1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,680 This is City Post Church. We're about three things. 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,040 Build equipped and send. All under the. 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:08,640 Lordship of Jesus. Christ. 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:11,000 A small church plant in Fort Worth, TX. 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,320 Who decided to do things a little differently? 6 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,920 Adoramos Ajesu Cristo I love city post because of the people. 7 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,000 It's where I belong. We truly preach the Word. 8 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,680 I love City Post because of the community we've been able to 9 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:26,680 build. To do ministry like Jesus. 10 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:28,720 For light to push back. Darkness. 11 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:44,380 This is City Post podcast. Father God, we thank you for 12 00:00:44,380 --> 00:00:47,300 what you've done for us All right, so I'm about to show you 13 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:49,140 guys my. Age so I grew up. 14 00:00:49,140 --> 00:00:54,540 Watching WWF, anybody, you know what if I gave knows? 15 00:00:55,140 --> 00:00:59,860 You see the young ones, they say WWE, but back in the day it was 16 00:00:59,860 --> 00:01:05,160 WWF and on Netflix right now. There is a docu series. 17 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:07,600 I know it's against your will. Bro, it's all right. 18 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,960 It's it's. Bye, Miami. 19 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:15,800 All right, my dude. I just want to go free him, but 20 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,080 I can't. But on Netflix right now, 21 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,360 there's a docu series on Hulk Hogan. 22 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:22,520 Anybody familiar with Hulk Hogan? 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,920 Yeah. I mean, he was the innovator of, 24 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,040 of sports entertainment, professional wrestling. 25 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,480 And as I'm watching this documentary. 26 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,880 It's about his whole life. And how he he became the 27 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,320 Hulkster. And one of the things that Hulk 28 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:41,640 Hogan does and what he's known for is, you know, he. 29 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:43,600 Does the leg drop? That's his finisher. 30 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,200 But in every match, there comes to a point where they have them 31 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,320 in a chokehold, they have them down, they're beating them up, 32 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,040 and all of a sudden he starts hooking up. 33 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,680 Like the crowd? Season they start cheering and 34 00:01:57,680 --> 00:01:59,160 he's like, you know, they do like. 35 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,520 The one. They're like, Oh my gosh, he 36 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:02,920 can't breathe and. They're like. 37 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,160 Two and then after third one his arm doesn't go down and he. 38 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,919 Starts like, you know, like. Oh, and everybody's like, Oh my 39 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,760 gosh, he's becoming alive. And then they hit him, but it 40 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,840 doesn't hurt him. He gets hit and then he points 41 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:18,560 at the guy and he does like, no, no, no, right. 42 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,080 And then of course, like he demolishes them and whatever and 43 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:23,400 he wins. It's a. 44 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:24,480 It's like a. Script. 45 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,440 This is very scripted. Now here's the crazy thing. 46 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,640 What if I were to take that same strategy into a street? 47 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:35,440 Fight some dudes like, whoa, what's up? 48 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,800 Then you're like, Oh yeah, talk about my Mama, yeah, whatever. 49 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,760 And then we start fighting and he puts me in a rear naked 50 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,520 chokehold and then I'm just start like hulking. 51 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:48,040 That would never happen. I've never seen anybody in the. 52 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,520 UFC do that. Where it's like Nate Diaz has 53 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,080 him, he's tapping out and you never see somebody like hook up 54 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,360 and then get. Out of a chokehold. 55 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,920 Why? Because that's right, it's part 56 00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:03,000 of the script. You see what Hulk? 57 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,200 Hogan, he. Developed this it's all part of 58 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,440 of his characters are part of who he is so they. 59 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,520 Know like when he's part of the program when he's in that ring, 60 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,440 people kind of see what's going to happen and guys when we. 61 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,320 Talk about. Hooking up when we talk about 62 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,120 being encouraged, that's exactly. 63 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,720 What God does? It's not what we do. 64 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:29,280 God is the one that's encouraging us. 65 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,200 God is the one that encourages our hearts. 66 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,560 And when we're down in our. Spirits, it is the Holy Spirit, 67 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,880 it is God Who? Strengthens us. 68 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,320 Because it's part of who he is. Has none to do what we do. 69 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,240 So if we try to do. That on our own strength, you 70 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:48,400 might feel. Good for a little. 71 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,800 Bit but it's not going to last. But if we. 72 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,760 Rely on the Holy Spirit. To come in and strengthen our 73 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:58,680 hearts and strengthen our lives when we are taking a beating, 74 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,480 it's going to help us. And we just dive in. 75 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,240 Colossians chapter 2 Today in chapter. 2 Paul is going to. 76 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,160 Kind of continue on that same sentiment of encouraging the 77 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,240 believers and encouraging the church, and Paul is going to 78 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,440 tell us there's two things that he is striving for, that he is 79 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:21,519 fighting for when it comes. To the believers in Laodicea. 80 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,000 So let's let's just go. Ahead and dive in, we're going 81 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,240 to look at 7 verses and then we'll be out of here and then 82 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,320 you guys go home and watch the documentary on Netflix on Hulk 83 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,080 Hogan 'cause you have nothing else to. 84 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:36,480 Do right so so before. I dive into the text. 85 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,480 Let's pray together so, Father. Thank you for everything. 86 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,800 Thank you for this amazing time of worship. 87 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,080 Lord and God, I pray that you help me as I deliver. 88 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,000 Your word help me. Remember everything that was 89 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,880 studied, Father. Let everything that comes out of 90 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,520 my heart and my mouth be of you, Father, not me. 91 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,440 Help us see. Christ in the text, and then we 92 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:58,680 pray all these things. Amen. 93 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,680 All right, so let's look at verse one. 94 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,480 Let's read verses 1, 2:00, and 3:00, and then we'll talk about 95 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:06,760 it. So this is Paul. 96 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaking goes, I want you to know how hard I am contending. 97 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,880 For you. And for those in Laodicea, and 98 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:20,200 for all who have not met me personally, my goal is that they 99 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,760 may be encouraged in heart and united in love so that they may 100 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:25,720 have the. Full. 101 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,360 Riches of complete understanding and. 102 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,560 Order that. They may know the mystery of 103 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:37,600 God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of 104 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,080 wisdom and knowledge. So go back to verse. 105 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,520 One Paul uses the same language that we learned last. 106 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,960 Week when he talks about the. Struggling, right? 107 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,360 But instead he goes, I want you to know so he's talking to the. 108 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,240 Believers. He want you to know you guys in 109 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:57,960 the. Church, you followers of Christ, 110 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,120 that I. Have been striving. 111 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:04,040 Remember that word Striving is like to win a game like I'm 112 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,480 playing to. Beat you so, Paul. 113 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,360 Is saying I have been striving hard, I've been working hard, 114 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,560 have been struggling. Hard for you? 115 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,040 You know. I think a a better Greek. 116 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:22,520 Word here is agon. Agon is where we get the root 117 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,560 word of agony or agonize. And what Paul is saying, he's 118 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,880 like, man, I have been pushing, I've been struggling, I've been 119 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:32,920 grinding, I've been agonizing for you guys in the church. 120 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,360 But he doesn't say that in a negative light. 121 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,080 He actually says it in a positive light, right? 122 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:41,920 It's it's a positive. Term. 123 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,040 For you and for all of you, all of. 124 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:46,760 Those and they ought to. See it which is? 125 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:52,440 Kind of a region near Colossae. For all who have not met me 126 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,600 personally. So for those who know me, those 127 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,840 who don't know me, and what? Paul does here is that he sees 128 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,200 believers as believers. In Christ he doesn't see Jew or 129 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,120 Gentile. All of us are. 130 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,600 One in Jesus. So he doesn't go culturally like 131 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:09,440 we. We have to look at. 132 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,880 Paul's words here 'cause Paul understands that Christ. 133 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,880 Is the head of the church and his love for. 134 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:20,280 Christ is shown in his love for the church and He's. 135 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,560 Willing to suffer physically, he's. 136 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,120 Willing to suffer daily for those in the church. 137 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,160 And that's something that we talked about last week now. 138 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:32,080 Look what he says in verse 2 because. 139 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,720 Man, verses 2 and three. I think it's brilliantly written 140 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,280 by Paul. So Paul says listen. 141 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,080 What I'm striving for, what I'm agonizing for, what I'm what I'm 142 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,800 grinding for. Like the goal of all of this? 143 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:45,800 And then he's going to. Give two goals. 144 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,240 He's like this. Is what I want to show you guys. 145 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:52,160 So there's two things and and this is just .1 is to have an 146 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,560 encouraged heart. So what he's saying is like, for 147 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,240 you and the church. My main goal is that I want you 148 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,760 to have an encouraged heart. Now another term here in the 149 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,480 Greek, instead of encouraged, is actually strengthened. 150 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,640 He wants you to have a strengthened heart, right? 151 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:11,920 He wants you to. Be able to hook. 152 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:17,920 Up whenever you're feeling down. So he says strengthened heart. 153 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:20,040 And then the other one is united in love. 154 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:21,320 We're going to look at that here in a second. 155 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,760 So number one is strengthened heart and I want you to 156 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,520 understand something. What, Paul? 157 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,320 Realizes is that the church. Does not need to be comforted, 158 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,799 they need to be strengthened. There's a difference and I think 159 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:39,480 sometimes we get those mixed up. I'll give you an example. 160 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,400 Like yesterday, we spent the whole day cleaning the. 161 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:44,800 Disaster. That's Casa Cado. 162 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,400 Right now. Crazy week. 163 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,640 Like 7 loads of laundry, the grass look like Jumanji outside. 164 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:53,840 I mean, it was like just not a good situation. 165 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:55,640 And then there's a ladies retreat. 166 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,960 So yeah, one my kids eat, you know, we're living off of ramen, 167 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,640 right? All that stuff like, so so we're 168 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:04,920 like man, Saturday we're going to clean. 169 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,120 We're we're. So I tell Livia I was like 170 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:08,000 Livia. You need to go. 171 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,040 Put your clothes up. And then do you? 172 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,400 What do you think? She said OK, Father, Huh. 173 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,240 No, I like to say that. Have you met Livia? 174 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:20,600 So I was like, Livia, don't come out of your room until all. 175 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,000 Your clothes is up. And man, let me tell you, she 176 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:24,840 stalled. Man, she tried to. 177 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,240 Get out of it, She. Came to be real sweet we can I 178 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:28,160 get something to dress like girl? 179 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:29,520 Get. In your room, get your clothes 180 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,040 up. And then she came out and she's 181 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,280 crying and she's like, dad, I don't want to do this, I need 182 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:36,920 help. I need so much help. 183 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:38,120 And she's just. She's just. 184 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,480 Begging me, and then I took her by the hand, said Livvy. 185 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:43,120 You need to put. Your clothes up. 186 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,840 It's time for you to grow up. You need to put your own clothes 187 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:47,880 up. So let's do this. 188 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,040 Let's. Put some music on. 189 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,360 Turn your CD player on and then you're just going to put your 190 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,160 clothes in the drawers. You got this girl, you could do 191 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,640 this. Now what did I just do? 192 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,760 I encouraged her. I strengthened her. 193 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,600 I didn't do like, oh. It's OK, I'll do it for. 194 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,160 You me no, like no like what is that going to do for her? 195 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:12,200 She's not going to learn and now she's going to expect dad to do 196 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,560 it every time she cries. Kids are smart, y'all. 197 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:17,400 It's a learned. Behavior. 198 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,200 So what I did? Was I encouraged? 199 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,400 Her. I strengthened her. 200 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,120 I let her know. That she is fully capable. 201 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:28,680 Of putting clothes in her drawer. 202 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:30,560 And you know what ended up happening? 203 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:36,880 The clothes was in her drawer. It wasn't perfectly folded, but 204 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,760 you know, step one, it's all good. 205 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,360 She did it. And I think there's sometimes 206 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:43,360 where. We. 207 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,520 Feel so discouraged and so be down. 208 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:49,480 And what Paul is saying, you don't need to be comforted right 209 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:51,840 now. What you need is to be 210 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,160 encouraged. You need your heart 211 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,240 strengthened. So that. 212 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,160 Way you could continue to. Do what I've. 213 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:00,640 Called you to do we continue to move. 214 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,160 Forward with the Gospel. Message and to do what? 215 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,560 God has called us. To now let's take. 216 00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:08,120 This a little bit deeper all right so let let's. 217 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:12,400 Dig a little bit more in in in this whole idea of an encouraged 218 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,640 heart. So I want to ask us like so when 219 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,600 you see the word heart in Scripture. 220 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:18,560 Like a lot of like. What does that? 221 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:22,120 Mean, I know some of us throw that around like like, I love 222 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,040 you with all my heart, Miko Razon. 223 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,120 Yeah, whatever, whatever you want to say. 224 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,720 But in scripture what that means this is not just. 225 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,400 Like this is this. Is not just like game. 226 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,520 What Paul is saying, the heart is the inner self. 227 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,040 It is the center of. Life. 228 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,280 But here's what's crazy that. A lot of us miss. 229 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:44,880 The heart. Equates to the mind. 230 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:49,480 So in Scripture, whenever you see like your heart, something 231 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,320 that is always going to be tied to the inner man and the inner 232 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:56,600 self is the mind. So Paul is saying not just to 233 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:57,960 have an encouraged. Heart. 234 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,240 Or strengthened heart. But he's also talking about the 235 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:07,680 mind itself. So like Revelation 223, it says 236 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:10,120 that in all. All the churches. 237 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:15,640 Will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts 238 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:21,720 and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds and 239 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:23,520 you see. So when it when it when it talks 240 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:28,840 about the heart and the minds, that's also addressing our 241 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:32,040 emotions. Our emotions respond. 242 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,240 To what our hearts? And our minds are taking in. 243 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:40,000 So what Paul is saying is that because our emotions respond to 244 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:44,040 what goes into the hearts, but also what the mind perceives. 245 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:49,320 So wait, so the way that we. Control our emotions and our 246 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:54,320 feelings is through the mind. Why am I saying this? 247 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,840 Because when you don't have, when your heart needs 248 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,840 strengthening and when you're getting hit and when you're 249 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:03,120 getting beat down, what? A lot. 250 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,720 Of us do as believers. Is that we lean on our emotions 251 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:11,320 and we forget the mind we go based on how we feel and we. 252 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:16,920 Forget about God's truth. I don't feel like going today. 253 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,440 That must be an indicator. That the Spirit is. 254 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaking to me? No, wrong you don't. 255 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,760 Feel like it because it's. Gloomy outside, you had a rough. 256 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:32,800 Day you're tired, but God's truth is very clear, so which? 257 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,720 One do I got to? Follow the way I feel or the 258 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,920 truth of the Lord God's truth. So a lot of that. 259 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,480 Stuff stems from the heart and into our mind. 260 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:46,480 So. Our mind needs to be. 261 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:50,560 Filled with biblical truth. And if our minds are. 262 00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:53,320 Filled with biblical. Truth, then our emotions respond 263 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:56,760 correctly. It all aligns out. 264 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,680 Let me give you some Bible. For it some. 265 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:01,320 You're like Rick. I don't. 266 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:03,960 Believe you all right. Psalms 20. 267 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:06,200 Psalm, Yeah. Proverbs 420. 268 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:10,280 Three, it says this. Watch over your heart with. 269 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:15,880 All diligence, for from it flows the springs of life. 270 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:20,000 And then he goes on to say, man, whatever the mouth says it's 271 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,000 from, it's what's in the. Depths of your heart. 272 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:30,080 And then we see Psalms 26 two examine me, Lord, and put me to 273 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,480 the test. Refine my mind and my what? 274 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:41,200 My heart. Psalms 13923 and 24 Search me 275 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:45,640 God and know my. Heart and put me to the test. 276 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:51,880 And know my anxious thoughts and see if there is any hurtful way 277 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,840 in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. 278 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,800 So then when we talk about a strengthened heart and 279 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,800 encouraged heart, we cannot leave the mind out of it. 280 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,560 That's what Romans 12 says. Do not conform to the patterns 281 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:10,440 of the world, but be renewed by the mind. 282 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,760 So we. Do all this, So what? 283 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,000 What is what is Paul trying to do? 284 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,160 How do we strengthen our hearts? We strengthen our hearts by 285 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:23,000 strengthen our minds and that comes through the strengthener 286 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:29,360 who is the Holy Spirit. So Ephesians 3, I'll go and 287 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:30,200 read. This for us. 288 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,720 Ephesians 314 through 16 and it says this. 289 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:41,560 For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom 290 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,600 every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 291 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,520 That he would grant you according to the riches of His 292 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:50,640 glory. Here comes. 293 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:54,040 To be. Strengthened with power through 294 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,000 the. Holy through His Spirit. 295 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,960 In the itself. It is the holy. 296 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:03,920 Spirit that strengthens us. It is the Holy Spirit. 297 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:08,080 That encourages our hearts, not just our hearts, but our minds. 298 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,040 And if our hearts and our minds are strengthened by the Spirit, 299 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:15,920 that means that our our emotions are going to be controlled, not 300 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,200 by us. But by the Spirit as. 301 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,360 Well, and I know that sounds like a a a. 302 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,880 Lot. But listen a strengthened heart. 303 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:30,120 Strong hearts result on a powerful Christian life. 304 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,080 And if your heart is strengthened? 305 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:34,880 And if your heart is rooted, which? 306 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:35,920 We're going to see here in a second. 307 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:38,080 And if your mind is strengthened by the. 308 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,960 Holy Spirit, the life. That you're going to be. 309 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,920 Able to live is going to be so. Strong and so powerful. 310 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:48,520 We talked about this if you if you look at the fruits of the 311 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,640 Spirit. That means that the fruit of 312 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:52,600 the. Spirit 1 of the fruits. 313 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:59,120 Is self-control You know in the Bible the only thing that the 314 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:00,440 word of. God says that you're. 315 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:06,119 To be in control of is yourself, not anybody. 316 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:10,040 Else self. Control is what the holy. 317 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,640 Spirit. Is giving us too that's. 318 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:14,839 Why? You can't use the excuse I'm 319 00:17:14,839 --> 00:17:16,319 too. Ratchet to be righteous. 320 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,480 Or I'm too hood to be holy, right? 321 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,640 I'm I'm like this because I'm from the South side of the 322 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:27,440 Kingdom and I get. That yes, you're. 323 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,080 Product of your environment. But when the Holy Spirit is the 324 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:36,680 one who strengthens my heart and spend and renews my mind, that 325 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:39,720 means that what comes out, I'm able to control it. 326 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,240 So I don't have the excuse of that's just how I am. 327 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,840 The Bible. Also says that in Christ we are 328 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,640 a new creation. The old is gone and the new has 329 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,960 come. I love. 330 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:55,880 That because what God does is he takes all your. 331 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,400 Giftings all of your idiosyncrasies. 332 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:00,640 Like all of your. Talents, all the stuff. 333 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,360 That you love. And when you make it. 334 00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:07,520 His. He uses everything that you have 335 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,320 and everything that you are and he. 336 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,040 Takes it and he uses it for his glory. 337 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,160 But you're still a new creation. So I have the Holy Spirit. 338 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:20,120 I'm now I'm able to control that stuff. 339 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,640 I'm able. So when Paul says man, my. 340 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:25,680 Prayer for the Church. Is that you have an encouraged 341 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,640 heart, that the Holy Spirit strengthens you. 342 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:32,560 It doesn't just mean how I feel. No, it's everything. 343 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:36,320 My inner being, how I think, and then how I respond. 344 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:40,680 This is important because the church was being infiltrated by 345 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,280 a bunch of. False teachers. 346 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:48,120 And in this text, we're going to see here the Gnostics, and it's 347 00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:48,840 really. Easy. 348 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:54,240 For them to prey on theology of younger believers and then 349 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,720 control how? They feel about. 350 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,760 Things, emotions are easily manipulated sometimes. 351 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,840 That's why you. Have to be so rooted. 352 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,840 And grounded in this holy. Spirit. 353 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:10,640 All right, no so #2 so we have encouraged in heart. 354 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:16,160 And then Paul says, I also want you to be united in what y'all 355 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,000 could say it. United in what love? 356 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,960 That's right. I want you to be united in. 357 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:23,640 Love. I love that word. 358 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,880 United. That word united actually means 359 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,000 knit together. There's another Greek word that 360 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,520 means like. It's it's weaved together 361 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:33,280 tightly. I want. 362 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,400 You to be knit together, weaved together in love. 363 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,240 I want you to bring everyone together. 364 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,360 Church unity is not just organizational. 365 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,480 Church unity is organic. And it happens. 366 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,880 With the Holy Spirit, that's why what we see. 367 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,920 Like in the early church? You had all sorts of. 368 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:54,200 Groups of Judaism and gentiles how in the world does. 369 00:19:54,200 --> 00:20:00,200 Everybody come together in one. Accord without fighting in 370 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,600 unity. Paul say Amen. 371 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:06,120 Unity has to be in love. We are all. 372 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:09,720 One, we are unified church. Because Jesus is the head. 373 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:13,600 We're all unified in Christ. John 1335. 374 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,000 This is Jesus talking by. This all people. 375 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,800 Will know that you are my. Disciples, if you love. 376 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,040 One another. Listen y'all, there's nothing 377 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,480 better and nothing stronger than a unified church. 378 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:29,720 And when a church is unified and. 379 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,040 Outside stuff starts to creep. In. 380 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,000 Because the church is so. Unified, none of that's going to 381 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,840 impact us if anybody comes in and tries to prey on our 382 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:40,760 brothers. And sisters. 383 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:42,120 Oh. There's going to be a fight. 384 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,440 Why? Because we're unified together 385 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:48,920 in love. Nothing is going to happen. 386 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,880 It's a perfect illustration and I'll put a quote on the screen. 387 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:54,240 I I. Love this what I. 388 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,480 Read from Spurgeon. He says humility. 389 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:00,000 Is the key. That opens the door of love and 390 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,680 unity. How in the world do you become 391 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:04,680 unified in love? Humility. 392 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:10,000 How do we know what humility? Looks like Jesus, so Jesus 393 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,480 shows. US in Philippians. 394 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,200 That he he was so. Humble that he came as a 395 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,200 servant. All the way to a. 396 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,640 Sacrifice on the cross. Jesus shows us humility. 397 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:27,960 He shows us how to be humble. It has to come from love, and 398 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:32,640 loving someone is not defined by having warm feelings for them. 399 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:36,640 I want you to understand that remember we. 400 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,560 Just talked about our. Feelings and emotions. 401 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:43,200 Love is not defined by having. The butterflies or the goose? 402 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:49,160 Pimples or the warm feelings? The way that we see true love is 403 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:55,800 agape, which means sacrificial. If you want to know what love. 404 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,400 Is you have to be able to be sacrifice, you have to be. 405 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,240 Part of that. So we sacrifice from for one 406 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:09,240 another because we see that in. Christ people were sacrificing 407 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:10,240 for. Each other in the early 408 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,880 churches, they were helping meet each other's needs. 409 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,040 You know, I, I have to share this testimony because it was it 410 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,960 was just so amazing to me. It was one of those things that 411 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,640 you take a step back like God. I saw what you just did. 412 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,800 We had our brother Manny, He calls me up on Sunday night and 413 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:31,480 he said, hey, Rick, on Monday I'm working at this office 414 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:32,680 building and they're throwing away. 415 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,080 All this stuff. They're getting rid of it. 416 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,120 Do you think the church could use some TV's and some 417 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:40,560 whiteboards? I was like, yeah, bring it. 418 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,000 We'll just hold on to it and see, you know, just bring it. 419 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:50,080 So that's Monday. So at Congresso, I met a friend 420 00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:53,400 and pastor. His name is Robert and he 421 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:54,880 planted a church in Grand Prairie. 422 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:57,800 And I just felt led to go talk to him, we started. 423 00:22:57,800 --> 00:22:59,440 Talking. We knew a lot of the same people 424 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:01,360 and I was like, dude, I would love to hear more. 425 00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:04,400 About like your church. Plant in Grand Prairie. 426 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:06,960 I was like our church supports church planning. 427 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:08,800 I would love to just know more about it. 428 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,920 So on Friday we met, our schedule's finally aligned, and 429 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:16,360 I was like, dude, I got AI, got a meeting at Texas Wesleyan, 430 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,600 I'll meet you at Black Coffee, and we'll hang out, 'cause I got 431 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,320 a meeting at 3:30. So we're. 432 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:24,680 Just trying to all make it work. And as we're sitting there and 433 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,840 we're drinking coffee and we're just talking about ministry, I'm 434 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:30,200 asking like, man, tell me. About like what the the heart 435 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,040 that God's. Given you for your people and 436 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,200 he's sharing these stories and then he says something he's like 437 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,760 man like like we're praying for this building but we're we're 438 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,920 having to tear down and right now after this I'm actually on 439 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,080 my way to Walmart. I'm going to go get some TV's. 440 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:49,520 And I said, hold that thought. I said I got you how many TV's 441 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,720 you need, he said. I was going to get 275 inch 442 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,080 screens. I was like dude, I'll give you 3 443 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,560 of them just to flex a little bit on how God is. 444 00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:01,240 To show how awesome God is, I said dude. 445 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,680 I'll give you 3 of them because you're going to need a monitor 446 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:05,360 in the. Back he goes. 447 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:07,360 Are you? Serious and his eyes. 448 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:09,040 Start to water. And he's like, Rick, don't play 449 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:10,880 with me. And I was like, dude, I am dead 450 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:12,400 serious. We go to the church. 451 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:14,320 Right now we're about like 12 minutes away. 452 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,880 I will give you some TV's that somebody blessed us with and he 453 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:18,800 goes. Let's. 454 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,880 Go and he drops everything. close everything up. 455 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:23,720 Boom boom boom. We don't even finish drinking 456 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:28,640 our coffee and we leave. So excited and we get here. 457 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,200 And he goes, Rick, you understand, he pulls his phone 458 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:38,440 out and he has 275 inch screen TV's in the cart at Walmart that 459 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:41,640 he was going. To go pick up and. 460 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:43,720 He's like, man, God is just so amazing. 461 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,280 And I was like, I know, isn't that crazy? 462 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:50,560 And then we're just talking, and we spent the next. 463 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,960 Two hours. In the office just talking about 464 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,880 church and life and and our struggles and like what God is 465 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,440 doing. I missed my 3:30 meeting so I'm 466 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:04,560 probably in trouble. But it was so worth it. 467 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:05,640 It's so worth it. I. 468 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,080 Was like, just slap my wrist. It's OK, I'm a director. 469 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:13,920 I can't lose anyway. So, so but but man, we just 470 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,240 spent. I just lost it and it was so 471 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:17,640 awesome. How? 472 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:21,120 How does that happen? Because we're all unified in. 473 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:26,160 Love the global church. My brother needed something. 474 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:30,560 God put in one of our people to bring that here. 475 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,600 I didn't think twice. I'll say help sell it to you. 476 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:40,600 No, it's take it open hands. I was like, that's why God 477 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:42,920 blesses us, so that we could bless other people. 478 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,360 And then because of our blessing, that's going to help 479 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:49,000 his church explode and and his church grow. 480 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,880 And I was like, dude, just come back anytime you want and 481 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,320 anything else you need, just tell me. 482 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:55,640 I'll see what we can do to get it. 483 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,000 That's unity and love. That's unified and love. 484 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,520 I don't know him very well, but I know that he is a minister of 485 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,160 the gospel and I know that he was a brother in need and I 486 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,200 know. That we had extra. 487 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:12,560 He could have it, no questions. Asked guys. 488 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:14,360 That's how it works. That's what. 489 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:19,000 Unity and love being unified and love is it doesn't matter what 490 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,400 church like. These are not gangs. 491 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:26,680 We're all in it together. We all support each other, those 492 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:28,960 who preach. Christ, I gotta keep moving. 493 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:33,760 So unified in love now. Paul tells us these two. 494 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:36,240 Things now and and I love what he. 495 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,320 Says look at verse 2. Again, he goes my I want you to 496 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:41,840 be encouraged in heart. I want you to be unified in 497 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:42,840 love. And then look. 498 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,240 At the connector words so. That. 499 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:47,640 Don't miss it. You should highlight that in 500 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:49,800 your. Bible so that what Like what's 501 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:51,040 the. Reason I need you to do these 502 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,120 two things. So that they may have the. 503 00:26:54,120 --> 00:26:56,920 Riches of complete understanding in. 504 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,760 Order that. They may know the mystery of 505 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:03,480 God, namely Christ. The reason I need you to have 506 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,800 these two things is that you will have. 507 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:08,960 The. Riches of the complete 508 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,680 understanding. What are you talking about? 509 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:13,920 Riches of complete understanding. 510 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:18,480 So that way you will. Understand God's Word, the. 511 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,120 Fullness of the Gospel, that word understanding. 512 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:26,680 Is actually a Greek word. Called Sanisi's right. 513 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:29,480 Sanisi's reply. I mean applying biblical. 514 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,840 Principles to your everyday life. 515 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,440 That's what understanding is. So if you want to have a better 516 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:39,840 understanding of God's Word, you must implement what you learn 517 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,960 into your everyday life. And what happens is a lot of us 518 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:45,960 hear the word but. Don't do the word. 519 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,840 We take it all in, but we don't do it. 520 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:54,200 And then you complain that I don't get it, and you don't get 521 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,200 it because you don't do it. And when you don't do it, you 522 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,240 lose your assurance of what you think you know. 523 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:07,880 He says the full. Assurance of understanding so 524 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:13,360 truth that finds solid footing and a strong heart. 525 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:15,960 So to. See how it all connects here and 526 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,480 it works itself out in love? With fellow believers, all that 527 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,440 results. In a deep conviction for. 528 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:27,480 Christ, that is the basis. Of assurance. 529 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,440 Because he. Says that it's in the mystery. 530 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,600 What's the mystery? The mystery is God incarnated 531 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:36,720 Christ in you. The hope of glory. 532 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:38,840 We talked about this last week, so. 533 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:43,120 Here's my challenge to us. If I don't have assurance, then 534 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:47,280 I have to ask myself, am I putting into practice what I'm 535 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,320 learning? If I'm not practicing what I'm 536 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,400 learning, then I'm not going to have the right understanding. 537 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:58,200 And if my understanding is off, then my assurance is going to be 538 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,000 hit. That's we got a bunch of 539 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,160 believers walking around. Don't know, like don't think 540 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,800 this is real. I don't know if this whole God 541 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:06,240 thing is real. I don't know how Christianity is 542 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:07,920 real. And then I asked him like man to 543 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:13,280 share your testimony with me and a lot of it stops at saying yes. 544 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,840 Now don't get me wrong when you submit your life. 545 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:21,440 To Jesus, and he forgives you. And you accept him. 546 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,640 You are forever. You don't lose your salvation. 547 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,600 You're covered by his grace. What? 548 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,360 Paul is getting at to alluding to is is your walk. 549 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,560 So I'm saved, yes, and now? It's time to grow How? 550 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:38,080 Come, I'm not growing. How come I'm not getting stuff? 551 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,120 How come I'm stuck in the same place? 552 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,600 This right here are you. Putting into practice what 553 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:45,760 you're learning and reading and attaining. 554 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,280 And that needs to be the number one question that we ask. 555 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,320 You know Pastor Matt Chandler has a new book out. 556 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,480 And and he. Said something really 557 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:59,360 interesting, He says there's something that he calls the 558 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:03,600 Christian bypass principle. And I thought that I thought it 559 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:06,240 was interesting because of the time that we live in today. 560 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,680 What he says is that. The bypass principle is when 561 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:12,880 believers because of technology and because of everything 562 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:14,760 Christians that go to church and they're. 563 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:17,600 Able to articulate. And they're able to explain 564 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,920 things that they've read. That they've heard, that they've 565 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:25,200 watched with Christianese. But they haven't done it. 566 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,560 So when you talk about suffering, you're. 567 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:32,320 Able to talk about it because of a podcast you heard, or because 568 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,320 of a book you read, or because of a Ted talk that you like you. 569 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,320 Listen to so I'm able to tell. You what's? 570 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,640 Suffering is I'm able to. Tell you what walking with Jesus 571 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:44,640 is and you're able to do that by. 572 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:49,480 Bypassing actually experiencing it and because. 573 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:53,200 You're able to articulate it the rest of the world. 574 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,120 Especially in Western Christianity, we look at them be 575 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,200 like, you must know he's knowledgeable. 576 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,640 But what happens is that we're. Skipping the experiencing peace 577 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:08,520 you're skipping going through the hard times. 578 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:13,600 You're skipping the faithfulness you're skipping reading and 579 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,880 struggling with. God's word because. 580 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:21,240 You're able to attain it through other things, and if we think 581 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:25,560 about AI and the stuff that's coming to our world, it's going 582 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:27,000 to be. Easier to just. 583 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,400 Ask a machine what something says. 584 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,080 And what God is saying? Is that no like the word of God? 585 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:36,320 Like don't get me wrong, I use AI all the time, it's a great 586 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,280 tool. But what the word of? 587 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:41,680 God says that in. Order for you to attain. 588 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:44,840 Assurance and understanding. You've got to actually do. 589 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:50,960 Something we've got to do something and I know like. 590 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,320 I always, I always call. Out some young folks that like 591 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:54,760 to talk a lot but don't do anything. 592 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:56,080 It's like man, it's called. Lazy. 593 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:59,240 Activism. You could say all you. 594 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:03,040 Want you complain all you want. You could talk about the. 595 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,280 Culture and and conspiracy theories all you want, but are 596 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,000 you feeding kids in your neighborhood? 597 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,000 Are you voting? Are you going out to the 598 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:12,360 community? Are you hanging out with? 599 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:16,800 People, are you disciple? In anybody, when people come up 600 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,320 as a man, when was the last time you want somebody to Christ? 601 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:22,920 I'm glad. That you could. 602 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:24,600 You could. Fight and all that. 603 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:26,400 Stuff. But but what are you truly? 604 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,680 Doing What does it look like to walk in the Spirit? 605 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:32,960 Without you just explaining. It to me. 606 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:39,640 So we've got to go into this life stepping in even though 607 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:42,200 it's scary, and saying Jesus, I'm going to walk. 608 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,320 With you I'm. Going to do what you asked me to 609 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:46,720 do. Because that is how you. 610 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:51,840 Attain growth in the Christian world in the Christian 611 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:54,160 worldview. We've got to be able. 612 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,760 To dive in and not bypass things. 613 00:32:57,040 --> 00:32:59,400 Just because we could talk about it. 614 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:02,960 So it's not just talking about it, but it's going through it. 615 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:08,880 So as we continue. Here we'll close up got. 616 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:10,160 A few more verses and we'll be done. 617 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,600 Verse four. And then Paul goes on and. 618 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:16,640 He goes, I tell you. This so that no one may deceive. 619 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,000 You. By find sounding arguments. 620 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:23,760 So remember we talked about the Gnostics coming in there. 621 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,640 They're telling everybody that Jesus is step one. 622 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:31,200 To all this spiritual stuff. That there's these mysteries. 623 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:34,520 In the world that. Hey, we could help you unlock it 624 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:37,840 if you just listen to us and. Believe what we believe. 625 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:44,560 And Paul calls them out on their stuff and says no, you know 626 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:45,440 what? The mystery. 627 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:49,600 Is Christ? And he fights it with the. 628 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,720 Supremacy of Christ, that's. The mystery. 629 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:54,720 I know the mystery. Because I have Jesus. 630 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:57,960 And he's trying to tell him he's like, don't be. 631 00:33:57,960 --> 00:33:59,880 Deceived. I like that word. 632 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:01,680 Deceived. And the Greek is like don't be 633 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:04,880 cheated. A better way to put it is. 634 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:11,120 Don't be kidnapped spiritually by people that come in and are 635 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:14,199 able to talk real nice and start throwing away. 636 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:18,120 Throw around their philosophies and their beliefs. 637 00:34:18,639 --> 00:34:20,800 It's why it's so important for us to know the Word of God. 638 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:23,760 Then I love verse 5. It goes for though. 639 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:29,800 I am absent from you in body. Remember Paul's in a Roman 640 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,960 prison. I am present with you in spirit 641 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:34,840 and delight to see. How? 642 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:40,120 Disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. 643 00:34:41,159 --> 00:34:43,159 So what, Paul? Does he bookends it? 644 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:46,080 He's like, man, listen what? I really need you. 645 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:49,880 Guys to do is be. Strengthened in heart, right? 646 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,199 I need, I need you to be encouraged, and then I need you 647 00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:56,000 to be unified in love. Then he tells you why, 'cause 648 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:58,440 you're falling off, man, don't. You got to do it. 649 00:34:58,520 --> 00:34:58,840 You. You. 650 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:01,280 Got to know the gospel. Christ is the mystery. 651 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:03,320 Here, this is what we're fighting for. 652 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,240 And then he ends it. He bookmarks it with another 653 00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:09,760 encouraging words, with two other things, and he goes, man, 654 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:12,480 but it brings me so much joy, even though I'm not there, what 655 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:14,400 I'm hearing from you. Guys, it brings. 656 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:16,640 Me, so much joy. To see. 657 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:17,640 How? How come? 658 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:19,600 He says. See, I thought he wasn't there. 659 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:25,240 He said he goes. I'm delighted to see how 660 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:26,680 disciplined you are. You know why? 661 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,640 He says see, 'cause he's. Seeing. 662 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:31,160 The fruit. Of what they're doing. 663 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:36,400 He's seeing the impact of the church, even though he's not in 664 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,440 their presence. Their presence is being shown 665 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:42,000 with him, guys. That's the impact. 666 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,960 Of the church right like people are able to see it he's going to 667 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:47,720 address the. Fruit here in a second and he 668 00:35:47,720 --> 00:35:50,240 goes, there's two things, man. You're disciplined. 669 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:54,680 You know what a short definition of discipline is doing, even 670 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:59,560 though you don't feel like it? If you ever talked to any 671 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:03,840 bodybuilders, most disciplined people in the whole entire 672 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:06,240 world. How in the world can you watch 673 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:10,200 everybody eat a double bacon cheeseburger and you take out? 674 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,640 Your bowl of. Grains and be like. 675 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:17,040 It's great. No, it's not great. 676 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:21,000 You're lying to me, but you're strengthening your mind right 677 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:22,360 now because I would fall. Right. 678 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:25,920 I mean like they, they. They're so disciplined in their. 679 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:29,840 Sleep their workouts what they. Put inside of their body who 680 00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:31,400 they hang out with. Why? 681 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:33,080 Because they have a. Goal that they're trying to 682 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:36,560 attain, same thing. He's like, man, you guys are so 683 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,840 disciplined. That means that here they're 684 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:43,440 disciplined in the Christian disciplines, gathering together, 685 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:44,960 reading God. 'S Word prayer. 686 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:49,800 Fasting, giving, loving each other and goes man that is 687 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,480 producing fruit. The gospel is moving. 688 00:36:53,240 --> 00:36:54,760 So you guys are just you're super. 689 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:57,600 Disciplined, and I see it. I see the result of it. 690 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:00,120 And then you're firm in your faith in. 691 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,400 Christ what Paul is. Saying you might bend, but you 692 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:07,160 ain't breaking. You're firm even though all this 693 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:08,240 has. Happened to you. 694 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:11,520 You're still. In the fight you're still 695 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:14,960 grinding it out and I see it and when with. 696 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:19,200 These last two verses therefore, for six. 697 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:20,960 So look what he. Does now he's going. 698 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:25,520 To tie it all together, therefore, as you have received 699 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:29,360 Christ Jesus the Lord, so. Walk in him. 700 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:33,440 He's giving a command. He's like I I need you to walk 701 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:37,840 in him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in 702 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:41,400 him and established in your. Faith just as you. 703 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,920 Were instructed and overflowing with gratitude. 704 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:48,320 I need you to. Walk with Jesus. 705 00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:51,880 Man, I love this like walking with Christ, the word walk here 706 00:37:51,880 --> 00:37:56,880 means living a lifestyle. When you walk with Jesus, your 707 00:37:56,880 --> 00:38:00,400 lifestyle in the manner that you live in daily changes. 708 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:03,360 You don't do the same things that you used to do when you 709 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:07,080 were living in the world. I'm walking with Christ now. 710 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:13,360 I am firmly rooted in him and then the outcome of. 711 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:15,600 That because I followed. Christ, I'm walking with him and 712 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,280 instruction is. Gratitude. 713 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,960 So I'm not a Grumps. There's a there's this weird 714 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:25,640 joy. That's coming out of my life 715 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,720 because I'm walking with Jesus. Even when I have all these 716 00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:31,400 things coming at me, there's a. There's this joy that just 717 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:36,120 bleeds out 'cause we're. Walking with Christ it kind of 718 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:38,400 what I want to do is end our time with just two last things 719 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:40,200 and we'll. Be out of here the. 720 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:43,840 Question is how do you? Walk with Christ, Paul. 721 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:45,640 Is telling us, man, like you got to. 722 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:47,480 You got to have your walk with Jesus. 723 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,800 And what many of us do know, and I've seen it many. 724 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,800 People start off really well. In their Christianity. 725 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:58,920 They start out great. They make a decision for Jesus, 726 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:02,360 but then they fall. Off and we start. 727 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:04,080 Thinking like what happened? Like what? 728 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:05,200 Was it? Was it real? 729 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:09,240 What is it not like what happened for somebody? 730 00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:11,760 To just. Kind of like disappear. 731 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:17,800 Well, you stop walking with Christ, you stop walking with 732 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:20,400 him. So what I want to do is just end 733 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:24,880 like, like there's this two things 2 two things that I want 734 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:27,680 to encourage us with in walking with Jesus like. 735 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:29,320 Ricky, how do you walk with Jesus? 736 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:32,880 Number one is this. Just keep moving forward. 737 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:37,000 It's not science. Move forward. 738 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:39,880 You just keep going forward toward. 739 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,360 Christ. Because the the moment that you 740 00:39:42,360 --> 00:39:43,600 stop moving. Forward. 741 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:48,560 You fall back. There was a running back, Walter 742 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:50,200 Payton. Anybody familiar? 743 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:53,120 Walter Payton. Hall of Famer. 744 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:56,160 One of the greatest running backs, I would even argue 745 00:39:56,160 --> 00:39:59,480 greatest running back in the world, Walter Payton. 746 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:03,480 He was a beast for the Chicago. Bears and I, I remember growing 747 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:07,080 up watching like one of those NFL documentaries, 'cause I, I 748 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:09,560 used to love Barry Sanders and I would love like, little running 749 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:12,640 back. Stories Walter Payton They. 750 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:16,080 Interviewed him and in the. Back of his house he had this, 751 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:22,200 this steep hill. And every single day, like even 752 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:24,920 on his like break days, even on game days. 753 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:27,240 What he would tell the. Camera, he said. 754 00:40:27,440 --> 00:40:30,280 Part of my routine and my. Workout is to. 755 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:33,640 Run up the hill and then they showed it and he is there. 756 00:40:33,640 --> 00:40:35,760 Like I mean, this thing is steep. 757 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:39,240 And what he said was? Regardless of my legs are 758 00:40:39,240 --> 00:40:41,600 burning. Regardless how tired I am if my 759 00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:43,120 legs. Stop moving. 760 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:48,720 I'm falling backwards and it translates into a game because 761 00:40:48,720 --> 00:40:51,720 if you're running back and the other team is trying to tackle. 762 00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:54,400 You if your legs start. Stop moving. 763 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:56,280 You know what happens? To you get your head. 764 00:40:56,280 --> 00:40:58,800 Taken off but. If you keep your legs. 765 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:00,480 Moving even though people are trying to. 766 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:01,600 Tackle you. You. 767 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:05,160 Gain positive yardage. Which is the goal. 768 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:08,480 Of an offense. Your goal of an offense is never 769 00:41:08,480 --> 00:41:11,640 to get negative yardage. It's always to go forward. 770 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:16,840 So in the Christian life, as the enemy tries to take you down, 771 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:19,640 you keep moving forward, you keep trying to get that 772 00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:20,840 positive. Yardage. 773 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:26,800 Because there are going to be times when you fall, but it 774 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:29,240 ain't going to be backwards and it ain't going to be because you 775 00:41:29,240 --> 00:41:32,320 stopped moving. Keep moving forward. 776 00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:35,160 Keep. Driving forward, don't stop your 777 00:41:35,160 --> 00:41:38,600 legs from moving, you're going. To try to get tackled, but. 778 00:41:38,720 --> 00:41:41,600 You're always going to be in the positive yards. 779 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:43,960 I think that's what God is trying to. 780 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:45,160 Paul is teaching. I was like. 781 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:48,160 Walk in Christ, don't stop. Keep moving. 782 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:51,440 Forward, regardless how hard it. Is no matter how many people. 783 00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:54,360 Are trying to take you. Down, don't stop moving forward. 784 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:58,240 And then the last thing is, if you're going to grow up, you got 785 00:41:58,240 --> 00:42:01,320 to grow down 1st. In order to grow up, you've. 786 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:05,120 Got to grow down verse 7. It talks about being firmly 787 00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:11,400 rooted and now being built up in him in order for us to attain 788 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:13,680 fruit. That produces out of our lives. 789 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:16,080 We have to have deep roots. I'll put this. 790 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:19,000 This is the last thing I'll see on the screen, the fruit of the. 791 00:42:19,000 --> 00:42:22,080 Tree is related to the root of the tree, the deeper your roots. 792 00:42:22,080 --> 00:42:24,360 Are in. Christ, the more your fruits. 793 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:26,240 Going to show. So what? 794 00:42:26,240 --> 00:42:29,120 Paul's getting to here is saying, man, you've. 795 00:42:29,120 --> 00:42:32,240 Got to go deep in your relationship with Christ. 796 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,000 It's not a shallow. You get to know Him. 797 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:37,840 You spend time in His Word. You meditate on His. 798 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:41,880 Word you pray, you seek. Him and as you're getting deeper 799 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:44,000 and deeper and deeper. Into your relationship with 800 00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:46,440 Christ. You start seeing fruit popping 801 00:42:46,440 --> 00:42:49,960 out of your life and you're not even noticing it. 802 00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:52,480 It's happening, but what happens with us? 803 00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:57,560 Is that our focus? Is so much on the activity that 804 00:42:57,560 --> 00:43:00,440 you miss intimacy? I'm so focused on trying to do 805 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:02,680 what's. Right, trying to please God. 806 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:04,880 Trying to do what I'm. Supposed to, because that's 807 00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:06,640 what. God wants to see, but I'm doing 808 00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:08,360 all this stuff, but there ain't no fruit in my life. 809 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:09,720 Nobody sees it. Why? 810 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:13,680 Because you got shallow roots but the deeper you go. 811 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:17,240 The deeper you dive into. Christ, your roots are going to 812 00:43:17,240 --> 00:43:18,880 start to. Show I mean your fruits. 813 00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:21,840 Going to start to show. What's the fruit Galatians? 814 00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:28,320 The fruit of the Spirit Lovejoy. Peace, patience, kindness, 815 00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:32,960 goodness, faithfulness and the most important, self-control. 816 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:40,200 How do I control myself? Deeper relationship with Jesus. 817 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:42,120 The. Deeper I go with him. 818 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:45,040 The stronger my fruit is. So what it comes down to. 819 00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:46,400 So I want to encourage you guys. I want to. 820 00:43:46,400 --> 00:43:48,160 I just want to. I really want to encourage you. 821 00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:50,480 Go deep with. Christ get in his Word. 822 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:52,920 Know his word, love his. Word be in the. 823 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:55,240 Spirit, we'll pray for us. Jesus, we love you.