WEBVTT

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 If you could keep the Jonah passage open in front of you, that would be fantastic.

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 Let me add my Happy New Year to those who I haven't had the chance to see in the last

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 five or six days or whatever it's been.

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 Hopefully you have started well and hopefully this year will be a year in which you grow

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 in your love of God and your knowledge of Him.

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 And we're going to try and do that together tonight by beginning a series in Jonah.

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 And I did challenge you last week, I understand if you forgot, but I did challenge you that

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 we're actually going to look at Jonah, kind of all of it, every week.

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 So even though we read Jonah 1 just then and we're going to read Jonah 3 next week and Jonah

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 4 the week after, we're going to look at all of it.

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 So it would be a good idea to at some point in the next three weeks sit down and have a

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 crack at reading all of Jonah.

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 It's not a big ask and it will bless you as we work our way through the passage.

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 I'm going to pray and then we will start having a look at what it is God wants to teach us

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 from this.

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 Father God, we thank you for the chance to gather this evening.

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 We thank you for your word and the power that it has to shape us and to change us.

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 And we ask that tonight as we sit and as we reflect on the story of Jonah, that you would

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 give us a bigger vision of you, that the result of tonight would not be that we know more things,

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 but that we are different people.

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 We ask that your spirit would make us more and more like Jesus so that you get the glory.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 When you truly believe something, it has to actually affect the way that you live or your

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 actions.

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 It's not enough to just say, I believe something.

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 You can always tell when the rubber hits the road whether or not this is something you have

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 a genuine conviction about.

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 I remember it's nearly 10 years ago now, for my 21st birthday, I was given a round the world

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 ticket.

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 And I was sitting on the plane struggling to sleep.

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 And one of the movies that I decided to watch in that plane was a movie called Super Size

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 Me.

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 I don't know if you remember this movie, but the basic premise is a guy called Morgan Spurlock,

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 cracker of a name, decided that it would be a good idea for a month to eat only McDonald's,

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 breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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 And the rules were, whenever a McDonald's employee suggested that he upsize his meal or would he

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 like fries or he had to say yes.

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 And he had to eat all of whatever came to him over the course of the month.

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 And so, you know, obviously there were people around him, his girlfriend, his friends that

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 were concerned about what might happen over the course of this experiment.

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 And the experiment went roughly like you would expect.

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 There's lots of him vomiting in it.

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 By the end of the month, he's fatter.

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 He's got a worse heart.

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 Everything's going bad for him.

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 And you can watch a movie like that.

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 And even I can watch a movie like that and say, McDonald's is bad for you.

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 McDonald's is going to do you damage.

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 But for some reason, the first thing I did when I got off that plane was go get a Big Mac.

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 I'd spent 45 minutes watching him eat and throw up and eat and throw up.

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 But all it did was make me want to eat McDonald's.

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 And so I could articulate that I believe McDonald's was bad.

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 But what I was doing actually betrayed that I believed something different.

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 I believed that this guy was an idiot and it wouldn't happen to me.

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 When you truly believe something, it changes your actions.

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 It changes what you do as well.

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 And so what about some of the things that we believe as Christians, as followers of God?

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 We believe that God is sovereign.

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 We believe that God is in control.

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 The Bible says it.

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 We claim it.

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 We encourage one another with it.

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 But do we live like God is in control?

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 Would people look at our lifestyle and the decisions we make and the priorities we have

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 and would they conclude from us that we believe God is in control?

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 When you hear about things like the earthquake in Haiti or the various tsunamis that have happened,

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 the global financial crisis, children dying of starvation,

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 can you still, when you hear that, say with confidence, God is in control?

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 Or do you feel a little bit embarrassed when your neighbours ask you, where's your God in that?

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 When your school friends or maybe even your family ask you, where's your God with all this stuff going on,

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 can you still confidently say he's in control?

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 Or do you start to feel a bit apologetic?

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 What about in your own life?

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 When difficult times come, do you feel like God is losing his grip?

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 As you wrestle with the stress of paying bills,

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 as you deal with the death of someone close to you,

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 as you wrestle with the loneliness of being the only single person

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 when all your friends have husbands or wives or boyfriends or girlfriends,

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 in those moments, do you still act like God is in control?

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 Or do you start to wonder whether or not he's actually powerful enough

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 to be in control of everything that's happening in the world?

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 Or what about in the good times?

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 You get a promotion, you get a pay rise,

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 you celebrate the birth of a child, an anniversary,

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 you're feeling healthy, you're secure financially.

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 At that point, do you stop and thank God for what he's given you?

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 Or do you reflect on how hard you've worked

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 and how wise you've been with your finances

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 and how much exercise you've done

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 and how you've looked after yourself health-wise?

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 Yeah, we believe God is in control, we say it,

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 but what about our actions?

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 Do our lives actually speak that we believe that truth?

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 Or is it just a trite theory that we throw out there occasionally

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 because that's what we're supposed to believe as Christians?

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 If there is a difference between what we say we believe

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 and how we're living,

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 then we need to ask God to show us what is really true.

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 And we need to ask him to show it to us in such a way

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 that our life matches up with what we claim to believe

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 so that our words and our actions become one.

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 And so tonight, maybe for you,

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 you need to humbly come before God

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 and ask him to shape how you live

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 in light of the truth that he wants to show you tonight.

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 I want to ask two questions as we wrestle with Jonah.

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 Basically, can God and will God?

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 Open up to Jonah chapter 1.

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 Is God really in control?

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 Jonah is a man in a privileged position when it comes to God.

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 So, bit of background, Jonah's a prophet,

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 which means God speaks to Jonah

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 and then, like, personally speaks to Jonah

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 and then Jonah goes and passes that message on to other people.

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 So, out of all the people,

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 you would expect Jonah to have a level of confidence

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 in God's sovereignty and power more than anyone else.

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 He's got the direct line to God who created everything.

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 He knows stuff.

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 Jonah would speak to God's people.

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 He knows that God is in control and he believes it.

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 It's part of being a Hebrew.

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 He would have memorized the Scriptures.

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 He would have learned big chunks of the Old Testament

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 so that he could have confidently quoted Scripture to you.

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 But does his life actually match his so-called belief

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 in God's control and God's sovereignty?

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 Look at verse 1 with me.

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 The word of the Lord came to Jonah, son of Amittai.

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 Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it

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 because its wickedness has come up before me.

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 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.

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 He went down to Joppa where he found a ship bound for that port.

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 After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish

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 to flee from the Lord.

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 Jonah knows that God is in control.

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 That would have been one of the messages

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 that he was told to keep proclaiming to the people

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 and yet, given a specific instruction from God,

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 he thinks he can run away.

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 God sends him on a very specific mission.

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 There's no possibility that he just got the city wrong

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 and accidentally went in the wrong direction.

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 God says, go to this city with this message

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 and Jonah says, actually, no, I don't want to do that

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 and I'm going to run away.

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 It's kind of ridiculous.

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 God, who created the whole earth,

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 has given Jonah a job

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 and he thinks by going to a city

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 other than the one that God sent him to

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 that he'll be able to get away from the God

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 who created the whole earth,

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 including the city that he's trying to run away to.

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 It's kind of like when little kids play hide and seek

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 and the way they hide is they cover their eyes

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 and say, you can't see me.

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 It doesn't actually work like that.

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 I can still see you.

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 I don't have the same limitation that you have.

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 And Jonah is basically doing that to God.

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 It's like covering his eyes and going,

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 you can't find me.

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 I've gone somewhere else.

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 God knows exactly where he is.

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 God is not limited like us.

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 He is everywhere all the time.

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 He is all-knowing.

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 He knows Jonah's plans

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 before he even decides to run away.

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 And it is ridiculous

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 that Jonah thinks he can run away

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 from the God who has been speaking to him

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 and giving him messages his life.

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 But as ridiculous as it sounds,

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 you and I do the same sort of thing.

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 We get to the point in our life

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 where we think we're more powerful than God.

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 When we face struggles,

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 when we face decisions,

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 it is amazing how self-absorbed we can be

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 to think that we will be better

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 looking after ourselves.

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 I mean, it doesn't take a lot of comparison

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 to understand that we are fairly unimpressive

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 when we stand next to God.

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 Yet somehow we just block that out of our mind

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 and act like I can handle this better than you, God.

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 I'm struggling to pay rent,

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 but I'm pretty sure I can somehow come up with it.

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 And God is sitting there going,

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 I made money.

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 I made everything.

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 I own everything.

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 Yet we choose to trust ourselves.

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 It doesn't take much looking at yourself

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 to realise you're actually not in control of anything.

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 One of the things that reminds me of this regularly

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 is our inability to control the weather.

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 Not that long ago,

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 a fair few of us went to an engagement party

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 for our resident meteorologist.

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 It rained and we had to move the party to a house.

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 You are not in control no matter how much you want to be.

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 You are not in control of how many cars will be on the road

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 when you're trying to get somewhere in a hurry.

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 You are not even in control of your own health.

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 You can try and do things like exercise and eat well

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 that you think will make all the difference,

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 but the reality is you're still not in control.

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 I remember the day quite distinctly,

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 several years ago,

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 when after a series of tests and a whole bunch of issues,

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 I was told that I had a disease

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 and I would have it for the rest of my life.

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 Now despite what some people would like to say,

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 it's not the result of my lifestyle.

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 It has nothing to do with what I have or haven't eaten.

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 I just have a disease because that's the way God decided for my life to go.

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 I am not in control and neither are you.

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 No matter how hard I try, no matter how hard you try,

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 no matter how fantastic you think you are,

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 God alone is in control.

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 He created heaven.

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 He created earth.

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 He did it just by speaking.

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 God can make people sick.

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 He sends plagues on Egypt.

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 He can heal people.

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 We see it over and over again in the gospel.

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 He can part the Red Sea and people walk across as if it's dry land

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 and he defeats even death in his son when he raises him.

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 God can forgive sin and we are reminded over and over in scripture from Job 42.

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 I know you can do all things.

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 No plan of yours can be thwarted.

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 Psalm 135.

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 I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.

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 The Lord does whatever pleases him.

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 There is nothing and no one that can stand between the creator God

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 and his design and his desire.

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 And yet, when we get faced with situations,

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 we still think that we are more trustworthy than God

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 when it comes to handling what is happening in our lives.

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 Listen to how God achieves his purpose in Jonah.

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 Look at verse 4.

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 Jonah is running away and it says, verse 4,

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 the Lord sent a great wind on the sea and such a violent storm arose

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 that the ship threatened to break up.

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 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own God

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 and they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.

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 But Jonah had gone below deck where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

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 Jonah is running away and God could have sent somebody else to go get Jonah.

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 He could have forgotten about Jonah and sent somebody else to go to Nineveh.

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 But God is so in control of every aspect of creation that he can just make a storm happen in such a way

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 that sailors who spend their lives on the sea are so fearful for their life that they know this is not normal.

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 They know somebody has made this storm happen.

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 And straight away they start to ask questions.

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 God can create a storm.

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 God can provide a fish to swallow Jonah.

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 It could have been judgment.

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 It could have been him saving him.

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 It's probably a bit of both.

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 But what really matters is that it's God who provides the fish.

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 It's there explicitly.

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 Verse 17.

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 The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah

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 and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

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 It's God's mighty hand that guides these events.

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 It's not an accident.

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 It's not chance.

00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:10.600
 It's not unlucky.

00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:12.399
 It's God.

00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:18.700
 Because God has a plan and that is for Nineveh to hear that they are living in a way that angers God

00:13:18.700 --> 00:13:21.360
 and he has a plan to use Jonah to tell them

00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:23.779
 and so he will do whatever he needs to do

00:13:23.779 --> 00:13:26.920
 to make sure that Jonah gets to where he's supposed to be.

00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:34.399
 When we grab even the smallest amount of how much greater God is than us,

00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:38.860
 how much more powerful, how infinitely sovereign he is,

00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:43.679
 suddenly our attempts to look after our own lives seem kind of stupid.

00:13:44.579 --> 00:13:47.399
 The Bible describes our life as being like a mist

00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:51.340
 that appears in the morning for a moment and then is burned up by the sun.

00:13:53.579 --> 00:13:54.860
 Our God is eternal.

00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:59.759
 We are less than a drop of water and he is more than an ocean.

00:14:00.179 --> 00:14:03.840
 There is no comparison between our God and us.

00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.639
 He is indescribably powerful.

00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:08.539
 Powerful beyond our comprehension.

00:14:08.819 --> 00:14:12.639
 There is absolutely nothing that is too big for God.

00:14:12.939 --> 00:14:17.779
 There is no situation you will face that he is not powerful to change.

00:14:18.819 --> 00:14:22.980
 So why is it that we still presume in our lives

00:14:22.980 --> 00:14:26.600
 to think we can control things better than he can?

00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:31.159
 Why is it that we hold on to things till the absolute last minute

00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:34.480
 until we've been proved powerless before we give them to him?

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:39.659
 Why is it that we are so fearful of possibility and circumstance

00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:43.919
 when God has shown himself time and time again

00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:47.059
 to be all-powerful, to be in control?

00:14:47.059 --> 00:14:52.139
 But maybe your issue isn't whether or not God can control things.

00:14:52.819 --> 00:14:55.119
 Maybe your question, maybe the doubt in your life is,

00:14:55.439 --> 00:14:57.879
 will God control things in my life?

00:14:58.219 --> 00:15:00.619
 Will he control things in a way that is good for me?

00:15:01.899 --> 00:15:04.219
 Maybe you can acknowledge God is powerful

00:15:04.219 --> 00:15:07.000
 and his big plan of sending Jesus and saving people.

00:15:07.119 --> 00:15:07.839
 Yep, I get that.

00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:08.559
 He's in control.

00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:10.539
 But whether or not I get picked on at school,

00:15:11.339 --> 00:15:12.939
 whether or not I can afford to pay my rent,

00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:15.200
 those are just kind of minor details

00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:16.740
 and God doesn't have time for those.

00:15:17.640 --> 00:15:21.340
 Maybe you're not confident that God cares enough

00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:25.500
 to work into your specific day-to-day moments.

00:15:26.760 --> 00:15:29.280
 I remember just after Sal and I got married,

00:15:29.760 --> 00:15:32.580
 we moved into a fairly small house in Newtown.

00:15:33.220 --> 00:15:35.500
 When we got there, there wasn't any furniture

00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:37.820
 and being an old house, there wasn't any storage either.

00:15:38.380 --> 00:15:41.480
 So I survived what most young married men fear,

00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:44.320
 an afternoon trawling the aisles of Ikea.

00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:47.820
 The only incentive to get me over the line

00:15:47.820 --> 00:15:50.379
 was the $2 hot dog and Pepsi that was waiting at the end.

00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:53.159
 And it's been incentive to get me back a few times as well.

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:56.139
 But somehow I survived our journey to Ikea

00:15:56.139 --> 00:15:59.659
 and we managed to buy a cupboard that would house my clothes.

00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:01.659
 And once we got home,

00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:04.360
 people who know me know that I'm not particularly handy.

00:16:04.800 --> 00:16:06.360
 I'm also not a details person.

00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:08.860
 So I saw the picture on the front cover of the instructions

00:16:08.860 --> 00:16:10.879
 and put that to the side and set to work

00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:13.500
 putting together this flat pack cupboard.

00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.519
 Now, I got to the end feeling pretty proud of myself

00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:18.539
 with a handful of screws and nails left over.

00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:20.639
 That is never a good sign.

00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:23.919
 I also decided that putting the back on the cupboard

00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:24.980
 was going to be a waste of effort

00:16:24.980 --> 00:16:26.899
 because there was a lot of nails that had to go around that.

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:28.560
 And it already had sides in the top and bottom.

00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:30.419
 So I put it up against the wall

00:16:30.419 --> 00:16:32.399
 and it was kind of a little bit slanted.

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:34.720
 I could push it back straight

00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.319
 and then I tried to hold it, but I gave up.

00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:38.179
 So I had a slanted cupboard for a few years.

00:16:38.439 --> 00:16:39.600
 But it held clothes.

00:16:39.939 --> 00:16:41.399
 So that's what a cupboard's supposed to do.

00:16:41.459 --> 00:16:42.159
 So I was content.

00:16:42.439 --> 00:16:43.379
 It didn't look great.

00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:45.019
 It was kind of broken really,

00:16:45.199 --> 00:16:47.699
 but it was holding clothes and that was enough.

00:16:49.559 --> 00:16:51.759
 Is that how you think God looks at you?

00:16:53.340 --> 00:16:55.439
 Do you think he is only interested in you

00:16:55.439 --> 00:16:57.039
 so long as you're breathing and a person

00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.079
 and then from his perspective, he's ticked the box?

00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:03.639
 Do you think that his interest in you finishes

00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.700
 so long as you're alive?

00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:10.579
 Do you think God doesn't care about the details of your life,

00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:12.620
 that he's got bigger things to worry about?

00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:17.440
 You need to understand that God is a master craftsman.

00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:22.759
 God lovingly and carefully moulded you and shaped you.

00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:26.120
 Before you were even born, before the earth existed,

00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:31.000
 he planned every minute of every day that he would give you.

00:17:31.979 --> 00:17:34.859
 The psalmist reminds us that God knits us together

00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:35.899
 in our mother's womb.

00:17:37.719 --> 00:17:39.000
 And as your heavenly father,

00:17:39.219 --> 00:17:43.359
 God is intimately involved in every second of your life.

00:17:44.679 --> 00:17:46.259
 God, as your heavenly father,

00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:50.439
 is heavily invested in every second of your life.

00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:53.360
 Parents don't give birth to their children

00:17:53.360 --> 00:17:55.039
 and then shrug their shoulders and say,

00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:56.539
 good luck, it's up to you now.

00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:59.259
 Parents feed their children.

00:17:59.880 --> 00:18:01.140
 They bathe their children.

00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:02.380
 They clothe their children.

00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:03.640
 They help them when they fall.

00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:04.480
 They laugh with them.

00:18:04.539 --> 00:18:05.380
 They cry with them.

00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:07.380
 Even when children move out,

00:18:07.539 --> 00:18:09.100
 parents continue to ride the bumps

00:18:09.100 --> 00:18:11.700
 that go with kids having their own kids

00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:13.660
 and all the other joys.

00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:16.840
 God is our heavenly father

00:18:16.840 --> 00:18:19.580
 and he cares so much more

00:18:19.580 --> 00:18:21.900
 than any human parent.

00:18:23.060 --> 00:18:26.860
 He can't and he won't leave us alone.

00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:32.040
 Even when it seems like the details of your life

00:18:32.040 --> 00:18:33.480
 are mundane and unimportant,

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.840
 God, as your heavenly father,

00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:37.320
 cares so much for you

00:18:37.320 --> 00:18:41.000
 that he cares so much about those details.

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:43.619
 Look at the way God manipulates

00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:46.079
 and directs and guides minor details

00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:47.019
 in Jonah's story

00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:49.319
 so that he gets where he's supposed to get to.

00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:50.259
 Verse 7.

00:18:51.099 --> 00:18:52.839
 Then the sailors said to each other,

00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:54.200
 come, let us cast lots

00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:55.779
 to find out who is responsible

00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:56.640
 for this calamity.

00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:59.319
 They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

00:18:59.779 --> 00:19:00.779
 So they asked him,

00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:02.299
 tell us who is responsible

00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:04.059
 for making all this trouble for us.

00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:04.980
 What do you do?

00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:05.920
 Where do you come from?

00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:06.759
 What's your country?

00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:07.880
 From what people are you?

00:19:08.420 --> 00:19:09.779
 He answered, I am a Hebrew

00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:11.200
 and I worship the Lord,

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:12.079
 the God of heaven

00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:13.899
 who made the sea and the land.

00:19:14.339 --> 00:19:15.339
 This terrified them

00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:15.920
 and they asked,

00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:16.899
 what have you done?

00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:19.000
 They knew he was running away from the Lord

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:20.339
 because he had already told them so.

00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:22.139
 The sea was getting rougher and rougher

00:19:22.139 --> 00:19:22.960
 so they asked him,

00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:24.059
 what should we do to you

00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:25.819
 to make the sea calm down for us?

00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:27.160
 Pick me up

00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:28.559
 and throw me into the sea,

00:19:28.660 --> 00:19:29.220
 he replied,

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:30.759
 and it will become calm.

00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:32.500
 I know that it is my fault

00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:35.500
 this great storm has come upon you.

00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:38.279
 God makes sure

00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:39.579
 that the lot falls with Jonah.

00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:41.619
 It's not chance,

00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:42.559
 it's not accident,

00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:43.700
 it's not fluke.

00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:45.240
 God makes sure

00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:47.319
 that the lot falls with Jonah.

00:19:48.399 --> 00:19:50.579
 God even guides Jonah's words

00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:51.599
 and his conversation

00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:52.940
 so that while Jonah

00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:53.599
 is in the middle

00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:54.440
 of running away

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:56.079
 from God's plan for his life,

00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:57.740
 God can use him

00:19:57.740 --> 00:19:58.879
 to proclaim to a boat

00:19:58.879 --> 00:20:00.240
 full of scared sailors

00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:01.899
 that the God in heaven

00:20:01.899 --> 00:20:02.420
 is the one

00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:03.539
 who controls the wind

00:20:03.539 --> 00:20:04.339
 and the waves.

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:07.939
 In chapter 4,

00:20:08.019 --> 00:20:09.579
 we see God grow a small tree

00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:10.740
 to give Jonah shade.

00:20:11.199 --> 00:20:12.059
 In 1 Samuel,

00:20:12.179 --> 00:20:12.939
 we see God hear

00:20:12.939 --> 00:20:14.079
 the individual prayers

00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:14.919
 of a barren woman

00:20:14.919 --> 00:20:16.000
 and he gives her a son.

00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:19.079
 God has painstakingly

00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:20.720
 planned out all of creation

00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:22.779
 from day dot in the garden

00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:23.659
 until it comes

00:20:23.659 --> 00:20:24.879
 to its rightful conclusion

00:20:24.879 --> 00:20:26.099
 and not one day,

00:20:26.199 --> 00:20:26.899
 not one minute,

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:27.819
 not one second

00:20:27.819 --> 00:20:29.459
 has been left to chance

00:20:29.459 --> 00:20:30.259
 in God's plan.

00:20:30.259 --> 00:20:33.680
 There is no maybe

00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:35.599
 in God's design.

00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:38.000
 Such is his infinite wisdom

00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:38.799
 and power

00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:41.099
 and such is his love

00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:41.700
 and care

00:20:41.700 --> 00:20:43.119
 that he is perfectly

00:20:43.119 --> 00:20:44.359
 in control.

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:46.400
 There is nothing

00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.640
 that can stop God

00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:51.460
 but he is so loving

00:20:51.460 --> 00:20:52.920
 that even the unimportant

00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:54.279
 or mundane details

00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:54.879
 to us

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:56.259
 matter to him.

00:20:57.539 --> 00:20:58.720
 Now I need to warn you

00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.660
 before we move on

00:20:59.660 --> 00:21:01.779
 just because God can

00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:04.540
 and just because God loves you

00:21:04.540 --> 00:21:05.380
 doesn't mean

00:21:05.380 --> 00:21:06.200
 he will always do

00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:06.840
 what you want.

00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:09.460
 It could be that

00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:10.380
 you don't think

00:21:10.380 --> 00:21:11.340
 or you question

00:21:11.340 --> 00:21:12.040
 God's sovereignty

00:21:12.040 --> 00:21:12.900
 because you have

00:21:12.900 --> 00:21:14.080
 prayed for something

00:21:14.080 --> 00:21:15.160
 and you didn't get it

00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:16.519
 because you have prayed

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.380
 to avoid something

00:21:17.380 --> 00:21:18.380
 and you did get it.

00:21:19.380 --> 00:21:21.080
 God doesn't always promise

00:21:21.080 --> 00:21:21.960
 to do it our way.

00:21:23.060 --> 00:21:24.200
 What he does promise

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:25.500
 is that he is

00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:26.600
 infinitely powerful,

00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:27.500
 there is nothing

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:29.040
 that can stand in his way

00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:30.819
 and that he loves us.

00:21:31.659 --> 00:21:32.740
 That's what he promises.

00:21:33.639 --> 00:21:34.500
 He does promise

00:21:34.500 --> 00:21:35.399
 that he will always

00:21:35.399 --> 00:21:36.299
 work for our good

00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:37.599
 but he never promises

00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:39.099
 that our good

00:21:39.099 --> 00:21:40.079
 will always line up

00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:40.899
 with what we think

00:21:40.899 --> 00:21:41.460
 it should be.

00:21:45.420 --> 00:21:46.680
 God is powerful

00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:48.399
 beyond our comprehension

00:21:48.399 --> 00:21:49.659
 and he cares more

00:21:49.659 --> 00:21:50.500
 than we will ever

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:51.759
 begin to understand

00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:52.599
 in this life.

00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:52.659
 life.

00:21:54.379 --> 00:21:55.719
 If you question

00:21:55.719 --> 00:21:57.359
 whether or not God

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.879
 can work in your situation,

00:21:59.419 --> 00:22:00.799
 the answer is found

00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:01.359
 in Jesus.

00:22:02.399 --> 00:22:03.639
 If you question

00:22:03.639 --> 00:22:04.419
 whether or not God

00:22:04.419 --> 00:22:05.219
 wants to work

00:22:05.219 --> 00:22:06.079
 in your situation,

00:22:06.379 --> 00:22:07.839
 the answer is found

00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:08.919
 in Jesus.

00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:11.459
 When we get to Jesus,

00:22:11.659 --> 00:22:12.139
 we face

00:22:12.139 --> 00:22:13.959
 the most formidable foe

00:22:13.959 --> 00:22:15.519
 that this life knows,

00:22:16.159 --> 00:22:16.519
 death.

00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:18.659
 And in Jesus'

00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:19.719
 death and resurrection,

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:21.059
 God proves that there is

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:22.119
 nothing more powerful

00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:22.579
 than him.

00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:24.279
 He proves to you

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:24.980
 that there is nothing

00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:25.759
 you will face

00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:26.460
 in your life

00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:27.259
 that he is not

00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:28.119
 sovereign over.

00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:30.919
 And in giving us Jesus,

00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:32.059
 he proves that there is

00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.960
 nothing that he will

00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.619
 hold back.

00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:34.759
 Let me read to you

00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:35.500
 a verse from Romans

00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:36.079
 chapter 8.

00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:37.839
 He who did not

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:38.939
 spare his own son

00:22:38.939 --> 00:22:39.799
 but gave him up

00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:40.480
 for us all,

00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:41.579
 how will he not

00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:43.039
 also along with him

00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:44.519
 graciously give us

00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:45.240
 all things?

00:22:46.439 --> 00:22:47.259
 In the moments

00:22:47.259 --> 00:22:47.939
 where you doubt

00:22:47.939 --> 00:22:48.919
 God's love for you

00:22:48.919 --> 00:22:49.559
 and his willingness

00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:50.899
 to pay whatever it costs

00:22:50.899 --> 00:22:51.539
 to ensure

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:53.000
 that you are cared for,

00:22:53.579 --> 00:22:54.939
 that your life

00:22:54.939 --> 00:22:55.740
 is for your good

00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:56.500
 and his glory,

00:22:57.679 --> 00:22:58.559
 remember Jesus.

00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:00.579
 God has already

00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:01.519
 given you the most

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.299
 valuable thing

00:23:02.299 --> 00:23:03.019
 he could give you.

00:23:03.299 --> 00:23:04.179
 He's already paid

00:23:04.179 --> 00:23:05.000
 the highest cost

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:05.640
 he could pay.

00:23:06.579 --> 00:23:07.380
 And it is ridiculous

00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:08.119
 to think that

00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:08.960
 having sacrificed

00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:09.559
 his son,

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:10.819
 he would then

00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:11.599
 hold back

00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:12.480
 on something else,

00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:13.299
 something small.

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:16.240
 The answer

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.259
 to our doubt

00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:18.160
 is Jesus.

00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:20.839
 The answer

00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:21.619
 to our fear

00:23:21.619 --> 00:23:22.339
 is Jesus.

00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:25.200
 But the question

00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:25.700
 remains,

00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:26.900
 what will it look like

00:23:26.900 --> 00:23:27.640
 for us to not

00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:29.700
 simply believe

00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:31.640
 that God is sovereign,

00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:32.579
 what will it look like

00:23:32.579 --> 00:23:33.519
 for us to live

00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:35.400
 that conviction?

00:23:35.639 --> 00:23:36.500
 What will it look like

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:37.420
 to show others

00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:38.180
 that we are confident

00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:38.619
 in that?

00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:39.279
 Let me suggest

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:39.819
 two things.

00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:40.319
 Firstly,

00:23:40.819 --> 00:23:41.980
 if you really believe

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:43.099
 that God is in control

00:23:43.099 --> 00:23:43.879
 of every part

00:23:43.879 --> 00:23:44.480
 of your life

00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:45.700
 and all of this creation,

00:23:46.819 --> 00:23:48.019
 then you will pray more.

00:23:49.460 --> 00:23:50.460
 Now that sounds

00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:51.440
 counterintuitive

00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.740
 because we think

00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:53.480
 if God's sovereign

00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:54.240
 and he's in control,

00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:55.480
 then God's going to do

00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:56.200
 what God's going to do

00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:56.839
 and there's no point

00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:57.259
 to pray.

00:23:58.299 --> 00:23:59.460
 But if you believe

00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:00.539
 that God is powerful,

00:24:00.660 --> 00:24:01.259
 if you believe

00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:02.379
 that God loves you,

00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:03.860
 then when you are in need,

00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:05.100
 you will fall on your knees

00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:05.760
 and cry out

00:24:05.760 --> 00:24:06.960
 to the one person

00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:08.240
 who has the power

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:08.960
 to redeem you,

00:24:09.060 --> 00:24:09.660
 to save you,

00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:10.780
 to provide for you.

00:24:11.100 --> 00:24:11.980
 The one person

00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:12.540
 who has the power

00:24:12.540 --> 00:24:14.060
 to work in every situation.

00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:15.580
 In good times,

00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:16.640
 you will stop

00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:17.520
 thanking yourself

00:24:17.520 --> 00:24:18.700
 because you will recognize

00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:19.720
 that it is God

00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:20.440
 who has given you

00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:20.940
 the blessings.

00:24:21.600 --> 00:24:22.220
 You will pray

00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:22.880
 to thank him

00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:23.620
 for your life,

00:24:23.740 --> 00:24:24.400
 for your home,

00:24:24.560 --> 00:24:25.580
 for oxygen,

00:24:25.800 --> 00:24:26.720
 for beautiful weather,

00:24:26.820 --> 00:24:27.340
 for friends,

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:27.980
 for family,

00:24:28.120 --> 00:24:28.780
 for the countless

00:24:28.780 --> 00:24:29.840
 good things

00:24:29.840 --> 00:24:30.600
 he has given you.

00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:32.939
 When you believe

00:24:32.939 --> 00:24:34.179
 that God is sovereign

00:24:34.179 --> 00:24:35.059
 and in control,

00:24:35.659 --> 00:24:36.459
 then like Job,

00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.000
 you will be able

00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:37.539
 to proclaim,

00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:38.519
 naked I came

00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:39.500
 from my mother's womb,

00:24:39.719 --> 00:24:40.679
 naked I will depart,

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:41.879
 the Lord gave

00:24:41.879 --> 00:24:43.319
 and the Lord has taken away,

00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:44.359
 may the name

00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:45.579
 of the Lord be praised.

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.219
 In darkness

00:24:47.219 --> 00:24:47.980
 and suffering,

00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:49.279
 you will still

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:50.240
 be confident

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.679
 because your God

00:24:51.679 --> 00:24:52.439
 is powerful

00:24:52.439 --> 00:24:53.959
 and your God

00:24:53.959 --> 00:24:54.579
 loves you.

00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:56.959
 Second thing,

00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:58.919
 knowing that God

00:24:58.920 --> 00:24:59.720
 is in control

00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:01.539
 means peace.

00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:04.560
 Doesn't mean

00:25:04.560 --> 00:25:05.080
 that your life

00:25:05.080 --> 00:25:05.759
 will be easy,

00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:06.860
 doesn't mean

00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:07.300
 that it will be

00:25:07.300 --> 00:25:07.980
 event free

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.820
 or pain free,

00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:10.019
 but a life

00:25:10.019 --> 00:25:10.840
 that is confident

00:25:10.840 --> 00:25:11.580
 in a powerful

00:25:11.580 --> 00:25:12.340
 loving God,

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.620
 a life that is confident

00:25:14.620 --> 00:25:15.740
 in his unbreakable

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:17.019
 promise to always,

00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:18.580
 in all things,

00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:19.680
 work for the good

00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.700
 of those who love him.

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.039
 That means,

00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:23.840
 good or bad,

00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:24.920
 whether you can see

00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:25.700
 how God's working

00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:26.160
 or not,

00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:27.740
 if you know

00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:28.580
 your powerful

00:25:28.580 --> 00:25:29.259
 loving God,

00:25:29.340 --> 00:25:30.380
 you can be confident

00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:32.140
 that his plan

00:25:32.140 --> 00:25:32.680
 is still being

00:25:32.680 --> 00:25:33.240
 accomplished.

00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:34.880
 That even as you

00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:36.080
 suffer and struggle,

00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:37.960
 that God is loving

00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:38.880
 you in that moment,

00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:40.279
 that he is there

00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:40.840
 with you

00:25:40.840 --> 00:25:42.600
 and that he is

00:25:42.600 --> 00:25:43.500
 working for your

00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:45.180
 good and his glory.

00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.799
 We have the great

00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:49.819
 promise of scripture,

00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.920
 Jesus' own words

00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:51.940
 in John chapter 10,

00:25:51.940 --> 00:25:52.920
 I give them

00:25:52.920 --> 00:25:53.700
 eternal life

00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:54.420
 and they shall

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:55.200
 never perish,

00:25:55.539 --> 00:25:56.660
 no one can snatch

00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:57.880
 them out of my hand.

00:25:58.600 --> 00:25:59.460
 God's plan

00:25:59.460 --> 00:26:00.240
 for your life

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:02.059
 finishes in heaven

00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:02.700
 with him.

00:26:03.820 --> 00:26:04.960
 And Jesus promises

00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:06.259
 here that nothing

00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:07.820
 can change that.

00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:09.720
 Once you have

00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:10.380
 trusted him,

00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:11.180
 no circumstance,

00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:11.980
 no doubt,

00:26:12.080 --> 00:26:12.740
 no suffering,

00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:13.519
 no pain,

00:26:14.440 --> 00:26:16.420
 nothing can snatch

00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:17.460
 you out of his hand.

00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:19.900
 And so whatever

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:21.299
 you face in your life,

00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:23.360
 you can rejoice

00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:25.000
 confidently in your

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:25.759
 God who is

00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:26.960
 infinitely powerful

00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:29.140
 and infinitely loving.

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:30.779
 With your eternity

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.299
 secure,

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:32.600
 it is so much easier

00:26:32.600 --> 00:26:33.960
 to live in the

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.860
 temporary difficulties

00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:36.000
 that we face now

00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:38.140
 because nothing

00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:39.860
 can snatch us

00:26:39.860 --> 00:26:40.640
 out of his hand.

00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:42.640
 God's sovereignty

00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:43.279
 will lead us

00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:43.880
 to prayer

00:26:43.880 --> 00:26:44.940
 and peace

00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:45.759
 just like it did

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.220
 for Jonah.

00:26:46.860 --> 00:26:47.680
 In chapter 2,

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:48.360
 just after what

00:26:48.360 --> 00:26:48.980
 Gus read,

00:26:49.360 --> 00:26:49.840
 from the belly

00:26:49.840 --> 00:26:50.400
 of the fish,

00:26:50.539 --> 00:26:51.160
 Jonah finally

00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:52.820
 realizes he

00:26:52.820 --> 00:26:53.300
 can't run

00:26:53.300 --> 00:26:53.840
 from God.

00:26:54.840 --> 00:26:55.580
 God's plan

00:26:55.580 --> 00:26:56.200
 will not be

00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:56.600
 stopped.

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:57.620
 And so how

00:26:57.620 --> 00:26:58.300
 does he respond?

00:26:59.320 --> 00:27:00.240
 He prays.

00:27:01.560 --> 00:27:02.480
 He prays

00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:03.120
 because in that

00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:04.000
 helpless moment

00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:04.920
 he recognizes

00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:06.440
 again and afresh

00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:07.880
 God is powerful

00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:08.920
 but God is loving.

00:27:10.600 --> 00:27:11.820
 God sent that fish

00:27:11.820 --> 00:27:12.400
 to make sure

00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:12.960
 Jonah couldn't

00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:13.440
 get away

00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:14.620
 but also to save

00:27:14.620 --> 00:27:14.840
 him

00:27:14.840 --> 00:27:16.720
 and to give him

00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:17.519
 a second chance

00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.540
 to fulfill the purpose

00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:19.079
 that God

00:27:19.079 --> 00:27:19.779
 had given him.

00:27:19.940 --> 00:27:20.420
 Jonah still

00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:21.399
 stuffs up,

00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:22.220
 he still questions

00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:22.480
 God,

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:23.059
 he still makes

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:24.139
 mistakes even

00:27:24.139 --> 00:27:24.599
 through the rest

00:27:24.599 --> 00:27:25.180
 of this book

00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:26.879
 but as he is

00:27:26.879 --> 00:27:27.639
 confronted with

00:27:27.639 --> 00:27:28.240
 his powerful

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:29.059
 loving God

00:27:29.059 --> 00:27:30.500
 he prays

00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:31.519
 and he stops

00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:31.879
 running

00:27:31.879 --> 00:27:33.259
 and he trusts.

00:27:34.920 --> 00:27:35.920
 Just as we finish

00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:36.460
 I want to give you

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.119
 two challenges.

00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:38.220
 We're beginning

00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:38.980
 a new year.

00:27:39.619 --> 00:27:40.500
 We're a week in

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:41.359
 and maybe you

00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:41.779
 didn't make

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:42.279
 a new year's

00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:42.720
 resolution,

00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:43.980
 maybe you did,

00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:44.420
 it doesn't really

00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:44.680
 matter.

00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:46.200
 Forget about

00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:46.680
 new year

00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:47.259
 and just see

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:47.860
 today as an

00:27:47.860 --> 00:27:48.600
 opportunity to

00:27:48.600 --> 00:27:48.920
 start.

00:27:50.340 --> 00:27:51.240
 I want to suggest

00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:51.940
 two things

00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:52.559
 that I think

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:53.799
 will help you

00:27:53.799 --> 00:27:55.440
 this year begin

00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:56.940
 to believe

00:27:56.940 --> 00:27:57.680
 that God is in

00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.100
 control.

00:27:58.519 --> 00:27:59.360
 Not to just say

00:27:59.360 --> 00:28:00.019
 it, not just to

00:28:00.019 --> 00:28:00.319
 be able to

00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:01.039
 articulate it

00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.759
 but to truly

00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:02.620
 believe.

00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:04.019
 Firstly,

00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:06.200
 get to know

00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:06.860
 what God has

00:28:06.860 --> 00:28:07.460
 promised you.

00:28:08.660 --> 00:28:09.299
 I think that

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:10.380
 one of the basic

00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:11.340
 things that leads

00:28:11.340 --> 00:28:12.000
 us to doubt

00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:12.660
 God's goodness

00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:13.840
 is that we

00:28:13.840 --> 00:28:14.360
 actually don't

00:28:14.360 --> 00:28:14.920
 know what it

00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:15.440
 is that he's

00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.160
 promised us.

00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:17.559
 And so in our

00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:18.420
 moment of suffering

00:28:18.420 --> 00:28:19.000
 or our moment

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.500
 of need,

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:20.539
 we doubt God

00:28:20.539 --> 00:28:21.200
 because he's not

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:21.819
 giving us what

00:28:21.819 --> 00:28:23.039
 we want and we

00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:23.600
 think that he

00:28:23.600 --> 00:28:23.940
 should.

00:28:24.420 --> 00:28:25.160
 But it might be

00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:25.740
 that he hasn't

00:28:25.740 --> 00:28:26.340
 promised that.

00:28:28.380 --> 00:28:29.500
 My disease will

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:30.340
 continue in my

00:28:30.340 --> 00:28:31.080
 body for as long

00:28:31.080 --> 00:28:31.779
 as God leaves it

00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:32.360
 there or until

00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:33.420
 Jesus comes back.

00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:35.240
 I have a deep

00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:35.779
 desire that he

00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:36.240
 would take it

00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:36.700
 away, it would

00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:37.279
 make my life

00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:37.700
 easier.

00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:39.559
 But God has

00:28:39.559 --> 00:28:40.200
 not promised

00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:41.380
 anywhere that he

00:28:41.380 --> 00:28:42.180
 will do that.

00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:43.640
 When Jesus

00:28:43.640 --> 00:28:44.420
 comes back, I

00:28:44.420 --> 00:28:44.940
 know then,

00:28:45.120 --> 00:28:45.680
 finally, my

00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:46.259
 body will be

00:28:46.259 --> 00:28:46.860
 cleansed and

00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:47.460
 all sickness

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.000
 and death

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:48.720
 will be removed,

00:28:49.019 --> 00:28:49.900
 but until then

00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:50.400
 there is no

00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:51.320
 promise that

00:28:51.320 --> 00:28:51.779
 that sickness

00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.519
 will get healed.

00:28:53.860 --> 00:28:54.560
 But God

00:28:54.560 --> 00:28:55.200
 does promise

00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.500
 me that in

00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:57.320
 all things he

00:28:57.320 --> 00:28:57.820
 is working

00:28:57.820 --> 00:28:58.980
 for my

00:28:58.980 --> 00:28:59.299
 good.

00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:01.620
 If we don't

00:29:01.620 --> 00:29:02.080
 know the

00:29:02.080 --> 00:29:02.680
 promises of

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:03.240
 God in our

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:04.080
 dark times and

00:29:04.080 --> 00:29:04.620
 in our doubt

00:29:04.620 --> 00:29:05.060
 and in our

00:29:05.060 --> 00:29:05.860
 good times,

00:29:06.220 --> 00:29:07.400
 we will be

00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:08.500
 distracted, we

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:09.180
 will doubt, we

00:29:09.180 --> 00:29:09.820
 will question,

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:12.059
 but when we

00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:12.740
 grab hold of

00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:13.559
 what God has

00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:15.079
 guaranteed in

00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:15.960
 his son Jesus,

00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:17.220
 we will know

00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:17.919
 the peace and

00:29:17.919 --> 00:29:18.659
 the confidence

00:29:18.659 --> 00:29:20.339
 of dearly loved

00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:20.740
 children.

00:29:24.139 --> 00:29:24.539
 Lastly,

00:29:25.919 --> 00:29:26.460
 sorry, just

00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:26.980
 before I move

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.899
 on, let me

00:29:27.899 --> 00:29:28.819
 re-endorse what

00:29:28.819 --> 00:29:29.519
 Janet talked about

00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.099
 before, the

00:29:30.099 --> 00:29:30.559
 Bible reading

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:30.899
 plan.

00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:31.559
 If you're already

00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:32.119
 reading the Bible

00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:32.819
 another way, that's

00:29:32.819 --> 00:29:34.339
 fantastic, but if

00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:35.859
 you're like me, I've

00:29:35.859 --> 00:29:36.579
 been a Christian for a

00:29:36.579 --> 00:29:37.159
 long time and

00:29:37.159 --> 00:29:38.519
 still every year I

00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:39.240
 struggle to be

00:29:39.240 --> 00:29:39.779
 committed in the

00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:40.460
 way I spend time

00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:40.899
 in the Word.

00:29:41.699 --> 00:29:42.419
 This would be a

00:29:42.419 --> 00:29:43.179
 great thing for us

00:29:43.179 --> 00:29:43.919
 to do because we

00:29:43.919 --> 00:29:44.379
 would all be

00:29:44.379 --> 00:29:45.199
 reading it together

00:29:45.199 --> 00:29:46.599
 or even a whole

00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:47.339
 bunch of us reading

00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:48.439
 it together and

00:29:48.439 --> 00:29:49.099
 encouraging one

00:29:49.099 --> 00:29:49.699
 another with what

00:29:49.699 --> 00:29:50.339
 God is teaching

00:29:50.339 --> 00:29:51.659
 us and praying for

00:29:51.659 --> 00:29:52.500
 one another in line

00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:53.159
 with what God is

00:29:53.159 --> 00:29:53.819
 teaching us.

00:29:54.099 --> 00:29:55.059
 If you struggle and

00:29:55.059 --> 00:29:55.759
 you need structure,

00:29:55.939 --> 00:29:57.059
 please get that

00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:57.939
 Bible reading plan.

00:29:58.399 --> 00:29:59.319
 It's not perfect,

00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:00.699
 but it's designed to

00:30:00.699 --> 00:30:01.399
 help you get to know

00:30:01.399 --> 00:30:02.359
 the promises of God

00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:03.379
 so that you can

00:30:03.379 --> 00:30:05.099
 believe that God is

00:30:05.099 --> 00:30:06.339
 powerful and that

00:30:06.339 --> 00:30:07.019
 God loves you.

00:30:07.939 --> 00:30:09.119
 And lastly, pray.

00:30:10.220 --> 00:30:11.119
 Ask for God to

00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:12.539
 help you to trust

00:30:12.539 --> 00:30:12.740
 him.

00:30:13.699 --> 00:30:14.299
 No amount of

00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:15.319
 trying really hard

00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:16.279
 to trust God will

00:30:16.279 --> 00:30:17.220
 actually achieve it.

00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:18.919
 No amount of

00:30:18.919 --> 00:30:19.759
 gritting your teeth

00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:21.220
 will actually make

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:21.819
 the difference.

00:30:23.199 --> 00:30:24.379
 For us to trust

00:30:24.379 --> 00:30:25.139
 God, we need to

00:30:25.139 --> 00:30:26.659
 see him in all his

00:30:26.659 --> 00:30:27.740
 power and glory.

00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:29.619
 We need to see his

00:30:29.619 --> 00:30:31.459
 love in Jesus on

00:30:31.459 --> 00:30:32.959
 the cross and we

00:30:32.959 --> 00:30:33.939
 need God's Holy

00:30:33.939 --> 00:30:34.839
 Spirit to do that

00:30:34.839 --> 00:30:35.339
 in us.

00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:36.899
 We need him to

00:30:36.899 --> 00:30:37.939
 transform our hearts

00:30:37.939 --> 00:30:38.639
 so that what we can

00:30:38.639 --> 00:30:39.480
 say and what we

00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:40.980
 think becomes what we

00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:42.240
 believe and how we

00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:42.539
 live.

00:30:43.220 --> 00:30:43.639
 So pray.

00:30:44.419 --> 00:30:45.079
 And not just for

00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:45.480
 yourself.

00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:46.119
 Pray for your

00:30:46.119 --> 00:30:46.799
 brothers and sisters

00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:47.459
 around you.

00:30:48.539 --> 00:30:49.259
 Pray that we would

00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:50.599
 be a people marked by

00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:52.279
 confidence in our

00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:52.980
 sovereign God.

00:30:53.419 --> 00:30:53.980
 Pray that people,

00:30:54.119 --> 00:30:54.720
 when they meet us,

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:56.059
 before we even say

00:30:56.059 --> 00:30:57.720
 the words, God is in

00:30:57.720 --> 00:30:58.879
 control, they would

00:30:58.879 --> 00:31:00.339
 see a peace in us

00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:02.279
 that can't be explained

00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:03.099
 any other way.

00:31:06.099 --> 00:31:07.220
 Pray that we would

00:31:07.220 --> 00:31:08.339
 be a community that

00:31:08.339 --> 00:31:09.980
 declares the majesty

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:11.200
 and glory of our

00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:12.440
 mighty, sovereign,

00:31:12.759 --> 00:31:14.299
 powerful and loving

00:31:14.299 --> 00:31:16.539
 creator for his

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:16.879
 sake.

00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:27.540
 Give you a

00:31:27.540 --> 00:31:28.400
â.