1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,480 The entire message today is taken from just one verse 2 00:00:04,480 –> 00:00:06,580 in the Bible, one verse in this great book, 3 00:00:06,580 –> 00:00:08,520 We’re Coming to Love. 4 00:00:08,520 –> 00:00:11,400 And what a text it is. 5 00:00:11,400 –> 00:00:13,520 I pray that God will burn it into your heart 6 00:00:13,520 –> 00:00:16,280 so that you will come to love it and use it not only today, 7 00:00:16,280 –> 00:00:18,480 but for many years to come in your life. 8 00:00:20,340 –> 00:00:22,620 2 Thessalonians 3 5, 9 00:00:22,760 –> 00:00:27,100 May the Lord direct your hearts 10 00:00:28,080 –> 00:00:33,080 into God’s love and into Christ’s perseverance. 11 00:00:37,000 –> 00:00:39,419 Now, this is obviously a prayer. 12 00:00:39,419 –> 00:00:42,419 Last week, we saw how Paul asked these believers 13 00:00:42,419 –> 00:00:43,820 to pray for him. 14 00:00:43,820 –> 00:00:47,580 Remember, pray for us that the Gospel may run. 15 00:00:47,580 –> 00:00:49,779 Now, he is praying for them. 16 00:00:50,660 –> 00:00:51,619 And he prays this, 17 00:00:51,619 –> 00:00:56,619 may the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love 18 00:00:56,980 –> 00:01:00,299 and into Christ’s perseverance. 19 00:01:00,299 –> 00:01:04,059 The word perseverance can also be translated patience. 20 00:01:04,059 –> 00:01:06,419 If you have the Old King James Bible, 21 00:01:06,419 –> 00:01:07,699 that is what you will see there. 22 00:01:07,699 –> 00:01:10,720 The love of God and the patience of Christ. 23 00:01:10,720 –> 00:01:12,980 And that’s the translation that I’m going to use 24 00:01:12,980 –> 00:01:15,839 as I speak on this verse today. 25 00:01:16,959 –> 00:01:19,419 I want to begin by gathering some things 26 00:01:19,459 –> 00:01:21,660 that are just very obvious on the surface 27 00:01:21,660 –> 00:01:24,339 of this great text, number one. 28 00:01:24,339 –> 00:01:26,800 I need love and patience, 29 00:01:26,800 –> 00:01:30,900 especially when I’m tired of the battle. 30 00:01:31,779 –> 00:01:33,419 I need love and patience. 31 00:01:33,419 –> 00:01:34,980 These are the two things I really need, 32 00:01:34,980 –> 00:01:36,360 that’s why Paul prays for them. 33 00:01:36,360 –> 00:01:40,820 And I need them, especially when I’m tired of the battle. 34 00:01:40,820 –> 00:01:42,639 Remember that this is a letter 35 00:01:42,639 –> 00:01:45,220 that was written to a group of young Christians, 36 00:01:45,220 –> 00:01:48,099 new Christians, who were feeling 37 00:01:48,120 –> 00:01:50,820 the draining effect of the difficulties of life. 38 00:01:50,820 –> 00:01:52,739 And some of you may be saying this morning, 39 00:01:52,739 –> 00:01:55,040 well that’s exactly where I am, 40 00:01:55,040 –> 00:01:56,860 I’m facing tension at work, 41 00:01:56,860 –> 00:01:58,540 I’m dealing with difficulties at home, 42 00:01:58,540 –> 00:02:00,220 there’s pressure on the marriage, 43 00:02:00,220 –> 00:02:03,339 perhaps prolonged and endless it seems visits 44 00:02:03,339 –> 00:02:06,120 to the doctor or ongoing physical pain, 45 00:02:06,120 –> 00:02:08,199 a son or daughter who is wayward. 46 00:02:08,199 –> 00:02:10,139 And you find yourself saying you know what, 47 00:02:10,139 –> 00:02:14,360 I need love and I need patience. 48 00:02:14,360 –> 00:02:15,339 That’s what I need. 49 00:02:16,179 –> 00:02:19,880 Number two, God can give me the love 50 00:02:19,880 –> 00:02:22,020 and the patience that I need. 51 00:02:22,020 –> 00:02:24,460 That’s why Paul’s praying for it. 52 00:02:24,460 –> 00:02:26,759 And know there’s something very wonderful about this verse, 53 00:02:26,759 –> 00:02:29,100 that Paul is not coming to these Christians 54 00:02:29,100 –> 00:02:32,039 and asking them to do something for God, 55 00:02:32,039 –> 00:02:35,080 he is coming to God and he is asking God 56 00:02:35,080 –> 00:02:37,919 to do something for these Christians. 57 00:02:37,919 –> 00:02:39,479 He’s saying something like this, 58 00:02:39,479 –> 00:02:42,479 look, I see what you are up against. 59 00:02:42,479 –> 00:02:45,240 I see how difficult all of 60 00:02:45,339 –> 00:02:47,300 what you are facing is for you. 61 00:02:47,300 –> 00:02:52,220 And I am asking God to do something special in your lives. 62 00:02:52,220 –> 00:02:53,979 And here’s what it is. 63 00:02:53,979 –> 00:02:56,580 May the Lord direct your hearts 64 00:02:56,580 –> 00:03:01,580 into God’s love and into Christ’s perseverance. 65 00:03:01,740 –> 00:03:04,380 And the whole point is that our wonderful Father in heaven 66 00:03:04,380 –> 00:03:07,399 is able to give us his children 67 00:03:07,399 –> 00:03:10,380 the love and the patience that we need. 68 00:03:11,139 –> 00:03:12,720 Observation number three. 69 00:03:13,639 –> 00:03:18,639 I can ask God to give me what I do not have. 70 00:03:20,699 –> 00:03:23,360 Now, again, this is just a very evident observation 71 00:03:23,360 –> 00:03:25,880 from this simple verse. 72 00:03:25,880 –> 00:03:30,039 If these Christians were already brimming over with love, 73 00:03:30,039 –> 00:03:33,000 if they were already overflowing with patience 74 00:03:33,000 –> 00:03:36,160 there would be no need for this prayer, would there? 75 00:03:36,160 –> 00:03:37,679 The whole point of the prayer 76 00:03:38,580 –> 00:03:40,460 is that Paul is asking God to give them 77 00:03:40,460 –> 00:03:43,300 what they do not have in themselves. 78 00:03:43,300 –> 00:03:44,759 And so this is a wonderful thing. 79 00:03:44,759 –> 00:03:45,699 I can come to God. 80 00:03:45,699 –> 00:03:46,600 You can come to God. 81 00:03:46,600 –> 00:03:47,880 And we can say, 82 00:03:47,880 –> 00:03:51,860 Lord, give me the love and the patience that I need 83 00:03:53,220 –> 00:03:55,600 because you have love and the patience 84 00:03:55,600 –> 00:03:57,139 in abundance in yourself. 85 00:03:57,139 –> 00:04:00,419 I don’t, I just don’t. 86 00:04:00,419 –> 00:04:02,820 So give me what I do not have. 87 00:04:02,820 –> 00:04:04,380 Give me what is in you. 88 00:04:04,380 –> 00:04:05,919 You can make this prayer your own. 89 00:04:05,919 –> 00:04:07,179 It’s a wonderful prayer. 90 00:04:08,039 –> 00:04:11,339 It’s to be underlined in your Bible and to be used. 91 00:04:11,339 –> 00:04:12,500 You can come to God and say, 92 00:04:12,500 –> 00:04:16,160 Lord, fill my dried-out heart with your love. 93 00:04:16,160 –> 00:04:19,739 Lord, fill this frantic life 94 00:04:19,739 –> 00:04:24,739 with your peace and with your patience. 95 00:04:25,700 –> 00:04:27,239 So folks, this is very simple, isn’t it? 96 00:04:27,239 –> 00:04:31,019 These are just on the surface observations 97 00:04:31,019 –> 00:04:33,739 from this wonderful single verse. 98 00:04:33,739 –> 00:04:37,140 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love 99 00:04:37,779 –> 00:04:39,579 and Christ’s patience. 100 00:04:39,579 –> 00:04:40,899 I need love and patience, 101 00:04:40,899 –> 00:04:44,019 especially when I am tired of the battle. 102 00:04:44,019 –> 00:04:46,779 God can give me the love and patience that I need 103 00:04:46,779 –> 00:04:51,339 and I can ask God to give me what I do not have. 104 00:04:51,339 –> 00:04:52,160 Now there you are. 105 00:04:52,160 –> 00:04:55,739 There’s a five-minute simple meditation 106 00:04:55,739 –> 00:04:59,500 on one verse of the Bible. 107 00:05:00,640 –> 00:05:02,540 And I want to say to you today, 108 00:05:03,540 –> 00:05:05,160 you can do that for yourself. 109 00:05:05,359 –> 00:05:08,399 You could do that every day as you read the Bible. 110 00:05:08,399 –> 00:05:12,380 You actually don’t need a pastor to do that for you. 111 00:05:13,679 –> 00:05:16,239 I want to encourage you to do this. 112 00:05:16,239 –> 00:05:18,579 This is a little sidebar to encourage you 113 00:05:18,579 –> 00:05:21,320 in your own daily devotional life. 114 00:05:21,320 –> 00:05:23,200 You can do this. 115 00:05:23,200 –> 00:05:27,119 Read a few verses from the Bible and pick one. 116 00:05:28,480 –> 00:05:30,920 And then when you pick one, 117 00:05:30,920 –> 00:05:33,799 write up what it says, just one verse, 118 00:05:33,799 –> 00:05:37,700 and then write it out in your own words, your own words, 119 00:05:37,700 –> 00:05:39,799 and then write out how that helps you. 120 00:05:39,799 –> 00:05:43,399 Just what it says, what it means for you. 121 00:05:45,100 –> 00:05:48,359 Look, children can do this. 122 00:05:48,359 –> 00:05:49,579 Children can do this. 123 00:05:49,579 –> 00:05:51,279 It’s a great habit to start. 124 00:05:51,279 –> 00:05:53,200 Begin doing it just a few times a week. 125 00:05:53,200 –> 00:05:54,779 You’ll soon find that you want to do it more 126 00:05:54,779 –> 00:05:59,299 and you may find you’re doing it every day of the week. 127 00:05:59,299 –> 00:06:02,480 One verse, a little passage, pick one verse, 128 00:06:02,519 –> 00:06:04,239 just one that pops out to you. 129 00:06:05,519 –> 00:06:07,619 Write out what it says in your own words, 130 00:06:08,500 –> 00:06:10,320 what it means, how it helps you, 131 00:06:11,559 –> 00:06:14,299 and I promise you that as you do this 132 00:06:14,299 –> 00:06:17,100 you’ll get better at it and you will find 133 00:06:17,100 –> 00:06:20,200 that God’s word is bearing fruit in your life. 134 00:06:21,720 –> 00:06:25,920 Get a hardback notebook to do this. 135 00:06:25,920 –> 00:06:28,820 It’s worth a few bucks for a hardback notebook. 136 00:06:29,899 –> 00:06:32,079 I wish I had done that years ago. 137 00:06:32,380 –> 00:06:34,519 I was looking at some notes on the Bible 138 00:06:34,519 –> 00:06:39,239 that I made when I was 14 years old just a few days ago 139 00:06:39,239 –> 00:06:41,880 and I wish I’d had a hardback notebook 140 00:06:41,880 –> 00:06:44,200 because they’re all dog-eared pages. 141 00:06:44,200 –> 00:06:47,160 All dog-eared pages, but they’re still there. 142 00:06:47,160 –> 00:06:51,519 And you will have joy in looking back 143 00:06:51,519 –> 00:06:56,519 on what God has taught you from his word over the years. 144 00:06:58,440 –> 00:07:00,640 Let me say one more thing on this little aside 145 00:07:00,640 –> 00:07:01,839 before we move on. 146 00:07:02,440 –> 00:07:04,799 Some of you are in the habit of reading Devotionals. 147 00:07:04,799 –> 00:07:07,839 You know, a book with a page for every year 148 00:07:07,839 –> 00:07:09,019 and it’s got a verse at the top 149 00:07:09,019 –> 00:07:11,079 and then some good person has written 150 00:07:11,079 –> 00:07:14,040 a page of thoughts on that verse. 151 00:07:14,040 –> 00:07:15,559 Now that’s good and that’s fine. 152 00:07:15,559 –> 00:07:16,799 I’m not knocking it. 153 00:07:16,799 –> 00:07:19,839 But if that is what you have done 154 00:07:19,839 –> 00:07:20,880 and that is all you have done 155 00:07:20,880 –> 00:07:23,920 for your devotional life for many years, 156 00:07:23,920 –> 00:07:26,820 it may be that it is time for you to move 157 00:07:26,820 –> 00:07:31,079 beyond feeding your soul on other men’s thoughts. 158 00:07:31,119 –> 00:07:34,279 Try feeding your soul on the word of God directly. 159 00:07:35,200 –> 00:07:36,579 Ask God to help you, 160 00:07:38,200 –> 00:07:39,519 get a friend to encourage you. 161 00:07:39,519 –> 00:07:42,119 If you want to share what’s in your hardback notebook, 162 00:07:42,119 –> 00:07:43,720 do that. 163 00:07:43,720 –> 00:07:45,160 I promise you 164 00:07:45,160 –> 00:07:48,359 that a year from now, if you do this, 165 00:07:48,359 –> 00:07:52,739 you will be amazed at how much you have grown. 166 00:07:52,739 –> 00:07:54,000 And I say again, 167 00:07:54,000 –> 00:07:55,579 cause I’m so thrilled every week 168 00:07:55,579 –> 00:07:57,619 that children are in the service with us. 169 00:07:57,619 –> 00:07:58,799 Children can do this. 170 00:07:58,799 –> 00:08:01,519 You can begin to do this when you’re very young. 171 00:08:01,519 –> 00:08:03,200 One verse. 172 00:08:03,200 –> 00:08:04,220 What it says 173 00:08:05,160 –> 00:08:07,220 and how it helps me. 174 00:08:07,220 –> 00:08:10,160 And I’ve tried in the first part of the message today 175 00:08:10,160 –> 00:08:12,399 just to model that for you in the simplest way. 176 00:08:12,399 –> 00:08:14,320 Here’s the verse that pops today. 177 00:08:14,320 –> 00:08:16,500 May the Lord direct your hearts 178 00:08:16,500 –> 00:08:18,799 into God’s love and Christ’s patience. 179 00:08:18,799 –> 00:08:21,739 I obviously need love and patience 180 00:08:21,739 –> 00:08:25,119 and God can give me the love and patience that I need 181 00:08:25,119 –> 00:08:28,760 and I can ask God to give me what I do not have. 182 00:08:29,600 –> 00:08:31,679 You could do that and you could feed your soul 183 00:08:31,679 –> 00:08:34,159 from the Word of God every day 184 00:08:34,159 –> 00:08:39,159 and you will be amazed at how much you will grow. 185 00:08:43,400 –> 00:08:46,260 Now, having looked at that on the surface. 186 00:08:46,260 –> 00:08:48,059 I want us to understand how easy it is 187 00:08:48,059 –> 00:08:49,619 to gather what is on the surface 188 00:08:49,619 –> 00:08:51,479 of the scriptures and to feed your soul from it. 189 00:08:51,479 –> 00:08:53,359 How wonderful that is. 190 00:08:53,359 –> 00:08:55,440 I do want us to do something more today 191 00:08:55,440 –> 00:08:57,599 and I do want to take a deeper dive, 192 00:08:57,640 –> 00:09:01,539 as it were, into what Paul is describing here. 193 00:09:03,059 –> 00:09:05,440 Karl and I have enjoyed visiting 194 00:09:05,440 –> 00:09:09,039 Mackinac City on several occasions. 195 00:09:09,039 –> 00:09:10,739 Who’s all been to Mackinac City? 196 00:09:10,739 –> 00:09:12,460 Been across the Mackinac Bridge? 197 00:09:12,460 –> 00:09:14,299 It is fantastic. 198 00:09:14,299 –> 00:09:16,979 It is a very distinguished place 199 00:09:16,979 –> 00:09:18,380 or what distinguishes the place 200 00:09:18,380 –> 00:09:20,599 is that of course that is the place 201 00:09:20,599 –> 00:09:24,859 where two of the great lakes converge 202 00:09:24,859 –> 00:09:28,159 and as you drive across the Mackinac Bridge, 203 00:09:28,159 –> 00:09:29,539 you look to the one side 204 00:09:29,539 –> 00:09:32,659 and you have the vastness of Lake Michigan 205 00:09:32,659 –> 00:09:34,039 and you look to the other side 206 00:09:34,039 –> 00:09:36,760 and you have the beginnings of Lake Huron. 207 00:09:38,260 –> 00:09:41,700 And as I think about this text of Scripture, 208 00:09:41,700 –> 00:09:43,900 it is like that. 209 00:09:43,900 –> 00:09:47,520 It brings together not two great lakes 210 00:09:47,520 –> 00:09:49,880 but I think this has to be like two great oceans 211 00:09:49,880 –> 00:09:53,280 or two great worlds or two great galaxies. 212 00:09:53,280 –> 00:09:58,179 Look at them, the love of God, how great is that? 213 00:09:58,179 –> 00:10:03,099 And the patience of Christ, how vast is that? 214 00:10:04,219 –> 00:10:07,260 And Paul brings these two great oceans 215 00:10:07,260 –> 00:10:08,979 in all their vastness together 216 00:10:08,979 –> 00:10:12,020 and they converge in this one single verse 217 00:10:12,020 –> 00:10:14,919 and he prays that God will direct 218 00:10:14,919 –> 00:10:17,659 the hearts of folks like us, 219 00:10:17,659 –> 00:10:18,780 the prayer for us, 220 00:10:19,640 –> 00:10:22,419 into the vast depths, 221 00:10:23,559 –> 00:10:24,760 God’s love 222 00:10:26,340 –> 00:10:28,580 and Christ’s patience. 223 00:10:28,580 –> 00:10:30,960 So the question for us today then is, 224 00:10:30,960 –> 00:10:34,619 how much do you know of this in your heart? 225 00:10:35,880 –> 00:10:40,000 How would you describe your personal experience? 226 00:10:40,000 –> 00:10:42,340 That’s what he’s talking about, 227 00:10:42,340 –> 00:10:43,679 of God’s love 228 00:10:45,140 –> 00:10:48,340 and of Christ’s patience? 229 00:10:49,059 –> 00:10:50,059 That’s the question. 230 00:10:51,299 –> 00:10:54,020 Now, most of you know that our church enjoys 231 00:10:54,020 –> 00:10:56,299 a very close relationship these days 232 00:10:56,299 –> 00:11:00,500 with a ministry called Live at Peace Ministries. 233 00:11:00,500 –> 00:11:02,780 How many have heard of Live at Peace Ministries? 234 00:11:02,780 –> 00:11:03,820 Good. A good number of you. 235 00:11:03,820 –> 00:11:07,000 Some of you have benefited from their ministry already. 236 00:11:07,000 –> 00:11:09,099 It is a Christian counseling ministry 237 00:11:09,099 –> 00:11:12,599 serving people from all over the Chicago area. 238 00:11:12,599 –> 00:11:16,979 Now Live at Peace Ministries is headed up by Judy Dabler, 239 00:11:17,119 –> 00:11:19,599 wonderful lady who amongst other things 240 00:11:19,599 –> 00:11:24,099 teaches at the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 241 00:11:24,099 –> 00:11:27,960 our own seminary in Deerfield, 242 00:11:27,960 –> 00:11:30,700 and I want you to picture for a few moments her class. 243 00:11:30,700 –> 00:11:35,700 Here’s this lady, and she has in front of her 244 00:11:35,739 –> 00:11:40,739 120 seminary students, 120 seminary students, wonderful. 245 00:11:43,179 –> 00:11:46,159 And here are people who are preparing themselves 246 00:11:46,200 –> 00:11:51,200 for Christian ministry, and they’re there in her class. 247 00:11:53,239 –> 00:11:57,739 And she starts the class by asking the 120 248 00:11:57,739 –> 00:12:02,739 a simple question, do you believe that God loves you? 249 00:12:06,960 –> 00:12:11,960 Do you believe that God loves you? 250 00:12:12,059 –> 00:12:14,340 Now, I want you to take a moment, 251 00:12:14,340 –> 00:12:17,940 I want you to fix in your mind how many people 252 00:12:17,940 –> 00:12:22,940 out of the 120 you think in our seminary said yes. 253 00:12:24,640 –> 00:12:26,380 How many do you think? 254 00:12:26,380 –> 00:12:27,380 Fix it in your mind. 255 00:12:28,599 –> 00:12:29,900 You ready for the answer? 256 00:12:31,659 –> 00:12:32,500 Two! 257 00:12:33,640 –> 00:12:34,479 Two! 258 00:12:36,039 –> 00:12:37,340 I still can’t take it in. 259 00:12:38,960 –> 00:12:40,200 So what did the rest say? 260 00:12:41,159 –> 00:12:42,179 They said something like this, 261 00:12:42,179 –> 00:12:44,419 I know I’m supposed to say, yes. 262 00:12:46,059 –> 00:12:49,260 I know that the Bible says that, but I don’t always feel it. 263 00:12:50,719 –> 00:12:53,400 I’m not sure if I can really say that I believe this. 264 00:12:55,080 –> 00:12:56,700 Now, I’ve got to say, in defense to the students. 265 00:12:56,700 –> 00:12:58,280 I feel sure in my own mind, 266 00:12:58,280 –> 00:13:01,299 because I’m still so staggered by this statistic. 267 00:13:01,299 –> 00:13:03,380 I feel sure in my mind that a whole bunch of them 268 00:13:03,380 –> 00:13:05,140 thought it was a trick question. 269 00:13:05,140 –> 00:13:07,559 I mean, let’s give them that, all right. 270 00:13:07,979 –> 00:13:11,000 All right, what would you have said? 271 00:13:12,520 –> 00:13:17,520 Do you believe that God loves you? 272 00:13:20,559 –> 00:13:24,460 You say two out 120, how can this possibly be? 273 00:13:26,239 –> 00:13:29,039 Surely every Christian knows the love of God. 274 00:13:29,880 –> 00:13:31,760 Did we not learn it in Sunday School? 275 00:13:33,099 –> 00:13:35,359 Jesus loves me, put up your hands if you know this, 276 00:13:35,400 –> 00:13:38,159 Jesus loves me, this, I know, everybody, you see, 277 00:13:38,159 –> 00:13:40,820 for the Bible tells me so, 278 00:13:40,820 –> 00:13:43,619 did we not all learn that if you were in Sunday School? 279 00:13:44,919 –> 00:13:47,880 Jonathan Edwards uses a simple analogy 280 00:13:47,880 –> 00:13:49,799 to get to the heart of the issue here. 281 00:13:49,799 –> 00:13:52,099 He says, there is a difference 282 00:13:53,099 –> 00:13:58,099 between having a rational judgment that honey is sweet 283 00:13:58,380 –> 00:14:01,880 and having a sense of its sweetness. 284 00:14:03,140 –> 00:14:05,299 You see what he’s saying, it’s a very important point. 285 00:14:05,320 –> 00:14:07,000 You can know that honey is sweet 286 00:14:07,000 –> 00:14:10,340 because someone tells you that honey is sweet, 287 00:14:10,340 –> 00:14:13,679 but you do not really know the sweetness of honey 288 00:14:13,679 –> 00:14:16,320 until you have tasted it. 289 00:14:17,799 –> 00:14:19,200 You can know that God loves you 290 00:14:19,200 –> 00:14:21,320 because the Bible tells you so, 291 00:14:22,299 –> 00:14:23,599 but you don’t really know it 292 00:14:23,599 –> 00:14:26,679 until you have tasted his love, 293 00:14:26,679 –> 00:14:30,679 taste and see that the Lord is good. 294 00:14:30,679 –> 00:14:33,820 And the reality folks is and it was brought home to me 295 00:14:33,859 –> 00:14:34,979 in a most striking way 296 00:14:34,979 –> 00:14:37,260 through what I’ve just shared with you, 297 00:14:37,260 –> 00:14:40,820 that many Christians live at a great distance 298 00:14:40,820 –> 00:14:45,239 from a felt experience of the love of God. 299 00:14:45,239 –> 00:14:48,260 So much Christianity in our time is shallow 300 00:14:48,260 –> 00:14:49,859 and it is satisfied, 301 00:14:49,859 –> 00:14:53,900 it affirms a creed, but it lacks spiritual life. 302 00:14:53,900 –> 00:14:56,739 And I tell you that across this country 303 00:14:56,739 –> 00:14:59,900 there are millions of people who have a faith, 304 00:14:59,900 –> 00:15:02,619 they have been brought up to believe for sure 305 00:15:02,619 –> 00:15:05,599 that Jesus died and rose, they have gone to church, 306 00:15:05,599 –> 00:15:10,599 but they have no living experience of the love of God. 307 00:15:12,020 –> 00:15:15,559 So I say to you today, we desperately need this prayer. 308 00:15:16,700 –> 00:15:19,460 May the Lord direct your hearts 309 00:15:19,460 –> 00:15:22,780 into God’s love and into Christ’s perseverance. 310 00:15:22,780 –> 00:15:24,960 And understand this is a prayer for Christians, 311 00:15:24,960 –> 00:15:26,380 he’s writing to the Church. 312 00:15:27,659 –> 00:15:31,200 It is a prayer that God will do something among us, 313 00:15:31,200 –> 00:15:34,520 people who believe, but do not always feel 314 00:15:34,520 –> 00:15:35,739 that God loves us. 315 00:15:38,159 –> 00:15:41,919 I want to use this prayer today to try and open your mind 316 00:15:41,919 –> 00:15:46,619 and open your heart to something more 317 00:15:46,619 –> 00:15:48,000 than you may have experienced, 318 00:15:48,000 –> 00:15:50,919 even if you’ve been a Christian for 10, 20, 30 years. 319 00:15:52,840 –> 00:15:54,380 There are Christians who are going through great difficulties 320 00:15:54,380 –> 00:15:56,880 and Paul is saying my prayer for you 321 00:15:56,880 –> 00:16:00,400 is that God will direct your hearts into the love of God. 322 00:16:00,440 –> 00:16:02,020 That’s my prayer for the church. 323 00:16:03,919 –> 00:16:05,659 I remember they were being persecuted, 324 00:16:05,659 –> 00:16:08,159 so the very fact of this prayer indicates 325 00:16:09,099 –> 00:16:12,340 that it would be possible as a believer 326 00:16:13,320 –> 00:16:17,919 to endure persecution and to stand up under it 327 00:16:17,919 –> 00:16:20,700 and not to feel the love of Christ, 328 00:16:22,320 –> 00:16:25,219 that’s possible, just as is possible 329 00:16:25,219 –> 00:16:28,320 to go through seminary and prepare for ministry 330 00:16:28,359 –> 00:16:31,599 and not to feel the love of Christ. 331 00:16:32,760 –> 00:16:34,840 Just as is possible to sit in the pews 332 00:16:34,840 –> 00:16:38,099 or better still, the beautiful chairs 333 00:16:38,099 –> 00:16:41,559 in an evangelical church like this, 334 00:16:41,559 –> 00:16:43,080 you could do it for 20 years 335 00:16:43,080 –> 00:16:48,080 and not feel the love of Christ, it’s possible. 336 00:16:48,919 –> 00:16:49,820 It’s why we need this prayer. 337 00:16:49,820 –> 00:16:51,140 Friends, I don’t want to be there, 338 00:16:51,140 –> 00:16:54,020 you don’t want to be there, I don’t want you to be there. 339 00:16:54,580 –> 00:16:59,179 People who are not Christians endure great pain 340 00:16:59,179 –> 00:17:01,119 and they endure great sorrow 341 00:17:01,119 –> 00:17:03,739 and they do it by gritting their teeth 342 00:17:05,300 –> 00:17:08,599 or in England we do it with a stiff upper lip. 343 00:17:09,560 –> 00:17:10,400 And Paul is saying, 344 00:17:10,400 –> 00:17:12,920 I want something better than that for you. 345 00:17:14,000 –> 00:17:17,060 I want for you who are in Christ for your soul 346 00:17:17,060 –> 00:17:19,140 to be filled with the love of God 347 00:17:20,000 –> 00:17:24,020 when you are facing the great trials of your life. 348 00:17:25,540 –> 00:17:28,780 Now, I’ve got two more things here this morning. 349 00:17:30,000 –> 00:17:34,900 One is I want to give you some real life examples 350 00:17:35,900 –> 00:17:40,900 of the love of God flooding a person’s soul 351 00:17:41,900 –> 00:17:45,160 and I’m doing this so that you will be encouraged 352 00:17:45,160 –> 00:17:49,920 to pray for more than you may already have experienced. 353 00:17:49,920 –> 00:17:51,459 I want to give you some examples 354 00:17:51,459 –> 00:17:54,819 and then briefly I want to give you some pointers 355 00:17:54,819 –> 00:17:58,160 as to how you can move forward from where you are now 356 00:17:58,160 –> 00:18:01,160 in terms of experiencing more of the love of God 357 00:18:01,160 –> 00:18:04,800 and the patience of Christ in your own soul. 358 00:18:04,800 –> 00:18:06,119 So one or two examples 359 00:18:06,119 –> 00:18:09,280 and I’ve deliberately chosen very striking examples 360 00:18:09,280 –> 00:18:12,719 because I’m trying to prize our minds open 361 00:18:12,719 –> 00:18:15,099 from the sort of being there, done that mentality 362 00:18:15,140 –> 00:18:16,540 in which so many Christians think 363 00:18:16,540 –> 00:18:18,339 they’ve got nothing more to experience 364 00:18:18,339 –> 00:18:20,040 because they’re already converted. 365 00:18:21,060 –> 00:18:23,780 Let me give you the example of John Wesley. 366 00:18:23,780 –> 00:18:25,979 Wesley was a pastor. 367 00:18:25,979 –> 00:18:27,459 He had preached in England, 368 00:18:27,459 –> 00:18:30,339 had preached in Georgia here in the States 369 00:18:30,339 –> 00:18:33,119 then returned to England, he was very discouraged. 370 00:18:34,260 –> 00:18:37,439 Something happened to him as a minister 371 00:18:37,439 –> 00:18:40,500 on the 24th of May, 1738 372 00:18:40,500 –> 00:18:43,020 while he was listening of all things to a man 373 00:18:43,439 –> 00:18:46,579 who is reading the introduction to Luther’s 374 00:18:46,579 –> 00:18:50,979 lectures on Romans in Aldersgate street in London. 375 00:18:50,979 –> 00:18:54,040 Some of you will know this, I quote from Wesley, 376 00:18:54,040 –> 00:18:57,020 “‘About a quarter before nine 377 00:18:57,020 –> 00:18:59,319 “‘while he was describing the change 378 00:18:59,319 –> 00:19:03,000 “‘which God works in the heart through faith in Christ.’” 379 00:19:03,000 –> 00:19:04,900 He’s talking about the man reading 380 00:19:04,900 –> 00:19:07,739 the stuff from Luther from a lectern. 381 00:19:07,739 –> 00:19:10,000 And as he’s reading this, 382 00:19:10,020 –> 00:19:12,060 these famous words, Wesley says, 383 00:19:12,060 –> 00:19:14,920 “‘I felt my heart 384 00:19:14,920 –> 00:19:17,160 “‘strangely warmed. 385 00:19:19,040 –> 00:19:22,500 “‘I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation, 386 00:19:22,500 –> 00:19:25,859 “‘and an assurance was given to me 387 00:19:25,859 –> 00:19:28,819 “‘that he had taken away my sins, even mine, 388 00:19:29,699 –> 00:19:32,780 “‘and saved me from the law of sin and death.’” 389 00:19:32,780 –> 00:19:34,800 Now what’s so striking about this, friends, 390 00:19:34,800 –> 00:19:37,640 is that this man had been a preacher for years, 391 00:19:37,640 –> 00:19:42,520 and there he is in Aldersgate Street, 392 00:19:42,520 –> 00:19:45,839 and suddenly this overwhelming assurance 393 00:19:45,839 –> 00:19:48,000 of the love of God fills his soul. 394 00:19:49,640 –> 00:19:51,939 He had a new sense of its sweetness, 395 00:19:53,260 –> 00:19:55,760 and his life and his ministry were transformed 396 00:19:55,760 –> 00:19:56,719 from that time on. 397 00:19:58,819 –> 00:20:01,979 Let me secondly give you the example of Jonathan Edwards. 398 00:20:03,560 –> 00:20:07,260 1737, Edwards rides out on his horse into the woods 399 00:20:07,339 –> 00:20:08,459 as he did quite often, 400 00:20:08,459 –> 00:20:10,020 because that was where he had time alone 401 00:20:10,020 –> 00:20:11,420 with God in prayer. 402 00:20:11,420 –> 00:20:13,359 I quote from Edwards. 403 00:20:13,359 –> 00:20:17,719 I had a view that was for me extraordinary 404 00:20:17,719 –> 00:20:20,219 of the glory of the Son of God 405 00:20:20,219 –> 00:20:25,219 and his wonderful, great, full, pure and sweet love. 406 00:20:26,520 –> 00:20:28,119 You see what he’s saying? 407 00:20:28,119 –> 00:20:31,800 If this man that he has this extraordinary ministry, 408 00:20:31,800 –> 00:20:35,420 and he says, there was this one day in 1737, 409 00:20:35,420 –> 00:20:37,060 and I’m out there in the woods, 410 00:20:37,119 –> 00:20:40,959 and I saw the love of Christ as I’d never seen it before. 411 00:20:42,099 –> 00:20:45,339 I had a view of it, that’s the language that he uses. 412 00:20:45,339 –> 00:20:47,939 Its sweetness came home to my soul, 413 00:20:47,939 –> 00:20:49,099 it lifted his life. 414 00:20:51,140 –> 00:20:55,819 Let me give closer to home the story of Dwight Lyman Moody, 415 00:20:55,819 –> 00:21:00,619 D.L. Moody, Moody Bible Institute, 1871. 416 00:21:00,619 –> 00:21:04,359 Moody’s church is the building is destroyed 417 00:21:04,500 –> 00:21:07,219 in the great Chicago fire, 418 00:21:07,219 –> 00:21:08,800 and so he goes to New York 419 00:21:08,800 –> 00:21:10,719 and he’s looking for financial assistance 420 00:21:10,719 –> 00:21:14,219 and he’s walking the streets and I quote, 421 00:21:14,219 –> 00:21:16,800 I began to cry as never before 422 00:21:16,800 –> 00:21:19,719 for a greater blessing from God. 423 00:21:19,719 –> 00:21:23,280 The hunger increased and I kept on crying all the time 424 00:21:23,280 –> 00:21:26,800 that God would fill me with His spirit. 425 00:21:26,800 –> 00:21:30,359 Well, one day in the city of New York, 426 00:21:30,359 –> 00:21:33,439 oh, what a day, I cannot describe it, 427 00:21:33,439 –> 00:21:34,920 I seldom refer to it, 428 00:21:34,920 –> 00:21:38,199 it is almost too sacred an experience to name, 429 00:21:38,199 –> 00:21:42,260 I can only say God revealed Himself to me 430 00:21:42,260 –> 00:21:44,939 and I had such an experience of His love 431 00:21:46,319 –> 00:21:50,640 that I had to ask Him to stay His hand. 432 00:21:52,280 –> 00:21:53,619 Extraordinary scene. 433 00:21:55,040 –> 00:21:58,699 Here’s Moody, he’s there in New York 434 00:21:59,640 –> 00:22:02,880 and his soul is so overwhelmed 435 00:22:02,920 –> 00:22:06,140 by its apprehension of the love of God 436 00:22:06,140 –> 00:22:09,079 that he has to say, oh God, I can’t take any more, 437 00:22:09,079 –> 00:22:10,060 stay Your hand. 438 00:22:11,959 –> 00:22:13,119 It’s flooding me. 439 00:22:15,020 –> 00:22:18,119 Friends, I’m giving you extraordinary examples 440 00:22:18,119 –> 00:22:21,819 because I at least want you to seek something. 441 00:22:23,079 –> 00:22:26,119 I want to break through the deadness of saying, 442 00:22:26,119 –> 00:22:27,979 I’ve got all that there is, 443 00:22:29,579 –> 00:22:32,800 I’ve found Christ and so I’ve nothing more to seek. 444 00:22:33,699 –> 00:22:36,439 Why in the world then does the Apostle pray, 445 00:22:36,439 –> 00:22:38,939 may, and he’s praying for believers like us, 446 00:22:38,939 –> 00:22:42,280 may God direct your hearts into His love. 447 00:22:42,280 –> 00:22:44,619 Why would he pray that if you’ve got it all? 448 00:22:46,599 –> 00:22:50,520 I’ll give you perhaps the most intense description 449 00:22:50,520 –> 00:22:53,040 at least that I’m aware of, of anything like this. 450 00:22:53,040 –> 00:22:55,040 It comes from Blaise Pascal. 451 00:22:55,040 –> 00:22:56,439 You know the name of Pascal? 452 00:22:57,739 –> 00:23:01,180 And Pascal was a Roman Catholic. 453 00:23:01,300 –> 00:23:06,300 Pascal was a Mathematician, he was a scientist. 454 00:23:08,359 –> 00:23:10,619 And the reason that I quote this last example 455 00:23:10,619 –> 00:23:12,880 before we move on to some application for us 456 00:23:12,880 –> 00:23:15,719 is that it would be easy for some 457 00:23:15,719 –> 00:23:17,859 of us to dismiss this and say, 458 00:23:17,859 –> 00:23:19,520 well of course there are certain 459 00:23:19,520 –> 00:23:22,439 more emotional types of people and that’s not me. 460 00:23:23,979 –> 00:23:27,739 Well, I ought to be awfully careful here, 461 00:23:27,739 –> 00:23:29,420 but we’re talking with Pascal 462 00:23:29,420 –> 00:23:34,160 about a mathematical genius and a scientist. 463 00:23:36,579 –> 00:23:38,459 Not noted, I’ve got to be careful now, 464 00:23:38,459 –> 00:23:40,859 but note it for extremes of emotion. 465 00:23:42,819 –> 00:23:45,020 Pascal had an extraordinary experience 466 00:23:45,020 –> 00:23:48,099 of the love of God overwhelming his soul 467 00:23:48,099 –> 00:23:49,880 that lasted for about two hours, 468 00:23:49,880 –> 00:23:51,780 one night and it changed his life. 469 00:23:51,780 –> 00:23:56,339 I mean, these are things that lift people’s lives 470 00:23:56,380 –> 00:23:59,619 and expand the capacities of their souls, 471 00:23:59,619 –> 00:24:01,699 make them folks who love God more 472 00:24:01,699 –> 00:24:03,020 and love people more. 473 00:24:04,619 –> 00:24:08,880 And what happened was that after these two hours 474 00:24:08,880 –> 00:24:10,739 and this overwhelming experience, 475 00:24:10,739 –> 00:24:12,959 he scribbled down in just short lines 476 00:24:12,959 –> 00:24:14,719 on a little piece of paper 477 00:24:14,719 –> 00:24:16,099 what it was that he had seen, 478 00:24:16,099 –> 00:24:18,020 what he’d felt, what had been in his mind 479 00:24:18,020 –> 00:24:20,280 as his soul had been so overwhelmed, 480 00:24:20,280 –> 00:24:21,780 this little scrap of paper 481 00:24:21,780 –> 00:24:24,859 that he had scribbled immediately after the event 482 00:24:24,859 –> 00:24:26,339 was so precious to him 483 00:24:26,339 –> 00:24:30,339 that he sewed it inside his coat. 484 00:24:30,339 –> 00:24:31,900 Isn’t that beautiful? 485 00:24:31,900 –> 00:24:34,599 And he carried it with him all the days of his life. 486 00:24:34,599 –> 00:24:37,020 And it was found after he died, 487 00:24:37,020 –> 00:24:41,459 still sewn on the inside of his coat. 488 00:24:41,459 –> 00:24:45,000 And I’ll read you from the words that he wrote. 489 00:24:45,599 –> 00:24:49,979 This day of grace, 1654, 490 00:24:49,979 –> 00:24:53,040 from about half past 10 at night 491 00:24:53,040 –> 00:24:56,400 to about half after midnight, 492 00:24:56,400 –> 00:24:59,239 and then just line after line. 493 00:24:59,239 –> 00:25:01,199 Fire. 494 00:25:01,199 –> 00:25:05,560 God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, 495 00:25:05,560 –> 00:25:09,280 not the philosophers or the scholars. 496 00:25:10,199 –> 00:25:12,560 Security. 497 00:25:12,560 –> 00:25:14,060 Feeling. 498 00:25:14,060 –> 00:25:17,359 Joy, peace. 499 00:25:17,359 –> 00:25:21,239 God of Jesus Christ, greatness of the human soul. 500 00:25:21,239 –> 00:25:25,560 Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy. 501 00:25:25,560 –> 00:25:27,560 Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, 502 00:25:27,560 –> 00:25:31,640 may I never be separated from Him. 503 00:25:31,640 –> 00:25:36,400 What had happened to Blaise Pascal? 504 00:25:36,400 –> 00:25:41,520 In an intense way, the Lord had directed his heart 505 00:25:41,520 –> 00:25:45,819 into the love of God. 506 00:25:45,819 –> 00:25:48,819 That’s what happened. 507 00:25:48,819 –> 00:25:52,359 Now, I say again, folks, that I am giving to you 508 00:25:52,359 –> 00:25:56,880 these intense examples, unusual examples, 509 00:25:56,880 –> 00:25:59,760 remarkable examples, 510 00:25:59,760 –> 00:26:04,579 because I want to shake you out of spiritual lethargy. 511 00:26:04,619 –> 00:26:07,000 I want you, at least, to seek something 512 00:26:07,000 –> 00:26:10,260 more than you’ve got today. 513 00:26:10,260 –> 00:26:11,739 Because, wouldn’t it be a tragedy 514 00:26:11,739 –> 00:26:13,780 if, between here and Heaven, 515 00:26:13,780 –> 00:26:16,420 you never knew any more of the love of God 516 00:26:16,420 –> 00:26:17,439 in your own experience, 517 00:26:17,439 –> 00:26:19,439 never tasted any more of its sweetness 518 00:26:19,439 –> 00:26:20,660 than you taste right now? 519 00:26:20,660 –> 00:26:22,339 Wouldn’t that be a tragedy? 520 00:26:22,339 –> 00:26:26,380 Flatlined, in your spiritual life. 521 00:26:26,380 –> 00:26:28,400 So, the question then with which we conclude 522 00:26:28,400 –> 00:26:30,739 in these last minutes is simply this, 523 00:26:30,739 –> 00:26:33,300 and it’s the obvious question. 524 00:26:33,359 –> 00:26:38,060 How can I experience more of God’s love 525 00:26:38,060 –> 00:26:39,079 and Christ’s patience? 526 00:26:39,079 –> 00:26:40,500 That’s the question for us, isn’t it? 527 00:26:40,500 –> 00:26:41,900 If we’re taking this seriously, 528 00:26:41,900 –> 00:26:43,839 this verse, we’re applying it to our lives, 529 00:26:43,839 –> 00:26:45,520 we’re making this prayer our own. 530 00:26:45,520 –> 00:26:50,219 How can I experience more of God’s love 531 00:26:50,219 –> 00:26:51,439 and Christ’s patience? 532 00:26:51,439 –> 00:26:52,859 That’s the question for me today. 533 00:26:52,859 –> 00:26:55,540 That’s the question to which I need an answer. 534 00:26:55,540 –> 00:26:57,140 And, let me give you the answer 535 00:26:57,140 –> 00:26:58,680 in these three simple ways. 536 00:26:58,680 –> 00:26:59,520 Number one. 537 00:27:00,739 –> 00:27:02,920 You want to experience more of Christ’s love 538 00:27:03,459 –> 00:27:08,180 and patience become dissatisfied 539 00:27:08,180 –> 00:27:11,500 with your present spiritual experience. 540 00:27:13,060 –> 00:27:14,719 Cultivate, to put it another way, 541 00:27:14,719 –> 00:27:17,579 a holy discontent with where you are. 542 00:27:18,859 –> 00:27:21,579 The person who prays this prayer that’s before us today 543 00:27:21,579 –> 00:27:24,920 is looking for something more than he or she already has. 544 00:27:24,920 –> 00:27:29,719 Lord, direct my heart into Your love. 545 00:27:31,000 –> 00:27:32,439 This is of huge importance 546 00:27:32,439 –> 00:27:35,420 for the church today and especially the evangelical church. 547 00:27:36,599 –> 00:27:39,239 We live in a been there, done that culture, 548 00:27:39,239 –> 00:27:41,439 and the great danger is that we cultivate 549 00:27:41,439 –> 00:27:44,439 a been there, done that Christianity, 550 00:27:44,439 –> 00:27:46,800 in which thousands of people go through life saying, 551 00:27:46,800 –> 00:27:47,719 I know that God loves me. 552 00:27:47,719 –> 00:27:49,640 Yes, I know that Christ died on the cross. 553 00:27:49,640 –> 00:27:52,140 Yes, I know that my sins are forgiven, now what’s next? 554 00:27:52,140 –> 00:27:54,599 And one day, someone stands up in a meeting and says, 555 00:27:54,599 –> 00:27:57,579 do you really believe that God loves you? 556 00:27:57,579 –> 00:27:58,520 And you know what? 557 00:27:59,479 –> 00:28:01,160 Your own shallowness is exposed. 558 00:28:02,699 –> 00:28:04,339 A.W. Tozer says, 559 00:28:05,800 –> 00:28:10,540 we have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic 560 00:28:11,479 –> 00:28:13,900 which insists that if we have found him, 561 00:28:13,900 –> 00:28:15,800 we need no more seek him. 562 00:28:17,640 –> 00:28:20,520 And then he adds, in the midst of this great chill, 563 00:28:21,479 –> 00:28:25,599 there are some who will not be content with shallow logic. 564 00:28:26,619 –> 00:28:30,219 They want to taste, to touch with their hearts 565 00:28:30,339 –> 00:28:32,500 the wonder that is God. 566 00:28:32,500 –> 00:28:37,060 And Tozer says, I want deliberately to encourage 567 00:28:37,060 –> 00:28:40,479 this mighty longing after God. 568 00:28:41,420 –> 00:28:42,260 So do I. 569 00:28:43,300 –> 00:28:45,819 I want to deliberately encourage 570 00:28:45,819 –> 00:28:48,699 this mighty longing after God, 571 00:28:48,699 –> 00:28:51,979 so I say to you, do not settle for a faith 572 00:28:51,979 –> 00:28:54,599 in which you cannot feel the love of God 573 00:28:54,599 –> 00:28:56,540 or the patience of Christ. 574 00:28:56,540 –> 00:28:58,680 Cultivate a holy discontent. 575 00:28:58,680 –> 00:29:00,239 If you go out from today saying, 576 00:29:00,239 –> 00:29:03,319 I am dissatisfied with where I am in the Christian life, 577 00:29:03,319 –> 00:29:04,979 that would be a great outcome, 578 00:29:04,979 –> 00:29:06,800 a great response to the sermon. 579 00:29:08,079 –> 00:29:09,020 Great response. 580 00:29:10,599 –> 00:29:11,439 Number two. 581 00:29:12,400 –> 00:29:16,300 Ask God to direct your heart into his love. 582 00:29:16,300 –> 00:29:17,540 It’s a prayer, so use it. 583 00:29:18,760 –> 00:29:19,760 Make it your own. 584 00:29:21,199 –> 00:29:22,479 You know, wonderful how we’re seeing 585 00:29:22,479 –> 00:29:24,119 as we go through the Bible, 586 00:29:24,119 –> 00:29:26,040 we’re being taught how to pray. 587 00:29:26,040 –> 00:29:28,839 Last week, start praying that the gospel may run. 588 00:29:28,839 –> 00:29:30,520 I hope you’ve been praying that this week. 589 00:29:30,520 –> 00:29:32,540 Here’s something else to add to your prayers 590 00:29:32,540 –> 00:29:33,739 as we go forward. 591 00:29:34,959 –> 00:29:39,599 Pray that your heart may be directed into the love of God 592 00:29:39,599 –> 00:29:41,439 and into the patience of Christ. 593 00:29:42,939 –> 00:29:45,160 I know some of us carry an awful lot 594 00:29:45,160 –> 00:29:46,780 of baggage on this one. 595 00:29:48,479 –> 00:29:49,959 When you think about God, 596 00:29:49,959 –> 00:29:52,079 your first instinct is to assume 597 00:29:52,079 –> 00:29:54,359 that he is angry, that he is against you, 598 00:29:54,359 –> 00:29:56,000 that he is condemning you. 599 00:29:56,719 –> 00:29:58,640 If you were to picture God at all, 600 00:29:58,640 –> 00:30:01,000 it would be with a frown on his face. 601 00:30:01,000 –> 00:30:03,380 And you know if that’s you. 602 00:30:03,380 –> 00:30:05,400 Many people struggle with this. 603 00:30:05,400 –> 00:30:07,939 And I say, you need this prayer. 604 00:30:09,640 –> 00:30:12,180 Listen to the wise counsel of Richard Sibbes, 605 00:30:12,180 –> 00:30:15,359 a great writer and pastor from an earlier age. 606 00:30:15,359 –> 00:30:16,640 He says this, 607 00:30:16,640 –> 00:30:19,520 Present God to yourself 608 00:30:19,520 –> 00:30:22,800 as he is presented in the gospel, 609 00:30:22,800 –> 00:30:26,959 present God to yourself as he is presented in the gospel. 610 00:30:26,959 –> 00:30:28,640 And then he says, here’s why. 611 00:30:28,640 –> 00:30:32,819 The devil will put other colors upon God. 612 00:30:32,819 –> 00:30:35,040 The devil presents him as a tyrant, 613 00:30:35,040 –> 00:30:37,560 a judge and a revenger, 614 00:30:37,560 –> 00:30:39,920 but please remember, says Sibbes, 615 00:30:39,920 –> 00:30:43,800 that the devil does this because he hates God. 616 00:30:43,800 –> 00:30:45,680 The devil will always be suggesting to you 617 00:30:45,680 –> 00:30:47,000 that God is a tyrant, 618 00:30:47,000 –> 00:30:49,160 always suggesting to you that he wears a frown 619 00:30:49,160 –> 00:30:50,640 on his face towards you. 620 00:30:50,640 –> 00:30:52,719 But remember, when the devil suggests that to you 621 00:30:52,739 –> 00:30:54,260 and that’s what it comes from, 622 00:30:54,260 –> 00:30:57,599 that he’s suggesting this because he hates God. 623 00:30:57,599 –> 00:30:59,199 So here’s what you have to do. 624 00:30:59,199 –> 00:31:02,400 You have to present God to yourself 625 00:31:02,400 –> 00:31:05,199 as he is presented in the gospel. 626 00:31:05,199 –> 00:31:07,959 That is he’s the one who sends his son for me. 627 00:31:10,479 –> 00:31:14,560 He’s the one who raises his son for me. 628 00:31:16,079 –> 00:31:19,219 He’s the one who through his Son justifies me. 629 00:31:20,219 –> 00:31:25,140 Present God to yourself as he is in the gospel. 630 00:31:27,060 –> 00:31:29,459 John Owen has to reinforce this. 631 00:31:29,459 –> 00:31:31,140 The great John Owen writes these words. 632 00:31:31,140 –> 00:31:34,219 So as long as the father is seen as harsh, 633 00:31:34,219 –> 00:31:37,119 judging, condemning, the soul will be filled 634 00:31:37,119 –> 00:31:40,979 with fear and dread every time it comes near to God. 635 00:31:40,979 –> 00:31:44,339 But when God is seen as a father filled with love, 636 00:31:44,339 –> 00:31:47,540 then the soul will be filled with love to God in return, 637 00:31:47,619 –> 00:31:50,420 and again, all that we learn of God 638 00:31:50,420 –> 00:31:52,219 will only frighten us away from him 639 00:31:52,219 –> 00:31:55,579 if we do not see him as loving and merciful to us. 640 00:31:55,579 –> 00:31:59,020 But if your heart is taken up with the father’s love, 641 00:31:59,979 –> 00:32:02,520 it cannot help but choose to be overpowered 642 00:32:02,520 –> 00:32:05,180 and conquered and embraced by him. 643 00:32:06,219 –> 00:32:08,520 You see how important this prayer is? 644 00:32:08,520 –> 00:32:12,699 Oh, says Paul, me, the Lord direct your heart 645 00:32:12,699 –> 00:32:15,060 into the love of Christ. 646 00:32:15,060 –> 00:32:19,160 Don’t let the devil paint God in these other colors. 647 00:32:20,880 –> 00:32:23,199 Some of you have thought for years of God, 648 00:32:23,199 –> 00:32:24,199 even though you worship, 649 00:32:24,199 –> 00:32:25,739 even though you believe in your heart, 650 00:32:25,739 –> 00:32:29,520 you think of God is cold and aloof and harsh and condemning, 651 00:32:29,520 –> 00:32:31,880 and that is so deeply rooted in your mind. 652 00:32:33,420 –> 00:32:34,439 And you need this prayer, 653 00:32:34,439 –> 00:32:38,619 father direct my heart into your love. 654 00:32:40,599 –> 00:32:42,020 Ask God for this. 655 00:32:42,079 –> 00:32:46,319 Go on ask him until the warmth 656 00:32:47,199 –> 00:32:49,819 of his love does to your heart 657 00:32:51,160 –> 00:32:53,000 what the warmth of the sun has done 658 00:32:53,000 –> 00:32:55,339 to piles of snow this week. 659 00:32:56,880 –> 00:32:57,900 Melt it. 660 00:32:59,060 –> 00:33:01,959 So that everything you see around is utterly transformed. 661 00:33:03,739 –> 00:33:07,739 Come dissatisfied with your present spiritual experience, 662 00:33:08,680 –> 00:33:13,500 ask God to direct your heart into his love. 663 00:33:15,119 –> 00:33:20,119 And lastly gaze into the love of God in Jesus Christ. 664 00:33:22,479 –> 00:33:25,560 Bowser uses that language I love it. 665 00:33:25,560 –> 00:33:27,599 The gaze of the soul. 666 00:33:27,599 –> 00:33:31,939 He got it from Psalm 27 in verse four I’m sure 667 00:33:31,939 –> 00:33:34,520 for the psalmist says one thing I’ve asked of the Lord. 668 00:33:34,520 –> 00:33:36,060 Here’s passion in direction. 669 00:33:36,060 –> 00:33:38,280 One thing I’ve asked of the Lord. 670 00:33:38,280 –> 00:33:40,719 Here it is that I may dwell in the house of the Lord 671 00:33:40,719 –> 00:33:42,359 all the days of my life 672 00:33:42,359 –> 00:33:46,000 and may gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. 673 00:33:46,000 –> 00:33:48,920 I wanna have my gaze upon him. 674 00:33:48,920 –> 00:33:52,099 I want all that’s in him to be filling my soul. 675 00:33:53,760 –> 00:33:56,119 By the way have you noticed this? 676 00:33:56,119 –> 00:34:00,319 People who don’t like each other glance. 677 00:34:01,680 –> 00:34:03,500 Right, okay. 678 00:34:03,500 –> 00:34:06,140 People who do like each other look. 679 00:34:07,540 –> 00:34:09,100 People who love each other gaze. 680 00:34:12,699 –> 00:34:14,179 Gaze. 681 00:34:15,280 –> 00:34:18,439 I’ve been gazing into this lady’s eyes for 30 years. 682 00:34:19,899 –> 00:34:21,100 I don’t ever wanna stop. 683 00:34:22,820 –> 00:34:26,479 Watts used another word to say the same thing 684 00:34:26,479 –> 00:34:27,320 in that great hymn. 685 00:34:27,320 –> 00:34:30,100 When I survey the wondrous cross. 686 00:34:30,979 –> 00:34:33,979 Though survey, gaze, ponder, meditate on, 687 00:34:33,979 –> 00:34:38,300 behold the love of God, the patience of Christ. 688 00:34:38,300 –> 00:34:39,600 Write it down in that notebook 689 00:34:39,600 –> 00:34:41,340 every time you see it in the Bible. 690 00:34:41,340 –> 00:34:43,239 Reinforce it in your soul. 691 00:34:44,419 –> 00:34:46,580 May the Lord direct your hearts 692 00:34:46,580 –> 00:34:50,679 into God’s love and into Christ’s patience. 693 00:34:52,439 –> 00:34:53,879 Now there are two ways in which 694 00:34:53,879 –> 00:34:56,659 you may respond to the scriptures today. 695 00:34:57,620 –> 00:35:01,179 One is that something is awakened in you. 696 00:35:01,179 –> 00:35:02,979 Deep calls to deep. 697 00:35:02,979 –> 00:35:05,020 And maybe you will be saying today 698 00:35:05,020 –> 00:35:06,280 with your open Bible, 699 00:35:06,280 –> 00:35:09,100 I want more of what he is talking about. 700 00:35:09,100 –> 00:35:10,199 That’s what I want. 701 00:35:11,139 –> 00:35:13,979 And for you this is like the sound of a church bell. 702 00:35:13,979 –> 00:35:17,300 It’s drawing you in to seek after God. 703 00:35:17,300 –> 00:35:20,060 I just say to you, settle it today. 704 00:35:20,060 –> 00:35:22,360 Settle it today that you will pursue 705 00:35:22,360 –> 00:35:26,060 a sweeter taste and a deeper experience 706 00:35:26,139 –> 00:35:28,780 and a clearer glimpse of the love of God 707 00:35:28,780 –> 00:35:30,419 and the patience of Christ. 708 00:35:30,419 –> 00:35:31,679 And I just say to you, 709 00:35:31,679 –> 00:35:34,159 as that has been placed in your soul today, 710 00:35:34,159 –> 00:35:38,419 go after it and don’t ever stop! 711 00:35:38,419 –> 00:35:39,620 Don’t ever stop! 712 00:35:40,820 –> 00:35:42,199 Your life pursuit. 713 00:35:43,419 –> 00:35:46,639 No more of the love of God and the patience of Christ 714 00:35:46,639 –> 00:35:51,459 in this soul and for the soul to be expanded 715 00:35:51,459 –> 00:35:52,860 by the very knowledge of it. 716 00:35:53,760 –> 00:35:57,699 Go after it and don’t ever stop. 717 00:35:59,580 –> 00:36:01,179 Some of you may be thinking, 718 00:36:02,120 –> 00:36:04,060 when is he going to wind up 719 00:36:04,060 –> 00:36:06,320 and let us go get a cup of coffee? 720 00:36:08,020 –> 00:36:11,139 And for you, if you’re saying that, 721 00:36:11,139 –> 00:36:12,260 and will be a few are just, 722 00:36:12,260 –> 00:36:14,260 what in the world is all this? 723 00:36:16,139 –> 00:36:17,139 That’s you today. 724 00:36:17,139 –> 00:36:18,780 Then I say that today’s message 725 00:36:18,780 –> 00:36:21,300 is not like the sound of a church bell for you, 726 00:36:21,340 –> 00:36:23,560 it is more like the sound of an alarm clock 727 00:36:23,560 –> 00:36:25,659 for you waking you up. 728 00:36:25,659 –> 00:36:28,239 And if there is no response within you 729 00:36:28,239 –> 00:36:30,379 to the love of God, I ask you, 730 00:36:30,379 –> 00:36:31,899 should you not be concerned 731 00:36:31,899 –> 00:36:33,540 about the state of your own soul? 732 00:36:35,620 –> 00:36:37,139 I hope that you will go out 733 00:36:37,139 –> 00:36:38,899 of this worship center today 734 00:36:38,899 –> 00:36:41,540 if that has been how it is with you this morning, 735 00:36:41,540 –> 00:36:43,379 and you will ask this question. 736 00:36:43,379 –> 00:36:46,899 You will say, what is wrong with me 737 00:36:47,739 –> 00:36:52,199 that I have no interest in the love of Christ? 738 00:36:53,260 –> 00:36:55,020 What is wrong with me? 739 00:36:56,659 –> 00:36:59,820 Here are people all around me, 740 00:36:59,820 –> 00:37:03,139 and they are hungry and thirsty for God, 741 00:37:03,139 –> 00:37:05,239 and I’m not, why? 742 00:37:07,179 –> 00:37:08,419 Why am I so satisfied? 743 00:37:09,939 –> 00:37:12,219 Perhaps as the alarm sounds for you, 744 00:37:12,219 –> 00:37:14,979 God will use it to awaken you today 745 00:37:14,979 –> 00:37:16,739 from the deadness of spirit 746 00:37:18,239 –> 00:37:22,679 in which you have been asleep for far too long. 747 00:37:24,260 –> 00:37:25,780 Let’s pray together, shall we? 748 00:37:28,899 –> 00:37:30,300 Oh God, we need this prayer, 749 00:37:30,300 –> 00:37:33,020 and we make it our own right now. 750 00:37:35,899 –> 00:37:38,919 Loving Father, direct us into your love. 751 00:37:39,239 –> 00:37:44,239 Take these small, shriveled and too often cold hearts 752 00:37:47,360 –> 00:37:50,979 and plunge us into a greater knowledge 753 00:37:50,979 –> 00:37:55,439 of your love and patience of our dear Savior. 754 00:37:57,520 –> 00:38:00,600 Deliver us from the spurious logic 755 00:38:00,600 –> 00:38:04,000 in which some of us have been trapped for way too long 756 00:38:04,000 –> 00:38:06,860 that because we found you, we are no longer seeking you. 757 00:38:09,040 –> 00:38:12,459 Grant to us not simply to know some things in our heads, 758 00:38:14,120 –> 00:38:16,080 taste the sweetness of your love 759 00:38:16,080 –> 00:38:19,120 and so to grow in all that it is. 760 00:38:20,879 –> 00:38:21,959 Be your children, 761 00:38:23,760 –> 00:38:26,800 until the day when faith is turned to sight 762 00:38:26,800 –> 00:38:30,479 and we enter into the full knowledge of that love 763 00:38:30,479 –> 00:38:33,379 that is greater than we can fathom right now, 764 00:38:34,340 –> 00:38:38,860 and your love will be our joy and our life 765 00:38:40,340 –> 00:38:42,060 forever and forever, 766 00:38:43,419 –> 00:38:45,280 all God’s people together said.