Sovereign majesty, when we in
glory see, and to eternity love and adore. Okay, let's go back to Psalm
103. Psalm 103, and read with me two verses.
Psalm 103, read verses 13 and 14. Like as a father pitieth his
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, for he knoweth
our frame. he remembereth that we are dust." This is a message of great comfort
for God's people. A message that should give real
peace to God's children. Now, who are God's children? Like as a father pitieth his
children. Who is God the Father? Of. Look with me go over to Matt
Malachi chapter three. Malachi three if you. Looked
at your. Scriptures real carefully you
would have seen that reference given. There in verse 13 is reference
to Malachi three if you want to search the scripture. Which
we're told to do. That's a good way to do it you
look at the. references given to what you're reading. Malachi chapter three most folks
think that God is the father of all mankind. That's what the
vast majority of people think that God is the father of all
mankind that is not so. Romans chapter nine verse eight
says this. They which are the children of
the flesh, these are not the children of God. But the children of the promise
are counted for the seed. The children of the promise are
God's children. They are his seed, his offspring.
The promise, what promise? Well, if you're a promise, if
you're a promise keeper, then that might No, what promise? God's promise. The promise God
made to his son before we were born, before the world began. God gave his only begotten son a people. He gave him a people. The promise God gave to Christ
the problem to give him a people for him to redeem for him to
say. That's the problem children of
the promise accounted for the sea and I love this it. It says that our Lord in the
end. When he goes to present his God's family to him. That
when Christ presents his people, God's children, holy, unblameable,
unapproved before God. He's going to say this, Behold,
I am the children which thou hast given me. That's the promise that is spoken
of there. Children of God are those who
are chosen by God. Your children didn't choose you,
did they? Jenny, you have four children.
Did any of the four choose you as their personal mother? You begat them. That's what John
1 18 says. Of his own will begat he us with
the word of truth. Who? The father. He begat children. Of his own will. Well they're
chosen they're called they're given to Christ that's the problem. Covenant. Remember that word. Covenant. Covenant for the world. And. You know Christ I already
said this Christ is the only begotten. The only begotten son
of God. Full of grace. He's got it he's
the express image of the. We need visions to say as were
by nature. Children of one. Right here on
the. With sons of Adam we're not sons
of God by birth. Children of wrath even as others
but. Adopted. And there's well, he adopted
not only adopted us, but he does give birth to us. We're not born
that way, but we are newly born, born again. Well, I got to go
home. Told you to turn to Malachi three.
Look at that. How do you know who are God's
children? How do you know? I just told
you who they are, their children by promise, their children by
God's choice by God's adoption by God's Spirit of God, giving
birth to them. How do you know them? How do
you know them? How can you tell them apart from
the children of wrath? Look at Malachi 3. This is good. Verses 16 and 17. They that feared the Lord spake
often one to another. I'd love to stay right here for
a little while, but I can't. What they speak of, you reckon?
Those that feared the Lord, what are they talking about? Those
who truly worship God, that is, in spirit. What are they talking
about? They're talking to one another.
What about? About Him. About God. About the gospel.
Read on. And the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance
was written. A book of remembrance? Reminding
them? Of what? Reminding them. Of what? Remembrance. Our Lord said, in remembrance
of man. And for them that feared the
Lord and that thought upon his name. That is what his name really
means. They thought about it. They knew
it. They feared the Lord. Read on. Verse 17, And they shall
be mine, saith the Lord of hosts. There be mine. And the day that
when I make up my jewels, do you look at the reference
there? My special treasure, my peculiar treasure. They don't look much different,
that lump. Well, you just wait. We're going to make them up.
I will spare them, read on, as a man spareth his own son. I said twice they fear the Lord
how do you know God's people how do you know God's true children. As a father pity of his children
so the Lord pity of the. Them that fear him. Now this is vital that we. Make this clear. Because the wrath of God abides
upon some people. But the pity of God is for some. Who? Those that fear the Lord. Fear. What is fear? What does
it mean to fear God? They used to say this about people
years ago, didn't they? Do you remember? They talked
about a man or woman as being God-fearing. They don't say that
anymore. You ever hear that anymore? I
don't. Why? Well, it's a prophecy of
Scripture, Psalm 36, I believe by the coffee preach from that
Psalm 36 says that the transgression of the wicked say it to my to
my heart, there's no fear of God before their eyes. In other
words, what all goes going on in religion and all over the
world. The fact that little children
use God's name Take God's name on their lips. The fact that
religion is so dishonoring to God and so far from the Scriptures
tells me there's no fear of God before their eyes. Tells me that
they don't know the God of the Bible. They don't show that fear
that the Scriptures talk so much about. The Scripture says the
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In other words, nobody knows
anything. until they first start fearing God. What is this fear
of the law? What is this fear of the law?
Well, fear means reverence. I mean, a profound to revere. Profound reverence, that's the
reason we don't use that name in reference to men. Men like
to take that, don't they, reverend so-and-so? Well, Psalm 111 verse
9 says this, it says, Holy and reverend is his name. The only
one to be feared. You're not supposed to fear men.
You're not supposed to revere men in that sense and call them
so. But you are supposed to fear
God and give him the utmost profound reverence. We're to be reverent in everything
we do concerning God. From this preaching to the songs
we sing to the way we conduct ourselves is to be done in reverence. Why? Because that's his name.
Reverent. This is the fear of the Lord. And the fact that there's so
much crap going on in religion today tells me that there's no fear of God before
their eyes. All this flippant, careless, irreverence before
God tells me they don't fear God. How can you tell the difference
between God's people and the world? True religion. Fear the
Lord. Reverence. Mark it down now. If you go someplace where God
is truly worshipped, you'll be reverent. Fear is respect. Respect for a person's office. Here is respect for their great
personage. Now. If I am in the presence
of our president. I'm going to act like I hope. It's the most powerful he's the
most powerful man in this country and on the earth. His very office
demands my respect then. I don't carry on front of him
I don't call him George. That's disrespectful, isn't it?
You don't even call a stranger by his first name. You say, sir,
mister, missus. How much more? God almighty,
respect for who he is. It says those that fear his name.
Fear his name. Back in the old days, King. The
word King immediately put fear in people. King says, King, God says. Now, God's people sit up and
think, no, God, I fear his name, that means God. People don't
know God now, he's not God at all, at all to people. Those that fear his name means
respect. I got to talk about pity here
in a moment. Fear is all. Now, I know people
all over are saying God is awesome, but the very way they say that
tells me they don't know him. It's just some modern statement,
you know, something new. Hey, God's awesome, baby. Man,
away with that stuff. That's not the awe of God that
I'm speaking of. The fear of God is to be amazed
by. I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene. And wonder, how do you show a
man, wonder how he could love me? Not demand it, not expect
it, not act like it's, just wonder and amazement in awe, in awe. Men and women are more awed by
human beings than they are by God or the Bible. You know what?
You let some famous person come in here this morning and people
just act like blooming idiots. They fall over themselves to
get to him and to be acknowledged by him, to rub shoulders with
him. Some crooked politician while people just want to clamor
for him and touch him. He's nothing but a sinful man.
Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man, Isaiah said,
and not me, God said. Fear of the Lord. Fear of the
Lord. Fear shows itself in true submission
and subjection. Fear shows itself in true submission
and subjection. Whatever God says, believe it,
you bow to it. Do it. Submit to, bow before. Fear, what is fear? To fear his
name, like I said, God, he's creator. He's creator. Not much being said about this
anymore. But this would create should create the fear of God
in us that he's our creator. In other words, he said, cannot
I do with my own what I will. You make something. You make
something. You have the right. It's your
right to do with it whatever you will, and nobody can say
anything about that, right? Can you not? Make what you create. Can you not take it and destroy
it? Hmm? Something beautiful you
think everybody thinks you can do. Can I? Can I dash this against
the wall right now? I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to do it. I could. No, I'm going to use it. That's
what Romans 9 says. Hath not the potter power over
the clay of the same lump? To make two vessels, one honored
and one dishonored. God says, don't I have that authority? How does he? He's creator. He's creator. He's judge. He's judge. Have you ever been before a judge?
Anybody? Do you just saw her up there
and say hey. I know the local judge. Bill I can't when I see him out
and I know it. I'm standing for his I'm not
going to be. God is. Father. Anybody in here call
your father by their first name. I never have. And I never will. I still fear him. Do you? Do you still fear your father
if he's still alive? Do you? Fear the Lord. Fear the Lord.
All right? As a father pitieth his children,
so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. All of those things
that we said about the fear of the Lord, do you feel that way?
I mean, can you not say from the heart, yes, not like I should,
but yes, I do. That is how I feel and what I
believe. Then, like a father, he's your
father. God is your father. And as a father pitieth his children. I hope you're paying attention.
I told you it's going to be comforting to you. Pity. What is pity? Pity means
this. It means sympathy for. Feeling. Feeling for the sufferings and
the weakness of another. Pity. Pity means tender mercy. Pity means kind and tender compassion,
feeling. This great God is the father
of his children, and it says he pities them. Pick the James
five verse eleven says the Lord is very pitiful. And of tender mercy, very pitiful. That means he's full of pity.
Full of full of this sympathy for and feeling for the weakness
and the frailty and the sufferings of his children, full of it,
pity, pity for. We use that word wrong. Meaning
that that's not that's wrong. God is pitiful. Meaning he's full of pity. Now. Let me show you a little
bit what of this what this fatherly pity is OK. It's just. I hesitate to tell you how many
there are because. I've got nine things. This probably pity is if one
is naked, he closes. If we're hungry, he feeds us.
If we fall, he picks us up. If we're dirty, he washes us. If we're sick, he nurses us.
If we're ignorant, he instructs us. If we cry, he hears us. For cold he warms us, for offended
he defends us. Let's take each of these, OK?
If naked, he closes us. Look with me at Ezekiel 16. Ezekiel
16. If I'm not careful, I'll stay
in this chapter a while. Ezekiel 16. If there's someone
in here who has not heard this story in Ezekiel 16, Would you hang around a few months
and we'll get to it. This is wonderful. I'll never
forget the first time I heard it. Child in the field. You know that man is the only
animal born on this earth. Listen to it. Man is the only
animal born on this earth. Without a natural covering. You just name something. You don't have to cover it. It's
just a matter of moments. It's fur or whatever it's born
with, it's natural protection, will come out and it will be
able to, it's covered in other words, not man. If man, if a little baby is not
quickly covered, it'll die. Why do you reckon that is? Why do you reckon that man is
born naked? That's the term. Man is born
naked. Meaning he doesn't have a covering that will protect
him, that will warm him. Why? It's a picture of sin, isn't
it? Man was born naked to begin with.
He didn't need to be covered. He didn't need clothes. He didn't
need it. He was born, what? Without sin. But when man sinned, immediately,
what did God do? What did God do, Kelly? He clothed
him. He's naked now. He needs a covering. He'll get cold. He needs warmth.
He needs a protective covering, and God covers. Those who are
naked. When you first heard the gospel,
what did it do to you? When you first hear the word
of God, what does it do to you? It exposes you. This is what the word of God,
if somebody really hears the word of God, if somebody really
hears God's word, This is what God's Word does every time to
every person that it operates on. This is what the Spirit of
God does to every person, every person without exception. The
Word of God comes and makes them feel like they're naked before
God. God sees my thoughts. God sees my every action I've
ever... God sees me. I'm naked. I'm undone. I'm exposed. I've been exposed. I've been exposed. My thoughts
are intense in my heart. All my actions. Oh, I'm naked.
Oh, I'm naked. Well, that's how he finds us.
Look at Ezekiel 16. It says he finds us in verse
8. Now, when I passed by thee, I
looked upon thee. Sherry, would you like for me
to stay right here for about 30 minutes? I looked upon you. There were plenty of babies back
then thrown out in the field. He said, I looked upon you. I
beheld you and the time was a time of love. The baby for the, oh
no, his love. And I spread my skirt. Covered thy nakedness. Barbara,
I'm going to preach to you. That didn't hit you. I found
you naked, unclothed, unrighteous. What you wear is filthy rags
like old Bartimaeus. A little religious robe you thought
covered you. And I passed by and beheld you
and looked upon you and exposed you. And I spread my skirt over
you. My righteousness, I covered you.
Now you don't feel naked. You're protected, covered. Ah, boy. The father pities those
who are naked, he clothes us in the righteousness of Christ.
Like the prodigal son. The prodigal son came home in
rags, didn't he? He went away all decked out,
came home in rags. That's what every son of God
thinks about his righteousness, filthy rags. And what did the
father say? What was the first thing the
father said about the prodigal son? What was the first thing
the father said to bring for the prodigal son? Don't ask him if he wants it.
Put it on him. He said, Rags. A beggar and rag. Think of it. My son, a beggar
and rag. Not anymore. Put it on him. Like a father pities his child,
he's naked and he closes, hungry and he feeds us. The Lord said,
blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. They'll be filled of hunger and
thirst after the true God. Not to have a new Mercedes-Benz,
not to have a good job so that you can retire and have a condo.
That's not hungering after God and righteousness. It's those
that hunger after God. Like Paul said in Ephesians 2,
oh, that I might know Him. He will, Paul. Like David said,
this is the one thing I desire. That's what I'll seek after.
You'll find it, David. I'll be found. Those that hunger
and thirst after righteousness, they'll be filled. I know. Hannah's not here this
morning. She's got a newborn baby boy.
Every time that child cries, what does she do? Newborns are real hungry enough.
Samuel tell you, it seemed like he cheats all the time, middle
of the night. That's a fact that's a sign of
life you know that's a good sign of life people come in here and
listen to the word and I have no have no interest in the bread
of life the meat which God gives which is his body Christ said
the honey out of the rock the. Water of life people they're
not hungry and thirsty there's no life there. But if you're
alive you're really alive. You're hungry. I said, they'll
be filled, I'll fill them up. Hannah, that baby cry, she feeds
you, feeds you. I'm not going to let her go hungry.
Open your mouth. Nancy likes this verse. God said,
open your mouth, I'll fill it. I'll fill it. Oh, there's a father
pity of his hungry child, he feeds it. You fall, a father
pities a child when it falls. What's he going to do? Pick it
up. Pick it up. Pick it up in his arms. Look
at Psalm 37 with me. You're going to like this. Psalm
37. The father pities those that fall. Now, we all fell in Adam,
didn't we? Took a terrible fall, like old
Mephibosheth. Became lame, didn't we? How did,
Kelly, how did Mephibosheth get to David? David didn't say, well,
if you'll take the first step, Mephibosheth, I'll meet you halfway.
He's lame. He can't. Well, then how'd he
get there? David sent the word, fetch him. What happened then? Well, somebody, a strong man,
maybe two, I believe it was two, One on the right hand, one on
the left. I believe they went into that place and Mephibosheth
didn't know why they were there. And this is another story all
together, but I'll tell it anyway. Mephibosheth's sitting there.
Why are y'all here? We've been sent. That's what
Christ said. I've been sent. What for? To fetch you. You've been called.
Me? Yeah, you. And they picked him
up. Wait a minute, wait a minute,
wait a minute, where am I going? You're going to see the King.
But I know what? It doesn't matter. You're coming
anyway. Boy, he was sure glad that his
patch went later on. Sure glad. They picked him up.
Look at Psalm 37. I loved it. Psalm 37 verses 23
through 25. The steps of a good man. The word good is in Italian. Delighteth in his way, though
he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down. The Lord upholdeth."
That means picks him up with his hand. Well, how often? How long will he do this? How
many times will he pick him up? How many times will a baby fall? When Kelly starts walking, she's going to fall every five
seconds, isn't she? What's her father going to do? Pick her up. How many times?
Well, how many times did she fall? David said, I have been
young. And now I'm old, and he's still picking me up. And I've never seen the righteous
forsaken, or his seed begging for it, never. Oh, no, he says
he's the father, and he pities his child. And Proverbs 24, 16
says, A just man falls to seven times a day. picks them up every time. Aren't
you glad? You're going to fall till the
day you die. You're going to fall under some
temptation. You're going to fall in sin.
You're going to fall. Aren't you glad that God is pitiful? Father pities a dirty child and
washes it. Washes us in the blood of the
Lamb. I'm going to hurry. He washes us by the water of
his word. Barbara there has told me many times that she comes
in here feeling dirty. That's what the world does to
you. Makes you feel dirty. You rub, you get out there and
you mingle with them and you feel just sin and temptations
that are all around you. And you come in here and you
feel sinful and the water of God's word. And all this stuff
you're hearing on the news, and all this stuff you're hearing
at the workplace, and all this stuff you're hearing just bombards
your mind. People cursing God and one another. You're just full of filth. And
you come into this place, and God's Word just washes you. You hear about the blood of Christ
that washes away your sin. The fear of the Lord is clean. You go away feeling clean again. He come and plunge into this,
the blood, the fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's
veins. He go away feeling clean. For
what? Oh, the Lord pityeth them. That's
how he washes, by the water of his word. The fear of the Lord
is, I mean, the pity of the Lord. God pityeth. The Father pityeth
those that are sick. Would you turn? to another psalm
forty one psalm forty one just. Turned back and forth few songs
that I know it's a blessing I did it myself turned their psalm
forty one. Sick and he pities. Some people
aren't real pitiful when you get sick you know and. Some just
aren't real pitiful when you're sick. But if you're ever really
sick, don't you highly value someone who is truly kind and
pitiful to you? A good nurse. We have several
nurses in here. That's a wonderful occupation,
but it's a needy Occupation have you ever been in the hospital?
I mean and had a really good nurse Pretend to all your needs. She's invaluable. She's more
so than the doctor You come in you wonder where he's at all
the time it worked when's the doctor gonna come in he was in
while you're asleep Good nurse Scripture says that about our
God, about the Father. It says, nurses. I'll nurse you. I'll nurse you. Sick. The Father
in pity nurses us. And we all become sick with sin,
don't we? We all become sick with sin.
Makes you weak, makes you ill, makes you poorly. But the Father
in pity, through His Word, brings us out. But actually, Look at
the Old Brother Scott Richardson, the first one who brought this
to my attention. Psalm 41, 3 says, The Lord will strengthen him.
That is, that poor man will strengthen him, that sick man, upon the
bed of languishing. He'll make all his bed in his
sickness. When you get really sick and you lie there in your
filth, you've got to have somebody wash you. You've got to have
somebody change your bed. If you can, this is what nurses
do, they come in, a man and a woman, child is sick, really sick, can't
get up and all that, real sick. And what they do is they, somebody
picks you up, sets you to one side and they change your bed.
Have you ever had that happen? It
just makes you feel better. Just get your bed linens changed.
Fresh bed linens. Lay you back down those cool,
crisp, white, clean sheets. Fluff up your new pillow. Put
that crisp on and bring you some oatmeal or something. Some chicken
soup. You're still sick. Oh, you feel
better. I made you bed. That's exactly
what this gospel does. This is where you're going to
get all your pity from God, right? Make your bed. Ignorant father,
an ignorant child, the instruction. Father in patience instructs
an ignorant child. The scripture says, all thy children
shall be taught of thee. Some children are a little slower
than others, aren't they? Aren't you glad the father is
pitiful? A truly pitiful father will be very patient and very
understanding with his child. I want to be that way. But I'm
not. I wasn't. I thought about this. I thought, and you grandparents
can attest to this, don't you wish that you had when you were
raising your children, don't you wish you had some of the
wisdom you have now as grandparents then? Don't you wish that you
had You know young people raise children
because they have the strength the physical strength to do so.
A young girl in her 20s has children because she can get up all hours
of the night. A young man can do that and still
go to work the next day. A 50 or 60 year old can't do
that. Couldn't physically do that. But they don't have the
patience. They don't have the wisdom. And
they make all kinds of mistakes. A little grandparent you know.
After hindsight twenty twenty is why I've done this if I've
done that don't you wish you. Well our God is patient our father
is infinitely patient with his children he knows how to raise
his children. And they're ignorant and he's
patiently instructive patiently instructive. A young father said
What's wrong with you what's wrong can't you do anything well
you're stupid yeah he is. You know that you shouldn't say
that. Scripture said don't provoke your children to anger. Yeah
he's ignorant that's what you're for. Yes he doesn't know that's what
you're for. Don't get mad at him because
he's ignorant. Don't get mad at him, because he doesn't know
what you know. It took you years to find out. Patient. Oh, aren't you glad God is pitiful
to the ignorant? Full of patience, understanding,
instruction. Like somebody said to that mother,
why did you tell that girl nine times the same thing? She said, because he didn't get
it after eight. Huh? How many times do I have
to tell you? Until he learns. That's what
God's going to do with us. That's what he does with us.
Aren't you glad he's full of pity to the ignorant? Stan, how
long have you been looking at God's Word and following Christ
and heard the truth and yet still make the same mistake? Aren't
you glad God is pitiful? Full of pity? All right, that's
enough. All right, OK. And no more with
you, buddy. You should have learned by now.
Oh, no. As a father, pity of these children. Child cries and the father comforts. David over and over and over
and over in the song says, I cried under the Lord, I cried under
the Lord. That's all babies seem to do sometimes. There's nothing
wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with that.
They can't talk. They got to cry. And the father knows that. A
good father knows that. And David said, I cried unto
the Lord and he heard me. He heard me. He heard me. He comforted me. A child, a father
in pity, a child who's cold, he warms him. You ever get cold
to the things of God? I know you do. I look into your
faces. I see you fall asleep. I know
you do. I do, too. But I tell you what, though,
that's better than being lukewarm. I'd rather see somebody little.
I really would. I'd rather see somebody flat
asleep than looking at me with nothing at all. The Lord said of some, he said,
I would that you were hot or cold. At times when the word
of God warms us, it really does, and it shows on your face. It's
time. Yes, oh boy, I'm warmed up to the message, to the word. Your heart is, did not our heart
burn within us? Wasn't that a wonderful message
this morning? And the other time. That's sad. It's sad. It's generally our
fault. It's generally our fault. But
the Father knows, our friend. He knows. It's flesh. The flesh
gets weary. The flesh gets weak. The flesh
can't take it all in. Our minds are finite. We can't
take it all in. You don't have the advantage
that the preacher has. You haven't been warm to the subject for
hours. So it's all right to get cold every now and then. Not
stay that way now. But it's all right to get cold
every now and then. Because what does cold make you
appreciate? You ever been cold? I stay that
way every night. My wife turns off the heat in
the wintertime and turns on the air conditioner full blast in
the summertime, and my feet stick to the floor when I wake up in
the morning. Pulls the covers off me at night.
Cold. What does it make you appreciate?
Warmth. Sit by a warm fire if you've
been out and your hands are numb. Oh, man. Oh, man. If you've ever
been cold spiritually, come in here. God. Fire. Comes with fire. Heartwarming
fire. The fire is in your bones. The
Word is a fire in your heart. Oh, man. Oh, this is good. I want to leave here. I'll go
back out in the cold. By the warm. How often do you
not feel like coming here. Be honest. I'll be honest. I don't know. But you're compelled
to do so. Something. Something. Compelled you to. How often have
you felt that way. And come anyway. And went home
warm. A child is offended. I like this.
A child gets offended and a pitiful father defends them. Our Lord said this, Christ said
this, Jesus Christ, our elder brother said this. He said to
his disciples, it is impossible. that offenses but that offenses
will come. In other words it's not possible
not to be offended. Said the world will hate you.
I'm telling you so that when it happens you'll know. He said
it is impossible but that offenses will come but he said woe is
unto him through whom they come. David said, God is my defense. I recall one or two times growing
up. My father, he was the object
of a lot of hatred and a lot of abuse. I never saw him defend
himself. But I recall a couple of times.
One time in particular, my sister came home from school, torn all
the pieces It seems that some girls at school were bullying
her. Two or three girls that ganged
up on her were bullying her. I've never seen my dad act like
that. Buddy, it did not happen again. I'm here to tell you. He scared
me to death. I've never seen him like that. It didn't happen again. She went
to school on a break. When I was going through school,
I was the fourth of four children. I was the youngest son, youngest
child, youngest of three boys. I had an older brother, eight
years older than I, well-respected, captain of the football team
and all of that, weightlifter and all of that.
I had nothing to fear. Chris, when I went through school,
I didn't fear anybody. Why? They knew my brother. All I had to say was, my brother
is Robbie Mahan. Oh, well, come on in, buddy.
We like you. You're our friend. God is my defense. I shall not
greatly be moved. There will be offenses, he said,
but whoa. He will defend his children.
We're told, Stephen, we're told to pray for those that despitefully
use us. We're told to take it patiently
when they abuse us. And that's what our Lord did,
didn't he? But, buddy, don't you touch my wife. Don't you
harm my children. That's what God says. Christ
said, Take it out on me, and I'll take it. Don't you touch
my anointed. Don't you like that? He's our
father. He's our father. The week? The week? I didn't get to this. He says he knows our frame. He knows our frame. He knows
our frame. As a father, knows our frame.
He pities us. He knows your frame. He knows
that you're just dust. He knows that you're weak. The
Lord's the one that said this. He said the Spirit is willing,
but flesh is weak. Flesh is weak. I know that. Christ
said, I know that. How does he know that? Because
we have a high priest who's touched with a feeling of our infirmities.
He was tempted. He was made flesh and dwelt among
us. He knows. He empathizes with somebody.
He sympathizes with somebody watching them. You can feel sorry
for what you empathize with somebody when you enter into or go through
what they've gone through. You empathize with them. Our
Lord empathized with them. Why? He became flesh. He limited himself in flesh. Touched with the feeling of iron
firmament, he became flesh. Those who were subject to fear,
he became flesh to relieve that. Now quit with this. He knows
our friend a young person often says this. Young people. You may be thinking this now.
You think dad just doesn't understand me. Mom and dad they just don't understand
me. No that's not it at all. That's
not it at all. Let me tell you what it is. You
don't understand you. You don't. You're going through
so many changes, so many emotions. You're experiencing so many new
things you've never experienced before. Every day is something
different. And you're faced with things
you've never been faced before. And the temptations and all of
these new things are coming upon you. Never been thrown before.
And you think, oh, I get something new. And mom. And you have these
feelings. And you go. And they have been
through them. They have been through them.
You can't believe that mom was 13. I know you can't believe
that. But she was. She didn't get to
40 from 12. She didn't go twelve and forty overnight. She went
through thirteen. Mom was thirteen. Mom was fourteen. Mom said, Mom doesn't understand
me. No, Mom didn't understand Mom
then because she wasn't a mom. You don't understand Mom because
you've never been Mom. You don't understand Dad because
you've never been Dad. Mom doesn't understand. No, you
don't understand. You don't understand what you're
going through. You don't understand what all. She's been there, done
that. And looking back, you can see
the course to take, so she says, we need to do this. But, but,
but, but, no, this is explain it to me. I can't. You have to
go through it. God, I don't understand. I don't
understand. He don't even understand you. We don't even understand us.
We don't understand the depths of our depravity. We don't understand
what we're capable of. We don't understand. And if God
would allow us to do, to take one step in this direction, but
I want to go there. No. But, but, but, no. I'm going
to do it anyway. You break your finger or something. Take it away from you. Oh, God's
mean to. No, you don't understand you,
let alone God. That's just a fact. I don't understand. No, you don't. Someday, though, someday, when
we grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ, and the scripture
said, when he conforms us to the image of Christ until we're
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of who? Who understood
perfectly as a man? Who knew everything? Who submitted
to everything God the Father sent to him? Who had patience?
Who had contentment? Who had true peace? Who? Jesus
Christ, that's who. He submitted Himself under the
judge of the earth, who He knew would do right by Him. He knew
Him. And they brutally mistreated
Him and brutally killed Him. He didn't say why. He said, I
know it's God's will, I know it's good, and I know it will
end up just to my honor. And God's glory, and it did.
And someday, when we're in the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ, then that's when he's going to take us away
from this place. That's when he's going to take us. Full bloom,
take us away. I'm not, you know I'm not talking
about sinless perfection. But he's going to take us, and
then we'll know. Scripture says we'll know as
we've been known. And you know what we're going
to say? Thank you, Dad. when we know like the Father
does. Like now, Mac, aren't you thankful
for what your dad did? You're a dad now. And you say,
oh, you go back to him now every opportunity. And you tell Dad,
thank you. Thank you for what you did. Thank
you for not letting me go there. Thank you for withholding it.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for disciplining. Thank
you. You should have done more. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And someday we're going to say,
thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Father. Thank you
for doing that. Thank you. I didn't understand
at the time, but I do now. Thank you, Father, for being
so pitiful to me. Your time. All right. Told you everything I know. I
quit. All right. Let's sing a closing
hymn.