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<v Speaker 1>The Life of Noah teaches us what to do when

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<v Speaker 1>no one else understands your goal.

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<v Speaker 2>When you have a dream that God has.

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<v Speaker 1>Given you and put it in your heart and you're

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<v Speaker 1>trying to do something you believe God wants you to do,

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<v Speaker 1>and nobody else gets it. God used Noah to save

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<v Speaker 1>the future of the entire human race. Now, the bigger

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<v Speaker 1>the life vision God gives you, the bigger the problems

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<v Speaker 1>you can expect to have. And you could also expect

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<v Speaker 1>that when God gives you a dream or a goal

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<v Speaker 1>or a vision for your life, a lot of other

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<v Speaker 1>people just aren't going to understand it. Now, maybe you're

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<v Speaker 1>in this situation today you say, I know what I

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<v Speaker 1>want to do with my life. I know what God

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<v Speaker 1>wants me to do with my life. I know what

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<v Speaker 1>my goal is, my dream, my vision is, but nobody

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<v Speaker 1>else gets it.

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<v Speaker 2>Now.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, when most people think of Noah, they always

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<v Speaker 1>want to know about the details of the flood and

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<v Speaker 1>the details of the arc, this giant ship that he built,

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<v Speaker 1>and all the animals and how they got collected and

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<v Speaker 1>now the miracles occurred. And I'll agree that those are

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<v Speaker 1>fascinating details.

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<v Speaker 2>But today, for the purpose of.

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<v Speaker 1>This message, I want us to just set those details aside,

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<v Speaker 1>and I want to focus on the man himself, Noah,

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<v Speaker 1>and how he handled getting the arc built when nothing ever,

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<v Speaker 1>ever had ever been built like it, and when the

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<v Speaker 1>idea of a flood had never even been considered on

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<v Speaker 1>the earth. The Bible said, it had never rained on

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<v Speaker 1>Earth before the flood, So the people didn't even know

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<v Speaker 1>what Noah was talking about, and nobody believed that God

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<v Speaker 1>had told Noah that this was going to happen, and

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<v Speaker 1>that he was going to build an arc, and that

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<v Speaker 1>all of the world.

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<v Speaker 2>Was going to end.

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<v Speaker 1>And yet he had an assignment that took literally decades

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<v Speaker 1>and decades and decades. Now, just in case some of

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<v Speaker 1>you don't know this story, the Bible tells us that

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<v Speaker 1>there was a time on Earth when mankind got so

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<v Speaker 1>depraved and so wicked and so perverted that God regretted

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<v Speaker 1>creating human beings. And God was ready to just wipe

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<v Speaker 1>out the entire human race and start all over from scratch.

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<v Speaker 2>But he looked.

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<v Speaker 1>Down on Earth and he found one guy, one guy

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<v Speaker 1>with a pure heart, a true believer with integrity, who

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<v Speaker 1>genuinely loved God and he wanted to do the right thing.

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<v Speaker 1>And that guy's name was Noah. So God looks down

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<v Speaker 1>and he finds though, and he tells, no Noah.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna make it rain. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>The Bible says before that that God had watered the

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<v Speaker 1>earth plants from a dew, a mist that came up

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<v Speaker 1>from the ground at night, So the entire firmendment of

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<v Speaker 1>the earth changed the climate you talk about climate change.

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<v Speaker 2>They had never rained on.

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<v Speaker 1>Earth before this, which is why they had never seen

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<v Speaker 1>a rainbow, why they had never heard of a flood.

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<v Speaker 1>And it was and by the way, it's probably why

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<v Speaker 1>they lived so much longer in those days. They lived

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<v Speaker 1>hundreds of years longer in the early years of the Earth,

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<v Speaker 1>the Bible tells us. In fact, Noah lived nearly six

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<v Speaker 1>hundred years and took him nearly one hundred years.

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<v Speaker 2>To build the arc.

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<v Speaker 1>But he said, I'm going to make it rain so

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<v Speaker 1>much that it's going to create a worldwide flood, and

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<v Speaker 1>it's going to cover the entire earth, and it's going

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<v Speaker 1>to wipe out everything. But I'm going to save your

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<v Speaker 1>family and your sons and your wives, and they're going

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<v Speaker 1>to repopulate the earth, which means Noah is your ancestor.

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<v Speaker 1>We're all related to Noah somehow, so we're all family

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<v Speaker 1>in that way. Now, God said, the way I'm going

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<v Speaker 1>to save you is, I'm going to have you build

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<v Speaker 1>this giant boat, which we'll call the Arc, and I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to give you the plans and I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>teach you how to build it with your sons. But

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<v Speaker 1>it's not going to take a long, long, long time.

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<v Speaker 2>To build it. And using the ages of.

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<v Speaker 1>Noah's sons, Bible scholars have figured out that it probably

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<v Speaker 1>took Noah about eighty years to build the Ark. It

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<v Speaker 1>was a minimum of fifty years. And during this time

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<v Speaker 1>no one, no one on Earth except Noah's family would

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<v Speaker 1>understand Noah's goal. And he's building this arc in the

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<v Speaker 1>front yard and they're not.

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<v Speaker 2>Nobody's going to understand.

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<v Speaker 1>The neighbors are going to understand what's going on, why

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<v Speaker 1>Noah's doing it. Everybody's going to think you're crazy, Noah.

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<v Speaker 1>Now this is the setup for the story of Noah

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<v Speaker 1>that we find in Genesis chapter six to chapter nine. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>on Noah's story, we learn that Noah was able to

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<v Speaker 1>reach his goal, to fulfill his mission, to achieve the

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<v Speaker 1>dream that God had put in his heart, and do

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<v Speaker 1>what God had called him to do with his life

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<v Speaker 1>in spite of four common pitfalls. They are distractions, doubts, detours,

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<v Speaker 1>and delays. Now, specifically, Noah shows us the antidote to

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<v Speaker 1>four things. First, cultural distractions. These are the things that

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<v Speaker 1>are around your life that waste your time and waste

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<v Speaker 1>your energy, and waste your focus and waste your money

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<v Speaker 1>when God says, here's what I want you to do

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<v Speaker 1>with your life. The second pitfall is what I call

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<v Speaker 1>voices of doubt, and that's those voices that you hear

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<v Speaker 1>from people around you that cause you the second guess

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<v Speaker 1>yourself and your goal in life. The third pitfall are

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<v Speaker 1>what I call tempting detours, and these are things that

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<v Speaker 1>look like shortcuts and this will save me some time,

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<v Speaker 1>but they actually points you in the wrong direction.

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<v Speaker 2>And the fourth.

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<v Speaker 1>Pitfall that Noah had to avoid is what I call

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<v Speaker 1>discouraging delays because it took him almost one hundred years

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<v Speaker 1>to build this arc. Now we learn the same four

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<v Speaker 1>choices that Noah made are the same four choices that

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<v Speaker 1>you must make in order to fulfill God's purpose and

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<v Speaker 1>God's plan.

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<v Speaker 2>For your life. So let's get right into it.

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<v Speaker 1>Here's the first choice that Noah made that you're going

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<v Speaker 1>to have to make in order to get to the

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<v Speaker 1>fulfillment of the dream, the vision, and the goal God

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<v Speaker 1>hasked for your life. Number one, I must dare to

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<v Speaker 1>be different from my culture. I must dare to be

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<v Speaker 1>different from my culture. Now, until you settle this big issue,

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<v Speaker 1>you're never going to fulfill your destiny. You can forget

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<v Speaker 1>fitting in. You can't fit in with culture and fit

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<v Speaker 1>in with God's plan for your life. The Bible tells

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<v Speaker 1>us in Genesis, chapter six, verse nine, first part of

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<v Speaker 1>the verse. It says this, this is the account of

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<v Speaker 1>Noah and his descendants. Noah had God's approval. Notice this,

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<v Speaker 1>Noah had God's approval, and he was a man of

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<v Speaker 1>integrity among the people of his time, as from God's

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<v Speaker 1>words translations. Now, if you intend to do anything significant

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<v Speaker 1>with your life, it's going to be in spite of

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<v Speaker 1>our culture, not because of it. You hear that in

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<v Speaker 1>spite of the culture, not because of it. Culture will

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<v Speaker 1>distract you from God's purpose for your life. And would

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<v Speaker 1>you agree there are plenty of things that distract you

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<v Speaker 1>from your destiny. Yeah, let me just mention four cultural distractions.

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<v Speaker 1>Real quick Number one would be pleasure. Our world is

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<v Speaker 1>pleasure crazy, living for fun, living for comfort, living for entertainment.

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<v Speaker 1>You can't live for those things and live for God. Possessions,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, judging your success by how much stuff you accumulate. Possessions, pleasure, popularity,

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<v Speaker 1>worrying about what other people think. You can't focus on

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<v Speaker 1>being popular and doing what God has called you to

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<v Speaker 1>do with your life at the same time. And how

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<v Speaker 1>about profit if your number one goal is to get rich.

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<v Speaker 1>I just want to remind you that Jesus said you

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<v Speaker 1>cannot serve both God and money. He didn't say you shouldn't.

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<v Speaker 1>He said you can't. You can't have to do gods.

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<v Speaker 1>Whatever is number one in your life will be your God. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>in Noah's day, the human race had hit bottom morally.

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<v Speaker 1>Genesis chapter six, Verse eleven and twelve says this earth

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<v Speaker 1>had become corrupt in the sight, in God's sight, and

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<v Speaker 1>it was filled with violence. Now notice he might circle

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<v Speaker 1>these words corrupt and then violence, and God observed all

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<v Speaker 1>the evil. There's a third word done in the world,

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<v Speaker 1>and he noticed cruelty. There's the fourth world word and

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<v Speaker 1>depravity everywhere violence, depravity, cruelty, corruption, evil, sound vaguely familiar.

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<v Speaker 1>In Genesis chapter six, verse five and six, it says

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<v Speaker 1>when God saw the extent of human wickedness on the earth,

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<v Speaker 1>and that the trend and direction notice that phrase, the

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<v Speaker 1>trend and direction of men's lives were only toward evil.

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<v Speaker 1>He God was sorry that he had made them, and

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<v Speaker 1>it broke his heart. God had a broken heart. The

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<v Speaker 1>world was broken by all kinds of sin and all

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<v Speaker 1>kinds of evil, and that broke God's heart. When God

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<v Speaker 1>made it, he said, it's good, It's all good. But

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<v Speaker 1>it wasn't all good anymore. Does this sound familiar? By

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<v Speaker 1>the way, what do you think is the trend today?

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<v Speaker 1>What's the trend and direction of culture today? Is it

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<v Speaker 1>toward good? Is it towards civility or incivility? Is it

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<v Speaker 1>toward rudeness? Or is it toward love? Is it toward

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<v Speaker 1>people being more violent or being more peaceful?

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<v Speaker 2>We're in the same direction, you know. Jesus said this.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus said in Luke seventeen, verse twenty six, when the

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<v Speaker 1>Son of Man comes again, Jesus is coming back someday,

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<v Speaker 1>he said, it will be like it was when Noah lived.

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<v Speaker 1>In other words, the same things that were going on

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<v Speaker 1>in Noah's day, violence, corruption, evil, depravity, cruelty, people being

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<v Speaker 1>cruel to each other. He said, you can expect that again.

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<v Speaker 1>We're seeing that today. These are distractions in our culture.

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<v Speaker 1>But here's the good news. And all of the darkness

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<v Speaker 1>that was going across the earth at that time, God

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<v Speaker 1>found one bright spot. And in Genesis sixth, verse eight,

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<v Speaker 1>I love this. In the message it says this, but

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<v Speaker 1>Noah was different. Noah was different. God liked what he

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<v Speaker 1>saw in Noah while the entire world, all of culture,

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<v Speaker 1>was headed in one direction. Two words saved the world.

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<v Speaker 1>But Noah, I want you to be that kind of

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<v Speaker 1>person in today's world. I want you to be a

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<v Speaker 1>But Noah, that you turn the other direction you're going.

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<v Speaker 1>But Susan, but Mary, but John, but Bill. But Noah

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<v Speaker 1>was going in a different direction. He's the only guy

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<v Speaker 1>in the world. He's counterculture.

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<v Speaker 2>Now.

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<v Speaker 1>Noah is not worried about fitting in. He's not worried

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<v Speaker 1>about gaining the approval of other people. He doesn't worry

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<v Speaker 1>about keeping up with the latest trends. Why, because the

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<v Speaker 1>trends and direction of the world were going in the

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<v Speaker 1>wrong direction. Friends, it's not important to be on the

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<v Speaker 1>right side of a trend. It's not important to be

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<v Speaker 1>on the right side of history. It's just important to

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<v Speaker 1>be on the right side. History is often wrong. Trends

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<v Speaker 1>are often wrong. And if God is going to use you,

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<v Speaker 1>if you're going to be all that God intends for

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<v Speaker 1>you to be as a man or as a woman,

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<v Speaker 1>you must be willing to be different. Noah was willing

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<v Speaker 1>to be different in order to fulfill his destiny. He

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<v Speaker 1>marched to a different drummer. Now I want you to

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<v Speaker 1>write this down. Okay, write it down. I can only

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<v Speaker 1>make a difference by being different. It's pretty simple thought,

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<v Speaker 1>but it's also profound. I can only make a difference

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<v Speaker 1>by being different. I can only make a difference by

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<v Speaker 1>being different. You want to make a difference in this world.

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<v Speaker 1>You want to make a difference in your family. You

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<v Speaker 1>want to make a difference in your community, your school,

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<v Speaker 1>your business. I can only make it if it's by

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<v Speaker 1>being different. If I try to be like everybody else,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm never going to make a difference. You're never going

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<v Speaker 1>to make a difference unless you're willing to be like Noah.

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<v Speaker 1>Where you ignore cultural distractions. Great people never never, never

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<v Speaker 1>follow the crowd. They take the road less traveled. The

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<v Speaker 1>Living Bible says Noah was a pleasure to the Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>I want God to be able to say that about you.

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<v Speaker 1>I want other people to be able to say that

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<v Speaker 1>about you, that you were a pleasure to the Lord

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<v Speaker 1>that God looks down at Noah says, that guy makes

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<v Speaker 1>me smile. Can God say that about you? Are you

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<v Speaker 1>going the way of the crowd? You go in the

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<v Speaker 1>way of culture, you go on the way of society. Genesis,

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter seven, Verse one. God told Noah, out of everyone

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<v Speaker 1>living in this generation, you are the only righteous person

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<v Speaker 1>on earth. That's why we're talking about in thousands of

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<v Speaker 1>years later. Could God say that about you? Out of

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<v Speaker 1>everybody living today, you're the only righteous person on earth?

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<v Speaker 2>Now, how does that happen?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, living with integrity requires the courage to be different.

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<v Speaker 1>And if I'm going to fulfill my destiny in life,

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<v Speaker 1>you're going to fulfill your destiny in life, you must

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<v Speaker 1>be willing to walk a different direction than everybody else

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<v Speaker 1>around you. All right, here's the second choice that Noah

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<v Speaker 1>had to make. I must listen to God, not the

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<v Speaker 1>voices of doubt. I must listen to God, not the

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<v Speaker 1>voices of doubt. Can you imagine all the doubts that

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<v Speaker 1>Noah had when God comes and says, I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>destroy the world to start over. I'm gonna start over

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<v Speaker 1>with your family. You're going to build an arc. There's

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<v Speaker 1>a thing called rain. It's gonna rain. There's going to

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<v Speaker 1>be a flood, and you're gonna be able to do this.

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<v Speaker 2>You go, really me, Moah. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>Voices of doubt can come from many, many different places

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<v Speaker 1>in your life. Some of you are listening to voices

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<v Speaker 1>of doubt right now. God has given you a vision,

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<v Speaker 1>given you a dream that's been in your heart since

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<v Speaker 1>you were young, or maybe it's a new vision, a

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<v Speaker 1>new dream about You've caught a vision of what God

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<v Speaker 1>could do in your life. But maybe your spouse doesn't

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<v Speaker 1>believe it, or maybe your parents don't believe it, or

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<v Speaker 1>maybe your girlfriend or your boyfriend, or somebody at work

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<v Speaker 1>or even your best friend. Voices of doubt can come

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<v Speaker 1>from a lot of different places. They can come from critics,

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<v Speaker 1>you expect that, they can come from competition. Who do

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<v Speaker 1>you think you are? Why would you even try to

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<v Speaker 1>do that? Why would you even try to develop that product,

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<v Speaker 1>that business? Whatever it can come from Satan. The Bible

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<v Speaker 1>called Satan the accuser of Christians, the accuser of the brothers,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's always saying, you can't do this year, no good,

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<v Speaker 1>You'll never amount to anything. When you hear that, that's

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<v Speaker 1>not God talking to you, that's Satan. Satan accuses God comforts.

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<v Speaker 1>The Bible says there's no condemnation for those who are

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<v Speaker 1>in Christ Jesus, but visions of doubt cann actually come

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<v Speaker 1>from your friends and their friends who say, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we grew up with you. Who do you think you are?

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<v Speaker 1>Or they can even come from your family. Imagine all

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<v Speaker 1>the dreambusters in Noah's life. I mean, he's he's building

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<v Speaker 1>this giant arc out at his front yard, and his

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<v Speaker 1>neighbors are going, hey, mister Noah, what are you doing?

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<v Speaker 1>I'm building an arc? What's that for? Because it's got

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<v Speaker 1>a flood. What's the flood. It's when you get a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of rain. What's rain, Well, it's water comes down

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<v Speaker 1>from heaven. They've never seen it. They go, do do,

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<v Speaker 1>do do do do This guy's crackpot. He's he's lost it.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure he had to live with year after year

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<v Speaker 1>after year after year of ridicule from his neighbors. He's

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<v Speaker 1>a nut, he's a crackpot, he's a kook. This guy

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<v Speaker 1>thanks God talk to him. Yeah right, he thinks God

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<v Speaker 1>talks to him. And he's building the Queen Mary in

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<v Speaker 1>his front yard. Where is the Homeowner's Association when you

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<v Speaker 1>need him? Where are those people that you can't build

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<v Speaker 1>that ship.

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<v Speaker 2>In your front yard?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean imagine even the pressure from his own family.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean his teenage boys going, Dad, come on the

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<v Speaker 1>ship on the front lawn.

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<v Speaker 2>It's embarrassing.

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<v Speaker 1>I can't bring my girlfriend, I can't bring my friends over, Dad.

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<v Speaker 1>Why can't you get a normal job. You're building on

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<v Speaker 1>this thing for decade after decade after Deactorady. This doomsday

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<v Speaker 1>talk is all over town, Dad. Our family is in

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<v Speaker 1>the National Enquirer. You know, noah family building arc. The

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<v Speaker 1>world is going to end. If you were Noah, would

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<v Speaker 1>you be willing to endure the voices of doubt like that?

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<v Speaker 1>Year after year after year, no rain, no rain, no rain,

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<v Speaker 1>no rain, no rain, no rain, for decade after decade

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<v Speaker 1>after after, the arcs getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

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<v Speaker 1>God's gonna bring all the animals.

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<v Speaker 2>Where are they?

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<v Speaker 1>I don't see him? It took an awful lot of faith.

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<v Speaker 1>Now let me just apply this to your life. Dream

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<v Speaker 1>Busters will try to stop your dream. Okay, they will.

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<v Speaker 2>Try to stop you.

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<v Speaker 1>And critics and cynics are going to say to you,

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<v Speaker 1>who do you think you are to try to live

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<v Speaker 1>for Jesus Christ to do something great for God?

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<v Speaker 2>Who do you think you are to.

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<v Speaker 1>Have a mission from God, a plan, a purpose, a

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<v Speaker 1>great vision from God? Friends and family may do this.

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<v Speaker 1>Joseph's families tried to kill his dream. Remember when we

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<v Speaker 1>looked at that he had that dream and they all

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<v Speaker 1>tried to kill him. Jesus family tried to stop him

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<v Speaker 1>from fulfilling God's purpose. You go all through Bible, person

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<v Speaker 1>after person. Family members often tried to stop another family

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<v Speaker 1>member from doing what God had called them to do.

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<v Speaker 1>But you know what, the biggest voices of doubt can

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<v Speaker 1>actually come from inside you. And the second most important

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<v Speaker 1>words you say in life are to yourself. The first

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<v Speaker 1>important words that you say are to God. But the

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<v Speaker 1>second most important words that you say in life are

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<v Speaker 1>the words that you say to yourself. And you talk

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<v Speaker 1>to yourself constantly, and you're saying to yourself things like

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<v Speaker 1>I'm no good who do I think I am. This

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<v Speaker 1>won't work. You're talking yourself down, you're giving yourself seeds

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<v Speaker 1>of doubt all of the time. Or you're listening to

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<v Speaker 1>the word of God and you're telling yourself what God

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<v Speaker 1>says about you, and you're saying things like I can

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<v Speaker 1>do all things through Who strengthens me.

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<v Speaker 2>My confidence isn't in myself.

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<v Speaker 1>My confidence is in Christ, who gives me the strength

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<v Speaker 1>to do. If God has called me to do something,

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<v Speaker 1>He's going to give me the strength to do it.

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<v Speaker 1>God never calls you to do something that he doesn't

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<v Speaker 1>give you the energy and the power and the equipment

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<v Speaker 1>and the friends and the contacts to actually get done.

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<v Speaker 1>So let me ask you, how do you talk to yourself?

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<v Speaker 1>You talking to yourself with doubt, voices of doubt all

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<v Speaker 1>the time. Some of you, if you talk to your

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<v Speaker 1>friends the way you talk to you, that wouldn't be

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<v Speaker 1>your friends. You need to talk to yourself the way

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<v Speaker 1>you talk to your friends. You know, I need to

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<v Speaker 1>say something else here. You can't be trusted to always

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<v Speaker 1>tell yourself the truth. You've heard me say this many times.

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<v Speaker 1>You lie to yourself more than you lie to anybody else.

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<v Speaker 1>The Bible says, the heart is deceitful, and we tell

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<v Speaker 1>ourselves things are better than they really are.

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<v Speaker 2>When they aren't. And sometimes we tell ourselves things.

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<v Speaker 1>Are worse than they really are, and we don't always

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<v Speaker 1>get it right. I'm giving you permission to not believe

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<v Speaker 1>what you tell yourself, because not everything you tell yourself

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<v Speaker 1>is the truth. We have motivated reasoning, we have insufficient evidence,

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<v Speaker 1>we have messed up data, and all kinds of things.

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<v Speaker 1>Not everything you're thinking is the truth. Just well, I

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<v Speaker 1>think it, it must be true. I feel it.

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<v Speaker 2>It must be true.

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<v Speaker 1>No feelings lie, and even ideas that you come up

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<v Speaker 1>with lie. You have to listen to God if you're

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<v Speaker 1>going to fulfill God's mission for your life. Now, what

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<v Speaker 1>is the antidote to fear and doubt in your life?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, in a word, it's it's faith. It's faith.

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<v Speaker 1>Hebrews eleven, verse seven. Chapter eleven, verse seven says this,

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<v Speaker 1>it was by faith that Noah heard God's warning about

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<v Speaker 1>the things he could not yet see.

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<v Speaker 2>Now look at that verse.

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<v Speaker 1>It was by faith that Noah heard the warning about

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<v Speaker 1>things he could not see. He couldn't see the flood,

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<v Speaker 1>he couldn't see the animals coming. He couldn't see what

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<v Speaker 1>the arc was going to look like with his belt.

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<v Speaker 1>These are all not visible. But he hears God, and

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<v Speaker 1>he trusted what he heard God because he could not

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<v Speaker 1>see it at the time. Now, let's just apply this

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<v Speaker 1>to your life. You can't always see God's destiny for

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<v Speaker 1>you either. You can't see the end of the game.

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<v Speaker 1>You can't see the goal. You can't see where you're

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<v Speaker 1>going to end up. You don't know where you're going

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<v Speaker 1>to be in ten years, or twenty years or thirty years,

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<v Speaker 1>much less next week. You have to trust your future

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<v Speaker 1>to God. That's faith. In fact, the Bible says this

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<v Speaker 1>in Hebrews eleven, verse one. Faith is being sure of

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<v Speaker 1>what we hope for and certain of what we do

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<v Speaker 1>not see. Noah was a man of faith, and the

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<v Speaker 1>faith was the antidote to his fear, and the faith

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<v Speaker 1>was the antidote to his voices of doubt. Paul dealt

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<v Speaker 1>with this and second Corinthians four eighteen. He says, we

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<v Speaker 1>don't look at the troubles, which we can see right now.

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<v Speaker 1>That's anybody to see the troubles we're in. Instead, we

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<v Speaker 1>look forward, We look past the troubles to what we

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<v Speaker 1>have not yet seen. Okay, that's perspective. Why for the

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<v Speaker 1>troubles that we see now will soon be over. They're

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<v Speaker 1>not gonna last, But the unseen joys will come to

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<v Speaker 1>last forever. They're gonna last forever. Now, some of you,

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<v Speaker 1>you may be depressed, you may be even despairing of

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<v Speaker 1>your life right now. Never make a major decision when

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<v Speaker 1>you're depressed, and never make a permanent decision when you're

400
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<v Speaker 1>in a temporary mood, because feelings don't last, they don't

401
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<v Speaker 1>come to stay, they come to pass, and they're not

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<v Speaker 1>gonna last. So whether you right now are blessed or

403
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<v Speaker 1>whether you you are stressed right now or in your future,

404
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<v Speaker 1>whether you're blessed in your future or whether you are

405
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<v Speaker 1>stressed in your future, is going to be determined by

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<v Speaker 1>one thing, what you choose to focus on. Will you

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<v Speaker 1>listen to the voices of doubt or you will listen

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<v Speaker 1>to the voice of God. Again, Remember, it says Noah

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<v Speaker 1>chose to be different from everybody else around him by

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<v Speaker 1>listening to God instead of listening to the voices or

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<v Speaker 1>in culture Hebrews eleven, verse seven. The second part of

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<v Speaker 1>the verse says this Noah's belief in God get this underline.

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<v Speaker 1>It was in direct contrast. Noah's belief in God was

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<v Speaker 1>in direct contrast to the disbelief of the rest of

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<v Speaker 1>the world. Nobody else believed. This is counter culture living.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to challenge you to become a counterculture revolutionary.

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<v Speaker 1>How by trusting God instead of trusting culture. By listening

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<v Speaker 1>to God instead of listening to society, By doing what

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<v Speaker 1>God tells you to do and listening to what God says.

420
00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:08.160
<v Speaker 1>Is that of the doubts in your head or the

421
00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:11.039
<v Speaker 1>doubts of people all around you who are giving the

422
00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:14.519
<v Speaker 1>words a doubt? Now, of course that takes courage. You go,

423
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:17.359
<v Speaker 1>I don't have that kind of courage. How did Noah

424
00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:20.880
<v Speaker 1>have that kind of courage to keep on going after

425
00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:23.000
<v Speaker 1>what God had told him to follow his dream, to

426
00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:25.079
<v Speaker 1>go after his purpose. How do you get that kind

427
00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:28.720
<v Speaker 1>of courage? There's only one way. You got to stay

428
00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:32.279
<v Speaker 1>close to God. You have to stay close to God.

429
00:24:32.839 --> 00:24:36.440
<v Speaker 1>The Bible tells us that Noah heard God speak. Remember

430
00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:39.599
<v Speaker 1>that verse we just looked at Noah heard God speak?

431
00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:43.000
<v Speaker 1>So well, I don't ever hear God speak. How do

432
00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:44.920
<v Speaker 1>you hear God?

433
00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:46.279
<v Speaker 2>All right?

434
00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:51.839
<v Speaker 1>Write this down? You hear God by getting near to God.

435
00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:56.559
<v Speaker 1>You hear God by getting near to God. You can't

436
00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:59.079
<v Speaker 1>hear God when you're far away. You got to get

437
00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:02.279
<v Speaker 1>near to God. I mean, spend time with God every day,

438
00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:06.400
<v Speaker 1>reading the Bible, being quiet, listening, being quiet, and just

439
00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:09.400
<v Speaker 1>listening to God listen, reading His word and listening, talking

440
00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:14.480
<v Speaker 1>to God in prayer, and being silent. Genesis six, verse nine.

441
00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:17.720
<v Speaker 1>The third part of the verse is this, Noah walked

442
00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:22.240
<v Speaker 1>with God. That means he was near to God. He

443
00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:26.039
<v Speaker 1>walked with God. Now that word walking, I like that,

444
00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.279
<v Speaker 1>are you walking with God?

445
00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.000
<v Speaker 2>So well? I don't know.

446
00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:34.400
<v Speaker 1>Well what is walking imply? When you walk with someone,

447
00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:37.359
<v Speaker 1>it implies two or three things. Let me let me

448
00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:41.279
<v Speaker 1>let me first say. The New Living translation says, Noah

449
00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:44.759
<v Speaker 1>enjoyed a close relationship with God. That's what it means

450
00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:47.960
<v Speaker 1>to walk with God, to enjoy a close relationship with God.

451
00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:53.160
<v Speaker 1>Today's English version says, Noah lived in fellowship with God.

452
00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:56.359
<v Speaker 1>So what does that mean to live in fellowship, to

453
00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:59.559
<v Speaker 1>have a close relationship, to walk with God.

454
00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:01.200
<v Speaker 2>Well, just think about this.

455
00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:06.519
<v Speaker 1>Anytime you're walking with anybody, it implies three things. First,

456
00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:10.960
<v Speaker 1>it implies affiliation. In other words, you're not ashamed to

457
00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:13.880
<v Speaker 1>be with them. You're not ashamed to be seen with them.

458
00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:16.640
<v Speaker 1>How about if we were walking through you know, Irvine

459
00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:22.079
<v Speaker 1>Spectrum shopping center and my wife Kay decides she doesn't

460
00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:24.200
<v Speaker 1>want to be seen with me, so she walks ahead

461
00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:27.519
<v Speaker 1>of me. Well, that's not walking together if I walked

462
00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:30.720
<v Speaker 1>ahead of her. Affiliation means you're not ashamed to be

463
00:26:30.839 --> 00:26:35.079
<v Speaker 1>seen with the person you're walking with. Are you ashamed

464
00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:38.000
<v Speaker 1>to be seen with God? Are you ashamed to be

465
00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:42.759
<v Speaker 1>known as a follower of Jesus? Are you the affiliation

466
00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:48.039
<v Speaker 1>of walking with God means you're not worried about telling

467
00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:52.440
<v Speaker 1>people you're a believer. That's what implies to walk with God.

468
00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:56.240
<v Speaker 1>I tell people I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. It

469
00:26:56.279 --> 00:27:01.160
<v Speaker 1>applies affiliation. Second implies agreement. By poll tells us an

470
00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:04.480
<v Speaker 1>amous chapter three, verse three that two cannot walk together

471
00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:06.799
<v Speaker 1>unless they're agreed. In other words, you can't walk that

472
00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:09.440
<v Speaker 1>way and me walk that way, and let us walk together.

473
00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:12.519
<v Speaker 1>If we're going to walk together, we have to be

474
00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:16.039
<v Speaker 1>in agreement that we're headed in the same direction. So

475
00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:20.400
<v Speaker 1>there's affiliation and there's agreement. And then the third thing

476
00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:26.039
<v Speaker 1>walking implies is alignment. In other words, we're headed at

477
00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:29.119
<v Speaker 1>the same pace. In other words, you can't walk faster

478
00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:31.440
<v Speaker 1>than me, and I can't walk slower than you. We're

479
00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:34.559
<v Speaker 1>not only in the same direction, we're at the same pace.

480
00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:38.119
<v Speaker 1>That's what it means to walk with God. You're not

481
00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:41.559
<v Speaker 1>ashamed of him. You're going in the same direction, and

482
00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:44.559
<v Speaker 1>you're going in the same pace. How do you know

483
00:27:44.599 --> 00:27:47.519
<v Speaker 1>if you're walking on God those same three things. Oh,

484
00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:49.200
<v Speaker 1>by the way, let me give you a fourth way.

485
00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:51.920
<v Speaker 1>You know, if you're walking on God, you'll be out

486
00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:55.160
<v Speaker 1>of step with the world. You'll be out of step

487
00:27:55.160 --> 00:27:57.240
<v Speaker 1>with the world. You can't walk in step with God

488
00:27:57.400 --> 00:27:59.359
<v Speaker 1>and being step with the world the same time. So

489
00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:04.599
<v Speaker 1>great on the world. Now the result, this is really important.

490
00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:06.960
<v Speaker 1>I want us to get this. What is the result

491
00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:11.519
<v Speaker 1>of walking with God? Like Noah did? When you walk

492
00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:17.039
<v Speaker 1>with God, when you're near to God, you fear nothing.

493
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:21.039
<v Speaker 2>Noah wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid of.

494
00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:24.880
<v Speaker 1>Disapproval, He wasn't afraid of people's comments, he wasn't afraid

495
00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:28.799
<v Speaker 1>of being rejected, He wasn't afraid of criticism. You lose

496
00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:34.359
<v Speaker 1>your fear when God is near. The fear goes out

497
00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:39.039
<v Speaker 1>when you're near to God. In Genesis chapter six, Verse

498
00:28:39.079 --> 00:28:43.240
<v Speaker 1>seventeen to eighteen. God says this, Noah, I'm going to

499
00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:47.200
<v Speaker 1>send a flood that will destroy everything that breathes, and

500
00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:51.680
<v Speaker 1>nothing's going to be left alive. But I solemnly promise.

501
00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:54.960
<v Speaker 1>This is God's promise. This is what Noah put his

502
00:28:55.240 --> 00:29:00.160
<v Speaker 1>faith in. I solemnly promised that you and your wife,

503
00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:04.039
<v Speaker 1>and your sons and your daughters in law will be

504
00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:08.240
<v Speaker 1>kept safe in the boat. Noah is not afraid of

505
00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:12.160
<v Speaker 1>a worldwide flood, because when God is near, you lose

506
00:29:12.359 --> 00:29:17.880
<v Speaker 1>your fear. What are you afraid of? What's been putting

507
00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:20.519
<v Speaker 1>you in knots? What's been scaring you to death? What's

508
00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:22.720
<v Speaker 1>caused you to be anxious, what's caused you to be

509
00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:28.440
<v Speaker 1>sleepless at night? What just tightens your stomach into a knot?

510
00:29:29.400 --> 00:29:32.799
<v Speaker 1>Many of you have been living in fear. That has

511
00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:36.519
<v Speaker 1>got to end. Now You've got to stop listening to

512
00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:40.319
<v Speaker 1>the voices of doubt and anxiety and fear and start

513
00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:43.359
<v Speaker 1>listening to the voice of God by walking with God,

514
00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:47.279
<v Speaker 1>by getting near to God, and when he's near, you

515
00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:52.599
<v Speaker 1>lose your fear. Now there's a third choice that Noah made,

516
00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:55.119
<v Speaker 1>and you're going to have to make this choice too.

517
00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:58.519
<v Speaker 1>If you're going to have the comeback from your setbacks.

518
00:29:58.920 --> 00:30:01.559
<v Speaker 1>This third choice is the only way you're going to

519
00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:04.279
<v Speaker 1>make it to the finish line that you're going to

520
00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:08.319
<v Speaker 1>fulfill the vision, the dream, the purpose that God created

521
00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:11.920
<v Speaker 1>you for. Here, it is just like Noah, I must

522
00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:16.559
<v Speaker 1>do exactly. I must do exactly what God tells me

523
00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:21.920
<v Speaker 1>to do. Now, Noah doesn't just hear God's word. He

524
00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:27.200
<v Speaker 1>obeys it, he obeys it. He does exactly whatever God

525
00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:27.839
<v Speaker 1>tells him to do.

526
00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:29.440
<v Speaker 2>He obeys God's words.

527
00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:32.359
<v Speaker 1>And this is the third key to fulfilling your mission

528
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:36.000
<v Speaker 1>in life. Hebrews eleven, verse seven. Second part of the

529
00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:40.599
<v Speaker 1>verse says is Noah obeyed God, and he built a

530
00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:43.480
<v Speaker 1>large boat to save his family. That's a new century version.

531
00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:46.799
<v Speaker 1>So what I'm saying here is that I must not

532
00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:50.200
<v Speaker 1>only do what God tells me to do. I must

533
00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:52.359
<v Speaker 1>do it the exact way that He tells me to

534
00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:56.200
<v Speaker 1>do it, and I've got to do it at the

535
00:30:56.240 --> 00:31:00.200
<v Speaker 1>exact time that he wants me to do it. I

536
00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:03.759
<v Speaker 1>mean methodology, I've got to do it what he wants

537
00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:05.440
<v Speaker 1>me to do, when he wants me to do it,

538
00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:07.240
<v Speaker 1>how he wants me to do it. I do it

539
00:31:07.319 --> 00:31:12.119
<v Speaker 1>exactly the way he wants. Partial obedience is disobedience. This

540
00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:15.720
<v Speaker 1>is the third key to Noah's life. In Genesis chapter six,

541
00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:20.440
<v Speaker 1>verse fourteen to twenty two, God tells Noah this, Noah,

542
00:31:20.440 --> 00:31:22.839
<v Speaker 1>I want you to build a boat from cypress wood

543
00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:26.359
<v Speaker 1>and seal it with tar inside and out. He's given

544
00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:29.759
<v Speaker 1>him very specific details, and he said, he tells you

545
00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:31.920
<v Speaker 1>the wood and how he's put tar on the inside out.

546
00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:35.200
<v Speaker 1>He said, then build decks and stalls throughout its interior.

547
00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:38.279
<v Speaker 1>And he said, I want you to make this boat

548
00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:40.839
<v Speaker 1>four hundred and fifty feet long. I want you to

549
00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:43.599
<v Speaker 1>make it seventy five feet wide. I want you to

550
00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:48.799
<v Speaker 1>make it forty five feet high. He tells the exact specifications.

551
00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.680
<v Speaker 1>He says, at the top, I want you to leave

552
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:55.680
<v Speaker 1>an eighteen inch opening airspace all the way around the boat,

553
00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:56.960
<v Speaker 1>just below the roof.

554
00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:59.440
<v Speaker 2>That way hot air can get out and cool air

555
00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:00.920
<v Speaker 2>can get in. He says.

556
00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:04.559
<v Speaker 1>Then put three decks inside the boat and put one

557
00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:08.160
<v Speaker 1>door on the side. And then he says, I want

558
00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:10.759
<v Speaker 1>you to include a male and female pair of every

559
00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:13.640
<v Speaker 1>kind of animal that I bring to your boat to

560
00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:17.839
<v Speaker 1>keep alive during the world wide flood. And remember taking

561
00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:21.200
<v Speaker 1>enough food for your family and for all your animals now,

562
00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:26.799
<v Speaker 1>notice here's the important line. Then Noah did everything exactly

563
00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:31.759
<v Speaker 1>as God commanded him. This is why we're talking about

564
00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:34.559
<v Speaker 1>Noah today. This is why you're alive. If Noah had

565
00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:37.799
<v Speaker 1>not done everything exactly as God had commanded him, you

566
00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:40.839
<v Speaker 1>wouldn't be listening right now, because the human race wouldn't

567
00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:41.279
<v Speaker 1>be here.

568
00:32:42.519 --> 00:32:44.240
<v Speaker 2>So thank you, mister.

569
00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:47.359
<v Speaker 1>Noah for doing everything exactly as God commanded. If he

570
00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:50.440
<v Speaker 1>had not done everything exactly as God commanded, partial obedience,

571
00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:56.079
<v Speaker 1>as I said, is disobedience, and we wouldn't be here now.

572
00:32:57.480 --> 00:33:00.599
<v Speaker 2>In your own life.

573
00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:01.920
<v Speaker 1>At whatever stage of journey in your life here and

574
00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:03.480
<v Speaker 1>you may be at the very beginning, you may be

575
00:33:03.559 --> 00:33:05.759
<v Speaker 1>near toward the end, or you may in the middle.

576
00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:09.680
<v Speaker 1>But at any stage of your life, you're gonna be

577
00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:14.319
<v Speaker 1>tempted to cut corners. You're gonna be tempted to take shortcuts.

578
00:33:14.359 --> 00:33:17.400
<v Speaker 1>You're gonna be tempted to do the easy thing, to

579
00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:20.519
<v Speaker 1>take the easy way out, to skimp a little here,

580
00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:24.119
<v Speaker 1>to skip a step, to fudge a little. And God

581
00:33:24.119 --> 00:33:25.480
<v Speaker 1>will say, I want you to do these things, and

582
00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:27.559
<v Speaker 1>you know, well, I'll do it, but I just want

583
00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:30.359
<v Speaker 1>to do it my way. And in your mind you're

584
00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:32.079
<v Speaker 1>gonna think that you know better than God. You're going

585
00:33:32.119 --> 00:33:35.759
<v Speaker 1>to go, Lord, I think I could reach my goal

586
00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:42.920
<v Speaker 1>faster my way than your way. And that's fatal. That

587
00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:47.119
<v Speaker 1>is a tempting shortcut. That's the third thing that will

588
00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:51.119
<v Speaker 1>cause you to miss your purpose and God's plan in life. Lord,

589
00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:53.400
<v Speaker 1>I think I could reach my goal faster my way

590
00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:54.000
<v Speaker 1>than your way.

591
00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:54.799
<v Speaker 2>Have you been trying to.

592
00:33:54.720 --> 00:33:57.519
<v Speaker 1>Do that, trying to accomplish what you want to accomplish

593
00:33:57.599 --> 00:33:58.400
<v Speaker 1>in life your.

594
00:33:58.279 --> 00:33:59.440
<v Speaker 2>Way rather than God's way?

595
00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:04.359
<v Speaker 1>I mean, can you imagine Noah saying to God, excuse me, Lord,

596
00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:09.559
<v Speaker 1>let's have a little talk here. Are all these animals

597
00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:14.039
<v Speaker 1>really necessary? Do we really need all of them on board?

598
00:34:15.239 --> 00:34:18.239
<v Speaker 1>Why don't we forget some of these animals? I mean,

599
00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:20.679
<v Speaker 1>Greenpeace will never know why they went extinct.

600
00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:25.960
<v Speaker 2>They're never gonna know, So, you know.

601
00:34:26.039 --> 00:34:28.239
<v Speaker 1>By the way, I would have been just happy if

602
00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:36.320
<v Speaker 1>he had left mosquitoes off the arc. In Genesis chapter seven,

603
00:34:36.760 --> 00:34:39.760
<v Speaker 1>verses one to five, we find the exact same phrase

604
00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:42.159
<v Speaker 1>a second time, where it says Moses did exactly what

605
00:34:42.199 --> 00:34:44.440
<v Speaker 1>God told him to do. God says this about him

606
00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:47.280
<v Speaker 1>twice in the Bible, that he just didn't do what God.

607
00:34:47.119 --> 00:34:48.320
<v Speaker 2>Told him to do. He did it.

608
00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:51.079
<v Speaker 1>Exactly as God told him to do. Genesis seven, verse

609
00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:53.840
<v Speaker 1>one to five. Finally, the day came when the Lord

610
00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:56.719
<v Speaker 1>said to Noah, now get into the boat with all

611
00:34:56.760 --> 00:35:01.760
<v Speaker 1>your family, and now take a long notice pair of

612
00:35:01.800 --> 00:35:04.960
<v Speaker 1>each of the animals that I've approved for eating. They

613
00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:06.880
<v Speaker 1>had to have something to eat while they're on board.

614
00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:09.559
<v Speaker 1>Take seven pairs of each of the animal I've proved

615
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:13.760
<v Speaker 1>for eating and sacrifice, along with one pair of each

616
00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:17.079
<v Speaker 1>of all the other animals. And he says, also, I

617
00:35:17.079 --> 00:35:19.559
<v Speaker 1>want you to take seven pair, not just one pair,

618
00:35:19.800 --> 00:35:23.480
<v Speaker 1>seven pair male and female birds, pairs of every kind

619
00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:29.119
<v Speaker 1>of bird. And again Noah did exactly as the Lord

620
00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:32.840
<v Speaker 1>had commanded him. So twice we're told that he's not skimping,

621
00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:38.440
<v Speaker 1>he's not skipping steps, he's not taking shortcuts. You cannot

622
00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:42.719
<v Speaker 1>take tempting shortcuts and reach the goal God has for

623
00:35:42.840 --> 00:35:45.599
<v Speaker 1>your life. And he said, what are you talking about,

624
00:35:45.679 --> 00:35:49.559
<v Speaker 1>rick at tempting shortcut? Well, it could be a moral shortcut.

625
00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:52.320
<v Speaker 1>God wants me to be happy, so I'm gonna divorce

626
00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:55.519
<v Speaker 1>this person and marry that person. That's a moral shortcut.

627
00:35:55.800 --> 00:35:58.800
<v Speaker 1>It can be an ethical shortcut. Well, everybody else cheats

628
00:35:58.800 --> 00:35:59.280
<v Speaker 1>at work, so.

629
00:35:59.199 --> 00:35:59.840
<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna cheat it.

630
00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:04.519
<v Speaker 1>It could be a financial shortcut, and you know you're

631
00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.880
<v Speaker 1>not really honest here or there.

632
00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:07.960
<v Speaker 2>You're not tithing.

633
00:36:08.599 --> 00:36:12.039
<v Speaker 1>You think I'm gonna use God's money, the money that

634
00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:14.320
<v Speaker 1>God says give back to him and to honor him.

635
00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:17.360
<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna keep it myself. That's shortcut, and you're gonna

636
00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.599
<v Speaker 1>lose on that one.

637
00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:20.079
<v Speaker 2>You need to be tithing.

638
00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:25.360
<v Speaker 1>Maybe a relational shortcut, and you're attempted to do something

639
00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:30.039
<v Speaker 1>faster than the right way to do it. And he said, well,

640
00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:31.760
<v Speaker 1>you know you're gonna go to bed with him before

641
00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:35.159
<v Speaker 1>you get married. You know, Lord, I think we could

642
00:36:35.159 --> 00:36:39.159
<v Speaker 1>get to my goal quicker than my way. Quicker my way.

643
00:36:40.639 --> 00:36:46.119
<v Speaker 1>Shortcuts friends are usually short sighted, and they often point

644
00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:49.320
<v Speaker 1>you in the wrong direction. Genesis chapter six, verse nine,

645
00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:55.239
<v Speaker 1>it says Noah consistently followed God's will, That's why God

646
00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:58.159
<v Speaker 1>blessed him. Would you like God's blessing on your life?

647
00:36:58.320 --> 00:37:01.599
<v Speaker 1>Then you need to be like Noah can consistently follow

648
00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:05.039
<v Speaker 1>God's will. Not well, I'll pick and shoes what I'm

649
00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:07.800
<v Speaker 1>going to do. I'm going to do it. In everything,

650
00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:12.440
<v Speaker 1>I will obey God's will. Genesis sixth verse nine that

651
00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:15.719
<v Speaker 1>second part of the verse, Noah always tried to conduct

652
00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:21.000
<v Speaker 1>his affairs according to God's will. What a great verse

653
00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:22.719
<v Speaker 1>you might want to write that one out. God, I

654
00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:27.400
<v Speaker 1>want to conduct my affairs according to your will. Now,

655
00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:33.000
<v Speaker 1>let's just put you in Noah's shoes right now. What

656
00:37:33.159 --> 00:37:34.920
<v Speaker 1>if God gave to you one day said I want

657
00:37:34.920 --> 00:37:39.159
<v Speaker 1>you to build a giant ship, a battleship, an arc.

658
00:37:40.440 --> 00:37:43.199
<v Speaker 1>Don't you think you might have some questions and you

659
00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:46.119
<v Speaker 1>might want to take some shortcuts. I mean, I can

660
00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:46.519
<v Speaker 1>think of.

661
00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:48.840
<v Speaker 2>A lot of questions that Noah might ask.

662
00:37:49.480 --> 00:37:52.679
<v Speaker 1>First, if God came means and it had never rained

663
00:37:52.679 --> 00:37:55.000
<v Speaker 1>on Earth, I my first question would be, what's flood?

664
00:37:56.119 --> 00:37:58.440
<v Speaker 1>What's flood? He said, You're gonna flood the world. Well,

665
00:37:58.440 --> 00:38:00.400
<v Speaker 1>I don't know what a flood is. We know that

666
00:38:00.920 --> 00:38:03.599
<v Speaker 1>we know that Earth had some kind of tropical climate

667
00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:07.679
<v Speaker 1>because the fossils show that, and that their atmosphere changed,

668
00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:10.559
<v Speaker 1>and now we have you know, animals and human beings

669
00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:14.079
<v Speaker 1>live shorter lives. Second, I would ask, so, okay, Lord,

670
00:38:14.199 --> 00:38:17.519
<v Speaker 1>how do you build an arc? There's no home depot

671
00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:20.599
<v Speaker 1>for the lumber. I'm going to go after literally cut

672
00:38:20.599 --> 00:38:23.559
<v Speaker 1>it all down, find find you know, forest, and cut

673
00:38:23.639 --> 00:38:26.199
<v Speaker 1>it all down. And then okay, how am I going

674
00:38:26.280 --> 00:38:29.599
<v Speaker 1>to get this boat to the water? Because Noah lives

675
00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:34.039
<v Speaker 1>about one hundred miles or hundreds of miles from the

676
00:38:34.079 --> 00:38:37.400
<v Speaker 1>nearest ocean. Okay, so how am I going to get

677
00:38:37.400 --> 00:38:39.960
<v Speaker 1>the boat to water? And then God, how are you

678
00:38:40.039 --> 00:38:43.000
<v Speaker 1>going to turn all this around and round up all

679
00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:47.119
<v Speaker 1>the animals? Well, if God created the world, he can

680
00:38:47.159 --> 00:38:48.760
<v Speaker 1>do anything. A lot of people think that this is

681
00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:52.239
<v Speaker 1>such a such an unbelievable story.

682
00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:54.679
<v Speaker 2>Well, God could do anything.

683
00:38:54.679 --> 00:38:56.880
<v Speaker 1>If God created a universe, he can bring all the

684
00:38:56.880 --> 00:38:59.440
<v Speaker 1>animals together, He can do whatever he wants to do.

685
00:39:00.559 --> 00:39:05.280
<v Speaker 1>But Noah doesn't argue. Noah doesn't complain. He does everything

686
00:39:05.320 --> 00:39:07.840
<v Speaker 1>exactly as God says, and he says, whatever you say, Lord.

687
00:39:08.719 --> 00:39:13.119
<v Speaker 1>His faith was incredible because the request was incredible. Again,

688
00:39:13.519 --> 00:39:16.880
<v Speaker 1>Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him. If you

689
00:39:16.920 --> 00:39:19.239
<v Speaker 1>will make this the goal of your life. I want

690
00:39:19.239 --> 00:39:22.039
<v Speaker 1>to do everything God asked me to do, exactly as

691
00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:24.840
<v Speaker 1>God asked me to do. God blesses that kind of person.

692
00:39:25.480 --> 00:39:30.199
<v Speaker 1>God blesses people who follow directions even when it doesn't

693
00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:33.320
<v Speaker 1>make sense. Question what has God asked you to do?

694
00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:43.320
<v Speaker 1>And it doesn't make sense? Forgive somebody take a different job,

695
00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:50.800
<v Speaker 1>start tithing, you know, go share your faith with somebody

696
00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:51.679
<v Speaker 1>that you're scared to death.

697
00:39:51.719 --> 00:39:54.360
<v Speaker 2>To share your faith with faith.

698
00:39:54.119 --> 00:39:59.000
<v Speaker 1>Is obeying God, even when I don't understand why. Now

699
00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:03.599
<v Speaker 1>there's a fourth choice that Noah took. Noah made, and

700
00:40:03.679 --> 00:40:05.960
<v Speaker 1>you're going to have to make this choice too, if

701
00:40:05.960 --> 00:40:09.599
<v Speaker 1>you're going to fulfill the life that God intended for

702
00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:13.599
<v Speaker 1>you to have. Number four, I must never give up

703
00:40:14.239 --> 00:40:18.119
<v Speaker 1>on the dream that God gives me. I must never

704
00:40:18.199 --> 00:40:20.440
<v Speaker 1>give up on the dream God gives me. If anybody

705
00:40:20.440 --> 00:40:24.199
<v Speaker 1>had the right to be discouraged because it took so long,

706
00:40:24.519 --> 00:40:27.519
<v Speaker 1>the project was taken so long, it was Noah, As

707
00:40:27.559 --> 00:40:30.199
<v Speaker 1>I said, it took at least eighty years to build

708
00:40:30.239 --> 00:40:32.639
<v Speaker 1>the arc. The Bible tells us that the door to

709
00:40:32.719 --> 00:40:34.480
<v Speaker 1>the arc closed. He got in there and closed the

710
00:40:34.519 --> 00:40:37.960
<v Speaker 1>door exactly one hundred and twenty years after God.

711
00:40:37.800 --> 00:40:38.719
<v Speaker 2>Told him to build it.

712
00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:43.280
<v Speaker 1>Would you be able to maintain enthusiasm for a project

713
00:40:43.280 --> 00:40:46.000
<v Speaker 1>that took you one hundred and twenty years and nobody

714
00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:49.039
<v Speaker 1>else in the world believed in, and everybody else criticized and

715
00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:52.599
<v Speaker 1>made fun of. Could you handle that kind of opposition?

716
00:40:53.760 --> 00:40:55.679
<v Speaker 1>You see the reason why most people don't succeed in

717
00:40:55.679 --> 00:40:57.880
<v Speaker 1>life short term thinking they give up too soon.

718
00:40:58.159 --> 00:41:00.000
<v Speaker 2>You can't. They don't sustain it over the long haul.

719
00:41:00.440 --> 00:41:02.639
<v Speaker 1>And often, as I said a couple weeks ago, it's

720
00:41:02.679 --> 00:41:06.199
<v Speaker 1>in the middle of your life that you want to

721
00:41:06.239 --> 00:41:08.559
<v Speaker 1>give up, and it determines whether you're going to end

722
00:41:08.599 --> 00:41:09.679
<v Speaker 1>successfully or not.

723
00:41:10.079 --> 00:41:11.360
<v Speaker 2>Do not give up.

724
00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:15.559
<v Speaker 1>See culture says live only for today. Bible says, think

725
00:41:15.599 --> 00:41:19.159
<v Speaker 1>about eternity, think about your future. I want you to

726
00:41:19.199 --> 00:41:23.840
<v Speaker 1>write this down. Everything takes longer than I think. All right,

727
00:41:24.280 --> 00:41:28.199
<v Speaker 1>everything takes longer than I think. I'm sure Noah faced

728
00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:32.639
<v Speaker 1>loneliness and fatigue in how long it was taking to

729
00:41:32.679 --> 00:41:35.360
<v Speaker 1>reach his goal. And yet he's a model of patience

730
00:41:35.679 --> 00:41:40.039
<v Speaker 1>and persistence and determination. Why because of his faith in

731
00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:45.360
<v Speaker 1>God Hebrews eleven seven. Noah trusted God. Do you do

732
00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:49.719
<v Speaker 1>that when things don't look like they're going to happen,

733
00:41:49.800 --> 00:41:52.519
<v Speaker 1>when you're in the middle of the journey, when you

734
00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:56.039
<v Speaker 1>can't see either end. When he heard about God's warning

735
00:41:56.079 --> 00:42:00.239
<v Speaker 1>about the future, Noah believed him even though there us

736
00:42:00.360 --> 00:42:02.800
<v Speaker 1>no sign of a flood. What is it in your

737
00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:05.039
<v Speaker 1>life that you see no sign out that God has

738
00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:06.840
<v Speaker 1>told you and promised you it's going to happen.

739
00:42:08.400 --> 00:42:10.440
<v Speaker 2>Are you going to give up? Are you going to

740
00:42:10.519 --> 00:42:11.079
<v Speaker 2>keep trusting?

741
00:42:12.599 --> 00:42:17.719
<v Speaker 1>For forty two thousand and one days? Noah had one goal,

742
00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:22.199
<v Speaker 1>fulfill my destiny, and I bet on many of those

743
00:42:22.239 --> 00:42:25.880
<v Speaker 1>forty two thousand and one days. Noah didn't feel like

744
00:42:25.960 --> 00:42:30.920
<v Speaker 1>going to work, and he comes home every night and missus.

745
00:42:30.920 --> 00:42:36.039
<v Speaker 1>Noah says, well, how is work, honey, same place, same thing.

746
00:42:36.199 --> 00:42:37.360
<v Speaker 2>Nobody else is noticing.

747
00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:41.320
<v Speaker 1>Everybody else ignores him, or if they do notice, they

748
00:42:41.320 --> 00:42:42.039
<v Speaker 1>criticize it.

749
00:42:42.079 --> 00:42:46.480
<v Speaker 2>But he never gave up. Now, I don't know who I'm.

750
00:42:46.360 --> 00:42:48.119
<v Speaker 1>Talking to you right now, but I know God wants

751
00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:50.480
<v Speaker 1>me to say this to you. You may feel like

752
00:42:50.519 --> 00:42:56.880
<v Speaker 1>giving up, don't don't. God is in control and he

753
00:42:56.960 --> 00:42:59.239
<v Speaker 1>is going to write the final chapter of your life.

754
00:42:59.400 --> 00:43:01.800
<v Speaker 1>This is not the end of your story. And maybe

755
00:43:01.840 --> 00:43:03.920
<v Speaker 1>the end of a chapter, but it's not the end

756
00:43:03.920 --> 00:43:07.039
<v Speaker 1>of your story. And Galatians six nine says, let us

757
00:43:07.079 --> 00:43:10.119
<v Speaker 1>not get tired of doing what is right, for after

758
00:43:10.159 --> 00:43:13.039
<v Speaker 1>a while we will we will reap a harvest, a

759
00:43:13.079 --> 00:43:18.559
<v Speaker 1>blessing if we don't get discouraged and give up. But

760
00:43:18.639 --> 00:43:22.719
<v Speaker 1>did you know that the arc is actually a symbol

761
00:43:22.760 --> 00:43:28.159
<v Speaker 1>of salvation in Christ, Because just like the arc in

762
00:43:28.199 --> 00:43:30.840
<v Speaker 1>the Ark. Noah and his family was saved from destruction

763
00:43:31.320 --> 00:43:37.239
<v Speaker 1>in Christ. We are saved from destruction by being in Christ.

764
00:43:37.320 --> 00:43:39.840
<v Speaker 1>No is saved by being in the Ark. The ark

765
00:43:40.199 --> 00:43:44.239
<v Speaker 1>for you is Jesus Christ. How is Noah saved same

766
00:43:44.280 --> 00:43:45.280
<v Speaker 1>way as everybody else?

767
00:43:45.320 --> 00:43:46.360
<v Speaker 2>By grace? Do faith?

768
00:43:46.920 --> 00:43:49.360
<v Speaker 1>Did you know that the first mention of grace in

769
00:43:49.400 --> 00:43:54.440
<v Speaker 1>the Bible is Noah's story. Hebrews eleven, verse seven says,

770
00:43:54.480 --> 00:43:59.199
<v Speaker 1>by faith, Noah showed the world that the world was wrong.

771
00:43:59.320 --> 00:44:01.599
<v Speaker 1>Noah showed that the world was wrong, and he became

772
00:44:01.679 --> 00:44:05.760
<v Speaker 1>one of those who was made right with God through faith,

773
00:44:06.480 --> 00:44:11.000
<v Speaker 1>faith in God's grace and Genesis six, verse eight says

774
00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:15.559
<v Speaker 1>this King James version, Noah found grace in the eyes

775
00:44:15.800 --> 00:44:18.039
<v Speaker 1>of the Lord. That's the first mention of grace in

776
00:44:18.039 --> 00:44:21.239
<v Speaker 1>the Bible. Chapter six of the Bible, grace is mentioned.

777
00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:23.840
<v Speaker 1>People were saved in the Old Testament the same way

778
00:44:23.880 --> 00:44:26.760
<v Speaker 1>we are in the New Testament by grace through faith.

779
00:44:27.000 --> 00:44:29.840
<v Speaker 1>Have you found and accepted that grace. It's the only

780
00:44:29.880 --> 00:44:31.280
<v Speaker 1>way you're going to be saved. To you, it's the

781
00:44:31.320 --> 00:44:34.599
<v Speaker 1>only way you're going to get to Heaven. Friend, this

782
00:44:34.679 --> 00:44:39.280
<v Speaker 1>is the only way you will be saved, just like

783
00:44:39.400 --> 00:44:43.519
<v Speaker 1>Noah by grace through faith. You must put your faith

784
00:44:44.119 --> 00:44:46.480
<v Speaker 1>in God's grace. You don't earn it, you don't deserve it.

785
00:44:46.679 --> 00:44:50.199
<v Speaker 1>You just accept that gift of God's love and forgiveness,

786
00:44:50.239 --> 00:44:51.000
<v Speaker 1>and you needed to do it.

787
00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:51.360
<v Speaker 2>Today.

788
00:44:52.159 --> 00:44:55.039
<v Speaker 1>God is looking for people to use. Would you let

789
00:44:55.159 --> 00:44:59.360
<v Speaker 1>him use you? Would you let him fulfill his destiny

790
00:45:00.119 --> 00:45:02.960
<v Speaker 1>finny that he asked for you. If you want to

791
00:45:03.000 --> 00:45:07.000
<v Speaker 1>fulfill your destiny life, you've got to do what Noah did.

792
00:45:07.079 --> 00:45:11.159
<v Speaker 1>You've got to make the choices that Noah made. Let's

793
00:45:11.159 --> 00:45:15.599
<v Speaker 1>bow our heads. Let me pray for you. You know, Father,

794
00:45:15.679 --> 00:45:18.559
<v Speaker 1>I know that in our broken culture today, you're looking

795
00:45:18.599 --> 00:45:24.840
<v Speaker 1>for men and women who will choose rightly like Noah did,

796
00:45:26.119 --> 00:45:30.840
<v Speaker 1>and will choose to trust you. We'll choose to obey you.

797
00:45:31.079 --> 00:45:33.400
<v Speaker 1>We'll choose to do exactly what you tell them to do.

798
00:45:33.800 --> 00:45:36.960
<v Speaker 1>We'll choose to ignore the critics and to go the

799
00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:41.159
<v Speaker 1>opposite of the way culture is going. May our family,

800
00:45:41.320 --> 00:45:43.920
<v Speaker 1>saddle back family, be filled.

801
00:45:43.559 --> 00:45:47.599
<v Speaker 2>With people like that. Now, I want to invite you

802
00:45:47.639 --> 00:45:48.039
<v Speaker 2>to pray.

803
00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:52.880
<v Speaker 1>So whether you're listening to me in sitting in a

804
00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:54.880
<v Speaker 1>chair in a service, or on the internet, or on

805
00:45:54.920 --> 00:45:57.119
<v Speaker 1>the radio, or wherever I want you to just say

806
00:45:57.159 --> 00:45:58.280
<v Speaker 1>these words in your heart.

807
00:45:58.840 --> 00:46:01.320
<v Speaker 2>Say Dear God, I say.

808
00:46:01.119 --> 00:46:04.000
<v Speaker 1>Dear God, I want to be the kind of person

809
00:46:04.079 --> 00:46:10.840
<v Speaker 1>like Noah who brings a smile to your face. You

810
00:46:10.960 --> 00:46:14.119
<v Speaker 1>said that Noah brought you pleasure. I want my life

811
00:46:14.760 --> 00:46:18.400
<v Speaker 1>to bring you pleasure. And I want my faith to

812
00:46:18.440 --> 00:46:22.400
<v Speaker 1>be strong to the finish, to make it to the end.

813
00:46:22.400 --> 00:46:24.840
<v Speaker 1>I want to fulfill the destiny that you have for

814
00:46:25.000 --> 00:46:30.480
<v Speaker 1>my life. Dear God, Please forgive me for all the

815
00:46:30.480 --> 00:46:33.679
<v Speaker 1>times I've worried about what other people think, and I've

816
00:46:33.719 --> 00:46:38.280
<v Speaker 1>listened to the voices of doubt rather than the voice

817
00:46:38.320 --> 00:46:43.559
<v Speaker 1>of God. Give me the courage to be different so

818
00:46:43.639 --> 00:46:48.039
<v Speaker 1>that I can fulfill your destiny for my life.

819
00:46:48.480 --> 00:46:51.519
<v Speaker 2>I want to get near to you so.

820
00:46:51.400 --> 00:46:56.960
<v Speaker 1>I can hear you and no longer fear you or

821
00:46:57.000 --> 00:47:01.599
<v Speaker 1>anybody else. And the days ahead, I want to do

822
00:47:01.719 --> 00:47:07.880
<v Speaker 1>exactly what you tell me to do with my life,

823
00:47:08.159 --> 00:47:08.760
<v Speaker 1>even when it.

824
00:47:08.719 --> 00:47:09.559
<v Speaker 2>Doesn't make sense.

825
00:47:09.599 --> 00:47:13.800
<v Speaker 1>God, I want to trust you and Lord, when I'm

826
00:47:13.840 --> 00:47:17.440
<v Speaker 1>tired and I'm discouraged, help me to be like Noah

827
00:47:17.519 --> 00:47:22.199
<v Speaker 1>and never never give up, but to keep your dream

828
00:47:22.239 --> 00:47:25.920
<v Speaker 1>for my life in my focus. Father, I want to

829
00:47:25.960 --> 00:47:28.159
<v Speaker 1>thank you for these who've prayed this prayer and I

830
00:47:28.199 --> 00:47:30.719
<v Speaker 1>ask that you fill them with confidence and fill them

831
00:47:30.719 --> 00:47:33.719
<v Speaker 1>with courage. And may this next week the days ahead

832
00:47:34.119 --> 00:47:39.079
<v Speaker 1>be filled with new vitality, new energy, new enthusiasm as

833
00:47:39.119 --> 00:47:42.960
<v Speaker 1>we refocus on your plan rather than the pressures around

834
00:47:43.039 --> 00:47:46.119
<v Speaker 1>us in society. And I pray this blessing on all

835
00:47:46.119 --> 00:47:48.440
<v Speaker 1>who are listening, in the name of the Father and

836
00:47:48.480 --> 00:47:49.760
<v Speaker 1>the Son and the Holy Spirit.

837
00:47:51.000 --> 00:47:51.400
<v Speaker 2>Amen.