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🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 🎵Music🎵 You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You Good evening and welcome to Verity Baptist Church Can I please have everyone find their seats and grab their song books and turn to page number one hundred and forty? We're gonna start the service off singing. We have an anchor Page one four zero We have an anchor Page 140 and let's go ahead and sing it out on the first Will your anchor hold in the storms of life? When the clouds unfold their wings of strife When the strong tides lift and the cable strain will your anchor drift or firm remain We have an anchor that keeps the soul said fasten sure while the billows roll fasten to the rock which Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love Page 140 now, this is a song that you have to sing with a little bit of gumption So let's go ahead and sing it out on the second. It is safely Bored will the storm with For By the Though the tempest rage in the wild winds blow not an angry way shall our bark or Sing it out. We have an anchor that keeps us all Said fasten sure while the billows roll Fasten to the rock Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love on the last When our eyes behold through the gathering night the city of gold our harbor pride We shall anchor fast by the heavily shore with the storms all fast Evermore We have an anchor that keeps us all said fasten sure while the billows roll Fasten to the rock Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love Great singing welcome to Verity Baptist Church in the Wednesday evening Bible study. Let's open up in a word of prayer Father God, thank you so much for this church Lord Thank you for these people coming out here in a Wednesday evening to serve you I pray that you bless the singing Lord a prayer that our singing would glorify you and I pray that you bless the preaching and The service to come in Jesus name I pray amen All right, please turn your song books page number 153 Page 153 we're gonna sing how firm a foundation Page One five three and let's go ahead and sing it out on the first How firm a Foundation ye Saints of the Lord Is laid for your veil or Abounding and well Man On the As your days may demand shall your strength On the second Recon Shawn in sickness in hell In poverty's veil Oh As your days may demand shall your strength ever be Let's sing it out on the third when through fiery trials Halfway shall I my grace all Sufficient shall be by supply the flame shall not hurt The eye only Design I Draw suit on soon and I go to refine and Down to old age all my people shall prove my Sovereign Change And Shall their temples are torn by When they shall still Be born on the last the soul that on Me Not I will not Oh Oh Great singing Amen all right we want to welcome you of course to the Wednesday evening service We call it the most encouraging service of the week, and we are glad of course that you're with us We'll go ahead and look at some announcements Quickly if you do not have a bulletin just raise your hand and one of our ushers can get one for you If you need a bulletin just put your hand up And we'll get one for you the verse this week Ephesians 5 8 for you were sometimes darkness But now are ye lights in the Lord walk as children of light, and that's a good verse there We like that if you open up your bulletin You'll see our service time Sunday morning service 10 30 a.m. And we do invite you of course to be with us on Sunday morning on the Lord's day for church Sunday evening services at 6 p.m. And the evening service is different than the morning service different songs that are sung different sermon has preached Just one more opportunity to be in God's house of course with God's people under the preaching of the Word of God And we're glad you're here for the Wednesday evening Bible study tonight If you look at our soul winning times our main of soul winning times on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. And we of course would love for you to join us on Sunday on Saturday morning for our big soul winning rally And then we have additional soul winning times usually on Thursdays and Fridays at 2 p.m. That's postponed for a little while While we have some workdays, but on Sunday at 2 p.m. We have a time available So make sure that you are a part of one of those if you are a first-time guest if it's your first time here I've already Baptist Church. We're glad you're with us We have a gift We'd like to give you as you walk out of the church building tonight if you go out the main foyer Or if you go out the secondary foyer, you'll see a little table set up on that table You'll see these little gift bags Please grab one on your way out as a gift from us to you for being our guest tonight There are several resources in this bag that we'd like you to have the one I like to highlight is this documentary that our church Made it's called being Baptist. It's very well made very interesting We think you'll like it and we want to give this year the gift So, please make sure you don't leave here tonight without grabbing one of those gift bags on your way out And if you are a guest would ask that you please take a moment to fill out the communication card Which is inserted in your bulletin and we'd love to have a record of your attendance We actually would like to send you a little gift, but we need your information to do that So, please take a moment to fill the card out when we're done with the announcements We're gonna sing a song and when we're done singing, we're gonna receive the offering as the offering plate goes by You can drop this card in the offering plate if you'll notice there in the bulletin We are a family integrated church. What that means is that children and infants are always welcomed in the service We do not separate children from their parents for any reason We do have mother baby rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience So if you have a child that's been distracting during the service or if you need some privacy We would encourage you to please use those rooms as needed if you need to be baptized, please let us know We'd love to baptize you on the back of your communication card You can check off that you would like Information about baptism and we'll follow up with you and talk to you about that and get you situated for baptism If you look at the announcements and upcoming events, of course, we've got some big workdays coming up on Thursday tomorrow November 2nd 8 a.m. To 9 p.m. Friday, November 3rd 8 a.m. To 9 p.m. And Saturday November 4th 1 p.m. To 9 p.m. Alright, so we've got Clipboards in the back guys if you can go by there There's three shifts for the first two days two shifts for the last day and we could use your help We'd appreciate your help, especially if you know anything about electrical That would be great if you are an electrician or if you just are handy with electrical stuff Right now the lighting is what needs to be done and all of those rooms need cam lights The auditorium has lighting that needs to be done as well, but there's other things as well. It's not just electrical Lots to do so if you would go by there we would appreciate it. I know this is now I think the fourth week and It's gonna be several more weeks before we're done over there. So just stick with it. Stay with it and We'll be glad once we're on that new property. It'll be good. We had the harvest party yesterday. It went great We had a great harvest party And I don't know how many people we had but it was well over 200 people that came out for the harvest party and praise the Lord for that we had the cook-off and all those things of course and Brother Nate's got the second place Slot for the chili cook-off and but Scott got the first place He was the first place winner. So we had a good time with that. Of course Choir is starting up for the Christmas season. So if you'd like to be part of the adult choir They're gonna start practicing on Sunday, November 12 at 5 p.m Here in the auditorium 5 p.m An hour before the Sunday evening service and the children's choir is gonna start practicing on Sunday, November 19th at 5 15 p.m They'll start practicing in the playroom and we're gonna have Of course a Christmas Eve service this year and the choirs will be singing on the children in the morning The adults in the evenings, so make sure that you are part of that homeschool group. There is a PE class tomorrow November 2nd at 10 a.m. So don't forget about that PE tomorrow Ladies have a weight loss accountability group if you'd like to be a part of that ladies They meet on Wednesdays at 6 15 p.m. In the mother-baby room. That's closest to the front entrance And then of course, there's other things there for you to look at Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on the silent during the service that they're not a distraction to anybody if you look at the back of the bulletin birthdays anniversaries for the month of October or for this week We had brother James villas birthday on October 30th yesterday was my daughter Ruth and Jimenez on October 31st was her birthday and then later this week We have miss Ariel Sheboyan's birthday on November 3rd and Gideon gives birthday on November 3rd as well Praise report money matters. All of those things are there for you to look at I do have one Baptism certificate to hand out so I'll go ahead and read this quickly This says certificate of baptism The certificate is awarded to Avery Rosenberg in recognition of her baptism on the 29th day of October of the year 2023 Presented by Verity Baptist Church and we've got the verse here Romans 6 4 therefore. We are buried with him by baptism Into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we should walk in units of life and we have pictures here for Avery to remember the day of her baptism and let's go ahead and give her a round of applause All right, and let's go ahead and take our song books We're gonna go to page number 97 as we prepare to receive the offering This evening page number 97 and we're gonna sing. I need thee every hour page number 97 and let's go ahead and sing it out on the first I need the every hour most Gracious Lord no tender voice like mine and He's a poor I need the oh I need thee Every hour I need Bless me now my savior I come to the page number 97 sing it out on the second I Need the every hour stay down here by Temptations lose their power when I need the oh I need the Every hour I need Bless me now my savior I come To thee I need the every hour Enjoy your pain come quickly and apply or Every hour I need Me now my savior To sing it out on the last page number 97 on the fourth I need the every hour I need the oh I need the every hour I need Oh Amen good singing we'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time And let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer Heavenly Father Lord we do come to you tonight asking that you bless the offering the gift and the giver Lord We pray that you meet with us as we open up your word as we study the Bible together. We pray that you would Hear our prayers as we take time to pray of course for our church family as well in Jesus name we pray amen We pray that you would be with us as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family as we take time to pray of course for our church family. So so so amen all right well let's take our prayer sheets tonight if you did not get a prayer list on your way in just raise your hand and one of our ushers can get one for you if you need a prayer sheet just put your hand up and we'll get one for you and of course the way you add a request to the prayer sheet is through your communication card in the back of the card there's a place for you to write down a request make sure you mark whether it's private or public if you mark private only I will see it if you mark public we'll put on the prayer sheet if you don't mark it we'll do our best to figure it out but we usually don't put those on they are added in the order that they are received and they are removed after a couple of weeks and we're gonna go ahead and take these requests to the Lord I'm gonna pray out loud I'm gonna ask that you follow along in your mind and your heart and let's pray together and let's bow our heads together. Heavenly Father Lord we come to you tonight asking for these requests from our church family we begin with these requests regarding salvation. Ms. Natalie praying for the salvation of her husband and her family and brother Ron Edwards praying for the salvation of his mom and his family as well. Ms. Christine Ortiz praying for her family's salvation and Ms. Docma praying for her daughter and her family's salvation. Lord we ask for these individuals we pray that you would work on their hearts Lord we know that every individual will spend eternity's somewhere heaven or hell. Lord we ask that your Holy Spirit would soften their hearts and prepare them to be able to hear and receive the gospel. Lord we ask that a soul winner would communicate the gospel clearly to them that they might be saved. Lord we also pray for these requests regarding health. Brother Darryl praying for his mom's healing of her cancer and Brother Aldo praying for his father's recovery after his neck surgery. Brother Mike praying for his health. Brother Todd and Ms. Lori praying for their health and Tim praying for healing as well. Ms. Hermalisa praying for her father-in-law Dave who's battling cancer and is in the hospital and praying that he would be released. Ms. Christine Ortiz praying for her health and for her sister Judy's health as she battles cancer as well. Brother Salvador we're praying for his health and we thank you for this praise report and he will have 17 years here in a couple of days of being cancer free and we thank you for that Lord. We pray you continue to keep him healthy and strong. Brother Edgar and Ms. Selena praying for Uretzi that she would continue to be healthy as well and of course we continue to pray for our missionary Dave Camutola's wife Angel who's dealing with breast cancer. Lord we ask for all these individuals we pray that you would give them strength we pray that you'd heal them you'd recover them that you'd relieve pain you pray that you would help the doctors and the nurses that are dealing with them we ask Lord that you'd be with them. We also pray for the ladies in our church that are expecting Ms. Selena, Ms. Melody, Ms. Victoria, Ms. Julissa, Ms. Ruby asking that you'd give them all healthy pregnancies with no issues and no complications. Lord we also pray for these that have requests regarding friends and family. Ms. Brandy Barrett praying for her brother Dylan who's dealing with anxiety and depression. Ms. Rebecca Garcia praying for her husband Danny and his board date on March 1st that he would be released. Lord we pray that your will would be done regarding that and that he would be able to come home. Ms. Irene Reed praying for comfort and strength for her cousin Rosario Chavez who's husband passed away unexpectedly and leaving her and two small children behind. Lord we pray for these individuals. Lord we ask that you would give them comfort and help. Lord we pray that you would give them strength and comfort Lord as needed as well. And Lord we ask that you be with all these individuals. We also pray for these that have physical and financial requests. For the mic praying for a reliable car and looking for a reliable job as well. Ms. Christine Ortiz praying for that she'd find her own place. For the Salvador praying for finances and work as well. Lord we ask that you would help these individuals and meet their needs. Be with them and guide them. Lord we pray that you would give them your faith and walk with you. That you'd continue to strengthen them through that. And then we pray Lord for these that have unspoken requests. Ms. Natalie and also Brother Ron and also Ms. Ruby Rolden having unspoken requests. For the Salvador and Miss Dagma as well having unspoken requests. Lord we ask for these individuals. We pray that you would help them. You know what their requests are. You know what their petitions are. And we ask Lord that you would answer according to your will. And then Lord we pray for the work being done at the new building. Brother Ron praying for the men working at the new building and progress. That is going on. And Lord we ask that you just continue to help these work days. And that you would help us to have a smooth transition into the new building. And there's still so much to do. Lord I pray that you'd help us not to be weary. And to just stick with it and get it done. Lord I thank you for these men that have volunteered their time and their energy. Lord I just pray that you continue to help us as we work away at it and work at it. And help us be able to get a good amount of progress done this weekend Lord. And to be safe and everybody having a good attitude. Lord help us to have a good time as we work. And Lord I pray that you would just help us to be able to accomplish the goals that we have. We pray for our church for the prison ministry that you continue to bless the mailers as they go out to the different prisoners all over the country. We pray for our churches in Manila, Pampanga, Bicol and our missionary there, Pastor Secchi and his family. That you'd bless them and continue to bless their ministries and help them. And then of course Lord we pray for our church here in Sacramento. We pray that you'd continue to help us as we work. And Lord I pray that you would just help us to be able to accomplish the goals that we have. We pray for our church for the prison ministry. That you continue to bless the mailers as they go out to the different prisoners all over the country. We pray for our churches in Manila, Pampanga, Bicol and our missionary there, Pastor Secchi and his family. That you'd continue to bless and strengthen our church. Lord we ask that you would help us tonight as we open up your word as we study the Bible together. Lord help us take the preaching of your word seriously. Help us to realize that it is the word of God that we're going to open up. Help us to minimize distractions. Help us to prepare our hearts. Lord I pray that you would speak to us and that we would hear it. That we would receive it and that we would leave here different than we came. We love you. In the matchless name of Christ we pray. Amen. Please open our mouths to Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter number 3. If you don't have a Bible please put your hand up and I'm not sure if you can bring your Bible. Hebrews chapter number 3. Just keep your hand up or she'll come by. Hebrews 3. We read the entire chapter as our custom. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews 3 beginning in verse number 1. Hebrews chapter number 3. And of course we on Wednesday nights we're studying through the book of Hebrews. We're going verse by verse, chapter by chapter through this book. Tonight we find ourselves here in Hebrews chapter number 3. And if you remember last week we began chapter 3. We went through the first part of the chapter. We looked at verses 1 through 6. And we learned about Jesus being compared to Moses in Hebrews 3 verses 1 through 6. We learned about the fact of course that Jesus is better which is the theme of the book of Hebrews. One of the themes of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is better. He's better than the prophets. He's better than the angels. We saw that He's better than Moses. Tonight we're going to finish up chapter number 3 and we're going to look at verses 7 through 19. And tonight we're going to see that in the first part of the chapter we saw that Jesus was compared to Moses and in the second part of the chapter we see that we are compared to the children of Israel. So there's a little bit of a pattern there. Jesus compared to Moses and then we are compared to the children of Israel. Of course the children of Israel were the followers of Moses and we are the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Before we get into the main teaching of the passage though I do want to highlight something for you that comes up here in verse number 7. You notice there in Hebrews chapter 3 in verse 7 the Bible says wherefore and I want you to notice that there's a parenthesis there. In your Bible you'll notice it says wherefore and then you'll see a parenthesis and then you'll see this phrase as the Holy Ghost sayeth. As the Holy Ghost sayeth. Now what happens is that the writer of the book of Hebrews is actually going to in this parenthesis in this kind of parenthetical thought he's going to quote a portion of scripture. We've seen him do this throughout the book of Hebrews already and you'll notice that that quote actually is set aside by these parenthesis and I'd like you to notice that it goes all the way to the end of verse number 11. So notice there in Hebrews 3.7 wherefore parenthesis as the Holy Ghost sayeth and then here begins the quote. So he says as the Holy Ghost sayeth and then he begins to quote from Psalm 95. You don't have to turn there. We're going to look at that in a little bit but here's the quote. He says today if you will hear his voice heart and not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness when your father tempted me proved me and saw my works forty years wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said they do always err in their heart and they have not known my ways so I swear in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest. End quote. So you'll notice the quote from the Old Testament covers verses 7 through 11 there in this chapter and we're going to talk about that here in a minute but what I want you to notice is that the beginning before the quote begins there before the words today if you will hear his voice the writer of Hebrews is quoting from the Old Testament but what he says is as the Holy Ghost sayeth as the Holy Ghost sayeth and what we have here is a statement regarding inspiration of scripture and the fact that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and though he's quoting from the Old Testament he's quoting the psalmist from the Old Testament instead of telling us the name of the psalmist and the name of the individual who's being quoted here he simply says as the Holy Ghost sayeth because of the fact that all of scripture is the Holy Ghost speaking through men and all of the Bible is God speaking through men but it is the word of God it is the Holy Ghost speaking. I'd like to just give you a couple of verses regarding this just by way of introduction. Keep your place there in Hebrews if you would and go with me to the book of 2 Peter chapter 1. 2 Peter chapter 1 if you're there in Hebrews you'll just go past the book of James past the book of 1 Peter into the book of 2 Peter because the writer of Hebrews says as the Holy Ghost sayeth then quotes scripture quotes the Old Testament and this is biblical because it teaches us of the inspiration of scripture. 2 Peter 1 and verse 21 says this for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So we see here approved text for the inspiration of scripture not only in 2 Peter 1.21 of course but in Hebrews 3.7 when he says wherefore as the Holy Ghost sayeth and then quotes the Old Testament passage. We see that the word of God is not just the word of men but it is indeed the word of God and I make that point and I kind of want to highlight that for a couple reasons. First of all I want you to notice it just as like I said a proof just another proof in the Bible of this doctrine of inspiration of scripture but I also want you to notice that this is not random. This is not just being brought up for no reason. Nothing in the Bible is incidental, accidental, coincidental. It's all there for a reason and there's a reason why he says that. There's a reason why he says as the Holy Ghost sayeth. We're going to come back to that reason towards the end of the sermon but I want you to remember it and I want you to highlight it. Now you're there in 2 Peter chapter 1. You can go back to Hebrews chapter 3 but I'd also like you to find Psalm 95 so you can see the quote that's being quoted here. Psalm 95 if you open your Bible just right in the center you're more than likely following the book of Psalms and it's right in the middle of the Bible. Psalm 95. I'd like you to find it. Get back to Hebrews 3. Find Psalm 95. While you turn to those passages let me read to you a couple more scriptures regarding inspiration of scripture that prove that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Here's a passage while you turn to Psalm 95. Acts 1 16 says this. Men and brethren this scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas which was guide to them that took Jesus. I want you to notice that in Acts 1 16 we're told that the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake and again that is a proof of the inspiration of scripture that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Here's what David himself said in 2 Samuel 23. 2 Samuel 23 and verse 1. You don't have to turn there. Let me just read this for you. The Bible says this. Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said and the man who was raised up on high the anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel said the spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue. So David we're told in Acts that the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake and then David himself says the spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my mouth. So we need to always remember that this Bible that you hold in your hand is not just a book. It is the word of God and when we say it's the word of God we mean that literally holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The spirit of the Lord spake by them and his word was in their tongue. The Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of these men and what we're reading is the words of God. So we see that at the beginning this idea of inspiration of God is brought up and like I said it's not brought up just randomly. There's a reason why it's brought up and we'll come back to that but I'd like you to go back to Hebrews chapter 3. I think you're in Psalm 95 go back to Hebrews 3 and let's get into the main subject of the passage tonight and the subject has to do with your heart and specifically it has to do with the hardening of our heart or a hard heart and there's several things that are brought up in this passage regarding a hard heart and I'd like to highlight them for you. There's five different things that we can learn regarding a hard heart and it's all kind of intermingled so we're going to go through the passage and then we'll go through it again and we'll go through it again as we highlight these different things. If you're taking notes maybe you can write these things down. I'd love for you to take notes on the back of your course of the week. There's a place for you to do that. I'd like you to notice first of all the condition of a hard heart. The condition of a hard heart and what we have here in this passage is that the writer of Hebrews is giving us an Old Testament example of a hard heart. Now I want you to notice the emphasis and what's being emphasized in this passage. Hebrews 3, look at verse 7. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith and then he begins to quote the Old Testament. Here's the example from the Old Testament. Today if you will hear his voice, notice the emphasis, harden not your hearts. The Old Testament psalmist that's being quoted here in the book of Hebrews is telling the children of Israel of his day to not harden their hearts. Now the psalmist, we're going to look at it in Psalm 97, is being quoted in the New Testament. So we've got a New Testament quotation of the Old Testament Psalms and the psalmist is then reminding the people of his time about the children of Israel in the time that he calls the provocation. Now this is perfect for us because he's literally referring to the time that we're studying in the book of Numbers right now in our Numbers series when the children of Israel came up to the promised land and then rebelled against God and refused to go in. That's what's being referenced here and I did not plan that out for us to be in Numbers 13, 14, 15, and 16 around the same time that we would be in Hebrews chapter 3. I'm not that smart to figure that out but the Holy Ghost is and the Holy Ghost has us looking at these things so this should be familiar to you. The psalmist is saying today if you will hear his voice heart and not your hearts and then he gives an example that's even older than Psalms. He says as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness when your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works forty years wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said notice what God says about that generation. They do always err in their heart and they have not known my ways so I swear in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest. Now the rest there is being referred to the fact that they were supposed to enter into the promised land and that was supposed to be their rest. This idea of rest I'm not going to really deal with a lot tonight because it's going to come up again in chapter 4 of Hebrews and we'll deal with it then but he's telling them I had a rest for you. I had a plan for you. You were to go into the promised land but because you always err in your heart because you harden your heart because you tempted me and proved me and grieved me God swore in his wrath that they shall not enter into my rest. Now I want you to notice the quotation that's being quoted just for your notes of course. Psalm 95 and verse 8 is what's being quoted here. Psalm 95 and verse 8 and notice it again just for comparison sake. Psalm 95 verse 8, Harden not your hearts as in the provocation as in the day of temptation in the wilderness when your father tempted me proved me and saw my works. 40 years long was I grieved with this generation and said it is the people that do err in their hearts. Notice the emphasis Verse 8, Harden not your heart. Verse 10, It is the people that do err in their hearts and they have not known my ways unto whom I swear in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. You can go back to Hebrews 3 if you'd like but I want you to notice we see the condition of the heart and what we see to begin here is an Old Testament example of a hard heart and I want you to notice to me the biggest emphasis that you should really look at is in verse 10 of Hebrews 3 when God says they do always and that's an older word of course an older way of saying we would say they always err in their hearts and the application here is that these people were known for always or always having a hard heart, having not a tender heart, not a heart that was soft towards the things of God but their heart was always hardened and I want to ask this question and I'll probably ask it several times tonight but you need to ask yourself this question and the question is this, how's your heart? How's your heart? Every once in a while you ought to ask your children, how's your heart? Because how hard or how tender or how arrogant or how humble or how critical or how content your heart is is very important. The Bible says that all sorts of sin come from our heart and God says about these people that they had an example. He says there's an Old Testament example of a hard heart. Now this doesn't come up just because we see first of all here in verses 7 through 11 an Old Testament example of a hard heart and then in verse 7 we see a New Testament exhortation to not have a hard heart. Look at verse 7, Hebrews 3 verse 7. So in verse 7 we see this in the parenthesis we see this quote from the Old Testament but then I want you to notice when you remove the parenthesis and of course we're not going to remove the parenthesis, all of this is the word of God but if you remember diagramming sentences when you were a kid in school, a parenthetical statement is a statement that is put there to give you additional information or additional context or content for the sentence but that which is in parenthesis is not necessarily needed for a complete sentence or a complete statement. So we can actually read by removing the parenthesis to see the point that he's actually trying to make because the parenthesis is just giving us additional needed information and read it without the parenthesis and it says this in verse 7. He says wherefore parenthesis begin, runs all the way to the end of verse 11 and then verse 12 says this, take heed brethren. So I want you to notice that that whole parenthetical statement that travels from verse 7 through 11 is there as an Old Testament example of a hard heart but what he's actually doing is he's giving some New Testament believers an exhortation to not have a hard heart and he says wherefore take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and it makes sense why he gives us that parenthesis wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith today if you will hear his voice, goes into that whole example from the Old Testament and then says take heed therefore brethren lest there be any of you an evil heart of unbelief in hearting from the living God, verse 13, but exhort one another daily while it is called today lest any of you be hardened, notice the emphasis lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. So in verse 12 he says lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. In verse 13 he says lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Look at verse 14 for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast into the end, verse 15, while it is said today if you will hear his voice notice it again, harden not your hearts as in the provocation. So again this was, he's recoding the Old Testament because when he quoted Psalm 97 he said harden not your hearts as in the provocation. That was a quote from the Old Testament, an example from the Old Testament, but verse 15 is an exhortation to New Testament believers and he says the same thing. He says harden not your hearts as in the day of provocation. Now I'd like you to keep your place there in Hebrews 3 and go with me to the book of Mark. Mark chapter 6 and towards the beginning of the New Testament you have Matthew and then you have the book of Mark. Matthew, Mark, Mark chapter number 6. When you get to Mark do me a favor and put a ribbon or a bookmark or something there because we're going to leave it and we're going to come back to it. We're going to come back to Mark several times during the sermon tonight so I'd like you to find it quickly and when I came up here I realized that my shoe was untied and it's going to bother me so I'm just going to tie it real quick if that's okay with you. It's supposed to be the bunny loops and all that stuff, right? If I don't tie it it's just going to bother me the whole time. Mark chapter 6, look at verse 52. Matthew, Mark, Mark chapter 6 and verse 52. Oftentimes when we think of a hard heart we think of reprobates. Because reprobates the Bible says that they harden their hearts. Now oftentimes they harden their hearts and what makes them a reprobate is that they cross a line with God where God hardens their heart. I've taught on that in the past. I'm not going to take the time to go there but I do want you to understand that it is also possible for Christians to harden their heart. Now obviously a Christian doesn't lose their salvation or anything like that but there are some consequences regarding a hard heart. We're going to talk about that but here's a verse for you that kind of illustrates the fact that a Christian can have a hardened heart. Mark 6, 52. Look at it. For they. Now I'm not going to take the time to go through the context but the word they there is referring to the disciples. Literally the twelve disciples, the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says for they considered not the miracle of the loaves. Notice these words. For their heart was hardened. And here in the Bible, and again I'm not going to take the time to go through the whole story, but there's a story about the fact that Jesus just got done doing one of the greatest miracles recorded in scripture where he multiplied the loaves and fed thousands of people. Literally a miracle, one of the most famous miracles in the Bible. And the Bible tells us when we look at Mark 6, 52 when we get a little bit of insight from the Holy Ghost, narrating the story and commentating the story, he tells us that this was at a time when the disciples were a little bit backslidden and their hearts were hardened and in fact they were there when Jesus performed the miracle but they weren't impressed by it. They weren't amazed by it. In fact if you read the story, if you remember the story, you remember the fact that they were actually supposed to take a day off. They were supposed to go and take a day off with the Lord Jesus Christ but ministry got in the way and Jesus said sorry guys we're not going to take a day off today and he began to minister unto these people and the Bible was telling us that their hearts got a little hardened as a result and they considered not the miracle of the loaves. They missed what God was doing because of their hardened heart and I will say this, when your heart is hard it becomes callous to the great things that God is doing around you. You got to be careful with that. I believe that God is doing some wonderful things here at Verity Baptist Church at this time in the life and ministry of our church and some of you are missing it. You're here, you're present but you're missing it because your heart has been hardened so I ask again, how's your heart? How's your heart? You got to get a heart check spiritually. You got to get a heart check and you got to ask yourself how's the condition of your heart because it is possible for New Testament Christians to grow calloused hardened hearts. So we see the condition of the heart but I'd like you to notice secondly, keep your place there in Mark if you would and go back to Hebrews chapter 3 not only do we see the condition of the heart but we see the complication of a hard heart because you might say okay well if I have a hard heart what's the big deal? Well the big deal is this, that your condition your heart disease spiritually has some complications that come along with it. Notice the complications In Hebrews 3 and verse 8 we see this, hardened not your hearts He says as in the provocation and again we've already been looking at this in the book of Numbers so this should be familiar to you in the day of temptation in the wilderness, notice what the Bible says this is God speaking, when your father has tempted me, the word tempt often times when we think of the word tempt we think of like a sin and the Bible definitely uses that word in that way but the word tempt means more than just being tempted to sin, it can also mean to be tested, whether temptation to sin can be a test but there are also temptations or testings that are not sinned, for example God, the Bible tells us in the book of Genesis that God did tempt Abraham when he asked Abraham to offer his son Isaac upon the altar, that was not a temptation to sin but that was a temptation or a test the word tempt can mean attempted or adventure to test and here the Bible says, God says that your father has tempted me, in the idea he says you were testing me, you were putting me up to the test and prove me, notice, and saw my works forty years here's what he's saying, he's saying the complication of a hard heart, the problem with a hard heart is this that a hard heart will put you at odds with God because a hard heart will cause you what was it that happened with the children of Israel at the border of Canaan land, when the spies came back with an evil report and they refused to go in, what happened, what was the complication what was the result of their hard heart, they doubted God remember that? They lacked faith, they allowed fear to settle in and because they did not have faith in God, they began to doubt God, they began to question God, remember they began to question not only God, but they began to question the man of God, they began to question Moses and they said, why did you bring us out here, did you bring us out in the wilderness to die were there not enough graves in Egypt, you brought us out to the wilderness to die, remember they said, we remember Egypt and they said let us make a captain to go back to Egypt, they began to doubt God and question God they began to test God and they stood in judgment of God and let me tell you something, a hard heart always shows itself in criticism and complaining against God, you might say well I don't complain against God, I only complain against my spouse or I don't complain against God I only complain against my boss or I don't complain against God, I only complain against my pastor, but remember that those are all individuals that God placed in your life and when we complain about, when a wife complains about the husband that God gave her, when a husband complains about the job or the boss that God gave him, when a church member complains about the pastor that God gave him when a child complains about the parents that God gave him, always remember that that is always a complaint against God and we are testing God and putting God up to this idea, we're putting him in judgment and we are proving him and saying why would you do this God and whenever we get to the place where we begin to question God, remember it's the condition of a hard heart, the problem with a hard heart is that it puts you at odds with God, and look I get it you may have gone through some difficulties, you may have gone through some hard things and those hard things have resulted in a hard heart, but remember and realize that the problem with a hard heart is that it often gets us to question God and when we question God and say God why would you do this and why would you allow this and why wouldn't you do this and why wouldn't you step in in this situation all of that is a result of a hard heart and the complication with a hard heart is that it puts us at odds with God and if that doesn't matter to you let me say this, not only does a hard heart put you at odds with God, but a hard heart then puts God at odds with you, look at verse 10 wherefore, in verses 8 and 9 we saw their hard heart towards God as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years, he said your hard heart puts you at odds with me because your hard heart causes you to doubt God, question God, put God to a test or stand in judgment of God, and then the Bible says in verse 10, he says wherefore, the word wherefore means for that reason because you stood in judgment of me, God says, he says wherefore I, this is God speaking, I was grieved with that generation, he said they began to question me and I grieved that generation I was grieved with that generation and said they do always err in their hearts and they have not known my ways, so I swear in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest, look at verse 16 for some when they had heard did provoke, when you and I have a hard heart and we question God, we're provoking God for some when they heard, verse 16 did provoke, howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses, but with whom was he grieved forty years, the question is who was he upset with forty years was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness to whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not, so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief, and listen to me, when you and I allow a hard heart to enter into our lives and we allow that hard heart to make us bitter and angry and hard towards the things of God and we begin to question God and complain against God and criticize God that puts us at odds with God and that puts God at odds with us you might wake up forty years later realizing you've wasted your life in the wilderness because God was grieved with you and he swore in his wrath that they shall not enter into his rest so we saw number one, the condition of a hard heart we saw number two, the complication of a hard heart like you notice thirdly, the consequence of a hard heart look at verse 10, he says, wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said, here's the consequence, they do always err, you see that word err there? we would use the word err they always mess up, they always make a mistake, they do always err in their heart, and here's why and they have not known my ways, the consequence of a hard heart is this that an erring heart will lead you to damage your life, the consequence of the hard heart, not just the condition of the hard heart that you have a hard heart, and not just the complication of the hard heart that now my hard heart has put me at odds with God and has put God at odds with me but the consequence that you'll leave with is this, that when you and I allow a hard heart into our lives, then we begin to err we begin to mess up, we begin to make mistakes, and it is because we have not known God says because they have not known my ways, let me give you a cross reference, go to Mark chapter 12, if you kept your place in Mark, go back to Mark 12 look at verse 24 see an erring heart will lead you to damage your Christian life because when your heart is hard, that's not the time for you to be making any sort of decisions that's not the time for you to be deciding because, you know, things that could affect your life, things that could affect your marriage, things that could affect your children because the Bible says they do always err in their hearts for they have not known my ways, here's how Jesus said it, Mark 12, 24 and Jesus answering said unto them, do ye not therefore notice the word err, why? because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God, see the consequence of a hard heart is this, that it causes us to err, it'll bring damage, and listen, please understand this people with hard hearts will make decisions because their heart is hard towards God and it comes hard towards others I mean the Bible says, be ye kind one to another tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you, and when we have a condition of a hard heart then wives make decisions, husbands make decisions and they err not knowing the scriptures not doing what God wants, and then they damage their marriage because of a hard heart, parents make decisions they're hardened, you don't think parents get hardened towards their own children? join the ministry, unfortunately it's something we see all the time, often times we're trying to tell parents, hey love your kids, love them enough, don't give up on them don't quit on them, but parents will sometimes their hearts will get hard towards God, and their hearts will get hard towards their own children and they'll err, and make decisions and have regrets, and damage relationships, and the consequence of a hard heart is that that erring heart will lead you to damage your Christian life so parents, please realize that your lack of knowledge of what God wants you to do could have an effect on your children I mean the children have to wander in the wilderness for 40 years with their parents it wasn't their choice not only do erring hearts cause you to damage your Christian life, but erring evil hearts will cause you to depart the Christian life, keep your place there in Mark, we're going to come back to it go back to Hebrews 3, look at verse 11 they shall not enter into my wrath, verse 12 lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief notice what he says, in departing from the living God before anyone quits a church like this I mean physically, disappear stop attending, we don't see them anymore their hearts left way before that because an evil heart will lead you to depart the things of God he says lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, and these are the consequences of a hard heart, it will cause you to make errors and damage relationships damage people, do hurtful things, do painful things and it will cause you to depart from the things of God it's the consequences, like you'll notice fourthly, the cause, look at verse 13 Hebrews 3, 13, we saw the condition of a hard heart we saw an Old Testament example and a New Testament exhortation, we saw the complication of a hard heart, we saw that it puts you at odds with God and it puts God at odds with you, we saw the consequences of a hard heart it will cause you to err and damage your Christian life, it will cause you to be evil and depart from the Christian life, and then I want you to notice the cause, why does it happen, look at verse 13 Hebrews 3, 13, but exhort one another daily while it is called today lest any of you be hardened notice the words, through the deceitfulness of sin the deceitfulness of sin will cause a hard heart again, I want you to notice it, go to Mark, Mark chapter 4, notice what Jesus said Mark chapter 4, look at verse 18 Mark chapter 4 and verse 18, the Bible says this and these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word notice, these are individuals, they're sown, they hear the word verse 19, and the cares of this world they care more and they are filled with care, anxious about, is what the word care means and the cares of this world and, don't miss it, the deceitfulness of riches in Hebrews we saw the deceitfulness of sin but these things are often put on the same shelf because the Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil and because Jesus said you cannot serve God and mammon and the idea is this, that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things entering in, notice it, don't miss it, choke the word they harden a heart to the place where the word of God cannot have an effect, they choke the word and it becometh unfruitful, what is the cause of a hard heart it's always the deceitfulness of sin, it will cause a hard heart the deceitfulness of sin, and sin in your life, in my life, in anyone's life, will cause and bring forth a hard heart notice it's not just that, go back to Hebrews chapter 3 look at verse 17, not only is the cause a deceitfulness of sin, but we see that another cause is the distrust of unbelief look at verse 17, but with whom was he grieved forty years was it not with them that had sinned whose carcasses fell in the wilderness to whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that notice the words, believe not so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief and listen to me, the reason that so many people do not enter in to the promised land of their life, whatever that is in whatever area, God's perfect will for your life whether it be marriage, whether it be parenting, whether it be your job, your career, your health, whatever area it is, is because we see what the Bible says we know what the Bible says, we know what God wants us to do as a husband or as a wife, or as a father, or as a mother, or as an employee or as an employer, or as a church member, or whatever it is we see what God tells us to do, but let's just be honest, we don't do it, why? because we really don't believe it it's this distrust that says, well if I did that, that would never work but that's what God said to do, and a wife says, I could never submit to my husband in that way, I mean if I did that, but let's just call it what it is you don't trust God, it's not about your husband although your husband may be an idiot, I don't know what to tell you, you married him he probably is an idiot, but God's good and a husband says, but if I love my wife the way that Christ loved the church, and if I did what Christ told me to do because husbands, they get this idea, well I'm the boss, so therefore I never have to do anything and you're my servant, well that's not what Jesus said Jesus said that you are to love your wife like Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, Jesus said that you are to love sacrificially, and you are to love selflessly, and look, here's what I'm telling you when a husband and wife get this, when they actually believe the Bible, and a wife says I'm going to submit to the authority of my husband, he's God's leader in my life and I'm going to put myself, yeah, maybe in a position that is vulnerable but I'm going to just believe that God knows best and that God knows how to do it and when a husband says, well I'm not just going to rule and be arrogant and be lazy but I'm actually going to sacrifice and love my wife like Christ loved the church, I'm going to sacrifice and be selfless here's what I'm telling you, when you do it, it works why don't people do it? Let's just call it what it is, you don't actually believe the Bible you think you're smarter than God, you tempt him and provoke him and say, I don't think this is going to work, it's like the children of Israel at the borders of Canaan saying, I don't think we can do this the deceitfulness of sin and the distrust of unbelief is the cause of a hard heart and the problem is that it brings these consequences where you damage your Christian life, you depart from the Christian life it puts you at odds with God, it puts God at odds with you and it ruins your life so we saw the condition of a hard heart, we saw the complications of a hard heart, we saw the consequences of a hard heart and the cause of a hard heart let me give you lastly tonight the cure for a hard heart notice what the writer of Hebrews says he spent this whole time explaining to us why you don't want a hard heart because it puts you at odds with God and it puts God at odds with you it makes you to tempt God, to provoke God, to question God, doubt God to say, I don't really trust it, I don't really, then why do we do it? because of deceitfulness of sin, because of distrust and unbelief it causes you to err and you have errors and you have regrets and you have damage and it causes you to depart and quit on God and it's your heart I wish we'd be honest about it, I wish when people quit church they would just say I'm backslidden, my heart is hard towards God let me give you the cure for a hard heart look at verse 12 lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the living God and then he says this, he says, take heed, the word heed means to give attention to pay close attention to, take heed, brethren, verse 13 he says, here's what you should do, but exhort one another daily while it is called today and then he says this, lest any of you be hardened say, well how do I keep myself from being hardened, according to Hebrews you exhort one another daily while it is called today you say, what's the cure for a hard heart? number one, don't isolate yourself from God's people don't isolate yourself from God's people what I've noticed is that when people often, when their hearts get hard the first thing they begin to do is to isolate themselves they begin to back off, they begin to miss church services they stop going to activities, they stop talking to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and God says, what you need to do when you have a hard heart is to exhort one another daily the last thing you need to do when you have a hard heart is to isolate in fact, the cure for a hard heart is to not isolate yourself don't isolate yourself from God's people in the book of Hebrews, let's look at it, Hebrews chapter 10 and verse number 25 Hebrews 10, 25, notice what the writer of Hebrews says Hebrews 10, 25, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another, you see that word exhorting, that's what he said in Hebrews 3, 13 but exhort one another daily, but exhorting one another and so much the more, as you see the day approaching I don't know how it works and I can't explain it to you, I can just tell you what the Bible says the Bible says that what you and I need is to be in community with other believers and the worst thing you can do when you find your heart starting to harden is to isolate yourself and the interesting thing is that it seems to be just the thing that people want to do, it's like our flesh just automatically, the moment your heart starts getting hard towards the things of God, you want to start isolating it's the worst thing you can do, you know what the Bible says, the Bible says be sober, be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour the Bible says that the devil is a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour and if you've ever taken the time to watch any sort of nature shows and watch how lions hunt, you know what they how they hunt is, they isolate they don't take on four or five animals at once, they start running towards these animals who start running away from them but what do they do, they try to separate one, usually it's the youngest, usually it's the weakest, usually it's the oldest, usually it's one that was just kind of not too close to the rest of the herd the Bible says the devil is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and you're just doing exactly what he wants exactly what he needs is isolating yourself, it's the worst thing you can do the cure for a hard heart is don't isolate yourself from God's people, look I can't explain it but there's something about being with God's people, it does something that the preaching of the word of God doesn't do and I'm not minimizing the preaching of the word of God, in fact we're going to talk about it here in a minute you know yesterday, last night at the harvest party, I mean it was just a wonderful time I don't know how many people were there, we definitely had over 200 people there there was no preaching, I didn't stand up and open up a Bible and preach at all, but you know a lot of spirituality was happening as brothers and sisters in Christ were just spending time together fellowshipping together, having fun together, clean fun, laughing playing, having a good time, hey there's just something about exhorting one another daily while it is called today, you need it and I need it it's not something that we can livestream it's something you need to be, you need to be with the people of God and the worst thing you can do is to isolate yourself from God's people so the writer of Hebrews tells us that the cure for a hard heart is don't isolate yourself from God's word, but then he says another thing look at verse 14 if we remain partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end, that's the opposite of departing from the Lord that's staying with it, sticking with it notice what he says in verse 15 it's interesting because he's highlighting this for us because in verse 13 he said while it is called today, but exhort one another while it is called today, here's what he's saying, you need to spend time with God's people today oh well one day I'll go to church, no no, today while it is called today, but then he says in verse 15 while it is said today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation, see the problem with a hard heart is that it hardens you towards the word of God, remember we saw it in Mark, it chokes the word of God and he says look, what you need to do is today if ye will hear his voice, and remember, remember where we started tonight, this is all connected, where did we start in verse 7 as the Holy Ghost saith, holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost what is the cure for a hard heart? number one, don't isolate yourself from God's people, but number two, don't insulate yourself from God's word what do I need when my heart is hard? you know what you need is the preaching of the word of God you know what you need is to read the word of God, you know what you need, you need to remember that when you hear the word of God preach, when you read this King James Bible you are hearing the voice of God, it is the word of God, and I often find myself frustrated something that I constantly talk with my wife about is how in ministry sometimes it's so difficult you have individuals and they're having problems and they're having issues and sometimes it's so difficult to try to help them because there's really just nothing we can do the problem is they have a hard heart and I think to myself, I don't know what to say to this individual, I don't know what to do for this individual and often my wife and I can kind of find ourselves just at a loss well what can we do to help this person and what can we do in this situation it's not just they need a ride it's deeper than that, it's their heart and we can pray for them and we can talk to them, but let me tell you something there is something that a human being cannot do that the word of God can't I can't fix the heart, but the Bible says that the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword piercing even the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and what I've learned is that the word of God can do something for you that no one else can so the writer of Hebrews says, when you have a hard heart don't isolate yourself from God's people and don't insulate yourself from God's word and it's interesting to me because what people need the most when they find themselves starting to get backslidden is to be with Christian people under the preaching of the word of God and it's the thing they do least they start skipping out, they start fading out they stop hanging out they start isolating and insulating they reap the consequences they damage their life, they damage their marriage, they damage their children they damage their relationships they break everything in their lives and then they sit there and say, I don't understand what happened, I can tell you what happened you isolated yourself, you insulated yourself you put yourself at odds with God and you put yourself at odds with everyone else and now you're reaping the consequences so why don't you cure that why don't you open up your King James Bible tomorrow morning and look up to heaven and say, open down mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law and ask God to do a work in your hearts ask God to begin to melt that hard heart, to begin to break that hard heart and start spending time with people and encouraging people and exhorting people and allowing them to encourage and exhort you melt that hard heart away look at verse 16, we'll finish up he ends by saying this Hebrews 3.16, and you should know this because we just talked about this in the book of Numbers for some when they had heard did provoke and if you remember this is the story of the 12 spies 10 spies came back with an evil report, 2 spies came back with a good report and then the people responded and here's what Hebrews says he says, some when they heard did provoke when they heard the evil report, they hardened their heart, they provoked God they wasted God, they doubted God, they questioned God they put themselves at odds with God, they put God at odds with themselves, they damaged their lives, damaged their relationships departed from the Lord, wandered in the wilderness and wasted their lives that's what some did for some when they had heard did provoke here's a part that encourages me as a pastor, how be it not all how be it not all that came out of Egypt by Moses, because not everybody hardened their heart Moses didn't, Aaron didn't, Joshua didn't Caleb didn't, their hearts were tender towards God they trusted God and they had confidence in God they didn't question God and God helped them along the way so I ask you again, how's your heart? is it hard? callous? bitter? critical complaining? covetous? cursing? how's your heart? are you the some which did provoke? or are you in the how be it not all group? Lord we love you thank you for your word Lord I pray that you would do a work in our hearts that only you can do Lord I pray that you'd help us to be a people that would be tender that our hearts would be tender and soft towards your word towards your work help us not to have hardened hearts we'll damage, we'll damage ourselves and we'll damage people around us we'll waste our time and wander in the wilderness and wonder how we ended up there Lord help us to be the people like it says in the bible, how be it not all people who kept their hearts tender towards God they didn't isolate, they didn't insulate they allowed the word of God to do a work in their hearts and they stayed tender towards the things of God, Lord we love you my prayer is that we would be those people in the matchless name of Christ we pray Amen. We're going to have brother Moses come up and lead us in a final song, I just want to remind you a couple of things, first of all don't forget there is PE tomorrow for the homeschool group so ladies don't forget about that, mothers with the kids, don't forget about PE tomorrow 10 a.m. and also if you have any questions about that of course you can see my wife and she can get you the information you need and then don't forget that we have workdays tomorrow as well starting at 8 a.m. so if you guys signed up for that just don't forget about that and we'll have Lord willing several good days we're making a lot of work done, there's still some slots available guys so if you want to go by tonight and look at those clipboards and sign up we would appreciate your help with that and see where you can help and what you can do, if there's anything that we can do for you please let us know and of course be in prayer for the workdays, for the men that are working that they stay safe, be in prayer for the Sunday services and again no soul winning on Thursday and Friday, it's postponed but we have soul winning on Saturday 10 a.m. so we'd love for you to join us for our soul winning time. We'll have brother Moses come up and lead us at this time. Please enter song books page number 261 page 261 turn your eyes upon Jesus page 261 and let's go ahead and sing it out on the first oh soul are you weary and trouble no light in the darkness you see there's light for a look at the Savior then light for abundant and free turn your eyes upon Jesus the goal in His wonderful face then the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and praise page 261 on the second through death into life everlasting He passed and we follow Him there hold us in no more than cockers we are turn your eyes upon Jesus the goal in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and praise let's go ahead and sing it out on the last His word shall not fail you He promised believe Him and all will be well God is satisfying His perfect salvation to tell turn your eyes upon Jesus the goal in His wonderful face then the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and praise Great singing. Can I please have brother Darryl close us on a word of prayer? ... ... ... ... Amen ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...