WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.620 Father, we come to your word. You know, even this morning as we read your word, you know what heavy 00:00:08.620 --> 00:00:15.419 burdens some of us are carrying. You know, Father, what heavy loads, what anxieties, maybe about 00:00:15.419 --> 00:00:21.620 finances or about our marriage or about our singleness or, Father, you just, there's too many 00:00:21.620 --> 00:00:27.140 to name, Father. You know that we, many of us are carrying very heavy loads and cares. And Father, 00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:33.280 you also know that many of us are carrying cares and stresses that we're not even conscious of. 00:00:34.219 --> 00:00:40.700 Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for Jesus. We ask, Father, that the Holy Spirit would 00:00:40.700 --> 00:00:47.840 bring your word very deeply into the command center of our lives so that we would humble ourselves 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:54.380 under Jesus. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated. 00:00:57.140 --> 00:01:03.460 So, I'm not going to say how long ago because it will make me sound really, really old. But 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:12.400 a few years ago, I started to develop very, very, apparently very, very serious heart problems. 00:01:13.879 --> 00:01:22.019 I started to experience what it felt to me as if my heart was missing beats. And it would also seem as 00:01:22.019 --> 00:01:27.560 if my heart was fluttering. And sometimes it would seem as if my heart was pounding too strong, 00:01:27.719 --> 00:01:32.560 almost as if, I mean, those are contradictory symptoms. Not entirely contradictory, by the way, 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:37.920 when you talk to a doctor about it. And all of a sudden, their eyes go like this and they get very 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:42.439 concerned. But it would feel I'd have these, and I'd feel like I was having shortness of breath. 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:50.819 And so I went to my doctor. You know, I'm a typical guy. I worried about it for several months before I 00:01:50.819 --> 00:01:57.799 finally told my wife. And my wife, of course, said, you better go see a doctor because those sound like 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:03.719 very, very serious conditions. And so I went to my doctor and he said, this could be very, very serious. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:09.439 And he sent me, at the time we were living in Eganville, I was the minister there, and he sent me to the 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:18.180 the doctor, the specialist in Pembroke. And he was very concerned. In fact, he told me that I had to 00:02:18.180 --> 00:02:27.400 stop exercising, and I had to wear a heart monitor. And he sent me as well for some tests. And after the 00:02:27.400 --> 00:02:32.840 tests, he told me that he thought I had a very, very serious heart condition, that I had a valve that 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:39.419 wasn't working, and I had a diseased and enlarged heart. This is not the news you want to have. 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:48.039 When you are in your mid-30s, and you have a whole pile of young kids. And needless to say, I was very, 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:54.099 very, very worried about it. So I go back to my doctor in Eganville, because he's the one who's also 00:02:54.099 --> 00:03:02.039 sort of, he wanted to see me and debrief me about the results. And my doctor in Eganville, 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:10.759 he, he, there was actually, there are only two people in Eganville who ran, me and my doctor. 00:03:12.139 --> 00:03:19.899 Rural people don't run, as a general rule. And so my doctor, who was a runner, he was a bit suspicious 00:03:19.899 --> 00:03:27.319 about the diagnosis. And so he called up the Heart Institute in Ottawa. And at the time in the Heart 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:32.400 Institute in Ottawa, there was a doctor who specialized. He had a, one of his subspecialties 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:40.400 was people who ran a lot, were very, very athletic, and also had heart trouble. Because at the time, 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:47.259 I was probably running about, I was probably running about 80 kilometers a week. So that's why it was 00:03:47.259 --> 00:03:53.500 very shocking to find out that I had these, potentially a life-threatening heart condition 00:03:53.500 --> 00:04:00.180 that could potentially kill me at any time. And so my doctor called up the Heart Institute, 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:05.159 found out that there was this doctor who had this subspecialty of people who had been not only 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:10.400 running like that a lot, but had been running for a long time. And because there's not too many of us 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:15.520 who do that, he took me almost immediately. I know for some of you, I've had to wait to see people in 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:19.560 the Heart Institute. I saw him within a week, I think it was, which is sort of like a bit of a miracle. 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:26.199 And so he put me through a whole pile of tests. And as a result of all of the tests, 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:33.680 he said that I had this condition, the name of which I can't remember. Maybe some of you would know 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:40.199 what it is. And basically, he said I had, in fact, my valve was fine. It was a faulty test in Pembroke. 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:47.479 And my heart condition was a result of accumulated and high stress. 00:04:49.899 --> 00:04:54.279 Now, just before he told me that, I would have told you that I didn't experience stress. 00:04:54.920 --> 00:04:59.419 I would have told you that I'm not an anxious person, that I'm a very calm person. 00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:07.500 And so on one hand, it was a big shock to discover that my heart symptoms were meant that I had a 00:05:07.500 --> 00:05:12.800 particular condition. He said that throughout the rest of your life, you might, some of these symptoms 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:17.840 might come. And he said, you should always have it tested out. But chances are, what's happened is 00:05:17.840 --> 00:05:23.220 you're under a lot of stress and a lot of unconscious stress. And then he said, because we're in the, 00:05:23.340 --> 00:05:27.160 he said he knew I came from Eganville. He said, you should take a couple of weeks off and go fishing. 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:34.380 Or you should talk to a counselor or something, or you just take some time off. You have to deal with your stress. 00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:39.280 And on one level, it was a shock to discover that I was an anxious person, 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:42.840 that I was experiencing a lot of stress and didn't recognize it. 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:48.460 On the other hand, it was a huge relief to know that I wasn't about to die any moment from a heart attack. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:55.180 And interestingly enough, my stress level went like in half, just as I was walking out of the hospital 00:05:55.180 --> 00:05:58.540 after he told me that I didn't have a condition. 00:05:59.280 --> 00:06:06.600 So the fact is, this was, the part of the thing which is so crazy about this whole incident 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:09.019 was that I actually have a counseling degree. 00:06:09.699 --> 00:06:11.699 I know people wonder, why aren't I nicer? 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.680 But I actually have a graduate level degree in counseling. 00:06:15.980 --> 00:06:21.660 And one of the things you learn in counseling is how powerful and destructive stress can be in your lives, 00:06:21.660 --> 00:06:24.600 a person's life, but I didn't recognize it in my own life. 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:30.600 And the fact is, often when people come to me because they have some type of problem, 00:06:32.200 --> 00:06:34.060 one of the things, depending on what the problem is, 00:06:34.100 --> 00:06:37.600 one of the things I start to ask them questions about is to see if, in fact, 00:06:37.960 --> 00:06:43.000 what's happening is that there's a lot of stress that's going on in their lives that they don't recognize. 00:06:43.940 --> 00:06:45.820 Because it's a very common problem. 00:06:45.819 --> 00:06:51.519 We have a lot of things that cause us stress, that cause us anxiety, that cause us care, cause us worry. 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:56.519 And believe it or not, a lot of us don't experience it directly. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:03.139 We experience it indirectly, and part of the way we deal with it is through very, very bad things. 00:07:03.300 --> 00:07:04.860 We drink. 00:07:06.579 --> 00:07:10.879 We go shopping, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:14.079 but it is if you spend money with your credit card that you don't have. 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:18.079 And that actually ends up causing, of course, more stress, 00:07:18.139 --> 00:07:20.379 just like drinking ends up causing you more stress. 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:26.240 Or you watch pornography, or you get involved in some type of risky behavior. 00:07:27.259 --> 00:07:31.219 In other words, often what we end up doing without realizing it is we try to numb 00:07:31.219 --> 00:07:36.879 or run away from the terrible burden of stress and anxiety, 00:07:37.159 --> 00:07:39.879 which we might not even be directly conscious of. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:45.259 So, it's a very, very common problem. 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:46.839 It's a very destructive thing. 00:07:46.939 --> 00:07:51.060 And believe it or not, the Bible has something profoundly wise to say about it. 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:53.240 So, if you would open your Bible... 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:54.279 Actually, you don't have to open it. 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:56.659 Well, open your Bibles because you might want to underline it. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.680 But, Andrew, if you could put the text up on the screen. 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:04.860 And, by the way, this is another one of those sermons. 00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:09.120 And the point of this sermon is you remember the verse, not my story, 00:08:09.420 --> 00:08:13.240 or some other things I'm going to say about trying to unpack this text. 00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:19.960 This is a profound text to memorize and to think upon and to learn how to pray. 00:08:20.620 --> 00:08:23.920 If you go back, I think it's in the bulletin, and if you got an email about it, 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:28.319 I've turned this verse into a prayer that you could pray for yourself. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:29.920 Or you can just take... 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.340 It's called In Growing in Grace. 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:37.580 Or you can just try to memorize this text and then learn to pray for it yourself. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:39.539 And just one other thing. 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:42.100 Here's a bit of a teaching moment. 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:45.840 You'll see how it says it's 1 Peter 5, 5c to 7. 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:50.659 And sometimes you see things like A, B, or C, or a D even after a verse. 00:08:50.659 --> 00:08:54.860 What that means is that in verse 5, there's at least three parts. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:09:01.459 And we're not memorizing or looking at all of verse 5, just the last bit, which I call 5c. 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:05.480 That's what the little letter to a verse, that's what it means. 00:09:06.459 --> 00:09:10.439 And originally I asked you just to memorize 1 Peter 5, 6, and 7. 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:14.539 But as soon as I started to work on the text, I realized if you just look up there, 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:16.539 say the second line, the therefore. 00:09:16.539 --> 00:09:21.379 The therefore means it's following something that was said earlier. 00:09:22.459 --> 00:09:24.379 And so I had to put it in the text. 00:09:24.719 --> 00:09:26.299 And that's how I've memorized it. 00:09:26.419 --> 00:09:29.779 So if you would join with saying this with me, that would be really, really good. 00:09:30.779 --> 00:09:34.980 God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:39.500 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.059 so that at the proper time he may exalt you. 00:09:43.059 --> 00:09:48.399 Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 00:09:48.739 --> 00:09:51.199 It's a very, very, very powerful verse. 00:09:52.099 --> 00:09:55.059 And, you know, it's... 00:09:56.279 --> 00:09:58.799 So that first little bit up there, see that? 00:09:59.099 --> 00:10:02.500 God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:10:03.359 --> 00:10:05.259 And you'll notice... 00:10:05.259 --> 00:10:08.759 Actually, it's entirely right up there on the screen. 00:10:08.859 --> 00:10:10.239 It's missing bigger quote marks. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:14.220 But anyway, that first little bit, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:10:14.259 --> 00:10:16.399 That's a quote from the book of Proverbs. 00:10:17.180 --> 00:10:18.080 I think it's... 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:19.259 I don't have it in my... 00:10:19.259 --> 00:10:22.220 I'm writing in my preaching notes here, but I think it's Proverbs 330. 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.919 And that's a description of God. 00:10:28.620 --> 00:10:30.620 You've heard me say, not for a little while, 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:34.060 that I do not believe in the God that Canadians believe in. 00:10:34.820 --> 00:10:35.519 I don't. 00:10:35.580 --> 00:10:38.419 In terms of Canadians, when they talk about God, I'm an atheist. 00:10:38.419 --> 00:10:42.339 But I believe in the God that's revealed by Jesus. 00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:46.179 I believe in the God that's revealed in the Bible. 00:10:46.939 --> 00:10:50.419 That's the God I believe in, not the God that most Canadians believe in. 00:10:51.099 --> 00:10:55.620 And this verse, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:10:55.659 --> 00:10:57.860 That's a quote from the book of Proverbs. 00:10:57.979 --> 00:11:00.379 It's a description, one of the New Testament descriptions, 00:11:00.620 --> 00:11:02.559 because it's also in the Old Testament, of what God... 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:03.559 Who is God? 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:09.439 And it's a very, very, very profound description of God. 00:11:10.139 --> 00:11:16.159 In the original language, it's the word opposes and the word gives grace 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:17.819 are both in the present tense. 00:11:17.820 --> 00:11:26.780 It means that when Christians, when Jewish people were reading this maybe 2,500, 2,800 years ago, 00:11:26.900 --> 00:11:29.940 at that very moment that they were reading that verse, 00:11:30.560 --> 00:11:34.980 the God who really does exist opposed the proud and gave grace to the humble. 00:11:35.560 --> 00:11:43.100 It means that when Peter wrote this to the Christians in the late 50s or the early 60s, 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:49.500 it meant at that very moment, the God that really does exist opposed the proud 00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:50.960 and was giving grace to the humble. 00:11:51.060 --> 00:11:55.519 It means that right now, as I read this text, the God that really does exist 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:59.200 is a God who opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. 00:12:00.259 --> 00:12:05.460 And it's a very, very powerful text, because one of the common complaints about religion 00:12:05.460 --> 00:12:11.139 is that often, more often than not, God is used to prop up the powerful. 00:12:13.100 --> 00:12:17.600 God is used to legitimize those in positions of power. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:22.259 One of my people that I have, one of my friends that I have very regular conversations with, 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.220 who's a very, very committed atheist, 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:29.480 and he loves to tell me stories, 00:12:29.920 --> 00:12:33.240 and he has a particular fascination with the Orthodox Church. 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:40.460 He loves to tell me stories of the most recent excess of Putin giving expensive gifts 00:12:40.460 --> 00:12:43.440 to the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, 00:12:43.580 --> 00:12:48.820 because he uses the Russian Orthodox Church to prop up his power and popularity. 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:56.259 And my friend loves to tell me the latest terrible thing that's gone on there. 00:12:56.259 --> 00:12:59.480 I don't know if I've shared this with you. 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:03.340 After he'd done this, because I'm really slow at responding to things, 00:13:03.439 --> 00:13:05.960 after he'd said this several times, I said to him one day, 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:08.559 well, you know, not all Christians are like that. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:13.939 I said, we, because we believe the gospel, we walked away from our building 00:13:13.940 --> 00:13:19.280 and walked away from our property to follow Jesus. 00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:23.360 And he paused and said, yeah, but you folks are different. 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:30.380 And just as a compliment from an atheist to the congregation, 00:13:30.380 --> 00:13:34.320 that we would walk away from our property rather than doing whatever we could to keep it. 00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:38.540 But it's a very, very common complaint about religion 00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:44.039 by people who are non-Christians or just who would say that they have no religion whatsoever. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:47.819 And in fact, it's historically true that often, in fact, 00:13:47.899 --> 00:13:51.120 religion and spirituality is used to prop up the powerful, 00:13:51.959 --> 00:13:54.099 is used to oppress the weak. 00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:57.199 It is used for that purpose all of the time. 00:13:57.299 --> 00:13:59.860 And you see, that's one of the reasons why it's important for us to learn 00:13:59.860 --> 00:14:03.319 that we don't believe in the God or the gods of this world, 00:14:03.599 --> 00:14:07.439 but we believe in the God who is revealed by Jesus, 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:09.280 who is made known by Jesus. 00:14:10.300 --> 00:14:16.680 And the God that really does exist is not a God who says to Putin, 00:14:16.900 --> 00:14:19.300 I'm going to do everything I can to make you more powerful. 00:14:21.540 --> 00:14:24.640 I'm going to do everything I can to make you more proud 00:14:24.640 --> 00:14:26.880 and have a higher opinion of yourself. 00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:30.020 I'm going to do everything I can to help you look down on others 00:14:30.020 --> 00:14:32.060 and have an exalted view of yourself. 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:34.060 No, that's not the God that does exist. 00:14:34.059 --> 00:14:40.099 The God that does exist is God opposes the proud, 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:43.519 but gives grace to the humble. 00:14:44.319 --> 00:14:46.099 That's the God that really does exist. 00:14:46.899 --> 00:14:50.919 And if he exists, if that God really does exist, 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:56.659 the same fellow who is my friend, 00:14:56.979 --> 00:15:00.959 who likes to tell me stories of the latest excess 00:15:00.959 --> 00:15:04.399 of the Russian Orthodox Church, 00:15:05.459 --> 00:15:10.299 or he'll also say something about the Roman Catholics or evangelicals. 00:15:10.439 --> 00:15:14.379 I mean, he has a particular interest in the Russian Orthodox Church, 00:15:14.459 --> 00:15:15.519 but he'll pick any Christian. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:19.340 And he asked me on Friday what my sermon was about, 00:15:19.539 --> 00:15:21.340 and I told him it was this verse, 00:15:21.860 --> 00:15:22.319 and he said, 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:25.500 Ah, God is just a social construct. 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:28.840 It's just something we human beings have invented. 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:31.879 You're not going to give the congregation good advice. 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:33.799 He said, 00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:36.299 What matters is the journey, 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:38.419 not the end. 00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:40.519 It's not some end in God. 00:15:40.620 --> 00:15:41.699 What matters is the journey. 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:45.379 I said to him, 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:47.940 because I have an odd relationship with him, 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:49.520 I said, 00:15:49.700 --> 00:15:51.440 You know, that can't be true. 00:15:52.280 --> 00:15:53.480 You don't believe that. 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:54.180 And he said, 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:54.480 I do. 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:56.080 It's not, the end doesn't matter. 00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:57.020 I said, 00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:58.980 Well, surely it makes a difference 00:15:58.980 --> 00:16:00.420 if you're driving to the cottage 00:16:00.420 --> 00:16:01.560 than if you're in a train 00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:05.700 to the gas ovens in Auschwitz. 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:09.280 Surely the end matters a lot in that journey. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:11.539 And I said to him, 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:13.319 If your end is just death, 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:16.519 and if the end is just the death of all things, 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:19.360 don't you think that makes some difference 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:21.100 to how you live your life now? 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:22.480 To which he had no reply, 00:16:22.579 --> 00:16:23.620 but you can pray for him, my friend. 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:25.419 I pray for him almost every day. 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:30.679 But if, in fact, 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:32.419 God is just a social construct 00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:33.959 used to prop up the powerful, 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:36.059 then thinking about God 00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:37.199 in terms of your anxiety 00:16:37.199 --> 00:16:38.279 isn't going to help you at all. 00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:40.620 Because, in fact, 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:42.199 one of the main problems, 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:43.120 one of the main ways 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.740 that the world deals with anxiety 00:16:45.740 --> 00:16:47.939 is to tell you to just imagine things. 00:16:49.419 --> 00:16:52.179 It's a technique to visualize success, 00:16:52.579 --> 00:16:53.240 to visualize, 00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:54.799 you know, if you're, 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:55.259 what's that, 00:16:55.379 --> 00:16:56.579 I don't know if they still tell you that, 00:16:56.679 --> 00:16:57.059 the old, 00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:57.659 I don't know, 00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:59.319 if it's just like a bit of an urban myth 00:16:59.319 --> 00:17:00.939 that if you're speaking in front of a crowd 00:17:00.939 --> 00:17:01.639 and you're going to be nervous, 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:03.059 just imagine them all naked 00:17:03.059 --> 00:17:04.619 and you'll be less nervous. 00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:05.500 I mean, 00:17:05.779 --> 00:17:06.239 in fact, 00:17:06.339 --> 00:17:07.739 often the world's advice 00:17:07.739 --> 00:17:09.039 to dealing with anxiety 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:11.439 is to just imagine something. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:12.799 And if, in fact, 00:17:12.899 --> 00:17:14.919 God is just a part of our imagination, 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.139 then that's, 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:16.559 I mean, 00:17:16.659 --> 00:17:18.000 that's not very, 00:17:18.179 --> 00:17:18.899 at the end of the day, 00:17:18.919 --> 00:17:20.139 it's not really helpful advice 00:17:20.139 --> 00:17:21.500 just to imagine things 00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:23.039 that aren't real, 00:17:23.379 --> 00:17:24.479 that are not in front of you. 00:17:25.439 --> 00:17:26.699 But if, in fact, 00:17:27.099 --> 00:17:28.259 God does exist, 00:17:28.339 --> 00:17:29.199 and if, in fact, 00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:30.619 the God that does exist 00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:32.279 is described by this sentence, 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:33.619 God opposes the proud 00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:34.799 but gives grace to the humble, 00:17:35.639 --> 00:17:38.299 there has to be some therefores 00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:39.879 in terms of how we live our lives. 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:42.240 I think one of the attitudes 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.160 that I wrote in the Growing in Grace, 00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:45.079 if you look at it later, 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:45.379 and I, 00:17:45.619 --> 00:17:45.759 in fact, 00:17:45.799 --> 00:17:47.920 after my friend said about it's, 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:49.139 it's, 00:17:49.220 --> 00:17:50.519 you know, 00:17:50.619 --> 00:17:52.359 God is just a social construct, 00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:53.480 I said to him, 00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:54.339 if, in fact, 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:55.920 I showed him the quote, 00:17:55.980 --> 00:17:57.339 I'm going to get it slightly wrong, 00:17:57.420 --> 00:17:58.940 I should have written it down in my notes, 00:17:58.940 --> 00:18:03.360 if God really does exist, 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:05.420 the God described here really does exist, 00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:11.559 then to live in light of that God's existence 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:13.480 is to actually live in the real world. 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:18.180 If God does exist, 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:20.200 and you live your life as if God doesn't exist, 00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:22.200 you're not actually living in the real world. 00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:25.960 And if God, 00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:27.559 the God described here, 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:29.960 is the God that really does exist, 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:31.360 there's going to be a therefore. 00:18:32.840 --> 00:18:33.019 So, 00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:34.759 why don't we say this verse together again, 00:18:34.840 --> 00:18:35.000 I mean, 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:35.779 you're all looking at it, 00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:37.299 but can you say it out loud with me again? 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:39.960 God opposes the proud 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:42.019 but gives grace to the humble. 00:18:42.779 --> 00:18:43.880 Humble yourselves, 00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:44.420 therefore, 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:46.620 under the mighty hand of God 00:18:46.620 --> 00:18:48.740 so that the proper time 00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:50.200 he may exalt you, 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:53.460 casting all your anxieties on him 00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:55.600 because he cares for you. 00:18:56.120 --> 00:18:57.400 In the original language, 00:18:57.539 --> 00:18:59.580 for reasons of English style, 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:00.720 they move the therefore 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:02.340 to after humble yourselves, 00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:03.700 but in the original language, 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:05.440 the therefore is immediate. 00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:06.840 It would be, 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.380 God opposes the proud 00:19:08.380 --> 00:19:09.600 but gives grace to the humble, 00:19:09.860 --> 00:19:10.380 therefore, 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:11.980 humble yourselves 00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:13.860 under the mighty hand of God 00:19:13.860 --> 00:19:14.940 so that the proper time 00:19:14.940 --> 00:19:15.840 he may exalt you, 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:18.100 casting all your anxieties on him 00:19:18.100 --> 00:19:19.640 because he cares for you. 00:19:20.860 --> 00:19:23.000 The way the world in Canada 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:25.200 would help us to deal with stress, 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:25.720 I mean, 00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:27.259 there's some good things in it, 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:27.700 by the way. 00:19:28.180 --> 00:19:29.039 They understand 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:30.039 that you need to be active 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:31.019 in dealing with it, 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:33.019 but that you have to, 00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:34.500 they'll often give you good advice 00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:36.440 that you have to walk towards your stress 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:37.940 rather than away from your stress, 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:38.960 which is good advice, 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:41.920 but often a lot of the advice 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:42.900 that the world gives 00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:45.460 is either find some way to numb 00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:46.840 or medicate 00:19:46.840 --> 00:19:48.440 or soothe your stress, 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:51.120 like take up meditation, 00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:54.680 learn how to chant a mantra 00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.940 while you do some yoga 00:19:55.940 --> 00:19:58.700 as a way of calming yourself, 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.200 but that's actually not, 00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:01.799 I mean, 00:20:01.940 --> 00:20:03.740 that's just the advice. 00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:05.720 The other type of advice 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:06.559 is to, 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:08.559 is basically to pump yourself up, 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:08.879 so you, 00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:09.480 you, 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:10.720 you learn how to meditate 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:12.259 or medicate yourself 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:13.259 so that the stress 00:20:13.259 --> 00:20:14.379 gets a little bit lower, 00:20:14.379 --> 00:20:16.399 and then you work at different things 00:20:16.399 --> 00:20:17.740 about how to pump yourself up. 00:20:17.819 --> 00:20:18.519 You can do it. 00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:19.299 You deserve it. 00:20:19.379 --> 00:20:19.539 You're, 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:20.359 you're powerful. 00:20:20.619 --> 00:20:21.359 You are able. 00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:23.019 Visualize success. 00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:24.059 But if, 00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:24.779 in fact, 00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:26.019 and in a sense, 00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:27.940 often the advice of the world 00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:29.440 is to become more proud. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:34.259 And if, 00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:34.619 in fact, 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:36.119 there is a God that does exist 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:37.400 who opposes the proud 00:20:37.400 --> 00:20:38.799 but gives grace to the humble, 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:41.759 some of the advice of the world 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:43.440 will actually only be making 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:44.619 the problem worse 00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:46.059 rather than better. 00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:49.279 But some of you might say, 00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:49.579 whoa, 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:49.839 whoa, 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:50.079 whoa, 00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:50.359 whoa, 00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:50.940 George, 00:20:51.460 --> 00:20:51.819 like, 00:20:51.819 --> 00:20:54.019 humble yourself. 00:20:54.159 --> 00:20:54.659 Good grief. 00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:56.099 Do you know what the world is like? 00:20:56.159 --> 00:20:57.599 Do you know how dog-eat-dog 00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:58.720 the office is? 00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:01.099 Do you know, 00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:01.740 you know, 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:02.179 George, 00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:03.119 do you know what it's like 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:04.519 in certain social circles 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:05.339 in terms of, 00:21:05.339 --> 00:21:06.539 of just trying to, 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:08.399 to get ahead? 00:21:09.500 --> 00:21:09.939 Like, 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:10.279 George, 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:12.259 your advice to humble yourself 00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.179 and to be weak, 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:14.399 that's, 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:15.899 like, 00:21:15.939 --> 00:21:17.480 that just doesn't make any sense. 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:19.179 That's not how the world works. 00:21:20.659 --> 00:21:21.099 Well, 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:23.139 if you look at the verse again, 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:27.019 one of the things which is very clear about the text, 00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:28.319 if you start to think about it, 00:21:28.679 --> 00:21:31.379 is that humble doesn't mean weak. 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:34.259 This text, 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:36.439 God knows what the world is like. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:39.219 He knows what your social circle is like. 00:21:39.299 --> 00:21:40.759 He knows what your office is like. 00:21:41.859 --> 00:21:44.480 Nothing in your life will surprise God. 00:21:44.639 --> 00:21:45.559 He knows all about it. 00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:48.119 And, 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:48.859 um, 00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:50.940 the text doesn't say, 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:52.019 make yourself weak. 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.319 Humble doesn't say, 00:21:53.879 --> 00:21:54.559 isn't saying, 00:21:54.639 --> 00:21:55.619 make yourself weak, 00:21:55.899 --> 00:21:57.159 put a shirt on that says, 00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:57.740 kick me, 00:21:57.899 --> 00:21:58.339 please. 00:21:58.919 --> 00:21:59.319 Uh, 00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:00.519 it's not saying, 00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:01.659 put on a shirt that says, 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:04.220 I am a doormat that you can wipe your feet on. 00:22:04.220 --> 00:22:07.000 It's not telling you to be passive. 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:10.360 And it's not telling you to tell yourself lies, 00:22:10.360 --> 00:22:15.360 as if trying to pretend that you're stupid when you're smart is, 00:22:15.360 --> 00:22:15.600 uh, 00:22:15.600 --> 00:22:16.819 is what humility is. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:23.779 Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, 00:22:23.779 --> 00:22:25.980 so that at the right time, 00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:28.460 he may exalt you, 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:34.319 casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. 00:22:35.660 --> 00:22:39.460 Humble yourself means to come to an acknowledgement, 00:22:39.700 --> 00:22:40.559 amongst other things, 00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:44.319 that you can't deal with all of these problems by yourself. 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:47.200 But it doesn't mean, 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:47.839 therefore, 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:48.700 you're screwed. 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:53.140 It means that you are to remember as a Christian, 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:55.980 that there is a God who saved you, 00:22:56.559 --> 00:23:00.539 that you are in fact coming to God who is greater than you, 00:23:00.600 --> 00:23:01.360 who loves you. 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:05.000 And you're bringing to him these particular problems, 00:23:05.259 --> 00:23:06.920 acknowledging his sovereignty. 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:08.940 It's not saying, 00:23:09.600 --> 00:23:09.779 uh, 00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:10.000 Lord, 00:23:10.080 --> 00:23:10.420 I'm really, 00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:12.180 really stupid and can't do math. 00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:13.840 So help me with calculus too. 00:23:13.900 --> 00:23:14.080 I mean, 00:23:14.080 --> 00:23:14.799 maybe that's, 00:23:15.120 --> 00:23:16.940 you're not worried about calculus too, 00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:18.100 because you're good at math or you, 00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:18.359 whatever. 00:23:18.459 --> 00:23:18.779 It's just, 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:23.899 the text is pointing you towards God when you have your anxiety, 00:23:23.899 --> 00:23:31.079 in terms of being honest with him about what exactly is going on that's causing you the anxiety. 00:23:31.719 --> 00:23:33.819 That's the powerful thing about the text. 00:23:34.879 --> 00:23:36.339 But some people might say, 00:23:36.439 --> 00:23:36.719 George, 00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:38.259 okay, 00:23:39.399 --> 00:23:42.919 I'm going to try to get my mind around what this advice is, 00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:43.519 but George, 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:47.099 don't you think that this is actually a bit of a frightening image, 00:23:47.099 --> 00:23:48.339 not a comforting image? 00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:49.019 Like, 00:23:49.179 --> 00:23:49.480 George, 00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:50.199 isn't it saying, 00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:54.480 humble yourself under the mighty hand of God? 00:23:55.139 --> 00:23:57.740 As if God has this big, 00:23:57.859 --> 00:23:59.459 clenched fist 00:23:59.459 --> 00:24:03.799 that will bang and beat you into submission, 00:24:04.399 --> 00:24:08.219 and you need to recognize that God has this big, 00:24:08.439 --> 00:24:09.379 angry fist, 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:10.619 his mighty hand, 00:24:10.619 --> 00:24:14.039 and you have to humble yourself under that. 00:24:14.139 --> 00:24:14.500 Doesn't that, 00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:14.779 in fact, 00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:15.599 the whole image, 00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:15.979 George, 00:24:16.139 --> 00:24:16.500 doesn't the, 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:18.500 isn't the image sort of contradictory? 00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:23.519 I had a very angry father. 00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:30.099 And they definitely believed in corporal punishment. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:31.480 In fact, 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.920 just about everything could be solved with lots of spanking. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:41.960 When my mom could no longer hit us hard enough to make us cry, 00:24:42.680 --> 00:24:46.039 my dad made a specially designed stick for her 00:24:46.039 --> 00:24:48.940 so that she could hit us with the stick 00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:52.000 to discipline us and make us cry. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:52.359 He, 00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:55.420 he got the right type of wood. 00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:57.259 He spent a long time crafting it 00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:59.920 so that it had a nice grip that fit my mother's hand 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:03.480 and was of the right type of light wood 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:04.900 so she could move it quickly. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:06.339 And he had it, 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:06.900 he, 00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:08.700 he worked with the wood 00:25:08.700 --> 00:25:11.619 so that it flared out and went narrow 00:25:11.619 --> 00:25:13.700 so that it could hit nice and broad 00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:15.279 and really hard 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:16.900 and really hurt you. 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:18.799 And, 00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:21.980 for many people who've grown up under abuse, 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:24.339 this potentially is a very, 00:25:24.420 --> 00:25:24.559 very, 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:25.900 very hard image. 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:29.480 Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:34.160 But I'm going to explain 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:36.059 what the mighty hand of God means in a moment. 00:25:36.180 --> 00:25:36.400 Andrew, 00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:37.460 could you put up the image? 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:41.720 But just before I describe what the humble, 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:43.759 what the mighty hand of God is, 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:46.519 this is actually a far better image to think of. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:49.859 It's a famous picture by Anne Geddes. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.440 Amen. 00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:56.799 You see, 00:25:57.079 --> 00:25:58.299 the phrase, 00:25:58.460 --> 00:25:59.880 the mighty hand of God 00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:00.839 is used 00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:04.160 almost exclusively in the Old Testament 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:05.359 to describe God 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:07.420 redeeming his people from slavery. 00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:11.099 It's an Old Testament reference 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:12.599 to the fact that God 00:26:12.599 --> 00:26:14.180 deals with tyrants 00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:16.079 and oppressors 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:18.240 to deliver his people 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.159 from slavery 00:26:19.159 --> 00:26:21.619 and to call them 00:26:21.619 --> 00:26:22.599 into a relationship 00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:23.359 with him 00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:25.559 where they will be protected 00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.579 by his power 00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:29.079 and will become free 00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:31.539 and that they will know 00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:34.099 that they are his precious 00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:34.980 possession 00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:36.240 and treasure. 00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:39.659 That's what the mighty hand of God means 00:26:39.659 --> 00:26:41.279 in the Old Testament. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:43.460 And so, 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:45.079 for us as Christians, 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:48.019 if you read through the whole book 00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.720 of 1 Peter, 00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.879 you'll see that Peter 00:26:49.879 --> 00:26:51.000 has several very, 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:51.920 very powerful 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.119 and moving descriptions 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.639 of what it was 00:26:54.639 --> 00:26:55.200 that Jesus 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:56.480 does for us 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:57.259 on the cross. 00:26:58.859 --> 00:26:59.379 That, 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:00.519 for Christians, 00:27:00.519 --> 00:27:01.700 the whole story 00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.319 of the Exodus 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:03.279 is both something 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:03.960 that happened 00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:04.960 in time 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:05.539 and history 00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:06.119 and space 00:27:06.119 --> 00:27:06.980 which is completely 00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.920 and utterly true, 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:10.460 but it also points 00:27:10.460 --> 00:27:11.860 to this far greater 00:27:11.860 --> 00:27:12.480 Exodus, 00:27:12.779 --> 00:27:13.740 this far greater 00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:14.920 act of deliverance, 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:16.800 this far greater 00:27:16.800 --> 00:27:18.480 mighty hand of God 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:19.620 acting to reveal 00:27:19.620 --> 00:27:20.640 not just the people 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:21.220 of Israel 00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:22.360 but everybody 00:27:22.360 --> 00:27:23.400 who puts their faith 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:24.300 and trust in him. 00:27:24.840 --> 00:27:26.320 The mighty hand of God 00:27:26.320 --> 00:27:26.980 is revealed 00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:27.720 when God, 00:27:27.840 --> 00:27:28.680 the Son of God, 00:27:28.860 --> 00:27:29.820 sets his side, 00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:30.560 his glory 00:27:30.560 --> 00:27:31.420 and splendor 00:27:31.420 --> 00:27:32.820 and divine prerogatives 00:27:32.820 --> 00:27:34.660 and all of his appearance 00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.360 is God 00:27:35.360 --> 00:27:37.680 and he is actually 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:38.779 willing to, 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:39.960 by remaining 00:27:39.960 --> 00:27:40.799 fully human 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.920 to take into himself 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:42.940 our human nature 00:27:42.940 --> 00:27:43.920 and be humble 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:44.740 to the point 00:27:44.740 --> 00:27:45.539 of being born, 00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:47.000 of being placed 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:47.600 in the womb 00:27:47.600 --> 00:27:48.680 of the Virgin Mary 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:50.740 and be born 00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:53.560 and live a humble life, 00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:55.220 a life in complete 00:27:55.220 --> 00:27:56.740 dependence upon God 00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:59.820 and complete obedience 00:27:59.820 --> 00:28:00.620 to God 00:28:00.620 --> 00:28:02.900 and then he continues 00:28:02.900 --> 00:28:04.060 to humble himself 00:28:04.060 --> 00:28:05.720 by dying on the cross 00:28:05.720 --> 00:28:07.380 and Christians 00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:08.000 understand 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:08.900 that when Jesus 00:28:08.900 --> 00:28:10.440 is dying upon the cross 00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.279 he's doing 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:13.360 two things for us. 00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:15.460 He is dying 00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:17.539 in our stead 00:28:17.539 --> 00:28:18.680 and so that 00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:19.779 every claim 00:28:19.779 --> 00:28:20.319 of demand, 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:21.220 every demand 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:22.100 of justice, 00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:23.579 everything that we 00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:24.860 have ever done wrong, 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.200 that we deserve 00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:27.519 some type of punishment 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.680 or accounting for, 00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:30.319 every single thing 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:31.440 that has ever gone on 00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:32.079 in our lives 00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:32.559 where we, 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:34.759 there is a proper demand 00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.819 for some type 00:28:35.819 --> 00:28:36.759 of justice. 00:28:37.679 --> 00:28:38.839 Jesus deals 00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:39.759 with all of that 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:40.480 as he dies 00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:41.159 on the cross 00:28:41.159 --> 00:28:41.940 for us. 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:44.179 And when we put 00:28:44.179 --> 00:28:45.059 our faith and trust 00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:45.619 in Jesus, 00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:47.179 we discover 00:28:47.179 --> 00:28:48.139 that not only 00:28:48.139 --> 00:28:48.720 when we put 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:49.859 our hands in his, 00:28:50.379 --> 00:28:53.119 that he was condemned 00:28:53.119 --> 00:28:53.779 for us, 00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:55.879 he died for us, 00:28:56.379 --> 00:28:57.480 by his wounds 00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:58.359 we are healed, 00:28:59.259 --> 00:29:00.119 that he does 00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:01.339 everything to deal 00:29:01.339 --> 00:29:02.819 with all of the wrong 00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:03.359 that we've done, 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:04.299 he deals with that 00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:04.819 completely, 00:29:04.939 --> 00:29:05.879 not only the justice 00:29:05.879 --> 00:29:06.799 that would unmake 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.419 you and me, 00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:08.319 he says, 00:29:08.459 --> 00:29:08.939 George, 00:29:09.139 --> 00:29:11.279 let me bear 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:12.879 what will unmake you 00:29:12.879 --> 00:29:14.339 and I will do this 00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:15.339 because I love you. 00:29:16.699 --> 00:29:17.679 And not only that, 00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:18.619 his perfect life 00:29:18.619 --> 00:29:19.419 of obedience 00:29:19.419 --> 00:29:20.779 will stand for us 00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:22.039 so that for us 00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:22.659 as Christians 00:29:22.659 --> 00:29:23.579 when we understand 00:29:23.579 --> 00:29:24.619 the mighty hand of God 00:29:24.619 --> 00:29:25.419 we not only think 00:29:25.419 --> 00:29:26.339 of all of the times 00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:27.159 in the Old Testament 00:29:27.159 --> 00:29:28.000 when God delivered 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:28.559 his people 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:29.960 but preeminently 00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:30.940 we look 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:31.879 at Jesus' 00:29:32.159 --> 00:29:33.419 death upon the cross 00:29:33.419 --> 00:29:35.740 that he humbled himself 00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:36.859 to the point of death 00:29:36.859 --> 00:29:38.099 and tasting all there is 00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:39.099 to taste of death 00:29:39.099 --> 00:29:40.700 that you and I 00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:42.179 might be free. 00:29:43.019 --> 00:29:43.659 The doom 00:29:43.659 --> 00:29:45.019 that you and I deserved 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:46.000 fell on him. 00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:47.200 The destiny 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:48.259 that he deserved 00:29:48.259 --> 00:29:49.220 is offered 00:29:49.220 --> 00:29:50.000 to you and me. 00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:52.200 Could you put 00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:52.980 the scripture text 00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:53.440 back up? 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:55.940 So when this text says 00:29:55.940 --> 00:29:58.500 God opposes the proud 00:29:58.500 --> 00:29:59.200 but gives grace 00:29:59.200 --> 00:29:59.900 to the humble. 00:30:00.779 --> 00:30:01.559 Humble yourselves 00:30:01.559 --> 00:30:02.400 therefore under 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:03.720 the mighty hand of God 00:30:03.720 --> 00:30:05.539 so that the proper time 00:30:05.539 --> 00:30:06.620 he may exalt you 00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:08.759 casting all your anxieties 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:09.259 on him 00:30:09.259 --> 00:30:10.580 because he cares for you. 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:12.160 Notice what it's saying. 00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:12.660 It's saying 00:30:12.660 --> 00:30:13.580 humble yourself 00:30:13.580 --> 00:30:14.400 under Jesus. 00:30:14.900 --> 00:30:15.860 It's not saying 00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:17.180 humble yourself 00:30:17.180 --> 00:30:18.360 under the proud. 00:30:18.860 --> 00:30:19.640 Humble yourself 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:20.820 under the tyrants. 00:30:21.340 --> 00:30:22.180 Humble yourself 00:30:22.180 --> 00:30:23.600 under the powerful. 00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:25.259 Humble yourself 00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:26.660 under the aggressors. 00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:28.039 Humble yourself 00:30:28.039 --> 00:30:29.019 under the violent. 00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.299 It's not saying 00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:31.379 humble yourself 00:30:31.379 --> 00:30:32.980 under any of these things. 00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:33.859 It's saying 00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:35.359 humble yourself. 00:30:35.859 --> 00:30:37.420 Willingly come to Jesus 00:30:37.420 --> 00:30:38.319 and be willing 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:39.220 to accept him 00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:40.500 as your savior and Lord. 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:41.920 Understanding that 00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:42.680 he is God. 00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:43.960 Come to him 00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:45.519 with all of your cares, 00:30:45.700 --> 00:30:46.660 all of your burdens, 00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:47.859 all of your worries. 00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:48.839 Understanding that 00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:50.059 he alone is the one 00:30:50.059 --> 00:30:51.059 who will justify you. 00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:52.420 He is the one 00:30:52.420 --> 00:30:53.299 who will make you 00:30:53.299 --> 00:30:53.940 right with God. 00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:55.240 He is the one 00:30:55.240 --> 00:30:55.960 who is life. 00:30:56.259 --> 00:30:57.080 He is the one 00:30:57.080 --> 00:30:57.779 who is health. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:59.120 He is the one 00:30:59.120 --> 00:31:00.160 who will feed you 00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:00.940 and care for you. 00:31:01.259 --> 00:31:02.360 You humble yourself 00:31:02.360 --> 00:31:03.100 under him. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.940 This is a bit of a side. 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:08.519 One of the reasons 00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:08.920 that we know 00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:09.799 that the world's advice 00:31:09.799 --> 00:31:10.360 doesn't work 00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:11.140 is that everybody 00:31:11.140 --> 00:31:12.380 ends up being humbled. 00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:15.640 Death humbles us all. 00:31:19.360 --> 00:31:20.660 Death humbles us all. 00:31:20.660 --> 00:31:20.700 Death humbles us all. 00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:21.660 Death humbles us all. 00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.660 Death humbles us all. 00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:23.920 Death humbles us all. 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:25.160 We might not want 00:31:25.160 --> 00:31:26.480 to be humbled under death, 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:27.539 but not only death, 00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:28.120 failure. 00:31:29.180 --> 00:31:30.200 Everyone fails. 00:31:32.060 --> 00:31:32.539 Age, 00:31:32.620 --> 00:31:33.640 if we live long enough, 00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:34.779 those of us 00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:35.440 who are getting older, 00:31:35.800 --> 00:31:36.680 age humbles us, 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:37.180 doesn't it? 00:31:39.160 --> 00:31:40.500 Can't do what we used to do. 00:31:40.860 --> 00:31:41.620 Mind doesn't work 00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:42.759 as well as it used to work. 00:31:43.860 --> 00:31:45.019 Everyone will be humbled. 00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:47.019 Christians alone 00:31:47.019 --> 00:31:47.680 are invited 00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:48.759 to understand 00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:49.460 that the God 00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:50.680 who really does exist, 00:31:51.100 --> 00:31:52.019 the real God 00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:53.240 of the real universe, 00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.259 that he always 00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:55.420 opposes the proud 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:56.160 and gives grace 00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:56.839 to the humble. 00:31:57.579 --> 00:31:58.160 And so, 00:31:58.299 --> 00:31:59.420 he gives grace 00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:00.119 to those who 00:32:00.119 --> 00:32:01.079 humble themselves 00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:02.119 coming to Jesus 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:02.480 saying, 00:32:02.639 --> 00:32:02.879 Jesus, 00:32:03.079 --> 00:32:03.539 you alone 00:32:03.539 --> 00:32:04.639 will make me right 00:32:04.639 --> 00:32:05.099 with God. 00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:05.859 You alone. 00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:06.920 I cannot, 00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:08.519 I have so much pride 00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:09.019 in my life. 00:32:09.099 --> 00:32:09.799 I have so much 00:32:09.799 --> 00:32:10.680 self-centeredness 00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:11.200 in my life. 00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:12.160 I have so much 00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:13.240 things in my life, 00:32:13.240 --> 00:32:14.700 so much self-preoccupation 00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.000 in my life. 00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:16.240 I can't leave myself 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:17.039 to save myself. 00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:18.839 Only you can save me. 00:32:18.940 --> 00:32:20.059 I come to you 00:32:20.059 --> 00:32:21.680 that you might save me. 00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:25.019 And the text is saying, 00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:26.279 humble yourselves 00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:28.039 under the mighty hand 00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:28.380 of God, 00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:30.140 under Jesus Christ crucified, 00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.940 so that at the proper time 00:32:31.940 --> 00:32:33.519 he may exalt you, 00:32:33.660 --> 00:32:35.059 casting all your anxieties 00:32:35.059 --> 00:32:35.539 on him 00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:37.160 because he cares for you. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:37.819 You see, 00:32:38.380 --> 00:32:40.039 how do I humble myself 00:32:40.039 --> 00:32:40.819 before God? 00:32:40.940 --> 00:32:41.859 The text gives me 00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:42.200 a very, 00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:43.140 very clear thing. 00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:45.560 I humble myself 00:32:45.560 --> 00:32:47.580 under God's mighty hand 00:32:47.580 --> 00:32:48.900 by casting 00:32:48.900 --> 00:32:50.740 all my anxieties 00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:51.800 on him. 00:32:53.020 --> 00:32:54.700 The cross reminds me 00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:56.040 that Jesus cares for me, 00:32:56.400 --> 00:32:57.280 that he loves me. 00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:59.220 It tells me that 00:32:59.220 --> 00:33:00.560 the world might forget 00:33:00.560 --> 00:33:01.440 that I exist. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:03.060 The world might no longer 00:33:03.060 --> 00:33:04.280 take any notice of me, 00:33:04.380 --> 00:33:06.380 but Jesus always remembers me 00:33:06.380 --> 00:33:07.920 because I am his 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:09.880 and he will never abandon me. 00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:11.680 He will never let me go. 00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:13.400 He will never leave me. 00:33:13.700 --> 00:33:14.400 And when it says 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.560 that he will exalt us 00:33:15.560 --> 00:33:16.460 at the right time, 00:33:16.620 --> 00:33:17.420 that's not just 00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:18.560 some sort of dodge. 00:33:19.220 --> 00:33:20.660 It's saying that 00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:21.580 it's actually like 00:33:21.580 --> 00:33:22.759 an end time word 00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:24.100 that no matter what happens 00:33:24.100 --> 00:33:25.259 on this side of the grave, 00:33:25.580 --> 00:33:26.680 the fact of the matter is 00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:27.820 is that when we put our faith 00:33:27.820 --> 00:33:28.740 and trust in Jesus, 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:30.000 when we come to him 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:31.240 with our cares and anxieties, 00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:32.420 the one thing that we can be 00:33:32.420 --> 00:33:33.560 absolutely certain about 00:33:33.560 --> 00:33:35.240 is that Jesus will return. 00:33:36.060 --> 00:33:37.820 And when Jesus will return 00:33:37.820 --> 00:33:38.460 and when there is 00:33:38.460 --> 00:33:39.980 the end of all things, 00:33:40.819 --> 00:33:43.059 the word that all creation 00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:44.360 will hear about you and me 00:33:44.360 --> 00:33:45.340 when we put our faith 00:33:45.340 --> 00:33:46.299 and trust in Jesus 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:47.360 is well done, 00:33:47.940 --> 00:33:49.400 my good and faithful servant. 00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:50.380 Well done, 00:33:51.100 --> 00:33:52.340 my beloved child. 00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:54.640 Come to me and live with me 00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:55.559 and be with me forever. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.720 I have longed once again 00:33:57.720 --> 00:33:58.600 to walk with you 00:33:58.600 --> 00:33:59.140 in the garden 00:33:59.140 --> 00:34:00.079 in the cool of the day. 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:06.779 So this text is saying 00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:07.919 that one of the main ways 00:34:07.919 --> 00:34:09.400 that we humble ourselves 00:34:09.400 --> 00:34:12.039 is to learn to cast 00:34:12.039 --> 00:34:14.360 all our anxieties 00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:15.799 and worries 00:34:15.799 --> 00:34:17.619 on Jesus. 00:34:20.840 --> 00:34:22.799 One of the things I do sometimes 00:34:22.799 --> 00:34:26.539 when I start to 00:34:26.539 --> 00:34:28.340 maybe just realize 00:34:28.340 --> 00:34:30.019 my mind's going in places 00:34:30.019 --> 00:34:31.220 that it shouldn't be going 00:34:31.220 --> 00:34:32.820 or that I'm just 00:34:32.820 --> 00:34:34.160 really feeling depressed 00:34:34.160 --> 00:34:36.400 or I'm really feeling down 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:38.360 or I can just even 00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:39.440 very directly feel 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:39.940 that I'm starting 00:34:39.940 --> 00:34:41.160 to get very anxious. 00:34:42.120 --> 00:34:43.120 One of the things I do 00:34:43.120 --> 00:34:43.940 and I encourage you 00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:44.820 to consider doing it 00:34:44.820 --> 00:34:45.900 is I say, 00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:47.760 sit down at a desk 00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:49.420 and get out a piece of paper 00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:51.800 and I know that's 00:34:51.800 --> 00:34:53.000 old-fashioned for people 00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:53.940 but you get a pen 00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:54.820 and a piece of paper 00:34:54.820 --> 00:34:56.820 and just say to Father, 00:34:56.820 --> 00:34:58.300 maybe even pray this prayer. 00:34:58.559 --> 00:34:58.680 Say, 00:34:59.280 --> 00:35:00.160 read this text 00:35:00.160 --> 00:35:00.700 and say, 00:35:00.900 --> 00:35:01.519 Jesus, 00:35:02.460 --> 00:35:04.500 I'm coming to you right now. 00:35:04.600 --> 00:35:05.620 I'm humbling myself. 00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:06.940 I come to you. 00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:08.200 I want you to be my Savior. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:09.400 I want you to be my Lord 00:35:09.400 --> 00:35:11.780 and I thank you 00:35:11.780 --> 00:35:13.039 that at the proper time, 00:35:13.100 --> 00:35:14.120 at the right time, 00:35:15.160 --> 00:35:16.300 you will fit me 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.320 for the new heaven 00:35:17.320 --> 00:35:18.019 and the new earth 00:35:18.019 --> 00:35:19.460 and that is my final home 00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:21.480 and Lord, 00:35:21.580 --> 00:35:22.180 I ask now, 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:24.059 I want to live this verse. 00:35:24.180 --> 00:35:24.820 I want to cast 00:35:24.820 --> 00:35:26.360 all my anxieties on you 00:35:26.360 --> 00:35:29.100 and so Lord, 00:35:30.300 --> 00:35:34.039 could you reveal to me 00:35:34.039 --> 00:35:35.900 all those loads 00:35:35.900 --> 00:35:36.539 and burdens 00:35:36.539 --> 00:35:37.280 and worries 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:38.320 that I am carrying 00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:40.780 and so say 00:35:40.780 --> 00:35:41.860 some simple prayer. 00:35:41.940 --> 00:35:42.420 It doesn't have to be 00:35:42.420 --> 00:35:43.100 as long as that. 00:35:43.180 --> 00:35:43.880 It might just even be 00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:44.559 read this verse 00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:45.200 and then just say, 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:46.360 Jesus, help me 00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:48.440 and then just write down 00:35:48.440 --> 00:35:49.440 on a piece of paper 00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.360 one by one 00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:52.300 all of the different things 00:35:52.300 --> 00:35:53.980 that are worrying you 00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:56.580 and I encourage you 00:35:56.580 --> 00:35:57.240 if you do this 00:35:57.240 --> 00:35:57.860 to write down 00:35:57.860 --> 00:35:59.240 really, really big things. 00:36:01.580 --> 00:36:01.840 You know, 00:36:02.100 --> 00:36:04.180 I'm worried 00:36:04.180 --> 00:36:05.860 because my credit card debt 00:36:05.860 --> 00:36:07.160 is at $40,000. 00:36:09.539 --> 00:36:10.300 I'm worried 00:36:10.300 --> 00:36:11.360 because I think 00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:12.260 I'm going to get fired. 00:36:12.260 --> 00:36:14.700 I'm worried 00:36:14.700 --> 00:36:17.280 because I think 00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:18.380 my marriage is in trouble. 00:36:18.540 --> 00:36:19.700 Like, write down big ones. 00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:22.040 But write down 00:36:22.040 --> 00:36:23.460 every aspect of it 00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:24.360 and write down 00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:25.560 even the smallest things. 00:36:25.700 --> 00:36:26.480 I'm worried about 00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:27.640 getting my laundry done. 00:36:28.900 --> 00:36:29.640 Like, write down 00:36:29.640 --> 00:36:30.360 all your anxieties. 00:36:30.500 --> 00:36:31.200 There's this old hymn, 00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:32.100 Count Your Blessings, 00:36:32.200 --> 00:36:33.080 Name Them One By One 00:36:33.080 --> 00:36:34.020 and it will surprise you 00:36:34.020 --> 00:36:34.800 what the Lord has done. 00:36:34.860 --> 00:36:35.380 This is sort of like 00:36:35.380 --> 00:36:36.240 the opposite of it. 00:36:36.680 --> 00:36:37.560 Count your worries, 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:38.900 name them one by one 00:36:38.900 --> 00:36:40.720 and it will surprise you 00:36:40.720 --> 00:36:41.920 how many worries you have. 00:36:43.260 --> 00:36:44.420 Sometimes I've done this 00:36:44.420 --> 00:36:44.900 and it takes 00:36:44.900 --> 00:36:45.900 two or three pages 00:36:45.900 --> 00:36:46.380 of stuff 00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:47.000 that I've actually 00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:47.660 written down 00:36:47.660 --> 00:36:51.220 because going into it 00:36:51.220 --> 00:36:51.960 it was as if 00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.820 all these worries 00:36:52.820 --> 00:36:53.880 and all these anxieties 00:36:53.880 --> 00:36:54.820 and all these cares 00:36:54.820 --> 00:36:56.380 it's sort of as if 00:36:56.380 --> 00:36:57.320 it buzzes around 00:36:57.320 --> 00:36:57.960 in your head 00:36:57.960 --> 00:36:58.740 and buzzes around 00:36:58.740 --> 00:36:59.360 in your heart 00:36:59.360 --> 00:37:00.040 and you can't even 00:37:00.040 --> 00:37:01.120 keep them straight. 00:37:01.760 --> 00:37:03.220 So you put them all down. 00:37:03.820 --> 00:37:04.740 I'm aging. 00:37:04.940 --> 00:37:05.660 My weight. 00:37:06.280 --> 00:37:07.200 My money. 00:37:08.040 --> 00:37:09.060 My relationships. 00:37:10.080 --> 00:37:10.940 The unkind, 00:37:11.180 --> 00:37:11.940 the email 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:12.519 that I got 00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:13.119 the other day 00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:13.740 that just seems 00:37:13.740 --> 00:37:14.579 to be so mean 00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:15.280 like write them 00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:16.039 all down. 00:37:16.539 --> 00:37:17.480 Write every single 00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:18.179 one down 00:37:18.179 --> 00:37:19.240 until you cannot 00:37:19.240 --> 00:37:20.280 possibly think of 00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:21.179 even the tiniest 00:37:21.179 --> 00:37:22.059 one that's left 00:37:22.059 --> 00:37:23.780 and then say to Jesus, 00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:24.240 Jesus, 00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:26.900 these are the anxieties 00:37:26.900 --> 00:37:27.599 and the worries 00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:28.320 that I have 00:37:28.320 --> 00:37:29.480 and I want, 00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:30.360 I'm giving them 00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:30.900 to you. 00:37:32.300 --> 00:37:33.200 I'm giving them 00:37:33.200 --> 00:37:33.679 to you. 00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:37.119 May you guide 00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:37.699 and provide 00:37:37.699 --> 00:37:37.799 and provide 00:37:37.799 --> 00:37:38.299 for me 00:37:38.299 --> 00:37:39.739 but I give 00:37:39.739 --> 00:37:40.319 them to you. 00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:42.239 And I'm not 00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:42.639 going to say 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:43.339 to you that 00:37:43.339 --> 00:37:45.139 magically you're 00:37:45.139 --> 00:37:45.579 going to feel 00:37:45.579 --> 00:37:46.000 better 00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:47.619 although every time 00:37:47.619 --> 00:37:48.219 I have done it 00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:48.619 I have felt 00:37:48.619 --> 00:37:49.159 better just 00:37:49.159 --> 00:37:49.799 getting it off 00:37:49.799 --> 00:37:50.279 and giving it 00:37:50.279 --> 00:37:50.799 to Jesus. 00:37:52.059 --> 00:37:52.859 And the thing 00:37:52.859 --> 00:37:53.440 is that when you 00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:53.880 do something 00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:54.259 like this 00:37:54.259 --> 00:37:54.980 the text doesn't 00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:55.539 say that God 00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:56.199 is magically 00:37:56.199 --> 00:37:56.759 going to take 00:37:56.759 --> 00:37:57.219 all of your 00:37:57.219 --> 00:37:58.139 problems away. 00:37:58.139 --> 00:38:03.019 but it's amazing 00:38:03.019 --> 00:38:03.819 when you ask 00:38:03.819 --> 00:38:04.299 the Lord 00:38:04.299 --> 00:38:04.759 you put them 00:38:04.759 --> 00:38:05.219 all down 00:38:05.219 --> 00:38:05.659 and you ask 00:38:05.659 --> 00:38:06.199 him to guide 00:38:06.199 --> 00:38:06.839 and provide 00:38:06.839 --> 00:38:10.679 how often 00:38:10.679 --> 00:38:11.279 it helps you 00:38:11.279 --> 00:38:11.639 to be able 00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:12.119 to walk 00:38:12.119 --> 00:38:12.779 towards some 00:38:12.779 --> 00:38:13.460 of those things 00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:13.900 and be able 00:38:13.900 --> 00:38:14.719 to deal with it 00:38:14.719 --> 00:38:15.980 or just to be able 00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:16.400 to have a bit 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:17.639 of a more honest 00:38:17.639 --> 00:38:19.000 conversation with Jesus 00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:19.739 for what's going 00:38:19.739 --> 00:38:20.500 on in your life 00:38:20.500 --> 00:38:21.960 and how you need 00:38:21.960 --> 00:38:22.900 his help to guide 00:38:22.900 --> 00:38:23.519 and direct you 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:24.259 to what to do. 00:38:26.099 --> 00:38:26.859 And when I'm 00:38:26.859 --> 00:38:27.279 going through 00:38:27.279 --> 00:38:28.019 periods of 00:38:28.019 --> 00:38:28.619 great stress 00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:29.079 I might have 00:38:29.079 --> 00:38:29.480 to do that 00:38:29.480 --> 00:38:30.039 every day. 00:38:32.460 --> 00:38:33.259 And here's 00:38:33.259 --> 00:38:33.759 how the devil 00:38:33.759 --> 00:38:34.239 works. 00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:34.759 The devil 00:38:34.759 --> 00:38:35.039 will say 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:35.460 George you're 00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:35.820 really being 00:38:35.820 --> 00:38:36.179 immature 00:38:36.179 --> 00:38:36.579 you just 00:38:36.579 --> 00:38:36.960 did that 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:37.360 yesterday 00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:37.639 you don't 00:38:37.639 --> 00:38:37.940 have to 00:38:37.940 --> 00:38:38.199 do it 00:38:38.199 --> 00:38:38.559 today. 00:38:40.780 --> 00:38:41.420 But you have 00:38:41.420 --> 00:38:41.679 to say 00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:42.119 to the devil 00:38:42.119 --> 00:38:42.780 shut up. 00:38:45.739 --> 00:38:46.500 Like don't 00:38:46.500 --> 00:38:47.000 listen to the 00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:47.500 devil think 00:38:47.500 --> 00:38:48.239 of the text. 00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:49.579 It doesn't 00:38:49.579 --> 00:38:50.139 say here 00:38:50.139 --> 00:38:51.619 gosh George 00:38:51.619 --> 00:38:52.280 if you have 00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:52.679 to do this 00:38:52.679 --> 00:38:53.119 two days 00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:53.619 in a row 00:38:53.619 --> 00:38:54.360 are you ever 00:38:54.360 --> 00:38:54.880 a loser? 00:38:55.940 --> 00:38:56.300 That's what 00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:57.159 the text says. 00:38:58.019 --> 00:38:58.519 It says 00:38:58.519 --> 00:38:59.300 humble yourself 00:38:59.300 --> 00:38:59.820 George. 00:39:00.559 --> 00:39:01.320 Humble yourself. 00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:04.199 And there are 00:39:04.199 --> 00:39:04.960 some times in our 00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:05.840 lives when we 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:06.500 are so filled 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:07.199 with anxiety 00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:07.820 we might have 00:39:07.820 --> 00:39:08.239 to do this 00:39:08.239 --> 00:39:08.739 more than 00:39:08.739 --> 00:39:09.360 every day. 00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:10.960 We might have 00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:11.199 to do it 00:39:11.199 --> 00:39:11.860 several times 00:39:11.860 --> 00:39:12.440 a day because 00:39:12.440 --> 00:39:12.980 the worries 00:39:12.980 --> 00:39:13.639 start to once 00:39:13.639 --> 00:39:14.420 again flood in 00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:15.639 and carry us 00:39:15.639 --> 00:39:16.340 down and bear 00:39:16.340 --> 00:39:16.920 us down. 00:39:17.599 --> 00:39:18.180 And this text 00:39:18.180 --> 00:39:18.639 is saying that 00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:18.940 one of the 00:39:18.940 --> 00:39:19.800 primary ways 00:39:19.800 --> 00:39:20.059 that we 00:39:20.059 --> 00:39:20.840 humble ourselves 00:39:20.840 --> 00:39:21.599 is to cast 00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:22.460 all of our 00:39:22.460 --> 00:39:23.360 anxieties 00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:24.079 plural 00:39:24.079 --> 00:39:27.240 onto Jesus 00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:28.280 remembering who 00:39:28.280 --> 00:39:29.019 Jesus is. 00:39:29.139 --> 00:39:29.840 He is God's 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:31.200 mighty hand 00:39:31.200 --> 00:39:32.440 to save me. 00:39:33.639 --> 00:39:34.619 God so loved 00:39:34.619 --> 00:39:35.240 the world 00:39:35.240 --> 00:39:35.960 that he gave 00:39:35.960 --> 00:39:36.639 his one and 00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:37.480 only son 00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:38.019 to the end 00:39:38.019 --> 00:39:38.680 that all who 00:39:38.680 --> 00:39:39.480 believe in him 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:40.440 will not perish 00:39:40.440 --> 00:39:41.380 but have 00:39:41.380 --> 00:39:42.220 eternal life. 00:39:42.219 --> 00:39:43.219 And one of 00:39:43.219 --> 00:39:43.559 the things 00:39:43.559 --> 00:39:43.959 which I'm 00:39:43.959 --> 00:39:44.639 very slowly 00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:46.259 learning is 00:39:46.259 --> 00:39:47.399 that anxiety 00:39:47.399 --> 00:39:49.159 amongst other 00:39:49.159 --> 00:39:50.899 things is God 00:39:50.899 --> 00:39:51.759 knocking on the 00:39:51.759 --> 00:39:52.299 door of my 00:39:52.299 --> 00:39:54.039 heart saying 00:39:54.039 --> 00:39:57.919 George I 00:39:57.919 --> 00:39:58.439 exist. 00:39:59.039 --> 00:39:59.980 I am mighty 00:39:59.980 --> 00:40:00.559 to save. 00:40:01.559 --> 00:40:02.579 Come to me. 00:40:04.399 --> 00:40:05.359 Give me your 00:40:05.359 --> 00:40:06.419 cares and your 00:40:06.419 --> 00:40:08.500 worries and lay 00:40:08.500 --> 00:40:09.319 them on me. 00:40:09.539 --> 00:40:10.219 I am big 00:40:10.219 --> 00:40:11.039 enough to handle 00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:11.399 them. 00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:12.400 And you 00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:13.119 will find rest 00:40:13.119 --> 00:40:13.500 for your 00:40:13.500 --> 00:40:13.800 soul. 00:40:14.639 --> 00:40:15.119 Lay your 00:40:15.119 --> 00:40:15.920 cares and 00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:17.000 anxieties on 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:18.579 me and allow 00:40:18.579 --> 00:40:19.280 me to walk 00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:20.720 with you as 00:40:20.720 --> 00:40:21.160 you walk 00:40:21.160 --> 00:40:22.000 towards them 00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:23.360 to deal 00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:24.019 with them. 00:40:28.260 --> 00:40:28.860 Humble 00:40:28.860 --> 00:40:29.579 yourself 00:40:29.579 --> 00:40:30.460 Sinclair 00:40:30.460 --> 00:40:32.079 to list 00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:33.619 them and 00:40:33.619 --> 00:40:34.019 give them 00:40:34.019 --> 00:40:35.460 to me so 00:40:35.460 --> 00:40:35.760 that we 00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:36.320 might walk 00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:36.860 towards them 00:40:36.860 --> 00:40:37.240 together. 00:40:37.940 --> 00:40:38.920 Your anxiety 00:40:38.920 --> 00:40:39.519 is God 00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.180 knocking at 00:40:40.180 --> 00:40:40.700 the door of 00:40:40.699 --> 00:40:41.299 your heart 00:40:41.299 --> 00:40:42.480 to remember 00:40:42.480 --> 00:40:43.159 that Jesus 00:40:43.159 --> 00:40:43.960 is your 00:40:43.960 --> 00:40:44.599 Savior and 00:40:44.599 --> 00:40:45.119 your Lord 00:40:45.119 --> 00:40:46.399 and he is 00:40:46.399 --> 00:40:47.039 strong and 00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:47.480 mighty to 00:40:47.480 --> 00:40:49.359 save and 00:40:49.359 --> 00:40:49.839 that he will 00:40:49.839 --> 00:40:50.279 give you 00:40:50.279 --> 00:40:50.819 rest. 00:40:52.099 --> 00:40:53.079 Please stand. 00:40:53.079 --> 00:41:01.159 let's just 00:41:01.159 --> 00:41:01.679 bow our heads 00:41:01.679 --> 00:41:02.159 in prayer. 00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:07.239 Father, 00:41:07.819 --> 00:41:08.699 some of us 00:41:08.699 --> 00:41:09.480 here are 00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:10.239 under great 00:41:10.239 --> 00:41:11.819 stress and 00:41:11.819 --> 00:41:12.739 they were 00:41:12.739 --> 00:41:14.360 like me and 00:41:14.360 --> 00:41:15.159 often still 00:41:15.159 --> 00:41:15.880 like me that 00:41:15.880 --> 00:41:16.340 they're not 00:41:16.340 --> 00:41:17.019 even aware of 00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:17.360 the great 00:41:17.360 --> 00:41:17.980 stress that 00:41:17.980 --> 00:41:18.480 they're under. 00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:20.360 maybe 00:41:20.360 --> 00:41:20.380 maybe 00:41:20.380 --> 00:41:21.400 their best 00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:22.059 friends or 00:41:22.059 --> 00:41:22.679 their boss 00:41:22.679 --> 00:41:23.159 or their 00:41:23.159 --> 00:41:24.039 husband or 00:41:24.039 --> 00:41:24.579 their wife 00:41:24.579 --> 00:41:24.920 or their 00:41:24.920 --> 00:41:25.539 boyfriend or 00:41:25.539 --> 00:41:26.099 their girlfriend 00:41:26.099 --> 00:41:26.900 can see that 00:41:26.900 --> 00:41:28.260 we're under 00:41:28.260 --> 00:41:28.880 great stress 00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:29.519 but we can't 00:41:29.519 --> 00:41:29.800 see it 00:41:29.800 --> 00:41:30.260 ourselves. 00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:30.800 So Father, 00:41:30.880 --> 00:41:31.340 we ask that 00:41:31.340 --> 00:41:32.139 the Holy Spirit 00:41:32.139 --> 00:41:34.079 would gently 00:41:34.079 --> 00:41:35.079 but powerfully 00:41:35.079 --> 00:41:35.599 move in our 00:41:35.599 --> 00:41:36.460 lives to help 00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:36.980 us, Father, 00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:37.800 to recognize 00:41:37.800 --> 00:41:38.320 how much 00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:39.280 anxiety and 00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:39.980 stress that 00:41:39.980 --> 00:41:40.619 we're carrying. 00:41:41.460 --> 00:41:41.619 Father, 00:41:41.719 --> 00:41:42.240 some of us 00:41:42.240 --> 00:41:43.000 need this work 00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:43.579 of your Holy 00:41:43.579 --> 00:41:44.300 Spirit in our 00:41:44.300 --> 00:41:44.740 lives. 00:41:45.860 --> 00:41:46.320 And others 00:41:46.320 --> 00:41:46.660 of us, 00:41:46.780 --> 00:41:46.920 Father, 00:41:47.039 --> 00:41:47.539 know we're 00:41:47.539 --> 00:41:48.140 under great 00:41:48.140 --> 00:41:48.800 stress right 00:41:48.800 --> 00:41:49.140 now. 00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:50.559 And we ask, 00:41:50.820 --> 00:41:50.880 Father, 00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:51.400 that you would 00:41:51.400 --> 00:41:51.980 bring this 00:41:51.980 --> 00:41:52.860 word, 00:41:53.340 --> 00:41:54.140 your word, 00:41:54.360 --> 00:41:54.960 and you would 00:41:54.960 --> 00:41:55.480 write it in 00:41:55.480 --> 00:41:56.039 our heart, 00:41:56.940 --> 00:41:57.360 that it would 00:41:57.360 --> 00:41:57.960 become a 00:41:57.960 --> 00:41:58.680 habit of how 00:41:58.680 --> 00:41:59.320 we live, 00:41:59.900 --> 00:42:00.700 that we would 00:42:00.700 --> 00:42:01.320 remember that 00:42:01.320 --> 00:42:02.160 you oppose the 00:42:02.160 --> 00:42:02.960 proud but give 00:42:02.960 --> 00:42:03.600 grace to the 00:42:03.600 --> 00:42:03.920 humble, 00:42:04.700 --> 00:42:05.680 that we would 00:42:05.680 --> 00:42:06.400 remember that 00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:06.880 we are to 00:42:06.880 --> 00:42:08.080 come to Jesus 00:42:08.080 --> 00:42:08.940 remembering who 00:42:08.940 --> 00:42:09.360 he is, 00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:09.960 and we are to 00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:10.740 humble ourselves 00:42:10.740 --> 00:42:12.260 by casting all 00:42:12.260 --> 00:42:13.160 of our anxieties, 00:42:13.300 --> 00:42:14.039 even the ones 00:42:14.039 --> 00:42:15.760 which seem so 00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:16.180 silly, 00:42:16.179 --> 00:42:16.639 that if we 00:42:16.639 --> 00:42:17.139 told our 00:42:17.139 --> 00:42:17.759 friend that 00:42:17.759 --> 00:42:18.059 we were 00:42:18.059 --> 00:42:18.559 worried about 00:42:18.559 --> 00:42:18.679 it, 00:42:18.719 --> 00:42:19.319 they'd laugh 00:42:19.319 --> 00:42:19.940 at us. 00:42:20.419 --> 00:42:20.759 But, 00:42:20.859 --> 00:42:21.039 Father, 00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:21.739 we know that 00:42:21.739 --> 00:42:22.460 Jesus will 00:42:22.460 --> 00:42:23.399 not laugh at 00:42:23.399 --> 00:42:23.579 us, 00:42:23.599 --> 00:42:24.440 that he wants 00:42:24.440 --> 00:42:24.639 us, 00:42:24.719 --> 00:42:25.379 that you want 00:42:25.379 --> 00:42:25.960 us to cast 00:42:25.960 --> 00:42:26.579 all of our 00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:27.440 anxieties and 00:42:27.440 --> 00:42:27.879 cares, 00:42:28.379 --> 00:42:29.119 no matter how 00:42:29.119 --> 00:42:29.519 immature, 00:42:29.839 --> 00:42:30.440 no matter how 00:42:30.440 --> 00:42:30.899 tiny, 00:42:31.019 --> 00:42:31.619 no matter how 00:42:31.619 --> 00:42:32.059 big, 00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:33.659 that you desire 00:42:33.659 --> 00:42:34.279 us to cast 00:42:34.279 --> 00:42:34.940 them all on 00:42:34.940 --> 00:42:35.099 you. 00:42:35.159 --> 00:42:35.279 And, 00:42:35.319 --> 00:42:35.480 Father, 00:42:35.559 --> 00:42:36.199 we thank you 00:42:36.199 --> 00:42:36.799 for Jesus. 00:42:37.019 --> 00:42:37.619 We thank you 00:42:37.619 --> 00:42:38.179 that he knows 00:42:38.179 --> 00:42:38.359 us. 00:42:38.759 --> 00:42:40.099 We thank you 00:42:40.099 --> 00:42:40.739 that he knows 00:42:40.739 --> 00:42:41.799 that we deal 00:42:41.799 --> 00:42:42.440 with anxiety. 00:42:42.579 --> 00:42:43.319 We thank you 00:42:43.319 --> 00:42:43.899 that he wants 00:42:43.899 --> 00:42:44.519 to bear them 00:42:44.519 --> 00:42:45.039 for us. 00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:46.159 We thank you 00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:46.719 that he wants 00:42:46.719 --> 00:42:47.400 to walk with 00:42:47.400 --> 00:42:48.460 us towards 00:42:48.460 --> 00:42:49.800 our problems 00:42:49.800 --> 00:42:51.559 and deal 00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:52.059 with them. 00:42:52.480 --> 00:42:52.820 Father, 00:42:52.940 --> 00:42:53.579 thank you for 00:42:53.579 --> 00:42:53.960 Jesus. 00:42:54.500 --> 00:42:54.960 Write this 00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:55.539 word in our 00:42:55.539 --> 00:42:55.880 heart. 00:42:56.380 --> 00:42:56.920 And we ask 00:42:56.920 --> 00:42:57.539 this in Jesus' 00:42:57.820 --> 00:42:58.119 name. 00:42:58.119 --> 00:42:59.059 Amen.