Keep & Do, Trust & Obey | Sunday, February 14, 2021

Days may be darkest, but Your light is greater. You light our way, God; You light our way. When evil is rising, You're rising higher, with power to save, with power to save. You keep hope alive; You keep hope alive. From the beginning to end, Your word never fades. You keep hope alive because You are alive. Jesus, You are alive.

Death had a stronghold, but Your life was stronger. You rose up from the grave; You rose up from the grave. Evil is rising, but You're rising higher, with power to save, with power to save. You keep hope alive; You keep hope alive. From the beginning to end, Your word never fades. You keep hope alive because You are alive. Jesus, You are alive.

There's hope in the morning, hope in the evening. Hope because You're living, hope because You're breathing. There's hope in the breaking, hope in the sorrow. Hope for this moment, my hope for tomorrow. There's hope in the morning, hope in the evening. Hope because You're living, hope because You're breathing.

There's hope in the breaking, hope in the sorrow. Hope for this moment, my hope for tomorrow. You keep hope alive; You keep hope alive. From the beginning to end, Your word never fades. You keep hope alive because You are alive. Jesus, You are alive.

The head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now. The Savior knelt to wash our feet; now at His feet we bow. The one who wore our sin and shame. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank You so much, God, for just another day that we can delight in You. We thank You, Lord, for Your peace. We thank You for Your salvation. We thank You for the joy that You put in our hearts. That joy is our strength, Lord. God, we thank You for the cross and the amazing grace that You bestow on us. We love You, Jesus. Receive our praise, receive our love, our adoration to You. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. Amen.

Let's worship.

Who breaks the power of sin and darkness? Whose love is mighty, so much stronger? King of glory, King above all kings. Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder? Who leaves us breathless in awe and wonder? King of glory, King above all kings.

This is amazing grace. This is unfailing love. That You would take my pain, that You would bear my cross. You laid down Your life that I would be set free. Jesus, I say, Lord, all that You've done for me. Who brings our chaos back into order?

Who makes the orphan a son and daughter? The King of Glory, the King of Glory. Who rules the nations with truth and justice? He shines like the sun in all of its brilliance. The King of Glory, the King above all kings.

This is amazing grace. This is unfailing love. That You would take my pain, that You would bear my cross. You laid down Your life that I would be set free. Jesus, I say, Lord, all that You've done for me.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Worthy is the King who conquered the grave. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Worthy is the King who conquered the grave. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Worthy is the King who conquered the grave. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Worthy, worthy, worthy.

Oh, this is amazing grace. This is unfailing love. That You would take my pain, that You would bear my cross. You laid down Your life that I would be set free. Jesus, I say, Lord, all that You've done for me. All that You've done for me.

Hey, welcome, and thanks for tuning in to Cross Connection Church. We're glad that we could bring you church at home today. If it's your first time tuning in this week, welcome. I'm Pastor Garrett, and here at Cross Connection Church, we're all about living life in connection with God, one another, and the world through Jesus Christ.

Part of living life in connection, as you hear every single week, is that we always want to encourage you to be praying. It's our first step in direct communication and relationship with God. We encourage you to be praying without ceasing, church. We want to be praying with and for you this week, so let us know how we can do that. You can submit your prayer requests at prayer.lifeinconnection.com. I know that those requests go to our pastoral staff and to our prayer team, and they love you guys and are praying for you constantly. We see God answer so many prayers here at Cross Connection Church. Check that out at prayer.lifeinconnection.com. We'd love to be praying with and for you this week.

Speaking of prayer, we also want to encourage you to be praying with and for all those who received our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes that we sent out this last December, just a couple of months back. We have a quick video we're going to send you to in just a moment, but it's really cool to see what God has done through those. So this week, be praying for all of the children who have received your boxes from Operation Christmas Child. Check out the video.

You truly are amazing volunteers. I am overwhelmed by the deep feeling of hope and peace because of the passion from you volunteers. It has been a crazy year, but what a privilege to partner together as brothers and sisters in Christ to share the gospel with children. It may be an environment of COVID, but God is still actively working through all of us and all of our volunteers. I just want to commend you all. Your heart attitude is one of humility, and this has a tremendous impact on the kingdom.

Operation Christmas Child volunteers are really critical to our ministry. They are the hands and the feet of God. My name is Dania Yadago, and I received a shoebox when I was a little girl in the Middle East. Today, I am with dedicated volunteers packing shoeboxes from all over the country. My hope for these kids is that their lives will be transformed by a relationship with Jesus.

That affects their villages, their towns, and their nations. We have seen the joy in the faces of the children in such an amazing way. It is so beautiful to see the pure joy on their faces. Every time we hand over the box to the children, it is not just happiness for one time; it is for their eternal life. They meet their Savior. I have never had this gift in my life. This is my first time having Canada Day. Thank you, thank you.

Shoeboxes are just opening doors to extend the kingdom of the Lord in those areas that are closed to the gospel. After the children receive their shoebox, they are invited back to attend a course called The Greatest Journey. They can come and learn about who Jesus is, find hope, and find forgiveness. Over half a million boys and girls have come to faith in Jesus through The Greatest Journey. Ponder that; just imagine the joy in heaven.

Please, please keep packing those shoeboxes. Your support is bringing forth testimonies in the families and in the lives of the children. It is all about Jesus and His gospel so that many can hear of His love and His forgiveness, and many can be disciples and be equipped to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

I want to turn your attention to Alternatives Walk for Life. It's coming up on March 6th, which is a Saturday. We want to encourage you to be praying with and for them, as this is one of the big fundraising events. It's a big deal here at Cross Connection Church. We love life, we love babies, and we want to be encouraging especially women here in our local area of Escondido against abortions and to be having their children. Their Walk for Life is again on March 6th. Check out their website; it will be here on the link below. We'd love to see you there at the Walk. Check out all the information on their website.

Second, for you men who are interested, we have a Men's Workday coming up here at Cross Connection Church on Tuesday, March 2nd.

We'd love for you to see you here. It's just going to be a little bit of landscaping projects and cleaning up around the facility. On Tuesday, March 2nd, from 9 o'clock until noon, we'll provide lunch. Sign up on the website, events.lifeandconnection.com. Hope to see you there!

We're going to give it back to Pastor Anthony. He's going to lead us in a song of worship. This is going to be a time set aside for those of you who call Cross Connection Church your home church. If you'd like to give this morning, you can text the number 84321 on your cell phone.

You can also go to give.lifeandconnection.com, our website. Alternatively, you can bring your check here tonight at the service, rain permitting. If it's not raining, we'll let you know on the website. You can also mail it in to 1675 Seven Oaks Road, which is our church address here in Escondido. God bless you!

Let's worship the Lord together. Let it break at Your name. Still, call the sea to still. The rage in me is still. Every wave at Your name.

Jesus, Jesus, You make the darkness tremble. Jesus, Jesus, You silence fear. Jesus, Jesus, You make the darkness tremble.

Breathe, call these bones to live. Call these lungs to sing. Once again, I will praise. Jesus, Jesus, You make the darkness tremble. Jesus, Jesus, You silence fear. Jesus, Jesus, You make the darkness tremble.

Jesus, Jesus. Oh, Jesus, Jesus, you make the darkness tremble. Jesus, Jesus, you silence fear.

Your name is a lie that the shadows can't deny. Your name cannot be overcome. Your name is a lie forever lifted high. Your name cannot be overcome.

Jesus, Jesus, you make the darkness tremble. Jesus, Jesus, you silence fear. Jesus, Jesus, you make the darkness tremble.

Your name is a lie that the shadows can't deny. Your name cannot be overcome. Your name is a lie forever lifted high. Your name cannot be overcome.

Your name is a lie that the shadows can't deny. Your name cannot be overcome. Your name is a lie forever lifted high.

Your name cannot be overcome. Jesus, Jesus, you make the darkness tremble. Jesus, Jesus, you silence fear. Your name is a lie that the shadows can't deny. Your name is a lie forever lifted high. You defeated all evil, Lord God. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. We hold on to your word. We hold on to every single word that you wrote to us, Lord God.

So now, let's prepare our hearts to receive that word. In Jesus' mighty name, amen. Happy Valentine's Day to you, and welcome to our broadcast for February 14th, 2021. February 14th is a bit of an anniversary for me, and it is fitting that this February 14th lands on a Sunday.

Twenty-two years ago today, on Sunday, February 14th, 1999, was the first time that I stood before a group of people. It was a group of junior hires to teach through the Scriptures. I had taught some small Bible studies before that time, but Sunday, February 14th, 1999, was the first Sunday morning service that I ever taught. I got up on that Sunday morning 22 years ago, and I taught out of Paul's New Testament letter to the Galatians.

Now, 22 years later, I can't even begin to express to you how truly grateful I am.

My first message in Galatians chapter 1 was not recorded, especially not recorded like this one is here. One thing is certain: when I stood to teach that message all those years ago, I could never have imagined that I would eventually be the senior pastor of that same church at which I began leading that junior high group. I certainly could not have envisioned this whole thing that we are doing here, that I would be preaching to you over a platform called YouTube.

Just think about it. Twenty-two years ago, there was no such thing as social media. MySpace didn't even begin until about 2002 or 2003. There was no Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or even TikTok. Google was hardly a thing, and AOL was still a big deal. Remember all those AOL CDs we used to get in the mail? We weren't even really sending text messages yet. The Internet had just barely taken off. Al Gore had basically just invented it.

At that time, one of the major fears in the world, and one of the things that dominated the news pretty much all the time that year, was Y2K. Some of you might even still have a generator and maybe even some food rations rotting in your garage from that whole debacle. So, there’s no way at that time, 22 years ago, that we could have imagined all of this, which is, for me, both inspiring and a little bit concerning.

As you look forward and think about the next 5, 10, or 20 years, for some people, anniversaries are not that big of a deal; it's just another date on a calendar. However, I do think that they are helpful waypoints. It is important and even wise for us to take time to look back from an anniversary and to look forward from an anniversary.

Moses, the preacher giving the message that we have been studying in Deuteronomy, is thought to also have been the author of Psalm 90, where he writes these words: "The days of our lives are 70 years; if by reason of strength they are 80 years. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." I love those words in Psalm 90.

On average, a long life is about 80 years, with the typical range being between 70 and 80 years. It is wise for us to keep a good accounting of the time we have lived and the time we have left. Reflecting on the last week and thinking back to 1999, I was reminded of all that has happened in my life and in our world over the past 22 years. There are certain points that serve as inflection or transition points, and the shift from 1999 to 2000 was one of those moments.

There was a lot of fear about the potential problems that computer systems would face during the transition from 1999 to 2000. For those who are a bit younger, you may not even know what Y2K was all about, but essentially, people were worried that computers wouldn't be able to make the transition and everything would shut down. Ultimately, Y2K turned out to be a dud; it was not a big deal at all. However, it was a significant transition point. There was a great deal of anticipation surrounding the new millennium as we moved from 1999 to 2000. At that time, after eight years of President Bill Clinton, there was also a lot of excitement about a new political season that was about to begin.

Moving from 2019 into 2020, which seems like a long time ago but really wasn't, marked another major transition moment. Again, we were entering a whole new political season, which we have all experienced and is now behind us. Interestingly, the chaos that emerged in 2020 as a result of COVID and political turmoil resembled what people had expected might happen due to Y2K. Of course, that didn't occur then, but we are still navigating the aftermath of the unusual events of 2020.

Now, we find ourselves at another inflection point, another transition moment. It will be fascinating to see how these developments unfold over the next 12 to 36 months. What will life be like for the world, our nation, our community, our church, and each of us as individuals three to five years from now? Obviously, none of us can fully or definitively answer that question.

I'm not a prophet, and I certainly can't predict the future. I can imagine a lot of different scenarios; some of them are good, while others are not so good. I have a pretty good and vivid imagination, and I'm definitely praying for good outcomes, as I'm sure you are as well.

We are at a transition point, an inflection point. Three thousand four hundred years ago, Moses stood before the children of Israel as they faced a critical transition. A great change was before them. They had spent the last 40 years in the wilderness, and now they were preparing to enter the Promised Land. You can be certain that there was a mixture of excitement and fear. There was both anticipation and dread, and it wasn't entirely clear for them what exactly would befall them as they stood before Moses, with the Promised Land just on the other side of the Jordan River.

Before them lay this beautiful land. Thirty-eight years prior to that moment, Moses and Israel had sent 12 spies to explore the land and bring back a report. The spies reported that it was a great and beautiful land overflowing with abundance, just as God had promised them. However, they also reported the presence of fortified cities, entrenched tribal groups, and even giants in the land. As a result, the people were dispirited by the spies' report. The challenges before them discouraged and demoralized them.

This is nothing new. At every point of transition, there are factors that can demoralize and discourage us from moving forward, from taking the ground that God wants us to take in order to advance. But faith requires that we move forward. God, through Moses, is speaking to Israel to encourage them to take that step. They find themselves once again at the very same place they were 38 years prior, at the border of blessing.

You may remember that we started studying through the book of Deuteronomy about this time a year ago, beginning with a series called "Bordering Blessing." That is exactly where Israel is now.

The challenges that were before them 38 years prior are still present. The giants remain in the land, and there are still entrenched tribal groups and fortified cities. None of that has disappeared. Israel is essentially the same people, and their enemies in the land have not changed. The task before them is still fundamentally the same. Their parents died in the wilderness and never tasted the fruit of the blessing of the promised land because they lacked faith and refused to take that step of faith to obey the voice of the Lord.

Faith and obedience are key when we are at a transition point, moving into something new. Here was Israel again, in the same place, faced with the necessity to trust God and obey His command. This would continue to be the situation they would find themselves in throughout their history because the life of the child of God is meant to be one of continual trust and obedience. Once you have trusted in the Lord and obeyed Him once, it does not mean that you never have to do that again. It is not like you can check that off the box and consider it done.

The life of the child of God is to be one of continual trust and obedience. For Israel 3,400 years ago and for us today, this remains true. The life that experiences God's presence and tastes of His blessing is the life lived in continual trust in God and obedience to His word. We read in Deuteronomy 7:12, "He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, the grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. You shall be blessed above all peoples. There shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock. And the Lord will take away all your sickness and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt, which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you."

This is the consistent story of the Old Testament. The book of Deuteronomy defines God's covenant with Israel. It lays out the history of their relationship in the past and establishes the terms of their relationship with God going forward.

And God is clear. Here are the stipulations of our covenant that we've made with one another. If you know them, keep them, and do them, then I will continue to be in a covenant relationship with you. I will be merciful to you, and I will show you my love. My blessing will be multiplied upon you in the land, and I will bless you above all other people.

But the requirement for Israel was their trust and their obedience. As I shared in my last message, this trust and obedience would be seen in part in Israel's complete separation from the foreigners around them and their total consecration to God. Israel was to be a people separated from their neighbors and completely holy, set apart unto the Lord.

In Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse 2, we saw this last time: "You shall make no covenant with the people round about you, nor show them mercy, nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods." Then, in verse 6, it states: "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth."

The whole of Deuteronomy is filled with strong language like these verses. Moses keeps driving this point because of the very real danger of Israel departing from their trust in the Lord and their obedience to Him. There was no danger of God being unfaithful to His covenant promise, but the entire Old Testament is a repetitive story of Israel's unfaithfulness and their disobedience.

So it shall come to pass: If you listen to these judgments, keep them, and do them, then the Lord will maintain His covenant and His blessing with you. But if you do not, then you will reap the consequences of your unfaithfulness and your disobedience. Your blessings will turn to curses. If Israel was unfaithful and disobedient, then Deuteronomy 7:4 warns, "The anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly." This is heavy language. The same anger of the Lord that would expel Israel's enemies from before them, consuming them, would turn against Israel if they were unfaithful and disobedient.

And this is sobering. It presents a frightening image of God. It is worth noting that this is what it looks like to live before a perfectly holy and righteous God without mercy. That is what the Old Testament illustrates. It provides a picture for us to understand what it is like to stand before a perfect, holy, and righteous God and have no mercy.

Thankfully, that is not our experience. We are blessed under the new covenant to be found in Christ. In Christ, we receive grace upon grace and mercy in abundance. The Old Testament depicts life before that perfect and holy, all-consuming fire God, who, without mercy and grace, will consume His adversaries. But thank God we have mercy in Christ.

This is the scenario for Israel. God had spoken to their father, Abraham, centuries before this point in Deuteronomy. He said in Genesis chapter 17, verse 1, "Walk before me and be perfect." This was God's call to Israel: keep My judgments and do them. If you do, you will be blessed. If you do not keep My judgments and disobey them, you will experience a curse. You will be destroyed.

Can you see why they had to be so serious about separating from the people around them? It was a very serious matter because if they were not obedient and were unfaithful to the Lord, they would reap the consequences.

In Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse 16, it states, "Also, you shall destroy all the peoples whom the Lord your God delivers over to you. Your eye shall have no pity on them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you." If you should say in your heart, "These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?" you shall not be afraid of them. You shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt—the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the Lord your God brought you out.

So shall the Lord your God do to the peoples whom you are afraid of. Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until those who are left and hide themselves from you are destroyed. You shall not be terrified of your enemies, for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you little by little. You will be unable to destroy them all at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.

But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you and will inflict defeat upon them until they are destroyed. He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will destroy their name from under heaven. No one shall be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them. You shall burn their carved images, their gods, with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God. Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.

Now, whether the strong destruction language here in this text is hyperbolic or not—and I think that there is evidence that it may be—it is clear that God is very serious about the holiness of His people. He expected total faith, faithfulness, and obedience from Israel. God's blessing upon Israel was completely dependent upon their faith, faithfulness, and obedience to His command. Every commandment which I command you today, you must be careful to observe, says Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 1.

God's blessing upon Israel was completely dependent upon their faith, faithfulness, and obedience to His command. So, every commandment which I command you today, you must observe carefully, that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers. Again, this is sobering and strong language. Israel's experience of God's blessing was completely dependent upon their faith, faithfulness, and obedience. They would not experience God's presence and blessing if they did not remain faithful and obedient to Him.

Look at these verses: Deuteronomy 8, verse 2. You shall remember the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8, verse 6. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God to walk in His ways and to fear Him. Deuteronomy chapter 8, verses 11 and 14. Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes, which I command you today, lest you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

And then, Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 18. You shall remember the Lord your God. In verses 19 and 20, if you by any means forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and serve them and worship them...

I testify to you this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God. God's blessing upon Israel was completely dependent upon their faith, faithfulness, and obedience to His command. Israel's disobedience and unfaithfulness would invite God's displeasure and wrath. This is exactly what you see throughout the rest of the Old Testament, from Deuteronomy on through Malachi. God had called His people to stay in that continual place of trust and obedience. If they would remain in that place, then they would experience God's blessing and His presence. But if they departed, the curses of the command would come upon them. Their disobedience would invite God's displeasure and His wrath.

At this point, I hope that you realize just how much better the New Covenant is than the Old Covenant. That really is one of the points of the story of the Old Testament. It should make us constantly desire a new and better covenant that doesn't depend upon our faith, faithfulness, and obedience as the Old Covenant did. Of course, the New Covenant does not nullify or do away with the importance of faith, faithfulness, and obedience. However, the motivation for our faith, faithfulness, and obedience is different under the New Covenant. In Christ, our faith and faithfulness and obedience are in response to God's lavish love and grace that we receive in Him.

Another thing that becomes very clear as we read and study through the book of Deuteronomy is what is happening in the remainder of the Old Testament. One of the reasons that I've been teaching through this book is to lay a foundation for our understanding of the Old Testament books, especially the prophets. If you've been a part of Cross Connection Church for a long period of time, you know that we spent quite a few years going through the New Testament, specifically the epistles, the letters of the New Testament. We used the book of Acts as kind of an outline and a basis for our study of the New Testament letters to help us really understand and grasp them.

I want us, in the coming months and years, however the Lord should allow us, to continue to go through some of the Old Testament books, especially many of the prophetic books. However, it is hard to understand the prophetic books without fully understanding the context provided by the earlier texts.

Grasping the story of the book of Deuteronomy is essential. The prophetic books, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, and Zephaniah, make a lot more sense when you understand the book of Deuteronomy. The prophets were basically preachers who understood the blessings of obedience and the judgments of disobedience from this book. They would look at the conditions of their nation, observing the sinful state of their society in their day and time. They would call out to the people, urging them to repent and turn back to God, warning that if they did not, they would become displeasing to God and invite His wrath.

Although we no longer live under this Deuteronomic system, it is still true that there are privileges and blessings for those who follow the truths and principles of God's law. This is why we can look at our nation and the nations around us today and say that we are living in a way that, according to the Scriptures, is displeasing to God. If we continue to live in a manner that is displeasing to Him, we will experience the curses of disobedience and unfaithfulness. Whereas the Old Testament prophets might say to repent and turn back to God, we should say to repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness and grace.

The reality is that Israel's disobedience 3,000 years ago and their unfaithfulness invited God's displeasure and wrath, and this is true for all of humanity. Our disobedience, even if you are not like the children of Israel or part of the nation of Israel, invites God's displeasure and ultimately will bring His wrath. Paul, in the New Testament book of Romans, states that the wrath of God will be revealed someday from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of those who suppress the truth. Therefore, God's wrath will be poured out one day upon unfaithfulness and disobedience.

This truth remains, and only in Christ is God's wrath satisfied. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." What does that mean? It means that Jesus took the sin of the world upon Himself.

and absorbed all of God's wrath upon Himself for sin so that we could find refuge from the wrath of God in Jesus Christ. We justly deserve God's punishment. God would be completely righteous in bringing upon us His destructive wrath, but in Christ, we can receive grace and forgiveness. Why? Because Jesus took God's punishment. God's wrath was upon Him in our place.

So only by trusting in Christ are we sheltered from God's righteous wrath. Ultimately, this is the whole point of passages like Deuteronomy and the Old Testament prophetic books. They all point us, the law and the prophets point us to our need in Christ. As we sit here today, we are all in great need of God's forgiving grace and of God's saving mercy, and those things are only found in Him.

I would invite you, if you never have, to put your trust in Christ and to obey God by trusting in Him, for this is the work of God that you believe on Him whom God has sent. That's the call that God has for you today.

I want to speak to those of you who may be watching today and have never put your trust and your faith in Jesus Christ. God's wrath will one day be poured out upon all unrighteousness and ungodliness of those who suppress the truth, in the same way that the wrath of God was poured out on the people groups of ancient times, such as the Hittites and the Canaanites, when Israel was coming into the land. The wrath of God was also poured out upon Israel when they would depart from the Lord.

The wrath of God will one day be poured out upon unrighteousness. We are not safe from that wrath if we stand upon our own good works. Our own good works will never save us. But Jesus, the one who knew no sin, came and stood in our place. He took our sin upon Himself and died on the cross, absorbing all of God's wrath, so that you and I could find shelter from the wrath of God in Him. He is our refuge, as the New Testament book of Hebrews says.

In Christ, we are sheltered from the wrath of God, and we receive God's grace and His mercy. If you have never put your trust and salvation in Jesus Christ, I urge you to do so.

You've been trying to relate to God based upon your good works, but that will not be enough. There's only one way to be right and righteous before God, and that is to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ by having your trust and your faith in Him. It's very simple for you to do that.

The first thing you have to do is admit that you are a sinner and acknowledge that you do not live up to God's perfect righteous standard. You might be better than your neighbor, or better than the person who sits in the cubicle next to you, or the person down the street, but you're not being judged by those people. Your life is going to be put up next to the perfection of Jesus Christ, and you and I will never stand up to that. So, the first thing you need to do is admit that you are a sinner and then put your trust in Jesus Christ.

Believe that Jesus died on the cross in your place to pay for the penalty of your sins. Then confess your sins to God through prayer, turning to Jesus and asking Him to save you from your sin. If you have never done that and you'd like to do it today, I want to invite you to do that by simply praying with me, wherever you're at. You might be sitting in your living room watching this, or you might be watching it on a phone. It might be the Sunday that I'm delivering it on the 14th of February 2021, or maybe you're watching it six or eight months from now; I don't know. But God might be speaking to you and calling to you.

If you want to trust in Him, I want to lead you in a very simple prayer of acknowledging your sin and asking Jesus to come into your life and forgive you. Prayer is simply talking to God, wherever you are. So, if you want to ask the Lord to forgive you of your sin, I want to lead you in a prayer. Just close your eyes and pray quietly in your heart this very simple prayer:

Dear Jesus, I recognize that I am a sinner. I recognize my need for You. I don't live up to Your perfect standard. I thank You that You died in my place on the cross, that You took all of God's wrath upon You so that I could be forgiven and receive mercy. I pray that You would forgive me of my sin, help me to follow You by faith, and give me salvation and refuge. In Jesus' name, amen.

Listen, if you prayed that prayer today, we would very much like to know about it. There's a web address that's going to be on the screen.

If you go to this web address, you can let us know about your faith in Christ today. We'd love to be in contact with you. If you don't have a Bible, maybe we could send one to you. God desires that we would know the truth of the gospel and that we, as the Church of God, would share this truth with everyone we come in contact with.

Listen, we're living in challenging times. It's my prayer that things change for the better. But even if they don't, God desires that you and I, as followers of Jesus, would shine as bright lights in a dark world. The way that we're going to do that is by following the Lord in faith, walking in obedience to His Word, and seeking to do the very things that He has called us to do: to share the good news of the gospel with other people.

I want to encourage you, whether you are a member of Cross Connection Church or not, but you are a follower of Jesus, to share the good news of the gospel with those you work with, live next door to, or are related to, who don't yet know this good news. Many are trying, by their own merits, to live a so-called good life. However, we will never live perfectly according to God's law. God never intended for us to be saved by our keeping of His law. He intended for His law, as seen in books like Deuteronomy, to reveal just how far we are from Him so that we would call out to Him for salvation in Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to share that good news with someone this week. Take a step of faith, pray that God would give you boldness, and share that good news with someone else, because it is the very thing they need in their life: the grace, the mercy, and the peace that only comes from Jesus Christ.

I am going to pray, and I will pray something that might make you uncomfortable. I will ask God to push you out of your comfort zone this week and give you an opportunity to speak with someone about the good news of the gospel. That might make you uncomfortable, but I will pray for that. I will also pray that God would give you boldness. Just as God has done throughout the centuries, He has emboldened His people by the empowering of His Holy Spirit to share that good news.

So, Father, we do pray, as we close out our time today, that You would open doors of opportunity to Your Church. I pray for my brothers and sisters that You would give us an opportunity.

Whether it's as we're standing out by the mailbox getting the mail this week, or maybe as we're at work or wherever we might be, Lord, give us an opportunity to share the good news of who You are. I pray, God, for boldness. Pour out Your Spirit upon Your church and enable us to be lights shining in a dark place. Make it impossible for us to not shine with Your love, grace, and truth through the gospel.

Give us boldness to speak the truth of who You are, what You've done in our lives, and what You desire to do in the lives of others. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

On the day that death surrendered to the mighty cross of Jesus Christ, the earth would shake beneath the weight of darkened skies. On His crown, a crown of sorrows, for a King whose weakness was our strength, no word He spoke; His love was shown for all to see. Oh, the cross of Jesus Christ! He's the reason I'm alive, for His blood has set me free. He will never lose His power for me.

Now the dawn of resurrection strikes the night as hope prevails to shine. Salvation waits to break our chains, and we rise. Oh, the cross of Jesus Christ! He's the reason I'm alive, for His blood has set me free. He will never lose His power for me.

And hallelujah, hallelujah! Christ, my victory! It is won for me. And hallelujah, hallelujah! Christ, my victory! It is won for me.

And on the day He comes in glory...

To reveal the fullness of His reign, all hearts will bow before the sound of Jesus' name. Oh, the cross of Jesus Christ! He is the reason I'm alive, for His blood has set me free. He will never lose His power for me.

Father God, we thank You for Your word, which is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Your word, which was breathed and inspired by You, is useful for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, so that we would be equipped for every good work.

So God, I pray that through Your word and by the empowering of Your Spirit, You would equip us, Your people, to do the work that You've called us to do—the work of the ministry, the work of sharing the good news of who You are, preaching the gospel to everyone we come in contact with.

God, enable us to do that work this week and to engage with it. Pour out Your Spirit upon Your church, Lord. Bless them wherever they may be. Help us to trust in You and to walk in obedience to Your word as You enable us to do that. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling as You work in us to will and to do Your good pleasure.

God, do that work in your church, we pray. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

And now the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you His peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of His Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. God bless you.

If it's not raining and the weather's good, you can join us this evening at 4 o'clock at the church for a time of worship and a devotion from the Scriptures. If so, we'll see you there. If not, we'll see you next week.

If you need prayer, make sure you go to prayer.lifeinconnection.com and share with us your prayer needs this week. God bless. We'll see you next week.