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I shared with my kids yesterday, I said

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Jesus and his disciples, they never celebrated a

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Christmas meal together.

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You know, it's a good time of year

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and everybody gets together with their families and

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stuff, but I said the one meal that

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he did celebrate with them was the Passover.

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And I shared with them the story of

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how they would have to take a lamb

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that was maybe their prized possession.

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And I was speaking to my children, they

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love animals and they have their prized possession.

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And I said, you know, I said the

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Israelites every year at the Passover, they had

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to take their prized lamb, pure and spotless,

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without blemish, and they had to offer that

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as a guilt offering to the Lord.

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And they had to eat that as a

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reminder to them of what the Lord had

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done for them, and how he had brought

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them out of land of Egypt, a land

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of affliction and a land of slavery, and

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how the Lord had delivered them.

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And I said, that was the meal that

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Jesus chose to have with his disciples.

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And he says, I longed for that.

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And at the end of Jesus's life, the

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last thing that he did with his disciples

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was he sat and he had fellowship with

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them at a meal, and he washed their

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feet.

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He humbled himself to the lowest place and

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he washed his feet and he even said,

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I long to have this meal with you

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guys, so that you guys would know that

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I love you, that I care for you.

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And, you know, when I was sharing this

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with the children, I said, guys, you know,

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the things that we get together for these

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gatherings, you know, nowadays the world mistakes it

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for such a pleasant thing, but when Jesus

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brought them together, it was a reminder of

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what God had done for them and how

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he had delivered them out of a land

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of slavery, out of a land of affliction.

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And I said, it's good for us to

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remember.

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It's good for us to remember from where

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the Lord has brought us from.

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You know, I remember 16 years ago, 17,

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actually 17 years ago, I was kicked out

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of my house, sleeping on my sister's couch,

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and without God and without hope in this

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world, I owed $30,000 in debt.

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I had no job.

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I had nothing.

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I was a slave of sin.

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But the Lord in that place, he could

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have, he could have judged me, he could

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have, which he rightfully was, he could have

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done worse to me, but he had mercy

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on me in that place.

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And I remember at that time, crying out

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to him in my affliction, saying, Lord, have

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mercy on me, a sinner.

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You know, at that time, I was really

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justifying myself and pointing out all the faults

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that other people had done to me.

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And the Lord, you know what he did

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to me is he pointed it right back

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at me, and he said, you're the one,

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you're the one who made the decisions.

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You're the one who made the choices to

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sin, and this is a result of your

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actions and the fruit of your decisions.

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And when I started to take ownership of

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it, there was a change in my heart,

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was a change in my life, and the

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Lord's mercy started to be poured over my

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life.

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And he took me from such and such

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a place.

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I had no fellowship.

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I had no friends.

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I had nothing.

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I had no godly fellowship.

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The Christian friends that I was hanging out

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with were the guys I was going to

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the pub with after church, you know, and

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I had nothing.

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And I remember crying out to the Lord,

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Lord, I need you to bring friends into

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my life, fellowship, people who you can put

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into my life who will be a good

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influence.

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And it was a short while later that

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I ran into Randy and his family and

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the church that was here at this house.

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And I remember the first time I came,

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I heard a hard message.

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I didn't hear a peaceful message.

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I heard a very hard message.

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And you know, I think Randy afterwards, he

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told me later that he never expected me

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to come back again after he heard that

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message.

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But you know what?

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It stuck with me.

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And I didn't come back for three weeks,

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but you know, that fourth week I was

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so tired of it and I knew that

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the Lord wanted me to go back and

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I went back and it was good for

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me.

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And I look back over those times.

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It was such a process of the Lord

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having to cleanse me of all the sin

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and wickedness in my heart.

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And he's still doing it.

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And you know, when you're younger in the

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Lord, you're really hungry for him.

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And I really valued those times because I

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could sense the presence of the Lord.

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I had nothing.

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I had nothing.

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I had no money.

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I would walk to work.

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I had no friends.

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I had nothing, but I had Jesus.

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And I would call on his name and

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he would be near to me and I

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would see the nearness of God was my

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good.

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As I shared that verse a while ago,

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the nearness of God was so close to

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me and I had such trials and difficulties.

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The battle in my mind was so fierce

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because the devil didn't want me to change

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my ways.

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The devil wanted me to turn back to

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the life that I was living.

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And that's what happens when you turn from

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sin and you turn from a life of

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ungodliness.

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The devil wants to keep you from moving

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forward.

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And this is what happens when you turn

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from a heart of lukewarmness or heart of

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deadness, a heart of being stagnant in the

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church, or a heart of having no hunger

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for God, and you start to seek after

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the Lord, do not expect that it's going

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to be easy.

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It's going to be difficult.

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The battle against you is going to be

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fierce because the devil doesn't want you to

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be in a place where you're on fire

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for the Lord.

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The devil doesn't want you to be in

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a place where you're not lukewarm because if

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you're lukewarm, you're useless to the Lord.

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You're useless to the Lord.

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You're just another religious man.

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You're just another religious woman.

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And so in that time, the Lord, he

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brought me from that time and he slowly

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worked on different areas in my life, sharp

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areas, areas in my heart that needed to

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be cleansed.

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We don't see the pride in our lives

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until we go through difficult situations where we

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have to yield ourselves, where we have to

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submit, where we have to die to ourselves

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and the things that we want.

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And we have to learn to be led

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by the Lord and allow the Lord to

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lead our decisions.

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I remember many times I didn't know what

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decision to make in my life.

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I didn't even know what to do.

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And I'm saying, Lord, what do I do

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with my life?

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Which direction do I go?

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Which direction do I take?

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And I would just say, Lord, I don't

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have any wisdom.

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You're the one with wisdom.

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And I pray that if the decision I'm

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going to make is from you, then you

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will open the door.

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But if it's not, I ask you to

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slam the door in my face.

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And you know what?

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There were many times where the Lord would

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slam the door in my face.

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He would shut it so fast.

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He would shut it so fast.

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And I remember being at the time discouraged

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and wondering, what is this?

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Why is the Lord seem to be keeping

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me in this one little spot?

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Why does he keep me here for such

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a time as this?

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It's because he's wanting to work on our

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character and he doesn't want us to run

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from it.

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We can go outside of God's will really

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quickly when we decide to make decisions and

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go in a direction that the Lord doesn't

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want us to go.

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And we have to be careful that we

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don't do that until the right time.

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It says, you young men, humble yourselves under

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your elders.

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Humble yourselves until the Lord exalts you at

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the proper time.

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And the Lord had to do that with

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me.

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He had to do that with me.

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I remember for seven years, you know, I

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had a desire to share the word of

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God with people.

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And the Lord would, he would just keep

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me and just say, Dad, I want you

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to listen.

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I want you to receive.

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I want you to learn from the things

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and the people who've gone before you.

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And it was a blessing and a value

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to me because I learned many valuable things

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at that time.

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And you know, that hunger that I had

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at first, I look at myself now, I

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don't owe $30,000 in debt.

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You know, I have a lot more.

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I have a lot more.

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The Lord has taken me from that place

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and he has now, he has filled the

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bank account.

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And I'm not, I'm not saying that for

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that reason because, oh, this is the blessing.

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This is not the blessing of God, my

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friends.

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The true blessing of God is when you

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are rich spiritually, not rich naturally.

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And many of us seek after the riches

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naturally here and not after the spiritual riches.

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And we need to ask the Lord to

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give us a heart's desire for that, not

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for the things of this world, because quickly

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as it came, quickly it can go.

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And we have to be careful that we

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don't chase after these things and let these

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things get a hold of our heart.

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And I found myself as I, in the

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last couple of years, I found myself going

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stagnant.

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And why do you go stagnant?

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You want to know why?

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It's because we've become full.

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We've become full.

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We've become rich and increased in goods.

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We have everything that we need.

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And sometimes the Lord, like Randy, prayed today

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that he has to shake us and order

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us to get us to have a hunger

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and a thirst for him.

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But I wanted to read from John chapter

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6, verse 26.

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And Jesus says this to the people.

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Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek

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me not because you saw signs, but because

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you ate of the loaves and were filled.

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00:07:19,580 --> 00:07:20,800
And why do you seek the Lord is

275
00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:21,820
really what I want to ask you.

276
00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:23,380
Why do you seek the Lord?

277
00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:24,680
I think the Lord, when we're younger in

278
00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,240
the Lord, we seek the Lord for what

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00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:27,200
we can get, like Jacob.

280
00:07:27,580 --> 00:07:29,920
Like Jacob, he sought the Lord so he

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00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,180
could, hey, if you give me safe passage,

282
00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:33,420
if you give me a home, if you

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00:07:33,420 --> 00:07:34,780
give me riches, I will give you a

284
00:07:34,780 --> 00:07:36,220
tenth of all that you give me.

285
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He was seeking after the Lord for what

286
00:07:38,380 --> 00:07:39,380
the Lord could give him.

287
00:07:40,100 --> 00:07:41,480
But as you grow in the Lord, the

288
00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:43,820
Lord wants to change that, where we can

289
00:07:43,820 --> 00:07:45,140
say, Lord, it's not what you can give

290
00:07:45,140 --> 00:07:47,820
me, it's what can you do for me

291
00:07:47,820 --> 00:07:48,380
in my life?

292
00:07:48,780 --> 00:07:50,220
I want to seek after the true blessing,

293
00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:51,640
and that's knowing you, Lord Jesus.

294
00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,380
That's knowing you and the power of your

295
00:07:53,380 --> 00:07:55,220
resurrection and the fellowship of your sufferings.

296
00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,400
It says later that when God met Jacob

297
00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,040
on his way home after 20 years of

298
00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:00,340
the Lord dealing with him in his life,

299
00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:02,720
that he changed his desire from giving him

300
00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:04,760
a tenth to wrestling with the Lord and

301
00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,380
saying, Lord, I will not let you go

302
00:08:06,380 --> 00:08:07,180
until you bless me.

303
00:08:07,860 --> 00:08:08,900
And I want to ask you and leave

304
00:08:08,900 --> 00:08:09,700
you that question today.

305
00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,100
The world today celebrates such a holiday at

306
00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:13,600
such a time where it's, what can I

307
00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:13,900
get?

308
00:08:14,100 --> 00:08:15,680
This is what little children ask for.

309
00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:16,880
What can I get?

310
00:08:17,500 --> 00:08:18,820
No, what can I give you, Lord?

311
00:08:19,180 --> 00:08:20,280
What do you need today?

312
00:08:20,820 --> 00:08:22,160
What are your interests today?

313
00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,120
This is the mark of a truly spiritual

314
00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,800
person, is somebody who has learned over time

315
00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,800
where it doesn't matter what happens to them

316
00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:29,260
in their life.

317
00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,159
It's saying, Lord, all things that are from

318
00:08:31,159 --> 00:08:32,260
your hand are for your glory.

319
00:08:32,580 --> 00:08:34,380
Let me receive it with gratitude, whether it's

320
00:08:34,380 --> 00:08:35,360
good or whether it's bad.

321
00:08:35,580 --> 00:08:37,020
But what can I offer you, Lord?

322
00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:39,460
What can I be concerned about you and

323
00:08:39,460 --> 00:08:39,919
your interests?

324
00:08:39,980 --> 00:08:42,100
I remember one time in the church at

325
00:08:42,100 --> 00:08:44,120
Randy's, we were there and I remember one

326
00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:45,440
time we were all hanging out and having

327
00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:46,880
a good time together, which was a wonderful

328
00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:47,200
thing.

329
00:08:47,260 --> 00:08:48,880
But the Lord gave me a dream that

330
00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:49,080
night.

331
00:08:49,540 --> 00:08:50,860
And in the dream, there was the church.

332
00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,000
And in the church, everybody was having a

333
00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:53,820
fun time together.

334
00:08:54,260 --> 00:08:55,040
They were fellowshipping.

335
00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:55,840
There was this and that.

336
00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:57,520
And I looked over in the corner and

337
00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:58,820
I could see Jesus in the corner.

338
00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:01,020
I could see Jesus in the corner.

339
00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:03,600
And nobody was hanging out with him.

340
00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:06,420
Nobody was hanging out with him, worried about

341
00:09:06,420 --> 00:09:07,400
what his interests were.

342
00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,000
And I remember getting up and walking over

343
00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:12,320
to him and I said, what are your

344
00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:12,820
interests?

345
00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:15,660
You know, the Lord, he's calling, he's bidding

346
00:09:15,660 --> 00:09:18,580
many people to say, is there anybody out

347
00:09:18,580 --> 00:09:18,860
here?

348
00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,100
Is there anybody in this room who's concerned

349
00:09:21,100 --> 00:09:21,740
about his interests?

350
00:09:21,860 --> 00:09:23,240
I know for a fact right now, guys,

351
00:09:23,540 --> 00:09:24,860
that the wrestle that goes on in my

352
00:09:24,860 --> 00:09:26,680
heart is I don't know if I'm concerned

353
00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:28,680
about his interests because I'm rich in increasing

354
00:09:28,680 --> 00:09:29,060
goods.

355
00:09:29,380 --> 00:09:30,560
And in my mind, I feel I have

356
00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:31,120
need of nothing.

357
00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:32,800
But I'm telling you, when you're in a

358
00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,000
broken place and you're poor in spirit and

359
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:36,300
you have a need in your heart, that's

360
00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:37,300
a wonderful place to be.

361
00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:38,980
Lord, what are your interests?

362
00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:40,540
What are your interests?

363
00:09:40,820 --> 00:09:42,480
I think the hardest thing for the Lord

364
00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:44,460
to do is to still the soul of

365
00:09:44,460 --> 00:09:45,160
a man or a woman.

366
00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:47,340
Is to cause them to be at rest,

367
00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:49,220
to sit at his feet, to listen to

368
00:09:49,220 --> 00:09:49,440
him.

369
00:09:49,860 --> 00:09:50,980
And that doesn't mean you sit at your

370
00:09:50,980 --> 00:09:51,180
feet.

371
00:09:51,260 --> 00:09:53,320
I mean, it literally means to learn to

372
00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:54,740
have peace in your heart, no matter what

373
00:09:54,740 --> 00:09:56,080
situation the Lord brings you in.

374
00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:57,440
No matter what, if you're working during the

375
00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,120
day and it's very busy, to be able

376
00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:00,540
to say stop in the middle of it

377
00:10:00,540 --> 00:10:01,800
and say, Lord, do you have anything to

378
00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:02,440
say to me today?

379
00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:04,540
Do you have anything for me today?

380
00:10:05,740 --> 00:10:07,300
Or what are your interests today, Lord?

381
00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:08,520
Is there anything you want to teach me

382
00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:08,980
about you?

383
00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:11,700
You know, my wife's reading this book and

384
00:10:11,700 --> 00:10:13,740
in the book, he says our relationship with

385
00:10:13,740 --> 00:10:15,720
the Lord is like when you first get

386
00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:16,000
married.

387
00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,300
When you first get married, you realize that

388
00:10:18,300 --> 00:10:19,700
your love for each other is so shallow.

389
00:10:20,540 --> 00:10:22,040
It's very just surface stuff.

390
00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,740
But as you grow together, you have children,

391
00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:26,960
you raise a family, you start to realize

392
00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:28,640
that that love was very shallow and it

393
00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,220
needs to go much deeper and so much

394
00:10:30,220 --> 00:10:32,120
more with our relationship with Jesus.

395
00:10:32,780 --> 00:10:35,100
Are we seeking him so that we can

396
00:10:35,100 --> 00:10:36,300
eat of the loaves and be filled?

397
00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:38,200
Or do we want to know him more?

398
00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:39,800
What is our genuine care?

399
00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:41,360
That's something that we should be asking ourselves

400
00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:42,840
all the time is what is my real

401
00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:44,880
motive for seeking and serving the Lord?

402
00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:46,020
Am I serving it?

403
00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:49,680
So like Jacob, he served seven years with

404
00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:50,840
Laban so he could get a wife.

405
00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:52,020
Then he got the wrong wife.

406
00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:53,760
Then he served seven more to get the

407
00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:54,460
wife that he wanted.

408
00:10:54,980 --> 00:10:56,420
And he went through many hard trials in

409
00:10:56,420 --> 00:10:57,060
that situation.

410
00:10:57,380 --> 00:10:58,640
We have to ask the Lord in these

411
00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:00,720
times, why do we seek you?

412
00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:02,760
And it says right here, verse 27, it

413
00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:04,200
says, do not work for the food which

414
00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,740
perishes, but for the food which endures to

415
00:11:06,740 --> 00:11:07,440
eternal life.

416
00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:09,560
Which the son of man shall give to

417
00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:11,560
you, for on him, the father, even God

418
00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:12,380
has set his seal.

419
00:11:12,820 --> 00:11:13,760
And I don't know about you, but in

420
00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:15,060
this next year, I don't want to work

421
00:11:15,060 --> 00:11:16,040
for the food which perishes.

422
00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:18,480
I want to work for the food that

423
00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:19,780
endures to eternal life.

424
00:11:20,340 --> 00:11:22,720
I hope our desire and leave that with

425
00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,040
you is that you would ask the Lord

426
00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,600
to help you in your heart to not

427
00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,500
seek after the food which endures or food

428
00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:31,380
which perishes, but through the food which endures

429
00:11:31,380 --> 00:11:32,140
to eternal life.

430
00:11:32,540 --> 00:11:33,760
Are your interests earthly?

431
00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:36,160
Are your interests earthly so you can have

432
00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:36,840
a happy family?

433
00:11:37,580 --> 00:11:38,920
So you can have a nice home?

434
00:11:39,820 --> 00:11:41,180
So you can have a great career?

435
00:11:41,580 --> 00:11:43,440
So you can have peace and satisfaction wherever

436
00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:43,940
you're at?

437
00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:46,780
Or are you willing to say, Lord, not

438
00:11:46,780 --> 00:11:47,740
my will, your be done.

439
00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:49,140
I'm asking you to lead me and guide

440
00:11:49,140 --> 00:11:50,560
me to help you put you first in

441
00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:50,860
my life.

442
00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:52,120
And when I shared this with my children

443
00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,400
yesterday about the Passover meal, I said, when

444
00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:56,020
he came together, he brought them together and

445
00:11:56,020 --> 00:11:57,460
they had to sacrifice that lamb.

446
00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:58,620
And I asked them, I said, you guys,

447
00:11:59,060 --> 00:12:00,480
would you be willing to give up your

448
00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:01,080
favorite thing?

449
00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:02,660
And I asked them each individually, what's your

450
00:12:02,660 --> 00:12:03,260
favorite thing?

451
00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:04,860
And they each told me what their favorite

452
00:12:04,860 --> 00:12:05,300
thing was.

453
00:12:05,300 --> 00:12:06,760
And I said, would you be willing to

454
00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:07,700
give that up for the Lord?

455
00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:09,840
My one daughter, she was very honest.

456
00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,680
She says, I don't think I could, dad.

457
00:12:12,460 --> 00:12:13,600
And I said, you're honest.

458
00:12:14,060 --> 00:12:15,300
I said, that's an honest answer.

459
00:12:15,700 --> 00:12:16,640
And you know what I told her?

460
00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,100
I said, you know what my favorite thing

461
00:12:18,100 --> 00:12:18,560
in my life?

462
00:12:18,780 --> 00:12:19,920
I don't know if I could give it

463
00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:21,720
up, but I'm asking the Lord to help

464
00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:23,800
me to surrender all into his hands and

465
00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,840
say, Lord, mold me and shape me after

466
00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:26,240
thy will.

467
00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:28,460
Help me, Lord, to be concerned about your

468
00:12:28,460 --> 00:12:29,620
interests in this coming year.

469
00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,220
Help me, Lord Jesus, to have your ambitions

470
00:12:32,220 --> 00:12:34,380
and your desires and to do the things

471
00:12:34,380 --> 00:12:36,360
that please you and help me not to

472
00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:38,020
seek after you so I can have my

473
00:12:38,020 --> 00:12:40,800
loaves and be filled, but help me to

474
00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:42,680
seek after the food which endures to eternal

475
00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:43,060
life.

476
00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,000
It says right here, and they said, what

477
00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,720
must we do that we may work the

478
00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:48,360
works of God?

479
00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:50,340
And Jesus answered and said to them, this

480
00:12:50,340 --> 00:12:52,200
is the work of God that you believe

481
00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:53,720
in him whom he has sent.

482
00:12:54,580 --> 00:12:55,940
You know, I think it's good when we

483
00:12:55,940 --> 00:12:58,620
gather, we celebrate certain times that we remember

484
00:12:58,620 --> 00:13:00,440
what the Lord has done for us and

485
00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:01,420
from where he's brought us.

486
00:13:01,740 --> 00:13:03,180
You can look back at certain milestones.

487
00:13:03,340 --> 00:13:04,680
Some of you guys may not remember certain

488
00:13:04,680 --> 00:13:06,840
milestones, and it can be simple things like

489
00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,000
even success at a job or something that

490
00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,780
you've done in a daily thing where the

491
00:13:10,780 --> 00:13:12,340
Lord has helped you in a certain situation.

492
00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,040
I think it's good to write those things

493
00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,000
down and to remember those milestones of what

494
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:17,040
Jesus has done for you.

495
00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:18,740
And he can look from where he's taken

496
00:13:18,740 --> 00:13:21,640
you to where you are now, where you

497
00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:22,880
are at now, and you can start to

498
00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:24,340
see the change in how the Lord has

499
00:13:24,340 --> 00:13:24,980
worked in your life.

500
00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:26,420
And you may not see it, but you

501
00:13:26,420 --> 00:13:27,900
look back over the past 17 years.

502
00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:29,560
I look back over the past 17 years

503
00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:31,020
of my walk with the Lord, and I

504
00:13:31,020 --> 00:13:35,540
can say, Lord, I was so stubborn, so

505
00:13:35,540 --> 00:13:37,860
proud, so selfish.

506
00:13:38,860 --> 00:13:40,620
I didn't see the strong will that I

507
00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:41,400
have in my life.

508
00:13:41,820 --> 00:13:42,900
You know how the Lord helped me to

509
00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:44,600
see the strong will that I have is

510
00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:45,700
he brings me through dealings.

511
00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:47,820
He's brought me through trials, and he's humbled

512
00:13:47,820 --> 00:13:48,100
me.

513
00:13:48,820 --> 00:13:49,820
And I don't take that as a bad

514
00:13:49,820 --> 00:13:49,960
thing.

515
00:13:50,020 --> 00:13:51,360
I take it as a wonderful thing, because

516
00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:52,760
the only way sometimes to work in a

517
00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:54,220
man or a woman's life is to bring

518
00:13:54,220 --> 00:13:55,860
them through circumstances which break them.

519
00:13:56,780 --> 00:13:57,820
And I can look back, and I can

520
00:13:57,820 --> 00:13:59,240
thank the Lord and say, praise you, God.

521
00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:01,180
Praise you, God, for your mercy on me.

522
00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:02,300
You haven't given up on me.

523
00:14:02,820 --> 00:14:03,920
You're working in my life.

524
00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:06,000
Help me not to forget all that you've

525
00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,600
done for me, and help me, Lord, to

526
00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:10,020
continue to allow you to work in my

527
00:14:10,020 --> 00:14:11,400
life and to allow you to do the

528
00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:12,660
things that you want to do to finish

529
00:14:12,660 --> 00:14:14,720
the work that you started in my heart.

530
00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:16,660
May the Lord bless us at this time.

531
00:14:17,220 --> 00:14:18,460
May the Lord remind us of the things

532
00:14:18,460 --> 00:14:18,940
that we've done.

533
00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,220
And I said to my kids, I said,

534
00:14:20,300 --> 00:14:22,580
it's good to remember all that Jesus did

535
00:14:22,580 --> 00:14:23,020
for you.

536
00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:24,580
And so that night when we prayed together,

537
00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:25,000
you know what?

538
00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:26,540
Their part's prayer was a little bit more

539
00:14:26,540 --> 00:14:26,880
earnest.

540
00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:28,580
They had a deeper cry.

541
00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:29,980
You know what they prayed?

542
00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:31,400
They said, Lord, I pray that you would

543
00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:33,140
take away the bad thoughts in my mind

544
00:14:33,140 --> 00:14:34,560
and give me good thoughts.

545
00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:35,880
Then they all prayed it fervently.

546
00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:37,200
I was very convicted.

547
00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:39,400
They all said, Lord Jesus, take away all

548
00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,540
my bad thoughts and give me good thoughts.

549
00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:43,400
Give me good thoughts of you, Jesus.

550
00:14:43,980 --> 00:14:45,800
You know where it starts this year, how

551
00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,360
we're going to grow with Jesus, is we

552
00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:48,280
need to renew our mind.

553
00:14:48,940 --> 00:14:49,980
We need to renew our mind.

554
00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:51,160
We need to take thoughts captive.

555
00:14:51,580 --> 00:14:52,800
And we just say, Lord, what are your

556
00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:53,760
interests above my own?

557
00:14:53,820 --> 00:14:55,440
Because every single day, from the moment you

558
00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:56,920
wake up to the moment you go to

559
00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,900
bed, in your mind, you get fired, fiery

560
00:14:59,900 --> 00:15:01,940
darts that come and buffer your mind and

561
00:15:01,940 --> 00:15:07,240
give you ideas, imaginations, bitter thoughts, things and

562
00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:08,880
arguments against other people.

563
00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:10,760
You need to learn to take those thoughts

564
00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:11,080
captive.

565
00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:12,560
You need to say, Lord, this year, I

566
00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:14,380
pray that you would renew my mind so

567
00:15:14,380 --> 00:15:16,040
that me may prove what is the perfect

568
00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:16,580
will of God.

569
00:15:17,140 --> 00:15:18,400
And every single time that I have a

570
00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:20,900
high thought about myself, I say, Lord, help

571
00:15:20,900 --> 00:15:22,900
me to humble myself, because it's not of

572
00:15:22,900 --> 00:15:23,020
me.

573
00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:23,460
It's you.

574
00:15:23,860 --> 00:15:24,900
It's you who's done the work.

575
00:15:24,980 --> 00:15:25,940
It's you who started the work.

576
00:15:26,020 --> 00:15:27,100
It's you who's going to finish the work.

577
00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:29,760
Even thoughts of unbelief, where the Lord, you

578
00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:30,460
can't do it.

579
00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:31,720
You're not able to.

580
00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:33,880
I don't believe that you're working in my

581
00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:34,640
life at this time.

582
00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:36,100
No, my friends, we have to trust the

583
00:15:36,100 --> 00:15:37,360
Lord, that we believe in him whom he

584
00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,160
has sent, that we can say, Lord, even

585
00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,360
though this situation seems very plain, you are

586
00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,460
able to work this for my good, and

587
00:15:44,460 --> 00:15:45,880
you are working it after my good.

588
00:15:46,340 --> 00:15:47,740
I'm trusting you in this situation.

589
00:15:48,060 --> 00:15:49,780
Guys, we need thoughts of faith this year,

590
00:15:50,140 --> 00:15:52,300
thoughts of faith to trust the Lord, to

591
00:15:52,300 --> 00:15:54,540
believe in him, to say, Lord, you are

592
00:15:54,540 --> 00:15:56,360
greater than anything.

593
00:15:56,500 --> 00:15:57,700
It says in the Bible, if he who

594
00:15:57,700 --> 00:15:58,960
is in you is greater than he who

595
00:15:58,960 --> 00:15:59,500
is in the world.

596
00:15:59,940 --> 00:16:01,640
So I don't care what situation you're in.

597
00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:03,380
God is greater than it.

598
00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,000
And you can rely on him and the

599
00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:06,760
resource of his strength, the resource of his

600
00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:07,280
Holy Spirit.

601
00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,080
You can rely on him to help you

602
00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,120
endure and to overcome in that situation.

603
00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:13,620
And Jesus said to Peter, he said, Peter,

604
00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:14,840
I do not pray that you won't fail.

605
00:16:14,900 --> 00:16:16,240
I pray that your faith won't fail.

606
00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:17,900
And I pray this year that your faith

607
00:16:17,900 --> 00:16:18,740
will not fail, brothers.

608
00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:20,620
I pray this year that your faith will

609
00:16:20,620 --> 00:16:21,080
not fail.

610
00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:22,540
That you will say, you know what, in

611
00:16:22,540 --> 00:16:24,000
times past, I haven't got the victory.

612
00:16:24,460 --> 00:16:26,500
But today I'm trusting you for the victory.

613
00:16:26,620 --> 00:16:28,620
Because the Bible says clearly, faith is the

614
00:16:28,620 --> 00:16:29,860
victory that overcomes the world.

615
00:16:30,300 --> 00:16:31,960
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

616
00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:33,620
We don't have to be unbelieving.

617
00:16:34,660 --> 00:16:35,920
It says, do not have an evil heart

618
00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:36,520
of unbelief.

619
00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:38,560
And every single time you have that thought

620
00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:39,800
of unbelief come in your mind, you need

621
00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:40,520
to take a captain.

622
00:16:41,580 --> 00:16:43,660
You know, I remember I worked seven, eight

623
00:16:43,660 --> 00:16:45,920
years at a job where I made very

624
00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:46,200
little.

625
00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,100
And I said, Lord, it is impossible for

626
00:16:48,100 --> 00:16:50,120
you to change my life in this situation.

627
00:16:50,180 --> 00:16:51,900
I'm telling you right now, I look back

628
00:16:51,900 --> 00:16:54,180
with shame in my heart and in my

629
00:16:54,180 --> 00:16:56,200
tongue saying, I can't believe I said that.

630
00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:57,920
Because the Lord is able to do more

631
00:16:57,920 --> 00:16:58,700
than we ask or think.

632
00:16:58,980 --> 00:16:59,680
I'm now married.

633
00:16:59,780 --> 00:17:00,600
I have five children.

634
00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:01,960
I own two businesses.

635
00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:02,960
I can't believe it.

636
00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:07,020
A guy like me, a worthless lout, living

637
00:17:07,020 --> 00:17:09,099
on my sister's couch, and the Lord had

638
00:17:09,099 --> 00:17:09,800
mercy on me.

639
00:17:10,660 --> 00:17:12,319
I can look back and say with gratitude

640
00:17:12,319 --> 00:17:13,880
that the Lord has done great things.

641
00:17:13,940 --> 00:17:15,040
Some of us would say the Lord's not

642
00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:16,119
doing anything in my life.

643
00:17:16,380 --> 00:17:18,140
No, my friends, the Lord has not allowed

644
00:17:18,140 --> 00:17:19,040
me to perish in the way.

645
00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:20,859
He has had mercy on me.

646
00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:22,500
And he's even allowed me to make dumb

647
00:17:22,500 --> 00:17:26,140
mistakes, trip over my feet, fall face first

648
00:17:26,140 --> 00:17:26,619
in the ground.

649
00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,020
But the Lord, he's been my stay.

650
00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:29,720
He's held me up.

651
00:17:29,780 --> 00:17:30,900
And he says, Dan, let's keep going.

652
00:17:30,980 --> 00:17:31,680
Let's get back up.

653
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:32,940
Let's keep walking with him.

654
00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:34,820
No, we can't be discouraged.

655
00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:37,460
Discouragement comes through unbelief.

656
00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:38,780
No, we have to have faith.

657
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,660
And we say, Lord Jesus, you're greater than

658
00:17:40,660 --> 00:17:41,180
my ambition.

659
00:17:41,300 --> 00:17:42,500
Why is it always about me?

660
00:17:42,740 --> 00:17:44,620
That's why we get discouraged and unbelieving, because

661
00:17:44,620 --> 00:17:45,640
it's always about us.

662
00:17:46,120 --> 00:17:46,980
My situation.

663
00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,080
What about your situation, Lord?

664
00:17:49,460 --> 00:17:50,840
Help me to take my eyes off of

665
00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:52,160
myself and to put them onto you.

666
00:17:52,460 --> 00:17:53,920
What are your interests, Lord Jesus?

667
00:17:54,380 --> 00:17:55,580
Is it your interest that I would have

668
00:17:55,580 --> 00:17:57,140
two businesses so I can be successful?

669
00:17:57,580 --> 00:17:59,020
No, it's your interest that I would have

670
00:17:59,020 --> 00:17:59,220
this.

671
00:17:59,220 --> 00:18:01,200
So it can be a place of refuge

672
00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,180
for people who can work there, for customers

673
00:18:03,180 --> 00:18:04,420
who come in and we can help them.

674
00:18:05,540 --> 00:18:06,880
Things that I can do for the glory

675
00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:07,200
of God.

676
00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:08,360
I get on my knees and I say,

677
00:18:08,460 --> 00:18:10,220
Lord, let this not be my place.

678
00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:11,160
Let this be your place.

679
00:18:11,180 --> 00:18:12,340
And let me use it for your glory.

680
00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:13,720
You've given it to me for a season.

681
00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:15,460
And I pray that in this time I'll

682
00:18:15,460 --> 00:18:16,300
be faithful with it.

683
00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:18,680
Help me, Lord Jesus, to not use it

684
00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:20,440
for my own glory or gain, but for

685
00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,360
your witness and your testimony.

686
00:18:24,660 --> 00:18:25,460
You know, I was so encouraged.

687
00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:26,980
I had one customer come in the other

688
00:18:26,980 --> 00:18:29,220
day and she wept and she said, Dan,

689
00:18:29,260 --> 00:18:30,060
you've always helped me.

690
00:18:32,740 --> 00:18:33,940
You've always helped our family.

691
00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:36,540
You know, it brought joy to my heart

692
00:18:36,540 --> 00:18:37,840
and I said, Lord, help me to do

693
00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,040
this with everybody in every situation that you

694
00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:40,500
put me in.

695
00:18:41,020 --> 00:18:42,940
Help me, Lord, to remember all the good

696
00:18:42,940 --> 00:18:44,120
things that you've done for me and how

697
00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:46,460
you've delivered me from a life of slavery,

698
00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:47,820
a life of affliction.

699
00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:50,100
And you want to bring me to a

700
00:18:50,100 --> 00:18:51,620
place of abundance and life in you.

701
00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:53,960
Let us reflect on the promises of God,

702
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:55,760
because the promises of God are true and

703
00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:57,080
yes and amen in Christ Jesus.

704
00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:59,180
Promises of God will get you out of

705
00:18:59,180 --> 00:19:00,200
the situation you're in.

706
00:19:00,540 --> 00:19:01,660
But you need to call on the name

707
00:19:01,660 --> 00:19:02,060
of the Lord.

708
00:19:02,060 --> 00:19:03,700
You need to suffer in the flesh.

709
00:19:03,860 --> 00:19:04,760
You need to deny yourself.

710
00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:06,360
You need to take up your cross and

711
00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:07,940
you need to follow after him and you

712
00:19:07,940 --> 00:19:09,240
need to ask him to have mercy on

713
00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:09,400
you.

714
00:19:09,820 --> 00:19:11,620
God is able to deliver you from every

715
00:19:11,620 --> 00:19:12,320
power of darkness.

716
00:19:12,900 --> 00:19:14,460
He is able to deliver you from every

717
00:19:14,460 --> 00:19:14,760
sin.

718
00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:17,500
He's able to deliver you in every situation

719
00:19:17,500 --> 00:19:18,080
that you're in.

720
00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:20,840
As David said at the end of his

721
00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,080
life, the God who has delivered me out

722
00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:23,940
of all my troubles.

723
00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:25,920
Let us ask the Lord to do that

724
00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:26,900
in our lives as well, too.

725
00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:27,120
Amen.