Matthew 24:3 (#85.2024.02.11)

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:02

Hi. If you're looking for greater hope, assurance, and confidence through the shifting sands of life, then join me on today's episode as we dig deep into the Bible to discover rock solid truth for life and living from the God of the Bible. I'm your host, Scott Keffer. Hi, and welcome to today's episode. As always, for a deeper experience, you can go to the show notes and download the blank insight sheet. Fill in the blanks along with the group. Depending on how you're listening To this, there'll be a link to the episode website at beholding bibletruth.com, and a sheet with the answers is included as well. Enjoy today's episode.

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:46

Larsen Josh is traveling with a group. Mary Anne, his wife's Brother is getting married, and they have a bachelor party, and they're skiing in Montana. I never went to any bachelor party where we got to go skiing in Montana. I'll tell you. Kids today. So we have the privilege of having Mary Anne over for, 4 days with us, hanging out with the grandkids. And it's fun to be with grandkids, and it's fun that it's a short period of time, and then they're away. But, I mean, having a lot of fun Kinda engaging with them and and for, Therese, her personality is starting to come out.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:25

She's not only starting to talk and make statements. She's Starting to ask questions, and it just thrills me as I think about the stages that kids go through and All they ask questions about stuff because everything's new. You know? Everything's brand new, and then pretty soon, the it'll be the why, Why? Why? And then how come? And then you know? And then then they reach the the stage at some point in time where they're no longer asking Every statement, not none of them ends in a question mark because they know all the answers, and they're no longer asking. But there's that time when they ask questions. And we're looking at a section in scripture where the disciples asked Jesus a question, In fact, asked him a number of questions, and I thought about that. Again, remember, they're leaving the temple, Leaving behind the temple, and Jesus said it's going to be torn down. Right? So no stone will be left, and they asked when, right, when will this happen? Tell us. They they say this phrase, tell us, and then they end with a question mark.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:34

So I thought about their whole subject of asking god questions. How many have heard never asked god Questions. Never asked. Never questioned god. Never asked why. Now all of those things. So I thought I'd step back and think about this whole idea of questioning, Questioning god. Questioning god.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:56

Tell us. Tell us, the disciples say. Tell us. When will this happen? So it's likely that you have some questions right now. So think about what questions do you have? Forgot. What questions do you have rolling around in your mind? What do I do with this? What about this? How come this? Why this? Think about some of the major questions you have in your life right now. Give me a minute to do that. Think about what are the questions that you have for god.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:30

How many impressions? Yeah. And I was thinking about this. Questions for god are different than questions of God. Questions for God are different than questions of God, and questions of God are about questioning God's Character, questioning god's character. And so I put on there, questioning god's character is different Than asking God's questions, isn't it? Questioning God's character is very different than asking God questions. So in Romans 9, Paul is speaking about the sovereignty of God in election. A very challenging subject, Very controversial subject, but in Romans 9, it's not particularly controversial. It's pretty clear.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:19

So then he says, you will say to me then. So the spirit of God writing through the apostle Paul says, if this is the case, he says, you will say to me that. Right? You will say to me then, why does he still find fault? For who resist god's will? So Paul is anticipating That if this is true, God's sovereignty in election, there are some who are gonna say, oh, what's up with that? In other words, who can resist God's will? Therefore, why does he find how can he find fault, which is questioning god's justice, god's judgment, god's wisdom, god's way, isn't he? He's saying, how can you find fault? How can you hold someone guilty If you have sovereignty in election, he said, for whom resist his will? So Paul speaks to the issue. He says, on the contrary, Who are you, old man, who answers back to god? So he asked him a question. Right? Who are you to challenge god's righteousness, god's justice, god's weight. He says, the thing molded will not say to the molder, why do you make me like this, will it, Or does not the potter have the right over the clay? And in that, he's speaking to the fact that that Question has to do with questioning god, questioning god's character, god's justice, god's nature. See, I don't understand it. Therefore, I question, is God righteous? Is he just? Is he right? Is is he Who he says he is.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:59

Right? So I put on there, demanding that god justify himself can be one of the reasons that we ask questions, demanding that god justify himself. And, of course, if you have unbelieving friends or family, you probably heard the saying. What about people who've never heard about Jesus? What about people in the the jungle? What about right? All of those are questioning God's character. Right? Is God just? Is he righteous? Right? And, therefore, it's the questions are seeking to get God to justify himself. Well, unbelievers will do that. Well, so were believers. So demanding that god justify himself is one purpose behind the question. And then I put in there that statements can be the same.

Scott Keffer [: 00:06:56

Statements can be questioning god's goodness, His justice and his sovereignty. And so in Isaiah 40, he says, why do you say, oh Jacob, and assert, oh Israel, my way is hidden from the lord, and the justice this do me escapes the knowledge of my of my god. So god asked the question. Right? In your statement, You are questioning me, questioning my character, questioning my way, questioning my justice. Then he says, do you not know? Have you not heard? Hello? Then he asked questions. I love when god asked the question. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The everlasting god, The lord, Yahweh, the creator of the ends in the earth, does not become weary or tired. He hasn't gone on vacation.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:44

He's not away. So, essentially, they're asserting, hey, lord. You don't you see? Don't don't you know what's going on? Aren't you aware of what's happening? And So in their statement, they're saying, is god has he fallen down on his job as god. Right? Had he fallen down. But he says, no. The everlasting god, the lord, decrees at the end of the earth. He doesn't become weary or tired. In fact, his wisdom is inscrutable, which means what? Yes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:18

Beyond scrutiny. Beyond scrutiny. Talked before that idea, CS Lewis, which then John Piper introduced to me, there are 2 ways to magnify. 1 is to magnify under a microscope. That is where I put it under there and I dissect it and make it larger, And that is where I dissect God. The other way is to look through a telescope, which also magnifies. It takes what is far away and small that magnifies it for me to see because it's beyond my ability To see it or comprehend it. Right? When we are seeking to question God, are we putting him under a microscope where we're dissecting him? We're making we're still little, teeny, teeny and and putting it within my vision, or are we taking what is incomprehensible, Magnifying it so I can see his character.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:20

And he's saying, I am beyond scrutiny. Inscrutable. Inscrutable. Is his understanding inscrutable to you beyond scrutinizing, beyond microscopically scopically dissecting. So statements can be questioning god's goodness, justice, and sovereignty. So just a great reminder to be thoughtful. Right? So questioning god is a is an interesting Idea because, really, it's what's behind that. Well, first of all, I started with the fact that God invites our questions.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:57

He put his phone number there for you. Jeremiah 333. When we would grow up, we watched what was the, BR five four nine was the number of Hee Haw. Tell me what's Hee Haw going on. They would say, call in. The number was b r 549. Call in today, b r 549. That's back when you had fewer numbers.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:19

So he says, Jeremiah, right, 333, call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know. God invites are questions. And we've heard before, don't ever ask god Why? Right? Don't ask him why. Don't ask him why. Right? Well, you have the lord Jesus who says, my god, my god, Why hast thou forsaken me? Why hast thou forsaken me? And I thought about this. Not all questions are asking for information. Not all questions are seeking an answer per se. Right? Not all questions, right, are asking for information.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:10

So I thought so in that in Jesus, my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? I saw 3 things. First of all, he confirms the satisfaction of god's wrath. How do I know that? With god's wrath, his judgment upon the sin, separation was part of the judgment. So when Jesus says, why, my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? Right? He confirms that he who knew no sin Became sin so that we might become the righteousness of god in him. He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf. So we see The confirmation that god's justice was carried out. My god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? The son who is in eternal union with the father and the spirit has now experienced the judgment of God, the wrath of God on our behalf, and the separation from God. Secondly, verse he is quoting, if you will, From Psalm 22, but he fulfills prophecy.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:18

He fulfills prophecy. Psalm 22 says, my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. Oh my god. I cry to you day by day, but thou does not answer. Psalm 22, 12. So he fulfills prophecy. And the third thing I put on there is he indeed shows us His humanity. He shows us his humanity.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:53

My god, my god, why hast thou Forsaken me. There is the why of anguish, isn't there? There's the why that comes out of a pain. It's not demanding an answer. It's more of just The pain. What why why have you taken my spouse? Why have you let my kids go through this? Why have why why is this Pain in my life. Why? Why? Right? It's not demanding an answer of god as much as it's the cry of anguish. It's the cry of pain. He shows us his humanity.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:24

We don't have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, But one who has been, what's it say, tempted in all ways as we have yet without sin. That's the god that we serve, one who has experienced it. Right? He the uncontainable stepped into a container, and with it, he was Tempted in the same way as we have been yet without sin. He understands the cry of anguish. He understands the why of pain. Right? That is just the cry of our of our aching, broken heart. He's near to the brokenhearted. Right? So he shows us his humanity.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:11

And, of course, we can see through scripture, the godly men Ask god questions. Sometimes not with all the greatest of intent And certainly Job. I don't like to read Job. I don't like to think about Job. It kinda feels like If I think about this, then the lord will make me go through it. They're going. Right? So I don't wanna study Job. I wanna teach on Job.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:41

Right? Right? So Job goes through this, and he and his buddies are asking a lot of questions. And I love this. God says, my turn. Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now he says, put on your adult Panties, right, if you will. Right? He says, now it's my turn. Right? Put on your your depends because now I'm gonna ask some questions. Right? I'm gonna ask the questions. He said, gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you and you instruct me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:21

It's a great set of verses where god begins to say, where were you? Explain to me. Right? Tell me how the dawn of the morning comes. Tell me about the snow and the moon and the And the and and the birds and the animals, tell me if you know. And in there, he shows us he says, will the fault finder contend with the almighty, and let him who approves god answer it. So it shows that that Job had had stepped over the line, if you will, in terms of feeling like this is not right. And you can see if you went through what Job went through, There's that natural part to say, what's up with this? You've taken everything that I I'll hold dear. You've taken it all away. But it's good in scripture, as someone said, Not that what you know, the Bible is not what man would write if he could and what he would write if he would, you know, because for sure, We see the reality.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:29

You know, if we were taking our our very best and putting them out in front, it would not be the PR that we would use. Right? We would not be it would not be the the the the Facebook post for the for the people of god because They're all shellacked, aren't they? They're all fake. It's all the the pictures. The scripture show shows us the good and the bad, of of Everyone in there. So godly men have asked questions all through scripture. We see the reality of that. And it's a reminder that god answers some, but not all. God answers some, but not all.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:12

And at the end of the day, if we don't have questions, We're not alive, and if you will. We're not really and then when I say alive, we're not really embracing reality. Reality has a lot of questions to it, doesn't it? A lot of questions. And it seems like the more Miles I have on my machine, the more questions I have. Isn't that true? If you look around at the world today, there are even more questions. Lot of questions going on. Right? Lot of questions. So I thought about this.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:47

Okay. So let's talk about asking the right questions. I don't what are the what are the right kind of questions we should be asking? So today, when questions come up, My question is, where is the 1st place 1st place that you go when you have a serious question. Hey, Siri. Hey, Google. Chat GPT. Well, let's see. If I were The archenemy of God, I would not want you going to him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:29

I would want you going Other places. Uh-huh. So the enemy has a strategy, of course, and you see it now. Right? I want you to ask your phone or ask Chad GPT, Which can be helpful for some tasks, but if you're going there for wisdom, you have to ask the question, Who's programmed the answers? In fact, if you go to Google, who do you think is programmed what you see? You think when you type into Google, you're you're getting access to all information? Right? Yes. When Google first started, their logo was do no evil. Well, they they passed by that, and they don't over have that slogan. Yes. Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:20

They're they they double a have passed by that. Right? So you start to think. So but where is the 1st place? Where's your your your knee jerk reaction when you have questions? Is our first Place. Help me, lord. Help me, lord. And the problem is that we like, right, microwave answers. I don't want a crock pot anymore. I want a microwave answer.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:56

I want it now. I want it quick. I want it fast. Right? Give me the answer. Give me the answer. If I can't get it there, I call somebody else. Or So you have to think about where, right, where do I go when I have questions in life? Where do I go? Where do I go? I found that To keep perspective, the answers aren't as important as the questions. We think we need answers, but the fact is we need better questions.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:37

Oftentimes, people are solving, like, going after, running after Symptoms rather than real core problems, and we're being taught to to not think, To stop being critical thinkers. We're not critical thinkers anymore. We're we're being taught through dopamine rushes to be Quick and easy looking for fast answers, and then I go to the next. And so people spend all day doing this, and this is how they live life, and this is how they do with answers. And And then I wanna get a whole bunch of answers. Just keep getting more answers, more answers, more answers, more answers, more answers, more answers, more answers. Right? There's a lot of information, But no wisdom. No wisdom.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:19

So some questions about your question. The disciples said to Jesus, when will this happen? When will this happen? When will the the temple be torn down, and when will the end of the age come? So the first question you gotta ask is, were they asking the right questions? Is that the right question for them? Jesus said to them, the temple's gonna be torn down. Right? And they knew the end of the age. When will this happen? What's that is that the right question to ask? When will this happen? Then I just think about what will the answer to that do for me? God gives you the answer. What will I know that I didn't know that? Well, I mean, would have been helpful if they said to them, oh, by the way, 70 years, And the temple will be torn down. You're probably right? I don't know who is alive still then. Maybe you're alive. Maybe you're not alive.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:17

Oh, by the end of the age, I don't know. The father knows. Okay? What do we know now that we didn't know then? And how did the answer to that help the disciples? Okay. 70 years. Put it on your calendar. See what I mean? What's the what what am I looking for? And if I get the answer So when people ask me, particularly, you know, when I'm sitting with Corky and Mary, they'll ask questions, and I'll say to them, so what are you hoping the answer will be? So you think when people ask you a question, you need to give them the answer, But I'll just ask him, what are you what are you hoping the answer will be? What will the answer tell you that you don't know now? See, we don't we we we don't stop and think. So when the question comes up inside of you, Be critical and just say, what am I really asking? What will the answer to that tell me that I don't know? Right? Do I need to know the answer? And do I need to know the answer now, which is really what we want. Tell me the answer now, Google.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:29

Right. Tell me the answer now. Hey, Sury. What is right. What's fortune telling? Tell me the answer. Tell it to me now because I wanna know it now. Does that make sense? So when we have questions For god, you just start to ask the question. Am I asking the right question? What would the answer tell me? What will, what will I do with the answer? Do I need to know it, and do I need to know it now? Normally, the answer is, of course.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:03

To me, here's the best question. Not what, not when, not why, but who? Who who can help me? It's a good question. Who will help me? Who will help me. New Testament would be who will save me, who will deliver me, Who will come to my aid? Who can help me? Right? Who? The who is a better question. Right? Who knows my every thought? Who knows my every need? So when the lord Jesus comes to the apostle Paul when he's still Saul, He says, Saul Saul, why are you kicking against the pricks? And Saul asked the best question. He says, who are you, lord? The best question. Who are you, lord? Mhmm. Who are you, lord? It's similar to the question that he asked Peter and the others.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:05

Who do you say that I am? Who who do you say that I am? Because in in essence of that is what god asked in that same Area in in Isaiah 40 where where he says, do you not know? Have you not heard? Right before that, he says, to whom then to whom To whom then will you like in me that I should be his equal, says the holy one? In other words, who who else is your savior? Who else is your deliverer? Who else is your helper? Who else is your wisdom? Who else is your way, your truth, and your life? Who? Who? Who? But I love in Jeremiah, he says, let not the wise men boast of his wisdom. Well, I need wisdom. Let not the mighty man boast of his might. I need strength. Let not the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boast boast in this. What? That he understands and knows me. So he said, don't boast in your wisdom. Don't boast in your strength.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:20

Don't boast in your wealth. Both in this, that he understands and knows me, that I'm the god who exercises, what, loving kindness, Justice and righteousness on Earth, and he says, for I delight in these things, loving kindness. This is who I am. What's first? Hesed. It's the it's the it's the covenant Love of god, where he says, I set my love upon Israel. I love them because I love them. It says covenant love. It says covenant loving kindness.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:04

It's justice and righteousness on Earth. He says, you wanna boast? Boast in that. That's your boast. And to me, in Romans, it's the best question to us. It's the best question to us. So god asked us this question, which is he who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, then he asked the question. K? He Did not spare his own son. He delivered him up for us all.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:36

Then he says, how will he not also with Christ? What's the question? Freely give us. Oh, how how will he give them? Freely give them of his own initiative. That's what it means. Will of his own initiative freely give us all things. So that's his question back to us. In all the questions that you're gonna have of god, he says, I did not spare my own son, but delivered him up for you. How will I also, Not with and freely give you all things. If I if I didn't withhold my son, is there anything that I would withhold from you? Anything that you need that is in your your best interest.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:23

It's the best question To us. So our best question to ask is, who is he? Who is the lord? Who is he? In other words, what is he like? What is his character? Loving kindness, Justice, righteousness. That's who he is. When Moses cried out, he says, lord, show me your glory. It says the lord descended in a cloud, stood in his midst, and proclaimed the lord, the lord god. Right? Compassionate And gracious. So he starts. Compassionate and gracious.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:00

Not I am compassion. Just, just compassionate. Right? He just is to his name, compassionate, gracious, slowed anger, abounding in loving kindness, Keeping loving kindness for 1,000, forgiving iniquity, transgression, sin that, by no means, leave the guilty un unpunished, Visiting the iniquity of the fathers to the children and the grandchildren. It says Moses made haste To bow low toward the earth and worship. Worship. Right? Worship. So who Who do you say that I am? Who then will you like in me that I should be his equal? Who? Who? Like the owl. Who? Why is that? So so who question? Who is he? In other words, what This is character like.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:02

So we ask the right questions, and we ask them in the right way. He says, but if any of you lacks wisdom, what are we supposed to do? Let him ask of god. I'm going that. Let him ask of god. Well, who is he? What is he like? Who? Notice how he answers. Who? Who does what? Gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be give and go. Let him not but let him ask him, Hey. Without doubting.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:39

For the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. I love it. Let him ask of god, who? I'm sorry. He connects that. Right? The who question shows us god is the one who gives to all men generously. He's the father of lights in whom there is no shadow of turning from every who had come From whom comes every good gift. So we ask in faith. It also says we are to ask with patience And with patience and trust.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:16

Yeah. But, lord, I do believe, But help my unbelief. Isn't that a great prayer? Do believe. Do believe. Help My own belief. John the Baptist introduced the lord Jesus, saw the dove descend upon him, Knew the lord Jesus in prison. What did he ask? Go and ask him, are you the one? He asked the question. He So ask the question, are you the 1? Jesus said, tell him, right, that the lame are walking, the blind are seeing.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:53

Right? Jesus said, You know who the messiah is. You know who he is. You know who he is. So then I asked the question, so where to listen? That seems weird. Weird to listen. How does god speak? He walks with me, and he talks with me. Yeah. Cute sign.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:16

Cute lyric in the Yeah. In the in In the song, he walks with me and talks with me. Yeah. Sometimes. But, inherently, god speaks In one primary place, one primary place, where does he speak? He's put in scripture. All scripture. All scripture. All scripture.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:38

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for Correction for training in righteousness that the man of god may be adequate with forever good work. All scripture. No scripture No scripture comes from human will. If I am looking for answers, right, which is what I always say to people, hey. You know, you text somebody, tell me the answer, and then you turn your phone off. And then you say, they never answer. So last night, Beth was out, and, Mary Anne was upstairs with, Therese in the bathtub, and I was getting dinner ready. And I was looking at because we got this new air fryer, and I thought I don't know how to use the air fryer.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:26

I don't even know where the directions are, best not around. So I thought I'll get my fallen and see if I can figure out how do I do the frozen french fries in the air fryer. And then I see a text from Mary Anne. Help. Right? Help. There's an accident in the bathtub. Baby bathtub. I get it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:44

Right? That's because I don't pay attention to it. I don't let alerts come on. I don't let it ping. It doesn't I just put that thing away. Right? I don't want it binging me all day long. I don't have it, so I'll miss stuff like that. But But the fact is that's because I'm not interested in being in a, right, in a regular texting, environment. That's all.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:09

Right? So if I ask somebody and turn my phone off and I wonder why don't they answer me, people ask god, what is the answer to this? And then we don't go to his word. So you gotta turn it on. Put yourself in it so that he can answer because that's where he speaks. He said this is interesting. For whatever was written in the earlier times was written for our instruction. What's that mean? Study the Old testament. How many Christians are either afraid of it, ignorant about the Old Testament? You cannot understand Jesus If you don't understand the Old Testament, it's the pointer. Everything in there, Jesus said the scripture.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:02

He talked about how the scripture speaks to me from Moses onward. He says, for whatever was written in earlier times for our instruction that through perseverance And the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. We might have hope. Scriptures deep with wisdom. Deep with answers Because the scriptures are living and active. They're alive. There's no other book alive. There's no other book A lie.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:39

No. That doesn't mean God won't speak in ancillary ways because, of course, he does. The spirit of God can speak to you directly. Spirit of God can do that, Not regularly. Not regularly. You know? When when we were over in in in in Africa and you they talked about, you know, we we we met kind of in the the the hidden church that was meeting in in homes. They'll say, god came to me in a dream. Well, yeah, because god speaks in In unnatural ways because he has to.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:08

Right? Here, you got 17 bibles. We don't have time to be in his word. Right? And it's not just in his word to study. Just sometimes just listen. Right? Just be in there, and he speaks to encourage us and give us hope. And last I put on there, be sure to affirm god's who. Be sure to inform God's who. In fact, the, like, bookends in the Psalms, one of the habits I get in, I don't know, long goes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:41

Right before bed, I'll read a psalm, and then we pray. And I am amazed, Now having been through Psalms, I don't know how many times, how much trouble there is in for people in the Psalms, particularly for David, king David. He's always in trouble. And it's great because you see him pouring out his emotion. He asked questions, but he asked his questions, right, to God. He brings his questions to God. And In there, in the psalm, you'll see, we assume it was all written at the same time, not likely. Sometimes between the cry, the question, and the the affirmation at the end, I don't know how long it took him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:27

Could have been minutes. Sometimes, it could have been hours. It could have been days. But you'll notice here, how long, oh lord, how long till he asked in Psalm 133? And there are questions, many of them in there, and then he'll say, but I have trusted. So I have these questions for sure, but I have trusted. What did he trust in? In your in your loving kindness, in your hesed, in your covenant love, in your unshakable, Immovable, unchangeable love. Why? How do I know his love is unshakable, immovable, and unchangeable? Because that's who he is, And his love is who he is. Therefore, his love is unshakable and unchangeable and immovable.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:16

He is the rock of our salvation. That means his loving kindness is a rock. It's not moving. How long, oh lord? How long, Oh, lord. Pardon? He said, but I've trusted in your loving kindness. My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will Sing to the lord. Why? Because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:47

Bountifully. Overflowingly. He is able to do Exceeding abundantly. You never put sup that seems like superfluous words. Why would you put Two boards together like that. Right? Because we are trying to express who he is. He is dealt bountifully with me. In Psalm 22, where he cries out, my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? Again, if you move forward, he says, yet thou art Holy.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:20

So in my question, I can affirm, god, you're still holy. You were holy. You are holy. Always will be. In fact, day night, they do not cease to say, holy, holy, holy is the lord god the almighty who was And who is and who is to come. He's the unchangeable one. And he says, you are holy. And then he reminds himself, You're enthroned upon the praises of your people.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:49

What's that mean? Praise it. He will be enthroned above your on your praise. He's not enthroned above the cherubim that you say, right, we don't need the ark of the covenant. We praise, and his his glory shows up. Is that cool? And he reminds myself, well, well, in you, our fathers trusted. They trusted, and thou didst, what, Help them, deliver them, came to their aid. The the they cried out, and they were delivered. Indeed, they trusted And we're not disappointed.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:27

They weren't disappointed. You showed up. So he reminds yourself, in the past, Lord, you have been faithful. I don't see it here. My god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? But I remind myself, you're holy. You're holy then. You're holy now. You're holy in the future.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:48

In the past, you have been faithful. You've never disappointed. In the moment, I don't get it. Right? I don't get it. I don't see it. I don't understand it, but I remind myself of that. And by the way, you are enthroned above your praise, so I should probably praise you. And in Psalm 10 where he asked the same question, where are you, he answers, the lord is underline that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:19

What? King? Forever and ever. What's that mean? He sovereign reigns. Sovereign reigns over all. Right? Sovereign reigns. The lord is king forever, and he says, oh lord, you have heard. You've heard. Your prayers don't bounce off the ceiling. You're not saying them out loud To hear yourself speak.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:47

The lord who made the heavens and the earth hears you. He hears you. And Revelation said every prayer you pray, every question you ask of God is in in it it's in a bowl of incense. It's not lost. It Doesn't go unheard. He says you you've heard the desire of the humble, but I don't get it. I don't understand it. You will strengthen their heart.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:15

Underline that. That's what I need when I have questions. Right? You will incline your ear to vindicate You're from the oppressed. You come to their aid. You are our dread champion. You are our protector, Our provider, you are our shepherd. You're the one who cares for me. So in the midst of my question, I affirm god's who? His Sovereign, his loving kindness, his goodness, they haven't changed.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:51

I don't get it, lord. So the wise come out of my prize. The wise come out of my pain, but I can bring them to them. So he says, don't take your whys somewhere else. Bring them to me. Don't go somewhere else with your whys looking for the answer. Bring them to me, And remind yourself who I am. Remind yourself who he is, who he is, The god who strengthens your heart, he inclines your ear, and he vindicates you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:25

That is our god. So the question who? So the question you got. Write down an insight, and then we'll share a few. Scott, the reference there is not Psalm 133, but rather 13. 13. Thank you. Psalm 13, too many threes. Don't know the answer to that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:50

No, Steve. Don't know the answer to that. That and many other questions. Right? And I remind myself. Right? My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so are my ways higher your ways and my thoughts and your thoughts. There's stuff that doesn't matter how much I or how I explained it to Therese.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:13

She's never gonna understand it. It doesn't matter. Right? And we're like that. Right? Even to ask the lord help me to answer ask the right question. I mean, even that, like, what should I be asking here? What what do I need to know? That's really the question. We think we need to know everything in that moment, but even his guidance on, you know, what should I be asking you? Right? And what are you doing in the midst What do you what do you want me to see about you? You know, that's another good question is, what do you want me to see about you in the midst of this? Because we we think we want an answer out of it, but maybe he's showing us something about himself in the midst of it. Or what do you want me to see about you in the present situation? Maybe I don't need the answer. And may the god who is the answer.

Scott Keffer [: 00:45:03

May him may he bless you. May he keep you. May he cause his face to shine upon you. May he lift up his countenance and grant you a shalom deep in your soul. May the grace of the lord Jesus Christ, the love of god the father, and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you now and through all your questions. Mhmm. Lord bless you and keep you. Amen.

Scott Keffer [: 00:45:26

Thanks for listening. I hope you have greater hope, assurance, and confidence in your life and a deeper trust in the God of the Bible and his son, Jesus Christ. Until next time. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, and may the Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace, his shalom in your soul and in your life. Until next time. May god bless you and keep you.