Biblical Wrestling

Transcript

the amount of fires that are going on in x Canada and have been around the world x and it seems to be getting closer and x closer to home makes you think of some x of the verses from um II Peter x um about you know you know Peter's x talking about God cleanse the the Earth x with the flood and next time it's coming x with fire x um and literally things are burning x but that's not our class tonight tonight x um x uh it's wrestling with authority and x this is a class four of a series I gave x on wrestling with doubts x um x and you know I can't get too much into x it but let me um x just let's see if this works x let's start with this scenario just to x to get your minds where this class came x from x um and you can pretend I'm the good x looking guy in the white shirt there x let's say somebody comes to you x a brother or sister or young person x and they say to you um x I don't know if I believe anymore x um I'm struggling with my faith x uh x and they're obviously you know wrestling x with God they're wrestling with their x faith they're wrestling with their x belief and it can be very nuanced x but I've been hearing this more and more x frequently the last couple of years and x some uh dear brothers and sisters have x walked away from x uh the truth x and I I was never confronted with this x question no actually I have been x um x and it's one of those situations where x because you're not prepared you trip x over yourself x maybe you make light of it maybe you x think you know this will go away on its x own uh you don't have the answers and so x when I started this study it was because x I wanted I wanted something to say I x wanted uh x you know and let me just use this as an x example in First Peter 3 verse 15. x it says but x um x but sanctify the Lord in your hearts and x always be ready to give a defense to x everyone who asks you a reason for the x hope that is in you with meekness and x fear and we usually take that verse and x say you know sharing the hope you know x preaching to people who don't have a x hope but maybe it's also for brothers x and sisters who are struggling to have x an answer for the hope why are we x hanging on x why are we uh you know continuing in our x path in our faith and building it x despite you know many of the things that x have gone on in our lives x and so the the whole series was to try x to develop some sort of a reasoning some x sort of a x um x you know are reaching out to people x using scripture as an example and and I x came across Psalm 73 x which I think is is a beautiful x framework for engaging somebody in a x conversation it doesn't have all the x answers and when people doubt it can be x very nuanced x and I don't want to didn't want to x approach this sort of naively x um but recognizing there's many reasons x people doubt x um but I still think there are things in x Psalm 73 x that you can use as a foundation for x helping people x um x and so in in the first class we looked x at uh we would if we'd done this in x Psalm 73 we look at the doubts that x arose in asaf's life and asaf's the one x who wrote Psalm 73. and we also look at x how God allowed Psalm 73 to be in the x Bible and it really paints a beautiful x picture of her heavenly father who says x I know x humans I know you're going to doubt I x mean we could probably count how many x times in the Bible it says trust me x you know be courageous x you know if it says that because he x knows we're going to doubt he knows x we're going to struggle and he's not x afraid of that x and so he allows Psalm 73 to be there x and some of some other places when you x think of job and habakkuk and Jeremiah x some of the challenges to God and he x allows that to be there because he knows x that we're going to struggle but he also x provides a way out or a way to wrestle x with those doubts x um x and so this class is really dealing with x authority and wrestling with authority x as one x possible reason x people may doubt God x and it's interesting that asaph wrote x Psalm 73 x because he's a descendant of Korah x and we know the the people of Korra x challenged Moses they questioned his x authority back in number 16. x and here's asaph and he's x perhaps questioning God's Authority if x we look at verse 11 of Psalm 73. x now he's referring to what the wicked x say but you can see in those first few x first x um you know 15 16 verses he's wrestling x he's thinking about leaving x and in verse 11 it says and they say how x does God know x and is there knowledge in the most high x you know that's a real question of x authority does he even know what's going x on you know sometimes students will do x that in school x you know or even with their parents they x don't even know what I'm doing you know x you know they question their Authority x and you get that sense that ASAP is as x well in the New Living Translation it x says what does God know they ask does x the most high even know what is x happening x you know that's a real challenge to our x Heavenly Father x um x and so this class is about you know x looking at that that idea of questioning x Authority x and so let's x let's start with this question x um x who do you submit to and that can be a x very provocative question who do you x submit to x in our society in the western Democratic x individual individualistic Society x that's a question a lot of people I x don't submit to anyone x you know x um x people don't like to think of the idea x of submission as being a x uh something we should be doing in fact x in wrestling I don't know if any x wrestlers out there or in um x what's the new sport the Octagon you x know you submit when you submit you lose x right x um x but a lot of people if you read that who x do you submit to some people would x really shiver at that I don't submit to x anyone x but I think this is a human problem x and I and once again I realized that x this can be uh painful for some people x and some of the things that people have x gone through x um x here are some things that have come up x in the past couple of years you know x when Donald Trump was elected there were x protests and people said not my x president you know I'm not giving him x Authority in my life x uh just recently with King Charles x people said nope not my king and you're x seeing more and more of that uh people x rebelling against Authority and saying x nope x nobody stood outside my classroom yet x with a sign that says not my teacher but x I'm sure those days are coming x but we do see in society this challenge x of authority and it's this persistent x struggle x um x we see it we can see it with parents x children to parents you know children x should be submissive x to their parents and we see that in x Ephesians chapter one you know parents x are the ones that tell kids when to get x up when to go to bed what to wear what x you're going to have for dinner and for x the most part that that works well x uh as a school teacher I can tell you x that it is a disaster x when children are no longer under the x authority of their parents and we do x have children who hold authority over x their parents it's very clear x and it's also a disaster we have to say x when parents abuse that power and we see x examples of that as well x yet in Ephesians 6 verse 1 x we'll just flip there because we're x going to flip through a couple passages x here about x Authority x in Ephesians 6 verse 1 it says children x obey your parents and the Lord for this x is right so there is a position of x authority there in a position of x submission x Masters and bosses we all have uh x employers and some of us are employees x and submission can be hard sometimes x when I went down to San Diego I had to x ask permission to take three days off x and was told you probably and I had x already committed to going to San Diego x um x and um x my my boss said you're probably not x going to able to go x and that sort of struck me how dare you x tell me where I can go and if I can go x no this is but they were right I was the x employer employee x um and they do have that authority over x me to say whether I can take that day x off or not fortunately x um I was able to get that time off and x we know that from passages like first x Peter 2 Verse 18 and then Ephesians 6 x verse 5 it says Bond servants and we x could read employees be obedient to x those who are your Masters according to x the flesh with fear and trembling and x sincerity of heart as to Christ x not with eye Service as men Pleasers but x as Bond Servants of Christ so you know x you are in submission and accepted x and sometimes we don't like that x we're told in Romans 13 verses one to x seven and in First Peter 2 verses 13 to x 17 that were to submit to governments x uh and we all know that that can be very x difficult at times and obviously if the x government is asking us to do something x that x contradicts what our heavenly father has x asked us to do then we would x um refuse to do that but in general x we're not asked to do too many things x that that go against that x and there's that x principle of submission x the authority x um here's a tough one lots of landmines x here so we're just going to skip on to x Ephesians chapter 5 verse 21 no I'm just x kidding uh wives to husbands x um x no there is that those verses in there x that talk about that now once again in x all these situations x you know the expectation is that the x parents are being christ-like that the x bosses x uh that the government that the husbands x um are behaving in in a proper manner x similar to the government if the x government is asking us to do things or x our bosses are asking us to do things x or our parents are asking us to do x things that go against God's will x against his ways x that are a Sin then we don't do them x um x and then in Ephesians 5 verse 21 it says x um x submitting to one another in the fear of x the Lord so there is this principle in x the Bible about submission to Authority x and that there is Authority x so the question I guess we have to ask x is why x um is falling under somebody else's x Authority such a challenge for us as x humans I think it's a human challenge x you know why is it that we just x it irks us sometimes when we have to x fall into submission whether it's to one x another in the Ecclesia x sometimes to parents sometimes to our x bosses sometimes the government why is x that well I think x you know number one x is that we have lots of examples of bad x leadership x um x so just as an example let's pick on the x British sorry cliff and Julia so um x we're familiar with um x oh I can't remember his name now the guy x with the crazy hair x um and he x um x prime minister of the UK x and during the lockdowns you know x everyone had to stay at home no parties x lockdowns and then they found out that x he was having parties and without a mask x on everything he was asking people to do x he had broken and so when you see that x kind of leadership you know x I'm going to fall under the authority of x that person x we see it in businesses you know people x um x you know stealing from people uh forgery x you know x using the money for their own gain and x and yeah you know ripping off x um contractors ripping off people who x have invested and so once again we we x get skeptical about Authority x we see it in you know different churches x different religions all of a sudden you x know this high profile preacher well all x of a sudden x um be found out for some of the things x that they're doing whether it's with x money or with uh immorality whatever it x is in their whole x um x their whole churches Fall Apart x and they've used that Authority they've x abused it x and so people become skeptical once x again about falling under somebody x else's Authority they they mistrust they x um leaders and then we see you know x another example is just x and we see seem to see more and more x examples of bad parenting x so bad leadership well what's another x reason we start to question whether we x should fall under Authority x well I think the growth of individualism x we live in x in um x in in the western world where Community x has basically collapsed the idea of x community and doing things for others x and putting a Community First x we have x individual autonomy x the growth of individualism if it x doesn't benefit me why should I do it x um x and there's this just this sense of x Pride I know what's best for me x and I'll do what's best for me x uh I'm the author of my life and that's x where that word Authority comes from x that's sort of an interesting x interesting point x about Authority x you know asking who is the author of my x life x and ultimately ultimately the question x is God the author of my life x or am I the author of my life do I get x to write my own script x um just the idea of x questioning everything well how will x this benefit me and you know I don't ask x how this is going to help others I'm x going to ask how is this going to help x me I think at a can x uh in the Babylonian garments and the x silver and the gold and they were told x nobody takes anything x and a can have that individualistic idea x well that's not going to be what about x me x I want the gold I want the silver I want x a benefit he put himself above others x um x and the other thing I think is a big x Challenge and why we struggle with x authority is x sometimes when you're under Authority x you have to do things that you don't x like x and sometimes you have to do things that x you might not understand okay think x about a child x and the parent gives a you know an x instruction of something they have to do x and they may not understand it x uh and maybe they don't like it x but if they're under the authority of x the parents they do it x um x and I think C x is really challenging when it comes to x scripture x because x I think for the most part if we read our x Bibles carefully and if we really take x it to heart x sometimes we're asked to do things we x don't like x or that are hard x and sometimes we're asked to do things x that maybe we don't understand x at this point in time x and so we don't really want to come x under the authority of it x um x and so that really comes to to this x question x because we want to ask does this sort of x this distaste for submission x this unwillingness to fall under x Authority does it infect our spiritual x lives x does it in fact our willingness to come x under God's Authority or Christ's x Authority x um x and I've just listed some some different x passages x where we are asked some difficult things x um x and they all most of them come from The x Sermon on the Mount x because there have been people who have x read The Sermon on the Mount x and have x have really had difficulties with it x because of the submission it requires to x come under the authority x in The Sermon on the Mount you have to x remember it says Jesus was coming x preaching the kingdom of the god the x kingdom of God x and so he's preaching this Kingdom x that's coming the good news x and he's telling us x basically how to prepare for this x Kingdom x and so much of what he's asking us to do x is asking us to submit under this x kingship x and just some of these things really go x against human nature and so just to x we'll go through these fairly quickly in x Matthew chapter 5. verse 43. you have x heard what it says you shall love your x neighbor and hate your enemy but I say x do you love your enemies just stop there x love your enemies x like our x that's such a difficult thing x to come under that authority to say okay x Jesus x is my king x and I'm going to listen to him x even to the point of loving my enemies x and it goes beyond that doesn't it x because if you keep reading it says but x I say do you love your enemies bless x those who curse you do good to those who x hate you and pray for those who x spitefully use you and persecute you x coming under that kind of authority x where you say okay you know I may not x like it but you're my king and I'm going x to do that x I'm going to do that even though x it's going to be hard and I don't want x to I'm going to come under your x Authority x uh Matthew chapter 6 verse 12. x uh x forgive us our debts as we forgive our x debtors and then if you go down to verse x 14 for if you forgive men their x trespasses your heavenly father will x also forgive you but if you do not x forgive men their trespasses neither x will your father forgive your trespasses x once again like take that to heart x meditate on it for that absolute x forgiveness because I'm sure there's all x in all of our Lives people that no just x can't do that sorry Jesus you're not my x king I'm not coming under your Authority x on that one x difficult x if he's our King we come under his x authority x this isn't uh you know a democracy that x we're heading into with the future x Kingdom we are to take him as our King x um x Matthew chapter 6 verse 25. x it says therefore I say to you do not x worry about your life do not worry about x your life this is one that I put in x there because I struggle with this I x worry a lot I'm a worrier x um and three times verse 25 31 verse 34 x our King is telling us don't worry x you know put your trust in me believe in x God x trust God x don't worry x and there's other places when we read x the Bible we we come across these all x the time these challenges x that say are you King John x or is Christ King x uh Philippians 2 verses 3 through 4 x esteem others better than yourself how x often do we actually do that is steaming x others better than yourself x and there's many others asking us you x know to be sober to be sexually pure to x submit to deny yourself to take up your x cross all these challenges in some x people just some examples Frederick x Nietzsche he said he hated the softness x of The Sermon on the Mount x he said Christianity is weak it's x ill-constituted x he said Jesus devalues every x characteristic he loved x you know Nietzsche read this and said x I'm not going to submit to this King x I don't want to follow this King x another uh writer x Ayan Rand she said it's prescription the x prescription of the uh sermon on the x mail she said it's among the vilest x things ever uttered she said it's poison x because it challenged her and she's like x she was not giving up her Authority x now we might not have a strong statement x like that but maybe doubts arise x and I think I think it it has arisen and x they do arise people say you know the x Bible's a an old book x uh it's got outdated ideas x what are people doing when they say that x what they're doing is they're saying I x know more than the Bible our culture x knows more than the Bible we figured x things out we're not coming under its x Authority x or they say the Bible has been corrupted x over the years x once again I've decided x you know the experts have decided this x is not something that we should be x submissive to x here's a challenging one for all of us x you know I agree with most of what the x Bible says x maybe we even say you know what I agree x with everything except for one one x section of the Bible x you know maybe just one verse there's x one verse I just can't no can't do it x you know what are we saying x when we say things like that x what we're saying is I have authority x over what's acceptable and what's not x acceptable in the Bible I get to decide x and we haven't come under the authority x of the Bible when we do that x that's how challenging this can be you x know do we come under the king's x Authority x because if we don't if we say you know I x agree with Jesus on this and this but x not that then we haven't come under his x authority x um some people say no one can agree on x what the Bible is actually saying so x therefore I don't have to I get to x decide what I follow what I don't follow x so those are some of the challenges x um x but what I want to do x is to say you know that's not where we x want to be we don't want to be in a x position when Christ comes back to say x you know what I x kind of accept your Authority on a few x things x you know what does it say it says every x knee will bow x uh we want to be there we want to to x accept x Christ's Authority when he comes and so x I just want to go through some things x with the time remaining that can perhaps x help us x uh when we're trying to to understand x Authority and submission x and to truly see that our heavenly x father and his son x are the authority figures we want to x come under x we want to give our whole lives to them x and so I think number one I think x there's three that we'll go through here x number one is if we're questioning if x we're doubting we're struggling with x authority and submission x number one consider the consequences of x leaving x God's authority of leaving his son's x Authority so ASAP did that x and if we go back to Psalm 73 verses 17 x through 19. x um he's going through all these x struggles and then verse 17 he says you x know verse end of verse 16 it was too x painful for me x until I went into the sanctuary of God x then I understood their end x surely you have set them in Slippery x places you cast them down to destruction x oh how they are brought to Desolation as x in a moment they are utterly consumed x with terrors x you think about ASAP and perhaps he's x looking back at that incident in number x 16. x where Cora days and the Byron have x questioned the authority of Moses x and in an instant x uh I think Cora's family has moved away x um but in an instant the Earth opens up x and swallows uh is it dathan in a Byram x swallows them up as it says you set them x in Slippery places you cast them down to x destruction x you're x how they are brought to Desolation as in x a moment they are utterly consumed with x terrors x um x and it's also interesting that he went x into the sanctuary of God when he went x into the sanctuary of God this is when x he figured things out x and back in number 16 one of the things x they did with the incense sensors of the x the rebels is they pounded them out x into a covering I think it was for the x ark x so maybe he goes into the sanctuary x and he sees those coverings and he's x reminded oh yeah x I almost rebelled against my heavenly x father and the example has been there of x what happens when people rebel x now people rebel against our heavenly x father all the time and they're not x swallowed up in a hole miraculously in x in an instant x but I think x there are other examples of what happens x when people do leave the authority of x God so x just quickly in Genesis chapter 3 and 4 x when uh first in chapter 3 when Adam and x Eve x decide to come out from under God's x Authority and they go their own way x um x look at verse 7 through 11 of Genesis 3. x it says the eyes of both of them were x opened and they knew that they were x naked and they sewed fig leaves together x and made themselves coverings x so all of a sudden they know that x there's there's a fear there they're x covering themselves and they heard the x sound of the Lord God Walking In The x Garden in the cool of the day x and Adam and his wife hid themselves so x they're x they're x um x you know anxious they're they're x concerned they're scared x um x then the Lord God Called to Adam and x said where are you x and so he said I heard your voice in the x garden and I was afraid because I was x naked and I hid myself listen to those x words I was I was afraid I was naked x this sense of exposure this this sense x of a lack of security so they went from x being in this garden and it sounds like x walking with God every day x and the sense of security x and they left God's Authority and now x they're naked they're afraid they're x filled with anxiety they don't have x Solutions x and I think when we look at our culture x it's the same x um x no just a couple other examples came x when Cain refused to come under God's x Authority and in Genesis chapter four x look at verse 13 and 14. x it says and Cain said to the Lord my x punishment is greater than I can bear x surely you've driven me out this day x from the face of the ground I shall be x hidden from your face I shall be a x fugitive and Vagabond on the earth and x it will happen that anyone who finds me x will kill me x go through examples throughout the Bible x when people leave the authority of God x and that safety net x and it's always anxiety it's always a x loss of sense of security it's always x fear x and then x we go to our culture x and we look at our culture that is left x of the authority uh of God the Bible is x no longer regarded as anything that x should be listened to x and what do we see you know put x put our culture under the microscope and x what do you see you see a world of x anxiety a world of fear x you know people don't know the fires at x our work the staff members are all of a x sudden talking like if we're around in x five years and they say it kind of x jokingly but there's a hint of x of uncertainty of fear in their in their x lives x um x but mankind has said you know we're x going to be the author of Our Lives x um they've established their own moral x ethics their own sexual ethics they've x redefined marriage x they've redefined gender they've x redefined what a family is x they've erased this concept of an x objective truth x and you just have to stand back and look x and ask you know how's that working for x you x you've left God's Authority you said you x don't want it you don't need it x you know put it under the microscope how x is that working for you we have an x anxious we have a depressed desperate x fearful world x I would say it's not working so well x there's um passage I want to read x this is from the message hopefully it's x okay I can read from the message x it's from first John 2 verse 15 through x 17. x um x and it says don't love the world's ways x don't love the world's Goods x love of the world squeezes out love for x the father x practically everything that goes on in x the world x wanting your own way wanting everything x for yourself wanting to appear important x has nothing to do with the father it x just isolates you from him x the world and all its wanting wanting x wanting is on the way out but whoever x does what God wants x is set for eternity and so I think it x just paints a good picture of the x difference between coming under your own x authority and coming under God's x Authority x so that's the first one x if we're doubting it for questioning do x I really want to be under God's x Authority consider the consequences of x leaving follow things through to their x logical end x the second one is to consider the x blessings x of coming under his authority there's x just a couple short Parables I want to x read x and you do get x um x two different things that happen so what x the first ones in Matthew chapter 13. x and so we're going to have two Parables x and uh and an interaction with Jesus so x Matthew chapter 13 verse 44 and 45. x here it says again the kingdom of heaven x is like a treasure hidden in a field x which a man found in head x and for Joy over it he goes and sells x all that he has and buys that field x again the Kingdom of Heaven is like a x merchant seeking beautiful pearls x who when he found one pearl of great x price went and sold all that he had and x bought it x so this is about the kingdom of the x kingdom of God the kingdom of heaven x and two men x come across something of tremendous x value x they recognize it's tremendous worth x and it says with joy they go and sell x everything to have it it doesn't say x they went and sold everything and then x they had choices with joy x they went and sold everything x to have it x so that's the first one just keep that x in mind we'll go to Mark chapter 10. x verse 17 to 22. x Mark chapter 10 starting at verse 17. x now as he was going out on the road one x came running knelt before him and asked x him good teacher what shall I do that I x may inherit x eternal life now I would say this is a x lot like that man who found the treasure x in the field here's somebody who runs to x Jesus x they obviously see there's some worth in x this man Jesus he's a good teacher x he says good teacher what shall I do to x inherit eternal life x and then just like that man who found x the treasure he assesses it and he's x pulling out all these jewels and x coins and whatever was there x and here's this man he's assessing he's x listening to Christ so Jesus said to him x why do you call me good no one is good x but one that is God x you know the Commandments do not commit x adultery do not murder do not steal do x not bear false witness do not defraud x honor your father and your mother x and he answered and said to him teacher x all these things I have kept from my x youth x then Jesus looking at him loved him and x said to him one thing you lack x go your way sell what whatever you have x and give to the poor and you will have x treasure in heaven and come take up the x cross and follow me x but he was sad at this word and went x away sorrowful for he had great x possessions x so he runs to Jesus he sees this worth x and during his assessment of Jesus his x assessment of this treasure x he's told to sell everything just like x those are they went with joy and sold x everything he's told go sell everything x and follow me x and it says he left sorrowful because he x had great possessions x so two in the first Parables sell x everything with joy x this rich man walks away x in great sadness x now this Parable isn't just about riches x um x Dennis Gillette Gillett uh in his book x The Genius of discipleship I think he x puts it he puts it perfectly x he says Christ could see that in spite x of his aspirations this man was Mastered x by his wealth no man can serve two x masters if you have surrendered to one x force you cannot be Mastered by another x here's the point what he really lacked x was the right master x so he was really unwilling to come under x the authority of Christ x um x back in Psalm 73 x and in the those the parable of the the x great the treasure and the great Pearl x there's a recognition of a treasure x Psalm 73 x . listen to asaph's words when he x realizes the treasure that is before him x he says x verse 25 whom have I in heaven but you x and there is none upon Earth that I x desire besides you x My Flesh and my heart fail but God is x the strength of my heart and my portion x forever x for indeed those who are far from You x Shall Perish you've destroyed all those x who desert you for harlotry x but it is good for me to draw near to x God I have put my trust in the Lord God x that I may declare all your works x they recognized the value of what they x had x um there's a couple other passages that x we could go to x where Paul considered the treasure I x don't know if we have time but in these x two places in Philippians 3 Verses 4 x through 11. x um Paul had he had a tremendous treasure x in his life he was x um x you know he had status he had power x he had prestige he had wisdom knowledge x he would have been coveted by other Jews x you know the position of Paul and it x says when he counted it up x you know he accounted it he tallied it x all up and he said it was rubbish x compared to the Excellence of the x knowledge of Christ Jesus x you know I think one way we can really x work on submitting to God accepting that x Authority is to count it up x to see what he's offering us x in another place Romans 8 verse 18 he x says he reckons I think it's in the King x James he reckons or he considers and x once again it's to take inventory and he x comes to the conclusion there's x there's nothing that can be compared to x what God has offered x so the command is with joy go and sell x with joy give up the authority in our x own lives and say I accept the authority x of my heavenly father x um and so let's just assess the treasure x just a few verses this is the treasure x that's before us x in second Peter 1 verse four through x five x by which he has granted us his precious x and very great promises so that through x them you may become partakers of the x divine nature x think of that x that's the treasure come under God's x Authority and here's the Treasure x partakers of the divine nature having x escaped the corruption that is in the x world because of sinful desire x Revelation 21 here's the treasure he x will wipe away every tear from their x eyes and Death Shall be no more neither x shall there be mourning nor crying nor x pain anymore for the former things have x passed away x you know picture us we we found this x treasure in this field and we're going x through all these Treasures x first Thessalonians 4 16 for the Lord x himself will descend from heaven with a x cry of command with the voice of an x archangel and with the sound of the x trumpet of God and the dead in Christ x will rise first x there's no there's no greater treasure x these are things he's offering us as our x as our King x um x one more that I find this verse x absolutely beautiful when you think x about the chaos in our world this is the x work of righteousness will be peace x in the effect of righteousness quietness x and Assurance forever absolutely x beautiful x um x yeah let me just back up for a second x here x um x and so just just a an exhortation to to x continue to read to continue to meditate x to continuing classes like this if we're x not reading the Bible x if we're not thinking about it if we're x not hearing classes the value of that x treasure is going to dissipate it's not x going to be in the Forefront of our x minds x you know when you don't spend time with x something it it lowers itself in value x so we have to keep this treasure that x we've found hi uh right in the front of x our minds we have to meditate on it x often and listen to it x um x the third thing so the first one was x consider what happens if we leave his x authority follow that through to its x logical end x and the disaster x then consider the The Treasure of coming x under God's Authority and finally it's x just to come under his authority and x we've looked at there's going to be x blessings in the future in that Kingdom x but there's Blessings Now x um and I may have done some of this uh x for the Bible class in the past I can't x remember if it was here or not x but social sciences are are discovering x all these things about x um what's good for humans and it's kind x of interesting when you put it all x together what they're finding so x um this is the Mayo Clinic and they say x religious involvement x spirituality and Medicine it was an x article x and they said this most Studies have x shown that religious involvement and x spirituality are associated with Better x Health outcomes including greater x longevity coping skills and x health-related quality of life even x during terminal illness and less anxiety x depression and suicide x and so you know you think about God says x do not let us not give up coming x together you know this x idea that we need to be together we need x to worship and here they're finding like x hey that's actually good for you x um x a reason to believe this is from the x American Psychological Association x religion may fill the human need for x finding meaning sparing us from x existential angst while also supporting x social organizations so it can save us x from this this angst that we see quite x often in a x people nowadays x religious faith can lead to positive x mental benefits rights Stanford x anthropologist x um x be humble and proudly so be proud about x your humility humility is not the x boldest of personality traits but it's x an important one studies find x eight reasons why ah makes your life x better x what are the benefits of forgiving x someone and it just lists healthier x relationships improved mental health x less anxiety x lower blood pressure fewer symptoms of x depression x it just goes on the science of x generosity giving thanks can make you x happier x so the blessings of coming under his x authority x you know our heavenly father created us x and so he just like if somebody made a x watch or you know a computer or a car x they know what how to maintain it what's x best for it well everyone her Heavenly x Father made us he knows what's best for x us so why not do those things x um he's given us all these instructions x uh x and he's not a harsh task master these x are things that are good for us x um x so just to conclude x we need to come under his authority x we need to be happy to do so x and it's true that sometimes we may not x understand x what God is asking us to do and we may x not always like what he's asking us to x do x but if he's going to be our heavenly x father and his son is going to be our x King we need to come under that x Authority x and that's what asaph concludes with and x I read it uh x just a few minutes ago but I'll conclude x with that again x verses 25 through 28 because this is x what x uh asa's conclusion was through all his x doubts and struggles x his conclusion was this x whom have I in heaven but you there is x none upon Earth that I desire besides x you x My Flesh and my heart fail but God is x the strength of my heart and my portion x forever x for indeed those who are far from You x Shall Perish x you have destroyed all those who desert x you for harlotry but it is good for me x to draw near to God I have put my trust x in the Lord God x that I may declare all your works x just that closing thought I put my trust x in the Lord God