1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 I know it's you, I know it's me 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,000 I know the land of power 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:15,000 For you is my land 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:22,000 I know the land of power 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:37,000 For you is my land 6 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,000 Mother, I'm calling you 7 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,000 I'm calling you in my life 8 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:51,000 Mother, I'm calling you 9 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,000 I'm calling you in my life 10 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:59,000 And I will worship you with all of my heart 11 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,000 And I will worship you with all of my heart 12 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:20,000 When I wander through the desert 13 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,000 And I'm longing for my home 14 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:29,000 All my dreams have gone astray 15 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,000 When I'm stranded in the valley 16 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,000 And I'm crying all alone 17 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Seems like I've lost my way 18 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:48,000 I'm going running to your mountain 19 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,000 When your mercy sets me free 20 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,000 You are my strong tower 21 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,000 The shelter over me 22 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,000 You are beautiful and mighty 23 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,000 Everlasting here 24 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,000 You are my strong tower 25 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,000 A fortress without me 26 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,000 Your name is true and holy 27 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:34,000 And your face is all I see 28 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 In the middle of my darkness 29 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,000 In the midst of all my fear 30 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:46,000 You're my refuge and my hope 31 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,000 When the storm of light is raging 32 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,000 And the thunder and storm are here 33 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:58,000 You speak softly to my soul 34 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:04,000 Now I'm running to your mountain 35 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,000 When your mercy sets me free 36 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,000 You are my strong tower 37 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,000 The shelter over me 38 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,000 You are beautiful and mighty 39 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,000 Everlasting here 40 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,000 You are my strong tower 41 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,000 A fortress without me 42 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,000 Your name is true and holy 43 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:36,000 And your face is all I see 44 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:41,000 And your face is all I see 45 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:49,000 Yeah, your face is all I see 46 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:55,000 I'm going running to your mountain 47 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,000 When your mercy sets me free 48 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,000 You are my strong tower 49 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,000 The shelter over me 50 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,000 You are beautiful and mighty 51 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Everlasting here 52 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,000 You are my strong tower 53 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,000 A fortress without me 54 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:22,000 Your name is true and holy 55 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,000 You are my strong tower 56 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,000 The shelter over me 57 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,000 You are beautiful and mighty 58 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,000 Everlasting here 59 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,000 You are my strong tower 60 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,000 A fortress without me 61 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,000 Your name is true and holy 62 00:04:44,000 --> 00:05:01,000 And your face is all I see 63 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:14,000 I can only imagine what it will be like when I die 64 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:24,000 I can only imagine what it will be like when I die 65 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:39,000 I can only imagine what it will be like when I die 66 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,000 Surrounded by your glory 67 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,000 What will my heart feel 68 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,000 When I dance for Jesus 69 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,000 Or when love will be still 70 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,000 When I stand in your presence 71 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,000 Or to my knees when I fall 72 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,000 When I sing hallelujah 73 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,000 When I be at your feet 74 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:08,000 Oh, I can only imagine 75 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:13,000 So we've been working through the book of Deuteronomy 76 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:19,000 And last week we started a three part sermon on the land 77 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,000 And we talked last week about the promised land 78 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:27,000 And today's sermon could have been entitled the bridge land 79 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,000 But that doesn't really make any sense in common English and so I didn't do that 80 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,000 This is called Graceland 81 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Not Graceland, the mansion of Elvis Presley, that's a different place altogether 82 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:42,000 But this is Graceland, meaning the land that God has given us by grace 83 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,000 And the land in which grace reigns 84 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,000 I'm going to talk just briefly about a phrase that people have used 85 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,000 And see if you actually know where it comes from or what it means 86 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:55,000 Has anybody ever heard the phrase, living on borrowed time? 87 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,000 Okay, now do you know where it comes from? 88 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,000 Okay, somebody tell me what it means or what we use it for 89 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,000 Okay, kind of like that, yeah, so like people say 90 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,000 They had a close brush with death maybe 91 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,000 And a motorcycle accident almost got killed, whatever 92 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,000 And then after that they say they're living on borrowed time 93 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:18,000 Or there's a philosopher that once said that it occurs that people get so old 94 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,000 That they're basically not really able to do much of anything anymore 95 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,000 And they're required to be taken care of by their loved ones 96 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,000 They're in a hospital bed, can't be taken care of 97 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,000 Other than by constant intensive care, that kind of thing 98 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,000 And they say that person is living on borrowed time, meaning they will soon die 99 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:39,000 So it's kind of a dark thing, kind of a dark phrasing that we say is living on borrowed time 100 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:44,000 But interestingly enough, it comes from a completely different place 101 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:51,000 Twice brought back into language, once in roughly the 1600s, it was like 1655 102 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:55,000 In England, they changed the calendar 103 00:07:55,000 --> 00:08:01,000 And what they did was they took 11 days of the month of May 104 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:07,000 And added it to the month of April, I think I've got those days right? 105 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:11,000 So they took 11 days of the month of May and bumped it back to the month of April 106 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,000 Thereby making the months of roughly the same length 107 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:21,000 And what they then would say that those days were borrowed days 108 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,000 Borrowed from the month of May to add them back in the month of April 109 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,000 Or borrowed from the month of April to add previously to be in the month of May, I don't know which 110 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:32,000 But bottom line is the first 11 days of May as borrowed days given back into the month of April 111 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,000 And that's where people would say borrowed days 112 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:43,000 And there's a quote that says, so it is usual among us to ascribe unto March borrowed days from April 113 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,000 Or to April borrowed days from May, right? 114 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:50,000 However, that's not where it came into our vocabulary from 115 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:58,000 It later came into our vocabulary in 1898 when the English dialect dictionary defined the phrase and said 116 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:03,000 A man who lives on borrowed time lives on trespass ground 117 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:08,000 Except that it did not then go on to describe what trespass ground is 118 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,000 That's getting a little bit more like what you're talking about 119 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:15,000 Living on borrowed time means that this time does not really belong to us 120 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:20,000 It really belongs to God, our time, our efforts, where we live, all the things that we're doing 121 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,000 Do not really belong to us, they really belong to God 122 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,000 And so to say that we live on borrowed time like we should have died by now 123 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:36,000 Is a pretty trivial use when we're actually talking about the fact that all people could well have died 124 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:42,000 Going all the way back to Adam and Eve and we all, according to what the Bible says, are worthy of death 125 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 So I want you to bear that in mind then as we get into the text 126 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,000 I will tell you that this will go by fairly quickly 127 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,000 I didn't practice it quite as much as I might like to 128 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,000 But I'm thinking this is a fairly short sermon compared to what I normally do 129 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,000 So we'll see how that goes 130 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,000 So keep your thinking caps on so you don't miss anything 131 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:01,000 And we are now in Deuteronomy chapter 28 132 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,000 Amen! 133 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Thank you, Miss Chris, I guarantee you she's hooting and hollering in her house right now 134 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,000 Miss her in the room 135 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,000 Alright, Deuteronomy chapter 28, listen to this 136 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,000 Now it shall be, if you will diligently, that means if you'll work at it 137 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:21,000 Obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments which I command you today 138 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:26,000 The Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth 139 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:32,000 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you will obey the Lord your God 140 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,000 Couple things in there to notice real quick before we go on 141 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,000 Number one, he's saying if you'll do what you're supposed to do 142 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:41,000 God will set you up above the nations of the earth 143 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:46,000 Now that's key because they don't deserve that 144 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,000 They're just ordinary people 145 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:53,000 They were stuck in Egypt crying out for help 146 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,000 And God said I'm going to take that nation there 147 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,000 They don't deserve this but I'm going to take that nation there 148 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,000 Mind you, as I promised and we talked about that last week 149 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Take that nation there, bring them out and make a people for myself 150 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,000 And said if you will follow my commands, I will set you up 151 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,000 God says, as a nation over or above all the nations of the earth 152 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:18,000 And then he says that all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you 153 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,000 This is an interesting language there, isn't it? 154 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,000 The blessings that God is promising, not just the ones that we're about to read 155 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:27,000 But in general the blessings that go with his grace are chasing you 156 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,000 They are pursuing you and we'll come back and talk about that later as well 157 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:36,000 Verse three, blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the country 158 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:40,000 So it doesn't matter where you are in the land, in the city, country, wherever you are, you'll be blessed 159 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:44,000 Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground 160 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:49,000 And the offspring of your beasts and the increase of your herd and the young of your flock 161 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:56,000 So in other words, everything that all your work tending to the flock and the land then produces will be blessed 162 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:01,000 Verse five, blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl 163 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:05,000 So your basket is where you store stuff on the way to the larder or whatever 164 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,000 And your kneading bowl is where you work with the stuff to make it ready to eat 165 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,000 So you're going to be blessed in the bringing in of the product 166 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:16,000 And you're going to be blessed in the preparing the product for consumption 167 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:21,000 Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out 168 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:25,000 So whichever way you're headed right now, you'll be blessed 169 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:29,000 The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you 170 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,000 That is surely not good news for the enemies of God's people 171 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:37,000 But those enemies that rise up against God's people will be defeated before them 172 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,000 God will cause it 173 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:45,000 They shall come out against you one way and shall flee before you seven ways 174 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:51,000 So they're going to come together in a group to stand against us or against God's people 175 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,000 And then they will flee scattered 176 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,000 Their disunity will divide them 177 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:03,000 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to 178 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,000 And he will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you 179 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:13,000 The Lord will establish you as a holy people to himself as he swore to you 180 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:19,000 If you will keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways 181 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:24,000 So all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord 182 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,000 And they shall be afraid of you 183 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,000 And so notice that not only are we getting all these blessings 184 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:35,000 But here he says the people of the earth will recognize God's people as different from others 185 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:38,000 And they will fear God's people 186 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:39,000 Eleven 187 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:44,000 And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity in the offspring of your body 188 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,000 And in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground 189 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,000 And the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you 190 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:55,000 The Lord will open for you his good storehouse the heavens 191 00:13:55,000 --> 00:14:00,000 To give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand 192 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:05,000 And you shall lend to many nations but you shall not borrow 193 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:10,000 In other words they would be producing so much that they would have an abundance that they could give to others 194 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,000 But they wouldn't need anything from anyone 195 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:13,000 Thirteen 196 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,000 And the Lord shall make you the head and not the tail 197 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:20,000 You only shall be above and you shall not be underneath 198 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:26,000 If you will listen to the commandments of the Lord your God which I charge you today to observe them carefully 199 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,000 In other words if they would be very intentional about their following the commands of God 200 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:32,000 God would put them in a reigning position 201 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,000 A position of being in charge, a leading position 202 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,000 Rather than a following position or a position of being owned 203 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:43,000 And it says and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today 204 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:47,000 To the right or to the left to go after other gods to serve them 205 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:55,000 Now I'm fully aware that this passage of scripture could come off like a lot like a health and wealth gospel passage 206 00:14:55,000 --> 00:15:00,000 It would be very easy for us to say that because it is grace, bless you, because it is grace 207 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,000 We will always be blessed 208 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,000 Everything that we will do will be blessed 209 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,000 We'll have blessed produce this, blessed produce that 210 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,000 We'll have more kids, we'll have better kids, we'll have more money from our jobs 211 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,000 Better money from our jobs, better positions, better recognition in the world 212 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,000 All of that could be found in that passage of scripture 213 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:21,000 But to preach it as a health and wealth message would be to divorce it from what is actually being displayed 214 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:25,000 Number one, that God is calling us to obedience 215 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:29,000 This is not a message about obedience, but clearly God says 216 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,000 If you will be diligent, he says in the first part 217 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,000 If you will be careful, he says in the last part 218 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,000 If you will be diligent and careful to follow that which I have commanded you 219 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:41,000 Then he would do the things that he said he would do 220 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:45,000 So there is a requirement of faithfulness and obedience to God's people 221 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:49,000 Which is not found in the health and wealth gospel 222 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:55,000 This truth that God is laying out for them required them to be his people 223 00:15:55,000 --> 00:16:01,000 If you'll recall from last week, we talked about the promised land and how the promise creates a people 224 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:06,000 And now God says if you will actually be the way my people are supposed to be 225 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,000 I will tell you what I'm going to do for you 226 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:15,000 First and foremost, notice that grace of God lifts up a people 227 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,000 Grace of God lifts up a people 228 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,000 Graceland is occupied by a people lifted up 229 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:26,000 This Israel was slaves in Egypt 230 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,000 Previously to that, they were essentially nomads 231 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:33,000 They wandered around everywhere, they would sink a well occasionally 232 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,000 But by and large, they did not have a settled home ever 233 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:41,000 No land, no people identity 234 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,000 They could trace their lineage back to certain key forefathers 235 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,000 But no identity of people 236 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,000 In fact, even when they would come into the promised land 237 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:53,000 One of the tribes would be split down between the two sons of Joseph 238 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:57,000 So even the twelve tribes were not unified at all previously 239 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:01,000 Because one of them was living completely in Egypt as a descendant of Joseph 240 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:06,000 And the other eleven were living in Goshen in Egypt as descendants of their forefathers 241 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,000 So the tribes were not even united in any way shape or form 242 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,000 And God would take a people disunited, scattered throughout Egypt 243 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:16,000 Haul them out of a nation that had so many gods 244 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,000 And so many powerful gods and so many chariots of steel 245 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:26,000 And warriors in bronze armor and spears and swords by the tens of thousands 246 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:30,000 And God would call them out of that nation and make of them one nation 247 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,000 And then give them a land 248 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:37,000 Listen to me, that is grace 249 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:41,000 In Hosea, the prophet Hosea in 11.1 he basically says 250 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,000 And out of Egypt I called my son 251 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:49,000 So God would not only haul them out of Egypt and make them a new land 252 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:54,000 Unified together where they were completely disconnected previously and in slavery 253 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:58,000 And previous to that nomads wandering around having no place 254 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,000 Not only would God call them out, but he didn't just call them his people 255 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,000 He called them his son 256 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:08,000 And just as today we can be sons and daughters of the living God 257 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,000 They would be sons and daughters of the living God 258 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,000 But they were not getting it because they had a bloodline 259 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:19,000 They were not getting it because they were faithful in the disciplines or in work or whatever 260 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,000 They were getting it because of grace 261 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,000 God was giving them grace 262 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,000 It can be confused because it says 263 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,000 If you will diligently obey the Lord your God 264 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,000 Being careful to do all his commandments which I command you today 265 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,000 The Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth 266 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,000 And so we're thinking God is making a deal 267 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,000 This is the deal 268 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:39,000 If I will follow the rules 269 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,000 Then God will set me up victorious 270 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:48,000 And the truth is if you follow the rules some of them are so good 271 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,000 And they make so much sense 272 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,000 That you will actually prosper 273 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,000 In just following the rules of God 274 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:56,000 And the people that do that 275 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,000 They tied their whole life with never having a relationship with Jesus Christ 276 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,000 And their finances are blessed 277 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,000 The people in Malachi did not have a relationship with God 278 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,000 They were being corrected about not tithing 279 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,000 And even when they began tithing 280 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,000 That the prophet Malachi was talking to 281 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,000 They didn't suddenly become rich 282 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:18,000 But they were blessed over the years and over the generations 283 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,000 If they were faithful and they were not blessed if they were not 284 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:26,000 But they didn't have a proper relationship with God either 285 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,000 The point is you can follow the rules 286 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,000 And you may be blessed and get certain things 287 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,000 They do make a lot of sense 288 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,000 For example if you treat your body as a holy temple 289 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:41,000 Working out, eating right, drinking plenty of water, making sure you get plenty of sleep 290 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,000 Staying away from any more medications than you actually need to 291 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,000 And so if you treat and you don't get into addictive substances and all of that 292 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,000 Your body will do better 293 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,000 Nothing says you won't get hit in a car accident at 40 294 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,000 And be paralyzed for life 295 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,000 But your body will do a lot better 296 00:19:54,000 --> 00:20:00,000 Because you're following the logical steps of recognizing your body as a temple 297 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,000 But if you want your body to actually be a temple 298 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,000 You get that from God and you get it by grace 299 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,000 You cannot earn it, you cannot trade for it 300 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:15,000 Graceland is filled with the people that God lifts up 301 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,000 Yes, God promised to lift people up 302 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,000 And here he reminds you if I have lifted you up 303 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,000 If I have provided you with grace 304 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,000 Then you have a responsibility to behave a certain way 305 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:27,000 That's true 306 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,000 My child behaves a certain way 307 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,000 A dad will say to his son, we don't do that son 308 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,000 And what he means is this activity that you're engaging in here 309 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,000 It's inappropriate 310 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,000 We don't want this to happen 311 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,000 I don't do it, I don't want you to do it 312 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,000 Another dad will say son we don't do that 313 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,000 And he'll go over there and do what it is that he does 314 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,000 Even though his son's not supposed to do it 315 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:55,000 In many cultures it's perfectly okay for anybody over the age of about 16 316 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,000 To spew as many cuss words as they want 317 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,000 But anybody under the age of 16 that uses a foul language 318 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,000 Might get backhanded by their mother 319 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,000 You're not old enough to talk like that 320 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,000 The standards are varied from people to people 321 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,000 I get that 322 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,000 God is saying be diligent and careful to follow my commands 323 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,000 Because I have lifted you up 324 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,000 You are my people 325 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,000 And I will show you how I have lifted you up 326 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,000 And I will bless you in all things 327 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,000 Now our church has been immensely blessed 328 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,000 In many many things 329 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,000 In fact, and I'm not judging anybody 330 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,000 And I'm not telling any stories 331 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:31,000 But if you were God and you could look at the folks that have struggled in various areas or whatever 332 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,000 They have struggled by choices that they have made in some times 333 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:39,000 Sometimes the choices that they have made have kept them from going to the places where God is taking them 334 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,000 Grace lifts up a people 335 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,000 You may not believe in grace 336 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:49,000 You may not believe that God wanted to save you so much that he sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you 337 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,000 That would be a mistake 338 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,000 You may not believe that God wants to lift you up from wherever you are 339 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,000 And make of you something that will bring him great glory 340 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:00,000 Now that can include martyrdom 341 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,000 Which is a terrible thought 342 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:08,000 It can include persecution for witnessing or struggling being a missionary in a foreign country 343 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,000 Where you don't have things like cell service 344 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,000 Or a grocery store within 50 miles 345 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,000 You've got to grow your own food 346 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,000 Where you're dodging soldiers to AK-47s to tell people about Jesus 347 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,000 Or sneaking Bibles behind enemy lines 348 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,000 That might be the kind of thing that God calls you to 349 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,000 But that would be an amazing thing to be called to 350 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:30,000 God's grace lifts up a people 351 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:35,000 The brother of Jesus, James, wrote it this way in chapter 4 in the book of James 352 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,000 He wrote 353 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,000 Or do you think the scripture speaks to no purpose? 354 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:45,000 He jealously desires the spirit which he has made to dwell in us 355 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,000 That he gives a greater grace 356 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:52,000 Therefore it says God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble 357 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,000 Submit therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you 358 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,000 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you 359 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,000 Cleanse your hands you sinners 360 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,000 And purify your hearts you double minded 361 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,000 Be miserable and mourn and weep 362 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,000 Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom 363 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:12,000 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and he will exalt you 364 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,000 And this was written to Christians 365 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,000 To people who were claiming to be Christians anyway 366 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,000 So what he's saying to us is 367 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,000 Listen, I have given you grace 368 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,000 I have lifted you up 369 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,000 Behave like somebody I have lifted up 370 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:28,000 Oh you continue in sin though I have lifted you up 371 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:33,000 Mourn, realize that you're blackening our family name 372 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:38,000 God's grace lifts up a people 373 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,000 And in lifting up a people 374 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:45,000 He can reasonably have expectations of how we as a people ought to behave 375 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:49,000 Second thing to see in there is that the blessings of grace 376 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,000 Pursue the people of grace 377 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:57,000 The Bible says in the book of Proverbs that 378 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,000 A wicked man runs when nobody is chasing him 379 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:07,000 The truth is we all feel like there's something sort of chasing us in the human race 380 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:13,000 Poverty, bankruptcy, disease, age 381 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:18,000 Not about any one particular person 382 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,000 But when I was raising my daughters 383 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,000 Amalia and Alicia I told them I said 384 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,000 Up until a certain point I said you know we don't wear makeup 385 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,000 You don't wear makeup 386 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,000 And they said well why not 387 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,000 And I said well why do people wear makeup 388 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,000 You know why people wear makeup right 389 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,000 There's really two reasons I mean unless you count geisha girls 390 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,000 But other than that there's really two reasons 391 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,000 They wear makeup to look older 392 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,000 They wear makeup to look younger 393 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,000 Now it may be that they're covering a certain facial blemish 394 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,000 Or something you know that they want to 395 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:53,000 Maybe they're going on camera and they want the camera to reflect on them better 396 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,000 But in their case it was they were wearing makeup to look older 397 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,000 And you don't need to do that 398 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,000 And then when we get older and they wear makeup to look younger 399 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,000 The truth is they probably don't really need to do that 400 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,000 They can there's nothing wrong with it 401 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:07,000 There's nothing sinful about it 402 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,000 But my wife for example she'll come to me at the end of the day 403 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:14,000 And she'll say oh I totally forgot to put my makeup on today once in a blue moon 404 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,000 And I'll say you look beautiful all day 405 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,000 All day 406 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,000 And I'm not judging anybody for using makeup 407 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:25,000 But what I'm saying to you is the blessings of grace are pursuing us 408 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,000 And we're concerned about the things of this life 409 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,000 And we take certain steps 410 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,000 I'll give you another example 411 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,000 People let their health decline 412 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:36,000 Right? 413 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:37,000 We get overweight 414 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,000 We get high blood pressure 415 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,000 We have struggle focusing because we malnourished ourselves 416 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:43,000 Eating too much junk 417 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:44,000 Things like that 418 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:45,000 I did that 419 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:46,000 I have done that 420 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,000 I've done it in the last couple of weeks 421 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:49,000 Okay? 422 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:50,000 So the point is we do that 423 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,000 And then we go oh my goodness I've got to work really hard 424 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:54,000 And for a period of time we die 425 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,000 We work out 426 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:56,000 We do everything that we're supposed to do 427 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,000 And if we have faithfulness and strength 428 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,000 We stay the course until we get our health where we want it to be 429 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,000 But the truth is why did we need to do that? 430 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:10,000 We needed to do it because we first disparaged or let go that which was in us 431 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,000 We first our bodies burning fuel all the time 432 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:14,000 Everything you eat is burning 433 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,000 And anything that isn't good for you 434 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,000 It's either storing in fat to protect you 435 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,000 Or putting it out in excrement one or the other to get rid of it 436 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:27,000 Your body has a natural ability to maintain you at whatever weight you're supposed to be 437 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,000 And it might not be what the doctor says is your ideal weight 438 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,000 But the bottom line is we have that 439 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,000 Then we go back and work really hard to catch up 440 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:36,000 Here's what's happening in the world folks 441 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:40,000 The blessings of God's grace are pursuing God's people all the time 442 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:44,000 And God's people are literally running away from those blessings 443 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:46,000 Or playing hide and seek from those blessings 444 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:50,000 Part of that is because we have mistaken what the blessings are 445 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,000 We think the blessings are the trappings of this world 446 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:59,000 Praise of human beings, more income, more friendly experiences with people 447 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:00,000 To saying good things to us 448 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:01,000 Or we saying good things 449 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:05,000 Laughing and joking, reminiscing about whatever until the middle of the night 450 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:08,000 These are not the blessings that God is talking about 451 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:09,000 Yes, they're blessings 452 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,000 These things, Galatians 6 says, were given to us to enjoy 453 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:13,000 And that's fine 454 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,000 But guess what happens when you over enjoy them 455 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,000 While you're over enjoying the blessings of this life 456 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:22,000 You're running away from the blessings of grace that God has given you 457 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,000 You understand? 458 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:29,000 Many, many years ago now, 22-ish years ago 459 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:34,000 The Lord convicted me to give up first soda and then candy 460 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,000 Now I'm not saying anybody needs to do that 461 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:37,000 This was in my own life 462 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:41,000 In fact, if I could at this point in time eat an occasional piece of candy 463 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:42,000 I would love to do it 464 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:43,000 If I would eat, you know, whatever 465 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,000 So you feel free to do as you would 466 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,000 But I just want to use it as an illustration for the moment 467 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:52,000 After I gave up the soda 468 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:53,000 I got to eating a lot of candy 469 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,000 The candy tasted really good 470 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,000 And I was using it to supplement to get around the caffeine 471 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,000 And then after I gave up the candy 472 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:02,000 The next weekend I had like a cupcake on Friday night 473 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,000 And I said, that's the best tasting cupcake I've ever had in my life 474 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:06,000 And I didn't make the connection 475 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:09,000 And then about noon, one o'clock or something, we had brownies 476 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:12,000 I had a brownie and I said, that's the best tasting brownie I've ever had in my life 477 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,000 And you'll hear me say as I sit down 478 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,000 In fact, the day before yesterday I had smoked pork loin 479 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,000 That's the best tasting meat I've ever had in my life 480 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,000 Okay, and you'll hear me say that on occasion 481 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:23,000 That it's the best 482 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,000 Well, I can taste what I eat now 483 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,000 When I used to drink a lot of soda 484 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,000 And I drank a lot of soda 485 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,000 You may not drink as much soda ever in your life as I used to drink 486 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:36,000 I would kill two liters of soda in a day, every day 487 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:37,000 I'd eat a bag of donuts 488 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,000 And also when I gave up the soda 489 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,000 I was eating over a pound of hard candy every day 490 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,000 You may never do that in your life 491 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:45,000 I hope that's never your situation 492 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:47,000 But the bottom line is I was eating so much sweets 493 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,000 That my taste buds could not taste the food 494 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,000 I couldn't eat a salad to me 495 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:53,000 Lettuce had no taste 496 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:55,000 If you can, you know, like I eat lettuce and it has no taste 497 00:28:55,000 --> 00:29:00,000 Well, it's probably because your taste buds are not doing what they're supposed to be doing for whatever reason 498 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,000 So I could eat salad lettuce and it would go 499 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:03,000 That's nothing 500 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,000 It literally had no taste to me at all 501 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:08,000 And after I gave up the soda and the candy, I started having taste 502 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,000 Right? Now I'm not saying that you need to make adjustments like that 503 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,000 What I'm saying is we get involved in things 504 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:19,000 And we miss the thing that is pursuing us 505 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,000 We chase relationships with people 506 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:26,000 And miss out on the prime relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ 507 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,000 God is trying to say something to you 508 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,000 Wants to say something to you 509 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,000 Wants to do something in your life that is powerful 510 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:35,000 It is a blessing that accompanies His grace 511 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,000 You understand that all of us, any of us here 512 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:41,000 Could be missing a significant Holy Spirit gift 513 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,000 The Bible says the Holy Spirit gives us gifts 514 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,000 That we're spiritually gifted 515 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:49,000 And you could be missing the cheap Holy Spirit gift 516 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:53,000 That God has authored in you from the moment you were saved 517 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,000 You might be acting in your Holy Spirit gifts in other areas 518 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,000 You might say you have four 519 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,000 And you have three of them firing on all cylinders, right? 520 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,000 How's that work out for you, RJ? 521 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,000 If you've got a four-cylinder car firing on three cylinders 522 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,000 And all three cylinders are working perfectly 523 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:07,000 How's that car run? 524 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,000 The fourth one doesn't work 525 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,000 It'll run, but it won't run right 526 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,000 Exactly, it'll run, but it won't run right 527 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:16,000 There are blessings that come with the grace 528 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,000 That are literally pursuing us 529 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,000 And we're not experiencing them 530 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:26,000 Because we're busy dwelling on the ones that we already have 531 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,000 Considering ourselves to be well enough off 532 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,000 Counting our worldly blessings 533 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,000 And you should do that because you need to be grateful to God 534 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:34,000 I'm not saying that 535 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,000 But we get so wrapped up in that 536 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:41,000 That we don't recognize that God is trying to do something more 537 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:49,000 And then, sometimes, God will do something to get our attention 538 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:53,000 When I was taking my revival class at Liberty Seminary 539 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:55,000 They said this is how revival happens 540 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,000 God's people faithfully do what God's people are supposed to do 541 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:02,000 Then God shakes up the world to make the world pay attention for a moment 542 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,000 They look and they look at God's people 543 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,000 And they see them still faithfully doing what they're supposed to be doing 544 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,000 And they flock to the church, flock to God's people, flock to God 545 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,000 Because here's a people faithfully doing what they were doing 546 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,000 The world shook and the people were faithfully doing what they were supposed to be doing 547 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,000 And the world looks at those people and comes and says 548 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:19,000 Well, what do you got that we don't got? 549 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,000 And that's the primary way that revival starts 550 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,000 Not the only way, but it's the primary way that revival starts 551 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:29,000 I submit to you, God does the same thing in a microcosm in an individual 552 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:32,000 God will give you trials and troubles and tribulations 553 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,000 He will put you, listen, if you won't listen to God 554 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,000 He'll take you to the place that you're in a pile of ashes 555 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,000 Scraping your swords with a shard with your wife standing over you saying 556 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:45,000 Just curse God and die to get you to understand that you are not God 557 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:48,000 And you don't get to say no to God 558 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,000 You don't get to say no to the blessings of God that come with grace 559 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,000 You don't get to put Him down or back Him off 560 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:58,000 He's God, He created you, orchestrated the borders of your life 561 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,000 Set you up to live where you live 562 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,000 He's God, He wants to do the blessings that come with the grace 563 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,000 And I understand sometimes those blessings are suffering 564 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:09,000 Sometimes they are trials and tribulations 565 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:10,000 Sometimes they are martyrdom 566 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:14,000 Sometimes they are hours and hours and hours of studying your Bible 567 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,000 Or worse, a Bible dictionary of theology 568 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,000 When I was in seminary and God had called me to preach and I knew it 569 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:24,000 I had to read this dictionary of theology that gave us a book that's like 570 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,000 Five times this thick and hardcover 571 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,000 And I couldn't stay awake, I just couldn't do it 572 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,000 You ask Jerry 573 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:32,000 I would take the book that I had to read 574 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:35,000 And I had to read about ten hours a week 575 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,000 I can't, outside preparing for my sermon 576 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,000 I struggle with ten hours a week reading my Bible 577 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,000 And this stuff was, and so and so 578 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:47,000 Plethora of John said this three thousand years ago about this 579 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:51,000 And stuff about people that you don't care about 580 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:52,000 What they said about it 581 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,000 Two thousand years, who cares what they said 582 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,000 Right, boring and written in boring ways 583 00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:00,000 And big liturgical language I could barely understand 584 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:04,000 And so I would take the book and I would walk laps in my side yard 585 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,000 Around the perimeter of my side yard reading the book 586 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,000 And then I got tired after a while walking laps around my side yard 587 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,000 And I would walk the sidewalk in front of the shopping center 588 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,000 And the big, I walked to Bob Evans and I would sit there and I would eat 589 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,000 Whatever I ordered I would eat and read the book 590 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,000 And then after I got done eating I would get up and I would walk back home reading the book 591 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:22,000 You see me walking up and down Woodville Road reading the book 592 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:25,000 Right, it was the most boring time of my life 593 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,000 But I had to do it, I was required to do it 594 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,000 Because that's where God took me 595 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:32,000 And it was what God wanted me to do 596 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,000 Right, and I knew it was and that was what the professor assigned 597 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:37,000 And I knew I was supposed to do the work and honor God with my education 598 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,000 And you can list on all the reasons 599 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,000 But the bottom line is I would walk for hours a day 600 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:46,000 While reading something, and my legs hurt and my feet hurt 601 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,000 And I got tired 602 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,000 But I had to keep moving because I couldn't stay awake reading this boring material 603 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,000 Unless I did and I had to read it 604 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:59,000 Sometimes God's blessings will take you to a place where you don't really want to be 605 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:04,000 If you're judging it in the standard of the blessings of this world 606 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:07,000 But if you judge it in the standard of the blessings of Graceland 607 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,000 Do you want your basket to be full? 608 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,000 Do you want your kneading bowl to be blessed? 609 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,000 Do you want your offspring to be blessed? 610 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,000 Do you want people that hear from you to be blessed? 611 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:19,000 Do you want the world to look at you and go, what does he have that I might want to ask 612 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,000 In order that I might have what he has? 613 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:22,000 Do you want that? 614 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:26,000 If you want that, then you've got to stop running from the blessings of grace 615 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:28,000 And accept that and sometimes it sucks 616 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,000 I'm here to tell you right now 617 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:32,000 And this will hurt for some of us 618 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:41,000 The most traumatic, painful, sorrowful experience that you've ever experienced in your life 619 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:44,000 The thing that you went through that is the worst thing 620 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:48,000 That lasted a minute, a day, years, whatever 621 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:54,000 That thing, that is one of the blessings of God in your life 622 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:59,000 And the comfort that God comforts you with over that blessing 623 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,000 You will then be able to comfort others 624 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,000 But are you running from the blessings of grace? 625 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:06,000 You realize God says, okay I saw you there 626 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,000 You went through the crap 627 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:10,000 You went through the sludge 628 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,000 You were stuck there, I saw you there 629 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,000 And by grace I reached in there 630 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,000 And I pulled you out of there 631 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,000 And I'm prepared to set you up as a people 632 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:21,000 So that everyone can see 633 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,000 So that people will listen to you 634 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,000 They can be a person of character 635 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:27,000 So that people will go, oh, he spoke 636 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:29,000 Josh spoke, what did Josh say? 637 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,000 I want to know what Josh said 638 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:33,000 Ricky spoke, what did he say? 639 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:35,000 What does Ricky have to say about this? 640 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,000 People call you up on the phone and go, hey, I got this going on in my life 641 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:39,000 What do you have to say about that? 642 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:41,000 God wants to take you from the mire 643 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,000 And lift you up on the pedestal 644 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,000 You're like, I don't want to be on a pedestal 645 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,000 Yes, that would be an okay place to be 646 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,000 Because there you can very clearly give God all the glory 647 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,000 Right? But somewhere in between there 648 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,000 Running from the blessings that God has orchestrated 649 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:57,000 Out of that nastiness 650 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,000 Out of that terrible thing that you went through 651 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:01,000 Running from the blessings that come out of that 652 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,000 Bemoaning your situation, complaining, whining, frustrated 653 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,000 Letting, clamping down on your anger 654 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,000 So that when something happens you blow up 655 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,000 All of that 656 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:14,000 Instead of letting the blessings that God wants you to give you out of that thing 657 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:16,000 That's when God can set you up 658 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:18,000 And you'll become the head instead of the tail 659 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:21,000 Listen to me, if you're still wrapped up in suffering 660 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,000 If there are still things bothering you 661 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,000 If you're still hurting because of experiences that you went through in your life 662 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:30,000 Then you need to understand you are running from the blessings of God 663 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:33,000 You need to stop, the Lord says, be still and know that I am God 664 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:37,000 You need to recognize that that trial and tribulation that you've gone through 665 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,000 Is fueling you 666 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,000 It is making it possible for you to be the person that you are today 667 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:46,000 It is giving you strength that somebody else does not have 668 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:51,000 And you can receive the blessings of the grace that God intends for you 669 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:57,000 In the meantime, as a child of God 670 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:01,000 Be found doing the things that God has given you to do 671 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:04,000 Remember the example of revival that I gave you 672 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,000 God's people are found faithful 673 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:08,000 They follow what God has taught them to do 674 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:10,000 The world shakes 675 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,000 But instead of being shaken 676 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:16,000 God's people are found faithful doing what God has called them to do 677 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:19,000 They worship, they give, they practice the spiritual disciplines 678 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:22,000 They exercise their spiritual gifts the best they know how 679 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:24,000 But they are prepared 680 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:28,000 When we were at Cedar Street Baptist Church in Michigan 681 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,000 And 9-11 happened 682 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,000 And the Twin Towers came crashing down 683 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:39,000 And Americans began to realize that they were not safe 684 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:42,000 That on American soil they were not safe 685 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:46,000 Terrorists perpetrated terrorist activity 686 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:49,000 And people felt terror in their hearts 687 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,000 And they looked at the church 688 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:55,000 And our church had 125 visitors the following Sunday 689 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:58,000 Can you imagine? A church of 250 people 690 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,000 People were standing at the walls 691 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:05,000 No chairs to sit in on Sunday morning, second services when we usually went 692 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:06,000 People were standing there 693 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:12,000 And the pastor preached the sermon that he had scheduled almost a year before 694 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,000 He said nothing about the Twin Towers 695 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,000 He said nothing about the terrorist attacks 696 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:20,000 He did not preach a message that was expressly the gospel 697 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,000 Or salvation or about the cross 698 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:23,000 The gospel was hinted at 699 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:25,000 But it was out of Malachi 700 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:27,000 In fact, this breaks my heart to this day 701 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,000 I love the man, he was a very godly man 702 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,000 But I don't know what happened that day 703 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:33,000 Maybe the Lord was doing it 704 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:34,000 So I'm not judging 705 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:35,000 But here's what happened 706 00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:39,000 The sermon was about we need money to build the new building 707 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,000 When the world comes looking 708 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:48,000 They need to stand you, see you standing on firm ground 709 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:49,000 See you're okay 710 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:50,000 See you're studying your Bible 711 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:51,000 See you're reading 712 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:52,000 See you're praying 713 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:53,000 See you're serving 714 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:54,000 See you're giving 715 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,000 See you're faithfully following the ministry lead of God 716 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,000 Doing those things 717 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:01,000 When you are rocked and still rocking 718 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,000 The rest of the world when it's rocked 719 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,000 Is trying to figure out how to be rocking 720 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:09,000 And they will look to you and your voice will resound 721 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:12,000 Right now, they come to us sometimes and we're like 722 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:15,000 Oh yeah, I had a rough day too 723 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:18,000 My foot hurts, my pain, I couldn't walk, I couldn't talk 724 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:21,000 I'm hurting in my relationships 725 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:23,000 I'm hurting in my finances 726 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:24,000 What are you doing? 727 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:26,000 They're coming to you complaining about their life in the world 728 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:28,000 You should be talking about Jesus 729 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,000 Talking about the blessings of grace 730 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,000 Talking about how yeah, that used to bother me 731 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:34,000 But it doesn't bother me 732 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,000 When I don't have enough money now 733 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:37,000 And I'm not saying this is me 734 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,000 I'm saying this is where we should be 735 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,000 When I don't have enough money now 736 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:42,000 That doesn't bother me 737 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:47,000 Because I know no amount of money can buy the relationship I have with Jesus Christ 738 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:48,000 When my health is failing me 739 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:50,000 That doesn't bother me like it used to 740 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:54,000 Because no amount of health is going to get me into heaven 741 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,000 You understand the body you're in today dies 742 00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:00,000 And then you get a new body when you go to heaven, right? 743 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:02,000 So you've already messed this one up pretty good 744 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:04,000 You've used it, worn it out by now pretty good 745 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:06,000 When you go to heaven, you're going to get a new one 746 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,000 That's one of the blessings of grace 747 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:11,000 Unless of course you're still running from the blessings of grace when that time comes 748 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,000 And then you might have a problem 749 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:18,000 Because what if the blessings of grace don't catch up? 750 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:21,000 Grace lifts up a people 751 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:24,000 And that people is responsible to behave a certain way 752 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:27,000 The blessings of grace pursue the people of grace 753 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:32,000 And God will use things in your life to get you to stop running away from the blessings 754 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:34,000 And that's where Romans 8.28 says 755 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,000 When it says, all those who love the Lord are called according to his purpose 756 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:38,000 All things work together for their good 757 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:41,000 The reason that is is because you can't imagine 758 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:46,000 You're like, I don't understand how this thing that God's letting me go through 759 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:48,000 Or what I'm going through right now can be used for my good 760 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:49,000 But God can 761 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:53,000 And maybe it's just designed to get you to stop for a moment 762 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:54,000 To think for a moment 763 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:56,000 To accept for a moment 764 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:59,000 That God is pouring out into you some kind of a blessing 765 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:02,000 And you've been going, no, it's okay 766 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,000 My cup is full enough 767 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:07,000 And God sends something to rock your world a little bit 768 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:12,000 To get you to go, okay God, what is it you want to do next? 769 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:16,000 The blessings of grace pursue the people of grace 770 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:20,000 Now, the devil like a lion stalks around seeking whom he may devour 771 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:23,000 Which he can only do because the people of grace sometimes 772 00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:27,000 Kind of hide toward the edges because they don't want to be a martyr 773 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:29,000 They don't want to be used too much 774 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,000 They don't want God to use the painful experiences 775 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:33,000 They just want to forget about it 776 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:37,000 I went to refocusing at East Toledo Baptist Church not long after we moved back to Toledo 777 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:42,000 And I sat across from a man who was a deacon, had been a deacon for over 20 years 778 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:45,000 And one of the activities we were supposed to do was look at our lives 779 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:47,000 And what we've been through 780 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:50,000 Painful experiences, good experiences, whatever 781 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:52,000 And then see what God was doing through those things 782 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:57,000 And then as a church we were going to combine all that and decide what God was doing in our church 783 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:00,000 And this man who was a deacon, had been a deacon for over 20 years 784 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:02,000 Said to our little group, there's like six of us in there 785 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,000 He said, I'm not going to do this activity 786 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:07,000 I said, what do you mean you're not going to do this activity? 787 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,000 And I was leading our little group even though I was probably not qualified 788 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:16,000 And he said, the things that I've gone through in my life are so bad 789 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:18,000 I don't like to think about them 790 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:20,000 And nobody needs to know them 791 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,000 And so I'm not going to tell you what happened in my life back 792 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:26,000 Before I got saved or after I got saved or whatever 793 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:28,000 I'll tell you what's going on right now, that's it 794 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:31,000 I don't look into the past 795 00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:35,000 And I thought to myself, there's a man who hasn't dealt with this past 796 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:37,000 He's not free 797 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:40,000 And if you're not free from your past 798 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:42,000 If you're not free to use your past for God's glory 799 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:46,000 Then maybe it's because you don't realize that grace lifts up a people 800 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:50,000 And the blessings of grace pursue the people of grace 801 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:56,000 The last thing to see here then is that grace sets apart a people 802 00:42:56,000 --> 00:43:00,000 Interestingly enough, as James said, there is a greater grace 803 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:03,000 It's kind of like two steps, right? 804 00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:09,000 Grace sets up a people, lifts them up out of slavery, makes a people 805 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:12,000 Flows out of the promises of God 806 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:14,000 The blessings of grace then pursue that people 807 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:16,000 They want to cascade down on you 808 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:21,000 They want to change your life in ways that will honor the Lord and bring you closer to God 809 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:25,000 And when that happens and you submit to the blessings of God's grace 810 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:28,000 Then God will set you apart 811 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:34,000 He will identify you with His grace and with the grace giver 812 00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:38,000 See, you go to work, go to school 813 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:43,000 Do the people in your work and at your school identify you with the grace giver? 814 00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:46,000 Do you wear Christian t-shirts all the time? 815 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:48,000 That's what that's all about, by the way 816 00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:53,000 So that people, when you wear Christian t-shirts, people will go, oh, that person must be a Christian 817 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:58,000 I submit to you, you ought not to have to wear a Christian t-shirt to be known as a Christian 818 00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:03,000 When I'm traveling out and about, wherever I see somebody wearing a cross, I'll say, I like your cross 819 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:06,000 And they'll usually say something, oh, thank you very much, whatever 820 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:10,000 And I'll say, are you a Christian? Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ then? 821 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:14,000 Now, if there's a crucifix, then usually that means they're Catholic 822 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:19,000 Or maybe it means they don't know that Jesus didn't stay on the cross and he rose again on the third day 823 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:23,000 The crucifixion is done, but the Catholics use the cross with the Jesus on it 824 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:27,000 That's called a crucifix because they think that that is still going on 825 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:31,000 But it isn't, Jesus came down off the cross, was buried, rose again, now He's at the right hand of the Father in heaven 826 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:33,000 So we use an empty cross 827 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:38,000 It's different, but the bottom line is I can have that conversation with somebody and they wear crosses 828 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:43,000 Now you've got gang members who wear crosses and profess to be Christians with the kill people on Saturday 829 00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:46,000 Or sell drugs or whatever 830 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:51,000 So they've got people who wear Christian t-shirts because they've got them at the goodwill, but they're not a Christian 831 00:44:51,000 --> 00:45:00,000 So maybe the best way for people to know to whom you belong is for you to be bringing grace into the situation 832 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:05,000 So here's the math, God by grace lifts you up and makes you a people 833 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:10,000 Takes you from where you were to be who He wants you to be, gets the process started 834 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:16,000 You realize that the blessings of grace are following you, stalking you, trying to get you, trying to bless you 835 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:20,000 I'm not making that up right, it was in the text 836 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:25,000 And then those same blessings of grace flow through you to the world 837 00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:30,000 You start thinking of your money, it's not really your money, it's God's money 838 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:33,000 Start thinking of your strength, it's not really your strength, it's God's strength 839 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:37,000 Start thinking of your mind, not really your mind, God's mind 840 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:42,000 When God owns all of this, then God can use all of this to do what it is that God wants to do 841 00:45:42,000 --> 00:45:45,000 And by the way, what are we talking about that God is trying to do? 842 00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:48,000 He's trying to deliver grace 843 00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:51,000 He's trying to deliver grace, you should be a grace giver wherever you go 844 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:56,000 And the predominant way or the most important way to deliver that grace is through telling the gospel 845 00:45:56,000 --> 00:45:58,000 What Jesus has done 846 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:02,000 Now unfortunately, not everybody is going to want to listen, I get that 847 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:10,000 We went on our vacation trip and we're blessed to go to the US Virgin Islands and then to Florida 848 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:13,000 Went to Florida, US Virgin Islands, Florida, stayed a little bit and came back home 849 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:18,000 As I was traveling, I told Sherry, I said, I'd like to just use my passport 850 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:21,000 I don't think they'll stamp it because we're not going out of the country 851 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:23,000 What everybody's like to use my passport 852 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:26,000 My passport is a unique identifier 853 00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:30,000 It's like a driver's license, but a little bit different, a little bit better 854 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:33,000 It's about citizenship, you got to be verified 855 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:36,000 To whom do you belong? Where are you from? 856 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:39,000 Arden has a real ID driver's license 857 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:44,000 Meaning he can travel certain places using his driver's license that people would normally need a passport to go 858 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:49,000 And according to in 2025, they say if they actually pull it off because they've already backed it off twice 859 00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:52,000 In order to travel, fly to another state in the United States of America 860 00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:57,000 You will have to have a real ID driver's license or a passport, one or the other 861 00:46:57,000 --> 00:46:58,000 Why? 862 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:02,000 Because they want to know that you belong where you belong 863 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:06,000 I submit to you that if you can leave this place, if you can leave the church, if you can leave the mission 864 00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:09,000 If you can leave the Sunday school class, if you can leave teaching the youth group 865 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:13,000 If you can leave the pulpit and go out in the world 866 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:18,000 And you can relate to people and there's nothing really different about you 867 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:22,000 And not people aren't wondering, why is that person being so nice? 868 00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:24,000 Or why is that person sacrificing? 869 00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:28,000 I understand you don't always have an opportunity to do something magnanimous or something huge 870 00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:31,000 You don't always get to pay for somebody's groceries 871 00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:35,000 You don't always get to give a tip at the drive-thru or better yet, pay for the person behind you 872 00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:38,000 You don't always get to do those things 873 00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:42,000 And some people do those things who are not Christians, I understand that 874 00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:46,000 But if you have a pattern of doing something with your money, with your time, with your strength, etc 875 00:47:46,000 --> 00:47:50,000 That's a little different 876 00:47:50,000 --> 00:47:54,000 Someone who is observing you may begin to wonder 877 00:47:54,000 --> 00:48:00,000 To whom do you belong? 878 00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:04,000 That's right, and so to whom do you belong? Where are you from? 879 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:08,000 And I ask you, to whom do you belong? 880 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:10,000 Where are you from? 881 00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:14,000 You do realize if you are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, you are from Graceland 882 00:48:14,000 --> 00:48:16,000 That's where you are from, you did not earn it 883 00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:18,000 You didn't get saved because you prayed a prayer 884 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:20,000 Because you committed your life to Christ 885 00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:22,000 That's not why you got saved 886 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:25,000 You didn't get saved because you repented of your evil work 887 00:48:25,000 --> 00:48:28,000 So you should do that, you didn't get saved because of that 888 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:33,000 You got saved because Jesus Christ died on the cross and paid for sins for everybody who will receive it 889 00:48:33,000 --> 00:48:36,000 That means the worst person you know, the person you can't even stand to be around 890 00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:40,000 Because they drive you absolutely nuts, they're rude, they're mean, they're foul 891 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:45,000 That person is just as likely to be saved right now in this moment 892 00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:49,000 As you were when you got saved, or as anybody else 893 00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:53,000 Adolf Hitler, Jeffrey Dahmer, right? 894 00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:56,000 They were all just as likely to be saved as anybody else 895 00:48:56,000 --> 00:49:00,000 All they have to do is recognize there's something missing in them for an eternity with God 896 00:49:00,000 --> 00:49:05,000 And accept the something that God is offering, and He will lift them up 897 00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:10,000 The truth is, Adolf Hitler is no more wicked a man than I was when I was 24 years old 898 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:15,000 You say, oh that's not true, he killed thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of people 899 00:49:15,000 --> 00:49:18,000 He brainwashed a nation and supporting people 900 00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:22,000 And they tried to take over the world essentially and tried to eliminate an entire race 901 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:24,000 That's way worse than you ever were 902 00:49:24,000 --> 00:49:33,000 Now James 2.10 says, for he who keepeth the whole law and yet offends in one point, he is guilty of all 903 00:49:33,000 --> 00:49:40,000 Which means if you ever lied, you're just as bad as the guy who fostered a holocaust 904 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:46,000 Grace, grace is when we get saved even though we don't deserve it 905 00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:50,000 In fact, grace is when we receive any gift that we don't deserve 906 00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:55,000 Like when I bad mouthed my mom on the 24th of December and still got presents the next day 907 00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:59,000 That's grace, it's not mercy 908 00:49:59,000 --> 00:50:04,000 Mercy is when you don't get the punishment you deserve, which we haven't gotten it yet 909 00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:08,000 Even unsaved people haven't gotten it yet 910 00:50:08,000 --> 00:50:11,000 Grace is when you get what you don't deserve, and what was that? 911 00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:17,000 God lifts you up from where you are and puts you in Graceland, pursues you with the blessings of grace 912 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:24,000 Blessing you in so many ways, that is if you'll just stop running 913 00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:28,000 Grace lifts the people up and there is an expectation 914 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:31,000 The blessings of grace pursue the people of grace 915 00:50:31,000 --> 00:50:37,000 And grace then sets the people apart and identifies them and they become grace givers themselves 916 00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:39,000 Identified with the grace giver 917 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:44,000 Notice this is not about a promise, until it is 918 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:50,000 It's not about a promise, because nobody's promised that they will be saved 919 00:50:50,000 --> 00:50:53,000 The Bible promises that everybody will have a chance 920 00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:56,000 But nobody's promised that they'll be saved 921 00:50:56,000 --> 00:50:59,000 So it's not about a promise until it is 922 00:50:59,000 --> 00:51:04,000 The promise is if you will accept the grace of God, the blessings of grace will pursue you 923 00:51:04,000 --> 00:51:08,000 And God will set you apart as a people identified with the grace giver 924 00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:12,000 It's not about holiness, that's next week, the Holy Land 925 00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:16,000 It's not about holiness, I'm not saying to you, you must get everything right 926 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:21,000 Work diligently, be careful in order to be pursued by the grace of God 927 00:51:21,000 --> 00:51:23,000 That's pre-Jesus 928 00:51:23,000 --> 00:51:26,000 Now you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, become a Christian 929 00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:30,000 And you will be pursued by the blessings of grace because you live in Graceland 930 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:32,000 That's what James was talking about 931 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:37,000 So now if you know you're in sin, weep, don't laugh it off 932 00:51:37,000 --> 00:51:40,000 Get busy, do whatever it is that you need to do 933 00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:43,000 Be the person that God has made you to be 934 00:51:43,000 --> 00:51:47,000 And let Him set you apart as if you had a passport that says kingdom of God 935 00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:50,000 And you're on a journey away from home 936 00:51:50,000 --> 00:51:52,000 Which is the reality 937 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:55,000 Not just figurative language 938 00:51:55,000 --> 00:52:01,000 And then notice finally, and this goes into our conclusion, that grace is the bridge 939 00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:04,000 It is the bridge between the promise and holiness 940 00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:07,000 Already lifted up, they were called to behave a certain way 941 00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:11,000 And holiness builds in us and grows in us as we follow God 942 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:15,000 Do the things that God would have us to do, experience the things that God would have us to experience 943 00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:19,000 Surrender to the blessings of grace as God pursues us with them 944 00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:24,000 And he develops holiness in us 945 00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:27,000 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God 946 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:29,000 That's no form of holiness 947 00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:33,000 The wages of that sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ 948 00:52:33,000 --> 00:52:35,000 That is a form of grace 949 00:52:35,000 --> 00:52:39,000 And Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly 950 00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:42,000 And in that abundant life is holiness 951 00:52:42,000 --> 00:52:45,000 That we'd be more like Him 952 00:52:45,000 --> 00:52:49,000 Living on borrowed time 953 00:52:49,000 --> 00:52:53,000 God said, in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die 954 00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:56,000 That's what he told Adam and Eve 955 00:52:56,000 --> 00:53:00,000 And then instead of them dying, he sacrificed animals and made them clothes 956 00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:04,000 And sent them out of the Garden of Eden, protected them from the tree of life 957 00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:08,000 That's grace 958 00:53:08,000 --> 00:53:11,000 The Garden of Eden wasn't really Graceland 959 00:53:11,000 --> 00:53:16,000 Because until they sinned, they didn't not deserve it 960 00:53:16,000 --> 00:53:18,000 You see? 961 00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:22,000 They think, well I want to go to Graceland, it's the Garden of Eden where everything is mine 962 00:53:22,000 --> 00:53:24,000 And I can take care of it all the way I think I should 963 00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:27,000 And I can serve God and everything's going to be fine 964 00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:29,000 That's not Graceland 965 00:53:29,000 --> 00:53:31,000 That's pre-fall 966 00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:33,000 That's before they sinned against God 967 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:36,000 Then they sinned against God and God moved them out of the Garden of Eden 968 00:53:36,000 --> 00:53:39,000 Out to where work would be hard 969 00:53:39,000 --> 00:53:41,000 Out to where suffering would be real 970 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:43,000 Pain in pregnancy 971 00:53:43,000 --> 00:53:45,000 Contention in marriage 972 00:53:45,000 --> 00:53:47,000 Contention between man and man 973 00:53:47,000 --> 00:53:50,000 Martyr could be a thing, death would actually happen 974 00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:52,000 Listen to me 975 00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:54,000 He moved them out of the Garden of Eden 976 00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:56,000 After sin 977 00:53:56,000 --> 00:53:59,000 Into Graceland 978 00:53:59,000 --> 00:54:04,000 We live in Graceland today 979 00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:08,000 It's borrowed time 980 00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:10,000 What did they do? 981 00:54:10,000 --> 00:54:14,000 What did the Israelites do that saved them from Egypt? 982 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:16,000 That called them out? 983 00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:18,000 That made them a people? 984 00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:20,000 That brought them into the promised land? 985 00:54:20,000 --> 00:54:21,000 What did they do? 986 00:54:21,000 --> 00:54:23,000 Did they worship God correctly? 987 00:54:23,000 --> 00:54:25,000 Have you read the story of Joseph? 988 00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:27,000 The story of Moses? 989 00:54:27,000 --> 00:54:29,000 And what goes in between? 990 00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:31,000 No! 991 00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:33,000 No, they didn't 992 00:54:33,000 --> 00:54:36,000 That's grace 993 00:54:36,000 --> 00:54:38,000 You don't got to do it 994 00:54:38,000 --> 00:54:42,000 But to get started in it, you got to stop running from God and just say, okay God, I'm yours 995 00:54:42,000 --> 00:54:44,000 I'm going to do whatever you want me to do 996 00:54:44,000 --> 00:54:47,000 And it means if I got to go through places that I don't want to be 997 00:54:47,000 --> 00:54:49,000 I'm ready to do that 998 00:54:49,000 --> 00:54:53,000 I don't want to run from the blessings of grace 999 00:54:53,000 --> 00:54:55,000 Lift me up 1000 00:54:55,000 --> 00:55:00,000 And make me one of your people 1001 00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:04,000 And the blessings are great! 1002 00:55:04,000 --> 00:55:07,000 But also sometimes 1003 00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:09,000 They're hard 1004 00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:13,000 Peter was crucified upside down 1005 00:55:13,000 --> 00:55:18,000 Almost all of the disciples died for their faith 1006 00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:21,000 And they're in heaven with God for an eternity 1007 00:55:21,000 --> 00:55:25,000 So that's pretty good 1008 00:55:25,000 --> 00:55:29,000 I'm asking you today to recognize that we live in Graceland 1009 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:32,000 That God will lift us up if we will allow it 1010 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:36,000 That the blessings of grace pursue the people of grace 1011 00:55:36,000 --> 00:55:41,000 And that grace will set us apart as a people for folks to look to 1012 00:55:41,000 --> 00:55:46,000 Because we belong to Him 1013 00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:49,000 365 days a year 1014 00:55:49,000 --> 00:55:53,000 Not just 11 days at the end of April or May 1015 00:55:53,000 --> 00:55:55,000 Beginning of May 1016 00:55:55,000 --> 00:55:57,000 But 365 days a year 1017 00:55:57,000 --> 00:55:59,000 Borrowed time 1018 00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:03,000 Living on trespass land 1019 00:56:03,000 --> 00:56:05,000 Where we deserve the punishment that we get 1020 00:56:05,000 --> 00:56:07,000 We deserve the suffering that we go through 1021 00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:10,000 We deserve hell for an eternity 1022 00:56:10,000 --> 00:56:15,000 But because of Jesus we receive grace 1023 00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:19,000 Father help us recognize this reality 1024 00:56:19,000 --> 00:56:23,000 And stand out in every crowd 1025 00:56:23,000 --> 00:56:25,000 Everywhere that we go 1026 00:56:25,000 --> 00:56:27,000 Everything that we do 1027 00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:31,000 Would be different 1028 00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:34,000 In the midst of trials and tribulations that we would cease to run 1029 00:56:34,000 --> 00:56:36,000 And say, okay God 1030 00:56:36,000 --> 00:56:39,000 Do whatever it is that you want to do through this 1031 00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:42,000 Help us 1032 00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:46,000 We were previously not a people, didn't even have access 1033 00:56:46,000 --> 00:56:48,000 And yet 1034 00:56:48,000 --> 00:56:50,000 By the grace, not by the works that we would do 1035 00:56:50,000 --> 00:56:53,000 Not through spiritual disciplines or hard work or service 1036 00:56:53,000 --> 00:56:55,000 But by your grace 1037 00:56:55,000 --> 00:56:58,000 We have been saved 1038 00:56:58,000 --> 00:57:00,000 Use us and bless us as your people 1039 00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:02,000 In Jesus name 1040 00:57:02,000 --> 00:57:04,000 I also praise you to come forward at this time 1041 00:57:04,000 --> 00:57:05,000 We have a closing hymn 1042 00:57:05,000 --> 00:57:07,000 This is our song of meditation opportunity 1043 00:57:07,000 --> 00:57:09,000 To make some kind of a decision 1044 00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:10,000 I would ask you today 1045 00:57:10,000 --> 00:57:12,000 If you are here and you're a Christian 1046 00:57:12,000 --> 00:57:14,000 I want you to make this intentional decision 1047 00:57:14,000 --> 00:57:16,000 In your life that it works so deep 1048 00:57:16,000 --> 00:57:26,000 That you will stop running