100:00:00,160 –> 00:00:09,020I want us to see why it is that if people ditch their belief in the wrath200:00:09,020 –> 00:00:15,720of God, they actually end up further away from peace, because God has put300:00:15,720 –> 00:00:21,139these things together. Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m400:00:21,139 –> 00:00:24,959David Pick. I’m so glad you could be with us today and Colin, am I getting this500:00:24,959 –> 00:00:27,980right? You’re saying God put peace and wrath600:00:27,980 –> 00:00:33,959together? He absolutely did and he did that in Romans chapter 12 in verse 18700:00:33,959 –> 00:00:40,160it says, if possible so far as it depends on you live peaceably with each other. So800:00:40,160 –> 00:00:44,820there’s peace and then in the very next verse the Apostle says, beloved, never900:00:44,820 –> 00:00:49,520avenge yourselves but leave it to the wrath of God. So there’s living peaceably1000:00:49,520 –> 00:00:54,779with all people on the one hand and leaving it with the wrath of God on the1100:00:55,139 –> 00:00:59,500other hand and these two are put together. Now we try to be serious about1200:00:59,500 –> 00:01:04,180facing even difficult truths in the Bible and here for sure is one that we1300:01:04,180 –> 00:01:08,900will find difficult. Can you really believe in a God who is angry? How can a1400:01:08,900 –> 00:01:14,419God who is wrathful and judges sin be a God of love. We’re going to look at that1500:01:14,419 –> 00:01:19,260straight together and we’re gonna see how it is that the wrath of God and our1600:01:19,260 –> 00:01:23,300ability to live at peace with one another are actually tied together in1700:01:23,300 –> 00:01:28,220the Scripture. Let’s look at that more carefully in Romans chapter 12 verses1800:01:28,220 –> 00:01:33,37917 to 21 as we begin the message Overcoming Evil with Peace1900:01:33,379 –> 00:01:40,260Here’s Colin. Today we are looking at the themes that are in verse 18 and 19 of2000:01:40,260 –> 00:01:48,339Romans and chapter 12 verse 18. If possible so far as it depends on you live2100:01:48,599 –> 00:01:57,019peaceably with all beloved never avenge yourselves but leave it to the wrath of2200:01:57,019 –> 00:02:06,019God for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay says the Lord now there are2300:02:06,019 –> 00:02:10,259two themes in these two verses and one of them is widely loved and the other2400:02:10,259 –> 00:02:16,580one is widely loathed but here they are together the one that is widely loved of2500:02:16,820 –> 00:02:23,020is peace live peaceably with all everybody loves that but the one that is2600:02:23,020 –> 00:02:27,380widely loathed is the theme of wrath in the next verse leave it to the wrath of2700:02:27,380 –> 00:02:35,399God for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay says the Lord and yet here2800:02:35,399 –> 00:02:40,539we have these two one widely loved one widely loathed peace and wrath and they2900:02:40,539 –> 00:02:44,500stand not only together in these two verses but they stand in such a way that3000:02:44,500 –> 00:02:52,039they are intertwined so that if we were to ditch one we actually lose the other3100:02:52,039 –> 00:02:59,800and God has put these together because they belong together and I want us to3200:02:59,800 –> 00:03:06,660see today why that is so I want us to see why it is that if people ditch their3300:03:06,660 –> 00:03:14,220belief in the wrath of God they actually end up further away from peace because3400:03:14,300 –> 00:03:19,580God has put these things together so that’s where we’re headed today let’s as3500:03:19,580 –> 00:03:24,199an overview begin by looking at the themes themselves peace verse 18 if3600:03:24,199 –> 00:03:29,580possible as far as it depends on you live peaceably with all so here is a3700:03:29,580 –> 00:03:35,380very clear call from God very practical indirect do everything in your power to3800:03:35,380 –> 00:03:40,559live at peace with everyone no exceptions make sure that if there is a3900:03:40,759 –> 00:03:44,839to peace in a particular situation that it’s not been constructed on your4000:03:44,839 –> 00:03:51,320side why because Jesus our Jesus is the prince of peace and that means that as4100:03:51,320 –> 00:03:56,119his people we are called to peace the book of Proverbs we’re told we’re to4200:03:56,119 –> 00:03:59,720plan for peace in other words try and find strategies that will move in that4300:03:59,720 –> 00:04:05,399direction we are Peter says to seek peace that means that we may have to go4400:04:05,399 –> 00:04:09,479after it for some time seek peace and pursue it it may be a long way off in4500:04:09,699 –> 00:04:14,720but at least try to begin moving in that direction take some first steps4600:04:14,720 –> 00:04:19,559we’re to strive for peace Hebrews chapter 12 in verse 14 which indicates4700:04:19,559 –> 00:04:24,640that we may have to work really really hard to go after it we’re to guard our4800:04:24,640 –> 00:04:28,359peace where there is peace we’re to be sure that we’re not the ones who break4900:04:28,359 –> 00:04:32,200it maintain the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and of course we are5000:04:32,200 –> 00:04:37,279to pray for peace now notice particularly what this verse5100:04:37,679 –> 00:04:43,179it says if possible so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all and these5200:04:43,179 –> 00:04:47,140first words if possible clearly indicate that there may be some situations in5300:04:47,140 –> 00:04:51,000which it is very difficult and indeed some situations in which it may not even5400:04:51,000 –> 00:04:54,959be possible at all there may be sometimes in your life where having done5500:04:54,959 –> 00:05:01,079everything you can having extended yourself in the cause of peace you find5600:05:01,079 –> 00:05:06,839yourself still in a position of conflict the barrier to peace is not on your side5700:05:07,119 –> 00:05:13,359now just to put in a note here isn’t it wonderful that the Bible is God’s word5800:05:13,359 –> 00:05:20,600to real life as we experience it here in this fallen world we live in a world in5900:05:20,600 –> 00:05:28,279which we see the face of evil we see it in hatred we see it in violence we see6000:05:28,279 –> 00:05:35,420it in justice we see it in abuse and here is this calling to live peaceably6100:05:35,480 –> 00:05:40,440with all and of course the question is one how are we to do that in this world6200:05:40,440 –> 00:05:44,339how am I to live peaceably in a world where there may be some people who want6300:05:44,339 –> 00:05:53,339to kill or destroy or abuse now that is why verse 19 comes after verse 18 and6400:05:53,339 –> 00:06:00,059why as I want us to see today the two belong together and God moves from6500:06:00,239 –> 00:06:05,700speaking about the pursuit of peace in a fallen world to the reality of this6600:06:05,700 –> 00:06:10,980other truth that belongs alongside it the truth of God’s wrath so we move6700:06:10,980 –> 00:06:14,839from the one that’s widely loved now to the one that’s widely low but it’s here6800:06:14,839 –> 00:06:19,540verse 19 and it’s here for a reason beloved never avenge yourselves but6900:06:19,540 –> 00:06:25,739leave it to the wrath of God for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay7000:06:25,739 –> 00:06:31,880says the Lord now throughout the history of the church there have been many7100:06:31,880 –> 00:06:36,019people who’ve been embarrassed by this truth and they have wanted to ditch it7200:06:36,019 –> 00:06:42,859to redefine it or to kind of move beyond it a god who is angry7300:06:42,859 –> 00:06:48,299no no no we can’t have that it’s fascinating how far back this goes in7400:06:48,299 –> 00:06:54,619the history of the church as early as the second century the second century7500:06:54,619 –> 00:07:02,380the great African leader of the church Tertullian reports revisionists in the7600:07:02,380 –> 00:07:07,320second century who were trying to redefine God in a way that moved away7700:07:07,320 –> 00:07:11,040from what we’re reading here in the Bible that speaks about his wrath and7800:07:11,040 –> 00:07:16,579these revisionists said this i’m quoting from Tertullian they said a better god7900:07:16,660 –> 00:07:24,880has been discovered one who is neither offended nor angry nor inflicts8000:07:24,880 –> 00:07:32,000punishment who has no fire warming up in hell and no outer darkness where there8100:07:32,000 –> 00:07:39,119is gnashing of teeth he is merely kind so as early as the second century there8200:07:39,119 –> 00:07:44,399were revisionists who were in the church who were saying now we can’t have this8300:07:44,420 –> 00:07:50,660in the Bible about a God who is angry. We have to move beyond it we have to find a8400:07:50,660 –> 00:07:56,679better God. A better God has been discovered, they said. Now, this theme of8500:07:56,679 –> 00:08:05,040the wrath of God towards sin and towards sinners widely taught across both the8600:08:05,040 –> 00:08:11,040Old and the New Testament is so interwoven with our hopes of peace with8700:08:11,040 –> 00:08:21,640each other and peace with God that if we ditch the one we inevitably lose the8800:08:21,640 –> 00:08:28,200other and this is true not only with regards to an individual it is also true8900:08:28,200 –> 00:08:33,960I want to show you today in family life it is true in the workplace it is true9000:08:33,960 –> 00:08:38,000in the church it is true in the community and it is true for the nation9100:08:38,260 –> 00:08:45,599God has intertwined the themes of peace and of his wrath in such a way that if9200:08:45,599 –> 00:08:50,900you lose one you actually end up losing the other that’s what I want us to see9300:08:50,900 –> 00:08:55,340at today so let me now offer to you a definition of the wrath of God I have9400:08:55,340 –> 00:09:00,039six comments on it and then I want us having looked at and hopefully9500:09:00,039 –> 00:09:03,380understood well what the Bible says about the wrath of God for us to apply9600:09:03,380 –> 00:09:07,659that to peace with each other and then to peace with God so that’s where we’re9700:09:07,659 –> 00:09:13,119going this morning let me give you a definition from John Stott a great Bible9800:09:13,119 –> 00:09:17,900scholar he says the wrath of God is his steady unrelenting unremitting9900:09:17,900 –> 00:09:22,780uncompromising antagonism to evil in all of its forms and in all of its10000:09:22,780 –> 00:09:29,059manifestations. Very clear! Dr. G.I. Packer says the same thing in different words he10100:09:29,059 –> 00:09:32,979says it is God’s resolute action in punishing sin that’s what the wrath of10200:09:33,099 –> 00:09:37,340God is and reference to it is all over Old and New Testament10300:09:37,340 –> 00:09:42,400in the Bible now six observations about the wrath of God things that are very10400:09:42,400 –> 00:09:50,179important to understand. Number one the anger of God is not like our anger10500:09:50,179 –> 00:09:56,080really important please understand that whenever we speak about the wrath of God10600:09:56,080 –> 00:10:01,299we are speaking about the wrath of God and what that means is that we need to10700:10:01,380 –> 00:10:05,159pour into our understanding of that everything that we know about God which10800:10:05,159 –> 00:10:13,440includes his justice it includes his goodness and it includes his love. The10900:10:13,440 –> 00:10:18,940reason this is so important is whenever we hear the word wrath or anger when you11000:10:18,940 –> 00:10:22,659hear that word what’s instinctively going to happen is that your mind will11100:10:22,659 –> 00:10:27,859go to the worst experience of anger that you’ve ever had in your life and so11200:10:28,020 –> 00:10:32,280probably instinctively going to think when you even hear the word anger about11300:10:32,280 –> 00:10:40,219someone who is habitually angry, someone who loses his or her temper, someone who11400:10:40,219 –> 00:10:46,719sees red, flies into a rage, blows a fuse, someone who unpredictably gets out of11500:10:46,719 –> 00:10:50,479the wrong side of the bed in the morning so to speak, you’re going to think about11600:10:50,479 –> 00:10:54,140an anger that can be petty you’re thinking about an anger that can be11700:10:54,219 –> 00:11:01,419disproportionate because these things are so often true of human anger . Now what11800:11:01,419 –> 00:11:05,099you have to do is this you have to say that’s true of human anger, none of these11900:11:05,099 –> 00:11:09,419things is true of the anger of God it is the wrath of God it’s not like our anger12000:11:09,419 –> 00:11:16,099because his ways are not our ways. God’s wrath is his just and his measured12100:11:16,099 –> 00:11:23,760response towards all evil and so we have to pour into our understanding of God’s12200:11:23,900 –> 00:11:27,219wrath that it is the wrath of God and therefore we poured into that everything12300:11:27,219 –> 00:11:30,099that we know to be true about God from the whole of scripture.12400:11:31,299 –> 00:11:32,239You’re listening to12500:11:32,239 –> 00:11:36,159Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called overcoming evil12600:11:36,159 –> 00:11:41,479with peace it’s part of our series overcoming evil based on Romans 12 and12700:11:41,479 –> 00:11:45,080if you’ve missed any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again12800:11:45,080 –> 00:11:51,359those are all available on our website at openthebible.org.uk you can also12900:11:51,359 –> 00:11:56,700find them on your favorite podcast site by searching for open the Bible UK open13000:11:56,700 –> 00:12:00,820the Bible is supportive by our listeners and this month we have an offer if13100:12:00,820 –> 00:12:05,059you’re able to begin setting up a new direct debit to the work of open the13200:12:05,059 –> 00:12:09,039Bible and I’ll be talking to open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham about that13300:12:09,039 –> 00:12:13,000later so I hope you’ll stay with us back to the message now we’re in Romans13400:12:13,000 –> 00:12:17,099chapter 12 here’s Colin we have to pour into our13500:12:17,099 –> 00:12:21,099understanding of God’s wrath that it is the wrath of God and therefore we poured13600:12:21,479 –> 00:12:25,760everything that we know to be true about God from the whole of Scripture second13700:12:25,760 –> 00:12:30,979God’s wrath is provoked now this is repeated many many times in the13800:12:30,979 –> 00:12:34,440scripture I’m just going to in each of these things take one example to give13900:12:34,440 –> 00:12:38,039you the language of the Bible and you can trace it if you want to in other14000:12:38,039 –> 00:12:43,520verses later but do not forget Deuteronomy chapter 9 in verse 7 how you14100:12:43,520 –> 00:12:49,619provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness in other words the anger14200:12:49,840 –> 00:12:59,679of God is not something that resides in him by nature it is his response to evil14300:12:59,679 –> 00:13:06,799it is there for provoked provoked by evil and this is the huge difference of14400:13:06,799 –> 00:13:10,179course that we need to understand between the love of God and the wrath of14500:13:10,179 –> 00:13:18,440God that the love of God is not provoked God is loved that is his nature in other14600:13:18,440 –> 00:13:23,219words God does not love us because he sees some wisdom or beauty or goodness14700:13:23,219 –> 00:13:29,719in us know the reason that God loves us does not lie in our nature it’s not14800:13:29,719 –> 00:13:34,799provoked by some beauty that is in us the reason that God loves us lies in his14900:13:34,799 –> 00:13:39,299nature he loves us because he loves us that’s Deuteronomy chapter 7 in verse15000:13:39,299 –> 00:13:43,4797 you never get beyond this the reason that God loves you is that he loves you15100:13:43,479 –> 00:13:50,419it flows from his very nature it is not provoked it comes from who he is but is15200:13:50,419 –> 00:14:00,320wrath is different his wrath is his holy response to the intrusion of evil in the15300:14:00,320 –> 00:14:06,479world so that if there was no sin in the world there would be no wrath in God15400:14:06,479 –> 00:14:11,280so the Bible is teaching about the wrath of God it’s very very different from15500:14:11,280 –> 00:14:15,679these ancient mythologies you know in the ancient world you get these stories15600:14:15,679 –> 00:14:19,900about these gods that are kind of running around the place always fuming15700:14:19,900 –> 00:14:27,700that’s what the wrath of God is like at all not like our wrath and it is a15800:14:27,700 –> 00:14:34,179response that is provoked it is God’s response to the intrusion of evil into15900:14:34,940 –> 00:14:41,299world and friends thank God for this because you see when the second-century16000:14:41,299 –> 00:14:48,460revisionists were saying we want a God who is merely kind what hope is there of16100:14:48,460 –> 00:14:58,239peace in a world that is stocked by terror if God merely with kindness16200:14:58,239 –> 00:15:03,340smiles upon the world or perhaps just has a little bit of a hint of a frown on16300:15:03,520 –> 00:15:09,640his brow there’s no hope there you see for peace in the world is there where is16400:15:09,640 –> 00:15:16,000the hope of peace the hope of peace the prospect of a new heaven and of a new16500:15:16,000 –> 00:15:24,219earth lies in this that God is relentlessly opposed to evil that he has16600:15:24,219 –> 00:15:28,799the power and the capacity and the will to destroy it and he has said that he16700:15:29,140 –> 00:15:34,219and so when he does destroy it there will be a new heaven and there will be a new16800:15:34,219 –> 00:15:38,140earth and it is the home of righteousness so that the peace that16900:15:38,140 –> 00:15:41,940will be enjoyed by the people of God forever and forever and forever actually17000:15:41,940 –> 00:15:46,460will be the effect of and the result of the exercise of his wrap you lose the17100:15:46,460 –> 00:15:52,900one you lose the other number three God is slow to anger17200:15:53,119 –> 00:15:59,559I was remember this as you ponder this subject some 103 in verse 8 the Lord17300:15:59,559 –> 00:16:03,340is merciful and gracious he is slow to anger and he is abounding in steadfast17400:16:03,340 –> 00:16:08,799love now slow to anger we ask the question why doesn’t God just deal with17500:16:08,799 –> 00:16:16,080all the evil right now everyone asked that question and perhaps the clearest17600:16:16,080 –> 00:16:21,719answer in the Bible to it is in Second Peter chapter 3 in verse 9 where Peter17700:16:21,799 –> 00:16:27,039says that God is not slow regarding his promise the reason that he’s not dealt17800:16:27,039 –> 00:16:33,460with all evil now is that he is patient and the reason for his patience is that17900:16:33,460 –> 00:16:37,859he does not wish that any should perish but that all should come to a knowledge18000:16:37,859 –> 00:16:43,739of the truth so think of this God has opened wonderfully the store of grace18100:16:43,739 –> 00:16:49,260and mercy and every day around the world there are people who are coming in18200:16:49,260 –> 00:16:55,619through it and one day God will put an end to all evil he will come and in his18300:16:55,619 –> 00:16:59,640wrath he will deal with it all but at that point the door of grace and a18400:16:59,640 –> 00:17:05,119forgiveness will be closed and God is not in a hurry to do that18500:17:05,119 –> 00:17:11,140he rejoices to keep the door open as people come day by day into the18600:17:11,140 –> 00:17:15,839knowledge of his love and of his mercy he’s slow to anger and this is an18700:17:16,359 –> 00:17:24,459effect of his grace a reflection of his grace. number four God’s anger or wrath18800:17:24,459 –> 00:17:30,260is revealed now it’s both present and future but it is revealed now this is18900:17:30,260 –> 00:17:36,060Romans 118 the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and19000:17:36,060 –> 00:17:43,900unrighteousness of men and understanding Romans 1 is really important for these19100:17:43,979 –> 00:17:54,719days in which we live when sin abounds it really goes in three directions Paul19200:17:54,719 –> 00:17:59,780says in Romans chapter 1 that people suppress the truth about God they19300:17:59,780 –> 00:18:04,660exchange the truth for a lie and they worship things that have been created19400:18:04,660 –> 00:18:12,359rather than the creator and when sin abounds God expresses or manifests or19500:18:12,359 –> 00:18:18,640reveals his wrath how? Answer, by giving people up by19600:18:18,640 –> 00:18:24,479allowing them the pursuit of no longer restraining them from allowing them the19700:18:24,479 –> 00:18:31,319pursuit of what they chose he gives them up and you have that three times in just19800:18:31,319 –> 00:18:35,800a few verses in Romans chapter 1 God gave them up to the lusts of their19900:18:36,640 –> 00:18:43,439God gave them up to dishonorable passions God gave them up to a debased mind20000:18:43,439 –> 00:18:51,400that’s Romans 1 verse 24 verse 26 and verse 28 and this giving them up God20100:18:51,400 –> 00:18:57,640allowing that just to go that’s what it’s saying is actually a manifestation20200:18:57,640 –> 00:19:03,280of His judgment and of His wrath that’s the point of Romans chapter 1 so here’s20300:19:03,339 –> 00:19:13,199what that means when we see the moral fabric of our culture being torn then as20400:19:13,199 –> 00:19:20,140Christian believers we should cry to God for mercy and we should say on the20500:19:20,140 –> 00:19:27,920basis of Romans 1 Lord we see this as the evidence of your judgment as a20600:19:28,079 –> 00:19:33,819manifestation of your wrath and therefore we are pleading with you in20700:19:33,819 –> 00:19:44,900wrath remember mercy and please O Lord do not give us up completely number20800:19:44,900 –> 00:19:51,079five God’s wrath is stored up so it’s already revealed but most of it is still20900:19:51,079 –> 00:19:56,719stored up and this is Romans 2 in verse 5 because of your hardened impenitent21000:19:57,180 –> 00:20:03,760storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment21100:20:03,760 –> 00:20:08,680will be revealed and so you know that the whole Bible story really leads up to21200:20:08,680 –> 00:20:14,439a day when God will deal with all evil fully and finally and forever that will21300:20:14,439 –> 00:20:19,319be the day when God’s judgment will be fully revealed and it is described here21400:20:19,319 –> 00:20:24,199as the day of wrath it will be the day when God recompenses every evil and21500:20:24,199 –> 00:20:31,800brings to justice every sin and always remember God will do this in perfect21600:20:31,800 –> 00:20:37,819justice so that the Bible says when the judgment is done every mouth will be21700:20:37,819 –> 00:20:41,000stopped nobody will have any complaint because21800:20:41,000 –> 00:20:45,959everyone will know that God judged in truth and that he judged in justice and21900:20:45,959 –> 00:20:51,939that he judged in righteousness and then when he’s done with all of that he will22000:20:52,540 –> 00:20:56,739And you have none in you earth and that will be the home of righteousness into22100:20:56,739 –> 00:21:04,119which he will bring all of the redeemed sixth observation is simply this the22200:21:04,119 –> 00:21:10,900God’s wrath is on sinners and here we’re looking at John chapter 3 and verse 3622300:21:10,900 –> 00:21:18,020whoever believes in the Sun has eternal life whoever does not obey the Sun shall22400:21:18,020 –> 00:21:20,699not see life but22500:21:21,939 –> 00:21:30,459God remains on him now notice these words very very carefully John does not22600:21:30,459 –> 00:21:34,060say that the person who does not believe and does not obey the Son of God he does22700:21:34,060 –> 00:21:41,300not say that the wrath of God will come on him what does it say the wrath of God22800:21:41,300 –> 00:21:50,300will remain on him in other words it’s already there why is it already there22900:21:50,339 –> 00:21:55,520because Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 3 by nature we are children of wrath23000:21:55,520 –> 00:22:01,579that’s the state in which we were born and so here friends we really do come to23100:22:01,579 –> 00:22:06,859the core of the human problem at the very heart when you strip everything23200:22:06,859 –> 00:22:12,979else away what is at the heart of the heart of the problem of the human23300:22:12,979 –> 00:22:20,239condition if you’re to boil it down you come down to this at the heart23400:22:20,239 –> 00:22:25,739of the human problem is not that we are somehow lost and need to find our way in23500:22:25,739 –> 00:22:31,800a spiritual journey it is not that we are wounded and somehow need to be23600:22:31,800 –> 00:22:38,160healed the core of the problem of the human condition of every person born23700:22:38,160 –> 00:22:43,859into the world is this that we are sinners under the judgment of God and23800:22:43,880 –> 00:22:52,680that the wrath hangs over us unless and until it is taken away now these are23900:22:52,680 –> 00:22:56,459six things that we need to know in relation to this very important theme24000:22:56,459 –> 00:23:02,219and often unpopular theme of the wrath of God24100:23:02,219 –> 00:23:07,119Pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible with a message called overcoming evil24200:23:07,119 –> 00:23:10,959with peace and we’ll be continuing the message in our next broadcast so I hope24300:23:10,959 –> 00:23:14,800you’ll be able to tune in for that. Open the Bible is supported by our listeners24400:23:14,800 –> 00:23:20,060and this month if you’re able to begin a new direct debit to the work of Open the24500:23:20,060 –> 00:23:24,819Bible in the amount of five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of 5024600:23:24,819 –> 00:23:29,479pounds or more we’d love to send you three copies of Pastor Colin’s24700:23:29,479 –> 00:23:36,219devotional book, Green Pastures Still Waters. It’s based on Psalm 23, and I24800:23:36,579 –> 00:23:41,000opened the Bible as Amanda Cunningham how we might be blessed by reading this book.24900:23:41,000 –> 00:23:46,239Thanks David, as I’m sure our listeners would agree the cold dark days of25000:23:46,239 –> 00:23:52,119January and February can often feel like a hard slog and if you are already25100:23:52,119 –> 00:23:56,979facing struggles in your life then it can be particularly hard. That’s why we25200:23:56,979 –> 00:24:02,219hope that our February book offer, Green Pastures Still Waters by Colin Smith25300:24:02,920 –> 00:24:08,439will be a real encouragement to you. The thirty one day devotion in Psalm 2325400:24:08,439 –> 00:24:13,680reminds us that we don’t have to navigate dark valleys on our own. There25500:24:13,680 –> 00:24:19,380is a good Shepherd who is ready to lead us, protect us and walk with us and25600:24:19,380 –> 00:24:23,959actually David we’re giving away three copies of the book so do be praying25700:24:23,959 –> 00:24:28,199about whether there is someone that you could give a copy to who might also need25800:24:28,239 –> 00:24:32,180that encouragement. Indeed if you find the boook helpful25900:24:32,180 –> 00:24:36,520why not get in touch and let me know I would love to hear from you. You can26000:24:36,520 –> 00:24:44,359contact me at hello at open the Bible dot org dot UK. So three copies of that26100:24:44,359 –> 00:24:49,719book Grean Pastures, Still Waters by Pastor Colin Smith are our gift to you26200:24:49,719 –> 00:24:53,780if you’re able to set up a new direct debit to the work of open the Bible in26300:24:53,939 –> 00:24:58,680the amount of five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of fifty pounds26400:24:58,680 –> 00:25:03,540or more. Full details terms and conditions are on our website that’s at26500:25:03,540 –> 00:25:09,819open the Bible dot org dot UK. For open the Bible and for pastor Colin Smith26600:25:09,819 –> 00:25:17,140I’m David pic and I hope you’ll be able to join us again next time26700:25:17,140 –> 00:25:21,900there are three things you need to know in order to have peace and to bring26800:25:21,900 –> 00:25:27,739peace find out what they are next time on open the Bible