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 --> 00:00:13.039 practical ways. Hey, everybody, thanks for tuning in to the 4 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:17.399 Bible guys. Today's Monday, somebody those mondays. Yes, we're excited 5 00:00:17.399 --> 00:00:19.440 to start a good week with you. And we're in 6 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:22.079 the middle of the series about God's promises, and we're 7 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:26.719 having a theme this week called God's Faithfulness and Unchanging Nature. 8 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:28.960 Excellent, Yes, super excited. 9 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:32.960 Yeah, you know remember that old hymnal, Great is Thy Faithfulness. 10 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:36.079 That's a good one, A good one. Yeah, everybody's so 11 00:00:36.119 --> 00:00:37.079 happy that you sing. 12 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:38.640 You remember what page it was on? 13 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:39.079 No? 14 00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:39.840 I don't either. 15 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:44.439 No, I don't remember thirteen. I think I'm pretty sure. 16 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:45.280 I'm pretty confident. 17 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:46.280 Our hymnals were different. 18 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:49.039 Yeah, yeah, yeah, So when you were a worship leader, 19 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:52.759 did you lead from hymnals? Set up and saying wow? 20 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:56.679 Okay, So here's a thirty second answer. I started off 21 00:00:56.759 --> 00:00:59.679 leading with hymnos, but my goal was to bring our 22 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:03.799 church out of the olden times into the more modern times. So, 23 00:01:03.880 --> 00:01:05.879 believe it or not, my good buddy who you know, 24 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:10.480 Josh Eisenhart, we actually ready for this, we ditched the choir, 25 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:14.120 we sold the organ were doing that in a small 26 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:18.200 that destroy sold the organ added drums, added all band 27 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:22.560 guitars and everything else, and then added change the sound system, 28 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:26.280 and then added, uh, you know the screens. It it 29 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.079 wasn't I meg, but it was like, you know, screens 30 00:01:28.519 --> 00:01:30.920 with the words on them. So we did that, and 31 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:32.719 we did all that, and then and then and by 32 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:33.040 the way. 33 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:33.640 And how much time? 34 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:35.200 Like a year and a half? 35 00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:37.239 Wow? And then how how long did you stay after that? 36 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:42.439 Because there will be blood and it will be yours. 37 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:45.680 During that time. During that time we went from full 38 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:49.079 suits and ties down to nobody in the whole church 39 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:49.879 had a suit a year later. 40 00:01:49.959 --> 00:01:52.040 Yeah, yeah, so you feel like that's better. 41 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:56.120 At the time, Yeah, yeah, because you know, you know, 42 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:57.200 it depends on your goal. 43 00:01:57.400 --> 00:01:59.239 So how how long were you there after you did 44 00:01:59.239 --> 00:01:59.560 all that? 45 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:04.000 Probablybout well. I was a worship leader for three years, 46 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:05.879 so I guess another year and a half and then 47 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:08.000 and then I then I resigned after that. But it 48 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:10.039 had nothing to do with that. In fact, I thought 49 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:12.800 the church came along very nicely. Nice. I mean, it's 50 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:14.319 a pretty good day when you could talk to the 51 00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:17.039 organists who had been playing the organ for fifteen years, 52 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:21.400 and then somehow leave her house in the evening and 53 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:24.360 have her say you know what, I agree? Wow, And 54 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:25.319 I sold it the new song. 55 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:26.719 Remember yeah, yeah, remember that? Wow? 56 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:28.879 Yeah, yeah, you know the band new song. 57 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:30.759 Yes, it's all about it. 58 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:33.439 For our listeners who may not know, and we sold 59 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:33.840 it to them. 60 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:37.000 Cool. Yeah, good for you, man, because that can be brutal, 61 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:39.280 making that, making that change back then. 62 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:41.120 Well, you know it's actually, you know, they always say 63 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:42.560 love covers the multitude of sins. 64 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:43.960 So I probably loved you. 65 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:46.719 They did, and I think I think I probably did 66 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:50.759 it clumsily, but people knew the heart, so I think 67 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:51.919 they followed because they loved me. 68 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:53.520 Wow. Isn't that wonderful? 69 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:57.439 Yeah, it's great. Hey, by the way, that's that that 70 00:02:57.879 --> 00:02:59.039 ate into our segment time. 71 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:00.360 But this is thankful. 72 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:02.080 This is a wild segment. 73 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:02.960 This is a good one. 74 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:06.280 We've never had this segment before. It's character switch. I'm 75 00:03:06.280 --> 00:03:09.240 not sure I feel about it. Jeff It says, you'll 76 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:13.479 each take on a goofy persona like a pirate or 77 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:15.400 ready for this, a Victorian schoolboy. 78 00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:17.479 That one's you know what that is? 79 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:19.319 Monotone? 80 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:22.000 Ai you know please, sir, May I have another remember that? 81 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:24.800 Oh that that's from Dickens. That that that's it. It's 82 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:25.599 like a Dickens character. 83 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:29.439 May I have some mold? Yeah yeah, okay, and talk 84 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:31.319 about something you're grateful for. So we got to talk 85 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:35.520 about gratefulness right last week with Thanksgiving for us lifetime 86 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:38.240 and uh and then it says, uh, we got to 87 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:40.639 do it in some weird voice. So what voice you 88 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:42.879 want me to do? The really the Oliver voice? 89 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:44.479 Yeah, because I want to do the pirate. 90 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:47.520 Okay, you want to do the fire. You got to 91 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:48.240 use all the phrases. 92 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:50.800 Je y yeah, well I used chat GPT. 93 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:51.599 Oh good for you. 94 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:53.560 I told chet GPT what I wanted it to be. 95 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:56.319 Okay, all right, so let me think what am I 96 00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:06.039 grateful for? Okay, here we go, so you should go ahead. 97 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.240 So you should have seen my wife and I went 98 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:13.719 downtown and we stayed at a hotel called the Whitney. 99 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:14.719 That's a nice hotel. 100 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:17.240 It was so nice I couldn't believe it. I had 101 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:19.920 a bed, some covers and some heat. 102 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:28.240 There you go, that's great. I think we should just 103 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:28.639 stand there. 104 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:31.800 I think, no, no, no, no, no, no, yeah, yeah, you've rented 105 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:33.399 us up for the pirates. 106 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:36.519 I asked it to help me. Uh say what I'm 107 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:38.040 happy for in a pirate's voice. 108 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:39.920 Okay, did you tell it what you were happy for? 109 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:43.120 Yes? Okay, And so it says I'd be happy for 110 00:04:43.160 --> 00:04:45.560 the good Lord guiding me, ship, the wind at me, 111 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:48.680 back me, crew by me side, and another blessed day 112 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:49.519 above the waves. 113 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:54.160 That sounds like SpongeBob. That's mister crabs. You literally did 114 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:59.040 your best. Mister Pineapple under he's. 115 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:03.079 The one that goes got that's great. Good for you 116 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:05.240 now that we have three listeners left. 117 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:08.639 Right, because who would want to stay tuned out? 118 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:11.759 Oh man, Well, we did the best we could crazy desert. 119 00:05:11.959 --> 00:05:12.680 That's funny. 120 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:16.040 But thank you for the challenge. Yeah, we're always up 121 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:16.680 for a challenge. 122 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:20.519 Talking about a challenge. You know what challenges me? The Bible? 123 00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:25.920 I know you're lamentations the Bible. Yeah, yeah, you know. 124 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:32.800 Lamentations is a very uh under read, underpreached about, I 125 00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:35.759 would say, wouldn't you say, because it's all about lamenting, 126 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:36.160 isn't it. 127 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.800 Yes, jercisely people love spending time lamenting. 128 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:42.759 Well, I'll tell you what people actually do lament a ton. 129 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:44.959 They just don't like to read about other people's lament. 130 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:47.759 Lamentations, Well, he's a little miserable in here. Oh yeah, 131 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:50.240 So the book Lamentations just to kind of catch people up. 132 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:53.920 The book Lamorations was written by Solomon, the wisest man 133 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:55.879 that ever lived, one of the wealthiest kings, one of 134 00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:59.680 the wealthiest humans that's ever lived, incredibly powerful, peaceful borders. 135 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:02.600 Everything about his life was great, and he was miserable 136 00:06:03.480 --> 00:06:05.720 because he had begun trusting in his wealth, he'd begun 137 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:08.160 trusting in his own wisdom. He'd begun just kind of 138 00:06:08.199 --> 00:06:11.759 indulging in every physical pleasure that he could, and he 139 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:17.480 started feeling like life was a waste. Right, yeah, oh, 140 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:21.800 I wrote in Lamentations, I'm thinking Ecclesiastes. Yes, Jeremiah wrote it. 141 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:24.560 This is your opportunity to go ahead, buddy, say it. 142 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:25.279 Say it. 143 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:28.040 Hey, I'm the Bible guy and you're my side. 144 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:29.240 Yes, there you go. 145 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:34.040 Hey, you're right the wrong guy. But here's the thing. 146 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:36.759 You know so much. You're so intellectual. To be honest, 147 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:39.560 this is not a this is totally genuine. You have 148 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:41.800 so much more knowledge than the average human that, as 149 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:45.160 you said, Solomon, I know this is Jeremiah, and in 150 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:48.519 my mind, I go, am I wrong? I'm like, I 151 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:50.439 think this is Jeremiah. 152 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:53.079 I'm starting to make you question your own reality. Yeah, 153 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:54.800 it is Jeremiah. I know that. 154 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:58.959 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. Ecclesiastes is Solomon a 155 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:02.439 written proverb, the Song of Solomon, and then Ecclesiastes. And 156 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:04.839 Ecclesiastes is sort of a different kind of a book 157 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:08.560 than the other two. And really, if you think about it, 158 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:10.480 Lamentations is that to Jeremiah. 159 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:10.800 Really? 160 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:13.560 So it's like it's like sort of like the other book. 161 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:15.079 Isn't it. So I'm gonna pull a Chris and go, 162 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:16.319 do you think we should go back and just edit 163 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:16.839 this whole thing? 164 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:18.839 And then I'll say no, no, people love it. 165 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:19.360 People love it. 166 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:21.560 People love it. Jeff, that's what you say to me. 167 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:23.759 So now you know, just be yourself. 168 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:25.120 Now you know how good that feels. 169 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:27.759 Don't you just eat a slice of humble pie? 170 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:30.079 Okay? Yeah, So where are we starting from? 171 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:32.800 I eat humble pie all the time. Well, we didn't 172 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:33.480 make a decision. 173 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:34.680 Well I'm not accustomed to that. 174 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:37.360 We didn't make a decision about that. But honestly, I 175 00:07:37.399 --> 00:07:43.240 would read verses one through twenty three because really, he 176 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:47.399 sort of shifts gears, right, So the first two laments 177 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:49.639 of the plight of the city and then of the people, 178 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:53.120 you know, it's sort of chapter one, chapter two. But 179 00:07:53.160 --> 00:07:55.120 then he sort of turns a corner and he talks 180 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:58.240 about the hope in God's faithfulness, which is where our 181 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:02.439 main promise comes from. And yeah, okay, I'll do that. 182 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:03.839 So it's kind of interesting. Can I tell you one 183 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:05.519 more thing I just read in the notes. I love 184 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:09.680 these notes things. Yeah, it says there's sixty six verses 185 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:10.399 in this chapter. 186 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:11.079 Yeah. 187 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:14.920 And it says in the original Hebrew text of this book, 188 00:08:15.160 --> 00:08:19.519 the first four chapters and Lamentations are acrostic poems. Oh, 189 00:08:19.639 --> 00:08:21.519 so they start off with A and they go to 190 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:23.439 B and they go to see the beginning of each 191 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:26.319 line of the poem. Yeah, only not in English but 192 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:28.680 in Hebrew, right, So it's in their alphabet. And it 193 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.159 says each verse in each chapter begins with a successive 194 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:35.879 letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Lamentations three has sixty six 195 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:39.039 verses rather than twenty two because it's a triple acrostic. 196 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.639 The first three verses begin with the equivalent of A. 197 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:44.240 The next three verses begin with the equivalent of B 198 00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:47.440 and so on, and this was a typical form of poetry. 199 00:08:47.639 --> 00:08:49.279 So he wrote this whole thing as a poem. 200 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:50.120 Wow. 201 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:53.039 The first three the first three lines being first three verses, 202 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:56.080 are their equivalent of A. The next three verses. 203 00:08:56.120 --> 00:08:58.879 Aabbb CCC yeah, and then neat. Wow. 204 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:03.120 That's kind of cool artistic. So Jeremiah no wonder he was. 205 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:05.519 He's called the weeping Prophet, right, Yeah, he's kind of 206 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:07.840 an emotional guy just because he's an artist. 207 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:13.200 Well, are you saying that all of us artists are weepy? 208 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:16.159 Well, let's go ahead and get started. 209 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:19.840 Oh whatever. You don't have to be an artist to 210 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:20.919 be a weepy person. 211 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:22.840 I know, but I don't know many artists that aren't, 212 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:23.639 is all I'm saying. 213 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:24.679 Is that true? 214 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.320 Very emotional? Yeah, you're tapping into a side of your 215 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:29.360 your heart and your mind and your emotions. The rest 216 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:32.000 of us don't tap into. That's where beautiful art comes from, 217 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.879 comes from the soul. You're just like bearing your soul 218 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:35.279 for us. 219 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.279 Do you think that's why I cry like every day? 220 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:39.240 Yes, because you're an Artist's all. 221 00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:39.519 Have we gone? 222 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:40.360 Yeah? I think so. 223 00:09:40.440 --> 00:09:45.840 Anyways, I would not have attached to my tears to artistry. 224 00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:49.399 It is your beautiful soul, Chris. Everybody knows that well. 225 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:49.919 Thanks Jeff. 226 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:52.559 Here we go. Verse one says, I am the one 227 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:54.519 who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod 228 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:56.879 of the lord's anger. He has led me into darkness, 229 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:59.200 shutting out all light, and he has turned his hand 230 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:02.360 against me a and again all day long. He's made 231 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:04.799 my skin and flesh grow old, and he's broken my bones, 232 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:07.320 and he's besieged and surrounded me with anguish and distress, 233 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:09.279 and he has buried me in a dark place like 234 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.480 those long dead. He has walled me in and I 235 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:15.080 cannot escape. He's bound me in heavy chains, and though 236 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:17.080 I cry and shout, he has shut out my prayers, 237 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:19.480 and he has blocked my way with a high stone wall. 238 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:22.399 He has made my road crooked. He's hidden like a 239 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:25.000 bear or a lion, waiting to attack me. He's dragged 240 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:27.279 me off the bath, tore me in pieces, leaving me 241 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:30.519 helpless and devastated. He's drawn his bow and made me 242 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:33.799 the target for his arrows. He shadows arrows deep into 243 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:36.200 my heart. My own people laugh at me all day long, 244 00:10:36.279 --> 00:10:39.039 they sing their mocking songs. He's filled me with bitterness 245 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:41.000 and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink. 246 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.120 He's made me chew on gravel, He's rolled me in 247 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:47.440 the dust. Piece has been stripped away, and I've forgotten 248 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:50.399 what prosperity is. I cry out, My splendor has gone. 249 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:53.200 Everything I'd hoped for from the Lord is lost. Well, 250 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.720 I'm sure, dude, I'm super glad we started Verse one. 251 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:57.440 Thought the turn was quicker than this. 252 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.080 The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. 253 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:03.600 I will never forget this awful time as I grieve 254 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:06.679 over my loss here it is. Yet I still dare 255 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:10.120 to hope when I remember this. The faithful love of 256 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:14.320 the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease. Great is 257 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:17.559 his faithfulness. His mercies begin afresh every morning. And I 258 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:20.600 will say to myself, the Lord is my inheritance. Therefore 259 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:23.480 I will hope in him. The Lord is good to 260 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:25.759 those who depend on him, to those who search for him. 261 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:28.960 So it's good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. 262 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:31.200 And it's good for people to submit at an early 263 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:32.840 age to the yoke of His discipline. 264 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.320 I think you got to go to thirty three. 265 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:38.919 Honestly, let them sit alone in silence, beneath the Lord's demands, 266 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:40.600 and let them lie face down in the dust, for 267 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:42.919 there may be hope at last. Let them turn the 268 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:45.000 other cheek to those who strike them, and accept the 269 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:47.879 insults of their enemies, for no one is abandoned by 270 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:51.120 the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows 271 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:54.200 compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love, for 272 00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:56.960 he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. 273 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:58.519 That's a good place to stand. 274 00:11:58.679 --> 00:11:59.279 That's a good one. 275 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.200 So, yeah, did take a turn. I just know the 276 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:02.000 turn came earlier. 277 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:03.879 But wow, yeah, well there is a reason why this 278 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:05.279 book's called lamentations. 279 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:08.720 Yeah and uh yeah, no kidding, because that was about 280 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:14.000 as lamentful as just about anything. You know what, if 281 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:15.840 you were watching, by the way, on video, the lights 282 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:17.399 just what it was just for lack of motion, but 283 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.000 they turn them back on, and if you're listening, nobody cares. 284 00:12:21.399 --> 00:12:24.960 But you know what, I love. I've quoted this before. 285 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:28.799 I remember on an Easter message. I remember I pulled 286 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.159 this out. Goodness gracious, it was years ago. It's probably 287 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:33.919 like twenty eleven or so, and I focused on the 288 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:38.720 verse number twenty one yet I still dare to hope. 289 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.480 When I remember this, well, I mean think about it. 290 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:44.600 It's like it's like, think about every discouraging thought you've 291 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:49.679 ever had, every really bad experience, every desperate moment that 292 00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:51.840 you've ever gone through where you think God has either 293 00:12:51.879 --> 00:12:55.399 forgotten you, abandoned you, or even punished you, and you 294 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:57.879 start to question, you know, is there going to be 295 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:00.440 any joy? Is there is? There? Is there ever going 296 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:03.360 to be any happiness in my life? And then he says, 297 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:07.840 inspite all those just really awful, lamenting thoughts, he's at 298 00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:11.639 you on gravel, yeah, at chew on gravel, Yeah she is. 299 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:15.720 And then he says, yet I still dare to hope. 300 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:18.320 I love it because I'm a dare kind of guy. Yeah, 301 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:21.240 double dog dare Yeah, you know, I dare you. I 302 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:24.360 dare you to hope. I dare you to still serve God. 303 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:27.159 I dare you to still believe in Him and still 304 00:13:27.159 --> 00:13:30.240 be faithful, you know, rise up to the calling. And 305 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:33.919 Jeremiah says, I dare to hope knowing this, and then 306 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:36.440 he goes, I remember this, The faithful love of the 307 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:41.840 Lord never ends, His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness, 308 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:44.720 his mercies begin fresh every morning. 309 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.559 Yeah, powerful, right. 310 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:49.720 And of course that is another hemn. Right. Great is thy. 311 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:51.559 Faithfulness such a good one. 312 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:53.159 Great is thy. 313 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:57.200 Faithfulness morning by morning. 314 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.799 Oh you didn't sing it, all right, that's fine. 315 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:06.639 Yeah. So it's interesting he didn't actually go through these afflictions. No, 316 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:09.919 he was emotionally feeling them because the Lord let him 317 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:13.720 see the destruction that was coming to Judah. So he's 318 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:15.960 one of the prophets. He's one of the major prophets. 319 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:19.600 God used him and a few others to warn Judah 320 00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:21.679 that if you keep going down the same path the 321 00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:24.399 nation of Israel is going down, you're going to suffer 322 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:29.080 the same consequences. They had abandoned the true God in 323 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:32.200 heaven and they began worshiping idols. They'd begun going through 324 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.240 all of the horrible, sadistic rituals and things that they 325 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:39.240 were doing, and they were God. Finally he warned them 326 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:41.399 a bunch of times, and then finally sent judgment and 327 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:44.440 the Assyrians came in and wiped them out. So now 328 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:47.000 Judah is going down the same path, and so God's 329 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:50.240 using these prophets like Jeremiah to say, don't do to 330 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:52.759 turn around, and God let Jeremiah see what was going 331 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:55.840 to happen to Jerusalem, and so it's the agony of 332 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.440 just knowing, you know, what's what's coming next, that this 333 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:01.919 is what just puts him into this horrible depression. But 334 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:04.360 even then he says, you know, I know God's not 335 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:07.600 going to give up on us. Even then, God's God's mercies, 336 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:11.440 you know, never cease. And in the same way that 337 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:15.360 he offers mercy to everybody who's sinning, even when there's consequences, 338 00:15:16.840 --> 00:15:20.639 he does the same for Judah. And that's why he 339 00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:23.600 felt so confident to be able to turn. It's not 340 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:25.559 always going to be horrible. And this is the difference, 341 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:29.639 quite honestly, between those who are believers and those who 342 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:32.600 are not, is we have the hope that people who 343 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:37.080 don't know God don't have, and that is his mercy's 344 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.639 doing endure forever, that he's not going to give up 345 00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:42.159 on us, that if we turn from our sin and 346 00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:44.879 we turn to him, he will restore us. And that's 347 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:48.240 exactly the hope that Jeremiah had for Israel at the time. 348 00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:51.159 So, yeah, well, I love the idea that every morning 349 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:53.360 when you wake up, your mercies began afresh. 350 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:54.639 Yeah, you know, that. 351 00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:58.240 God has a brand new day for you, but also 352 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:02.679 a brand new bucket of blessings, a brand new list 353 00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:06.679 of mercies. And I think that you know the idea 354 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:10.000 that God never changes too, right, because this this week's 355 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:14.559 theme is not only his faithfulness but his unchanging nature. Right. 356 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:18.080 So when it says great is his faithfulness, his love 357 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:24.120 never ends, his mercies never cease. That is true back then, 358 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:27.080 but it's also true now. So thousands of years later, 359 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:29.480 the Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today, 360 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:32.440 and forever. So just know that the promises even way 361 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:35.799 back then can be claimed now. Right. Jesus quoted the 362 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:38.720 Old Testament and claimed the promises of the Old Testament. 363 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:42.279 The apostle Paul quoted the Old Testament. There were several 364 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:45.639 other writers of the New Testament who quoted these promises, 365 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:48.399 especially when it comes to the nature of God. So 366 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:51.639 God will never ever run out of mercies and will 367 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:53.679 give us his mercies fresh every morning. 368 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:56.679 Yeah. Life Applications Study Bible note says, each day when 369 00:16:56.679 --> 00:16:59.960 we wake up, God's mercy greets us. No other faith 370 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:03.840 has a fresh outpouring of grace each day. God always 371 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:06.000 willingly responds with help when we. 372 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:08.880 Ask think about that. Think about that. No other what 373 00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:10.039 does it say another faith. 374 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:13.960 No other faith has has a fresh outpouring of grace 375 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:14.519 each day. 376 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:17.559 Yeah, think about that. Yeah, you know it is It 377 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:19.759 is interesting, isn't it? Because when people talk about the 378 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:22.279 different faces of the world, and they also they say, 379 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.480 you know, hey, don't all roads lead to heaven? And 380 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:28.519 Jesus made the claim right in John fourteen six, I'm 381 00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:30.440 the way the truth in the life. No one gets 382 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:34.160 to the Father except through me. And and if you 383 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:38.759 think about all the different ways that you know, different 384 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:40.960 faith communicate getting to heaven. And some faiths say, oh, 385 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:42.759 you got to jump through hoops. Yeah, you got to 386 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:44.880 be part of a special group. You got to be selected, 387 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:47.839 you have to be uh, you have to perform right. 388 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:52.559 And but but God says, no, no, no, no, no, like 389 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:57.680 everybody's falls short. I'm going to pay the price for everyone. Yeah, 390 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.960 and he says Romans ten thirteen, for for all who 391 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:02.640 call up on the name of the Lord, she'll be saved. 392 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:07.119 So everyone is invited. Everybody gets in, and then he 393 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:09.680 says He's gonna give us mercy. And so it says 394 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:12.480 ours is the only faith. Christianity's the only faith. 395 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:15.279 Yeah. My wife and I were talking about this the 396 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:19.160 other day that we were making a joke. She helps 397 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:23.079 oversee my calendar, both my office calendar and our home calendar. 398 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:26.559 She works in our office, and so she mentioned something 399 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:27.839 and I said, I don't know. I didn't even look 400 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:29.400 at my calendar for tomorrow. She sai, why didn't you 401 00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:31.000