moving our hearts and God that you would
just take your word and emboss it within
our souls father that you give us ears
to hear what the Spirit is saying to
us and Lord that we would leave tonight
different people than having walked in this room
so father we ask you now and Lord
we pray that wherever this message goes that
it would affect people for the glory of
God for salvation in Jesus Christ for hope
and for understanding and Lord that we would
be ready father I just have this deep
sense in my heart that something big is
coming and I don't know what it is
and I don't need to know I just
need to be ready we need to be
ready for whatever is going to happen or
wherever we're going or whatever is about ready
to be done Lord God you're on the
throne nothing nothing goes on without your incredible
watchful eye so father we rejoice tonight in
your name in Jesus name and all God's
people said amen grab your Bibles tonight and
turn if you would to Proverbs chapter 4
Proverbs chapter 4 in your Bibles we're in
our series and we get back into our
series I can add regarding the disciplines of
life the disciplines of life and I want
to encourage you to attend these Wednesday nights
as personally listen carefully I believe that this
is one of the best classes that you
can get involved in and the entire week
of getting discipled it is a 31 week
course we are in the eighth week and
it's all about discipleship how do we live
our lives in these last days you see
these last days what's going to happen I
don't know what's going to happen but 2
,000 years ago the Bible says we've entered
into the last day so 2,000 years
ago was the last days then we're like
John says we're down to the last hour
and we need to get ready to meet
the Lord and discipleship is what it's all
about keep your finger there in Proverbs chapter
4 just wait right there Jesus said in
Matthew chapter 28 as he gathered the disciples
together he said all authority has been given
to me in heaven and on earth go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit teaching them to observe all things that
I have commanded you and behold I am
with you always even under the end of
the world discipleship the disciplines of life to
make disciples and Proverbs chapter 4 verse 23
says keep your heart with all diligence for
out of its spring the issues of life
so church I want you to jot that
down tonight because the title of this evening's
session is the disciplines of defense the disciplines
of defense what does that mean what we're
going to be looking at that tonight and
when by the way Proverbs does state that
we are to keep our hearts with all
diligence that is a very strong statement think
about that for a moment first of all
the word keep means to guard your heart
Christians we are to be guarding our hearts
the word also means to protect our hearts
it means that whatever is in our heart
is a very precious and holy thing and
we are to guard that thing we are
to protect that thing and it means also
to set a watchman over our hearts we
are to have our heart as it were
guarded and I think you know by now
that our hearts are to be guarded by
the Word of God it is the Word
of God that suits us up the New
Testament counterpart to that is in Jude chapter
well Jude 1 verse 20 and 21 it
says brethren build yourselves up on your most
holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit verse
21 keep yourselves in the love of God
Christian you and I have got to work
at our Christianity and I want to make
that very clear we are not to work
at getting saved that's impossible we are saved
by faith in Jesus Christ alone in his
finished work at Calvary's Cross Jesus did it
all all to him we owe but now
that we're believers we are to give all
diligence to guarding our hearts and you and
I live in the most perverse age that
perhaps the world has ever seen this is
a dark and sinister time but in Jude
verse 21 when it says keep yourselves that
New Testament counterpart to the old it means
the same thing but more yes to guard
the heart to protect the heart to set
a watchman over the heart but it also
means this to prevent from escaping to prevent
your heart from escaping the truth of God
to assemble a fortress or to put in
place a full military detachment that's what the
Bible says about how you and I are
to be guarding our hearts as Christians don't
raise your hand when I say this but
how many of your Christians tonight if you're
a Christian tonight you need to be serious
about guarding your heart by what we read
by what we see but what we listen
to where our feet go what our hands
are involved in if we name the name
of Christ as the Bible let us depart
from sin if we name the name of
Christ we had to walk lives that are
worthy of his name but how do we
do that and tonight when we look at
this discipline of defense what is it that
we mean I'll put it to you this
way our hearts as a human as the
human nature is our hearts challenge the power
of God in this sense God is all
powerful we're not but God has made us
available and responsible to make the choices in
our lives and that is a scary thing
if you think about it I'd almost want
to be a robot but then there's no
love there's no true worship and nobody wants
to marry or have a relationship with a
robot if you do you're sick God is
not sick God is the great creator and
he made you with the ability to make
a choice so that there could be real
love real experience and even though Adam and
Eve were created an absolute perfection imagine that
for a moment Adam and Eve were perfect
built inside of them was the ability to
choose and you know the story the Bible
tells us that Adam and Eve collectively sinned
against God and chose their own way there's
a right way to exercise a discipline of
defense in a wrong way and Adam and
Eve is definitely the wrong way to exercise
this attack against the heart when temptations come
against us when the world comes against us
what are we to do but we also
know this that Paul the Apostle was concerned
and his Christian walk about becoming disqualified Adam
and Eve disqualified themselves in the Garden of
Eden if you think about it they exercise
their own will over the will of God
by the way let's be honest every time
you and I exercise our own will over
the will of God we get messed up
church family listen carefully I'm not going to
give you details because it's private but as
a pastor doesn't take an Einstein to figure
this out in a ministry like this I
get calls all the time I hear stuff
all the time and there's people that I
look at that I respect highly and love
tremendously and then when I hear them giving
up on their faith giving up on their
marriage giving up on their children and going
into the world or going back to the
world Lisa and I look at each other
we just we both we shake our heads
and then we cringe at the same time
no wonder why I think about the disciples
when Jesus said one of you at this
table will betray me do you remember what
their words were Lord is it I Lord
is it I and Lisa and I have
been looking at each other recently with hearing
all the things that are going on in
our Christian world and the friends that we
know around the world and to hear some
of them giving up on faith in these
last moments and then the fear comes up
in your heart Oh Lord is it I
Oh God don't let us fall and Paul
the Apostle had that same thought when in
the Bible and 1st Corinthians 9 1st Corinthians
chapter 9 verse 25 Paul said everyone who
competes for the prize is temperate in all
things that is he's a he has a
disciplined life now they do it to obtain
a perishable crown he's talking about Olympians in
Greece in Corinth in his day but we
do it for an imperishable crown our crowns
gonna last forever therefore Paul says I run
thus not with uncertainty like Forrest Gump no
Paul says no way not with uncertainty do
I run thus I fight not as one
who beats the air but I discipline my
body and bring it into subjection that is
his passions of his body does not control
his commitment or devotion to God he says
that I bring it under the control or
subjection lest I have preached to others I
myself should become disqualified so Christian you and
I need to wake up to the fact
that there are very serious issues in this
world that are designed to come against your
faith your faith is the most precious thing
you have and I want you to think
about that right now sad to say most
people who are going through the trenches of
their faith being challenged may not even be
here tonight maybe they're out in places without
not to be I don't know but let
me tell you tonight if if you are
not nurturing and protecting and watching out for
that faith of yours that you have in
your heart if you're not letting it grow
and get strong and the true things of
God then you're in danger and you need
to be doing everything you possibly can to
see to it that you are rooted and
grounded and built in your most holy faith
these are serious things so church we're going
to go through these tonight market number one
it is this and the disciplines of life
there's the disciplines of defense and the first
one is this responding to the challenges of
life a defense and response to the challenges
of this life that you and I live
in what are we going to do even
the Christian suffers in this life can someone
say amen Christians suffer in this life and
the way the world is going there's probably
more Christian suffering now than in most recent
years but the Christian deals with his or
her problems differently so as a believer I
would ask tonight how do I pastor deal
with the issues and the challenges of life
and how it was how am I to
defend myself in this world in John 1633
Jesus said these things I have spoken unto
you that in me you may have peace
Wow ask Jesus for peace number two in
the world you will have tribulation that's difficulties
but be of good cheer I have overcome
the world what a great word be of
good cheer you know what that means this
is this is amazing Jesus says you're gonna
have hardship it's gonna get tough and some
of you gonna be put to death but
you know what cheer up have a great
attitude about it that word means your attitude
is at a higher altitude than what's going
on in the world you guys we are
and I know I've read this you've heard
it before but some people have said you
know you Christians need to watch out you
can become so heavenly minded that you're no
earthly good I have never seen that happen
yet the truth is we can become so
earthly minded that we're no heavenly good we
are to set our affections on the things
of heaven church we are going home someday
we're not home yet you think you're home
too uncomfortable you're not home we're going home
when you go home tonight you're not going
home unless you go home to see Jesus
you're going to the house or like a
condo or the apartment that you reside in
for now it's temporary we're gonna go see
Jesus and all of the stuff that's going
on in our lives Jesus says be of
good cheer about it we're losing our home
we're losing this we're losing that and all
the stuff is and the ground is shaking
and it's hot outside and all this stuff
is going on hey you know what for
the Christian what was it today 100 degrees
here for the Christian this is as hot
as it gets remember that we can take
it Jesus is be of good cheer when
it's difficult and so one of our great
defenses in this life is to be strong
in this fact that I'm not home yet
we're in boot camp as it were and
it's our time to live at our faith
because you know what church the time is
coming when we won't need faith in heaven
because we will see him face to face
and we will have lived our life and
we would run our course Philippians chapter 3
verse 7 says but what things were gained
to me Paul said these I've counted lost
for Christ yet indeed I also count all
things lost for the excellence of the knowledge
of Christ listen that's for the believer everything
Paul said I've lost in this life but
listen he was a Pharisee that means he
was probably a pretty wealthy guy at one
time and most scholars believe that because he
was a Pharisee who had to have a
wife that him coming to Christianity his wife
must have left him he lost his wife
possibly he certainly lost his wealth he became
it came a nomad as it were for
Jesus he says I've counted the loss for
Christ that's nothing yet indeed he says much
more for the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I've suffered
the loss of everything of all things and
count them but rubbish that I may gain
Christ that's the heart in life and attitude
of a believer you can't stop a man
you cannot stop a woman who's like this
church like never before the Christian needs to
be galvanized for these days we're the only
ones who know what's really going on we
see what's happening in the world and instead
of stepping back we need to step up
we need to step up and I thank
God for you I mean this I was
on the email today with brothers back east
and things that are going on and I
gotta tell you I thank God for you
I thank God for your commitment to your
community to your state to your nation you're
amazing people you guys make me look really
good it's amazing it's all it's all you
guys following Jesus you are taking the challenges
of life and you're responding to them with
the right attitude and Paul had that attitude
how do we defend ourselves against this crazy
age well listen mark this down temptations will
come but temptations come from this evil world
and we choose to embrace them or not
you'll choose to embrace the temptation or not
please don't embrace the temptation trials on the
other hand come from the hand of God
and we're better off for them you need
to settle that in your soul tonight temptations
come from the evil of this world trials
come from the engineering of God's hand you
and I don't understand everything you say man
wait a minute my trial sure seems like
a temptation or my trial is getting me
to be tempted to lose my temper I
understand that that's important but your trial is
different than a temptation if you are tempted
by sexual lust or something like that from
the world that is a temptation but listen
if you're put into a financial situation or
whatever and you're feeling the weight of that
pressure or whatever it might be in that
area that's a trial are you fighting a
health issue that's a trial one is from
the world and we choose to embrace it
the other is engineered by the hand of
God how do we exercise a defense as
a disciple of Christ in a time like
this listen we begin to discern and understand
Lord listen Lord if this is from you
given the grace to get through it if
this is not from you in Jesus name
Lord you rebuke it from my life listen
I know some of your say pastor I
was always raised that I should stand there
and I should rebuke it and I rebuke
and you know I'm gonna stand there and
I'm gonna rebuke then yeah I rebuke you
Satan listen that is nowhere in the Bible
the Bible says the Lord rebuke you Satan
so I don't know about you but I'm
not gonna sit there and go come on
Satan I'm gonna say dad he's banging on
me you rebuke that temptation this way Lord
I'm being tempted and in Jesus name Lord
give me the power to walk away from
it and or drive it away from me
now and he will be faithful if it's
that trial yes if it's a temptation yes
the answer is God in both Psalm 107
verse 20 the Bible says he sent his
word and healed them from and delivered them
from their destructions what a great promise that
is Psalm 107 verse 20 so responding to
the challenges of life mark this down what
to do turn your thoughts toward the Lord
if your life is under attack turn your
thoughts toward the Lord as somebody attacking you
turn your thoughts toward the Lord what do
you do about that how do you do
that Job 13 15 Job 13 15 though
he slay me yet I will trust him
Wow and first Peter 5 7 what a
graphic verse this is first Peter 5 7
says cast all your care upon him for
he cares for you that word to cast
is to heave grab it and throw it
at the foot of the cross take your
thoughts and direct them toward the Lord what
not to do don't analyze the problem it
just grows this is the problem a lot
of people have they look at that they
look at the problem and the problem looks
like an anthill then they keep looking at
it and turns into a mountain and then
all they can do is talk about their
problem what am I gonna do just have
to panic listen stop analyzing it why because
if you're gonna analyze your problem it turns
to worry worry to destroy you worry will
rob you worry is powerful debilitating it kills
that attitude of I'm gonna put my heart
and mind on Christ stop staring at it
look up call upon him number two the
disciplines of defense is this learn how to
wait on the Lord Christian learn how to
wait on the Lord this is going to
be tough I have six points this is
number two this one may be just impossible
why because we are in a no-wait
generation we go through fast food fast foods
not fast enough you drive in they just
throw now these throw the food in your
window it's amazing to me learn how to
wait on the Lord church this is a
serious issue waiting does not come natural to
us humans we hate it I personally believe
that many Christians today are in a state
of crisis because they refuse to wait on
the Lord or they don't know how to
wait on the Lord and the problem is
this listen waiting feels wrong it just feels
wrong in Psalm 46 verse 10 the Bible
says be still how do you like that
be still and know that I am God
by the word by the way the word
is yada in Hebrew y-a-d-a
yada and it means be still and know
be still and yada it means discover who
I am in that moment see all of
a sudden you and I want to panic
about the moment and yet God is saying
excuse me in the moment you're in I
want you to know who I am in
that moment isn't he awesome I am the
God of the moment yes he's eternal but
remember this you and I are a blip
on the screen in eternity and that blip
on the screen is held in the palm
of his hand he's in the moment with
us be still and know that I am
God and I will be exalted among the
nations and I will be exalted in the
earth and let me add this I will
be exalted in your life if you wait
upon me he says in Romans 825 this
is kind of cool because if you are
tempted to not wait God understands you can
tell because in Romans 825 I should say
Romans 825 there Paul writes but if we
hope for what we do not see we
eagerly wait for it with perseverance the word
eagerly waits is cool it means that you're
waiting eagerly what are you doing I'm eagerly
waiting because when we think of the word
wait we're like thinking like this you know
what are you doing waiting I love how
realistic the Bible is I am eagerly waiting
with perseverance for what for the Lord to
do is work in my life and for
him to come back and for the next
thing and I love that learn how to
wait on the Lord what to do get
alone with the Lord now get out a
pen get out a piece of paper this
is serious I'm gonna issue before listen God's
listening right now you are gonna get in
trouble in a minute and I'm gonna get
you in trouble here you go this is
I'm dead serious about this and you know
what watch this if we do this watch
what happens in the next couple of weeks
watch what happens get along with the Lord
and I don't mean not ASAP I mean
now now don't leave I mean determine now
because here's what's gonna happen step one write
it down step one starting tomorrow set your
alarm before you go to bed tonight one
hour early but pastor I get up before
so get up at three believe me I'll
be up at four with you set your
alarm for one hour it's gonna hurt for
the first few days but do it set
it for two weeks like this and begin
to evaluate your life every day watch what
happens for the next two weeks it starts
tomorrow okay number two get alone when they
when you when you get up get alone
with God with your Bible and with a
little notebook and I want all of you
all of us to start reading I don't
care how far you get but start reading
the book of Philippians next two weeks okay
step three repeat steps one and two for
the rest of your life okay watch what
happens look somebody mark their calendar what is
today anyway I didn't it's okay the 14th
next two weeks watch what happens in our
private and public lives as a church watch
what as people as a family watch what
happens okay anybody not taking me up on
this challenge you're a wimp you're a weasel
and a snake a loser and a bum
Jeremiah 29 11 says for I know the
thoughts that I think toward you says the
Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil
to give you a future and a hope
then you will call upon me and go
and pray to me and I will listen
to you and you will seek me and
find me when you've searched for me with
all your heart and all God's people said
amen that's what he loves go after him
go after him God in the Old Testament
said to Israel where are you when you
got up early and came after me like
a lover and searched for me where are
you now Israel you've gone he says like
a dromedary you want a dromedary is it's
a female camel who's in heat he says
you've gone off and you've been sniffing the
air looking for a male camel and you've
left me and he says return to me
is that powerful he says come to me
Wow what a tremendous thing what not to
do listen don't consult with your friends first
about this well you know our pastor challenges
to seek God alone what do you think
of that don't even ask him an hour
he wants you to wake up an hour
sounds legalistic to me what are you in
a cult now if I would have said
sleep in an extra hour people would have
said man that church is of God I'm
going next week don't listen to people listen
to God first always God first you know
when new believers make a decision we tell
them right up front right here we tell
them here's your Bible start reading it come
to every service you can dive into all
these wonderful things that you can get involved
in and if you have a question about
what you read in the Bible ask God
first and then call us ask God first
don't allow yourself to be manipulated into a
hurry because we need to learn how to
wait on the Lord I look this up
today in 1709 the English poet Alexander Pope
wrote fools rush in where angels fear to
tread why do fools rush ahead because they
can't wait come on in our lives we've
made the dumbest decisions because we wouldn't wait
and listen I know I'm gonna get a
letter about this from somebody but I'm just
using this as an example when you go
buy a car or now I don't know
do they give cars away now or what
are they do they even make cars anymore
I don't even know oh listen mister if
you don't buy that car I got a
guy coming down he's gonna be here about
an hour and a half to buy that
car if you don't buy it now it's
gonna be gone you'll never get that one
again listen don't ever get back into the
corner like that oh man you know what
if you don't buy this house you know
you got five minutes you got a sign
on paper listen God is never in a
hurry and he doesn't put his kids in
that place either it's very very important wait
Psalm 62 once is this truly my soul
silently waits for God from him comes my
salvation he alone is my rock in my
salvation he is my defense I shall not
be listened greatly moved and when you read
that you go I don't like that verse
because I don't want to be moved at
all look I will not I shall not
be greatly moved well the word means in
Hebrew I will not be shaken to the
core I love the reality of the Bible
listen Church are we not all moved we're
moved we have pressures we have difficulties but
the Bible says you're not gonna get knocked
off your horse oh it's gonna move it's
gonna shake we're moving but you're not gonna
fall down point number three the disciplines of
defense is this stand in the power of
his might oh this is important church listen
are you not are you not tempted to
panic jump from the fire pan into the
fire as people would say oh my goodness
what's gonna happen I'm under attack or whatever
it might be listen the disciplines of defense
is to learn this stand in the power
of his might and how do you do
that you know what first of all you
take your Bible and because you're getting up
earlier now you got more of that you're
doing Philippians and you're gonna read it and
you're gonna stand there and God I promise
you as you read the next two weeks
your life will literally work in concert with
the scriptures you're reading watch what happens and
something's gonna happen and you're gonna go wait
a minute I know where to stand about
this thing I'm going I'm gonna I know
what to say I read it yesterday you
watch what happens and let me tell you
your faith will just grow Romans 10 17
says faith comes by hearing and hearing by
the Word of God you want greater faith
only comes one way I met a man
last Sunday he said pastor Jack I live
in Temecula and I come here now on
Sundays been listening to the radio program and
I said Temecula I said you know you
drive past about 17 great churches to get
here I go man you need to save
your gas and he said no way I'm
coming and you guys what are you guys
driving from the lake were you crestline we
need to call the doctor for hey listen
the amazing thing that gentleman said as I'm
driving along as I'm going to work and
I'm listening to the program he said I
got you on my pod I podcast he
said the time just goes by because I'm
in a Bible school I'm in a Bible
class and I'm hearing the Word of God
listen that guy's faith is growing and that's
how it happens would the God our phones
and TVs would blow up you know that
we'd hang on to the Bible more stand
in the power of his might Patriot revolutionary
Samuel Adams said we shall never be abandoned
by heaven while we act worthy of its
aid and protection and I love that quote
we shall never be abandoned by heaven while
we act worthy of its aid and protection
did you get that Samuel Adams said that
if we are in the right cause and
we've got heaven's approval for what we're standing
for we can expect this heaven will never
abandon us and you and I our father
is God we are his children we have
his eternal word and if we act worthy
of his protection we will never be abandoned
do you believe that church you are invincible
if you are engaged in the things of
God stay that way what's the greatest defense
against an evil age hey you know what
for you and I stay committed to what
God's called us to don't move don't waver
that's why we need one another to encourage
each other along I don't want to sound
cold I'm not cold when I say this
I have to confess it's a discipline that
I've learned you're looking at a guy who's
been mocked all his life because of that
I was a very violent man thank God
he saved me say I tell you thank
God the Lord rescued me because I probably
would have been in prison today or dead
I was mocked all my life for stuttering
so bad I could hardly put a sentence
together couldn't even recite the wedding vows in
my wedding because I stuttered so terribly but
all my life growing up singled out made
fun of I can tell you classrooms I
can see it in my mind's eye where
the teacher said stand on top the desk
and read the book hey class you want
to hear him read the book to stand
in front of people no way I used
to fake getting sick so I would stay
home from school because I couldn't face the
people and I can't tell you some of
the other things that some gangs did oh
he stutters let's do this and they held
me down and they had fun why am
I saying this because all my life I
grew up with this if I don't defend
myself nobody will and I began to hurt
people I'm not all that big I'm 210
up 5 5 10 well I am 210
but not I'm not 2 feet 10 inches
I'm 5 10 to 10 and I'm this
is the smallest I've ever been and I
learned how to hurt people in football because
I was so angry and I could defend
myself and then I come to Jesus at
the age of 19 and I find out
wait a minute Jack don't defend yourself any
longer Lord are you are you what don't
defend yourself any longer that's what I do
Jack I defend you now and listen even
to this hour I've learned this the hard
way but listen I'm glad I learned it
when people attack you when people write stuff
in the newspaper about you let it go
my friend the truth's gonna come out someday
and it will be glorious and you need
to stand like that you need to be
fearless Paul said none of these things move
me why because he said I know the
one in whom I've been persuaded at the
end of the day and I mean at
the end of the day of eternity when
we stand before God maybe sooner you know
maybe in this life you stand there God
is your defense let him defend you the
wicked shall perish that's God's business stand in
the power of his might Paul said and
second Timothy 416 at my first defense no
one stood with me all forsook me may
it not be charged against them verse 17
2nd Timothy 4 but the Lord stood with
me and strengthened me what a great word
huh that's an awesome statement I suggest that
you and I stay away from the power
that you and I have it'll lead you
to destruction let him be your defense in
Romans 12 18 if it is possible as
much as it is possible as much as
depends on you live peaceably with all men
that's a great verse beloved do not avenge
yourselves but rather give place to wrath for
it is written vengeance is mine I will
repay saith the Lord some of you maybe
well not some of you maybe almost every
human being has got justified hurts in their
life you've really been hurt and you've really
been wronged and you were really maligned and
you were innocent in that thing and you're
broken maybe you came home and found all
of your furniture gone and your family gone
I don't know or that boss turned to
you and with all that's going on in
the company and all the they fired you
and you're you're the only loyal guy that
I don't know but they're justified hurts you
hurt it's for real and you're right what
are you gonna do about it go postal
don't do that what are you gonna do
you're gonna say Lord take care of it
now I tell you David was very good
at that David prayed for his enemies did
you know that he prayed dear Lord break
their teeth off in their mouth he did
he did well that's why that's why I
only read the New Testament oh yeah yeah
Paul said Alexander the coppersmith did me much
harm may God repay him for all of
his evil works done against me Wow yes
we pray for enemies that God would save
them but let his power be your defense
number four know what his word says I'm
gonna give you a string of verses get
ready here they go know what his word
says I'm just gonna read it and we'll
move on 2nd Timothy 414 I just said
it Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm
may the Lord repay him according to his
works let the Lord deal with the problem
number two this is what his word says
Ephesians 320 now to him who is able
to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we
can ask or think according to the power
that is at work within us some of
you are not writing this down and then
you're gonna come crying next week and I'm
not gonna listen to you because you should
have wrote it down you're looking at me
like like I'm speaking some foreign language here
Proverbs 1810 the name of the Lord is
a strong tower the righteous run into it
and they are safe what a great verse
to pray Oh Lord your name is a
strong tower come on there's nobody watching but
us this is what I do Lord your
name is a strong tower I didn't say
that to you you said it to me
and so I want to see that tower
the Lord and I we have a relationship
we have an understanding I need to see
your I need to see your name as
a strong tower Lord I'm gonna run into
it you said I'll be saved here I
come ready or not I'm coming because I
have nowhere to go I'm coming to you
and I'm gonna run into that strong tower
and I'm running now here I come and
you go and you run and you put
your hand to the plow and you do
not look back and you run to him
Psalm 61 1 hear my cry Oh God
attend to my prayer from the end of
the earth I will cry to you when
my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the
rock that is higher than I for you
have been a shelter for me a strong
tower from the enemy I will abide in
your tabernacle forever I will trust in the
shelter of your wings who said that David
you and I listen it is safe to
say in our life we have never experienced
the pain and the trauma that David experienced
read his life much of the Bible the
Old Testament is about his life and it's
a messed up life misunderstood constantly attacked by
everybody you know the Bible says in Proverbs
3 5 trust in the Lord with all
your heart lay not on your own understanding
that word trust in Proverbs 3 5 market
this is amazing the word means to be
careless carefree safe secure bold free it means
to be reckless look at that verse look
at those screen be reckless in the Lord
with all of your heart and lean not
on your own understanding isn't that great be
carefree in the Lord with all of your
heart don't worry you cannot stop a life
that lives that verse alone in this world
you can't stop a person who will choose
tonight to live that verse wherever you're at
in the world to say you know what
I am gonna trust in the Lord and
I'm not gonna lean to my own understanding
with all of my heart I'm coming to
him so here I come it's an amazing
thing to realize number five be confident that
his will is at work church he does
not sleep I was speaking to a lieutenant
general or whatever his title is in Israel
and I was blessed in the communication was
going on back and forth and in the
dialogue I being a pastor a Gentile Christian
gave him a little bit of his of
his Old Testament I never speak to a
Jew with New Testament always Old Testament because
that's what they believe and so you talk
to a Jewish person using the Old Testament
only and it kind of rattled him because
I use this verse ice I said listen
with all that's all that I'm hearing just
remember this he who keeps Israel shall never
slumber nor sleep and I cited that verse
that kind of shook him a little bit
how'd you know that verse because it's in
your book how'd you know the book I
got a book I got the book be
confident that his will is at work God
does not sleep there is no way that
you and I can appreciate that fully without
trials and difficulties listen our fathers in the
faith before us suffered great persecution but they
were confident have you read Fox's book of
martyrs by the way you don't have to
read it now you can even get it
online audio audible.com drive commute listen to
Fox's book of martyrs it had changed your
life Fox's book of martyrs f-o-x
-e-s Fox's book of martyrs the confidence
and the grace of God of those who
were persecuted to death bitterly mistreated slandered gossip
physically attacked mocked sometimes by their own family
hated do we believe this next verse church
listen we're gonna have to wrap this up
quickly do we believe this next verse don't
don't say yes too quickly I have my
doubts Romans 828 and we know we know
and we know that we're means that Paul
assumes that his listeners his readers they know
this know what and we know that all
things work together for good to those who
love God to those who are called according
to his purposes for whom he foreknew he
also predestined to be conformed to the image
of his son what in the world does
that mean this is it watch this keep
that on the screen this is great for
we know that all things what do you
think all means anybody all things work together
for good to those who love God don't
answer don't answer do you don't answer to
those who are called according to his purposes
for whom he foreknew you know it's great
watch this watch me look at this is
am I gonna go left or right I
went right he knew I would go right
before he ever made Jupiter and Saturn and
Mars yeah but what if you would have
went left he knew that too he for
ordained he foreknew he knew and he knows
how can you and I escape his protection
from heaven when he knows everything he said
well Jacob he knows everything why didn't he
keep me from getting into that mess because
Adam and Eve that's in us we are
sons and daughters of Adam and Eve we
must choose but if we love him we
will walk in the path that he's established
for us to his purpose and for his
glory and so our great cause tonight is
to say Lord lead me in your way
everlasting lead me in the path of righteousness
O God be alive in my life Psalm
46 1 God is my refuge and my
strength the very present help in trouble are
you in trouble call on him therefore we
will not fear even though the earth be
removed and the mountains be carried into the
midst of the sea and in California that
could be literal number six we'll end with
this the disciplines of defenses remind yourself about
the facts this is what I love and
this is why I'm a Christian our faith
is founded upon fact I love that I
spent my former career in a laboratory physicians
would come to our laboratory from all over
the world very top-secret location it was
amazing incredible security clearance awesome you thought you're
going into NASA and these doctors would come
these ideas and they're had these incredible things
you put stuff together and see him now
is this what you were thinking I think
of it and you put it together okay
let's see what happens pump some blood through
that baby and see if it's gonna work
and you know what you put the thought
to the test because you took the concept
and you made it something you could touch
and if you touch it and if it
was someday maybe gonna wind up in somebody's
chest then you better be able to see
if you can break it now before you
break it in somebody's body and so you
put it through the trial run you know
what see this for thousands of years this
has gone through the trial run of humanity
it has never once ever failed we failed
but it has not failed and it shall
never fail so here is facts only church
and we'll end this facts only fact Psalm
17 7 show your marvelous loving-kindness by
your right hand Oh you who save those
who trust in you from those who rise
up against them keep me as the apple
of your eye the cornea of you of
your eye hide me under the shadow of
your wings from the wicked who oppress me
from my deadly enemies who surround me make
that your prayer fact Isaiah 41 10 fear
not I am with you be not dismayed
I am your God I will strengthen you
yes I will help you I will uphold
you with my righteous right hand guess what
coming from my office to the sanctuary from
the next building over a little beautiful girl
ran up to me in the courtyard one
of your kids she's I got something to
tell you I said what is it and
she quoted Isaiah 41 10 and it was
in it was in my notes tonight you
know what that does to me yes out
of the mouth of babes 2nd Timothy 1
7 we're almost done for God has not
given us a spirit of fear but of
power and of love and of a sound
mind fact Psalm 16 8 I have set
the Lord always before my face because he
has at my right hand I shall not
be moved fact Psalm 62 6 he only
is my rock and my salvation he is
my defense I shall not be moved fact
mayhem 1 7 the Lord is good a
stronghold in the day of trouble and he
knows those who trust in him and all
God's people said amen father we thank you
for the God that you are you are
amazing you are the God who never fails
and Lord your Bible tells us that if
we trust you we will never be put
to shame Lord there's that thing in life
it's almost built in maybe we set up
camp at the beach we got the umbrella
we got the chairs we got the blankets
we got the ice chest laid out and
we look so happy so secure so relaxed
and a wave comes and there's chairs and
blankets and hats and doughnuts everywhere and we
look like a fool we pitched our tent
a little too close and Lord tonight there
are people who are pitching their tent and
have pitched their tent too close to this
world and for us in this room Lord
God we thank you so much that you
have moved our tents you moved us you
saved us you said hey once you come
over here this world is a storm this
world is a rage we thank you that
we have you as our rock and we
pray tonight for anyone who does not know
the stability of having Jesus as their rock
that that would change tonight church as heads
are bowed right now and eyes are closed
maybe tonight's the night where you want to
trust in the God of the Bible that
you've heard about tonight no matter where you're
at right now you can say Lord Jesus
I want to know you as this Lord
the Lord of the Bible I want to
put my trust in you I want to
know your salvation I want to know about
you being the rock of my soul to
be my defender in a wicked age in
a dangerous world to repair Lord my broken
heart my broken family my broken life to
remove the sin of my soul from me
forever friend if that's your desire tonight right
now right where you're at you can say
dear Lord Jesus forgive me now I believe
according to the Bible that says that Jesus
died on the cross for my sins I
choose tonight to believe that and your Bible
says that he rose from the grave on
the third day for my eternal life and
I choose to believe that and I thank
you God that you're inviting me to a
faith that is founded upon fact and so
well heads are bowed and eyes are closed
tonight you're saying pastor Jack I'm receiving Jesus
as my Lord and Savior if that's your
heart's desire right now I'm gonna ask you
to put your hand up and I'll see
your hands and I'll just pray for you
put your hand up don't be shy God
bless you to my right you can put
your hand down anyone else God bless you
in the middle anyone else over here to
my left God bless you over here to
God bless you you're making a decision right
now for Jesus God bless you God bless
you too father for these who have raised
their hands Lord we pray right now that
as they have confessed that truth Lord God
that you would fill them with your spirit
and Lord God that you'd give them the
overwhelming reality of who you are because you're
a God who lives and you have chosen
to live inside of us and that's amazing
and so father right now come upon these
as they have raised their hand not by
some physical manifestation but by an internal spiritual
commitment and father we pray that you would
bless them in their journey with you we
ask it in Jesus name and all God's
people said amen church let's stand together if
you would and as we close in this
song those of you who raised your hands
there are Bibles right up front right here
there's going to be pastors up front to
give you these Bibles and to greet you
and to welcome you into the family of
God you've made the greatest decision of your
lives church I want to encourage you to
be praying tomorrow night live worldwide live tomorrow
night at 6 p.m. six to seven
Pacific Time as pastor Chuck is away on
tour Don Stewart and I will be live
at the studios of his channel and we
will be going through a one-hour program
of the Bible in the news news and
analysis and current events encourage you to pray
and tune in to his channel dot-com
and be praying for the program God bless
you guys as we close in this song