WEBVTT 0 00:00:04.890 --> 00:00:07.354 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons podcast. 1 00:00:07.482 --> 00:00:11.150 This is where you can find audio from Sunday morning messages and more. 2 00:00:11.300 --> 00:00:14.442 Make sure you're subscribed so that you don't miss future episodes. 3 00:00:14.506 --> 00:00:16.030 And thanks for listening. 4 00:00:20.530 --> 00:00:21.680 Well, good morning. 5 00:00:22.290 --> 00:00:25.094 I'm glad that you guys are here with us. 6 00:00:25.252 --> 00:00:26.806 Today is a special day. 7 00:00:26.828 --> 00:00:38.726 We're going to acknowledge a family in our church today, several times a year, we, as a church, offer what we call our baby steps ministry of what we have and what this is for. 8 00:00:38.748 --> 00:00:45.002 A lot of times it's for parents that have a newborn child, but it's not just for parents who have a newborn child. 9 00:00:45.056 --> 00:00:53.226 And what it is for us is we recognize that being a parent is a wonderful, beautiful gift and responsibility that is given by God to us. 10 00:00:53.328 --> 00:00:56.160 And it is a long journey to go on. 11 00:00:56.530 --> 00:00:59.322 You don't stop being a parent when your kids turn 18. 12 00:00:59.386 --> 00:01:03.550 That's a lesson that I'm learning from those seasoned parents beyond me like you. 13 00:01:03.620 --> 00:01:09.694 Continue walking on that journey with your kids as long as God gives you life on this earth. 14 00:01:09.742 --> 00:01:14.722 And so for baby steps, what we try to talk with our families about is this is this journey you're on. 15 00:01:14.776 --> 00:01:30.306 You're taking a step of faithfulness after a step of faithfulness as you commit to what we refer to as family discipleship, that we recognize it as the church that God has called all of us and equipped us as the body of Christ to come alongside one another to make disciples. 16 00:01:30.418 --> 00:01:31.334 So that's what we're doing. 17 00:01:31.372 --> 00:01:33.186 That's what we're doing in the hour before. 18 00:01:33.228 --> 00:01:34.566 That's what we're doing during fellowship. 19 00:01:34.598 --> 00:01:35.578 That's what we're doing now. 20 00:01:35.664 --> 00:01:43.566 But then, even more importantly, that's what we feel called that we go and we are released to go and do where we live, work and play wherever God sends us. 21 00:01:43.668 --> 00:01:46.526 And where God sends us oftentimes, right, is our home. 22 00:01:46.628 --> 00:01:52.030 And so God has called us as dads and moms to be the disciple makers ultimately within our family. 23 00:01:52.100 --> 00:01:59.410 And so when we have a family that's willing to sit down and talk with us and walk through this process, that's what they're committing to. 24 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:03.746 And so we had them ask the Dyson family if they'll go ahead and come up here on stage with me. 25 00:02:03.768 --> 00:02:07.762 So we had the Dyson family that committed to this process with us. 26 00:02:07.816 --> 00:02:14.530 And so dawn and I sat down a few weeks ago and talked with them about this, about their wonderful family and their beautiful baby girls. 27 00:02:14.610 --> 00:02:21.986 If you've been around our church, especially in kids ministry, you definitely know who Sarah is as she leads worship. 28 00:02:22.018 --> 00:02:25.014 She's done so for VBS and for kids camps. 29 00:02:25.062 --> 00:02:28.234 And let's move this so that they can see you, because they don't care. 30 00:02:28.272 --> 00:02:29.654 Anything about seeing my iPad. 31 00:02:29.702 --> 00:02:30.300 Right? 32 00:02:31.730 --> 00:02:33.582 So we've got Sarah here, we got. 33 00:02:33.636 --> 00:02:38.800 Justin, and then we got Riley and little Ellie that's hanging out right here. 34 00:02:39.170 --> 00:02:40.800 Y'all say hey to them. 35 00:02:41.570 --> 00:02:43.280 You say hey back to them. 36 00:02:44.210 --> 00:02:45.698 It's like, bo, why are you doing this to me? 37 00:02:45.704 --> 00:02:46.574 You're putting me on the spot. 38 00:02:46.622 --> 00:02:47.122 Right? 39 00:02:47.256 --> 00:02:49.890 But they committed as a family to. 40 00:02:49.960 --> 00:03:00.854 Agree to this core of family discipleship, that they understand that we as a church are wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ that they could lean in on and that we will pour into with them. 41 00:03:00.972 --> 00:03:03.030 But they've committed that above all things. 42 00:03:03.100 --> 00:03:15.034 In their home, that the name of Jesus Christ would be shared, that discipleship would happen, that it would take place, that it would begin in mom and dad, in their life, of what they've committed to is Jesus Christ as their. 43 00:03:15.072 --> 00:03:17.146 Lord and savior, that it would be. 44 00:03:17.168 --> 00:03:19.514 Modeled, it would be taught, it would be lived out. 45 00:03:19.552 --> 00:03:26.718 It would be given as an example that discipleship would not be an event that they go to, but a culture that is welcomed into their house. 46 00:03:26.884 --> 00:03:46.622 And then they've got all of us as friends and family to walk alongside with them, to encourage them, to affirm them, to speak truth in them, and to remind them that they are God's special chosen ones, to be mom and dad to these beautiful, beautiful little girls. 47 00:03:46.766 --> 00:03:48.626 So what I'd like for you to. 48 00:03:48.648 --> 00:03:56.070 Do as we affirm the Dyson family and all that they've committed to is join me in a time of prayer as we pray for this family. 49 00:03:56.220 --> 00:03:58.502 God, I thank you so much for this family. 50 00:03:58.636 --> 00:04:00.074 Lord, I thank you how special they. 51 00:04:00.112 --> 00:04:01.674 Are in my life. 52 00:04:01.712 --> 00:04:05.014 I thank you for their friendship and their partnership within the gospel. 53 00:04:05.142 --> 00:04:12.400 I thank you how they poured into this church so faithfully since they've been a part of our church family. 54 00:04:12.770 --> 00:04:15.054 Lord, I lift up this mom and dad to you. 55 00:04:15.172 --> 00:04:18.480 Lord, I know being a parent is difficult. 56 00:04:18.850 --> 00:04:25.338 It is hard, but it is wonderful and such a joy, God, that you give us this privilege. 57 00:04:25.514 --> 00:04:27.460 Lord, I pray for them as they lead. 58 00:04:27.830 --> 00:04:29.346 Lord, I pray for their walk with. 59 00:04:29.368 --> 00:04:31.582 Christ, that it would grow and be strengthened. 60 00:04:31.726 --> 00:04:33.614 Lord, I pray for these two little girls. 61 00:04:33.742 --> 00:04:35.026 I pray that they would see a. 62 00:04:35.048 --> 00:04:38.806 Relationship with Christ, they would hear about a relationship with Christ. 63 00:04:38.908 --> 00:04:52.662 But above all things, Lord, we pray for them that they would come to know Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, and that generation of faith after generation of faith would continue on and continue on Jesus. 64 00:04:52.726 --> 00:04:56.054 Be with this family, embolden them even more so for the gospel. 65 00:04:56.182 --> 00:05:02.686 Protect their family, unify their marriage, and may they be an example and a picture of God's love. 66 00:05:02.788 --> 00:05:04.362 And it's in Jesus name we pray. 67 00:05:04.426 --> 00:05:05.114 Amen. 68 00:05:05.242 --> 00:05:05.706 Amen. 69 00:05:05.738 --> 00:05:06.720 Thank you, guys. 70 00:05:12.450 --> 00:05:13.774 Well, good morning again. 71 00:05:13.812 --> 00:05:17.860 If you've got your bible, we're going to get into our message time together. 72 00:05:18.230 --> 00:05:27.270 Want to invite you to join me in two places this morning, Genesis chapter 25 and Hebrews chapter eleven. 73 00:05:27.610 --> 00:05:36.962 We are not wrapping up our study in Genesis, but we are wrapping up our section where we're looking at the life of Abraham. 74 00:05:37.106 --> 00:05:41.306 We may refer back, but our time with him has come to an end. 75 00:05:41.488 --> 00:05:43.242 It's been a long time, right? 76 00:05:43.376 --> 00:05:45.270 We started this with Abraham. 77 00:05:45.350 --> 00:05:47.270 We started in Genesis in March. 78 00:05:47.350 --> 00:05:49.802 We started with Abraham in chapter twelve. 79 00:05:49.936 --> 00:05:53.582 And then we've continued to go through and look at his life. 80 00:05:53.636 --> 00:06:01.770 Now, what we've seen in this, we've seen a man who has faced some ups and some downs. 81 00:06:01.930 --> 00:06:07.380 He's gone through some difficulties and some varying seasons of life. 82 00:06:08.390 --> 00:06:12.754 Joel Berger shared with me this week about the song they were going to do. 83 00:06:12.792 --> 00:06:20.082 And as he described it to me, it's just that picture of what we see so often in the life of Abraham. 84 00:06:20.146 --> 00:06:28.680 And I hope there was parts of that song that stirred your affections for Christ, that reminded him of his goodness and his faithfulness in your life. 85 00:06:29.050 --> 00:06:36.506 But when we see this in Abraham, we look at all of the events, and if you've been on that journey with us, you know what they are. 86 00:06:36.688 --> 00:06:41.966 We see a man, ups and downs, difficulties and successes of life. 87 00:06:42.148 --> 00:06:47.870 But what marks through all of that is we see that he's a man of faith. 88 00:06:48.770 --> 00:06:50.590 We see that he's a man of faith. 89 00:06:51.330 --> 00:07:17.910 And so this morning's message, what I want us to look at, and this is where we'll jump to eventually, when we get to Hebrews, is we're going to look at what does it mean to be marked by faith and to live a life that what comes from our life is not that we're trying to earn a faith, but that we are people of faith in our ups and our downs, in our successes, in our failures. 90 00:07:18.650 --> 00:07:20.280 What does that look like? 91 00:07:20.830 --> 00:07:21.194 Now? 92 00:07:21.232 --> 00:07:42.634 I'm going to ask that today for all of our Old Testament theologians that are gathered in the room, if you've looked down at Genesis 25, you know, we're about to go into one of those things that we see with a lot of those chapters, with a lot of names in here and not too many Jim's and Fred's and John's and Joe's. 93 00:07:42.682 --> 00:07:43.280 Right. 94 00:07:43.810 --> 00:07:45.354 So y'all extend me the grace. 95 00:07:45.402 --> 00:07:52.786 I heard a pastor say one time, when you don't know how to pronounce a name, say it boldly and confidently, because no one else in the room. 96 00:07:52.808 --> 00:07:53.714 Knows how to say it either. 97 00:07:53.752 --> 00:07:56.600 All right, so that's what we're going to do. 98 00:07:57.530 --> 00:07:58.902 Genesis, chapter 25. 99 00:07:58.956 --> 00:08:05.350 Starting in verse one, Abraham took another wife whose name was Kitura. 100 00:08:05.770 --> 00:08:13.850 She bore him Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbach and Shua. 101 00:08:14.350 --> 00:08:17.030 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dadan. 102 00:08:17.190 --> 00:08:23.470 The sons of Dadan were Ashurim, Leitushim, and le Uhim. 103 00:08:23.970 --> 00:08:28.030 The sons of Midian were Epfah, epfer. 104 00:08:28.370 --> 00:08:31.790 Hannok, Ibida, and elda. 105 00:08:32.130 --> 00:08:36.046 All of these were the children of Keturah. 106 00:08:36.238 --> 00:08:36.930 Verse five. 107 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:38.180 Take note of this. 108 00:08:38.790 --> 00:08:41.490 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 109 00:08:42.070 --> 00:08:43.970 Let's just pause here for a minute. 110 00:08:44.550 --> 00:08:46.334 I think this just kind of summarizes. 111 00:08:46.382 --> 00:08:49.590 What we see in the life of Abraham. 112 00:08:50.570 --> 00:08:59.186 We see the journey if we were to take the time and to go back and do our best to understand historically what is happening in verses one through four. 113 00:08:59.228 --> 00:09:06.518 But we're reminded of Abraham putting his faith, his hope, and his trust in the God of promise. 114 00:09:06.614 --> 00:09:14.320 And the God who gave him the son of promise in Isaac, in the covenant that God had committed to. 115 00:09:16.290 --> 00:09:16.826 Abraham. 116 00:09:16.858 --> 00:09:18.830 Gave all he had to Isaac. 117 00:09:19.730 --> 00:09:20.800 Verse six. 118 00:09:21.170 --> 00:09:25.090 But to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts. 119 00:09:25.430 --> 00:09:31.540 And while he was still living, he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward to the east country. 120 00:09:32.230 --> 00:09:32.882 Verse seven. 121 00:09:32.936 --> 00:09:36.580 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life. 122 00:09:36.950 --> 00:09:38.898 175 years. 123 00:09:38.984 --> 00:09:40.234 Everybody say, whoo. 124 00:09:40.302 --> 00:09:40.920 Right. 125 00:09:41.610 --> 00:09:48.794 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years. 126 00:09:48.992 --> 00:09:53.062 And was gathered to his people, Isaac and Ishmael. 127 00:09:53.126 --> 00:10:01.002 His sons buried him in the cave of Makpala in the field of Ephron, the son of Zoar, the Hittite. 128 00:10:01.146 --> 00:10:02.590 East of Mamre. 129 00:10:03.010 --> 00:10:06.430 The field that Abraham purchased was from the Hittites. 130 00:10:06.930 --> 00:10:10.474 There Abraham was buried with Sarah, his wife. 131 00:10:10.522 --> 00:10:13.300 This is what we read about in Genesis 23. 132 00:10:13.990 --> 00:10:17.854 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac. 133 00:10:17.902 --> 00:10:24.434 His son just reminded, continuing on and on again, of God fulfilling what God is going to do. 134 00:10:24.632 --> 00:10:28.010 And Isaac settled at Beerley Hiroi. 135 00:10:28.190 --> 00:10:28.822 Verse twelve. 136 00:10:28.876 --> 00:10:38.330 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, who Hagar, the egyptian Sarah's servant, border Abraham. 137 00:10:38.670 --> 00:10:43.610 These are the names of the son of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth. 138 00:10:44.110 --> 00:10:49.942 Nebaoth, the firstborn of Ishmael Kedar, Adbil. 139 00:10:50.086 --> 00:10:51.238 Mibsum. 140 00:10:51.414 --> 00:10:52.502 Mibsha. 141 00:10:52.646 --> 00:10:53.670 Duma. 142 00:10:53.830 --> 00:10:54.726 Massa. 143 00:10:54.838 --> 00:10:55.702 Hadad. 144 00:10:55.846 --> 00:10:56.678 Tima. 145 00:10:56.774 --> 00:10:57.750 Jtor. 146 00:10:57.910 --> 00:10:58.854 Notfish. 147 00:10:58.982 --> 00:10:59.986 Kidema. 148 00:11:00.118 --> 00:11:05.970 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their villages and by their encampments. 149 00:11:06.310 --> 00:11:08.850 Twelve princes according to their tribes. 150 00:11:09.270 --> 00:11:11.838 These are the years of the life of Ishmael. 151 00:11:12.014 --> 00:11:13.826 Hundred and 37 years. 152 00:11:14.008 --> 00:11:18.580 He breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people. 153 00:11:18.950 --> 00:11:25.190 And they settled from Havalah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. 154 00:11:25.530 --> 00:11:29.510 He settled over against all of his kinsmen. 155 00:11:29.670 --> 00:11:32.140 In verse 19, we'll read 19 and 20. 156 00:11:33.470 --> 00:11:37.660 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son. 157 00:11:38.030 --> 00:11:51.390 Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebecca, the daughter of Bethul the Aramean, the Patamaran, the sister of Laban the Armenian, to be his wife. 158 00:11:52.370 --> 00:12:16.322 And when we look back and we see all of the chapters of everything that we've read, not just starting in Genesis twelve, but starting back in Genesis one, what is reminded of us in this were to go through and look at all the genealogies and look at all the tribes and look at all the splits and look what's happened at Babylon, and look what's happened in the flood, and look what's happened in Noah's descendants, and look what's happened in Egypt. 159 00:12:16.386 --> 00:12:17.862 And we see all of these things. 160 00:12:17.916 --> 00:12:18.950 Here's what we see. 161 00:12:19.020 --> 00:12:22.330 Here's what we see from Genesis one through Genesis 25. 162 00:12:22.400 --> 00:12:26.918 And here's what we're going to continue to see all throughout the rest of scripture. 163 00:12:27.094 --> 00:12:37.360 And as we cling to the words of the songs that remind us of the truth of our life, of what we just sang, that God is faithful to do all that God has said he will do. 164 00:12:37.890 --> 00:12:38.254 That. 165 00:12:38.292 --> 00:12:40.880 If you were to ask me, but what is the Bible about? 166 00:12:42.290 --> 00:12:43.006 What is it? 167 00:12:43.028 --> 00:12:45.490 In one sentence, it is this. 168 00:12:45.560 --> 00:12:48.500 God is faithful to do all that God has said he will do. 169 00:12:48.950 --> 00:12:58.550 And it's the story of God redeeming for himself a sinful and rebellious people, because he is good and he is holy and he is righteous. 170 00:12:59.690 --> 00:13:00.950 He is king. 171 00:13:02.170 --> 00:13:04.758 God is faithful to do all that he said he would do. 172 00:13:04.924 --> 00:13:06.274 God said he would choose for himself. 173 00:13:06.322 --> 00:13:08.166 A people, and he did. 174 00:13:08.348 --> 00:13:09.714 God said he would bring a savior. 175 00:13:09.762 --> 00:13:11.530 From these people, and he did. 176 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:12.906 God said he would bring hope to. 177 00:13:12.928 --> 00:13:14.700 The world, and he did. 178 00:13:15.630 --> 00:13:30.890 The reminder for us when we read and when we dive into scriptures is that as we've been enjoying, I've been enjoying, the story of working through so much with Abraham has been stretching me so much in my life is that the story of Abraham is not the story of Abraham. 179 00:13:30.970 --> 00:13:33.220 The story of Abraham is the story of God. 180 00:13:33.670 --> 00:13:43.490 It's the story of God and God's faithfulness in a man that made great choices and poor decisions. 181 00:13:44.390 --> 00:13:49.030 We're reminded that when Abraham was unfaithful, God was faithful. 182 00:13:49.850 --> 00:13:56.310 That when Abraham was faithful, that it was a reminder that God was faithful. 183 00:13:56.970 --> 00:14:04.460 And so we see this father of our faith, we see his life come to an end. 184 00:14:05.070 --> 00:14:17.920 We see what would have been laid out amongst the obituary of what's there as 175 years lived on this earth has come to an end. 185 00:14:19.170 --> 00:14:24.186 And we see what is the commentary that happens found in Hebrews, chapter eleven. 186 00:14:24.218 --> 00:14:26.180 So I want you to turn to that. 187 00:14:26.710 --> 00:14:34.980 And this is where we're going to be for most of our time today as we look at this summation of this man's life. 188 00:14:36.650 --> 00:14:42.002 Now, the writer of Hebrews, as we move toward eleven. 189 00:14:42.146 --> 00:14:50.620 In chapter ten of Hebrews, he is referring to Christ's once and for all sacrifice for all. 190 00:14:51.310 --> 00:14:55.850 In chapter ten, he refers back to the Old Testament sacrificial system. 191 00:14:55.920 --> 00:15:07.262 And he talks about, look, you have multiple sacrifices after multiple sacrifices, yearly sacrifices after yearly sacrifices for the sins and the obedience of what God has called you to. 192 00:15:07.316 --> 00:15:24.850 But then he says, but in verse twelve, he says, but Christ offered for a single sacrifice for sins, and that by this offering, being Christ himself, he has perfected for all times those who are being sanctified. 193 00:15:25.290 --> 00:15:31.910 So it's the work of Christ and the sacrifice of Christ for all of mankind. 194 00:15:32.250 --> 00:15:36.470 And then he says, in Christ, we have confidence. 195 00:15:38.190 --> 00:15:39.370 Through faith. 196 00:15:40.830 --> 00:15:44.250 We have confidence through faith. 197 00:15:45.230 --> 00:16:02.800 And then what he does in Hebrews eleven is he list different men and women in the Old Testament who placed their faith in God and in a messiah that historically had not yet come. 198 00:16:04.230 --> 00:16:05.860 Where their hope was found. 199 00:16:06.390 --> 00:16:11.982 And this is what he says starting in verse eight about Abraham. 200 00:16:12.126 --> 00:16:14.050 And he'll speak to Sarah as well. 201 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:15.570 We're going to read all the way. 202 00:16:15.640 --> 00:16:17.666 Through this section, so join with me. 203 00:16:17.688 --> 00:16:26.470 He says, by faith, abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was going to receive an inheritance. 204 00:16:26.810 --> 00:16:31.020 And he went out not knowing where he was going. 205 00:16:31.630 --> 00:16:42.906 By faith, he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 206 00:16:43.098 --> 00:16:50.240 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 207 00:16:51.090 --> 00:17:11.154 By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful, who had promised, therefore, from one man in him all good as dead were born. 208 00:17:11.202 --> 00:17:19.526 Descendants, as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the normal grains of sand by the seashore. 209 00:17:19.718 --> 00:17:20.550 Verse 13. 210 00:17:20.630 --> 00:17:27.162 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen. 211 00:17:27.216 --> 00:17:29.594 Them and greeted them from afar, and. 212 00:17:29.632 --> 00:17:32.438 Having acknowledged that they were strangers and. 213 00:17:32.464 --> 00:17:34.030 Exiles on the earth. 214 00:17:34.370 --> 00:17:39.150 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 215 00:17:39.730 --> 00:17:42.990 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out. 216 00:17:43.060 --> 00:17:45.460 They would have had opportunity to return. 217 00:17:45.990 --> 00:17:47.746 But as it is, they desire a. 218 00:17:47.768 --> 00:17:50.580 Better country, that is a heavenly one. 219 00:17:51.030 --> 00:17:56.360 Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 220 00:17:56.810 --> 00:17:57.990 Verse 17. 221 00:17:58.970 --> 00:18:16.090 By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, through Isaac, shall your offspring be named. 222 00:18:16.510 --> 00:18:26.960 And he considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, fearly speaking, he did receive him back. 223 00:18:27.890 --> 00:18:31.630 We look at Hebrews chapter eleven, one of my favorite chapters of scripture. 224 00:18:32.290 --> 00:18:37.262 And we look in and we see these men and women, and we see the actions. 225 00:18:37.326 --> 00:18:41.362 We see this summation of their life and what they're known for. 226 00:18:41.416 --> 00:18:52.150 When we go through, we see in verse four about Abel, we see in verse four about Enoch, verse seven about Noah. 227 00:18:52.650 --> 00:18:57.590 We'll continue on for Moses and continue on throughout the chapter. 228 00:18:58.270 --> 00:19:05.820 And we can look at each one of these instances and draw from them the action that they did. 229 00:19:06.750 --> 00:19:13.120 And then we can look from that action and say, this is how I should model my life. 230 00:19:15.090 --> 00:19:32.754 But if we're not careful, we'll miss what the writer of Hebrews, for every single one of these characters, these historical people, for every single one of them, what he does and what he establishes is this. 231 00:19:32.872 --> 00:19:40.582 In every single one of their lives, no matter how significant we may see. 232 00:19:40.636 --> 00:19:50.986 Their actions, he starts it by saying, by faith, by faith, by faith, when. 233 00:19:51.008 --> 00:20:07.280 It comes to our life for the Lord, when it comes to, as we continue on and as we've looked previously at in Genesis, may we understand this, that faith comes first. 234 00:20:08.130 --> 00:20:10.558 By faith comes first. 235 00:20:10.644 --> 00:20:14.126 The writer of Hebrews, every single time we saw it there in Abraham and. 236 00:20:14.148 --> 00:20:20.926 In the life of Sarah, by faith, not by reason, not by evidence, not by logic, but by faith. 237 00:20:21.118 --> 00:20:24.226 And this is why the story of Abraham is the story of God. 238 00:20:24.408 --> 00:20:33.800 And this is why the prayer for me for your life and for me for my life, is that it would be by faith as the story of God. 239 00:20:34.330 --> 00:20:49.260 Every yes of Abraham, every yes of Sarah, every yes for you, every yes for me is not found in and of ourselves, but found in God. 240 00:20:50.210 --> 00:20:51.614 The writer of Hebrews, at the very. 241 00:20:51.652 --> 00:20:55.120 Beginning of chapter eleven, he defines faith for us. 242 00:20:56.050 --> 00:21:07.940 Starting in verse one, he says, now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 243 00:21:08.710 --> 00:21:14.686 For by it the people of old receive their condemnation, commendation. 244 00:21:14.878 --> 00:21:21.640 And by faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God. 245 00:21:22.090 --> 00:21:28.410 So that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 246 00:21:29.710 --> 00:21:32.170 Does faith have evidence? 247 00:21:33.070 --> 00:21:33.820 Yes. 248 00:21:34.830 --> 00:21:39.900 You see the evidence of the fruit, of the life of people surrounding you. 249 00:21:40.430 --> 00:21:43.520 You see the evidence of the fruit of your life. 250 00:21:43.890 --> 00:21:51.438 You walk through your journey, you walk through your life, and you know what a relationship with God looks like, what it feels like. 251 00:21:51.524 --> 00:21:54.526 But faith is beyond the evidence. 252 00:21:54.638 --> 00:21:56.850 Faith extends beyond that. 253 00:21:56.920 --> 00:22:00.510 It says that faith is the assurance, the conviction. 254 00:22:00.590 --> 00:22:05.650 Or what we can break those two words down into is the confidence. 255 00:22:07.530 --> 00:22:11.480 And things hoped for, but things not seen. 256 00:22:12.570 --> 00:22:15.750 And we become to understand that with faith. 257 00:22:16.170 --> 00:22:26.140 That faith is a willingness to trust, to rely on, to hope for and to cling to. 258 00:22:26.830 --> 00:22:36.880 That's what we saw in Genesis, chapter twelve, with Abraham Abram, at the time a pagan man from a pagan land. 259 00:22:37.730 --> 00:22:43.630 But God opened his heart and everything in his life began. 260 00:22:44.470 --> 00:22:57.062 Not when he decided to be a man of character, not when he decided to be a man of integrity, but when he decided to be a man of faith in God, in the work. 261 00:22:57.116 --> 00:22:59.160 Of God, in his life. 262 00:23:00.330 --> 00:23:04.102 And in Genesis, chapter twelve, when God. 263 00:23:04.156 --> 00:23:08.154 Calls him to leave his home, to. 264 00:23:08.192 --> 00:23:18.730 Leave his family and to leave his country in obedience to him, it's not through a messenger. 265 00:23:19.230 --> 00:23:21.600 It's not through a sign. 266 00:23:22.290 --> 00:23:25.390 God himself didn't appear. 267 00:23:26.530 --> 00:23:39.090 It simply says that God spoke and Abraham heard, and Abraham responded. 268 00:23:40.230 --> 00:23:51.320 And in this beautiful moment of faith, in chapter twelve is what we see was then what marks Abraham's life? 269 00:23:52.730 --> 00:24:03.210 It's his faith in God that lands and resounds on the pages of Hebrews, chapter eleven. 270 00:24:04.510 --> 00:24:06.330 Not his faith in himself. 271 00:24:07.070 --> 00:24:09.130 So what do we learn about faith? 272 00:24:09.870 --> 00:24:14.110 How God worked and God moved in the life of Abraham. 273 00:24:14.450 --> 00:24:17.950 What can we draw from this, from our. 274 00:24:18.100 --> 00:24:21.854 I think there's four things we can delve into today. 275 00:24:21.892 --> 00:24:24.386 We want to look at these briefly, and the number four is this. 276 00:24:24.488 --> 00:24:25.870 By faith we obey. 277 00:24:26.030 --> 00:24:27.410 By faith we obey. 278 00:24:28.150 --> 00:24:29.074 It will not be. 279 00:24:29.112 --> 00:24:29.694 We obey. 280 00:24:29.742 --> 00:24:31.090 So we obtain faith. 281 00:24:32.230 --> 00:24:34.050 It's by faith we obey. 282 00:24:34.790 --> 00:24:43.670 By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was going to receive an inheritance. 283 00:24:44.650 --> 00:24:47.560 And he went out not knowing where he was going. 284 00:24:48.350 --> 00:24:49.340 Do you understand? 285 00:24:49.710 --> 00:24:55.130 All of Abraham's inheritance in this earth. 286 00:24:55.790 --> 00:25:00.460 He left behind, he walked away from. 287 00:25:01.330 --> 00:25:09.310 He left it all but to go and to step out in faith, going to where God promised him. 288 00:25:09.380 --> 00:25:14.820 But here's the thing and what we see, his faith was a little less than perfect, wasn't it? 289 00:25:15.270 --> 00:25:17.678 He was still the God that struggled. 290 00:25:17.774 --> 00:25:22.930 Abraham, probably more so, is marked by delayed obedience. 291 00:25:24.310 --> 00:25:30.360 God, as I journey with you, I'm still going to cling on to these things that I hold on to. 292 00:25:31.530 --> 00:25:33.720 But what did God remember him for? 293 00:25:34.650 --> 00:25:36.680 Did God remember him for his. 294 00:25:37.850 --> 00:25:38.780 No, no. 295 00:25:39.150 --> 00:25:42.410 God remembered him for his faith. 296 00:25:43.150 --> 00:25:47.082 God knew that Abraham was not a finished work. 297 00:25:47.216 --> 00:25:49.082 So the beauty of it is this. 298 00:25:49.216 --> 00:25:53.760 God kept working on him, and God kept working in him. 299 00:25:54.610 --> 00:26:00.000 That's the beauty of what we see in the gospel of what God does. 300 00:26:00.530 --> 00:26:02.914 So by faith we obey the second. 301 00:26:02.952 --> 00:26:04.180 By faith we go. 302 00:26:04.550 --> 00:26:05.202 We go. 303 00:26:05.256 --> 00:26:06.100 Verse nine. 304 00:26:07.030 --> 00:26:20.070 By faith, he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living intense with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 305 00:26:20.490 --> 00:26:31.500 Abraham was a man of means in his life, but the only land he ever owned was the land him and his wife were buried on, we see in Genesis 23. 306 00:26:32.110 --> 00:26:38.780 But what is beautiful about when he went, he was going toward God. 307 00:26:39.310 --> 00:26:42.254 He was going toward where God had him. 308 00:26:42.372 --> 00:26:47.470 He was going for what God had for him and what God had for him. 309 00:26:47.540 --> 00:26:50.000 And the promise was more of God. 310 00:26:52.470 --> 00:26:57.700 So his citizenship would not be marked by his address. 311 00:26:58.630 --> 00:27:05.910 His citizenship would not be marked by his border, but his citizenship would be marked by his faith. 312 00:27:07.210 --> 00:27:14.262 What determines who I am and what determines who you are is not where. 313 00:27:14.316 --> 00:27:21.500 We are located, but by the faith in the God who chooses to send us. 314 00:27:23.070 --> 00:27:26.330 That's who we are next. 315 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:29.014 By faith we see in Hebrews eleven. 316 00:27:29.062 --> 00:27:30.410 By faith we receive. 317 00:27:30.850 --> 00:27:32.906 I love the story of Sarah. 318 00:27:33.098 --> 00:27:37.114 Love the story of Sarah, says verse eleven. 319 00:27:37.162 --> 00:27:40.910 By faith, Sarah herself received power to. 320 00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:50.610 Conceive even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 321 00:27:51.270 --> 00:27:52.260 Get that? 322 00:27:53.110 --> 00:27:59.480 She knew she was past age, physically speaking. 323 00:28:00.330 --> 00:28:06.680 Her body had changed to where she could not conceive a child. 324 00:28:08.110 --> 00:28:09.500 But she knew. 325 00:28:10.350 --> 00:28:17.850 She knew that God is the God of promise and that he would fulfill. 326 00:28:19.070 --> 00:28:22.800 Like Abraham, her faith wasn't perfect. 327 00:28:23.810 --> 00:28:26.720 I love the irony of the Lord sometimes. 328 00:28:28.370 --> 00:28:35.374 And when she found out that she would do this before she wrestled with what God had for her in unbelief, she laughed. 329 00:28:35.502 --> 00:28:36.580 Really me? 330 00:28:37.750 --> 00:28:38.210 Really? 331 00:28:38.280 --> 00:28:41.780 At my age, surely God. 332 00:28:42.550 --> 00:28:48.440 But she put her faith in what she couldn't understand, in what she couldn't process. 333 00:28:50.330 --> 00:28:58.890 And then when she gave birth to Isaac, she was so filled with joy that the Bible tells us that she laughed. 334 00:28:59.790 --> 00:29:01.050 She laughed. 335 00:29:01.950 --> 00:29:03.820 The picture of what we see. 336 00:29:04.670 --> 00:29:09.420 You ever think and ask the question, could God really use me? 337 00:29:10.770 --> 00:29:13.200 Could God really use me? 338 00:29:14.690 --> 00:29:16.960 Let me answer that question for you. 339 00:29:18.210 --> 00:29:23.140 If your faith is in yourself, God's not going to use you. 340 00:29:23.910 --> 00:29:36.310 But when your faith is in him, in him alone, God will use you beyond what you could ever possibly imagine. 341 00:29:38.490 --> 00:29:44.840 And when God decides it's time to use you, the question I have for you is this. 342 00:29:45.370 --> 00:29:47.000 Will you receive that calling? 343 00:29:47.610 --> 00:29:49.240 Will you receive that calling? 344 00:29:50.410 --> 00:29:52.460 Do you know when God wants to use you? 345 00:29:53.550 --> 00:29:55.020 Did you wake up today? 346 00:29:57.390 --> 00:29:59.974 We use a phrase sometimes that every. 347 00:30:00.032 --> 00:30:01.760 Day is a blessing from God. 348 00:30:02.290 --> 00:30:03.950 That's a true statement. 349 00:30:04.770 --> 00:30:06.880 Every day is a blessing from God. 350 00:30:07.650 --> 00:30:10.320 But the statement doesn't stop there. 351 00:30:11.330 --> 00:30:14.174 Oftentimes we take that statement every day. 352 00:30:14.212 --> 00:30:15.342 As a blessing from God. 353 00:30:15.396 --> 00:30:19.460 And then what we add to it is, so now I get to do what I want to do for myself. 354 00:30:20.870 --> 00:30:23.474 But as men and women of faith, every day is a blessing from God. 355 00:30:23.512 --> 00:30:28.120 And every day is an opportunity for God to use us for his name, for his glory, and for his power. 356 00:30:28.810 --> 00:30:31.400 Every single day. 357 00:30:32.410 --> 00:30:37.400 I love the wording that the writer of Hebrew says. 358 00:30:38.510 --> 00:31:13.822 It says that by faith Sarah received, she grasped hold of, she held on to when the years and years of infertility continued on, when the chaos and the dysfunction of her sin sought to tear through the family that she had in those moments of brokenness, I can only imagine that she clinged to her faith. 359 00:31:13.966 --> 00:31:18.134 God, I've messed all of this up, but God, I cling to that. 360 00:31:18.172 --> 00:31:21.800 You're a God who's sovereign and who knows and who's in control. 361 00:31:22.730 --> 00:31:26.760 And God, I receive what you're going to do in me. 362 00:31:27.870 --> 00:31:33.450 And lastly, of what we see is by faith we sacrifice. 363 00:31:34.830 --> 00:31:36.570 By faith we sacrifice. 364 00:31:37.550 --> 00:31:39.450 Hebrews 1117. 365 00:31:40.450 --> 00:31:58.100 By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he had received the promises, was in the act of offering up his only son. 366 00:32:00.070 --> 00:32:01.460 God said, go. 367 00:32:02.550 --> 00:32:04.210 God said, sacrifice. 368 00:32:05.370 --> 00:32:06.920 And Abraham went. 369 00:32:07.930 --> 00:32:09.240 Abraham went. 370 00:32:10.490 --> 00:32:11.240 Why? 371 00:32:15.210 --> 00:32:24.410 Because Abraham, his faith was in the giver, not in the gift. 372 00:32:25.630 --> 00:32:29.290 His faith was in the giver, not in the gift. 373 00:32:29.870 --> 00:32:37.520 The writer of Hebrews explains, because he knew what God was capable of. 374 00:32:38.130 --> 00:32:41.280 He knew what God could do. 375 00:32:41.970 --> 00:32:49.010 And in spite of the circumstances around him, he didn't put his faith in himself. 376 00:32:49.990 --> 00:32:53.410 He didn't put his faith in Isaac. 377 00:32:53.990 --> 00:32:55.880 He put his faith in God. 378 00:32:56.410 --> 00:33:01.800 And he knew that closeness to God was more precious than anything else. 379 00:33:03.210 --> 00:33:04.920 Today I want to ask you a question. 380 00:33:06.090 --> 00:33:07.640 Who is your faith in? 381 00:33:08.430 --> 00:33:09.980 Who is your faith in? 382 00:33:12.510 --> 00:33:18.380 Have you put your faith in your hope and your trust in Jesus Christ. 383 00:33:20.850 --> 00:33:24.686 Not in an intellectual sense, that I. 384 00:33:24.708 --> 00:33:28.800 Simply believe what the Bible says about him. 385 00:33:30.210 --> 00:33:32.586 I think there's a lot of people that. 386 00:33:32.628 --> 00:33:46.440 They think that faith is simply knowledge alignment, that if I believe this about God and I accept it to be true, then that's all that there is. 387 00:33:47.770 --> 00:33:54.120 And then there's a disconnect from the head to the heart. 388 00:33:55.450 --> 00:34:00.742 You see, Hebrews eleven doesn't say by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith. 389 00:34:00.806 --> 00:34:11.390 But there's a work of God that then moves into the heart of mankind that then is displaying the actions of faith. 390 00:34:13.970 --> 00:34:15.550 And so what is faith? 391 00:34:16.690 --> 00:34:37.430 It's a dependence on, it's a clinging to, it's a desperation for, it's a trust in, it's a love for, it's a submission to all that God is in Christ Jesus. 392 00:34:39.050 --> 00:34:40.760 I want to close with this story. 393 00:34:41.850 --> 00:34:49.594 Emma asked me, coming up on stage if I was going to share an illustration about the family. 394 00:34:49.792 --> 00:34:51.530 I think to prepare herself. 395 00:34:54.190 --> 00:34:56.220 At that time I said I didn't know. 396 00:34:56.750 --> 00:34:58.346 And then God laid this story on. 397 00:34:58.368 --> 00:35:01.070 My heart and sweetie, I'm sorry. 398 00:35:01.140 --> 00:35:03.594 This will be about your brother, so he can start sweating. 399 00:35:03.642 --> 00:35:04.240 Now. 400 00:35:08.210 --> 00:35:11.390 Those of you may know this about me and about my family. 401 00:35:11.540 --> 00:35:13.150 We like to be outdoors. 402 00:35:13.810 --> 00:35:15.694 We like to be outdoors, like do outdoor things. 403 00:35:15.732 --> 00:35:20.978 We like to grow stuff, we like to plant stuff, we like to hunt, we like to fish, we like to do things like that. 404 00:35:21.144 --> 00:35:22.578 And my kids have always liked to. 405 00:35:22.584 --> 00:35:25.540 Do that since young age. 406 00:35:26.230 --> 00:35:27.474 I want to say, the first time. 407 00:35:27.512 --> 00:35:33.240 That they went hunting with me, I think Grayson may have been three years old, I think Emma may have been four years old. 408 00:35:33.770 --> 00:35:35.126 And this is before we moved up. 409 00:35:35.148 --> 00:35:38.198 Here in Columbia Lexington area. 410 00:35:38.284 --> 00:35:44.042 We were down living in Aiken and my father in law had a piece of property that he still has that we go to from time to time. 411 00:35:44.096 --> 00:35:49.020 And it's got a swamp that runs through the property. 412 00:35:50.430 --> 00:35:55.734 And this swamp, it's not a very big piece of land, but it's a swamp that's got a lot of critters. 413 00:35:55.782 --> 00:35:57.434 That like to live on this swamp. 414 00:35:57.482 --> 00:35:59.838 A lot of critters that I'll be honest with you, I can be a. 415 00:35:59.844 --> 00:36:01.454 Little bit terrified of from time to time. 416 00:36:01.492 --> 00:36:05.870 There's water moccasins and there's rattlesnakes and there's wild hogs. 417 00:36:06.850 --> 00:36:13.120 We may have seen one time about an eleven foot alligator that I got about 5ft from. 418 00:36:13.970 --> 00:36:14.790 Right. 419 00:36:14.980 --> 00:36:16.326 I know that I can't walk on. 420 00:36:16.348 --> 00:36:18.374 Water, but I walked on air back. 421 00:36:18.412 --> 00:36:21.320 To my truck when I saw that. 422 00:36:21.770 --> 00:36:23.366 When my kids wanted to go hunting with me. 423 00:36:23.388 --> 00:36:24.150 I love to take my kids. 424 00:36:24.220 --> 00:36:25.334 I love to do stuff with my kids. 425 00:36:25.372 --> 00:36:26.386 I love to do stuff with my wife. 426 00:36:26.418 --> 00:36:27.878 I love do stuff with my family. 427 00:36:28.044 --> 00:36:33.690 And first time I took my son hunting, I wasn't raised hunting, so I didn't know what it was like to take a little kid hunting. 428 00:36:34.990 --> 00:36:36.106 We went there, and we got in. 429 00:36:36.128 --> 00:36:43.498 The stand, and about 10 seconds in, I heard this phrase, and if you're. 430 00:36:43.514 --> 00:36:45.146 A hunter, man or woman, and you've. 431 00:36:45.178 --> 00:36:47.920 Taken a little kid hunting, you know this phrase, right? 432 00:36:48.370 --> 00:36:49.550 I'm bored. 433 00:36:50.450 --> 00:36:51.550 I'm bored. 434 00:36:52.390 --> 00:36:54.706 So I decided to be proactive when. 435 00:36:54.728 --> 00:36:57.086 I take my kids hunting. 436 00:36:57.278 --> 00:36:59.460 So we would go out there with. 437 00:36:59.830 --> 00:37:07.590 Ipads and phones and dvd care books, coloring books, microwave ovens, heat and blankets. 438 00:37:09.370 --> 00:37:15.270 It was like, the know, like, headed back in there that just missed multiple generations. 439 00:37:17.770 --> 00:37:22.786 That day, Grayson and I, he'd gone down there, and I was going to sit for a pretty long time. 440 00:37:22.828 --> 00:37:26.666 So it meant that I needed to have a mini survival pack with me to get him there. 441 00:37:26.688 --> 00:37:33.514 And so we got settled in, and I get seated there, and he had us his little wooden toy rifle that he had always hung out. 442 00:37:33.552 --> 00:37:37.454 He'd sit there, and he'd look down that scope and then look back, and nothing ever got bigger, but he didn't know. 443 00:37:37.492 --> 00:37:37.646 Right? 444 00:37:37.668 --> 00:37:38.800 And so it was good. 445 00:37:39.250 --> 00:37:40.400 It was good. 446 00:37:41.170 --> 00:37:42.640 I gave him my phone. 447 00:37:43.970 --> 00:37:46.258 He's playing on my phone and doing things on my phone. 448 00:37:46.344 --> 00:37:48.290 Probably playing angry birds, right? 449 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:50.820 Again, that just missed a generation, too. 450 00:37:51.350 --> 00:37:51.922 And then. 451 00:37:51.976 --> 00:37:59.640 So he was playing on angry birds, and then after several hours of being there, and I remember thinking like, man, that got dark quick. 452 00:38:00.490 --> 00:38:02.280 That got dark really quick. 453 00:38:03.210 --> 00:38:05.990 And I look over there, and my phone. 454 00:38:06.060 --> 00:38:10.170 The screen's black, which meant the battery is dead. 455 00:38:11.310 --> 00:38:12.810 It was an overcast night. 456 00:38:12.880 --> 00:38:14.026 I'll never forget this night. 457 00:38:14.048 --> 00:38:15.142 It was overcast. 458 00:38:15.286 --> 00:38:18.730 You couldn't see a star in the sky. 459 00:38:20.050 --> 00:38:26.830 We had about a 400 yard walk back to my truck, but it was through the swamp. 460 00:38:29.250 --> 00:38:34.298 And so I said, well, grayson, I'm going to get out a flashlight, buddy. 461 00:38:34.474 --> 00:38:36.750 I had one of those headlamps that you could wear. 462 00:38:38.070 --> 00:38:41.300 I'm going to put that on, and we're going to be good to go. 463 00:38:41.910 --> 00:38:44.820 So I put that on and clicked, and nothing. 464 00:38:46.970 --> 00:38:48.390 Now I'm panicking. 465 00:38:50.410 --> 00:38:54.322 And so I said, I got a flashlight. 466 00:38:54.386 --> 00:38:58.840 And I grabbed the flashlight, and it was one of those flashlights, like, it lit up about that big. 467 00:39:01.050 --> 00:39:03.210 I said, budy, I got to hold this flashlight. 468 00:39:04.270 --> 00:39:07.306 We're going to walk back to the truck now. 469 00:39:07.328 --> 00:39:13.230 I've got a Mountain of stuff that I got to carry of yours, and I've got my backpack, and I've got my gun. 470 00:39:14.290 --> 00:39:18.026 And I said, grayson, here's what I need you to do, buddy. 471 00:39:18.218 --> 00:39:19.760 I'm going to carry everything. 472 00:39:20.530 --> 00:39:28.050 And normally, he would just walk with me with his own headlamp where we could see, but we couldn't see farther than right in front of our feet. 473 00:39:29.430 --> 00:39:31.060 Here's what I want you to do. 474 00:39:31.590 --> 00:39:38.760 I want you to get right behind me, and I'm going to put this arm right here behind me. 475 00:39:39.130 --> 00:39:47.174 I'm going to put my hand right here, and I'm going to have everything else, everything that you brought into this deer stand. 476 00:39:47.212 --> 00:39:49.400 Budy, I'm going to carry it. 477 00:39:49.850 --> 00:39:51.186 I'm going to carry everything that's mine. 478 00:39:51.218 --> 00:39:54.940 I'm going to carry everything that's yours, and you're going to hold on to my hand. 479 00:39:55.710 --> 00:39:59.626 And I don't know if y'all remember, Grace, when we first moved here. 480 00:39:59.648 --> 00:40:02.426 He's like this big legs, about this tall. 481 00:40:02.538 --> 00:40:04.000 He's like three years old. 482 00:40:04.450 --> 00:40:14.660 And I said, budy, I'm going to take small steps, and wherever I step, I want you to step, because wherever I step is safe for you to step. 483 00:40:15.430 --> 00:40:16.740 So he said, okay. 484 00:40:17.430 --> 00:40:23.620 So we climbed out of that stand, and I started, for me, the most terrifying walk. 485 00:40:24.310 --> 00:40:28.040 I'd come out of that deer stand more times than I could remember. 486 00:40:28.730 --> 00:40:30.514 With batteries, dead. 487 00:40:30.562 --> 00:40:32.002 With flashlights dead. 488 00:40:32.066 --> 00:40:33.910 With phones, dead. 489 00:40:34.650 --> 00:40:35.960 Not a big deal. 490 00:40:36.730 --> 00:40:40.570 But I came out of there with my son walking behind me, and I was petrified. 491 00:40:41.790 --> 00:40:43.206 So I walked. 492 00:40:43.398 --> 00:40:44.470 He walked. 493 00:40:44.630 --> 00:40:46.234 I could feel his hand. 494 00:40:46.432 --> 00:40:48.458 I feel all of that behind him. 495 00:40:48.624 --> 00:40:50.138 All of that that's there. 496 00:40:50.304 --> 00:41:01.470 And we walked slow back to the truck, and I reached in, and when we got where I could kind of see the truck, and I hit the unlock, and the light shined everything, and we got back in the truck. 497 00:41:02.550 --> 00:41:03.874 He's buckled in. 498 00:41:03.992 --> 00:41:05.026 I'm there. 499 00:41:05.208 --> 00:41:07.140 And you just exhale, right? 500 00:41:07.750 --> 00:41:13.170 No snakes, no hogs, no alligators. 501 00:41:13.510 --> 00:41:14.674 We're good. 502 00:41:14.872 --> 00:41:22.200 Aaron's not going to kill me tonight, and I'll never forget this. 503 00:41:23.930 --> 00:41:25.910 I said, buddy, were you scared? 504 00:41:27.870 --> 00:41:33.660 He said, no, never forget it. 505 00:41:34.990 --> 00:41:36.300 I said, why? 506 00:41:37.870 --> 00:41:39.820 He said, because I held on to you. 507 00:41:41.090 --> 00:41:42.640 I held on to you. 508 00:41:43.250 --> 00:41:45.760 You see, he had been with me in the woods before. 509 00:41:46.690 --> 00:41:48.430 He knew about snakes. 510 00:41:48.930 --> 00:41:50.670 He knew about wild hawks. 511 00:41:51.010 --> 00:41:52.902 He knew about alligators. 512 00:41:53.066 --> 00:41:54.626 He knew what they could do. 513 00:41:54.808 --> 00:41:57.474 But he knew that the safest place. 514 00:41:57.512 --> 00:42:02.210 For him to be was holding on to his father. 515 00:42:08.240 --> 00:42:09.340 That's faith. 516 00:42:10.480 --> 00:42:22.992 That's faith you're going to go through life having put yourself in some predicaments like Abraham did, you're going to go. 517 00:42:23.046 --> 00:42:32.610 Through your life walking through situations that are difficult, that God has you for, for a reason. 518 00:42:32.980 --> 00:42:36.692 And I want to tell you this, if you want to know how I. 519 00:42:36.746 --> 00:42:39.590 Describe faith, it's this. 520 00:42:40.600 --> 00:42:53.416 Regardless of the circumstances that are around you, regardless if you feel that you're equipped to face them or handle them or not, is that in everything that. 521 00:42:53.438 --> 00:42:56.036 You do, you're holding on to your father. 522 00:42:56.148 --> 00:43:01.416 You're depending on your heavenly father and you're taking the steps as he leads. 523 00:43:01.448 --> 00:43:03.292 You, because what we talked about last. 524 00:43:03.346 --> 00:43:06.350 Week, he'll never leave you or forsake you. 525 00:43:08.320 --> 00:43:14.000 And I think that's what it means to have faith. 526 00:43:15.700 --> 00:43:18.690 That's the question I have for you as we close this morning. 527 00:43:19.700 --> 00:43:21.490 What are you holding on to? 528 00:43:22.500 --> 00:43:25.140 Anything other than Jesus is insufficient. 529 00:43:26.520 --> 00:43:28.260 Who are you following? 530 00:43:29.240 --> 00:43:33.300 Anything other than Jesus is insufficient. 531 00:43:34.120 --> 00:43:35.940 And who are you trusting? 532 00:43:36.940 --> 00:43:41.960 Anything other than Jesus is insufficient. 533 00:43:42.860 --> 00:43:44.330 Would you pray with me? 534 00:43:47.020 --> 00:44:01.020 God, I thank you for being the God who radically loves us, who saves us, who calls us to faith. 535 00:44:01.860 --> 00:44:09.264 And then, Lord, you don't just send us onto a journey by ourself to. 536 00:44:09.302 --> 00:44:10.690 Report to you. 537 00:44:12.420 --> 00:44:15.910 The situations and circumstances that we find. 538 00:44:17.560 --> 00:44:20.644 But you're a God who with every. 539 00:44:20.682 --> 00:44:26.452 Single one of us, all of us who know you and who are known. 540 00:44:26.516 --> 00:44:32.010 By you, Lord, you walk with us. 541 00:44:33.660 --> 00:44:37.930 You carry us, you hold on to us. 542 00:44:39.200 --> 00:44:42.990 God, I pray that we would be a people who cling to you. 543 00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:59.650 God, if there's anyone here this morning who does not know Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, Lord, maybe they've made an intellectual decision to believe in who you are. 544 00:45:00.420 --> 00:45:07.430 But Lord, they have not made a heart response to you, to submit to you as Lord and savior of their life. 545 00:45:08.360 --> 00:45:17.860 Lord, they may be thinking about the events and the circumstances that come with tomorrow, that come with next week, next month and next year. 546 00:45:18.010 --> 00:45:21.784 And Lord, I pray that those thoughts would leave them. 547 00:45:21.902 --> 00:45:24.504 And Lord, that they would focus on their right now. 548 00:45:24.622 --> 00:45:26.664 Who are they in Christ? 549 00:45:26.862 --> 00:45:28.956 Is it a simple knowledge of you? 550 00:45:29.058 --> 00:45:31.624 Or is it a belief of faith. 551 00:45:31.752 --> 00:45:36.172 Of response, of submission to you, of. 552 00:45:36.226 --> 00:45:40.190 Repentance to you as sinners who desperately need the grace of Christ? 553 00:45:42.260 --> 00:46:08.730 Lord, I pray if there's anyone in here, and they are a follower of Jesus, but today is another day where by their will would, by their gifting would, by their abilities would by themselves, they will seek to do whatever it is that this day brings for them. 554 00:46:10.140 --> 00:46:11.640 And Lord, I pray. 555 00:46:11.980 --> 00:46:15.370 I pray that what would mark us. 556 00:46:15.900 --> 00:46:22.924 Is by faith, by faith, by faith, God, by faith, we trust you on the mountaintop and by faith, we trust. 557 00:46:22.962 --> 00:46:26.844 You in the valley and Lord, by faith, we trust you in the road in between. 558 00:46:27.042 --> 00:46:29.164 Lord, by faith, we trust you when. 559 00:46:29.202 --> 00:46:35.440 Finances are good and Lord, by faith, we trust you when finances are bad. 560 00:46:35.590 --> 00:46:42.892 Lord, by faith, we trust you when we are healthy and strong, and by faith, we trust you when we are unhealthy and weak. 561 00:46:43.036 --> 00:46:47.344 Lord, by faith, we trust you when our families are united for the gospel. 562 00:46:47.392 --> 00:46:49.204 And by faith, we trust you when. 563 00:46:49.242 --> 00:46:51.776 Satan is attacking and tear us apart. 564 00:46:51.888 --> 00:46:58.120 Lord, by faith, we trust you with our thoughts and our actions, with our words and with our deeds, and by all of who we are. 565 00:46:58.190 --> 00:47:12.412 And may God, when people see us with what they see, with what would land on them, may they see the light that we shine for Christ, and may they give glory to the God. 566 00:47:12.466 --> 00:47:19.420 In heaven, Lord, and we'll give you all the praise and honor and glory. 567 00:47:20.320 --> 00:47:28.770 God, may we hold on to you as we go on this path of life. 568 00:47:30.100 --> 00:47:36.340 Lord, wherever you may take us, it's in Jesus name we pray. 569 00:47:36.760 --> 00:47:37.780 Amen. 570 00:47:42.680 --> 00:47:47.184 Thanks again for listening, and be sure to check back next week for another episode. 571 00:47:47.312 --> 00:47:55.460 In the meantime, you can visit us@willowridgechurch.org or by searching for 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