R617 Removing the Handcuffs, Pt 4

Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Encouraging Word teaching the Bible-based printing of Dr. Don Wilton all about removing handcuffs. This is no Houdini trick.

This is no magic trick. This is the reality of God, ready to break you free of things that are holding you back right now Dr. Don Wilton is our teacher here on The Encouraging Word broadcasting these next few moments taking us to the book of Exodus chapter 34. As we continue this series on removing the handcuffs discovering every single day opportunities we have to take a look at even some of the handcuffs were put on by somebody else or some that we put on ourselves to know how we can break free. God's help.

Pray with you about your situation. If you'd like to pray with us were here at 866-899-WORD all the time 24 hours a day, 866899673. We love to connect now the handcuffs you know there is so much in this life, which I'm deeply grateful. I really am as an individual as a father the husband was a friend of the pasta is a lot of things that I'm grateful for, but I do know that I am bound by a lot of things. All of us all. I don't know if you've heard people use this phrase as well. That's just the way I am. I've even heard people say well I was born that way if I could use a gambling phrase which I don't like but that's what it's all about. Some people would use the phrase will that's just the hand, are being built with that's what I have to deal with the kind of fatalistic acceptance of one's own minds. You know, I guess I was born to die of heart trouble you not guess I was born to be an angry person. I guess I was born to live out an alternative lifestyle. I guess I was just born to be selfish, you know that's just the way that I am and then somehow into the scheme of things we discover because people tell us how mother's talents are brothers and sister tell us friends tell us that actually the way that we all is just black dad around mother or grandparent or somebody in our family and Amina since I know this is hard for us to understand when we say we where that is bad pride. You know that me tell you the flag that I fly look, I know that I bought a short fuse. I have a real bad temper, but guess what my dad is like that that's what we do. Attitudes like that if you may. People with bad attitudes. Bad attitudes.

I've heard people say well you know my father always grumbled and moaned.

So I grumble and moan. That's just part that's often that's often don't worry about and we wear these things as as in a sense is kind of the flag that we fly and there is in a sense, we are proud of our badness. We are proud about pain sometimes and especially if we can attribute that to somebody else in our family that we love very much. It's like worry dad, I know you had a temper.

I promise you I'm going to have a bad temper and by George I'm going to make sure your grandson has one as well. You know that don't you worry about a thing you know, I know you with the most selfish person in the world but worry I've got it all in the control I'm selfish to make sure your grandchildren grow up selfish, you know that you had a bad attitude to most things in life and don't worry about a thing. I'm also going to have a bad attitude and what I'm going to do is I'm in a do everything I can divorce on the bed attitude so we can keep up. The family tradition. I know that that sounds ridiculous, but the bottom line is that all of us find ourselves bound.

Here's the good news.

God says that we don't have to live that way, but friends I struggled with that because this is something it would seem to me, that's easier said than done. Don't you think how do I break this thing that has been handcuffs. How do I stop losing my temper. How do I undergo an attitude adjustment. How do I alter the pack and then there are things that don't really need medically, you see, God provides for my needs and all my needs. It means that there is no exception. God is going to take care of me physically as much is he going to take care of me emotionally as much as he's going to take care of me spiritually. So what happens if I have prostate problems and the chances that I'm going to die of prostate cancer, and my father did, and my grandfather and my great grandfather and are you telling me that I can break the cycle. Are you talking about some kind of psychic healing role some kind of something that's supposed to happen. What does God mean when he said I will heal you and make you whole. Can we break the cycle well let's read together.

We're in Exodus chapter 34 and verse five trust by the end of the 678 910 weeks that were in this passage that God has written this in our hearts as a scripture for life. Then the Lord came down in the cloud. He stood there with Moses and proclaimed his name. I am who I am and I am who I am lost in front of Moses proclaiming I am who I am Moses, are you listening I am who I am.

I am the compassionate and gracious God, I am slow to anger. I am abounding in love.

I am abounding in faithfulness. I am the one who maintains love to thousands.

I am the one who forgives wickedness, rebellion and sin.

Yet I am the one who does not believe the guilty unpunished.

I am the one who punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. Goodness me Lord, how can these things be. Are you telling me Lord that you are the one who is going to allow me to carry the handcuffs across generations. It's called Sage.

I'm going to allow that to happen. Never nameplate you don't seem to understand how serious I am about this thing called sin.

You don't seem to understand that I'm not playing games. You don't mean seem to understand who I am and we discovered that there are two issues that we've got a deal with even before we deal with the practical issue number one we never going to remove the handcuffs if we don't understand and accept God's foundational principle that was the first thing a massive subject. The second thing we began to look at together that we will never remove the handcuffs unless we know God is what God is saying heresies list.

He says listen before you can even begin to apply those practical dynamics in your life you need to understand who I am and so we begun to look at this passage because God tells about well he tells us that he is compassionate, he tells us. Second of all that he is gracious. He tells us that he is slow to anger, he tells us, not before that he is love and that his love about it is overflowing and when he tells us about abounding love. What's he saying he's telling me that he deals with me lovingly. He tells me that he provides for me completely. He tells me that he identifies with me objectively, but there's a thing that God says about himself. During this passage we go to listen to this God say is that he is faithful. I am faithful. He says it right there in this passage, he says in verse six he says I am the Lord, I am gone and I am abounding in love and I am abounding in faithfulness and what does it mean that God is faithful. We saw this last week. It means first of all that God's life does not change any of God's life does not change, it means that God's position doesn't change, it means that God's existence doesn't try. It means that God's stuff. Sometimes it means that God's creation doesn't change.

God is announcing to people like you and me.

He saying that some people I know that I've made you and you have send against me. There are consequences for your sin, you better sit up and take note of who I am because if you don't take note of who I am here on your own you going to be out there paddling your own good mood. I want you to know you better your own community here in serious trouble and the only way in which I'm going to be able to drive the engine of your life is if you capitulate and dictate and come to terms with who I am.

I want you to know that I'm faithful and because I'm faithful what I mean by that is that my life was locked change.

There's a second component of the beast. Faithfulness not only does God's life change, but bonds character does not change.

Now frameless. We might change you may change, but God never changes that when God says in his word am Lord, I am the Lord, what is God saying to us. He is making an announcement that his name the Lord God is far more than just a label.

It's far more than daunting or Steve or Eddie or Sam. He says my name is not just a label. My name is the revelation of who I am in relation to my connection to the heart of mankind.

What God is saying here, my friends, is that on moral character is changeless heat God's character. This means that he's name is in itself not just simply a description about God, but it is a ration of his own existence. When God says I am the Lord. I am the Lord. He is making a declaration concerning his eternal stranger fullness. He is giving to you and me a reminder that he has life in himself when God says I am the Lord God, what is he doing he is telling us that what he is now. He is always the son what I love the God is I'm in trouble because I don't mean to be going to somebody's changing his mind all the time listening to Dr. Don Wilton will be back with more of today's message on moving the handcuffs just a moment. You know those handcuffs need keys. It is Dr. Don is mentioned on more than one occasion, the most powerful Kiwi habits God's word Scripture itself, and if you're not spending some time on a daily basis.

Let me offer a resource. It's the most popular resource for over a decade now with The Encouraging Word it's absently free.

You can either sign up for email or a hard copy of the daily Encouraging Word with Dr. Don Wilton. It's actually a quarterly three months worth and the hard copy request that you can sign up on our website@twonline.org that's TEW online.org sign up for the physical copy or you can also sign up for the email that's online@tewonline.org sign up today and within 24 to 48 hours will be receiving this email every morning about 6 o'clock in the morning to help you not only understand got better and apply it to your life.

Consider signing up today how to back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton being around a real I remember when I told for many years on graduate faculty and I was one of the professors and out vice president for academic affairs not remember being on graduate faculty vice president for academic affairs is a very important man is the number two man under the president and he makes all the decisions. Folks, let there be no kidding, and full faculty members like me, especially young faculty members like me, you are not going to get anything done. If you don't get approval from the VP for academic affairs. What we had, a vice president for academic affairs was one of the Moody us man I have ever met in my life do not want folks we would get up on Monday morning or Tuesday and faculty meeting. You know, one of the things we would always do, we would find out all the decisions we have to make and they were important concerning academic matters course structure credit whether we will guide and draw we have to discuss student matters, curriculum we have to make decisions about everything that would affect everybody's lives. But you know before we did anything about it.

We went to one another and we'd creep up to the other faculty gone site. Have you seen Doc this morning, as in vice president for active what kind of mood as he and you know folks. We knew if we walked off the vice president for academic affairs and you decide. Good morning, Doc and Hugo, you knew this was not a good night to go to him with any requests and you know I'm telling you folks truly and practically they were sometimes days that we put everything on hold because he wasn't in a good mood. But then there were days that I walk by an on-site loading dock stop and say Dr. Wilton how are your son and how is your sweet wife and boy, those boys are growing up one day and did you catch any fish loss week man on Tanya my list was just piling up 10 minutes later arming trees office, sitting down, have a cup of coffee.

Listen.I want to talk about something everything we do our whole destination was determined by what a character that changed with the wind friend listen to me you don't God was saying to Moses. He was saying it doesn't matter what winds blowing it doesn't matter what wars going on doesn't matter how much money you got in the bank, it doesn't matter how often you put me it doesn't matter how many sins you've committed. Doesn't matter how many times you've misunderstood doesn't matter how many times you've hurt your wife. I'm never going to change and changes my character will not change this announcement. God says to Moses, I am in love and by am being in fullness, God's life does not change God's character does not change component you thought we were through with faithfulness. God was telling us that God does not change. If you go back and read him as I have 40 in verse six the Bible says all flashes across the gloss play with her, but the word about Lord shall stand forever. Psalm 119 in verse 89 forever. The Lord thy word is second in heaven, God telling us that he's truth will not have a strange not tell us about ourselves for just about what is time due to us all time those to us. Time causes us to train folks many times I sit in absolute wonder and amazement at some of the things I used to do in the 60s when I was a teenager and how did out some of that music the Beatles and the boys you know that I used to love at gag gag – a lot of the men I used to get into that stuff. I do ports majority deep purple Creedence Clearwater revival, I'm telling you more. We used to get into that stuff you folks are school to listen to all Jeremiah and the bullfrogs something. It's just kind of doesn't do the same things for me anymore, taste is changed my is definitely change all some things happen not going to carry these around now, and even now again I'm struggling to see what's on the part time trade what is time change changes the views of mankind use tray time causes, meaning change some things that mean something years ago no longer means the same thing anymore, but not so when it comes to the words of God.

This is what God is saying to us. Not so when it comes to the word of God, the words of Paul stand as a binding, valid expressions of his mind and soul, no different from before the foundation of the world.

What God was saying to Moses was simply this, that no circumstances can calls. I recall of the decisions that I have made from before the foundation of the world.

What God was saying to Moses is simply this, that no changes in thinking can require them on an amendment to the base sovereign and a righteous God sign and if you want to know what it means that I'm grateful.

It means that my life will never tray it means my character.

It means that my buddy tells us as well. My way never trying my way. Do not change. One of the ways of God. He still blesses those who seek him.

That's the ways of God.

He still hates sin. That's the way of God still seeks fellowship with us. That is the way of God teaches us and instructs us according to his ways is the way of God. He still carries his promises. These are the ways of God.

God is saying I'm grateful my ways done trying my ways done trying to know one of the greatest gifts that you can give to children never change is mom and dad don't sacrifice your love for each other, folks. That's one of the biggest casualties of divorce. Divorce rips the heart out of children. You know why because mom and dad have changed. It rips that security blanket.

There is nothing that gives children greater joy than knowing person I'm alive may stop but grandma has not changed.

I know that I'm disappointed my family.

My mother and father, my brothers, but never tray listen you've never tried listen I know parents.

My friends never tried just decide and says don't God chide you my mind. You can depend on me of your salvation. While it is incredible.

God's life does not train Jimmy's character does not change anything. Truth does not change in these ways, do not change, and he also tells us God's son does not train. Hebrews 13 the Bible says Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever. Now that we've talked about the underlying principles of who God is, now that we've tried to come to grips with what God teaches us about himself. We not going to ask ourselves the question so what can we do folks God has been speaking to my heart. I'm going to list this long taken from the word of God. I don't how long it's going to take me to get through.

We might do one thing at some but I'm telling you. God is very clear about what we need to do in order to remove the handcuffs God has given us. If you will beg my pardon away.

But before we get to that, there is one character attribute. There is one more thing that God puts in here. Have you noticed some of you said all you left that out. Note there is number six.

He is forgiving he is forgiving. Look at verse seven he says, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving. What forgiving wickedness, forgiving rebellion and forgiving sin. What does it mean if he is forgiving it means he demonstrates love to me. If he is forgiving it means he pours out his grace upon me. If he is forgiving. It means that he promises help to me friendless. We struggled with this matter of forgiveness.

We cannot comprehend the absoluteness of a God who would love us so much that he would remove the handcuffs that he would be the God of the impossible that he would do for me what I cannot do for myself. God likes this announcement and he's doing that in the text of the screen and is signed just before I tell you the sequences of ignoring Pam I want you to know who I am because if you ignore who I am you on consequences of generational sin which you don't have to know I that incredible incredible is the power to know we can break free from our sin, even generational sin. It all starts with the most important decision and that's to give life to Jesus Christ, to follow him.

I pretty would take a moment right now here perhaps the most important 60 seconds of our broadcast from Dr. Todd. Are you ready to give your heart walk to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today.

Dear God, I know you love me very, very, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today, I repent of my sin. I can face my sin and I invite you to come into my heart into my life in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that prayer that may be the first want to welcome you to the family of God. This is wonderful.

I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important cordless so we can connect to the right place you can begin this wonderful journey every day. Dr. always asks us he'd ever changed.

We need to rededicate our lives to Christ for following Jesus give our hearts to Jesus you done today. Let us join with in rejoicing and in celebrating and inputting resources in your hands that will help you. I pray that you would realize that you don't need to be walking through this journey along God has called us to community and we love to be a beginning of we also love to help you find a local church in that community as well. Within a couple of ZIP Codes you're interested, give us a call. 866-899-WORD's our phone number and it is a passion about to help you get plugged in and also to encourage you, as we can't even long distance 866-899-9673 or meet us online@online.org is matter-of-fact listening to today about some unique resources you find online right there as well@twonline.org train you to make a difference in the world. We would love to have you join us by becoming an encouraging scene partner, 86699 word to request an encouraging. There is no greater world for Jesus Christ to spread the gospel in 20 The Encouraging Word ministering listening today but I hope things take on a website online.org. Everything fresh new perspective on daily email sign up for the on our website today. One line@online.org email Dr. Don Wilton