Jack Hibbs emphasizes the importance of guarding our hearts as Christians, urging believers to be prepared for the challenges of life and to stand firm in their faith. He discusses the need for discipleship in these last days, encouraging the congregation to respond to life's challenges with a strong reliance on God's word and to wait patiently for His guidance. Hibbs highlights that temptations come from the world while trials are allowed by God for our growth, and he calls for a disciplined approach to faith that includes prayer, scripture reading, and community support. He reassures the congregation that God is always present and will defend those who trust in Him, encouraging them to remain steadfast in their commitment to Christ.

moving our hearts and God that you would just take your word and emboss it within our souls father that you give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us and Lord that we would leave tonight different people than having walked in this room so father we ask you now and Lord we pray that wherever this message goes that it would affect people for the glory of God for salvation in Jesus Christ for hope and for understanding and Lord that we would be ready father I just have this deep sense in my heart that something big is coming and I don't know what it is and I don't need to know I just need to be ready we need to be ready for whatever is going to happen or wherever we're going or whatever is about ready to be done Lord God you're on the throne nothing nothing goes on without your incredible watchful eye so father we rejoice tonight in your name in Jesus name and all God's people said amen grab your Bibles tonight and turn if you would to Proverbs chapter 4 Proverbs chapter 4 in your Bibles we're in our series and we get back into our series I can add regarding the disciplines of life the disciplines of life and I want to encourage you to attend these Wednesday nights as personally listen carefully I believe that this is one of the best classes that you can get involved in and the entire week of getting discipled it is a 31 week course we are in the eighth week and it's all about discipleship how do we live our lives in these last days you see these last days what's going to happen I don't know what's going to happen but 2,000 years ago the Bible says we've entered into the last day so 2,000 years ago was the last days then we're like John says we're down to the last hour and we need to get ready to meet the Lord and discipleship is what it's all about keep your finger there in Proverbs chapter 4 just wait right there Jesus said in Matthew chapter 28 as he gathered the disciples together he said all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and behold I am with you always even under the end of the world discipleship the disciplines of life to make disciples and Proverbs chapter 4 verse 23 says keep your heart with all diligence for out of its spring the issues of life so church I want you to jot that down tonight because the title of this evening's session is the disciplines of defense the disciplines of defense what does that mean what we're going to be looking at that tonight and when by the way Proverbs does state that we are to keep our hearts with all diligence that is a very strong statement think about that for a moment first of all the word keep means to guard your heart Christians we are to be guarding our hearts the word also means to protect our hearts it means that whatever is in our heart is a very precious and holy thing and we are to guard that thing we are to protect that thing and it means also to set a watchman over our hearts we are to have our heart as it were guarded and I think you know by now that our hearts are to be guarded by the Word of God it is the Word of God that suits us up the New Testament counterpart to that is in Jude chapter well Jude 1 verse 20 and 21 it says brethren build yourselves up on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit verse 21 keep yourselves in the love of God Christian you and I have got to work at our Christianity and I want to make that very clear we are not to work at getting saved that's impossible we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone in his finished work at Calvary's Cross Jesus did it all all to him we owe but now that we're believers we are to give all diligence to guarding our hearts and you and I live in the most perverse age that perhaps the world has ever seen this is a dark and sinister time but in Jude verse 21 when it says keep yourselves that New Testament counterpart to the old it means the same thing but more yes to guard the heart to protect the heart to set a watchman over the heart but it also means this to prevent from escaping to prevent your heart from escaping the truth of God to assemble a fortress or to put in place a full military detachment that's what the Bible says about how you and I are to be guarding our hearts as Christians don't raise your hand when I say this but how many of your Christians tonight if you're a Christian tonight you need to be serious about guarding your heart by what we read by what we see but what we listen to where our feet go what our hands are involved in if we name the name of Christ as the Bible let us depart from sin if we name the name of Christ we had to walk lives that are worthy of his name but how do we do that and tonight when we look at this discipline of defense what is it that we mean I'll put it to you this way our hearts as a human as the human nature is our hearts challenge the power of God in this sense God is all powerful we're not but God has made us available and responsible to make the choices in our lives and that is a scary thing if you think about it I'd almost want to be a robot but then there's no love there's no true worship and nobody wants to marry or have a relationship with a robot if you do you're sick God is not sick God is the great creator and he made you with the ability to make a choice so that there could be real love real experience and even though Adam and Eve were created an absolute perfection imagine that for a moment Adam and Eve were perfect built inside of them was the ability to choose and you know the story the Bible tells us that Adam and Eve collectively sinned against God and chose their own way there's a right way to exercise a discipline of defense in a wrong way and Adam and Eve is definitely the wrong way to exercise this attack against the heart when temptations come against us when the world comes against us what are we to do but we also know this that Paul the Apostle was concerned and his Christian walk about becoming disqualified Adam and Eve disqualified themselves in the Garden of Eden if you think about it they exercise their own will over the will of God by the way let's be honest every time you and I exercise our own will over the will of God we get messed up church family listen carefully I'm not going to give you details because it's private but as a pastor doesn't take an Einstein to figure this out in a ministry like this I get calls all the time I hear stuff all the time and there's people that I look at that I respect highly and love tremendously and then when I hear them giving up on their faith giving up on their marriage giving up on their children and going into the world or going back to the world Lisa and I look at each other we just we both we shake our heads and then we cringe at the same time no wonder why I think about the disciples when Jesus said one of you at this table will betray me do you remember what their words were Lord is it I Lord is it I and Lisa and I have been looking at each other recently with hearing all the things that are going on in our Christian world and the friends that we know around the world and to hear some of them giving up on faith in these last moments and then the fear comes up in your heart Oh Lord is it I Oh God don't let us fall and Paul the Apostle had that same thought when in the Bible and 1st Corinthians 9 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 25 Paul said everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things that is he's a he has a disciplined life now they do it to obtain a perishable crown he's talking about Olympians in Greece in Corinth in his day but we do it for an imperishable crown our crowns gonna last forever therefore Paul says I run thus not with uncertainty like Forrest Gump no Paul says no way not with uncertainty do I run thus I fight not as one who beats the air but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection that is his passions of his body does not control his commitment or devotion to God he says that I bring it under the control or subjection lest I have preached to others I myself should become disqualified so Christian you and I need to wake up to the fact that there are very serious issues in this world that are designed to come against your faith your faith is the most precious thing you have and I want you to think about that right now sad to say most people who are going through the trenches of their faith being challenged may not even be here tonight maybe they're out in places without not to be I don't know but let me tell you tonight if if you are not nurturing and protecting and watching out for that faith of yours that you have in your heart if you're not letting it grow and get strong and the true things of God then you're in danger and you need to be doing everything you possibly can to see to it that you are rooted and grounded and built in your most holy faith these are serious things so church we're going to go through these tonight market number one it is this and the disciplines of life there's the disciplines of defense and the first one is this responding to the challenges of life a defense and response to the challenges of this life that you and I live in what are we going to do even the Christian suffers in this life can someone say amen Christians suffer in this life and the way the world is going there's probably more Christian suffering now than in most recent years but the Christian deals with his or her problems differently so as a believer I would ask tonight how do I pastor deal with the issues and the challenges of life and how it was how am I to defend myself in this world in John 1633 Jesus said these things I have spoken unto you that in me you may have peace Wow ask Jesus for peace number two in the world you will have tribulation that's difficulties but be of good cheer I have overcome the world what a great word be of good cheer you know what that means this is this is amazing Jesus says you're gonna have hardship it's gonna get tough and some of you gonna be put to death but you know what cheer up have a great attitude about it that word means your attitude is at a higher altitude than what's going on in the world you guys we are and I know I've read this you've heard it before but some people have said you know you Christians need to watch out you can become so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good I have never seen that happen yet the truth is we can become so earthly minded that we're no heavenly good we are to set our affections on the things of heaven church we are going home someday we're not home yet you think you're home too uncomfortable you're not home we're going home when you go home tonight you're not going home unless you go home to see Jesus you're going to the house or like a condo or the apartment that you reside in for now it's temporary we're gonna go see Jesus and all of the stuff that's going on in our lives Jesus says be of good cheer about it we're losing our home we're losing this we're losing that and all the stuff is and the ground is shaking and it's hot outside and all this stuff is going on hey you know what for the Christian what was it today 100 degrees here for the Christian this is as hot as it gets remember that we can take it Jesus is be of good cheer when it's difficult and so one of our great defenses in this life is to be strong in this fact that I'm not home yet we're in boot camp as it were and it's our time to live at our faith because you know what church the time is coming when we won't need faith in heaven because we will see him face to face and we will have lived our life and we would run our course Philippians chapter 3 verse 7 says but what things were gained to me Paul said these I've counted lost for Christ yet indeed I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ listen that's for the believer everything Paul said I've lost in this life but listen he was a Pharisee that means he was probably a pretty wealthy guy at one time and most scholars believe that because he was a Pharisee who had to have a wife that him coming to Christianity his wife must have left him he lost his wife possibly he certainly lost his wealth he became it came a nomad as it were for Jesus he says I've counted the loss for Christ that's nothing yet indeed he says much more for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I've suffered the loss of everything of all things and count them but rubbish that I may gain Christ that's the heart in life and attitude of a believer you can't stop a man you cannot stop a woman who's like this church like never before the Christian needs to be galvanized for these days we're the only ones who know what's really going on we see what's happening in the world and instead of stepping back we need to step up we need to step up and I thank God for you I mean this I was on the email today with brothers back east and things that are going on and I gotta tell you I thank God for you I thank God for your commitment to your community to your state to your nation you're amazing people you guys make me look really good it's amazing it's all it's all you guys following Jesus you are taking the challenges of life and you're responding to them with the right attitude and Paul had that attitude how do we defend ourselves against this crazy age well listen mark this down temptations will come but temptations come from this evil world and we choose to embrace them or not you'll choose to embrace the temptation or not please don't embrace the temptation trials on the other hand come from the hand of God and we're better off for them you need to settle that in your soul tonight temptations come from the evil of this world trials come from the engineering of God's hand you and I don't understand everything you say man wait a minute my trial sure seems like a temptation or my trial is getting me to be tempted to lose my temper I understand that that's important but your trial is different than a temptation if you are tempted by sexual lust or something like that from the world that is a temptation but listen if you're put into a financial situation or whatever and you're feeling the weight of that pressure or whatever it might be in that area that's a trial are you fighting a health issue that's a trial one is from the world and we choose to embrace it the other is engineered by the hand of God how do we exercise a defense as a disciple of Christ in a time like this listen we begin to discern and understand Lord listen Lord if this is from you given the grace to get through it if this is not from you in Jesus name Lord you rebuke it from my life listen I know some of your say pastor I was always raised that I should stand there and I should rebuke it and I rebuke and you know I'm gonna stand there and I'm gonna rebuke then yeah I rebuke you Satan listen that is nowhere in the Bible the Bible says the Lord rebuke you Satan so I don't know about you but I'm not gonna sit there and go come on Satan I'm gonna say dad he's banging on me you rebuke that temptation this way Lord I'm being tempted and in Jesus name Lord give me the power to walk away from it and or drive it away from me now and he will be faithful if it's that trial yes if it's a temptation yes the answer is God in both Psalm 107 verse 20 the Bible says he sent his word and healed them from and delivered them from their destructions what a great promise that is Psalm 107 verse 20 so responding to the challenges of life mark this down what to do turn your thoughts toward the Lord if your life is under attack turn your thoughts toward the Lord as somebody attacking you turn your thoughts toward the Lord what do you do about that how do you do that Job 13 15 Job 13 15 though he slay me yet I will trust him Wow and first Peter 5 7 what a graphic verse this is first Peter 5 7 says cast all your care upon him for he cares for you that word to cast is to heave grab it and throw it at the foot of the cross take your thoughts and direct them toward the Lord what not to do don't analyze the problem it just grows this is the problem a lot of people have they look at that they look at the problem and the problem looks like an anthill then they keep looking at it and turns into a mountain and then all they can do is talk about their problem what am I gonna do just have to panic listen stop analyzing it why because if you're gonna analyze your problem it turns to worry worry to destroy you worry will rob you worry is powerful debilitating it kills that attitude of I'm gonna put my heart and mind on Christ stop staring at it look up call upon him number two the disciplines of defense is this learn how to wait on the Lord Christian learn how to wait on the Lord this is going to be tough I have six points this is number two this one may be just impossible why because we are in a no-wait generation we go through fast food fast foods not fast enough you drive in they just throw now these throw the food in your window it's amazing to me learn how to wait on the Lord church this is a serious issue waiting does not come natural to us humans we hate it I personally believe that many Christians today are in a state of crisis because they refuse to wait on the Lord or they don't know how to wait on the Lord and the problem is this listen waiting feels wrong it just feels wrong in Psalm 46 verse 10 the Bible says be still how do you like that be still and know that I am God by the word by the way the word is yada in Hebrew y-a-d-a yada and it means be still and know be still and yada it means discover who I am in that moment see all of a sudden you and I want to panic about the moment and yet God is saying excuse me in the moment you're in I want you to know who I am in that moment isn't he awesome I am the God of the moment yes he's eternal but remember this you and I are a blip on the screen in eternity and that blip on the screen is held in the palm of his hand he's in the moment with us be still and know that I am God and I will be exalted among the nations and I will be exalted in the earth and let me add this I will be exalted in your life if you wait upon me he says in Romans 825 this is kind of cool because if you are tempted to not wait God understands you can tell because in Romans 825 I should say Romans 825 there Paul writes but if we hope for what we do not see we eagerly wait for it with perseverance the word eagerly waits is cool it means that you're waiting eagerly what are you doing I'm eagerly waiting because when we think of the word wait we're like thinking like this you know what are you doing waiting I love how realistic the Bible is I am eagerly waiting with perseverance for what for the Lord to do is work in my life and for him to come back and for the next thing and I love that learn how to wait on the Lord what to do get alone with the Lord now get out a pen get out a piece of paper this is serious I'm gonna issue before listen God's listening right now you are gonna get in trouble in a minute and I'm gonna get you in trouble here you go this is I'm dead serious about this and you know what watch this if we do this watch what happens in the next couple of weeks watch what happens get along with the Lord and I don't mean not ASAP I mean now now don't leave I mean determine now because here's what's gonna happen step one write it down step one starting tomorrow set your alarm before you go to bed tonight one hour early but pastor I get up before so get up at three believe me I'll be up at four with you set your alarm for one hour it's gonna hurt for the first few days but do it set it for two weeks like this and begin to evaluate your life every day watch what happens for the next two weeks it starts tomorrow okay number two get alone when they when you when you get up get alone with God with your Bible and with a little notebook and I want all of you all of us to start reading I don't care how far you get but start reading the book of Philippians next two weeks okay step three repeat steps one and two for the rest of your life okay watch what happens look somebody mark their calendar what is today anyway I didn't it's okay the 14th next two weeks watch what happens in our private and public lives as a church watch what as people as a family watch what happens okay anybody not taking me up on this challenge you're a wimp you're a weasel and a snake a loser and a bum Jeremiah 29 11 says for I know the thoughts that I think toward you says the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you a future and a hope then you will call upon me and go and pray to me and I will listen to you and you will seek me and find me when you've searched for me with all your heart and all God's people said amen that's what he loves go after him go after him God in the Old Testament said to Israel where are you when you got up early and came after me like a lover and searched for me where are you now Israel you've gone he says like a dromedary you want a dromedary is it's a female camel who's in heat he says you've gone off and you've been sniffing the air looking for a male camel and you've left me and he says return to me is that powerful he says come to me Wow what a tremendous thing what not to do listen don't consult with your friends first about this well you know our pastor challenges to seek God alone what do you think of that don't even ask him an hour he wants you to wake up an hour sounds legalistic to me what are you in a cult now if I would have said sleep in an extra hour people would have said man that church is of God I'm going next week don't listen to people listen to God first always God first you know when new believers make a decision we tell them right up front right here we tell them here's your Bible start reading it come to every service you can dive into all these wonderful things that you can get involved in and if you have a question about what you read in the Bible ask God first and then call us ask God first don't allow yourself to be manipulated into a hurry because we need to learn how to wait on the Lord I look this up today in 1709 the English poet Alexander Pope wrote fools rush in where angels fear to tread why do fools rush ahead because they can't wait come on in our lives we've made the dumbest decisions because we wouldn't wait and listen I know I'm gonna get a letter about this from somebody but I'm just using this as an example when you go buy a car or now I don't know do they give cars away now or what are they do they even make cars anymore I don't even know oh listen mister if you don't buy that car I got a guy coming down he's gonna be here about an hour and a half to buy that car if you don't buy it now it's gonna be gone you'll never get that one again listen don't ever get back into the corner like that oh man you know what if you don't buy this house you know you got five minutes you got a sign on paper listen God is never in a hurry and he doesn't put his kids in that place either it's very very important wait Psalm 62 once is this truly my soul silently waits for God from him comes my salvation he alone is my rock in my salvation he is my defense I shall not be listened greatly moved and when you read that you go I don't like that verse because I don't want to be moved at all look I will not I shall not be greatly moved well the word means in Hebrew I will not be shaken to the core I love the reality of the Bible listen Church are we not all moved we're moved we have pressures we have difficulties but the Bible says you're not gonna get knocked off your horse oh it's gonna move it's gonna shake we're moving but you're not gonna fall down point number three the disciplines of defense is this stand in the power of his might oh this is important church listen are you not are you not tempted to panic jump from the fire pan into the fire as people would say oh my goodness what's gonna happen I'm under attack or whatever it might be listen the disciplines of defense is to learn this stand in the power of his might and how do you do that you know what first of all you take your Bible and because you're getting up earlier now you got more of that you're doing Philippians and you're gonna read it and you're gonna stand there and God I promise you as you read the next two weeks your life will literally work in concert with the scriptures you're reading watch what happens and something's gonna happen and you're gonna go wait a minute I know where to stand about this thing I'm going I'm gonna I know what to say I read it yesterday you watch what happens and let me tell you your faith will just grow Romans 10 17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God you want greater faith only comes one way I met a man last Sunday he said pastor Jack I live in Temecula and I come here now on Sundays been listening to the radio program and I said Temecula I said you know you drive past about 17 great churches to get here I go man you need to save your gas and he said no way I'm coming and you guys what are you guys driving from the lake were you crestline we need to call the doctor for hey listen the amazing thing that gentleman said as I'm driving along as I'm going to work and I'm listening to the program he said I got you on my pod I podcast he said the time just goes by because I'm in a Bible school I'm in a Bible class and I'm hearing the Word of God listen that guy's faith is growing and that's how it happens would the God our phones and TVs would blow up you know that we'd hang on to the Bible more stand in the power of his might Patriot revolutionary Samuel Adams said we shall never be abandoned by heaven while we act worthy of its aid and protection and I love that quote we shall never be abandoned by heaven while we act worthy of its aid and protection did you get that Samuel Adams said that if we are in the right cause and we've got heaven's approval for what we're standing for we can expect this heaven will never abandon us and you and I our father is God we are his children we have his eternal word and if we act worthy of his protection we will never be abandoned do you believe that church you are invincible if you are engaged in the things of God stay that way what's the greatest defense against an evil age hey you know what for you and I stay committed to what God's called us to don't move don't waver that's why we need one another to encourage each other along I don't want to sound cold I'm not cold when I say this I have to confess it's a discipline that I've learned you're looking at a guy who's been mocked all his life because of that I was a very violent man thank God he saved me say I tell you thank God the Lord rescued me because I probably would have been in prison today or dead I was mocked all my life for stuttering so bad I could hardly put a sentence together couldn't even recite the wedding vows in my wedding because I stuttered so terribly but all my life growing up singled out made fun of I can tell you classrooms I can see it in my mind's eye where the teacher said stand on top the desk and read the book hey class you want to hear him read the book to stand in front of people no way I used to fake getting sick so I would stay home from school because I couldn't face the people and I can't tell you some of the other things that some gangs did oh he stutters let's do this and they held me down and they had fun why am I saying this because all my life I grew up with this if I don't defend myself nobody will and I began to hurt people I'm not all that big I'm 210 up 5 5 10 well I am 210 but not I'm not 2 feet 10 inches I'm 5 10 to 10 and I'm this is the smallest I've ever been and I learned how to hurt people in football because I was so angry and I could defend myself and then I come to Jesus at the age of 19 and I find out wait a minute Jack don't defend yourself any longer Lord are you are you what don't defend yourself any longer that's what I do Jack I defend you now and listen even to this hour I've learned this the hard way but listen I'm glad I learned it when people attack you when people write stuff in the newspaper about you let it go my friend the truth's gonna come out someday and it will be glorious and you need to stand like that you need to be fearless Paul said none of these things move me why because he said I know the one in whom I've been persuaded at the end of the day and I mean at the end of the day of eternity when we stand before God maybe sooner you know maybe in this life you stand there God is your defense let him defend you the wicked shall perish that's God's business stand in the power of his might Paul said and second Timothy 416 at my first defense no one stood with me all forsook me may it not be charged against them verse 17 2nd Timothy 4 but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me what a great word huh that's an awesome statement I suggest that you and I stay away from the power that you and I have it'll lead you to destruction let him be your defense in Romans 12 18 if it is possible as much as it is possible as much as depends on you live peaceably with all men that's a great verse beloved do not avenge yourselves but rather give place to wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord some of you maybe well not some of you maybe almost every human being has got justified hurts in their life you've really been hurt and you've really been wronged and you were really maligned and you were innocent in that thing and you're broken maybe you came home and found all of your furniture gone and your family gone I don't know or that boss turned to you and with all that's going on in the company and all the they fired you and you're you're the only loyal guy that I don't know but they're justified hurts you hurt it's for real and you're right what are you gonna do about it go postal don't do that what are you gonna do you're gonna say Lord take care of it now I tell you David was very good at that David prayed for his enemies did you know that he prayed dear Lord break their teeth off in their mouth he did he did well that's why that's why I only read the New Testament oh yeah yeah Paul said Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm may God repay him for all of his evil works done against me Wow yes we pray for enemies that God would save them but let his power be your defense number four know what his word says I'm gonna give you a string of verses get ready here they go know what his word says I'm just gonna read it and we'll move on 2nd Timothy 414 I just said it Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm may the Lord repay him according to his works let the Lord deal with the problem number two this is what his word says Ephesians 320 now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that is at work within us some of you are not writing this down and then you're gonna come crying next week and I'm not gonna listen to you because you should have wrote it down you're looking at me like like I'm speaking some foreign language here Proverbs 1810 the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run into it and they are safe what a great verse to pray Oh Lord your name is a strong tower come on there's nobody watching but us this is what I do Lord your name is a strong tower I didn't say that to you you said it to me and so I want to see that tower the Lord and I we have a relationship we have an understanding I need to see your I need to see your name as a strong tower Lord I'm gonna run into it you said I'll be saved here I come ready or not I'm coming because I have nowhere to go I'm coming to you and I'm gonna run into that strong tower and I'm running now here I come and you go and you run and you put your hand to the plow and you do not look back and you run to him Psalm 61 1 hear my cry Oh God attend to my prayer from the end of the earth I will cry to you when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I for you have been a shelter for me a strong tower from the enemy I will abide in your tabernacle forever I will trust in the shelter of your wings who said that David you and I listen it is safe to say in our life we have never experienced the pain and the trauma that David experienced read his life much of the Bible the Old Testament is about his life and it's a messed up life misunderstood constantly attacked by everybody you know the Bible says in Proverbs 3 5 trust in the Lord with all your heart lay not on your own understanding that word trust in Proverbs 3 5 market this is amazing the word means to be careless carefree safe secure bold free it means to be reckless look at that verse look at those screen be reckless in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding isn't that great be carefree in the Lord with all of your heart don't worry you cannot stop a life that lives that verse alone in this world you can't stop a person who will choose tonight to live that verse wherever you're at in the world to say you know what I am gonna trust in the Lord and I'm not gonna lean to my own understanding with all of my heart I'm coming to him so here I come it's an amazing thing to realize number five be confident that his will is at work church he does not sleep I was speaking to a lieutenant general or whatever his title is in Israel and I was blessed in the communication was going on back and forth and in the dialogue I being a pastor a Gentile Christian gave him a little bit of his of his Old Testament I never speak to a Jew with New Testament always Old Testament because that's what they believe and so you talk to a Jewish person using the Old Testament only and it kind of rattled him because I use this verse ice I said listen with all that's all that I'm hearing just remember this he who keeps Israel shall never slumber nor sleep and I cited that verse that kind of shook him a little bit how'd you know that verse because it's in your book how'd you know the book I got a book I got the book be confident that his will is at work God does not sleep there is no way that you and I can appreciate that fully without trials and difficulties listen our fathers in the faith before us suffered great persecution but they were confident have you read Fox's book of martyrs by the way you don't have to read it now you can even get it online audio audible.com drive commute listen to Fox's book of martyrs it had changed your life Fox's book of martyrs f-o-x-e-s Fox's book of martyrs the confidence and the grace of God of those who were persecuted to death bitterly mistreated slandered gossip physically attacked mocked sometimes by their own family hated do we believe this next verse church listen we're gonna have to wrap this up quickly do we believe this next verse don't don't say yes too quickly I have my doubts Romans 828 and we know we know and we know that we're means that Paul assumes that his listeners his readers they know this know what and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to his purposes for whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son what in the world does that mean this is it watch this keep that on the screen this is great for we know that all things what do you think all means anybody all things work together for good to those who love God don't answer don't answer do you don't answer to those who are called according to his purposes for whom he foreknew you know it's great watch this watch me look at this is am I gonna go left or right I went right he knew I would go right before he ever made Jupiter and Saturn and Mars yeah but what if you would have went left he knew that too he for ordained he foreknew he knew and he knows how can you and I escape his protection from heaven when he knows everything he said well Jacob he knows everything why didn't he keep me from getting into that mess because Adam and Eve that's in us we are sons and daughters of Adam and Eve we must choose but if we love him we will walk in the path that he's established for us to his purpose and for his glory and so our great cause tonight is to say Lord lead me in your way everlasting lead me in the path of righteousness O God be alive in my life Psalm 46 1 God is my refuge and my strength the very present help in trouble are you in trouble call on him therefore we will not fear even though the earth be removed and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea and in California that could be literal number six we'll end with this the disciplines of defenses remind yourself about the facts this is what I love and this is why I'm a Christian our faith is founded upon fact I love that I spent my former career in a laboratory physicians would come to our laboratory from all over the world very top-secret location it was amazing incredible security clearance awesome you thought you're going into NASA and these doctors would come these ideas and they're had these incredible things you put stuff together and see him now is this what you were thinking I think of it and you put it together okay let's see what happens pump some blood through that baby and see if it's gonna work and you know what you put the thought to the test because you took the concept and you made it something you could touch and if you touch it and if it was someday maybe gonna wind up in somebody's chest then you better be able to see if you can break it now before you break it in somebody's body and so you put it through the trial run you know what see this for thousands of years this has gone through the trial run of humanity it has never once ever failed we failed but it has not failed and it shall never fail so here is facts only church and we'll end this facts only fact Psalm 17 7 show your marvelous loving-kindness by your right hand Oh you who save those who trust in you from those who rise up against them keep me as the apple of your eye the cornea of you of your eye hide me under the shadow of your wings from the wicked who oppress me from my deadly enemies who surround me make that your prayer fact Isaiah 41 10 fear not I am with you be not dismayed I am your God I will strengthen you yes I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand guess what coming from my office to the sanctuary from the next building over a little beautiful girl ran up to me in the courtyard one of your kids she's I got something to tell you I said what is it and she quoted Isaiah 41 10 and it was in it was in my notes tonight you know what that does to me yes out of the mouth of babes 2nd Timothy 1 7 we're almost done for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind fact Psalm 16 8 I have set the Lord always before my face because he has at my right hand I shall not be moved fact Psalm 62 6 he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defense I shall not be moved fact mayhem 1 7 the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knows those who trust in him and all God's people said amen father we thank you for the God that you are you are amazing you are the God who never fails and Lord your Bible tells us that if we trust you we will never be put to shame Lord there's that thing in life it's almost built in maybe we set up camp at the beach we got the umbrella we got the chairs we got the blankets we got the ice chest laid out and we look so happy so secure so relaxed and a wave comes and there's chairs and blankets and hats and doughnuts everywhere and we look like a fool we pitched our tent a little too close and Lord tonight there are people who are pitching their tent and have pitched their tent too close to this world and for us in this room Lord God we thank you so much that you have moved our tents you moved us you saved us you said hey once you come over here this world is a storm this world is a rage we thank you that we have you as our rock and we pray tonight for anyone who does not know the stability of having Jesus as their rock that that would change tonight church as heads are bowed right now and eyes are closed maybe tonight's the night where you want to trust in the God of the Bible that you've heard about tonight no matter where you're at right now you can say Lord Jesus I want to know you as this Lord the Lord of the Bible I want to put my trust in you I want to know your salvation I want to know about you being the rock of my soul to be my defender in a wicked age in a dangerous world to repair Lord my broken heart my broken family my broken life to remove the sin of my soul from me forever friend if that's your desire tonight right now right where you're at you can say dear Lord Jesus forgive me now I believe according to the Bible that says that Jesus died on the cross for my sins I choose tonight to believe that and your Bible says that he rose from the grave on the third day for my eternal life and I choose to believe that and I thank you God that you're inviting me to a faith that is founded upon fact and so well heads are bowed and eyes are closed tonight you're saying pastor Jack I'm receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior if that's your heart's desire right now I'm gonna ask you to put your hand up and I'll see your hands and I'll just pray for you put your hand up don't be shy God bless you to my right you can put your hand down anyone else God bless you in the middle anyone else over here to my left God bless you over here to God bless you you're making a decision right now for Jesus God bless you God bless you too father for these who have raised their hands Lord we pray right now that as they have confessed that truth Lord God that you would fill them with your spirit and Lord God that you'd give them the overwhelming reality of who you are because you're a God who lives and you have chosen to live inside of us and that's amazing and so father right now come upon these as they have raised their hand not by some physical manifestation but by an internal spiritual commitment and father we pray that you would bless them in their journey with you we ask it in Jesus name and all God's people said amen church let's stand together if you would and as we close in this song those of you who raised your hands there are Bibles right up front right here there's going to be pastors up front to give you these Bibles and to greet you and to welcome you into the family of God you've made the greatest decision of your lives church I want to encourage you to be praying tomorrow night live worldwide live tomorrow night at 6 p.m. six to seven Pacific Time as pastor Chuck is away on tour Don Stewart and I will be live at the studios of his channel and we will be going through a one-hour program of the Bible in the news news and analysis and current events encourage you to pray and tune in to his channel dot-com and be praying for the program God bless you guys as we close in this song