1 00:00:14,119 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,379 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:27,039 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:42,939 All right. Now we can start. Right. Okay. Don't, don't sit back there. Come on forward. 5 00:00:43,799 --> 00:00:49,700 All right. Okay. All right. Does that have your name on it? 6 00:00:53,100 --> 00:01:05,900 In memory of, right? Yes. Yes. Monuments and remembrances. Well, Lord, we thank you for your 7 00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:15,840 goodness to us. We thank you that we can gather in your name, various walks of life, persuasions, 8 00:01:18,439 --> 00:01:24,700 activities, life situations, but father, there's one thing that we have in common 9 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:32,099 and that is that we're all purchased with your blood. So we thank you tonight that we can claim 10 00:01:32,099 --> 00:01:40,480 that as victory and we can walk in that, not walking by ourselves and thinking by ourselves 11 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:45,560 and hoping by ourselves, but Lord, because of what you have done, what you're doing 12 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:52,939 and for your return, we pray. And everyone said, amen. Amen. Amen. All right. 13 00:01:54,800 --> 00:02:04,019 The book of Joshua is very different now. We're finally out of the law giving stage 14 00:02:04,659 --> 00:02:12,879 and we're into some of the excursions that as people of God, they are now transitioning 15 00:02:12,879 --> 00:02:20,699 into the promised land. And that's exciting because all the theory that was and all the 16 00:02:20,699 --> 00:02:28,800 building of the nation and all that was to be done as God formed in them, who they are supposed 17 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:36,139 to be is for all intent purposes, pretty well finished. Now it's abiding in those laws and 18 00:02:36,139 --> 00:02:43,979 precepts and going into the land and doing physical battle and conquering the land. And 19 00:02:43,979 --> 00:02:52,479 if you look at the story, by and large, that story is like our life. Our life in Christ, 20 00:02:52,479 --> 00:02:59,680 he has given us riches. He has given us gifts that are given to us individually. 21 00:03:00,460 --> 00:03:08,800 He has given us a victory and it's for ours to do what? To claim, to walk in and to thank the Lord 22 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:16,520 for, to do battle for those things and move forward in his name. So let's talk a little 23 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:25,659 bit about memorials that are for remembrance and a testimony. Now think about this. God uses even 24 00:03:25,659 --> 00:03:30,759 the smallest details for remembrance and I want you to think about the details of your own life. 25 00:03:31,740 --> 00:03:37,099 These Israelites that are presently now gathering and moving over into the promised land 26 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:45,020 had no remembrances like being delivered from the plagues, like being delivered from Egypt, 27 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:52,360 like seeing the miraculous activity such as Chris was talking about and I always picture 28 00:03:53,679 --> 00:03:59,659 the Heston standing on the rock and all the things that went through that movie 29 00:03:59,659 --> 00:04:08,500 as a magnificent portrayal of God's might and power. And yet these people did not have that 30 00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:14,759 opportunity. They were born in the desert. All they knew was camping and doing and working around 31 00:04:15,020 --> 00:04:23,459 and now it was time for them to enter into a new phase of life. And so what God wants to do, 32 00:04:24,180 --> 00:04:31,899 he wants to indulibly come to them and have remembrances so they can build upon and how 33 00:04:31,899 --> 00:04:36,279 many of us have remembrances of things in our life. It doesn't have to be spiritual. 34 00:04:36,939 --> 00:04:40,240 It's that things have happened and things that have been doing, 35 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:46,079 I've been influencing rather that we now have as a memory of those things and we're going to talk 36 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:54,360 about that in a little bit. So in a review of chapter four, the first set of stones was a 37 00:04:54,360 --> 00:05:01,560 memorial of God's faithfulness. You know, they were 12 men, they had to pick up a stone 38 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:08,339 and so forth two different times and so the first memorial was very public. 39 00:05:09,060 --> 00:05:18,339 It was an idea of being faithful to their God. They arranged the stones at Gilgal as a sacred 40 00:05:18,339 --> 00:05:24,959 memorial marking the spot where the nation had entered the promised land. So that's a place 41 00:05:24,959 --> 00:05:32,319 marker or a placeholder that they could look at. And it wasn't by their own strength and it was 42 00:05:32,319 --> 00:05:39,800 only by the hand of the Lord that brought them to this point. So we have that as a memorial. 43 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:50,879 God made a way where there was no way and he kept his promises and he led us, 44 00:05:50,959 --> 00:05:56,339 meaning the Israelites, through to this point in time. So here we are embarking on a whole new 45 00:05:56,339 --> 00:06:01,060 threshold. And then it says in the scripture that when children would ask what do these 46 00:06:01,060 --> 00:06:06,079 stones mean, they would simply tell them of God's power. So it's a reminder. 47 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:14,120 Now the second set of stones, it was a hidden testimony and anybody has read or remembered 48 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:22,379 where those stones were placed? In the Jordan. They weren't even for public use, it was private. 49 00:06:22,379 --> 00:06:31,379 It was a hidden testimony. These hidden stones, stack of stones, were not visible but private 50 00:06:31,379 --> 00:06:39,600 to Joshua. They marked the exact place where the presence of God stood showing the authority of 51 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:52,360 Joshua after they followed Joshua's orders. See, Joshua was new. They knew him but he wasn't the 52 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:58,040 one. Okay, well what about this Joshua? You know, is he going to be anointed like Moses was? 53 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:05,240 And we find out that they then accepted and followed him after this remarkable dividing 54 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:15,660 of the Red Sea, of the Jordan. And we're also asked to remember his works and pass these stories 55 00:07:15,660 --> 00:07:20,600 to the next generation. So they're stories that we tell our children and our grandchildren 56 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:27,480 about the goodness of God, how he saved us and what we have gone through. And again, 57 00:07:27,939 --> 00:07:35,660 the witnesses are those who testify to the truth of an event or fact confirming that something 58 00:07:35,660 --> 00:07:43,019 really happened. No guess. I can show you the stones. This is where God was. He visited us. 59 00:07:43,300 --> 00:07:50,379 The priest came down in the river. They held up the Jordan at flood tide. All the people 60 00:07:50,379 --> 00:08:01,860 passed through. And if you look at the sequence of things and all the infantry, all the families 61 00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:08,500 passed through, those priests held that arc for a very long time as a million and a half, 62 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:14,720 two million people passed through there. And it was a testimony as to what they did. 63 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:21,899 All right. So now let's change and let's take a focus. We're talking about memorials. We're 64 00:08:21,899 --> 00:08:28,879 talking about remembrances. So here's a question and a quiz for you. What's that memorial? 65 00:08:38,259 --> 00:08:47,480 The Arlington Cemetery. Right. So that's something we know. Okay. Here's another one. 66 00:08:49,980 --> 00:09:00,360 The Arc de Triomphe. Okay. Here's another one. Yeah. The five soldiers holding the flag, 67 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:07,399 winning the war. So we all know those. We have those things in our mind. Well, how about this 68 00:09:07,399 --> 00:09:14,879 on a more personal note? How about family pictures? Things that mean something. 69 00:09:18,059 --> 00:09:24,639 Here's a picture. It doesn't mean anything to you, but it's my three boys in front of one of my 70 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:31,039 finished cars. Well, it's meaningful because I had three boys that we liked the same sport. 71 00:09:31,519 --> 00:09:39,159 We liked the same hobby and it's meaningful. So it's a memorial to our friendship, fathers and sons, 72 00:09:39,159 --> 00:09:48,539 what I did for a hobby. So it was meaningful to me in light of looking. And this thing is on a shelf 73 00:09:48,539 --> 00:09:53,000 with a lot of my little trinkets in my bedroom. And every once in a while I look at it and I say, 74 00:09:53,059 --> 00:09:59,840 okay, well, that's a good remembrance. We have all those things. We have two suitcases under 75 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:04,940 our bed. And since we live in a retirement community, there's not a lot of room and they 76 00:10:04,940 --> 00:10:12,940 are filled with photos. I don't know half the people in the photo. But every once in a while, 77 00:10:13,039 --> 00:10:17,039 Joni says, well, what about this? So I go rooting through these things and, you know, my word, 78 00:10:17,639 --> 00:10:22,539 sometimes I feel like I throw them all out, but I don't do that to be kind to her. And I guess to 79 00:10:22,539 --> 00:10:30,399 me and myself too. So we have those things. And when you see the picture, it reminds you 80 00:10:30,399 --> 00:10:36,360 of the circumstances and of the events that were meaningful to you, or maybe not so much. 81 00:10:36,799 --> 00:10:44,379 You know, who knows? What about this trophies, maybe ceramics that represent accomplishments, 82 00:10:45,539 --> 00:10:53,919 our first Bible or our life verse, our salvation, our baptism dates, 83 00:10:54,799 --> 00:10:58,240 trinkets representing our past. Here's a trinket of my past. 84 00:11:00,459 --> 00:11:08,179 It's a bomb. It won't go off. Honest. But it was something that I found as a 85 00:11:08,179 --> 00:11:13,580 diver in Bermuda when I lived there during the service. And it's a memorial to, yes, I was there 86 00:11:13,580 --> 00:11:20,100 because in the World War II, they used to use lead shot like this to practice their bombing raids. 87 00:11:20,340 --> 00:11:24,799 And this I found on the bottom of the ocean. It doesn't mean much to you. It's heavy. It's 88 00:11:24,799 --> 00:11:29,259 clunky. But it's something that sits on that shelf. Every time I go to bed, I think about 89 00:11:29,259 --> 00:11:35,779 that, I look at it. So my question to you is, in a secular sense, 90 00:11:38,339 --> 00:11:42,100 what memorials do you have? What comes to your mind when I think of that? 91 00:11:42,340 --> 00:11:46,639 And I gave you two of mine. What comes to your mind as something that you remember? 92 00:11:53,639 --> 00:11:56,000 Diplomas. Okay. Do you still have your diploma? 93 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,620 Yes. All right. How often do you take it out and look at it? 94 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:04,899 Not very often. Okay. But you have something. It's a memorial, an accomplishment, right? 95 00:12:05,220 --> 00:12:08,980 Yes, right. Good for you. Anything else? Anybody else? 96 00:12:11,980 --> 00:12:14,419 Oh, everybody's quiet tonight. You want to say something? 97 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:21,259 I don't know. I have a little shelf at home in my family room of my TV with all my little 98 00:12:21,259 --> 00:12:27,620 memorials. I have little things like I have a cup that I got from the last day of Shea 99 00:12:27,620 --> 00:12:34,820 Stadium when they closed. And I have a hockey puck because I'm a big Boston Bruin fan. 100 00:12:35,759 --> 00:12:40,500 And I had a friend that lived in Boston, and I would go up there sometimes, 101 00:12:40,500 --> 00:12:44,960 and we'd go to the Bruin games, and I got a puck. So I have that up there. Things like that. 102 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:51,500 Oh, yeah. Let's see. Oh, Jill, what was your memorial? 103 00:12:53,019 --> 00:12:59,059 When our kids were little, we kept a box of remembrances of all the things. I'll leave them 104 00:12:59,059 --> 00:13:09,120 there. That's okay. And we have in there pictures of things that, miracles, you know, of remembrances 105 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:16,919 of what God has done. Another thing that I do have is a cup from a friend of mine 106 00:13:16,919 --> 00:13:21,940 that was made out of, I don't even know what, maybe wood or something like that. 107 00:13:22,179 --> 00:13:29,539 But she was moving from Wek Ministries to another country, and it reminds me to pray for her. 108 00:13:29,539 --> 00:13:40,220 Oh, yeah. I have some t-shirts from missions trips, and some of them with all the students that 109 00:13:40,220 --> 00:13:46,500 were on the missions trip that all signed it. And, yeah, so we have them with Nicaragua with 110 00:13:46,500 --> 00:13:52,399 foam, you know, McRoberts, we have a bunch of missions trip t-shirts. That's cool. Yeah, 111 00:13:52,399 --> 00:14:01,460 it's good. Yeah, exactly. Let me moth-eaten by that, right. 112 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,159 Anyone else? They thought, yeah, Ginny. 113 00:14:09,340 --> 00:14:18,080 I have a memorial on my wrist from where I was last weekend with the community I'm also involved in, 114 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:25,639 and it says on this bracelet, Unafraid. Yes. Hey, very good. Very good. She had a nice hiatus 115 00:14:25,639 --> 00:14:32,480 and weekend. Oh. I have shoes that I did my personal record. 116 00:14:34,179 --> 00:14:41,779 All right. Okay. I mean, nobody can beat that. I just remembered something. When I put up 117 00:14:41,779 --> 00:14:46,820 the Christmas tree every year, you put the ornaments on it as almost every ornament on 118 00:14:46,820 --> 00:14:51,559 my tree is a monument, because they all remind me. Very good. I have things like my kids' first 119 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:58,320 Christmas, and I have one with me and my wife our first wedding, and I have one for each one 120 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:02,840 of my pets that I had in my life. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, so I have all kinds of monuments on there. 121 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:08,440 You're active. You know, since we moved all that, we don't do a tree anymore, so all that's in a 122 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:13,220 box. I look through it every Christmas, but I don't even open it up anymore. Yeah, no, that's 123 00:15:13,220 --> 00:15:22,240 good. Okay. So we've established that monuments are important to us, and you know, you wonder why 124 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:33,600 God was so interested in providing these monuments. It really wasn't for His sake. It's for our sake. 125 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:40,379 The very testimonies that you talked about, the things that are meaningful, are the fact that 126 00:15:40,379 --> 00:15:46,399 you remember them, and it means something to you, and you drift back in consciousness to those 127 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:52,860 things like your children's memories when they were young and so forth. It brings to remembrance 128 00:15:52,860 --> 00:15:59,940 those activities and experiences. Okay. So we accomplish that question. What are some of your 129 00:15:59,940 --> 00:16:09,039 memorials or remembrances? So God commits His people to remember what He has done in Deuteronomy 130 00:16:09,039 --> 00:16:16,679 8.2, and it says, you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you. 131 00:16:17,379 --> 00:16:21,159 In other words, not just some of it, the whole way that He's led you. 132 00:16:21,659 --> 00:16:28,220 Remembering the acts of God somehow eases the pain of present circumstances. How many found that 133 00:16:28,220 --> 00:16:36,159 true? You're into situations whereby you don't have an out, you don't have an answer, and all 134 00:16:36,159 --> 00:16:42,899 of a sudden some things from the past, God pulls up or you remember and you begin to think about 135 00:16:43,439 --> 00:16:48,960 these wonderful promises that He has either fulfilled, things that He's going to do in 136 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:54,779 your life in the future, and it somehow begins to bring ease to the situation. 137 00:16:55,419 --> 00:17:02,340 And that's why we do that. I used to keep on my cell phone answered prayer requests. I have the 138 00:17:02,340 --> 00:17:07,880 list of things that we pray for on the cell phone, and I used to transfer that to an answered list. 139 00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:13,960 The thing got so long under the notes, and one day I accidentally erased it. It was about 140 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:19,480 85 or 90 things, but I used to periodically go through those things about answer this, 141 00:17:19,660 --> 00:17:24,500 answer that, and had a date on it. And it encouraged me to be able to remember those 142 00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:33,660 things because so often we forget what God has done. We think, okay, well, yeah, and you think about, 143 00:17:34,180 --> 00:17:38,059 jeez, He hasn't done anything lately. Well, He has. It's just that we don't remember it. 144 00:17:39,079 --> 00:17:54,480 Okay. In Psalm 105, it says, remember the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles and the 145 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:59,640 due process of events that sometimes we go through. Let me give you an example. 146 00:18:01,559 --> 00:18:08,940 Some of you know I had to take a financial hit because of my business, and I had to go bankrupt. 147 00:18:10,259 --> 00:18:16,660 And the Lord brought all that back, and in that bankruptcy, and it was an astronomical 148 00:18:16,660 --> 00:18:25,440 amount of money. But there was two quarters of withholding taxes that as we closed the 149 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:32,960 corporation down, I suddenly realized my accountant didn't pay. And I had $15,000 over two quarters 150 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:37,480 on top of the hundreds of thousands of dollars. And I looked, I said, it's just impossible 151 00:18:38,100 --> 00:18:46,019 how I even get through this. So we negotiated to get rid of the overhanging debt, and we paid 152 00:18:46,019 --> 00:18:53,740 that down. But for about two weeks, I was extremely disappointed. And in a quandary, 153 00:18:53,819 --> 00:19:02,819 and I was, Lord, I mean, how much can I take? And miraculously, some group of, and an individual, 154 00:19:03,079 --> 00:19:10,920 came to me and paid those taxes for me. It was a miracle. And we have to remember those things, 155 00:19:11,019 --> 00:19:14,960 because when I was studying this, I think, well, what was the miracle? The miracle was 156 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:21,099 that that had happened to the tune of $15,000. Now that may not seem a lot to you, but at that 157 00:19:21,099 --> 00:19:26,180 point in time in my life where I was destitute, and I didn't have two nickels to rub together, 158 00:19:26,559 --> 00:19:32,220 God did something. It was a miracle. And then those things are due process. We pray for something, 159 00:19:32,859 --> 00:19:40,019 we begin to believe, we begin to thank God for it, and after a while, we see answers. 160 00:19:40,019 --> 00:19:45,920 How many have long-standing requests before the Lord that go for years sometimes? 161 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:53,339 You know, I tell people, I don't often pray for people at the top of my head, other than if they 162 00:19:53,339 --> 00:19:58,319 would come to the altar or whatever. But when I do say I will pray for you, that means I'll pray 163 00:19:58,319 --> 00:20:04,960 for you for the rest of my life until answered prayer becomes something that is evident. And so 164 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:12,279 we have those things that are long-standing. In due process, he will, again, he's always working, 165 00:20:12,700 --> 00:20:18,500 we may not see it, but consequently, we will experience it at some point in time of our life. 166 00:20:19,079 --> 00:20:25,079 So there are those things that are instantaneous and those things that are process. In Psalm 77, 167 00:20:25,099 --> 00:20:31,259 it says, I will remember the deeds of the Lord. I will ponder all your work and meditate 168 00:20:31,259 --> 00:20:36,180 on your mighty deeds. What about meditation? 169 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:45,000 Meditating on the Lord is far better than meditating on your circumstances. Agreed? 170 00:20:46,279 --> 00:20:48,720 Now, here's the real question. How many do that? 171 00:20:50,220 --> 00:20:57,519 Woe is me! And you know, you can go down that spiral tube. It can be days, it can be hours, 172 00:20:57,519 --> 00:21:04,859 it can be minutes, or it can be immediate as you learn to fortify inside what God is doing 173 00:21:04,859 --> 00:21:10,400 through you in these circumstances so that you don't have to spend days in the quandary, 174 00:21:10,940 --> 00:21:16,400 hours in the quandary. You can come and you can say, Lord, I don't know what this is all about. 175 00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:21,180 I'm giving it to you. And you know what? The Lord lifts that burden from your heart. Now, 176 00:21:21,180 --> 00:21:25,839 you may go back into that. You know, you may be cued on something where, oh my gosh, 177 00:21:25,839 --> 00:21:33,019 bring it to the Lord again quickly. And you'll begin to see that God brings what? Righteousness, 178 00:21:33,279 --> 00:21:40,559 peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. So, we have these things that we are asked to do. 179 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:49,019 In Joshua 4, 6, and 7, we cover this just a little bit. When your children ask, 180 00:21:49,019 --> 00:21:56,400 you shall tell them so that these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever. 181 00:21:57,559 --> 00:22:01,720 Mama, what are these stones? What do they mean? Well, that means when God was with us, 182 00:22:02,180 --> 00:22:06,640 he brought us into this land, and you can build a whole story on that. It's an opportunity. 183 00:22:07,599 --> 00:22:13,619 You know, it's interesting. As you begin to let your life shine through what I call 184 00:22:16,279 --> 00:22:20,380 relational evangelism, I think I'm going to trip on that box of power yet. 185 00:22:21,579 --> 00:22:28,519 I often just kind of put a sentence in there, and I'm looking for an opportunity. You know, 186 00:22:28,619 --> 00:22:32,599 well, the Lord's good, and you know, he'll take care of you, or blah, blah, blah, or whatever 187 00:22:32,599 --> 00:22:38,340 about my own life. And then sometimes people that are not familiar with the Lord will come back. 188 00:22:38,339 --> 00:22:43,279 Well, what do you mean by that? Just drop a little bit of a hint. Let them be 189 00:22:43,859 --> 00:22:49,759 enough interested in your situation to begin to ask the next set of questions. And then 190 00:22:49,759 --> 00:22:55,339 that opens up a door for another dialogue. Okay, questions that I want to ask you. 191 00:22:55,980 --> 00:23:03,980 If you were to create a place of remembrance today, what moment in your life would that 192 00:23:03,980 --> 00:23:11,920 represent? What would that look like? What might that be? 193 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:23,240 Don't all jump at once. Think about that. Okay, John. 194 00:23:24,140 --> 00:23:32,119 I think all of us who own a home end up making that a place of remembrance. I mean, 195 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:39,099 sometimes you live there a very short period of time, but I can remember when my dad had passed 196 00:23:39,099 --> 00:23:46,680 and my mom was starting to fail. My sister, brother and I just got together and said, 197 00:23:46,859 --> 00:23:52,119 you know what? We shouldn't sell this place and split it up. This is a place of great memories. 198 00:23:52,460 --> 00:23:56,680 And I don't know what happens to our property. But anyway, I think, 199 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,880 similarly, I'd imagine that, you know, something like that might happen. 200 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,759 Do you still have the place? Yeah. Okay. 201 00:24:06,339 --> 00:24:10,880 All right. Yeah. Brings back fond memories. Yes. Anybody else? Jenny? 202 00:24:14,660 --> 00:24:23,779 In Pottstown, where I was last weekend, another practitioner like myself, I'm a licensed mental 203 00:24:23,779 --> 00:24:30,359 health worker in Pennsylvania, but he helped me find the runaway shelter in Pottstown, 204 00:24:31,059 --> 00:24:37,299 where I got to know the Lord. Now, I didn't get a chance to go there because it was raining on 205 00:24:37,299 --> 00:24:44,359 Monday, but I am going to take a bus ride back out there and go visit it. Yeah. 206 00:24:45,519 --> 00:24:51,839 A great place to remember where you came to the Lord. Yeah. Anybody remember the day that 207 00:24:51,839 --> 00:24:57,680 you came to the Lord, the hour? You saw my hand go up. 208 00:24:58,220 --> 00:25:03,799 You saw my hand go up. Oh, dear. Yes. I believe it was in my kitchen. 209 00:25:04,299 --> 00:25:09,700 Okay. Yeah. I was in my kitchen, and I was reading through the scripture of John 14. 210 00:25:11,319 --> 00:25:17,759 And yeah, it was just a miraculous thing because I had just had like a vision of 211 00:25:17,759 --> 00:25:22,559 Jesus with all the disciples sitting around, and he said to him, you know, it's important that I go, 212 00:25:22,700 --> 00:25:27,859 but I'm not going to leave you like an orphan. I'm going to come to you in another form. 213 00:25:29,039 --> 00:25:34,319 I'm going to send the Holy Spirit. And that's when it hit me, the Holy Spirit. I went out. 214 00:25:35,539 --> 00:25:39,799 Yeah, I went out. Haven't been the same since. Oh, that's good. Yeah. Anybody else? 215 00:25:41,299 --> 00:25:46,259 I don't know. I was 17 and I was at that Christian camp. All right. And I remember 216 00:25:46,259 --> 00:25:52,480 that I cannot stand up like I'm right in there. I met the Lord. 217 00:25:53,079 --> 00:25:58,420 That's good. Anything else? Anybody else? Yes. Hey, what are you doing back there? You usually go 218 00:25:58,420 --> 00:26:03,559 to the front, man. Good to see you. Good to see you too. I would say for me personally, 219 00:26:04,039 --> 00:26:08,599 like I was, I thought what the Bible talks about, you know, forgiveness, and I forgave somebody I was 220 00:26:08,599 --> 00:26:13,519 holding a grudge against. And I just felt like so much peace and joy. And I can understand why 221 00:26:13,519 --> 00:26:18,559 Jesus tells us to forgive. It releases that bitterness and that poison that's within you. 222 00:26:19,319 --> 00:26:22,759 So that's something that I will carry with me, you know, for the rest of my life. Just 223 00:26:22,759 --> 00:26:28,980 always forgive. And, you know, when we don't forgive, that begins to eat at us and it brings 224 00:26:28,980 --> 00:26:35,000 concentration on that one element. And we go round and round and round on that. But to forgive 225 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:47,960 is to, again, forget. All right. So that's answer. What has God done for you 226 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:55,240 that you never want to forget? So I think we answered that. For me it was, again, I think 227 00:26:55,259 --> 00:27:10,400 this salvation that I experienced. Every summer I would go to one of my uncles. They were farmers, 228 00:27:10,839 --> 00:27:19,579 chicken farmers, cattlemen, and so forth. And we used to go to church. And my parents were not 229 00:27:19,579 --> 00:27:27,220 following the Lord. And I got saved at one of those meetings, came home in the fall, 230 00:27:28,779 --> 00:27:34,400 and business as usual. And I asked, I think when I was 10 years old, I asked my mother and father, 231 00:27:34,500 --> 00:27:39,200 why don't we go to church? Well, that put such a guilt trip on them, that they just started 232 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:43,900 to go to church and they rededicated their life to the Lord. And hence we have lived a Christian 233 00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:50,420 life. But it was the idea that when we testify of the goodness, things can begin to change. 234 00:27:51,140 --> 00:27:58,480 Another question. Were there trials that you went through that God used to shape you? 235 00:27:58,799 --> 00:28:04,259 In other words, like the forming of a gemstone, the pressure. Can you explain that? What trial 236 00:28:04,259 --> 00:28:11,180 is significant in your life? That looking back on it now, it made you a better person. 237 00:28:11,980 --> 00:28:19,039 You, again, I just share from my own testimony, that bankruptcy situation that I have referred 238 00:28:19,039 --> 00:28:24,759 to with you, a lot of you know the story. I wouldn't trade it for the world because I've 239 00:28:24,759 --> 00:28:31,619 learned so much in that desperation, in that experience. I had to dig deep and find out who 240 00:28:31,619 --> 00:28:39,559 God was. Anyone, any trial, or we don't want to admit those things, but we all have trials. 241 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:49,640 Yes, Jenny. When my first husband left me with a one-year-old, a three-year-old and a four-year-old, 242 00:28:50,359 --> 00:28:58,380 and a dollar. And that was a time in my life where I was angry at God at first for not 243 00:28:58,380 --> 00:29:06,200 keeping my family together and saving my marriage. But I saw the Lord provide for us over the 244 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:14,319 years, and I became a much stronger woman. That's wonderful. Looking back, would you have 245 00:29:14,319 --> 00:29:24,640 traded that? I got rid of them, so no. Okay, all right. Moving on. Well, listen, 246 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:32,339 there's nothing like being honest. That's good. Anyone else? Any thoughts? Yes, please. 247 00:29:33,399 --> 00:29:42,039 I think it was 2022. I had a bad reaction to medication, and I always lose focus when I'm 248 00:29:42,039 --> 00:29:48,619 on the spot. Give me one second. So I was in a coma, and I had to learn to walk again. 249 00:29:49,740 --> 00:29:55,619 And at first, the insurance company denied me going to a rehab after the hospital. They sent 250 00:29:55,619 --> 00:30:00,400 me right home. But then I had to appeal it because I couldn't take care of myself. And 251 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:05,680 being the caretaker for the family, it was the first time that I really and truly could not 252 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:14,880 take care of myself. And it was hard. But to know that I have to take care of myself first, 253 00:30:15,140 --> 00:30:20,000 like really, really, really take care of myself first, so that then I can be well enough to take 254 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:26,700 care of the family. And that was like a real life lesson for me. You know, being a caretaker 255 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:33,160 myself, I run a caregivers group in Meadowood. And the very thing that we talk about continually 256 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:38,180 is you have to take care of yourself or you'll burn yourself out. So consequently, you know, 257 00:30:38,259 --> 00:30:43,539 you were in a situation. Did that illness drive you there because of the responsibilities of a 258 00:30:43,539 --> 00:30:50,079 caretaker or not? You know, I fell and I had been reaction to this in the retreat. 259 00:30:50,079 --> 00:30:56,480 Okay. Well, good. You're on the mend now, right? Very good. Okay. 260 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:09,480 Another question. Did you or do you ever struggle to feel like you belong in God's kingdom? 261 00:31:10,140 --> 00:31:13,259 Like, have you ever struggled to feel that you belong in the God's kingdom? 262 00:31:15,619 --> 00:31:21,359 Okay. No answers on that one. So all right. Okay. What were your struggle if you would share it? 263 00:31:21,420 --> 00:31:28,900 Go ahead. My mom raised us in the Christian church. We went to church a lot a little bit 264 00:31:28,900 --> 00:31:34,720 when I was younger. But as we grew, we kind of all fell from God. And especially with me, 265 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:41,059 my personal experience is I was as a teen and a young adult, like straight out of me in high 266 00:31:41,059 --> 00:31:45,180 school and then going into college, I was far from God. Like I didn't pray. I didn't even 267 00:31:45,180 --> 00:31:50,700 really believe in God. Like I was, yeah, I was the complete opposite from where I am now. 268 00:31:51,700 --> 00:31:58,960 And so I feel like I kind of met Jesus kind of later in life and on my own, 269 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,099 like I knew of him, but I hadn't had a real relationship with him until like two years 270 00:32:03,099 --> 00:32:10,859 ago when I was like 21. And at first it was really hard being the complete opposite from 271 00:32:12,039 --> 00:32:19,160 like what you would think a Christian is or living in God is. And you did, I did feel like 272 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:25,740 imposter syndrome for a while because pretty much completely changed my life and turned my life 273 00:32:25,740 --> 00:32:31,340 around. And it's something that I struggled with a lot even when I was, and when I am strong in 274 00:32:31,380 --> 00:32:38,480 faith, sometimes I feel like it's normal to feel like, Oh, I'm not like this idea that you're not 275 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:42,339 the perfect Christian or stuff like that. Like the idea that you're not perfect because you 276 00:32:42,339 --> 00:32:46,980 fall to sin, but I feel like that's part of learning and getting closer to Christ. 277 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:51,460 But it's something that I did experience a lot, especially in the beginning of my walk with Christ, 278 00:32:51,579 --> 00:32:57,380 because I was so far from him before. So coming to him and being like, I don't know what this 279 00:32:57,380 --> 00:33:01,640 is a totally different life. Like this is not the life I'm used to living. So I feel like that 280 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:04,539 was a really difficult time in the beginning of my walk with Christ. 281 00:33:05,099 --> 00:33:08,140 That's wonderful. Very good. I'm glad that you came back. 282 00:33:09,019 --> 00:33:15,400 You know, there's always a, an obvious when you raising kids, when they're little, 283 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:22,819 they have little problems. When they get bigger, the problems ingrow. And then when they're big 284 00:33:22,819 --> 00:33:29,900 and they're going from teenage to adulthood. And more than likely there are problems with 285 00:33:29,900 --> 00:33:33,680 girls and boys. I've had three boys, but now I have two granddaughters. 286 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:41,200 So I've experienced in some of their dilemmas. But the biggest thing that we pray for is as 287 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:49,559 they make that transition from their parents experience in the Lord to their experience. 288 00:33:49,559 --> 00:33:54,480 And that can be a very hollow and dangerous thing with regard to saying, okay, 289 00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:58,019 I'm going to do it my way. And I did the same thing. I mean, 290 00:33:58,180 --> 00:34:06,079 I can remember seeing visions of the Lord when I was young at the altar, always went to church 291 00:34:06,079 --> 00:34:12,320 four times a week, you know, live in the life. And at some point in time at 19, 292 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:15,639 I came home one day and I told my mother, I said, I'm going in the service. 293 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:21,079 I don't want to live this life. Don't want to follow God. And that was Wednesday and Friday. 294 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:28,679 I went to Texas and was in the service. So I rejected all that. And I understand that for guys, 295 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:35,539 it sometimes takes longer or slower to get the educational curve of Christianity. Maybe you 296 00:34:35,539 --> 00:34:41,460 didn't. I don't know what the age that was. But so there is an experience that all of us have, 297 00:34:41,460 --> 00:34:46,119 whether it's firsthand or whether it's our children, that when we go through here, 298 00:34:46,820 --> 00:34:55,619 those struggles can work for us or against us. And what does the image of your name, 299 00:34:55,820 --> 00:35:01,980 written in the book of life, stir you about your place in the kingdom? And so I think we've 300 00:35:01,980 --> 00:35:08,199 answered that. And I think we have given that enough thought. So let's take a look at some 301 00:35:08,199 --> 00:35:17,260 of the more core remembrances that we should all consider. Well, number one is the cross of Jesus 302 00:35:17,260 --> 00:35:24,340 Christ. And that's what brings us together here tonight. Because of the cross, we come from 303 00:35:24,340 --> 00:35:31,119 different lives, different situations, but yet it draws us. There is salvation and then 304 00:35:31,119 --> 00:35:37,280 there is forgiveness, continual forgiveness. It says in Luke 22 and 1 Corinthians 11, 305 00:35:38,220 --> 00:35:41,780 do this in remembrance of me. And we're talking about the Lord's supper. 306 00:35:42,559 --> 00:35:51,179 So that remembrance is something that we always should bring to us. It should bring to us an 307 00:35:51,179 --> 00:35:56,480 understanding of what it really means. It's a past experience and it has a future to it also, 308 00:35:57,039 --> 00:36:03,019 what he's going to do and what he did. So that's a remembrance. The Lord's supper 309 00:36:03,019 --> 00:36:10,739 is the central Christian act of remembrance. It's the basis of which we gather together, 310 00:36:10,739 --> 00:36:21,579 live our life. We remember Christ's sacrifice that was freely given on our behalf. Our forgiveness, 311 00:36:21,579 --> 00:36:28,760 and thank the Lord for forgiveness because of his sacrifice. And the new covenant because of 312 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:34,519 the shed blood, the covenant that he has, it'll never be broken. It's interesting to know 313 00:36:35,259 --> 00:36:41,940 that Abraham, when God made a covenant with him, God never turned back. He never relinquished. 314 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:51,559 It's like us. If we don't have fulfillment in our life, it's because we have walked away. The 315 00:36:51,559 --> 00:36:56,260 question that I ask then is, what does the cross mean to a believer today? 316 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,340 What does that mean in your life when you think of the cross of Jesus? 317 00:37:02,139 --> 00:37:09,420 Well, I'll answer it first for me. It humbles me to think that God did that for me. 318 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:17,219 And you think about that multiplied out by millions and millions of people. 319 00:37:18,559 --> 00:37:26,059 And it's really a wonderful thing to think about how blessed that experience is. You had maybe a 320 00:37:26,059 --> 00:37:34,719 different experience, but we all had to come to the cross and know what that is. And that could be 321 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:39,199 different for 25 or 35 of us. And by the way, Chris, look at all the people in here tonight. 322 00:37:39,780 --> 00:37:43,719 We got a crowd tonight. Boy, I'm telling you, thank you all for coming. 323 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:55,840 And so we acknowledge that God is at work in our life. And for all of you that are experiencing 324 00:37:56,599 --> 00:38:03,440 the depth of trials and tribulations, I encourage you that God is always at work, 325 00:38:03,659 --> 00:38:09,179 always at work, always at work on our behalf. Sometimes the point of reference, 326 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:15,199 because of the cross, it will take longer than what we think. Have any one of you ever prayed, 327 00:38:15,380 --> 00:38:23,059 Lord, I need the answer now. Yeah, okay. We've had that. That's for sure. So that's one remembrance. 328 00:38:24,940 --> 00:38:31,440 The next remembrance is the resurrection. And you know, I always go back and forth with a friend 329 00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:38,159 of mine. We debate these things. Is it more important to think about and to experience what 330 00:38:38,159 --> 00:38:43,480 God did in coming to birth, what Christmas means and the birth of Jesus, or is it the 331 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:49,860 resurrection? And I always say it's the resurrection in my perspective. It was wonderful that he did 332 00:38:49,860 --> 00:38:56,239 what he did, but the resurrection seals it in the fact that it's a real experience that nobody can 333 00:38:56,239 --> 00:39:01,800 take away from us, that he was dead and now he's alive three days later. Thank the Lord for that. 334 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:10,920 The scripture says in Luke 24, he is not here, he is risen. So therefore the tomb is empty. 335 00:39:11,619 --> 00:39:18,380 We remember that Jesus defeated death and this anchors us in many different ways, 336 00:39:18,380 --> 00:39:25,320 but it could anchor us in our hope, our future resurrection if we die and again, 337 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:33,480 our resurrected and our courage in suffering. It's an interesting thing. We always think about the 338 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:41,280 victories in our life. And if I live long enough, maybe I'll begin to write some things down about 339 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:48,820 some of the sufferings in our life because that's where we really learn. The mountain tops are great, 340 00:39:48,820 --> 00:39:55,780 aren't they? Oh my gosh. But where do we learn? In the valleys, in the desperation and circumstances 341 00:39:55,780 --> 00:40:06,699 and things. 2 Corinthians 1.4, God comforts us in our tribulation. And I have to say that again and 342 00:40:06,699 --> 00:40:13,300 again to people. He comforts us. He looks after us. He didn't change. He's there. 343 00:40:13,300 --> 00:40:20,239 And the question that I ask then, why is the resurrection essential to the Christian faith 344 00:40:20,239 --> 00:40:28,380 and not just the cross? Why is that? Well, for one, Jesus' victory over death. Two, 345 00:40:28,719 --> 00:40:35,280 it validates the cross really works and it gives us power to live our life in newness of life. 346 00:40:36,079 --> 00:40:39,199 Any other thoughts about what the resurrection means to you? 347 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:49,699 Okay. We'll leave it go at that. All right. Another core remembrance. Remember, God did these 348 00:40:49,699 --> 00:40:56,000 things for us, not himself, for us. God's work in history. Now, think about this. 349 00:40:57,460 --> 00:41:05,460 And history usually for most experienced Christians start at salvation and what it means 350 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:11,599 in the resurrection we've talked about, what it means at birth. But just like the Israelites 351 00:41:11,599 --> 00:41:16,880 remembered Exodus and the Jordan Crossing, we are to remember what? About creation. 352 00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:27,659 I, in my retirement now, have time to smell the daisies. And we have this cathedral room 353 00:41:28,339 --> 00:41:36,260 or vault sun room at the end of our, our part of our house. And it's just, and it faces south. 354 00:41:37,059 --> 00:41:41,579 And there's a great big window up top and the sun is there. And I just have to go in there and I, 355 00:41:42,019 --> 00:41:45,539 every time I go in there and the birds are now starting to come back and they're singing. 356 00:41:46,119 --> 00:41:51,539 And I just get lost in the Lord. His creation is so beautiful. Now, mind you, a couple of weeks 357 00:41:51,539 --> 00:41:56,699 ago, I was looking at two feet of snow. But again, here we are, grass is getting green. 358 00:41:56,699 --> 00:42:02,700 And it's just the idea that you can just enjoy his creation for what he did. He made it for us. 359 00:42:03,860 --> 00:42:11,380 He, it was an exemplary activity of what his goodness is. The creative elements of his, 360 00:42:11,739 --> 00:42:18,900 the expression of his love for us. So that's number two. God becoming man. That's another 361 00:42:18,900 --> 00:42:25,619 appreciation that we have. How can God become man? How can he fit that all in and be born 362 00:42:25,619 --> 00:42:31,880 of a virgin? The cross and the blood shed. We talked about that. The resurrection, 363 00:42:32,219 --> 00:42:39,920 defying death. And again, Pentecost. What's so interesting about that? He gave us the Holy 364 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:47,300 Spirit. That's another element to remember to thank the Lord for. He would have forgiven our 365 00:42:47,300 --> 00:42:53,159 sins, but when he brought the Holy Spirit, he gave us what? Through the Holy Spirit, 366 00:42:53,159 --> 00:43:00,800 the power to live the life. The dunamos, the Holy Spirit. And that's important. 367 00:43:02,099 --> 00:43:10,300 I often think, and we have gone through Exodus, and we've gone through Deuteronomy, and we, 368 00:43:10,860 --> 00:43:13,960 those of us that share on Wednesday night, we often say to each other 369 00:43:14,780 --> 00:43:21,380 directly or indirectly, think about if we had to live that life. And the only way we know 370 00:43:21,380 --> 00:43:25,039 that we sinned is whether we went and we went before the priest with an offering, 371 00:43:25,619 --> 00:43:29,559 and he spoke on behalf of our sins, and then what else was there? 372 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:37,880 You yourself are trying to follow God. There's no internal Holy Spirit to be able to strengthen 373 00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:43,019 you to do the righteous acts that he asks. Yet he is asked, and that's because the law 374 00:43:43,019 --> 00:43:50,739 fell short, and he's given us that Holy Spirit. All right, how about this? 375 00:43:53,659 --> 00:44:00,920 What other important element is missing out of that list that should be mentioned here? 376 00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:03,639 And you're part of that. 377 00:44:08,940 --> 00:44:17,119 The church, he's given us the church so that we don't have to live the life by ourself. 378 00:44:18,679 --> 00:44:21,920 No, I can do it myself. Yeah, right, that doesn't work very well. 379 00:44:22,720 --> 00:44:32,500 It says in the Bible, do not, what? I just lost my thought. 380 00:44:33,079 --> 00:44:36,860 Do not forsake your assembling of yourself together. Okay, thank you Francine. 381 00:44:38,139 --> 00:44:42,219 And what happens when we do that, when we forsake the assembling of ourself together? 382 00:44:43,699 --> 00:44:50,719 We become opinionated. We become thought processes on ourself. We're right, they're wrong. 383 00:44:51,420 --> 00:44:56,539 But the equalizer is, and the value is, that you see Christ in one another. 384 00:44:57,679 --> 00:45:03,420 That's hard to think about. He's the equalizer for all of us here, these different points of life, 385 00:45:04,059 --> 00:45:09,059 but it's the church. Now think about the church. You know, God can work miraculously. 386 00:45:10,320 --> 00:45:18,599 He can bring salvation to people, singularly. But what's he ask us to do? Pray for those 387 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:26,260 that are in need. He can miraculously do things sovereignly as he will. 388 00:45:27,559 --> 00:45:34,019 But if you look in scripture, he has looked for a partnership with us. We are to pray. Well, 389 00:45:34,119 --> 00:45:39,099 do you think that God doesn't know the prayers that we're asking? Sure he does. 390 00:45:39,699 --> 00:45:43,639 And he's not caught short on the things that we think, oh gosh, it has to happen now. 391 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:50,739 But he wants us to partner, to bring about his kingdom through the lives of the church. 392 00:45:51,500 --> 00:45:56,960 That's the reality, because people do not see God unless they have a vision. 393 00:45:57,340 --> 00:46:00,980 And a lot of Muslims now have visions and dreams, and that's wonderful. 394 00:46:02,700 --> 00:46:13,019 But unless somebody articulates that and begins to frame up what God is about, they may not know 395 00:46:13,019 --> 00:46:17,840 how many of us have ever talked with somebody in a near-death experience. 396 00:46:20,739 --> 00:46:26,179 Then, you know, it's meaningful at that point in time. I had one individual that talked with 397 00:46:26,179 --> 00:46:33,860 some longer time ago. He was going to do it his way. It was my daughter-in-law's stepfather. 398 00:46:34,759 --> 00:46:42,519 He was a Jewish person, and he listened, and then he stopped. And both my son 399 00:46:42,519 --> 00:46:49,139 tried to talk with him. I talked with him. Meghan, my daughter-in-law, talked with him. 400 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:56,699 And he died of cancer. And Meghan called, and she said, Dad, you think I should go? I said, 401 00:46:56,760 --> 00:47:01,179 look, you have nothing to lose. Go there. She wanted to tell him one last time. 402 00:47:01,860 --> 00:47:07,900 He said, no, I'm not going to listen. And you know where he landed up. I don't know that he 403 00:47:07,900 --> 00:47:12,920 didn't have an instantaneous experience, but for all sake purposes, he went to his reward. 404 00:47:13,940 --> 00:47:19,900 And it's very sobering to think that those that don't know the Lord, 405 00:47:20,320 --> 00:47:27,480 there is no hope, as the Bible says. And again, the last one, God's faithfulness 406 00:47:27,480 --> 00:47:34,480 is establishing the church as the tool to usher in his kingdom. That's important to remember. That's 407 00:47:34,480 --> 00:47:40,960 just as important as the other things. That's the culmination. You are the expression of his love 408 00:47:40,960 --> 00:47:48,300 to the world. All right, another core experience here that we look at. How about our own testimony? 409 00:47:49,380 --> 00:47:55,380 The grace and the transformation in each heart. And I will tell you that if we have 30 people 410 00:47:55,380 --> 00:48:02,780 here, there's 30 different experiences of a testimony that God has brought to bear. 411 00:48:03,360 --> 00:48:11,159 Never the same, no carbon copy. It's unique how God speaks to us and draws us. 412 00:48:11,900 --> 00:48:18,840 And we have our own testimony. 1 Corinthians 6, 11 says, remember what you were, 413 00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:26,199 but you were washed. You are changed. You are bought. You are his. 414 00:48:27,780 --> 00:48:35,760 There's no free ticket anymore. You know, just, okay, I'll, and I live with some people in this 415 00:48:35,760 --> 00:48:43,340 retirement community. How should I say this kindly? They've accepted the Lord and that's 416 00:48:43,340 --> 00:48:52,960 all they do. It's all they did. There's no manifestation of activity in their life that 417 00:48:52,960 --> 00:48:58,760 can be spoken of. And I grieve for them because they don't know the reward. How many find a reward 418 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:04,699 in ministering to other people, the love of God? Yeah, I mean, there's no greater reward than that. 419 00:49:05,420 --> 00:49:12,219 No greater reward than giving yourself. Fine is finances, time, treasure, whatever the case may be, 420 00:49:12,219 --> 00:49:21,280 to those that are in need. Another one, Ephesians 2, 11, 13, you were far from God. We all were. 421 00:49:22,179 --> 00:49:26,119 And we could maybe have a bet on who was the fatherist. We don't want to go there, but we 422 00:49:26,119 --> 00:49:33,340 were all far away at one degree or another, but his blood brought you near God, the blood of 423 00:49:33,409 --> 00:49:42,190 Jesus. Now, remember this, where God found you, think about that, the degradation of your 424 00:49:42,190 --> 00:49:48,829 circumstances. And, you know, for one, that when I was 10 years old, I didn't have degradation, 425 00:49:49,030 --> 00:49:58,869 but I didn't know the Lord, but I was still lost. What He rescued you from? Well, I will tell you 426 00:49:58,869 --> 00:50:06,869 that when I rebelled and decided to go my own way and go into service, I did bad things. 427 00:50:08,829 --> 00:50:15,949 And I can remember the very night I was going to come home, discharged from McGuire Air Force Base 428 00:50:15,949 --> 00:50:23,389 one night, come home one day, say goodbye to my parents, and move to Florida. Had a job lined up, 429 00:50:23,389 --> 00:50:29,170 everything. And my mother, of course, she was praying, a praying mother. How many are praying 430 00:50:29,170 --> 00:50:35,489 mothers here for our kids? Yes. Okay. And she said, well, would you go to church with us tomorrow? I 431 00:50:35,489 --> 00:50:41,289 said, no. I said, I'm not going to go to church. So they got up Sunday morning. She said, would 432 00:50:41,289 --> 00:50:46,050 you go? I said, well, okay. I went. And that was a turning point in my life because there was a 433 00:50:46,050 --> 00:50:51,050 minister there that ministered to me specifically on my need. And I cried my eyes out and never 434 00:50:51,050 --> 00:50:56,949 did go to Florida. Okay. And you know, it was instantaneous. It was something I, he rescued 435 00:50:56,949 --> 00:51:07,329 me from myself and circumstances, how he changed you and is changing you. It's not just you came 436 00:51:07,329 --> 00:51:13,170 to salvation X number of years ago, but what is, what is he doing in your life now? You cannot be 437 00:51:13,170 --> 00:51:20,489 a Christian that is earnestly following him and not see change and experience and trust and all 438 00:51:20,489 --> 00:51:26,309 the things that you're building because he's building a strong person, a strong man, so to 439 00:51:26,309 --> 00:51:34,630 speak, quote unquote, in your life and woman. Excuse me. Question. What does your testimony look 440 00:51:34,630 --> 00:51:40,969 like or what do you live out in your life as a testimony to Christ? Anybody want to take that? 441 00:51:40,969 --> 00:51:45,190 What are your expressions of your, of your experience in the Lord? 442 00:51:49,170 --> 00:51:55,030 Anybody? Okay. We got to jail. I've been quiet till now. 443 00:51:59,849 --> 00:52:05,909 So I actually became a Christian when I was a child. It was either five or nine. I don't even 444 00:52:05,909 --> 00:52:14,110 remember specifically, but so my whole life has been just a journey of growing in Christ. Thank you. 445 00:52:17,050 --> 00:52:24,409 But the most, the most important part in my life didn't come till I was about 50 years old 446 00:52:25,349 --> 00:52:27,750 because, oh, for heaven's sake. 447 00:52:31,030 --> 00:52:38,489 There. I was, I was, I have, I've had three husbands and it's not 448 00:52:39,170 --> 00:52:43,690 because of the way that Samaritan woman was. It just happened that way. 449 00:52:46,450 --> 00:52:53,389 But my first two husbands, I more or less picked them out myself, much to my dismay later. 450 00:52:54,289 --> 00:53:00,250 But the, my third husband, God put him in my life. And so I remember complaining at God one 451 00:53:00,250 --> 00:53:05,829 day. I'm like, okay, God, you're the one that put him in my life. So why isn't he perfect? 452 00:53:08,329 --> 00:53:15,989 What audacity. But anyway, God said to me very specifically right then, 453 00:53:17,289 --> 00:53:22,909 Gail, when are you going to learn it's not about you? And I was in shock. I'm like, 454 00:53:22,949 --> 00:53:30,170 how could it not be about me? It's my life. But he said to me right then, Gail, until you 455 00:53:31,289 --> 00:53:36,309 give yourself, abandon yourself to me, surrender yourself completely, not by little pieces, 456 00:53:36,510 --> 00:53:41,789 not this, I'll give him this and I'll give him that. I want your whole life. And until, 457 00:53:41,789 --> 00:53:46,710 and unless you do that, you're never, never going to be at peace or have the joy you're looking for. 458 00:53:48,389 --> 00:53:54,849 And for six months I struggled with him over that. But that was the big pivotal turning point in my 459 00:53:54,849 --> 00:54:00,530 life. And it, everybody has to come to that point to really grow in Christ and to change 460 00:54:01,009 --> 00:54:05,230 because you have to die to yourself. And when you were talking about the cross, I'm thinking, 461 00:54:05,590 --> 00:54:09,710 yeah, the cross is important to me because it means my death as well as his. 462 00:54:10,510 --> 00:54:11,070 Absolutely. 463 00:54:13,070 --> 00:54:23,869 Okay. I think what does manifest in my life now is I've been pure for the last 16 years. 464 00:54:24,990 --> 00:54:32,869 And I had a coworker a few weeks ago who was like, well, don't you smoke? And I said, 465 00:54:32,949 --> 00:54:37,610 nah, I don't smoke. And she goes, well, what do you do when you're drinking then? I said, 466 00:54:37,610 --> 00:54:43,309 I don't drink. I have no desire for that stuff. 467 00:54:44,550 --> 00:54:48,889 And the answer was, oh, you live a boring life. And I say, yes, amen to that. 468 00:54:49,829 --> 00:54:56,730 No, it's not. Not at all. You know, when you are on this side of the cross, it's a whole different 469 00:54:56,730 --> 00:55:03,429 understanding. I mean, a secular person does not understand the life that we live. I mean, 470 00:55:03,429 --> 00:55:14,710 it's impossible. Okay. So another core value, God's instructions and wisdom to us 471 00:55:15,350 --> 00:55:20,230 and obedience and direction is what we have to end up with in 2 Timothy 2.8. It says, 472 00:55:20,250 --> 00:55:26,469 remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead in Psalm 119, remember your word to your servant. 473 00:55:26,469 --> 00:55:35,630 So in remembering God's word to us and infiltrating into our life, we begin to get direction. We begin 474 00:55:35,630 --> 00:55:42,070 to get accomplishments. We begin to see God answer prayer and we are to remember God's word first. 475 00:55:42,210 --> 00:55:48,349 That's how we grow. For those of you that weren't here, just a quick hiatus. 476 00:55:48,349 --> 00:55:55,429 Because when you are Christian and you have these thoughts, that's the carnal nature. 477 00:55:56,170 --> 00:56:00,929 How do you overcome that? It says, if you look at the word conscience in your life, 478 00:56:01,730 --> 00:56:08,090 the Lord comes down. He gives us the word. If you read the word, the word is assimilated into 479 00:56:08,090 --> 00:56:15,050 the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes that word and then works through your conscience to direct you 480 00:56:15,050 --> 00:56:21,590 to righteousness and a good life. So you remember the word. It starts with the word. Those of us 481 00:56:21,590 --> 00:56:27,170 that don't read the word, you're not going to have a very successful Christian experience. That's 482 00:56:27,170 --> 00:56:32,670 where it all starts. You want to remember his promises, his warnings, his calling. 483 00:56:34,130 --> 00:56:40,969 Forgetting leads to drift. It's not that you're going to end up just throwing everything out. 484 00:56:40,969 --> 00:56:48,210 Slowly. Oh, you haven't been to church a week. And then it's two weeks. And well, we'll watch it on 485 00:56:48,849 --> 00:56:54,570 live TV. That's nice. You can sit in my living room in the cup of coffee and watch Chris. 486 00:56:55,230 --> 00:57:01,929 That's great. But that doesn't work, ultimately. Remembering leads to faithfulness. 487 00:57:03,349 --> 00:57:10,309 So Christ's return is one last thing. It encourages us to persevere because he's coming 488 00:57:10,309 --> 00:57:21,190 again. We are not so destitute, as Paul says. And we would be if we knew that Christ was not 489 00:57:21,190 --> 00:57:28,550 coming again. But he is. And consequently, we build our faith on that. Every communion points 490 00:57:28,550 --> 00:57:36,929 to what he has done, but also looks forward. And he says this. You proclaim, and then it 491 00:57:36,929 --> 00:57:45,510 tells you about the Lord's Supper until he comes. He's coming again. Isn't that glorious? The fact 492 00:57:45,510 --> 00:57:53,889 that he's going to win this. He's got it. Amen. So we remember what? Christ is always at work, 493 00:57:54,050 --> 00:58:01,449 always at work, never stops working. Justice will be done ultimately. And Christ will make 494 00:58:01,449 --> 00:58:09,469 all things new. Knowing this, then, does this encourage you? And if so, how? Then the depths 495 00:58:09,469 --> 00:58:16,190 of despair. My wife does not like me to say this, but I'll say it because she's not here. 496 00:58:18,110 --> 00:58:27,610 This is our hell. This is the worst it gets. We will be translated to a life that is everlasting. 497 00:58:28,329 --> 00:58:33,170 Ron, don't tell her I said that. Okay? Don't blackmail me. All right? 498 00:58:36,389 --> 00:58:44,690 Yeah. Thanks, Jill. But I mean, this is it. It can get no worse than this. 499 00:58:45,369 --> 00:58:51,210 So thank the Lord that we're transcending to eternity. And think about this. There's going 500 00:58:51,210 --> 00:58:56,750 to be no end to that. I can hardly even get my mind around that thing. I don't know what we're 501 00:58:56,750 --> 00:59:01,829 going to be doing. Maybe building kingdoms. I don't know whatever, but that's good. I love that. 502 00:59:02,230 --> 00:59:09,510 This keeps us hopeful and steady in this broken world. And I guess as we look around, 503 00:59:09,510 --> 00:59:16,389 it's becoming more broken and more broken as things go on. So let's not forget his goodness. 504 00:59:18,250 --> 00:59:24,510 It says in Deuteronomy 8, 11, make sure that you never forget the Lord. And don't 505 00:59:24,510 --> 00:59:28,170 disobey his laws and teachings. That's not going to do you any good. 506 00:59:29,670 --> 00:59:38,630 Abide by them. Do them because you'll be righteous. Judges 8, 24, 34. And the people of Israel did 507 00:59:38,630 --> 00:59:44,869 not remember the Lord their God who had delivered them. And you know, we all have, 508 00:59:45,650 --> 00:59:48,469 I thought I turned this down and I apologize. I'm sorry. 509 00:59:49,889 --> 00:59:52,449 I guess my wife's giving me a rebuke. 510 00:59:55,690 --> 01:00:01,670 All right. Okay. Think about this. They were always stiff-necked and rebellious. 511 01:00:01,849 --> 01:00:10,230 He wanted to get rid of them. Moses interceded. So he brought a new covenant and that's to our 512 01:00:10,380 --> 01:00:19,820 advantage. Psalm 106.13, but they soon forgot his works. They did not wait for his counsel. 513 01:00:21,280 --> 01:00:27,539 How many are impetuous? Lord, I want it now. Wait, wait, wait. Don't do anything without the 514 01:00:28,960 --> 01:00:33,639 administrative head stamping approval or guidance in your life saying, okay, 515 01:00:33,679 --> 01:00:39,360 this is the way you walk in it. It is dangerous not to live that way. And Hebrews 2.1, 516 01:00:39,360 --> 01:00:46,599 therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard lest we drift away from it. 517 01:00:46,980 --> 01:00:57,659 It is slow. It happens. I've seen many people drift away. So it's time. So we won't answer this 518 01:00:57,659 --> 01:01:05,440 question. How do you practically remember his blessings to you? So in closing, let's look at 519 01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:14,659 this. The Bible consistently now calls us to remember what God has done, what he has doing. 520 01:01:15,599 --> 01:01:24,920 So our faith stays anchored, not drifting. You notice something when you are, when you, 521 01:01:25,099 --> 01:01:29,260 I used to do a lot of boating and you come to the shore and you throw an anchor out. Well, 522 01:01:29,260 --> 01:01:34,980 if you don't throw the anchor out on the beach, after a while the tide begins to move your boat 523 01:01:34,980 --> 01:01:39,739 and all of a sudden you come back to where you were and your boat's way out there because you 524 01:01:39,739 --> 01:01:45,780 haven't anchored it. You drift. It's slow. A couple inches, a couple feet. Oh, you know, 525 01:01:45,960 --> 01:01:49,679 boat's all right. We'll worry about it later. And all of a sudden, bingo, the boat's gone. 526 01:01:49,840 --> 01:01:57,019 I have to swim for it. So those things are important to us. And I want you to remember 527 01:01:57,019 --> 01:02:04,500 them because they are memorials to us and remembrances. So Lord, we thank you for tonight. 528 01:02:04,500 --> 01:02:09,760 We thank you for the participation. We thank you that you are working in our life and the 529 01:02:09,760 --> 01:02:14,780 testimonies that were shared tonight. They're so wonderful, how you brought all of us from 530 01:02:14,780 --> 01:02:20,559 different walks of life. Yet here we are together and we thank you for that Lord. 531 01:02:20,739 --> 01:02:26,380 We thank you for the church that is being built and the gates of hell shall not prevail. 532 01:02:27,220 --> 01:02:34,860 And so we ask Lord that as we go our way, we will be strengthened in light of our circumstances, 533 01:02:35,500 --> 01:02:41,559 whether they are mountain top or whether they are valley. We thank you. We would not change this 534 01:02:41,559 --> 01:02:47,920 for the world. We bless you and all of God's people said, amen. God bless you. Thank you 535 01:02:47,920 --> 01:02:48,860 for your participation. 536 01:02:52,520 --> 01:02:59,300 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss His word. Don't 537 01:02:59,300 --> 01:03:04,519 forget to join us for Worship Lives Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. 538 01:03:05,539 --> 01:03:07,619 Be blessed and have a great day!