Romans 5:6-11 (#18.2025.04.13)

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 dot com, and a sheet with the answers is included as well. Enjoy today's episode.

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:46

When I was in college, we had went to, W and J, College in Washington, Pennsylvania, and we had a system that was called four one four. So in January, you could have one subject that you would study for one month. And I had the privilege to go to England, go to London, England for a month, and, I had to see plays and then write up about the plays. The rest of the time, just wander around London. A lot of good stuff to see. A lot of good stuff to see. During the time there, Saint Paul's Cathedral was under construction. So it would the whole side of it was filled with scaffolding as they went up and down and did all their repairs.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:29

Well, as we walk through particularly Romans and books like Romans, the apostle Peter said, Paul, the things that he writes I don't know if you knew this. He says it in in Peter, the letter. He says, Paul sometimes is hard to understand. Welcome. Amen. So as you go through doctrine, it's hard to understand. Right? And it's a good reminder because people either do one or two things as, oh, I don't care about doctrine. That's too deep for me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:00

I forget that. I just need to know kind of the simple things, or we get too tied up in doctrine. Right? We get wound around the spindle when it comes to doctrine. Right? So here's what's important to understand about doctrine. Doctrine is truth, but God is not doctrine, and doctrine is not God. Doctrine is like the scaffold on Saint Paul's Cathedral. What it allows us to do is to climb up and inspect God closer. Doctrine is like the scaffold to see God closer.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:31

Right? But the scaffold is not Saint Paul's Cathedral. Right? Understand that. That's the power of doctrine. It's truth for us, but it's also gives us the ability to climb up higher and inspect the details of who god is. So as you go through doctrine, we clarify and understand truth. And the apostle Paul says, all of the deaths of the riches of God, of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways. So they're beyond finding out. Right? That doesn't mean we ignore them.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:07

It's it it's also clear that we won't fully understand them, but we need to reflect on what do we what is the truth, but what do we understand about God? When we stand on this truth, what do I see about God's character? Does that make sense? So it's it's worthy to slog sometimes through doctrine. Right? It's worthy to to make your way through it. So we're gonna continue to slog our way through the book of Romans. Stand with me if you will. Let's read from Romans five verse six through 11. Alright. Everybody ready? Yep. For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:53

For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for the good man, someone would dare even to die. But god demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. Where if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only this, but we also exulting God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. The word of God. Thanks be to God. And in the original brief, there was no punctuation at all.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:46

There were no verses, right, per se. It was just doctrine written out in in letter form. But let's walk our way through this. Right? For a while, let's walk our way through this. So I love the fact that we are bound by time, are we not? And there was I don't know his background, kind of psychologist, scientist who put himself into a cave with complete darkness just to see without clocks or without any of that, just to see what would happen to him. Right? And at over time, he was in there for for a couple of months. And, other than, going close to going insane, his whole circadian rhythm, his whole internal clock left it. And he was he he was disoriented, and he was lost as a result of that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:43

And so time, god has god has created time for us. It's a chronological thing that kinda marks time, but it's a rhythm to what we do. But we're wired to time. Right? We're wired to yesterday, today, tomorrow. What time is it? Right? And god's time is different than our time. So god says the most important thing when you think about god moving is the right time because God acts in the right time. Right? So it says in here at the right time, which means it's not the wrong time. It's the right time.

Scott Keffer [: 00:06:24

Very challenging because I often have very different thoughts about what is the right time. But it says at the right time, god's right timing. And he says, while we, right, we're in a particular state. What was that state? And We were helpless. He said, while we were yet helpless. While we were still helpless. Thank you. It's inherent in our nature, and we spend most of our life in a place to make sure we never find ourself helpless.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:08

I don't like feeling hopeless. I like feeling in charge, in control. Right? I've got it all taken care of. Right? But he said, while we were still helpless, and the word literally means, both physically and morally, not strong. We were infirm. We were strengthless. In fact, he says, let me explain to you what is or what was your condition. You were dead.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:39

What does that mean? It means you were dead. No. No. Dead as in not alive. Yes. Dead isn't dead spiritually. You were dead in your trespasses and sins. Why wasn't that bad? But if you're starting to understand that god is life and there is no life apart from him, everything that's created finds its definition and how it relates to god, which you're either in life or dead.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:08

Right? Either have life or don't have life. Right? So he's saying you were dead in your sins and trespasses, helpless. He says, while you were still helpless and by the way, it was in the fullness of time, not just the right time, but the fullness of time. Time had passed to a place. He says in the full when the fullness of time came, what did god do? He sent forth his he sent forth his son. He sent forth his son. Well, he didn't send forth his son in the sense that his son didn't exist. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:45

So the word always was, but he sent it forth into our world, if you will, and he sent him forth into God's plan and purpose, which was predestined before the time began, which was the next thing. Christ was predestined to die. I've heard about that predestination. I don't like that thing. I don't understand that thing. I know a lot of people argue about that thing, predestination. Let's step back from our own emotion around it and just say, okay. What does that mean? It means he was predestined, which means there was a destination that was already pre.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:29

So let's see what scripture says about this because we're done about the lord Jesus Christ. For truly in this city, there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the gentiles and the people of Israel. That's about everybody. Right? Rulers. There are the political rulers, the religious rulers, Jews and gentiles. And what were they doing? Whatever your hand and your purpose predestined to occur. So the lord Jesus, there was Herod and Pontius Pilate, gentiles and people of Israel. What did they desire for Jesus? Like, good things.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:19

They wanted good things. Right? They wanted to say good things in the press about them. They wanted to, you know, lift up Jesus and did they intend evil? Yeah. Yes. All of them. All of them. But what were they doing? Well Whatever your hand and your purpose predestined. Okay.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:41

So wait a minute. So there's evil at work. Evil men with evil plans. Right? Well, what are they doing? Whatever. Right? What's it tell you? Whatever Your hand. Your hand Your purpose. And your purpose, predestined. Oh, predestined.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:17

Well, how does that work? They were evil evil in their intent and evil in their plans and purposes, yet it was what God's hand planned and purposed before time began. How's that work? I don't know. But it is. Does that does that make them less evil? Does that make them less culpable, less guilty? No. Does that make make god less sovereign? No? Because I can't understand it. It doesn't make it so. This is god's sovereign rain tea. God reigns over evil without being evil.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:56

And he demonstrates it in in the most perfect way in the sense, here's the son in whom there is no evil, no guile, no darkness, none. The least. Right? There there is absolutely no way that this should work, but he's saying this occurred under God's sovereign plan, predestined before time began. Well, let's look at more. He says, Jesus the Nazarene, a man that tested you by God with miracles and wonders and signs, which God performed through him in your midst, just as you yourself know this man delivered over by the underline that predetermined plan and foreknowledge you've got. Underline that. Predetermine. Predestined.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:49

Predetermine. Predetermined plan. Right? Poor knowledge. God, what happened? You nailed your cross by the hands of godless men. You put him to death. But but but God raised him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death since it is it is impossible for him to be held in his power. So Christ was predestined to die and to raise to be right raised again and to be raised again. Evil men, evil plan, evil purposes, yet god is sovereign over them.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:45

Hard to comprehend, isn't it? Hard to comprehend. But it is so whether I can comprehend it or not. So we walk up the scaffolding. We go up high, and we look at it and go, woah. How did they do that? If you do at Saint Paul, you're going, woah. Like, how did they do that? How did they make that? How did that happen? How did it all come together? That's what we're doing. Standing on the scaffolding going, woah. Tis so.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:13

Tis so. And it says he was he was in the fullness of time. So I put on there. For those of you who went through the the, person of interest, I mean, we're here for the person of interest that you have through the summer. He talked about this red zone where spiritual, cultural, and prophetic. Right? Because there was there was only about a twenty or thirty year history period in all of history that was the perfect time for Jesus Christ to come. He said global communication was finally possible. Greek was the universal language.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:49

Therefore, it allowed the gospel to go out in one language. And the Septuagint, which was the Greek version of the Old Testament, was readily somewhat available. I wouldn't take readily available available for those who could read it. Right? So so more than just the Jews had the sense of the the Messiah to come. The Pax Romana ensured peace and safe travel, so there was there was a roadway put in place for that to happen. And it allowed, you know, Paul and missionaries to go to all, all parts of it. So that was in place. Jews were waiting for the Messiah, though not expecting the actual Messiah, but there was there was the sense that the Messiah was gonna come.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:31

There was a, a presence. It was there was documentation was available, so they were able to record, write written documentation was was available. Biographers, record keepers, public event, synagogues were all over, and, Jewish, there was a sense among Jews and and, of course, Gentiles were looking for something. Right? And so the timing that that twenty to thirty year perfect window, he called the red zone. Of course, Jesus came in the red zone, which was the fullness of time because the lord of time knew when the fullness of time was. He had designed the world so that the gospel go could go to the ends of the earth at the at the at the time. So in the fullness of time, Christ was predestined to die. And it said that he died for he died for.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:28

And that that that could mean two things, that Christ died instead of us, That's one Greek word. Or he died for the benefit of us. And this word is for the benefit of. Christ died for the benefit of for the benefit of. He shed his blood for my benefit, for your benefit, not just in instead of and he is our propitiation. What are those words? Propitiation. God's righteous wrath against sin satisfied through a sufficient offering. Melkad said that which renders god propitiation.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:15

That thing. That word. Satisfied. That which renders god satisfied. His wrath satisfied. And keep in mind that his wrath is his justice. Tend to get confused when we use the word wrath. We tend to think anger, but it's got righteous justice.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:34

He said the death of Christ did act so as to render God satisfied or for pitchous towards men, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood. And I love in first John two two. It says that we have an advocate, Jesus Christ, the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sin. He satisfied the justice of God on our behalf for our benefit. He did this for our benefit. And he said, in case you're confused, he didn't do that because you were a nice person. He didn't do that because you were godly. Right? He said he did that for the ungodly for the ungodly For the ungodly.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:29

Christ died for the ungodly. And then he reminds us in first Corinthians by the way, he also didn't die for those who as a result of the world system. So if you think about the world system, who do we value? The wise? We value winners. I mean, we value winners. I love winners, don't you? I love winners. We value the successful. We value those who have stuff. Right? Those who have proven themselves.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:57

Let's we're wired, right, to value that. Right? We value those kind of things. He said, well, you gotta consider your calling because god wanted to nullify the world system. The world system says, have and want these things. God had to show those things are not only upside down and inside out. They're not right on any level. So he says, for consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. That's what we like.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:30

Right? Those who are those who are wise, those who are strong, those who have power. But god has chosen the foolish things of the world. Raise your hand. God. You're a believer. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and god has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, the base things of the world, and the despise god has chosen the things that are not. And then he tells us, so what's the purpose of that? Pay attention to so that so that is a pointer to tell you this is the purpose. This is the point so that what? He nullifies the things.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:11

He nullifies the things that are so that no man may boast. Not gonna show up and have to go, yeah. I deserve to be here. Well, made a good choice, Lord. Not bad. I mean, I'm not as bad as everybody else right at first. Why wouldn't he save me? Right? I'm not so bad. Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:34

Yeah. No. He's saying that no man may boast. I love this. He read as Jesus said to them, it's not those who are healthy who need a physician, those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. Boy, am I glad of that? I'm glad of that. I was a full time sinner.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:57

I was a heathen who was working on advanced degrees in heathenism, and the lord called me out of darkness. Called me out of darkness. And but for the grace of God, I'd be in prison. David would be visiting me today. I mean, the the only the only difference is I didn't get caught. Did you hear sell me? Yeah. That's that's the only difference. It is the only difference.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:20

So I love this person that said, you will say, oh, I'm one of the worst. So some would say, I'm one of the worst. So when I got the privilege of going with Josh McDowell over to Russia Nineteen Ninety Four, and we would go out at night. It was white night, so the the sun came up four in the morning, and it set at eleven or twelve at night so you could go out late. And we just had the gospel of John and more than a carpenter in Russian. And so we would pack our bags, and we go and Andrei Scoke, how many are on Andrei's newsletter? So Andrei is still serving today in Russia. Andrei was my translator. So we would go out, and we'd share.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:00

And I I still I've said this before. We were in I think this one was in Red Square, and a soldier came up, and we just started sharing the gospel. And, he said, no. He said, you don't know what I've done. You don't know what I've done. I said, I don't. No. He said, no.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:18

You don't know what I've done. I said, I I don't know what you've done. I know what I've done. You know what you've done. God knows what you've done. But I know what Jesus Christ has done for you. And there isn't any sin, no depth of sin that you could have committed that he didn't pay for on the cross, that he didn't shed his blood on the cross for you. I said there there is no sin that his blood cannot cover.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:45

And he said it's hard that's hard for me to believe. I said it's hard for me to believe as well. There is no sin. So there are some who are gonna say, not me. Right? He's not enough, but he is enough. He is enough. He said Christ died for the worst. Oh, but I have no power to be better.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:01

Christ died for those without strength. Oh, but my case condemns itself. Christ died for those who are legally condemned. But my case is hopeless. Christ died for the hopeless. I love that. He is the hope of the hopeless. He's the savior of those not partly lost, but those who are wholly lost.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:21

Fully lost. I once was lost, but now I'm found. At the end of his life, right, he said he said, this is all I know. This is all I know. I'm a great sinner, and Christ is a great savior. Good to know. So he says, Christ died for the ungodly, not the wise, not the mighty, not the mobile or the the noble. And so he says in there, think about it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:52

Who would you give your life for? Maybe a righteous man, maybe a good man, hardly a righteous man. Well, even from our from a human standpoint, we would oh, maybe if I had to save the life of somebody, I wouldn't say I wouldn't stand in in in take the place of I wouldn't wouldn't give my life for someone who was my enemy. That wouldn't make sense, would it? Maybe for a good man, maybe for a righteous man, but not for your enemy. We're saying, god died for his enemy. Flip it over. And I don't know. This, but god. So we have the things we think.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:34

We have what makes sense, but god. I love that. And god demonstrates his love. He demonstrates his love. His agape. He demonstrates his agape underlined toward us. This is not just his love, but it's his love toward us. To command, it literally means he proves it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:56

He proves his love. Astonishing to see the nature of God because we we can't comprehend it, that it pleased him it pleased him to crush his son. What? There were people say, well, that what kind of God would do that? I don't wanna have anything do with god who would crush his son. So it pleased him to crush his son. What but there was a purpose to it, not just crush him. If he would, right, if he would render himself as a guilt offering to purchase, to redeem you and me, to redeem his chosen for himself. It would it would please the father and somehow. Hard to comprehend, isn't it? Hard to comprehend.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:50

Before time, the father and the son in unison had the plan that he would redeem us by the death of his son, That the uncontainable would step into a container and rescue his people by being the firstborn among many brethren. Right? Oh, that's amazing. This is an old testament verse. It's old testament. It's hard to get around 53. I mean, what do you do with Isaiah 53? Right? Isaiah 53. You know? You explain it somehow, but because you look at it and you go, that doesn't that doesn't make sense. Doesn't it doesn't make sense to me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:32

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Well, I know that. I know that. Of course, I know. I'm a believer. He didn't help. I can get a hundred out of test. Reminding us who would do that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:47

Who would do that? That's a character in the nature of the one who would do that. Well, then he goes on to say, much more than. I love that in here in Romans. Much more than that. In other words, in TV language, it's but wait. There's more. But wait. There's more.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:13

He's saying much more. If that is stunning enough, hang on. There's more. Much more. Exact exceeding abundantly more. Well, really, what is that? He said, well, you've been justified by his blood by his blood, we shall be saved from god's wrath to come. His justice put by beside wrath is holy justice. His holiness, his righteousness requires that he carries out justice.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:49

So it's a greater to the lesser. In other words, if god already accomplished work the greater work of justification through Christ's death, he will certainly accomplish saving believers in the future from god's wrath. Because there's a fear. Oh, yeah. Well, if they come to Christ come to Christ, I'm justified. What about what about god's wrath to come? So it's an argument of the greater to the lesser. Right? Many says it's more than that. You're not just saved by his death.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:23

You're saved by his life. You're saved by Christ's life. Therefore, he is able also to underline save forever. Save forever. Those who draw near to god through him. Why? He answered that. Since that's a because. Right? What's what what what what does he do? He always lives.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:56

He's eternal. Of course, he's the eternal high priest. He's the eternal son of God. He's eternal in the right hand. And what is he eternally doing? Oh, he's making intercession for you. We have an advocate, it says in first John two. We have an advocate, Jesus Christ, the righteous the righteous. He is interceding for you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:19

And as a result of that, he is able to save you forever. Lots of arguments. One saved, always saved, and you lose your salvation. Right? We're confused about all of that. You need to go back. What has god done? He's justified you by his blood and he saves you by his life. Therefore, he's able to save forever. That good news? No.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:49

It's great news. It's really great news, isn't it? Think about it. So he says, we should rejoice or exalt through Jesus Christ. You should exalt. Lot to be exalted. Lot to be thankful for. So deep truths about God, doctrines. Right? Scaffolding.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:11

We climb up on and we see the character and nature of God. So then we say, okay. What are some insights about God? God helps those who help themselves. How many heard that? The Ben Franklin. Right? The Ben Franklin phrase. God doesn't help those who help themselves. God helps those God helps the helpless. God helps those who help themselves.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:39

No. God helps those who cannot help themselves. He helps the helpless. Isn't that good news? He does not delight, by the way, in the strength of your horse. He does not take pleasure in your legs. Your your physical, your, right, your stuff or you personally. He does he doesn't take delight in that. In other words, are you being saved by the horse? Are you being saved by your stuff? He said, no.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:10

What's he take pleasure in? The lord, Yahweh, favors those who fear him, those who wait for his loving kindness. So what's that telling us? You will, by nature, take solace in in your horse. In other words, the stuff you have. Right? This protects me. This helps me. You know? And there are that doesn't mean the horse is bad. It just means I will start to depend on the horse. I'm good because of the horse.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:42

Or my legs, my strength, my right? All of that, if you if you hang around on earth long enough, all of that will fail. All of that will fail you. Right? Whether it's the stock market going crazy, right, or your, you know, your your body doing the things that it does as the miles line up. Right? At the end of the day the end of the day, we are waiting to be called home. Are we not? We are waiting to be called home. And then on that journey, you're here long enough, all of those things will fail you. The horse will fail you. Your legs will fail you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:17

All that. Doesn't mean you shouldn't do everything you can to keep your horse in shape and keep you in shape. Yes. But realize, right, you don't have to fully depend on them, and you will, by nature, start to. Forget it? When you have a great horse, you'll depend on it. When you have great legs, you'll depend on it. When you when your legs start to feel you, then you'll start to freak out. It's a reminder.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:39

Hey. By the way, I'm more dependable than a horse. I'm more dependable than your legs because your legs if you're if you're around long enough, your legs are gonna go. You can depend on me. And those who fear him and who wait, what are we waiting for? His loving kindness. His hesed. It means his his covenant love Is is is is never changing. Right? Covenant love.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:07

You can wait for it. So it's a great question. Where are you helping us now? Where are you helpless now? Could be you. Could be somebody you know. Could be somebody you're related to. Could be something you're going through. Right? I always say you're going into a helpless thing or you're coming out of a helpless thing or once in the future. Because God's regularly reminding us.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:29

Right? It's okay. Right? You'll feel helpless, but don't worry. He helps the helpless. Second thing I put in is that god acts at the right time. He acts at the right time. Yet, he is always there and with you. He is always there and with you. So we tend to think about this picture that I'm going through.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:01

God doesn't seem to be answering, so he must be somewhere else. And in the fullness of time, he's gonna show up here. Right? He's it maybe he's down there. When's he gonna answer me? And he reminds you the fact that the fullness of time, the right time is not now. It doesn't mean I left you, and I'm not here. It doesn't mean I'm gonna show up in two days or two weeks or two months. I'm always here. I'm the answer, not the thing you're looking for.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:33

Everybody get it? So we tend to think, well, I hope God shows up and does this thing. I hope he heals. I hope he helps. Right? Well, as if he's not there. He reminds us, I'm always there, and I'm always with you. I'm always with you, and I'm always there. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong in greatness.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:58

Do not tremble nor be dismayed. For the lord your god is with you wherever you go. He's a god who goes before and the god who comes behind. He surrounds you like the mountains about Jerusalem. He's in you and with you and before you and behind you. And the answer that we're looking for, he's saying, it's me. I'm here. I know.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:22

But because that thing hasn't come, that doesn't mean he's not there. You get it? That make sense? Next thing, but god isn't a feeling. I don't feel god's presence. Just don't feel it. Don't feel this love. How often do you feel god's love? You wake up, you're you're you're achy. You know, you got stuff in your life. It doesn't feel like sometimes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:46

Oftentimes, it doesn't feel like he loves us. Right? Which is a reminder that feelings are false prophets. Feelings are false prophets. Okay? Yeah. But, boy, they have a good they have a good message. It's a strong message, isn't it? So god's love isn't a feeling. God's love has been proven. God's love has been proven.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:15

Beyond shadow of a doubt, they said. He's proven it. So Paul says, I am convinced. Are you? That neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come or nor power nor height nor depth or any other created thing shall be able to, what, Separate us. Separate us. Is there anything that's not on that list? He says I'm convinced. How convinced are you? How convinced are you? Separate us from the love of god, which is in Christ Jesus, our lord. We can't be separated from his love.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:59

We can be separated from the feeling, but the feeling's an internal it's an internal thing, isn't it? So I remind myself I have to bring my feelings into subjection to truth. That easy? No. Feelings are very feeling. Very feeling. And that's the way we're used to living, live by how we feel. So god's love isn't a feeling. God's love has been proven. When you think about god, is god a god who holds back? Is God a God who gives you just enough? See, he reminds us our God is much more than much more than much more than.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:49

Our god is much more than. God is providing much more than you need. God is providing much more than you deserve. God is providing much more than in fact, he says it's exceeding abundantly. Well, you didn't need both of those words, did you? You can say he's he's he's he's providing abundantly. No. Exceeding abundantly beyond all we could think or ask. See, god our god is not just giving you enough to get by.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:21

He is a god who is much more than. Oh, oh, which means I don't think it's enough, then maybe I'm looking with the wrong eyes. So wherever I am, god has provided much more than oh, which means that I just stop and say, I'm probably missing. But then I always say, I'm probably missing about 98% of his blessing and favor during the day. I think I catch maybe 2% because I'm used to looking at what is not rather than much more than through the day. He's promised to provide manna mercies, mercies for the day. Sometimes, I'm lost in the much more than because I'm expecting him to provide me Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday mercies on Sunday or next week mercies or next month next month mercies or next year mercies today. He said, nope.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:25

They're manna. That means you get enough for the day, and that's it. And it's much more than you need for today. I know, but I want some for tomorrow or the next day. Today has enough Worries. Trouble. Yeah. That's enough worries.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:40

Man of mercies. And the man of mercies are much more than. You did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all. This is greater to the lesser again. He delivered right? He did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How will he not also with him freely give us all things? In other words, if he gave his son for you, is there anything he would then withhold? That's the argument. It's the greater to the lesser. If I if I sent forth my only begotten son, the son in whom I'm well pleased, and in him, you have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, is there anything I would withhold from you? Well, yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:28

There's that thing that I want. It was a great reminder. Right? Greater to the lesser. Blessed be the god and father of our lord Jesus Christ. What has he done? Blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. I love this. At Anne's funeral, they actually read this. One of my favorite.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:48

Right? He'll make known to you the path of life in his presence. What kind of joy? Fullness. Fullness. Not not with joy with hell and and in his in his presence, and at your right hand are pleasures forever. So right now, Anne is experiencing boldness of joy. What's that like? I have no idea. But it's fullness. Fullness of joy and pleasures forever.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:19

So God is not holding back or giving barely enough. He's providing much more then. And I love this. By the way, god has didn't just save you. He's keeping you. Didn't just save you by his power. He's keeping you. Now to him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:42

So this isn't about you. It's to him. It's his power that we're we're rejoicing in, that we're glorying in, that we're boasting in. Now to him who was able. What is he able to do? Keep you from stumbling and make you stand where? Presence. In the presence of his glory, not be consumed. Understand this? You're gonna get next to the sun 10,000 degrees and thousands and thousands. Right? Think about the sun.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:13

You're gonna get to stand next to the sun, the glory. Right? And I don't mean when I when I say the sun, yes, the father and the sun. But think about it. You're gonna be able to get near the physical son and not be consumed by its power. Oh, really? In his glory. You're gonna be able to stand in his glory. How are you gonna stand there? What's it take? Thank you. In the presence of his glory.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:39

Missed that word. Blameless. Blameless. What? How am I gonna be blameless? Because when we see him, we'll be made like him. What's he gonna do? He's gonna transform the body of this humble state into the conformity with the body of his glory. How's he gonna do that? By the power which he has even to subject all things to himself. I'm gonna be able to stand in his glory, in his presence, blameless. By the way, with great joy, of course.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:13

Holy smokes. Right? So he says, what should we do with that? Well, we should say right? We should say to the only god, our savior, through Jesus Christ, our lord. What? Be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority. When? Before all time Yeah. And now and forever. Is that cool? Step boys, stand on that. That's what he's doing. He's keeping you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:42

He's keeping he didn't just call you out of darkness and save you to to make your future dependent upon you. You're you're sunk. I'm sunk. Called you out of darkness, and he's keeping you. The power that he did to call you out of darkness is the power he has to keep you. Now hold to that, Lord. You're keeping me keeping me. One thing I've asked, that I shall see, that I dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:10

The bold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in his temple. Lord, I'm asking you, keep me. I'm asking you, keep me. Right? I'm praying at the same time believing. That makes sense? Keep me from stumbling, and he can do that. But he said at the end, what should we do? Let us continually continually do what? Offer up. What should we offer up? Sacrifices. Sacrifices.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:41

What kind of sacrifices? Praise. Thanksgiving. Praise and thanksgiving. We offer them up through a sweet smelling aroma. Praise to God. Fruit of lips, they give thanks. We have this thing to do daily, throughout the day, regularly. Right? Offer up sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to god the father, through Jesus Christ to god the father through Jesus Christ.

Scott Keffer [: 00:45:15

He is the god and father of our lord Jesus Christ. So it's to god the father through the lord Jesus Christ. Because of the one at his right hand, I can offer up sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving that are a sweet smelling aroma to god. That all? Then we bend our knee, and we swear allegiance to the lord Jesus Christ who is our lord and our savior. That make sense? So insights about god. He doesn't just help those who help themselves. He helps the helpless. God doesn't just act at the right time.

Scott Keffer [: 00:45:55

He is always there and always with you. He's not he's not a feeling. God's love is not a feeling. God's love is proven. It's demonstrated in the lord Jesus Christ. God is not holding back or giving barely enough. Our god provides much more than much more than. And he didn't just save you, he's also keeping you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:46:17

So he's worthy of our sacrifice and praise and thanksgiving. Alright. Write down the insight that you got. Let's share a few. He poured it out. Our god doesn't just give a little bit. Pours it out. He pours out grace.

Scott Keffer [: 00:46:33

Isn't that cool? Yes. It's cool. Yeah. Yeah. It's a good thing to like, when he said, open my eyes, and I make the whole wonderful things from my law. So I never go to the scripture unless I ask him to open my eyes. But open my eyes, I'd see your grace today. So you're much more than.

Scott Keffer [: 00:46:49

Right? You're much more than mercies, much more than manna mercies. Good stuff. We got good stuff today. Good stuff. Amen. Good stuff. And may the god who has demonstrated, proven his love for you. May he bless you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:47:02

May he keep you. May he cause his face to shine upon you. May he lift up his countenance and grant you his shalom deeds 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 or until he calls you home or he consult. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thanks for listening.

Scott Keffer [: 00:47:24

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.