WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.740
 Good morning. That's terrible. I know Tobin says that all the time, but that really was bad.

00:00:09.019 --> 00:00:15.179
 Good morning. Oh, so much better. Good. My name is Chris, for those of you who don't know me.

00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:22.480
 I know this is a kind of holiday time, so there's a few of us here today, but God is with us,

00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:24.699
 and he wants to speak to us this morning.

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:34.899
 For those of us who are Christians, who have trusted in Christ, the Bible has a lot of promises.

00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:42.340
 We've been looking at some of these promises in the series we talked about in our identity in Christ.

00:00:42.579 --> 00:00:51.100
 We've been seeing that it tells us that sin's power, if we've trusted in Christ, is broken in our lives because Christ has set us free.

00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:57.460
 It tells us that if you have trusted in Christ, you have resurrection power, you have forgiveness, you have a new hope,

00:00:57.460 --> 00:01:03.340
 you have a new purpose, you have a new life, a new identity, and everything that belongs to Jesus,

00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:07.159
 who is the king of the universe, is yours in him.

00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:11.599
 We stand loved by the one who determines the whole of history.

00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:17.460
 We have a heavenly father who is so wealthy that Forbes wouldn't have a category for him,

00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:20.319
 and he is so generous towards his children.

00:01:20.780 --> 00:01:24.379
 That is who we are if we are Christian, if we've trusted in Christ.

00:01:24.379 --> 00:01:37.280
 But Gandhi, that great Christian, said, he wasn't a Christian, but said, just testing,

00:01:37.659 --> 00:01:46.919
 he said, you Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces,

00:01:47.459 --> 00:01:51.579
 turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet.

00:01:51.579 --> 00:01:54.959
 But you treat it as little, as nothing more.

00:01:55.140 --> 00:01:55.719
 Listen to this.

00:01:55.819 --> 00:01:58.980
 You treat it as nothing more than a piece of literature.

00:02:00.140 --> 00:02:01.159
 That was Gandhi.

00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:07.519
 He said, as Christians, we take the promises and the Bible,

00:02:07.759 --> 00:02:10.759
 and we often treat it as little more than just literature.

00:02:12.039 --> 00:02:19.099
 I've read Lord of the Rings, but I don't wake up every morning wondering if I'm able to destroy the ring of power.

00:02:19.099 --> 00:02:26.819
 I don't wake up thinking Frodo and Bilbo play such an important part in my life.

00:02:28.019 --> 00:02:32.419
 They don't really affect my everyday decision-making because it's literature.

00:02:32.419 --> 00:02:38.759
 But Gandhi saw something in the lives of Christians around him,

00:02:38.799 --> 00:02:41.079
 and so often I see this actually in my own life,

00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:49.139
 that there is a disconnect between what we say we believe about God and his promises to us,

00:02:49.179 --> 00:02:51.699
 and actually our experience of him in our lives.

00:02:51.699 --> 00:02:59.000
 And I don't know if you ever feel like God's word is just literature for you,

00:02:59.899 --> 00:03:09.339
 that maybe that revolutionary dynamite that God wants to make it work in your soul so it transforms you,

00:03:10.299 --> 00:03:14.639
 giving you a joy and a peace that no circumstance can overcome.

00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:18.000
 Maybe that is not always our experience of life.

00:03:18.559 --> 00:03:22.019
 Maybe there is sometimes a gap between what we say we believe

00:03:22.019 --> 00:03:27.899
 and what our thoughts, what our words, what our desires and actions show us that we truly love.

00:03:29.099 --> 00:03:31.000
 And that's what we're going to be looking at.

00:03:31.060 --> 00:03:36.479
 After looking at the promises and our identity, our walk, the power that we have in Christ,

00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:44.139
 we want to look at what actually holds us back from really enjoying some of what God has for us as his people.

00:03:45.699 --> 00:03:50.019
 So we're going to start just a very short series looking at some characters in the book of Exodus.

00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:57.319
 And they show us some very interesting things about our lives.

00:03:58.500 --> 00:04:04.539
 They show us what some of the idols, the things that enslave us and ensnare us,

00:04:04.539 --> 00:04:08.979
 even when the Bible says that if you're a Christian, he has set you free.

00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:13.259
 So we're going to have a little look at this idea of idols.

00:04:13.459 --> 00:04:17.719
 And we talk about the idea of idols quite a lot in Watermark, and there's a reason for that.

00:04:18.779 --> 00:04:23.560
 A guy called Martin Lloyd-Jones, who's a famous English preacher in the last century, said,

00:04:24.219 --> 00:04:31.560
 An idol is anything in my life that occupies a place that should be occupied by God alone.

00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:43.280
 An idol is something that holds such a controlling position in my life that it moves and rouses and attracts me so easily

00:04:43.280 --> 00:04:48.439
 that I give my time, attention, and money to it effortlessly.

00:04:48.439 --> 00:05:00.639
 Simply put, an idol is whatever or whoever you and I value and give central value in our lives.

00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:07.480
 Whatever controls your heart controls your life, controls your decisions, controls everything that you do.

00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:10.920
 And if there's anything that you're more consumed with than with God,

00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:15.680
 the Bible's going to say, if you're trusting it, it's going to enslave you.

00:05:16.220 --> 00:05:17.580
 It's going to enslave you.

00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:24.160
 So we're going to have a look today at one of these idols.

00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:32.560
 And if we want to get serious about God, if we want God to really let those promises live in our lives,

00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:38.100
 then we've got to start working out what are the things which enslave us,

00:05:38.340 --> 00:05:44.340
 and working on a series, that cycle of repentance and faith, which a couple of weeks ago, Jeremy talked about.

00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:50.040
 So looking at control, we're going to look at this story, Pharaoh versus God.

00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:52.800
 We're then going to look at us versus God.

00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:57.040
 Then we're going to look at how we relinquish control.

00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:03.379
 Pharaoh versus God, us versus God, and then how we relinquish control.

00:06:04.980 --> 00:06:11.720
 So this story is familiar to some of us.

00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:15.600
 But this story comes against a backdrop.

00:06:15.819 --> 00:06:19.560
 In the Old Testament, there is one hero in the Old Testament.

00:06:20.080 --> 00:06:20.939
 That's God.

00:06:20.939 --> 00:06:27.759
 God is the hero, and God is into people, and God is into blessing and making promises to his people.

00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:34.339
 And the first thing he tells Adam and Eve to do in the Garden of Eden, he tells them, okay, he blesses them, and he says,

00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:40.420
 have lots of kids, multiply, and trust my word that I bring to you.

00:06:40.819 --> 00:06:41.480
 That's what he says.

00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:47.759
 Adam and Eve and everyone after them fail to trust God's word, and judgment comes upon them.

00:06:48.259 --> 00:06:49.400
 The cycle continues.

00:06:49.540 --> 00:07:00.379
 God then calls a man called Abraham, and he says, I want to bless you, and I want to give you many, many descendants who will multiply throughout the earth, and there will be blessing to the whole earth.

00:07:00.379 --> 00:07:08.040
 And Abraham trusts God's word, and his family over generations ends up prospering and multiplying.

00:07:08.040 --> 00:07:09.939
 They end up down in Egypt.

00:07:10.159 --> 00:07:21.519
 And then in Egypt, as they are growing and growing and growing into a great nation, and everyone is thinking, well, maybe the promises are coming true.

00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:26.180
 The story takes a turn, and that's where we're going to pick up today.

00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:36.699
 A new king takes over in Egypt, in this northern part of Egypt called Goshen, the most powerful man in the Western Hemisphere.

00:07:36.979 --> 00:07:40.699
 But he doesn't know God, and he doesn't know the story of Israel at all.

00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:48.539
 Instead, he looks at the growth of this ethnic minority as is happening in so many nations around the world today,

00:07:48.539 --> 00:07:51.299
 and he saw them as a threat to his rule.

00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:58.579
 And just as with every micromanager, every dictator, every tiger parent who has to be in control,

00:07:59.060 --> 00:08:04.019
 Pharaoh lived in fear of the things not working out according to his plan.

00:08:05.459 --> 00:08:07.859
 In fact, he was cripplingly insecure.

00:08:08.859 --> 00:08:16.180
 And you might like to look at regimes like North Korea or other dictators to see the way this works out.

00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:23.420
 So Pharaoh gets his people together to come up with a plan to neutralize this threat.

00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:25.480
 He's got to fix the situation.

00:08:25.959 --> 00:08:27.379
 That's where we pick up the story.

00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:29.680
 So in verse 9, have a look in your bulletins.

00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:30.819
 He says,

00:08:30.819 --> 00:08:30.840
 He says,

00:08:30.840 --> 00:08:36.600
 There are too many of those Israelites in our country, and they're becoming more powerful than we are.

00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:40.659
 If we don't outsmart them, their families will keep growing larger.

00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:47.700
 And if our country goes to war, they could easily fight on the side of our enemies and escape from Egypt.

00:08:47.700 --> 00:08:55.500
 He's like a boss who realizes some of his employees are smarter than him and more capable than him.

00:08:56.440 --> 00:09:00.200
 And so he's got to launch his strategy to keep himself in control.

00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:09.180
 So his first solution, his first fix, is he turns them from farmers into slaves.

00:09:09.480 --> 00:09:15.080
 If you look at verse 11 to 14, basically what he does, he commissions them to build two cities.

00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:22.000
 And many scholars believe that actually these two cities would have served as storehouses for military equipment

00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:27.420
 to build up his army to ensure his military power in the region.

00:09:27.419 --> 00:09:34.860
 So he was going to use power and control over the Israelites to make himself even stronger in the whole region.

00:09:36.019 --> 00:09:42.559
 And what he does is, with the men far away from their families, suffering under the labor of work and the harsh conditions,

00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:48.879
 he's pretty sure, well, they're not going to be having more children during this, so things are going to be okay.

00:09:52.299 --> 00:09:54.379
 But when you try and be in control,

00:09:54.379 --> 00:09:59.259
 you will seek to crush and oppress other people.

00:09:59.379 --> 00:10:03.919
 You put them in a cage of your own expectations, of your own demands.

00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:08.080
 You will try and enslave them according to your own little world.

00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:12.639
 Maybe you will even punish them if they don't do what you want them to do.

00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:14.399
 But in this story,

00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:17.240
 Pharaoh wasn't in control.

00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:19.419
 God was in control.

00:10:19.419 --> 00:10:22.399
 And in spite of everything he did,

00:10:22.479 --> 00:10:26.339
 the families kept multiplying and multiplying and multiplying

00:10:26.339 --> 00:10:28.839
 and took over yet more land.

00:10:29.599 --> 00:10:31.199
 Solution one, failed.

00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.000
 You know when you try and fix something and it doesn't work out,

00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:38.199
 fear, stress begins to rise.

00:10:38.299 --> 00:10:40.159
 That's what's going on among the Egyptians.

00:10:40.740 --> 00:10:41.179
 Insecurity.

00:10:41.719 --> 00:10:43.439
 So now, solution two.

00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:46.159
 He calls in two of the Hebrew midwives

00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:47.799
 in charge of the baby.

00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:48.259
 He tells them,

00:10:48.539 --> 00:10:51.100
 okay, you've got to kill any baby boys that are born.

00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:52.899
 That's verse 15, 16.

00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:55.100
 And he tells them,

00:10:55.179 --> 00:10:56.039
 if you're quick,

00:10:56.339 --> 00:10:58.740
 you could maybe claim that the babies were still born

00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:01.439
 and the gender gap between men and women would grow so large

00:11:01.439 --> 00:11:04.299
 that the women would have to marry Egyptians

00:11:04.299 --> 00:11:05.899
 and then there would be no problem

00:11:05.899 --> 00:11:07.799
 because basically they'd have to become Egyptians.

00:11:08.339 --> 00:11:09.399
 Great fix.

00:11:10.939 --> 00:11:12.120
 Pharaoh's got this one sorted.

00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:16.860
 Unfortunately, verse 18 to 21,

00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:18.820
 the solution fails

00:11:18.820 --> 00:11:22.000
 because those midwives

00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:24.779
 who Pharaoh wanted to control,

00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:27.200
 they weren't going to be controlled

00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:31.139
 because they feared God more than they feared Pharaoh

00:11:31.139 --> 00:11:33.980
 and they don't do what he asks them to do.

00:11:35.460 --> 00:11:36.620
 And when Pharaoh finds out

00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:38.700
 they haven't done what he wanted them to do,

00:11:38.700 --> 00:11:41.919
 he gets angry and he gets mad

00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:43.179
 and he calls them in.

00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:45.620
 Fortunately, Pharaoh's not very good at biology

00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:48.899
 because he accepts,

00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:50.479
 I mean, I don't know why he accepts,

00:11:50.579 --> 00:11:53.199
 you know, Hebrew women have babies quicker than Egyptians,

00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:53.899
 but, you know,

00:11:54.699 --> 00:11:55.139
 he's Pharaoh.

00:11:55.259 --> 00:11:57.059
 He's got other things to think about than biology.

00:11:58.719 --> 00:11:59.439
 But he,

00:11:59.819 --> 00:12:02.879
 he's failed.

00:12:03.579 --> 00:12:05.079
 The fix has failed.

00:12:05.079 --> 00:12:07.579
 So he comes up with solution number three.

00:12:08.019 --> 00:12:10.579
 He then calls for the whole Egyptian nation

00:12:10.580 --> 00:12:12.460
 to join in a flat-out genocide

00:12:12.460 --> 00:12:14.340
 against the newborn Hebrew babies.

00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:18.120
 And you see through this story,

00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:19.139
 you see a progression

00:12:19.139 --> 00:12:21.379
 that always happens with an idol of control

00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:23.220
 when you have to be in control.

00:12:23.900 --> 00:12:24.160
 You see,

00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:26.020
 when everything's working out,

00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:26.500
 it's fine,

00:12:26.560 --> 00:12:28.100
 but when your plans are threatened,

00:12:29.040 --> 00:12:32.440
 you try and fix the situation.

00:12:32.700 --> 00:12:34.220
 And if you can't get control,

00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:35.259
 then you begin to fear

00:12:35.259 --> 00:12:36.120
 and you begin to stress.

00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:38.419
 And if you can't then fix the problem

00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:40.480
 within your fear and distress,

00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:41.740
 your stress,

00:12:41.899 --> 00:12:44.200
 then you get frustrated and angry

00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:46.080
 and you begin to take it out on other people.

00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:48.600
 And it may even lead to murder.

00:12:49.860 --> 00:12:51.500
 Maybe not physical murder,

00:12:51.779 --> 00:12:52.899
 but murderous thoughts,

00:12:53.179 --> 00:12:54.240
 angry words,

00:12:54.700 --> 00:12:56.279
 a heart that's filled with bitterness,

00:12:56.620 --> 00:12:57.100
 resentment,

00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:58.860
 because you feel helpless,

00:12:59.220 --> 00:12:59.700
 vulnerable,

00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:00.620
 insecure.

00:13:00.620 --> 00:13:03.060
 And what you think you need

00:13:03.060 --> 00:13:03.980
 to give you fulfillment

00:13:03.980 --> 00:13:05.360
 is being snatched away

00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:06.679
 like one of those balloons

00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:08.019
 that you just see a kid

00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:09.519
 trying to chase after,

00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:12.060
 but they can never quite grasp hold of.

00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:14.000
 It's scary.

00:13:16.060 --> 00:13:17.159
 And Pharaoh thought

00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:18.340
 that his biggest issue

00:13:18.340 --> 00:13:19.620
 was the Israelites.

00:13:22.019 --> 00:13:23.539
 But what he didn't realize

00:13:23.539 --> 00:13:26.320
 was that his control idol

00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:27.700
 had blinded him to the fact

00:13:27.700 --> 00:13:30.200
 that he was actually making war on God.

00:13:30.620 --> 00:13:34.519
 Pharaoh was rebelling against God

00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:36.539
 and everything that God had planned

00:13:36.539 --> 00:13:37.360
 for his people.

00:13:37.779 --> 00:13:38.500
 He was afraid

00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:40.399
 of what God's blessing would mean.

00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:45.100
 And because when you and I

00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:46.379
 want to be in control,

00:13:47.100 --> 00:13:49.759
 what we're saying to God is,

00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:51.039
 get out of the driver's seat.

00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:53.399
 Let me take the steering wheel.

00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:54.720
 I don't like the direction

00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:55.639
 you're heading in.

00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:58.259
 I've got to be in control.

00:13:58.560 --> 00:13:59.480
 I'm taking over

00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:00.560
 because I know

00:14:00.560 --> 00:14:01.740
 what's best for me.

00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:02.840
 But the thing is,

00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:03.519
 when you try

00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:04.800
 and have two drivers

00:14:04.800 --> 00:14:05.740
 at the same time,

00:14:05.800 --> 00:14:07.300
 that never ends well.

00:14:09.539 --> 00:14:10.080
 You see,

00:14:10.139 --> 00:14:10.740
 it takes Pharaoh

00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:11.460
 ten plagues,

00:14:11.560 --> 00:14:12.759
 the death of his firstborn son,

00:14:12.820 --> 00:14:13.300
 the destruction

00:14:13.300 --> 00:14:14.420
 of a large part of his army

00:14:14.420 --> 00:14:15.300
 to realize that maybe

00:14:15.300 --> 00:14:16.200
 I'm actually not

00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:17.659
 totally in control.

00:14:20.539 --> 00:14:21.920
 What at the moment for you

00:14:21.920 --> 00:14:23.500
 is not going the way

00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.320
 you want it to?

00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:28.200
 Where do you feel helpless

00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:29.240
 at the moment?

00:14:30.800 --> 00:14:32.379
 What are you most afraid of

00:14:32.379 --> 00:14:33.400
 at the moment?

00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:37.180
 Because lurking there

00:14:37.180 --> 00:14:39.740
 will be tendencies

00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:43.220
 to try and grasp control.

00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:46.440
 So we've looked at how Pharaoh

00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:47.700
 does this with God.

00:14:47.800 --> 00:14:49.940
 Let's look at us now with God.

00:14:49.940 --> 00:14:53.020
 I don't know if you're like me,

00:14:53.160 --> 00:14:55.580
 but I don't consider myself

00:14:55.580 --> 00:14:57.020
 to be a dictator

00:14:57.020 --> 00:14:58.300
 with genocidal tendencies.

00:14:59.800 --> 00:15:01.920
 I personally haven't ordered

00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:02.620
 the mass killing

00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:03.660
 of an ethnic minority

00:15:03.660 --> 00:15:04.360
 at Queen Mary.

00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:07.040
 I don't feel like

00:15:07.040 --> 00:15:08.160
 I have the same amount

00:15:08.160 --> 00:15:09.640
 of power as Pharaoh.

00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:10.580
 So I wonder,

00:15:10.740 --> 00:15:12.360
 how do this connect to me?

00:15:13.400 --> 00:15:13.780
 And yet,

00:15:13.820 --> 00:15:15.340
 if you just think about it

00:15:15.340 --> 00:15:16.360
 for just a minute,

00:15:16.580 --> 00:15:17.780
 I just begin to see

00:15:17.779 --> 00:15:18.740
 that the same roots

00:15:18.740 --> 00:15:19.959
 that are in Pharaoh's heart

00:15:19.959 --> 00:15:21.299
 are actually deep down

00:15:21.299 --> 00:15:22.799
 and linger in my own heart

00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:24.620
 and they enslave me

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:26.899
 time and time and time again.

00:15:28.079 --> 00:15:29.019
 And they stop me

00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:30.519
 from really enjoying Christ

00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:31.720
 in my everyday walk.

00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:33.899
 You see,

00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:34.759
 an idol of control

00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:35.419
 is a longing

00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:36.319
 for everything

00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:37.659
 to go according to my plan.

00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:40.079
 I have to be right.

00:15:40.279 --> 00:15:41.259
 It has to work

00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:42.600
 within this way.

00:15:43.439 --> 00:15:45.299
 I was in Shanghai last week.

00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:46.339
 We were on the,

00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:48.080
 we were buying tickets

00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.560
 for the metro

00:15:48.560 --> 00:15:51.200
 and we got to the ticket machine

00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:52.580
 and I punched in the destination

00:15:52.580 --> 00:15:54.500
 and Fiona, my wife,

00:15:54.560 --> 00:15:56.139
 got out some 10 yuan note,

00:15:56.440 --> 00:15:57.800
 put it in the machine

00:15:57.800 --> 00:15:59.200
 and it spits it right out again.

00:15:59.800 --> 00:16:00.580
 So I flatten it,

00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:01.200
 okay,

00:16:01.300 --> 00:16:01.879
 give it back to her.

00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:02.780
 She puts it in the machine,

00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:03.860
 spits it right out again.

00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:05.019
 Third time,

00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:05.519
 try it again,

00:16:05.780 --> 00:16:06.440
 spits it out again.

00:16:06.540 --> 00:16:06.960
 Fourth time,

00:16:07.040 --> 00:16:07.379
 try it again.

00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:07.840
 By that time,

00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:08.420
 I'm frustrated.

00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:09.360
 I've had enough.

00:16:09.580 --> 00:16:09.860
 I'm like,

00:16:09.940 --> 00:16:10.139
 okay,

00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.340
 I'm going over to the next can.

00:16:11.379 --> 00:16:12.060
 I've got to work

00:16:12.060 --> 00:16:12.759
 a different machine.

00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:13.960
 It's going to work in that one.

00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:15.400
 So I'm over there

00:16:15.400 --> 00:16:16.160
 but Fiona stays

00:16:16.160 --> 00:16:17.080
 in the other lane,

00:16:17.420 --> 00:16:18.500
 other machine

00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:19.980
 and she keeps trying

00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:23.600
 and I'm standing over here.

00:16:23.820 --> 00:16:24.900
 She's standing over there

00:16:24.900 --> 00:16:26.000
 like just about three,

00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:27.600
 three machines down the road

00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:29.280
 and she's still trying

00:16:29.280 --> 00:16:30.639
 and I'm looking over here.

00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:31.940
 There's two people in front of me

00:16:31.940 --> 00:16:32.639
 and I'm thinking,

00:16:33.040 --> 00:16:35.759
 why can't you stop being so stupid?

00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:37.480
 The machine's not working

00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:40.379
 and so I tell her,

00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:41.340
 I shout to her,

00:16:41.560 --> 00:16:42.420
 come over here.

00:16:42.419 --> 00:16:43.479
 Stop being an idiot.

00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:46.339
 She ignores me completely.

00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.879
 So I go further forward

00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:50.679
 and I can see her,

00:16:50.719 --> 00:16:51.539
 she's still going,

00:16:51.719 --> 00:16:52.299
 still going

00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:56.159
 and so I shout to her again

00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:58.139
 and you know when somebody

00:16:58.139 --> 00:16:59.139
 doesn't do what you want,

00:16:59.479 --> 00:17:00.740
 you get a little bit more annoyed,

00:17:01.599 --> 00:17:02.279
 right?

00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:04.059
 And so I'm getting more frustrated

00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:05.920
 so my tone rises.

00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:06.259
 I mean,

00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:09.259
 I'm a fairly chilled out guy normally

00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:10.960
 but you know,

00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:11.879
 so I shout,

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:13.019
 come over here.

00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:15.519
 She ignores me,

00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:16.519
 I get to the front of the queue,

00:17:16.779 --> 00:17:17.980
 the machine works,

00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:18.619
 I type it in,

00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:18.879
 I say,

00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:19.660
 come over here.

00:17:19.740 --> 00:17:20.940
 She comes immediately over here,

00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:22.640
 puts the 10 yen note in,

00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:22.960
 it works,

00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:23.599
 we get our tickets.

00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:25.779
 And then I spend two minutes

00:17:25.779 --> 00:17:26.519
 telling her

00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:29.019
 how inconsiderate she was,

00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:30.960
 how stupid to keep trying

00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.660
 in that machine.

00:17:31.660 --> 00:17:34.440
 And I went on

00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:36.140
 because I was right.

00:17:37.120 --> 00:17:38.480
 My machine worked,

00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.779
 your machine didn't.

00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:43.640
 But she was hurt

00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:47.920
 because the words that I used

00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:49.420
 and the tone that I'd used

00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:51.600
 was harsh.

00:17:53.100 --> 00:17:55.360
 Because, you see,

00:17:56.140 --> 00:17:59.060
 I thought that my way

00:17:59.059 --> 00:18:00.919
 was the right way.

00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:03.919
 And I wanted to cage her in

00:18:03.919 --> 00:18:05.259
 into the expectations

00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:06.119
 that I had,

00:18:06.179 --> 00:18:07.480
 the demands that I had

00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:09.599
 for what she should do

00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:10.599
 at that moment.

00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:11.859
 Now, she explained to me

00:18:11.859 --> 00:18:13.579
 that she's had many situations

00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:15.220
 where actually she's tried 20 times

00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:16.419
 and after the 25th time,

00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:17.379
 it's actually worked.

00:18:18.139 --> 00:18:19.839
 I've never experienced that.

00:18:23.179 --> 00:18:23.659
 But,

00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:25.500
 in her mind,

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:25.759
 that,

00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:27.319
 in fact,

00:18:27.420 --> 00:18:28.380
 we didn't get the tickets

00:18:28.380 --> 00:18:29.039
 any quicker

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:30.200
 by me shouting at her.

00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.000
 In fact,

00:18:31.059 --> 00:18:31.400
 she came,

00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:32.680
 immediately I got to the front,

00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:33.339
 she was there,

00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:33.940
 she put them out there,

00:18:34.099 --> 00:18:34.740
 we got the tickets.

00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:37.440
 Why was I so consumed

00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:38.299
 by this?

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.859
 Why did I actually hurt

00:18:39.859 --> 00:18:41.839
 and unlovingly use words

00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:43.839
 to criticize my wife?

00:18:43.940 --> 00:18:44.220
 Well,

00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:45.880
 it's because I want

00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:46.619
 to be in control.

00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:51.660
 That's how pharaohs work.

00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:55.440
 I could have waited,

00:18:55.820 --> 00:18:56.759
 asked her to come over

00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:57.759
 and then patiently waited

00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:58.500
 till the front

00:18:58.500 --> 00:19:00.019
 and, you know,

00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:01.019
 it could have,

00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.180
 what I was doing

00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:02.759
 could have even been

00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:03.580
 the right thing to do,

00:19:03.620 --> 00:19:04.240
 I think it was,

00:19:04.380 --> 00:19:07.860
 but my way of fixing things

00:19:07.860 --> 00:19:09.060
 is to say things like,

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:10.580
 why can't you?

00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:13.500
 Why can't you ever listen to me?

00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:15.080
 Why can't you stop

00:19:15.080 --> 00:19:16.620
 being inconsiderate?

00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:18.040
 And, you know,

00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:19.279
 when you hear yourself

00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.259
 saying those words,

00:19:20.259 --> 00:19:21.879
 that's probably control

00:19:21.879 --> 00:19:22.859
 that is coming up

00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:24.240
 because people don't get built up

00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:25.640
 and encouraged by those words,

00:19:25.779 --> 00:19:27.319
 they get crushed by them.

00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:29.640
 And you'll end up,

00:19:29.779 --> 00:19:30.059
 like me,

00:19:30.140 --> 00:19:31.500
 hurting the ones you love

00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:34.359
 because you have to be in control

00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:35.400
 and have everything

00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:36.500
 the way you want it.

00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:40.799
 There's so many areas

00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:41.440
 where we do this.

00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:42.140
 In parenting,

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:45.039
 we love our kids,

00:19:45.879 --> 00:19:47.119
 but it's sometimes

00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:47.920
 such a struggle

00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:48.720
 for our love

00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:49.220
 and the good,

00:19:49.360 --> 00:19:50.160
 healthy boundaries

00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:51.059
 that we want to set

00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:51.839
 for our kids

00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:53.579
 to not shift

00:19:53.579 --> 00:19:55.240
 into control.

00:19:57.100 --> 00:19:57.819
 Paul Tripp,

00:19:58.259 --> 00:19:59.000
 who's a counselor,

00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:00.680
 writes a very helpful article

00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:02.019
 about controlling parenting.

00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:03.700
 He says that

00:20:03.700 --> 00:20:05.500
 when kids are young,

00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.640
 you as the parent

00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.779
 have a large amount

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.360
 of control.

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:10.420
 You decide their routines,

00:20:10.860 --> 00:20:12.460
 you decide their dress sense,

00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:14.380
 you decide the food they eat.

00:20:14.660 --> 00:20:16.000
 But every day they grow,

00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:16.599
 they are learning

00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:17.519
 to be independent.

00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:20.460
 And he says this,

00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:21.619
 he says,

00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.579
 the goal of parenting

00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:23.880
 is not to retain

00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:25.599
 tight-fisted control

00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.880
 over our children

00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:27.900
 in an attempt

00:20:27.900 --> 00:20:28.579
 to guarantee

00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:29.380
 their safety

00:20:29.380 --> 00:20:30.599
 and our sanity.

00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:33.440
 It isn't to conform

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:34.980
 my children to my image,

00:20:35.380 --> 00:20:36.079
 but to work

00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:37.099
 so that they're conformed

00:20:37.099 --> 00:20:38.240
 to the image of Christ.

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:41.079
 My goal isn't to clone

00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:41.819
 my tastes,

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:42.359
 opinions,

00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:43.000
 and habits

00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:43.859
 within my kids.

00:20:43.979 --> 00:20:44.459
 I'm not looking

00:20:44.459 --> 00:20:45.719
 for my image in them.

00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:47.799
 I'm looking to see Christ's.

00:20:49.379 --> 00:20:50.039
 The goal

00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:51.019
 is to be used

00:20:51.019 --> 00:20:51.839
 of God

00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:52.619
 to instill

00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:53.439
 in our children

00:20:53.439 --> 00:20:55.019
 an ever-maturing

00:20:55.019 --> 00:20:56.039
 self-control

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:57.079
 through the principles

00:20:57.079 --> 00:20:57.879
 of the word

00:20:57.879 --> 00:20:59.199
 and to allow them

00:20:59.199 --> 00:21:00.119
 to exercise

00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:01.299
 ever-widening

00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:02.619
 circles of choice,

00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:03.240
 control,

00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:04.139
 and independence.

00:21:07.939 --> 00:21:08.899
 Because we say,

00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:09.399
 I'm not trying

00:21:09.399 --> 00:21:11.099
 to be in control,

00:21:11.199 --> 00:21:11.659
 I'm trying to do

00:21:11.660 --> 00:21:12.900
 what's best for them,

00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:13.800
 but how do you know

00:21:13.800 --> 00:21:14.259
 if you've gone

00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:15.600
 from healthy boundaries

00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:17.360
 to control,

00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:18.120
 or just look

00:21:18.120 --> 00:21:18.560
 at the level

00:21:18.560 --> 00:21:19.300
 of frustration

00:21:19.300 --> 00:21:20.040
 that you feel.

00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:22.360
 Observe the kinds

00:21:22.360 --> 00:21:23.580
 of words you use

00:21:23.580 --> 00:21:25.019
 to try and get

00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:25.860
 your kids,

00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:27.279
 your colleagues,

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:28.279
 anybody else

00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:29.120
 to do what you

00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:30.060
 want them to do.

00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:32.240
 See your reactions

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:34.300
 when your kids

00:21:34.300 --> 00:21:35.360
 or other people

00:21:35.360 --> 00:21:36.400
 fail to live up

00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:37.600
 to your expectations.

00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:40.759
 For those things

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.660
 will be signs

00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:42.220
 of whether you

00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:43.519
 have a control problem.

00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:48.559
 Controllers like me

00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:50.720
 hate uncertainty.

00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.200
 Controllers like me

00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:54.299
 are perfectionists

00:21:54.299 --> 00:21:54.960
 who struggle

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.579
 to delegate

00:21:55.579 --> 00:21:56.339
 to other people

00:21:56.339 --> 00:21:57.079
 because I can always

00:21:57.079 --> 00:21:57.500
 do it better

00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.259
 than everyone else.

00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:00.200
 Controllers are planners

00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:00.900
 who hate it

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:01.420
 when others

00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:02.619
 upset their plans.

00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:04.900
 And our stress

00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:05.819
 and our fear

00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:06.759
 which results

00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:07.980
 often ends up

00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:08.920
 hurting the ones

00:22:08.920 --> 00:22:09.480
 that we love

00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:10.000
 the most.

00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:13.220
 And Exodus,

00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:15.080
 this story of Pharaoh

00:22:15.080 --> 00:22:16.519
 is trying to tell us

00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:17.240
 this is not just

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.519
 a horizontal problem,

00:22:18.820 --> 00:22:19.500
 this is also

00:22:19.500 --> 00:22:20.740
 a vertical problem.

00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:23.880
 With Fiona,

00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:25.220
 I was saying to God,

00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:26.300
 you're not in control

00:22:26.300 --> 00:22:26.779
 of this,

00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:27.539
 I am.

00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:29.500
 So I've got to fix it.

00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:30.840
 And if I can't fix it,

00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:31.620
 then I get angry.

00:22:33.120 --> 00:22:34.440
 I say my plan

00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:35.460
 is best for my life,

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.860
 I can't trust you God.

00:22:36.859 --> 00:22:38.000
 And that's at the heart

00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:38.619
 of what the Bible

00:22:38.619 --> 00:22:39.819
 calls sin.

00:22:41.719 --> 00:22:42.799
 And the consequences

00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:43.379
 of that,

00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:44.939
 of telling God,

00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:45.979
 get out of my life,

00:22:46.139 --> 00:22:47.459
 I know how to do it,

00:22:47.939 --> 00:22:48.539
 is judgment.

00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:51.179
 It's bad news.

00:22:51.819 --> 00:22:52.919
 That's what Pharaoh

00:22:52.919 --> 00:22:53.639
 experienced.

00:22:56.919 --> 00:22:58.979
 So that's how Pharaoh

00:22:58.979 --> 00:22:59.779
 deals with God.

00:22:59.859 --> 00:23:00.839
 That's how we can

00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:01.879
 often deal with God.

00:23:02.599 --> 00:23:03.879
 But how do we relinquish

00:23:03.879 --> 00:23:05.639
 control in our lives?

00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:07.100
 Let God be God

00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:07.860
 of our lives.

00:23:09.860 --> 00:23:10.820
 Well, you and I

00:23:10.820 --> 00:23:11.800
 won't let control,

00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:12.759
 go of control,

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:15.180
 until we realize

00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:15.800
 two things.

00:23:17.420 --> 00:23:18.259
 One thing,

00:23:19.259 --> 00:23:20.440
 it should be obvious,

00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:21.900
 but we're not

00:23:21.900 --> 00:23:22.440
 in control.

00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:25.480
 Even trying to

00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:27.000
 let go of control,

00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:27.600
 because sometimes

00:23:27.600 --> 00:23:28.640
 we try and control

00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:29.180
 our letting go

00:23:29.180 --> 00:23:29.720
 of control.

00:23:30.520 --> 00:23:32.040
 And that's just

00:23:32.040 --> 00:23:32.620
 messed up.

00:23:32.619 --> 00:23:33.159
 because,

00:23:33.479 --> 00:23:35.500
 think about it,

00:23:35.659 --> 00:23:36.719
 go back to your kids again.

00:23:36.979 --> 00:23:37.719
 Can you control

00:23:37.719 --> 00:23:38.279
 your kids?

00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:38.799
 Well,

00:23:39.979 --> 00:23:40.979
 you can control

00:23:40.979 --> 00:23:42.259
 the outward aspects

00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:42.899
 of their diet,

00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.919
 their fashion sense,

00:23:43.979 --> 00:23:44.859
 until they get older

00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:46.119
 and they become independent.

00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:47.059
 But when they're independent,

00:23:47.179 --> 00:23:47.839
 that's scary,

00:23:47.959 --> 00:23:48.939
 because we get scared

00:23:48.939 --> 00:23:50.000
 because we love our kids,

00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:50.939
 because they might make

00:23:50.939 --> 00:23:51.659
 the wrong choices.

00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:52.619
 They might make

00:23:52.619 --> 00:23:53.299
 the wrong friends.

00:23:53.399 --> 00:23:54.659
 They might get the grades

00:23:54.660 --> 00:23:56.279
 or the schools

00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:56.960
 that we don't want

00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:57.680
 them to get into.

00:23:59.120 --> 00:23:59.940
 And you can try

00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:00.860
 and control people

00:24:00.860 --> 00:24:01.640
 on the outside,

00:24:01.860 --> 00:24:02.880
 but you cannot control

00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:03.560
 how they feel

00:24:03.560 --> 00:24:04.140
 on the inside.

00:24:07.100 --> 00:24:08.120
 You cannot control

00:24:08.120 --> 00:24:08.620
 what other people

00:24:08.620 --> 00:24:09.140
 think of you.

00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:09.860
 You cannot control

00:24:09.860 --> 00:24:11.140
 the global financial markets.

00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:11.860
 You cannot control

00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:12.220
 the weather.

00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:12.960
 You can't control

00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:14.000
 other drivers on the road.

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:15.040
 You can't control

00:24:15.040 --> 00:24:16.259
 how fast the person

00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:17.120
 in front of you

00:24:17.120 --> 00:24:17.660
 is walking.

00:24:17.800 --> 00:24:18.740
 I wish I could.

00:24:19.300 --> 00:24:20.580
 You can't control

00:24:20.580 --> 00:24:21.400
 whether your friends

00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:22.160
 or your spouse

00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:23.360
 listens to you or not.

00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:24.819
 You can't control

00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:25.719
 your future.

00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:28.759
 In fact,

00:24:28.859 --> 00:24:29.740
 there's probably more

00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:31.079
 outside of your control.

00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:32.019
 There is more

00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:33.240
 outside of your control

00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:34.099
 than you could

00:24:34.099 --> 00:24:35.039
 possibly imagine.

00:24:36.119 --> 00:24:37.219
 You can't control

00:24:37.219 --> 00:24:37.899
 where you were born.

00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:38.959
 You can't control

00:24:38.959 --> 00:24:41.159
 who your parents were.

00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:43.240
 You can't control

00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:44.519
 your past experiences.

00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:46.819
 Now, we can seek

00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:47.399
 to influence

00:24:47.399 --> 00:24:48.379
 and shape decisions.

00:24:48.479 --> 00:24:49.079
 That's right.

00:24:49.979 --> 00:24:50.659
 But thinking

00:24:50.659 --> 00:24:51.879
 you can control

00:24:51.879 --> 00:24:52.699
 your destiny

00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:54.000
 is an illusion.

00:24:56.100 --> 00:24:57.259
 And you'll become

00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:57.960
 manipulative,

00:24:58.200 --> 00:24:58.920
 inflexible,

00:24:59.059 --> 00:24:59.480
 unloving

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.559
 if you really believe

00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:01.160
 that illusion.

00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:02.640
 You know,

00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:03.840
 we live life

00:25:03.840 --> 00:25:04.500
 as if we're

00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:06.539
 like taking a wild lion

00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:07.620
 for a walk

00:25:07.620 --> 00:25:08.480
 on a dog leash.

00:25:09.420 --> 00:25:09.640
 You know,

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:10.259
 and for a while

00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:11.140
 it seems like,

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.039
 you know,

00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:13.019
 he's pretty tame.

00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:14.340
 I'm managing to do this.

00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:15.059
 I can handle it.

00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:15.620
 It's fine.

00:25:16.140 --> 00:25:16.640
 But you know,

00:25:16.700 --> 00:25:17.240
 it just takes

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.519
 one swipe of the paw

00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:19.039
 of the lion

00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:19.480
 to realize

00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:20.259
 that you were never

00:25:20.259 --> 00:25:20.960
 in control

00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:22.000
 of that situation.

00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.920
 And you're a fool

00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:25.579
 if you think

00:25:25.579 --> 00:25:26.279
 you are really

00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:27.000
 the master.

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.559
 Don't walk a lion

00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:30.180
 out here today

00:25:30.180 --> 00:25:32.440
 because you're always

00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:33.279
 sooner or later

00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:34.599
 going to realize

00:25:34.599 --> 00:25:36.559
 that you're not

00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:37.160
 in control.

00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:38.000
 Pharaoh thought

00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.480
 he was.

00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:39.879
 If he'd realized

00:25:39.879 --> 00:25:41.000
 sooner that he wasn't,

00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:42.039
 just think how much

00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:42.839
 hassle it would have

00:25:42.839 --> 00:25:43.319
 saved him.

00:25:43.579 --> 00:25:44.299
 The book of Exodus

00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:44.819
 would have been

00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.759
 so much shorter.

00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:49.779
 But,

00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:51.619
 can I be real

00:25:51.619 --> 00:25:52.079
 that

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:54.720
 many of us

00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:55.259
 think we can

00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:56.579
 actually control God

00:25:56.579 --> 00:25:58.379
 by coming to church,

00:25:58.460 --> 00:25:59.339
 being nice people,

00:25:59.660 --> 00:26:00.440
 doing the right things,

00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:01.400
 putting offering in,

00:26:01.619 --> 00:26:02.319
 doing all those

00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:03.240
 good things,

00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:04.519
 and then we expect

00:26:04.519 --> 00:26:05.559
 him to answer

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:06.700
 our prayers

00:26:06.700 --> 00:26:07.559
 the way we want

00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:08.379
 them to be answered,

00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:10.480
 to fulfill our plans

00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:11.279
 the way we want

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.140
 them to be fulfilled,

00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:13.359
 and then we get

00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:14.240
 annoyed with God

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.039
 if he doesn't do

00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:15.779
 exactly the way

00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:17.000
 we wanted him to do,

00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:18.059
 or maybe we just think,

00:26:18.139 --> 00:26:19.099
 okay, God can't handle,

00:26:19.379 --> 00:26:20.139
 God, you can do

00:26:20.139 --> 00:26:20.960
 the little church bit,

00:26:21.159 --> 00:26:21.839
 my work bit,

00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:22.980
 I can handle that

00:26:22.980 --> 00:26:23.740
 because I know

00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.519
 how to deal with that,

00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:25.619
 you clearly don't.

00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:28.019
 I've got an education.

00:26:30.839 --> 00:26:31.480
 I've been on a

00:26:31.480 --> 00:26:32.200
 training course.

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:33.339
 I know how to do it.

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:36.379
 Sometimes we say,

00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:36.940
 God, okay,

00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:37.639
 you can deal with my

00:26:37.639 --> 00:26:38.839
 family, but not my work.

00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.920
 Sometimes we say,

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.399
 okay, God,

00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:41.359
 you can deal with my work,

00:26:41.579 --> 00:26:42.839
 but then I'll pursue

00:26:42.839 --> 00:26:44.359
 unhealthy relationships

00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:45.079
 because, God,

00:26:45.139 --> 00:26:45.819
 you can't handle

00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:47.039
 my relationship status.

00:26:49.679 --> 00:26:50.859
 I want to be in control

00:26:50.859 --> 00:26:51.219
 of that.

00:26:52.699 --> 00:26:53.779
 But the thing is,

00:26:54.039 --> 00:26:55.199
 you're not the Lord,

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:57.099
 the controller of your work.

00:26:57.379 --> 00:26:58.139
 You're not the Lord

00:26:58.139 --> 00:26:59.019
 of your family.

00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:00.559
 You're not the Lord

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.699
 of your relationships.

00:27:02.699 --> 00:27:03.500
 He is.

00:27:04.419 --> 00:27:05.219
 He is.

00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:07.559
 And that's the second thing

00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:08.279
 we need to remember.

00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:10.759
 So the first,

00:27:10.879 --> 00:27:11.740
 you're not in control.

00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:14.639
 The second thing is,

00:27:15.139 --> 00:27:15.940
 God is great,

00:27:16.379 --> 00:27:18.460
 and he is in control.

00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:21.299
 So I don't have to be.

00:27:22.539 --> 00:27:23.279
 Christopher Hitchens,

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:24.519
 who was a very famous

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:24.879
 atheist,

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:26.259
 wrote a book called

00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:27.359
 God is Not Great.

00:27:28.599 --> 00:27:29.440
 And one of his biggest

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:30.680
 gripes against God

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:31.460
 was that he saw him

00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:31.980
 as this kind of

00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:33.279
 tyrannical dictator.

00:27:33.639 --> 00:27:34.460
 If he exists,

00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:34.960
 then he's like

00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:36.160
 this big brother figure

00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:37.220
 who kind of is watching

00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:38.300
 your every step

00:27:38.300 --> 00:27:39.540
 or kind of slap you

00:27:39.540 --> 00:27:40.880
 around the face

00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:42.040
 if you do something wrong.

00:27:42.740 --> 00:27:44.759
 And he says,

00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:48.220
 if there is a God,

00:27:48.580 --> 00:27:49.840
 I wouldn't want to follow him

00:27:49.840 --> 00:27:52.019
 because he wants to spoil my fun

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:53.019
 and make me slaves

00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:53.980
 just to his own wishes.

00:27:56.380 --> 00:27:58.900
 And I think Christopher Hitchens

00:27:58.900 --> 00:28:00.500
 actually said something

00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:02.200
 which many of us,

00:28:02.540 --> 00:28:03.660
 even if we're Christians,

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:05.880
 would not say,

00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:07.080
 but actually in our hearts

00:28:07.080 --> 00:28:07.760
 we think.

00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:10.640
 Because secretly we fear

00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:12.180
 not having our hands

00:28:12.180 --> 00:28:13.100
 on the steering wheel

00:28:13.100 --> 00:28:14.100
 means that actually

00:28:14.100 --> 00:28:16.040
 God is not good enough

00:28:16.040 --> 00:28:17.400
 to steer me in a direction

00:28:17.400 --> 00:28:18.380
 where he will get

00:28:18.380 --> 00:28:19.760
 the best for my life.

00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:22.580
 Only I know how to handle

00:28:22.580 --> 00:28:23.220
 my problems

00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:24.700
 to get the best for my life.

00:28:25.120 --> 00:28:26.060
 And my insecurity

00:28:26.060 --> 00:28:26.980
 is so obvious

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:28.300
 when I don't know

00:28:28.300 --> 00:28:28.860
 what to do.

00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:30.700
 Some of you

00:28:30.700 --> 00:28:32.020
 may be facing situations

00:28:32.020 --> 00:28:32.860
 where you don't know

00:28:32.860 --> 00:28:34.140
 what to do at the moment

00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:36.259
 and it can be terrifying

00:28:36.259 --> 00:28:38.140
 because we,

00:28:38.560 --> 00:28:39.280
 and we worry,

00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:40.940
 and you know what worry is?

00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:42.780
 Worry is trying to get control

00:28:42.780 --> 00:28:43.980
 of something you can't control.

00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:45.300
 It's desperately trying

00:28:45.300 --> 00:28:46.340
 to get hold of that balloon,

00:28:47.340 --> 00:28:48.759
 but it's escaping you.

00:28:49.060 --> 00:28:50.620
 It's the way that we try

00:28:50.620 --> 00:28:51.580
 and hold on to

00:28:51.580 --> 00:28:52.860
 what we can't hold on to.

00:28:52.859 --> 00:28:55.319
 Life,

00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:58.699
 we think,

00:28:58.819 --> 00:29:00.439
 can sometimes be out of control,

00:29:00.859 --> 00:29:02.779
 but it's never out of control.

00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:05.139
 In this story,

00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:06.159
 apart from God,

00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:07.299
 there are two other

00:29:07.299 --> 00:29:08.519
 kind of mini heroes.

00:29:09.219 --> 00:29:10.639
 These are the Hebrew midwives.

00:29:11.619 --> 00:29:12.259
 They could have felt

00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:13.500
 everything was going wrong

00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:15.599
 because this maniac pharaoh

00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:17.299
 seems to be controlling everything.

00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:19.339
 But at the risk

00:29:19.339 --> 00:29:20.919
 of their own lives,

00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:24.380
 they chose to disobey pharaoh.

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:25.420
 And normally,

00:29:25.539 --> 00:29:26.120
 you don't mess

00:29:26.120 --> 00:29:27.100
 with a control freak

00:29:27.100 --> 00:29:27.740
 like pharaoh.

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:29.860
 But they,

00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:31.660
 and the Bible,

00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:32.680
 the Hebrew word says,

00:29:32.980 --> 00:29:34.960
 they feared God.

00:29:35.800 --> 00:29:36.960
 That's why their names

00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:37.680
 are in the story.

00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:38.500
 We don't actually have

00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:39.580
 the name of the pharaoh here.

00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:41.060
 Nobody knows his name

00:29:41.060 --> 00:29:41.800
 because actually,

00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:42.720
 the Bible is saying

00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:44.060
 that these people,

00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:45.100
 these two midwives

00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:45.779
 who are named

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.519
 are the people

00:29:46.519 --> 00:29:48.160
 who count in God's great plan

00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:49.420
 because they are walking

00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:50.180
 in fear of him.

00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:50.700
 Because you see,

00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:53.000
 pharaoh feared losing control,

00:29:53.320 --> 00:29:54.180
 but the Hebrew women

00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:55.279
 feared God.

00:29:56.220 --> 00:29:57.420
 They trusted in him

00:29:57.420 --> 00:29:58.880
 because they knew

00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:00.019
 there is only one person

00:30:00.019 --> 00:30:01.759
 who's got the power,

00:30:02.080 --> 00:30:02.900
 who's got the grace,

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:03.660
 who's got the love

00:30:03.660 --> 00:30:04.680
 to handle this one.

00:30:04.820 --> 00:30:06.279
 And they could trust him

00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:07.240
 because he's faithful.

00:30:07.600 --> 00:30:08.180
 And they knew

00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:08.900
 that the promise

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:09.779
 that he had given

00:30:09.779 --> 00:30:10.799
 to his people,

00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:12.180
 he was already fulfilling.

00:30:12.539 --> 00:30:13.400
 And as they look back,

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:13.960
 they could see

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:14.740
 he's being faithful,

00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:16.220
 so he's going to be faithful again,

00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:17.560
 so we can trust him.

00:30:17.559 --> 00:30:20.359
 And they didn't know

00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:21.220
 what was going to happen

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:22.799
 as a result of their decision.

00:30:22.879 --> 00:30:23.480
 They didn't know

00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:24.099
 what the future

00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:24.779
 was going to hold.

00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:25.720
 They didn't even know

00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:26.159
 whether it was going

00:30:26.159 --> 00:30:27.039
 to work out okay,

00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:27.759
 but they said,

00:30:27.859 --> 00:30:28.839
 I can trust you, God,

00:30:28.919 --> 00:30:29.799
 because I see

00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:30.599
 that you're faithful.

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:33.419
 And you see what happens?

00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:35.399
 The midwives

00:30:35.399 --> 00:30:37.659
 themselves get kids.

00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:38.659
 Did you read that?

00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:40.299
 The midwives

00:30:40.299 --> 00:30:42.079
 get blessed as well,

00:30:42.119 --> 00:30:43.399
 and they get part of this promise

00:30:43.400 --> 00:30:43.960
 of blessing,

00:30:44.040 --> 00:30:44.560
 of multiplication.

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:46.780
 God works through

00:30:46.780 --> 00:30:47.759
 their faithfulness.

00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:50.700
 The reason we try

00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:52.080
 and control is fear.

00:30:53.620 --> 00:30:55.240
 We fear life

00:30:55.240 --> 00:30:56.259
 is out of control,

00:30:56.420 --> 00:30:57.480
 but the Bible's message

00:30:57.480 --> 00:30:58.519
 is for you

00:30:58.519 --> 00:30:59.320
 and for me

00:30:59.320 --> 00:31:00.460
 right now.

00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:02.700
 From the day you were born

00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:03.800
 to the day you die,

00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:04.720
 God has got

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.940
 every single minute,

00:31:06.360 --> 00:31:07.560
 every single second,

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.720
 every crisis,

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:09.960
 every success,

00:31:10.420 --> 00:31:11.600
 every situation

00:31:11.600 --> 00:31:12.300
 in his hands.

00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:12.799
 I don't know

00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:13.399
 what you're facing

00:31:13.399 --> 00:31:13.899
 right now,

00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:14.759
 but he's got it.

00:31:15.299 --> 00:31:16.000
 He's got it

00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:16.980
 in his hands.

00:31:18.159 --> 00:31:18.879
 There's never been

00:31:18.879 --> 00:31:20.279
 one moment in your life

00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:21.180
 where your life

00:31:21.180 --> 00:31:22.059
 has been out of control.

00:31:24.159 --> 00:31:24.599
 Now,

00:31:24.779 --> 00:31:25.639
 I find that hard

00:31:25.639 --> 00:31:26.279
 because, you know,

00:31:26.419 --> 00:31:27.500
 I sure feel like

00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:28.399
 life is out of control

00:31:28.399 --> 00:31:28.960
 sometimes.

00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:34.139
 But you know

00:31:34.139 --> 00:31:34.919
 why I feel like

00:31:34.919 --> 00:31:35.759
 it's out of control?

00:31:35.940 --> 00:31:36.579
 It's because it's

00:31:36.579 --> 00:31:37.559
 out of my control.

00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:39.440
 It's not out of

00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:40.019
 his control.

00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:42.099
 And it's just

00:31:42.099 --> 00:31:42.960
 when life is not

00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:43.480
 going the way

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.619
 I want it to work

00:31:44.619 --> 00:31:46.019
 according to my plans,

00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:47.200
 that's when I feel

00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:48.000
 it's out of control.

00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:49.039
 But God is saying,

00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.059
 I am great.

00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:51.839
 My plan is much bigger,

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:52.539
 much greater,

00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:53.519
 much more beautiful.

00:31:53.879 --> 00:31:54.139
 In fact,

00:31:54.200 --> 00:31:55.779
 I have plans to bless you,

00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:57.200
 not to harm you.

00:31:57.639 --> 00:31:58.279
 Plans to give you

00:31:58.279 --> 00:31:59.379
 a hope and a future.

00:31:59.639 --> 00:32:00.859
 And we take that promise

00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:01.319
 and we say,

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:01.759
 okay,

00:32:01.819 --> 00:32:02.400
 I've got plans

00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:03.500
 to bless my plans,

00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:04.500
 plans to give me

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.680
 a hope for my future

00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:06.019
 with everything

00:32:06.019 --> 00:32:07.460
 that I want to do.

00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:07.819
 And he says,

00:32:07.879 --> 00:32:07.980
 no,

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:08.079
 no,

00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:08.200
 no,

00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:09.119
 my plans are better

00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:09.939
 than your plans.

00:32:13.179 --> 00:32:14.699
 And God being in control

00:32:14.699 --> 00:32:15.779
 doesn't mean we kind of

00:32:15.779 --> 00:32:16.379
 sit back and say,

00:32:16.459 --> 00:32:16.619
 well,

00:32:16.719 --> 00:32:17.479
 God's in control.

00:32:17.679 --> 00:32:18.659
 I don't have to go to work.

00:32:19.679 --> 00:32:19.939
 Okay?

00:32:20.899 --> 00:32:22.239
 I don't have to feed myself.

00:32:22.919 --> 00:32:23.119
 You know,

00:32:23.199 --> 00:32:24.179
 leave the chopsticks there,

00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:25.000
 they'll kind of magically

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:26.299
 food will come into my mouth.

00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:27.719
 You know,

00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:28.419
 a farmer

00:32:28.419 --> 00:32:31.619
 goes out to sow

00:32:31.619 --> 00:32:32.459
 seed

00:32:32.459 --> 00:32:33.659
 because that's his job.

00:32:33.660 --> 00:32:36.100
 but he knows

00:32:36.100 --> 00:32:36.660
 that the growing

00:32:36.660 --> 00:32:37.300
 of the crops

00:32:37.300 --> 00:32:39.920
 is out of his hands.

00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:42.600
 His job is to plant the seed.

00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:43.920
 He doesn't control the weather.

00:32:45.080 --> 00:32:45.960
 He's not in control

00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:46.600
 of the results.

00:32:47.259 --> 00:32:48.019
 He's just faithful

00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:48.840
 with what he's got.

00:32:50.380 --> 00:32:51.560
 If there's no God,

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.759
 the world is a scary place

00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:55.259
 and you have to grasp

00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:56.380
 for control

00:32:56.380 --> 00:32:58.060
 or you'll go insane.

00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:01.140
 But unlike Christopher Hitchens

00:33:01.140 --> 00:33:01.600
 says,

00:33:01.700 --> 00:33:02.440
 there is a God

00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:04.620
 who is in control,

00:33:04.780 --> 00:33:05.800
 who's not a dictator

00:33:05.800 --> 00:33:08.680
 and he's your heavenly father.

00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:11.960
 More than that,

00:33:12.020 --> 00:33:13.020
 he's got a plan

00:33:13.020 --> 00:33:14.640
 which is for your good

00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:16.400
 and for his glory

00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:17.780
 and it's much better

00:33:17.780 --> 00:33:18.700
 than you could imagine.

00:33:23.520 --> 00:33:24.060
 You see,

00:33:24.120 --> 00:33:24.759
 in the story,

00:33:27.540 --> 00:33:28.180
 Pharaoh

00:33:28.180 --> 00:33:30.180
 tried to control everything.

00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:32.580
 But God

00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:34.180
 had a bigger idea.

00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:35.460
 Chapter 2,

00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:36.340
 you see,

00:33:36.840 --> 00:33:37.740
 a baby is born

00:33:37.740 --> 00:33:38.960
 into an Israelite family

00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:41.460
 and the very plan

00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:42.900
 that Pharaoh had used

00:33:42.900 --> 00:33:43.780
 to try and control

00:33:43.780 --> 00:33:44.440
 the Israelites

00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:46.000
 is the very plan

00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:46.940
 that God uses

00:33:46.940 --> 00:33:48.020
 to actually bring

00:33:48.020 --> 00:33:48.840
 a deliverer

00:33:48.840 --> 00:33:49.780
 who is Moses

00:33:49.780 --> 00:33:50.700
 who hides him

00:33:50.700 --> 00:33:51.320
 in a basket.

00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:53.000
 He's then taken

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:54.320
 by the Pharaoh's daughter

00:33:54.320 --> 00:33:56.340
 and he is basically

00:33:56.340 --> 00:33:57.540
 protected

00:33:57.540 --> 00:33:58.840
 from the Pharaoh

00:33:58.840 --> 00:33:59.620
 by being brought

00:33:59.619 --> 00:34:01.579
 into Pharaoh's own house

00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:03.639
 right under the nose

00:34:03.639 --> 00:34:04.259
 of Pharaoh

00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:07.219
 and he's the one

00:34:07.219 --> 00:34:08.039
 that God is going to use

00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:09.039
 to deliver his people.

00:34:09.739 --> 00:34:09.900
 Now,

00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:11.000
 would you have planned that?

00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:11.659
 I don't think

00:34:11.659 --> 00:34:12.739
 if I had planned the story,

00:34:12.799 --> 00:34:13.519
 I would have planned that

00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:13.980
 that way.

00:34:14.179 --> 00:34:15.460
 But God has a bigger plan

00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:16.400
 that he's working out.

00:34:16.779 --> 00:34:17.159
 You see,

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:19.079
 when God's in control,

00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:19.519
 you see,

00:34:19.619 --> 00:34:20.500
 he's doing something

00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:21.480
 so much bigger.

00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:26.460
 Moses wasn't the only one

00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.920
 who was a deliverer

00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:28.760
 in Egypt.

00:34:28.940 --> 00:34:29.300
 You see,

00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:31.719
 1,000,

00:34:32.240 --> 00:34:33.420
 1,500 years later,

00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:34.940
 there was another

00:34:34.940 --> 00:34:35.860
 control freak

00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:36.820
 called Herod

00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:39.199
 who also tried

00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:41.320
 to control

00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:42.480
 God's plans

00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:44.559
 by killing

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:45.639
 baby boys

00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:46.659
 in Bethlehem.

00:34:46.659 --> 00:34:48.460
 but there was

00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:49.279
 one baby boy

00:34:49.279 --> 00:34:51.500
 who God

00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.239
 gave a dream

00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:53.259
 to his parents

00:34:53.259 --> 00:34:54.039
 and told them

00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:54.659
 to escape

00:34:54.659 --> 00:34:55.460
 to Egypt

00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:57.460
 because God

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:58.179
 was going to make

00:34:58.179 --> 00:34:59.239
 this baby boy

00:34:59.239 --> 00:35:00.359
 a deliverer

00:35:00.359 --> 00:35:01.099
 and a rescuer

00:35:01.099 --> 00:35:01.839
 like no other.

00:35:03.259 --> 00:35:03.639
 You see,

00:35:03.759 --> 00:35:04.539
 Herod could not

00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.199
 have imagined

00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:06.179
 this plan

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:08.039
 but God knew

00:35:08.039 --> 00:35:08.819
 what he was up to

00:35:08.819 --> 00:35:09.539
 all the time

00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:10.940
 because that baby boy

00:35:10.940 --> 00:35:12.039
 was Jesus.

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:13.440
 Jesus,

00:35:13.619 --> 00:35:14.099
 the one

00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:15.259
 who in Philippians

00:35:15.260 --> 00:35:15.640
 it says,

00:35:15.720 --> 00:35:16.480
 didn't grasp

00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:17.820
 hold of control

00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.660
 to stay

00:35:18.660 --> 00:35:20.160
 kind of seizing

00:35:20.160 --> 00:35:21.140
 power for himself

00:35:21.140 --> 00:35:22.360
 but he humbled himself,

00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:23.460
 made himself a servant

00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:25.240
 and came to serve us

00:35:25.240 --> 00:35:27.840
 by dying on a cross,

00:35:28.480 --> 00:35:29.600
 taking that judgment

00:35:29.600 --> 00:35:31.340
 that control freaks

00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:32.780
 like Pharaoh deserve

00:35:32.780 --> 00:35:33.800
 and like you and me

00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:34.280
 deserve

00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:39.100
 so that we could enjoy

00:35:39.100 --> 00:35:40.900
 relationship with our Father

00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:42.100
 knowing that he

00:35:42.100 --> 00:35:43.620
 is in control

00:35:43.619 --> 00:35:45.319
 and we don't have to be.

00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:48.359
 We don't have

00:35:48.359 --> 00:35:49.380
 a tyrannical God.

00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:50.059
 We have a God

00:35:50.059 --> 00:35:50.739
 whose love

00:35:50.739 --> 00:35:51.619
 is endless

00:35:51.619 --> 00:35:52.960
 for you

00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:54.059
 and for me

00:35:54.059 --> 00:35:57.119
 and if he's loving

00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:58.900
 and if he's in control,

00:35:59.900 --> 00:36:02.059
 why do we so

00:36:02.059 --> 00:36:02.839
 want to hold on

00:36:02.839 --> 00:36:03.500
 to control?

00:36:03.500 --> 00:36:10.260
 you don't replace

00:36:10.260 --> 00:36:11.699
 an idol

00:36:11.699 --> 00:36:12.420
 of control

00:36:12.420 --> 00:36:14.039
 by stopping

00:36:14.039 --> 00:36:14.559
 trying to be

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.059
 in control.

00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:17.739
 You replace it

00:36:17.739 --> 00:36:18.420
 by seeing

00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:20.039
 that Jesus

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:21.219
 is the ultimate

00:36:21.219 --> 00:36:21.780
 one

00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:23.280
 who has died

00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:23.960
 for you,

00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:25.219
 gave up his life

00:36:25.219 --> 00:36:25.820
 for you

00:36:25.820 --> 00:36:26.639
 and you

00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:28.099
 can trust

00:36:28.099 --> 00:36:28.619
 him

00:36:28.619 --> 00:36:29.679
 because he's good

00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:31.320
 and as you walk

00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:31.840
 in trust

00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:32.340
 of him,

00:36:32.539 --> 00:36:33.380
 your faith

00:36:33.380 --> 00:36:33.780
 in him

00:36:33.780 --> 00:36:34.360
 will grow

00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:35.579
 because he always,

00:36:35.720 --> 00:36:36.519
 always,

00:36:36.680 --> 00:36:37.840
 always keeps

00:36:37.840 --> 00:36:38.440
 his promises.

00:36:39.940 --> 00:36:40.740
 I don't know

00:36:40.740 --> 00:36:41.260
 what's happening

00:36:41.260 --> 00:36:42.000
 in your life

00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:42.900
 right now

00:36:42.900 --> 00:36:43.579
 but there will be

00:36:43.579 --> 00:36:44.440
 things this week

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:44.980
 where you

00:36:44.980 --> 00:36:45.780
 are going to be

00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:46.220
 tempted

00:36:46.220 --> 00:36:47.800
 to grasp hold

00:36:47.800 --> 00:36:48.760
 of and to stress,

00:36:48.900 --> 00:36:49.519
 to get angry,

00:36:49.640 --> 00:36:50.539
 to get frustrated,

00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:51.940
 to be manipulative,

00:36:52.260 --> 00:36:52.940
 to give people

00:36:52.940 --> 00:36:53.880
 a silent treatment,

00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:54.960
 to be critical.

00:36:55.260 --> 00:36:55.780
 You're going to be

00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:56.559
 tempted in all

00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:57.260
 of these ways

00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:58.620
 and God says,

00:36:58.900 --> 00:36:59.180
 listen,

00:36:59.179 --> 00:37:00.440
 will you trust

00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:01.419
 me who's got

00:37:01.419 --> 00:37:02.179
 this situation

00:37:02.179 --> 00:37:02.859
 better than you

00:37:02.859 --> 00:37:03.259
 have it?

00:37:07.919 --> 00:37:08.639
 If you're not

00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:09.159
 a Christian,

00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:11.539
 your whole life

00:37:11.539 --> 00:37:12.460
 in some way

00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:13.440
 or other

00:37:13.440 --> 00:37:15.119
 is basically

00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:15.839
 trying to be

00:37:15.839 --> 00:37:16.399
 in control.

00:37:17.699 --> 00:37:18.579
 It may seem

00:37:18.579 --> 00:37:19.539
 to work for a while

00:37:19.539 --> 00:37:22.039
 but like that lion,

00:37:22.879 --> 00:37:23.819
 the lion of life

00:37:23.819 --> 00:37:24.759
 is not tame.

00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:27.700
 it's on your

00:37:27.700 --> 00:37:28.140
 shoulders

00:37:28.140 --> 00:37:29.520
 the whole of life.

00:37:29.740 --> 00:37:30.700
 That is a heavy

00:37:30.700 --> 00:37:31.880
 weight to bear

00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:33.640
 and it may not

00:37:33.640 --> 00:37:34.220
 just be you

00:37:34.220 --> 00:37:34.700
 but it may be

00:37:34.700 --> 00:37:35.520
 the people around

00:37:35.520 --> 00:37:36.860
 you who suffer

00:37:36.860 --> 00:37:37.800
 the consequences

00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:38.760
 of your control.

00:37:42.220 --> 00:37:43.000
 God's call

00:37:43.000 --> 00:37:43.600
 for you

00:37:43.600 --> 00:37:44.560
 is to respond

00:37:44.560 --> 00:37:45.120
 today

00:37:45.120 --> 00:37:46.180
 and to repent

00:37:46.180 --> 00:37:47.160
 which means

00:37:47.160 --> 00:37:47.840
 to say,

00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:48.080
 God,

00:37:48.140 --> 00:37:48.540
 I've tried

00:37:48.540 --> 00:37:49.440
 to take control

00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:50.300
 of my life.

00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:51.520
 Forgive me.

00:37:51.780 --> 00:37:52.320
 I've tried

00:37:52.320 --> 00:37:53.300
 to do your job

00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:53.860
 which is only

00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:54.599
 job that you

00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:55.160
 can do

00:37:55.160 --> 00:37:57.140
 but I want

00:37:57.140 --> 00:37:57.680
 you to be

00:37:57.680 --> 00:37:58.500
 my Lord.

00:37:58.680 --> 00:37:59.240
 I don't want

00:37:59.240 --> 00:37:59.780
 to be the one

00:37:59.780 --> 00:38:00.300
 who is Lord

00:38:00.300 --> 00:38:01.380
 of all of my life

00:38:01.380 --> 00:38:02.460
 because I can't

00:38:02.460 --> 00:38:03.180
 save myself.

00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:04.120
 Some of you

00:38:04.120 --> 00:38:04.680
 need to pray

00:38:04.680 --> 00:38:05.400
 that today.

00:38:07.099 --> 00:38:07.760
 Some of us

00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:08.320
 are Christians.

00:38:08.780 --> 00:38:09.200
 Some of us

00:38:09.200 --> 00:38:10.019
 think we're

00:38:10.019 --> 00:38:10.440
 Christians

00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:11.400
 because we

00:38:11.400 --> 00:38:12.260
 come to church

00:38:12.260 --> 00:38:12.940
 but if we're

00:38:12.940 --> 00:38:13.280
 to look at

00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:14.099
 our lives,

00:38:15.280 --> 00:38:16.140
 your finger marks

00:38:16.140 --> 00:38:16.740
 are all over

00:38:16.740 --> 00:38:17.320
 every part

00:38:17.320 --> 00:38:18.019
 of your life.

00:38:19.720 --> 00:38:20.380
 You allow

00:38:20.380 --> 00:38:20.940
 God into

00:38:20.940 --> 00:38:21.640
 one closet

00:38:21.640 --> 00:38:22.539
 in your heart

00:38:22.539 --> 00:38:23.360
 but the rest

00:38:23.360 --> 00:38:23.960
 of your house

00:38:23.960 --> 00:38:24.740
 is your domain

00:38:24.740 --> 00:38:25.300
 to rule

00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:26.079
 and to reign.

00:38:28.019 --> 00:38:28.800
 You don't want

00:38:28.800 --> 00:38:29.980
 God to drive

00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:30.460
 your car

00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:30.960
 because you're

00:38:30.960 --> 00:38:31.440
 afraid he's

00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:31.880
 going to mess

00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:32.660
 up your plans.

00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:33.039
 He's going

00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:33.380
 to ruin

00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:33.920
 your life

00:38:33.920 --> 00:38:34.599
 and let me

00:38:34.599 --> 00:38:35.099
 tell you,

00:38:35.340 --> 00:38:35.980
 God will

00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:37.320
 ruin your plans

00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:39.180
 but he's got

00:38:39.180 --> 00:38:39.880
 a better one.

00:38:40.760 --> 00:38:41.120
 He's got

00:38:41.120 --> 00:38:41.800
 a better one

00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:45.300
 and the reason

00:38:45.300 --> 00:38:46.059
 sometimes

00:38:46.059 --> 00:38:46.960
 that for me

00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:48.320
 Jesus doesn't

00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:48.940
 thrill me,

00:38:49.420 --> 00:38:50.260
 the reason

00:38:50.260 --> 00:38:51.260
 why

00:38:51.260 --> 00:38:52.780
 if I ask

00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.360
 you

00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:54.120
 honestly

00:38:54.120 --> 00:38:54.940
 and me

00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:55.680
 honestly

00:38:55.680 --> 00:38:56.500
 do I

00:38:56.500 --> 00:38:57.100
 overflow

00:38:57.100 --> 00:38:58.180
 with a love

00:38:58.180 --> 00:38:58.920
 and a peace

00:38:58.920 --> 00:39:00.140
 and a contentment

00:39:00.140 --> 00:39:01.380
 in Christ

00:39:01.380 --> 00:39:02.600
 at the moment.

00:39:02.920 --> 00:39:03.840
 One of the reasons

00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:05.160
 why if I asked

00:39:05.160 --> 00:39:05.780
 your colleagues,

00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:06.460
 if I asked

00:39:06.460 --> 00:39:07.160
 your family,

00:39:07.540 --> 00:39:08.480
 do you see

00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:09.700
 Christ working

00:39:09.700 --> 00:39:10.780
 in their life

00:39:10.780 --> 00:39:11.640
 in a joy-filled

00:39:11.640 --> 00:39:12.000
 way?

00:39:12.120 --> 00:39:13.020
 One of the reasons

00:39:13.020 --> 00:39:14.620
 why in some areas

00:39:14.620 --> 00:39:15.300
 of our lives

00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:16.400
 we might have to

00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:17.100
 honestly say

00:39:17.100 --> 00:39:18.040
 I'm not sure

00:39:18.039 --> 00:39:18.619
 that I do

00:39:18.619 --> 00:39:19.259
 is because

00:39:19.259 --> 00:39:19.960
 I've tried

00:39:19.960 --> 00:39:20.759
 to keep hold

00:39:20.759 --> 00:39:21.219
 of it

00:39:21.219 --> 00:39:22.380
 for myself

00:39:22.380 --> 00:39:23.279
 and I'm not

00:39:23.279 --> 00:39:23.940
 a very good

00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:25.279
 dictator of my life

00:39:25.279 --> 00:39:29.599
 and God's call

00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.199
 for me

00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:31.119
 and God's call

00:39:31.119 --> 00:39:31.679
 for you

00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:32.920
 is to repent,

00:39:33.639 --> 00:39:34.699
 to lay down

00:39:34.699 --> 00:39:35.500
 those areas

00:39:35.500 --> 00:39:36.099
 where you

00:39:36.099 --> 00:39:36.860
 are trying

00:39:36.860 --> 00:39:37.739
 to hold on

00:39:37.739 --> 00:39:38.400
 and find

00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:39.320
 your security,

00:39:39.739 --> 00:39:40.460
 your identity

00:39:40.460 --> 00:39:41.599
 in what you

00:39:41.599 --> 00:39:42.079
 can do

00:39:42.079 --> 00:39:42.840
 to fix

00:39:42.840 --> 00:39:43.400
 your life.

00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:47.700
 God's not

00:39:47.700 --> 00:39:48.300
 interested in

00:39:48.300 --> 00:39:48.700
 making your

00:39:48.700 --> 00:39:49.539
 plans work out.

00:39:50.840 --> 00:39:51.300
 Sorry,

00:39:52.440 --> 00:39:53.000
 He's not.

00:39:54.680 --> 00:39:55.420
 But He's got

00:39:55.420 --> 00:39:56.180
 a better plan

00:39:56.180 --> 00:39:58.079
 and His plan

00:39:58.079 --> 00:39:58.440
 is always

00:39:58.440 --> 00:39:59.079
 for your good.

00:40:00.180 --> 00:40:00.639
 It's always

00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:01.200
 for your good,

00:40:01.660 --> 00:40:03.000
 your joy.

00:40:03.280 --> 00:40:03.700
 It's always

00:40:03.700 --> 00:40:04.519
 for your peace.

00:40:04.880 --> 00:40:05.519
 It's always

00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:05.980
 so that you

00:40:05.980 --> 00:40:06.660
 will experience

00:40:06.660 --> 00:40:07.139
 blessing.

00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:09.820
 So will you,

00:40:10.460 --> 00:40:11.039
 I don't know

00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:11.639
 what that area

00:40:11.639 --> 00:40:12.220
 is in your life,

00:40:12.280 --> 00:40:12.740
 just think

00:40:12.739 --> 00:40:13.559
 what is the areas

00:40:13.559 --> 00:40:14.119
 I have been

00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:15.059
 frustrated in

00:40:15.059 --> 00:40:15.579
 this week?

00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:17.699
 That may be

00:40:17.699 --> 00:40:18.059
 the area

00:40:18.059 --> 00:40:18.459
 you need to

00:40:18.459 --> 00:40:19.159
 open your closet

00:40:19.159 --> 00:40:19.479
 and say,

00:40:19.539 --> 00:40:19.699
 God,

00:40:19.739 --> 00:40:20.239
 I surrender

00:40:20.239 --> 00:40:20.899
 this to you.

00:40:21.319 --> 00:40:21.759
 I want to

00:40:21.759 --> 00:40:22.419
 trust you.

00:40:22.619 --> 00:40:23.139
 Help me to

00:40:23.139 --> 00:40:23.779
 trust you

00:40:23.779 --> 00:40:24.539
 in this area

00:40:24.539 --> 00:40:25.139
 of your life.

00:40:28.379 --> 00:40:29.019
 I have a

00:40:29.019 --> 00:40:29.619
 short video

00:40:29.619 --> 00:40:30.439
 that I want

00:40:30.439 --> 00:40:31.699
 to show you

00:40:31.699 --> 00:40:32.519
 which I think

00:40:32.519 --> 00:40:33.159
 demonstrates

00:40:33.159 --> 00:40:33.659
 some of how

00:40:33.659 --> 00:40:34.219
 this works.

00:40:39.719 --> 00:40:40.159
 I need

00:40:40.159 --> 00:40:41.239
 for you.

00:40:42.440 --> 00:40:45.899
 Two泣 lynδα

00:40:45.899 --> 00:40:47.579
 will jump

00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:54.619
 out of

00:40:54.619 --> 00:40:55.639
 the moment

00:40:55.839 --> 00:40:56.659
 where

00:40:56.659 --> 00:40:56.819
 and

00:40:56.819 --> 00:40:56.940
 have

00:40:57.259 --> 00:40:57.500
 you

00:40:57.500 --> 00:40:57.539
 who

00:40:57.759 --> 00:40:58.039
ress

00:40:58.099 --> 00:40:58.599
 home

00:40:58.599 --> 00:40:59.000
 to

00:40:59.119 --> 00:40:59.460
 example,

00:40:59.460 --> 00:41:00.159
 that I

00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:00.519
 could ride

00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:00.779
 from the

00:41:00.779 --> 00:41:01.739
 side of the

00:41:01.739 --> 00:41:02.639
 or?

00:41:02.799 --> 00:41:03.619
 I can't see you

00:41:03.619 --> 00:41:03.879
 if you're

00:41:03.879 --> 00:41:04.699
 listening to me

00:41:04.699 --> 00:41:05.460
 I'll be

00:41:05.460 --> 00:41:06.299
 at a little

00:41:06.299 --> 00:41:07.399
 a little

00:41:07.399 --> 00:41:08.559
 absorbe

00:41:08.559 --> 00:41:38.539
 Thank you.

00:41:38.559 --> 00:42:08.539
 Thank you.

00:42:08.559 --> 00:42:38.539
 Thank you.

00:42:38.559 --> 00:43:08.539
 Thank you.

00:43:08.559 --> 00:43:38.539
 Thank you.

00:43:38.559 --> 00:44:08.539
 Thank you.

00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:10.559
 Thank you.

00:44:10.559 --> 00:44:11.500
 You say that after me.

00:44:12.599 --> 00:44:13.400
 God is great.

00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:16.119
 Come on.

00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:18.599
 It's not too long.

00:44:19.380 --> 00:44:20.179
 You can cope.

00:44:21.179 --> 00:44:22.179
 God is great.

00:44:22.179 --> 00:44:22.219
 God is great.

00:44:23.339 --> 00:44:25.500
 So I do not have to be in control.

00:44:25.500 --> 00:44:27.500
 I want you to be in control.

00:44:27.500 --> 00:44:31.940
 I want you to close your eyes with me.

00:44:31.940 --> 00:44:38.220
 And I want you to think in your life right now.

00:44:38.219 --> 00:44:49.739
 Where are the areas where I'm afraid to let God, well, have the control that he already has.

00:44:49.739 --> 00:44:59.479
 Where am I trying to get hold of that steering wheel and not let him be the one who leads and guides me?

00:44:59.480 --> 00:45:06.480
 I don't know what God has for you.

00:45:06.480 --> 00:45:08.519
 I don't know what God has for you.

00:45:08.519 --> 00:45:09.760
 Sometimes life can be tough.

00:45:09.760 --> 00:45:11.699
 It was for the Israelites.

00:45:11.699 --> 00:45:15.619
 But God is working something far greater.

00:45:15.619 --> 00:45:21.400
 If you trust him, you will see his plan working amazing.

00:45:21.400 --> 00:45:24.539
 Let's just pray for a minute.

00:45:24.539 --> 00:45:24.559
 Let's just pray for a minute.

00:45:24.559 --> 00:45:28.559
 Let's just pray for a minute.

00:45:28.559 --> 00:45:42.460
 I think we need to repent in some areas.

00:45:47.039 --> 00:45:55.039
 Father, I just admit that actually, I don't think I'm a control freak.

00:45:55.039 --> 00:45:59.380
 But there are so many areas of my life where I am.

00:46:01.460 --> 00:46:16.400
 And when I try and take hold of things, it actually hinders me from enjoying my childlike relationship with my father who I know, who I know loves me and will provide.

00:46:20.400 --> 00:46:22.000
 I pray for all of us here, Lord.

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:28.719
 I pray for some people here who really wonder whether God can be trustworthy.

00:46:31.119 --> 00:46:33.579
 Things have happened in life which have been tough.

00:46:35.920 --> 00:46:38.159
 You've had to work your way through things.

00:46:40.059 --> 00:46:42.780
 Maybe you feel like you've been successful.

00:46:42.780 --> 00:46:47.280
 And you've been able to do it by yourself.

00:46:47.360 --> 00:46:49.180
 So why do I need to trust God?

00:46:49.179 --> 00:47:00.519
 Lord, I pray, Lord, for those of us who think that, Lord, you would show us the damage we do to other people, Lord, when we try and take control.

00:47:00.519 --> 00:47:20.039
 Lord, show us that your way to trust you enables us to love people, love our kids, love our families, love our colleagues, love our friends, love the people around us in so much greater ways than if we have to be the one who sorts it all out.

00:47:20.039 --> 00:47:26.940
 Father, thank you that you are faithful.

00:47:28.380 --> 00:47:31.440
 Please help us to remember that this week as we go.

00:47:32.380 --> 00:47:33.000
 In your name.

00:47:33.000 --> 00:47:33.079
 Amen.

00:47:33.079 --> 00:47:34.320
 Amen.

00:47:34.320 --> 00:47:34.400
 Amen.

00:47:34.400 --> 00:47:34.440
 Amen.

00:47:34.440 --> 00:47:35.000
 Amen.

00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:35.059
 Amen.

00:47:35.059 --> 00:47:35.119
 Amen.

00:47:35.119 --> 00:47:35.179
 Amen.

00:47:35.179 --> 00:47:35.219
 Amen.

00:47:35.219 --> 00:47:35.279
 Amen.

00:47:35.279 --> 00:47:36.219
 Amen.

00:47:36.219 --> 00:47:36.279
 Amen.

00:47:36.279 --> 00:47:37.279
 Amen.

00:47:37.279 --> 00:47:38.279
 Amen.

00:47:38.279 --> 00:47:38.340
 Amen.

00:47:38.340 --> 00:47:38.400
 Amen.

00:47:38.400 --> 00:47:38.440
 Amen.

00:47:38.440 --> 00:47:38.500
 Amen.

00:47:38.500 --> 00:47:38.539
 Amen.