1 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,240 Hi and welcome to the Via Zion Sermon podcast. 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,360 We are a local church based here in Chennai, India. 3 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,880 We are so glad you are with us and hope that this will 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,360 encourage, inspire and instill fresh faith in you. 5 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,200 Our theme for the year 2024 is set apart, and today we look at 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,440 how God sets us apart to carry our cross. 7 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,680 Jesus was open and honest with his disciples of the kind of 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,840 life they would be called to live should they choose to 9 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,400 follow Him. It's not one that's easy, but 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,360 one of great fulfillment and eternal rewards. 11 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,800 As you listen in, would you ask God to show you how better to 12 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:50,120 carry your cross and follow Jesus, his Son, into the spaces 13 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,760 he leads you? High Church? 14 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:54,560 What a joy it is to bring God's word to you. 15 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,160 Today, as you know, we've been doing our series called DCF, 16 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,600 Deny, Carry, Follow. Today we're at the last part of 17 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,640 DCF. We're at the place where we look 18 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,960 at how we follow Christ. We look at how we have to deny 19 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:09,920 ourselves. We look at how we have to take 20 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,200 up our cross. And we also are going to be 21 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,520 looking at how we must follow Jesus. 22 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,080 To know Jesus is one thing you know. 23 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,040 To know him, to know of him is one thing. 24 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,160 To invite him into our lives as our personal saviour, that's 25 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,160 another thing. But to follow him is completely 26 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,400 a different thing. When you think of the word 27 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,880 follow, I wonder what you think of you may think of, I don't 28 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,240 know, maybe you know your Instagram or your Facebook where 29 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,960 you have people following you or you're following people. 30 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,920 My my idea of following has looked so different over the 31 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,040 years. I remember when I was really 32 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,360 young, my family, we were heading to a person's house 33 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,960 warming after church service and so we went with a couple of our 34 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,160 friends in their car. My father was coming on the bike 35 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:57,560 alone and so he said you know he'll follow our car that we 36 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,960 were going in with friends and he said I'll follow and come 37 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,000 when coming back we'll all come together. 38 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:07,440 So as he was, as we were going to that place, my dad following 39 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,039 us some, it was a long winded Rd. 40 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:13,320 It was almost a one hour drive. Somewhere along the way my dad 41 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,160 got lost and I remember in those days we didn't have cell phones, 42 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,520 so my mom couldn't contact him and find out where he was. 43 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,520 The person who was driving this car was, you know, frantically 44 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:24,960 looking for him on all the streets and things, but we 45 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,440 couldn't find him. So we finally located the place 46 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,080 we had to go to. We went and we attended the 47 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,600 function there. At that function there was a 48 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:34,720 landline telephone. So I remember my mum just 49 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:36,840 thinking, you know what? He's not in touch with us, but 50 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,440 maybe I'll just check if he's at home. 51 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,160 So she calls our landline up and lo and behold, my father picks 52 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,280 the call up and he says, yeah, I got lost and I just went back 53 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:46,640 home. You guys attended and come back 54 00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:48,400 home. And I remember just thinking 55 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,640 when we were sitting there, just the three of us at that 56 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,680 function, like how could he not follow this person who was 57 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:56,480 driving? Why didn't he follow him closer? 58 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:57,920 Then he would have not got left behind. 59 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:00,520 Then he won't be alone. You know, as a little child I 60 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,320 had so much to grapple with in terms of someone following 61 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,040 someone else. Fast forward to when I got 62 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:11,000 married, my husband, Geshom. He uses Google Maps for most 63 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:12,480 places that are, you know, hard to find. 64 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,000 But once he gets a place in his head, he can just go there. 65 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,200 But the interesting thing about the way he follows even Google 66 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:22,920 Maps is as it's on our display and you know as he puts it up on 67 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:26,120 our screen, on our windshield and he's driving and he's 68 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,240 checking the route, he's never just content with the route that 69 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,320 Google Maps presents him. So he's always zooming out and 70 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,120 finding alternate shorter routes or the route that you know 71 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,920 covers the the the the time taken is less. 72 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,200 He's always trying to compete with Google Maps to beat Google 73 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,160 Maps his time taken. So it's very interesting because 74 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,680 that is a completely different idea of what following looks 75 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,800 like. And then when it comes to my 76 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:53,160 children, so our kids have by hearted all the back routes near 77 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,560 our house, you know, because their van apparently takes them 78 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:57,800 on all those routes. They they know all these little 79 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,400 tiny roads that are so narrow that just one car can go at a 80 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,960 time. And so one particular day my my 81 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,120 oldest son and I were driving and he told me, you know, 82 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,400 there's a shortcut to go to our house because the main road was 83 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,400 blocked by a huge water truck. And he said, mom, I know this 84 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,280 other route, just come with me, I'll take you. 85 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,320 And so I followed his instructions and ended up in a 86 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,720 dead end where our car was. I already have a small car and 87 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:23,480 the the road was the width of the car. 88 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,120 And I remember that I was stuck in this, this very narrow part 89 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,240 and I was screaming at my son saying why did I follow you? 90 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:31,840 How can you take me down this route? 91 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,240 And it I shouted at him the whole way home. 92 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,280 He's the biggest parenting fail of my life. 93 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,000 But I realized that following. Him. 94 00:04:40,280 --> 00:04:42,440 Taking him at his word had its risks. 95 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:44,960 I should have counted that, but I didn't. 96 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,880 So when I look at what following looks like for me, I'm sometimes 97 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:54,560 hesitant to follow people. I'm sometimes hesitant to follow 98 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,360 the status quo, the things that are set in stone. 99 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,080 But then I also have to bring it down to how ready am I to follow 100 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,240 Jesus? Because sometimes the roads he 101 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,880 takes me on are not the huge highways with all the lighting 102 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,800 and all the signboards. Sometimes it's off the beaten 103 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,720 track. And so I want to encourage you 104 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,320 as we get into today's word that you will identify what kind of 105 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:20,080 follower you are. And maybe we we don't have the 106 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,640 the exact definition for what it should look like. 107 00:05:22,840 --> 00:05:26,840 But the word is a good guide to help us see if we could follow 108 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:29,640 him better, if we could follow him closer. 109 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,800 If there are certain things in our following that that need, 110 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,800 you know, a revamp, that's where we're going to be looking at 111 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:37,760 today. Jesus talks in different parts 112 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,400 of the Gospels about what following look like to him, And 113 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,000 I want us to begin with that. Matthew, chapter 8, verses 20 to 114 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,080 22, says when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave a 115 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,120 command to depart to the other side. 116 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,520 Then a certain scribe came and said to him, teacher, I will 117 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,360 follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said to him, foxes 118 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,960 have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man 119 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:06,360 has nowhere to lay his head. Mark chapter one verses 16 to 18 120 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,800 says, And as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and 121 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,080 Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were 122 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:15,960 fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, follow 123 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:17,720 me, and I will make you fishers of men. 124 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,280 They immediately left their Nets and followed him soon after. 125 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:25,880 It even talks about how James and John, sons of Zebedee, were 126 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,440 also fishermen with their father in a boat when God, when Jesus 127 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,600 looked at them and said follow me and they followed him 128 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,960 immediately as well. John chapter 10 verses 27 to 28 129 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,080 says my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me 130 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,960 and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither 131 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,120 shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. 132 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:50,520 So following Jesus looks so different. 133 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:54,880 It's not the way we talk about following today in today's 134 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:56,920 context. If someone's being toxic, if 135 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,560 someone is spewing poison on social media, we can block them, 136 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,560 we can unfollow them. We are very picky about who we 137 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,120 follow. We look up to certain people. 138 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,800 We like their content. We follow them. 139 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:11,520 In following Jesus, I don't get to unfollow him. 140 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,600 I don't get to block him. If I do that, it's probably 141 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,640 going to be to my detriment. I need to follow him. 142 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,560 And when I follow him, it implies sacrifice, it implies 143 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:24,320 obedience. It implies a listening ear. 144 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,440 It implies that I'm close enough to hear him. 145 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,800 It implies that I'm tuned into his voice and his voice alone. 146 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,800 Because in this time that we live in, the voices are many. 147 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,640 The shepherds are many. These are small s s They're not 148 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,480 the capital S shepherd. The shepherds are many, the 149 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,480 roads are many, the voices are many. 150 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:47,160 The lure is strong, and it's up to us who we will choose to 151 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,560 follow, what we will choose to follow. 152 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,840 So I want to just encourage you before we actually get into the 153 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,840 the, you know, the word as such that following Jesus is not as 154 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,720 hard as it looks. It's actually very exciting. 155 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,000 You know why, first of all, is that you won't have all the 156 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,520 details. If you're someone like me, you 157 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,520 need to have, you know, the entire road map, the entire 158 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,400 blueprint before you start. This is not for you. 159 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:11,920 He absolutely doesn't give you all the details. 160 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:14,680 He just gives you what you need to begin. 161 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,240 You look at the stories of Abraham and Sarah. 162 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,000 You look at Noah. You look at Nehemiah. 163 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:21,560 You look at Gideon. You look at all the Prophets. 164 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,560 They were told what to do. They had to step out and follow 165 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,120 and do it. They didn't see the big picture. 166 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,520 They just saw the now. They obeyed in the now, and 167 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,159 that's what makes it so exciting, because the minute you 168 00:08:33,159 --> 00:08:37,080 obey and step out to follow him, he gives you more direction, 169 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:40,320 more clarity. Certain things unfold and you 170 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:44,000 start to see the bigger picture. But it all begins when you begin 171 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,080 to follow. The second thing is that you 172 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,200 will face storms. Why do I say that's exciting? 173 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,800 Because you will find that in every storm his presence is very 174 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,280 real. In certain storms, he doesn't 175 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:58,880 necessarily calm the storm. He will calm you down. 176 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:03,280 In certain situations he will actually speak to the storm 177 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,200 around you and calm it down. But the common denominator is 178 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:07,800 that his presence will be with you. 179 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:12,120 I love this passage in Matthew chapter 8 verses 23 to 27, it 180 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,440 says. Now when he got into a boat, his 181 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,920 disciples followed him and suddenly a great Tempest arose 182 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:22,640 on the sea so that the boat was covered with the waves. 183 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:28,520 They followed him onto the boat. Then they felt the the onset of 184 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:30,840 a Tempest. The beautiful thing is that when 185 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,280 we follow Jesus, the storms are not absent, they are present. 186 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:36,320 They're very much in fact. You have a couple more extra 187 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,920 storms that come your way. But the beautiful thing is that 188 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,920 in every storm you will feel his tangible presence. 189 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:44,600 That's the second exciting thing. 190 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,440 That's another reason why you should follow him. 191 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,960 The third reason is that I found this in Matthew chapter 12, 192 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:51,800 verse 15, and it really encouraged me, it said. 193 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,760 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew from there, and great 194 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,080 multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. 195 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,600 The exciting thing of this journey is that he heals all who 196 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,600 follow him. Maybe you're saying the 197 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,200 particular thing that I have, the thing that I am going 198 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,320 through, is emotional. It's mental, it's financial, 199 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:11,880 it's relationship. It's not just physical, it's all 200 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,120 these other things. I don't know if I'll ever be 201 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,440 better than what I am today. I want to encourage you that he 202 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,920 healed all who followed him. If you are following him, he's 203 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,040 going to bring healing. It's a definite, it's a definite 204 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,040 he's going to heal the parts of your life that you don't even 205 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:30,000 know. You need healing. 206 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,800 And sometimes we just look at the physical and say I need 207 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:33,200 healing of this particular ailment. 208 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,600 But he's looking at me deeper and holistically and saying, no, 209 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,080 you actually need healing in this area. 210 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,440 You need healing spiritually, You need healing relationally. 211 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,360 And he starts bringing things together and brings us into a 212 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,720 place of wholeness. So that's why this life is so 213 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,000 exciting. It's exciting because you won't 214 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,520 have all the details. It's exciting because you will 215 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:56,720 experience storms, but he will be in every storm. 216 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,800 You will experience healing as you follow him, healing in the 217 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,840 most unexpected of ways. Sometimes you wouldn't have even 218 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:05,280 asked for it and he will heal you. 219 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,480 That's the beautiful thing about following Jesus. 220 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:10,960 And the interesting thing is that when we follow him, know 221 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,360 our lives. It's not just this linear 222 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,160 straight Rd. where you can see that you know the end of the 223 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,480 road of the highway. You don't just see the horizon, 224 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,320 but there's so much more. It sometimes goes down these, 225 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,920 you know, off roading. You literally go into these 226 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,600 hardly walked paths. He takes you down these roads 227 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,560 because it's in those seasons when you've. 228 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:32,880 Gone off the highway. When you're wandering down these 229 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,800 little desert roads that you experience him in greater 230 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,840 fullness, it is then that you learn to lean on him. 231 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,760 It's then that you learn to tune your ears to listen to him. 232 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,720 If it was not for those roads, we will not. 233 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,480 Our faith won't be built up. Endurance won't be constructed 234 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:53,200 into us. We need every twist and turn of 235 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,680 this journey. I love that. 236 00:11:55,680 --> 00:12:00,120 You know, as life's journey progresses, transformation 237 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,280 really begins to happen and happens as we follow him. 238 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,280 If you choose to not follow him but still want to do life, you 239 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:09,960 can. But the kind of transformation 240 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,880 that only Jesus brings would be absent. 241 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,680 Following him means taking the narrow way, he says. 242 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:17,240 If you're following me, you take the narrow way. 243 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,880 Many take the Broadway. The Broadway is easy. 244 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:21,960 It looks inviting. It looks enticing. 245 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:23,920 You have many walking on it. The narrow way. 246 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,640 Very few are choosing it. But when you walk down that 247 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,960 road, it leads to eternal life. Will it be marked by barren 248 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:32,360 patches? Sometimes yes. 249 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,440 But eventually it will give way to the fruitful span. 250 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:40,080 Big, large, open tracts of land. It may have twists and turns. 251 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,800 It may have highs and lows, but the beautiful thing about 252 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:45,720 following him is that he is with you. 253 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:51,120 I love that imagery that we saw last week of those two, you 254 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,760 know, cows standing side by side in the yoke on them. 255 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,680 And there's that one cow which leads ahead. 256 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,520 And I'd like to think that, you know, in this journey I'm not 257 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,080 walking alone. He's the lead. 258 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:04,960 As he walks, he shares the Lord with me. 259 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,360 As we walk side by side. I get to listen to him. 260 00:13:08,680 --> 00:13:11,920 I get to follow his lead. When he takes me off the track, 261 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,720 what looks like a detour to me will actually be part of the 262 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,680 plan. So it's so important to 263 00:13:17,680 --> 00:13:20,360 understand that the most important thing of our journey 264 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,160 is the one we follow, Not the journey, not the destination. 265 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:25,840 The one we follow is the most important. 266 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,080 The miracle is not in US following him. 267 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,480 That's required. The miracle is the one who we 268 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,480 are following. I love that when you look at the 269 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:40,080 Gospels, you see Jesus in all his magnificent glory, even as a 270 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,320 man. She was a multiplier of bread. 271 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,640 He was a Stiller of storms. He was the one who treaded 272 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:47,320 water. He was a deliverer. 273 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:49,200 He was a healer. He was a teacher. 274 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:54,520 He was a creator. He was a God, man, God in the 275 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,920 flesh. He was a fulfiller of 276 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,320 prophecies. He was a bread of heaven, the 277 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:03,480 one who satisfied hungry hearts. He was the living waters that 278 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,360 nourished spiritually dry places. 279 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,120 He was the door, the way to eternalize. 280 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:11,240 He was the. Truth. 281 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,640 He was the living embodiment of the truth. 282 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,560 He was life. He was called the Light of the 283 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:20,040 World because he was coming to an area in the world which was 284 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:21,960 dark spiritually. They had no hope. 285 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,640 He brought light and brought hope. 286 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,760 He called himself the Good Shepherd because he led his 287 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,800 people with such compassion and such passion. 288 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,640 Now the interesting thing is we are following the same Jesus, 289 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,320 but added to what the disciples saw. 290 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,720 We have an incredible vantage point. 291 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,560 We see him as the lion and the lamb because he was the perfect 292 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,760 sacrifice. And yet he's the returning 293 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:50,200 victorious King. He's the King of Kings. 294 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:54,000 He's the Lord of Lords. He's the beloved Son of God who 295 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,200 came to earth to be our Redeemer. 296 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,760 He's the suffering Servant, the one who was meek and lowly in 297 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,000 spite of being the the King of Heaven. 298 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,200 He is the victorious one, the first born from the dead. 299 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,960 He He triumphed. Over sin and death. 300 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:16,120 He's the everlasting Father. He's a wonderful counsellor. 301 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,440 Mighty God. Comforter, Guide, Helper. 302 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:24,400 The one who comes alongside us. This is the God that we follow, 303 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,600 and I wanted to list this out and I probably just scratched 304 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,920 the surface because he's so. Much more that we can't put on 305 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,880 paper but the. Beautiful thing is. 306 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,720 So often in our lives, you know, however old you are or however 307 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,560 young you are, I'm sure you love certain aspects of this God that 308 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,640 you worship. You may have experienced Him to 309 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,280 be your family's provider. You may have experienced Him to 310 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,080 be your healer. You may have experienced him to 311 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,520 be a comforter on one of the hardest seasons of your life. 312 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,160 But the beautiful thing is, this God that we worship is so much 313 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,960 more than that. One particular aspect of Him 314 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:02,080 that we have enjoyed and the beautiful thing is that when we 315 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,800 do this journey with him, we start to see the different 316 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,200 aspects of this one God. I've told you this many times 317 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:11,920 growing up. I've experienced Him as my 318 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,640 healer, but as I get older, I'm finding him to be my companion. 319 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,880 I'm finding him to be my confidant. 320 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:20,560 I'm finding that he is the one who counsels me. 321 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:24,760 He's the one who gives wisdom. He's the one who holds me. 322 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,360 He's the one who convicts me. You see what I'm saying? 323 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,920 Our understanding of him grows and we look at him not just to 324 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,320 the one lens of what is what works for me or what I'm most 325 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:39,680 comfortable with, but I start to look at him in all his goodness. 326 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:41,840 I want to just leave a couple of things with you. 327 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,760 He is delightfully unpredictable, what he did 10 328 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,920 years back, 15 years back. He's not going to do the same 329 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:48,760 thing now. He's going to do it completely 330 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:52,960 different and blow your mind. He's massively powerful. 331 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:55,520 You think the kings of the world, the rulers of the world, 332 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,560 have power. You see them pervert justice. 333 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,120 You see them turn things around with the use of money. 334 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,319 Our God is massively powerful. He controls the kings and rulers 335 00:17:06,319 --> 00:17:08,160 of the earth. That's what the word says. 336 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:12,599 He's massively powerful. He holds the sea, the sky and 337 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:15,319 everything in between. Just by the word of his mouth. 338 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,800 That's how powerful he is. He's infinitely creative. 339 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,960 You think you are creative. You think you've met a couple of 340 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:25,400 creative people. He is infinitely creative. 341 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:30,520 He is widely inventive in his salvation strategies. 342 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,560 You think you should save people a certain way. 343 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,200 You think you should do such and such as a church or an 344 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,600 organization. He is widely inventive. 345 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:41,280 He's constantly thinking up of ways and drawing people to him. 346 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:46,040 She is widely inventive in his restorative measures. 347 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,960 Sometimes we plan restoration in a certain way for ourselves or 348 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,840 our loved ones, but he's saying you have no idea. 349 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:57,240 What I've got in store for you. She cannot be restrained. 350 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,240 He cannot be controlled. He cannot be confined by our 351 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,440 small minds. We cannot make him fit in the 352 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,440 box that is convenient for us so that we can carry him wherever 353 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,960 we go. No, he is beyond all of that. 354 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,920 He's beyond all of that. He is endlessly loving of the 355 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:18,280 world he created. Sometimes we have these biases 356 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,000 against a certain people group, against a certain country, 357 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,040 against a certain city, against a certain culture. 358 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,120 But he says he loves all of them. 359 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,800 Every one of the people he has created, he loves. 360 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:33,800 He loves the world. He's unrelenting in his pursuit 361 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,840 of those who have wandered away. Sometimes we as humans, we lose 362 00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:41,320 compassion after a while. We're just like how how many 363 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:42,640 times this person going to wander away. 364 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:46,600 But he's unrelenting in how he pursues the lost. 365 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,880 He is spectacular in holiness. Let's not get this wrong. 366 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,240 Let's not think that he's diminished in His Holiness. 367 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,080 He is still the Holy of Holies. He still dwells in an 368 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,600 unapproachable light. It is because of Jesus. 369 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:02,080 That we have. Access. 370 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,680 He's spectacular in holiness. That hasn't changed. 371 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,040 The great command that Jesus quoted in the New Testament was 372 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:13,480 when a scribe asked him what are the 2 greatest com what is the 373 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,480 greatest commandment? He said he quoted it from 374 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:17,800 Deuteronomy and this is what he said. 375 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:21,160 Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is 1. 376 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,000 Before he talked about the Great Commission was love the Lord 377 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,120 your God with all your heart, mind and strength. 378 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,960 He actually said, hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is 1, 379 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:32,520 and it's a prayer that every Jew still prays today. 380 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,120 But when you look at that, you understand the magnitude of what 381 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:39,360 we're going looking at right now, that this God is all of 382 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:40,640 these things. He's the shepherd. 383 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:42,680 He's the door, He's the He's the now. 384 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,480 He's the way, He's the truth. He's the Redeemer. 385 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,680 He's a savior. But all of this is just one God. 386 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,440 And so when I look at him, I don't look at him in this 387 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:55,880 compartmentalized person, but I look at him as one who can meet 388 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,040 every single need that I have. Now. 389 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:02,480 And every single need that is to come, this is the God we 390 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,800 worship. This is the God we follow. 391 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,920 And so as we look at this today, we're going to be looking at 392 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,520 three different ways in which we can follow him better. 393 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:13,680 But primarily, I want to leave this with you. 394 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:15,680 The one we follow is the most important. 395 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:17,960 She's the one we keep our eyes on. 396 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,640 And he is one He is. One, but he has his incredible 397 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:27,240 traits and and characteristics that make us need him more. 398 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,000 That make us love him and adore him more. 399 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:31,480 You need to experience all of him. 400 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,840 So in this journey that you're walking, it's very important to 401 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:38,160 understand why sometimes we slip into, you know, unbelief. 402 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:40,960 I face this. There was a season when I was 403 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:42,920 desperate for this particular kind of healing. 404 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,400 I was going through a particular ailment and I needed healing, 405 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,800 and when I didn't receive it, I just assumed automatically that 406 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:51,400 God had left me. But interestingly, in that 407 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,880 season when there there was no physical healing that I was 408 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:58,840 feeling creatively, I was able to churn out so much of content. 409 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:02,600 And so when I was looking at it, I realised that maybe I was 410 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,360 experiencing less of the healing power of God, but I was 411 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:08,160 experiencing his creativity in another plane altogether. 412 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,800 So you see, when I start to see this God as infinitely more than 413 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,760 I've imagined, I realize he's never left me. 414 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,560 So maybe there's a season when you've been financially dry, but 415 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,960 maybe when it came to your work, you were doing really well. 416 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:24,880 Or maybe there was a relationship problem that was 417 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:26,520 going on. But you enjoyed good health. 418 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,680 You received healing on another level. 419 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:30,760 So you realize that he's never left you. 420 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,760 He is working in ways you have not imagined your work. 421 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:35,520 He's working in ways you cannot see. 422 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,760 And because of that, we can be assured that our faith is 423 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,240 founded when it is founded in Jesus is a sure of faith. 424 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,240 He will not let us down South. Often we look at what we're not 425 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,240 having. We look at what prayer is not 426 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,360 being answered and assume that He is not with us. 427 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:56,120 No, He is still working. It requires that we open up and 428 00:21:56,120 --> 00:21:57,560 see. Open up our eyes and see God, 429 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:00,360 what are you doing? And you will find there are 430 00:22:00,360 --> 00:22:03,040 spaces in which He's transforming you, which is 431 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,840 evidence to His presence. So it's so important that we 432 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:08,680 worship. God for all. 433 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:10,800 Of who he is so that when we follow. 434 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,960 Him. The possibilities are limitless 435 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,120 right now. It doesn't just end there. 436 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,960 Like I said, we know the one we follow, but how do we follow him 437 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,360 better? How do we follow him in such a 438 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:25,240 way that it is? Really. 439 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:27,360 You know, deserve that. He's deserving of. 440 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,800 How do I do that? I want us to take three points 441 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,720 home with us in order. To worship God for who? 442 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,920 He is in all his entirety. Every part of my being needs to 443 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:40,280 follow. Now, what does that mean? 444 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:45,320 So often I can verbally say all the right things I could. 445 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:46,840 Physically be. Doing all the right things. 446 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,280 I could be in church, I could be serving, I could be helping the 447 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,960 poor, I could be in the in a hospital volunteering. 448 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,320 But a lot of times my heart or my head are far away. 449 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,800 And so today I want to encourage us that as much as we want to 450 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:03,000 look at God as this one being and you know, enjoying him and 451 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:08,640 following him for all that he is, all that I am has to be 452 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,640 committed to following him. And what does that look like? 453 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,720 Firstly, it looks like my heart needs to follow him. 454 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:20,600 Heart first. Second point will be head next 455 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:29,040 and. 3rd will be feet, last hands, last head, heart, hands. 456 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,800 It's so important to understand that we are beings that are 457 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:36,000 spirit, soul, and body. We're not just physical bodies. 458 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,000 We have so much more that is at play. 459 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,600 You will know that at any given time, you probably have a whole 460 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,040 jumble of emotions that are in your heart. 461 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,920 You have thoughts which are running at 200 mph, and then 462 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,040 your body is trying to cope with all of this. 463 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,720 So you know that these are all the different facets of your 464 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,480 being, but it requires that all of these learn to work together 465 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,520 to follow Jesus better. So what does that look like? 466 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:04,680 Point #1, Heart. First, the Prophet writes that 467 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,960 the heart is deceptive above all things. 468 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:11,040 It's so easy for our heart to follow after someone or 469 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:15,120 something that grabs our fancy. It's so easy for our heart to 470 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:17,680 just wander off behind the thing that looks really good on the 471 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,720 next best thing. But it's so important that we 472 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,440 come back to this place of choosing to follow God 473 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,560 wholeheartedly as opposed to half heartedly. 474 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,600 So. Often in the in Christendom, all 475 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,640 of us, all of us who are followers of Jesus, we have this 476 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,760 bifurcated approach where it's you know what Jesus. 477 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,160 I will follow Jesus but also pursue. 478 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,920 You know that that career which will, you know, really push me 479 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:42,480 and you know push me into stardom. 480 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,560 Or maybe it will be that relationship where I will find 481 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,080 my value. But the important thing is to 482 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:53,080 understand that my heart. My heart has to be so wholly 483 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,400 committed to following after Jesus. 484 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,960 I love this passage in Numbers, chapter 32 verses 6 to 12. 485 00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:03,880 It talks about Joshua and Caleb, the guys who were sent with the 486 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:08,680 rest to go and spy out the land. And this is what God says about 487 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,680 them, He says. They weren't interested in 488 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:14,600 following me. Their hearts weren't in it. 489 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,320 None, except for Caleb, son of Jeff and A, and Joshua. 490 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,520 They followed me. Their hearts were in it. 491 00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:24,480 What an amazing certificate of approval. 492 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,760 Their hearts were in it. When you follow Jesus, when you 493 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:30,680 say you follow Jesus is your heart. 494 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:36,440 In it, Caleb and Joshua, even though the giants were real, 495 00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:43,440 even though the the area to possess was huge, even though it 496 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,600 looked insurmountable, because their hearts were truly after 497 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:49,520 God. They had remembered all that God 498 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:53,000 had done the past 40 years. They were so committed and 499 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:54,920 passionate about taking possession. 500 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:59,000 I loved. That Caleb even at AT said. 501 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,760 I'm as strong as I am was back then. 502 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,840 I will take the land. He took Hebron Kiryat ABA, where 503 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,320 there was a huge giant that occupied the land at. 504 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,560 AT he. Went into possession. 505 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:17,080 Men and women whose hearts are completely turned towards God 506 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,160 are what he's looking for. It's so important because it's 507 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,480 easy to have a hard heart. And the times we live in when 508 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,320 people, you know, buffet us and hurt us, and even in the body of 509 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,360 Christ we sometimes get wounded by people. 510 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,600 It's so easy to develop a hard heart and say no more God. 511 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:37,040 I will not open this heart up to anyone, but he's asking will you 512 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,440 keep that heart soft so that I can do things with you. 513 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,880 I can work in you to help others. 514 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:47,160 Hearts have to be softened. It's so important that the 515 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,520 writer of Proverbs says guard your heart with all diligence 516 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:54,680 and vigilance, for out of it springs the issues of life if my 517 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:56,040 heart is not. Guarded. 518 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,760 It'll be a heart full of holes. That I won't even be able to 519 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:02,720 hold. God's love in it, let alone love 520 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:06,320 people. If it's unguarded, it'll get 521 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,080 hard. It'll get distant. 522 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:11,720 I don't know about you, but when I read about Joshua and Caleb 523 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:15,600 and the certificate that God gave them and said they followed 524 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,240 me, their hearts were in it. I want that to be on my 525 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:19,960 tombstone. She followed me. 526 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,360 Her heart was in it. Then my heart would be in it. 527 00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:25,520 How does how do we get distinguished? 528 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,600 As someone who's. Following God wholeheartedly. 529 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:29,760 I think it's the passion with which we live our lives. 530 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:32,760 It's not just lip service. I'm not just saying all the 531 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:34,160 right things. I'm not doing all the right 532 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,720 things just for approval. I'm doing it because it's my 533 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:38,320 audience of one who will respond. 534 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,720 I do it because ultimately he will ask me what did you do with 535 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:46,120 what I interested. I do it because he implants in 536 00:27:46,120 --> 00:27:50,160 me a passion for him, his word, his people, his Kingdom. 537 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,520 That's how you distinguish someone who's following after 538 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:57,920 God wholeheartedly. The second thing is head next. 539 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,040 Heart first, Head next. Intentionally put it in this 540 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:04,200 order. Even though you know it looks 541 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,400 different. You know when you look at it 542 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,360 like this. But I purposely put head next. 543 00:28:08,360 --> 00:28:11,800 You know why? The heart is the seat of all 544 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:13,320 our. Emotions, our passions, it 545 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,040 drives our lives. And so it's very it's primarily 546 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:19,880 so important. And Jesus himself said love the 547 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:21,640 Lord your God with all your heart. 548 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:25,560 He started with the heart and then he went into mind and then 549 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:27,240 he went into strength. So we're going to look at the 550 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:33,360 mind next, the head. Our mind has to be brought into 551 00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:37,240 a mode of following Christ. Because what happens most often 552 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,160 with our mind is we have mind blocks. 553 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:43,040 We have old paradigms of thinking the way our family 554 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,600 brought us up, the way our culture has dictated, the way my 555 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,280 current situation with people are. 556 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,440 All of that dictates how I look at things, how I think of 557 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:53,240 things. My thoughts eventually go into 558 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,400 my heart and start to drive my actions and so it's so 559 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:59,040 important. That I deal with those mind 560 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:00,920 blocks. It's so important that I deal 561 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:04,840 with those old ways of thinking that have thus far been driving 562 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:07,240 my life and ask God, Lord, I need an overhaul. 563 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,440 As much as my heart needs to be restored from a hard, Stony 564 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:16,200 heart to a soft heart, my mind has to be overhauled. 565 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,840 What does that mean? Overhaul is actually complete 566 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,800 renovation because the old ways of thinking may have worked for 567 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,480 that old season. But now in the season when I'm 568 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:29,200 following after Jesus. I need to keep my mind fixed on 569 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,720 him because most often the enemy hits me in my mind. 570 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:37,040 He touches my thought first. If he messes with my thoughts, 571 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,640 my day is gone. The the things I should do I end 572 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:42,480 up not doing because of paralysis. 573 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,800 You see what I'm saying? The mind is so important. 574 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:48,640 Titus chapter one verses 15 to 16. 575 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,440 He talks about the detrimental effects of a mind that is 576 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:54,280 affected. To the pure all things are pure. 577 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:57,920 But to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure but 578 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,160 even their mind and conscious conscience are defiled. 579 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,840 They profess to know God, but in works they deny him being 580 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:09,080 abominable, disobedient and disqualified for every good 581 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:10,040 work. Look at that verse. 582 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:14,000 It talks about for the ones who are unbelieving and defiled 583 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,200 right? He says even their mind and 584 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:20,600 conscience are defiled. So how does one get labeled as 585 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:24,200 defiled or impure? It's because of the condition of 586 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:26,760 their mind. And the interesting thing is, 587 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,720 they profess to know God, which is what a lot of us do. 588 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:34,040 We profess to know God, but in works they deny him, deny him, 589 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,200 being abominable, disobedient and disqualified. 590 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:41,560 What what happens in our mind eventually gets translated into 591 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:46,080 our actions, and so it's so important to keep a watch on our 592 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:48,440 mind. No wonder the Apostle Paul says 593 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,920 fix your mind. Keep your mind on Jesus, he 594 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:53,680 says, the author and finisher of your faith. 595 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:57,600 Because it's so easy when things go wrong, when people let you 596 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,400 down that you look to them and your mind just goes down this 597 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,720 dark place. But instead when you bring your 598 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:07,200 mind back to Jesus and say, Lord Jesus, if you suffered, I can 599 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,520 suffer a little bit. If you went through hardship, I 600 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:14,440 can walk through this. Keep your eyes on Jesus. 601 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,520 He also says the Apostle Paul also says things, think on 602 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:21,840 things that are good, true, noble of good, report of virtue. 603 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:26,760 It's so important that we learn to renew our mind and it's a 604 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,600 daily process, sometimes multiple times in the same day. 605 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,120 It's so important to do that. And overhaul is so necessary 606 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,880 also because when you are following Jesus, he will ask you 607 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,560 to do things. He will give you dreams. 608 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:42,880 He will tell you this is what I want you to do with your life. 609 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,240 And if your mind is full of logic, only logic is good. 610 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:50,920 He's given us an IQ for a reason, but if logic crowds our 611 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:53,960 mind. There's no room for faith, and 612 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,280 logic will eventually lead to fear because you just realize 613 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,440 how limited your finances are, how limited your network is. 614 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:03,240 You will realize all the lack in your life because of logic 615 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,680 kicking in. And there's no room for faith 616 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:10,600 too many of. Us are living our lives led by 617 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:13,040 logic. God is saying, I want to 618 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:15,120 overhaul that. Keep your intellect. 619 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,080 I gave it to you, but I want you to couple faith with that. 620 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:23,120 So while you have the capacity to do so much, I'm the one who 621 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,400 brings in so much more. And that beautiful thing of 622 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,240 working with God when you follow him happens when our minds are 623 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:34,080 overhauled, when our minds come into this place of attaching 624 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:37,240 faith to it. It's so important that we don't 625 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,120 allow. Our physical circumstances to 626 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:42,160 begin to dictate to our mind how to live. 627 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,640 In following Jesus he will take you down these roads which will 628 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,240 seem so different and outside of your comfort zone. 629 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,800 Logic will tell you, cut loose and run, run for the hills. 630 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,840 But the beautiful thing is a mind that is renewed will say, 631 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:57,520 you know what? I can do all things to Christ 632 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,080 who strengthens me. I have more than a conqueror. 633 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:01,800 I can do this. He is with me. 634 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,920 He has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. 635 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,480 I will keep walking. I will keep following. 636 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:08,280 Do I have less? Yes. 637 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:12,160 But those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. 638 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:15,440 That's what a mind that is renewed does. 639 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,320 It reaffirms what God has already spoken. 640 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,200 It enables us to walk and follow with greater faith. 641 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:25,040 And the third thing is our hands. 642 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,560 Heart first, head next, hands last. 643 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:34,240 It's so important we sing songs like, you know, where you go, 644 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:38,240 I'll go, what you say, I'll say Lord, but do we actually do it? 645 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:43,280 I love this scripture from Deuteronomy chapter 30, verses 646 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:45,680 14 to 17. It says, But the word is very 647 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:49,560 near you, in your mouth and in your heart that you may do. 648 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:54,360 It see, I have set before you today life and good, death and 649 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:56,840 evil. In that I command you today to 650 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,480 love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His 651 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:04,240 commandments, His statutes and His judgments that you may live 652 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,080 and multiply. And the Lord your God will bless 653 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:08,639 you and the land which you go to possess. 654 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:12,320 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear and are 655 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:16,960 drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, it's so 656 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,159 interesting. He's talking about how the Word 657 00:34:20,159 --> 00:34:21,800 is so near them. It's there. 658 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:25,719 It's it's been embedded in them. But it's not enough that the 659 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:28,159 word dwells in you. It has to move you to actually 660 00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:31,440 actually act on it. And that's not all. 661 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:34,760 He says this. If your heart turns away so that 662 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:38,560 you do not hear, you will be drawn away and you will worship 663 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:40,800 other gods. The interesting thing is our 664 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:44,679 mind and our heart play a very pivotal role in either drawing 665 00:34:44,679 --> 00:34:46,679 us toward God or moving us away from him. 666 00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:50,480 So on the journey of following behind Jesus, the heart and the 667 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,840 mind are very important because they keep drawing us back to him 668 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:57,160 even when the going gets hard. And that's what enables us to 669 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:01,120 keep stepping back out in faith. It enables us to keep obeying 670 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,840 what God is asking us to do, even though they may not be 671 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:07,440 visible results or visible, you know, rewards. 672 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,520 We keep doing what we're asked to do, what God is asking us to 673 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:15,480 do, just because we are following him with our hearts 674 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:17,720 and our minds. And the important thing is that 675 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,440 so often some of us say, you know, what the word of God is 676 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,680 really doing a number on me. He's working on me. 677 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:26,320 But if I'm not going to get up and go out there and and obey 678 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:29,600 him, it will just stay in there and get soggy. 679 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:34,520 It might just get really over saturated because there's no 680 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:38,160 outlet. You and I were not meant to be 681 00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:40,800 like the Dead Sea, always receiving and not giving. 682 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:43,880 There needs to be an outlet. Our hands and feet need to be 683 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,640 the hands and feet of Jesus. That's when our following comes 684 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:52,120 full circle. It's so important that we obey 685 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:55,720 in all completeness. Incomplete obedience is complete 686 00:35:55,720 --> 00:35:58,240 disobedience. When he asks you to do 687 00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:01,160 something, do it. If he asks you to stop saying 688 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:05,000 certain things, stop saying it. If he says stop complaining and 689 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:06,360 start working. Do it. 690 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,080 If he says stay in this job, it's not the most pleasurable, 691 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:10,800 but stay because I have a plan for you. 692 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,920 Stay. If he tells you to to adjust in 693 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:16,080 your current situation for a little longer because the 694 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:20,080 breakthroughs coming, do it. Trust him if he's. 695 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:22,040 Saying that, the wait is almost over. 696 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:24,440 But I want you to hold on. Hold on. 697 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:27,720 Is he saying stop visiting that particular place? 698 00:36:27,720 --> 00:36:29,760 I'm not pleased. Will you stop? 699 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:33,880 That relationship is no good. I want you to cut it off. 700 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:37,920 Will you do it? I don't think this particular 701 00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:40,280 Ave. of your career is good for you. 702 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:42,240 Will you quit? Will you do it? 703 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:48,320 It's important that while our heart is following him, our mind 704 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:51,920 is being renewed to follow him. That our hands and feet follow 705 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:57,120 as well. We cannot live in a place of 706 00:36:57,120 --> 00:36:58,800 inertia where nothing's happening. 707 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:02,280 Life is happening all around me, but I'm just going to sit here 708 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:04,360 soaking in the word and doing nothing about it. 709 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:06,360 That's not the life God is calling us to. 710 00:37:06,720 --> 00:37:12,200 Following requires avid obedience or running behind him. 711 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:13,920 If he says run with me, now you run. 712 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:15,960 If he says walk with me, you walk. 713 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:19,200 If he says lay down with me on this pasture of rest, we're both 714 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:20,600 going to rest. Do it. 715 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,360 Your hands need to follow. As much as your heart must 716 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,200 follow. As much as your mind must 717 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:30,080 follow, your hands have to follow as well. 718 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:34,960 It's so important. So, as I said, who we follow is 719 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:37,800 all important. I want you to relook at who you 720 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:43,440 follow on Instagram, who you follow on Snapchat, who speaks 721 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:45,640 the most and the loudest into your life. 722 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:47,840 Is it a parent? Is it a friend? 723 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:50,920 Is it a particular Instagram? Or is it a particular 724 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:54,000 influencer? Is it a particular author? 725 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:56,680 Who's the loudest voice in your life? 726 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,880 The Who is all important? Who do I follow? 727 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,520 I hope my answer is always going to be Jesus. 728 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,960 She is the one that we follow, the one true God, everyone else, 729 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:10,960 everyone else. There will be a deficit. 730 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,480 There will be deficiency. They won't lay down their life 731 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,480 for you. They won't give their all for 732 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:17,600 you. They will not relentlessly 733 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:21,880 pursue you. They will not love you in 734 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:23,520 quantities you cannot even fathom. 735 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:27,960 That's only Jesus. The way we follow him matters 736 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:32,920 With whole heart, with a renewed mind, with hands that are all in 737 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:34,560 hands that are willing to get dirty. 738 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:38,320 But the interesting thing is, it doesn't just end there. 739 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:41,080 When we follow him, something happens. 740 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:44,240 What happens when you and I follow him? 741 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,400 When you look at the Gospels, it's lovely to see how when 742 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:50,400 Jesus walked through the streets of Judea, when he was in 743 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:54,560 Galilee, when he went to Decapolis, there was activity 744 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,120 constantly going on. You know what kind of activity? 745 00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,840 It was The power of God that had come upon the earth. 746 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:02,560 When he walked into Rome's, people were healed. 747 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:04,600 When he sat on the hillside, people were touched. 748 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:08,640 All who came to him lay down on mats, coming with terrible 749 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:10,600 afflictions. He laid his hand, healed them. 750 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:13,040 People were delivered. Of demons. 751 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:15,720 Restoration was happening all around. 752 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:18,920 He would teach them and people's eyes were opened. 753 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:20,480 They were amazed at the authority. 754 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:25,160 He carried and it didn't. It just didn't finish there, you 755 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:26,920 know. He had these twelve guys who 756 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:30,820 walked with him. These 12 disciples who he hand 757 00:39:30,820 --> 00:39:34,200 picked, who went with him into these different spaces, they 758 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:37,080 were eating their fill of the multiplied bread. 759 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:41,200 They were sitting on boats. After a sea was calmed down, 760 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:45,560 they would sit with an ex demoniac who was completely 761 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:49,160 clothed and sane. Now they were seated, seated in 762 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:54,200 the homes of tax collectors and Pharisees, having meals at the 763 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:56,640 tables of these men who they never would in an ordinary 764 00:39:56,640 --> 00:40:00,520 situation, actually been with. And this was the life that the 765 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:02,080 disciples lived for those three years. 766 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,960 Exciting because they were doing things they would have never 767 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:08,960 imagined possible. They were literally operating 768 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:13,000 out of their usual social strata, and that was because 769 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,320 they followed Jesus. If that happened to those 12 770 00:40:16,320 --> 00:40:21,040 disciples, Jesus himself said in John 14 verse 12, is what he 771 00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:25,560 said most assuredly. I say to you, he who believes in 772 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:29,880 me, the works that I do, He will do also, and greater works than 773 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:32,960 these He will do because I go to my Father. 774 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:39,040 You and I will do greater works than what Jesus himself did. 775 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:41,200 Why? Because today we have God with 776 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:46,120 us, God in US, God amidst us. He's not left us. 777 00:40:46,600 --> 00:40:49,720 So when I follow him, When you follow him, we can be sure that 778 00:40:49,720 --> 00:40:52,360 when we walk into rooms, the presence of God comes with us. 779 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:54,840 When we pray for people, they will be healed. 780 00:40:55,640 --> 00:41:00,120 When we speak life into them, resurrection of spirits will 781 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:03,800 happen. Resurrection of their of hope. 782 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,160 Where hope died, hope will come back. 783 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:11,280 When we speak to people, the gospel, the power of God, will 784 00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:14,960 fill that place. We can be assured that today we 785 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,640 carry the same presence of God with us. 786 00:41:17,880 --> 00:41:21,680 The 12 disciples walked with him, talked with him, sat with 787 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:23,640 him, ate with him. We are no different. 788 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:29,440 What happens when we follow him? The things that he said we will 789 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:32,400 do, we will trample on snakes and scorpions. 790 00:41:32,720 --> 00:41:35,080 We can do greater things than what he did. 791 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:38,200 That's what he's promised us. I want to ask you if you've been 792 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:39,840 living powerless. You said. 793 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:42,240 I don't have insight. I don't know what to do about my 794 00:41:42,240 --> 00:41:44,400 business, my job, my children, my marriage. 795 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:50,280 Maybe, just maybe, we aren't following him as closely as we 796 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:54,240 need to. Maybe we need to go in closer. 797 00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:57,680 Maybe we need to be in closer communion with him. 798 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:01,840 Maybe we need to step into that yoke right beside him. 799 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:06,920 Maybe we've been running our own track, thinking we can do it all 800 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:09,280 in our own strength. But he's saying. 801 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:11,880 Come walk beside me. I will lead you. 802 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:15,520 I will take you down the paths you need to go. 803 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:22,800 We want to plan every pit stop. We want to plan our breaks. 804 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:26,880 We want to plan the rest stops. He's saying. 805 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:30,440 Just walk with me. I will lead you every step of 806 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:33,760 the way in. Walking with him in following 807 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:38,920 him is where we will get what we need for our spirit, soul and 808 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:41,320 body. If you're worried about how this 809 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:43,200 journey is going to end, don't worry. 810 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:46,760 He's got it all figured out. You just need to come in 811 00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:49,680 alignment with him. You need to start walking behind 812 00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:50,840 him. Follow him. 813 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:54,200 Let him take the lead. Maybe you've been feeling you 814 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:55,800 needed to take the lead for your family. 815 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:58,000 Maybe you feel you need to take the lead in your marriage. 816 00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:02,400 Maybe you feel you have to take the lead at work to make things 817 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:04,480 turn around to change on our own. 818 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:07,520 We can do nothing apart from him. 819 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:13,720 We can do nothing when we abide in Him, whatever we ask for in 820 00:43:13,720 --> 00:43:14,680 prayer. He will do. 821 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:17,560 So can we just spend a few minutes? 822 00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:20,200 I want to just pray for you, irrespective of what your 823 00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:21,960 following journey has looked like. 824 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:24,480 Maybe you say, I love Jesus. I know Jesus. 825 00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:27,200 He's in my heart, but I don't know what it's like to follow 826 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:28,320 him. I want to encourage you. 827 00:43:29,000 --> 00:43:33,440 Following is threefold. Commit your heart to Him. 828 00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:36,480 Commit your mind to Him. Commit your body to him. 829 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:41,880 Say Lord, here I am, committed to wholeheartedly following you, 830 00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:46,760 committed to living with a renewed mind, committed to jump 831 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:49,920 in feet first, ready to take that dive, ready to do the 832 00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:51,040 things you asked. Me to do. 833 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:56,560 Dear Father, we just thank you. We thank you, Lord, for your 834 00:43:56,560 --> 00:43:59,120 word. We thank you for every promise. 835 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:02,920 We thank you for every command. And Lord, we just pray right now 836 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:06,360 that for every person who's watching this, every person who 837 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:10,240 is. Looking into your word that God, 838 00:44:10,240 --> 00:44:14,840 you will speak to them. Help us to be followers of 839 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:19,160 Jesus, who will run the race well, who will be all in with 840 00:44:19,160 --> 00:44:21,880 our heart, with our mind, with our strength. 841 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:24,080 Help us, Lord, where we are weak. 842 00:44:24,720 --> 00:44:27,240 Help us, Lord, where we have checked out in our mind, where 843 00:44:27,240 --> 00:44:31,400 we have hardened our heart. Forgive us if we have been 844 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:32,960 speaking. Things with our lips, but our 845 00:44:32,960 --> 00:44:35,960 hearts are far from you. Forgive us if you have been 846 00:44:35,960 --> 00:44:39,440 doing all the right things, but, Lord, there's no inner work 847 00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:43,000 happening. Help us, Father today, help us. 848 00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:48,400 Send your Holy Spirit to renew us, to refresh us, to rejuvenate 849 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:54,520 us from the inside out. We ask that we would be those 850 00:44:54,520 --> 00:44:57,360 who follow you with everything we have. 851 00:44:58,920 --> 00:45:03,000 Lord, I pray for anyone who has given up on you and and run a 852 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:06,120 different race. Thank you that you still wait 853 00:45:06,120 --> 00:45:07,400 for them. Thank you that you're just a 854 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:10,280 whisper away. I pray they would open their 855 00:45:10,280 --> 00:45:14,120 mouths right now and say Jesus save me, bring me back. 856 00:45:15,720 --> 00:45:18,160 We thank you Lord, for you are waiting for us. 857 00:45:18,440 --> 00:45:20,320 Thank you that Lord you are leading us. 858 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:26,880 Help us to deny ourselves every day to carry a cross and to 859 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:30,080 follow you. In Jesus mighty name I pray. 860 00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:31,520 Amen. Amen. 861 00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:33,760 God bless you. Have an amazing week. 862 00:45:34,960 --> 00:45:37,320 Thanks for. Listening to this message We 863 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:40,600 hope you were blessed to hear more messages like this. 864 00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:44,920 Make sure to subscribe and check out our podcast channel for past 865 00:45:44,920 --> 00:45:47,280 episodes. If you like what you are 866 00:45:47,280 --> 00:45:51,800 hearing, consider rating us, subscribing and even sharing it 867 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:54,400 with friends. That would really help us. 868 00:45:55,040 --> 00:45:59,640 For more content from Via Zion and to connect with us, go to 869 00:45:59,840 --> 00:46:04,880 Via Zion dot in. Remember, whoever finds Jesus 870 00:46:05,120 --> 00:46:05,840 finds life.