 Okay, there we go. All right, so This is in general true. Okay, so in general I remember thinking, you know in my youth I would listen to my my grandpa talk about you know World War two and some of the things that happened that you know this this farm kid who who got sent to the South Pacific and Saw some of these I mean I remember these stories and even you know up to the final years before he died Just remembering man, you know, what's gonna happen in my life? I mean, I can't imagine being in that type of situation You know, what's gonna happen in my life? You know, there's nothing that's ever come even close to that for me You know but turn to Daniel chapter 11 the Bible teaches, you know That there may be historic times and that historic times for the Christian should be great times and and will be Great times for certain people. What type of people turn to Daniel chapter 11? Would you give up prosperity? Here's a question for you. Would you give up prosperity for living in historic times? Would you as a believer would you give that up? Would you and not that you will have a choice, but you know, would you trade those two things? I bet you most Christians would not But look at what the Bible says now Daniel chapter 10 and Daniel chapter 11 are some of the most cryptic prophecy in the Bible some of the You know the the prophecy that's in there has dual meanings for what was happening at that time And then what would happen in the end times, but one thing is clear look at Daniel chapter 11 in verse number 45 The Bible does say this in verse number 40 I'm sorry the Bible says in Daniel 11 verse 40 and at the time of the end Shall the king of the south push at him and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind With chariots and horsemen and with many ships and he shall enter into countries and shall overflow and pass over So there's this big prophecy in Daniel chapter 10 Daniel chapter 11 about this these kings and what's going to happen And look but it has a dual meaning as for as far as what was happening then and what's going to happen when? At the time of the end so there's a dual prophecy in Daniel chapter 11 here now look back at verse 32 of Daniel chapter 11 you say what does this have to do with what we're talking about? You know I mean the king of the north and the king of the south it applies to the Medo person Empire at times But also to the end times as we see in verse number 45 during the time of the end Specifically talks about the abomination of desolation. There was also a dual prophecy there It's happened once before in in history and it's going to happen again at the time of the end look at verse 32 Go back to verse 31 of Daniel chapter 11 and arms shall stand on his part And they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength and they shall take away the daily sacrifice and they shall place the abomination that make it desolate and Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flattery's but the people that do know their God Shall be strong and do exploits so the point being this you know This is talking specifically about the abomination of desolation which happened You know once again once before in history where a man came into the sanctuary declared himself to be God and You know polluted the sanctuary that's going to happen again with the antichrist in the end times the Bible says But look at what it says that the Christians do that certain Christians will do by the way It says the people that do know their God Shall be strong and what and do exploits so the Bible here is saying that there's certain people There's certain saved people. They're gonna do great things during this horrible historic time Okay, and boy, it's not gonna be everybody. It's look if you're saved God knows you we'll talk about that tonight But if you know God if you study the Bible if you are living the Christian life That's what it's talking about. It's talking about the people who are spiritually strong. They're gonna do great things In these historic times you know talking to my my wife the other night just a few nights ago and We were talking about you know, I wonder if things will ever settle back You know kind of the way that you know, they used to be you know a year ago or a year and a half ago You know, we were talking about you know, when's this thing all gonna be the way things have changed so much? When's it gonna, you know settle back was this just a preview was it just kind of a preview and it's gonna settle back into the way Things were you know, I mean I tend to think want to think like that in my own mind And maybe I'm an optimist whatever but look I'm thinking maybe not You know, I obviously don't know but I'm thinking maybe not I mean some things that I'm seeing that maybe I'll mention in a few weeks time That I'm seeing some things now that I never thought I would see in my lifetime Some things as far as you know people Requiring things and people just getting really strange all around us out in the world I never thought that I would see this, you know, it's possible that the things You know, maybe we're just headed down a slide Towards, you know the times of the end at this point Yeah, but you know, it is possible that it's just a preview, but maybe things are just this is just where it's gonna go You know for this nation, okay, but if that be the case If that be the case, you're like this is depressing Right, I mean it's not going to go back to normal and all this, you know crazy You know control over our lives and all this kind of stuff This is going to be the new norm and he's like that's depressing Well, first of all, whether it's the end times or the end of the beginning of the end for just our nation or whatever The point is that for the people that do know their God This is a time where you can do great things and you will do great things the Bible says look just understand That that Baruch he was hiding He was running. I mean there there were the king of the nation was after him and Jeremiah I mean he was pretty much like living a life completely in danger at this point and But look what he did Look what he did. He carried. He literally was the one. I mean, he's in the Bible. Hello, you know He's in the Bible. None of us here are gonna be in the Bible ever no matter what we do The man's in the Bible and the man's in the Bible as the man that God chose to write down his words and not only write down His words but deliver that message to the nation not just the king the entire nation the Bible says So look this man did great exploits for the world for the for the Lord He was living in historic times so no matter what happens with us if if this is if things never go back to normal and We are living in historic times no matter the more historic it gets the better it is Because that means there's more opportunity for the people that do know their God. I want to know my God. Don't you I? Mean that is the opportunity here, you know, maybe it's not going to be a great time for prosperity But you know what if you do know your God, it's gonna be a great time for you Because you're gonna have great opportunities You know you're gonna have great opportunities I mean forget, you know the war stories forget all the you know The the historical things that maybe people in your family has done you can do great exploits for the Lord in historic times So be looking for those things and you know what know your God Know your God, and you'll recognize Those moments and then not only will you recognize them, but you'll you'll carry them out You'll carry out those actions The second thing about Baruch this morning the second thing was this you know, he was the man of God's right-hand man That's pretty good. Turn to Hebrews chapter 10 Baruch was the right-hand man To the man of God It's more proof that you know even Jeremiah. It's more proof that there's no one that can go this thing alone There's no one not even Jeremiah think about it Look at verse 23 of Hebrews chapter 10 we read Hebrews 10 25 all the time But I think we should always read these three verses whenever we read Hebrews 10 25 because look at these three verses they put the whole thought together these three verses look at verse 20 or verse 23 of Hebrews 10 let us hold fast The profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised verse 24 and let us consider one another To provoke unto love and to good works and then verse 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is But exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching Look really as much as we read Hebrews 25 about coming to church and not forsaking church and things like that We should always be reading these three verses together Why because look it's in the context of living our faith without wavering verse 23 It's in the context of how do you live? Hey, how do you live a life without wavering? How do I live this Christian life without wavering? There's all this stuff that the Bible is telling me is going to come at me all the time I don't want to waver you want to waver how many people do you see that waiver a lot of people waiver I Don't want to waiver. Okay. How do I not waiver by provoking one another verse 24 One way to not waiver is like, you know, I don't know provoking one another can you provoke one another by yourself in your house? No You can't so you provoke one another verse 24 by supporting one another. How do you do that by gathering together verse 25? It's just a great three verses that should come together all the time, but it shows us it shows us how important support is How important, you know, not just the assembly but support To not wavering in the faith. Look, you're gonna be in hard times. You can want to do exploits You can't waiver. I mean, you can't be a person that's like, I don't know if I want to do that Oh, that might happen. I you want me to go read this. Are you kidding me? You hear what that says? Don't mean to read that the king's gonna find out Are you crazy? You can't waver. There's no wavering if you're gonna do exploits. There's no wavering. It can't be on the table So you want to not waver. How do you do that provoke one another support one another? How do you gather together? That's Hebrews 10 hold fast Hold fast and then you'll hold fast a profession of your faith without wavering So what Barack was supporting Jeremiah? Jeremiah was in trouble. He couldn't he couldn't go places He was he was being locked up. He was being thrown in pits and he needed he needed support He couldn't just walk around freely Barack, you know, hey, could you put yourself in danger for me? No problem Look, there's going to need to be support For I mean look in this case. I mean, I think a lot of times people think that the man of God is just like Oh, you know, he's the pastor He's the pastor. I mean pastor. He managed I mean Look at that guy super strong faith super strong Christian like what could he ever need for me? He needs your support Your pastor needs your support. You know, I mean look here's the thing. He's a person Here's the thing. He I mean you think you get attacked You think you get attacked look at the man of God what he's going through here You think you're under attack or maybe people are coming at you or whatever. I mean think of the man of God Look they look Jeremiah needed support and Barack was there to do it So he was supporting the man of God He was the right hand man of the man of God lesson number three And this is the main lesson that I want to bring up from Baruch this morning Is I want to talk about this idea of waiting on the Lord? Look things I mean Think about this man Things were not going well here after the first role was read. It was received badly by the king They were hunted and then God was like hey, just do that all over again Just go ahead and just do that and you're just like The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, right? I mean, can you imagine that's the human logic thinking about this? Okay, God you want me to do it again? Probably the same thing is going to happen except worse But he did he just did it There was not a word in the Bible that he questioned a single thing. He just did what God told him So look sometimes the point is here is sometimes doing what you're supposed to do Might here Sometimes doing what you're supposed to do Might produce results that are not favorable favorable for you personally You're like what? Like what sometimes doing what the Bible says to do might mean you get less money Sometimes doing what you're supposed to do might mean that you're less successful In the things that the world would consider success. I mean, it's kind of anti prosperity gospel there But look, this is the difference between you know persecution and tribulation by the way Tribulation is you know, it's other people coming at you because of what you're supposed to do You're doing what you're supposed to do. Let me take a work for example guys It work, you know everything at work, you know, you're like I work really hard I work like I'm working for Christ and all this look things that work may not always go for you Positive because you do all those things Things at work may you know just because you work hard doesn't mean that you know Everything's always going to be great for you out in the world. Why because there's bad people. That's why Because there's bad people out there. Some people just aren't going to like that you're different Some people might hate the fact that you're different for the reasons that you're different Look, that's that's where the prosperity gospel goes all wrong. It's the people factor It's the sinner factor Right, I mean, and that's and it's not just work. That's life. That's the Christian life Sometimes doing what the Bible says you're supposed to do is going to hurt you personally But will you waiver? You know the prosperity gospel would be at least closer to the truth if you didn't have other people to deal with But we're all sinners even say people are sinners So first the first thing you say, well, what do I do? You say, what do I do turn to Romans chapter 5? See, what do I do? I'm doing what I'm supposed to do and things are getting worse for me It's like what well first of all the Bible never promised you that was Joel Osteen that promised you those things Okay, the Bible never promised you that if you live the Christian life and you follow the Bible and you love God and you follow the Commandments that it's just gonna be great all the time Doesn't that that's not a promise you're given Look at so the first thing you're gonna need I'm gonna give you some tools this morning the first tool the first wrench that you need to put in your belt is this Look at Romans 5 3 and not only so but we glory in tribulations also this tribulation is the world Coming at us for what we believe and what we do Knowing the tribulation work at patience the first thing you're gonna need is patience Okay, and I'll turn to Psalm 37 you have to have patience And I'm gonna show you how to use That patience and we'll look at Barak and we'll see that that's what he did We'll get Psalm 37 in verse number seven. So look you have to have patience Okay, you have to have patience why I'm gonna explain it to you look look at Psalm 37 in verse number seven The Bible says this it says rest in the Lord and Wait patiently for him Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass Seize from anger and forsake wrath fret not thyself in any wise to do evil for evil doers shall be cut off But those who wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth now. There's a lot here I mean, there's some very specific steps here There's some very specific Direction here first of all, you know the Bible says don't get angry about it It says patiently wait look at verse number seven. It says wait patiently for him and and it says don't fret What does that mean? It says don't worry It says okay things aren't going well things aren't going well. What am I supposed to do be patient and don't worry about it? that's the first thing so just don't worry about it and Be patient meaning I'm going to wait Being I'm not going to go make rash decisions and I'm not going to go try to you know Go outside and like pretend like this thing isn't going to be solved by God and start just doing things my own way I'm going to just I'm going to wait patiently That's number one and number two. I'm not going to worry while I'm waiting I'm not going to worry about it. Look When you're going through bad times as a Christian you just have to know look you just have to know and I don't know look I'm I don't know why people who who are who are Christians that know their God Miss this But you got to remember that God is still in this thing. I Mean what in the world? God is still here. God is still on the throne God is still in control keep doing what you're supposed to be doing and in acting the way you're supposed to act Look at that. He says that too verse 8 and verse 9 This is what it's talking about it says hey while you're waiting it says don't worry while you're waiting and then Do keep doing what you're supposed to be doing Don't go get worldly Don't go start making your own decisions. Don't don't look just know it might be a while It might be a while you may look you might have to rewrite the scroll You might have to reread the scroll and then you might have to rewrite it again And again and again. I mean whatever you might have to do it again and again So so what to do while being patient? Well, you know, here's the thing. What's the first part of the whole thing? Look at verse 7 rest in the Lord. What does that mean? It doesn't mean take a nap. Okay, look Here's what it means. Here's what rest in the Lord means. I always tell myself in situations like this And look, I don't always do the right thing, you know, I'm a sinner just like the rest of you But I'm pretty good at this one. I'm pretty good at this one. I always tell myself. All right I'm just gonna do the right thing. God has this I'm gonna do the right thing. I just need to sustain. I just need to pull back to the fortress What does that mean? That's what rest in the Lord means. It means you pull back to that spiritual life It's like, I don't know what's going on out here I'm gonna pull back to the fortress and I'm gonna get this spiritual life going I'm gonna make sure that I'm holding on patiently. I'm gonna rest in the Lord I'm gonna focus more on the right. What does it say? It says rest. It doesn't say rest. It says rest in the Lord It means fire up your spiritual life It means pull back to that spiritual fortress. It means start doing the things that you're supposed to be doing even more That's your fortress. That's your walls But you know what? Here's the thing people tend rest in the Lord verse 7 is exactly the opposite of verse 8 and verse 9 it's saying rest in the Lord don't go that way But that's isn't that what people do? Isn't that what people do? I mean pastor will tell you this anybody's been in the ministry for years and years and years We'll tell you this people get out of church and people you know They quit the spiritual life when you know major, you know bad things happen in their life Or things aren't going well or whatever. It's like God. I'll love you as long as you make me rich I mean, well who the who in the world are you? I mean some some friend you are you know, I mean some some some loving you know child you are Dad I'll love you as long as you keep giving me stuff every day But that's what people do and when things go south they're verse 8 and verse 9 They just start doing evil and they start going the way of the world and start doing things their own way And that that's what Psalm 37 is telling you not to do here It's telling you don't don't go that way. It's saying look it's saying rest in the Lord. It says seize from anger For sake wrath Look, that's what that's what people in the world do they get angry and they say stuff and they fire back at people and they They get in the flesh and they just start tearing each other apart like don't don't be like that or or you're gonna get treated like that It says or you know for even evil doers shall be cut off Look at saying look you don't want to be under the chastisement of the Lord when you're going through hard times You want to be patiently waiting on him and resting in him. That's what Psalm 37 is talking about here You know so times are tough times are tough. I'm gonna quit church You know, I'm gonna quit soul winning. I'm gonna quit the spiritual life is exactly the wrong direction It's exactly the opposite of resting in the Lord. You know get in the Bible more soul win more You know get to church more When things are going bad you say but things aren't getting better, but do it more than I Mean God is still there you will be tempted to go worldly That's what Psalm 37 is warning you against but look God likes to see us holding on patiently You ever think about that And here's another thought if you can't be patient and you prove that when times get a little tough for you You know, you're not gonna rewrite the scroll You're gonna complain and you're gonna quit serving the Lord and you're gonna quit being a person that knows his God And you're gonna quit doing these things. You know what? I think you're probably gonna be your patience is probably gonna be tested a little bit more Until you can get it right So look proved to God that you can be patient Proved it because look what you know what you're doing. You're showing that you have faith in him You're showing that you're how you have faith that he's just got total control. I mean, who are you? Who am I? I mean, you know prove that you can wait on the Lord and you can be loyal to the Lord through tough times Turn to Jeremiah chapter 45 Psalm 37 is is those three verses. I mean highlight those verses for hard times in your life pull back Pull back and go harder for the Lord in those times in your life And you know what let me let me tell you something and I don't know how you know how old I have to get But I've got so many examples in my life And this is coming from a guy who when he was in his 20s would have told you that you know what? You know, you just got to kind of find your own way and you know God's not gonna step in and do look this is coming from somebody who used to think that way look God's in control of this thing You do what you're supposed to do. You just have some patience and I mean God can send a car 10 minutes behind you When you're in a perilous situation God can work all that stuff out And you won't even see it when I told brother Johannes this yesterday. You won't even see it until you're looking back on it You won't see it until you're looking back on it. You'd be like, oh, yeah, that's what he was doing there It's so many times you'll see that but patiently wait on the Lord and you rest in that fortress of your spiritual life Jeremiah chapter 45 through it all through it all Baruch Remained faithful. He stayed by Jeremiah's side. He was patient. He rested in the Lord. He never wavered Look at actually go back to Jeremiah 43 Then he gets kidnapped into Egypt with Jeremiah I mean just gets thrown under the bus for even being around this Jeremiah guy But he never wavered one bit look at Jeremiah 43 look at verse 3 But Baruch the son of niraya Set the again on against us for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans that they might put us to death and carry Us away captives in a Babylon. They blame him Of course the guy that reads the bad news is always going to get blamed right don't shoot the messenger That's exactly what they're doing here. Okay, look at verse 4 So Johan and the son of Korea and all the captains of the forces and the people obeyed not the voice of the Lord to dwell in the land of Judah But Johan and the son of Korea and the captains of the forces took all the remnant of Judah that were returned from all nations Really, they've been driven to dwell in the land of Judah even men and women and children and the king's daughters and every person that never Never could career Dan the captain of the guard had left with get a lie The son of hyacin the son of Shefan in Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of niraya So they came into the land of Egypt for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord thus they came even to Taffanese So look remember this go back to Jeremiah 45 now Remember this through all your trials Through all your trials all your hard times like how did it end for for Baruch? You know look God responded to him God responded to Baruch. You mean He did what he was told he just got hated and hunted and kidnapped for it Look at Jeremiah 45 verse number two Look God address now now God addresses him personally by name. Okay. I mean God talked to him personally called him out by name in the Bible thus sayeth the Lord the God of Israel unto thee O Baruch Thou did say woe is me now for the Lord I've added grief to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and I find no rest look Baruch is having a hard time He's in a hard place and he was sorrowful and then grief got added to it Thou shalt say unto him the Lord sayeth thus behold that which I have built I will break down and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land and Seekest thou great things for thyself seek them not For behold I will bring evil upon all flesh sayeth the Lord, but thy life Will I give unto thee for a prey in all places with a thou goest like he said all the destruction that is coming God says I will protect you Baruch He's like through all of the punishment that I am bringing down upon this nation He addresses this man personally and God says I will spare you Do you think I mean do you think God would have done that if Baruch would not have remained faithful He's saying like I mean you don't think that saved people were killed through this whole captivity Look the it's I mean most of the people I would think in the nation were saved They just weren't doing the right things and they all they all died or a lot of them died the majority of them died But he told Baruch. He's like because he remained faithful. I will spare you He stayed by Jeremiah's side no matter what so the point is this if we remain faithful if we remain faithful through look through the exploits, I mean the exploits are not like You know easy things in easy times You know, I mean, that's why that's why nations by the way That's why nations by the way that are just you know super prosperous and times are all good You know like the last 50 or 60 years maybe of this country. That's why nations go downhill so fast in hard times Because it's it's the in easy times. Sorry, but it's the hard times that bring out the exploits in the Christians It's that it's that when you read, you know the martyr's mirror of the Christians being murdered and tortured is When you see the the great exploits and the people getting saved and I mean you I mean I've heard it said before and I believe it reading throughout history. You want it you want to get Baptist fired up start killing them Then you're gonna see the exploits But that was Baruch and if we remain faithful through that Well, I mean God willing. I mean, can you imagine if you were put in a situation where you could do exploits and you're just like nah You wavered what a disappointment. I Mean, can you imagine if you're put in a situation where you had to make a decision? It's either the Lord or you know Prosperity or whatever you think in your own mind that means and you choose prosperity You choose, you know man and over God. I Mean what a disappointment that must be but look that you're gonna you're not you know God doesn't promise to spare you in those cases I mean that's Psalm 37 So do exploits, but you it's gonna take someone that won't waver to do those exploits and patient It's gonna take patience because you don't know how long it's gonna take it took Baruch There's no indication that he ever had a great life here Might take your whole life Maybe your whole life is somebody like Baruch who just is just gonna do exploits and is just gonna he's just gonna Patiently wait on the Lord his whole life And you may patiently wait for years and years maybe your whole life, but guess what in the end You know God's gonna reward you for that And God look God is with us the whole way and he was with Baruch the whole way and he will Respond to you if you patiently wait on him and that is the lesson of the life of Baruch somebody that maybe you've read in the Bible and you're just like all right Who's this guy just some helper no this was a great man who did great exploits in his life And he he did not waver in the face of in the face of the most Serious opposition in his life. That's another thing the opposition that we face today What what is that? What is that even? It's nothing compared to what these these men went through without wavering in their life Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer your heavenly father I thank you for this morning and thank you for the fact that we could gather here together and learn about This great man in the Bible who was there by Jeremiah's side and I thank you for Baruch and I thank you for putting him beside Jeremiah that this message could be delivered to not only You know the nation of Judah but also to us that we could we could take from this and learn What it would take and to to not waver in in great historical times where we love you and we ask that you Bless the rest of today in Jesus name. Amen I Let's go our song books and sing some books to him number 45 Hit number 45 when I can't read my title clear Hit number 45. Let's sing it out on that first verse when I can read my title clear to mansions in the skies I've been farewell to every fear and why my weeping eyes and Why my weeping eyes and why my weeping eyes I'll be farewell to every fear and why my weeping On the second verse Shut against my soul Engage and firing darts be her Then I can't smile at Satan's rage and face a frowning world face a frowning world And face a frowning world Then I can't smile at Satan's rage and face a frowning world Let cares of deluge come and storms of sorrow Fall reach my home my god my heaven my god my heaven my oh May reach my home my god my heaven my Okay, number 45 when I can read my title clear. Let's see it all on the last verse. There shall I bathe Seas of heavenly rest and across my peaceful breast Across my peaceful breath across my peaceful breast And a bone row across my peaceful breast Great singing let's bow our heads and end the service with the word of prayer The heavenly father think for today. Thank you for lunch. Alina's come back to church or hear your word Lord Um, I just pray that you help us think about the sermon about what? Burg dead Lord. He spread the word Thank love for today. I just pray for the fellowship and a soul willing to come and Jesus pressure name I say this amen