1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,000 Welcome to Go Church Beirut, your place to love, grow and go. 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,240 Get ready to hear an inspiring message recorded during a Go Church Beirut gathering. 3 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,880 Let's talk about Able. 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:23,800 This you know, you normally will shift themes from month to month, but in June and this 5 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:29,160 month I wanted to talk about this word, Able. 6 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:37,040 Last month we studied these three elements that we're able through Jesus, who is our 7 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,560 covenant mediator. 8 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,640 Last month when we were in our Big Sunday we were talking about the blood of Jesus that 9 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:51,400 is speaking about Joseph and about me and about Rapha and about Siela and it's saying 10 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,080 that you are able. 11 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:55,460 You're able. 12 00:00:55,460 --> 00:01:01,000 The blood of Jesus is my witness that testifies that I am able. 13 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:06,740 And we saw in our grow groups that God's promises contain able. 14 00:01:06,740 --> 00:01:12,620 When he promises something inside the promise is able. 15 00:01:12,620 --> 00:01:18,800 And then the Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom to access the power, right? 16 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:23,900 If you go when the power flipped here, if one of us that didn't know what we were doing 17 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:27,840 had went over to the electrical panel and grabbed the wrong thing, we would have got 18 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,880 a hold of a lot of power, but because we don't know what to do with it, it would have hurt 19 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,860 instead of help. 20 00:01:34,860 --> 00:01:36,740 Maybe that's why it went off. 21 00:01:36,740 --> 00:01:45,320 But we're able through, so now it's only natural, right? 22 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:49,880 Let's look at what we're able to. 23 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,240 It's a play on words. 24 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,000 Able to what? 25 00:01:54,000 --> 00:02:00,320 Well, through our grow groups and the podcast, we're going to look at that we're able to 26 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:07,200 see, we're able to say, and we're able to do. 27 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:08,200 See what? 28 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:10,040 See what others can't see. 29 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:14,840 If you can see something someone else can't see, you can receive something they can't 30 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:15,840 see. 31 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:24,480 You know, if you drive through Dubai today, there was a time when it was all orange fields, 32 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:25,480 right? 33 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:26,640 Orange groves. 34 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:29,680 But someone said, you know what? 35 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:31,640 I think you could build a building here. 36 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:33,920 I think you could build a mall here. 37 00:02:33,920 --> 00:02:40,920 I think he or she, they saw something no one else could see. 38 00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:43,300 We're going to look at what we're able to say. 39 00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:49,520 Seeing things that the others in the world around us maybe is the opposite, where everyone 40 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,680 else is saying it's bad and getting worse. 41 00:02:53,680 --> 00:03:00,160 Well, the Bible says that we can declare something and God will make it so. 42 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,800 That's in Job. 43 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,520 And then we can do things that others have just decided is impossible. 44 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,120 We were just singing about that. 45 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:18,560 What God considers possible, man calls impossible. 46 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:23,960 But today, I want to talk about something else. 47 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,400 I want to talk about not able. 48 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,560 That seems a little off-brand, right? 49 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:31,560 Wait a minute. 50 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,140 We're doing this whole thing about able. 51 00:03:34,140 --> 00:03:38,560 How are you going to talk about not able? 52 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:48,160 Sometimes people say, well, that's nice for you, but I'm not able. 53 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:54,400 This message that you're talking about, it sounds very good, but you don't understand 54 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:55,400 it's not that easy. 55 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:56,560 It's not that easy. 56 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,900 I'm not able. 57 00:03:58,900 --> 00:04:09,600 And I want to look at a Bible story today and kind of let us look at together two questions 58 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:16,840 that centers around a group of people that said, we're not able. 59 00:04:16,840 --> 00:04:25,040 In fact, that's actually a phrase from a verse in the book of Numbers, Numbers chapter 13, 60 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:42,240 verse 31, the people of God, the covenant people of God said, we are not able to go. 61 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,080 Not able to go. 62 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:54,120 And as I was preparing for today, I thought the Lord reminded me of this verse and I started 63 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,680 thinking about this story and I went back and read it. 64 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,400 And I want us to go back through this together. 65 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:08,940 In Exodus chapter 3, verse 8, the Lord said, who said the Lord? 66 00:05:08,940 --> 00:05:15,360 The Lord, the same one that in Genesis said, light be, and it was. 67 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:23,840 The Lord said to Moses, I have come down to rescue them, the covenant people of God, from 68 00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:30,120 the hand of the Egyptians and bring them out of that land into a good and spacious land, 69 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:34,160 a land flowing with milk and honey. 70 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:35,720 That sounds good. 71 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:50,400 The people of God at this time had been enslaved in the land of Egypt for 400 years. 72 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:57,280 Pastor Matt, usually when he reads this and now when I read it, I can hear him say it. 73 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:00,820 This is the Lord saying, I'm going to come down and do it. 74 00:06:00,820 --> 00:06:05,680 And then he tells Moses, now you go do it. 75 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:14,840 And Moses had his own, I'm not able moment, but God revealed, no, you are able. 76 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:17,040 You know why? 77 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:27,600 Because inside that promise, inside that word from God is all the able that he needs. 78 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:34,120 As soon as God said, go, he could. 79 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:40,200 As soon as God said, I'm going to bring them into a good and spacious land that flows with 80 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:46,420 milk and honey, which sounds awesome, makes a great tagline for your brochure. 81 00:06:46,420 --> 00:06:52,640 As soon as he said that, they were able to do it. 82 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:53,680 Why? 83 00:06:53,680 --> 00:07:02,680 Because inside that word is all the able necessary. 84 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:14,040 So Numbers chapter 13 verse 2, God said to Moses, send men who can spy out the Canaanite 85 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,880 land that I'm giving to the Israelites. 86 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:26,360 Pick one man with demonstrated leadership from each of the tribal families. 87 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,880 Moses did so. 88 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:38,800 Key to miracles, the key to receiving God's best, do what he says. 89 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:43,240 Even if what it looks like you're doing is not enough. 90 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:48,480 That's really the message of John 2 in the miracle of Cana. 91 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:55,140 The miracle of Cana where Jesus turns the water into wine, they didn't have enough. 92 00:07:55,140 --> 00:08:00,400 And what they could do wouldn't be enough. 93 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,560 But they just did what he said. 94 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:12,040 And when you do what he said, you get what he says. 95 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:21,480 So they had been on an 11-month journey from Mount Sinai right up to the edge of the land 96 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,200 of promise. 97 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:33,200 It should have taken 11 days, but it took 11 months. 98 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,120 Maps was buffering. 99 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:38,600 They get there. 100 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,000 Okay, we're supposed to go in. 101 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:42,000 But how? 102 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,000 Where? 103 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:48,960 This is really an important leadership principle. 104 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:54,320 It's not a lack of faith or trust to get facts. 105 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,400 So before we make a decision, we're going to go in this way, we're going to go in that 106 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,360 way. 107 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,200 Moses said, okay, what should we do, Lord? 108 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:06,440 The Lord said, send in leaders. 109 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,440 Who's going? 110 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:23,200 And the leaders go in to see what this land is all about. 111 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:27,200 Verse 25 says, they who? 112 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:28,280 The leaders. 113 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:36,360 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole community at K' in the desert. 114 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:44,040 There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the 115 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:45,040 land. 116 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:46,480 So who went? 117 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,480 The leaders, right? 118 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:50,800 Twelve of them. 119 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:52,120 And what did they do? 120 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,640 They went to gather facts. 121 00:09:55,640 --> 00:10:00,520 Now what's the report? 122 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:10,640 Verse 27, we went into the land which you sent us, Moses, and it does flow with milk 123 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:11,840 and honey. 124 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:16,600 And here's the fruit. 125 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:21,000 Verse 23 says, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. 126 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:31,440 Two of them carried it on a pole between them along with some of the pomegranates and figs. 127 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:40,340 An archeologist, an archeologist and historian in the 1950s wrote this. 128 00:10:40,340 --> 00:10:50,840 He said, specimens as large as five kilograms have been found in this area of grape clusters. 129 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:58,880 He says, the spies would have hung them between a pole so as to not damage them in transit 130 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:08,720 so that the people they showed them to could see them the way they saw them. 131 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:14,800 These 12 guys had never seen anything like this before. 132 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:20,040 They were born in slavery. 133 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:26,640 They'd never seen anything like abundance. 134 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:29,720 They didn't know it. 135 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:36,240 They were born in a different world, in a different time, and God is moving them from 136 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:46,440 where they were into something brand new and something good. 137 00:11:46,440 --> 00:12:01,040 Yes, but, how would we say that in Arabic? 138 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,000 I say this all the time. 139 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:04,000 Do you speak Arabic? 140 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:13,040 Yes, but. 141 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:16,960 But is a conjunction. 142 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:23,240 That's the fancy name for what the word but is. 143 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:24,240 But is a conjunction. 144 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,560 It joins two things together. 145 00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:36,380 And it literally means what I'm about to say makes what I already said meaningless. 146 00:12:36,380 --> 00:12:41,880 People that have had any conversations with me know that when you say but, I'm going to 147 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:43,880 point that out. 148 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,760 Yes, but. 149 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:49,880 Yes, but. 150 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:56,880 So these 12 people had went into the land of promise and they had found big grapes. 151 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:04,800 Yes, but we found something else. 152 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:14,240 Verse, the next verse, was that verse 28, 29, but the people who live there are powerful 153 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:19,160 and the cities are fortified and very large. 154 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,640 We even saw the descendants of Enoch there. 155 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,840 Oh no, not those guys. 156 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,860 We are not able to attack these people. 157 00:13:29,860 --> 00:13:33,120 They are stronger than we are. 158 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:39,960 Who said that? 159 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:46,400 Who said that? 160 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,900 Moses says to these guys, you go in, tell us what you find. 161 00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:52,140 They come in. 162 00:13:52,140 --> 00:13:57,080 We found lots of great produce. 163 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,160 You know, I was. 164 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:05,080 This is off the subject, but you know why those grapes were there and so big? 165 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:13,480 Because their grandfather had planted seeds of blessing there. 166 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:20,360 Provision for them had been growing and they didn't even know it. 167 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:25,640 Yes, but. 168 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:27,720 We found something else. 169 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:33,240 The something else we found means we are not able to attack these people. 170 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,040 They are stronger than we are. 171 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,520 Who said that? 172 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:44,280 Which prophet are they quoting? 173 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,600 Did the Lord say that? 174 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:47,840 No. 175 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:54,180 That's an individual decision. 176 00:14:54,180 --> 00:15:03,680 Keep reading and they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. 177 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,320 The people hadn't seen it. 178 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,620 They the leaders had seen it. 179 00:15:07,620 --> 00:15:16,780 Can you imagine leaders influencing people in a bad way? 180 00:15:16,780 --> 00:15:23,280 They said the land we explored devours those living in it. 181 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:27,640 Is that true? 182 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,840 And the people we saw are of great size. 183 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:38,960 We seemed like grasshoppers in their own eyes and we looked the same to them. 184 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:39,960 Here's a question. 185 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:41,680 How do they know that? 186 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:45,040 Did they set up like a like a survey? 187 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:46,040 Like a booth? 188 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,880 Hey, excuse me, Mr. Giant. 189 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:54,240 Do I look like a man or a grasshopper? 190 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,560 How do they choose grasshopper? 191 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,280 What is and what is this thing about devouring the land? 192 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,840 Did the grapes try to eat them? 193 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,280 Where did this come from? 194 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:14,080 The reason I'm bringing this up is these leaders, they come back and they're like, yes, it's 195 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:15,080 great. 196 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:22,440 But the people are really tall. 197 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,960 You know what's amazing to me? 198 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:32,520 Is God already talked to them about this in Exodus chapter 23. 199 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,240 We won't take the time to look at it, but you can go back and look in Exodus chapter 200 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:37,240 23. 201 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:43,640 God says, I am going ahead of you and I'm going to drive out the people in front of 202 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:49,960 you and I won't do it all at once so that the wild animals and the weeds don't take 203 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,720 over. 204 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:58,960 In other words, there is a plan, there's a strategy and they just take one step, do what 205 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:03,800 he says, take one step, do what he says and they would possess the land because they were 206 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:08,680 able. 207 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:16,160 Yes but, yes but, we have made some assumptions based on what we saw and we are going to use 208 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:21,480 those assumptions to limit our life. 209 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:27,580 Because the land there devours those living in it. 210 00:17:27,580 --> 00:17:31,040 Is this what they saw? 211 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:35,880 How many came back? 212 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,640 Twelve go? 213 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,320 It's not like nine came back and one of them is limping. 214 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:43,320 What happened to Sonny? 215 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,400 He didn't make it. 216 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:51,680 Where is this devouring land? 217 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:58,680 Yes but, yes but, again, did they set up a website? 218 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:03,320 Was this like a WhatsApp poll that they sent throughout the land of Gath? 219 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:10,400 On a scale of one to five, five being I'm your equal, one being I'm a grasshopper, where 220 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,400 am I? 221 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:13,400 No. 222 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,280 They decided this. 223 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:25,560 This happened in the space between their ears and based on those decisions, they came back 224 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:27,640 and influenced the whole people. 225 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:29,080 You're not able. 226 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:31,840 Who said that? 227 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,360 Who said that? 228 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:42,680 What assumptions limit you? 229 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:54,960 What things have you decided are true just because? 230 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:59,800 I want to talk about a bigger but. 231 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:05,760 A bigger but. 232 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,560 Look at this, Leviticus. 233 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:18,920 But I said to you, but I said to you, you will possess there. 234 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:19,920 Who's there? 235 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:24,320 The giants, those big fellas. 236 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:25,440 You will possess their land. 237 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,960 I will give it to you as an inheritance. 238 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,320 What do you do to get an inheritance? 239 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:36,080 Receive it. 240 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:45,640 By definition, an inheritance is something someone else built, worked for, and then gave. 241 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:47,840 I will give it to you an inheritance. 242 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:50,440 It's a land flowing with milk and honey. 243 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:56,080 In other words, hey, I've already covered this. 244 00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:01,080 I've already covered this. 245 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:05,120 Fast forward a little bit to Joshua. 246 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:07,960 Joshua chapter two, verse nine. 247 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:14,400 When I say a little bit, I mean a generation later. 248 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:22,800 This is a woman living in the city of Jericho, which history says was the most fortified 249 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:30,960 city recorded. 250 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:38,240 She said, I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you. 251 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:39,760 Who? 252 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,680 The grasshoppers. 253 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:50,480 A great fear of you has fallen on us so that all who live in this country are melting in 254 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:57,360 fear because of you. 255 00:20:57,360 --> 00:20:58,920 You know where this is from? 256 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,400 This is from Exodus chapter 23. 257 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,760 I would encourage you to read it. 258 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:11,800 See, it wasn't just big grapes growing in the promised land. 259 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:18,240 There was a knowing that we've been living here for a while, but this isn't ours. 260 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:26,440 This doesn't belong to us, and here they come, and they're going to take it. 261 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:38,600 And while that was the reality, we have the leaders walking around, yes, but they're really 262 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:40,880 tall, really tall. 263 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:46,400 We're not really tall. 264 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,440 What assumptions form the limits of your life? 265 00:21:51,440 --> 00:22:03,960 What assumptions have you decided are true and said, this is all it's going to be? 266 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:10,800 I don't know the appropriate non-American, non-baseball expression for this, and I've 267 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,040 really thought about it. 268 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:26,340 But I want to urge, encourage, and implore you to swing for the fences. 269 00:22:26,340 --> 00:22:37,600 No one knows what I mean by that, but I mean step forward in life and do something great 270 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,400 for God. 271 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,640 Don't wait for someone else to do it. 272 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,560 Don't wait and say, oh, I wish I could be like so-and-so. 273 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:57,120 You are the answer to someone else's prayer, and you are able. 274 00:22:57,120 --> 00:23:01,280 You. 275 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,400 I believe it. 276 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:11,000 Verse 14, the Israelites grumbled. 277 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,960 It's a good, good measure. 278 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,320 Like you have gas gauges, you have gauges on your cars. 279 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:30,140 A good gauge to look at in your life is how much are you grumbling and where are you exaggerating? 280 00:23:30,140 --> 00:23:39,600 These leaders, they came and they said, we barely made it out alive. 281 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:41,200 And then they began to grumble. 282 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:49,920 Do you know what grumbling is? 283 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:52,640 My dog grumbles all the time. 284 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:54,540 All the time. 285 00:23:54,540 --> 00:23:56,080 He grumbles at big things. 286 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,440 He grumbles at little things. 287 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:03,820 This week, we locked ourselves out, me, Julie, and the dog. 288 00:24:03,820 --> 00:24:08,680 And I'm ringing the doorbell and the dog is barking because someone is at the door. 289 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:13,080 Finally, he realized, wait a minute, we are at the door. 290 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,920 So then he laid down. 291 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,520 Grumbling. 292 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:24,320 Sneak up behind yourself this week and just listen. 293 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,320 Am I grumbling? 294 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:33,600 The Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly. 295 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,480 And they said, if only we had died in Egypt. 296 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:42,880 Boy, that's dumb. 297 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:50,080 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? 298 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:51,800 Let's get that straight. 299 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:58,440 They're complaining that they had to walk a distance so that the Lord would kill them. 300 00:24:58,440 --> 00:24:59,680 Is this the complaint? 301 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:04,600 That is dumb. 302 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,360 Would that we had died in Egypt. 303 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:11,520 You know, if you go backwards in this story, we were talking about grapes, big grapes and 304 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,280 pomegranates and figs. 305 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:22,520 Every time they ran into trouble, they said, oh, I wish we were still in Egypt. 306 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,360 In Egypt, there is vessel. 307 00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:36,880 Oh, I wish I had my onions and tomatoes from Egypt. 308 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:45,800 They're grumbling and complaining and saying, I wish I was still in slavery. 309 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,160 You know, these people, they got what they said. 310 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:56,400 Mark chapter 11, verses 23 and 24 work whether you want it to or not. 311 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,700 They kept saying, we're going to die in the wilderness. 312 00:25:58,700 --> 00:26:00,160 We're going to die in the wilderness. 313 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,360 We're going to die in the wilderness. 314 00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:04,640 Keep reading. 315 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:10,760 The Lord said, okay, you're going to die in the wilderness. 316 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:14,120 The Lord said what they said. 317 00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:23,860 Hebrews says that Jesus is the high priest, the one who works with our confession. 318 00:26:23,860 --> 00:26:28,760 He works with what we say. 319 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:29,760 They grumbled. 320 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:31,780 They said, well, man. 321 00:26:31,780 --> 00:26:41,480 And then they said, let's appoint a new leader and go backwards. 322 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:42,480 Let's go backwards. 323 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:45,000 Let's not go forwards. 324 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:49,640 I want you to see what they're doing there. 325 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:51,100 Really. 326 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:54,060 I'm kind of making some jokes, but think about it. 327 00:26:54,060 --> 00:26:55,600 What are they really doing? 328 00:26:55,600 --> 00:27:03,120 They're saying, let's draw back because we are not able to go forward. 329 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:15,880 Hebrews calls that sinful wickedness, disobedience and unbelief. 330 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:20,960 Hebrews 3, those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness, to whom did God 331 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,800 swear they would not enter his rest? 332 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:27,360 Those who disobeyed, how did they disobey? 333 00:27:27,360 --> 00:27:32,580 Drawing back. 334 00:27:32,580 --> 00:27:39,480 So we see they were not able to enter because of their unbelief. 335 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:43,160 It's interesting to me. 336 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:51,480 Not only did they get what they said, but think about the 10, because there were 12 337 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,320 guys, two of them, if you keep reading, two of them said, we are able. 338 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,720 Let's go. 339 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:02,320 But 10, they said, no, we're not. 340 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:05,720 If you ask those 10 guys, hey, are you in disobedience? 341 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:06,800 No, no, no. 342 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:08,800 We're just being practical. 343 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:11,840 Hey, are you sinning? 344 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:12,880 No, no. 345 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:25,160 We're just looking at the situation and being practical. 346 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:37,720 What they considered natural practical wisdom is in Hebrews called sin. 347 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,880 Look at this from the same chapter, Hebrews chapter 3, look at this. 348 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:45,280 Brothers and sisters, that's me and you. 349 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:46,560 Pay close attention. 350 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:50,100 That's something for us to do. 351 00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:59,200 So you will not develop an evil, unbelieving heart that causes you to abandon the living 352 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:03,140 God. 353 00:29:03,140 --> 00:29:09,840 The people, the covenant people of God, who God said, I have come down to do this thing 354 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:18,800 for them, they abandoned and walked away from what God had for them. 355 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:22,720 It was the perfect will of God for them to enter the promised land. 356 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:32,000 It was the already prepared way for them to receive what God had given to them. 357 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:38,620 Where were they when they abandoned God's plan? 358 00:29:38,620 --> 00:29:42,600 They weren't at a casino. 359 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:49,520 They weren't doing some terrible moral failure. 360 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:53,680 They just were in the plan of God and decided this is too much. 361 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:55,420 I'm going back. 362 00:29:55,420 --> 00:29:57,960 I'm not going forward. 363 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:04,840 No, I've decided I'm not able. 364 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:09,980 The Lord said, you are able. 365 00:30:09,980 --> 00:30:13,880 He told them and we just spent a whole month. 366 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,800 He told us. 367 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:22,020 The covenant people of God, that's still me and you. 368 00:30:22,020 --> 00:30:32,220 The covenant people of God in Numbers 13 verse 31 in this voice paraphrase, it says, no way. 369 00:30:32,220 --> 00:30:35,140 We can't do it. 370 00:30:35,140 --> 00:30:44,520 Those people who are already there are too strong for us. 371 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:49,280 Let's think about two questions. 372 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:54,320 Where were the people of God when they fell away from his plan? 373 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:58,180 Were they doing their own thing or were they following his plan? 374 00:30:58,180 --> 00:31:00,240 They were following his plan. 375 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:05,040 Up until now, they had been following a cloud through the wilderness and the Lord had brought 376 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:06,260 them there. 377 00:31:06,260 --> 00:31:07,260 Here's the next step. 378 00:31:07,260 --> 00:31:17,460 And they just said, no. 379 00:31:17,460 --> 00:31:19,760 Here's the more important question. 380 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:24,120 Who kept them from receiving what God had prepared for them? 381 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:27,840 There were already things prepared for them. 382 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:34,360 Not only were there provision and big grapes prepared for them, no, there was already a 383 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:38,480 way for them to go in and possess it. 384 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:43,360 Who kept them out? 385 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,560 That's exactly right. 386 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:54,080 They kept themselves out. 387 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:58,000 I want to read this as we finish. 388 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:05,120 Malachi chapter three, it says, this is the Lord speaking. 389 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:09,740 Malachi chapter three, he says, you have spoken arrogantly. 390 00:32:09,740 --> 00:32:13,380 One translation says hard words. 391 00:32:13,380 --> 00:32:16,040 One translation says strong. 392 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:18,520 Another one says harsh. 393 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,360 You have spoken arrogantly against me, says the Lord. 394 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:26,120 You have said it is futile. 395 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:30,600 In other words, there's no value to serve God. 396 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:35,200 What do we gain by carrying out his word? 397 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:44,000 Now we call the arrogant blessed and certainly evildoers prosper and even get away with it. 398 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:50,920 Have you ever heard that? 399 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:54,520 No. 400 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:59,680 What is the definition of success in this country? 401 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:08,340 In this society that we live in, what does it look like to be successful? 402 00:33:08,340 --> 00:33:13,200 To be a person of influence? 403 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:20,640 We make assumptions about them, about how they got to that place, about how they got 404 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:24,240 that apartment, that car. 405 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:29,360 We make assumptions about it. 406 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:38,640 And those assumptions act as barriers for you. 407 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:44,560 You and you are the body of Christ. 408 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,900 So if you are not able, what does that mean? 409 00:33:47,900 --> 00:33:55,640 It means the members, if one of the members of my body was not able to function, then 410 00:33:55,640 --> 00:34:00,000 I would be disabled. 411 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:05,680 If my arm didn't work, what would that mean? 412 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:09,180 It would mean that I am disabled. 413 00:34:09,180 --> 00:34:12,420 The body of Christ, that's you. 414 00:34:12,420 --> 00:34:15,020 In Lebanon, that's here. 415 00:34:15,020 --> 00:34:21,760 Right now needs to be well able to do what? 416 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:27,680 Acts chapter four, stretch out your hand to heal. 417 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:29,300 Stretch out your what? 418 00:34:29,300 --> 00:34:31,940 Stretch out your hand. 419 00:34:31,940 --> 00:34:42,460 We need to be able to speak, to boldly declare through every available voice what the truth 420 00:34:42,460 --> 00:34:50,880 that has already set us free and able to do things, do things to help this nation recover 421 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:54,120 from a difficult situation. 422 00:34:54,120 --> 00:35:03,280 Jesus needs to work through strong churches, not just this one, but all through this country. 423 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:10,880 Strong churches that aren't functioning somewhere in a corner, but are standing up like a light. 424 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:18,400 And that light shows how dark it is. 425 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:22,840 So don't come and say, yes, but you don't understand, it's hard. 426 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:29,120 No, those are assumptions we have decided, but we can change our decision and throw out 427 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:36,260 those assumptions and start acting like God's word is true because it is. 428 00:35:36,260 --> 00:35:38,680 His word is true about me. 429 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:45,720 His word is true about you and His word is working in us now. 430 00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:50,160 Hallelujah. 431 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:51,160 Let me pray for you. 432 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,160 Gilbert, come on. 433 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:54,160 Hallelujah. 434 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,160 Bow your heads with me. 435 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:01,760 Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have made us able. 436 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:08,680 I thank you that through your word you have given us exceeding great and precious promises 437 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:15,600 by which we escape the corruption of this world for a purpose. 438 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:22,080 And that purpose is to be your light, to stretch out your hand and be your example. 439 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:31,560 Lord, I ask that you supernaturally enable us today to step up into the place that you 440 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:39,360 have for us and occupy this land for you in Jesus' name. 441 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:40,360 Amen. 442 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:45,080 Thank you for joining us at Go Church Beirut. 443 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:50,360 Go Church Beirut exists so that everyone can experience the unconditional love of God, 444 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:55,080 grow in His love and go with His love to their world. 445 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:59,800 To stay connected with all that is happening at Go Church, follow us on social media at 446 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,760 Go Church Beirut. 447 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:30,080 And if no one told you yet today, we love you and expect God's best for you.