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 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast.

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 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you.

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 Thank you for joining us today.

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 The subject tonight is found in Leviticus chapter 26, and

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 it talks about

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 the obedience of the Israelites

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 and the disobedience of the Israelites.

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 And I will do an outline, but I will be digressing enough

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 because I think that it is pertinent that we talk about not only obedience, but order, because they're the

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 two inseparable, identical twins to each other when it comes into the economies of God

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 and what He wants to do in our life.

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 Obviously, He wants us to obey, but in obedience there then has to be order.

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 And so consequently, we put these things together, and I'll be working that theme most of the evening.

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 First of all, God's required obedience is the bedrock of relationship with you and I.

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 Only through obedience can we grow and mature spiritually.

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 If we're not obedient, we don't grow.

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 We're not receiving what God has for us.

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 It says in John 15.4, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

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 Those things that are commands in the Bible for us to do.

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 And out of this chronology of events that you see on the right side of the screen,

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 you'll see at the top the pyramid, and it was too small to get God in there,

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 but He is the bedrock or the beginning and the ending.

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 And so consequently, in the pyramid of life, there is God on the bottom,

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 which lays our foundation, and we'll call that obedience to God.

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 And in a family situation, as we have spouses and then we have children,

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 there is the self that we deal with, the personal identities.

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 There is the church, the work that we have, secular, whatever, the family,

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 the larger family also, and then others.

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 And then if there is time and opportunity, there are hobbies.

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 And I used to get these things wrong so often.

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 And in looking at the other side of the equation,

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 God's order then in creation reflects His original design and purpose

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 for a spotless church without faults, and we find that in Ephesians 5.27.

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 As an example, order in the home is the basis for all ministry.

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 If the home isn't what we will call subject to Christ,

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 there is little one can do to bring about a life-changing ministry within your goals

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 because that's the proving ground, and all of us that have been married

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 and have children know and realize that there is a test of faith here.

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 There is a test of obedience, long-term commitment.

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 And if we don't get the priorities right, God can little use us

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 because our priorities are so wrong.

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 Let me give you a couple priorities in some people's lives that are out of sync.

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 If you substitute hobbies in church and you say hobbies before church,

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 and if you remember my long-standing issue with my love affection for cars,

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 you may remember that I had a hard time getting over that,

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 and Gordon, because you're new here, I had five race cars that I restored,

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 and that kind of was my goal after going through the ministry and so forth,

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 so that gives you a perspective.

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 So that's priority that in some people's lives they have.

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 Excuse me.

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 And on the other side, some people put work before their spouse.

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 Oh, I'm just so busy at work, I can't do these things,

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 and Roger, why don't you come forward a little bit?

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 Everybody is just losing ground here.

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 There you go.

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 Thank you, folks.

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 That's okay.

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 You're allowed.

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 That's all right.

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 Thank you for coming forward.

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 So we see that that's not a priority and is right,

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 and without Godly order, families can struggle with confusion

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 and conflict and instability leading often to division,

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 and it will be harder to guide our children then if we don't follow this

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 and guide them in spiritual and moral issues

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 because the home may lack a clear definition of purpose and direction.

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 So it all starts with these two interrelated things,

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 and if we don't have that right in the beginning, even before children,

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 sometimes, and I will admit, that I was an only child,

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 and there were certain privileges that only child children have,

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 and that's that you didn't have to fight with your sibling for attention.

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 There wasn't dividing an ice cream cone or things like this,

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 and so consequently, it was interesting when I got married

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 that there was a consideration for the other half.

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 And, you know, just to give you an example of that,

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 and I thought I was ready, and our wedding night came,

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 and I went into the sweet bathroom,

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 and I took my toothbrush out, and now I'm in the military,

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 or was in the military.

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 I took the top off and squeezed it in my mouth,

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 took my toothbrush and washed my mouth out and brushed my teeth.

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 My wife says, what are you doing?

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 She said, well, I'm brushing my teeth.

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 She couldn't get over the fact that I had the toothpaste

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 and just squeezed it right in my mouth,

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 and then I knew that there was another half to my marriage

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 that I hadn't experienced.

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 So sharing doesn't necessarily or didn't necessarily come easy for me,

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 but through the years of 53 precious years,

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 I've learned that you don't take the toothpaste tube off

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 and squeeze it in your mouth, if nothing else.

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 Okay, and I would just like to go back

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 to this wonderful aspect of priorities

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 where the husband and the wife are in one and in unison

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 to be able to glorify God.

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 And what I'd like to celebrate tonight

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 is the love-dare relationship that Gordon has with his wife.

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 And how do I know that, Beth?

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 And we want to congratulate you that there are 31 years of marriage,

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 you're still growing strong, you still love each other,

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 at least that's what he said,

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 and God bless you for supporting in frank actions

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 the things that we're talking about here,

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 because there is a world that we have

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 that doesn't believe in these things and the priority

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 and the objectives of Christ and the family.

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 So congratulations to you, too.

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 It's wonderful.

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 It's wonderful to see you in God.

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 And thank you for picking Lansdale Life, too.

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 Yeah, be blessed.

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 I was honored to do that.

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 Now, oh, you're welcome.

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 Again, obedience establishes order.

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 When we follow God's commands,

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 they create a structured and purposeful life,

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 and a life that is rooted in divine order

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 makes obedience more natural.

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 You want to obey God,

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 and sometimes we don't by virtue of a little bit of resistance

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 and our flesh getting in the way.

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 We all know those things.

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 We all deal with them.

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 But the objective is to obey God and what he says

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 and have order in our life

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 so that we can exemplify who he is.

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 The consequence to that is that failure

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 in these two areas alone brings an end

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 to our character building if there is resistance.

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 We plateau.

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 And many of you know and have friends

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 that are Christians that have come up,

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 and all of a sudden they plateau.

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 And I can't judge them.

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 I don't walk in their shoes,

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 but it's so disappointing to see them settle for less.

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 And then second of all,

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 our potential use for God's kingdom

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 becomes limited because he can't take you further.

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 He needs obedience to build his forever kingdom.

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 Now, why do I say that?

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 Because he uses people who listen and execute

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 and not reluctant or resistant bystanders.

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 You know, we have many,

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 and we've been in ministry for years.

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 You have people in church.

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 I had this one individual that periodically,

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 after sharing, you go home Sunday afternoon,

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 you're tired, at least I was,

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 after giving a sermon,

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 dealing with people and announcements and all that.

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 He used to call me in the telephone

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 about 2.30 or 3 o'clock,

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 Brother John.

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 And boy, I tell you,

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 he didn't read the riot act,

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 and he was one of these lengthy conversations

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 that was like a half an hour, 40 minutes,

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 and that's the last thing I wanted to hear.

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 I said, Erv, I'm sorry.

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 I said, I have to hang up now and goodbye

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 and put the phone down.

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 But it's the idea that in looking at

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 what it is that he wants to do

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 is the goal in life.

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 What does he want to do with your life?

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 He needs order in our life to bring us purpose

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 and for the unity of the church to be experienced.

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 And that is the distinguishing factor

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 in all that Christianity has,

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 is the distinguishing factor or difference.

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 And what does it say?

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 That they may be one in John 17, 21.

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 So there are these things that are unquestionably

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 things that require our attention

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 and things that we need to adhere to.

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 So having said that,

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 we're going to flop in and out of this obedient

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 and order thing during this night.

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 I'm going to take my liberty in the sense

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 that I'm going to review the chapter for you,

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 but I'm not going to significantly talk about

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 just what's in the chapter.

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 I want to add two.

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 So in verses 1 through 13,

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 it talks about the blessing for obedience.

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 God promises prosperity, peace, and protection

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 for those who follow his commandments.

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 And blessings include, again, abundant harvests,

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 victory over the enemy,

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 and we all know the wars that were fought

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 when they depended upon God when they didn't,

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 and God's presence among his people.

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 And that's 1 through 13.

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 Verses 14 through 39

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 talks about the curses for disobedience.

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 And at the end, I will talk about disobedience,

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 but I don't want to major on that tonight.

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 I want to major on the fact of what obedience and order is.

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 So in 14 through 39,

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 it says that if Israel rejects God's laws,

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 they will face disease, famine, defeat, and exile.

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 And we talked a lot about these things.

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 If you do this, I will do this.

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 If you don't do this, this is what will happen.

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 As he's building this nation

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 out of 12 independent warring tribes,

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 he's bringing order and organization,

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 and he's telling them,

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 look, this is what's going to happen.

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 If you do it, there's going to be a blessing.

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 If you don't, there's going to be destruction.

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 And the punishments, again,

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 intensify if they continue in rebellion,

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 leading to, again, dislocation,

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 dispersion among other nations.

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 And of course, we know that that happened.

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 And then finally, verses 40 through 46

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 about the promise of restoration.

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 Despite all the consequences of disobedience,

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 God offers hope and restoration for those who repent.

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 That's going forward.

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 That's what you and I experience in our lives

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 probably every day when we ask the Lord for forgiveness.

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 He remembers his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

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 And he ensures his people are not completely abandoned.

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 He will always be there.

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 I will never forsake you, he says.

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 So this chapter then highlights his justice,

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 his mercy, his faithfulness,

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 showing that obedience leads to blessing.

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 Blessing, obedience, obedience, blessing.

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 And disobedience brings hardship and sometimes even death.

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 But repentance always is an open door for us.

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 We can always come back.

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 All right.

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 Let's define some of the terms that we have been looking at.

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 First, again, S for secular, K for kingdom meaning.

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 And a secular sense of obedience involves complying

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 with orders or regulations without question.

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 It almost sounds like a militaristic definition.

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 The kingdom idea of obedience is portrayed in the words

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 acts of faith and trust that God's going to bless us

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 as we are obedient.

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 Much softer relationship.

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 Disobedience, when it comes to secular meaning,

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 involves intentionally disregarding or refusing to follow instructions.

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 And what happens in the military when you refuse to do that,

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 you get court-martialed and you're out of there.

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 The kingdom side of disobedience is

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 choosing to disregard God's teachings and reject his will.

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 So there's a consequence to this.

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 It doesn't fall just on me.

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 There are other kingdom principles beginning to invoke our attention here.

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 Order, in a secular sense, is again a structured arrangement of things.

256
00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,860
 And then in God's kingdom, order means in God's structure

257
00:16:08,860 --> 00:16:10,379
 that governs everything.

258
00:16:11,679 --> 00:16:13,600
 So now, if you look at these things,

259
00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:17,440
 there's a lot of harsh words that define obedience

260
00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,360
 and define order.

261
00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,820
 And some of us, again, may have wrong emotions

262
00:16:24,820 --> 00:16:30,279
 and bad experiences that distorts our understanding of God.

263
00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,080
 But all that he wants to do in these two things

264
00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:37,080
 is bring redemption to us and make us a useful tool for him.

265
00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:38,500
 That's all that he wants.

266
00:16:38,980 --> 00:16:42,620
 Not just a free ticket to heaven to get in the door.

267
00:16:43,620 --> 00:16:47,080
 So, here are some things I want you to think about

268
00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:48,379
 because I'm going to ask a question.

269
00:16:49,379 --> 00:16:54,559
 Which of these describes best who God has been for you?

270
00:16:56,059 --> 00:17:04,900
 Do you see him as judge, accuser, master, father, friend,

271
00:17:06,700 --> 00:17:11,339
 disciplinarian, or maybe a word that you want to put in there?

272
00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,279
 So my question to you is, and I'll bring up both questions,

273
00:17:15,279 --> 00:17:19,579
 which category best identifies your original

274
00:17:19,579 --> 00:17:24,440
 or early description of God as you just began to come into the kingdom?

275
00:17:25,859 --> 00:17:29,539
 And second of all, now, what category best identifies

276
00:17:29,539 --> 00:17:33,279
 your present description of God?

277
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:35,779
 So where are we at?

278
00:17:36,420 --> 00:17:39,019
 Did we all come with peaches and cream when we came to the Lord?

279
00:17:40,279 --> 00:17:40,519
 No.

280
00:17:42,779 --> 00:17:44,119
 All right, thank you.

281
00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:49,619
 So, with the upbringing that I had in a Reformed Presbyterian Church,

282
00:17:50,599 --> 00:17:52,980
 I always felt like God was a judge

283
00:17:52,980 --> 00:17:57,759
 and that he had this big sword that he was holding over me,

284
00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,720
 waiting to whack me into shape if I stepped out of line.

285
00:18:01,059 --> 00:18:02,119
 That's how I used to feel.

286
00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:03,920
 But now I feel like he's my father.

287
00:18:05,759 --> 00:18:08,960
 Isn't that transforming when you kind of look back on that

288
00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,339
 and say, okay, this is where I was and this is where I am now?

289
00:18:12,339 --> 00:18:16,000
 Anybody else want to share? Any thoughts? Yes?

290
00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:19,579
 I think I was young as a teenager when I came to know the Lord,

291
00:18:19,779 --> 00:18:22,420
 but then through teaching I would say initially

292
00:18:22,420 --> 00:18:25,940
 I was like a disciplinarian because I felt if I did something wrong,

293
00:18:26,059 --> 00:18:29,059
 if I didn't do what the word said, then, you know, there were consequences.

294
00:18:29,619 --> 00:18:31,579
 And now I agree with Gail, like now he is mine.

295
00:18:31,740 --> 00:18:33,680
 He's my Abba father, like he is my father.

296
00:18:33,799 --> 00:18:37,140
 Isn't that wonderful to have that relent,

297
00:18:37,299 --> 00:18:40,599
 have that not-relenting feeling of the judge,

298
00:18:40,599 --> 00:18:41,740
 the guy with the hammer?

299
00:18:42,220 --> 00:18:46,279
 And now, I mean, when we have devotions, my wife and I,

300
00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:48,759
 it's just so wonderful to be in God's presence, you know,

301
00:18:48,839 --> 00:18:51,380
 and you almost hate to break out of that and do your normal things

302
00:18:51,380 --> 00:18:55,420
 because, you know, he's such a relative person.

303
00:18:55,980 --> 00:18:56,460
 Anyone else?

304
00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,440
 All right, I'll leave you go for next question.

305
00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:03,460
 All right, okay.

306
00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:04,680
 All right.

307
00:19:06,539 --> 00:19:09,140
 So there is a difference in our lives.

308
00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,420
 Because of these very things that we've been talking about.

309
00:19:13,019 --> 00:19:15,279
 Now, let's look at some examples of this theme.

310
00:19:16,079 --> 00:19:18,980
 First of all, the theme of obedience versus disobedience

311
00:19:18,980 --> 00:19:20,660
 is central throughout the Bible.

312
00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:22,380
 We know that, we can see that.

313
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,720
 And it illustrates the consequences of human actions

314
00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:27,799
 in relationship to God's commands.

315
00:19:28,599 --> 00:19:30,680
 So that's what we're looking at.

316
00:19:31,180 --> 00:19:35,200
 There are many narratives, many teachings, many laws,

317
00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:40,460
 and that highlight the blessing associated with disobedience issue

318
00:19:40,460 --> 00:19:42,319
 and obviously the consequences.

319
00:19:42,660 --> 00:19:43,539
 A couple of examples.

320
00:19:44,099 --> 00:19:46,740
 The big one that we all know is Adam and Eve.

321
00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,640
 The first instance of disobedience occurs in the garden

322
00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:58,440
 and when Eve did it, that's Adam's excuse,

323
00:19:59,759 --> 00:20:02,960
 there was a fall and that fall was serious

324
00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:04,759
 because sin came into the world.

325
00:20:05,519 --> 00:20:08,160
 It introduced sin into the world, it introduced death

326
00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:12,839
 and we know by virtue of God sending his son,

327
00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:16,880
 he has come to redeem the world back into the kingdom

328
00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:22,319
 and so that the efforts of Satan will be null and void

329
00:20:22,319 --> 00:20:24,140
 and will be done away with.

330
00:20:24,259 --> 00:20:26,740
 There will be no more sin, there will be no more sorrow.

331
00:20:27,259 --> 00:20:32,160
 The death, destruction, and the agony that he brings on us

332
00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,519
 will not occur anymore.

333
00:20:35,380 --> 00:20:37,640
 But Adam, or but Abraham on the other side,

334
00:20:37,799 --> 00:20:42,039
 he had a willingness to obey even in such a difficult command

335
00:20:42,039 --> 00:20:44,299
 resulting in God's blessing.

336
00:20:45,059 --> 00:20:50,140
 I don't know that I could pass that requiring, again,

337
00:20:50,420 --> 00:20:51,960
 we all know that when we have children,

338
00:20:52,380 --> 00:20:54,579
 the tenderness that you have,

339
00:20:54,619 --> 00:20:58,160
 that he was willing to give up his dear son

340
00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,059
 for the sake of the Lord God speaking to him.

341
00:21:01,059 --> 00:21:03,480
 I don't know, that would be kind of hard for me.

342
00:21:04,539 --> 00:21:07,619
 And then last, the Israelites flopped back and forth.

343
00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,819
 The blessings and curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28

344
00:21:11,819 --> 00:21:15,319
 provide a clear contrast between obedience and disobedience.

345
00:21:18,019 --> 00:21:19,059
 Justin, are you still up there?

346
00:21:21,740 --> 00:21:22,720
 No? Okay.

347
00:21:24,019 --> 00:21:26,640
 Could someone back there turn the air conditioner on?

348
00:21:27,599 --> 00:21:29,599
 It's getting rather warm up here

349
00:21:29,599 --> 00:21:31,480
 and I thought it was going to be cold in here,

350
00:21:31,559 --> 00:21:32,740
 and I got a long-sleeved shirt on.

351
00:21:32,900 --> 00:21:33,799
 Kenny, do you know how to do that?

352
00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:35,619
 All right.

353
00:21:37,180 --> 00:21:37,779
 All right.

354
00:21:38,860 --> 00:21:39,960
 All right, thank you, sir.

355
00:21:41,740 --> 00:21:42,240
 All right.

356
00:21:42,980 --> 00:21:46,740
 I have a T-shirt on underneath, so maybe I'll have to...

357
00:21:46,740 --> 00:21:47,180
 All right.

358
00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:48,480
 Okay.

359
00:21:50,540 --> 00:21:52,619
 Order and obedience

360
00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:57,339
 are a reflection of God's nature and his governance.

361
00:21:57,339 --> 00:22:00,960
 As stated, the obedience is the act of faith

362
00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,720
 and trust in God's wisdom and sovereignty,

363
00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:05,539
 which includes order,

364
00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:09,440
 as they are really intertwined themes in the Bible.

365
00:22:10,940 --> 00:22:15,359
 Can you imagine, like in Genesis,

366
00:22:15,599 --> 00:22:17,859
 when it talks about there was chaos in the world?

367
00:22:18,559 --> 00:22:21,839
 And if that chaos existed and now God's telling you,

368
00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:24,940
 okay, in my redemptive plan, I want you to obey.

369
00:22:24,940 --> 00:22:30,019
 Well, the literal confusion that is about the world,

370
00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,279
 it would be very hard to have organization come into your life.

371
00:22:35,339 --> 00:22:37,359
 So consequently, he sets order in.

372
00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:39,000
 We know that from the beginning of Genesis.

373
00:22:40,259 --> 00:22:42,839
 There was an earth without former void,

374
00:22:42,980 --> 00:22:45,160
 and he came and he performed order.

375
00:22:45,420 --> 00:22:47,019
 And we look at and we see nature.

376
00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:48,400
 We see blue skies.

377
00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:50,859
 We see green trees now and green grass.

378
00:22:51,799 --> 00:22:54,059
 So the concept of order is deeply embedded

379
00:22:54,059 --> 00:22:56,319
 in the narrative that we're going to look at.

380
00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,180
 So this narrative that I'm going to major on tonight

381
00:23:00,180 --> 00:23:03,119
 is the creation, society, church, family,

382
00:23:03,220 --> 00:23:05,259
 and our individual lives.

383
00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:07,299
 So we're going to go through these things.

384
00:23:08,980 --> 00:23:13,400
 So order calls us to align ourselves with God's divine order,

385
00:23:14,059 --> 00:23:15,660
 living in harmony with his will

386
00:23:15,660 --> 00:23:18,500
 and reflecting the glory in all things.

387
00:23:20,019 --> 00:23:22,019
 Examples, again, order is the arrangement,

388
00:23:22,019 --> 00:23:25,200
 the organization, the structure established by God.

389
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,579
 You can't but help it understand and see that in his creation.

390
00:23:30,259 --> 00:23:32,819
 It's called the ontological view of God.

391
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,480
 When you look at nature and you ponder it enough,

392
00:23:37,279 --> 00:23:38,519
 nature equals God.

393
00:23:38,660 --> 00:23:41,299
 Not that that's the answer, but in his creation,

394
00:23:41,319 --> 00:23:45,039
 it was such that he gave us a perfect creation.

395
00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:47,339
 Additionally, it signifies purpose,

396
00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:49,099
 and we'll talk about that.

397
00:23:49,099 --> 00:23:52,259
 And again, divine orchestration of events.

398
00:23:52,380 --> 00:23:53,400
 Anybody ever have that?

399
00:23:55,519 --> 00:23:56,400
 Divine orchestration.

400
00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:58,200
 Now, a little example of that.

401
00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:00,559
 As you know, my wife is disabled.

402
00:24:00,759 --> 00:24:01,440
 She's in a wheelchair.

403
00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:06,420
 She has no strength whatsoever from her waist down.

404
00:24:08,039 --> 00:24:11,400
 And we have a lift in the car that I put on the door handle.

405
00:24:11,559 --> 00:24:12,380
 I lift her up.

406
00:24:12,519 --> 00:24:13,299
 I bring her out.

407
00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,019
 I sit her in her power chair

408
00:24:15,019 --> 00:24:17,460
 and do the same when she goes back in.

409
00:24:17,460 --> 00:24:19,079
 And that takes about seven minutes.

410
00:24:19,900 --> 00:24:22,279
 So when it is raining out on Sunday morning,

411
00:24:22,839 --> 00:24:24,440
 we don't take her to church,

412
00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:26,700
 because all the water goes down my neck

413
00:24:26,700 --> 00:24:28,420
 when I do all these things with her.

414
00:24:29,019 --> 00:24:30,259
 And then I have to hold the umbrella

415
00:24:30,259 --> 00:24:31,779
 so her hair doesn't get wet.

416
00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:33,740
 That's a tough thing to do, you know.

417
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,759
 And all the human, you know what that's about, right?

418
00:24:37,259 --> 00:24:37,660
 Okay.

419
00:24:40,799 --> 00:24:42,880
 I have not a problem like that.

420
00:24:44,799 --> 00:24:46,640
 So as incidental as it was,

421
00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,440
 we always look at the forecast Saturday, Friday or Saturday,

422
00:24:49,599 --> 00:24:52,259
 and say, okay, it's going to rain Sunday.

423
00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:53,660
 And that's what the forecast was.

424
00:24:53,859 --> 00:24:56,960
 It was about down out our way, about 50, 60 percent.

425
00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:57,880
 Okay, let's wait.

426
00:24:58,460 --> 00:24:59,259
 So we got it out.

427
00:24:59,339 --> 00:25:00,619
 It was cloudy, but it wasn't raining.

428
00:25:00,799 --> 00:25:02,279
 So, okay, let's get ready.

429
00:25:02,420 --> 00:25:03,160
 So we got her ready.

430
00:25:03,700 --> 00:25:05,799
 Got in the car, and the car is in a garage,

431
00:25:05,839 --> 00:25:06,819
 so that's no problem.

432
00:25:07,079 --> 00:25:09,720
 Came to church, dark out, no rain.

433
00:25:10,220 --> 00:25:11,559
 Took her out of the car, came in.

434
00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,000
 Here we were in church, and it was raining.

435
00:25:14,799 --> 00:25:17,599
 Got out of church, rain stopped, got in the car,

436
00:25:18,180 --> 00:25:19,819
 turned the light, went over the railroad tracks,

437
00:25:19,900 --> 00:25:22,299
 and a pouring avalanche came down.

438
00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,359
 That's the sovereignty of God.

439
00:25:25,559 --> 00:25:27,519
 At least that's how we look at it,

440
00:25:27,519 --> 00:25:29,039
 because we didn't get wet,

441
00:25:29,180 --> 00:25:32,819
 and we decided to do those things that were called of us,

442
00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,940
 assembling ourself together in the house of God.

443
00:25:36,539 --> 00:25:40,579
 So there are many circumstances that all of us could speak of

444
00:25:40,579 --> 00:25:43,099
 that really typify what He wants

445
00:25:43,099 --> 00:25:47,319
 and how the relationships that He makes for us prosper.

446
00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,079
 The concept of order is fundamental

447
00:25:50,079 --> 00:25:52,140
 to understanding God's nature

448
00:25:52,140 --> 00:25:55,940
 and His expectations of our conduct.

449
00:25:57,819 --> 00:25:59,019
 So here's a question.

450
00:26:00,759 --> 00:26:05,519
 Explain how God's call for obedience and order challenged you

451
00:26:05,519 --> 00:26:09,319
 when you first realized that this was part of the life

452
00:26:09,319 --> 00:26:12,339
 that you were called to be part of.

453
00:26:12,819 --> 00:26:14,400
 How did that affect you?

454
00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:20,019
 You accepted the Lord, you came to the Lord, you found Him,

455
00:26:20,799 --> 00:26:23,920
 and now you read the Scriptures, you hear from the pulpit

456
00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,319
 about obedience, about order.

457
00:26:29,299 --> 00:26:32,460
 What's the natural reaction to that?

458
00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:39,019
 There's going to be some resentment.

459
00:26:39,980 --> 00:26:40,019
 Yeah.

460
00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:41,880
 Without the Holy Spirit,

461
00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,720
 and I was a very frustrated Christian for years,

462
00:26:46,279 --> 00:26:47,880
 because I didn't have the Holy Spirit,

463
00:26:48,599 --> 00:26:52,039
 and I didn't know that the Holy Spirit was supposed to work

464
00:26:52,819 --> 00:26:55,420
 everything out in me and make me who I was supposed to be,

465
00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:56,640
 that I couldn't do it.

466
00:26:57,539 --> 00:27:00,019
 So yeah, that's how I felt at first.

467
00:27:00,759 --> 00:27:04,700
 When I came to the Lord, I was about 10 or 11 years old,

468
00:27:04,839 --> 00:27:07,759
 and I felt a calling, and then I went home,

469
00:27:07,900 --> 00:27:09,440
 and my mother and father said,

470
00:27:09,579 --> 00:27:11,140
 well, you know, you did this,

471
00:27:11,279 --> 00:27:12,880
 and this is what's expected.

472
00:27:13,099 --> 00:27:14,619
 I don't want to do that stuff.

473
00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:20,180
 I mean, I was like 12, 13, and I was, you know, okay.

474
00:27:20,519 --> 00:27:23,799
 And then when I reached about 15 and a half, 16,

475
00:27:24,019 --> 00:27:25,819
 I didn't like what I saw.

476
00:27:26,599 --> 00:27:29,220
 So I rebelled, and the whole thing that you go through

477
00:27:29,220 --> 00:27:30,880
 when you lead your own life.

478
00:27:31,519 --> 00:27:32,619
 But it's difficult.

479
00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:34,140
 It's not in our nature.

480
00:27:34,700 --> 00:27:37,599
 Or is it in anybody's nature to obey and to listen?

481
00:27:38,299 --> 00:27:39,079
 No, it's not.

482
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:40,900
 I want to do it my way.

483
00:27:41,779 --> 00:27:42,640
 What's wrong with me?

484
00:27:43,319 --> 00:27:47,819
 So we have this issue that's before us.

485
00:27:48,779 --> 00:27:50,680
 So let's take a look at what that is.

486
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:55,279
 So let's look at how he has changed our lives

487
00:27:55,279 --> 00:27:58,299
 because of us yielding to these things.

488
00:27:58,299 --> 00:28:01,880
 And I want you to think about each one as I read it

489
00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:03,299
 because you're going to be asked a question

490
00:28:03,299 --> 00:28:04,420
 at the end of this slide.

491
00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:07,920
 Now, these things have influenced us

492
00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:12,059
 over the years, over the months, whatever the case may be.

493
00:28:13,079 --> 00:28:13,619
 Integrity.

494
00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,640
 Being honest and upright in all actions.

495
00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:20,380
 Humility.

496
00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:23,799
 Recognizing our dependence on God.

497
00:28:24,339 --> 00:28:26,200
 And you notice there's a little asterisk there.

498
00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:27,480
 That's my downfall.

499
00:28:28,460 --> 00:28:29,420
 And compassion.

500
00:28:29,740 --> 00:28:31,099
 There's another asterisk.

501
00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,920
 Showing kindness and care for those in need.

502
00:28:34,700 --> 00:28:35,240
 Forgiveness.

503
00:28:36,039 --> 00:28:38,940
 Letting go of resentment and extending grace.

504
00:28:40,700 --> 00:28:41,079
 Faithfulness.

505
00:28:42,059 --> 00:28:44,819
 Remaining steadfast in our commitments and beliefs.

506
00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,279
 And then wisdom.

507
00:28:47,779 --> 00:28:48,839
 Seeking and understanding.

508
00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:51,660
 And discernment in decisions.

509
00:28:51,660 --> 00:28:52,980
 Love.

510
00:28:53,500 --> 00:28:54,519
 Loving God and others.

511
00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:55,640
 Selflessly.

512
00:28:56,220 --> 00:28:57,160
 Not selfishly.

513
00:28:57,380 --> 00:28:57,880
 Selflessly.

514
00:28:58,799 --> 00:28:59,599
 Self-control.

515
00:29:00,740 --> 00:29:02,440
 That's needed in today's society.

516
00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,420
 Experiencing discipline over emotions and actions.

517
00:29:06,339 --> 00:29:06,660
 And perseverance.

518
00:29:07,779 --> 00:29:11,240
 Staying strong in the faith through challenges of life.

519
00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:12,740
 And of course courage.

520
00:29:13,579 --> 00:29:14,920
 Standing firm in truth.

521
00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:15,599
 Despised.

522
00:29:16,039 --> 00:29:17,099
 Despite adversity.

523
00:29:17,779 --> 00:29:23,299
 So which of these was or is your greatest challenge as you look at them?

524
00:29:23,599 --> 00:29:26,619
 And while you're thinking about that I will tell you humility.

525
00:29:28,099 --> 00:29:31,200
 I am from the school I can do it myself.

526
00:29:33,099 --> 00:29:35,640
 And I don't really need your help.

527
00:29:36,259 --> 00:29:40,220
 It would be nice, but to be honest with you if I have to tell you about what we're doing

528
00:29:40,220 --> 00:29:42,539
 it's more of a nuisance than letting me do it myself.

529
00:29:43,299 --> 00:29:48,200
 So that was kind of my ilk in coming to the Lord.

530
00:29:49,460 --> 00:29:51,900
 Okay I prayed, but I can do it myself Lord.

531
00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:57,579
 I'll give you five minutes and if things don't work out I'm going to do what I think is right.

532
00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:00,859
 And then the other one is compassion.

533
00:30:01,819 --> 00:30:06,880
 I'm German by nature and if you know something about German heritage we're not compassionate people.

534
00:30:07,059 --> 00:30:08,619
 This is the way it's got to be.

535
00:30:08,619 --> 00:30:14,359
 But then entering into the ministry dealing with people's sorrows and grief.

536
00:30:14,599 --> 00:30:18,480
 I learned the other side of that and I feel very compassionate.

537
00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:26,599
 And again one other added event as my wife has been disabled and deteriorates from MS.

538
00:30:27,660 --> 00:30:33,740
 I am very compassionate about who she is and try to give her the best and the options that I can.

539
00:30:33,740 --> 00:30:38,279
 So I have changed and that's my story.

540
00:30:38,779 --> 00:30:39,799
 So what is your story?

541
00:30:40,059 --> 00:30:42,079
 Where has the Lord challenged you?

542
00:30:43,460 --> 00:30:45,140
 You're raising your eyebrows.

543
00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:49,380
 You want to participate or would you rather not?

544
00:30:50,039 --> 00:30:50,240
 Sure.

545
00:30:50,599 --> 00:30:50,839
 What?

546
00:30:52,380 --> 00:30:53,839
 It sounds obvious.

547
00:30:54,039 --> 00:31:00,619
 I mean exercising discipline over emotion and actions I carry around extra weight.

548
00:31:01,700 --> 00:31:03,359
 And there's just other things.

549
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:15,099
 So self-control and routine, a strong routine to do things.

550
00:31:18,019 --> 00:31:20,039
 Just to do the things that I should do.

551
00:31:20,339 --> 00:31:26,920
 Not so much to keep me out of trouble but it's like I have to have God time first thing in the morning.

552
00:31:27,539 --> 00:31:28,500
 Because otherwise it isn't going to happen.

553
00:31:28,799 --> 00:31:29,119
 You're right.

554
00:31:29,119 --> 00:31:30,539
 I just don't have that.

555
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:47,839
 And every once, I mean it's fortunately very rare but there will be mornings where I'll wake up and I have a set pattern but something will break that pattern and it'll be half an hour and I'm like I didn't do it.

556
00:31:47,839 --> 00:31:48,119
 Oh my God.

557
00:31:48,420 --> 00:31:48,740
 Time.

558
00:31:49,599 --> 00:31:50,599
 I didn't do that.

559
00:31:51,839 --> 00:31:52,440
 So yeah.

560
00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,599
 So it's a self-control and discipline.

561
00:31:59,200 --> 00:31:59,380
 Okay.

562
00:31:59,799 --> 00:32:00,480
 That's good stuff.

563
00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:01,460
 All right.

564
00:32:01,940 --> 00:32:02,579
 Anybody else?

565
00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:05,900
 For me John, it can be a little bit of everything.

566
00:32:06,279 --> 00:32:06,619
 Okay.

567
00:32:06,940 --> 00:32:08,720
 A little bit of each one of those.

568
00:32:08,799 --> 00:32:09,339
 Please help.

569
00:32:10,539 --> 00:32:11,140
 I'm trying.

570
00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:12,140
 All right.

571
00:32:12,180 --> 00:32:13,039
 You want us to pray for you now?

572
00:32:13,279 --> 00:32:13,880
 No, I'm just kidding.

573
00:32:14,059 --> 00:32:15,500
 Not now but at the beginning.

574
00:32:15,819 --> 00:32:16,619
 No, no, I get it.

575
00:32:17,039 --> 00:32:17,279
 Right.

576
00:32:17,660 --> 00:32:19,099
 A little bit of all that.

577
00:32:19,099 --> 00:32:22,079
 In other words, there probably was confusion in your life.

578
00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:23,839
 And maybe even chaos.

579
00:32:24,079 --> 00:32:25,220
 I'm not speaking, you know.

580
00:32:25,279 --> 00:32:25,759
 No, you're right.

581
00:32:25,980 --> 00:32:33,900
 But it's just the idea that the more things that come down the way that you're trying to look at and all of a sudden God comes in your life and gee, that's not right.

582
00:32:34,039 --> 00:32:34,720
 That's right.

583
00:32:34,900 --> 00:32:36,299
 There must be confusion in there.

584
00:32:36,519 --> 00:32:37,259
 Yeah, really.

585
00:32:40,140 --> 00:32:41,380
 Anything from the small?

586
00:32:42,019 --> 00:32:42,160
 No?

587
00:32:42,980 --> 00:32:43,299
 Okay.

588
00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,579
 Letting go of resentment the next day.

589
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:48,720
 Scotch.

590
00:32:49,859 --> 00:32:51,119
 That's probably worse, right?

591
00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:52,059
 That's probably worse.

592
00:32:52,339 --> 00:32:52,839
 You're right.

593
00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:56,339
 Don't cross me again.

594
00:32:57,500 --> 00:33:02,579
 But yeah, resentment of a lot of people that shaped me when I was growing up.

595
00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:05,019
 It took me a long time to let go a lot of that.

596
00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:07,740
 How do you get over these things?

597
00:33:08,380 --> 00:33:08,640
 Grace.

598
00:33:09,180 --> 00:33:09,440
 Yeah.

599
00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:13,720
 You know, you can sum it up and grace.

600
00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,460
 And when we fall, you know, God has grace.

601
00:33:16,660 --> 00:33:17,059
 He's there.

602
00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:18,519
 He's ready to pick us up.

603
00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:19,960
 He has denied us.

604
00:33:20,599 --> 00:33:23,480
 And so, consequently, we move on.

605
00:33:24,539 --> 00:33:27,180
 So, another question.

606
00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:34,140
 How have you overcome or presently overcoming these challenges other than grace?

607
00:33:34,579 --> 00:33:37,380
 Now, Ken, he told us.

608
00:33:37,380 --> 00:33:40,059
 He has to have a program and a schedule.

609
00:33:40,539 --> 00:33:41,819
 And I'm kind of rigid that way.

610
00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:48,380
 If I get up, I get up before Joni and I get the cup of coffee and I go out in my cathedral

611
00:33:48,380 --> 00:33:50,000
 and I have maybe a half an hour.

612
00:33:50,319 --> 00:33:52,039
 And I tell you what, that sets my day.

613
00:33:52,140 --> 00:33:54,359
 If that doesn't happen, you're right.

614
00:33:54,599 --> 00:33:57,279
 It kind of, you know, it doesn't feel good.

615
00:33:58,059 --> 00:33:58,259
 Right.

616
00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:01,000
 So, how do you overcome these things?

617
00:34:05,539 --> 00:34:06,299
 Okay.

618
00:34:08,980 --> 00:34:09,300
 Yeah.

619
00:34:09,739 --> 00:34:11,000
 Oh, that's a good combination.

620
00:34:11,539 --> 00:34:11,599
 Right.

621
00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:20,900
 You know, so many, you know, we have in our, we run a Wednesday morning prayer time.

622
00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:22,639
 And we gather at nine.

623
00:34:23,159 --> 00:34:25,400
 And it's a very group.

624
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:26,139
 It's Catholics.

625
00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:28,059
 It's Presbyterians.

626
00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:34,079
 It's Charismatics here and some people on the fringes of whatever.

627
00:34:37,740 --> 00:34:46,800
 But the prayers that some people pray, you know, go all around and don't hit the target.

628
00:34:47,079 --> 00:34:53,420
 And I'm not being critical, but now that I'm in a retirement community as we interact so

629
00:34:53,420 --> 00:34:57,500
 much, it's different if I lived in my own home and didn't see neighbors and all this,

630
00:34:57,559 --> 00:35:00,099
 but we interact so much, I think, wow.

631
00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:07,300
 Not that that's shallow, but they don't know the goodness, the meaning behind what prayer

632
00:35:07,300 --> 00:35:10,440
 is and understand that.

633
00:35:11,019 --> 00:35:16,360
 And, you know, I pray for them in the sense that it's, to us, to Joni and I, it's a

634
00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:17,460
 missionary outreach.

635
00:35:17,679 --> 00:35:22,579
 It's part of the diplomacy that we endeavor to bring to the community.

636
00:35:23,860 --> 00:35:24,039
 Okay.

637
00:35:24,380 --> 00:35:25,780
 So now let's ask the question.

638
00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:31,719
 How does our yielding to his obedience and order bring us real meaning?

639
00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:33,699
 So we're going to do these things.

640
00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:34,539
 There's no doubt.

641
00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:35,800
 We volunteered.

642
00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,199
 We fought through the battles of life.

643
00:35:38,460 --> 00:35:40,880
 But what is the end of that?

644
00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:42,639
 What is the outcome of that?

645
00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:44,360
 Well, let's take a look at that.

646
00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:50,679
 As we begin to surrender to God's nature in our lives and his nature against our

647
00:35:50,679 --> 00:35:57,460
 nature, that's the battle sometimes, he builds his character one step at a time.

648
00:35:58,219 --> 00:36:02,920
 He doesn't show you the end because we'd never get there.

649
00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:07,019
 It's too much, too great, too much of a difficulty.

650
00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,860
 It would appeal to our ego.

651
00:36:10,980 --> 00:36:13,139
 Perhaps he shows us one step.

652
00:36:13,139 --> 00:36:14,420
 So here's what happens.

653
00:36:16,119 --> 00:36:20,739
 In the beginning, a principal is first taught that you heard.

654
00:36:21,679 --> 00:36:22,639
 He said, boy, that's different.

655
00:36:22,719 --> 00:36:23,639
 I didn't hear that.

656
00:36:25,019 --> 00:36:28,860
 And it says in James 1.5, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it.

657
00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:30,739
 So God's giving you wisdom.

658
00:36:30,820 --> 00:36:34,300
 He's imparting things to you, revelation to you.

659
00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:40,079
 Do any of you still go into services where all of a sudden you hear something

660
00:36:40,079 --> 00:36:41,679
 said that's just brand new?

661
00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:47,280
 Yeah, as much as we hear the gospel, there's something new.

662
00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:49,980
 So we start off, it's a taught principle.

663
00:36:51,059 --> 00:36:55,139
 We begin to assimilate that and practice that.

664
00:36:55,840 --> 00:37:01,159
 In Psalm 119.1, it says, blessed are those who walk in the ways of the Lord.

665
00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:03,099
 Not just to hear, but to walk.

666
00:37:04,059 --> 00:37:05,559
 Okay, so we heard it.

667
00:37:05,900 --> 00:37:08,820
 We now begin to walk in it, try it out.

668
00:37:09,179 --> 00:37:10,039
 Oh, it really works.

669
00:37:11,039 --> 00:37:16,059
 The third aspect is we begin to live it out in our lives.

670
00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,480
 We engraft that opportunity.

671
00:37:20,199 --> 00:37:21,880
 You know, this obedience is pretty good here.

672
00:37:22,059 --> 00:37:25,239
 I mean, you know, I've seen God in so many different things.

673
00:37:25,780 --> 00:37:30,039
 In 1 Peter 3.17, it says, you are better off to obey God

674
00:37:30,039 --> 00:37:34,500
 and suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong.

675
00:37:35,820 --> 00:37:36,500
 You want to obey.

676
00:37:36,500 --> 00:37:38,820
 When the Lord opens things and opportunities to it,

677
00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:40,119
 we want to seize on that.

678
00:37:40,619 --> 00:37:42,480
 So we've heard it.

679
00:37:42,739 --> 00:37:43,960
 We begin to practice it.

680
00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:45,519
 We begin to live it out.

681
00:37:46,500 --> 00:37:50,400
 And then we begin to see increase in our lives

682
00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:55,300
 because the love of God will be shed to the world like Jesus said.

683
00:37:56,340 --> 00:38:01,639
 In John 14.31, it said, I obey my father so that everyone in the world

684
00:38:01,639 --> 00:38:03,559
 might know that I love him.

685
00:38:03,559 --> 00:38:05,659
 And that's the pattern.

686
00:38:07,420 --> 00:38:08,940
 I want to be that person.

687
00:38:09,139 --> 00:38:10,559
 I want to be that servant.

688
00:38:10,820 --> 00:38:13,480
 I want to do what God wants me to do.

689
00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:18,019
 And then as you begin to live life boldly,

690
00:38:18,980 --> 00:38:21,079
 we become ambassadors for him.

691
00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:25,559
 We are Christ ambassadors as though God

692
00:38:26,079 --> 00:38:28,940
 were making his appeal through us.

693
00:38:29,559 --> 00:38:30,199
 What's that mean?

694
00:38:31,219 --> 00:38:32,179
 We're not speaking.

695
00:38:32,179 --> 00:38:33,539
 First of all, what's an ambassador?

696
00:38:34,159 --> 00:38:35,559
 An ambassador is a representative.

697
00:38:36,900 --> 00:38:39,539
 He only speaks in behalf of who he works for.

698
00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:41,900
 He has no opinion.

699
00:38:42,139 --> 00:38:43,840
 He may, but he doesn't voice it.

700
00:38:44,599 --> 00:38:47,139
 And he says the storyline, so to speak.

701
00:38:48,820 --> 00:38:51,860
 And if you look at what God wants us to do,

702
00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:54,960
 the storyline is that God loves everyone.

703
00:38:55,739 --> 00:38:56,739
 We are ambassadors.

704
00:38:56,980 --> 00:39:00,739
 We really don't have a lot to say other than what he tells us

705
00:39:00,739 --> 00:39:05,059
 or infuses us in that sovereign moment of witness

706
00:39:05,059 --> 00:39:07,679
 how people open their hearts and they hear

707
00:39:07,679 --> 00:39:10,900
 and all of a sudden they're praying the sinner's prayer

708
00:39:10,900 --> 00:39:15,400
 or in relational evangelism as we practice over in Meadowood

709
00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:18,360
 is that we see people, we get close to people,

710
00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:20,260
 and we can begin to ask the questions

711
00:39:20,260 --> 00:39:22,099
 through that relationship.

712
00:39:22,559 --> 00:39:23,659
 So we are ambassadors.

713
00:39:24,719 --> 00:39:25,840
 You know when I speak of ourselves,

714
00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:31,380
 I mean we have opportunity to go to a very nice dining room

715
00:39:31,380 --> 00:39:32,920
 every night and have a meal.

716
00:39:33,380 --> 00:39:37,039
 We choose a lot of times to get the order outside of that

717
00:39:37,039 --> 00:39:38,000
 and bring it home and eat.

718
00:39:38,699 --> 00:39:40,840
 Because you sit down and you talk with people

719
00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:43,039
 and there's nothing wrong with it.

720
00:39:43,739 --> 00:39:45,880
 But when you're with people that don't know the Lord,

721
00:39:46,619 --> 00:39:48,960
 the conversation is very shallow, isn't it?

722
00:39:49,159 --> 00:39:50,860
 It doesn't really get anywhere

723
00:39:52,119 --> 00:39:53,639
 unless you have common interests.

724
00:39:54,699 --> 00:39:57,599
 And I'm not disparaging that,

725
00:39:57,820 --> 00:39:59,559
 but you know there has to be a calling.

726
00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:02,079
 So we said, okay, like three or four nights a month,

727
00:40:02,139 --> 00:40:03,480
 we're going to go and invite people

728
00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:05,179
 and we're going to have dinner with them.

729
00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:09,460
 And my wife, she kind of, after she goes through her ceramics

730
00:40:09,460 --> 00:40:11,519
 and her painting and all that, she's extremely tired.

731
00:40:11,659 --> 00:40:12,500
 She wears out fast.

732
00:40:12,699 --> 00:40:14,340
 And she said, are we going out tonight?

733
00:40:14,420 --> 00:40:16,199
 I said, yeah, you know, we're going to go over.

734
00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:18,139
 So that's another two hours that we sit.

735
00:40:18,659 --> 00:40:20,679
 By the time, you know, you say, hello, how are you,

736
00:40:20,780 --> 00:40:21,739
 yada, yada, yada, yada.

737
00:40:21,739 --> 00:40:23,360
 And then you leave, it's an hour and a half.

738
00:40:24,119 --> 00:40:26,440
 So there is a calling to that,

739
00:40:26,460 --> 00:40:28,900
 but we are ambassadors for His kingdom.

740
00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:33,380
 So that's how we progress.

741
00:40:34,699 --> 00:40:37,619
 We have gone from learning a principle

742
00:40:37,619 --> 00:40:39,760
 to being an ambassador,

743
00:40:40,079 --> 00:40:42,780
 little by little, here and there,

744
00:40:42,780 --> 00:40:45,800
 as God adds increase to our life.

745
00:40:46,539 --> 00:40:49,039
 And in 1 John 5, 3, it says,

746
00:40:49,039 --> 00:40:52,940
 we show our love for God by obeying His commandments.

747
00:40:53,900 --> 00:40:55,619
 And they are not hard to follow.

748
00:40:56,239 --> 00:41:00,760
 Every child of God can defeat the world

749
00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:03,940
 and our faith is what gives us the victory.

750
00:41:04,500 --> 00:41:07,760
 And that victory is seeing people come to the Lord

751
00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:10,860
 and enjoying what you and I have.

752
00:41:12,980 --> 00:41:15,400
 Okay, the next question.

753
00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:20,699
 So how does one learn obedience and order?

754
00:41:21,860 --> 00:41:25,139
 How do you learn that if you don't have that background?

755
00:41:27,019 --> 00:41:28,579
 And again, Gordon, I'm not going to pick on you,

756
00:41:28,579 --> 00:41:30,679
 but you said, okay, you live the confused life

757
00:41:30,679 --> 00:41:33,000
 and there's maybe a little chaos and all that.

758
00:41:33,099 --> 00:41:36,460
 How do you get to know and learn obedience and order

759
00:41:36,460 --> 00:41:37,780
 after all that life?

760
00:41:39,119 --> 00:41:41,179
 All right, well, there are several ways.

761
00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:44,820
 Through God's word, first of all,

762
00:41:45,780 --> 00:41:47,400
 and you know yourself as you sit down

763
00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:48,780
 and you read the word,

764
00:41:49,119 --> 00:41:51,360
 there's a revelation that comes to you,

765
00:41:51,820 --> 00:41:53,980
 the Spirit takes that works in your conscience,

766
00:41:54,599 --> 00:41:56,280
 your conscience assimilates that

767
00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:57,719
 and you begin to change your ways.

768
00:41:57,940 --> 00:41:58,380
 That's one.

769
00:41:59,079 --> 00:42:04,219
 Number two is the Holy Spirit taking that word,

770
00:42:05,179 --> 00:42:06,780
 assimilating it into your conscience,

771
00:42:06,940 --> 00:42:09,219
 and your conscience then dictates your emotions

772
00:42:09,219 --> 00:42:11,360
 and your thoughts and so forth,

773
00:42:11,460 --> 00:42:12,760
 and you begin to see change.

774
00:42:13,519 --> 00:42:19,019
 And the third way is through authority figures in our life.

775
00:42:20,079 --> 00:42:23,960
 This is how He tangibly works these things out in our lives.

776
00:42:24,559 --> 00:42:25,659
 Why does He do that?

777
00:42:25,739 --> 00:42:28,880
 He brings those opportunities that are very tangible to us

778
00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:33,099
 to refine us, teach us, and test us.

779
00:42:33,619 --> 00:42:34,380
 What are they?

780
00:42:34,380 --> 00:42:38,699
 Your husband or your wife, parents, children,

781
00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:45,860
 pastor, employer, government, teacher,

782
00:42:46,619 --> 00:42:49,619
 those people are ordained by God

783
00:42:50,380 --> 00:42:52,039
 to be working in your life

784
00:42:52,039 --> 00:42:54,340
 and to giving you those opportunities

785
00:42:54,340 --> 00:42:57,880
 so that you can express your obedience.

786
00:42:58,639 --> 00:43:04,239
 Now, we have to take and understand

787
00:43:04,239 --> 00:43:10,119
 that there may be spurious requirements of us

788
00:43:10,119 --> 00:43:11,260
 that are marginal.

789
00:43:11,780 --> 00:43:12,780
 We don't obey that.

790
00:43:13,039 --> 00:43:14,539
 We obey God rather than man.

791
00:43:14,619 --> 00:43:16,960
 If it's immoral, if it's unjust, we don't do those things.

792
00:43:17,619 --> 00:43:19,940
 But we must make a conscious choice

793
00:43:19,940 --> 00:43:23,739
 to obey these people in authority so that what?

794
00:43:23,860 --> 00:43:25,820
 We get the benefit of the teaching.

795
00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:29,300
 If we don't, we're going to be going around and around

796
00:43:29,300 --> 00:43:30,800
 that circle all our life.

797
00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:34,699
 And this is how we know where we're gaining ground.

798
00:43:35,360 --> 00:43:38,559
 We can choose to be disobedient in one of those areas,

799
00:43:39,059 --> 00:43:42,480
 husband, wife, parents, pastor, employer, government, teacher.

800
00:43:43,039 --> 00:43:44,599
 Or we can choose to be obedient.

801
00:43:45,219 --> 00:43:51,019
 And what I find is the older I get,

802
00:43:51,099 --> 00:43:52,739
 the less I say, yes, but, Lord,

803
00:43:53,619 --> 00:43:55,420
 it said, okay, if this is what you want, Lord,

804
00:43:55,420 --> 00:43:56,219
 I want to do it.

805
00:43:56,940 --> 00:44:01,820
 So there is me that deals with this.

806
00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:04,239
 Do I choose to be disobedient?

807
00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:04,940
 Do I grumble?

808
00:44:05,079 --> 00:44:08,059
 I only see this authority as suppression.

809
00:44:08,900 --> 00:44:10,659
 And I mean, I've gone round and round

810
00:44:10,659 --> 00:44:13,260
 with people that believe that.

811
00:44:13,860 --> 00:44:15,460
 It denies my freedom.

812
00:44:17,739 --> 00:44:19,739
 It represses my actions.

813
00:44:20,980 --> 00:44:22,800
 It's taking away my options.

814
00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:25,519
 And it restricts my choices.

815
00:44:26,179 --> 00:44:29,860
 You know, this God stuff, you know, that's not for me.

816
00:44:30,880 --> 00:44:31,760
 So what do you end up?

817
00:44:32,039 --> 00:44:34,139
 You end up with resentment in my heart, in your heart.

818
00:44:35,039 --> 00:44:36,400
 That's the ultimate outcome.

819
00:44:37,239 --> 00:44:40,719
 On the other hand, if you choose to obey, it's God,

820
00:44:40,820 --> 00:44:41,519
 it's not me.

821
00:44:42,340 --> 00:44:46,199
 I see this authority as liberating me spiritually

822
00:44:46,199 --> 00:44:47,260
 and emotionally.

823
00:44:48,059 --> 00:44:49,679
 It's two sides of the coin.

824
00:44:51,019 --> 00:44:54,139
 Loving all of me totally as He does.

825
00:44:55,360 --> 00:44:56,800
 He cares for my life.

826
00:44:57,039 --> 00:44:58,079
 He cares for your life.

827
00:44:59,039 --> 00:45:02,500
 And He protects all of me, not some of me, all of me.

828
00:45:03,500 --> 00:45:06,440
 Like I said, He even protected us from the rain on Sunday.

829
00:45:07,179 --> 00:45:08,920
 Wise in giving life to me.

830
00:45:09,019 --> 00:45:10,260
 And what do I get out of that?

831
00:45:10,739 --> 00:45:12,039
 Contentment in my heart.

832
00:45:12,639 --> 00:45:13,739
 What did He promise us?

833
00:45:13,980 --> 00:45:16,880
 Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

834
00:45:17,760 --> 00:45:20,619
 Not righteousness, peace, and joy without the Holy Spirit,

835
00:45:20,840 --> 00:45:21,699
 by the Holy Spirit.

836
00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:27,780
 If we let Him work in our life, we see these things come about.

837
00:45:29,500 --> 00:45:33,719
 So that's how we begin to see these things come into our life.

838
00:45:34,420 --> 00:45:36,260
 So now let's look at the order of things.

839
00:45:37,159 --> 00:45:39,159
 First off, I said there is creation order.

840
00:45:39,980 --> 00:45:43,099
 The Bible begins with the account of creation

841
00:45:43,099 --> 00:45:45,539
 where God brings order out of chaos,

842
00:45:45,539 --> 00:45:50,059
 and this is the last time I'm going to drop these things, I think.

843
00:45:51,079 --> 00:45:54,139
 If I don't have these things, my voice goes about halfway through

844
00:45:54,139 --> 00:45:56,400
 about slide five or six.

845
00:45:57,820 --> 00:46:01,320
 God, again, brings order out of chaos.

846
00:46:01,480 --> 00:46:02,460
 Where do we find that?

847
00:46:03,240 --> 00:46:05,239
 In Genesis 1 and 2.

848
00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:08,739
 In the beginning, God created heavens in the earth,

849
00:46:08,840 --> 00:46:10,840
 and now the earth was formless and void,

850
00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:13,760
 and darkness was over the surface of the deep,

851
00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,719
 and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

852
00:46:17,940 --> 00:46:22,719
 So the divine order then reflects His wisdom and power

853
00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:25,159
 to bring about order in the world.

854
00:46:27,700 --> 00:46:30,280
 In Psalm 104.24 it says,

855
00:46:30,940 --> 00:46:32,719
 How many are your words?

856
00:46:33,440 --> 00:46:36,860
 O Lord, in wisdom you have made them all.

857
00:46:37,599 --> 00:46:41,920
 The earth is full of your creatures and your habitat.

858
00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:43,679
 In some translations it says.

859
00:46:44,739 --> 00:46:48,139
 Okay, so from the universe to the smallest detail in nature,

860
00:46:48,820 --> 00:46:51,019
 God establishes a harmonious system

861
00:46:51,019 --> 00:46:53,340
 where everything functions with purpose.

862
00:46:54,840 --> 00:46:58,840
 I follow a lot of agriculture, YouTube things,

863
00:46:59,219 --> 00:47:01,900
 because my ancestors were farmers,

864
00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:06,880
 chicken farmers, ranchers, and so forth and so forth.

865
00:47:07,639 --> 00:47:11,019
 And it amazes me how when they deplete the land

866
00:47:11,019 --> 00:47:13,539
 of one particular thing that's in the land,

867
00:47:13,900 --> 00:47:15,659
 the land starts to go down,

868
00:47:15,760 --> 00:47:17,860
 and they have to then fertilize that much more.

869
00:47:17,980 --> 00:47:19,679
 They have to induce the soil.

870
00:47:19,780 --> 00:47:20,519
 They have to do this.

871
00:47:20,659 --> 00:47:21,480
 They have to do that.

872
00:47:21,940 --> 00:47:24,199
 And then I got onto this one blog in England

873
00:47:24,199 --> 00:47:27,300
 where the fellow said he bought about 500 acres,

874
00:47:27,440 --> 00:47:30,679
 and he was going to let the farm go back to the way it was.

875
00:47:31,420 --> 00:47:35,179
 And in 15 years, he had all the produce,

876
00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:38,480
 all the bugs, all the flowers,

877
00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:41,960
 all the habitat, running water in streams

878
00:47:41,960 --> 00:47:44,179
 because he left things go back to nature.

879
00:47:44,659 --> 00:47:47,800
 It was just utterly amazing to see the transformation.

880
00:47:48,659 --> 00:47:51,559
 And, of course, you understand that when God made these things

881
00:47:51,559 --> 00:47:53,260
 there was a beautiful balance.

882
00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:56,260
 All right, so question.

883
00:47:56,960 --> 00:48:00,679
 In what way has God's call for obedience and order

884
00:48:00,679 --> 00:48:04,079
 affected your life since you yielded to him?

885
00:48:04,579 --> 00:48:07,340
 What's the result of this in your life?

886
00:48:07,340 --> 00:48:09,280
 So you did these things.

887
00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:10,820
 You wrestled with God.

888
00:48:11,639 --> 00:48:13,300
 You decided that he was right.

889
00:48:14,019 --> 00:48:16,920
 You stopped the fight, and now you're in the blessing.

890
00:48:17,099 --> 00:48:20,739
 What's that mean to you personally, specifically?

891
00:48:23,699 --> 00:48:24,280
 Yes?

892
00:48:25,260 --> 00:48:26,440
 Less anxiety.

893
00:48:26,860 --> 00:48:28,139
 Ah, very good.

894
00:48:28,539 --> 00:48:31,460
 For that righteousness that comes in, peace, joy.

895
00:48:32,460 --> 00:48:33,500
 Yeah, less anxiety.

896
00:48:33,960 --> 00:48:34,139
 Good.

897
00:48:35,980 --> 00:48:36,960
 Anything else?

898
00:48:40,059 --> 00:48:41,380
 You were all transformed.

899
00:48:43,039 --> 00:48:43,340
 Yeah.

900
00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:45,500
 Well, you know what I find?

901
00:48:45,960 --> 00:48:49,480
 I have always found my worth in doing.

902
00:48:50,780 --> 00:48:52,579
 I'm now delivered from that.

903
00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:55,380
 I don't have to do to be worth.

904
00:48:56,239 --> 00:48:57,920
 Is it too cold in here for you?

905
00:48:58,940 --> 00:49:02,039
 I will take the shirt off and wear my T-shirt if you want.

906
00:49:02,819 --> 00:49:03,219
 Okay.

907
00:49:03,519 --> 00:49:03,920
 All right.

908
00:49:04,219 --> 00:49:04,599
 Thank you.

909
00:49:05,079 --> 00:49:07,619
 Of course, it gets hot up here when the spotlight's on you.

910
00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:08,159
 Okay.

911
00:49:08,519 --> 00:49:09,019
 Thank you.

912
00:49:09,639 --> 00:49:09,960
 All right.

913
00:49:10,539 --> 00:49:11,219
 Anyone else?

914
00:49:14,599 --> 00:49:15,260
 Dottie, are you?

915
00:49:17,039 --> 00:49:19,059
 I have to really think about these things.

916
00:49:19,579 --> 00:49:19,960
 I don't know.

917
00:49:20,219 --> 00:49:21,000
 I hope you do.

918
00:49:21,039 --> 00:49:21,599
 No, I have.

919
00:49:21,940 --> 00:49:22,679
 Yeah, I just have been.

920
00:49:24,139 --> 00:49:25,679
 I just become.

921
00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:27,360
 I don't even know how it all happened.

922
00:49:29,860 --> 00:49:30,860
 They're good questions.

923
00:49:32,099 --> 00:49:34,219
 Well, I wish not that I don't want to.

924
00:49:34,519 --> 00:49:37,300
 It's just that I can't wrap my thought around how to answer them.

925
00:49:38,460 --> 00:49:39,860
 But I don't know.

926
00:49:40,099 --> 00:49:41,280
 I mean, obedience is.

927
00:49:42,219 --> 00:49:43,360
 Well, what's the result?

928
00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:44,460
 You now obeyed.

929
00:49:44,639 --> 00:49:45,559
 How long have you known the Lord?

930
00:49:46,219 --> 00:49:46,739
 50 years.

931
00:49:47,139 --> 00:49:49,039
 So 50 years, here's the beginning.

932
00:49:49,219 --> 00:49:50,159
 I remember your testimony.

933
00:49:50,860 --> 00:49:53,659
 That is what itself you fast forward 50 years.

934
00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:59,380
 As a whole picture, what is that obedience and that order done in your life?

935
00:49:59,380 --> 00:50:02,300
 On the grander scale.

936
00:50:02,619 --> 00:50:04,099
 Oh, giving me a whole new life.

937
00:50:04,579 --> 00:50:04,940
 Okay.

938
00:50:05,400 --> 00:50:07,059
 But everything changed.

939
00:50:07,940 --> 00:50:09,920
 I mean, I'm really beginning to know who I really am.

940
00:50:10,579 --> 00:50:12,159
 He's giving me an identity and.

941
00:50:12,519 --> 00:50:12,860
 All right.

942
00:50:13,019 --> 00:50:13,360
 Yeah.

943
00:50:13,579 --> 00:50:14,059
 My goodness.

944
00:50:14,460 --> 00:50:14,539
 Yeah.

945
00:50:14,719 --> 00:50:16,059
 Are you satisfied with yourself?

946
00:50:16,500 --> 00:50:16,900
 Absolutely.

947
00:50:17,280 --> 00:50:17,480
 Yeah.

948
00:50:17,659 --> 00:50:17,840
 Okay.

949
00:50:17,900 --> 00:50:18,840
 That's one good thing.

950
00:50:19,019 --> 00:50:19,880
 Yeah, it really is.

951
00:50:19,980 --> 00:50:20,599
 We're not at war.

952
00:50:21,059 --> 00:50:22,960
 No, no, no.

953
00:50:23,199 --> 00:50:25,260
 I just, my life in him is beautiful.

954
00:50:25,559 --> 00:50:26,219
 I just love him.

955
00:50:26,420 --> 00:50:28,559
 I mean, he's in me and I'm in him.

956
00:50:28,559 --> 00:50:31,760
 And wow, we just have a good camaraderie.

957
00:50:31,940 --> 00:50:33,380
 I don't know and understand how I can.

958
00:50:34,159 --> 00:50:34,860
 I'm sorry.

959
00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:37,880
 I have a lot of, I can't remember.

960
00:50:38,500 --> 00:50:39,119
 You know, it's like.

961
00:50:39,440 --> 00:50:39,940
 That's okay.

962
00:50:40,059 --> 00:50:40,340
 You know what?

963
00:50:40,420 --> 00:50:43,039
 It's trying to remember what it was like when I was first married.

964
00:50:43,320 --> 00:50:43,699
 You're right.

965
00:50:44,039 --> 00:50:46,239
 I'm so much of Roger now.

966
00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:48,300
 I don't even know which is Roger, which is me.

967
00:50:48,739 --> 00:50:50,300
 The Bible says two shall be correct.

968
00:50:50,340 --> 00:50:50,860
 It was.

969
00:50:51,199 --> 00:50:51,940
 Truly, that is.

970
00:50:52,139 --> 00:50:52,820
 And you know this.

971
00:50:53,139 --> 00:50:55,440
 And the Bible says the same thing with the Spirit.

972
00:50:55,440 --> 00:50:57,539
 We obey the Lord as one Spirit.

973
00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:01,320
 And then after 50 years, so much of God he's put in me.

974
00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:04,000
 Me, I've been crucified in him.

975
00:51:04,139 --> 00:51:05,639
 You know, I mean, I no longer live.

976
00:51:06,280 --> 00:51:07,699
 And wow, I just don't.

977
00:51:08,139 --> 00:51:10,880
 Honestly, John, I just can't remember.

978
00:51:11,420 --> 00:51:15,920
 Well, we want to have an altar call for those who argue with their husband and wife.

979
00:51:16,440 --> 00:51:17,340
 Unlike Roger.

980
00:51:18,900 --> 00:51:19,820
 I know.

981
00:51:20,940 --> 00:51:22,780
 No, I mean, that's what's wonderful.

982
00:51:23,059 --> 00:51:24,000
 I just can't remember.

983
00:51:24,000 --> 00:51:31,059
 Yes, I think I have a lot of more peace, too, because I don't have expectations from people anymore.

984
00:51:31,579 --> 00:51:34,960
 I only have expectations from God because he's the only one that can fulfill them.

985
00:51:35,619 --> 00:51:39,119
 What are you doing today, Lord, that I can that I can serve you?

986
00:51:39,239 --> 00:51:40,159
 I don't have an agenda.

987
00:51:40,760 --> 00:51:41,420
 Isn't that nice?

988
00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:43,059
 Yeah, I can just relax.

989
00:51:47,920 --> 00:51:49,539
 Oh, I was going to say.

990
00:51:51,940 --> 00:51:54,500
 I'm still yielding to him every day.

991
00:51:55,139 --> 00:51:57,539
 It's not like it's past, you know.

992
00:51:59,300 --> 00:52:07,119
 You know, so that obedience, it's not like I'm like, yeah, I'm completely obedient now and yielded to him.

993
00:52:08,639 --> 00:52:11,079
 You know, I came to Lord as an adult.

994
00:52:11,420 --> 00:52:18,820
 So there are a lot of things that I'm still I still wrestle with God over, you know,

995
00:52:18,820 --> 00:52:24,480
 and, you know, lots of deep questions that don't always get answered.

996
00:52:24,860 --> 00:52:31,420
 So, you know, my word is always, you know, Israel was named Israel, wrestle with God, and I'm still doing it.

997
00:52:32,519 --> 00:52:33,900
 But why, Lord? Why?

998
00:52:34,219 --> 00:52:34,440
 Yeah.

999
00:52:35,440 --> 00:52:38,719
 You know, he really doesn't owe us an answer, does he?

1000
00:52:38,739 --> 00:52:41,000
 No, it's a truth.

1001
00:52:42,019 --> 00:52:47,039
 And, you know, it's just I don't know.

1002
00:52:47,280 --> 00:52:49,940
 It's just not like that simple, easy walk for me.

1003
00:52:50,860 --> 00:53:01,019
 That's fine. I mean, you know, I would say my walk turned to where I'm yielded.

1004
00:53:02,199 --> 00:53:03,400
 And a lot of you know the story.

1005
00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:13,179
 I had full-time minister, didn't take salary, had my own business, had 37 people, raising three boys, had a wife.

1006
00:53:13,679 --> 00:53:20,159
 It was hit the ball and dragged my family, counseling on Tuesday, home meeting on Thursday, preach on Sunday.

1007
00:53:20,900 --> 00:53:27,239
 I knew everything until the Lord pulled a rug because we were here, there, and everywhere.

1008
00:53:27,860 --> 00:53:29,380
 And that was in the charismatic days.

1009
00:53:29,380 --> 00:53:33,480
 I mean, you know, God blessed us in spite of ourselves, doing crazy things.

1010
00:53:35,260 --> 00:53:40,840
 And only after that experience, built our dream house.

1011
00:53:41,880 --> 00:53:47,460
 Here it was on share of sale because I used my collateral to run the business, and the business failed.

1012
00:53:48,760 --> 00:53:49,139
 Okay.

1013
00:53:51,240 --> 00:53:58,219
 And in cleaning a warehouse out that was 10,000 square feet, all the equipment that we bought, no more employees,

1014
00:53:58,219 --> 00:54:05,320
 putting it in the junk with the forklift of which I sold, crying my eyes out for three weeks.

1015
00:54:06,420 --> 00:54:12,340
 That humility factor where I had nothing was the turning point of my life.

1016
00:54:12,940 --> 00:54:16,980
 But it took, it took, I will tell you, we went through hell.

1017
00:54:17,820 --> 00:54:20,480
 I mean, the mortgage payment was one thing on the house.

1018
00:54:20,719 --> 00:54:21,579
 Joanie had a very good job.

1019
00:54:21,659 --> 00:54:22,159
 She was a nurse.

1020
00:54:22,159 --> 00:54:32,320
 But the interest alone, I paid three or $4,000 interest a month just to sustain the business debt, let alone paying principal.

1021
00:54:33,219 --> 00:54:38,500
 It was a very dark time, and I found the Lord because I had no place to go.

1022
00:54:39,139 --> 00:54:39,460
 Nothing.

1023
00:54:40,420 --> 00:54:45,139
 I mean, here I was, 49 years old, and I couldn't provide for my family.

1024
00:54:46,099 --> 00:54:49,219
 You know, I felt useless.

1025
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:54,980
 So that's when I cried and, you know, flipped the life.

1026
00:54:55,500 --> 00:54:57,639
 Not saying that you have to go through that.

1027
00:54:58,079 --> 00:54:58,539
 Okay.

1028
00:55:01,179 --> 00:55:01,659
 Okay.

1029
00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:02,699
 All right.

1030
00:55:02,800 --> 00:55:03,360
 Now, that's good.

1031
00:55:03,619 --> 00:55:05,039
 Debbie, thank you for being honest.

1032
00:55:05,280 --> 00:55:07,639
 I mean, that's wonderful that we can share these things.

1033
00:55:08,320 --> 00:55:08,659
 Okay.

1034
00:55:09,699 --> 00:55:10,519
 Oh, my gosh.

1035
00:55:11,440 --> 00:55:15,380
 Can we make it to number five or do we, are you all okay or not?

1036
00:55:16,239 --> 00:55:18,059
 It's five after eight already.

1037
00:55:18,059 --> 00:55:18,920
 Okay.

1038
00:55:19,559 --> 00:55:20,239
 Our society.

1039
00:55:21,559 --> 00:55:27,420
 God's order extends to human society where he establishes structure for government and justice.

1040
00:55:27,860 --> 00:55:31,800
 In Romans 13, one and two, obey the rulers who have authority over you.

1041
00:55:32,199 --> 00:55:34,360
 Only God can give authority to anyone.

1042
00:55:34,699 --> 00:55:38,000
 He puts those rulers in their places of power.

1043
00:55:38,260 --> 00:55:43,480
 People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished.

1044
00:55:44,480 --> 00:55:57,760
 Our belief is that our social order is divinely instituted and that rebellion against this lawful authority is equivalent to resisting God's ordinance, which we had talked about.

1045
00:55:58,679 --> 00:56:08,219
 Remember, Moses put up a representative government with tribal leaders, with judges, which has followed through even into our American society and government.

1046
00:56:09,460 --> 00:56:11,699
 In other words, I'll answer this to keep it short.

1047
00:56:11,699 --> 00:56:13,380
 What kind of government has God ordained?

1048
00:56:14,860 --> 00:56:19,500
 Well, he's ordained a theocracy, which means rule by God.

1049
00:56:20,900 --> 00:56:23,559
 He has sovereignty over all of his subjects.

1050
00:56:23,840 --> 00:56:24,460
 That's us.

1051
00:56:25,199 --> 00:56:29,840
 And this kingdom, form of government, is the natural order of things.

1052
00:56:30,139 --> 00:56:32,440
 And this is a question I'll ask.

1053
00:56:32,440 --> 00:56:40,840
 When it says in Isaiah 33, 22, he is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king.

1054
00:56:41,599 --> 00:56:42,559
 What does that mean?

1055
00:56:43,760 --> 00:56:45,480
 In other words, he provides for all.

1056
00:56:46,800 --> 00:56:48,599
 So if he's a judge, what does he do?

1057
00:56:50,079 --> 00:56:51,900
 He judicates right or wrong.

1058
00:56:53,400 --> 00:56:55,860
 If he is a lawgiver, what does that mean?

1059
00:56:57,840 --> 00:56:59,079
 He keeps order.

1060
00:57:00,059 --> 00:57:00,780
 He keeps order.

1061
00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:01,460
 Okay.

1062
00:57:02,380 --> 00:57:02,860
 Let me make sure.

1063
00:57:03,219 --> 00:57:04,960
 He also makes the law.

1064
00:57:05,000 --> 00:57:05,800
 No, it makes the law, right?

1065
00:57:06,059 --> 00:57:06,199
 Okay.

1066
00:57:07,019 --> 00:57:08,199
 And then he's our king.

1067
00:57:08,400 --> 00:57:10,800
 He is the enforcer of the entire system.

1068
00:57:12,400 --> 00:57:19,960
 So we see that there is a provision for everything that he has in his government, in his kingdom.

1069
00:57:20,940 --> 00:57:21,619
 Order in the church.

1070
00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:30,619
 Definition of the church is the home of the family of God and the center of the government of God on earth.

1071
00:57:32,300 --> 00:57:42,360
 Its function, the church is, again, this visible expression of his kingdom, the instrument of God, and it executes his kingdom rule.

1072
00:57:44,099 --> 00:57:48,960
 Our mandate is to rule in our sphere of influence and ministry, whatever that is.

1073
00:57:48,960 --> 00:57:58,219
 That could be the groups that we lead, the people that we work with, whatever that sphere of influence is.

1074
00:57:58,559 --> 00:58:02,239
 The New Testament provides guidance on maintaining order within the church.

1075
00:58:02,940 --> 00:58:09,659
 In Corinthians 1440, it talks about being orderly and doing things in an orderly manner.

1076
00:58:10,800 --> 00:58:13,940
 Church leadership is also structured where there is divine order.

1077
00:58:14,420 --> 00:58:16,519
 Timothy and Titus, we think we know that.

1078
00:58:16,519 --> 00:58:22,300
 And just a note, if you experience chaos in church, this isn't God.

1079
00:58:23,039 --> 00:58:23,980
 And it's not anointing.

1080
00:58:25,159 --> 00:58:26,219
 God is orderly.

1081
00:58:26,980 --> 00:58:28,940
 Not stiff, but he's orderly.

1082
00:58:29,840 --> 00:58:39,780
 The things that we talked about in chaos, the things that were reckless, if you will, and those we experienced in some of the charismatic movements early on.

1083
00:58:39,900 --> 00:58:41,659
 There was a recklessness toward God.

1084
00:58:42,260 --> 00:58:43,940
 And he looked at that and he didn't like it.

1085
00:58:44,039 --> 00:58:45,440
 But there is order in the church.

1086
00:58:45,440 --> 00:58:47,280
 Order in the family.

1087
00:58:48,699 --> 00:58:59,780
 Order in the family is about structuring relationships within the home according to Biblical principles, God's love, mutual respect, and spiritual growth.

1088
00:59:01,360 --> 00:59:05,699
 Order emphasizes harmony and responsibility at the same time.

1089
00:59:06,019 --> 00:59:08,059
 You don't have harmony by giving in.

1090
00:59:08,119 --> 00:59:14,400
 You can have differences of opinion, but you have harmony in the sense of what responsibility God's giving you.

1091
00:59:15,119 --> 00:59:16,559
 God is the foundation.

1092
00:59:17,159 --> 00:59:21,420
 The family centered on faith seeks guidance from God in all aspects of life.

1093
00:59:22,380 --> 00:59:23,380
 Marriage is the cornerstone.

1094
00:59:24,599 --> 00:59:30,940
 Again, we believe that the Bible describes marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman built on unity and commitment.

1095
00:59:31,480 --> 00:59:34,340
 And again, that says a lot against our society today.

1096
00:59:35,380 --> 00:59:42,619
 Roles within the family, husbands are called to lead with love, wives to support with respect, and children to honor their parents.

1097
00:59:43,579 --> 00:59:45,119
 Parenting with a vision.

1098
00:59:46,219 --> 00:59:53,099
 Parents are entrusted with raising their children in faith, providing discipline and instruction in a nurturing way.

1099
00:59:53,300 --> 00:59:57,619
 Not in a rule based relationship, but in a loving relationship.

1100
00:59:58,420 --> 01:00:00,820
 As God loves us, so we love our children.

1101
01:00:01,699 --> 01:00:02,780
 Mutual love and respect.

1102
01:00:03,119 --> 01:00:08,500
 Every family member is encouraged to treat one another with kindness, patience, and understanding.

1103
01:00:09,159 --> 01:00:11,559
 And sometimes that's hard to do when you're raising three boys.

1104
01:00:12,799 --> 01:00:13,599
 All right.

1105
01:00:14,079 --> 01:00:14,440
 Question.

1106
01:00:15,079 --> 01:00:17,920
 What challenges do we face in living out our faith at home?

1107
01:00:17,980 --> 01:00:18,380
 A lot.

1108
01:00:18,880 --> 01:00:21,179
 Because this is what we see on one side of life.

1109
01:00:21,340 --> 01:00:28,500
 But when we get home and we get in our pajamas or we get in our sweats and we cool out or we chill out or we do, is there another person?

1110
01:00:28,860 --> 01:00:30,099
 Or are we the same person?

1111
01:00:30,840 --> 01:00:32,179
 And I won't answer that question.

1112
01:00:32,519 --> 01:00:32,780
 Okay.

1113
01:00:33,059 --> 01:00:34,099
 We'll leave that for you.

1114
01:00:34,380 --> 01:00:34,940
 Yes, Dottie.

1115
01:00:35,360 --> 01:00:36,400
 I do have one for that.

1116
01:00:36,420 --> 01:00:36,679
 Yes.

1117
01:00:36,679 --> 01:00:45,099
 When I first became a Christian, I had no idea what it meant with submission.

1118
01:00:46,139 --> 01:00:46,679
 Oh, wow.

1119
01:00:46,780 --> 01:00:52,699
 That was a big thing because in my family growing up, my mother was the one that she ran everything.

1120
01:00:53,679 --> 01:00:55,680
 So coming into a marriage...

1121
01:00:56,239 --> 01:00:57,980
 Was submission a bad word to you?

1122
01:00:58,239 --> 01:00:59,619
 I didn't understand it.

1123
01:01:00,000 --> 01:01:01,079
 I didn't understand it.

1124
01:01:01,559 --> 01:01:04,800
 But when I was taught it and I was told what it was,

1125
01:01:04,800 --> 01:01:09,619
 it was submission to your husband and son to the Lord, you know, then things became to be okay.

1126
01:01:09,840 --> 01:01:15,920
 But I have to laugh because to really submit and to really...

1127
01:01:15,920 --> 01:01:17,739
 I first did an outwardly one.

1128
01:01:18,840 --> 01:01:21,559
 I was in a Presbyterian church at the time.

1129
01:01:22,280 --> 01:01:25,179
 And I think I was only three of us at the time in the whole church.

1130
01:01:25,400 --> 01:01:32,619
 I wore a hat to church in spite of everything to make me remember that I'm a woman in submission.

1131
01:01:34,699 --> 01:01:36,719
 There was just something between me and the Lord.

1132
01:01:37,239 --> 01:01:41,460
 But that's the way I kind of disciplined myself in Him to wear a hat.

1133
01:01:42,179 --> 01:01:43,579
 And I really liked it.

1134
01:01:43,760 --> 01:01:46,059
 I thought it was really nice to wear a hat.

1135
01:01:46,519 --> 01:01:47,500
 It did remind me.

1136
01:01:48,380 --> 01:01:52,280
 But over the years, the Lord's done a good job of putting me in my place.

1137
01:01:52,960 --> 01:01:53,059
 Good.

1138
01:01:53,360 --> 01:01:53,659
 Yeah.

1139
01:01:54,199 --> 01:01:54,679
 Yes, Gail.

1140
01:01:55,420 --> 01:02:06,059
 I think that the basic thing about loving God is knowing that He loves you first.

1141
01:02:07,440 --> 01:02:14,699
 And you have to be able to trust Him in order to be able to submit yourself to Him and obey Him.

1142
01:02:15,099 --> 01:02:19,599
 Because if you don't really trust Him, if you don't really trust in His love, you can't do that.

1143
01:02:19,739 --> 01:02:21,800
 You can't yield yourself to somebody you don't know.

1144
01:02:22,800 --> 01:02:28,500
 And so that just covered a whole lot of basis for me once I understood that basic thing.

1145
01:02:28,820 --> 01:02:34,860
 That if I really knew that God loved me, then I could trust Him and I could trust in His faithfulness.

1146
01:02:35,380 --> 01:02:38,599
 And then I could obey Him because I trusted Him.

1147
01:02:39,159 --> 01:02:48,739
 And then I realized that if I really trusted God, I could even be submissive to my husband

1148
01:02:48,739 --> 01:02:55,480
 as Sarah was to Abraham, even when he was not a perfect husband and made major mistakes.

1149
01:02:56,119 --> 01:03:02,460
 Yet she could trust Him and be obedient to Him and submissive to Him because she trusted God first.

1150
01:03:03,219 --> 01:03:06,500
 And I think that's really, really important to know that.

1151
01:03:07,199 --> 01:03:11,960
 What's interesting about that, if we don't trust, in your case, your husband,

1152
01:03:11,960 --> 01:03:20,500
 and willing to go whatever that storyline is, how can then God intervene on your husband's life

1153
01:03:20,500 --> 01:03:22,739
 if you're always taking it away from God's activity?

1154
01:03:23,380 --> 01:03:28,099
 We have to relinquish, I'm right, you're wrong, or have the dispute.

1155
01:03:28,420 --> 01:03:34,719
 And I mean, I had, in our three children, there was one issue with one daughter-in-law

1156
01:03:34,719 --> 01:03:40,760
 that came from a very chaotic home, and she had learned the hard way to defend herself.

1157
01:03:40,760 --> 01:03:42,460
 And I give her credit on that.

1158
01:03:42,860 --> 01:03:49,079
 And she admits that she had to relearn the whole aspect of relationship because she was raised.

1159
01:03:49,280 --> 01:03:56,219
 And my question to you is, were you in a family that you didn't trust in the family environment?

1160
01:03:56,380 --> 01:04:02,360
 Is that something that you had a problem with because of issues in the family or not?

1161
01:04:02,719 --> 01:04:06,940
 Well, I came from a family who was also German and Welsh.

1162
01:04:08,719 --> 01:04:09,679
 So, bam!

1163
01:04:10,920 --> 01:04:14,139
 So, my father did not know how to show affection.

1164
01:04:14,380 --> 01:04:17,059
 Nobody ever said, I love you in my family.

1165
01:04:17,480 --> 01:04:18,980
 Ever, they never said it.

1166
01:04:19,380 --> 01:04:22,739
 So, it was really hard, yeah.

1167
01:04:23,099 --> 01:04:28,360
 And then I went to the opposite extreme, and my first husband was saying it off the cuff,

1168
01:04:28,500 --> 01:04:30,239
 oh, I love you, but it didn't mean anything.

1169
01:04:30,920 --> 01:04:32,980
 So, it was hard to find that balance.

1170
01:04:34,360 --> 01:04:35,840
 I think we all come from that generation.

1171
01:04:36,139 --> 01:04:38,219
 I grew up the same way, and I'm not blaming my parents.

1172
01:04:38,360 --> 01:04:38,480
 No.

1173
01:04:38,739 --> 01:04:44,960
 Maybe it was taboo for them back then because they never said, my dad never said,

1174
01:04:45,019 --> 01:04:50,320
 I love you until I got saved and we were adults, and I was living on my own.

1175
01:04:50,840 --> 01:04:56,880
 And once I got saved, and the very first time my dad said, I love you,

1176
01:04:57,239 --> 01:05:00,980
 it broke something because from that point on, we could have a conversation.

1177
01:05:00,980 --> 01:05:03,719
 And if I forgot to tell him, I love him, he would say it first.

1178
01:05:04,880 --> 01:05:06,019
 And it just went from there.

1179
01:05:06,719 --> 01:05:09,679
 Yeah, it just didn't happen.

1180
01:05:10,599 --> 01:05:14,980
 I think a lot with men, not so much in this generation, but before.

1181
01:05:15,899 --> 01:05:16,659
 We're macho.

1182
01:05:18,099 --> 01:05:19,019
 I'm the answer.

1183
01:05:19,320 --> 01:05:20,000
 I got it all.

1184
01:05:20,159 --> 01:05:21,019
 I don't need to tell you.

1185
01:05:21,719 --> 01:05:23,159
 Honey, I told you, I love you once.

1186
01:05:23,280 --> 01:05:23,800
 We got married.

1187
01:05:23,880 --> 01:05:25,579
 That's enough after 53 years, right?

1188
01:05:25,760 --> 01:05:26,119
 One time.

1189
01:05:26,960 --> 01:05:28,619
 Does he tell you that he loves you?

1190
01:05:28,619 --> 01:05:29,519
 All right.

1191
01:05:30,000 --> 01:05:30,019
 Okay.

1192
01:05:30,300 --> 01:05:30,519
 Good.

1193
01:05:31,400 --> 01:05:32,780
 We're getting the truth here, right?

1194
01:05:35,420 --> 01:05:36,300
 All right.

1195
01:05:38,660 --> 01:05:40,019
 Individual conduct.

1196
01:05:40,800 --> 01:05:48,159
 Again, you look at the natural man, man meaning woman and husband or man and lady.

1197
01:05:49,260 --> 01:05:53,260
 In Ecclesiastes, it shows us the darkness of our heart.

1198
01:05:53,719 --> 01:05:56,099
 The eyes are not satisfied with the seeing.

1199
01:05:56,800 --> 01:06:02,019
 The heart of the sons of man are full of evil, unsatisfied appetites,

1200
01:06:02,239 --> 01:06:05,699
 visual desires and judges, it says, as the people of Israel.

1201
01:06:05,940 --> 01:06:08,860
 And so all the Israelites did whatever they thought was right.

1202
01:06:09,760 --> 01:06:10,820
 That's one side of it.

1203
01:06:10,940 --> 01:06:14,059
 The spiritual man, again, we are called to live an orderly life,

1204
01:06:14,139 --> 01:06:16,360
 reflecting God's character and his commands.

1205
01:06:17,000 --> 01:06:18,000
 We talked about that.

1206
01:06:18,780 --> 01:06:23,460
 In 1440 of Corinthians, let everything that should be done be properly

1207
01:06:23,460 --> 01:06:29,300
 and in order, and we should again align our personal conduct with God's order

1208
01:06:29,300 --> 01:06:34,980
 and live with diligence, integrity and purpose in all aspects of life.

1209
01:06:35,940 --> 01:06:36,659
 Isn't that interesting?

1210
01:06:37,059 --> 01:06:38,340
 Now we won't answer the question.

1211
01:06:39,119 --> 01:06:43,639
 These are scriptures that support disobedience.

1212
01:06:45,519 --> 01:06:50,920
 You know, why do you keep saying that I am your Lord when you refuse to do what I say?

1213
01:06:50,920 --> 01:06:52,300
 I'll skip down.

1214
01:06:52,400 --> 01:06:55,079
 All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

1215
01:06:55,739 --> 01:07:00,960
 But then God forgives us, like in the last couple of verses of 26 Leviticus,

1216
01:07:01,360 --> 01:07:06,619
 as in John 1.19, but if we freely admit our sins when we, again,

1217
01:07:07,380 --> 01:07:12,079
 when his light uncovers them, he will be faithful to forgive us every time.

1218
01:07:13,639 --> 01:07:17,500
 God is just to forgive our sins because of Christ,

1219
01:07:17,500 --> 01:07:20,760
 and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1220
01:07:21,219 --> 01:07:22,940
 The final thoughts I have are these.

1221
01:07:23,820 --> 01:07:29,639
 How far am I willing to advance in God's kingdom is entirely upon me,

1222
01:07:30,440 --> 01:07:33,719
 nobody else, nobody else.

1223
01:07:33,960 --> 01:07:35,420
 How far do you want to go in God?

1224
01:07:36,119 --> 01:07:41,340
 You are the limitation that takes you as far as you want to go.

1225
01:07:42,340 --> 01:07:44,659
 And again, righteous living, as we talked about,

1226
01:07:44,659 --> 01:07:47,320
 is a daily and sometimes hourly choice.

1227
01:07:48,119 --> 01:07:50,019
 What choice are we going to make?

1228
01:07:50,780 --> 01:07:53,539
 Follow him and yield and obey or not.

1229
01:07:54,260 --> 01:07:57,719
 So, Lord, we thank you for conversations tonight.

1230
01:07:58,420 --> 01:08:03,619
 Lord, we thank you for the frankness that we have to speak about our lives,

1231
01:08:04,139 --> 01:08:09,380
 who we are, our impediments, our strengths, Lord, our weaknesses.

1232
01:08:10,139 --> 01:08:12,480
 But we ask one thing tonight in the name of Jesus,

1233
01:08:12,480 --> 01:08:17,920
 that you would honor us with your guidance tonight, tomorrow,

1234
01:08:18,239 --> 01:08:19,939
 and the rest of our life.

1235
01:08:20,739 --> 01:08:23,279
 And Lord, we thank you for the honoring of Beth.

1236
01:08:24,260 --> 01:08:25,939
 Having a wonderful husband as Gordon,

1237
01:08:26,140 --> 01:08:29,119
 we ask that you would bless them, bless them, bless them,

1238
01:08:29,119 --> 01:08:32,180
 as they take this time to cherish one another.

1239
01:08:32,619 --> 01:08:36,199
 In the name of Jesus, everybody said, Amen. Amen.

1240
01:08:36,720 --> 01:08:39,579
 God bless you. Thank you for coming tonight. Be blessed.

1241
01:08:43,659 --> 01:08:46,539
 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church

1242
01:08:46,539 --> 01:08:49,079
 as we praise God and discuss His Word.

1243
01:08:49,779 --> 01:08:52,819
 Don't forget to join us for Worship Lives Sunday mornings

1244
01:08:52,819 --> 01:08:55,220
 at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube.

1245
01:08:56,239 --> 01:08:58,319
 Be blessed and have a great day!