1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:03,400 Welcome to the Cross Power Church podcast. 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,800 You're listening to a service from our church in Campbell, TX. 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,480 We pray this message strengthens your faith and points you to the 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,840 cross. Now let's join the service. 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,960 It's funny, I preach Wednesday night and I just realized this 6 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:22,120 and I preached on discovering what what I preach on 7 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,960 discovering what they it in your life. 8 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:31,640 Jesus said give y'all help me, y'all ain't leaving this all on 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:36,120 me this morning. Give and it. 10 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,560 We'll be given good measure, pressed down, shaken together 11 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,000 and running over and a priest on how the church has messed the IT 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:43,680 up. A man. 13 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,040 It ain't always money. What's your it? 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,080 And then I titled this message and didn't even realize it till 15 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,720 now. But sometimes it's not what you 16 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,640 gain, but it's what you lose. Can I say that again? 17 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,640 We need to get that sometimes. We gained a whole lot when we 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,120 started serving Jesus Christ. I mean, we know the things that 19 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,520 we've gained a home in heaven and but yet I feel a lot of 20 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,440 things that we've gained, we're not using. 21 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:16,080 We just let it set idle. It's not always. 22 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:20,480 Sometimes it's not what you gain, but it's what you lose. 23 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,560 Matthew chapter 16, this passage of Scripture, it finds the 24 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:29,640 Sadducees and the Pharisees seeking a sign, the same thing 25 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,080 the most Christians and most churches are doing today. 26 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,720 They're looking for help me, a sign. 27 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,200 If God can present a sign, something they can see, taste, 28 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,640 touch, or feel, then they're on board. 29 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,440 They're seeking a sign. The Sadducees and Pharisees were 30 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,800 seeking a sign. What was Peter doing in this 31 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,840 particular passage of Scripture this chapter? 32 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,480 He was confessing that Jesus is the Son of the living God. 33 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,800 There was a lot of stuff going on in Matthew chapter 16, but 34 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,520 Jesus was warning them about the place they were about to go. 35 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,840 He warns them to be aware of what Lavin, When you hear Lavin 36 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,720 mentioned in the Scriptures, it's, it's a substance that 37 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,840 causes something, rise up, firm, ferminate. 38 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:18,160 We know that, but exclusively it represents sin. 39 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,280 When you hear it in Scripture, it represents corruption most of 40 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,040 the time because he talks about it that way. 41 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,440 But he was talking about the labour of the Pharisees or the 42 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,760 doctrine that they were presenting on this day, right? 43 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:35,560 They, they, he was talking about the attitude and the atmosphere 44 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,320 of the place they were about to enter. 45 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,000 So we're going into a place, boys, but beware of what you're 46 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,120 going to hear. Hey, man, what would life be 47 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,080 like today if we did that? Because there's places you go 48 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,800 that your eyes and your spiritual ears don't need to 49 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,000 hear or see because see, there's something. 50 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:53,640 Write this down. The Lord give me this. 51 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:58,200 Because the atmosphere around you will affect your attitude. 52 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,360 The atmosphere around you, what you surround yourself with will 53 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:09,520 affect your attitude. And your attitude affects your 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,960 situation, right? The situation don't really have 55 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,440 to affect you, but when it affects your attitude, it's 56 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,320 fixing to affect you. Your situation affects your 57 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:26,440 faith and your faith affects your life because it's the 58 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,000 substance of what you're hoping for. 59 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,960 It's the evidence of what you cannot see. 60 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:32,480 So I want to read some scripture. 61 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:38,120 In Matthew chapter 2316 and 23, Jesus had predicted his death. 62 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,600 He was saying He was saying some things that was going to happen 63 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,560 here in verse 21. I'm going to back up and read 21 64 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,920 from the time that Jesus began Matthew 16 and 21 to show to his 65 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,680 disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and He must suffer 66 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,880 many things from the elders and the chief priest and the scribe 67 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,280 tribes and ultimately what be killed and raised from the dead. 68 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,320 Peter took him aside and begin to rebuke him. 69 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,720 He was telling Jesus this far be it from you, this is not going 70 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,800 to happen to you. But Jesus knew that Peter was 71 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,200 interfering with the plan of God and he looked at him and he said 72 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:16,839 get thee behind me Satan, you're an offense to me, Get thee 73 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,680 behind me. God's got a plan on my life and 74 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,840 I'm going through with it, but it got me what he said right 75 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:27,960 here to Peter. He said you're not mindful of 76 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:33,280 the things of God, but of men. That hit home many times. 77 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:36,640 We're mindful of the things of men, but we're not even mindful 78 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,800 of the things of God many times in our life. 79 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,640 And then Jesus said this in verse 24. 80 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,680 I believe this is a blueprint for living the Christian life 81 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,880 today. If you want to be successful, 82 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,120 come on, I'm going to take you on a ride this morning. 83 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:51,960 I'm going to take you on a trip in the Word. 84 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,960 I'll never forget the time I took a trip and I ain't never 85 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,640 come back. Hey man, I took a trip and I got 86 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,520 a hold of some things in this word and I'm not coming back. 87 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,080 And Jesus said this to his disciples. 88 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:08,040 We all desire, we think we desire to come after Christ 89 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,960 because we pray to sinner's prayer and we we got a few 90 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:15,320 things out of our life that's not there anymore, but Jesus 91 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,840 brought it on home. He said if anyone desires in 92 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:23,840 verse 24 to come after me, I like that not just know about 93 00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:27,000 me, but come after me. Part of this thing that I'm 94 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,480 about called eternal life. If anyone desires to come after 95 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,520 after me #1 you got to deny yourself. 96 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:38,400 And then you got to take up your cross, the things that you're 97 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,080 planted in the end in your life, and you got to take that cross 98 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,640 up and you got to follow me. A lot of people desire Christ, 99 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:48,560 but they don't follow Christ. Come on now. 100 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:51,760 A lot of people want to know about Christ, but they don't 101 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,960 want to be a partaker in the sufferings of Christ. 102 00:05:55,600 --> 00:06:02,520 And he said whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but 103 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:07,640 whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 104 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,840 Man isn't that powerful. But you're not mindful of the 105 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:13,680 things of God. I'm going to read on it a little 106 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,560 bit. See, Jesus gives one, if not the 107 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,240 greatest lessons for following him today. 108 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,240 A lot of people walking around, how do I follow Christ? 109 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,880 What do I do? Take up your cross, deny 110 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:29,800 yourself and follow Him and still many of God's children 111 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:31,840 still haven't got this. Hello. 112 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,840 We talked about the cross. We talked about it, but it's a 113 00:06:35,840 --> 00:06:41,000 life lesson, a heart change, a warning that many still have not 114 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,920 got take up or given of yourself. 115 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,360 How do we do that you what you thought your life would be like. 116 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,400 I heard someone saying one time I thought my life would be this. 117 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,480 I never thought me one of them. I never thought I would be see 118 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,440 you up here today. I never thought I would be this. 119 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,280 I thought my life would be this. I never imagined that. 120 00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:09,320 And many pray get this, come on, stay with me. 121 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:15,600 And many thought that their life and what they what it should 122 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,960 have been. They spend a lot of their life 123 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,800 praying that God would make it that way, right? 124 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,240 God's got this for me, but this ain't what I pictured. 125 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,360 So I'm going to pray for this life over here and I'm going to 126 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,040 pray for all these things over here. 127 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,440 That puts you in a position of praying out of the will of God 128 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,040 because it's not what God had for you. 129 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,320 And the reason we can't find what God has for us is because 130 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,040 we're not willing to take up our cross daily and follow him. 131 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,640 We never deny self. Many never exalt Christ being 132 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,960 taught on every hand that this living for Jesus deal is about 133 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,920 what all he can give me. That's basically what the church 134 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,080 teaches today. If we can convince somebody that 135 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,920 Jesus is going to give them enough, we can get them in the 136 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:02,800 church and get them to be an active part of maybe what's 137 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:04,880 going on in the social era of it. 138 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,200 But yet they've never took up a cross. 139 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,560 They've never denied self, much less stepped out and followed 140 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,480 Jesus Christ. I'm going to preach it anyway. 141 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,960 It's all about what He can give us. 142 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:23,720 But see, the problem is in verse 23, Jesus said you're mindful 143 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,960 and you're praying for the things of men or you could say 144 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:31,440 the things of the world, right? And then God doesn't deliver. 145 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:34,880 It's true. People in the church today 146 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,520 praying for prayers because they're praying out of the will 147 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,080 of God and God has not delivered. 148 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:43,760 It's a whole lot easy if you just take up your cross and deny 149 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,960 stealth and begin to walk in the blessings that God has for you 150 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,440 and quit worrying about what God has for your neighbor. 151 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:58,440 But when God doesn't deliver that you ready for this When God 152 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,280 doesn't deliver that which he knows will hurt you as his 153 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,280 child, he knows that you ain't ready for it. 154 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,160 Hey man, I found just go ahead and make the ground ready and 155 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,840 he'll pour out blessings that you can't contain, but not when 156 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,200 you ain't ready for it, not when it's going to get between you 157 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,640 and God. He's not going to he's not going 158 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,200 to contribute to that. But when God doesn't deliver 159 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:23,640 that which he knows will deter us as his children or destroy 160 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,320 us, we begin to many begin to blame God. 161 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,280 Well, I did this and God didn't do that. 162 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,160 We get in the thinking and praying of the mindful things of 163 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,680 men, right? We're not praying about the the 164 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:40,240 things of God, but God will give you things when he knows you can 165 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,440 handle them. Hello and they won't destroy 166 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:49,280 you. So why don't we ever just look 167 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:54,480 at what God has done in our life already instead of looking at 168 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,880 what we don't have or looking at what we aren't? 169 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,800 I heard a story of a young man one time and he was he was 170 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,440 talking to an older man and he had knew him for quite a few 171 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,280 years and he was a middle-aged guy. 172 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,520 This, this younger man I'm talking about, you know, 173 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:13,880 middle-aged younger to me now somewhat, but I can picture, you 174 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,640 got to get the picture of this, this this young man, he was, he 175 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,800 was struggling with life, probably frustrated with his 176 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:23,680 prayer life. Anybody ever been there? 177 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,360 Because when you pray out of the will of God, you will be 178 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,960 frustrated with your power life. When you have aught against your 179 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:34,400 brother, you will be frustrated in your prayer life because you 180 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:35,800 got to forgive. I had to happen this week. 181 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:37,280 Somebody said, why are you doing that for that? 182 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:38,640 I said because I got to love them. 183 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:40,680 It don't matter what they've done to me. 184 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,280 I got to command from God. Then I got to love them as 185 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,400 myself. It doesn't matter what they do. 186 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,120 It does not matter. Amen. 187 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:48,800 I've, I've learned to live like that. 188 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,320 I thank God because that that opens me up to the windows of 189 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,720 heaven to receive and that which God has for me, not money, but 190 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:57,560 that which money cannot buy. Amen. 191 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:00,720 Peace and love and long-suffering and joy and the 192 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:02,600 peace that surpasses understanding. 193 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,520 But this young man, he was sitting there and this old man, 194 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,800 I can picture him probably whittling on the porch as the 195 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,040 story goes, you know, we used to sit on the porch, but that life 196 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:15,760 has just passed this, this generation by why, you know, I 197 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,720 used to get a lot of wisdom from the front porch. 198 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:19,720 There was some front, you know, that old song said a lot of 199 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,960 front porch sitting, whatever it was. 200 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,240 We don't do that anymore. We can't sit on the front porch. 201 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:31,920 Can I just preach this? We can't sit on the front porch 202 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,440 and enjoy what we have because we want something else. 203 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,360 It was way better back then. They knew they couldn't have it, 204 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:44,280 so they didn't want it. So they just bask in what they 205 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,720 had and enjoyed what they had and would maybe take a little 206 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,600 bit of what they learned in this life and give it to somebody 207 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,480 else that maybe they could get through the struggles and trials 208 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,520 of this life. But many of us, if they come and 209 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,960 sit on your front porch, they're going to leave all stressed out. 210 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:04,480 They're going to leave all stressed out and wonder what? 211 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:05,880 But this old man is sitting there. 212 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,120 I can picture the young man struggling with his prayer life, 213 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,880 probably frustrated in church, probably seen people in church 214 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:18,080 not living what they were professing and Christians in 215 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,280 general. And he asked this man, boy, this 216 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:22,240 hit hard. He said, I can see this old man 217 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:26,360 sitting on the porch. He wasn't wealthy at all. 218 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:30,040 And this young man is throwing his his walk with Christ up to 219 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:31,200 him. You know, people love to do 220 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:32,520 that. When they see you struggling, 221 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:36,000 the first thing they attack is your spiritual life because they 222 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,760 don't have one. And a young man, he says, I want 223 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:43,040 to ask you something. The old man says, shoot. 224 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,200 He says, I've, I've seen you fast for days. 225 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,200 I've seen you pray. And he said, he said, when I 226 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,600 look around here, he said, he said, why do you, why do you do 227 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:54,400 all that pray? And he says, what has it got 228 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:57,080 you? He said, man, I've seen you just 229 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,040 struggling in prayer, just I think some of them Gray hairs 230 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,280 you got her from praying all the time and waiting on waiting on 231 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,080 God to do something. He said. 232 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,720 He said, what has it? What has it got you? 233 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,720 What did it gain you? All those years of praying to 234 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,280 God? I don't see a lot sitting around 235 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:14,760 here. What did you gain? 236 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:21,320 And the old man looks up and he says nothing powerful. 237 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:25,280 He said nothing, but he said, let me tell you something, he 238 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,880 sure took a lot of things away. He said he took away my pride, 239 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,960 He took away my ego. He took away the lust of the 240 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,160 flesh. He took away, oh boy, y'all 241 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:37,800 ought to be shouting right now. He took away all that stuff, the 242 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,600 depression. He gave me peace that surpasses 243 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,920 understanding in my life. He took away anger. 244 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,000 He took away depression. He took away greed. 245 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:51,440 See, sometimes, kid, the answer, it's not what you're gaining, 246 00:13:51,560 --> 00:13:54,320 but it's what you're losing. I thank him this morning that he 247 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,120 took a whole lot of things away when I took up my cross, and I 248 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,240 begin to follow him, give him praise in the house. 249 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:05,880 Take up your cross. Take up your cross this morning. 250 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,120 I may not gain anything else, but I got a lot of peace. 251 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,240 Say, man, I got peace that surpasses understanding. 252 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,520 I may not have a lot of money, but I know how to be happy with 253 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,800 that which God has given me. And I know that my God's working 254 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,000 all things out to my good according to His riches and 255 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,200 glory. I've got the blood of Jesus that 256 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,520 I can plead over my body. It's by His stripes that I can 257 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:29,880 be healed. No weapon formed against me 258 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,440 shall prosper, but His Word will go forth and it'll accomplish 259 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,240 that which it was set forth to do. 260 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,400 You need some more devil. He told his show. 261 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:45,040 Took a lot of things away. Man, I couldn't live with what I 262 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:47,200 had. Come on, think about how messed 263 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,120 up you were. You couldn't live with what you 264 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,320 had. You was headed for destruction. 265 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,400 But if he never give you anything else, thank God he took 266 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:59,480 it all away. Took it all away in verse 26. 267 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,120 Why is it important to let him take it away? 268 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:06,880 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever 269 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,080 loses his life for my sake will find it. 270 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,640 And then a verse 26, I remember my grandmother read me this at 271 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,720 5-6 years of age. I've never forgot it. 272 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,760 It says what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world? 273 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:23,280 Have you ever answered that question? 274 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,320 And your busy rat race? What is it going to profit me if 275 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,000 I gain the whole world? I told you I took a ride and I 276 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,440 never come back. Blame God, don't blame me. 277 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,000 And he loses his own soul. What is it profit if you gain 278 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,320 the whole world and lose your own soul? 279 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,160 Here's a very powerful passage right here. 280 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,640 Or what will a man give in exchange for a soul? 281 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:47,760 What's the IT? What do you give in exchange? 282 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,800 I don't, you know, I don't think we would really just 283 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,280 deliberately outright just give something to the devil. 284 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:54,960 So I'm going to exchange this for my soul. 285 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:59,720 That's powerful. In the mid 1930s, there was a 286 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,600 there's a place in Clarksdale, Mississippi. 287 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:08,720 It's South of Memphis. It's a place called the 288 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,280 Crossroads. There's 3 blue guitars there. 289 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:16,080 It's called the Crossroads. It's in Clarksdale, Mississippi, 290 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:21,720 about 75 miles South of Memphis, at the intersection of Hwy. 61 291 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,480 and Hwy. 49. And there was a black man that 292 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:28,040 played Blues music. He wanted to be a Blues player 293 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,360 so bad. His name was Robert Johnson. 294 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:34,120 And in the 1930s, they say it was the birth of the Blues 295 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:35,960 place. And some say it's a myth. 296 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,400 Some say it really happened. There was a man on this stage 297 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,880 when it was over there that played Blues music. 298 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:42,840 And he's been to that crossroads. 299 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,280 And he said there's actually been people that have a throw 300 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:47,440 quarters down. If they flip a certain way and 301 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,440 land a certain way, then then the exchange was made. 302 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,640 You sort traded your soul for the same for for you gave your 303 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:55,240 soul and sold your soul to Satan. 304 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:02,040 But nevertheless, whether it was myth or not, this young man went 305 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:07,359 on to be very successful in the Blues. 306 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:11,359 They later called it a song called the Crossroads that he 307 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:13,720 wrote that Eric Clapton recorded. 308 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,280 I'm not into Eric Clapton. I really don't know who he is. 309 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,839 But if you listen to him repent, he was singing a song about the 310 00:17:18,839 --> 00:17:26,880 crossroads, right? But the devil makes deals this 311 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:32,640 frustrating guitarist he went on to play become famous, but yet 312 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:36,200 the myth that the story tells he sold his soul to Satan. 313 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,000 In Matthew chapter 4, we read of Satan trying to do the same 314 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:45,440 thing with Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 4. 315 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,000 We're going to he took him to he took Jesus on a ride and he 316 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,640 tried to get him after after Jesus was led up into the 317 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,720 wilderness and he'd been tempted by the devil. 318 00:17:54,720 --> 00:18:01,040 It says, but I like what that says there, that the Spirit, the 319 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:07,480 spirit LED Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. 320 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:12,440 The psalmist said lead be not into temptation, but deliver me 321 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,280 from evil, but yet here the Spirit of the Lord after Jesus 322 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:20,000 was weak and fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He led him to a place 323 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,800 to be tempted. Why was Jesus led to this place? 324 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:24,920 I've often thought about the Holy Spirit says so he could 325 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,520 pass the test. We're not to fail the 326 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:30,920 temptation. Jesus wanted to pass the test, 327 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,800 he was going to pass the test and now when the tempter came to 328 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,200 him and he said if you're the son of God to command these 329 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,560 stones to be turned into the bread and he said man shall not 330 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:46,760 what live by bread alone three times Satan come to him and 331 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,760 tempt him down to verse 7. He said it's written again, you 332 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,600 shall not tempt the Lord your God. 333 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,280 And if verse 8 he comes again, the devil took him on a high 334 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,600 exceedingly mountain. Get this, he tried to make a 335 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:04,640 deal with Jesus and he showed him all the kingdoms and he said 336 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:09,080 all these things I will give you if you'll just fall down and 337 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,760 worship me. Thinks he's clever. 338 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:18,280 What would you do? What would you do if he said But 339 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,200 you know, yet sometimes I think we do it unconsciously because 340 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:25,280 he's the author of confusion. Hello. 341 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,520 He comes in, he gets you confused about career. 342 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:33,520 You know, really all he's got to do is get you busy, because when 343 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:35,080 you get busy, you ain't gonna hear from God. 344 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,040 How you know, I've been busy in my life. 345 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,680 I didn't hear from God. And he's the author of 346 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,480 confusion. He's the author of coming into 347 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:46,920 your mind and confusing you. That's what he does. 348 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:53,240 But what would you say? Jesus said away Satan, Jesus 349 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,120 went back of one of the things that many people think aren't 350 00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:58,760 important anymore. Think about what he went way 351 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,520 back there to what God give Moses on the mountain. 352 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:05,680 But, you know, today it's hard to find somebody. 353 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,520 My God, it's hard to find somebody that's just sitting 354 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,640 there reading their Bible. You know your God's able to 355 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,360 speak to you without Google. He's able to speak to you 356 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:18,880 without an iPhone. He can better speak to you 357 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,840 without it. But it's hard to find someone 358 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,560 today without a best seller over here reading it or reading your 359 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:26,640 reading your what? What's wrong with just reading 360 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,720 the Bible? It was good enough for Jesus. 361 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,960 Quit looking for the educated mind that hasn't lived it. 362 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,960 Find somebody that's lived it. Amen And and get and let them 363 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,480 witness to you. But he said away Satan. 364 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:44,600 But look what Jesus did the written word was good enough in 365 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,600 Jesus day to defeat Satan. An age-old truth that we all 366 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,960 know you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you 367 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,280 serve. That's what Jesus told Satan. 368 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,480 But yeah, we look for something that somebody else has come up 369 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,040 with to defeat him. Can I tell you the written word 370 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,240 of God is the same yesterday, today and forever. 371 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,760 It was good enough in Jesus day. It was good enough for Jesus. 372 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,960 He defeated him three times with it is written Amen. 373 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:13,960 So if you'll read what it is written, that tells me that you 374 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:17,120 can defeat any demon in hell. There's nothing that can rise 375 00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:21,800 against you and he has to flee. What happened when he said I'm 376 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:25,440 serving my God? It says the devil left him. 377 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:28,280 He left him and then something happened. 378 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,840 Angels came and ministered to him. 379 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,480 Sometimes you just got to tell the enemy. 380 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,800 It's written. It's written. 381 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:39,240 Satan can't stand it away with you. 382 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,960 He said the devil left him. It was good enough for Jesus. 383 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,880 Why doesn't why won't it work for you and I? 384 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,440 Because many times we don't think it's an option. 385 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,640 We look everywhere, boy, I'm going through this and I'm 386 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:53,040 going, what did they do? What did they? 387 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,640 I don't care what they did. They're way different than me, 388 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,360 Amen. They're not going to look at 389 00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:00,320 things like I look. They're not going to live life 390 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,560 like I look. I got to find what works for me. 391 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,640 And it's the written word of God, Amen. 392 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,160 It's not everything else. Well, pastor, why don't you 393 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,320 preach? Because God ain't told me to. 394 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:15,000 I'm going to preach what He tells me, and most time it's 395 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,760 going to knock you on the toes in the head. 396 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:24,320 It ain't my choice, it's His. But I begin to think what all so 397 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:31,520 many unconsciously are giving in exchange for their soul, maybe 398 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,240 not to where it's really evident Satan don't want it evident. 399 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,440 He don't want you to know what it what you're giving him. 400 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:39,880 He wants to sneak in and make you think it's done with joy and 401 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:43,240 peace and a preacher wrapped in a pretty suit and and telling 402 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,200 you how he wants to wrap it up to where you really swallow it. 403 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,320 But you want to strain out. As I said Wednesday night, we 404 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,320 want to we want to strain out the net and swallow the camel. 405 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:57,160 I had some folk do that here Wednesday night. 406 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,200 They strained out this little old bitty word that I pronounced 407 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,760 wrong. I called them out back there and 408 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,720 I pray they didn't miss the whole message because this is a 409 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,920 good I said let me tell you all something. 410 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,200 I don't claim to know how to pronounce all them more. 411 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:15,480 Well you got something all messed up. 412 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,320 I don't claim. But see, the things I was 413 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,000 talking about was was some kind of herbs. 414 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,280 It wasn't a niece. We learned that it wasn't a 415 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,120 nephew, was it Jared? It was a niece. 416 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:29,880 It was a substance. And they'd give it. 417 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:31,240 And Jesus called them a hypocrite. 418 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,400 I told them I said I ain't worried about that word. 419 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,000 Jesus called them hypocrites for giving it. 420 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,120 But what do we give in exchange? So he wants to wrap it up. 421 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,880 Maybe the words not really evident. 422 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,160 I spend more of my time trying to uncover things that ain't 423 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:53,000 evident in my life and something that that comes into my life 424 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:56,040 that that sneaks in. How about you? 425 00:23:58,160 --> 00:23:59,880 But he's the author of confusion. 426 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,720 Tell the enemy I won't be confused by you, because Psalms 427 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:08,120 119 and 11 says that I have hidden my thy word in my heart, 428 00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:11,560 lest I what sin against you. But many exchange the truth for 429 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:15,640 a lie. Many call evil good and they are 430 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:20,400 profiting, gaining things of the world while losing their own 431 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,400 soul. I'm thankful that I know the 432 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,720 truth today and I'm thankful that the truth has set me free. 433 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:28,160 And whom the sunsets free is free indeed. 434 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,880 Because you see church, here's the deal, Ready or not. 435 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:34,760 You ever remember playing hide and seek? 436 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,840 I, I get, I get back to that a lot with Swayze. 437 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:46,000 Ready or not, here I come. Ready or not, Jesus is coming. 438 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:53,520 Ready or not, He's on his way. Let's read the rest of this. 439 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,920 Why do we take up our cross? He says here, what does it 440 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:00,840 profit? As if we gain the whole world 441 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:04,480 lose their own soul. What shall a man give in 442 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:08,000 exchange for his soul? And in verse 27, here's the 443 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,680 kicker, it says for the Son of man ready or not will come in 444 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:18,000 glory of his Father with his angels and he will reward each 445 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,120 one boy. This throws out though dead dry 446 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:22,840 faith that we ain't got to do nothing. 447 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:25,560 It's not by my works. You just said he going to reward 448 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:29,480 you according to your works. I'll never forget the day I read 449 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:31,960 that. But it surely I say to you, 450 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:37,200 there are some standing here how who shall not taste death until 451 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:39,320 they see the Son of man coming in the Kingdom. 452 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:40,880 I've done teaching on that one time. 453 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:42,880 What does that mean? You know everybody that set the 454 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,840 everybody that was with Jesus on that day, they tasted death, 455 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,360 right? Wait a minute. 456 00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:49,320 They didn't all not till they seen Jesus. 457 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:51,360 Who was it? Steven was there. 458 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,440 He didn't taste death till he seen Jesus coming in the clad 459 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,360 and taking him up to heaven. And John the Revelator didn't 460 00:25:57,360 --> 00:25:59,960 taste death until he seen Jesus on the Isle of Patmos. 461 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:03,840 So see, you can't try hard to. I heard a preacher, A dignified 462 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:05,880 preacher preaching. Well, he didn't really mean hey, 463 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,520 I did. He said y'all ain't going to die 464 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,800 because I'm going to show myself the two of you before you die. 465 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:18,720 He don't miss nothing. He don't miss nothing, but He's 466 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:27,640 coming back in Luke chapter 12. Jesus is teaching some very deep 467 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,480 things here. Are you ready for this Luke 468 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:31,720 chapter 12? Let's get there. 469 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:42,320 And I'm going to wind this down once again as I always do, and 470 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:43,800 I'm aware of backup. Let's go to 8. 471 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:49,200 I got to get 8 Luke 12 and 8 also. 472 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:53,880 I say to you, whoever confesses me before men, him the Son of 473 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:57,280 Man also will confess before the angels of God, but he who denies 474 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:02,960 me before men will be denied before the angels and anyone who 475 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:04,760 speaks the word. I want you to get the deepness 476 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:06,280 of this teaching. That's what I'm trying to get, 477 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,440 the deepness of what Jesus is teaching right here. 478 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,880 He had already told them to beware of the hypocrisy and and 479 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,920 beware of the Laven, but he said anyone who speaks a word against 480 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:18,680 the Son of Man, it, it can be forgiven him. 481 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,680 Taking the Lord's name can be forgiven you is what he's saying 482 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,760 here. But to him who blasphemies 483 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:29,120 against the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, which 484 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:32,120 he sent back to this earth when he ascended and sat down at the 485 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:34,880 right hand of the Father. That's what the Holy Ghost is. 486 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:36,720 He said it will not be forgiven you. 487 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,560 Be careful. But yet today we have so many 488 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:45,120 preachers and I fear this form. They try, they try to guide the 489 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,400 Spirit. They try to teach the Holy 490 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:49,840 Spirit. You cannot teach the Holy Spirit 491 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:52,920 because He's something that was loosed up on this earth. 492 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,920 You can't guide it, you can't teach it. 493 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,560 All you can do is receive it and follow it. 494 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:03,800 Heavy Revi. But Jesus is teaching some very 495 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,280 deep things. He's teaching on what he was 496 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,960 about to leave on this earth because the salvation that they 497 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:14,040 was going to to receive when he left and when he died on the 498 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,520 cross, he told his disciples, he said this is going to forgive 499 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:20,640 you, but it's not going to sustain you to live a victorious 500 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,040 life. But he said when I sat down at 501 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,960 the right hand of the Father, I send the comforter of the Holy 502 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:28,640 Spirit back to this earth. He's going to bring you all 503 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:30,920 knowledge, all power. He's going to teach you of 504 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:32,560 things to come. Thank God. 505 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:35,760 So why don't we try to teach the Holy Spirit? 506 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:41,200 Just let it be loosed. But many scholars today try to 507 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:45,000 teach the Holy Spirit. No, it teaches and it guides us 508 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:46,920 but get the depth of what Jesus was teaching. 509 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:48,800 They had never heard of what He was saying. 510 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:53,600 Right here in verse 11, it says when they bring you to the 511 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,640 synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not 512 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:00,480 worry about how or what you should answer or what you should 513 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:08,880 say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what 514 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,520 you ought to say. Who? 515 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:16,400 I can preach without notes. I promise the notes are for you. 516 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:22,480 I know it's going to keep me kind of where I can be guided a 517 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:25,440 little bit because when I get out of the anointing, I'm not 518 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:31,920 y'all may not can handle it, but think of the deepness of this. 519 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,200 Jesus was telling there's an hour coming you ain't going to 520 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:35,960 worry about. I never seen so many preachers 521 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:37,760 today where I said just get up and preach it. 522 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:40,560 If you run them off, God will send more. 523 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,000 Just I can't really preach. I hear this stuff. 524 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,280 I can't really preach what God has laid on my heart. 525 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:51,200 Well, then you ain't preaching, but get this. 526 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:53,760 Do you realize the importance of what Jesus said right here? 527 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,760 The Holy Spirit's coming and look at this. 528 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:59,160 This is so much like today. It's called the parable of the 529 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:05,840 rich young fool in your Bible in 12 and 13, it says then one from 530 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:10,000 the crowd, Jesus is teaching on the Holy Ghost, and it's no 531 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,280 different in the churches today. The Holy Ghost begin to move and 532 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:18,280 some people ain't got a clue. He can he I can just see him 533 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,480 rising up. Jesus is teaching on the Holy 534 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:25,120 Ghost. Y'all get that teacher? 535 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,600 Tell my brother to divide my inheritance. 536 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:36,040 What a stupid what a stupid question. 537 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:41,600 And Jesus said man who made me judge your arbitrator over you. 538 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:44,240 Jesus knew that he couldn't do nothing to this man right now. 539 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,200 Jesus, he, he could judge, he could be the arbitrator or he 540 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,800 could snap his fingers and all of his problems could be gone. 541 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,120 But he said he ain't denied himself. 542 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:59,520 He ain't took up his cross, but think of that, what he missed. 543 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:06,320 And he said to him, take heed, beware of covenants, for one's 544 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,520 life does not consist in the abundant talk, a preach right 545 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:14,200 there of the things he possesses that you can see. 546 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:16,800 But yet we drive ourselves crazy. 547 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:19,920 We drive ourselves. Can you believe that? 548 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:22,640 Such a spiritual boy, does that do something to y'all? 549 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:26,720 Such a spiritual something, a moment that was happening and 550 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,840 this guy's longing for the things of the world. 551 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,680 We're in the last hour, church, We're in the last hour. 552 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,120 I know you got to work. I know we got to do these 553 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:39,480 things. I do too. 554 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:42,120 But I don't have to let them have dominion over me, right? 555 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:46,120 This guy was longing for things of the world. 556 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:50,520 It had got a hold of his spirit. He didn't realize seeing we 557 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,680 don't either. He didn't realize that the the 558 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:55,720 Holy Spirit was right there. And if he would have grasped 559 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,360 what Jesus had at that moment in his life right there, you know 560 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:00,800 what? He would have never needed 561 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:02,560 inheritance. He would have never had to worry 562 00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:05,280 about things because he would have had an Almighty God that 563 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:06,880 would have taken care of him, right? 564 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,080 But yet his eyes were on the wrong things. 565 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:13,600 He hadn't taken up his cross. You know that'd be people today 566 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:15,760 if Jesus walked out. Oh, could you pay this off? 567 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:17,640 Could you do that? Could you do that instead of 568 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,520 receiving the thing that makes all those other things not 569 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:23,200 matter? I told you I took a trip and I 570 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:28,040 ain't coming back. Take up your cross daily. 571 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:32,360 Take up your cross daily. Well, what if it don't work? 572 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:37,120 Don't work. God go work it out somehow, some 573 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:42,240 way, when you begin to trust Him in the little things, he gonna 574 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:45,200 get control the big things. And when he gets control the big 575 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:46,960 things, get ready. Things can happen. 576 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:50,440 Could have took all this other stuff away. 577 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:52,800 He could have had him some grace that day. 578 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:54,520 He could have had him some peace that day. 579 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,280 He could have had him some truth that day. 580 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,360 But instead he walked away and probably didn't get the 581 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,320 inheritance. Probably not in a big old 582 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:06,520 argument with his brother, probably ended up in a lawsuit 583 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:09,400 if they had them. See, it's not always what's 584 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,080 given, but it's what's taken away. 585 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:16,960 It's not what given, but it's what's taken away. 586 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,760 But I tell you today, we need to be thankful for what's been 587 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,600 taken away, but it can't be taken away when we bind it. 588 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:29,280 Matthew 18 and 18 says whatever you bind on earth will be bound 589 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:32,040 in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will 590 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:36,680 be loosed in heaven. I want to read the rest of this 591 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:38,160 right here. Let's get no, let's back up. 592 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:40,680 Let's go to let's go to 1st. Let's go to Timothy. 593 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:43,760 Let's go to first Timothy chapter 6. 594 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,440 I am going to close. I know it's a pretty day. 595 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:55,600 He said it in Matthew. I mean the first Timothy chapter 596 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:57,240 6. I didn't give you a verse 10. 597 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:06,800 It says don't say money. It takes money, right? 598 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,679 Takes money, but the love of money is the root of all kinds 599 00:34:11,679 --> 00:34:18,960 of evil for which some have strayed from the faith in their 600 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:22,440 greediness and Pierce themselves. 601 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:28,840 Boy, this hit me right here. Pierce themselves with many 602 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:32,320 sorrows. With many sorrows. 603 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:39,080 Let's go on to that. 12 But he says, fight the good fight of 604 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:45,159 faith, lay hold of eternal life, to which you were also called, 605 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:47,679 and have confessed the good confession in the presence of 606 00:34:47,679 --> 00:34:49,639 many witnesses. Let's just read a little more. 607 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:53,600 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things 608 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,600 and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession, 609 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:02,720 14 that you keep this commandment without spot 610 00:35:02,720 --> 00:35:07,480 blameless until the Lord Jesus Christ appearing. 611 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:13,360 I challenge you, look at what's been taken and look at what he's 612 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:17,720 added. Sometimes he adds, but sometimes 613 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:21,400 we need to be thankful for that which he's taken away. 614 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:27,880 And in verse 16 of Luke chapter 12 it it says the ground of a 615 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:29,840 certain rich man yielded plentiful. 616 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:34,440 And he thought within himself saying, what shall I do since I 617 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:40,640 have no room to store my crops? So he said, I will do this and I 618 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,440 will pull down my barns and I will build and I will gather and 619 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:46,520 I will store all my crops and my goods. 620 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:50,480 And I will say to my soul, you ever talk to your soul? 621 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:56,760 So you have many goods laid up for many years. 622 00:35:58,720 --> 00:36:04,640 Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 623 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:12,320 But God said to him, Fool, this night your soul is required of 624 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:17,880 you. Then those then whose will those 625 00:36:18,320 --> 00:36:21,720 things be which you have provided? 626 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:27,440 So it is he who lays up treasures for himself and is not 627 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:29,800 rich toward God. Can we read the rest of this? 628 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,920 Somebody needs this right here. Therefore I say to you, do not 629 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:40,760 worry about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body. 630 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,920 What would you put on it? Life is more than food, not for 631 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:48,920 some people. The body is more than clothing, 632 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:53,720 not for some people. Consider the Ravens, for they 633 00:36:53,720 --> 00:36:57,680 neither sow nor reap as you stand to your feet, which have 634 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:04,960 neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them of how much more 635 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:10,720 valuable are you than birds? And I ask you this question, 636 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:16,000 which of you by wearing, which of you by wearing can add 1 637 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:23,920 cubic to his stature? I think about the old man and 638 00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:27,240 the young boy, the story I shared with you often because 639 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:30,840 the old man didn't have a care in the world. 640 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:34,600 He knew that his God would sustain him, and he knew that 641 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:37,880 what he had lost by giving his life to Christ that he had began 642 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:43,200 to replace. I'll never forget when I said I 643 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:47,320 was going to strike out and preach the gospel and sell my 644 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:51,120 business. And it's like every month I look 645 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:52,520 out there something else. I had to be gone. 646 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:58,560 I had to get rid of it, but I was giving it up for God. 647 00:37:59,240 --> 00:38:01,480 And I look back down second after the other day and I was 648 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:02,520 looking, I was like, you know what? 649 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:08,160 God just somehow replaced all that stuff and I didn't know he 650 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:14,200 was doing it because I took my eyes off the stuff and I placed 651 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:18,440 them on God. This is real, y'all. 652 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:23,920 What will a man give in exchange for a soul? 653 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:28,040 Sometimes it's not what you gain, but it's what you lose. 654 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:32,160 I come by to tell you if your God's for you, why do you worry? 655 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:37,680 How many worry? Y'all make me lie up here by 656 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,720 myself? How many worry? 657 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:45,160 It's like I heard old preacher say, when worry starts, faith 658 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:48,920 stops. And you know when you don't 659 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:50,720 worry it really aggravates some people. 660 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:53,160 When something bagging when something happens there's oh, I 661 00:38:53,280 --> 00:39:01,280 I don't know, my wife puts me in some situations sometime. 662 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:02,880 My son-in-law, he's only been married two years. 663 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:07,200 I've been married 36. He gets all uptight about a 664 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:10,280 little old dust son, you might just let it go. 665 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:13,600 I said you finna learn a lot more than that. 666 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:16,320 Why? Because I've learned somehow God 667 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:19,400 going to take care of it. And if he don't it don't, don't 668 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:24,240 when let me stop. When a woman gets it on her 669 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:28,560 mind, just don't worry about it. Hey, man, pray God going to take 670 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:38,000 care of her God give her wisdom. Let's see, we worry about so 671 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,120 many things. Let go and let God. 672 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:46,680 Because if my God is for you, can you say that this morning? 673 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:50,080 Is he your God? If you're not serving him, guess 674 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:54,920 what? Is it your God? 675 00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:58,440 Thanks for listening to the Cross Power Church podcast. 676 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:02,400 May you know that true hope, peace, and salvation can only be 677 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:05,800 found in Jesus. If you're near Campbell, TX, we 678 00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:07,960 would love for you to join us in person. 679 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:11,520 You can find service times at crosspowerchurch.com.