1 00:00:14,099 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,420 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,940 --> 00:00:27,059 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:34,940 --> 00:00:39,640 Father, lay upon their hearts that yes, they can hear Chris. 5 00:00:40,140 --> 00:00:45,679 Yes, they hear good messages, but Lord, Bible studying during the week with an hour 6 00:00:45,679 --> 00:00:49,659 of questions and answers and digging in your truths, Lord. 7 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,079 And for many people say that, well, what's the Old Testament? 8 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,820 Father, you are alive, both in the old and the new. 9 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:01,799 And we covet in the name of Jesus for their attendance, for them to be blessed, 10 00:01:02,179 --> 00:01:05,959 Lord, not for numbers, but for growth and strength in their life. 11 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,159 We pray in the name of Jesus. 12 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:08,579 Amen. 13 00:01:11,340 --> 00:01:11,900 Okay. 14 00:01:13,079 --> 00:01:19,760 So here we are, Caleb, wholehearted faith is rewarded. 15 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:30,120 I did some of my quick notes this morning for a Bible study that we have in our 16 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:36,420 retirement place, and I asked the question, how many remember Caleb's life? 17 00:01:37,719 --> 00:01:42,700 And out of a dozen people, one said, well, yeah, I know something about it. 18 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:47,599 I thought, oh, I said, that's interesting, you know, about nobody knows about Caleb. 19 00:01:47,599 --> 00:01:50,400 They know about Joshua very easily. 20 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,060 But Caleb, you know, he gets lost in the shuffle sometime. 21 00:01:54,640 --> 00:02:01,939 So I want to spend some time tonight going over his life and the attributes that he can give us. 22 00:02:02,719 --> 00:02:06,480 So Chapter 14, as I always do, I want to give a brief outline. 23 00:02:08,140 --> 00:02:14,979 The verses one through five is a distribution of land now that's west of the Jordan. 24 00:02:14,979 --> 00:02:18,659 Remember, there are two and a half tribes that already received theirs. 25 00:02:19,159 --> 00:02:24,780 Now there's nine and a half tribes that need to get their allotment in proportion of what they are about. 26 00:02:25,599 --> 00:02:31,400 And it just so happens that some of the elders and leaders, Eliezer, Joshua, and the tribal 27 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:40,039 leaders were apportioning the land and the land was assigned by lot, not lot the person, 28 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,919 but lot the function of, which we'll get back to. 29 00:02:44,699 --> 00:02:47,659 As commanded by the Lord through Moses. 30 00:02:48,539 --> 00:02:52,719 So these nine and a half tribes get their distribution and the Levites receive cities. 31 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:56,419 They don't have territory because they're a minister unto the Lord. 32 00:02:57,139 --> 00:03:06,259 So as we progress down in verses six through 12, Jacob, I mean, Caleb approaches Joshua and 33 00:03:06,259 --> 00:03:12,680 reminds him of the promise that Moses made to him about the land that he was going to 34 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,780 receive because he was such a servant of the Lord. 35 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,500 And he declares with boldness. 36 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:19,280 This is interesting. 37 00:03:20,039 --> 00:03:22,439 I wholly have followed the Lord. 38 00:03:23,060 --> 00:03:24,919 And we're going to come back to that expression. 39 00:03:25,439 --> 00:03:26,659 So he declared that. 40 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:33,020 And at age 85, think about, okay, now, Ben and I were talking about the other side of life. 41 00:03:33,460 --> 00:03:34,280 And here we are. 42 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:38,240 We were retired and we're thinking Caleb, 85, he's still going strong. 43 00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:44,719 He wants to get the kingdom established in the land and the promise that was given him. 44 00:03:44,900 --> 00:03:48,379 He wants so he can establish his heritage. 45 00:03:49,259 --> 00:03:55,139 So Caleb still expresses the strength and readiness to do battle because the, again, 46 00:03:55,439 --> 00:04:00,620 the Anakin, the Anakins, which were giants were in the land that he wanted. 47 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:02,520 So he requested this. 48 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,159 So that takes care of that area of verse. 49 00:04:06,759 --> 00:04:11,000 And then Caleb receives his inheritance, verses 13 through 15. 50 00:04:11,340 --> 00:04:15,000 Joshua blesses Caleb and he grants him Hebron. 51 00:04:15,419 --> 00:04:21,339 Hebron becomes Caleb's inheritance because of his wholehearted devotion. 52 00:04:22,339 --> 00:04:24,379 So an historical note here, parenthesis. 53 00:04:25,199 --> 00:04:30,860 Hebron was formerly called Keneshabara, meaning that land of the giants or 54 00:04:30,860 --> 00:04:37,040 Amakites, and then the chapter closes and the land had rest from war. 55 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:43,420 I want you to think about this area of Lot, just by way of comparison. 56 00:04:44,199 --> 00:04:45,160 Think about this. 57 00:04:45,660 --> 00:04:51,259 This was the way in which God's voice was communicated to the people. 58 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,000 From God and to God. 59 00:04:54,740 --> 00:04:59,379 Casting lots was a way of seeking God's direction when human judgment alone was 60 00:04:59,379 --> 00:04:59,920 insufficient. 61 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:08,800 So in Proverbs 16 33, it says this about lots, the lot is cast into the lap, but 62 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,839 it's very decision is from the Lord. 63 00:05:13,660 --> 00:05:15,420 So that's how they communicate it. 64 00:05:15,579 --> 00:05:22,740 And if you remember some of us when we were in the book of Exodus and then we 65 00:05:22,740 --> 00:05:29,899 went through and there was laws, he gave the vestments of the priest to the 66 00:05:29,899 --> 00:05:32,420 Levites and within that there was a pocket. 67 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,579 How many remember what was in the, was in that pocket? 68 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:40,680 The Urim and the Fumen. 69 00:05:42,019 --> 00:05:43,579 So here's how it goes. 70 00:05:43,939 --> 00:05:44,560 Think about this. 71 00:05:44,620 --> 00:05:46,180 This is how you communicate it to God. 72 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:51,220 There was the Lot deal and then there was the Fumen and the Fumen. 73 00:05:52,540 --> 00:05:57,699 And so Ken had a question where that question might be, you know, blah, blah, 74 00:05:57,699 --> 00:05:59,779 blah, blah, and he comes to the priest. 75 00:06:00,699 --> 00:06:05,620 So if I'm the priest, I go and I pray and I stick my hands in the pockets and 76 00:06:05,620 --> 00:06:09,959 whatever stone comes up, which is a yes stone or a no stone, I tell him simply 77 00:06:09,959 --> 00:06:10,980 that's the response. 78 00:06:11,139 --> 00:06:14,600 The question had to be a yes or no answer. 79 00:06:15,379 --> 00:06:17,360 So that's how they communicated. 80 00:06:17,860 --> 00:06:19,459 That's kind of cold, isn't it? 81 00:06:20,100 --> 00:06:25,899 When you think about it and now you contrast that to with, with what we have 82 00:06:25,899 --> 00:06:33,680 as a privileged individual and assembly together that we can go and we can 83 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:39,500 pray, we can feel God, we can feel his presence, we read, we are strengthened 84 00:06:39,500 --> 00:06:42,279 in his word, we get close to him. 85 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,040 The ability for us to be close depends upon us, not God. 86 00:06:46,399 --> 00:06:51,180 And we're drawn to him by way of comparison to the Old Testament. 87 00:06:51,180 --> 00:06:57,220 We are fortunate, ladies and gentlemen, to be able to live the life we live and have 88 00:06:57,220 --> 00:07:00,019 the privilege that we have talking to the Lord. 89 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:02,399 I mean, that's just so wonderful. 90 00:07:03,379 --> 00:07:03,759 All right. 91 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:09,899 So that's the comparison of the old and the new way in which to communicate. 92 00:07:10,500 --> 00:07:14,079 Let me point out one other thing here in the scripture. 93 00:07:15,639 --> 00:07:20,100 He was not tooting his horn, but Caleb said this, I wholly followed the Lord. 94 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:24,600 I think this is one of the strongest statements of faithfulness in the scriptures. 95 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:31,879 I will say because of his stature in the, in the tribes of Israel and who he was, 96 00:07:32,639 --> 00:07:38,519 he was not a person to brag, but he declared what it was that he was. 97 00:07:38,980 --> 00:07:41,600 I have followed the Lord wholly. 98 00:07:41,819 --> 00:07:47,800 In other words, he didn't deviate right or left from the calling that he had. 99 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:53,959 Not a lot of us can say that because sometimes we stumble, sometimes we have 100 00:07:53,959 --> 00:08:00,040 to regress and regroup and get together and think about, and then go on once 101 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,300 again, but he wholly followed the Lord and we will talk about that. 102 00:08:04,980 --> 00:08:08,240 So here's a thumbnail sketch of Caleb's life. 103 00:08:09,860 --> 00:08:12,579 He followed God despite any opposition. 104 00:08:13,660 --> 00:08:14,519 Now think about this. 105 00:08:14,519 --> 00:08:21,699 This is one man and there are millions of Israelites, both in the traveling 106 00:08:21,699 --> 00:08:27,620 from Egypt to the promised land, going through the rivers, coming and doing 107 00:08:27,620 --> 00:08:33,220 the battle and all the experiences that we have studied about the resistance, 108 00:08:33,620 --> 00:08:36,820 the backbiting, the disgruntled men and all these things. 109 00:08:37,620 --> 00:08:43,440 And then when most Israelites really doubted God because slavery had shaped 110 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,799 their thinking, and what did they say? 111 00:08:45,899 --> 00:08:51,700 We wish that we were back in Egypt because this food's not good. 112 00:08:52,779 --> 00:08:54,220 You know, and where's the water? 113 00:08:55,019 --> 00:08:55,940 Ben, where's the water? 114 00:08:56,940 --> 00:09:02,919 You know, so we have a contrast here, but he did, he did not flinch when 115 00:09:02,919 --> 00:09:04,720 the giants filled the land. 116 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:13,059 It says in the, I forget where this specifically is. 117 00:09:13,659 --> 00:09:17,220 It says we were in our own site as grasshoppers. 118 00:09:17,279 --> 00:09:22,279 That's when the spies went in to the promised land and says, oh my gosh, 119 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:23,720 they're giants all over the place. 120 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:24,980 How are we going to do this? 121 00:09:25,039 --> 00:09:25,740 We can't do it. 122 00:09:25,779 --> 00:09:27,480 And of course, you know, the end result of that. 123 00:09:28,220 --> 00:09:31,740 And then when the nation rebelled from following God, the golden calf thing, 124 00:09:31,759 --> 00:09:32,899 we talked about that. 125 00:09:33,179 --> 00:09:34,159 We studied that. 126 00:09:37,059 --> 00:09:41,759 What was said, oh, the calf just came out of the fire. 127 00:09:42,019 --> 00:09:42,740 Who made that? 128 00:09:42,820 --> 00:09:43,240 I don't know. 129 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,779 You know, there was deniability everywhere, but yet he was faithful. 130 00:09:48,879 --> 00:09:55,419 And then when he was now 45 years old, he started waiting and seeing, and 131 00:09:55,419 --> 00:10:02,299 that seemed endless because at 40, now 45 is 85, there was 45 years of waiting. 132 00:10:02,940 --> 00:10:05,419 How many have been waiting 45 years for answers? 133 00:10:06,899 --> 00:10:07,960 Couple of us. 134 00:10:08,759 --> 00:10:09,940 Long time, isn't it? 135 00:10:10,299 --> 00:10:10,720 All right. 136 00:10:11,620 --> 00:10:11,940 Okay. 137 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:16,240 Now Caleb trusted God more than the circumstances. 138 00:10:16,500 --> 00:10:22,639 And sometimes we go along, we believe in faith and circumstances start to creep 139 00:10:22,639 --> 00:10:27,440 in and bring doubt, but he did not do that. 140 00:10:28,019 --> 00:10:30,100 So the giants were real. 141 00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:33,840 He saw them because he was there. 142 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:34,759 He spied the land. 143 00:10:35,639 --> 00:10:37,360 The four to five cities were real. 144 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:39,840 They said, the walls were so thick. 145 00:10:39,940 --> 00:10:41,220 We can't get through those walls. 146 00:10:42,539 --> 00:10:43,720 The danger was real. 147 00:10:43,940 --> 00:10:44,580 He knew that. 148 00:10:45,580 --> 00:10:52,220 And yet Caleb believed God was greater than any obstacle that could come up. 149 00:10:52,919 --> 00:10:59,120 And I wish that I could say that for myself, but that is the testimony of Caleb. 150 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:00,779 Caleb was about 40. 151 00:11:00,899 --> 00:11:05,580 We said that, and because of Israel refused to trust God, the nation 152 00:11:05,580 --> 00:11:08,779 wandered around the wilderness for 40 years. 153 00:11:09,399 --> 00:11:13,500 And then after entering Canaan, it took about five additional years to do battle. 154 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:18,460 And finally, at this point in time at 85, he's not ready to take his social 155 00:11:18,460 --> 00:11:23,080 security, he wants to do battle to get his inheritance. 156 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:28,620 I don't think they had social security anyway, but anyway, so there we go. 157 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:37,720 So my question now, why do some people lose hope during long seasons of 158 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,299 waiting while others remain steadfast? 159 00:11:42,919 --> 00:11:43,700 Why is that? 160 00:11:43,799 --> 00:11:45,399 What observation can we make? 161 00:11:46,580 --> 00:11:48,120 Why do some people hang on? 162 00:11:48,299 --> 00:11:53,539 I was sharing this morning in this Bible study about, I pray for my wife at 163 00:11:53,539 --> 00:11:55,879 night for healing, I believe she's going to be healed. 164 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:57,379 And I added a caveat. 165 00:11:57,379 --> 00:12:00,840 I said, if not, if not in this life and the other life, because when I see her 166 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:02,919 in glory, she will have a whole body. 167 00:12:03,399 --> 00:12:05,919 So she is going to be healed one way or the other. 168 00:12:08,139 --> 00:12:10,600 So why don't some people grasp that? 169 00:12:10,740 --> 00:12:11,899 What is the question here? 170 00:12:12,220 --> 00:12:12,559 Okay. 171 00:12:12,639 --> 00:12:16,539 The question is, why is it that they can't see through these things? 172 00:12:17,019 --> 00:12:20,399 And again, not pointing the finger, just the process of thought. 173 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:30,259 I just remember that verse from a song that says, my only hope is Jesus. 174 00:12:32,140 --> 00:12:35,240 Build on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. 175 00:12:35,940 --> 00:12:39,500 And if we take our eyes off of him, just like Peter, we will sink and fall. 176 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,840 Our anticipation level without him becomes too high. 177 00:12:45,279 --> 00:12:48,779 We're pressured and we think, and all of a sudden our eyes are off him. 178 00:12:49,740 --> 00:12:51,940 Yeah, it's the Lord, anything else. 179 00:12:52,779 --> 00:13:00,700 I think some people just have different temperaments, like you can put a child 180 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:05,519 that spoiled in a room with a bunch of toys and they're going to find something 181 00:13:05,519 --> 00:13:07,799 wrong or complain about something. 182 00:13:08,419 --> 00:13:14,120 And then you can put another kid in a room with literal manure and the 183 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:16,279 kid's going to throw it around and smile. 184 00:13:17,019 --> 00:13:19,500 And someone's going to ask him, why are you smiling? 185 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,639 Well, there's got to be a horse in here somewhere. 186 00:13:22,860 --> 00:13:23,959 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 187 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:25,179 Disposition. 188 00:13:25,700 --> 00:13:25,820 Yeah. 189 00:13:26,820 --> 00:13:27,100 Charlie. 190 00:13:27,379 --> 00:13:28,440 Good to see you, by the way. 191 00:13:28,879 --> 00:13:28,940 Thanks. 192 00:13:29,779 --> 00:13:35,440 I was just thinking about the parable of the seeds and some seeds fall on 193 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,820 rocky ground and the birds come and they swoop and they pick up the seed. 194 00:13:38,899 --> 00:13:41,399 And so it just doesn't sink into people. 195 00:13:41,700 --> 00:13:45,220 And then other seeds get planted in the thorns and all life's 196 00:13:45,220 --> 00:13:50,159 worries and anxieties and people, they choke out that faith. 197 00:13:50,919 --> 00:13:56,500 So unless that seed falls in a nice deep soil, sometimes it doesn't grow. 198 00:13:56,759 --> 00:14:03,299 I know in my own case, I've seen a lot of miracles in my life and even 199 00:14:04,100 --> 00:14:12,700 being healed of cancer and that I believe that when it happened, I 200 00:14:12,759 --> 00:14:18,679 believed it so strongly and I was on fire and then people came into my 201 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:24,080 life and they tell me, no, it was malpractice and that didn't happen. 202 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,000 And after a while, when you start hearing that, sometimes you fall away. 203 00:14:28,139 --> 00:14:32,759 And I feel like I was just like these Israelites that saw the parting 204 00:14:32,759 --> 00:14:36,460 of the Red Sea and all the miracles in the desert and just didn't believe. 205 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:38,720 So I can see how they could do it. 206 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,299 It's like we just have to block out all those other voices. 207 00:14:41,299 --> 00:14:42,980 We're no better than that, right? 208 00:14:44,019 --> 00:14:45,480 We're the same creation. 209 00:14:48,180 --> 00:14:54,759 If you're staying busy, you know, doing the Lord's work, you know, it's like, it 210 00:14:54,759 --> 00:14:55,820 happens when it happens. 211 00:14:56,100 --> 00:15:00,120 You don't have to keep dwelling on what you don't have because there's 212 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:01,500 plenty to do while you're waiting. 213 00:15:01,639 --> 00:15:03,299 So you're not really just sitting there waiting. 214 00:15:03,740 --> 00:15:07,200 You're working and waiting, you know, and it's just, it takes your 215 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,659 mind off it and it's beneficial. 216 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:10,419 Yeah. 217 00:15:10,820 --> 00:15:10,980 Really? 218 00:15:11,299 --> 00:15:11,740 Yeah. 219 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:14,480 You sure? 220 00:15:15,519 --> 00:15:16,000 We'll give you the money. 221 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:16,600 Everyone. 222 00:15:20,620 --> 00:15:27,600 So we have that thought process going around in our head about belief, 223 00:15:27,779 --> 00:15:32,620 non-belief, circumstances, disgruntled, and our society is certainly, and 224 00:15:32,620 --> 00:15:34,399 we expect immediate action. 225 00:15:35,220 --> 00:15:38,600 The Lord is our servant, not the Lord is our King. 226 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,500 So that's some of the issues. 227 00:15:41,879 --> 00:15:48,179 So now next question, how can opposition strengthen rather than weaken 228 00:15:48,179 --> 00:15:49,960 our spiritual conviction? 229 00:15:50,559 --> 00:15:51,419 How does that work? 230 00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:58,399 So we have opposition and how can it strengthen us? 231 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:03,440 You want to take it? 232 00:16:03,639 --> 00:16:04,100 Go ahead. 233 00:16:06,340 --> 00:16:10,259 So when you're in the midst of a storm and you hold on to your faith and 234 00:16:10,259 --> 00:16:15,279 trusting God, and he carries you through it, it strengthens your belief, 235 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:26,240 it strengthens your stance, and it also helps, excuse me, it also helps 236 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:27,620 with your day-to-day life. 237 00:16:28,259 --> 00:16:33,100 I mean, I'm coming out of the midst of a storm because of prayer that's 238 00:16:33,100 --> 00:16:37,360 been given to me from people here, from my faith, from my belief, from 239 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,019 staying steadfast in the Word. 240 00:16:41,159 --> 00:16:44,159 I'm not completely out of it, but I know he has a purpose and he's going 241 00:16:44,159 --> 00:16:45,759 to carry me through it and out of it. 242 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:46,820 So that's wonderful. 243 00:16:47,639 --> 00:16:51,120 And that strength that you're talking about fortifies yourself for the 244 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:52,460 next set of circumstances. 245 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:54,639 So it's like pouring water in a cup. 246 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:55,299 Okay. 247 00:16:55,379 --> 00:16:59,259 You got a little bit, you got a little bit in time, the cup overflows 248 00:16:59,259 --> 00:17:01,240 and you can withstand the enemy. 249 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:06,460 You can withstand the context of those disbelievers yammering your ear, 250 00:17:06,539 --> 00:17:07,339 like Charlie said. 251 00:17:07,940 --> 00:17:08,079 Yeah. 252 00:17:08,279 --> 00:17:10,380 I mean, that's, that's what life is all about. 253 00:17:10,859 --> 00:17:17,900 Now, resistance often becomes the thing that refines our strength. 254 00:17:18,220 --> 00:17:23,279 Like you said, reveals a new truth about the Word, because when we're 255 00:17:23,279 --> 00:17:27,440 seeking, we're asking when things are good, how are you just coasting 256 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,619 along, but when you're seeking and searching, the scriptures become 257 00:17:31,619 --> 00:17:36,180 more relevant to you and it solidifies commitment as Christianity 258 00:17:36,799 --> 00:17:39,500 being the only way of life. 259 00:17:40,819 --> 00:17:41,599 Think about that. 260 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:43,900 There's no other question. 261 00:17:44,700 --> 00:17:47,779 It's the only way of life that is worth living. 262 00:17:48,380 --> 00:17:48,619 Okay. 263 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:54,240 Let's take a look now at what waiting did in context. 264 00:17:54,799 --> 00:17:55,200 Okay. 265 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,460 So let's look at time. 266 00:17:59,099 --> 00:18:01,759 Time is a factor in this situation. 267 00:18:02,940 --> 00:18:04,799 A long period of 45 years. 268 00:18:04,799 --> 00:18:10,519 We said that represents significant patients, 45 year patients. 269 00:18:11,559 --> 00:18:13,380 Oh my gosh, that's a long time. 270 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:17,640 Another one, the historical setting that we're looking at during 271 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:22,079 his lifetime events or changes that have occurred over this 45 year 272 00:18:22,079 --> 00:18:26,220 span, we talked about the waywardness of the, of his brothers and 273 00:18:26,220 --> 00:18:35,119 sisters, the other Israelite tribals issues reflects a persistence in 274 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:42,220 his life and then third, our visual is like this tree that we see up on 275 00:18:42,220 --> 00:18:48,920 screen imagery, such as a growing tree symbolizes endurance and hope. 276 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,039 You don't go up to the tree every day and say, Oh, it grew. 277 00:18:52,759 --> 00:18:54,319 You leave it, you come back. 278 00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:58,500 Oh, maybe grew a little bit slowly, but slowly, but slowly that tree 279 00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:02,519 grows in strength and stature. 280 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,819 So these are the things that we're going to talk about tonight. 281 00:19:06,019 --> 00:19:06,900 These three things. 282 00:19:07,859 --> 00:19:08,319 All right. 283 00:19:08,980 --> 00:19:12,579 Number one, patience or time in the kingdom of God. 284 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,740 And how many confess that when you first came to the Lord, I want it now. 285 00:19:18,460 --> 00:19:19,579 Yeah, I do that. 286 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:20,319 Okay. 287 00:19:20,319 --> 00:19:21,859 I'll bite on that first. 288 00:19:22,079 --> 00:19:24,460 God exists outside of time. 289 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,859 He is not looking at his watch one day. 290 00:19:28,859 --> 00:19:33,119 As it's a thousand years, God is external to our schedules. 291 00:19:33,339 --> 00:19:36,259 He's not bound by past president's future. 292 00:19:36,259 --> 00:19:38,859 Cause we always refer to things with happened. 293 00:19:39,019 --> 00:19:43,640 There were stories in the past and we have future goals and we have aspirations. 294 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:45,619 And here we are in the present. 295 00:19:46,220 --> 00:19:48,200 And most people are dissatisfied with the present. 296 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,640 They're either thinking about what was or what is to come as a reward. 297 00:19:52,700 --> 00:19:56,559 And second Peter three eight says this with the Lord one day is as a thousand 298 00:19:56,559 --> 00:20:04,039 years time is a created framework that we live in because we only have a promise 299 00:20:04,039 --> 00:20:06,359 of 70 years and some of us are above that. 300 00:20:06,519 --> 00:20:06,799 Okay. 301 00:20:07,319 --> 00:20:08,240 And we're blessed. 302 00:20:08,460 --> 00:20:08,940 That's good. 303 00:20:09,940 --> 00:20:15,519 But God stands above that time and sees everything all at once. 304 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,539 He sees the beginning from the end. 305 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:20,019 Fact is he goes to the end. 306 00:20:20,519 --> 00:20:27,119 He sees the outcome and constructs it and works back from there to give us that 307 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,039 life that he promised us. 308 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:31,759 He makes all things new for us. 309 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,180 So God works within time for his purposes. 310 00:20:35,180 --> 00:20:40,099 So he comes down like he did when he entered, when he entered the earth, Jesus 311 00:20:40,099 --> 00:20:41,420 was here, he ministered. 312 00:20:41,819 --> 00:20:45,960 So he came in the, in our schedule, in our time, and he enters our human 313 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,220 experience and acts at specific moments in time. 314 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:52,720 I mean, we could go around the room tonight and I would ask you for 315 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:53,980 testimonies and miracles. 316 00:20:54,519 --> 00:20:56,000 Some of you could put dates on them. 317 00:20:56,099 --> 00:20:59,259 Some of you couldn't, but you know that God has worked in your life. 318 00:21:00,279 --> 00:21:04,220 In Galatians four, four, it says, when the fullness of time had come, there is 319 00:21:04,220 --> 00:21:07,599 a period that God intervenes in time. 320 00:21:08,460 --> 00:21:13,279 So now waiting, this is the subject here, being patient becomes one of the 321 00:21:13,279 --> 00:21:15,819 main ways we relate to him. 322 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:21,039 If you didn't pray and believe and you weren't waiting and you weren't 323 00:21:21,039 --> 00:21:26,900 hoping with a divine hope, well, I'm impatient Lord. 324 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:33,460 And, and I will admit, um, in, in my life, there were certain instances 325 00:21:33,460 --> 00:21:38,160 in tonight's not the time to unburden myself with a couple of them, but 326 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,900 being impatient because I'm kind of like a now person. 327 00:21:42,099 --> 00:21:45,839 I've become less than that recently slowing down. 328 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,220 I think my wife is finally balancing me out. 329 00:21:48,660 --> 00:21:50,119 So that's a confession. 330 00:21:50,380 --> 00:21:51,539 I think she's watching tonight. 331 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:52,200 Thank you, honey. 332 00:21:53,279 --> 00:21:53,539 All right. 333 00:21:53,940 --> 00:21:57,740 So, um, patience is not just killing time. 334 00:21:58,440 --> 00:21:59,099 Come on, Lord. 335 00:21:59,339 --> 00:21:59,900 Hurry up. 336 00:22:00,859 --> 00:22:06,799 It's daily trusting God's perspective while living in this limited 337 00:22:06,799 --> 00:22:08,500 timeline that we have. 338 00:22:09,039 --> 00:22:11,160 It's a learned principle to be patient. 339 00:22:12,339 --> 00:22:17,740 It doesn't come automatically in, in a meeting that we had at, um, 12 340 00:22:17,740 --> 00:22:22,599 o'clock today and another venue was, um, I run a caregivers group for 341 00:22:22,599 --> 00:22:24,599 people that have a spouse in need. 342 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:30,380 And, uh, the common theme through about 15 people was, gee, I don't 343 00:22:30,380 --> 00:22:33,420 have enough patients, I need more patients. 344 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:40,359 You know, and I, I read a poem that I had before I prayed us out about 14 345 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:46,359 ways in which the individual, I wish I would have brought it experiences 346 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:50,880 what their caregiver sees don't exclude me from conversation. 347 00:22:51,220 --> 00:22:52,000 I'm still here. 348 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:56,779 I may not be able to pronounce my words like I could, but be patient with me. 349 00:22:57,220 --> 00:22:58,940 Don't speak for me, speak to me. 350 00:22:59,579 --> 00:23:04,880 And so the idea of being patient is universal kingdom and out of kingdom. 351 00:23:05,319 --> 00:23:10,519 But we have an advocate that brings us that peace, that tranquility, 352 00:23:10,700 --> 00:23:12,299 as long as we trust him. 353 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:17,119 God is always working beyond what we see. 354 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:19,220 He's not silent. 355 00:23:19,779 --> 00:23:20,839 He's not late. 356 00:23:20,839 --> 00:23:23,119 He didn't forget about you. 357 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:27,619 He's always doing something, whether it's in our time schedule or not. 358 00:23:28,299 --> 00:23:33,140 And we are called to remain being faithful within what we can see. 359 00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:39,799 Oh Lord, only if one more, just a little bit, be patient. 360 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,539 And then let's take a look at this clock. 361 00:23:44,740 --> 00:23:50,819 Waiting develops an alignment with God's timing and plans real quick. 362 00:23:50,819 --> 00:23:52,460 We'll go through these things. 363 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,380 Waiting always stretches our faith. 364 00:23:56,220 --> 00:23:57,160 Hallelujah for that. 365 00:23:59,299 --> 00:23:59,900 Not many. 366 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:00,619 Amen's been. 367 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:01,420 All right. 368 00:24:02,140 --> 00:24:04,960 What God completes outside of time. 369 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:08,400 We learned to trust through waiting. 370 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:11,759 We are seeing him and all of a sudden there is breakthrough. 371 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,880 We had a situation we had been praying for in this prayer meeting thing. 372 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:23,240 An individual, uh, that attends it has a son-in-law that had a very high paying job 373 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:27,779 and they moved out to Arizona to fulfill his contract. 374 00:24:28,039 --> 00:24:31,819 And after he got out there for one year, they bought a brand new home. 375 00:24:32,079 --> 00:24:35,779 They had this, they had that, and then they had a child and all of a sudden 376 00:24:35,779 --> 00:24:41,299 his job was wiped out and Arizona is not a very good place to sell a home 377 00:24:41,299 --> 00:24:43,279 presently, so we've been praying for him. 378 00:24:43,879 --> 00:24:48,240 So then he kind of bit the bullet and he said, I'm going to work for this retail 379 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:53,359 agent and long story short, we just learned yesterday that he's got a full-time 380 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:58,960 job with better benefits than his contracting job for an aerospace company. 381 00:24:59,180 --> 00:25:03,279 So we just thank the Lord for that waiting, waiting, seeing, and that was 382 00:25:03,279 --> 00:25:08,359 about a year and a half that we, we believed for him waiting aligns 383 00:25:08,900 --> 00:25:10,640 our will with his timing. 384 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,140 You know, are we anxious? 385 00:25:14,339 --> 00:25:16,880 Are we aligning with his time and his schedule? 386 00:25:17,039 --> 00:25:23,960 Are we yielding, you know, in mentoring people, there, there's certain key words 387 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:31,099 that come up when I talk with young men, one is yield and when you're 388 00:25:31,099 --> 00:25:32,220 young, that's hard to do. 389 00:25:32,319 --> 00:25:38,000 I want it, I want it now, and I want it my way yield, stop fighting. 390 00:25:38,180 --> 00:25:39,839 Let God do what he needs to do. 391 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,240 Waiting allows us to become close to him. 392 00:25:43,539 --> 00:25:47,640 How many have found if you allow God, he becomes closer to you in need 393 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:51,960 and time as you continue in this labyrinth of difficulty. 394 00:25:53,019 --> 00:25:56,480 Remember the best times of learning are in the valley, not on the 395 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,079 hilltop as the expression goes. 396 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:05,539 God works beyond time, but we meet him through patience within the time 397 00:26:05,539 --> 00:26:09,400 that we have, like I said, I mean, you know, I've been praying 398 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,119 for my wife for, I don't know how many years now to be whole. 399 00:26:12,579 --> 00:26:15,339 So we're working on his schedule. 400 00:26:16,339 --> 00:26:20,819 Waiting helps us to understand him in part, not the whole, we'll never 401 00:26:20,819 --> 00:26:27,299 know completely who he is by his character until we get to the other side. 402 00:26:28,019 --> 00:26:32,319 If you look back in your life, two, three years, five years, 10 years 403 00:26:32,319 --> 00:26:38,220 for those people, 25 years, God in his relationship with you today 404 00:26:38,220 --> 00:26:42,519 is certainly different than the relationship that you once had with him 405 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,500 because it was more oriented on me. 406 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,059 And as you grow older, you understand it is him. 407 00:26:49,660 --> 00:26:53,000 And as you get a comfortable level in your relationship, 408 00:26:53,420 --> 00:26:56,420 he begins to open things to you. 409 00:26:56,940 --> 00:27:00,500 It's it's it's almost like the watch dealer on the corner 410 00:27:00,500 --> 00:27:03,059 that used to hustle watches in a long trench coat. 411 00:27:03,900 --> 00:27:04,859 OK, he opens the coat. 412 00:27:05,079 --> 00:27:06,339 Yeah, look at the gold in there. 413 00:27:06,980 --> 00:27:08,759 You know, and then he opens up another layer. 414 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,500 And God, you mean this is so wonderful and yet another one, it's ongoing. 415 00:27:13,900 --> 00:27:16,940 How many have read the scripture in your devotions? 416 00:27:17,299 --> 00:27:20,960 You left it a year later, you come back to it or two years or three years 417 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,700 and you read the same scripture that has a whole different, deeper meaning. 418 00:27:24,220 --> 00:27:28,220 Yeah, I mean, that's where God's revelation comes through the word. 419 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:35,039 His goal isn't just outcomes, it's character formation. 420 00:27:35,839 --> 00:27:36,740 That's what he wanted. 421 00:27:37,559 --> 00:27:41,059 He wanted fellowship when he called the Israelites together, 422 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:44,480 began to school them, giving them the law, 423 00:27:44,980 --> 00:27:48,740 giving them how to live differently than the rest of the warring tribes. 424 00:27:49,660 --> 00:27:51,900 And as a result of that, 425 00:27:52,740 --> 00:27:56,180 he worked with them and he labored with them in his own admission. 426 00:27:56,380 --> 00:27:58,700 I would rather that they would die or kill them all. 427 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,339 He was impatient with them. 428 00:28:01,980 --> 00:28:06,680 But the outcomes of the character of God is exemplified in periods of time. 429 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,960 And one other thought, patience is how we live faithfully 430 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,759 while God is working eternally. 431 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:17,099 That's a hard thing to get a hold of, 432 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:19,779 because when he doesn't live in the time and space that we have, 433 00:28:20,180 --> 00:28:22,759 you know, all we're thinking of, OK, I got about 80 years here, 434 00:28:23,039 --> 00:28:25,400 90 years or whatever it is, Lord, do your thing. 435 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:29,539 But he he doesn't deal with that patience is impassive. 436 00:28:29,539 --> 00:28:30,480 It is active. 437 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:34,119 I think Chris said that very beautifully about still doing 438 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:37,279 the things you need to do to fortify your faith. 439 00:28:38,039 --> 00:28:38,460 So question. 440 00:28:40,220 --> 00:28:43,940 Why is patience necessary before entering greater spiritual 441 00:28:43,940 --> 00:28:45,680 responsibility or blessing? 442 00:28:46,559 --> 00:28:47,299 Why is that? 443 00:28:51,299 --> 00:28:51,980 Gail. 444 00:28:54,159 --> 00:28:56,779 Because if you've learned patience, 445 00:28:56,839 --> 00:28:59,240 it means that you've learned more about God. 446 00:28:59,539 --> 00:29:04,599 And learn to wait on him and gain patience through that. 447 00:29:05,019 --> 00:29:08,200 Yeah, you know, you can't minister out if you're out of anything 448 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:09,420 but your own experience. 449 00:29:09,599 --> 00:29:12,539 And if you don't have an experience and you and you aren't waiting, 450 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:14,980 God can't take you to that next level. 451 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,259 I mean, I've seen so many people in our relationships over the years. 452 00:29:18,559 --> 00:29:22,359 They steam up to a plateau and then they just kind of stay there. 453 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,539 You know, and I in my life and my Christian life 454 00:29:26,539 --> 00:29:29,400 that happened and in a particular situation, 455 00:29:29,559 --> 00:29:31,539 it was about two and a half, three years of OK. 456 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,579 I burned all my theology books before the Internet. 457 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:36,200 I said never again. 458 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:39,640 I literally went out in the trash and threw them all away. 459 00:29:40,039 --> 00:29:43,359 And you know what? I started buying them back years later. 460 00:29:43,859 --> 00:29:48,440 I have I have one encyclopedia book that's four volumes. 461 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,559 And the print is like a number four. 462 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:53,539 It's thousands of pages. 463 00:29:53,779 --> 00:29:56,140 But you know, when I need to get a subject handle, 464 00:29:56,599 --> 00:29:57,839 I open that thing. 465 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,640 It's a dictionary and I'm reading 15 pages about the word vow, 466 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,059 you know, and it goes on and on and on. 467 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:05,819 So I got rid of that. 468 00:30:05,980 --> 00:30:08,980 I burned it and I and I figured, gee, you know, when I started 469 00:30:08,980 --> 00:30:11,400 to get back in the ministry, I could really use those books. 470 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:12,599 But I can't find them. 471 00:30:12,740 --> 00:30:16,279 They were made in 1890 or 1910. 472 00:30:17,059 --> 00:30:19,480 Long behold, I opened up the Internet and eBay. 473 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,940 I was searching through there and here were four books. 474 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:25,200 Exactly what I had. 475 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,079 I paid seventy dollars for them and the freight was one hundred 476 00:30:28,079 --> 00:30:30,779 dollars because they were so happy. 477 00:30:31,220 --> 00:30:33,299 But I mean, it was just like, oh, Lord, thank you. 478 00:30:33,519 --> 00:30:34,059 It's so wonderful. 479 00:30:34,700 --> 00:30:35,819 So what else, Jenny? 480 00:30:37,319 --> 00:30:42,720 OK, I was reading Proverbs the other day and Solomon writes 481 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:50,599 that a man with no self control, which I equate to having patients. 482 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,799 I mean, if you don't have patients, you're more likely 483 00:30:54,799 --> 00:30:55,759 to spout off. 484 00:30:56,279 --> 00:31:00,960 But a man without self control is like a city without walls. 485 00:31:02,079 --> 00:31:03,819 Yeah, definitely. Definitely. 486 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:05,720 You don't have that production. Yes. 487 00:31:07,079 --> 00:31:08,579 Oh, I thought you had your hand up. 488 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:09,759 You were just scratching your shoulder. 489 00:31:10,119 --> 00:31:11,759 No, no, no. Oh, OK. Go for it. 490 00:31:11,940 --> 00:31:15,799 Well, I was just thinking of Hebrews five, verse three and four. 491 00:31:15,940 --> 00:31:18,519 It says that suffering 492 00:31:20,479 --> 00:31:23,700 creates perseverance, perseverance creates character 493 00:31:23,700 --> 00:31:25,339 and character, hope. 494 00:31:26,380 --> 00:31:30,799 And hope, in my way of thinking, is trust in God's promises. 495 00:31:31,799 --> 00:31:35,480 So when we suffer and we're persistent, 496 00:31:35,799 --> 00:31:40,900 we have perseverance and endurance that it builds character in us. 497 00:31:41,380 --> 00:31:42,660 And that's what God's looking for. 498 00:31:43,359 --> 00:31:46,019 And when we have hope, we're trusting in God. 499 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:47,640 And that's what that's what he wants us to. 500 00:31:47,839 --> 00:31:50,519 So when things are bad, when we're suffering, that's when we grow. 501 00:31:50,519 --> 00:31:55,039 That's when the fruit is grown, because we're trusting in God. 502 00:31:55,299 --> 00:31:58,480 Sometimes when things are real good and we don't think about it 503 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:00,160 and we put God in the back burner and. 504 00:32:02,180 --> 00:32:06,779 Yes, yes, yes. Thank you. 505 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:08,619 Go for it. 506 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,140 I mean, the Bible says those that wait upon the Lord 507 00:32:12,140 --> 00:32:16,859 shall renew their strength and they should mount up wings like eagles 508 00:32:16,859 --> 00:32:18,900 and run and not be tired. 509 00:32:19,500 --> 00:32:21,460 I prayed that prayer before I came over here. 510 00:32:21,559 --> 00:32:22,339 I was dead tired. 511 00:32:22,579 --> 00:32:25,119 I prayed and had a cup of coffee and I'm energized now. 512 00:32:25,559 --> 00:32:29,400 OK, you know, it's funny. 513 00:32:31,099 --> 00:32:33,180 Some of you are into health things and whatever. 514 00:32:33,539 --> 00:32:36,000 And and I believe holy and olive oil. 515 00:32:36,779 --> 00:32:39,740 So anyway, you take a swig of olive oil, yada, yada, yada up. 516 00:32:40,140 --> 00:32:42,940 The normal olive oil you get from Italy, you have about a thousand. 517 00:32:44,779 --> 00:32:45,920 What is it, Pali? 518 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:53,279 Pali, Pali phenols. 519 00:32:53,940 --> 00:32:56,500 So I get this olive oil from Morocco. 520 00:32:57,460 --> 00:33:01,319 It has a hundred thousand by units as opposed to a thousand. 521 00:33:02,180 --> 00:33:04,140 And I looked up, I said, what about why? 522 00:33:04,259 --> 00:33:06,019 Why Morocco, Morocco? 523 00:33:07,140 --> 00:33:12,160 Now, going back, if you've ever seen films and videos of Italian soil, 524 00:33:12,279 --> 00:33:15,460 it's dry and craggy and you wonder how things can grow. 525 00:33:16,119 --> 00:33:17,160 So I fast forward. 526 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,000 I look at Morocco, it's even worse. 527 00:33:20,099 --> 00:33:23,220 And so the tree knows that it is in a barren land. 528 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:28,359 So it provides through the olives a greater, a greater amount 529 00:33:28,359 --> 00:33:30,220 of these things by a hundred thousand. 530 00:33:30,900 --> 00:33:34,099 So I buy this and I think and, you know, so I take my first swig 531 00:33:34,099 --> 00:33:38,200 and it almost knocks me down off the I mean, it's like pepper. 532 00:33:38,859 --> 00:33:42,500 Yeah. But but I drink it with my meal, but it's just the idea 533 00:33:43,180 --> 00:33:47,819 that you have an ability, even in a parched experience, 534 00:33:47,839 --> 00:33:52,079 to have something yielding that much power and potential just like the Lord. 535 00:33:53,039 --> 00:33:56,819 Yeah. By the way, if you're writing, it's Morocco, single source. 536 00:33:58,079 --> 00:34:02,700 OK. I know Judy is a follower of this, too. 537 00:34:03,980 --> 00:34:05,660 OK. So thoughts. 538 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:09,900 Greater responsibility requires deeper preparation. 539 00:34:10,500 --> 00:34:14,460 And we know that for those that minister in the Sunday schools, 540 00:34:15,119 --> 00:34:18,519 public ministry here, testimonies, evangelism, 541 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:20,699 there is preparation that is needed. 542 00:34:20,860 --> 00:34:23,320 You don't go flying by the seat of your pants out the door. 543 00:34:24,140 --> 00:34:28,480 You prepare and then patients develop spiritual maturity. 544 00:34:28,659 --> 00:34:30,639 And I think Gail's the one that said that. 545 00:34:31,340 --> 00:34:33,320 OK. Number two, persistence. 546 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:36,780 Again, remember Jacob, he was persistent 547 00:34:36,780 --> 00:34:39,900 and his thoughts about where he was going, who he was, 548 00:34:39,980 --> 00:34:42,159 what he was doing in the kingdom of God. 549 00:34:42,820 --> 00:34:46,280 Persistence is not merely surviving time. 550 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:49,960 It is remaining faithful while circumstances, 551 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:55,820 maybe leadership, culture, personal challenges continually change 552 00:34:55,820 --> 00:34:58,239 and ebb and flow back and forth. 553 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:03,079 There is a persistence as an entire generation rose and fell 554 00:35:03,079 --> 00:35:05,780 amongst many and times over, 555 00:35:06,340 --> 00:35:08,739 Caleb remade spiritually steadfast. 556 00:35:09,739 --> 00:35:10,800 This is our example. 557 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:14,880 Many believers also face pressures from competing values, 558 00:35:16,159 --> 00:35:17,480 discouraging voices. 559 00:35:17,599 --> 00:35:21,840 We talked about that in your ear, skepticism, compromise. 560 00:35:22,619 --> 00:35:25,179 It's tough to fight these things off. 561 00:35:25,639 --> 00:35:28,280 So we must keep our spiritual vision alive. 562 00:35:28,519 --> 00:35:29,360 How do we do that? 563 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:33,300 Many people lose their spiritual passion over disappointments, 564 00:35:34,099 --> 00:35:37,719 routine, same thing, mundane, nothing happening. 565 00:35:38,260 --> 00:35:40,639 Hardships that weaken their expectancy. 566 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:43,639 We cannot allow that to happen. 567 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,159 And we should continue by doing what? 568 00:35:48,159 --> 00:35:49,539 Pursuing God's purpose. 569 00:35:50,340 --> 00:35:52,139 And I don't know how many people have said, well, you know, 570 00:35:52,139 --> 00:35:53,380 I don't know what my purpose is. 571 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:55,119 Well, how long have you been in the Lord? 572 00:35:55,260 --> 00:35:56,539 Well, you know, 15 years. 573 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:58,659 We better find out what your purpose is. 574 00:35:58,659 --> 00:36:00,460 He's given us an anointing. 575 00:36:00,619 --> 00:36:01,800 He's given us giftings. 576 00:36:02,460 --> 00:36:04,739 Here's a whole church that can provide service. 577 00:36:06,119 --> 00:36:08,639 I mean, I tell you what, you ought to see when we go on our 578 00:36:08,639 --> 00:36:11,500 picnics, how Ken cleans up and does everything. 579 00:36:11,619 --> 00:36:12,380 And he's a janitor. 580 00:36:12,659 --> 00:36:14,340 He's a he's a he's an artisan. 581 00:36:14,599 --> 00:36:16,980 He's everything right to hands up. 582 00:36:19,500 --> 00:36:20,219 Yeah, right. 583 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,199 OK. Pursuing God's purpose. 584 00:36:24,039 --> 00:36:27,039 You know, janitorial service is in the church. 585 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:29,340 Starting to clean bathrooms. 586 00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:31,400 Yeah, that's where you start at the bottom. 587 00:36:32,699 --> 00:36:33,360 Growing spiritually. 588 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:35,639 How do you grow? 589 00:36:36,059 --> 00:36:37,639 You feed on the word. 590 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:41,559 You allow that word to be saturated into your life. 591 00:36:41,820 --> 00:36:43,400 Not once a week for five minutes. 592 00:36:44,900 --> 00:36:46,460 Not once a day for two minutes. 593 00:36:48,460 --> 00:36:50,920 For those of you that can, I appreciate that. 594 00:36:52,119 --> 00:36:56,480 Hours of meditation and study and just being 595 00:36:56,480 --> 00:36:57,300 before the Lord. 596 00:36:58,780 --> 00:37:02,119 Serving faithfully in whatever you are asked to do. 597 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:07,219 I have a confession to make. 598 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,840 So when I came here, I pastored was an elder of two 599 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:12,579 different churches. 600 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:16,559 Did a lot of work independently also. 601 00:37:17,539 --> 00:37:21,340 And I said when I came here, I was officially once again 602 00:37:21,340 --> 00:37:22,239 going to retire. 603 00:37:23,099 --> 00:37:24,079 No more. Nada. 604 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,159 And just sit in the seat. 605 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:29,219 And that was good for about a year. 606 00:37:30,019 --> 00:37:32,300 And then this guy in the back row, he asked me to do 607 00:37:32,300 --> 00:37:35,980 something, you know, and my and my objective always in 608 00:37:35,980 --> 00:37:37,739 serving is never say no. 609 00:37:38,900 --> 00:37:41,000 Because that's how God stretches you. 610 00:37:41,179 --> 00:37:43,840 So I said yes, and I still continue to say yes. 611 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:49,920 But as you do that, God expands the capability of your 612 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:54,059 ministry and the influence in the circles that you 613 00:37:54,659 --> 00:37:55,199 work in. 614 00:37:55,659 --> 00:37:58,880 Whether it be a retirement community, whether it be a job, 615 00:37:59,579 --> 00:38:02,639 whether it be a household that you're responsible for, 616 00:38:03,340 --> 00:38:06,519 whether it is a ministry that's extended well beyond 617 00:38:06,519 --> 00:38:08,039 even these four walls. 618 00:38:08,980 --> 00:38:14,159 God really works in your life if you allow him to do that. 619 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:21,380 So being available is something experiencing what God 620 00:38:21,380 --> 00:38:22,780 wants to work in your life. 621 00:38:23,620 --> 00:38:28,139 So now we come to the third one, endurance and hope. 622 00:38:30,340 --> 00:38:34,039 Christ endured suffering because he looked beyond the 623 00:38:34,039 --> 00:38:37,539 pain toward the fulfillment of God's promise. 624 00:38:38,900 --> 00:38:42,340 I mean, you know, you read, you have read the scriptures 625 00:38:42,340 --> 00:38:45,400 in Gethsemane, so many words. 626 00:38:45,539 --> 00:38:46,539 I don't want to do this, Lord. 627 00:38:46,659 --> 00:38:48,199 Take this cup from me, oh God. 628 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:50,659 But yet he did, he looked beyond that. 629 00:38:51,339 --> 00:38:55,699 And as the Lord ministered for three years and poured his 630 00:38:55,699 --> 00:38:59,179 heart into people, his life into people, the principles, 631 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:03,099 his disciples, we've got to play that long game. 632 00:39:03,659 --> 00:39:06,780 It's not the immediate, it's the long game that you're 633 00:39:06,780 --> 00:39:07,340 looking for. 634 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:11,800 Be firmed and fixed in your life no matter how long you 635 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:14,820 live in this earth, no matter what you're called to do 636 00:39:14,820 --> 00:39:16,539 that you will be a servant of God. 637 00:39:17,079 --> 00:39:18,619 Fix that in your mind. 638 00:39:19,179 --> 00:39:21,480 That helps you because then you don't get pulled 639 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:22,659 here and there. 640 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:27,519 I think I shared this, I was working for a, 641 00:39:28,179 --> 00:39:33,039 in my college experience doing engineering work 642 00:39:33,039 --> 00:39:38,360 and then lecturing across many countries. 643 00:39:38,940 --> 00:39:42,820 We had a situation whereby we did a tech transfer 644 00:39:43,339 --> 00:39:46,420 of naval state of the art programs from Indianapolis 645 00:39:46,420 --> 00:39:47,139 to Philadelphia. 646 00:39:47,579 --> 00:39:51,719 Long story short, they wanted me then to be the liaison 647 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:55,179 in the Indiana office. 648 00:39:55,780 --> 00:39:58,000 So I took the job, I mean it was all part of my 649 00:39:59,279 --> 00:40:02,360 college experience and at the end of about a year 650 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:04,159 and a half they said, well we want to hire you. 651 00:40:04,780 --> 00:40:06,500 And I said, okay, what's that look like? 652 00:40:07,819 --> 00:40:10,940 And they laid a plan out and it was a very nice plan, 653 00:40:11,039 --> 00:40:14,320 it was lucrative and then I laid my plan on top of that. 654 00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:17,440 What I got from the college and at that point in time 655 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:20,320 you wouldn't believe this but the college was giving you 656 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:22,679 13% contribution of your wages. 657 00:40:23,699 --> 00:40:25,699 13%, that doesn't happen these days. 658 00:40:26,159 --> 00:40:28,440 And then I laid on the vacation and I laid on this. 659 00:40:28,980 --> 00:40:31,539 So they kind of worked it around 660 00:40:31,539 --> 00:40:35,460 and made an attractive offer and then I thought of this. 661 00:40:35,980 --> 00:40:39,719 I have a network of Christian brothers and sisters. 662 00:40:40,380 --> 00:40:43,920 I have a relationship that I have built. 663 00:40:44,519 --> 00:40:48,940 I have people I minister to, I have ministry that I receive 664 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:51,980 and there is this whole thing within the church 665 00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:56,219 as a honeycomb of support and mechanisms 666 00:40:56,219 --> 00:41:00,260 that if I would leave, I would have to recreate 667 00:41:00,260 --> 00:41:01,320 that all again. 668 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:03,780 And I said, no, I said that's absolutely nothing. 669 00:41:04,139 --> 00:41:06,340 I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't do it for a million dollars 670 00:41:06,340 --> 00:41:10,360 because I knew that God was where we were at here. 671 00:41:11,139 --> 00:41:13,860 And some of the kids said, well, we ought to do that. 672 00:41:13,940 --> 00:41:14,920 I said, no, we're not doing that. 673 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:17,960 So they liked the idea of something new. 674 00:41:19,119 --> 00:41:21,840 And here in Hebrews 12.2 it says, 675 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:26,280 who, meaning Christ, for the joy that was set before him 676 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:28,079 endured the cross. 677 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:29,920 He endured it. 678 00:41:33,460 --> 00:41:34,519 He endured what? 679 00:41:35,159 --> 00:41:39,400 He endured rejection by his own people, 680 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:44,639 right religious leaders, society, crowds. 681 00:41:45,199 --> 00:41:48,219 The crowds wanted him and then they got dissatisfied with him. 682 00:41:48,699 --> 00:41:50,719 John 11.1, he came unto his own 683 00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:52,480 and his own received him not. 684 00:41:53,860 --> 00:41:56,519 And yet he gave up all that and came down for us. 685 00:41:57,260 --> 00:42:00,360 He had suffering, what's that look like? 686 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:05,079 Stones, emotional, mocking, being humiliated, 687 00:42:06,039 --> 00:42:10,780 spiritual wounds, world sins that he took, 688 00:42:11,980 --> 00:42:14,860 the temptation that was given him by Satan, 689 00:42:15,780 --> 00:42:17,980 stone to bread, jumping from the temple. 690 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:20,179 He was offered kingdoms of the world 691 00:42:20,179 --> 00:42:21,559 and yet he didn't take them. 692 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:28,360 He experienced betrayal by Judas, by Peter, 693 00:42:29,039 --> 00:42:31,639 and all the 12 left after he was judged. 694 00:42:32,559 --> 00:42:36,079 They denied knowing him, must have felt alone. 695 00:42:37,039 --> 00:42:41,719 Disciples fled and the crowd chose Barabbas over Jesus. 696 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:52,099 The cross, physical agony, physical pain, public shame, 697 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:54,940 humiliated by stripping off his clothes. 698 00:42:55,780 --> 00:42:58,019 I mean, you can't get much more basic than that. 699 00:42:59,039 --> 00:43:02,139 And yet he loved us and he did that for us. 700 00:43:02,820 --> 00:43:05,980 So we continue forward, not because life is easy, 701 00:43:06,719 --> 00:43:08,800 but because God is faithful. 702 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:13,699 Jesus has overcome and his promises are certain. 703 00:43:14,019 --> 00:43:15,420 So we now know that. 704 00:43:16,079 --> 00:43:20,139 Now question is, what does it look like in your life 705 00:43:21,659 --> 00:43:25,599 to believe God is working even when nothing seems 706 00:43:25,599 --> 00:43:26,760 to be changing? 707 00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:29,380 How do you anchor? 708 00:43:29,500 --> 00:43:31,440 Well, you talked a little bit about that, 709 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:33,119 about those experiences. 710 00:43:33,420 --> 00:43:34,099 Anybody else? 711 00:43:34,940 --> 00:43:35,380 What's that look? 712 00:43:35,519 --> 00:43:36,500 How do you anchor this? 713 00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:41,699 How you don't drift and be influenced. 714 00:43:42,539 --> 00:43:44,099 Yeah, and I'm coming to the back of the church, 715 00:43:44,239 --> 00:43:44,880 so watch out. 716 00:43:47,099 --> 00:43:47,659 Anyone? 717 00:43:49,500 --> 00:43:54,860 Like in your life, we'll exclude Gail and Ginny. 718 00:43:55,199 --> 00:43:56,840 They volunteer so beautifully. 719 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:02,920 I pay them to do that, of course, but I owe it to you. 720 00:44:04,639 --> 00:44:04,860 Yes. 721 00:44:09,900 --> 00:44:12,699 Simple answer, but just remembering what he has done 722 00:44:13,259 --> 00:44:15,199 in my life previously and just, yeah. 723 00:44:17,740 --> 00:44:18,920 That's pretty much it. 724 00:44:19,079 --> 00:44:19,380 That's good. 725 00:44:20,820 --> 00:44:23,039 I remember that, I put some feet on it. 726 00:44:23,059 --> 00:44:25,480 I don't mean to, you know, dig down deep, 727 00:44:25,619 --> 00:44:27,480 but what's that kind of look like? 728 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:30,519 You have visions, you have images, you have thoughts. 729 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:33,619 Do you read what kind of things do you do? 730 00:44:34,900 --> 00:44:37,699 Usually highlights in my journal, my personal journal, 731 00:44:38,860 --> 00:44:41,099 and also reaching out to my support, 732 00:44:41,940 --> 00:44:43,059 like spiritual support system, 733 00:44:43,239 --> 00:44:45,239 spiritual like inside floors or so on. 734 00:44:45,239 --> 00:44:50,260 And they would, sometimes they can see that better 735 00:44:50,260 --> 00:44:51,760 or like they can see God's work, 736 00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:53,699 pretty much working my life better than sometimes 737 00:44:53,699 --> 00:44:55,139 I can remember when I'm in the problem. 738 00:44:56,679 --> 00:44:57,340 Yeah, right. 739 00:44:58,360 --> 00:44:59,440 Brother, I have something to tell you. 740 00:44:59,820 --> 00:45:00,199 Oh, what? 741 00:45:01,340 --> 00:45:02,179 Anyone else? 742 00:45:03,860 --> 00:45:07,699 All right, we got a last, oh, okay, Jill, go for it. 743 00:45:07,920 --> 00:45:10,619 I'm gonna say, if God has spoken a word to you 744 00:45:10,619 --> 00:45:14,599 or a verse and journaling, but writing that down 745 00:45:14,599 --> 00:45:17,159 and going back to, no, it doesn't look this way, 746 00:45:17,159 --> 00:45:19,239 but you said you would do this, you know, 747 00:45:19,280 --> 00:45:20,579 and your promises, yeah. 748 00:45:21,340 --> 00:45:23,900 Yeah, you put your feet on it, okay. 749 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:24,820 All right. 750 00:45:27,300 --> 00:45:28,219 Yes, mercy. 751 00:45:31,300 --> 00:45:33,119 I forgot, I forgot. 752 00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:43,239 I'm trying to think, okay, so I guess just when you, 753 00:45:43,239 --> 00:45:46,780 it was interesting because I was just thinking 754 00:45:46,780 --> 00:45:51,860 about this the other day and you have a piece, 755 00:45:52,280 --> 00:45:56,320 I think the Lord gives one a piece like, okay, 756 00:45:56,320 --> 00:45:59,500 nothing's changing, but when you look around 757 00:46:00,460 --> 00:46:03,860 at what others are doing, like I have several people 758 00:46:03,860 --> 00:46:07,599 that I know, seems like their lives are progressing. 759 00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:12,079 But yet, when I look at it, they have no, 760 00:46:12,719 --> 00:46:15,360 not one of them seems to have a peaceful life 761 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:19,280 and the peace of God will come over you 762 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:22,780 when you're doing what he wants for your life. 763 00:46:22,780 --> 00:46:26,800 Yes, peace that passes all understanding 764 00:46:27,679 --> 00:46:29,719 and what has he promised us? 765 00:46:30,260 --> 00:46:31,679 Righteousness, peace, and joy, 766 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:33,360 are you wanting to say yes to that? 767 00:46:33,820 --> 00:46:35,480 Yes, so for me, what does it look like 768 00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:37,559 in your life to believe God is working 769 00:46:37,559 --> 00:46:38,980 even when nothing seems to be changing 770 00:46:38,980 --> 00:46:40,980 as you continue to declare it? 771 00:46:42,079 --> 00:46:45,219 Just keep declaring it, it will be. 772 00:46:47,300 --> 00:46:52,739 Those declarations are empowering, not only to us, 773 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:57,539 but God partners with us and he asks us to pray 774 00:46:58,740 --> 00:47:01,079 for the harvest, he asks us to pray. 775 00:47:01,860 --> 00:47:04,079 I will give you the desires of your heart. 776 00:47:04,519 --> 00:47:06,699 If you don't claim that and say, okay, well, whatever, 777 00:47:07,039 --> 00:47:10,539 things don't really happen as you would think they would. 778 00:47:11,340 --> 00:47:14,519 So now let's explore by definition of terms 779 00:47:14,519 --> 00:47:16,679 these two things, endurance and hope. 780 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:22,960 Endurance is the strength to remain faithful 781 00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:24,280 through tough times. 782 00:47:24,860 --> 00:47:26,159 So we've all talked about that, 783 00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:30,420 we've all experienced it, or are experiencing it. 784 00:47:31,119 --> 00:47:34,559 Scripture repeatedly teaches us that we will face what? 785 00:47:37,440 --> 00:47:39,079 Trials and tribulations. 786 00:47:39,079 --> 00:47:41,440 And I define these things. 787 00:47:42,280 --> 00:47:46,019 Difficult experiences, tests, pressures in life. 788 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:48,420 You know, you come home and you all of a sudden, 789 00:47:48,519 --> 00:47:50,159 gee, I can't handle any more of this, 790 00:47:50,260 --> 00:47:51,559 I'm just about ready to explode. 791 00:47:52,380 --> 00:47:53,739 Peace be unto you. 792 00:47:54,940 --> 00:47:58,480 Hardships, the challenge of a person's faith 793 00:47:59,079 --> 00:48:00,119 and even their character. 794 00:48:00,699 --> 00:48:02,360 What is your character made of? 795 00:48:03,519 --> 00:48:04,380 Who are you? 796 00:48:04,940 --> 00:48:07,699 You know, we get to keep asking ourselves these things. 797 00:48:08,300 --> 00:48:10,619 Opposition will come. 798 00:48:11,159 --> 00:48:13,280 That's resistance, it can be conflict, 799 00:48:13,920 --> 00:48:16,659 it can be hostility directed against our beliefs, 800 00:48:17,639 --> 00:48:20,380 that it's our purpose, against our action. 801 00:48:21,360 --> 00:48:23,619 There's always somebody disagreeing 802 00:48:23,619 --> 00:48:25,179 and in your face these days. 803 00:48:27,380 --> 00:48:29,739 Waiting seasons, oh my gosh. 804 00:48:30,619 --> 00:48:33,860 Think of Caleb 45 years. 805 00:48:34,819 --> 00:48:37,739 Prayers appear to be unanswered. 806 00:48:38,940 --> 00:48:41,500 Circumstances remain unchanged. 807 00:48:42,599 --> 00:48:47,199 Guidance seems unclear, but yet it's working. 808 00:48:48,900 --> 00:48:49,940 Spiritual battles. 809 00:48:50,940 --> 00:48:53,280 Again, this is some of the areas that we enter into. 810 00:48:53,739 --> 00:48:57,400 Struggles that involve unseen spiritual realities 811 00:48:57,400 --> 00:48:59,719 and influences that seek to weaken our faith 812 00:48:59,719 --> 00:49:01,559 and rob us of our salvation 813 00:49:02,559 --> 00:49:04,960 and make us inoperative in the kingdom of God. 814 00:49:05,860 --> 00:49:09,559 Disappointments, feelings of sadness, discouragement, 815 00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:13,099 frustration when expectations are not fulfilled. 816 00:49:14,199 --> 00:49:19,139 Suffering, experience pain, hardship, distress, loss, 817 00:49:19,860 --> 00:49:23,840 affliction affecting a person's physically, mentally, 818 00:49:24,219 --> 00:49:25,599 emotionally, spiritually. 819 00:49:26,599 --> 00:49:30,420 Hope is then the confident assurance 820 00:49:30,420 --> 00:49:34,500 that God is still working 821 00:49:34,500 --> 00:49:37,920 and his promises will ultimately be fulfilled. 822 00:49:38,579 --> 00:49:40,199 So our hope rests in what? 823 00:49:41,300 --> 00:49:44,480 God's sovereignty and that simply is stated, 824 00:49:45,039 --> 00:49:49,519 his supreme authority, his power and his rule 825 00:49:49,519 --> 00:49:54,340 over all creations, nations, events and human lives. 826 00:49:56,200 --> 00:49:58,059 Christ's victory, we know what that is. 827 00:49:58,219 --> 00:50:01,840 His triumph over sin, death, Satan and the powers of evil 828 00:50:02,599 --> 00:50:05,920 through the death, resurrection and exaltation of our Lord. 829 00:50:07,199 --> 00:50:10,059 And the truth of scripture, we've talked about this. 830 00:50:10,579 --> 00:50:13,639 Isn't it wonderful that we don't have to argue 831 00:50:13,639 --> 00:50:15,500 about scripture and what it says? 832 00:50:16,820 --> 00:50:19,780 And when I listened to a couple of commentaries 833 00:50:19,780 --> 00:50:25,159 from Iran directly, they somehow they piped it in 834 00:50:25,159 --> 00:50:26,800 and he was talking about Christianity 835 00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:31,800 and how he compares that to the Muslim faith 836 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:34,119 and how they always take interpretations. 837 00:50:34,460 --> 00:50:36,719 And he said, there are dozens of interpretations 838 00:50:36,719 --> 00:50:38,059 for just one verse. 839 00:50:38,579 --> 00:50:40,639 I think this or there's sex about it. 840 00:50:41,159 --> 00:50:42,900 By and large, yes, there's things 841 00:50:42,900 --> 00:50:45,699 that we don't agree on in Christendom. 842 00:50:45,840 --> 00:50:48,280 But by and large, we believe these things 843 00:50:48,280 --> 00:50:49,519 as we list them here. 844 00:50:49,599 --> 00:50:50,400 There's no argument. 845 00:50:51,619 --> 00:50:54,000 And then again, the certainty of eternal life. 846 00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:54,820 Isn't that wonderful? 847 00:50:55,079 --> 00:50:56,000 My gosh. 848 00:50:58,699 --> 00:51:01,679 Again, the confidence assurance we possess 849 00:51:01,679 --> 00:51:03,800 through our faith in Jesus Christ. 850 00:51:05,019 --> 00:51:08,139 And the question, what does biblical endurance 851 00:51:08,139 --> 00:51:10,780 and hope look like in your daily life? 852 00:51:11,480 --> 00:51:12,480 What's that hope look like? 853 00:51:12,579 --> 00:51:13,400 How do you anchor that? 854 00:51:13,500 --> 00:51:16,159 We talked about holding and securing, 855 00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:19,280 but how do you generate hope? 856 00:51:19,659 --> 00:51:20,679 I'll give you an example. 857 00:51:21,519 --> 00:51:23,659 I used to and I don't anymore 858 00:51:23,659 --> 00:51:24,619 and I wish I did. 859 00:51:25,480 --> 00:51:28,320 I still write things on my cell phone 860 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:30,460 about requests that people give me 861 00:51:30,460 --> 00:51:31,679 and we have prayer lists 862 00:51:31,679 --> 00:51:33,719 that I don't put the answers on. 863 00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:36,000 And I used to do that. 864 00:51:36,880 --> 00:51:40,000 And that was a great help for me 865 00:51:40,579 --> 00:51:42,860 looking at when I was discouraged 866 00:51:42,860 --> 00:51:47,699 just and I would have a date like 327 or 325 rather. 867 00:51:48,059 --> 00:51:50,719 So that was the March of 25. 868 00:51:51,039 --> 00:51:52,079 And look at the answer. 869 00:51:52,079 --> 00:51:54,380 Just pages and pages and pages 870 00:51:54,380 --> 00:51:55,960 and rehearsing those things 871 00:51:55,960 --> 00:51:57,900 and you can't deny what God's done for you. 872 00:51:58,159 --> 00:51:59,199 How often do we forget? 873 00:51:59,699 --> 00:52:01,260 I mean, we forget our car keys 874 00:52:02,159 --> 00:52:05,119 and here we forget what God done for us. 875 00:52:05,400 --> 00:52:08,719 How he's transferred life into us. 876 00:52:08,960 --> 00:52:11,619 How he got us out of situations financially, 877 00:52:11,780 --> 00:52:13,079 emotionally and so forth. 878 00:52:14,320 --> 00:52:15,340 So we have that. 879 00:52:16,039 --> 00:52:18,519 Okay, we're gonna end up right on time. 880 00:52:19,039 --> 00:52:20,460 So the question that we have 881 00:52:20,980 --> 00:52:23,840 is taking Caleb's life and giving us a challenge. 882 00:52:25,239 --> 00:52:29,239 Will I trust God when others compromise? 883 00:52:29,920 --> 00:52:31,420 And you have to answer this yourself. 884 00:52:34,739 --> 00:52:39,539 Will I remain faithful during long waiting periods? 885 00:52:40,639 --> 00:52:42,360 Long waiting periods. 886 00:52:43,639 --> 00:52:47,659 Will I continue following God when obedience is costly? 887 00:52:48,360 --> 00:52:51,119 That hurts, because you wanna be liked. 888 00:52:51,300 --> 00:52:52,599 You wanna be part of. 889 00:52:53,420 --> 00:52:56,559 So sometimes we comply just to be part of. 890 00:52:56,860 --> 00:52:57,860 That's our society. 891 00:53:00,139 --> 00:53:05,820 Will my devotion endure through every stage of life? 892 00:53:06,099 --> 00:53:07,179 And I think about that. 893 00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:13,639 I think of how I endured in the ministry 894 00:53:13,639 --> 00:53:16,079 and out of the ministry raising a family, 895 00:53:16,759 --> 00:53:18,739 now being a caregiver for my wife, 896 00:53:19,940 --> 00:53:21,820 now doing the things that I can do 897 00:53:21,820 --> 00:53:24,619 and the involvement with no encumbrances, 898 00:53:25,880 --> 00:53:28,219 not having a job anymore, retired. 899 00:53:29,079 --> 00:53:34,099 And what I'm looking at is I wanna finish excellent. 900 00:53:35,239 --> 00:53:38,119 Not to be proud, but I wanna finish 901 00:53:38,119 --> 00:53:40,059 what God has asked me to do. 902 00:53:40,340 --> 00:53:40,579 Amen? 903 00:53:41,579 --> 00:53:41,820 Yeah. 904 00:53:41,820 --> 00:53:41,920 Yeah. 905 00:53:43,559 --> 00:53:46,840 And then Caleb understood that God's promises 906 00:53:46,840 --> 00:53:49,460 are worth trusting, even when fulfillment 907 00:53:49,460 --> 00:53:52,559 takes far longer than he expected. 908 00:53:53,320 --> 00:53:54,059 Think about that. 909 00:53:54,179 --> 00:53:58,500 It was 40 days from Egypt to the Promised Land. 910 00:53:59,159 --> 00:54:02,440 And instead of that, it was 40 years going round and round. 911 00:54:02,739 --> 00:54:05,659 I'm wondering if they didn't pass 912 00:54:05,659 --> 00:54:08,860 some kind of a hill country in the desert. 913 00:54:09,199 --> 00:54:10,400 Ah, yeah, that looks familiar. 914 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:11,820 And then you get 10 years older, 915 00:54:12,019 --> 00:54:12,920 and that looks familiar. 916 00:54:13,239 --> 00:54:15,440 And you go round and round and round. 917 00:54:15,780 --> 00:54:17,039 You know, when's it coming to an end? 918 00:54:17,559 --> 00:54:18,420 Well, you're an unbeliever. 919 00:54:18,480 --> 00:54:19,460 You're not gonna make it in. 920 00:54:20,460 --> 00:54:22,980 And then his story reminds us 921 00:54:23,720 --> 00:54:25,559 that true faith is not measured 922 00:54:25,559 --> 00:54:28,719 by how enthusiastically we begin, 923 00:54:29,840 --> 00:54:32,400 but how faithfully we continue. 924 00:54:33,340 --> 00:54:36,079 Still trusting for those things that are unanswered. 925 00:54:37,579 --> 00:54:39,380 And here's the last statement, 926 00:54:39,380 --> 00:54:40,639 not my own. 927 00:54:41,440 --> 00:54:44,960 Like Caleb, we, you and I, 928 00:54:45,280 --> 00:54:47,760 now have committed to this journey, right? 929 00:54:48,579 --> 00:54:49,179 Committed to it? 930 00:54:49,900 --> 00:54:50,980 All right, okay. 931 00:54:52,039 --> 00:54:53,599 We have taken our place, 932 00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:57,900 and we follow the Lord as faithfully as we know how. 933 00:54:59,380 --> 00:55:02,440 We believe and hold fast to his word, 934 00:55:02,840 --> 00:55:04,519 and that's where it starts the word. 935 00:55:05,079 --> 00:55:07,239 And now we are awaiting all of us 936 00:55:07,239 --> 00:55:08,559 in some degree or another 937 00:55:08,559 --> 00:55:11,039 are waiting for the undeniable 938 00:55:11,619 --> 00:55:14,260 fulfillment of God's promises in our life, 939 00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:15,719 no matter what they may be. 940 00:55:16,360 --> 00:55:17,760 So it's not a matter of if, 941 00:55:18,460 --> 00:55:19,940 it's not a matter of being tired, 942 00:55:20,599 --> 00:55:21,940 it's not a matter of maybe, 943 00:55:22,159 --> 00:55:24,519 it's a matter of believing continually 944 00:55:25,360 --> 00:55:28,739 for what you think God can do with you, 945 00:55:28,840 --> 00:55:30,260 through you and for you. 946 00:55:31,219 --> 00:55:35,139 Lord, we thank you for your blessing tonight. 947 00:55:36,159 --> 00:55:38,719 We thank you that we could study 948 00:55:38,719 --> 00:55:42,239 as a great example, our brother Caleb. 949 00:55:42,960 --> 00:55:48,619 We thank you for his life that was exemplary to us, 950 00:55:49,340 --> 00:55:51,860 how all the things that he did 951 00:55:51,860 --> 00:55:56,139 were reflective of the covenant that we live in now, 952 00:55:56,960 --> 00:55:58,360 and how he pursued. 953 00:55:59,539 --> 00:56:02,079 And he believed at such an old age, 954 00:56:02,820 --> 00:56:04,500 Lord, that you blessed him. 955 00:56:04,880 --> 00:56:06,539 He gave him the best part of life, 956 00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:09,260 his inheritance that he waited so long for. 957 00:56:10,039 --> 00:56:12,099 And then he had to fight battles to win that Hebrew. 958 00:56:12,940 --> 00:56:14,800 But Lord, we do thank you for him 959 00:56:14,800 --> 00:56:17,639 and we thank you for every individual tonight 960 00:56:18,440 --> 00:56:20,219 that's come, who have shared, 961 00:56:21,019 --> 00:56:23,039 take this word and put it in our heart, 962 00:56:23,199 --> 00:56:26,260 bring forth seed, we pray in Jesus' name, amen. 963 00:56:26,260 --> 00:56:26,320 Amen. 964 00:56:34,200 --> 00:56:37,440 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church 965 00:56:37,440 --> 00:56:39,960 as we praise God and discuss his word. 966 00:56:40,639 --> 00:56:43,719 Don't forget to join us for worship live Sunday mornings 967 00:56:43,719 --> 00:56:46,139 at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. 968 00:56:47,119 --> 00:56:49,219 Be blessed and have a great day.