WEBVTT 00:00:07.690 --> 00:00:10.150 Thank you for listening to this message from 00:00:10.150 --> 00:00:31.800 Lifehouse Church. to come before the King. Amen? 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:34.320 Because that's why we come together, is to praise 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:37.200 Jesus and to experience God. But we have something 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:39.259 special taking place this morning, and it's a 00:00:39.259 --> 00:00:42.240 child dedication. And we are blessed at LifeHouse. 00:00:42.890 --> 00:00:45.570 in so many ways, but we have an abundance of 00:00:45.570 --> 00:00:48.490 children here at Lifehouse. Actually, we have 00:00:48.490 --> 00:00:50.969 a great span the whole way across the age board. 00:00:51.090 --> 00:00:52.810 I don't know if you know that or not, but we've 00:00:52.810 --> 00:00:56.509 got young people, we've got kids, we've got teenagers, 00:00:56.869 --> 00:00:59.109 we've got young parents, we've got parents of 00:00:59.109 --> 00:01:01.409 teenagers, we've got older people, and we've 00:01:01.409 --> 00:01:02.969 got some people that are even a little older 00:01:02.969 --> 00:01:06.010 than older, okay? It's true. That's probably 00:01:06.010 --> 00:01:07.969 me, honestly. I probably fall into that category. 00:01:08.269 --> 00:01:11.689 But we are blessed, and we have this child dedication 00:01:11.689 --> 00:01:13.969 this morning with the host settlers, and we're 00:01:13.969 --> 00:01:16.349 super excited. But we want you first to turn 00:01:16.349 --> 00:01:18.530 your attention to the screens so you can watch 00:01:18.530 --> 00:01:22.069 a little video and really kind of really get 00:01:22.069 --> 00:01:23.930 to know this family just a little bit more and 00:01:23.930 --> 00:03:29.360 this little guy named Leland. Everybody say it 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:34.139 together. I know. Every time. Every time. Well, 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:36.659 I'm going to ask if Lucas and Nikki would bring 00:03:36.659 --> 00:03:39.199 Leland and they would come to the stage. And 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:41.539 we really just want to take this time in this 00:03:41.539 --> 00:03:45.379 ceremony as we get ready to dedicate this child 00:03:45.379 --> 00:03:48.039 back to the Lord. And we do believe in child 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:50.879 dedication here at LifeHouse. Child dedication 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:54.400 is really all about the parents taking the time 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:57.780 to say, God, you've given us this amazing gift. 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:00.699 We want to give this gift. Back to you. It's 00:04:00.699 --> 00:04:03.520 the parents recognizing, really, the infinite 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:05.419 and the eternal value. Come on, they want to 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:07.400 see you all. You all get out of front here. All 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:09.560 right. It's the parents recognizing, really, 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:14.099 the infinite value and this eternal idea of following 00:04:14.099 --> 00:04:17.000 Jesus and raising your child to do that. And 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:19.899 I thank you both today for making that commitment, 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:22.339 coming up together, and saying we're going to 00:04:22.339 --> 00:04:24.620 do this in front of others and in front of the 00:04:24.620 --> 00:04:26.709 church and in front of family. Love all the support 00:04:26.709 --> 00:04:28.430 you got here. Come on, give this family a hand 00:04:28.430 --> 00:04:31.170 right here. Yeah, lots of support here. Yeah. 00:04:32.689 --> 00:04:35.490 And it really is a joint effort. It's the parents 00:04:35.490 --> 00:04:38.089 primarily that are dedicating this job back, 00:04:38.209 --> 00:04:40.649 but it is the family in support, and it is the 00:04:40.649 --> 00:04:42.509 church family coming together and say, we're 00:04:42.509 --> 00:04:44.310 backing you up in this. We believe in what you're 00:04:44.310 --> 00:04:48.149 doing. And I grew up in the church. I remember 00:04:48.149 --> 00:04:50.810 a community of believers around me. I remember 00:04:50.810 --> 00:04:53.189 them praying over me. I remember family praying 00:04:53.189 --> 00:04:55.290 over me, and I remember how important that was. 00:04:55.829 --> 00:04:58.670 in concert with the parents, right? My parents 00:04:58.670 --> 00:05:02.790 in raising a child up. So, little Leland, he 00:05:02.790 --> 00:05:05.930 is looking sharp today, all right? Leland Trejo 00:05:05.930 --> 00:05:09.649 Sellers, I love it. We want to take time. And 00:05:09.649 --> 00:05:11.470 listen, there's no better story in all of Scripture 00:05:11.470 --> 00:05:14.430 than that which is of Hannah, and it gives a 00:05:14.430 --> 00:05:17.829 really a picture in 1 Samuel chapter 1 of really 00:05:17.829 --> 00:05:20.930 what dedication is. And the story really kind 00:05:20.930 --> 00:05:23.029 of goes like this. For years, Hannah experiences 00:05:24.300 --> 00:05:26.759 She's childless. She's unable to have children. 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:30.399 And it's only in this barrenness that she becomes 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:34.360 so frustrated. And she literally is harassed 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:37.060 by her family and people in the community of 00:05:37.060 --> 00:05:39.639 that day because she was unable to have children. 00:05:39.740 --> 00:05:43.379 And in an effort, in a state of so brokenheartedness, 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.560 she goes to the temple. She goes to a place of 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.420 worship. And there she begins to weep and pray 00:05:49.420 --> 00:05:52.579 uncontrollably. And almost to the point that... 00:05:53.069 --> 00:05:55.709 You know, those who were in charge of the temple 00:05:55.709 --> 00:05:58.329 thought that she was drunk and thought that she 00:05:58.329 --> 00:06:01.790 was a little bit out of her mind. But it's in 00:06:01.790 --> 00:06:04.670 this place of frustration that God answers her 00:06:04.670 --> 00:06:10.290 prayer of having a child. And it really comes 00:06:10.290 --> 00:06:14.189 to God to move in her life. And 1 Samuel 1 .11 00:06:14.189 --> 00:06:16.829 says this, Then she, Hannah, made a vow and said 00:06:16.829 --> 00:06:20.100 to the Lord of hosts, If you indeed look on my 00:06:20.100 --> 00:06:22.120 affliction of your maidservant and remember me 00:06:22.120 --> 00:06:24.519 and not forget your maidservant, but will give 00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:27.540 your maidservant a male child, then I will give 00:06:27.540 --> 00:06:30.459 him to the Lord all the days of his life. Hannah 00:06:30.459 --> 00:06:33.759 vows a vow and God honors that vow and gives 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:36.980 her a son and staying true to what she spoke. 00:06:37.420 --> 00:06:39.839 She brings her son Samuel back into the house 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:42.439 of the Lord to dedicate him back to God and literally 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:45.079 leave him there. That was common in that day. 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:48.560 And she stays true to this. And as I was thinking 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:50.779 about that, you know, it's something that she 00:06:50.779 --> 00:06:52.959 actually took the child back and the child grew 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:55.079 up in the church. How many of you would like 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:57.379 to leave your children at the church today? I 00:06:57.379 --> 00:06:58.740 know. Some of the parents here are like, well, 00:06:58.759 --> 00:07:01.100 there's days we would just leave them. We do 00:07:01.100 --> 00:07:03.199 not have that policy here. So we just want to 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:05.959 let you know that ahead of time. But in 1 Samuel 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:08.420 1 20, it says, therefore, I also have lent him 00:07:08.420 --> 00:07:11.459 to the Lord. As long as he lives, he shall be 00:07:11.459 --> 00:07:14.860 lent to the Lord. And that word lent means to 00:07:14.860 --> 00:07:17.839 give back unconditionally in dedication to God. 00:07:18.019 --> 00:07:20.500 And that's what Lucas and Nikki are doing today. 00:07:20.740 --> 00:07:23.519 They're symbolically saying, Lord, you have blessed 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:26.600 us with Leland, and now we place him just back 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:29.459 into your hands. We want Leland to experience 00:07:29.459 --> 00:07:32.420 salvation and the grace and sacrifice that Jesus 00:07:32.420 --> 00:07:35.279 made. We want the Holy Spirit to be active and 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:37.899 engaged in Leland's life. We want the Father's 00:07:37.899 --> 00:07:41.720 plans of promise to unfold in his future. So 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.779 we place him in your hands. So Jesus' parents 00:07:44.779 --> 00:07:48.019 did something very similar to this as well. They 00:07:48.019 --> 00:07:51.139 brought Jesus, even Jesus, into the temple. In 00:07:51.139 --> 00:07:54.500 Luke 22, it says, when the days of our purification 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:56.339 according to the law of Moses were completed, 00:07:56.519 --> 00:07:59.939 they brought him, Jesus, to Jerusalem to present 00:07:59.939 --> 00:08:04.540 him to the Lord. Even Jesus' parents gave their 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:08.740 son back to God in this very same kind of way. 00:08:09.290 --> 00:08:11.949 So Lucas and Nikki, this seems like a simple 00:08:11.949 --> 00:08:14.889 act, a simple ceremony, but comes with great 00:08:14.889 --> 00:08:18.269 responsibility and great promise on your son. 00:08:18.709 --> 00:08:21.509 It's in this action that you are not only affirming 00:08:21.509 --> 00:08:24.310 God's prior claim on your child's life, but committing 00:08:24.310 --> 00:08:27.370 yourselves to raise Leland in God's way. He's 00:08:27.370 --> 00:08:29.649 getting a little upset about all this. And in 00:08:29.649 --> 00:08:33.470 God's path, according to God's plan. So today 00:08:33.470 --> 00:08:36.769 we're committing to pray over Leland. And really 00:08:36.769 --> 00:08:39.330 to pray over Leland, not just today, but daily. 00:08:39.429 --> 00:08:42.070 And I know they do this as parents. This is a 00:08:42.070 --> 00:08:43.470 wonderful couple in the church. They've been 00:08:43.470 --> 00:08:47.809 an integral part of LifeHouse. And now we're 00:08:47.809 --> 00:08:50.049 going to pray over Leland and really just look 00:08:50.049 --> 00:08:53.950 for God's hand in his life. And I'm a grandfather 00:08:53.950 --> 00:08:56.889 now. And as my children grew and are now adults, 00:08:57.230 --> 00:09:00.909 I used to pray on the regular daily, you know, 00:09:00.909 --> 00:09:03.250 God get their hearts. Because I knew if God got 00:09:03.250 --> 00:09:05.950 their hearts, right? that he would have all of 00:09:05.950 --> 00:09:08.409 them. So you too, pray a similar prayer. You 00:09:08.409 --> 00:09:09.950 may have a prayer that you pray over your children 00:09:09.950 --> 00:09:13.309 currently, but pray that God captures their heart 00:09:13.309 --> 00:09:16.009 and his heart in particular today, all right? 00:09:16.230 --> 00:09:20.909 So Lucas and Nikki, pray something, that kind 00:09:20.909 --> 00:09:23.909 of prayer. And if you would, and I don't know 00:09:23.909 --> 00:09:25.330 if I've ever done this in dedication, I don't 00:09:25.330 --> 00:09:27.250 know why I feel this way with you two, but find 00:09:27.250 --> 00:09:29.549 that phrase between the two of you. Find that 00:09:29.549 --> 00:09:31.549 one common thing that you're going to pray over 00:09:31.549 --> 00:09:34.009 your children and do it. You might already do 00:09:34.009 --> 00:09:35.490 this. Maybe it's just a confirmation of what 00:09:35.490 --> 00:09:37.409 you're already doing. But I feel strongly about 00:09:37.409 --> 00:09:39.110 this. It has something to do with Leland's future 00:09:39.110 --> 00:09:42.149 and what you're going to pray. So today, we're 00:09:42.149 --> 00:09:44.009 going to pray over Leland. We're going to pray 00:09:44.009 --> 00:09:45.889 a prayer of dedication. I am going to lightly 00:09:45.889 --> 00:09:48.570 lay my hand on his back so he does not get upset. 00:09:49.389 --> 00:09:51.490 I think I've already made him upset. Oh, you 00:09:51.490 --> 00:09:53.929 just need to stage. That's all he needs. Yeah. 00:09:54.429 --> 00:09:55.970 But we're just going to pray, and I want you 00:09:55.970 --> 00:09:58.600 just to come together. Father. I thank you for 00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:00.480 this couple, Lord. I thank you for their dedication 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:03.940 to you, God, their heart to follow after God, 00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:06.860 to follow Jesus, your son, for the Holy Spirit 00:10:06.860 --> 00:10:09.100 being active in their life. And I thank you for 00:10:09.100 --> 00:10:11.039 this son that you gave them that they're now 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:14.379 dedicating back to you. God, I pray, God, for 00:10:14.379 --> 00:10:17.480 your hand upon his future. I pray, God, that 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:20.190 this family gives... has wisdom and direction 00:10:20.190 --> 00:10:22.789 as he grows. And God, as both their children 00:10:22.789 --> 00:10:25.370 grow, and Lord, as they raise Graceland as well, 00:10:25.389 --> 00:10:28.129 Lord, I pray, God, that you would touch them, 00:10:28.210 --> 00:10:30.590 and Lord, be with them. And Lord, I pray your 00:10:30.590 --> 00:10:33.509 hand on Leland as he becomes a man of God before 00:10:33.509 --> 00:10:36.129 you. And we just give you praise and glory in 00:10:36.129 --> 00:10:39.830 Jesus' name. And amen. Amen. I know, I know, 00:10:39.889 --> 00:10:42.129 buddy, this is tough, huh? It's scary up here. 00:10:42.450 --> 00:10:45.029 But with this, we want to do several things. 00:10:45.269 --> 00:10:48.590 Just to mark the day. We like to do a couple 00:10:48.590 --> 00:10:51.549 things, and one is to give some roses. And I 00:10:51.549 --> 00:10:53.389 don't know if you can see this from there, but 00:10:53.389 --> 00:10:55.690 these roses are different colors, and they each 00:10:55.690 --> 00:10:57.649 represent something. The white rose really represents 00:10:57.649 --> 00:11:00.870 the love of Jesus Christ. And the red rose represents 00:11:00.870 --> 00:11:03.230 the bloodline and really the love of the parents. 00:11:03.590 --> 00:11:07.070 And the pink represents the child. And it's the 00:11:07.070 --> 00:11:09.490 love of Jesus and it is the love of the parents 00:11:09.490 --> 00:11:12.990 coming together that really is going to show 00:11:12.990 --> 00:11:15.549 Leland the way in life. He's going to grow and 00:11:15.549 --> 00:11:17.889 know how and where to go because of that love. 00:11:18.029 --> 00:11:20.070 So I'm going to set that here because you all 00:11:20.070 --> 00:11:22.190 have your hands full. With that as well, we'd 00:11:22.190 --> 00:11:24.570 like to give him a Bible, a beginner's Bible. 00:11:24.970 --> 00:11:27.090 And this is the Word of God. We believe this 00:11:27.090 --> 00:11:28.690 is the lamp, right? The Word of God says that 00:11:28.690 --> 00:11:30.929 to our feet and a light to our path. And we want 00:11:30.929 --> 00:11:32.389 that for Leland, so we're going to give you the 00:11:32.389 --> 00:11:35.509 Bible. And also a certificate to commemorate 00:11:35.509 --> 00:11:38.509 the day. and to mark the day of this dedication. 00:11:39.190 --> 00:11:41.230 This is incredible that you're doing this. This 00:11:41.230 --> 00:11:45.389 is an amazing thing. Church, if you would, would 00:11:45.389 --> 00:11:49.529 you lay your hand this way? I feel led to do 00:11:49.529 --> 00:11:52.129 this today. I don't know why, but I just want 00:11:52.129 --> 00:11:54.110 you just to pray over Leland. I believe there's 00:11:54.110 --> 00:11:56.090 something in his future that God's got marked 00:11:56.090 --> 00:11:59.029 out. God's speaking that into my spirit, and 00:11:59.029 --> 00:12:01.149 I don't want to be disobedient in that. So as 00:12:01.149 --> 00:12:03.090 you two parents, just lay hands on him. Father, 00:12:03.169 --> 00:12:05.929 we thank you. God, as Leland goes forward, God, 00:12:06.009 --> 00:12:08.789 I pray, God, the word says that the steps of 00:12:08.789 --> 00:12:11.350 a righteous man are ordered by God. I pray that 00:12:11.350 --> 00:12:13.909 you walk out his steps. Lord God, that you have 00:12:13.909 --> 00:12:15.809 your hand upon him, and Lord, we just give you 00:12:15.809 --> 00:12:19.320 praise and glory and honor. honor in Jesus' name. 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:22.860 And amen. Amen. Church, are you willing to back 00:12:22.860 --> 00:12:28.019 this family up? Yes. All right. I know they're 00:12:28.019 --> 00:12:31.259 willing to walk through. God bless you. Thank 00:12:31.259 --> 00:12:33.019 you. Would you give them another hand as they 00:12:33.019 --> 00:12:53.129 go down this morning? Hey, listen, if you're 00:12:53.129 --> 00:12:55.009 a parent, you need six hands and a wheelbarrow 00:12:55.009 --> 00:12:57.169 to get everything where you need to go. Amen? 00:12:57.350 --> 00:12:59.929 It's true. I watch all these young parents here 00:12:59.929 --> 00:13:02.990 at LifeHouse, and man, I remember the days when 00:13:02.990 --> 00:13:05.909 our three children were little. And man, you 00:13:05.909 --> 00:13:07.789 just about need a pickup truck to go anywhere 00:13:07.789 --> 00:13:09.889 to get everything where you're going. But it 00:13:09.889 --> 00:13:12.309 is so good, and we are blessed. And thank you 00:13:12.309 --> 00:13:15.330 to the Hosteller family. Thank you. for trusting 00:13:15.330 --> 00:13:18.649 us to do this dedication today. And we love doing 00:13:18.649 --> 00:13:21.409 that. We love spending the time to do it. But 00:13:21.409 --> 00:13:23.049 I'm going to start off this message this morning 00:13:23.049 --> 00:13:26.289 asking you a question. How many of you have ever 00:13:26.289 --> 00:13:30.009 walked into a room somewhere and you got into 00:13:30.009 --> 00:13:32.210 the room in the middle of the room somewhere 00:13:32.210 --> 00:13:37.269 and completely forgot why you were there? Come 00:13:37.269 --> 00:13:42.009 on. How many did it this week? Yeah. Wow. Okay. 00:13:42.500 --> 00:13:44.559 Maybe I should say this again, short memory term 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:48.059 problem here. We've done that, right? All of 00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:50.419 us, we've walked into a room, got in the center 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:52.820 of the room, stood still and thought, why in 00:13:52.820 --> 00:13:55.360 the world am I here? And here's what you do. 00:13:55.419 --> 00:13:57.659 You stand still for a second, and in your mind, 00:13:57.659 --> 00:13:59.899 right, you replay. How many of you rewind? You 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:01.700 go back. You're thinking, what did I do in the 00:14:01.700 --> 00:14:04.159 last 30 seconds of my life? And you start to 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:06.639 replay it, and you stand particularly still just 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:08.379 so that nothing gets in the way of all that. 00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:10.919 And when you can't recall it, you'll get really 00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:12.639 crazy, and you'll go back into the room you just 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:14.759 came from, and you'll stand still there for a 00:14:14.759 --> 00:14:18.299 second just to reboot. Amen? Hoping that if you 00:14:18.299 --> 00:14:20.620 step through again, you might remember. And if 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:24.340 you get extremely desperate, you will ask a family 00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:27.179 member, why in the world did I come in here? 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:29.399 And it's the last resort because you know they're 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:31.350 going to make fun of you. Right? They're going 00:14:31.350 --> 00:14:34.330 to say, what, you're losing it, man. Right? They're 00:14:34.330 --> 00:14:37.110 going to say things that, some kind of pull it 00:14:37.110 --> 00:14:38.629 together kind of statement is going to come out 00:14:38.629 --> 00:14:41.950 of their mouth towards you. And it's easy. You 00:14:41.950 --> 00:14:45.809 know, in a heartbeat, we can forget what we're 00:14:45.809 --> 00:14:50.909 doing. You know, it can be this minute, and one 00:14:50.909 --> 00:14:53.929 minute later, and you're in a different room, 00:14:53.970 --> 00:14:57.759 and you forget why you were even there. Turn 00:14:57.759 --> 00:14:59.639 to somebody sitting beside you right now, say, 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:02.740 why'd you come in here? Come on. Maybe say, why 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:05.879 did I come in here? Why am I here? All right? 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:09.259 How many know it can happen quick? Sometimes 00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:12.460 it's just a minute, right? Sometimes we forget. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:17.639 And here's the thing. Sometimes we forget Jesus 00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:24.039 that quickly. Sometimes. Sometimes he's the furthest 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:26.909 thing from our mind. In the very next minute, 00:15:27.049 --> 00:15:29.330 and previously we were thinking about it. And 00:15:29.330 --> 00:15:30.850 I know you're thinking about them right now because 00:15:30.850 --> 00:15:32.549 you're in church, right? We've worshiped the 00:15:32.549 --> 00:15:35.710 Lord this morning. We've heard about his name. 00:15:35.789 --> 00:15:38.490 We've prayed this morning. And right now it's 00:15:38.490 --> 00:15:40.750 easy. We're remembering and we're thinking. And 00:15:40.750 --> 00:15:42.730 if you come back to Revive tonight, which is 00:15:42.730 --> 00:15:45.409 amazing, you can come back and pray. We spent 00:15:45.409 --> 00:15:48.549 an hour singing and we're praying. And it's going 00:15:48.549 --> 00:15:50.690 to be easy to remember. You're probably not going 00:15:50.690 --> 00:15:53.509 to forget in that kind of setting of any kind. 00:15:53.610 --> 00:15:55.490 But how many know Monday comes around? with amazing 00:15:55.490 --> 00:15:58.269 regularity, right? Monday morning is going to 00:15:58.269 --> 00:16:00.389 come back around. And Monday morning, you're 00:16:00.389 --> 00:16:02.710 going to step into some kind of routine. You're 00:16:02.710 --> 00:16:05.049 going to go back to work, whatever it is. And 00:16:05.049 --> 00:16:08.610 sometimes it can be completely, you can go from 00:16:08.610 --> 00:16:11.250 Monday to Wednesday and you realize, I never 00:16:11.250 --> 00:16:14.629 even really thought about Jesus. It's Wednesday 00:16:14.629 --> 00:16:17.549 sometime. It's Tuesday. You haven't paid attention 00:16:17.549 --> 00:16:19.830 to Jesus. You haven't paid attention to the Holy 00:16:19.830 --> 00:16:22.210 Spirit. You forgot why you were in the room. 00:16:22.350 --> 00:16:25.399 You forgot that he owns the room, right? And 00:16:25.399 --> 00:16:27.899 it can happen. And if that happens to you, honestly, 00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:29.500 you're in good company. Because I don't know 00:16:29.500 --> 00:16:31.679 if you know this or not, but in God's word, Jesus' 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:34.980 parents actually lost him for a bit of time when 00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:38.419 he was a kid, right? Luke chapter 2 verse 43 00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:41.340 tells us that Jesus' parents and their family 00:16:41.340 --> 00:16:44.220 used to take a trip yearly. They would go to 00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:46.419 Jerusalem. And when they would get to Jerusalem, 00:16:46.539 --> 00:16:48.580 they would celebrate Passover. And then that 00:16:48.580 --> 00:16:50.860 whole tribe of people, whether it was relatives 00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:53.200 or friends, they would go back to their homes. 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:55.440 They'd go back to their own towns. And one time 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.700 when that took place, they forgot Jesus. They 00:16:58.700 --> 00:17:02.009 left him in Jerusalem. He was just a kid. And 00:17:02.009 --> 00:17:03.970 they started down the road. They got about a 00:17:03.970 --> 00:17:06.670 day down the road, and they realized Jesus was 00:17:06.670 --> 00:17:10.269 nowhere to be found. So they turned around and 00:17:10.269 --> 00:17:11.690 went back. And when he got back to Jerusalem, 00:17:11.890 --> 00:17:14.349 they found him in the temple, teaching in the 00:17:14.349 --> 00:17:17.930 temple. They forgot Jesus in the next minute. 00:17:18.049 --> 00:17:20.789 His parents did. And if I'm being completely 00:17:20.789 --> 00:17:23.349 transparent, it happened in our family once. 00:17:23.609 --> 00:17:27.180 I left my son at church one time. Dixie and I, 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:30.619 true story. When my son was little, you know, 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:32.779 when he was young, Dixie and I both drove separate 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:35.900 vehicles to church, and I took one vehicle and 00:17:35.900 --> 00:17:37.640 went home, and she took the other, and we got 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:39.319 home, and we started out with three children 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:41.920 and only had two when we got back. And just about 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.980 the time we figured it out, the phone rang, and 00:17:44.980 --> 00:17:47.460 it was the pastor who says, uh, I got one of 00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:49.700 your children here. How many know that's an awkward 00:17:49.700 --> 00:17:53.119 moment? Right? We left him there. But it is that 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:55.700 quick. It is that quick that we can get caught 00:17:55.700 --> 00:17:57.960 up in doing whatever we're doing in life, and 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:02.599 we can forget about Jesus. And sometimes it's 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:04.519 days, sometimes it's minutes, sometimes it's 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:07.799 weeks. For some people, it's even years. And 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:12.079 God's people, Israel, had this problem big time. 00:18:12.339 --> 00:18:17.359 Big time. They got lost. and they would forget 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:21.259 Jesus, and they lost it. They lost it spiritually. 00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:24.079 They lost it physically. They forgot God so much 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:28.759 that actually they ended up in exile. They forgot 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:31.279 about God completely, and they ended up being 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:33.980 exiled into different countries, and literally 00:18:33.980 --> 00:18:37.019 the nation of Israel broke up and went to other 00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:39.779 places, literally standing in a room and completely 00:18:39.779 --> 00:18:43.640 forgetting God, all because they were not engaged 00:18:43.640 --> 00:18:47.759 in the things they constantly um, keep us, uh, 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:50.660 keeping God in mind, keeping God at the forefront 00:18:50.660 --> 00:18:52.779 of our lives. So if you got your Bible this morning, 00:18:52.900 --> 00:18:55.140 I want you to turn to Exodus chapter 19. We're 00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:56.799 going to start off in Exodus chapter 19. We're 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.960 going to take a look at the nation of Israel 00:18:57.960 --> 00:18:59.900 and their forgetfulness. And then we're going 00:18:59.900 --> 00:19:03.299 to flip back on over to Exodus 32, one through 00:19:03.299 --> 00:19:06.200 eight. And I'm going to pray while you're turning, 00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:07.819 and then I'm going to give you a little lead 00:19:07.819 --> 00:19:09.599 up to that scripture. Father, we thank you for 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:11.480 this day. We thank you for the opportunity to 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:13.859 be in your house. I thank you, Lord, God, that 00:19:13.859 --> 00:19:15.740 you go before us. I thank you, Lord, for children 00:19:15.740 --> 00:19:17.880 that you have blessed us with, and Lord, that 00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:19.880 we can dedicate and give back to you. I thank 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:22.519 you, Lord, God, for your word, Lord, that shows 00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:25.640 us, and Lord, is truly a light to us. And we 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:27.740 ask, God, that you would write it on our hearts, 00:19:27.779 --> 00:19:29.460 write it on our minds, God, that we might walk 00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:31.819 worthy and righteously before you. In Jesus' 00:19:31.940 --> 00:19:34.710 name, and everybody say it together. Amen. Amen. 00:19:35.269 --> 00:19:37.130 Well, just to give you a little lead up to where 00:19:37.130 --> 00:19:40.349 we're going to start, the nation of Israel is 00:19:40.349 --> 00:19:45.750 enslaved by Egypt for 400 years. And it's all 00:19:45.750 --> 00:19:47.829 they've known for 400 years. And God sends a 00:19:47.829 --> 00:19:50.410 man named Moses out of the backside of the desert. 00:19:50.490 --> 00:19:53.430 And he meets with Moses and he tells him, I want 00:19:53.430 --> 00:19:56.869 you to go to Egypt and I want you to confront 00:19:56.869 --> 00:19:59.809 Pharaoh and tell Pharaoh to let my people go. 00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:04.519 He says, instruct them. If Pharaoh asks who's 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:07.859 asking this, what God is asking this, tell him, 00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:09.839 I am. How many of you know that's a name for 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:13.900 God? I am. So Moses does this. He's obedient, 00:20:14.099 --> 00:20:17.000 and he goes to Pharaoh, and he says, I want you 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:19.380 to release the Israelites. I want you to release 00:20:19.380 --> 00:20:22.059 them from slavery. They need to be free. They 00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:25.119 need to go and worship in the wilderness, and 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:27.400 you need to let them go. And Pharaoh refuses. 00:20:28.409 --> 00:20:31.710 Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, refuses. And from 00:20:31.710 --> 00:20:34.750 that point on, Moses says, well, God's going 00:20:34.750 --> 00:20:36.769 to do a little convincing. He's going to convince 00:20:36.769 --> 00:20:39.970 you to do this. So the Lord sends 10 plagues. 00:20:39.970 --> 00:20:44.299 Say 10. 10 plagues. On Pharaoh and all of Egypt. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:47.480 Israel's living right next door in Goshen. And 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:50.140 none of these plagues touch the Israelites. But 00:20:50.140 --> 00:20:54.119 all of these plagues fall on Egypt. First one 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:56.500 was he turned the water into blood. The water 00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:59.160 became undrinkable in the Nile River. It became 00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:01.559 undrinkable in the ponds that surrounded that 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:03.700 area. They could not drink. Secondly, he sent 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:06.339 frogs. How many of you like frogs? I know, they're 00:21:06.339 --> 00:21:08.140 cute. Unless there's a hundred of them in your 00:21:08.140 --> 00:21:10.680 kitchen, right? Jumping on top of you. There 00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:13.099 was this one, frogs came. I don't know if it's 00:21:13.099 --> 00:21:14.819 a herd of frogs. What do you call frogs when 00:21:14.819 --> 00:21:16.920 they're a whole big bunch? I'm not sure. I didn't 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:18.980 look that one up. All right. But he sent a lot 00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:21.900 of frogs, right? And then he sent gnats. And 00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:24.160 then he sent flies. And then there was livestock 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:26.599 pestilence where the livestock began to die off. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:29.279 Boils, the people of Egypt began to suffer boils. 00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:31.640 And Pharaoh would just keep hardening his heart 00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:34.700 and he wouldn't let them go. And God sent hail. 00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:37.420 He sent locusts to eat every green thing that 00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:40.579 was in Egypt. Never touched. Goshen, where the 00:21:40.579 --> 00:21:43.500 Israelites were living. And darkness fell on 00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:46.680 Egypt at one point. This was the ninth plague 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:49.220 that God sends. It falls on Egypt for three days. 00:21:49.380 --> 00:21:52.539 And for three days, it's dark in Egypt, right? 00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:55.019 And Goshen, right next to where the Israelites 00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:59.380 are, it's light. And Pharaoh still won't bend. 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:02.460 So God sends the death angel as the tenth plague. 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:05.559 And all the firstborn in Egypt die, including 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:10.059 Pharaoh's son. And finally, Pharaoh breaks. He 00:22:10.059 --> 00:22:13.880 releases them. No war, right? No battle. God 00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:17.339 walks the Israelites out of Egypt. Not only do 00:22:17.339 --> 00:22:20.779 they walk out free, but the Egyptians literally 00:22:20.779 --> 00:22:24.839 pay them to go. They give them money. They give 00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:26.700 them gold. They give them whatever they need. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:29.650 They basically pay them to leave. And once they 00:22:29.650 --> 00:22:31.849 leave, they go into the wilderness. They come 00:22:31.849 --> 00:22:35.990 to the Red Sea. And all of a sudden, Pharaoh 00:22:35.990 --> 00:22:40.369 has what I would call decision remorse. He decides 00:22:40.369 --> 00:22:43.230 this was a bad idea. So he gathers the army. 00:22:43.369 --> 00:22:46.869 He goes in an effort to retrieve all these Israelites, 00:22:47.109 --> 00:22:49.809 a million plus people, and bring them back and 00:22:49.809 --> 00:22:53.069 enslave them again. And Israel's back is against 00:22:53.069 --> 00:22:55.670 the Red Sea. And here comes Pharaoh and the army. 00:22:55.809 --> 00:23:00.339 God splits the Red Sea. opens it. The Israelites 00:23:00.339 --> 00:23:03.980 walk across on dry land, get to the other side, 00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:06.559 right? If you've ever seen it in the movies, 00:23:06.660 --> 00:23:09.579 it's awesome, right? And Pharaoh and his armies 00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:13.759 charge into the sea that's opened up by God himself. 00:23:14.099 --> 00:23:16.960 And as they get into the center of that, God 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.720 collapses the water. Israel's safe on the other 00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:23.299 side and wipes out Pharaoh and the entire army. 00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:27.359 Now, if you were an Israelite and you witnessed 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:31.410 all this stuff happening firsthand. How many 00:23:31.410 --> 00:23:34.970 think it would be hard to forget God? It would 00:23:34.970 --> 00:23:38.349 be hard. I'd be like, that's incredible. That's 00:23:38.349 --> 00:23:41.829 amazing. And it doesn't even stop there. They 00:23:41.829 --> 00:23:44.910 go into the wilderness. God gives them food every 00:23:44.910 --> 00:23:48.289 single morning. Manna on the ground. They don't 00:23:48.289 --> 00:23:50.630 even have to work for food. It's laying on the 00:23:50.630 --> 00:23:52.569 ground. They can pick it up and eat it. They 00:23:52.569 --> 00:23:54.930 get thirsty at one point in Rahitim, the place 00:23:54.930 --> 00:23:57.730 called Rahitim, and God instructs Moses, just 00:23:57.730 --> 00:24:00.210 smack the rock with your stick, right, with your 00:24:00.210 --> 00:24:02.250 rod that I've given you, the staff that I've 00:24:02.250 --> 00:24:05.130 given you. Smack the rock, and water gushes out 00:24:05.130 --> 00:24:09.109 of a rock for a million plus people. They witness 00:24:09.109 --> 00:24:13.930 all of this, all of Israel. Amalek comes to fight 00:24:13.930 --> 00:24:17.609 against them. and war against Israel as they're 00:24:17.609 --> 00:24:20.750 traveling through. And God has Moses stand with 00:24:20.750 --> 00:24:23.750 that same rod in the air. And as long as Moses 00:24:23.750 --> 00:24:27.950 had the rod in the air, they would win over Amalek. 00:24:27.990 --> 00:24:31.470 They would come out on top with the battle. And 00:24:31.470 --> 00:24:33.670 when Moses' arms started getting tired, Aaron 00:24:33.670 --> 00:24:36.569 and Hur came, and they held up his arm, and they 00:24:36.569 --> 00:24:41.519 won over Amalek. And even at another point in 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:44.180 this journey, everybody in this country, everybody 00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:47.579 amongst these people are witnessing this. At 00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:50.700 another point, they find water again, and it's 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:54.940 bitter, and God makes it sweet to drink. It was 00:24:54.940 --> 00:24:57.799 poisonous, and he purifies it in an instant. 00:24:58.779 --> 00:25:02.720 Everything they touch is miracles, blessings, 00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:08.650 God's hand, abundance. It's crazy. God even calls 00:25:08.650 --> 00:25:12.470 them his own special people. In Exodus 19, it 00:25:12.470 --> 00:25:37.650 says this, Say treasure. treasure to me above 00:25:37.650 --> 00:25:40.390 all people, for all the earth is mine, and you 00:25:40.390 --> 00:25:42.990 shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy 00:25:42.990 --> 00:25:45.329 nation. These are the words which you shall speak 00:25:45.329 --> 00:25:47.950 to the children of Israel. At this particular 00:25:47.950 --> 00:25:52.509 time, Israel is the golden child of all the people 00:25:52.509 --> 00:25:56.109 on the earth. How many of you are the golden 00:25:56.109 --> 00:26:00.690 child in your family? Come on. Be proud. Nobody 00:26:00.690 --> 00:26:02.430 wants to admit their siblings are sitting here. 00:26:02.549 --> 00:26:05.430 All right. How many know it's good to be the 00:26:05.430 --> 00:26:07.809 golden child, right? How many of you are like, 00:26:07.829 --> 00:26:09.769 I'm the complete opposite of the golden child, 00:26:09.950 --> 00:26:12.890 right? Some of you are like, that's not me. But 00:26:12.890 --> 00:26:16.089 it's good to be the golden child. It's good to 00:26:16.089 --> 00:26:19.410 be in a place of favor. This was Israel. Favor 00:26:19.410 --> 00:26:24.470 is good when it comes to God. It is good. Israel 00:26:24.470 --> 00:26:29.950 is crazy blessed, highly favored. And you would 00:26:29.950 --> 00:26:33.329 think at this point in the relationship, it would 00:26:33.329 --> 00:26:37.009 be literally impossible for them to forget God. 00:26:37.190 --> 00:26:40.309 You would think it was completely unthinkable, 00:26:40.369 --> 00:26:45.089 unimaginable, that in a minute they could forget 00:26:45.089 --> 00:26:48.829 God. But it's in their travels into the promised 00:26:48.829 --> 00:26:51.970 land that Moses ends up going into a mountain, 00:26:51.990 --> 00:26:56.880 up to Mount Sinai, to hear from God. and get 00:26:56.880 --> 00:26:59.819 the laws that God wants to give him to govern 00:26:59.819 --> 00:27:03.779 this group of people. And they, he's gone. Moses 00:27:03.779 --> 00:27:06.099 is gone for 40 days. And honestly, in the grand 00:27:06.099 --> 00:27:08.619 scheme of things, it's a minute. He's gone for 00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:12.519 a minute and the people of Israel lose their 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:17.119 minds. Exodus 32, one says this, when the people 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:19.440 saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain. 00:27:19.769 --> 00:27:22.109 He's up there meeting with God for them, right? 00:27:22.309 --> 00:27:24.450 The people gathered together to Aaron and said 00:27:24.450 --> 00:27:26.750 to him, come make us gods that shall go before 00:27:26.750 --> 00:27:30.809 us. Are you kidding me? For as for Moses, this 00:27:30.809 --> 00:27:32.710 man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, 00:27:32.849 --> 00:27:36.119 we do not know what has become of him. Moses 00:27:36.119 --> 00:27:38.720 is speaking to God on their behalf. He's only 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:41.539 been gone for 40 days at a seminar with the Lord 00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:44.079 himself, right? Getting these laws. And they 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:46.940 forget God. They want to make other gods, right? 00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:49.619 They forget that the ocean split for them. They 00:27:49.619 --> 00:27:51.519 forget that God's provided the food. They're 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:54.579 still picking up manna every single day in the 00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:57.779 morning. And they literally forget God. And verse 00:27:57.779 --> 00:28:01.859 2, Aaron, who is one of the leaders, one of Moses' 00:28:02.099 --> 00:28:04.839 right -hand men, right? And Aaron said to them, 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:07.539 Break off the golden earring, which is in the 00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:09.380 ears of your wives, your sons, your daughters, 00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:11.920 and bring them to me. So all the people broke 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:13.859 off the golden earrings, which were in the ears, 00:28:13.900 --> 00:28:16.000 and brought them to Aram. And he received the 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:18.180 gold from their hand, and he fashioned it. And 00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:20.839 with an engraving tool, he made a molded calf. 00:28:21.660 --> 00:28:26.019 And then he said, this is your God, O Israel, 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:28.700 that brought you. out of the land of Egypt. Not 00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:31.779 only do they forget God, they make an idol, and 00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:35.359 they attribute their success of getting free 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:41.660 from freedom from this golden cow, a cow. So 00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:43.680 when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before the 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:47.299 Lord. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:49.279 tomorrow is the feast of the Lord. Then they 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:51.779 rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:54.039 brought peace offerings, and the people sat down 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:56.509 to eat and drink and rose up to play. And the 00:28:56.509 --> 00:28:59.130 Lord, now listen, Moses is still up in the mountain 00:28:59.130 --> 00:29:01.329 with the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, go get 00:29:01.329 --> 00:29:03.230 down for your people whom you brought out of 00:29:03.230 --> 00:29:05.170 the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 00:29:05.609 --> 00:29:07.890 They have turned aside quickly out of the way 00:29:07.890 --> 00:29:11.049 which I commanded them. It's only been a minute, 00:29:11.130 --> 00:29:13.589 right? And they've made themselves a molded calf 00:29:13.589 --> 00:29:15.869 and worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 00:29:15.970 --> 00:29:18.609 this is your God, O Israel, that brought you 00:29:18.609 --> 00:29:23.009 out of the land of Egypt. Now, when I first read 00:29:23.009 --> 00:29:25.089 this, I thought, what's wrong with these people? 00:29:26.119 --> 00:29:30.319 I mean, are they crazy? You know, was there a 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:32.259 problem with the water that their memories were 00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:36.380 that short? Moses is gone for 40 days, and the 00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:39.579 God who walks them through all this, they completely 00:29:39.579 --> 00:29:44.119 forget. Not only that, they take off their earrings 00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:47.960 and build a calf to worship. But here's the thing. 00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:53.279 Honestly, honestly, if we're not careful, it 00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:56.299 can be a minute just for us. and we'll forget 00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:59.700 God. I read in another place in scripture this 00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:01.319 week, it was part of my devotions this week, 00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:05.539 you know, as I was meeting with God, the God 00:30:05.539 --> 00:30:07.039 of the universe, that's how we say it here, it's 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:08.500 not really devotions, you meet with the God of 00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:11.000 the universe every single day, you should. And 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:13.700 as I was in his word, I read this story about 00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:16.079 Peter, and Peter, you know, Peter was one of 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:18.380 the disciples, and he was in Jesus' inner circle. 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:20.779 There were 12, but there were three that was 00:30:20.779 --> 00:30:23.059 in his inner circle. Peter, James, and John were 00:30:23.059 --> 00:30:26.220 kind of those closest to him. And Peter, at one 00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:29.859 point, in Scripture, the disciples are all together, 00:30:29.980 --> 00:30:31.759 and they're all having this discussion, who's 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:33.700 the greatest? It's kind of like a family meal, 00:30:33.799 --> 00:30:36.160 right? Like, I am the greatest. They were all 00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:37.220 getting together, and they were all bragging 00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.880 about who's the greatest, and he was one of them. 00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:41.579 He was in the whole deal, right? And in the next 00:30:41.579 --> 00:30:43.900 breath, he tells Jesus, you know, he's kind of 00:30:43.900 --> 00:30:45.220 beating his chest. I don't know if he literally 00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:47.380 beat his chest, but kind of in a way, he was 00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:49.579 beating his chest, and he's saying, Jesus, if 00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:53.759 you go to prison, even if you have to die, Jesus, 00:30:54.380 --> 00:30:59.119 I'm with you. Do you know a day later, he denies 00:30:59.119 --> 00:31:03.720 knowing Jesus three times? In a minute. This 00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:07.799 is Peter. In a minute. And if we're not careful, 00:31:07.980 --> 00:31:12.039 we can get engaged in things, and we will forget 00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:18.000 God in a minute. I got a good friend who this 00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:21.640 happened to. Just not too long ago. And I literally 00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:24.279 sat down with him. And he's the same thing. God 00:31:24.279 --> 00:31:28.400 blessed his, he served God for decades. And God 00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:30.900 blessed his family. And literally a miracle took 00:31:30.900 --> 00:31:32.559 place in his family with one of his children. 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:37.160 It's an amazing story. And he lost his ever living 00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:40.440 mind. He walked away from God in an area of his 00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:42.900 life. And I sat across from the table from him. 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:45.380 And I confronted him on it. And he said, you 00:31:45.380 --> 00:31:47.460 know what he said? I'm willing to forget God 00:31:47.460 --> 00:31:49.680 in this area. He didn't word it just like that, 00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:51.940 but that's what he essentially said to me. I'm 00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:54.359 willing to forget God in this area of my life. 00:31:54.920 --> 00:32:00.960 In a minute, in a minute, how's it happen? Well, 00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:04.279 I think Exodus 2018 reveals exactly how this 00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:07.240 happens. And a little context again, God physically 00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:09.539 shows up on Mount Sinai, same mountain we were 00:32:09.539 --> 00:32:12.380 just talking about with Moses in the other scene. 00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:16.160 And this mountain is located right next to where 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:19.529 Israel is camping. They're nomads. They're living 00:32:19.529 --> 00:32:22.609 in tents and traveling. And Exodus 20, 18 says 00:32:22.609 --> 00:32:25.130 this. Now, all the people witnessed the thundering 00:32:25.130 --> 00:32:27.490 and the lightning flashes and the sound of the 00:32:27.490 --> 00:32:29.569 trumpet and the mountain smoking. And when the 00:32:29.569 --> 00:32:33.049 people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 00:32:33.890 --> 00:32:36.470 God showed up on the mountain to meet with Moses 00:32:36.470 --> 00:32:39.089 and actually to meet with Israel, and it freaked 00:32:39.089 --> 00:32:42.119 them out. There was thundering. There was lightning. 00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:45.420 God's presence was there. And 19 says, and they 00:32:45.420 --> 00:32:48.339 said to Moses, you speak with us and we'll hear, 00:32:48.519 --> 00:32:53.099 but let not God speak with us lest we die. And 00:32:53.099 --> 00:32:55.240 Moses said to the people, do not fear for God 00:32:55.240 --> 00:32:57.920 has come to test you and that this fear may be 00:32:57.920 --> 00:33:02.079 before you so that you may not sin. And verse 00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:05.880 21, I think, nails it. So the people stood afar 00:33:05.880 --> 00:33:09.960 off. But Moses drew near to the thick darkness 00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:14.480 where God was. I believe that Israel forgot God 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:16.839 in a moment for the exact same reason that we 00:33:16.839 --> 00:33:19.779 forget God in the next minute. If we are standing 00:33:19.779 --> 00:33:23.799 too far away from God on a daily basis, right, 00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:27.720 when I no longer want to experience God for myself, 00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:31.980 right, or for ourselves, we will forget God in 00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:35.259 a minute. If we no longer want to experience 00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:40.369 God. You know, we will forget God in a minute. 00:33:40.470 --> 00:33:42.829 And I'm talking about a daily experience with 00:33:42.829 --> 00:33:45.049 him. I'm not talking about this special moment, 00:33:45.130 --> 00:33:49.369 right? The sea splitting moment. That's not what 00:33:49.369 --> 00:33:52.109 I'm talking about. When you no longer hear God 00:33:52.109 --> 00:33:56.029 for yourself, when you begin to rely on a secondhand 00:33:56.029 --> 00:33:59.210 source to hear God all the time. Sometimes we 00:33:59.210 --> 00:34:01.250 hear, you're hearing secondhand today from me, 00:34:01.269 --> 00:34:03.769 right? That's okay sometimes. Sometimes even 00:34:03.769 --> 00:34:05.230 somebody will come up and give you a word of 00:34:05.230 --> 00:34:07.210 scripture. But if you're hearing it secondhand 00:34:07.210 --> 00:34:09.889 all the time, you're missing it. You're standing 00:34:09.889 --> 00:34:13.570 far from God. You need to hear God in your heart, 00:34:13.590 --> 00:34:16.630 in your life. I need to hear God on a daily basis. 00:34:16.789 --> 00:34:20.679 When we no longer desire his presence. When we 00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:22.860 don't want to stand in his presence and the Holy 00:34:22.860 --> 00:34:26.400 Spirit stir us, right? When we no longer fear 00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:30.500 him and respect his position and who he is. You 00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:33.719 know, is he a God of love? Absolutely, but he's 00:34:33.719 --> 00:34:36.380 also a God of judgment. When we don't fear that, 00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:38.619 when we don't submit ourselves personally to 00:34:38.619 --> 00:34:42.599 his influence in our lives, I'll forget God in 00:34:42.599 --> 00:34:47.099 a minute. Here's the thing. Miracles will not 00:34:47.099 --> 00:34:51.349 cause you to remember God. They won't. Daily 00:34:51.349 --> 00:34:54.409 provision in your life, even from the hand of 00:34:54.409 --> 00:34:57.469 God, manna, right, will not help you remember 00:34:57.469 --> 00:35:02.429 God. Even God crushing your enemy for you, Amalek, 00:35:02.489 --> 00:35:05.909 crushing them, will not help you remember God. 00:35:06.530 --> 00:35:10.710 It is his voice and it is his presence in my 00:35:10.710 --> 00:35:13.130 daily life that keeps me from forgetting God. 00:35:13.329 --> 00:35:16.849 I must meet with God on the mountain. I got to 00:35:16.849 --> 00:35:18.659 meet with him on the mountain. I got to hear 00:35:18.659 --> 00:35:22.480 him. I got to be where he's at. I got to feel 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.360 his presence in the thunder, right? The only 00:35:25.360 --> 00:35:28.260 person in this whole group who never forgot God 00:35:28.260 --> 00:35:32.480 in all of Israel was Moses. And Moses was the 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:35.480 only one going up the mountain. He was the only 00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:37.500 one. He was cheering them on. God wanted to meet 00:35:37.500 --> 00:35:40.559 with all of Israel. That last scripture I read 00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:42.219 you, that he wanted to meet with all of them. 00:35:42.219 --> 00:35:45.719 He wanted them to experience him. And they said 00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:49.849 no. We'll just stand far off and you tell us 00:35:49.849 --> 00:35:53.309 what it's like secondhand, Moses. We'll get the 00:35:53.309 --> 00:35:57.090 secondhand account. We'll settle for a secondhand 00:35:57.090 --> 00:36:00.449 account. And here's the thing. If you settle 00:36:00.449 --> 00:36:03.590 for a secondhand account, if you just go to church 00:36:03.590 --> 00:36:05.769 and you're not meeting with them on your own 00:36:05.769 --> 00:36:09.070 in the daily, you'll forget them in a moment. 00:36:10.269 --> 00:36:15.570 You'll be okay with standing far from God. We 00:36:15.570 --> 00:36:18.349 won't know what it is to feel his thunder and 00:36:18.349 --> 00:36:21.829 his lightning. How many know it is one thing? 00:36:21.889 --> 00:36:24.230 I love watching things out in nature. It's one 00:36:24.230 --> 00:36:27.849 thing to watch thunder and lightning, or actually 00:36:27.849 --> 00:36:30.070 watch the lightning and hear the thunder from 00:36:30.070 --> 00:36:32.559 a distance. Where we live, we live kind of up 00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:35.239 on a hill where Dixie and I live, and we can 00:36:35.239 --> 00:36:38.000 see storms coming from a long way. And it's an 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:40.380 incredible thing to watch a thunderstorm roll 00:36:40.380 --> 00:36:42.440 in, and I can see the lightning, and I can hear 00:36:42.440 --> 00:36:44.039 the thunder, right? How many know you count in 00:36:44.039 --> 00:36:46.260 seconds just to know how far away it is? You 00:36:46.260 --> 00:36:47.840 know, you'll do that. I do that kind of thing. 00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:50.039 And I'll watch that roll in. It is a different 00:36:50.039 --> 00:36:52.039 thing if you're standing beside a lightning strike. 00:36:52.699 --> 00:36:55.219 I've been close where lightning hits. You can 00:36:55.219 --> 00:36:58.500 feel the electricity in the air. You can feel 00:36:58.500 --> 00:37:03.679 the power. And when it explodes, when that explosion 00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:07.219 of electricity takes place, there's 300 million 00:37:07.219 --> 00:37:12.699 volts in a lightning strike. 300 million. There's 00:37:12.699 --> 00:37:15.599 120 in your receptacle in your house, all right? 00:37:15.940 --> 00:37:23.179 300 million. It's when you experience God. There's 00:37:23.179 --> 00:37:25.260 got to be an experience there. Worship team, 00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:29.000 if you'd come. You've got to experience his presence. 00:37:30.659 --> 00:37:34.179 They forgot God in a minute. Even with the miracles, 00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:38.119 even with the provision, even with God trouncing 00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:42.820 their enemies, they forgot God. They told God, 00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:46.760 you speak with us. We'll listen to you. Secondhand. 00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:49.920 We're not going to meet with God. We might die. 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:54.199 We don't want to experience him, right? They 00:37:54.199 --> 00:37:57.440 settled for a secondhand word. They settled for 00:37:57.440 --> 00:38:01.619 a secondhand account of his presence. A secondhand 00:38:01.619 --> 00:38:04.880 experience. They settled for an inspirational 00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:07.420 moment with God. It would have been incredibly 00:38:07.420 --> 00:38:10.239 inspirational to see the Red Sea part. And to 00:38:10.239 --> 00:38:13.300 cross. And to go over and drive. Incredibly inspirational. 00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:15.739 You might even get inspired this morning, but 00:38:15.739 --> 00:38:17.420 how many know that wears off by the end of lunch? 00:38:18.300 --> 00:38:22.630 Right? Or by the end of supper. You will do the 00:38:22.630 --> 00:38:25.989 unthinkable. I will do the unthinkable and forget 00:38:25.989 --> 00:38:30.590 about God if I am not in his presence, if I am 00:38:30.590 --> 00:38:32.550 not meeting with him daily. I'm going to ask 00:38:32.550 --> 00:38:40.849 if you'd stand. See, here's the thing. It's in 00:38:40.849 --> 00:38:44.969 the daily of life. It's in the daily of getting 00:38:44.969 --> 00:38:47.929 into God's presence. It's in the moment when 00:38:47.929 --> 00:38:49.769 I meet with the creator of all the universe and 00:38:49.769 --> 00:38:52.210 not just call it a devotional time, right? For 00:38:52.210 --> 00:38:54.190 a couple minutes in the Bible or a scripture 00:38:54.190 --> 00:38:56.690 of the day. That's a great way to start, but 00:38:56.690 --> 00:39:00.809 it's really about connecting with God. It's in 00:39:00.809 --> 00:39:03.750 those moments where I'm alone with God that God 00:39:03.750 --> 00:39:06.710 messes with my theology, right? My belief about 00:39:06.710 --> 00:39:08.809 him. It's where that starts to really get all 00:39:08.809 --> 00:39:11.730 fleshed out. It's where I stay close enough to 00:39:11.730 --> 00:39:14.860 him that he can mess with my Christology. I start 00:39:14.860 --> 00:39:17.940 to understand Jesus' role in my life. He starts 00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:21.300 to change my psychology, right? How my mind thinks. 00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:24.820 My sociology and how I relate and work with other 00:39:24.820 --> 00:39:28.300 people. My biology, right? Because I start to 00:39:28.300 --> 00:39:30.440 listen to what he even says to do with my body. 00:39:31.719 --> 00:39:34.619 And I even made one up, your finance -ology. 00:39:35.559 --> 00:39:37.579 What do you do in your finances? I don't think 00:39:37.579 --> 00:39:38.980 that's really a thing. I tried to look it up. 00:39:41.500 --> 00:39:46.059 Moses was the one. and God's presence. Moses 00:39:46.059 --> 00:39:48.559 was the one going up the mountain. Moses was 00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:51.980 the one seeking to hear God's word. And not for 00:39:51.980 --> 00:39:55.559 one minute did Moses forget God. When an entire 00:39:55.559 --> 00:40:00.059 nation of people forgot God, Moses was standing 00:40:00.059 --> 00:40:03.400 in front of them saying, what is gone? How have 00:40:03.400 --> 00:40:08.480 you lost this? Right? How have you lost it? You 00:40:08.480 --> 00:40:12.960 forgot God. You took earrings out of your ears, 00:40:13.139 --> 00:40:16.860 molded it into something you wanted it to be, 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:21.199 and that's what you're following. That's what 00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:23.300 you're worshiping. I'm asking you to bow your 00:40:23.300 --> 00:40:30.099 heads. I want you to ask yourself today, are 00:40:30.099 --> 00:40:31.960 you settling for a second -hand account of God, 00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:35.840 keeping God at arm's length, admiring it all 00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:38.219 the way, watching Him like He's a thunderstorm 00:40:38.219 --> 00:40:42.010 in the distance? He's amazing. You might even 00:40:42.010 --> 00:40:45.989 say things like he's incredible. I can't even 00:40:45.989 --> 00:40:48.710 tell you all the things that he's doing that 00:40:48.710 --> 00:40:51.389 I can see from a distance. But are you feeling 00:40:51.389 --> 00:40:55.869 the thunder of his presence? Do you feel the 00:40:55.869 --> 00:41:01.289 electricity of the spirit in your own life? Do 00:41:01.289 --> 00:41:05.550 you allow God's heat to come upon you and be 00:41:05.550 --> 00:41:10.559 a convicting spirit? a convicting word in your 00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:14.500 soul? Do you invite him to come in and convict 00:41:14.500 --> 00:41:16.800 you and say, Lord, if there's any wicked way 00:41:16.800 --> 00:41:19.179 in me, if there's this place that I should not 00:41:19.179 --> 00:41:22.159 be going into or this place in my mind that I 00:41:22.159 --> 00:41:24.519 should not be thinking on, God, I want to feel 00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:27.780 your heat. I want to feel the conviction. Am 00:41:27.780 --> 00:41:31.380 I acknowledging his constant presence even on 00:41:31.380 --> 00:41:37.840 a busy Monday? Even on a busy Monday. It is your 00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:42.840 ability to hear God, to know his presence, to 00:41:42.840 --> 00:41:47.360 sense his presence, that will keep you from forgetting 00:41:47.360 --> 00:41:50.440 him in the next minute. Father, I come to you 00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:52.900 for each person in the house this morning. God, 00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:54.900 they're asking themselves probing questions right 00:41:54.900 --> 00:42:00.219 at the moment. Am I experiencing you, God? Or 00:42:00.219 --> 00:42:01.920 am I just settling for a secondhand experience? 00:42:03.679 --> 00:42:07.019 Jesus, you sent the Holy Spirit. So that each 00:42:07.019 --> 00:42:09.760 one of us could know your presence in our lives. 00:42:09.920 --> 00:42:13.159 You said when you come and you come to me that 00:42:13.159 --> 00:42:15.280 the Holy Spirit would come to dwell in you. And 00:42:15.280 --> 00:42:17.500 you can even be baptized and full of the Spirit. 00:42:18.719 --> 00:42:21.900 And you will know my power. You will know my 00:42:21.900 --> 00:42:25.300 presence. You will know who I am. You will know 00:42:25.300 --> 00:42:28.320 the lightning. You will know the thunder. Lord, 00:42:28.400 --> 00:42:32.300 I pray, God, that today we will not settle for 00:42:32.300 --> 00:42:35.639 secondhand. We cannot settle for secondhand. 00:42:36.139 --> 00:42:39.920 We will forget you. We'll get our eyes. We'll 00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:42.360 take off the earring. We'll mold something that 00:42:42.360 --> 00:42:44.840 we want to make it to be. And we'll follow that. 00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:48.760 Father, I thank you for each one that's in the 00:42:48.760 --> 00:42:51.539 house. And if you're here today, and every head 00:42:51.539 --> 00:42:53.280 bowed and every eye closed, if you're here today 00:42:53.280 --> 00:42:56.619 and you kind of feel like it's just been a secondhand 00:42:56.619 --> 00:42:59.099 experience lately, right? I'm not saying you're 00:42:59.099 --> 00:43:01.190 not saved. I'm not saying... you're not following 00:43:01.190 --> 00:43:02.670 Jesus, but it's just kind of been a secondhand 00:43:02.670 --> 00:43:04.449 experience. If that's you, raise your hand and 00:43:04.449 --> 00:43:05.730 put it right back down. I'm not going to make 00:43:05.730 --> 00:43:08.929 you do anything, but if that's you, just acknowledge 00:43:08.929 --> 00:43:10.369 it. This is the way you acknowledge it. Thank 00:43:10.369 --> 00:43:13.630 you for the honesty. See, multiple hands, many 00:43:13.630 --> 00:43:17.110 hands. Just raise it up, put it back down. This 00:43:17.110 --> 00:43:19.190 is you acknowledging between you and God. Not 00:43:19.190 --> 00:43:22.070 a secondhand experience. I am one secondhand. 00:43:22.230 --> 00:43:24.440 You need to tell Him that. You need to tell them 00:43:24.440 --> 00:43:26.579 that in prayer right now. I told you, I'm not 00:43:26.579 --> 00:43:27.880 going to make you do anything else. You just 00:43:27.880 --> 00:43:29.980 pray right now. God, I do not want a secondhand 00:43:29.980 --> 00:43:32.440 experience. I need you. I need your presence. 00:43:32.639 --> 00:43:35.059 I need to know you're there. I need to feel that 00:43:35.059 --> 00:43:38.500 thunder. We're a people who feel. And God, I 00:43:38.500 --> 00:43:41.340 pray, while I know your word in my head, I need 00:43:41.340 --> 00:43:46.159 to know you in my heart. In Jesus' name. In Jesus' 00:43:46.260 --> 00:43:48.170 name. Now keep your heads bowed. I want to give 00:43:48.170 --> 00:43:49.789 one more opportunity. If you're in the house 00:43:49.789 --> 00:43:52.030 this morning and you don't know Jesus is Lord 00:43:52.030 --> 00:43:54.750 and Savior of your life, this might be the first 00:43:54.750 --> 00:43:56.670 time you heard the Word of God or maybe you've 00:43:56.670 --> 00:43:58.889 heard the Word for a long time, but you don't 00:43:58.889 --> 00:44:01.889 want to stand far off anymore. Now's the time. 00:44:02.010 --> 00:44:03.949 Now's the time you want to come close to God. 00:44:04.690 --> 00:44:08.449 Jesus made provision for that. He died on a cross. 00:44:08.570 --> 00:44:11.030 We're about to celebrate this in two weeks. He 00:44:11.030 --> 00:44:12.829 died on a cross. He went into a grave and He 00:44:12.829 --> 00:44:15.070 rose from that grave and He paid the price for 00:44:15.070 --> 00:44:18.130 our sin so that we could come. And experience 00:44:18.130 --> 00:44:21.050 him. So that we could come close to him. Heaven 00:44:21.050 --> 00:44:23.369 would be ours and hell would be a place that 00:44:23.369 --> 00:44:26.869 we would never go to. He made this way. He made 00:44:26.869 --> 00:44:28.730 this provision. And if that's you in the house 00:44:28.730 --> 00:44:32.130 today. And you want God to come into your life. 00:44:32.250 --> 00:44:34.530 You want to experience him first hand. And you've 00:44:34.530 --> 00:44:37.269 never made that commitment before. And today 00:44:37.269 --> 00:44:40.050 you want to do that. You decided today. I want 00:44:40.050 --> 00:44:42.469 to follow Jesus. I want to experience God. I 00:44:42.469 --> 00:44:44.010 want to know. If that's you, raise your hand. 00:44:44.070 --> 00:44:47.019 Put it up. And then put it right back down. Thank 00:44:47.019 --> 00:44:49.519 you for those hands. Thank you for those hands. 00:44:50.340 --> 00:44:52.360 The Word of God says that here's the only requirement. 00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:54.079 All you've got to do is believe in your heart 00:44:54.079 --> 00:44:59.079 that Jesus rose from the grave and that He made 00:44:59.079 --> 00:45:01.559 provision for you. All you've got to do is believe 00:45:01.559 --> 00:45:03.440 and you've got to confess that to Him in prayer. 00:45:04.199 --> 00:45:06.059 That means you just speak it out to Him right 00:45:06.059 --> 00:45:08.079 now in prayer. You can whisper it to Him. You 00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:10.159 can say, Jesus, I want you to come into my life. 00:45:10.380 --> 00:45:13.050 I commit my life to you today. I'm going to walk 00:45:13.050 --> 00:45:16.010 beside you. Lord, I want you in my heart. I want 00:45:16.010 --> 00:45:18.570 you in my life. I want to know your presence. 00:45:19.389 --> 00:45:22.469 And Lord, I commit to follow you today. In Jesus' 00:45:22.590 --> 00:45:26.389 name. Amen. And it is that simple. Come on. A 00:45:26.389 --> 00:45:28.190 couple people in the kingdom today. Come on. 00:45:28.210 --> 00:45:35.769 Give the Lord a hand. Give him a hand. Come on. 00:45:37.809 --> 00:45:40.849 Don't forget God. You've got to get with him. 00:45:41.480 --> 00:45:44.039 You gotta know him. You gotta experience him. 00:45:44.460 --> 00:45:46.860 You can't go off the person, look at the person 00:45:46.860 --> 00:45:48.679 beside you, you cannot go, look at him right 00:45:48.679 --> 00:45:51.199 now, just stare at him. You cannot go off their 00:45:51.199 --> 00:45:55.320 experience. You can't do it. Second hand, as 00:45:55.320 --> 00:45:57.639 amazing as it might be, that story might be, 00:45:57.780 --> 00:46:11.230 you gotta get with him. to this message from 00:46:11.230 --> 00:46:14.449 Lifehouse Church. We pray that you were impacted 00:46:14.449 --> 00:46:17.510 powerfully by this message. If you have been 00:46:17.510 --> 00:46:20.190 personally affected by our ministry and you would 00:46:20.190 --> 00:46:22.929 like to partner with us as we love God, love 00:46:22.929 --> 00:46:25.769 people every day, visit our website at