1 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:04,320 Well, good morning, Crossing. Church, how are you doing? 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,720 So good to see you, is it? Good to be in the House of the. 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,200 Lord, is it good to be with the people of the Lord? 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:13,760 We live in a crazy world, don't we? 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,800 Can I get an Amen? For that, and this is one of the 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,760 least crazy places there is. In the world. 7 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:23,160 It's just like a base and freeze tag. 8 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,600 You know when everybody. 'S chasing you and trying to get 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,320 you. Here's a place that God has set 10 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:33,640 aside where we can. Take off the masks that we can. 11 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,440 Be ourselves that that God can do. 12 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,160 This wonderful work in us that we could never. 13 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:43,280 Do for ourselves. Alone and I'm just so thankful 14 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:45,720 for that and thankful to be with you and welcome all of our. 15 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:50,280 Campuses that are joining with us and we with you today all 16 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,200 over this region both. Inside and online as. 17 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,760 Well, so thankful. For each and every one of you. 18 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,320 So when I ask. You a question that you might 19 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:04,200 answer in a lot of different ways. 20 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:06,800 It was a. Question that. 21 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,680 Was posed to us. In music in the 1970s. 22 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,640 So like, I'm a 70s vintage guy when it comes to. 23 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,720 Music And here's a question Who are you? 24 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:24,080 You know The Who put out an album. 25 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,960 Called the title track. Who are you? 26 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:28,800 Everybody knows how. What happens after that? 27 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,760 What does it sound like? Yeah, everybody OK. 28 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,520 Yeah, I just wanted to know that there's still people my age 29 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,400 around. Yeah, OK. 30 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:45,000 Appreciate that SO. I'm asking you that question. 31 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,720 How would you? Answer that question would your 32 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:51,920 occupation. Provide the answer. 33 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,120 Your teacher, your construction. Worker your restaurant. 34 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,560 Server is that what? Defines who you are. 35 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:02,920 Maybe you wouldn't use that. Maybe you would use? 36 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,800 Like a relationship to answer the question, does a 37 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,960 relationship? Define you you might say who 38 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,720 you're married to, who your children are, what your parents 39 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,200 names are. I've noticed that sometimes in 40 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,120 my life I'm really not Jerry, I'm Allison's husband. 41 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,360 I'm my. Kids, Dad. 42 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,440 You know, we often define ourselves. 43 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,720 That way by our. Relationships or maybe by our 44 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,840 occupations. But is that really who we are? 45 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,760 And if if you were to look at yourself like it's a total 46 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:41,440 package, is what? Defines you today the same thing 47 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,280 that defines. You five years ago, or maybe 10 48 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,800 years ago. Think about the Holy Spirit. 49 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:51,520 I mean some of. You are are. 50 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,080 On the. Newer side of your faith, right? 51 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,360 And you might say something like this if you would have known. 52 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:00,320 Me a year ago. If you would have known. 53 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,440 Me two years ago you would have known a. 54 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,320 Completely different person than you would know. 55 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:09,080 Today, because my identity has completely changed. 56 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,400 Since I came into an intimate personal. 57 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,080 Relationship with Jesus Christ. You know that's what God is in 58 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:15,960 the business. Of. 59 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:22,120 Doing he changes our identity and it doesn't really happen. 60 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,880 Until we come into this like what I would call a crisis. 61 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:32,160 Of identity. And then we ask God the 62 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:36,880 question, Who am I? And then he starts. 63 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,920 Filling in the answer, he starts showing us the answer. 64 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,040 Now we're in a in a new. Series. 65 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,760 It's called Decisions. In the desert, walking with God, 66 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,720 in trial and in triumph. And it's. 67 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,440 Really. About the life. 68 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,920 And the. Experience of Moses and the 69 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,920 Children of Israel. Now, Moses. 70 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,080 Is a person. Who has had extreme conflicts in 71 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:05,560 understanding his identity and it happened. 72 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,640 Through the various stages of his life. 73 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,920 And then those conflicts in his life would redefine or affect. 74 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:16,279 His walk with God. And I have to. 75 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,880 Tell you that I personally relate. 76 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,000 To the narrative of Moses on a lot of. 77 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,320 Levels Let me, let me. Flesh that out for you. 78 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,320 I don't want to indulge myself too much, but. 79 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:33,360 It really will help you to. Understand where I'm coming from 80 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:38,720 talking about him, many of my friends and colleagues that are 81 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:44,640 in the same season of life as me as as we're kind of journeying 82 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,560 through ministry like particular ministry and the. 83 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:50,920 Word that describes this is being. 84 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,160 Thrown around quite a lot. Especially with those of us. 85 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,880 Who are on the tail end of the baby boomer generation in 86 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,160 ministry and navigating that along with local. 87 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,600 Leaders in churches in the word that's used is the word. 88 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:12,080 Transitioning and for many that walk in my. 89 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,000 Shoes it. Strikes fear into the heart. 90 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,840 That it all of. All that is unknown and all that 91 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:18,840 is. Unpredictable. 92 00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:23,840 That lies before us. One of my friends, Tim. 93 00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:28,320 Harlow, who just. Transitioned out of a ministry 94 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,440 in Orland Park, IL Chicago area church. 95 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,840 Just about our size. 7-8 thousand people on a weekend. 96 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:41,320 Live. Was doing a podcast and he. 97 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,680 Was giving his thoughts about this quote UN quote. 98 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,680 Transitioning from the church and. 99 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:50,440 That he had LED. With his family for over 30. 100 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,560 Years. And as he was sharing his 101 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,600 thoughts about. It he said this, he said that 102 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,200 for years he looked through the lens. 103 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,120 Of being the senior minister of that church. 104 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:08,840 But now he was coming to grips. With simply being a child of 105 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:15,160 God, that little phrase that he said. 106 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,280 There it hit me like a freight train. 107 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:19,160 I remember as soon. As I. 108 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:24,520 Her finished listening to that. I texted him and I said. 109 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,720 You just. Really messed with me and then I 110 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,040 called him and we had a conversation about it. 111 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:33,320 And we both have places that like the. 112 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:38,240 Ozarks and and we we met up and and we had dinner together. 113 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,400 The four of us had dinner. Together, and we talked. 114 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:48,000 About it even more because it it really, really digs down. 115 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:54,680 Into this reality because there's something. 116 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:59,840 Beneath this methodology of transitioning a deeper question 117 00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:03,640 that puts its roots down into my identity, particularly my 118 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:08,800 identity in Jesus Christ. Let me explain that my. 119 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,480 Story is a pretty. Common story, I think. 120 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,880 I don't think. It's very rare. 121 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:18,360 Strange, like my testimony is a pretty common testimony. 122 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:22,360 I was brought up in a Christian home to be a Christian. 123 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,640 And the. Description of my spiritual 124 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:30,480 walk. I think honestly as I moved into 125 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,320 my teenage years would be a nominal. 126 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,000 Like I was, I was a. Christian when it fit. 127 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,080 I was a Christian. When you know, when it was 128 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,640 comfortable, When I was less comfortable, maybe I was kind of 129 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:48,360 pushing out on boundaries, but when I. 130 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,600 Experienced God's call. On my life and that happened 131 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,880 when I was 20 years. Old I let go of that secular. 132 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,840 Path that I was on and I dedicated myself to following 133 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,680 Jesus Christ in full time ministry and I have to tell. 134 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,920 You that the space. Between that call and doing 135 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:11,920 ministry was two weeks long. I was getting ready for my third 136 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,080 year at Indiana. University as a business major. 137 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:15,880 God. Called me in a. 138 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,120 Ministry. Two weeks ago, I was I was 139 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,920 driving to a Bible. College 10 hours away that I've 140 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:22,080 never. Been to before. 141 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:28,320 No one I knew and everything changed it all. 142 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:32,880 Changed just that quick. My life. 143 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,559 Was reshaped. Completely reshaped. 144 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,559 Around that decision, it affected who I married. 145 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,720 How we chose to raise our children where we lived. 146 00:08:43,159 --> 00:08:45,320 How we used our time, the friends. 147 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,760 That we had. How much income we made, it 148 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:53,440 affected literally everything, Allison and I. 149 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,560 Discovered that our gifts were suited to both. 150 00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:00,520 Serve and to lead in ministry and it felt like a. 151 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:05,880 Perfect fit for us. So from that time until today 152 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:10,000 that. Is how I understood. 153 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:17,000 My identity in Christ, are you following me? 154 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:24,280 It came from leading and growing to church, loving and 155 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,840 ministering to her. People forsaking. 156 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:28,200 The things of this. World. 157 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,440 Filling up the Kingdom of. As God's lost. 158 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:35,800 Children were finding their way home and Alice and I have done 159 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,320 that. For about 45. 160 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:44,760 Years and then this word transition became real. 161 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,880 For us. Now Alice and I approached. 162 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:51,280 This like we've approached try to approach. 163 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:55,920 Everything in ministry with a method that honors God, inspires 164 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,000 and protects. People and we trusted that God 165 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,640 had always provided a plan for our lives and would continue to 166 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:04,760 provide that. Direction. 167 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,080 The elements of transition in our context. 168 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,720 They actually worked out very good, which by the way is very 169 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,480 rare. In ministry. 170 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,360 We had a great successor, an incredible successor. 171 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,240 In Clayton Hensel. Can I get an Amen for that? 172 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,000 I remember when I announced it 2 1/2. 173 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,960 Years ago it was. On Thanksgiving weekend and. 174 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,360 Every service. He got a standing ovation. 175 00:10:35,560 --> 00:10:41,320 Wow. And he's done an incredible job. 176 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:46,280 The leadership of the church, the eldership, and by the way. 177 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:51,240 Something that many of us may not know, but I do know is that 178 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,360 we have an extremely rare eldership in our church. 179 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:56,960 Those leaders are. Some of the most. 180 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:00,240 Selfish God. Honoring men I've ever met or 181 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:05,760 known in my life and God honors this church on account of their 182 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:10,120 walk and they unified around him. 183 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,080 The congregation felt and continues to feel comfortable. 184 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,720 All the church metrics, even coming out of COVID were up and 185 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,160 to the right. The church went out of their way 186 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,640 to honor us and me and my family. 187 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:23,600 And it was. Just perfect. 188 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:31,320 However, God worked to peel. Back layers in my heart, in our 189 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,680 hearts. To help us. 190 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:37,440 Discover something more profound that was. 191 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:41,880 Communicated through the words. Of my friend when he said he was 192 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:43,440 just trying to be a child of God. 193 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,920 Those words. Haunted me and it forced me to 194 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,120 ask myself if I really knew what it meant. 195 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:54,680 That's what I told Tim. I go. 196 00:11:54,680 --> 00:11:57,080 I don't know if I really knows what know what it means. 197 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:06,000 To be a child of God. Who am I when, as Matt Redmond 198 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,240 wrote in the song, the. Heart of worship. 199 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:15,440 When the music fades and all is stripped away and I simply come 200 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,360 wanting just to bring something that's of. 201 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,760 Worth. That will bless your heart. 202 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:29,680 What is a child of God? Now, if you would have, if you 203 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:30,920 would have come up to me and said. 204 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,160 Jerry, are you a child of God? What do you think I would have 205 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:35,400 said? Well, of course I am. 206 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:38,480 Of course I'm a. Child of God, what are you? 207 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:43,240 What are you talking? About but I had. 208 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:47,480 Defined it internally through all the things I was doing in 209 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:52,280 serving and leading the church. I understood it in what I 210 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,560 considered were the most effective use of my. 211 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:57,360 Gifts. But what happens when all the 212 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:58,800 titles? Are transferred. 213 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:03,560 What happens when the gift? Set is looking for a place to be 214 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:06,640 plugged. In, how can I be a? 215 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,040 Child of God. Without all of the things that 216 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,000 I've used. To define. 217 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,800 Me as one. You know what? 218 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:15,680 I think. I think some of. 219 00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:17,800 You are. Asking the same question in your 220 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:19,040 context of. Life. 221 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:23,200 What happens when all those things that I find comfortable 222 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,360 identifying myself as, that kind of connects? 223 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,480 To the idea of a child of God. It it, it, it goes away, what 224 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:34,400 happens? Then my. 225 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,960 Wife and I began exploring it together and. 226 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,720 Just those 3 little words, child of God. 227 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:46,920 Became deeply profound to me because it defines who I am. 228 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,520 What am I in that phrase? I'm a child. 229 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:58,240 Right. Who is my? 230 00:13:58,240 --> 00:13:59,400 What? What is my spiritual 231 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:05,920 relationship in that phrase? Well, I'm his child. 232 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,200 I'm not just a child of God, I'm his child. 233 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:14,640 That's who God is. To me, that's the nature. 234 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,360 Of our relationship now let me tell you. 235 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,880 What that teaches me, and I'm going to get to Moses. 236 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,040 Hang on. Because we're talking about his 237 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:24,360 birth. OK, so. 238 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:29,600 This is this will connect. First of all, when I say child 239 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:33,400 of God, it leaves. Absolutely no space for me to be 240 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,800 proud of myself. Or to. 241 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,960 Feel like I've earned or deserve anything. 242 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,200 Is there any space for a little? Child an infant. 243 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,520 Child to be proud. Of him or herself. 244 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:51,320 Or to feel like they have. Earned anything what God does 245 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,880 when he defines me as a. Child is telling. 246 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,000 Me what my level of expectation is? 247 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,920 The expectation is what? It's low. 248 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:11,680 Some of you are like well. I'd like to think that I'm more 249 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,000 mature than that. Not me. 250 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:19,320 I love the idea that the expert expectations are low. 251 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,080 When it comes to an almighty perfect God, can I get an Amen 252 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,480 for? That I love that I mean, God 253 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,480 looks at me and he's. Kind of bless your. 254 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:34,680 Heart. Pat me on the head, right? 255 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:36,320 I'm like. I'll take that. 256 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,840 I will take. That secondly, it means that I 257 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:43,840 have been undeservedly blessed by having the universe. 258 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,760 'S best father. There isn't a better father than 259 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,280 God. Almighty. 260 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:54,600 A perfect father, Perfect. In all his ways and when I think 261 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,480 about First Corinthians 13. A passage of scripture that we 262 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:00,400 often. Use in weddings, right? 263 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,520 If I. Speak in the tongues of men and 264 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,760 angels and have not love. I'm a resounding God, right? 265 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,520 And then it goes. Into these like definitions 266 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:09,280 about. Love. 267 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,360 Love is patient. Love is kind. 268 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,720 It doesn't. Seek itself, right It keeps. 269 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:16,680 No record of wrongs. There's all these beautiful 270 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,640 things. It also defines God. 271 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:25,360 To me, because God is the. Perfect embodiment of. 272 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,560 Love, right? So when God looks at me, when 273 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:29,640 God. Looks at you. 274 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,360 He's you can. Realize that God with. 275 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,360 You is patient. God with you is. 276 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:39,440 Kind God with you does not seek his own. 277 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:45,280 Selfish desires God with you that keeps no record of. 278 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:49,280 Wrongs it, hopes all things, believes all things. 279 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,440 Right. It never fails. 280 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,560 It never God. Never fails. 281 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,040 He believes the best in you. This is your upper story with. 282 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:03,000 God and that nature, the nature. Of our relationship was birthed 283 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,960 through the blood of Christ, so this is where it. 284 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,240 Begins. This is the bedrock. 285 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:09,720 Of my identity. Listen to me. 286 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,040 This is the bedrock. Of your identity. 287 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:21,440 If you're a believer, simply a child of God, whatever God 288 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,040 chooses. To put on top. 289 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,640 Of that, whatever gifts. Talents. 290 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,920 Abilities that he blesses you with with that whatever 291 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:35,600 opportunities, relationships. He invites you into all of those 292 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:37,960 things. Or just icing on the cake. 293 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:44,720 To who you actually are, I think all of us together need to have 294 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:53,040 a collective sigh of relief. So now let me talk about Moses. 295 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,480 The story of Moses is in the book of Exodus, starts in Exodus 296 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,920 2. But if we're talking about the. 297 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,200 Birth of Moses. A better scripture to. 298 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:09,840 Begin would be in Hebrews 11 and the 20. 299 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,120 Third verse because it fleshes out. 300 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:14,560 Some of the nuances of his. Life and it, really. 301 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:18,520 Isn't talking so much about Moses as is talking about his 302 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:20,640 parents. Their names were Amram and 303 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:24,240 Jochebed. This is what it. 304 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:32,480 Says by faith Moses parents hid him for three months after he 305 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,120 was born. Because they saw he. 306 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:38,160 Was no ordinary child, and they were not. 307 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,920 Afraid of the. King's edict. 308 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:43,960 I'll get into this later, but the. 309 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,000 King's edict was that. There was too much Hebrew 310 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,520 overpopulation in Egypt, and of course they. 311 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:53,120 Were utilizing the Hebrews had for years as. 312 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:57,920 Slaves and. They decided to kill. 313 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,880 All the male children that were being born and Moses was one of 314 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:05,200 those children that was born in or so it was an infanticide is 315 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,720 what it was in order. To stop the. 316 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:16,880 Overpopulation of these Hebrews. But if you take that verse 317 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,240 apart, this is what I see. He's only three months. 318 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,680 Old So what? Has Moses shown you about 319 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:23,440 himself? Like. 320 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,760 I'm three months. I'm three months old. 321 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:33,040 You know nothing. What he what? 322 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,960 You know. His parents saw that he was. 323 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:38,680 No ordinary child. Now that sounds a. 324 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,000 Little arrogant or prideful? Unless you're a parent. 325 00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:45,480 Because that's the way all parents are, right? 326 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:47,200 Oh, they've. Been a lot of nice looking 327 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:48,040 babies. But. 328 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:52,040 This one mine. Come on now. 329 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:58,720 Or that's my grandson, that's my granddaughter, that's my child. 330 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,200 Now that is the most beautiful baby I've ever seen. 331 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,040 Isn't that the way it is? When it comes to our own 332 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:09,280 children. So why shouldn't it be that way 333 00:20:10,360 --> 00:20:13,760 when it comes to how God? Feels about his children. 334 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:20,200 And you if you've come into an intimate personal. 335 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,440 Relationship with Jesus Christ are. 1. 336 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,280 Of his children. Means a. 337 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:36,240 Lot to be a child of God. Moses really wasn't an ordinary 338 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,400 child because. God had established a. 339 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:44,360 Plan for his life and that plan for Moses life would be. 340 00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:46,600 That he would deliver the people of Israel out of their. 341 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:47,960 Bondage. Of. 342 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:53,040 Over 400 years and there was no one, including Moses parents who 343 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:56,880 could have known that. Only God would have known that 344 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:03,800 when God created Moses in the womb of his mother, he placed in 345 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,120 him. All of the raw material that was 346 00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:13,320 needed to be exactly what. God intended for him to be. 347 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:19,760 God had a. Chosen identity for Moses. 348 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,080 And a specific. Plan for his life. 349 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,160 But it was up. To Moses to come into a 350 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,840 relationship with. God so that God could release 351 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,920 the potential of his life. Into the world. 352 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:36,560 Why is that important? Because. 353 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:43,440 God has a plan. For your life and we don't get. 354 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,040 To punt. And say, well, yeah, God. 355 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,440 Has a general plan for the. Life of. 356 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:52,760 All of us in humanity. What the Bible teaches us that 357 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:59,040 is that God has a specific. Plan for your life. 358 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,720 I mean, it's obvious. From example that God. 359 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:07,240 Had a. Specific plan for Moses's. 360 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:12,920 Life, but when God created you. In your mother's womb, listen to 361 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,400 me. He put all the raw material 362 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:16,160 there. Is. 363 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:21,160 Needed for you to accomplish what He has prepared for you. 364 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:26,160 It's already there. It was there the before you were 365 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,680 born. How do I know that Ephesians 366 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,640 210? The Apostle Paul teaches me this 367 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:37,640 for. We are His workmanship, created 368 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:41,360 in Christ. Jesus to do good works, listen 369 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,320 Which? God prepared in advance. 370 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:55,360 For us to do that's specific. That means that God has a 371 00:22:55,360 --> 00:22:56,720 specific. Plan for your. 372 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,320 Life and David the. King and the Prophet. 373 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:03,360 Knew this as well. In Psalm 139, when he said this 374 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:05,960 about himself. He said all of the days. 375 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,920 Ordained for me. Were written in your book 376 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:12,480 before. One of them came to be. 377 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:18,680 God knows His plan for you, and He wants you to experience those 378 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,800 plans. That's his upper story. 379 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,600 Plan but. There is a big. 380 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:29,320 Problem. And the big problem is you me. 381 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:32,760 Why? Well, because I have my own. 382 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,160 I've got my own plans. I've got my own. 383 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,560 Hopes I I. Have my own dreams. 384 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,320 I want things on my own terms. Guess who else? 385 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:49,280 Was like that, that little baby. Moses, Moses. 386 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,960 Life can be broken. Down into. 340 year periods. 387 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:57,400 First 40 years. Is from his birth until the time 388 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,360 he killed an Egyptian, he murdered an Egyptian. 389 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,400 The 2nd 40 years is marked. From that time that. 390 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:08,000 He murdered the Egyptian. And ran away in the Midian. 391 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:12,080 Until he was. On his knees at the burning. 392 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,080 Bush. He was 80. 393 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:17,880 When that happened and the third component of his. 394 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,200 Life. Was when he went from the 395 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:22,280 burning Bush. To Egypt and told. 396 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,640 Pharaoh, let my. People go the plagues. 397 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,480 And then leading the nation of. Israel out of. 398 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:33,040 Bondage into freedom. Until he died. 399 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:39,600 At 120 now, our journey begins with him in Exodus. 400 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,480 Two, I've already told you that Pharaoh was. 401 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:45,840 Killing all the male. Hebrew babies because he feared 402 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:50,920 Hebrew population. Moses should have been killed in 403 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,320 that experience, that thing that happened, and he. 404 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:58,040 Escaped death because his. Mother and his father. 405 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,640 And you? Recall this from Hebrews 11 did 406 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:02,240 not fear the King's. Edict. 407 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:07,320 They had courage. Knew that he was no ordinary 408 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:11,480 child and she made a. Tar covered basket out of reeds 409 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:15,880 placed her precious. Moses in it and sent him down 410 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:19,520 the Nile River. Moms. 411 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:33,240 Who would do that? I mean, I, I understand that you 412 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:34,760 know you're in a time of. Crisis. 413 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:38,920 But how hard would it be to actually place your baby? 414 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:42,960 In a basket. Nile rivers, not a small river. 415 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,960 I mean, Jochebed was. Obviously a woman of. 416 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,360 Incredible faith in God to believe that God. 417 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:58,560 Would be able to manage that. Pharaoh's daughter. 418 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:02,480 Found him as she was bathing in the Nile and called him Moses. 419 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:05,440 That's where he got his name because it means to be drawn out 420 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,400 of the water. See Moses Life. 421 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,520 Was being shaped already by God's. 422 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:17,480 Plan and he grew up in the. Palace of the King of Egypt, God 423 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:20,000 provided. Moses listen with his own mother 424 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:25,040 to nurse him, raise him and teach him as a youngster and yet 425 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,520 when he became of age, knowing that his lineage. 426 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,320 Was Hebrew. He became zealous for that 427 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:37,320 heritage in his first. 40 years Moses was trying to establish 428 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:41,760 his own. Identity and by the way, that. 429 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,560 Experiment crashed and burned, and that's what ended. 430 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:48,440 The 1st 40 years. Of his 120 year life. 431 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,240 Even though God. Had a plan. 432 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,120 For his life, he was really. More interested in his own plan 433 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:58,080 and we see the same tendencies in. 434 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,680 Ourselves, that Moses did we try to establish. 435 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:05,720 Our own identity in my. Case I was. 436 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,880 Following my own plan when God called me into ministry. 437 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:13,960 In fact, as Allison and I were reflecting on this. 438 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,640 A couple of weeks ago, he had already called. 439 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:18,400 Me into many things. And you know what? 440 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,520 God has already called. You into many things. 441 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:28,040 God called me to be a. Son. 442 00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:33,160 He when he gave. Me, a mother and a father. 443 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:39,160 He called me to be a. Son, how was I? 444 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,680 Doing in that calling. And I was actually. 445 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,840 Asking Allison that question, what kind of a dad, what kind of 446 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:49,160 a son was I to my mom and dad, both of my my mother and father 447 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,480 I've gone to. Glory, but just evaluating. 448 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:57,840 That was IA good son. Was I there for them when they 449 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,200 when they were in need? How did I do? 450 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,240 As a son. He also called me as a brother. 451 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:06,880 I was the last of six kids. I had four sisters. 452 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,880 And a brother and. So how did I do? 453 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,320 With my siblings the. The people that I, I grew up 454 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:15,840 with, you know, the Bible says that. 455 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,480 A person who doesn't provide for his family especially. 456 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,160 His immediate family is. Worse than an unbeliever? 457 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:24,720 It's a calling. I was called to be a son. 458 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,280 I was called to be a brother from the day I was born. 459 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,640 Then he called. Me to be a. 460 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,040 Husband when I chose to marry my wife. 461 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:35,400 Then he called. Me as a father, when we had. 462 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,680 Children. I was all of. 463 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:43,560 Those things. Those were all. 464 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:47,600 Callings being a husband and a. Father happened under the. 465 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:52,760 Umbrella of my ministerial. Calling but I I was. 466 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,600 Learning that that. Calling was wider than just what 467 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:57,920 I was. Doing for a living? 468 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,680 Do you understand? What I was doing in ministry. 469 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,000 See one thing I learned about ministry over all? 470 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,160 Those 45 years. Is that sometimes the God-given 471 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,960 relationships can go on a back burner. 472 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,000 Because there is. All these ministry needs 473 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,640 transition took some things out of our hands. 474 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,320 But there was still plenty there. 475 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,320 When God called. Moses to deliver Israel. 476 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:33,200 He was already a. Son he was. 477 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,160 Already a brother, he was already a husband and he was 478 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:41,960 already a father at the calling that. 479 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,400 Happened at the burning Bush when he was 80. 480 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:50,000 Moses has given all. These excuses to God, he's like. 481 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:52,600 I mean, he has been whittled down. 482 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:54,400 We're going to go into. This next week, but. 483 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:56,480 He was. He had been whittled down. 484 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:00,040 Because all his pride. And all of his arrogance and all 485 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,480 the things that. That that he was using to. 486 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:07,400 Shape his own identity. Had been stripped away and he's 487 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,480 given God all these. Excuses like I'm. 488 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:13,080 Slow of speech. Slow of tongue, he, I mean he 489 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,240 finally, you know. When he says that to God, you 490 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,280 know what God? Says back to him when he says 491 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,200 I'm slow of. Speech, God says. 492 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:22,440 Who made your mouth? I mean, he literally says that 493 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:26,680 to him. Like I know what I put inside 494 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:28,760 you. I know the raw material that's 495 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:30,320 in there. You have everything you need 496 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:33,040 right now. But he didn't think so. 497 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:41,760 And then he says this at the burning Bush. 498 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:44,600 He says to Moses. What is that? 499 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:50,480 In your hand. Do you know what that was? 500 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:56,080 It was a shepherd's staff. Because for the last 40 years 501 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:57,880 Moses has been a shepherd, right? 502 00:30:58,160 --> 00:30:59,720 What is that? In your hand. 503 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,160 What's a shepherd's staff? OK. 504 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:06,520 Throw it down on onto the sand. So Moses. 505 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:10,720 Throws Shepherd's staff. Down onto the sand and what 506 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:14,440 happens? It becomes a snake. 507 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,000 Then God tells him to pick the. Snake up by the tail. 508 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:26,360 Anybody see a red flag? There, you don't. 509 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:28,400 Ever. Pick a snake up by the tail. 510 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,160 It's the opposite of what you're supposed to do. 511 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:33,960 And yet God told him so when he picks it up by the. 512 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,240 Tape because you know you want to get right behind the head, 513 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:39,680 right? He picks it up by the. 514 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,520 Tail becomes the staff again. You know God. 515 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:45,760 Does a lot with that staff, that staff. 516 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,600 In Moses his hand. Touches the red the. 517 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:54,000 The Nile River and what happens? Everything turns to blood, 518 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,080 right? God has that staff. 519 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,800 In Moses his hand. And he stretches it out. 520 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:07,440 Over the Red Sea and what does it do One of my. 521 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:11,320 Wife's favorite? Songs ever is an old old hymn 522 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:16,880 called Little as Much, and the words are little as much. 523 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:21,240 If God is in it, labor not. For wealth or. 524 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,120 Fame. There's a crown and you can win 525 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:29,800 it if you go in Jesus name. It was just a. 526 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:34,600 Stick in this man's hand. But it's not just a stick. 527 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:40,160 If God placed. It there in your hand so I want 528 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,200 to give you 3. Ways that you can. 529 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:47,360 Kind of live this out. Things that I'm learning right 530 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,920 now that. You can use to live this out. 531 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,040 OK. What I'd like for you to do is 532 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:55,760 I'd like for you to ask. Yourself. 533 00:32:55,760 --> 00:33:01,240 The question that God asks Moses what is that in my hand? 534 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:04,080 What are the things that God. I mean, there's a lot of. 535 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:06,320 Things right now that. You're regretting you're. 536 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:08,760 Thinking about, man, I had this opportunity. 537 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:11,640 I had that opportunity. I was in this relationship and 538 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,320 I've blown all this stuff, made all this mess up. 539 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:17,760 You're no different than Moses. He had messed everything up too, 540 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:19,800 right? But Moses is. 541 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:21,400 Asked by God. What is that in your hand? 542 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,560 I'm asking you what is in your hand right now? 543 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:29,160 Whatever God has placed in. Your hand right now. 544 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:35,520 You should do your very best to honor God through it. 545 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:38,560 These are things that God. Has not released you. 546 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:43,160 From you need to. Be the best steward of what you 547 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,400 have before you start asking God to. 548 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,840 Fill your hand with new things. See, a lot of us, we kind of. 549 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:53,960 Tend to want to neglect those. Things and say, well God, I need 550 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:56,160 you to. Call me to something cooler. 551 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:59,920 Call me to something. Sexier and God. 552 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:02,600 Is going hold on, What is that in your hand? 553 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:08,600 Be faithful in the little things, he says, and then I will 554 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:10,320 give you. Greater things. 555 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:12,920 Number one. Number two. 556 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:18,840 Look where God is working. And go and join him there. 557 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:21,600 I don't know what. It is about us. 558 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:23,960 As human beings, it. Seems like we're always still. 559 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:25,719 Trying to earn something from God. 560 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:27,880 We're still trying to deserve something from God. 561 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:31,320 Because we keep forgetting that we're a child of God. 562 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,840 And that's the. Bedrock of our identity. 563 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,679 What we have to do is look where God is working. 564 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:44,719 And go and join him there. If you're if you want to. 565 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:46,360 If you want to put something on X. 566 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:51,520 This is it ready. Proximity to God is more 567 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,679 important than productivity for God. 568 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:03,080 Proximity to God is more important than productivity for 569 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:05,600 God. And I guarantee you if you're in 570 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:06,640 proximity. To. 571 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:09,360 God, he'll make you. Productive, but it is. 572 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:13,880 About being with him. 1st. And the other things will happen 573 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,760 because. At the basis of who you are. 574 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:20,120 That he intended and he designed you. 575 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:28,120 To be you're a child of God. And finally understand that the. 576 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,640 Same God who has. Been. 577 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:40,880 Faithful will be faithful. He will continue. 578 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,880 To call you to new. Things even if. 579 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:48,720 You have to set aside old. Ones. 580 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:58,760 Look. Up look to him because he knows 581 00:35:58,760 --> 00:35:59,640 what is. Best. 582 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:04,680 For you, we're moving to a time of decision. 583 00:36:10,770 --> 00:36:11,970 Let me ask. You a question. 584 00:36:11,970 --> 00:36:14,370 Is the best thing that you could do right now. 585 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:20,680 To get your life. Straightened out, I bet some of 586 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,400 you. Just reacted to that. 587 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,720 By going well of. Course the best thing that I. 588 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:31,240 Could do right now is to get my life straightened out. 589 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:36,680 If that's what you. Think you completely missed 590 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:41,120 everything I just preached. Because the best. 591 00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:43,200 Thing that could happen to you right now. 592 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:47,840 Is that you would draw closer to your heavenly Father through 593 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:52,200 Jesus Christ because proximity is. 594 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:54,000 More important than? Productivity. 595 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:57,560 He'll take care of the productivity because he knows 596 00:36:57,560 --> 00:36:58,240 the. Plan. 597 00:36:59,160 --> 00:37:01,600 You may not even have a clue of what God's plan is. 598 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:04,120 You may not have. A clue of how God. 599 00:37:04,240 --> 00:37:06,240 Intended to implement your. Gifts. 600 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,440 Into your life. Integrate them into your life 601 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:11,680 and into the world around. You may not have any idea of 602 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:14,480 that, and you're never going to know that as long as you're 603 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:17,000 trying to write your own. Story So if you're trying to 604 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:18,840 take control of your life and say. 605 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:21,360 I'm going to get. All this fixed and if I get all 606 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:23,160 this fixed. Well then maybe I'll be a. 607 00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:25,560 Usable tool. In the hand of God. 608 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:34,830 You've got it A. 180° wrong. What you. 609 00:37:34,830 --> 00:37:41,560 Do what I do is we come to God. The same way that Matt Redman 610 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:46,800 said it in that song, when the music fades and all is stripped 611 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:51,200 away and I simply come longing just to bring something that's 612 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:54,280 of. Worth that'll bless your the 613 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:58,680 heart of worship. Is to understand yourself as a. 614 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:06,520 Child of God to exhale. And relax into the. 615 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:14,000 Reality of that? And then just look for him, and 616 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:19,680 when you see him, run to him. Some of you here. 617 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,360 Have never come in to an intimate. 618 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:24,000 Personal relationship with Jesus. 619 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:29,680 Christ, you're still trying to impress God or impress the 620 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:35,200 people around you or impress yourself, and there needs to 621 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:38,240 come a time. And hopefully it won't take 40 622 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:39,640 years like it did. For Moses. 623 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:48,880 Because it took him 40 years to figure that out and just say I. 624 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:55,560 Surrender maybe? Some of you today will go over 625 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:58,080 by that baptistery. There'll be somebody over there. 626 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:00,800 And say I. Just I. 627 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:02,760 Just want to submit. Myself to the Lord I. 628 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:07,720 Just want to draw near to the Lord, you know, Maybe somebody. 629 00:39:07,720 --> 00:39:09,720 Today will be. Baptized in that water. 630 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:11,680 You talk about. Proximity. 631 00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:16,600 When you go down in that water, do you know what you're doing? 632 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:26,000 You're uniting with his son. Jesus Christ, in his death his. 633 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:30,440 Burial and his resurrection. That's what the Apostle Paul 634 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:33,800 said in. Romans chapter 6 that as you go 635 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:35,880 down in that water, you're dying with Christ. 636 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,200 You're being buried with Christ. You're being raised to. 637 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:42,760 Walk in newness of life. You know what that is for a non 638 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:47,440 believer, for a non Christian in this room or online. 639 00:39:48,720 --> 00:39:53,520 It is the closest you will ever. Get in proximity to Jesus 640 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:58,040 because you're you not. It's like a time machine. 641 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:00,440 It's like you're going back 2. 1000. 642 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:04,360 Years to the very moment. That he paid your price and set 643 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:07,760 you free. For some of us. 644 00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:10,040 Who are already believers that proximity. 645 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:11,920 Is going to happen a little bit later in the service. 646 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:16,200 When we take communion, we remember the body and the. 647 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:20,560 Blood of the Lord who paid our price. 648 00:40:21,240 --> 00:40:26,160 So we have an opportunity to remember him and to join with 649 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:27,640 him. That's proximity. 650 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:34,040 That's where he's at. If you've never made that 651 00:40:34,280 --> 00:40:38,800 decision, go over there and talk to someone and pray with some 652 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:43,320 share with someone. God will do something amazing 653 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:46,560 that you could never have done. And then there's many of. 654 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,520 Us here today. We are believers in Christ like. 655 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:52,520 I would have told you if you would ask me, are you a child of 656 00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:54,000 God? I would say, yeah, I'm a child 657 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:59,600 of God. But I'm sometimes burdened with 658 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:04,600 a head full of bad wiring. I still think I. 659 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:08,520 I have to earn it. I still think that I have to. 660 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:11,200 Be worthy in some way. I I still think that. 661 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:13,840 Even though God might pay 70% of the. 662 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:23,270 Bill, I still need to pay. 30% of it, you know what I mean, and 663 00:41:23,270 --> 00:41:30,910 I just need to come to him and recognize what he's telling me. 664 00:41:32,990 --> 00:41:36,710 This is who you are, Jerry, just who you are, brother and sister. 665 00:41:38,590 --> 00:41:40,910 Lay it down. Would you? 666 00:41:40,910 --> 00:41:43,670 Stand with me. These steps are open. 667 00:41:44,310 --> 00:41:47,030 For you to come forward, get down on. 668 00:41:47,030 --> 00:41:47,990 Your knees. And tell. 669 00:41:47,990 --> 00:41:50,790 The Lord I. Present myself to you. 670 00:41:51,350 --> 00:41:52,550 As nothing. More. 671 00:41:54,070 --> 00:41:58,190 Or nothing less. Than a child of God pray with me 672 00:41:58,190 --> 00:41:58,950 heavenly. Father in. 673 00:41:58,990 --> 00:42:01,790 Jesus name please take these next. 674 00:42:01,790 --> 00:42:04,630 Moments. I know your Holy Spirit is here. 675 00:42:04,830 --> 00:42:06,430 I know your angels are protecting. 676 00:42:06,430 --> 00:42:11,270 The space and I, I just pray in this place of peace. 677 00:42:11,550 --> 00:42:15,430 That is overseen by the Prince of Peace, that your peace would 678 00:42:15,430 --> 00:42:18,910 rule in our hearts. As we set aside. 679 00:42:19,070 --> 00:42:22,990 The turmoil as we set aside, the confusion as we. 680 00:42:23,230 --> 00:42:25,910 Set aside the. Complexity of all the things 681 00:42:25,910 --> 00:42:27,710 that we. Think are so important and 682 00:42:27,710 --> 00:42:31,150 simply be. Who you have? 683 00:42:31,150 --> 00:42:37,230 Called us to be your children. In Jesus. 684 00:42:37,230 --> 00:42:39,150 Name. Amen.