Sermon – “Even If”

14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,     a light on my path.

13 For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

So good morning. I’m going to talk to you today a little bit about God and who God is can you imagine that in church we’re going to talk about God Very. Well we’re going to talk about God’s personality in what that isn’t what God desires for us and how we can prepare for the things that life throws at us because you know life’s going to throw us twists and turns you know there’s going to be good times and there’s going to be some not so good times. And you know what we don’t always get our way and good things happen to good people and bad things happen to good people when good things happen to bad people one bad things happen to bad people right there’s there’s just seems to be no rhyme or reason for what happens. Why you think good things happen to bad people. Do. So why do bad things happen to good people. Or the. Rain falls on the just. That everything goes back to the Garden of Eden it all started back in Genesis without a many people get sick people die people lose their jobs we lose our paycheck we get to where we’re broke just just bad things happen that’s because we live in a world that has got Sin Sin entered in the garden didn’t it that’s where it all started that’s when our decline started you know Adam and Eve for for me to live forever. We were made that we were supposed to live forever but the day that sin entered in death entered in didn’t it that Adam and Eve die immediately. No they didn’t but they began to die immediately didn’t they. I’m getting there. Something did die. I was asking questions I was getting the answers Genesis three twenty one also for Adam and Eve God made tunics of skin and clothed them. Where the skin come from. An animal. That the animal would stay alive when it gave that it give up but skin willingly. And I don’t like to be skinned something had died didn’t. Something had to die in order to cover their sinfulness in order to cover their nakedness Why did God do that why did he take an animal and kill it to make a skin for them. Because he loves Adam and the so much that he wanted to help them to not be so ashamed to not be so embarrassed that was the beginning of the covering over us our covering of sin our sin covering. Wasn’t it. He loved us so much. That something had to die. First it was an animal later it was Christ. They knew they knew That’s right they knew every animal. Oh. Yeah exactly exactly. But alternately The point is we can trust in God we can trust him to make. Psalms one forty five eighteen says the Lord is near to all who call on him to all who call on Him in truth. God. It’s a relationship with us we can’t have a relationship if we don’t have trust and we can’t have a relationship if we don’t have communication. Can you have a relationship without those two things. No you can’t. Here’s the point we have to learn to talk to God That’s where our communication comes in. We have to learn to talk to him and we have to learn to listen to what he’s telling us in return and the way to learn to talk to God is to learn to learn to know who he is is to reach your word to read the Bobbit I heard a joke the other day. I think I read it it was a Cup What had the preacher in for dinner and when they leave he left that night she couldn’t find one of her spoons and she’s like can you believe that preacher stole our spoon why would he steal her spoon Well she worried about that for a year just a year she can i just can’t believe that preacher stole our spoon What did he want with our spoon so year later she invited him back to dinner and she came in and she said preacher I just got to ask you why did you steal your spoon he said I didn’t steal your spoon I put it in your Bible. For a good one and. They hadn’t opened it every year we can’t learn who God is if we don’t open his word or not to know his personality if we don’t get into his word or not going to hear is voice if we don’t pray. And if we don’t call one Him and learn to talk to him when things are going really well. If we don’t learn as voice when things are going well are you going to be able to hear his voice when you’re in a crisis. It’s going to be so much. Easier to learn to talk to God in the learn to hear from God If we do it when things are going really well but if we wait till we’re in the foxhole and cry all God. Because you know what you might not hear is voice over The exploding mortars or whatever your crisis may be you might not know what you’re hearing. But if you learn when things are going really well what that voice sounds like you’re going to know it when you’re in a crisis. A long time ago the girls were small they were in school we had a huge snow. We had gone up to seven spring ski and that weekend you guys remember. Oh yeah. We were out with another lady and her two kids school was out she was a school teacher to go ski and great ski and fresh powder probably a thirty six something that snow that day and the night before or maybe was two days before I don’t remember the roads roads were open we’ll put it that way I’m not saying they were clear they were open so we went to Seven Springs we had a day in it one four wheel drive it had studs probably had sandbags in the rear and thing went through about anything so I didn’t have a you know when scared we went up seven springs we skied all day was great to come home that night we didn’t count on it refreezes. And I was coming down the mountain we didn’t count on there being an all weather is great big things that cut through the snow you know the snow blowers that they have that cut that you choose through the snow and they blow the snow into the back of a truck you’ve ever been by one of them when they’re doing that do you know what happens when you go by one of them and they’re doing that. You know not only get peppered you get dumped. It way I don’t think any more went in the truck then went on me I mean all at once You just heard just for people to form this snow hit in the van. Immediately the windshield was covered covered and I mean like immediately it’s dark it’s black there’s just white on the windshield and my first thought was Jesus. I do this day don’t remember turn those when Sure wipers on but they came on the minute I said the name of Jesus those wind shear wipers came on and it cleared mom when she would not could see where I was going. And I still think about that and I can remember looking down and both hands are gripped in the wheel I do not remember flipping those white person one I don’t think I flipped them on. I think Jesus flipped them on the minute I called out to him those wipers were on and I could see. Jesus loves us that much that when we call to him but you know what he needs to know who we are. He needs to know that we know who he is he knows who we are but he needs to know that we know who he is he wants us to call out to him he wants us to be familiar enough with him that we can call out to him just like you call out to your daddy or your mommy when you’re hurt. Psalm one forty seven five says greatest the Lord and mighty in power his understanding has no limits. So God is understanding. His mighty. God is creative for us He created the universe and everything in it didn’t he and why did he create it. For our pleasure. He created it for our pleasure he didn’t need it we need it he didn’t create the sunset to be those beautiful colors of orange and red and pink and purple when yellow in goal for him. He created it for us. He didn’t create the oceans to come in and sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight or a snowy day to be pristine and glorious or a majestic elk stand in the hill just look so majestic and he didn’t create those things that were so pleasing for him he created them because they’re pleasing to us because He loves us that much. Psalm one twenty one one and two says Where does my help come from my help comes from the Lord the Maker of heaven and earth. So God is also not just the Creator He is a helper. He will hear us. He will help us but we got a call on. God for giving. We all sin right. Every last one of us we all sin. We tend to do things our way and so his way. We know it God does to. His very willing to forgive everything if we repent put our trust in him and put our trust in Jesus for salvation. Romans three twenty one three twenty six. So I can charm and writes about where is boasting then it is excluded by what law all of Works know I had all faith therefore we conclude that man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law all or is he the God the only Jews that doesn’t sound right. That’s not what you’re seeing on screen either. OK so I’m going to read it out. The New King James because I wrote it down wrong. But now righteousness apart from God apart from the law has been made has been made known to which the law and the prophets testify this righteousness from God comes through the faith in Jesus Christ to hold to all who believe there is no difference for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace through three dimension that came by Jesus Christ. So God clearly tells us about Himself and His word it’s all about grace and that. God does not lie we can depend on him. Numbers twenty three nineteen says God is not a man that he should lie nor a son a man that she should change his mind does he speak and then not act does he promise and not fulfill. God is a God we can trust and believe in because he loves us so much he will never lie he can’t lie so we can trust in God. Psalm one thousand says the unfolding of your Word brings light it gives understanding to the simple Psalms one thousand nine hundred five says Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light into my path. We can see God’s word he will goddess and directness we can believe everything he says we can believe what this word says we can put our trust in it. We can trust him. God is capable he is always right one hundred percent of the time Can any of you say that. I used to think I was always right and I thought I was mistaken once but it wasn’t but I’ve since learned that I can be wrong and. I can admit it. Now. I’ve been told you I’ve been wrong. You know what God knows and understands every element of every situation that you’re going through. We don’t need to update him every second of every day. Because you know what he already knows. He knows he knows what you’re thinking before you think it he knows what you’re going to tell you he knows what you’re not going to tell him that you should tell me he knows everything. And even have to tell him what we want but he wants us to tell him what we want he wants us to come to him in their scam. Because he wants us to talk to him. He wants to hear our voice song five three says in the morning oh lord you hear my voice in the morning I lay my request before you and wait in expectation Well how is he going to hear our voice in the morning if we don’t send our voice to him by prayer. You don’t have to pray out loud for him to hear your voice he could hear it if you just pray in your mind. There’s nothing wrong with praying now I talk to him a lot although sometimes a dog looks at me like I’m. Sorry. I say a forty one thirteen says for I am the Lord God hold your right hand who says to you do not fear I will help you. See if I can find the right scripture this time. First Peter five six and seven. Six and seven. Therefore how were you humble yourselves under the mighty hand. God that he Migs all to you in due time casting all your cares on him for he cares for you. As I said God loves you and wants to cut wants you to call out to him he wants to hear your voice he wants you to be in a relationship with him. But what do we do when we do all that when we pray and we pray in and nothing seems to happen nothing makes sense what do we do when. We get bad news from the doctor what do we do when a loved one passes away what do we do when we lose our job when the company closes down when the car breaks down when your kids do something you don’t want to do when when your wife or your husband gets it what do you do in those times when you’re praying you’re prayed and it just seems like it doesn’t do any good what do you do that. You continue your pressin you keep praying and when things don’t look so good you know for the last couple months we’ve been dealing with a lot. And you know for the first few months in the first month at least there were times I couldn’t even pray all I could say Is Jesus God you are so good you are so good because there are times we don’t know how to pray do when we do this don’t know what the words to say. That we just need to call out to him anyway we need the press sending him and he knows what’s on our heart even if we can’t say it he knows but he wants to call out to him even if all you say Is Jesus God Father help me I love you you’re good because that’s all I could say for weeks God you are so good God you are so good and what was I doing when I was there. I was building my faith I was building my trust. Levels. Because I me to trust in Jesus I need to trusting God when things don’t go our way. And I go I don’t know about you but I’ll admit it I don’t always do so good with that. Don’t we all want to get our way don’t we all want things to go well. Sure we do. So even if we don’t hear it even if we don’t see what we need to see even if things don’t seem to be going our way. We trust. We press on. Because God see beyond what we see he knows beyond what we know he knows the outcome. That goes far beyond what our mortal mon’s can ever express. He sees beyond what we can even think or imagine. Because his ways are not our ways we read back and Psalms one forty seven five he has unlimited understanding. And limitless. As something our brains this have a hard time even imagine and then have an unlimited understanding. There’s a song out by Mercy me and it’s called even if I am part of the course says I know you are able and I know you can save through the fire with your mighty hand but even if you don’t. My hope is you alone. And that song has just spoken to me for the last several months because even if. He doesn’t save through the fire even if things. Just the way we want and they didn’t. He still God and I’m still going to put my trust in my faith in him and I guess I’ve said all that. To say this we need to trust God to bring us through each day through the good things and through the bad things. We need to trust him because he’s trustworthy he’s able to handle this and he knows what’s best. We need to trust them believe when it’s hard because our strength in our faith will come through the trials that we go through the trials are what makes us stronger the trials are what is going to strengthen our faith. And the more unshakable our faith becomes the more we’re mirroring who Christ is and as Christians isn’t that what we need to do is to mirror Christ we are to be Christ like. And it’s not always easy but we need to do it so even if he doesn’t fix everything for us we have to stay in and we have to price them in and we have to stand strong first Corinthians sixteen thirteen says this watch stand fast in the faith Be brave be strong. And I love Daniel three fourteen through eighteen. Says Shadrach me shakin to Bendigo answer change never Knesset or your threat means that means nothing to us if you throw us in the far the God we serve can rescue us from the roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up King I don’t think you attended the pun. But even if he doesn’t it wouldn’t make a bit of difference so King we still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up. So they weren’t going to bow down or that they didn’t bow down whether God save them or not they were still going to believe God. Pulled him out of the fire he walked with them and brought him out of the fire and he can bring you out of the fire it may not be a raging fire but it can be your fire whatever your trial is he can bring you out of it. But there’s something we have to do in order to go there you know they had they were told about down to a gold Idol what’s the world telling you to bow down to. We talked a little bit about this stone Sabbath school. Evil there’s a lot of false idols and false gods out there this in the form of T.V. it’s in the form of power it’s in the form of money and prestige it’s in the form of addiction to drugs and alcohol and food it’s in. Hatred of food like Believe me an anorexic it’s in work it’s in religion it’s in sport Oh did I say religion it is. It isn’t religion we have to be very careful that we don’t worship religion that we worship God in Jesus instead of religion it’s not about religion that’s what Jesus came to break is that spirit of religion he didn’t bow to it so why this season the Sadducees were so against the. We have to be careful what’s going on all around us because it’s wanting to suck us in we talked about that mob mentality it’s really easy to get sucked in when everybody around you is doing it whatever it may be whether it’s going to the clubs and drink it or gambling or are going out and with people you shouldn’t be hanging around with you know there’s any number of things that it could be. We need to stand against it. But the way we do that is we need to make a willing to situation we need to strengthen our hearts and say I’m not going to do this anymore I’m not going. To ballot to whatever this is I’m going to make a decision not to and it might hurt because you know what withdrawal does withdrawal hurt. It’s not going to be easy. But we can do it because crisis with you he will be with you he will put you through it he will bring you through it he will be your guide through it he will be your strength through it he will be your support through it. He’s always going to be there there’s nothing you can do that so bad that Jesus doesn’t love you anyway he will always want to bring you through it. Even if it doesn’t look like things are going your way even if things might not seem easy even if you fall down and you’ve got to get back. Even if. Even if he’s always there and then he’s always there. I’m not telling your life will be easy but when you accept Christ it’s probably not going to be say it’s going to put a big bull’s eye when you and you’re gonna get shot at by him because he’s good thing you don’t have you anymore he’s going to get you back. But you have to put your faith and trust in Christ through our help comes from. The rest of that course of that song says I know your sorrow and I know the her would all go away if you just said the word but even if you don’t my hope issue alive. I hope that’s where our hope lays today. I hope we can stand strong in the times of trial because we’re all going to have them but get to know him get a strong relationship with him so you know his voice. And he’ll be with you every step of the way men. And women that’s close in prayer. Lord give us the strength and the faiths. I trusted you in all situations father I just pray that you would help us to hear you to know you and to draw strength from you whatever may come father we discussed it your way we would always remember that you are God Lord and you’re in control when you are all powerful and we give you praise and glory in our goddesses way girl ways this day Lauren bring us back safely in Jesus’ name we pray on men.