WEBVTT

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 Well, anytime you visit somewhere, you've got to do a quick couple boxes to check off.

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 So first of all, greetings from Crossway, Milwaukee.

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 We've enjoyed whatever kind of level of fellowship we can have throughout the years.

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 In particular, since the last time I was here, I've been able to have lunch and coffee with Mike Salvati and Matt Sear.

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 And it's been a great blessing of a time.

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 Those men love this church.

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 And it's a great encouragement to me to be here once again.

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 Another box I need to check off is Eric Tully.

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 Kirk Miller sends his greetings wherever you are.

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 If he's not here, send it to him, Eric.

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 All right, very well.

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 I feel like a little bit, you know, like when Paul sends a letter to show up at a church and he's like,

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 greet this person and this person.

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 I'm assuming maybe they did some of that.

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 So that's from Kirk in Milwaukee.

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 And then my family, it's just a great pleasure to be here.

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 So my wife over there, Dan, my name is Dan, and then Danica, Dan and Danica.

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 And then our three kids are with us, Tally or Talatha and then Selah and Dupree.

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 So it's great to be here.

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 Let's jump into the word.

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 I'll tell you my goal right up front.

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 My goal is that all of us here would be stirred up to pursue a life in the word of God.

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 It's very simple.

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 So I'm not trying to convince you of the profitability of the word of God.

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 Now, if you're not convinced of that, I hope that you will be convinced of that throughout this time.

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 But I'm not, my goal is not merely to convince you of a fact, but that God would stir up our hearts to pursue a life in the word.

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 That we would see that as valuable and worth sacrificing other things in life to have a life in the word.

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 So I find one of the interesting things about the human race is that we like to be terrified sometimes, right?

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 If it's for entertainment, we like instability.

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 You know, that's why people go to, let's say, Great America, right?

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 I mean, people pay exuberant amounts of money to feel totally out of control, right?

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 I mean, that's what you do on a roller coaster.

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 You're terrified.

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 That's why you're screaming.

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 That's why you like to watch those things on YouTube as somebody is, like, passing out on the roller coaster.

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 Because they're terrified.

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 And we enjoy that for whatever reason.

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 We like tubing behind a boat because it makes us feel out of control.

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 We like bungee jumping.

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 Or when you're a kid, you like, my four-year-old loves it if you come around the corner and just, bah!

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 You know, first he jumps back and he lets out this huge scream and then he says, I love that.

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 You're like, what is wrong with us?

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 Like, right?

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 There's something about us that we like that.

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 We enjoy it.

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 But that's, of course, if it's for entertainment, right?

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 I mean, if that actually comes into our home, like, in daily life,

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 like a feeling of instability,

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 that we don't want.

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 But the reality is that that is life on this world.

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 That's life on this side of eternity.

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 It is a roller coaster.

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 And much of it is experiencing some of those quick down, you know, on a roller coaster.

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 And you're just terrified and you're waiting and it's going down.

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 That's what life is like a lot of times.

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 You know, you're struggling in a relationship or financial crisis.

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 Or just fear of a doctor's appointment or fear of putting the kids in school over and over again.

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 I mean, we could come up with this long list of this just scary world.

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 It's scary because you're limited.

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 I'm limited.

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 We can't control things.

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 We don't like that.

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 Now, our psalmist this morning gives us the solution of where to find stability in this unstable world.

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 And it's very simple.

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 His claim to us in the text is that God's word gives God's people strength and stability.

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 Both in this life and in the next.

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 That's the way the psalm goes.

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 God's word gives God's people strength and stability in this life and in the next.

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 Now, this psalm, you may know, comes to us as the first chapter of psalms.

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 That was pretty simple, right?

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 Psalms is a book, as you guys have been going through, this is a book of poems.

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 It's a way of helping us to encounter our emotions.

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 What does it look like to worship God and come underneath his authority in heartfelt faith in this roller coaster of life?

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 And that's why you read so many psalms that there's ups and there's downs.

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 There's times of confusion and chaos and defeat.

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 And there's times of great victory and happiness.

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 And it's all about how do we come underneath God's authority and worship him?

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 And isn't it interesting that he starts off, the book of psalms starts off with a focus on the very law of God.

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 The worship of God through the book.

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 So as a wisdom psalm, he's presenting two paths, two ways of life, as you will.

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 There's the way of the wicked and there's the way of the blessed.

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 This is a wisdom psalm, we would call it.

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 And he's not trying to get you to just see that there's two paths, but he's urging us and begging us to pursue the blessed way.

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 So he's going to paint a picture of what is the blessed way?

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 How do we pursue it?

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 And that's how I understand he would have us to leave the psalm.

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 So we're just going to walk through the psalm, most of it, so at least we see the claim.

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 Who is this blessed man?

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 How does he become blessed?

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 It starts off right there, verse 1.

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 1 and 2 is kind of showing a negative relationship and a positive relationship with something, right?

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 He starts off, blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor does he stand in the way of sinners, nor does he sit in the seat of scoffers.

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 Now notice the progression there.

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 He doesn't walk or stand or sit.

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 There's a progression in what he's talking about.

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 And you could summarize this as he doesn't kind of mingle with sin.

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 Now I don't think that doesn't mean he doesn't like hang around with sinners, otherwise Jesus would not qualify as the blessed man.

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 But it's engaging in the activity.

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 It's not only just standing with him, but sitting, and this is who I am.

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 He says the blessed man has a negative relationship with that.

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 He resists it and turns from it.

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 And then he throws in a contrast.

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 Now before you read verse 2, you should ask yourself, well what's the opposite of that?

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 So blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.

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 Instead, he what?

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 I mean if I didn't go left, I went right.

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 If I didn't go up, I went down.

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 If I don't walk in the counsel of the wicked, you would think you would say, I walk in the counsel of the righteous.

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 That's the contrast.

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 But he doesn't.

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 He focuses on something else.

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 He says, I don't, he doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked.

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 But he delights in the law of the Lord.

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 Now he's going to get back to a way of the righteous.

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 He gets to it at the end of the psalm.

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 And I think it's because it's delighting in the law of the Lord that actually gets him on this path.

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 But so verse 2, the contrast is the blessed man delights in the law of the Lord.

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 And on his law, he meditates day and night.

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 So we should at least ask, what is the law?

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 The Old Testament uses that term several different ways.

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 It could be referring to the Levitical code.

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 These are some of the ceremonial things you're supposed to do, the law that's given in Leviticus.

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 Or it could mean sometimes it's referring to all of Deuteronomy, the first five books of the Bible, as the law of Moses that God gave through Moses, the Pentateuch.

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 Or it's referring to the general instruction of God, the teachings of Yahweh, which eventually gets compiled into what the New Testament then calls the Scriptures.

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 Now, I understand that to be the way, this last way, the general pursuing the law of the Lord, the instruction of the law.

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 When Yahweh speaks, he gives it to us and packages it in words, writing.

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 Now, that in itself is a mind-blowing thing.

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 Because, I mean, if you've read your Bible, do you know what happens like on page 3?

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 The people reject God.

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 They don't want God to be king over them.

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 And yet God, he kicks them out of the garden, but he promises that one day he's going to restore this.

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 By, like, page 6, God actually says that his heart is grieved because he created man.

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 Because man's intention of his heart is evil all the time.

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 So he destroys the whole world with a flood, save eight.

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 And God would have been perfectly holy, perfectly just, if he just saved those eight and left them.

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 And said, now, go figure this out yourself.

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 I'll be over here.

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 But that's not what Yahweh does.

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 He pursues the sinner.

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 And he gives them a writing.

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 And then he shows them, this is the way of relationship with me.

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 This is the way of worship.

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 This is who I am.

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 This is who you are.

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 This is the way the world works.

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 I mean, this is mercy.

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 The law of Yahweh.

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 He has given it to us.

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 So the blessed man is one who delights in the law, meditates on the law.

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 But let me just say here, there's an assumption going on that's not spoken.

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 The assumption is he reads it, right?

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 I mean, you can't meditate on the law of the Lord and delight in it if you don't have any kind of relationship with it, right?

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 He reads it or listens to it.

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 Whatever it is, he's around it to consume the word of the Lord.

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 Now, I realize for my own self, I need to be careful a little bit in my own heart as I talk on a topic like this.

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 Because this has been my burden for the church since like day one of coming to faith in 2001 when I was 23 years old.

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 So I actually was living in Racine at the time.

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 Started attending this church in Kenosha.

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 And it was a very charismatic church.

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 And I have no doubt that those people love Jesus.

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 None whatsoever.

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 They gave me my first Bible after I came to faith.

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 And I blessed the Lord for them.

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 But I would sit there.

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 My whole world was going tipsy-turvy.

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 I mean, it was radically changing.

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 And I'm still living with some of the guys that I kind of run around with and partied with.

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 And through the years I've played ball with.

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 And so I'm still living in this apartment.

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 It was a total chaotic mess.

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 And here I am is seeking to now follow Jesus.

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 Who I believe actually died in my place and rose from the dead.

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 And he's raining on high.

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 And he's coming again.

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 Like I was believing this stuff.

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 And I would show up to these services.

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 And I don't remember exact timing.

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 But let's say the service was an hour and 15 minutes.

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 Roughly an hour and five minutes of that was singing.

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 And running through the aisles and speaking in tongues and such.

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 John, I'm not even knocking that.

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 My point is I would leave not having some emotional experience.

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 And thirsting in my soul saying, I need to know this book.

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 Don't these people realize where I'm coming from?

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 I believe in Jesus, but I don't know what this book is talking about.

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 I'm a fool.

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 I need to know this book.

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 They seemed more interested in pursuing some emotional experience than actually understanding what the book said.

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 And so then I started attending this conservative church.

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 That would stand up right here and just say, this is the authoritative word of God.

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 We read the word of God.

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 We love the word of God.

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 And I would say, yes.

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 And I remember the pastor preaching for 40 minutes.

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 And I say, yes.

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 I need this.

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 And then I look around and people look bored out of their mind.

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 And I couldn't figure out what's going on.

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 And I would ask people in the church just very basic, basic questions about the Bible.

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 And they had no clue.

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 And I could not figure out what was going on.

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 I mean, here I am sitting at home.

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 Instead of going out to the bar and getting drunk.

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 I mean, this is my early stages of walking with Jesus.

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 I'm getting drunk at home and reading the Bible, right?

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 This is really early, right?

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 I'm telling you, there's a lot for God to work on me.

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 And I remember the nights of just several days in almost.

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 I mean, I started in Matthew.

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 And I got to a section.

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 I don't know if it was Matthew or Mark.

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 But I remember sitting there.

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 I was so bitter towards my dad.

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 My dad left when I was nine.

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 I hated the man.

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 And I remember reading the words of Jesus when he said, when he talked about the forgiveness

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 that we have received through his shed blood for all the sin that we've committed against

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 God that I've received from God.

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 And he turns to then his disciples and he said, if you don't forgive, then you will not be forgiven.

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 And I remember a night sitting there where God took this 500-pound weight off my shoulders

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 so I didn't have to be so bitter towards my dad.

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 I mean, I'm reading the word, seeing God transforming my heart through the word of God.

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 Now, the weight was 2,000 pounds at the time, so 500 came off.

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 But that was a glorious 500 pounds.

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 And so I'm experiencing the word of God is changing me from within.

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 And yet these people in the church, they seem to care less about the Bible.

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 And I could not figure that out.

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 Now, that stirred up a lot of self-righteousness in me.

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 So that's why I say I have to be careful with this in my own heart.

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 But it also gave me a deep burden.

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 Brothers and sisters, the living God, the law of Yahweh, who redeemed you through Christ,

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 has written a book about who he is and about how we can find life in him and live in this world.

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 And we will study this book forever.

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 So there's this basic assumption that the psalmist is making.

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 We read the book.

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 We need to be people of the book, to open the book.

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 But then he actually raises the stakes, actually.

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 He doesn't say he just doesn't read the book.

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 He says he meditates on the law of the Lord, verse 2.

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 The word meditate, you know, other places it's translated as growl.

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 It's about the lines growling.

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 It's the picture almost like of a man kind of, you know, working his vineyard.

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 And he's kind of, blessed is the man.

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 He's not seeking.

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 He's grumbling underneath his breath.

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 And he's repeating the word of God.

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 And he's thinking through it.

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 And he's saying, his delight is in the law of the Lord.

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 God's word.

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 He's grumbling.

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 He's growling.

00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:22.740
 So there's this meditation that he's consumed with it.

00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.740
 But what does the beginning of verse 2 say?

00:16:25.860 --> 00:16:27.159
 He delights in it.

00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:32.219
 There's a pleasure he finds in the word.

00:16:33.559 --> 00:16:38.860
 In other words, he's not talking just about reading the Bible or being able to say a few facts of the Bible.

00:16:38.939 --> 00:16:45.120
 He's actually saying people that the blessed man loves the law of the Lord.

00:16:45.219 --> 00:16:47.480
 There's a delight that happens.

00:16:48.939 --> 00:16:50.039
 I eat broccoli.

00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.339
 I eat cauliflower.

00:16:52.340 --> 00:16:58.840
 And my wife has actually found ways to cook it that I mostly like it.

00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:02.660
 And she roasts it with some garlic and coconut oil.

00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:03.620
 I like it.

00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:04.860
 I'll even eat it as leftovers.

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:05.440
 It's decent.

00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.900
 But I don't delight in this stuff.

00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:12.400
 I mean, I delight in pizza or lasagna or something.

00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:13.660
 Those are the type of things.

00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:16.880
 Like, you tell me we're having pizza tonight, I'm going to be distracted for half the day.

00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:18.420
 I'm going to think about it.

00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:19.700
 Because it's coming up, right?

00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:21.440
 I delight in it.

00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:23.140
 It kind of savors the mouth.

00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:25.380
 This is what he's talking about.

00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:31.539
 There's this hunger for the word of God, the law of God, the instructions of Yahweh.

00:17:34.100 --> 00:17:35.840
 So this, I mean, just a basic question.

00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:38.840
 Does that characterize you sitting here?

00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:44.740
 Do you have a delight for this book?

00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:53.179
 Now, my guess is all of us here on some level would say I don't.

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:55.879
 I mean, if we're honest, at times.

00:17:57.139 --> 00:17:57.379
 Right?

00:17:57.380 --> 00:18:07.000
 I've met one person in my walk with the Lord that has told me they're never without a hunger for the word.

00:18:07.520 --> 00:18:09.120
 And I don't even know if she was telling the truth.

00:18:10.080 --> 00:18:10.780
 Maybe she was.

00:18:11.300 --> 00:18:12.720
 But I certainly don't all the time.

00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:18.080
 Now, if you're here this morning and there's never been a delight,

00:18:20.260 --> 00:18:23.060
 then that's good reason to question what's going on in your heart, actually.

00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:26.240
 Like, are you actually one of God's people?

00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:30.940
 Because the blessed man who is one of God's people has some sort of a delight.

00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:35.620
 Now, the more important question than whether or not you delight in the law of the Lord,

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:39.519
 because I think all of us would say, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:43.480
 The more important question is to say, does that concern you?

00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:50.779
 Because if you say, if you answer that question, you say, no, not really.

00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:55.319
 Actually, I don't really care that much.

00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:59.000
 Yes, I don't delight in the Lord, or I don't delight in the word.

00:18:59.200 --> 00:18:59.920
 I don't care.

00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.160
 That's a problem.

00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:05.720
 You probably aren't one of God's people.

00:19:06.859 --> 00:19:09.799
 But if there's even a flicker in you that says, you know what?

00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:11.579
 I don't delight in the law of the Lord all the time.

00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:13.339
 I don't like that.

00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:16.720
 I wish I had a delight.

00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:18.399
 But frankly, I'm distracted.

00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:19.919
 But man, I wish I did.

00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:21.740
 I wish God would do that for me.

00:19:21.879 --> 00:19:24.299
 That is a great sign.

00:19:25.159 --> 00:19:26.299
 That's a miracle, right?

00:19:26.299 --> 00:19:28.980
 I mean, we are all born dead in sin.

00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:29.819
 We don't want God.

00:19:29.879 --> 00:19:33.799
 Even if God was standing there in a pillar of fire by day, or a pillar of fire by night,

00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:39.379
 a pillar of cloud by day, even if a man rose from the dead, we would say, nah, I'm really

00:19:39.379 --> 00:19:39.899
 not interested.

00:19:40.419 --> 00:19:44.980
 If you have any sort of a desire for the, to have a delight in the law of the Lord, it's

00:19:44.980 --> 00:19:46.159
 because God has put that there.

00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:48.079
 We should bless the Lord for that.

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:52.419
 So this, as you read the psalm and question yourself, you're not supposed to feel condemned.

00:19:52.420 --> 00:19:55.800
 If you don't feel it, you're supposed to say, oh, there's something there.

00:19:56.660 --> 00:19:57.500
 Bless the Lord.

00:19:58.200 --> 00:19:58.980
 Give me more.

00:19:59.120 --> 00:19:59.660
 Give me more.

00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:04.620
 Well, then he gives you a wonderful picture of the result of this.

00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:11.740
 So Psalm 2, as I understand, is kind of the banner statement of the psalm.

00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:17.200
 The blessed man delights in the law of the Lord, and let me show you what happens to him.

00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:19.980
 Gives us a word picture, verse 3.

00:20:19.980 --> 00:20:24.360
 He says, the man that does that, this is the result for him.

00:20:24.700 --> 00:20:30.079
 He, well, he's like a, how do I describe him?

00:20:30.620 --> 00:20:31.620
 He's like a tree.

00:20:33.259 --> 00:20:34.380
 Not just any tree.

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:36.960
 Not, you know, not a tree planted out in the desert.

00:20:37.860 --> 00:20:39.200
 That tree's going to fall down soon.

00:20:39.460 --> 00:20:45.299
 A tree that's planted right by a stream of water, that yields its fruit in its season,

00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:48.980
 its leaf does not wither, and all that he does, he prospers.

00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:54.500
 So it's, you know, I don't know trees that much.

00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:56.720
 This is a way that I've thought about it, though.

00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:58.039
 This is about two months ago.

00:20:58.120 --> 00:21:03.019
 I was sitting, Sunday afternoon, I'm sitting at our kitchen table doing some work or something,

00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:05.420
 and I hear this screeching of tires.

00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:10.940
 I look out our front window, and I see a car coming kind of sideways on the road,

00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:13.779
 and then it goes out of my view because the window's not big enough,

00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:15.460
 and all of a sudden I heard a...

00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:21.100
 I thought for sure this car just drove into my neighbor's house.

00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:25.680
 I don't like medical things or blood or anything like that, but I thought, man,

00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:27.539
 I thought I was going out to pull bodies.

00:21:27.660 --> 00:21:31.960
 I throw on my shoes, and I take off out the door to see what happened,

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:35.980
 and thankfully they didn't drive into the house, but they drove right into a pole,

00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:37.240
 like a light pole.

00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.279
 So they're going 30 miles an hour, and the people were totally fine.

00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:43.320
 Going 30 miles an hour, it hit the light pole,

00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:47.620
 and, you know, it's one of those where it's kind of like cement and stone put together,

00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.960
 the pole, right?

00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:52.340
 So what do you think happened to the pole when that car hit it going 30 miles per hour?

00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:56.039
 I mean, didn't have a chance.

00:21:57.100 --> 00:21:58.740
 I mean, it totally fell, right?

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:03.440
 Now contrast that with two years ago, I think it was,

00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:06.940
 we were woken up in the middle of the night with sirens everywhere,

00:22:07.860 --> 00:22:10.960
 and there was a high-speed chase going through the south side of Milwaukee

00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:12.740
 and it ended in our neighborhood, tragically.

00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:18.660
 So a car, it was actually a truck, going 70 miles per hour through our neighborhood,

00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:24.799
 hits the tree so hard that the truck itself, the driver died on impact,

00:22:25.120 --> 00:22:30.420
 the truck actually split in two, hitting that tree.

00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:34.620
 A truck going 70 miles per hour, and guess what happened to that tree?

00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:40.660
 He said, did something just hit me?

00:22:43.360 --> 00:22:44.900
 Nah, I'm going back to bed.

00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:48.420
 It's still standing there today.

00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.100
 It lost a little bark, but that's it.

00:22:54.019 --> 00:23:00.860
 70 miles per hour, a truck barreling in it, and the truck stands because it has strong roots.

00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:03.920
 This is what the psalmist is trying to get us to think about.

00:23:04.340 --> 00:23:09.039
 Trees, when they're planted by water, there is nothing going to take that thing down.

00:23:09.840 --> 00:23:13.680
 You can go to Seven Bridges Park just south of Milwaukee along the lake,

00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:19.519
 and if you go right by the lake through the trail, there's these trees that stand up on a high hill,

00:23:19.580 --> 00:23:24.420
 not quite as high as the ceiling, but very steep to these trees,

00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:26.860
 and there's steps all the way down.

00:23:27.580 --> 00:23:28.759
 And you know what the steps are?

00:23:28.820 --> 00:23:30.960
 They're actually the roots of the tree.

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:35.960
 Because the roots go so far because it's trying to get down to the water,

00:23:36.360 --> 00:23:38.799
 and the tree stands tall and strong.

00:23:39.900 --> 00:23:46.100
 I mean, if you walk along the sidewalk, you'll see how many sidewalks you'll see like this.

00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:49.220
 Because tree roots have lifted up sidewalks.

00:23:49.360 --> 00:23:51.120
 They destroy foundations of houses.

00:23:51.119 --> 00:24:00.039
 I mean, this is a powerful picture that he's trying to give of a promise of the living God telling his people,

00:24:00.219 --> 00:24:08.479
 look, if you meditate on my law, you are going to find stability and strength in this life that nothing else can give.

00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:09.819
 Nothing else will give it.

00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.639
 You will be like a tree.

00:24:12.699 --> 00:24:16.039
 That even if a truck hits it at 70 miles per hour, you will laugh at it.

00:24:18.219 --> 00:24:19.279
 This is unbelievable.

00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:24.420
 Now, if you want a living example, you just got to read further in the Psalms.

00:24:25.379 --> 00:24:27.819
 This is the way I understand they kind of organize the Psalms.

00:24:27.940 --> 00:24:29.379
 The first one says,

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:32.819
 Blessed is the man who comes underneath the authority of God's word,

00:24:33.059 --> 00:24:35.099
 who delights in the love of God.

00:24:35.220 --> 00:24:37.619
 Second Psalm ends with,

00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:40.720
 Blessed is the man who takes, you know what it says?

00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:43.379
 Refuge in the Son.

00:24:45.019 --> 00:24:47.799
 So, blessed is the man who comes underneath the authority of God's word,

00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:49.500
 who delights in the law of the Lord.

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:53.339
 Blessed is the man who takes refuge in the Son.

00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:55.659
 And then look at Psalm 3.

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:58.879
 Psalm 3 is about,

00:24:59.099 --> 00:25:01.519
 written by a man who had an adulterous relationship,

00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:04.200
 and it caused total havoc on his household.

00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:06.919
 His son kills one of his other sons,

00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:08.740
 and David now is on the run.

00:25:09.099 --> 00:25:10.339
 He's out in the wilderness,

00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:11.460
 terrified.

00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.799
 And yet,

00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:15.539
 you read these words in verse 5.

00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:20.220
 I lay down and slept.

00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:22.860
 I woke again,

00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:25.519
 because the Lord sustained me.

00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:29.720
 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people

00:25:29.720 --> 00:25:33.660
 who have set themselves against me all around.

00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:37.740
 You think he'd be sleeping at a time like that?

00:25:37.820 --> 00:25:39.759
 David is being hunted by thousands of people.

00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:43.160
 I wouldn't be sleeping a wink.

00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:46.900
 I can hardly sleep if I have a,

00:25:46.900 --> 00:25:47.340
 you know,

00:25:47.380 --> 00:25:48.900
 a hard conversation coming up tomorrow.

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:51.279
 And here's a man,

00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:54.620
 delighting so much in the law of the Lord,

00:25:55.700 --> 00:25:58.360
 coming so much under the refuge of the Son,

00:25:58.359 --> 00:25:59.500
 and he sleeps,

00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:00.379
 like a baby,

00:26:01.479 --> 00:26:02.199
 out in the wilderness.

00:26:05.399 --> 00:26:06.079
 But, you know,

00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:07.699
 this is not the only place

00:26:07.699 --> 00:26:10.159
 that God promises this about his word.

00:26:11.679 --> 00:26:13.419
 Let me show you a couple other places here.

00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:14.379
 If you have your Bible,

00:26:14.479 --> 00:26:16.819
 go to 1 Thessalonians 2.13.

00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:29.799
 1 Thessalonians 2.13.

00:26:40.919 --> 00:26:41.539
 So here,

00:26:41.679 --> 00:26:42.679
 here's the Apostle Paul.

00:26:42.839 --> 00:26:43.099
 He says,

00:26:43.879 --> 00:26:45.799
 writing to the church in Thessalonica,

00:26:45.879 --> 00:26:46.079
 he says,

00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:48.500
 we also thank God constantly for this,

00:26:48.579 --> 00:26:50.619
 that when you receive the word of God,

00:26:51.579 --> 00:26:52.799
 which you heard from us,

00:26:53.879 --> 00:26:55.419
 you accepted it.

00:26:55.859 --> 00:26:58.439
 But you accepted it not as the word of men,

00:26:58.539 --> 00:27:00.240
 but as what it really is.

00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:01.779
 It's the word of God.

00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:03.539
 Here's the phrase,

00:27:04.259 --> 00:27:08.819
 which is at work in you believers.

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.259
 Now, theologically,

00:27:12.419 --> 00:27:14.000
 this is a very important statement here.

00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:15.539
 He says,

00:27:15.539 --> 00:27:15.559
 he says,

00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:17.359
 you receive the word of God,

00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:20.940
 which is working in you,

00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:23.680
 but not you as everybody.

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.299
 He says,

00:27:25.380 --> 00:27:26.359
 you believers.

00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:28.900
 He says,

00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:30.640
 when you receive the word of God,

00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:31.559
 intake it,

00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:33.660
 it goes to work in you,

00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:34.559
 who believe.

00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:38.159
 You might think of it this way.

00:27:38.399 --> 00:27:39.079
 Maybe you want to,

00:27:39.159 --> 00:27:39.480
 maybe no,

00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:39.919
 I don't know.

00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:40.579
 But think of,

00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:42.480
 you give my four-year-old

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:44.319
 two dishes of ice cream,

00:27:44.980 --> 00:27:47.119
 you're expecting a response,

00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:47.399
 right?

00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:50.240
 You're expecting that ice cream

00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.179
 to go to work in him.

00:27:51.679 --> 00:27:52.899
 It's going to change him,

00:27:53.139 --> 00:27:53.779
 fundamentally,

00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:54.919
 for the next couple hours,

00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:55.259
 right?

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:58.819
 Here,

00:27:58.960 --> 00:27:59.440
 he says,

00:27:59.579 --> 00:28:00.279
 the word of God,

00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:01.140
 when it goes in you,

00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:01.680
 who believe,

00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:05.579
 that word goes to work in you.

00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:07.319
 It's going to change you.

00:28:07.339 --> 00:28:07.480
 Well,

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.660
 how is it going to change you?

00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:10.680
 It's going to make you stable

00:28:10.680 --> 00:28:11.379
 like a tree.

00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:12.900
 Well,

00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:14.019
 let's go to Psalm 19.

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:15.660
 We'll see some actual ways,

00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:16.299
 promises,

00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:17.259
 of what God says,

00:28:17.400 --> 00:28:18.579
 this will do to you.

00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:20.420
 Psalm 19.

00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:20.519
 Psalm 19.

00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:32.420
 Verse 7.

00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:35.879
 The law of the Lord,

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:37.180
 here we have this phrase again,

00:28:37.220 --> 00:28:37.839
 the law of the Lord,

00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:39.079
 the instruction of the Lord,

00:28:39.400 --> 00:28:40.440
 is perfect.

00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:42.940
 Here it is,

00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:44.240
 reviving the soul.

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:48.019
 The testimony of the Lord is sure.

00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:49.740
 Here's another one.

00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:51.619
 Making wise.

00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:53.099
 The simple.

00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:54.720
 And he keeps going,

00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.920
 and the precepts of the Lord are right.

00:28:56.759 --> 00:28:57.259
 Here it is,

00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:58.759
 rejoicing the heart.

00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:01.539
 The commandment of the Lord is pure,

00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:03.519
 enlightening the eyes.

00:29:05.299 --> 00:29:05.420
 Now,

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:07.100
 do you think there's a single person alive

00:29:07.100 --> 00:29:08.819
 that wouldn't want those four aspects?

00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:09.620
 Like,

00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:11.299
 your soul revived?

00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:13.400
 You want your heart to rejoice?

00:29:13.620 --> 00:29:15.240
 You want to be wise?

00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:17.920
 You want to have your eyes enlightened?

00:29:18.299 --> 00:29:19.880
 Is there anybody here that doesn't want that?

00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:21.799
 No.

00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:23.140
 We all want that.

00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:23.539
 Here,

00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:25.440
 God is promising to his people,

00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:27.379
 the word of God will do that for you.

00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:28.379
 You want wisdom?

00:29:29.180 --> 00:29:29.879
 In the word.

00:29:30.139 --> 00:29:31.480
 You want to have your heart rejoicing?

00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:32.779
 Open the book.

00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:34.659
 This is what the psalmist is saying.

00:29:34.839 --> 00:29:35.299
 There's no,

00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:36.799
 I understand,

00:29:36.899 --> 00:29:38.059
 that's why he says verse 10.

00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:41.779
 More to be desired,

00:29:42.180 --> 00:29:42.700
 are they,

00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:44.220
 the scriptures,

00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:45.559
 the words of God,

00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:46.859
 the precepts of the Lord,

00:29:46.859 --> 00:29:49.519
 than gold,

00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:51.419
 even much fine gold.

00:29:52.419 --> 00:29:53.659
 That's a stunning statement.

00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:57.240
 The psalmist is saying,

00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:57.539
 look,

00:29:58.539 --> 00:30:00.879
 I'd rather have the word of God

00:30:00.879 --> 00:30:02.579
 than a lot of gold.

00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.539
 In our day and age,

00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.079
 we would say,

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:06.719
 man,

00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:08.559
 I'd trade in my 401k for that.

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:12.740
 That's a stunning statement.

00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:14.980
 I'll sell my house so I can have a Bible.

00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:18.960
 That's amazing.

00:30:20.159 --> 00:30:22.740
 It's if we're convinced that that's what's going to give me wisdom,

00:30:23.159 --> 00:30:23.940
 we will feel that.

00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:25.079
 The problem is,

00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:26.639
 we don't actually think the word of God will do that,

00:30:26.659 --> 00:30:26.839
 right?

00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:30.740
 Or take Romans 15,

00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:31.019
 4,

00:30:31.059 --> 00:30:31.859
 you don't have to turn there.

00:30:32.699 --> 00:30:32.879
 It says,

00:30:33.199 --> 00:30:35.740
 everything that was written in earlier days

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:37.019
 was written for instruction

00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:38.199
 so that through endurance

00:30:38.199 --> 00:30:39.480
 and the encouragement of the scriptures,

00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:43.259
 we might have hope.

00:30:45.179 --> 00:30:45.980
 There's another place.

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:48.299
 God claims all that was written in earlier times.

00:30:48.399 --> 00:30:48.899
 He's talking,

00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:49.539
 in particular,

00:30:49.639 --> 00:30:50.619
 the Old Testament there.

00:30:50.879 --> 00:30:51.539
 All of it.

00:30:52.419 --> 00:30:53.779
 Genesis to Malachi

00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:56.799
 was written so that you and I would have hope.

00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:59.519
 Every single piece,

00:30:59.879 --> 00:31:01.059
 even the genealogies,

00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:03.240
 once you learn why they're there,

00:31:03.619 --> 00:31:05.179
 that is meant to instill hope

00:31:05.179 --> 00:31:06.639
 that makes you like a tree.

00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:10.579
 2 Timothy 3.16,

00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:13.099
 all scripture is breathed out by God.

00:31:13.179 --> 00:31:15.220
 It's the very breath of God.

00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:17.159
 And it's profitable for us.

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:17.799
 It's useful.

00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:18.399
 For what?

00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:19.980
 Well, he tells us

00:31:19.980 --> 00:31:21.319
 to teach us,

00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:22.699
 to reprove us,

00:31:23.059 --> 00:31:24.359
 to correct us,

00:31:24.459 --> 00:31:25.779
 to train us in righteousness

00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:27.119
 so that we're equipped

00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:28.059
 for every good work.

00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:29.359
 Another promise,

00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:29.980
 there again,

00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:31.139
 he's talking about the Old Testament.

00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:33.420
 The Old Testament

00:31:33.420 --> 00:31:35.019
 is useful for you.

00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:36.779
 It will train you.

00:31:36.920 --> 00:31:38.220
 It will equip you

00:31:38.220 --> 00:31:39.559
 for righteousness.

00:31:39.799 --> 00:31:41.180
 Ephesians 5.26,

00:31:41.740 --> 00:31:42.599
 talking about Jesus

00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:43.680
 sanctifying the church.

00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:44.440
 I love this phrase.

00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:44.799
 He says,

00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:46.220
 having cleansed her

00:31:46.220 --> 00:31:48.220
 by the washing of the word.

00:31:48.859 --> 00:31:49.519
 I love the picture.

00:31:50.259 --> 00:31:51.099
 It's a picture of Jesus

00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:52.039
 taking the church

00:31:52.039 --> 00:31:54.059
 that's all full of blemishes

00:31:54.059 --> 00:31:55.099
 and he takes the word

00:31:55.099 --> 00:31:56.139
 and he scrubs her.

00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:58.240
 What a picture.

00:31:59.539 --> 00:32:00.139
 The word of God

00:32:00.139 --> 00:32:01.559
 is meant to purify us,

00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:03.019
 to change us.

00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:04.980
 1 Peter 2,

00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:05.879
 I love this picture.

00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:06.819
 Verse 2,

00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:07.079
 it says,

00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:08.480
 he's just talked about

00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:09.659
 the enduring word

00:32:09.659 --> 00:32:10.019
 and it says,

00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:11.019
 like newborn infants,

00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:12.759
 long for the pure spiritual milk

00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:13.920
 so that by it

00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:14.700
 you may grow

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.559
 in your salvation.

00:32:16.359 --> 00:32:17.019
 This is this picture

00:32:17.019 --> 00:32:17.859
 of this baby.

00:32:18.619 --> 00:32:19.500
 If you've ever seen a baby

00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:20.559
 who longs for milk

00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:21.559
 it's quite the sight.

00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:21.799
 I mean,

00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:24.460
 they're trying for the milk,

00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:24.740
 right?

00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.279
 They're just doing

00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:26.079
 anything they can

00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:26.740
 to get the milk

00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:27.339
 because why?

00:32:27.980 --> 00:32:29.740
 Somehow that little package

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:31.440
 understands that

00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:32.160
 if it doesn't get milk

00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:32.920
 it's going to die.

00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:36.059
 Peter calls up this image

00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:36.720
 that the Christians,

00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:38.359
 that's what we should feel.

00:32:39.400 --> 00:32:40.299
 That's why God says

00:32:40.299 --> 00:32:40.839
 to his people,

00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:41.759
 man does not live

00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:42.400
 by bread alone

00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:43.720
 but by every word

00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:44.220
 that proceeds

00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:44.940
 from the mouth of God.

00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:45.900
 That's why we need it

00:32:45.900 --> 00:32:46.839
 because we need food

00:32:46.839 --> 00:32:49.879
 if we are to live

00:32:49.879 --> 00:32:50.659
 and we could go on

00:32:50.659 --> 00:32:51.099
 but these are

00:32:51.099 --> 00:32:52.980
 very clear promises

00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:54.099
 that God says

00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:55.679
 this is what my book

00:32:55.679 --> 00:32:56.519
 will do for you.

00:32:56.939 --> 00:32:58.079
 It will make you strong.

00:32:58.220 --> 00:32:59.279
 It will make you wise.

00:32:59.419 --> 00:33:00.179
 It will give you eyes

00:33:00.179 --> 00:33:01.099
 to see rightly.

00:33:01.480 --> 00:33:02.980
 It will give you hope in life.

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.039
 It will give you stability.

00:33:04.679 --> 00:33:06.240
 It will keep you from sin.

00:33:06.299 --> 00:33:06.839
 It will cause you

00:33:06.839 --> 00:33:07.779
 to pursue holiness.

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:10.139
 I mean,

00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:11.919
 what a picture.

00:33:12.259 --> 00:33:12.980
 And then verse 4

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:13.699
 of Psalm 1,

00:33:14.259 --> 00:33:15.099
 if you're back there,

00:33:15.579 --> 00:33:16.579
 he contrasts it.

00:33:16.839 --> 00:33:19.399
 It says,

00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:20.279
 the wicked are not so

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:21.699
 but they're like the chaff

00:33:21.699 --> 00:33:24.879
 that the wind drives away.

00:33:26.299 --> 00:33:27.139
 So for us

00:33:27.139 --> 00:33:29.480
 non-agricultural folks here,

00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:30.759
 the chaff would be

00:33:30.759 --> 00:33:32.059
 the part of the wheat

00:33:32.059 --> 00:33:32.720
 as they're harvesting.

00:33:33.179 --> 00:33:34.240
 You throw it up

00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:35.619
 and the grain parts,

00:33:35.699 --> 00:33:36.299
 the heavy parts,

00:33:36.399 --> 00:33:37.359
 fall back down

00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:39.059
 into the bucket

00:33:39.059 --> 00:33:39.519
 or whatever

00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:40.619
 and the chaff,

00:33:40.980 --> 00:33:42.839
 it falls off the seed

00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:43.879
 and the wind comes in

00:33:43.879 --> 00:33:45.500
 and it blows the chaff away.

00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:48.059
 Or for city folks,

00:33:48.199 --> 00:33:48.759
 you might say,

00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:50.379
 the wicked are not like

00:33:50.379 --> 00:33:50.799
 the righteous

00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:51.679
 who are like a tree.

00:33:51.759 --> 00:33:52.399
 The wicked are like

00:33:52.399 --> 00:33:53.559
 that plastic bag

00:33:53.559 --> 00:33:54.639
 that's floating around

00:33:54.639 --> 00:33:56.059
 and it's going to be

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:56.639
 down the block

00:33:56.639 --> 00:33:58.379
 in about 25 seconds.

00:33:58.699 --> 00:33:59.379
 That's what the wicked

00:33:59.379 --> 00:33:59.779
 are like

00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:00.220
 because they have

00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:00.879
 no foundation.

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.699
 In this rollercoaster

00:34:02.699 --> 00:34:03.099
 of life,

00:34:03.179 --> 00:34:03.679
 they have nothing

00:34:03.679 --> 00:34:04.980
 to actually stand on.

00:34:04.980 --> 00:34:09.179
 And then he goes on

00:34:09.179 --> 00:34:11.860
 and he talks about

00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:12.820
 the judgment to come

00:34:12.820 --> 00:34:14.000
 which is the very same thing.

00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:15.260
 The wicked will not stand

00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:15.940
 in the judgment

00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:17.880
 nor will sinners

00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:19.579
 but those who are the righteous

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.960
 who I understand

00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:21.659
 in verse 6,

00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:23.500
 the righteous,

00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:24.760
 as you read the Psalms,

00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:25.719
 are not those who

00:34:25.719 --> 00:34:27.679
 have made a righteousness

00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:28.420
 of their own.

00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:29.420
 They have received

00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:29.960
 the righteousness.

00:34:30.219 --> 00:34:30.360
 I mean,

00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:31.559
 this is the gospel here.

00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:33.900
 This is all throughout Scripture.

00:34:33.900 --> 00:34:36.099
 Man is made right by God

00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:36.820
 through faith.

00:34:37.180 --> 00:34:38.220
 He's received a righteousness

00:34:38.220 --> 00:34:39.019
 not his own

00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:40.539
 and then he lives it out.

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.440
 He walks in it.

00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.740
 And the righteous

00:34:44.740 --> 00:34:46.380
 shall stand.

00:34:48.539 --> 00:34:50.320
 So what does this mean for us?

00:34:50.380 --> 00:34:50.519
 I mean,

00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:51.539
 I think the claim actually

00:34:51.539 --> 00:34:52.460
 of the text is very simple.

00:34:52.740 --> 00:34:53.380
 God's word

00:34:53.380 --> 00:34:54.920
 makes God's people

00:34:54.920 --> 00:34:55.940
 strong and stable

00:34:55.940 --> 00:34:56.639
 in this life.

00:34:59.000 --> 00:35:00.639
 I hope we can all say,

00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:01.099
 I mean,

00:35:01.180 --> 00:35:02.980
 this is sort of obvious

00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:05.639
 that one of the greatest gifts

00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:06.960
 you could give yourself,

00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:08.840
 your spouse,

00:35:09.820 --> 00:35:10.659
 this church,

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.199
 your kids,

00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:14.599
 is a life

00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:15.840
 in the word of God.

00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:18.800
 It's one of the best things

00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:19.740
 you could do for yourself.

00:35:21.219 --> 00:35:22.099
 It's one of the best things

00:35:22.099 --> 00:35:22.980
 you could do for your neighbor.

00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:24.860
 It's have a life

00:35:24.860 --> 00:35:26.860
 in the word of God.

00:35:26.860 --> 00:35:28.900
 I'm talking about

00:35:28.900 --> 00:35:29.940
 a functional life.

00:35:31.660 --> 00:35:32.320
 The word of God

00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:33.960
 makes a definitive difference.

00:35:34.539 --> 00:35:34.640
 You know,

00:35:34.760 --> 00:35:35.860
 it's something that actually

00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:37.019
 you think about.

00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:39.640
 It comes up in conversation.

00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:43.120
 And so let me just speak

00:35:43.120 --> 00:35:45.519
 to different categories here.

00:35:45.620 --> 00:35:47.780
 If you're a youth here,

00:35:47.820 --> 00:35:48.460
 if you're a kid,

00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:52.380
 I'm telling you

00:35:52.380 --> 00:35:53.880
 one of the greatest things

00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:55.019
 you could possibly do

00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:56.659
 is start reading your Bible.

00:35:57.940 --> 00:35:59.220
 You don't have to understand

00:35:59.220 --> 00:35:59.880
 it all the time.

00:36:01.380 --> 00:36:02.340
 You don't have to have

00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:03.440
 a powerful experience

00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:04.059
 all the time.

00:36:04.780 --> 00:36:05.699
 Just open the book

00:36:05.699 --> 00:36:06.039
 and say,

00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:06.280
 God,

00:36:06.400 --> 00:36:07.280
 teach me about you.

00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:10.199
 That is one of the greatest habits

00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:12.159
 you could possibly form

00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:13.840
 in yourself.

00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:16.019
 kids,

00:36:16.120 --> 00:36:17.240
 you do not want to be

00:36:17.240 --> 00:36:18.960
 the next 55-year-old

00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:20.380
 that I've talked to many

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:21.260
 that know nothing

00:36:21.260 --> 00:36:22.059
 about the word of God.

00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:26.220
 They have no stability.

00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:28.900
 Kids,

00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:30.519
 do you want to be wise

00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:31.300
 when you grow older?

00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:35.920
 It's not from intellectualism.

00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:38.120
 It's not just by going

00:36:38.120 --> 00:36:38.920
 to a nice school.

00:36:39.160 --> 00:36:40.700
 It's not by having nice toys.

00:36:41.640 --> 00:36:43.160
 It's the word of God.

00:36:43.159 --> 00:36:44.899
 There have been many people

00:36:44.899 --> 00:36:46.619
 who have gone to great schools

00:36:46.619 --> 00:36:48.339
 who perish in the end

00:36:48.339 --> 00:36:50.059
 and that are not wise.

00:36:50.339 --> 00:36:51.239
 And there have been many

00:36:51.239 --> 00:36:52.359
 who starve to death,

00:36:53.179 --> 00:36:54.179
 who have been persecuted,

00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:55.799
 have been killed

00:36:55.799 --> 00:36:57.239
 for the faith

00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:58.699
 and are wise

00:36:58.699 --> 00:37:00.099
 beyond our years.

00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:02.219
 Kids,

00:37:02.279 --> 00:37:03.480
 the greatest thing you can do

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.699
 is to pursue

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:05.879
 the scriptures

00:37:05.879 --> 00:37:08.059
 and learn about our God.

00:37:11.659 --> 00:37:12.299
 Young

00:37:12.299 --> 00:37:12.859
 adults,

00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:15.639
 which I think young

00:37:15.639 --> 00:37:16.379
 for me now

00:37:16.379 --> 00:37:16.960
 is like through

00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:18.159
 ages 29

00:37:18.159 --> 00:37:19.500
 or 35,

00:37:19.739 --> 00:37:19.980
 I don't know,

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:21.159
 I turned 41 this summer

00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:23.099
 so this feels weird.

00:37:23.159 --> 00:37:23.679
 Young adults,

00:37:24.019 --> 00:37:24.940
 maybe you don't feel young

00:37:24.940 --> 00:37:25.799
 but to me,

00:37:25.859 --> 00:37:26.339
 I guess you do.

00:37:26.420 --> 00:37:27.259
 Through your 20s,

00:37:27.759 --> 00:37:27.859
 you know,

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:29.599
 you're in your career

00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:30.519
 or starting career

00:37:30.519 --> 00:37:32.359
 and maybe you're getting married

00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:33.440
 or thinking about it

00:37:33.440 --> 00:37:34.619
 or maybe you're staying single,

00:37:34.819 --> 00:37:35.940
 whatever it is,

00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:38.119
 you feel like you're on a path

00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:39.019
 and life is busy,

00:37:39.119 --> 00:37:40.019
 life is crazy.

00:37:40.019 --> 00:37:42.739
 do not for a second

00:37:42.739 --> 00:37:44.380
 assume

00:37:44.380 --> 00:37:45.719
 that you'll put off

00:37:45.719 --> 00:37:46.539
 the word of God now

00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:47.759
 and you'll come back to it

00:37:47.759 --> 00:37:49.320
 when life slows down

00:37:49.320 --> 00:37:50.539
 because it's not slowing down.

00:37:51.900 --> 00:37:53.119
 It'll only get crazier

00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:55.039
 and the greatest thing

00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:55.980
 you can give yourself

00:37:55.980 --> 00:37:56.619
 right now

00:37:56.619 --> 00:37:57.920
 is to say,

00:37:58.019 --> 00:37:58.400
 you know what,

00:37:58.800 --> 00:37:59.699
 if that job

00:37:59.699 --> 00:38:01.559
 is going to move me away

00:38:01.559 --> 00:38:02.320
 from the word of God,

00:38:02.920 --> 00:38:03.759
 the job goes.

00:38:04.800 --> 00:38:05.840
 That's what the psalmist says,

00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:06.480
 Psalm 19,

00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:08.199
 I prefer the word of God

00:38:08.199 --> 00:38:09.440
 over all the gold

00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:11.460
 and yet we live in a culture

00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:12.719
 that tells us to consume,

00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:14.099
 it tells us it's okay

00:38:14.099 --> 00:38:15.000
 to put the things

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:16.059
 of the Lord on hold.

00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:18.659
 That is so prevalent

00:38:18.659 --> 00:38:19.619
 in the American church.

00:38:21.199 --> 00:38:23.139
 We put career first

00:38:23.139 --> 00:38:26.300
 and I don't think

00:38:26.300 --> 00:38:27.500
 that would hold up

00:38:27.500 --> 00:38:28.099
 in the scriptures.

00:38:31.619 --> 00:38:33.320
 Now parents of young kids,

00:38:33.320 --> 00:38:36.420
 I mean what a gift

00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:37.600
 you can give to your kids

00:38:37.600 --> 00:38:40.720
 to raise them

00:38:40.720 --> 00:38:42.640
 not just knowing

00:38:42.640 --> 00:38:44.019
 about the Bible

00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:45.860
 but demonstrating

00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:47.360
 a life in the Bible.

00:38:49.539 --> 00:38:50.680
 If you have young kids,

00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:51.880
 this is what you could do tonight.

00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:53.480
 You could ask them today.

00:38:53.860 --> 00:38:54.080
 It's like,

00:38:54.620 --> 00:38:55.539
 son, daughter, whatever,

00:38:55.720 --> 00:38:57.500
 I want your honest thoughts.

00:38:58.920 --> 00:39:00.200
 What do you think

00:39:00.200 --> 00:39:00.780
 mommy and daddy

00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:01.600
 think about the Bible?

00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:03.779
 Like, show us

00:39:03.779 --> 00:39:05.019
 what we think.

00:39:06.199 --> 00:39:07.299
 Do you think mommy and daddy

00:39:07.299 --> 00:39:08.000
 love the Bible?

00:39:08.619 --> 00:39:09.259
 You know what?

00:39:09.380 --> 00:39:10.259
 They'll probably say yes

00:39:10.259 --> 00:39:13.059
 because we train our kids

00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:13.880
 to kind of think

00:39:13.880 --> 00:39:15.360
 in these terms, right?

00:39:15.920 --> 00:39:16.299
 And then you say,

00:39:16.380 --> 00:39:16.639
 how?

00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:22.960
 I mean, I hope

00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:24.880
 you are demonstrating

00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:25.819
 to your kids

00:39:25.819 --> 00:39:28.420
 that the word is good,

00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:29.839
 that they see it,

00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:32.039
 that when life is confusing,

00:39:32.160 --> 00:39:32.780
 the word of God

00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:33.980
 comes into the conversation.

00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:37.500
 Here's something

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:38.440
 I learned early on too

00:39:38.440 --> 00:39:39.480
 in the faith.

00:39:39.860 --> 00:39:40.000
 You know,

00:39:40.079 --> 00:39:41.019
 a lot of discussion

00:39:41.019 --> 00:39:41.500
 goes on,

00:39:41.820 --> 00:39:42.380
 the question like,

00:39:42.519 --> 00:39:43.840
 why are so many kids

00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:44.860
 walking away from the faith

00:39:44.860 --> 00:39:45.600
 when they get to college?

00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:48.860
 They leave in mass numbers.

00:39:48.960 --> 00:39:49.640
 They leave the church

00:39:49.640 --> 00:39:50.660
 when they go to college.

00:39:51.000 --> 00:39:51.880
 And so the big discussion

00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:53.220
 is why does that happen, right?

00:39:54.100 --> 00:39:54.660
 And you have

00:39:54.660 --> 00:39:55.340
 these different answers.

00:39:55.460 --> 00:39:56.160
 Well, maybe it's because

00:39:56.160 --> 00:39:57.160
 we sheltered them too much.

00:39:57.240 --> 00:39:58.000
 We didn't help them

00:39:58.000 --> 00:39:59.139
 experience the world enough.

00:39:59.260 --> 00:40:00.440
 Or maybe we didn't teach them

00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:01.300
 enough about, you know,

00:40:01.340 --> 00:40:02.679
 science and, you know,

00:40:02.679 --> 00:40:04.280
 they go off to the education

00:40:04.280 --> 00:40:05.920
 and they kind of lose sight

00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:06.699
 of, you know,

00:40:07.099 --> 00:40:07.679
 up and down.

00:40:07.820 --> 00:40:08.880
 We didn't train them enough

00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:09.440
 in that sense.

00:40:09.800 --> 00:40:10.719
 And, you know,

00:40:10.760 --> 00:40:11.380
 that all might be

00:40:11.380 --> 00:40:12.739
 right and good.

00:40:12.760 --> 00:40:13.179
 I don't know.

00:40:13.380 --> 00:40:14.079
 But here's the question

00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:14.820
 I never ask,

00:40:15.079 --> 00:40:15.920
 or I don't hear.

00:40:16.780 --> 00:40:16.960
 It's like,

00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:18.219
 what did the home look like?

00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:22.260
 I can tell you

00:40:22.260 --> 00:40:23.119
 the ones that I know

00:40:23.119 --> 00:40:23.739
 in general,

00:40:24.619 --> 00:40:25.679
 I wouldn't look at the parents

00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:26.279
 that say they had

00:40:26.279 --> 00:40:28.239
 a growing, vibrant life

00:40:28.239 --> 00:40:29.059
 in the Word of God.

00:40:29.239 --> 00:40:30.460
 They loved the church.

00:40:30.579 --> 00:40:31.519
 They gave themselves

00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:32.879
 to the work of the Lord.

00:40:36.059 --> 00:40:36.399
 And yet,

00:40:36.739 --> 00:40:38.359
 this is a basic principle

00:40:38.359 --> 00:40:39.059
 of life, right?

00:40:39.219 --> 00:40:40.139
 Kids will love

00:40:40.139 --> 00:40:40.980
 what parents love.

00:40:42.359 --> 00:40:42.539
 Right?

00:40:43.019 --> 00:40:44.059
 I love softball.

00:40:44.159 --> 00:40:44.879
 I go out and hit softballs.

00:40:44.940 --> 00:40:46.440
 I go out all the time

00:40:46.440 --> 00:40:47.119
 and hit softballs.

00:40:47.239 --> 00:40:48.319
 I play a lot of softball.

00:40:48.539 --> 00:40:49.980
 I have a YouTube channel

00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:51.319
 and I do softball stuff on.

00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:52.619
 I have a station

00:40:52.619 --> 00:40:53.239
 out in my garage

00:40:53.239 --> 00:40:53.739
 where I go out

00:40:53.739 --> 00:40:55.199
 and I'll hit 400 swings

00:40:55.199 --> 00:40:55.699
 in the winter.

00:40:56.179 --> 00:40:57.500
 I did 350 yesterday, right?

00:40:57.619 --> 00:40:59.219
 I just love to hit off the tee.

00:40:59.679 --> 00:41:01.299
 So I go out earlier in the week

00:41:01.299 --> 00:41:02.519
 and my son comes out with me.

00:41:03.139 --> 00:41:04.559
 He hits for a half an hour

00:41:04.559 --> 00:41:05.159
 off the tee.

00:41:05.500 --> 00:41:05.979
 He's four.

00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:09.199
 Like, why does he do that?

00:41:09.559 --> 00:41:10.199
 He wouldn't do that

00:41:10.199 --> 00:41:11.199
 if I wasn't out there doing it.

00:41:12.299 --> 00:41:13.519
 He does it because dad's out there.

00:41:13.699 --> 00:41:14.619
 Kids love

00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:16.099
 what their parents love.

00:41:17.739 --> 00:41:18.639
 And so I'm speaking

00:41:18.639 --> 00:41:19.619
 in generalities here,

00:41:19.739 --> 00:41:20.559
 but so we ask,

00:41:20.659 --> 00:41:21.699
 like, why do kids go off

00:41:21.699 --> 00:41:22.199
 into school

00:41:22.199 --> 00:41:22.799
 and they don't walk

00:41:22.800 --> 00:41:23.180
 with the Lord?

00:41:24.260 --> 00:41:24.720
 Well, duh.

00:41:26.420 --> 00:41:27.460
 We've trained them

00:41:27.460 --> 00:41:28.280
 that you go to church,

00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:29.160
 you act something,

00:41:29.400 --> 00:41:30.060
 but at home,

00:41:30.140 --> 00:41:31.320
 the Bible never shows up.

00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:37.420
 Now, if you're here

00:41:37.420 --> 00:41:40.280
 and you're not bringing

00:41:40.280 --> 00:41:41.000
 the Bible in,

00:41:41.120 --> 00:41:41.980
 again, this is not meant

00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:42.880
 to guilt us.

00:41:44.260 --> 00:41:46.080
 This is to stir us up

00:41:46.080 --> 00:41:47.340
 that it's worth it.

00:41:47.340 --> 00:41:52.120
 It's worth sacrificing time

00:41:52.120 --> 00:41:53.640
 if you have to sacrifice career,

00:41:53.860 --> 00:41:55.400
 if you have to downsize your home,

00:41:55.680 --> 00:41:56.200
 if you have to sell

00:41:56.200 --> 00:41:57.160
 one of your cars.

00:41:58.079 --> 00:41:59.460
 It's better to have your kids

00:41:59.460 --> 00:42:00.200
 leave the home

00:42:00.200 --> 00:42:01.240
 walking with Jesus,

00:42:01.460 --> 00:42:02.340
 reading the scriptures,

00:42:02.680 --> 00:42:03.620
 delighting in the law of God

00:42:03.620 --> 00:42:04.480
 so that they will be strong

00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:04.920
 and stable

00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:05.960
 in this life

00:42:05.960 --> 00:42:06.620
 and in the next.

00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:09.300
 And God says

00:42:09.300 --> 00:42:10.019
 it's in his word.

00:42:10.180 --> 00:42:11.400
 It's not in nice clothes

00:42:11.400 --> 00:42:12.140
 or education.

00:42:12.420 --> 00:42:13.320
 It's in his word.

00:42:13.320 --> 00:42:19.160
 Or if you're married here,

00:42:19.740 --> 00:42:20.840
 I think one of the greatest

00:42:20.840 --> 00:42:21.500
 things you can do

00:42:21.500 --> 00:42:22.300
 is figure out

00:42:22.300 --> 00:42:23.500
 as husband and wife,

00:42:24.240 --> 00:42:25.340
 how do you commune

00:42:25.340 --> 00:42:25.820
 with God

00:42:25.820 --> 00:42:26.800
 in his word together?

00:42:28.640 --> 00:42:29.700
 I think that would be

00:42:29.700 --> 00:42:31.340
 a worthwhile pursuit

00:42:31.340 --> 00:42:32.480
 and sacrifice

00:42:32.480 --> 00:42:33.700
 to figure it out.

00:42:33.820 --> 00:42:34.860
 It's going to look different

00:42:34.860 --> 00:42:36.280
 across couples.

00:42:37.680 --> 00:42:38.620
 So there's not like

00:42:38.620 --> 00:42:39.380
 a prescription here

00:42:39.380 --> 00:42:40.440
 that it has to look like.

00:42:41.180 --> 00:42:42.720
 But I think personally,

00:42:42.719 --> 00:42:43.799
 experientially,

00:42:44.019 --> 00:42:44.959
 for our own marriage

00:42:44.959 --> 00:42:46.119
 and for others that I know,

00:42:46.859 --> 00:42:47.659
 this will transform

00:42:47.659 --> 00:42:48.179
 your marriage

00:42:48.179 --> 00:42:49.179
 more than anything I know.

00:42:50.379 --> 00:42:50.719
 In fact,

00:42:50.779 --> 00:42:51.759
 it will transform

00:42:51.759 --> 00:42:52.399
 your intimacy

00:42:52.399 --> 00:42:54.099
 more than anything I know.

00:42:55.379 --> 00:42:55.799
 Because suddenly

00:42:55.799 --> 00:42:56.599
 where you're going to find

00:42:56.599 --> 00:42:57.539
 is that the couple

00:42:57.539 --> 00:42:58.639
 communes with God

00:42:58.639 --> 00:42:59.419
 through the word

00:42:59.419 --> 00:43:00.339
 that they're finding

00:43:00.339 --> 00:43:01.279
 their deepest joy

00:43:01.279 --> 00:43:02.459
 in God together.

00:43:03.179 --> 00:43:04.179
 They don't have to find it

00:43:04.179 --> 00:43:04.939
 in their spouse anymore.

00:43:06.039 --> 00:43:06.639
 And suddenly a lot

00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:07.319
 of the tension

00:43:07.319 --> 00:43:09.179
 kind of falls to the side.

00:43:09.719 --> 00:43:10.619
 And those are the places

00:43:10.619 --> 00:43:11.599
 where real conversation

00:43:11.599 --> 00:43:12.199
 can happen.

00:43:13.139 --> 00:43:13.699
 Is your community

00:43:13.699 --> 00:43:14.119
 with God

00:43:14.119 --> 00:43:14.699
 through the word.

00:43:16.819 --> 00:43:17.939
 Now if you're older here,

00:43:18.199 --> 00:43:19.559
 I do want to say a word.

00:43:19.939 --> 00:43:20.379
 Especially,

00:43:22.359 --> 00:43:23.539
 whether or not

00:43:23.539 --> 00:43:24.379
 you are in a place

00:43:24.379 --> 00:43:25.159
 where you know

00:43:25.159 --> 00:43:25.699
 the scriptures,

00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:27.619
 you're six years old

00:43:27.619 --> 00:43:28.019
 and older,

00:43:28.739 --> 00:43:29.559
 or you don't,

00:43:31.159 --> 00:43:32.299
 now is the day

00:43:32.299 --> 00:43:33.739
 to pursue it.

00:43:34.279 --> 00:43:35.199
 And now is the day

00:43:35.199 --> 00:43:36.239
 to find some younger folks

00:43:36.239 --> 00:43:36.839
 in the church

00:43:36.839 --> 00:43:37.899
 and gather them around

00:43:37.899 --> 00:43:38.179
 and say,

00:43:38.259 --> 00:43:39.239
 let's pursue this together.

00:43:39.299 --> 00:43:40.299
 I want to walk with you.

00:43:40.300 --> 00:43:41.580
 And if you don't know anything,

00:43:41.900 --> 00:43:42.320
 fine.

00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:44.120
 Just help them see

00:43:44.120 --> 00:43:45.460
 why they don't want

00:43:45.460 --> 00:43:46.100
 to go that path.

00:43:46.460 --> 00:43:46.640
 And say,

00:43:46.700 --> 00:43:46.820
 look,

00:43:46.880 --> 00:43:47.720
 I made a lot of mistakes.

00:43:47.860 --> 00:43:48.420
 If I could go back,

00:43:48.480 --> 00:43:49.380
 I wouldn't do that anymore.

00:43:49.560 --> 00:43:50.700
 But by the grace of God,

00:43:51.019 --> 00:43:51.840
 he's going to change me.

00:43:51.860 --> 00:43:52.660
 He is changing me.

00:43:53.120 --> 00:43:54.140
 I'm not who I was

00:43:54.140 --> 00:43:55.760
 and I'm not who I'm going to be.

00:43:55.900 --> 00:43:56.880
 But let's pursue it together.

00:43:57.080 --> 00:43:57.840
 This is the day.

00:43:58.360 --> 00:43:59.560
 Find some young folks

00:43:59.560 --> 00:44:02.080
 and equip them

00:44:02.080 --> 00:44:03.300
 in the word together.

00:44:03.300 --> 00:44:05.880
 So let me end here

00:44:05.880 --> 00:44:06.860
 with just a couple

00:44:06.860 --> 00:44:08.220
 quick pointers

00:44:08.220 --> 00:44:11.019
 of things

00:44:11.019 --> 00:44:11.440
 that I think

00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:12.180
 could be helpful

00:44:12.180 --> 00:44:14.560
 for how do you

00:44:14.560 --> 00:44:15.760
 pursue a life

00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:16.660
 in the word.

00:44:17.460 --> 00:44:17.960
 Not all the,

00:44:18.140 --> 00:44:18.300
 I mean,

00:44:18.340 --> 00:44:19.480
 there's a lot of practical things

00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:19.920
 you can do

00:44:19.920 --> 00:44:20.720
 for sure

00:44:20.720 --> 00:44:22.060
 and that's a worthwhile

00:44:22.060 --> 00:44:22.460
 discussion.

00:44:23.200 --> 00:44:24.140
 But here's a couple things.

00:44:24.500 --> 00:44:24.780
 One,

00:44:25.800 --> 00:44:26.000
 I think,

00:44:26.580 --> 00:44:28.200
 learn the promises

00:44:28.200 --> 00:44:29.180
 of God

00:44:29.180 --> 00:44:30.000
 about his word.

00:44:31.220 --> 00:44:31.640
 And I don't mean

00:44:31.640 --> 00:44:32.280
 just know them

00:44:32.280 --> 00:44:33.380
 but functionally

00:44:33.380 --> 00:44:35.460
 try to internalize them

00:44:35.460 --> 00:44:35.920
 and say,

00:44:36.019 --> 00:44:36.260
 God,

00:44:36.720 --> 00:44:37.500
 you say

00:44:37.500 --> 00:44:38.980
 your word

00:44:38.980 --> 00:44:40.640
 will give me hope.

00:44:41.480 --> 00:44:42.360
 Would you convince me

00:44:42.360 --> 00:44:42.700
 of that?

00:44:43.220 --> 00:44:43.780
 Convince me

00:44:43.780 --> 00:44:44.540
 that it's true.

00:44:45.900 --> 00:44:46.420
 Convince me

00:44:46.420 --> 00:44:47.400
 that that will give me

00:44:47.400 --> 00:44:47.900
 more hope

00:44:47.900 --> 00:44:49.000
 than having more money

00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:50.100
 or having a relationship

00:44:50.100 --> 00:44:51.040
 or having whatever.

00:44:51.940 --> 00:44:52.460
 That your word

00:44:52.460 --> 00:44:53.220
 promises that.

00:44:53.260 --> 00:44:54.200
 I gave you a few before.

00:44:54.300 --> 00:44:54.960
 Let me rattle off

00:44:54.960 --> 00:44:55.920
 them again.

00:44:56.740 --> 00:44:57.920
 So there's Psalm 19,

00:44:58.120 --> 00:44:58.880
 7 through 10.

00:44:59.320 --> 00:45:00.260
 Great place to go.

00:45:00.720 --> 00:45:01.519
 Romans 15,

00:45:01.680 --> 00:45:01.980
 4,

00:45:01.980 --> 00:45:03.619
 2 Timothy 3,

00:45:03.960 --> 00:45:05.420
 16 through 17.

00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:06.940
 Ephesians 5,

00:45:07.500 --> 00:45:08.199
 26,

00:45:08.360 --> 00:45:09.840
 1 Peter 2,

00:45:10.440 --> 00:45:10.760
 2.

00:45:11.639 --> 00:45:12.280
 And even if you

00:45:12.280 --> 00:45:13.019
 just grab those,

00:45:13.119 --> 00:45:14.400
 those are great places

00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:14.840
 to go

00:45:14.840 --> 00:45:16.880
 to just memorize them,

00:45:17.000 --> 00:45:17.500
 learn them,

00:45:17.579 --> 00:45:17.699
 say,

00:45:17.760 --> 00:45:17.880
 God,

00:45:18.019 --> 00:45:18.639
 teach me these,

00:45:18.740 --> 00:45:19.760
 convince me of these.

00:45:20.619 --> 00:45:20.940
 Second,

00:45:22.659 --> 00:45:24.539
 learn to push yourself

00:45:24.539 --> 00:45:25.599
 with grace,

00:45:25.820 --> 00:45:26.679
 not legalism.

00:45:27.420 --> 00:45:28.159
 So the last thing

00:45:28.159 --> 00:45:28.519
 right now

00:45:28.519 --> 00:45:29.139
 that anybody should

00:45:29.139 --> 00:45:29.519
 go home

00:45:29.519 --> 00:45:30.480
 is just like

00:45:30.480 --> 00:45:31.059
 try to like

00:45:31.059 --> 00:45:31.960
 just barrel through it

00:45:31.960 --> 00:45:32.500
 and think they can

00:45:32.500 --> 00:45:33.420
 just push through it

00:45:33.420 --> 00:45:33.900
 and pull up their

00:45:33.900 --> 00:45:34.739
 bootstraps

00:45:34.739 --> 00:45:35.599
 and check off boxes

00:45:35.599 --> 00:45:36.440
 and just keep reading.

00:45:37.880 --> 00:45:38.820
 This is where I think

00:45:38.820 --> 00:45:39.719
 the promises come in.

00:45:40.659 --> 00:45:41.239
 So you and I,

00:45:41.360 --> 00:45:42.179
 most of us are going to

00:45:42.179 --> 00:45:42.920
 have days where

00:45:42.920 --> 00:45:43.719
 we don't want to read

00:45:43.719 --> 00:45:44.039
 the Bible.

00:45:45.320 --> 00:45:45.579
 In fact,

00:45:45.679 --> 00:45:46.739
 I don't want to want

00:45:46.739 --> 00:45:47.300
 to read the Bible.

00:45:47.980 --> 00:45:48.460
 I just want to go

00:45:48.460 --> 00:45:48.920
 about my day.

00:45:48.920 --> 00:45:52.500
 that's when you have

00:45:52.500 --> 00:45:53.559
 to grab the promises

00:45:53.559 --> 00:45:54.720
 and learn how

00:45:54.720 --> 00:45:55.680
 to pursue this

00:45:55.680 --> 00:45:56.240
 by grace.

00:45:56.320 --> 00:45:56.619
 You say,

00:45:56.980 --> 00:45:57.720
 you grab one

00:45:57.720 --> 00:45:58.159
 of the promises

00:45:58.159 --> 00:45:58.539
 of God

00:45:58.539 --> 00:45:58.920
 and you say,

00:45:59.019 --> 00:45:59.659
 Psalm 19,

00:46:00.119 --> 00:46:00.500
 you say,

00:46:00.559 --> 00:46:00.720
 God,

00:46:01.400 --> 00:46:02.099
 I don't want

00:46:02.099 --> 00:46:02.559
 to read your word

00:46:02.559 --> 00:46:02.940
 right now.

00:46:04.220 --> 00:46:04.539
 Frankly,

00:46:04.700 --> 00:46:05.840
 I don't understand

00:46:05.840 --> 00:46:06.559
 it half the time

00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:07.039
 I read it

00:46:07.039 --> 00:46:09.099
 and I don't think

00:46:09.099 --> 00:46:09.460
 it's going to be

00:46:09.460 --> 00:46:10.099
 worth my time.

00:46:12.180 --> 00:46:12.760
 But yet,

00:46:12.880 --> 00:46:13.059
 God,

00:46:13.720 --> 00:46:15.079
 you're much wiser

00:46:15.079 --> 00:46:15.619
 than I am.

00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:16.059
 I mean,

00:46:16.099 --> 00:46:16.800
 you created the world.

00:46:16.880 --> 00:46:17.139
 You're the one

00:46:17.139 --> 00:46:17.940
 that spoke me

00:46:17.940 --> 00:46:18.380
 into being.

00:46:19.360 --> 00:46:20.139
 And you say

00:46:20.139 --> 00:46:20.840
 that your word

00:46:20.840 --> 00:46:22.039
 will make me wise.

00:46:23.559 --> 00:46:24.240
 I'm going to read

00:46:24.240 --> 00:46:24.760
 this paragraph

00:46:24.760 --> 00:46:26.400
 for the next

00:46:26.400 --> 00:46:26.619
 three,

00:46:26.740 --> 00:46:27.320
 four minutes

00:46:27.320 --> 00:46:29.320
 trusting that promise.

00:46:29.480 --> 00:46:30.180
 Would you do that

00:46:30.180 --> 00:46:30.519
 for me?

00:46:32.079 --> 00:46:32.960
 And you read it.

00:46:33.559 --> 00:46:34.380
 You read it

00:46:34.380 --> 00:46:34.880
 not because you're

00:46:34.880 --> 00:46:35.400
 just trying to

00:46:35.400 --> 00:46:36.700
 be some good Christian

00:46:36.700 --> 00:46:37.139
 but you say,

00:46:37.220 --> 00:46:37.380
 God,

00:46:37.500 --> 00:46:39.260
 I need you now.

00:46:39.700 --> 00:46:40.500
 Let your promises

00:46:40.500 --> 00:46:41.740
 stand true.

00:46:41.840 --> 00:46:42.639
 So that's a second

00:46:42.639 --> 00:46:43.180
 thing to do.

00:46:43.240 --> 00:46:43.740
 And then third

00:46:43.740 --> 00:46:45.220
 is to lower your

00:46:45.220 --> 00:46:45.840
 expectation.

00:46:47.940 --> 00:46:48.599
 In general,

00:46:48.920 --> 00:46:49.860
 lower your

00:46:49.860 --> 00:46:50.680
 expectation both

00:46:50.680 --> 00:46:51.380
 for time

00:46:51.380 --> 00:46:52.200
 and experience.

00:46:53.639 --> 00:46:54.280
 So if you're

00:46:54.280 --> 00:46:54.720
 not reading

00:46:54.720 --> 00:46:55.300
 the word of God

00:46:55.300 --> 00:46:56.840
 at all,

00:46:57.840 --> 00:46:58.680
 what I would

00:46:58.680 --> 00:46:59.079
 say to you

00:46:59.079 --> 00:47:00.360
 is pick it up

00:47:00.360 --> 00:47:03.400
 five days a week

00:47:03.400 --> 00:47:05.099
 for four minutes.

00:47:05.760 --> 00:47:06.360
 That's it.

00:47:07.039 --> 00:47:07.559
 Or something.

00:47:08.780 --> 00:47:10.119
 Just do more

00:47:10.119 --> 00:47:10.559
 than you were doing

00:47:10.559 --> 00:47:10.900
 yesterday,

00:47:10.980 --> 00:47:11.460
 which was nothing.

00:47:11.599 --> 00:47:12.500
 So do it for

00:47:12.500 --> 00:47:13.260
 two minutes tomorrow.

00:47:13.260 --> 00:47:13.740
 Whatever.

00:47:13.940 --> 00:47:14.740
 Do something.

00:47:15.320 --> 00:47:16.220
 Just move.

00:47:16.720 --> 00:47:17.600
 Move one foot

00:47:17.600 --> 00:47:18.580
 in front of the other.

00:47:18.720 --> 00:47:19.900
 Lower your expectations.

00:47:20.120 --> 00:47:21.000
 I don't think we just

00:47:21.000 --> 00:47:21.560
 stay there.

00:47:21.680 --> 00:47:23.320
 We want to grow in that.

00:47:23.340 --> 00:47:24.300
 But lower the expectations

00:47:24.300 --> 00:47:25.380
 but especially then

00:47:25.380 --> 00:47:26.120
 in experience.

00:47:28.580 --> 00:47:29.560
 I would say

00:47:29.560 --> 00:47:30.600
 most of the time

00:47:30.600 --> 00:47:31.240
 I read the Bible,

00:47:32.340 --> 00:47:33.580
 nothing big happens.

00:47:35.660 --> 00:47:36.880
 And this is actually

00:47:36.880 --> 00:47:37.760
 one of the biggest things

00:47:37.760 --> 00:47:39.260
 that as Danica and I

00:47:39.260 --> 00:47:41.280
 grew to read together.

00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:42.100
 helped.

00:47:42.360 --> 00:47:43.340
 So Danica grew up

00:47:43.340 --> 00:47:43.800
 in the church

00:47:43.800 --> 00:47:45.500
 and she kind of

00:47:45.500 --> 00:47:47.120
 had this feeling

00:47:47.120 --> 00:47:47.840
 like she should be

00:47:47.840 --> 00:47:48.700
 reading all the time

00:47:48.700 --> 00:47:49.500
 and there was

00:47:49.500 --> 00:47:50.400
 for whatever,

00:47:50.480 --> 00:47:50.880
 whether it was

00:47:50.880 --> 00:47:51.460
 from somebody else

00:47:51.460 --> 00:47:52.960
 or from her own self,

00:47:53.320 --> 00:47:53.980
 there's this kind of

00:47:53.980 --> 00:47:54.660
 thought process

00:47:54.660 --> 00:47:55.160
 that she should

00:47:55.160 --> 00:47:56.060
 understand everything

00:47:56.060 --> 00:47:56.500
 and have this

00:47:56.500 --> 00:47:57.320
 powerful experience

00:47:57.320 --> 00:47:57.900
 unless she's doing

00:47:57.900 --> 00:47:58.519
 something wrong.

00:47:58.920 --> 00:47:59.019
 Right?

00:47:59.420 --> 00:48:00.140
 And so here we are,

00:48:00.200 --> 00:48:00.620
 we're married.

00:48:00.780 --> 00:48:01.740
 I have a lot of passion

00:48:01.740 --> 00:48:02.440
 for the Lord.

00:48:02.720 --> 00:48:03.980
 I have a great passion

00:48:03.980 --> 00:48:04.720
 for the word of God.

00:48:04.960 --> 00:48:06.280
 I've gone through seminary.

00:48:06.480 --> 00:48:07.340
 I'm pastoring

00:48:07.340 --> 00:48:08.900
 and we're still trying

00:48:08.900 --> 00:48:09.280
 to figure out

00:48:09.280 --> 00:48:09.820
 how do we read

00:48:09.820 --> 00:48:10.600
 the word of God together

00:48:10.599 --> 00:48:11.559
 and so finally we started

00:48:11.559 --> 00:48:12.360
 getting in a groove

00:48:12.360 --> 00:48:13.259
 and this happened

00:48:13.259 --> 00:48:14.579
 day after day after day.

00:48:14.940 --> 00:48:16.360
 We would get to the end

00:48:16.360 --> 00:48:17.199
 of our reading time

00:48:17.199 --> 00:48:18.219
 and then she'd be like,

00:48:18.319 --> 00:48:20.099
 that's it?

00:48:21.299 --> 00:48:21.779
 I'd be like,

00:48:21.839 --> 00:48:22.139
 well yeah,

00:48:23.019 --> 00:48:23.679
 we gotta go,

00:48:23.799 --> 00:48:24.239
 time's up.

00:48:24.480 --> 00:48:24.599
 You know,

00:48:24.699 --> 00:48:26.219
 we got things to do.

00:48:26.860 --> 00:48:27.519
 And then the next day

00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:27.860
 she'd be like,

00:48:28.000 --> 00:48:28.440
 well what do you think

00:48:28.440 --> 00:48:28.860
 this means?

00:48:30.699 --> 00:48:31.360
 I'm not sure,

00:48:31.440 --> 00:48:31.940
 it could mean this,

00:48:32.000 --> 00:48:32.539
 it could mean that.

00:48:33.219 --> 00:48:33.699
 I don't know.

00:48:34.679 --> 00:48:35.219
 It's a good thought.

00:48:37.599 --> 00:48:38.119
 That's it?

00:48:38.119 --> 00:48:39.639
 And this happened

00:48:39.639 --> 00:48:40.380
 over and over

00:48:40.380 --> 00:48:40.900
 and over again.

00:48:41.259 --> 00:48:42.159
 What happened,

00:48:42.859 --> 00:48:44.400
 it lowered her expectations

00:48:44.400 --> 00:48:44.839
 to see,

00:48:44.980 --> 00:48:45.940
 oh here's this pastor,

00:48:46.799 --> 00:48:47.400
 he's not having

00:48:47.400 --> 00:48:48.639
 these powerful times

00:48:48.639 --> 00:48:49.699
 every day.

00:48:50.159 --> 00:48:50.400
 I mean,

00:48:50.500 --> 00:48:51.039
 I might have

00:48:51.039 --> 00:48:52.519
 a handful

00:48:52.519 --> 00:48:54.039
 every year

00:48:54.039 --> 00:48:55.119
 of times

00:48:55.119 --> 00:48:55.900
 where I read the word

00:48:55.900 --> 00:48:56.460
 and I'm just like,

00:48:57.079 --> 00:48:58.659
 I've never seen that

00:48:58.659 --> 00:48:59.279
 in my life.

00:48:59.960 --> 00:49:01.400
 I just heard

00:49:01.400 --> 00:49:02.599
 the voice of God

00:49:02.599 --> 00:49:03.400
 piercing me

00:49:03.400 --> 00:49:03.980
 like nothing

00:49:03.980 --> 00:49:04.759
 I've ever felt.

00:49:05.380 --> 00:49:05.819
 It happens

00:49:05.819 --> 00:49:06.659
 every once in a while.

00:49:06.659 --> 00:49:07.779
 But most of the time

00:49:07.779 --> 00:49:08.679
 it's like the drip

00:49:08.679 --> 00:49:09.399
 of a faucet.

00:49:09.960 --> 00:49:10.119
 Drip,

00:49:10.940 --> 00:49:11.199
 drip,

00:49:11.980 --> 00:49:12.199
 drip.

00:49:12.599 --> 00:49:12.879
 And you know

00:49:12.879 --> 00:49:13.480
 what happens?

00:49:14.659 --> 00:49:15.460
 Tree roots

00:49:15.460 --> 00:49:17.079
 lift up cement blocks

00:49:17.079 --> 00:49:18.940
 day after day

00:49:18.940 --> 00:49:19.480
 after day

00:49:19.480 --> 00:49:19.960
 after day

00:49:19.960 --> 00:49:20.399
 after day.

00:49:20.619 --> 00:49:21.420
 That's what a life

00:49:21.420 --> 00:49:21.819
 in the word

00:49:21.819 --> 00:49:23.579
 looks like.

00:49:23.699 --> 00:49:24.079
 So let me

00:49:24.079 --> 00:49:25.480
 close here

00:49:25.480 --> 00:49:26.980
 by reminding us

00:49:26.980 --> 00:49:27.719
 this is not

00:49:27.719 --> 00:49:29.480
 about guilt.

00:49:32.039 --> 00:49:33.259
 If you are feeling

00:49:33.259 --> 00:49:34.379
 any kind of guilt

00:49:34.379 --> 00:49:35.899
 about not reading

00:49:35.899 --> 00:49:36.519
 the word of God,

00:49:36.519 --> 00:49:38.139
 then I certainly

00:49:38.139 --> 00:49:38.719
 have not done

00:49:38.719 --> 00:49:39.280
 a good job

00:49:39.280 --> 00:49:40.320
 and you're hearing

00:49:40.320 --> 00:49:40.900
 wrongly.

00:49:42.460 --> 00:49:43.440
 If you don't

00:49:43.440 --> 00:49:44.019
 read the word,

00:49:44.099 --> 00:49:45.079
 if you're slothful

00:49:45.079 --> 00:49:45.639
 towards it,

00:49:45.980 --> 00:49:46.920
 this is a time

00:49:46.920 --> 00:49:47.659
 for us to repent.

00:49:48.460 --> 00:49:49.539
 We confess to the Lord.

00:49:50.639 --> 00:49:51.599
 We are dull

00:49:51.599 --> 00:49:52.800
 to your voice, God.

00:49:53.960 --> 00:49:54.559
 And then we grab

00:49:54.559 --> 00:49:55.400
 hold of the gospel

00:49:55.400 --> 00:49:56.400
 and we trust it

00:49:56.400 --> 00:49:56.679
 and say,

00:49:56.860 --> 00:49:57.759
 even for that,

00:49:57.900 --> 00:49:59.259
 even for my slothfulness,

00:49:59.699 --> 00:50:00.920
 Christ has died

00:50:00.920 --> 00:50:01.400
 for me.

00:50:01.739 --> 00:50:02.239
 And the fact

00:50:02.239 --> 00:50:03.239
 that I have a desire

00:50:03.239 --> 00:50:04.800
 to even want to desire

00:50:04.800 --> 00:50:05.400
 to read the word

00:50:05.400 --> 00:50:06.380
 has been planted

00:50:06.380 --> 00:50:07.100
 there by you.

00:50:07.420 --> 00:50:08.280
 And so by golly,

00:50:08.360 --> 00:50:09.220
 God, give me the grace

00:50:09.220 --> 00:50:09.940
 to pursue it.

00:50:10.300 --> 00:50:11.000
 Give me the grace

00:50:11.000 --> 00:50:11.700
 to pursue it.

00:50:12.500 --> 00:50:13.680
 This is not about guilt.

00:50:14.280 --> 00:50:15.420
 This is about asking God

00:50:15.420 --> 00:50:16.840
 to shape us

00:50:16.840 --> 00:50:18.260
 within.

00:50:18.720 --> 00:50:19.420
 Let me pray

00:50:19.420 --> 00:50:21.300
 or let us pray together.

00:50:21.300 --> 00:50:26.660
 God, I ask that you

00:50:26.660 --> 00:50:27.300
 would convince us

00:50:27.300 --> 00:50:28.340
 all more deeply

00:50:28.340 --> 00:50:30.800
 about who you are

00:50:30.800 --> 00:50:31.620
 and what the word

00:50:31.620 --> 00:50:32.280
 of God is,

00:50:32.380 --> 00:50:33.560
 the very breath of God.

00:50:34.920 --> 00:50:35.580
 Maybe we would see

00:50:35.580 --> 00:50:36.539
 the benefits of it

00:50:36.539 --> 00:50:37.480
 but that it would

00:50:37.480 --> 00:50:38.420
 stir us up

00:50:38.420 --> 00:50:40.039
 to read it.

00:50:44.860 --> 00:50:47.420
 God, what would you do

00:50:47.420 --> 00:50:48.120
 in this church?

00:50:48.119 --> 00:50:49.699
 I mean, thinking about

00:50:49.699 --> 00:50:51.420
 a church full of homes

00:50:51.420 --> 00:50:53.900
 that are pursuing you

00:50:53.900 --> 00:50:54.500
 in the word.

00:50:55.480 --> 00:50:56.980
 What would a church do

00:50:56.980 --> 00:50:58.599
 in a community

00:50:58.599 --> 00:50:59.960
 that is enjoying

00:50:59.960 --> 00:51:00.940
 the scriptures together?

00:51:01.579 --> 00:51:02.299
 So let it be

00:51:02.299 --> 00:51:02.940
 in this church.

00:51:03.059 --> 00:51:03.639
 So let it be

00:51:03.639 --> 00:51:04.699
 at Crossway Milwaukee

00:51:04.699 --> 00:51:05.739
 and Crossway Bristol

00:51:05.739 --> 00:51:06.480
 and other churches

00:51:06.480 --> 00:51:07.099
 in this city.

00:51:08.339 --> 00:51:09.420
 God, give your people

00:51:09.420 --> 00:51:12.440
 in Kenosha

00:51:12.440 --> 00:51:13.940
 a desire for your word.

00:51:14.299 --> 00:51:15.059
 In Christ's name,

00:51:15.299 --> 00:51:15.519
 amen.

00:51:15.519 --> 00:51:15.619
 Amen.