diff --git "a/2024/Sunday Worship, December 31, 2023_transcript.txt" "b/2024/Sunday Worship, December 31, 2023_transcript.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/2024/Sunday Worship, December 31, 2023_transcript.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,2992 @@ +[0.00 --> 16.86] I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not enough +[16.86 --> 28.64] Every single lie that tells me I would never measure +[30.00 --> 42.38] Am I more than just the sum of baby high and then below +[48.38 --> 55.46] Remind me once again just who I am because I need to know +[55.46 --> 65.64] You say I'm loved when I can't feel a thing +[65.64 --> 72.16] You say I'm strong when I think I'm weak +[72.16 --> 78.68] And you say I'm held when I am falling short +[78.68 --> 85.36] And when I don't belong, oh, you say I'm yours +[85.36 --> 91.74] And I believe, oh, I believe +[91.74 --> 98.22] What you say of me, I believe +[98.22 --> 108.02] The only thing that matters now is everything you think of me +[108.02 --> 119.94] In you I find my worth, in you I find my identity +[119.94 --> 130.34] You say I'm loved when I can't feel a thing +[130.34 --> 137.02] You say I'm strong when I think I'm weak +[137.02 --> 143.66] And you say I'm held when I am falling short +[143.66 --> 150.16] When I don't belong, oh, you say I'm yours +[150.16 --> 156.64] And I believe, oh, I believe +[156.64 --> 163.18] What you say of me, oh, I believe +[163.18 --> 176.16] Taking all I have and now I'm laying it at your feet +[176.16 --> 180.84] You say I'm weak +[180.84 --> 184.70] You have every failure, God +[184.70 --> 188.10] You have every victory +[188.10 --> 198.62] You say I'm loved when I can't feel a thing +[198.62 --> 205.08] You say I'm strong when I think I'm weak +[205.08 --> 211.66] You say I'm held when I am falling short +[211.66 --> 218.32] When I don't belong, oh, you say I'm yours +[218.32 --> 224.30] And I believe, oh, I believe +[224.30 --> 230.76] What you say of me, oh, I believe +[230.76 --> 231.76] Oh, I believe +[231.76 --> 234.44] Oh, I believe +[234.44 --> 235.44] Oh, I believe +[235.44 --> 237.76] Yes, I believe +[237.76 --> 243.76] What you say of me, oh, I believe +[243.76 --> 245.76] Oh, I believe +[245.76 --> 271.18] Good morning +[271.18 --> 274.12] Merry Christmas +[274.12 --> 276.22] If I haven't seen you yet this season +[276.22 --> 279.48] Happy New Year for today as well +[279.48 --> 284.26] Thank you for joining with us and gathering here to worship our God +[284.26 --> 286.96] If you are a guest with us this morning +[286.96 --> 288.18] My name is Chris +[288.18 --> 289.68] I'm one of the pastors here +[289.68 --> 295.90] And it is my privilege and really our privilege to gather together and worship our God +[295.90 --> 299.62] This New Year's Eve Day Sunday +[299.62 --> 303.08] Before we begin, there's just a couple announcements to make +[303.08 --> 306.20] I'm going to invite Wendy to come to the front +[306.20 --> 309.36] She's going to make an announcement for a women's group +[309.36 --> 314.80] And while she's walking up, just wanted to remind you all that next Saturday +[314.80 --> 317.58] So six days from now +[317.58 --> 322.12] We're hosting a small worship gathering at Sunridge Gardens +[322.12 --> 326.32] And so if you are available and would like to join together +[326.32 --> 330.60] There's a small group that leads in worship with a gathering of residents from Sunridge +[330.60 --> 333.10] Which is just up the hill over here +[333.10 --> 336.50] We really encourage you to show up and participate in that +[336.50 --> 340.90] It's really good to connect and to be with those people who live there +[340.90 --> 343.42] Some of whom worship with us here regularly +[343.42 --> 347.42] Others of whom only have that one day to worship in the month +[347.42 --> 350.08] So we're grateful to be part of that and to lead there +[350.08 --> 351.08] Please +[351.08 --> 353.38] Hi, I'm Wendy +[353.38 --> 357.54] I'm just part of a team from our women's fellowship group +[357.54 --> 360.32] And we're very excited +[360.32 --> 362.42] We're having a women's retreat +[362.42 --> 365.92] March 8, so it's a Friday evening +[365.92 --> 368.84] To Sunday, which is March 10 +[368.84 --> 371.60] And that'll be like at noon +[371.60 --> 374.22] It's at Kakwa Lake Lodge +[374.22 --> 380.28] There's opportunity to kayak, to hike, to have some fires and fun +[380.28 --> 384.12] And it'll be including five meals and some snacks +[384.12 --> 387.56] And our speaker we just got yesterday +[387.56 --> 390.22] And her name is Jean Dykeshorn Hoagie +[390.22 --> 392.40] So we're really excited about that +[392.40 --> 397.36] She'll be speaking with us in some groups on Saturday +[397.36 --> 399.78] And it'll be a lot of fun +[399.78 --> 402.72] And just getting to know each other as women +[402.72 --> 403.64] Sorry guys +[403.64 --> 406.48] You'll have to plan your own +[406.48 --> 408.46] Anyways +[408.46 --> 411.34] We'll be at the Connect booth in the back +[411.34 --> 415.16] Because we don't have all of our information nailed down yet +[415.16 --> 418.48] They weren't in the office for the last couple weeks +[418.48 --> 421.40] But yeah, we're really excited about this +[421.40 --> 423.94] And just see us in the back +[423.94 --> 426.18] And we'll try to give you a little bit more information +[426.18 --> 427.78] About this weekend +[427.78 --> 430.52] So keep March 8 through 10 open +[430.52 --> 431.78] Okay? Thanks +[431.78 --> 436.92] Thanks Wendy +[436.92 --> 440.86] And then just one last announcement +[440.86 --> 443.18] Later on in our worship +[443.18 --> 446.46] When we ordinarily have the kids' blessing +[446.46 --> 448.26] Because it's the holiday weekend +[448.26 --> 452.42] We're not having the full experience of children's worship time +[452.42 --> 455.34] But preschoolers will still be invited to come up to the front +[455.34 --> 457.14] And then they'll have a group that goes out +[457.14 --> 460.32] And does some worship and learning about God +[460.32 --> 461.82] In their time and space together +[461.82 --> 464.40] I believe that's it for announcements +[464.40 --> 465.16] At least for now +[465.16 --> 466.12] So I'm going to invite you +[466.12 --> 468.14] As you're able to stand +[468.14 --> 470.96] And we can be welcomed into God's presence together +[470.96 --> 480.08] It is a beautiful experience +[480.08 --> 482.24] And testimony of who God is +[482.24 --> 484.66] That when we gather together like this +[484.66 --> 486.14] He meets us here +[486.14 --> 489.58] And we mark God's presence with his greeting +[489.58 --> 491.32] And so I invite you to open your hands +[491.32 --> 492.50] Open your heart +[492.50 --> 494.30] And receive the greeting of God +[494.30 --> 496.46] Grace +[496.46 --> 497.88] Mercy +[497.88 --> 499.14] And peace to you +[499.14 --> 500.24] From God our Father +[500.24 --> 501.58] From the Lord Jesus Christ +[501.58 --> 502.08] Son +[502.08 --> 503.06] And our Savior +[503.06 --> 504.68] Through the presence and power +[504.68 --> 505.88] Of the Holy Spirit +[505.88 --> 507.24] Amen +[507.24 --> 509.72] I invite you to just take a moment +[509.72 --> 511.56] And turn to those around you +[511.56 --> 512.44] In worship this morning +[512.44 --> 514.80] And welcome them in the name of the Lord +[514.80 --> 520.78] Welcome to the side of the church +[520.78 --> 521.32] Welcome to the side of the church +[521.32 --> 522.46] May I get to food +[522.46 --> 524.36] Come on +[537.70 --> 540.10] Welcome to the church +[540.10 --> 544.34] Welcome to the side of the church +[544.34 --> 550.38] Good morning. +[550.72 --> 555.44] Our call to worship this morning comes from Psalm 89, 15-17. +[556.58 --> 559.90] Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, +[560.22 --> 562.44] who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. +[563.24 --> 565.98] They rejoice in your name all day long. +[566.60 --> 568.26] They celebrate your righteousness. +[569.26 --> 571.02] For you are their glory and strength, +[571.02 --> 574.42] and by your favor you exalt our horn. +[575.58 --> 578.58] As we close another year and begin to walk into 2024, +[579.32 --> 581.20] may we start by celebrating his righteousness, +[581.90 --> 584.16] and may his name cause us to rejoice. +[584.72 --> 586.54] Let's raise our voices and praise this morning. +[601.02 --> 615.36] Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God, and glory, Lord above. +[615.36 --> 619.78] Hearts unfold like flowers before thee, +[620.16 --> 623.64] open to the Son of God. +[624.10 --> 627.76] Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, +[627.76 --> 631.76] drive the hurt of doubt away. +[632.28 --> 635.76] Giver of immortal gladness, +[636.38 --> 640.56] fill us with the light of day. +[643.28 --> 647.32] All thy works of joy surround me, +[647.38 --> 650.94] red and blend with fire and praise. +[650.94 --> 655.40] stars and angels sing around me, +[655.40 --> 659.04] center of unbroken ways. +[659.04 --> 661.42] Field and forest, +[661.56 --> 663.18] grave and mountain, +[663.56 --> 665.50] flowing meadows, +[665.64 --> 667.12] flashing sea. +[667.56 --> 671.24] Saves in burn and flowing fountain, +[671.64 --> 675.26] call us to rejoice in thee. +[675.26 --> 682.40] Thou art giving and forgiving, +[682.40 --> 684.56] ever blessing, +[684.56 --> 686.50] ever blessed. +[686.94 --> 690.80] Wellspring of the joy of living, +[691.06 --> 694.56] ocean rent of happy rest. +[695.02 --> 696.72] Thou our Father, +[697.06 --> 698.66] Christ our Father, +[699.04 --> 702.60] all who live in love are thine. +[702.60 --> 706.86] teach us how to love each other, +[706.86 --> 710.78] and lift us to the joy we want. +[710.78 --> 734.84] A thousand generations, +[736.12 --> 738.40] falling down in worship, +[738.40 --> 743.66] sing the song of ages to the Lamb. +[745.66 --> 749.20] And all who've gone before us, +[749.20 --> 752.20] and all who will believe, +[753.20 --> 757.24] sing the song of ages to the Lamb. +[759.24 --> 762.64] Your name is the highest, +[763.02 --> 765.76] your name is the greatest, +[765.76 --> 771.34] your name stands above it all. +[771.34 --> 775.88] All thrones and dominions, +[776.06 --> 778.72] all powers and positions, +[778.72 --> 783.64] your name stands above it all. +[784.02 --> 786.42] When the angels cry, +[786.42 --> 789.14] Holy, +[789.14 --> 791.42] full م education, +[793.66 --> 795.54] Holy, +[796.34 --> 799.68] you anak mebi. +[799.72 --> 800.88] Holy, +[802.56 --> 805.28] holy forever, +[807.46 --> 812.74] and if you've been forgiven, +[812.74 --> 815.74] And if you've been redeemed +[816.52 --> 820.74] Sing the song forever to the Lamb +[821.26 --> 825.52] And if you walk in freedom +[825.52 --> 829.08] And if you bear His name +[829.08 --> 833.82] Sing the song forever to the Lamb +[833.82 --> 839.24] Sing the song forever and Amen +[839.24 --> 843.10] And the angels cry +[843.10 --> 849.36] Holy, all creation cries +[849.36 --> 855.58] Holy, you are lifted high +[855.58 --> 861.50] Holy, holy forever +[861.50 --> 867.56] In your people sing +[867.56 --> 873.42] Holy to the King of kings +[873.42 --> 879.78] Holy, you will always be +[879.78 --> 885.60] Holy, holy forever +[885.60 --> 893.46] Your name is the highest +[893.46 --> 896.46] Your name is the greatest +[896.46 --> 901.46] Your name stand above all +[901.46 --> 905.84] All thrones and dominions +[905.84 --> 908.34] All powers and positions +[908.34 --> 910.20] Your name is the highest +[910.20 --> 912.20] Your name is the highest +[912.20 --> 916.20] And the angels cry +[916.20 --> 921.64] Holy, all creation cries +[921.64 --> 927.20] Holy, you are lifted high +[927.20 --> 933.20] Holy, holy forever +[933.20 --> 943.06] Holy, holy forever +[943.06 --> 946.06] Holy, holy forever +[946.06 --> 950.06] Holy, you will always be +[950.06 --> 956.06] Holy, holy forever +[956.06 --> 956.92] Holy, holy forever +[956.92 --> 961.92] You will always be +[961.92 --> 963.92] Holy, holy forever +[963.92 --> 968.92] Holy, holy forever +[968.92 --> 972.92] Holy, holy forever +[972.92 --> 974.26] I invite you to be seated +[974.26 --> 976.12] Holy, holy forever +[976.12 --> 978.12] Holy, holy forever +[978.12 --> 979.12] Please pray with me +[979.12 --> 985.16] As you have led us in days past +[985.16 --> 988.38] So guide us now and always +[988.38 --> 992.60] That our hearts may learn to choose your will +[992.60 --> 996.12] And our new resolve be strengthened +[996.12 --> 999.62] Help us to face the future with confidence +[999.62 --> 1005.14] Knowing that you have guided and led your people through the eons past +[1005.14 --> 1008.76] And knowing also that you are a personal God +[1008.76 --> 1013.52] Concerned not just with the mighty forces of wind and weather +[1013.52 --> 1016.62] And of the destiny and the fate of nations +[1016.62 --> 1021.88] But also with the joys and sorrows that characterize our lives +[1021.88 --> 1026.20] You have filled us with the light of your word +[1026.20 --> 1028.18] Made flesh in Jesus Christ +[1028.18 --> 1032.20] That the light of faith shine in all that we do +[1032.20 --> 1036.38] That the one who is from everlasting to everlasting +[1036.38 --> 1040.94] Yet who was born among us and lived among us +[1040.94 --> 1044.26] May continue to inspire the thoughts of our hearts +[1044.26 --> 1046.78] And the actions of our lives +[1058.18 --> 1066.52] Light of the world +[1066.52 --> 1070.04] You step down into darkness +[1070.04 --> 1074.68] Open my eyes, let me see +[1074.68 --> 1082.18] Beauty that made in His heart adore you +[1082.18 --> 1086.74] Hope of a life spent with you +[1086.74 --> 1092.48] So here I am to worship +[1092.48 --> 1095.90] Here I am to bow down +[1095.90 --> 1101.50] Here I am to say that you're my God +[1101.50 --> 1104.70] You're altogether lovely +[1104.70 --> 1107.80] Altogether worthy +[1107.80 --> 1112.74] Altogether wonderful to me +[1112.74 --> 1120.94] King of all things +[1120.94 --> 1124.14] Oh so highly exalted +[1124.14 --> 1128.74] Glorious in heaven above +[1128.74 --> 1134.20] Lovely you came to the earth +[1134.20 --> 1135.80] You created +[1135.80 --> 1136.54] All for love's sake +[1136.54 --> 1140.54] All for love's sake became whole +[1140.54 --> 1146.28] So here I am to worship +[1146.28 --> 1147.28] Here I am to worship +[1147.28 --> 1149.28] Here I am to bow down +[1149.28 --> 1154.50] Here I am to say that you're my God +[1154.50 --> 1155.50] You're altogether lovely +[1155.50 --> 1157.50] You're altogether lovely +[1157.50 --> 1159.50] Altogether worthy +[1159.50 --> 1165.50] Altogether wonderful to me +[1165.50 --> 1169.50] And I'll never know +[1169.50 --> 1172.50] How much it calls +[1172.50 --> 1175.24] To see my sin +[1175.24 --> 1176.24] Upon that cross +[1176.24 --> 1178.24] Upon that cross +[1178.24 --> 1180.98] In the letter door +[1180.98 --> 1182.24] How much it calls +[1182.24 --> 1183.24] How much it calls +[1183.24 --> 1184.24] To see my sin +[1184.24 --> 1186.24] Upon that cross +[1186.24 --> 1187.24] To see my sin +[1187.24 --> 1188.24] Upon that cross +[1188.24 --> 1192.24] Here I am to worship +[1192.24 --> 1196.24] Here I am to bow down +[1196.24 --> 1203.24] Here I am to say that you're my God +[1203.24 --> 1209.24] You're altogether lovely +[1209.24 --> 1211.24] Altogether worthy +[1211.24 --> 1214.24] Altogether wonderful to me +[1214.24 --> 1217.24] So here I am to worship +[1217.24 --> 1220.24] Here I am to bow down +[1220.24 --> 1225.24] Here I am to say that ты're my God +[1225.24 --> 1237.12] You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me. +[1245.30 --> 1247.30] Let's continue our prayer. +[1249.60 --> 1253.82] Father, bless especially this day those who are in need. +[1253.82 --> 1262.26] The people we do not know whose hope for the future is not buoyed by the experience of blessings in the past. +[1262.72 --> 1270.50] Who have not known healing or faith or prosperity and who have no hope. +[1271.58 --> 1279.20] You have been our God in ages past and we know that you will continue to be our God in years to come. +[1280.04 --> 1280.30] Amen. +[1280.30 --> 1283.38] Why don't we rise as we sing these last songs. +[1283.82 --> 1284.68] Amen. +[1284.68 --> 1284.76] Amen. +[1284.76 --> 1299.00] I love you, Lord. +[1300.78 --> 1304.36] Oh, your mercy never fails me. +[1305.54 --> 1310.72] All my days, you have held in your hands. +[1310.72 --> 1323.72] From the moment that I wake up, till I lay my head, I will sing of your goodness, O God. +[1326.34 --> 1330.50] All my life, you have been faithful. +[1332.84 --> 1338.36] All my life, you have been so, so good. +[1338.36 --> 1349.32] With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God. +[1350.56 --> 1357.26] Your voice, you will lead me through fire. +[1358.46 --> 1363.70] Your darkest night, you are close like no other. +[1363.70 --> 1366.90] I love you as a father. +[1368.12 --> 1370.92] I know you as a friend. +[1371.72 --> 1376.50] And I will sing to the goodness of God. +[1376.50 --> 1382.96] All my life, you have been faithful. +[1382.96 --> 1390.64] All my life, you have been so, so good. +[1390.64 --> 1401.70] With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God. +[1401.70 --> 1409.16] Your goodness is running after me. +[1410.16 --> 1415.50] Your goodness is running after me. +[1415.50 --> 1419.34] With my life laid down, I surrender now. +[1419.34 --> 1421.12] I give you everything. +[1422.84 --> 1425.68] Your goodness is running after me. +[1425.68 --> 1427.50] It's running after me. +[1427.50 --> 1428.50] Your goodness is running after me. +[1428.50 --> 1429.50] Your goodness is running after me. +[1429.50 --> 1434.50] Your goodness is running after me. +[1434.50 --> 1439.50] Your goodness is running after me. +[1439.50 --> 1443.82] If my life laid down, I surrender now. +[1443.82 --> 1445.82] I give you everything. +[1445.82 --> 1447.82] Your goodness is running after me. +[1447.82 --> 1449.82] Your goodness is running after me. +[1449.82 --> 1452.82] Your goodness is running after me. +[1452.82 --> 1454.44] Your goodness is running after me. +[1458.44 --> 1462.30] All my life, you have been faithful. +[1462.30 --> 1469.20] And all my life, you have been so, so good. +[1469.32 --> 1480.56] With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God. +[1480.56 --> 1487.30] I will sing of the goodness of God +[1487.30 --> 1515.86] Lord, I come, I confess +[1515.86 --> 1522.88] Bowing here, I find my rest +[1522.88 --> 1529.72] Without you, I fall apart +[1529.72 --> 1537.36] You're the one that guides my heart +[1537.36 --> 1547.52] Lord, I need you, oh, I need you +[1547.52 --> 1553.80] Every hour I need you +[1553.80 --> 1559.94] My one defense, my righteousness +[1559.94 --> 1565.76] Oh God, how I need you +[1565.76 --> 1571.90] Where sin runs deep +[1571.90 --> 1575.72] Your grace is more +[1575.72 --> 1578.74] Where grace is found +[1578.74 --> 1582.74] It's where you are +[1582.74 --> 1585.68] Where you are +[1585.68 --> 1588.74] Lord, I am free +[1588.74 --> 1590.74] Holiness +[1590.74 --> 1594.74] It's Christ in me +[1594.74 --> 1597.74] Where you are +[1597.74 --> 1600.74] Lord, I am free +[1601.60 --> 1602.74] Holiness +[1603.28 --> 1607.74] It's Christ in me +[1607.74 --> 1613.86] Lord, I need you +[1613.86 --> 1617.96] Oh, I need you +[1617.96 --> 1624.10] Every hour I need you +[1624.10 --> 1627.12] My one defense +[1627.12 --> 1630.04] My righteousness +[1630.04 --> 1636.16] Oh God, how I need you +[1636.16 --> 1641.04] Teach my song to rise to you +[1641.04 --> 1647.16] When temptation comes my way +[1647.16 --> 1652.04] When I cannot stand, I'll fall on you +[1652.04 --> 1656.20] Jesus, you're my hope +[1656.20 --> 1662.04] When I cannot stand, I'll fall on you +[1662.04 --> 1668.04] Jesus, you're my hope and stay +[1668.04 --> 1674.16] Lord, I need you +[1674.16 --> 1676.16] Lord, I need you +[1676.16 --> 1678.16] Oh, I need you +[1678.16 --> 1684.48] Every hour I need you +[1684.48 --> 1687.48] My one defense +[1687.48 --> 1690.16] My righteousness +[1690.16 --> 1695.28] Oh God, how I need you +[1695.28 --> 1696.30] Lord, I need you +[1696.30 --> 1698.22] Lord, I need you +[1698.22 --> 1699.26] Lord, I need you +[1699.26 --> 1703.20] Oh, I need you +[1703.20 --> 1709.20] Every hour I need you +[1709.20 --> 1712.44] My one defense +[1712.44 --> 1713.22] My one defense +[1713.22 --> 1715.38] My righteousness +[1715.38 --> 1721.30] Oh God, how I need you +[1721.30 --> 1725.30] My one defense +[1725.30 --> 1726.30] My one defense +[1726.30 --> 1728.30] My righteousness +[1728.30 --> 1735.30] Oh God, how I need you +[1735.30 --> 1738.56] I invite you to be seated +[1738.56 --> 1748.94] Good morning, my name's Mike +[1748.94 --> 1750.76] And I'm a deacon at the church here +[1750.76 --> 1752.48] And we have a chance now +[1752.48 --> 1754.22] To give of our financial blessings +[1754.22 --> 1755.10] And to give back +[1755.10 --> 1756.26] What God has given to us +[1756.26 --> 1757.88] So there's two offerings +[1757.88 --> 1759.18] One for the ministries +[1759.18 --> 1759.90] Of Langley Manual +[1759.90 --> 1760.60] Goes to the budget +[1760.60 --> 1761.76] And all the other functions +[1761.76 --> 1762.72] That happen here at the church +[1762.72 --> 1764.46] And the other part of the budget +[1764.46 --> 1765.78] Or the offering, sorry +[1765.78 --> 1767.40] Is for the benevolence fund +[1767.40 --> 1769.18] So anything unmarked +[1769.18 --> 1769.98] That goes in the bag +[1769.98 --> 1771.44] Will go towards the benevolence fund +[1771.44 --> 1772.66] And it's a fund +[1772.66 --> 1774.52] That the deacons make use of +[1774.52 --> 1775.82] To help meet the needs +[1775.82 --> 1777.56] Of just special needs +[1777.56 --> 1778.70] Within our own church family +[1778.70 --> 1780.58] And from the community +[1780.58 --> 1781.48] And outside of the family +[1781.48 --> 1783.32] And we've definitely used that fund +[1783.32 --> 1784.14] Quite a bit this year +[1784.14 --> 1785.36] So thank you so much +[1785.36 --> 1786.90] For as a family +[1786.90 --> 1787.80] Bringing that fund +[1787.80 --> 1789.04] Back up to a healthy spot +[1789.04 --> 1790.18] So we can continue +[1790.18 --> 1791.16] Helping more and more people +[1791.16 --> 1791.98] Thank you +[1791.98 --> 1803.80] Beautiful Lord +[1803.80 --> 1805.52] Wonderful Savior +[1805.52 --> 1819.46] Wonderful Savior +[1819.46 --> 1822.20] I know for sure +[1822.20 --> 1827.70] All of my days are held in your hands +[1827.70 --> 1834.58] Wrapped into your perfect plan +[1834.58 --> 1841.46] You gently call me into your presence +[1841.46 --> 1843.86] Guiding me by +[1843.86 --> 1845.74] Your Holy Spirit +[1845.74 --> 1846.38] Your Holy Spirit +[1846.38 --> 1849.12] Teach me dear Lord +[1849.12 --> 1851.92] To blow up my mind +[1851.92 --> 1856.78] Through your eyes +[1856.78 --> 1859.60] I'm captured by +[1859.60 --> 1862.24] Your holy healing +[1862.24 --> 1864.90] Set me apart +[1864.90 --> 1870.06] I know you're drawing me to yourself +[1870.06 --> 1872.72] Lead me Lord +[1872.72 --> 1874.14] I pray +[1874.14 --> 1880.46] Take me +[1880.46 --> 1883.02] Hold me +[1883.02 --> 1885.56] Use me +[1885.56 --> 1887.84] Fill me +[1887.84 --> 1890.62] I give my life +[1890.62 --> 1894.72] To the Father's hand +[1894.72 --> 1900.26] Call me +[1900.26 --> 1903.08] Guide me +[1903.08 --> 1904.62] Lead me +[1904.62 --> 1907.80] Walk beside me +[1907.80 --> 1910.62] I give my life +[1910.62 --> 1914.34] To the Father's hand +[1914.34 --> 1920.38] Beautiful Lord +[1920.38 --> 1922.78] Wonderful Savior +[1922.78 --> 1925.40] I know for sure +[1925.40 --> 1930.50] All of my days are held in your hands +[1930.50 --> 1937.04] Back into your perfect plan +[1937.04 --> 1942.80] You gently call me into your presence +[1942.80 --> 1945.04] Guiding you +[1945.04 --> 1947.28] Your Holy Spirit +[1947.28 --> 1949.84] Teach me dear Lord +[1949.84 --> 1952.58] To blow up my light +[1952.58 --> 1957.32] Through your eyes +[1957.32 --> 1959.42] I'm captured by +[1959.42 --> 1961.78] Your holy calling +[1962.34 --> 1963.78] Set me apart +[1964.44 --> 1968.78] I know you're drawing me to yourself +[1969.46 --> 1971.90] Lead me Lord +[1971.90 --> 1973.90] I pray. +[1976.96 --> 1992.90] Take me, hold me, use me, fill me, I give my life to the Father's hand. +[1992.90 --> 2012.90] Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me, I give my life to the Father's hand. +[2012.90 --> 2021.90] Beautiful Lord, wonderful Savior, I know for sure. +[2021.90 --> 2034.90] All of my days are held in your hand, crafted into your perfect plan. +[2034.90 --> 2056.90] I would love to invite any preschool, three-year-olds to preschool age, if any of you are brave enough to come forward and hang out with me up here, I'd love for you to come forward right now. +[2056.90 --> 2064.90] Here we go, thanks Malachi, there we go, hey. +[2064.90 --> 2068.90] Hi, it's good to see you, how are you guys doing? +[2068.90 --> 2070.90] Good, you guys are doing well? +[2070.90 --> 2072.90] Did you have a good Christmas break? +[2072.90 --> 2076.90] Yeah? Oh, here comes a couple more, oh, we're filtering in, this is great. +[2076.90 --> 2079.90] What did you guys all do for Christmas this year? +[2079.90 --> 2082.90] Stay home? +[2082.90 --> 2084.90] You did? +[2084.90 --> 2085.90] Yeah? +[2085.90 --> 2088.90] Did you guys, were you in church on Christmas Day? +[2088.90 --> 2090.90] I saw some of you here. +[2090.90 --> 2091.90] That was exciting. +[2091.90 --> 2093.90] Now, I usually have a friend with me up here. +[2093.90 --> 2095.90] Who do I usually have up here with me? +[2095.90 --> 2096.90] Hank! +[2096.90 --> 2097.90] Yeah. +[2097.90 --> 2099.90] Hank the Hound, where do you think he is? +[2099.90 --> 2100.90] A lion. +[2100.90 --> 2101.90] No, he's not. +[2101.90 --> 2103.90] Sadly, he's not here today. +[2103.90 --> 2104.90] He's somewhere else today. +[2104.90 --> 2106.90] Where do you think he could have gone? +[2106.90 --> 2107.90] Hank? +[2107.90 --> 2108.90] France? +[2108.90 --> 2109.90] Sure, we'll work that in next time. +[2110.90 --> 2113.90] We are going to go to children's worship time now, okay? +[2113.90 --> 2117.90] And we'll hear all about Hank's trip to France next time. +[2118.90 --> 2121.90] But before we head to children's worship time, let's pray. +[2121.90 --> 2126.90] And then if you are three years old to in preschool, we've got children's worship time for you in the back, okay? +[2126.90 --> 2127.90] You can follow me. +[2127.90 --> 2128.90] But let's pray right now, alright? +[2128.90 --> 2133.90] Dear God, thank you so much that we could be in church today, this last day of 2023. +[2133.90 --> 2143.90] And we pray, God, as some of us go off to children's worship time and others of us stay here in church and listen to Pastor Chris, that you will teach us more about what it means to follow you in this world. +[2143.90 --> 2144.90] And we pray this in your name. +[2144.90 --> 2145.90] Amen. +[2145.90 --> 2146.90] Amen. +[2146.90 --> 2148.90] Okay, we're still going to do the children's blessing, okay? +[2148.90 --> 2150.90] So, everybody stand up. +[2150.90 --> 2154.90] Alright, and we're going to say together, the Lord be with you, okay? +[2154.90 --> 2155.90] Are you ready? +[2155.90 --> 2156.90] We're going to say it together now. +[2156.90 --> 2158.90] The Lord be with you. +[2158.90 --> 2160.90] And also with you. +[2160.90 --> 2161.90] God bless you. +[2161.90 --> 2162.90] Amen. +[2190.90 --> 2193.92] Good morning. I'm Steve. I'm an elder here. +[2194.52 --> 2196.98] And I've got a couple quick announcements before I lead you in prayer. +[2197.94 --> 2200.76] First is, I know we just passed around the collection plate, +[2200.88 --> 2203.08] but we still have 13 and a half hours left in this year. +[2203.32 --> 2207.22] So online giving is still open until 11.59. +[2207.54 --> 2209.98] So we've got lots of good support this year, +[2210.12 --> 2212.72] but let's try to finish the year as strong as we can. +[2212.88 --> 2215.36] So that would be great if anyone can contribute. +[2216.14 --> 2219.52] And also thanks for everyone that came out to the church skate yesterday. +[2219.52 --> 2222.14] That was great to see so many people out there. A lot of fun. +[2223.06 --> 2223.74] Thank you. +[2226.32 --> 2227.00] Let's pray. +[2230.36 --> 2233.94] Dear Heavenly Father, as we gather on this last day of the year, +[2234.16 --> 2237.46] we come before you with our hearts of gratitude for a year that has passed +[2237.46 --> 2239.74] and hopeful for the one ahead. +[2240.30 --> 2242.92] We also acknowledge the challenges of the past year. +[2243.14 --> 2246.02] We lift our hearts to you, seeking your presence and guidance +[2246.02 --> 2249.42] as we reflect on the trials many of us have faced. +[2250.18 --> 2253.44] As we start a new year, we ask for your blessing on our personal journeys. +[2253.78 --> 2256.36] Grant us strength to face challenges with resilience, +[2256.96 --> 2258.46] the courage to stand up for justice, +[2258.66 --> 2260.92] and the compassion to love one another unconditionally. +[2261.56 --> 2264.78] May this new year bring about a spirit of renewal and transformation. +[2264.78 --> 2270.66] In the midst of our celebrations, we humbly lift up conflicts that have troubled our world. +[2270.66 --> 2275.92] We pray for peace in regions such as Israel and Gaza and Ukraine and Russia, +[2276.12 --> 2277.88] where, torn by strife, +[2278.44 --> 2282.44] asking for your guiding hand to lead nations towards understanding and reconciliation. +[2282.44 --> 2289.28] Lord, we bring before you many divided communities around and nations around the world. +[2289.28 --> 2292.40] Grant us the wisdom to see beyond our differences, +[2292.70 --> 2296.32] to embrace the common humanity that unites us all. +[2296.58 --> 2300.18] May our spirit of unity prevail, fostering compassion and empathy +[2300.18 --> 2302.80] in the face of many strongly differing opinions. +[2302.80 --> 2309.90] Creator, Lord, we seek your guidance and stewarding the earth with care and responsibility. +[2310.54 --> 2314.02] Inspire us to be mindful custodians of our precious earth +[2314.02 --> 2318.66] and recognizing the interconnectedness of all living things. +[2319.24 --> 2323.32] May our actions reflect a commitment to preserving the beauty and balance of your creation. +[2323.32 --> 2327.16] We come today before you with gratitude and joy +[2327.16 --> 2330.94] and thank you and praise you for the precious gift of new life. +[2331.40 --> 2333.56] We stand in the awe of the miracle of birth, +[2334.00 --> 2338.08] another testament to your divine design and beauty of creation. +[2339.02 --> 2341.16] We celebrate with Bert and Wickham Mose +[2341.16 --> 2345.48] as they welcomed a new grandson, Simon, from their daughter, Fiona, and son, Joel. +[2345.80 --> 2347.82] We thank you for this new addition to their family. +[2349.16 --> 2352.94] We lift up to those who are facing difficulties and hardships. +[2353.32 --> 2355.56] Asking for your comfort and healing touch. +[2356.18 --> 2358.24] Let your light shine upon those in darkness +[2358.24 --> 2360.62] and may your peace fill the hearts of those who are troubled. +[2361.64 --> 2363.56] We lift up the individuals and families +[2363.56 --> 2365.72] who are mourning the recent loss of their loved ones. +[2366.94 --> 2368.22] Be their refuge and strength. +[2368.86 --> 2371.08] In particular, we think of the Visser and Hummelman families +[2371.08 --> 2373.14] as they both had funerals of loved ones, +[2373.66 --> 2375.88] Cy and Visser and Anne Hummelman, this past week. +[2376.32 --> 2378.88] We find hope in the assurance they are now in your presence, +[2379.04 --> 2381.40] experiencing the fullness of your love and glory. +[2381.40 --> 2386.22] Grant strength to the grieving to face the difficult days ahead. +[2386.42 --> 2388.98] Surround them with a community of support, friends, and family +[2388.98 --> 2391.06] who can offer comfort and understanding. +[2391.64 --> 2395.66] May your Holy Spirit be the comforter and present in their midst +[2395.66 --> 2398.08] and bringing a sense of your abiding peace. +[2398.08 --> 2403.52] Thank you, Lord, for the new members that have joined our congregation this past year. +[2404.36 --> 2406.76] We recognize that as by your grace and guidance, +[2406.82 --> 2408.54] they have become part of our church family +[2408.54 --> 2410.60] and we give thanks for their commitment and dedication. +[2411.30 --> 2414.86] In the year ahead, grant us wisdom to continue to welcome and embrace our community +[2414.86 --> 2418.00] with open hearts, warmth, acceptance, and genuine Christian fellowship. +[2418.00 --> 2422.74] We thank you for Chris, for Kevin, and Josh and their roles in our congregation. +[2423.26 --> 2426.84] We are grateful for their willingness to share their gifts and talents +[2426.84 --> 2428.78] and insights with here at Emmanuel. +[2429.06 --> 2433.50] We ask that you grant them wisdom as they navigate the challenges of ministry. +[2434.24 --> 2436.24] May they be filled with discernment and understanding, +[2436.48 --> 2438.98] relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance in every decision. +[2439.74 --> 2441.20] Strengthen them in times of weakness +[2441.20 --> 2444.24] and let them find rest in your presence +[2444.24 --> 2447.52] when their demands of their calling become overwhelming. +[2448.54 --> 2451.80] And be with Pastor Chris as he leads us this morning. +[2452.00 --> 2453.50] Bless him in his message. +[2454.18 --> 2456.30] We pray this all in the name of Jesus Christ, +[2456.58 --> 2458.40] your Son and our Lord and Savior. +[2458.40 --> 2459.12] Amen. +[2471.20 --> 2482.16] On this last Sunday of the year, +[2482.98 --> 2488.14] it is a pattern of the Christian church to look back, +[2488.28 --> 2490.36] even as we look forward, +[2490.90 --> 2495.34] to look back at the places where we've seen God at work clearly, +[2495.34 --> 2499.48] to look forward, anticipating God's continued work, +[2499.48 --> 2503.90] and also to do that in a community together, +[2504.10 --> 2506.48] recognizing that for some of us, +[2506.56 --> 2507.56] when we look back, +[2508.08 --> 2511.84] it's really hard to see if God has been there +[2511.84 --> 2514.10] or how God has been there. +[2514.46 --> 2516.26] And then with that, when we look forward, +[2516.84 --> 2518.22] a lot of us are wondering, +[2519.00 --> 2521.10] where is God going to show up? +[2521.18 --> 2523.02] Is God going to show up? +[2523.78 --> 2527.84] And so I believe it's important for us +[2527.84 --> 2529.04] as we do that work, +[2529.86 --> 2531.16] as even culturally, +[2531.34 --> 2534.24] as we do that kind of thing this time of year, +[2534.54 --> 2538.92] we do that grounded in the truth of the Scriptures, +[2539.46 --> 2541.20] grounded in the truth of who God is +[2541.20 --> 2543.82] and how he has spoken to us. +[2543.82 --> 2545.00] And so this morning, +[2545.20 --> 2549.10] for our last sermon of the year, +[2549.16 --> 2552.14] we're going to look at the words of the prophet Jeremiah. +[2552.56 --> 2554.90] We're going to read from Jeremiah 23, +[2555.42 --> 2557.12] just two verses this morning. +[2557.84 --> 2560.26] We're going to read verses 23 and 24. +[2561.06 --> 2562.70] If you have a Bible with you, +[2562.88 --> 2564.16] I encourage you to have that open +[2564.16 --> 2565.16] or to turn that on +[2565.16 --> 2567.60] and to find the text that we're going to read +[2567.60 --> 2569.50] and keep that there in front of you +[2569.50 --> 2570.36] as we will, of course, +[2570.42 --> 2572.14] be referring back to the text. +[2572.24 --> 2573.08] It will be on the screen +[2573.08 --> 2574.24] the first time we go through. +[2574.54 --> 2576.36] Let me read this with you. +[2577.52 --> 2579.94] The Word of God from Jeremiah 23, +[2580.16 --> 2581.16] starting at verse 23. +[2581.16 --> 2587.48] Am I only a God nearby, declares the Lord, +[2587.54 --> 2589.16] and not a God far away? +[2590.70 --> 2593.06] Who can hide in secret places +[2593.06 --> 2595.62] so that I cannot see them, declares the Lord? +[2596.14 --> 2600.60] Do I not fill heaven and earth, declares the Lord? +[2600.60 --> 2603.06] This is the Word of the Lord. +[2603.06 --> 2608.30] And so as we look back +[2608.30 --> 2609.98] and as we anticipate forward, +[2610.24 --> 2613.80] it is natural and normal for us +[2613.80 --> 2614.70] in this moment +[2614.70 --> 2617.82] to kind of assess, right? +[2617.86 --> 2620.12] What kind of a year was it? +[2620.86 --> 2622.02] Maybe for some of you, +[2622.10 --> 2625.50] it's a year that you are ready to leave behind, right? +[2625.52 --> 2627.16] We're going to move on to something better, +[2627.16 --> 2629.60] or at least we're going to move on to something else, +[2629.60 --> 2631.58] because whatever 2023 was, +[2631.86 --> 2634.20] I sure hope that's not what 2024 brings. +[2637.70 --> 2642.04] Or maybe it's a year that you are celebrating +[2642.04 --> 2643.90] and that you will remember +[2643.90 --> 2645.54] for the rest of your life. +[2646.38 --> 2648.68] Most likely for most of us here, +[2648.76 --> 2650.78] it's somewhere in between, +[2650.98 --> 2653.34] or it's a year that had moments of one +[2653.34 --> 2655.38] and moments of the other. +[2656.76 --> 2659.36] Recently, I was driving in my car +[2659.36 --> 2661.24] and I was listening to a radio program. +[2661.94 --> 2663.60] For those of you under 30, +[2664.46 --> 2666.38] radios are those things in cars +[2666.38 --> 2668.92] that old people listen to +[2668.92 --> 2670.04] when they don't have car play. +[2672.28 --> 2674.96] And yes, I realize I just officially put myself +[2674.96 --> 2676.10] in the old people category. +[2677.30 --> 2679.70] But I was listening to a program on the radio +[2679.70 --> 2683.52] and the host was going around downtown, +[2683.64 --> 2684.76] it might even have been Vancouver, +[2684.98 --> 2687.40] downtown asking the question, +[2687.40 --> 2690.86] are you optimistic or are you pessimistic +[2690.86 --> 2692.28] about the year ahead? +[2694.28 --> 2696.30] And what was abundantly clear +[2696.30 --> 2698.14] as people gave answer to that question +[2698.14 --> 2701.40] was that the kind of year you just had +[2701.40 --> 2704.94] plays a role in the kind of year +[2704.94 --> 2706.40] you think you will have. +[2706.40 --> 2711.38] And so success tends to suggest success. +[2712.20 --> 2715.04] Hardship tends to suggest hardship. +[2716.04 --> 2718.38] But what was hardest to hear +[2718.38 --> 2722.12] was the few people who talked with apathy +[2722.12 --> 2724.24] or hopelessness. +[2724.78 --> 2726.54] And those two things are different, right? +[2726.60 --> 2729.60] But with apathy that I've just stopped caring, +[2730.22 --> 2730.90] come what may, +[2731.30 --> 2733.44] or hopelessness saying it's always, +[2733.44 --> 2736.12] God is only ever going to be this way. +[2737.74 --> 2739.80] And as I was reflecting on that +[2739.80 --> 2741.28] and on their answers and listening, +[2742.08 --> 2743.70] it struck me, +[2744.28 --> 2746.50] whether pessimistic or optimistic, +[2746.80 --> 2748.58] whether apathetic or engaged, +[2748.92 --> 2751.76] about the old year and into the new year, +[2752.90 --> 2756.40] what you think about God +[2756.40 --> 2758.78] or what you don't think about God +[2758.78 --> 2762.06] is going to change your perspective +[2762.06 --> 2763.76] in answering that question. +[2765.16 --> 2766.50] Now, of course, +[2766.60 --> 2768.80] you might say that if you believe in God, +[2768.88 --> 2770.34] you can always be optimistic +[2770.34 --> 2772.28] looking back and looking forward. +[2772.52 --> 2774.52] But honestly, +[2774.60 --> 2775.76] I don't think it's that simple. +[2776.54 --> 2777.98] And I don't think it's that easy. +[2778.86 --> 2780.16] And to be frank, +[2780.36 --> 2781.60] I'm just not going to stand here +[2781.60 --> 2782.84] and tell you how you ought to feel +[2782.84 --> 2785.00] about the kind of year that you've had. +[2785.00 --> 2787.30] Instead, though, +[2787.42 --> 2789.50] I do want us to talk about God. +[2790.68 --> 2790.88] Right? +[2790.96 --> 2792.44] God in the midst of that year, +[2792.54 --> 2793.66] whatever it might have been like. +[2793.72 --> 2795.00] God in the midst of trial +[2795.00 --> 2795.80] and hardship +[2795.80 --> 2796.42] and struggle +[2796.42 --> 2797.36] and danger. +[2797.52 --> 2798.76] God in the midst of blessing +[2798.76 --> 2799.52] and happiness +[2799.52 --> 2800.76] and celebration. +[2801.58 --> 2802.52] And what I hope +[2802.52 --> 2803.78] that we can see together +[2803.78 --> 2806.26] will be sort of under the theme +[2806.26 --> 2808.40] that when you understand +[2808.40 --> 2809.90] who God is, +[2810.90 --> 2812.72] you can better understand +[2812.72 --> 2815.02] where God is. +[2816.66 --> 2816.84] Right? +[2816.86 --> 2817.56] When you understand +[2817.56 --> 2818.48] who God is, +[2818.52 --> 2819.50] you can better understand +[2819.50 --> 2821.52] where God is. +[2821.56 --> 2822.52] And we're going to pull that out +[2822.52 --> 2824.28] of these two verses we read. +[2824.34 --> 2825.38] Now, there are only two verses +[2825.38 --> 2826.82] because these two verses +[2826.82 --> 2828.44] are jam-packed full +[2828.44 --> 2830.32] of meaning and theology, +[2830.32 --> 2831.78] of truth about who God is +[2831.78 --> 2833.46] and how God operates +[2833.46 --> 2834.04] in the world. +[2835.00 --> 2836.98] Now, these two short verses +[2836.98 --> 2839.36] contain three questions +[2839.36 --> 2841.44] that are grammatically marked out +[2841.44 --> 2842.62] for us with the statement +[2842.62 --> 2843.98] declares the Lord. +[2844.48 --> 2844.62] Right? +[2844.92 --> 2845.50] Question one, +[2845.62 --> 2847.38] am I only a God nearby +[2847.38 --> 2848.96] and not far away? +[2849.20 --> 2849.96] declares the Lord. +[2850.66 --> 2851.76] Can anyone hide +[2851.76 --> 2852.68] in secret places +[2852.68 --> 2854.86] so that I cannot see them? +[2854.98 --> 2855.88] declares the Lord. +[2856.62 --> 2858.58] Do I not fill heaven and earth? +[2858.88 --> 2860.22] declares the Lord. +[2861.80 --> 2862.84] Now, the first thing to see +[2862.84 --> 2864.24] to ground us in this +[2864.24 --> 2866.58] is that each of these questions +[2866.58 --> 2868.80] are sort of rhetorical questions +[2868.80 --> 2870.18] and they expect +[2870.18 --> 2871.72] a negative answer, right? +[2871.88 --> 2873.04] Or to put it positively, +[2873.36 --> 2876.20] of course God is near and far. +[2876.32 --> 2878.68] Of course no one can hide from God. +[2878.76 --> 2881.10] Of course God fills heaven and earth. +[2881.52 --> 2882.58] In a sense, +[2882.74 --> 2885.04] these questions reflect for us +[2885.04 --> 2887.80] the Lord's own incredulity +[2887.80 --> 2888.98] at the prophets +[2888.98 --> 2891.64] and the people who in Jerusalem +[2891.64 --> 2894.88] are leading others away +[2894.88 --> 2896.68] from this truth +[2896.68 --> 2897.58] of who God is. +[2898.76 --> 2899.64] As I read it, +[2899.68 --> 2900.44] it's almost like +[2900.44 --> 2902.68] you can hear God's exasperated tone. +[2904.32 --> 2905.86] There's one translation in the Bible, +[2906.02 --> 2907.50] it's called the NET translation +[2907.50 --> 2907.88] of the Bible +[2907.88 --> 2909.12] or the NET translation, +[2909.30 --> 2910.66] it's the New English translation. +[2911.42 --> 2912.54] It says it like this, +[2912.64 --> 2912.78] it's, +[2914.24 --> 2915.74] do you people think +[2915.74 --> 2917.58] that I am some local deity +[2917.58 --> 2919.46] and not the transcendent God? +[2919.94 --> 2920.98] Do you really think +[2920.98 --> 2922.30] anyone can hide himself +[2922.30 --> 2923.42] where I can't see him? +[2923.42 --> 2925.14] Do you not know +[2925.14 --> 2926.90] that I am everywhere? +[2929.00 --> 2930.52] So what's going on here? +[2930.58 --> 2931.76] What's God showing us here? +[2931.84 --> 2934.28] Why is God reacting this way? +[2934.36 --> 2935.34] And what are the people +[2935.34 --> 2937.38] around him saying? +[2939.30 --> 2940.46] So to do that, +[2940.68 --> 2941.60] just a little bit of background. +[2942.24 --> 2944.68] Jeremiah prophesies +[2944.68 --> 2946.34] and he writes here +[2946.34 --> 2949.28] in Jerusalem and in Judea +[2949.28 --> 2951.92] in the years leading up to +[2951.92 --> 2952.84] what we know +[2952.84 --> 2954.52] as the Babylonian captivity +[2954.52 --> 2956.30] and the period of exile. +[2957.44 --> 2957.84] Right? +[2957.92 --> 2959.02] So the Israelites have +[2959.02 --> 2961.96] forgotten God +[2961.96 --> 2962.54] and the ways +[2962.54 --> 2963.84] that he has called them to live +[2963.84 --> 2965.12] and as a result of that, +[2965.22 --> 2967.52] the armies of Nebuchadnezzar +[2967.52 --> 2968.18] march down +[2968.18 --> 2969.48] and they take the people captive +[2969.48 --> 2970.78] years before, +[2970.90 --> 2972.16] destroying the northern kingdom +[2972.16 --> 2973.86] and now carrying off +[2973.86 --> 2975.30] into captivity +[2975.30 --> 2977.06] a group of people +[2977.06 --> 2979.26] back to Babylon. +[2980.20 --> 2980.70] Now Jeremiah +[2980.70 --> 2982.06] at the time +[2982.06 --> 2984.68] is not a very popular prophet. +[2985.68 --> 2985.78] Right? +[2985.82 --> 2986.72] Especially after +[2986.72 --> 2987.90] that first group of people +[2987.90 --> 2988.84] have been taken away +[2988.84 --> 2989.92] because that proved +[2989.92 --> 2991.02] that Jeremiah was right +[2991.02 --> 2991.54] all along. +[2992.62 --> 2993.80] And because of that, +[2993.86 --> 2994.64] there's a group +[2994.64 --> 2995.92] of false prophets +[2995.92 --> 2996.98] or teachers +[2996.98 --> 2998.42] and lying prophets +[2998.42 --> 3000.70] that would give messages +[3000.70 --> 3001.30] that contradicted +[3001.84 --> 3002.68] Jeremiah's. +[3002.68 --> 3004.76] And they would tell people +[3004.76 --> 3006.08] that the future looked good. +[3006.86 --> 3007.12] Right? +[3007.16 --> 3007.76] It's peaceful. +[3007.94 --> 3008.72] It's prosperous. +[3009.48 --> 3009.62] Right? +[3009.74 --> 3011.26] Even as the armies +[3011.26 --> 3012.14] of Nebuchadnezzar +[3012.14 --> 3012.96] are marching down. +[3013.90 --> 3015.10] And where Jeremiah +[3015.10 --> 3016.48] preached a relatively +[3016.48 --> 3017.54] lengthy exile +[3017.54 --> 3018.68] of 70 years, +[3018.84 --> 3019.78] these other prophets +[3019.78 --> 3021.86] spoke of the imminent return +[3021.86 --> 3022.84] of all the people +[3022.84 --> 3023.52] and the property +[3023.52 --> 3024.60] that had been taken away. +[3026.14 --> 3028.02] To make an image of this, +[3028.26 --> 3029.26] Jeremiah makes +[3029.26 --> 3030.40] a wooden yoke +[3030.40 --> 3031.86] for himself to wear +[3031.86 --> 3032.88] as a sign. +[3033.00 --> 3034.58] A yoke is a farming instrument +[3034.58 --> 3036.38] that rests on the shoulders +[3036.38 --> 3037.66] of animals +[3037.66 --> 3038.60] to pull a plow +[3038.60 --> 3039.54] most likely +[3039.54 --> 3041.42] through the ground. +[3042.18 --> 3042.86] Jeremiah makes +[3042.86 --> 3043.94] a yoke for himself +[3043.94 --> 3044.66] to wear +[3044.66 --> 3045.50] as a sign +[3045.50 --> 3046.76] of the coming yoke, +[3046.94 --> 3047.38] the weight, +[3047.52 --> 3047.98] the burden, +[3048.14 --> 3049.76] the rule of Babylon. +[3050.64 --> 3052.22] And the false prophet, +[3052.40 --> 3053.02] Hananiah, +[3053.16 --> 3054.22] breaks that yoke +[3054.22 --> 3055.46] and says +[3055.46 --> 3056.08] that the Lord +[3056.08 --> 3056.62] would break +[3056.62 --> 3057.66] Nebuchadnezzar's yoke +[3057.66 --> 3058.66] within two years. +[3059.36 --> 3059.92] You can read this +[3059.92 --> 3060.68] in Jeremiah 28. +[3060.68 --> 3063.00] No matter how hard +[3063.00 --> 3063.94] Jeremiah tried, +[3064.42 --> 3065.60] no matter how dramatically +[3065.60 --> 3067.26] he preached his message, +[3067.60 --> 3068.74] many of the people +[3068.74 --> 3070.36] left in Jerusalem +[3070.36 --> 3071.52] resented him +[3071.52 --> 3072.96] and resisted the truth +[3072.96 --> 3073.96] of what he had to say +[3073.96 --> 3075.14] and they preferred +[3075.14 --> 3076.02] the teachings +[3076.02 --> 3077.20] of the false prophets. +[3078.32 --> 3079.08] They preferred +[3079.08 --> 3079.84] a message +[3079.84 --> 3080.64] of health +[3080.64 --> 3081.66] and wealth. +[3082.02 --> 3082.50] They preferred +[3082.50 --> 3083.08] a message +[3083.08 --> 3084.32] of ease +[3084.32 --> 3085.36] and of comfort, +[3085.54 --> 3086.54] of a quick judgment +[3086.54 --> 3087.40] and a get back +[3087.40 --> 3088.52] to prosperity. +[3088.52 --> 3089.72] the people +[3089.72 --> 3090.72] preferred messages +[3090.72 --> 3091.40] that made them +[3091.40 --> 3092.12] feel good +[3092.12 --> 3093.88] and not messages +[3093.88 --> 3095.16] that confronted them +[3095.16 --> 3096.14] with the truth +[3096.14 --> 3096.82] and the guilt +[3096.82 --> 3097.70] of their sin +[3097.70 --> 3098.42] in light of +[3098.42 --> 3099.52] who God is +[3099.52 --> 3100.28] and the consequences +[3100.28 --> 3101.42] of their disobedience +[3101.42 --> 3102.88] or their righteous wrath +[3102.88 --> 3104.06] of a holy God. +[3105.82 --> 3107.04] And to be honest, +[3107.26 --> 3108.16] I don't know +[3108.16 --> 3108.78] if anything really +[3108.78 --> 3109.38] has changed. +[3110.38 --> 3111.42] People still +[3111.42 --> 3112.16] prefer that. +[3113.10 --> 3113.44] And again, +[3113.58 --> 3114.42] to be completely +[3114.42 --> 3115.08] frank with you, +[3115.08 --> 3116.24] I get it. +[3117.66 --> 3118.58] Give me something +[3118.58 --> 3119.86] that makes me feel good. +[3121.00 --> 3121.56] Isn't that why +[3121.56 --> 3122.32] I come to church? +[3122.94 --> 3123.72] Tell me how to +[3123.72 --> 3124.72] be a better version +[3124.72 --> 3125.34] of myself. +[3126.70 --> 3127.54] Inspire me +[3127.54 --> 3128.50] to something +[3128.50 --> 3129.64] or comfort me. +[3131.06 --> 3133.22] How can I claim +[3133.22 --> 3134.78] the blessing of God +[3134.78 --> 3136.16] for a new year? +[3137.52 --> 3138.26] How do I get +[3138.26 --> 3139.18] God's prosperity +[3139.18 --> 3140.16] in my bank account? +[3140.92 --> 3141.94] Because that needs +[3141.94 --> 3142.36] some help. +[3142.36 --> 3145.24] How do I forget +[3145.24 --> 3146.64] what lies behind +[3146.64 --> 3147.84] and press on +[3147.84 --> 3149.28] towards the goal? +[3149.46 --> 3150.22] And the goal +[3150.22 --> 3150.96] is always +[3150.96 --> 3152.34] a better life +[3152.34 --> 3153.34] defined usually +[3153.34 --> 3154.32] as a richer life +[3154.32 --> 3156.16] or a fitter life, +[3156.28 --> 3157.68] an easier life. +[3160.30 --> 3161.56] But what about +[3161.56 --> 3164.36] what about +[3164.36 --> 3165.20] if life doesn't +[3165.20 --> 3166.20] get better +[3166.20 --> 3167.44] or you don't +[3167.44 --> 3167.92] get richer +[3167.92 --> 3168.54] or it doesn't +[3168.54 --> 3169.70] get any easier? +[3169.82 --> 3170.94] What if 2024 +[3170.94 --> 3171.18] 2024 +[3171.18 --> 3172.56] is the same +[3172.56 --> 3173.70] as 2023? +[3176.26 --> 3176.90] Now then, +[3176.98 --> 3177.74] the false prophets +[3177.74 --> 3178.34] will tell you +[3178.34 --> 3178.76] that you didn't +[3178.76 --> 3179.62] have enough faith +[3179.62 --> 3180.16] or that you didn't +[3180.16 --> 3181.06] do the right things, +[3181.24 --> 3181.96] you didn't check +[3181.96 --> 3182.68] the right boxes, +[3182.92 --> 3183.92] or some will use +[3183.92 --> 3184.52] the language of +[3184.52 --> 3185.30] you didn't claim +[3185.30 --> 3186.00] the promises +[3186.00 --> 3187.08] of the gospel, +[3187.22 --> 3187.94] you didn't claim +[3187.94 --> 3188.56] the blessings +[3188.56 --> 3189.26] of God. +[3189.26 --> 3189.30] God. +[3192.90 --> 3193.30] But, +[3194.34 --> 3196.40] listen carefully, +[3197.34 --> 3199.24] here's what happens +[3199.24 --> 3200.62] in our own +[3200.62 --> 3201.30] imaginations +[3201.30 --> 3202.20] and in our hearts +[3202.20 --> 3203.30] when we start +[3203.30 --> 3204.32] to listen to that +[3204.32 --> 3205.10] voice or those +[3205.10 --> 3205.42] voices, +[3205.56 --> 3205.94] when we start +[3205.94 --> 3206.42] to think +[3206.42 --> 3207.52] that way. +[3207.66 --> 3208.22] And remember, +[3208.36 --> 3209.22] we're talking about +[3209.22 --> 3210.54] our understanding +[3210.54 --> 3211.60] of who God is +[3211.60 --> 3212.46] and how that +[3212.46 --> 3213.66] shapes where we +[3213.66 --> 3214.26] can see God +[3214.26 --> 3214.96] at work in the world. +[3215.86 --> 3216.98] Because in thinking +[3216.98 --> 3217.90] this way, +[3218.88 --> 3219.58] in thinking +[3219.58 --> 3221.60] that we just +[3221.60 --> 3222.42] haven't had enough +[3222.42 --> 3222.68] faith, +[3222.76 --> 3223.14] that we didn't +[3223.14 --> 3224.00] do the right things, +[3224.08 --> 3224.38] that we didn't +[3224.38 --> 3225.18] claim the message +[3225.18 --> 3225.62] properly, +[3225.74 --> 3227.10] in thinking this way, +[3227.38 --> 3228.26] what we end up +[3228.26 --> 3228.98] doing is +[3228.98 --> 3230.96] redefining God. +[3232.02 --> 3232.68] We end up +[3232.68 --> 3233.62] reimagining +[3233.62 --> 3234.44] who God is +[3234.44 --> 3235.98] and we make +[3235.98 --> 3236.74] a God +[3236.74 --> 3237.98] on our own terms. +[3239.30 --> 3240.10] God becomes +[3240.10 --> 3240.98] someone he's not. +[3241.78 --> 3242.58] God becomes, +[3242.72 --> 3243.02] namely, +[3243.26 --> 3243.86] a debit +[3243.86 --> 3244.50] and credit +[3244.50 --> 3245.04] machine +[3245.04 --> 3245.96] that you keep +[3245.96 --> 3246.46] in your back +[3246.46 --> 3247.24] pocket in order +[3247.24 --> 3247.74] to get good +[3247.74 --> 3248.36] things from +[3248.36 --> 3249.46] when you put +[3249.46 --> 3250.52] the right thing +[3250.52 --> 3251.00] in. +[3252.14 --> 3252.28] Right? +[3252.38 --> 3252.82] God, +[3252.92 --> 3253.52] in this way, +[3253.58 --> 3254.58] becomes small +[3254.58 --> 3255.76] and he becomes +[3255.76 --> 3256.50] manageable. +[3257.56 --> 3258.02] And what I mean +[3258.02 --> 3258.38] by that is +[3258.38 --> 3259.10] that you are +[3259.10 --> 3259.80] trying to +[3259.80 --> 3260.62] manage God. +[3263.06 --> 3263.86] And this +[3263.86 --> 3265.22] God +[3265.22 --> 3267.22] just doesn't +[3267.22 --> 3268.14] know what's +[3268.14 --> 3268.82] going to happen. +[3269.96 --> 3270.10] Right? +[3270.14 --> 3270.28] Sure, +[3270.38 --> 3270.70] this God +[3270.70 --> 3271.80] has desires, +[3272.18 --> 3272.68] the things that +[3272.68 --> 3273.66] he wants for you +[3273.66 --> 3275.34] or it wants +[3275.34 --> 3275.86] for you, +[3275.94 --> 3276.12] right? +[3276.16 --> 3276.80] To bless you +[3276.80 --> 3277.42] and to prosper +[3277.42 --> 3277.66] you. +[3277.70 --> 3278.46] But when you +[3278.46 --> 3279.68] define God +[3279.68 --> 3280.48] this way, +[3280.90 --> 3281.42] things are +[3281.42 --> 3282.44] ultimately out +[3282.44 --> 3283.26] of his control +[3283.26 --> 3283.88] and they +[3283.88 --> 3284.70] ultimately rest +[3284.70 --> 3285.54] on what you +[3285.54 --> 3286.60] have to do +[3286.60 --> 3287.52] in order to +[3287.52 --> 3288.42] make God +[3288.42 --> 3289.16] respond in a +[3289.16 --> 3289.80] particular way. +[3291.04 --> 3291.88] And this +[3291.88 --> 3292.78] is exactly +[3292.78 --> 3293.96] how so many +[3293.96 --> 3295.00] people think +[3295.00 --> 3295.72] and treat +[3295.72 --> 3296.74] God in the +[3296.74 --> 3297.26] world today. +[3298.02 --> 3298.22] Right? +[3298.26 --> 3298.70] To the point +[3298.70 --> 3299.46] that in its +[3299.46 --> 3300.12] most extreme +[3300.12 --> 3300.56] forms, +[3300.70 --> 3301.18] we don't even +[3301.18 --> 3301.94] talk about God +[3301.94 --> 3302.26] anymore, +[3302.26 --> 3302.86] but we talk +[3302.86 --> 3303.50] generically +[3303.50 --> 3304.06] about the +[3304.06 --> 3304.62] universe. +[3305.34 --> 3305.78] We talk +[3305.78 --> 3306.44] about spiritual +[3306.44 --> 3306.94] energy. +[3307.70 --> 3307.96] And we talk +[3307.96 --> 3308.34] about putting +[3308.34 --> 3309.02] it out there +[3309.02 --> 3309.90] and hoping +[3309.90 --> 3310.28] that the +[3310.28 --> 3310.80] universe will +[3310.80 --> 3311.34] return it +[3311.34 --> 3311.70] to me +[3311.70 --> 3312.40] multiplied. +[3313.84 --> 3314.22] But the +[3314.22 --> 3315.04] definition of +[3315.04 --> 3315.46] God, +[3315.62 --> 3317.22] the recalibration +[3317.22 --> 3318.66] of human +[3318.66 --> 3320.14] above God +[3320.14 --> 3321.04] to define +[3321.04 --> 3321.90] him is +[3321.90 --> 3323.02] exactly what +[3323.02 --> 3323.98] Jeremiah is +[3323.98 --> 3324.86] reacting to +[3324.86 --> 3325.96] in his day. +[3326.22 --> 3326.66] And it's +[3326.66 --> 3327.70] exactly what +[3327.70 --> 3328.24] we need to +[3328.24 --> 3328.72] see and +[3328.72 --> 3329.40] remind ourselves +[3329.40 --> 3329.98] again for +[3329.98 --> 3330.98] our day. +[3332.44 --> 3332.62] Now, +[3332.64 --> 3332.96] in each +[3332.96 --> 3333.42] of these +[3333.42 --> 3333.90] three +[3333.90 --> 3334.82] questions, +[3335.52 --> 3336.26] there's an +[3336.26 --> 3337.00] aspect of +[3337.00 --> 3337.70] God that +[3337.70 --> 3338.34] is being +[3338.34 --> 3340.98] denied or +[3340.98 --> 3342.04] refined in +[3342.04 --> 3342.56] the negative +[3342.56 --> 3342.86] sense. +[3342.94 --> 3343.20] There's an +[3343.20 --> 3343.82] aspect of +[3343.82 --> 3344.40] who God +[3344.40 --> 3344.84] is that +[3344.84 --> 3345.18] he wants +[3345.18 --> 3345.52] us to +[3345.52 --> 3346.20] remember +[3346.20 --> 3347.52] as we +[3347.52 --> 3348.50] come to +[3348.50 --> 3348.70] him. +[3349.68 --> 3350.36] And for +[3350.36 --> 3351.04] shorthand, +[3351.14 --> 3351.70] and to help +[3351.70 --> 3352.46] you as we +[3352.46 --> 3353.84] go through +[3353.84 --> 3354.30] this, I'm +[3354.30 --> 3354.44] going to +[3354.44 --> 3354.98] refer to +[3354.98 --> 3355.68] these things +[3355.68 --> 3356.92] as God's +[3356.92 --> 3357.56] omnis, +[3358.06 --> 3359.06] the omnis +[3359.06 --> 3359.68] of God. +[3360.42 --> 3360.66] And so +[3360.66 --> 3360.84] we're going +[3360.84 --> 3361.04] to talk +[3361.04 --> 3361.34] for just +[3361.34 --> 3361.62] a moment +[3361.62 --> 3362.46] about God's +[3362.46 --> 3363.26] omnipotence, +[3363.86 --> 3364.18] we're going +[3364.18 --> 3364.54] to talk +[3364.54 --> 3365.00] about his +[3365.00 --> 3365.78] omniscience, +[3366.16 --> 3366.66] and we're +[3366.66 --> 3366.78] going to +[3366.78 --> 3367.10] talk about +[3367.10 --> 3368.36] his omnipresence. +[3369.34 --> 3370.60] Now, I +[3370.60 --> 3371.10] fully get +[3371.10 --> 3371.40] that these +[3371.40 --> 3371.94] aren't words +[3371.94 --> 3372.28] that we +[3372.28 --> 3372.82] use very +[3372.82 --> 3374.08] often anymore. +[3375.16 --> 3375.50] And so +[3375.50 --> 3376.08] let's take +[3376.08 --> 3376.36] a minute +[3376.36 --> 3377.02] and make +[3377.02 --> 3377.36] sure that +[3377.36 --> 3377.96] we understand +[3377.96 --> 3378.18] them. +[3378.70 --> 3379.96] Omni is +[3379.96 --> 3380.86] a Latin +[3380.86 --> 3381.70] prefix, +[3382.12 --> 3382.32] and it +[3382.32 --> 3383.14] means all +[3383.14 --> 3384.12] or every. +[3385.34 --> 3385.94] A few +[3385.94 --> 3386.44] years ago, +[3386.64 --> 3387.40] I went to +[3387.40 --> 3387.80] a friend's +[3387.80 --> 3388.14] birthday, +[3388.14 --> 3390.20] and this +[3390.20 --> 3390.74] birthday was +[3390.74 --> 3391.44] hosted at +[3391.44 --> 3392.26] an escape +[3392.26 --> 3392.58] room. +[3393.52 --> 3393.92] And at +[3393.92 --> 3394.54] this escape +[3394.54 --> 3394.90] room, +[3395.38 --> 3396.34] the staff +[3396.34 --> 3397.42] was walking +[3397.42 --> 3398.06] us through +[3398.06 --> 3398.94] some instructions +[3398.94 --> 3399.66] before they +[3399.66 --> 3400.22] locked us in +[3400.22 --> 3400.52] the room, +[3400.56 --> 3400.86] and we had +[3400.86 --> 3401.28] to figure out +[3401.28 --> 3401.62] how to get +[3401.62 --> 3401.80] out. +[3401.86 --> 3402.14] And one +[3402.14 --> 3402.36] of the +[3402.36 --> 3402.78] instructions +[3402.78 --> 3403.82] they would +[3403.82 --> 3404.22] give you +[3404.22 --> 3404.84] is to show +[3404.84 --> 3405.28] you what +[3405.28 --> 3405.80] kind of +[3405.80 --> 3406.70] locks are +[3406.70 --> 3407.08] in the +[3407.08 --> 3407.30] room. +[3407.84 --> 3408.20] And this +[3408.20 --> 3408.84] person picked +[3408.84 --> 3409.68] up a lock +[3409.68 --> 3410.46] that you +[3410.46 --> 3411.04] could move +[3411.04 --> 3412.04] up and +[3412.04 --> 3412.48] then up +[3412.48 --> 3413.80] and right +[3413.80 --> 3414.18] and then +[3414.18 --> 3414.66] right and +[3414.66 --> 3415.02] then down +[3415.02 --> 3415.38] and right +[3415.38 --> 3415.86] and down +[3415.86 --> 3416.40] and this +[3416.40 --> 3416.80] way and +[3416.80 --> 3417.18] this way +[3417.18 --> 3417.52] and this +[3417.52 --> 3417.72] way. +[3418.14 --> 3418.46] You could +[3418.46 --> 3418.74] move them +[3418.74 --> 3419.64] in eight +[3419.64 --> 3419.96] different +[3419.96 --> 3420.34] directions, +[3420.76 --> 3421.06] and they +[3421.06 --> 3421.36] call that +[3421.36 --> 3422.64] an omnidirectional +[3422.64 --> 3423.06] lock. +[3423.60 --> 3424.08] It means it +[3424.08 --> 3424.48] moves in +[3424.48 --> 3425.74] every direction +[3425.74 --> 3426.02] and you +[3426.02 --> 3426.28] have to +[3426.28 --> 3426.72] figure out +[3426.72 --> 3427.52] the puzzle +[3427.52 --> 3428.44] to get +[3428.44 --> 3429.36] it open. +[3430.10 --> 3430.40] You have +[3430.40 --> 3430.70] to push +[3430.70 --> 3431.42] that knob +[3431.42 --> 3432.56] in sequential +[3432.56 --> 3433.54] directions in +[3433.54 --> 3433.92] order to +[3433.92 --> 3434.72] make it +[3434.72 --> 3435.04] move. +[3435.42 --> 3435.82] It's +[3435.82 --> 3437.22] omnidirectional, +[3437.44 --> 3438.72] every direction. +[3439.40 --> 3439.82] And so, +[3440.06 --> 3440.92] when we talk +[3440.92 --> 3441.26] about the +[3441.26 --> 3442.02] omnis of +[3442.02 --> 3442.36] God, +[3442.46 --> 3442.78] for instance, +[3442.84 --> 3443.28] when we talk +[3443.28 --> 3443.70] about his +[3443.70 --> 3444.80] omnipotence, +[3444.80 --> 3446.00] we're talking +[3446.00 --> 3446.64] about his +[3446.64 --> 3448.34] all-potency +[3448.34 --> 3448.90] or his +[3448.90 --> 3450.32] all-power. +[3451.58 --> 3452.58] God is +[3452.58 --> 3454.24] all-powerful. +[3455.12 --> 3455.68] He is +[3455.68 --> 3456.92] everywhere +[3456.92 --> 3458.36] powerful. +[3460.08 --> 3461.14] Am I only +[3461.14 --> 3461.62] a God +[3461.62 --> 3462.14] nearby +[3462.14 --> 3463.84] and not +[3463.84 --> 3464.40] a God +[3464.40 --> 3465.46] far away? +[3467.38 --> 3467.56] Now, +[3467.60 --> 3468.00] for Jeremiah, +[3468.12 --> 3468.58] this is a +[3468.58 --> 3469.24] reference of +[3469.24 --> 3469.96] comparison +[3469.96 --> 3470.08] comparison. +[3471.04 --> 3471.44] Because at +[3471.44 --> 3471.92] the time, +[3472.04 --> 3472.24] in the +[3472.24 --> 3472.72] ancient Near +[3472.72 --> 3473.08] East, +[3473.66 --> 3474.36] gods are +[3474.36 --> 3474.86] generally +[3474.86 --> 3475.84] understood to +[3475.84 --> 3476.88] be tied to +[3476.88 --> 3477.26] a certain +[3477.26 --> 3478.38] region of +[3478.38 --> 3479.34] rule or +[3479.34 --> 3479.90] to a +[3479.90 --> 3480.68] locality. +[3481.96 --> 3482.36] Some of +[3482.36 --> 3482.90] the gods +[3482.90 --> 3484.04] had different +[3484.04 --> 3485.32] realms or +[3485.32 --> 3486.08] areas of +[3486.08 --> 3486.66] control. +[3487.00 --> 3487.50] For instance, +[3487.94 --> 3489.24] Baal is +[3489.24 --> 3489.78] the god of +[3489.78 --> 3490.34] wind and +[3490.34 --> 3490.84] rain and +[3490.84 --> 3491.30] fertility. +[3491.96 --> 3492.70] Mot is +[3492.70 --> 3493.32] the god of +[3493.32 --> 3493.90] drought and +[3493.90 --> 3494.88] infertility and +[3494.88 --> 3495.24] death. +[3495.84 --> 3496.70] Yam is the +[3496.70 --> 3497.26] god of the +[3497.26 --> 3498.08] sea and of +[3498.08 --> 3498.66] chaos. +[3498.66 --> 3500.56] And even +[3500.56 --> 3501.16] if they +[3501.16 --> 3502.02] share a +[3502.02 --> 3502.54] name, +[3502.70 --> 3503.36] like Baal, +[3503.60 --> 3504.36] they're often +[3504.36 --> 3505.32] tied to +[3505.32 --> 3506.24] local +[3506.24 --> 3507.02] manifestations. +[3508.22 --> 3508.54] And so, +[3508.66 --> 3509.16] even in our +[3509.16 --> 3509.48] own Bible, +[3509.56 --> 3510.02] you can read +[3510.02 --> 3510.66] about the +[3510.66 --> 3511.80] Baal of +[3511.80 --> 3512.72] Peor in +[3512.72 --> 3513.54] Numbers 25 +[3513.54 --> 3514.96] and Deuteronomy +[3514.96 --> 3515.58] 4, you can +[3515.58 --> 3516.10] read about the +[3516.10 --> 3516.52] Baal of +[3516.52 --> 3516.88] Gad. +[3518.48 --> 3519.60] To think of +[3519.60 --> 3520.44] a god or +[3520.44 --> 3521.28] gods in +[3521.28 --> 3522.08] these terms +[3522.08 --> 3523.12] is really +[3523.12 --> 3525.06] to localize +[3525.06 --> 3526.46] their influence +[3526.46 --> 3527.32] and their +[3527.32 --> 3527.68] power. +[3528.66 --> 3530.64] God, the +[3530.64 --> 3530.92] god of +[3530.92 --> 3531.28] the Bible, +[3531.38 --> 3531.74] the god of +[3531.74 --> 3532.82] Israel, will +[3532.82 --> 3533.38] not have +[3533.38 --> 3533.70] that. +[3534.58 --> 3535.04] He will +[3535.04 --> 3535.64] not be +[3535.64 --> 3536.18] limited. +[3536.44 --> 3536.78] He will +[3536.78 --> 3537.36] not be +[3537.36 --> 3538.38] regionalized. +[3538.46 --> 3538.74] He will +[3538.74 --> 3539.30] not be +[3539.30 --> 3540.28] boxed in +[3540.28 --> 3540.84] and made +[3540.84 --> 3541.28] small. +[3541.44 --> 3541.82] He is +[3541.82 --> 3543.00] near and +[3543.00 --> 3543.34] far. +[3543.66 --> 3543.94] He is +[3543.94 --> 3544.36] the same +[3544.36 --> 3545.08] here as +[3545.08 --> 3545.54] he is +[3545.54 --> 3546.16] there. +[3546.32 --> 3546.96] His rule +[3546.96 --> 3547.34] and his +[3547.34 --> 3548.30] power extends +[3548.30 --> 3548.94] over all +[3548.94 --> 3549.36] the earth. +[3549.44 --> 3549.76] He is +[3549.76 --> 3550.64] the lord of +[3550.64 --> 3551.18] lords, the +[3551.18 --> 3551.62] one true +[3551.62 --> 3552.14] god, the +[3552.14 --> 3552.70] maker of +[3552.70 --> 3553.58] heaven and +[3553.58 --> 3554.00] of earth. +[3554.00 --> 3555.48] He is +[3555.48 --> 3557.28] omnipotent, +[3557.56 --> 3557.92] all +[3557.92 --> 3559.10] powerful, that +[3559.10 --> 3559.82] is powerful +[3559.82 --> 3560.76] everywhere. +[3560.98 --> 3561.38] There is no +[3561.38 --> 3562.30] region or +[3562.30 --> 3562.92] realm or +[3562.92 --> 3563.70] room where +[3563.70 --> 3565.08] God is not +[3565.08 --> 3566.02] present in +[3566.02 --> 3566.80] power. +[3566.96 --> 3567.68] His power +[3567.68 --> 3568.80] has no +[3568.80 --> 3569.54] end. +[3569.86 --> 3570.36] That's what +[3570.36 --> 3571.10] Jeremiah wants +[3571.10 --> 3571.56] you to see. +[3571.72 --> 3572.44] He is +[3572.44 --> 3573.54] omnipotent. +[3575.64 --> 3576.24] And the +[3576.24 --> 3576.78] next thing +[3576.78 --> 3578.26] that we can +[3578.26 --> 3579.28] see is +[3579.28 --> 3579.82] his +[3579.82 --> 3582.46] omniscience. +[3582.46 --> 3583.06] and that's +[3583.06 --> 3583.68] a compound +[3583.68 --> 3584.04] word, +[3584.16 --> 3584.48] omni, +[3584.60 --> 3584.78] all, +[3584.88 --> 3585.14] every. +[3586.22 --> 3587.60] And I'm +[3587.60 --> 3587.74] going to +[3587.74 --> 3588.12] butcher the +[3588.12 --> 3588.46] Latin, +[3589.10 --> 3589.68] scientia, +[3591.06 --> 3591.22] right? +[3591.28 --> 3591.88] His all +[3591.88 --> 3592.28] knowing. +[3592.42 --> 3592.74] Here and +[3592.74 --> 3593.20] there, the +[3593.20 --> 3593.96] root science, +[3594.14 --> 3594.28] right? +[3594.34 --> 3594.86] To know, +[3595.50 --> 3595.66] right? +[3596.06 --> 3596.70] Can anyone +[3596.70 --> 3598.04] hide in +[3598.04 --> 3598.78] secret places +[3598.78 --> 3599.52] so that I +[3599.52 --> 3600.30] cannot see +[3600.30 --> 3600.54] them? +[3601.72 --> 3602.48] God knows. +[3603.12 --> 3603.74] He sees +[3603.74 --> 3604.32] all things. +[3604.48 --> 3605.08] Nothing is +[3605.08 --> 3605.90] hidden from +[3605.90 --> 3606.08] him. +[3606.44 --> 3607.10] Psalm 44 +[3607.10 --> 3607.72] says, God +[3607.72 --> 3608.20] knows the +[3608.20 --> 3608.68] secrets of +[3608.68 --> 3609.08] our hearts. +[3609.20 --> 3609.78] Psalm 144 +[3609.78 --> 3610.64] says, God +[3610.64 --> 3611.58] our great is +[3611.58 --> 3612.12] the Lord and +[3612.12 --> 3612.44] mighty and +[3612.44 --> 3612.86] power. +[3613.00 --> 3613.12] His +[3613.12 --> 3614.02] understanding +[3614.02 --> 3614.84] has no +[3614.84 --> 3615.64] limit. +[3616.36 --> 3616.98] Psalm 39 +[3616.98 --> 3617.56] which we're +[3617.56 --> 3618.14] going to put +[3618.14 --> 3618.68] on the screen +[3618.68 --> 3619.12] for you. +[3619.86 --> 3620.44] Psalm 39 +[3620.44 --> 3621.34] says, you +[3621.34 --> 3621.94] have searched +[3621.94 --> 3622.80] me Lord and +[3622.80 --> 3623.44] you know me. +[3624.20 --> 3624.60] You know +[3624.60 --> 3625.26] when I sit +[3625.26 --> 3625.74] and when I +[3625.74 --> 3626.16] rise. +[3626.28 --> 3626.82] You perceive +[3626.82 --> 3627.64] my thoughts +[3627.64 --> 3628.32] from afar. +[3628.48 --> 3628.96] You discern +[3628.96 --> 3629.46] my going +[3629.46 --> 3629.82] out and +[3629.82 --> 3630.18] my laying +[3630.18 --> 3630.46] down. +[3631.02 --> 3631.42] You are +[3631.42 --> 3632.28] familiar with +[3632.28 --> 3633.12] all my +[3633.12 --> 3633.54] ways. +[3633.66 --> 3634.38] Before a +[3634.38 --> 3635.02] word is on +[3635.02 --> 3635.54] my tongue, +[3635.78 --> 3636.50] you Lord +[3636.50 --> 3637.06] know it +[3637.06 --> 3637.86] completely. +[3639.74 --> 3640.78] God knows +[3640.78 --> 3641.98] everything. +[3642.44 --> 3643.82] nothing is +[3643.82 --> 3644.22] hidden from +[3644.22 --> 3644.36] him. +[3644.56 --> 3645.06] No one +[3645.06 --> 3645.86] can hide +[3645.86 --> 3646.78] from him. +[3648.70 --> 3649.12] And let's +[3649.12 --> 3649.48] be candid +[3649.48 --> 3649.80] again. +[3650.00 --> 3651.44] This truth +[3651.44 --> 3652.20] of who +[3652.20 --> 3653.04] God is +[3653.04 --> 3655.74] can be +[3655.74 --> 3656.20] scary +[3656.20 --> 3658.04] or it +[3658.04 --> 3658.30] can be +[3658.30 --> 3658.70] comforting. +[3660.70 --> 3661.04] When you +[3661.04 --> 3661.96] trust God, +[3662.02 --> 3662.20] when you +[3662.20 --> 3662.66] rely on +[3662.66 --> 3663.20] his grace, +[3663.54 --> 3664.12] God's +[3664.12 --> 3664.84] all-knowing +[3664.84 --> 3665.20] and his +[3665.20 --> 3666.02] all-seeing +[3666.02 --> 3666.76] means you +[3666.76 --> 3667.68] never surprise +[3667.68 --> 3667.94] him. +[3667.94 --> 3670.30] whatever +[3670.30 --> 3671.16] happens in +[3671.16 --> 3671.76] your life +[3671.76 --> 3672.20] will never +[3672.20 --> 3672.94] catch God +[3672.94 --> 3673.50] off guard +[3673.50 --> 3673.84] like he +[3673.84 --> 3674.04] didn't +[3674.04 --> 3674.44] anticipate +[3674.44 --> 3674.78] it or +[3674.78 --> 3675.06] see it +[3675.06 --> 3675.30] coming. +[3676.50 --> 3676.94] And if +[3676.94 --> 3677.36] you don't +[3677.36 --> 3677.84] love or +[3677.84 --> 3678.28] trust or +[3678.28 --> 3678.84] know God +[3678.84 --> 3679.56] and you +[3679.56 --> 3681.04] believe or +[3681.04 --> 3681.64] hear that +[3681.64 --> 3684.24] he is or +[3684.24 --> 3684.82] believe that +[3684.82 --> 3685.36] he is for +[3685.36 --> 3685.82] you and has +[3685.82 --> 3686.36] his best in +[3686.36 --> 3686.78] mind for +[3686.78 --> 3686.88] you, +[3687.00 --> 3687.30] God's +[3687.30 --> 3688.18] all-seeing +[3688.18 --> 3688.82] can be +[3688.82 --> 3689.98] terrifying. +[3692.54 --> 3693.02] You're +[3693.02 --> 3693.28] trying to +[3693.28 --> 3693.68] tell me that +[3693.68 --> 3694.28] God knows +[3694.28 --> 3695.32] what I did +[3695.32 --> 3696.56] over there. +[3700.16 --> 3700.82] God knows +[3700.82 --> 3701.06] what I +[3701.06 --> 3702.06] thought +[3702.06 --> 3702.98] when I +[3702.98 --> 3703.36] was here. +[3705.70 --> 3706.26] But you +[3706.26 --> 3706.46] see, +[3707.38 --> 3708.30] either way, +[3708.44 --> 3709.32] here's the +[3709.32 --> 3709.84] implication, +[3710.56 --> 3710.74] right, +[3710.94 --> 3711.88] that if +[3711.88 --> 3713.04] God doesn't +[3713.04 --> 3713.66] know all +[3713.66 --> 3714.14] things, +[3715.06 --> 3715.62] it means that +[3715.62 --> 3715.88] you can +[3715.88 --> 3716.56] surprise him, +[3716.62 --> 3716.82] you can +[3716.82 --> 3717.14] catch him +[3717.14 --> 3717.46] off guard, +[3717.58 --> 3717.98] and then +[3717.98 --> 3718.58] he has to +[3718.58 --> 3719.08] react to +[3719.08 --> 3719.36] you. +[3720.30 --> 3720.88] It means +[3720.88 --> 3721.26] that God +[3721.26 --> 3721.88] isn't really +[3721.88 --> 3722.62] in control +[3722.62 --> 3723.70] but reacting +[3723.70 --> 3724.16] to whatever +[3724.16 --> 3724.68] happens in +[3724.68 --> 3724.98] front of +[3724.98 --> 3725.08] him. +[3725.32 --> 3725.58] And it +[3725.58 --> 3726.10] means that +[3726.10 --> 3726.64] he isn't +[3726.64 --> 3727.64] exactly sure +[3727.64 --> 3728.44] how things +[3728.44 --> 3728.68] are going +[3728.68 --> 3729.00] to turn +[3729.00 --> 3729.28] out, +[3729.36 --> 3729.78] that he +[3729.78 --> 3730.18] has to +[3730.18 --> 3730.62] wait and +[3730.62 --> 3730.86] see, +[3730.96 --> 3731.34] just like +[3731.34 --> 3731.70] the rest +[3731.70 --> 3732.10] of us. +[3733.00 --> 3733.42] Really, +[3733.56 --> 3733.86] again, +[3733.98 --> 3734.86] that undermines +[3734.86 --> 3735.38] who God +[3735.38 --> 3735.64] is. +[3735.72 --> 3736.16] If that's +[3736.16 --> 3736.48] true, +[3736.66 --> 3737.16] that means +[3737.16 --> 3738.02] God isn't +[3738.02 --> 3738.66] God. +[3739.78 --> 3740.22] And if +[3740.22 --> 3740.80] God isn't +[3740.80 --> 3741.12] God, +[3741.20 --> 3741.42] I'm going +[3741.42 --> 3741.62] to be +[3741.62 --> 3742.16] frank with +[3742.16 --> 3742.34] you, +[3742.94 --> 3743.72] nothing +[3743.72 --> 3744.50] makes sense +[3744.50 --> 3745.00] anymore. +[3746.64 --> 3747.14] Think about it, +[3747.14 --> 3747.68] if you can +[3747.68 --> 3748.22] hide from +[3748.22 --> 3748.44] God, +[3748.48 --> 3748.70] I mean +[3748.70 --> 3749.70] really hide +[3749.70 --> 3750.14] from him +[3750.14 --> 3750.86] so that he +[3750.86 --> 3751.30] doesn't know +[3751.30 --> 3751.60] where you +[3751.60 --> 3751.84] are, +[3752.04 --> 3752.62] that means +[3752.62 --> 3752.94] it's +[3752.94 --> 3753.74] possible to +[3753.74 --> 3754.48] be somewhere +[3754.48 --> 3755.60] without God. +[3756.40 --> 3757.44] And if any +[3757.44 --> 3758.00] part of the +[3758.00 --> 3758.98] universe is +[3758.98 --> 3760.02] without God, +[3760.86 --> 3762.44] I believe it +[3762.44 --> 3763.04] would cease to +[3763.04 --> 3763.50] exist. +[3764.92 --> 3765.28] That is, +[3765.34 --> 3766.02] God's sovereignty +[3766.02 --> 3766.62] and his +[3766.62 --> 3767.80] common grace, +[3767.96 --> 3769.08] God's character +[3769.08 --> 3770.04] as the only +[3770.04 --> 3771.20] independent being +[3771.20 --> 3772.22] in all the +[3772.22 --> 3772.86] universe, +[3772.86 --> 3773.82] means that +[3773.82 --> 3774.88] everything else +[3774.88 --> 3775.62] is dependent +[3775.62 --> 3776.68] upon his +[3776.68 --> 3777.46] being. +[3777.62 --> 3778.58] Without him, +[3779.04 --> 3780.52] nothing exists +[3780.52 --> 3780.84] exists or +[3780.84 --> 3781.52] would continue +[3781.52 --> 3782.64] to exist. +[3782.76 --> 3783.02] If the +[3783.02 --> 3783.56] world was +[3783.56 --> 3784.20] ever without +[3784.20 --> 3784.84] God, +[3784.90 --> 3785.50] as God +[3785.50 --> 3786.02] operating +[3786.02 --> 3787.46] as he +[3787.46 --> 3787.86] does, +[3788.02 --> 3788.44] it would +[3788.44 --> 3789.42] cease to +[3789.42 --> 3790.16] be. +[3792.96 --> 3793.48] And Jeremiah +[3793.48 --> 3794.34] is reminding +[3794.34 --> 3795.64] us of that. +[3795.80 --> 3796.82] Even in the +[3796.82 --> 3797.94] midst of +[3797.94 --> 3798.70] exile, +[3799.42 --> 3799.90] God +[3799.90 --> 3800.88] knows. +[3801.68 --> 3802.46] Even in the +[3802.46 --> 3802.84] midst of the +[3802.84 --> 3803.62] greatest trials +[3803.62 --> 3804.74] and tribulations +[3804.74 --> 3805.74] and struggles +[3805.74 --> 3806.46] of life +[3806.46 --> 3807.16] and faith, +[3807.56 --> 3807.88] God +[3807.88 --> 3808.70] knows. +[3810.72 --> 3811.08] And God +[3811.08 --> 3811.72] is with you. +[3812.82 --> 3813.26] That's the +[3813.26 --> 3814.70] final omni, +[3814.80 --> 3815.16] God's +[3815.16 --> 3816.38] omnipresence. +[3816.56 --> 3817.08] God is +[3817.08 --> 3817.72] everywhere +[3817.72 --> 3818.80] present. +[3819.02 --> 3819.48] He says, +[3820.26 --> 3821.10] do I not +[3821.10 --> 3822.14] fill heaven +[3822.14 --> 3823.72] and earth, +[3824.22 --> 3824.80] declares the +[3824.80 --> 3825.00] Lord. +[3825.88 --> 3826.30] Again, +[3826.36 --> 3826.62] we can go +[3826.62 --> 3826.96] back to +[3826.96 --> 3828.14] Psalm 139. +[3830.04 --> 3830.48] Psalmist +[3830.48 --> 3830.78] says, +[3830.90 --> 3831.34] where can I +[3831.34 --> 3831.76] go from +[3831.76 --> 3832.30] your spirit? +[3832.42 --> 3832.90] Where can I +[3832.90 --> 3833.44] flee from +[3833.44 --> 3833.98] your presence? +[3834.44 --> 3835.10] If I go up +[3835.10 --> 3835.64] to the heavens, +[3835.78 --> 3836.24] you are there. +[3836.32 --> 3836.68] If I make +[3836.68 --> 3837.22] my bed in +[3837.22 --> 3837.62] the depths, +[3837.62 --> 3838.30] you are there. +[3838.62 --> 3839.40] If I rise +[3839.40 --> 3839.90] on the wings +[3839.90 --> 3840.52] of the dawn +[3840.52 --> 3840.94] and if I +[3840.94 --> 3841.52] settle on the +[3841.52 --> 3842.08] far side +[3842.08 --> 3842.60] of the sea, +[3842.74 --> 3843.68] even there +[3843.68 --> 3844.36] your hand +[3844.36 --> 3845.04] will guide me, +[3845.12 --> 3845.96] your right hand +[3845.96 --> 3846.92] will hold me +[3846.92 --> 3847.82] fast. +[3848.52 --> 3849.24] If I say, +[3849.40 --> 3849.94] surely the +[3849.94 --> 3850.62] darkness will +[3850.62 --> 3851.00] hide me +[3851.00 --> 3851.50] and the light +[3851.50 --> 3852.12] become night +[3852.12 --> 3852.76] around me, +[3853.10 --> 3853.84] even the +[3853.84 --> 3854.38] darkness +[3854.38 --> 3855.10] will not +[3855.10 --> 3855.64] be dark +[3855.64 --> 3856.10] to you. +[3856.52 --> 3857.10] The night +[3857.10 --> 3857.86] will shine +[3857.86 --> 3858.60] like the day, +[3858.74 --> 3859.34] for darkness +[3859.34 --> 3860.60] is as light +[3860.60 --> 3861.48] to you. +[3862.96 --> 3863.54] God +[3863.54 --> 3864.44] is +[3864.44 --> 3865.68] everywhere. +[3865.68 --> 3865.90] everywhere. +[3867.46 --> 3867.86] Now, +[3867.86 --> 3868.10] let me be +[3868.10 --> 3868.56] really clear +[3868.56 --> 3869.88] because that's +[3869.88 --> 3870.72] not the same +[3870.72 --> 3871.98] as everywhere +[3871.98 --> 3872.76] is God. +[3874.14 --> 3874.44] Right? +[3874.48 --> 3875.20] That's a form +[3875.20 --> 3876.10] of panentheism +[3876.10 --> 3877.14] or pantheism +[3877.14 --> 3877.76] where God +[3877.76 --> 3878.42] is part of +[3878.42 --> 3878.94] creation +[3878.94 --> 3880.02] or there are +[3880.02 --> 3880.60] aspects, +[3880.78 --> 3881.66] divine aspects +[3881.66 --> 3883.60] woven into +[3883.60 --> 3884.74] the created +[3884.74 --> 3885.98] things and +[3885.98 --> 3886.36] they come +[3886.36 --> 3887.12] together to +[3887.12 --> 3887.68] make up the +[3887.68 --> 3888.32] divine in +[3888.32 --> 3889.00] some way. +[3890.20 --> 3890.50] Instead, +[3890.82 --> 3891.44] God is +[3891.44 --> 3892.20] present +[3892.20 --> 3892.98] everywhere +[3892.98 --> 3894.28] by his +[3894.28 --> 3895.04] spirit. +[3895.88 --> 3896.36] In heaven, +[3896.50 --> 3896.66] yep, +[3896.78 --> 3897.12] God is +[3897.12 --> 3897.34] there. +[3897.84 --> 3898.26] In the +[3898.26 --> 3898.58] depths, +[3898.78 --> 3898.94] yep, +[3899.08 --> 3899.42] God is +[3899.42 --> 3899.64] there. +[3899.82 --> 3900.16] In the +[3900.16 --> 3900.44] morning, +[3900.60 --> 3900.76] yep, +[3900.90 --> 3901.26] God is +[3901.26 --> 3901.44] there. +[3901.64 --> 3902.04] On the +[3902.04 --> 3902.88] other side +[3902.88 --> 3903.14] of the +[3903.14 --> 3903.42] sea, +[3903.58 --> 3903.76] yep, +[3903.90 --> 3904.34] God is +[3904.34 --> 3904.58] there. +[3904.68 --> 3905.02] In the +[3905.02 --> 3905.40] darkness, +[3905.78 --> 3906.08] yes, +[3906.50 --> 3907.42] God is +[3907.42 --> 3907.70] there. +[3907.80 --> 3908.16] There is +[3908.16 --> 3908.52] nowhere, +[3908.90 --> 3909.46] no time, +[3909.58 --> 3910.18] no place +[3910.18 --> 3911.16] where God +[3911.16 --> 3912.52] is not. +[3915.38 --> 3915.98] Why does +[3915.98 --> 3916.26] that make +[3916.26 --> 3916.72] a difference? +[3918.82 --> 3919.30] Because, +[3919.58 --> 3920.18] that makes +[3920.18 --> 3920.56] a difference +[3920.56 --> 3921.54] because it +[3921.54 --> 3922.14] means there +[3922.14 --> 3922.72] is nowhere, +[3922.90 --> 3923.40] no time, +[3923.50 --> 3924.20] no place, +[3924.60 --> 3925.16] you can +[3925.16 --> 3925.86] be where +[3925.86 --> 3926.90] God is +[3926.90 --> 3928.02] not with +[3928.02 --> 3928.32] you. +[3929.84 --> 3930.48] God is +[3930.48 --> 3931.08] with you +[3931.08 --> 3931.72] in the +[3931.72 --> 3932.38] hospital room. +[3933.40 --> 3933.88] God is +[3933.88 --> 3934.50] with you +[3934.50 --> 3935.16] on the +[3935.16 --> 3935.70] graveside. +[3936.58 --> 3937.02] God is +[3937.02 --> 3937.66] with you +[3937.66 --> 3938.22] in the +[3938.22 --> 3938.62] counseling +[3938.62 --> 3938.94] room. +[3939.56 --> 3939.86] God is +[3939.86 --> 3940.40] with you +[3940.40 --> 3940.86] in the +[3940.86 --> 3941.38] workplace +[3941.38 --> 3942.14] or at +[3942.14 --> 3942.66] school +[3942.66 --> 3943.18] or at +[3943.18 --> 3943.66] the bar +[3943.66 --> 3944.32] or on +[3944.32 --> 3944.66] the golf +[3944.66 --> 3945.10] course. +[3946.52 --> 3947.66] When no +[3947.66 --> 3948.26] one else +[3948.26 --> 3948.68] is there +[3948.68 --> 3949.34] around you, +[3950.02 --> 3950.68] God is +[3950.68 --> 3951.16] with you. +[3952.14 --> 3953.34] He will +[3953.34 --> 3954.22] never leave +[3954.22 --> 3955.20] you nor +[3955.20 --> 3955.66] forsake +[3955.66 --> 3955.90] you. +[3958.48 --> 3959.38] I pray +[3959.38 --> 3959.76] that you +[3959.76 --> 3960.62] let this +[3960.62 --> 3962.44] truth change +[3962.44 --> 3963.26] the way you +[3963.26 --> 3964.28] see this +[3964.28 --> 3965.70] last year. +[3966.92 --> 3968.10] Even if it +[3968.10 --> 3968.68] was the most +[3968.68 --> 3969.14] difficult, +[3969.56 --> 3969.94] chaotic, +[3970.36 --> 3970.70] lonely, +[3971.00 --> 3971.52] heartbreaking, +[3971.76 --> 3972.46] body-breaking, +[3972.72 --> 3973.66] disappointing year +[3973.66 --> 3974.24] you've ever +[3974.24 --> 3974.60] had, +[3974.96 --> 3975.58] God was +[3975.58 --> 3977.16] always with +[3977.16 --> 3977.48] you. +[3977.48 --> 3979.20] now maybe +[3979.20 --> 3979.46] in the +[3979.46 --> 3979.84] moment you +[3979.84 --> 3980.30] didn't have +[3980.30 --> 3980.84] the eyes +[3980.84 --> 3981.86] to see +[3981.86 --> 3982.50] it or +[3982.50 --> 3983.10] a heart +[3983.10 --> 3983.92] to believe +[3983.92 --> 3984.92] it or +[3984.92 --> 3985.76] a will +[3985.76 --> 3986.88] to feel +[3986.88 --> 3987.10] it, +[3988.10 --> 3988.80] but that +[3988.80 --> 3989.12] doesn't +[3989.12 --> 3990.18] change the +[3990.18 --> 3990.66] truth. +[3991.66 --> 3992.94] God is +[3992.94 --> 3993.90] there +[3993.90 --> 3995.08] always. +[3997.32 --> 3998.10] God is +[3998.10 --> 3998.82] omnipotent, +[3999.56 --> 4000.10] God is +[4000.10 --> 4000.68] omniscient, +[4001.40 --> 4001.92] and God is +[4001.92 --> 4003.14] omnipresent, +[4004.28 --> 4004.86] the one +[4004.86 --> 4006.24] true God. +[4006.24 --> 4006.28] God. +[4007.94 --> 4008.12] And so +[4008.12 --> 4008.46] why does +[4008.46 --> 4009.06] Jeremiah, +[4009.42 --> 4010.10] in the face +[4010.10 --> 4010.88] of these +[4010.88 --> 4012.74] false health +[4012.74 --> 4013.32] and wealth +[4013.32 --> 4014.00] prosperity +[4014.00 --> 4015.18] teachers, +[4015.30 --> 4015.80] need to +[4015.80 --> 4016.40] remind you +[4016.40 --> 4016.84] of that? +[4018.12 --> 4018.86] Because you +[4018.86 --> 4019.14] see it +[4019.14 --> 4019.88] turns out +[4019.88 --> 4022.20] that if +[4022.20 --> 4022.84] God's +[4022.84 --> 4023.72] omnis are +[4023.72 --> 4024.28] true, +[4024.72 --> 4025.82] even trial, +[4025.98 --> 4026.68] even hardship, +[4026.82 --> 4027.44] even suffering, +[4027.56 --> 4028.38] even illness or +[4028.38 --> 4028.88] persecution, +[4029.40 --> 4029.90] even the +[4029.90 --> 4030.42] worst thing +[4030.42 --> 4030.88] that's happened +[4030.88 --> 4031.24] to you, +[4031.50 --> 4032.34] even all of +[4032.34 --> 4033.08] those things +[4033.08 --> 4034.60] are under +[4034.60 --> 4035.68] his control. +[4036.24 --> 4038.64] and in +[4038.64 --> 4039.28] some +[4039.28 --> 4040.66] divinely +[4040.66 --> 4041.48] mysterious +[4041.48 --> 4042.18] way, +[4042.32 --> 4042.76] they come +[4042.76 --> 4043.34] to you +[4043.34 --> 4044.58] by his +[4044.58 --> 4044.88] hand. +[4046.58 --> 4047.14] Which +[4047.14 --> 4047.52] means, +[4047.94 --> 4048.50] at a +[4048.50 --> 4048.90] minimum, +[4049.86 --> 4050.32] God has +[4050.32 --> 4051.04] a purpose +[4051.04 --> 4051.86] in them, +[4051.98 --> 4052.38] for them, +[4052.42 --> 4052.96] and through +[4052.96 --> 4053.24] them. +[4053.54 --> 4053.92] That God +[4053.92 --> 4054.24] has a +[4054.24 --> 4054.60] plan, +[4054.96 --> 4055.48] and God, +[4055.56 --> 4056.30] only this +[4056.30 --> 4056.72] God, +[4056.80 --> 4057.38] who is +[4057.38 --> 4057.92] omnipotent, +[4058.18 --> 4058.58] omniscient, +[4058.70 --> 4059.34] and omnipresent, +[4059.64 --> 4060.26] can accomplish +[4060.26 --> 4060.58] that. +[4061.58 --> 4062.24] If God +[4062.24 --> 4062.92] isn't those +[4062.92 --> 4063.76] three things, +[4063.94 --> 4064.82] your suffering, +[4064.82 --> 4065.76] meaningless. +[4066.98 --> 4067.58] If God +[4067.58 --> 4068.08] isn't those +[4068.08 --> 4068.70] three things, +[4069.00 --> 4069.52] whatever you +[4069.52 --> 4069.98] face in +[4069.98 --> 4070.26] life, +[4070.88 --> 4071.38] you can't +[4071.38 --> 4071.68] be sure +[4071.68 --> 4071.90] it has +[4071.90 --> 4072.36] a purpose. +[4073.56 --> 4074.22] You have +[4074.22 --> 4075.14] zero confidence +[4075.14 --> 4076.02] that the +[4076.02 --> 4077.04] reason you're +[4077.04 --> 4077.64] going through, +[4077.72 --> 4078.44] whatever it is +[4078.44 --> 4078.88] you're going +[4078.88 --> 4079.24] through, +[4079.46 --> 4080.16] is because +[4080.16 --> 4081.26] God has +[4081.26 --> 4081.84] an idea, +[4082.20 --> 4082.52] and God +[4082.52 --> 4082.78] is in +[4082.78 --> 4083.02] control. +[4083.18 --> 4083.68] But if +[4083.68 --> 4084.28] God is +[4084.28 --> 4084.68] who he +[4084.68 --> 4085.10] says he +[4085.10 --> 4085.42] is, +[4085.50 --> 4086.38] you can +[4086.38 --> 4087.16] have +[4087.16 --> 4088.04] confidence, +[4088.16 --> 4088.68] you can +[4088.68 --> 4089.70] be assured. +[4089.82 --> 4090.16] That's the +[4090.16 --> 4090.86] only way +[4090.86 --> 4091.66] to find +[4091.66 --> 4092.44] purpose. +[4092.44 --> 4092.56] false. +[4094.08 --> 4095.10] Turns out +[4095.10 --> 4096.38] this false +[4096.38 --> 4097.16] teaching +[4097.16 --> 4100.24] is false +[4100.24 --> 4101.14] and damaging +[4101.14 --> 4101.92] and hard +[4101.92 --> 4102.52] because it +[4102.52 --> 4103.86] sacrifices the +[4103.86 --> 4104.62] truth of +[4104.62 --> 4105.24] God, +[4105.30 --> 4105.52] and it +[4105.52 --> 4105.82] doesn't +[4105.82 --> 4106.10] actually +[4106.10 --> 4106.70] provide any +[4106.70 --> 4107.66] real comfort +[4107.66 --> 4108.20] or hope +[4108.20 --> 4108.74] because it +[4108.74 --> 4109.76] presumes that +[4109.76 --> 4110.52] sufferings and +[4110.52 --> 4111.12] hardships are +[4111.12 --> 4111.92] outside of +[4111.92 --> 4112.52] God's purpose +[4112.52 --> 4113.42] and power. +[4113.76 --> 4114.32] The God +[4114.32 --> 4114.74] of health +[4114.74 --> 4115.30] and wealth +[4115.30 --> 4116.12] isn't big +[4116.12 --> 4116.46] enough, +[4116.54 --> 4117.02] he isn't +[4117.02 --> 4118.02] omni enough +[4118.02 --> 4118.70] to have +[4118.70 --> 4119.06] that under +[4119.06 --> 4119.70] his control. +[4119.70 --> 4122.52] Now the +[4122.52 --> 4122.96] greatest +[4122.96 --> 4123.66] evidence, +[4123.78 --> 4124.28] the greatest +[4124.28 --> 4124.96] evidence that +[4124.96 --> 4126.14] God is, +[4126.34 --> 4126.64] of course, +[4126.74 --> 4127.34] in control, +[4127.48 --> 4127.72] that he +[4127.72 --> 4128.70] is big +[4128.70 --> 4129.12] enough, +[4129.22 --> 4129.46] that he +[4129.46 --> 4130.64] is all +[4130.64 --> 4131.14] knowing and +[4131.14 --> 4131.86] all powerful +[4131.86 --> 4132.68] and that he +[4132.68 --> 4133.90] is everywhere +[4133.90 --> 4135.78] present is, +[4136.58 --> 4137.24] in fact, +[4137.46 --> 4139.20] what Jeremiah +[4139.20 --> 4140.18] promises in +[4140.18 --> 4140.78] this chapter. +[4141.84 --> 4142.56] Because of +[4142.56 --> 4143.04] who God +[4143.04 --> 4143.46] is, +[4143.82 --> 4144.46] because he +[4144.46 --> 4145.04] is in +[4145.04 --> 4145.90] fact omni +[4145.90 --> 4146.56] enough, +[4147.04 --> 4147.74] he promises +[4147.74 --> 4148.24] that he +[4148.24 --> 4149.04] will eventually, +[4149.04 --> 4149.68] in chapter +[4149.68 --> 4150.14] 23, +[4150.24 --> 4150.74] verse 5, +[4151.18 --> 4151.74] raise up +[4151.74 --> 4152.44] a righteous +[4152.44 --> 4153.46] branch. +[4154.30 --> 4154.84] A righteous +[4154.84 --> 4155.40] branch to +[4155.40 --> 4155.92] take the +[4155.92 --> 4156.66] place of +[4156.66 --> 4157.74] these failed +[4157.74 --> 4158.18] kings. +[4158.30 --> 4158.68] A good +[4158.68 --> 4159.32] shepherd who +[4159.32 --> 4159.90] will rule +[4159.90 --> 4160.52] in the place +[4160.52 --> 4161.18] of the +[4161.18 --> 4161.72] oppressive +[4161.72 --> 4162.26] shepherds +[4162.26 --> 4163.08] of Jeremiah's +[4163.08 --> 4163.24] day. +[4163.64 --> 4164.12] God would +[4164.12 --> 4164.64] accomplish +[4164.64 --> 4165.30] this new +[4165.30 --> 4165.78] act of +[4165.78 --> 4166.28] salvation +[4166.28 --> 4167.00] that would +[4167.00 --> 4168.00] eclipse even +[4168.00 --> 4168.92] the exodus +[4168.92 --> 4169.58] for the +[4169.58 --> 4169.82] people. +[4169.98 --> 4170.70] God promises +[4170.70 --> 4171.38] a new +[4171.38 --> 4171.86] covenant +[4171.86 --> 4172.64] that would +[4172.64 --> 4173.14] change +[4173.14 --> 4173.76] people's +[4173.76 --> 4174.30] hearts. +[4175.26 --> 4175.86] In place +[4175.86 --> 4176.20] of the +[4176.20 --> 4176.72] external +[4176.72 --> 4177.40] obediences +[4177.40 --> 4177.94] and the +[4177.94 --> 4178.54] hypocritical +[4178.54 --> 4178.88] hearts, +[4179.04 --> 4179.38] that are +[4179.38 --> 4179.80] all around +[4179.80 --> 4179.94] them, +[4180.02 --> 4180.44] God would +[4180.44 --> 4180.86] give them +[4180.86 --> 4181.52] new hearts, +[4181.66 --> 4182.32] true hearts, +[4182.66 --> 4183.12] hearts of +[4183.12 --> 4184.30] flesh transformed +[4184.30 --> 4184.92] out of these +[4184.92 --> 4185.42] hearts of +[4185.42 --> 4185.76] stone, +[4186.20 --> 4186.94] circumcised +[4186.94 --> 4187.28] hearts, +[4187.38 --> 4188.12] to use the +[4188.12 --> 4188.98] language of +[4188.98 --> 4189.28] Jeremiah, +[4189.46 --> 4190.18] to restore +[4190.18 --> 4190.88] the fallen +[4190.88 --> 4191.68] relationships +[4191.68 --> 4192.74] of people +[4192.74 --> 4194.18] to our +[4194.18 --> 4194.78] God. +[4196.12 --> 4196.76] We see +[4196.76 --> 4197.34] that most +[4197.34 --> 4198.04] clearly when +[4198.04 --> 4198.80] God took +[4198.80 --> 4199.44] the greatest +[4199.44 --> 4200.70] evil ever +[4200.70 --> 4201.18] intended, +[4201.30 --> 4201.66] that is when +[4201.66 --> 4202.28] humanity +[4202.28 --> 4204.36] ourselves put +[4204.36 --> 4204.90] God on a +[4204.90 --> 4205.24] cross, +[4205.30 --> 4205.72] when we +[4205.72 --> 4206.86] killed God, +[4206.94 --> 4207.54] God took the +[4207.54 --> 4208.16] greatest evil +[4208.16 --> 4208.78] ever intended +[4208.78 --> 4209.10] and he +[4209.10 --> 4209.80] turned that +[4209.80 --> 4210.74] into the +[4210.74 --> 4211.18] greatest +[4211.18 --> 4212.08] good you +[4212.08 --> 4212.60] could ever +[4212.60 --> 4213.34] imagine +[4213.34 --> 4214.08] possible. +[4214.40 --> 4215.20] God used +[4215.20 --> 4215.86] the cross, +[4215.98 --> 4216.34] the death +[4216.34 --> 4216.90] of himself, +[4216.90 --> 4218.20] to restore +[4218.20 --> 4219.60] humanity to +[4219.60 --> 4220.34] the very God +[4220.34 --> 4220.66] that we +[4220.66 --> 4220.96] killed. +[4221.64 --> 4222.58] Because Jesus +[4222.58 --> 4223.46] lived the life +[4223.46 --> 4224.06] I should have +[4224.06 --> 4224.70] lived and +[4224.70 --> 4225.46] died the death +[4225.46 --> 4225.80] that I +[4225.80 --> 4226.34] deserved, +[4226.46 --> 4227.08] because of +[4227.08 --> 4227.76] God's +[4227.76 --> 4228.36] omnis, +[4228.50 --> 4228.90] he could +[4228.90 --> 4229.50] guide and +[4229.50 --> 4230.12] shape and +[4230.12 --> 4231.06] lead history +[4231.06 --> 4232.02] to make +[4232.02 --> 4233.48] that possible. +[4234.42 --> 4235.34] Because Jesus +[4235.34 --> 4236.20] rose victorious +[4236.20 --> 4236.88] over sin +[4236.88 --> 4237.40] and death, +[4237.88 --> 4238.56] bearing the +[4238.56 --> 4239.22] curse for +[4239.22 --> 4240.02] my sin and +[4240.02 --> 4240.66] giving me +[4240.66 --> 4241.74] the righteousness +[4241.74 --> 4243.04] required to +[4243.04 --> 4243.80] come before +[4243.80 --> 4244.68] a holy God. +[4244.80 --> 4245.52] Because he +[4245.52 --> 4246.52] did all of +[4246.52 --> 4247.52] that, I +[4247.52 --> 4248.06] can rest +[4248.06 --> 4249.00] assured in +[4249.00 --> 4249.36] what I'm +[4249.36 --> 4249.56] going to +[4249.56 --> 4250.08] call the +[4250.08 --> 4251.04] omni-comfort +[4251.04 --> 4251.80] of God. +[4252.92 --> 4253.38] And yes, +[4253.42 --> 4253.86] I made that +[4253.86 --> 4254.12] up. +[4255.40 --> 4256.42] Omni-comfort. +[4257.42 --> 4257.86] Because it +[4257.86 --> 4258.20] works. +[4259.04 --> 4260.20] God is all +[4260.20 --> 4260.96] comforting. +[4262.32 --> 4262.92] Everywhere +[4262.92 --> 4265.24] comfort is +[4265.24 --> 4266.70] mine, is +[4266.70 --> 4268.26] yours because +[4268.26 --> 4269.44] of Jesus. +[4271.22 --> 4271.78] And this +[4271.78 --> 4272.68] omni-comfort +[4272.68 --> 4273.60] is real +[4273.60 --> 4274.82] because God +[4274.82 --> 4275.80] really is +[4275.80 --> 4276.54] omnipotent, +[4276.68 --> 4277.12] omniscient, +[4277.26 --> 4278.34] and omnipresent. +[4280.32 --> 4280.64] You know, +[4281.14 --> 4282.22] in theology, +[4282.42 --> 4282.66] and in +[4282.66 --> 4283.02] particular +[4283.02 --> 4283.56] Reformed +[4283.56 --> 4284.42] theology, +[4284.92 --> 4285.54] we have a +[4285.54 --> 4286.70] word for +[4286.70 --> 4287.38] this. +[4287.52 --> 4288.20] When God +[4288.20 --> 4289.16] acts out +[4289.16 --> 4290.26] his omnipotence, +[4290.36 --> 4290.78] omniscience, +[4290.92 --> 4291.78] and omnipresence +[4291.78 --> 4293.18] to bring us +[4293.18 --> 4293.62] comfort, +[4293.62 --> 4293.68] word, +[4294.88 --> 4295.88] that word +[4295.88 --> 4296.72] is providence, +[4297.44 --> 4297.94] God's +[4297.94 --> 4298.76] providence. +[4299.80 --> 4300.08] And look, +[4300.88 --> 4301.72] I know that +[4301.72 --> 4302.10] in our +[4302.10 --> 4303.00] church tradition, +[4303.78 --> 4304.48] the Reformed +[4304.48 --> 4304.86] tradition, +[4304.98 --> 4305.32] if you're not +[4305.32 --> 4306.00] familiar what +[4306.00 --> 4306.44] that means, +[4306.50 --> 4306.94] we can talk +[4306.94 --> 4307.36] after the +[4307.36 --> 4307.70] service, +[4308.82 --> 4310.28] particularly as +[4310.28 --> 4311.08] it is expressed +[4311.08 --> 4312.46] in the words +[4312.46 --> 4312.72] of the +[4312.72 --> 4313.12] Heidelberg +[4313.12 --> 4313.72] Catechism, +[4314.50 --> 4315.56] there's a lot +[4315.56 --> 4316.22] of people here +[4316.22 --> 4316.72] who have a +[4316.72 --> 4317.54] deep love for +[4317.54 --> 4318.04] question and +[4318.04 --> 4318.74] answer one, +[4320.08 --> 4320.72] but then they +[4320.72 --> 4321.50] have neither +[4321.50 --> 4322.76] read or have +[4322.76 --> 4323.80] forgotten the +[4323.80 --> 4324.14] rest. +[4325.28 --> 4326.06] But to my +[4326.06 --> 4326.48] mind, +[4327.56 --> 4327.96] question and +[4327.96 --> 4328.62] answer 27 +[4328.62 --> 4329.26] and 28 +[4329.26 --> 4330.78] might rival +[4330.78 --> 4331.34] question and +[4331.34 --> 4331.96] answer one +[4331.96 --> 4332.68] for its +[4332.68 --> 4333.66] beauty and +[4333.66 --> 4334.18] its import. +[4334.60 --> 4334.98] So I want to +[4334.98 --> 4335.34] share that +[4335.34 --> 4335.72] with you. +[4337.98 --> 4338.78] The question +[4338.78 --> 4339.26] asked is, +[4339.36 --> 4339.78] what do you +[4339.78 --> 4340.76] understand by +[4340.76 --> 4341.40] the providence +[4341.40 --> 4341.92] of God? +[4343.02 --> 4343.58] And hear these +[4343.58 --> 4343.86] words. +[4345.02 --> 4345.96] The almighty, +[4346.58 --> 4347.66] ever-present +[4347.66 --> 4348.92] power of God +[4348.92 --> 4349.98] by which He +[4349.98 --> 4350.66] upholds, +[4350.70 --> 4351.46] as with His +[4351.46 --> 4352.26] hand, heaven +[4352.26 --> 4353.08] and earth +[4353.08 --> 4353.56] and all +[4353.56 --> 4353.98] creatures, +[4354.40 --> 4355.00] and so +[4355.00 --> 4356.06] rules them +[4356.06 --> 4356.82] that leaf +[4356.82 --> 4357.64] and blade, +[4357.90 --> 4358.56] rain and +[4358.56 --> 4358.88] drought, +[4359.28 --> 4360.02] fruitful and +[4360.02 --> 4360.66] lean years, +[4361.00 --> 4361.76] food and +[4361.76 --> 4362.14] drink, +[4362.46 --> 4363.18] health and +[4363.18 --> 4363.56] sickness, +[4363.80 --> 4365.00] prosperity and +[4365.00 --> 4365.48] poverty, +[4365.84 --> 4367.00] all things, +[4367.20 --> 4367.72] in fact, +[4368.06 --> 4368.80] come to us +[4368.80 --> 4370.24] not by chance +[4370.24 --> 4371.88] but by His +[4371.88 --> 4373.78] fatherly hand. +[4375.24 --> 4375.90] And then the +[4375.90 --> 4376.58] question follows, +[4376.66 --> 4377.08] well how does +[4377.08 --> 4377.82] this knowledge of +[4377.82 --> 4378.64] creation and +[4378.64 --> 4379.12] providence, +[4379.24 --> 4380.12] this omni-comfort +[4380.12 --> 4380.58] of God, +[4380.64 --> 4381.42] how does this +[4381.42 --> 4382.48] help us? +[4383.60 --> 4384.44] And the answer, +[4384.56 --> 4385.14] we can be +[4385.14 --> 4386.46] patient when +[4386.46 --> 4386.94] things go +[4386.94 --> 4387.64] against us, +[4387.84 --> 4388.62] thankful when +[4388.62 --> 4389.44] things go +[4389.44 --> 4389.82] well, +[4390.02 --> 4390.68] and for the +[4390.68 --> 4391.38] future we +[4391.38 --> 4392.14] can have good +[4392.14 --> 4393.04] confidence in +[4393.04 --> 4393.76] our faithful +[4393.76 --> 4395.00] God and +[4395.00 --> 4395.70] Father that +[4395.70 --> 4396.92] nothing in +[4396.92 --> 4397.58] all of +[4397.58 --> 4398.38] creation will +[4398.38 --> 4399.30] separate us +[4399.30 --> 4400.00] from His +[4400.00 --> 4400.26] love, +[4400.34 --> 4401.18] for all +[4401.18 --> 4401.86] creatures are +[4401.86 --> 4403.00] so completely +[4403.00 --> 4403.82] in God's +[4403.82 --> 4404.26] hand that +[4404.26 --> 4404.90] without His +[4404.90 --> 4405.40] will they +[4405.40 --> 4405.76] can neither +[4405.76 --> 4407.76] move nor +[4407.76 --> 4408.84] be moved. +[4410.12 --> 4411.12] God is. +[4411.12 --> 4411.52] Now, +[4412.04 --> 4414.24] people don't +[4414.24 --> 4414.96] talk like that +[4414.96 --> 4415.28] anymore. +[4417.58 --> 4418.44] But maybe we +[4418.44 --> 4418.70] should. +[4420.32 --> 4420.96] Maybe we +[4420.96 --> 4421.26] should hold +[4421.26 --> 4422.12] this truth +[4422.12 --> 4422.62] of who God +[4422.62 --> 4423.14] is in front +[4423.14 --> 4423.88] of us as +[4423.88 --> 4424.38] we look back +[4424.38 --> 4424.98] on 2023 +[4424.98 --> 4425.78] and as we +[4425.78 --> 4426.08] go into +[4426.08 --> 4426.68] 2024. +[4427.44 --> 4428.08] When you +[4428.08 --> 4429.40] understand who +[4429.40 --> 4430.44] God is, +[4430.52 --> 4431.14] you can better +[4431.14 --> 4432.34] understand where +[4432.34 --> 4434.12] God is. +[4434.12 --> 4434.18] God is. +[4435.76 --> 4436.36] And so, +[4437.12 --> 4439.84] after service, +[4440.20 --> 4440.96] if you go to +[4440.96 --> 4441.36] the Connect +[4441.36 --> 4441.88] booth, +[4442.72 --> 4443.16] there will +[4443.16 --> 4444.64] be a +[4444.64 --> 4446.62] printing of +[4446.62 --> 4447.28] question and +[4447.28 --> 4448.14] answer 27 and +[4448.14 --> 4448.78] 28 from the +[4448.78 --> 4449.06] Heidelberg +[4449.06 --> 4450.30] Catechism that +[4450.30 --> 4450.60] we want to +[4450.60 --> 4451.08] give to you. +[4451.44 --> 4451.80] And you can +[4451.80 --> 4452.08] put it on +[4452.08 --> 4452.66] your fridge, +[4453.14 --> 4453.90] you can put +[4453.90 --> 4454.42] it on your +[4454.42 --> 4455.90] message board +[4455.90 --> 4456.40] or your +[4456.40 --> 4457.40] poster board +[4457.40 --> 4458.18] or whatever +[4458.18 --> 4458.74] it is that +[4458.74 --> 4459.24] you have in +[4459.24 --> 4459.64] your house +[4459.64 --> 4459.94] where you +[4459.94 --> 4460.56] post things +[4460.56 --> 4461.08] to keep in +[4461.08 --> 4461.46] front of you +[4461.46 --> 4461.88] always. +[4461.88 --> 4462.58] We want to +[4462.58 --> 4463.12] give that to +[4463.12 --> 4463.62] you so that +[4463.62 --> 4464.12] you can take +[4464.12 --> 4464.82] it and just +[4464.82 --> 4466.40] see it for +[4466.40 --> 4466.84] the rest of +[4466.84 --> 4467.14] the year. +[4467.92 --> 4468.48] This is who +[4468.48 --> 4468.96] God is. +[4470.56 --> 4470.76] And so, +[4470.84 --> 4471.04] there's a +[4471.04 --> 4471.72] hundred copies +[4471.72 --> 4472.20] back there. +[4472.74 --> 4472.84] So, +[4472.90 --> 4473.22] the first +[4473.22 --> 4474.96] hundred get +[4474.96 --> 4475.52] to go and +[4475.52 --> 4475.82] get it. +[4476.02 --> 4476.52] If we need +[4476.52 --> 4476.82] more, +[4476.96 --> 4477.36] we'll figure +[4477.36 --> 4477.74] out a way. +[4477.84 --> 4478.08] We'll put +[4478.08 --> 4478.40] them in the +[4478.40 --> 4478.82] bulletin or +[4478.82 --> 4479.26] something this +[4479.26 --> 4479.48] week. +[4480.26 --> 4480.80] But please, +[4481.32 --> 4482.02] think about +[4482.02 --> 4482.50] whether or not +[4482.50 --> 4483.18] you go and +[4483.18 --> 4484.22] grab one and +[4484.22 --> 4484.94] put it somewhere +[4484.94 --> 4486.84] prominent as +[4486.84 --> 4487.54] you enter into +[4487.54 --> 4488.96] this year. +[4489.90 --> 4490.40] Because no +[4490.40 --> 4490.72] matter what +[4490.72 --> 4491.30] kind of year +[4491.30 --> 4491.64] you have +[4491.64 --> 4492.04] had, +[4493.02 --> 4493.52] it's not +[4493.52 --> 4494.56] about pessimism +[4494.56 --> 4495.46] or optimism, +[4495.70 --> 4495.88] it's not +[4495.88 --> 4496.52] about apathy +[4496.52 --> 4497.66] or even hope, +[4498.26 --> 4498.92] it's about +[4498.92 --> 4499.74] God. +[4500.94 --> 4502.52] God is +[4502.52 --> 4503.40] God, +[4503.78 --> 4505.74] always and +[4505.74 --> 4506.92] in all +[4506.92 --> 4507.80] ways. +[4508.34 --> 4508.54] Amen? +[4509.30 --> 4510.02] Amen. +[4510.22 --> 4510.50] Let's pray +[4510.50 --> 4510.80] together. +[4510.80 --> 4518.74] holy, +[4519.54 --> 4520.12] majestic, +[4520.82 --> 4522.64] amazing God. +[4524.32 --> 4525.28] We come +[4525.28 --> 4526.48] to you now +[4526.48 --> 4527.22] at the end +[4527.22 --> 4528.08] of this year. +[4528.18 --> 4528.74] We come to +[4528.74 --> 4529.12] you now +[4529.12 --> 4529.92] looking forward +[4529.92 --> 4531.04] to the next +[4531.04 --> 4531.46] year. +[4531.76 --> 4532.48] We come to +[4532.48 --> 4533.12] you to +[4533.12 --> 4534.52] experience your +[4534.52 --> 4535.54] omni-comfort, +[4535.54 --> 4536.68] to experience +[4536.68 --> 4537.56] and to +[4537.56 --> 4538.42] know your +[4538.42 --> 4539.26] providential +[4539.26 --> 4540.36] hand at +[4540.36 --> 4540.88] work in +[4540.88 --> 4541.64] us and +[4541.64 --> 4542.36] through us +[4542.36 --> 4543.42] and for +[4543.42 --> 4543.72] us. +[4543.84 --> 4544.64] And so we +[4544.64 --> 4544.92] pray, +[4545.08 --> 4545.48] Lord God, +[4545.56 --> 4546.10] give us +[4546.10 --> 4546.78] eyes to +[4546.78 --> 4547.58] see most +[4547.58 --> 4548.56] clearly today +[4548.56 --> 4549.58] you at +[4549.58 --> 4550.06] work in +[4550.06 --> 4550.44] the world. +[4551.84 --> 4552.66] And when we +[4552.66 --> 4553.02] don't have +[4553.02 --> 4553.94] eyes to see, +[4554.12 --> 4554.54] Lord God, +[4554.70 --> 4555.52] I pray that +[4555.52 --> 4555.88] by your +[4555.88 --> 4556.36] spirit you +[4556.36 --> 4556.66] would give +[4556.66 --> 4557.30] us hearts +[4557.30 --> 4557.94] of faith +[4557.94 --> 4558.82] to trust +[4558.82 --> 4559.94] that you +[4559.94 --> 4561.12] are at +[4561.12 --> 4561.76] work. +[4561.76 --> 4563.72] and that +[4563.72 --> 4564.32] in all +[4564.32 --> 4565.10] things and +[4565.10 --> 4565.94] through all +[4565.94 --> 4566.96] things you +[4566.96 --> 4568.30] will be +[4568.30 --> 4569.54] glorified. +[4570.86 --> 4571.58] That no +[4571.58 --> 4572.34] matter what +[4572.34 --> 4573.20] trials and +[4573.20 --> 4574.06] tribulations we +[4574.06 --> 4574.76] might face +[4574.76 --> 4575.88] now in this +[4575.88 --> 4576.72] moment, no +[4576.72 --> 4577.06] matter what +[4577.06 --> 4578.18] present sufferings +[4578.18 --> 4579.06] we might be +[4579.06 --> 4579.64] enduring, no +[4579.64 --> 4580.16] matter what +[4580.16 --> 4581.22] groanings of +[4581.22 --> 4582.08] creation we +[4582.08 --> 4583.20] might hear and +[4583.20 --> 4584.26] share, that +[4584.26 --> 4585.08] we know +[4585.08 --> 4586.96] that all +[4586.96 --> 4588.28] things will +[4588.28 --> 4588.90] work together +[4588.90 --> 4589.60] for the good +[4589.60 --> 4590.84] of those who +[4590.84 --> 4591.42] love you and +[4591.42 --> 4591.62] who have +[4591.62 --> 4592.12] been called +[4592.12 --> 4592.84] according to +[4592.84 --> 4594.06] your purpose. +[4594.30 --> 4595.14] And so fill +[4595.14 --> 4596.22] us now with +[4596.22 --> 4597.40] your purpose, +[4597.56 --> 4598.28] Lord God, the +[4598.28 --> 4599.14] purpose to +[4599.14 --> 4600.68] glorify yourself +[4600.68 --> 4601.94] among us. +[4604.18 --> 4605.44] May this +[4605.44 --> 4606.90] year, past +[4606.90 --> 4607.96] and coming, +[4608.58 --> 4609.68] be for that +[4609.68 --> 4611.36] purpose together. +[4612.12 --> 4612.60] In Jesus +[4612.60 --> 4613.60] Christ we pray +[4613.60 --> 4614.46] and all God's +[4614.46 --> 4614.92] people said, +[4615.54 --> 4616.04] Amen. +[4621.42 --> 4624.56] let's stand and +[4624.56 --> 4625.14] join our voices +[4625.14 --> 4625.56] together. +[4625.56 --> 4628.56] Let's stand and +[4628.56 --> 4629.14] join our voices +[4629.14 --> 4629.56] together. +[4629.56 --> 4642.46] should nothing of +[4642.46 --> 4644.96] our efforts stand, +[4644.96 --> 4647.44] no legacy +[4647.44 --> 4649.02] survive, +[4649.02 --> 4653.66] unless the Lord +[4653.66 --> 4656.32] does raise the house, +[4656.32 --> 4658.52] in vain, +[4658.52 --> 4658.54] in vain, +[4658.54 --> 4659.72] its builders +[4659.72 --> 4660.78] strive. +[4662.52 --> 4663.84] To you +[4663.84 --> 4665.30] who boast +[4665.30 --> 4667.86] tomorrow's game, +[4668.22 --> 4669.58] tell me +[4669.58 --> 4670.96] what is +[4670.96 --> 4673.16] your life, +[4673.70 --> 4675.42] amidst +[4675.42 --> 4675.74] the +[4675.74 --> 4677.26] vanishes +[4677.26 --> 4678.92] at dawn, +[4679.22 --> 4681.16] all glory +[4681.16 --> 4684.16] be to Christ. +[4684.16 --> 4686.56] All glory +[4686.56 --> 4689.00] be to Christ, +[4689.12 --> 4689.74] our King, +[4690.06 --> 4691.82] all glory +[4691.82 --> 4694.16] be to Christ. +[4695.16 --> 4696.16] His rule +[4696.84 --> 4697.16] and reign +[4697.76 --> 4700.12] will ever sing, +[4700.38 --> 4702.16] all glory +[4702.16 --> 4704.16] be to Christ. +[4707.84 --> 4709.16] His will +[4709.16 --> 4710.68] will be done, +[4710.80 --> 4712.34] His kingdom +[4712.34 --> 4712.94] come, +[4713.20 --> 4714.82] all earth +[4714.82 --> 4715.80] as it +[4715.80 --> 4716.68] is above. +[4718.14 --> 4719.86] Who is +[4719.86 --> 4720.68] Himself +[4720.68 --> 4721.36] our +[4721.36 --> 4722.36] day +[4722.36 --> 4722.92] and +[4722.92 --> 4724.86] praise Him, +[4724.94 --> 4725.84] the Lord +[4725.84 --> 4726.38] of +[4726.38 --> 4727.70] love. +[4728.22 --> 4730.10] Let living +[4730.10 --> 4731.18] waters +[4731.18 --> 4733.06] satisfy +[4733.06 --> 4734.98] the thirsty +[4734.98 --> 4736.26] without +[4736.26 --> 4737.76] rise. +[4737.76 --> 4739.88] will take +[4739.88 --> 4740.82] the cup +[4740.82 --> 4741.38] of +[4741.38 --> 4742.60] kindness +[4742.60 --> 4743.04] yet, +[4743.32 --> 4744.92] all glory +[4744.92 --> 4746.14] be to +[4746.14 --> 4747.60] Christ. +[4748.12 --> 4749.82] All glory +[4749.82 --> 4751.04] be to +[4751.04 --> 4752.18] Christ, +[4752.28 --> 4752.88] our King, +[4753.10 --> 4754.72] all glory +[4754.72 --> 4755.98] be to +[4755.98 --> 4757.50] Christ. +[4757.92 --> 4759.56] His rule +[4759.56 --> 4760.42] and reign +[4760.42 --> 4762.10] will ever +[4762.10 --> 4762.60] sing, +[4762.90 --> 4764.54] all glory +[4764.54 --> 4765.78] be to +[4765.78 --> 4767.86] Christ. +[4769.86 --> 4772.08] When on +[4772.08 --> 4773.02] the day +[4773.02 --> 4774.60] the great +[4774.60 --> 4775.52] I am, +[4775.60 --> 4777.28] the faithful +[4777.28 --> 4778.66] and the +[4778.66 --> 4779.38] true, +[4780.38 --> 4782.26] the Lamb +[4782.26 --> 4783.18] who was +[4783.18 --> 4784.92] for sinners +[4784.92 --> 4785.46] slain, +[4785.68 --> 4787.32] is making +[4787.32 --> 4788.66] all things +[4788.66 --> 4789.82] new. +[4790.54 --> 4792.04] Behold, +[4792.04 --> 4792.94] our God +[4792.94 --> 4794.56] shall live +[4794.56 --> 4795.28] with us +[4795.28 --> 4796.60] and be +[4796.60 --> 4797.26] our +[4797.26 --> 4798.36] steadfast +[4798.36 --> 4799.66] life, +[4800.16 --> 4801.34] and we +[4801.34 --> 4802.06] shall +[4802.06 --> 4803.14] let His +[4803.14 --> 4804.88] people be, +[4805.00 --> 4806.66] all glory +[4806.66 --> 4807.78] be to +[4807.78 --> 4809.22] Christ. +[4809.22 --> 4811.44] All glory +[4811.44 --> 4812.60] be to +[4812.60 --> 4813.60] Christ, +[4813.68 --> 4814.42] our King, +[4814.58 --> 4816.14] all glory +[4816.14 --> 4817.28] be to +[4817.28 --> 4818.62] Christ. +[4818.62 --> 4820.66] His rule +[4820.66 --> 4821.50] and reign +[4821.50 --> 4823.08] will ever +[4823.08 --> 4823.66] sing, +[4823.88 --> 4825.40] all glory +[4825.40 --> 4826.56] be to +[4826.56 --> 4827.90] Christ. +[4828.36 --> 4830.08] All glory +[4830.08 --> 4831.30] be to +[4831.30 --> 4832.32] Christ, +[4832.42 --> 4833.12] our King, +[4833.36 --> 4834.94] all glory +[4834.94 --> 4836.16] be to +[4836.16 --> 4837.56] Christ. +[4838.08 --> 4839.68] His rule +[4839.68 --> 4840.52] and reign +[4840.52 --> 4842.24] will ever +[4842.24 --> 4842.82] sing, +[4843.14 --> 4844.94] all glory +[4844.94 --> 4846.38] be to +[4846.38 --> 4847.42] Christ. +[4848.62 --> 4857.96] as go +[4857.96 --> 4858.68] into +[4858.68 --> 4859.52] today, +[4859.72 --> 4860.28] as you +[4860.28 --> 4861.20] go into +[4861.20 --> 4861.98] the next +[4861.98 --> 4862.52] year, +[4862.92 --> 4863.58] know that +[4863.58 --> 4864.26] God Himself +[4864.26 --> 4865.98] goes with +[4865.98 --> 4866.32] us. +[4866.84 --> 4867.76] Go also +[4867.76 --> 4868.14] with an +[4868.14 --> 4868.56] invitation +[4868.56 --> 4869.46] following our +[4869.46 --> 4869.80] worship, +[4869.92 --> 4870.04] there will +[4870.04 --> 4870.42] be some +[4870.42 --> 4871.12] refreshments, +[4871.26 --> 4871.98] please hang +[4871.98 --> 4872.26] out, +[4872.42 --> 4872.84] fellowship +[4872.84 --> 4874.46] together at +[4874.46 --> 4874.88] the back, +[4875.14 --> 4875.52] connecting +[4875.52 --> 4876.40] with one +[4876.40 --> 4876.70] another. +[4877.28 --> 4877.94] If you +[4877.94 --> 4878.42] would like +[4878.42 --> 4879.52] to be +[4879.52 --> 4880.24] prayed with +[4880.24 --> 4880.96] or over, +[4881.12 --> 4881.56] there is +[4881.56 --> 4882.18] someone who +[4882.18 --> 4882.58] will come +[4882.58 --> 4883.06] up here +[4883.06 --> 4883.42] to the +[4883.42 --> 4883.68] front, +[4883.80 --> 4884.08] they'll have +[4884.08 --> 4884.40] a name +[4884.40 --> 4884.88] tag on +[4884.88 --> 4885.12] with a +[4885.12 --> 4885.54] little yellow +[4885.54 --> 4885.88] square, +[4886.00 --> 4886.20] they would +[4886.20 --> 4886.52] love to +[4886.52 --> 4887.00] meet you +[4887.00 --> 4887.90] and pray +[4887.90 --> 4888.34] with you, +[4889.00 --> 4889.64] but of +[4889.64 --> 4890.02] course, +[4890.44 --> 4891.02] so would +[4891.02 --> 4891.70] most any +[4891.70 --> 4892.30] of us +[4892.30 --> 4892.66] here, +[4893.06 --> 4893.42] and so +[4893.42 --> 4893.86] turn to +[4893.86 --> 4894.22] the person +[4894.22 --> 4894.80] beside you +[4894.80 --> 4895.16] if you +[4895.16 --> 4895.58] would love +[4895.58 --> 4896.40] and like +[4896.40 --> 4896.80] prayer +[4896.80 --> 4897.30] together. +[4898.50 --> 4898.98] Lastly, +[4899.18 --> 4899.96] just one +[4899.96 --> 4900.60] more reminder, +[4900.94 --> 4901.40] come to the +[4901.40 --> 4902.00] Connect booth +[4902.00 --> 4902.58] if you'd like +[4902.58 --> 4903.36] to get one +[4903.36 --> 4903.90] of those +[4903.90 --> 4904.74] question-answer +[4904.74 --> 4906.02] 27-28 cards +[4906.02 --> 4906.62] to take home, +[4906.62 --> 4907.50] or if you'd +[4907.50 --> 4907.92] like to +[4907.92 --> 4908.64] connect with +[4908.64 --> 4908.82] me. +[4909.30 --> 4910.12] We've had a lot +[4910.12 --> 4910.52] of guests +[4910.52 --> 4911.02] with us +[4911.02 --> 4911.42] in the last +[4911.42 --> 4911.66] while, +[4911.74 --> 4911.92] and so +[4911.92 --> 4913.04] please find +[4913.04 --> 4913.58] me at the +[4913.58 --> 4914.10] Connect booth +[4914.10 --> 4914.36] there, +[4914.44 --> 4914.82] and I can +[4914.82 --> 4915.22] answer any +[4915.22 --> 4915.76] questions you +[4915.76 --> 4916.16] might have. +[4916.60 --> 4917.28] Now with +[4917.28 --> 4917.84] the blessing +[4917.84 --> 4918.92] of our God. +[4920.68 --> 4921.50] God, go +[4921.50 --> 4922.30] before you +[4922.30 --> 4923.32] to lead you. +[4924.02 --> 4924.54] God, go +[4924.54 --> 4925.14] behind you +[4925.14 --> 4925.68] to protect +[4925.68 --> 4926.00] you. +[4926.28 --> 4926.88] God, go +[4926.88 --> 4927.54] beneath you +[4927.54 --> 4928.18] to support +[4928.18 --> 4928.52] you, +[4928.60 --> 4929.28] and God, +[4929.40 --> 4930.20] go beside +[4930.20 --> 4930.88] you to +[4930.88 --> 4931.56] befriend you. +[4932.10 --> 4932.66] Do not +[4932.66 --> 4934.28] be afraid. +[4934.28 --> 4934.34] afraid. +[4935.04 --> 4935.46] Let the +[4935.46 --> 4936.00] blessing of +[4936.00 --> 4936.42] God come +[4936.42 --> 4936.84] upon you +[4936.84 --> 4937.08] today. +[4937.22 --> 4937.64] Do not +[4937.64 --> 4938.60] be afraid, +[4939.00 --> 4939.56] but go +[4939.56 --> 4940.64] in peace +[4940.64 --> 4941.62] to love +[4941.62 --> 4942.58] and serve +[4942.58 --> 4943.30] the Lord. +[4944.36 --> 4944.92] Amen. +[4944.92 --> 4945.06] Amen. +[4945.06 --> 4945.12] Amen. +[4945.12 --> 4947.14] Amen. +[4947.14 --> 4951.12] Amen. +[4951.12 --> 4966.10] Oh, Lord, bless you. +[4966.94 --> 4969.22] I'll keep you. +[4970.14 --> 4973.36] Make your face shine upon you. +[4973.72 --> 4976.04] Be gracious to you. +[4976.04 --> 4986.76] Lord, turn his face toward you and give you peace. +[4991.42 --> 4997.68] Lord, bless you and keep you. +[4998.34 --> 5001.46] Make his face shine upon you. +[5001.84 --> 5004.14] Be gracious to you. +[5004.14 --> 5015.14] Lord, turn his face toward you and give you peace. +[5015.14 --> 5017.14] Amen. +[5017.14 --> 5022.14] Amen. +[5022.14 --> 5023.14] Amen. +[5023.14 --> 5023.64] Amen. +[5024.14 --> 5025.14] Amen. +[5025.14 --> 5025.74] Amen. +[5025.74 --> 5029.14] Amen. +[5029.14 --> 5033.14] Amen. +[5033.14 --> 5041.24] Amen, Amen, Amen. +[5043.82 --> 5050.34] Lord bless you and keep you. +[5050.34 --> 5054.08] May His face shine upon you. +[5054.44 --> 5056.80] Be gracious to you. +[5057.22 --> 5062.56] Lord turn His face toward you. +[5063.14 --> 5067.94] And give you peace. +[5071.94 --> 5081.02] Amen, Amen, Amen. +[5083.16 --> 5089.82] Amen, Amen. +[5089.82 --> 5092.82] Amen, Amen. +[5093.14 --> 5093.78] Amen. +[5093.78 --> 5094.78] Amen. +[5123.78 --> 5124.78] Amen. +[5153.78 --> 5155.78] Amen. +[5183.78 --> 5185.78] Amen. +[5186.78 --> 5188.78] Amen. +[5190.78 --> 5194.78] Amen. +[5195.78 --> 5197.78] Amen. +[5198.78 --> 5200.78] Amen. +[5202.78 --> 5206.78] Amen. +[5207.78 --> 5209.78] Amen, +[5209.78 --> 5210.50] Amen. +[5212.50 --> 5213.22] Amen. +[5216.44 --> 5217.40] Go in peace. +[5239.78 --> 5241.78] Amen. +[5269.78 --> 5271.78] Amen. +[5299.78 --> 5301.78] Amen. +[5329.78 --> 5331.78] Amen. +[5359.78 --> 5361.78] Amen.