(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen. So we're here in Acts chapter 27. So what's happening at this point? So Paul, if you remember from previous chapters, he's had some trouble in Jerusalem. People were trying to have him killed in Jerusalem. The Romans kind of stepped in and kind of rescued Paul from the Jews out of Jerusalem. Now he's been in sort of house arrest, I guess, under the governors of the Romans. He talked to King Agrippa last week in Acts chapter 26. But now he got kind of away from, we talked last week, he got away from, you know, going back to Jerusalem and being judged by this mob that was not following any biblical standards at all, is what we looked at last week. Instead he appealed to Caesar. So Paul needs to go to Rome. So that's what's happening here in Acts chapter 27, is they are putting Paul on a ship and he is taking this journey to Rome. So Paul is in Caesarea at this point where he's being held, I guess, captive by the Romans. So Caesarea is a coastal city on the Mediterranean on, I guess, what you would say the eastern shore of the Mediterranean about, I don't know, just, you know, a few dozen miles from Jerusalem. So Jerusalem was kind of up the hill, as we saw, and Caesarea is the coastal city. So here they're taking Paul to Rome. Look at verse number one of Acts chapter 27 and let's see what we can read tonight. We're just gonna get a few verses in and I want to kind of explain an interesting topic that we see here in Acts chapter 27. Look at verse number one. It says it was determined that we should sail into Italy. They delivered Paul and certain other prisoners under one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustus band. So they give him to this soldier and entering into a ship of Adrimitium we launched, meaning to sail by the coast of Asia, one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. So remember where Asia is here. So Asia is a place where Paul has been many times. Asia is kind of what we would look at as modern-day Turkey. It's just up the coast and if you would go you could get there by land. It's attached by land to where Paul is at now. So they're gonna sail by Asia. So the idea is they're gonna go north and then go to the west from there. They're gonna go up the coast of what would be considered Syria at that time and then head west along Asia. Look at verse number three. And the next day we touched at Sidon and Julius courtesy and treated Paul and gave him liberty to go into his friends to refresh himself. So they're not even, Sidon is just, I don't know, I didn't measure it on a map, but Sidon is, I thought about giving you a map for the journey but I don't think it's really necessary. They've basically gone up the coast just a few miles, 30 or 40 miles. In verse number four, so they stop there and they let, this is how, you know, friendly Paul is with his captors here. They're kind of letting him go and visit people, trusting that he'll come back and continue the trip to Rome. Paul wants to go to Rome. He wants to go and spread the gospel there. Look at verse number four. And we launched there from thence. We sailed under Cyprus because the winds were contrary. So here we start to see part of the problem. You know, they sail past Cyprus, which is the main island just below Asia. It's this large island and it says that they sailed, they sailed on a certain side of it. I believe they went to the south of it just by the the the winds that we're gonna see here. But under Cyprus they had to, they basically had to sail on a certain side of it. It kind of gives you a picture of the trouble that they're about to have. They had to sail on a certain side of the island. It's not like they chose the shortest path. They had to sail a certain way because of the way the winds were blowing. All right. Look at verse number five. And we sailed over the Sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia. We came to Myra, a city of Lycia. So now they are on the south of Asia. So they were able to go past Cyprus and then they were able to get north at some point to get to the south of Asia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy and he put us therein. So now they change ships and they get on this other ship that's bound for Italy. And I don't know if it was a passenger ship or a merchant ship. The Bible says there was almost 300 people on the ship so it was definitely carrying people for a purpose here. But the Bible continues. So now they're on a different ship and they're heading to Italy. Verse 7, it says we had sailed slowly many days and scarce were come over against Cenidius, the wind not suffering us. We sailed under Crete over against Salmone. So this is another reason that I think that they went to the south side of Cyprus. Not that this really matters but if you just look at maps and like to figure things like that out. They basically are getting driven around by the wind because sailboats back then, square sailed ships, cannot sail into the wind. They can get they can get close to the wind. They can get maybe perpendicular to the wind but they cannot turn into the wind. Okay so that's kind of defining what happens to them here. So they end up going to Crete which is the island to the west of Cyprus. If you look at a map and they go to this island Crete and they end up going to the south because again they have these north winds that keep pushing them down. The wind not suffering us meaning the winds not allowing us is what he's saying. The winds not allowing us to go where we want to go. So they go over against Salmone. So more north winds and hardly passing it came onto a place which is called the Fair Havens. Nigh where unto was the city of Lycia. So now they're on the island of Crete and they go to this city Lycia and they stop at this city. In verse number 9 it says now much time was spent and when sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already passed Paul admonished them. So we talked about this a little bit on on on Sunday night but basically what Paul is telling them is you know Paul must have some sort of sailing experience here because he gives you know some direction later on in the chapter as well. But Paul is basically saying sailing is now dangerous now because Paul knows what the circuits of the winds do as we looked at on Sunday night. But basically the circuits that Paul is talking about are the same types of circuits that sailors even in California worry about which is once you get close to winter time the weather always gets more severe. So on the coast especially you know people don't go out as much in the winter because it's severe weather. It's severe winds. That's when the storms come in. It's the same thing as like trying to cross the mountains. You know the Donner party their biggest mistake was they tried to start their journey in like October like at the beginning of winter time. All right so the the weather is always more severe and it's more dangerous to sail towards the winter time or approaching the fall in the winter time. Now it says that when sailing was now dangerous and then it gives it in verse number 12 he literally says because of the winter. All right look at verse number 10 and he said unto them sirs so basically Paul is warning them very specifically he says sirs I perceive that this voyage will be with her and much damage not only of the lading of the ship but also of our lives. So he's basically saying you know you're risking your cargo and you're risking the lives of everybody on the ship. So even from the decision to leave Asia the owner of the ship mainly was taking some pretty severe risks knowing where the journey that they would have to go. Risks of what? Risks of the lading of the ship and of the people's lives that were on the ship which is like 276 lives or whatever it was that was on the ship sailing through winter. Look at verse number 11 it says nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than those things which were spoken by Paul. So basically the owner of this ship has decided to make this dangerous journey through winter at the risk of the cargo and at the risk of the people that are on the ship. Look at verse number 12 and because the haven the place they were at they were at was not commodious to winter in the more part advised to depart thence also if by any means they might attained to Venice which is basically on the same island. So here you have the owner of the ship who wants this journey to happen to Italy and then you have these other people on the on the ship basically the majority was against Paul because they just wanted to continue on there was a nicer city over on the same island and now this is really interesting right here I find this interesting anyway in verse number 12 where it says and there to win so at least let's get to a nicer city the vast majority wanted to continue on even though it was dangerous so the owner of the ship wanted to go he wanted I'm sure he wanted to deliver his cargo make the money whatever he wanted to do you know you can't you know if you're running a shipping company you're not making any money if you're not delivering things you're not delivering the lading all right but that the majority just wanted to get to a nicer place so they were all with this guy to take this risk but his interest because it says which is a haven of Crete so they wanted to go to this place in Crete this next city over which and lieth toward the southwest and the northwest now here's what's interesting you're like well what is it is it the southwest or is it the northwest but what's interesting if you actually look at the island this is how specific the Bible is the Bible is literally saying like because if you look at the island and where they were at to get to the the city over here they literally had to go to the southwest and then turn up and go to the northwest so that's how specific the Bible is which it was that northwest turn that we're having problems with in just a couple verses look at verse number 13 that just shows you that just shows you how detailed you know the Bible is here it's literally saying like hey you know we got to go down and then we got to turn back up and go up which what were the winds that they were having problems with the whole time they're having problems with this north wind which is why they had to go underneath Crete and they ended up underneath Cyprus as well by the way most maps I think have this wrong like on the internet I think they most maps just like I think it's just easier to draw it going over Crete but if you look at what's actually happening with the winds they definitely went underneath Crete and they they went underneath Cyprus and then they ended up underneath they went up to Asia and then underneath Crete look at verse 13 look at verse 13 the Bible says and when the south wind blew softly supposing that they had obtained their purpose loosing vents they sailed close by Crete so so far so good they're sailing close to the island or they're moving along but not long after those arose it arose against it a temp attemptuous wind called uroclide in so what where do these temptuous winds come from they come from the wintertime this is what Paul you know was warning about and again it says in the ship was caught it could not bear up into the wind so here this north wind comes back this north wind comes back and now they're in trouble so what do they do what do you well what are you gonna do they let her drive they just let the wind just push them wherever they're gone so it's like see you later Crete and they're just going to where they're going and if you just I mean the north winds is driving them to basically to the southwest and they lose they lose the island it is what happens here all right now I mean we talked about this a little bit on Sunday night but this is just this was the risk that sailors took especially sailing square sailed ships like this you know ships today can sail into the wind ships today can sail they can't sail directly into the wind but they can sail into the wind at 45 degree angles have you ever heard the term tacking that's how if if I want to go to where Garrett is sitting in the back and the wind is blowing from that direction right where he's at I have to get to Garrett by going at a 45 degree angle tacking at another 45 degree angle and tacking back and forth until I reach my point so I have to go you know twice the distance really just by going zigging zigzagging back and forth that's why sailboats you know if you've ever heard of tacking you know that's why they do that because they're sailing into the wind a sailboat can actually go faster a sailboat today can actually move faster get higher knots or higher speed on the water going into the wind than it can away from the wind which is an interesting interesting little physics thing there but anyway they took this massive risk and they lost is what I'm trying to get you to understand so that's really what I want to talk about in the sermon this evening that's as far as I'm gonna get in Acts chapter 27 turn to Proverbs chapter 13 I want to talk about this idea of taking risks in our lives you know when should we these people here they took what you know look I'm gonna judge as a stupid risk they took a bad risk in Acts chapter 27 for you know for profit some took that risk wanted to go to this next city for convenience but really you know they took a really bad risk here and it did not it did not pan out for the owner of the ship at all so taking risk what does the Bible say about taking risk when should you not take risk and when should you take risk because I'm gonna tell you tonight there's times in your life when you should take risk and the Bible clearly points that out the Bible doesn't use that word risk but there is clearly times when you are supposed to take risk in your life and I'll show you what that word is in just a few minutes look at Proverbs chapter 13 and look at verse number 11 the number one reason that people take risks that they shouldn't take in life is the same reason that the owner of this ship in Acts chapter 27 took the risk and it's for money so that is a reason that we should not take risk for money I mean it's the ultimate example the ultimate example of taking risk for money that you should not do is gambling it's just just risking something just for money look at verse number 11 of Proverbs chapter 13 the Bible says wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished but he that gathereth by labor shall increase now look there's no verse in the Bible that says do not gamble but that's pretty much what this is saying you know there's no verse I mean I've even heard people say that like well the Bible doesn't say you shouldn't gamble you know but taking risk only for money is basically what Proverbs chapter 13 and verse number 11 is talking about but the point is Proverbs 13 11 is is basically is basically advising against gambling all right and it's it's just saying wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished so basically it's saying you know there's there's ways to get wealth that's right and there's ways to get wealth that's wrong is what the Bible is saying but in probably go to Proverbs chapter 28 just a couple chapters over go to Proverbs chapter 28 and just a couple chapters over but Proverbs 13 is saying that wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished and it's saying like it's just gonna you know that's I guess a easier way to sum that one up is easy come easy go is what people would say today you know and you know I remember you know my dad said that to me one time when I saw like somebody making a bunch of money they were just making all this money by basically gambling and I was just like I was a kid and I was just like man that person's making a lot of money doing that thing that they're doing you know and that's one of my dad's my dad basically paraphrased Proverbs 13 in verse number 11 easy come easy go and exactly what he said ended up happening easy come easy go all right because wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished so it's not going to stay with you but he that gathereth by labor shall increase I like the bumper sticker that the sticker you see on somebody's truck that says you know dirty hands clean money you know that's another you know paraphrase of this proverb right here he that gathereth by labor shall increase all right look at Proverbs chapter 28 Proverbs chapter 28 look at verse number 8 we're talking about when to take risk and when not to take risk tonight Proverbs chapter 28 look at verse number 8 it says he that by usury and look at this unjust gain increases his substance he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor so there's two common themes in Proverbs 13 and Proverbs 28 8 basically the theme that's common between these two verses is if you get your wealth by unjust gain your wealth will not stay with you so first of all that's for the gambling the lottery all these different things it's it's a no-win for the for the Christian it's a no-win at all in Proverbs 28 8 it's saying it's saying hey if you get your money by unjust gain or by usury like by just you know like by you know interest basically is what that means if you're just charging people interest you know which was an unjust thing to do to your brothers and sisters in the Bible it says you'll be gathering it basically it's saying you'll be gathering it for somebody else it's like that wealth is going to go to somebody that actually is a good person and actually cares about people all right so look the Christian should never buy a lot of ticket I mean it makes it makes no logical sense because not only is it greed and covetousness you know greed it and it's basically wanting gain it's wanting unjust gain without laboring for it that's the first problem with it the Bible literally says though even if you would win you're not going to keep it that's what the Bible says that's what the Bible is teaching us here I mean you'll never come out on top I don't believe that the Lord will ever let you win but I mean you're literally more likely to be president United States like literally and then to win the lottery you're more I mean it's crazy like the things let me see if I remember the thing struck by lightning president United States win an Olympic gold medal these are all things people have done statistics on yet you see people line up and just spend hundreds of dollars every single month on lottery tickets go to casinos I've heard people just spend tens of thousands of dollars of their money every single year at casinos it makes no sense for the Christian first of all you shouldn't be greedy as a Christian but unjust gain the main thing for the Christian is this unjust gain is never gonna work out for you that's basically what the Bible is teaching here all right so it matters how you make your money it matters how you make your money here's how what you should do with honest gain go to Ecclesiastes chapter 11 what Ecclesiastes chapter 11 so look getting unjust gain taking all these risks you know just for money is wrong but the Bible actually does give you advice on honest game look at Ecclesiastes chapter 1 Ecclesiastes chapter 1 so cuz I mean really there's risk in anything I mean there's risk in everything that we do there's risk in going to work there's risk in in you know you get a paycheck and maybe you want to have savings somewhere and there's risk in what you do with that there's risk in everything that we do but the Bible is first of all saying it's like hey you should not be hoping for unjust gain you should not be taking risk hoping for unjust gain that's the first thing that is wrong is what the Bible is saying and as a Christian you will never come out on top and here's another thing just another thing about gambling and like a lot of things that like I consider gambling by the way like day trading futures trading all these different things that people do where they're basically just rolling the dice on stuff hoping to hit it big here's one thing that I've learned like listen to listening to people that do these things because you never hear about people talk about how much money they lost at the casino people never come back and they're like oh yeah I lost $12,000 last Friday they never do that they're like oh I hit it big and I won $1,200 or whatever you hear the guy at work talk about that when over the last 12 months he spent 80 grand you know I mean the hotels I mean they're not they don't look like that because they're losing money you know they're not the nicest hotels in the United States because they they're not good at what they do but people will never come out and tell you oh yeah you know I'm a day trader and I lose everything except but the reality is is that 98 99 percent of people that day trade lose all their money that's the reality so how come you never hear about the people that are trading futures and trading all that because first of all they're liars most of them they're only telling you about the couple wins that they've had and not the thousand losses right so don't get drug in to that type of thing we want on this game that's the main thing for the Christian it matters how you make your money it matter it matters how you got that hundred bucks in your checking account God cares is what the Bible is saying and to go out and just take all this risk and then oh I got I made a hundred bucks God's gonna take it away from you anyway it's a no-win like it should be just a no-brainer I mean the lottery is extra extra stupid but then in the lottery is just a it's a tax on people that can't afford it anyway you know so all the it's just crazy like all these liberals that want to like oh we should tax the lottery and all this you know what you're taxing the poorest people you go to a gas station and it's some guy that can't afford anything and and he's he's out there just spending all his money on lottery tickets it's crazy it's a it's it's a tax on the people that literally can't afford it look it's their own personal problem I get it all right it's their own personal responsibility go to Ecclesiastes chapter 11 the Bible talks about honest gain though the Bible talks about what you should do with honest gain look at Ecclesiastes chapter 11 verse number 1 the Bible covers everything it's just great all right before we get back into risk let's talk about honest gain what should I do with honest gain the Bible says cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shall find it after many days it's saying hey you got to get out there and you know you got to kind of you got to be sewing the Bible saying you got to being out there and you got to be going after it give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth now this is kind of like giving a farming reference here and what he's saying is give a portion to seven also to eight he's saying don't put your eggs all in one basket he's saying you know if you're a farmer and you're out there farming you shouldn't plant all just one crop you know you shouldn't plant all just one thing it's like you should be out there and you should kind of be you know you can you can apply this to your savings you go out there and you work hard like the Bible says you don't spend your money all your money like the Bible says you're gonna you're gonna have a couple bucks and you got to figure out what to do with a couple bucks Bible saying don't take it to the casino it's saying but don't put it all one place either it's just the Bible is literally telling you to diversify in verse number two the Bible says if clouds be full of rain they empty themselves why why diversify why diversify I think I got it all figured out I think if I put all my savings in one spot it says because you don't know what's gonna happen is what the Bible saying if the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon the earth if the tree falleth toward the south or toward the north in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be it's like you don't know what's gonna happen it's like it could just the wheat crops could be wrecked my grandpa always said he's like I always had half cattle and half half the land was in cattle and half the land was in farmland and he always said he said it always worked out so well because when the grain was up the cattle were down and when the cattle were up the grain were down he's like they just worked out and this is what the Bible is talking about here the Bible is talking about not putting all your eggs in one basket in verse 3 is saying you don't know what's gonna happen you don't know how these things are gonna work out look at verse 4 he that observant the wind shall not sow now this is a different piece of advice here he says in he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap but he's saying he's like look don't put it all in one place don't put it all in one place he's like but you get out there and you just go after it and you work is what the Bible is saying and you know don't be the guy like probably in Proverbs where he's like oh there's a lion in the streets the guy that like oh I can't I'm afraid to plant here and I'm afraid to do this and you know everybody's got an excuse for why they can't get something done the Bible is saying look get out there and just so he's like if you're sitting there and you're finding a reason not to go out and work and not to go out and labor like you're supposed to it's like you're not gonna reap if you don't so you're not gonna reap look at verse 5 you just say work hard beat smart as thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb after her that is her child even so down thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all he's just sitting there he's just saying like he's like just be smart get out there and work and just like a good comparison is just like how you just get out there and you just work hard for honest gain every single day every single week every single month every single year there's gonna be good years there's gonna be bad years but if you do what the Bible says consistently over time and you spread it out a little bit here and a little bit there don't go to the casino all these things it's all honest gain and you're smart and you're following biblical advice is like it's gonna work out for you that's what the Bible was saying you know the Bible is getting some really good solid advice here turn back to Proverbs go to Proverbs chapter 3 so the first point is risks that we should not take are just gambling to just like what this ship owner did just gambling everything to make a few extra bucks to deliver some Amazon packages early in Rome I mean that's what this guy was doing he was risking all the material but more importantly he was risking people's lives over over this situation just to you know push his business faster we should not be gambling you know for monetary gain that's that's what this guy was doing now let's talk about the risk you should take in your life the risk that you should take in your life so we shouldn't be risking for material things we shouldn't be risking for material things because look even if you do win that's an unjust way to make money and it's not going to work out for us look if you have the desire it all starts if you have the desire if you have the love of money that much as it says in 1st Timothy if you have the love of money that much you have a greed problem first and that will drive you to take these risks to try to get unjust gain you should have no desire to have someone give you a hundred dollars that you didn't work for that should not be a desire that the Christian has and then you won't have this problem of wanting to take risks over money but here's the risk you should take look at Proverbs chapter 3 in verse number 5 let's get some rules set up here first look at Proverbs 3 in verse number 5 now we're talking about risks that we should take in our lives the Bible says trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding so look this is not just talking about salvation here okay this is not talking about salvation I mean this could apply to salvation how did you get saved because you trusted in the Lord because you trusted on the Lord Jesus Christ with all thine heart but the Bible here is also applying this to just everything this is a general statement saying hey trust in the Lord and not how you think things are gonna go it's saying just do what the Lord tells you to do and quit thinking that you have everything figured out I used to be like this I'll give you an example in just a few minutes but see people don't understand how God works and from my perspective this is a sad sad thing for the Christian and I think a lot of Christians are gonna go their whole life on this earth and they're not gonna figure out how God works that's a sad deal but I believe that many people will do everything look people will risk everything for a dollar it's I mean especially a dishonest one they'll risk everything for a buck but serve the Lord nah they lean on their own understanding for that you're like no no no I I can't go to you know church because I got to go make money you know I I can't I can't serve the Lord I can't I can't move there I know that's a good church I can't move there though because insert a hundred excuses of what of people's own understanding this is what people do it look it's sad turn to Hebrews chapter 11 many people will live their whole lives many save people live their whole lives and not figure out how to get God to move in their lives there's what I'm trying to get you to understand tonight look at Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 look at verse number six you're gonna keep your place there by the way and when we move from Hebrews chapter 11 we're gonna come back to Hebrews chapter 11 towards the end of the sermon look at Hebrews chapter 11 and look at verse number six this one of those verses that you probably heard a bunch of times but maybe you didn't quite think about it like how you should have look at this Hebrews chapter 11 look at verse number six it says without faith it is impossible to please him that's pretty important there if you write in your Bible I would underline the word impossible because that's a pretty important statement the Bible is saying without faith you know what faith is faith is trusting the Lord and not your own understanding faith is you know what faith to you might seem like a risk to what to your own understanding so the Bible calls what we may think in our own understanding as a risk the Bible uses the word faith for that and the Bible says here I mean is this not an important statement without faith it is impossible to please him like you literally can't please God if you don't have faith we're not talking about you know saving faith here we're talking about the saved believer that lacks faith you say what don't all say believers have the same amount of faith no there's say believers out there if you're saved tonight you have just enough faith to have trusted on Jesus and to be saved congratulations that doesn't mean that you're trusting in Lord with everything that's going on in your life those are things that the Bible is talking about in Hebrews chapter 11 in verse number six without faith it is well faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is here's another word I have underlined a rewarder of them that diligently seek him I have three words underlined there the number one the first word is impossible the second word is rewarder and the third word is diligently you know what the Bible here is saying you want to please God you want God to move in your life you know this this is what people don't understand you know I don't really see God moving in my life and God you know I pray and and it doesn't seem like God you know is moving in my life you know what rewarder means it means God will is God will move that's what's talking about that's what's talking about God will move if what if you have faith see but people want God to move first people want God move first they're like God I'll serve you if all the stars are lined up if everything is perfect I'll be I'll be faithful is what people want to do but here's the problem with that you know here's my example I'll give you I got saved years before I moved to California years I think specifically three or four years it's embarrassing for me to say that you say what why why did it take why did it take you so long to you you knew I was listening to Pastor Jimenez I was listening to Pastor Anderson I was just like binge watching sermons like all the time my family we were watching sermons together we didn't have a good church we went to but you know what I did you know what I did I would keep my eye out for jobs in certain areas of churches that I that I wanted to you know move to and if there was like some awesome job that was like just this killer job like oh man I'd apply for that job and then I'd be like you know what how did you want me to move to that that church you know in this awesome job comes through God doesn't work that way so what is that what did that mean for me it means I wasted years of my life that's what that means God doesn't work that way you say why because here's how it really works here's turn to Romans chapter 5 here's how it really works I'm like you know what you line everything up for me perfectly and I'll go and I'll get moving look it wasn't that I didn't know what I should do I was just like hey God you know just work this out for me and I will go and I will serve you and I will I will get my family in a good church and and I'll go soul winning and I'll go get people saved like you know all the things that I should be doing if you just work everything out for me perfectly I had the wrong idea that's not how God works look at Romans chapter 5 in verse number 8 here's another verse that you probably read I don't know a million times the Bible says God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us God didn't wait for you to get your act together before Jesus Christ came and died for you God wasn't sitting here going hey you know I'm gonna wait until they get 80% right and then I'll send the Messiah to save them no it says while we were yet sinners we were a mess so when you're sitting there saying when I'm sitting back in North Dakota going hey God if you move I'll move no he already moved that's what I missed he is already moved we play chess here and one of the funnest ways to play chess is we have the little timer and we sit there and you whack the timer and then the other guy's like oh you know he's got a he's got a move and then you know you whack the timer and the other guy he's got his time running down whoever's time runs out loses right basically the equip Romans chapter 5 verse number 8 and God sending Jesus here while we were yet sinners was the equivalent of God smashing the button he destroyed it the clock is perpetually on you that's how God works so you're like oh man if God would just like no your turn that's what the Bible is saying in Romans chapter 5 in verse number 8 that's why that statement that says while we were yet sinners is so important because God moved first he's already moved it's our turn that's why in Hebrews chapter 11 in verse number 6 it says diligently seek him meaning what your turn all the time diligently means persistence over time your turn God already smashed the button turn to first Kings chapter 3 it's perpetually our turn so this act this attitude that I had and look once you move you see a moving once you figure this out you see a moving like it's unbelievable like once you figure this out but you got to figure this out as a Christian look at first Kings chapter 3 here's a good example in the Bible of this first Kings chapter 3 look at verse number 5 the Bible says in first Kings chapter 3 in verse number 5 this is the story of a young Solomon just taking over the kingdom and the Bible says this it says in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God said ask what I shall give thee but God says to Solomon whatever you want you just like ask me what you want and Solomon said thou has showed unto my servant David my father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee and thou has kept him for this great kindness that thou has given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day look at verse 7 and now Oh Lord my God thou has made thy servant King instead of David my father and I am but a little child I know not how to go out or come in and thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou has chosen a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude so he's just telling them he's like he's like I am nothing and you've put me over this great people he's really giving glory to God they're saying these are the people that you've chosen and these are a great people give now now here's the ask in verse number 9 he says give therefore thy servant and understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people what does he ask for he asks for something that is going to benefit the people and especially benefit God and by the way he asked for judgment don't judge he literally asked for judgment he asked for an understanding heart to judge because that's what judgment means folks it means to be able to tell between good and evil don't judge yeah be an idiot don't understand what's right and wrong what makes sense what we're seeing today but he asked for something that is for the people and for God is the point Solomon moved first and then look what God does look at verse number 10 I mean he didn't he didn't worry about money he didn't worry about money he just had that faith he took the risk he didn't worry about his enemies he didn't worry about you know God crushing people that were trying to kill him they're trying to kill or destroy his kingdom no he just asked for something that would benefit the people and benefit the Lord look at verse number 10 and the speech look at this the speech pleased the Lord you see that what did it say in Hebrews chapter 11 verse number 6 it's impossible to what it's impossible to please him without faith so what did Solomon do he demonstrated great faith to the Lord he stepped out on faith and it's interesting that the Bible uses the same word it says the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing Solomon moved the Lord was pleased look at verse number 11 and God said unto him because thou hast asked this thing it is not asked for thyself long life neither asked for riches for thyself nor asked for the life of thine enemies but asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment what God wants you to have judgment but he's saying you didn't ask for all these greedy things yourself you stepped out on faith there he said behold I've done according to thy words I'm pleased well I've given thee a wise and understanding heart so there was none like thee before thee neither after shall any arise like unto thee he's like I just gave he's like I'm gonna make you the wisest person that has ever lived on the earth or that ever will live on the earth he's like I'm just gonna be and then he says I'm gonna give you the riches and all these things too in later verses so the point is this the point is this what we look at is risk in our own understanding as Proverbs 3 said is what God sees his faith and God needs to see a step out on faith before we can please him and if we don't step out on faith and we and we tell God like hey I'll do what you want me to do as long as here's my demands we're not gonna please God it's a matter of fact it's impossible to please in that way is what the Bible is saying I mean people look at this stuff as risk like how will I make it how will I make ends meet if I if I don't work these extra days where will I work if I move you know where will I work if I move I finally just I finally just we decided to leave I didn't even have a job it worked out it worked out better than I could even understand it that it would work out my own understanding could not have figured out how all the pieces God would have put together to make that happen he moved so fast I literally had to step back I was shocked I was shocked we literally wait I was like we're gonna have to sell everything and get off the farm and equipment and animals it was all gone in two and a half weeks people would come one thing and they buy 20 things it was crazy and I was one of these people that was like hey you got to go out and you got to do it you know God's not gonna come in and step in and you know that's kind of how I was since I was younger well I was proved wrong you move first and you will have no idea what God will do for you what you see is risk God sees his faith that's what you need to take away tonight we're the lack thereof we're the lack thereof but people you know people it you know people risk everything for a buck this is the irony of this look up to and including their own children people will sacrifice their own children for a dollar for a buck you know I don't know how could I possibly stay home and and have my wife stay home and raise my children you know we we just couldn't do without that money it's like you want to talk about a risk I mean the public school system if there's ever a risk to the Christian child that's it but see people will defend they will risk everything to defend secular material things work cars stuff and then they would just immediately sacrifice the spiritual things it's always the material things it's always the material things look I mean work hard do what the Bible says but look you can't care about this folks that you know work hard I hope you all are successful I hope you all you know do well in your careers and your jobs and all these things but you can't care about this stuff let God you know what you step out first and then let God work after that and guess what you know turn back to Hebrews chapter 11 he will be pleased with that you say is this a is this a prosperity gospel you know is this a prosperity gospel no I'm just telling you he'll be pleased I don't know what he's gonna do I don't know what he's gonna do he's gonna be pleased though he's gonna be pleased this is the whole point of Hebrews chapter 11 look at verse number 39 of Hebrews chapter 11 it's talking about these prophets it goes through the list of the these prophets that did these great things and and many of them were killed and many of them had you know they did not have good lives and and they didn't the whole theme of Proverb not Hebrews chapter 11 is that these people they you know Isaiah and and Samson and and all these people in Hebrews chapter 11 they live these lives and they didn't gain anything from it you know Abraham he didn't see the Promised Land you know he he did what God told him to do he did it by faith he did it by faith that God you know would do it but he himself didn't see it and many of the prophets not only did they not see you know the promises that God was making but they actually paid dearly in their lives they paid dearly by by being persecuted their whole lives think of Jeremiah just people just just despised him never listened to him eventually many of these men were killed and tortured and all these terrible things but look at Hebrews chapter 11 in verse 39 and the Bible explains why they did it and the importance of it it says and these all all these prophets having obtained a good report through faith so it's saying they had the faith they stepped out with no reward they moved and it says they received not the promise they didn't see the reward and then look at verse 40 it says God having provided some better thing for us like what how do we come into this it's saying God having provided some better thing for us that they see see how we tie to them it says that they without us should not be made perfect you understand what those two verses are saying those two verses are saying that those men and women that had that faith that didn't receive the promises you say why do they they did it for us it's saying through us doing what being faithful they their work was made perfect is what it's saying now apply that to yourselves see you stepping out on faith you're like where's my reward where's where's my you know benefit maybe you don't see a reward but you do it for them you do it for the next generation that sees you do it the reward in itself is knowing that your children will follow your example that's the that's the reward in itself and look I got to help help us all that our children do follow our example of stepping out on faith that is the reward in itself and then that makes our faith and what we did step out on it makes it perfect it completes it that's what it means by perfect it means it makes it complete that's why we did it that's why they did it they didn't see any reward they did it for us and we complete what they did it's the same thing looking forward to our generations but guess what it works both ways it works both ways our shortfalls the risks that we won't take the things where I have my own understanding and I just refuse to step out on that faith I'm like you know what I don't know I like you know I like most of the the Bible but these standards here I don't like that part that part also will be carried by the next generation and I don't know how many times you have to see this in your life I've seen it so many times but you know especially with sins the sins of the Son are way worse than the sins of the Father it like it like echoes into the next generation so look it works both ways the Bible is saying here that we need to step out first it's a that's the risk that we should take our spiritual life just step out on that faith and then that will carry to the next generation and that completes why we did it but you want to see God move in your life it's your turn that's the point I'm trying to make tonight if you take nothing else from the sermon tonight you know but no we want a down payment right we want a down payment we want a down payment from God like hey you do this God no the house is already built it's all paid for already there's no down payment need it it's our turn if you take nothing else away tonight take that you move first you see it in the Bible you just just do it just do what the Bible says and you know what you'll see God move it's a real thing I mean God's not messing around here it's just the point is you know we we feel like I sit there and I'm like well you know God doesn't move in my life God doesn't move in my life it's because it's not it's not his turn buttons broken on his side he smashed it into the floor your clock is perpetually running you want to see God move in your life it's our move what's about our head didn't pray