1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,320 Well, today I'm going to open with a couple of scriptures I 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:03,960 actually shared on Wednesday night. 3 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:06,480 Typically if I'm reviewing something, it'll be from the 4 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,880 past Sunday, but I'll be picking up with some scriptures from 5 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,520 Wednesday night going a little different directions. 6 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,600 So it won't matter that you missed Wednesday night. 7 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:16,520 Although if you want to enlarge a little bit on your 8 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,080 understanding, you could go to that on YouTube as well. 9 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,680 But here in the book of Hebrews Chapter 7 it says this. 10 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:29,160 But he Speaking of Jesus Christ, because he continues forever, 11 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:34,120 has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore he is all able to save 12 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:39,040 to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since He 13 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,240 always lives to make intercession for them. 14 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,720 To me, this is such an important scripture because it talks to us 15 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,640 about the resurrection ministry of Jesus Christ. 16 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,320 It's very interesting to understand because we know in 17 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,560 reading the Gospels that Jesus had three years of ministry. 18 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,080 That was a glorious ministry. It's a very good example that 19 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,000 each and every one of us should look at and say, What part of 20 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,879 that could I pick up and use in my world today? 21 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,840 When you look at his natural life for the 1st 30 years of his 22 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,680 life, that was a forming for his ministry. 23 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,320 One of the things Ashley mentioned last week was about 24 00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:19,640 compassion, which is the ability to feel what somebody else feels 25 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,080 and have a passion that you could share with them. 26 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,760 Jesus Christ went through a life that made that possible for him 27 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,200 because the Bible tells us He grew up as a root out of a dry 28 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,400 ground. He had no form or comeliness or 29 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,000 beauty that we would desire Him. He was a man of sorrows, 30 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,160 acquainted with grief. So the first part of his life 31 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,800 prepared him for his earthly ministry of those three years. 32 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,200 Now, after he came to the cross and he died, the Bible says he 33 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,160 rose again from the dead. Now sometimes people think of 34 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,640 that as the end of his ministry per SE. 35 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,480 And we think about how Jesus said I'm going away, but I'm 36 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,480 going to send the Holy Spirit of my name. 37 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,240 And we think about the ongoing ministry only being about the 38 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,280 work of the Holy Spirit that's in our lives. 39 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,760 But that's not what the scriptures tell us here. 40 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,360 The scriptures tell us that after Jesus Christ rose from the 41 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,800 dead, he then engaged in his heavenly ministry. 42 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,880 The Bible says he sits on the right hand of authority on high 43 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:21,000 because on the cross he defeated the power of the the devil. 44 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,320 He defeated principalities and powers, the Bible says, and made 45 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:27,280 an open show of them. And also, as we know from the 46 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,680 scriptures we just read, he died on the cross for our sins. 47 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,640 How many? Glad Jesus died for your sins. 48 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,880 But the Bible says after that, when he took his position on the 49 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,280 right hand of authority on high, the Bible says that he didn't 50 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,720 just sit there and his throne waiting for the end to come or 51 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,840 when he's going to return. The Bible says he has a ministry 52 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,280 of intercession for us. And that's amazing because each 53 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,600 and everyone of us should know that whatever we're going 54 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,080 through in our lives personally or even what's happening in the 55 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,760 world, it should come for you to know Jesus is praying for you. 56 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:01,880 Isn't that awesome church to think about that? 57 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:07,000 And so he ever lives that he can make intercession for us. 58 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,360 Now, the reason it says that is so that we can be saved to the 59 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,880 uttermost. And again, I really believe with 60 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,120 all my heart, we're moving in a new day in God. 61 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,920 And it's so important for us to have some chains of mindsets. 62 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,400 That's why we have one website called From the Mountain, just 63 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,760 for the purpose of helping people change mindsets so we can 64 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,840 walk in the glory of this new experience that God wants each 65 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,560 and every one of us to walk in. One of the things that's very 66 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,480 important to understand is God's salvation because we think about 67 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,800 getting saved as our ticket to get to heaven, and that isn't 68 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,760 what God's salvation is about. It includes that for sure, but 69 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,960 the word saved or salvation means to be delivered. 70 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,200 And that's important because we need to understand that Jesus 71 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,440 didn't make it just possible for us to be forgiven so we can go 72 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,280 to heaven. He made it possible for us to be 73 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,080 fully delivered from everything that holds us back. 74 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,640 Give the Lord a praise on that. Anything that would hinder us 75 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,040 from walking in the fullness of what God has for us. 76 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,480 That's why it talks about being saved to the lettermost Jesus is 77 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,880 praying not just that you rejoice in your salvation and 78 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,720 you're going to heaven, but He's praying for you to realize 79 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,000 there's a great salvation if He has for you. 80 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,360 Now, the type of that, we can see it in the Old Testament. 81 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,800 The children of Israel were slaves in Egypt. 82 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,160 The Lord sent Moses there, and through the blood of the lamb, 83 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,040 the Bible says that Pharaoh said you can leave here. 84 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,040 So through the blood they were delivered from Egypt. 85 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,960 The Bible says then they went through the Red Sea, which is a 86 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,920 type of our water baptism. So after we have accepted Christ 87 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,280 in our life, we need to go to the waters of baptism so that we 88 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:53,080 can cut away that old life, be totally separated from our past. 89 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,480 And then the Bible tells us that they went to Mount Sinai and 90 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,440 there they experienced the presence of God. 91 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,400 From there they were called to go into the promised land to 92 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:03,000 take possession of their inheritance. 93 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,840 And unfortunately they were not willing to do that. 94 00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:10,320 They were fearful. God became very upset about that 95 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,160 and he even told Moses, Moses, that's the end of it. 96 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,160 Let's start over again, Moses, like, no, don't do that. 97 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:20,040 Have mercy upon them and God, OK, I'm going to have mercy upon 98 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,320 them, but as truly as I live, all the earth is going to be 99 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:24,880 filled with the glory of the Lord. 100 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,760 So he was speaking and making a declaration. 101 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,760 It's going to be OK at this point for people not to fully 102 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,920 experience all that I have, but one of these days that there 103 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,320 will be a people that says I want to be saved to the 104 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,040 uttermost. I want God's full salvation in 105 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,440 my life, and I want to inherit all things that Jesus Christ 106 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,320 says I can walk in, in that which He has for us. 107 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,880 And to me, that's such an amazing ministry. 108 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,960 And that's why I want us to understand Jesus's resurrection 109 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,920 ministry is still at work today. And it's such a powerful 110 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:03,000 ministry. And the life he experienced so 111 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,840 that he can have compassion for those three years the Bible says 112 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:11,320 he also had, so that as he ever lives to make intercession for 113 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,120 us. He is a high priest that's very 114 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,240 familiar with what we're going through. 115 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,360 He knows what it is to feel isolated. 116 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,640 He knows what it is to be alienated. 117 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:23,880 He knows what it is to be rejected. 118 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:28,280 He knows what it is to have sorrow and have things come 119 00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:30,760 against you. But he was an overcomer in all 120 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,360 things and he says I want you to be the same way. 121 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,480 Amen. Church now going forward here in 122 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,880 Hebrews chapter 2, it says this. What exactly is their uttermost 123 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,160 is the question I have over this, and this is what it says. 124 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,080 Well, we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels 125 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,480 for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, 126 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:56,000 that He by the grace of God might taste us for everyone. 127 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,520 So that's the first thing he did for us, for it is fitting for 128 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,800 him. For whom are all things, and by 129 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:04,920 whom are all things in doing what? 130 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:09,200 Read this part with me bringing many sons to glory. 131 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,120 How many know God wants to bring you to glory to make the Captain 132 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,200 their salvation perfect through suffering? 133 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,600 For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified, 134 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,920 which is talking about us, are all one. 135 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:27,600 And it's for that reason Jesus is not ashamed to call us His 136 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,440 brethren. To me, that's an amazing concept 137 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,080 to think about and understand that Jesus Christ was our Big 138 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,360 Brother. I like to share the story about 139 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,160 I had a Big Brother and when I was little, he was able to watch 140 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,280 over me, protect me. I was kind of anxious. 141 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:45,560 He was outgoing, I was kind of fearful. 142 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,720 He was very courageous in a lot of ways, sometimes ways he 143 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,840 shouldn't have been. But anyway, he was my Big 144 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,280 Brother. But there came a time in life as 145 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:58,160 we got older and I entered into the ministry and he and his wife 146 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,960 were a part of that, that God was able to give me the 147 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,760 opportunity to help him through some life challenges. 148 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,880 And they've become a lifetime part of the ministry here at 149 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:09,200 Mount Zion. And I look at it, that's the 150 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:13,040 what God wants us to understand. Jesus is my Big Brother. 151 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,200 He did something for me that I couldn't do for myself, but then 152 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,800 He wants to enable me to do something for Him. 153 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,280 He wants to enable me so that in this life I can be more than a 154 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:28,480 conqueror and that His glory can be shared with us. 155 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,040 This is a very profound experience for me. 156 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,720 I shared in one of my books and I shared from time to time in 157 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:38,320 the sermon how that in 1980, after I was married and on my 158 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,720 honeymoon, I felt the presence of the Lord to pray. 159 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,440 And I always like to joke about the fact if you're praying on 160 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,000 your honeymoon that's really good or really bad, I don't know 161 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,120 how you'd want to look at it, generally speaking. 162 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:50,400 But I was an intercessory prayer. 163 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:53,960 And as my wife is getting ready and the presence of the Lord 164 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,320 came by me, he said, Lauren, I'm going to share my glory with 165 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,880 you. I had always been told don't 166 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,160 touch the glory. I remember hearing sermons about 167 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,080 that. But he drew my attention to 168 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:07,320 Isaiah chapter 42. And in that he says God makes 169 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,000 the declaration. I'm not going to share my glory 170 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:15,320 with another, but my praise with my servant, whom I uphold, my 171 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,360 elect 1 and whom my soul delights. 172 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,360 And of course, that's speaking about Jesus Christ. 173 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,160 But as you read the connotation of the Scriptures, you realize 174 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,320 that God wants to share His glory with all his children. 175 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,440 And that's how the Lord spoke that to me. 176 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,800 And He confirmed it. Because when I went back to the 177 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,160 church on a Wednesday night, my mom asked for prayer. 178 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,920 And as I was praying for her, I asked Lalidi to join with me. 179 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,800 She spoke Spanish, she's Hispanic with her mother's 180 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,960 sister, Ramirez. Why I was praying for my mom, I 181 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,720 prayed in tongues, didn't know I was doing it, but I was actually 182 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,600 giving them a message prophesying to them in Spanish. 183 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:55,240 Didn't know Spanish at the time, but I do know they ran out very 184 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,800 excited because I told them what to do and they fulfilled that 185 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,040 purpose. So God was very faithful and in 186 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,520 that he shared with me how that the glory is shared because when 187 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,200 you do something that you couldn't do without God's help, 188 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,160 I'm, you know, that's God sharing his glory with you. 189 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,480 Amen. Now in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus 190 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,280 said light your light so shine before men that they might see 191 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,800 your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 192 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,600 And of course, the second way that we glorify God is when 193 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:29,280 through his power working in us, we actually do things ourselves 194 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,960 that can bring glory to God. And that's what that Lord spoke 195 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,840 that to me in 1980. And as I had walked with Him all 196 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:39,880 these years, I have seen that He has given me the capacity to 197 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:45,240 live above my human experience and to accomplish things in God 198 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:49,440 that were only possible with His help, but things I had to be 199 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,440 willing to do when He spoke to me. 200 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,120 To walk in obedience to His Word. 201 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,760 And so God wants every one of us to know there's a realm that 202 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,760 we're going to walk in like we've never walked in before, as 203 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:05,400 we let God give us the faith to believe what He can do in our 204 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,240 lives. In Matthew chapter 25 in the 205 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,400 reading here today, it says for the Kingdom of heaven is like a 206 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,480 man traveling to a far country who called his own servants and 207 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,720 delivered his goods to them. And to 1. 208 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,000 He gave five challenge to another two and to another one 209 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:24,880 to each according to his own ability. 210 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,680 And immediately he went on a journey. 211 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,120 Now it's called the Kingdom of heaven for a good reason because 212 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:35,080 we have to understand heaven is about God's Kingdom. 213 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,600 Now we enter into the Kingdom of heaven. 214 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,160 The Bible says when we are born again, Jesus said if you're born 215 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,320 again, you can both see and enter into the Kingdom of 216 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,360 heaven. There is a present tense reality 217 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:50,400 that when I read the principles here, like in Matthew chapter 218 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:55,240 25, I know they actually work in this life as we're challenged by 219 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:57,280 faith. But I also know what's called 220 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,560 the Kingdom of heaven, because one day Jesus will come and 221 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:03,160 establish his full reign here on planet earth. 222 00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:06,000 And when it does, he does, it'll be obvious. 223 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,960 He is our king. It is God's Kingdom that we are 224 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,600 part of, and it's very important for us to understand that we 225 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,160 don't just die and go to heaven. It's important that we're born 226 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:20,560 again and enter into His Kingdom, recognizing that's a 227 00:12:20,680 --> 00:12:26,040 state that we will forever be in through first our life here on 228 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:30,400 earth, and then afterward when Jesus comes again in his second 229 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:34,000 coming. Now notice it says that He gave 230 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,280 each one according to their abilities. 231 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,280 Now, it's very important in life that we learn about our 232 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,280 abilities. In reality, that's what growing 233 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,440 up is all about. I think one of the major lessons 234 00:12:46,560 --> 00:12:50,240 that we need to learn in life, especially when we're young, is, 235 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,760 well, what exactly is your ability? 236 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,080 And I've always used the illustration for me about sports 237 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,120 because when I was a kid, that's one of the first things that I 238 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,600 learned I was not good at, and that was sports. 239 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,720 Somebody said, well, you know, why don't you like sports? 240 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:07,560 Well, my problem is that I don't like sports. 241 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:13,160 My problem is sports don't like me when I was just a little kid 242 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,040 and I remember what being a little kid is like. 243 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:20,160 I remember most of my life and I remember my attitudes and ideas 244 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:23,680 I had in those days. And as a little boy, you always 245 00:13:23,680 --> 00:13:26,280 want to win anytime you're part of something. 246 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,880 And if you can, you want to stand out and win. 247 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,520 So in sports, you'd often hear people say, no, honey, it isn't 248 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:35,880 whether you win or lose. It's how you play the game. 249 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,680 Well, when you're real old, you don't even pay attention because 250 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:40,120 that doesn't make any sense at all. 251 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,680 When you get old enough to understand it, you roll your 252 00:13:42,680 --> 00:13:46,320 eyes and go, oh, yeah, sure, your parents might tell you 253 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,120 that. But then you watch them watching 254 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,840 the sports program on television, and you realize 255 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,440 they're not sitting there thinking, oh, isn't it 256 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:53,400 wonderful? They're playing. 257 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,880 Well, I'm, you know, they scream when they win and well, 258 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,480 whatever, when they lose because guess what? 259 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,280 We like to win or we like to lose. 260 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,760 No, we don't like to lose up. Forget that part. 261 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,600 We understand how important it is that we have this motivation. 262 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:12,440 That's what I was like when I was a kid. 263 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,800 So when I was in sports, of course everybody wanted to win. 264 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:17,960 So I was one of those people that nobody wanted on their 265 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,120 team. I would be the last one picked 266 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,760 or everybody would say, well, what did we do with him? 267 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,880 What are you getting? Somebody said to me once when I 268 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,920 told that story, I felt so sorry for you. 269 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,440 I said don't feel sorry for me. I didn't want to be on my team 270 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:32,640 either. I just didn't know how to get 271 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:38,400 around it. It just wasn't my ability, if 272 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,520 you would. A lot of people have their kids 273 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:44,080 in sports these days and pay for programs and they they say it's 274 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:48,360 about building the character and building the ability to learn 275 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,080 how to strive for a certain goal. 276 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,560 And I'm sure there is an aspect of that's true. 277 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,080 But in the end, to me, you find out it's about genetics if you 278 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,680 really want to get where most little boys want to go. 279 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,000 Now, when I was a kid, girls weren't really into sports. 280 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,720 If a girl was somebody that liked sports, you'd call them a 281 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,440 tomboy. Wasn't a derogatory term. 282 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,360 It was just like, that's a girl that likes sports. 283 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,720 Didn't make any sense at all. If you're really pressed a girl, 284 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,240 you have to get in sports. Which one would do you want to 285 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,080 be a part of? They're likely to look at it and 286 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,280 think, well, which one has the cutest outfit? 287 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,160 That's the way the girls stopped back in those days. 288 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,360 Was it like they were motivated the same way? 289 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,960 The world has changed and I've watched the world change. 290 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,080 There's a lot of good things that have happened in the 291 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:33,720 changing world, which I'm a part of. 292 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,040 But I can say what it was like as a boy and how you like to win 293 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,160 and how you don't like to lose and how I didn't want to be a 294 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,440 part of a losing operation. So it didn't take me long to 295 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,280 discover I have other talents. I got to find out what they are 296 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,680 and I feel this is very important that we learn about 297 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,920 our abilities. One of the things God's been 298 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,240 speaking to me in the last couple years even is how to be 299 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,640 self aware. Because when a person's self 300 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:03,600 aware, you can be aware of your abilities but also your 301 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:06,320 disabilities. I'll use that term because it's 302 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,120 the things that you're not able to do from a natural 303 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,880 perspective. Now, all of us have things that 304 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,920 we're able to do, all things we have, all of us have things that 305 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:19,240 we are not able to do. And it's very important for us 306 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,840 to make an assessment, but it's also important for us to 307 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:27,760 understand that God himself not only gives us talents based on 308 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,520 our abilities, but how, you know, he also gave us our 309 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,280 abilities. Now that's an important thing to 310 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:35,080 understand. That's why we have to look at 311 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,960 our abilities and say, well, what is it that I'm able to do? 312 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:43,120 Because God looks at that and he orchestrates our life based upon 313 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,840 those things. And so we have to understand how 314 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,280 those things work in our life so that we can fully experience 315 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:52,560 everything that God has for us going forward. 316 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:56,280 In the parable here, it says after a long time, the Lord of 317 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,520 those servants came and settled accounts with them. 318 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,320 So he who had received 5 talents came and brought five other 319 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,839 talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me 5 talents. 320 00:17:05,839 --> 00:17:08,880 Look, I've gained five more talents beside them. 321 00:17:09,319 --> 00:17:12,880 His Lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant, you 322 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:17,079 are faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many 323 00:17:17,079 --> 00:17:20,480 things. Enter into the joy of the Lord. 324 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,200 Now put over this the return. Because of course, Jesus Christ 325 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,319 died on the cross and He left, and He also said he's coming 326 00:17:27,319 --> 00:17:30,160 back two occasions in the New Testament. 327 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,040 His disciples are very inquisitive. 328 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:34,480 Matthew 24, When are you coming back? 329 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:36,960 Well, I don't know. That's what the Father has in 330 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:38,520 His hands. I can tell you when I'm coming 331 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,520 back in Acts chapter 1, as He's leaving again. 332 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,560 When are you going to restore the Kingdom to Israel? 333 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,040 I don't know the times that the Father has in his hands. 334 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:49,600 How many know? We always want to know when the 335 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,600 end is. We do know Jesus said that. 336 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,880 What after a long time now the disciples would have never 337 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,080 dreamed it would be over 2000 years when you read the New 338 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,120 Testament you can read and they they were thinking he would come 339 00:18:03,120 --> 00:18:05,320 in their life. I'm sure as every generation 340 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,880 since that time has speculated concern his return. 341 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,920 But we have to understand, he said it's going to be a long 342 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,040 time, so don't plan for the end. Decide what you're going to do 343 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:16,960 in the meantime. Mean man church. 344 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,920 And so it's important for us to realize that God has put things 345 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:24,400 in our hands and we have to ask, well, what am I going to do with 346 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,080 what God has given me? Because one day Jesus is going 347 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,960 to come and we have to have a settling of accounts. 348 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:35,200 And that's very important for us to understand and quite a 349 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,760 different idea of what we think about when we think about going 350 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,560 to heaven. Jesus didn't go to heaven and 351 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,040 retire, and He wants us to understand. 352 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:46,760 That's what we have to understand too. 353 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:50,640 Going to heaven isn't a divine supernatural retirement. 354 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:56,680 Can I hear an Amen or this is something the Lord taught me 355 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:01,080 years ago in Isaiah Chapter 11. I was reading Isaiah 11 one day 356 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,000 and I read these scriptures that to me were about heaven. 357 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,760 It says the nursing child should play by a cobra's hole, and the 358 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:10,160 weaned child should put his hand in the viper's den. 359 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,920 This shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy mountain, for the 360 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,280 earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as of the 361 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:20,720 waters cover the sea. I just remember reading that and 362 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,080 thinking to myself, there's going to be snakes in heaven. 363 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:27,520 And I'm like, Lord, I don't want snakes in heaven. 364 00:19:28,360 --> 00:19:30,520 I don't know about you. Some people say, well, that's 365 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,480 just the ardour snake, don't worry about it. 366 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,920 Well #1 how do I know what kind of snake it is? 367 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:38,400 I'm not an expert and #2 they're just creepy. 368 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,120 I don't know what it is about them. 369 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:42,400 I don't even want to be around with gardener snakes. 370 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:46,600 Can I hear any amens on that? Well, there, there is a little 371 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:48,520 bit of a problem. And that's why I preached the 372 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,960 message way back then that, well, heaven isn't going to be 373 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,720 heaven because it's everything we want it to be. 374 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,120 Heaven's going to be heaven because we're going to be 375 00:19:57,120 --> 00:20:00,720 everything He wants us to be. Amen, Charge. 376 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,240 Now the majority of people believe in heaven. 377 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,280 Even people say they don't know if they believe in God, will 378 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,240 say, oh, I believe in heaven because it is encouraging to 379 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:12,480 people when somebody dies and say, oh, I know they're in 380 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,320 heaven. And so for a lot of people, it's 381 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,400 just something they like to talk about to feel better. 382 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,520 But there is a heaven Amen church, and we have to 383 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,880 understand what exactly heaven means. 384 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:25,440 A few years back they did this survey and they were asking 385 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:27,080 people, well, what's heaven to you? 386 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,120 And everybody thought of heaven as something that was glorious, 387 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:34,000 something that was fun. And really, for most people, 388 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,640 heaven was everything that they wanted it to be. 389 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:40,360 That's why when I was growing up in church, we used to sing songs 390 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:46,400 like Just Build my mansion next Door to Jesus, 'cause we were 391 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,920 waiting for that heaven to come and we would have our mansion. 392 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:55,440 HG hasn't seen anything like the mansion we're going to get when 393 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,360 we get to heaven. And so we talked about the 394 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:01,240 streets of gold and we talked about all these things. 395 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,200 And most of those things, if you really look in the Scriptures, 396 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,320 they'll find out they're really not all that true. 397 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,200 I remember when I was a kid, because everybody wants you to 398 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,400 think heaven's a place you want to go. 399 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:16,560 And they used to say in church, you can go to heaven and shun 400 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,520 hell, or you can go to hell and shun heaven. 401 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,680 What are you going to choose? But it's much more than just a 402 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,600 choice of your destination. I remember one day saying to my 403 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:26,960 mom, Mom, is there going to be bowling in heaven? 404 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:28,440 Because I was just starting to get into bowling. 405 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,680 I loved it. Of course there's going to be 406 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,440 bowling in heaven. Am I going to be a good bowler 407 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:36,320 in heaven? I mean, how you know that would 408 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,800 take more faith to ask a question like that when you knew 409 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:41,760 that's my son in the back seat. Is he going to be? 410 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,400 Yes, honey, you're going to be a good bowler in heaven. 411 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:50,920 Am I going to always win? Wait a minute. 412 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,600 If he's going to win, who's going to lose? 413 00:21:55,360 --> 00:21:58,120 I guess I'll have to bring up a group from hell every once in a 414 00:21:58,120 --> 00:22:02,800 while to be the losers. So as people that want to win, 415 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,520 we can have the losers. Then you can go back to her 416 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,960 where you are. Yeah, loser. 417 00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:13,760 Well, that's not exactly what it's all about. 418 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:17,000 Amen. We have to understand that he 419 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,160 wants us to mature in that. When the terrorist attacks 420 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,600 happened many years ago, they were talking about that and they 421 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,840 we found out that for the terrorists, they were like, if 422 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:31,160 we die through a terrorist attack, we get to immediately go 423 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:35,200 to heaven and get 70 virgins given to us. 424 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,040 I said 20 in the first service. My son corrected me. 425 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,720 He's the expert, so I think it's 70. 426 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:45,520 He wasn't sure if it was 70 or 71, but for them it was like, 427 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,760 the more you do bad here for God, of course, the better it's 428 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:51,280 going to be over there. Now. 429 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,680 I'm sure that was for the young Muslim people because I'm, you 430 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,240 know, you get an age where the best part about going to bed is 431 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,920 a good night's sleep. But anyway, that's another 432 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,640 story. But as we think about how it is, 433 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,400 we get all these ideas in our mind and we think about this, 434 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,600 but it's always self-centered in motivation. 435 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:14,320 And the Lord says it's time for us to get out of our 436 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,920 self-centered motion and begin to walk in God's word. 437 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,800 Now this is a very important scripture because the Bible says 438 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,520 therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be 439 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:29,080 well pleasing to him. For we must all appear before 440 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,000 what the judgement seat of Christ. 441 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,320 Each one may receive things done in the body according to what he 442 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,520 has done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore, the terror of 443 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:42,440 the Lord, we persuade men, but we are well known to God, and 444 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,000 also trusts are well known in your consciousness. 445 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:50,000 This is a very important doctrine concerning the 446 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,040 judgements of God and also the judgement seat of Christ because 447 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,560 the Bible says that we're all going to appear before Him. 448 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,640 Often times when they talk about his heaven going to heaven to 449 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,840 movies, they'll say, you know, Saint Peter's going to be at the 450 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:07,280 gate because Jesus said he'll have the keys of heaven given to 451 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,200 him. Am I getting in or am I not 452 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,200 getting in? That's not the only question. 453 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:15,320 Actually. Jesus meets us there and he 454 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:20,120 says, now what was your aim? Was your aim to be pleasing to 455 00:24:20,120 --> 00:24:25,960 me or did you think that a self pleasing life would have made 456 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:29,040 you happy? And so our aim in life will be 457 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,600 something that we're going to be questioned about. 458 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,680 And I want to stand up there and say my aim was to serve you 459 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,840 Lord, and to live the life that you called me to live. 460 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:44,280 Can I hear an Amen on that? Now He said in your body, which 461 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:47,080 obviously everything we do is in our body, but it is important to 462 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:51,040 see that the first level of that is letting God's sanctification 463 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:55,560 power work in our personal life so that our life can what, 464 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,480 glorify God? Again, that's another one of 465 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,800 those scriptures that makes us understand we have to have a 466 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:03,800 real understanding of how this all works. 467 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,920 Now continuing with the story, it says, so he who had received 468 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,400 5 talents came and brought five other talents. 469 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:11,960 Say Lord, you delivered to me 5 talents. 470 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,440 Look, I've gained five more talents beside them. 471 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:17,800 And as the Lord said to him, well done, good and faithful 472 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:19,560 servant. You were faithful over a few 473 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,800 things. I will make you rule over many 474 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,120 things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. 475 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:27,360 Now I want to emphasize that word. 476 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:30,880 Look, first of all, and I remember when I was raising my 477 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,880 kids, whenever they were doing something and I was around or 478 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,200 Bonnie was around, they want to make sure you notice. 479 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,240 I remember going on vacation to Florida and they'd be playing in 480 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,440 the pool. But when they jumped in, if they 481 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:46,480 were being daring or if they had a special jump, they would say, 482 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:50,960 look, Dad, look, Papa, look and see what's happening here. 483 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,320 Why? Because how do you know when we 484 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:57,000 make some type of accomplishment in life, we want to know 485 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,520 somebody's looking. Now, the reason I say that is 486 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:04,240 because, and this goes back to our ability, since God gave us 487 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,160 our abilities, we have to understand that God is also the 488 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:12,320 God who created us, Amen. And because he created us, it's 489 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:16,600 important for us to understand He knows what's going to be 490 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:20,400 satisfying for us. That's why when the Bible says 491 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:23,800 don't live a self satisfied life, but a God satisfied life, 492 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,200 that isn't like God's not considering you. 493 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,720 It's God saying I created you. I know what's going to satisfy 494 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,680 you and I actually know what's going to give you joy says the 495 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:37,520 Lord. And so we all have this tendency 496 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:41,640 to want people to notice what we're doing for good. 497 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:45,080 And it is no different as it pertains to God. 498 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:49,360 That's why it says enter now into the joy of the Lord. 499 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:52,800 I was working with somebody years ago who had a drug and 500 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:56,240 alcohol problem and they were explaining how that the brain 501 00:26:56,240 --> 00:27:00,160 and one of these classes I attended has a reward center. 502 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,760 And because we need to reproduce, the joy reward center 503 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:08,120 works through our sexuality. Certainly it does through our 504 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:10,200 eating as well. Because how you know you have to 505 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,400 eat, stay alive and how many you know, sometimes we eat things 506 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,480 that aren't going to help us stay alive, but we enjoy that 507 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,640 too. I used to work at a grocery 508 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,720 store and I used to run the cash register and people were always 509 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:23,520 complaining about the price of groceries. 510 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:25,800 And as I was pushing the chocolate cake down, I'm like, 511 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:27,520 you don't need this chocolate cake. 512 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:34,080 But but there's a reward center that comes and works in our 513 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:35,960 behalf. And it doesn't just work in 514 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,280 physiological things, it works in psychological things. 515 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,560 That's why opiate addiction has been so devastating to our 516 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:47,600 country, because opiates, when they work on the brain, they 517 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:51,960 cause the reward center to make you feel as if you actually 518 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:54,920 accomplish something. That's why somebody can get 519 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,120 addicted to things like that and their life can be a mess and 520 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,200 they still have this feeling that they're successful. 521 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,920 That's the danger of the opiate drugs. 522 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:07,680 But again, we have to understand that God created us for a 523 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:11,640 purpose and he's the one that put that reward center in our 524 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,400 brain. And sooner or later we're going 525 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,880 to want to have this sense. Well, I've done my best. 526 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,840 I've tried it, this thing. And so God gives us stewardships 527 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:24,560 of our life. And he says as you look at the 528 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,320 different areas that you have in your life, whether it's your 529 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,520 marriage, whether it's your relationships, whether it's your 530 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:34,160 job or your vocation, you should always understand that putting 531 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:39,640 in a good effort is going to give you that same sense of 532 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:44,960 reward that sometimes we think we can find by doing things that 533 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:49,200 will be pleasing to us. And in the end, that self 534 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:55,320 seeking life does not bring happiness or peace or joy or any 535 00:28:55,320 --> 00:29:01,080 of those things, But to the Son, he says your throne of God is 536 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,440 forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is 537 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:08,080 the scepter of your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and 538 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:12,160 hated lawlessness. Therefore God, your God has 539 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,800 anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your 540 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,280 companions. I've always memorized 541 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:21,640 scriptures, and this is one that I certainly did memorize a very 542 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:25,800 long time ago because I read that and I found out that 543 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,800 there's a truth to the fact that when you love to do what God 544 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,600 wants you to do, there's like a special anointing of joy and 545 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:39,160 gladness that comes upon you. And I love it because as I've 546 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,080 served the Lord all these years, there's a certain level of joy 547 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,360 that I've always been able to maintain. 548 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,680 And I believe it's because my heart is to do what God wants me 549 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:51,560 to do. I have experienced His joy. 550 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,480 There's a joy we can have when we're just in the presence of 551 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,160 the Lord and it just kind of pours upon us. 552 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:00,040 But there's a joy that sticks with us through our everyday 553 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,640 life that comes when we say, I'm going to do the right thing. 554 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:08,760 Because fulfilling purpose is always going to bring much more 555 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:12,200 satisfaction than simply finding your desire. 556 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,240 I know I've mentioned this a couple times about Charlie Kirk, 557 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:18,600 but I think his life is such a testimony about that. 558 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:23,280 Because I watched again this week on television and there was 559 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,840 a guy on television and he's part of the Fox News. 560 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:30,720 And he, he was telling his testimony about how he had made 561 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:34,200 a choice to follow Jesus more perfectly. 562 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:37,720 He said, I was raised in church, but when I got older, it was 563 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:41,680 just about Easter and Christmas. But when I looked at what he 564 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,440 offered and I looked at what happened to his life, I realized 565 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:48,120 something. I need to have a real 566 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:53,040 relationship with Jesus Christ. And his name's Jesse Watters. 567 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,960 And he lived a life that wasn't Christian very much. 568 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,320 But when I heard that Tosman, I'm like, wow, this is amazing. 569 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:02,920 And the thing I want to point out about that is he taught 570 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:05,120 about Jesus Christ. And he certainly had his own 571 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,720 political viewpoints. But you'll notice as you 572 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:11,880 research what he did. And like I mentioned, I always 573 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:14,360 look in to see what, what, what's the key to people's lives 574 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,040 and their impact, because he had impact to such an age. 575 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:21,000 And that was because he lived according to purpose and he 576 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,680 taught other people to live according to purpose. 577 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:28,400 So it was a life of purpose that brings great blessing, and it's 578 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,560 a life of purpose that brings great success. 579 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:36,520 And a life filled with one's own desire is going to bring not 580 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:42,440 happiness, not joy, not peace, but actually just the opposite. 581 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,680 And then we have to love righteousness, which simply 582 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:48,040 means, you know what, I'm going to do the right thing. 583 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,480 And I'm going to believe that as I do the right thing, I'm going 584 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:55,760 to sense this joy. I'm going to sense this peace. 585 00:31:55,960 --> 00:32:00,480 I'm going to find out how that it will overwhelm me as I walk 586 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:04,680 in the fullness of life that God has for me in that amazing 587 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,040 church. The plan God has quite different 588 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,960 in our mind, isn't it? Therefore we also, since we are 589 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:13,240 surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside 590 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:17,000 every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us 591 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,600 run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking on to 592 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:25,320 Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith, who what 593 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:29,440 for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, 594 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:33,440 despising the shame, and set down at the right hand of the 595 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:36,200 throne of God. When it talks about the cloud of 596 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,920 witnesses, Hebrews Chapter 11 is about a bunch of people who 597 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,120 decided they were going to follow God no matter what the 598 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:46,000 cost. And the Bible says if we believe 599 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:49,720 that God is God, we'll also believe he is the rewarder of 600 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:53,320 those who diligently seek him. And so that chapter is about all 601 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,560 these people. Many of them went through some 602 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:59,040 very difficult times, but they found out in the end that God is 603 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,560 a rewarder. But then it goes to this 604 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,680 Scripture about Jesus Christ because Jesus understood as the 605 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:10,000 Father had demonstrated so clearly, when you do what he has 606 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,200 called you to do, there's a joy that's going to be in front of 607 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,440 you that's going to be worth the effort to get involved in. 608 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:22,800 It's all about our purpose. And that's why when Jesus was 609 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:25,840 getting ready to go, the cross people said, don't know it can't 610 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:27,880 help you. Peter said I'll fight him for 611 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,320 you. Jesus said, no, wait for this 612 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:34,720 purpose was I born. He understood the power of 613 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:40,800 purpose and the joy that would come by that life that he has 614 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:45,480 prepared for us, and also the joy that he has prepared for us. 615 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:49,160 And in closing, it says, but one testified in a certain place 616 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,600 saying, what is man that you are mindful of him, or the Son of 617 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:56,360 man that you take care of him? You have made him a little lower 618 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:58,600 than the angels. You have crowned Him with glory 619 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,760 and honor and set over the works of your hands. 620 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:06,680 You have put all things in subjection under His feet, 621 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:11,360 speaking about Jesus Christ. But for in that He put all in 622 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:15,040 subjection under Him. He left nothing that does not 623 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:18,679 put under Him. But now we do not see yet all 624 00:34:18,679 --> 00:34:22,120 things put under Him. Can we bow our heads and close 625 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:25,400 our eyes for just a moment? Because I really believe with 626 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:30,000 all my heart, there's a challenge that God's saying to 627 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:38,600 the church that if we will let go of our mindsets, the things 628 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:46,159 that seem desirous to us, and we make a choice to follow Him and 629 00:34:46,159 --> 00:34:50,639 His way, we're going to find life satisfying. 630 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:53,600 We're going to find life victorious. 631 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,400 We're going to find joy unspeakable and full of glory. 632 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,680 The world is becoming more dark. Darkness is covering the earth 633 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:06,800 and gross darkness the people. That literally speaks about an 634 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:09,520 emotional heaviness that's coming upon the land. 635 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:13,000 And that's why there's so much anxiety and depression and all 636 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:16,560 these negative things. So when the Bible says that 637 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,800 we're supposed to rise and shine so his glory can be seen upon 638 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:25,240 us, cherish, he's really talking about some emotional fulfillment 639 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:27,560 and joy. The the world's going to look at 640 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,560 it and say, well, why are they finding peace? 641 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:36,600 Why are they finding joy? So as we bow our heads and close 642 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:44,720 our eyes for just a moment, the simple message, your desire or 643 00:35:44,720 --> 00:35:55,840 His purpose, His plan or your plan, finding your desire or 644 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,440 finding His purpose will make the difference. 645 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,840 Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, move upon each and every 646 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:06,680 one of us today that we would fully understand that You want 647 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:10,320 to do great things in our life and You want to give us the 648 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:14,120 abundant life. It is an emotionally satisfying 649 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:17,400 life. It is a fulfilling life that You 650 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:21,000 have for us. Let our hearts be open in Jesus 651 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,200 name. This is Pastor Lauren Coburbius 652 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,760 from Mount Zion Church. We thank you for joining us 653 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,760 today and invite you to connect with our church family by 654 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:33,520 visiting mountzion.org and following us on social media. 655 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:34,520 God bless you.