100:00:00,320 –> 00:00:10,320The God you worship will shape the values that you hold, and the values that you hold200:00:11,960 –> 00:00:18,540will shape the lifestyle that you pursue. There is no separating these things. God values300:00:19,459 –> 00:00:21,980they are integrally connected.400:00:21,980 –> 00:00:26,280Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could500:00:26,280 –> 00:00:31,700be with us today. And Colin, there’s some inside there, it makes a lot of sense, but600:00:31,700 –> 00:00:36,299of course that means that you have to know who that God is, and that’s the starting700:00:36,299 –> 00:00:36,840point.800:00:36,840 –> 00:00:40,580And one of the reasons that the Ten Commandments that we’re looking at are so wonderful,900:00:40,580 –> 00:00:45,020to be loved rather than pushed away, is that they really are a reflection of the character1000:00:45,020 –> 00:00:46,099of God.1100:00:46,099 –> 00:00:50,580God says, you shall not commit adultery. Why should a person not commit adultery? Why?1200:00:50,580 –> 00:00:56,680And the answer is, because God is faithful. And therefore the call to us to be faithful1300:00:56,680 –> 00:01:02,799in the bond of marriage is precisely a call to reflect the character of God himself. And1400:01:02,799 –> 00:01:08,860it’s one of the wonderful things that- what God says to us is a reflection of who he is,1500:01:08,860 –> 00:01:13,160and therefore what he calls us to. So if you take God out, you actually don’t have any1600:01:13,239 –> 00:01:17,980morality left. A lot of folks have the idea, I can be good without God. Actually, goodness1700:01:17,980 –> 00:01:19,980is a reflection of who God is.1800:01:19,980 –> 00:01:24,360So how does that work out for someone who doesn’t believe there is a God?1900:01:24,360 –> 00:01:31,360So an atheist may indeed be loyal to his wife, her husband, but when they are, they are unconsciously2000:01:34,440 –> 00:01:40,339reflecting the goodness of God. They’re unconsciously reflecting the very, very thing2100:01:40,680 –> 00:01:46,959they deny. Because at the bottom line, where does goodness and loyalty and integrity and2200:01:46,959 –> 00:01:53,519trustworthiness come from? It doesn’t evolve out of the sludge. It comes from a creator2300:01:53,519 –> 00:02:00,019God, who has made himself known. Some may not recognise the source. And that’s tragic.2400:02:00,019 –> 00:02:04,040But to then come and to know the source and to come and to say, now I want to reflect2500:02:04,040 –> 00:02:06,540more of who he is – that is wonderful.2600:02:06,540 –> 00:02:10,899It is. But it’s something we’re all struggling with, and it’s what today’s message is2700:02:10,899 –> 00:02:17,339all about. So join us, if you can, in Exodus chapter 3, as we begin Your Struggle with2800:02:17,339 –> 00:02:19,699God. Here’s Colin.2900:02:19,699 –> 00:02:29,759God spoke all these words, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the3000:02:29,979 –> 00:02:39,539land of slavery, you shall have no other gods before me. Now I want to suggest to you this3100:02:39,539 –> 00:02:47,360morning that the greatest struggle of your life and mine is simply this, our struggle3200:02:47,360 –> 00:02:55,320to let God be God. It’s very significant that before giving3300:02:55,339 –> 00:03:01,440the 10 Commandments, God introduces himself. And so it’s only appropriate that before we3400:03:01,440 –> 00:03:08,699launch into the Commandments, we actually meet the commander. I am the Lord your God,3500:03:08,699 –> 00:03:14,000he says, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. This reminds us that the 10 Commandments3600:03:14,000 –> 00:03:22,419are intensely personal. It’s this God, the only God, He’s speaking to you. And when3700:03:22,720 –> 00:03:29,720your God, it’s singular, not plural. It’s a face to face encounter. I am the Lord your3800:03:31,059 –> 00:03:38,059God. It’s so personal, a different God would have given different Commandments. So it does3900:03:39,800 –> 00:03:45,639make sense that we meet the commander before we look at what he has to say to us. Now,4000:03:45,639 –> 00:03:49,199this is particularly important for our country at this time because, you don’t need me4100:03:49,240 –> 00:03:53,639to tell you, that one of the greatest debates that’s going on in America today is the4200:03:53,639 –> 00:03:59,559debate over values. There are discussions about values going on almost everywhere that4300:03:59,559 –> 00:04:04,559you look. There are discussions about values in schools, in churches, in politics, in business.4400:04:04,559 –> 00:04:11,559What are your values? The discussion goes on everywhere. Where do you get your values?4500:04:13,580 –> 00:04:18,279How would a person know which were the right values and which were the wrong values? Or4600:04:18,359 –> 00:04:24,579is it only a matter of personal choice? And if it’s only a matter of personal choice,4700:04:24,579 –> 00:04:31,579what about the values of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, or Al-Qaeda? They have values too.4800:04:34,380 –> 00:04:40,619Values come from somewhere. And the first thing that we need to grasp about the Ten4900:04:40,619 –> 00:04:46,600Commandments is that they are a reflection of the character of God. That’s why he introduces5000:04:46,600 –> 00:04:52,500Himself before he tells us what he wants us to hear. And of course, that is precisely5100:04:52,500 –> 00:04:58,040why there is so much controversy in our country today over the display of the Ten Commandments5200:04:58,040 –> 00:05:03,799in public. The objection that the secularists have to the Ten Commandments being displayed5300:05:03,799 –> 00:05:10,559in public is simply this, that they are specifically tied to the God of the Bible. I have to say5400:05:11,019 –> 00:05:16,839that the secularists are absolutely right in saying that. They are tied to the God of5500:05:16,839 –> 00:05:24,320the Bible. They come from him and they are directly a reflection of his nature. God says5600:05:24,320 –> 00:05:31,320this is who I am. And because this is who I am, this is the life that I am calling you5700:05:31,600 –> 00:05:38,600to lead. So the God you worship will shape the values that you hold and the values that5800:05:43,420 –> 00:05:49,579you hold will in turn shape the lifestyle that you pursue. There’s no separating these5900:05:49,579 –> 00:05:56,579things. God values lifestyle. They are integrally connected. And of course the common values6000:05:57,540 –> 00:06:04,540that shape the foundation of this country arose from a consensus about God. And the6100:06:05,220 –> 00:06:10,220problem that we are facing now, of course, is that when you lose a consensus about who6200:06:10,220 –> 00:06:17,220God is, you therefore lose a consensus about what the values are. And of course when the6300:06:19,040 –> 00:06:26,040God of the Bible doesn’t fit with where we want to go, we end up with a society desperately6400:06:26,040 –> 00:06:31,559looking to find another God who can give us different values and therefore accommodate6500:06:31,559 –> 00:06:35,739a different kind of lifestyle. That’s why so many folks don’t want the Ten Commandments6600:06:35,739 –> 00:06:42,739in public. If you choose a different lifestyle, you need to find a different God. If a country6700:06:45,559 –> 00:06:52,559chooses to abort 40 million babies, it’s going to have to find another God. But if6800:06:56,619 –> 00:07:03,619this God won’t accommodate that, if a country wants to pursue the line of marriage of folks6900:07:06,559 –> 00:07:13,559in the same gender it has to find another God. So, the search is on in our country to7000:07:15,279 –> 00:07:21,420find new gods who will reflect different values and our own choices.7100:07:22,140 –> 00:07:29,140Now the fascinating thing to me is, that when you think about it, you’ll soon realize that7200:07:29,559 –> 00:07:36,559this reshaping of God, this re-figuring of God to suit a different agenda, goes all the7300:07:37,660 –> 00:07:43,100way back to The Garden of Eden. You remember that God had given just one commandment,7400:07:43,100 –> 00:07:47,339don’t touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and Satan came in to the first7500:07:47,519 –> 00:07:52,019man and the first woman in the garden and began to suggest that God’s commandment7600:07:52,019 –> 00:07:57,679was far too restrictive. His aim was simple. He wanted them to make a different choice7700:07:57,679 –> 00:08:01,619and in order to change the way in which the man and the woman would behave, he had to7800:08:01,619 –> 00:08:05,940undermine what the man and the woman believed.7900:08:05,940 –> 00:08:12,940And so he goes about it. Did God really say, you shall not eat of this tree? I mean, how8000:08:13,600 –> 00:08:20,600can anyone in the 21st century really be sure about what God has said?8100:08:23,980 –> 00:08:27,579You shall not surely die, he said in the garden.8200:08:27,579 –> 00:08:33,000You know, this idea that there are consequences that come from moral disobedience, this is8300:08:33,000 –> 00:08:39,880greatly exaggerated. This is a power play to repress people and to cause them to conform8400:08:39,880 –> 00:08:47,979to other people’s ideas, and then he says you shall be like God.8500:08:47,979 –> 00:08:54,000You can be the Lord of your own life. You can decide what’s right and wrong for yourself.8600:08:54,000 –> 00:08:57,340You can have the knowledge of good and evil. You can be in the position of being the one8700:08:57,340 –> 00:09:04,159who decides what’s right for you. This goes all the way back to the garden of Eden.8800:09:04,979 –> 00:09:10,559they become confused about who God is, then they attempt to put themselves in the place8900:09:10,559 –> 00:09:16,739of God, and when they do that, they necessarily turn away from the Creator and sin with all9000:09:16,739 –> 00:09:21,340its disastrous consequences then comes into the world. So although they did not have the9100:09:21,340 –> 00:09:26,539first commandment, obviously, in this form, I’m suggesting to you that Adam and Eve’s9200:09:26,539 –> 00:09:34,280biggest struggle was with what we have right here in the First Commandment. It’s the struggle9300:09:34,280 –> 00:09:41,820with God. And anyone who knows anything about religious history and the history of the world9400:09:41,820 –> 00:09:46,900indeed, anyone who has studied sociology, comparative religion, you will know that the9500:09:46,900 –> 00:09:52,840history of the human race is just strewn with different gods. You can study the gods of9600:09:52,880 –> 00:09:59,119the Egyptians, of the Babylonian, Baal and Nebo, of the Philistines, Baal and Dagon,9700:09:59,119 –> 00:10:12,280a history of gods that have been invented by culture in order to accommodate lifestyle.9800:10:12,280 –> 00:10:18,159And as we move into more modern times you have communism placing the state in the position9900:10:18,159 –> 00:10:24,000of God, you have capitalism placing money in the position of God, you have Hedenism10000:10:24,000 –> 00:10:28,260placing pleasure in the position of God.10100:10:28,260 –> 00:10:33,020The world is a marketplace of Gods!10200:10:33,020 –> 00:10:37,159So the question is why should we go for this God?10300:10:37,159 –> 00:10:39,799Why should we listen to what HE says?10400:10:39,799 –> 00:10:45,099You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Your Struggle10500:10:45,099 –> 00:10:46,099with God.10600:10:46,099 –> 00:10:50,700It’s part of our series, The 10 Greatest Struggles of Your Life, and in it we are seeing10700:10:50,700 –> 00:10:55,320how the ten commandments speak to some of the most relevant and important issues that10800:10:55,320 –> 00:10:56,320we face.10900:10:56,320 –> 00:11:00,159Don’t forget if you ever miss one of the series you can always catch up or go back11000:11:00,159 –> 00:11:05,799and listen again online at our website www.openthebible.org.uk.11100:11:05,799 –> 00:11:10,179Or find us as a podcast, and those are on all of the main podcast sites, search for11200:11:10,179 –> 00:11:12,640Open the Bible UK.11300:11:12,719 –> 00:11:17,080Open the Bible is here to help you with the study of God’s word.11400:11:17,099 –> 00:11:21,979And this month, If you are able to begin a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible,11500:11:21,979 –> 00:11:25,700we are offering Pastor Colin’s book Drive Through the Bible.11600:11:25,700 –> 00:11:30,419It’s a 30 day journey through the whole Bible and it will help you with your personal11700:11:30,419 –> 00:11:33,059Bible study or in a small group.11800:11:33,059 –> 00:11:37,320I’ll be talking to Colin more about this later in the program so I hope you’ll stay11900:11:37,320 –> 00:11:38,320with us.12000:11:38,320 –> 00:11:39,440Back to the message now.12100:11:39,440 –> 00:11:41,539We are in Exodus chapter 3.12200:11:41,559 –> 00:11:42,580Here’s Colin.12300:11:42,780 –> 00:11:46,080The world is a marketplace of Gods.12400:11:47,400 –> 00:11:49,919So the question is why should we go for this God?12500:11:51,419 –> 00:11:52,159Why?12600:11:53,460 –> 00:11:56,479Why should we listen to what He says?12700:11:58,500 –> 00:12:02,700I want to give you two answers that we found right here in the verses that are before us.12800:12:03,239 –> 00:12:05,320Why do we follow this God?12900:12:05,640 –> 00:12:08,320Why should we listen to and obey what He says?13000:12:09,320 –> 00:12:12,159Number one, because He is God.13100:12:12,760 –> 00:12:14,159Because He’s God.13200:12:14,739 –> 00:12:19,179I am the Lord your God.13300:12:19,679 –> 00:12:25,059Now remember that God had already introduced Himself to Moses at this same mountain earlier.13400:12:25,059 –> 00:12:29,140So I expect because there had already been the encounter with the burning bush.13500:12:29,140 –> 00:12:35,859Moses must have had a sense of deja vu of coming back to this mountain where he had had his original encounter with God.13600:12:36,059 –> 00:12:40,320And the only difference, of course, is now He has two million people standing around Him.13700:12:41,159 –> 00:12:44,400God said in Exodus 3, in verse 14,13800:12:44,400 –> 00:12:47,640I am who I am.13900:12:48,840 –> 00:12:51,280I am who I am.14000:12:53,179 –> 00:13:01,219Now, the original Hebrew gave that in just one word with four letters,14100:13:01,219 –> 00:13:05,640the letters YHWH.14200:13:06,239 –> 00:13:10,559It’s hard to be certain about how this was pronounced – this name –14300:13:10,559 –> 00:13:16,400because the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament was preserved without the vowels.14400:13:16,400 –> 00:13:21,539And how do you know how to pronounce something if you’re not sure about the vowels?14500:13:21,539 –> 00:13:25,940If you add vowels to the letters YHWH,14600:13:25,940 –> 00:13:28,919you could get something like Jehovah.14700:13:28,919 –> 00:13:32,919Or if you Anglicise that you would get Jehova,14800:13:32,919 –> 00:13:35,159which is where we get that particular name14900:13:35,159 –> 00:13:38,960in the Authorised Version Translation of the Bible, Jehovah.15000:13:38,960 –> 00:13:44,820But most scholars think today that, in fact, the name should be pronounced YHWH –15100:13:44,820 –> 00:13:49,020YHWH – with just the two vowels added to the four letters.15200:13:49,020 –> 00:13:53,599This is the name by which God made himself known to his people.15300:13:53,599 –> 00:13:57,119It is the name that he announced to Moses from the burning bush15400:13:57,119 –> 00:14:00,799and it is the name, specifically, that he uses here15500:14:00,859 –> 00:14:05,820at the beginning of the Ten Commandments as he introduces himself to his own people.15600:14:05,820 –> 00:14:09,359You always know when it is this name that is being used15700:14:09,359 –> 00:14:11,760because in your English Bible if you look very carefully15800:14:11,760 –> 00:14:14,799you will see there that the word LORD15900:14:14,799 –> 00:14:18,739is printed with four capital letters.16000:14:18,739 –> 00:14:21,239Now it is not always like that in the Old Testament16100:14:21,239 –> 00:14:23,440but whenever you see the word LORD16200:14:23,440 –> 00:14:24,859in your English Bible16300:14:24,859 –> 00:14:27,219printed with four capital letters16400:14:27,219 –> 00:14:31,460it is translating this particular name YAHWEH16500:14:31,460 –> 00:14:34,739which means I am who I am.16600:14:34,739 –> 00:14:37,719It’s the name by which God made himself to Moses16700:14:37,719 –> 00:14:39,700from the burning bush.16800:14:39,700 –> 00:14:41,520So coming back now to Exodus16900:14:41,520 –> 00:14:43,400as God is introducing himself17000:14:43,400 –> 00:14:46,559he is saying I am the Lord your God,17100:14:46,820 –> 00:14:50,059I am YAHWEH your God,17200:14:50,500 –> 00:14:52,340or to translate it right through17300:14:52,380 –> 00:14:58,299I am the, I am your God.17400:14:58,299 –> 00:14:59,760You say, okay, I’ve got that,17500:14:59,760 –> 00:15:01,400it sounded a little technical,17600:15:01,400 –> 00:15:02,799why is it important?17700:15:02,799 –> 00:15:04,520Here’s why.17800:15:04,619 –> 00:15:09,179YAHWEH is, who he is.17900:15:10,140 –> 00:15:14,239God is, who he is.18000:15:14,979 –> 00:15:19,640He’s not who ever you or I might want him to be.18100:15:19,640 –> 00:15:22,400He’s not the product of some ancient culture.18200:15:22,400 –> 00:15:28,219He wasn’t thought up by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.18300:15:28,219 –> 00:15:32,739He’s not a reflection of the ideas of Moses.18400:15:32,739 –> 00:15:36,039He is the creator and the sustainer of all things.18500:15:36,039 –> 00:15:40,080He is the unchanging self-existing God,18600:15:40,080 –> 00:15:45,840he is dependent on no one and he is obligated to no one.18700:15:46,820 –> 00:15:48,520Se that’s the point about the burning bush.18800:15:48,520 –> 00:15:51,580The fire does not depend on the bush for its life.18900:15:51,580 –> 00:15:53,659It goes on burning and the bush is not consumed.19000:15:53,659 –> 00:15:56,580It is a self-existing fire.19100:15:56,580 –> 00:15:58,559That’s how God is making Himself known.19200:15:58,559 –> 00:16:01,919He’s saying I don’t depend on anybody.19300:16:01,919 –> 00:16:07,000Bel and Nebo and Bel and Dagan, who worships them today?19400:16:07,000 –> 00:16:11,299They depend on the market that gives rise to them.19500:16:11,299 –> 00:16:15,179But I don’t says God. I am who I am.19600:16:15,299 –> 00:16:19,200From eternity to eternity I am the living God.19700:16:19,200 –> 00:16:23,200Let me introduce myself to you.19800:16:23,200 –> 00:16:25,320Some folks love Him.19900:16:25,320 –> 00:16:27,799Some folks hate Him.20000:16:27,799 –> 00:16:30,820No folks can avoid Him.20100:16:30,820 –> 00:16:32,940He is who He is.20200:16:32,940 –> 00:16:40,479So to put Him in the place of God is to conform to reality.20300:16:40,479 –> 00:16:43,919Resisting Him would be the world’s most futile business20400:16:43,960 –> 00:16:47,140because none of us can ever avoid Him.20500:16:47,140 –> 00:16:49,840There’s nobody else like Him.20600:16:49,840 –> 00:16:53,700Every other god is a product of human history and of culture.20700:16:53,700 –> 00:16:56,320They were the products of the culture that sustained them.20800:16:56,320 –> 00:16:59,619They were like pop stars.20900:16:59,619 –> 00:17:02,239That depend on the market that gives rise to them21000:17:02,239 –> 00:17:06,719and die as the market moves away from them.21100:17:06,719 –> 00:17:10,619Who worships Bail or Dagon today?21200:17:11,619 –> 00:17:15,959They were designer gods produced by and fitted to,21300:17:15,959 –> 00:17:20,599a particular culture.21400:17:20,599 –> 00:17:25,800Of course our world thinks that’s true of all religion.21500:17:25,800 –> 00:17:27,920But this God says,21600:17:27,920 –> 00:17:31,819I AM.21700:17:31,819 –> 00:17:35,260I AM.21800:17:35,260 –> 00:17:37,599And you shall have no other gods before me21900:17:37,599 –> 00:17:41,339and the reason why you and I should bow before him22000:17:41,339 –> 00:17:44,380is number one, he’s God.22100:17:44,380 –> 00:17:47,260He’s God.22200:17:47,260 –> 00:17:48,560Number two,22300:17:48,560 –> 00:17:51,979the reason we should bow before him is that he’s good.22400:17:51,979 –> 00:17:53,119I am the Lord your God22500:17:53,119 –> 00:17:54,959who brought you out of Egypt,22600:17:54,959 –> 00:17:56,260out of the Land of Slavery.22700:17:56,260 –> 00:17:59,819Now, why does he say that?22800:17:59,819 –> 00:18:03,099See, God could have said,22900:18:03,099 –> 00:18:06,160I am Yahweh your Creator.23000:18:06,339 –> 00:18:08,000I own the Cosmos.23100:18:08,000 –> 00:18:10,199That would have been true.23200:18:10,199 –> 00:18:13,920I have more power than a million nuclear bombs23300:18:13,920 –> 00:18:16,619so you better knuckle under and worship me.23400:18:16,619 –> 00:18:17,939He could have said that.23500:18:17,939 –> 00:18:20,660It’s true,23600:18:20,660 –> 00:18:24,560but it’s not what he says.23700:18:24,560 –> 00:18:26,280The Creator himself,23800:18:26,280 –> 00:18:27,400who has all power23900:18:27,400 –> 00:18:31,819and is accountable to and subject to nobody,24000:18:31,819 –> 00:18:33,900does not make his appeal to you24100:18:33,900 –> 00:18:35,760on the basis of raw power,24200:18:35,760 –> 00:18:38,819like some dictator,24300:18:38,819 –> 00:18:40,099but he comes to you24400:18:40,099 –> 00:18:42,760and appeals as the gracious God24500:18:42,760 –> 00:18:47,160who extends mercy towards you.24600:18:47,160 –> 00:18:47,900Think about that.24700:18:47,900 –> 00:18:50,939It’s awesome.24800:18:50,939 –> 00:18:53,640I am Yahweh,24900:18:53,640 –> 00:18:55,619your God who brought you out25000:18:55,619 –> 00:18:56,800of the land of Egypt,25100:18:56,800 –> 00:18:59,760he says to these folks.25200:18:59,760 –> 00:19:00,739Life in Egypt for them,25300:19:00,739 –> 00:19:01,119of course,25400:19:01,119 –> 00:19:01,839was miserable.25500:19:01,839 –> 00:19:03,439The Hebrews had been there25600:19:03,439 –> 00:19:04,719for 400 years.25700:19:04,719 –> 00:19:06,880They had been oppressed, abused,25800:19:06,880 –> 00:19:07,900they were miserable,25900:19:07,900 –> 00:19:08,719they had no hope.26000:19:08,719 –> 00:19:10,560There was no political process26100:19:10,560 –> 00:19:11,640to bring them out of Egypt,26200:19:11,640 –> 00:19:13,300there was no educational program26300:19:13,300 –> 00:19:14,239that was going to get them26400:19:14,239 –> 00:19:17,959a better start in life.26500:19:17,959 –> 00:19:21,239And then Yahweh stepped in26600:19:21,239 –> 00:19:22,380and he brought these desperate26700:19:22,380 –> 00:19:25,619people out of Egypt26800:19:25,619 –> 00:19:27,280and now he introduces himself,26900:19:27,280 –> 00:19:30,000I’m the one who did that.27000:19:30,000 –> 00:19:31,380I am Yahweh.27100:19:31,380 –> 00:19:33,000I sent the plagues27200:19:33,060 –> 00:19:34,859that overpowered the gods27300:19:34,859 –> 00:19:37,020of the culture.27400:19:37,020 –> 00:19:38,579I am the God who opened27500:19:38,579 –> 00:19:39,520the Red Sea,27600:19:39,520 –> 00:19:40,760I’m the one who closed it27700:19:40,760 –> 00:19:41,780over your enemies27800:19:41,780 –> 00:19:42,939and thereby delivered you27900:19:42,939 –> 00:19:46,979from a terrible slaughter.28000:19:46,979 –> 00:19:49,300When you cried out,28100:19:49,300 –> 00:19:53,040nobody else was listening.28200:19:53,040 –> 00:19:56,359But I was.28300:19:56,359 –> 00:19:58,339Nobody else saw a future for you28400:19:58,339 –> 00:20:02,040but I did.28500:20:02,099 –> 00:20:04,859I came down to help you.28600:20:04,859 –> 00:20:05,819And I didn’t do it28700:20:05,819 –> 00:20:06,560because there was some28800:20:06,560 –> 00:20:07,520pressure on me28900:20:07,520 –> 00:20:08,479coming from somewhere29000:20:08,479 –> 00:20:09,160to do that.29100:20:09,160 –> 00:20:13,119I did it because it pleased me.29200:20:13,119 –> 00:20:16,400He’s good.29300:20:16,400 –> 00:20:18,000You know, you will never be ready29400:20:18,000 –> 00:20:21,420to embrace God fully29500:20:21,420 –> 00:20:23,180until you’ve come to the conclusion29600:20:23,180 –> 00:20:26,000that He’s good.29700:20:26,000 –> 00:20:27,380That’s why knowing Him29800:20:27,380 –> 00:20:28,520through Jesus Christ,29900:20:28,520 –> 00:20:29,760you see is the very foundation30000:20:29,780 –> 00:20:32,239of the commandments.30100:20:32,239 –> 00:20:34,959It’s the beginning of this struggle.30200:20:34,959 –> 00:20:38,400It’s where this whole life begins.30300:20:38,400 –> 00:20:41,579Why should we make Yahweh our God?30400:20:41,579 –> 00:20:44,140Because He’s God30500:20:44,140 –> 00:20:46,959and because He’s good.30600:20:46,959 –> 00:20:47,719You’ve been listening to30700:20:47,719 –> 00:20:48,479Open the Bible30800:20:48,479 –> 00:20:49,959with Pastor Colin Smith30900:20:49,959 –> 00:20:51,359and a message called31000:20:51,359 –> 00:20:53,140Your Struggle with God,31100:20:53,140 –> 00:20:54,459part of our new series31200:20:54,459 –> 00:20:55,979The Ten Greatest Struggles31300:20:55,979 –> 00:20:57,520of Your Life.31400:20:57,520 –> 00:20:58,319We’re seeing how31500:20:59,280 –> 00:21:01,160speak to some of the most relevant31600:21:01,160 –> 00:21:03,839and important issues that we face.31700:21:03,839 –> 00:21:04,479And don’t forget31800:21:04,479 –> 00:21:06,319if you ever miss one of the series31900:21:06,319 –> 00:21:07,339you can always catch up32000:21:07,339 –> 00:21:08,920or go back and listen again32100:21:08,920 –> 00:21:09,920online at our32200:21:09,920 –> 00:21:12,979website openethebible.org.uk32300:21:12,979 –> 00:21:14,719or on your favorite podcast site32400:21:14,719 –> 00:21:17,760by searching for Open the Bible UK.32500:21:18,260 –> 00:21:19,479Also on our website32600:21:19,479 –> 00:21:21,880and available as a podcast is32700:21:21,880 –> 00:21:23,300Open the Bible Daily32800:21:23,300 –> 00:21:24,599and that’s a series of short32900:21:24,599 –> 00:21:27,400two to three minute daily reflections33000:21:27,400 –> 00:21:29,239based on Pastor Colin’s teaching33100:21:29,239 –> 00:21:31,500and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish.33200:21:31,500 –> 00:21:32,699There’s a new one every day33300:21:32,699 –> 00:21:34,420and many Christians find33400:21:34,420 –> 00:21:36,540that it’s a great way to start the day.33500:21:36,540 –> 00:21:38,819That’s Open the Bible Daily.33600:21:39,619 –> 00:21:40,780Also, on our website33700:21:40,780 –> 00:21:42,900you’ll find our Bible Study course33800:21:42,900 –> 00:21:44,599Fly Through the Bible.33900:21:44,599 –> 00:21:46,199This short, simple journey34000:21:46,199 –> 00:21:47,380through the Bible story34100:21:47,380 –> 00:21:48,900can be enjoyed on your own34200:21:48,900 –> 00:21:51,339with a friend or as a group.34300:21:51,339 –> 00:21:53,079For each of the 15 sessions34400:21:53,079 –> 00:21:55,079you can watch a short video34500:21:55,079 –> 00:21:57,339then work through the questions.34600:21:57,339 –> 00:21:59,800If you want to do a more detailed Bible study34700:21:59,800 –> 00:22:00,939a guide is available34800:22:00,939 –> 00:22:02,719for you to use in small groups34900:22:02,719 –> 00:22:04,079or one-to-one.35000:22:04,540 –> 00:22:06,479To make the most of Fly Through the Bible35100:22:06,479 –> 00:22:08,760we recommend buying the book.35200:22:08,760 –> 00:22:10,219There is also a free app35300:22:10,219 –> 00:22:13,099that can be used alongside all the materials.35400:22:13,099 –> 00:22:15,040To find Fly Through the Bible35500:22:15,040 –> 00:22:16,160go to our website35600:22:16,160 –> 00:22:18,900openthebible.org.uk35700:22:18,900 –> 00:22:21,300and click on courses.35800:22:21,819 –> 00:22:22,859Open the Bible35900:22:22,859 –> 00:22:25,619is supported financially by our listeners36000:22:25,619 –> 00:22:27,020and if you already support36100:22:27,020 –> 00:22:28,599Open the Bible in that way36200:22:28,719 –> 00:22:31,400we want to say a big thank you today.36300:22:31,400 –> 00:22:33,400If that’s something you have been considering doing36400:22:33,400 –> 00:22:34,459in the future36500:22:34,459 –> 00:22:36,719if you want to set up a new direct debit36600:22:36,719 –> 00:22:38,739to the work of Open the Bible36700:22:38,739 –> 00:22:41,239in the amount of £5 per month or more36800:22:41,239 –> 00:22:43,979or a one-off gift of £50 or more36900:22:43,979 –> 00:22:45,920we’d love to say thank you37000:22:45,920 –> 00:22:47,920by sending you a free gift.37100:22:47,920 –> 00:22:49,920It’s, Pastor Colin’s book37200:22:49,920 –> 00:22:51,500Drive Through the Bible37300:22:51,500 –> 00:22:53,339A 30 Day Journey.37400:22:53,339 –> 00:22:54,359Along with that37500:22:54,359 –> 00:22:56,319we’ll also send you a lovely tote bag37600:22:56,400 –> 00:22:57,780an Open the Bible pen37700:22:57,780 –> 00:22:59,119and bookmark.37800:22:59,119 –> 00:23:01,119Colin, what do you hope we’ll get37900:23:01,119 –> 00:23:03,119from reading Drive Through the Bible?38000:23:03,819 –> 00:23:06,000Oh, three things very clearly38100:23:06,079 –> 00:23:08,420I mean the first is simply to Open the Bible38200:23:08,500 –> 00:23:09,880I mean you expect me to say that!38300:23:09,880 –> 00:23:11,160We are Open the Bible38400:23:11,160 –> 00:23:12,839that’s our fundamental objective38500:23:12,839 –> 00:23:14,599to get people into the word of God38600:23:14,599 –> 00:23:15,819to get the word of God38700:23:15,819 –> 00:23:17,819into the lives and hearts of people38800:23:18,219 –> 00:23:20,180because God’s word is living seed38900:23:20,180 –> 00:23:22,180and it bears the most wonderful fruit39000:23:22,180 –> 00:23:24,500it sustains us in the Christian life39100:23:24,640 –> 00:23:27,079so this will get you into the Bible39200:23:27,079 –> 00:23:29,079it’ll help you secondly39300:23:29,079 –> 00:23:32,000to understand the Bible’s story39400:23:32,000 –> 00:23:34,040and the whole Bible is one story39500:23:34,040 –> 00:23:35,920there is a narrative39600:23:35,920 –> 00:23:37,459and Drive Through the Bible39700:23:37,459 –> 00:23:40,040takes us through the peaks and the valleys39800:23:40,040 –> 00:23:41,420of the Bible’s story39900:23:41,420 –> 00:23:43,839Old Testament, the gospels40000:23:43,839 –> 00:23:45,839the believers experience40100:23:45,839 –> 00:23:47,839as it’s laid out in the New Testament40200:23:47,839 –> 00:23:48,839epistles40300:23:49,040 –> 00:23:50,540and most of all40400:23:50,540 –> 00:23:52,540because this is always the ultimate objective40500:23:52,579 –> 00:23:54,540because the Bible is pointing us40600:23:54,540 –> 00:23:56,540everywhere to the Lord Jesus Christ40700:23:56,540 –> 00:23:59,540as you are immersed in the scripture40800:23:59,540 –> 00:24:01,540in this simple introduction40900:24:01,540 –> 00:24:04,040you’re gonna grow in your love41000:24:04,040 –> 00:24:06,540for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ41100:24:06,540 –> 00:24:08,540and that’s my biggest hope, my biggest prayer41200:24:08,540 –> 00:24:10,540as I think of people driving through41300:24:10,540 –> 00:24:12,280the Bible’s story41400:24:12,280 –> 00:24:14,300that love for Christ will grow41500:24:14,300 –> 00:24:16,040and faith in Christ will grow41600:24:16,040 –> 00:24:18,540and that hope in Christ will increase41700:24:18,540 –> 00:24:20,540as the Word of God does it’s marvelous41800:24:20,540 –> 00:24:21,979work in our lives41900:24:21,979 –> 00:24:24,479well we’d love to send you a copy of Colin’s book42000:24:24,479 –> 00:24:27,239Drive Through The Bible, A 30 Day Journey42100:24:27,239 –> 00:24:29,719if you’re able to setup a new direct debit42200:24:29,719 –> 00:24:31,380to the work of Open the Bible42300:24:31,380 –> 00:24:34,180in the amount of £5 per month or more42400:24:34,180 –> 00:24:37,380or a one off gift of £50 or more42500:24:37,380 –> 00:24:40,380full terms and conditions are on our website42600:24:40,380 –> 00:24:42,380and you can give online42700:24:42,380 –> 00:24:44,979for Open the Bible, Pastor Colin Smith42800:24:44,979 –> 00:24:47,579I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again42900:24:47,579 –> 00:24:49,699next time on Open the Bible43000:24:52,280 –> 00:24:54,880How does God reach out to us?43100:24:54,880 –> 00:24:58,380He could reach out in his power like a dictator43200:24:58,380 –> 00:25:01,380after all he has all the power in the Universe43300:25:01,380 –> 00:25:03,479but God doesn’t do that43400:25:03,479 –> 00:25:06,180find out how he chooses to reach out to us43500:25:06,180 –> 00:25:07,880next time on Open the Bible