WEBVTT

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 Good morning, everyone.

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 Let's bow our heads, shall we, for a prayer before I open my mouth.

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 We just sung these words to God, faithful forever, perfect in love, you are sovereign

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 over us.

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 Father, we thank you that you are a sovereign God, and Lord, when the world around us is

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 in turmoil, when the world a little closer to home is in turmoil, we pray that we might

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 leave this place today sure and certain that whatever's happening, you are still in control.

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 So, Father, would you open our eyes, would you open our ears, and open our hearts, that

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 we might see you as you are, and Lord, trust in who you are, and live as though we trust

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 in who you are.

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 And we pray these things in Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 So, I want to preach on a verse from that rather curious reading we had from the book of Daniel.

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 The book of Daniel, I think, is a remarkable book, but I want to talk to you from Daniel

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 chapter 7, verses 13 and 14.

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 Daniel says this,

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 In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the

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 clouds of heaven.

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 He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

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 He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power.

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 All nations and peoples of every language worshipped him.

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 His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one

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 that will never be destroyed.

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 The book of Daniel is a peculiarly difficult book, and part of the reason it's difficult is

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 that the scholars, whoever they are, are very discordant about when it was written.

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 Most modern scholars think that it was written around about 160 BC, whereas traditionally the

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 church thought that the book of Daniel was written probably in the 6th or 7th century, in

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 other words, hundreds of years before.

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 And there's an interesting reason for that divergence.

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 And it's this, that modern scholars can no longer accept that anybody who prophesied anything

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 in the Bible that came true, modern scholars couldn't accept that it was authentic.

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 They thought it must be after the event that they did their prophecies, rather than before

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 the event.

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 So you need to know, before I start, that I am not a modern scholar.

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 I think this was written 6 or 7 centuries before Jesus came to earth.

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 And I think that makes the prophecy, though I agree the language is, let's say, tricky.

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 The language is a little tricky.

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 That what Daniel was prophesying here was unbelievably brought to bear in the coming of Jesus.

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 Those of you who know your Bibles will know that the text I just read to you is reminiscent

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 of Mark's Gospel, chapter 6, where Jesus said of himself, the Son of Man will come on clouds

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 of glory.

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 Daniel knew something.

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 And his prophecies and his book, I think, if you've never read it, I mean, okay, there are

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 some spooky bits, a bit like this.

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 But I mean, the story of Daniel.

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 Daniel, who probably is mostly known for surviving the fiery furnace, and then, just to kind of

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 keep him interested, he had to survive the lion's den.

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 All because he was prepared to stand up for his faith in God.

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 He didn't know the Lord Jesus personally, he didn't know about the death and resurrection

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 of Jesus, he didn't know about atonement, he didn't know any of these things.

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 But he chose to put his trust in God.

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 And I want to say to you that when I saw what my subject was today, my heart skipped a beat.

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 And there's a reason for that.

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 I think to myself, how dare I stand up in front of all you and talk about the sovereignty of

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 God in a world where there is more turmoil than most of us have seen in our lifetime?

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 Why?

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 Now, here's the thing.

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 Daniel prophesied it.

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 All that language about four horns, we're told in chapter 7, a little further on than we

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 read this morning.

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 When Daniel had his vision, here's a wonderful understatement, right?

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 Daniel says, I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit.

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 Wouldn't you be if you had a dream like that?

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 I think most of you are going to get your medication fixed.

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 So God spoke to him again.

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 And in verse 16 it says he gave an interpretation.

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 The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth.

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 I don't know whether you've noticed it, but in world affairs, in global affairs just now,

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 there are four dynasties that are posing a huge threat to what we might call global peace,

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 if there ever was such a thing.

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 The first one is China and its expansionist policies in the Southern Pacific.

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 Put together with the fact that China, as we sit here comfortably in a warm church on Sunday

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 morning, China is buying up just about every last piece of fertile land in Africa.

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 Of course, this is expansionism.

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 The Chinese reckon that their population will be 1.5 billion by 2035,

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 and somehow they're going to have to feed those people.

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 The second great beast in our world is Russian expansionism,

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 and the fear that Ukraine might just be the beginning of something which might continue.

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 There are plenty of people in the satellite states of the old Soviet Union

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 who are terrified that what Putin wants to do is to remake the old Soviet Union.

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 Apparently there are some people in this country who think that would be great.

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 Thirdly, the unstable, again, another understatement,

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 the unstable leadership of North Korea.

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 I don't know about you, but I mean, I take a look at that funny little guy that runs the show,

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 and I think to myself, you know, this is almost comical,

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 except that, of course, he's developing long-range missiles

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 that can deliver lethal damage into countries around.

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 You remember that wasn't that long ago there.

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 He decided to fire missiles, not missiles that were armed,

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 but missiles over Japan just to kind of keep them in line.

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 And then last, but certainly not least, the appalling situation.

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 We see in a highly volatile and febrile situation in the Middle East.

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 You couldn't really stand up and speak about sovereignty

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 in a more volatile global situation,

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 but then when you come home, it doesn't read much better.

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 The cost of living crisis.

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 I know that there will be some of you in the house this morning

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 who are really worried about your financial future,

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 about whether you will be able to afford even basic things.

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 Some of you are worried because you think you might be ill,

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 and the NHS, not my phrase, somebody else is on the verge of collapse.

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 It is reckoned that by this time next year,

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 there will be over 8 million people on waiting lists,

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 and some of them will have life-threatening conditions.

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 Law and order.

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 Oh, my goodness.

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 The last recorded statistics from the Office of National Statistics

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 tell us that in the last year they kept figures

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 only 5.6 of all reported crime ended up with a prosecution.

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 Our prisons are completely overcrowded,

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 and the delay in courts is frankly shocking.

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 Nobody goes around anymore saying justice delayed

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 is justice denied anymore.

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 The environmental challenge.

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 The confused moral compass of our nation.

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 And finally, the state of the church.

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 A.N. Wilson, speaking about the Church of England,

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 wrote this in the, I think it was the Times newspaper,

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 it might have been the Daily Telegraph, I can't remember.

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 He said this,

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 Christianity is of its essence contra mundum,

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 that means against the world.

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 Its values invert those of liberal modern life.

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 The hierarchy of the established church, he goes on,

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 I was one of them,

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 is largely composed of people,

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 sorry, of men and women,

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 whose mindset is entirely shaped by that godless liberalism.

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 We're members of that church.

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 I was a leader in that church,

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 and believe me,

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 I do not accept the tenets,

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 I think you've got the message about this,

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 I do not accept the tenets of modern liberalism.

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 So, I have to ask myself,

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 and ask you,

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 in the context of this global,

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 national,

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 and maybe personal turmoil,

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 how on earth

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 do we make sense of God's sovereignty?

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 How dare we

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 even think about talking about it?

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 And I hope by the time

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 you leave church this morning,

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 you will be reassured

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 that no matter what is going on in the world,

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 what is going on in the United Kingdom,

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 what is going on in your life,

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 I hope you'll be reassured

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 that God is still in control.

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 And so I ask myself the question,

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 are there any clues from Scripture?

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 It's Bible Sunday after all,

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 as we've been reminded.

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 Are there any clues from Scripture

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 that might help us?

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 Well, the first thing is this,

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 that the Bible,

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 throughout,

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 makes it clear

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 that all this turbulence

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 will happen

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 before Jesus returns.

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 Daniel chapter 7

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 would be a very good example of this.

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 You remember the first bit of Daniel's vision

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 is about the four horns,

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 which represent the four beasts

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 who will rise up in the world

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 and cause carnage.

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 The last bit of our reading

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 was about the Son of Man

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 who will return

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 and will have authority

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 and power,

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 sovereign power,

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 over the world order.

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 The Bible makes it clear throughout

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 that all this will happen.

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 In 2 Timothy chapter 3,

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 a chapter that some of you

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 may be familiar with.

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 Paul writes this,

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 mark this, he says,

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 chapter 3, verse 1,

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 there will be terrible times

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 in the last days.

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 People will be lovers of themselves,

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 lovers of money,

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 boastful, proud, abusive,

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 disobedient to their parents,

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 ungrateful, unholy,

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 without love,

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 unforgiving,

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 slanderous,

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 without self-control,

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 brutal,

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 not lovers of the good,

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 treacherous, rash,

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 conceited lovers of pleasure

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 rather than lovers of God.

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 And that's just for starters.

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 Does that ring any bells with you?

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 I have stood here many times

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 and said one of the big problems

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 of our society

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 is lost any sense

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 of coherent meaning.

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 People seem to think

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 by their behavior

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 that the way,

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 the only way you find meaning

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 in life

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 is to get as much money

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 as you can

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 and have a good time.

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 And you say,

00:13:30.539 --> 00:13:30.740
 Mike,

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 are you against a good time?

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 No, I quite like a good time

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 personally.

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 But there are limits

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 to how far I will go

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 to create that good time.

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 Romans chapter 1,

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 another passage

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 which talks about

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 the world in turmoil.

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 The reason for it,

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 says Paul in Romans 1,

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 it's very simple.

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 It's the world

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 is turning godless.

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 When the world turns godless,

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 this is the kind of stuff

00:13:56.539 --> 00:13:57.659
 that will emerge.

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 In one way,

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 we shouldn't even be surprised,

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 should we?

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 The second thing

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 that's a clue

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 from scripture is this.

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 It is the idea

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 that at the moment

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 when we open our eyes

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 and look around,

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 even those of us

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 who regard ourselves

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 as having insight

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 and intuition,

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 when we look at the world,

00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:24.959
 we only see partially.

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 The difficult thing

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 when bad things are happening,

00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:32.959
 in the world,

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 in your life,

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 in our country,

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 whatever,

00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:38.399
 the difficult thing

00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:39.399
 is that question,

00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:42.079
 how come a loving God

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 allows this?

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 that must be a question

00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:48.100
 that anybody

00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.419
 who is half intelligent

00:14:49.419 --> 00:14:50.720
 would ask themselves,

00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:52.079
 what is going on,

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 Lord?

00:14:54.980 --> 00:14:57.199
 I did give this message

00:14:57.199 --> 00:14:58.179
 a subtitle,

00:14:58.860 --> 00:14:59.639
 which probably I should have

00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:00.559
 read to you a little earlier,

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 but I said,

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 where do you go?

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 My subtitle was,

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 where do you go

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 when it seems

00:15:04.740 --> 00:15:05.419
 that the wheels

00:15:05.419 --> 00:15:06.579
 are falling off?

00:15:06.580 --> 00:15:09.660
 of the globe,

00:15:09.800 --> 00:15:11.460
 of the nation,

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 of your life?

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 I think there are two things

00:15:16.700 --> 00:15:18.240
 we need to think about

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:20.520
 in the light of that question.

00:15:21.460 --> 00:15:22.879
 Why does a loving God

00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:23.680
 allow this?

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 Firstly,

00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:26.740
 our perspective

00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:28.879
 when we look at adversity

00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:31.040
 is always partial.

00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:35.299
 in 1 Corinthians 13,

00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:37.199
 interestingly,

00:15:37.899 --> 00:15:38.879
 a Bible passage

00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:40.159
 which is mostly read

00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:40.759
 at weddings,

00:15:42.459 --> 00:15:43.059
 but at the,

00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:44.240
 towards the end

00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.439
 of that short chapter,

00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:45.779
 you remember,

00:15:45.899 --> 00:15:47.039
 it's a chapter about love,

00:15:47.099 --> 00:15:47.259
 you know,

00:15:47.319 --> 00:15:48.059
 love is patient,

00:15:48.199 --> 00:15:48.959
 love is kind,

00:15:49.319 --> 00:15:50.459
 just like most marriages.

00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:54.219
 And Paul writes this,

00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:54.579
 he said,

00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:55.679
 when I was a child,

00:15:55.980 --> 00:15:57.240
 I taught like a child,

00:15:57.339 --> 00:15:58.579
 I thought like a child,

00:15:58.579 --> 00:16:00.379
 I reasoned like a child.

00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:02.120
 When I became a man,

00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:03.480
 I put childish ways

00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:04.279
 behind me.

00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:05.679
 Now,

00:16:05.820 --> 00:16:06.240
 he says,

00:16:06.340 --> 00:16:06.639
 now,

00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:08.240
 in the moment,

00:16:08.419 --> 00:16:09.860
 to use a current jargon,

00:16:10.439 --> 00:16:11.360
 now we see

00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:12.860
 but a poor reflection.

00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:13.980
 Then,

00:16:14.419 --> 00:16:15.320
 we shall see

00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:16.500
 face to face.

00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:18.379
 Now I know

00:16:18.379 --> 00:16:19.159
 in part.

00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:20.860
 Then I shall know

00:16:20.860 --> 00:16:21.320
 fully,

00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:22.620
 even as I

00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:23.840
 am fully known.

00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:27.980
 I don't think

00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:28.759
 that means

00:16:28.759 --> 00:16:29.919
 that our question

00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.620
 about why God

00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:32.879
 allows such things

00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:33.500
 is wrong.

00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:34.599
 I just think

00:16:34.599 --> 00:16:36.500
 that what Paul writes there

00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:37.819
 gives that question

00:16:37.819 --> 00:16:39.479
 a different context.

00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:44.000
 We're told

00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:45.639
 that finally

00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.259
 we will have to live

00:16:48.259 --> 00:16:49.120
 with some

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.559
 unanswered questions.

00:16:52.139 --> 00:16:53.059
 When I was a young fellow,

00:16:53.379 --> 00:16:54.519
 I thought to myself

00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:55.779
 when I became a Christian

00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:57.019
 that faith

00:16:57.019 --> 00:16:58.279
 had all the answers.

00:16:58.279 --> 00:16:59.740
 I'm sure now

00:16:59.740 --> 00:17:02.039
 that faith

00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:03.480
 actually helps me live

00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:04.759
 with all my

00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:06.160
 unanswered questions.

00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:07.879
 And I know

00:17:07.879 --> 00:17:08.899
 that kind of faith

00:17:08.899 --> 00:17:09.960
 can help you

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:10.740
 as well.

00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:15.660
 What

00:17:15.660 --> 00:17:17.139
 will come?

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:19.139
 What will be

00:17:19.139 --> 00:17:21.019
 when we meet the Lord

00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:22.139
 face to face?

00:17:23.180 --> 00:17:24.259
 Is it everything

00:17:24.259 --> 00:17:26.200
 we don't understand now?

00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:27.539
 Everything

00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:28.600
 that challenges

00:17:28.600 --> 00:17:29.759
 the very roots

00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.440
 of our faith

00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:31.480
 will one day

00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:32.559
 be made clear.

00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:35.539
 Your questions

00:17:35.539 --> 00:17:37.120
 will be answered.

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:40.340
 Secondly,

00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:41.480
 in relation

00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:42.920
 to this difficult question,

00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:44.140
 why does a loving God

00:17:44.140 --> 00:17:45.039
 allow this?

00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:47.559
 God

00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:48.740
 chose,

00:17:49.740 --> 00:17:51.080
 God chose

00:17:51.080 --> 00:17:52.700
 to give us

00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:53.500
 free will.

00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:56.299
 the ability

00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:57.359
 to make

00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:58.140
 choices,

00:17:58.900 --> 00:17:59.960
 but also

00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:01.240
 the responsibility

00:18:01.240 --> 00:18:03.259
 to take

00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:04.220
 responsibility

00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:05.220
 for those

00:18:05.220 --> 00:18:05.700
 choices.

00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:09.079
 We have to

00:18:09.079 --> 00:18:09.440
 live

00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.740
 to bear with

00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:11.380
 the choices

00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:12.200
 we make.

00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:14.059
 Ezekiel chapter

00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:14.640
 18,

00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:15.799
 God says to

00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:16.319
 a people

00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.099
 who are

00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:17.819
 in exile

00:18:17.819 --> 00:18:18.880
 and desperate

00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:19.720
 to escape

00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:20.539
 responsibility,

00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:22.019
 God says

00:18:22.019 --> 00:18:22.359
 to them,

00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:23.240
 don't go

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:23.559
 around

00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:23.980
 blaming

00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:24.559
 everybody

00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:24.920
 else

00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:25.359
 for your

00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:26.059
 situation.

00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:26.659
 Why?

00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:27.720
 God says

00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:28.079
 to them,

00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:28.960
 the soul

00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:29.819
 that sins

00:18:29.819 --> 00:18:30.839
 will surely

00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:31.319
 die.

00:18:33.879 --> 00:18:34.759
 You might,

00:18:35.859 --> 00:18:36.339
 if you are

00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:36.639
 of a

00:18:36.639 --> 00:18:37.220
 philosophical

00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:38.200
 nature,

00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:39.139
 ask the

00:18:39.139 --> 00:18:39.579
 question,

00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:40.180
 well,

00:18:40.279 --> 00:18:40.799
 why would

00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:41.180
 God

00:18:41.180 --> 00:18:41.720
 give us

00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:42.319
 the ability

00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:43.099
 to make

00:18:43.099 --> 00:18:43.619
 choices?

00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:44.339
 Wouldn't it

00:18:44.339 --> 00:18:44.740
 be better

00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.319
 if we had

00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:46.180
 no choice

00:18:46.180 --> 00:18:47.659
 and therefore

00:18:47.659 --> 00:18:49.279
 God made

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:49.700
 all the

00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:50.039
 choices

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:50.599
 and we

00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:51.059
 were like

00:18:51.059 --> 00:18:51.700
 puppets

00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:52.079
 on a

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:52.559
 string

00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:53.859
 somehow

00:18:53.859 --> 00:18:55.599
 pulled,

00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:56.339
 the strings

00:18:56.339 --> 00:18:57.000
 being pulled

00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:57.660
 by the

00:18:57.660 --> 00:18:58.559
 divine

00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.359
 puppeteer.

00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:02.099
 In the

00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:02.399
 book of

00:19:02.399 --> 00:19:02.859
 Genesis,

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:03.579
 right at

00:19:03.579 --> 00:19:04.000
 the beginning,

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:04.779
 we read

00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:05.319
 of a

00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:05.700
 perfect

00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.160
 world

00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:06.440
 called

00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:06.619
 the

00:19:06.619 --> 00:19:07.019
 Garden

00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:08.379
 of Eden.

00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:10.000
 Apparently,

00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:11.000
 it's

00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:11.440
 somewhere

00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:12.879
 in the

00:19:12.879 --> 00:19:13.339
 Middle East,

00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:13.879
 I believe

00:19:13.879 --> 00:19:14.200
 in the

00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:14.819
 country of

00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:15.559
 Iraq right

00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:15.779
 now.

00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:16.079
 It's just

00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:16.339
 a bit

00:19:16.339 --> 00:19:16.700
 difficult

00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:17.099
 to get

00:19:17.099 --> 00:19:17.539
 to see

00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:18.299
 it in

00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:18.519
 these

00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:18.879
 current

00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:19.400
 times.

00:19:21.280 --> 00:19:21.760
 In

00:19:21.760 --> 00:19:22.180
 Genesis,

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.500
 we read

00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:23.780
 of the

00:19:23.780 --> 00:19:24.420
 man and

00:19:24.420 --> 00:19:24.760
 woman

00:19:24.760 --> 00:19:26.480
 living in

00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:27.780
 a sin-free

00:19:27.780 --> 00:19:28.660
 environment

00:19:28.660 --> 00:19:29.200
 in this

00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:29.680
 beautiful

00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:30.200
 garden.

00:19:32.020 --> 00:19:32.580
 And God

00:19:32.580 --> 00:19:33.120
 says just

00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:34.060
 one thing

00:19:34.060 --> 00:19:34.740
 you must

00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:35.280
 not do.

00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:37.380
 I mean,

00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:37.800
 that in

00:19:37.800 --> 00:19:38.740
 itself is

00:19:38.740 --> 00:19:39.140
 a kind

00:19:39.140 --> 00:19:40.160
 of attractive

00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:40.940
 possibility,

00:19:41.100 --> 00:19:41.480
 isn't it?

00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:42.540
 I mean,

00:19:42.600 --> 00:19:42.840
 are you

00:19:42.840 --> 00:19:43.460
 like this?

00:19:44.660 --> 00:19:45.100
 So,

00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:45.900
 when I

00:19:45.900 --> 00:19:46.200
 was at

00:19:46.200 --> 00:19:46.680
 college,

00:19:47.280 --> 00:19:47.860
 only the

00:19:47.860 --> 00:19:48.680
 dons of

00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:48.880
 my

00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:49.560
 university

00:19:49.560 --> 00:19:50.140
 could walk

00:19:50.140 --> 00:19:50.420
 on the

00:19:50.420 --> 00:19:50.820
 grass.

00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:53.400
 Could

00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:53.680
 not

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.380
 resist

00:19:54.380 --> 00:19:55.980
 walking

00:19:55.980 --> 00:19:56.360
 on the

00:19:56.360 --> 00:19:56.759
 grass.

00:19:59.360 --> 00:19:59.880
 God

00:19:59.880 --> 00:20:00.279
 says don't

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:00.680
 do one

00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:00.860
 thing.

00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:01.320
 Don't

00:20:01.320 --> 00:20:01.700
 eat

00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:02.360
 of the

00:20:02.360 --> 00:20:02.720
 fruit

00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:03.460
 of the

00:20:03.460 --> 00:20:03.740
 tree

00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:04.060
 of the

00:20:04.060 --> 00:20:04.420
 knowledge

00:20:04.420 --> 00:20:04.840
 of good

00:20:04.840 --> 00:20:05.259
 and evil.

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:09.680
 You know

00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:10.340
 what happens.

00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:11.920
 And it's

00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:12.539
 happened from

00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:13.039
 that day

00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:13.600
 onwards.

00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:15.899
 that our

00:20:15.899 --> 00:20:16.980
 relationship

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:18.000
 which before

00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:18.519
 the fall,

00:20:18.639 --> 00:20:19.279
 before that

00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:19.879
 event of

00:20:19.879 --> 00:20:22.279
 disobedience,

00:20:23.679 --> 00:20:24.319
 ever since

00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:24.639
 then,

00:20:25.639 --> 00:20:27.339
 we have

00:20:27.339 --> 00:20:28.240
 chosen to

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:28.859
 go our

00:20:28.859 --> 00:20:29.480
 own way

00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:31.019
 rather than

00:20:31.019 --> 00:20:31.599
 God's way.

00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:32.259
 And that is

00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:33.480
 why we

00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:34.199
 need a

00:20:34.199 --> 00:20:34.559
 savior.

00:20:36.139 --> 00:20:36.619
 To those

00:20:36.619 --> 00:20:36.819
 of you

00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:37.179
 who think

00:20:37.179 --> 00:20:38.279
 that God

00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:38.859
 might just

00:20:38.859 --> 00:20:39.500
 be a good

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:40.119
 friend in

00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:40.439
 heaven,

00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:42.600
 you missed

00:20:42.600 --> 00:20:43.059
 the point.

00:20:44.820 --> 00:20:45.600
 What you

00:20:45.600 --> 00:20:46.059
 need, my

00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:46.740
 friend, is a

00:20:46.740 --> 00:20:47.559
 rescue plan.

00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.460
 A rescue

00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:50.420
 plan that

00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:51.160
 will help

00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:52.920
 you avoid

00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:53.940
 the consequences

00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:55.080
 of your

00:20:55.080 --> 00:20:55.660
 sinfulness.

00:20:58.240 --> 00:20:59.259
 And here

00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:00.680
 I have to

00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:01.299
 mention an

00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:02.340
 idea that's

00:21:02.340 --> 00:21:03.259
 gathered huge

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:04.120
 momentum in

00:21:04.120 --> 00:21:05.140
 modern society.

00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:07.100
 It's an

00:21:07.100 --> 00:21:08.000
 idea called

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:09.160
 determinism.

00:21:09.160 --> 00:21:10.779
 And of

00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:11.259
 course, like

00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.200
 most bad

00:21:12.200 --> 00:21:13.240
 ideas, up

00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:13.779
 to a point

00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:14.300
 it's right,

00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:14.700
 but when

00:21:14.700 --> 00:21:15.600
 it's pursued

00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:16.860
 more than

00:21:16.860 --> 00:21:17.300
 that which

00:21:17.300 --> 00:21:17.940
 is reasonable

00:21:17.940 --> 00:21:18.620
 becomes a

00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:19.120
 very bad

00:21:19.120 --> 00:21:19.580
 idea.

00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:20.680
 Let me

00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:21.120
 try and

00:21:21.120 --> 00:21:22.040
 give you a

00:21:22.040 --> 00:21:22.820
 definition of

00:21:22.820 --> 00:21:23.640
 determinism.

00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:25.380
 I can

00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:26.080
 imagine over

00:21:26.080 --> 00:21:26.840
 Sunday lunch

00:21:26.840 --> 00:21:27.140
 you're going

00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:27.560
 to be saying

00:21:27.560 --> 00:21:28.040
 to people,

00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:29.220
 wow, this

00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:29.759
 morning we

00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:30.080
 heard a

00:21:30.080 --> 00:21:30.580
 philosophical

00:21:30.580 --> 00:21:31.519
 definition of

00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:32.279
 determinism.

00:21:33.560 --> 00:21:34.080
 Enjoy.

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:36.820
 Here's a

00:21:36.820 --> 00:21:37.620
 definition, the

00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:38.279
 doctrine that

00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:39.079
 all events,

00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:40.299
 including human

00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:41.000
 action, are

00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:42.339
 ultimately determined

00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:43.279
 by causes

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:44.480
 regarded as

00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:45.519
 external to

00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:45.899
 the will.

00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:47.379
 Let me

00:21:47.379 --> 00:21:48.000
 say that again

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.460
 because that's

00:21:48.460 --> 00:21:49.399
 the platform

00:21:49.399 --> 00:21:49.940
 of it, the

00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:50.319
 basis.

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.379
 The doctrine

00:21:51.379 --> 00:21:51.940
 that all

00:21:51.940 --> 00:21:52.980
 events, including

00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:53.879
 human action,

00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:55.180
 are ultimately

00:21:55.180 --> 00:21:56.220
 determined by

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:57.839
 causes regarded

00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:59.240
 as external to

00:21:59.240 --> 00:21:59.619
 the will.

00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:02.099
 It goes on.

00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:03.399
 Some philosophers

00:22:03.399 --> 00:22:04.059
 have taken

00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:05.099
 determinism to

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:06.220
 imply that

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:07.519
 individual human

00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:08.299
 beings, that's

00:22:08.299 --> 00:22:09.680
 you, that

00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:10.839
 individual human

00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:11.759
 beings have no

00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:13.000
 free will and

00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:13.759
 cannot be held

00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:14.900
 morally responsible

00:22:14.900 --> 00:22:15.859
 for their

00:22:15.859 --> 00:22:16.440
 actions.

00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:19.519
 Seriously?

00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:22.639
 I mean, if

00:22:22.639 --> 00:22:23.579
 that is taken

00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:24.480
 to its nth degree,

00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:25.319
 what the

00:22:25.319 --> 00:22:26.319
 philosopher here is

00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.299
 telling you is you

00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:27.940
 can live in

00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:28.839
 whatever way you

00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:29.460
 want, you can

00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:30.339
 commit as much

00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:30.879
 sin as you

00:22:30.879 --> 00:22:31.680
 want, and it

00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:32.279
 will never be

00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:33.160
 regarded as your

00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:33.519
 fault.

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:38.400
 Let me ask you

00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:38.859
 a question.

00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:39.400
 Don't put your

00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:39.859
 hands up.

00:22:40.819 --> 00:22:41.240
 Does that

00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:42.000
 shock you?

00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:44.180
 That seriously

00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:45.599
 intelligent people

00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:46.619
 would take a

00:22:46.619 --> 00:22:47.720
 half-God idea,

00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:48.900
 half-good idea,

00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.099
 and turn it into

00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:51.359
 a monstrous idea?

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:53.700
 Immediately, you

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:54.279
 can see the

00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:55.200
 attraction of this

00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:55.619
 doctrine.

00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:56.680
 It means that I

00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:57.379
 never have to

00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:58.400
 take responsibility

00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.639
 for the choices

00:22:59.639 --> 00:23:01.480
 I make, because

00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.900
 it's not my

00:23:02.900 --> 00:23:03.680
 fault.

00:23:06.940 --> 00:23:09.440
 I say it has

00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:10.440
 some semblance

00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:11.319
 in truth, this

00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:13.339
 idea, because

00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:15.480
 we know that

00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:16.839
 poverty has life

00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:18.339
 outcomes that

00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:19.099
 are often

00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:19.980
 diminished.

00:23:21.420 --> 00:23:22.860
 But even the

00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:24.319
 poor have

00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:25.620
 choices to make.

00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:28.019
 And to suggest

00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.099
 that all poverty

00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:30.240
 is going to lead

00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:31.099
 to bad choices,

00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:32.379
 is patronizing

00:23:32.379 --> 00:23:33.480
 on people who

00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:34.019
 have been brought

00:23:34.019 --> 00:23:34.819
 up in poverty

00:23:34.819 --> 00:23:36.439
 and made good

00:23:36.439 --> 00:23:36.939
 choices.

00:23:38.199 --> 00:23:38.819
 I suppose a good

00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:39.579
 example of that

00:23:39.579 --> 00:23:40.939
 right now is

00:23:40.939 --> 00:23:42.240
 the way people

00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:42.980
 are starting to

00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:43.519
 think about

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.159
 shoplifting.

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.480
 And you may

00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.039
 have picked up

00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:47.879
 on this, but

00:23:47.879 --> 00:23:48.879
 the idea is

00:23:48.879 --> 00:23:50.459
 shoplifting is

00:23:50.459 --> 00:23:51.639
 now a victimless

00:23:51.639 --> 00:23:52.079
 crime.

00:23:53.179 --> 00:23:54.019
 Based on the

00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:55.240
 lie, then

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:55.779
 actually it's

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:56.579
 only poor people

00:23:56.579 --> 00:23:56.899
 who go

00:23:56.899 --> 00:23:57.719
 shoplifting, and

00:23:57.719 --> 00:23:58.299
 because they're

00:23:58.299 --> 00:23:59.139
 poor, it's not

00:23:59.139 --> 00:23:59.699
 their fault,

00:23:59.939 --> 00:24:00.679
 therefore we must

00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:01.259
 forgive them.

00:24:02.259 --> 00:24:03.000
 They mustn't be

00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:03.779
 prosecuted.

00:24:06.840 --> 00:24:08.259
 How patronizing.

00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:10.560
 How patronizing

00:24:10.560 --> 00:24:11.180
 on all the

00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:11.960
 wonderful people

00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:12.500
 who live in

00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:13.440
 poverty, who

00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:14.380
 don't decide to

00:24:14.380 --> 00:24:14.740
 go and

00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:15.320
 shoplift.

00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:23.160
 Counterintuitively,

00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:26.180
 when the church

00:24:26.180 --> 00:24:28.980
 is confused, when

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:29.620
 there are those

00:24:29.620 --> 00:24:30.660
 big questions to

00:24:30.660 --> 00:24:31.420
 be answered, when

00:24:31.420 --> 00:24:32.400
 the world is in

00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:36.320
 turmoil, the

00:24:36.320 --> 00:24:37.460
 early Christians,

00:24:38.800 --> 00:24:39.420
 instead of

00:24:39.420 --> 00:24:40.400
 carping about

00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:41.420
 God's sovereignty,

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.940
 felt the need to

00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:44.860
 express it

00:24:44.860 --> 00:24:45.420
 clearly.

00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:47.300
 God's sovereignty,

00:24:47.300 --> 00:24:48.720
 and not only did

00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.500
 they want to

00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.980
 express God's

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:51.940
 sovereignty clearly,

00:24:52.360 --> 00:24:53.140
 they wanted to

00:24:53.140 --> 00:24:54.120
 live as though

00:24:54.120 --> 00:24:55.259
 they believed in

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:55.900
 the light of

00:24:55.900 --> 00:24:56.680
 God's sovereignty.

00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.460
 You remember in

00:24:58.460 --> 00:24:59.519
 Acts chapter 4,

00:24:59.840 --> 00:25:00.779
 there's a moment

00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:01.800
 when the future

00:25:01.800 --> 00:25:02.860
 of the church is

00:25:02.860 --> 00:25:04.080
 put under hideous

00:25:04.080 --> 00:25:04.519
 pressure.

00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:06.580
 Peter and John

00:25:06.580 --> 00:25:07.480
 are told by the

00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:08.360
 Jewish council,

00:25:09.060 --> 00:25:10.000
 you must no

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.440
 longer speak in

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:12.140
 the name of the

00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:12.740
 Lord Jesus.

00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:14.859
 Can you imagine

00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:15.620
 where the church

00:25:15.620 --> 00:25:16.599
 would be if

00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:17.599
 Peter and John

00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:18.420
 had shut up

00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:18.880
 about the

00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:19.680
 Christian faith

00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.700
 from day one?

00:25:21.779 --> 00:25:22.500
 We'd be in a

00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:23.180
 worse state than

00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:23.359
 we were.

00:25:23.380 --> 00:25:23.900
 I doubt we'd

00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:24.640
 have lasted this

00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:25.180
 long, to be

00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:25.440
 honest.

00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:26.299
 I think

00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:26.920
 Christianity

00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:27.339
 would have

00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:28.259
 just returned

00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:29.960
 within Judaism

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:31.440
 and still be

00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:32.440
 waiting for the

00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:33.980
 Lord Jesus to

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:34.680
 come a first

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.099
 time.

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.180
 Now, in

00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:39.839
 those early

00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:40.819
 days, they

00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:41.460
 were stopped.

00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:42.720
 It's interesting,

00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:43.140
 isn't it?

00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:44.039
 The opponents

00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:44.759
 of the

00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:45.559
 Christian faith

00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:46.859
 knew from day

00:25:46.859 --> 00:25:47.680
 one that if

00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.220
 you want to

00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:48.660
 stop the

00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:49.120
 church from

00:25:49.120 --> 00:25:50.120
 spreading, all

00:25:50.120 --> 00:25:50.620
 you need to

00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:51.240
 do is stop

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:51.539
 it from

00:25:51.539 --> 00:25:52.019
 speaking.

00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:56.180
 So why

00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:56.700
 didn't they go

00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:57.579
 back and say

00:25:57.579 --> 00:25:59.339
 to the believers

00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:00.079
 who were gathered

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:00.839
 together, okay

00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:01.480
 guys, the

00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:02.480
 game's up.

00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:03.980
 There'll be no

00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:04.599
 more preaching

00:26:04.599 --> 00:26:05.279
 from today.

00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:07.420
 We've got to

00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:08.539
 keep, if I

00:26:08.539 --> 00:26:09.240
 might borrow a

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:09.819
 Jewish word,

00:26:09.980 --> 00:26:10.359
 shtum.

00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:14.500
 So they

00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:15.659
 go back to

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:16.219
 the believers.

00:26:16.919 --> 00:26:17.519
 This is it.

00:26:17.859 --> 00:26:19.299
 Verse 23.

00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:21.919
 On their

00:26:21.919 --> 00:26:22.679
 release, Peter

00:26:22.679 --> 00:26:23.699
 and John went

00:26:23.699 --> 00:26:24.379
 back to their

00:26:24.379 --> 00:26:25.139
 own people and

00:26:25.139 --> 00:26:26.379
 reported all

00:26:26.379 --> 00:26:26.899
 that the chief

00:26:26.899 --> 00:26:27.479
 priests and

00:26:27.479 --> 00:26:28.079
 elders had

00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:28.419
 said.

00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.299
 When they

00:26:30.299 --> 00:26:31.059
 heard this,

00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:32.039
 they raised

00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:32.759
 their voices

00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:33.639
 together in

00:26:33.639 --> 00:26:34.219
 prayer to

00:26:34.219 --> 00:26:34.599
 God.

00:26:35.659 --> 00:26:36.119
 Guess what

00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:36.559
 their prayer

00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:37.379
 begins with?

00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:39.400
 Sovereign

00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:41.900
 Lord, you

00:26:41.900 --> 00:26:42.380
 made the

00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:42.800
 heaven and

00:26:42.800 --> 00:26:43.180
 the earth

00:26:43.180 --> 00:26:43.500
 and the

00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:43.820
 sea and

00:26:43.820 --> 00:26:44.400
 everything in

00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:44.540
 them.

00:26:44.620 --> 00:26:45.080
 You spoke

00:26:45.080 --> 00:26:45.460
 by the

00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:46.040
 Holy Spirit

00:26:46.040 --> 00:26:46.440
 through the

00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:46.820
 mouth of

00:26:46.820 --> 00:26:47.380
 your servant

00:26:47.380 --> 00:26:47.920
 our father

00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:48.460
 David.

00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:53.820
 When the

00:26:53.820 --> 00:26:54.340
 world's in

00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:56.440
 turmoil, when

00:26:56.440 --> 00:26:57.340
 your life's in

00:26:57.340 --> 00:26:58.480
 turmoil, when

00:26:58.480 --> 00:26:59.460
 the nation's in

00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:00.340
 turmoil, the

00:27:00.340 --> 00:27:01.060
 worst thing you

00:27:01.060 --> 00:27:02.020
 can do is to

00:27:02.020 --> 00:27:02.900
 give up on the

00:27:02.900 --> 00:27:03.960
 idea of God's

00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:04.400
 sovereignty.

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:06.840
 In the face

00:27:06.840 --> 00:27:07.360
 of a world

00:27:07.360 --> 00:27:08.200
 seemingly out

00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:09.400
 of control, the

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:10.120
 church in Acts

00:27:10.120 --> 00:27:11.519
 chapter 4 turned

00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.640
 to the God who

00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:14.540
 is in control and

00:27:14.540 --> 00:27:15.940
 trusted him even

00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:16.560
 though it might

00:27:16.560 --> 00:27:17.259
 seem that he

00:27:17.259 --> 00:27:17.780
 wasn't in

00:27:17.780 --> 00:27:18.259
 control.

00:27:21.259 --> 00:27:22.480
 God is

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.019
 sovereign,

00:27:24.300 --> 00:27:25.740
 irrespective of

00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:26.620
 whether or not

00:27:26.620 --> 00:27:28.500
 you or I can

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:29.440
 see the evidence

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:30.060
 of it right

00:27:30.060 --> 00:27:30.420
 now.

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:33.480
 Faith means

00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:34.400
 holding on to

00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:35.259
 God even

00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:36.000
 when we don't

00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:36.819
 feel like it.

00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:37.759
 Remember Job?

00:27:40.380 --> 00:27:41.319
 I can't think of

00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.319
 a more calamitous

00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:43.680
 life scenario

00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:44.680
 than Job's.

00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:46.559
 Lost his wealth,

00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:47.460
 lost his flocks,

00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:48.339
 lost his family.

00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:49.319
 The only thing he

00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:50.180
 didn't lose was his

00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:51.160
 wife and she

00:27:51.160 --> 00:27:51.960
 wasn't much help

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:52.400
 was she?

00:27:53.360 --> 00:27:54.059
 You know what her

00:27:54.059 --> 00:27:55.480
 advice to Job

00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:55.799
 was?

00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:57.480
 She said to Job,

00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:59.259
 listen, why don't

00:27:59.259 --> 00:28:00.259
 you give up on God

00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:01.059
 and curse him?

00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:03.679
 Some would say

00:28:03.679 --> 00:28:04.259
 that was a bad

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:04.720
 marriage.

00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:08.159
 So finally,

00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:09.159
 and briefly,

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:11.039
 here are three

00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:11.799
 things you need

00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:12.220
 to do.

00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:14.879
 James chapter 4

00:28:14.879 --> 00:28:15.500
 and verse 8,

00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:16.440
 come close to

00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:18.259
 God and God

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.279
 will come close

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:19.700
 to you.

00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:22.279
 James goes on,

00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:23.259
 wash your hands

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:23.720
 you sinners,

00:28:23.879 --> 00:28:25.079
 purify your hearts

00:28:25.079 --> 00:28:26.159
 for your loyalty

00:28:26.159 --> 00:28:27.299
 is divided between

00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:28.679
 God and the world.

00:28:28.899 --> 00:28:29.679
 Does that speak to

00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:29.920
 you?

00:28:33.060 --> 00:28:34.380
 Purify your hearts.

00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:36.779
 Your loyalty is

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:37.920
 divided between

00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:39.060
 God and the world.

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:39.460
 Listen,

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.560
 we need in this

00:28:42.560 --> 00:28:44.100
 time of turmoil,

00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:46.740
 we need to

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:47.660
 redouble our

00:28:47.660 --> 00:28:48.759
 efforts to trust

00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:49.259
 in God

00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:51.759
 and live as

00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:52.320
 though we're

00:28:52.320 --> 00:28:53.299
 trusting in God.

00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:56.160
 In the idea,

00:28:56.620 --> 00:28:57.279
 there is this

00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:58.519
 idea of the

00:28:58.519 --> 00:28:59.740
 faithful remnant.

00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:02.039
 The people who

00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:02.920
 hang on in there

00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:03.440
 with God,

00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:04.339
 even when their

00:29:04.339 --> 00:29:05.319
 world is falling

00:29:05.319 --> 00:29:05.799
 apart.

00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:07.839
 Friends,

00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:08.819
 that's what God

00:29:08.819 --> 00:29:09.660
 wants from you

00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:10.279
 right now.

00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:12.460
 That we will

00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:13.759
 form a faithful

00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:14.279
 remnant.

00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:16.019
 I was talking

00:29:16.019 --> 00:29:16.960
 with Tim Simpson

00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:18.339
 before the service

00:29:18.339 --> 00:29:19.079
 and he told me

00:29:19.079 --> 00:29:20.119
 the most moving

00:29:20.119 --> 00:29:20.460
 thing,

00:29:20.700 --> 00:29:21.799
 a wonderful example

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:22.279
 of what I'm

00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:23.000
 talking about.

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:24.279
 He said that

00:29:24.279 --> 00:29:25.720
 he had seen

00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:26.960
 some video clip

00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:28.139
 on social media

00:29:28.139 --> 00:29:30.819
 of Muslims

00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:32.039
 and Christians

00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:33.779
 meeting together.

00:29:39.299 --> 00:29:40.299
 Go ahead.

00:29:43.299 --> 00:29:43.619
 Sorry,

00:29:43.879 --> 00:29:44.819
 Arab and Jewish

00:29:44.819 --> 00:29:45.359
 believers

00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:46.259
 meeting together.

00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:49.819
 See,

00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:50.480
 that's what I

00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:51.460
 call a faithful

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.000
 remnant.

00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:54.240
 Sure,

00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:54.660
 Tim wouldn't

00:29:54.660 --> 00:29:55.259
 mind me

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:56.579
 telling you this,

00:29:56.660 --> 00:29:57.359
 but when he

00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:57.779
 saw that,

00:29:57.839 --> 00:29:58.359
 he had a God

00:29:58.359 --> 00:29:58.779
 moment.

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.319
 Suddenly,

00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:03.759
 I guess he

00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:04.640
 saw something

00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:05.839
 that in the

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.319
 current

00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:08.099
 tragedy

00:30:08.099 --> 00:30:09.119
 is very

00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:09.779
 difficult to

00:30:09.779 --> 00:30:10.039
 see.

00:30:11.700 --> 00:30:12.720
 We need to

00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:13.379
 be that

00:30:13.379 --> 00:30:14.400
 faithful remnant,

00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:14.920
 friends.

00:30:14.920 --> 00:30:16.420
 you find

00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:17.560
 this in

00:30:17.560 --> 00:30:18.240
 the prophets,

00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:18.779
 but you

00:30:18.779 --> 00:30:19.380
 find it

00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:20.220
 very graphically,

00:30:20.300 --> 00:30:20.640
 don't you,

00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:21.220
 in the story

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:21.779
 of Jonah.

00:30:23.360 --> 00:30:23.820
 Genesis

00:30:23.820 --> 00:30:24.700
 chapter 7,

00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:26.060
 God sees

00:30:26.060 --> 00:30:26.640
 the sin

00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:26.960
 in the

00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:27.340
 world

00:30:27.340 --> 00:30:28.960
 and decides,

00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:29.340
 this is what

00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:30.000
 God says to

00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:30.220
 himself,

00:30:30.360 --> 00:30:30.779
 I've had

00:30:30.779 --> 00:30:31.220
 enough of

00:30:31.220 --> 00:30:31.460
 this,

00:30:31.660 --> 00:30:31.920
 and I've

00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:32.380
 had enough

00:30:32.380 --> 00:30:32.660
 of these

00:30:32.660 --> 00:30:33.060
 people,

00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:33.539
 I'm going

00:30:33.539 --> 00:30:33.960
 to wipe

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:34.360
 them out.

00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:39.620
 And it

00:30:39.620 --> 00:30:40.180
 just tells

00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:40.940
 us in

00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:41.340
 Genesis

00:30:41.340 --> 00:30:42.240
 chapter 7,

00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:43.600
 this amazing

00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:45.299
 one word,

00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:47.000
 one sentence

00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:47.639
 phrase,

00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:50.779
 Noah was

00:30:50.779 --> 00:30:51.279
 a righteous

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:51.819
 man.

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:57.319
 Noah was

00:30:57.319 --> 00:30:57.759
 a righteous

00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:58.139
 man.

00:30:58.199 --> 00:30:58.399
 Do you know

00:30:58.399 --> 00:30:58.819
 what God's

00:30:58.819 --> 00:30:59.500
 looking for

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.299
 church?

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:02.919
 He's looking

00:31:02.919 --> 00:31:03.579
 for righteous

00:31:03.579 --> 00:31:04.179
 men and

00:31:04.179 --> 00:31:06.019
 women who

00:31:06.019 --> 00:31:06.559
 will trust

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:08.199
 him and

00:31:08.199 --> 00:31:09.079
 live like

00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:09.639
 they trust

00:31:09.639 --> 00:31:09.879
 him.

00:31:09.880 --> 00:31:11.920
 second

00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:12.540
 thing for

00:31:12.540 --> 00:31:12.800
 you to

00:31:12.800 --> 00:31:13.300
 take home

00:31:13.300 --> 00:31:13.900
 today is

00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:14.800
 remember

00:31:14.800 --> 00:31:15.680
 without being

00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:16.580
 complacent,

00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:18.180
 in the

00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:18.820
 end it

00:31:18.820 --> 00:31:19.300
 will all

00:31:19.300 --> 00:31:19.900
 come right.

00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:22.160
 It will

00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:22.640
 all come

00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:22.960
 right.

00:31:23.520 --> 00:31:24.140
 That's the

00:31:24.140 --> 00:31:24.780
 prophecy of

00:31:24.780 --> 00:31:25.680
 Daniel in

00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:26.700
 chapter 7,

00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:29.120
 in the end

00:31:29.120 --> 00:31:29.660
 the son of

00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:30.080
 man will

00:31:30.080 --> 00:31:30.520
 come and

00:31:30.520 --> 00:31:31.220
 that shouldn't

00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:31.760
 lead us to

00:31:31.760 --> 00:31:32.580
 complacency.

00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:35.140
 That's the

00:31:35.140 --> 00:31:35.680
 message of

00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:36.080
 Daniel,

00:31:36.220 --> 00:31:36.980
 amazingly,

00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:37.960
 predicted

00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:38.740
 hundreds of

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.339
 years before

00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:40.160
 Jesus walked

00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:40.680
 the earth.

00:31:42.279 --> 00:31:43.019
 So live

00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:43.640
 the life

00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:44.539
 that God

00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:45.140
 calls you

00:31:45.140 --> 00:31:45.359
 to.

00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:46.299
 Don't be

00:31:46.299 --> 00:31:46.980
 half-hearted.

00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:49.279
 Don't be

00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:50.380
 divided in

00:31:50.380 --> 00:31:51.019
 your loyalty

00:31:51.019 --> 00:31:51.819
 between God

00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.160
 and the

00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:52.559
 world.

00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.000
 Step it

00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.240
 up.

00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:56.400
 I want to

00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:56.599
 say,

00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:57.140
 sorry this is

00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:57.660
 a cheap

00:31:57.660 --> 00:31:58.279
 advertisement,

00:31:58.579 --> 00:31:59.460
 but I do

00:31:59.460 --> 00:31:59.960
 want to say

00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:00.539
 you could

00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:01.380
 start it up

00:32:01.380 --> 00:32:02.259
 by making

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:04.200
 a decision

00:32:04.200 --> 00:32:05.480
 to come to

00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:05.920
 the prayer

00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:06.559
 meeting that

00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:07.460
 will be held

00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:08.339
 I think next

00:32:08.339 --> 00:32:09.099
 Monday being

00:32:09.099 --> 00:32:09.619
 the first

00:32:09.619 --> 00:32:10.220
 Monday in

00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:10.720
 the month.

00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:11.199
 Am I

00:32:11.199 --> 00:32:11.459
 right,

00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:11.879
 Susie?

00:32:12.659 --> 00:32:13.399
 You could

00:32:13.399 --> 00:32:13.959
 come along

00:32:13.959 --> 00:32:14.919
 to that and

00:32:14.919 --> 00:32:16.039
 pray for this

00:32:16.039 --> 00:32:16.899
 turmoil that we

00:32:16.899 --> 00:32:17.740
 find ourselves

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.039
 in.

00:32:19.059 --> 00:32:19.699
 That would

00:32:19.699 --> 00:32:20.839
 cost you an

00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:21.559
 hour of your

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:21.980
 time.

00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:23.480
 It might

00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.279
 mean you

00:32:24.279 --> 00:32:24.699
 would miss

00:32:24.699 --> 00:32:26.079
 EastEnders.

00:32:29.579 --> 00:32:30.439
 What is your

00:32:30.439 --> 00:32:31.240
 faith worth?

00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:35.279
 Remember,

00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:36.439
 without being

00:32:36.440 --> 00:32:37.259
 complacent,

00:32:37.259 --> 00:32:38.440
 it will be

00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:39.019
 all right.

00:32:40.360 --> 00:32:41.360
 Jesus said

00:32:41.360 --> 00:32:42.259
 in John 14,

00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:42.940
 if you love

00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:43.700
 me, you

00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:44.180
 will obey

00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:44.960
 my commandments.

00:32:45.080 --> 00:32:45.600
 I will ask

00:32:45.600 --> 00:32:46.120
 the Father

00:32:46.120 --> 00:32:47.080
 and he will

00:32:47.080 --> 00:32:47.480
 give you

00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:48.299
 another helper

00:32:48.299 --> 00:32:49.160
 who will

00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:49.880
 stay with you

00:32:49.880 --> 00:32:50.240
 forever.

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.100
 He is the

00:32:51.100 --> 00:32:52.240
 Spirit who

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:52.960
 reveals the

00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:53.940
 truth about

00:32:53.940 --> 00:32:54.320
 God.

00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.600
 I pray,

00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:56.920
 friends,

00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:57.400
 that God

00:32:57.400 --> 00:32:57.980
 will reveal

00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.580
 the truth

00:32:58.580 --> 00:32:59.220
 about himself

00:32:59.220 --> 00:32:59.980
 to us,

00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:01.200
 about his

00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:01.680
 majesty,

00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:02.320
 about his

00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:02.859
 glory,

00:33:03.139 --> 00:33:03.859
 about his

00:33:03.859 --> 00:33:04.419
 sovereignty.

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.799
 And finally,

00:33:07.939 --> 00:33:08.779
 always remember

00:33:08.779 --> 00:33:11.039
 that all we

00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:11.939
 see happening,

00:33:12.119 --> 00:33:12.579
 as I've

00:33:12.579 --> 00:33:12.879
 said,

00:33:13.179 --> 00:33:14.019
 is predicted

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:14.740
 in Holy

00:33:14.740 --> 00:33:15.220
 Scripture.

00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:17.879
 Whatever we

00:33:17.879 --> 00:33:18.659
 may feel,

00:33:19.659 --> 00:33:20.659
 God is still

00:33:20.659 --> 00:33:21.399
 in control.

00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:23.919
 Remember,

00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:25.980
 without becoming

00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:26.819
 complacent,

00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:28.779
 it will be

00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:29.319
 all right.

00:33:29.319 --> 00:33:32.539
 I saw a

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:32.819
 man,

00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:33.899
 I don't

00:33:33.899 --> 00:33:34.099
 know if

00:33:34.099 --> 00:33:34.279
 he was

00:33:34.279 --> 00:33:34.859
 Muslim,

00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:35.759
 Christian,

00:33:36.819 --> 00:33:37.159
 I don't

00:33:37.159 --> 00:33:37.539
 know what

00:33:37.539 --> 00:33:37.980
 he was,

00:33:38.419 --> 00:33:38.859
 Jewish,

00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:39.899
 whatever,

00:33:40.980 --> 00:33:41.879
 and he

00:33:41.879 --> 00:33:42.919
 was saying

00:33:42.919 --> 00:33:43.700
 something that

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:44.279
 I'd not

00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:45.220
 heard anybody

00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:45.879
 else say

00:33:45.879 --> 00:33:46.839
 in all the

00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:47.939
 broadcast footage

00:33:47.939 --> 00:33:48.619
 that we've

00:33:48.619 --> 00:33:49.659
 seen in the

00:33:49.659 --> 00:33:50.359
 past weeks

00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:51.240
 about the

00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:51.619
 terrible

00:33:51.619 --> 00:33:53.039
 situation in

00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:53.399
 the Middle

00:33:53.399 --> 00:33:53.779
 East.

00:33:54.919 --> 00:33:55.819
 He said,

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:56.839
 in the end,

00:33:57.939 --> 00:33:59.299
 I believe

00:33:59.299 --> 00:34:00.039
 that good

00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:00.819
 will come

00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:01.279
 out of

00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:01.680
 this.

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:04.359
 He said,

00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:05.440
 so much

00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:06.059
 pain and

00:34:06.059 --> 00:34:06.680
 so much

00:34:06.680 --> 00:34:07.579
 blood cannot

00:34:07.579 --> 00:34:08.159
 be shed

00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.779
 without there

00:34:08.779 --> 00:34:10.619
 being a

00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:11.400
 good ending.

00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:13.719
 I have

00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:14.219
 hope,

00:34:14.579 --> 00:34:15.079
 he said.

00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:17.480
 I have no

00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:18.039
 idea of the

00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:18.800
 religious statement

00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:19.360
 to that guy,

00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:20.099
 but I bless

00:34:20.099 --> 00:34:20.659
 him for what

00:34:20.659 --> 00:34:21.159
 he said,

00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:22.239
 in a world

00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:23.239
 of turmoil

00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:24.599
 and helplessness

00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:25.960
 and hopelessness.

00:34:25.960 --> 00:34:28.920
 I don't

00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:29.440
 know whether

00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:30.500
 he felt his

00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:31.380
 revelation was

00:34:31.380 --> 00:34:31.880
 from God,

00:34:32.159 --> 00:34:32.980
 but certainly,

00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:34.500
 friends,

00:34:35.300 --> 00:34:36.199
 don't forget,

00:34:36.980 --> 00:34:37.539
 while there's a

00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:38.440
 God in heaven

00:34:38.440 --> 00:34:39.880
 and there are

00:34:39.880 --> 00:34:40.740
 faithful people

00:34:40.740 --> 00:34:41.320
 on earth,

00:34:41.900 --> 00:34:42.980
 we need not

00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:43.639
 lose hope.

00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:45.380
 Why don't we

00:34:45.380 --> 00:34:45.639
 pray?

00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:45.980
 Why don't we

00:34:45.980 --> 00:34:47.780
 pray?

00:34:47.780 --> 00:34:53.740
 Oh my gosh,

00:34:53.860 --> 00:34:54.040
 Lord,

00:34:54.100 --> 00:34:54.680
 there's such

00:34:54.680 --> 00:34:55.240
 a lot to

00:34:55.240 --> 00:34:55.840
 take in.

00:34:58.080 --> 00:34:59.120
 A lot in the

00:34:59.120 --> 00:34:59.800
 world around

00:34:59.800 --> 00:35:00.100
 us,

00:35:00.160 --> 00:35:01.380
 a lot in

00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:02.180
 our lives.

00:35:04.640 --> 00:35:05.140
 Father,

00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:06.440
 I pray for

00:35:06.440 --> 00:35:07.420
 people in the

00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:08.180
 house today

00:35:08.180 --> 00:35:09.360
 who feel

00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:10.160
 without hope,

00:35:10.260 --> 00:35:10.840
 who are in

00:35:10.840 --> 00:35:11.460
 danger of

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.000
 giving up.

00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:12.340
 Lord,

00:35:12.440 --> 00:35:12.800
 would you

00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:15.019
 please reveal

00:35:15.019 --> 00:35:15.579
 the truth

00:35:15.579 --> 00:35:16.300
 about yourself

00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:16.900
 to them?

00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:20.239
 Father,

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:20.800
 I pray for

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.260
 those in

00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:21.739
 the house

00:35:21.739 --> 00:35:22.960
 who agree

00:35:22.960 --> 00:35:23.440
 with the

00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:24.260
 words that

00:35:24.260 --> 00:35:25.079
 I have

00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:25.900
 spoken but

00:35:25.900 --> 00:35:26.800
 still know

00:35:26.800 --> 00:35:27.199
 that they

00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:28.079
 are divided

00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:29.900
 between loyalty

00:35:29.900 --> 00:35:30.420
 to you,

00:35:30.659 --> 00:35:30.719
 Father,

00:35:30.820 --> 00:35:31.420
 and loyalty

00:35:31.420 --> 00:35:31.880
 to the

00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:32.380
 things of

00:35:32.380 --> 00:35:33.000
 this world.

00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:35.920
 Holy Spirit,

00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:36.320
 would you

00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:37.320
 please convict

00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:38.659
 us of our

00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:38.960
 sin?

00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:43.000
 Father,

00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:44.159
 and Father,

00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:45.699
 with Jean

00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:46.760
 who prayed

00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:47.980
 earlier for

00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:48.519
 the terrible

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:49.039
 turmoil,

00:35:49.219 --> 00:35:49.460
 Lord,

00:35:49.539 --> 00:35:50.119
 we pray

00:35:50.119 --> 00:35:52.420
 that you

00:35:52.420 --> 00:35:53.059
 would raise

00:35:53.059 --> 00:35:53.760
 up men

00:35:53.760 --> 00:35:54.460
 and women

00:35:54.460 --> 00:35:55.340
 of peace

00:35:55.340 --> 00:35:56.860
 who would

00:35:56.860 --> 00:35:57.579
 speak into

00:35:57.579 --> 00:35:58.739
 these situations

00:35:58.739 --> 00:35:59.659
 that we've

00:35:59.659 --> 00:36:00.519
 talked about.

00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:03.280
 And Lord,

00:36:03.380 --> 00:36:03.820
 some of them

00:36:03.820 --> 00:36:04.699
 will no doubt

00:36:04.699 --> 00:36:05.239
 lose their

00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:06.159
 lives for

00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:07.000
 speaking in

00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:07.699
 such a way.

00:36:10.699 --> 00:36:11.519
 And Lord,

00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:12.320
 finally we

00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:13.259
 pray as

00:36:13.259 --> 00:36:14.000
 your word

00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:14.539
 would bid

00:36:14.539 --> 00:36:14.920
 us.

00:36:15.940 --> 00:36:16.400
 Come,

00:36:16.739 --> 00:36:17.320
 Lord Jesus.

00:36:20.900 --> 00:36:21.420
 Come.

00:36:24.099 --> 00:36:24.800
 Come in

00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:25.320
 the grace

00:36:25.320 --> 00:36:25.820
 and power

00:36:25.820 --> 00:36:26.119
 of your

00:36:26.119 --> 00:36:26.820
 Holy Spirit.

00:36:30.219 --> 00:36:31.019
 Come into

00:36:31.019 --> 00:36:31.619
 our lives,

00:36:31.780 --> 00:36:31.880
 Lord,

00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:32.579
 and set us

00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:33.079
 on fire

00:36:33.079 --> 00:36:33.579
 with love

00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:34.099
 for you

00:36:34.099 --> 00:36:35.320
 and for

00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:35.880
 the world

00:36:35.880 --> 00:36:36.280
 that you

00:36:36.280 --> 00:36:36.900
 sent your

00:36:36.900 --> 00:36:37.480
 son to

00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:38.099
 die for

00:36:38.099 --> 00:36:40.639
 and that

00:36:40.639 --> 00:36:41.139
 you love

00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:41.920
 that much.

00:36:47.480 --> 00:36:48.000
 So,

00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:48.339
 Father,

00:36:48.460 --> 00:36:48.920
 we want

00:36:48.920 --> 00:36:49.239
 to,

00:36:51.259 --> 00:36:51.539
 Lord,

00:36:51.579 --> 00:36:51.799
 in the

00:36:51.799 --> 00:36:52.199
 words of

00:36:52.199 --> 00:36:52.719
 Jack D,

00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:54.099
 we pray

00:36:54.099 --> 00:36:54.400
 that we

00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:54.839
 might go

00:36:54.839 --> 00:36:55.339
 away from

00:36:55.339 --> 00:36:55.799
 here and

00:36:55.799 --> 00:36:56.339
 think about

00:36:56.339 --> 00:36:56.639
 what's

00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:56.940
 happened

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.559
 this morning.

00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:00.199
 Lord,

00:37:00.259 --> 00:37:00.639
 that we

00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:01.179
 might not

00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:01.799
 just know

00:37:01.799 --> 00:37:02.400
 about the

00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:02.759
 faithful

00:37:02.759 --> 00:37:03.299
 remnant,

00:37:04.799 --> 00:37:05.319
 but that,

00:37:05.400 --> 00:37:05.519
 Lord,

00:37:05.579 --> 00:37:06.119
 we might be

00:37:06.119 --> 00:37:06.619
 part of

00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:06.799
 it.

00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:08.159
 And we

00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:08.719
 pray these

00:37:08.719 --> 00:37:09.279
 things in

00:37:09.279 --> 00:37:09.659
 Jesus'

00:37:09.859 --> 00:37:10.619
 name and

00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:11.159
 to his

00:37:11.159 --> 00:37:11.900
 amazing

00:37:11.900 --> 00:37:12.920
 glory and

00:37:12.920 --> 00:37:13.420
 the people

00:37:13.420 --> 00:37:13.960
 who agreed

00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:14.739
 said together

00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:15.440
 in a loud

00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:15.920
 voice,

00:37:16.599 --> 00:37:17.219
 Amen.