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He is a Faithful God - The Blueprint Series
41 Plays19 days ago
In this sermon, Ridley Barron preached about God's omniscience and His subtle yet sovereign presence in everyday life. Barron delves into biblical narratives such as Adam and Eve, the book of Esther, and Apostle Paul's experiences to illustrate how God's influence operates beyond grand miracles, instead working through ordinary events and people. He addresses common anxieties related to human reliance on political outcomes and encourages unwavering trust in God. Through historical context and scriptural insights, Barron emphasizes integrity, readiness to defend one's faith, and the importance of teaching Scripture within families. He concludes with a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness, urging listeners to respond to the Holy Spirit and stay steadfast in their spiritual journey despite life's uncertainties.
Timestamps:
00:00 Reflecting on unintended parenting impact through threats.
04:57 Confidence in God's faithfulness transforms trial perspectives.
10:05 Subtle divine actions may indicate God's work.
11:19 Paul's nephew reveals assassination plot against him.
14:47 God's plan unexpectedly protected Paul in captivity.
17:19 False charges against Paul; persecution persists.
23:33 Eternal hope persists despite challenging circumstances.
25:11 Remain faithful to God, trust His faithfulness.
29:53 Trust God; He won't let you down.
31:05 Help us trust you consistently, respond immediately.
34:10 Trust in God despite future trials feared.
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Transcript
Opening: Acknowledging Anxieties
00:00:00
Speaker
Some of y'all have had very anxious moments this week. Chewed through a few fingernails on Monday and Tuesday as we approached the election. I would love to say that the election brought an end to it, but for some people it brought on more wailing and gnashing of teeth.
00:00:16
Speaker
because the results weren't what they wanted, what they desired. um But isn't that true about us as human beings in general? That we we are anxious about our future. We worry a lot about the tomorrows in the next days and the next days because we just can't seem to rest in the confidence that God has said He would be there for us.
Personal Faith Reflections
00:00:37
Speaker
I know we sing it, I know we profess it, I know we would proudly stand and proclaim it, but when the proverbial rubber hits the road, it's it's like we just can't have confidence that God really is steadfast and faithful in all seasons. I've been questioning that a lot over the last few weeks as we've been working towards this sermon in particular and even the one last week.
00:00:59
Speaker
and Yesterday, as I was reading and the opportunity to read in a book, something that makes a lot of sense to me, and I want
Impact of Parenting on Trust
00:01:06
Speaker
to share it with you this morning. Now, I'm not going to recommend the book to you yet because I'm only halfway through it, and I don't ever recommend books until I've read all of it, just to make sure that the theology is good and sound. um But this particular part really, really struck a chord with me.
00:01:21
Speaker
As human beings, as we are being brought up and even at this stage, like the ones we had up here as parents, um we do something that we don't realize the impact it has on our children. We will say, if you don't stop that, I'm going to spank you.
00:01:38
Speaker
We all utter those words, right? And then the child does it for a fifth and a sixth and a seventh time and no ah punishment is administered. Or in some cases, the punishment is administered, but it's not what was promised. I'm gonna spank you if that, you don't change your behavior. Instead we talk to them or give them time out or whatever.
Distrust and Divine Promises
00:01:56
Speaker
Done over the course of several years of development, what happens is that children begin to develop a distrust in their parents because their parents are not keeping their word.
00:02:08
Speaker
okay Well, after a season of that, or several seasons of that, to be honest, several seasons of that, suddenly that distrust begins to be applied to all authority figures because we go, oh, all of them must be distrustful. The coach didn't promise do what he promised me. My teacher didn't promise do what she promised me. And so all these authority figures begin to come in question as to whether or not their integrity is real.
00:02:33
Speaker
And what happens is, as we develop, we begin to justify our own dishonesty because it apparently is an accepted practice. Don't underestimate the number of times that your kids have heard you sit at the table and go, I really don't like Pastor Ridley.
00:02:50
Speaker
Not that you would ever do this, this is just an illustration. I don't really like Pastor Ridley and the next time you see Pastor Ridley in the hallway you go, oh I'm so glad to see you, I love you, we should get together and do lunch sometime knowing your child goes, you don't want to do lunch with them. You don't even like him.
00:03:08
Speaker
They hear those conversations. they They begin to apply those things to their lives. Now here's where the problem really comes. Not only do they accept it and put it into their life, they then begin to apply that principle to the ultimate authority, God.
Faith vs Political Reliance
00:03:22
Speaker
And so when we read in scripture God's promises, something inside of us questions, is God really telling me the truth? And if you don't think that's an effective weapon, go back and read in Genesis chapter three.
00:03:37
Speaker
Satan says to Eve, did God really say this? You see, that's been the question all along. and So for many of us, the struggle is we want to believe, we profess a belief, we state with confidence that God is promising things that he will keep those promises, but when it really comes time for us to put that into application,
00:04:01
Speaker
We trust more in a very flawed man we elected as president to change the country than we do the God we prayed to.
00:04:10
Speaker
I mean, let's be honest, some of us hinged all our hopes on when that election went Tuesday, not on whether or not God himself would move. I have been convicted about this reality. If we believe God is really as powerful as we say he is,
00:04:25
Speaker
Why didn't we pray with conviction the day before that the spirit and the heart of the woman who might win that election would be changed?
00:04:36
Speaker
Still we prayed, God, it's got to be that man. God, it's got to be this outcome. It's got to be this certain political party that wins. And can I just tell you that they're just as flawed and corrupt as the other?
00:04:49
Speaker
Again, if you don't believe me, Romans 3.23 says, all of us, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents have fallen short of the glory of God.
Faith During Trials
00:04:57
Speaker
We all have a corrupt nature about us. Now, where does all this lead us to today? The story we're reading today in Paul's life as we get towards the end of Acts is one that shows us what a confidence in God's faithfulness, how it can change the way we look at the trials we are in.
00:05:17
Speaker
Okay, follow me on that. ah Every one of us, every single one of us, if we're not in the middle of a trial, we will eventually get to a trial. ah ah The old pastor saying is in life, you're either coming into a trial, going out of a trial or hold on, it's about to hit you, you know? So what happens in the midst of that trial about our perspective of God when we truly have a confidence that he will never fail us?
00:05:46
Speaker
We're gonna start with the verse that we ended with last week at the end of, or in the middle of Acts chapter 23 verse 11. It says this. The following night, the Lord stood by him, this is Paul as he's in prison, and said, have courage, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome. So Jesus physically appears to Paul, stands beside him and says, have courage, I'm not done with you yet, and if I'm not done with you, that means I will be with you through the rest of this journey wherever it takes you.
00:06:21
Speaker
And what we're about to see is that because of Paul's confidence in him, but more importantly, the reliability of God's character, we see God walk Paul through every inch of this scenario providing for him in ways that you and I might not have seen otherwise.
00:06:39
Speaker
It starts in verse 12, let's begin to read. It says, when it was morning, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. That's some deep seated hatred right there. 40 days, and oh, by the way, they never killed Paul, so they went for a long time without eating.
God's Subtle Control
00:06:59
Speaker
It says there were more than 40 who had formed this plot. These men went to the chief priests and elders and said we have bound ourselves under a solemn curse that we won't eat anything until we have killed Paul. So now you along with the Sanhedrin make a request to the commander that he bring him down to you as if you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly, but before he gets near, we are ready to kill him. I want you to see, I want you to know, I want you to understand that Satan is always at work opposing the work of God. If you're following Jesus today, do not be surprised when the enemy shows up in your schedule. Unexpected. He doesn't usually announce his arrival.
00:07:40
Speaker
But you know he's there, you know he's a part of what's going on because you see his hand working actively against you. Now, don't always blame Satan. Sometimes the problem you're facing is your own stupid behavior. Sometimes you just looked into being dumb enough to do whatever you did so that Satan ah shows up. It's not Satan all the time, but Satan is all the time working.
00:08:04
Speaker
He's doing everything he can to disrupt the plan of God. And by the way, you need to know that Satan already knows the end of the story. He can read the Bible just as well as you can. In fact, I'm promising you he's probably read it more than you have because he knows what the end is of his story. So what he's trying to do isn't trying necessarily to overthrow God's kingdom. He knows he can't do that. What he's doing is trying to bring down as many people with him as he can. So Satan is actively working against the promises of God, against the work of God,
00:08:34
Speaker
but God is always aware and he's always in control. I've reminded you many times that there's nothing that happens in your life that surprises God. There's never been a day where God woke up and went, oh, didn't see that coming. And the same thing is true with Satan. He is always one, two, three steps ahead, Satan, knowing that Satan's gonna, when the whole thing happened in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve made that decision, God already had Jesus planned.
00:09:02
Speaker
He already knew that Adam and Eve were gonna make the choice that they made, so he already had the plan that Jesus would come as a Messiah to save the world from its sins. There's nothing that God does not see. Now, as you're reading this passage, you might pick up on something that's pretty interesting. God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit are nowhere mentioned in the verses we're gonna read today. And the reason I point that out to you is to remind you of a great little story in the Old Testament, the Book of Esther.
00:09:32
Speaker
If you're familiar with the book of Esther, incredible, incredible story of God's deliverance of his people and God is not mentioned once in the Bible. But what you see, not in the Bible, in the story, sorry, he's mentioned all over the Bible. He's not mentioned in Esther. But what you do see all the way through the book of Esther is the fingerprints of God as he works things out according to his plan.
Paul's Story of Protection
00:09:56
Speaker
The same thing is true here in the story today. God's name is missing, but the evidence of God is not. His fingerprints are all over Paul's story. We sometimes think God isn't working because we don't see the miracles, right? We're praying for this delight divine deliverance and God is going, it's not going to be necessarily a miracle this time. It's just going to be something a little bit different.
00:10:18
Speaker
It's going to be something a little more subtle. i'm I'm going to manipulate using natural things and not unnatural things or supernatural things. So just because you don't see signs that God's working in your life, you gotta know that God's working in your life if you're a follower of Jesus Christ. Never mistake the lack of the spectacular for the inactivity of God. In fact, over 40 times from Genesis to Revelation, there's a little phrase that's used. It's a reminder of God's constant presence with us. It is the phrase in the meantime.
00:10:53
Speaker
in the meantime. The mean times when you and I are just eating a meal, we're not paying any attention. The mean times when we're at the ball field, cheering for our kids while they're playing the game, and we don't see God out there doing anything miraculous, but God's behind the scenes and he is working to do his will in our lives if only we trust him.
00:11:11
Speaker
And so that's exactly what we see happening in Paul's life. paul is working um God is working through Paul to prepare. Now verse 16, we begin to see the first fingerprints of God. It says, but the son of Paul's sister, his nephew, hearing about their ambush, came and entered the barracks and reported it to Paul. Paul called one of the centurions and said, take this young man to the commander because he has something to report to him.
00:11:37
Speaker
So he took him, brought him to the commander and said, the prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you. The commander took him by the hand, led him aside and inquired privately, what is it that you have to report to me?
00:11:52
Speaker
The Jews, he said, have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow as though they are going to hold a somewhat more careful inquiry about him. Don't let them persuade you because there are more than 40 of them lying in ambush, men who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they have killed him.
00:12:09
Speaker
Now they are ready, waiting for your consent. So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, him don't tell anyone that you have informed me about this. The Greek here for young man implies that Paul's nephew is an older teenager. So he truly is a young man. God uses this young man to change the course and the direction of Paul's life.
00:12:35
Speaker
It isn't a miracle we see, it's just one good kid doing the right thing. I say that to you as an encouragement to you today because many times the things that God is doing to work out the course of our life isn't because it's a miracle that's going to show up, it's because one good person decides to do the right thing. And you, as much as you may doubt it,
00:12:59
Speaker
You are a good person if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, which means that every single one of you today have within you the ability to change the course of history by just doing the next right thing. When you see a child who's being brought up in a relationship that's abusive with their parents, stepping in and interceding is the next right thing. If you have a family, neighbors who are struggling and under-resourced because of change in jobs, and they just need a little help with food,
00:13:29
Speaker
taking them a basket of food is the next right thing. Speaking out about your relationship with God to coworkers just as a matter of conversation is the next right thing, but it could change the trajectory of someone's life because you chose to do that one right thing. And it may not draw any fame for you. This story mentions him as Paul's sister's son. We don't even get to know his name.
00:13:57
Speaker
We don't know what high school he went to. That's a joke, there were no high schools. We don't know what else he did with the rest of his life. He went might have gone on to do great things. He might have gone on just to be a normal average kid who became a normal average Jew living in the Middle East.
Integrity Amidst Accusations
00:14:13
Speaker
But in this moment, because he did the right thing, he changed the course of Paul's life. Let's keep reading.
00:14:24
Speaker
In verse 23 it says, he, being Lysias, the commander said, summoned two of his centurions and said, get 200 soldiers ready with 70 cavalry and 200 spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.
00:14:37
Speaker
also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor. Now all of that might just pass under the radar for us, but here's what here's what you need to know. Paul is a prisoner of Rome, should have been shackled in chains, should have been led behind a horse, should have been forced to walk the Roman road from Jerusalem all the way up to Caesarea. Instead, God uses a nephew to bring it to the attention of a governor who then turns around and gives an armed escort with a horse for a prisoner all at the expense of the Roman Empire. Think your God could do that for you? Think God can't work situations out for your your benefit? In this situation, Paul had every right to be in discouragement and despair.
00:15:24
Speaker
every reason to doubt that God was gonna do what he said he did. But I gotta believe in that moment, as he's riding that fine Roman horse all the way up to Caesarea, that he's thinking, you know what? Jesus showed up in my bedroom and told me this would happen. He told me. And in every situation, every moment of his journey, as he walked that path, Paul was reaffirmed over and over again, you can trust my words. You can trust my words.
00:15:54
Speaker
And let's be reminded that the Lord often uses little things to accomplish great purposes. Paul's nephew is a perfect example. And God's sovereignty is displayed in how he orchestrates the protection that he gave to Paul in this particular scenario.
00:16:11
Speaker
Let's keep reading. We're going to skip down to chapter 24 verse 1 because what's in between is a letter from Lysias to Felix the governor explaining why he's sending Paul down there. It's a recording of the fact that Paul made it safely to Caesarea. And let me also point out to you at this point, by all rights, because of where he was located and who he was, Paul should have been taken to the governor of Syria for trial.
00:16:36
Speaker
and Instead, God puts him in front of Felix, and you're going to see why this is important as we get into this next section of the story. It says, five days later, Ananias, who was one of the high priests, came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. These men presented their case against Paul to the governor. When Paul was called in, Tertullus began to accuse him and said, we enjoy great peace because of you and reforms are taking place for the benefit of this nation because of your foresight. We acknowledge this in every way and everywhere most excellent Felix with most utmost gratitude. You can label those last two verses as sucking up.
00:17:14
Speaker
That's basically what he's doing. he's he's He's smoothing the tracks a little bit here for Felix to hear what's fixing to happen, okay? Trying to get him on his side because now he brings charges that are not only false, but they are majorly trumped up against Paul. It says, but so that I will not burden you any further, I request that you would be kind enough to give us a brief hearing.
00:17:33
Speaker
At this point, it's gone to extremes, okay? For we have found this man to be a plague, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the Roman world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to desecrate the temple and so we apprehended him. By examining him yourself, you will be able to discern the truth about these charges we are bringing against him. The Jews also joined in the attack alleging that these things were true.
00:18:01
Speaker
I think I probably don't need to point this out to you, but you just need to understand that false ah false accusations and persecution are always going to be against those who follow Jesus Christ.
00:18:13
Speaker
Now here's where the the charge the the challenge excuse me the challenge is for us. As we fight against those kinds of attacks that come from people who want to see us kept down, discouraged, depressed, whatever, it's hard to fight against that because those people don't have the character to feel guilt because of their lives. They're already working for the enemy.
00:18:36
Speaker
So it's nothing for them to make up a story against you. Nothing for them to make up facts that really aren't facts, but they're just their perspective on how things are unfolding. If it was if it was um okay for Jesus to go through that, then it's gonna be okay for you to get through that.
00:18:56
Speaker
And I just want to encourage that. Go back to Jesus' trial. You remember what happened in Jesus' trial? It says that the chief priests, the scribes, the Pharisees all gathered together and they even brought in false witnesses to accuse Jesus. But because his character was so impeccable, they couldn't find anything to stick. Jewish law required that there be two people in agreement on a testimony before that testimony was considered valid. They couldn't even get two people to agree on their lies against Jesus.
00:19:26
Speaker
That's an encouragement for you and I. If you wanna withstand the attacks of the world and the enemy who wanna throw lies or discouragement against you, the best defense is a life that's modeled after Jesus.
Defending Faith and Church Initiatives
00:19:40
Speaker
Live a life of integrity.
00:19:42
Speaker
Don't allow sin in your life, don't allow compromise to come, because every compromise is a chink in the armor that God has given you, and it's a place where the enemy can come and squeeze his way in. You have to live a life of integrity as much as you are capable.
00:20:03
Speaker
Now Paul, as he's being accused by Tertullus and these others, could have very easily given in to despair at this point. He very easily could have just said, you know what? I am overwhelmed. Everybody's against me. I just i don't know where to turn. But instead, Paul more resolutely stood on the confidence and the faith that he had. He was willing to give a defense for everything he believed, saying, I'm just being tried for the hope that I have in the resurrection. That's all I'm all i'm being tried for here.
00:20:37
Speaker
I want to encourage you that you and I had the same responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ that we are prepared in season and out of season to give a defense. Peter wrote it this way, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Now, I know in a room this size, this many people, different backgrounds, different walks of life, that challenge hits some of us in different ways. Some of us feel more comfortable with that idea, others of us, it causes us to break out into a cold sweat to think that we might ever have to defend our faith. Two things I would say to you, number one, that time will come. That time will come if it hasn't already where somebody will look at you and say, why do you follow Jesus? Why do you go to church?
00:21:30
Speaker
Why do you act the way you do? Why do you trust in prayer? Why, why, why? Peter encourages us, be ready in season and out of season to give a reason, alright? The second thing I want to say to you is your staff is ready to stand by you. This is the reason beginning in January we're going to be walking through the entire Bible, Genesis to Revelation.
00:21:53
Speaker
in your worship folder today is an opportunity for you to get one of those chronological Bibles if you want to follow along with us. You don't have to do that. The reading plan will be available in other places. But if you want to get that, it's cheap enough you can order for one for everybody in your family. We're going to invite you literally every week to walk chronologically through the Bible as we, week by week, teach the portions of Scripture where you're in.
00:22:18
Speaker
We're gonna reinforce that throughout the week. Bible studies with our children, Bible studies with our youth. We're gonna have table talk conversation pieces so you can go home and have conversations around the dinner table. Y'all remember the dinner table? People used to eat there together? We're gonna encourage you to do that again, get around the dinner table and talk to your children about what you're studying. Can I just encourage you? I just told our guys Wednesday night this in our leadership academy. One of the greatest ways to learn the scripture is to teach the scripture.
00:22:48
Speaker
So men, not leaving out the ladies, you already respond very well to this, men, if you want to grow in your relationship with God and learn the Bible better, call Lori Harbor and say, I'd be happy to teach a kid's class.
Teaching Scripture
00:23:01
Speaker
I'm a seminary student, went to a Bible college for four years, three years in seminary, and some of the greatest growth I had in my own personal life was when Lisa and I were teaching fourth and fifth grade Sunday school and Sunday morning to kids. Because I was forced to go back and reread those stories, put them on a level that kids could understand, and teach them to myself before I could teach them to the kids. It's a fantastic way to grow.
00:23:23
Speaker
We're gonna be doing everything we can to give you the ammunition you need to stand before others and with confidence go, here's why I have such great a hope. And guys, this hope is eternal. It's not seasonal.
00:23:37
Speaker
That's the point of this message this morning. yeah it's It's really easy to go back to those high moments in our life, to go to those places where we know that Jesus was involved and that there was a great victory in our life. It's easy to go back there and go, praise God for that moment. But in that season where it seems like the the heavens are closed, when the curtain's been drawn and you don't feel like you've heard from God in a while, do you still trust in the power of that God the same way you did the one who brought you victory?
00:24:03
Speaker
because that's exactly what Paul was doing in this season. He was saying, you know what, I trust in God, my savior, regardless of where I am, regardless of who opposes me, regardless of what the circumstances may look like, I believe he will deliver on his promise. And that's
Felix's Avoidance of Commitment
00:24:19
Speaker
why Paul was able to go through these circumstances.
00:24:23
Speaker
Now verses 22 through 27, we're gonna skip down to the end of the story, it says, since Felix was well informed about the way, he adjourned the hearing saying, when Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.
00:24:36
Speaker
He ordered that the centurion keep Paul under guard, though he could have some freedom, and that he should not prevent any of his friends from meeting his needs. Now I told you that he should have been in front of the Syrian judge. Instead, he's here in front of Felix. Here's why. Several days later, when Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish,
00:24:56
Speaker
He sent for Paul and listened to him on the subject of faith in Christ Jesus. Now as he spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became afraid and replied, leave for now, but when I have an opportunity, I will call for you. At the same time, he was also hoping that Paul would offer him money, so he sent for him quite often and conversed with him.
00:25:19
Speaker
After two years had passed, Portia's Festus succeeded Felix and because Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul in prison. Let me say one thing to you and then I want to kind of spend the rest of the time talking about Felix's response here. We are called to remain faithful to God no matter what the circumstances because he has promised to remain faithful to us. His promise is righteous and true and steadfast and everlasting. Is your trust in him the same?
00:25:49
Speaker
That's a question you need to answer yourself this morning because whatever you face, whatever your struggle, God's faithfulness is there, but it does you no good if you don't trust it. It does you no good if you don't have confidence in it. Because if if you don't have confidence, what you do is you start grasping at things that you think will give you the hope that you really are looking for.
00:26:17
Speaker
Case in point, a guy by the name of Felix. Felix knew about the way, which was the word that was used to describe the new movement called Christianity. Felix had a wife who was Jewish who would give him a background on who this one true God of the Israelites was. He had all the knowledge and had the benefit of the premier pastor of the time right there in his courtroom telling him about the gospel. And what does it tell us?
00:26:45
Speaker
It says, first of all, he got afraid. Why was he afraid? Because what you won't know unless you read other stories is that Felix got his wife from another man. stolen Stole her right out from under him. What you don't know unless you read other stories is that Felix was a corrupt leader. And so as Paul's teaching teaching about righteousness, self-control, and judgment,
00:27:13
Speaker
Felix gets afraid and rightfully so. But instead of allowing that fear to drive him to repentance, Felix withdraws from the message he's hearing so he doesn't have to hear it anymore.
00:27:28
Speaker
Second thing we learn about Felix is this, Felix is prone to idols. You're going, wait a minute, i' I didn't hear about him worshiping any false gods or bound down anything. Oh yeah, he did. He wanted Paul to bring him a bribe.
00:27:44
Speaker
He said, I'm not going to listen to you. I'm going to send you away because you can scare me a little bit. And oh, by the way, while you're sitting in prison, maybe you'll come to the place where you're ready to pay for your way out. But Paul's confidence was not in the ability of any man to deliver him. It was in the ability of God to deliver him. And then thirdly, thirdly, Felix used the excuse that so many of us in this room use on a weekly basis. I'll get back to you.
00:28:15
Speaker
I'll get back to you. Why did Felix get a afraid? Not because of any human thing that Paul did. Felix became afraid because the Holy Spirit started speaking to his life, saying, you need this Jesus he's talking about. Your hope is this Savior that he's placed all his confidence in. And Felix's response was, go away and I'll call you when I have time.
00:28:42
Speaker
Anybody here believe that Felix being a Roman authority doesn't have control of his own schedule? No. Felix was using excuse to avoid the call of the Holy Spirit. And history will tell us that Felix died without Jesus.
Trusting God's Faithfulness
00:29:03
Speaker
Here's where I leave it with you today. I know that Jesus is in this place I know the Holy Spirit is speaking to some of you about certain things. I don't pretend to know what those are, but I know that based on the prayer requests we get on a weekly basis, some of you are in a season of desperate struggle right now. And as much as we love praying for you, I feel like some of you have more confidence in the staff that's praying for you than you do the God that we're praying to.
00:29:35
Speaker
Man, if just the staff would pray for me, I would be okay. I'm sorry guys, I don't have a red phone that gives me a hotline to Jesus. You got the same access I do. Some of you are going, if I could just get in front of a counselor and let that counselor help me deal with my anxiety. Guys, the one who gives you the peace that passes understanding is the best medication for your anxiety. And we're happy to talk with you, we're happy to walk with you, but we'll never take the place of Jesus for you.
00:30:07
Speaker
Some of you are saying if I could just get my finances in order, if I could just get my calendar under control, if I could just fix my relationship with my friends who have turned their back on me, guys, you sound like Felix to God.
00:30:25
Speaker
You're making excuses. And God is saying, would you just trust me? I've never let you down. I've never let you down.
00:30:38
Speaker
and I'm not about to start now. Will you pray with me?
00:30:53
Speaker
Father, I thank you that with confidence, I could say that last sentence of this message, that you truly have never let us down. It doesn't mean we've had Perfect lives. Doesn't mean our journeys have gone without any struggles. Doesn't mean there have been moments where we didn't hear your voice speaking loudly to us.
00:31:25
Speaker
But if we trace the days of our lives, we can see that in every season, even the darkest, you never let us down.
Action Over Procrastination
00:31:36
Speaker
So this morning, Father, would you help us to respond instead of putting you on pause?
00:31:45
Speaker
If we're hearing from the Holy Spirit here this morning, would you help us right now in this moment to respond instead of saying, I'll get back to you? Would you help us this morning not to trust in man who will let us down?
00:32:04
Speaker
in friendships that will disappoint us, in finances that are fleeting, or in circumstances that are always changing. Instead, will you help us trust, and in never changing, always the same, always consistent holiness of you. My prayer is in just a minute, Father, when we begin to sing this song, that we would immediately Do what your spirit is telling us. Maybe it's to get on our knees where we're at and just praise you for who you are and what you've done to deliver us this week. Maybe it's to sing at the top of our voices praise because of your goodness to us. Maybe some of us need to swallow our pride and grab somebody by the hand and say, I need someone else to come join me in prayer in this moment.
00:33:01
Speaker
Maybe some of you need to come up here and say, I've got something I need to confess and I need someone to walk this journey with me. Maybe some of you are just broken and desperate enough that you go, you know what?
Closing and Prayer
00:33:15
Speaker
The only place I see myself in the next few moments is on my knees before God. That's what this altar's for. That's what this staff stand's ready to do is to help you in this moment.
00:33:30
Speaker
So before we sing, I'm just gonna ask one quick question. Then we'll wrap this up. How many of you this morning would just be bold and transparent enough to say, I have a real, real hard time trusting Jesus. And I just need prayer in that. If you just lift your hand very quickly. Last service, it was about two thirds of the congregation lifted their hands, just being honest. Amen. Others would say, I just, I struggle.
00:33:57
Speaker
I try, I know he's trustworthy, but man, when when the when the fire gets hot, I start looking for other ways to get out of it. Anybody else? Amen, anyone else? Thank you for your honesty, anyone else?
00:34:18
Speaker
Father, a minute ago we sang the words, I trust in God my savior, because he will never fail.
00:34:27
Speaker
Father, we know that in our heads, we know that, we've seen it. If we look back and we're honest with ourselves, we've seen your hand, your fingerprints working in our lives in ways that we couldn't have predicted. But many of us have lifted our hands this morning just to say, it's that next trial that scares me. It's that next struggle that makes me afraid.
00:34:52
Speaker
It's the future that causes me anxiety. Even though I know you're already there, I have trouble trusting that. So my prayer is this morning that for those who lifted their hands and and truthfully for all of us, Lord, that you would give us the ability to trust you without fail, to have full and complete confidence that not only have you stated your promises to us clearly, but that we can know you will keep them confidently. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.