WEBVTT 00:00:02.250 --> 00:00:05.269 Welcome to the Life Bible Church podcast. We 00:00:05.269 --> 00:00:07.669 want to thank you for joining us today, and we 00:00:07.669 --> 00:00:10.169 hope you find today's sermon impacting as you 00:00:10.169 --> 00:00:12.689 listen to it wherever you are in your daily walk. 00:00:12.949 --> 00:00:15.929 To find service times and watch messages online, 00:00:16.210 --> 00:00:20.109 see our website at lifebiblechurch .org. Now, 00:00:20.129 --> 00:00:24.510 enjoy this week's message. I want to pray for 00:00:24.510 --> 00:00:27.429 us as you open your Bible to the Gospel of John. 00:00:32.849 --> 00:00:35.869 Gospel of John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, John 00:00:35.869 --> 00:00:39.009 chapter 4. We're going to try to get there this 00:00:39.009 --> 00:00:43.170 morning. Father, in Jesus' name. Lord, I come 00:00:43.170 --> 00:00:45.789 before you today. Lord, we come before you today 00:00:45.789 --> 00:00:49.789 as your children, as the family of God. We come 00:00:49.789 --> 00:00:54.549 around your word. Lord, it's the time of breaking 00:00:54.549 --> 00:00:56.990 bread with you, so to speak. Lord, you are the 00:00:56.990 --> 00:01:01.429 great feeder. The shepherd, even as we sang about 00:01:01.429 --> 00:01:04.629 it this morning, we're not alone. Jesus, the 00:01:04.629 --> 00:01:07.489 Lord is my shepherd. You are our feeder. You 00:01:07.489 --> 00:01:11.989 feed us and you cause us to receive the truth 00:01:11.989 --> 00:01:15.829 of your word. Lord, you give us both milk and 00:01:15.829 --> 00:01:20.409 meat. You give us both honey and curds. You are 00:01:20.409 --> 00:01:23.950 the God who brings the fullness of your kingdom 00:01:23.950 --> 00:01:27.709 and your word. to come into our heart. Lord, 00:01:27.890 --> 00:01:31.689 we open our heart to receive from you. I ask 00:01:31.689 --> 00:01:33.709 you to help me deliver it. You're the master 00:01:33.709 --> 00:01:36.290 teacher. You're the master preacher, Lord. You 00:01:36.290 --> 00:01:38.849 can do more in a little bit than I could do all 00:01:38.849 --> 00:01:45.969 afternoon. Lord, quicken. Quicken rhema words 00:01:45.969 --> 00:01:51.689 to your people. Lord, illuminated thoughts, encounters, 00:01:52.349 --> 00:01:56.569 revelation. illumination of the heart. Cause 00:01:56.569 --> 00:02:01.189 people to fall in love with you. Minister to 00:02:01.189 --> 00:02:04.790 their heart and their mind in Jesus Christ's 00:02:04.790 --> 00:02:10.169 holy name. And everybody said, amen, amen. All 00:02:10.169 --> 00:02:13.710 right, let's, I better turn there myself. John 00:02:13.710 --> 00:02:22.590 chapter four. Thank you, Jenny. We are, we're 00:02:22.590 --> 00:02:27.419 kind of, slow walking, and I don't mean on purpose, 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:30.960 but kind of started with this thought a few weeks 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:34.039 ago about, well, I guess it was a couple months 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:38.879 ago, about talking about the revelation that 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:43.860 God had hidden in the beginning of Passover. 00:02:44.139 --> 00:02:47.180 So when we're dealing with Exodus 12, and we're 00:02:47.180 --> 00:02:51.259 dealing with God revealing the blood of the lamb, 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:54.120 the plying it on the doorposts of their house, 00:02:54.280 --> 00:02:57.099 the eating of the lamb, the preparation of the 00:02:57.099 --> 00:03:00.699 lamb, all of that. And then he adds the caveat. 00:03:00.860 --> 00:03:03.759 This is where we really began to draw from. He 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:06.900 adds the caveat after he alone could provide 00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:09.759 the blood and he alone provided a perfect lamb. 00:03:09.939 --> 00:03:13.879 He told them that they had to go into their homes 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:18.689 and for a week, They had to clean out their homes 00:03:18.689 --> 00:03:21.990 of the leaven. Leaven in scripture represents, 00:03:22.270 --> 00:03:25.229 in today we would say it's yeast. It represents 00:03:25.229 --> 00:03:28.689 that which causes bread to rise. But in the Old 00:03:28.689 --> 00:03:32.370 Testament, leaven means it's sin. It's connected 00:03:32.370 --> 00:03:36.210 to the process that causes a puffing up. And 00:03:36.210 --> 00:03:39.550 we started our journey a couple months ago. Periodically 00:03:39.550 --> 00:03:41.110 we've had some guest speakers and then we've 00:03:41.110 --> 00:03:44.770 had communion. We started looking at 1 Corinthians 00:03:44.770 --> 00:03:48.069 5 where the apostle Paul actually was dealing 00:03:48.069 --> 00:03:52.169 with trying to sort the church out of going, 00:03:52.210 --> 00:03:55.449 I've got to bring you back to what happened in 00:03:55.449 --> 00:03:59.969 Passover because you really are now. Christ is 00:03:59.969 --> 00:04:03.789 our Passover lamb and now you must keep the feast 00:04:03.789 --> 00:04:07.030 with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 00:04:07.389 --> 00:04:10.810 And so the Holy Spirit brings and starts talking 00:04:10.810 --> 00:04:14.169 to the church about God did something clear back 00:04:14.169 --> 00:04:17.449 in Exodus with the children of Israel that was 00:04:17.449 --> 00:04:21.850 not fully revealed. It was veiled all the way 00:04:21.850 --> 00:04:24.649 until we get to the revealing of Jesus where 00:04:24.649 --> 00:04:28.350 Jesus would become the Passover lamb. And in 00:04:28.350 --> 00:04:30.990 the midst of the Passover lamb, he would now 00:04:30.990 --> 00:04:33.850 say, I want you to join me. I'm paying for the 00:04:33.850 --> 00:04:36.470 sin of the world, but I want you to understand 00:04:36.470 --> 00:04:39.709 that there is partnership in my kingdom and you 00:04:39.709 --> 00:04:44.269 have a responsibility with me, the joy of extending 00:04:44.269 --> 00:04:47.430 my father's kingdom. And that means what? That 00:04:47.430 --> 00:04:50.189 we're to eat the feast, meaning what? We're to 00:04:50.189 --> 00:04:54.060 experience eating of this Christian life, eating 00:04:54.060 --> 00:04:57.399 the word and the eating and drinking. Jesus talks 00:04:57.399 --> 00:05:00.759 about that, if you will, in Isaiah 55. Oh, come 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:03.740 eat, come buy without money. How do you do that? 00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:07.500 Well, it's a spiritual principle. Come and drink 00:05:07.500 --> 00:05:11.100 deeply of all that he has. You eat it. Which 00:05:11.100 --> 00:05:16.620 way? You eat it by receiving it. So when we talk 00:05:16.620 --> 00:05:18.519 spiritual things and you're reading the Bible, 00:05:18.579 --> 00:05:20.920 you go, what does it mean to eat the word? Well, 00:05:20.939 --> 00:05:23.420 there's not a bunch of people just walking around, 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:26.079 you know, with a leather Bible, like a Heath 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:30.199 bar, trying to gnaw off the word of God and to 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:32.959 eat it. That is not what's happening. The eating 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:37.579 represents the receiving of it and allowing it 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:41.379 to get into both here and here. Because in the 00:05:41.379 --> 00:05:46.540 mind of God, The heart and the mind have 18 inches 00:05:46.540 --> 00:05:50.079 that are connected. God never just deals with 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:52.860 your mind. He's always dealing with your heart. 00:05:52.939 --> 00:05:54.740 And when he deals with your heart, it's never 00:05:54.740 --> 00:05:57.139 just your heart. He's trying to renew your mind. 00:05:57.279 --> 00:06:01.199 So everything about God deals with this process 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:04.019 that's connected. It's mind and heart, heart 00:06:04.019 --> 00:06:08.879 and mind, mind and heart, right? Now, when we're 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:11.399 looking at this, this is the genius of Jesus. 00:06:12.620 --> 00:06:16.620 Because in all of the Old Testament, there was 00:06:16.620 --> 00:06:20.259 mention of the Holy Spirit. But when we deal 00:06:20.259 --> 00:06:22.819 with the Old Testament scriptures, talking about 00:06:22.819 --> 00:06:27.439 Genesis to Malachi. You only see the Holy Spirit 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:31.319 come upon a few people. Normally it's on the 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:35.339 priest, it's on the prophet or the king, or once 00:06:35.339 --> 00:06:38.319 in a while for very specialized purposes such 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:43.720 as Beziel who made all of the ephod and the garment, 00:06:43.779 --> 00:06:46.120 the spirit of the Lord came on him for works 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:49.300 of service to add for the furniture. So people 00:06:49.300 --> 00:06:53.279 didn't have the Holy Spirit individually. That 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:56.779 only came in limited portion. As we get to the 00:06:56.779 --> 00:06:59.959 New Testament. The genius of this. As God is 00:06:59.959 --> 00:07:03.300 beginning to breathe upon the mouths of the prophets. 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:05.720 Both in the major prophets and the minor prophets. 00:07:06.019 --> 00:07:09.500 He is breathing on that there is a breakthrough 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:12.399 that's coming. Not only with Messiah who would 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:15.500 be the anointed one. Who would walk in the fullness 00:07:15.500 --> 00:07:18.300 of the anointing and the Holy Spirit. But there 00:07:18.300 --> 00:07:20.500 would become a crescendo where we would have 00:07:20.500 --> 00:07:24.449 a partnership with him. And when you get to Jesus 00:07:24.449 --> 00:07:30.670 and you get to his life, it's amazing how many 00:07:30.670 --> 00:07:34.410 things Jesus talks about in regard to the Holy 00:07:34.410 --> 00:07:36.910 Spirit. Now, let me just say this caveat because 00:07:36.910 --> 00:07:38.910 I know we all come from various backgrounds. 00:07:39.029 --> 00:07:42.509 I came from a pretty ultra conservative background. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:47.399 theologically, just being raised in a Mennonite 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:50.519 home and having an understanding of God the Father, 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:53.680 having an understanding of Jesus Christ the Son. 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:56.420 And we talked about the Holy Spirit, but there 00:07:56.420 --> 00:08:00.620 was never really a handle to be able to embrace 00:08:00.620 --> 00:08:05.079 his ministry, his word. He was always the mysterious 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:07.980 one that you just didn't talk about because he 00:08:07.980 --> 00:08:09.660 seemed like every time you talk about it, he 00:08:09.660 --> 00:08:14.420 moved. Right? It messed with you. So if you're 00:08:14.420 --> 00:08:19.899 focused on Christianity being logical, you most 00:08:19.899 --> 00:08:23.759 of the time stay away from the Holy Spirit. I 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:25.620 hate to say it that way, but that's the reality. 00:08:26.860 --> 00:08:29.259 Now listen, I was born on Wednesday and in church 00:08:29.259 --> 00:08:31.819 on Sunday. I've been in church over 57 years 00:08:31.819 --> 00:08:34.860 of my life. Some of you are older. I have heard 00:08:34.860 --> 00:08:38.080 more messages than I am on dietary supplements. 00:08:38.259 --> 00:08:41.950 I am just telling you. You know, I have a, I 00:08:41.950 --> 00:08:45.590 have drawers full of messages that I have heard 00:08:45.590 --> 00:08:49.190 over the years, but I'm telling you the mindset 00:08:49.190 --> 00:08:52.889 that most of us came out of, if we came out of 00:08:52.889 --> 00:08:56.850 a evangelical traditional setting, which was 00:08:56.850 --> 00:09:00.509 great to build a platform is we have not actually 00:09:00.509 --> 00:09:04.330 honored the Holy Spirit to the degree that we've 00:09:04.330 --> 00:09:07.370 honored the father and the son. So it's kind 00:09:07.370 --> 00:09:11.549 of father, son, Holy Spirit. And whether you 00:09:11.549 --> 00:09:13.409 realize it or not, you've kind of treated him 00:09:13.409 --> 00:09:15.529 as junior. I've kind of treated him as junior 00:09:15.529 --> 00:09:19.230 and he's not junior. He's a full part of the 00:09:19.230 --> 00:09:25.090 Trinity. He is in himself. He is God. Now, this 00:09:25.090 --> 00:09:28.289 is the genius of Jesus. When Jesus comes on the 00:09:28.289 --> 00:09:30.429 scene, and I want to encourage you as you read 00:09:30.429 --> 00:09:33.970 the Bible, and I'm praying that you read the 00:09:33.970 --> 00:09:37.970 Bible, and I'm I'm hoping you haven't bought 00:09:37.970 --> 00:09:40.889 the lie that said, I don't have to memorize scripture 00:09:40.889 --> 00:09:43.370 anymore. I don't have to know the word of God 00:09:43.370 --> 00:09:45.710 anymore. I just need to just experience. No, 00:09:45.750 --> 00:09:49.210 no. Who told you that? That's why I love the 00:09:49.210 --> 00:09:51.870 Awana thing. It's like, listen, if they're required 00:09:51.870 --> 00:09:55.070 to have 21 verses in their heart and they're 00:09:55.070 --> 00:09:58.470 only five years old, what should be the level 00:09:58.470 --> 00:10:03.419 of the word of God inside of you? The reality 00:10:03.419 --> 00:10:09.019 is, you and I should have the Bible inside of 00:10:09.019 --> 00:10:13.179 us that in any situation, we should be able to, 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:15.820 not out of religion, but out of relationship, 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:20.059 call to mind what Jesus or the Father has said. 00:10:21.259 --> 00:10:24.100 Right? Because what Jesus says is what the Father 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:30.809 says. Right? Listen, this whole idea... Now I'm 00:10:30.809 --> 00:10:33.230 on a tangent, Duane, so here we go. This whole 00:10:33.230 --> 00:10:38.710 idea of what New Age promotes and what people 00:10:38.710 --> 00:10:43.230 want to do is move themselves into a form of 00:10:43.230 --> 00:10:45.970 nothingness. I'm just going to clear my mind 00:10:45.970 --> 00:10:52.110 and just think of nothing. That's a lie. Do you 00:10:52.110 --> 00:10:54.809 know that that is actually the very opposite 00:10:54.809 --> 00:10:59.259 of what God asked you to do? Now, are we supposed 00:10:59.259 --> 00:11:03.740 to meditate? Yes. On what? His word. We're not 00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:07.539 here just to meditate on nothingness. Most of 00:11:07.539 --> 00:11:14.799 us deal with that already. Right? I want you 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:16.860 to think a little bit, not just go to a place 00:11:16.860 --> 00:11:19.179 of nothing. You've been there a long time. Let's 00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:20.919 get you to a place of something. Hallelujah. 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:26.929 Okay. The whole point. If you don't get to a 00:11:26.929 --> 00:11:30.230 place of nothingness, the place is you clear 00:11:30.230 --> 00:11:34.470 your mind to what? Begin to put God's word in 00:11:34.470 --> 00:11:37.950 it so that it does what? It actually, you dwell 00:11:37.950 --> 00:11:42.269 on what he said and it begins to shape you in 00:11:42.269 --> 00:11:44.889 your emotions and in your heart and in your thinking. 00:11:45.169 --> 00:11:49.049 Biblical meditation is actually thinking about 00:11:49.049 --> 00:11:54.029 who he is and re -hearing again what he has said. 00:11:55.419 --> 00:11:59.320 Why? That's how we've been told to live. Without 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:04.779 it, you're not actually actively drawing from 00:12:04.779 --> 00:12:10.139 the water of life. Jesus said, we'll get to this 00:12:10.139 --> 00:12:12.580 eventually. If anyone will come to me, out of 00:12:12.580 --> 00:12:14.799 his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:17.799 He spoke that of the Holy Spirit. But folks, 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:21.700 you have to have the word in you so that the 00:12:21.700 --> 00:12:25.860 water flowing out of you is clean. So that it's 00:12:25.860 --> 00:12:28.059 not just your own thoughts and your own feelings. 00:12:29.539 --> 00:12:32.519 He wants you to live in partnership and in tandem 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:35.480 with the word and with the spirit. Now this is 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:37.980 the genius of Jesus. I want to go back to this 00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:42.879 because Jesus has to start the scene by training 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:46.039 the disciples to begin to shift their filter. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:49.379 Now I don't know if you do this, but I try to 00:12:49.379 --> 00:12:53.230 do this. When I'm reading the word of God, there 00:12:53.230 --> 00:12:56.129 are several things that we should always keep 00:12:56.129 --> 00:12:58.710 in mind when we're engaging with the scriptures, 00:12:58.889 --> 00:13:03.830 right? First thing is, I need to remove my preconceived 00:13:03.830 --> 00:13:06.529 ideas of what I think I already know about that 00:13:06.529 --> 00:13:10.049 passage. If you've read the Bible any point of 00:13:10.049 --> 00:13:13.389 time or over and over, especially those of us 00:13:13.389 --> 00:13:16.009 that have walked with the Lord for a while, you 00:13:16.009 --> 00:13:20.779 know, If you've read the Bible 50, 60, 70, 80 00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:24.679 times through, you can develop a real hardening 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:28.639 of calcified arguments of what you think you 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:32.259 know. So each time you come to the word of God, 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:35.580 you have to begin to say, Lord, I'm setting aside 00:13:35.580 --> 00:13:38.539 what I think I know about this. And I'm coming 00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:41.899 to the teacher. I'm asking you, Holy Spirit, 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:46.700 to begin to reveal to me your word, not just 00:13:46.700 --> 00:13:51.029 in understanding application, but in the depth 00:13:51.029 --> 00:13:55.889 of application. Okay. Now, when we read, like 00:13:55.889 --> 00:13:57.970 we're going to look here in John four, which 00:13:57.970 --> 00:14:00.009 is a very famous passage, we're going to get 00:14:00.009 --> 00:14:03.809 to it in Jesus name. It's a very famous passage. 00:14:03.870 --> 00:14:06.750 And when you look at the woman at the well, some 00:14:06.750 --> 00:14:09.419 of us can actually quote the scriptures. the 00:14:09.419 --> 00:14:12.980 whole chapter. The reality is it was such a pivotal 00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:16.059 thing that Jesus was doing with the Samaritan 00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:19.100 woman. But if I don't come to the scriptures 00:14:19.100 --> 00:14:24.519 in John 4 afresh, I'm going to have just have 00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:29.730 rehearsed in my mind what I already know. And 00:14:29.730 --> 00:14:32.009 I'm wanting to come to the scriptures, say, okay, 00:14:32.029 --> 00:14:36.809 Lord, show me how to see in this scripture fresh. 00:14:36.929 --> 00:14:39.529 So the first time I read John 4, if I'm studying 00:14:39.529 --> 00:14:42.289 for something, I'm setting everything aside and 00:14:42.289 --> 00:14:44.889 I'm reading it as though I've never read it before. 00:14:45.610 --> 00:14:47.649 Then the next time, because I don't just read 00:14:47.649 --> 00:14:50.590 it once, the next time I read it, I'm now putting 00:14:50.590 --> 00:14:54.049 filters in. How do I put filters in? Why do I 00:14:54.049 --> 00:14:56.830 put a filter? Well, a filter, if it's a godly 00:14:56.830 --> 00:14:59.049 filter, is a great thing. It means I'm going 00:14:59.049 --> 00:15:02.929 to begin to ask the Lord, Lord, show me in the 00:15:02.929 --> 00:15:08.889 gospel of John, show me every time you start 00:15:08.889 --> 00:15:12.940 talking about the Holy Spirit. So now I'm coming 00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:15.440 to the gospel of John, not just as a historical 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.740 document, not just as an encounter of John's 00:15:18.740 --> 00:15:22.200 witness first person with Jesus, not just trying 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:25.980 to learn the culture of the day of what I would 00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:27.799 learn. What did it mean to them? What was the 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:30.200 culture in them? What was the historicity of 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:33.320 it? Now I'm putting a filter on it. I'm saying, 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:37.659 God, speak to me and show me how you're highlighting. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:39.940 Because this is one of the things that I believe 00:15:39.940 --> 00:15:42.419 we're We're supposed to be moving forward together 00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:46.340 as a church. Show me how much emphasis you put 00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:50.779 on the Holy Spirit. And now I read the gospel 00:15:50.779 --> 00:15:55.740 again with a fresh filter of highlighting Holy 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:59.799 Spirit. Every time Jesus began to reference or 00:15:59.799 --> 00:16:04.500 speak to him, of him, about him, minister things 00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:07.840 that would be referenced to him. And it brings 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:11.360 a fresh appreciation as I'm reading the gospels 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:14.919 of going, well, yes, Jesus came to fulfill the 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:18.659 work and his mission was to die on the cross. 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:21.940 He knew his mission. His mission was to be the 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:25.539 lamb that was slain for the foundation of the 00:16:25.539 --> 00:16:28.600 world. His mission was to rise again and break 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:31.500 the power of death and sin and break the fear 00:16:31.500 --> 00:16:36.120 of death. But he didn't have much time. After 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:39.419 that, so he constantly, from the moment he was 00:16:39.419 --> 00:16:42.279 baptized in the water Jordan that started his 00:16:42.279 --> 00:16:44.799 official ministry of the anointing coming upon 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:47.519 him, which was the Christos itself, the very 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:51.559 oil of God, the Holy Spirit. From that time on, 00:16:51.580 --> 00:16:54.960 he began, which was his, from that time on means 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:58.860 he started ministry, live ministry, what? Constantly 00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:02.440 pointing to the reality of the Spirit of God. 00:17:03.149 --> 00:17:05.990 and the engagement with it. So that's why you 00:17:05.990 --> 00:17:09.670 have the picture. He's the word and the spirit, 00:17:09.789 --> 00:17:14.589 and we need him. Now, so much did Jesus do this 00:17:14.589 --> 00:17:17.549 that he had to start, begin to frame this in 00:17:17.549 --> 00:17:19.970 his disciples. And we've looked at this a few 00:17:19.970 --> 00:17:23.690 weeks ago in Matthew 6, verse 5. Before Jesus 00:17:23.690 --> 00:17:26.970 ever decided to teach the disciples to pray, 00:17:27.130 --> 00:17:31.650 he had to do what? He had to remove Two major 00:17:31.650 --> 00:17:35.490 pitfalls in their life. Matthew 6, 5 says, and 00:17:35.490 --> 00:17:39.049 when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. 00:17:39.230 --> 00:17:41.890 Why would Jesus, before he ever taught them to 00:17:41.890 --> 00:17:44.650 pray, our Father in heaven, why would he drill 00:17:44.650 --> 00:17:48.009 down on this? Because there's nothing worse. 00:17:49.029 --> 00:17:52.150 There's nothing worse than actually saying you 00:17:52.150 --> 00:17:55.390 believe something and then refusing to live it. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:59.240 Now, sometimes it can be a refusal. Sometimes 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:01.779 we're just not aware that we're living duplicitous. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:06.859 The whole point that Jesus was trying to remove 00:18:06.859 --> 00:18:10.640 out of the disciples was, I don't want you living 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:14.640 a life that is separate. What you believe is 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:17.859 in this category, how you live is in this category. 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:20.900 The very first thing that I'm going to teach 00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:25.079 you to do is bring your life into alignment and 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:28.180 allegiance that what you believe and what you 00:18:28.180 --> 00:18:32.990 live will match up. Now that is really, really 00:18:32.990 --> 00:18:36.970 important to live in New Testament understanding. 00:18:38.369 --> 00:18:42.589 Because hypocrisy, which we all have a nature 00:18:42.589 --> 00:18:45.069 of falling into, and you've probably heard us 00:18:45.069 --> 00:18:47.289 say, I won't go to church, they're full of hypocrites. 00:18:47.390 --> 00:18:56.970 Yes, but we're recovering hypocrites. We are 00:18:56.970 --> 00:19:01.890 all in the process of trying to arrest, our belief 00:19:01.890 --> 00:19:06.849 from being separate from how we live and to move 00:19:06.849 --> 00:19:09.650 and allow the spirit of God, his word and his 00:19:09.650 --> 00:19:13.569 spirit to now, to actually have a place where 00:19:13.569 --> 00:19:17.829 God operates in us out of relationship. And I 00:19:17.829 --> 00:19:21.410 don't have what I think and I don't have what 00:19:21.410 --> 00:19:26.210 I do on two different pages. What I think and 00:19:26.210 --> 00:19:32.289 what I do is on the same page. The second thing 00:19:32.289 --> 00:19:35.750 Jesus has to remove in Matthew 6 is verse 7. 00:19:35.970 --> 00:19:39.950 And when you pray, do not be like the, use vain 00:19:39.950 --> 00:19:43.230 repetitions as the heathen do. For they will 00:19:43.230 --> 00:19:45.730 be, they think they'll be heard by their many 00:19:45.730 --> 00:19:49.670 words. Verse 8, therefore do not be like them. 00:19:49.910 --> 00:19:53.210 Now why was Jesus saying, we looked at this a 00:19:53.210 --> 00:19:56.809 little bit, don't do the religious hypocritical 00:19:56.809 --> 00:20:00.660 thing, but then don't do the heathen thing. Now, 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:02.920 that could mean a lot of things to a lot of people, 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:05.480 but what he was driving at here with don't be 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:09.859 like the heathen was, we had to take real inventory 00:20:09.859 --> 00:20:14.299 of what the people and the culture of what the 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:18.359 people believed actually influenced how they 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:22.119 thought God would answer them. So everyone that 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:26.160 didn't know Yahweh or Jehovah had a view of how 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:30.490 their God would answer them. You, you, you, oh 00:20:30.490 --> 00:20:32.829 man, I got to come down here. Scott, you got 00:20:32.829 --> 00:20:40.470 to get this because we see it most clearly on 00:20:40.470 --> 00:20:44.670 Mount Carmel with Elijah and the prophets of 00:20:44.670 --> 00:20:50.019 Baal. Baal was a quote deity. that they served, 00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:53.380 that believed that Baal, there was the Baal of 00:20:53.380 --> 00:20:55.880 the harvest, there was Baal of fertility. All 00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:58.559 of these things either came under the grouping 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:01.200 of Yahweh or it came under the grouping of another 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:03.180 deity. Baal just happened to be one. Then there 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:05.160 was Chemosh, and then there was Molech, and then 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:07.539 there was Milcom, and then there's, I mean, on 00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:10.500 and on and on. We could go for false deities 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:13.650 that claim to be gods. The heathen who've been 00:21:13.650 --> 00:21:16.230 raised in foreign nations and foreign places 00:21:16.230 --> 00:21:19.869 had their God and their approach. And some of 00:21:19.869 --> 00:21:25.970 their stuff was wackadoodle. Okay? Now, they 00:21:25.970 --> 00:21:29.690 looked at the Israelites and how God chose to 00:21:29.690 --> 00:21:32.289 them, but here was the clear distinction. When 00:21:32.289 --> 00:21:36.420 it came... And I love it. I mean, Muhammad Ali 00:21:36.420 --> 00:21:39.660 stole it a little bit. But when it came to the 00:21:39.660 --> 00:21:41.940 showdown on the mountain, the showdown, the thriller 00:21:41.940 --> 00:21:46.599 in Manila, it wasn't Ali and Frazier. It was 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:51.319 Elijah and Baal on Mount Carmel. And when that 00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:54.339 happened, when Elijah set the boundaries and 00:21:54.339 --> 00:21:56.279 here's who's going to show who's going to be 00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:59.380 God, guess what the prophets of Baal did? They 00:21:59.380 --> 00:22:02.299 began by their words. And if you read the scriptures 00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:09.259 carefully, it went on for hours. By their repetitions 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:13.220 over and over, they were calling. Finally, you 00:22:13.220 --> 00:22:18.619 know, I love this about Elijah. He was his Holy 00:22:18.619 --> 00:22:23.140 Spirit. And he mocked them. He made fun of them. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:26.680 Literally, if you look at the Hebrew, it says 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:30.720 it this way. Oh, speak louder. He must be relieving 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:34.420 himself. Now, that's the sanitary version in 00:22:34.420 --> 00:22:37.119 the New King James. Let me tell you in the hip 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:41.460 hop translation what that means. He's going number 00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:46.920 two and he went somewhere to be by himself. Call 00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:51.069 a little louder. And so what did they do? They 00:22:51.069 --> 00:22:55.069 started cutting themselves with lances and generating 00:22:55.069 --> 00:22:59.529 blood flow as a form of sacrifice. And Elijah 00:22:59.529 --> 00:23:02.609 was mocking them the whole time. Why? You had 00:23:02.609 --> 00:23:08.230 recorded in the scripture five to six hours of 00:23:08.230 --> 00:23:13.710 them petitioning Baal through all forms of pleading 00:23:13.710 --> 00:23:17.549 of the same things over and over. And then Elijah 00:23:17.549 --> 00:23:21.609 does what he does. Begins to bring the water 00:23:21.609 --> 00:23:24.569 three different times, drench the sacrifice, 00:23:24.829 --> 00:23:28.630 almost making it impossible in the natural. If 00:23:28.630 --> 00:23:34.269 your level of sight was God who answers by fire, 00:23:34.410 --> 00:23:38.670 he was actually just removing the realm of possibility 00:23:38.670 --> 00:23:42.730 from living by sight. But if you knew from the 00:23:42.730 --> 00:23:48.210 heart of who God was, And when God, when he called, 00:23:48.210 --> 00:23:51.289 it's just a very simple prayer of asking God 00:23:51.289 --> 00:23:57.009 to reveal himself, show Israel who God is. And 00:23:57.009 --> 00:23:59.710 God answered by fire, not just fire with a little 00:23:59.710 --> 00:24:02.269 bitty Bic lighter. Then all of a sudden, notice 00:24:02.269 --> 00:24:06.069 it says, when Elijah prayed to open the heavens, 00:24:06.109 --> 00:24:08.549 there was a cloud the size of a man's hand. When 00:24:08.549 --> 00:24:10.690 he called down for fire, it doesn't say, and 00:24:10.690 --> 00:24:14.609 the Lord flicked his Bic. And there was a little 00:24:14.609 --> 00:24:17.990 flame. And the people rejoiced. No, no, no. Fire 00:24:17.990 --> 00:24:22.049 fell from heaven, licked up the sacrifice, burnt 00:24:22.049 --> 00:24:25.069 all the wood, the stones, licked up the water, 00:24:25.130 --> 00:24:27.609 cleared down into the trenches, down into dry 00:24:27.609 --> 00:24:33.670 ground. It was irrefutable that the God who he 00:24:33.670 --> 00:24:37.289 had relationship with was totally different than 00:24:37.289 --> 00:24:41.319 the God who the heathen served. And so Jesus 00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:45.359 had to bring the disciples because in the culture 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:48.099 where the disciples were living, just like our 00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:52.500 culture, cultural mindsets and perspectives are 00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:57.279 constantly trying to influence how you might 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:01.900 get God to answer prayer. And Jesus said, I can't 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:04.839 have you fall into hypocriteness where you become. 00:25:05.529 --> 00:25:07.869 You believe one thing and live another. But I 00:25:07.869 --> 00:25:11.630 can't have you listen to the community think 00:25:11.630 --> 00:25:16.089 that it's been influenced by all forms of different 00:25:16.089 --> 00:25:19.450 philosophies and ideologies. You've got to bring 00:25:19.450 --> 00:25:23.769 your perspective back into the true word of God 00:25:23.769 --> 00:25:27.130 and understand. Now you can understand what I'm 00:25:27.130 --> 00:25:31.549 trying to bring you to. God is your father. Now, 00:25:31.549 --> 00:25:36.420 when Jesus teaches that, You know I've been long 00:25:36.420 --> 00:25:42.740 -winded when my iPad shuts down on me. He goes, 00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:45.480 I gotta bring you down to father. Why? Because 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:49.480 I've gotta teach you. You've gotta step out of 00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:53.660 Old Testament thinking and be careful of other 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:56.759 influences and let me bring you into the fact 00:25:56.759 --> 00:26:02.420 that the father is a giver. And if you don't 00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:04.599 understand that he wants to give relationship 00:26:04.599 --> 00:26:08.700 and he wants to give of himself. You see, when 00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:11.460 we hear giver, if we've been raised in church 00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:13.619 or we're suspicious, we automatically think, 00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.420 oh, here he goes. He's going to talk about giving. 00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:17.420 No, no, no. I'm not talking about giving. I'm 00:26:17.420 --> 00:26:19.859 talking about learning to receive from the giver. 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:25.420 You have to understand something. The reason 00:26:25.420 --> 00:26:30.119 Jesus spent as much time with the disciples that 00:26:30.119 --> 00:26:33.599 he did trying to reframe their mindset is that 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:37.700 they had presets already in their heart and mind 00:26:37.700 --> 00:26:41.980 through doubt and unbelief about who God really 00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:45.559 was. It was affected through their religion and 00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:47.680 it was affected through culture and the people 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:50.400 around them. And Jesus had to bring them back 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:54.130 to, when you pray, you pray this way. And then 00:26:54.130 --> 00:26:57.410 you pray his kingdom come, his will be done on 00:26:57.410 --> 00:26:59.710 earth as it is in heaven. And then he starts 00:26:59.710 --> 00:27:02.630 again by bringing them back to the father as 00:27:02.630 --> 00:27:09.130 a giver. Father, give us this day our daily bread 00:27:09.130 --> 00:27:12.170 and forgive us. Do you notice what we're doing 00:27:12.170 --> 00:27:14.809 here? You notice that the father is doing, what 00:27:14.809 --> 00:27:18.609 is he doing? He is saying this. He is a. giver. 00:27:18.609 --> 00:27:22.549 He is a supplier. He is a protector. He is a 00:27:22.549 --> 00:27:26.170 forgiver. He is a leader. Lead us not into temptation 00:27:26.170 --> 00:27:30.410 and deliver us not. He's dealing with the nature 00:27:30.410 --> 00:27:33.869 of the father that the heathen could not grasp 00:27:33.869 --> 00:27:37.029 and the religious could not grasp out of their 00:27:37.029 --> 00:27:39.549 understanding because God was always distant. 00:27:39.769 --> 00:27:42.990 So God, Jesus was bringing the disciples past 00:27:42.990 --> 00:27:46.730 the distance up close and he was removing vain 00:27:46.730 --> 00:27:50.609 repetition. to recognize the father was always 00:27:50.609 --> 00:27:54.750 looking for sons and daughters to live in fellowship 00:27:54.750 --> 00:27:59.410 and partnership. And that's huge. Because the 00:27:59.410 --> 00:28:02.029 whole thing of kingdom partnership is what? The 00:28:02.029 --> 00:28:06.890 activation of his will, the operating in his 00:28:06.890 --> 00:28:14.710 way by God's words. How many in this room have 00:28:14.710 --> 00:28:18.529 been on a cruise before? Whether it's river cruise, 00:28:18.650 --> 00:28:21.369 ocean cruise, just a few of us? Okay, let me 00:28:21.369 --> 00:28:26.869 explain how this works. You guys should be teaching 00:28:26.869 --> 00:28:31.849 this seminar here. The reality is, a cruise is 00:28:31.849 --> 00:28:36.950 you begin to pay for a general package. And that 00:28:36.950 --> 00:28:40.680 package says, here's what's going to be. the 00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:43.759 route. Now for Jenny and I, we've taken several 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:46.980 cruises over our 33 years of marriage. We did 00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:50.980 one on our 20th wedding anniversary and we went 00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:54.019 from Barcelona, Spain and ended up in Venice, 00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:56.039 Italy. It was incredible. We loved it. It's time 00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:59.160 of our life. We'll never forget it. 14 days on 00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:02.440 the Mediterranean. Now the whole point of why 00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:05.519 am I using the cruise? Because If you understand, 00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:07.819 and this is what people want to know. How do 00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:10.160 I know the will of God? I want to know the will 00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:12.220 of God. Marcy, I want to know the will of God 00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:14.119 for my life. What's the will of God for my life? 00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:18.720 Get on the general cruise. What does that mean? 00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:22.920 It means that you have to understand what God's 00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:27.500 plan was from the beginning. And embracing salvation. 00:29:28.200 --> 00:29:30.640 Remember, no man can come to the Father. No man 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:32.779 or woman can come to the Father except the Spirit 00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:37.039 of God. Draw them. and Jesus requires salvation 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:40.400 requires what he gives grace and he gives you 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:43.599 faith right from the start to believe the message 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:49.099 whereby faith you accept his will and his way 00:29:49.099 --> 00:29:53.720 and his word if you just accept it cerebrally 00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:57.980 you're not saved you actually have to do what 00:29:57.980 --> 00:30:01.809 you actually have to bring That will, that way, 00:30:01.809 --> 00:30:04.509 that word by faith, and that's why Romans 10 00:30:04.509 --> 00:30:09.009 and 9 says, if I confess with my mouth and, somebody 00:30:09.009 --> 00:30:12.009 say and, you can be Pentecostal, and believe 00:30:12.009 --> 00:30:14.470 in my heart that God has raised him from the 00:30:14.470 --> 00:30:18.230 dead, I shall be saved. What's the point? You 00:30:18.230 --> 00:30:21.509 got to hear yourself believe that you have faith 00:30:21.509 --> 00:30:26.619 in what he's already done for you. puts you on 00:30:26.619 --> 00:30:30.119 the ship because that is God's will. What? To 00:30:30.119 --> 00:30:33.460 do what? To get you on the cruise ship journey, 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:36.339 if you will. It's a limited analogy, but just 00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:39.660 work with me. To begin to know his full will. 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:45.980 His full will is to restore you back to the place 00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:49.880 of where fellowship was broken. When sin and 00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:52.960 death came in, in the garden, what happened? 00:30:53.819 --> 00:30:56.920 Adam and Eve were ushered out of the garden of 00:30:56.920 --> 00:31:00.799 close fellowship and proximity and ushered out 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:05.680 of extending that beautiful fellowship, the will, 00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:10.619 the ways, and his word on the earth without harassment 00:31:10.619 --> 00:31:16.819 and vexation. So what did Jesus' death do? His 00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:21.970 death paid the price. so that fellowship could 00:31:21.970 --> 00:31:24.690 be restored. And going back here to Chelsea here, 00:31:24.789 --> 00:31:27.710 so that you would know his will. What's his will? 00:31:27.990 --> 00:31:31.390 That you would walk in the intimacy of God, you'd 00:31:31.390 --> 00:31:33.829 walk in the fellowship of God, and you would 00:31:33.829 --> 00:31:37.670 be in partnership with God, extending his will 00:31:37.670 --> 00:31:41.130 and his work and his ways on the earth. That 00:31:41.130 --> 00:31:45.250 is the cruise ship. And if you don't get on that 00:31:45.250 --> 00:31:48.150 path, but you kept standing on the shore going, 00:31:48.250 --> 00:31:51.069 well, I just don't, I want to know the specific 00:31:51.069 --> 00:31:54.069 will for my life. Can I just give you a little 00:31:54.069 --> 00:31:58.029 hint? You'll never engage properly with the spirit 00:31:58.029 --> 00:32:01.390 of God, what your specific will is until you 00:32:01.390 --> 00:32:04.690 get on the cruise ship of his general will. Because 00:32:04.690 --> 00:32:07.829 the excursions of his specific will. This is 00:32:07.829 --> 00:32:10.130 the other thing I found out. There are little 00:32:10.130 --> 00:32:13.730 excursions once you get on the ship. That were 00:32:13.730 --> 00:32:17.490 designed to give you greater understanding and 00:32:17.490 --> 00:32:20.509 experience. But you'll never know what they are 00:32:20.509 --> 00:32:24.630 until you get on the ship. Now I don't know if 00:32:24.630 --> 00:32:27.529 somebody is recording this. But in God's house 00:32:27.529 --> 00:32:33.819 this morning is get on the ship. Get on the ship 00:32:33.819 --> 00:32:38.059 of his revealed will. Meaning you have to actually 00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:42.000 recognize that what you're doing should be engaged 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:47.380 by faith that you want fellowship. You want closeness. 00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:51.059 And you want really by design understanding that 00:32:51.059 --> 00:32:55.059 God never meant you to be disconnected. But he 00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:58.630 empowered you to do what? Take faith. fellowship, 00:32:58.750 --> 00:33:02.829 his presence, his word, and now move it into 00:33:02.829 --> 00:33:07.829 an area where you live and are where he's established 00:33:07.829 --> 00:33:15.829 you. Once that happens, then the Lord, I got 00:33:15.829 --> 00:33:18.829 to pick on the big guys while I can, right? Then 00:33:18.829 --> 00:33:24.619 the Lord can be specific in your heart. about 00:33:24.619 --> 00:33:29.440 revealing the nuances of his perfect design and 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:32.180 perfect will for your life, but only when you're 00:33:32.180 --> 00:33:36.960 operating in the purposeful will of God. See, 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:38.759 that's why the Spirit of God says that you might 00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:42.880 know the good, the acceptable, and the perfect 00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:47.920 will. You see, many times people miss the perfect 00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:51.259 will because they will not embrace the general 00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:55.140 good and acceptable will of God. And then they 00:33:55.140 --> 00:33:56.799 want to, now I'm going to say this carefully, 00:33:56.960 --> 00:33:59.880 then they want to pull on the prophetic, Duane, 00:34:00.019 --> 00:34:03.099 which is very real, the prophetic grace of God, 00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:05.400 but they're wanting to pull on the prophetic 00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:09.559 past the revealed general will and bring specific 00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:11.900 into their life, thinking that they can accomplish 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:14.280 it without getting back on the general will. 00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:17.980 And it's a fallacy. Those words never end up 00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:21.260 coming to pass. Why? Because they actually access 00:34:21.260 --> 00:34:25.179 them through selfish gain. Let me say that again. 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:31.260 You can have, you can get prophetic words and 00:34:31.260 --> 00:34:34.920 it's not the prophet's issue, it's my heart's 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:42.239 issue. Now there's a lot to be said on that and 00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:44.280 I'm just gonna put a pause on that but just let 00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:48.179 that drop where it needs to drop. So what was 00:34:48.179 --> 00:34:52.690 Jesus trying to deal with? With the disciples. 00:34:52.849 --> 00:34:56.630 Well, he wanted them to begin to embrace the 00:34:56.630 --> 00:35:00.230 idea of kingdom partnership because God is a 00:35:00.230 --> 00:35:03.849 giver. And if he's a giver, what does he give? 00:35:04.050 --> 00:35:08.710 And this is absolutely fundamental that you get 00:35:08.710 --> 00:35:17.610 this. He's a giver of himself. You can boil every 00:35:17.610 --> 00:35:21.389 other gift and grace down in the Bible. It connects 00:35:21.389 --> 00:35:27.150 back to the one who gave it. So the essence of 00:35:27.150 --> 00:35:33.889 God as a giver is he gives of himself in a multi 00:35:33.889 --> 00:35:39.909 -varied, multi -graced perspective. You say, 00:35:39.949 --> 00:35:42.329 well, where do we see that? Well, let's go to 00:35:42.329 --> 00:35:47.960 James chapter one, verse 17. If right before 00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:51.360 I read this, think of this. If God is the giver, 00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:55.300 think of it. And he's talked everything from 00:35:55.300 --> 00:35:58.199 God is good. It's holy. It's right. It's true. 00:35:58.320 --> 00:36:03.559 It's pure. Then everything that God gives can 00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:07.880 have nothing wrong with it. Now, this is a big 00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:12.699 deal because many of us came out of mindsets 00:36:12.699 --> 00:36:18.010 that said, Father. Good. Son. Good. Holy Spirit. 00:36:18.170 --> 00:36:28.989 Not sure. Who gave us the right to take someone 00:36:28.989 --> 00:36:31.710 that is completely holy, pure, righteous, and 00:36:31.710 --> 00:36:37.050 true, and now bring suspicion on who he is and 00:36:37.050 --> 00:36:41.289 what he does? Let's look at this. James 1 .17. 00:36:42.059 --> 00:36:46.619 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from 00:36:46.619 --> 00:36:50.840 above, coming down from the Father of lights, 00:36:50.840 --> 00:36:58.019 in whom there is no variation or shadow due to 00:36:58.019 --> 00:37:01.659 change. This probably is one of the biggest verses 00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:10.579 that I use to try to destroy. The thoughts of 00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:15.460 cessationism. And if you didn't understand anything 00:37:15.460 --> 00:37:18.679 I said, then you're a good place. Because you 00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:20.699 don't even know what cessationism is. But there 00:37:20.699 --> 00:37:23.579 are many in this room that do. That believe that 00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:27.860 somehow God removed part of the Holy Spirit's 00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:30.260 assignment of building the church through the 00:37:30.260 --> 00:37:32.940 gifts that he gives. And now he only gives, instead 00:37:32.940 --> 00:37:41.260 of giving a V8, he gives a V4. It's insane. Because 00:37:41.260 --> 00:37:44.820 every gift that he gives is good. It means there's 00:37:44.820 --> 00:37:50.539 no shadow of variation. That means, Jihad, that 00:37:50.539 --> 00:37:54.219 means that everything that God gave in the beginning 00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:59.139 has no sliding, diminishing scale as until his 00:37:59.139 --> 00:38:02.789 return. It means that everything that he gives, 00:38:02.789 --> 00:38:06.829 he gives in a perfect measure, the same way he 00:38:06.829 --> 00:38:09.409 gave it. Why? Because it's connected to him. 00:38:10.130 --> 00:38:13.809 It's connected to God himself. God doesn't give 00:38:13.809 --> 00:38:16.599 a lesser version of himself. He doesn't give 00:38:16.599 --> 00:38:19.199 a lesser version. Oh, because you lived in first 00:38:19.199 --> 00:38:21.679 century. But now that you're living in 20th century, 00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:24.960 Chris, you only get the, you know, we're kind 00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:29.119 of in an eco environmental kind of century. So, 00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:31.639 you know, back then they needed all the horsepower. 00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:34.119 Now you just kind of get the electric toned down 00:38:34.119 --> 00:38:38.780 version. No, God is the same yesterday, today, 00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:41.800 and forever. There's no variation with him and 00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:45.139 his gifts. See, we've always applied it. If you've 00:38:45.139 --> 00:38:47.659 raised a church like I was, you've always applied 00:38:47.659 --> 00:38:50.960 it to God's character and nature. Very few applied 00:38:50.960 --> 00:38:55.320 it to his gifts. But it's clearly the context 00:38:55.320 --> 00:38:59.340 of the revelation is there's no variation or 00:38:59.340 --> 00:39:04.659 shadow or change of the gifts. Because every 00:39:04.659 --> 00:39:11.099 good and perfect. Come on with me. Gift. Not 00:39:11.099 --> 00:39:15.039 every perfect character of the father. That was 00:39:15.039 --> 00:39:17.800 the given. The character of the Father is now 00:39:17.800 --> 00:39:21.019 translating to the gifts because the gifts are 00:39:21.019 --> 00:39:25.860 of the Father. And for me to say it's less now 00:39:25.860 --> 00:39:28.659 than it was is actually to pick up a spirit of 00:39:28.659 --> 00:39:31.980 doubt and unbelief at the minimal. It's possibly 00:39:31.980 --> 00:39:41.159 antichrist. Why? Because it's trying to diminish 00:39:41.159 --> 00:39:52.269 Holy Spirit. Are you doing okay? All right. Now, 00:39:52.429 --> 00:39:58.429 we believe salvation is a gift from God. And 00:39:58.429 --> 00:40:03.130 that was Jesus' mission. Righteousness, sanctification, 00:40:03.510 --> 00:40:07.710 justification, redemption, and restoration. All 00:40:07.710 --> 00:40:11.389 of those things are a gift. And when we read 00:40:11.389 --> 00:40:16.380 Ephesians 2 .8, We recognize there's no way we 00:40:16.380 --> 00:40:20.519 can earn it. There's no way we can buy it. There's 00:40:20.519 --> 00:40:25.679 no way we can present ourselves as something 00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:29.820 worthy of it. Everyone has fallen short of this 00:40:29.820 --> 00:40:32.519 gift of salvation, gift of the sanctification 00:40:32.519 --> 00:40:35.340 part, the cleansing part, gift of the justification 00:40:35.340 --> 00:40:38.179 part, which is what? Fulfilling the law part, 00:40:38.340 --> 00:40:41.360 the redemption part, the process of making one. 00:40:42.789 --> 00:40:45.550 giving back what was lost. There's none of us 00:40:45.550 --> 00:40:50.010 that could do any of that from any angle. And 00:40:50.010 --> 00:40:54.869 Ephesians 2, 8 says it this way. For by grace, 00:40:54.989 --> 00:40:59.349 you have been saved. Now listen, through faith. 00:40:59.690 --> 00:41:03.530 Can we say that last part? Through faith. Okay, 00:41:03.630 --> 00:41:06.150 half of you. Let's try it one more time. Through 00:41:06.150 --> 00:41:13.710 faith. Now listen, it's through faith. And this 00:41:13.710 --> 00:41:17.829 is not of your own doing. It is a gift of God, 00:41:18.050 --> 00:41:21.449 not a result of work so that no one would boast. 00:41:21.570 --> 00:41:25.409 But are you seeing here that the focus is the 00:41:25.409 --> 00:41:30.469 grace that was given you, enabling you to receive 00:41:30.469 --> 00:41:37.309 salvation, has one key truth that if you don't, 00:41:37.309 --> 00:41:41.070 are you ready? Here's the key word, partner with. 00:41:42.049 --> 00:41:47.650 Asa, partner, okay? By faith. Now notice faith 00:41:47.650 --> 00:41:50.750 in, sorry, I'm messing with you. Faith in general 00:41:50.750 --> 00:41:58.110 means what? It's not static. It requires you 00:41:58.110 --> 00:42:04.460 doing your part. This is why this is so important, 00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:08.119 because everything that starts from faith, including 00:42:08.119 --> 00:42:12.019 your salvation, has the same engine of partnership 00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:16.059 in every other gift of God that's already been 00:42:16.059 --> 00:42:20.179 given to you in Christ. Its level of operation 00:42:20.179 --> 00:42:25.239 always demands what? Partnership. But we have 00:42:25.239 --> 00:42:29.179 categorized, we have limited where we believe 00:42:29.179 --> 00:42:33.239 it for salvation, but then everything else, pin. 00:42:34.300 --> 00:42:37.820 What happened? Doubt and unbelief came in. Somebody 00:42:37.820 --> 00:42:41.239 else's experience talked me into not believing 00:42:41.239 --> 00:42:48.320 why that word isn't what was said. Every gift 00:42:48.320 --> 00:42:51.699 from God, remember? comes down as holy, comes 00:42:51.699 --> 00:42:55.239 down as pure, comes down as true, comes down 00:42:55.239 --> 00:42:59.760 as connected to God, and is now operating, not 00:42:59.760 --> 00:43:05.000 by my own works, but by grace and faith. Which 00:43:05.000 --> 00:43:09.860 means what? Every other application that's connected 00:43:09.860 --> 00:43:12.400 to God, that's written in the scriptures, that 00:43:12.400 --> 00:43:16.699 is Holy Spirit, follows the same way. By grace 00:43:16.699 --> 00:43:21.730 and faith in who he is. And when we run into 00:43:21.730 --> 00:43:24.449 areas, and this is so important, and Jenny, if 00:43:24.449 --> 00:43:27.710 you could come and begin to play for me. Play 00:43:27.710 --> 00:43:31.969 for me some kind of exposing the lie type of 00:43:31.969 --> 00:43:37.889 music. Okay. No, I'm messing. We've been married 00:43:37.889 --> 00:43:40.530 for 33 years. I give her these big requests. 00:43:40.730 --> 00:43:47.889 Hallelujah. This is where we have to do. and 00:43:47.889 --> 00:43:50.690 allow the Holy Spirit to begin to work out of 00:43:50.690 --> 00:43:53.949 us places where we find that we don't actually 00:43:53.949 --> 00:43:58.530 believe God's word. Remember when Jesus, let 00:43:58.530 --> 00:44:01.510 me give you an example. Remember when Jesus came 00:44:01.510 --> 00:44:04.349 down from the mountain of transfiguration? He 00:44:04.349 --> 00:44:07.969 took up Peter and John and they went up. To the 00:44:07.969 --> 00:44:10.510 mountain. Right after Caesarea Philippi. Right 00:44:10.510 --> 00:44:14.170 after Jesus had declared. Just a chapter or two 00:44:14.170 --> 00:44:16.909 before. Peter had the revelation. You are Christ. 00:44:17.110 --> 00:44:19.590 The son of the living God. Then the next thing 00:44:19.590 --> 00:44:22.789 we see. Is in the same area. Close to that. They 00:44:22.789 --> 00:44:25.369 went up to the mountain. And Jesus revealed. 00:44:25.769 --> 00:44:30.289 The state of who he was. prior to the word becoming 00:44:30.289 --> 00:44:34.090 in flesh, they saw him as the radiant, pure, 00:44:34.349 --> 00:44:37.989 glorious son of God. And then Moses, their eyes 00:44:37.989 --> 00:44:40.670 were open. They saw Moses and Elijah communicating 00:44:40.670 --> 00:44:43.710 with the son. And then Peter had the idea of, 00:44:43.750 --> 00:44:46.289 hey, let's build three tabernacles. And God goes, 00:44:46.429 --> 00:44:50.269 shut up, Peter. No, he said, what? He said, you 00:44:50.269 --> 00:44:56.309 shall hear my son only. The next encounter we 00:44:56.309 --> 00:44:59.250 see from that encounter As they're walking down 00:44:59.250 --> 00:45:02.369 the mountain, Jesus gives them some heavy news 00:45:02.369 --> 00:45:04.809 that he was going to be killed and died, that 00:45:04.809 --> 00:45:07.809 he would be, and they're not to speak of it until 00:45:07.809 --> 00:45:12.730 he's dead and raised to life. And they walk down 00:45:12.730 --> 00:45:14.730 the mountain and all the other disciples that 00:45:14.730 --> 00:45:16.250 didn't get a chance to go up to the mountain 00:45:16.250 --> 00:45:20.230 were dealing with a demon inside of a child that 00:45:20.230 --> 00:45:22.449 they had been praying for that they couldn't 00:45:22.449 --> 00:45:26.170 get breakthrough. And when Jesus comes on the 00:45:26.170 --> 00:45:28.949 scene with Peter, James, and John, the parent 00:45:28.949 --> 00:45:34.050 of the child in exasperation says, Lord, if you 00:45:34.050 --> 00:45:37.610 can do anything, would you please deliver and 00:45:37.610 --> 00:45:40.510 pray for my son? And Jesus didn't even allow 00:45:40.510 --> 00:45:43.650 him to get out the words of compassion because 00:45:43.650 --> 00:45:47.349 Jesus had separated his compassion for the man 00:45:47.349 --> 00:45:50.030 that he loved from the doubt and unbelief that 00:45:50.030 --> 00:45:54.150 was actually the evil. And Jesus stopped him 00:45:54.150 --> 00:45:58.420 and says, if, if I can do anything, Read it again 00:45:58.420 --> 00:46:02.019 in black and white. If, I mean, think of it. 00:46:02.039 --> 00:46:04.420 This man had been living with this child that 00:46:04.420 --> 00:46:06.420 had had epileptic fit. I know what that's like. 00:46:06.739 --> 00:46:10.400 Jenny and I fought epilepsy in her life for years. 00:46:11.400 --> 00:46:14.599 And when God delivered her, it was like, my God, 00:46:14.780 --> 00:46:16.940 Scott, you know what that's like. You had it 00:46:16.940 --> 00:46:21.340 the same way too. The reality is I can only put 00:46:21.340 --> 00:46:23.800 myself in that parent's reaction of having a 00:46:23.800 --> 00:46:26.530 boy that had been. almost drowned and burned 00:46:26.530 --> 00:46:28.829 in the fire every time these seizures would come 00:46:28.829 --> 00:46:32.829 on him. And so when he saw the most trained team 00:46:32.829 --> 00:46:36.989 in the world not be able to do anything, he just 00:46:36.989 --> 00:46:40.610 blurted out of his soul, not even thinking, thinking 00:46:40.610 --> 00:46:45.210 he was honoring God. He says, if you can do anything. 00:46:45.650 --> 00:46:50.010 And Jesus had to stop him cold right there. If. 00:46:50.829 --> 00:46:57.400 And what happened? with that if stop. Folks, 00:46:57.400 --> 00:47:01.159 you have to look at the black and white and get 00:47:01.159 --> 00:47:03.519 a color picture as the Spirit of God. You're 00:47:03.519 --> 00:47:09.559 almost like, if? This Jewish homie don't play 00:47:09.559 --> 00:47:19.139 that. It's not an if. It's a when. As soon as 00:47:19.139 --> 00:47:23.960 Jesus said if, Immediately the man fell under 00:47:23.960 --> 00:47:28.039 conviction. Who convicted him? The Holy Spirit. 00:47:29.119 --> 00:47:31.719 The Holy Spirit brought conviction to do what? 00:47:32.179 --> 00:47:37.019 Remove the pin of doubt and unbelief in his mind 00:47:37.019 --> 00:47:44.019 that experience had created. And at that point, 00:47:44.019 --> 00:47:48.519 in removing that, recognizing where doubt and 00:47:48.519 --> 00:47:51.820 unbelief, Hebrews chapter 4, Three and four says 00:47:51.820 --> 00:47:57.059 that evil heart of unbelief stopped the children 00:47:57.059 --> 00:48:00.980 of Israel. When the Holy Spirit convicted him 00:48:00.980 --> 00:48:05.780 immediately, the man said, Lord, forgive my unbelief. 00:48:05.780 --> 00:48:09.510 I believe, but help my unbelief. He immediately 00:48:09.510 --> 00:48:12.809 recognized his lack. He immediately recognized 00:48:12.809 --> 00:48:16.050 that he had been shaped by the experience and 00:48:16.050 --> 00:48:19.389 the culture of his experience. And when standing 00:48:19.389 --> 00:48:22.449 in front of the one who could do it, he felt 00:48:22.449 --> 00:48:25.110 woefully short. He wanted to distance himself 00:48:25.110 --> 00:48:28.550 from God and just hope and throw it on hope. 00:48:28.670 --> 00:48:31.130 And Jesus wouldn't allow him to throw it on hope. 00:48:31.210 --> 00:48:35.190 Jesus actually drew him near with the if. Even 00:48:35.190 --> 00:48:38.050 though it was a rebuke, it drew Jesus closer. 00:48:38.889 --> 00:48:40.829 Do you understand that? Do you see that in the 00:48:40.829 --> 00:48:44.130 scriptures? The man was exhausted. If you can 00:48:44.130 --> 00:48:47.230 do anything, pray for him. Isn't that what Naaman 00:48:47.230 --> 00:48:50.849 wanted? The leper? I thought he would come out. 00:48:50.889 --> 00:48:52.650 I thought Elisha would come out and at least 00:48:52.650 --> 00:48:55.309 wave his hand over me instead of just send me 00:48:55.309 --> 00:48:57.829 through a messenger, go dunk in the river Jordan 00:48:57.829 --> 00:49:00.570 seven times. Shouldn't he do something like prophetic? 00:49:04.840 --> 00:49:09.599 No. What was the point? To remove the pin of 00:49:09.599 --> 00:49:13.480 unbelief and draw the person into the proximity 00:49:13.480 --> 00:49:18.659 of who God was. And when Jesus challenged the 00:49:18.659 --> 00:49:21.260 if and the Holy Spirit came to convict and to 00:49:21.260 --> 00:49:24.460 bring grace and faith, the man said, help my 00:49:24.460 --> 00:49:27.820 unbelief. And Jesus began to operate and move 00:49:27.820 --> 00:49:31.179 and then worked with the dad. I need you to see 00:49:31.179 --> 00:49:34.079 that in the scripture. It wasn't just this supernatural. 00:49:36.099 --> 00:49:40.900 No, he began to work with him. How long has this 00:49:40.900 --> 00:49:45.619 been happening? From a child as a kid. Okay. 00:49:46.840 --> 00:49:50.019 Notice that as Jesus drew close, then he also 00:49:50.019 --> 00:49:53.300 drew in partnership with the parents. And in 00:49:53.300 --> 00:49:55.659 that process, that's when the kingdom of God 00:49:55.659 --> 00:49:59.159 was released in full power. And this young person 00:49:59.159 --> 00:50:01.320 not only got delivered from the demon, but when 00:50:01.320 --> 00:50:04.840 you study the Greek, it was he became rigid as 00:50:04.840 --> 00:50:08.539 though he had been severely, the King James says 00:50:08.539 --> 00:50:11.800 it this way, he had been severely torn. Meaning 00:50:11.800 --> 00:50:14.750 he had, what had... gone out of him had caused 00:50:14.750 --> 00:50:18.429 great harm on the inside, most likely mentally, 00:50:18.650 --> 00:50:21.329 emotionally. But then Jesus stretched out his 00:50:21.329 --> 00:50:25.110 hand and lifted him up. Power of both deliverer 00:50:25.110 --> 00:50:29.849 and healer came as the kingdom was engaged because 00:50:29.849 --> 00:50:35.309 why? He removed the pin of experience. He removed 00:50:35.309 --> 00:50:38.650 the pin of doubt and belief and could release 00:50:38.650 --> 00:50:46.079 the kingdom. So important. And that's where God 00:50:46.079 --> 00:50:50.579 wants all of us to be going. In this house. Now 00:50:50.579 --> 00:50:53.940 listen, this fall, for our Waypoint Conference, 00:50:54.260 --> 00:50:59.119 we're going to have two men. Just happen to be 00:50:59.119 --> 00:51:00.780 the two people God laid on my heart. They're 00:51:00.780 --> 00:51:03.400 friends of mine. I've known them. Both of them 00:51:03.400 --> 00:51:09.179 have experienced miracles, healing, signs and 00:51:09.179 --> 00:51:12.480 wonders. Jan was raised from the dead. And Jim 00:51:12.480 --> 00:51:18.579 Hockaday was dying with his intestines severed 00:51:18.579 --> 00:51:21.719 and both experienced healing presence. They walk 00:51:21.719 --> 00:51:24.719 in a very tangible healing. Both have healing 00:51:24.719 --> 00:51:29.699 ministries today. Incredible stuff. We're continuing 00:51:29.699 --> 00:51:34.360 to ask God to bring that deposit in this house. 00:51:34.420 --> 00:51:38.940 But folks, you can't. Really receive it except 00:51:38.940 --> 00:51:42.500 just a one -time engagement unless your faith 00:51:42.500 --> 00:51:46.519 begins to remove the pins of doubt and unbelief 00:51:46.519 --> 00:51:49.219 and that you actually take it and believe it's 00:51:49.219 --> 00:51:53.480 for you and for your future. That's the hope 00:51:53.480 --> 00:51:57.460 here. The hope is when do I bring in people around 00:51:57.460 --> 00:51:59.719 the world that I know have character of Christ 00:51:59.719 --> 00:52:03.159 and a gifting of Christ to bring an impartation? 00:52:03.219 --> 00:52:05.960 What am I trying to do? I'm trying at least... 00:52:06.170 --> 00:52:08.289 to follow the Holy Spirit as he's saying, they 00:52:08.289 --> 00:52:11.210 need their faith strengthened and stretched. 00:52:12.750 --> 00:52:17.030 But I feel like in this season where our country 00:52:17.030 --> 00:52:20.429 has been and the atmosphere, it's our faith hasn't 00:52:20.429 --> 00:52:23.550 been stretched as much as it's kind of contracted 00:52:23.550 --> 00:52:29.059 to protect itself. And we have to get past the 00:52:29.059 --> 00:52:33.420 contracting of self -protection and allow ourselves 00:52:33.420 --> 00:52:37.780 to believe the Bible afresh as it was given right 00:52:37.780 --> 00:52:41.139 then and not our experience or what's around 00:52:41.139 --> 00:52:45.840 us. Are you there? That's where we're going. 00:52:46.760 --> 00:52:49.440 I hope it doesn't frighten you. I hope it kind 00:52:49.440 --> 00:52:53.639 of makes you a little bit, what's next? Bring 00:52:53.639 --> 00:52:59.579 it on, baby. Right? Because God is wanting a 00:52:59.579 --> 00:53:04.920 people that work in partnership with him. He's 00:53:04.920 --> 00:53:08.079 wanting sons and daughters to be raised up. Yes, 00:53:08.139 --> 00:53:11.880 he gives milk, but he's the giver of meat. He 00:53:11.880 --> 00:53:15.800 gives curds and he gives honey. He is the God 00:53:15.800 --> 00:53:19.400 who supplies the food of all of his truth that 00:53:19.400 --> 00:53:22.539 we might receive it and then what? Partner with 00:53:22.539 --> 00:53:26.519 him in his will, his ways. And with his word. 00:53:26.579 --> 00:53:29.760 Let's pray. Would you bow your heads this morning. 00:53:34.179 --> 00:53:38.619 Heavenly Father. We want to thank you so much 00:53:38.619 --> 00:53:43.599 for Jesus. What he has done and who he is. Jesus 00:53:43.599 --> 00:53:46.679 we want to thank you as you said in Luke 24. 00:53:47.920 --> 00:53:50.360 He says behold I'm going to go to the Father. 00:53:50.460 --> 00:53:52.599 And I'm going to send the promise of the Father 00:53:52.599 --> 00:53:58.309 to you. He talked about him in John 16, the helper, 00:53:58.469 --> 00:54:01.550 the advocate, the comforter, the one that would 00:54:01.550 --> 00:54:05.190 come. He would teach you all things that I have 00:54:05.190 --> 00:54:09.809 said and he would reveal them to you. Lord, you 00:54:09.809 --> 00:54:16.829 are amazing. And Lord, this morning as we wait 00:54:16.829 --> 00:54:23.000 on you now, I'm asking, Holy Spirit, that you 00:54:23.000 --> 00:54:26.480 would begin to draw all people to yourself, to 00:54:26.480 --> 00:54:30.280 Jesus, to the Father. You said, if the Son of 00:54:30.280 --> 00:54:33.139 Man, in John chapter 3, if Jesus said of himself, 00:54:33.360 --> 00:54:36.340 if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. 00:54:36.380 --> 00:54:39.860 Holy Spirit, your job, your assignment on the 00:54:39.860 --> 00:54:43.199 earth is to begin to gather and draw all people 00:54:43.199 --> 00:54:50.360 to God's gift, Jesus Christ, who is... and our 00:54:50.360 --> 00:54:55.420 savior and not just savior but he is the king 00:54:55.420 --> 00:55:00.000 and lord over every area holy spirit we welcome 00:55:00.000 --> 00:55:02.699 you you are right now working in the hearts of 00:55:02.699 --> 00:55:06.659 people you are bringing lord a touch even now 00:55:06.659 --> 00:55:09.840 at the preaching of the truth lord you're releasing 00:55:09.840 --> 00:55:12.960 it right now by the spirit of god and i'm asking 00:55:12.960 --> 00:55:16.860 in this room in just a few moments i'm asking 00:55:18.250 --> 00:55:21.190 If you've never accepted Jesus Christ as your 00:55:21.190 --> 00:55:24.090 Lord and Savior from your heart and your mind, 00:55:24.289 --> 00:55:29.869 never really confessed your sins and say, I believe 00:55:29.869 --> 00:55:32.769 that you're the Messiah. I ask you to forgive 00:55:32.769 --> 00:55:36.030 me. And I realize I want you in my heart. You're 00:55:36.030 --> 00:55:38.130 knocking on the door of my heart, your love, 00:55:38.349 --> 00:55:41.289 your grace. But Lord, most of all, I need you. 00:55:41.369 --> 00:55:45.110 If you've never allowed not just mental ascent, 00:55:45.110 --> 00:55:49.969 but your faith. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing 00:55:49.969 --> 00:55:53.010 by the word of God and then confessing out of 00:55:53.010 --> 00:55:57.150 your mouth and your heart that he is your Lord 00:55:57.150 --> 00:56:01.210 and Savior and he paid for you. I want you to 00:56:01.210 --> 00:56:04.269 listen because I want to pray for you. Jesus 00:56:04.269 --> 00:56:08.650 wants to come into your life. Maybe you're here 00:56:08.650 --> 00:56:11.570 in another category. Maybe you're here and you 00:56:11.570 --> 00:56:14.130 have been walking a life of Christianity that 00:56:14.130 --> 00:56:18.480 you know There's so much more that you've been 00:56:18.480 --> 00:56:21.840 walking in in a compromised state. Some of you 00:56:21.840 --> 00:56:25.460 here could be what the Bible calls in a backslidden 00:56:25.460 --> 00:56:28.860 state. You've moved to the place, doesn't really 00:56:28.860 --> 00:56:30.940 use that word, but there's different Greek words 00:56:30.940 --> 00:56:33.440 that talk about, you've moved from the place 00:56:33.440 --> 00:56:38.500 of actually operating out of first love and being 00:56:38.500 --> 00:56:42.699 enthralled with who Jesus is to a place of lukewarmness. 00:56:44.110 --> 00:56:47.150 You're living in a compromised state where you 00:56:47.150 --> 00:56:49.650 sometimes you'll serve the Lord and sometimes 00:56:49.650 --> 00:56:52.550 you just don't feel like it. Or maybe you're 00:56:52.550 --> 00:56:55.710 the third place where you know that you've walked 00:56:55.710 --> 00:56:58.250 away and you're here today because the grace 00:56:58.250 --> 00:57:00.730 of God brought you here to bring you back to 00:57:00.730 --> 00:57:03.570 restoration. But you're hearing a voice in your 00:57:03.570 --> 00:57:06.619 life saying you'll never make it. back to where 00:57:06.619 --> 00:57:09.559 you once were you just have to settle for the 00:57:09.559 --> 00:57:12.440 crumbs I'm here to tell you that Jesus is drawing 00:57:12.440 --> 00:57:15.380 you back to the fullness of what he's called 00:57:15.380 --> 00:57:20.639 you to so whether you're here to say oh God I 00:57:20.639 --> 00:57:24.260 want to know you as savior will you forgive me 00:57:24.260 --> 00:57:26.820 and accept me the answer is yes if that's you 00:57:26.820 --> 00:57:29.300 this morning I'd like you to lift your hand above 00:57:29.300 --> 00:57:31.739 your head and say that's me I'll send somebody 00:57:31.739 --> 00:57:34.699 back to pray with you right now Right now, just 00:57:34.699 --> 00:57:36.900 lift your hand and say, that's me, Pastor. I 00:57:36.900 --> 00:57:39.739 want to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and 00:57:39.739 --> 00:57:42.900 Savior. Maybe you're here and you know you are 00:57:42.900 --> 00:57:49.019 in a lukewarm state. And the Holy Spirit is wooing 00:57:49.019 --> 00:57:51.639 you to say, come back to the place of standing 00:57:51.639 --> 00:57:55.179 in front of the flame. Come back to the place 00:57:55.179 --> 00:57:59.219 of being ignited in your love and your heart. 00:57:59.360 --> 00:58:01.400 If that's you, would you lift your hand and say, 00:58:01.460 --> 00:58:06.340 I'm ready. I need to be drawn. Yes, ma 'am. Thank 00:58:06.340 --> 00:58:09.840 you. Right here, Linda. Is there anyone else 00:58:09.840 --> 00:58:13.800 in the back? John, thank you. Or maybe you're 00:58:13.800 --> 00:58:18.780 here this morning and you just think God's only 00:58:18.780 --> 00:58:23.920 got a place for a crumb for you. You don't even 00:58:23.920 --> 00:58:28.050 think about a seat at the table. It's kind of 00:58:28.050 --> 00:58:30.150 like the little kids at Thanksgiving. All I get 00:58:30.150 --> 00:58:32.190 is the card table with the kids in the back. 00:58:34.630 --> 00:58:36.909 God's removing that mindset and he's drawing 00:58:36.909 --> 00:58:40.070 you to the table with himself. You'd say, you 00:58:40.070 --> 00:58:41.789 know what? I've been struggling with that mindset 00:58:41.789 --> 00:58:45.469 that I've done. I still feel shamed about what 00:58:45.469 --> 00:58:47.710 I've done. I still feel guilty about walking 00:58:47.710 --> 00:58:52.500 away. I knew the truth. God's here to restore 00:58:52.500 --> 00:58:54.800 you and bring you back, put a new robe on you, 00:58:54.840 --> 00:58:57.059 put a new ring and a new grace upon your mind. 00:58:57.159 --> 00:58:59.019 If that's you and you need prayer, would you 00:58:59.019 --> 00:59:01.199 just lift your hand? I'm gonna send some, okay, 00:59:01.260 --> 00:59:08.360 ma 'am, thank you. Thank you. You got it, Derek, 00:59:08.440 --> 00:59:15.159 thank you. Anyone else? As our team is praying 00:59:15.159 --> 00:59:18.420 for the people, I wanna pray for you. Tiffany 00:59:18.420 --> 00:59:21.519 is gonna come in just right now. But I want to 00:59:21.519 --> 00:59:25.219 pray for the churches we dismiss. Father, I want 00:59:25.219 --> 00:59:30.039 to thank you that you are the gathering and reaping 00:59:30.039 --> 00:59:33.860 God. Lord, not for destruction, but for life. 00:59:35.139 --> 00:59:40.599 You love to gather those that are on the outside 00:59:40.599 --> 00:59:46.099 and bring them close. You go to great extents 00:59:46.099 --> 00:59:49.880 to highways and byways. You go to the near and 00:59:49.880 --> 00:59:52.880 to the far. And Lord, I'm asking you that you 00:59:52.880 --> 00:59:55.880 would continue to release this anointing in this 00:59:55.880 --> 00:59:59.579 region over this people that we would also carry 00:59:59.579 --> 01:00:03.139 that heart of gathering and reaping. Lord, being 01:00:03.139 --> 01:00:07.159 mindful of all that you love, carrying your word 01:00:07.159 --> 01:00:10.039 and your compassion in our heart along with the 01:00:10.039 --> 01:00:14.099 word of truth to see you do wonders in the lives 01:00:14.099 --> 01:00:17.619 of people. Let your house be filled with people. 01:00:18.090 --> 01:00:21.090 from all backgrounds who will honor and praise 01:00:21.090 --> 01:00:24.489 you for the wonderful and glorious works that 01:00:24.489 --> 01:00:28.730 you do and who you are. We love you. In Jesus' 01:00:28.829 --> 01:00:35.030 name we pray. Amen. Thank you for taking the 01:00:35.030 --> 01:00:37.869 time to listen to this week's message. We are 01:00:37.869 --> 01:00:40.670 so grateful for those who tune in each week and 01:00:40.670 --> 01:00:43.940 have given generously to this ministry. If you 01:00:43.940 --> 01:00:46.519 would like to give click the link in the episode 01:00:46.519 --> 01:00:49.619 description below. You can also help us by subscribing 01:00:49.619 --> 01:00:52.179 to this podcast and sharing it with your friends 01:00:52.179 --> 01:00:55.559 and family. Lastly if you are in need of prayer 01:00:55.559 --> 01:01:01.500 send us a text message at 541 -625 -1365. We 01:01:01.500 --> 01:01:02.719 would love to pray with you.