100:00:00,360 –> 00:00:03,360Prosperity Man200:00:03,360 –> 00:00:06,060Prosperity is a great blessing,300:00:06,060 –> 00:00:10,340but it is slippery ground.400:00:10,340 –> 00:00:13,680The problem with prosperity, and especially the prosperity of the500:00:13,680 –> 00:00:15,400wicked,600:00:15,400 –> 00:00:18,700is that a man or woman without faith in God, who prospers700:00:18,700 –> 00:00:22,879will usually become blind to reality.800:00:22,879 –> 00:00:26,120His money will make him feel secure.900:00:26,120 –> 00:00:28,320That is a slippery place.1000:00:28,459 –> 00:00:31,480Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith,1100:00:31,480 –> 00:00:34,099I’m David Pick and Colin, it sounds like we’re going to be1200:00:34,099 –> 00:00:35,919talking about money today.1300:00:35,919 –> 00:00:37,220Actually, it’s not.1400:00:37,220 –> 00:00:40,040We’re in a series called I Almost Gave Up1500:00:40,040 –> 00:00:43,639and this is all about those times when a Christian may1600:00:43,639 –> 00:00:48,040feel absolutely overwhelmed and tempted towards despair.1700:00:48,040 –> 00:00:50,759And this happened to a very godly man by the name of Asaph.1800:00:50,759 –> 00:00:54,320And one of the reasons he was tempted to give up1900:00:54,320 –> 00:00:56,139was he looked at the world and he said,2000:00:56,220 –> 00:00:58,880people who are in rebellion against God, wicked people,2100:00:58,880 –> 00:01:01,220God seems to be blessing them, they’ve got all the money.2200:01:01,220 –> 00:01:04,180And here am I and I’m trying to be faithful to God2300:01:04,180 –> 00:01:06,519and it seems like my prayers are not being answered?2400:01:06,519 –> 00:01:08,660Well, there’s many Christians who know what that is.2500:01:08,660 –> 00:01:10,540Why is God blessing the wrong people2600:01:10,540 –> 00:01:12,540and why is He doing something for people2700:01:12,540 –> 00:01:14,540who are defiant towards Him?2800:01:14,540 –> 00:01:16,300And they seem to get away with everything.2900:01:16,300 –> 00:01:18,400And what is God doing for me?3000:01:18,400 –> 00:01:20,860Well, these are questions of discouragement.3100:01:20,860 –> 00:01:22,260And if you’re asking these questions,3200:01:22,260 –> 00:01:24,940you’re certainly not the first, Asaph was there before3300:01:25,120 –> 00:01:27,540and he had to work through these questions3400:01:27,540 –> 00:01:29,500and God brought him through these questions3500:01:29,500 –> 00:01:32,099and put His feet back on a solid place3600:01:32,099 –> 00:01:34,139and the prayer for the series3700:01:34,139 –> 00:01:36,459is that God will do that for us also.3800:01:36,459 –> 00:01:38,260So I hope you’ll be able to join us today3900:01:38,260 –> 00:01:40,660in your Bible in Psalm 73,4000:01:40,660 –> 00:01:44,040as we continue the message Think, here’s Colin.4100:01:44,040 –> 00:01:45,900The encouragement of God’s people4200:01:47,540 –> 00:01:50,739is one of the great means4300:01:51,599 –> 00:01:53,839that God uses to strengthen us4400:01:53,839 –> 00:01:55,900when we feel like giving up.4500:01:57,839 –> 00:02:00,779By the way, that is why you should never withdraw4600:02:00,779 –> 00:02:03,300from God’s people when you’re discouraged.4700:02:04,480 –> 00:02:05,900See, when we become discouraged,4800:02:05,900 –> 00:02:07,080there is a certain impetus that said,4900:02:07,080 –> 00:02:08,179hey, I’ll just stay home.5000:02:08,179 –> 00:02:09,279I’m not gonna come to worship.5100:02:09,279 –> 00:02:11,080No, I’ll just withdraw.5200:02:12,300 –> 00:02:15,279And isolation is your greatest danger5300:02:15,279 –> 00:02:16,240when you’re discouraged.5400:02:16,240 –> 00:02:18,940You need others around you, we all do.5500:02:20,979 –> 00:02:22,199And Asaph does the right thing.5600:02:22,199 –> 00:02:23,979He not only goes to a sanctuary5700:02:23,979 –> 00:02:26,679where he finds the presence of the Ark5800:02:26,679 –> 00:02:30,039that speaks to him of God’s faithfulness over generations,5900:02:30,039 –> 00:02:33,139he comes to the place where he’s going to meet with others6000:02:33,139 –> 00:02:35,339who share the same faith6100:02:35,339 –> 00:02:39,000and are able to encourage and strengthen one another in God.6200:02:40,740 –> 00:02:42,979God will use His people to bring strength6300:02:42,979 –> 00:02:44,339and encouragement to you,6400:02:44,820 –> 00:02:47,220and sometimes that will happen6500:02:47,220 –> 00:02:50,779in the most unexpected of ways.6600:02:53,179 –> 00:02:54,500Let me speak personally.6700:02:55,820 –> 00:03:00,360Let me tell you how God blessed me last Sunday.6800:03:01,259 –> 00:03:04,279Dick Bender.6900:03:06,440 –> 00:03:08,279Dick’s one of our senior members.7000:03:10,419 –> 00:03:13,360He’s been through very extensive surgery,7100:03:14,979 –> 00:03:16,820he’s a man of extraordinary courage.7200:03:18,960 –> 00:03:21,800Last Sunday we had just finished the third service,7300:03:21,800 –> 00:03:24,339I had my coat on, was about to head out7400:03:24,339 –> 00:03:27,460through the main entrance there, head of home,7500:03:27,460 –> 00:03:29,100got to the front door of the church7600:03:29,100 –> 00:03:33,419and Dick was there with his stick, about to leave.7700:03:35,380 –> 00:03:37,220I hadn’t seen him or spoken to him for quite awhile,7800:03:37,220 –> 00:03:39,740I said how good it was to see him at church7900:03:39,740 –> 00:03:41,860after all that he’d been through,8000:03:41,880 –> 00:03:45,399and he made some comment about just keep pressing on.8100:03:47,619 –> 00:03:51,800I held the door for him, said goodbye8200:03:51,800 –> 00:03:53,580and walked across the car park8300:03:55,500 –> 00:03:57,039and here’s what I was thinking.8400:03:58,860 –> 00:04:00,539If he can do what he’s doing8500:04:00,539 –> 00:04:02,619after all that he’s been through,8600:04:03,500 –> 00:04:05,759what in the world do I have to complain about?8700:04:06,759 –> 00:04:09,119Actually, I think God was speaking to me8800:04:10,559 –> 00:04:11,399through Dick8900:04:12,800 –> 00:04:14,199and he knew nothing about it.9000:04:16,519 –> 00:04:18,119The truth is I’ve thought about him9100:04:18,119 –> 00:04:21,040four or five times in the last week.9200:04:22,559 –> 00:04:24,600I’ve thanked God for his testimony,9300:04:26,279 –> 00:04:28,700and I’ve drawn encouragement from the example of a man9400:04:28,700 –> 00:04:30,160who just keeps struggling on,9500:04:30,160 –> 00:04:31,640who wants to be here in worship9600:04:31,640 –> 00:04:33,279despite great difficulties,9700:04:33,279 –> 00:04:35,720he loves Christ and he just can’t get it out,9800:04:35,760 –> 00:04:37,079he just keeps pressing on.9900:04:38,859 –> 00:04:41,820I’ll tell you, I’m really glad10000:04:41,820 –> 00:04:44,399that Dick made the effort to come to church last Sunday.10100:04:44,399 –> 00:04:46,000I don’t know what it did for him,10200:04:47,420 –> 00:04:48,959but I know what he did for me.10300:04:51,640 –> 00:04:53,600He wouldn’t have known anything about it10400:04:57,260 –> 00:04:58,640except that I phoned him.10500:04:58,640 –> 00:05:01,500I said, Dick, I want you to know10600:05:01,500 –> 00:05:04,880that just seeing you at church last Sunday10700:05:04,959 –> 00:05:06,200was a blessing to me.10800:05:06,200 –> 00:05:07,320And then I asked him, of course,10900:05:07,320 –> 00:05:09,760if it would be okay if I said that this morning.11000:05:12,019 –> 00:05:14,220And in true style he said,11100:05:14,220 –> 00:05:15,940now you can use my name,11200:05:17,000 –> 00:05:19,279just don’t go too much on the heroics.11300:05:23,540 –> 00:05:25,320See, I see a single mother11400:05:26,959 –> 00:05:29,339struggling to bring up her children in the faith,11500:05:29,339 –> 00:05:32,160and I’m encouraged without anything being said.11600:05:32,679 –> 00:05:35,859I see someone with a child who’s seriously ill11700:05:35,859 –> 00:05:38,920and they’re trusting the Lord in their difficulties,11800:05:38,920 –> 00:05:40,200it inspires me.11900:05:42,359 –> 00:05:44,899I see someone who’s experienced great loss12000:05:44,899 –> 00:05:46,540and they’re struggling to hold back the tears,12100:05:46,540 –> 00:05:48,079but they’re trying to sing12200:05:48,079 –> 00:05:51,000because they want to affirm their faith in God,12300:05:51,000 –> 00:05:52,059and I’m strengthened.12400:05:54,920 –> 00:05:58,000Let me say this especially to some of our older people.12500:05:58,000 –> 00:06:01,519You don’t know what ministry you’re doing.12600:06:02,359 –> 00:06:05,079Only you do, you have just by your presence,12700:06:06,140 –> 00:06:07,959by your smile,12800:06:07,959 –> 00:06:12,519by the fact that despite all that you have gone through,12900:06:12,519 –> 00:06:14,899you did not give up.13000:06:17,940 –> 00:06:21,160Our pastors meet for prayer every Wednesday,13100:06:22,160 –> 00:06:24,440every week we receive a list of folks13200:06:24,440 –> 00:06:26,119who are in hospital, confined to home13300:06:26,119 –> 00:06:28,559or enduring some other significant difficulty,13400:06:28,559 –> 00:06:31,559it’s all was printed on a green sheet of paper13500:06:31,559 –> 00:06:34,179so of course we call it the green sheet.13600:06:35,160 –> 00:06:36,279I’ll tell you some of the names13700:06:36,279 –> 00:06:38,420on the green sheet are an inspiration.13800:06:39,700 –> 00:06:42,540All you can do is thank God13900:06:42,540 –> 00:06:43,920for some of those folks14000:06:43,920 –> 00:06:46,619and pray that you would have grace to be like them.14100:06:48,660 –> 00:06:52,339Don’t ever underestimate14200:06:52,339 –> 00:06:56,459the importance of you’re staying the course.14300:06:57,320 –> 00:07:01,179You are showing the rest of us14400:07:01,179 –> 00:07:04,019what it means to persevere,14500:07:05,619 –> 00:07:09,899and your faith in these difficulties14600:07:09,899 –> 00:07:12,839is part of our testimony to God’s grace,14700:07:12,839 –> 00:07:15,779and the whole body draws strength from it.14800:07:17,839 –> 00:07:19,839Now you see, when Esau came to worship,14900:07:19,839 –> 00:07:21,619he says, I come into the sanctuary15000:07:21,619 –> 00:07:23,299and here’s what God did for me.15100:07:23,299 –> 00:07:26,119It straightened out my thinking, and how,15200:07:26,160 –> 00:07:29,119because it’s here that I’m reminded of God’s truth,15300:07:29,119 –> 00:07:31,600and it’s here that I meet with God’s people.15400:07:35,119 –> 00:07:39,519There will be a thousand ways15500:07:39,519 –> 00:07:43,880in which God speaks from one member of the body15600:07:43,880 –> 00:07:45,859to another today,15700:07:47,399 –> 00:07:49,700and most of them you may know nothing about.15800:07:51,359 –> 00:07:52,839Only God himself knows15900:07:52,880 –> 00:07:55,760the full extent of ministry that goes on16000:07:57,359 –> 00:07:58,600as the body gathers.16100:08:00,519 –> 00:08:02,200I entered the sanctuary of God.16200:08:03,480 –> 00:08:04,779Is that a wonderful thing?16300:08:07,839 –> 00:08:12,839Second, I understood their final destiny.16400:08:15,040 –> 00:08:19,239Now, not only, you see, does he remember God’s truth16500:08:19,579 –> 00:08:20,779and meet with God’s people,16600:08:20,779 –> 00:08:25,779but he, in the sanctuary, considers ultimate outcomes.16700:08:27,339 –> 00:08:30,700I understood their final destiny.16800:08:32,059 –> 00:08:33,960Now, of course, Asaph is talking16900:08:33,960 –> 00:08:36,659about the final destiny of the wicked.17000:08:36,659 –> 00:08:39,440Remember that his whole problem began in verse three17100:08:39,440 –> 00:08:41,000when he was raising the question17200:08:41,000 –> 00:08:43,840of why the wicked prosper.17300:08:43,840 –> 00:08:47,599And Asaph uses two pictures here17400:08:47,599 –> 00:08:49,039that it seems perhaps God brought17500:08:49,739 –> 00:08:50,619to his mind when he was in the sanctuary.17600:08:50,619 –> 00:08:53,380God does speak to us in wonderful ways,17700:08:53,380 –> 00:08:54,840and he gives us two pictures17800:08:54,840 –> 00:08:59,059that describe the ultimate outcome of the wicked.17900:08:59,059 –> 00:09:02,159The first is a picture of walking on ice.18000:09:03,700 –> 00:09:05,059Look at verse 18.18100:09:05,059 –> 00:09:09,400Surely you place them on slippery ground.18200:09:09,400 –> 00:09:10,900He’s talking about the wicked.18300:09:12,200 –> 00:09:14,559Now, why has God placed the wicked,18400:09:14,559 –> 00:09:17,960or how has God placed the wicked on slippery ground?18500:09:19,960 –> 00:09:22,099The answer is, God has placed the wicked18600:09:22,099 –> 00:09:25,859on slippery ground by prospering them,18700:09:25,859 –> 00:09:27,619which is, of course, the whole point of the Psalm.18800:09:27,619 –> 00:09:28,820That’s where we started.18900:09:30,179 –> 00:09:33,479Prosperity is a great blessing,19000:09:33,479 –> 00:09:36,719but it is slippery ground.19100:09:38,679 –> 00:09:40,099The problem with prosperity,19200:09:40,099 –> 00:09:42,840and especially the prosperity of the wicked,19300:09:43,799 –> 00:09:47,219is that a man or woman without faith in God who prospers19400:09:47,239 –> 00:09:50,340will usually become blind to reality.19500:09:51,440 –> 00:09:55,119His money will make him feel secure,19600:09:55,119 –> 00:09:56,739and that is a slippery place.19700:09:57,739 –> 00:09:58,880Remember the words of Jesus19800:09:58,880 –> 00:10:01,460about the man who amassed great wealth19900:10:01,460 –> 00:10:02,840and then had marvelous plans20000:10:02,840 –> 00:10:04,820for all that he was going to do in the future,20100:10:04,820 –> 00:10:08,119and God said to him, you fool, the strongest of words.20200:10:08,119 –> 00:10:10,799You fool, God said, don’t you know that tonight20300:10:10,799 –> 00:10:12,559your soul will be required of you.20400:10:13,380 –> 00:10:18,380Now, if prosperity is a slippery place for the wicked,20500:10:20,280 –> 00:10:22,799we better take note and realize20600:10:22,799 –> 00:10:25,440that it must be a slippery place also,20700:10:25,440 –> 00:10:27,059therefore, for the righteous.20800:10:28,039 –> 00:10:30,979If God has given you money,20900:10:31,840 –> 00:10:36,500be thankful, but also be careful.21000:10:36,500 –> 00:10:39,580Be thankful, be careful.21100:10:40,380 –> 00:10:44,179It’s like walking on ice.21200:10:45,179 –> 00:10:46,200It really is.21300:10:48,940 –> 00:10:53,799Pride can easily come in when God prospers you,21400:10:53,799 –> 00:10:58,200and pride comes before a fall.21500:11:00,599 –> 00:11:02,260It’s like walking on ice, you see.21600:11:03,599 –> 00:11:04,799It’s a slippery place.21700:11:05,659 –> 00:11:09,239Be thankful, be careful.21800:11:10,539 –> 00:11:12,820See, that’s why Paul says to Timothy,21900:11:12,820 –> 00:11:14,780and notice the strength of this language22000:11:14,780 –> 00:11:15,979in the New Testament.22100:11:16,700 –> 00:11:19,280This is the apostle speaking to a young pastor,22200:11:20,559 –> 00:11:21,580and he says,22300:11:21,580 –> 00:11:25,580command those who are rich in the present world22400:11:25,580 –> 00:11:28,119not to be, what, arrogant.22500:11:29,340 –> 00:11:31,039He’s talking about believers here.22600:11:32,059 –> 00:11:34,419The danger for the believer who has prospered22700:11:34,419 –> 00:11:36,619is what, that he’ll become arrogant.22800:11:36,659 –> 00:11:39,859And Paul says to Timothy, who’s just a young pastor,22900:11:39,859 –> 00:11:40,679I have often wondered,23000:11:40,679 –> 00:11:42,739how in all the world was Timothy supposed to do this?23100:11:42,739 –> 00:11:44,419Command those who are rich.23200:11:45,260 –> 00:11:46,419That’s what the apostle says,23300:11:46,419 –> 00:11:48,940command those who are rich in the present world23400:11:48,940 –> 00:11:51,159not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth,23500:11:51,159 –> 00:11:52,320which is so uncertain,23600:11:52,320 –> 00:11:54,039but to put their hope in God.23700:11:55,380 –> 00:11:57,820Thank God for those who give us a model of that,23800:11:58,700 –> 00:12:05,260who provides us richly with everything for our enjoyment.23900:12:05,500 –> 00:12:06,859You’re listening to Open The Bible,24000:12:06,859 –> 00:12:10,119with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Think.24100:12:10,119 –> 00:12:12,659It’s part of our series, I Almost Gave Up,24200:12:12,659 –> 00:12:15,659and it’s based on Psalm 73,24300:12:15,659 –> 00:12:17,700all about the story of Asaph.24400:12:18,700 –> 00:12:20,020We’ll be back to the message shortly,24500:12:20,020 –> 00:12:22,179so I hope you’ll stay with us.24600:12:22,179 –> 00:12:23,719If you ever miss one of our messages,24700:12:23,719 –> 00:12:24,659you can always catch up24800:12:24,659 –> 00:12:27,859or go back and listen again online at our website,24900:12:27,859 –> 00:12:30,580openthebible.org.uk.25000:12:30,580 –> 00:12:33,780You can also find Pastor Colin’s messages as a podcast,25100:12:33,919 –> 00:12:35,940and those are on all the podcast sites.25200:12:35,940 –> 00:12:37,940Search for Open the Bible UK25300:12:37,940 –> 00:12:40,880or follow the link from our website.25400:12:40,880 –> 00:12:44,159Open the Bible is supported by our listeners financially,25500:12:44,159 –> 00:12:46,780and if that’s something you’ve been considering doing,25600:12:46,780 –> 00:12:47,979I hope you’ll stay with us.25700:12:47,979 –> 00:12:49,580As later on in the program,25800:12:49,580 –> 00:12:52,919I’ll be talking to Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham25900:12:52,919 –> 00:12:54,479about this month’s offer,26000:12:54,479 –> 00:12:57,179if you’re able to start a new direct debit26100:12:57,179 –> 00:13:00,099to Open the Bible this month.26200:13:00,099 –> 00:13:02,539Back to the message now, here’s Colin.26300:13:02,580 –> 00:13:04,880The danger for the believer who has prospered26400:13:04,880 –> 00:13:05,719is what?26500:13:05,719 –> 00:13:07,039That he’ll become arrogant.26600:13:07,039 –> 00:13:10,359And Paul says to Timothy, who’s just a young pastor,26700:13:10,359 –> 00:13:11,179I’ve often wondered,26800:13:11,179 –> 00:13:13,200how in all the world was Timothy supposed to do this?26900:13:13,200 –> 00:13:15,640Command those who are rich.27000:13:15,640 –> 00:13:16,840That’s what the apostle says.27100:13:16,840 –> 00:13:19,359Command those who are rich in the present world27200:13:19,359 –> 00:13:21,599not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth,27300:13:21,599 –> 00:13:22,760which is so uncertain,27400:13:22,760 –> 00:13:24,500but to put their hope in God.27500:13:25,479 –> 00:13:28,320So he says I’m thinking about the destiny of the wicked27600:13:28,320 –> 00:13:31,619and I see that it’s like walking on ice.27700:13:33,159 –> 00:13:34,719You’re going to fall over to their ruin27800:13:34,719 –> 00:13:37,000and then secondly, he says at verse 20,27900:13:37,000 –> 00:13:39,299it’s like waking from a dream.28000:13:39,299 –> 00:13:41,299As a dream, when one awakes,28100:13:41,299 –> 00:13:42,859so when you arise, O Lord,28200:13:42,859 –> 00:13:46,099you will despise them as fantasies.28300:13:47,359 –> 00:13:50,719Now it was Augustine great Christian writer28400:13:50,719 –> 00:13:55,719who speaks about a beggar who has a dream.28500:13:56,719 –> 00:13:57,940He doesn’t expand on it.28600:13:57,940 –> 00:14:00,179Let me try and paint the picture for you.28700:14:00,780 –> 00:14:05,479In the dream, the beggar wins the lottery.28800:14:07,239 –> 00:14:08,880$50 million.28900:14:12,580 –> 00:14:16,780And in his dream he sees the home he will buy.29000:14:18,140 –> 00:14:20,320He sees the car he will drive.29100:14:22,039 –> 00:14:25,320He sees snowmobiles in winter, jetskis in summer.29200:14:25,320 –> 00:14:29,099He sees himself flying first class around the world,29300:14:29,140 –> 00:14:31,419the Taj Mahal, all the wonders of the world29400:14:31,419 –> 00:14:32,260and all the rest of it.29500:14:32,260 –> 00:14:34,419He sees himself cruising the Caribbean.29600:14:34,419 –> 00:14:37,460He’s dining in the finest of the world’s restaurants.29700:14:37,460 –> 00:14:39,700But when he wakes up to his horror,29800:14:39,700 –> 00:14:42,020he realizes it was only a dream.29900:14:43,400 –> 00:14:45,219The reality is he’s a beggar.30000:14:46,780 –> 00:14:47,760He’s a beggar.30100:14:49,619 –> 00:14:51,460Now Asaph saying,30200:14:51,460 –> 00:14:54,260I realized that is the destiny of the wicked.30300:14:54,260 –> 00:14:56,099It’s a terrible thing to contemplate.30400:14:56,719 –> 00:15:01,440Thinking that they have everything, living the dream,30500:15:02,580 –> 00:15:07,119they wake up and find they have nothing, to their horror.30600:15:09,940 –> 00:15:11,419C.S. Lewis puts it this way.30700:15:11,419 –> 00:15:13,539He says, It is to be left utterly30800:15:13,539 –> 00:15:17,900and absolutely outside, repelled, exiled, estranged,30900:15:17,900 –> 00:15:21,359finally and unspeakably ignored.31000:15:22,179 –> 00:15:26,919Now you see, Asaph’s saying, I came into the sanctuary31100:15:28,400 –> 00:15:31,299and that’s where God straightened my thinking out31200:15:31,299 –> 00:15:33,380so that I was able to face life.31300:15:34,700 –> 00:15:36,580It happened as I remembered the truth,31400:15:36,580 –> 00:15:37,780it’s what the ark’s all about,31500:15:37,780 –> 00:15:39,479as I met with God’s people.31600:15:40,820 –> 00:15:43,840And as I contemplated ultimate outcomes.31700:15:45,299 –> 00:15:47,320It began to change my whole perspective,31800:15:47,320 –> 00:15:48,659I began to say to myself,31900:15:48,659 –> 00:15:49,900if that’s the end of the wicked,32000:15:49,900 –> 00:15:51,960why in all the world am I envying them?32100:15:54,640 –> 00:15:56,299And then of course, he contemplated32200:15:56,299 –> 00:15:57,940not only the destiny of the wicked,32300:15:57,940 –> 00:16:00,340but the destiny of the righteous.32400:16:00,340 –> 00:16:01,900Look at verse 24,32500:16:01,900 –> 00:16:05,539you guide me with your counsel and afterward,32600:16:05,539 –> 00:16:08,840you will take me to glory.32700:16:10,020 –> 00:16:11,719Now, one of the commentators here points out32800:16:11,719 –> 00:16:13,239that there’s an interesting parallel32900:16:13,239 –> 00:16:17,179between verse 17 and verse 24.33000:16:17,280 –> 00:16:18,340Look at verse 17,33100:16:18,340 –> 00:16:21,520then I understood their final destiny.33200:16:22,679 –> 00:16:25,500Now, the word translated final destiny33300:16:25,500 –> 00:16:29,479literally means their afterward.33400:16:29,479 –> 00:16:30,919Their afterward.33500:16:32,059 –> 00:16:34,659I understood the afterward of the wicked33600:16:34,659 –> 00:16:35,780and the afterward of the wicked33700:16:35,780 –> 00:16:37,460is that they fall over and they’re ruined33800:16:37,460 –> 00:16:39,539and they wake up and they’re disappointed.33900:16:40,659 –> 00:16:42,880Now, what about the afterward of the righteous?34000:16:42,880 –> 00:16:44,340Well, it’s in verse 2434100:16:44,340 –> 00:16:46,539and translated with precisely that term.34200:16:46,580 –> 00:16:50,700You guide me with your counsel and afterward,34300:16:50,700 –> 00:16:54,799You see the parallel, You will take me into glory.34400:16:54,799 –> 00:16:56,280This is one of the greatest verses34500:16:56,280 –> 00:16:57,520in the whole of the Bible.34600:16:57,520 –> 00:16:59,260It describes the whole Christian life.34700:16:59,260 –> 00:17:00,539You guide me with your counsel,34800:17:00,539 –> 00:17:01,919that’s what God does for us now.34900:17:01,919 –> 00:17:06,420And afterward, You will take me into glory.35000:17:08,020 –> 00:17:13,020What a statement, You will take me into glory.35100:17:13,880 –> 00:17:17,280You never know what’s gonna happen35200:17:17,280 –> 00:17:18,719when the phone rings, right?35300:17:19,719 –> 00:17:24,160Some years ago, I was sitting at my desk in London35400:17:24,160 –> 00:17:26,140and the phone rang.35500:17:26,140 –> 00:17:29,959Hello, said this voice I had never heard before.35600:17:29,959 –> 00:17:33,119My name is John, John White.35700:17:33,119 –> 00:17:34,319You don’t know me?35800:17:34,319 –> 00:17:36,359We’ve never met before.35900:17:36,359 –> 00:17:39,400But my wife and I are going to Israel36000:17:39,400 –> 00:17:41,300and we wonder if you’d like to come.36100:17:42,060 –> 00:17:44,500Sales call.36200:17:46,420 –> 00:17:47,479He continued though.36300:17:49,160 –> 00:17:51,079We’d like to take you, he said,36400:17:51,079 –> 00:17:53,260my wife and I, if you’d like to come.36500:17:54,339 –> 00:17:56,660Sorry, could you say that again?36600:17:58,459 –> 00:18:00,540Well, John and Rosemary belonged to a church36700:18:00,540 –> 00:18:01,760in another part of the country.36800:18:01,760 –> 00:18:03,819I’d never met them before.36900:18:03,819 –> 00:18:06,699They had a great love for Israel37000:18:06,699 –> 00:18:08,900and they had a great love for the preaching of the word.37100:18:08,900 –> 00:18:11,260They had apparently been encouraged unknown37200:18:11,260 –> 00:18:13,739to me by the ministry and they wanted37300:18:13,739 –> 00:18:15,560to give to Karnan and to myself37400:18:15,560 –> 00:18:18,560the opportunity of seeing the land where Jesus walked.37500:18:20,180 –> 00:18:22,099We’ll make all the arrangements, they said.37600:18:22,099 –> 00:18:23,439You’ll just meet us at the airport,37700:18:23,439 –> 00:18:26,079if you’d like to come, we’ll take you with us.37800:18:28,400 –> 00:18:30,719They’re sitting at the end of the phone saying,37900:18:30,719 –> 00:18:31,560sorry, I’d never met this guy.38000:18:31,560 –> 00:18:33,300I’d never spoken to this guy before.38100:18:35,000 –> 00:18:38,239It doesn’t happen every day, by the way, but it happened.38200:18:39,239 –> 00:18:42,359Now John and Rosemary were experienced travelers.38300:18:42,359 –> 00:18:44,160They’d been to Israel several times before.38400:18:44,160 –> 00:18:45,719They knew their way around the country.38500:18:45,719 –> 00:18:47,959They took us to Israel.38600:18:49,500 –> 00:18:50,619They paid for our trip.38700:18:50,619 –> 00:18:53,680And we traveled in their company38800:18:53,680 –> 00:18:57,160and they have become dear, dear friends to this day.38900:18:58,599 –> 00:18:59,839They took us to Israel.39000:19:01,880 –> 00:19:03,939And it says Esau, looking up, as it were,39100:19:03,939 –> 00:19:06,319by faith into the face of God.39200:19:06,319 –> 00:19:11,319He says, you take me to glory.39300:19:13,939 –> 00:19:17,160That means you pay the price of getting me there.39400:19:19,400 –> 00:19:23,439That means that I travel in your company.39500:19:25,319 –> 00:19:28,839That means you are with me every step of the way.39600:19:30,079 –> 00:19:33,380That means when I get to crossing the border39700:19:33,380 –> 00:19:36,079with all its hazards and with all its fears,39800:19:36,479 –> 00:19:39,160you take me into glory.39900:19:41,119 –> 00:19:42,040That’s the future.40000:19:44,839 –> 00:19:46,640And when he takes you into glory,40100:19:46,640 –> 00:19:47,959he’s taking you into the place40200:19:47,959 –> 00:19:51,060with which he is supremely familiar already.40300:19:51,939 –> 00:19:56,420And he will spend eternity showing you its delights40400:19:56,420 –> 00:20:00,040to his joy and to yours.40500:20:01,500 –> 00:20:03,640You get your eyes focused on that destiny,40600:20:03,640 –> 00:20:05,839the whole of life begins to look somewhat different.40700:20:07,000 –> 00:20:12,000Remember God’s truth, meet with God’s people,40800:20:12,380 –> 00:20:15,119consider ultimate outcomes.40900:20:16,619 –> 00:20:19,640When I tried to understand all this41000:20:19,640 –> 00:20:24,640it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary.41100:20:27,000 –> 00:20:29,140Then I understood their final destiny.41200:20:31,359 –> 00:20:33,280So to wrap it up here’s where we’ve come.41300:20:33,280 –> 00:20:34,880Remember it’s a five-point turn41400:20:34,880 –> 00:20:37,680and there’s more to follow.41500:20:37,680 –> 00:20:40,719We’re at the second point of a five-point turn41600:20:41,699 –> 00:20:43,939but boy Asaph’s already well on the way.41700:20:44,959 –> 00:20:46,560This is what he wants us to know.41800:20:47,560 –> 00:20:49,780Let me tell you my story he says.41900:20:51,000 –> 00:20:52,599I was facing these problems,42000:20:52,599 –> 00:20:53,920my mind was confused.42100:20:53,920 –> 00:20:55,760I’m going round and round and round.42200:20:55,760 –> 00:20:57,800I almost gave up.42300:20:59,520 –> 00:21:01,719I couldn’t even see the point of continuing42400:21:01,719 –> 00:21:04,359to pursue a godly life.42500:21:04,359 –> 00:21:09,339At that time, I had to stop42600:21:09,339 –> 00:21:11,640and I had to think.42700:21:13,459 –> 00:21:15,719And I found I couldn’t do it on my own.42800:21:17,520 –> 00:21:19,540It was oppressive to me.42900:21:19,540 –> 00:21:23,500I got nowhere till I entered the Sanctuary of God.43000:21:25,199 –> 00:21:26,640And I remembered God’s truth.43100:21:28,119 –> 00:21:29,680I met with God’s people.43200:21:30,920 –> 00:21:33,380It changed the way I was thinking43300:21:33,420 –> 00:21:36,339and that’s where God opened my mind43400:21:36,339 –> 00:21:38,739and I saw the afterword of the wicked43500:21:40,640 –> 00:21:42,140and the afterword of the godly.43600:21:43,760 –> 00:21:45,060Now thinking to myself,43700:21:45,060 –> 00:21:46,939I actually thought it wasn’t worth it?43800:21:49,180 –> 00:21:50,719It changed my whole perspective.43900:21:50,719 –> 00:21:52,640It got my thinking straight.44000:21:54,680 –> 00:21:56,780Made it possible for me to go out into the world44100:21:56,780 –> 00:22:00,000and to face the realities of life.44200:22:00,000 –> 00:22:01,619You’ve been listening to Open the Bible44300:22:01,619 –> 00:22:03,300with Pastor Colin Smith.44400:22:03,339 –> 00:22:05,239And a message called Think.44500:22:05,239 –> 00:22:07,739Part of our series, I almost gave up.44600:22:07,739 –> 00:22:09,400If you ever miss one of the series,44700:22:09,400 –> 00:22:11,219don’t forget you can always come online44800:22:11,219 –> 00:22:14,719to our website, OpenTheBible.org.uk44900:22:14,939 –> 00:22:16,300and there, you’ll find all the messages45000:22:16,339 –> 00:22:18,260which have already gone out on-air.45100:22:18,260 –> 00:22:20,780You can also find them as a podcast45200:22:20,780 –> 00:22:22,859and those are on all of the main podcast sites45300:22:22,859 –> 00:22:24,300search for Open the Bible45400:22:24,500 –> 00:22:26,459and subscribe if you want to receive45500:22:26,459 –> 00:22:27,819regular reminders.45600:22:28,219 –> 00:22:30,500Also on our website and available as a podcast,45700:22:30,500 –> 00:22:32,239Open the Bible daily—45800:22:32,640 –> 00:22:36,000a series of short two to three-minute daily reflections45900:22:36,020 –> 00:22:39,119based on Pastor Colin’s teaching read in the U.K.46000:22:39,119 –> 00:22:41,339by Sue McLeish.46100:22:41,500 –> 00:22:44,699Open the Bible is broadcast and available online46200:22:44,699 –> 00:22:46,959as a result of the generous donations46300:22:46,959 –> 00:22:48,939made by our listeners.46400:22:48,939 –> 00:22:51,000So if you already give to support the work46500:22:51,000 –> 00:22:54,199of Open the Bible, we want to thank you so much.46600:22:54,199 –> 00:22:56,479If you’re considering giving to support46700:22:56,479 –> 00:22:58,359Open the Bible in that way,46800:22:58,359 –> 00:23:00,119this month if you’re able to set up46900:23:00,260 –> 00:23:04,680a new direct debit in the amount of £5 per month or more47000:23:04,680 –> 00:23:07,719or a one-off gift of £50 or more,47100:23:07,719 –> 00:23:09,339we’d love to say thank you.47200:23:09,339 –> 00:23:11,359Here’s Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham47300:23:11,359 –> 00:23:13,479to tell you about our offer this month.47400:23:13,479 –> 00:23:14,900Thanks David!47500:23:14,900 –> 00:23:17,199I really love this book.47600:23:17,199 –> 00:23:19,959I know that might be a strange thing to say47700:23:19,959 –> 00:23:22,239about a book on grief but47800:23:22,239 –> 00:23:25,599I have recommended this book to so many people.47900:23:25,599 –> 00:23:27,160The first time I read it,48000:23:27,160 –> 00:23:29,920I was blessed to not be struggling with grief48100:23:29,920 –> 00:23:33,599but I found it so helpful because it is unique48200:23:33,599 –> 00:23:35,479in that it was written off the back48300:23:35,479 –> 00:23:38,800of Colin counseling grieving couples in Church.48400:23:38,800 –> 00:23:41,260And so, it is full of biblical wisdom48500:23:41,260 –> 00:23:44,319and encouragement from the Book of Lamentations48600:23:44,319 –> 00:23:47,280but it’s also full of practical suggestions48700:23:47,280 –> 00:23:49,479from those couples he counseled.48800:23:49,479 –> 00:23:52,280What is a helpful and helpful thing to say48900:23:52,280 –> 00:23:54,319to someone going through grief?49000:23:54,319 –> 00:23:57,560How do we encourage people in their grief from the Bible49100:23:57,560 –> 00:24:00,099but without dismissing their pain?49200:24:00,099 –> 00:24:03,520And if you are grieving then I hope you will be able49300:24:03,520 –> 00:24:07,199to see from this book that you are not alone in your pain49400:24:07,199 –> 00:24:09,219and that there is hope.49500:24:09,219 –> 00:24:11,540So, whether you’d like to read this book49600:24:11,540 –> 00:24:13,520because you’re struggling with grief49700:24:13,520 –> 00:24:15,900or like me, because you would like to think49800:24:15,900 –> 00:24:19,180through how to better support someone in their grief,49900:24:19,180 –> 00:24:22,359I can’t recommend this book highly enough.50000:24:22,359 –> 00:24:24,800We would love to send you a free copy50100:24:24,800 –> 00:24:27,140when you set up a new direct debit50200:24:27,199 –> 00:24:29,420of at least five pounds per month50300:24:29,420 –> 00:24:32,839or give a one-off gift of at least 50 pounds.50400:24:32,839 –> 00:24:36,459We’ll also be including five specially-designed postcards50500:24:36,459 –> 00:24:38,920with a verse from Psalm 23,50600:24:38,920 –> 00:24:42,500ideal for sending to a friend for encouragement.50700:24:42,500 –> 00:24:44,119And if you would like to know50800:24:44,119 –> 00:24:46,619what other resources we have on grief,50900:24:46,619 –> 00:24:51,619do visit our website at openthebible.org.uk51000:24:51,900 –> 00:24:56,219and scroll down until you see our section on grief.51100:24:56,280 –> 00:24:57,199Thanks Amanda.51200:24:57,199 –> 00:24:59,420And you can find full terms and conditions51300:24:59,420 –> 00:25:03,500and you can give online at our website opens thebible.org.uk51400:25:05,800 –> 00:25:08,239For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,51500:25:08,239 –> 00:25:09,459I’m David Pick.51600:25:09,459 –> 00:25:12,599I hope you’ll join us again soon for Open the Bible.51700:25:19,800 –> 00:25:22,180You go to church and you read your Bible,51800:25:22,180 –> 00:25:25,660but, how do you know if you’ve really grasped the truth?51900:25:25,660 –> 00:25:28,079Find out next time on Open the Bible.