Derek uses his own experience in marrying into an instant family to address the issue of caring for orphans and widows. He stresses the need to get involved with others—loving them with your life, and sharing in their lives. This is a genuine key to finding joy and fulfillment in this life.

Derek's challenge to us today is to practice what is preached in God's Word. When we have pity and give to the poor, we are actually lending to the Lord and He will repay. The book of Proverbs is filled with verses concerning care for the poor and how much God wants us to remember them.

In this session Derek looks at what the Lord had to say about Sodom written by Ezekiel. Her basic sins were selfishness, carnality, and self-indulgence. This bad fruit brought destruction. Derek shows how our culture is much the same. We, as Christians, must be open and concerned about people—providing food, clothing, or whatever need they may have.

Today Derek uses the words of the prophets to uncover what sins provoke God. He finds three particular ones that still operate today—idolatry, adultery, and indifference to the poor. Through the prophet Isaiah, God has a lot to say about our responsibility to care for the fatherless and the widows.

Derek begins this message, first of all, by exploring the nature of God and how much He cares for orphans, widows, the poor, and all who are oppressed. Then he presents God’s standard of righteousness, as he delves into the biblical ages, beginning with Job.

Derek finishes this study by exhorting us to grasp these truths from the Word of God: That we are more than conquerors through Christ. That Jesus Christ has overcome evil in every way. That He has given us the keys to reign victoriously in this life. Abide in His Word and be obedient to love others. Suffering may come at times, but with His help and strength we will have the victory.

Today Derek continues with this theme of endurance, adding patience and perseverance to the mix, showing how they are similar but carry very different meanings in our Christian experience. The third way of expressing obedience naturally is “waiting” and Derek presents various Scriptures concerning this important action because God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Derek looks at Jonah’s disobedience to stress the importance of aligning ourselves with God’s purposes. This includes being a part of accomplishing these goals. Another way to express obedience is to cultivate endurance. Through the trials we may encounter, we must endure—and come out of them leaning victoriously on the Lord.

If we believe the Lord is returning, our motivation should be to live a holy life, to look for His return with great anticipation, and to hasten His returning by seeing that the gospel is proclaimed in all the world. Derek looks at four practical ways we can express our obedience to the Word of God. The first way is to align our prayers and purpose with God’s objective, which is: “Your kingdom come, your will be done…”

Derek begins the second message in our current series by dealing with what our response should be. If we really believe that God is going to do what He says and shake all things, then what kind of persons ought we to be? Three key elements come are apparent as we look at the need for holy conduct and godliness.