Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:00]:

Hey. Good evening, everybody. Thanks for joining us. Great to see you guys. How many of you guys know it's been 7 weeks since we started this series, called Restoring the Awe of God? And we've been looking at, just this aspect that we need to remember how big our god is, how good he is, and that although we should be comfortable in his presence, it's a very different to become, kinda overly familiar that we treat him like he's the same as us? So we've been looking at that aspect of how God desires us to we responsive to his word, how he wants us to kinda have this heart that understands the fear of the Lord, the the healthy hear the Lord? It keeps us from evil. The love of God might draw us close, but what keeps us at times on the right path is standing that there's both truth and grace so that we don't walk off into lawlessness, neither do we fall into legalism? And we've been talking about this aspect that we, understand that God's aspect is to call us to a greater friendship, closer intimacy? And we're gonna conclude, tonight our series that we started? This is the 7th installment on that. Now, you know, some of you guys heard me talk about the other week that before I bought, a I recently bought a 19 year old new car for me. Before that I was rocking a 17 year old car? So I I I don't know.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:01:25]:

The next year next time it'll be older. No. But, you know, every once in a while, when I was driving that Honda Accord, my 2006 Honda Accord, which my daughter is driving now, that, I used to complain. You guys ever complain about the car, like, could start making little bit noises that, you know, that, you know, and all that. And it's like, to be honest, some of us, you guys don't relate to that with the car, but looking at at the crowd? I bet you there's some of you guys, you make noises personally that you never used to make. Right? Like, you guys ever get up from the floor and you start doing one of these? We hey. I never used to make that when I was 20. You know what I mean? Or or that when you sit down like, some of you guys, I hear you I hear it when you sit down.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:03]:

You just go, we like, how come we gotta make a noise like that when you sit down? But anyway so, sometimes it made some noise. Right? And then recently, I had to drive our trucks. Trucks? And, you know, when I'm driving the trucks and we're taking it getting service, all those things, all of a sudden, at the end of that? You know, it's not that they're not safe or anything, but, man, they weren't made for comfort. Right? So at the end, when I get out and I ride I get in my own car? I feel like, man, I'm riding in the best car in the world. You know what I mean? It's the smoothest ride? It's like, wow. What happened? And you know the difference is, actually, nothing actually changed. It's my perspective changed. We and and this evening, what we wanna talk about in some ways is that keeping this sense of restoring we are of God? It's just making sure that we we change our perspective, that we're continually challenging some of those things.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:59]:

Sometimes we need a perspective we've changed? Maybe even as you go through life that you need a perspective change. If you find yourself complaining about the thing that you once thought what was what you prayed for? Right? That once you once you believe was the blessing of God, sometimes now if we're not careful, we can even complain about those this thing? And so, Stephen Covey, the business consultant guy said this, to change ourselves effectively, we first have to change our our perceptions? And so, hey, this this weekend, in some ways, that's what we wanna close as we, end our what time? When are you in the awe of God? When are you most reverent to God? I'm gonna guess for some of us, you since his closeness? Not when you're in your office or you're sitting in your car, although you might worship with the the, windows rolled I've been all of that? Or you might worship God in your times of reflection and prayer and all of those things. But I guess a lot of us when you go outside? You know, maybe you're in the water. It's when you're on the golf course. It's when you're outside, and you you see the beauty of creation. And why May is that? Because to be honest, God said that ever since he made it, it was there to declare God's glory. And we're gonna start we're gonna read that in, Romans 1 20, this evening? Would you be kind enough? Let's stand in reverence for God and be, standing as we read his word out loud together? Let's read what it says. Ready? Begin.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:04:28]:

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky? Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities, his eternal power and his divine nature? So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Now very clearly, I think when we see this that I I think we see the beauty of creation, and and the scripture is very clear. God is not creation, we but but that God created creation. Right? That God is not the world. Right? He's not the sum total of the world. He's he's apart from that, but but his handiwork displays his character. And maybe you're in that place where you sense you know, you see the beautiful sunset? You feel the breeze on your face, and you go, man, it's so good to be alive maybe in those moments. And and you see the beauty of the handiwork and you see god that you're you're so intricate in your creation? And and so god says that there's there's things that at times you gotta look up, and there's gonna be some times that you're gonna have to look around if you wanna maintain this aspect of the reverence and awe of God? So before you see it, do me a favor.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:41]:

Just turn to your neighbor and says, hey. You're part of God's creation. Right? When we look at people? When we look at people, we see God's infinite creativity. Right? We see the manifold grace of God it we talked about? And so, hey. There's 2 points right here that I just gonna, talk about, but but there's gonna be some sub points. So don't worry. We'll get a little bit longer. No.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:02]:

We, so it says the first one is to stop and consider God through his creation. In the Old Testament, King David wrote this. He says, when I look get the night sky, and I see the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars you set in place? What are mere mortals that you should think of with them? Human beings that you should care for them, yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. We now, you know, the thing is that if you live in a city or you live in a place that's just all built out and street lights and city lights all of those things? We don't see nearly the stars as you would if you you went out to the North Shore. Maybe you drive down Mohammed's at the end of the road that way or, you know, however it is that wherever you go. But but there are places that you can just look out out even doesn't matter what this this the lights are. Like, if the moon is out, right, that you see the moon, and how many of us that you fell in love under the moon. We right? Right under the on that date night.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:03]:

Sometimes I used to tell when I was doing college ministry, I would say that, you know, sometimes all you need to fall for somebody is the moonlight and that right time and you're holding hands and you ought to be and it's like, don't don't fall in love just by the by the mood? But sometimes it can have that, effect on us. But, you know, the moon it is about a quarter the size of the Earth, but it impacts us, in tremendous ways. Right? Tides and and and things along the it it intercedes in terms of the reason why we aren't killed by asteroids and all of those things is because the moon God placed it in the sky July to to be that place that's kind of like a shield from all that happens around us? And we and so this thing in the sky, the moon, which is I think we have a slide. Right? So or we should have some slides, but, that the there's these things in the sky that we clearly can see that God had made? Right? And then we see not just in the moon, which is very, very visible unless it's once, the the once a month when it's it's out of sight? That another thing that God made that we see is Venus. Right? I don't know if you guys have noticed Venus that doesn't quite look this big in the sky, but that it's very visible. It's the 2nd this thing in the sky? And and so this is this planet is 67,000,000 miles from the sun, and then Jupiter it is also visible? It's the 3rd brightest that in the sky, but you see this thing that's 48 we're a 1000000 miles from the sun? And so all of these are in our celestial neighborhood we call our solar system. We right? And and the solar system goes all the way out to, like, about 13,500,000,000 miles. Right? Now you can see these things, and we haven't even talked about stars yet.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:00]:

Right? We haven't even talked about stars because he said, like, obviously, you can see the sun. You don't wanna look at the sun, which is a star? But the the thing that David says, when I go out at night and I see God's handiwork, we right. It it's it it draws an amazement, the work of your hands, the moon, and the stars that you've set here. We and if you've ever been on the big island and you've ever been up on Mauna Kea, this is shot from Mauna Kea, that you can actually see the Milky Way. And it's called the Milky Way? Because there is that cloud of of cosmic dust in it. Now I think there's a little bit of exposure here on this. Right? So it's not quite this bright, we but but you can actually see it even with the naked eye, not not from the telescope. And and we see this aspect.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:48]:

This is all the stuff that he's talking about? We see these things. David says, when I go out at night, when you know, because it's like being out on the North Shore. It's like being out? Right? That they all of these things. And we know that the the Milky Way, our galaxy, contains a 100,000,000, they think, we to 400,000,000,000 stars? It's crazy. It's a 100 I'm sorry. A 100 went to 400,000,000,000 stars? NASA estimates that the Milky Way is a 100,000 light years we across. Now how big is a light year? It's the speed I mean, it's the distance that light can travel in the course of a year. And if, we, they say, right, about a 186,000 miles per second.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:10:35]:

And if you look at that, they say, then what is a light year is in the neighborhood of what is it? I don't know. I wrote now? I think it's 93,000,000,000 I'm sorry. It's 93,000,000 miles, I think, they say. It's a it's a the light year? No. It must be more than that. I probably I just I'd rather know where I wrote it. But, and and so we're in this neighborhood, and there's seas around us? Right? There's galaxies around us. The nearest one is Andromeda, which is much bigger than ours.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:11:08]:

It's about twice this is big and there's others? But, you know, what science has been able to show us is with the Hubble Telescope, it's not only that we have 1 galaxy or 2 galaxies or 3 galaxies? But this is an an actual photo from, the Hubble Space Telescope that sees each of those we are not stars, but each of those images that are on the screen are galaxies? Right? Are galaxies. And and so in in in the the course of the, the sciences estimates? They believe that that the range of the universe, which is still expanding? Right? It's it's ever expanding, but it's it's 93,000,000,000 light years to seven trillion light years? Right? Now why do I explain all this? Because god's word tells us we in Isaiah 40 verse 12? So who else has held the oceans in his hand or who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? It's it's like saying it's the span of God's hand. The the 900 trillion I'm the 7 trillion light years, then 93,000,000,000 light years across? It says the god is is the span of his head. We that's how big your god is. And he says this, that when I look at how phenomenal. Now the ancients didn't know how big it was. They just knew that, god, you just measured all that out with your hand we when you did all that? And what does he say? Does he say that so that I would think that I am an insignificant speck on the face of the planet? No. He doesn't say it that way.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:01]:

He says, what are mere mortals that you should think about them? Human beings that you should care for them. He says you know what he's saying, actually? And he says that what he's saying it's an elevation of mankind? Because he's saying that we are so insignificant in some sense in the cosmic universe, but he says, we but you only made us a little lower than you and crowned us with glory and honor. So he's saying this, what a privilege for people like us to know a god like you? That's really what he's saying. We and sometimes I don't know about you, but I I need to renew that perspective from time to time. And sometimes when I go outside? And I I just look in my backyard, and I see the stars, or I look at the moon. Right? Or we were I I look at the sunset. It it reminds me. Sometimes it's it's if I'm at the beach.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:59]:

I I don't know where you are, but you don't have to live in the middle of we've you know, on the beach? You don't have to live on this kind of a place to be able to do that. You can just go outside, and you can see these things. We and he says, who else can do this? Now this aspect of how big your god is, and it's at the same time he knows the the littlest details of our life? Right? He knows every cell in you. He knows every gene in you. He knows every the molecule that makes up your body? And you can go the other way. Right? And it's the smallest things. We he says nothing. There's nothing about you and about this universe that escapes God's notice because that's all part of his plan.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:14:46]:

We Do me a do me a favor. Just turn to your neighbor and say, and you are part of God's plan. Tell your neighbor that. You are got here by accident? God made you. God created you. Why? Because he loved you. And what does that should do? It should we caused us to have some awe and wonder about our creator we and even about the life that he's given us and created us for? Now here's one thing that I've known, though, that unless you structure your life, unless you structure your life for the fear of the Lord, that so often that these moments that we all they'll fade. Right? These moments will fade.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:15:33]:

Because all of us, we have values and principles that guide our behavior and our lives, whether the these values are about God or your career or about what you do for fun or what you do for for romance or personal growth or or for your well-being or health or family or friends without some kind of a structure that we up often end neglecting our values? Because we can say we prioritize our marriage or we had there? Or you can say I prioritize my friends or my kids or whatever it is. But if we don't structure for that, it's so easy for us just to kinda get you know, just go through life? And and then you just kind of like, oh, oh, yeah. That's just my wife. Well, it's just my kids. We right? And then we lose that wonder. And that there ought to be some sense of structure by which should do this? Now one of the things that when we began the series, I actually looked at this, this verse that we're gonna read, but I wanted us to revisit this because we talked about this aspect of what the early church how the early church was structured? And I believe that, to be honest, every church we ought to be structured in this way to some degree? Right? And it says it like this in Acts chapter 2 verses 42 to 40 seven? And what are the earmarks of a healthy church? I think we see it here. It says this in verse 42, that all the believers devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching, we that they're not just reading haphazardly, but but that they're devoted to both the Old Testament, I believe, end the New Testament because the apostle's teaching was based on the Old Testament? Because there was no New Testament we at the early church. Right? This is written over the next 70 years.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:17:24]:

The New Testament get gets we've been? And so the apostle's teaching affirms both the Old Testament and the New Testament and to fellowship and to sharing in meals, including the Lord's supper or communion and to prayer and a deep sense of awe? Let's say a deep sense of awe. We what is that? It's the fear of the Lord. You see, they they committed themselves to a structure in some sense and a deep sense of awe came over them all? And the apostles then did perform many miraculous signs and wonders, and all the believers met together in 1 place and shared everything they had? So there was a large group kind of setting? And then we're gonna read some other things. And then they sold their property and possessions and shared money with those in need, and they worship together at the temple each day. We then it says what else? Let's say the next phrase, met in homes. Met in homes. Right? So can the whole church meet in somebody's house? I mean, if our whole church the whole church can meet in your house, let's meet at your house. But, you can't we can't meet at my house because my house isn't we've been off? But but they they met in a large group, and they met in clusters.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:18:40]:

They met in smaller groups, in homes before the Lord's supper and shared their meals with great joy and generosity? And let's just read these last 2, sentences together. Ready? From verse 40 seven, and all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people? And each day, the lord added to their fellowship those who are being saved? And I think when we see this aspect, what is it talking about? That we that there's a structure, I believe, that's in place that he's talking about, that people or as groups seeking God? And I believe also that what we see that throughout the scriptures is that God always called individuals to seek him as well? And so it says that can we just say this? There's gonna be 3 things we're gonna look at under second point? Is the first thing is just place God first by seeking him daily. Just as an individual, would you place God first by seeking him daily? Right? Talk to him daily. Present yourself to him daily. Read something in God's word daily. Would there be some aspect that you talked to him, that you read his word, that you worship in some sense? Right? In Psalm 349 to 10, he says this, we What? Fear the lord, you his holy people. Why? For those who fear him lack nothing. How many of you wanna lack nothing? Right? Yeah.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:10]:

I don't wanna be living in a great sense of lack. This is what he's saying. But when you fear him, those people who fear him, you lack nothing? The lions may grow weak and hungry for but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing? May you lack bad things, but lack no good thing. Right? You don't wanna have an abundance of bad things? You don't wanna have an abundance of bad days, but he says this, that you lack no good thing. We now some of us, you're good you're very good at structuring your life personally. You're very organized. Right? That when you go home, your closet, I I know some of you guys that you go in your closet is, like, all the shirts, like, by by the style, and I I've seen some people, like, really super organized. That's not I'm sorry.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:59]:

That's why, that's why I got married to my wife. No. But, because she helps me in some of those areas. You're great at personal disciplines, that you do this regularly? But for some of us and for some of us that may maybe better in the groups? Maybe some of you guys are better at, you know, kinda doing these things together, but I think that but when you seek God personally that you allow God to speak to you directly? You know, this this week, on Wednesday, I basically shared what I'm gonna share right now on Wednesday, today? But, you know, we just my wife and I, we, as part of the church's blessing, you know, we spent a a few days, you know, just a little staycation, and it was just a wonderful time to decompress and and spend time with my wife? It's been a crazy run, during the summer and getting ready to go portable again and and all of those things and all of the changes that have been going on? We but one of the things that we just did is, you know, we go and drink coffee and do our devotions and that kind of a thing. And when I was doing my devotions, since I read a very familiar passage, but there was something that stuck out to me, something that really stuck out to me. And I I was just reading Matthew chapter 18 and Jesus has asked about forgiveness? You know? He's he's telling, you know, forgive everybody who sins against you and this we've seen this? And then Peter says, how many times? Or 7 times. And the Lord says, no. Not 7 times, but 7 times 70.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:31]:

You guys might be familiar, it's it's again, it's not to be literal 490. It's it's meant to convey as many as necessary. Right, that we're called to be forgiving people, and then he tells a story about the person who has the king, who has this guy, a subject who owes him, like, literally, in today's equivalent would be 1,000,000,000 of dollars that which is it's saying it's just impossible to repay. I don't know if anybody here has debt? I'm gonna guess in the size room this size. Some of us have debt, but, like, you know what? I I hope your debts are in a payable kind of a realm. But when somebody if you were to owe 1,000,000,000, what would you do in some ways? Probably throw up your hands. Let's say you know that there's just no way, right, that you you could pay it? And so he says, when he approaches this slave, the slave says to him, but give me a little bit more time. Like, I'm sorry.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:24]:

If I we owe 1,000,000,000? You could give me another lifetime, and I still couldn't pay that back. Right? And it says, and the master forgave him? And then that that guy who's forgiven, he goes out into he's he's, like, rejoicing and happy, and he runs into somebody who owes him money? Anybody here, somebody owe you money? I mean, you guys are not raising hand? Right? I didn't ask you to raise hands, but maybe somebody owes you something. Right? And and people sometimes make it to be it's like an insignificant amount. It's not an insignificant amount. It's actually it says it's a 100 denari, denari, which is really a 100 days wages. So it's like saying it's a little over 3 months salary? That's not an insignificant amount, but you know what it is? It is a payable amount. Right? It is something that over maybe a course of time that could be paid back? Right? 3 months salary. And so when he sees this this guy, and that guy asks him for mercy? He says, have mercy on me, and and I will pay you back.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:31]:

We but then the guy just says, nope. He says and he basically has him arrested and beaten, he says, until he is paid back. We and when the news gets back to the king news gets back to the king, the he says the that he pulls that guy before him, and he says, you wicked slave? In other words, there's a part of unforgiveness that's wicked. Right? And then he says this, that we that the same thing that you did to that guy shouldn't because of what I've done for you, shouldn't you have been forgiving? There's that aspect, obviously, in this story. We right? But then this is what he says that, hey. I'm gonna put you in prison, we and you're gonna pay back. And you're gonna just like you you did to that guy, God's gonna do to you now. So he says, so also my heavenly father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart? Now I I shared that whole story, but this is the part that really stick out for me? When he says this, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:38]:

And I just goes, oh my gosh. God is so focused on what's in your heart? Right? Because he didn't say that you forgive him financially. He didn't say that if you you cut them some he said this. He didn't say that you'd be nice. Right? Sometimes people think being a Christian is being nice? Christians don't have to be nice all the time. You don't. We you shouldn't be nice all the time. There's sometimes you gotta be strong.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:15]:

We I'm not saying you should be a jerk. Turn to your neighbor and say, pastor's not saying you should be a jerk. Right? Yeah. But we You don't have to be nice all the time. If somebody is, like, threatening on the road, like, sometimes maybe, I mean, like, just up sometimes you you cannot shy away. You're gonna just be more of a target. Just to be honest, that's that's what we see in the Middle East happening right now? Should Israel just say, we give you we give you a free 1300 that you can murder and we Rape and duot no. They they should be firm.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:52]:

Right? They shouldn't be jerks about it, but they should be firm. People of God should be, we at Time Strong? But here's what god is saying. This is what fills your heart? What's filling your heart? That's really we've questioned? Because God is for you, but he's really interested that your my your heart and my heart matters to God? And this is the part that as I read that, and he says in in Matthew 18 the the reason he did not forgive was because in 18/30, he refused we and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt? When it says he refused, it the indicates in the original tense a persistent refusal? A persistent refusal. We you see, you gotta guide your heart. You don't just let it do whatever it wants to do. Your heart my heart, it doesn't always wanna do what god wants us to do? Right? We all need to be corrected at time. How many of you guys agree with that? Sometimes I need to be corrected. Right.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:05]:

Your heart needs to be corrected. My heart needs to be corrected. But you know what? You can refuse it. We you can you can discourage it. You can you can ignore it. But this is what he says. There's see this incongruity of a person who has been forgiven much that he should be filled with this lack or refusal to forgive? But whatever is filling your heart today, it's gonna affect your life. Right? And this is just my devotion.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:39]:

This is what I just read. And I just started reading about this, and I started thinking about this. And I started thinking, what it what fills my heart? Right? Is it advancement? Is it is it proving my worth? Is it pride? Is it sting? Yeah. Whatever it is that you can imagine, the human can fill your heart? And your heart matters to god. So this is what he's saying. When your when your heart is filled with we got? Then different things come up. How do you fill your heart with god? You gotta read the word. You gotta pray.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:21]:

Right? You gotta you gotta worship? He says when that happens, God can put good things in your heart. Do do me a favor? Turn your neighbors to god who wants to put good things in your heart. That same day, I I read about Hezekiah, a good, a righteous king? And this is what he says in 2nd Chronicles 29 verse 10? This now it is in my heart let's say my heart. My heart. To do what? To make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. What was in Hezekiah's his heart? God, I just have this dream in my heart that people would experience your goodness. So I what's in my heart is I'm gonna make a covenant with you we so that my family will be blessed, so my nation will be blessed, so our land will be blessed. We that was in Hezekiah's heart.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:30:19]:

That was filling his heart. So I just ask you today, what's filling your heart? We you see, if you wanna maintain the awe of God, you gotta you gotta be in this position where we let this go from here we to here and where we let our prayers go from here to here? We and and when we do, then if we have this regular time, it it helps us to maintain this awe and reverence we oh god. And yet they said this though, that they gathered corporately. Right? They they gathered in the temple. They were all in one place? So they had to be the big place. The temple could hold 1,000, and they worshiped together. So what do we do? We're supposed to gather for worship together regularly? Right? We're supposed to gather for worship regularly. And it's in that place that they worship.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:18]:

Stopped? They sang songs. They were devoted to the apostles' teaching. They prayed, and that's why we try to do all that kind of stuff in our in a regular week. We want you guys to be able prayed? We want you guys to be able to worship. We want you to be able to hear God's word. But here's what happens when you come and you gather together is it we gives you a capacity it gives you a capacity to experience some kind of fellowship? It gives you a capacity to rub up against someone even even though maybe not at at a great depth, but it gives you a capacity to rub against someone that the grace of God can move from 1 person to the next? And when I say that is you get to pass long blessings to somebody else? You get to minister to somebody else. You get to be encouraged by somebody else. You get get to be welcomed by somebody else? You get to be you get to be kinda helped maybe by someone else.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:32:13]:

This last week we that, a sister came to church, and she hadn't been to church in, over two and a half months. And the reason is she had a very major surgery, basically ended up taking about half of her lung out. Right? So she had some, major health issue that needed to be addressed and was at home and, really had a pretty tough recovery, you know, had a lot of pain. But she came on Sunday, Monday? And when I saw her, she was sitting down, and I just I I wanted to give her a hug. And I didn't wanna, like, hug her hard, but I just kinda reached over, like, one hand, and I didn't realize that, you know, when I did that, she goes, don't then she kinda did one of those. You guys ever like, man, that is, like, the worst, you know, kind of a response? Like, oh my gosh. Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:03]:

And she she sat through service and but she had a ton of pain. And then went after service, I said, hey. Can can we just pray for you? And so I called a few folks over, and the guys came and they laid hands and prayed for Edie? And some of you guys know Edie. That's Lindsay's mom who heads up our hospitality, we ministry? And she was saying that, you know, like, she just had so much pain that she just wanted to go, really. But I said, would it be okay if we prayed for you first and we prayed? People were praying. And I just wanted to be quiet first. People were praying, but I'm just Do you have anything that you wanna say, anything that you wanna do? And and I just felt like the Lord said, we She needs relief. And they said the Lord wants to give you relief.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:53]:

The Lord just wants to give you relief. The Lord once you just take away your pain? We just prayed that very simply. And when at the end of that time, we I said, hey. You feel any different? What was her response? She smiled. She says, I can breathe now. We I feel a 1000 times better. She had a with smile on her face? She said she was so glad she came. She's still doing good.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:26]:

She wants to go walk now this week we as a result? You know what? You can't get you can't get that at times we if you just only have you. Right? Teddy, if you only have video. Hey. We you know, if you guys are watching at home, we we do wanna the welcome you can we say welcome to our online church family? The the thing that you miss, though, being at home we is you can't get what ED got? Because we we don't hear it. We don't see you. We can't lay hands on you. And that's just one of those things. We and it and it may not be a physical thing like that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:35:08]:

Maybe maybe a weight that you're carrying. Jasmine was saying this evening, like, man, she's carrying some weight, and I'm glad that tonight that when we came that she left it at the cross. I hope tonight when you came, when we worship, you left your the burdens at the cross? If Jesus wants you to take it up, then he'll give it to you. Right? But if not, leave it. Leave it at the cross. We But here's the thing, man. That that sometimes people encourage. I've seen people meet people we That, at church, we I I had a privilege that done weddings of people who've met at church.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:35:46]:

I've done, you know, different kinds of things that happen that you but you need to be face to face at times. And so we worship together regularly? It's in here that we'll, you know, look at the word of God. We'll worship together. But, you know, we'll pray together. We'll fellowship shipped together? And this is the the last one. It's not just it is is that gather with a small group gather with a small group regularly? Because I I I believe that the reason why you need to seek God personally, we gather together at church, come to church, basically, and then have a small group we is because a small group is the place where people share, and they'll read the the scriptures together. You might study together? You might pray together. And I really believe that at times, God moves in our weekend, and God really moved last weekend when we were, with people? We just saw God move in mighty ways, but here's the thing.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:47]:

I I believe most of us that we have this desire at some point to know and be known? I think that's the the greatest cravings of the human heart. To know someone and love someone and someone to know you and be loved by other people? And you know what? To be honest, sometimes you cannot get that deep we here after service? We could pray for Edie, but but, you know, hey. We that was great, and God moved. We but sometimes that what we want is really found in a small group where somebody listens to you, somebody we specs you? Somebody honors you. Somebody values you. You're heard and and listened 2, and you get to hear and listen to other people? These things happen in a small group. Relationships and capacity to be known and heard and respected and valued happened in a small group? You know, this week, we we in small groups, every small group. You you go through the ups and the downs of people's lives together.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:37:53]:

Right? We we prayed for Edie because her daughter and son-in-law come to my small group? We prayed for her before. That was kind of a major deal. Right? It was a serious deal for them? And then this week, we got to celebrate. It was Edie's birthday this week. We so we had potluck, and we we sang together. We hung out. We ate good food together. Right? We stayed late together, were and I was tired the next day to no.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:23]:

I was kidding. But and, so, you know, we we had that together, and that's great. Right? We but it's it's this aspect that that you meet friendly people hopefully on a weekend. But you generally make friends either in a small group or maybe sometimes serving on a team somewhere? But you gotta get to know one another. It's in a small group that I've seen people help one another? This week, I saw someone or was it last this week? Saved someone 100 of dollars because when their car died and AAA said that you need a new alternator. They were looking at a new alter meter is $450? And and if you take it into a shop, it's gonna cost more than 450. That's just the late that's just the park. Right? And and so somebody went over and took a look at it and and did some diagnosis and say, hey.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:18]:

You know, all you need is a battery. Right? All you need is Food Battery? Like, this I don't know. Like, there's some shops I'm sure would tell you that. That's all you needed. But if you came in and you said, I need a new alternator, there's a lot of shops. There's some people who just guess what? You're getting a brand new alternate. But what happens? Like, it's because people in a in a family, right, we we look out for one another? And and so often, people we are like we're like how you make a fire. Right? How many of you guys good at making fires? Right? Would you guys I mean, I'm not gonna call the cops on you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:55]:

I'm not calling you part of Romania. I'm just, like okay. So how many of you guys literally, how many of you guys know how to make a fire? You do good. Okay. Yeah. And And you know what? When if you're gonna make a fire, you know what you don't get? You don't just get 1 giant piece of wood or 1 charcoal were cut and soak it with lighter fluid? Right? Because it doesn't matter how much lighter fluid you put on that thing, and that flame can be big. We what happens when the lighter fluid is burnt? It's still not lit. What this is necessary for for for for wood to catch on fire? You need other pieces of wood, and they need we to be together, and they need to touch in some sense? Right? Or briquettes, right, in the same sense.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:40:43]:

If you have a pile of briquettes, we that you can then use your lighter fluid, and then what happens? And then that the corporate fire creates it's enough heat for it to really begin to burn? Right? Or you can just get we the cube and put newspaper? No. Just kidding. But, that that that that is better. But we need that. And so we I do wanna say for us is that we need the structure in our lives. If you want to keep the awe of God in your life, we You need to gather together with people who wanna love God, worship God, hear God's word. We You need to seek him daily, but then you also, at times, need to find a group. And that's why we did these mini potlucks, and we had some families that came and joined us at our mini potluck, and people have been going to different ones just to make it open and just to just to connect? Right? Just to get to meet people? We because the reality is we all need people.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:48]:

We all desire to be known, and we all want to know other people? And you you just need that structure in order to maintain the awe of God. We I'm just gonna close with this. You know, like, last week, we were at service as well. And just before we're leaving, we I hear Monica, who was singing on the worship team. And is it okay I shared a story? I didn't actually clear it with you. But we But, she's sitting and she's sitting in her seat, and she's kinda just, you know, whatever, I guess, nervous rubbing your hand or just whatever. We And she said, why does my ring feel so rough? And she looked, and her engagement ring, the diamond was missing. We Yeah.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:42:36]:

Yeah. And, so it's important to have a nice ring, but it's important to have a ring that holds a diamond. But we and, so just that whole aspect. And so at the end of the service, she and Wade, her husband, and some other guys were helping and looking all over. And she told me? Like, what happened there? I went, and I looked all over the stage, and we did this, and we prayed. And, you know, then we didn't find it. We but then I I told, the custodian who was there, Erickson, young young guy. He said, hey.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:09]:

If you've, when you're cleaning up, when you're sweeping? If you see something that looks like a diamond, it's a real diamond. We Could you pick it up and just let us know? Right? And so he said, woah. You know, that happened before. We I go, today? He goes, oh, no. No. Couple years ago, he says, was a teacher that she lost put the diamond in a ring? I said, oh, did you guys find it? Oh, no. We never found it. Right.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:39]:

So oh, thanks for all the encouragement there, buddy. And we just being honest. Right? But before we actually leave, he's out there, and he's sweeping? And he's out by the bathroom, and he sees something sparkly, and he picks it up. We he says, I think this is it. And he looks and he finds Monica, and it fits exactly into that space, we that piece of plastic that he found? No. I was kidding. It was it was a real diamond. Right? And, you know, the thing is that we that we're out there? The scripture calls this it's it's like the diamond.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:25]:

It's like you and me? He said sometimes we find ourself distant and far far from where we were designed to be? In Luke 15, he tells a lady just tells a story about a gold coin, but can we just call it the diamond today? And he says this, and it it fell in the cracks. We and the woman will what will she do? Will she just take a cursory pass? Like, oh, I guess not. Just gone. We no. It doesn't say it. She said says that she tears up the house looking for this gold coin that has fallen between the cracks. We and you know what? We they looked when her friends heard about it, we looked? We didn't find it, so we called other people, and they found it. We why should we be in awe of God? Because he went looking for you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:28]:

You're that diamond. Sometimes we're a diamond in the rough. We right? Sometime we're a little rough around the edges, but God knows how to polish us, shape us. We might not look like a diamond originally? We might just look like a rock, but God shapes us, polishes us, we hones us so that over time, we can reflect his light in our lives? We that's why we need the awe of God in our life, to know him, to be welcomed by him, to be shaped by him, we to become more like him? That make sense? Miss Bauer has we're closing a word of prayer today. We with our heads bowed. I wanna ask you guys, there's some of you that we after this gathering tonight, if you after we eat, after we fellowship, or whatever? When you're driving home when you get home, would you take a moment to look at the stars in the sky and just think over the 90 we or 9,000,000,000,000 miles? 9,000,000,000, not miles. I'm sorry. Light years of the universe.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:46:47]:

The moment you call out to god, he hears you? Would you focus on the fact that your god created all that like the span of his hand? And yet he knows you and he created you, and he's with you? Would you be reminded of that tonight? We but the other thing I wanna ask you is what's been filling your heart. And if you find, like we like all of us at times that maybe it hasn't been filled with the best? Would you just submit your heart to him again, afresh? Would you ask him to cleanse you today? Would you cooperate with him today? Maybe the lord's been we would you forgive this person? Would you know when God asks you to forgive somebody, he's only asking you we To do to somebody what he did to you? That's all he's asking. We Would you not refuse it? Would you ask him to cleanse you and forgive you we That you might receive his visions, that you would have better things to fill your heart, to strengthen your love? We father, tonight, we we come before you. We're so thankful. Lord, that you would know us and call us, we and how magnificent all of your creation and how vast it is? But but you still chose us, and you still looked for us, and you still called us? And, lord, you still wanna hold us today. We're so thankful? Is that our god is a mighty god. Our god is a good god. Our god is is the highest god? We give you thanks.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:48:55]:

And if you're here today and we Maybe you still feel a a 1000000 miles from God. Would you know that God's still calling you and knocking on the door of your heart? We maybe today, you're the diamond in the rough he wants to find. Maybe today, it's you who he's been looking for. We Just like Ericsson, he could see it in the middle of all of the little debris. He says, I see you, we and I called you, and he doesn't want you to listen to the voices of guilt or shame that says, I don't deserve or you know what? None of us deserve. If it was a issue of deserve, none of us deserve anything. It's just that if you're willing we and if you're willing today to be found, if you're willing today for him to hold you, if you're willing to for him to have a friendship with you? Would you just respond to him? And if you're in the house, we we're gonna ask you to raise a hand. If you're you're at home, would you just shoot us a text? Right? Just let us know or we or say something in the chat for those of you who are watching that way.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:50:12]:

Father, we wanna respond to you today. We And if that's you, would you just pray along with me? We're gonna pray a very simple prayer. Lord god, we you who created the heavens, the earth, and me, we I need you today, and I want you today. Thank you for seeing me and knowing me, we seeing my need and still choosing me? I open not my heart to you today? Would you come live inside forgive me of my sin? Would you help me to know you more? I wanna be shaped. We I want to be known, and I want to know you more. Would you help me and Romey? Would you bring people along the way to stand with me and encourage me and people that I can encourage as well? We and would you open up your word that when I read it, I would be able to hear your voice? We thank you for choosing me? I choose you. In Jesus' name, God's people say Amen. Amen.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:51:37]:

Amen. Hey. Can we say congratulate those folks? Hey. Just wanna thank you guys for joining us today. And, if you said yes to Jesus, you can let us know on the chat? If you're walking at home or text us at the 808-793-5655. Or if you're in the house, we have a yes packet in the back? We'd love to be able to give that to you and some ways that to help you to grow and some new a fresh Bible for you if you don't have 1? But, hey. God bless you guys. Thanks for joining us.