100:00:00,520 –> 00:00:05,340You need to know that there will be times of200:00:05,340 –> 00:00:09,160special testing in your life, and that300:00:09,160 –> 00:00:13,560your future usefulness to Christ will400:00:13,560 –> 00:00:15,360depend in large measure on how you500:00:15,360 –> 00:00:18,780handle these times when they come.600:00:18,780 –> 00:00:20,959It was the Apostle Paul who said that we were to700:00:20,959 –> 00:00:23,740put on the full armor of God so that when800:00:23,740 –> 00:00:26,780that day of evil comes we may be able to900:00:26,780 –> 00:00:29,180stand. See not all days are the same in1000:00:29,280 –> 00:00:30,940the Christian life. There are some days1100:00:30,940 –> 00:00:33,400where satan makes a special attack.1200:00:33,400 –> 00:00:35,320Paul says it’s the day of evil, and when it1300:00:35,320 –> 00:00:37,380comes you need the armor of God, so that1400:00:37,380 –> 00:00:40,020you will be able to stand.1500:00:40,020 –> 00:00:42,299Welcome to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.1600:00:42,299 –> 00:00:44,740I’m David Pick, thanks so much for1700:00:44,740 –> 00:00:46,180being with us today and Colin, I think1800:00:46,180 –> 00:00:48,580many of us can identify with this psalm.1900:00:48,580 –> 00:00:51,020Many of us go through low times in2000:00:51,020 –> 00:00:52,660our spiritual lives when we feel2100:00:52,660 –> 00:00:55,160discouraged and wonder if God actually2200:00:55,160 –> 00:00:57,480still cares about us.2300:00:57,660 –> 00:00:59,779He called this series I Almost Gave Up.2400:00:59,779 –> 00:01:01,480There will be folks listening right now2500:01:01,480 –> 00:01:03,540who say that’s exactly where I’m at.2600:01:03,540 –> 00:01:05,800What is the point in believing?2700:01:05,800 –> 00:01:07,779What is God doing to answer my prayers?2800:01:07,779 –> 00:01:10,120I just feel so discouraged.2900:01:10,120 –> 00:01:12,480Where is the evidence of God being in control?3000:01:12,480 –> 00:01:16,139It’s so important to know3100:01:16,139 –> 00:01:18,120other believers have been there before3200:01:18,120 –> 00:01:20,919you and God will not abandon you there.3300:01:20,919 –> 00:01:22,580He will bring you through, and we’ve3400:01:22,580 –> 00:01:25,440actually got a real-life story in Psalm3500:01:25,440 –> 00:01:27,12073 that tells us about this man3600:01:27,360 –> 00:01:30,099Asaph, how he got to a point of despair3700:01:30,099 –> 00:01:32,800and how God laid hold of him and brought3800:01:32,800 –> 00:01:35,360him through into a whole new3900:01:35,360 –> 00:01:37,540understanding of the goodness and grace4000:01:37,540 –> 00:01:39,559of God even in the difficulties that he4100:01:39,559 –> 00:01:41,900was facing. That God would4200:01:41,900 –> 00:01:45,059do that in the lives of people who are4300:01:45,059 –> 00:01:47,019listening right now that’s what we’re4400:01:47,019 –> 00:01:49,300praying for in this program today.4500:01:49,300 –> 00:01:52,220Well join us if you can in Psalm 734600:01:52,220 –> 00:01:54,480as we continue the message simply4700:01:54,779 –> 00:01:57,739entitled Stop. Here’s Colin4800:01:57,739 –> 00:01:58,660Now in the first4900:01:58,660 –> 00:02:00,540half of the Psalm, which we’re going to5000:02:00,540 –> 00:02:04,180cover this morning Asaph tells us why it5100:02:04,180 –> 00:02:08,660was that he became so troubled he5200:02:08,660 –> 00:02:10,380tells us what brought him to the point5300:02:10,380 –> 00:02:14,979where he almost gave up.5400:02:14,979 –> 00:02:18,000It really comes in three parts. The first is5500:02:18,000 –> 00:02:21,759that he could make no sense of what God5600:02:22,160 –> 00:02:26,179in the world. Now there’s real distress5700:02:26,179 –> 00:02:31,759in these words. I saw the prosperity of5800:02:31,759 –> 00:02:36,559the wicked. I see those who have no5900:02:36,559 –> 00:02:38,479integrity in the world of business and6000:02:38,479 –> 00:02:41,080they’re doing very well. I can make no6100:02:41,080 –> 00:02:42,160sense of that.6200:02:42,160 –> 00:02:46,940Why does God allow it? Asaph couldn’t6300:02:46,940 –> 00:02:49,259make any sense of what God was doing in6400:02:49,259 –> 00:02:51,139the world, but actually the real problem6500:02:51,539 –> 00:02:55,740was deeper. It was that he could make no6600:02:55,740 –> 00:02:57,679sense of what God was doing in his own6700:02:57,679 –> 00:03:02,240life. Look at verse 14. We’ll come to 136800:03:02,240 –> 00:03:05,639in a moment. All day long6900:03:06,399 –> 00:03:11,160I have been plagued. I have been punished7000:03:11,160 –> 00:03:13,580every morning. You see it’s personal now.7100:03:13,580 –> 00:03:17,759He has poured out all his frustration about7200:03:17,759 –> 00:03:20,720how God rules the world but actually the7300:03:20,720 –> 00:03:22,759real problem is that things are going7400:03:22,759 –> 00:03:24,679wrong in his own life and it just makes7500:03:24,679 –> 00:03:27,520no sense to him.7600:03:27,520 –> 00:03:30,479Now remember that this is the confession7700:03:30,479 –> 00:03:35,679of a godly man. Esau is in full time7800:03:35,679 –> 00:03:41,399ministry. He is a spiritual leader. Other7900:03:41,399 –> 00:03:43,520people are looking to him for leadership.8000:03:43,520 –> 00:03:47,860This is a man who’s reading his Bible.8100:03:47,860 –> 00:03:49,759This is a man who is saying his prayers.8200:03:49,800 –> 00:03:52,020This is a man who tithes his money. This8300:03:52,020 –> 00:03:53,820is a man who has poured great energy8400:03:53,820 –> 00:03:57,080into pursuing a holy life. Who has sought8500:03:57,080 –> 00:03:58,520to live with integrity.8600:03:58,520 –> 00:04:01,199He’s made sacrifices for the advance of8700:04:01,199 –> 00:04:03,399God’s kingdom but now it seems that8800:04:03,399 –> 00:04:07,520everything’s going wrong in his life and8900:04:07,520 –> 00:04:09,699just why would God allow that to happen.9000:04:09,699 –> 00:04:13,479It just makes no sense.9100:04:13,479 –> 00:04:17,440This man could make no sense of what God9200:04:17,440 –> 00:04:18,920is doing in the world. He could make no9300:04:18,920 –> 00:04:20,519sense of what God’s doing in his life.9400:04:20,519 –> 00:04:26,959Therefore, thirdly he could no longer see9500:04:26,959 –> 00:04:29,480the point of pursuing a godly life.9600:04:29,480 –> 00:04:30,899That’s where he came to and that’s verse9700:04:30,899 –> 00:04:36,44013. Surely in vain have I kept my heart9800:04:36,440 –> 00:04:42,019pure. In vain I have washed my hands in9900:04:42,019 –> 00:04:43,739innocence. You see what he’s saying? If10000:04:43,739 –> 00:04:45,459you go back to verse one, I’ve always10100:04:45,459 –> 00:04:47,179believed, I’ve been brought up to believe10200:04:47,559 –> 00:04:49,679that God is good to Israel to those who10300:04:49,679 –> 00:04:53,420are pure in heart but what I’m seeing as10400:04:53,420 –> 00:04:54,820I look out at the world is the10500:04:54,820 –> 00:04:57,739prosperity of the wicked. Then I look at10600:04:57,739 –> 00:04:59,679the problems of my own life and I’ve10700:04:59,679 –> 00:05:01,859tried to be pure in heart and the whole10800:05:01,859 –> 00:05:03,399thing just doesn’t make sense to me10900:05:03,399 –> 00:05:08,119anymore. Now this was Asaph’s problem and11000:05:08,119 –> 00:05:11,839he’d lived with it too longer. And he says11100:05:11,839 –> 00:05:15,000honestly my feet had almost slipped. I11200:05:15,940 –> 00:05:26,359was nearly gone I almost gave up. Now if11300:05:26,359 –> 00:05:29,700a godly man like Asaph could be tempted11400:05:29,700 –> 00:05:33,779like that would you be surprised that11500:05:33,779 –> 00:05:38,339that may happen to you? You need to know11600:05:38,339 –> 00:05:40,260that there will be times of special11700:05:40,260 –> 00:05:45,660testing in your life and that your11800:05:45,660 –> 00:05:50,540future usefulness to Christ will depend11900:05:50,540 –> 00:05:52,619in large measure on how you handle these12000:05:52,619 –> 00:05:56,700times when they come. It was the Apostle Paul12100:05:56,700 –> 00:05:58,579who said that we are to put on the12200:05:58,579 –> 00:06:01,619full armor of God so that when the day12300:06:01,619 –> 00:06:04,420of evil comes we may be able to stand.12400:06:04,420 –> 00:06:06,440See not all days are the same in the12500:06:06,440 –> 00:06:08,320Christian life. There are some days where12600:06:08,359 –> 00:06:10,779Satan makes a special attack. Paul says12700:06:10,779 –> 00:06:12,579it’s the day of evil and when it comes12800:06:12,579 –> 00:06:14,679you need the armor of God so that you12900:06:14,679 –> 00:06:16,239will be able to stand.13000:06:16,239 –> 00:06:20,619Now, you know that’s what Asaph did.13100:06:21,940 –> 00:06:26,660God brought him through. And his13200:06:26,660 –> 00:06:31,480story really is a model for us as to how13300:06:31,480 –> 00:06:34,660we must act when we come to these points13400:06:34,779 –> 00:06:38,200where we feel like giving up.13500:06:39,839 –> 00:06:43,980Now the rest of the Psalm tells us Asop’s story.13600:06:43,980 –> 00:06:46,980And we’re going to walk with Asop on his13700:06:46,980 –> 00:06:49,420steps to recovery from this crisis.13800:06:49,420 –> 00:06:51,000And there are really five steps and we’re13900:06:51,000 –> 00:06:53,459going to follow them over these next weeks.14000:06:53,459 –> 00:06:55,500We’re really just going to take the first one14100:06:55,500 –> 00:06:58,640only today. And that’s the step that we find14200:06:58,640 –> 00:07:01,579in verse 15. Look at what he says there and14300:07:01,579 –> 00:07:04,339this will be the focus for the remainder of our time.14400:07:05,600 –> 00:07:10,140If I had said I will speak thus,14500:07:11,399 –> 00:07:15,920I would have betrayed your children.14600:07:17,859 –> 00:07:20,459Now he’s poured out in this psalm you see14700:07:20,459 –> 00:07:24,179reflecting back on this experience,14800:07:24,179 –> 00:07:27,619what he was thinking at this dark time in his life.14900:07:28,799 –> 00:07:30,600And what he is saying here is very simply,15000:07:30,600 –> 00:07:34,119look if I had gone public with what I was15100:07:34,119 –> 00:07:36,079really thinking at that time15200:07:36,079 –> 00:07:38,420I would have let everybody down.15300:07:39,399 –> 00:07:41,420If I’d spoken thus,15400:07:42,720 –> 00:07:45,220I would have betrayed your children.15500:07:46,660 –> 00:07:50,880If I had followed the thoughts,15600:07:50,880 –> 00:07:53,940the inclinations of my heart at that time,15700:07:54,799 –> 00:07:58,619if I had gone where these thoughts were taking me,15800:07:59,839 –> 00:08:03,059I would have betrayed your children.15900:08:04,799 –> 00:08:07,480If I had gone where my confused mind was going,16000:08:07,480 –> 00:08:10,000I would have become the Judas of the Old Testament.16100:08:10,000 –> 00:08:11,160That’s what he’s saying.16200:08:13,459 –> 00:08:16,200But Esau does not want to go there,16300:08:17,959 –> 00:08:20,459so he takes himself in hand,16400:08:22,679 –> 00:08:24,040and he puts on the brakes.16500:08:28,220 –> 00:08:31,000Last week, our family had the joy of,16600:08:31,000 –> 00:08:33,760a few days away in Doar County,16700:08:33,760 –> 00:08:36,559where we’ve enjoyed a break after Christmas16800:08:36,559 –> 00:08:38,020on a number of years.16900:08:39,320 –> 00:08:42,219And the place where we were staying in Sister Bay,17000:08:42,219 –> 00:08:44,359some of you know that area well,17100:08:44,359 –> 00:08:46,479was, if you get the picture,17200:08:46,479 –> 00:08:49,640off a road that was off a road.17300:08:49,640 –> 00:08:50,859You get the idea.17400:08:51,799 –> 00:08:54,679We arrived in the evening, pitch dark,17500:08:54,679 –> 00:08:56,900and you know how it is.17600:08:56,900 –> 00:08:59,239It’s somewhere up here on the right!17700:08:59,440 –> 00:09:01,780And my wife said,17800:09:01,780 –> 00:09:04,460I think it’s this turning here.17900:09:04,460 –> 00:09:07,419Oh no! I said, I think it’s further on.18000:09:07,419 –> 00:09:10,140Well, a mile down the road,18100:09:10,140 –> 00:09:12,320it became very clear that there were18200:09:12,320 –> 00:09:14,900no more turnings on the right further on.18300:09:14,900 –> 00:09:18,200And that we were right out in the sticks.18400:09:18,200 –> 00:09:19,659Graciously, she said,18500:09:20,599 –> 00:09:22,340I’m sure it was back there.18600:09:24,020 –> 00:09:25,820Yes I know, I said.18700:09:25,960 –> 00:09:30,260I’m just looking for a place to turn.18800:09:31,340 –> 00:09:33,880The problem of course, in the dead of night,18900:09:33,880 –> 00:09:35,039out in the stakes on a very narrow country road,19000:09:35,039 –> 00:09:37,039is there just wasn’t a place to do that.19100:09:37,039 –> 00:09:39,000We were on one long, straight, narrow road,19200:09:39,000 –> 00:09:41,820no crossroads, no houses with nice drives,19300:09:41,820 –> 00:09:46,679and the only thing to do was to pull up19400:09:48,179 –> 00:09:49,979and to make a three-point,19500:09:49,979 –> 00:09:54,479or in this case, a five-point, turn.19600:09:56,020 –> 00:09:57,859There are some places in life19700:09:57,859 –> 00:10:00,780where turning around isn’t easy.19800:10:03,140 –> 00:10:06,580And you may have been looking19900:10:06,580 –> 00:10:08,700for some nice, easy opening20000:10:08,700 –> 00:10:13,679when you can swing your life lazily around with style,20100:10:15,820 –> 00:10:17,219and you’re not finding one.20200:10:18,820 –> 00:10:20,179That’s how it was for Asa.20300:10:21,179 –> 00:10:23,700My feet had almost slipped, he said.20400:10:23,700 –> 00:10:25,419I almost lost the road altogether.20500:10:27,119 –> 00:10:29,359And what he tells us in Psalm 7320600:10:29,359 –> 00:10:31,799is how he had to make a five-point turn.20700:10:32,919 –> 00:10:33,760Wasn’t easy.20800:10:35,559 –> 00:10:38,500But if you are going to make a turn like that,20900:10:38,500 –> 00:10:41,440you can’t do it at 50 miles an hour, right?21000:10:42,880 –> 00:10:45,260What’s the first thing you have to do?21100:10:45,260 –> 00:10:46,099You have to stop.21200:10:47,599 –> 00:10:49,679It’s not even enough to slow down21300:10:50,400 –> 00:10:51,820Listen here, you gotta stop,21400:10:54,280 –> 00:10:55,500you gotta stop.21500:10:55,500 –> 00:10:56,880You’re listening to Open the Bible21600:10:56,880 –> 00:10:58,619with Pastor Colin Smith21700:10:58,619 –> 00:11:00,140and a message called Stop,21800:11:00,140 –> 00:11:03,020all about Asaph and how he turned his life around21900:11:03,020 –> 00:11:05,859and the steps he had to take to do that.22000:11:05,859 –> 00:11:08,159Don’t forget, if you ever miss one of our messages,22100:11:08,159 –> 00:11:10,940you can always catch up or go back and listen again online22200:11:10,940 –> 00:11:15,200as our website, openthebible.org.uk.22300:11:15,200 –> 00:11:17,619Open the Bible is supported by our listeners22400:11:17,619 –> 00:11:18,820and later in this programme,22500:11:18,820 –> 00:11:21,840I’ll be talking to Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham22600:11:21,840 –> 00:11:23,080about this month’s offer22700:11:23,080 –> 00:11:25,640for anyone who wants to begin to support22800:11:25,640 –> 00:11:27,119Open the Bible in that way.22900:11:27,119 –> 00:11:28,859So I hope you’ll stay with us.23000:11:28,859 –> 00:11:31,400Back to the message now, here’s Colin.23100:11:31,400 –> 00:11:35,400You may have been looking for some nice, easy opening23200:11:35,400 –> 00:11:40,359when you can swing your life lazily around with style.23300:11:41,820 –> 00:11:45,520You’re not finding one, that’s how it was for Asaph.23400:11:46,500 –> 00:11:49,200Now what he tells us in Psalm 7323500:11:49,200 –> 00:11:51,619is how he had to make a five-point turn.23600:11:53,559 –> 00:11:56,479But if you are going to make a turn like that,23700:11:56,479 –> 00:11:59,340you can’t do it at 50 miles an hour, right?23800:12:00,840 –> 00:12:02,719What’s the first thing you have to do?23900:12:03,760 –> 00:12:06,859Stop and make a decision.24000:12:08,679 –> 00:12:12,780That’s what Asaph does right here in verse 15.24100:12:12,780 –> 00:12:15,500Let me try and unpack that a little bit for us.24200:12:17,119 –> 00:12:22,119See Asaph’s turn did not begin with an answer24300:12:23,780 –> 00:12:25,299but with a decision.24400:12:25,299 –> 00:12:27,580That’s very, very important.24500:12:27,580 –> 00:12:29,659Remember, his problem was I can’t make sense24600:12:29,659 –> 00:12:30,859of what God’s doing in the world.24700:12:30,859 –> 00:12:33,000I can’t make sense of what God’s doing in my life.24800:12:33,000 –> 00:12:34,479Therefore, I’ve concluded in my mind24900:12:34,479 –> 00:12:37,219there’s no point in continuing to pursue a godly life.25000:12:38,760 –> 00:12:40,260Now if that’s the problem you would think25100:12:40,280 –> 00:12:43,380the turning point would begin when he gets an answer25200:12:43,380 –> 00:12:46,000but that is not Asaph’s story.25300:12:48,340 –> 00:12:49,979Asaph wants us to know that the first step25400:12:49,979 –> 00:12:53,380to turning your life around is not finding an answer25500:12:53,380 –> 00:12:54,940but it is making a decision.25600:12:56,619 –> 00:13:00,739His mind was driving down the road to despair25700:13:02,880 –> 00:13:04,140but he makes a decision.25800:13:05,000 –> 00:13:10,000I am not going any further down this dark road.25900:13:11,179 –> 00:13:13,280That’s verse 15.26000:13:14,340 –> 00:13:17,400I will not go where these thoughts26100:13:18,400 –> 00:13:20,599of the first 14 verses are leading me.26200:13:22,919 –> 00:13:24,299That’s where the turn begins.26300:13:25,440 –> 00:13:29,000See something within us cries out to God,26400:13:29,000 –> 00:13:32,500give me an answer, and God says to us,26500:13:32,500 –> 00:13:34,119give me a commitment.26600:13:34,119 –> 00:13:37,539We say to God, I need to understand,26700:13:38,520 –> 00:13:40,940and God says to us, you need to follow.26800:13:43,359 –> 00:13:45,299Let me talk real straight this morning.26900:13:47,359 –> 00:13:52,000Maybe you’re facing a crisis in your life right now.27000:13:54,159 –> 00:13:56,140Things have been going wrong,27100:13:58,200 –> 00:14:03,200your mind is confused, you don’t have the answers.27200:14:03,200 –> 00:14:08,200Answers, you need to make a decision.27300:14:11,400 –> 00:14:15,460If you follow the dark impulses of your mind,27400:14:15,460 –> 00:14:18,440right now you will spoil your testimony.27500:14:21,000 –> 00:14:23,479If you follow the thoughts that are running in your mind27600:14:23,479 –> 00:14:26,219in these dark days, you may blow your marriage.27700:14:28,640 –> 00:14:31,039If you follow the inclinations of your heart,27800:14:31,099 –> 00:14:33,479it may no longer be useful in ministry.27900:14:37,280 –> 00:14:38,119Don’t go there.28000:14:41,039 –> 00:14:42,099Make a decision.28100:14:44,619 –> 00:14:49,619Stop that way of thinking, stop that way of acting.28200:14:49,960 –> 00:14:53,979Climbing out of a black hole does not begin with an answer,28300:14:55,099 –> 00:14:56,659but with making a decision.28400:14:56,659 –> 00:14:57,500Very important.28500:14:58,500 –> 00:15:02,400Then, here’s the last thing this morning,28600:15:03,799 –> 00:15:06,000choose loyalty to God and His people.28700:15:06,000 –> 00:15:08,299You see, that’s the decision you have to make.28800:15:09,700 –> 00:15:10,900That’s what Asaph did.28900:15:10,900 –> 00:15:12,859Look at what he says in verse 15.29000:15:12,859 –> 00:15:14,719That are two key words, really.29100:15:14,719 –> 00:15:16,940Your children.29200:15:16,940 –> 00:15:20,859He says to God, your children, God’s children.29300:15:20,859 –> 00:15:23,260If I had said I will speak thus,29400:15:23,260 –> 00:15:25,200if I’d gone where my mind was going,29500:15:25,200 –> 00:15:28,239I would have betrayed your children.29600:15:29,440 –> 00:15:31,679Now he’s talking, of course, about God’s people.29700:15:31,679 –> 00:15:33,460He’s talking about the community of believers.29800:15:33,460 –> 00:15:35,159He’s talking about the people of faith,29900:15:35,159 –> 00:15:37,119and he says, if I had followed the thoughts30000:15:37,119 –> 00:15:38,659and the inclinations of my heart,30100:15:38,659 –> 00:15:40,599I would have let everybody down.30200:15:41,960 –> 00:15:43,539I would have betrayed my family.30300:15:45,239 –> 00:15:47,179I would have spoiled my testimony.30400:15:48,400 –> 00:15:49,719I would have lost my ministry.30500:15:49,719 –> 00:15:51,840I would have become a Judas.30600:15:51,840 –> 00:15:54,299I would have betrayed your children.30700:15:55,960 –> 00:15:58,840Now this teaches us a second thing30800:15:58,840 –> 00:16:01,359that I think is very, very important30900:16:01,359 –> 00:16:03,979at the critical points in our lives.31000:16:06,140 –> 00:16:09,039You see, help comes when a man or a woman31100:16:09,039 –> 00:16:13,780gets their eyes off himself or herself31200:16:13,780 –> 00:16:15,960and begins to focus on loyalties31300:16:15,960 –> 00:16:18,119and responsibilities to others.31400:16:19,859 –> 00:16:23,840Get your eyes off yourself and your own pain.31500:16:25,979 –> 00:16:30,979Focus on others who look to you and depend on you.31600:16:33,739 –> 00:16:35,820After all, there are children31700:16:36,679 –> 00:16:41,140who look to you as their model of faith.31800:16:43,859 –> 00:16:46,580They see you as their example in life.31900:16:46,580 –> 00:16:47,539They may be grown children,32000:16:47,539 –> 00:16:48,580they may be married children,32100:16:48,580 –> 00:16:49,520but it’s still true.32200:16:52,099 –> 00:16:53,500There are neighbors.32300:16:53,500 –> 00:16:54,780There are colleagues.32400:16:54,840 –> 00:16:55,900There are customers.32500:16:55,900 –> 00:16:57,200There are business partners32600:16:57,200 –> 00:16:58,859who know that you are a Christian32700:16:58,859 –> 00:17:01,419and their whole perception of Christianity32800:17:01,419 –> 00:17:04,219may be shaped by what you do or do not do now.32900:17:06,540 –> 00:17:07,599You can’t give up.33000:17:09,219 –> 00:17:10,939You can’t give up.33100:17:14,060 –> 00:17:16,020See, your crisis, whatever it is,33200:17:16,020 –> 00:17:20,819is a part of something far, far bigger than yourself.33300:17:21,819 –> 00:17:23,880You belong to the body of Christ.33400:17:25,060 –> 00:17:30,060You belong to the body in heaven as well as on earth.33500:17:30,160 –> 00:17:31,660You are surrounded, the Bible says,33600:17:31,660 –> 00:17:33,459by a great cloud of witnesses,33700:17:33,459 –> 00:17:37,459men, women, children, angels.33800:17:37,459 –> 00:17:41,319And God has set a track for you to run on33900:17:41,319 –> 00:17:42,780and you are to run that race34000:17:42,780 –> 00:17:45,619that has been marked out for you,34100:17:45,619 –> 00:17:46,959however difficult.34200:17:48,739 –> 00:17:50,959Esau knows that if he were to give up,34300:17:50,959 –> 00:17:53,339he would have betrayed God’s children34400:17:53,339 –> 00:17:55,880and that stops him in his tracks.34500:17:55,880 –> 00:17:57,140Thank God for it.34600:17:57,140 –> 00:17:59,140Thank God for the word almost,34700:17:59,140 –> 00:18:01,219I almost gave up.34800:18:01,219 –> 00:18:02,060But he didn’t.34900:18:04,660 –> 00:18:06,660Now there’s a lot more to climbing out35000:18:06,660 –> 00:18:08,599of a black hole than this35100:18:08,599 –> 00:18:11,280and we will follow what more there is35200:18:11,280 –> 00:18:12,819over these coming weeks.35300:18:14,380 –> 00:18:16,020But this is where it begins35400:18:17,459 –> 00:18:19,500with a decision and with a commitment.35500:18:20,300 –> 00:18:22,260You stop and you refuse to go35600:18:22,260 –> 00:18:24,180where the dark thoughts would take you35700:18:26,280 –> 00:18:28,239and you make a commitment to God35800:18:29,199 –> 00:18:30,140and to his people.35900:18:32,880 –> 00:18:33,920Now you know there never was36000:18:33,920 –> 00:18:36,599a more awesome example of this36100:18:38,599 –> 00:18:41,500than the example of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ36200:18:41,500 –> 00:18:42,920that we’re coming to in just a moment36300:18:42,920 –> 00:18:44,439around the communion table.36400:18:44,439 –> 00:18:45,640To the communion table.36500:18:48,239 –> 00:18:51,500On the night that Jesus was betrayed36600:18:53,020 –> 00:18:54,459and can you begin to imagine36700:18:54,459 –> 00:18:56,400the pressure of that night?36800:18:58,119 –> 00:19:00,540On the night when he was betrayed36900:19:00,540 –> 00:19:03,119John tells us that Jesus prayed.37000:19:05,119 –> 00:19:09,199He was about to endure the agony of the cross37100:19:10,319 –> 00:19:11,880but the focus of his prayer37200:19:11,880 –> 00:19:13,660recorded in John chapter 1737300:19:13,660 –> 00:19:16,439was entirely on his disciples.37400:19:16,439 –> 00:19:17,939That is a staggering thought.37500:19:19,780 –> 00:19:21,359You see he’s doing in fullness37600:19:21,359 –> 00:19:23,819what Esau had begun to pursue.37700:19:25,160 –> 00:19:26,459That when you face great pain37800:19:26,459 –> 00:19:29,079you’ve got to get your eyes on to others.37900:19:29,079 –> 00:19:31,859He’s facing the cross, he’s praying for his disciples38000:19:34,819 –> 00:19:36,680and there is an awesome statement38100:19:36,680 –> 00:19:39,160in the prayer of Jesus in John chapter 1738200:19:39,160 –> 00:19:40,359in verse 1938300:19:41,119 –> 00:19:44,260that you could meditate on for a hundred years38400:19:44,260 –> 00:19:46,520and not get to the depth of it.38500:19:46,520 –> 00:19:48,660This is what Jesus says in his prayer to the father.38600:19:48,660 –> 00:19:49,579He says,38700:19:49,579 –> 00:19:50,479for them,38800:19:51,780 –> 00:19:52,939for them38900:19:54,020 –> 00:19:56,800I sanctify myself.39000:19:58,420 –> 00:19:59,979Now to sanctify yourself means39100:19:59,979 –> 00:20:02,219to give yourself to a special purpose39200:20:02,219 –> 00:20:03,380and in this case39300:20:03,380 –> 00:20:05,260the special purpose was of course39400:20:05,260 –> 00:20:07,180to go to the cross.39500:20:07,180 –> 00:20:09,099This is what Jesus is grappling with39600:20:10,439 –> 00:20:12,160and he says to the father,39700:20:13,439 –> 00:20:16,359I’ll do it for them,39800:20:17,959 –> 00:20:19,180I’ll do it for them.39900:20:21,280 –> 00:20:23,660Father I’ll do it for these40000:20:23,660 –> 00:20:25,839who are your disciples now40100:20:25,839 –> 00:20:27,400and I’ll do it father for those40200:20:27,400 –> 00:20:29,040who will become your disciples40300:20:29,040 –> 00:20:31,540in all the ages that are to come.40400:20:32,660 –> 00:20:33,500And Hebrews tells us40500:20:33,500 –> 00:20:35,439that this is how Jesus Endured the cross.40600:20:35,439 –> 00:20:38,280He Endured the cross for the joy40700:20:38,280 –> 00:20:39,560that was set before him.40800:20:39,579 –> 00:20:40,619What is that joy,40900:20:40,619 –> 00:20:44,199it is the joy of seeing God’s work fulfilled in you.41000:20:46,479 –> 00:20:49,380Now if you are a Christian you bear his name41100:20:51,239 –> 00:20:52,239and he says to you today,41200:20:52,239 –> 00:20:56,020you take up your cross and follow me.41300:20:58,119 –> 00:21:00,599Deasath of course lived a long time before Jesus41400:21:00,599 –> 00:21:02,800but frankly that’s exactly what he did.41500:21:04,459 –> 00:21:06,560And in his older years41600:21:07,520 –> 00:21:12,380where he shares this testimony, a story now complete.41700:21:13,780 –> 00:21:16,300He writes under the inspiration of the spirit41800:21:16,300 –> 00:21:18,680and he recollects the depth of the struggle41900:21:18,680 –> 00:21:20,260that he went through.42000:21:20,260 –> 00:21:22,280He says, I want you to know this,42100:21:23,920 –> 00:21:28,160there was a time in my life when I almost gave up.42200:21:30,459 –> 00:21:31,819I couldn’t make any sense42300:21:31,819 –> 00:21:33,420of what God was doing in the world,42400:21:33,459 –> 00:21:36,619I couldn’t make any sense of what God was doing in my life.42500:21:38,400 –> 00:21:39,719My feet had almost slipped42600:21:41,560 –> 00:21:43,060and if I had followed the thoughts42700:21:43,060 –> 00:21:44,479and inclinations of my heart,42800:21:44,479 –> 00:21:46,540I would have let everybody down.42900:21:48,920 –> 00:21:52,000But I’m so glad I didn’t.43000:21:54,660 –> 00:21:57,719And I’m here to tell you today that God brought me through,43100:21:57,900 –> 00:21:59,380that God turned me around.43200:22:01,979 –> 00:22:06,219And you need to know it started when I made a decision43300:22:06,219 –> 00:22:08,359that I would not betray the Lord43400:22:08,359 –> 00:22:12,920and I would not betray his people.43500:22:12,920 –> 00:22:14,239You’ve been listening to Open the Bible43600:22:14,239 –> 00:22:17,500with pastor Colin Smith and a message called Stop,43700:22:17,500 –> 00:22:21,900part of our series I Almost Gave Up based on Psalm 72.43800:22:21,900 –> 00:22:23,540If you ever missed one of the series,43900:22:23,540 –> 00:22:25,939you can always catch up or go back and listen again44000:22:25,939 –> 00:22:27,060by clicking the link below44100:22:28,060 –> 00:22:31,079online at our website, openthebible.org.uk.44200:22:32,780 –> 00:22:36,420Open the Bible is supported by donations from our listeners44300:22:36,420 –> 00:22:38,780and we are very thankful for that.44400:22:38,780 –> 00:22:41,140If you’d like to be amongst our supporters,44500:22:41,140 –> 00:22:43,260here’s open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham44600:22:43,260 –> 00:22:46,099to tell you about our free gift offer for this month.44700:22:47,040 –> 00:22:48,020Thanks David.44800:22:48,020 –> 00:22:49,800As we look ahead to Easter,44900:22:49,800 –> 00:22:52,579I’ve been reminded again just how powerful45000:22:52,579 –> 00:22:54,140this season can be,45100:22:54,140 –> 00:22:55,819not only for us personally45200:22:55,859 –> 00:22:57,859but as an opportunity to share45300:22:57,859 –> 00:23:00,420the hope of the gospel with others.45400:23:00,420 –> 00:23:02,219Many of your listeners may already know45500:23:02,219 –> 00:23:04,260about our one-hour Easter film,45600:23:04,260 –> 00:23:05,939Heaven, How I Got Here,45700:23:05,939 –> 00:23:08,699The Story of the Thief on the Cross.45800:23:08,699 –> 00:23:12,420It tells a story of a man who was crucified beside Jesus,45900:23:12,420 –> 00:23:14,459a man at the very end of his life46000:23:14,459 –> 00:23:18,619who turned to Christ and heard those extraordinary words,46100:23:18,619 –> 00:23:22,579today you will be with me in paradise.46200:23:22,579 –> 00:23:25,319The film is a moving retelling of that encounter46300:23:25,319 –> 00:23:28,119and it is available to watch for free46400:23:28,119 –> 00:23:31,560on our website in 14 different languages,46500:23:31,560 –> 00:23:36,560just go to open thebible.org.uk forward slash heaven,46600:23:38,000 –> 00:23:39,800why not start praying now46700:23:39,800 –> 00:23:42,839for friends or family that you could watch it with?46800:23:42,839 –> 00:23:45,599Or perhaps you could use it at a church outreach event46900:23:45,599 –> 00:23:47,239or a small group.47000:23:47,239 –> 00:23:49,280And this month we’re also offering something47100:23:49,280 –> 00:23:50,900to go alongside the film,47200:23:50,900 –> 00:23:53,119we are very excited to be launching47300:23:53,140 –> 00:23:56,219our brand new graphic novel version47400:23:56,219 –> 00:23:58,359of heaven, how I got here.47500:23:58,359 –> 00:24:00,780a beautifully illustrated retelling47600:24:00,780 –> 00:24:03,400that’s especially engaging for young people47700:24:03,400 –> 00:24:05,400but accessible for anyone.47800:24:05,400 –> 00:24:08,520It’s a wonderful way to place this powerful story47900:24:08,520 –> 00:24:10,719directly into someone’s hands.48000:24:11,599 –> 00:24:15,219Easter reminds us that no one is beyond grace,48100:24:15,219 –> 00:24:18,119the thief on the cross had nothing to offer48200:24:18,119 –> 00:24:20,760yet he found everything in Christ48300:24:20,760 –> 00:24:22,959and perhaps this year you could be the one48400:24:22,959 –> 00:24:26,500who shares that hope with someone else.48500:24:26,500 –> 00:24:28,219Our Easter Bundle which includes48600:24:28,219 –> 00:24:30,140two copies of the graphic novel48700:24:30,140 –> 00:24:33,540along with an NIV outreach Bible to give away48800:24:33,540 –> 00:24:35,660is our free thank you gift48900:24:35,660 –> 00:24:39,260when you give a one-off donation of at least £5049000:24:39,260 –> 00:24:44,160or set up a new direct debit of £5 per month or more.49100:24:44,160 –> 00:24:47,540And as always, please do remember to include your name49200:24:47,540 –> 00:24:49,020and address when you give49300:24:49,060 –> 00:24:52,020so we know where to send your free gift to.49400:24:52,020 –> 00:24:54,380Thanks, Amanda, and thank you49500:24:54,380 –> 00:24:56,219for considering beginning to support49600:24:56,219 –> 00:24:59,079Open the Bible financially this month.49700:24:59,079 –> 00:25:01,300Full details, terms and conditions49800:25:01,300 –> 00:25:02,719and you can give online49900:25:02,719 –> 00:25:07,339at our website, OpentheBible.org.uk.50000:25:07,339 –> 00:25:10,140For Open the Bible and for Pastor Colin Smith,50100:25:10,140 –> 00:25:11,380I’m David Pick.50200:25:11,380 –> 00:25:12,380Thanks for being with us50300:25:12,380 –> 00:25:13,540and we look forward to you50400:25:13,540 –> 00:25:16,839joining us again next time on Open the Bible.50500:25:16,839 –> 00:25:23,719Are you so confused by your struggles50600:25:23,719 –> 00:25:26,079that your prayer life is suffering?50700:25:26,079 –> 00:25:27,739Find out what you can do about it50800:25:27,739 –> 00:25:29,479next time on Open the Bible.