1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:14,760 Hey everyone, this is Josh from Encounter Church Henley and thanks so much for tuning 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,000 into our podcast. 3 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,680 Our prayer is that through this podcast you can have an encounter with Jesus that will 4 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:22,800 change your life. 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:26,800 And now get ready for an inspiring message from our preaching team. 6 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:28,960 Hello. 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:35,000 So for those of you who don't know that gorgeous individual right there, that is my first 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:36,680 born daughter, Cadence. 9 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:42,720 So Cadence is 14 and a half years old and I asked her to do this reading for a few reasons. 10 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:44,240 One, she is my kid. 11 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,720 I reserve the right to show her off whenever given the opportunity. 12 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,600 Two, that she is my reason for my journey of faith. 13 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,760 And three, she is about the age that Mary was when God sent the angel Gabriel down 14 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,640 with the biggest news of her life. 15 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:04,840 Imagine being the age that Cadence is and being sent an angel by God letting her know. 16 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,600 Girl, you're about to be pregnant with the Son of God. 17 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:10,960 This is like kind of a big deal, okay? 18 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:13,200 He's going to be the saviour of the world and stuff. 19 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:14,200 You cool with that? 20 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:15,200 Don't stress, girl. 21 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:20,880 You are going to slay motherhood because you're like the most faithful girl I know. 22 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:26,040 I don't know how many 14-year-olds would be like, yeah, sign me up for teen pregnancy. 23 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:27,320 Sign me up for ridicule. 24 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:29,680 Sign me up for the whispers behind my back. 25 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,480 People wondering who the daddy is. 26 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,040 I'm pumped to have the weight of the world on my shoulders. 27 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:35,040 Carry the Son of God. 28 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:36,720 Yeah, let's go. 29 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,960 So despite all this, Mary answered the call of God with nothing but faith. 30 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:47,440 At this moment, what God is asking Mary to do is huge, really huge. 31 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,640 Something that could and will have a really large effect on her life. 32 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,200 It could ruin what little social standing she had. 33 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:59,040 She had the potential to end her relationship with her fiance, change the relationship with 34 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,560 her family, have everyone think she's a liar. 35 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,200 I wonder if faced with the same dilemma, how many of us would be willing to put ourselves 36 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,840 on the line for the call of God, especially if it meant upturning our lives, risking the 37 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:17,400 little that we had, would we have the same trust as Mary? 38 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,880 Some of you may have heard the story of Cory Ten Boom. 39 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,960 Cory was a Dutch watchmaker who, along with her father, sister and other members, helped 40 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:30,240 many Jewish people escape the Nazis during World War II. 41 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:35,000 They did this by opening their home and allowing the Jews a space to hide. 42 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,440 Cory and her family believed that all humans are equal in the eyes of God. 43 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,880 And even though the risk to them was great and it held grave consequences, they did it 44 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:44,880 anyway. 45 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,680 Sadly, after some time, they were caught and imprisoned. 46 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:54,200 Their father died shortly after this and Cory, along with her sister Betsy, was sent to a 47 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,840 concentration camp in Germany. 48 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:01,640 For some, this could have challenged their faith, perhaps caused them to doubt God. 49 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:06,280 But Cory and her sister Betsy continued to be faithful to God despite the horror of their 50 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,480 circumstances. 51 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,000 When they arrived at the concentration camp, their barracks were littered with fleas. 52 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:18,840 Betsy encouraged Cory to thank God for all their circumstances, even the fleas. 53 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:23,240 They later discovered that the very fleas they begrudgingly thanked God for were the 54 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:28,000 very reason that the guards never came into their barracks, a gift for their faithfulness, 55 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,240 you might say, as this gave them the opportunity to have their nightly worship services and 56 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:37,320 continue to pray, worship and teach others about God. 57 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:42,760 Sadly, Betsy lost her life in the concentration camp, but Cory would go on to be released 58 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,080 12 days later due to a clerical error. 59 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:51,880 A week after this, all the women in her age group were sent to the gas chamber and killed. 60 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:56,800 Due to her steadfast faith, Cory went on to have a successful life and continued to open 61 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:02,240 her doors to those who needed it and share her faith until her own death some 39 years 62 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:06,360 later at the age of 91. 63 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:11,920 How can we be so faithful and so trusting like Mary or even Cory and Betsy when God puts 64 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,360 a call on our life like that? 65 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,440 Tim spoke about Jonah last week who would rather be swallowed up by a whale than answer 66 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:19,840 the call of God. 67 00:04:19,840 --> 00:04:21,720 He didn't like public speaking. 68 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:23,480 Same Jonah, same. 69 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:30,720 And in week one, Tex spoke about Moses who was like, anyone but me, big fella, I'm not 70 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:31,720 your guy. 71 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:32,720 How about my brother Aaron? 72 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:33,840 He's better at this than me. 73 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:35,720 He can do this, right? 74 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:40,400 When we are faced with a calling that we think is impossible, how do we know we can trust 75 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:41,400 God? 76 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:46,880 I mean, Jonah and Moses were flaky at first, making all the excuses. 77 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:51,040 But with some gentle and not so gentle prompting, they got through in the end. 78 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,000 God showed them the way. 79 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:57,520 Mary was just a young girl betrothed to a carpenter, accepting God's call would flip 80 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,360 her life on its head. 81 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,680 Change her trajectory in ways none of us could imagine. 82 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:08,640 But despite being troubled by Gabriel's words, she said, yes, I am the Lord's servant. 83 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,720 May your word to me be fulfilled. 84 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:16,120 It's here that we get a sense that Mary's desire to serve God was greater than the 85 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:17,880 fear she felt. 86 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,520 In that very moment, she made a decision to surrender control. 87 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,680 She made a decision to trust God. 88 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:28,320 And then some 30 years into the future, trust God again by surrendering that very child 89 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,600 so as to fulfill the will of God. 90 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:37,040 So what have we learned so far from Cori, Betsy, Jonah, Moses and Mary is that despite 91 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:41,760 the difficulty of surrendering to God's will, it's necessary for our spiritual growth and 92 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:43,120 maturity. 93 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,200 We won't always see the path that God has planned for us. 94 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,200 Both Tim and Tex ignored their calling to ministry for some time. 95 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:56,040 The path that God had us planned for us isn't always as straightforward as maybe Mary's. 96 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,680 Some of our paths have twists and turns, maybe even roundabouts. 97 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:04,160 It can be uncertain and we won't always know if we are following it correctly. 98 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:08,720 But Mary's story is one that we should reflect on and be encouraged by. 99 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,960 If he can guide Mary, who simply answered the call of faithfulness, imagine what he 100 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,800 can do with our lives. 101 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,560 The Bible is littered with verses of God assuring us that he is here for us, that his 102 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,440 plans are to prosper us, not harm us. 103 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:29,480 Matthew 2820 says, and behold, I am always with you to the end of the age, or Joshua 104 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,840 9, have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous, do not be frightened, and do not 105 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:39,200 be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. 106 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:45,120 Isaiah 4110 reads, do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your 107 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:46,120 God. 108 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:51,640 Deuteronomy 31 6, be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or terrified, because of 109 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:56,120 them for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave nor forsake you. 110 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:02,280 There's more, Zephaniah 317, the Lord your God is with you, the mighty warrior who saves. 111 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:06,520 He will take great delight in you, in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will 112 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,240 rejoice over you with singing. 113 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:14,080 God is constantly telling us he is here for us, and that his plans are to prosper us. 114 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:17,920 He doesn't promise it will be easy, but his plans are always for good. 115 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:23,800 Jeremiah 2911, for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you 116 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,840 and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 117 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,200 All that God asks in return is our faithfulness. 118 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:36,840 We just need to desire to honour God and serve God, so that we can fulfil his plans for us, 119 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:41,720 and know that his purpose on our life is greater than our fears. 120 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,680 It probably seems like it's easy for me to stand up here and tell you how simple it is, 121 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:50,120 how easy it is to listen to God, especially when our path is not as straightforward as 122 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,160 we had always dreamed. 123 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,040 But I haven't always been a Christian. 124 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:59,040 I did grow up going to a Catholic school, following the sacraments and ticking the boxes. 125 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:05,200 I would say though that I was a believer, but I had never made a choice to follow Christ. 126 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:10,560 And most of my life people have always pointed out my childlike faith, some, like Tim, have 127 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,240 even suggested that it's a spiritual gift. 128 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:17,640 But I never questioned things like Jesus dying on the cross rising three days later, that 129 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:22,480 he turned water into wine, that he fed 5,000 with just a few loaves of bread and fish, 130 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:26,640 that he walked on water, or even that he healed a leper or the blind. 131 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:32,240 Even still, when I actually needed that faith during my life, it was a struggle for me. 132 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:36,080 Caden Sue is up here before, was one of my biggest answers to prayer. 133 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,800 I prayed and I begged God for my child. 134 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:43,240 But as time passed, I began to question whether he could hear me, and if he really desired 135 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,040 to answer that one prayer on my heart. 136 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:50,640 But when I had almost lost hope, he answered and I became a mother for the first time. 137 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,120 I knew that I wanted more than one child. 138 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:57,040 But as time passed, it seemed as though cadence may be an only child. 139 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:02,400 Doctors bluntly and coldly told me that I was suffering from secondary infertility, and 140 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,840 I simply probably wouldn't have any more children. 141 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,400 Something stirred in me and I prayed harder. 142 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:10,800 And God blessed us again with Delilah faith. 143 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:15,200 Yep, her middle name is Faith, even though we weren't Christians. 144 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:20,600 I knew that her coming into our lives was an answer to prayer, one that was born on 145 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,760 faith and faith alone. 146 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:27,200 God in his graciousness blessed us once more with our third Cecilia. 147 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:31,880 It would be another three years before I understood that faith in God is what got me through that 148 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:32,960 time. 149 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,080 But sometimes in the moment, it can be hard to believe. 150 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:37,360 Our doubt is the root of it. 151 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,240 So how do we change that? 152 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:43,800 In the Gospel of Matthew, we are told that faith, even as small as a mustard seed, is 153 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,160 enough. 154 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,360 Even if we have a little, we have some, and that's enough. 155 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,760 And even though it might only be a little, we can always ask for more. 156 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:57,520 To be honest, I didn't and still don't entirely know God's plan for me. 157 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:02,480 But I do know that he has steered me on the right path time and time again, and that without 158 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,440 faith, I wouldn't be where I am now. 159 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:11,400 If we reflect back on Mary, she can be seen as a supreme example of what happens when 160 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,720 God is at work by grace. 161 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,160 She reserves no social standing in her town. 162 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:22,840 Nazareth at the time was an insignificant village with a population of around 2,000. 163 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:28,720 Mary was no one, yet the angel Gabriel greeted her with a title of highly favored one, an 164 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:33,560 unusual title for not only a female, but also a young teenager. 165 00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:39,080 When the angel tells her of her upcoming pregnancy, Mary questions him, but this seems to be a 166 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,080 request for more knowledge or information rather than proof. 167 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:47,200 And then, even without full comprehension of what this news could bring, she responds 168 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,880 with affirmation and faithfulness. 169 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:55,960 In this moment, Mary shows complete obedience, but also quiet heroism, because in biblical 170 00:10:55,960 --> 00:11:00,200 times infidelity and adultery were punishable by death. 171 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,960 But Mary recognises that this is God's will. 172 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,720 She had seen it before when God had kept his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, so she 173 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:13,040 knew that God would keep his promise to her, and so she faithfully accepts. 174 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,520 She might be wondering, what is faithfulness? 175 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:21,560 In a biblical context, it is simply steadfast loyalty that can't be swayed. 176 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:25,440 We need to follow God even if we'd rather choose another path. 177 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,560 Moses would have rathered another path. 178 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:28,560 He tried. 179 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:29,560 Remember Aaron? 180 00:11:29,560 --> 00:11:34,640 Jonah lived in the belly of a whale for three days, but in reality, being truly faithful 181 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,040 to God means that we submit our ways to God. 182 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:42,880 We relinquish control and realise that we are in need of a saviour and stop trying to 183 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:44,320 be the saviour. 184 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:49,240 Perhaps you're like me, and you have a child like faith, and just hearing the words of 185 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:54,120 Scripture are enough for you to know that God will be there when you need Him, or maybe 186 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:58,560 you're a little bit more like Pastor Tex in his early days and need more tangible evidence 187 00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:00,880 that God will deliver. 188 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:02,200 Mary was 14. 189 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,040 She was pregnant out of wedlock. 190 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:08,320 Who would believe a young teenager when they say they are carrying the Son of God? 191 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:10,840 Who would one day become the saviour of the world? 192 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:12,760 Why would her fiance believe her? 193 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,160 Did he stay? 194 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:20,160 Scripture tells us that Joseph did in fact stay. 195 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,680 He was a good man and had no intentions of publicly disgracing her. 196 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:26,160 Rather, he had planned to leave her quietly. 197 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,600 That was until the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. 198 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:39,120 The angel told him not to fear. 199 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,520 The angel told him not to fear and that his child was in fact the Son of God and conceived 200 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,560 by the Holy Spirit. 201 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:50,240 Joseph faithfully honoured and trusted the Word of God and took Mary home as his wife. 202 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,320 When Mary accepted the will of God, she went to visit her relative Elizabeth, whom the 203 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,840 angel had told her was going to have a baby in her old age, despite being told she was 204 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,000 unable to conceive. 205 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:06,440 When Mary came to visit Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leapt at the sound of 206 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:08,120 Mary's voice. 207 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:12,040 Elizabeth could not believe that Mary, who was to be the mother of her Lord, would come 208 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:16,800 to see her, declaring that Mary is blessed for she believed that the Lord would fulfil 209 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:18,320 his promise to her. 210 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:19,320 And he did. 211 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:24,280 A son was born to Mary and Joseph, whom they named Jesus, the name the angel had given 212 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,960 him before he was conceived. 213 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:28,640 God was good to Mary and Joseph. 214 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,760 He fulfilled his promise and Mary did give birth to the Messiah of the world. 215 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:38,560 So, just to clarify, Joseph stayed and married Mary. 216 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:42,800 Elizabeth wasn't just happy about Mary's pregnancy, she was expectant because she knew 217 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:44,920 whom Mary was carrying. 218 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:50,040 And let's not forget, the baby born to Mary did go on to become the saviour and hope of 219 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:51,040 the world. 220 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,520 But how can we trust in God the way that Mary has? 221 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:57,440 How can we believe his Word? 222 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,280 How can we trust him in the unknown or in the depths of our turmoil? 223 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:06,000 How can we surrender to him and his will and follow him faithfully? 224 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,280 You might be sitting here and thinking, yeah, okay, no worries, Cara. 225 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:13,560 I'll just be faithful like Mary because God fulfilled the prophecy and Jesus was in fact 226 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:16,920 born to Mary, but how do I do that? 227 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:21,720 Here are five practical ways that I think we can be more faithful to God in our everyday 228 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:22,720 lives. 229 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:23,720 1. 230 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:25,920 Cry out to God. 231 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,280 When we are praying, we surrender and cry out to God. 232 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:36,000 Hebrews 5.7 says, While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings with 233 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,480 a loud cry and tears to the one who would rescue him from death. 234 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:42,480 And God heard his prayers. 235 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:45,160 Moses cried out for mercy and challenged God. 236 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:46,520 Jonah challenged God. 237 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,800 I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble and he answered me. 238 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,800 I called to you from the land of the dead and Lord, you heard me. 239 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,160 But in their challenges, God showed up. 240 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,200 He answered their cries. 241 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,440 Our God is not one who is afraid of doubt or challenges. 242 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:07,240 So in your prayer, cry out and challenge God if that's what you feel you need to do. 243 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,200 You can do this by setting aside time to be intentional in prayer. 244 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:16,040 Even if it's a little bit of time each day, show God you are faithful by giving him your 245 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:17,040 time. 246 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:18,040 2. 247 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,760 Turn away from bad and turn toward God. 248 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:27,080 Acts 19 tells us, Now repent of your sins and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped 249 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:28,080 away. 250 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:32,240 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord. 251 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,920 Sometimes it's easy to fall into the ways of sin. 252 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,200 We can succumb to gossip, lust or self-pride. 253 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:43,880 If we can, we should turn away from these things and turn toward God, ready and expectant. 254 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:45,960 Will it be easy? 255 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:46,960 Absolutely not. 256 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:48,400 Nothing in life is easy. 257 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:53,080 But when we turn away from the evils of this world and cry out to God, we begin to see 258 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:54,080 transformation. 259 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,080 Do you need to repent? 260 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,000 Perhaps there is something you need to confess to God. 261 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,400 In your intentional time of prayer, lay it down. 262 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:07,640 Repent, put to death the desires of this world and the flesh and find new life in God. 263 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:08,760 3. 264 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:10,400 Read the Word of God. 265 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,320 Sit in the Word, let the good news wash over you. 266 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:18,880 Scripture tells us to read the Bible, James 1.23-25, for if you listen to the Word and 267 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,600 don't obey it, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 268 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:27,320 You see yourself, walk away and forget what you look like, but if you look carefully into 269 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:31,640 the perfect law that sets you free and if you do what it says and don't forget what 270 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:35,440 you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. 271 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,800 Spending time in His Word will help you trust God and deepen your faith. 272 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,920 When we spend time in the Word, it helps us stay pure and turn away from sin. 273 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,320 Much like prayer, we need to be intentional in reading the Word. 274 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,080 Perhaps you can journal what you've read. 275 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,680 This becomes a spiritual practice, a display of faithfulness. 276 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:54,680 4. 277 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,680 Rest in God's love. 278 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,720 God never made a promise to us that this life would be an easy one. 279 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:07,120 John 16.33, I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. 280 00:17:07,120 --> 00:17:12,160 Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows, but take heart because I have overcome 281 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:14,360 the world. 282 00:17:14,360 --> 00:17:17,200 Even in the turmoil and suffering, God is there. 283 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,280 We just need to ask. 284 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:23,960 Sometimes when life is loud and full of heartache, it's hard to hear God above all the noise 285 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,920 and trust that He will be here for us. 286 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,200 There are times we need to trust God the most. 287 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,440 Mary's faith in God wasn't blind. 288 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,320 She started with a posture of faithfulness and then God's faithfulness continued to 289 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,880 reveal itself to her time and time again. 290 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,640 In your intentional prayer in Bible time, leave some space for quiet. 291 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:44,320 Listen for the voice of God. 292 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:48,200 Show Him your faithfulness by giving Him the space to move. 293 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:49,200 John 5. 294 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,080 Don't depend on yourself. 295 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:57,000 Often when we are faced with trials or difficulty, we try to do things in our own strength or 296 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,400 we look to the ways of the world to fix our problems. 297 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:06,520 God tells us in Psalm 55-22, give your burdens to the Lord and He will take care of you. 298 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,800 He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. 299 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:13,520 We can show faithfulness by depending on God and not ourselves. 300 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:17,840 This can even include depending on those who He puts in our paths. 301 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,000 Don't be afraid to tell God of your worries. 302 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,320 Don't assume that you can only do things in your own strength. 303 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,280 Don't be afraid to surrender your burdens to God. 304 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:31,560 The weight of expectation can be heavy, but God has promised to lighten our load. 305 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:33,200 Okay, great. 306 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,920 How do we apply these to our lives, you ask? 307 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:44,080 Well, let's visit everyone's favourite weekly segment of Henley Homework. 308 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,480 Yay! 309 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,800 So over the next week, I would love to challenge you to think about the call God has placed 310 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:53,400 on your life. 311 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,960 Perhaps you are like Pastor Tim, who didn't want to be a pastor because it's maybe what 312 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,040 people expected of him. 313 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:04,360 Or maybe you're like Pastor Tex and the thought of your call was simply inconceivable. 314 00:19:04,360 --> 00:19:08,200 Perhaps you have pushed away the notion of the call simply because like Moses, you feel 315 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:13,000 ill-equipped, like there is someone better out there for the job, or like Jonah, you're 316 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,440 responding with feelings rather than faithfulness. 317 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,960 Think about the call God has on your life. 318 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:23,360 If you don't know it, spend time in prayer and faithfully ask God what his call for you 319 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:24,360 is. 320 00:19:24,360 --> 00:19:28,320 If you do know your calling and you haven't done anything, perhaps you need to apply the 321 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:33,840 five practical ways to help you have faith and listen to the calling God has for you. 322 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:39,680 And they were one, cry out to God, two, turn from bad and turn to God, three, read the 323 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:46,400 word, four, rest in God's love, and five, don't depend on yourself. 324 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:51,640 So some of those scriptures I read before, I was going to put a print out here, but I 325 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:52,640 forgot them. 326 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,280 I have them, but I forgot to put them here. 327 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,720 So if you would like those later, come and see me. 328 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,400 I have a whole bunch. 329 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:05,080 So the benefits of being faithful are that like Mary, we can show others how to trust 330 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:08,200 in God by being faithful ourselves. 331 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,960 This can prove the reality of God for something. 332 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:15,760 If they see that in our hard times, we are faithful and turn to God for help, why can't 333 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:17,840 they themselves do so? 334 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:22,080 And much like a muscle, faith gets stronger when we exercise it. 335 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,200 If you want the benefit of bigger muscles, you train harder. 336 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,160 You want more faith, keep being faithful. 337 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,040 Mary is a model for faithfulness and much like we can learn this from her. 338 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,720 Jesus likely learned this from her too. 339 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:40,360 We can and should be models of faithfulness for our own children and those around us. 340 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:44,400 Let's not forget Mary is the first one to point us to Jesus. 341 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,800 Mary shows us how to live by accepting God's will. 342 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:52,680 She models how we can live without having to control our own lives. 343 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:57,880 She surrenders her son into the trust of God, showing us that God is in charge. 344 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:03,400 Jesus modelled great faithfulness by carrying out the will of God, fully knowing the cost. 345 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,960 Mary knew when she accepted God's will that she would bring his son into the world only 346 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,720 to watch him leave it in ways we could only ever imagine. 347 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:16,000 Jesus knowing God's will had moments where he could have chosen to be unfaithful to the 348 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:17,720 call on his life. 349 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:22,080 In the garden, he could have given in to the temptations of Satan, but he chose to remain 350 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:23,240 faithful. 351 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,800 When he was questioned and accused, he remained faithful. 352 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:27,800 He could have rejected God's will. 353 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,960 He could have chosen to end the suffering before it began. 354 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,000 But he remained faithful to the call until his end. 355 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,240 Not just to God, but to Mary too. 356 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,840 The call on his life completed Mary's mission that God had entrusted her with. 357 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:46,960 And even in these last moments, Jesus showed faith, not just to God, but also to Mary as 358 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,480 he entrusted her care to his beloved disciple, John. 359 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:55,040 Jesus had no earthly treasures, but in his final moments, the care of his mother remained 360 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:56,480 important. 361 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,200 We can remain faithful because Jesus taught us how. 362 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,800 He learned from his mother, and now we can learn from him. 363 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:04,960 The band can come back up. 364 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:09,480 So friends, there is no doubt that the calling on Mary's life was huge. 365 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,800 And maybe at the time, she even doubted that she could do it. 366 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:14,000 Who wouldn't? 367 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,800 But Mary knew that she could trust in God. 368 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:21,040 Because he had showed her time and time again that he could be trusted, we even say in her 369 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:22,680 prayer the Hail Mary. 370 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,240 Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. 371 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,480 And she continued to put her faith in God. 372 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,000 She exercised her faith muscle, and God was good to her. 373 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:37,600 He gave her the gift of his only son, Jesus, a baby who would go on to fulfill a prophecy, 374 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,920 born of a heavenly father to an earthly mother. 375 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,440 Mary continued to be faithful as she surrendered that very child to the will of God, giving 376 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,600 his life for our own. 377 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,120 It is an honor and a privilege to give life. 378 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:54,560 Being a mother continues to be one of my life's greatest blessings. 379 00:22:54,560 --> 00:23:00,640 Mary was fortunate to be not only the mother of Jesus, but a good and faithful servant. 380 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,440 I'd like to hope that my faith is steadfast and true. 381 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:08,920 I may not be able to do some of the things that Mary did, but I know that at every twist 382 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:12,360 and turn along my journey, God is with me. 383 00:23:12,360 --> 00:23:16,120 He is there in the deepest of valleys and on the highest of mountains. 384 00:23:16,120 --> 00:23:21,720 He is alongside me in my walk, behind me if I fall and in front of me when I lose my way. 385 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,480 And his only ask is that I remain faithful. 386 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,320 So friends, be like Mary. 387 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:32,520 Listen to the call of God, act in faithfulness, know that you can trust in him even if you 388 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:33,600 can't see him. 389 00:23:33,600 --> 00:24:00,760 Be faithful, be like Mary.