1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,480 Hello and welcome to the Arise Church Podcast. 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,600 We are so glad you're here and want to thank you for joining us 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,640 today for the audio version of our Sunday morning message. 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,080 We want to invite you to join us in person at our Sunday morning 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,480 celebration every Sunday at 10 AM. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,160 We are located on Old Jenks Rd. in Apex, NC. 7 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,840 Listen, the Lord did put a message in my heart. 8 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:30,280 That was the that was just my little introduction, but really 9 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,880 I believe that we are in the days right now here at Horizon. 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,520 I've said this to our team. I sense this every weekend that 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:42,840 we are in the very special days of the Lord is giving us an 12 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,480 invitation every single Sunday that we come and hear the word 13 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:49,400 of God. In fact, I listen to Pastor 14 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,640 Beth's message a couple of times. 15 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:54,600 One, because I wasn't here, I was in kids. 16 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,760 I was at kids camp and so, you know, you in the car, you don't 17 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,640 always get to hear everything. So I got to hear her message 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,000 again, but I'm so encouraged because I feel like the Lord is 19 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:10,600 literally like bringing us, serving us an invitation every 20 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,200 single Sunday of what he has for us. 21 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,320 So I feel like even today's encouragement and message in the 22 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:21,440 word is an invitation. And I also believe the second 23 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,160 part of this is that there's not just an invitation of like, hey, 24 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,480 come join me or hear something I have for you. 25 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:29,120 But I believe that the Lord right now, there's a 26 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,720 supernatural grace of impartation to all of you, to 27 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,560 all of us, so that he's not just inviting, like, come on, but 28 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:39,840 He's giving you the grace. That's what grace is, the 29 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:45,520 empowerment of the Holy Spirit to receive that impartation of 30 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,600 strength, that impartation of the word, that impartation of 31 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,000 courage to step into these things and maybe let go of other 32 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,720 things to do it. And so I pray that today, even 33 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,280 as even as I share what God put on my heart to share, that you 34 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,160 would hear the invitation, but even more importantly, that you 35 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:07,160 would receive the impartation, right? 36 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,479 There's an impartation that something of part of what I'm 37 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:14,840 sharing is being given to you and being imparted, added to 38 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,160 you, that I pray that you receive it. 39 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,320 I pray that you function and I pray that you know it's for you. 40 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,480 It's for now. Amen. 41 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,960 And so, Lord, may you give us ears to hears and eyes to see 42 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,400 today. Lord, may you just wash any 43 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,400 debris, anything that we've held back. 44 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,560 And I thank you for even the time of worship today that we've 45 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:39,760 surrendered all or how fitting because you did the very same 46 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:44,680 thing for us on the cross. You said I surrender all so that 47 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:49,640 we could be your sons and daughters, that we can step into 48 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:53,360 this place of grace. We can step into this place of 49 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,080 receiving from you and being called by you today, Lord. 50 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:02,280 So I thank you that we follow because you said that you would 51 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,240 lead us that you're a Good Shepherd. 52 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,880 So thank you, Lord, that you hear us, you see us and that 53 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,480 today you would speak to us in Jesus name, Amen. 54 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,440 Amen. So I want to, I want to, I feel 55 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,040 like this has been since I came to a rice church, this has been 56 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:24,680 just a word on my heart that I feel like we are about to 57 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,720 experience some flourishing in this house. 58 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,400 So if you, if you have felt like, no, I'm actually withering 59 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:37,080 a little bit, hang in there because God's about to plant 60 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,800 events in places where you will have what you need the 61 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,680 nourishment to grow in, in what he has in store for you. 62 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:49,680 But the the word flourish means to grow, to thrive, to bear 63 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,800 fruit and to remain fresh. Amen. 64 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,560 Because of being deeply rooted in God. 65 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:03,520 So it's to grow, to thrive, to be to bear fruit and to remain 66 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,880 fresh because of being rooted deeply in God. 67 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,520 And I want to point to this scripture that this is really 68 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,400 the Scripture that I just been meditating and pondering and 69 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,640 asking the Lord because I believe it's for us today. 70 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,000 I believe it's for what God wants to do at Arise Church. 71 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,280 For every person that calls a righteous a rice church, their 72 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,640 home church, whether it's online or whether it's a home church or 73 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,520 you're part of our congregation here, this is a word for you. 74 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,800 In Psalm 92, verse 12 through 15, it says the righteous shall 75 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:41,160 flourish like a palm tree. He shall grow like a cedar in 76 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,720 Lebanon. Those who are planted, planted 77 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,320 in the House of the Lord shall flourish. 78 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:53,080 Pay attention to that. Those who are planted, not those 79 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,480 who are potted, but those who are planted, Amen. 80 00:04:56,840 --> 00:05:00,520 Those who are planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish 81 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:05,520 in the courts of our God. That means in the presence of 82 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,560 God. How many of you like that 83 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:13,400 already, Amen. They shall still bear fruit in 84 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,840 old age. Amen. 85 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,200 They shall be fresh and flourishing. 86 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:24,680 To declare that the Lord is upright. 87 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:29,400 He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him. 88 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,520 Lord, we love your word. You know I've meditated on the 89 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,280 Scripture for really since I came to arise. 90 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:39,160 The Lord put that in fact, our very first women's gathering was 91 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,120 called flourish. If you were here, you would 92 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:47,240 remember, but you know, we, the Bible says the righteous shall 93 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,040 flourish. That means that is what God, 94 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,880 that's a promise. That is a promise from the Lord 95 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:54,720 to the righteous. Who are the righteous? 96 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,640 Those who have been made righteous right by the blood of 97 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:00,640 Jesus. So if you're like, I haven't 98 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,600 been righteous, I cut someone off today. 99 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,440 Good news, you are righteous because of that. 100 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,960 And it says that you shall flourish like a palm tree. 101 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,120 And let me tell you, I I first, I read the scripture so, so many 102 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,160 times. And I always thought, oh, that's 103 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:17,440 cool. Like I love palm trees. 104 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,120 I'm, I grew up in California. Like, it just was like, yeah, 105 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,080 palm tree sounds really great. But until I asked the Lord what 106 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:30,880 the palm tree meant, it really opened up my, my, my perception 107 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,040 of even what this scripture is the revelation. 108 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:38,240 And it says that those they shall grow like a cedar in 109 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:42,120 Lebanon. That cedar in Lebanon is one of 110 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:46,960 the strongest trees, most stable trees that you will ever hear 111 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:48,280 about. But I want to tell you really 112 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:53,120 quick about the palm tree. So the palm tree as you know it 113 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,000 is a tree that is usually upright, right? 114 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,520 And its leaves are pretty flexible. 115 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,360 If you've ever been in a storm, many of us have, you know, those 116 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,000 are the ones that when the storms come, their leaves are 117 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,160 flexible. They can go back and forth and 118 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:10,880 when it's over, they go straight again. 119 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,640 And that's what I believe the Lord was saying to us, that that 120 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,960 is what God has for us as we're planted in the House of the 121 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,440 Lord. That when storms come in our 122 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,320 life, yes, we're going to have the capacity to be like, OK, 123 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:28,240 here we go, but when? But we will be upright, we will 124 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,840 continue to be upright. We will not be taken down. 125 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,160 Palm trees also bear abundant fruit. 126 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,240 There's a date palm which can actually, the date palms can 127 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,480 bear fruit all the way up to 100 years. 128 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,440 So if you're under 100 years, you're in the right place. 129 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,080 Amen. That that's why God is saying, 130 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:51,200 that's why his word is saying you will be like a palm tree, 131 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,320 not just because you're going to be in California hanging out. 132 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,080 It's no, he's saying, this is what I'm saying and I'm 133 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,920 prophetically speaking to you guys that you shall be like a 134 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,960 palm tree for those that are in the House of the Lord, that you 135 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,680 will bear fruit all the way to old age. 136 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,720 And it says that it can produce fruit for many, many years. 137 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:18,680 Here's the cool part. Palm trees can flourish in harsh 138 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:23,520 environments. Here's why because you don't see 139 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,720 it because it's under the surface. 140 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:31,560 But the palm trees have very deep roots, deep roots. 141 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:36,120 So even in the middle of harsh environments, they can tap into 142 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,760 the water source. And I believe that these are the 143 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:43,240 days that we better be tapped in to the water source that we are. 144 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:48,240 Roots have to go deep. A few weeks ago, I thought I was 145 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:52,480 cute and I bought some little lavender plants from a Trader 146 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,800 Joe's and I had plans for the plans for these plants. 147 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:01,920 I literally was like, I I ChatGPT like what it I was going 148 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,400 to build this garden, what I was going to do. 149 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:10,160 And I potted them because I just thought, well, for now they just 150 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:11,880 need to be potted. I just need to keep the water 151 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,720 right? But they were outside. 152 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:19,160 And so one of those big windy days came and went and so did my 153 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:24,320 plants so that they, the, the pot broke, of course, but then 154 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,440 they just shriveled up and died. It is so sad. 155 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:31,240 But you know what? If I had planted those plants, 156 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,760 guess what? They would have survived. 157 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,160 They probably would have thrived. 158 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,240 And that's, that's really the case. 159 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,520 And that's really what I want to bring to y'all that some of us 160 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,400 are not seeing. We're not we're not flourishing 161 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:47,240 because we're not yet planted because this promise, it says 162 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:53,320 those who are planted, not potted in the House of the Lord 163 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:57,240 shall flourish. And you know, we like pots. 164 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:58,520 Here's the reason why we like pots. 165 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,840 OK, One, they're cute, right? They're cute. 166 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,040 You could kind of pick your own colour. 167 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,560 You don't really have to like, you know, you can they're very 168 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,200 they can move around. So if you're like, yeah, I don't 169 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,160 like this place. Like, you know, I like to just 170 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,440 put move my pots. And sometimes as believers, as 171 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,760 Christians, we're like being in a pot is comfortable. 172 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:23,360 Yay. Because when I, the sun hits me 173 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:28,280 too hard, you know, I can just move here where I can get the 174 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:33,160 shade right. Or if someone, you know, I don't 175 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,560 really like the way they are doing this or that, well, I can 176 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:39,440 just move my paw over here and I can move here. 177 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:41,960 But here's the truth. You will never reach the 178 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:47,400 capacity that you were created to have if you are not planted 179 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:53,360 because believe it or not, the nourishment of the pot in the 180 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:58,280 pot, it's actually very empty. That's why you have to keep 181 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,800 adding different kinds of soils and mixtures and fertilizers. 182 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,040 I'm like, I don't even do that to my own. 183 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:05,920 I don't even have that kind of skin routine. 184 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,040 But I feel like, you know, we have to baby these potted plants 185 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,680 because they just need a lot more care. 186 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:14,960 Now. If you plant them right, if 187 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,320 you're planted in the House of the Lord, you will naturally 188 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,040 receive the nourishment that's in the soil because you're 189 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,840 choosing to come and be in the dirt. 190 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,560 I mean, of us know the dirt can be messy, right? 191 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,400 My son came in today and he just got a brand new white shoes and 192 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,280 he's like, I got mud. Oh, shoot, that was like, oh, 193 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,280 buddy, I'm so sorry because mud can be messy. 194 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,160 Mud transfers. And you know, but there's 195 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:47,240 something about the, the, the nourishments that take place 196 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:52,640 because in the soil there's so much more that's unseen, right? 197 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:54,560 There's so much more under the surface. 198 00:11:54,560 --> 00:11:57,720 And so when we are planted in the House of the Lord, there's 199 00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:59,640 so much more nourishment than we realized. 200 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:03,120 I was talking to a really good friend of mine this week and we 201 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:06,960 were talking about again, you guys are going to give me an F 202 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:11,000 for my green thumb because I just going to be honest, I don't 203 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:16,000 have 1 yet, but we were talking about tomato plants. 204 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:18,560 And so we were just chit chatting, chit chatting. 205 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:22,200 And she's like, yeah, my tomato plants are not as they're not 206 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,320 flourishing like the ones that back home they used to flourish. 207 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,560 And I was like, huh, mine do that too. 208 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,640 And then I dawned on me. I was like, well, mine like 209 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:34,680 they're tipped over and there's probably like just this much 210 00:12:34,680 --> 00:12:36,440 dirt leftover since I last saw them. 211 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,680 So yeah, mine haven't flourished either. 212 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:41,440 They, I have not produced a fruit in that pot in a long 213 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,560 time. So, but it don't, I mean, I 214 00:12:44,560 --> 00:12:51,600 said, could it be that when you had your tomato plants planted 215 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,200 in soil, maybe that's why they're flourishing? 216 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,560 Because the ones here, they're still in a pot and they're just, 217 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,600 you know, we were talking she's like, it's expensive. 218 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:02,760 Like we have to keep adding to them. 219 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,920 And it's like just 'cause she's like, we might as well just buy 220 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:09,200 tomatoes at Costco. I'm like, yes, that's what I do. 221 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,560 I buy the ones on the vine because it makes me think that 222 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:16,280 someone grew them and maybe in my imagination I grew them. 223 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:20,000 I don't know that I'm in some Italian village and I'm like, 224 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,520 here's my tomatoes. But anyways, so that's why I buy 225 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:28,720 those vine ones. But but it but it dawned on me. 226 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:33,000 I said, yeah, I wonder if it's that, you know, and sure enough, 227 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:38,160 I chatted ChatGPT whatever is I was like, is this true? 228 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,480 And they're like, yes, it's true. 229 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,360 You are right. You're on the right track. 230 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:49,640 You need to actually, when you plant tomato plants and they're 231 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,960 in soil, they will flourish and you'll have so much fruit. 232 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,360 I thought, huh, Lord, you're leading me somewhere not to 233 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,920 plant more plants right now, but somewhere. 234 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:03,320 But you know what? In, in, in, in the place of the 235 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,960 House of the Lord, like, you know, we are being being planted 236 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:11,640 means we are surrendering and we're saying, Lord, we're going 237 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,840 to be planted here and we're going to trust you that this, 238 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,960 you know, the, the environment that you're putting us in the 239 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,240 dirt that Lord, you're going to have the nourishment and the 240 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,000 nutrients and the water systems to irrigate because there's 241 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,440 going to be a root system. And that's the second, second 242 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,520 tree I want to talk to you about really briefly because I hope 243 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,360 you're seeing yourself here in that the Lord is calling us to 244 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,800 bear much fruit. The Lord is calling us to be 245 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,960 stable. The Lord is calling us to be 246 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:52,320 dependable, right? Because we need to, we need to 247 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:55,040 bear fruit for the Lord. We need to bear fruit for the 248 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,360 Lord and the cedar of Lebanon. Let me tell you about this tree. 249 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:05,800 This is the very same tree that King David, King Solomon used 250 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,480 for the temple. So if God was going to choose a 251 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:16,280 tree to build the temple, the king, what tree, right? 252 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,080 And it's the cedar of Lebanon. And here's why. 253 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:27,360 Because it is strong, it is stable, it has our unnatural 254 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:32,520 oils and it's resistant to pest and decay. 255 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:39,040 That's why the Lord is saying to us, you will grow, you will 256 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:40,600 grow. Let me tell you this, sometimes 257 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,880 the in the will we get discouraged because you're like, 258 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:50,000 I'm here and let me tell you 4 years ago we came, we were like, 259 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,760 we are here. And then we're like, oh, there 260 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,000 is the will part. We need to grow right there. 261 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,520 We need to grow in our congregation. 262 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,400 We, we needed to grow as well with the Lord grew us. 263 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:06,160 But the only way that could happen is if we were planted 264 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,520 because the, the, the first thing that grows in a cedar of 265 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,200 Lebanon is the root system. God is smart, right? 266 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,000 1st, the roots have to grow deep enough again to tap into the 267 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,640 water, but really it brings stability and strength so that 268 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:27,320 as the tree grows, it is unmovable and unshaken, right? 269 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:32,000 How many of us in this life right now we need to be 270 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,720 unmovable and unshaken? Amen. 271 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:42,440 And so it says here that it grows in the high mountains of 272 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:48,280 Lebanon, even through heavy snow, strong winds, hot summers, 273 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:52,120 cold winters, praise the Lord, and conditions that contribute 274 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:53,920 it. All of those conditions, you 275 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:55,720 would think, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 276 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:01,280 I lived in Maryland two years and I was not loving it, but you 277 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,040 know what? God created this tree till I, I 278 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:08,200 was, I was like, let's, let's stay inside. 279 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,920 But thank you Lord for that because I will tell you, I will 280 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,960 tell you those two years that the Lord took us and I'm so 281 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,319 thankful for that. I, it was a gift of the Lord to 282 00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:20,960 take us through that time of growth and like going deeper, 283 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:24,000 right, deeper. It wasn't a time to like stay on 284 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,240 the surface. We had to go deep, deep, deep 285 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:30,520 with the Lord and during those two years, I tell you what, the 286 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:36,640 weather, the the, the winters that I was not used to guess 287 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,960 what it did in me, not what I expected. 288 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,520 I was like, I expect it to freeze me. 289 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:47,160 No, it actually builds resistance in me and it brings a 290 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:51,640 brought about a resilience from the Lord to go through those 291 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:56,680 harsh winters, to be able to take from the Lord what I needed 292 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,600 to build that strength. And same with these trees, they 293 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,440 as they grow and they go through all this harsh weather, it 294 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:05,000 doesn't deplete them. It actually makes them stronger 295 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:09,240 from the root system and then from the inside out all the way 296 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:10,880 to the SAP. And that's why they can build 297 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,360 such long tree branches that I will not try to be a tree for 298 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:15,520 you. But we do have pictures. 299 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,480 There's a tree, there's a picture of a Lebanon. 300 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,920 Do we have that picture? OK, that's the actual though, 301 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,880 the grain of it. It's like, look at these guys. 302 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,720 I don't know them, but they're holding the big tree. 303 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:34,240 OK, Is there a picture of the tree of the actual Lebanon? 304 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,720 OH, there it is. So this beautiful Lebanon cedar 305 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:44,000 of Lebanon, because of its deep roots, it can actually be pretty 306 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,320 wide. Its branches can spread really, 307 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,880 really long, and the leaves flourish because there's all the 308 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,880 SAP, all of the nutrients that's coming from the roots. 309 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,920 Amen. And I believe this is a picture 310 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,920 of what God has for us here to rise. 311 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:01,720 That you wouldn't be a tree that Withers. 312 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,080 Don't be like my tomato plants, right? 313 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,600 But may the Lord root you, may the Lord strengthen you, may the 314 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:14,880 Lord call you to be planted so that you can be as majestic as 315 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:16,320 that. And here's the beautiful part. 316 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,720 And here's what the Lord connected these parts. 317 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:20,880 You think, well, that's beautiful. 318 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:23,440 I just, I get to look beautiful like a tree. 319 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:28,520 No, this tree brings one, it brings the shade, but it also 320 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:32,000 brings a place where others can come right and take shelter. 321 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:34,440 And that's what God wants to do in each of you. 322 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:35,840 You think, oh, I just need to grow. 323 00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:39,400 Here's why you need to grow because there's a place in the 324 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:43,640 Lord that as He grows, as we can be, have greater capacity, 325 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,400 right? If a tree like that doesn't have 326 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,720 the inner strength to hold the weight of those branches, it 327 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:52,840 would collapse, right? It would. 328 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,640 We've seen that. We've seen that during storms 329 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:59,200 when the trees are sick or they're unhealthy or there's 330 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,640 pests, they collapse at the very first wind. 331 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:04,520 But these trees are not made for that. 332 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:06,920 And guess what? These are the trees that the 333 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,120 Lord said. Those are the ones I want for my 334 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:11,400 temple. Those are the ones that are 335 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,240 going to bring honor and service to me. 336 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,680 And I believe that the Lord's doing that in these days of 337 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,000 grabbing a hold of that resilience of what God's 338 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,040 building in you, Sometimes we want to run away from it, but I 339 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,720 encourage you stay with it, stay grounded, stay rooted, stay 340 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,760 immovable because that strength is going to spring forth. 341 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:38,320 OK, let me tell you one couple more things and then we're going 342 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,080 to move on. Enough science for today. 343 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,960 But it says that these trees grow very slowly. 344 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,560 I wasn't expecting that. Lord, Fast forward. 345 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:55,320 No, there's something about the steadiness and the resilience 346 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,840 that begin to develop the tree. Right. 347 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,040 So for those of you that you feel like I've been here a 348 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,920 month, I've been saved, I've been baptized, but where's my 349 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:10,640 fruit? The Lord wants us to be so 350 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,360 deeply rooted so that as we grow, there is more fruit, 351 00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,600 there's more being developed. You know, that's why you're in 352 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,360 the soil because more so be patient because these trees do 353 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:25,240 not grow overnight, but they do produce strength over time. 354 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,040 Amen. And so I want to encourage you. 355 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,200 This really reflects just our enduring faith in the Lord. 356 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,560 You know, these times of of coming together, even what the 357 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:39,040 Lord LED us to today to come on our knees like that is how we're 358 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,360 getting more strength. You know, it's repeating the 359 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:44,880 same thing and doing it and doing the things that God's 360 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:46,680 called us to do and sticking to it. 361 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,760 Amen. So it eventually this tree 362 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:53,680 matures into a massive trunk with wide branches, just like 363 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:58,160 you saw in Psalm one O 416 says the trees of the Lord are full 364 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:02,640 of SAP, the Cedars of Lebanon, which he planted again, you 365 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,840 could look over that and be like great SAP, sappy trees. 366 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,400 But the truth of the SAP, the SAP could not be produced. 367 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:15,040 And the SAP is what actually allows the nutrients of the soil 368 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:19,880 to be carried throughout the entire tree so that long, strong 369 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,600 branches can grow. And so this whole process that 370 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:27,320 the Lord is taking us through is so that there's actually 371 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:33,120 vitality and life when they when some when life taps at you, do 372 00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:36,280 we crumble or just SAP come out? We're like, Oh, you watch me 373 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:40,760 now, I'm going to grow and know another branch, right of 374 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:42,920 strength. I'm going to grow another branch 375 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,920 of joy in my marriage. I'm going to grow another branch 376 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,960 of resilience to lead my children in the way they should 377 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,240 go. Amen, parents, right? 378 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,640 And that's what this is producing in US. 379 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,680 It's not just like, oh, here's more branches, but there's a 380 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:02,040 purpose that these branches are to also carry the weight and the 381 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,120 capacity that God has for each and every one of us. 382 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:09,600 So let me tell you this again, it takes about two to five years 383 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,280 for a tree that's planted, that's been planted to begin to 384 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:16,640 grow and you see fruit. So there is a process of being 385 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:18,640 patient, but also being steadfast. 386 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:24,840 And let me tell you, that's been one of my most consistent 387 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:29,280 prayers to the Lord for these for this last few years, this 388 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:33,840 season of like, Lord, help me to be steadfast. 389 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:39,040 Like, yes, Lord, I need all the other things, but Lord, help me 390 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:43,440 to be steadfast for you, you know, to be unmovable, to be 391 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,240 unshakable, to just be steadfast in what you've called me to do. 392 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,920 It's, it's really like, it's not Lord, Lord, help me to be 393 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,360 comfortable. Lord help, help me so that my 394 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:55,880 children just behave every day, even though they do. 395 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,200 But you know, Lord, don't let anything like just don't let 396 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,280 anything come my way. It's like no Lord like 397 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,240 steadfast. I want to be steadfast and I 398 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:08,200 believe that the Lord's moving that in us because of the days 399 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,040 that are coming. This is preparation. 400 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,760 In case we didn't know it, this is preparation. 401 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,640 These are days that you are being strengthened, steadfast in 402 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,840 your marriage with your children, not so that you could 403 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,560 stay together, but so that you can be like that tree, that that 404 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:28,560 beautiful tree that can provide shade for others. 405 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:30,880 Amen. Because you're like, I just want 406 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,560 to make it. Yes, you will make it, but it's 407 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:37,720 so that you can be a fruitful tree for other people in the 408 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,720 Kingdom of God, Amen. I want to speak really quick to 409 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:47,320 the Lord put this on my heart for marriages, you know, when in 410 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:52,080 fact, I want to congratulate my beautiful parents, Beth and 411 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:53,760 Terry Austin. They celebrated. 412 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:58,080 Where are they in the room? 43 years, 43 years. 413 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:03,040 How many of you know that's steadfastness in the Lord. 414 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:04,960 And here's something really sweet that happened the the 415 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:10,240 morning that of their anniversary, I woke up and I 416 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,800 went downstairs and I said happy anniversary and mom had a big 417 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:17,440 old smile on her face. She goes 43 years of saying I 418 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,120 do. And I was like you did. 419 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,840 So, you know, I'm not really touch me because I thought, 420 00:25:24,360 --> 00:25:29,160 Lord, like how beautiful that it's been an intentional daily. 421 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:35,280 I do 40, she said 43 years of daily saying I do. 422 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,240 So I went upstairs and I told Ty, I do, I do, I do. 423 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,360 But you know what it's like there's an intentional of like 424 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,320 there's 43 years of saying I'm saying planted. 425 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,560 There's 43 years of laying my life down. 426 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:51,040 There's 43 years of saying I do what I promised to do on our 427 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:53,000 wedding day. And you know, that's what the 428 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,320 Lord I believe and I speak that over marriages that the Lord 429 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:59,920 would renew that SAP in you. So point to your spouse and be 430 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:03,880 like, come on, be sappy because that vitality. 431 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:09,360 The man just stared at me. The women are like, there's a 432 00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:14,760 vitality that the Lord wants to push upward in your marriage, 433 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:18,880 that the deeper you are rooted in the Lord, the deeper you're 434 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:23,240 rooted in within the House of the Lord and in the environment 435 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,440 that's going to stir up those nutrients. 436 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,080 And I'm even talking to you young people, don't, don't look 437 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,400 away, 'cause you're being prepared for what's to come, 438 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,840 Amen. You're the Lord's preparing you 439 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:38,360 to be that spouse, that sappy, that's ready to go and bring 440 00:26:38,360 --> 00:26:43,320 forth life, right? And so listen there, there is 441 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:48,080 just days of us being there by the Lord. 442 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,480 I felt like the Lord saying, there's vitality coming back 443 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:53,560 into marriages, there's vitality and strength. 444 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,200 And you think, Oh well, we've tried this. 445 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,520 But you know what, God can grow new things. 446 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:02,000 Did you know that there could be new branches that God's like you 447 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,720 don't even know what's coming and so stay grounded, stay true. 448 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:13,080 I love that the Lord says you know, if in in Psalm 1010, I'm 449 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:15,240 sorry, Psalm chapter one verse one and three. 450 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:19,080 This is this is honestly one of my life verses for many, many 451 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:22,040 years, because this is where the place where the Lord brought me 452 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:23,600 to say, this is what you will be. 453 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:28,640 And it says blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of 454 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:33,960 the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the 455 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:38,640 seat of the scornful. So if you find yourself in that 456 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,160 company with the ungodly, with the sinners, the seat of the 457 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:46,320 scornful, pay attention. He says blessed is a man who is 458 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:50,680 not, but it says his delight, our delight. 459 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:55,240 Look at, tell yourself, my delight, my delight, Lord, I 460 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:57,840 delight to do your will. I tell that. 461 00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,240 I say that. I speak to myself. 462 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:04,160 I say I delight to do your will when things get hard. 463 00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:07,560 I just not when I was like, Lord, where are we going to go 464 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,320 out to eat? I delight to do your will. 465 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,760 No, it's in the hard days when I don't want to do the hard 466 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:17,280 things. But I say, Lord, I delight to do 467 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:20,240 your will. And it says, but his delight is 468 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:26,560 in the law of the Lord and in his law He meditates day and 469 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,560 night. And it says, he again, a tree he 470 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,680 shall be. These are promises you guys, He 471 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:38,960 shall be like a tree planted. It's planted, it's unmovable, 472 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:43,920 it's unshaken, it's tapping in, planted by the rivers of water. 473 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:48,560 Listen, that bears fruit. That bears for its fruit in its 474 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:50,600 season. There is a season of 475 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:54,800 fruitfulness that's coming. And as we are tapped into the 476 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:58,760 Lord, as we are not moved, as we're planted, it says that in 477 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:02,080 its season it will. It says whose leaf also shall 478 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:06,440 not wither, meaning that there's no decay, right? 479 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,560 There's no decay, there's no waste. 480 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,800 It's like those leaves will not wither. 481 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:15,480 I've seen way too many leaves wither and you know, that's the 482 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:19,360 sign of like there's a nutrient deficiency going on, right? 483 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,120 They even have those apps where like you could take a picture of 484 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,360 your plant and you're like, OK, what's wrong with my plant? 485 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:27,280 I'm like, I want to try it on my pet. 486 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,200 What was wrong with my pet? But you know, it's like there is 487 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,320 something of like there's a reason why things are withering. 488 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:37,240 It's like, Lord, 'cause us to know the reasons why things are 489 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:39,360 withering. Is it 'cause we're not tapping 490 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,720 into you? Maybe we're tapping everywhere 491 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,120 else, but that's those other places are lifeless. 492 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:47,520 They don't bear fruit in our lives. 493 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,760 So I want to encourage you as you're, as you're, as we're 494 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,520 seeking the Lord and hearing from him. 495 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:56,000 Lord, show us when those things are withering. 496 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,520 Lord, what is missing? Where have I not tapped? 497 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:03,520 What's the what's the nutrients that you want me to tap into in 498 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:05,760 the spirit, but also in the community? 499 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,240 Amen. And it says, and whatever he 500 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:14,960 does shall prosper, not whoever, but it says the one who is 501 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:20,200 meditating on his word day and night, That one, not the one 502 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:23,720 that's sitting in the counsel of the ungodly, right? 503 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:28,080 Sometimes that could be the tik toks and the things that just 504 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,760 the ungodliness. It's like chatter, right? 505 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:33,640 Or the empty words. But he's like, don't sit in 506 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:35,520 that. Don't sit in that. 507 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:37,200 Wherever you sit, don't sit in that. 508 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,240 And and you're not standing in the past. 509 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:44,120 You're like, well, I'm not with you know, I'm not doing the 510 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:47,280 sinners, but I'm in their path. That means you're going to be 511 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,400 taken down or brought with them, right? 512 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:54,440 So many times I've asked myself this question, Lord, show me 513 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:59,320 where my feet need to be. Show me where my feet like this. 514 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,680 Like when I find myself in situations where I'm like, Lord, 515 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:06,280 like this is hard. Like just show me that this is 516 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:09,080 where my feet need to be. And then I have confidence that 517 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,200 you will sustain where I need to be. 518 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,520 And so some of us is like, Lord, are my feet where you want me to 519 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:17,320 be? Am I in your will? 520 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,120 And it's and it's so. And then the seat of the 521 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:25,000 scornful, right, The seat. And I said, I like that it's a 522 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:29,600 seat because you're usually sitting like, well, you know, 523 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:34,240 the scornful sits and before you know it, you're just like kind 524 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:38,240 of rots like, oh, so if you find yourself like I've been 525 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:44,040 scornful, I have not been like that tree that's delighting in 526 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:46,480 the Lord. What are you delighting in these 527 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,360 days, right? What are we delighting in? 528 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,520 And is that producing life right? 529 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,520 And if we're not delighting in the Lord, then we're missing 530 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:57,160 out. So I encourage you as you are 531 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,640 hearing these words, Lord, cause me to want to do your will, 532 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:05,960 cause me to want to delight in your word, cause me to want my 533 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:09,200 feet to where you want my feet to be each and every day. 534 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:12,720 It's really that simple. You know, sometimes I'll ask my 535 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:14,280 kids, are you doing what I told you to do? 536 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:17,240 Yes. No, it's like that was easy. 537 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:21,040 You know, God doesn't want to take us to some like weird like 538 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:23,160 back alley and go this way and go that way. 539 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:28,840 He's like, no, my word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your 540 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:32,280 path. So I I pray that as you're 541 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:36,520 hearing this words that maybe the Lord by the Holy Spirit, 542 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,360 just like AGPS is saying, Hey, reroute. 543 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:42,600 OK, you took the the wrong off ramp, right? 544 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:46,360 Or you were distracted and you did you didn't catch where you 545 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:50,080 needed to go that the Lord is rerouting us to cause us to be 546 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:53,440 steadfast to be back planted in his house. 547 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,560 Amen. Last, I want to finish with this 548 00:32:56,560 --> 00:33:00,160 and I want I this is where the Lord really even late last night 549 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:05,560 landed in my heart so, so clear of what he's doing here with us. 550 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:09,920 It's in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10. 551 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,600 And this is where I felt like the Lord's heart for us. 552 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,040 I hope you're hearing that this is God's heart for you. 553 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,720 This is God's heart for your family. 554 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,280 This is God's heart for your children. 555 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:28,080 This is God's heart for your marriage. 556 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:32,040 And this is where we can rest. Because you're like, oh, that's 557 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:35,280 a lot of work to grow and plant and reap and root all the 558 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:38,240 things. But listen, have you noticed 559 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:41,880 that trees aren't usually running around too weary, right? 560 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:47,720 What are trees usually doing? They're like, honestly, I love 561 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:50,360 watching them because they're just enjoying. 562 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:54,360 They're just like happy sitting there not doing too much work, 563 00:33:54,360 --> 00:34:00,040 but being super intensely. Things are going on on the on 564 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:01,760 the parts where you can't see it, right. 565 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:07,560 It's it's all usually deeper. It's usually under the surface, 566 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:12,120 but yet they can be enjoying the sunshine and it says here in 567 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:15,400 Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10. I hope you catch this. 568 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:25,360 It says for we are his workmanship, workmanship created 569 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:31,719 in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepare beforehand 570 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:37,360 that we should wear my feet are that we should walk in them that 571 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:41,880 we should walk in these things and that's where if the Lords 572 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,120 planted you, it's like, yes, that is good. 573 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,400 That's his handiwork. That's his workmanship. 574 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,719 If we can go back really quick to that picture of the the grain 575 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:59,800 of the the wood, the piece of wood. 576 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:04,040 Again, thank you there. I don't know who these men are, 577 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:07,320 but they're modeling for us. But I looked at this and this is 578 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,720 a cedar tree, cedar of Lebanon. But look at the grain. 579 00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:14,280 I mean, to me, I look at that. I'm like, Laura, that is 580 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,680 craftsmanship. That is your handiwork, right? 581 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:22,760 I mean, look at even the fortitude, the colors. 582 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:25,520 I like geeked out a little bit over this picture because I 583 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:29,400 realized, you know, you only we only see sometimes on the 584 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:32,120 outside, but there's a lot going on that God's doing. 585 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:37,160 And did you know that every single year that trees gain 586 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,360 another ring right in their grain? 587 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,280 And so that is showing you like when you're going through 588 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:47,080 storms, another ring of beauty, when you're going through things 589 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:50,000 that were disappointments, but you stood steadfast in the Lord, 590 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,160 planted in the House of the Lord, another ring of strength, 591 00:35:53,720 --> 00:35:56,200 Amen. When your marriage goes to a 592 00:35:56,200 --> 00:36:00,120 storm, but yet you held fast to the confession of your faith and 593 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:05,080 of your vows, Amen. You are building another layer 594 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:08,800 of strength around you. That's why these trees are 595 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:13,440 immovable, not because they were in a little nursery, but because 596 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:17,120 they were. They withstood the storms, they 597 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:21,000 withstood the temperature, they withstood everything. 598 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:25,200 But yet because they stood grounded, these beautiful rings 599 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,880 of life, really they represent life because that's how many 600 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:32,080 years they have withstood. And so even in the grain, they 601 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:36,240 can even look at the grain and say, oh, at this year, there was 602 00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:40,240 a storm at this year, there was a pest that this tree had to 603 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:44,720 fight at this year. So it's like there's a story in 604 00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:47,080 these rings and that's happening in your life. 605 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,880 Amen. That is the workmanship. 606 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:53,800 That's what God says. I'm, I'm a, you are my 607 00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:56,800 workmanship. I've been building this 608 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:59,960 workmanship in your life and through your life when you 609 00:36:59,960 --> 00:37:02,800 didn't even see it, right? Because most times we don't look 610 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,600 at a tree this way, but God is saying, I want to do that 611 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:10,680 beautiful work in you. And that's why these trees are 612 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:13,800 that's why they were used for the temple, because of their 613 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:17,760 strength, because of like what they can hold and really because 614 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:21,480 of their beauty. And God is doing that in your 615 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:27,240 life today, today, August 2nd, 2020. 616 00:37:27,240 --> 00:37:30,880 Sixth, that's what he's doing when he's calling us up to the 617 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:34,640 altar, when he's saying, will you lay down your life? 618 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:39,240 Will you lay down your pride? Will you lay down? 619 00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:45,640 And every time that you say yes, deeper rooted, steadfast, every 620 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:50,440 single time. And so if you have felt the 621 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,240 tension of like, Lord, I do, but I don't, but I won't, but I 622 00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:59,160 don't lean into the Lord, lean into him, press harder, press 623 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:03,600 deeper, go there with him because he's going to bring 624 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:07,640 about the where you're like, OK, you went a little deeper in your 625 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:11,200 marriage in that conversation, in those prayers and that said 626 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:12,560 that. And before you know it, OK, 627 00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:16,560 water, water roots are going deeper and going deeper. 628 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:19,720 But you see the difference between that and a potted plant 629 00:38:19,720 --> 00:38:20,960 that's like, I have nowhere to go. 630 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,280 Where can I go? And you dry up and you 631 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:26,680 shriveled. So if today the Lord I believe 632 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:30,880 he's calling each and every one of us to say Lord, plant me, 633 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:35,520 root me, take me there. I'll be patient, I'll I'll I 634 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:39,200 will wait for your fruit to come through to my life. 635 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:44,040 I'll be unmovable by your grace. Let me tell you this Proverbs 636 00:38:44,240 --> 00:38:46,000 830 and this is what I want to close with. 637 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:50,280 It says in this Jesus was there from the beginning because some 638 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:53,040 of us think this is before Jesus. 639 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:56,680 I made all these things, decisions that I didn't know 640 00:38:56,680 --> 00:38:59,560 today would cost me, but here I am Lord, what do I do? 641 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:04,080 It says in Proverbs 830 verse 3030 and 31. 642 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:12,800 Then I was beside him, Jesus, Jesus as a master Craftsman. 643 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:16,360 And maybe today that's the invitation that you need to 644 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:21,720 accept, invitation and impartation of Jesus saying I am 645 00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:28,120 your master Craftsman. And it says Jesus is Jesus 646 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:30,800 speaking. And I was daily his delight. 647 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:35,120 Jesus was daily the delight of Father God. 648 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:39,360 He delighted in him, right? Delighted in being in his 649 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:41,320 company, delighted of seeing his face. 650 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:46,240 And then it says he said rejoicing always before him. 651 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:51,720 God, Jesus was rejoicing before the Father and he says, and my 652 00:39:51,720 --> 00:39:55,480 delight was with the sons of men. 653 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:04,040 Jesus delight is your face each and every day. 654 00:40:05,240 --> 00:40:12,560 Jesus says I do is you each and every day and he's waiting for 655 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:16,040 us and saying, will you say I do to me? 656 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:20,840 Will you say yes? Yes, Lord, will you say I 657 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:28,000 delight to do your will because Jesus did that on the cross and 658 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:31,760 in the garden of get 70. He saw your face and when he had 659 00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:35,920 to make the biggest sacrifice where he was sweating blood and 660 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:42,960 water, he said not my will but yours be done. 661 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:48,600 And so I pray that today you press in that way to get that 662 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:53,280 same. Just that heart that Jesus has 663 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:57,720 for you is that I delight in you just like he says I delight. 664 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:00,800 That's why we can trust the master Craftsman. 665 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:04,840 That's why we can trust that he'll be with us in the storms 666 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:07,920 because we're rooted. So today, if you're going 667 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:12,000 through a storm and you're like, girl, I'm drenched in the storm, 668 00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:17,840 I'm telling you, stay put. He will make you steadfast. 669 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:22,560 That other ring of His strength is coming around you, a master 670 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:27,520 Craftsman in Jesus name. And I pray that over families 671 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:31,360 today that the Lord will just literally just come around you, 672 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:36,440 surround you, and that SAP would begin to flow in your 673 00:41:36,520 --> 00:41:39,960 relationships. That SAP of life, that SAP of 674 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:43,840 nutrients, that things that you thought were dead were now are 675 00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:47,840 coming back to life. What the enemy meant for evil to 676 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:51,200 destroy you. God is saying I will turn for 677 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:54,440 your good in Jesus name. So can we all stand. 678 00:42:01,330 --> 00:42:10,530 Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord. Lord, I thank you that your, 679 00:42:13,610 --> 00:42:18,010 that your will for us is that we would be in the House of the 680 00:42:18,010 --> 00:42:23,960 Lord planted because in your presence there's fullness of joy 681 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:29,120 and pleasures for evermore. So Lord, like the palm tree, we 682 00:42:29,120 --> 00:42:32,240 shall flourish. Like the cedar of Lebanon, the 683 00:42:32,240 --> 00:42:34,480 people of a rice church shall grow. 684 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:38,480 Like those who are planted in the House of the Lord, they will 685 00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:40,360 flourish. And I pray over you, a rice 686 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:45,640 church, that you and your generation shall flourish in the 687 00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:50,600 court of the Lord and in Jesus name, that you will bear good 688 00:42:50,600 --> 00:42:56,320 fruit into the old age, and that you will declare the Lord is 689 00:42:56,320 --> 00:43:00,960 upright in Jesus name. So Lord, we surrender to you. 690 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:06,080 May our feet be where you delight us to be in Lord, may 691 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:09,960 our face go. Just stand before you Lord, as 692 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:13,760 you shine your face on us today in Jesus name. 693 00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:19,960 We want to thank you again for joining us for the Arise Church 694 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:22,040 podcast. We hope you were encouraged by 695 00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:23,880 what you heard today. You can find 696 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:28,640 us.online@arisechurchn-c.com and on Instagram at Arise Church NC. 697 00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:32,040 If you need prayer or support or are interested in learning more 698 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:35,720 about Arise Church, we encourage you to connect with us online or 699 00:43:35,720 --> 00:43:37,800 in person at our Sunday morning service. 700 00:43:38,040 --> 00:43:39,320 Thank you and God bless.