The Integrity of Enduring Obedience, Part 1

The property using a new venture. Here's the great truth of universal human gene in the Scriptures are we just begun.

The sixth chapter and already civilized world is shot with private spire to virtue, kindness, integrity, love, are fighting against human depravity to be successful in our pursuit of godliness.

We can't afford to ignore this powerful force in our lives today on Insight for living.

Chuck Swindoll helps us understand the relentless tension between good and evil.

God empowers those truly want to follow what you're about to hear is the second message in a brand-new series called walking with integrity times of adversity titled today's message the integrity of and during the next few moments will allow you to listen over my shoulder, if you will. As I read for you a small portion of what I have been meditating on earlier this week.

John RW Stott's left his legacy a number of great works, most of whom many of whom are for ministers to read for the purpose of examining our work which all of us must do from time to time to determine if we are still on target in the career any calling that is this important calls for evaluation soul-searching and periodic times of meditating on how to do it better of almost born the book out.

Having read it so many times it's titled between two worlds. Stott encourages the minister to consider the world of Scripture at the same time the real world in which we live and the importance of building a bridge from one to the other rights in the fifth chapter which is titled the call to study these words, if we are to build bridges into the real world and seek to relate the word of God to the major themes of life and the major issues of the day and we have to take seriously.

Both the biblical text in the contemporary scene. We cannot afford to remain on either side of the cultural divide to withdraw from the world into the Bible which is escapism or from the Bible into the world, which is conformity will be fatal to our preaching ministry.

Either mistake makes bridge building impossible and noncommunication inevitable.

Instead, it is our responsibility to explore the territories on both sides of the ravine until we become thoroughly familiar with them and be able to speak the divine word to the human situation with any degree of sensitivity and accuracy.

Such exploration means study. There is no doubt that the best teachers in any field of knowledge are those who remain students all their lives. It is particularly true of the ministry of the word Spurgeon had the same conviction when he wrote, he who has ceased to learn has ceased to teach. He who no longer sows in the study will know more read in the pulpit for that reason, we never apologize for turning our attention inevitably to the text of Scripture. It is from there we find truth to live by reproof, correction instruction in righteousness. It is there, we discover how to live in a world it's lost its way and how to do so with balance understanding our times and yet realizing God's method of working so my exhortations are often filled with reminders to align ourselves with what Scripture teaches in doing so we are best prepared to live in this way, word world of ours were thinking on the subject during the series of importance of integrity being people of integrity at every turn without compromise without duplicity, without hypocrisy is a tall order. Since were surrounded by all the above were looking at. Lives of integrity last time Daniel who chose God's way.

Even though his life was threatened. Today we look at Noah living in a world of violence and universal evil. The man stood up as the only human on the planet. Walking with God remarkable. So were turning to Genesis 6 together. I read several verses from the new living translation beginning a rating of verse five of the sixth chapter of the first book of the Bible, the Lord, observe the extent of human wickedness on the earth and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil so the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. And the Lord said, I will wipe the human race. I have created from the face of the earth yes and I will destroy every living thing all the people the large animals the small animals that scurry along the ground.

Even the birds of the sky, I'm sorry I ever made them but no found favor with the Lord. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man. The only blameless person living on earth at the time and he walked in close fellowship with God. Noah was the father of three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, not God saw that the earth and become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world for everyone on earth was corrupt, so God said to no one I've decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence.

Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the large boat from Cyprus would waterproof it with tar inside and out, then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior make about 450 feet long 75 feet wide 45 feet high leave and 18 inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat put the door on the side and build three decks inside the boat, lower middle and upper look, I'm about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes everything on earth will die and be sure to take on board enough for your family and for all the animals so no one did everything exactly as God commanded to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures.

Studies by going to Insight world.org/studies Chuck titled his message the integrity of enduring obedience, let's pretend were all in school were taking a class titled the Bible as literature and as the teacher, I announce have acquits just 10 questions, fill in the blank. No trick questions very simple straightforward answers I give you the first part of the heading of a story and you give me the last part miracle. Adam and Kane and Sodom and Moses and the 10 Commandments good. Samson Jonah and the whale, David and Bathsheba, but still alive works Daniel and Jesus and the disciples Noah and for you. Most of you got all 10 of you. If you are still sitting there staring pretty simple. However, what you gave me was simply the heading of the story as is true of every great story.

There is a back story that gives meaning to the heading of the story. For example, the story of Jonah is just a small part about large fish oil as a whole back story that you need to understand realize why the great fish was even brought into the story Daniel with his life-threatening thrown into the lion's den. There's a story there is far more to Daniel than just alliance Dan Moses course broader and wider than a set of commandments. That's part of the story, but the whole story requires that you understand the back story David and Goliath, the same understand everything the Bible falls in the category of three general headings. Everything turn anywhere you wish in the Scriptures, and you will come across either people or events are great truths. Sometime there will be a mixture of two often all three. That's what forms the back story. This is especially true of Nola even though when the name is mentioned. We always add to it the ark, but there is a reason for that are in most of never examine the back story. Back stories are best followed when you go to what the passage of primary reference, which means the very first time the subject is mentioned in the story of Nola the flood, the art, the whole account of know what begins in chapter 6 of Jim's, so I'd like to turn with me to the passage of primary reference there. I should add there also parallel verses that add shading and meaning to the story is a statement made. For example, in Hebrews 11 seven. In second Peter 35. In another part of second Peter if you don't know those little tidbits along the way you'll have less knowledge of the full story, so when you are reading about an event or person, or a great truths in the Scripture always remember that you may be in the main section or the passage of primary reference, but you're not getting it all, unless you look at the other sections as well. Noah is a man I'm calling a person with the integrity of enduring obedience. There's a reason to given the title. But before I get there.

Let's notice how the story begins.

Noah was left out of the picture altogether.

In fact, we, the reader have a very privileged position in this narrative we get the stand right alongside the living God as he talks to us in his word about what he sees and what he plans to do about this is before he even encounters Nola in the account I'm looking at Genesis chapter 6 verse five and really it's a frightening scene look for yourself. The Lord observe the extent of human wickedness on the earth. He saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. What we have here is the great truth of universal human depravity were not too deep into the Scriptures are we just six chapters just begun. The sixth chapter and already the civilized world is shot through with depravity. We read that the Lord saw this reason I mentioned a privileged position is because no one else sees it except the Lord Edward given the opportunity through the narrative stand alongside and to hear him as he describes what he sees in this fifth verse he goes on, look for yourself. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. The new living translation says it broke his heart. The Hebrew text says literally. He agreed unto his heart.

When we grieve deep within our hearts. The colloquial English response or description is. It breaks our hearts. If you have an adult child that has brought disappointment and maybe even shame to the family's name. You have a chance to visit that adult imprisoned.

You may have an opportunity to say your breaking our hearts which is a description of the depth of green goddess and standing looking into a prison. He's looking at the whole world. No one else can do that. But when you are omnipresent God and you are the omnipotent one who created the world.

You have no difficulty seeing everything is there and he's never lied to us, nor could he be holy, so he tells us the truth.

Here is an earth that is holy, given to evil. God saw that the inhabitants of the earth only evil continually Hebrew text reads evil the whole day is that an interesting way to put it, meaning all day all night every day every week every month every year constantly habitually evil words. So begins turn our attention to God's plan, which he tells us about before he even tells Noah so the Lord was sorry verse seven he goes on to say, I will like the human race. I have created from the face of the earth. That's his right. Since he is sovereign.

We live in a day that worships earth. Unfortunately, rather than worshiping the one who created the earth before you worship the creator. You understand he has the right to do with earth. However, he pleases without even explaining his reason. But in this case, he explains it. Because of this universal depravity of humanity, I will destroy every living thing all the people all the large animals all the small animals. Even the birds of the sky, I'm sorry I remade them. I am grieved deep within my heart. We stand there. It sort of taken our breath away as we hear the story unfold in the scriptural text and then we see suddenly no I do that for the sake of emphasis.

In fact I did that in my study. I was alone upstairs since he is down in her study and I said, but no and she said, is everything okay up there. It seems a strange thing to do course, she hadn't been with me in my study and realize what a contrasted was here is the only one who wasn't walking and evil first time the word grace appears in the Scriptures is in this eighth verse of the Genesis 6 Noah found grace. It's really a play on word is the consonants in reverse. The Hebrew term is and it's translated grace.

Noah found the Lord's grace how good of God to notice he still looking. He still observing. He doesn't miss anything silent yes absent.

No, he finds Nola and gives us an account of the man. Why I would shout the word but no hesitate to use it in this way, but this is one of the biggest butts in the Bible.

I hesitate to use that but I am only human. On occasion, that kind of thing comes on about what I say it so Lord is the first mention of grace. It's the first time someone is found who put God's because of what we read reason for yourself because he was a righteous man. Most of us are hearing a part of Noah's story never gained our attention until now.

There's much more to learn your listening to Insight for living in a message from Chuck Swindoll titled the integrity of enduring obedience. It's the second message in a brand-new teaching series called walking with integrity in times of adversity. In today's program is become quite evident that forces of evil are pressing against our progress and those who truly want to become people of integrity need to take deliberate steps along those lines, let me recommend a book. Chuck is written called Joseph a man of integrity and forgiveness, and it's available for purchase by going to Insight.org/offer. I saw your recent note on Insight for living's website from one of your fellow listeners who said Chuck our book club at her church is currently reading one of your books. We are all thoroughly enjoying your insights into becoming more Christlike again to purchase the biography of Joseph titled a man of integrity and forgiveness colors listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8880 as God prompted to support this nonprofit ministry with the donation.

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The preceding message the integrity of enduring obedience was copyrighted in 2021 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2022 by Charles R.

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