Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:00]:
Hey. You know, this the last few weeks, we've kinda had some challenging messages, so buckle up no. I'm kidding. That's not what we're doing today. But, I wanted to encourage us because in some ways, I don't know if you've ever had that, you wake up in the morning and then all of a sudden, you know, you hear something when you're in your car, you're driving, or maybe you you look at your phone and or you heard somebody listening to the news or something like that, and all of a sudden you just get caught and you're just kinda glued to the TV or you're glued to your phone or the radio. It's like might have been like that when you heard about the wildfires in Lahaina, or maybe when you hear sometimes about some crazy thing that happens in our community with crime or some other kind of a world event or maybe the elections, right, that we talked about last week. And so, you know, the thing is that it's it it happens, I think, to many of us, and and, you know, the thing is that the some polling has found that 52% of the Americans say that, add 52% said that there's additional stress in their lives, when they hear about the election. Right? There's and it's like an election stress disorder, and teachers have mentioned that students have mentioned to them that at times they have sleepless nights because of anxiety about the election.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:01:20]:
And you know the thing is that when school students, when minors and those kind of guys that they hear about the stress, they hear about what's happening in their stress, where did they get that? You know, it might be social media, and it might be news, but they probably don't watch news really. And and sometimes they get swept up in the stories of the day. And where do they get that? To be honest, I think oftentimes it's probably from moms and dads, right? It's probably from families and things. And so the problem is often is not that we take these things too seriously, but sometimes we let them affect us in the wrong way. And and the thing is that maybe it starts focusing our eyes, and you can't see anything else. Right? It saps your strength. It weighs us down. And and the thing is that, you know, some people we live for, you know, the the the game that, you know, that's being played, or the World Series, or whatever it is that happens, or or or so something else happens, or an election.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:26]:
And and I think that politics were never meant to fill our soul. It's an important part of life. It's an important thing, but that's not that's not where my hope and my confidence is. And the problem is when we take it too seriously and we let it take up a space in our heart that it wasn't designed for, that it starts to drag us down. But I believe this, that God wants you to write your own storyline. So rather than saying, you know, this is happening here and that's happening there, you write your own storyline, a storyline that God has for you, and that when you write it as He influences you, as He renews you, you'll be filled with a different capacity to face some of these things and not be overwhelmed by it, by not letting it drag you down because God wants us to be filled with Him. Amen? Amen. Right? Because it's like He knows that I don't know about you guys, but I leak, right? That sometimes I'm filled to overflowing, and sometimes I've leaked a little bit, right? And so you kind of got to be refilled on a regular basis.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:03:28]:
And so that's what we want to talk about is how God wants you to write your own storyline. When I say that, it's not just like me out of my own flesh, but me when I take some action and I take some steps that I get to write the storyline that God has destined me for, that God has destined for you. And that kind of dictates your trajectory for the day, or the week, or the month, or the season that you're in, because sometimes life happens in season. So we're gonna read together in Colossians 3 verses 1 to 2. And, would you do me a favor? Let's stand in reverence for God, reverence for His word. Let's read these, this verse together. Ready? Let's read. Since then you have been raised with Christ, Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:04:23]:
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. And we see in this passage, there's a couple of things, right, that it says, set your hearts. It says, set your minds, right? And it's saying that to raise your sights on things above, not just things in the news, not just the things that scroll across your feed, not just the things that, scroll across the screen. And so we're called to do that, but but sometimes the issue becomes, how do you do that? And that's what we want to address this evening. And so, before you're seated, just turn to your neighbor and say, God wants you to set your sights higher. And then you can have a seat. God wants you to set your sights higher because I don't know about you guys, but when you start reading the news and it's bad, or you start hearing these things about what's going on in your company or what's going on in the, in in the world, right, that all of a sudden, you know, the thing is if you're not comfy if you're not prepared, and we're not armored up, we're not filled with God, sometimes our minds goes to anybody heard of this thing called Murphy's Law? Right. And what does Murphy's Law say? Anything that can go wrong what? Will.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:34]:
Will go wrong. That's so positive. Isn't that a great thing that when you get married that you and you stand before stand before your spouse and hold hands and say, anything that can go wrong, I promise. No. Like, nobody wants to do that. Right? But when if your default is to think in terms of Murphy's Law when you read the day, then maybe the thing is that we read too much about what's going on in the day, right? Because I don't think that's what God's viewpoint would be for us. Now I understand at times we have to be, you know, have a preparation, and that things do go wrong. I'm not under the illusion that nothing ever does go wrong, but maybe we need to say, instead of Murphy's Law, we need to focus on God's promises, right? We need to focus on God's character.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:21]:
We need to focus on what He has for us. Instead of saying anything that can go wrong will go wrong, maybe we would be saying, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Right? Maybe what we would be saying is that, be strong and courageous because every place I've set my foot, the Lord has said, I have already given it to you. And so we don't pretend bad things don't happen, but we don't want that to dictate our our vantage point. We don't want that to dictate our attitude. And so we got to remember the difference at times between faith and fear. You guys know that, fear everybody has fear. You know, although we might say, no fear.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:03]:
Don't be afraid, that's an encouragement because the emotion of fear often it happens to all of us. Right? You could just be driving on the road and all of a sudden you guys ever have anybody just you just see somebody, like, almost wipe out somebody else in front of you. You guys ever you see that and all of a sudden you go, like, oh, my I don't know about you guys, but my hands get a little sweaty right at that moment, you know, just because of that, like, oh my gosh, he's gonna take is he gonna take us all out for a little bit? And and you can't help that that is a, emotional reaction, but the thing is that fear says, well, what if? Right? What if he takes this out? What if what if this school is wrong? That's Murphy's Law. What if Murphy's Law is true for today? Right? That's fear. But what does faith say? Faith says even if. Right? Even if there's an accident on the freeway. Right? Even if, like today, I heard that early freeway. Right? Even if like today, I I heard that earlier in the afternoon that the truck wiped out in a couple of the north south road.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:08:08]:
Right? Somebody said that you're lucky that you didn't try to come earlier today because you needed a, like, a giant crane to lift it up. Right? And it's like, you know, even if that happened, there's a way to get here. Right? Even if. You know, like, when we talk about that, it's like when the the the saints in the Old Testament, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were were confronted with some challenges. And some some people you know, when I read this story for the first few times or I heard this story, sometimes you think, Well, what if that happened to you? In the story, they had refused to bow down to the king, right, because they served a different king. They served Christ as king, or God as king, and and so they said, Hey, we're we're not gonna bow. And then they the word came and says, If you don't bow down, we're gonna throw you into the fire. Right? And, you're gonna be hibachi.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:07]:
Right? You're gonna all of a sudden and and so they say this. This is their response. He says, if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God that we serve is what? Able. Let's say the word, able. Able. Now God is able. God is able to deliver us, it says, but God is able to deliver you. Let's say that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:25]:
God is able to deliver me. God is able to deliver me. Right? Some people say, Well, what if He doesn't? Right? What if He doesn't? He says, He will deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from your majesty hand. Instead of saying what if, what do they say? But even if He does not. But even if we want you to know your majesty, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of the gold that you have set up. And we need we do need to say at times that, you know, when things look difficult I mean, we're praying for a different outcome. Right? If you're sick, you you get a bad report of some kind. We're praying for healing, and we're believing for a better future, but sometimes we have to say even if.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:10:12]:
Right? Because one day, you know, no matter how many times God touches you, no matter how many times you're you're healed, this body was never meant to live for forever. Amen. There is a different life. There's more to this life than this life. Hallelujah. Right? But I'm so glad I have stories of God's deliverance and and healing. But even if, but even if, I'm going to trust You, Lord. Let me ask you guys this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:10:39]:
Is there some place right now that you're facing that's challenging, that's difficult, that maybe you don't have an answer for? And rather than say, well, what if? What if the what if the contract doesn't come through? What if the kids make this wrong decision? What if, you know, the the rate hike takes place and and we can't make it? And say this. Even if even if that happens, God will still be faithful. Even if God is still a provider. Even if He will direct my steps, right, and lead me to the place everlasting, right? And so we see that. Even the Psalm 23, one of the most famous psalms in the Scriptures, right, it's maybe many of us know, the Lord is my what? Shepherd. Many of us know that, and he says, you know, that, yeah, that sounds wonderful. Yeah. I won't be in need.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:11:36]:
Right? I shall not want. He makes me lie down by green such a picturesque. You know, you picture a great pastoral setting, right. All green and water. He says, And he'll lead me beside the choir. Well, sounds great. But then later what we hear is that, But even though I'm surrounded by my enemies, even if I'm surrounded by my enemies, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. And so it is pretty.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:07]:
It is a reminder God's not just the shepherds, He's my shepherd. Guess what? He's not just the shepherd. He's your shepherd. Right? And sometimes it looks great, and sometimes it doesn't. But David said even if that goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Is there a place you need to say even if? It's not because you don't have a faith. It's because your faith says, I'm believing for better things. But even if I don't always get what I asked for, even if I don't get what I trust Him for, I know He's still gonna be good, and He's gonna be good to me.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:47]:
Amen. Amen. That's what God wants us to believe. Right? He wants us to experience that even if that's the difference between fear and faith because fear says, at all costs, I must avoid it. At all costs. And sometimes you cannot pay that cost. You can't change it. And so that's when we get discouraged.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:07]:
That's when so God says this, you can have an overcoming spirit because you write a different storyline. Right? That's what it comes when you say even if. Now the thing is we do need to understand what is it that that we can believe God for. Right? And that's where you fill your mind with His promises and His instruction. Right? You gotta fill your mind with His promises and instruction. And and I know so many people that the first thing they do in the morning is they check their email, or they check their social media account, or they check some other thing, right, and or you're reading the news. And it's like when you're when you're in the middle of that, no wonder that's the first thing that dominates you. Right? It's the first thing of the day.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:51]:
Instead of that, can we fill our hearts and our minds with God and God's promises to to to get us that when that wave inevitably that does come where you got to answer all your emails or you got to you got to face the news of the world, that you've already been filled. You see, when you're empty Amen. Whatever comes your way, that's what fills you. Amen. So fill yourself first with him. And and and I love what it says in in first Thessalonians 2:13, that if you want to hear the voice of god, you want to understand god's will for you, yes, god can whisper to you directly, and I hope you've experienced that in the past. I hope you've experienced it. But God has called us to know the word He's already spoken.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:14:39]:
Right? Because His word is His voice. His word is His voice. 1st Thessalonians 2:13 says it like this, and we also thank God let's say thank God continually because when you receive the word of God, which you've heard for us from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as it actually is. It is the word of God which is indeed at work in you who believe. You see, when you put your when you put God's word in you, it starts working in you. Right? It starts working for you. I love what it says. Acts 2032 says this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:15:21]:
Now I commit you to to God and the word of His grace let's say word of His grace. Word of His grace. Right? It's it's not word of His judgment. It's not word of His abandonment. It's word of His grace to you. It's something that you didn't earn. It's something that you didn't deserve. Alright? It's it's grace is not just mercy for all the mess ups in your life.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:15:43]:
Sometimes it's the power to overcome the mess ups in your life. And so all of these things, but it's a grace that you didn't deserve, an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Now what does sanctified mean? Just means to be set apart. The same word the word holy means to be set apart. And so the scripture tells us He's for you. He's not against you. Right? He goes before you. He doesn't just walk behind you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:16:15]:
It says this, God is our refuge and our strength, the very present help in trouble. Psalm 46 continues on. It says, therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its swelling. And and we see in this verses when when the world looks crazy, when it seems like the world's falling apart, when when things are out of control, when things that had seemed stable are not stable, what does God say? That's when you see my strength. Right? A very present help in times of trouble. That's his promise, but you gotta get his word in you. Amen. Right? You gotta get his word in you so that you have something for your mind to focus on.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:17:12]:
Right? When we that first verse that we read in Colossians 3 1 and 2, it says, yes. That set my heart. But how does he reset our heart? It's first by setting your mind. Set your mind on god. And so fill that. And and and maybe that's one of the first things you do in the day. I encourage you to do that. We'll we'll talk about that a little bit more.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:17:34]:
But when you set your mind on the right things, on God's word, on His promises, on what He has said to His people, then there is a possibility that goes from our our head to our heart. But this distance, whether it's 12 inches or 13 inches if you get a long neck, and 10 if you get a short one, but, like, that you know, the thing is that it's not automatic. Right? It's not an automatic thing. And so when you read something like that, when you read something that God has says, I, you know, hey, despite everything that happens, and it seems like everything's falling apart, I am your very present help in times of your trouble. For me to make that distance, sometimes I just need to invite God's presence to fill my heart. Don't just don't just let it rest in your mind. That's a good beginning. But let it penetrate your heart.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:18:29]:
Invite Him to fill your heart. Because it says this in Romans 12:2. It says, don't conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed. What does it mean to be transformed? To be changed. Right? Yes. To be shaped into something else. By the renewing of your mind, it says, then when your mind can conceive it and you can imagine what he's saying, right, even though you might not understand it fully, then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is. What does that mean? Now you have the eyes to see, even in those moments maybe where things are not as you hope, not as you want, but you'll see that God's will is still good.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:14]:
It's still pleasing, and it's still perfect. And it's much easier to fill your heart when your mind is already in that direction, in that alignment. You know, when we were, in the Big Island doing at the conference, I hadn't been in the Big Island for I don't know how many years. So it's it's changed. Right? I don't know if you guys ever been someplace and you go like, I don't even know this place, and then you go like, oh, it look different now. Right? And and so when we were driving, I needed GPS. And before, when you would go to Helium, and you don't need GPS, you just drive down the street. You just know which streets to turn on.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:51]:
But, but I needed GPS now. And and, you know, as I was trying to head home and and the the streets are different a little bit or there's more bypass things, I guess, that that are around now, I missed the turn. Right? I missed the turn. And if I kept going another 20 miles, I'd be in Pune. Right? I'll be in Puhoa. That's my dad's hometown. That's where we would go all the time. But you know what the thing is? I missed the turn, but you know what the GPS did? It showed me how to keep going and where to turn next.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:28]:
Right? And you know, the thing is that when you fill your heart when God fills your heart with His presence, you know, sometimes you miss the turn. You guys ever miss the turn with God? You get like, yeah, that is what I should have done, isn't it, Lord? Right? It seems like it's too late, but you know what he's not saying? Well, I guess you gotta go to Pune then. No. You can still get to where God wants you to go. Right? Because He's always gonna be redirecting you to where He wants you to be. Because when He's not just filling your head, but He fills your heart, that His presence goes with you. The reality is His presence goes with you always, but we're just not attuned to His we're just not attuned to His voice. Right? We're not listening to Him.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:21:12]:
But this is what it says in when the the people of God were coming out of slavery, and they were afraid and overwhelmed by the journey that was before them. This is what God's promise was to Moses. Let's read what it says. Psalm, I'm sorry. Exodus 33:14. Ready? Let's read. The Lord replied, my presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. You know what He doesn't send? He doesn't send, He doesn't send, I'm gonna send you my assistant.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:21:43]:
He doesn't say, I'm gonna send you a 12 point plan, and you follow the 12 point plan. He doesn't say, I'm going to give you an app. You download that app on your phone, and that app will lead you. That's not what he says. What's going to lead you? His presence. In other words, you can have the you can have a map, and sometimes we might say that the that the scriptures are a road map for our faith. And yeah, in some ways, it details these out. I understand.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:17]:
But see, God doesn't want you to just kind of figure out take the map and try to figure out how to go. This is what He says. Now my presence goes with you. It's like that He's sitting in the car with you. He's walking in the journey with you. He's seated in the desk next to you, and he's saying that when you made a mistake, when you're confronted with a difficult decision, he's saying this, I'll be whispering. Right? Isaiah says that that when you you hear a voice that whether to go to the left or to the right, and he'll say, no. Not this way.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:56]:
No. Not this way. Right? And so let his presence fill you. Invite his presence to guide you. And and and and make some time to be quiet, to hear. Right? Ask him to speak to you. Just just quiet your heart. When you pray, do you do you just launch off and tell him all the things and all the things your promises and all the claims that you're taking? There's a time and place for that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:21]:
But there's a time and place to be quiet. Amen. And say, god, but what do you wanna say? God, this is what I've this is what I'm holding on to, but do you have something? And sometimes sometimes there's silence, and that's it. And you know when it's silent like that, sometimes he's saying, you're headed in the right direction. Just keep on going. Right? And and so we need to be in that place. Invite his presence. But here's the other thing is that you need to have a plan and develop a habit.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:00]:
Because a lot of us, we know this already. The stuff that I've just said, we already know it. But sometimes we we just kind of fall out of habit. Right? We're we know that we ought to meet with God. We know that we ought to renew our mind. We know we ought to invite him and let his presence lead us, but sometimes we don't. Why? Because, to be honest, you don't know where to read. Because you don't know what to read.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:25]:
Because you don't know how to understand what you have read. Anybody been in that place? Right? So we've all been in that place. Right? You know, like, how many of us had the, open the book method and wherever it falls? This is the thing. Right? For the word of the Lord came to me. By the way, I just opened it, and the word of the Lord came to me. He said, and so yeah. But sometimes it does work. Right? But sometimes it's like you open it up, and He says, that thou shalt take the lamb and sacrifice it and then take the bull.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:57]:
Right? You know, you're like, oh, how does it even relate to me? But sometimes just have a plan. Have a plan. And I I wanted you to to look at we we have some, plans listed in your notes this, this evening that it's just are these magic plans? No. They're not magic plans. Oh, shoot. It's not in there. I did I not put it in there? I guess I didn't. God.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:32]:
How how in the world did I not have that? There's a list of plans. I'm gonna just say them then, a few of them, that there's some plans that if you have a Bible app that you can look at a couple of these plans. Gosh. This is when you cut and paste, and you cut and paste the wrong one. Okay. Yeah. That's the ones. Okay.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:04]:
Thank you. It is in there. Somehow it's not on the notes. But one is this. It's a 10 day reading plan called Cast Your Cares, and it's like if you have anxiety, you have worry, there's things that grab your mind that by read a plan. It's very doable. It's very short. It'd be a little devotional, it'd be a little scripture, and you can spend 5 to 10 minutes, and and this lasts you for 10 days.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:25]:
There's another one that's on there, like experiencing God's power and presence. This is another 10 days. Right? And it's it's it's talking about how you experience his his presence and his power to lead you that where we talked about not just having the, the road map, but his presence to go with you. Then we have another one that's just, it's called good news, encouragement for a world in crisis. And all of these, you can just look up on your Bible app. If you don't have the Bible app, you can literally, write down the, type in the address, in your browser, and it'll take you to that. So you don't need the Bible app if you don't have it. If you'd like that, let us know.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:27:11]:
We'll help you to download it after that, and so but that's pretty long to not to write down, I know, before we go to the next point. But, yeah. Sorry about that. We'll we'll we'll I'll figure out something how we can get that to you. But I wanted to have that printed in your notes, and I don't know why it's not. So but this this is the thing, is inviting his presence to fill your heart, but then developing a habit. You know, they say that a habit is formed in 21 days or or so. We got 25 days of something that you can read.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:27:47]:
And, and then if you don't have something to go on after 25 days, right, then you know what? Ask somebody. Ask ask ask a guy like Ben. Ask a guy like Hale. Ask a guy like Uncle Herb. Ask me. Ask pastor Jeff. Right? Somebody who's just been around that they can help guide you, but sometimes you just need to get started on something. Spend 5 or 10 minutes, and in that moment, don't just tell god I mean, don't just read god's word.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:15]:
Tell god what's in your heart as well. Right? And bring that before him. And I love what it says. 2nd Corinthians 4 1618 says this, therefore, we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed. Just say do me a favor. Let's just say, I'm being renewed. I'm being renewed. How? Day by day.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:37]:
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. And so some in in some of those ways, just, you know, make your voice known or, known to god. Right? We tell god the things that's going on in our life as well as letting him speak to you. Make it a habit to to do that. Right? Make your voice heard in those places. And then this is the last thing I I wanna say is that, you know, sometimes you're you're faced with tasks, you're faced with things that that you might not feel like you have the ability to do. You guys ever I'm not sure if you've ever felt that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:27]:
It's the call that you hate to you dread to make. It's the meeting that you, you know, you're not really looking forward to. It's the the thing that is maybe hard to do. Maybe it scares you a little bit. Right? And would you do me a favor? Would you, in those moments, as you fill yourself with God, ask God then to empower you for what is before you today? Ask God to empower you for what lies before you today because God never called you to say, you know what? Just just suck it up and do it. Right? I I never read that verse in the Bible. Right? And and, I didn't I haven't read the the scripture that says put on your big boy pants today and go just do it. Right? Because, you know, don't be a wuss about that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:30:15]:
I I've never read that verse in the scriptures, because what it's saying is that sometimes you may not have the power to do certain things, and so that He wants you to ask for the power to do the things. Right? And so what we find is when the Spirit of God was poured out on God's people, and you and I, we live in a time that is very different than the times of the Old Testament saints, because in the Old Testament saints, it says that there were certain people that from time to time the spirit would be poured out upon them. A guy like a guy like Samson, who who may not have looked like the rock, but he had the strength like crazy. Right? But it only happened from time to time on certain people. But in in the New Testament, this is what it says. After the resurrection, after Jesus ascended the earth, he said this, the spirit of God was poured out. He says it would be poured out on all people. Do me a favor.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:17]:
Let's say all people. All people. You know who that includes? You. You and me. Yeah. That's right. And so this is what it says. Hallelujah.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:26]:
And suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roar of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. And then what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Holy Spirit give them ability. And it talks about the Spirit of God as a wind. And the word holy spirit, that word spirit literally comes from the Greek word pneuma, where you we get the word, what, pneumatic. Right? And you know what? That's that's like, what's a pneumatic, pump? It's it's it's a pump that uses air pressure. Right? So the word pneuma literally comes from the word breath or wind or air. And so it uses this imagery of a mighty wind.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:32:27]:
Now, mighty winds can be destructive. Right? Because we've seen that in North Carolina and in Florida and the East Coast. Right? So winds can be destructive. We understand that. But God's presence is not meant to be destructive in the life of a believer. It's meant to be instructive. It's meant to be constructive, not meant to be destructive, because the same win also powered people across the oceans. Right? It also creates a nice trade win and and refreshes us.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:06]:
How many of you guys could use the return of their trade wins around now? Right? It's like, man, it's been pretty humid and muggy and and Kona ish, I guess. But but the thing is the same wind then has creates electricity, right, in that whole aspect. Wind has different kind of manifestations in what it can do, and maybe it's the understanding is what is the way that the Spirit of God will empower you? It's just not one way. It's not just, okay, you speak in tongues, then then you're all good. That's not what I don't think that's what it's meant to to imply. I think it what it means to imply is that whatever it is that you need and wherever you need power, that when God's presence comes in and He fills you, it's like a wind that there's a strength outside of yourself. There's a refreshment outside of yourself. There's a direction that's outside of yourself.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:07]:
Right? And so maybe you're in that place right now wherever you're sitting, that maybe you need the wind of God to come because there's a bondage to some kind of a struggle that you've had. Maybe it's the sin that you can't get rid of, and maybe it's the thing that that you try to shake it, but you can't. Maybe you need an empowering in that area. For some of us, maybe it's that you don't know what the next thing that you're supposed to be doing, and you're wondering, do I go left or do I go right? Right? Or maybe or do I stay in this one place? And so maybe the empowering for you is that whisper that says, this is what I want you to do. Right? Sometimes it we hear in the Old Testament about the still small voice that comes from that, like that gentle breeze. And so wherever it is that you're at, we want to ask God to say, would you empower me? And the next day, tomorrow when you wake up and whatever it is that you're faced with, would you just ask God, God, would you empower me for that thing? Because maybe you need direction, or maybe you need maybe you need strength to for a correction that you know you need to make, but you just don't feel like I have the power to do it. Maybe it's that place where you say, like, I need the power so that I can love this person who's not acting the most lovely in that moment. Here's what I've learned.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:35:48]:
One of those little simple things. Don't wait for them to say they're sorry before you love them. Right? Just love them. And then you're just presenting your whole self to God. We're gonna present ourselves before God this evening before we're done. Right? Would you do me a favor? Let's let's bow our heads. We're gonna close our eyes. We're gonna pray together.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:17]:
And would you just extend your hands before God with a spirit of humility? Maybe one of those things what we can say is, God, God, I'm inviting you to come fill me today. And maybe it starts because you're saying, God, would you think with my mind? Because sometimes the thoughts of my own desires can lead me in such strange places. And God, would you see through my eyes today that, Lord, when I see the human suffering or see the difficulty, I I don't see it with a spirit of judgment. I I see it with a spirit of wisdom and I see it with a spirit of compassion. Would you see through my eyes today? And God, with all the many things that I can say in different situations, sometimes I don't say anything, and sometimes I say too much. But God, would you speak through my mouth today? Yes. So what I say is about building up and not tearing down. And God I present my heart to you today.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:37:28]:
Yes. And God would the wind of your spirit, would it blow out those things that are unhealthy for me? And instead, Lord, would you love with my heart? And father, I I pray that, Lord, there would be that spirit of refreshment. And father would you empower my hands, empower my feet that when I don't feel like I can walk forward anymore, and I don't wanna extend my hand again. But lord that if that's what you want me to do, would you give me the power to do it? Because I just confess I need you for that. Yes. And father that we're asking that Lord, when we do these things, that would our lives not just follow the story lines that play in the news, come in our feeds, that that gets talked about at the water cooler, that that we that we see when we get stuck in traffic. Lord, that I pray, Lord, would you use your word? Would you use your spirit? And as I avail myself to you, God that I could write a new story today. And father, what I'm seeing sometimes sometimes what if I do think that, but lord, sometimes I would be then able to say even if, because the spirit of the living God is with me.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:54]:
God, that you're leading me. Thank you, lord, that sometimes I'm asking you to be on my side, when the reality is sometimes you're asking me if I'm on your side. So God, I wanna I wanna align myself with you today. For some of us maybe with our heads bowed, eyes closed, maybe you just need a grace. If you've never said yes to Jesus today, that's the grace that God has maybe for you. And just to respond to that, this is like God reaching out His hand to you and He is saying, would you take my hand? And if you take my hand, He says we will be friends and I will forgive you and I will cleanse you and I will love you and I'll make you part of my family, but He won't make you take His hand. The the Scripture says it like this, He He invites you. He says, hey, I'm it's like I'm standing at the door and I'm knocking.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:40:01]:
Don't ignore Him. Just open the door. Take His hand. That's you today. I'm gonna invite you to come and pray a real simple prayer. Maybe you've heard this before, maybe you've done it before, but it was a long time ago and you haven't really thought about it since. I'm just going to ask you to do it again. I'm gonna just pray a simple prayer.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:40:29]:
If that's you, would you pray along with me? Dear God, thank you that you care about me, and I want to respond to you today. So I'm opening the door of my heart today and I'm asking you, would you come in? Because you're extending your hand to me in friendship. Lord, I receive it. And I confess, I know I failed. I know I've sinned. So would you forgive me? Would you renew me? Thank you, Jesus. You died in my place. So I might have life.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:12]:
Life eternal with you. And so would you lead me in this journey of life. Help me not just to be led by the news of the day, but to be led by Your good news that Your presence is with me. And that You are leading me and guiding me. I receive You. In Jesus name. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:43]:
Amen. Amen. Hey, can we say congratulations to those folks? Hey, God bless you guys. Thanks for coming. And if you need prayer, you know, maybe just it's been a tough season, and the thing is that you're not supposed to have to go it alone. You know, sometimes we have some folks, prayer team here. They'd love to pray with you, and and, if anything else that maybe, you know, something you wanna connect about, like, hey. See see one of the other people, but would you go in the grace that God has for you today? Because he has a fresh grace for you today.