WEBVTT 00:00:01.859 --> 00:00:05.059 Okay, we are going to be talking about change 00:00:05.059 --> 00:00:08.779 here again, transformation. It's been a long 00:00:08.779 --> 00:00:16.519 time, I guess, over a month. So we'll do a little 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:31.120 bit of a review, kind of. You remember the definition 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:34.700 that we gave? Permanently, fundamentally reshaped 00:00:34.700 --> 00:00:38.979 character or being, consistently modified thinking 00:00:38.979 --> 00:00:42.799 choices, decisions, and decisively altered behavior. 00:00:42.939 --> 00:00:46.359 Now those are given to you in the order that 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:48.320 they should be and in the order that they happen. 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:53.060 So in order for any change to affect in our lives, 00:00:53.320 --> 00:01:00.979 we have to... have the fundamental change happen 00:01:00.979 --> 00:01:04.500 to us. That is, God has to do something fundamental 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:09.700 in us if we're going to be able to change our 00:01:09.700 --> 00:01:11.959 thinking, our choices, our decision, and if we 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:15.180 expect to see any kind of altered behavior. I 00:01:15.180 --> 00:01:17.700 think we've all had the experience before we 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:21.680 came to faith in Christ of trying to change certain 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:24.700 things. When we came under conviction of sin, 00:01:25.789 --> 00:01:29.010 or even if we just wanted to modify our behavior 00:01:29.010 --> 00:01:33.209 for the purpose of family or society or whatever 00:01:33.209 --> 00:01:35.909 else was motivating us, it is a frustrating and 00:01:35.909 --> 00:01:39.849 a difficult. And in the case of trying to work 00:01:39.849 --> 00:01:42.430 up a righteousness before God, it's an impossibility. 00:01:43.810 --> 00:01:47.349 So what are the fundamental changes that God 00:01:47.349 --> 00:01:50.829 has done for us? First of all, He's done what? 00:01:53.930 --> 00:01:56.370 What do we call the first work of the Holy Spirit 00:01:56.370 --> 00:02:01.950 on a man? On a person. Regeneration. That is 00:02:01.950 --> 00:02:06.269 what? Being born again. So that is bringing life 00:02:06.269 --> 00:02:11.770 to dead people. We go from death to life. Then 00:02:11.770 --> 00:02:18.490 we say we have been what? And that is we have 00:02:18.490 --> 00:02:23.849 gone from slavery to sin to freedom. From slave 00:02:23.849 --> 00:02:26.710 to free that is the power of sin has been broken 00:02:26.710 --> 00:02:32.990 in us We were vessels of wrath and we have become 00:02:32.990 --> 00:02:37.729 vessels of love that is sins Penalty has been 00:02:37.729 --> 00:02:42.669 removed from us and then we go from unrighteous 00:02:42.669 --> 00:02:47.849 to righteous Which is to say that sins guilt 00:02:47.849 --> 00:02:52.060 has been removed from us Then what comes after 00:02:52.060 --> 00:02:55.620 or what what's the other another thing that happens 00:02:55.620 --> 00:03:00.460 We have been regenerated we have been born again 00:03:00.460 --> 00:03:03.219 by the spirit we have been justified by the work 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:07.879 of Christ and we have been sanctified That is 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:12.199 we have been we have gone from service to self 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:15.919 a bunch of self -serving self -interested people 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:19.990 to service for God. He set us apart for that 00:03:19.990 --> 00:03:23.969 specific purpose. And then we have gone from 00:03:23.969 --> 00:03:28.389 unholy to holy. We have been completely purified 00:03:28.389 --> 00:03:32.250 and cleansed. And then what's the last thing 00:03:32.250 --> 00:03:35.849 that we have that has been done for us, to us? 00:03:38.870 --> 00:03:41.710 We've been regenerated, justified, sanctified 00:03:41.710 --> 00:03:49.129 and glorified. That is, in time, we have gone 00:03:49.129 --> 00:03:52.250 from hell -bound people to heaven -bound people. 00:03:52.949 --> 00:03:55.430 Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are seated 00:03:55.430 --> 00:03:59.930 in the heavenlies in Christ. So, all ending tells 00:03:59.930 --> 00:04:03.009 us in Romans that those are all accomplished 00:04:03.009 --> 00:04:11.629 facts. If you are attempting to undergo the difficulty 00:04:11.629 --> 00:04:15.080 of change, and it's hard, then you have got to 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:19.160 know who you are. God is not asking you to be 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:22.160 something that you're not. He's not asking you 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:27.779 to change something that you can't change. In 00:04:27.779 --> 00:04:30.180 other words, He's not asking you to work yourself 00:04:30.180 --> 00:04:33.899 into His good favor. He's not asking you to become 00:04:33.899 --> 00:04:37.100 justified. He's not asking you to become sanctified. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:39.720 He's not asking you to become glorified. And 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:42.519 He's certainly not asking you to become regenerated. 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:46.980 Those things are all accomplished in you. And 00:04:46.980 --> 00:04:49.779 if you're not certain of that, then the thing 00:04:49.779 --> 00:04:52.319 for you to do is to get on your knees and ask 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:54.759 God to help you as you study His Word so that 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:57.579 you can come to the conclusion that you are these 00:04:57.579 --> 00:05:02.139 things. In other words, I'm telling you, this 00:05:02.139 --> 00:05:04.579 is felt and we're going to talk about that some 00:05:04.579 --> 00:05:08.740 more. It's experienced. The only thing on this 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:11.199 list that's not experienced is your regeneration. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:15.459 You should experience your freedom from sin. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:18.500 You should experience the removal of guilt from 00:05:18.500 --> 00:05:22.560 you. That's not just something that we read about 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:24.720 on the pages of scripture, but it's something 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:28.040 that we feel and we know in our very person. 00:05:29.420 --> 00:05:32.459 What Paul tells us is that we're rooted and we're 00:05:32.459 --> 00:05:37.259 grounded in love. There is nothing that you can 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:42.350 do that is going to make God love you more. There 00:05:42.350 --> 00:05:44.850 is nothing that you can do that is going to make 00:05:44.850 --> 00:05:48.509 you more accepted before God. If you are not 00:05:48.509 --> 00:05:53.930 certain of God's love for you, then you are losing 00:05:53.930 --> 00:05:57.870 this battle of change. Because you don't really 00:05:57.870 --> 00:06:00.110 even have the foundation that's going to enable 00:06:00.110 --> 00:06:03.189 you to be courageous. That's going to enable 00:06:03.189 --> 00:06:09.470 you to be confronting realistically the difficult 00:06:09.470 --> 00:06:13.959 circumstance of your life. It's only because 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:16.500 God loves you and you know that God loves you 00:06:16.500 --> 00:06:20.019 that you're willing to face that and say, okay 00:06:20.019 --> 00:06:25.060 If I fail at this a million times I'm going to 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:29.180 and I have to I want to see this change affected 00:06:29.180 --> 00:06:33.800 in me and When I fail I don't say oh, yeah see 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:35.939 that's why God doesn't love me because I know 00:06:35.939 --> 00:06:38.420 what when I started this journey of change that 00:06:38.420 --> 00:06:41.620 I am grounded in the love of God that I stand 00:06:41.620 --> 00:06:45.500 before him as in his family as his child that 00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:53.000 he loves. That is a felt experience. If you have 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:56.540 never felt the love of God in your heart, if 00:06:56.540 --> 00:07:01.180 to you that is a theory, that is something for 00:07:01.180 --> 00:07:04.740 special people, that's something for some kind 00:07:04.740 --> 00:07:08.680 of second work of grace in my life. And I just 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:13.639 haven't come to that yet. You are wrong on every 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:18.959 level There is Paul tells us that the spirit 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.019 ministers to us and speaks to us speaks to our 00:07:22.019 --> 00:07:27.220 hearts It's very possible that you've missed 00:07:27.220 --> 00:07:29.680 it it's very possible that you've allowed the 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:31.959 guilt of your former self It's very possible 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:34.680 that you've allowed all kinds of things to overcrowd 00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:38.480 and crowd out the influence of the Spirit upon 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:45.399 you. Get rid of that trash. Get rid of it. Keep 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:50.480 your eyes, keep your heart on Jesus. The Spirit 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.259 will minister that love to you and we need it. 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:58.060 I'm not saying that we can't get by without it. 00:07:59.970 --> 00:08:03.370 I'm not saying that if you're unsure, it's okay, 00:08:03.550 --> 00:08:06.689 God gives you other means whereby you can see 00:08:06.689 --> 00:08:09.050 change in your life. We'll talk about those things. 00:08:09.470 --> 00:08:12.170 What I'm saying to you is the foundational principle 00:08:12.170 --> 00:08:16.290 of your new life in Christ is that God loves 00:08:16.290 --> 00:08:20.990 you. And we need to know that and we need to 00:08:20.990 --> 00:08:23.870 feel that because without that, I mean, think 00:08:23.870 --> 00:08:26.009 about all the things that Tim was talking about 00:08:26.009 --> 00:08:30.319 for, what, five, six weeks about the armor. Do 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:32.960 you think it's possible to go into battle for 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:37.179 God without knowing that He loves you? It's impossible. 00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:43.659 Not possible. Then what's left is you're doing 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:46.919 it in your own power. You're doing it by your 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:50.440 own wisdom, by your own strength, by whatever. 00:08:52.179 --> 00:08:55.559 If God loves you, then you can. You can stand. 00:08:55.860 --> 00:08:58.279 Because it doesn't matter so much what other 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:01.009 people say. Doesn't matter so much about the 00:09:01.009 --> 00:09:04.370 temptation. God loves me. God's going to provide 00:09:04.370 --> 00:09:06.809 for me what I need and He has given me all these 00:09:06.809 --> 00:09:08.809 things that we've studied for the past weeks. 00:09:10.549 --> 00:09:14.289 Know who you are. That's who you are. You're 00:09:14.289 --> 00:09:17.490 not a vessel of wrath anymore. God does not have 00:09:17.490 --> 00:09:20.929 anything bad in mind for you. That's hard for 00:09:20.929 --> 00:09:23.470 us because we're physical people. We're in the 00:09:23.470 --> 00:09:26.649 flesh. We see our own failures time and time 00:09:26.649 --> 00:09:30.320 again. We see and we feel temptation come and 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:34.019 we wonder why is it that I still am tempted by 00:09:34.019 --> 00:09:36.940 this? Shouldn't I be beyond that by now? And 00:09:36.940 --> 00:09:39.559 maybe you should and maybe I should, but we're 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:52.100 not. We haven't progressed that far yet. I cannot 00:09:52.100 --> 00:09:55.539 stress enough to you that you need to know that. 00:09:56.440 --> 00:10:00.259 And if you have not carved out time in your life 00:10:00.259 --> 00:10:03.559 to experience God, to study Him, to see who He 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:07.840 is, to understand Him, and to know His love for 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:14.259 you, then you are cheating yourself. Carve it 00:10:14.259 --> 00:10:19.879 out. Get to know Him. The second part then is 00:10:19.879 --> 00:10:22.500 the consistently modified thinking, choices, 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:27.940 and decisions. How is that going to happen? By 00:10:27.940 --> 00:10:30.779 God's work. That's the first thing if you are 00:10:30.779 --> 00:10:34.259 attempting to undergo change To remove that some 00:10:34.259 --> 00:10:36.620 things out of your life to add other things into 00:10:36.620 --> 00:10:40.080 your life To examine yourself to find out where 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:42.639 the change needs to happen. Where's my thinking 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:45.779 wrong? The first thing you've got to know is 00:10:45.779 --> 00:10:50.139 that it's God that does the work It's God that 00:10:50.139 --> 00:10:52.799 works in it in us both to will and to do of his 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:58.980 good pleasure it is through God's means So if 00:10:58.980 --> 00:11:02.659 change is hard and God has said this is the these 00:11:02.659 --> 00:11:04.379 are the things that I'm going to use in your 00:11:04.379 --> 00:11:07.039 life to affect the change you better be making 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:10.279 use of those Because if you're trying to affect 00:11:10.279 --> 00:11:13.179 change in your life outside of God's will outside 00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:16.320 of his means Then you're going to be frustrated 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:20.639 time and time and time again We don't preach 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:24.899 a 12 -step program We don't teach them to Pull 00:11:24.899 --> 00:11:27.620 yourself up by your bootstraps. We teach what 00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:31.580 the Bible tells us. Through God's means. The 00:11:31.580 --> 00:11:36.000 next thing is it's by our work. If you expect 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:39.799 to sit there on your couch and just let God work 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:43.059 and you're going to somehow be changed, you're 00:11:43.059 --> 00:11:47.179 barking up the wrong tree. It's hard work. It's 00:11:47.179 --> 00:11:50.080 a determined effort on our part. A consistent 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:55.590 effort. An effort that is ongoing in spite of 00:11:55.590 --> 00:11:59.710 failure we don't give up in other words we persevere 00:11:59.710 --> 00:12:04.169 and all those things that what they reflect who 00:12:04.169 --> 00:12:07.350 we are because of all the things that we talked 00:12:07.350 --> 00:12:10.509 about before our change our modified thinking 00:12:10.509 --> 00:12:13.570 the new choices that we make the decisions that 00:12:13.570 --> 00:12:18.809 we make all reflect what we are in our in our 00:12:18.809 --> 00:12:21.110 core being and our foundation because of the 00:12:21.110 --> 00:12:25.500 work of God When that happens, God has done the 00:12:25.500 --> 00:12:28.659 fundamental change in us. He has worked in us 00:12:28.659 --> 00:12:32.799 to change our thinking, to help us and enable 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.240 us to make good choices and good decisions. Then 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:39.860 what? That results in decisively altered behavior. 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:47.580 We are in that way changed, and that's the only 00:12:47.580 --> 00:12:52.299 way that it happens. Something in your life and 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:55.299 in your thinking is wrong if you continue to 00:12:55.299 --> 00:13:00.960 fall into the same sin. Have you taken the time 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:02.940 and the trouble to examine yourself and say, 00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:06.799 why is it? Why is it that this thing here is 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:10.360 always a stumbling block for me? Why is it that 00:13:10.360 --> 00:13:14.200 every time I come into this circumstance I fail 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:19.110 in this way? Have you examined yourself in that 00:13:19.110 --> 00:13:22.110 way? That's not God's will for your life. I can 00:13:22.110 --> 00:13:24.929 assure you. It's not because God hasn't equipped 00:13:24.929 --> 00:13:29.389 you to deal with that issue. He has. Are you 00:13:29.389 --> 00:13:32.230 willing to examine yourself and confront that 00:13:32.230 --> 00:13:36.549 issue and say, here it is. Here's the problem. 00:13:39.789 --> 00:13:43.129 I need to make different choices. Maybe to keep 00:13:43.129 --> 00:13:45.509 myself out of that circumstance. but whatever 00:13:45.509 --> 00:13:50.929 it is decisively altered behavior God wants for 00:13:50.929 --> 00:13:56.429 you and for me to experience overcoming sin because 00:13:56.429 --> 00:14:00.210 Jesus overcame for us and in him we're able to 00:14:00.210 --> 00:14:04.450 overcome these real significant and difficult 00:14:04.450 --> 00:14:11.490 sin in our lives as we are changed then we are 00:14:11.490 --> 00:14:14.840 changed what into the image of Jesus Who is the 00:14:14.840 --> 00:14:18.259 image of God? In other words, we start to act 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:21.179 and to think God's thoughts after him and do 00:14:21.179 --> 00:14:24.679 God's work. That's what we're talking about when 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:28.360 we talk about change. That's what needs a change, 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:30.960 so you can see how it goes right into our thinking, 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:33.559 our motives, maybe our instincts, however you 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:36.899 want to call all those things out. And what happens 00:14:36.899 --> 00:14:42.179 then when our outward... King James has conversation, 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:44.960 lifestyle, or a way of living. What happens when 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:51.419 that changes? Then we are confirming who we are. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:55.340 Those are the people that God has called us to 00:14:55.340 --> 00:14:57.679 be. Those are the good works that He sent out 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:01.080 for us to do. He intends for you to live in this 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:05.259 world as a model to everybody that knows you 00:15:05.259 --> 00:15:09.779 as to who God is. As hard as that is for us to 00:15:09.779 --> 00:15:11.659 believe, that's the truth. That's what the Bible 00:15:11.659 --> 00:15:16.720 tells us. God wants you to love. Jesus instructs 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:21.340 you to love the way that He loves. And when people 00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:24.480 look at you and they ask you, then you can tell 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:28.299 them. I'm trying to love and to live the way 00:15:28.299 --> 00:15:32.240 that Jesus lived. I want you to see God in me, 00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:35.019 in the way that I act. I want you to know that 00:15:35.019 --> 00:15:40.070 the God who wrote His... who gave you a knowledge 00:15:40.070 --> 00:15:44.610 of Him is gracious. I want you to know that the 00:15:44.610 --> 00:15:47.629 God who created everything is powerful. And I 00:15:47.629 --> 00:15:57.690 want you to know that by watching me live. Rooted 00:15:57.690 --> 00:16:01.750 and grounded in love. You've got to know that. 00:16:03.570 --> 00:16:13.129 Turn to 2 Corinthians 4. That's our review. Anybody 00:16:13.129 --> 00:16:22.509 got a question? I believe so. Probably worded 00:16:22.509 --> 00:16:32.169 differently. Second Corinthians 4 verse 7. Well 00:16:32.169 --> 00:16:35.750 start in verse 6, for God who commanded the light 00:16:35.750 --> 00:16:40.850 to shine out of darkness Hath shined in our hearts 00:16:40.850 --> 00:16:44.110 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory 00:16:44.110 --> 00:16:48.909 of God in the face of Jesus Christ That's what's 00:16:48.909 --> 00:16:51.830 happened to us, but we have this treasure in 00:16:51.830 --> 00:16:55.830 earthen vessels That the excellency of the power 00:16:55.830 --> 00:17:00.950 may be of God and not of us Now this is our experience 00:17:01.809 --> 00:17:05.430 Now, if you've read this and you've only thought, 00:17:05.430 --> 00:17:08.309 Paul's just talking about himself, then you've 00:17:08.309 --> 00:17:12.150 missed the point. Paul's telling you his experience, 00:17:12.210 --> 00:17:15.130 but he's fully expecting all of us to experience 00:17:15.130 --> 00:17:19.910 this in our life. We are troubled on every side, 00:17:19.910 --> 00:17:22.109 yet not distressed. Is there anybody here that 00:17:22.109 --> 00:17:24.410 can say that they've never felt troubled on every 00:17:24.410 --> 00:17:31.220 side? Everywhere I turn, it seems like... Difficulty 00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:33.579 is all over the place. Difficult decisions have 00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:37.000 to be made. Stressors are just... I just feel 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:40.440 it all over me. I've got a mountain of things 00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:42.579 I've got to do. There's a mountain of things 00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:47.200 I want to see done. It's hard. But what? We're 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:54.220 not distressed. Why? Because we know who's in 00:17:54.220 --> 00:17:56.339 control. Because we're confident in the grace 00:17:56.339 --> 00:18:02.700 of God. We're confident that God loves us. We're 00:18:02.700 --> 00:18:08.140 perplexed, but we're not despair. People outside 00:18:08.140 --> 00:18:11.680 of Christ, they'll go to despair. But that's 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:14.299 not us. That's not you. That's not God's people. 00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:18.240 He didn't create us new and intend to show the 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:21.420 world His grace through a bunch of despairing 00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:26.140 people. So no matter the difficulty of whatever 00:18:26.140 --> 00:18:28.660 it is that I'm trying to accomplish in my life 00:18:28.660 --> 00:18:32.269 through grace, By the power of God and the leading 00:18:32.269 --> 00:18:34.410 of the Holy Spirit, no matter how many times 00:18:34.410 --> 00:18:37.930 I fail, I am not going to go to despair and say, 00:18:38.130 --> 00:18:41.829 I give up. This must be what God intends for 00:18:41.829 --> 00:18:50.170 me. I'll just be depressed. We're persecuted, 00:18:50.809 --> 00:18:54.950 but we're not forsaken. People don't like you. 00:18:55.230 --> 00:18:57.769 People make fun of you. Maybe people in your 00:18:57.769 --> 00:19:04.170 own family. Maybe you have difficulties all over 00:19:04.170 --> 00:19:10.470 the place. But what? We know that we're not forsaken. 00:19:10.990 --> 00:19:15.190 We're never alone. It doesn't matter. Let the 00:19:15.190 --> 00:19:17.710 world say what they will. Let the people do what 00:19:17.710 --> 00:19:21.789 they want. I have not been forsaken by my Savior 00:19:21.789 --> 00:19:26.730 and my God. I will stand alone there. Now that's 00:19:26.730 --> 00:19:30.400 what God intends for you and for me to do. to 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:34.200 bear the weight of whatever mockings, whatever 00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:39.319 persecutions may come our way. These are all 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:43.099 universal experiences of every Christian. Everyone 00:19:43.099 --> 00:19:45.700 that's ever been born again experiences these 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:52.279 things. We're cast down but not destroyed. We 00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:55.099 fall down time and again. Maybe people beat us 00:19:55.099 --> 00:19:59.670 down. we are not going to stay there no matter 00:19:59.670 --> 00:20:02.470 how many times I fall no matter how many times 00:20:02.470 --> 00:20:06.230 I find myself face down on the ground I'm not 00:20:06.230 --> 00:20:10.349 going to remain there I'm going to get up I'm 00:20:10.349 --> 00:20:14.329 going to persevere now that's difficult that's 00:20:14.329 --> 00:20:18.250 change okay that's what you're up against make 00:20:18.250 --> 00:20:23.549 no mistake I'm not talking about you know a cakewalk 00:20:23.549 --> 00:20:26.450 I guess they still do cakewalks they still do 00:20:26.450 --> 00:20:30.940 cakewalks No, right, it says no. I mean, a cakewalk 00:20:30.940 --> 00:20:33.000 is pretty easy. You walk around in a circle, 00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:35.359 right? You take numbers or whatever and then 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:38.440 at the end you get a cake. That's a cakewalk. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.180 All you can do is walk around and wait for the 00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:44.660 music to stop or somebody, whatever it is. That's 00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:47.579 not what we're talking about here. We're talking 00:20:47.579 --> 00:20:49.759 about a cakewalk like the cake is at the end 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:54.259 of the runway. And all the way down the runway, 00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:56.180 there's people with swords and spears. There's 00:20:56.180 --> 00:20:58.279 a couple wild animals that are trying to eat 00:20:58.279 --> 00:21:01.819 you alive. There's all kinds of other obstacles. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:04.900 There's got some, what do they call the things 00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:08.160 you jump over in track? Hurdles. There's all 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.279 kinds of hurdles you gotta get over. Maybe there's 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:15.559 a limbo bar you gotta get under. And if you can 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:17.339 make it through the end of that, then there's 00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:19.779 the cake. There's the prize. That's what we're 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:27.769 saying. So, as we, in our lives, identify things 00:21:27.769 --> 00:21:31.049 that need to be changed, we need to come to grips 00:21:31.049 --> 00:21:33.230 with the reality that it's not going to be easy. 00:21:36.190 --> 00:21:38.349 How many times in your life have you said, oh, 00:21:38.470 --> 00:21:42.509 that's finally conquered? I finally found a way 00:21:42.509 --> 00:21:46.910 around that. I finally am able to avoid that 00:21:46.910 --> 00:21:51.569 pitfall. And then what happens? Boom, there's 00:21:51.569 --> 00:21:56.569 the pitfall again. But we don't stay down we 00:21:56.569 --> 00:22:06.509 get back up and we continue on it's hard Turn 00:22:06.509 --> 00:22:09.809 to Philippians 2, oh, sorry Jake you wanted to 00:22:09.809 --> 00:22:15.230 say something Second Corinthians 4 7 through 00:22:15.230 --> 00:22:23.509 11 Philippians chapter 2 This should be held 00:22:23.509 --> 00:22:26.240 for a hard for the hard things that God's called 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:32.559 us to do. Philippians 2, 13. We could read in 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:37.400 12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always 00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:41.220 obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now, 00:22:41.339 --> 00:22:44.839 much more in my absence, work out your own salvation 00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:49.039 with fear and trembling. That's hard work. For 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:51.920 it is God which worketh in you both to will and 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:58.240 to do of his good pleasure. If you aren't attempting 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:01.140 to change things in your life, to change your 00:23:01.140 --> 00:23:05.119 thinking without God, then you are again, you're 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:07.359 losing the battle. You haven't even started the 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:11.500 battle and you've already lost. So how does this 00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:15.779 work itself out in our prayer life? In our conversation 00:23:15.779 --> 00:23:21.019 with God? In our relationship with God? We're 00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:23.180 going to acknowledge the difficulty, whatever 00:23:23.180 --> 00:23:27.180 it is. And then we're going to ask God, will 00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:30.640 you help me to think about this right? Will you 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:33.859 work in me to change my motives? Will you work 00:23:33.859 --> 00:23:37.880 in me to change my initial reaction? Will you 00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:40.700 work within me to know the right way forward? 00:23:41.160 --> 00:23:45.160 Will you work within me? Will you please work? 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:49.220 I am attempting to change this thing in my life 00:23:49.220 --> 00:23:53.430 that has been a mountain. Or, I've just discovered 00:23:53.430 --> 00:23:57.789 this thing in my life and I don't like it. It's 00:23:57.789 --> 00:24:01.230 not pleasing to me because I know it's not pleasing 00:24:01.230 --> 00:24:04.430 to you. Will you change me? Will you work in 00:24:04.430 --> 00:24:09.769 me? That's an acknowledgement of our weakness 00:24:09.769 --> 00:24:34.839 before God. Ephesians 3, 14. Any attempt to change 00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:39.500 has got to account for God, Father, Son, and 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:42.799 Spirit. If you think that you're going to change 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:45.240 while you ignore the Holy Spirit, if you think 00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:48.319 you're going to change while you ignore Jesus, 00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:52.039 if you think you're going to change if you ignore 00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:54.140 God the Father, then you're barking up the wrong 00:24:54.140 --> 00:24:56.059 tree, you've already lost before you've begun. 00:24:57.700 --> 00:25:02.039 Let's read it. Now when I say 14, yeah 14 for 00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:04.940 this cause I bow my knee unto the father of our 00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:10.240 Lord Jesus Christ of whom The whole family in 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:13.119 heaven and earth is named That he would grant 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:15.859 you according to the riches of his glory to be 00:25:15.859 --> 00:25:18.740 strengthened with might by his spirit in the 00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:22.460 inner man That Christ now we've seen the spirit. 00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:24.579 We've already seen the father that Christ may 00:25:24.579 --> 00:25:28.920 dwell in your hearts by faith that ye all, being 00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:32.480 rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:35.640 with all saints what is the breadth and the length 00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:38.619 and the depth and the height, and to know the 00:25:38.619 --> 00:25:41.380 love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that 00:25:41.380 --> 00:25:44.279 ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:47.900 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly 00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:50.920 above all that we ask or think, according to 00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:55.769 the power that works in us, unto him what? Be 00:25:55.769 --> 00:25:58.970 glory in the church by Jesus Christ throughout 00:25:58.970 --> 00:26:04.549 all ages world without end There it is father 00:26:04.549 --> 00:26:06.670 son and spirit and what else do we have introduced 00:26:06.670 --> 00:26:11.289 to us here tonight the church All of that is 00:26:11.289 --> 00:26:14.730 given to you in the context of the church And 00:26:14.730 --> 00:26:18.769 I can't say this Plain enough and clear enough 00:26:18.769 --> 00:26:22.269 that there is no change that is going to be effective 00:26:22.269 --> 00:26:26.059 in your life if you put yourself outside of the 00:26:26.059 --> 00:26:33.660 church. None. The Christian life is not an individual 00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:38.059 life. Your relationship with the Lord, if you 00:26:38.059 --> 00:26:40.240 want to call that your personal relationship 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:42.240 with the Lord, that's fine, but that's in the 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:46.579 context of the church. If you think that you're 00:26:46.579 --> 00:26:51.240 going to fight the battle alone, if you think 00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:53.960 you're going to put on the armor, outside the 00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:56.460 context of the church, you're bound for failure. 00:26:58.180 --> 00:27:00.700 There's no instruction in all of the New Testament 00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:05.660 that diminishes the idea of church. It's not 00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:10.019 possible for you to follow God if you're not 00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:16.099 in a church and if the church is not an influence 00:27:16.099 --> 00:27:20.759 in your life. God intends for you to work change 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:25.359 while you're in community. In other words, it's 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:28.140 not enough to be present on Sunday mornings and 00:27:28.140 --> 00:27:31.480 Wednesday nights. That's not what being in the 00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:36.259 church is. Listening to Dave, maybe Tim, maybe 00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:41.440 Dad teach. That's not it. That's part of it. 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:43.579 And there's nothing without that. There's no 00:27:43.579 --> 00:27:48.259 doubt. But in this community of believers, what? 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:52.819 We get everything that we need in order to see 00:27:52.819 --> 00:27:54.859 the change in our life. We have somebody to bear 00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:58.099 our burdens. We have someone to listen to the 00:27:58.099 --> 00:28:00.519 difficulties in our life without casting judgment 00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:04.559 on us. We have somebody to put their arm around 00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:07.900 us and say keep going. Isn't it interesting? 00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:09.559 I don't know if you ever thought about this. 00:28:10.460 --> 00:28:12.640 But where is that verse that says forsake not 00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:14.660 the gathering or the assembling of yourselves 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:16.740 together? Does anybody remember? What book is 00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:20.380 that from? And what is the point of Hebrews? 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:27.059 Don't turn back. There's nothing for you back 00:28:27.059 --> 00:28:32.660 there. Press forward. And if you expect to make 00:28:32.660 --> 00:28:37.660 it to glory, what are you gonna have to do? You're 00:28:37.660 --> 00:28:39.980 gonna have to be part of the community of believers. 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:48.279 There's nothing more important to you than to 00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:51.980 be a community of believers. It's safe there. 00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:54.759 There's people that love you there. There's people 00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:56.980 who will teach you there. There's people who 00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:59.819 will model grace for you there. There's people 00:28:59.819 --> 00:29:03.079 who will have godly advice for you there. It's 00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:07.460 where God puts you and it's the church that he 00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:12.259 intends to display his glory to the world. The 00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:14.880 church is not an afterthought of God. It's the 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:18.940 primary thought of God. It's why Jesus came into 00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:21.319 the world to save people and bring them into 00:29:21.319 --> 00:29:26.339 community We're going to read that later on Three 00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:29.480 persons are at work while you're in community. 00:29:29.579 --> 00:29:33.359 It is God that changes us while we're in community 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:37.559 The difficult part of change is accomplished 00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:43.950 in community Ephesians 1, just turn back one 00:29:43.950 --> 00:29:47.349 page or two, whatever your Bible or printed is. 00:29:48.130 --> 00:29:53.069 In Christ and part of God's family. Ephesians 00:29:53.069 --> 00:29:57.289 1 verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our 00:29:57.289 --> 00:30:00.589 Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all 00:30:00.589 --> 00:30:04.670 spiritual blessings in heavenly places. What? 00:30:08.289 --> 00:30:12.980 Go ahead, somebody say it. In Christ according 00:30:12.980 --> 00:30:21.240 as he hath chosen us In him Before the foundation 00:30:21.240 --> 00:30:24.660 of the world that we should be holy and without 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:29.920 blame before him in love You stand before God 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:34.559 in Christ in love Having predestinated us unto 00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:39.259 the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself 00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:43.980 according to the good pleasure of his will, to 00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:47.039 the praise of the glory of his grace wherein 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:55.880 he hath made us accepted in the beloved. And 00:30:55.880 --> 00:31:03.940 then verse 7. What is it? In whom we have redemption 00:31:03.940 --> 00:31:07.900 through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according 00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:11.660 to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded 00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:15.519 towards us in all wisdom and prudence, having 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:19.319 made known unto us the mystery of His will according 00:31:19.319 --> 00:31:22.480 to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in 00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:26.259 Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness 00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:29.700 of times He might gather together in one all 00:31:29.700 --> 00:31:35.160 things in Christ, both which are in heaven and 00:31:35.160 --> 00:31:41.339 which are on earth, even in him. In whom also 00:31:41.339 --> 00:31:44.720 we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated 00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:47.880 according to the purpose of him who worketh all 00:31:47.880 --> 00:31:51.140 things after the counsel of his will, that we 00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:54.019 should be to the praise of his glory who first 00:31:54.019 --> 00:32:01.299 trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted after 00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:04.759 that ye heard the word of of truth, the gospel 00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:08.839 of your salvation, in whom also, after ye believed, 00:32:09.220 --> 00:32:12.140 ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, 00:32:12.700 --> 00:32:15.240 which is the earnest of our inheritance until 00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:19.119 the redemption of the purchased possession unto 00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:23.880 the praise of His glory. Wherefore, I also, after 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:26.859 I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and 00:32:26.859 --> 00:32:29.819 love unto all saints, cease not to give thanks 00:32:29.819 --> 00:32:32.160 for you, making mention of you in my prayers. 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:36.059 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father 00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:39.400 of Glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom 00:32:39.400 --> 00:32:43.059 and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes 00:32:43.059 --> 00:32:45.519 of your understanding being enlightened, that 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:47.799 ye may know what is the hope of His calling, 00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:51.079 and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance 00:32:51.079 --> 00:32:54.759 in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness 00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:59.059 of His power to us who believe. according to 00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:01.980 the working of His mighty power, which He wrought 00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:04.839 in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and 00:33:04.839 --> 00:33:07.099 set Him in His own right hand in the heavenly 00:33:07.099 --> 00:33:11.980 places. Far above all principality, power, might, 00:33:12.180 --> 00:33:14.339 and dominion, and every name that is named, not 00:33:14.339 --> 00:33:18.339 only in this world, but also in that which is 00:33:18.339 --> 00:33:22.339 to come. And hath put all things under His feet, 00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:26.440 and gave Him to be the head over all things to 00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:29.400 the church. which is his body, the fullness of 00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:35.079 him that filleth all in all." Without question 00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:37.680 now, we know that as individuals we've got to 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:39.660 be in Christ. If we're going to trust, we've 00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:44.079 got to be in Christ. If we're going to see anything 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:45.759 change in our life, we've got to be sure that 00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:51.119 we're in Christ. But it's not individual at all, 00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:54.500 is it? It's a group of people who are all trusting. 00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:57.619 It's a group of people that God saves and He 00:33:57.619 --> 00:34:01.319 brings them in community. It is the church that 00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:03.680 is the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. 00:34:04.039 --> 00:34:08.300 It's to the church that He's the head. To try 00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:11.539 to experience or try to walk a Christian life 00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:14.139 outside the context of a relationship with a 00:34:14.139 --> 00:34:18.699 church, a community of believers, you are, again, 00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:24.929 you are defeated before you even begin. That's 00:34:24.929 --> 00:34:29.449 how important the church is to Paul to God To 00:34:29.449 --> 00:34:33.849 me and it should be to you Well, he put us in 00:34:33.849 --> 00:34:36.849 Christ. So what does that mean? That means we're 00:34:36.849 --> 00:34:39.369 part of his family, isn't it? That's basically 00:34:39.369 --> 00:34:41.730 what that's saying because we're in Christ we 00:34:41.730 --> 00:34:46.269 are sons So let's just read it in first John 00:34:46.269 --> 00:34:53.659 Chapter 3 verse 9 Whosoever is born of God doth 00:34:53.659 --> 00:34:56.880 not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, 00:34:56.900 --> 00:34:59.699 and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:08.559 In this the children of God are manifest." I 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:10.340 don't know if you ever thought about that verse 00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:14.760 in contest of what is this seed that is left 00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:22.230 in us. We can't remain in sin. Why is that? Think 00:35:22.230 --> 00:35:25.809 of all the New Testament verses that have the 00:35:25.809 --> 00:35:31.469 passive, let. Let not sin reign in your mortal 00:35:31.469 --> 00:35:37.230 body. Let not this, let not that. The seed that 00:35:37.230 --> 00:35:41.769 remains in you that's going to grow you up into 00:35:41.769 --> 00:35:46.130 Christ. The question is not whether or not being 00:35:46.130 --> 00:35:49.030 in God's family and having his seed within you 00:35:49.030 --> 00:35:53.949 is is going to grow and to mature. The question 00:35:53.949 --> 00:35:55.650 is whether or not you're going to get in the 00:35:55.650 --> 00:36:03.489 way. It's like God fills us up with his love. 00:36:03.989 --> 00:36:06.409 And then he says, don't get in the way of that 00:36:06.409 --> 00:36:10.750 love finding its target. I've got some people 00:36:10.750 --> 00:36:12.670 in your family that I need you to love. I've 00:36:12.670 --> 00:36:14.409 got some people in your church that you need 00:36:14.409 --> 00:36:16.130 to love. And I've got some people out in the 00:36:16.130 --> 00:36:17.710 world that are going to know my love through 00:36:17.710 --> 00:36:22.019 you. Don't get in the way of that. Whatever you 00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:27.000 do, let it go. Let my grace find its mark. Don't 00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:31.320 get in the way. I made you my son. I put you 00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:34.619 in Christ. I've done all these things for you. 00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:38.699 Now don't let your flesh get in the way of me 00:36:38.699 --> 00:36:41.079 accomplishing my purposes in you and through 00:36:41.079 --> 00:36:47.530 you. In Christ and part of his family. Turn to 00:36:47.530 --> 00:36:51.389 John so change is only accomplished in Christ 00:36:51.389 --> 00:36:54.949 and it is as we are part of God's family Word 00:36:54.949 --> 00:37:04.949 -driven is number five John 8 John 8 31 Then 00:37:04.949 --> 00:37:09.250 said Jesus to those Jews which Believed on him 00:37:09.250 --> 00:37:13.570 it be continued in my word. Then are you by my 00:37:13.570 --> 00:37:17.980 disciples indeed? And ye shall know the truth, 00:37:18.300 --> 00:37:23.239 and the truth shall make you free." Now you might 00:37:23.239 --> 00:37:25.260 think that that's just talking about that one 00:37:25.260 --> 00:37:28.199 time when you finally heard the truth of the 00:37:28.199 --> 00:37:31.900 gospel. And it's undoubtedly true there, but 00:37:31.900 --> 00:37:35.000 it's true throughout our lives. How are you going 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:40.739 to see change happen in your life? Only as you 00:37:40.739 --> 00:37:46.039 are in the Word. Only as you are observing the 00:37:46.039 --> 00:37:49.239 truth of who God is, of who you are, of who God 00:37:49.239 --> 00:37:52.300 wants you to be, of who God has made you in Christ. 00:37:53.639 --> 00:37:56.539 If you are trying to effect change by going to 00:37:56.539 --> 00:38:01.599 some worldly wisdom peddler, then you are defeated 00:38:01.599 --> 00:38:07.079 before you begin. I'm including in that every 00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:11.099 kind of social media. I'm including in that chat 00:38:11.099 --> 00:38:17.159 GPT. Everything. I'm including it all. I'm summing 00:38:17.159 --> 00:38:19.860 it up all with this, that that is foolishness 00:38:19.860 --> 00:38:23.519 and nonsense. It's not the means that God intended 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:26.199 to bring truth into your life. It's just not. 00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:34.420 This is the truth, right here. And this is the 00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:37.199 thing that will set you free. All the rest of 00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:39.840 that is just an illusion. And all the rest of 00:38:39.840 --> 00:38:42.059 that is just going to bring more bondage into 00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:46.980 your life. Be done with it. Listen to what I'm 00:38:46.980 --> 00:38:49.360 saying. There's no good advice on Instagram. 00:38:50.739 --> 00:38:55.340 There I said it. None. I'm not trying to soft 00:38:55.340 --> 00:38:57.840 pedal it. I'm not trying to hedge mine. I'm not 00:38:57.840 --> 00:39:00.599 exaggerating for the sake of exaggeration or 00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:03.320 to make my point. I'm saying to you there is 00:39:03.320 --> 00:39:07.039 no good advice on Instagram. There is no good 00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:10.900 advice on any social media account. This is where 00:39:10.900 --> 00:39:13.920 the good advice comes from and this is the context 00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:16.619 where that good advice is administered in the 00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:24.000 church. Anything else is hogwash and a waste 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:32.420 of time. You say, well, but yeah, I mean... No, 00:39:33.800 --> 00:40:05.610 that's the answer no Romans 13 Romans 13 11 And 00:40:05.610 --> 00:40:09.449 that, knowing the time, that now it is high time 00:40:09.449 --> 00:40:13.090 to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation 00:40:13.090 --> 00:40:16.389 nearer than when we believed. The night is far 00:40:16.389 --> 00:40:20.289 spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast 00:40:20.289 --> 00:40:23.530 off the works of darkness, and let us put on 00:40:23.530 --> 00:40:27.210 the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as 00:40:27.210 --> 00:40:30.730 in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not 00:40:30.730 --> 00:40:33.650 in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and 00:40:33.650 --> 00:40:38.849 envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ 00:40:38.849 --> 00:40:42.530 and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill 00:40:42.530 --> 00:40:51.409 the lusts thereof." So we're going to have to 00:40:51.409 --> 00:40:55.829 hear with our ears the Word. We're going to have 00:40:55.829 --> 00:40:59.409 to meditate in our minds on the Word and then 00:40:59.409 --> 00:41:02.070 we're going to have to repent. That's what putting 00:41:02.070 --> 00:41:05.139 on Christ is. If you don't know who Christ is, 00:41:05.159 --> 00:41:09.699 how can you put Him on? If you don't know who 00:41:09.699 --> 00:41:12.260 God is, how can you put Him on? It's nonsense. 00:41:13.699 --> 00:41:15.800 But is it enough just to read about Him in the 00:41:15.800 --> 00:41:18.539 morning in our quiet times? Is it enough to hear 00:41:18.539 --> 00:41:21.599 about Him on Sundays and Wednesday nights? And 00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:25.840 the answer is no. Because there's, what, a hundred 00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:29.480 times more minutes, a thousand times more minutes? 00:41:29.519 --> 00:41:32.489 I don't know. I haven't done the math. But there's 00:41:32.489 --> 00:41:36.449 way more time outside of your personal devotional 00:41:36.449 --> 00:41:40.550 and study time. Your time here on Wednesdays 00:41:40.550 --> 00:41:44.210 and Sunday mornings. And what is the rest of 00:41:44.210 --> 00:41:51.030 that time supposed to be filled up with? It's 00:41:51.030 --> 00:41:54.030 supposed to be filled up with a meditation on 00:41:54.030 --> 00:41:56.949 what we've studied and what we've learned. It's 00:41:56.949 --> 00:41:59.630 supposed to be filled up with this vision of 00:41:59.630 --> 00:42:08.679 God who is happy beautiful in his happiness beautiful 00:42:08.679 --> 00:42:12.300 in who he is and beautiful in the way that he 00:42:12.300 --> 00:42:15.900 lives so beautiful in fact that you say that's 00:42:15.900 --> 00:42:24.539 what I want I want that in my life and my eyes 00:42:24.539 --> 00:42:28.070 are My thoughts and everything else is fixated 00:42:28.070 --> 00:42:31.630 on that as I meditate on the Word, on what He's 00:42:31.630 --> 00:42:35.909 taught me. As I try to explore ways that I can 00:42:35.909 --> 00:42:41.449 apply that in my life. As I attempt to view myself 00:42:41.449 --> 00:42:45.869 in light of what I've heard. The meditation on 00:42:45.869 --> 00:42:51.269 the Word. You're not in the Word enough. In your 00:42:51.269 --> 00:42:54.849 private study and on Sundays and Wednesdays. 00:42:54.699 --> 00:42:58.679 to then crowd out a bunch of nonsense that you 00:42:58.679 --> 00:43:03.460 pour in throughout the day. Now listen, I'm not 00:43:03.460 --> 00:43:06.760 saying that you ought to go live in a cave somewhere 00:43:06.760 --> 00:43:11.199 in wherever so that you can remove the influence 00:43:11.199 --> 00:43:15.480 outside of you. The influence of the devil through 00:43:15.480 --> 00:43:18.199 the world will be with you as long as you are 00:43:18.199 --> 00:43:23.519 in this world. You can't escape that. your influence 00:43:23.519 --> 00:43:25.739 when you drive to work in the morning or when 00:43:25.739 --> 00:43:28.820 you drive to the grocery store or when you drive 00:43:28.820 --> 00:43:31.119 to church on Sunday morning. It's all over the 00:43:31.119 --> 00:43:39.980 place. It's on billboards. It's everywhere. The 00:43:39.980 --> 00:43:41.920 question isn't whether or not you're able to 00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:43.579 remove all that from your life. It's whether 00:43:43.579 --> 00:43:46.539 or not you want to compound that influence by 00:43:46.539 --> 00:43:50.400 purposely bringing other influences, devilish 00:43:50.400 --> 00:43:54.630 influences. Devilish thinking, worldly philosophies, 00:43:54.730 --> 00:43:57.449 however you want to say it. You want to bring 00:43:57.449 --> 00:44:04.869 the lies of the devil to yourself. Meditate and 00:44:04.869 --> 00:44:08.670 fix your mind in the heavenlies where righteousness 00:44:08.670 --> 00:44:14.690 dwells. Meditate on that word. Meditate on it 00:44:14.690 --> 00:44:21.139 day and night. Enjoy it. Love it. There's nothing 00:44:21.139 --> 00:44:23.460 more freeing. There's nothing more exciting. 00:44:26.880 --> 00:44:29.360 You young fathers, you're going to be having 00:44:29.360 --> 00:44:32.320 family devotions pretty soon from kids that can 00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:35.980 understand you pretty well. And you're intended 00:44:35.980 --> 00:44:39.099 to teach them there. All that you've got to do 00:44:39.099 --> 00:44:41.159 if you want to be effective in family devotions 00:44:41.159 --> 00:44:44.300 is meditate on the Word. I can guarantee you 00:44:44.300 --> 00:44:47.300 that you're going to have hours of things to 00:44:47.300 --> 00:44:49.780 communicate to your family and family devotions. 00:44:51.899 --> 00:44:53.619 Moms, especially if you're going to homeschool, 00:44:53.820 --> 00:44:55.380 I assume you're going to have some devotional 00:44:55.380 --> 00:44:58.480 time with them. Are you meditating on the Word? 00:44:58.679 --> 00:45:01.239 You don't have to worry about it. You will have 00:45:01.239 --> 00:45:11.280 plenty to share with them. Colossians 3, we're 00:45:11.280 --> 00:45:14.940 still in the same order. Here, meditate, repent. 00:45:23.400 --> 00:45:29.300 Colossians 3 1 If you then be risen with Christ 00:45:29.300 --> 00:45:32.659 seek those things which are above where Christ 00:45:32.659 --> 00:45:36.519 sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection 00:45:36.519 --> 00:45:41.579 on things above not on things on the earth That's 00:45:41.579 --> 00:45:44.300 just putting it a little more plainly than putting 00:45:44.300 --> 00:45:46.539 on Christ and what we read in Romans a little 00:45:46.539 --> 00:45:49.539 bit easier to see there Set your affection on 00:45:49.539 --> 00:45:53.199 things above now What's gonna happen when you 00:45:53.199 --> 00:45:55.400 set your affection on things above what's gonna 00:45:55.400 --> 00:45:57.579 happen when you're studying the word and then 00:45:57.579 --> 00:46:01.900 meditating on it? What's gonna happen when you 00:46:01.900 --> 00:46:06.800 have this vision of God in front of you? It's 00:46:06.800 --> 00:46:11.340 gonna make you and me look pretty dull It's gonna 00:46:11.340 --> 00:46:14.940 make you and me and the faults and the sins and 00:46:14.940 --> 00:46:19.639 the foibles in us stand out You know, that's 00:46:19.639 --> 00:46:22.949 how they teach counterfeiters. If you're looking 00:46:22.949 --> 00:46:25.750 for counterfeit, they don't say, here's 15 different 00:46:25.750 --> 00:46:28.389 counterfeits. When you see that, you know it's 00:46:28.389 --> 00:46:33.130 a counterfeit. What do they do? They show you 00:46:33.130 --> 00:46:36.590 the real thing so that you know that real thing 00:46:36.590 --> 00:46:39.929 forward and backward. And when somebody throws 00:46:39.929 --> 00:46:43.630 that counterfeit in front of you, instantaneously 00:46:43.630 --> 00:46:48.639 I see it. Now when you stare and you learn and 00:46:48.639 --> 00:46:51.880 you meditate on God and on Christ and his righteousness 00:46:51.880 --> 00:46:55.059 and in his holiness Then when you view yourself, 00:46:55.059 --> 00:46:58.239 you're going to immediately see This part of 00:46:58.239 --> 00:47:00.920 me has got some change in that needs to happen 00:47:00.920 --> 00:47:05.480 This part of me is ugly. This part of me is not 00:47:05.480 --> 00:47:09.300 fun for me to look at I Don't enjoy this part 00:47:09.300 --> 00:47:14.000 of me That's what's going to happen and so the 00:47:14.000 --> 00:47:17.309 change happens not only when we hear, not only 00:47:17.309 --> 00:47:20.230 when we meditate, but when we repent. We live 00:47:20.230 --> 00:47:23.710 a life of repentance. Now that's important. In 00:47:23.710 --> 00:47:27.289 other words, we're turning away. We're turning 00:47:27.289 --> 00:47:29.489 away from that ugly part of us, and we're saying, 00:47:29.630 --> 00:47:32.250 okay, that's got to change. And I'm going to 00:47:32.250 --> 00:47:37.230 turn towards God and towards His way. God gives 00:47:37.230 --> 00:47:43.889 us all kinds of desires. God made us with certain 00:47:43.889 --> 00:47:48.840 needs. Have you thought about that? But he gives 00:47:48.840 --> 00:47:53.219 us a legitimate way to fulfill that desire. He 00:47:53.219 --> 00:47:56.260 tells us how it is that he's going to supply 00:47:56.260 --> 00:48:05.179 for that need. And so, usually, sin is a... Well, 00:48:05.519 --> 00:48:14.000 always, sin is a going around God's way. You 00:48:14.000 --> 00:48:18.670 say... I don't feel affection. So I'm going to 00:48:18.670 --> 00:48:21.190 go and try to find affection some other kind 00:48:21.190 --> 00:48:24.929 of way. But God tells you this is the way for 00:48:24.929 --> 00:48:27.309 you to have affection in your life. This is the 00:48:27.309 --> 00:48:29.750 way for you to experience relationship in your 00:48:29.750 --> 00:48:33.670 life. Are you going to submit? Am I going to 00:48:33.670 --> 00:48:37.489 submit myself to that and say that's the legitimate 00:48:37.489 --> 00:48:39.670 filling of that need? It's not that the need 00:48:39.670 --> 00:48:43.769 is wrong necessarily. To feel your need is not 00:48:43.769 --> 00:48:49.820 a bad thing. to acknowledge, I need this. I can't 00:48:49.820 --> 00:48:51.780 live in this world unless I know that somebody 00:48:51.780 --> 00:48:56.480 loves me. That's true. So how are you going to 00:48:56.480 --> 00:49:00.940 experience that? You experience that in Christ 00:49:00.940 --> 00:49:06.380 through the ministry of the Holy Spirit by God's 00:49:06.380 --> 00:49:13.000 plan. And that will have to be enough. So it's 00:49:13.000 --> 00:49:16.260 a life of repentance. While we study, while we 00:49:16.260 --> 00:49:24.519 meditate on the word. 2 Corinthians 10. This 00:49:24.519 --> 00:49:30.719 will be our last one. Change is comprehensive. 00:49:39.780 --> 00:49:44.409 2 Corinthians 10, 3 through 6. For though we 00:49:44.409 --> 00:49:47.989 walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, 00:49:48.130 --> 00:49:50.309 or accordingly we don't use the flesh in our 00:49:50.309 --> 00:49:54.369 war. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 00:49:54.969 --> 00:49:57.909 but mighty through God to the pulling down of 00:49:57.909 --> 00:50:01.230 strongholds." Now Paul's talking about false 00:50:01.230 --> 00:50:03.530 teaching that's been going on there in the Corinthian 00:50:03.530 --> 00:50:07.849 Church. Some false teachers. But that doesn't 00:50:07.849 --> 00:50:10.150 mean that we can't legitimately apply that in 00:50:10.150 --> 00:50:12.570 your life. Is there strongholds in your life? 00:50:14.670 --> 00:50:17.289 Are there things that are locked behind iron 00:50:17.289 --> 00:50:22.690 doors? Habits that have been formed over the 00:50:22.690 --> 00:50:27.050 course of your life? Thinking that you're just 00:50:27.050 --> 00:50:29.469 accustomed to so that it almost seems like instinct? 00:50:29.750 --> 00:50:34.750 Those are strongholds. And you're not going to 00:50:34.750 --> 00:50:38.090 accomplish the tearing down of those strongholds 00:50:38.090 --> 00:50:42.489 in your flesh. By your might. By your wisdom. 00:50:42.989 --> 00:50:47.610 By your thinking. by your power of using logic. 00:50:48.389 --> 00:50:53.769 It's not going to happen. Casting down imaginations 00:50:53.769 --> 00:50:57.809 and every high thing that exalted itself against 00:50:57.809 --> 00:51:01.650 the knowledge of God and bring into captivity 00:51:01.650 --> 00:51:08.269 every thought to the obedience of Christ. And 00:51:08.269 --> 00:51:11.969 having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience 00:51:11.969 --> 00:51:22.739 when your obedience is fulfilled. I mean, have 00:51:22.739 --> 00:51:25.880 you thought about that? Have you really, have 00:51:25.880 --> 00:51:31.940 you settled down into this phrase, every thought 00:51:31.940 --> 00:51:40.219 to the obedience of Christ, to Christ? Every 00:51:40.219 --> 00:51:43.980 thought? You thought you had some thoughts that 00:51:43.980 --> 00:51:48.159 were just, you know, they're neutral. Every thought. 00:51:50.349 --> 00:51:52.769 Now how many thoughts do you think you have in 00:51:52.769 --> 00:52:00.849 a day? That's the level of change. We're not 00:52:00.849 --> 00:52:05.489 talking about some changes on the fringes. We're 00:52:05.489 --> 00:52:10.190 not talking about just affecting it way out there. 00:52:11.710 --> 00:52:17.190 We're talking about every thought is going to 00:52:17.190 --> 00:52:24.019 be brought captive To Christ in other words everything. 00:52:24.019 --> 00:52:26.699 I think is going to be thought in light of what 00:52:26.699 --> 00:52:31.559 Christ has done and who he is Every thought that 00:52:31.559 --> 00:52:36.059 I have is going to be Christ centered and God 00:52:36.059 --> 00:52:41.480 exalting Now how do I know that how do you know 00:52:41.480 --> 00:52:49.579 that Well does God intend for you to live at 00:52:49.579 --> 00:52:52.030 some point And has he promised you that at some 00:52:52.030 --> 00:52:53.969 point in your life every thought is going to 00:52:53.969 --> 00:53:02.409 be brought captive? Emma? He hasn't told you 00:53:02.409 --> 00:53:06.650 that? Yes. Okay, where is that going to happen, 00:53:06.829 --> 00:53:14.150 Chris? In heaven. In heaven. Okay, that's fine. 00:53:15.010 --> 00:53:20.110 But it is going to happen, right? And heaven... 00:53:20.170 --> 00:53:24.610 is the goal. Heaven is the ideal. And God has 00:53:24.610 --> 00:53:28.150 equipped you here to experience Him. So that 00:53:28.150 --> 00:53:30.789 comprehensive change that's going to happen is 00:53:30.789 --> 00:53:36.030 not quite now. But we can expect it at that level. 00:53:37.489 --> 00:53:42.050 In other words, there's no reason for us not 00:53:42.050 --> 00:53:45.869 to have that as our goal. I want every one of 00:53:45.869 --> 00:53:49.769 my thoughts to honor the Lord that died for me. 00:53:50.190 --> 00:53:53.530 I want every one of my thoughts to be centered 00:53:53.530 --> 00:53:58.789 in Christ. I want, in other words, when I am 00:53:58.789 --> 00:54:01.889 going to the baseball game to enjoy the baseball 00:54:01.889 --> 00:54:05.429 game in light of the glory of God and the power 00:54:05.429 --> 00:54:10.769 of God. The wonder of a God who would give imagination 00:54:10.769 --> 00:54:13.849 to men that would allow them to create this game 00:54:13.849 --> 00:54:17.340 that I can sit back and enjoy. And I do that 00:54:17.340 --> 00:54:19.820 in the pleasure of my God while I'm sitting there 00:54:19.820 --> 00:54:25.380 at the ballgame watching. I want to be thinking 00:54:25.380 --> 00:54:28.199 about Jesus when I'm getting ready to discipline 00:54:28.199 --> 00:54:30.880 my kid or when I'm laying out the foundation 00:54:30.880 --> 00:54:35.199 of my family. I want to have Him first in those 00:54:35.199 --> 00:54:39.239 things so that I can walk in confidence there. 00:54:42.769 --> 00:54:45.329 Knowing that I'm going to fail, but knowing that 00:54:45.329 --> 00:54:48.250 my God loves me and knowing that the struggle 00:54:48.250 --> 00:54:51.530 is real but it's worth it because there's a day 00:54:51.530 --> 00:54:54.710 coming when all the struggle is done and it's 00:54:54.710 --> 00:54:59.869 over. That's glorious. That's comprehensive. 00:55:01.530 --> 00:55:04.710 That's the power of God. And that's why God gets 00:55:04.710 --> 00:55:09.070 great glory as your life and my life is remodeled 00:55:09.070 --> 00:55:12.519 into the image of His Son. as we display more 00:55:12.519 --> 00:55:15.780 and more of who God is before a watching world 00:55:15.780 --> 00:55:20.400 and before our brothers and sisters in the church. 00:55:29.440 --> 00:55:31.460 We sang this, I couldn't believe we sang this 00:55:31.460 --> 00:55:33.380 song. He gives more grace when the burdens go 00:55:33.380 --> 00:55:37.510 greater. The more you know him, The more you 00:55:37.510 --> 00:55:40.429 see the difficulty of change in your life, know 00:55:40.429 --> 00:55:44.130 that God's grace is there. He sends strength 00:55:44.130 --> 00:55:47.130 when the labors increase. There's more work to 00:55:47.130 --> 00:55:50.289 be done, but I can expect more strength in those 00:55:50.289 --> 00:55:53.289 times. To add an affliction, He adds His mercy. 00:55:53.630 --> 00:55:56.750 You see? Just what we read about in Corinthians. 00:55:58.949 --> 00:56:01.369 Buffeted on every side and persecuted, but He 00:56:01.369 --> 00:56:05.190 adds mercy. to multiply trials. I'm surrounded. 00:56:05.309 --> 00:56:08.289 I'm troubled on every side. But what do I find? 00:56:08.409 --> 00:56:12.650 Multiply grace. The troubles in your life are 00:56:12.650 --> 00:56:17.849 met with more and more and more grace. Why? Because 00:56:17.849 --> 00:56:21.710 His love has no limit. His grace has no measure. 00:56:22.090 --> 00:56:27.230 His power has no boundary known unto men. Comprehensive. 00:56:27.989 --> 00:56:30.630 You think you can't see a change at the level 00:56:30.630 --> 00:56:35.300 of personality? Are you a person that just says, 00:56:35.500 --> 00:56:37.699 well, that's, I mean, that's my personality. 00:56:39.440 --> 00:56:43.820 That's just what it means to be human. Is that 00:56:43.820 --> 00:56:48.880 your excuse? Is that your crutch? God intends 00:56:48.880 --> 00:56:54.019 to reform all of you. Every bit of your spiritual 00:56:54.019 --> 00:56:58.619 life in Christ is going to grow and mature and 00:56:58.619 --> 00:57:03.599 every effort that you make in your flesh is going 00:57:03.599 --> 00:57:07.960 to be closely linked to that spiritual growth. 00:57:11.340 --> 00:57:13.780 So that you're putting down the flesh. See, the 00:57:13.780 --> 00:57:15.699 flesh is going to have less and less influence. 00:57:16.219 --> 00:57:18.940 That seed that's within you is growing up and 00:57:18.940 --> 00:57:22.940 it's crowding out the flesh's influence. That's 00:57:22.940 --> 00:57:26.420 what it looks like. Those instincts that you 00:57:26.420 --> 00:57:28.579 used to have when somebody offends you, somebody 00:57:28.579 --> 00:57:32.519 says something rude or crude or mean to you and 00:57:32.519 --> 00:57:37.079 you respond in anger. More and more as the life 00:57:37.079 --> 00:57:41.199 of Christ in you gets stronger and matures, less 00:57:41.199 --> 00:57:44.119 and less do you give into that initial urge and 00:57:44.119 --> 00:57:48.559 you say, hold on, dial it back. I'm not gonna 00:57:48.559 --> 00:57:52.239 respond in that way. That's not honoring to the 00:57:52.239 --> 00:57:56.559 Lord. You can expect that level of change in 00:57:56.559 --> 00:58:02.039 your life. You can expect great things because 00:58:02.039 --> 00:58:05.659 your God is great His power is the limit of His 00:58:05.659 --> 00:58:12.440 power is unknown to men You think of all the 00:58:12.440 --> 00:58:15.440 changed lives that you've seen in Christ you've 00:58:15.440 --> 00:58:18.980 only just barely touched the tip of the iceberg 00:58:18.980 --> 00:58:30.929 When we've exhausted our store of endurance You 00:58:30.929 --> 00:58:32.730 know, we said, I'm going to stand. I'm going 00:58:32.730 --> 00:58:35.730 to stand in the flood. I watched a video this 00:58:35.730 --> 00:58:39.949 week on flash floods. Amazing. The beginning 00:58:39.949 --> 00:58:44.449 of that flood, just what? It's just mud. Mountains 00:58:44.449 --> 00:58:47.409 of water behind it pushing it down. Now that's 00:58:47.409 --> 00:58:50.489 what I have in my mind when I think about standing 00:58:50.489 --> 00:58:52.710 in a river. It's not standing in a big river, 00:58:53.090 --> 00:58:59.789 baptizing Caleb or Michaela. Johanna. That can 00:58:59.789 --> 00:59:03.530 be hard, especially for a little guy, especially 00:59:03.530 --> 00:59:07.989 when it's freezing cold out. But when that torrent 00:59:07.989 --> 00:59:11.210 of water that's pushing that mud and those huge 00:59:11.210 --> 00:59:15.050 trees and even houses comes, that's where God 00:59:15.050 --> 00:59:17.170 intends for you to stand in the midst of that 00:59:17.170 --> 00:59:21.690 flood. We said we were going to do it, but we're 00:59:21.690 --> 00:59:26.550 exhausted. When our strength is failed, but the 00:59:26.550 --> 00:59:31.750 day is only half done. When we reach the end 00:59:31.750 --> 00:59:35.070 of our hoarded resources, our Father's full giving 00:59:35.070 --> 00:59:39.389 has only begun. You see, He thought you were 00:59:39.389 --> 00:59:40.929 going to be able to do it. You determined it. 00:59:40.929 --> 00:59:44.429 That's all God honoring. I'm going to do this 00:59:44.429 --> 00:59:46.289 thing by the power of the Holy Spirit within 00:59:46.289 --> 00:59:49.789 me because God loves me. But then the flood comes 00:59:49.789 --> 00:59:54.130 and the day's barely half done and you're exhausted. 00:59:55.250 --> 00:59:57.309 The troubles that were on every side have just 00:59:57.309 --> 01:00:01.280 gotten closer and closer and closer. But it's 01:00:01.280 --> 01:00:04.079 then that you've got to know that God loves you 01:00:04.079 --> 01:00:08.940 and he will supply you more strength now as Much 01:00:08.940 --> 01:00:11.820 as you need if you will just trust him if you 01:00:11.820 --> 01:00:15.320 will just buy faith believe him You want to know 01:00:15.320 --> 01:00:18.519 why the Christian life is all about faith? Because 01:00:18.519 --> 01:00:22.139 God has made marvelous promises The question 01:00:22.139 --> 01:00:25.199 is whether or not you're going to believe it 01:00:25.199 --> 01:00:28.460 God promises you grace and strength in the time 01:00:28.460 --> 01:00:31.989 of trial. Do you believe it? God promises you 01:00:31.989 --> 01:00:34.429 that just because for the past 10 years you've 01:00:34.429 --> 01:00:37.090 been this, just because for the past 30 years 01:00:37.090 --> 01:00:39.590 you've done that, just because you've trained 01:00:39.590 --> 01:00:42.710 yourself to react in this way, just because your 01:00:42.710 --> 01:00:48.070 thoughts are all confused, that does not mean 01:00:48.070 --> 01:00:51.889 that tomorrow has to be that way. It doesn't 01:00:51.889 --> 01:00:55.429 mean that you should have regrets about your 01:00:55.429 --> 01:01:00.469 past. You have today. And today is the day of 01:01:00.469 --> 01:01:03.590 salvation. Today is the day of God's grace for 01:01:03.590 --> 01:01:07.590 you. Will you believe in those promises? The 01:01:07.590 --> 01:01:10.130 same way that you believed in the gospel, will 01:01:10.130 --> 01:01:12.750 you believe that God will strengthen you to be 01:01:12.750 --> 01:01:14.829 the man that he calls you to be in your families? 01:01:14.949 --> 01:01:18.449 Tim's teaching about the family. Very practical 01:01:18.449 --> 01:01:23.989 and real advice and truth. Difficult though. 01:01:25.869 --> 01:01:28.789 Are you going to examine the way that you are 01:01:28.789 --> 01:01:31.510 in your families in light of who God is and in 01:01:31.510 --> 01:01:34.550 light of His teaching. And where you find yourself 01:01:34.550 --> 01:01:37.610 wanting, are you going to believe that God by 01:01:37.610 --> 01:01:41.230 His grace is able to make you the husband, the 01:01:41.230 --> 01:01:44.869 father, the mother that He intends you for you 01:01:44.869 --> 01:01:47.590 to be? Do you believe it? Because if you don't 01:01:47.590 --> 01:01:49.989 believe it, then you're already defeated. There's 01:01:49.989 --> 01:01:52.789 not going to be any change. It's as simple as 01:01:52.789 --> 01:01:57.929 that. But there is. We've read about it tonight. 01:01:57.929 --> 01:02:01.309 We saw them before I got up here. That's a hopeful 01:02:01.309 --> 01:02:07.949 life That's a life dependent upon a God who intends 01:02:07.949 --> 01:02:11.769 only good things in your life Will we believe 01:02:11.769 --> 01:02:14.670 it and will we face the changes that need to 01:02:14.670 --> 01:02:18.570 happen will we repent in faith? trusting God 01:02:18.570 --> 01:02:22.489 That's the question. That's what I want for you. 01:02:22.750 --> 01:02:25.480 That's what I hope you want for me That's what 01:02:25.480 --> 01:02:29.059 I want for all of us. That we all together traverse 01:02:29.059 --> 01:02:32.539 this difficulty of this life and we make it to 01:02:32.539 --> 01:02:35.900 the end. Are we going to make it to the end? 01:02:38.719 --> 01:02:45.079 Are we going to make it to the end? Yes. I want 01:02:45.079 --> 01:02:47.019 to hear everybody. Are we going to make it to 01:02:47.019 --> 01:02:51.280 the end? Yes. Amen.