100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:10,460When you think of your wounds, there’s probably a face that comes to your mind straight away,200:00:10,460 –> 00:00:18,660and you say he’s my problem, she’s my problem. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood.300:00:18,660 –> 00:00:26,260The primary struggle in your life is not with a person, it is with the activity of your400:00:26,260 –> 00:00:30,020enemy through that person.500:00:30,020 –> 00:00:34,340Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. I’m glad you could600:00:34,340 –> 00:00:39,380be with us today and Colin, today we’re going to continue to look at the story of Absalom700:00:39,380 –> 00:00:44,580and his father, King David and the whole subject of family conflict.800:00:44,580 –> 00:00:49,500It’s huge, isn’t it? And what an awful thing it is. You find yourself in a conflict that900:00:49,820 –> 00:00:56,820you wish never was and your stomach is churning. And for David, it must have been so awful1000:00:56,860 –> 00:01:03,240because it was a conflict in the family. Conflict with his own son. The greatest king of Israel1100:01:03,240 –> 00:01:09,860was not able to make peace with his own son. He would have loved to have done it, and he1200:01:09,860 –> 00:01:15,900couldn’t. It was beyond the range of what he could do. So the agonies of this are churning1300:01:15,919 –> 00:01:19,360within David’s soul. And this speaks right into our world today,1400:01:19,360 –> 00:01:25,440doesn’t it? Who does not know in some way, at some time, the agony of conflict,1500:01:25,440 –> 00:01:30,639and how are we to deal with it? How are we to find the grace of God in it and for it?1600:01:30,639 –> 00:01:33,519Well, David’s example gives us some wonderful hope.1700:01:33,519 –> 00:01:38,400So let’s see what God’s Word has to say. We’re in the 2nd book of Samuel, chapters1800:01:38,400 –> 00:01:45,05913 through to 18. As we continue the message, grow through your wounds. Here’s Colin.1900:01:45,120 –> 00:01:53,139Something terrible happened in Absalom’s family. But he spent the rest of his life2000:01:53,139 –> 00:02:04,860hating, fighting, destroying, dividing God’s Kingdom. He lived with clenched2100:02:05,419 –> 00:02:16,600fists. He was eaten up by a consuming desire for revenge and all he did was2200:02:16,600 –> 00:02:23,539take a personal plunge to disaster, leaving a trail of pain and brokenness2300:02:23,539 –> 00:02:33,960in his wake. I read this story and been moved by how many times its pattern is2400:02:33,979 –> 00:02:42,979repeated today and I’ve asked the question how then can you avoid2500:02:42,979 –> 00:02:51,520Absolom’s plunge to disaster? Now remember none of us can avoid wounds you2600:02:51,520 –> 00:02:55,559can’t go through life in this world without some kinds of wounds, some people2700:02:55,559 –> 00:03:01,440will hurt you, that will be one of the critical questions that will determine2800:03:01,639 –> 00:03:09,880the outcome and impact of your life. Now I know that we are talking here about2900:03:09,880 –> 00:03:18,380one of the most sensitive issues that could ever be spoken of, but I want to3000:03:18,380 –> 00:03:30,720offer three words of counsel for our wounds today. Here’s the first, when3100:03:30,720 –> 00:03:40,279you’re wounded, make sure that you discern the enemy. When you’re wounded,3200:03:40,279 –> 00:03:47,699make sure that you discern the enemy. Now if you had asked Absalom, Absalom,3300:03:47,699 –> 00:03:51,960who is the enemy? He would have had absolutely no hesitation about the3400:03:51,960 –> 00:03:56,399answer, he would have said, well of course it’s Amnon, period.3500:03:56,699 –> 00:04:03,679Things will be alright when we deal with Amnon. When Amnon leaves this company,3600:04:03,679 –> 00:04:08,919when Amnon retires, when Amnon goes, when Amnon graduates, when I’m no longer in3700:04:08,919 –> 00:04:17,559Amnon’s class, it’ll all be alright. Absalom’s great mistake was that he3800:04:17,559 –> 00:04:24,519pinned the problem exclusively on a person, and the problem is that if you3900:04:24,519 –> 00:04:28,559believe that people are the problem, you’ll never be done.4000:04:28,559 –> 00:04:35,119You’ll never be finished. Because as soon as you see it, you’ve dealt with or got4100:04:35,119 –> 00:04:39,079away from or dispatched one person, you’ll find yourself in a similar4200:04:39,079 –> 00:04:45,940conflict with another. It’s exactly what happened to Absalom. As soon as Amnon is4300:04:45,940 –> 00:04:50,559gone, Absalom finds himself now in a conflict with David because he also had4400:04:50,679 –> 00:04:58,220That’s how it is. And it goes on and it goes on4500:04:58,220 –> 00:05:05,799and it goes on. Unless you can properly discern the enemy. And that’s where the4600:05:05,799 –> 00:05:13,920New Testament gives us a critical piece of information. Ephesians chapter 6 and4700:05:13,920 –> 00:05:22,339verse 12, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but it is Paul continues4800:05:22,339 –> 00:05:26,619against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil4900:05:26,619 –> 00:05:34,299in the heavenly realms. So when you think of your wounds there’s probably a face5000:05:34,299 –> 00:05:40,359that comes to your mind straight away and you say he’s my problem,5100:05:40,739 –> 00:05:46,959she’s my problem. I’m saying to you from Ephesians in chapter 6, be more5200:05:46,959 –> 00:05:54,779discerning about your enemy than that. Our struggle is not against flesh and5300:05:54,779 –> 00:06:03,000blood, the primary struggle in your life is not with a person, it is with the5400:06:03,040 –> 00:06:10,359activity of your enemy through that person. And there is a world of a5500:06:10,359 –> 00:06:16,119difference between these two things, and if you can once grasp that difference it5600:06:16,119 –> 00:06:24,200will be a wonderful help to you in growing through your wounds. Jesus did5700:06:24,200 –> 00:06:33,640not teach his disciples to pray, Lord deliver us from Caesar, Lord deliver us5800:06:33,640 –> 00:06:47,260from the Pharisees. He said when you pray, pray like this Lord deliver us from5900:06:47,700 –> 00:06:58,640evil. That’s your enemy. It may have been expressed in a person horribly, brutally6000:06:58,640 –> 00:07:07,279but the New Testament teaches us to discern more deeply. The heart of your6100:07:07,279 –> 00:07:13,160problem is not with a particular person but with the activity of your enemy6200:07:13,260 –> 00:07:24,420that person. And when you can see that distinction it will begin to help you to6300:07:24,420 –> 00:07:35,339move forward. Jesus speaks to us about praying for those who persecute you. It’s6400:07:35,339 –> 00:07:38,839one of the hardest things he ever asked us to do but remember he said that in6500:07:38,880 –> 00:07:44,359the Sermon on the Mount pray for those who persecute you. Now, we asked the6600:07:44,359 –> 00:07:49,839question of course how on earth could you do that, how on earth could you pray6700:07:49,839 –> 00:07:57,399for Abnon. Well, Absalom couldn’t even say the guy’s name without feeling sick.6800:07:57,399 –> 00:08:05,200How could you pray for him after what he did? Only one way. If you discern the6900:08:05,200 –> 00:08:14,059enemy, there are evil powers pulling the strings within Abnon’s life. There’s a7000:08:14,059 –> 00:08:21,179spirit of lust that has terribly got hold of this man. That’s where the7100:08:21,179 –> 00:08:31,059problem lies. Abnon could be redeemed. He could be. The7200:08:32,039 –> 00:08:36,380wronged you is not the enemy, they wronged you because they are in the7300:08:36,380 –> 00:08:40,979hands of the enemy. And that’s why it’s such a terrible thing.7400:08:40,979 –> 00:08:49,140But if you could once see them as someone in the grip of an enemy, you7500:08:49,140 –> 00:08:59,940might just find compassion within your heart. You might just see that what Jesus7600:09:00,140 –> 00:09:05,280said, love your enemies and pray for those7700:09:05,280 –> 00:09:15,640who persecute you, is at least within conceivable reach by His grace and by7800:09:15,640 –> 00:09:26,700the power of His spirit. When you see the true enemy, you will begin to have7900:09:26,700 –> 00:09:37,119compassion and when you have compassion you may begin to pray and if when you8000:09:37,119 –> 00:09:47,940are wounded you pray, then God’s grace triumphs in your soul. And your real8100:09:47,940 –> 00:09:55,280enemy, whose ultimate aim of course is to fill your soul with poison so that8200:09:55,299 –> 00:10:06,700your double destroyed by this thing. He tumbles to defeat, and you will grow8300:10:06,700 –> 00:10:14,760through your wound. Could anyone have imagined such a thing? That you could8400:10:14,760 –> 00:10:24,340grow through your wounds. I don’t know how many times God has given me the8500:10:24,719 –> 00:10:30,979privilege of speaking to someone who’s been deeply wounded. And you know the8600:10:30,979 –> 00:10:35,900question that’s most often asked, and it comes time and time again, is, how can I8700:10:35,900 –> 00:10:42,739forgive? How can I forgive? and I’m increasingly persuaded that, that may not8800:10:42,739 –> 00:10:49,460be the primary question. Amnon never showed any sign of ownership,8900:10:49,500 –> 00:10:58,479there was no repentance, reconciliation was not even on the radar screen. The9000:10:58,479 –> 00:11:08,099issue here was, how can I have compassion? How can I have compassion? The way you9100:11:08,099 –> 00:11:16,440find compassion is when you discern the enemy. You’re listening to9200:11:47,440 –> 00:12:08,239Here’s a second thing. Trust the king. Now we can all understand Absalom’s outrage.9300:12:08,239 –> 00:12:12,659His own sister had been abused. Absalom, her big brother, he was a magnificent9400:12:12,820 –> 00:12:15,380fellow, we know that from elsewhere in the story.9500:12:15,380 –> 00:12:17,900He felt that he should have been able to protect her.9600:12:17,900 –> 00:12:22,260Perhaps he felt guilty about how it could possibly have happened to his sister,9700:12:22,260 –> 00:12:28,179and his guilt fuelled his anger, and he felt he had, therefore, to deal with the situation.9800:12:28,179 –> 00:12:31,979But that was a big mistake.9900:12:31,979 –> 00:12:40,679For the task of dealing with Amnon belonged not to Absalom, but to the king.10000:12:40,900 –> 00:12:46,799Now, there’s a very important principle here that is one that protects us from the great dangers of vengeance.10100:12:46,799 –> 00:12:53,159You’d say God has established a chain of command in society, and we should be very thankful for it.10200:12:53,159 –> 00:12:58,080This is where we are able to distinguish between justice and revenge.10300:12:58,080 –> 00:13:04,400Romans, in chapter 13, reminds us that everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities,10400:13:04,400 –> 00:13:09,859for there is no authority except that which God has established.10500:13:09,960 –> 00:13:13,119And he’s talking about the civil authorities within a community.10600:13:13,119 –> 00:13:20,119So, when there is some great conflict, the first question is, is this an issue that can10700:13:21,219 –> 00:13:27,739be rightly resolved by repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation?10800:13:27,739 –> 00:13:34,739And if it’s not, the question is, who then has God appointed to deal with this matter?10900:13:35,260 –> 00:13:42,080If a crime is involved, God has appointed authorities to deal with the crime.11000:13:42,080 –> 00:13:46,580This is what prevents us from descending into anarchy.11100:13:46,580 –> 00:13:50,080It’s one of the Graces of God in human society.11200:13:50,080 –> 00:13:55,880It keeps a man from pursuing his own vendetta.11300:13:55,880 –> 00:13:58,500God has appointed a king.11400:13:58,500 –> 00:14:03,179God has appointed authorities, structures within society.11500:14:03,200 –> 00:14:09,880And it was the King’s job to deal with the terrible abuse that took place.11600:14:09,880 –> 00:14:16,380Absalom don’t take matters into your own hands because that will leave you in a situation11700:14:16,380 –> 00:14:17,539of vengeance.11800:14:17,539 –> 00:14:20,880Absalom, go to the king.11900:14:22,320 –> 00:14:26,479Now of course, and you’ll immediately tweak to this, the problem in this situation was12000:14:26,479 –> 00:14:27,559that the King didn’t.12100:14:27,559 –> 00:14:29,340He failed his responsibility.12200:14:29,400 –> 00:14:32,320Look at verse 21 of Second Samuel chapter 13.12300:14:32,320 –> 00:14:37,000When the King David heard all this, that is, the awful thing that happened to Tamar.12400:14:37,000 –> 00:14:40,200He was furious, furious, period.12500:14:41,659 –> 00:14:43,239He didn’t do anything.12600:14:44,239 –> 00:14:46,200He got angry but he did nothing.12700:14:47,000 –> 00:14:50,820Amnon was never confronted, or disciplined, or charged, or sentenced.12800:14:50,820 –> 00:14:54,119The king failed to uphold justice.12900:14:54,580 –> 00:14:59,840The reason, of course, for that, as you will guess, was very simple that David13000:14:59,840 –> 00:15:03,359suffered from a moral paralysis because of sin within his own life.13100:15:03,359 –> 00:15:05,739He had also taken another man’s wife.13200:15:06,840 –> 00:15:10,780Absalom knew that, so he decided to take matters in to his own hand.13300:15:10,780 –> 00:15:13,359Now, here’s the issue.13400:15:13,359 –> 00:15:16,840God has established channels of authority in the world13500:15:16,840 –> 00:15:21,059so that justice should be done and revenge should be prevented.13600:15:21,059 –> 00:15:24,020What do you do when it doesn’t work?13700:15:25,020 –> 00:15:28,419What do you do if a court comes up with a ridiculous ruling?13800:15:30,719 –> 00:15:36,140What do you do if you try and use the appropriate channels within your workplace13900:15:36,140 –> 00:15:39,099and you don’t get justice?14000:15:39,099 –> 00:15:42,739What do you do if the dean at school makes a wrong ruling14100:15:42,739 –> 00:15:46,059because he didn’t get all the evidence?14200:15:46,059 –> 00:15:50,640What do you do in any sphere of life where there is an injustice.14300:15:50,719 –> 00:15:54,760And at the end of the due process that God has put in place,14400:15:54,760 –> 00:15:58,719these processes actually, in this particular case, fail.14500:15:58,719 –> 00:16:02,380What do you do then because this happens?14600:16:02,380 –> 00:16:05,239It happens.14700:16:05,239 –> 00:16:09,799The answer is, when the King fails,14800:16:09,799 –> 00:16:13,859you trust the King.14900:16:13,859 –> 00:16:18,359You notice capital K. King.15000:16:18,380 –> 00:16:23,760You see, all authorities draw their authority from God.15100:16:23,760 –> 00:16:30,799And when the King fails, when a human process fails,15200:16:30,799 –> 00:16:36,820there is the King, to whom you can look.15300:16:36,820 –> 00:16:38,820He will never fail.15400:16:38,820 –> 00:16:44,880He doesn’t miss it when a sparrow falls.15500:16:44,880 –> 00:16:46,619There may be a situation somewhere15600:16:46,619 –> 00:16:49,739in your life where the truth was hidden,15700:16:49,739 –> 00:16:54,179where justice was miscarried, where evidence was planted,15800:16:54,179 –> 00:16:57,919where you were set up.15900:16:57,919 –> 00:17:00,020And when that happens, if it does to you,16000:17:00,020 –> 00:17:02,119you will long for justice.16100:17:02,119 –> 00:17:05,420You will long for justice.16200:17:05,420 –> 00:17:10,579And if you cannot get it, it will hurt you deeply.16300:17:10,579 –> 00:17:13,739But I want to say to you that justice and vindication do not16400:17:13,920 –> 00:17:18,199hang finally on the authorities that God has established,16500:17:18,199 –> 00:17:21,479but ultimately on God himself.16600:17:21,479 –> 00:17:25,520Getting justice today is important,16700:17:25,520 –> 00:17:28,339but it’s not all important.16800:17:28,339 –> 00:17:33,959There is another day when justice will be done16900:17:33,959 –> 00:17:37,739and truth will be known.17000:17:37,739 –> 00:17:41,339Go to the King Absalom.17100:17:41,339 –> 00:17:49,060But if the king fails, trust the King.17200:17:49,060 –> 00:17:52,239And here’s the last thing, very briefly,17300:17:52,239 –> 00:17:55,180serve the wounded.17400:17:55,180 –> 00:17:57,260What are you to do when there are deep wounds17500:17:57,260 –> 00:17:58,300within your own life?17600:17:58,300 –> 00:17:59,880You don’t want them to go septic,17700:17:59,880 –> 00:18:02,239they don’t want the wound that’s already painful17800:18:02,239 –> 00:18:03,500to end up destroying you.17900:18:03,500 –> 00:18:08,640So, discern the enemy, trust the king.18000:18:08,640 –> 00:18:11,640And here’s the last thing, serve the wounded.18100:18:11,640 –> 00:18:13,280Now, you can’t get this from our story18200:18:13,280 –> 00:18:14,640because Absalom didn’t do it.18300:18:14,640 –> 00:18:16,680So, we have to look for someone else who did,18400:18:16,680 –> 00:18:17,760and in these last moments,18500:18:17,760 –> 00:18:21,400I want us to look, of course, at our Lord Jesus Christ.18600:18:21,400 –> 00:18:22,900You can’t talk about this subject18700:18:22,900 –> 00:18:26,060without talking about Jesus.18800:18:26,060 –> 00:18:31,400There has never been a person so abused as Jesus Christ,18900:18:31,400 –> 00:18:33,959remember that.19000:18:34,079 –> 00:18:39,520He was flogged just to keep people happy,19100:18:40,479 –> 00:18:42,199when they were finished with him,19200:18:42,199 –> 00:18:44,640his face was so disfigured19300:18:44,640 –> 00:18:47,959that he was no longer recognizable.19400:18:49,839 –> 00:18:53,920Finally, they nailed him to a cross,19500:18:53,920 –> 00:18:56,040and they lifted him up to be crucified.19600:18:56,040 –> 00:19:00,680I cannot think of a greater abuse19700:19:00,819 –> 00:19:01,979that could be committed.19800:19:05,160 –> 00:19:07,420Remember what Jesus did.19900:19:09,239 –> 00:19:12,739He said, and this has us all in awe, I trust.20000:19:14,479 –> 00:19:16,020Father, forgive them.20100:19:17,219 –> 00:19:19,560They do not know what they are doing.20200:19:19,560 –> 00:19:21,140Now how could he say that?20300:19:23,280 –> 00:19:26,020Because he discerned the enemy, you see.20400:19:27,339 –> 00:19:29,180They do not know what they’re doing.20500:19:30,780 –> 00:19:34,800There’s another power at work that’s far more dark20600:19:34,800 –> 00:19:36,880and it’s being expressed within them.20700:19:36,880 –> 00:19:38,339Father, forgive them.20800:19:39,760 –> 00:19:41,560They do not know what they’re doing.20900:19:43,380 –> 00:19:44,660And the courts failed him.21000:19:44,660 –> 00:19:47,300If ever a court failed, my goodness.21100:19:48,660 –> 00:19:50,959He went to king Herod.21200:19:50,959 –> 00:19:52,079What a king.21300:19:53,660 –> 00:19:55,800He just beheaded John the Baptist.21400:19:56,619 –> 00:20:00,180He went before Pilate the government21500:20:00,180 –> 00:20:02,520and trusted with law and order in the land21600:20:02,520 –> 00:20:06,300and he brings out a bowl of water and washes his hands.21700:20:08,839 –> 00:20:11,920And Peter writes these words about Jesus.21800:20:12,760 –> 00:20:17,319When he suffered, he made no threats,21900:20:18,280 –> 00:20:23,280but instead he trusted himself to him who judges justly.22000:20:23,599 –> 00:20:28,160You see, what Jesus did when the king failed22100:20:28,160 –> 00:20:32,099was he trusted the king.22200:20:32,099 –> 00:20:35,260Now what came out of that?22300:20:35,260 –> 00:20:36,880Well Peter goes on to explain.22400:20:36,880 –> 00:20:38,339One Peter 2.24.22500:20:38,339 –> 00:20:40,859He bore our sins in his body on the tree22600:20:40,859 –> 00:20:43,400so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.22700:20:43,400 –> 00:20:45,599And then he says this.22800:20:45,599 –> 00:20:50,060And by his wounds,22900:20:50,060 –> 00:20:53,939you have been healed.23000:20:53,939 –> 00:20:57,060Think of that.23100:20:57,060 –> 00:21:02,780By his wounds you have been healed.23200:21:02,780 –> 00:21:08,180Blessing flows from his wounds.23300:21:08,180 –> 00:21:12,680The greatest ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ23400:21:12,680 –> 00:21:16,060flows from his wounds.23500:21:16,859 –> 00:21:19,959Without those wounds, he would not be23600:21:19,959 –> 00:21:23,459your savior. It is by those wounds that23700:21:23,459 –> 00:21:24,880you are healed.23800:21:24,880 –> 00:21:27,640Now obviously, there is a glorious23900:21:27,640 –> 00:21:30,819uniqueness about our Lord Jesus Christ24000:21:30,819 –> 00:21:34,020our wounds are nothing like his. But I24100:21:34,020 –> 00:21:35,540want to suggest that there is still a24200:21:35,540 –> 00:21:39,180principle here. Your wounds may be deep24300:21:39,180 –> 00:21:41,660and they may be painful, but it may be24400:21:41,920 –> 00:21:46,900from your wounds that God gives you your24500:21:46,900 –> 00:21:51,599greatest ministry to the wounded. It may24600:21:51,599 –> 00:21:56,680be from your wounds that God raises up24700:21:56,680 –> 00:22:01,020your greatest ministry to the wounded.24800:22:01,020 –> 00:22:06,900That’s the way of Christ. Whoever would24900:22:06,900 –> 00:22:10,599have thought that you could grow25000:22:10,599 –> 00:22:15,839through your wounds? And that is25100:22:15,839 –> 00:22:21,099precisely what God calls us to be.25200:22:21,099 –> 00:22:25,800Well this is Pastor Colin and as we come25300:22:25,800 –> 00:22:28,540to apply the message today I want to ask25400:22:28,540 –> 00:22:31,199you who is the person that you may have25500:22:31,199 –> 00:22:33,900felt is the problem? That person that25600:22:33,900 –> 00:22:37,420just, is difficult in your life, irritates25700:22:37,479 –> 00:22:40,780you, that your mind goes to again and25800:22:40,780 –> 00:22:44,260again and again and the danger for you25900:22:44,260 –> 00:22:47,119is that within your heart you may26000:22:47,119 –> 00:22:49,880become bitter towards that person, you26100:22:49,880 –> 00:22:52,660may harbor animosity towards that26200:22:52,660 –> 00:22:55,359person, and the Word of God is speaking26300:22:55,359 –> 00:22:58,619by way of challenge to you directly26400:22:58,619 –> 00:23:02,119about that person and your heart towards26500:23:02,119 –> 00:23:04,959them today, listen to the words of Jesus26600:23:05,000 –> 00:23:08,119again, He says now love your enemies and26700:23:08,119 –> 00:23:11,900pray for those who persecute you. Prayer26800:23:11,900 –> 00:23:14,459is the place to begin, can you begin26900:23:14,459 –> 00:23:17,099today to start praying for the blessing27000:23:17,099 –> 00:23:20,219of God upon someone you find really27100:23:20,219 –> 00:23:22,660difficult in your life you will find it27200:23:22,660 –> 00:23:25,699changes your heart, that it softens your27300:23:25,699 –> 00:23:28,140spirit, that it enables you to reflect27400:23:28,140 –> 00:23:30,339something of the love of the Lord Jesus27500:23:30,339 –> 00:23:32,979Christ towards that person. It may be27600:23:32,979 –> 00:23:34,380that you’re in a situation where it’s27700:23:34,380 –> 00:23:36,979very difficult but even there there’s a27800:23:36,979 –> 00:23:39,900small beginning that can be made. Will27900:23:39,900 –> 00:23:41,579you make that commitment to Christ today28000:23:41,579 –> 00:23:44,880love your enemies, pray for those who28100:23:44,880 –> 00:23:48,280persecute you. King David is a marvelous28200:23:48,280 –> 00:23:51,219example of this and our Lord Jesus28300:23:51,219 –> 00:23:53,239Christ in the way that he has treated us28400:23:53,239 –> 00:23:55,979while we were still his enemies, is the28500:23:55,979 –> 00:23:58,719one on whom we place our eyes and in28600:23:58,719 –> 00:24:01,160whom we place our trust today. I’m so28700:24:01,160 –> 00:24:02,739glad that while we were still Christ’s28800:24:02,739 –> 00:24:06,339enemies, he loved us. Exactly, he loves us28900:24:06,339 –> 00:24:09,479and as the Bible says, he died for us.29000:24:09,479 –> 00:24:11,880Maybe you want to be reminded of that29100:24:11,880 –> 00:24:14,400incredible love that he has for us and29200:24:14,400 –> 00:24:17,520how we can grow through our wounds as we29300:24:17,520 –> 00:24:20,140turn to him. Can I encourage you to29400:24:20,140 –> 00:24:21,959listen again to this message which29500:24:21,959 –> 00:24:24,640speaks so much of God’s love for his29600:24:24,640 –> 00:24:27,160people? You can do that by coming online29700:24:27,160 –> 00:24:28,640to our website29800:24:28,640 –> 00:24:31,359openthebible.org.uk and29900:24:31,359 –> 00:24:32,979there you’ll find this broadcast along30000:24:32,979 –> 00:24:35,140with all the others from the series30100:24:35,140 –> 00:24:37,099deck chairs on the Titanic.30200:24:37,099 –> 00:24:39,219You’ll also find them as a podcast and30300:24:39,219 –> 00:24:40,780those are on all the main podcast sites.30400:24:40,780 –> 00:24:45,119Just search for Open the Bible UK30500:24:45,119 –> 00:24:46,979You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with30600:24:46,979 –> 00:24:49,500Pastor Colin Smith and a message called30700:24:49,500 –> 00:24:52,000Grow Through Your Wounds.30800:24:52,000 –> 00:24:54,300The next message in this series is called30900:24:54,300 –> 00:24:57,000Feed on God’s Word and you’ll be able to31000:24:57,000 –> 00:24:59,420hear that message tomorrow and the31100:24:59,420 –> 00:25:01,680following day by coming to our website31200:25:01,680 –> 00:25:04,900OpenTheBible.org.uk31300:25:04,900 –> 00:25:07,099This message won’t be broadcast on31400:25:07,099 –> 00:25:09,040Premier Christian Radio because of31500:25:09,040 –> 00:25:11,140special programming happening for the31600:25:11,140 –> 00:25:13,300next two days.31700:25:13,300 –> 00:25:15,180For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith31800:25:15,180 –> 00:25:17,099I’m David Pick and we’ll hope to31900:25:17,099 –> 00:25:18,560see you on this station again32000:25:18,560 –> 00:25:20,900on Friday the 28th of March.