This message is one of the Times Square
Church Pulpit Series.
It was recorded in the sanctuary of Times
Square Church in Manhattan, New York City.
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Hallelujah.
My message today is entitled, An Awesome God.
Amen.
Father, we praise you today.
You are an awesome God.
Oh Lord, we pray the Holy Spirit would
come and make that so real.
Lord, you would deposit something in our spirit
today.
That we would leave here God so secure
in your awesomeness.
Hidden in a secret place in you.
Lord, where you cover and protect.
Where you reveal yourself to be awesome.
Lord, where we know we are protected.
Where we see our enemies defeated, oh God.
And that a trust born, Lord, of experience
in an awesome God is walked with us.
And Christ is real to us.
Because we honor you and we praise you
as an awesome God.
And Lord, we thank you for it.
In Jesus' precious name.
Amen and amen.
We have two scriptures to turn to today.
And if you would just turn with me
to Psalm 4.
And then our second scripture will be John
chapter 2.
Psalm 4 and John chapter 2.
An awesome God.
I believe that it's the desire of the
Lord to have his people stand in an
awesome reverence and fear and awe of him.
It's a kind of thing that is hard
to describe.
Because we don't feel in the godly sense
that way towards any other thing.
And I believe that there is an anointing
that God is going to grant people to
walk in.
To have such a holy fear.
And to be overwhelmed by the greatness of
our God that truly gives us the power
to walk in a new and a fresh
way with him.
I want to speak today about standing in
awe of God.
I don't believe we decided this moment, alright,
right now I'm going to start to walk
in an awe of God.
I believe that having that awe, that overwhelming
respect and love and godly fear is the
result of something.
I believe that something is a sober account
to determine to obey God when he speaks
to us.
I think it's the result of that.
I think it's when we get down in
our spirit that Lord when I hear you
speak and I know it's you.
I determine to obey.
Now we know that that will come with
the resulting, what I call, torment of trust.
Where we have to learn in that decision,
by God's grace you're going to see me
through.
By your grace I'm not going to turn
back.
By God's grace I'm going to face the
can't do I feel in my spirit and
the won't do that I feel in my
spirit.
But God I'm going to trust you because
I'm going to submit it to you.
Everything that rises up to take away that
determination to when I know it's you speaking
I'm going to obey you.
I'm going to submit everything that rises up
to take that out of my heart and
spirit.
I'm going to keep submitting it to you
and I'm going to ask you to change
my heart.
And I believe that that's a reckoning that
needs to come in all of our heart.
And it's going to be a cry from
it Lord make me willing to hear this
message.
Make me willing God to have a heart
like that.
When we hear something like this it sets
off a chain reaction.
It sets off God I know that you
have been faithful to me.
But I just know that you're going to
lead me on a path and I'm going
to confront something that does cause me torment
to trust you.
But I know that God is faithful to
every tiny step of faith that we make
towards that and beloved miracles happen.
One time I was listening to an excellent
Bible teacher.
And she began to share an exciting thing
that happened in her life.
And you could tell as she was teaching
there was a true bubbling up.
It was like a fountain spring of joy
as she remembered how God led her through
something.
And that joy also was kind of fueled
by God I just can't wait to see
what you're going to ask me to do
next.
Because it's such an adventure with you.
That God you in spite of my fears
and in spite of my don't want to
you show up and you take me through
it.
And this walk with Christ was such an
exciting and a very real thing with her.
And she told about the time I've shared
before but how God had asked her to
go to a public place and say and
do something for a person.
And I remember at the end of that
study being rooted in my chair with my
head down.
And everybody else was saying that was a
fantastic teaching wasn't that?
That was such an anointing on that.
And I remember being rooted in that chair
with a sober realization.
God even though you're God if you had
asked me to do something like that I
wouldn't do it.
And I realized with that sober realization in
a flash that me not being willing or
wanting or I wouldn't.
And I tell you at that moment I
would not do it.
I felt such a grief not in my
heart but in God's heart saying you know
Teresa there are ways that I could use
you.
There are ways I want you to know
me.
But you're just setting aside that whole by
your refusal to do it.
You're cutting out a whole chunk of our
relationship that would set you free, enrich you,
fill you with a glory.
In Psalm 404 it says stand in awe
and sin not.
Commune with your own heart upon your bed
and be still.
Selah.
Commune, meditate, think, consider what obedience will mean.
You know beloved God was awesome when he
brought the children of Israel through the Red
Sea.
That was an awesome act of God.
That deliverance.
And 3 million people walked through that deliverance
and that awesomeness and that awesome act of
God.
And they went into the wilderness and seemingly
affected by it.
You see God is awesome and God will
be awesome.
But it seems like for that to get
into our spirit.
And to produce the fruit that when we
say God you are incredible.
And when you are asking me to do
something Lord I'm going to obey you just
on the strength.
It's God Almighty, my God asking me.
Regardless of the blessing and the freedom that
will result because we do it.
But getting to a point where God says
can I be God to you.
And the children of Israel went through the
Red Sea but it didn't get in their
spirit that they had an awesome God.
Because he was not awesome within them in
the sense that they would bend their knee
to him.
They would sing the song but they would
not bend their knee.
And I think that in this scripture Psalm
4.4 God says I want you to
meditate now on your own bed.
I want you to consider your own heart.
Because my spirit will come as a searchlight
and I will show you some things that
are there.
That you are having a deep struggle with.
Where the fear grips, where there is torment,
where there is confusion.
I'll tell you why.
Because you know and I know if I
ever called you into the light on that
question.
You would not come.
You would not do it.
And it says here commune on your own
bed.
And it says and be still.
Now beloved I don't know about you but
I know that when God begins to speak
to me about areas of my heart that's
very deep.
Where there is a struggle.
I'm not still.
There is an earthquake.
I'm not lying there in this perfect peace.
I'm lying there Lord.
It's producing something that you know I don't
want to hear necessarily.
But the scripture says that if we stand
in awe and sin not.
That means that we are saying okay God
I want now to be.
Because it's coming from you a word to
me.
I want to hear it.
And Lord I want you to give me
the grace to hear it all.
And I want you to bring the light.
And keep dealing with me till there is
peace.
Till I am silent on that bed.
Till I am convinced Lord.
That the thing that you're dealing with me
about.
That the thing that you're speaking to me
over and over about.
I'm going to settle it by bending my
knee.
Where my energy is not going to go
to running away from you.
To justifying.
To not wanting to hear.
To changing the subject.
To pointing to all the times I have
obeyed you.
Lord but being so willing to take my
energy.
And run towards you.
And say God I'm not going to fight
you on this.
I need the grace to yield to it.
I want my energy to go that way.
And Lord you be God to me.
Having an awe of God.
I believe is the result of obeying in
the hard things.
And then we will always come up with
a God ending.
And a God solution.
We will always come up with a God
ending and a God solution.
When we let him speak to us about
those areas.
That are hard for us to obey in.
Having an awe of God means we continually
transfer our trust from ourselves to God.
Having an awe of God means continually transferring
our trust from ourselves to God.
And in John 2.5. There is a
very interesting line in the Bible here.
And it says.
Whatsoever he says unto you.
Do it.
In a nutshell.
Whatever he says unto you.
Do it.
When that word is made real to us.
And we know that it is God speaking.
It is God asking.
Beloved God is not offended if we are
saying.
Lord is this my flesh?
Is this you know hyper religion?
Is this the devil trying to fuel?
As long as there is an honest doubt
in our heart.
God says.
Okay deal with me.
Ask me.
Ask me to confirm it.
Ask me to have a word spoken from
the pulpit or the choir to sing about
it.
Or in your daily devotion when you open
the word.
The Lord says.
I am pleased that you want to test
and prove that this voice is me.
But he says.
What are you going to do when you
find out it is me?
What are you going to do when you
know like you know.
Because you have that sinking feeling.
And you know your flesh would never think
this one up.
What are you going to do when you
know it is me?
Well beloved when that word is made real
to us.
We are going to see in John 2.
That means when God is asking us to
do something at that level.
He is getting ready to do something awesome
in us.
He is getting ready to do something awesome
through us and around us.
That line was said by his mother Mary.
What so ever he says unto you.
What so ever.
That is an intimidating word.
That is too open ended for the flesh.
That is something that is very radical.
What so ever he says.
Do it.
We see starting at this parable.
Starting at verse 1.
It says in the third day there was
a marriage in Cana of Galilee.
And the mother of Jesus was there.
And both Jesus was called and his disciples
to the marriage.
And when they wanted wine the mother of
Jesus said unto him.
They have no wine.
And Jesus said unto her.
Woman what have I to do with thee?
Mine hour is not yet come.
His mother saith unto the servants.
What so ever he saith unto you.
Do it.
And then this parable goes on to say
that after she said that.
That there were six water pots.
And Jesus says to servants standing by.
Fill them up.
And a large quantity of water was poured
into these water pots.
And then he says draw it out now.
Take it to the governor of the feast.
And this water turned wine was brought to
the governor of the feast.
And when he tasted it he took it
to the bridegroom of the wedding.
And he said in verse 10.
Every man at the beginning sets forth good
wine.
And when men have well drunk then that
which is worse.
It says you have kept the good wine
until now.
And this parable closes by saying.
This beginning of miracles to Jesus in Cana
of Galilee.
And manifested forth his glory.
And his disciples believed on him.
John tells us this is the first miracle
that Jesus ever did.
In his public ministry.
And we have here.
This word.
What so ever he saith.
And it's a very intimidating word.
But it's crucial I believe to.
To seeing where the.
Understanding this parable and what that line means.
This saying God I want.
I want to get to the point.
That when I know it's you speaking.
Even in the hard things.
I'm going to bend my knee to you.
Because it's you.
And I'm going to do it.
And to be able to get to that
point.
Of the what so ever and the what
so ever he saith to you do it.
We have to understand what's going on here.
Because there's a lesson here.
And lesson number one.
Of having an awesome God live in our
hearts.
That we can unquestionably obey.
Despite that torment of trust.
Is that thing of humility.
There is a humility in this story.
It's where it says I don't understand all
you do.
Or when you do it.
But I don't need to.
It says it's saying in this story.
That your ways are not my ways.
But Lord I'm going to believe you for
the grace to accept it.
And here's how it's taught.
Verse three Mary comes to her son and
says they have no wine.
Now Mary tells Jesus that.
Because she knows him.
He has done no public miracle.
But we are now dealing with a woman.
That has conceived this child by the power
of the Holy Ghost.
This woman knows him.
She knows who she's dealing with.
No one in that room knows him like
she does.
And she turns to him and she says
they have no wine.
Now Jesus answer is very very surprising.
Because he turns and he says woman.
What have I to do with this?
My hour has not yet come.
And woman when he answers her like that.
That woman that sounds very harsh to our
ears.
But actually he said that to her from
the cross.
When he said woman behold your son.
It is a term of endearment.
But I'll tell you when he says that.
That may have been the very first time
that she ever heard him say to her
woman instead of mother.
That may have been the very first time
that she's been addressed like that.
And when he does that.
He's saying I'm telling you.
You know some things about me.
But my hour has not yet come.
It's not ready for revealing.
And now I'm going to say not mother
but woman.
And it's like saying.
Before this point you were my mother.
And I honored you as such.
And I've been guided by your direction.
But I'm breaking off that voluntary submission.
And I'm now going to be led by
another voice superior to your own.
He tells her my hour has not yet
come.
You know me.
I'll tell you the push of his family.
Was always been Jesus show yourself.
There was always a push to him.
Show be something.
Be somebody.
Step out.
We know you Jesus.
You're not an ordinary man.
Now step out and show them.
And Jesus said to her my hour has
not yet come.
As you know me.
It's not my hour to show them.
And beloved you know.
I know.
That she heard him.
I know that she heard.
By his response.
You don't run this show anymore.
You don't dictate anymore.
You've known me as Jesus the son.
Now you must know me as Jesus the
Lord.
There has to be a reverence here.
A reverence that had an awe.
Had to take heart in her root.
And she was his mother.
There had to be.
In order for that humility to take root.
Not be offended.
Not be rejected.
There had to be an acceptance.
There had to be an awe here.
For that humility to take root.
She was so familiar with him.
Yet it was very clear at this moment.
You must reverence me.
And what you're asking me to do.
I know you're convinced in the cause.
But I'm going to say this to you.
What you're asking me to do.
What you're asking me to show forth at
this time.
My hour has not come.
There's a song that says.
About Mary.
It says the child that you've delivered.
Would soon deliver you.
And there was a change in the relationship.
And this woman had to have the humility.
To accept it.
Now there's only one perfect parent in the
world.
That's our Heavenly Father.
Mary was not a perfect parent.
Mary was not always right.
But with a true humility.
Comes a Holy Ghost boldness.
I'm going to say that again.
With a true humility.
Comes a Holy Ghost boldness.
I'll tell you something that delights God.
That delights Him.
Because God always makes.
A brave and bold heart.
From a chastened heart.
From a humbled heart.
You can trust a humbled heart.
Because it's not acting selfishly.
You can hear the request and the cry
of a humbled heart.
Because it's moving in another spirit.
It's not about flesh.
And the Holy Ghost can speak.
Through a humbled heart.
And she heard Him.
She understood what He was saying at that
moment.
But I'll tell you something.
Because she received with humility.
What He had to say to her.
Now she had something to say that He
could hear.
And the Bible says that she turns to
a servant.
She says, whatever He says to you.
Do it.
And beloved, she's not dictating.
She's being bold because she's not asking for
herself.
She's being moved by compassion.
She's being moved by a spirit that animates
Him.
And He recognizes that they're the same family.
Beloved, she can speak boldly because she lives
with Him.
She lives with the Son.
She knows His heart.
And when she moves now after being chastened.
After hearing a right relationship with Him.
She can ask in boldness.
And it gets answered.
Beloved, she's bold in her appeal.
Because there's no wine in a place where
there should never be no wine.
And she knows that Jesus, her Son, is
the only one who can supply a new
wine.
And she's bold.
She knows His heart.
He cannot resist her appeal for this family.
For this marriage.
For this situation.
Jesus cannot resist a humble heart.
She may not have done everything right.
But that does not prevent her from declaring,
I know you.
And you will do something.
She says boldly, whatever He says, do it.
Because she's saying, I'm not dictating to you.
But I know your heart.
You're going to do something.
So do whatever you need to do.
Do whatever you feel to do.
But I know you will do something.
You know, beloved, our imperfections do not hinder
God from answering our humble cry.
Our imperfections and our failures do not prevent
Him when we lift up our voices for
our marriage and for our families.
Only our indifference and our unbelief block His
ears.
But beloved, awe causes us, inspires us to
pray large.
To pray big.
To pray limitless prayers.
Because an awe and unbelief can't live in
the same heart.
And Mary all of a sudden was getting
this relationship.
But she knew His heart.
And she was filled with the awe of
who her son really was.
But she knew His heart.
And it made her bold and it made
her ask largely.
And then, when He went and filled those
water pots, I know that she was even
more humble.
And stood in awe of Him when we
discovered the great humility of God.
You see, she found her place.
She heard Him.
But then, in that heartfelt cry, moved by
the Holy Spirit in her, He humbled Himself
and listened to her.
He said, My hour has not come.
But He turned around and did it.
Now, He did it in a way that
did not draw attention to Himself.
He did it so only those that knew
Him are supposed to understand what He was
about.
His disciples and her knew.
He did it in a way that when
He said, My hour has not come, beloved,
He was talking about the cross.
Because really, He did not say, My hour
has not come, until He was ready to
go to the cross.
When the power and penalty of sin and
darkness that holds us captive was about to
be broken.
But that did not stop Him from somehow
working what He can only work.
A God's solution to a problem put before
Him by a humble heart.
And He worked it out.
And there was that new wine flowing.
But beloved, God, the humility of God, that
even what seems to be outside His timetable
says, A humble heart, I can't resist.
A humble heart that is in awe of
me.
But we cannot have that awe of God
without a deep set humility.
We cannot.
If we think that we're going to be
in awe of God and the pride in
our heart untouched.
Will not, cannot happen.
But saying, Lord, I want that awe of
you, says that's good, we're going to start
with lesson number one.
Humility 101.
God says, because you see, when you move
in a humble heart, I can't resist that
cry.
And I'm going to humble myself.
And the scripture says in Psalm 116 verse
1 and 2, the psalmist decried, I love
the Lord because He has heard my voice
and my supplication.
Because He has inclined His ear unto me.
Therefore will I call upon Him as long
as I live.
So as long as I have breath, there's
going to be a prayer.
As long as I have breath, there's going
to be a prayer.
Because in my humble heart that's saying, God,
be God in this situation.
He says, I'm going to incline my ear.
That means I'm going to bend over.
I'm going to listen intently.
I'm going to hear what you have to
say.
That's Psalm 116.
He says, when I hear a heart cry,
that's going to have the courage to pray
however you answer it, Lord.
Whatsoever you say, I'll do it.
It's open-ended.
Because a humble heart with a humble cry
is not dictating.
It's not saying, it's got to be this
way and I've thought it all out and
here's what we'll do.
It says, God, I'm humble enough to know
that you are awesome enough that you are
going to fill this situation with yourself.
Ways I can't even begin to think about.
Ways I can't even begin to know about.
Ways that you're going to settle to your
glory and to my good and this situation
in only a God solution.
I can't even begin to think it out.
So however you settle it, God.
That's what a humble heart says.
How many times, beloved, I have been brought
up short by a faithful Holy Spirit when
I've just said something.
And the Holy Ghost challenges me and says,
what was that about?
And I realize, oh no, that was me
wanting praise and glory.
What about when I think about something and
a faithful Holy Ghost checks me off and
says, what was that about?
That was me wanting praise and glory, Lord.
He says, what are you going to do
with that?
Then Lord, I give it to you.
Because you're teaching me I don't want it.
I give it to you.
I was so blessed on Friday I went
to the New Believers class.
And there are two teachers there.
And they were asked a question.
They said, a young believer, well, what's the
difference between humility and meekness?
And I love the answer that these two
men gave.
I love the answer because when I heard
such a humility in them as they gave
the answer.
I rejoiced because I saw that God had
placed humble men over the young ones.
It's easy to lord it over the young
ones.
It's easy to impress, puff up like you
know something.
But there was such a humility in their
answer.
And I thought, Lord, you know I realize
humility is always worked into us.
Always worked in.
It never springs up like a weed.
Humility is like a rose.
It like has to be cultivated.
Tended.
And they said, what's the difference between humility
and meekness?
One teacher said, well, humility is when you
get small in your own sight.
In the presence of something very great.
Have you ever felt small in your own
sight in the presence of something very great?
It's one of the most wonderful feelings in
the world.
It really is.
Another teacher says, humility is admitting we are
not and we can't.
Because all of us want to have an
image of ourselves and many times God's got
to knock down that image.
That we're not the good guy we thought.
There'll be a lot of people that will
say, I know good people.
But beloved, when we're talking about God and
his goodness.
And he says, be perfect as I am
perfect.
We're not good.
It's like we could say, everyone in this
room, we're going to swim to Hawaii.
I'm a very good swimmer.
And maybe that very good swimmer could swim
16, 18 miles.
But still fall so short.
And beloved, it's walking in that attitude.
Lord, I want to stay in my own
eyes small.
Because that's how you get the glory.
This is how I'm going to walk in
awe.
This is how you're going to be an
awesome God.
This is how when you begin to ask
certain things of me.
Lord, I'm going to be quick to bend
my knee.
Because I've got the right picture.
I've got a right understanding.
My mind's been expanded now.
To begin to take in just how great
you are a little bit.
And what I am in comparison.
The scriptures say, blessed are the pure in
heart.
With pure motives they see God.
Now also in this wedding story.
Another key to the whatsoever.
He says to do, do it.
He says to you, do it.
Another key, beloved, is when God starts to
put our hand on the issue of provision
in our life.
When he starts to ask us who controls
it.
When we start to ask a strange question
if we really thought about it.
But when the issue of provision comes up,
we go, God, can I trust you with
it?
Well, we say we do.
But God, of course, sees right to the
center of the heart.
Because he made all hearts alike.
He made all hearts the same, he says.
He knows what he's dealing with in the
heart of man.
And it tells us in this parable that
there was no wine.
And yet Mary knew wherever her son Jesus
is, there is no lack.
That in his presence there is no lack.
And we need to learn that.
That's got to get into our spirit.
Because, beloved, I will tell you, God will
put his finger on our provision.
Whether it be rich or poor.
And anywhere in that great middle, he is
going to do it.
Because if he's determined to be Lord over
our life, he's going to be Lord over
this area too.
And can we say, when God begins to
touch our provision and begins to speak to
us about things, that God, whatever you do,
whatever you ask me will be right.
Whatever you ask, whatever you're requiring of me
will be for good.
If we could pitchfork souls into heaven as
soon as they got saved, we would not
have to worry about material things.
But since we have to live in this
world, and all that it means, God is
saying, I want you now to trust me
in a very spectacular way for your provision.
Just like at this wedding.
The first miracle.
I believe that God is asking us to
be open-handed and generous and give into
hospitality.
Maybe that's an old-fashioned thought or seemingly
unworkable thought in New York.
But as the Lord laid that thought in
my heart and I looked up all the
scriptures on hospitality, I was amazed how many
references there were.
Give into hospitality, the scripture says.
Be a lover of hospitality.
Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
God is saying, now the provision that I've
given you is not just for you.
And I want you to have an open
heart so you can have an open home.
He's saying that many have entertained angels and
didn't know it.
When they opened up their heart and then
opened up their home.
There's an area here we need to hear
him on this.
Say, Lord, I need to be open to
this.
For some, maybe the hospitality in the New
York style is taking an interest in people
and spending time over a cup of coffee.
But God is saying as mature saints, He's
saying that I'm going to open your heart
and I want you to use hospitality one
with another.
There are too many people that come in
to this place and they've sat here for
months and they don't know the name of
one person.
There are too many lonely people here in
this place and it ought not to be
so.
And if we were open to the Holy
Spirit and say, God, please show me who
it is that you want me to extend
your hand to and your ear to.
And to show some concern.
Beloved, sometimes it's in these simplest and smallest
of things that we feel we have a
liberty not to listen.
But when we were given to hospitality, there
is something awesome that happens.
You know, when we were just young marrieds
and there was only one income coming in.
My husband was given to hospitality.
And he was forever inviting people over to
our house.
And I was not a lover of hospitality.
But, you know, over the over those times
when I look back, that was the beginning
of miracles in my life.
That was the beginning of having that sense
of God, you are awesome.
And you care about the little things and
the big things.
And you take care of things that that
only I fully understand.
Lord, this was you.
One time after church, he invited a whole
crowd over.
And I knew it was such a tiny
roast.
And when I got to the oven and
opened it up, it had shrunk to the
size of a baseball.
And everybody is in the living room hungry
and waiting.
Finally, it was a long time I was
standing in disbelief in the kitchen.
My husband comes out and he goes, what
are you doing?
What's the matter?
And I said, look.
But you've got to cut it so thin,
if a piece drops to the floor, it
goes like this.
And God granted him an anointing to cut
the roast like that.
And we just put it on a piece
of bun and, you know, put some gravy
on it and macaroni salad.
And guess what?
I had leftovers.
Just enough for this little family.
And my sister-in-law was over.
And all of a sudden, you know, the
phone rings.
And it's some people that I'd met a
long, long time ago on the other side
of Canada.
And I said, you know, if you're ever
in the area, drop round.
And they did.
With their family.
And my sister-in-law is looking at
me and saying, I don't know how you're
going to do this.
This is a true story.
Five minutes later, I hear a car in
the driveway.
And I go and I look in the
driveway.
And I can't believe it.
But it's this family with five kids.
And they were coming right at dinner time.
And I knew that meant something.
And when I got out of the car,
I recognized it was the family that didn't
like us very much.
Spoke about us a lot.
And was like, Lord, please don't let me
be ashamed in front of them.
And they came in and I knew there
was a reason that they were there at
the time they were.
And I invited them for supper.
By this time, my sister-in-law is
looking around the room.
It's standing room only in the kitchen.
Then I hear a noise in the driveway
again.
Two motorcycles pull up.
And it's my husband's brother and a friend
on a cross-Canada trip pulling in.
And then her son.
And this much hamburger.
And, God, there's got to be a reason.
I had to believe that.
I had nothing else to believe.
Again, I had leftovers.
I don't know how he multiplied that dinner.
And then I knew why he had a
reason why he brought all those people together.
He was doing something in our midst.
Beloved, do you have a place that people
can go to?
Do you have a place people can drop
into?
Is there a place where there's a welcome?
You know, after the spaghetti miracle.
God was bringing us on to other tests.
One time the Lord said, I want you
to take your reserve.
And I want you to buy this other
pastor a car.
And that was hard for us.
Because that was the reserve.
That's what all there was.
And, you know, with a family of five,
three children, you can think of reasons why
you might need that.
But when I look back, God was saying
in the little things.
It started with the hospitality.
Was I faithful to you?
In a way that only the hostess could
fully rejoice in him.
And understand, even in those little things, God,
you saw and you were so faithful and
you had a purpose in it.
And it gives us courage when he takes
us to the next step where he's saying,
I want you to do this.
Because he's a gracious God and he takes
us in the steps that are needed, that
we can follow him in.
He doesn't take the giant steps if we're
babies.
We start with the baby steps.
And when he asked us about the car
and the Lord was able to do that,
I tell you something.
We have never lacked for a vehicle the
rest of our life.
God has more than supplied.
God has more than given to us in
that area.
No, we don't give to get, but I'm
telling you that if we obey him, God
shows up.
And God does miracles.
And he gives more than we can ever
think or know.
And we begin to have a testimony of
the awesomeness of God.
In a way that delights us.
In a way that we're able to say
he is faithful.
That when we obey him, we open up
the zipper of heaven.
And that a blessing that he is longing
to give us is being poured out upon
us.
That his people can have built into them
a sense we serve an awesome God.
And the fear level lowers every time we
remember those testimonies.
Wednesday, this young couple had this wedding feast.
You can see the type.
They just said, let's just invite everybody.
And they did.
And then what happened?
It looked like the provision was going to
run out.
But when they entertained at their wedding, they
entertained greater than angels.
There was one greater than angels there.
And he put a blessing on that marriage
as such as no other marriage could have.
He said that there's going to be a
new wine flowing in this place.
There's going to be a new glow and
a new glory upon this couple that have
an open hearted approach to me and to
my people.
Beloved, how can we say, God, I want
a wide open heart to you and we're
so narrow with each other.
We have such a closed heart, one towards
another.
God says, I'll be a miracle working God
and I'll fill you with awe.
But it starts with the little things.
It starts in being faithful in the small
things I'm commanding you.
God came through that wedding because there was
a transfer of trust.
Now, beloved, God also to give that sense
that he is an awesome God, sooner or
later he's going to ask us to do
something we don't want to do.
You know it, I know it.
He's going to ask something that we don't
want to do.
We're going to say we can't do it.
And if there's something like that in our
hearts, know it's going to happen sooner than
later.
Mary came to Jesus and she said, we
have no wine.
Now, it's not recorded in scripture.
But maybe, just maybe her first response was
that, what has that got to do with
me?
Why should I be concerned about that?
What can I do about that?
Yes, I know Jesus is here, but it's
not his time.
It's not now.
But the scripture does tell us she did
go to his son.
She did go.
Beloved, many times when God's going to put
some, when he puts his finger on something
now, he's going to deal with now.
Even in this message, our first response many
times is going to be, not here, not
now.
God, I'm not ready.
I can't do that.
I can't forgive and release that one.
I can't go back there and not lie.
I can't, Lord, be honest in this area.
It'll bring me shame.
Be too many questions.
I can't, I can't.
I can't is I won't.
God says that if we will take that
step, say, God, I need the grace to
want to obey you.
God says if you'll make that first step
that you will be willing.
He says, I'm going to fill the empty
water pots.
Because when we start to resist him and
not to obey, we're going to be empty.
God says, look, my heart is to fill
you on this place.
I'm going to work it out in a
way you could never understand how I would
do that.
He says that when you obey me in
this place, when you make me willing, I've
got a glory and a blessing for you
that all your life you're going to reap
the benefit of.
All your life you're going to look back
and that is going to be a testimony
that no man will take from you.
And it will be the strength from which
you'll take the next step.
But beloved, if we say no and we
keep saying no.
It gets so easy to let that be
our first response.
It gets to be a place where we
have a tin pot testimony.
It's so tinny because it's so hypocritical.
I remember not too long ago, I've shared
this with you, but I don't usually talk
a lot about myself.
But there's no way I can kind of
describe the journey of learning an awe of
God except that it sounds so theological.
But when we see it in each other's
lives, we kind of get what we mean.
But there was a day that I totally
resisted.
I did not want to do what God
was asking me to do.
I had a huge fear of man.
And in that huge fear of man, it's
a snare, the Bible says.
It's a snare because it's the kind of
thing that brings torment to your soul.
It's where you definitely need the approval of
people.
It's where pride is uppermost in your heart.
It is where you're very critical of others.
It is a terrible place to be.
And when I saw that woman teach, and
I saw glory upon her, and I knew
I could never know that.
Because God was dealing with me about my
fear of man.
And I remember one time sitting down there,
and the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and
He said, Someday you're going to speak up
here.
And I remember almost rebuking that thought, thinking
it was the devil.
So it do.
But over time it became clear that that's
what God wanted me to do.
And I remember if some of you were
here then, I would get up, and it
was agonizing.
It was agonizing for me.
It was agonizing for you.
This is too hard.
I don't want to do this anymore.
This is too hard.
This is too painful.
And I'm not even good at it.
God gets somebody up there who knows what
they're doing.
I just found out God's not looking for
people who know what they're doing.
He's looking for people who know what He's
doing.
But there came a day when I said,
God, I don't want to do this anymore.
There is an agony, and I agonize.
I am afraid.
I don't want to do this.
And God answered me with one big, huge
silence.
That's what He does a lot of times.
And the silence continued.
Till finally, in that small, still voice, He
says, am I calling you to do this?
Am I calling you to do this?
And if it's me calling, will I equip
you?
See, we can argue on lots of levels.
We can take it where we think we're
going to win.
On the ground, we've got the argument.
He said, I'm not talking about your ability.
I'm not discussing that.
He says, I'm telling you.
I'm telling you.
I'm asking you.
Will you?
And the strange thing is, I felt I
had a choice in it.
But I knew, if I said no to
this, that frustrated, fretting, anxious, selfish, proud, no
trust, no obedience, no joy, countenance would be
mine.
And not only would I pay, but all
those around me.
And the testimony of Christ would suffer.
And so, grace was given.
And by grace, I saw that the world
did not need one more follower of a
humble and powerful Jesus Christ.
A follower who would betray Him like that.
A follower who would portray Him as a
God who would be unable to deliver me
from my bondage.
When all along, I had chosen that bondage.
When I chose not to trust it.
Beloved, the rebellious dwell in a tried land.
With no awe of God.
But I found out He turned water to
wine.
I found out He turns the ordinary to
extraordinary when we seek to glorify Him.
When we say, Lord, let You get the
glory.
Lord, it's a privilege for me to praise
You.
It's a privilege for me to tell the
great things You've done.
It's a privilege to say I'm empty and
have You fill me.
And then see You pour out living water.
Beloved, I'm so glad that the grace was
given to say yes.
That I can begin to know an awe
in my heart.
And I can truly say that He has
saved the best for last.
And every day is the last.
And every day it keeps getting better.
You know, this year is the first year
that I have lived longer being saved than
unsaved.
I was saved when I was 23 years
old.
And I walked with Him 24 years.
And you know, looking back, now in my
24th year.
I can say I feel so established.
So settled in Him.
This is a testimony He has done in
me.
I have given Him some very timid yeses.
I have almost closed my eyes and held
out a hand.
So reluctantly.
But He was so gracious to me.
And He was so humble to me.
And He was so powerful to me.
And He was so faithful to me.
And He took me through places of my
heart.
And places and seasons of my life.
And all He did was good to me.
And all He did was set me up
on a hill.
Over my enemies.
Set me free.
All He has ever done is put a
glory in my soul that I did not
deserve.
When we start walking with Him, you know,
we walk what seems like contrary to the
world.
But we're that salmon swimming upstream against everybody
and against, against.
And you know, we feel like the religious
hate us and are offended when we say
the name Jesus.
And the partyers scorn us.
And the lust-laden pity us and revile
us.
But beloved Psalm 119.61 says, Princes have
persecuted me without a cause.
But my heart stands in awe of thy
work.
And give me a new heart and a
new spirit.
I wasn't moving against the world.
Jesus Christ came and lifted me up and
over it.
Have grace in
Him.
He's taught me relinquish it to Him.
Give it to Him.
Because the outcome will be a glory and
an awe in my soul.
God does not need my permission to rearrange
my life.
And God does not owe me an explanation
if bad things or hard things happen.
Because beloved, I know something so deep in
me.
That He reigns over me with love.
And He reigns in me to subdue my
enemies.
And a heart sometimes that's contrary to Him.
And He reigns through me.
And I give Him all the glory for
that.
Beloved, there are dark days ahead.
There are dark days for the church.
There are very dark days for the world.
And those that can dwell in the secret
place of the Most High.
Dwell in an awe land.
A glory land.
Of knowing He reigns.
And no matter how bad it is all
around us.
That a thousand shall fall at our right
hand.
And ten thousand on the other.
That we will not give way to fear.
We will not give way to the anxiousness
and the doubt.
That's going to make the heart of the
world melt like wax.
There's going to be a day where the
confusion and the terror and the lust.
And the sin of this world.
Is going to go way over our heads.
And only those that are in Christ.
And can keep bowing their knee because they
have an awe of Him.
You will be God.
You will reign over this.
I do not let fear reign over me.
I submit to your glory.
I say you're going to be God through
this.
And you'll protect and take me through.
Those that are going to stand in the
last days.
Beloved.
He's looking for a people that have an
awe of Him in their soul.
And we get that by a radical obedience.
We get that through obedience in the hard
places.
Beloved, He will give us.
He will give us that grace.
To say yes.
To what we need to.
Will you stand with me?
The musicians come.
For some in this place.
Your very first miracle.
I say this with all the love in
my heart.
But your very first miracle.
Has got to be you're going to trust
Him to say yes.
To what He's dealing with you about.
Your first miracle to say yes.
That the Lord has spoken to you.
And you're asking Him for the grace to
face what you must face today.
What you must face.
You do not take a step farther in
Christ.
Till this issue is settled.
Will you come?
Some of the most.
Costliest.
Things we can ever say is that three
letter word.
Yes.
Yes Lord.
But Jesus Christ.
Said a very costly yes for us.
When He went to the cross.
He says you're not going to walk this
alone.
You're going to turn around.
And all of hell is going to come
against you to take that yes.
Out of your heart and spirit.
He says I'm going to walk with you.
And that yes is going to be a
reality.
Beloved the enemy is going to try to
tell you.
If you do this thing.
If you commit to do this thing.
And he will start to pick a pincher.
Of what your obedience is going to be.
But in Psalm 27.
Two lines.
I want to read to you the truth.
It says.
When the wicked even my enemies and my
foes came upon me to eat up my
flesh.
They stumbled and fell.
Though a host should encamp against me.
My heart shall not fear.
Though war should rise against me.
In this will I be confident.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life.
Of whom shall I be afraid?
Beloved God knows what this yes means.
And sometimes the first few yeses are the
most costly.
But I'll tell you.
The whole power of heaven.
And the glory of Jesus Christ.
Will come into you.
And you're going to be changed.
You're going to get a God solution.
God's going to make a way that you
could never even envision.
He's going to turn something that was going
to be so incredible.
And all your life you're going to have
a testimony.
Of when you said yes.
Heaven came down.
And everything changed.
Beloved I stand here today.
Because I said yes.
And I thank him every day I did.
Beloved you're going to thank him every day.
He's going to give you the power.
And Jesus Christ is going to be so
sweet to you.
And real to you.
And you're going to get a God solution.
That's going to just stagger your mind.
He knows the cost of yes.
But he knows the power of yes.
Will you pray with me.
Lord Jesus.
I say yes.
To what you're speaking to me about.
It is going to be by your power.
And obey you.
Receive your glory.
And Lord let your awe.
To you.
Of you saying yes back to me.
And Lord I'll give you all the praise.
Amen.
This is the conclusion of the message.