1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,320 Thanks Pastor Jeff. Hey good morning again. Wow sounds like we need more coffee. 2 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:13,200 So hey we're gonna have fun though today. Hey you know this morning how many of 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,320 you guys are looking forward to the new season right? The guys looking forward to 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,280 Monday. Teachers we're praying for you you know students we're praying for you 5 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,880 parents we're teaching for you praying for you but you know I'm really looking 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:31,160 forward to tomorrow you know why because my wife is coming home. Yeah. I've been a 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,920 single man for the last month and how many of you guys know I thought I was 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:41,000 done with that a long time ago. No but my wife had to take her mom home to Japan 9 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,960 so she flew back with her and and been helping mom to kind of get the house 10 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:50,400 cleaned up so she can downsize to a smaller place it's a little bit too much 11 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:55,040 for her to care for so she's been doing that all this time and how many of you 12 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,680 know that when you're gone for a month something like that you start getting a 13 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,360 honeydew list anybody have you know what I mean like all the projects and to be 14 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,920 honest you know it's I put the list together but I shared it with her that 15 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:11,200 all the things that I'm hoping to do and she was happy but I think she's 16 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,840 wondering how many of those things are actually really gonna get done right and 17 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,600 and so there's a maximum out there you might be familiar with it that work 18 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:25,920 expands to fill time right so in other words if you give yourself a month to do 19 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,800 something how long is it gonna take it's gonna take a month right if you give 20 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:34,680 yourself you know four days how many when is it gonna get done generally four 21 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,960 days right so it however much the thing so I had I'm gonna change the mailbox I 22 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:45,840 gotta paint the mailbox I gotta change a faucet I gotta do the yard I gotta you 23 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,240 know there's a few other projects right I had to do guess when they were all 24 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,840 done yesterday that's right no I'm just kidding but like no I couldn't do them all 25 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,700 I want yesterday but you know that they they kind of definitely 26 00:01:56,700 --> 00:02:00,720 telescoped at the end right there's all of that on the end and sometimes in the 27 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,520 middle of those kinds of things that we understand that that you don't always 28 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,560 get around to the most important things right sometimes the things that you've 29 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,920 been putting off and sometimes the things that you want to do and sometimes 30 00:02:10,920 --> 00:02:15,480 just your life gets overburdened by all the emergency things right so urgent 31 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,000 thing somebody needs something today you get a call you get a report you get 32 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,760 some kind of a thing and so at times it's in the middle of that that if we're 33 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:30,120 not careful that over time we all kind of have our priorities and shifting and 34 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:35,280 moving and and so at the end though what I would be I would have been really 35 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:40,200 disappointed in my wife probably more so if we came and and you know nothing was 36 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:45,080 done right she would have been really disappointed and so thankfully she's not 37 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:50,040 going to be disappointed but that here's the thing at the end of our days we're 38 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,440 gonna read we're gonna read a verse that I hope that at the end of our days all 39 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:59,240 of us can say the same words and mean it because Jesus at the end of his days 40 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:05,800 said this to to the father on the night before he was going to go to the cross 41 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:12,280 he praised this prayer as he's talking to his father in heaven in John 17 for and 42 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,320 we're gonna stand we're gonna stand in reverence for God we're gonna read this 43 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,080 because this is something I think all of us would love to be true of us ready 44 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:27,720 let's read I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave 45 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:33,240 me to do we all know that God has a call in your life every one of you that God 46 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:37,760 has a calling in your life and and it may not be to do the same thing as the 47 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,800 person that's next to you may not be to to be in the same place as the person 48 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:46,280 that's next to you but the first calling is to God himself and the second thing 49 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,920 is that sometimes you have a things to accomplish in life and so this is what 50 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:55,480 Jesus says I did it all I did it all and I think that at the end of your life 51 00:03:55,480 --> 00:04:01,080 wouldn't you want that to be true of you God I brought you glory here on earth 52 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:07,280 but that I also did all that you called me to do and so in order for that to 53 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:12,320 happen sometimes there needs to be a realigning of our priorities sometimes in 54 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:16,760 the middle of life that when we get blown off track or or when work begins to 55 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:21,440 expand the fill time that maybe we feel that press but one of the ways we can 56 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:27,320 deal with that is to realign priorities so before you're seated do me a favor 57 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,640 turn to your neighbor says you can do all God's called you to do and then you 58 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:38,440 can have a seat you can do all God's called you do you can know God you can 59 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:42,800 you can find freedom you can make a difference you can discover purpose you 60 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:47,080 can do all of those things but sometimes it's difficult to get first things first 61 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,680 because there's so many competing things that so many competing relationships so 62 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:56,840 many competing interests so many competing needs and so one of those 63 00:04:56,840 --> 00:05:01,760 things is that God says this he tries to tell us like from the beginning that 64 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:06,200 hey let's just set things first what does he say he says it like this in Matthew 65 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:14,480 633 let's read what it says ready begin but seek first the kingdom of God and 66 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:20,600 his righteousness and all these things will be added to you sometimes even 67 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,720 when we've experienced the mercy of God we've experienced the power of God we've 68 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:31,120 experienced a miracle of God and we know God can be trusted and that God can be 69 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:36,560 you know we can be believing him that to do things the way that he wants us to do 70 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,960 but then sometimes you gotta forget it with I gotta do this myself and I got 71 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,360 to work harder and I gotta pour into this and you work and you work and you work 72 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:48,280 and it seems like it never gets any closer right and then there's a time 73 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:52,440 where you go like oh my gosh God I just got up I gotta put you first and then 74 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,920 all of a sudden things begin to flow better think you know you're not as 75 00:05:55,920 --> 00:06:01,040 frustrated and so it's in those moments that we need to be reminded he said 76 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,560 seek first the kingdom of God and then he says this all the stuff that you're 77 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,080 worried about you know your kids all the stuff that you worried about like your 78 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,440 your financial picture all the stuff that you're worried about you know like 79 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:16,160 well what is my job thing gonna happen in the future he's saying this seek me 80 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:21,560 first and I'll add these things I'll order these things in your life but in 81 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:26,400 the busyness of life sometimes it's very difficult that when the winds blow and 82 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:31,280 the things change and and moves happen whether it's it's like the church move 83 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:36,200 or or sometimes your business moves sometimes you move a line of business 84 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,920 and it reminded me of a the old story that I read a while back about the 85 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:46,000 captain at sea in the middle of the darkest night seas off in the distance a 86 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:50,160 little light and they appear to be coming closer to each other and so the 87 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:55,040 captain of the ship tells the the signal man send the message to the vessel 88 00:06:55,040 --> 00:07:02,320 turn 10 degrees to the south and so the they signal the other ship and pretty 89 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:09,960 quickly comes a reply negative you alter your course 10 degrees to the north and 90 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:16,080 so the captain of the ship not used to getting this kind of a response is a 91 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:21,960 little offended and he says hey this is the captain speaking alter your course 92 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:29,440 10 degrees to the south pretty quick came to reply negative this is semen first 93 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:36,120 class Jones turn your ship alter your course 10 degrees to the north now the 94 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:43,120 captain is like really upset he says send this he says I am a battleship turn 95 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:51,440 your vessel 10 degrees to the south and immediately came the reply turn negative 96 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:59,320 turn your ship 10 degrees to the north I am a lighthouse right because no matter 97 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:03,760 how big a boat you think you are right you're not bigger than the lighthouse 98 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:08,760 right and certain things are meant to take direction from a point of reference 99 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:15,240 that does not change and you and I our lives change worlds our worlds change but 100 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:21,360 God does not change and so he says to us his encouragement to us is this don't 101 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:29,360 try to make me revolve around your life instead would you order your life around 102 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:35,080 me he says after we do that he says what happens all the things that you need he 103 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:40,160 says will be added to you and so this week when we're talking in this aspect of 104 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:46,280 preparing for the new season and why we reset is because we reset to be able to 105 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:52,560 grow as a disciple now now some of us may know this that the moment that you 106 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:57,240 said yes to Jesus the moment you said yes to Jesus there's a number of things 107 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:03,840 that happen God forgives you of your sin he he transfers you and adopts you into 108 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:10,640 his family and that you become a child of God and that is a declaration of status 109 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:16,440 okay so in other words that when you are adopted into God's family that even in 110 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:21,680 the in the Roman world that when Paul wrote that he understood that when 111 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:26,280 you're adopted it can never be revoked okay so do me a favor turn your name 112 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:32,440 and just says if you trusted Jesus your child of God right that's your status 113 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:37,920 that's your status okay that's who you are that's what that's your relationship 114 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:44,400 to God but we are talking this morning about part of this aspect of reset and 115 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:50,640 changing priorities because sometimes we need to reset to grow as a disciple now 116 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:57,760 a disciple is different than being a son or a daughter of God than being a child 117 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:04,000 of God the word disciple comes from the word learner in the in the Greek 118 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:10,000 language math it takes it comes from being a follower of a master it would be 119 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:16,480 like someone who is learning how to be something and journeyman kind of a 120 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:23,680 training up to be able to become a craftsman it was a religious spiritual 121 00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:31,120 kind of a mentor to become more like his teacher and so becoming a disciple is 122 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,960 not something that's automatic it has to be something that's chosen it has to be 123 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:41,600 something that's engaged in and there is a cognate word to that disciple is the 124 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:46,240 word discipline right now how many of you when you hear the word discipline it 125 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:51,240 brings you great joy probably not right because what do you think when you think 126 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:55,360 of discipline sometimes all the things you got to give up right they all they 127 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,320 got to discipline my diet so I cannot eat all the cake I cannot eat you know 128 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,480 right sometimes that's what we think about discipline all the things that you 129 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:07,480 sacrifice all the things you give up or sometimes we think discipline can have 130 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:13,040 the implication of punishment or correction right that you discipline 131 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:18,120 a child or you're under disciplinary action at work but can we understand 132 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:23,920 this to be a disciple and to have discipline that we need to understand 133 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:29,480 not how we interpret it not maybe even what your experience has been but what 134 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:35,880 is God trying to accomplish it for you and so this is what it says he says even 135 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:40,600 when you have discipline for the moment it seems sorrowful but in the end it 136 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:47,960 produces a greater fruitfulness right and and so God's desire is for you to at 137 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:53,560 sometimes say learn how to say no to certain things why so you can say yes 138 00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:58,280 to better things it's is why does God want you to be disciplined just like if 139 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:03,080 you have kids and then you're telling them hey I want you to kind of buckle 140 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,920 down you know want you to learn how to study I want you to like hey do your 141 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:11,600 homework first then you can go out why is that because we hope their future is 142 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:16,320 better sometimes in our future right and then in our life and in our situation 143 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:23,320 so what is it for it's for your freedom not for your punishment God's not trying 144 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,800 to take anything away from you he's trying to help you bring focus and so to 145 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:33,120 be a disciple that means there's times we need to to be able to grow as that it 146 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:39,320 says it like this in Matthew 28 18 to 20 let's read what it says it says this 147 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:46,440 ready begin therefore go and make what disciples of all the nations baptizing 148 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,880 them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teach these new 149 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:55,880 disciples to obey all the commands I have given you and be sure of this I am 150 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:01,200 with you always even to the end of the age and so this is the commission where 151 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:07,040 it's like to go go reach the world right go go go make disciples where of of 152 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:12,560 like of Hawaii no it says of all the nations right of Israel no not of just 153 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:16,800 of Israel around the world of all the nations now here's the thing about 154 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:21,440 making disciples it's hard to make disciples when you don't know how to be 155 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:27,280 a disciple yourself right because when it says teach the disciples to obey all 156 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:31,560 the commands I have given you if I obey none of the commands and I'm trying to 157 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:35,320 teach somebody to obey all the commands what does that make me maybe 158 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:39,720 hypocrite on one hand right or ignorant on the other it's it's difficult you 159 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,400 can't do it because you might have knowledge of something it doesn't mean 160 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:48,480 it's what I'm doing and so here's one of the things that I found is that you 161 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:53,760 never reproduce what you want you just reproduce what you are this is kind of 162 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:58,920 the principle in life right and so that if there's no resonance in what I'm 163 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:05,120 doing then I don't reproduce what I want I end up reproducing what I am and 164 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:10,800 so in order for that to happen that we have to grow as disciples as learners 165 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:18,000 as followers of Jesus and so in the 21 days that are beginning tomorrow in 166 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:22,800 many ways it's a that's part of the reset that we're doing say we do that twice 167 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:28,520 a year every year in the beginning in the year in January we do it with fasting 168 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:32,880 right and so hey let's seek God as the scriptures talk about with prayer and 169 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:37,200 fasting in the summertime we do it with prayer and feasting right so we'll have a 170 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:44,200 feast on the 26 27 and and so in the midst of that that we're wanting to learn 171 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:50,360 now there's some skills that you need in order to grow right and and that as 172 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:55,840 we're seeking God as we're trying to grow in this aspect some of us are going 173 00:14:55,840 --> 00:15:00,600 to be praying for things that that you you want change in right anybody have 174 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:04,880 some things that you want God to work in your life right yeah I think all of us 175 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:09,960 we have things places and and situations and and so it's very easy that if you 176 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:16,120 you know you had a child that's maybe kind of off you know on their own and 177 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,600 they're kind of the prodigal son that we're going to be praying for prodigal 178 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,480 sons maybe for some of us right for some of us you're going to be praying for 179 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,480 for prodigal spouses right for some of you gonna be praying for prodigal parents 180 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:31,120 right so it goes all the different places but you know in those moments so 181 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:36,320 so often it's easy to say God would you change them but sometimes you know where 182 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:40,960 we need to begin by saying God would you change me that would you change me now 183 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:46,440 I'm not saying it's because you're responsible for all those things when 184 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:52,360 Jesus told the story of the prodigal son the father was a perfect father the 185 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:57,840 father was God right in the story really that illustration but he had no 186 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,040 reason he wasn't the cause why the son went off the farm and the son kind of 187 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:06,680 went off crazy sometimes there's just rebellion in the heart but at the same 188 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:12,000 time for some of us that maybe there's things before you start saying all the 189 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:16,320 changes that would you change all these people change the situation sometimes 190 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,640 you got to be willing to grow and change yourself right that we need to be able 191 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:26,360 to do that why because even if the the son comes home the spouse comes home 192 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:32,880 the parent comes home whatever the boss comes home the the worker comes home 193 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:37,120 that we need to be able to steward them and sometimes what needs to happen is 194 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,680 that maybe we weren't responsible for it but somehow the way that we'll receive 195 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:46,600 it needs to be a little different and so we need to be willing to grow and change 196 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:53,760 because it will take some discipline and it will take some aspect of the grace of 197 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:58,800 God now one of those things that is necessary then is you're gonna have 198 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:05,320 spiritual discipline is what we talked about is is what we haven't talked about 199 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,760 it yet we're gonna talk about it now it's it's you need some spiritual 200 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:13,520 practices in order for that to happen the scripture says this it says discipline 201 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:18,960 yourself unto godliness and what does that mean it says there are some things 202 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:23,840 you can do that will build you up spiritually it just says there are some 203 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,440 things you could do that will tear you down spiritually right that we don't 204 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,400 have to probably list out all the things that tear us down because we all came 205 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:35,200 from that but what do we do to build ourselves up let me give you a few things 206 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:39,680 that will help you and if you're willing to grow in it and willing to change in 207 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:45,400 it I promise you that that your life will change over the coming 21 days the 208 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:50,440 first thing is this I'm gonna say this is worship in community worship in 209 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:55,320 community and some of you said man I man I play my worship music all all the time 210 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:59,600 I I have that plugged in I mean I'm listening to elevation I'm listening 211 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:04,280 to battle I'm listening to whoever and that you're listening to worship all 212 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:11,000 the time I think that is great I think that's wonderful but it's probably not 213 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:16,080 enough and why do I say that because that's what the scriptures say the 214 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:23,320 scriptures say this in Hebrews 10 24 to 25 he says it like this let us think of 215 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:27,920 ways to motivate let's say the word motivate motivate what is motivation 216 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:33,600 right it's not having information it's it's kind of igniting a desire for 217 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:37,000 something right that if you're gonna change it's not enough that all of us 218 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:41,600 have information but not sometimes we lack motivation right because we all many 219 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,080 of us know that we got to change our diet a little bit anybody know that right 220 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,520 that's information how many of us do it that's motivation right that's a that's 221 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:54,000 a very different thing so he's saying this sometimes people have information 222 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:59,600 but they need motivation to think of ways to motivate who one another not 223 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,880 motivate yourself it doesn't think of ways to motivate yourself it says think 224 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:08,640 of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good deeds and let us not 225 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:14,120 neglect what our meeting together as some people do but encourage one another 226 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:17,760 especially now that the day of his return is drawing here people ask 227 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:22,480 sometimes when is Jesus coming back only God knows all I know is this it's 228 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:27,200 closer than it used to be and I think it's close right that's all I can say I 229 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,920 don't know when it is right it's it's closer than it used to be it's 230 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:36,000 definitely closer than when this was written right and it's close but here's 231 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,400 what we need to do we need to motivate one another we need to encourage one 232 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:45,560 another and why do you do it because you need community you and I are social 233 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:49,800 beings by design you might not think I'm not the most sociable person I'm 234 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:54,920 anti-social in fact some of you might think but you are affected by people 235 00:19:54,920 --> 00:20:00,720 around you you are affected by what happens in the world around you and so 236 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:06,480 this is what the scripture is saying you will if you live in the world you will 237 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:12,480 become like the world but if you want to become more like Jesus you need to shift 238 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:18,440 some of your world to be around people who want to be like Jesus right that's 239 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:23,960 that's part of that principle now but some of us are thinking but but we have 240 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:29,080 online right can we just say good good morning to our church family online hey 241 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:36,480 good morning guys glad that you're joining us now here's this here's the 242 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,680 principle here at the same time and we I know we have a bunch of teachers in the 243 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:43,400 room we've had a bunch of teachers over the weekend and I asked this question 244 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:47,560 Saturday night and there was like probably like seven eight teachers or in 245 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:55,480 the room and I said how many of you loved when we had all online school none of 246 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:59,120 the teachers raised their hand why is that because it wasn't pleasant for the 247 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:04,160 teacher and it wasn't pleasant for the student why is that because people were 248 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:09,840 in silos people were individualized stuck in their home right and you know 249 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:14,920 what to be honest some of the benefit for some people some students they did 250 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:19,440 well some students did well why because they could just grind it out do their 251 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,440 thing and then they went out and did their you know played or do whatever but 252 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:29,120 it was hard for the teacher was hard for the student and as a result today and so 253 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:34,520 and not just students and not just kids but but just this last three years been 254 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:40,000 hard for people you know why because all of the social systems that people had in 255 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:45,680 place a lot of those things got interrupted during during the pandemic 256 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:50,280 and so today and this is what they said would happen and this is what's happened 257 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:57,040 is that today if you know anybody in the mental health care profession right and 258 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:04,520 you want to see somebody there is a backlog because it's being inundated 259 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:08,280 with people trying to deal with their stress trying to deal with some of the 260 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,800 emotional issues someone trying to deal with all these things that what happened 261 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:19,160 that's what happened from isolation and so nobody says that that that's the best 262 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:24,800 model so we're glad we do have online church we are glad that we do have a 263 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:29,440 streaming but here's the thing it's meant to be on the moment that you can't make 264 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:33,240 it maybe when you're traveling on vacation you're you know you had a family 265 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:37,440 thing you know there's the kids had a game or whatever it is so in the midst 266 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:42,680 of that you still can catch it but should this be your main means of 267 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:48,400 connection no it shouldn't because we need to gather together because you know 268 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:55,240 what happens that you grow from people that are around you and that you need to 269 00:22:55,240 --> 00:23:00,040 place yourself there's I'd say there's tremendous value in coming to a place 270 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:05,680 every week and it doesn't matter to place so much as as a place that is going 271 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:10,600 to worship a place that's gonna call you higher a place that's gonna lead us to 272 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:16,040 remember all the calling of God in our life it's gonna instruct us on ways to 273 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:21,240 go that this is what we're talking about just singing it's not just singing but 274 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:29,840 it's the communal spiritual life a long time ago a long time ago the church went 275 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:35,120 through this kind of process where they thought it's it's the individual it's 276 00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:39,480 just the individual committed to God that's all that matters and part of that 277 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:44,960 movement a long time ago created monks and that they would go get away from the 278 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:49,480 world and they would go live in a cave somewhere they would go some remote 279 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:56,600 place and they just kind of lived out their faith alone in that period close 280 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:00,320 rather quickly and then later why did they find that because people you know 281 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:06,000 what happened to them they got weird they did they got weird so some of them 282 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,720 thought like I to be close to God I gotta live up on top of a pole and there 283 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:14,920 was a guy who lived on top of a pole for a year right you know what happened 284 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:19,680 to him he lost a lot of weight living on that pole but they also he got all 285 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:23,480 these infections he had all these things because he had to tie himself to the pole 286 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:30,160 and did did Jesus really call him to do that I don't think so right people who 287 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,680 lived in Cape they got weird so this is what happened they at least began to 288 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:38,080 pull them into communities that then became things like monasteries and 289 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:44,080 things like that because what happens is people need community apart from that 290 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:50,160 they get weird you guys never noticed that about people around you right like 291 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:55,160 some I say this about sometimes older people that when they get stuck at home 292 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:59,120 and I see this with sometimes my relatives you guys anybody have the 293 00:24:59,120 --> 00:25:04,040 relative that that they don't come up I don't even need to finish the statement 294 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,640 somebody raising their hand and I got all relatives but the ones that like you 295 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:11,440 know they they come up for breath every so often but you they can't you know 296 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:15,360 just keep talking talking talking talking are those people who are around a lot of 297 00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:25,000 people no they're so isolated that when you get with them they just constantly 298 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:30,000 right because they don't have social skill why because that's degraded you 299 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:36,000 know that happens in every other kinds of skills as well we need people that you 300 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:42,840 need people around you if not you get weird right you get you get crotchety 301 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:51,280 and you get like oh like kind of like stubborn and rigid and and so what causes 302 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:55,840 us to have to do that it's when you have to live with somebody you know what over 303 00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:01,400 the last month I've been living not by myself because my kids are at home but 304 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:06,160 you know what like I can see there's a little bit of degradation hopefully the 305 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:11,600 house doesn't look too bad when my wife comes home right but if I was left to 306 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:16,040 that device man I'm starting to live like I used to live before I got married 307 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:22,480 right I'm glad that part is what has been in the rearview mirror I need other 308 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:27,560 people around me you do too we need to live in community here's the second 309 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:31,760 thing I want to mention about that is you also got to learn how to to practice 310 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:37,560 prayer you got to learn how to practice prayer and so in first Thessalonians 5 311 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:42,640 17 the Paul tells us to pray without ceasing and and it doesn't mean that you 312 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:48,800 just like kind of just pray to yourself like 24 hours a day it's more a sense of 313 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:54,320 implying a sense of regularity and constancy it's like a daily habit and 314 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:59,960 and that we have a default is to talk to God we have a default to pray it's a 315 00:26:59,960 --> 00:27:04,440 moment-by-moment thing but but we we can pray throughout the day it's not like 316 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:08,600 just one time a day or it's not just like once a week but that we have this 317 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:14,400 conversation with God now there's there's something that I think that happens is 318 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:19,840 that most people I believe want to pray but they don't pray as much as they 319 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,800 would like to pray and it's one of the things that devil uses to make people 320 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:29,640 feel guilty and and you know feel ashamed but but part of the reason is this 321 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,920 they don't know how to pray they don't know how to make it meaningful they don't 322 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,680 know how to do all those things and and so this is what the scripture says 323 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:43,800 and Ephesians 6 18 as kind of a point to this he says this and pray on the 324 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:50,120 spirit on what all occasion so when should you pray all the time right so 325 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:54,160 that when when things are hard yeah of course that's an occasion when things are 326 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:58,680 good of course when that occasion when you know what to do yes on that occasion 327 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:02,000 when you don't know what to do yes on that occasion they're saying so pray in 328 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:08,520 the spirit on all occasions basically all the time with what all kinds of 329 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:13,440 prayers and requests with this in mind be alert always keep and always keep on 330 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:17,360 praying for all the Lord's people you see some of us we think prayer is just me 331 00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:23,360 talking to God like conversationally yes that's part of it is not all of it 332 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:29,000 right and and sometimes it's just like you know that you want to be quiet and 333 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,280 reverent before God you want to be silent before God you want to be 334 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:37,960 meditative before God yes that's part of it but you know what when when life is 335 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:42,360 coming at you and throwing you left hooks and jabs you know what that's not 336 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:46,280 the time just to be quiet and say God would you just help me sometimes you 337 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:50,240 need warfare prayer right sometimes you need a prayer that helps you to stand 338 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:54,680 firm and stand strong sometimes you need to know how to pray a prayer of faith 339 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,600 sometimes you need to know how to pray a confessional prayer sometimes you need 340 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:03,240 to know to pray a declarational prayer sometimes the prayers that we pray like 341 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:07,040 over our kids that that you know that if you lay your hands and say you know God 342 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:11,760 has a great future for you that that you're gonna be a person of influence we 343 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:15,480 start praying like that over our our kids you know what is that mean that 344 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:20,760 because you know exactly what's gonna happen no we're declaring over them the 345 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:25,680 favor of God to go before them and that what does it do it creates a track for 346 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:32,000 them to follow and that we ought to be blessing our kids regularly right you 347 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:37,040 ought to be praying that blessing over one another regularly but you got to 348 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:41,360 learn how to do it right you got to learn how to do it and so that's one of the 349 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:45,040 things that we want to do in the 21 days of prayer is we want to teach people 350 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:49,840 all different kinds of ways to pray one of the ways that we do it is there's a 351 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,520 free booklet we give to anybody who wants one it's called pray first you can 352 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:58,280 actually download it from the website on the resources page and it gives a 353 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:03,280 bunch of different ways but the other part of it is this that you really only 354 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:09,200 learn how to pray by praying right that you can watch all the YouTube videos in 355 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:13,320 the world but if you don't go out and try to do what the YouTube video showed 356 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:18,360 you then you just watch YouTube videos right so it's not just reading a book on 357 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:24,560 prayer it's it's getting instructed so you can practice praying and so we want 358 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:29,400 to be able to do that and I guarantee you if you join us for 21 days of prayer 359 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:34,880 that at the end of those 21 days what will happen is that you will pray more 360 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:43,280 in the succeeding 330 days that are before you 300 and however 350 34 days 361 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:52,200 right 265 days my math is off sorry 340 whatever days so here's what we want to 362 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,840 do though we want to involve everybody so we're even challenging you if you have 363 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:59,680 a life group that meets on a certain night hours meets on Thursday what are 364 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,840 we saying do the next three weeks hey on Thursday we're not going to meet at my 365 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,680 house we're going to meet here right and we're gonna we're gonna worship together 366 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,640 and we're gonna pray together and we're gonna fellowship maybe afterwards but 367 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:16,160 but here's the thing we're gonna we're gonna do it here why because we need to 368 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:24,080 gather the people of God to pray now why is that and I I know for some people 369 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:30,120 we're gonna have a theological maybe a challenge on this but can we say this 370 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,840 that they God hears all of your prayers let's say that right turn to your 371 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:39,840 neighbor says God hears your prayer right but there's some things that you can 372 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:46,120 pray for it's not enough that one person prays it's just not your prayer 373 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:52,160 is heard but it's it's not enough right and and it's sort of like you guys ever 374 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:57,680 look at the nation and think like whoa man our country needs help right our 375 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:02,400 country needs a directional change our country needs to come back to some 376 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:07,120 common sense right we think that and you've probably prayed for that it's not 377 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:11,760 enough why because we need more people in the country to pray for that right so 378 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:18,320 in we find this in the book of Jonah when when God gave a message to Jonah and 379 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:23,160 he was reluctant to do it but he finally goes to the city of Nine of a hundred 380 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:28,000 twenty thousand people that's a big city back then and and it was a it was a 381 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:34,680 warring city and God had a message of judgment and what happened is that 382 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:41,160 because Jonah declared that message one person changed his heart the king but you 383 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:47,240 know what not just the king everybody around him and it says everybody began 384 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:52,960 to pray they began to fast they began to repent from the from their ways and so 385 00:32:52,960 --> 00:33:00,560 what happened is God spared the city if it was just the king I believe that you 386 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:04,760 know what that wouldn't have happened right we see the same thing in the New 387 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:10,840 Testament we see what happens is when in the early church that there was great 388 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:19,080 persecution that started to arise under Herod Agrippa and he was on a tear 389 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:24,600 against the church and the church was getting it grew quickly and then all of 390 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:30,480 a sudden there was a lot of pushback and so Agrippa arrested one of the apostles 391 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:35,440 James whose brother John is the guy that wrote the book of John who wrote the book 392 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:40,080 of Revelation who wrote the three letters of John but they arrested James 393 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:46,880 and then they killed him with a sword and so what happens is they saw well the 394 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:50,040 people were pretty happy because they're putting down this kind of crazy thing 395 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,240 that's happening about these guys who are called Christians and so they arrest 396 00:33:54,240 --> 00:34:01,000 Peter Peter's in prison and what happens is to begin to pray and this is how it 397 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:07,720 describes it in in a acts 12 verses 5 to 8 but well Peter was in prison what 398 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:13,880 happened the church prayed how very earnestly for him so was this everybody 399 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:19,760 like a God bless Peter and then that's it is that how they prayed no I don't know 400 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:25,680 how they pray they're saying God that we know that that the king has Peter in 401 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:30,120 prison but we declaring Lord Jesus your king and that you can change the hearts 402 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:34,360 of the of the kings and turn their hearts whichever way you want right so God 403 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:38,880 that you're the same God that that broke prison doors that have broken the change 404 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:43,160 right they're praying God for something to happen they're praying earnestly 405 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:46,920 they're praying fervently and when you pray with people who are praying earnestly 406 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,360 and fervently what does it do it helps you to pray earnestly and fervently and 407 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:55,000 so the night before Peter was to be placed on trial he was asleep fastened 408 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:59,640 with two change between two soldiers so we know this at least he had peace Peter 409 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:03,840 had peace while he was in prison he knew that if he died he would go to see Jesus 410 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:09,760 right but he was still in prison and this is others stood guard at the prison 411 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:13,760 gate and suddenly there was a bright light in the cell and an angel of the 412 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:18,320 Lord stood before Peter and the angel struck him on the side to awaken him 413 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:23,120 and said quick get up and the change fell off his wrists and then the angel 414 00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:28,080 told him get dressed put on your sandals and he said now put on your coat and 415 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:33,880 follow me right now the next few verses in verse 12 it says this Peter actually 416 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:38,200 goes to Mary's house where the prayer meeting is held right and where 417 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:48,440 everybody is praying earnestly now would this have happened if Peter's friend 418 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:54,440 just one of them prayed for him I don't think so I don't think so because it's 419 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:59,440 something the whole church prayed for there are things that just one person's 420 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:04,120 prayer is not enough one small group is not enough and that's why we're calling 421 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:10,520 the church to pray now it's sort of like this my my son asked me a little while 422 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:16,120 ago is a dad why don't why don't we see miracles today like we saw in the Bible 423 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:21,480 I said you see miracles right you seen you know this anti who got healed you 424 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:26,240 see you saw this thing where God opened this door and in this situation it's not 425 00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:30,520 that like a person of a person of a person these are people that he actually 426 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:36,280 met he knows he said yeah I know that that is a miracle that God God did move 427 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:41,600 but why don't we see miracles like in the Bible like what we see like this that 428 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:47,560 Peter in prison right and the only response I had to him and I think it's 429 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:53,760 the true response is that if you want to see Bible-sized prayers answered in 430 00:36:53,760 --> 00:37:00,160 Bible-sized miracles happen we got to pray Bible directed prayers right 431 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:05,960 we got to pray like what the scripture says right if you want to see Jesus kind 432 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:11,080 of centered like a miracles that Jesus did guess what you got to live like 433 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:16,320 Jesus right we got to learn from him and so this is what we're calling ourselves 434 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:21,640 to do hey let's just reset is it because everything we're doing is wrong no but 435 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:28,600 maybe over the next 21 days we have a focus why because we're saying we want 436 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:33,560 to finish the end of the year strong right I believe that we're going out to 437 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:38,360 Kapolei again because we've been praying for this as a church for months right 438 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:42,800 we've been praying for to be honest years from during the pandemic season 439 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:48,280 God's opened the door is it the time to stop praying no because it would be I 440 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:53,680 would be foolish to think there's not going to be resistance or opposition to 441 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:58,040 us moving right so we need to pray more so we're calling the church over the 442 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:03,320 next 21 days let's seek God let's seek his face let's learn how to hear his voice 443 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:07,400 and let's learn how to experience his power so we're going to talk about over 444 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:13,080 the next 21 days if you can join us in person or if you need to online but we 445 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:17,960 need every person we want you to learn how to pray and so just at the end of 446 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:23,120 that 21 days guess what that's what 21 days takes to build a habit maybe you'll 447 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:27,960 pray a little more right maybe you'll pray a little a little more effectively 448 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:31,840 maybe you'll learn a little different ways that you can pray is that helpful 449 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:37,040 and what happens when you come will worship why because God's worthy we'll 450 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:40,840 hear a little bit of a word why because his faith comes from hearing and hearing 451 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:44,480 by the word of Christ right so it stimulates that if God if you could do 452 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:48,360 this for Peter God you can do it for me God if you could turn the people of 453 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:52,400 Nina around maybe you can turn that prodigal around right so God if you can 454 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:56,320 do all these things that's what happens and so it stimulates a faith and the 455 00:38:56,320 --> 00:39:01,120 word of God is living and active it says right it's not it's not history 456 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:08,080 although it contains history it's a living living word and so at the end of 457 00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:10,960 21 days we're praying for breakthrough how many of you guys need a breakthrough 458 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,240 somewhere right you need a breakthrough somewhere let's let's partner together 459 00:39:14,240 --> 00:39:20,600 you pray personally but sometimes you need partner with other people we're 460 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:25,720 partnering together as a church man and then we'll just say the this is the last 461 00:39:25,720 --> 00:39:31,960 point is that part of the reason why we need to reset is sometimes it's for the 462 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:36,960 next generation right it's sometimes just for the next generation it's it's I'm 463 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:42,240 not concerned about your destiny for the folks who are in the room I'm not 464 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:46,800 because I know you know the Lord I we want you to grow we want to equip you 465 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:51,120 and and and do all of that and yes we will continue to that we want to make 466 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:55,280 sure people get connected we want to start small groups we're gonna do all 467 00:39:55,280 --> 00:40:00,080 these kind of things but I am concerned about the next generation the generation 468 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:04,120 that will come after us and when I say that it's not just necessarily kids 469 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:10,000 although I think that age group has is front with more challenges than 470 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:16,560 frankly guys my age right it said more it's a different world so they're more 471 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:21,880 distractions different distractions but the next generation is anybody who 472 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:28,360 doesn't know Christ yet right I'm concerned about them because without us 473 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:36,600 investing in them that to be honest they only know a second-hand Jesus and you 474 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:39,720 know God only has children he doesn't have grandchildren and nephews and 475 00:40:39,720 --> 00:40:45,240 cousins right and so they need to know Jesus for themselves but how does it 476 00:40:45,240 --> 00:40:52,280 happen it says it like this in Psalm 78 for we will not hide these truths from 477 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:57,000 our children we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of 478 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:05,840 the Lord about his power and his mighty wonders we should not tell our kids 479 00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:13,920 about just the little kind Jesus only is that is there is that Jesus merciful 480 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:21,320 and kind yeah absolutely but are there times where we see Jesus turn the tables 481 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:28,720 because of you know things that were hypocritical and things that were making 482 00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:36,120 a mockery of God yeah he did other times that Jesus encouraged just the weak and 483 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:41,280 yes of course there was but there were times that he challenged the powerful 484 00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:45,800 and that he challenged the things that were wrong people need to know the full 485 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:51,880 counsel of God maybe not when they're for right you're not when they're for 486 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:58,080 but but we need don't be ashamed to tell people the truth right don't be ashamed 487 00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:02,920 that we ought to encourage them not to not to scare them but I just say this 488 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:07,800 we want to lead them to the place where they can have their their own personal 489 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:14,160 experience with God and unfortunately think about how you became a believer 490 00:42:14,160 --> 00:42:19,920 think about how you came to faith was it because everything was smooth in your 491 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:26,440 life for some of us it was for many of us it wasn't it was in some of those 492 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:33,720 points of need points of need will arise in everyone's life but we equip them 493 00:42:33,720 --> 00:42:39,840 now so when the point of need comes that they turn the God and not to the world 494 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:46,840 right they they turn the God and then not to to some drug they turn the God and 495 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:50,760 not just some relationship to feel some need and that just turns into a serial 496 00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:55,040 thing on and on and on right so we need to raise our kids in the ways of the 497 00:42:55,040 --> 00:43:00,240 Lord and so one of the ways is because they're packed out right in in kids own 498 00:43:00,240 --> 00:43:06,640 every every week's been packed out and so graciously right now what happened is 499 00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:12,080 journeyed the middle school kids they're no longer there they opened up a space 500 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:17,760 this week so that kids own can take two spaces right and journey where did 501 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:20,960 journey go where they're right above your head right now so if you hear a 502 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:24,840 little bit of noise it's not rats we don't get rats right but we got we got 503 00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:29,280 middle school kids ahead now above us and this is only for the next month until 504 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:34,200 we make the move to Okele but when we get there it's a lot larger space and 505 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:38,640 there's space for expansion and so because we want to give our kids the 506 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:43,800 best environment and we've done the best we can with this place but how many of 507 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:49,000 you guys can agree it's time to make the shift right time to make the shift why 508 00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:54,080 it's because we're believing that we need to make disciples from the kids to the 509 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:59,920 adults right we mean it's time to make the difference and so well what if I 510 00:43:59,920 --> 00:44:04,440 don't have kids or what if I'm not a kid right what what do I do well what you 511 00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:10,280 do is you gather with a small group of believers to seek God because at the end 512 00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:14,960 of 21 days of prayer we're gonna start a new semester of small groups again and 513 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:18,160 there are some small groups that are meeting right now but we're gonna we 514 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:24,060 want to start some new groups in that in September we want there's one started 515 00:44:24,060 --> 00:44:28,600 already last week but we're gonna start a new semester sometimes it's helpful to 516 00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:34,640 have a beginning and an end and so we end before the holidays right people get 517 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:39,240 busy and all that and then we start again in the in the spring after 21 days 518 00:44:39,240 --> 00:44:44,160 and of prayer in the beginning of the year and then we come up to the summer 519 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:49,200 right and then we take a little bit of break some of us but why do we gather 520 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:56,400 together in small groups this is what it says in Acts 5 42 let's read what it 521 00:44:56,400 --> 00:45:02,480 says and every day in the temple and from house to house they continue to teach 522 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:09,200 and preach this message Jesus is the Messiah and so here's the thing is that 523 00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:15,240 it's it's good to come into a room like this and you know or where we want to be 524 00:45:15,240 --> 00:45:19,400 at the middle school I mean the elementary school and has a nice big air 525 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:24,000 conditioned facility and I don't know about this but is our air conditioning a 526 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:29,160 little bit on the low side today right and I'm feeling it today but you have 527 00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:33,920 stronger AC up there but but here's the thing there's time to gather in the 528 00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:38,240 larger group but it's sometimes to pray about the things that's really going on 529 00:45:38,240 --> 00:45:43,080 in your life right to to kind of really ask some of the questions that really 530 00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:46,720 going on in your life to to really dig into certain things and you don't 531 00:45:46,720 --> 00:45:52,080 understand sometimes it's better to do it in a smaller group right where you 532 00:45:52,080 --> 00:45:56,760 know you can ask a question where you can hey can we pray for this situation 533 00:45:56,760 --> 00:46:01,680 and then you can kind of share your heart and and we need that and the other 534 00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:07,400 part about it is because in a small group is where you be able to support one 535 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:12,120 another encourage one another read the scripture together kind of dig a little 536 00:46:12,120 --> 00:46:18,920 deeper together to do life together right to to learn how to you know do the 537 00:46:18,920 --> 00:46:22,960 one another's in the Bible forgive one another and and bear one another's 538 00:46:22,960 --> 00:46:28,560 burdens all of these kinds of things but we need that as well as sometimes the 539 00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:32,400 things that we can do on on the weekend together that that's 540 00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:37,440 corporate so the scripture said you need both it's not an either or it's a both 541 00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:47,520 and and so that in that place we can tend to grow together now I don't want to 542 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:54,960 just close with this story I'm and this is I hope pulls it together but there's 543 00:46:54,960 --> 00:47:00,680 a bunch of changes happening in my life this year my daughter came home from 544 00:47:00,680 --> 00:47:05,800 college she got a job and so we were excited my son came home the last year 545 00:47:05,800 --> 00:47:11,160 and so we're excited to have him home too so we had four adults but what I 546 00:47:11,160 --> 00:47:17,040 wasn't so excited as we only had two cars and four drivers two cars things 547 00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:22,360 started to get a little hairy when everybody's working and and so my kids 548 00:47:22,360 --> 00:47:26,160 my son said he dad I want to get a car and he's gonna pay for it himself then 549 00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:31,520 I got it real excited so you pay for it yourself absolutely that'll help you and 550 00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:37,080 so we started looking at cars and he started talking about cars and how many 551 00:47:37,080 --> 00:47:41,480 of you guys know that like kids can just look up whatever on line nowadays so you 552 00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:46,160 didn't need me to find the car and I asked him about the car says what are 553 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:52,200 you looking at and he says oh civics or integras I said okay the local Japanese 554 00:47:52,200 --> 00:47:56,400 boy that's the kind of car they like just the local boys that's the car civics and 555 00:47:56,400 --> 00:48:01,520 integras and accurate so but so you get in a used car looking at that and he starts 556 00:48:01,520 --> 00:48:04,640 asking me about it I said yeah what do you think about this car I said well I 557 00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:09,680 don't know we got to ask some questions right so like this one have a timing 558 00:48:09,680 --> 00:48:13,680 chain or doesn't have a time change that time chain been been changed or not you 559 00:48:13,680 --> 00:48:16,560 know like we just asking well what about you know different situations you're 560 00:48:16,560 --> 00:48:20,120 looking at the picture and we start asking questions about the car he says 561 00:48:20,120 --> 00:48:24,120 what do you think about the price because he was trying to negotiate price over 562 00:48:24,120 --> 00:48:28,600 online I said you don't even know what you want to pay for the car till you see 563 00:48:28,600 --> 00:48:35,400 the car right so let's hold off on that then don't make any guarantees but I'd 564 00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:39,480 say let's first look at the value just take a look and then let's look from 565 00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:43,440 there right so we started going through this thing and then he said dad can you 566 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:47,280 come with me when we go when I go look at the car I said absolutely I'll do that 567 00:48:47,280 --> 00:48:52,680 I can do it on Monday on my day off and I can do I have a little more 568 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:58,160 flexibility in a Thursday or Friday often but in between is really hard so then 569 00:48:58,160 --> 00:49:02,000 the next day he calls me goes text me he says dad can you come to an appointment 570 00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:10,720 the only time he can meet is Wednesday at 12 30 I have a 12 o'clock Bible study 571 00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:17,200 I have a 12 o'clock men's group every Wednesday I said oh son I I have group at 572 00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:22,800 that time I have a group and you know there's this sense came that just you 573 00:49:22,800 --> 00:49:30,600 know just can you rise up be a dad this is a big thing for him and so I said okay 574 00:49:30,600 --> 00:49:34,880 I said I can make it and then let the guys know I can't make it that day and 575 00:49:34,880 --> 00:49:39,680 you know they can take care of themselves they're great but we went we 576 00:49:39,680 --> 00:49:45,640 looked at the car we bid some price and go back and forth on the thing and and 577 00:49:45,640 --> 00:49:50,360 at the end the price was too high and he wasn't willing to come down and I told 578 00:49:50,360 --> 00:49:54,520 my son the biggest thing you have when you buy a car is the power to walk away 579 00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:57,560 you guys know that right you got sometimes that's how you got to do you 580 00:49:57,560 --> 00:50:01,840 got to exercise that part so he asked me dad what should we do I said what do you 581 00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:06,440 want to do so you want to pay that price and he said no that's kind of high 582 00:50:06,440 --> 00:50:13,120 right yeah I think it's way high but what do you want to do he says okay we we 583 00:50:13,120 --> 00:50:17,880 can we can walk away so we drove off and as we're driving home I know he's all 584 00:50:17,880 --> 00:50:23,560 bummed out because he couldn't get the car but I told him I said son I'm really 585 00:50:23,560 --> 00:50:27,440 proud of you today and he said what are you proud for I don't even have the car 586 00:50:27,440 --> 00:50:33,360 and I said no because you walked away because you knew it wasn't right he says 587 00:50:33,360 --> 00:50:39,000 but dad I really wanted to just pay extra I said you know what that's 588 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:43,600 everybody that's everybody right you guys ever get that place you want what 589 00:50:43,600 --> 00:50:49,080 you want even when you know it's not right but you said no that's everybody 590 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:54,680 you know that's a lesson you're gonna have to keep right because it's gonna be 591 00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:59,080 in more than cars it's gonna be about relationships it's gonna be about jobs 592 00:50:59,080 --> 00:51:03,640 it's gonna be about temptations gonna be a lot of things you really gonna want 593 00:51:03,640 --> 00:51:10,000 to do it but you gotta know when to walk away and when he got home my wife asked 594 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:16,040 oh where's the car oh we didn't get it was too they didn't want to negotiate 595 00:51:16,040 --> 00:51:21,640 enough and then but my son goes he says this mom that's why we really need dads 596 00:51:21,640 --> 00:51:28,480 yeah for stuff like this and you know she laughed but you know I felt honored in 597 00:51:28,480 --> 00:51:36,040 that because it reminded me of the fact that no one can be a dad to my son but 598 00:51:36,040 --> 00:51:41,680 me right and there's other relationships and you have them too like no one can be 599 00:51:41,680 --> 00:51:50,200 a husband to my wife but me right no one can be a wife to her husband but my wife 600 00:51:50,200 --> 00:51:56,440 right to me there's some relationships you just cannot farm out and I'm gonna 601 00:51:56,440 --> 00:52:00,880 ask you this when it comes to priorities are there some things you cannot 602 00:52:00,880 --> 00:52:07,800 farm out it's the people that your parent it's the people that you're married to 603 00:52:07,800 --> 00:52:13,200 right sometimes it's the responsibility that you have there's some things you 604 00:52:13,200 --> 00:52:16,680 cannot farm out here's one thing I telling you you cannot farm out no one 605 00:52:16,680 --> 00:52:25,720 can grow for you no one can can you know do spiritual disciplines for you they 606 00:52:25,720 --> 00:52:30,760 can pray for you but they cannot grow for you that's something we must choose 607 00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:36,400 to be a disciple amen make sense this bar has been closed in a word of prayer 608 00:52:36,400 --> 00:52:42,240 father sometimes we we know we get just caught up in life and there's so many 609 00:52:42,240 --> 00:52:48,240 competing things and sometimes they once you have whispers to us like I heard 610 00:52:48,240 --> 00:52:53,440 Lord that just says you know he's gonna be a dad but you here and Lord do you 611 00:52:53,440 --> 00:52:57,520 have a whisper we're praying for your people today about some things you just 612 00:52:57,520 --> 00:53:02,520 want them to realign their purpose in sometimes it's going to be some of those 613 00:53:02,520 --> 00:53:07,160 relationships and sometimes it's this aspect of learning how to be a disciple 614 00:53:07,160 --> 00:53:11,760 and father we're thankful that when you're calling us to do that you're not 615 00:53:11,760 --> 00:53:17,120 calling us out you're calling us up and father I thank you that we can step 616 00:53:17,120 --> 00:53:22,760 higher and we can step into the purposes and plans you have for us but Lord that 617 00:53:22,760 --> 00:53:27,120 part of that is learning how to walk is learning how to pray is learning how to 618 00:53:27,120 --> 00:53:32,680 know you's learning how to grow as a follower of Jesus and Lord we're thankful 619 00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:37,680 for the moment we say yes you call us your son and you call us your your 620 00:53:37,680 --> 00:53:42,600 daughter that we're your kids and we are so grateful for that status but we know 621 00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:48,920 to be a disciple something we just keep on choosing so father help us to keep 622 00:53:48,920 --> 00:53:54,960 choosing in Jesus name guys people say amen amen a god bless you guys thanks 623 00:53:54,960 --> 00:54:01,480 for coming thank you for tuning in to the new hope couple a messages podcast we 624 00:54:01,480 --> 00:54:05,360 hope you enjoyed this weekend's message and that it brought you inspiration and 625 00:54:05,360 --> 00:54:09,560 encouragement in your journey of faith if you'd like to listen to more messages 626 00:54:09,560 --> 00:54:14,400 or stay connected with us visit our website at new hope couple a dot org or 627 00:54:14,400 --> 00:54:19,760 follow us on social media remember no matter where you are in life there is 628 00:54:19,760 --> 00:54:24,800 always hope and a new beginning in Christ so let's continue to grow and learn 629 00:54:24,800 --> 00:54:29,960 together as we pursue a life of purpose and impact thanks again for listening 630 00:54:29,960 --> 00:54:45,440 we'll see you next time aloha and god bless