1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,600 I shared the scripture last week and I went to a little bit of 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,600 review to bring you to where God wants us to be today. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:11,080 It says an Angel answered and said to Mary, The Holy Spirit 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,240 will come upon you and the power of the highest will over shadow 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,520 you. Therefore also that one who is 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:20,800 to be born will be called the Son of God. 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,720 Now indeed, Elizabeth, your relative has conceived a cent in 8 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,800 her old age. This is now the 6th month for 9 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:32,400 her who was called Baron. For with God, nothing will be 10 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,840 impossible as the Christmas season is upon us. 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,560 Of course, often we will review the stories about the Christmas 12 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,320 season, but for me, I always like to, when I read a story, 13 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,360 make it relevant to where I am today because I know that the 14 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,360 Word of God always comes to speak to us and give life to 15 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,080 each and everyone of us. And so as I've been thinking 16 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,320 about this story, I've been thinking about how Mary, when 17 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,440 the Holy Spirit comes upon her, that she would conceive and bear 18 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,240 a child. I think, wow, that's an amazing 19 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:07,240 thing to happen to someone. An Angel had interrupted her 20 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,160 life, so to speak, and said she was going to have this child. 21 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,120 And her response was, well, how can that be, since I've never 22 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,120 been with a man? And that's when the word of the 23 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,720 Lord was. But the Holy Spirit will come 24 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,720 upon you, and that which is born of you is called or shall come 25 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,280 forth by the power of God. It will be the Son of God. 26 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,280 And I love that story. And I also love the fact that 27 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,840 when each and every one of us as Christians, we also have the 28 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,840 opportunity to hear word from God who comes to us. 29 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,360 He may come like I am today preaching a message to you. 30 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,920 And God will come to you and speak something personal to you. 31 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,600 Or perhaps he will come to you when you're in a time of prayer. 32 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,600 And sometimes you'll be just talking to somebody and you just 33 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,200 know in your heart there's something God's trying to direct 34 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,840 you to how many you know? We need to believe that God 35 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,400 still speaks today. Amen. 36 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,600 Jesus said my sheep know my voice and other they will not 37 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,640 follow and so we need to know His voice. 38 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,840 We need to as the prophet Isaiah said incline our ear in here. 39 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:13,520 And we also need to do what John the Revelator said, let him who 40 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,880 hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is speaking 41 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,240 to the church. Because when the word of the 42 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:23,080 Lord comes to us by the power of the Holy Spirit, it causes 43 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:27,000 something to be conceived in US. Now in this case, of course, 44 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,840 what's being conceived is the Word of God. 45 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:34,520 She receives a word from heaven, and the child that is in her is 46 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,400 actually the word of God. And Speaking of him, the apostle 47 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:42,280 John said in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, 48 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,480 the Word was God, and we beheld His glory speaking about His 49 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,680 personal communion with Jesus Christ as His disciple. 50 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,480 But that's exactly what happened to Mary when she received this 51 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,720 word from the angels. Lord, a child was conceived in 52 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,440 her. But all of us need to recognize 53 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,960 that we, having heard the voice of God, have something that 54 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,880 we've received from God, and it's growing inside of us. 55 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,960 Somebody might even think, well, I don't know that I hear from 56 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:12,160 God. Well, if you're a Christian, 57 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:13,560 help me know. That means you're heard from 58 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,640 God. The Bible says you've been 59 00:03:15,640 --> 00:03:18,360 called of God. So however you would define it 60 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:22,920 or define the situation or look at the circumstance, the voice 61 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:25,840 of the Lord has come to you and he has planted his seed inside 62 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,000 of you. The apostle Paul in the book of 63 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,920 Galatians speaks about it in the sense that he says, I'm in 64 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:34,600 travail for you till Christ be formed in you. 65 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,920 So just like Mary, we've received the seed of God. 66 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,320 It is the word of God. It's conceived in us, it's 67 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,000 growing in US. God wants each and every one of 68 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,200 us to know there's something that he's trying to produce in 69 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,640 US, something to come forth from us that we might be a blessing 70 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,920 not just to our own family, but really to others as well. 71 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,200 And so we have to understand the very pressing moment that we 72 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,000 live in right now. In the last couple weeks, I've 73 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,840 had some intensities from a sensing of the work of the Holy 74 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,440 Spirit and just making me to know, wow, as we're moving into 75 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,680 the next year, we need to be prepared. 76 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,760 Prepared to know how to handle what's happening in the world. 77 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:19,279 But more important than that, to be prepared for this outpouring 78 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,399 of God that he's working in the earth. 79 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,040 When you hear from God, you should know this much just like 80 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,720 the Angel Lord told Mary, how do you know? 81 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,680 With God, nothing is impossible. Can I hear an Amen on that? 82 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,720 We serve the God of the impossible, and I love that. 83 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,160 And from the very beginning, He has spoken to us as a church 84 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,640 challenging us. In the very beginning, He said, 85 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,200 go the way of Spirit and you'll possess things that others have 86 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,840 not possessed before. That means listen to the voice 87 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:48,920 of God. Let Him speak. 88 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,440 Let him give you an expectation that's above yourself so you can 89 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,920 see what God is going to do. And that's what the Christmas 90 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,000 story is about. It isn't what just Mary did for 91 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,520 sure. It's what God did through Mary 92 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,840 and also through Joseph. And that's what it takes us to 93 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:08,160 this next reference of Scripture that I emphasized more last 94 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,520 week. It says concerning Mary, who was 95 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:16,200 his betrothed wife, It says, and she shall bring forth the Son, 96 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,760 and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his 97 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,360 people from their sins. All this was done that it might 98 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,200 be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet 99 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,640 saying, behold, the Virgin shall be with child and bear a son, 100 00:05:30,840 --> 00:05:34,400 and they should call his name Emmanuel, which is translated 101 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,560 God with us. And of course the setting of 102 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,360 this story is he's found out Mary's going to have a child. 103 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,080 He knows he's not the Father, so he's decided he's going to put 104 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:48,720 her away privately because he was a nice guy and he was a just 105 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:53,000 man doing that, which he felt he was supposed to do in the 106 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,480 circumstance and situation. But that's when the Lord came to 107 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:00,440 him again in a dream. And this is important because he 108 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:04,520 heard a word from heaven that that child inside of her is also 109 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,720 conceived of the Holy Ghost. You got to believe the story. 110 00:06:07,840 --> 00:06:11,040 I'm sure Mary had told him the story, but now he gets a 111 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,960 confirmation. Wow, this is the word of God and 112 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:19,480 just like with Mary, he says you shall call his name Jesus and I 113 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,240 think it's so important to note what he says for he will save 114 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,360 his people from their sins. So often times people bought 115 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,760 think about Jesus Christ as their savior who died for their 116 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,360 sins in order that they might have forgiveness. 117 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:36,280 But we have to understand it meant much more than that. 118 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:41,480 Remember, Joseph and Mary were Jews and the Son that was born 119 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,560 according to the flesh was also a Jew. 120 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,760 And so it's important for for us to put ourselves in the context 121 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,400 of the story because when God is speaking something to them, we 122 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:53,960 got a large upon it sometimes because often times we have 123 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,640 mindsets and thought processes that really hinder us and 124 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,720 believe in everything that God has for us. 125 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:04,160 Now, of course we know the name Jesus because we talk about a 126 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,960 lot in church. But for Joseph and Mary, his 127 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:12,400 name was actually Joshua. Jesus is the Greek form of that. 128 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:14,960 I preached a whole series on that early in the year. 129 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,520 So it's important for us to understand how important it is 130 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:21,400 for us to recognize that when they were told his name would be 131 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,520 called Joshua, or Jesus as we would say it, it meant something 132 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:30,600 very powerful to him. They had an expectation because 133 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,560 they were looking for the Messiah. 134 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,920 They were of the seed and lineage of David, and a prophecy 135 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,240 had been given to David, a word that through his seed would come 136 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,040 a Messiah. He would be the son of David. 137 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:46,560 He would be of his lineage. And the expectation is this one 138 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,760 who was born would be a deliverer for the people of God, 139 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,920 and they would have known the stories about the children of 140 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:57,320 Israel being in slavery for 400 years and how that the Lord had 141 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,880 raised up Moses to go and bring them out. 142 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,360 The children of Israel had a very long history of going 143 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,560 through some situations. Sometimes it was their fault, 144 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,480 you could say, and other times it wasn't. 145 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,040 But in the case of being in Egypt, they went there for a 146 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,920 good reason, found themselves in bondage over time, and so God 147 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:17,880 brought them forth with a mighty hand. 148 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,080 Now God, through Moses, took them to the wilderness, to the 149 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,640 Promised Land. When it came time to go into the 150 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:28,320 Promised Land, they refused to hear what God had to say. 151 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,240 They were afraid. They didn't have faith to 152 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,480 believe. And so the Bible says that God 153 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,240 told Moses, well, we're going to wait 40 years. 154 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:36,679 This generation is going to pass. 155 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:38,679 I'm going to have a new generation rise up. 156 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,280 And Joshua is going to be the one who takes them into the 157 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,680 promised land and gives them lamb. 158 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:46,760 And that's the record that was in the Scriptures. 159 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:51,000 So for the Jews, their expectation was a Messiah who 160 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,360 wouldn't just take us out of something, that would also take 161 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,520 us into something. And so this is what God is 162 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:02,200 speaking to Joseph, and this is something He wants us to know as 163 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,160 never before. It's time to know that God wants 164 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:09,840 us to take His word, believe His promises, and go in and take 165 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,400 possession of the lands that He has promised to us. 166 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,600 Amen. Church so powerful, but there 167 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,280 was something else added to this because in quoting the scripture 168 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:23,680 from the Old Testament concerning the Christ that was 169 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:26,680 going to be born who would be born of a version. 170 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:30,520 It also said through the prophet and his name shall be called 171 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:35,400 Emmanuel, which being translated means God is with us. 172 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,480 So Jesus Christ, when he came into the world, he was truly a 173 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,120 man, but he was also God come in the flesh. 174 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,160 That's so important for us to know. 175 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,520 And I believe it's also important for us to look at that 176 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,080 as an analogy that works in us, that when the word the Lord 177 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,840 comes in US, how many know that's what God saying. 178 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,840 My words going to become flesh because I'm going to do 179 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,360 something in you. I'm going to do something 180 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:03,040 through you, says the Lord. And we have to know when we're 181 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,520 in every situation that we're going through in life, God is 182 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,600 with us. Somebody glad God is with you, 183 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:10,680 say Amen to that. Cherish, give him a praise. 184 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:14,800 I think it's, it's exciting in the Christmas season to think 185 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,400 about the traditions and go through all the family 186 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,360 gatherings and the shopping and getting the presents. 187 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:26,000 But don't forget, the essence of this story is that God is with 188 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,120 us. He came in the form of a child 189 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,240 way back when. But now we have to understand 190 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,920 how important it is to note that He comes to each and everyone 191 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,000 one of us. And that's why I want to review 192 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,920 this next verse of Scripture in John's Gospel. 193 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,040 Jesus is speaking here as he's getting ready to leave his 194 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,160 disciples, and he says these things I have spoken to you 195 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:51,440 while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, 196 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,480 whom the Father will send to my name, He will teach all things 197 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,320 and bring to you remembers all things that I said to you, Peace 198 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,440 I leave with you, My peace I give to you. 199 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,560 Not as the world gives to you do I give to you. 200 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,640 Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 201 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:13,640 You have heard me say I'm going away and coming back. 202 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,200 Now some people think of that in terms of Jesus Christ went to 203 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:18,600 heaven and one day he's coming back. 204 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,160 But if you read the context of that particular chapter, he's 205 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,800 talking to them about the fact that he's going to be coming 206 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:28,880 back very soon. The context of that throws a lot 207 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,320 of people off because that's John Chapter 14 that opens 208 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,560 within my father's house are many mansions. 209 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:39,520 Or if you read it in some translations, abiding places. 210 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,640 And he says, if it were not so, I would have told you I go to 211 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:47,960 prepare a place for you that where I am you may be also Now 212 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:51,440 sometimes people look at that as often over the years heard that 213 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,080 quoted at funerals that basically Jesus is up in heaven 214 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:58,480 making some mansions for us. And I've even sang the songs 215 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:02,000 about going to heaven and the mansions he has for us and the 216 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,400 good things that we can look forward to in heaven. 217 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,720 And that is a reality for sure. But as you read that old whole 218 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,920 chapter, you'll understand what Jesus was actually saying is I 219 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,960 died on the cross. I'm going to rise from the dead 220 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,040 and then I'm going to come back to you as the Holy Spirit, 221 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,920 Christ in us. The Bible says the hope of 222 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,520 glory. And so the Holy Spirit is not 223 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:29,840 just distinct from the Father and the Son, they all come 224 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,280 together. And so we understand that. 225 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:36,240 That's why it says in that same chapter, if we are willing, 226 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,880 Jesus said we will come and make our bold with him because he's 227 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:44,360 talking about the fact that God our Father, God the Son, God the 228 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,600 Holy Spirit dwells inside of us. And so when we think about the 229 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:52,640 Holy Spirit in this context, we can see, wow, He is our helper. 230 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:58,000 He is our guide. He will remind me of things that 231 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,960 Jesus Christ said. That's the power of the Holy 232 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,720 Spirit. And growing up in church and 233 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,640 believing in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, over time I've 234 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,080 heard people say, well, you know, I'm saved. 235 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,200 I don't know that I have to have the Holy Spirit. 236 00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:14,880 And some people will say, well, I know that you can speak in 237 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,360 tongues, but why would I have to speak in tongues? 238 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:19,160 I don't think you have to speak in tongues. 239 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:22,360 And that was always an amazement to me because I've never had the 240 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,760 attitude what I have to do. I've always had the attitude, 241 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,320 What does God get for me? What does God got for me? 242 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:29,120 Amen. Church. 243 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,640 That's what we should have an understanding of and that should 244 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:34,920 be our heart. Attitude is how can I get 245 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,160 something God has for me? Because if I hear it's in the 246 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:39,320 Bible, I don't want to say, oh, that's just for him. 247 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,480 I want the whole thing. I said I want the whole thing. 248 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:45,120 How many believe that same thing? 249 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,840 Amen. I want the fullness of God 250 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,320 coming inside of me, and I'm glad the Holy Spirit reminds me 251 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,280 of things because I need that more now than at any other time 252 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:55,320 in my life. Amen. 253 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,240 And so there's always some present tense reality that we 254 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,240 can have, but it's through the power of the Holy Spirit coming 255 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,880 to us so that we can walk with Jesus in our everyday life. 256 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,760 It must have been an amazing thing for the disciples to walk 257 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:15,760 with Jesus Christ and have him, after he had preached a message, 258 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:17,840 sit down with them so they could ask questions. 259 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,240 How amazing is that? But you know, the same thing can 260 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,880 happen to every one of us. If you hear a message and you're 261 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,200 thinking, well, what exactly that means, we'll say, Jesus, 262 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,480 could you give me an explanation of this or could you show me in 263 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,680 your word? That's the kind of relationship 264 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:36,000 He wants us to have with Him, where we're always inquisitive 265 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:38,880 and always saying, I want to understand. 266 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,640 What does it take for me to have that experience? 267 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,360 What does it take for me to have that understanding? 268 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,640 Why? Because I want to go all the way 269 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,760 with God. Now, as I was sharing with you 270 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,960 last week, I want to also review this particular scripture. 271 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,000 Because as Mary was going through all of her experiences 272 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:02,560 detailed in Luke chapters one and two, there came this point 273 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:06,120 where it says, and all those who heard it marveled at those 274 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,080 things, which we're told them by the shepherds. 275 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,960 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 276 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,480 Then the shepherd's return, glorifying, praising God for all 277 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:20,360 the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them. 278 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,400 And basically, we know the story, of course, first of all, 279 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:25,800 how the Angel comes here, she conceives the child. 280 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,640 And then chapter 2 unfolds and we find out that, well, if 281 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,560 you're told that you're going to have the very son of the most 282 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,360 high God, how many know you're going to have a certain level of 283 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,720 expectation with that? And that would not include 284 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,120 traveling as you're getting ready to have the child on a 285 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,720 donkey, having the baby in a barn. 286 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,960 Amen. That wouldn't even enter your 287 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:49,200 mind because whenever God speaks to us or whenever we hear some, 288 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,680 you know, we kind of attach our own expectations. 289 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,360 And This is why it's so important for us to stay in the 290 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:59,800 presence of God so that he can always explain things to us and 291 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,400 give us greater amplification. And that's exactly what Mary had 292 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,680 to do at this point in time. And then when the shepherds come 293 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:09,680 and say how heaven, the heavens opened and they heard angelic 294 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:14,080 choirs and the Angel Lord had come to them, looking at the two 295 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,440 situations, she had to think about it. 296 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,240 But more than that, she really had to what I called last week, 297 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,400 meditate upon it. Because the Bible talks about 298 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:28,520 meditating upon His Word, and that when we meditate upon the 299 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:33,200 Word, we'll be like trees of righteousness live planted next 300 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,480 to rivers of living water, and our leaves will not wither, nor 301 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,880 will our fruit fade, but we'll give life to other people. 302 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:45,880 And so she contemplated those things, not again, just thinking 303 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:49,760 about them, but making sure they were in her heart because 304 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,880 church, the Bible says that with the heart man believes, and with 305 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,760 the mouth, confession is made into salvation. 306 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,320 So whenever we're walking the walk of faith, which all of us 307 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,880 are doing just simply as Christians, or when we're taking 308 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,280 a step higher than that to believe God for something else 309 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:11,960 in our life, we have to always keep our heart open, always let 310 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,040 the Lord continue to speak to us. 311 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,599 And then in the process of that, it should be a part of our 312 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:21,640 conversation because as we talk about things, the Bible says the 313 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,839 power of life and death is in the tongue, and so we have to 314 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:29,240 keep those things alive. Now I think it's important to 315 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,920 understand how that after Mary and Joseph had all these 316 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:37,080 supernatural experiences, then it goes into this part of the 317 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,800 story. And when 8 days were completed 318 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,120 for the circumcision of the child, his name was called 319 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:46,520 Jesus, the name given by the Angel before he was conceived in 320 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:48,520 the womb. Now when the days of her 321 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,800 purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, 322 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,360 they brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 323 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,920 As this is written of the law of the Lord, every male who opens 324 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:02,240 the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a 325 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,680 sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, A 326 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:09,160 pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. 327 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,960 Now in this I put the next step because even though they had 328 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:16,640 these supernatural encounters with angels, others have the 329 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:19,000 same thing. Even though there was this great 330 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,600 supernatural life, they didn't look at it and think well 331 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,320 they're exempted from everyday life. 332 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:29,360 It was according to the Word of God that before a child was 8 333 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:32,600 days old it would be circumcised because that was the covenant 334 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,200 that God had made with their father Abraham. 335 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:39,400 And then through Moses there was something additional given and 336 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,800 that was they had to present the child before the Lord in the 337 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:47,160 temple and then because he was a first born, they had to offer an 338 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:51,560 offering to the Lord. Now our first one emphasizes how 339 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:55,840 they were a people of the Word because God wants us to be 340 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,160 filled with the Spirit. He wants us to walk in this 341 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:00,960 spirit, but how we know it has to be balanced by the Word of 342 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:04,120 God. And so with the Scriptures and 343 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:07,720 with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can obtain all that 344 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,720 God has for us. But I think it's interesting 345 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:15,920 here that this child that was promised to them, this hope that 346 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:20,000 was placed within them, they had to take it to the temple and 347 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:24,040 then offer an offering because they're actually belong to God. 348 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:26,360 This was an important thing to understand. 349 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:28,760 That's why I put they were paying rent, so to speak, 350 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,720 because they need to understand something. 351 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,040 You're chosen to have this child, but it's not just your 352 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,000 child. When we have baby dedications 353 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,840 here, from time to time I'll mention it because when you 354 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:46,120 dedicate your baby to the Lord, you're acknowledging, well, this 355 00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:49,680 child is not just mine. I'm giving it back to the Lord. 356 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,760 The reason that's so important to understand is when we have 357 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,080 children, it's not our children, it's the Lord's children. 358 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,240 They're on loan. And I heard him in on that. 359 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:02,720 Now that should help you in understanding that when things 360 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,720 aren't going the way you would hope that well, because of they 361 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:07,960 belong to God, God's going to be with them. 362 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,920 God's going to do his work. But as Christians also, whether 363 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,880 it's our children or whether it's something that God has 364 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,040 worked in our life, we should never have the sense that we own 365 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:20,680 things and try to make it go our way. 366 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:24,400 But we should look at things that, well, it actually belongs 367 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,360 to God. And so I'm going to walk 368 00:20:26,360 --> 00:20:29,880 according to his word. But it really was a supernatural 369 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,920 event, even as they went to fulfill the duties of the law 370 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,920 and to walk in the fullness that the Scripture had for them 371 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,920 because of the Bible says, and I read the whole story about 372 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,440 Simeon and Anna. It says, so He came by the 373 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:48,000 Spirit in the temple, and when the parents brought in the child 374 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,040 Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took 375 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,440 him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are 376 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:58,760 letting your servant depart in peace according to your Word. 377 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,760 For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have 378 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,320 prepared for the face of all people, a light to bring 379 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,760 revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. 380 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:15,160 What Simeon is saying here is really the whole some of the old 381 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:19,840 covenant God called Abraham, sent Moses to establish the 382 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,720 people of God. And then came the prophets who 383 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:27,200 always foretold of the day when Jesus Christ would come and God 384 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,240 would establish a whole new order. 385 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,160 And it wouldn't be just about the Jews being the people of 386 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:36,440 God, but that God would cause Jesus Christ to be a light also 387 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:40,160 to the Gentiles and Simeon incoming the House of God. 388 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,240 He knew that. And what he says as a part of 389 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,840 this story is, wow, now I can basically die in peace because 390 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:48,640 I've seen what I've been praying for. 391 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,920 Because when he saw it in the Scriptures, he was also praying 392 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:56,760 for that. That explains it should to you 393 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,200 as over the years I've talked about what God has spoken to me 394 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,720 and how I'm ever talking about it and confessing it and 395 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,800 believing it. Because when you really have 396 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:11,160 something that God speaks to you, again, it's not yours, it's 397 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,720 his. And you have to take that as if 398 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,560 it's a child and you have to feed it, you have to nurture it, 399 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,400 you have to protect it. Anything that you would think as 400 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,640 a parent you're responsible for a child, we need to do with the 401 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:29,600 word of God. And as you nurture that thing, 402 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,960 it's going to continue to grow in you. 403 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:35,520 Few of us were talking about this the other night. 404 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,200 My daughter Ashley's been teaching out about Father's 405 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,880 house, and she was saying how, you know, there's a lot of these 406 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:42,400 principles that you were talking about. 407 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,640 I wrote that book in 1991, and it was a book God told me to 408 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,560 write, to review what he had already spoken because that 409 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:51,960 would be the foundation of everything that I would expect 410 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:55,080 God to do over the years. So people say, yeah, Pastor 411 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,240 Lawrence been speaking about those things from the very 412 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,000 beginning. Well, I'm not speaking the same 413 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,760 thing, but I am talking about the same principles because just 414 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,840 like it is with the child, you hold it, you nurture it, and you 415 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:10,040 watch it grow. Now, as it grows, it's still is 416 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,240 the same kid, but how many know? Sometimes you don't recognize it 417 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,640 because as your children begin to grow, they change through all 418 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,000 the issues of life, through our moral changes, whatever it is. 419 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,720 And so you have to kind of adjust yourself to that child 420 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,800 that you're raising. And so it is concerning our walk 421 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,840 with God, concerning what God wants to do in our lives 422 00:23:31,120 --> 00:23:34,960 individually. And so it takes on greater form, 423 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:38,440 it takes on a greater measure, but you never get rid of the 424 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,400 child and you get something else because you don't like the way 425 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:46,000 they're turning out. And that's the same way it 426 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,640 should be in our walk with God. We should understand that it 427 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,280 doesn't always go the way you expect. 428 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,600 Sometimes it seems unexpected, as a matter of fact. 429 00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:00,320 But we always have to keep on believing what God has spoken. 430 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,600 And that's why I love these stories about Anna and Simeon. 431 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:08,520 Simeon was not a priest. As far as we know from the 432 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,720 story. He didn't have any special place 433 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:15,760 in the economy of the religious order, but he was a man of the 434 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,200 Word because he was a man of the Word. 435 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,240 He knew there would come a day when God would raise up a 436 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,720 Messiah that would be the light to the Gentiles, and he took the 437 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:30,160 responsibility of that. He nurtured it, He prayed over 438 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:31,800 it. He believed for it. 439 00:24:32,360 --> 00:24:37,280 And then one day living an old long life, because he's saying 440 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:41,680 now I can basically die and see, say that I've seen what God has 441 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:46,480 said after all these years. God had spoken to him. 442 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:48,920 You're gonna actually see what you're looking for. 443 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:52,720 And this particular day it says and the Holy Spirit led him to 444 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:56,680 the temple and he went in there and looked and saw Jesus and 445 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:01,040 something inside of him said, this is what you've been looking 446 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:02,640 for. Can you imagine how amazing that 447 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:06,240 would be? Church, to see and believe and 448 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:09,440 actually hold something. Now I know what it is to be a 449 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:11,240 father. And when the children come into 450 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,160 the world, it's such an amazing thing to have. 451 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,560 And it's such an amazing thing to be a grandpa, too. 452 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:22,400 And when we receive something from the Lord, it's such an 453 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,520 awesome thing. The Simeon wasn't just holding 454 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,600 the baby. He was receiving and holding the 455 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,560 promise, his long held expectation. 456 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,600 He was literally seeing the word of God. 457 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:39,520 Now I put up there in part because he was believing for the 458 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:41,920 salvation of God and he's holding the baby now. 459 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,360 How many know if God says that's my salvation, your grandma say, 460 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:47,680 oh thank you God. And all of a sudden you might 461 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:49,960 have thought for a minute and thought, wait a minute, how is 462 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:56,800 this the year salvation? But it was what God was doing. 463 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,200 And so he was able to see that which was in part because he 464 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,160 walked the walk of faith. And the same thing is true 465 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,520 concerning Anna. The Bible says she was 84 years 466 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:08,640 old. She had been married for a long 467 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:10,440 time, but then she became a widow. 468 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:14,200 So what she did is she committed herself to the House of God and 469 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,080 she went there, minister to the Lord with prayers and fastings 470 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,960 because all she knew is one day God's going to make a ransom for 471 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,400 his people. And when he does, it's going to 472 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,440 be such an awesome day. And so she simply gave her life 473 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:29,640 to fasting and prayer. How many know that would be a 474 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,120 tremendous sacrifice? And that's why I love the fact 475 00:26:33,120 --> 00:26:36,320 that God put them into this story. 476 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,040 Now it's important for us to understand that as we walk with 477 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,720 the Holy Spirit, there's different ways that God 478 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:46,880 communicates to us and it's a process that happens and one of 479 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,280 the ways it's a process for me is God will speak something to 480 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:54,680 me and that we're what kind of work through me and sometimes in 481 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:59,120 prayer just began to come forth. I remember in the late 70's the 482 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:04,760 Star Wars movies came out not I really like those movies. 11 I 483 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,720 guess you would call it phrase comes out to me more than all 484 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:11,640 the others because it tells the story about Obi Wan Kenobi. 485 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:16,080 He goes something to happen, I feel a disturbance in the force. 486 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:23,400 And as I thought about that, I, I, I thought about that and I've 487 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,440 always held that to me because, because I have the Holy Spirit, 488 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,960 sometimes I'll feel things are happening, Sometimes things will 489 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,680 be going on and I just know in my spirit, God's doing 490 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:34,960 something. So I start praying, I start 491 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:39,200 looking for God to do something. And about 10 days ago, I started 492 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,720 feeling that burden. And so usually it comes in a 493 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:44,040 word. So I, I thought it would come 494 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,360 out of my sermon on last Sunday. It didn't come out my sermon 495 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:50,680 last Sunday. And so again I thought, well, 496 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:52,080 it's going to come out of my sermon. 497 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,400 But I kept just feeling this burden, something I was carrying 498 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,520 in the Lord. And of course I thought it would 499 00:27:57,520 --> 00:27:59,720 come out Wednesday and it did come out Wednesday. 500 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,520 Well, in the night time on Wednesday night, this scripture 501 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:06,960 came to me. And this is where Moses is 502 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,880 talking to the children of Israel right before they're 503 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:12,880 going into the Promised Land. And he said, take this book of 504 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,520 the law and put it beside the ark of the coming of the Lord 505 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,680 your God, that it may be there as a witness against you. 506 00:28:19,120 --> 00:28:22,320 For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. 507 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,600 If today, while I'm yet alive with you, you have been 508 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:30,080 rebellious against the Lord, then how much more after my 509 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,000 death? How many know in this particular 510 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,880 reference here, Moses doesn't seem to be real happy. 511 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:40,640 So when that word came to me in the night, I I've just praying 512 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,240 again. I'm like, Lord, that's not an 513 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:44,720 exciting word to have when I get a burden and I'm praying. 514 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,200 I wouldn't want you to say like Moses. 515 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,000 Oh, you guys, I've seen like what you're like and you're 516 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:54,960 never going to change. So I wasn't really encouraged by 517 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,440 that, but I knew it was something God was working with 518 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:00,960 me and in the morning and come in on Thursday, I meet with 519 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,840 Billy Foster on Thursday mornings at 9:00 and I mentioned 520 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,680 that scripture. He says I just read that and I'm 521 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:07,920 like, I don't want a confirmation on a scripture like 522 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,720 that. You know, tell him I got it 523 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:13,360 wrong. Tell me there's a few verses 524 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,600 later that I miss. But that's why I put up here the 525 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,720 disturbance because of the disturbance is still disturbing 526 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:21,640 me. If you would. 527 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,560 But as I was in prayer and continue to think about these 528 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:27,320 things yesterday, I felt this burden. 529 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:30,360 I was praying for it. And the fact of the matter is I 530 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:34,240 got a whole great sermon yesterday that I had on my 531 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,560 computer when I got up this morning, thought I was going to 532 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:38,520 preach it. And the Lord said no, That's for 533 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:39,800 the history class you're writing. 534 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:46,200 I want you to talk about the burden because I want you to 535 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:51,040 tell the people that this is a day when my salvation is going 536 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,920 to be made known to them. And I believe that with all my 537 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:56,960 heart. And I was finally excited about 538 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,920 what I was going to say. Although I didn't like changing 539 00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:01,240 my sermon. I kind of like the one I was 540 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:05,080 given before. But anyway, I'm very, very 541 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:08,040 excited about this time, and the scripture the Lord brought to me 542 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,920 is one that many of you have familiar with me sharing over 543 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:15,000 the years. Isaiah 49, it says an acceptable 544 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,040 time. I've heard you in the day of 545 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:18,840 salvation. I have helped you. 546 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,400 I will preserve you and give you as a covenant to the people to 547 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,600 restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate 548 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:28,920 heritages. You may say to the prisoners, go 549 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,000 forth to those who are in darkness, show yourselves and 550 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,440 they shall feed along the roads, and their pastors shall all be 551 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:40,080 at desolate heights. And as I have shared over the 552 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,720 years, in 1993 I had a very special time in the presence of 553 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,720 the Lord and I have been so aware of God's blessing in my 554 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:48,680 life. He had done so many amazing 555 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,320 things and like I've said, He had speaketh to me. 556 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,680 I believe the Lord. I see it come to pass and this 557 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:57,360 particular day I was like, Lord, I want to concentrate myself 558 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,520 more fully to you. And so I made a covenant 559 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:04,400 commitment to God and actually bought her cross as a part of my 560 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:06,480 sign of this covenant I made with God. 561 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:08,880 And it wasn't going to be one that I would let people see. 562 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:11,640 It was going to be one that would hide if you would. 563 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:15,080 And so I was very excited and seeking the Lord. 564 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,560 Well, the very next year I started having a seizure 565 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:21,160 disorder. I was at a Benny Hinn conference 566 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,120 and I was out in the foyer. Before we went out in the foyer, 567 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:26,320 I said to my wife, because at Benny Hinn conferences, 568 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,120 everybody's falling out when he prays for them. 569 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,440 I said if I fall out, it's not the Holy Ghost. 570 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,760 Something weird is happening to me and went in the foyer and I 571 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:38,120 did fall on the ground with a grand Mal seizure and started a 572 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:42,920 journey that lasted nine months. And it took a while for them to 573 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,600 adjust my medicine. And even then I was on so much 574 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,080 medicine. I was like in a brain fog and 575 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,840 still were some things that I couldn't do and especially look 576 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:55,400 at a computer or read the Bible. So I was able to find something 577 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,800 very supernatural for the Lord for those nine months to just 578 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:01,320 continue doing everything. I just was believing the Lord 579 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,400 he'd helped me through. But that's when one day I was in 580 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:09,080 prayer and the Lord spoke that word to me in acceptable time. 581 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:11,840 I've heard you in the day of salvation. 582 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,760 I've helped you. And that day I knew God had 583 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:16,720 healed me. So I talked to the doctors and 584 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,520 went off the medicine and God had performed a miracle for me, 585 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:24,600 but he actually told me, Now remember with me there are 586 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:26,840 acceptable times. So you always have to remind 587 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,120 people there are acceptable times and there are days of 588 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:32,800 salvation when Lord moves in a very special way. 589 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:36,080 And He actually gave me the whole chapter that I've been 590 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,640 watching since that time come to pass. 591 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:41,320 And I can say God has been bringing that word to pass. 592 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:45,280 That's why that Bible over there is always open to Isaiah chapter 593 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:48,560 49, because when I'm in here praying, I'll go to that chapter 594 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:52,600 and say, OK, what's next? And the latter part of this 595 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,560 chapter talks about God's deliverance. 596 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,920 And I really believe that when God gave me that and remind me 597 00:32:59,920 --> 00:33:03,320 of that verse, he said now it's time to announce to the people, 598 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:06,680 expect this to be a time of salvation. 599 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:11,280 Like Simeon waited all those years and finally saw my 600 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:17,120 salvation as Anna waited all those years and finally saw the 601 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:20,600 ransom of God. Tell the people it's a day of 602 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:24,120 salvation that is coming. Don't matter how long you've 603 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:29,520 been waiting, lift your vision higher because this is a new day 604 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:33,840 in God. Amen Church and I really believe 605 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:36,880 today that as I pray over you that I'm going to believe for 606 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,320 you and I'm going to believe for your children because I know 607 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:44,280 that God has given me a special faith for today, an expectation. 608 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,760 But I also want to say how that it is something that we need to 609 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:51,680 be looking for as a part of the season we're moving into in the 610 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:56,320 coming year to expect us never before to see God's great 611 00:33:56,320 --> 00:34:00,960 salvation, which is deliverance. It's freedom, it's setting the 612 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,280 captives free. It's God saying you kidnap my 613 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:07,680 kid, but here's the ransom, I'm buying them back, says the Lord. 614 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,920 Amen, church, Amen. And this is one of those 615 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:15,719 scriptures in Isaiah 49. I want to close with this, but 616 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:18,600 Zion said the Lord has forsaken me. 617 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,400 The Lord has forgotten me. Can a woman forget a nursing 618 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,440 child and not have compassion on the son of her womb? 619 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:30,840 Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget. 620 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:35,920 You see, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. 621 00:34:36,199 --> 00:34:39,280 Your walls are continually before me. 622 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,800 Can we all bow our heads and close our eyes for just a 623 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:45,760 moment? Hallelujah, Jesus. 624 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:55,199 I truly believe for something from God, for everybody who's 625 00:34:55,199 --> 00:34:58,640 here today. Maybe you've been waiting a long 626 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:03,760 time and maybe you're in that place like Moses where you've 627 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:06,880 been called to lead the people and you've been so discouraged. 628 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:08,400 You're like, I know what you're like. 629 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:11,800 It's not going to change. No, God says it'll change. 630 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:16,360 Joshua's coming. Jesus is coming and he'll take 631 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:18,560 him into the land, says the mighty God. 632 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:25,040 For God is faithful because see, what is impossible for man is 633 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,120 always possible for God. So with every head bowed and 634 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,400 ever I close, I want you to, if there's something even in your 635 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:40,680 life that's kind of a lingering on, if you would, I see 636 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:47,000 anxieties being taken away. I see bondages being taken away. 637 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:54,400 I see sicknesses being healed. This is a day of great and 638 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:56,920 awesome things for the power of God. 639 00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:04,120 And as we prepare ourselves for the next year, which is part of 640 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:10,840 what we do, as we even celebrate Christmas and something coming 641 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:16,480 to birth, to have a great expectation of that which is to 642 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:22,720 come. Father, give us a revelation of 643 00:36:22,720 --> 00:36:28,000 your great salvation, your great deliverance. 644 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,960 Let us know that you were wounded for our transgressions, 645 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:36,240 but also bruised for our iniquities or weakness, that you 646 00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:39,080 were chastised so that we could have peace. 647 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:43,880 And the Father, by your stripes we have been made healed. 648 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:49,200 Father, let the faith begin to rise up in Mount Zion as never 649 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:54,240 before, that we can indeed arise and shine, that the glory of the 650 00:36:54,240 --> 00:36:58,400 Lord can be seen upon us. Father, put that within each and 651 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:03,240 every one of our hearts. I pray in Jesus name, Amen. 652 00:37:04,720 --> 00:37:07,320 This is Pastor Lauren Coverbius from Mount Zion Church. 653 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:10,320 We thank you for joining us today and invite you to connect 654 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,920 with our church family by visiting mountzion.org and 655 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:16,560 following us on social media. God bless you.