To God be the Glory! (Captioned)

LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT RECORDED FOR US BY THE APOSTLE PAUL IN HIS LETTER TO THE ROMANS WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 8 BEGINNING WITH ... ... CHAPTER 11, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 33: OH, THE DEPTH OF THE RICHES OF THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! HOW UNSEARCHABLE HIS JUDGMENTS, AND HIS PATHS BEYOND TRACING OUT! "WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD? OR WHO HAS BEEN HIS COUNSELOR?" "WHO HAS EVER GIVEN TO GOD, THAT GOD SHOULD REPAY THEM?" FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM ARE ALL THINGS. TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER! AMEN. THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD. GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA, INC.] DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST: SOMETIMES WHEN IT COMES TO A PERSON'S INDIVIDUAL ... PERSONAL LIFE: THE TALENTS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO THEM AND THE ABILITY THAT GOD ALLOWS THEM TO USE IN THEIR LIFE. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE CAN'T WIN. BECAUSE WE ALL EXAMINE THOSE PEOPLE, WHO EXCEL IN CERTAIN AREAS IN LIFE. WHETHER IT BE SCIENTIFICALLY, OR ATHLETICALLY, OR IN THEIR ABILITY TO ACT AND ENTERTAIN PEOPLE. OR THEIR VOICES IN SINGING. WE HAVE ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS ... ENOUGH AWARD SHOWS WHERE WE CAN GIVE LAUD AND HONOR TO THEM FOR THEIR ABILITIES IN THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THEIR LIFE. BUT IT ALWAYS IS INTERESTING TO ME, TO HEAR CHRISTIANS TALK ABOUT THOSE WHO RECEIVE AWARDS. FIRST WE CRITICIZE THEM BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT IN CERTAIN PEOPLE'S LIVES IT'S JUST ALL ABOUT THEM. THAT ALL THEY WANNA TALK ABOUT IS WHAT THEY HAVE DONE AND WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO IN THE SPOTLIGHT, SAYS: FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO THANK GOD. CHRISTIANS LIKE TO JUMP DOWN THEIR THROAT TO SAY: OH, THAT'S JUST FOR SHOW. THOSE ARE JUST EMPTY WORDS. HOW EASY IT IS FOR US SOMETIMES TO BECOME VERY JUDGMENTAL. AND THINK THAT WE KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE THINKING. WE KNOW WHY OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. WE KNOW ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD SO THAT WE CAN MAKE COMMENTS THAT ARE VERY CRITICAL OF OTHERS. AND I THINK SOMETIMES THAT EVEN SEEPS INTO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE GET RATHER EGOTISTICAL WITH GOD. BECAUSE WE KNOW, THAT IN GOD'S GREAT UNIVERSE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF, THAT I AM THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE MOST IMPORTANT. THAT MY NEEDS, ARE THE NEEDS THAT HE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING. AND SOMEHOW IN ALL OF HIS GREAT WISDOM, HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE, HIS INFINITE STRENGTH, HIS OMNI-PRESENCE, HIS ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING, THAT HE CHOOSES JUST TO IGNORE ME. OR AT LEAST NOT TO GIVE ME WHAT I CERTAINLY DESERVE. AND WE BECOME VERY CRITICAL. AND WE SHARE THAT CRITICISM WITH EVERYONE AROUND US. WE LOOK AT OUR LIFE AND ALL WE CAN SEE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING WRONG. THE WAYS THAT GOD HAS NOT BLESSED US. AND THEN WE COME TO THESE WORDS THIS MORNING FROM THE APOSTLE PAUL ... WHOSE LIFE WAS BY NO MEANS EASY. THE CALL THAT GOD HAD EXTENDED TO HIM TO PREACH TO THE GENTILES BROUGHT WITH IT HATRED, BROUGHT WITH IT BEATINGS, BROUGHT WITH IT VIOLENCE. BROUGHT WITH IT TRAVELING WITHOUT A PERMANENT HOME. RELYING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS AND FELLOW BELIEVERS AT TIMES FOR HIS OWN LIFE. AND YET WHEN PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCH IN ROME, AND REFLECTS ON ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE ... ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS TAKEN CARE OF ... THERE IS NOTHING THAT HE CAN CONCLUDE OTHER THAN TO GOD BE ALL GLORY! FOR HIS UNSEARCHABLE JUDGMENTS AND WISDOM. AND FOR HIS LIMITLESS GRACE. BUT WHO OF US CAN GO TO GOD TO COUNSEL HIM AS IF WE KNOW BETTER THAN GOD? THAT OUR WAY OF THINKING IS SOMEHOW GREATER THAN THE LORD'S. THAT SOMEHOW HE LACKS SOME BIT OF INFORMATION THAT WOULD REALLY TURN HIM OVER AND SWAY HIM TO OUR WAY OF THINKING TO DO WHAT WE WANT. THAT IF WE JUST GO TO HIM LONG ENOUGH AND HARD ENOUGH AND JUST KEEP HARPING AT HIM, ALL OF A SUDDEN HE'S GONNA GET THAT I'M THE ONE WHO'S RIGHT. HOW CAN WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE WAY GOD THINKS; THE WORKINGS OF THE MIND OF GOD! WE KNOW AND TRUST THAT HIS THOUGHTS ARE GREATER THAN MY THOUGHTS. THAT HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING AND IN MY LIFE HE WILL ACCOMPLISH THE GLORIES THAT HE HAS PROMISED FOR US. THE GLORY THAT HE HAS PROMISED FOR ME. WHO OF US WOULD EVER HAVE COME UP WITH THE PLAN THAT GOD DID WHEN ADAM AND EVE, PLACED INTO THIS WORLD OF PERFECTION AND HOLINESS, BROUGHT SIN AND DESTRUCTION? BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY CRITICAL BY NATURE. WE'D HAVE COME IN GUNS BLAZING TO JUST ANNIHILATE THEM. BECAUSE THEY HAD DONE THE VERY OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE HAD ASKED THEM. WE WOULD COME WITH HATRED. WE WOULD COME WITH ANGER AND INDIGNATION AND WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE TAUGHT THEM A LESSON. BUT GOD CAME WITH LOVE. GOD CAME WITH COMPASSION ... NOT IGNORING WHAT THEY DID, NOT SAYING: OH, IT'S OKAY. HE CAME AND SAID: YOU HAVE SINNED. BUT I AM GOING TO SUPPLY A SAVIOR. I AM GOING TO SEND ONE OF YOUR OWN DESCENDANTS TO BE THE MESSIAH. THE ONE THAT I HAVE PLANNED TO CARRY OUT MY SALVATION FOR PEOPLE TO SAVE YOU FROM THE GRASP OF SATAN. TO SAVE YOU FROM THAT PUNISHMENT OF SIN WITH ETERNAL DAMNATION. AND TO BRING YOU LIFE AND FORGIVENESS. I AM THE ONE WHO SHOWS MY LOVE TO YOU SO COMPLETELY IN THAT. AND ADAM AND EVE TRUSTED IN THAT, THEY BELIEVED THAT PROMISE OF GOD. GOD COMES TO US WITH THAT SAME REMINDER BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT SAME INHERITED SIN. THAT SIN THAT WE CANNOT GET RID OF. AND HE COMES TO US IN THE WORD AND SAYS: I LOVE YOU AS WELL! I WANT YOU TO BE MY CHILD. I WANT YOU TO KNOW AND TO EXPERIENCE THE JOYS THAT COME WITH HAVING YOUR SOUL PURCHASED AND WON BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. COME TO ME. BELIEVE IN ME. TRUST IN ME. HE WANTS THAT FOR US. HE HAS CALLED US TO THAT. AND BY THE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, BY THE WORKING OF GOD HIMSELF, WE TRUST AND BELIEVE IN THAT. AS MUCH AS PETER TRUSTED AND BELIEVED AND MADE THAT BEAUTIFUL CONFESSION THAT JESUS 'IS' THE MESSIAH: THE SON OF GOD. THE ONE WHO 'IS' OUR SAVIOR. THE ONE WHO HAS BROUGHT US INTO THE CHURCH. THE ONE WHO HAS FORGIVEN OUR SINS. WHAT JOY FILLS OUR HEARTS. WHAT A REMINDER WE HAVE THAT WE CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO THINK LIKE GOD. AND WHEN WE TRY TO, WE FALL HUMBLY BEFORE HIM IN CONFESSION ... AND REPENT. REPENT OF THINKING THAT WE HAVE NOT COME TO GOD WITH GLORY AND HONOR AND WORSHIP AND PRAISE. BUT WITH COMPLAINING AND WHINING AND NAGGING OVER THE EVIL THAT FILLS OUR LIFE. HOW QUICKLY WE CAN COME UP WITH FIFTY REASONS THAT ARE WRONG WITH OUR LIFE. BUT TO FIND SEVEN DAYS FULL OF THANKS AND PRAISE BECOMES A DAUNTING TASK. HAVE WE CLOSED OUR EYES TO THE BLESSINGS OF GOD? HAVE WE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED IN OUR LIFE ALL THAT HE HAS DONE? THERE CERTAINLY ARE TIMES THAT WE TAKE HIS LOVE FOR GRANTED. THERE CERTAINLY ARE MOMENTS THAT WE THINK WE KNOW BETTER. AND IT'S IN THOSE TIMES THAT WE COME BACK TO GOD AND WE SIT AT HIS FEET. THAT WE BE STILL AND KNOW HIM. HEAR HIS WORD. HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY TO US. AND TREASURE THOSE MOMENTS. WE CAN'T BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW GOD IS GOING TO USE THE THINGS OF OUR LIFE BUT WE KNOW AND WE TRUST THAT THEY WILL WORK OUT FOR OUR GOOD ... FOR OUR GOOD ... OUR ETERNAL GOOD. AND WE LONG FOR THOSE BLESSINGS. WE LONG TO SEE THEM IN OUR LIVES. JUST AS THE LORD CAME TO JOSHUA AND HE SAID: YOU HAVE TWELVE PEOPLE TAKE STONES OUT OF THAT JORDAN RIVER AND YOU SET THEM UP IN THE CAMP. WHY? SO THAT LATER ON, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO YOU, WHEN YOUR CHILDREN COME TO YOU AND SAY: WHAT DO THESE STONES MEAN? YOU CAN TELL THEM ABOUT THE GLORY OF GOD. YOU CAN TELL THEM WHAT GOD DID IN STOPPING THE WATER. YOU CAN SHARE WITH THEM THE LOVE OF GOD. AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT COME INTO OUR LIFE EVERY DAY THAT GOD SAYS: REMEMBER! MAYBE YOU HAVE A CROSS TO CARRY FOR A WHILE AND IT'S GOING TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. AND IN YOUR LIFE, YOU CAN USE THAT TO SHOW AND TELL OF THE LOVE OF GOD. WHY DO YOU STILL TRUST IN GOD SOMEONE MIGHT SAY ... YOUR LIFE ISN'T PERFECT. YOUR LIFE ISN'T EASY. AND WE RESPOND WITH: BECAUSE THE LORD HAS LOVED ME. HE HAS SAVED ME. AND EVERY DAY I BRING HIM GLORY BECAUSE I DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND BUT I DON'T HAVE TO. BECAUSE I HAVE FAITH THAT TRUSTS IN GOD THAT HE WILL WORK MY GOOD. AND YOU KNOW HOW I CAN SHOW THAT TO YOU? BECAUSE HIS GRACE FOR ME IS LIMITLESS. THERE'S NOT ONE SIN THAT GOD HAS NOT FORGIVEN IN MY LIFE. NO MATTER HOW LITTLE. NO MATTER HOW LARGE. NO MATTER WHO IT WAS AGAINST, NO MATTER WHO IT RECEIVED THAT SIN. GOD HAS FORGIVEN IT. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE GONE BACK AND REPEATED THAT SIN, GOD'S LOVE FOR ME IS LIMITLESS. I DON'T DESERVE THAT LOVE. I DON'T DESERVE THAT GRACE. I AM NOT WORTHY OF HALF OF THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS SHOWERED UPON ME. I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I KNOW MY HEART. I KNOW MY THOUGHTS. I KNOW HOW CRITICAL I CAN BE OF OTHER PEOPLE. I KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING EVEN THOUGH I MAY LOOK THE EXACT OPPOSITE. IT AMAZES ME EVERY DAY THAT GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME ALL OF MY SINS. NOT LEFT OUT ONE. NOT LEFT OUT HALF. DIDN'T SAY: I FORGIVE YOU THAT SIN WHEN YOU GET BETTER. I FORGIVE YOU THAT SIN WHEN YOU STOP DOING IT. BUT I COME TO HIM IN REPENTANCE, AND HE SAYS TO ME: YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. WHAT A REASON TO RUN TO GOD WITH THANKS AND PRAISE. THAT HE DOESN'T WITHHOLD THAT GRACE AS A PUNISHMENT. THAT HE DOESN'T WITHHOLD HIS LOVE. BUT HE CONTINUALLY AND DAILY FORGIVES ME MY SINS. BUT THAT IS THE PROMISE THAT I HAVE. THAT IS MY REASON FOR LIVING. IT'S MY REASON FOR REJOICING. IT'S MY REASON FOR SAYING THAT ALL I AM AND ALL THAT I HAVE AND ALL THAT I WAS AND ALL THAT I EVER WILL BE, IS GIVEN TO GOD IN THANKS AND PRAISE. TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER. FOREVER. BECAUSE MY GOD IS NOT JUST A GOD OF THIS WORLD WHO'S HERE TO MAKE MY TIME ON THIS EARTH THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE FOR ME. BECAUSE I KNOW THE BEST IS YET TO COME. THE PERFECTION IS WAITING FOR ME. THE GLORIFIED BODY. THE ETERNAL LIFE IS GOING TO BE MINE AND IT WILL BE MINE FOREVER. AND I WILL CONTINUE IN THAT LIMITLESS GRACE OF GOD IN HIS PRESENCE SERVING HIM AND GIVING GLORY. AND HE WILL NOT REMOVE ME FROM THAT PLACE BECAUSE THAT IS MY INHERITANCE. THE INHERITANCE OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD. THE MANSIONS OF HEAVEN. FILLED WITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. WHO ALSO BELIEVE. WHO ALSO TRUST IN GOD. WHAT WONDER AND GLORY AWAITS ALL OF US! WHEN WE WILL JOIN TOGETHER IN THAT PRAISE THAT WE GIVE HERE. WITH THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN COMING TO GOD AND SINGING GLORY AND PRAISE AND HONOR AND THANKS AND BLESSING BE TO GOD FOREVER. BUT TODAY WE HAVE BEEN REMINDED AGAIN OF THE WONDERFUL LORD THAT IS OURS. OPEN YOUR EYES. LOOK AT YOUR LIFE. SEE THAT HE HAS BLESSED YOU. CONTINUES TO BLESS YOU. DON'T TRY TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT: JUST TRUST IN HIM. PUT IT IN HIS HANDS AND GIVE HIM THE GLORY. AMEN. LET US RISE. NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING, KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN CHRIST JESUS.