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Should we marry someone?

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Should we downsize?

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You fill in the blank.

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Hearing that voice of God, and I've noticed,

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and I'm sure many of you have, is

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the more time we spend pressing in, seeking

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Him, repenting, getting our hearts right, prayer meetings,

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worship mornings, the more His voice becomes clear.

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It actually becomes louder.

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You turn up the volume on hearing the

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voice of God because you're pressing in.

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And it's when we don't, most Christians that

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are confused is because they're spending too much

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time doing this, or this.

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What's the news say?

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Now there's monkey pox.

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Did you know that?

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Biden is worried about this new virus.

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Monkey pox.

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Is there an election coming up or something?

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Those darn melon ballots.

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Shane, don't get political.

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I'm not, I'm getting biblical, it's the truth.

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It's the truth.

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We're in interesting times right now.

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We are in very interesting times right now.

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Elon Musk just switched political parties.

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I emailed a few people, said this guy's

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toast.

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They're not going to allow that.

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The woke culture is going to, and he

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is being, his stock dropped 44%.

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He's being attacked.

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He's tweeted out things that, if I end

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up dead, it's not me.

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See, this is huge.

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This is huge.

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And pastors are silent.

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I don't want to talk about that kind

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of stuff.

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That kind of stuff is what matters.

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People are hungry for that kind of stuff.

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You point them to the cross with relevant

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things that are going on.

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So that's my tirades over.

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But I saw that come, didn't you?

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As soon as he announced, boy, oh boy,

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he's going to have everyone against him.

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Hollywood, the president, the current administration on all

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areas, just the woke culture, liberal churches.

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I mean, pray for that guy.

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I think he needs the Lord.

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And I was reminded, again, studying, and I

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told you last week, God's will isn't always

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what we want.

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Because as believers, we think God's will must

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be this sweet spot where everything is flowing.

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Everything is going good.

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Man, if I can just get in the

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center of God's will, it's challenging actually in

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God's will.

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Because your flesh is protesting.

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The enemy is coming after you.

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The world is influencing you.

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And being in God's will is you're doing

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things that God wants you to do.

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And that always brings spiritual upheaval.

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And that was a big wake-up call

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for me when I first came back to

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the Lord.

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I'm like, oh, back in God's will.

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Now I had tremendous peace, thank God, but

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it was not what I thought.

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It was not the beach in Cancun that

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I thought would happen.

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It was very challenging.

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But thank God we are anchored to the

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rock.

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And though the waves beat against that boat,

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we are anchored to Jesus Christ.

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Last week also briefly, faith must be tested.

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Your faith will be tested.

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It will be tried.

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It will be challenged.

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And as a pastor, I've seen it many

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times.

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I mean, all of us can talk the

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right talk.

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Correct?

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Say the right thing.

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Things are going good.

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But it's actually when things go haywire or

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go the opposite direction.

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I thought this, but now what's happening here?

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This is not what I expected.

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That's where real faith is tested.

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And I wish I could report to you

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that most people finish well.

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Most people get upset at God.

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This is not what I was praying for.

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This is not what I was planning on.

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And their faith falters because it was built

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on this idea of God's going to work

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everything out according to my will, the way

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I want it done.

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And I've seen it.

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So many people, they get bitter, they get

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upset at church because really God is showing

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them what is in their heart.

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And we were in Genesis 22, this incredible

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chapter where Abraham, I think it's 22 verse

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3, we left off.

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So Abraham rose early in the morning and

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saddled his donkey and took two of his

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young men with him and Isaac his son.

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And he split the wood for the burnt

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offering and arose and went to the place

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of which God had told him.

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Now last week, again to get you caught

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up, God told Abraham to sacrifice his son.

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And of course that doesn't make sense.

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We don't understand that.

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But as in the case of Abraham and

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the case of Job, thank God, God gave

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us the hardest examples.

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Then we can't say, well, they didn't have

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it as hard as me in the Bible.

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Well, Job had it pretty hard.

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I haven't met anybody who comes close to

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what Job experienced, or what David went through

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with Saul, or that God gives us these

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examples for us to follow and be encouraged.

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And one of those is Abraham.

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And God said, take your son, this son

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of the promise, this impossible thing that happened

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to give birth at 100 years old, and

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his wife was 90.

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Now give this up that I gave you.

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It's incredible, this miracle.

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Now give it up and put it on

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the altar.

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And a lot of sermons have been preached

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on that topic.

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There's wonderful principles in that as well, putting

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that dream on the altar and giving it

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back to God.

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And I often tell couples who are thinking

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about getting married, what do you think God's

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will is?

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We're a little confused, and we don't quite

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understand what's going on.

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And how do we know exactly, perfectly what

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God's will is?

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And often I tell them, you won't know

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until the day you say, I do.

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Because you're putting that relationship on the altar.

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Lord, I'm giving this up to You.

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And then once you say, I do, you're

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locked and loaded.

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Now you can't go back and change your

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mind.

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So that's why this idea of marriage is

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so important.

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It's the second most important decision you'll ever

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make.

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But putting those things on the altar, so

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many people, they have godly ambition for something.

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God has given us ambition to do things

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for Him.

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And that's why sometimes, you know, I don't

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mind putting the messages on the radio and

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promoting it, getting it out there, as long

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as our hearts are right, and we want

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God to get it out there, and God

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gives us that desire for a reason.

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If not, we just sit at home all

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day and do nothing.

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And having that godly ambition, that godly desire,

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but also putting that on the altar.

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Saying, Lord, if you just have me help

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in children's ministry, or nursery, or special needs,

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if you just have me be an usher

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and clean the parking lot, I'll put all

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these ideas on the altar and I'm sacrificing

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it to you.

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And God says, oh, that's faith I can

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use.

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I often think, even in my own life,

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how much more could God use us if

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we completely laid down our agendas and our

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wants and our desires, and if we don't

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get our way, we get in a bad

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mood?

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Anybody relate to that?

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Or that's just me?

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Every head should be shaking in this room.

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And so that is important, understanding God's will.

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But this last verse here, and arose and

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went to the place of which God had

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told him.

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He didn't try to manipulate, or he didn't

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try to circumvent, he went to exactly where

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God told him.

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And of course, the main thing that jumps

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out is obedience is essential when you're trying

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to determine God's will, or walking God's will.

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The amazing thing about God's will is sometimes,

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even in myself, we make it harder than

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it actually is.

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A lot of things are crystal clear in

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God's word.

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Do you know the Bible says, his will

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is that you should worship him.

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His will is that you should pray.

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His will is that you should make disciples.

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His will is that you should live a

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holy life before him.

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His will is that all come to salvation.

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And there's clear things.

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And you live in those principles.

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But Shane, what about the things that are

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gray area?

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Well, again, God's word offers a lot of

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principles.

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It won't tell you the name of the

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person you're supposed to marry, but it will

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offer principles.

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It doesn't tell you where you should work

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exactly, but it will offer principles.

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And I'm amazed, especially how many men compromise

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this area.

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And I believe unequally yoked applies to business

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partnerships as well.

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Absolutely.

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The context of Paul is light and darkness,

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and what fellowship has bell with God, and

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what fellowship has light with darkness.

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And so business relationships, marriage relationships, any type

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of relationship where you're linked together, but you're

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unequally yoked, it's preventing you from doing God's

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work.

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But His word gives us clarity on these

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issues.

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So we might not know the exact answer.

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We know the direction in which to walk.

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And then that's when we start to compromise

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is when we run into trouble.

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So obedience to God's word despite feelings.

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Lord, I'm having a real challenging time right

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now.

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What am I supposed to do?

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I know the Bible says forgive, but hmm.

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Well, until you get past that first point,

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until you obey that first point, it's hard

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to get clear direction until you begin to

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obey that first thing.

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Because we often, we know God wants us

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to do this, but then we're like, well,

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not no, not right now.

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Lord, show me something else.

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And you can hang out there with massive

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frustration if you don't obey the initial thing

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He told you to do.

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How many people have we seen at this

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altar over the years who just crying because

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God finally set them free and they feel

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this breakthrough and they finally let something go?

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Or they finally obeyed.

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And that thing that's been, because God's not

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like, okay, well, I guess they're not going

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to do this.

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I guess I better change course.

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Remember last week, God doesn't say, let's make

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a deal.

275
00:10:45,540 --> 00:10:46,760
He says, this is the deal.

276
00:10:48,020 --> 00:10:50,060
And I've seen people go their whole life,

277
00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,160
disobeying what God has called them to do.

278
00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:55,800
And it's very sad.

279
00:10:56,740 --> 00:10:59,540
Most follow the wrong voice because they live

280
00:10:59,540 --> 00:11:00,280
in deception.

281
00:11:00,940 --> 00:11:03,280
Did you know, this is the pastor, I

282
00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:04,000
realize this a lot.

283
00:11:04,420 --> 00:11:06,040
Did you know that with all the people

284
00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:11,080
here today, you can actually leave this service

285
00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,540
and live in deception, even though you heard

286
00:11:14,540 --> 00:11:15,240
what I'm saying?

287
00:11:16,660 --> 00:11:18,420
You might say, how is that possible?

288
00:11:19,700 --> 00:11:22,060
Because James said, be doers of the Word

289
00:11:22,060 --> 00:11:26,340
and not just hearers.

290
00:11:26,500 --> 00:11:28,120
Because if you're just a hearer of the

291
00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,380
Word, you actually live your life.

292
00:11:30,660 --> 00:11:33,560
You make choices, the wrong choices, and you

293
00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:35,280
think they're the right choices and you live

294
00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:35,820
in deception.

295
00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:39,780
Know of any Christians living in deception?

296
00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,340
Oh my, my, my.

297
00:11:43,140 --> 00:11:45,100
All of us have maybe camped out there

298
00:11:45,100 --> 00:11:45,840
for a little while.

299
00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,220
We know it, but we're not going to

300
00:11:49,220 --> 00:11:49,740
obey it.

301
00:11:49,820 --> 00:11:51,960
And then we get prideful and we start

302
00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,920
to make decisions that aren't God honoring, aren't

303
00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:56,000
lining up with His Word.

304
00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,040
We think, well, look, I'm getting away with

305
00:11:58,040 --> 00:11:58,160
it.

306
00:11:58,180 --> 00:11:58,960
God's patience.

307
00:11:59,220 --> 00:12:01,300
No, His patience is not His approval.

308
00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,120
And we begin to experience this deception.

309
00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,020
And the interesting thing about deception is it's

310
00:12:09,020 --> 00:12:12,980
hard to spot when you have it.

311
00:12:13,780 --> 00:12:15,420
Others can spot it pretty easily.

312
00:12:17,220 --> 00:12:20,060
But it's us, it's our hearts that really

313
00:12:20,060 --> 00:12:22,680
can't see that deception.

314
00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:26,980
And what's interesting, you can see this quite

315
00:12:26,980 --> 00:12:27,440
frequently.

316
00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:30,800
And when someone is lovingly confronted, are they

317
00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:31,260
thankful?

318
00:12:35,470 --> 00:12:36,770
Let that sink in.

319
00:12:37,970 --> 00:12:40,070
Lovingly confronted, are they thankful?

320
00:12:40,350 --> 00:12:42,010
Thank you for caring for me.

321
00:12:42,190 --> 00:12:43,750
And I didn't realize that.

322
00:12:43,790 --> 00:12:44,150
You're right.

323
00:12:44,230 --> 00:12:45,630
Thank you for pointing that out.

324
00:12:46,670 --> 00:12:47,270
Nope.

325
00:12:48,150 --> 00:12:49,310
It's quite the opposite.

326
00:12:50,470 --> 00:12:51,770
Living in deception.

327
00:12:52,770 --> 00:12:54,430
And maybe this will apply to some of

328
00:12:54,430 --> 00:12:55,910
you here or those listening.

329
00:12:57,110 --> 00:13:01,650
If there's a constant attitude of criticism, if

330
00:13:01,650 --> 00:13:03,970
there's a constant critical spirit in your heart,

331
00:13:04,570 --> 00:13:06,250
it's a good sign often that we're living

332
00:13:06,250 --> 00:13:06,770
in deception.

333
00:13:07,930 --> 00:13:10,250
I've been there before many times.

334
00:13:10,510 --> 00:13:12,910
When we're constantly nitpicking others.

335
00:13:13,290 --> 00:13:15,270
When we're constantly saying, well, I don't know

336
00:13:15,270 --> 00:13:15,850
about this.

337
00:13:16,710 --> 00:13:19,170
And we have a critical spirit.

338
00:13:19,970 --> 00:13:21,890
And a critical spirit, it's hard to hear

339
00:13:21,890 --> 00:13:22,490
from God.

340
00:13:22,990 --> 00:13:24,830
Because you know you need to change.

341
00:13:24,950 --> 00:13:26,550
You know there's areas in your life, but

342
00:13:26,550 --> 00:13:28,010
you're not open to those changes.

343
00:13:28,130 --> 00:13:31,090
And you become critical and condescending to others.

344
00:13:31,510 --> 00:13:33,630
That's a sure sign of not hearing from

345
00:13:33,630 --> 00:13:33,750
God.

346
00:13:33,750 --> 00:13:35,310
Because when we're hearing from God and doing

347
00:13:35,310 --> 00:13:38,910
His will, don't we become more gentle and

348
00:13:38,910 --> 00:13:40,430
loving and understanding?

349
00:13:41,690 --> 00:13:44,730
Doesn't humility permeate from our hearts and our

350
00:13:44,730 --> 00:13:45,150
lives?

351
00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:47,430
Absolutely.

352
00:13:48,970 --> 00:13:52,530
And spiritual maturity comes from humility and obedience.

353
00:13:53,230 --> 00:13:56,230
They grow through difficulties rather than run from

354
00:13:56,230 --> 00:13:56,470
them.

355
00:13:56,830 --> 00:13:58,450
All these people we look at, especially if

356
00:13:58,450 --> 00:14:01,370
you read Hebrews, the race of faith, and

357
00:14:01,370 --> 00:14:04,150
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the

358
00:14:04,150 --> 00:14:05,410
heroes of our faith.

359
00:14:05,650 --> 00:14:09,130
The interesting thing is they became spiritually mature

360
00:14:09,130 --> 00:14:10,530
by obeying God.

361
00:14:11,390 --> 00:14:13,230
And I see this all the time as

362
00:14:13,230 --> 00:14:13,470
well.

363
00:14:13,570 --> 00:14:15,790
Those who are actually spiritually mature, you've heard

364
00:14:15,790 --> 00:14:18,170
me say this before, are those who are

365
00:14:18,170 --> 00:14:19,310
obeying God's Word.

366
00:14:20,890 --> 00:14:25,130
Because we don't mature spiritually, here's this important,

367
00:14:25,890 --> 00:14:27,350
chronologically by our age.

368
00:14:30,510 --> 00:14:31,650
I know some people who have been a

369
00:14:31,650 --> 00:14:33,770
believer for about three years, and they are

370
00:14:33,770 --> 00:14:36,290
way more mature than those who have been

371
00:14:36,290 --> 00:14:37,830
believers for 30 years.

372
00:14:39,830 --> 00:14:40,970
How is that possible?

373
00:14:41,490 --> 00:14:43,310
Because they stay stuck in that area of

374
00:14:43,310 --> 00:14:43,950
disobedience.

375
00:14:45,570 --> 00:14:47,810
Often, I want to be careful here, please

376
00:14:47,810 --> 00:14:50,810
understand my heart, and this is not always

377
00:14:50,810 --> 00:14:53,550
the case, but often, and I probably have

378
00:14:53,550 --> 00:14:55,190
seen it more than, pastors have seen this

379
00:14:55,190 --> 00:14:57,510
more than anybody, have you ever heard that

380
00:14:57,510 --> 00:14:58,570
phrase, church hopping?

381
00:15:02,300 --> 00:15:03,660
Let me try this church.

382
00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:05,240
Let me try this church.

383
00:15:06,260 --> 00:15:09,240
Often, often, those people are not very mature.

384
00:15:10,380 --> 00:15:13,700
Now there's times and places to switch and

385
00:15:13,700 --> 00:15:14,640
to move.

386
00:15:14,860 --> 00:15:17,620
And the pandemic brought out a lot of

387
00:15:17,620 --> 00:15:19,980
people out from different churches for good reasons.

388
00:15:21,540 --> 00:15:22,920
And they are mature people.

389
00:15:23,060 --> 00:15:24,580
They say, the truth is not here anymore,

390
00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:27,900
there's cowardliness, Romans 13, all these kinds, and

391
00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:29,320
that's not what I'm talking about.

392
00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,040
But I've seen it, I mean, especially when

393
00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,300
it first started, and people come and, oh,

394
00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:36,600
I read your articles, and I hear, man,

395
00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:37,980
you love the truth.

396
00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:39,760
Man, you're just a truth guy.

397
00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:41,680
I tell my wife, watch out, critical heart.

398
00:15:43,940 --> 00:15:44,860
Six months, they're gone.

399
00:15:46,420 --> 00:15:48,160
Come to find out, they're putting down the

400
00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:49,580
other church, and then the other church before

401
00:15:49,580 --> 00:15:51,000
that, and the other church before that.

402
00:15:52,740 --> 00:15:54,140
And they're not the problem.

403
00:15:58,380 --> 00:16:00,780
But see, those people from hopping to different

404
00:16:00,780 --> 00:16:04,160
churches rarely grow in their faith.

405
00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:05,120
Why?

406
00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:06,140
Why is that?

407
00:16:06,540 --> 00:16:09,440
Because they're running from the challenge rather than

408
00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:10,120
confronting it.

409
00:16:12,510 --> 00:16:15,050
I mean, just, I hate being so honest,

410
00:16:15,230 --> 00:16:18,670
but I would have left this church a

411
00:16:18,670 --> 00:16:21,290
hundred times if I wasn't the pastor.

412
00:16:22,270 --> 00:16:24,110
Maybe you too, yeah, Morgan too.

413
00:16:25,770 --> 00:16:26,550
Sheep bite.

414
00:16:27,870 --> 00:16:31,410
We've had to have meetings, and things, and

415
00:16:31,410 --> 00:16:35,170
problems, and you just, you know, as the

416
00:16:35,170 --> 00:16:37,110
lead pastor, it's everything's your fault.

417
00:16:38,270 --> 00:16:39,070
Everything's my fault.

418
00:16:39,130 --> 00:16:40,350
I don't even know something happened, it's my

419
00:16:40,350 --> 00:16:40,590
fault.

420
00:16:41,270 --> 00:16:43,310
And this kind of stuff, and this kind

421
00:16:43,310 --> 00:16:43,870
of stuff.

422
00:16:44,590 --> 00:16:45,810
And so, man, I would have gotten out

423
00:16:45,810 --> 00:16:46,070
of here.

424
00:16:46,430 --> 00:16:48,270
I worked there, I can't leave.

425
00:16:48,650 --> 00:16:49,010
Dang it.

426
00:16:50,750 --> 00:16:52,830
But I'll tell you, it's grown us more

427
00:16:52,830 --> 00:16:53,670
than anything else.

428
00:16:54,430 --> 00:16:59,250
It's having those hard conversations, difficult conversations, and

429
00:16:59,250 --> 00:17:01,090
then you grow stronger from it.

430
00:17:01,510 --> 00:17:04,670
You have tighter relationships because you both went

431
00:17:04,670 --> 00:17:05,589
to battle together.

432
00:17:06,130 --> 00:17:07,450
I mean, if the person's willing, you know

433
00:17:07,450 --> 00:17:08,670
what I mean, there's some people that are

434
00:17:08,670 --> 00:17:10,950
just, you know, negative Nellies and Judge Mel

435
00:17:10,950 --> 00:17:12,349
Gerry's, there's not much you can do about

436
00:17:12,349 --> 00:17:12,650
that.

437
00:17:13,349 --> 00:17:15,410
But for the most part, that's, I thank

438
00:17:15,410 --> 00:17:17,849
God for allowing us to lead because that's

439
00:17:17,849 --> 00:17:19,369
how we've grown a lot spiritually.

440
00:17:19,750 --> 00:17:22,470
You have hard conversations, you grow from your

441
00:17:22,470 --> 00:17:24,430
experiences, you become a better person.

442
00:17:24,869 --> 00:17:26,329
I mean, if you listen to my preaching

443
00:17:26,329 --> 00:17:30,450
10 years ago, man, a couple people have

444
00:17:30,450 --> 00:17:32,130
been here a while said, well, you've changed

445
00:17:32,130 --> 00:17:32,430
a lot.

446
00:17:32,670 --> 00:17:35,270
Not in the, not in changing truth, but

447
00:17:35,270 --> 00:17:37,290
just, you know, you kind of think you

448
00:17:37,290 --> 00:17:39,750
know it all, and you're bolder and a

449
00:17:39,750 --> 00:17:41,990
little bit more arrogant and until you get

450
00:17:41,990 --> 00:17:43,890
hurt and broken and humbled.

451
00:17:44,170 --> 00:17:46,290
And it's like, oh, man, so the message

452
00:17:46,290 --> 00:17:47,170
hasn't changed.

453
00:17:47,410 --> 00:17:48,810
But my heart is a lot more tender.

454
00:17:49,690 --> 00:17:54,850
For example, who told me that somebody told

455
00:17:54,850 --> 00:17:56,510
me used to say this, you remember like,

456
00:17:56,590 --> 00:17:57,510
oh, you're going way back.

457
00:17:58,090 --> 00:17:59,470
You know, if I'm preaching, I'm like, if

458
00:17:59,470 --> 00:18:00,750
you don't like what I'm saying, there's the

459
00:18:00,750 --> 00:18:02,070
door, don't let it kick you on the

460
00:18:02,070 --> 00:18:02,730
way out.

461
00:18:04,410 --> 00:18:05,750
Or hit you on the way out.

462
00:18:09,670 --> 00:18:11,530
The difference is now I feel it, I

463
00:18:11,530 --> 00:18:12,470
just don't say it.

464
00:18:13,350 --> 00:18:16,310
Right, the filter, the filter of the heart,

465
00:18:17,010 --> 00:18:18,950
the filter of the heart.

466
00:18:20,310 --> 00:18:21,750
And just that, you know, just a more

467
00:18:21,750 --> 00:18:24,170
and that you got to have that.

468
00:18:24,630 --> 00:18:26,150
But it just it breaks.

469
00:18:26,230 --> 00:18:28,370
I remember one girl, she's probably 18 and

470
00:18:28,370 --> 00:18:31,010
struggle with same sex attraction said the way

471
00:18:31,010 --> 00:18:33,050
you you preached about that makes me feel

472
00:18:33,050 --> 00:18:34,170
so bad and there's no hope.

473
00:18:34,230 --> 00:18:35,630
I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.

474
00:18:35,930 --> 00:18:36,810
How can I help in that?

475
00:18:36,970 --> 00:18:37,870
What can I do better?

476
00:18:38,250 --> 00:18:40,590
And so I've learned, okay, come out against

477
00:18:40,590 --> 00:18:43,970
the agenda, but encourage the person struggling and

478
00:18:43,970 --> 00:18:46,250
see finding that balance because we're man, you

479
00:18:46,250 --> 00:18:48,190
look at the perversion going on in Hollywood

480
00:18:48,190 --> 00:18:49,630
and the media and what they're trying to

481
00:18:49,630 --> 00:18:50,410
pass in California.

482
00:18:50,750 --> 00:18:54,170
There's a righteous indignation, there's a fire, a

483
00:18:54,170 --> 00:18:55,350
fire that's brewing.

484
00:18:56,970 --> 00:18:59,550
And so how do you, how do you,

485
00:18:59,550 --> 00:19:01,550
how do you put out that fire?

486
00:19:02,150 --> 00:19:03,570
But I'll put out the fire in others.

487
00:19:04,130 --> 00:19:07,250
And it's a very challenging process.

488
00:19:07,950 --> 00:19:08,930
But just be encouraged.

489
00:19:09,230 --> 00:19:09,610
It does.

490
00:19:10,090 --> 00:19:11,930
I would if I would, whether you're listening,

491
00:19:12,030 --> 00:19:14,250
wherever you're at, I wouldn't run from fellow

492
00:19:14,250 --> 00:19:18,390
believers, I would, I would embrace what God

493
00:19:18,390 --> 00:19:20,110
is doing, let God if you're going somewhere

494
00:19:20,110 --> 00:19:23,210
else, nationally, wherever it is, just make sure

495
00:19:23,210 --> 00:19:23,990
God is leading.

496
00:19:24,390 --> 00:19:26,670
And He does do that absolutely does that

497
00:19:26,670 --> 00:19:27,010
often.

498
00:19:27,130 --> 00:19:28,570
But for the most part, that's how we

499
00:19:28,570 --> 00:19:31,490
grow is to go through those challenges and

500
00:19:31,490 --> 00:19:32,890
have those difficult conversations.

501
00:19:33,490 --> 00:19:34,590
And you know what else is good about

502
00:19:34,590 --> 00:19:36,570
that is you don't have you no longer

503
00:19:36,570 --> 00:19:38,790
have a root of bitterness, or you're no

504
00:19:38,790 --> 00:19:41,250
longer holding in this hurt, because you've talked

505
00:19:41,250 --> 00:19:41,790
about it.

506
00:19:42,590 --> 00:19:43,970
It's over, it's done with.

507
00:19:44,030 --> 00:19:46,970
And that's how mature believers handle different situations.

508
00:19:47,630 --> 00:19:48,830
And then verse six and seven.

509
00:19:49,510 --> 00:19:51,830
So Abraham took the wood of the burnt

510
00:19:51,830 --> 00:19:55,710
offering and laid it on Isaac, his son.

511
00:19:56,550 --> 00:19:58,490
Now they're not yet on the altar, Isaac

512
00:19:58,490 --> 00:20:01,170
is helping him carry this burnt off this

513
00:20:01,170 --> 00:20:02,410
wood for the offering.

514
00:20:03,270 --> 00:20:04,890
And he took the fire in his hand,

515
00:20:05,010 --> 00:20:09,050
they didn't have things that that could light

516
00:20:09,050 --> 00:20:10,610
the fire easily, it was they would get

517
00:20:10,610 --> 00:20:12,150
the fire started and then carry that with

518
00:20:12,150 --> 00:20:12,350
them.

519
00:20:12,570 --> 00:20:13,570
And he had a knife.

520
00:20:13,930 --> 00:20:15,910
And the two of them went together.

521
00:20:16,350 --> 00:20:18,450
And now I'm going to paraphrase the next

522
00:20:18,450 --> 00:20:18,730
verse.

523
00:20:19,530 --> 00:20:23,330
Dad, I see the fire.

524
00:20:25,910 --> 00:20:28,170
And I see the wood, but where is

525
00:20:28,170 --> 00:20:29,930
the lamb for the burnt offering?

526
00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,120
And Abraham responded, my son, God will provide

527
00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:37,920
the lamb for a burnt offering.

528
00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:41,980
I mean, I can only imagine what Abraham

529
00:20:41,980 --> 00:20:42,700
is going through.

530
00:20:43,660 --> 00:20:45,360
I mean, we read this like, okay, next

531
00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:46,100
verse, next chapter.

532
00:20:46,540 --> 00:20:47,500
But can you imagine?

533
00:20:48,780 --> 00:20:51,680
Like, I've got is, is God really calling

534
00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:52,580
me to do this?

535
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,420
Would you question yourself?

536
00:20:54,980 --> 00:20:55,620
I would.

537
00:20:56,620 --> 00:20:57,460
Is God really?

538
00:20:58,080 --> 00:20:59,860
I can't make I can't make a mistake

539
00:20:59,860 --> 00:21:01,140
here, Lord, is that really your voice?

540
00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:02,400
I can't I love my son.

541
00:21:02,500 --> 00:21:05,380
And you can just that the sweat probably

542
00:21:05,380 --> 00:21:07,340
coming down and just, but you can also

543
00:21:07,340 --> 00:21:10,000
see Lord, what you'll provide, I'm trusting you,

544
00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:11,040
what is all this about?

545
00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:14,140
And all these emotions going through his mind.

546
00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:17,380
And it's a good reminder that God's will

547
00:21:17,380 --> 00:21:20,480
often involves divine intervention.

548
00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:26,620
God's will often involves divine intervention, from finances

549
00:21:26,620 --> 00:21:29,320
to open doors or closed doors, as you're

550
00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:33,080
trusting God and seeking God, often, let Him

551
00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:34,220
maneuver the chess.

552
00:21:35,900 --> 00:21:38,360
Let Him open the door for that job

553
00:21:38,360 --> 00:21:39,360
or that situation.

554
00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:41,480
It's good to press in and do things

555
00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:42,560
like I tell people, you're trying to get

556
00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:44,440
a job, put out some applications.

557
00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,160
Don't just sit at home watching Netflix, you

558
00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:49,080
might not get a job.

559
00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,280
And so we have to step out in

560
00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:54,800
faith and trust God do these things.

561
00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,200
But ultimately, how many of us have stories

562
00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,660
that if God didn't do it, it was

563
00:22:01,660 --> 00:22:02,820
absolutely impossible.

564
00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:07,040
If God didn't do this, at this time

565
00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,320
with this situation, with these set with this

566
00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,260
circumstance, all this is impossible, because he's the

567
00:22:14,260 --> 00:22:15,300
master chess player.

568
00:22:16,260 --> 00:22:19,020
And often praying for his will doesn't happen

569
00:22:19,020 --> 00:22:20,180
without that happening.

570
00:22:21,340 --> 00:22:24,260
And Abraham ponder God's will in his heart,

571
00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:26,840
ponder God's will in his heart.

572
00:22:27,500 --> 00:22:28,660
He didn't go well, you know, you're the

573
00:22:28,660 --> 00:22:29,340
sacrifice.

574
00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,840
Right at the beginning, he pondered and that's

575
00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:33,900
I think that's important.

576
00:22:34,340 --> 00:22:35,580
Boy, have I learned this lesson the hard

577
00:22:35,580 --> 00:22:35,820
way.

578
00:22:36,660 --> 00:22:38,740
Do you know not everyone's excited about what

579
00:22:38,740 --> 00:22:39,620
God puts on your heart?

580
00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:42,460
Just try it sometime.

581
00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,740
I've learned now to just many times just

582
00:22:46,740 --> 00:22:47,880
just I'm just gonna pray through.

583
00:22:48,460 --> 00:22:50,000
We also see this with Nehemiah.

584
00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,740
He pondered what God put in his heart

585
00:22:52,740 --> 00:22:54,020
about rebuilding the wall.

586
00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:58,760
Mary pondered in her heart, having the Messiah,

587
00:22:59,340 --> 00:23:02,320
Joseph probably should have pondered in his heart

588
00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:03,900
that he was the favorite son.

589
00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:06,480
Maybe not though, of course, God used all

590
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:07,100
that all.

591
00:23:07,420 --> 00:23:10,420
If that story is amazing to you, your

592
00:23:10,420 --> 00:23:12,000
brothers try to kill you.

593
00:23:12,180 --> 00:23:13,820
Instead, they sell you into slavery, you end

594
00:23:13,820 --> 00:23:17,140
up becoming second to Pharaoh, but first going

595
00:23:17,140 --> 00:23:21,080
to prison, because Potter's wife accused you and

596
00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:22,620
I mean, God, you see him in all

597
00:23:22,620 --> 00:23:22,840
of that.

598
00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:26,740
And so we have to remember that, that

599
00:23:26,740 --> 00:23:30,800
it's not, it's not advantageous to tell people

600
00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,180
what God's will is all the time.

601
00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:37,520
Because they don't always agree with you.

602
00:23:37,740 --> 00:23:38,900
Now I'm gonna get into in just a

603
00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:41,320
little bit, seeking godly counsel is very important.

604
00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:45,280
But when God gives you something, just ponder

605
00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:46,060
it for a while.

606
00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:48,600
Because what happens, you start to share it

607
00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:49,140
with people.

608
00:23:50,140 --> 00:23:52,140
And do they encourage you?

609
00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:54,380
Some do.

610
00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:56,120
My mom did a lot.

611
00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:58,780
But not everyone said just well, you know,

612
00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:00,100
I don't know.

613
00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:02,180
I don't know about that.

614
00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:03,300
Are you sure that was God?

615
00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:06,640
I know that's pretty expensive.

616
00:24:07,940 --> 00:24:09,860
I don't know, I don't see you doing

617
00:24:09,860 --> 00:24:10,260
that.

618
00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:16,560
I don't know that that's not really that

619
00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:18,500
doesn't really line up with what I think.

620
00:24:18,580 --> 00:24:20,000
And again, it's good to seek godly counsel,

621
00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:22,440
but make sure to ponder something in your

622
00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,600
heart, because people aren't going to see what

623
00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:26,740
God is doing in your life.

624
00:24:26,860 --> 00:24:28,180
God's doing something in your life.

625
00:24:29,380 --> 00:24:31,240
So you can't say, oh, you can't say

626
00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,240
you feel or see that exact same thing,

627
00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,220
because God might be calling you to do

628
00:24:35,220 --> 00:24:35,980
something different.

629
00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,320
And most people sometimes have are biased.

630
00:24:40,180 --> 00:24:43,860
They don't want to see others excel, or

631
00:24:43,860 --> 00:24:45,100
they don't want them to step out in

632
00:24:45,100 --> 00:24:46,580
ministry when they're feeling convicted.

633
00:24:48,140 --> 00:24:49,220
Has that ever happened to you?

634
00:24:52,270 --> 00:24:53,570
It's just interesting.

635
00:24:53,730 --> 00:24:55,830
People, you have to do what God's called

636
00:24:55,830 --> 00:24:56,290
you to do.

637
00:24:57,650 --> 00:24:59,750
And I've kind of been putting this in

638
00:24:59,750 --> 00:25:00,970
check for five minutes, so I just want

639
00:25:00,970 --> 00:25:01,950
to make sure I word it correctly.

640
00:25:03,470 --> 00:25:04,770
One of my biggest prayers is, Lord, did

641
00:25:04,770 --> 00:25:05,610
you want me to say that or did

642
00:25:05,610 --> 00:25:06,430
I say that on my own?

643
00:25:07,050 --> 00:25:12,370
But something that discouraged me greatly when I

644
00:25:12,370 --> 00:25:14,590
started the church, I met with a few

645
00:25:14,590 --> 00:25:15,010
pastors.

646
00:25:15,550 --> 00:25:17,070
And it's a well-known pastor in town.

647
00:25:17,070 --> 00:25:17,950
I won't mention names.

648
00:25:18,870 --> 00:25:21,910
But his exact words were, Shane, if you

649
00:25:21,910 --> 00:25:23,770
do decide to pastor, I don't think you

650
00:25:23,770 --> 00:25:24,950
should be writing books.

651
00:25:26,050 --> 00:25:27,790
You can't do that in a pastor.

652
00:25:27,870 --> 00:25:29,130
You have to do one or the other.

653
00:25:30,070 --> 00:25:31,350
And so, man, I struggle.

654
00:25:32,290 --> 00:25:34,510
But what if God told me to do

655
00:25:34,510 --> 00:25:34,770
that?

656
00:25:39,150 --> 00:25:40,490
How do you know that's not part of

657
00:25:40,490 --> 00:25:41,810
what He's called me to do?

658
00:25:42,650 --> 00:25:44,910
And it was a big struggle for quite

659
00:25:44,910 --> 00:25:45,410
a while.

660
00:25:46,630 --> 00:25:49,730
Not to mention this guy reads John MacArthur's

661
00:25:49,730 --> 00:25:51,730
books, and John Piper, and pastors who write

662
00:25:51,730 --> 00:25:54,930
books, but I guess that's a bigger calling.

663
00:25:56,090 --> 00:25:57,630
But as long as it doesn't take away

664
00:25:57,630 --> 00:26:00,810
from your main responsibility, and God makes that

665
00:26:00,810 --> 00:26:01,450
happen.

666
00:26:02,590 --> 00:26:05,610
But see, not everyone shared that joy.

667
00:26:06,110 --> 00:26:07,450
Not everyone agreed with it.

668
00:26:07,890 --> 00:26:09,230
So I'm like, oh, okay, well, thank you.

669
00:26:09,330 --> 00:26:11,030
And then I didn't for a while.

670
00:26:11,890 --> 00:26:14,170
I didn't pursue that.

671
00:26:14,530 --> 00:26:16,270
Another area, that's why I just did this

672
00:26:16,270 --> 00:26:18,410
Saturday, yesterday, and you can watch on YouTube.

673
00:26:18,770 --> 00:26:21,570
I talked about health and our physical bodies

674
00:26:21,570 --> 00:26:23,810
and how the physical parallels with the spiritual.

675
00:26:25,090 --> 00:26:26,830
When I first began to be a pastor,

676
00:26:27,490 --> 00:26:29,570
and that's actually before I became a pastor,

677
00:26:29,670 --> 00:26:30,930
my first book was on that.

678
00:26:30,990 --> 00:26:33,330
So I would travel to churches and different

679
00:26:33,330 --> 00:26:37,250
places and talk about physical health and how

680
00:26:37,250 --> 00:26:39,030
that relationship with God is so important.

681
00:26:39,410 --> 00:26:41,630
And people would be discouraging me.

682
00:26:42,390 --> 00:26:44,190
They would say, you know, you shouldn't talk

683
00:26:44,190 --> 00:26:45,070
about that stuff.

684
00:26:45,210 --> 00:26:47,370
Look, Paul said exercise isn't important.

685
00:26:48,310 --> 00:26:49,450
Those things don't matter.

686
00:26:50,090 --> 00:26:51,250
Why are you talking about that?

687
00:26:51,310 --> 00:26:53,170
I'm like, gosh, yeah, maybe, boy, oh boy.

688
00:26:53,870 --> 00:26:56,710
God, I feel You're wanting me to do

689
00:26:56,710 --> 00:26:57,170
this.

690
00:26:57,850 --> 00:26:59,470
And I just, how long was I quiet?

691
00:26:59,610 --> 00:27:00,130
For years?

692
00:27:00,250 --> 00:27:01,310
Five, six, seven years?

693
00:27:01,410 --> 00:27:02,170
Didn't mention anything.

694
00:27:03,110 --> 00:27:07,130
Because I let the influence of others get

695
00:27:07,130 --> 00:27:07,490
to me.

696
00:27:07,850 --> 00:27:09,330
And then I start realizing, you know, I

697
00:27:09,330 --> 00:27:11,210
have to say something because how we take

698
00:27:11,210 --> 00:27:13,270
care of this plays a big, the reason

699
00:27:13,270 --> 00:27:15,030
people don't come to church, they don't feel

700
00:27:15,030 --> 00:27:15,250
good.

701
00:27:15,310 --> 00:27:17,270
The reason they're not, they're still sick is

702
00:27:17,270 --> 00:27:18,310
they're not taking care of the body.

703
00:27:18,390 --> 00:27:20,670
The reason they aren't productive fathers and having

704
00:27:20,670 --> 00:27:23,010
energy is because they let their body go.

705
00:27:23,110 --> 00:27:25,530
The reason pastors aren't doing hospital homes and

706
00:27:25,530 --> 00:27:27,370
visiting people and they don't have a lot

707
00:27:27,370 --> 00:27:28,930
of energy is because they're not taking, see,

708
00:27:28,990 --> 00:27:30,670
the physical effects of spiritual.

709
00:27:31,250 --> 00:27:33,950
And so if we can help both, we

710
00:27:33,950 --> 00:27:36,470
can be more productive for God.

711
00:27:36,730 --> 00:27:36,990
Correct?

712
00:27:38,350 --> 00:27:42,590
So even on Facebook, the negative Nellies, you

713
00:27:42,590 --> 00:27:44,170
shouldn't be talking about that stuff.

714
00:27:44,230 --> 00:27:45,350
Who cares if you're fasting?

715
00:27:46,450 --> 00:27:47,470
Holy smokes.

716
00:27:48,650 --> 00:27:51,610
Let me bow down to this naysayer in

717
00:27:51,610 --> 00:27:54,690
Nebraska or wherever they're at.

718
00:27:55,170 --> 00:27:56,950
How do you know what God told me

719
00:27:56,950 --> 00:27:57,410
to do?

720
00:27:57,850 --> 00:27:59,850
As long as it lines up with His

721
00:27:59,850 --> 00:28:02,590
word and helping people, we can have classes

722
00:28:02,590 --> 00:28:05,530
on marriage and finances and stewardship, but don't

723
00:28:05,530 --> 00:28:07,210
talk about this sacred cow.

724
00:28:08,490 --> 00:28:10,710
And then I begin to see, oh, conviction.

725
00:28:11,110 --> 00:28:11,430
Okay.

726
00:28:11,690 --> 00:28:12,330
I got it.

727
00:28:13,290 --> 00:28:14,830
Because what I would do, don't tell anybody,

728
00:28:14,890 --> 00:28:15,110
okay?

729
00:28:16,390 --> 00:28:17,090
Facebook will hear.

730
00:28:17,530 --> 00:28:20,010
But like when they make these comments, you

731
00:28:20,010 --> 00:28:20,990
know, I'm like, okay, who's this guy?

732
00:28:21,070 --> 00:28:21,590
Go to his profile.

733
00:28:21,790 --> 00:28:24,050
Oh, he's in fast food, McDonald's parking lot.

734
00:28:25,090 --> 00:28:27,170
No wonder he doesn't like what I'm saying.

735
00:28:28,530 --> 00:28:31,950
Or maybe they're very overweight and convicted.

736
00:28:32,510 --> 00:28:35,170
So see, I begin to see the conviction

737
00:28:35,170 --> 00:28:36,170
that I want to help.

738
00:28:36,230 --> 00:28:36,970
I don't want to hurt.

739
00:28:38,250 --> 00:28:41,970
But because their conviction was spewing hatred out

740
00:28:41,970 --> 00:28:44,810
of their mouth, it was causing me to

741
00:28:44,810 --> 00:28:45,350
back away.

742
00:28:46,950 --> 00:28:48,590
And also, God will keep showing me and

743
00:28:48,590 --> 00:28:49,210
confirming it.

744
00:28:49,270 --> 00:28:50,550
I can tell you so many ways.

745
00:28:51,010 --> 00:28:53,710
But Paul says, he doesn't say bodily exercise

746
00:28:53,710 --> 00:28:55,050
is not important.

747
00:28:55,190 --> 00:28:56,590
Don't even focus on it.

748
00:28:57,450 --> 00:29:00,050
What's the whole context of the verse, theologians?

749
00:29:00,730 --> 00:29:02,290
It does profit you.

750
00:29:02,870 --> 00:29:04,430
You better discipline your body.

751
00:29:04,530 --> 00:29:05,590
You better take care of it.

752
00:29:05,750 --> 00:29:09,290
But it doesn't come above spiritual health and

753
00:29:09,290 --> 00:29:10,310
spiritual exercises.

754
00:29:12,130 --> 00:29:14,210
Why do we rarely see that?

755
00:29:14,950 --> 00:29:16,230
Every time I would hear it, don't talk.

756
00:29:16,710 --> 00:29:18,710
Don't you know the Bible says don't talk

757
00:29:18,710 --> 00:29:19,510
about those things?

758
00:29:19,590 --> 00:29:20,710
It doesn't even profit us.

759
00:29:21,030 --> 00:29:22,870
Hold on, let's read Scripture in context.

760
00:29:23,910 --> 00:29:25,450
Actually, if you want to get really convicting,

761
00:29:25,610 --> 00:29:27,390
Paul is a big guy on self-discipline.

762
00:29:27,790 --> 00:29:29,770
I discipline my body and I bring it

763
00:29:29,770 --> 00:29:30,750
into subjection.

764
00:29:30,830 --> 00:29:32,790
Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill

765
00:29:32,790 --> 00:29:33,230
its lust.

766
00:29:33,490 --> 00:29:35,870
Don't allow the flesh to control you.

767
00:29:35,990 --> 00:29:37,410
You crucify the flesh.

768
00:29:37,630 --> 00:29:39,490
You put to deeds the lust of the

769
00:29:39,490 --> 00:29:39,710
flesh.

770
00:29:40,050 --> 00:29:41,450
You tell it what to do.

771
00:29:41,490 --> 00:29:42,830
It doesn't tell you what to do.

772
00:29:43,030 --> 00:29:45,830
With fortitude and strength and perseverance and much

773
00:29:45,830 --> 00:29:48,230
travailing and fasting, I pursue God.

774
00:29:48,330 --> 00:29:48,990
That's Paul.

775
00:29:50,270 --> 00:29:52,670
And what the church doesn't like, they call

776
00:29:52,670 --> 00:29:53,330
legalism.

777
00:29:54,370 --> 00:29:57,370
What the church doesn't like, they call legalism.

778
00:29:59,740 --> 00:30:01,180
So anyway, another rant is over.

779
00:30:01,340 --> 00:30:01,960
Back on track.

780
00:30:04,580 --> 00:30:04,900
Believe.

781
00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:06,340
Yeah, it might happen a couple more times.

782
00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:08,920
So ponder God's will in your heart.

783
00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:12,620
Believe God until the end.

784
00:30:13,980 --> 00:30:15,640
This is a big, this is, this is,

785
00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:17,520
if you, if you don't take much away

786
00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:18,720
from this morning, take this.

787
00:30:19,900 --> 00:30:23,460
Trust God and believe God all the way

788
00:30:23,460 --> 00:30:25,240
till the end.

789
00:30:25,740 --> 00:30:29,180
Can you imagine Abraham saying nope and turning

790
00:30:29,180 --> 00:30:31,040
away from what God called him to do?

791
00:30:33,140 --> 00:30:35,400
Many times we don't see, and I see

792
00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:37,140
this, this makes me sad as a pastor.

793
00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:39,620
So many people, they're up here, they're, they're

794
00:30:39,620 --> 00:30:41,440
praying for, I mean, you fill in the

795
00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:42,980
blank, this big prayer request, right?

796
00:30:43,180 --> 00:30:44,120
You fill in the blank.

797
00:30:44,420 --> 00:30:45,700
And oh, God, please.

798
00:30:45,980 --> 00:30:47,200
And please, God.

799
00:30:47,380 --> 00:30:49,000
And oh, would you, God, do this.

800
00:30:49,100 --> 00:30:51,040
And then as soon as it's going the

801
00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:55,540
other direction, I'm not coming back to church.

802
00:30:57,140 --> 00:30:59,500
God didn't answer my prayer and my time.

803
00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:00,880
Things are not getting better.

804
00:31:00,980 --> 00:31:01,980
They're getting worse.

805
00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:03,840
No, no, no, no, no.

806
00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:04,980
That's the time to press in.

807
00:31:06,100 --> 00:31:08,480
That, that's when real faith is being tested.

808
00:31:09,100 --> 00:31:11,500
That's when real faith says like, Joe, though

809
00:31:11,500 --> 00:31:13,820
you slay me, yet will I trust you?

810
00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:15,740
Where can I go to flee the presence

811
00:31:15,740 --> 00:31:16,180
of God?

812
00:31:16,260 --> 00:31:17,760
I will serve him all the days of

813
00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:18,160
my life.

814
00:31:18,380 --> 00:31:20,100
Lord, even if you kill me, even if

815
00:31:20,100 --> 00:31:22,060
I lose a child, even if this doesn't

816
00:31:22,060 --> 00:31:23,940
work out, even if my marriage ends in

817
00:31:23,940 --> 00:31:25,600
divorce, I will trust you.

818
00:31:25,660 --> 00:31:27,160
I will follow you till the end.

819
00:31:27,220 --> 00:31:28,340
I will finish strong.

820
00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:30,380
God says, now that is a faith I

821
00:31:30,380 --> 00:31:31,800
can be, I'm pleased by.

822
00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:33,500
That's what Abraham did.

823
00:31:33,540 --> 00:31:35,120
He took it all the way to the

824
00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:35,460
end.

825
00:31:35,980 --> 00:31:37,260
He took it all the way to the

826
00:31:37,260 --> 00:31:37,360
end.

827
00:31:37,460 --> 00:31:39,800
God will prepare a sacrifice.

828
00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:40,740
God will answer.

829
00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,080
Even he waited so much to the end

830
00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,440
where you can see the dagger and you

831
00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:47,480
can see probably Lord is it and he

832
00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,660
gave Abraham, stay your hand, stay your hand.

833
00:31:50,780 --> 00:31:51,900
God has seen your faith.

834
00:31:52,100 --> 00:31:53,220
He has heard your cry.

835
00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:54,780
Check out behind you.

836
00:31:54,860 --> 00:31:56,460
That lamb is caught in the thicket.

837
00:31:56,740 --> 00:31:58,340
God will always come on time.

838
00:31:58,420 --> 00:32:00,020
Let me tell you, it's not on your

839
00:32:00,020 --> 00:32:00,340
time.

840
00:32:00,420 --> 00:32:01,580
It's on God's time.

841
00:32:03,300 --> 00:32:05,680
But often it doesn't work out like we

842
00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:06,900
think sometimes.

843
00:32:07,980 --> 00:32:11,040
Because I want what's comfortable and convenient.

844
00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:12,680
It doesn't hurt my ego too much.

845
00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:14,580
It isn't humiliating.

846
00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:16,500
God, don't keep humbling me.

847
00:32:16,580 --> 00:32:17,820
Hurry up and answer my prayer.

848
00:32:22,620 --> 00:32:24,920
And God often used the most extreme examples

849
00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:28,200
of obedience again to give us hope and

850
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:29,200
trust in Him.

851
00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,060
And then verse 9 and 10, then they

852
00:32:34,060 --> 00:32:36,000
came to the place of which God had

853
00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:36,880
told him.

854
00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:39,660
You know, I don't think the Bible, I

855
00:32:39,660 --> 00:32:41,120
don't think any word is by accident.

856
00:32:42,380 --> 00:32:44,520
Last week, this week, God told him.

857
00:32:45,060 --> 00:32:46,480
He went to the place God told him.

858
00:32:47,060 --> 00:32:48,240
He did what God told him.

859
00:32:49,460 --> 00:32:51,760
Are there areas that God is convicting you

860
00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,940
and wants you to obey in this area?

861
00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:57,980
Maybe it's getting wrong of a critical heart.

862
00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:01,160
Maybe it's getting wrong getting rid of a

863
00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:01,880
prideful heart.

864
00:33:02,620 --> 00:33:04,120
Did you know that that can creep in

865
00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:04,900
very easily?

866
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:07,520
In my heart too?

867
00:33:08,980 --> 00:33:11,060
Those things can creep right in if we're

868
00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,600
not on guard in this area.

869
00:33:14,180 --> 00:33:16,080
And Abraham built an altar there.

870
00:33:16,820 --> 00:33:17,500
So here he is.

871
00:33:17,540 --> 00:33:18,320
Here's the place.

872
00:33:18,420 --> 00:33:19,320
I'm building an altar.

873
00:33:19,460 --> 00:33:21,860
This has got to be the most strenuous

874
00:33:21,860 --> 00:33:24,940
ordeal ever recorded in the Bible, other than

875
00:33:24,940 --> 00:33:25,940
the cross, I believe.

876
00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,520
Or the man who prayed a stupid prayer

877
00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:29,860
and told God whatever comes out of his

878
00:33:29,860 --> 00:33:31,560
house, He'll give us a sacrifice if God

879
00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:32,740
will let him win in battle.

880
00:33:32,860 --> 00:33:34,960
And here comes his daughter walking out of

881
00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:35,380
the house.

882
00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:38,280
And so, you know, theologians are divided on

883
00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:40,800
whether that was he actually sacrificed her or

884
00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:42,280
she had to remain a virgin.

885
00:33:42,460 --> 00:33:44,000
But anyway, let me get back here.

886
00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:46,000
We'll get to that at some point when

887
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:46,860
I get to that chapter.

888
00:33:47,660 --> 00:33:49,260
And so they went to where God told

889
00:33:49,260 --> 00:33:49,440
him.

890
00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:50,940
He built this this altar.

891
00:33:51,060 --> 00:33:53,700
He placed the wood in order and he

892
00:33:53,700 --> 00:33:57,420
bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on

893
00:33:57,420 --> 00:33:59,380
the altar upon the wood.

894
00:34:00,180 --> 00:34:03,640
Most speculate Isaac could have took out Abraham.

895
00:34:05,810 --> 00:34:07,630
You're not going to put some 16, 17

896
00:34:07,630 --> 00:34:09,210
year old kid on the altar.

897
00:34:09,850 --> 00:34:13,100
I mean, and Abraham's 100?

898
00:34:16,620 --> 00:34:19,239
What just a step of obedience.

899
00:34:20,100 --> 00:34:21,659
And I don't want to speak into this.

900
00:34:21,699 --> 00:34:24,940
I read some commentaries and you're like, I

901
00:34:24,940 --> 00:34:26,040
don't know about that.

902
00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:27,060
You're pulling there.

903
00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:29,380
And that's what I always want to do

904
00:34:29,380 --> 00:34:30,060
with God's Word.

905
00:34:30,139 --> 00:34:31,600
I want to say here's possibility.

906
00:34:32,139 --> 00:34:33,120
Here's what I think.

907
00:34:33,679 --> 00:34:35,940
And we really don't know other than what

908
00:34:35,940 --> 00:34:40,600
Scripture says that Isaac willingly gave his life.

909
00:34:41,300 --> 00:34:45,340
Abraham stretched out his hand and took the

910
00:34:45,340 --> 00:34:46,960
knife to slay his son.

911
00:34:50,130 --> 00:34:53,570
But the angel of the Lord, what Abraham

912
00:34:53,570 --> 00:34:56,950
had to do, he didn't have God's Word

913
00:34:56,950 --> 00:34:57,570
like we do.

914
00:34:57,570 --> 00:34:58,630
Thank God for God's Word.

915
00:34:58,790 --> 00:34:59,630
Psalm 119.

916
00:35:00,130 --> 00:35:03,010
Your Word is a lamp to my feet

917
00:35:03,010 --> 00:35:04,930
and a light to my path.

918
00:35:05,110 --> 00:35:08,770
So stop thinking that God's Word is always

919
00:35:08,770 --> 00:35:10,430
a headlight to see the next valley.

920
00:35:11,890 --> 00:35:13,770
Or those, remember those lights that they used

921
00:35:13,770 --> 00:35:14,550
to have that shine?

922
00:35:15,130 --> 00:35:20,550
Often it's for my next step, my next

923
00:35:20,550 --> 00:35:24,130
step, my next step, my next step.

924
00:35:25,310 --> 00:35:27,030
And it's a light to my path.

925
00:35:27,130 --> 00:35:29,150
I can see I'm taking the right course.

926
00:35:30,390 --> 00:35:33,170
And it's often day to day choices.

927
00:35:34,610 --> 00:35:35,990
God's will is hard.

928
00:35:36,270 --> 00:35:39,010
Like I said earlier, faith must be tested.

929
00:35:39,970 --> 00:35:42,090
And then verse 11, but the angel of

930
00:35:42,090 --> 00:35:44,270
the Lord called to him from heaven and

931
00:35:44,270 --> 00:35:46,250
said, do not lay your hand on the

932
00:35:46,250 --> 00:35:47,950
lad or do anything to him.

933
00:35:48,170 --> 00:35:50,990
For now I know, now I know that

934
00:35:50,990 --> 00:35:53,070
you fear God since you have not withheld

935
00:35:53,070 --> 00:35:56,570
your son, your only son from me.

936
00:35:57,930 --> 00:35:59,510
And I think in our own lives, what

937
00:35:59,510 --> 00:36:01,570
is so important, what is so dear that

938
00:36:01,570 --> 00:36:03,370
we will not lay down?

939
00:36:04,430 --> 00:36:05,750
Do you know how many people do not

940
00:36:05,750 --> 00:36:10,530
follow God because of comfort, convenience, finances?

941
00:36:11,830 --> 00:36:14,290
They don't want to lay down certain things,

942
00:36:14,370 --> 00:36:17,910
not realizing that God can multiply everything or

943
00:36:17,910 --> 00:36:19,910
at least the peace of knowing His will.

944
00:36:20,650 --> 00:36:22,670
Faith must be backed by action.

945
00:36:22,790 --> 00:36:23,530
We see that here.

946
00:36:23,690 --> 00:36:25,810
Faith must be backed by action.

947
00:36:26,010 --> 00:36:28,070
True faith, discerning God's will.

948
00:36:28,710 --> 00:36:29,610
There is action.

949
00:36:30,430 --> 00:36:32,410
There's a, what's that old saying?

950
00:36:32,930 --> 00:36:35,310
Pray as if it's all up to God,

951
00:36:36,810 --> 00:36:39,030
but live as if it's all up to

952
00:36:39,030 --> 00:36:39,310
me.

953
00:36:40,390 --> 00:36:41,710
You might say, oh, I don't know about

954
00:36:41,710 --> 00:36:41,850
that.

955
00:36:41,930 --> 00:36:43,850
You know, that's, I've, I've thought about that

956
00:36:43,850 --> 00:36:44,430
for many years.

957
00:36:44,530 --> 00:36:46,870
That's, that's a really good, really good point.

958
00:36:47,410 --> 00:36:49,050
Because if all we do is pray and

959
00:36:49,050 --> 00:36:52,670
don't do anything, not much will happen.

960
00:36:53,690 --> 00:36:56,970
Because prayer often is infused with action.

961
00:36:57,090 --> 00:36:58,710
That's where you see the results.

962
00:36:59,210 --> 00:37:02,410
I don't remember who it was exactly, but

963
00:37:02,410 --> 00:37:04,770
one of the founders of America during the

964
00:37:04,770 --> 00:37:08,950
Continental Congress, and he was saying, he was

965
00:37:08,950 --> 00:37:12,370
pleading, yes, men, pray, pray, pray, but by

966
00:37:12,370 --> 00:37:14,270
the love of God, would you act?

967
00:37:16,460 --> 00:37:18,600
Also, Edmund Burke said, the only thing necessary

968
00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:21,000
for evil to triumph is for good people

969
00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,460
to do nothing.

970
00:37:24,460 --> 00:37:27,300
So do you think what's going on in

971
00:37:27,300 --> 00:37:27,780
our nation?

972
00:37:29,620 --> 00:37:30,760
Just only prayer?

973
00:37:31,620 --> 00:37:32,820
Is God ever going to tell you to

974
00:37:32,820 --> 00:37:33,700
act?

975
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,600
Like I saw some of the negative stuff,

976
00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:39,120
uh, when Sean Foyt, you know, he's been

977
00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:40,480
protesting Disney and stuff.

978
00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:41,880
I'm like, I wish more people would do

979
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:42,200
that.

980
00:37:42,500 --> 00:37:43,480
You shouldn't be doing that.

981
00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:44,620
You shouldn't be protesting.

982
00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:46,160
Just be at home and stay in prayer.

983
00:37:46,340 --> 00:37:47,760
Well, sometimes you got to get out of

984
00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:49,300
your house and go to go be the

985
00:37:49,300 --> 00:37:50,200
voice of truth.

986
00:37:52,490 --> 00:37:54,970
Can you imagine if, if 10,000 Christians

987
00:37:54,970 --> 00:37:57,310
showed up in Orlando at Disney's office or

988
00:37:57,310 --> 00:37:57,730
headquarters?

989
00:37:58,870 --> 00:37:59,310
That's sense.

990
00:37:59,430 --> 00:38:02,010
It's like, because what action does, it's not

991
00:38:02,010 --> 00:38:03,830
that the action is necessarily going to do

992
00:38:03,830 --> 00:38:04,110
anything.

993
00:38:04,250 --> 00:38:06,090
It's the prayer and the faith that's by

994
00:38:06,090 --> 00:38:06,510
action.

995
00:38:06,510 --> 00:38:09,890
And you're standing up for something worth fighting

996
00:38:09,890 --> 00:38:10,390
for.

997
00:38:10,590 --> 00:38:12,270
You're saying not on my watch.

998
00:38:12,430 --> 00:38:14,790
Can you imagine if just this group of

999
00:38:14,790 --> 00:38:16,930
people went to the next school board meeting?

1000
00:38:20,060 --> 00:38:21,220
Let's be honest.

1001
00:38:22,500 --> 00:38:24,920
Hey, why is this line of people I

1002
00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:25,260
can't get?

1003
00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:26,940
Cause you're not going to teach that perverted

1004
00:38:26,940 --> 00:38:28,520
garbage in our schools anymore.

1005
00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:31,160
You think, you think that might send a

1006
00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:31,520
signal?

1007
00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:33,520
Absolutely.

1008
00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:36,140
Well, who told you God to just to

1009
00:38:36,140 --> 00:38:37,760
pray and don't do anything?

1010
00:38:39,460 --> 00:38:40,820
You know what that really is?

1011
00:38:40,860 --> 00:38:41,600
It's cowardliness.

1012
00:38:42,540 --> 00:38:43,280
It's comfort.

1013
00:38:43,340 --> 00:38:44,260
I'll just sit at home and pray.

1014
00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:47,220
Now, sometimes we should do that.

1015
00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:50,320
Sometimes we don't know if protesting isn't going

1016
00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:50,780
to change things.

1017
00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:55,420
Prayer is, uh, what about all those people

1018
00:38:55,420 --> 00:38:55,600
say?

1019
00:38:55,620 --> 00:38:56,180
It doesn't matter.

1020
00:38:56,300 --> 00:38:56,960
I'm not going to vote.

1021
00:38:57,660 --> 00:38:58,980
Well, if a couple of million people say

1022
00:38:58,980 --> 00:39:04,710
that, yeah, but Shane doesn't matter anymore because

1023
00:39:04,710 --> 00:39:05,590
the things are rigged.

1024
00:39:05,690 --> 00:39:06,830
Well, I don't know.

1025
00:39:07,230 --> 00:39:07,930
We've got to take action.

1026
00:39:08,190 --> 00:39:09,510
Of course, we know that things are, there's

1027
00:39:09,510 --> 00:39:12,710
a lot of shenanigans, but there, there has

1028
00:39:12,710 --> 00:39:13,630
to be an action.

1029
00:39:17,140 --> 00:39:19,380
And that's what many of the churches did

1030
00:39:19,380 --> 00:39:23,840
after COVID became crystal clear on the agenda

1031
00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:26,380
is we said, Hey, we've, we've got to

1032
00:39:26,380 --> 00:39:27,180
take a stand.

1033
00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:29,240
We see, we see this.

1034
00:39:30,060 --> 00:39:31,880
We got to, we got to do something.

1035
00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:34,580
Faith backed by action.

1036
00:39:35,500 --> 00:39:36,360
Isn't it interesting?

1037
00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:39,880
I've talked to the four or five pastors

1038
00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:41,980
and we've got actually, I'm going to, um,

1039
00:39:42,380 --> 00:39:44,040
me and Morgan were invited to, or no,

1040
00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:44,620
it was just me.

1041
00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:45,480
That's a different one.

1042
00:39:46,020 --> 00:39:47,360
We're both, we're both invited.

1043
00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:48,580
She can't go to this one, but we're

1044
00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:50,600
going to go down to a thing in

1045
00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:52,740
San Diego with Charlie Kirk and, and pastors

1046
00:39:52,740 --> 00:39:53,200
are invited.

1047
00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:55,220
But one, I got a letter from this

1048
00:39:55,220 --> 00:39:57,480
group who they're going to honor pastors who

1049
00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:58,080
stayed open.

1050
00:39:58,220 --> 00:39:59,440
Francis Chan is going to speak.

1051
00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:01,420
It's down in San Diego and they just

1052
00:40:01,420 --> 00:40:02,520
want to honor that.

1053
00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:07,180
And without, almost without, without a variance at

1054
00:40:07,180 --> 00:40:07,380
all.

1055
00:40:07,460 --> 00:40:12,400
And those churches grew numbers, but finances too.

1056
00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:16,860
Could it be God was bringing hungry people

1057
00:40:16,860 --> 00:40:19,520
to hear his truth and the blessings of

1058
00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:21,960
God, other, other churches, budget cuts.

1059
00:40:22,020 --> 00:40:22,800
We got to get rid of this.

1060
00:40:22,860 --> 00:40:24,020
We got to get rid of staff.

1061
00:40:24,300 --> 00:40:25,460
We got to stop doing this.

1062
00:40:25,620 --> 00:40:27,580
Those are the churches that capitulated.

1063
00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:29,820
So to me, that does speak volumes.

1064
00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:31,540
As long as the heart is right.

1065
00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:33,500
What, what, what, what I think hurt the

1066
00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:35,660
most is so many people thought that the

1067
00:40:35,660 --> 00:40:37,560
churches who stayed open had a rent renegade

1068
00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:38,540
spirit of rebellion.

1069
00:40:38,920 --> 00:40:40,920
No, we have a broken heart of desperation.

1070
00:40:41,140 --> 00:40:42,000
Don't confuse the two.

1071
00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:43,000
Big difference.

1072
00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:44,180
Big difference.

1073
00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:50,300
I mean, I can't even tell you.

1074
00:40:50,500 --> 00:40:52,080
I can't even tell you how it felt

1075
00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:54,280
to come in here and, and be separated

1076
00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:56,000
six feet and wear masks.

1077
00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:57,260
And it's like, I told my wife, I

1078
00:40:57,260 --> 00:40:58,340
can't keep doing this.

1079
00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:01,180
I cannot keep doing this.

1080
00:41:02,100 --> 00:41:04,660
Now it's one thing to be cautious and

1081
00:41:04,660 --> 00:41:07,820
concerned and do what you can clean things.

1082
00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:09,900
Well, I, yeah, of course, but there's a

1083
00:41:09,900 --> 00:41:13,160
fine line there between fear and faith.

1084
00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:16,280
Faith doesn't mean you, you chuck all the

1085
00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:16,900
rules out the door.

1086
00:41:16,980 --> 00:41:17,580
You don't care.

1087
00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:20,420
We've always said six, stay home, wash your

1088
00:41:20,420 --> 00:41:21,220
hands, take clean general.

1089
00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:22,720
I mean, do what you can.

1090
00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:26,440
But when you start to realize that a

1091
00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:30,220
piece of cloth just barely hanging on and

1092
00:41:30,220 --> 00:41:32,120
that, that you're going to force that and

1093
00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:35,360
push that and manipulate because I mean, if

1094
00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:36,500
you want to at least do it right,

1095
00:41:36,540 --> 00:41:38,860
I've said before, where the N95 wear gloves

1096
00:41:38,860 --> 00:41:40,340
and don't touch anything and stay away from

1097
00:41:40,340 --> 00:41:40,620
things.

1098
00:41:40,820 --> 00:41:41,620
Don't go to events.

1099
00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:43,060
Am I just being honest?

1100
00:41:43,140 --> 00:41:44,400
If you really want to do it the

1101
00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:46,260
right way, I'm all for it.

1102
00:41:46,260 --> 00:41:47,160
If you want to do it the right

1103
00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:48,080
way, but don't be touching things.

1104
00:41:48,220 --> 00:41:50,320
I go to Walmart and a thousand people

1105
00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:52,360
came before me or Costco put on your

1106
00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:52,660
mask.

1107
00:41:54,740 --> 00:41:56,900
I just touched this thing with a thousand

1108
00:41:56,900 --> 00:41:57,760
people touched.

1109
00:41:59,960 --> 00:42:03,020
Well, help me understand the insanity here.

1110
00:42:03,980 --> 00:42:06,640
And that plexiglass isn't going to do a

1111
00:42:06,640 --> 00:42:07,000
lot.

1112
00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:09,440
And so, but see, I'm not being, listen,

1113
00:42:09,780 --> 00:42:11,200
I'm not poking fun.

1114
00:42:12,100 --> 00:42:13,880
I'm saying as a pastor, as a leader,

1115
00:42:14,020 --> 00:42:15,380
when do you call things out?

1116
00:42:15,620 --> 00:42:17,200
When do you discern the times?

1117
00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:19,020
When do you lead the people in the

1118
00:42:19,020 --> 00:42:19,680
right direction?

1119
00:42:19,820 --> 00:42:21,040
When do you say for the love of

1120
00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:22,980
God, we got to begin worshiping God again

1121
00:42:22,980 --> 00:42:25,260
and chasing Him with all of our heart,

1122
00:42:25,340 --> 00:42:26,500
with all of our soul, with all of

1123
00:42:26,500 --> 00:42:27,040
our strength.

1124
00:42:30,410 --> 00:42:34,630
And I've studied virology and germs and I

1125
00:42:34,630 --> 00:42:35,510
know how it works.

1126
00:42:35,770 --> 00:42:36,990
And there's some things you got to be

1127
00:42:36,990 --> 00:42:38,790
careful about for sure.

1128
00:42:39,330 --> 00:42:41,310
But why is everybody touting that stuff and

1129
00:42:41,310 --> 00:42:42,570
nothing about natural immunity?

1130
00:42:44,330 --> 00:42:46,410
DeSantis in Florida wants to bring antibodies.

1131
00:42:46,630 --> 00:42:47,090
No, no, no.

1132
00:42:47,130 --> 00:42:48,030
Biden says, no, no, no.

1133
00:42:48,410 --> 00:42:52,210
Only this Pfizer approved experimental thing is what

1134
00:42:52,210 --> 00:42:52,890
we're going to do.

1135
00:42:53,110 --> 00:42:53,850
Come on guys.

1136
00:42:54,270 --> 00:42:55,510
Pfizer stock is the highest.

1137
00:42:56,510 --> 00:42:57,590
Wake up.

1138
00:42:58,230 --> 00:43:00,310
God has given us a brain and wisdom

1139
00:43:00,310 --> 00:43:01,270
for a reason.

1140
00:43:01,270 --> 00:43:04,770
And I don't think it's over yet with

1141
00:43:04,770 --> 00:43:05,130
the election.

1142
00:43:05,810 --> 00:43:06,590
I don't know.

1143
00:43:06,650 --> 00:43:09,730
I'm just saying, I'm just saying there's agendas

1144
00:43:09,730 --> 00:43:10,190
at work.

1145
00:43:10,350 --> 00:43:11,570
There's ulterior motives at work.

1146
00:43:11,770 --> 00:43:14,670
So it's not just all these people, Bill

1147
00:43:14,670 --> 00:43:16,610
Gates with a great heart and World Health

1148
00:43:16,610 --> 00:43:19,190
Organization that we might actually vote our sovereignty

1149
00:43:19,190 --> 00:43:19,910
over to them.

1150
00:43:19,970 --> 00:43:20,710
I hope you know that.

1151
00:43:20,990 --> 00:43:22,070
I think it's in a week or two,

1152
00:43:22,390 --> 00:43:25,270
the Biden administration might vote and give them

1153
00:43:25,270 --> 00:43:29,290
the World Health Organization, give them the sovereignty

1154
00:43:29,290 --> 00:43:32,470
of America in the area of health and

1155
00:43:32,470 --> 00:43:34,730
crisis when they call it a global emergency.

1156
00:43:35,250 --> 00:43:38,490
If we surrender our sovereignty, we will have

1157
00:43:38,490 --> 00:43:41,370
to follow the World Health Organization guidelines.

1158
00:43:41,950 --> 00:43:44,110
This is not, this is not conspiracy theory.

1159
00:43:44,210 --> 00:43:46,050
Michelle Bachman came out and said it.

1160
00:43:46,190 --> 00:43:48,290
You can read it for yourself.

1161
00:43:49,250 --> 00:43:51,390
Why do we stay quiet on these things?

1162
00:43:52,210 --> 00:43:54,310
It reminds me of the quiet churches who

1163
00:43:54,310 --> 00:43:58,050
actually sang louder as the trains went by

1164
00:43:58,050 --> 00:44:01,610
taking people to the gas chambers in Germany.

1165
00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:04,900
Did you know that?

1166
00:44:05,940 --> 00:44:07,160
Here comes the train.

1167
00:44:07,240 --> 00:44:08,980
Let's sing Amazing Grace louder.

1168
00:44:15,180 --> 00:44:16,080
I agree, Hayden.

1169
00:44:20,500 --> 00:44:22,240
Faith must be backed by action.

1170
00:44:24,990 --> 00:44:25,530
But you know what?

1171
00:44:25,530 --> 00:44:26,270
It is hard.

1172
00:44:26,310 --> 00:44:26,810
I'll tell you.

1173
00:44:28,010 --> 00:44:29,970
Because we don't want to start a revolutionary

1174
00:44:29,970 --> 00:44:30,630
war.

1175
00:44:31,010 --> 00:44:33,050
We don't want to be, you know, all

1176
00:44:33,050 --> 00:44:34,670
about our AR-15 ammunition.

1177
00:44:34,830 --> 00:44:36,350
I'm going to show you a real revolution.

1178
00:44:36,350 --> 00:44:38,650
I mean, that's not the right heart.

1179
00:44:40,410 --> 00:44:42,710
There's got to be a grace and humility,

1180
00:44:43,150 --> 00:44:45,070
but there's got to be people hearing from

1181
00:44:45,070 --> 00:44:45,430
God.

1182
00:44:46,210 --> 00:44:47,770
See, when you're hearing from God, you'll know

1183
00:44:47,770 --> 00:44:48,710
what action to take.

1184
00:44:50,130 --> 00:44:51,230
You'll know what direction.

1185
00:44:51,470 --> 00:44:53,510
Can you imagine if a thousand people showed

1186
00:44:53,510 --> 00:44:57,110
up at Planned Parenthood in Palmdale?

1187
00:44:57,530 --> 00:44:58,890
Which many of you have never been?

1188
00:44:58,890 --> 00:45:02,370
Where they're killing innocent children.

1189
00:45:03,370 --> 00:45:06,650
Faith must be backed by action.

1190
00:45:07,370 --> 00:45:09,030
They had a rally in Sacramento.

1191
00:45:09,290 --> 00:45:11,330
The stuff they are voting on, it would

1192
00:45:11,330 --> 00:45:13,150
make your stomach turn.

1193
00:45:13,810 --> 00:45:16,370
The perversion that they're trying to teach into

1194
00:45:16,370 --> 00:45:17,110
schools.

1195
00:45:18,130 --> 00:45:18,790
Can you imagine?

1196
00:45:18,910 --> 00:45:20,070
I know it's far.

1197
00:45:20,730 --> 00:45:21,610
I got it.

1198
00:45:21,650 --> 00:45:22,330
It's difficult.

1199
00:45:22,490 --> 00:45:23,710
I can't be at everything too.

1200
00:45:24,250 --> 00:45:26,410
But the point is, when God calls us

1201
00:45:26,410 --> 00:45:29,390
to action, we need to respond.

1202
00:45:31,250 --> 00:45:34,570
And often, God's will involves giving up what

1203
00:45:34,570 --> 00:45:36,050
we love.

1204
00:45:36,890 --> 00:45:38,590
Boy, oh boy, we need to get this

1205
00:45:38,590 --> 00:45:39,150
one, don't we?

1206
00:45:40,370 --> 00:45:42,750
Give up what we love.

1207
00:45:44,780 --> 00:45:46,300
Sometimes God will give you that back.

1208
00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:48,400
Sometimes He won't.

1209
00:45:48,840 --> 00:45:50,020
Sometimes He'll give you more.

1210
00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:53,060
But what happens is if we don't give

1211
00:45:53,060 --> 00:45:54,740
up what we love, we begin to love

1212
00:45:54,740 --> 00:45:56,280
that more than we love God's will.

1213
00:45:57,500 --> 00:45:59,620
Of course, Luke, many of us know, if

1214
00:45:59,620 --> 00:46:01,440
anyone comes to me and does not hate

1215
00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:04,900
his father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters,

1216
00:46:05,060 --> 00:46:07,480
yes, even his own life, such a person

1217
00:46:07,480 --> 00:46:09,220
cannot be my disciple.

1218
00:46:10,220 --> 00:46:11,640
And so many people have a problem with

1219
00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:12,000
this.

1220
00:46:12,660 --> 00:46:14,180
But it's actually, if you look up in

1221
00:46:14,180 --> 00:46:16,440
the Greek and you do a word study

1222
00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,580
on hate, it means prefer less than.

1223
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:21,320
So it's very true.

1224
00:46:21,740 --> 00:46:25,220
Unless you prefer Jesus over others, you cannot

1225
00:46:25,220 --> 00:46:25,860
follow Him.

1226
00:46:25,940 --> 00:46:26,160
Amen?

1227
00:46:26,900 --> 00:46:29,620
I thank God my wife loves Jesus more

1228
00:46:29,620 --> 00:46:29,980
than me.

1229
00:46:30,660 --> 00:46:31,520
I'm just telling you.

1230
00:46:32,040 --> 00:46:34,620
Can you imagine the other way?

1231
00:46:35,020 --> 00:46:37,280
Ooh, we'd be in trouble.

1232
00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:39,980
Because then Jesus is a person on the

1233
00:46:39,980 --> 00:46:40,360
back burner.

1234
00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:41,400
He's not Lord and Savior.

1235
00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:43,440
He's a good idea, a good concept.

1236
00:46:44,200 --> 00:46:47,440
We prefer Jesus Christ above all other things.

1237
00:46:47,840 --> 00:46:49,500
Yes, I will follow Him more than I

1238
00:46:49,500 --> 00:46:50,400
will follow my children.

1239
00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:53,360
I love my relationship with Him more than

1240
00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:55,220
I love my relationship with my family.

1241
00:46:56,720 --> 00:46:59,560
Because that is the foundation on which you

1242
00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:00,760
build a healthy family.

1243
00:47:01,220 --> 00:47:03,460
Because of my love for Christ, now I

1244
00:47:03,460 --> 00:47:04,160
love others.

1245
00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:07,500
So I'm not going to leave you hanging

1246
00:47:07,500 --> 00:47:07,780
there.

1247
00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:10,420
Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and

1248
00:47:10,420 --> 00:47:13,200
there behind him was a ram caught in

1249
00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:13,660
the thicket.

1250
00:47:13,780 --> 00:47:15,040
Here is this big knife.

1251
00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:16,960
He's like, I don't think he was going

1252
00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:17,620
to quick to do it.

1253
00:47:17,660 --> 00:47:22,530
He was probably like, Lord, is anything going

1254
00:47:22,530 --> 00:47:22,970
on here?

1255
00:47:23,350 --> 00:47:25,950
And so, hey, Abraham, stay your hand, hold

1256
00:47:25,950 --> 00:47:26,650
your hand.

1257
00:47:26,770 --> 00:47:29,090
And he looked, and there was a ram

1258
00:47:29,090 --> 00:47:30,490
caught in the thicket.

1259
00:47:30,550 --> 00:47:32,670
And I love what he called the name

1260
00:47:32,670 --> 00:47:33,130
of that place.

1261
00:47:33,230 --> 00:47:35,430
Sometimes you got to name something in your

1262
00:47:35,430 --> 00:47:35,730
home.

1263
00:47:35,810 --> 00:47:38,010
Sometimes you got to name your prayer closet.

1264
00:47:38,130 --> 00:47:40,290
This is where God met me one morning

1265
00:47:40,290 --> 00:47:41,070
when I was hopeless.

1266
00:47:41,330 --> 00:47:43,430
This is the hill I drove to where

1267
00:47:43,430 --> 00:47:44,490
I almost took my life.

1268
00:47:44,690 --> 00:47:46,330
That is the church where I received a

1269
00:47:46,330 --> 00:47:48,310
mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit.

1270
00:47:48,470 --> 00:47:50,030
There is a place, and you say, that

1271
00:47:50,030 --> 00:47:52,130
is where God will provide.

1272
00:47:52,650 --> 00:47:54,010
And God will provide.

1273
00:47:55,310 --> 00:47:57,990
How do you know Him as provider if

1274
00:47:57,990 --> 00:47:58,810
there is no need?

1275
00:47:58,870 --> 00:48:00,730
How do you know Him as healer if

1276
00:48:00,730 --> 00:48:01,590
there is no sickness?

1277
00:48:01,850 --> 00:48:03,310
How do you know Him as a comforter

1278
00:48:03,310 --> 00:48:04,270
if there is no pain?

1279
00:48:04,470 --> 00:48:06,210
How do you know Him as deliverer if

1280
00:48:06,210 --> 00:48:07,270
there is no bondage?

1281
00:48:07,510 --> 00:48:09,390
Sometimes you got to go through hell to

1282
00:48:09,390 --> 00:48:10,110
expect heaven.

1283
00:48:10,330 --> 00:48:12,670
Don't let the enemy of your heart change

1284
00:48:12,670 --> 00:48:12,970
you.

1285
00:48:13,450 --> 00:48:15,410
The enemy of your soul change you.

1286
00:48:16,610 --> 00:48:18,350
But of course, the question comes up, what

1287
00:48:18,350 --> 00:48:20,430
about when God doesn't provide?

1288
00:48:21,170 --> 00:48:23,210
Shane, I hear you, but I'm not experiencing

1289
00:48:23,210 --> 00:48:23,670
it.

1290
00:48:24,390 --> 00:48:26,990
Just remember, waiting time is not wasted time.

1291
00:48:29,590 --> 00:48:31,310
Joseph endured years of hardship.

1292
00:48:31,490 --> 00:48:32,730
David ran from his enemy.

1293
00:48:33,810 --> 00:48:36,710
At age 85, Caleb finally said, give me

1294
00:48:36,710 --> 00:48:43,110
this mountain that I asked for 45 years

1295
00:48:43,110 --> 00:48:43,510
ago.

1296
00:48:46,130 --> 00:48:47,710
And there are some things that God never

1297
00:48:47,710 --> 00:48:48,290
answers.

1298
00:48:50,190 --> 00:48:52,210
Some prayers He has to answer until I

1299
00:48:52,210 --> 00:48:52,590
daydive.

1300
00:48:52,670 --> 00:48:53,530
All my kids know Him.

1301
00:48:54,530 --> 00:48:57,450
We even prayed, we don't want children unless

1302
00:48:57,450 --> 00:48:58,690
they're going to know you and serve you.

1303
00:49:00,310 --> 00:49:02,010
Those things, they're worth fighting for.

1304
00:49:02,070 --> 00:49:03,450
But there might come some things I never

1305
00:49:03,450 --> 00:49:05,210
see what I've been praying for.

1306
00:49:05,270 --> 00:49:06,770
But I'm going to serve God until the

1307
00:49:06,770 --> 00:49:08,110
day I take my last breath.

1308
00:49:08,110 --> 00:49:10,570
There might be pain, there might be anguish,

1309
00:49:10,670 --> 00:49:12,570
but you hold on to the Savior.

1310
00:49:16,210 --> 00:49:18,230
And I don't want to brush through these,

1311
00:49:18,270 --> 00:49:20,070
but I think they're important because here's a

1312
00:49:20,070 --> 00:49:21,350
few keys you can take home.

1313
00:49:21,830 --> 00:49:22,970
I'm going to close with these, so I'm

1314
00:49:22,970 --> 00:49:23,510
going to go quickly.

1315
00:49:24,690 --> 00:49:26,030
This is really where I wanted to get,

1316
00:49:26,070 --> 00:49:26,850
but it's taking me an hour.

1317
00:49:27,370 --> 00:49:31,170
So those rabbit trails, I'm telling you, but

1318
00:49:31,170 --> 00:49:33,290
those rabbit trails where everybody seems to get

1319
00:49:33,290 --> 00:49:33,870
fed from.

1320
00:49:34,530 --> 00:49:35,950
It's like your notes are okay, but man,

1321
00:49:36,010 --> 00:49:38,610
that rabbit trail, that spoke to exactly where

1322
00:49:38,610 --> 00:49:39,070
I was at.

1323
00:49:39,390 --> 00:49:41,370
Keys to discerning the voice of God.

1324
00:49:42,110 --> 00:49:43,210
Again, we're going to go quickly.

1325
00:49:43,490 --> 00:49:44,850
Be immersed in the Word.

1326
00:49:45,430 --> 00:49:47,370
I'm amazed at how many people are not

1327
00:49:47,370 --> 00:49:48,510
immersed in the Word.

1328
00:49:48,730 --> 00:49:50,450
It's almost like jumping into a pool.

1329
00:49:50,550 --> 00:49:51,250
Now I'm wet.

1330
00:49:51,470 --> 00:49:52,430
Same thing with God's Word.

1331
00:49:53,210 --> 00:49:54,650
So you know the character and the nature

1332
00:49:54,650 --> 00:49:55,030
of God.

1333
00:49:55,110 --> 00:49:56,530
You can see the verses up there.

1334
00:49:57,190 --> 00:50:00,310
Surrender provides direction.

1335
00:50:00,730 --> 00:50:03,510
The next point, surrender provides direction.

1336
00:50:03,510 --> 00:50:05,730
Commit your works to the Lord and your

1337
00:50:05,730 --> 00:50:06,930
thoughts will be established.

1338
00:50:07,230 --> 00:50:08,730
Is it possible you're not having the right

1339
00:50:08,730 --> 00:50:09,050
thoughts?

1340
00:50:09,130 --> 00:50:10,590
You're not ensuring what to do because your

1341
00:50:10,590 --> 00:50:12,170
works aren't yet committed to the Lord?

1342
00:50:12,530 --> 00:50:14,350
And I believe as the enemy plants fiery

1343
00:50:14,350 --> 00:50:17,670
darts, can't God also plant darts as well?

1344
00:50:18,050 --> 00:50:18,450
Absolutely.

1345
00:50:20,130 --> 00:50:21,210
He guides the humble.

1346
00:50:21,590 --> 00:50:22,550
And that's one thing I should say.

1347
00:50:22,630 --> 00:50:23,390
Rabbit trail, here we go.

1348
00:50:24,650 --> 00:50:26,370
One of the things I've been praying about

1349
00:50:26,370 --> 00:50:28,810
for a while is sharing my fasting journey

1350
00:50:28,810 --> 00:50:30,870
and calling the nation to it as well.

1351
00:50:31,250 --> 00:50:33,990
More people jumped in than I thought, but

1352
00:50:33,990 --> 00:50:36,410
not everyone was happy with me doing that.

1353
00:50:36,690 --> 00:50:37,810
Like, you need to keep that private.

1354
00:50:38,270 --> 00:50:39,130
And I normally did.

1355
00:50:39,230 --> 00:50:40,770
Many of you never know when I'm fasting,

1356
00:50:40,850 --> 00:50:43,270
but I felt God committing this to Him

1357
00:50:43,270 --> 00:50:44,610
gave me a lot of peace.

1358
00:50:44,750 --> 00:50:47,110
Like, hey, it's time to call the nation

1359
00:50:47,110 --> 00:50:48,350
to some prayer and humility.

1360
00:50:48,630 --> 00:50:50,650
It's time to lead the way in this

1361
00:50:50,650 --> 00:50:50,990
area.

1362
00:50:51,990 --> 00:50:53,530
I would have never came up with that

1363
00:50:53,530 --> 00:50:53,950
on my own.

1364
00:50:53,950 --> 00:50:55,590
I said, hey, let me just tell everybody.

1365
00:50:55,970 --> 00:51:01,490
Because what I was worried about is failure.

1366
00:51:02,670 --> 00:51:03,490
How long are you going?

1367
00:51:03,530 --> 00:51:03,890
I don't know.

1368
00:51:03,950 --> 00:51:04,230
I don't know.

1369
00:51:04,270 --> 00:51:04,930
Don't ask me again.

1370
00:51:05,110 --> 00:51:05,810
I don't know how long I'm going.

1371
00:51:06,150 --> 00:51:07,610
But I want to tell you because I

1372
00:51:07,610 --> 00:51:08,190
might fail.

1373
00:51:09,510 --> 00:51:11,690
And so God was working in my heart

1374
00:51:11,690 --> 00:51:14,030
to make it public and to tell people.

1375
00:51:14,530 --> 00:51:16,170
And many have been blessed by it.

1376
00:51:16,170 --> 00:51:19,130
People in different states, even different countries that

1377
00:51:19,130 --> 00:51:22,090
finally broke their alcohol addiction, finally broke their

1378
00:51:22,090 --> 00:51:24,870
nicotine addiction, finally started feeling this freedom in

1379
00:51:24,870 --> 00:51:27,730
Christ, all because I shared what God was

1380
00:51:27,730 --> 00:51:28,530
doing in my own life.

1381
00:51:29,090 --> 00:51:30,890
See, commit your works to the Lord and

1382
00:51:30,890 --> 00:51:32,330
your thoughts.

1383
00:51:32,430 --> 00:51:33,830
Where do you think my books come from?

1384
00:51:34,050 --> 00:51:34,630
Not me.

1385
00:51:35,230 --> 00:51:36,650
He's already dealing with me writing a book,

1386
00:51:36,710 --> 00:51:37,410
and I said, I don't want to write

1387
00:51:37,410 --> 00:51:37,890
another book.

1388
00:51:38,270 --> 00:51:39,410
I'm not going to write another book.

1389
00:51:39,510 --> 00:51:40,630
I need to be motivated.

1390
00:51:40,810 --> 00:51:42,370
These thoughts that He keeps planting in my

1391
00:51:42,370 --> 00:51:43,970
heart, He'll do the same thing for you.

1392
00:51:44,330 --> 00:51:46,530
There's a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

1393
00:51:46,650 --> 00:51:47,710
Did you know you can give God a

1394
00:51:47,710 --> 00:51:48,510
sacrifice today?

1395
00:51:49,010 --> 00:51:51,550
A sacrifice of thanksgiving.

1396
00:51:52,090 --> 00:51:53,530
Maybe some of you need to hear this

1397
00:51:53,530 --> 00:51:53,990
last one.

1398
00:51:54,190 --> 00:51:55,730
Did you know it's hard to direct a

1399
00:51:55,730 --> 00:51:56,510
rebellious child?

1400
00:51:57,470 --> 00:51:58,690
Even a three-year-old.

1401
00:51:59,770 --> 00:52:01,670
I told my wife last night, what is

1402
00:52:01,670 --> 00:52:03,490
wrong with that three-year-old?

1403
00:52:04,370 --> 00:52:05,170
Holy smokes.

1404
00:52:05,590 --> 00:52:07,790
You would think we were pulling her legs

1405
00:52:07,790 --> 00:52:08,410
off of her.

1406
00:52:11,190 --> 00:52:12,210
And we put her in her crib trying

1407
00:52:12,210 --> 00:52:12,670
to go, what?

1408
00:52:13,050 --> 00:52:14,090
What is going on?

1409
00:52:14,130 --> 00:52:15,310
She wants more string cheese.

1410
00:52:22,740 --> 00:52:24,160
She wants more string cheese.

1411
00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:27,400
I said, you go to bed.

1412
00:52:27,440 --> 00:52:28,060
You be quiet.

1413
00:52:28,720 --> 00:52:29,900
You're not getting more string cheese.

1414
00:52:32,800 --> 00:52:34,380
Or what about when you try to drag

1415
00:52:34,380 --> 00:52:34,520
them?

1416
00:52:34,920 --> 00:52:36,740
My, they feel like a hundred pounds.

1417
00:52:38,440 --> 00:52:40,160
And so is God dragging you?

1418
00:52:40,320 --> 00:52:41,920
Is God trying to drag you?

1419
00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:43,480
It's hard.

1420
00:52:43,620 --> 00:52:45,460
He might, but sometimes He doesn't.

1421
00:52:45,640 --> 00:52:47,200
He says, you want it, you got it,

1422
00:52:47,400 --> 00:52:48,080
rebellious child.

1423
00:52:48,180 --> 00:52:48,760
Go play.

1424
00:52:48,860 --> 00:52:49,340
Go fight.

1425
00:52:50,400 --> 00:52:54,880
But it's easy to direct a submitted child.

1426
00:52:56,520 --> 00:52:57,540
I can see it too when a child

1427
00:52:57,540 --> 00:52:58,440
wants to be picked up.

1428
00:52:58,520 --> 00:52:59,440
Daddy, here I am.

1429
00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:02,440
Or if they're fighting you, kicking you.

1430
00:53:02,540 --> 00:53:05,960
Some of you have to stop fighting God.

1431
00:53:06,700 --> 00:53:08,980
Humble yourself this morning for the love of

1432
00:53:08,980 --> 00:53:09,420
God.

1433
00:53:11,240 --> 00:53:12,860
You are not always right.

1434
00:53:14,520 --> 00:53:16,720
This critical spirit that is coming into the

1435
00:53:16,720 --> 00:53:22,940
church nationally, this critical, always right spirit, judgmental

1436
00:53:22,940 --> 00:53:23,340
spirit.

1437
00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:27,840
And then another point, don't discard godly counsel.

1438
00:53:28,220 --> 00:53:30,000
I could preach a whole sermon on this.

1439
00:53:30,920 --> 00:53:36,880
Without counsel, the plans aren't always, without counsel,

1440
00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:38,120
purposes are disappointed.

1441
00:53:38,240 --> 00:53:40,920
But in the multitude of counsel, there is

1442
00:53:40,920 --> 00:53:41,960
safety.

1443
00:53:42,940 --> 00:53:45,200
There's, see, I, I, and this, this has

1444
00:53:45,200 --> 00:53:46,120
always amazed me.

1445
00:53:46,200 --> 00:53:48,280
Me and Pastor Abraham, Abraham talk about often,

1446
00:53:48,600 --> 00:53:50,600
I'm running to godly counsel.

1447
00:53:50,900 --> 00:53:52,080
Like elders, what do you think we should

1448
00:53:52,080 --> 00:53:52,540
do about this?

1449
00:53:52,600 --> 00:53:53,560
Core team, what do you think about it?

1450
00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:54,920
What do we, what do we, a lot

1451
00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:57,180
of people are like, no, I'll tell you

1452
00:53:57,180 --> 00:53:58,260
after I make the decision.

1453
00:53:59,720 --> 00:54:01,880
I'll tell you after, but we don't want

1454
00:54:01,880 --> 00:54:03,240
to seek godly counsel anymore.

1455
00:54:03,680 --> 00:54:05,180
And you know, nine times out of ten,

1456
00:54:05,240 --> 00:54:07,000
it's because I don't want to hear what

1457
00:54:07,000 --> 00:54:08,180
they have to, I know what they're going

1458
00:54:08,180 --> 00:54:08,540
to say.

1459
00:54:09,420 --> 00:54:10,840
I've already made up my mind.

1460
00:54:11,280 --> 00:54:12,780
I don't need to hear what you're going

1461
00:54:12,780 --> 00:54:13,180
to say.

1462
00:54:13,960 --> 00:54:16,120
And that's why we don't seek godly counsel.

1463
00:54:16,340 --> 00:54:16,580
Correct?

1464
00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:19,800
There's some areas we don't because we've already

1465
00:54:19,800 --> 00:54:20,800
made up our mind.

1466
00:54:20,920 --> 00:54:21,480
We know.

1467
00:54:22,640 --> 00:54:24,860
But thank God for godly counsel.

1468
00:54:25,260 --> 00:54:27,400
It makes you, I haven't thought about that

1469
00:54:27,400 --> 00:54:27,800
before.

1470
00:54:28,080 --> 00:54:28,940
That's a good point.

1471
00:54:30,180 --> 00:54:32,240
And that's, it's actually God's will that we

1472
00:54:32,240 --> 00:54:33,300
seek godly counsel.

1473
00:54:34,260 --> 00:54:36,160
And then finally, wait and worship.

1474
00:54:36,620 --> 00:54:37,660
Wait and worship.

1475
00:54:37,780 --> 00:54:40,420
If you're having a hard time discerning God's

1476
00:54:40,420 --> 00:54:42,000
will, you need to hear his voice.

1477
00:54:42,420 --> 00:54:43,640
Wait and worship.

1478
00:54:44,100 --> 00:54:45,360
Wait and worship.

1479
00:54:45,560 --> 00:54:48,160
Waiting is the true test of both attitude

1480
00:54:48,160 --> 00:54:48,860
and action.

1481
00:54:49,200 --> 00:54:50,280
And to be honest with you, this is

1482
00:54:50,280 --> 00:54:52,740
exactly why we open the church early every

1483
00:54:52,740 --> 00:54:53,380
Sunday morning.

1484
00:54:53,720 --> 00:54:55,180
Come and wait and worship.

1485
00:54:55,520 --> 00:54:56,720
Come and get before God.

1486
00:54:56,800 --> 00:54:57,580
Oh, I don't feel like it.

1487
00:54:57,600 --> 00:54:58,400
No, you don't feel like it.

1488
00:54:58,420 --> 00:54:59,640
Your flesh will never feel like it.

1489
00:54:59,760 --> 00:55:00,520
I don't hear much.

1490
00:55:00,580 --> 00:55:01,120
No, you won't.

1491
00:55:01,180 --> 00:55:02,240
It might take a little time.

1492
00:55:02,440 --> 00:55:03,660
But there's pressing in.

1493
00:55:03,940 --> 00:55:05,860
They're seeking God with all of our heart,

1494
00:55:05,960 --> 00:55:06,740
all of our strength.

1495
00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:08,820
The verse, many of you know, those who

1496
00:55:08,820 --> 00:55:12,440
wait upon the Lord will waste their time.

1497
00:55:13,020 --> 00:55:14,080
What do they actually do?

1498
00:55:14,700 --> 00:55:15,620
Physical strength.

1499
00:55:16,360 --> 00:55:17,740
Is he talking about physical?

1500
00:55:17,800 --> 00:55:18,480
You're going to come out.

1501
00:55:18,520 --> 00:55:19,520
You're going to look like the rock.

1502
00:55:20,520 --> 00:55:23,300
Guys, those who wait upon the Lord shall

1503
00:55:23,300 --> 00:55:27,780
renew their internal spiritual strength.

1504
00:55:27,940 --> 00:55:30,240
They shall be encouraged in the Lord.

1505
00:55:32,120 --> 00:55:33,760
Why is waiting so important?

1506
00:55:35,380 --> 00:55:38,280
Because waiting tells a selfish person like me

1507
00:55:38,280 --> 00:55:40,600
to shut my mouth and listen to God.

1508
00:55:42,280 --> 00:55:42,920
Waiting.

1509
00:55:43,800 --> 00:55:44,820
Lord, I'm just going to wait.

1510
00:55:45,140 --> 00:55:46,920
Because we're self-assertive.

1511
00:55:48,120 --> 00:55:49,780
Doesn't our culture teach the opposite?

1512
00:55:50,300 --> 00:55:51,960
Self-made man.

1513
00:55:52,920 --> 00:55:54,640
Self-made millionaire.

1514
00:55:55,240 --> 00:55:56,500
Self-made.

1515
00:55:56,840 --> 00:55:58,120
Pushing self.

1516
00:55:59,220 --> 00:55:59,720
Selfies.

1517
00:56:01,280 --> 00:56:02,200
I should take one.

1518
00:56:02,220 --> 00:56:02,920
That's a good opportunity.

1519
00:56:03,100 --> 00:56:04,260
I missed my opportunity.

1520
00:56:06,630 --> 00:56:10,930
You got to love your wife because I

1521
00:56:10,930 --> 00:56:12,870
would have no pictures if it wasn't for.

1522
00:56:13,350 --> 00:56:13,650
Okay.

1523
00:56:17,900 --> 00:56:18,960
All right, church.

1524
00:56:20,400 --> 00:56:20,640
Okay.

1525
00:56:21,140 --> 00:56:22,160
Now, how am I going to end on

1526
00:56:22,160 --> 00:56:23,100
a serious note?

1527
00:56:25,300 --> 00:56:26,640
I can't believe I just took a selfie

1528
00:56:26,640 --> 00:56:27,160
in church.

1529
00:56:27,980 --> 00:56:29,940
Levi, we should edit that in to the

1530
00:56:29,940 --> 00:56:30,180
sermon.

1531
00:56:30,820 --> 00:56:33,200
Anyway, last closing point here.

1532
00:56:33,320 --> 00:56:35,360
A lady by the name of Kimberly Henderson

1533
00:56:35,360 --> 00:56:37,660
posted something on social media.

1534
00:56:38,620 --> 00:56:40,080
And man, this really.

1535
00:56:40,700 --> 00:56:42,120
I've seen it before, I think, but she

1536
00:56:42,120 --> 00:56:42,540
said this.

1537
00:56:42,820 --> 00:56:44,740
I would have pulled Joseph out.

1538
00:56:44,900 --> 00:56:46,580
I would have pulled Joseph out of that

1539
00:56:46,580 --> 00:56:48,700
pit, out of that prison, out of that

1540
00:56:48,700 --> 00:56:49,080
pain.

1541
00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:51,620
I would have pulled David out, out of

1542
00:56:51,620 --> 00:56:55,000
Saul's spear-throwing presence, out of the caves

1543
00:56:55,000 --> 00:56:56,760
that he hid in, out of the pain

1544
00:56:56,760 --> 00:56:57,420
of rejection.

1545
00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:00,340
I would have pulled Esther out, out of

1546
00:57:00,340 --> 00:57:03,060
being snatched from her only family, out of

1547
00:57:03,060 --> 00:57:05,360
being placed in a position she never asked

1548
00:57:05,360 --> 00:57:05,560
for.

1549
00:57:05,700 --> 00:57:07,780
And I would have pulled Jesus off that

1550
00:57:07,780 --> 00:57:10,360
cross, off the road that led to suffering

1551
00:57:10,360 --> 00:57:10,820
and pain.

1552
00:57:11,040 --> 00:57:12,600
And oh, my friend, I want to pull

1553
00:57:12,600 --> 00:57:13,440
you out as well.

1554
00:57:13,600 --> 00:57:15,080
I want to change your path.

1555
00:57:15,320 --> 00:57:17,060
I want to stop your pain.

1556
00:57:17,280 --> 00:57:19,820
But remember those who wait upon the Lord

1557
00:57:19,820 --> 00:57:21,460
shall renew their strength.

1558
00:57:21,540 --> 00:57:23,320
They shall mount up like wings, like eagles.

1559
00:57:23,580 --> 00:57:24,880
They shall run and not faint.

1560
00:57:24,980 --> 00:57:26,600
They shall fly and not get weary.

1561
00:57:26,980 --> 00:57:28,200
Lord will lift them up.

1562
00:57:28,240 --> 00:57:29,440
Oh, I want to pull you out of

1563
00:57:29,440 --> 00:57:30,420
the hard situation.

1564
00:57:30,660 --> 00:57:33,000
If your pride is being challenged, humble yourself

1565
00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:33,560
this morning.

1566
00:57:33,760 --> 00:57:36,420
If there is pain of rejection, humble yourself

1567
00:57:36,420 --> 00:57:36,980
this morning.

1568
00:57:37,260 --> 00:57:38,620
Things are not going your way.

1569
00:57:38,860 --> 00:57:40,240
Humble yourself this morning.

1570
00:57:40,880 --> 00:57:42,680
Humble ourselves before Almighty God.

1571
00:57:43,780 --> 00:57:45,600
And then finally, I'm going to close with

1572
00:57:45,600 --> 00:57:49,960
something Kimberly Henderson said when it comes to

1573
00:57:49,960 --> 00:57:51,200
difficulties and challenges.

1574
00:57:51,380 --> 00:57:52,020
This is so true.

1575
00:57:52,540 --> 00:57:54,820
I would have pulled Joseph out of the

1576
00:57:54,820 --> 00:57:57,900
pit, out of that prison, out of that

1577
00:57:57,900 --> 00:57:58,300
pain.

1578
00:57:58,880 --> 00:58:01,040
I would have pulled David out, out of

1579
00:58:01,040 --> 00:58:03,800
Saul's spear-throwing presence, out of the caves

1580
00:58:03,800 --> 00:58:04,520
he was hidden in.

1581
00:58:04,780 --> 00:58:06,400
I would have pulled out Esther.

1582
00:58:07,120 --> 00:58:09,100
Get her away from that wicked king and

1583
00:58:09,100 --> 00:58:10,240
all these ulterior motives.

1584
00:58:10,380 --> 00:58:12,640
I would have pulled Jesus off the cross.

1585
00:58:13,800 --> 00:58:16,440
Jesus, get off the cross, off the road

1586
00:58:16,440 --> 00:58:18,000
that led to suffering and pain.

1587
00:58:18,340 --> 00:58:20,060
And oh my friend, I want to pull

1588
00:58:20,060 --> 00:58:22,940
you out as well, and I want to

1589
00:58:22,940 --> 00:58:23,860
change your path.

1590
00:58:24,140 --> 00:58:25,740
I want to stop your pain.

1591
00:58:26,140 --> 00:58:29,220
But those who wait upon the Lord shall

1592
00:58:29,220 --> 00:58:30,800
renew their strength.

1593
00:58:30,980 --> 00:58:32,440
If God is wanting you to go through

1594
00:58:32,440 --> 00:58:34,000
it, don't have someone pull you out of

1595
00:58:34,000 --> 00:58:34,100
it.

1596
00:58:34,320 --> 00:58:36,200
Sometimes that pain, it has a purpose.

1597
00:58:36,200 --> 00:58:39,420
Sometimes that waiting time is not wasted time,

1598
00:58:39,620 --> 00:58:41,360
and God will see you through as long

1599
00:58:41,360 --> 00:58:43,160
as we seek Him with all of our

1600
00:58:43,160 --> 00:58:44,320
heart and all of our strength.

1601
00:58:51,280 --> 00:58:53,260
I read this last week, and I want

1602
00:58:53,260 --> 00:58:53,780
to read it again.

1603
00:58:53,920 --> 00:58:57,300
C.H. Spurgeon said, men will allow God

1604
00:58:57,300 --> 00:59:00,540
to be everywhere except on His throne.

1605
00:59:02,480 --> 00:59:04,260
Men will allow God to be everywhere.

1606
00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:04,840
Isn't that true?

1607
00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:05,620
Oh, there's a God.

1608
00:59:06,260 --> 00:59:08,260
Hollywood, there's a God out there, and God's

1609
00:59:08,260 --> 00:59:08,360
here.

1610
00:59:08,440 --> 00:59:09,180
God's in the trees.

1611
00:59:09,340 --> 00:59:10,060
God's this God.

1612
00:59:10,220 --> 00:59:13,120
Unless you're an animal, but they'll allow Him

1613
00:59:13,120 --> 00:59:15,380
to be anywhere, everywhere except on His throne.

1614
00:59:16,360 --> 00:59:21,020
Because that requires obedience and repentance and removing

1615
00:59:21,020 --> 00:59:22,720
you from the throne and putting God up

1616
00:59:22,720 --> 00:59:23,220
on that throne.

1617
00:59:23,800 --> 00:59:25,380
And this can apply to two groups of

1618
00:59:25,380 --> 00:59:25,960
people this morning.

1619
00:59:26,040 --> 00:59:28,440
The first group, you haven't put God on

1620
00:59:28,440 --> 00:59:28,760
the throne.

1621
00:59:29,500 --> 00:59:31,020
You're too busy calling the shots.

1622
00:59:31,780 --> 00:59:32,740
You're the shot caller.

1623
00:59:33,300 --> 00:59:34,340
You're the decision maker.

1624
00:59:35,060 --> 00:59:36,820
And you'll squeeze God in a couple days,

1625
00:59:36,880 --> 00:59:37,320
a month.

1626
00:59:38,640 --> 00:59:39,840
But that has to change.

1627
00:59:39,880 --> 00:59:41,060
If you truly want to hear the voice

1628
00:59:41,060 --> 00:59:45,180
of God, be directed by God, persevere, be

1629
00:59:45,180 --> 00:59:47,060
filled with the Spirit, you've got to surrender

1630
00:59:47,060 --> 00:59:49,560
to God being on the throne.

1631
00:59:49,840 --> 00:59:51,720
Lord, what do you want from my life?

1632
00:59:51,780 --> 00:59:54,220
I might not live where I want to

1633
00:59:54,220 --> 00:59:54,520
live.

1634
00:59:55,560 --> 00:59:57,520
I might not do what I want to

1635
00:59:57,520 --> 00:59:57,740
do.

1636
00:59:58,360 --> 01:00:01,200
I might not experience what I have planned

1637
01:00:01,200 --> 01:00:02,780
for my life, but Lord, I want to

1638
01:00:02,780 --> 01:00:04,200
do what You want me to do.

1639
01:00:04,920 --> 01:00:06,920
And make that decision this morning to surrender

1640
01:00:06,920 --> 01:00:08,340
your life to God.

1641
01:00:09,340 --> 01:00:10,560
And then of course, the other group of

1642
01:00:10,560 --> 01:00:12,180
people, it has to do with unbelievers.

1643
01:00:13,240 --> 01:00:15,500
The reason a person is an unbeliever is

1644
01:00:15,500 --> 01:00:17,940
because they are in rebellion against God.

1645
01:00:19,480 --> 01:00:19,880
Correct?

1646
01:00:19,880 --> 01:00:21,660
The Bible says that the carnal mind is

1647
01:00:21,660 --> 01:00:23,660
enmity to God, at war with God.

1648
01:00:23,780 --> 01:00:25,300
They don't want there to be a God.

1649
01:00:26,080 --> 01:00:27,180
And so I want to just encourage you

1650
01:00:27,180 --> 01:00:30,200
this morning if you're listening, or even if

1651
01:00:30,200 --> 01:00:34,600
you're here this morning, being a good person

1652
01:00:34,600 --> 01:00:35,400
isn't good enough.

1653
01:00:36,500 --> 01:00:37,980
Going to church isn't good enough.

1654
01:00:38,140 --> 01:00:40,680
Nothing we can do is good enough except

1655
01:00:40,680 --> 01:00:42,620
put Christ on the throne.

1656
01:00:43,140 --> 01:00:44,320
Repent of our sin.

1657
01:00:44,660 --> 01:00:45,560
Lord, I'm a sinner.

1658
01:00:46,260 --> 01:00:48,840
I have no way I can stand before

1659
01:00:48,840 --> 01:00:49,080
You.

1660
01:00:49,260 --> 01:00:51,500
I have nothing to say, nothing to do.

1661
01:00:51,760 --> 01:00:54,840
I repent of my sin, I bow my

1662
01:00:54,840 --> 01:00:56,620
knee, and I put You on the throne.

1663
01:00:57,000 --> 01:00:58,420
And I want to be saved, God.

1664
01:00:58,480 --> 01:00:59,040
I need You.

1665
01:00:59,060 --> 01:00:59,920
And You humble Yourself.

1666
01:01:01,220 --> 01:01:02,340
Do you know what keeps people out of

1667
01:01:02,340 --> 01:01:02,600
heaven?

1668
01:01:03,860 --> 01:01:06,480
One powerful word that begins with P.

1669
01:01:07,640 --> 01:01:08,160
Pride.

1670
01:01:08,880 --> 01:01:09,220
Pride.

1671
01:01:09,400 --> 01:01:11,360
I don't want there to be a God.

1672
01:01:12,080 --> 01:01:13,580
And something, I used to study some of

1673
01:01:13,580 --> 01:01:18,120
the atheists, like Voltaire, and these famous atheists.

1674
01:01:18,240 --> 01:01:19,600
Why are they so mad at God if

1675
01:01:19,600 --> 01:01:20,180
there's no God?

1676
01:01:23,260 --> 01:01:25,040
Or even now, right?

1677
01:01:26,060 --> 01:01:29,380
Hawkins, or Stephen Hawkins.

1678
01:01:30,060 --> 01:01:31,100
Or the other one, I don't remember what

1679
01:01:31,100 --> 01:01:32,000
the other famous one is.

1680
01:01:33,280 --> 01:01:34,300
Anyone throw a name out there?

1681
01:01:35,500 --> 01:01:35,900
Okay.

1682
01:01:37,460 --> 01:01:38,920
I know I can see him, but I

1683
01:01:38,920 --> 01:01:39,120
can't.

1684
01:01:39,320 --> 01:01:43,400
But anyway, they're so mad because it has

1685
01:01:43,400 --> 01:01:45,340
to do with this area of God on

1686
01:01:45,340 --> 01:01:45,800
the throne.

1687
01:01:46,020 --> 01:01:47,580
I don't want there to be a God

1688
01:01:47,580 --> 01:01:48,040
on the throne.

1689
01:01:48,200 --> 01:01:49,220
I am God.

1690
01:01:49,400 --> 01:01:50,960
My intellect is God.

1691
01:01:51,100 --> 01:01:52,040
And they're so mad.

1692
01:01:52,120 --> 01:01:53,080
There can't be a God.

1693
01:01:53,120 --> 01:01:55,480
And they shake their angry fists because they

1694
01:01:55,480 --> 01:01:56,520
know there's a God.

1695
01:01:57,040 --> 01:01:58,660
And they don't want to bow to that

1696
01:01:58,660 --> 01:02:00,720
God because of pride.

1697
01:02:01,040 --> 01:02:02,260
Pride is damning.

1698
01:02:02,440 --> 01:02:03,520
Pride is deadly.

1699
01:02:03,960 --> 01:02:06,440
Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.

1700
01:02:06,760 --> 01:02:07,660
And do time.

1701
01:02:07,940 --> 01:02:08,920
He will exalt you.

1702
01:02:09,000 --> 01:02:10,100
You exalt yourself.

1703
01:02:10,360 --> 01:02:11,600
And He will base you.

1704
01:02:11,700 --> 01:02:13,340
God said, I will bring back what was

1705
01:02:13,340 --> 01:02:15,440
driven away to the prophet Ezekiel.

1706
01:02:15,600 --> 01:02:17,000
I will bind up the broken.

1707
01:02:17,160 --> 01:02:18,560
I will strengthen the sick.

1708
01:02:18,800 --> 01:02:21,240
But the proud, the fat, the arrogant, I

1709
01:02:21,240 --> 01:02:22,280
will feed in judgment.

1710
01:02:22,540 --> 01:02:24,080
Thus saith the Lord.

1711
01:02:24,740 --> 01:02:26,980
Pride and arrogance must die this morning.