WEBVTT

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 Thank you, Julian.

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 Maybe whilst we're doing that, can I invite us to stand for the word of the Lord.

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 Thank you, Julian.

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 And said, do not go down to Egypt.

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 Dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.

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 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you.

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 For to you and to your offsprings, I will give all these lands.

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 And I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham, your father.

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 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven,

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 and will give to your offspring all these lands.

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 And in your offspring, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

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 Because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Please take a seat.

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 Please take a seat.

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 Thank you.

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 I had a deja vu moment this week.

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 As you can see, we're in Genesis 26.

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 And we've been going through Genesis since Easter.

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 So it's been a long time that we've been going through.

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 We're just plodding through this book and had a deja vu moment as I read this chapter this week.

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 Actually, I was having lunch with Ken, and we were just talking about how Genesis just feels like it just keeps going.

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 And actually, especially this chapter, it was like, whoa, haven't we read this before?

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 Doesn't this sound quite similar?

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 And I deliberately asked JP just to stop there because I want to retell the story.

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 There are small differences in it, but my goodness, it feels the same.

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 It feels the same as what we've read before.

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 It feels exactly like the stuff that his dad, Abraham, went through, and we're here again.

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 It really made me reflect on one thing, which was actually maybe that is just part of the human life.

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 It is just part of journey, that actually we keep subjecting ourselves often to the same old things.

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 We keep facing the same old problems.

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 We keep doing the same things, and we are just trapped in this cyclical existence.

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 Of course, we've already established earlier in Genesis, the Christian faith isn't one that's linear.

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 It isn't the moment you commit.

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 Suddenly, you're on a rocket ship to heaven.

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 That's not quite what it is.

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 If anything, it's just this slow grind, and it's just a constant cycle of wrestling with the different problems.

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 The same shadows keep appearing, and we have to keep fighting, and we have to keep growing.

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 But in our growth, the hope, the prayer, is that we get closer and closer to Jesus.

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 And so what we see here is that even though there are these same old problems,

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 there is also the same old grace that keeps appearing time and time again.

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 This chapter is the only chapter that is focused on Isaac.

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 Remember, there are the founding fathers of the faith.

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 You have Abraham, and then you have Isaac, and then you have Jacob.

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 Isaac is stuck almost as the middle child of this three musketeer set up.

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 He had a great father.

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 He will have a great son.

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 But he's kind of stuck in the middle with just one chapter to him, and that's it.

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 And even this one chapter feels very similar and feels very same old to the one of his dad.

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 But we're going to look at it, and what we're going to find out is that humanity seems to keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

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 Of course, I'd encourage you as we look at this and go, Isaac, you're pretty stupid.

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 To kind of go, wait.

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 Wait, is that me?

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 And honestly, I look at this book, I often think, especially the Old Testament, it just feels like a mirror to the stuff that's going on inside of my own heart.

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 Chinese, what?

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 You look at this, and you just see a goblin in this book, and you're like, oh, I do.

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 That goblin is me.

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 And so what we see here is the same old thing.

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 And it does sound repetitive, but what we can see is that there is something that also keeps popping up again and again.

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 And I want to focus on that today.

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 And if this chapter is on anything, it's actually not even Isaac.

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 It's once again about God.

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 It's once again about he is good.

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 It's once again about how he has grace, despite whatever we do, however far we run, whatever stupid mistakes we make, he is still here.

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 And so that's what we're going to see here from 26, which is going to fly straight through, verse 1.

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 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine, that was in the days of Abraham.

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 So the writer almost knows this and says, hey, this has kind of happened before, which tells me one thing again.

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 Actually, the chapter before, chapter 25, verse 11, if you just flick over there, you see his dad dies.

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 Abraham dies.

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 And immediately after that, God blesses Isaac, his son.

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 So in the midst of grief, he gets a blessing.

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 In the midst of grief, he gets the blessing.

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 And so you see here, what's interesting about the blessing that is different to how we think about blessings sometimes is when we think we're going to get a blessing from God, we think things are going to be going great.

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 Actually, this is going to be a good year.

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 My investments are going to go well.

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 My work is going to go well.

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 My family is going to go well.

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 But what you see here is God blesses.

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 Isaac receives it in a moment of grief, in a time of grief when he loses his dad.

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 And what happens straight after?

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 Famine.

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 It's important for us to just deconstruct, just deattach, that when we think about God's blessings, it always means just complete harvest.

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 And of course, we know reality is it is not always harvest.

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 In fact, life often, more often than not, is hard.

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 And I've said before, the book of Genesis just seems like just a story of grief as well.

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 What is the main grief from that initial misstep, that initial mistrust?

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 You end up with people who die.

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 Genesis chapter 5, and he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he dies, and he dies.

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 I've also said that grief is actually a gift from God.

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 I've felt that this is something that's been true of my life.

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 Last week, I shared briefly that an aunt that's very, very dear to Joe and I, who was just part of our childhood growing up,

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 was, if honestly, if you think about why we were so connected to Hong Kong and so connected to Chinese culture, she would be the one.

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 We would come home to Hong Kong every summer, and our family of four would go and stay in her tiny little flat in Yunlong,

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 with her family there, all packed in, one toilet, one bathroom, and she would just display this immense hospitality to us throughout the whole summer.

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 Can you imagine that?

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 I don't think I could do that.

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 And she would shower us with gifts.

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 I remember the first time I brought Christina to go see her, the first thing that she did was just stuff Christina's pocket with money.

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 Just like brown notes.

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 And I was like, whoa, whoa, what's that?

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 Why does she get it?

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 Just intense generosity that we got from her.

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 And it was sad to say, on Monday, we went to the hospital, and it was her final few hours.

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 And I got to hold her hand.

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 And I got to joke with her kids.

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 And there's just this beautiful moment where I was holding her hand, retelling some of these stories.

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 And we were laughing.

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 At this point, she was so heavily dosed with morphine, she couldn't hear us anymore.

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 And as we were joking, the nurses run in and say, she's gone.

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 And I was like, wow.

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 What a gift from God that I got to hold the hand of someone whom I loved, who had a profound impact on me.

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 And I got to watch her step from one side to the other.

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 Grief was God's gift to me.

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 He opened up the curtain to show me that life isn't just what there is in this life.

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 I then got to carry that grief into every meeting and into every interaction, often about worldly things and things that we're facing in this world.

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 And I'm like, oh, but it doesn't matter.

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 I don't know if you're carrying grief.

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 I know that I've been with some of you in the hospital these last few weeks.

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 And I remember hugging you and saying, this hurts.

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 This is grief.

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 But this is exactly why Jesus came.

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 Jesus didn't come just to give us a fun and good and pleasurable life and comfortable life.

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 He came to deal with the very thing that we really find is horrible.

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 Death, disease, sickness.

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 Grief is God's gift to us to show us there's something more.

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 And the gift that I got from what I learned from my aunt, I realized I now pass on.

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 The things that we do, Joe and I, we do, we don't even know it.

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 And we realize, oh, that's where we got it from.

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 Again, just being grateful for the people that we have in our lives.

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 But life is really just the same old thing.

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 The same old problems that just keep coming back again.

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 But how do you then not get sucked into that place where you are then just grieving without hope,

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 which is what 1 Thessalonians 4 talks about?

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 No, because whilst there are the same old problems,

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 there is also the same old grace that keeps coming up, back up and up.

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 And every time, again, every time you meet something, there's a problem.

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 You make a mistake, you trip, you fall.

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 Grace is there to catch you.

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 That's why we're here.

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 It's funny.

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 God blesses Isaac and straight away there's a famine.

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 And here is something really interesting.

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 Without even really thinking about it, he does exactly the same thing his dad does,

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 which is what?

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 He heads straight to Egypt.

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 The land that he was in was in famine.

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 He's like, what do I do?

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 I need food for my family.

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 I'm going to head straight to Egypt, which is exactly what Abraham did.

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 And of course, that's where you see in Genesis 12, his story there,

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 which I won't go through today.

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 But you see Isaac doing exactly the same thing.

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 But this time, there's something different.

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 God stops him.

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 So he heads towards Egypt and he stops in a place called Gerar,

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 which is literally just in the middle.

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 And there he meets the king Abimelech of the Philistines.

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 But this time, God intervenes.

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 Last time, he let his dad Abraham go straight to Egypt.

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 This time, he actually speaks and says, verse 2,

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 Do not go down to Egypt.

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 Dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.

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 Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and will bless you.

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 For to you, to your offspring, I will give all these lands

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 and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham, your father.

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 Abraham is dead, but the God of Abraham is not.

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 And now the God of Abraham is now the God of Isaac.

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 If you follow me, if you trust me, if you obey me,

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 the blessing will now be yours, is what he's saying.

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 Don't follow the same mistakes that your dad did.

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 You can trust me.

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 I'll call the Jew.

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 You don't need to go to Egypt.

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 How often do we, when the moment we have trouble,

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 the moment we have problems, the moment we have anxiety,

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 we go back to our Egypt.

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 We go back to the things that we think,

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 You know what?

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 This isn't going to provide for me.

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 Let me just go back to Egypt real quick.

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 And then what happens?

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 Then you get stuck in Egypt.

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 You see the same thing happening here.

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 So Isaac settles in Gerard.

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 And here's where I'll retell the story.

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 And we won't read through all of it,

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 because it just feels and sounds like deja vu.

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 He goes to Gerard.

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 And from there, when the men of the place asked him about his wife,

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 coincidentally, his wife was just as beautiful as his mother.

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 But he runs into the same thing.

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 He is afraid.

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 He's afraid that these people in this foreign land

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 were going to take his wife,

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 and not only take his wife, but kill him in the process.

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 So he does the same thing, which is,

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 Wait.

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 She's not my wife.

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 She's my sister.

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 And I'm just like, are you kidding me?

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 We're reading this again for the third time?

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 That there's a founding father of the faith.

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 Lies about his wife.

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 And so at this point, I nearly switched off.

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 I was like, here we go.

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 Just another same old story.

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 And so he says, she is my sister,

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 for he feared to save my wife,

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 thinking lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebecca.

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 What's interesting is they think that she's the sister.

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 But then the king, actually, on one random day,

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 catches Isaac talking to his wife.

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 And actually, they're just laughing and giggling and flirting.

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 So he's actually caught flirting with his own wife.

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 And the king comes up to him and goes, whoa.

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 Why are you flirting with your sister?

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 Whoa, she's not your sister.

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 She's your wife.

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 How are you going to do us like that?

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 Do you realize the guilt that you're going to put on us

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 if we did that?

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 And then Isaac says, because I thought, this is verse 9,

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 lest I die because of a...

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 Abilenech said, what is this you have done to us?

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 One of the people might easily have lain with your wife,

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 and you would have brought guilt upon us.

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 Isn't it interesting when someone outside of the church

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 calls someone inside the church to a higher place?

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 When we act even just sometimes worse than the people outside?

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 For the third time, this happens.

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 And thankfully, God intervenes and stops,

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 and it doesn't happen.

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 And it tells me one thing.

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 And we were reflecting on this over as a team this week.

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 Isaac wasn't around when his dad did it for the first two times.

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 So where would he have got it from?

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 And it makes me think, and maybe I'm imagining a little bit more here,

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 but it goes back to actually what I said about my aunt.

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 It goes back to what I said about just some of the things

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 that we catch from our parents

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 that we don't even realize that we've caught.

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 Because he didn't see his dad lie about his mom.

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 But you better believe that there were conversations at the dinner table

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 joking about this topic.

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 Do you remember how we got rich?

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 Do you remember when we went to Egypt and there was famine?

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 And then dad was scared?

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 And then he thought he'd lie about mom.

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 And then God just blessed the whole situation,

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 and we came out of Egypt even more rich than we were before.

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 It makes me think, how much of what we hold is actually coming from our parents?

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 How much of what we hold is coming from the people

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 who have been holding important roles in our lives?

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 I often find, actually, so much of it is,

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 and they say this about discipleship,

00:13:55.479 --> 00:13:56.719
 they say this about any kind of teaching,

00:13:56.859 --> 00:13:57.899
 it's caught, not taught.

00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:02.000
 What Isaac learned from Abraham,

00:14:02.599 --> 00:14:03.699
 maybe at the dinner table,

00:14:04.139 --> 00:14:05.539
 maybe just living in everyday life,

00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:09.059
 is choose, when you're afraid, lie.

00:14:11.419 --> 00:14:13.019
 When you are in a foreign land,

00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.299
 do anything to preserve yourself.

00:14:16.339 --> 00:14:19.779
 I wonder what we've been listening at our dinner tables

00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:23.039
 that maybe we don't even realize

00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.339
 that we've actually received from our parents.

00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:29.899
 There's a quote that's from Tim Keller

00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:32.240
 from the book The Empty Counterfeit Gods.

00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:34.159
 We tend to pass on to our children,

00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:35.319
 not what we preach to them,

00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:37.500
 but what we functionally love and fear.

00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:40.039
 Parents, adults, just listen to that again.

00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:42.240
 We tend to pass on to our children,

00:14:42.339 --> 00:14:43.459
 not what we preach to them,

00:14:44.079 --> 00:14:46.059
 but what we functionally love and fear.

00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:48.939
 If a father fears the opinion of man

00:14:48.939 --> 00:14:50.379
 or relies on deceit for safety,

00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:52.659
 his children will absorb that functional theology

00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:54.419
 far more quickly than his verbal creed.

00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:58.879
 I think that's always the battle.

00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.139
 Why is life cyclical?

00:15:00.219 --> 00:15:01.579
 Why do we keep running through the same old problems?

00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:03.740
 Because we're on the same track of choosing,

00:15:04.019 --> 00:15:05.299
 do I believe, do I have faith,

00:15:05.419 --> 00:15:06.259
 or do I have fear?

00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:07.819
 And we all know,

00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:09.379
 we've sat at tables with our family,

00:15:09.479 --> 00:15:10.039
 with our parents,

00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.639
 who have chosen one or the other,

00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:15.919
 and you cannot underestimate the impact that has on a child.

00:15:16.939 --> 00:15:18.899
 So even though he didn't see it happen,

00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:20.879
 we know there's something there

00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:22.379
 that is passed on generationally

00:15:22.379 --> 00:15:23.299
 that we cannot escape.

00:15:24.139 --> 00:15:25.279
 Vodhi Bochum says this,

00:15:25.319 --> 00:15:26.980
 we do not sin in a vacuum.

00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:29.080
 So often we think we sin in a vacuum.

00:15:29.439 --> 00:15:31.199
 So often we think we make our decisions,

00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:32.439
 and actually our kids won't see

00:15:32.439 --> 00:15:33.539
 or the people around us won't see

00:15:33.539 --> 00:15:34.779
 because it's just to do with us,

00:15:34.779 --> 00:15:36.079
 and what you realize is actually

00:15:36.079 --> 00:15:38.480
 our decisions are not made in a vacuum.

00:15:38.620 --> 00:15:39.959
 We are communal beings.

00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:42.039
 Every decision we make impacts the person

00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:44.139
 sat next to us, in front of us, behind us.

00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:45.779
 We do not sin in a vacuum.

00:15:46.339 --> 00:15:48.399
 Our choices construct a spiritual environment

00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.759
 for those who follow us.

00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:52.000
 Unconfessed sin in a parent

00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:53.860
 sets up a momentum of compromise

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:55.459
 that requires intentional,

00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:58.100
 spirit-empowered resistance for a child to break.

00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:01.159
 Don't we have that?

00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:03.279
 I just want to sit there and part there for a second.

00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.519
 Because I think about my life.

00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:06.459
 I think about my kuma.

00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:08.699
 I think about my dad.

00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:11.480
 I think about, actually,

00:16:12.299 --> 00:16:15.299
 growing up I used to say one thing about my dad is,

00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:17.399
 my dad is a lot shorter than all the other people

00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:19.159
 because he was five foot three.

00:16:19.659 --> 00:16:22.519
 So, I mean, the genes were always against us

00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:23.019
 from the beginning.

00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:25.120
 But he was really good at parking.

00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:26.759
 Like, really good at parking.

00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:29.259
 Just like one hand, swerving.

00:16:29.539 --> 00:16:31.079
 You know, you put the arm on the back seat

00:16:31.079 --> 00:16:32.559
 and you go like this.

00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:33.899
 Like this.

00:16:35.079 --> 00:16:35.819
 I admired it.

00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:36.319
 So, I was like,

00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:37.860
 my dad might be shorter than yours,

00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:39.360
 but my dad parks better than yours.

00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.339
 Something else about my dad

00:16:41.339 --> 00:16:42.860
 that I've shared about is just punctuality.

00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:44.240
 Like, honestly,

00:16:44.439 --> 00:16:46.019
 if you're not five minutes early,

00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:46.939
 you are ten minutes late.

00:16:48.179 --> 00:16:49.939
 And we'd always sit there going,

00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:51.439
 why are we waiting for those?

00:16:51.579 --> 00:16:52.240
 I love it.

00:16:52.319 --> 00:16:52.699
 Just people,

00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:54.720
 just couples looking at each other as we...

00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:56.879
 Anyway, I'm not going to address it.

00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:02.320
 And we used to sit as kids in the car going,

00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:03.120
 look, dad,

00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:04.900
 let's be sensible here.

00:17:05.019 --> 00:17:06.539
 We know that family that we're meeting

00:17:06.539 --> 00:17:07.680
 is going to be half an hour late.

00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:08.279
 We know it.

00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.099
 So, why don't we just show up

00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:12.279
 the time that we know they're going to be?

00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:13.460
 And he'd say,

00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.700
 just because they're late

00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:15.819
 doesn't mean that we will be late.

00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:17.960
 And so, we will sit in the car

00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:18.880
 and we will wait.

00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:20.000
 And we don't have smartphones,

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:21.400
 so you're just going to listen

00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:22.799
 to the songs that I'm listening to,

00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:23.960
 Eric Clapton,

00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:25.299
 and we're just...

00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:26.119
 And that's going to be it.

00:17:27.619 --> 00:17:29.220
 I realized I caught that.

00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:31.700
 I caught that from him.

00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:32.960
 He didn't necessarily...

00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:34.039
 He did teach as well.

00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:35.700
 But I caught that.

00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:36.680
 I wonder what you have.

00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:38.240
 Let me go around here and ask.

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:39.220
 What did you catch?

00:17:40.660 --> 00:17:42.259
 Aidan, what have you caught from your parents?

00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:51.460
 I illegally park a lot.

00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:52.779
 You illegally park a lot.

00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:53.759
 Woo!

00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:57.619
 I haven't had a ticket

00:17:57.619 --> 00:17:59.420
 since last year's summer.

00:18:00.140 --> 00:18:01.940
 Oh, pride comes before the fall.

00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:04.059
 You haven't...

00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:05.920
 You illegally park a lot

00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:06.700
 and you haven't had...

00:18:06.700 --> 00:18:07.579
 Which means, actually,

00:18:07.700 --> 00:18:09.319
 you've more than broken even.

00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:11.819
 Like, that's how I find...

00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:12.259
 That's how I...

00:18:12.259 --> 00:18:14.859
 Sometimes I'm also prone to doing this.

00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:15.700
 But I'm also like,

00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:17.220
 if I can get away with it for 10 times,

00:18:17.259 --> 00:18:18.059
 I've already broken even.

00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:19.420
 So, you can charge me whatever you want.

00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.299
 Sorry, but it's being recorded.

00:18:21.339 --> 00:18:22.140
 Oh, it's being recorded.

00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:22.980
 I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.819
 I will pay the fine.

00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:26.460
 I will pay the fine.

00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:27.599
 Debt has to be paid.

00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:34.799
 Janine, I don't think I've ever picked on you.

00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:35.680
 I want to pick on you today.

00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:37.119
 What did you catch from your parents?

00:18:43.819 --> 00:18:46.259
 Their heart to host.

00:18:46.980 --> 00:18:47.319
 My goodness.

00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:48.359
 And I can see that in you.

00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:49.779
 The way you just invite people.

00:18:50.259 --> 00:18:51.400
 And you were actually...

00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:52.279
 Did they teach us that?

00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:53.480
 Did they sit you down and say,

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:55.480
 hey, we're going to have a couple of lessons

00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.440
 as a family on hosting?

00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:57.180
 No, you just see it.

00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:57.619
 You catch it.

00:18:57.660 --> 00:18:58.059
 You see it.

00:18:58.279 --> 00:18:59.200
 And you just...

00:18:59.200 --> 00:18:59.920
 And it follows suit.

00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:01.940
 Can you see the impact that we have,

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:03.440
 that our families have on us?

00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:05.220
 And it makes you think,

00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:06.680
 what are the things that I've caught?

00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.720
 The good and the bad.

00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:10.140
 What is the voice of the parent

00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:11.480
 that is going on inside you?

00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:12.920
 It's something to think about

00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:14.240
 because we see here Isaac falling

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:15.599
 into the same traps his dad did.

00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.759
 And it carries on.

00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:18.240
 But before that,

00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:18.819
 in verse 12,

00:19:18.879 --> 00:19:19.379
 if something happens,

00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:20.359
 okay, so the plot is gone.

00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:22.700
 Rebecca is his wife.

00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:23.680
 It's settled.

00:19:24.539 --> 00:19:25.200
 He lies.

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:26.279
 And he gets away with it.

00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:26.900
 Verse 12.

00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:28.319
 And Isaac sowed in that land

00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:30.019
 and reaped in the same year a hundredfold.

00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:31.180
 The Lord blessed him.

00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:33.820
 This challenges most Christian thinking

00:19:33.820 --> 00:19:35.840
 because we think when we do something bad,

00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:37.799
 then God will punish us.

00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:38.519
 Correct?

00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:41.060
 Things won't go well for us.

00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:42.620
 Or when some things don't go well for us,

00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:42.940
 you wonder,

00:19:43.060 --> 00:19:44.620
 oh, is it because I'm not reading my Bible enough?

00:19:45.320 --> 00:19:46.420
 And what you see here is

00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:47.519
 the same old problems come,

00:19:47.600 --> 00:19:49.759
 but the same old grace always overcomes that.

00:19:50.060 --> 00:19:51.220
 And so even though he lies

00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:53.420
 and even though he's forced into the same generational sin

00:19:53.420 --> 00:19:54.140
 that his dad does,

00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:54.860
 verse 12,

00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:56.120
 God still blesses him.

00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:58.179
 He blesses him 100 fold.

00:19:59.719 --> 00:20:01.179
 The standard rate of that time

00:20:01.179 --> 00:20:03.019
 is if they made an investment into a farm,

00:20:03.159 --> 00:20:04.099
 it would have been 10 fold.

00:20:04.719 --> 00:20:05.639
 Maximum 30 fold

00:20:05.639 --> 00:20:06.579
 would have been a very good year.

00:20:06.719 --> 00:20:08.219
 Imagine he makes an investment

00:20:08.219 --> 00:20:10.159
 and he gets a hundred times back.

00:20:11.699 --> 00:20:12.399
 This would have been,

00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:13.979
 people would have looked at him and gone,

00:20:14.119 --> 00:20:15.479
 something's going on with this guy.

00:20:15.959 --> 00:20:17.159
 No one makes an investment

00:20:17.159 --> 00:20:19.099
 and gets a hundred times back.

00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:21.639
 Something's going wrong.

00:20:22.019 --> 00:20:23.119
 Well, not something's going wrong.

00:20:23.339 --> 00:20:25.059
 Something is different about this guy.

00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:27.759
 Well, maybe not about this guy necessarily,

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:29.039
 but about his God.

00:20:30.159 --> 00:20:32.220
 And so then you see the Lord blessed him

00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:33.179
 and the man became rich

00:20:33.179 --> 00:20:34.220
 and gained more and more

00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:35.539
 until he became very wealthy.

00:20:36.539 --> 00:20:37.779
 He had possessions of flocks,

00:20:37.819 --> 00:20:39.079
 so just basically how rich he was.

00:20:39.220 --> 00:20:40.359
 But then something happens.

00:20:40.679 --> 00:20:41.359
 Verse 14,

00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:43.720
 so that the Philistines envied him.

00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:45.419
 So the moment he started getting more,

00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:47.279
 envy started to creep up around

00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:48.379
 from the people around him.

00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:49.500
 So they envy him.

00:20:49.619 --> 00:20:50.240
 And after that,

00:20:50.299 --> 00:20:51.000
 they not only envy,

00:20:51.220 --> 00:20:52.659
 they actually then start sabotaging

00:20:52.660 --> 00:20:55.360
 his wealth in verse 15.

00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:56.500
 Now the Philistines had stopped

00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:58.019
 and filled earth with all the wells

00:20:58.019 --> 00:20:59.300
 that his father's servants had dug

00:20:59.300 --> 00:21:00.480
 in the days of Abraham his father.

00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:01.660
 Bear in mind, it's a famine.

00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:03.860
 What do you really need in a famine?

00:21:04.060 --> 00:21:05.880
 What do you need for human existence or life?

00:21:06.080 --> 00:21:06.700
 You need water.

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.560
 Where do you get the water from

00:21:08.560 --> 00:21:09.320
 in those kind of places?

00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:09.700
 Wells.

00:21:10.360 --> 00:21:11.900
 So wells are extremely important

00:21:11.900 --> 00:21:14.100
 to the survival of a group of people.

00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.600
 And so what did the Philistines do?

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:16.620
 They envy him from far.

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.720
 Why is this guy getting so rich?

00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:19.640
 Why is every investment he makes

00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:20.980
 comes back a hundredfold?

00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:22.940
 Let's slow him down a little bit.

00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:24.200
 Otherwise, he's going to get too powerful.

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.079
 So what do they do?

00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:26.160
 In the middle of the night,

00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:27.480
 they grab a group of guys

00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:30.000
 and they're going to fill all his wells with dirt

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.779
 to stop them from having water,

00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:34.079
 to sabotage his wealth.

00:21:35.360 --> 00:21:37.180
 After that, verse 16,

00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:38.120
 Abimelech says,

00:21:38.180 --> 00:21:38.420
 you know what?

00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:38.860
 That's enough.

00:21:39.579 --> 00:21:40.259
 Go away from us

00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:41.460
 for you are much mightier than we.

00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:42.140
 You know what?

00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:43.480
 We don't even want you in our land anymore.

00:21:43.579 --> 00:21:43.700
 Why?

00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:45.019
 Because you're getting too rich from our land.

00:21:45.299 --> 00:21:45.799
 Go away.

00:21:45.860 --> 00:21:46.600
 So they envy him.

00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:47.480
 Then they sabotage.

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.839
 And then they actually exile him

00:21:48.839 --> 00:21:49.639
 and send him away.

00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:53.539
 What is Isaac's response to all of this?

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:56.000
 Remember, this is the only chapter we have on Isaac.

00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:57.319
 So we have to glean everything that we can

00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:59.579
 about this man from this one chapter.

00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:01.099
 So Isaac departed from there

00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:02.399
 and encamped in the valley of Jerar

00:22:02.399 --> 00:22:03.039
 and settled there.

00:22:03.699 --> 00:22:04.779
 And then, verse 18,

00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:06.019
 he dug again the wells of water

00:22:06.019 --> 00:22:07.559
 that had been dug in the days of Abraham.

00:22:08.339 --> 00:22:09.659
 The Philistines had stopped after the death.

00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:10.879
 And then he does it.

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:12.500
 But what happens when he digs that well?

00:22:12.579 --> 00:22:13.159
 Verse 19,

00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:16.200
 the herdsman of, verse 20,

00:22:16.300 --> 00:22:19.240
 the herdsman of Jerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsman,

00:22:19.320 --> 00:22:20.340
 saying, the water is ours.

00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:22.259
 So they called the name of the well, Isaac.

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.480
 So this happens twice.

00:22:23.820 --> 00:22:24.240
 So they go.

00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:25.380
 So actually, interestingly,

00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:26.980
 even though he is a man of fear,

00:22:27.040 --> 00:22:28.460
 because that's why he lied about his wife,

00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:30.460
 throughout this journey,

00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:32.400
 you start to see him building the muscle

00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:33.240
 that is called faith.

00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:35.480
 So you start to see him change.

00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:37.460
 And you start to see him change before your eyes.

00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:38.940
 Because now there's an enemy

00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:40.759
 that is trying to sabotage him,

00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:42.079
 trying to push him away.

00:22:42.360 --> 00:22:43.440
 But instead of fighting him,

00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:45.700
 remember, Isaac is super rich.

00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:48.220
 His dad was also super rich.

00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:51.620
 And actually, he had 318 men

00:22:51.620 --> 00:22:53.519
 that actually overcame a king

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:54.759
 that was ruling over five kingdoms.

00:22:54.980 --> 00:22:56.180
 So his dad was a powerful man.

00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:58.319
 The assumption here is that Isaac's the same.

00:22:58.940 --> 00:23:00.140
 At any moment, he could have said,

00:23:00.220 --> 00:23:01.220
 why are you destroying my wells?

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.720
 I'm going to destroy you.

00:23:03.059 --> 00:23:04.620
 I have way more power than you.

00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:06.240
 Why am I even letting you do this?

00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.480
 But he doesn't.

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:09.779
 Because I think if he went that way,

00:23:09.859 --> 00:23:11.019
 it would have been the way of fear.

00:23:11.220 --> 00:23:12.680
 But instead, he chooses the way of faith.

00:23:12.779 --> 00:23:13.759
 And what does he have faith in?

00:23:14.099 --> 00:23:16.299
 Actually, you can do whatever you want to me.

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:18.579
 But my God is more powerful

00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:20.599
 than anything that you can ever do.

00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:22.700
 And I'm not afraid of you at all.

00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:24.120
 And so what does he do?

00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:26.099
 He digs a well, finds water,

00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.960
 but then they come and quarrel with him.

00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:29.460
 And then they actually contend with him.

00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:30.559
 So he's like, you know what?

00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:31.160
 I'm going to leave it.

00:23:31.339 --> 00:23:32.099
 You have that well.

00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:33.220
 I'm going to call this well

00:23:33.220 --> 00:23:34.120
 the well of contention.

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:34.920
 And it's all yours.

00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:35.920
 And then he goes.

00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:37.000
 And he goes and finds another well.

00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:38.019
 And from that level,

00:23:38.140 --> 00:23:39.039
 he finds water again.

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:40.120
 And then they come and go

00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:41.120
 and fight him for that.

00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:42.400
 And so actually that well,

00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:44.000
 he calls the well of hostility.

00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:45.000
 So he's like, okay,

00:23:45.140 --> 00:23:46.539
 this well of contention is all yours.

00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:47.300
 I don't care for it.

00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:47.840
 You take it.

00:23:48.120 --> 00:23:48.620
 This well here,

00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:49.240
 you're fighting me?

00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:49.480
 Fine.

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:50.360
 You take it.

00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:56.139
 You start to see this man start to build his trust in God

00:23:56.139 --> 00:23:58.240
 to the point where he doesn't have to fight people anymore.

00:23:58.519 --> 00:24:00.000
 He doesn't have to lie anymore.

00:24:00.059 --> 00:24:00.199
 Why?

00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:03.779
 Because he knows God will ultimately give him what he needs

00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:06.539
 because God promised him that in the beginning of the chapter.

00:24:06.919 --> 00:24:07.519
 And so finally,

00:24:07.699 --> 00:24:09.019
 they find a final well.

00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:10.019
 And he moved from there.

00:24:10.099 --> 00:24:11.179
 And this time,

00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:12.339
 they did not quarrel over it.

00:24:12.339 --> 00:24:14.939
 So he called the name Rehoboth saying,

00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:16.639
 for now the Lord has made room for us

00:24:16.639 --> 00:24:19.579
 and we shall be fruitful in the land.

00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.720
 There is trust.

00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:24.279
 You can take my stuff.

00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:26.319
 You can take my job.

00:24:26.379 --> 00:24:27.339
 You can take that promotion.

00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:30.539
 You can take all these things

00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:32.079
 because ultimately,

00:24:32.659 --> 00:24:34.519
 I have a God who is in complete control,

00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:35.980
 who is sovereignly for me,

00:24:36.199 --> 00:24:37.599
 who knows what I need,

00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:39.099
 doesn't always give me what I want,

00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:41.319
 but I'm provided for.

00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:42.779
 If you're going to fight me for it,

00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:43.200
 you take it.

00:24:44.259 --> 00:24:45.559
 I wonder how many of us

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:48.019
 can even carry that attitude into our workplace.

00:24:50.099 --> 00:24:53.039
 Especially if you work in an area like finance,

00:24:53.879 --> 00:24:55.299
 where it's a dog-eat-dog world.

00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:57.419
 Can you be in a place where you're like,

00:24:58.939 --> 00:25:01.500
 hey, everything I have comes from God anyway.

00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:02.639
 And actually,

00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:05.299
 even if you try to take it away from me,

00:25:05.639 --> 00:25:06.819
 if God wants me to have it,

00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:07.980
 he'll let me have it.

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:12.200
 I'm not going to have to scrounge and fight

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:14.099
 and lie and be deceitful.

00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:15.559
 Because why?

00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:16.400
 Because God's got my back.

00:25:17.660 --> 00:25:18.360
 You see, Isaac,

00:25:18.700 --> 00:25:20.480
 the same man that lied about his wife,

00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:22.339
 is starting to learn.

00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:24.039
 And he gets to the place

00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:24.860
 where he actually

00:25:24.860 --> 00:25:27.680
 finds that God provides for him.

00:25:28.140 --> 00:25:29.500
 And then when God provides for him,

00:25:29.660 --> 00:25:30.319
 God speaks again.

00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:31.220
 I am the God of Abraham,

00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:31.720
 your father.

00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:32.259
 Fear not,

00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:33.460
 for I am with you

00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:34.379
 and will bless you

00:25:34.379 --> 00:25:35.519
 and multiply your offspring

00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:37.379
 for my servant Abraham's sake.

00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.519
 So he builds an altar there.

00:25:39.059 --> 00:25:40.039
 He gets so rich

00:25:40.039 --> 00:25:40.980
 to the point where

00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:42.579
 Abimelech comes back.

00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:44.599
 So the guy who drove him away

00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:45.940
 comes back and says to him,

00:25:46.119 --> 00:25:47.039
 and he doesn't come back on his own.

00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:47.779
 He comes back

00:25:47.779 --> 00:25:49.319
 with Ahuhazaph,

00:25:49.579 --> 00:25:50.220
 his advisor,

00:25:50.379 --> 00:25:50.759
 and Fickle,

00:25:50.839 --> 00:25:51.740
 the commander of his army.

00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:53.599
 Likely the same Fickle

00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:55.119
 that went to Abraham

00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:56.720
 in a very similar situation

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:58.559
 in chapter 20 and 21.

00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:00.879
 And they come to him

00:26:00.879 --> 00:26:02.519
 and Isaac's response to them is,

00:26:02.659 --> 00:26:03.339
 why have you come to,

00:26:03.379 --> 00:26:04.159
 this is verse 27,

00:26:04.579 --> 00:26:05.579
 why have you come to me

00:26:05.579 --> 00:26:06.539
 seeing that you hate me

00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:07.919
 and have sent me away from you?

00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:09.599
 Verse 28,

00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:10.559
 we see plainly

00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:11.919
 that the Lord has been with you.

00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:13.759
 That is the dream.

00:26:14.099 --> 00:26:14.740
 That is the prayer.

00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:16.019
 That someone in your workplace,

00:26:16.139 --> 00:26:16.599
 your boss

00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.700
 who has been mistreating you,

00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.079
 your family member

00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:20.500
 who just always,

00:26:20.500 --> 00:26:21.539
 always just messes with you,

00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:22.559
 comes to you and says,

00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:23.000
 you know what?

00:26:24.460 --> 00:26:25.220
 I can see

00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:26.480
 and it's pretty clear to me

00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:28.359
 that your God is with you.

00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:31.839
 And whilst you chose fear

00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:32.720
 at the beginning,

00:26:33.639 --> 00:26:35.220
 I'm starting to see

00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:37.220
 that there is worth

00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:38.079
 in having faith

00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:39.099
 in your God.

00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:40.700
 And so they come

00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:41.359
 and so they say,

00:26:41.419 --> 00:26:41.559
 hey,

00:26:42.139 --> 00:26:43.059
 can we make a deal?

00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:44.119
 Do you remember how

00:26:44.119 --> 00:26:46.119
 we actually treated you quite well

00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:47.139
 and we did no harm to you?

00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:47.859
 Which is ironic.

00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:48.419
 Verse 29,

00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:48.740
 he says,

00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:50.000
 that you will do us no harm

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:51.079
 just as we have not touched you

00:26:51.079 --> 00:26:51.879
 and have done to you

00:26:51.879 --> 00:26:52.759
 nothing but good

00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:54.079
 and have sent you away in peace.

00:26:54.419 --> 00:26:54.919
 If I'm Isaac,

00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:55.399
 I'm like, bro,

00:26:56.379 --> 00:26:57.399
 you have short-term memory

00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:58.660
 because you did not

00:26:58.660 --> 00:26:59.440
 do me no harm.

00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:01.120
 Every well I dug,

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:01.880
 you came to fill.

00:27:03.380 --> 00:27:04.660
 Every time I had success,

00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:05.420
 you pushed me away

00:27:05.420 --> 00:27:07.900
 and you sent me

00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:08.320
 into work.

00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:09.960
 And yet now you dare

00:27:09.960 --> 00:27:10.880
 come to me and say,

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:11.140
 hey,

00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:11.660
 do you remember

00:27:11.660 --> 00:27:12.519
 how we were good friends

00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.740
 and we were just cool

00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:14.300
 with each other?

00:27:15.300 --> 00:27:17.120
 Does Isaac retaliate?

00:27:17.120 --> 00:27:18.080
 Does Isaac even have

00:27:18.080 --> 00:27:18.720
 a snide,

00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.759
 passive-aggressive comment?

00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:20.940
 He does not.

00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:22.140
 Why?

00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:22.960
 He's growing.

00:27:23.660 --> 00:27:24.300
 He's growing.

00:27:24.700 --> 00:27:25.860
 He's growing in his faith.

00:27:25.859 --> 00:27:27.179
 So what does he do instead?

00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:27.839
 Verse 30.

00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:29.319
 So he makes them a feast

00:27:29.319 --> 00:27:31.359
 and they ate and drank.

00:27:32.879 --> 00:27:33.539
 I don't know.

00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:34.219
 If someone does

00:27:34.219 --> 00:27:35.519
 that kind of stuff to me,

00:27:35.819 --> 00:27:37.019
 I don't think I'd be comfortable

00:27:37.019 --> 00:27:37.819
 buying them lunch.

00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:42.319
 But so often I live,

00:27:42.899 --> 00:27:43.759
 a lot of my decisions

00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.699
 are based and driven

00:27:44.699 --> 00:27:45.199
 out of fear.

00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:48.179
 But if they're driven

00:27:48.179 --> 00:27:49.019
 out of faith

00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:50.599
 in a God

00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:51.979
 who looks after me

00:27:51.979 --> 00:27:52.539
 no matter what

00:27:52.539 --> 00:27:53.459
 and nothing happens to me

00:27:53.459 --> 00:27:54.240
 without his say-so,

00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.720
 that then allows me

00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:56.660
 to sit and stare

00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:57.420
 at someone in the eye

00:27:57.420 --> 00:27:58.579
 who has mistreated me

00:27:58.579 --> 00:27:58.799
 and go,

00:27:58.859 --> 00:27:59.220
 you know what?

00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:00.180
 Let me buy you lunch.

00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:03.480
 Can you see the audacity

00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:03.779
 in that?

00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:04.700
 Can you see the recklessness

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:05.339
 in that almost

00:28:05.339 --> 00:28:05.799
 and the mindset?

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:08.039
 That's the Christian faith

00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:09.039
 starting to appear.

00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:11.859
 So they have dinner.

00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:12.859
 In the morning,

00:28:12.980 --> 00:28:13.539
 they rose early

00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:14.160
 and exchanged those

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.859
 and Isaac sent them

00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:15.240
 on their way

00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:15.779
 and they departed

00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:16.460
 from him in peace.

00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:17.940
 That same day,

00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:18.579
 that same day

00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:19.460
 that that happened,

00:28:19.819 --> 00:28:20.559
 Isaac's servants came

00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:20.839
 and said,

00:28:20.940 --> 00:28:21.859
 hey, we found water.

00:28:21.859 --> 00:28:24.199
 And you think,

00:28:24.339 --> 00:28:24.479
 wow.

00:28:25.639 --> 00:28:26.759
 And that's pretty much it,

00:28:26.779 --> 00:28:26.979
 actually.

00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.179
 We don't hear much more

00:28:28.179 --> 00:28:29.699
 from Isaac's life

00:28:29.699 --> 00:28:30.199
 than that.

00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:33.119
 But what you see again,

00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:34.759
 the same old famine,

00:28:35.619 --> 00:28:36.559
 the same old lies,

00:28:36.719 --> 00:28:37.479
 the same old problems,

00:28:38.479 --> 00:28:39.579
 but the same grace.

00:28:39.939 --> 00:28:40.199
 Why?

00:28:40.459 --> 00:28:41.439
 Not because of Isaac,

00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:42.419
 not because of Abraham,

00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:43.740
 but because they had a God

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.559
 who was relentless

00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:45.859
 and consistent

00:28:45.859 --> 00:28:48.139
 and good for his promise.

00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:50.039
 This whole book

00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:51.259
 is not about faithful people.

00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:52.099
 Those two guys

00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:52.660
 both made it,

00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:53.379
 Abraham and Isaac.

00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:54.700
 But as we've learned,

00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:55.220
 they're not really

00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:55.700
 that faithful.

00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:58.000
 But what we see here,

00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:58.960
 even though there is

00:28:58.960 --> 00:28:59.740
 generational sin,

00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:00.839
 even though the same problems

00:29:00.839 --> 00:29:01.940
 that we keep going back to,

00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:04.160
 God keeps coming back

00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:05.799
 and God keeps ruling

00:29:05.799 --> 00:29:06.440
 and reigning

00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:07.839
 in the same way.

00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:09.180
 So, blessings.

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.559
 They're not always easy.

00:29:12.099 --> 00:29:12.759
 It doesn't mean

00:29:12.759 --> 00:29:13.579
 we won't have famines.

00:29:13.879 --> 00:29:14.700
 We do have famines.

00:29:15.579 --> 00:29:16.579
 But what it does mean

00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:17.379
 is another opportunity

00:29:17.379 --> 00:29:17.940
 to say,

00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:19.099
 will I trust in God?

00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:19.980
 Instead of escaping

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:20.920
 to my own Egypt,

00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:22.420
 will I trust in God?

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.799
 Will I not rely

00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:24.259
 on the things

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:25.220
 that I think will work,

00:29:25.460 --> 00:29:27.019
 but will I trust in God

00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:28.620
 because he can be trusted?

00:29:29.539 --> 00:29:30.360
 The God of Abraham

00:29:30.360 --> 00:29:31.059
 and the God of Isaac

00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:32.819
 is actually our God too.

00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:34.940
 Of course,

00:29:35.339 --> 00:29:37.200
 we all know now,

00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:37.579
 and I hope

00:29:37.579 --> 00:29:39.140
 this is not a surprise

00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:39.839
 to you every time

00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:41.099
 we open up this book

00:29:41.099 --> 00:29:41.519
 that is called

00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:41.880
 The Bible,

00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:43.559
 it's not really about

00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:45.220
 Abraham and Isaac.

00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:48.100
 It's not really about us.

00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:50.279
 It's not really about you.

00:29:52.640 --> 00:29:53.559
 It's about Jesus.

00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:56.000
 It's about the one

00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:57.400
 who is the true Isaac,

00:29:58.039 --> 00:29:59.600
 who eventually comes

00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:00.259
 to fulfill

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:01.059
 all the promises

00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:02.120
 through him.

00:30:02.259 --> 00:30:03.480
 The one who actually

00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:04.279
 had to surrender

00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:04.980
 his rights

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:06.480
 time and time again.

00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:08.920
 The decision to come

00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:10.160
 to earth.

00:30:10.660 --> 00:30:12.059
 The decision to live

00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:12.640
 among men.

00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:14.820
 The decision to be born

00:30:14.820 --> 00:30:15.380
 in a stable.

00:30:16.360 --> 00:30:17.740
 The decision to be born

00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:18.520
 to a carpenter.

00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:21.500
 The decision to be born

00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:22.020
 in Nazareth.

00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:25.580
 The decision to be nailed

00:30:25.580 --> 00:30:26.420
 onto a cross

00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:26.960
 for something

00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:28.980
 that you did not do.

00:30:33.259 --> 00:30:34.360
 Relinquishing his rights

00:30:34.360 --> 00:30:37.480
 so that we would have life.

00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:41.240
 The shepherd in Psalm 23, 5,

00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:43.039
 it kind of pays tribute

00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.160
 to this story here.

00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:44.799
 What does it say?

00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:45.960
 You prepare a table

00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:47.680
 for me in the presence

00:30:47.680 --> 00:30:48.299
 of my enemies.

00:30:50.620 --> 00:30:51.339
 That's what Isaac

00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:52.000
 got to do.

00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.180
 He had enemies

00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:54.819
 come to him.

00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:55.559
 He's like,

00:30:55.579 --> 00:30:55.880
 you know what?

00:30:55.880 --> 00:30:56.819
 I'm not afraid of you.

00:30:57.579 --> 00:30:58.359
 You can come and sit

00:30:58.359 --> 00:30:58.799
 at my table.

00:30:58.880 --> 00:30:59.039
 Why?

00:30:59.140 --> 00:30:59.859
 Because I'm not even

00:30:59.859 --> 00:31:00.319
 the host.

00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:01.259
 Who's the host?

00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:01.620
 God.

00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:04.319
 And the very fact

00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:04.980
 that you can sit here,

00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:06.019
 the very fact that I can sit here

00:31:06.019 --> 00:31:06.799
 is not because of us,

00:31:06.839 --> 00:31:07.460
 it's because of him.

00:31:09.059 --> 00:31:09.920
 So Psalm 23,

00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:10.380
 when it says,

00:31:10.380 --> 00:31:11.160
 you prepare a table

00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:12.060
 before me in the presence

00:31:12.060 --> 00:31:12.760
 of my enemies,

00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:13.360
 it's saying,

00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:14.520
 God is relaxed

00:31:14.520 --> 00:31:15.540
 and God is in control

00:31:15.540 --> 00:31:16.540
 and God has sat down

00:31:16.540 --> 00:31:17.440
 and he's prepared the table.

00:31:17.520 --> 00:31:17.700
 He says,

00:31:17.760 --> 00:31:18.600
 come and sit down.

00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:19.580
 That anxiety

00:31:19.580 --> 00:31:20.560
 that you have about work,

00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:21.680
 that anxiety you have about,

00:31:21.740 --> 00:31:22.920
 that fear you have about this,

00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:24.200
 come, child,

00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:25.560
 take a seat.

00:31:26.860 --> 00:31:27.860
 I've prepared a table.

00:31:28.180 --> 00:31:28.720
 We should eat.

00:31:30.820 --> 00:31:31.460
 That faith,

00:31:32.260 --> 00:31:34.860
 that faith

00:31:34.860 --> 00:31:36.160
 that allows us to live

00:31:36.160 --> 00:31:36.680
 in a way

00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:38.620
 really comes from Jesus.

00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:38.839
 Jesus,

00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:40.039
 Jesus,

00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:40.579
 when he starts

00:31:40.579 --> 00:31:41.479
 his first ever sermon

00:31:41.479 --> 00:31:42.179
 in Matthew 5,

00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:43.399
 he said,

00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:44.279
 blessed are those

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.939
 who are the peacemakers,

00:31:46.099 --> 00:31:47.119
 they are the sons of God.

00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.719
 And he himself

00:31:49.719 --> 00:31:50.899
 was the ultimate peacemaker.

00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:54.439
 Ephesians 2 talks about this,

00:31:54.779 --> 00:31:55.679
 that we were hostile

00:31:55.679 --> 00:31:56.919
 to him

00:31:56.919 --> 00:31:57.839
 and yet he came

00:31:57.839 --> 00:31:58.519
 to preach peace

00:31:58.519 --> 00:31:59.239
 to those who were near,

00:31:59.500 --> 00:32:00.059
 peace to those

00:32:00.059 --> 00:32:00.579
 who were far off,

00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:01.699
 to bring them together,

00:32:01.899 --> 00:32:03.079
 to bring us all together

00:32:03.079 --> 00:32:04.039
 so that we would all

00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:05.039
 have access to the Father

00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:05.859
 through him,

00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:06.859
 the ultimate,

00:32:07.439 --> 00:32:08.299
 the son of God himself.

00:32:09.419 --> 00:32:10.279
 Then we have to turn

00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:11.039
 that around to ourselves

00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:11.299
 and go,

00:32:11.439 --> 00:32:11.679
 well, okay,

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:12.319
 well, if we're

00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:12.979
 children of God,

00:32:13.219 --> 00:32:14.259
 are we peacemakers?

00:32:14.579 --> 00:32:15.859
 Can we invite enemies

00:32:15.859 --> 00:32:16.419
 to our table

00:32:16.419 --> 00:32:16.939
 and sit and say,

00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:17.179
 hey,

00:32:17.639 --> 00:32:18.599
 let me buy you lunch.

00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:20.559
 You've been mistreating me.

00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:21.539
 You've been stabbing me

00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:22.239
 behind my back.

00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:24.739
 And guess what I know?

00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:26.679
 I'm not stupid.

00:32:28.819 --> 00:32:30.039
 I'm just not afraid of you

00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:33.519
 because my God

00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:34.279
 is bigger

00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:35.399
 than whatever

00:32:35.399 --> 00:32:36.119
 you're trying to do.

00:32:36.119 --> 00:32:37.599
 Why?

00:32:37.899 --> 00:32:39.099
 Because Jesus.

00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:40.599
 Because I'm trying

00:32:40.599 --> 00:32:41.859
 to follow the true Isaac.

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.899
 I'm trying to follow

00:32:42.899 --> 00:32:43.319
 the shepherd

00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:44.299
 who prepares a table

00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:44.719
 for me

00:32:44.719 --> 00:32:45.579
 in the presence

00:32:45.579 --> 00:32:47.399
 of my enemies.

00:32:49.419 --> 00:32:49.859
 Keller,

00:32:49.979 --> 00:32:50.299
 in his book,

00:32:50.359 --> 00:32:50.959
 I've been reading this

00:32:50.959 --> 00:32:52.139
 called Walking with God

00:32:52.139 --> 00:32:53.059
 Through Pain and Suffering.

00:32:53.639 --> 00:32:54.559
 We're trying to make sense

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.439
 of everything bad

00:32:55.439 --> 00:32:55.819
 that's happening

00:32:55.819 --> 00:32:56.359
 in this world.

00:32:56.699 --> 00:32:57.139
 It says this,

00:32:57.179 --> 00:32:57.979
 Isaac surrendered

00:32:57.979 --> 00:32:59.099
 his rights to the wells

00:32:59.099 --> 00:33:00.099
 again and again,

00:33:00.699 --> 00:33:01.399
 choosing peace

00:33:01.399 --> 00:33:02.359
 over retaliation.

00:33:02.359 --> 00:33:03.639
 In doing so,

00:33:03.679 --> 00:33:04.240
 he demonstrated

00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.159
 that he believed

00:33:05.159 --> 00:33:05.740
 God's promise

00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:06.199
 was greater

00:33:06.199 --> 00:33:07.379
 than his immediate defense.

00:33:07.919 --> 00:33:08.659
 True peacemaking

00:33:08.659 --> 00:33:09.819
 is not weakness.

00:33:10.119 --> 00:33:10.839
 It is the ultimate

00:33:10.839 --> 00:33:11.759
 expression of faith

00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:13.919
 that God is your vindicator.

00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:15.879
 Imagine that

00:33:15.879 --> 00:33:17.419
 if we left today

00:33:17.419 --> 00:33:19.979
 carrying that spirit

00:33:19.979 --> 00:33:21.659
 into every fight

00:33:21.659 --> 00:33:22.039
 that we have,

00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:23.579
 into every job

00:33:23.579 --> 00:33:24.099
 that we have.

00:33:26.039 --> 00:33:27.119
 But God is for us

00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:27.959
 and not against us.

00:33:28.839 --> 00:33:29.139
 Tozer,

00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:29.899
 in the pursuit of God,

00:33:29.959 --> 00:33:30.879
 says we must be convinced

00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:31.540
 that God is able

00:33:31.540 --> 00:33:32.440
 to provide for us

00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:33.180
 in the presence

00:33:33.180 --> 00:33:33.760
 of our enemies.

00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:34.780
 The table he prepares

00:33:34.780 --> 00:33:35.980
 for us in Psalm 23

00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:37.380
 is set right in the sight

00:33:37.380 --> 00:33:38.340
 of those who oppose us.

00:33:38.660 --> 00:33:39.680
 You do not need

00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:40.480
 to fight for a seat

00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:41.360
 when God himself

00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:42.300
 is the host.

00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:44.760
 I think more often

00:33:44.760 --> 00:33:45.200
 than not,

00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.880
 we fight for seats

00:33:46.880 --> 00:33:47.560
 for ourselves.

00:33:48.100 --> 00:33:49.540
 We fight for those wells.

00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:51.340
 We fight for those things.

00:33:51.600 --> 00:33:52.740
 And all that indicates

00:33:52.740 --> 00:33:54.140
 to us is we have forgotten

00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:55.400
 how faithful

00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:57.080
 and how in control

00:33:57.080 --> 00:33:58.600
 God truly is.

00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:03.280
 I'm actually going

00:34:03.280 --> 00:34:04.580
 to stop here now

00:34:04.580 --> 00:34:04.960
 for a second

00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:05.320
 because I'm going

00:34:05.320 --> 00:34:07.400
 to invite a friend

00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:07.940
 up to talk

00:34:07.940 --> 00:34:08.960
 because I don't want

00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:09.680
 you guys to fall asleep.

00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:12.700
 And it's this actually,

00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:13.860
 I asked Gabs

00:34:13.860 --> 00:34:14.740
 to reflect on

00:34:14.740 --> 00:34:15.900
 these last two chapters

00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:16.780
 that we've been going through

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:18.140
 really to think about

00:34:18.140 --> 00:34:19.440
 what are the general

00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:20.420
 rational things

00:34:20.420 --> 00:34:21.019
 that we've passed

00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:23.019
 and we've been passed on,

00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:23.599
 we've received

00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:24.480
 from our families.

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.079
 What are the things

00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:25.900
 that we're still facing

00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:26.960
 almost because of that?

00:34:27.980 --> 00:34:29.019
 And how's God showing up

00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:29.920
 through all of those things?

00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:31.300
 So Gabs, come on.

00:34:31.559 --> 00:34:32.180
 Should we give him

00:34:32.180 --> 00:34:32.659
 a round of applause?

00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:43.400
 A little bit about Gabs

00:34:43.400 --> 00:34:44.559
 as you'll be able to hear.

00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:46.400
 He's also from England.

00:34:46.619 --> 00:34:46.980
 England.

00:34:47.240 --> 00:34:47.539
 England.

00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:48.920
 He's from a very obnoxious

00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:50.539
 city called London.

00:34:51.420 --> 00:34:51.680
 London.

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:53.039
 And actually,

00:34:53.139 --> 00:34:53.800
 I first get,

00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:54.340
 you're just going to

00:34:54.340 --> 00:34:54.920
 repeat everything I say.

00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:55.340
 I am.

00:34:55.960 --> 00:34:56.539
 That's my job.

00:34:57.180 --> 00:34:57.920
 And actually,

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.780
 I first met Gabs

00:34:58.780 --> 00:34:59.320
 when we worked

00:34:59.320 --> 00:35:00.060
 at Young Life together.

00:35:00.820 --> 00:35:01.220
 So he,

00:35:01.980 --> 00:35:02.460
 actually, you can say,

00:35:02.540 --> 00:35:03.560
 why are you here in Hong Kong?

00:35:06.160 --> 00:35:07.900
 Because God called me here.

00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:10.519
 Yeah, in a grand sense, yes.

00:35:10.620 --> 00:35:11.300
 But originally,

00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:11.980
 why don't you look

00:35:11.980 --> 00:35:13.080
 at my stuff?

00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:14.740
 Oh my goodness.

00:35:17.120 --> 00:35:18.100
 So originally,

00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:20.200
 I came here on exchange.

00:35:20.580 --> 00:35:21.700
 I was at Hong Kong U.

00:35:22.379 --> 00:35:23.519
 I did one year here.

00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:25.319
 I had a really

00:35:25.319 --> 00:35:28.379
 pivotal experience

00:35:28.379 --> 00:35:30.159
 of community

00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:31.519
 when I came on exchange.

00:35:32.779 --> 00:35:34.139
 I grew up as a Christian,

00:35:34.439 --> 00:35:35.819
 but I think it was my experience

00:35:35.819 --> 00:35:37.259
 of community on exchange here

00:35:37.259 --> 00:35:38.599
 that gave me

00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:39.799
 a bigger sense of God.

00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:41.339
 So when I went back to the UK

00:35:41.339 --> 00:35:42.299
 to finish my degree,

00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:43.259
 there was always a sense

00:35:43.259 --> 00:35:43.619
 in my heart

00:35:43.619 --> 00:35:44.639
 that I wanted to be back

00:35:44.639 --> 00:35:45.719
 around those people

00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:46.319
 that I experienced

00:35:46.319 --> 00:35:47.119
 that community with.

00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:48.500
 So when I graduated,

00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:49.159
 I came back

00:35:49.159 --> 00:35:50.779
 and I actually was working

00:35:50.779 --> 00:35:51.440
 with Young Life

00:35:51.440 --> 00:35:52.539
 for five years.

00:35:54.319 --> 00:35:55.000
 And yeah,

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:55.719
 that was kind of

00:35:55.719 --> 00:35:56.639
 why I came back

00:35:56.639 --> 00:35:57.339
 and kind of,

00:35:57.579 --> 00:35:58.079
 since then,

00:35:58.199 --> 00:35:59.899
 it's now been 10 years,

00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:01.259
 which is kind of crazy to think.

00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:02.359
 And what do you do now?

00:36:03.299 --> 00:36:03.920
 So I'm a,

00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:05.259
 I do events.

00:36:05.480 --> 00:36:06.579
 I do financial events.

00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:08.279
 So after working

00:36:08.279 --> 00:36:08.639
 for Young Life

00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:09.319
 for five years,

00:36:09.539 --> 00:36:10.519
 there was a sort of

00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.179
 a transition period

00:36:11.179 --> 00:36:12.239
 and I moved into

00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:13.519
 sort of the corporate world now.

00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:14.899
 And a part of that calling

00:36:14.899 --> 00:36:16.619
 was I remember feeling like

00:36:16.619 --> 00:36:18.619
 a lot of the guys

00:36:18.619 --> 00:36:19.420
 who I was discipling

00:36:19.420 --> 00:36:20.159
 and walking with,

00:36:20.900 --> 00:36:22.380
 a lot of them I knew

00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:22.920
 weren't going to go

00:36:22.920 --> 00:36:23.759
 into full-time ministry.

00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:25.319
 And I felt like

00:36:25.319 --> 00:36:25.960
 I had this conviction

00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:26.460
 in my heart

00:36:26.460 --> 00:36:27.699
 where I wanted to give them

00:36:27.699 --> 00:36:29.199
 an image of someone

00:36:29.199 --> 00:36:30.359
 who was pursuing Christ

00:36:30.359 --> 00:36:32.000
 who wasn't in full-time ministry.

00:36:33.139 --> 00:36:33.940
 So that was actually

00:36:33.940 --> 00:36:35.099
 really the reason.

00:36:36.299 --> 00:36:36.980
 And yes,

00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:37.559
 I've had a chance

00:36:37.559 --> 00:36:39.299
 to practice that

00:36:39.299 --> 00:36:40.059
 and it's been difficult.

00:36:40.579 --> 00:36:41.359
 It's been very tough

00:36:41.359 --> 00:36:42.199
 and James knows

00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:43.719
 it's been quite tough for me,

00:36:43.819 --> 00:36:44.179
 but yeah,

00:36:44.259 --> 00:36:44.920
 that was kind of the heart.

00:36:45.199 --> 00:36:45.339
 I mean,

00:36:45.359 --> 00:36:46.059
 I resonate with that.

00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:46.900
 Sometimes when you're

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.519
 in full-time ministry

00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:47.960
 as a pastor,

00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:48.820
 you try and convince,

00:36:48.980 --> 00:36:49.139
 hey,

00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:50.699
 let's be serious

00:36:50.699 --> 00:36:51.199
 about the faith.

00:36:51.300 --> 00:36:51.840
 Let's read the Bible.

00:36:51.940 --> 00:36:52.320
 Let's do this

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:52.920
 and this is what I'm doing.

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:54.179
 And sometimes it's like,

00:36:54.220 --> 00:36:54.300
 well,

00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:54.860
 that's okay for you.

00:36:54.900 --> 00:36:55.320
 You're a pastor.

00:36:56.320 --> 00:36:56.740
 And I'm like,

00:36:56.780 --> 00:36:56.880
 no,

00:36:56.900 --> 00:36:57.699
 I wasn't always a pastor.

00:36:57.840 --> 00:36:58.780
 I wasn't born a pastor.

00:36:59.500 --> 00:37:00.800
 But so that's your calling.

00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:01.320
 You came out

00:37:01.320 --> 00:37:02.579
 and how's that working out for you?

00:37:03.179 --> 00:37:03.400
 Yeah,

00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:03.960
 it's been tough.

00:37:04.059 --> 00:37:04.579
 It's been tough,

00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:05.380
 but it's been good.

00:37:05.480 --> 00:37:05.960
 I think

00:37:05.960 --> 00:37:08.340
 in a really interesting way,

00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:09.940
 being in this space

00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:10.420
 I've been in

00:37:10.420 --> 00:37:11.240
 for the past four years

00:37:11.240 --> 00:37:12.539
 since I left full-time ministry

00:37:12.539 --> 00:37:14.320
 has made me have to rely

00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:14.940
 on God

00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:15.900
 in a different way.

00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:18.679
 I think the hardships

00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:19.420
 that I've faced,

00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:21.079
 which in the grand scheme

00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:21.440
 of life

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:22.400
 aren't hardships,

00:37:22.539 --> 00:37:23.699
 but relative to my experience

00:37:23.699 --> 00:37:24.460
 that God knows me,

00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:25.360
 these are hardships.

00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:27.759
 I think they've just given me

00:37:27.759 --> 00:37:29.679
 reason and opportunities

00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:31.000
 to fully rely on Him

00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:31.960
 and just be like,

00:37:32.019 --> 00:37:32.980
 I can't do this.

00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:34.739
 And it's only by God's strength

00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:35.759
 I'm able to make it through

00:37:35.759 --> 00:37:36.279
 right now.

00:37:36.400 --> 00:37:37.699
 So I think that's actually been

00:37:37.699 --> 00:37:38.960
 really good for my faith.

00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:40.340
 That's good.

00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:42.260
 And I asked you to look at

00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:43.800
 actually Genesis 25 and 26

00:37:43.800 --> 00:37:44.760
 and just as you

00:37:44.760 --> 00:37:45.860
 mull over that transition

00:37:45.860 --> 00:37:46.940
 from Abraham to Isaac

00:37:46.940 --> 00:37:48.360
 and start sharing.

00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:49.980
 What came out for you?

00:37:50.880 --> 00:37:51.900
 Before I go into it,

00:37:51.940 --> 00:37:52.240
 can I pray?

00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:01.720
 Lord,

00:38:01.760 --> 00:38:02.579
 this is all about you.

00:38:04.699 --> 00:38:05.059
 Jesus,

00:38:05.179 --> 00:38:06.220
 we thank you for the sacrifice

00:38:06.220 --> 00:38:07.320
 that you've made for us.

00:38:09.579 --> 00:38:09.980
 Truly,

00:38:10.099 --> 00:38:11.720
 everything that we say

00:38:11.720 --> 00:38:12.500
 and that we do,

00:38:13.159 --> 00:38:14.420
 we want it to reflect

00:38:14.420 --> 00:38:14.980
 your goodness

00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:16.159
 and your glory in our lives.

00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:18.360
 Lord,

00:38:18.400 --> 00:38:20.559
 this sharing isn't about me,

00:38:20.659 --> 00:38:21.480
 it's not about my mom,

00:38:21.659 --> 00:38:22.599
 it's not about my family,

00:38:23.139 --> 00:38:24.220
 it's about your goodness.

00:38:27.699 --> 00:38:28.139
 Lord,

00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:28.760
 I pray that

00:38:28.760 --> 00:38:30.019
 the words that are spoken,

00:38:30.220 --> 00:38:30.380
 Lord,

00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:32.440
 would it be empowered

00:38:32.440 --> 00:38:33.380
 by your Holy Spirit

00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:36.059
 and would the exact thing

00:38:36.059 --> 00:38:37.099
 that needs to be received

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:37.820
 for your children,

00:38:37.820 --> 00:38:38.660
 for your congregation,

00:38:38.920 --> 00:38:39.080
 Lord?

00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:40.220
 Would it be spoken

00:38:40.220 --> 00:38:40.920
 to the hearts,

00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:42.160
 the people in this room

00:38:42.160 --> 00:38:43.360
 and the people listening?

00:38:43.660 --> 00:38:44.360
 In Jesus Christ's name,

00:38:44.620 --> 00:38:44.760
 amen.

00:38:45.500 --> 00:38:45.720
 Amen.

00:38:46.019 --> 00:38:46.280
 Thank you.

00:38:48.160 --> 00:38:48.740
 So yeah,

00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:51.400
 so over Genesis 25 and 26,

00:38:51.960 --> 00:38:52.640
 I think

00:38:52.640 --> 00:38:54.519
 one of the biggest themes

00:38:54.519 --> 00:38:55.100
 I can see

00:38:55.100 --> 00:38:56.059
 is dysfunction.

00:38:56.720 --> 00:38:58.320
 It's dysfunction in family,

00:38:58.740 --> 00:39:00.280
 it's brokenness in family,

00:39:00.500 --> 00:39:01.519
 it's lying,

00:39:02.240 --> 00:39:03.019
 it's cheating,

00:39:03.019 --> 00:39:04.980
 it's self-preservation,

00:39:06.199 --> 00:39:08.900
 and despite all of this,

00:39:09.639 --> 00:39:10.360
 there's the reality

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:10.960
 that we see

00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:11.599
 that we know

00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:12.980
 that this is the family

00:39:12.980 --> 00:39:14.199
 that God has chosen

00:39:14.199 --> 00:39:16.280
 to bring his glory through

00:39:16.280 --> 00:39:17.500
 and for them

00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:18.199
 to be a blessing

00:39:18.199 --> 00:39:19.639
 to all of the generations.

00:39:19.639 --> 00:39:20.259
 Like it says

00:39:20.259 --> 00:39:20.739
 at the beginning

00:39:20.739 --> 00:39:21.940
 of Genesis 26,

00:39:22.539 --> 00:39:23.259
 the purpose

00:39:23.259 --> 00:39:24.820
 of God

00:39:24.820 --> 00:39:26.179
 being with Isaac

00:39:26.179 --> 00:39:27.360
 and the line of Isaac

00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:28.119
 is so that

00:39:28.119 --> 00:39:28.619
 many,

00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:29.480
 the multitudes,

00:39:30.019 --> 00:39:30.679
 the generations,

00:39:30.860 --> 00:39:31.219
 the world,

00:39:31.320 --> 00:39:32.000
 not just their family

00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:32.579
 would be blessed.

00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:33.840
 So as I see

00:39:33.840 --> 00:39:34.380
 the dysfunction

00:39:34.380 --> 00:39:35.719
 over the past two chapters,

00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:37.500
 I'm also seeing,

00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:37.960
 wow,

00:39:38.079 --> 00:39:40.099
 God's provision,

00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:40.920
 God's providence,

00:39:41.059 --> 00:39:41.599
 God's goodness,

00:39:41.739 --> 00:39:42.420
 his faithfulness

00:39:42.420 --> 00:39:44.360
 is consistent,

00:39:44.599 --> 00:39:45.139
 is persistent

00:39:45.139 --> 00:39:46.099
 through all of this.

00:39:46.579 --> 00:39:47.719
 So yeah,

00:39:47.800 --> 00:39:48.019
 I know,

00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:49.519
 I ended up thinking

00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:51.420
 about my own family

00:39:51.420 --> 00:39:51.920
 and I guess

00:39:51.920 --> 00:39:52.639
 it was really timely

00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:53.460
 because over the last

00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:54.179
 couple of weeks,

00:39:54.780 --> 00:39:55.519
 there's just been

00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:57.239
 a lot of opportunities.

00:39:57.420 --> 00:39:58.420
 I've come face to face

00:39:58.420 --> 00:39:59.079
 with the dysfunction

00:39:59.079 --> 00:39:59.860
 of my own family,

00:40:00.019 --> 00:40:00.679
 you know,

00:40:00.699 --> 00:40:01.380
 and just seeing

00:40:01.380 --> 00:40:02.380
 oh wow,

00:40:02.460 --> 00:40:03.760
 there is so much

00:40:03.760 --> 00:40:04.860
 brokenness in the world

00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:05.780
 but like here,

00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:06.380
 right here.

00:40:07.460 --> 00:40:08.820
 And I'm sure many of us

00:40:08.820 --> 00:40:09.619
 can resonate with that.

00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:10.400
 So yeah,

00:40:10.460 --> 00:40:11.559
 recently there was just,

00:40:11.880 --> 00:40:14.059
 I guess,

00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:14.880
 jumping forward a bit.

00:40:15.820 --> 00:40:17.200
 The tension in my family

00:40:17.200 --> 00:40:18.420
 really comes down

00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:20.340
 to my grandma

00:40:20.340 --> 00:40:21.059
 and my mother.

00:40:22.099 --> 00:40:23.260
 So in that relationship,

00:40:23.420 --> 00:40:24.360
 there's a lot of hurt,

00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:25.940
 there's a lot of brokenness.

00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:28.980
 And it stems from

00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:30.860
 things that even started

00:40:30.860 --> 00:40:32.179
 when my grandma

00:40:32.179 --> 00:40:33.280
 was a young woman.

00:40:33.800 --> 00:40:33.940
 You know,

00:40:33.980 --> 00:40:34.480
 my grandma

00:40:34.480 --> 00:40:35.900
 got married to my grandpa

00:40:35.900 --> 00:40:36.619
 when she was 14.

00:40:38.679 --> 00:40:40.679
 And even there,

00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:41.800
 he had multiple wives.

00:40:42.260 --> 00:40:43.500
 And there was so much

00:40:43.500 --> 00:40:44.300
 brokenness in that

00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:45.139
 original relationship

00:40:45.139 --> 00:40:46.079
 between the two of them.

00:40:46.500 --> 00:40:47.579
 My mom is the firstborn

00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:48.940
 of my grandma.

00:40:49.880 --> 00:40:51.280
 So much of that pain

00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:52.940
 went into my mom.

00:40:52.940 --> 00:40:55.639
 And to this day,

00:40:56.019 --> 00:40:57.800
 there's been just so much

00:40:57.800 --> 00:40:59.400
 tension and dysfunction

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:00.519
 between the two of them

00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:01.800
 because of that

00:41:01.800 --> 00:41:03.119
 original time.

00:41:04.300 --> 00:41:05.740
 My mom is the oldest of four.

00:41:06.059 --> 00:41:06.400
 And then,

00:41:07.039 --> 00:41:07.860
 long story short,

00:41:08.260 --> 00:41:08.880
 my grandma

00:41:08.880 --> 00:41:10.079
 and my grandpa split.

00:41:10.380 --> 00:41:11.579
 They both moved to the UK.

00:41:12.380 --> 00:41:13.340
 My mom has a lot of

00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:14.559
 half-sisters and half-brothers.

00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:17.460
 Even within those relationships,

00:41:18.079 --> 00:41:19.179
 the brokenness continues.

00:41:19.320 --> 00:41:20.280
 The dysfunction continues.

00:41:20.440 --> 00:41:21.240
 There's favoritism.

00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:21.860
 There's lying.

00:41:22.019 --> 00:41:22.519
 There's deceit.

00:41:22.940 --> 00:41:25.639
 And I've just seen

00:41:25.639 --> 00:41:26.639
 recently,

00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:28.380
 because my grandma

00:41:28.380 --> 00:41:29.579
 did pass a week ago,

00:41:29.679 --> 00:41:29.920
 actually.

00:41:30.559 --> 00:41:31.980
 So there was a big situation

00:41:31.980 --> 00:41:33.139
 that happened leading up

00:41:33.139 --> 00:41:33.579
 to this

00:41:33.579 --> 00:41:34.619
 where she had a really,

00:41:34.860 --> 00:41:35.960
 really progressive

00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:37.380
 and sudden battle of cancer

00:41:37.380 --> 00:41:39.960
 within two months.

00:41:40.099 --> 00:41:40.880
 She was healthy,

00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:41.440
 two months,

00:41:41.559 --> 00:41:42.179
 and then she passed away.

00:41:43.260 --> 00:41:44.920
 And my mom and my grandma

00:41:44.920 --> 00:41:45.760
 had not spoken

00:41:45.760 --> 00:41:48.119
 on good terms,

00:41:48.179 --> 00:41:48.519
 let's say,

00:41:48.880 --> 00:41:49.940
 for maybe 15 years.

00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:51.679
 And I remember,

00:41:51.760 --> 00:41:53.440
 I grew up going to my grandma's house

00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:54.019
 and it was actually

00:41:54.019 --> 00:41:55.099
 a really joyful space.

00:41:56.500 --> 00:41:57.400
 And then I remember

00:41:57.400 --> 00:41:58.320
 at some point

00:41:58.320 --> 00:42:00.380
 in my childhood,

00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:00.860
 it was like,

00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:01.639
 oh, that just stopped.

00:42:02.280 --> 00:42:03.500
 And I didn't know why,

00:42:04.059 --> 00:42:04.539
 but I just remember,

00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:04.860
 it was like,

00:42:04.900 --> 00:42:06.200
 okay, we don't go to grandma's house anymore.

00:42:06.639 --> 00:42:07.480
 We don't talk to, like,

00:42:07.539 --> 00:42:08.260
 all of these uncles

00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:09.360
 and all of these aunties anymore.

00:42:11.180 --> 00:42:12.080
 And I've gotten older,

00:42:12.120 --> 00:42:12.960
 I've had conversations

00:42:12.960 --> 00:42:13.420
 with my mom

00:42:13.420 --> 00:42:14.000
 where I've been able

00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:14.660
 to understand

00:42:14.660 --> 00:42:15.860
 why that happened.

00:42:16.240 --> 00:42:17.720
 And yeah,

00:42:17.800 --> 00:42:18.880
 it's, like I said,

00:42:18.920 --> 00:42:19.440
 it's rooted

00:42:19.440 --> 00:42:20.940
 in all of just this,

00:42:22.020 --> 00:42:24.300
 oh, I don't believe

00:42:24.300 --> 00:42:25.460
 you have my best interests

00:42:25.460 --> 00:42:25.920
 at heart.

00:42:26.200 --> 00:42:27.520
 I think you've done something

00:42:27.520 --> 00:42:28.360
 to cause the pain

00:42:28.360 --> 00:42:28.960
 in my life.

00:42:29.820 --> 00:42:30.620
 The decisions

00:42:30.620 --> 00:42:31.320
 that you've made

00:42:31.320 --> 00:42:32.260
 have not been the decisions

00:42:32.260 --> 00:42:33.180
 I want you to make.

00:42:33.179 --> 00:42:33.940
 So now,

00:42:34.599 --> 00:42:35.819
 we are at odds.

00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:36.619
 We are enemies.

00:42:36.960 --> 00:42:38.679
 And this is within the family, right?

00:42:38.879 --> 00:42:39.799
 And then this trickled down

00:42:39.799 --> 00:42:40.639
 to my aunties and uncles.

00:42:41.599 --> 00:42:42.359
 I find it,

00:42:42.419 --> 00:42:42.559
 I mean,

00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:43.919
 we actually hadn't planned

00:42:43.919 --> 00:42:45.219
 this week to be,

00:42:45.259 --> 00:42:46.460
 we actually planned before.

00:42:47.379 --> 00:42:48.440
 So I'm sat here just going,

00:42:48.599 --> 00:42:48.919
 okay, well,

00:42:49.019 --> 00:42:52.359
 we both had loss,

00:42:52.460 --> 00:42:53.099
 experienced loss

00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:53.919
 this week.

00:42:54.039 --> 00:42:55.119
 We both come from families

00:42:55.119 --> 00:42:56.039
 that are dysfunctional.

00:42:58.039 --> 00:42:59.819
 And it's so in,

00:42:59.980 --> 00:43:00.679
 just in line

00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:01.399
 with what we're reading

00:43:01.399 --> 00:43:02.019
 in scripture.

00:43:02.019 --> 00:43:03.579
 Like the same things

00:43:03.579 --> 00:43:04.139
 you just described

00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.699
 about your family.

00:43:04.840 --> 00:43:05.039
 Like, well,

00:43:05.099 --> 00:43:06.360
 we covered all of those

00:43:06.360 --> 00:43:07.360
 in the last few chapters.

00:43:08.380 --> 00:43:08.519
 Like,

00:43:08.920 --> 00:43:10.039
 so as you relate

00:43:10.039 --> 00:43:11.119
 to scripture

00:43:11.119 --> 00:43:11.860
 and the word of God,

00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:14.179
 what things come to mind

00:43:14.179 --> 00:43:14.500
 for you?

00:43:14.780 --> 00:43:14.960
 Yeah.

00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:17.300
 So you may have heard me

00:43:17.300 --> 00:43:18.259
 talk about my mom before.

00:43:19.500 --> 00:43:21.780
 My mom is a wonderful lady.

00:43:22.900 --> 00:43:24.179
 She's a flawed woman as well.

00:43:24.280 --> 00:43:24.759
 Very flawed.

00:43:25.179 --> 00:43:26.079
 But she's a wonderful woman.

00:43:26.759 --> 00:43:27.440
 And the reason

00:43:27.440 --> 00:43:29.219
 I emphasize those two things

00:43:29.219 --> 00:43:29.800
 is because

00:43:29.800 --> 00:43:32.840
 I genuinely do that

00:43:32.840 --> 00:43:34.560
 throughout the two chapters,

00:43:34.660 --> 00:43:35.440
 25 and 26,

00:43:35.680 --> 00:43:37.200
 and all of Genesis so far.

00:43:37.519 --> 00:43:39.180
 The emphasis is once again

00:43:39.180 --> 00:43:41.000
 that the faithfulness of God

00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:43.260
 isn't dependent on humanity.

00:43:43.920 --> 00:43:45.800
 Even within the flaws of humanity,

00:43:46.019 --> 00:43:46.940
 even within the brokenness

00:43:46.940 --> 00:43:47.539
 of humanity,

00:43:47.680 --> 00:43:48.440
 the faithfulness of God

00:43:48.440 --> 00:43:49.100
 is consistent.

00:43:49.099 --> 00:43:51.559
 And I see that

00:43:51.559 --> 00:43:52.940
 in my mom

00:43:52.940 --> 00:43:53.639
 because

00:43:53.639 --> 00:43:55.639
 with all of that context

00:43:55.639 --> 00:43:56.360
 I just gave you,

00:43:56.539 --> 00:43:57.460
 which is very brief,

00:43:57.960 --> 00:43:59.279
 my mom is a person

00:43:59.279 --> 00:43:59.699
 who

00:43:59.699 --> 00:44:02.779
 has dedicated her life

00:44:02.779 --> 00:44:03.119
 to Christ.

00:44:03.219 --> 00:44:03.940
 She met Christ

00:44:03.940 --> 00:44:05.179
 in her teenage,

00:44:05.599 --> 00:44:06.639
 in her teenage years

00:44:06.639 --> 00:44:07.539
 and,

00:44:07.759 --> 00:44:08.119
 like,

00:44:08.199 --> 00:44:08.880
 by herself.

00:44:09.460 --> 00:44:10.860
 And I believe that

00:44:10.860 --> 00:44:11.659
 Christ has been

00:44:11.659 --> 00:44:12.699
 an anchor for my mom.

00:44:13.239 --> 00:44:14.279
 And one thing

00:44:14.279 --> 00:44:15.199
 that I've seen

00:44:15.199 --> 00:44:16.279
 in my mother

00:44:16.280 --> 00:44:16.880
 is that

00:44:16.880 --> 00:44:18.080
 she has demonstrated

00:44:18.080 --> 00:44:18.880
 this willingness

00:44:18.880 --> 00:44:19.820
 to be malleable

00:44:19.820 --> 00:44:20.960
 to God.

00:44:21.580 --> 00:44:22.200
 And that's actually

00:44:22.200 --> 00:44:22.980
 something she's prayed.

00:44:23.140 --> 00:44:23.740
 And this is a prayer

00:44:23.740 --> 00:44:24.480
 I've heard her pray.

00:44:25.060 --> 00:44:25.660
 I've heard her,

00:44:25.900 --> 00:44:26.120
 you know,

00:44:26.180 --> 00:44:26.780
 on her knees

00:44:26.780 --> 00:44:27.380
 with her hands out

00:44:27.380 --> 00:44:27.540
 saying,

00:44:27.640 --> 00:44:27.820
 Lord,

00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:29.260
 let me be malleable

00:44:29.260 --> 00:44:29.920
 to your spirit.

00:44:30.980 --> 00:44:32.360
 And what I have seen

00:44:32.360 --> 00:44:32.700
 in that

00:44:32.700 --> 00:44:33.040
 is that

00:44:33.040 --> 00:44:34.100
 in all of these moments

00:44:34.100 --> 00:44:34.740
 where I feel like

00:44:34.740 --> 00:44:35.560
 this brokenness

00:44:35.560 --> 00:44:36.140
 and dysfunction

00:44:36.140 --> 00:44:37.000
 could manifest,

00:44:37.160 --> 00:44:37.980
 I've seen that

00:44:37.980 --> 00:44:39.460
 similar to the way

00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:39.960
 you mentioned

00:44:39.960 --> 00:44:40.640
 that Isaac

00:44:40.640 --> 00:44:42.080
 in the latter half

00:44:42.080 --> 00:44:42.560
 of 26,

00:44:42.660 --> 00:44:43.460
 he's now in this place

00:44:43.460 --> 00:44:44.400
 where he's beginning

00:44:44.400 --> 00:44:45.480
 to put his trust

00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:45.980
 in God

00:44:45.980 --> 00:44:46.940
 over his fear

00:44:46.940 --> 00:44:47.340
 of man.

00:44:47.900 --> 00:44:48.280
 I think

00:44:48.280 --> 00:44:49.760
 as I've grown

00:44:49.760 --> 00:44:50.460
 and as I've,

00:44:50.460 --> 00:44:50.659
 you know,

00:44:50.699 --> 00:44:51.340
 grown and seen

00:44:51.340 --> 00:44:52.240
 my mom grow

00:44:52.240 --> 00:44:53.099
 in her own faith,

00:44:53.240 --> 00:44:53.760
 I've seen that

00:44:53.760 --> 00:44:54.400
 same thing happen

00:44:54.400 --> 00:44:54.820
 with her

00:44:54.820 --> 00:44:56.900
 where as she's prayed

00:44:56.900 --> 00:44:57.599
 to be malleable

00:44:57.599 --> 00:44:58.400
 to the spirit,

00:44:58.639 --> 00:44:59.400
 I've seen that

00:44:59.400 --> 00:45:00.000
 the Lord has been

00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:00.840
 faithful to that

00:45:00.840 --> 00:45:01.900
 and that she's changed.

00:45:02.900 --> 00:45:04.500
 My mom's very fiery.

00:45:04.760 --> 00:45:05.519
 If you ever meet my mom,

00:45:05.619 --> 00:45:06.260
 she will probably,

00:45:06.440 --> 00:45:06.679
 like,

00:45:07.139 --> 00:45:07.800
 prophesy over you

00:45:07.800 --> 00:45:08.579
 and then pray for you

00:45:08.579 --> 00:45:09.719
 even if you don't

00:45:09.719 --> 00:45:10.199
 welcome it.

00:45:11.699 --> 00:45:12.760
 She's that type of person.

00:45:13.659 --> 00:45:14.480
 But all of it

00:45:14.480 --> 00:45:15.539
 is really rooted in

00:45:15.539 --> 00:45:17.420
 the Lord has been

00:45:17.420 --> 00:45:18.360
 my mom's anchor.

00:45:18.599 --> 00:45:18.980
 That's it.

00:45:19.719 --> 00:45:20.519
 Everything else

00:45:20.519 --> 00:45:21.880
 my mom has felt like

00:45:21.880 --> 00:45:22.780
 has failed her in a way

00:45:22.780 --> 00:45:23.840
 and the Lord has been

00:45:23.840 --> 00:45:24.119
 her anchor.

00:45:24.219 --> 00:45:24.780
 So that's why

00:45:24.780 --> 00:45:25.760
 she holds onto

00:45:25.760 --> 00:45:26.740
 her faith so strongly.

00:45:27.599 --> 00:45:29.059
 But at the same time,

00:45:29.559 --> 00:45:30.599
 she's so quick

00:45:30.599 --> 00:45:31.159
 to be humble.

00:45:31.900 --> 00:45:32.599
 She's so quick

00:45:32.599 --> 00:45:34.260
 to accept fault.

00:45:34.860 --> 00:45:35.500
 She's so quick

00:45:35.500 --> 00:45:36.800
 to recognize

00:45:36.800 --> 00:45:38.199
 where she has done

00:45:38.199 --> 00:45:39.019
 something that maybe

00:45:39.019 --> 00:45:40.139
 has grieved the Holy Spirit

00:45:40.139 --> 00:45:40.420
 in her.

00:45:40.860 --> 00:45:41.320
 And that's something

00:45:41.320 --> 00:45:41.980
 I've heard her say,

00:45:42.139 --> 00:45:42.240
 like,

00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:42.440
 Lord,

00:45:42.519 --> 00:45:43.159
 forgive me for the things

00:45:43.159 --> 00:45:43.480
 that I've done

00:45:43.480 --> 00:45:43.899
 that I've grieved

00:45:43.899 --> 00:45:45.159
 your spirit within me.

00:45:45.359 --> 00:45:46.339
 She's quick to recognize

00:45:46.339 --> 00:45:46.619
 those things,

00:45:46.699 --> 00:45:47.639
 even with us as kids.

00:45:48.179 --> 00:45:48.359
 Like,

00:45:48.399 --> 00:45:48.920
 she would say something

00:45:48.920 --> 00:45:49.139
 to us,

00:45:49.139 --> 00:45:49.719
 she would punish us

00:45:49.719 --> 00:45:50.019
 or something,

00:45:50.139 --> 00:45:50.659
 and then she would be

00:45:50.659 --> 00:45:51.859
 quick to recognize

00:45:51.859 --> 00:45:52.679
 that this was coming

00:45:52.679 --> 00:45:53.199
 from herself.

00:45:53.839 --> 00:45:54.759
 And this wasn't coming

00:45:54.759 --> 00:45:55.920
 from the Lord

00:45:55.920 --> 00:45:57.179
 using through her.

00:45:57.219 --> 00:45:58.039
 So she was so sensitive

00:45:58.039 --> 00:45:58.420
 to that.

00:45:58.539 --> 00:45:59.399
 So I don't know,

00:45:59.440 --> 00:46:00.179
 as I've looked

00:46:00.179 --> 00:46:01.899
 at that transition

00:46:01.899 --> 00:46:02.599
 or that growth

00:46:02.599 --> 00:46:02.980
 of Isaac,

00:46:03.079 --> 00:46:03.819
 I feel like that's

00:46:03.819 --> 00:46:05.119
 kind of what I've

00:46:05.119 --> 00:46:06.179
 recognized in people

00:46:06.179 --> 00:46:06.940
 in my own life

00:46:06.940 --> 00:46:07.980
 within my mother as well.

00:46:08.460 --> 00:46:09.219
 And just,

00:46:09.440 --> 00:46:10.799
 I wonder how common

00:46:10.799 --> 00:46:11.259
 that is,

00:46:11.579 --> 00:46:12.259
 especially if you've

00:46:12.260 --> 00:46:12.940
 grown up in the Chinese

00:46:12.940 --> 00:46:13.160
 culture,

00:46:13.300 --> 00:46:13.800
 when was the last time

00:46:13.800 --> 00:46:15.420
 you heard your parents

00:46:15.420 --> 00:46:16.300
 kind of rebuke you

00:46:16.300 --> 00:46:16.540
 and then say,

00:46:16.580 --> 00:46:16.940
 you know what?

00:46:17.440 --> 00:46:18.700
 I overstepped the mark

00:46:18.700 --> 00:46:19.440
 and I apologize.

00:46:19.760 --> 00:46:21.020
 Has anyone ever had

00:46:21.020 --> 00:46:21.720
 a Chinese parent

00:46:21.720 --> 00:46:22.360
 apologize to them

00:46:22.360 --> 00:46:22.620
 for anything?

00:46:24.060 --> 00:46:24.420
 But,

00:46:24.940 --> 00:46:25.300
 of course,

00:46:25.340 --> 00:46:26.000
 what we're talking about

00:46:26.000 --> 00:46:28.700
 is just this humility

00:46:28.700 --> 00:46:30.580
 that she's developed

00:46:30.580 --> 00:46:32.400
 whilst being fierce,

00:46:32.580 --> 00:46:33.920
 which is very possible,

00:46:34.920 --> 00:46:35.960
 but that's the key

00:46:35.960 --> 00:46:37.300
 to all of it, right?

00:46:37.300 --> 00:46:37.560
 Right.

00:46:38.100 --> 00:46:39.320
 And like I said,

00:46:39.539 --> 00:46:40.240
 with that context

00:46:40.240 --> 00:46:41.220
 I gave you about my mother,

00:46:41.320 --> 00:46:42.000
 I think it would have been

00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:43.700
 very expected

00:46:43.700 --> 00:46:45.480
 for her to not be like that.

00:46:46.300 --> 00:46:46.820
 It would have been

00:46:46.820 --> 00:46:47.740
 very expected for her

00:46:47.740 --> 00:46:49.120
 to be very harsh,

00:46:49.260 --> 00:46:50.400
 to be very jaded,

00:46:50.860 --> 00:46:52.080
 to carry that hurt

00:46:52.080 --> 00:46:52.780
 in our relationship

00:46:52.780 --> 00:46:53.360
 with us.

00:46:54.519 --> 00:46:57.039
 But I genuinely believe

00:46:57.039 --> 00:46:57.980
 that the only,

00:46:58.140 --> 00:46:58.760
 only reason

00:46:58.760 --> 00:46:59.900
 that she is not like that

00:46:59.900 --> 00:47:00.920
 is because of Christ in her.

00:47:00.920 --> 00:47:04.380
 because she has been willing

00:47:04.380 --> 00:47:05.700
 to surrender herself fully

00:47:05.700 --> 00:47:07.980
 to God

00:47:07.980 --> 00:47:08.900
 and her fear of the Lord

00:47:08.900 --> 00:47:10.780
 overrides her sense of self,

00:47:11.300 --> 00:47:12.200
 that she's been able

00:47:12.200 --> 00:47:13.019
 to take every,

00:47:13.180 --> 00:47:15.079
 all of those generational traumas

00:47:15.079 --> 00:47:16.220
 and generational dysfunction

00:47:16.220 --> 00:47:17.000
 that could have been

00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:17.840
 passed on to us

00:47:17.840 --> 00:47:18.720
 and say,

00:47:18.900 --> 00:47:20.940
 this isn't what the Lord

00:47:20.940 --> 00:47:21.720
 has for my family.

00:47:22.720 --> 00:47:23.920
 And so I'm going to turn that on you.

00:47:24.280 --> 00:47:25.480
 As you look at your family

00:47:25.480 --> 00:47:27.480
 from grandma down to mom

00:47:27.480 --> 00:47:29.880
 and the whole wider family,

00:47:29.880 --> 00:47:32.240
 so Scabs is someone

00:47:32.240 --> 00:47:33.700
 who's actually very reflective

00:47:33.700 --> 00:47:34.599
 and very insightful

00:47:34.599 --> 00:47:35.840
 in his own kind of,

00:47:36.440 --> 00:47:37.180
 just where he is.

00:47:37.579 --> 00:47:38.800
 As you think about the things

00:47:38.800 --> 00:47:41.180
 that you may have inherited

00:47:41.180 --> 00:47:43.660
 from the dysfunction,

00:47:44.160 --> 00:47:45.579
 how do you go about surrendering

00:47:45.579 --> 00:47:46.720
 and letting God,

00:47:47.099 --> 00:47:47.880
 you know,

00:47:48.820 --> 00:47:49.200
 mold you?

00:47:56.119 --> 00:47:58.079
 I think it really comes down to

00:47:58.079 --> 00:48:00.599
 what my,

00:48:00.759 --> 00:48:01.679
 I've seen in my mom,

00:48:01.900 --> 00:48:02.860
 what I've seen her demonstrate

00:48:02.860 --> 00:48:03.659
 that I've caught

00:48:03.659 --> 00:48:06.420
 is a willingness

00:48:06.420 --> 00:48:09.199
 to recognize

00:48:09.199 --> 00:48:11.400
 the power and authority of God

00:48:11.400 --> 00:48:13.739
 and to be changed by that.

00:48:13.739 --> 00:48:18.779
 I think my mom is in awe of God.

00:48:19.559 --> 00:48:21.279
 I haven't always been in awe of God

00:48:21.279 --> 00:48:23.299
 and I would say in a large extent

00:48:23.299 --> 00:48:24.759
 I'm still learning what that means.

00:48:26.059 --> 00:48:28.739
 But that's something I see her practice

00:48:28.739 --> 00:48:30.019
 and because of that,

00:48:30.199 --> 00:48:31.199
 I know that God,

00:48:31.699 --> 00:48:33.079
 and through my own experiences as well

00:48:33.079 --> 00:48:34.359
 where I've now seen God show up

00:48:34.359 --> 00:48:34.979
 in my own life

00:48:34.979 --> 00:48:36.259
 and his faithfulness in my own life,

00:48:36.379 --> 00:48:38.619
 I know that he is worthy of our praise.

00:48:38.619 --> 00:48:40.599
 So in that,

00:48:41.960 --> 00:48:43.659
 I think there's this journey

00:48:43.659 --> 00:48:44.900
 of recognizing that

00:48:44.900 --> 00:48:46.299
 if there is something

00:48:46.299 --> 00:48:47.739
 that is of God's heart

00:48:47.739 --> 00:48:50.279
 and I feel like I am missing something,

00:48:51.359 --> 00:48:53.000
 I try my best,

00:48:53.599 --> 00:48:55.440
 whether it's in surrounding myself

00:48:55.440 --> 00:48:55.940
 with the people

00:48:55.940 --> 00:48:56.839
 who can give me good counsel,

00:48:56.980 --> 00:48:58.219
 whether it's just spending time

00:48:58.219 --> 00:48:58.619
 in the world,

00:48:58.839 --> 00:49:00.859
 to be realigned with God's heart.

00:49:01.519 --> 00:49:02.559
 Because I almost,

00:49:02.559 --> 00:49:04.359
 almost assume

00:49:04.359 --> 00:49:05.219
 that I'm missing something

00:49:05.219 --> 00:49:05.839
 in a way.

00:49:06.519 --> 00:49:06.840
 So I'm like,

00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:06.980
 God,

00:49:07.000 --> 00:49:07.760
 I don't see the full picture

00:49:07.760 --> 00:49:08.940
 and I know I don't see the full picture.

00:49:09.519 --> 00:49:10.820
 I want to see the full picture.

00:49:11.620 --> 00:49:13.180
 So I think that's kind of something

00:49:13.180 --> 00:49:14.740
 that I've gained from my mom

00:49:14.740 --> 00:49:16.880
 where it's like quick to

00:49:16.880 --> 00:49:19.539
 minimize self

00:49:19.539 --> 00:49:21.620
 and to maximize God

00:49:21.620 --> 00:49:22.420
 in that experience

00:49:22.420 --> 00:49:22.920
 and say like,

00:49:23.019 --> 00:49:23.220
 God,

00:49:23.360 --> 00:49:25.079
 what is actually your heart right now?

00:49:26.760 --> 00:49:27.980
 And so that's something good

00:49:27.980 --> 00:49:28.760
 that you've taken from it.

00:49:28.800 --> 00:49:30.220
 What are some of the challenges

00:49:30.220 --> 00:49:31.260
 that have come from?

00:49:35.840 --> 00:49:36.400
 Oh,

00:49:36.880 --> 00:49:40.579
 there's a lot I can go into actually.

00:49:40.900 --> 00:49:43.860
 For the sake of this,

00:49:44.620 --> 00:49:45.640
 I think one of the things

00:49:45.640 --> 00:49:48.940
 that my mom used to say is,

00:49:49.320 --> 00:49:50.340
 and I've told some people this,

00:49:50.920 --> 00:49:52.059
 my mom is quite dramatic

00:49:52.059 --> 00:49:52.920
 and she would say,

00:49:53.780 --> 00:49:54.019
 Gabriel,

00:49:54.480 --> 00:49:56.440
 you have no friends.

00:49:57.940 --> 00:49:59.680
 You only have brothers

00:49:59.680 --> 00:50:00.720
 and sisters in Christ

00:50:00.720 --> 00:50:02.200
 and acquaintances.

00:50:02.199 --> 00:50:02.639
 Oh.

00:50:04.319 --> 00:50:04.539
 Yeah.

00:50:04.980 --> 00:50:05.980
 Right, right, right.

00:50:06.759 --> 00:50:08.559
 So it's quite dramatic

00:50:08.559 --> 00:50:10.939
 and I think in a lot of ways,

00:50:12.199 --> 00:50:13.659
 that is actually why

00:50:13.659 --> 00:50:15.299
 in some ways I've been quite,

00:50:16.119 --> 00:50:16.939
 what's the word I want to use?

00:50:17.960 --> 00:50:18.359
 Independent

00:50:18.359 --> 00:50:20.219
 and I like go off.

00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:21.439
 People who know me well

00:50:21.439 --> 00:50:22.079
 know I do this.

00:50:22.179 --> 00:50:23.059
 Well, I'm just like kind of

00:50:23.059 --> 00:50:24.039
 to myself a lot

00:50:24.039 --> 00:50:24.819
 because it's just like,

00:50:25.099 --> 00:50:26.019
 no one understands me,

00:50:26.059 --> 00:50:27.259
 only God understands me.

00:50:28.319 --> 00:50:29.159
 And I'm just like,

00:50:29.299 --> 00:50:30.359
 I'm in this by myself,

00:50:30.500 --> 00:50:31.439
 got no friends.

00:50:32.199 --> 00:50:33.379
 So I think,

00:50:33.460 --> 00:50:34.960
 so I think there's like

00:50:34.960 --> 00:50:35.659
 a side of that

00:50:35.659 --> 00:50:36.059
 where I,

00:50:36.319 --> 00:50:36.919
 the heart behind

00:50:36.919 --> 00:50:37.619
 what my mom was saying

00:50:37.619 --> 00:50:38.259
 is really good.

00:50:38.460 --> 00:50:40.359
 But I think in reality,

00:50:40.359 --> 00:50:41.099
 I think sometimes

00:50:41.099 --> 00:50:42.079
 it's manifest in this

00:50:42.079 --> 00:50:42.599
 sort of like,

00:50:43.179 --> 00:50:44.419
 no one will fully understand

00:50:44.419 --> 00:50:45.559
 I'm by myself in this,

00:50:45.639 --> 00:50:46.659
 so I need to face this

00:50:46.659 --> 00:50:48.579
 by myself with God

00:50:48.579 --> 00:50:49.359
 and no one else.

00:50:49.439 --> 00:50:49.799
 So I would say

00:50:49.799 --> 00:50:50.439
 that's kind of like

00:50:50.439 --> 00:50:51.039
 the flip side.

00:50:51.519 --> 00:50:52.219
 That's interesting.

00:50:52.339 --> 00:50:53.079
 Wow, your mom

00:50:53.079 --> 00:50:54.379
 sounds like Vin Diesel.

00:50:54.379 --> 00:50:54.719
 Okay.

00:50:56.699 --> 00:50:57.819
 In that exact voice.

00:50:59.179 --> 00:51:00.259
 What's the final reflection

00:51:00.259 --> 00:51:01.859
 from just the word of God

00:51:01.860 --> 00:51:02.059
 for you?

00:51:02.059 --> 00:51:02.220
 Yeah.

00:51:03.019 --> 00:51:03.760
 So I actually,

00:51:03.940 --> 00:51:05.260
 I had a call with my mom

00:51:05.260 --> 00:51:07.360
 before I was going

00:51:07.360 --> 00:51:07.900
 to come up today

00:51:07.900 --> 00:51:08.240
 because I was going

00:51:08.240 --> 00:51:08.860
 to share this story

00:51:08.860 --> 00:51:09.320
 about her,

00:51:09.360 --> 00:51:10.140
 so I wanted to get her

00:51:10.140 --> 00:51:10.800
 one permission.

00:51:11.180 --> 00:51:12.180
 But also I asked her

00:51:12.180 --> 00:51:13.120
 directly to say,

00:51:13.360 --> 00:51:14.579
 what do you have

00:51:14.579 --> 00:51:15.340
 for the congregation?

00:51:16.019 --> 00:51:16.620
 Like what's actually

00:51:16.620 --> 00:51:17.300
 something that you would

00:51:17.300 --> 00:51:18.039
 want me to share

00:51:18.039 --> 00:51:18.800
 with the church

00:51:18.800 --> 00:51:19.320
 this Sunday?

00:51:20.320 --> 00:51:21.820
 And her words were,

00:51:22.620 --> 00:51:22.980
 one,

00:51:23.940 --> 00:51:24.820
 being malleable

00:51:24.820 --> 00:51:25.620
 to the Holy Spirit.

00:51:25.619 --> 00:51:28.679
 believing that

00:51:28.679 --> 00:51:29.819
 if God is who

00:51:29.819 --> 00:51:30.699
 he says he is,

00:51:31.199 --> 00:51:32.440
 any of the changes

00:51:32.440 --> 00:51:33.619
 that he is calling

00:51:33.619 --> 00:51:34.239
 you to make

00:51:34.239 --> 00:51:34.940
 and any of the changes

00:51:34.940 --> 00:51:36.059
 that he is encouraging

00:51:36.059 --> 00:51:36.779
 in your life

00:51:36.779 --> 00:51:38.019
 are worth it.

00:51:38.219 --> 00:51:38.940
 Be open to those,

00:51:39.000 --> 00:51:39.859
 be surrendered to that.

00:51:41.699 --> 00:51:42.639
 The second thing

00:51:42.639 --> 00:51:43.299
 that my mom wanted

00:51:43.299 --> 00:51:43.739
 to share

00:51:43.739 --> 00:51:44.880
 was the word forgiveness.

00:51:45.659 --> 00:51:46.719
 I didn't go into it

00:51:46.719 --> 00:51:47.099
 too much,

00:51:47.259 --> 00:51:49.259
 but very quickly,

00:51:49.980 --> 00:51:51.460
 just before my grandma

00:51:51.460 --> 00:51:51.940
 passed,

00:51:52.619 --> 00:51:52.779
 my,

00:51:52.960 --> 00:51:53.299
 like I said,

00:51:53.339 --> 00:51:54.099
 my mom and my grandma

00:51:54.099 --> 00:51:55.039
 hadn't spoken for many,

00:51:55.159 --> 00:51:55.539
 many years.

00:51:56.839 --> 00:51:57.539
 She knew,

00:51:57.779 --> 00:51:58.440
 well, my mom didn't even

00:51:58.440 --> 00:51:58.880
 know at this point,

00:51:58.920 --> 00:51:59.579
 but she knew my grandma

00:51:59.579 --> 00:52:00.079
 was sick

00:52:00.079 --> 00:52:00.920
 and she felt the conviction

00:52:00.920 --> 00:52:01.380
 to say,

00:52:01.500 --> 00:52:02.639
 hey, I really need

00:52:02.639 --> 00:52:03.159
 to see her.

00:52:04.420 --> 00:52:06.519
 So she called

00:52:06.519 --> 00:52:07.759
 her siblings.

00:52:08.119 --> 00:52:09.159
 Her siblings were

00:52:09.159 --> 00:52:10.019
 hanging up the call.

00:52:10.119 --> 00:52:10.920
 They weren't picking up.

00:52:11.679 --> 00:52:12.559
 She found out

00:52:12.559 --> 00:52:13.179
 through one of her

00:52:13.179 --> 00:52:13.779
 other sisters

00:52:13.779 --> 00:52:14.739
 who still talks to her

00:52:14.739 --> 00:52:16.440
 where my grandma was,

00:52:16.819 --> 00:52:18.179
 went to see my grandma.

00:52:18.559 --> 00:52:20.039
 She gets to the location.

00:52:20.639 --> 00:52:21.339
 Some of her siblings

00:52:21.339 --> 00:52:21.659
 are there.

00:52:21.739 --> 00:52:22.920
 They're shouting at her,

00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:23.759
 telling her to get out.

00:52:24.099 --> 00:52:24.839
 I can tell you more

00:52:24.839 --> 00:52:25.380
 about the story,

00:52:25.480 --> 00:52:26.420
 but just for a bit

00:52:26.420 --> 00:52:26.819
 of context,

00:52:27.339 --> 00:52:28.360
 the reason that there

00:52:28.360 --> 00:52:28.819
 is tension

00:52:28.819 --> 00:52:29.980
 isn't because of

00:52:29.980 --> 00:52:31.099
 something bad

00:52:31.099 --> 00:52:31.719
 that my mom did.

00:52:31.819 --> 00:52:32.679
 It's really just

00:52:32.679 --> 00:52:33.920
 because of jealousy.

00:52:35.259 --> 00:52:36.179
 But my mom gets

00:52:36.179 --> 00:52:36.779
 to the location

00:52:36.779 --> 00:52:37.319
 of my grandma.

00:52:37.860 --> 00:52:38.360
 They're screaming,

00:52:38.500 --> 00:52:39.219
 telling her to get out.

00:52:39.880 --> 00:52:41.219
 My mom gets a chance

00:52:41.219 --> 00:52:43.000
 to kneel beside my grandma.

00:52:43.719 --> 00:52:44.339
 And at this point,

00:52:44.420 --> 00:52:45.420
 my grandma's nonverbal.

00:52:45.480 --> 00:52:46.259
 She's not able to speak.

00:52:46.519 --> 00:52:47.400
 She holds her hand.

00:52:48.519 --> 00:52:49.360
 She prays with her.

00:52:49.860 --> 00:52:50.799
 She says,

00:52:50.940 --> 00:52:52.239
 this is your firstborn daughter.

00:52:52.239 --> 00:52:53.159
 I love you.

00:52:54.579 --> 00:52:55.379
 She tells me that

00:52:55.379 --> 00:52:56.000
 that whole journey

00:52:56.000 --> 00:52:57.299
 going up to see

00:52:57.299 --> 00:52:58.239
 her grandma again,

00:52:58.659 --> 00:52:59.439
 she was crying

00:52:59.439 --> 00:53:00.639
 and she had so much pain

00:53:00.639 --> 00:53:01.199
 in her heart.

00:53:03.259 --> 00:53:04.359
 She gets into that room

00:53:04.359 --> 00:53:06.839
 and then she gets

00:53:06.839 --> 00:53:07.199
 on her knees

00:53:07.199 --> 00:53:07.679
 and prays.

00:53:07.679 --> 00:53:21.559
 And after 15 years,

00:53:21.619 --> 00:53:23.139
 she feels her mother

00:53:23.139 --> 00:53:24.019
 squeeze her hand.

00:53:27.319 --> 00:53:28.279
 And in the background,

00:53:28.460 --> 00:53:29.359
 her siblings are still

00:53:29.359 --> 00:53:30.480
 showering her to get out.

00:53:31.379 --> 00:53:32.739
 But she feels her mother

00:53:32.739 --> 00:53:33.419
 squeeze her hand.

00:53:33.420 --> 00:53:37.380
 And then after praying

00:53:37.380 --> 00:53:38.460
 and kneeling next to her,

00:53:39.260 --> 00:53:39.840
 saying,

00:53:40.099 --> 00:53:41.019
 I forgive you,

00:53:42.260 --> 00:53:43.139
 she leaves.

00:53:44.119 --> 00:53:45.119
 My grandma passes away

00:53:45.119 --> 00:53:45.760
 three days later.

00:53:48.680 --> 00:53:52.099
 And this story

00:53:52.099 --> 00:53:53.760
 is unresolved

00:53:53.760 --> 00:53:54.740
 in the sense that

00:53:54.740 --> 00:53:56.099
 my mom,

00:53:56.320 --> 00:53:56.980
 in her faith

00:53:56.980 --> 00:53:57.960
 and in her understanding,

00:53:58.079 --> 00:53:58.639
 believes that

00:53:58.639 --> 00:53:59.860
 between her and her mother,

00:54:00.220 --> 00:54:01.200
 the Lord has restored that.

00:54:01.199 --> 00:54:03.199
 there's still a lot of

00:54:03.199 --> 00:54:04.759
 unreconciled feelings

00:54:04.759 --> 00:54:05.339
 and relationships

00:54:05.339 --> 00:54:06.279
 with her siblings now

00:54:06.279 --> 00:54:07.259
 to this day.

00:54:07.399 --> 00:54:08.039
 It's still ongoing.

00:54:09.339 --> 00:54:11.279
 But my mom's take is

00:54:11.279 --> 00:54:13.139
 forgiveness.

00:54:14.460 --> 00:54:15.659
 And it's not forgiveness

00:54:15.659 --> 00:54:16.899
 because the hurt isn't real.

00:54:17.059 --> 00:54:18.019
 It's not forgiveness

00:54:18.019 --> 00:54:19.299
 because the other person

00:54:19.299 --> 00:54:19.960
 deserves it.

00:54:20.219 --> 00:54:20.799
 But it's forgiveness

00:54:20.799 --> 00:54:21.500
 because we,

00:54:21.719 --> 00:54:22.659
 what first have been forgiven,

00:54:23.659 --> 00:54:25.079
 that God doesn't hold

00:54:25.079 --> 00:54:26.119
 the things that we have done

00:54:26.119 --> 00:54:27.779
 against us.

00:54:28.419 --> 00:54:29.339
 That he sent his son

00:54:29.339 --> 00:54:30.319
 to die on our behalf

00:54:30.320 --> 00:54:32.800
 despite all that we have done,

00:54:32.880 --> 00:54:33.760
 despite brokenness,

00:54:33.840 --> 00:54:34.539
 despite the dysfunction,

00:54:34.740 --> 00:54:35.640
 that he sent his son

00:54:35.640 --> 00:54:36.640
 to die on our behalf

00:54:36.640 --> 00:54:37.900
 so that the slate

00:54:37.900 --> 00:54:38.580
 is wiped clean.

00:54:39.420 --> 00:54:40.400
 So because of that,

00:54:40.519 --> 00:54:41.740
 we are free to forgive.

00:54:43.440 --> 00:54:44.860
 And that's the only reason

00:54:44.860 --> 00:54:45.660
 we are free to forgive.

00:54:46.960 --> 00:54:48.920
 So that was the word

00:54:48.920 --> 00:54:49.480
 that my mom wanted

00:54:49.480 --> 00:54:50.559
 to share with us today.

00:54:51.300 --> 00:54:52.080
 That the forgiveness

00:54:52.080 --> 00:54:52.559
 that we have

00:54:52.559 --> 00:54:53.400
 isn't because of us,

00:54:53.420 --> 00:54:54.000
 it's because of him.

00:54:54.000 --> 00:54:54.360
 Yeah.

00:54:55.480 --> 00:54:56.480
 So we ought to forgive.

00:54:56.820 --> 00:54:57.120
 That's good.

00:54:57.440 --> 00:54:57.780
 Thank you.

00:54:57.900 --> 00:54:58.559
 Can you pray for us?

00:54:58.700 --> 00:54:58.840
 Yeah.

00:55:00.320 --> 00:55:09.180
 Lord,

00:55:09.200 --> 00:55:09.640
 we thank you

00:55:09.640 --> 00:55:11.640
 for your resilient

00:55:11.640 --> 00:55:13.519
 and perfect faithfulness,

00:55:13.680 --> 00:55:13.820
 Lord.

00:55:16.180 --> 00:55:16.900
 We thank you

00:55:16.900 --> 00:55:18.360
 that this is not about us.

00:55:19.019 --> 00:55:20.680
 This is not about my mother.

00:55:20.940 --> 00:55:21.860
 This is not about

00:55:21.860 --> 00:55:22.820
 us being able

00:55:22.820 --> 00:55:23.880
 to be faithful to you

00:55:23.880 --> 00:55:24.980
 or us knowing

00:55:24.980 --> 00:55:26.400
 the tricks of being a Christian

00:55:26.400 --> 00:55:27.980
 or the tricks of walking with you.

00:55:28.059 --> 00:55:28.720
 It's not about that,

00:55:28.719 --> 00:55:28.919
 Lord.

00:55:28.980 --> 00:55:30.199
 It's simply about

00:55:30.199 --> 00:55:30.899
 your goodness,

00:55:31.119 --> 00:55:31.259
 Lord,

00:55:31.359 --> 00:55:32.179
 and your faithfulness

00:55:32.179 --> 00:55:32.939
 towards your people.

00:55:34.659 --> 00:55:35.859
 Simply about your desire

00:55:35.859 --> 00:55:37.219
 to be near to your creation,

00:55:37.419 --> 00:55:37.519
 Lord,

00:55:37.579 --> 00:55:38.659
 and for us to experience

00:55:38.659 --> 00:55:39.480
 your fullness.

00:55:41.799 --> 00:55:42.159
 So,

00:55:42.259 --> 00:55:42.379
 Father,

00:55:42.459 --> 00:55:43.079
 even right now,

00:55:43.079 --> 00:55:44.459
 as I pray for our congregation

00:55:44.459 --> 00:55:45.899
 and I pray for the things

00:55:45.899 --> 00:55:46.539
 that may have stirred

00:55:46.539 --> 00:55:47.099
 in the hearts

00:55:47.099 --> 00:55:47.919
 of people listening,

00:55:48.079 --> 00:55:48.219
 Lord,

00:55:48.219 --> 00:55:51.539
 Lord,

00:55:51.539 --> 00:55:52.199
 I pray that you would

00:55:52.199 --> 00:55:53.159
 speak your peace.

00:55:54.139 --> 00:55:55.079
 You would speak your shalom

00:55:55.079 --> 00:55:55.959
 into those

00:55:55.959 --> 00:55:56.919
 who are

00:55:56.919 --> 00:55:57.879
 facing

00:55:57.879 --> 00:55:59.539
 dysfunction,

00:55:59.839 --> 00:56:00.159
 pain,

00:56:00.439 --> 00:56:00.759
 hurt,

00:56:01.899 --> 00:56:02.419
 difficulty

00:56:02.419 --> 00:56:03.159
 to forgive,

00:56:03.299 --> 00:56:03.480
 Lord,

00:56:03.599 --> 00:56:05.119
 any of these feelings,

00:56:05.299 --> 00:56:05.399
 Lord,

00:56:05.419 --> 00:56:06.219
 that are being carried

00:56:06.219 --> 00:56:06.879
 by our flesh,

00:56:07.000 --> 00:56:07.119
 Lord,

00:56:07.159 --> 00:56:07.959
 I pray that you speak

00:56:07.959 --> 00:56:08.439
 your shalom

00:56:08.439 --> 00:56:08.959
 over those

00:56:08.959 --> 00:56:09.639
 in Jesus' name.

00:56:11.599 --> 00:56:11.959
 Father,

00:56:12.039 --> 00:56:12.539
 I thank you

00:56:12.539 --> 00:56:14.800
 that as we look

00:56:14.800 --> 00:56:15.300
 at ourselves,

00:56:15.400 --> 00:56:16.000
 we look at it

00:56:16.000 --> 00:56:16.900
 through your lens.

00:56:18.779 --> 00:56:18.920
 Lord,

00:56:18.940 --> 00:56:19.779
 so we don't actually

00:56:19.779 --> 00:56:20.719
 have to look at ourselves

00:56:20.719 --> 00:56:21.599
 in the brokenness,

00:56:21.679 --> 00:56:21.759
 Lord,

00:56:21.779 --> 00:56:22.639
 but we can look at ourselves

00:56:22.639 --> 00:56:23.279
 as redeemed.

00:56:26.400 --> 00:56:26.739
 So,

00:56:26.860 --> 00:56:26.940
 Father,

00:56:27.000 --> 00:56:28.000
 as we go forward,

00:56:28.099 --> 00:56:28.219
 Lord,

00:56:28.259 --> 00:56:29.519
 and as we navigate

00:56:29.519 --> 00:56:30.400
 the real hurt

00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:31.239
 and the real dysfunction

00:56:31.239 --> 00:56:31.940
 in our lives

00:56:31.940 --> 00:56:32.599
 and our family,

00:56:32.739 --> 00:56:32.900
 Lord,

00:56:33.800 --> 00:56:35.039
 would you firstly show us

00:56:35.039 --> 00:56:35.480
 what it means

00:56:35.480 --> 00:56:36.219
 to be malleable

00:56:36.219 --> 00:56:36.940
 to your spirit?

00:56:38.480 --> 00:56:38.840
 Lord,

00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:39.940
 allow us to be changed

00:56:39.940 --> 00:56:40.559
 by your spirit,

00:56:40.659 --> 00:56:40.779
 Lord.

00:56:40.860 --> 00:56:41.820
 May we not be so

00:56:41.820 --> 00:56:42.820
 stubborn

00:56:42.820 --> 00:56:43.800
 in our ways

00:56:43.800 --> 00:56:44.640
 that we cannot be

00:56:44.640 --> 00:56:45.680
 molded by you.

00:56:47.760 --> 00:56:48.240
 And Lord,

00:56:48.280 --> 00:56:49.019
 would you also show us

00:56:49.019 --> 00:56:49.620
 what it means

00:56:49.620 --> 00:56:50.140
 to forgive

00:56:50.140 --> 00:56:51.160
 as we have been forgiven?

00:56:52.600 --> 00:56:52.840
 Lord,

00:56:53.180 --> 00:56:54.140
 allow us to be free

00:56:54.140 --> 00:56:54.720
 to forgive

00:56:54.720 --> 00:56:56.400
 because you've already

00:56:56.400 --> 00:56:57.220
 taken the ultimate

00:56:57.220 --> 00:56:58.260
 offense on our behalf

00:56:58.260 --> 00:57:00.000
 and you now say

00:57:00.000 --> 00:57:00.640
 that we are free

00:57:00.640 --> 00:57:01.420
 and free indeed.

00:57:02.460 --> 00:57:02.640
 So,

00:57:02.720 --> 00:57:03.380
 we pray this in your

00:57:03.380 --> 00:57:03.880
 Son,

00:57:04.180 --> 00:57:04.900
 Jesus Christ's name.

00:57:05.080 --> 00:57:05.240
 Amen.

00:57:06.400 --> 00:57:06.900
 Thank you,

00:57:06.960 --> 00:57:07.080
 Gav.

00:57:07.480 --> 00:57:08.220
 Round of applause.

00:57:08.400 --> 00:57:08.980
 Round of applause for you.

00:57:08.980 --> 00:57:09.039
 Thank you.

00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:09.039


00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:16.739
 Let me attempt

00:57:16.739 --> 00:57:17.519
 to summarize

00:57:17.519 --> 00:57:20.079
 but really

00:57:20.079 --> 00:57:20.900
 with the whole heart

00:57:20.900 --> 00:57:21.880
 let us

00:57:21.880 --> 00:57:23.779
 be malleable

00:57:23.779 --> 00:57:24.840
 to his spirit now.

00:57:25.500 --> 00:57:26.440
 We've gone through a lot,

00:57:26.539 --> 00:57:27.820
 we've talked a lot

00:57:27.820 --> 00:57:29.099
 and I'm not going to

00:57:29.099 --> 00:57:29.440
 stand here

00:57:29.440 --> 00:57:29.779
 and pretend

00:57:29.779 --> 00:57:30.340
 that I know

00:57:30.340 --> 00:57:31.500
 every single person's

00:57:31.500 --> 00:57:31.779
 family

00:57:31.779 --> 00:57:32.719
 and all the dysfunction

00:57:32.719 --> 00:57:33.300
 that exists

00:57:33.300 --> 00:57:33.719
 and everybody,

00:57:34.079 --> 00:57:35.099
 you know your family

00:57:35.099 --> 00:57:37.519
 and most importantly

00:57:37.519 --> 00:57:38.099
 God knows

00:57:38.099 --> 00:57:38.819
 your family.

00:57:40.900 --> 00:57:41.259
 So,

00:57:41.400 --> 00:57:42.000
 can I just lead us

00:57:42.000 --> 00:57:42.460
 in a moment

00:57:42.460 --> 00:57:43.239
 of just reflection?

00:57:44.619 --> 00:57:45.659
 You can close your eyes,

00:57:45.719 --> 00:57:46.259
 you can bow your head,

00:57:46.339 --> 00:57:47.960
 you can look around,

00:57:48.019 --> 00:57:48.440
 you can do whatever

00:57:48.440 --> 00:57:49.779
 it is that you feel

00:57:49.779 --> 00:57:50.519
 comfortable but

00:57:50.519 --> 00:57:53.299
 what I hope you saw here

00:57:53.299 --> 00:57:55.059
 is two brothers

00:57:55.059 --> 00:57:55.980
 who are deeply flawed

00:57:55.980 --> 00:57:57.679
 but just

00:57:57.679 --> 00:57:58.639
 blessed

00:57:58.639 --> 00:57:59.199
 and in awe

00:57:59.199 --> 00:58:00.000
 that God's word

00:58:00.000 --> 00:58:01.339
 would pop out to us

00:58:01.339 --> 00:58:02.659
 in such a timely way

00:58:02.659 --> 00:58:05.239
 and that's why Genesis,

00:58:05.519 --> 00:58:06.239
 that's why the Bible

00:58:06.239 --> 00:58:07.460
 even though it can be dry,

00:58:07.579 --> 00:58:08.139
 even though it can

00:58:08.139 --> 00:58:09.759
 look like the same stuff

00:58:09.759 --> 00:58:10.319
 it's just

00:58:10.319 --> 00:58:12.500
 it's just

00:58:12.500 --> 00:58:14.359
 incisive

00:58:14.359 --> 00:58:16.079
 in speaking life

00:58:16.079 --> 00:58:16.779
 into our times.

00:58:18.519 --> 00:58:18.940
 So,

00:58:19.019 --> 00:58:19.319
 whether it's

00:58:19.319 --> 00:58:20.159
 we're holding grief

00:58:20.159 --> 00:58:24.399
 and blessing

00:58:24.399 --> 00:58:25.179
 hand in hand

00:58:25.179 --> 00:58:27.920
 so whether

00:58:27.920 --> 00:58:29.379
 it's us facing famine

00:58:29.380 --> 00:58:32.320
 in our own

00:58:32.320 --> 00:58:33.900
 lives right now.

00:58:35.860 --> 00:58:36.340
 So,

00:58:36.480 --> 00:58:37.000
 whether it be

00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:38.820
 fearful of man

00:58:38.820 --> 00:58:39.680
 to the point

00:58:39.680 --> 00:58:40.440
 that we would lie

00:58:40.440 --> 00:58:43.800
 or

00:58:43.800 --> 00:58:44.099
 whether we

00:58:44.099 --> 00:58:45.140
 feel convicted

00:58:45.140 --> 00:58:46.180
 that actually

00:58:46.180 --> 00:58:47.260
 we've not been

00:58:47.260 --> 00:58:48.000
 acting

00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:48.559
 in the way

00:58:48.559 --> 00:58:49.079
 that we should

00:58:49.079 --> 00:58:54.039
 or whether it's

00:58:54.039 --> 00:58:55.599
 processing

00:58:55.599 --> 00:58:56.380
 and making sense

00:58:56.380 --> 00:58:57.079
 of why the Lord

00:58:57.079 --> 00:58:58.039
 would still bless us

00:58:58.039 --> 00:58:59.139
 even in our

00:58:59.139 --> 00:58:59.860
 deceit

00:58:59.860 --> 00:59:00.619
 and our lie.

00:59:04.619 --> 00:59:05.579
 Whether it's

00:59:05.579 --> 00:59:06.279
 this journey

00:59:06.279 --> 00:59:07.199
 of growing

00:59:07.199 --> 00:59:08.340
 to choose

00:59:08.340 --> 00:59:09.360
 faith over fear

00:59:09.360 --> 00:59:11.579
 choosing

00:59:11.579 --> 00:59:12.599
 to relinquish

00:59:12.599 --> 00:59:13.139
 our rights

00:59:13.139 --> 00:59:13.900
 choosing

00:59:13.900 --> 00:59:15.840
 the way

00:59:15.840 --> 00:59:16.400
 of peace

00:59:16.400 --> 00:59:21.320
 and whether

00:59:21.320 --> 00:59:21.960
 it's acknowledging

00:59:21.960 --> 00:59:22.519
 and

00:59:22.519 --> 00:59:24.519
 articulating

00:59:24.519 --> 00:59:25.559
 and confessing

00:59:25.559 --> 00:59:26.300
 the generational

00:59:26.300 --> 00:59:26.779
 sins

00:59:26.780 --> 00:59:27.240
 that we

00:59:27.240 --> 00:59:28.340
 have inherited

00:59:28.340 --> 00:59:30.420
 the mindsets

00:59:30.420 --> 00:59:31.400
 that we've

00:59:31.400 --> 00:59:33.080
 taken in

00:59:33.080 --> 00:59:35.800
 Holy Spirit

00:59:35.800 --> 00:59:36.140
 we are

00:59:36.140 --> 00:59:36.780
 malabiable

00:59:36.780 --> 00:59:37.400
 to you

00:59:37.400 --> 00:59:39.280
 would you

00:59:39.280 --> 00:59:39.820
 speak

00:59:39.820 --> 00:59:40.860
 would you

00:59:40.860 --> 00:59:41.400
 work

00:59:41.400 --> 00:59:42.920
 would you

00:59:42.920 --> 00:59:43.440
 clean

00:59:43.440 --> 00:59:43.980
 would you

00:59:43.980 --> 00:59:44.740
 purify

00:59:44.739 --> 00:59:59.559
 I'll finish

00:59:59.559 --> 00:59:59.939
 with two

00:59:59.939 --> 01:00:00.319
 quotes

01:00:00.319 --> 01:00:02.399
 much better

01:00:02.399 --> 01:00:02.839
 than mine

01:00:02.839 --> 01:00:03.839
 Francis Schaeffer

01:00:03.839 --> 01:00:04.479
 says this

01:00:04.479 --> 01:00:06.500
 the curse

01:00:06.500 --> 01:00:07.139
 was broken

01:00:07.139 --> 01:00:07.859
 at Calvary

01:00:07.859 --> 01:00:09.439
 and the patterns

01:00:09.439 --> 01:00:10.239
 must be broken

01:00:10.239 --> 01:00:10.919
 in our daily

01:00:10.919 --> 01:00:11.259
 walk

01:00:11.260 --> 01:00:12.760
 Christ

01:00:12.760 --> 01:00:12.780
 Christ

01:00:12.780 --> 01:00:13.260
 bore the

01:00:13.260 --> 01:00:13.500
 guilt

01:00:13.500 --> 01:00:13.940
 of our

01:00:13.940 --> 01:00:14.500
 generational

01:00:14.500 --> 01:00:15.040
 sins

01:00:15.040 --> 01:00:15.500
 on the

01:00:15.500 --> 01:00:15.820
 cross

01:00:15.820 --> 01:00:17.080
 so that

01:00:17.080 --> 01:00:17.700
 we might

01:00:17.700 --> 01:00:18.100
 walk

01:00:18.100 --> 01:00:18.420
 in the

01:00:18.420 --> 01:00:18.740
 power

01:00:18.740 --> 01:00:19.300
 of his

01:00:19.300 --> 01:00:19.620
 new

01:00:19.620 --> 01:00:20.200
 creation

01:00:20.200 --> 01:00:24.100
 and John

01:00:24.100 --> 01:00:24.400
 Tyson

01:00:24.400 --> 01:00:24.980
 says this

01:00:24.980 --> 01:00:25.580
 you are not

01:00:25.580 --> 01:00:25.920
 bound

01:00:25.920 --> 01:00:26.560
 to repeat

01:00:26.560 --> 01:00:27.180
 the history

01:00:27.180 --> 01:00:27.880
 of your

01:00:27.880 --> 01:00:28.240
 earthly

01:00:28.240 --> 01:00:28.720
 ancestors

01:00:28.720 --> 01:00:29.780
 when you

01:00:29.780 --> 01:00:30.120
 have been

01:00:30.120 --> 01:00:30.520
 adopted

01:00:30.520 --> 01:00:31.100
 into the

01:00:31.100 --> 01:00:31.420
 family

01:00:31.420 --> 01:00:32.000
 of God

01:00:32.000 --> 01:00:34.080
 in Christ

01:00:34.080 --> 01:00:34.700
 your true

01:00:34.700 --> 01:00:35.040
 lineage

01:00:35.040 --> 01:00:35.640
 changes

01:00:35.639 --> 01:00:37.000
 and the

01:00:37.000 --> 01:00:37.500
 generational

01:00:37.500 --> 01:00:38.039
 chain

01:00:38.039 --> 01:00:38.559
 of sin

01:00:38.559 --> 01:00:39.299
 is broken

01:00:39.299 --> 01:00:40.639
 at the

01:00:40.639 --> 01:00:40.980
 cross

01:00:40.980 --> 01:00:42.940
 the one

01:00:42.940 --> 01:00:43.440
 message from

01:00:43.440 --> 01:00:44.039
 today is

01:00:44.039 --> 01:00:44.579
 we may

01:00:44.579 --> 01:00:45.139
 face the

01:00:45.139 --> 01:00:45.559
 same old

01:00:45.559 --> 01:00:46.039
 problems

01:00:46.039 --> 01:00:46.619
 and same

01:00:46.619 --> 01:00:46.839
 old

01:00:46.839 --> 01:00:47.219
 dysfunction

01:00:47.219 --> 01:00:47.940
 but the

01:00:47.940 --> 01:00:48.400
 same old

01:00:48.400 --> 01:00:48.679
 God

01:00:48.679 --> 01:00:50.000
 of the

01:00:50.000 --> 01:00:50.400
 same old

01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:50.819
 grace

01:00:50.819 --> 01:00:51.980
 keeps

01:00:51.980 --> 01:00:52.579
 washing over

01:00:52.579 --> 01:00:53.099
 us time

01:00:53.099 --> 01:00:53.500
 and time

01:00:53.500 --> 01:00:53.779
 again

01:00:53.779 --> 01:00:54.400
 the God

01:00:54.400 --> 01:00:55.279
 of Abraham

01:00:55.279 --> 01:00:57.400
 was the

01:00:57.400 --> 01:00:57.679
 God of

01:00:57.679 --> 01:00:58.019
 Isaac

01:00:58.019 --> 01:00:58.619
 was the

01:00:58.619 --> 01:00:58.900
 God of

01:00:58.900 --> 01:00:59.279
 Jacob

01:00:59.279 --> 01:01:01.679
 was the

01:01:01.679 --> 01:01:01.940
 God of

01:01:01.940 --> 01:01:02.319
 Natalie

01:01:02.319 --> 01:01:03.619
 and Aaron

01:01:03.619 --> 01:01:05.119
 and the

01:01:05.119 --> 01:01:05.400
 God of

01:01:05.400 --> 01:01:05.739
 Brenda

01:01:05.739 --> 01:01:06.420
 the God

01:01:06.420 --> 01:01:06.940
 of Emily

01:01:06.940 --> 01:01:07.839
 the God

01:01:07.839 --> 01:01:08.400
 of Joshua

01:01:08.400 --> 01:01:09.139
 the God

01:01:09.139 --> 01:01:09.639
 of Erica

01:01:09.639 --> 01:01:11.619
 the God

01:01:11.619 --> 01:01:12.099
 of Julian

01:01:12.099 --> 01:01:13.619
 the God

01:01:13.619 --> 01:01:14.059
 of Jackie

01:01:14.059 --> 01:01:14.480
 the God

01:01:14.480 --> 01:01:15.019
 of Agnes

01:01:15.019 --> 01:01:16.920
 the God

01:01:16.920 --> 01:01:17.440
 of Fonita

01:01:17.440 --> 01:01:18.639
 the God

01:01:18.639 --> 01:01:19.079
 of Anthony

01:01:19.079 --> 01:01:19.500
 the God

01:01:19.500 --> 01:01:19.940
 of Connie

01:01:19.940 --> 01:01:21.239
 the God

01:01:21.239 --> 01:01:21.639
 of Benny

01:01:21.639 --> 01:01:22.739
 the same

01:01:22.739 --> 01:01:23.799
 God

01:01:23.799 --> 01:01:27.139
 and the

01:01:27.139 --> 01:01:27.339
 same

01:01:27.339 --> 01:01:27.699
 grace

01:01:27.699 --> 01:01:29.779
 may

01:01:29.779 --> 01:01:29.779


01:01:29.779 --> 01:01:30.119
 may

01:01:30.119 --> 01:01:30.119


01:01:30.119 --> 01:01:30.119


01:01:30.119 --> 01:01:30.699
 may

01:01:30.699 --> 01:01:30.699


01:01:30.699 --> 01:01:30.699


01:01:30.699 --> 01:01:30.699


01:01:30.699 --> 01:01:30.699


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01:01:30.699 --> 01:01:30.699


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01:01:30.699 --> 01:01:30.699