WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to the Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:13.080 practical ways. Warned everybody, welcome to the Bible Guys. 4 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:14.679 Chris Man. This is going to be a good day. 5 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:15.480 It is. 6 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:16.359 It's always a. 7 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:18.280 Good day, you know, Fridays are great days. 8 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:20.760 Yeah. You know a thing I didn't mention at all 9 00:00:20.839 --> 00:00:25.160 this week for our listeners that are watching on YouTube. Yes, 10 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:29.600 they've noticed probably that you are clean shaven, well, relatively clean, 11 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.640 relatively clean shaven, relatively clean. Share. 12 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:34.679 So I've been I've been rocking out the goateee for 13 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:39.159 the last six months at least, and it's been pretty bushy. 14 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:39.479 Yeah. 15 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:43.240 Yeah, and then somebody suggested that I go, uh, you know, 16 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:46.719 and just shave it off. And then and then just 17 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:50.359 what was it? Two days ago? I asked my person 18 00:00:50.359 --> 00:00:52.479 who does my hair. And then I came home and 19 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:55.280 I asked my family, and my daughter's like, absolutely, you 20 00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:58.039 should do it, you know, just try it. You've been 21 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:00.039 you know, you've been you have the go tea for 22 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:02.640 a long time. I'm like, okay, so go upstairs and 23 00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:06.280 I do this. My wife comes home and says, I 24 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.879 absolutely hate it. She said, grow it back immediately now, 25 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:11.480 And I said. 26 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:13.560 Immediately, and she goes, she goes, why would. 27 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:16.599 You why would you do that? Yeah? And she says, 28 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:18.640 why would you do that? And I said, well, I said, 29 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:21.680 the lady who cuts my hair, said I show her picture. 30 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.760 She said, yeah, absolutely, and she goes, oh, are you 31 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:26.159 married to the lady who cuts your hair? 32 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:26.319 Oh? 33 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:28.599 And I said no, and she goes, well, then grow 34 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:32.799 it back, yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am. Okay, that's fine. 35 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:37.799 So so you've been putting some like a miracle grow. 36 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:44.159 I'll try, yeah, whatever, but but yes, if you're watching, 37 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:48.040 then you probably noticed that I'm definitely. 38 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:50.640 Your boy is chim. That's just showing. 39 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:54.640 Yeah, you know what one one or two people in 40 00:01:54.680 --> 00:01:57.400 the office said, oh, you look younger. My wife said, no, 41 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:00.319 you don't look younger. She goes, actually, you look younger. 42 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:02.640 Even even though my beard was white. She said, you 43 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:04.920 have that whole like old man's skin. She said, you 44 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:06.400 don't look younger, you look look older. 45 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:08.439 Okay, Wow, she's brutal. 46 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:11.840 Well, no, she's she's like me. She knows, she knows 47 00:02:11.879 --> 00:02:13.479 I need to hear whatever the truth is. 48 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:18.159 Okay, Well, h so today is everybody's favorite segment. 49 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:19.199 What it is? 50 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:23.080 Yeah, everybody's favorite, which for our longtime listeners, we've we've 51 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:27.360 missed a few lately. Yeah, but we're back back this 52 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:31.199 week two weeks ago. Everybody is dying to know what 53 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:32.879 made Chris mad this week? 54 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:33.439 Are they? 55 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:35.080 Yeah? There they are? 56 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:35.400 Are they? 57 00:02:35.479 --> 00:02:37.960 They are? People are calling right now. 58 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:39.879 I didn't think about this one for a little bit, 59 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:45.199 so I didn't have one readily readily go. So, but 60 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:48.479 something happened last week, and here it is. Have you 61 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:49.719 ever been in tropical smoothie? 62 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:50.759 Yes? 63 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:53.840 Okay? So what do you normally get a tropical smoothie? 64 00:02:56.360 --> 00:02:58.360 I don't have like a favorite thing. I've been there 65 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:01.000 like three times? Okay, yeah or or whatever somebody around 66 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:01.439 me is ordering. 67 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:04.120 So have you ever tasted a smoothie that has greens 68 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:04.879 in it? Like? K? 69 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:05.240 Yes? 70 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:05.560 Yeah? 71 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:05.919 Yeah? 72 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:07.000 Yeah? Do you like them? 73 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:08.120 Not a big fan? 74 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:10.240 No, not a big fan. I don't think the world 75 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:10.719 likes them? 76 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:13.560 Ye right? Right? So recently I said like I was 77 00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:15.719 drinking like a cold seaweed drink. 78 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:18.759 Right, So lately I've been trying to drink you know, 79 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:20.520 I've been trying to eat well and all these kind 80 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:23.080 of things. So it's a Tropical Smoothie, and every time 81 00:03:23.080 --> 00:03:24.599 i'd go there, I'd be like, Okay, I'm gonna try 82 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:27.319 to get something green, and then that one's just horrible. 83 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:29.400 I'm like, well, let me try to this other healthy one, 84 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:32.400 and that one's just not great. So last week, here's 85 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:35.639 what happens. I'm in Florida and I flew down there 86 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:40.599 to paint my daughter's house, right, and they said, let's 87 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:45.199 go to Tropical Smoothie. And all three of them said, 88 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:48.439 I want to get a peanut butter Paradise, which is 89 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:51.439 you know, it's not healthy at all. No, And I said, fine, 90 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:55.039 get me a peanut butter Paradise because last six times 91 00:03:55.080 --> 00:03:58.439 I've been drinking green things. She brings it home and 92 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:02.360 it's got to be the most wonderful smoothie ever. Right. 93 00:04:02.520 --> 00:04:05.400 It tastes awesome, and I realized, oh, that's the reason 94 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:07.479 why people like Trouble with Smoothie. It's just really good. 95 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:12.360 Here's where I got mad at immediately, Jeff, immediately, Matt, Okay, 96 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:15.120 here it is you ready, smoothie. This is a strong 97 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:18.160 statement that I mostly don't mean, but I actually do mean. 98 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:18.560 Okay. 99 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:23.879 I think it is God's cruel joke that everything that 100 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:27.360 tastes horrible is good for you, and that everything that 101 00:04:27.480 --> 00:04:32.920 is really awesome tasting is bad for you? Does guess 102 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:35.639 what God? Ready, here's a news flash. God could have 103 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.160 made it the opposite. God could have made kale tastes 104 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:42.439 like ice cream. He could have made and or let 105 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.160 me just say it this way. Why doesn't ice cream 106 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:49.160 make us lose weight? Why doesn't sugar make us lose weight? 107 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:53.839 Why in the world would God make every not everything, 108 00:04:54.240 --> 00:05:00.480 but most everything that tastes phenomenal bad for you? And 109 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:02.959 why is it that everything you know, oh you eat 110 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:09.120 this grain, eat these flax seeds, eat brand Brand's good 111 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:14.680 for you? Why you know? Why? Why did God do this? 112 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:17.839 Well, so you're mad at God this week. 113 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:20.240 I'm mad with the system that God set up. 114 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:27.759 Okay, is there a difference? Yeah, well, well not much. Okay, Well, 115 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:32.800 so I would say this. I think things God made 116 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:35.959 you can have them. Honey is pretty great, Yeah, it's. 117 00:05:37.560 --> 00:05:37.959 Lose weight. 118 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:42.839 Pineapples pretty great? Yeah, right, Peaches are phenomenal. Strawberries are 119 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:47.519 the best. I love blackberries. Right at pairs, I just 120 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:51.959 had a perfect pair the other day. Right, it's pretty great. 121 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:54.000 I think what you're mad about is the things that 122 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:56.879 people took that God made and then changed them to 123 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:58.720 make them really bad for us. 124 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:03.240 Sugar sugar, refined God made sugar. 125 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:04.120 Refined sugar. 126 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:05.199 God made sugar. 127 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:08.959 Yeah, you made honey too, all things in moderation with 128 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:09.759 the God makes. 129 00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:12.439 You can argue fruit all day long, and that's fine, 130 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:15.759 but you also agree that, Like they even tell you 131 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:17.600 not to eat a lot of sugar fruits. 132 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:20.079 Oh yeah, yeah, take off the enamel right off your teeth. 133 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:24.279 Right. But but my point is what come on the 134 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:25.120 heart of what I'm saying. 135 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:26.959 Yeah, but humans are the ones who made ice cream. 136 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:29.439 God didn't make ice cream. It's what humans do to 137 00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:30.879 what God made usually that makes it. 138 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:35.480 Worse because okay, ice cream is mostly sugar. So why 139 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:37.319 are you trying but it's refined sugar. Why are you 140 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:37.800 trying to. 141 00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:41.000 Sugar to say it's our literally take the fat out 142 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.639 because it is our fault. Is our fault, it is 143 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:46.800 not you put on extra calories is not God's fault. 144 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:51.079 It's no. I stick I stick by with what I'm saying. 145 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:55.120 The things that are good for you are. 146 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:57.360 Not fat because God's You know what you sound like 147 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:00.240 to me? You sound like Adam Adam. God goes, Adam, 148 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.120 where are you? This is what I hid because I 149 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:04.639 was naked. He said, how did you find out you're naked? 150 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:07.480 He said, well, did you eat from the fruit? He goes, Listen, 151 00:07:07.720 --> 00:07:10.319 the woman you gave me gave it to me. That's 152 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:13.120 what you're doing, right. You made food so good it 153 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:13.839 made me fat. 154 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:16.480 No, that's not what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying at all. 155 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:19.120 All the good stuff, all the good stuff, makes me fat. No. 156 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:21.639 I also don't forget the flip side of that. All 157 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:26.560 the really good stuff is awful. You know, kale, flax seed, 158 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:29.639 these things, you know, wheat, germ, whatever you want to 159 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:29.959 call it. 160 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:34.639 Again, those are also dumb people doing dumb things. No, 161 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:37.879 I was like a black seed was never supposed to 162 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:39.439 be eating you more. They were supposed to be for 163 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:43.519 making oil. Right, it's when we do the wrong thing 164 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:44.920 with what got made. I think that makes this. 165 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:47.120 I disagree entirely. 166 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:50.040 Okay, it's his fault. You can sort out with him 167 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:50.639 when you get to have it. 168 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:54.240 Yeah. Well, hey, listen, I think it's okay to be 169 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:58.120 uh not not okay with some things, but you have 170 00:07:58.160 --> 00:07:58.680 to accept them. 171 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:00.319 Well, God didn't even get mad at that. I'm for 172 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:02.480 saying it's your fault. You gave me this woman. Well, 173 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.120 and so you're saying, God, does you record it? Yeah, 174 00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:08.839 it records all the things he was mad about. So 175 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:10.759 so you know, I don't know that God is mad 176 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:12.879 at you for blaming him for putting on extra weight 177 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:16.040 and enjoying and enjoying bad. 178 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:18.519 Stop saying as if it's about me. God, I am 179 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:20.160 so mad forgetting that. 180 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:22.079 I get mad so for everybody. 181 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:24.120 I get mad for human. 182 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:27.240 On behalf of humanity. I am angry that you made 183 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:31.639 pizzas so good that I want to eat five pieces 184 00:08:31.639 --> 00:08:32.720 when I only needed one. 185 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:37.000 Yeah, yeah, yeah, French fries are great. That it comes 186 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:39.960 from the earth, right, and by the way. 187 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:42.159 With the refined oils, fine, but. 188 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.039 Why couldn't God have made the refined oils and the 189 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:47.039 potatoes that came from the earth, the thing that makes 190 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:48.159 you lose weight. He could have done that. 191 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:50.440 Yeah, yeah, he could have. 192 00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:51.120 That's right. 193 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:53.840 I think humanity is to blame for most of this. 194 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:54.919 I disagree. 195 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:57.240 Yeah, I think you're a product of your environment and 196 00:08:57.240 --> 00:08:58.840 you learn to like bad things. 197 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:04.120 Well, I mean, I can't deny that statement, right, but 198 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:08.759 that still doesn't change the fact that things like. 199 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.240 You're complaining that God invented gravity and that's why you 200 00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:13.879 hit the ground, right, Why he could have made it 201 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:15.720 where I could have flown, He could have done all 202 00:09:15.799 --> 00:09:18.600 kinds of stuff. But you're mad that when you operate 203 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:22.559 outside of the way he designed it, that there are consequences. 204 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:25.519 I'm saying. I'm saying I have ten thousand taste buds 205 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:27.759 on my tongue, That's what I'm saying. 206 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:32.519 And I'm saying that's the best argument. That's the best argument. 207 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:35.519 Yeah, that's right. He made me with those and they 208 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:38.559 should dance with things that make me lose weight. 209 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:40.559 And they don't. All right, well, why don't you sort 210 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:41.200 it out tonight? 211 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:41.679 Okay? 212 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:44.799 And our listeners, probably more than half of them, are like, 213 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:48.039 you're right, And then there's some listening on the going. 214 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:49.440 Flex seeds. 215 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:51.200 What's wrong with fox seeds? My wife? 216 00:09:51.320 --> 00:09:52.919 Yeah, yeah, she takes some. 217 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:56.480 Button These are so good. I'm like, are you? Are you? 218 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:59.960 She learned to like them? You learn to like bad stuff. 219 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:01.000 She learned to like that stuff. 220 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:04.039 Well, she doesn't really like them. She just pretends to, 221 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:09.240 like you, pretends just like everybody shakes. 222 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:13.440 But they got a whole store built around it. Okay, well, hey, 223 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:17.440 speaking of who likes this kind of stuff, I can 224 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:20.080 tell you some stuff God doesn't like. Oh he doesn't 225 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:23.120 like Israel's behaviors. Yeah, well right, they've been cheating nothing 226 00:10:23.159 --> 00:10:23.519 for a while. 227 00:10:23.559 --> 00:10:24.200 That much is clear. 228 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.720 They've been cheating nothing for a while. Before we get 229 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:30.759 into Hoseiah chapter ten, let me go back. I want 230 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:32.200 to read a couple of these. 231 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:33.519 Little said chapter fourteen. 232 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:36.840 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, chapter fourteen. Before we 233 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:41.360 read fourteen, I want to go back, and God goes 234 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:45.159 like in chapter ten, how prosperous Israel is, with its 235 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:49.559 luxuriant vines loaded with fruit. But the richer the people get, 236 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:52.240 the more pagan altars they build. This seems to be 237 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:54.440 the issue. The more prosperous they got, the less they 238 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:56.399 were connected to God, the more they were indulging in 239 00:10:56.440 --> 00:10:59.360 their own worship things. Right, so he's getting mad at 240 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:02.559 them again. He's upset with them. Of course, he's telling them, 241 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:07.399 I'm going to send all of this judgment. In chapter eleven, 242 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:09.440 he says, when Israel was a child, I loved him, 243 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:11.480 and I called my son out of Egypt. But the 244 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.360 more I called to him, the farther he moved from me, 245 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:18.399 offering sacrifices, the images of bail and burning incense to altars. 246 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:21.639 And then he says, I myself taught Israel how to walk, 247 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:24.399 leading him along by the hand. But he doesn't know 248 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:27.080 or even care that it was Ioh took care of him. Right, 249 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:31.159 So he's got all these things. And so because that, 250 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:33.639 since my people refuse to return to me, then I'm 251 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:35.559 going to send them back. They're going to be forced 252 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:37.600 to serve Assyria. That's what's going to happen. I brought 253 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:39.480 you out to slavery, I taught you how to walk. 254 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.919 You've ignored me the whole time, and so now there's 255 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:46.679 going to be another imprisonment, right, that's what he says. 256 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.200 But then verse eight in chapter eleven, he goes, oh, 257 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:52.080 how can I give you up? Israel? How can I 258 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:58.279 let you go? Right? So he's as often lovers are 259 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:02.080 mad and then compassionate, and then mad and then compassionate. 260 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:07.120 Your behavior makes me so upset, but I still love you, right. 261 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:09.279 This is where you have This is how you know. 262 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:13.120 It's all about the relationship, the whole thing. So people, 263 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:18.200 godless people, people who don't understand God. When they read 264 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:20.039 these kinds of things. They just think, Man, God's mean, 265 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:23.240 what an angry God? And what you're seeing is God 266 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:26.679 is passionate. It's all about love. You and I know, 267 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:31.360 the best thing in all of human existence is pure love. 268 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:36.320 It really is the ecstasy of pure love. We know 269 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:39.720 that John tells us that God is love. He's the 270 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.320 essence of love. It's the essence of who he is. 271 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.399 And so this is not about I'm looking for somebody 272 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.480 to cast judgment on. This is about a broken hearted 273 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:52.440 lover pursuing is beloved, and is beloved totally ignoring him. 274 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:55.639 And so finally, after hundreds of years, he's like, okay, 275 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:58.639 here comes to Syria. You're gonna wipe you out right. 276 00:12:58.840 --> 00:13:04.600 So then he explains everything that's gonna happen for them. 277 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:07.799 But then finally he ends the book with this, return 278 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:11.000 Oh is this chapter fourteen, Return, Oh Israel, to the 279 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:13.159 Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. 280 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:15.919 Bring your confessions and return to the Lord, and say 281 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:18.879 to him, forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, 282 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:22.159 so that we may offer you our praises. Syria cannot 283 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:25.279 save us, nor can our war horses. Never again will 284 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.200 we say to the idols we've made. You are our 285 00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:30.679 gods know, and you alone do The orphans find mercy, 286 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:34.039 and the Lord says, then I will heal you of 287 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:37.960 your faithlessness. My love will know no bounds, for my 288 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:41.200 anger will be gone forever. I will be to Israel 289 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:44.879 like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel blossom like the lily. 290 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.600 It'll send roots deep into the soil, like the cedars 291 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:50.799 in Lebanon. Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees, 292 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:53.519 as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. My people will 293 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:55.879 again live under my shade, and they will flourish like 294 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:58.480 grain and blossom like grape leaves. They will be as 295 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:01.840 fragrant as the wines of Lebanon. Oh, Israel, stay away 296 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.120 from idols. I'm the one who answers your prayers and 297 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:06.159 cares for you. I'm like a tree that is always green. 298 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.039 All your fruit comes from me. But those who are 299 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:13.679 wise understand these things. But those who with discernment listen carefully. 300 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.759 The paths of the Lord are true and right, and 301 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:20.879 righteous people live by walking in them. But those but 302 00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:25.480 in those paths sinners stumble and fall. So this whole 303 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:29.639 thing God's chasing them, He's frustrated with them. But then, 304 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:34.759 even after ten chapters of judgment, interjected with the whole 305 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:36.039 bunch of how can I let you go? I don't 306 00:14:36.039 --> 00:14:37.799 want to let you go. I'm going to divorce you. 307 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:40.639 I don't want to let you go. Right, but judgment's coming. 308 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:43.799 Even at the very end of all that, he goes, 309 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:46.080 let me tell you how to come back. I'm going 310 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:48.639 to leave the light, the porch light on. I'm going 311 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:52.159 to leave the back door unlocked. Right. If you want 312 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.799 back in the house, I'll let you come back. All 313 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:57.159 you have to do has asked me to forgive your 314 00:14:57.159 --> 00:15:01.440 sins and receive you and reject Syria and their God's 315 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:04.480 that's all you have to do. And so he leaves 316 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:06.399 the wide open. And then, man, it's going to be great. 317 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:10.240 I will forever, My anger will be gone forever, and 318 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:12.080 my love will know no about. 319 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:15.120 Yeah, so that I love that. The note in the 320 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.799 Life Application Study Bible says that people could return to 321 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:21.240 God by asking him to forgive their sins. The same 322 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:25.039 is true for us. We can pray Hoseiah's prayer and 323 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.720 know that our sins are forgiven because Christ died for them. 324 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:30.720 And the cross cross, and it references John three sixteen. 325 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:33.879 Forgiveness begins when we see the destructiveness of sin and 326 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:37.240 the futility of life without God. Then we must admit 327 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:40.000 that we cannot save ourselves. Our only hope is in 328 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:43.120 God's mercy. When we ask forgiveness, we must recognize that 329 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:46.440 we do not deserve it and therefore cannot demand it. 330 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:49.480 Isn't that a great phrase? Our appeal must be for 331 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:53.200 God's love and mercy and not for his justice. Although 332 00:15:53.240 --> 00:15:56.759 we cannot demand forgiveness, we can be confident that we 333 00:15:56.840 --> 00:16:00.720 have received it because God is gracious and loving and 334 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:03.840 wants to restore us to himself, just as he wanted 335 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:07.720 to restore Israel. That's great, What a great what a 336 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:11.600 great note? And uh and so yeah, God again just 337 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:14.720 always gives us the invitation. You know, it's so funny. 338 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:19.960 We just had a church a friend of yours who 339 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:23.440 has a church in Chicago, Uh, brought a lot of 340 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:27.080 his staff over to our church yesterday. It just happened yesterday. 341 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.960 And there are church that they're about the same size 342 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:32.720 as us, right Uh, and probably in person maybe a 343 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:37.279 little bigger. And they so they have they have a 344 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:40.799 large staff and actually their staff is larger than ours too, 345 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:42.480 so they so they have they've been a lot going on, 346 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:45.039 a lot of complexities, a lot of campuses, right, and 347 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:47.159 they have a lot going on, and yet they came 348 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:50.679 over to say, hey, let's share best practices. So this 349 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:52.799 was their turn to come over and hopefully we'll have 350 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:55.000 a turn to go share with them. And by the way, 351 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:57.840 I'm saying all of that because I don't know if 352 00:16:57.960 --> 00:17:00.759 churches do this, Like if you're part of a church 353 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:04.039 leadership team, maybe you don't take the time to do this. 354 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:07.519 But I got to tell you how beneficial I think 355 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:10.200 it's going to be on both ends. When we decided 356 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:12.839 to go take a team over there and learn best 357 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:16.759 practices over there. There's something about humility. They had an 358 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:19.839 incredible amount of humility, didn't they. And they were just like, hey, 359 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:21.680 this is where we're good, this is where we're really bad. 360 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:24.039 What do you guys do? And let's learn from you 361 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:29.240 and let's have these discussions. But anyway, when I jeez, 362 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:30.440 I almost lost my thought. 363 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:33.720 Here you're talking about the humility when we humble ourselves 364 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:34.160 and repent. 365 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:40.599 Yeah, I had a really good thought here of them 366 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:48.640 coming over and and learning goodn'tess gracious? 367 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:51.359 Yeah, I said, although we cannot demand forgiveness, we can 368 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:53.480 be confident that we've received it because God's gracious. 369 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:57.359 Yes, thank you, thank you. So we had spent some 370 00:17:57.440 --> 00:18:00.720 time with that church staff talking about at the end 371 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:05.200 of almost every service, we give an invitation to receive 372 00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:08.160 the gospel. That's right, right, So it's about everyone, And 373 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:10.039 I would say almost everyone, right. 374 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:12.440 Only forty five out of fifty two weeks. 375 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.720 Forty five out of fifty two weeks. We take the 376 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:17.400 time to say, Okay, maybe you're here today or listening 377 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:20.640 online and you don't know Jesus Christ as your savior. Well, 378 00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:22.480 the Bible says that you can know today. It's part 379 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:25.480 of the good News of salvation. Salvation is meant for today, 380 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:29.119 and it's meant for everyone. And so we give the invitation, right, 381 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:32.039 And that's what reminded me of this. It reminded me 382 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:37.599 of God, Who's saying, the invitation is always still there. 383 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:40.359 I invite you home. I invite you just like you said. 384 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:44.680 The back door's open, right, the ports lights on, and 385 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:46.799 the invitation is for you to come home. And no 386 00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:50.079 matter how bad you've been or unfaithful that you've behaved. 387 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:54.480 The invitation has always come back home. And that's really 388 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.839 what it is. So on a Sunday morning, if you're 389 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.559 a part of a church leadership team, especially that there's 390 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:05.920 there's it's always somebody's almost always somebody's first day. There's 391 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:08.160 somebody in the audience where it's their first time visiting 392 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:11.599 your church. Hopefully that's true. And uh and and and 393 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.960 we have no idea what's going on in their hearts. 394 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:16.759 We have no idea how they feel or what they've done, 395 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:18.880 or if they if they feel like this is their 396 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:22.319 last ditch effort to try God and church or or 397 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:25.200 whatever it is. We have no idea. But the invitation 398 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:28.799 is it's it's okay, right because it's never too late 399 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:33.319 to repent. It's never you've not committed too much sin. 400 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:36.960 Where God is going to say, I'm never going to 401 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:39.920