1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,680 This is City Post Church. We're about three things. 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,680 Build equipped and send. All under the Lordship. 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,240 Of Jesus Christ. A small church plant in Fort 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,400 Worth, TX. Who decided to do things a 5 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:16,880 little differently? Adoramos ayesu cristo I love 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,480 city post because of the people. It's where I belong. 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,640 We truly preach the Word. I love City Post because of the 8 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:25,000 community we've been able to build. 9 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:28,720 To do ministry like Jesus. For light to push back darkness. 10 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:39,930 This is City Post podcast. I played football all through 11 00:00:40,210 --> 00:00:42,330 high. School and I graduated from 12 00:00:42,330 --> 00:00:44,330 Pascal High School. But my senior. 13 00:00:44,330 --> 00:00:48,450 Year playing at Pascal. This year was different because 14 00:00:48,450 --> 00:00:53,170 we went into a new district. And the coach ran a 52 defense. 15 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,160 Now a 5. Two means 5 down lineman and two 16 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,000 backers. And all through my high school. 17 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,920 Career in football, I always played a Rover. 18 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,120 Which was like an outside. Backer strong safety, but this. 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,080 Year, the coach, said Kado. We're going to put. 20 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,240 You as a nose tackle. And I was like, what is that? 21 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,240 So my role, my job in this position was to line up in front 22 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,240 of the center and. All I did was shoot the A gap or 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,240 the B gap. Now, we had a stud for a 24 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,400 linebacker, so my job was to free him up so that way the 25 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,360 guard didn't pull to block him. I I was supposed. 26 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,080 To like help stop the. Schemes in the middle of 27 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:36,360 everything and I remember the first team that we played my 28 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,320 senior year and this is the first time I've started in 29 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:41,000 varsity. Always backed up. 30 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,280 In my junior year, but I get to start this time. 31 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,600 We played Crowley High School. So we get out there. 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,360 And I'm like super excited. I'm like, let's go. 33 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,840 Like it's a new position that I'm in. 34 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,320 All I got to do is shoot. The gaps, no problem. 35 00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:00,360 Soon as they hike the ball, I got my tail whooped. 36 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,760 I mean, I was pancaked. I mean I got. 37 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,000 Ear holed like they pulled. I try to follow them. 38 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:08,759 Nothing. I mean, it was so. 39 00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:14,480 Bad like that that the guards. Just like they laid on top of 40 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,240 me. I remember one of them like they 41 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:21,400 started punch like hitting me on my sides, dug their elbows in my 42 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:22,920 back. One of them like. 43 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:26,440 Pulled the back. Of my helmet down and used the 44 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,240 face mask. All it was, it was. 45 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,520 Brutal. So we're losing 21 to 0. 46 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,480 No surprise. At halftime we go into half and 47 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,360 the coach, of course, encourages us. 48 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,360 He starts speaking in tongues. I can't. 49 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,280 Repeat but. I remember my defensive line 50 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:47,000 coach calls me and he says Coddle come here and then he 51 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,680 looks at me and he goes. You got to do something. 52 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,560 What are you doing? And I'm like, I'm just shooting 53 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,880 the gaps like you asked me to. And he's like, no, you've got to 54 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,240 do something. And he goes Right now you are. 55 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,240 Playing not to get hit. And he goes. 56 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:05,480 You're a defensive lineman. You got to be violent. 57 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,520 Is that you Got to be rough, you got to be aggressive. 58 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,800 Suck it up, do. Something and stop playing not 59 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,720 to get hit and I remember that kind of lit something inside of 60 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,160 me. He, he probably called me a punk 61 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:19,480 in front of the whole team pretty much. 62 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,920 And and then he said some other kind words and then now when the 63 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:24,200 second-half. Started. 64 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,680 It, it kind of ignited something in me and the first thing I did 65 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,080 was I took out the dude's knees and then I started holding their 66 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,400 legs and I and then I started using my hands. 67 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,080 And the more it got, the more encouraged I felt. 68 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:40,600 To like do what I was. Called and supposed to do, and I 69 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,160 think sometimes when we talk about the Christian life. 70 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:45,880 God is. Calling us. 71 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,320 God is, is. Calling us in the game, well, 72 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,120 especially. If you're if you are a follower. 73 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,880 Of Jesus Christ and he puts you in a position. 74 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,480 To move his purpose forward, which is to build. 75 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:01,160 His Kingdom, but what many of us don't really take account it. 76 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,680 For is. As we're put in this position, 77 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:05,920 what happens when you get pancakes? 78 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,480 What happens when you're put in that position and it is like 79 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,240 bam, one hit after another and you're like, what is going on? 80 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:18,120 I am getting destroyed right now and we start living our 81 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:24,200 Christian lives trying not to. Get hit and God is. 82 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:30,000 Calling us to this amazing story, this amazing plan he has 83 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,480 called us all into and he's put us in and aligned us in this 84 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,200 specific position. But what? 85 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,960 Happens when you get hit. And what ended up happening with 86 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:45,400 me was I got hit so many times that discouragement started 87 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,200 impacting what the. Goal. 88 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,520 I had it. Started to impact what I knew 89 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,120 what I was supposed to. Do it started to. 90 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:55,880 To like to meet like. Just. 91 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,880 Wait on me to the point where I was like, I I shouldn't even be 92 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:01,880 here right now. These guys are killing me. 93 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,960 And listen. As as believers in Christ, 94 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,880 there's going to be times. Where God puts. 95 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:11,760 You in a position to. Serve him. 96 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:19,280 But you get pancakes and. Discouragement starts to settle. 97 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:22,160 In our souls and what discouragement. 98 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,480 Does is that? Discouragement, when it goes 99 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,280 unchecked, leads to disobedience and. 100 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:35,760 What I want to look at today is as we pursue Christ. 101 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:37,600 Remember we. Talked about this last week. 102 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,000 Our goal is we want to pursue Christ. 103 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,840 How do we pursue? Christ when discouragement 104 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:46,120 creeps in. What do we do? 105 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,400 How do we manage that? And I think there's no better 106 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,480 person to tell us than the apostle Paul. 107 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,680 So let's go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 4. 108 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,760 Second Corinthians chapter 4 out of IF. 109 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:02,600 If there's anybody in this world that could talk about 110 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,920 discouragement, that could talk about their tail getting kicked. 111 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,800 That could talk about getting. Beat down for the purposes. 112 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:11,400 That God has. Called them to. 113 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:16,640 It is the Apostle Paul. Brother went through it. 114 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,600 But Paul's. Perspective and how Paul viewed 115 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,360 ministry and life. I think there's something that 116 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,280 we could learn from him. And my goal for today? 117 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:29,440 My prayer for everybody, including myself. 118 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,000 Is that if you are? Going through a time of 119 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,760 discouragement that. You leave here. 120 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:41,840 Encouraged knowing that God has not left you alone and that 121 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:44,440 there's a. Greater plan here for you. 122 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:47,520 Before I read the. Text let me pray for. 123 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:52,240 Us So Father, I pray that you speak through to us through your 124 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,080 word. And Lord help us. 125 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:58,400 As we walk through your text, Lord help me Father to. 126 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,680 Teach everything that I've studied. 127 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,360 Lord, and that I keep. Everything in its context and 128 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:04,760 everything come from you, not from me. 129 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,160 So, Lord, I pray God that you help us today. 130 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,840 In the name we pray. Amen, man. 131 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,560 So we're going to look at, we're going to start looking at verse 132 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,360 13. But before I read. 133 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,520 The text I want to talk a little bit about discouragement and I 134 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,720 think one of the best definitions I've heard about 135 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:23,120 discouragement. I'll go ahead and put it on the 136 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,120 screen. Discouragement. 137 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:30,520 Is dissatisfaction with the past distaste for the present and 138 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:35,040 distrust for the future dissatisfaction with the past 139 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,440 distaste? For the present and distrust. 140 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,520 For the future. So as we're serving the Lord and 141 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,600 things are not going the way that we wanted them to go, or we 142 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,120 get pancake, we get hit. Man, I love like the text that 143 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,560 my brother Juan read like we planned that or something. 144 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,720 Right. So like we get attacked 145 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,360 spiritually. And the enemy comes and the the 146 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,320 thing that he could. Do is discourage? 147 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:04,960 Us from serving Christ and pull us away from the faith and when 148 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,200 it discouragement creeps into our life, we start having a 149 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,760 dissatisfaction from our past like man like why? 150 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,160 Did that have to happen? To me and then we camp out 151 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,960 there, but then that bleeds into our present and then we have a. 152 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,720 Distaste for our our present. Like, man, because of my past, 153 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:26,080 now I'm stuck where I'm at. And because I'm stuck where I'm 154 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,600 at now I have a distrust from my future. 155 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,600 Now I can't trust where I'm going because I'm worried about 156 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:33,679 all these elements that crept into my life. 157 00:08:33,799 --> 00:08:36,000 And let me tell you something Church big fat. 158 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:40,000 Lie. Huge deceit from the enemy. 159 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:43,760 Because what God says is that. Have something bigger and better 160 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:47,480 for you? So before I read. 13 Let me 161 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,800 catch. Us up the Apostle Paul. 162 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,080 In chapter 4 is going to be telling us. 163 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,760 About all the hardships. That he's going through. 164 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,120 For the gospel he even. Starts verse one. 165 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,280 With this whole idea is because we have. 166 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,640 This ministry of mercy that God's giving us, Don't lose 167 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,760 heart. Don't lose heart. 168 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,080 And then he goes on to talk about in Chapter 4. 169 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,120 All the hard stuff he's. Gone through? 170 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,040 Then he gets to this. Section where he talks about us 171 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,360 being jars of. Clay filled with treasure. 172 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,080 So we're like normal. People are. 173 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,480 A normal utilization of things. He uses the example. 174 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,960 Of a jar of clay. Because in that culture use. 175 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,960 The jar of clay for. Everything to get water to make 176 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,480 wine in. To wash clothes with it, it's 177 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,480 kind of like. Our rendition of a Walmart bag. 178 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,520 My Walmart bag. Right, I carry groceries with. 179 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:40,760 It it becomes something I put wet. 180 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,120 Clothes in I use. It as a trash can. 181 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:45,920 When I get my hair done, I put it over my head and I run 182 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,120 through the rain. I'm joking. 183 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,640 Right, so. You use it for so many things. 184 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:52,640 It's something so normalized in our culture. 185 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,600 But that's what Paul is saying. He's like, we're like jars of 186 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,120 clay. Something so normal, something 187 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,480 that we use all the time, but the difference is there's a 188 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,720 treasure inside of us and that. Is Jesus Christ. 189 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,240 It is the. Gospel message, The Holy Spirit. 190 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:10,120 He lists all this stuff. He's like, so don't get 191 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,080 discouraged. And then he starts in verse 13, 192 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:14,600 and this is where we're going to camp out. 193 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,960 Today look at verse. 13 and then Paul says it is written, I 194 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:20,240 believe. Therefore I have. 195 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:25,080 Spoken since we have the same. Spirit of faith, we also. 196 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,880 Believe and therefore speak, because we know. 197 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,200 That the one who raised. The Lord Jesus from the dead 198 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:33,200 will. Also raise us with Jesus. 199 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,680 And present us with you to himself. 200 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,800 All right, so this section we're we're going to kind of break 201 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:43,480 this thing down. Here chapter verse 13 Paul 202 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,480 starts for it is. Written so when I. 203 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,520 Observe the text I see. Quotation marks. 204 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,320 That means he's quoting somebody from somewhere. 205 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,800 And as Paul is going to write to encourage us. 206 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:58,240 To get through all of this hardship for the gospel. 207 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:02,000 And all this encouragement. What he does is that he quotes 208 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,920 David. He quotes Psalms 116. 209 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:08,080 Think about it. Paul is like. 210 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,480 Think about who he quotes. Out of everybody, he thinks, who 211 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,600 else? Has gone through something 212 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:15,960 Really. Hard, really difficult. 213 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,600 Who has suffered for his faith and. 214 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:23,880 Suffered for the gospel, David. And I looked it up and I was 215 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,800 like pulse quoting. David, if you look at. 216 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:28,960 Psalms 116 I'll just. Read it for us, real. 217 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,960 Quickly starting on verse. 8 This is the this. 218 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:36,480 Is David saying for you Lord have delivered me from death, my 219 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,480 eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling and then in verse 10 220 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:45,520 he says I trusted in the. Lord, when I said I am greatly 221 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:50,480 afflicted, what? David is saying is because I'm 222 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:54,440 trusting in God in my affliction, therefore I'm. 223 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,200 Able to say this? I trust in the Lord. 224 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,080 Many of us have got to understand that. 225 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:04,880 If you trust. In the Lord you've got. 226 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,640 To be able to say it. And many of us can't say it, 227 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,160 because our faith is not. There. 228 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:11,640 We think that this. Is it for us? 229 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:13,960 And what Paul is saying is like, listen. 230 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,520 I have faith like David had faith. 231 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:17,840 Even though I'm going through this. 232 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,960 The the this really. Difficult situation, this 233 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,760 affliction in my. Life just like David. 234 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:28,080 I'm going to say the same thing. Therefore, because I have faith, 235 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,120 because I have his. Spirit in me, I am going to 236 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:35,280 speak this and also I'm going to speak this because I know that 237 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,520 my afflictions and my hardships are going to lead me to 238 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,960 something greater. It says it right here. 239 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:44,240 The one who? Raised the Lord Jesus. 240 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,800 From the dead and also. Raised us with Jesus. 241 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:52,080 And present us with you to himself, Paul believed. 242 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:56,360 That the purpose of his. Afflictions and his near death 243 00:12:56,360 --> 00:13:00,640 sufferings and all of the hardships and experiences that 244 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,440 that he. Faced, Paul believed. 245 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,480 That he lived and experienced. This for the resurrection life 246 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,360 of Jesus Christ. He's going through it for a 247 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:19,520 specific reason and purpose. And he understands that it. 248 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:23,360 Changed the way that he. Viewed it, Paul knew. 249 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,680 That all of his despair. And listen, if you guys want to 250 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:30,400 see what Paul went through, stay in Second Corinthians and go to 251 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,400 Chapter 11 and read verses 23. Through 30. 252 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,760 Three, he gives you a. Laundry list of stuff. 253 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,360 That he has gone through. You want to talk about 254 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,520 discouragement? Read. 23 through 33. 255 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,760 It's difficult, but Paul. 'S like man, but this ministry 256 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:49,720 that he's given us. It's worth it. 257 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:52,440 So he's. Serving the Lord, all these 258 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:56,040 things are hitting Him. So then the question. 259 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,840 Is how? How do I get through this? 260 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:03,440 Encouragement or discouragement. Now look at verse 15. 261 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,880 This gets crazy. Because Paul says something 262 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:07,640 here. That. 263 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,560 Should be encouraging to us, but when we read it. 264 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:11,920 It's like. Oh, I don't know. 265 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:17,320 Look at 15. He goes for all of this is for 266 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:24,440 your benefit What so all of his hardships? 267 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,240 Everything that he's going through, all his afflictions. 268 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:30,680 All the difficult stuff that Paul is, is. 269 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:36,000 Rocking through. What he says is it's for your. 270 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,760 Benefit what? What's the benefit? 271 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:44,760 Here, so that the grace. That is, reaching more and more 272 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:46,800 people may cause Thanksgiving to. 273 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:52,880 Overflow to the glory of God. I think maybe sometimes when we 274 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,280 are serving the Lord and we go. Through some hardships. 275 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,480 And we go through some trials and we go through some some 276 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,960 really uncomfortable situations. Instead of us. 277 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,720 Complaining to the Lord instead of us falling into our 278 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,160 rebellious nature and becoming. Like this little like spiritual 279 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:14,480 hermit crab where we retract. Maybe, just maybe, we should. 280 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,520 Ask God what is the benefit of this because if. 281 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,480 It's for our benefit and what Paul is saying, and it's to. 282 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,320 Push the gospel forward. Maybe we need to start asking 283 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:25,440 like. God, what are you? 284 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,760 Trying to do through my afflictions. 285 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,760 What is it that I'm getting out of this that knows? 286 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:36,440 It's hard to say. But Paul is understanding that 287 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:38,520 everything that he's gone through. 288 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,440 Is. Bigger than what he thinks. 289 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,080 He knows that God is in control. Of everything. 290 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,120 And then he. Says but but here's this is how 291 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,160 he. Gets through it in verse. 15 so 292 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:52,920 that the grace. That is, reaching more and more 293 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:56,280 people may cause Thanksgiving. To overflow. 294 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,400 You know what the benefit is, is that more and more people are 295 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,920 knowing. Christ, so let me help us. 296 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:06,200 So let's just go. Point #1. 297 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,000 How do I fight? Discouragement in my life? 298 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,600 Simple. Share the gospel. 299 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,080 Share the gospel. Lead others to Christ. 300 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,040 Talk about Jesus. How do I say? 301 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:22,560 The same thing three times. Differently, what Paul is saying 302 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,800 is like. Man if my discouragement sinks 303 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,920 because more and more people. Are finding grace in him. 304 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,240 It's hard. Listen to me. 305 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,360 It's hard to feel all. Depressed and down and despair. 306 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:39,600 When you're are making disciples. 307 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,520 And sharing Christ. Share the Gospel Share. 308 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,560 I'm not talking about inviting people to church, I'm talking 309 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,000 about sharing the life giving message of the. 310 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,080 Gospel. I'm talking about like. 311 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,400 Going up to people and and just sharing Jesus with them. 312 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,440 Talking to Jesus about every Just talk to him about Jesus. 313 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,440 And there's something in your. Soul that stirs up that. 314 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,680 Like illuminates, and it's. Hard for us to be. 315 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:10,040 All depressed and then just all like in our fields whenever. 316 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,640 We share Christ. Because that message is life 317 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:16,440 giving, so I'm not going to be down and depressed when I preach 318 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,480 the gospel message. To everybody and many. 319 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:20,880 Of us. Have to start thinking about how 320 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:22,520 to. How do I go through it man? 321 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:26,720 Talk about Jesus, one of my. Favorite things, all right. 322 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:28,640 So one of the biggest questions I get as a. 323 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:32,320 Pastor is Ricky when? Do you? 324 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,800 When do you rest? I love what people say. 325 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,880 When do you Sabbath? When is your Sabbath? 326 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:41,880 And, and I'll be honest with you, like when I'm tired, I. 327 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:45,200 Sleep when I feel. Like I need to get away, I get 328 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:46,880 away. It's a. 329 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:50,960 Rhythm, but one of the. Things that rejuvenates and 330 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:54,560 restores my soul the most is when I go. 331 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,240 Hang out with. Somebody else in ministry? 332 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,560 Whether it's a pastor. Like I was having coffee with 333 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,040 Pastor Mario the other day and we were talking about something 334 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:04,640 like y'all. Remember in the summer? 335 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:09,640 When like we had acoustic. Sunday because half of our 336 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:11,200 building went out. 'Cause there was some. 337 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,240 Lightning shock, that. Hit and our soundboard just. 338 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,520 Anyway. We're I'm, I'm we're sharing. 339 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:18,560 That story and it's same thing happened to him in River Oaks. 340 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,000 And we're, like talking. He's like, yeah. 341 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:22,400 Bro, we turned on nothing sounded. 342 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:24,480 I was like, I know, me too. And then he's like, yeah, we 343 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,120 were scrambling everywhere trying to figure out what to do. 344 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,000 And I was like, man, like our. Guys were sad, so we were good, 345 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,480 right? Like and all this stuff and I 346 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,320 was like man. And it like cost us an arm and a 347 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,760 leg like train half our savings. Man, but isn't it awesome? 348 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,000 And he's like, yeah. There's something about serving 349 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,800 Jesus. Regardless of the hardships. 350 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:46,800 And the stresses and the. Pressures of life. 351 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,880 That rejuvenates the soul. And what you rejuvenates? 352 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,040 The soul is knowing that more and more. 353 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,600 People get to experience the gospel of grace. 354 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,560 More and more. People get to meet Christ. 355 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:02,920 More and more. People get to kick to. 356 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,600 Experience forgiveness. And that's what Paul is saying 357 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,360 here. Listen, this is a benefit to me. 358 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:11,560 The reason I'm going through all these things? 359 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:14,120 Is to push. This gospel message forward. 360 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,000 So that the grace is. Reaching more and more. 361 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,920 People and it may cause and I look. 362 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:23,720 Watch here it is. It may cause Thanksgiving so. 363 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:27,200 As I share the gospel. My soul becomes more thankful. 364 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:32,160 It becomes Thanksgiving. To overflow to the. 365 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:37,640 Glory of God listen Paul's whole ministry, everything that Paul. 366 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:41,200 Was about was about his glory, we see at first. 367 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:42,800 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 30. 368 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:44,200 One this. Is a verse that my. 369 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:48,560 Dad has everywhere in every. Closet everything I do. 370 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,440 Whether I eat or. Drink everything I. 371 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:56,120 Do I do it for the glory of God? Let me ask you A. 372 00:19:56,120 --> 00:20:00,080 Question. What motivates you daily? 373 00:20:01,360 --> 00:20:02,800 What motivates? You to get out of. 374 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,040 Bed and do what you got to do. What motivates? 375 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:07,360 You to go to. Work in the morning. 376 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,920 To love your wife and. Kids, what motivates? 377 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,600 You to serve the Lord. We need to check our motivations 378 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:16,960 because what Paul? 'S saying you know that the. 379 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:18,640 The biggest thing that motivates? 380 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,280 Me to keep going when things are. 381 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,800 Difficult the glory of God. What? 382 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,480 Motivates me to keep doing this because listen, if your 383 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,800 motivation is anything else that's not God's glory, it's 384 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,840 going to collapse on itself if your motivation is people. 385 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,640 Likes platforms. If your motivation are crowds. 386 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,840 It's. Going to collapse on itself. 387 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:45,880 It's going to fail you. Every time. 388 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:49,960 So your motivation. Has to be something so strong 389 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,840 and significant. That it's able to hold the 390 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,760 purposes of Christ, the glory of God. 391 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:58,200 And that's what. Paul's saying he's like, man, 392 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:04,120 this Thanksgiving, this overflow is to what motivates me every 393 00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:07,000 single day and what motivates me to get through my. 394 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,040 Hardships, which is the glory of God. 395 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:14,440 So how do I fight? Discouragement. 396 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,680 Talk about Jesus Share the. Gospel. 397 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,280 Oh, but it gets better. Check this out. 398 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,320 Paul's going to go to another level here. 399 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,320 So he says all. That and then verse 16 hits and 400 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,680 then he goes there. For right, So he's about. 401 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,560 To connect everything we just learned. 402 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,680 With what's ahead of us because of all this. 403 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,640 Because it's a. Benefit because I have faith. 404 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:38,840 Because I know that this is bigger than me. 405 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,440 Because I know God's going to honor this. 406 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,320 Because of all this stuff, therefore we let's all say 407 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,120 together. Do not. 408 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:56,720 Lose here it is therefore. We do not lose heart, though. 409 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:00,360 Outwardly we're wasting away, yet inwardly we're being 410 00:22:00,360 --> 00:22:04,480 renewed. Day by day, I love that Paul 411 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:06,200 uses. This term, don't lose heart. 412 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,560 I started reading into it except like I. 413 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,680 Feel like I've heard. Lou, don't lose heart more than 414 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,080 once from the. Apostle Paul in Second 415 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,880 Corinthians. And a lot of his epistles. 416 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,760 But here's what's fascinating about this. 417 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:22,600 Because this is what we got to do. 418 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,080 Like what? We call like some word. 419 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,400 Studies so. Whenever you see this whole 420 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,520 term, don't lose heart and the Greek. 421 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:34,880 The word is ekekao. Which means to become weary and 422 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,680 faint, which makes sense. What? 423 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,480 Paul is saying. Is don't become weary or faint. 424 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,160 You know Jesus says this in John chapter 16 as well. 425 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:47,960 You see that Greek word ekekeo? But here's what's wild about 426 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:49,600 this. John does not use. 427 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:52,080 Ekekeo, he uses a. Different Greek. 428 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,800 Word. He uses enkekao right? 429 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,240 So he's trying to match both. Same word but different 430 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,680 definitions. It's like me saying he got 431 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:05,040 knocked out and then she's knocking at the door. 432 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:12,040 Same word, same spelling, but different means of defining. 433 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:14,920 And what? Paul is saying he's like, don't 434 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,880 lose heart. He's not saying do not become 435 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,840 faint and become tired. He uses Anka Kale. 436 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:27,680 This definition is crazy, what Anka Kale's saying and I'll put. 437 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:29,440 It up here don't lose heart means. 438 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:33,560 Abandoning oneself to cowardly surrender. 439 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:44,320 IE stop being a punk about it. Don't lose heart, he's saying. 440 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,680 Don't quit, he goes. When you quit, you're being a 441 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,920 coward. That means that you do not want 442 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,640 to take on what's difficult and hard. 443 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,320 You rather turn around with your tail between your legs and run 444 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:00,680 off instead of facing what's difficult in life. 445 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,440 And what Paul is saying, he was like Anki kill. 446 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,520 He's like man. Don't be a. 447 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:10,360 Coward and surrender right now. He's not saying don't be faint, 448 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:12,400 he's saying don't be a. Coward. 449 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:17,640 And run away. Take heart, your afflictions are 450 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,520 going to hit you. But take heart why? 451 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,080 He says. Why not be a coward? 452 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:24,960 Why don't surrender? Because. 453 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,640 Outwardly we're. Wasting away, but inwardly 454 00:24:28,120 --> 00:24:30,040 we're. Being renewed day by day. 455 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,680 What Paul does, he gives us 2. Reasons why not to lose heart in 456 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,720 these next couple of verses, he says hey, don't be a cow. 457 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:38,640 Don't. Don't cowardly. 458 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:40,160 Surrender. Don't don't run off. 459 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,200 I need you to fight. Through this Paul. 460 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,520 Could not abandon his calling. He's like I, I. 461 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,560 Can't just because things are hard, I I can't quit on this. 462 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:54,360 The message. Is too strong. 463 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:57,280 So what he does? Instead, instead of abandoning 464 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,960 his call to to move the gospel. Forward because life is 465 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:04,320 difficult. What he does instead is that he. 466 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,560 Looks at how God is. Going. 467 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,920 To strengthen him through it. He's trusting. 468 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,520 He would trust. Remember he started out with 469 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,400 Psalms 116 so. He's like because I believe. 470 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,200 I'm speaking. I'm trusting in God. 471 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:24,600 Remember, we just sang this. I'm trusting in God to 472 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:29,800 strengthen me through it. How does God strengthen me 473 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:31,040 through. This he gives us 2. 474 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,840 Ways number one is, is new mercies. 475 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,040 Daily. So I'm going to put down the. 476 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:41,200 Screen, there's two ways. Number one is new mercies and 477 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,520 then number. 2 is an eternal perspective. 478 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:49,760 New mercies and an. Eternal perspective. 479 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,600 Let's talk about new mercies real quickly. 480 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:56,680 Look what he says, right? He's like outwardly we're. 481 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,960 Wasting away but. Internally, when being renewed, 482 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:05,640 that word renewed is important because in lamentations he goes 483 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:07,160 man like. Your great is your. 484 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,880 Faithfulness because we get new mercies every day. 485 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,240 That means that regardless. Of what happened today, 486 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,040 tomorrow. Is a fresh start. 487 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:18,360 No matter how. Bad. 488 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:21,640 I jacked it up. Today, no matter how terrible I 489 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:25,200 feel today, no matter what happened to me today, I know 490 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:25,720 that. I could. 491 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,440 Cry out to God because He is faithful. 492 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,000 To be with me and I have a brand new day tomorrow. 493 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,760 And what Paul is referring to is like, listen. 494 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,560 Outwardly, yeah. I'm, I'm, I'm going. 495 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,640 I'm wasting away. There ain't nothing you could do 496 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:45,480 to restore. Me physically, outwardly. 497 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,960 I can't go back in time and become younger and not be hurt 498 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:55,320 as much, but inwardly I'm able to be renewed and restored every 499 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,960 single day. Through the grace of God. 500 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:02,440 And he's able to grow me more and more into his son, which we 501 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:06,280 call sanctification. And I'm able to do that on a 502 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:07,520 daily. Basis so. 503 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,840 No matter how bad I Jack it up today, tomorrow I get to try 504 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,080 again. God does not hold it over your. 505 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,760 Head but if I ask for. Forgiveness. 506 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,680 If I ask him for help, you know he's going to do. 507 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,800 He's going to help me. He's going to renew me, he's 508 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:30,920 going to restore me. We get new mercies every single 509 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:31,720 day. Praise. 510 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:39,360 God, that he does not hold grudges against our sin if we 511 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:41,840 ask him for forgiveness. He will. 512 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:46,040 Restore us and renew us then in verse 17. 513 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,760 We talk about eternal perspective. 514 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,520 Look what 17 says. This is pretty cool too, he 515 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,280 goes. For our light and momentary. 516 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:59,960 Troubles. Are achieving for us an eternal 517 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:03,280 glory that far outweighs them all. 518 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,880 What Paul is saying, he's like, I don't. 519 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:10,600 Just get new mercies every day. But because my eternal. 520 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:12,800 Perspective. That means that there's. 521 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:17,200 Something greater going on in this picture that I am 522 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,200 struggling with right now. So because there's something. 523 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:25,760 Greater because God is bigger. Than this because the gospel. 524 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,880 Message of Jesus Christ is. So much bigger than this. 525 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,920 The stuff that I'm struggling with right now, the pancake hits 526 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,840 the getting like. Lighted up the, the the. 527 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:40,760 Hardships. They're light, and momentarily. 528 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,160 You know, if you ever. Any weight. 529 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:49,320 Lifters in here. Ronnie Coleman when he would. 530 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,120 Work out I mean. Five time, Mr. Olympia. 531 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,280 He would always go to the bar. You know. 532 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:01,520 Super heavy and he would yell. Out 2 words Lightweight 533 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:07,120 lightweight baby. That's all you would do and then 534 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:09,160 he would power clean like 1000 lbs. 535 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,440 I'm like, what are you saying is right now what I'm about? 536 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:18,280 To lift it's light mentally. Even though I'm going to 537 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:19,760 struggle. Physically. 538 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:22,320 Where I'm at right now, I'm looking at it. 539 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:23,040 It's. Light and. 540 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:24,760 You know why it's light? Because. 541 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:29,320 It's momentary, it's not going to last forever, so. 542 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,920 Paul is saying man all these and then he uses. 543 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:36,080 The word troubles, I think, a. Better term would be 544 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:38,200 afflictions. The word. 545 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,000 Affliction in the Greek refers to an intense pressure. 546 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,240 So what he's saying is that these afflictions. 547 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:50,600 These short. Time frames of intense pressure 548 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,840 have nothing when I. Weigh it against God's glory. 549 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:01,240 It's easy, it's light work. And when we look at the span of 550 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:05,720 eternity, what I'm going through right now in these little measly 551 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:09,240 8090 years, me, I'm hundred. I'm, I'm aiming for, I'm, I want 552 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,080 to be a cent. I want to live a century. 553 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:14,760 That's nothing when you. Look at the span of eternity 554 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:16,240 guys. It is a. 555 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:17,920 Vapor it is. It is quick. 556 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:19,480 That's all Paul is saying. So he's. 557 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,280 Like man, our light momentary. Troubles are. 558 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,800 Achieving for us an eternal. Glory that far. 559 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,000 Outweighs them all, all right. So we got. 560 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:30,560 We got. To break down, this outweighs 561 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,160 them, right? I think a better translation. 562 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:38,160 Would be our weight of glory. So the stuff I'm going through. 563 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,880 It's going to feel light. And it's going to be quick when 564 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,160 I compare it to the weight in glory. 565 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:46,280 Now, what Paul's doing. Remember last week we talked 566 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:47,640 about how like Paul likes to mesh 2? 567 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,760 Words like bujiro, right? Like the So what, Paul? 568 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:52,520 Does he's that he meshes? A. 569 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:58,360 Greek and a Hebrew concept here. So what he's saying is that the 570 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,760 heaviness? Of God's glory. 571 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,800 Is not just heavy. But it's also great, so. 572 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:10,680 You want to talk about? Pressure of our. 573 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:13,560 Afflictions has nothing compared. 574 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,280 To the weight. And the greatness. 575 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:20,520 Of God's glory, See God's glory. Yes, it would weigh. 576 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:22,560 Down on us. It's God's glory. 577 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,320 There's nothing that. Could outweigh it, it's too 578 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,000 heavy. There's nothing that can lift, 579 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:30,000 there's nothing that could move. Or. 580 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,120 Press against God's glory. Because of the weight. 581 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:37,040 And the greatness of it, it's impossible. 582 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,680 So what Paul is saying, man, when I, when I look at this 583 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:44,080 compared to God's glory, it outweighs them all. 584 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:48,080 No matter how heavy my afflictions are, no matter how 585 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:52,000 difficult my troubles are, no matter what things have 586 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,840 happened, what people have done to me, the betrayals, the 587 00:31:55,840 --> 00:32:00,800 ugliness, the abuse, whatever is coming my way as I'm serving the 588 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,360 Lord, none of that. Outweighs His glory. 589 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:09,440 It actually runs against it. Because it's way too heavy. 590 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,440 And it's too great. You can't move. 591 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:19,960 And then Paul gives us. Another way. 592 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:25,600 How do I fight? Against discouragement, and this 593 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:30,680 is the Third Point right here, fix your eyes on Jesus. 594 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:38,240 Fix your eyes on Jesus. We see this in Hebrews. 12 but 595 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:42,440 Paul. Also says it here in verse 18. 596 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:46,000 So what do I do? Again, you mercies daily. 597 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,200 I have an eternal perspective now because I know that none of 598 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:53,040 this outweighs your glory and your greatness, man. 599 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:54,840 What do I do and how do I keep moving? 600 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:58,600 How do I fight discouragement? So we fix our eyes. 601 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:05,920 Not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen 602 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,600 is. Temporary, but what is? 603 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:13,520 Unseen is eternal. What Paul is saying is you need 604 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:17,600 to stop looking at the stuff. IE the stuff of the world. 605 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:23,760 Everything will fade away. Everything has a start and an 606 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:27,040 end date. Everything will one day expire. 607 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,960 So what we? Do instead of placing our 608 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:34,920 eyesight on the things that really don't carry the weight on 609 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:37,440 the things that can't. Outweigh God's glory. 610 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:42,080 We fix our eyes. On God's glory and his name is 611 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,440 Jesus. So in our afflictions and our 612 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,520 hard times, you fix your eyes on Christ. 613 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:53,600 And you pursue him because? Christ is not going to fade. 614 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:59,680 He's going to be. There forever he is why we're 615 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:03,160 able to do what we do regardless of our hard. 616 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:07,360 Times and our troubles so. You got to get your eyesight up. 617 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:11,639 You got to start. Looking at Christ, especially in 618 00:34:11,639 --> 00:34:15,880 these really difficult times that we're going through, and 619 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:19,040 there's three things that I think will. 620 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,120 Help us. To fix our eyes on. 621 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:23,920 Christ, if you fix. Your eyes on Christ. 622 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:28,320 Because what Paul is getting here is ministry, and what Paul 623 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:32,960 wants is an enduring ministry. Jesus talks about a faith that 624 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:34,440 lasts. Paul is. 625 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:37,000 Talking about a ministry. That lasts. 626 00:34:37,159 --> 00:34:39,080 How do I? Run with endurance. 627 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:42,440 How do I not lose heart and punk out because it gets too. 628 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:44,239 Hard. You got to look at. 629 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:46,679 Jesus and when you look at. Jesus, there's three. 630 00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:49,520 Things that actually happened. So I'm put those three things 631 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:51,639 up. So we have to look. 632 00:34:51,639 --> 00:34:55,760 Beyond some things, as Christians, as believers in 633 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,560 Christ, number one, got to look beyond the. 634 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:03,120 Physical to the spiritual. When things are going on 635 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:06,960 physically, we know that there's a spiritual component to it as 636 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:10,160 well, whether it's unrepentant sin. 637 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:14,320 Whether it's, it's just. Unforgiveness, whether it's 638 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,920 something that is weighing down on us and many times some of the 639 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,520 things that we're going through and some of the afflictions. 640 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:24,880 Take a physical. Toll on our bodies, do you know? 641 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:30,320 Stress stuff to your body. Stress could put. 642 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,760 You in a hospital. Unforgiveness. 643 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:36,320 Could do stuff to your body. There's a lot of things that 644 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:38,280 could happen to us. So we have to look. 645 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:42,120 Beyond the physical and go to the spiritual #2 we have to stop 646 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,680 looking at the present and start looking to the future. 647 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:46,920 And remember what discouragement. 648 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:49,040 Does right? Discouragement gives you like a. 649 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,360 Distaste for the present. And a distrust to the. 650 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:55,080 Future. But if we are not discouraged 651 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,320 and we're encouraged in the gospel in. 652 00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:01,200 Christ, we're able to look. Further to the future instead. 653 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,640 Of the. Present God has something 654 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:07,120 greater and something bigger. And then lastly we got to. 655 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:09,800 Look at what's visible. And we have to look. 656 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,560 Stop looking at what's visible. And look to what's invisible. 657 00:36:14,720 --> 00:36:16,640 We look at the. Things that we can't see. 658 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:20,960 That's what Paul says, and that requires faith. 659 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:30,840 Faith most of our afflictions, as we're serving the Lord, as we 660 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:36,240 keep getting hit, as we keep getting nailed sometimes. 661 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:41,400 We have to dig deep. Into our faith and say, Lord, I 662 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:46,080 don't know what's happening. Right now, but because I I 663 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,800 believe. I'm going to speak this some. 664 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,240 You need to speak up and say listen, I will not let. 665 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:59,480 What somebody did to me? Define my future because my God 666 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:03,800 is way bigger. Way bigger than what we believe. 667 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:05,200 In what we know and. What we think. 668 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:08,960 God wants to do something so much greater in our lives. 669 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:12,720 But I got to trust him. I got to trust him. 670 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:18,080 I've seen too much not. To be able to trust my God. 671 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:25,240 Paul recognized that the world only sees the outward, not the 672 00:37:25,240 --> 00:37:29,800 unseen, eternal things. It's funny, it's like the more 673 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,960 that I do this, the more that you pray and spend time with 674 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:37,040 God, the more you see this, not just in the life. 675 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:40,360 Of the church, but also. In the lives of my family and in 676 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:44,200 people where God has. Such a great purpose. 677 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:47,800 Something so much bigger that's happening. 678 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:52,360 Don't lose heart. Don't lose heart, just. 679 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:54,280 Keep going. Don't. 680 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:57,920 Don't be a coward. Don't crawl up into a little. 681 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:01,000 Ball man, some of y'all just need to get. 682 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,520 Off podcasts. And stop listening to these. 683 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,880 Psychological stuff, just. Get in the word. 684 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:12,400 For a second, stop going to. Like all these like like. 685 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,560 Listen, just get in God's Word sometimes. 686 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:18,560 Listen to what he's he's. Telling us. 687 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:21,000 Get around people who know the the word of the. 688 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:28,160 Lord, let let that feed your. Soul, you know, I know. 689 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:30,920 What some of y'all are thinking as we close here. 690 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:34,320 Well, Ricky, did y'all win versus Crowley? 691 00:38:37,240 --> 00:38:40,280 Actually, no. We got killed. 692 00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:44,160 You know what's funny? We lost like 38 to 10. 693 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:45,480 It was, it was bad. It was ugly. 694 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,640 What's even crazier is that my senior year of high school, we 695 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:52,120 didn't win one game. We went. 696 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:54,520 Oh, and 10 isn't. That great. 697 00:38:56,600 --> 00:39:00,600 It's awful, I. Had 35 players on varsity this 698 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,360 whole year going like four ways. It was awful. 699 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:05,800 But you know. What's crazy, though? 700 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:12,560 Me playing football in high school, it absolutely had no 701 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:15,080 weight on whether Rachel decided. 702 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:19,320 To marry me or not? It had no decision on the job. 703 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:22,280 That I applied for. And that the job that God gave 704 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:26,560 me. It had my winning or losing. 705 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:32,960 My losing season had nothing on the decisions that I made in my 706 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:34,920 life. But you know what that season 707 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,440 did, though, as difficult. As it was, there was. 708 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:41,080 Some things in that season that I learned, things that built my 709 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:43,840 character being. Able to go through hardships. 710 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:48,360 Getting through tough workouts, seeing everybody else quit and 711 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:51,400 leave because their friend lab, because they failed classes, 712 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:55,360 because they failed drug. Tests but but I was able to stay 713 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:59,880 there it. Taught me to go and and provide 714 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:01,920 for my family even though I don't feel. 715 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,200 Like it today? It. 716 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:06,640 Taught me to go to work even though my tummy hurts. 717 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:10,440 It toughened me up. And listen, there's some 718 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:14,320 afflictions in our lives that God is going to use that you 719 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:17,120 don't understand the outcome. You don't understand man. 720 00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:20,000 Like, why am I part of this losing team right now? 721 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:21,960 Why? Why am IA part of this losing 722 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:24,200 season? And God's like, listen, it's not 723 00:40:24,240 --> 00:40:28,000 that the end of the season is what I'm working on you right 724 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,280 now. Don't give up. 725 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:32,120 Let me. Shape your character. 726 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,560 Let me. Strengthen your faith, let me. 727 00:40:35,560 --> 00:40:40,040 Help you to get you. To the next season. 728 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:43,520 That I have for you. And for some of us following 729 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:47,120 Jesus, it's going to take some. Affliction so that. 730 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,400 Way we could see his. Complete work in our lives you. 731 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:50,640 Cannot give up. You cannot. 732 00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:52,080 Quit. You got to keep it going. 733 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:57,920 And as Paul says, don't. Lose heart. 734 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:02,800 There's somebody else that. Gives us a better. 735 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:11,520 Response, Paul says don't lose. Heart but John. 1633 Jesus says 736 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:18,360 take heart as you're. Serving the Lord and as. 737 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:20,960 Things just don't seem like it's easy. 738 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,720 Right now it's hard. As Paul says, don't lose heart. 739 00:41:23,720 --> 00:41:27,040 So if you don't lose heart, there's got to be an exchange. 740 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:29,080 Jesus says take heart. For. 741 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:33,960 I have overcome the world. Listen, your afflictions, the 742 00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:38,400 things that you're going through are not going to define you. 743 00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:41,040 They're not going to bury. You. 744 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:45,280 And they're not going to hold you back to the purposes and 745 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:49,320 plans that. God has set forward if you take 746 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:51,760 heart. Grab on. 747 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:53,800 Jesus says take heart, I've. Overcome the world. 748 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:55,880 All this stuff that's. Happening right now, the 749 00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:57,400 adversary. Is doing. 750 00:41:57,400 --> 00:41:58,240 For you. No, no, no. 751 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:01,920 I am over all of this right now. And what I'm going to do is I'm 752 00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:03,240 going to. Use it for your. 753 00:42:03,240 --> 00:42:07,680 Good because you love me and will strengthen your faith. 754 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:10,360 I'm going to use it to bring glory to my name, to bring 755 00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:13,400 people. Into a relationship with God 756 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:17,240 through grace. And it's going to be for your 757 00:42:17,240 --> 00:42:19,120 benefit and it's going to take. Your. 758 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:23,440 Discouragement, and it's going to change it into encouragement 759 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:26,000 and your discouragement. Instead of you falling. 760 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:29,320 Into an earthly discouragement Jesus by taking. 761 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:32,360 Heart and fix your eyes on him. He's going to turn it into an 762 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:34,680 earthly, I mean a heavenly obedience. 763 00:42:35,240 --> 00:42:36,760 And your life? Is going to never be the. 764 00:42:36,760 --> 00:42:38,000 Same. You're going to thrive, you're 765 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:40,760 going to see some great things because you're with Jesus, not 766 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:43,040 because of the outcome. The outcomes are with him, and 767 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:44,320 that's what. We need to do today.