2.3.19 Pastor Mary

Apparently I'm already.

Okay success. Can we say these words together? I believe in one God the Father Almighty creator of Heaven and Earth and all things visible and invisible. We kind of know that many of us and as I've been saying for the last few weeks can be dangerous to work on the Creed because sometimes people take the Creed and they make it Superior to scripture. But we're taking the Creed and work sublimating it to scripture is a Creed will always bow down to what scripture says and what the powerful readings and I just love it when we hear the gospel of we hear the readings and it's like just blows me that there's blows blows me away that they're so much in the scriptures and we kind of take them and put them up at your it's just amazing what what God does and and how he operates in the lives of people

Last week I preached on a God the Father Creator creator of Heaven and Earth and we know that we live in a culture of materialism that people like to rely on what they see hear feel the five senses. They like to rely on that they try to find explanations based on. Materialism there if they're sick. We look to something we pay eaten or an environment or something like that often. We we don't think about much of what we're doing is being a something from Satan. So we live in this materialistic world and things are explained materialistically to us, especially from the majority of the world doesn't really hold to God necessarily being creator of Heaven and Earth.

Culture is that's the lens for culture. And I think it's wonderful that they put in into the Creed of all things visible and invisible actually it was not because of this culture that that was put in even though this affects our culture. It was because of the culture back then because there was a heretic who was saying that God was divided and there was a spiritual guy that handled invisible things and then there was a physical God and it was Jesus that handled all that went on in the physical world. And then that was supposed to be in Jesus was rejected by the church. And so they came up with a lot of language that we're going to hear a little bit later on about the true God from true God and one in being with the father those kind of things these these verses were put into combat heresy. There is invisible when when you listen to some of the people that Had TV shows on science some of the the evolutionist that are are always on TV or always writing articles or people are always quoting like Dawkins and saying those are people that there's nothing but what you see and so when they died that's the end of them. If you are a person who believes that when you die, that's the end of you you have a couple of things you want to do before you die, like try not to and if you believe that the Earth isn't in danger and that that could hasten your death or your children's death you're going to put a lot of energy into things that are saving the Earth the Paradigm influences the action and so when you're a person who understands that there is life after death that that the Earth is a gift to us, but it's holy held in God's hands then we can we can our actions will be different and we can see a different outcome and not many of the world problems. I was reading in I was reading online about

how people will they came up with a I don't know if you know this, but they discovered another supposed supposed ancestor of humanity. And and they put it that they put it out there and I was thinking to myself, you know, I've talked to a lot of evolution as an illusion myself, you know that I talked to them in and what they say is that we have and share 96% of our DNA with chimpanzees and bonobos apes. We are much closer DNA DNA wise in terms of pairs than the great apes. And and I looked at them and I said, well why not? Why wouldn't we be like them because we're made out of the same stuff. What did he take to form the animals? He took dirt and what did he take to form Us dirt? So why wouldn't we have a lot of similarity, correct? So so it never bothered me, but I said because they never look beyond that to the differences that are that are easily Quantified between humans and animals and we talked about that last week, but I'm going to bring It Forward again because one of the things that is unquantifiable to scientists is our ability to ask questions about our existence.

I was watching one of the Netflix movie called Rampage about this Big Ape it is so it's going to be a classic movie cuz it's really bad when you watch it. But it's you know, this animal is choking and a fist bumping and and they don't do that. There's no record that Apes have any ability to communicate at all. There is some small like a dog and you know how well dog think if they could communicate their hungry they can communicate a certain things to you and they can also pick up a new communicating to them. So language of course is something that we can share with the material world, but there is not an ability to make a joke humor is something that humans do And so yes, we are the same but we're holy and different and it's because of what is invisible. It's the soul. The soul makes us what is different in the soul is invisible. So when he says we believe in all things visible and invisible. Yes, we see the visible around us, but it is clearly that part of assets invisible decorate something very very special about humans when we talked about the invisible. We have to remember how when Susan read 1st Timothy. It's to a god that is invisible. And Timothy goes on to say Jesus was blessed and only Sovereign the King of Kings the Lord of Lord who alone has immortality who dwells in unapproachable light who no one has ever seen or can't see? No. We saw Jesus Jesus was the visible as what Paul says here. He's talking about the unapproachable light the unapproachable light. Is what we are no one has ever seen or can say we can't see the unapproachable light because we unapproachable light will blow ourselves right out of the water. We do not have the ability to approach the unapproachable light. Has anybody had the presence of God so strong that they couldn't stand up. Yes, and that was just a drifting tail of the presents. Can you imagine having the full present? Our bodies wouldn't be able to take it we couldn't handle it the material world can't contain anything of the supernatural. So to him the honor and eternal Dominion because he is so much greater than that, which we can see so the invisible always Trump the visible. Jesus himself believed in The Invisible Paul writes we know for what can be known about God is playing to all of us even to those who reject God because God has shown it to them in the goat for his invisible attributes and his divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that he has made and so creation is God's way of communicating himself to us and that's why we who see in creation God's handiwork literally become enamored with what God has done. We don't want to ever destroyed. We want to live in it preserve it for the glory that it brings the Lord. So if you have had the blessing of been able to climb a mountain in to see things from a completely different height and when you're there and and you see the the Eagles soaring and you see all these different things happening, it's just it become so amazing and overwhelming to you. It's literally burst praise out of you when you see it to almost microscopic flower bursting out of a a a dead environment when the desert blooms, which we hope it will this spring right to me. It's just I just takes me takes my breath when I go glory to God you make the Desert Bloom Which gives me a give me the hope of when we go into deserts. He's the one we'll make it Bloom. The desert is still the desert but the Beauty and the desert becomes overwhelming because it's so unexpected. So what we know about God we can see from the world for the material that in N. I was reading this wonderful author. He was talking about God and lives in diversity men and women make his image not just men watches women men and women together make his image he lives in diversity light and all of these things create this guy that is so overwhelming that we just have to keep praising him and praising him. I love the story that Susan read today. I wasn't really familiar with it that much to the Bible a couple of times but it hit me strong When I Was preparing for the sermon because it is everything about why the invisible is so important. And I love this particular character this King. I just want to give you a little bit of a background to to what he was.

He was the fourth king of Judah when the Nations split to the north and Southern Kingdom He was the fourth King in a row and he his dad was a reformer. And so he inherited a sense of reforming Judah to get the the gods out of Judah.

But he was also a man who who try to save Judah. By doing what any leader may do any leader that hadn't been called to trust in God alone. And so he was getting attacked in different ways to syrians attack him and he went out and he formed allegiances so he can make his Army stronger that kind of makes sense to a leader. Doesn't it where you go out and find another country. So now he's not just your army, but it's there are me and your army fighting that big ol Army, but every time he did that a prophet would come and said you got to trust God Alone. It's so now in the spot where Susan red he is facing three nations coming out of the three nations that God told Israel to spare. They're coming at him and he said wait a minute. You didn't even want us to to overpower them and now they're coming at us and and where your inheritance and so he does for the first time the right thing. He's in trouble his country's in trouble and he goes to the Lord and he calls the whole nation of Israel and he says we're going to go to the Lord with us and so they come and they pray in a fast and they hear word of the Lord and that's why prophecy is so important it because it confirms what God is saying the reason that Jehoshaphat his prey is because he knows he's supposed to do that and then it gets Awards saying yes, this is what you're supposed to do. Now. I am going to save you from what's coming. But Dad tells him to go and meet the enemy and so they did what they were supposed to do. They get they get their armor. They get their swords. They get their knives or whatever it is that they would take in a battle and they get ready to do Warfare. And he says but before we do Warfare, we're going to gather all these singers. I'm going to have them dressed in the Holy garments and we're going to go in front of all of Israel and we are going to proclaim the goodness of God, and so we went into battle worshipping. Can you just hear that and see that it's amazing. That's how we're supposed to go in the battle. We're supposed to go in a battle worshipping.

God himself was the one who defeated. God has more power than we can ever ever give them credit for. And the one thing we often don't give him credit for us how much he loves us. He has the power to Deliver Us from whatever it is. That's we're struggling with he has the love to want to deliver us and he proclaimed at and gave what we see in the world proclaims the glory of God. He often talks about himself to what he does. And so he saves them they went out into a field of dead bodies and they plundered for 3 days and enriched Israel. Jehoshaphat stand as a witness to the power of God when we can trust him.

Faith is the assurance. of things hoped for and the conviction of Things Not Seen

unseen when we think about the Unseen we think about the Invisible War often led to think about Jesus's Ministry when he was with when he went out because we often see him as he is getting minister to buy angels and delivering people from demons. And so the idea of Angels and Demons, whether people want to believe it or not. It's right there in the Greek. Angels and demons and he dealt with angels and demons and you know what we deal with angels and demons and and what demons are often is referred to as fallen angels. interesting Lee

our fight against demons is fought through the lens of a God who is all-powerful and who loves us. When we doubt that. we basically laid down the biggest weapon we have cuz when we doubt that we lay our faith down and we go into battle without our faith we go into battle without the armor in the helmet and everything else that has that we should go into battle with There are created beings that are unseen. We know their Sarah family know there's there's a cherubim and fact when we think about angels I think about them. I used to think about them with wings until I had a dream where I saw them and then they were wearing brown suits.

I don't know how many of you had experience with angels and if they had wings, but I know they are seraphim and cherubim have wings that's actually in the Bible but whether the angels have wings, I don't know but I know one thing is there a mortal because the angel Gabriel can talk to somebody 500 years before Christ is born and then talk to Mary 500 years later kind of like the Monsters Inc. Where they just open the door and they go into whatever time I had her out here is going to go by Daniel know now, I'm going to go by Mary and they open up another door and and The point is there a turtle and they have purpose. The word of the Old Testament and actually the meaning of Angelo's is Messenger angels are often Messengers between God and us their powerful. They fight battles. We know the archangels have Angels under their command. There's a hierarchy of angels. We understand that they they are often they bring news. They give direction they help us we know we have guardian angels and and when we ask for directions, they can lead if they can guide us they can they can help us they can they can protect us a lot of that's the assignment of Angel demons on the other hand are also Messengers but their messengers of the being Satan and they're the ones that tell us all the wrong stuff. They're the deceivers and the Liars. That's what Jesus said. Your father is a liar for me from all time your father Satan if you recall that the deception is what is the greatest tool of Satan you don't you're not Good enough for this you're not powerful enough for that. You can't do this. I mean he can even come after you're such a sinner you're such an end never being able to repent never really L8 find yourself able to repent because the constant condemnation is coming at you. Remember of the sons of God went in front of of of God and in the beginning of. Joban, what did he say? He was the Accuser? And so our demons are sent to accuse you of things. You might not have done anything wrong, but he could accuse you of it anyway. And so demons have a completely different role but to but the reason they're there is to test your faith is Peter says is to test your faith. And they are there to harass much of Jesus's Ministry was freeing people and he says that your ministry to two free people to pray for them. It so how do we pray for someone that can have a demon? I rebuke you Satan the name of Jesus Christ. Doesn't have to he didn't do anything wild that he Harley sometimes didn't say anything. You just touched people once in awhile. He would have a conversation how many of them are you what's your name? But it was simple we don't have to be afraid if we put our attention where it's supposed to be if we put our attention on Jesus his power and his love then. We have closed their self in faith, and our protection is perfect.

When were called to do the work of Jesus? recalled to always remember What Paul wrote in Romans and Susan red? For I am sure.

That neither death nor life nor angels meaning fallen once no rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in creation anything else in creation angels and demons are created beings. Any of that will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus the love of God and understanding the love of God is is the really the biggest weapon we have against everything. I'm so proud because we know for sure discernment worse when something was out of order the whole church reacted the whole church reacted to it. Something is wrong. Something is out of order to serve minutes here. We know something is not from God and it comes in we get it we figured it out. What are their biggest protection worship would have another big protection to continuously remind ourselves of the love of God. How do we know God loves us because we experience is present coming together as a church is a confirmation in a reinforced with of the very thing that helps us goes to go through life. able to combat the scheme of the devil Cuz nothing can separate us from the love of God. So when we doubt the love of God for us house. And that's where we have to dig in and begin to start reading scripture. reading scripture yesterday was I was complaining to God never complain to God. Yeah. Okay good. So you get what I was going to complain to God I go. I was listening to pass Richard sent me a tape and this man is guys talking to put a 5000 don't have prepped as he do for 5,000. I am prepping for my church in a lord. You know, I'm just a small Church. How important is it, you know nobody even listen yet and he goes I listen I listen.

That's the love of God. I don't do it for attention. I do it because God is saying I'm listening. I'm there. I love you. That's why we have to keep praying for God. Show me you love me. Let me hear you. Let me experience that love. Let me live in that love when we come here. One of the one of the things that is a Hallmark of our church is love this. We never want to lose that for the Creed kick the crap out if it's going to create a loving environment. It's love that's our protection. That's all we're not afraid to do ministry is because we know the love of God and we know how much that's going to help us. I love with Peter wrote.

Though you have not seen him. You love him.

And though you do not now see him. You believe in him? And rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with Glory. Because you're obtaining the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls and what's invisible. your salvation And yet, you know you have it, don't you?

No one else can see it but you know, you have it, you know, what else is invisible, but you know when you get it forgiveness. When you get forgiveness, you can feel it. You can feel salvation and you can feel forgiveness. So appalled the invisible that we have to think about the salvation of our souls is a most wonderful wonderful invisible thing. And that's all that Jesus came to give us is a way for us to go to heaven to be with him and to live. I wish the worship been up to the worship and come back up.

We sing a lot of songs. You've seen over the last few years as the song you sang over the last four years, but when you sing it today.

If there's any doubt if there's something going on in your life right now that you're really struggling with. I can't do any magic to make that go away. But the love of God is going to be more powerful than that. The love of God will overcome whatever it is you're struggling for and that's what you got to tap into the love of God. You have to get you have to get down to where you can experience that maybe you're not praying anymore because you're discouraged about this one thing that's going on in your life. Or forgive me. Let me get into your love again. Show me how much you love me. Maybe you're afraid of something that's coming since he's going to have surgery tomorrow. Denise is going to have surgery the 12th, right? surgery scary

Nothing is more more powerful than the love of God, and that's why we have to keep reaching for it or give me your love. Let me see your love. Let me since your love. Maybe you're going to find it because of the way to the church hugs you but maybe the church is sick that day or maybe the church is busy with something. That's not going to stop you from experiencing the love of God. And if they say nothing with them. Give us your love it if we don't feel or break through our emotions break through our thinking.

And give us your love so that we can feel it experience it. Swim in it and know how powerful you are.