1 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,640 Good morning. Welcome to church. 2 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:09,480 Man. I love the book of Ruth. 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:14,880 Don't you love the book of Ruth? This incredible love story? 4 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,120 If you like love stories, me and my daughter, oh, we love us. 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,240 A good Hallmark movie. She told me like 3 times this 6 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:23,120 weekend, the 1st of November. There's so many of them coming. 7 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,760 But I mean, those things have nothing on the Bible. 8 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,440 It is this incredible story of redemption. 9 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,080 It is this picture of the gospel. 10 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,040 You know that the book of Ruth only has 85 verses in it, but 11 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,960 actually the word redeem or redemption or redeemed is 12 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,680 actually in that in that book 23 mentioned 23 different times in 13 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,760 the 85 verses. It's this incredible story of 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,360 redemption. And if you don't know it yet, 15 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,920 everything in the Old Testament points to the New Testament. 16 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:52,400 If you're reading your Bible and you're reading something in the 17 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,080 Old Testament, you've got to say to yourself, what is the saying 18 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,280 to me about what Jesus has done? Because either it shows us in 19 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,400 the Old Testament how we can't save ourselves and how we need 20 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,239 Jesus to come, or it's actually a picture of Jesus coming. 21 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,160 And the book of Ruth is exactly that. 22 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,000 It's this picture of this Moabite woman who's outside of 23 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,040 the outside of Israel, outside of God's people, who gets 24 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,240 knitted into the family of God by this kinsman Redeemer Boaz, 25 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,880 which is a picture of Jesus who came and knitted us into his 26 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,880 family as outsiders, knitted us into his family so that we can 27 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,600 be in the family of God. It's an incredible book. 28 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,200 If you haven't read it yet, go read it. 29 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,960 It's beautiful. But you know, I think the book 30 00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:35,960 of Ruth, although it's a picture of Jesus, I think there's some 31 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:38,920 very practical things in the book of Ruth that can help us 32 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:40,680 actually redeem our mess here on earth. 33 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,800 You know, it's about Jesus redeeming us, ultimately our 34 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,040 salvation, but I believe it's also a book that can really help 35 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,720 us to redeem our mess here on earth to forgot to come into our 36 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,000 mess here on earth and actually bring a redemptive story through 37 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,360 our stories. And you know, what I want to go 38 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,720 after today is is actually that I think Ruth lived this 39 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,960 incredible life of significance. And I want to go of what, what 40 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,720 what do we do if we want to live a life of significance, not just 41 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,160 success, You know, the world chases success. 42 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,600 But actually, when you come, when you look back one day, when 43 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,360 you when you there die lying on your deathbed and you look back, 44 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:18,720 you want to say, actually, I lived a life of significance. 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:24,480 What does that look like? You know, I believe that's we, 46 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,320 we I love that song we sing so often nowadays, again and again 47 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,520 and again and again. He rescued me out of this mess I 48 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,840 was in and we dancing on the graves that we one lived in, 49 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,080 once lived in. And you know, I think that's 50 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,960 when we sing that it stirs our faith, doesn't it? 51 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,200 I mean, the worship today, I don't know about you, but it 52 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,040 stirred my faith about, hey, man, we've got this life of joy. 53 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:48,640 We've got this life we can live with God that should look 54 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:50,600 beautiful. Jesus did it all for us. 55 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,080 But you know, as much as it stirs us, when we sing that song 56 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:58,160 on a Sunday, it can't stop thee. You know, your mess is not going 57 00:02:58,160 --> 00:02:59,920 to be redeemed by singing a song in church. 58 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:02,640 Your God starts to work thee. That's where he starts to work. 59 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:05,560 But actually we need to take it into our Monday because when we 60 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,120 take what God's doing in our hearts on a Sunday through the 61 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,680 worship and through the word, when we take that into our 62 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,400 Monday, that's when God starts redeeming our stories. 63 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:15,720 And that's where he actually takes us into a life of 64 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,200 significance. You know, I think if you've been 65 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,360 in this church long enough, and if you, if you're here for the 66 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:23,040 first time today, I'll give you a quick rundown. 67 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,440 But if you've been here long enough, and if you've been here 68 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,560 through the book of Romans, you would, you would hopefully know 69 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,400 by now that our salvation is Jesus and Jesus alone. 70 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,280 We don't have a part to play in that. 71 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,920 You can't save yourself. It's only Jesus. 72 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,960 One day when we get to heaven and we stand before God, what 73 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,640 he's going to see is the righteousness of Christ. 74 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,880 So our salvation is Jesus alone. Let's, I hope that we've all got 75 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:45,520 that clear. We've got that settled in our 76 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,240 hearts. If you don't have that settled 77 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,400 in your hearts, please go go on the app and listen to the series 78 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:52,280 of Romans and get that settled in your heart. 79 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:56,200 But you know here on earth that if we want God to come into our 80 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,120 mess here on earth and redeem it, we have a part to play when 81 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,400 when we redeem us, when our story here on earth gets 82 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,440 redeemed is US and Jesus. You know, it's the thing about 83 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,880 the work of the cross and the walk of the cross, the work of 84 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,080 the cross. Only Jesus, the walk of the 85 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,200 cross, our sanctification here on earth, living a life of 86 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,120 significance, that's us and Jesus. 87 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,160 There's a partnership. We've got a part to play. 88 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,760 He's got a part to play. We can't do it on our own. 89 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:22,960 But let me tell you something, God can't do it on his own 90 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,880 either. He needs you to partner with him 91 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,680 when it comes to your mess here on earth. 92 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,200 You see, when you read the book of Ruth, it's only four 93 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,320 chapters, only 85 verses, but you know that this book actually 94 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,360 spans over 11 to 12 years. You know that it's the story 95 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,080 about these characters, Elimelech and Naomi and Boaz and 96 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,040 Ruth. And you know, the Bible is a 97 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:45,440 little bit like an Instagram Reel. 98 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,200 You know, we get these highlights. 99 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,520 But in between there was these moments, many, many moments and 100 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,480 many, many choices they made in the everyday mundane life that 101 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,040 actually ultimately led to this life of significance. 102 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,520 You know, it seems like 4 chapters, Bam, bam, thank you, 103 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:02,200 ma'am. You know, we just bring God in 104 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,200 and everything sorted out. But it was walking with God to 105 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:06,960 walk into this life of significance. 106 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,160 So good. So let's read in Ruth one. 107 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,520 I'm going to wait for you to get there because you know me. 108 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:12,960 I like you to see it in the Bible. 109 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:14,760 So we're going to read in Ruth one. 110 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,480 If you went to Sonar school like me, you'll know it's that's 111 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:28,040 where you find it. Sunday School was good for 112 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:32,120 something. OK, so we're going to read Ruth. 113 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,240 One in the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the 114 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,400 land. So a man from Bethlehem and 115 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,800 Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a 116 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,120 while in the country of Moab. The man's name was Elimelech, 117 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,280 his wife's name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were 118 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:50,840 Melon and Killian. They were Ephratites from 119 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:53,520 Bethlehem, Judah, and they went to Moab and lived there. 120 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,040 Now Elimelech Naomi's husband died and she was left with her 121 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,920 two sons. They married Moabite woman, one 122 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:03,240 named Orapa and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about 123 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:07,160 10 years, both Maelon and Killian also died, and Naomi was 124 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,360 left without her two sons and her husband. 125 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,600 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of 126 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,040 His people by providing food for them, she and her daughters in 127 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:18,840 law prepared to turn return home. 128 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:21,800 From there with her two daughter in law's, she left the place 129 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,520 where she had been living and set out on the road that would 130 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,080 take them back to the land of Judah. 131 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,374 Then Naomi said to her two daughters in 132 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,960 Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud and said to her, 133 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:44,920 We will go back with you, to your people. 134 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,360 But Naomi said, return home, my daughters. 135 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,600 Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons 136 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,640 who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters. 137 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:55,840 I am too old to have another husband. 138 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:59,080 Even if I thought there was still hope for me, even if I had 139 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,680 a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons, would you wait 140 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,080 until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for 141 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,240 them? No, my daughters, it is more 142 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:10,080 bitter for me than for you, because the Lord's hand has 143 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,040 turned against me. At this they wept aloud again. 144 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,000 Then Orpa kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth 145 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,200 clung to her. Look, said Naomi, your 146 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,240 sister-in-law is going back to her people, and her gods go back 147 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,960 with her. But Ruth replied, don't urge me 148 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:25,640 to leave you or to turn back from you. 149 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,280 Where you go I will go, Where you stay I will stay. 150 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:31,560 Your people will be my people and your God. 151 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,880 My God, where you die I will die, and there I'll be buried. 152 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,680 May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death 153 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,680 separates you and me. When Naomi realized that Ruth 154 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,120 was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. 155 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,240 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. 156 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,920 When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred 157 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:51,840 because of them. And the woman exclaimed. 158 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,600 Can this be Naomi? Now, I don't know about you if 159 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,240 it's, if it's just me, but when I read this passage, I can't, I 160 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,760 can't help but think of the series of Romans 8 we've just 161 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,120 done, you know? And the verse that jumps to mind 162 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:08,160 for me is the one in Romans 8, verse 5 to 6 where we where we 163 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,080 learned in Romans 8 that those who live according to the flesh 164 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:13,840 have their mind sets on what the flesh desires. 165 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,880 But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds 166 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,160 set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh 167 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,360 is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life. 168 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,440 And I see just in verse in chapter 1 of Ruth. 169 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,160 I actually see two very clear examples of this in chapter 1 of 170 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,280 Ruth. And the first one is the 171 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:36,159 scenario of Elimelech. And I think Stephen explained to 172 00:08:36,159 --> 00:08:38,880 us beautifully last last week what it actually meant when 173 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,159 Elimelech chose to take his family to Moab. 174 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,360 If you weren't here last week, go listen to last week's 175 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,360 message. Because the Moabites and the 176 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,760 Israelites hated each other, the hatred. 177 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,720 It was a debauched land. There was no godliness in Moab. 178 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,600 And yet Elimelech looks at this and he decides to take his 179 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,080 family from the from from out of the family of God where he's 180 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,080 been placed amongst God's people to this country, Moab. 181 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:03,920 For me, that's a very clear example of living life in the 182 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:08,120 flesh and not in the spirit. And you know, The thing is God's 183 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,600 God's redemption happens through family. 184 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,600 If you read your Bible long enough, you'll see it actually, 185 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,800 God comes and takes us and by by the blood of Jesus, he puts us 186 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,920 into the family of God. And then he puts us into a 187 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,720 family called the church. You know, it's God's plan 188 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,920 because he knows we need people next to us that can walk this 189 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,480 road with us. But Elimelech looks at his 190 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,960 situation with his eyes, with what his eyes can see. 191 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,800 He looks at his situation in the flesh and what he sees as famine 192 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,680 in Israel. It's going well in Moab. 193 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:40,080 Surely it's got to be better for me to go there. 194 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,640 Surely it's got to be better for my business if I go do there. 195 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,120 Surely I'm going to make more money when I go there. 196 00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:49,920 Surely there's going to be a better future for my children 197 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,280 there. Surely my kids are going to are 198 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,560 going to have better opportunities when I go there. 199 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,400 But he looks, he looks at the situation in the flesh instead 200 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:00,800 of in the spirit. You know what happens? 201 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:04,080 Firstly, his sons end up marrying Moabite women. 202 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:07,440 Think of the implication of that. 203 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,000 Then what happens? He passes away, his sons pass 204 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,880 away, and his wife is left widowless in a foreign country 205 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,760 with no family around her, nobody to support her, nobody to 206 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,400 walk this road out with her. And you know what happened in 207 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,080 the meantime. In the meantime, God had already 208 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,200 brought relief in Israel. The famine was over there. 209 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,520 The people in Israel was living, there was food. 210 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,440 There was no more famine there. But now Naomi was stuck in Moab 211 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,200 with no food, no husband, no kids, no family around her. 212 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,880 Because you know that when we look at our situations with our 213 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,960 eyes with, with what our eyes can see in the flesh, then 214 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,680 actually sometimes we don't make godly decisions because you know 215 00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:48,440 what? We serve a God that knows the 216 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,040 future. We don't know the future, but 217 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:52,840 but he knows, he knows the future. 218 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,480 The second scenario is the scenario of the story of Ruth, 219 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,280 you know, when Naomi urges Ruth and Oraput to go back to their 220 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,280 to their own families. That was really the wise thing 221 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:06,640 to do. I mean, we've already said the 222 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,400 Israelites hated the Moabites. I mean, what were the odds of 223 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,880 Ruth actually founding her husband in in Israel? 224 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,160 In fact, actually the Israel's were not allowed to marry people 225 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:18,760 that were outside of the nation of Israel. 226 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,400 So in the natural, it made so much more sense. 227 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,840 In the flesh with my eyes can see, it made so much more sense 228 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,080 for Ruth and Orpa to go back to their own families where they 229 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,880 could find another husband and marry and start a family. 230 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,320 But you know, Ruth must have seen something in that family in 231 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,800 the middle of Moabite. She must have seen something in 232 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,440 the faith of Naomi. She must have seen something in 233 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,680 how she walked this out and how she clung to her guard in spite 234 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:48,640 of it that she says, I don't want to go back there. 235 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,000 I've seen something. She saw the situation with her 236 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,520 spiritual eyes. She made a decision in the 237 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,120 spirit, not in the flesh because in the flesh you're going back 238 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,720 to your own people makes much more sense in the natural. 239 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,280 But actually, you know, then we get this beautiful verses in 240 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,280 Ruth one which, you know, it's often quoted at weddings. 241 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,720 You know, it's this beautiful promise, but you're just by the 242 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:10,640 way, this is for free. It's not actually part of my 243 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:12,720 message. But she said those words to her 244 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,680 mother-in-law, not to a handsome husband. 245 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:17,400 But anyway, that's the preach for another day. 246 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:21,560 I won't go there today, but but you know, she says these words 247 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,240 don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. 248 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,920 Where you go, I will go and where you stay, I will stay. 249 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,320 Your people will be my people and your God, my God, where you 250 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,200 die, I will die. And there I'll be buried. 251 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,000 May the Lord deal with me ever so severely if even death 252 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,600 separates you, me, you and me. And you know, with this 253 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,600 decision, this one decision, Ruth starts this amazing 254 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,480 redemptive story, this amazing life of significance. 255 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,080 Do you know that Ruth is the great grandmother of David? 256 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,360 Do you know that Ruth is actually in the genealogy of 257 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,480 Christ? You're going to read She's a MO 258 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,080 by Tess. She comes from the tribe of 259 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:57,800 Moab. But when you read Matthew 1, 260 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,160 she's mentioned in the genealogy of Christ. 261 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,200 Do you know that she that she's one of only two women that has a 262 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:06,720 book in the Bible named after them? 263 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,880 And you know, that her life was so significant that more than 264 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:13,680 two and a half thousand years later, we're sitting here today 265 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,880 actually reading her story and saying, God, how does this 266 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:18,520 apply? How does this apply to my life? 267 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,120 How does this actually apply to what I'm how does this apply to 268 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,200 my mess that I'm finding myself in right now? 269 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,360 You know, isn't that the life you want to live a life of 270 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,840 significance, a life that can have an impact for generations 271 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:32,200 from now? But now you say to me, Wendy, 272 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,000 that sounds amazing. You know, surely we all want 273 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,000 that. But how do I get there? 274 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,720 You know, I think there's a, there's a pretty guaranteed way 275 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,240 of living a life of significance. 276 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:46,920 It's a bold statement to make, but I reckon if we could live in 277 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:50,200 the will of God, surely we would live a life of significance. 278 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,880 Don't you think so? If we could somehow get it right 279 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,600 to live a life in the will of God, surely if you're inside the 280 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:57,600 will of God, your life must have significance. 281 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:00,600 Now you must say to me, Wendy, now you really like looking for 282 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,840 a Unicorn because like, how do I know what is the will of God for 283 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,040 my life? But you know that the Bible 284 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,160 actually gives us such great guidance with that. 285 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:13,880 And I want us to read and verse in Romans 12 verse 2 today and 286 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,720 Romans 12 verse 2 says do not conform to the patterns of this 287 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:21,000 world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 288 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:25,680 Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is. 289 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,280 He's good, pleasing and perfect will. 290 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:31,720 How do we know what's God's will for our life? 291 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,240 He's good, pleasing and perfect will. 292 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,720 How do we know? It says then you will be able to 293 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,960 know. When will we be able to know? 294 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:42,120 Actually it says do not conform to the patterns of this world, 295 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,520 but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 296 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,280 The first part of that word says do not be conformed to the 297 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,440 patterns of this world. You know, I believe the main 298 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,920 reason why so many of us struggle to actually do this, to 299 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,280 struggle to live in the in the spirit and not in the flesh is 300 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:59,120 because we don't understand who God is. 301 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:02,640 We actually, our picture and our understanding of God has been 302 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:05,480 built by other voices and not by actually what the word of God 303 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,960 says about who God is. You know, we live in an age 304 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,760 where there's so many voices, You know, I mean, when most of 305 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,960 us grew up, you know, all the ones like me who had to go 306 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:15,960 colour my hair so I can come preach here today. 307 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,800 You know, the ones that have been along for around for a long 308 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,560 time before the Internet and social media and all of that, 309 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:23,960 you know, the voices that spoken to our life was mainly our 310 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:26,360 parents, our friends, our family, our church. 311 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:30,000 But nowadays we have people from all over the world, people from 312 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:31,680 all walks of life speaking into our life. 313 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:35,560 And they, they form how we see God, they form how we view God. 314 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,480 And you know that I think people think that when you become a 315 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,160 Christian, there's like a whole set of rules you have to follow. 316 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,480 And if you do it really well, then you become a nice, good 317 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:47,840 Christian. But you have this dull, boring 318 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:49,840 life. Now, I don't know about you, but 319 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,760 that's certainly not what I signed up for. 320 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,880 But you know, I think one of the biggest misconceptions we have 321 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,560 is, is that we, I believe that God is a God of big yes, little 322 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,960 no. When I read my Bible, I see God 323 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,560 as this God of big yes. So much freedom, so much love. 324 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,240 But there's a few no's. There's a few things that you 325 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,000 shouldn't do, not because I want to spoil your fun, but actually 326 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:13,200 because God knows it's not good for us, you know, and I think 327 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:17,040 most Christians tend to either lean towards the one side or 328 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,960 towards the other side. Either we're so focused on the 329 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,720 nose of God, don't do that, don't do that, don't go there, 330 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,440 that we actually don't live in the freedom, that freedom that 331 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:27,920 Mitch was talking about today. We actually don't live in the 332 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:30,760 freedom that God paid for us because we're so stuck on the on 333 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,400 the nose of God. Or we lean to the other side 334 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:35,480 where we're like, you know, Jesus paid for it all. 335 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,720 Hallelujah. I can do what I want to do. 336 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,000 You know, the nose of God are just suggestions. 337 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,000 You know, we don't have to do the nose of God. 338 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,800 We can actually, we can actually, you know, it's OK, God 339 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,080 Forgives us. And I think this is part of the 340 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,800 reason why we struggle to walk in the fullness of what God has 341 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,440 for us. Let's talk a little bit about 342 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:55,080 sexual intimacy. You know, I think this whole 343 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:58,400 thing of understanding the, the, the, that God is a God of big 344 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,280 yes and a little and little no actually started with the first 345 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,760 sin. You know, when Adam and Eve was 346 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:07,760 in the Garden of Eden, God said, here's a whole garden for you. 347 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:12,400 You can eat from all the trees, every single one of them except 348 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,400 this one. Just this one one, No big yes. 349 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,119 So that was the first sin. And I think we do the same with 350 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,079 our sexual intimacy. You know, when when we start 351 00:17:23,079 --> 00:17:26,440 dating, The Bible's not very prescriptive about how you 352 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,680 should date. It doesn't tell you step one, 353 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:30,280 Step 2, do this, do that, do that. 354 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:35,600 It actually says, man, go for it, have fun, go on dates, have 355 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,800 a picnic, go ice skating, hold hands, kiss a little bit, go 356 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,360 have conversations that I just say that I'd lie. 357 00:17:42,360 --> 00:17:44,240 Oh, that that's, you know, voice of mine. 358 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:51,600 Play board games, paint, pottery, play paddle. 359 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,160 It's like all of this, yes, that you can do while you're dating. 360 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,200 But one thing sexual intimacy is meant for inside the marriage 361 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,680 one, No. But you know, nowadays in the 362 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,560 church, it's become so normal for people to sleep together. 363 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,160 It's become so normal for people to move in together. 364 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:09,880 We met with a couple a couple of weeks ago. 365 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,400 They wanted to marry us and they're living together. 366 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,040 And when Gene asked them what, how did you get to this decision 367 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:17,320 to move in together, he said to Gene, But it's normal. 368 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,120 Everybody does it. You see, we conform our thinking 369 00:18:21,120 --> 00:18:23,800 to the patterns of the world and we actually throw the little 370 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,560 nose of God away in the process. Do you know that? 371 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:30,800 Do you think that 2000 years ago, 3000 years ago when the 372 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,280 Bible was written, do you think people didn't want to sleep 373 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,520 together? Do you think hormones have 374 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,360 changed and evolved over the years? 375 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,760 You know, I mean myself and Eugene's married 25 years this 376 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:44,920 year. When we were dating, we were 377 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,560 both already, we had personal relationship with the Lord. 378 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:49,160 We were spirit filled Christians. 379 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,000 Do you think we didn't want to sleep together? 380 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:53,200 I mean, have you seen what it looks like? 381 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:57,480 I mean, I don't know. I don't know if I'm biased or 382 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,640 anything, but I mean, but like by far the best looking guy in 383 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:02,360 this church. Like, I mean, not even a 384 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:05,840 competition. And I mean, do you think we 385 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,480 didn't want to sleep together? Of course we did. 386 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,400 Of course we did, you know, but but we chose not to do it 387 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,920 because we actually chose to submit ourselves to the world in 388 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,360 the ways of God. And you know, Eugene always says 389 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:19,640 to people, you know what? You don't get a saved hormone. 390 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:27,760 So in fact, you may be saved, but your hormones aren't, you 391 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,560 know, so I think so you got, you want to think about yourself. 392 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,000 Why did God do this? Why did God make it so 393 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,040 difficult? Why did God say sexual intimacy 394 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,520 is meant to be in the marriage? You know, I've heard many 395 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:41,120 explanations and, and different people will tell you different 396 00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:43,320 things about soul ties and, you know, sticking the paper 397 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,520 together and then when you tear them apart, just pieces all 398 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:46,880 those two. And I believe it's all true. 399 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,560 But I believe that the biggest reason why God says sexual 400 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,440 intimacy is, is belongs in the marriage. 401 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,800 It's because God wants to teach us before we get married to 402 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,920 actually submit our sexual desires to his will in his ways. 403 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,680 Because you know what, for those of you here that aren't married 404 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,520 yet today, you may think, man, if I can just get married, then 405 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,840 I won't have to struggle with sexual temptation anymore. 406 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,520 Well, I've got news for you. It doesn't go away. 407 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,240 Sexual temptation is still there when you're married. 408 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:18,000 And if you don't, learn to submit your sexual desires to 409 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,360 the will and the ways of God before you get married. 410 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:24,120 How are you going to do it later in life when you've been married 411 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:27,400 15 years and your marriage is in that famine that Stephen spoke 412 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,440 about last year and your colleague at the at work is 413 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:32,720 giving you that attention that you so badly crave? 414 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,480 How are you going to submit your sexual desires to the world in 415 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,520 the ways of God? Because you know what else is 416 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:40,960 normal nowadays? Even in the church? 417 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,600 Having affairs, getting divorced, we had last week. 418 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,040 It's become normal. So if it's normal to sleep 419 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,280 together before you get married, why would you not do the normal 420 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:54,920 thing when you get through that time of famine later on in your 421 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,080 marriage? God wants to teach us and once 422 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,760 again, it's the little no. He's saying do every have fun, 423 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,440 go do what you want to do. Go have do as much many things 424 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:06,560 as you want to. But this one thing, sexual 425 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:07,720 intimacy belongs in the marriage. 426 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,480 It's just an example. And we can apply this to so many 427 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,880 different aspects of our life. We can apply this to our 428 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,240 finances. We can apply this to our ethic 429 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:18,560 in the workplace. We can apply this to our 430 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,240 marriages. When my marriage goes through 431 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:22,320 your marriage is going through a difficult time. 432 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,040 Do I conform to the pattern of the world and start fighting for 433 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,480 myself, my rights, my whatever? Or do I actually do what the 434 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,920 word of God says and die to myself and love my husband and 435 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:33,520 he dies to himself and he loves me. 436 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:36,360 And as we do that, we we start living ourselves up. 437 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,920 It's a little thing, it's a little small thing, but it takes 438 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,160 you into the freedom and the abundant life that God has for 439 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,240 us. I read this quote recently and I 440 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:45,920 loved it. I think it's going to come up on 441 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:47,720 the screen. Oh, it's always terrible when 442 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:49,320 you turn around and you see yourself on that big screen. 443 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:55,000 This, it's by Charles Stanley and he says God is responsible 444 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,960 for the consequences of our obedience. 445 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,320 We are responsible for the consequences of our 446 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,840 disobedience. Let's read that again. 447 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,520 God is responsible for the consequences of our obedience. 448 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,080 We are responsible for the consequences of our 449 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,640 disobedience. So it means when you choose to 450 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,720 actually submit your life to the little nose of God and to be 451 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,960 obedient to the Word of God, you're actually taking your life 452 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:19,600 and the consequences of your choices. 453 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,160 And you're putting it in the hands of this God that we heard 454 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,840 about in Romans 8 that promises that He will make all things 455 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:28,800 work together for the good of those who love Him. 456 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,920 I mean, how can that not be a recipe for success? 457 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:36,320 He promises that if we put our consequences in His hands, He 458 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,440 will make all things work together for the good of us. 459 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:40,840 I mean, I love that. You know, it's like, it's like 460 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:43,080 foolproof, like foul proof, you know? 461 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:46,280 But it when we, when we actually obedience to God, you see, when 462 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:50,600 we choose obedience to God, like the book of Ruth, we can walk 463 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,640 into this redemptive story when we take our mess and we say, 464 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,600 God, I want to partner with you and I want to actually give my 465 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,840 mess to you. And I say, God, show me, show me 466 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,280 how to make decisions that will Take Me Out of this mess into 467 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,040 the story of success and the story of redemption. 468 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:09,960 You know, the second part of that verse in Romans 12 is 2, so 469 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,600 it's going to come up again. Yeah, the second part says. 470 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:14,720 The first part says do not be conformed to the pattern of this 471 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,520 world. But the second part says, but be 472 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,680 transformed by the renewing of your mind. 473 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,520 You know, I believe this is exactly what Stephen spoke about 474 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,800 when he spoke two weeks ago about the awe of God, about 475 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:30,080 living in the awe of God, that actually when we renew our minds 476 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,400 to living in the awe of God, actually that's when we are 477 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,400 transformed. You see that? 478 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,760 When, when the Almighty God, the creator of the universe, the guy 479 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,880 who made Betelgeuse, the guy who knit you together in your 480 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,520 mother's womb, when he says, I don't think you should be doing 481 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:48,920 this, it's not going to be good for you. 482 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:54,040 Like, how do you not obey that? How do you think like, but maybe 483 00:23:54,120 --> 00:23:56,880 that's like Bill Gates coming to you and saying, hey, you know 484 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:00,040 what? You know your laptop, it's not 485 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:01,400 good for it when you put it underwater. 486 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,000 Like I wouldn't recommend that. You know, it's not good for it. 487 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,520 And you go like, surely so much more fun to work in the swimming 488 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,800 pool out of my desk. Surely it'll be OK. 489 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,600 I mean, how bad can it be if my swim, if my laptop goes in the 490 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:13,720 computer? Would you do that? 491 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,440 No, he's the guy that like made Microsoft. 492 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,320 He's like, like, you wouldn't do that. 493 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,320 But we do that with God. He's the God who created us. 494 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,880 He's the God who promises that He wants us to have life and 495 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,640 life in abundance. But we think we know better 496 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,920 because actually when you choose to ignore the little nose of 497 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,720 God, what you're actually saying is God, thank you. 498 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,600 But I actually know better what's good for me and my future 499 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,120 than you do, beautiful girlie. Go for it. 500 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:41,000 That's what it comes down to. You know, I believe this is 501 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,800 exactly what a nominal Christian is. 502 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,200 We've heard the word nominal Christian has been been 503 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,200 mentioned a few times in the last couple of weeks. 504 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:49,760 I believe a nominal Christian is not someone that doesn't love 505 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,160 God. They love God, but all they say 506 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,240 is I love God and I'll and I will submit my ways to his ways 507 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,280 when it suits me. But sometimes, you know, 508 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,200 sometimes I actually know a little bit better than God 509 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:01,480 what's good for me and my future. 510 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:03,840 It's what a nominal Christian is. 511 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:08,840 So, you know, the story of Ruth is this picture of how if we 512 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:12,920 allow God to come into our mess, he can knit us into his family 513 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,080 and take us into this life of significance. 514 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,400 But actually, you know, ultimately it comes down to a 515 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,040 choice. We've got this life in the in 516 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:25,520 the flesh, which may lead to joy and success, or we got life in 517 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:27,800 the spirit. Sorry, the life in the flesh 518 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:31,360 which leads to pleasure and success or life in the spirit 519 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:33,160 which leads to joy and significance. 520 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:35,920 And that's the choice you stand before today. 521 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:39,760 Do I want a life of pleasure and success or do I want a life of 522 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,480 joy and significance? That's where we at today. 523 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:46,360 Now you, you may same to me today when the you know, I've 524 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:48,360 I've, I'm aware of the mess of my own life. 525 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,120 Even as you were speaking today, maybe some of the patterns of 526 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:53,000 the world that you've been conforming to would have popped 527 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,280 in your head. Or maybe you're saying, hey, I 528 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,520 realize I'm not living in the awe of God, that I'm not always 529 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,000 actually building my life around the ways of God. 530 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,640 I'm actually doing it a lot like my friends who aren't saved. 531 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,200 My life looks a lot like those. Where do I start? 532 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,200 Where do I even start doing this? 533 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,480 Because, you know, it can be very daunting. 534 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:14,000 Well, all I can say to you today is in my life, there's two 535 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,720 things that's had the biggest impact on how I've walked this 536 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,960 walk with God. And once again, I mean, that's 537 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,200 why we preach here from the floor, why we don't stand on the 538 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:22,960 stage, because my life is not perfect. 539 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:25,480 Let's get, let's get that clear right off the bat. 540 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:27,840 My life is not perfect. It's not like I live in the 541 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:29,400 perfect will of God all the time. 542 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:31,840 You know, you see like feathers falling when I walk. 543 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:33,680 It's not like that. We all make mistakes. 544 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,320 You know, it's not easy. But you know what, there's two 545 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:40,280 things which I've, I've found the most helpful in living this 546 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:41,600 life. But before I say those two 547 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,640 things, I want to remind you of how about how I started, you 548 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:48,480 know, this walk that we do here on earth, US and Jesus, It's a 549 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:50,680 partnership. You're not going to get this 550 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,200 right on your own. You're not going to get this by 551 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,520 naming it, claiming it, framing it, putting a sticker on your 552 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,320 steering wheel, putting a sticker on your mirror where you 553 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,880 put your makeup on, and like, I'm not going to do this again. 554 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,960 It doesn't work that way. It's a partnership with God, us 555 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,920 and Jesus, us and the Holy Spirit day by day together, we 556 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:09,280 choose to submit ourselves to Him. 557 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:11,200 He leads us. It's a partnership. 558 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:13,360 You're not going to do it on your own, but God's not going to 559 00:27:13,360 --> 00:27:15,040 do it on his own either. It's a partnership. 560 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:17,560 And here's the two things I found most helpful in my walk 561 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,560 with God. Get up 10 minutes earlier, Take 562 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:25,440 your Bible, read a scripture and ask yourself, God, don't you 563 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:29,320 want to show me who you are in this verse or these 5 verses? 564 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,440 I'm not talking about verse of the day that pops up on your 565 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,680 phone and you read it and you go OK, bam, bam, thank you ma'am, 566 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:34,920 I've done that. I'm good for the day. 567 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:36,320 I'm talking about get you know what? 568 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,280 You're not going to be more tired if you get up 10 minutes 569 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:40,120 earlier. In fact, just get up at the same 570 00:27:40,120 --> 00:27:43,000 time and instead of scrolling for 10 minutes before you get 571 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,920 out of your bed, take your Bible, read a verse and just ask 572 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:50,720 God, this God, won't you show me who you are in these verses, 573 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,120 these two or three verses or this chapter I read today. 574 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,320 Why don't you show me who you are and take 10 minutes, 10 575 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:58,560 minutes to just think about who God is. 576 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:01,480 And the second thing, which I believe is that the most, the 577 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,040 biggest impact on my walk and our walk with God has been 578 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,320 getting into a life group. I've said this many times today. 579 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:10,160 The story of God's, God's redemptive story plays out in 580 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,000 family. You know, when we get into a 581 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,280 life group, we meet with other people, we get to know them. 582 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:16,560 They encourage us, they challenge us. 583 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,120 When they see our life is not lining up with the ways of God, 584 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,880 they could recorrect each other. The Bible says iron sharpens 585 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:23,800 iron. And when we get in a life group, 586 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,440 we start walking into the fullness of what God has for us. 587 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,440 It's God's plan. Family is God's plan. 588 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:32,240 So I'm going to take just a few minutes. 589 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:34,360 I'm finished and I've said a lot. 590 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,640 I hope it was a little bit slower than last time, but can 591 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:42,320 we just close our eyes for a moment and say, God, I want to 592 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:46,920 give my mess to you today. I want to ask you today, God, I 593 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,800 want to partner with you today to walk in this walk where I can 594 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:54,040 give my mess to you and you can come alongside me and you can 595 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,680 walk me out into a life of significance and ask that we 596 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,360 just just take a moment and just say to God, God, I want to 597 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:02,080 partner with you. Won't you partner with me? 598 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,280 I want to live a life of significance.