WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:45.780 --> 00:00:46.780 Well, good morning. 00:00:47.720 --> 00:00:50.240 Glad you guys and gals are with us. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:56.100 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Psalm chapter 66 as we continue 00:00:56.100 --> 00:01:01.540 on in our study and our musical approach to the Psalms. 00:01:01.620 --> 00:01:06.240 I've really enjoyed and want to thank again our worship team for what they're doing every 00:01:06.240 --> 00:01:11.300 single week of learning a new Psalm, putting in some music, Joel, doing the research and 00:01:11.300 --> 00:01:15.760 finding that, and then in many different ways that we've had the opportunity to either sing 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:20.740 it and respond in worship, to listen to it as we respond in the Lord's Supper, and it's 00:01:20.740 --> 00:01:23.400 just been a wonderful time and a wonderful blessing. 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:28.140 And I know that's a part that I look forward to each and every Sunday. 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:32.820 Well, before we get into this, I do want to remind everybody, you guys saw it on the video 00:01:32.820 --> 00:01:35.700 of our Harvest Hangout tonight from four to six. 00:01:35.980 --> 00:01:38.900 So let me say this, you guys want to be here for this. 00:01:39.240 --> 00:01:45.160 We are excited about all that has gone into and in hearing some of the games that people 00:01:45.160 --> 00:01:47.320 have come up with and designed to have here. 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:49.140 It's going to be an exciting time. 00:01:49.620 --> 00:01:50.800 It is from four to six. 00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:52.400 We have to people say, well, is it okay? 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:55.980 We've got a party that we want to get to at like five or 530. 00:01:56.440 --> 00:01:56.800 Absolutely. 00:01:57.100 --> 00:02:01.200 If you can't be here at four, this is a kind of a come and go event. 00:02:01.340 --> 00:02:02.860 You don't have to stay for the whole time. 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:04.960 And in typical Willow Ridge fashion, right? 00:02:05.020 --> 00:02:07.300 You don't even have to show up on time for this one, right? 00:02:07.420 --> 00:02:08.840 And you're good with that. 00:02:09.240 --> 00:02:10.380 But there will be food. 00:02:10.660 --> 00:02:14.560 We will have hot apple cider, hot chocolate, hot coffee, right? 00:02:14.600 --> 00:02:15.400 No iced coffee. 00:02:15.460 --> 00:02:17.120 None of that is happening here tonight. 00:02:17.420 --> 00:02:18.740 There will be games. 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:20.000 There will be candy. 00:02:20.100 --> 00:02:21.760 We've got a photo area set up. 00:02:21.760 --> 00:02:25.700 There is a hayride and there's going to be s'mores as well. 00:02:25.820 --> 00:02:30.220 And so we want to encourage you how the night's going to unfold is we're going to have most 00:02:30.220 --> 00:02:36.520 of the activities and events either set up on the walkway up here as you come in on the 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:40.200 parking lot or in the bottom two layers of the parking lot. 00:02:40.260 --> 00:02:43.880 And so as you come, just park on those top ones is where we'll have you. 00:02:44.180 --> 00:02:49.400 But we're excited about all that is going to happen and be a part of this tonight. 00:02:49.660 --> 00:02:55.100 Well, as we look at Psalm 66, I want to kind of share with you a little bit. 00:02:55.160 --> 00:02:59.260 We've been trying to understand the context of each of the Psalms that we've looked at. 00:02:59.260 --> 00:03:04.340 We talked about the fact that David, King David, David the shepherd, David that killed Goliath, 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:04.500 right? 00:03:04.720 --> 00:03:08.140 He wrote most of these, but he did not write all of them. 00:03:08.380 --> 00:03:12.860 And so each week we've tried to understand some of the context and the setting of what 00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:13.600 we understand. 00:03:13.720 --> 00:03:15.120 We've looked at one that David wrote. 00:03:15.220 --> 00:03:19.760 We looked at one in week two that was a Psalm of Ascent that the people would actually sing 00:03:19.760 --> 00:03:24.480 as they journeyed up the hill to the temple into Jerusalem of what they would declare. 00:03:24.480 --> 00:03:30.780 And last week we looked at one that we are pretty certain was written by King Hezekiah in a time 00:03:30.780 --> 00:03:35.680 where the city was under siege and on the verge of being occupied. 00:03:35.980 --> 00:03:44.160 So this morning in Psalm 66, there's some opinions about who wrote Psalm 66, but there's no driving 00:03:44.160 --> 00:03:48.680 evidence that here is the individual that wrote this. 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:54.160 But what is interesting as we look at the 66 Psalm is that we can point to the fact that 00:03:54.160 --> 00:04:01.700 this is referred to oftentimes as a Psalm of the missionaries, that what we'll see in Psalm 00:04:01.700 --> 00:04:08.880 66 is that the Psalmist who writes this will write this out of a heart of missions and out 00:04:08.880 --> 00:04:15.820 of a heart of celebration because of what the Psalmist had experienced, because of what the 00:04:15.820 --> 00:04:24.060 Psalmist knew, because of what the Psalmist was called to, there is this explosion of joy that 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:28.460 came from his heart and this is where we find this Psalm in its setting. 00:04:29.200 --> 00:04:32.120 And so that's why I showed the video that I showed beforehand. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:36.100 Because I think it's a continual reminder, and it's a lot of what we're going to look at 00:04:36.100 --> 00:04:41.160 this morning, of the continued global work that God is doing and the role and the opportunity 00:04:41.160 --> 00:04:44.340 that you and I have to play a part of this. 00:04:44.820 --> 00:04:51.100 And the beauty of what I love about our denomination and the denominational work that we're a part 00:04:51.100 --> 00:04:57.900 of, if you saw the IMB as the foreign missions agency of the Southern Baptist Convention, and 00:04:57.900 --> 00:05:03.160 it's the wonderful reminder that all of us as Southern Baptist churches, as we gather in 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:10.440 our separate spaces, as we preach our separate messages, as we work through the autonomy of each 00:05:10.440 --> 00:05:17.600 and one of us as a local body, as a local congregation, there is a beauty in the togetherness of the work 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:18.140 that we're doing. 00:05:19.140 --> 00:05:24.720 And so right now, all over this world, there are men and women, there are missionaries being 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:31.900 mobilized out of the faithfulness of the churches and out of the faithfulness of the congregations, 00:05:31.900 --> 00:05:36.900 it's you, so that as we give, and as we give to the IMB, and as we give to the cooperative 00:05:36.900 --> 00:05:42.660 program, that there are men and women and children who were waking up this morning with an opportunity 00:05:42.660 --> 00:05:46.460 to hear the gospel, that yesterday they didn't have the opportunity, right? 00:05:46.860 --> 00:05:48.140 They didn't have the opportunity. 00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:52.700 All right, this is message one, we'll get into this in a second, all right? 00:05:53.540 --> 00:05:57.380 But like, I saw some visitors this morning, and I'm so glad that you're here, and at the end 00:05:57.380 --> 00:06:01.320 of it, me and my wife will be standing back here toward the welcome desk over here, and 00:06:01.320 --> 00:06:04.540 we'd love to talk to you, shake your hand, learn your name, and just thank you for being 00:06:04.540 --> 00:06:04.800 here. 00:06:05.060 --> 00:06:08.860 But for all the visitors who were here this morning, right, like there was a bunch of churches 00:06:08.860 --> 00:06:15.280 you could have gone to, a bunch of good churches, great churches, gospel-sharing churches, 00:06:16.220 --> 00:06:16.460 right? 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:22.260 We could get on our phones this morning and download podcasts, our church has one, most churches 00:06:22.260 --> 00:06:22.940 have them now. 00:06:23.880 --> 00:06:28.440 We could get on TV and get everybody's favorite TV preacher, Dr. Charles Stanley, out of Atlanta, 00:06:28.520 --> 00:06:28.700 right? 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:29.920 And we could listen to him. 00:06:30.840 --> 00:06:34.980 We could go back and look on YouTube and look at Billy Graham and look at the things that 00:06:34.980 --> 00:06:40.180 are posted up and everywhere, and you and I have the overwhelming opportunity to hear, 00:06:40.340 --> 00:06:41.340 see, and respond to the gospel. 00:06:42.320 --> 00:06:46.460 But actually, we're going to look at it in just a little bit, is that there are so many men, 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.260 women, and children who don't have that opportunity. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:50.160 There's not a church to go to. 00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:54.020 There's not even a Bible written in their language, right? 00:06:54.780 --> 00:06:56.700 And as God's people, we can't be okay with that. 00:06:57.420 --> 00:07:02.700 And so we're grateful for the opportunity that we have to be a part of the largest mobilizing 00:07:02.700 --> 00:07:06.780 Christian missionary organization in the world, right? 00:07:07.220 --> 00:07:11.220 And so thank the IMB for all that they're doing, and I thank you guys for your faithful giving 00:07:11.220 --> 00:07:12.820 so that we can support that. 00:07:12.900 --> 00:07:14.060 So let's get into Psalm 66. 00:07:14.400 --> 00:07:15.440 I'm off my soapbox. 00:07:15.740 --> 00:07:16.320 Y'all know me. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:18.240 I'll jump on a couple more before we get done. 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:20.840 All right, Psalm 66, starting in verse 1. 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:24.940 Shout for joy to God, all the earth. 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:28.080 Sing the glory of His name. 00:07:28.900 --> 00:07:30.760 Give to Him glorious praise. 00:07:31.640 --> 00:07:34.360 Say to God, how awesome are your deeds. 00:07:35.080 --> 00:07:39.600 So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:43.940 All the earth worships you and sing praises to you. 00:07:44.180 --> 00:07:46.740 They sing praises to your name, Selah. 00:07:47.420 --> 00:07:49.880 Come and see what God has done. 00:07:50.280 --> 00:07:53.940 He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man. 00:07:53.940 --> 00:07:56.700 He turned the sea into dry land. 00:07:57.100 --> 00:08:01.260 He passed, they passed through the river on foot. 00:08:02.220 --> 00:08:10.480 There did we rejoice in Him who rules by His might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations. 00:08:11.100 --> 00:08:14.240 Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. 00:08:14.760 --> 00:08:23.400 At the very beginning, and this is why this is kind of set in the heart of the missionary movement of God that He's called us to, 00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:26.980 what we see is a global invitation. 00:08:27.580 --> 00:08:32.640 Written by a Jewish author, a Jewish psalmist at the time, 00:08:32.800 --> 00:08:35.080 what we hear in verse 1, 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:42.040 shout for joy to God, not all of Israel, not all of God's covenant people, 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:47.420 but shout to joy to God, all the earth. 00:08:48.280 --> 00:08:53.560 The global proclamation as the psalmist is inviting who? 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:58.060 All of the earth, all of the peoples to praise God. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.300 And he does this for a reason. 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:06.220 The psalmist says that there is a reason why all of the earth should praise God. 00:09:06.660 --> 00:09:11.800 Not only then, but even still today of what we're going to see in the context of Scripture. 00:09:11.800 --> 00:09:14.500 He says this, kind of paraphrasing. 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:17.680 Praise God for all that He has done. 00:09:17.920 --> 00:09:22.460 And then he gives some examples, the psalmist does, of what he has here. 00:09:22.680 --> 00:09:29.660 All that He has done as He turned the dry sea into land and as they passed through. 00:09:30.540 --> 00:09:36.540 And the examples that he gives, praise God for all the glory He has done for Israel. 00:09:37.500 --> 00:09:39.380 And the question is, why? 00:09:39.380 --> 00:09:45.440 Why should the earth, as the psalmist writes this, whenever the psalmist, whoever it was, 00:09:45.660 --> 00:09:54.680 why should they look at all the work that God has done for Israel and praise God? 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:56.880 What's God doing? 00:09:56.880 --> 00:09:59.480 What's God showing with Israel? 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:08.100 As we look at these psalms recorded in the Old Testament, I think it's important for us to remember what God is showing, 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:09.520 what God is displaying. 00:10:09.780 --> 00:10:14.620 That when you and I, when we look through and as we read Old Testament Scripture, 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:20.640 we read it through the knowledge of what you and I have been able to learn in our present day and time. 00:10:20.780 --> 00:10:24.260 But at this time, right, there is no virgin birth of Jesus. 00:10:25.700 --> 00:10:27.920 At this time, there is no cross. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:32.000 At this time, there is no empty tomb. 00:10:33.020 --> 00:10:35.420 At this time, there is no Pentecost. 00:10:37.160 --> 00:10:39.140 At this time, there is no church. 00:10:40.660 --> 00:10:51.820 But God's display of all of this, of the showing what God will do, of the showing of what is to come, is Israel. 00:10:53.240 --> 00:10:59.240 And so God in his sovereignty, God in his knowledge, God in his goodness, God in his grace, 00:10:59.520 --> 00:11:05.600 chose for himself a nation, chose for himself a people, chose for himself Israel. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:12.500 And what God did, and we can look at this and project this onto our life of what we've experienced in Christ. 00:11:12.680 --> 00:11:14.000 He saved that nation. 00:11:14.200 --> 00:11:15.540 He freed that nation. 00:11:15.820 --> 00:11:19.760 He made promises to that nation and fulfilled them for that nation. 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:24.540 And most importantly, he said that from that nation would come a Savior. 00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:29.860 And this would be the nation that Jesus would come from. 00:11:30.300 --> 00:11:38.400 And when God promised this, all the way back in Genesis 12, it's not just so that Israel would be blessed, 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:47.200 but it's so that Israel would be blessed, so that Israel would be a blessing, Jesus to the world, right? 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:51.200 Yesterday, Aaron and I were out kind of doing some shopping. 00:11:51.420 --> 00:11:56.880 The kids spent the night with their grandparents, and we had an opportunity to just kind of have a day to ourselves. 00:11:56.880 --> 00:12:04.000 And so we went and kind of had a midday date, went out to lunch together, super old people, early lunch. 00:12:04.060 --> 00:12:05.440 We were eating lunch by 11. 00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:06.780 It was fantastic, right? 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:10.880 I was ready to eat dinner by 2.30 and be in bed at 3, but that didn't happen, right? 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:12.580 But we did that. 00:12:12.700 --> 00:12:17.600 And then we're leaving, and I don't know if you've heard this, but like, so you can Google it. 00:12:17.640 --> 00:12:18.500 You can check it. 00:12:18.540 --> 00:12:23.220 I don't know what all is going on with things anymore, but there's going to be a Christmas tree shortage, supposedly, right? 00:12:23.220 --> 00:12:27.480 I don't know if y'all knew that, but they're saying prepare for a Christmas tree shortage, which is just terrible. 00:12:27.820 --> 00:12:29.240 And so she said, do you want to go to Lowe's? 00:12:29.260 --> 00:12:30.680 And we're like, we'll look at some Christmas trees. 00:12:30.780 --> 00:12:37.200 And evidently, Lowe's got word because it's like, like, we'd have to refinance our house, you know, in order to buy an artificial Christmas tree. 00:12:37.500 --> 00:12:38.760 But here's what clicked with me, all right? 00:12:38.820 --> 00:12:41.380 I know today is October 31st. 00:12:41.400 --> 00:12:43.680 Today is Halloween, but Christmas is coming, right? 00:12:44.260 --> 00:12:46.860 55 days, Christmas is going to be here. 00:12:47.900 --> 00:12:51.300 Now, the people, like, there was a handful that were like, whoo, right? 00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:52.840 And here's the whoo. 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:55.600 These people already have their Christmas trees up, right? 00:12:55.680 --> 00:12:57.160 Like, they do. 00:12:58.060 --> 00:13:01.140 They've been listening to Christmas music since July, right? 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:02.360 We pray for them, right? 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:03.220 Right? 00:13:04.160 --> 00:13:05.980 All right, let's, moment of confession. 00:13:06.180 --> 00:13:08.640 If you're a visitor, man, this is the rawness of our church, okay? 00:13:08.880 --> 00:13:09.780 Moment of confession. 00:13:09.880 --> 00:13:15.040 How many of you right now in your house have some form of Christmas decoration? 00:13:15.180 --> 00:13:15.740 I'll break your hand. 00:13:16.560 --> 00:13:17.500 That is fantastic. 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:19.220 That, and here's what I love. 00:13:19.460 --> 00:13:20.620 Here's what I love, right here. 00:13:21.060 --> 00:13:22.360 People are like, we do. 00:13:22.540 --> 00:13:23.660 We're so happy. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:25.960 Yeah. 00:13:26.340 --> 00:13:29.380 Y'all are like our buddy the elves of Willow Ridge Church, you know? 00:13:30.860 --> 00:13:33.140 I'm in a store, and I'm singing. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:34.020 All right, there we go. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:36.540 I love y'all. 00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:38.500 Where is this going? 00:13:41.780 --> 00:13:43.380 Christmas is here in 55 days. 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:51.960 And when Christmas is here, we're going to remind ourselves, we're going to remind ourselves why we celebrate Christmas. 00:13:53.260 --> 00:13:55.940 And we're going to think about the gift of Christ. 00:13:58.620 --> 00:14:19.180 And we're going to sing songs about it, and we're going to tell stories about it, and we're going to do a sermon series about it, and our small groups are going to talk about it, and it's going to be there continuously, reminder over and over again. 00:14:19.180 --> 00:14:27.780 And we celebrate that, that God came for us, but let's also remember that Jesus came not just for us, but Jesus came for the world. 00:14:29.560 --> 00:14:42.500 And as of this morning, as of this morning, sitting in my office, going and looking at the most recent statistics, there are 17,410 people groups in this world. 00:14:43.520 --> 00:14:44.660 What is a people group? 00:14:45.420 --> 00:14:49.840 A people group is how we look at all the peoples of the world in missions. 00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:57.460 And a people group is an ethno-linguistic group with a common self-identity that is shared by its various members. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:02.520 And so the nations of this world within them have different people groups. 00:15:03.020 --> 00:15:08.740 In fact, people groups also mobilize and migrate to other areas of the world. 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:16.360 So a people group, so like the United States, for instance, is filled with many different types of people groups. 00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:22.320 But then also within there, there are people groups, like the different Chinese people groups, 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:26.340 and there are many different Chinese people groups that aren't all just in China. 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:30.340 They've moved to all different places all over the world. 00:15:30.880 --> 00:15:33.200 And so here's the statistic that I want to stick in your mind. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:43.740 And of the 17,410 people groups, 7,398 of them are considered unreached. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:53.660 That means to be an unreached people group, that means that accounted for within that people group 00:15:53.660 --> 00:15:56.820 is less than 2% Christian. 00:15:58.820 --> 00:16:09.000 And what that means is 42% of the earth's population is accounted for in these groups. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:14.860 Which means for the most part that 42% of the world woke up this morning 00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:21.640 with very little to no opportunity to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:16:23.380 --> 00:16:28.900 Now that doesn't mean, and this is important for us, that 58% of the world is saved. 00:16:30.260 --> 00:16:35.300 What that means is that at least 58% of the world has more than 3% who are saved. 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:41.620 The latest statistic that I heard about South Carolina, right? 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:44.580 The heart, like, churches everywhere. 00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:47.800 Kitty wait right down the road, great church, right? 00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:52.400 Churches all around us, Lexington, Baptist, First Baptist, Lexington. 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:54.500 Churches all over the place. 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:56.820 Wonderful, wonderful churches. 00:16:57.780 --> 00:17:05.660 But that in South Carolina, only 33% of the people of South Carolina now identify as Christian. 00:17:07.340 --> 00:17:07.440 Right? 00:17:12.760 --> 00:17:13.920 Why am I sharing all this? 00:17:15.580 --> 00:17:16.920 We can't forget while we're here. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.840 We can't forget while we're here. 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:23.360 It has to be unacceptable to us. 00:17:24.580 --> 00:17:26.620 It needs to affect our budgets. 00:17:27.460 --> 00:17:29.340 It needs to affect our wallets. 00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:32.180 It needs to affect our prayer time. 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:34.700 It needs to affect our heart. 00:17:36.080 --> 00:17:38.900 For the vastness of the lostness of this world. 00:17:39.780 --> 00:17:41.760 And the promise that God has. 00:17:42.460 --> 00:17:46.500 That every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:56.380 I'm hoping as we go into this different season in life of our church, and this is what typically happens over November and December, that we can be reminded of that. 00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:09.940 And on Sunday evening, November 21st, we're going to kind of stop our normal programming and instead have on that evening a night where we are going to focus in on missions and prayer. 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:15.760 And so I want to take some time during the service and share with you a little bit of the details. 00:18:16.080 --> 00:18:19.920 And I've got to leave some of those details out, and I'll explain why. 00:18:20.020 --> 00:18:25.220 But on Sunday evening, November the 21st, we're going to gather back here at 4 o'clock that evening. 00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:29.500 And we're going to have a missionary who's going to be with us. 00:18:30.340 --> 00:18:32.560 Missionary family that's going to be here with us. 00:18:33.560 --> 00:18:47.900 And for the security of him, his family, and the people that they've been ministering to, we cannot share his name or the country that he's from or a whole lot of details because of security reasons. 00:18:48.600 --> 00:18:59.500 But I can share with you that they have been ministering for years in a very prominent war-torn country that is all over the news and has been all over the news for years. 00:19:00.560 --> 00:19:07.640 And they've been serving there faithfully as missionaries, and this country represents some of the largest unreached people groups. 00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:12.040 In fact, this country as a whole is 99.8% lost. 00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:14.340 Right? 00:19:15.300 --> 00:19:18.380 And he's going to be here, and they're going to share. 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:22.380 And we're going to have the opportunity to ask questions. 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:29.480 And we're going to have the opportunity to gather and to pray for all that God is doing. 00:19:30.560 --> 00:19:31.900 And how we can be a part of that. 00:19:33.340 --> 00:19:40.320 We're going to offer child care for some of our really, really small, really, really young kids, babies, toddlers in that age. 00:19:40.540 --> 00:19:46.940 But for the most part, we're going to ask that all of us, younger kids all the way up through all of our adults, are going to gather in here. 00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:59.100 One of the beautiful things that Dawn and them have been doing and her team have been doing in our kids' ministry is continuing to pour into the hearts of them about missionaries and to learn about missionaries and to pray for missionaries. 00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:01.380 And so they've been doing that as a part of who they are. 00:20:01.660 --> 00:20:13.740 One of the things that our student ministry has, since before I got here, has been built on a foundation of, and Moses is carrying that and running with it, is a heart-torn mission of exposing our middle school students and high school students, 00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:19.100 not only with the concept of mission, but with a tangible, hands-on opportunity to go and serve. 00:20:19.100 --> 00:20:31.440 And so from everything to serve the city, great job in blessing so many people here in Lexington to going off this summer and mobilizing our students to work in so many different areas with people who also don't have an opportunity to share the gospel. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:41.140 And so we want to gather everyone kind of in here in this room where we can hear and where we can talk and where we can ask questions and begin to understand and have the impact. 00:20:42.420 --> 00:20:51.100 Because it has to be not okay that 42% of the world woke up this morning with no opportunity to hear about Jesus. 00:20:52.560 --> 00:21:00.480 Because 42% of the world falls into 100% of the world that's going to die and going to have to share an account. 00:21:02.520 --> 00:21:08.700 And the people of God, we can't be okay because it is a global invitation. 00:21:08.700 --> 00:21:13.340 Paul writes in Philippians 2, 9 through 11, why we do this. 00:21:14.300 --> 00:21:25.520 Therefore, God has exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus, let's pause here. 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:36.820 Another statistic that I read this week, 50% of people in the United States who say they are Christian also state that they believe there are multiple ways to God. 00:21:36.820 --> 00:21:38.280 That's false, that's false, that's a lie. 00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:50.180 So that at the name of Jesus, Jesus alone, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. 00:21:50.340 --> 00:21:55.400 And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 00:21:56.520 --> 00:22:00.320 To the glory of God the Father, right? 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.340 The call of the nation. 00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:06.980 Let's look back at, continue on in Psalm 66, verse 8. 00:22:07.700 --> 00:22:10.300 We're going to go out from they to our. 00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:12.520 Bless our God, O peoples. 00:22:13.380 --> 00:22:15.780 Let the sound of his praise be heard. 00:22:16.420 --> 00:22:21.640 Who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip? 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:24.820 For you, O God, have tested us. 00:22:25.100 --> 00:22:28.040 You have tried us as silver is tried. 00:22:28.300 --> 00:22:29.980 You brought us into the net. 00:22:30.320 --> 00:22:33.340 You laid a crushing burden on our backs. 00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:36.160 You let men ride over our heads. 00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:39.060 We went through fire and through water. 00:22:39.060 --> 00:22:44.600 Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:51.580 So we're going to go out from the nations and look in to a people proclaiming. 00:22:51.860 --> 00:22:57.360 The psalmist moves from the call of the world to a call of the people Israel. 00:22:57.960 --> 00:23:04.160 And he says that anyone in this, anyone in Israel has a reason to praise. 00:23:04.300 --> 00:23:06.580 That if anyone does, it should be them. 00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:09.540 And he points out what God has done from looking back. 00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:11.760 That God had rescued them from slavery. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:17.320 He guided them through the wilderness, took them into their land, gave them victory over 00:23:17.320 --> 00:23:19.940 their enemies, gave them their inheritance. 00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:21.700 He gave them his law. 00:23:21.940 --> 00:23:23.680 He gave them his sanctuary. 00:23:24.120 --> 00:23:25.860 He gave them their worship. 00:23:26.140 --> 00:23:28.700 He gave them their priests to guide them. 00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:32.000 He gave them the prophets to speak to them. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:35.020 And for these reasons, they should celebrate. 00:23:35.300 --> 00:23:37.140 But he continues on and gives them more. 00:23:38.340 --> 00:23:42.880 The psalmist is going to focus in on in three verses right in here of what we just read. 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:49.980 Of even more reasons of why the people of God, even abundantly and on top of all of these 00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:51.500 things that God has done. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:52.700 We'll look back at verse 10. 00:23:53.780 --> 00:23:54.840 He says, for these reasons. 00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:57.960 For you, O God, have tested us. 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:03.220 And you have tried us as silver is tried. 00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:10.340 What the psalmist points out of why the people of God, Israel and us today, of why we should 00:24:10.340 --> 00:24:17.600 continue on in the celebration of what God has done is because of the refining process that 00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:18.500 God takes us through. 00:24:19.300 --> 00:24:22.660 Now, he's reading about how silver is refined. 00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:29.720 And what they would do with silver, what is done with silver is as silver is refined, it is put 00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:30.880 under heat. 00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:38.600 And as the heat is turned up more and more on the silver, what happens, and as the stress 00:24:38.600 --> 00:24:45.900 of that is placed onto the silver, it causes the imperfections of the silver to rise to the 00:24:45.900 --> 00:24:46.160 top. 00:24:46.360 --> 00:24:52.020 And so that as they rise to the top, as everything else that's in there that's not supposed to 00:24:52.020 --> 00:24:57.860 be, that takes away from the purity of the silver, what happens at that point is you can't reach 00:24:57.860 --> 00:24:59.240 down in there and grab it, right? 00:24:59.360 --> 00:25:05.000 So what happens at that point is an air is shot over it so that it is blown away. 00:25:06.420 --> 00:25:08.040 And that it is removed from it. 00:25:09.020 --> 00:25:16.380 And what the psalmist says is that when we feel the heat, that when we feel the fire, that 00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:21.980 when we feel the stress, that when we feel the circumstances, what we need to do is not 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:22.940 say, why me? 00:25:23.060 --> 00:25:25.540 What we need to do is not throw a pity party. 00:25:25.760 --> 00:25:30.140 What we need to do is to rejoice because this is what God is doing to us. 00:25:31.620 --> 00:25:33.860 Because this is what God is doing in us. 00:25:35.800 --> 00:25:43.040 Peter, the disciple of Jesus, the apostle Peter, who would die for his faith, says this in 00:25:43.040 --> 00:25:52.120 1 Peter 1, in this you rejoice, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, 00:25:52.120 --> 00:25:58.780 you have been grieved by various trials so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more 00:25:58.780 --> 00:26:05.180 precious than gold that perishes through it, is tested by fire, may be found to result in 00:26:05.180 --> 00:26:10.940 in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:17.360 So when these things come up, when God, whatever language, I don't care anymore, whatever language 00:26:17.360 --> 00:26:21.620 you want to use, whether God's allowing it or whether God's doing it, God's using it. 00:26:22.780 --> 00:26:26.900 And as God uses it, he's refining, he's bringing from. 00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:45.440 And so as I look at my own heart, and I ask to speak to yours, I ask you this question. 00:26:47.060 --> 00:26:49.120 Are you complaining or are you rejoicing? 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:54.040 Are you complaining or are you asking or are you rejoicing? 00:26:55.220 --> 00:27:02.240 And I know for me, this passage is a piece of scripture to remind me to stop complaining and start asking and looking. 00:27:03.400 --> 00:27:10.760 When these trials happen, start asking what God is doing and looking to see what the fire has brought to the top. 00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:13.840 God, as I walk through this, why? 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:16.020 Show me, Lord. 00:27:16.780 --> 00:27:17.760 Give me the reminder. 00:27:18.760 --> 00:27:25.720 And as the imperfection, as the sin, as the struggles, as they come to the top, I can celebrate the beauty of God 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:29.580 because of what God's doing, and then I can watch God remove it from me. 00:27:30.580 --> 00:27:32.880 All for his glory in his name. 00:27:34.340 --> 00:27:39.060 And in these last verses in Psalm 66, the psalmist has looked at the nations. 00:27:40.280 --> 00:27:42.660 The psalmist has looked at his people. 00:27:43.900 --> 00:27:47.960 And now in a beautiful perspective, he'll look at himself. 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:53.840 Verse 13, I will come into your house with burnt offerings. 00:27:55.180 --> 00:28:02.880 I will perform my vows to you, that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 00:28:03.600 --> 00:28:10.360 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams. 00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:14.180 I will make an offering of bulls and goats, Selah. 00:28:14.740 --> 00:28:21.300 Come and hear all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for my soul. 00:28:21.780 --> 00:28:27.220 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. 00:28:27.800 --> 00:28:33.280 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:35.720 But truly, God has listened. 00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:38.460 He has attended to the voice of my prayer. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:47.400 Blessed be God because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. 00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:52.760 And so the psalmist looks at all of this within himself, and he says, 00:28:53.300 --> 00:28:57.960 because of God's call to the nations, because of what God has done for his people, 00:28:58.340 --> 00:29:00.760 the psalmist says, I'm going to respond. 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:08.080 This brings me, this draws me to an individual response of myself within my faith, 00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:13.660 of who I am, of what God is doing, and what we see here is an individual offering. 00:29:14.360 --> 00:29:19.300 And he writes in the joy of what God is doing, and in his response to it. 00:29:19.420 --> 00:29:21.400 And there's two offerings that we're going to see, 00:29:21.660 --> 00:29:25.760 two types of offerings that we want to notice and look at, 00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:29.120 and at this point in time, challenge ourselves and our lives. 00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:32.320 The first one that we notice is the offering of sacrifice. 00:29:33.820 --> 00:29:36.060 He says, I will come into your house with burnt offerings. 00:29:37.800 --> 00:29:43.640 I will offer to you the burnt offerings of fattened animals with the smoke of sacrifice of rams. 00:29:43.860 --> 00:29:47.060 I will make an offering of bulls and goats. 00:29:47.340 --> 00:29:52.120 The psalmist says, based off of God, what you have given to me, 00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:55.360 based off, Lord, of what you have blessed me with, 00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:56.700 I return to you. 00:29:57.740 --> 00:30:01.000 And I do it with praise, and I do it with joy, 00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:04.720 and I do it in a way that's going to honor and glorify you. 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:07.660 So let's kind of talk about this for just a minute, right? 00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:10.600 God doesn't need your money. 00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:14.560 I want to say that God doesn't need your money, 00:30:15.020 --> 00:30:16.160 but God wants your heart. 00:30:17.420 --> 00:30:19.400 And here's what I found in myself. 00:30:20.760 --> 00:30:23.340 This is Bo Life Lesson 101 00:30:23.340 --> 00:30:28.220 that has ringed true in the lives of so many others. 00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:33.020 God knows, and we know that God wants our heart, 00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.400 but here's what we find, 00:30:34.600 --> 00:30:38.100 that so often we give our money to what already has our heart. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:44.520 What already has captured us. 00:30:46.060 --> 00:30:50.220 What already has all of our love and our affection. 00:30:52.760 --> 00:30:55.120 And so in the Old Testament, they brought their sacrifice. 00:30:56.300 --> 00:30:57.240 It's very evident. 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:01.020 The sacrifices that are here are sacrificial. 00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:02.520 They are costly. 00:31:03.100 --> 00:31:04.240 They are precious. 00:31:04.660 --> 00:31:05.560 They are valuable. 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:06.980 Right? 00:31:08.060 --> 00:31:09.460 So what does that mean for us? 00:31:10.340 --> 00:31:11.540 What does that mean for us? 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:14.620 When we look at the wholeness of the Scripture, right? 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.520 I mean, let's be honest. 00:31:15.600 --> 00:31:18.380 We're not bringing the fattened calf to church anymore, right? 00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:20.160 So what do we do? 00:31:22.280 --> 00:31:23.260 We bring our tithe. 00:31:24.360 --> 00:31:25.320 We bring our tithe. 00:31:26.600 --> 00:31:29.540 What rang true in the Old Testament and continued on, 00:31:29.600 --> 00:31:31.120 in fact, in Old Testament, right, 00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:34.360 we look at the individual tithe of 10%. 00:31:34.360 --> 00:31:35.880 When you look at the Old Testament tithe, 00:31:35.980 --> 00:31:37.840 there were three different tithes that were given. 00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:40.720 The one that continued on. 00:31:41.820 --> 00:31:43.740 And God says, bring your 10%. 00:31:43.740 --> 00:31:45.900 And we give it to the church. 00:31:46.900 --> 00:31:49.360 In the Old Testament, it was given at the temple. 00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:51.320 In the New Testament, it was given to the church. 00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:54.760 Off the top, in the beginning, this is who we are. 00:31:55.020 --> 00:31:58.160 And this is God's demands and expectations for us. 00:31:59.400 --> 00:32:00.240 So I can't. 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:01.160 What has your heart? 00:32:02.600 --> 00:32:03.500 I don't want to. 00:32:03.580 --> 00:32:04.260 What has your heart? 00:32:05.300 --> 00:32:06.260 I don't trust. 00:32:06.360 --> 00:32:07.080 What has your heart? 00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:10.420 And so we give our tithe. 00:32:12.320 --> 00:32:14.440 Not because God needs it, 00:32:15.180 --> 00:32:18.320 but because God wants you and God wants me. 00:32:19.020 --> 00:32:22.380 And what we get to experience is the blessing that comes from it. 00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:26.480 And it would be easy to stop and put the period and say, 00:32:26.760 --> 00:32:28.600 amen, we're done, and then there's that. 00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:31.400 But what we also continue to see in the Old Testament, 00:32:31.540 --> 00:32:32.600 what rings true today, 00:32:32.600 --> 00:32:34.580 is not only the calling of our tithe, 00:32:34.780 --> 00:32:36.780 the calling of the offering. 00:32:39.060 --> 00:32:40.520 And that's the above and beyond. 00:32:41.880 --> 00:32:43.560 That's what's extended to that. 00:32:44.560 --> 00:32:47.180 And what is remarkable about what God has done, 00:32:47.340 --> 00:32:51.640 there's the grace of the freedom of where we go 00:32:51.640 --> 00:32:52.540 and what we do with that. 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:56.460 And so I'll share with you what the Bradberries do 00:32:56.460 --> 00:33:02.100 and share with you what I know that many that I've encountered do. 00:33:03.340 --> 00:33:04.360 We give the tithe. 00:33:04.460 --> 00:33:05.960 We bring the tithe into the church. 00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:07.320 And then in the above and beyond, 00:33:07.400 --> 00:33:08.500 in the offering of what's there, 00:33:08.820 --> 00:33:10.800 there's the freedom and the grace to pray and to see. 00:33:10.940 --> 00:33:12.660 And so we partner with missionaries. 00:33:14.860 --> 00:33:16.840 Missionaries like the missionaries we saw on the screen. 00:33:18.420 --> 00:33:19.400 Missionaries that aren't there. 00:33:20.600 --> 00:33:22.500 To go above and beyond to do, 00:33:22.600 --> 00:33:24.540 who have left all of what they know behind. 00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.940 We partner with church planners 00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:33.680 who have left the permanent security of a salary 00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:40.400 to go and to serve a people who don't give, 00:33:41.760 --> 00:33:44.200 but based off of the faith that others will. 00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:46.600 And so we give to them. 00:33:48.080 --> 00:33:50.600 We're given to additional opportunities to bless. 00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:53.640 Those grace moments that God gives you 00:33:53.640 --> 00:33:55.520 in the line at the grocery store. 00:33:56.740 --> 00:33:58.200 The moments that God gives you 00:33:58.200 --> 00:33:59.380 as you scroll through Facebook 00:33:59.380 --> 00:34:01.780 and you hear the story about the individual 00:34:01.780 --> 00:34:03.780 who's hurting and who doesn't have. 00:34:04.520 --> 00:34:05.920 The opportunity to bless 00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:08.380 when you're sitting there at the stop sign 00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:09.660 on the side of the interstate 00:34:09.660 --> 00:34:11.380 and there's a person holding up the sign 00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:13.520 that doesn't have any food in their stomach. 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:16.620 The opportunity to bless the single mom 00:34:16.620 --> 00:34:17.500 that you work with 00:34:17.500 --> 00:34:19.580 who doesn't know how she's going to get by 00:34:19.580 --> 00:34:20.340 from next week, 00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:22.680 much less take care of her kids for Christmas. 00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:26.560 And the opportunity to simply say, 00:34:26.960 --> 00:34:28.220 Lord, you've blessed me. 00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:30.640 It's my opportunity to bless others. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:33.480 And so we have the opportunity to bless. 00:34:34.820 --> 00:34:36.940 We have the opportunity to bless each other 00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:38.460 within the family of God. 00:34:39.360 --> 00:34:41.880 I think one of the most remarkable things 00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:44.200 that I see time in and time out, 00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:45.700 I saw it as a youth pastor 00:34:45.700 --> 00:34:48.120 and still continue to see it as a senior pastor, 00:34:49.160 --> 00:34:50.420 is the senior adult, 00:34:50.840 --> 00:34:52.620 once we start announcing summer camp, 00:34:53.720 --> 00:34:55.200 you know, mission trip, 00:34:56.020 --> 00:34:57.940 to come forward and say, 00:34:58.040 --> 00:35:00.640 you know, those times have long passed me, 00:35:01.600 --> 00:35:04.480 but can I help give to someone else who can go? 00:35:05.660 --> 00:35:07.720 The opportunities when we see mission trips 00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:08.520 and people say, 00:35:08.700 --> 00:35:09.360 I can't go, 00:35:09.460 --> 00:35:10.640 but let me write a check 00:35:10.640 --> 00:35:11.800 so that others can go 00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:15.060 and so that the name of Jesus can happen, right? 00:35:16.780 --> 00:35:17.920 It's an opportunity 00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:23.720 for us to give our offering of sacrifice, right? 00:35:24.720 --> 00:35:27.640 A sacrifice that acknowledges the thank you to God, 00:35:27.720 --> 00:35:29.040 but more importantly says 00:35:29.040 --> 00:35:30.340 that I trust God 00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:32.340 with all that I am 00:35:32.340 --> 00:35:34.120 and all that I have. 00:35:35.660 --> 00:35:36.960 If you're sitting here this morning, 00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:38.920 and I want to speak to the skeptic really quickly, 00:35:40.300 --> 00:35:41.680 if you're sitting here this morning 00:35:41.680 --> 00:35:42.200 and you're like, 00:35:42.260 --> 00:35:43.920 man, there's another pastor 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:46.060 that just all he cares about is money, 00:35:46.240 --> 00:35:46.920 let me just say, 00:35:47.060 --> 00:35:48.180 I don't care about your money. 00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:52.020 I know what one family gives at this church 00:35:52.020 --> 00:35:52.880 and that's the Bradberries. 00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:54.280 One. 00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:56.580 But I care about your heart. 00:35:58.120 --> 00:36:00.120 And I care that God does with you 00:36:00.120 --> 00:36:01.740 in every fiber of your being 00:36:01.740 --> 00:36:02.940 all that God wants to do. 00:36:03.700 --> 00:36:04.480 And I know, 00:36:04.600 --> 00:36:05.500 and I'm there too, man, 00:36:05.520 --> 00:36:07.220 I like to hold my stuff back too. 00:36:08.120 --> 00:36:10.160 And I know the more that we hold, 00:36:10.260 --> 00:36:11.700 the less that God can use us. 00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:12.880 And the more that we say, 00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:13.940 God, you have it all, 00:36:14.140 --> 00:36:15.940 is the moment we begin to understand 00:36:15.940 --> 00:36:17.120 what it means to live 00:36:17.120 --> 00:36:19.640 in an abundant, blessed life 00:36:19.640 --> 00:36:20.480 before the Lord. 00:36:22.220 --> 00:36:23.800 Not only does the psalmist write 00:36:23.800 --> 00:36:26.900 about the offering of sacrifice, 00:36:27.540 --> 00:36:29.800 but he writes about the offering of the soul. 00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:33.680 What is the offering of the soul? 00:36:35.120 --> 00:36:39.020 Raw honesty between you and God. 00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:42.060 The beauty that I love about the relationship 00:36:42.060 --> 00:36:43.400 that I have with my wife 00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:47.960 is Aaron and I can have real conversations 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:48.600 with each other. 00:36:49.600 --> 00:36:50.280 I love it. 00:36:50.280 --> 00:36:50.400 I love it. 00:36:51.560 --> 00:36:53.420 I can say things to her 00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:55.700 that may hurt her feelings. 00:36:57.020 --> 00:36:59.020 And she can say things to me 00:36:59.020 --> 00:37:01.240 that may hurt my feelings. 00:37:01.900 --> 00:37:04.340 But there's a trust that is there 00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:05.580 between the two of us 00:37:05.580 --> 00:37:07.980 that it's raw and it's real 00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:09.820 and we're working through some things 00:37:09.820 --> 00:37:11.000 and I've got to share. 00:37:11.240 --> 00:37:13.020 I know I may be wrong. 00:37:13.180 --> 00:37:14.400 I know you may be wrong. 00:37:14.520 --> 00:37:16.040 But we've got to work through this 00:37:16.040 --> 00:37:18.220 and it's the beauty of our relationship. 00:37:18.460 --> 00:37:19.260 And I'll be honest with you. 00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.420 Sometimes we walk away 00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:21.540 and our feelings are hurt. 00:37:22.260 --> 00:37:23.640 Sometimes we walk away 00:37:23.640 --> 00:37:25.700 and we've got to wrestle through some stuff. 00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:27.740 But the beauty of our marriage 00:37:27.740 --> 00:37:28.920 and we've got tons of stuff 00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:29.960 that we've got to work on. 00:37:30.160 --> 00:37:30.980 But I'll say the beauty 00:37:30.980 --> 00:37:31.940 of what I cherish 00:37:31.940 --> 00:37:33.880 about who God's made her to be 00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:34.660 in my life 00:37:34.660 --> 00:37:36.440 and I hope who God's made me to be 00:37:36.440 --> 00:37:37.300 in her life 00:37:37.300 --> 00:37:38.820 is the raw honesty 00:37:38.820 --> 00:37:40.500 that we can have with one another. 00:37:41.640 --> 00:37:42.520 And here's the thing. 00:37:42.740 --> 00:37:44.420 If you say I don't have anybody 00:37:44.420 --> 00:37:45.660 like that in my life 00:37:45.660 --> 00:37:46.600 yes you do. 00:37:47.340 --> 00:37:48.100 And it's God. 00:37:49.480 --> 00:37:50.440 And the burdens 00:37:50.440 --> 00:37:51.700 that I could never lay 00:37:51.700 --> 00:37:52.660 before my wife 00:37:52.660 --> 00:37:55.240 I can bring all of that to Him. 00:37:56.140 --> 00:37:58.820 Every single part of it. 00:37:59.800 --> 00:38:01.800 And it's what the psalmist points us to. 00:38:02.720 --> 00:38:03.940 The psalmist shows us four 00:38:03.940 --> 00:38:04.920 and I'm going to wrap up quickly 00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:05.820 we're running out of time. 00:38:06.160 --> 00:38:07.380 The psalmist shows us four 00:38:07.380 --> 00:38:09.420 in chapter 66. 00:38:10.480 --> 00:38:12.000 And the first one is in a lament. 00:38:12.740 --> 00:38:14.040 And he said I cried. 00:38:14.740 --> 00:38:15.480 I cried. 00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:16.860 Church I don't think 00:38:16.860 --> 00:38:18.080 that's figurative. 00:38:19.520 --> 00:38:20.860 I think it's literal. 00:38:22.660 --> 00:38:23.480 When's the last time 00:38:23.480 --> 00:38:24.780 you cried before the Lord? 00:38:26.220 --> 00:38:27.360 A realness 00:38:27.360 --> 00:38:28.700 and a trust 00:38:28.700 --> 00:38:29.560 that's there. 00:38:30.960 --> 00:38:31.660 A lament 00:38:31.660 --> 00:38:32.640 is a cry 00:38:32.640 --> 00:38:33.900 that comes from loss. 00:38:35.040 --> 00:38:36.480 And when we walk through that 00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:38.240 and when we experience that 00:38:38.240 --> 00:38:39.120 verse 17 00:38:39.120 --> 00:38:40.640 I cried to Him 00:38:40.640 --> 00:38:42.040 with my mouth 00:38:42.040 --> 00:38:43.400 right 00:38:43.400 --> 00:38:45.220 and how praise 00:38:45.220 --> 00:38:46.420 was on my tongue. 00:38:47.160 --> 00:38:48.280 How can this be? 00:38:48.760 --> 00:38:50.480 Because when we lament 00:38:50.480 --> 00:38:52.660 when we cry out to God 00:38:52.660 --> 00:38:54.400 what He reminds us of 00:38:54.400 --> 00:38:55.240 is His faithfulness. 00:38:56.800 --> 00:38:57.840 It's His faithfulness 00:38:57.840 --> 00:39:00.180 of who He is with us 00:39:00.180 --> 00:39:02.080 in the midst of it 00:39:02.080 --> 00:39:03.880 going through it with us 00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:04.880 carrying us 00:39:04.880 --> 00:39:06.120 sustaining us 00:39:06.120 --> 00:39:07.680 strengthening us 00:39:07.680 --> 00:39:09.120 and you guys know 00:39:09.120 --> 00:39:11.140 that have been there 00:39:11.140 --> 00:39:12.920 and walked through that 00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:13.940 you know 00:39:13.940 --> 00:39:14.640 at the deepest 00:39:14.640 --> 00:39:15.680 darkest moments 00:39:15.680 --> 00:39:16.500 of your pain 00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:17.420 the kindness 00:39:17.420 --> 00:39:18.380 and the goodness 00:39:18.380 --> 00:39:19.660 of what God gives 00:39:19.660 --> 00:39:20.720 often times 00:39:20.720 --> 00:39:21.880 is not to remove 00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:22.640 the situation 00:39:22.640 --> 00:39:25.120 but is to remind us 00:39:25.120 --> 00:39:26.060 that His faithfulness 00:39:26.060 --> 00:39:26.860 is there with us 00:39:26.860 --> 00:39:28.940 so that we can continue 00:39:28.940 --> 00:39:30.020 on 00:39:30.020 --> 00:39:31.760 as an offering 00:39:31.760 --> 00:39:32.660 of the soul 00:39:32.660 --> 00:39:33.400 and reminder 00:39:33.400 --> 00:39:34.620 of our commitment 00:39:34.620 --> 00:39:36.740 and how praise 00:39:36.740 --> 00:39:38.840 was on my tongue 00:39:38.840 --> 00:39:40.360 the commitment of praise 00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:42.280 so that as we're reminded 00:39:42.280 --> 00:39:43.760 of His faithfulness 00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:44.920 as we lament 00:39:44.920 --> 00:39:45.640 before Him 00:39:45.640 --> 00:39:46.640 we can also 00:39:46.640 --> 00:39:48.340 commit our praise 00:39:48.340 --> 00:39:48.900 to Him 00:39:48.900 --> 00:39:49.900 because we know 00:39:49.900 --> 00:39:50.620 who He is. 00:39:52.100 --> 00:39:52.940 And so we're committed 00:39:52.940 --> 00:39:54.980 we're bought in 00:39:54.980 --> 00:39:56.840 we're invested 00:39:56.840 --> 00:39:59.040 and when we know 00:39:59.040 --> 00:40:00.040 who He is 00:40:00.040 --> 00:40:00.660 we can have 00:40:00.660 --> 00:40:01.520 a declaration 00:40:01.520 --> 00:40:02.840 the psalmist writes 00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:05.080 if I had cherished 00:40:05.080 --> 00:40:06.080 iniquity 00:40:06.080 --> 00:40:08.180 if I had done this 00:40:08.180 --> 00:40:09.120 but Lord remember 00:40:09.120 --> 00:40:11.480 I've been purified 00:40:11.480 --> 00:40:12.800 I've been refined 00:40:12.800 --> 00:40:13.420 I'm going 00:40:13.420 --> 00:40:14.960 through the process 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:15.600 you know 00:40:15.600 --> 00:40:16.420 I thought about this 00:40:16.420 --> 00:40:17.860 so many times 00:40:17.860 --> 00:40:18.440 when we come 00:40:18.440 --> 00:40:19.160 before the Lord 00:40:19.160 --> 00:40:20.640 and I'm this way 00:40:20.640 --> 00:40:22.180 and there's a beauty 00:40:22.180 --> 00:40:23.220 of the confession 00:40:23.220 --> 00:40:24.200 there's a beauty 00:40:24.200 --> 00:40:25.200 of the repentance 00:40:25.200 --> 00:40:26.280 of all the bad 00:40:26.280 --> 00:40:26.960 that we've done 00:40:26.960 --> 00:40:28.280 like I need to get it out 00:40:28.280 --> 00:40:29.860 I need to lay it before you 00:40:29.860 --> 00:40:31.140 I need to lay it down 00:40:31.140 --> 00:40:32.000 I need to ask 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:32.640 for forgiveness 00:40:32.640 --> 00:40:34.280 but so too often 00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:34.820 of times 00:40:34.820 --> 00:40:36.140 we look at all the bad 00:40:36.140 --> 00:40:36.860 that we've done 00:40:36.860 --> 00:40:37.880 in our interaction 00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:38.520 with God 00:40:38.520 --> 00:40:39.400 that we forget 00:40:39.400 --> 00:40:40.140 to acknowledge 00:40:40.140 --> 00:40:41.080 that all the good 00:40:41.080 --> 00:40:42.460 God has done in us 00:40:42.460 --> 00:40:45.220 how many of you 00:40:45.220 --> 00:40:46.400 used to be someone 00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:49.220 and now you're someone else 00:40:49.220 --> 00:40:49.580 and you know 00:40:49.580 --> 00:40:50.540 it's all because of Jesus 00:40:50.540 --> 00:40:52.280 right 00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:55.100 it used to be this 00:40:55.100 --> 00:40:56.520 not no more 00:40:56.520 --> 00:41:01.080 bring it to God 00:41:01.080 --> 00:41:03.460 are we praising him 00:41:03.460 --> 00:41:04.620 are we a declaration 00:41:04.620 --> 00:41:07.060 of not what we just were 00:41:07.060 --> 00:41:09.420 but of who we are now 00:41:09.420 --> 00:41:10.060 in him 00:41:10.060 --> 00:41:11.900 and then lastly 00:41:11.900 --> 00:41:12.380 it ends 00:41:12.380 --> 00:41:13.100 in verse 20 00:41:13.100 --> 00:41:13.740 and we'll conclude 00:41:13.740 --> 00:41:14.300 with this 00:41:14.300 --> 00:41:17.340 blessed be God 00:41:17.340 --> 00:41:18.600 the praise of God 00:41:18.600 --> 00:41:20.980 the praise of God 00:41:20.980 --> 00:41:22.480 the psalmist writes 00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:22.900 I'm going to read 00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:23.820 all verse 20 00:41:23.820 --> 00:41:24.720 blessed be God 00:41:24.720 --> 00:41:26.760 because he has not 00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:27.800 rejected my prayer 00:41:27.800 --> 00:41:29.160 we bless God 00:41:29.160 --> 00:41:30.080 because he hears us 00:41:30.080 --> 00:41:31.300 we bless God 00:41:31.300 --> 00:41:32.220 because he hears us 00:41:32.220 --> 00:41:34.000 and then lastly 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:35.180 or removed 00:41:35.180 --> 00:41:37.440 his steadfast love 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:38.180 from me 00:41:38.180 --> 00:41:39.880 not only the fact 00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:40.580 that we praise him 00:41:40.580 --> 00:41:41.560 because he loves us 00:41:41.560 --> 00:41:43.420 but we praise him 00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:44.200 because he loves us 00:41:44.200 --> 00:41:44.900 and he won't remove 00:41:44.900 --> 00:41:45.580 that from us 00:41:45.580 --> 00:41:47.520 he won't take it away 00:41:47.520 --> 00:41:49.540 we don't have to earn it 00:41:49.540 --> 00:41:50.980 we don't have to fight 00:41:50.980 --> 00:41:51.420 for it 00:41:51.420 --> 00:41:53.560 we didn't have to earn it 00:41:53.560 --> 00:41:54.240 to get it 00:41:54.240 --> 00:41:55.420 and now we don't have 00:41:55.420 --> 00:41:55.880 to earn it 00:41:55.880 --> 00:41:56.580 to keep it 00:41:56.580 --> 00:41:57.560 because it's who 00:41:57.560 --> 00:41:59.000 God is in that 00:41:59.000 --> 00:42:00.880 that's the hope 00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:01.920 of what we have 00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:02.440 in the gospel 00:42:02.440 --> 00:42:04.420 the gospel for the nations 00:42:04.420 --> 00:42:07.180 the gospel for God's people 00:42:07.180 --> 00:42:09.900 and then the gospel for us 00:42:09.900 --> 00:42:12.060 would you pray with me 00:42:12.060 --> 00:42:17.040 Lord we come to you this morning 00:42:17.040 --> 00:42:18.040 Lord thanking you 00:42:18.040 --> 00:42:19.060 for who you are 00:42:19.060 --> 00:42:21.000 Lord this morning 00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:22.580 we lift up 00:42:22.580 --> 00:42:25.040 Lord those 7,000 00:42:25.040 --> 00:42:26.620 people groups this morning 00:42:26.620 --> 00:42:30.040 Lord who don't have a way 00:42:30.040 --> 00:42:30.660 or a means 00:42:30.660 --> 00:42:31.280 Lord we pray 00:42:31.280 --> 00:42:32.320 for the mobilization 00:42:32.320 --> 00:42:33.440 of missionaries 00:42:33.440 --> 00:42:34.140 men and women 00:42:34.140 --> 00:42:35.260 all over this world 00:42:35.260 --> 00:42:36.200 to carry the hope 00:42:36.200 --> 00:42:36.840 of the gospel 00:42:36.840 --> 00:42:38.600 Lord we know 00:42:38.600 --> 00:42:39.160 that means 00:42:39.160 --> 00:42:39.940 they'll have to embrace 00:42:39.940 --> 00:42:40.620 persecution 00:42:40.620 --> 00:42:43.500 many will have to embrace 00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:44.120 poverty 00:42:44.120 --> 00:42:46.180 difficulties 00:42:46.180 --> 00:42:48.320 but it's done 00:42:48.320 --> 00:42:49.340 for an eternal good 00:42:49.340 --> 00:42:49.860 and it's done 00:42:49.860 --> 00:42:51.140 for an eternal glory 00:42:51.140 --> 00:42:51.840 of your name 00:42:51.840 --> 00:42:53.920 and so Lord 00:42:53.920 --> 00:42:55.160 shout for joy 00:42:55.160 --> 00:42:55.900 to God 00:42:55.900 --> 00:42:57.140 all the earth 00:42:57.140 --> 00:42:58.880 sing the glory 00:42:58.880 --> 00:43:01.200 of his wonderful 00:43:01.200 --> 00:43:02.780 of his precious 00:43:02.780 --> 00:43:04.780 of his glorious name 00:43:04.780 --> 00:43:07.580 Lord I pray for us 00:43:07.580 --> 00:43:08.160 as a people 00:43:08.160 --> 00:43:08.920 as a church 00:43:08.920 --> 00:43:09.860 as an embodiment 00:43:09.860 --> 00:43:10.800 of Christ 00:43:10.800 --> 00:43:13.080 Lord that we will respond 00:43:13.080 --> 00:43:14.380 because of what you've done 00:43:14.380 --> 00:43:18.980 Lord just as you saved Israel 00:43:18.980 --> 00:43:20.020 you've saved us 00:43:20.020 --> 00:43:22.260 you've brought us 00:43:22.260 --> 00:43:23.240 out of the slavery 00:43:23.240 --> 00:43:23.900 of sin 00:43:23.900 --> 00:43:26.320 you've guided us 00:43:26.320 --> 00:43:27.460 through the lostness 00:43:27.460 --> 00:43:29.500 of our life 00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:31.560 you've given us 00:43:31.560 --> 00:43:32.440 victory over 00:43:32.440 --> 00:43:33.840 Satan and hell 00:43:33.840 --> 00:43:35.060 you've promised us 00:43:35.060 --> 00:43:36.060 an inheritance 00:43:36.060 --> 00:43:37.340 that's eternal 00:43:37.340 --> 00:43:40.520 and one day 00:43:40.520 --> 00:43:41.140 we will step 00:43:41.140 --> 00:43:42.220 into that promised land 00:43:42.220 --> 00:43:46.700 Lord may we bring this 00:43:46.700 --> 00:43:49.240 to the nations 00:43:49.240 --> 00:43:51.520 the hope that we have 00:43:51.520 --> 00:43:52.380 in Christ 00:43:52.380 --> 00:43:53.240 and Christ alone 00:43:53.240 --> 00:43:57.240 Lord and as individuals 00:43:57.240 --> 00:44:02.280 may we come forth 00:44:02.280 --> 00:44:02.920 this morning 00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:03.640 with our offering 00:44:03.640 --> 00:44:07.680 Lord both in our offering 00:44:07.680 --> 00:44:08.700 of sacrifice 00:44:08.700 --> 00:44:10.800 Lord it's all yours 00:44:10.800 --> 00:44:14.860 but to give back 00:44:14.860 --> 00:44:16.340 what you've blessed us with 00:44:16.340 --> 00:44:18.540 as an opportunity 00:44:18.540 --> 00:44:19.800 Lord for us 00:44:19.800 --> 00:44:21.820 to grow our trust 00:44:21.820 --> 00:44:22.780 and faith in you 00:44:22.780 --> 00:44:24.560 and to say 00:44:24.560 --> 00:44:25.320 here Lord 00:44:25.320 --> 00:44:26.800 here it is 00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:27.420 it's yours 00:44:27.420 --> 00:44:31.700 but to even stretch 00:44:31.700 --> 00:44:32.780 and look beyond that 00:44:32.780 --> 00:44:35.980 Lord who are you calling 00:44:35.980 --> 00:44:36.880 us to bless 00:44:36.880 --> 00:44:38.220 to come alongside 00:44:38.220 --> 00:44:44.960 Lord you want 00:44:44.960 --> 00:44:45.640 our hearts 00:44:45.640 --> 00:44:47.880 may we give it all 00:44:47.880 --> 00:44:49.000 to you 00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:52.220 Lord may we come 00:44:52.220 --> 00:44:52.820 to you 00:44:52.820 --> 00:44:55.040 in a sacrifice 00:44:55.040 --> 00:44:56.020 of the soul 00:44:56.020 --> 00:44:58.940 a willingness 00:44:58.940 --> 00:44:59.920 and an honesty 00:44:59.920 --> 00:45:00.660 before you 00:45:00.660 --> 00:45:03.860 to cry out 00:45:03.860 --> 00:45:05.480 in our loss 00:45:05.480 --> 00:45:06.760 in our grief 00:45:06.760 --> 00:45:08.600 to celebrate 00:45:08.600 --> 00:45:10.140 who you are 00:45:10.140 --> 00:45:11.100 in our commitment 00:45:11.100 --> 00:45:11.920 of praise 00:45:11.920 --> 00:45:13.180 Lord to declare 00:45:13.180 --> 00:45:14.460 who you are 00:45:14.460 --> 00:45:16.340 as you've saved us 00:45:16.340 --> 00:45:17.860 and redeemed us 00:45:17.860 --> 00:45:18.980 Lord into all 00:45:18.980 --> 00:45:19.780 that we have 00:45:19.780 --> 00:45:21.280 and all that we are 00:45:21.280 --> 00:45:22.260 to bless 00:45:22.260 --> 00:45:24.040 your wonderful name 00:45:24.040 --> 00:45:26.840 and it's in Jesus name 00:45:26.840 --> 00:45:27.280 we pray 00:45:27.280 --> 00:45:40.880 thanks again 00:45:40.880 --> 00:45:41.380 for listening 00:45:41.380 --> 00:45:42.520 to the Willow Ridge Church 00:45:42.520 --> 00:45:43.320 weekly podcast 00:45:43.320 --> 00:45:44.840 we hope that you enjoyed 00:45:44.840 --> 00:45:46.140 listening to this week's message 00:45:46.140 --> 00:45:47.460 if you'd like to learn 00:45:47.460 --> 00:45:48.520 more about who we are 00:45:48.520 --> 00:45:50.140 or explore additional resources 00:45:50.140 --> 00:45:51.620 visit us online 00:45:51.620 --> 00:45:55.180 at www.willowridgechurch.com 00:45:55.180 --> 00:45:56.400 or by searching 00:45:56.400 --> 00:45:57.400 for Willow Ridge Church 00:45:57.400 --> 00:45:58.040 on Facebook 00:45:58.040 --> 00:45:58.760 and Instagram