320 Now, I don't think it's too difficult. 182 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:22,280 This is a strange time in which we're living. 183 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,800 But this should be a time of optimism for the child of God instead of pessimism because 184 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:31,760 Jesus said in Luke 21, 28, now when these things begin to happen, He's talking about 185 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:36,360 the end days, look up, lift up your heads for your redemption draws near. 186 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,400 And I believe what we need to do as a church body is to get our eyes off of our problems 187 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,120 and get them back on our God. 188 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,280 He's bigger than any of our problems. 189 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,640 And we can concentrate on the problems or look to Him for solutions. 190 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:53,960 James says in James 1, 2, and 3, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various 191 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:58,600 trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 192 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:04,200 One of my favorite scriptures is 1 John 3 and 2, it says, beloved, now are we the sons 193 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:05,200 of God. 194 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:06,200 You hear me? 195 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:07,200 Not when we get to heaven. 196 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,080 We're children of God right now. 197 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,200 And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, 198 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,960 we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. 199 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:21,840 In Acts 17, 28, Paul said, for in Him we live and move and have our being. 200 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:27,320 During World War II, Victor Frankl was a Jewish physician. 201 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:32,080 The Nazis captured him and his family, took him to the concentration camp, gassed his 202 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,320 wife and children and parents. 203 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:39,560 They kept him alive because he could keep the Jews who involved in labor camp alive. 204 00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:42,560 But they stored his office, they stored all of his medical records. 205 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:46,160 One day he was standing in the chow line getting ready to get the mush that they were feeding 206 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:51,640 them and one of the guards was standing by and noticed that he still had his wedding 207 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:52,640 band on his finger. 208 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,840 And he commanded him, stretch out your hand. 209 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:01,600 He stretched out his hand and the guard gleefully pulled that wedding band off his finger. 210 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,000 It was the last vestige of his past. 211 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:10,480 And at that moment, Victor Frankl realized there's one thing that guard and the Nazis 212 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:17,120 could not take away from him and that was the freedom to choose how he would respond. 213 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,640 And hear me, we all had that same freedom. 214 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:24,520 We can choose to make things that happen to us, make us better or they can make us better, 215 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,320 but it's a choice that we can make. 216 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:29,000 Abraham is called the father of the faithful. 217 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,000 Why is he called that? 218 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:33,080 Because he had a going not knowing mentality. 219 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,680 He was living in error and one day God came to him and said, Abraham, I want you to go 220 00:13:36,680 --> 00:13:38,000 to a place that I will show you. 221 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,920 Didn't even tell him where he was going. 222 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:48,880 And can you imagine, in fact Hebrews 11h says he went out not knowing where he was going. 223 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,200 I often wonder what he told his wife. 224 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:55,480 You want to tell her, say her honey, start packing. 225 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:57,120 Where were we going honey? 226 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,880 I don't know, God didn't say. 227 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:05,280 Now if it had been my wife and she's a wonderful woman of God. 228 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,600 But if I did that, went home to her honey, we were moving. 229 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:10,560 She said, what do you mean we were moving? 230 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:14,760 I could say, well God told me that we were to move. 231 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,840 She would say, where are we going then? 232 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:18,640 I said, I don't know, he didn't tell me. 233 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:22,800 I can just hear her. 234 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:29,880 Well when God is a little bit clearer and speaks to me personally, then we might move. 235 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:34,040 But here's your choices. 236 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:40,520 We can either trust God and be triumphant in life or doubt God and be defeated. 237 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:41,520 It's that simple. 238 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,600 I want you to know three things about this passage of Scripture. 239 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,960 First of all, it was a divine test. 240 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,240 God tested Abraham. 241 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:55,160 God tested Job by allowing Satan's attacks, but God limited them. 242 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,200 Remember when Satan accused Job before God? 243 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,200 So if you take your heads from around him, Job will curse you. 244 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:05,000 God said, all right, you can take his possession, but you can't touch his person. 245 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,800 So you know what Satan did? 246 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:13,920 In one day, a servant came running to Job and said, the Sebeans came and took all of 247 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:19,360 your donkeys and oxen and killed all the servants and only I remain and come to tell 248 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:20,360 you. 249 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:24,280 While that servant was yet speaking, another servant came and said, fire from heaven came 250 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:29,760 down and consumed all of your sheep and all your servants and I alone was left to come 251 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:30,760 and tell you. 252 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:35,240 While he was yet speaking, the third servant came and said, the Chaldeans came and took 253 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,960 all of your camels and killed all your servants and I'm the only one left to tell you. 254 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:46,000 And while he was yet speaking, the fourth servant came in and said, your sons and daughters, 255 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:50,760 your children, 10 children were celebrating in their older brother's home and a strong 256 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:57,200 wind came and the house fell and all 10 children are dead. 257 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,920 That happened in the space of less than an hour. 258 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:06,960 Job lost all of his possessions, but the Bible says he did not curse God or charge God foolishly. 259 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:14,640 In fact, Job said, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the 260 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:16,240 Lord. 261 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:22,120 You've got to be able to praise God when you're on the receiving end and praise God when you're 262 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,560 on the giving end. 263 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,280 You praise him anyway because he's gone. 264 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:31,360 Then Satan attacked his body and you know, he afflicted him with boils from his head 265 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:32,360 to his feet. 266 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:38,280 His wife said, why don't you just curse God and die, but Job served God anyway. 267 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:43,840 God limited Satan's attacks and he limits his attacks on you and me as well. 268 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,720 There are two reasons God asked Abraham to take his son off for a man's to burn offering. 269 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,360 Now, I can't explain why God did that. 270 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:51,960 God did not like human sacrifice. 271 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:57,240 In fact, he prohibited human sacrifice, but he told Abraham to do this. 272 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,440 Abraham heard the audible voice of God. 273 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:02,040 There was no doubt about the will of God. 274 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:03,560 He knew the voice of God. 275 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:07,960 Many Christians today say, well, I don't know if it's God speaking to me or if it's Satan 276 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:13,760 whispering in my ear or if it's just myself, but the Bible says my sheep know my voice 277 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:15,080 and will not follow another. 278 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,400 But he had an audible voice and he didn't question God. 279 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,440 The Israelites had a visible manifestation of the will of God. 280 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:25,360 As they left Egypt, you know, God put a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night so they 281 00:17:25,360 --> 00:17:27,560 knew which way to go. 282 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,240 If the cloud went east, they went east. 283 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:30,520 If it went north, they went north. 284 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:36,040 Did you know that from Egypt to the Promised Land was just a two-week journey to the northeast 285 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,160 by way of the Mediterranean Sea? 286 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:43,800 But the cloud leaves them to the southeast out into the wilderness on a divine detour 287 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:48,520 because God knew they were not ready to fight. 288 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:52,760 If they'd gone to the northeast, to Palestine, they would have had default-of-listeens. 289 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:54,680 They had been farmers and brickmakers. 290 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:55,960 They were not fighters. 291 00:17:55,960 --> 00:18:01,360 So God, knowing what was best for them, led them on a divine detour to the southeast out 292 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:04,240 into the wilderness to prepare them for the fights ahead. 293 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:10,600 Now, there was some smart church-of-God members in that group who said, we know the way to 294 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:11,600 the Promised Land. 295 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:12,600 This is not it. 296 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:14,320 Why are you leading out here? 297 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:15,320 But they followed the cloud. 298 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:17,440 And where did the cloud lead them? 299 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:21,480 The cloud led them to the banks of the Red Sea. 300 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,200 God knew the Red Sea was there. 301 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:25,640 They couldn't swim across. 302 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:29,880 They didn't have boats to get all the people and animals across. 303 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:31,120 And they were stopped. 304 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:33,120 And the Egyptians were huddling the trail behind them. 305 00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:36,720 And those church-of-God members spoke up and said, we told you. 306 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,400 We told you this was not the way. 307 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,880 Why did you lead us out here to die in the wilderness? 308 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,520 But Moses had stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. 309 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:51,200 Again, God led them to that dead end deliberately to prove his power. 310 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,600 He told Moses, straight forth his rod. 311 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:58,560 The Red Sea parted and they walked across on dry ground and then came back and drowned 312 00:18:58,560 --> 00:18:59,560 the Egyptians. 313 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,040 Then they went out into the wilderness and there was no water. 314 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,200 And this way life is, their problem at the Red Sea was too much water. 315 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,360 Now they're out in the wilderness and there's not enough water. 316 00:19:09,360 --> 00:19:13,240 And the Bible says, Exodus 15, and there he proved them or tested them again. 317 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,000 That's why I was telling you about a cycle. 318 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,800 If you don't learn it the first time, you'll get another test to try it. 319 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,280 And they failed God again. 320 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:23,480 The same thing with Joseph. 321 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:28,160 Joseph had dreams of one day he would rule over his father and mother, brothers and sisters, 322 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,080 and he didn't have sense to keep that dream to himself. 323 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:34,040 So he told his brothers and they were jealous of him. 324 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:40,840 And you know the story, Joseph's dreams cost him to be put in a pit. 325 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:47,000 So does the slave, became a servant in Potiphar's house, falsely accused of adultery of Potiphar's 326 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,080 wife, wound up in prison for two years. 327 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,960 And I imagine Joseph wondered, where are all these things God promised me? 328 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,240 Where are these dreams God told me about? 329 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,680 And then he wound up in Pharaoh's house. 330 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:08,480 And here's the thing, folks, you might not ever hear God speak to you audibly. 331 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:14,600 You might not ever receive a sign, but we do have his word. 332 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,320 And you can trust God on what he said. 333 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:23,080 Psalm 23 and 4, David said, Yea, though I walk to the valley of the shadow of death, 334 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:27,800 I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff. 335 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,200 They comfort me. 336 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:34,720 His word says in Psalm 27 and 1, The Lord is my light and my salvation. 337 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:36,000 Whom shall I fear? 338 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,600 The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? 339 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:48,200 His word says in Psalm 35, Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. 340 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:53,600 His word says, Psalm 121 and 1, David said, I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from 341 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:58,960 whence come my help, my help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 342 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:04,000 His word says in Isaiah 26 and 3, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is 343 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:08,240 stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 344 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:14,040 His word says in Isaiah 43, 1-3, Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you 345 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:15,960 by your name, your mind. 346 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,600 And when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers they shall 347 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,040 not overflow you. 348 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:25,600 And when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flames court you, 349 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,040 for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. 350 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:35,160 His word says in Matthew 20 and 20, Low I am with you always, even to the end of the 351 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:36,160 age. 352 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:41,640 His word says in Philippians 4, 13, I can do all things through Christ, whose strength 353 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:42,640 is me. 354 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:48,720 And His word says in 1 Corinthians 10, 13, There has no temptation overtaking you, except 355 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:50,360 such as coming to man. 356 00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:56,880 But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but 357 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:02,600 with the temptation also make a way, the way of escape that you may be able to bear. 358 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:07,440 If we trust Him, and if we believe God's word, I believe when your whole world caves 359 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:11,800 in like it did on Job, you can still sing that old song. 360 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:13,440 You don't sing it much anymore. 361 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:16,440 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. 362 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,680 Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. 363 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,040 I'm an air of salvation, the purchase of God. 364 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:28,280 I'm born of His Spirit and washed in His blood, and this is my story, and this is my song, 365 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,960 praising my Savior all the day long. 366 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:36,880 Here's the thing, miracles only happen in miracle territory. 367 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:43,360 And what that means is, if you never need a miracle, you'll never experience a miracle. 368 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:47,000 If you're never sick, you'll never know that God can hear you. 369 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,760 If you never lack, you'll never know that God can provide. 370 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:55,920 Romans 8, 28 says, We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, 371 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,440 to those who are the called according to His purpose. 372 00:22:58,440 --> 00:22:59,760 So it was a divine test. 373 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,600 Secondly, it was a difficult task. 374 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:07,120 Trust to, the Lord tells Abraham to take his son and offer him as they burn offering. 375 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:09,680 It was a test of his faith, obedience and love. 376 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:15,960 And what God was asking the saint, Abraham, do you trust me or not? 377 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:21,120 Now some Christians today have that attitude, why trust when I can worry? 378 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:27,200 Has worry ever solved any of your problems? 379 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,720 Has worry ever given you a good night's rest? 380 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,080 Has worry ever strengthened you to have your problem? 381 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,760 But I'm telling you, if you can learn to trust God, you can lay down at night saying, 382 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:38,920 God, it is in your hands. 383 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:40,720 I'm not going to care it anymore. 384 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:43,240 I've given it to you. 385 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,840 You see, Isaac was the child of promise. 386 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:51,200 He was promised, Abraham was promised when he was 75 years old that he would, God would 387 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:57,120 give him seed as numerous as the sand on the seashore and as the stars in the sky. 388 00:23:57,120 --> 00:24:04,680 But he and Sarah were barren when he turned 100 and Sarah was 90 years old. 389 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,720 Little Isaac was born. 390 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:14,800 And now God says, take Isaac and offer him as a burnt offering. 391 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,240 Abraham's choice was fear or faith. 392 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:23,320 Hebrews 11, 17 and 19 says, by faith Abraham when he was tested, offered up Isaac and he 393 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:28,880 who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son of whom it was said, in 394 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:34,360 Isaac your seed shall be called concluding that God was able to raise him up even from 395 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:38,400 the dead from which you also received him in a figurative sense. 396 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,280 Job lost his possessions. 397 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:41,680 He lost his children. 398 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:42,680 He lost his health. 399 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:46,080 He had a choice, fear or faith. 400 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,640 And he chose to trust God. 401 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:56,360 The Bible says in Psalm 37, 23, the steps of a good man or woman are ordered by the 402 00:24:56,360 --> 00:24:57,360 Lord. 403 00:24:57,360 --> 00:25:01,880 And if you know for me with Jason Crabb, his family, they wrote a song through the fire. 404 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,080 And I think he captures his thought. 405 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:09,040 He said, he never promised that the cross would not get heavy and the hill would not 406 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:10,840 be hard to climb. 407 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,560 He never offered a victory without fighting. 408 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,960 He said, help would always come in time. 409 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:20,560 So just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision and the adversary says, 410 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:22,960 give in, just hold on. 411 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:27,840 Our Lord will show up and he will take you through the fire again. 412 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:28,840 It was a difficult task. 413 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:30,480 And let me ask you this. 414 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:35,000 What is the task God has for you in this church? 415 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,120 Why did God save you? 416 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:43,040 He didn't save you to just be a seat warmer, just an attender, just a tithe payer. 417 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,120 He saved you for a purpose in his kingdom. 418 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:50,400 It may be a difficult task like children's church when all the adults are out here taking 419 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:51,920 care of kids. 420 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:56,280 It may be a janitor sweeping floor or vacuuming the sanctuary. 421 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,600 But there is something for every one of you to do. 422 00:25:58,600 --> 00:25:59,600 And here's the thing. 423 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:03,560 If we don't fulfill God's purpose for our lives, there's no reason for him to leave 424 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:04,560 us here. 425 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,960 I know that's blunt, but it's true. 426 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:14,120 Why would God waste good resources on somebody who's not going to do His will? 427 00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:15,280 You need to find out what it is. 428 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:18,160 If you don't know what your talents are, talk with a pastor. 429 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:20,360 He can help you work through what your skills are. 430 00:26:20,360 --> 00:26:23,520 Our problem is, folks, is we have too many consumers. 431 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,680 All they want to do is come to church, sit for an hour and 15, enjoy the music, enjoy 432 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,880 the preaching, and go home with no responsibility for the rest of the week. 433 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:35,480 I commend this church for the way you are involved in the community activities. 434 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:38,680 God wants you to be a disciple. 435 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,200 It may be a difficult task for you. 436 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:46,920 The third thing about this passage of Scripture is there was a defining moment. 437 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:50,880 They got wood and they got fire, and they started toward the mountain again, Mount 438 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,520 Meriah, the land of Meriah. 439 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:56,640 And it took them on the third day. 440 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:00,360 Abraham saw the mountain a far off. 441 00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:07,480 And he says to his servants, stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there, 442 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,360 and we will worship, and then we will come back to you. 443 00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:14,000 Now, I want you to notice Abraham's faith. 444 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:19,400 He didn't know in advance what God was going to do, but he had so much confidence in God. 445 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,240 God had promised him a son. 446 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,800 He didn't know how God was going to do it. 447 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:28,000 As I read Scripture early, he concluded that God was able to raise him from the dead, if 448 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:29,000 necessary. 449 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,960 But he said, we will worship, and then we will come back to you. 450 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,520 Now, something else to notice about here, the test was not getting there. 451 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:38,800 It was a three-day journey. 452 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,880 But now that he was here, it was a defining moment. 453 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:49,160 He had to choose, am I going to go ahead and offer my son, I'm going to go back home. 454 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,600 I didn't mention it, but I wonder why he told Sarah this time. 455 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:59,360 Honey, God told me to take our son and offer him his a burnt offering. 456 00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:04,240 I suspect he told her, honey, Isaac and I are going to worship, but we'll be back in 457 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:05,240 a few days. 458 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:06,240 I just don't know. 459 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:11,320 But here's the thing, positioning for a test is not the test. 460 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:18,960 Can you imagine Abraham traveling, walking two days, camping overnight, the third day 461 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:23,800 sing the land, and the what ifs that went through his mind? 462 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,600 What if God doesn't show up? 463 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:29,880 What if God doesn't show up on time? 464 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,000 What if I have to go back home without Isaac? 465 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,080 What am I going to tell Sarah? 466 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:40,760 Satan was just as real back then as he is today, and many of us, he sits on our shoulder 467 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:44,680 and poses a little question, what if it doesn't work out the way you want it to? 468 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:48,040 What if God doesn't show up on time? 469 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:49,880 The test was Abraham had to choose. 470 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:53,320 He reached that defining moment we had to go back home or obey God. 471 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:57,440 It's like the initials at the Red Sea, someone had to give up and go back to Egypt. 472 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:01,040 There's something else about this passage of Scripture that I think speaks very strongly. 473 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:05,760 You know the age difference between Abraham and Isaac? 474 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:09,440 100 years. 475 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,920 But he said, we will go yonder and worship, and we will return. 476 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:19,040 I believe, this is a personal opinion, I'm saying that, that I think our children need 477 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,840 to worship with their parents sometimes. 478 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:25,840 I'm not saying every Sunday, but all the time when they are in the church, I loved when 479 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:31,080 I was here a week or two ago when you had the kids, I think that's so powerful for children 480 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,600 to be involved in adult worship. 481 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:37,280 And he said, we. 482 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:39,360 Now what you know is Abraham spoke his faith aloud. 483 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,280 He didn't keep it to himself. 484 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:46,120 In spite of the circumstances, in spite of no evidence of God's provision, Abraham believed 485 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:47,120 God. 486 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:52,640 They started up the mountain, put the wood on Abraham's back, had to fire, and started 487 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:54,120 up the mountain. 488 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:56,440 And Isaac was a smart little boy. 489 00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:03,080 He said, Daddy, I see the wood and I see the fire, but where is the lamb? 490 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,080 And notice what Abraham said. 491 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:11,240 One, God will provide himself a lamb for the sacrifice. 492 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:15,920 What I want you to notice is he had to speak his faith aloud the second time. 493 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:19,480 Can I tell you, it's easy to speak your faith aloud on Sunday morning in church. 494 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:20,720 You're surrounded by believers. 495 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,880 You've got people who love you and care for you, but you've got to speak your faith 496 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:30,000 aloud on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday when nobody's around and you'll 497 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:31,080 see any change. 498 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:32,560 You've got to speak your faith. 499 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:37,000 I believe your word. 500 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,000 Now Abraham believed God already answered. 501 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:46,360 Now Abraham didn't have ways or Google maps that shows you where the police are or where 502 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:50,720 the construction sites are, that sort of thing, but he believed God. 503 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,960 So Abraham followed God's direction and started up the mountain. 504 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:58,720 Now the Bible doesn't say this, but I believe as Abraham and Isaac started up one side of 505 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:02,760 the mountain, God started the ramp up on the other side. 506 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:07,000 Now Abraham couldn't see the ramp, but it was coming. 507 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,480 And Abraham and Isaac got to the top of the mountain before the ramp. 508 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:15,680 I'm sure that Abraham thought if he obeyed God this far, got to the top of the mountain 509 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,480 and sure he, the answer would be there when he got on top. 510 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:20,320 But the answer wasn't there. 511 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,320 As a father, I'm sure he looked around. 512 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:27,560 God, I thought you would show up by now, but he hadn't. 513 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:33,080 Hear me folks, you're often disappointed because God doesn't answer your prayers the way you 514 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:37,520 wanted or when you wanted, but I'm telling you, God has a plan. 515 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:39,080 He's heard your prayers. 516 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:42,200 Your answer may already be on the way. 517 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:43,200 It's coming. 518 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,320 The answer is coming, but it wasn't there. 519 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:47,080 So what did Abraham do? 520 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:49,440 He did what God told him to do. 521 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,280 He built the altar, looked around. 522 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:53,880 There was no ramp. 523 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,640 Laid the wood out on the altar, looked around. 524 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:58,880 The ramp still was not there. 525 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:02,280 He bound his son, looked around. 526 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:04,000 Ramp still was not there. 527 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,440 Laid Isaac on the altar, looked around. 528 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,360 I'm sure he looked behind him, but the ramp was not there. 529 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:16,320 And then he took the knife and raised his hand and then the angel of God called out of heaven 530 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:23,480 and said, Abraham, Abraham, if you read the text, he says his name once to get Abraham 531 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:25,200 to take his son. 532 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:29,640 He calls his name twice to keep him from taking his son's life. 533 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:34,680 God knew in his heart, Abraham's heart, that Abraham had committed to taking his son's 534 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:41,000 life and he looked around and the answer had made it to the top of the mountain. 535 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:48,360 And he took the ramp and offered it and named that place Jehovah Jireh. 536 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:52,560 God will provide. 537 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:54,520 You see, God is an ambidextrous God. 538 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:55,720 You know what that means? 539 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:58,280 He says, good with his right hand and it's his with his left hand. 540 00:32:58,280 --> 00:32:59,800 And what happens to us? 541 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:03,480 We're often concentrating on what God's doing over here and don't even see what he's doing 542 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:04,480 over here. 543 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:09,040 Abraham didn't see what God was doing with his left hand while he was following God on 544 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:10,040 the right hand. 545 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:14,440 It's like God already had the lamb ready to take Isaac's place. 546 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:19,440 When they came to collect taxes from Jesus and his disciples, he told Peter to go fishing. 547 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,600 Peter called a fish, had a gold corn in his mouth. 548 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:26,800 God had already provided. 549 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:32,280 Matthew 6 and 8 says, your Father knows the things you have need of even before you ask 550 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:33,280 Him. 551 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:35,680 And here's the thing, folks, you have a choice. 552 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:41,840 You can trust God and be triumphant or doubt God and be defeated. 553 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:44,960 And this is your defining moment this morning. 554 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:48,240 I'm sure there's some of you who brought a need into this building today. 555 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:49,400 I don't need to know what it is. 556 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:50,400 It doesn't matter. 557 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:52,920 God already knows what your need is. 558 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:54,880 You may be having problems, marital problems. 559 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:56,960 You may be having problems with some children. 560 00:33:56,960 --> 00:34:00,000 You may be having some financial problems, some health problems. 561 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:05,320 But I'm telling you, God knows what you need. 562 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,160 And today's your defining moment. 563 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,120 Now, you've got to make a decision. 564 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:16,680 Am I going to put this in God's hands and leave it here or am I going to walk out the 565 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,960 door and continue to worry about it and hope things work out? 566 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:23,440 It's your decision this morning. 567 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:27,320 I used to be a chaplain in the Air Force. 568 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:31,640 And one day there was a young man who came and said, I'm tired of going to church. 569 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:32,640 I'm sick of it. 570 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:35,320 Sick of the people, sick of all the activities. 571 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:36,520 I don't want you to come visit me. 572 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:38,360 I don't want any of the people to come visit me. 573 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:40,480 I'm through. 574 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:45,120 And the head chaplain just smiled and said, OK, but will you do one thing for me before 575 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:46,120 you go? 576 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:47,680 I said, sure, what is it? 577 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:52,720 You know, in the Air Force chapels, they use the same chapel for different religions. 578 00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:54,600 So in Protestant, they have the Protestant Cross. 579 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,960 In the Catholic service, they have the crucifix with Christ alone. 580 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,320 And the Catholics had just finished and said, would you go into the sanctuary and look 581 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:05,560 up at the cross, the crucifix with Christ on the cross and point your finger at it 582 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,400 and say, you did that for me, but I don't care. 583 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:10,800 He said, yeah, I can do that. 584 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:17,560 So he walked into the sanctuary, stood down in front of the altar, looked up at the cross, 585 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:23,320 raised his finger and said, you did that for me and I, and he choked. 586 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,520 Couldn't get out. 587 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:33,320 He looked back up at the cross and said, you did that for me. 588 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:38,360 And he failed to his knees and said, you did that for me. 589 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:45,760 And the Bible says, my God shall supply all your needs according to his richest in glory 590 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:47,640 by Christ Jesus. 591 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:48,640 Would you buy it? 592 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:53,360 Father, I delivered the word you laid on my heart for this congregation this morning. 593 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,600 You know everyone who is here. 594 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:57,640 You know God, what their needs are. 595 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:04,160 And I pray that at this moment, at this time, God, they will make that decision to give 596 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:05,160 it to you. 597 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:10,600 And Lord, I just pray that the Holy Spirit will do his work in Jesus' name. 598 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:16,280 As that plays and sing something, if you have a need this morning that you'd like to put 599 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:21,440 in God's hands, we used to sing a song, take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there. 600 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:25,720 That you take them to the altar and you leave them there. 601 00:36:25,720 --> 00:36:29,640 And again, I'm not going to embarrass you, but if you'd like special prayer and you'd 602 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:33,880 like to bring your need up here, we're going to leave it here and you walk out this door, 603 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:40,880 not carrying it anymore. 604 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:43,880 Amen. 605 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:57,880 Yes, I will lift you high in the lowest of the yes, I will bless your name. 606 00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:08,880 Oh, yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy for all my days. 607 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:23,880 Oh, yes, I will put out your strength to glorify, glorify the name of the Lord. 608 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:30,880 Oh, nothing can stand against all the natures to grace. 609 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:36,880 Oh, glorify the name of the Lord. 610 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:54,880 Oh, yes, I will lift you high in the lowest of the yes, I will bless your name. 611 00:37:54,880 --> 00:38:04,880 Oh, yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy for all my days. 612 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:16,880 Oh, yes, I will put out your strength to glorify, glorify the name of the Lord. 613 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,880 If you have a need, like special prayer, I want to invite you, but you can do it right 614 00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:20,880 where you're standing. 615 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:22,880 You have something you want God to do for you. 616 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:24,880 You need God to do in your life. 617 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:28,880 You just like to raise your hand as an act of faith. 618 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:33,880 God, I'm giving this to you today and you're going to leave it here with Him. 619 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:35,880 God, I'm going to show you things again. 620 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:39,880 See me again, thank You. 621 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:44,880 Go ahead, say it again. 622 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:47,880 Father, we give these needs to you today. 623 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:51,880 Everyone who is here, God, that has some situation they struggle with, 624 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:56,880 something they've been worried about, Father, I pray that the Holy Spirit, 625 00:38:56,880 --> 00:38:59,880 the Holy Spirit will do the work in their lives. 626 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:04,880 There's nothing to leave it here, leave it in your hands and walk out this door, 627 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:07,880 trusting you. 628 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:11,880 Lord, we commit it to you and thank you for it in Jesus' name. 629 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:14,880 Say it again. 630 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:16,880 Come on in. 631 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:31,880 And oh, Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, and all for grace to trust Him more. 632 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:46,880 Oh, singing Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him and how I brew Him more and more. 633 00:39:46,880 --> 00:40:13,880 Oh, Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, and all for grace to trust Him more. 634 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:18,880 Church, something happens when we step out in faith and we give that need to the Lord. 635 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:20,880 We step out in faith. 636 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:22,880 That's what we call the step of faith. 637 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:26,880 It takes that courage and that faith to step out and say, 638 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:28,880 God, I can't do this on my own. 639 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:30,880 Lord, I need you to take this. 640 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:32,880 I want to encourage you this week. 641 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:35,880 If you have something you're holding on to, give it to Jesus today. 642 00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:37,880 Let's pray. 643 00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:41,880 Heavenly Father, I thank you for all of those in the house and all of those online this morning, God. 644 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:45,880 Those of us that are carrying burdens that are too much for us to bear. 645 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:53,880 Lord, I pray that we would give them to you, not just today, but tomorrow and Tuesday and every day this week, Lord. 646 00:40:53,880 --> 00:41:01,880 God, that you would help us to grow in our faith, that we would learn to trust you more and more each day. 647 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:03,880 Jesus, bless us as we leave this place. 648 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:06,880 God, bring us back safe here next week. 649 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:09,880 We pray these things in your name. 650 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:11,880 Amen. 651 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:42,880 Amen.