1 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,040 All right, somebody new up here, if you don't know who I am, I'm 2 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,760 Dwight. I'm the one that teaches the 3 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,080 youth on Wednesday night. So if you do have a youth from 4 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:25,520 6th grade to 12th grade, by all means, this is an opportunity to 5 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,000 see kind of what they will learn. 6 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,440 So if if you also receive this message from a junior high 7 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,200 level, I apologize. All right, so that's who I'm 8 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,880 used to teaching. So anyway, that's, that's just 9 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:39,720 kind of where we are. But first let's open up in 10 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:41,880 prayer for Thanksgiving and supplication. 11 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,760 Lord, we just first, we want to thank you for your presence. 12 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:52,160 What a blessing it is to know that you are always there, Lord, 13 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,440 that you are always, no matter where we go, you are with us, 14 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,840 Lord. And as we learned this morning 15 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,440 with your omniscience and omnipresence and, and who you 16 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:09,759 are and the fact that you care so much about us to be here is 17 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:11,520 awesome. So we just want to say thank you 18 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,120 for that, Lord. And as we prepared to study your 19 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,840 word, Lord, we're asking for blessings. 20 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,760 I'm asking you to speak through me, Lord, Let it be your words 21 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,840 up here, not mine. And I just look forward to 22 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,520 seeing where you're going to take us with scripture today. 23 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,440 Lord, it's a a true blessing to be able to study your word, to 24 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,400 be able to look at what you have planned for us as we go 25 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,280 throughout our days in Jesus name, Amen. 26 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:45,800 All right, so I got to make sure all these see all these fancy 27 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,200 things that we have. I just have a whiteboard I 28 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,120 usually teach from some of you may have seen it, but we were 29 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,000 we're going over the Gospel of Matthew. 30 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,760 So we're currently on the Sermon of the Mount, right. 31 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,240 So we're going to back up a little bit because it's been 32 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:06,640 since November since we really have discussed anything about 33 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:12,280 the Sermon on the Mount. So if you're not aware, we Jesus 34 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,440 is there and he's teaching his disciples, right? 35 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,920 So he's teaching his disciples, there's a crowd probably about 36 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:22,360 your size. So we can just imagine, right? 37 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,320 So there's a crowd there. They're listening to him teach 38 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,200 his disciples and what he's really doing is he's discipling 39 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:35,720 them, right? So what He is providing them is 40 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:43,360 really how to live right? How do we treat our enemies? 41 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,400 Forgiveness, the golden rule, righteousness, the needy, how to 42 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,120 pray? Jesus provided us a road map to 43 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:54,120 living with Him and the character He wishes for us to 44 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:59,920 live. Then we're going to kind of jump 45 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:04,720 back into verse 24 through 30, which we read earlier. 46 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,880 And this is where Pastor Eric kind of left off, right? 47 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:13,640 So he's talking about kind of three main things and really 48 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,160 will say 4 because we already know you can't serve right, 49 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:23,240 can't serve 2 masters God, money, the world God, right? 50 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:29,680 So and then he also talks about not taking care of the birds. 51 00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:34,880 If he takes care of the birds, how much more valuable are you 52 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,920 are the birds his creation and so are you. 53 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:46,160 And then he also, he talks about can't add anything to our lives. 54 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:50,720 And if and if you remember that scripture, there is kind of in 55 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,400 some of yours, it'll talk about not adding an hour. 56 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,760 I like to think about not adding height. 57 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,640 So some of your scriptures may say not you can't add a cubit to 58 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:02,720 your height. I would love to add a cubit to 59 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:07,000 my height, but it's really about adding, right? 60 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,320 You can't add anything to your life because he's already given 61 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,640 it to you. And then the plants don't even 62 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:19,160 worry. Even though, you know, and Cindy 63 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,200 and I, we planted some tulips this year in the fall, right? 64 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,320 So you got to get your tulips ready and we're doing our work 65 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,000 and we we're planning them. But then what do we got to wait? 66 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,320 We got to wait all winter long to see if we did it right. 67 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,320 But God's got it right. If those things bloom, it's not 68 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,400 because of what we did it. They're going to bloom because 69 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:44,440 of how God has taken care of the soil and how God has taken care 70 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,240 of the water and the sun and all those seasons. 71 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,040 They will bloom because of him, not because of us, right? 72 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:56,400 So if God takes care of the plants, how important are we? 73 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:05,000 And so that's where we kind of pick up right where he left off 74 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:10,160 on that. And am I going backwards? 75 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,000 I am. I knew I was that was going to 76 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,240 happen. All right. 77 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:18,080 So therefore in Matthew 631 through 34. 78 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,720 So if you haven't turned to Matthew, turn to Matthew chapter 79 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,440 631 through 34. Therefore do not be anxious 80 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,360 saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what 81 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:31,320 shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all 82 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:36,240 these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them 83 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:41,400 all. But seek first the Kingdom of 84 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,440 God and His righteousness, and all things will be added to you. 85 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:50,120 Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow 86 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,720 will be anxious for itself, sufficient for the day of its 87 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,480 own trouble. All right, so we're going to 88 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,640 break this down and we're going to go verse by verse. 89 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,640 I'm going to give you guys some homework. 90 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,840 I hope you don't mind. You'll you'll have to read some 91 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:07,680 scripture. That's just because I'm used to 92 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,320 junior highers and they need homework, otherwise they get in 93 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,720 trouble. Maybe that's all of us. 94 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:17,280 All right, so undivided, seeking the Kingdom without anxiety, and 95 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,520 we're going to talk about Gogs. How do we seek God's Kingdom 1st 96 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:29,120 and how do we trust Him to handle what we are anxious to 97 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,200 control? If you are like me, right? 98 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,200 I'm a control freak, all right? I'm one of those guys that I 99 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,680 have to control every situation and everything. 100 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,240 I want to make sure things are right. 101 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,080 You know, we just had Christmas, so think about Christmas 102 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:46,640 vacation. If you've ever seen that movie, 103 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:47,760 right? He was a control freak. 104 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,560 The lights had to be perfect. He wanted the perfect Christmas 105 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,640 and everything just goes S That's kind of me. 106 00:07:54,640 --> 00:08:02,160 So how do I change that in order for my recognition and my 107 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:08,480 identity in Christ and what that means to me and what eventually 108 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:12,360 hopefully my wife, you and everybody else will see. 109 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,040 So we're going to talk about kind of that trusting over 110 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,800 worthy, all right. So therefore do not be anxious 111 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,440 saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we 112 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,560 wear? So therefore we got to figure 113 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,280 out what that there is for all right. 114 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:32,280 So we've seen therefore before get it? 115 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,960 No, all right, so I'm moving on all right, So transitioning by 116 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,799 saying consequently for this reason, right. 117 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:42,080 So for this reason. And what reason was he talking 118 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,240 about? So he was talking about the, the 119 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,160 birds, he was talking about the plants. 120 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:55,520 He was talking about, you know, you can't be serving 2 masters. 121 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:02,920 Therefore, do not be anxious. Now I did a little word study on 122 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:07,200 the on that word anxious. And if you look at that Greek 123 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:14,160 word, it has 2 words that kind of combine to make this as we 124 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:19,960 think about it, it's actually divided and mind. 125 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,560 So combine those words and you get that word anxious. 126 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,080 So a distracted or pulled apart mind. 127 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:35,160 So, you know, when I think about God and I think about the world, 128 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:41,240 how many of us are anxious about that divide? 129 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:50,400 How many of us worry about I'm over here with God, but yet I 130 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:55,560 have to live in the world and I have to do certain things. 131 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,960 And this is where I, I'd love to tell junior highers, you know, 132 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,680 if you're going to call yourself a Christian, where do you need 133 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:04,800 to be? Do you need to be with God or do 134 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:09,720 you need to be in the world? And if I'm going to call myself 135 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,560 a Christian, and this is something that I've had to learn 136 00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:18,160 over my my time as a Christian, when I first walked with him, 137 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:25,200 I'm like, OK, I'm going to visit Jesus on Sundays and the rest of 138 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,680 the week, you know, I'm going to live in the world. 139 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,920 And here's where we need to be all in. 140 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,360 What a great opportunity to hear this message at the end of this 141 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,720 year. As we look at 2025, there are 142 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:42,720 some things that has happened that you're like, 02025 was 143 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,200 great. Maybe 2025 wasn't so great. 144 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,040 What's 2026 going to be like? Are we worried about that? 145 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,400 Well, I know one thing that we're worried about, right? 146 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,760 You're worried about if I'm going to go as long as Pastor 147 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,600 Eric. So that way because you're 148 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:01,320 hungry, right? You're going to want to eat and 149 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:05,600 you're like, OK, what are we? Are we going to eat after this 150 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,160 and drink? And if you're like me, you know, 151 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,640 I had to hit the closet this morning and I'm like, what am I 152 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,640 going to wear? I'm so glad none of you are 153 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,400 naked right now. So I'm glad you did worry about 154 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,840 that a little bit. So you did put clothes on right. 155 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,960 So So what does that look like? What is this world that makes 156 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,640 total sense when we just discussed the most important 157 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:34,160 things in our lives should be about God, But yet what do we 158 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:40,600 worry most about? Have we really given up that 159 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:47,520 world that we live in? I think one of the things I and 160 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,080 I like to identify as a Christian. 161 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:52,960 So what does identify as a Christian? 162 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,400 That's probably. Is that too difficult to read? 163 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,920 No. And so the great poet Lecrae. 164 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,280 All right, if you don't know who Lecrae is, he's a rapper. 165 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:06,280 He's a Christian rapper. He's Yeah. 166 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,840 We're not going to talk about his theology, but he did, he did 167 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:11,800 say some interesting things, right? 168 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,600 I'm not the shoes I wear. I'm not the want me to rap it 169 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:15,640 out. I can rap it out. 170 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,120 I can like get down here and we can do the whole no, you don't 171 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,800 want that. My wife just said, no, do not do 172 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:25,080 that. Do not embarrass yourself or me, 173 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,760 is what she said. So I'm not the shoes I wear, I'm 174 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:34,120 not the clothes I buy. I'm not the house I live in. 175 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:38,960 I'm not the car I drive, right? My identity is found in Christ. 176 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,680 So what do we worry about, right? 177 00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:48,520 If our identity is in Christ, we have to make a decision. 178 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:56,960 We have to give control back to Jesus, right? 179 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:03,560 I have to give control back when I think of my protection of my 180 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:09,840 family. We live in a world where it's 181 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,800 different today than it was, you know, 100 years ago. 182 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,920 We can go 200 years ago and the things we worry about today, 183 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:22,360 it's a world that has kind of creeped into our houses through 184 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:26,760 what I call and I don't have my phone on me, but picture this. 185 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,600 This isn't my phone. I mean, that would be weird. 186 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,280 But this, these little send boxes is what I call them. 187 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:35,680 All right? These send boxes are in our 188 00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:38,160 house. The world is in our house. 189 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,840 How do I protect my child from that world? 190 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:46,840 How do I you know, and it's easy to say you can take it away and, 191 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,560 and not allow them to have it. But let's be honest, right? 192 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:55,600 The world is what the world is. So how do we influence our 193 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,240 worldview without our identity in Christ? 194 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:04,400 Are we worried about food, clothing, the house I live in 195 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:09,240 and the car I drive the place, You know, are we worried about 196 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,120 what I look at, what I take in all these things, right? 197 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:17,200 These are going to help identify and provide that trust in my 198 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:23,080 relationship with Jesus Christ. So that trust at some point I 199 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:29,400 have to give my child, my my life over to Jesus and trust 200 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:30,680 that he knows what to do with it. 201 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:36,680 I, I think at the end of the day, I who knows the answer, the 202 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,400 answer is always Jesus, right? So when I'm struggling with 203 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,840 things, where do I go? For me, I'm a control freak. 204 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,120 I want to try and fix it. And then I'm, when I've really 205 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,200 screwed it up, then I go to Jesus and I'm like, hey, you 206 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,960 need to fix this mess. And Jesus is probably like, 207 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,440 dude, you created a big mess. But don't worry, I got it and he 208 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:00,160 fixes it. Wouldn't it be nice if I went to 209 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:06,480 Him first? So then as we continue down our 210 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:15,240 scripture one I am reminded right in Philippians 46. 211 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:17,560 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything but 212 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:19,840 by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving. 213 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:24,000 Let your requests be made known to God. 214 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:31,200 I think about Has anybody done the Alcatraz trip? 215 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,640 All right, Does anybody know what rule #5 of Alcatraz is? 216 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,720 Because I had to tell my kids this all the time. 217 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:44,840 Rule #5 of Alcatraz, right? They will provide food, water, 218 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:52,600 clothing and medical care. All else is a privilege, right? 219 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,880 Rule #5 of Alcatraz, they kind of get it. 220 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:01,200 As a prisoner, you walk in and if you've never walked it, well 221 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,920 anyway, we won't get into that. But as a prisoner, right, you 222 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,680 walk in, there's certain things you don't have to worry about. 223 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:12,040 Food, water, clothing and medical care. 224 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:19,200 This is this is kind of like the the world and everything else is 225 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:24,920 a privilege. We are blessed to be able to 226 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,120 come here today to hear his word. 227 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,200 Now granted, you're listening to Dwight speak, but it's really 228 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:37,520 His word that you are hearing and He is reaching you in a way 229 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,160 that is completely different than everybody else. 230 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:45,520 When you have your identity in Christ, He is talking to you 231 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:49,400 specifically, and I'm here to tell you that He is talking to 232 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,840 you specifically because you are His creation and He loves you. 233 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:59,040 He wants nothing but the best for you. 234 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:04,920 Now that best may not be what we think is the best, but to think 235 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:12,119 that He will take care of us is trusting that worry, not being 236 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:16,520 anxious about everything, right Prayer. 237 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:23,680 Where do we go to? So Matthew 632 for the Gentiles, 238 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,760 seek after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that 239 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:33,640 you need them all. Surrender over control. 240 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:43,960 Give your control over to Jesus as we look at that verse, I'm 241 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:48,040 going to go back right? It says for the Gentiles, the 242 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:54,640 the word Gentile here is is kind of, and I will say not a 243 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,240 mistranslation, but probably a misuse of word. 244 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,240 When we look at Gentiles, some of your translation may say 245 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:05,400 pagans, but really the word ethnos means a group of people, 246 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,480 right? A group of people, in this case 247 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,480 for the group of people seek after all these things. 248 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,400 What type of group of people are we talking about? 249 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,960 Non believers, right? Non believers seek after these 250 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,680 things. Non believers out there and we 251 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:28,320 can even say believers in other faiths, other religions. 252 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,320 What are they concerned about? If you ever have an opportunity 253 00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:39,160 and and I would encourage, you know, there's nothing I should 254 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:40,680 say. It's interesting. 255 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:45,200 When you go to a Hindu, Hindu temple, what's the first thing 256 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:53,880 you see them give the gods food, Second thing, drink. 257 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:02,800 Third thing, it's kind of weird clothing or other gifts. 258 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,560 They're gods need that. Why? 259 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,880 Because they don't have one God that takes care of it all. 260 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:17,200 So the Gentiles seek after all those things. 261 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,840 What about us? What does your heavenly Father 262 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,520 know? What does he know about you? 263 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:26,720 And what does he know specifically about you? 264 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,520 This morning we went over omniscience and God being 265 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,120 present. Where's God present? 266 00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:35,960 He's present everywhere, right? So we think about that in a very 267 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:41,240 generic sense, like God. And Pastor Mike brought it up. 268 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:44,240 God was already in this room before you showed up. 269 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:51,200 He was already here as we were walking in, setting up, setting 270 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:52,880 up the chairs and and doing all this. 271 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,600 This does not, by the way, magically happened. 272 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,480 It godly happens because God's already got a plan. 273 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:01,800 But anyway, we'll get into that a little later. 274 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:03,640 I got some some more homework for you. 275 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:08,960 But anyway, all right, so God's already here. 276 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:13,600 Why not give him control? Why not? 277 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,280 What? What's the worst that can 278 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,120 happen? What's the worst that can happen 279 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:19,280 when you turn your life over to Jesus Christ? 280 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,040 What's the worst that you can happen? 281 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,720 The worst that you that can happen is you get to heaven and 282 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,080 you get to spend eternity with him. 283 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,400 That is literally the worst thing that can happen. 284 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,800 There may be some pain going on on along the way. 285 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,960 There may be some things that, as I would like to say, he 286 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,160 shapes and molds US and, and does some different things to 287 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,720 us. And sometimes it hurts if we we 288 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,800 look at the who's the clay and who's the Potter, right? 289 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:45,920 He's the Potter. And sometimes he throws us in 290 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:53,800 the fire and we need to burn in order to see who he has created 291 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,760 in US, right? He's created each and every 292 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,160 single one of you for a specific person purpose. 293 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:08,520 And that control is pretty much what we need to surrender to. 294 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:19,800 OK, now it's not working. Next slide. 295 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:23,000 OK, well, I'll just keep talking. 296 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,960 If you can handle the slides from here on out, the next 297 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,640 slide, you're going to get some homework because it would be 298 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:32,480 beneficial for each of us to understand right when we think 299 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:36,960 of how much he cares about us, right? 300 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:41,840 How much He cares about us more than the birds and the plants. 301 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:45,440 And why does He care? I want you to take a look at 302 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,520 Psalm 13914. You don't have to do it today. 303 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,000 This is homework. All right, So if you want to 304 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,080 take, go ahead and take a picture, but just make sure I'm 305 00:21:54,080 --> 00:22:02,360 in it. 13914 discuss how you are fearfully and wonderfully made. 306 00:22:02,360 --> 00:22:06,920 Jesus is discussing this. Matthew 1031. 307 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:12,560 You're worth more than sparrows. Your hairs are numbered, even 308 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:15,480 all my Gray hairs. Ephesians 210. 309 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,600 You are God's masterpiece for good works. 310 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,200 Do you know that? Think about what you know. 311 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,320 I think of a masterpiece. I think you know, in the US 312 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:28,280 we're like, oh, we have master artists and all these things, 313 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,000 but you go over to Europe and you're like, wow, this thing was 314 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:33,640 painted beautifully. Masterpiece. 315 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:41,600 Do you realize He created you even better than a human painter 316 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:47,440 can paint a painting? And then Isaiah 43. 317 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:53,480 Four, you are precious and does anybody know, honored you are 318 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:58,800 precious and Otter and honored. Not Otter, not an Otter. 319 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,280 Even though they are important, they're also very special. 320 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:05,160 This is that junior high. And me, I like to squirrel 321 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,120 sometimes. We can talk about otters and 322 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,880 never mind, I'm already getting the word with my wife. 323 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:16,920 So this kind of reminds me when I when I look at this homework 324 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:20,000 and, and I think how precious I am and how I had to surrender 325 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,320 control. So everybody remembers that I 326 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,080 was or am a control freak, right? 327 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:34,600 So how did I get to Utah is a very great story on how God does 328 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:39,000 things and how God, well, God does if you get your hands out 329 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,480 of it, right? So there we were 3 1/2 years 330 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:48,360 ago, Cindy and I, my wife, we're in Israel on a Calvary Chapel 331 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,200 church trip. I am currently the pastor of 332 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,200 youth and, you know, doing some different things within the 333 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:56,920 church, running the school of ministry. 334 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,760 Cindy's heavily involved. We both got good jobs. 335 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:04,720 Everything is happy, everything is great. 336 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,160 You know, you would look at us and be like, wow, those two are 337 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:12,000 doing really well. And and, you know, my pastor's 338 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:13,680 looking at me. He wants to bring me on staff. 339 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,240 And I'm thinking, oh, does it get much better than this? 340 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:23,720 I'm standing here telling you it does because I get a phone call 341 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,280 and it says, hey, the Air Force is changing positions. 342 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,360 It looks like they want you to either go to. 343 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:31,360 And it was funny. I was talking to Andrew today 344 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:35,040 about Seattle, wants to either go to Seattle or Boston. 345 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,480 And if you know me and if you know my wife, she's not a big 346 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,640 city person. That's why we live in Far West, 347 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:42,440 even though the city's coming this way. 348 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,240 And I'm like, OK, well, that's looks like where we're going, 349 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,400 right? And I look at my wife and she 350 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,320 says, I don't know if I want to do this. 351 00:24:55,480 --> 00:25:00,400 And I was like, OK, well, I'll just throw some stuff out there. 352 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:04,560 I interview for a job a month later at Hill Air Force Base. 353 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:09,080 Don't hear anything. And so now this is March, April, 354 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:11,560 May rolls around, not hearing anything. 355 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,000 My boss comes to me and says, hey, we are really happy with 356 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,000 you. So what we're going to do is 357 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:17,680 we're going to try and keep you the longest. 358 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:22,400 We're going to try and keep you here and we'll figure things 359 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:27,040 out, but that gives me less choice on where I can go. 360 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:34,640 So then it really gets narrowed down to probably some bad jobs 361 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,880 in Seattle or now we've lost complete control. 362 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:44,320 I got to give it to God. All right, so, so all this is 363 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:49,040 happening and literally Friday my boss is telling me how he is 364 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:54,200 going to take care of me by really giving me limitations. 365 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,720 That Monday, Hill Air Force Base offered me a job. 366 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,440 By Friday, I accepted the job. My pastor, by the way, at 367 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:02,920 Calvary Chapel is still not happy. 368 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,840 He asked when I'm coming home and I said I am home because I'm 369 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,320 with the new church family. That's a whole nother story. 370 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:16,120 But when by the time Friday hits and I decided to take the job, 371 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:22,120 literally within three months we had sold the house, moved, 372 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:26,920 bought a house and settled into a new job that I absolutely 373 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:28,640 love. And it's been the best job I've 374 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:32,120 ever had in my career. And then we find this church 375 00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:34,560 called Redemption, and we're like, yeah, we don't know, It's 376 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,040 kind of a far away drive, blah, blah, blah. 377 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:38,720 What, Someone's going to plant a church. 378 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:45,440 Then I am standing here in front of you guys loving everything 379 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:49,720 that God has done on this adventure in the last 3 1/2 380 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,080 years. And it's the first time I've 381 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:58,840 really prayed to start off with, it's the first time that I went 382 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:01,840 and just you know what? If God's going to open this 383 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:03,560 door, he's going to take care of it. 384 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:08,520 Literally when I called the housing office to say like, hey, 385 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,320 we're going to move, they're like, Oh well, good news. 386 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:16,160 We don't have anything available for I think it was like 6 387 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:17,520 months. I'm like, what? 388 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:19,920 You're not going to be able to pack my stuff up for six months? 389 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,560 I'm like, Nope. And they're like, wait, is this 390 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:25,520 Dwight? And I'm like, yeah, oh, do you 391 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,800 Remember Me? And we had a long discussion. 392 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,120 I'll tell you what, I'll get you done next week. 393 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:34,680 That's how it happened. I mean, and it was like, whoa, 394 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:42,360 all God taking care of things. So that way I could stand here 395 00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:45,000 today and talk to each and every single one of you. 396 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:50,680 It's a huge blessing. And so now that we're, if you 397 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:55,880 want, you can turn to Philippians chapter 4 and we're 398 00:27:55,880 --> 00:28:00,120 going to talk about 10 through 11 and then talk about 19. 399 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:05,400 So Paul, so if we take a look at kind of how God takes care of 400 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:12,000 things, Paul is a great example to see an individual who, you 401 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:16,240 know, we may think that, you know, Paul's had had his issues, 402 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,680 right? Paul is devoted completely to 403 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:21,920 Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ is doing. 404 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:26,120 And at this point, Paul is sitting in prison, right? 405 00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:29,840 So he's in prison for preaching and talking about Jesus Christ. 406 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,920 And this is what he says in verse #10 of Philippians 4I 407 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:38,560 rejoiced in the Lord greatly. And that now at length, you have 408 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,960 revived your concern for me. And he's saying basically at 409 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,520 this point, hey, you guys, I get it. 410 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,640 You're concerned for me. You were indeed concerned for 411 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,040 me, but you had no opportunity to assist. 412 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,560 You don't have the ability to come to Rome where I'm sitting 413 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:58,480 in prison and take care of me. Not that I am Speaking of being 414 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:04,800 in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be 415 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:13,040 content, to be content. So we go all the way back, 416 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,760 Sermon on the Mount, he's talking about being a disciple 417 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:21,720 of Jesus Christ. He is providing guidance on how 418 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:27,760 to be a good follower of Christ. It's telling us that, hey, you 419 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:31,920 are the creation. This is why you are here. 420 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:36,680 You have a specific purpose each, and I'm looking out at 421 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:38,480 this room. Each and every single one of you 422 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,600 have a specific purpose, all right? 423 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:45,480 Each and every single one of you have a specific purpose. 424 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:53,560 Hard to fathom unless you recognize God's attributes and 425 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:59,040 those attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, 426 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:04,200 right? This God that we follow knows 427 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:08,840 every single one of your hairs on your head. 428 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,600 I would count them, but it would take me a long time, right? 429 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:18,560 So he, he knows this. Then he goes on in verse #19 and 430 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:27,160 says, and my God will supply every need of yours according to 431 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:30,960 his riches in glory in Jesus Christ. 432 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,360 See, Paul recognized who was in control. 433 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,800 He recognized that once he surrendered that control because 434 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:41,200 remember, would you say Paul was a control freak before he got to 435 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,520 know Jesus? I mean, this is the guy that was 436 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:49,640 literally watching and controlling the stoning of 437 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,720 Timothy. Oh, Stephen, why? 438 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:57,600 I don't know why I said Timothy, but the the stoning of Stephen 439 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:02,240 watching all this happen, he follows Jesus Christ, and now he 440 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:08,440 is trusting God for every single one of his needs. 441 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:19,440 He's in prison in Rome, right? Alcatraz #5 rule #5 but where 442 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:27,950 does he go but seek? This is funny because it's being 443 00:31:27,950 --> 00:31:29,550 delayed. So it looks like I'm pressing 444 00:31:29,550 --> 00:31:33,150 the button, but I press it, it gets delayed, and then she takes 445 00:31:33,150 --> 00:31:34,590 care of me back there. Thank you, Shay. 446 00:31:35,150 --> 00:31:38,510 All right, but seek, second, the Kingdom of God. 447 00:31:39,190 --> 00:31:42,960 Is that what it says? No, it says seek 1st the Kingdom 448 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:48,560 of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added 449 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:52,080 to you. Seek first. 450 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:58,440 The Sermon on the Mount is all about Jesus discipling his 451 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:03,560 disciples, right? Telling them, hey, this is, this 452 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:07,560 is how we go about life. If you want to spend life with 453 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:10,760 me, right, it's not going to be pretty. 454 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:12,520 It's not always going to be beautiful. 455 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:15,040 There's going to be times where we're going to struggle. 456 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,320 There's going to be times where you know we're in the valley. 457 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:20,080 There's going to be peaks and valleys and, and all these 458 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:21,440 things. He's not saying that once you 459 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,800 accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior that your life is 460 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,240 going to be hunky Dory and everything will be just fine. 461 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,120 He's not saying that. But what he's saying is you seek 462 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:33,920 first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness will take care of 463 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:37,480 you and all these things will be added to you and all what 464 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:41,240 things, right? So we have to go all the way 465 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:43,760 back to the Sermon on the Mount. We're talking about peace, we're 466 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:47,640 talking about the Golden Rule. We're talking about food, water, 467 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:49,640 clothing. All these things will be added 468 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:51,680 to you. And the best part is yet to 469 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:55,440 come. So, so the real question becomes 470 00:32:55,440 --> 00:33:00,040 like, how do we seek the Kingdom of God? 471 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:05,320 How do I put him first? This is going to be, I wouldn't 472 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:07,720 say a plug for some of the things we're doing at 473 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:10,080 Redemption, but this is kind of a plug for some of the things 474 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:14,840 we're doing at Redemption. So daily prayer, why daily? 475 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:19,880 Why not? And if we go back to Matthew 68 476 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,920 through 13, right? It says pray then like this. 477 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:27,280 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, your Kingdom come, 478 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:31,680 your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 479 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:36,000 Give us this day Our Daily Bread, and forgive us of our 480 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,440 debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 481 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:43,320 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 482 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:49,120 Lead us not into temptation. And what and what is one of the 483 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:52,480 key things? I think we tend to skip over 484 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:55,760 with this when we pray like that. 485 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:00,960 There is an assessment when you break that down. 486 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,440 Give us this day, Our Daily Bread. 487 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:08,600 It doesn't say this week. Give me my daily bread. 488 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:12,080 It doesn't say this month or in 2026. 489 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:15,639 Give me our my daily bread. It says this day. 490 00:34:15,639 --> 00:34:20,600 So this gives and makes me understand that this is a daily 491 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:25,719 prayer, right? So I'm seeking the Kingdom 492 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,320 first, then maybe I should start with daily prayer. 493 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,560 Next Bible reading. How important is Jesus in our 494 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:38,760 lives? Did you know that? 495 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:45,639 And let's see. So there are 160 hours a week of 496 00:34:45,639 --> 00:34:48,639 which you sleep. And let's just say you you 497 00:34:48,639 --> 00:34:52,679 conservatively sleep for 8:00 work for 40 hours a week on 498 00:34:52,679 --> 00:34:54,719 average. Did you know there's 72 other 499 00:34:54,719 --> 00:34:56,960 hours? What are we doing in those 72 500 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:04,040 other hours, right? Would it take 15 minutes to do 501 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:10,600 some Bible reading? If you log on to RNO and see the 502 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:15,320 daily reading plan and click on it, it will actually help you 503 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:19,880 read your Bible daily, right? How awesome is that? 504 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:24,880 For 72 hours out of the week, 15 minutes a day. 505 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:30,880 Anybody do the math on that? For how long that would be for 506 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:35,960 the week? Is it 2 hours? 507 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:38,320 I don't know, I didn't do the math on that. 508 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:43,120 But either way, right? So another way is to Bible read. 509 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:50,120 So go, go to RNO website, take a look at it, click on it, read 510 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:51,960 along with us. If you're not going to read 511 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,640 along with us, I want to encourage you to read your Bible 512 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,840 daily and then Bible study, right? 513 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:01,600 So out of those 72 hours, here's another way where where we can 514 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:08,320 give God the first, right, the first action Bible study. 515 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:13,160 We have community groups within redemption where we get together 516 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:17,200 with our groups and we actually study scripture, whether or not 517 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:21,200 you're a single male. We've got female studies. 518 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:23,840 We got small, small community groups. 519 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:27,040 If you want to come to, for instance, my group and you're 520 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:29,280 over the age of 90 because we're all old. 521 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,520 I would that would be awesome to have some fresh faces. 522 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:39,040 If you're 22, when you want to come to my group, it's, yeah, 523 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:42,240 you're probably going to be like, wow, this is what old 524 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:45,800 people do. So, you know, at the end of the 525 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:48,440 day, though, there is a group out there for you. 526 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:52,480 So I would encourage you to get on the redemption website, find 527 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:57,480 a community group. Because if we do Jesus one hour 528 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:02,800 a week, right on Sundays, are we really seeking him first? 529 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:05,360 Are we really seeking the Kingdom first? 530 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:11,440 Is our identity really in Christ right? 531 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:18,840 Our worry, our anxiety, all these things can be lessened if 532 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:25,320 we think of the Kingdom first. Unfortunately, you're not going 533 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,160 to know that. I can tell you time and time 534 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:31,880 again and it's just like, you know, sometimes when you're when 535 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:37,560 you're talking and, and you just know you need to do something. 536 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:41,760 What a great opportunity. 2025 closing 2026. 537 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:46,760 I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions, right? 538 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:49,360 I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions, but here's what I 539 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:55,240 am a fan of. Let's dedicate 2026 to Jesus 540 00:37:55,240 --> 00:37:58,560 Christ. And what does that mean, right? 541 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:02,600 You may start off with just a daily prayer. 542 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:05,440 You may just start off with maybe a daily reading. 543 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:08,000 You may join a community group, right? 544 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:12,120 But where is that going to take you in your relationship with 545 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:15,080 Jesus Christ? This is what he's talking about, 546 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:18,440 right? So as we seek the Kingdom first, 547 00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:22,400 there's also some other things we can do Worship. 548 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:28,040 Now I'm here to tell you, I'm I'm surprised that they haven't 549 00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:31,240 invited me up here to sing because I do have a great voice 550 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:37,560 That that is totally a joke. You don't want to hear me sing. 551 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:42,320 That's why I think Doug came up and adjusted my mic because I 552 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:43,680 thought maybe it was on for a second. 553 00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:45,200 He's like, dude, we got to turn you off. 554 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:49,160 But you know, at some point, right? 555 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:54,200 We what does worship look like? What does worship look like for 556 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:57,120 you? Are you worshiping once a week? 557 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:03,560 How about serving? Are you serving once a week? 558 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:05,800 How? What does serving look like? 559 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:08,040 Here's a plug for for redemption. 560 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:12,840 Another plug. Sorry, the pastors had no idea I 561 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:15,720 was going to do this. They didn't like, hey Dwight, 562 00:39:15,720 --> 00:39:17,560 you need to talk about this. This is all me. 563 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:21,120 So don't yell at them for me plugging all this stuff. 564 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:29,200 But but serving, we already know God's presence is here when we 565 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:32,120 show up. But when we set up in the 566 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:34,600 morning, there's a very small group of us. 567 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:37,680 Hint, hint, there's a very small group of us that we just come 568 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:41,800 in, we do our thing and, you know, we sit back and we're 569 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:44,360 like, OK, good. You know, we line up the chairs, 570 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:46,840 we set up the stage and music gets to practice and 571 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:48,800 everything's good and we don't really think about it. 572 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:56,360 But I'm here to tell you that that pleases God, right? 573 00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:59,960 The the coffee doesn't. There's not a. 574 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:04,120 A coffee fairy back there that kind of makes the coffee and 575 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:07,440 pours it all in and and does all this and like, oh, they will be 576 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:13,280 so happy at church today, right? No, there are individuals that 577 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:15,400 come in early to make sure there's coffee here. 578 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:17,840 So that way you can stay awake through service, even though, 579 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:23,240 hey, whatever. All right, but what about the 580 00:40:23,240 --> 00:40:29,840 kids right now there are individuals back there who and 581 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:33,760 I, I love my wife because she loves babies and I'm so glad we 582 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:36,440 don't have babies right now because we are old. 583 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:40,880 But she gets her little baby fix and goes back and gets to hold 584 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:46,000 your children and that pleases her heart, which then happy 585 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:49,200 house, happy spouse pleases my heart. 586 00:40:50,040 --> 00:40:57,720 All right, so another way. So these are all the things and 587 00:40:57,720 --> 00:41:02,680 there are many more things we can do that puts the Kingdom 588 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,720 first, right? So Kingdom over anxiety and I 589 00:41:06,720 --> 00:41:09,440 guarantee and I will guarantee this. 590 00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:15,400 All right, if you do just one of these things extra a day, you 591 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:20,040 don't have to go in and, and try and do it all at once because 592 00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:21,760 that's just like our resolutions, right? 593 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:25,560 Our New Year's resolutions are we usually, we typically go all 594 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:27,680 in. I'm going to work out five days 595 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:28,920 a week. I'm going to get, you know, I'm 596 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:31,080 going to drop 50 lbs and I'm going to do this. 597 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:34,440 And then week number one hits and you lost a half pound and 598 00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:35,640 you're like, Oh, this isn't working. 599 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:40,000 I'm done, right? So I'm not saying go all in and 600 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:42,360 do every single one of these things at once. 601 00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:46,600 What I'm saying is let God work on you and begin somewhere. 602 00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:52,440 Begin somewhere because then I know right having gone through 603 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:58,200 this myself is I know once you start these things and you see 604 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:03,640 God take control of your life and you give God more and more 605 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:08,520 control, 1 you realize how much control you actually think you 606 00:42:08,520 --> 00:42:12,600 had and then two, the blessings you will receive on the other 607 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:17,400 end is awesome. A relationship with Jesus Christ 608 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:24,880 is it changes and when I say changes your life, it will 609 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:27,600 change your life. Your perspective will be 610 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:31,760 completely different on how you look at your sin, on how you 611 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:34,320 handle your day-to-day operations of life. 612 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:37,800 And here's what I want to do with you guys. 613 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:45,080 I want to live life with you guys and living life with you 614 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:51,520 guys means serving, means reading my Bible sometimes means 615 00:42:52,600 --> 00:42:56,320 getting rid of those nasty thoughts, praying. 616 00:42:56,520 --> 00:42:59,280 I want to pray with you guys. I want to pray for you guys. 617 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:02,600 I want you to pray for me. You know, this is this is what 618 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:05,040 it's all about. This is our community here. 619 00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:10,960 And if I get to live life with you, how much more blessed will 620 00:43:10,960 --> 00:43:17,200 I be, right? How much worry will I have if I 621 00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:21,000 know that I have something happen to me? 622 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:29,680 You will take care of my wife. If I lose my job, you guys will 623 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:32,840 provide the food, right? Because God's going to talk to 624 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:34,680 you. And if you are spending time 625 00:43:34,680 --> 00:43:36,920 with Jesus Christ, you can't help but help. 626 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:46,280 So this is the verse that that kind of brings us a little back. 627 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:50,680 Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will 628 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:55,120 be anxious for self-sufficient for the day is its own trouble, 629 00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:57,840 right. So we have a tendency to think 630 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:00,080 about tomorrow even though you're sitting here. 631 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:02,400 Some of you are like, but I really don't want to go to work 632 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:04,000 tomorrow. I've been off. 633 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,760 The kids are like, I'm so glad I have tomorrow off. 634 00:44:07,840 --> 00:44:11,040 I can sleep in. My dad made me come in and help 635 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:13,720 set up chairs with this old man named Dwight, and he was 636 00:44:13,720 --> 00:44:16,000 directing me. And, you know, all these things 637 00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:17,400 are happening in that, right, Ethan? 638 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:18,120 Yeah. I see you. 639 00:44:18,120 --> 00:44:19,640 All right. So. 640 00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:22,640 Right. So don't be anxious about 641 00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:25,040 tomorrow. I need to be reminded of this. 642 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:28,920 And it's funny because my grandson asked me a Riddle a few 643 00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:30,400 weeks ago. Let's see if you guys can get 644 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:34,960 this what am I I'm always coming, but I never arrive. 645 00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:42,240 I'm always coming, but I never arrive tomorrow. 646 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:49,800 Tomorrow will always be there. Nothing we can do about tomorrow 647 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:54,280 because today is today. So if you're going to worry, 648 00:44:54,280 --> 00:44:58,800 worry about today. But I think we've already gone 649 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:02,960 over how you handle that worry, right? 650 00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:08,960 Let's pray, let's read, let's study, let's love each other. 651 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:15,760 Let's show each other how much God has loved us by shining that 652 00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:21,520 light to others. Jesus is not just saying that 653 00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:23,680 food, clothing, or tomorrow don't matter. 654 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:28,040 What he's saying is that it is something for him to worry 655 00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:32,360 about, not you. That's a different perspective. 656 00:45:33,240 --> 00:45:36,440 It's something for him to worry about, not you. 657 00:45:39,680 --> 00:45:43,840 So as we close, here's what I want you guys. 658 00:45:44,720 --> 00:45:49,760 As we go into 2026, I want you to choose trust over worry, 659 00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:54,840 trust in Jesus Christ. I want you to choose surrender 660 00:45:54,840 --> 00:45:58,800 over control. Let's surrender our lives to who 661 00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:00,840 Jesus Christ is and what he does. 662 00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:04,320 And then let's choose the Kingdom over anxiety. 663 00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:09,800 This world provides Enough worry, anxious. 664 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:14,960 Let them all worry about it. Let you know if you have to turn 665 00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:18,200 off the social media, if you have to turn off the news, 666 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:21,840 We'll, we'll tell you what's going on. 667 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:24,480 We'll tell you about Jesus Christ. 668 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:31,200 We'll tell you how he loves you. And that's the goal, right? 669 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:34,680 Because we just celebrated, we celebrated the birth of Christ 670 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:41,000 who came to die for us, who also came to take away the worry for 671 00:46:41,040 --> 00:46:43,040 us. That's the key. 672 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:45,080 He came to take away the worry for us. 673 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:49,360 Seek him first and let him handle the rest. 674 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:59,760 Let's close in prayer. Lord, you're awesome. 675 00:47:02,080 --> 00:47:06,200 As I think about all those things that I used to worry 676 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:10,960 about and, you know, I think about food and clothing and, and 677 00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:13,560 all these things and, and it tends to bubble up. 678 00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:16,760 Lord, I can just turn to you and say take it. 679 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:23,640 The hardest thing to do is for us to give up control. 680 00:47:23,640 --> 00:47:26,760 And I'm asking that each one of us today take a look at that 681 00:47:26,760 --> 00:47:34,360 control and just say take it. You sent your son to take it for 682 00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:39,400 us. You sent your son because you 683 00:47:39,400 --> 00:47:45,840 love us, You care about us. And Lord, if there are 684 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:51,600 individuals in this room that want to know you more and want 685 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:54,200 to have that relationship and just don't know where to start, 686 00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:58,640 Lord, I want them to feel encouraged to go to somebody 687 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:04,160 that does know. Lord, I want them to just wake 688 00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:10,400 up and begin to seek your Kingdom first, Lord. 689 00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:15,520 And maybe it's time as we head into 2026 that even us believers 690 00:48:15,520 --> 00:48:21,440 who have kind of maybe strayed a little, not been as consistent. 691 00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:25,520 Lord, help us re get re energized in who you are in our 692 00:48:25,520 --> 00:48:30,080 lives, Lord, so that way we can go out and show and reflect who 693 00:48:30,080 --> 00:48:33,320 you are and what you have done for each and every single one of 694 00:48:33,320 --> 00:48:35,600 us. Lord and I thank you for your 695 00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:40,800 love and what you continue to provide this church in this 696 00:48:40,800 --> 00:48:44,280 community at this time with these individuals. 697 00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:49,720 Thank you, your Son's most holy and precious name, Amen. 698 00:48:51,480 --> 00:48:52,880 Amen. Would you stand and sing in 699 00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:53,880 response with us?