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Speaker 1: Life Audio.

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Speaker 2: For more resources to help you in your walk with Christ,

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Speaker 2: please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. This morning,

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Speaker 2: I'm very excited about what we're about to do because

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Speaker 2: over the course of the next group of weeks, we're

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Speaker 2: going to be taking a look at kind of an

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Speaker 2: interesting topic. And it's a subject that I think about

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Speaker 2: a lot. I think you think about it a lot

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Speaker 2: as well. Whether we call it the same things or

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Speaker 2: not might be different. But we're going to talk about

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Speaker 2: this concept of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. Now,

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Speaker 2: I don't know if you're familiar with that phrase. I

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Speaker 2: don't know if you've heard that before. I will get

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Speaker 2: into the background of that phrase, and today we're going

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Speaker 2: to be talking about the fact that we were made

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Speaker 2: for this. Now, in a few minutes, I'm going to

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Speaker 2: take us to Isaiah forty three and I'm going to

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Speaker 2: read the first seven verses.

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Speaker 1: But first, let me pray for us, and.

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Speaker 2: Then I want to give you a little background on

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Speaker 2: what we're about to talk about, even before we read

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Speaker 2: our scripture together.

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Speaker 1: So let's pray together.

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Speaker 2: First, Lord, thank you so much for the privilege to

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Speaker 2: be able to come together and worship you today. We're

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Speaker 2: grateful for the fact that you created us. And starting

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Speaker 2: today and in the coming weeks, Lord, we're going to

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Speaker 2: spend a little extra time just thinking about why we

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Speaker 2: were created, what we were made for. And Lord, you

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Speaker 2: tell us in so many ways. You illustrate it in

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Speaker 2: so many ways throughout your word that we were created

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Speaker 2: to glorify you and enjoy you forever. So Lord, whether

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Speaker 2: that's a phrase we've heard many times, or whether that's

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Speaker 2: a phrase that we're hearing for the first time right now,

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Speaker 2: we pray that you'd help us to understand these truths.

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Speaker 2: As we look at your word and think about the

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Speaker 2: things that you've revealed to us in your word. We're

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Speaker 2: just so grateful, Lord for the fact that you demonstrate

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Speaker 2: in many many ways your deep love for us, And

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Speaker 2: so Father, we pray that we would have deep love

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Speaker 2: for you as well. And again, Father, as we look

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Speaker 2: at your word together today, we pray that you'd speak

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Speaker 2: to us by the power of your Holy Spirit. And

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Speaker 2: we pray this all in Jesus' name.

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Speaker 1: Amen.

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Speaker 2: Now, I think it's probably fair to say that there

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Speaker 2: are few questions that are more important than the question

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Speaker 2: of why am I here?

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Speaker 1: I think a lot of us wrestle with that. I

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Speaker 1: think a lot of people.

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Speaker 2: I think all people think about that at some season

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Speaker 2: of their life, wouldn't you say? And probably we start

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Speaker 2: thinking about that when we're young, but it's not a

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Speaker 2: question that really leaves our mind. We think about that

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Speaker 2: a lot all throughout the course of our life. It

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Speaker 2: doesn't matter what season of life we happen to be at.

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Speaker 2: Why am I here? Every generation wrestles with that question. Now,

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Speaker 2: some people thinking through that, they spend their lives pursuing

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Speaker 2: things like success, maybe believing that they're going to find

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Speaker 2: some level of deeper purpose through achievement. Others spend their

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Speaker 2: lives chasing wealth or relationships, or influence or experiences or

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Speaker 2: all sorts of things, hoping that maybe one more thing,

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Speaker 2: one more accomplishment, one more experience, is going to satisfy

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Speaker 2: that longing that they know is in their hearts. And yet,

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Speaker 2: after reaching their goals, many discover that something still feels

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Speaker 2: incomplete because they're wondering, now, wait a second, I thought

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Speaker 2: that that was what I was here for. I thought

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Speaker 2: that that was the purpose for which I was or

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Speaker 2: why I'm even here, or given this opportunity and you

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Speaker 2: look at that and you notice that it actually matters

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Speaker 2: how we answer this question why am I here, because

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Speaker 2: it's going to determine how we spend our lives and

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Speaker 2: what we tend to pursue. And when you look at

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Speaker 2: what the Bible says, the Bible gives us a very

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Speaker 2: clear answer to our question of purpose. It's not ambiguous

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Speaker 2: about your purpose.

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Speaker 1: We were not.

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Speaker 2: Created just to exist or just to survive, or just

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Speaker 2: to accumulate things. That's not why God created us. We

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Speaker 2: weren't designed to make ourselves the center of the story either.

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Speaker 2: That's not the purpose of our lives. We were created

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Speaker 2: by God and for God, and ultimately we were created

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Speaker 2: to display His glory. Now I'm going to explain what's

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Speaker 2: meant by that statement today and in the coming weeks,

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Speaker 2: but I just want that to be in the back

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Speaker 2: of our mind. We were created by God, for God

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Speaker 2: and ultimately to display His glory. And so what we're

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Speaker 2: going to do starting today is we're going to take

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Speaker 2: multiple weeks taking a deep dive into our greater purpose

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Speaker 2: on this planet. And we're going to do it from

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Speaker 2: this theological framework because I think it's a helpful framework

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Speaker 2: to utilize and if you've asked this question, you know

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Speaker 2: why am I here? If you've asked that question to yourself,

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Speaker 2: or if you ask that question to various pastors and

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Speaker 2: theological teachers, professors of theology, myself included, many of us

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Speaker 2: would say that the chief reason that we were created

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Speaker 2: is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Now,

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Speaker 2: I mentioned that phrase a few moments ago. I mentioned

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Speaker 2: it just now. You'll hear it a lot over the

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Speaker 2: next few weeks. But I'm just curious, just by not

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Speaker 2: kind of like a glance. Are you familiar with that phrase?

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Speaker 2: Is that a phrase you've heard used before? All right,

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Speaker 2: some yeses, some no's, So the phrase. Let me give

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Speaker 2: you the background on that phrase and why I'm utilizing

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Speaker 2: it for this series. So, the phrase to glorify God

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Speaker 2: and enjoy Him forever, it actually comes from the Westminster

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Speaker 2: Shorter Catechism, and it's the first question. It's question number one.

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Speaker 2: And I'll just show you what question number one looks like.

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Speaker 2: So in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, it starts off like this,

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Speaker 2: It says, what is the chief end of man? And

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Speaker 2: then the answer is man's chief end is to glorify

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Speaker 2: God and enjoy Him forever. That's where that phrase comes from.

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Speaker 2: It comes from the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It's worked its

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Speaker 2: way into lots of theological language, lots of theological conversations

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Speaker 2: and teaching and things of that nature. But let me

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Speaker 2: give you a little bit more background on that statement

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Speaker 2: and the Catechism itself. The Catechism has actually written in

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Speaker 2: sixteen forty seven, so a good long time ago at

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Speaker 2: this point, and it was written by the Westminster Assembly,

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Speaker 2: which was a gathering of theologians and church leaders. It

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Speaker 2: was actually convened by the English Parliament during the English

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Speaker 2: Civil War, So they convened this group during their civil war,

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Speaker 2: a group of theologians, group of church leaders, and their

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Speaker 2: job was to figure some things out. The goal was

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Speaker 2: actually to provide some doctrinal standards for the churches of England,

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Speaker 2: Scotland and Ireland. Like we want to have some agreed

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Speaker 2: upon doctrinal standards. We want to codify this so that

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Speaker 2: people can look at these things and read them quickly

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Speaker 2: and have a general understanding of what Scripture teaches and

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Speaker 2: what we believe doctrinally. And we could also pass these

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Speaker 2: things on to our children and even though the Catechism

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Speaker 2: was never fully adopted by the Church of England, people

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Speaker 2: recognized its value and have for centuries, and it became

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Speaker 2: a foundational statement of faith for many believers and many

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Speaker 2: churches throughout the world ever since that time, particularly churches

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Speaker 2: that are from either the Reformed or Presbyterian traditions. And

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Speaker 2: I have to say, in my personal opinion, some of

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Speaker 2: the best and most helpful theology comes out of that tradition.

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Speaker 1: So that's the truth.

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Speaker 2: We're going to be exploring during the course of this series.

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Speaker 2: Over the next group of weeks, We're going to explore

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Speaker 2: what it actually means, in day to day practical terms,

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Speaker 2: what it means to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

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Speaker 2: And I hope that that phrase sticks in our mind,

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Speaker 2: especially when we start asking the question why am I here?

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Speaker 2: What is my purpose? What is the purpose of my life?

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Speaker 2: It's to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, and those

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Speaker 2: two ideas belong together. The God who deserves all glory

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Speaker 2: is also the God who invites his people to experience

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Speaker 2: lasting joy. And the truth is, the more we delighten him,

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Speaker 2: the more our lives reflect His greatness. And so what

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Speaker 2: I want to do today is I want to start

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Speaker 2: by looking at a scripture that summarizes this in a

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Speaker 2: good foundational way, and the first seven verses of Isaiah

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Speaker 2: forty three do that for us. So if you want

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Speaker 2: to follow along, I'm going to be reading from Isaiah

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Speaker 2: forty three, starting with verse one, and I'm going to

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Speaker 2: read down to verse seven Isaiah forty three, starting with

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Speaker 2: verse one.

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Speaker 1: This is what it states.

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Speaker 2: But now, thus says the Lord, he who created you,

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Speaker 2: oh Jacob, he who formed you, Oh Israel. Fear not,

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Speaker 2: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by

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Speaker 2: my name.

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Speaker 1: You are mind.

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Speaker 2: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,

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Speaker 2: and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When

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Speaker 2: you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and

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Speaker 2: the flames shall not consume you. For I am the Lord,

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Speaker 2: your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I

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Speaker 2: give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Siba in exchange

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Speaker 2: for you, because you are precious in my eyes and honored,

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Speaker 2: and I love you. I give men in return for you,

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Speaker 2: people's change for your life. Fear not, for I am

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Speaker 2: with you. I will bring your offspring from the east

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Speaker 2: and from the west, I will gather you. I will say,

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Speaker 2: to the north give up, and to the south do

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Speaker 2: not withhold. Bring my sons from Afar, and my daughters

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Speaker 2: from the end of the earth. Everyone who is called

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Speaker 2: by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom

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Speaker 2: I formed and made. It's beautiful passage of scripture, and

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Speaker 2: there's a variety of things that are mentioned here that

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Speaker 2: should encourage our hearts because the character of God is

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Speaker 2: revealed in a really special way in Isaiah forty three.

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Speaker 1: But let me just reread the first verse for us

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Speaker 1: once again. Again. It says.

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Speaker 2: In verse one, it says, but now thus says the Lord,

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Speaker 2: he who created you, oh Jacob, he who formed you,

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Speaker 2: O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed you.

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Speaker 1: I've called you by name. You are mine.

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Speaker 2: So notice where God begins in this portion of scripture.

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Speaker 2: He doesn't start by reminding Israel what they should do.

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Speaker 2: It actually starts by reminding them who they are. He

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Speaker 2: created them, he formed them, he redeemed them. All this

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Speaker 2: language is found in this passage. He called them by name.

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Speaker 2: God's also very specific to say I claim you as

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Speaker 2: my own, which is one of those things that amazes

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Speaker 2: me about God, the perfect holy God of the universe

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Speaker 2: isn't embarrassed or ashamed to be affiliated or associated with

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Speaker 2: the people that He's created. He claimed them as his own,

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Speaker 2: meaning our identity ultimately, as people, our identity has always

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Speaker 2: been meant to flow from the Creator rather than from

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Speaker 2: our accomplishments, and so many people try to find their

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Speaker 2: sense of identity through what they do instead of through

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Speaker 2: who God is. But tell before Scripture tells us how

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Speaker 2: to live, it actually makes a point to tell us

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Speaker 2: who God is and who we are in relationship to him.

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Speaker 2: And I think that that's important to recognize because our

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Speaker 2: culture constantly encourages us to invent our own identity. And

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Speaker 2: you've probably noticed that as you observe culture. In fact,

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Speaker 2: I think it's I think it can be very fairly

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Speaker 2: said that that's one of the biggest themes of this

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Speaker 2: era of history, the idea of trying to form your

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Speaker 2: own identity, the idea of trying to latch onto something,

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Speaker 2: whatever it may be, and then claiming it as not

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Speaker 2: just something you like, but who you are, trying to

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Speaker 2: form your own identity when you look at culture, Basically,

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Speaker 2: our culture is telling us to define ourselves however, we

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Speaker 2: choose and then pursue whatever we think is going to

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Speaker 2: fulfill us. Now, the truth is, there's nothing in this

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Speaker 2: culture that's going to fulfill us. But there are many

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Speaker 2: people that are going to spend their lives chasing after

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Speaker 2: things that they think will fulfill them. It won't work,

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Speaker 2: but they think it will, and so they'll waste their time.

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Speaker 2: They'll waste their lives chasing the wrong thing because the

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Speaker 2: foundation in their mind is off. And here's another weird thing.

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Speaker 2: When we become in a say, it's our own creators, right,

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Speaker 2: So if we're defining our own identity, we're essentially saying,

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Speaker 2: all right, I am the creator of me. If I

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Speaker 2: give myself my identity, I am the creator of me.

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Speaker 2: So if we become our own creators, that means we

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Speaker 2: also become responsible for finding our own purpose, because those

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Speaker 2: things have to go hand in hand. If you can

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Speaker 2: decide what your identity is, then you are then in charge.

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Speaker 2: You are then responsible to figure out your own purpose.

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Speaker 2: And the weird thing about that is that's a burden

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Speaker 2: God has never intended for us to carry. And it's

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Speaker 2: actually a burden that drives people crazy and they don't

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Speaker 2: even know they're driving themselves crazy. But it'll drive people crazy.

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Speaker 2: The reason God never tells us to find our own

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Speaker 2: purpose is because that's impossible to do.

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Speaker 1: You can't do that.

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Speaker 2: It doesn't work that way. He hasn't encouraged you or

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Speaker 2: me to figure out our own purpose in the sense

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Speaker 2: of defining it. It's a waste of time. It leads

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Speaker 2: to frustration, it leads to discouragement. Life doesn't work that way.

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Speaker 2: The Lord lovingly reminds his people when you look at

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Speaker 2: Isaiah forty three, that his people belong to him. And

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Speaker 2: if we want to get closer to understanding why we've

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Speaker 2: been created, if we actually want to understand our purpose,

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Speaker 2: that's something we need to fully appreciate the fact that

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Speaker 2: we are created by him. And then you look at

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Speaker 2: the assurances underneath that that the Lord continues to give us,

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Speaker 2: even as he leads up to the answer of the

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Speaker 2: question why he even created us. But look at the

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Speaker 2: assurance he gives us. In verse two, it says, when

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Speaker 2: you pass through the waters, I will be with you

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Speaker 2: through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you

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Speaker 2: walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the

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Speaker 2: flame shall not consume you. Now it's interesting because these

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Speaker 2: words are being spoken to the children of Israel, but

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Speaker 2: because they reflect the nature of God's character. We also

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Speaker 2: look at these things and we say, generally speaking, you

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Speaker 2: apply these things to anyone that would be counted as

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Speaker 2: a child of God. But notice the things that the

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Speaker 2: Lord says. When you look at Isaiah forty three, verse two,

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Speaker 2: notice that God never promises an easy life life. He

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Speaker 2: didn't promise you an easy life. He didn't promise me

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Speaker 2: an easy life. Now there are certain seasons of life

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Speaker 2: that are easier, and certain seasons.

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Speaker 1: Of life that are harder.

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Speaker 2: And when I look over the course of my life,

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Speaker 2: there are some seasons that were really really hard. Then

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Speaker 2: I look through the course of my life, there are

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Speaker 2: other seasons that I'm like, Lord, it feels like everything's clicking.

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Speaker 1: I have to confess something to you. It's a good thing.

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Speaker 2: It probably freaks a congregation out right a little bit.

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Speaker 2: I have to confess something to you, Like, Oh, what's

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Speaker 2: it gonna say? Everybody's ears perp though. Right now I

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Speaker 2: have to tell you this year, I do not recall

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Speaker 2: a time in my adult life that I have been happier.

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Speaker 2: I just can't remember a time where there's just been

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Speaker 2: so many things that have produced happiness. Now I'm not

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Speaker 2: saying that there haven't been trials in the midst of that,

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Speaker 2: but there's been a lot of things that are the

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Speaker 2: end result of some long tail things that took place earlier,

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Speaker 2: and some things that have taken place in our children's

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Speaker 2: lives and our family's lives. And and I've said to

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Speaker 2: my wife multiple times, you know, I'm just so grateful,

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Speaker 2: like I'm so happy, and she said, yeah, like I

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Speaker 2: am too. And I don't know if it's because we

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Speaker 2: became empty esters that might be.

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Speaker 1: Part of it. That might it might be.

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Speaker 2: I have no idea, you know, we'll just say it's

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Speaker 2: a contributing factor, right, it's probably all No, I'll just

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Speaker 2: know it's all on you.

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Speaker 1: You showed up and like, I just feel so happy

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Speaker 1: that you're here.

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Speaker 2: But it's kind of interesting, though, because as I look

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Speaker 2: over the course of my life, there have been some

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Speaker 2: seasons that have been really really painful and really really low.

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Speaker 2: And so when you when you go through a stretch

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Speaker 2: that's the exact opposite of that, you appreciate it a

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Speaker 2: little bit more and it stands out to you, and

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Speaker 2: it's like all right, well, this season, for however long

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Speaker 2: it lasts, absolutely delightful. But then you look at this

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Speaker 2: and you realize, God's never promised me an easy life.

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Speaker 2: God's never promised you an easy life. But he has

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Speaker 2: promised us something in the midst of what he talks

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Speaker 2: about here. He's promised us, no matter what we go through,

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Speaker 2: his presence will be with us. You're going through a

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Speaker 2: difficult season, his presence is with you. You're going through

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Speaker 2: a joyful season, his presence is with you. That's what

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Speaker 2: He's promised, not an easy life, but his presence with

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Speaker 2: you in the midst of it. And I think it's

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Speaker 2: also worth noticing that he says when not if his

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Speaker 2: people pass through deep waters and fiery trials right when

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Speaker 2: when not if?

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Speaker 1: When?

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Speaker 2: Meaning difficulty is not evidence that God has abandoned us.

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Speaker 2: He's already told us ahead of time that we're going

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Speaker 2: to face some of these things. But very frequently it's

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Speaker 2: those very moments of difficulty when God's faithfulness becomes most

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Speaker 2: visible to us. And I can think of many moment

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Speaker 2: where I think my prayer life is oftentimes really really

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Speaker 2: healthy when I'm going through seasons that stretch me spiritually, emotionally, relationally,

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Speaker 2: God's faithfulness becomes most visible oftentimes in those moments. Why well,

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Speaker 2: because our purpose doesn't disappear when seasons become difficult. Our

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Speaker 2: purpose doesn't disappear when life becomes difficult. In fact, hardship

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Speaker 2: often becomes one of the greatest opportunities for you and

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Speaker 2: for me to glorify God.

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Speaker 1: When we go through difficult things.

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Speaker 2: It's one of the greatest opportunities the Lord's giving us

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Speaker 2: to glorify God. When believers continue trusting Christ even in

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Speaker 2: the midst of their suffering, the watching world sees something

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Speaker 2: that it can't explain.

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Speaker 1: Apart from God's grace.

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Speaker 2: When the world sees you go through something difficult, and

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Speaker 2: by the way, if you've ever wondered like, what's the

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Speaker 2: purpose for this difficulty, well, I'm sure the purpose is

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Speaker 2: to strengthen your faith, but I bet you it's to

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Speaker 2: introduce Jesus to somebody who's observing you. The watching world

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Speaker 2: sees something that it can't explain apart from God's grace.

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Speaker 2: So that means our confidence isn't based on favorable circumstances.

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Speaker 2: It's built on the unchanging character of God. And then

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Speaker 2: the Lord reveals why his people are so precious to him.

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Speaker 2: When you get down to verse four of Isaiah forty three,

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Speaker 2: he says this, because you are precious in my eyes

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Speaker 2: and honored, and I love you. I give men in

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Speaker 2: return for you, peoples, in exchange for your life. Think

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Speaker 2: about some of the statements that God is saying there,

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Speaker 2: because you are precious in my eyes? Do you see

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Speaker 2: yourself that way? Do you think of yourself as precious

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Speaker 2: in the eyes of God? Or do you think of

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Speaker 2: yourself as just one of a random grouping of eight

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Speaker 2: billion people currently on the planet. Do you think God

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Speaker 2: specifically takes time to focus on you? Do you think

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Speaker 2: you specifically are precious in the eyes of God? If

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Speaker 2: the word of God is true, then you are because

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Speaker 2: Scripture specifically says that, and honored, it says, and I

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Speaker 2: love you that the Lord directly says that. I think

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Speaker 2: it's easy to read these words and immediately think about

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Speaker 2: the nature of our own worth. And certainly again, you know,

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Speaker 2: they remind us that God genuinely loves his people, but

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Speaker 2: also notice that his love isn't rooted in us deserving it.

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Speaker 2: And I think that's where we get confused sometimes because

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Speaker 2: we think we'll notice different areas of our life, and

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Speaker 2: we'll start thinking, you know what, I don't deserve the

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Speaker 2: love of God. And you'd be correct in saying you

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Speaker 2: don't deserve the love of God. I don't deserve it.

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Speaker 2: You don't deserve it. None of us deserve it. And

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Speaker 2: when you look at the people of Israel, the original

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Speaker 2: audience receiving these words as the prophet Isaiah was being

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Speaker 2: spoken to and through by the Holy Spirit, Israel most

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Speaker 2: certainly did not earn God's affection through flawless obedience. When

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Speaker 2: you read through the Old Testament, you discovered that they

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Speaker 2: rebelled against God in every single category. And yet he's

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Speaker 2: talking about them as being precious to him, honored in

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Speaker 2: his sight. He says specifically, I love you. So they

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Speaker 2: had not earned his affection through flawless obedience, because that's

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Speaker 2: what their story was like.

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Speaker 1: But again and again throughout the Old.

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Speaker 2: Testament, the Lord showed that he loved them even though

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Speaker 2: they wandered into rebellion, even though they wandered into idolatry,

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Speaker 2: even though in many respects you could say they wandered

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Speaker 2: into unbelief. But what's the nature of God's love? What

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Speaker 2: is he revealing to us about the nature of his love.

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Speaker 2: God's love rested not in human activities. God's love rests

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Speaker 2: in his covenant faithfulness, meaning that when God says something,

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Speaker 2: it's the case, it's what remains.

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Speaker 1: True.

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Speaker 2: And the same is true for us. If God's love

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Speaker 2: was dependent on our performance, none of us could have confidence.

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Speaker 2: But our hope rests entirely on his grace, and his

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Speaker 2: grace is something that never fails. It's an aspect of

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Speaker 2: his character that's absolutely perfect. He loves us because He's

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Speaker 2: chosen to set his love upon us as a reflection

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Speaker 2: of his good character. And that truth becomes even more

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Speaker 2: evident to us through Jesus Christ. So roughly seven centuries

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Speaker 2: after Isaiah first spoke these words. So Isaiah prophesied about

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Speaker 2: seven hundred years before Christ took on flesh and came

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Speaker 2: to this earth, so about seven centuries about seven centuries

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Speaker 2: after Isaiah spoke these words, Jesus came as the fulfillment

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Speaker 2: of God's redeeming plan. And we don't have a perfect

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Speaker 2: life that we can hold up before the Father, but

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Speaker 2: Christ does. Christ, through his perfect life and through his

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Speaker 2: sacrificial death, and through his victorious resurrection, accomplished the redemption

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Speaker 2: that Isaiah speaks about in Isaiah forty three, this redemption

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Speaker 2: of wandering people, and then the New Testament. As we

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Speaker 2: work our way through the New Testament, it repeatedly teaches

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Speaker 2: that those who trust in Christ are adopted into the

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Speaker 2: family of God. Ephesians chapter one makes that clear, but

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Speaker 2: it's also made clear elsewhere in scripture. We're adopted into

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Speaker 2: the family of God. The moment we trusted Jesus Christ,

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Speaker 2: we become his sons, we become his daughters. And it's

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Speaker 2: not because we've earned a place there. It's because Jesus

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Speaker 2: has secured a place for us. So in Christ. The

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Speaker 2: words that you know that we see here in Isaiah's idea,

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Speaker 2: you are mind, those words become very very personal. It's

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Speaker 2: meant to be taken very personally. And then Isaiah reaches

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Speaker 2: the heart of what we're talking about today. When you

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Speaker 2: get to verse seven of Isaiah forty three, with all

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Speaker 2: that in the back of your mind, think of what

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Speaker 2: he says. Here says, everyone who is called by my name,

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Speaker 2: whom I created, why for my glory, whom I formed

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Speaker 2: and made. I'm going to read it again, everyone who

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Speaker 2: is called by my name, whom I created for my

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Speaker 2: glory whom I formed and made. So again, what's that

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Speaker 2: verse doing. It's answering one of life's greatest questions. And

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Speaker 2: most people walk the face of this earth decade after

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Speaker 2: decade trying to figure out why am I here? And

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Speaker 2: the answer is right there in verse seven. We were

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Speaker 2: created for God's glory. And then when you apply that,

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Speaker 2: you also realize that the application of that is and

435
00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:02,399
Speaker 2: to enjoy Him forever. It's answering one of life's greatest questions.

436
00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,600
Speaker 2: Why were we created for God's glory? And by the way,

437
00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,280
Speaker 2: that statement isn't meant to diminish us. It's actually a

438
00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:09,200
Speaker 2: statement that's meant.

439
00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:09,800
Speaker 1: To liberate us.

440
00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:14,960
Speaker 2: Because many people, they think about this idea of glorifying God,

441
00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:19,960
Speaker 2: and some people make the wrong assumption that that means

442
00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,560
Speaker 2: that God is somehow self centered if he would create

443
00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,280
Speaker 2: people for his glory. They think, all right, God must

444
00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,320
Speaker 2: be a little self centered if that's the purpose for

445
00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:31,600
Speaker 2: which he has created us. Right, But when you look

446
00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,040
Speaker 2: at what scripture says, it actually reveals something far different.

447
00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:36,280
Speaker 2: And in a moment, I'm going to give you an

448
00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,600
Speaker 2: illustration that helps make sense of this in my mind,

449
00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:40,000
Speaker 2: and I think it'll make sense of it.

450
00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:42,720
Speaker 1: In your mind as well. Think about God's nature.

451
00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:49,560
Speaker 2: God alone possesses infinite beauty, infinite holiness, infinite wisdom, infinite power,

452
00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:53,520
Speaker 2: infinite justice, infinite love. These are attributes that we see

453
00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:57,359
Speaker 2: in their perfection in God. We may reflect some of

454
00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,919
Speaker 2: these in a small amount, but He's the perfection of

455
00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:04,560
Speaker 2: all of these things. Infinite beauty, infinite holiness, infinite love.

456
00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,760
Speaker 2: We see that in God, and so for him to

457
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:13,320
Speaker 2: point us anywhere else except to himself would actually be

458
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:17,800
Speaker 2: unloving of God, because nothing else can ultimately satisfy the

459
00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:21,240
Speaker 2: human heart. He is where perfect love is found. He

460
00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,119
Speaker 2: is where perfect wisdom is found, perfect power, perfect guidance,

461
00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,119
Speaker 2: perfect compassion. So why would he point you or me

462
00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:33,720
Speaker 2: away from himself when the perfection of those things is

463
00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,560
Speaker 2: found in himself? Meaning it's in his presence that we

464
00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,440
Speaker 2: will experience those things. So you and me, we were

465
00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,520
Speaker 2: created to glorify God. We're being pointed toward him. Why

466
00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:46,159
Speaker 2: because what satisfies us.

467
00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,360
Speaker 1: Is only ultimately found in him.

468
00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:50,320
Speaker 2: Now think about it this way, and I recognize that

469
00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:52,600
Speaker 2: at first this is going to sound like a ridiculous illustration,

470
00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:55,919
Speaker 2: but I promise this helps make sense of this in

471
00:24:56,000 --> 00:25:00,639
Speaker 2: my mind. So every six months, I have to do

472
00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:05,159
Speaker 2: something to our refrigerator. Cheryl always tells me that I

473
00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:07,640
Speaker 2: like to talk about food. It's true, Cheryl, I do

474
00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:09,840
Speaker 2: like talking about food. I think about it a lot too.

475
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,960
Speaker 2: But this isn't a food statement. This is a water statement.

476
00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,320
Speaker 2: So built into our refrigerator, which we bought twelve years

477
00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:19,359
Speaker 2: ago and it's still running strong, there is a water

478
00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,159
Speaker 2: filtration system and every six months I have to change

479
00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,840
Speaker 2: that water filter. And just last week I got the

480
00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,520
Speaker 2: I have it set on automatic delivery, so I don't forget.

481
00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,320
Speaker 2: Even if I did forget, the fridge starts telling me.

482
00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,359
Speaker 2: It starts beeping at me, and it's like, hey, change

483
00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,439
Speaker 2: the filter, and I'm like, I know, I know, you

484
00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:35,880
Speaker 2: don't have.

485
00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:37,760
Speaker 1: To bug me about it. I'm going to do it. Well.

486
00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,720
Speaker 2: I have it on auto delivery. Now, every six months

487
00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,280
Speaker 2: I get a new water filter, it comes and I

488
00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,719
Speaker 2: have to change. It's super simple to change, so it

489
00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:48,000
Speaker 2: takes like a second to change it, right. But I

490
00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:52,080
Speaker 2: really ever since we've purchased that refrigerator, and ever since

491
00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,560
Speaker 2: we started using that filtration system that comes with it,

492
00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,000
Speaker 2: I have really enjoyed the taste of the water after

493
00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,760
Speaker 2: it's filtered. It does a very good job. I'm like,

494
00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,320
Speaker 2: it's very effective. You know, I can't see it on

495
00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:05,320
Speaker 2: the molecular level, but I could tell you it tastes

496
00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:08,639
Speaker 2: good tastes. I don't mind our local tap water, but

497
00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,440
Speaker 2: it makes that taste even better, and I like it,

498
00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,760
Speaker 2: So I'm happy to change that filter. I suspect that

499
00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:18,160
Speaker 2: I am not the only person who enjoys the taste

500
00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:19,920
Speaker 2: of clean water, right?

501
00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:21,840
Speaker 1: Is that a baseline in our room? Here?

502
00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,000
Speaker 2: Do we all enjoy the taste of all right, all

503
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,880
Speaker 2: of us on the same page. It's hard to find

504
00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,920
Speaker 2: something that we can all agree on, but we found

505
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,000
Speaker 2: one of probably several things.

506
00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:31,720
Speaker 1: All right.

507
00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,800
Speaker 2: So this coming week, I saw the forecast. I saw

508
00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:37,520
Speaker 2: that on Wednesday, at one point they were saying it

509
00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,320
Speaker 2: was gonna be ninety seven. Thankfully it won't be one hundred, right,

510
00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:44,480
Speaker 2: so just ninety seven. It's gonna be super hot. Let's

511
00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,200
Speaker 2: say on Wednesday, you decide to be one of those

512
00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,080
Speaker 2: people that, in the peak of the heat of the

513
00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:52,480
Speaker 2: day will say, like two o'clock, you're gonna be out,

514
00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:56,240
Speaker 2: You're gonna be walking in nature. Why you would take

515
00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:57,640
Speaker 2: a walk that day? I don't know, But let's say,

516
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,080
Speaker 2: for the sake of illustration, that you choose to do so.

517
00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:02,800
Speaker 2: I would imagine that you would eventually, on that walk

518
00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,720
Speaker 2: become quite thirsty for something good to drink. And if

519
00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,600
Speaker 2: someone directed you away from fresh water toward a lesser

520
00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:16,520
Speaker 2: source of water, or even a polluted stream, they wouldn't

521
00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,520
Speaker 2: be helping you by pointing you in the direction of

522
00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:23,880
Speaker 2: a polluted stream. They'd be leading you toward disappointment. They'd

523
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,560
Speaker 2: be leading you toward harm. So then think about that

524
00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:33,359
Speaker 2: in the spiritual sense, God continually points you and me

525
00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:40,320
Speaker 2: to himself. Why Because He's the source of all good things.

526
00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,879
Speaker 2: He's the source of eternal life. He's the source of

527
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,719
Speaker 2: perfect love and wisdom and compassion. He's the source of

528
00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:51,640
Speaker 2: all good things. And that's why glorifying God and enjoying

529
00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:57,840
Speaker 2: Him forever they aren't competing ideas. They're inseparable ideas. Glorifying

530
00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,159
Speaker 2: God and enjoying Him together fit it perfectly. Because the

531
00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,600
Speaker 2: more clearly we see God's greatness, the more our hearts

532
00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:08,160
Speaker 2: delighten him and recognize that he's the one that can

533
00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,879
Speaker 2: satisfy the needs of our soul. The more we delighten him,

534
00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:16,840
Speaker 2: the more naturally our lives bring him glory. Now, Sin,

535
00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,800
Speaker 2: when you look at the history of humanity, Sin has

536
00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,920
Speaker 2: distorted this design from the very beginning. You go back

537
00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:25,320
Speaker 2: to the earliest chapters of Genesis, you go back to

538
00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:26,120
Speaker 2: the Garden of Eden.

539
00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,199
Speaker 1: There you see Satan tempting Adam and Eve. And what

540
00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:29,639
Speaker 1: does he do.

541
00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,040
Speaker 2: He tempts them to believe that life apart from God

542
00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,680
Speaker 2: would be better than life with God. And then ever

543
00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:37,800
Speaker 2: since then, humanity's taken that same bait.

544
00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:40,200
Speaker 1: We do it over and over again.

545
00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:46,680
Speaker 2: Humanity's been chasing substitutes instead of delighting in close proximity

546
00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:51,040
Speaker 2: to God, We've been chasing other things. So some seek

547
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,440
Speaker 2: fulfillment through possessions. See that all the time, Right, I

548
00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:56,160
Speaker 2: see this a lot with vehicle purchases.

549
00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:57,440
Speaker 1: That's a big one. Right.

550
00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:00,000
Speaker 2: Cars are nice, but they can't satisfy the deepest life

551
00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,880
Speaker 2: longing of our soul. This would be a great opportunity,

552
00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:04,360
Speaker 2: by the way, for me to pick on my father.

553
00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:06,640
Speaker 2: He's sitting in the back row there. I always joke

554
00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,200
Speaker 2: with him about his car purchasing habits. If a car

555
00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:12,400
Speaker 2: lasts with him fourteen months, that's a long time. It's like, wow, Dad,

556
00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:14,680
Speaker 2: he thinks he deserves a medal for it too. You know,

557
00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:16,760
Speaker 2: it's like fourteen, you made it over a year, dad,

558
00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:18,680
Speaker 2: And he's like, yeah, I just was looking at it.

559
00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:20,440
Speaker 2: I like the new models a little bit better. And

560
00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:22,320
Speaker 2: so he swaps it out like he's done that my

561
00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,000
Speaker 2: whole life. I asked him at one point, I don't

562
00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:25,760
Speaker 2: have his permission to say this, but I'm just gonna

563
00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,520
Speaker 2: I'm gonna say it anyway, and if you want to

564
00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,960
Speaker 2: collectively judge him with me, you know, jump on board.

565
00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,240
Speaker 2: But I asked him at one point, I was like,

566
00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:38,480
Speaker 2: all right, Dad, you're in your seventies. How many cars

567
00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,160
Speaker 2: have you had since you're sixteen? And he can tell you,

568
00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:42,880
Speaker 2: and I think it's like sixty five?

569
00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,760
Speaker 1: Am I clothes over? That's over seventy.

570
00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:50,040
Speaker 2: Now all right, I'm like, why, why it's not going

571
00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:52,400
Speaker 2: to satisfy you. You haven't figured that out yet. Come on,

572
00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:54,760
Speaker 2: work with me. I'm preaching to an audience of one

573
00:29:54,880 --> 00:30:01,680
Speaker 2: right now. But think about all the things that we

574
00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:04,040
Speaker 2: try to find fulfillment. Did some of us try and

575
00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,360
Speaker 2: find fulfillment in careers? I still remember when I was

576
00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,520
Speaker 2: in college. I used to daydream all the time about

577
00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:11,000
Speaker 2: what I thought life was going to be like when

578
00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:14,560
Speaker 2: I was finally serving in pastoral ministry, and I would

579
00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:16,680
Speaker 2: daydream about it all the time. And I have to

580
00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,880
Speaker 2: tell you, so back in that era this was, there

581
00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:23,400
Speaker 2: was Newtown Community Church that met here, and a big

582
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:25,200
Speaker 2: change happened in two thousand and eight.

583
00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:26,480
Speaker 1: But I'll tell you what.

584
00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,360
Speaker 2: I was friends with the pastor of Newtown Community Church

585
00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:31,640
Speaker 2: his name was Jean Martin while I was in college,

586
00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,400
Speaker 2: and he said to me, he said, hey, I want

587
00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:34,560
Speaker 2: you to have something in mind.

588
00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:35,160
Speaker 1: I said, what's that.

589
00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:37,800
Speaker 2: He said, I'm probably going to retire right around the

590
00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,680
Speaker 2: time you graduate. And if that's the case, I'm going

591
00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:44,080
Speaker 2: to recommend you to these people, so stop over here

592
00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:47,640
Speaker 2: now and then and get to know them, and you know,

593
00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:49,560
Speaker 2: maybe you'll be the pastor who follows me here. And

594
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:51,800
Speaker 2: so I spent my junior year and my senior year

595
00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:55,360
Speaker 2: daydreaming about pastoring right here in this space.

596
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,120
Speaker 1: And then he didn't retire when he thought he was

597
00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:57,520
Speaker 1: going to.

598
00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,640
Speaker 2: And so I spent a long time serving up in

599
00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,560
Speaker 2: North Pennsylvania and all that, and then got word that

600
00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:06,440
Speaker 2: Newtown Community Church was closing. And I thought to myself, well, okay,

601
00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:09,280
Speaker 2: will some of those people stick around and help us

602
00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:12,560
Speaker 2: start something new. And I remember coming down here eighteen

603
00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,360
Speaker 2: years ago and talking with some of those people, Karen

604
00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:18,760
Speaker 2: being one of those people, there are several others, and

605
00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:20,360
Speaker 2: I said, what do you think do you want to do?

606
00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,640
Speaker 2: You wanna give it a go, start something new?

607
00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,880
Speaker 1: And they're like, yeah, let's do it.

608
00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:29,480
Speaker 2: And so, by God's grace, that's what happened. But I

609
00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:31,760
Speaker 2: remember daydreaming about what it would be like to be

610
00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,200
Speaker 2: a pastor, and even daydreaming about serving right here in

611
00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,239
Speaker 2: this space. It's interesting to watch God's timetable how that

612
00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,400
Speaker 2: did happen just much later, you know, more than a

613
00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,520
Speaker 2: decade later from when I was thinking about that, and

614
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:45,920
Speaker 2: I thought about, what, you know, what would be like?

615
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:47,360
Speaker 2: I thought, Oh, I bet you it's gonna be great.

616
00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:49,280
Speaker 2: I bet you it's gonna be wonderful. Do you suppose

617
00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:53,320
Speaker 2: it's been wonderful? It actually has, don't laugh, it really has.

618
00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:55,320
Speaker 2: But do you also suppose.

619
00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:56,920
Speaker 1: It's been hard? Of course it has.

620
00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:01,400
Speaker 2: Why because life happens and that's just how it goes.

621
00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,800
Speaker 2: So if I'm trying to find some sense of personal

622
00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,840
Speaker 2: fulfillment through a career, guess what I'm going to discover

623
00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:11,640
Speaker 2: quicker than you know, I'd probably realize it's not going

624
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,120
Speaker 2: to satisfy my soul. I may enjoy it, may be

625
00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:18,160
Speaker 2: grateful for the opportunity, but it doesn't meet the deepest need.

626
00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:23,080
Speaker 2: So possessions don't meet the deepest need. Career doesn't meet

627
00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,200
Speaker 2: the deepest need. What do other people use to try

628
00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:29,000
Speaker 2: and seek fulfillment? Entertainment, that's a big one in our culture,

629
00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:35,000
Speaker 2: you know, Others maybe just through personal popularity. You know,

630
00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:36,680
Speaker 2: when I talk to young people all the time, that's

631
00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,320
Speaker 2: a big concern, particularly during your high school years.

632
00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:40,880
Speaker 1: People think if I could just be a.

633
00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,360
Speaker 2: Little bit more popular whatever they're at. They think, if

634
00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:45,480
Speaker 2: I'd just be a little bit more popular than somehow

635
00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:46,560
Speaker 2: that's going to satisfy me.

636
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:47,160
Speaker 1: And it doesn't.

637
00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:50,160
Speaker 2: Some people use physical fitness as a as a way

638
00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,880
Speaker 2: to they hope, maybe fill that void. Some people it's education,

639
00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,720
Speaker 2: other people it's cosmetic surgery. I met somebody, and I

640
00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,080
Speaker 2: won't be labor this, but I met somebody a few

641
00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:06,520
Speaker 2: years ago who is in like this cycle of constant

642
00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:12,360
Speaker 2: cosmetic surgeries, always trying to change her appearance, always trying

643
00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:13,720
Speaker 2: to alter.

644
00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:15,680
Speaker 1: Just this thing and this thing and this thing.

645
00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:20,520
Speaker 2: And I remember at one point just she looked completely

646
00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:24,720
Speaker 2: unrecognizable to me at one point, and I thought, what

647
00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:28,120
Speaker 2: are you doing? Like you you'd look less than human

648
00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:32,360
Speaker 2: at this point, I think you're damaging yourself. For some people,

649
00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,560
Speaker 2: it's relationships. Other people, I mean, like you could do

650
00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:37,360
Speaker 2: like the list could go on, right. We can spend

651
00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,080
Speaker 2: a long time listing the things that people are trying

652
00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:42,560
Speaker 2: to utilize to satisfy the longings of our souls. And

653
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,400
Speaker 2: let's be careful because even as I share those things,

654
00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:49,360
Speaker 2: we all have our own personal list. I have a

655
00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:53,680
Speaker 2: list of things that I've utilized that didn't work, And

656
00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:55,200
Speaker 2: you think, why did you even attempt that?

657
00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:57,840
Speaker 1: You know the Lord. Sometimes you don't even realize you're

658
00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:58,280
Speaker 1: doing it.

659
00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:01,840
Speaker 2: You just find yourself gravitating toward things that seem appealing,

660
00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:03,480
Speaker 2: and then you have to sit back and reflect a

661
00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:06,280
Speaker 2: little bit to realize, Wait, why do I care extra

662
00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:08,720
Speaker 2: about that? Why does it either make me so happy,

663
00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:11,120
Speaker 2: so mad or so sad? Why do I care so

664
00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:11,799
Speaker 2: much about it?

665
00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:12,240
Speaker 1: Oh?

666
00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:16,520
Speaker 2: Because I'm utilizing that as a substitute savior. It's not

667
00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:18,480
Speaker 2: meant to satisfy my soul, and I'm trying to use

668
00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:19,640
Speaker 2: it to satisfy my soul.

669
00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:20,560
Speaker 1: I got to put that.

670
00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,600
Speaker 2: In its proper place, because none of those things are

671
00:34:23,640 --> 00:34:26,759
Speaker 2: meant to carry the weight of our eternal identity. The

672
00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:31,000
Speaker 2: truth is only God can do that. Only God can

673
00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:35,480
Speaker 2: do that. That's why even tremendous success in this world

674
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:41,440
Speaker 2: oftentimes leaves people feeling very, very empty, because every created

675
00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:42,920
Speaker 2: thing eventually.

676
00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:43,880
Speaker 1: Reveals its limitations.

677
00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:51,239
Speaker 2: Careers end, wealth fluctuates, health fades, relationships disappoint achievements lose

678
00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:59,280
Speaker 2: their excitement after a while, but God remains forever. David King, David,

679
00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:03,760
Speaker 2: who wrote most of the psalms, longest book of the Bible,

680
00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:09,160
Speaker 2: wrote these over three thousand years ago. He wrote one

681
00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:13,719
Speaker 2: of my favorite psalms, Psalm sixteen, and I love it

682
00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:17,279
Speaker 2: so much that I actually purchased something last November to

683
00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,040
Speaker 2: hang up in our living room so that I will

684
00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,000
Speaker 2: see this every day, a portion of this specific psalm.

685
00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:25,640
Speaker 2: But in Psalm sixteen eleven, look at what it says.

686
00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:28,760
Speaker 2: It says, you make known to me the path of life.

687
00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:34,960
Speaker 2: In your presence, there is fullness of joy. At your

688
00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:40,439
Speaker 2: right hand are pleasures forevermore. Again, I have this part

689
00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:43,680
Speaker 2: right here. In your presence, there is fullness of joy

690
00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:47,480
Speaker 2: carved in wood right above the couch in our living room,

691
00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:51,080
Speaker 2: so that I see it every single day. And notice

692
00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,720
Speaker 2: where it tells us that joy is found, the fullness

693
00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:56,520
Speaker 2: of joy. Where is the fullness of joy found, according

694
00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,600
Speaker 2: to that portion of these verses, where is it found

695
00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:05,120
Speaker 2: in God's presence, Not in God's absence, not away from God,

696
00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,600
Speaker 2: in God's presence. So it's not merely found in God's gifts,

697
00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:10,840
Speaker 2: even though God's gifts can help point us in the

698
00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,600
Speaker 2: right direction. The fullness of joy is only found in

699
00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:17,160
Speaker 2: God's presence. Meaning the greatest blessing that you will ever

700
00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:18,200
Speaker 2: experience in your.

701
00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,040
Speaker 1: Life is God himself.

702
00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:24,200
Speaker 2: That's the greatest blessing you will ever experience, God himself.

703
00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:26,879
Speaker 2: And by the way, Jesus affirmed this very same truth

704
00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,080
Speaker 2: during the course of his earthly ministry in his high

705
00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:31,520
Speaker 2: priestly prayer in John chapter seventeen. Look at what he

706
00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,360
Speaker 2: said in verse three. He said, and this is eternal

707
00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:36,640
Speaker 2: life that they know you, the only true God, and

708
00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:43,040
Speaker 2: Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Eternal life isn't just

709
00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:46,040
Speaker 2: an endless existence. This is kind of what Jesus is

710
00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:50,360
Speaker 2: getting at here. Eternal life is knowing God, and that

711
00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:54,280
Speaker 2: relationship begins right now. Eternal life begins right now. Knowing

712
00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:58,640
Speaker 2: God begins right now, and then it continues forever. That

713
00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:01,719
Speaker 2: means that through Christ, we're in back into the very

714
00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:06,040
Speaker 2: purpose for which humanity was originally created. And practically speaking,

715
00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:12,200
Speaker 2: that changes how we view every aspect of life. When

716
00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:14,560
Speaker 2: we think about this idea of our chief end being

717
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:18,360
Speaker 2: glorifying God and enjoying Him forever, that means work becomes

718
00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:21,400
Speaker 2: an opportunity to honor God. Why because we do so

719
00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:25,399
Speaker 2: in close proximity to Him, Living in relationship with Him,

720
00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:29,840
Speaker 2: reunited with the one we were distant from. Family becomes

721
00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:31,080
Speaker 2: an opportunity for us to.

722
00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:31,959
Speaker 1: Reflect his love.

723
00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:36,640
Speaker 2: Suffering becomes an opportunity for us to trust him. Success

724
00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:38,000
Speaker 2: becomes an opportunity for.

725
00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:39,440
Speaker 1: Us to thank him.

726
00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:43,440
Speaker 2: Even ordinary routines become acts of worship when they're offered

727
00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,239
Speaker 2: to Him with grateful hearts. The apostle Paul said it

728
00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:49,120
Speaker 2: this way one Corinthians ten thirty one. He says, so

729
00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:52,360
Speaker 2: whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do

730
00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:56,759
Speaker 2: all to the glory of God. Notice how comprehensive that is.

731
00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:01,000
Speaker 2: By the way, whatever you do, whatever I do, Yeah,

732
00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,080
Speaker 2: whatever you do, how you drive a car to the

733
00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:07,759
Speaker 2: glory of God. How you write a note to the

734
00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:10,600
Speaker 2: glory of God, how you speak a word to the

735
00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:15,200
Speaker 2: glory of God. How you function in the workplace to

736
00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:18,319
Speaker 2: the glory of God. How you interact with others to

737
00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:22,600
Speaker 2: the glory of God. Even eating and drinking can become opportunities.

738
00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:23,360
Speaker 1: To recognize God's goodness.

739
00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,719
Speaker 2: Lord, thank you for this blessing, and I glorify you

740
00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:28,040
Speaker 2: in the midst of enjoying it.

741
00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,440
Speaker 1: Last night. By the way, my wife knows that one

742
00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:31,640
Speaker 1: of my.

743
00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:34,000
Speaker 2: Favorite soups is Capelletti soup. I don't know if you've

744
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:35,880
Speaker 2: ever enjoyed that. And I said to her, I was like,

745
00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:37,319
Speaker 2: do we have the stuff to make that. She's like,

746
00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:39,480
Speaker 2: I'm going to make that for you. So she made

747
00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:41,439
Speaker 2: it for me and I enjoyed it, and I said,

748
00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:44,040
Speaker 2: you know what, Lord, thank you for two things. Thank

749
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:45,520
Speaker 2: you for Capelletti soup and thank you.

750
00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:47,360
Speaker 1: For a wife that's willing to make it for me.

751
00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:50,520
Speaker 2: And you can glorify God even as you're sitting down

752
00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:54,560
Speaker 2: to enjoy a delicious bowl of soup. Basically, there's no

753
00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:58,239
Speaker 2: sacred versus secular divide. For the follower of Christ. Every

754
00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,560
Speaker 2: moment belongs to the Lord, the small things. You're sitting

755
00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,480
Speaker 2: at your table eating a late dinner. So let me

756
00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,200
Speaker 2: say this as we kind of wrap this up, so

757
00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:09,960
Speaker 2: our look at this concept today. What I'm trying to

758
00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,040
Speaker 2: do today is to lay the foundation for everything that

759
00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:14,960
Speaker 2: we're going to be studying throughout this coming series. We

760
00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:18,399
Speaker 2: glorify God by knowing him. We glorify God by trusting him.

761
00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:22,319
Speaker 2: We glorify God by obeying him. We glorify God by

762
00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:26,480
Speaker 2: loving others. We glorify God by serving faithfully, etc. And

763
00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:30,680
Speaker 2: through it all we discover something beautiful. God isn't inviting

764
00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:34,200
Speaker 2: us to a joyless existence of endless obligation. That's not

765
00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:37,080
Speaker 2: what's going on here. He's inviting us into the life

766
00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:40,160
Speaker 2: that we've been always meant to live. Now, as we

767
00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:43,320
Speaker 2: mentioned earlier, the Westminster Catechism says this, what is the

768
00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:47,200
Speaker 2: chief and a man? And the answers encourage believers for centuries.

769
00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:49,400
Speaker 2: The chief end of man is to glorify God and

770
00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:52,359
Speaker 2: enjoy Him forever. And here in Isaiah forty three, we're

771
00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:56,439
Speaker 2: reminded that this isn't just some theological slogan earing. It's

772
00:39:56,520 --> 00:40:01,319
Speaker 2: God's design for every human life. You were not created accidentally.

773
00:40:01,719 --> 00:40:06,080
Speaker 2: You were not created aimlessly. You were not created just

774
00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:10,560
Speaker 2: to build your own kingdom. You were lovingly formed by

775
00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:14,399
Speaker 2: your creator and your redeemer, Jesus Christ, and you were

776
00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:18,719
Speaker 2: called into a relationship with him that will never end.

777
00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,960
Speaker 2: This world is going to constantly offer you and me

778
00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:26,719
Speaker 2: smaller purposes, over and over again. That's going to be

779
00:40:26,719 --> 00:40:29,880
Speaker 2: brought before your face and before my face. This world

780
00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:31,960
Speaker 2: is going to tempt us to try and settle for

781
00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:35,160
Speaker 2: temporary pleasures. This world is going to try and tempt

782
00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:39,879
Speaker 2: us to settle for passing accomplishments. But none of those

783
00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:42,479
Speaker 2: things can compare with knowing Christ, and none of those

784
00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:46,000
Speaker 2: things can compare with living for His glory. When your

785
00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:50,800
Speaker 2: life is centered on Him, you begin experiencing.

786
00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:53,560
Speaker 1: The very purpose for which you were made.

787
00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:56,640
Speaker 2: And that isn't only what brings God glory, it's also

788
00:40:56,719 --> 00:41:01,520
Speaker 2: where lasting joy begins. God Odd's desire for you and

789
00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:05,720
Speaker 2: me is that we glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.

790
00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:09,239
Speaker 1: And that's the opportunity that he's blessed us with.

791
00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:13,759
Speaker 2: Let's pray together, Father, thank you so much for the

792
00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:18,160
Speaker 2: privilege that you've given us as your children.

793
00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:18,759
Speaker 1: Lord.

794
00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:20,440
Speaker 2: We look at your word, we look at these things

795
00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:23,560
Speaker 2: that you've revealed to us. We see these things reference

796
00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:26,600
Speaker 2: through Isaiah. We see these things referenced elsewhere in scripture,

797
00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:30,120
Speaker 2: and Lord, it's such a wonderful thing to really just

798
00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,880
Speaker 2: wrestle with the fact that there is a purpose for

799
00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:38,120
Speaker 2: our existence. Lord, we know that it's tempting for us

800
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:40,920
Speaker 2: to wrap our minds around accomplishments, or to try and

801
00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:44,960
Speaker 2: wrap our sense of identity around either things we have

802
00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:48,120
Speaker 2: or things we do, or things people say about us,

803
00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:50,880
Speaker 2: or whatever that next wrung is we're trying to climb.

804
00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:54,040
Speaker 1: And yet we look at a.

805
00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:56,200
Speaker 2: Portion of Scripture like we looked at today from Isaiah

806
00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:58,319
Speaker 2: forty three, and you revealed that you made us to

807
00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:01,200
Speaker 2: glorify you. And so, Father, we know that there are

808
00:42:01,239 --> 00:42:04,200
Speaker 2: people throughout this world who are constantly chasing what they

809
00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,480
Speaker 2: think their purpose is. They're constantly chasing what they think

810
00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:12,080
Speaker 2: will fulfill them, and that's not how it works. In

811
00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:16,799
Speaker 2: your presence is the fullness of joy. And Father, just

812
00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:25,000
Speaker 2: as your son Jesus Christ made clear to us, it's

813
00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:27,799
Speaker 2: your desire that we know you and that we live

814
00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,680
Speaker 2: close to you. And we know that that reconciliation is

815
00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:34,080
Speaker 2: facilitated through your son, who lived the perfect life on

816
00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:37,880
Speaker 2: our behalf died in our place, and through faith in

817
00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:41,000
Speaker 2: him who rose from the grave, we are.

818
00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:42,600
Speaker 1: Reconciled to you, Father.

819
00:42:43,719 --> 00:42:46,800
Speaker 2: So Lord, we pray that we would not be tempted

820
00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:49,439
Speaker 2: by lesser things. And if we notice those lesser things

821
00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:51,839
Speaker 2: starting to creep into our lives or creep into our

822
00:42:51,880 --> 00:42:53,520
Speaker 2: mind in the sense that we think that, yeah, that's

823
00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:56,360
Speaker 2: my purpose, that's what that's what I was created for.

824
00:42:56,440 --> 00:42:59,319
Speaker 2: If we start buying into that, we pray Lord that

825
00:42:59,320 --> 00:43:02,160
Speaker 2: you pop that right away, so that we wouldn't waste

826
00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:05,480
Speaker 2: our time like so many people spend their lives just

827
00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:06,839
Speaker 2: wasting the time they've been giving.

828
00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:07,439
Speaker 1: They've given.

829
00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:10,000
Speaker 2: They don't know that they've been created to glorify you,

830
00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:11,640
Speaker 2: and even if they've heard that, they don't believe it,

831
00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:14,080
Speaker 2: and so they don't follow through on that when they

832
00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:16,920
Speaker 2: drive themselves crazy. And Father, I'm sure that many of

833
00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:19,080
Speaker 2: us have testimonies of at least moments in our lives

834
00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:22,680
Speaker 2: where we were driving ourselves crazy, wearing ourselves out, chasing

835
00:43:22,719 --> 00:43:26,960
Speaker 2: after things that have no eternal value because we were

836
00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:29,520
Speaker 2: confused about our identity. We didn't know who we were,

837
00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:32,399
Speaker 2: we didn't know whose we were, we didn't understand why

838
00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:35,319
Speaker 2: we were created. So, Lord, as we look at this

839
00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:38,320
Speaker 2: today and through the coming weeks, we pray that you

840
00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:40,680
Speaker 2: would drill this idea down into our hearts and drill

841
00:43:40,719 --> 00:43:43,240
Speaker 2: it down into our minds, so that we would actually

842
00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:49,040
Speaker 2: understand with clarity the purpose for which you made us. Father,

843
00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:51,160
Speaker 2: we're so grateful for the fact that that's a truth

844
00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:54,600
Speaker 2: that you've revealed to us in your word and through

845
00:43:54,640 --> 00:43:59,360
Speaker 2: your son, Jesus Christ, our rescuer, our redeemer, our Savior.

846
00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:02,440
Speaker 2: I pray that we would live as men and women

847
00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:07,440
Speaker 2: who absolutely delight in this relationship that you've given us

848
00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:10,160
Speaker 2: with you. So, Father, we commit ourselves to you.

849
00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:10,479
Speaker 1: Now.

850
00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:13,280
Speaker 2: We thank you for the privilege to glorify your name.

851
00:44:13,840 --> 00:44:16,719
Speaker 2: We thank you for the privilege, likewise, in tandem with

852
00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:20,360
Speaker 2: that glorification, to enjoy you forever. You are the source

853
00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:24,919
Speaker 2: of perfect love, wisdom, compassion, holiness, and so much more.

854
00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:29,520
Speaker 2: Thank you for welcoming us into your holy presence through

855
00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:32,719
Speaker 2: your son Jesus Christ. And it's in Jesus' name we

856
00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:34,760
Speaker 2: pray Amen.