WEBVTT - This Isn't What I Pictured 0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:04.080 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 0:00:04.320 --> 0:00:04.800 Church and. 0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:05.840 This is our podcast. 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:07.760 I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:10.680 Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:12.840 Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:13.560 in your life. 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:14.680 Enjoy the message. 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:22.239 How many are ready for the Word of God. I 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:27.640 just have a Christmas devotional thought today from Hebrews eleven, 0:00:27.760 --> 0:00:31.320 verse three. It is not customarily seen as a Christmas scripture, 0:00:32.040 --> 0:00:36.280 but let's look at the picture of Jesus Christ through 0:00:36.280 --> 0:00:42.560 this frame today. Hebrews eleven three. King James version. Y'all 0:00:42.600 --> 0:00:45.080 thought I was playing this holiday season, but I am not. 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:51.760 King James version, Hebrews eleven three. Ready, through faith, we 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:55.680 understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, 0:00:56.160 --> 0:01:00.720 so that things which are seen were not made of things. 0:01:00.720 --> 0:01:01.640 Which do appear. 0:01:02.160 --> 0:01:05.680 Through faith, we understand, how many know there are some 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:10.000 things you can only understand through faith. Through faith, we 0:01:10.120 --> 0:01:13.640 understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, 0:01:13.959 --> 0:01:17.040 so that the things which are seen were not made 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:21.160 of things which do appear. Lord, I thank you that 0:01:21.240 --> 0:01:24.520 your word is already blessed open our hearts to receive 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:28.800 it now in Jesus' name, Amen, you may be seated. 0:01:36.000 --> 0:01:38.080 A couple of years ago, I took all three of 0:01:38.120 --> 0:01:43.720 the kids on a carriage ride downtown Truston, and I 0:01:43.760 --> 0:01:47.480 took them on the carriage ride because I'm a good 0:01:47.560 --> 0:01:52.440 good father and Holly wanted to shop. And also another 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:54.520 reason I took them on a carriage ride is because 0:01:54.560 --> 0:01:58.760 I'm an idiot, and because Abby begged me too. 0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:01.920 She was about five. Big brothers told her this is 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:05.840 a bad idea. You're not gonna like it. It's going 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:09.840 to be boring, but she insisted. We walked by this 0:02:09.919 --> 0:02:12.600 picture of a carriage ride. She said, can we go? 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:14.359 I bought the tickets. 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:17.680 I told the woman of God, I'm going to give 0:02:17.720 --> 0:02:24.520 you about an hour of shopping, childless shopping. And she said, oh, 0:02:24.560 --> 0:02:27.320 thank you, thank you Men of God. She said, I 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:31.680 receive it in Jesus name. Got on the carriage ride. 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:38.120 Within three minutes, Abby had a full scale meltdown on 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:38.919 the carriage ride. 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:41.919 She was bored, she was. 0:02:41.880 --> 0:02:48.680 Restless, she was disappointed, and her brothers, whoa her brothers, 0:02:48.720 --> 0:02:52.320 took the opportunity to remind her, we told you that 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:54.640 this would suck. Of course, we don't say suck in 0:02:54.680 --> 0:03:00.640 my family. It's a preacher's family. But we were all 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:03.160 kind of embarrassed because of course we weren't the only 0:03:03.200 --> 0:03:07.880 ones on the carriage ride. And within ten minutes she 0:03:08.040 --> 0:03:11.320 was crying so loudly that I had to go into 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:13.320 my You know, if your parent, you have a yelling 0:03:13.400 --> 0:03:20.400 voice that's quiet. It's louder than a scream, and you 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:22.960 have to use it in public when you want to 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:25.959 convey urgency without raising decibels. 0:03:27.720 --> 0:03:29.640 And I said, baby girl, with a smile. 0:03:29.680 --> 0:03:33.839 I said it too, baby girl, you're the one who 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:37.400 wanted to come on this carriage drive, and I'm gonna 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:40.680 need you to dry it up and enjoy this carriage drive. 0:03:41.880 --> 0:03:45.920 We got thirty more minutes and you're the only one 0:03:45.920 --> 0:03:50.120 who wanted to come on the carriage drive. So whatever's 0:03:50.200 --> 0:03:52.840 going on right now, I need you to deal with 0:03:52.880 --> 0:03:56.280 it and listen to this man tell us the history 0:03:57.200 --> 0:03:59.680 of all these houses on this carriage drive. 0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:05.840 She goes, she's trying to stop crying, and she goes. 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:14.640 But this isn't what I'm pictured. The title of my 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:22.119 sermon is, this isn't what I pictured. Sometimes life takes 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:25.120 you on a ride. Come on, who's going to be 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:25.599 real with me? 0:04:25.680 --> 0:04:26.680 Today? 0:04:28.040 --> 0:04:30.200 Looks like we got all angels in this section. Let 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:33.440 me turn over here. Have you ever had life hand 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:35.400 you a whopper? But it didn't look like the commercial? 0:04:39.080 --> 0:04:41.480 This isn't what I pictured. 0:04:42.800 --> 0:04:46.320 And it is a very difficult thing to adjust your 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:51.960 perspective when you pictured it one way and the product 0:04:52.000 --> 0:04:55.640 turns out to be another. Some of you came to 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:57.240 church crying today is. 0:04:57.880 --> 0:04:58.920 What I picture? 0:05:00.600 --> 0:05:03.640 Because when we started twenty nineteen or whatever year, you 0:05:03.640 --> 0:05:05.320 happen to be watching this in the time capsule in 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:06.320 the future on the internet. 0:05:07.400 --> 0:05:09.159 Just want this sermon to have a long shelf life. 0:05:10.320 --> 0:05:14.560 And you started the year with a picture of transformation, 0:05:14.720 --> 0:05:20.440 new beginnings, restoration, And this isn't what I pictured, you know, 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:21.719 so it's. 0:05:21.560 --> 0:05:24.400 A real thing. Even to this day. 0:05:24.440 --> 0:05:27.520 We'll tell Abby it's going to be like the carriage ride. 0:05:28.160 --> 0:05:30.080 It's a way when she wants to do something we 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:35.440 don't want to do, we remind her carriage ry, carriage ry, 0:05:36.839 --> 0:05:39.400 which is fine when you're only out of eighty five dollars, 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:45.799 But what about when it's your relationship and it isn't 0:05:45.960 --> 0:05:52.880 what I picture, or even your relationship with God. Maybe 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:56.599 you're saying, you know, I started one way believing that 0:05:57.320 --> 0:06:00.680 God would do certain things for me because He is 0:06:00.800 --> 0:06:04.799 my provider, and yet I came into deeper relationship with God, 0:06:04.839 --> 0:06:12.559 and this isn't Is there anybody in the whole church? 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:14.520 And if not, I can come to Gascon next week? 0:06:14.720 --> 0:06:17.800 Is there anybody in the whole church that is living 0:06:18.040 --> 0:06:22.920 in a scene that you did not picture in this season? 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:32.000 And that's why Hebrews eleven three gives a contrast between 0:06:32.040 --> 0:06:36.120 what God sees and what you see to let you 0:06:36.200 --> 0:06:40.000 know that the things which are seen were not made 0:06:40.040 --> 0:06:41.560 of things which do appear. 0:06:42.360 --> 0:06:43.520 But I'm getting ahead. 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:46.680 Of myself, because the fact of the matter is everyone 0:06:46.800 --> 0:06:50.040 has a picture of how life is supposed to go. 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:53.720 When you are supposed to get married, when you are 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:57.280 supposed to get a promotion, what kind of career your 0:06:57.400 --> 0:07:00.880 children were supposed to be interested in. Some of you 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:03.560 you had your child's whole career. They were going to 0:07:03.600 --> 0:07:06.839 go to an ivy league school, be a starting quarterback 0:07:07.279 --> 0:07:10.560 and a Magnasuma Kumalatti and all of that. And they 0:07:10.560 --> 0:07:13.240 don't even like sports, and they don't even want to 0:07:13.280 --> 0:07:16.400 go to community college and study and this isn't what 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:19.000 I picture. Didn't you get the memo? So let me 0:07:19.040 --> 0:07:21.520 just ask you a question. Where did you get your picture? 0:07:26.280 --> 0:07:28.600 Where did you get your picture? Did you get it 0:07:28.600 --> 0:07:33.280 from the Instagram? Because if you did, I'm praying for you, 0:07:33.440 --> 0:07:38.080 real hard Catholic Pentecostal, I'll do it all because if 0:07:38.120 --> 0:07:41.720 you got your picture for what life is supposed to be, 0:07:41.920 --> 0:07:45.200 light from the little glimpses that other people give you 0:07:45.560 --> 0:07:49.880 when they are posing perfectly, you will always be frustrated. 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:52.160 And while I'm on it, let me. 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:55.320 Say something about the show This is Us, which I love. 0:07:55.720 --> 0:08:01.600 Jack Pearson isn't real. He's not real. 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:04.600 I told Holly the other day, I said, and please 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:06.440 don't be offended. I hope you didn't bring a relative 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:08.800 for this to hope you're not bringing the relatives until 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:12.160 next weekend for the Christmas program. But some shows that 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:21.320 we watch, I call it emotional porn because it is 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:26.120 perfectly airbrushed. And then when you compare the real thing 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:33.319 to a picture that was surgically altered and cropped and filtered, 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:36.360 how in the world are we supposed to feel fulfilled 0:08:36.400 --> 0:08:39.640 about our real lives when we spend so much time 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:44.560 getting our picture from other people's pretention. Come on and 0:08:44.600 --> 0:08:48.680 help me preach five seconds. If you know he's a 0:08:48.800 --> 0:08:51.120 real God, He's the real thing. 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:56.080 So it means. 0:08:59.000 --> 0:09:01.120 That there are all these things that I see and 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:04.760 all these things that I don't see. And God operates 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:08.520 from an invisible picture. While I am trying to make 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:11.480 sense out of my life from what is visible, God 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:16.640 sees something different. Enter Jesus, Matthew, Chapter one, verse eighteen. 0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:20.559 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. 0:09:22.880 --> 0:09:25.520 Matthew is done with the genealogy. 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:28.839 Now the part of the Christmas story that would put 0:09:28.880 --> 0:09:29.640 you right to sleep. 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:33.160 If I read all of those names, not only would 0:09:33.200 --> 0:09:36.400 you be praying for my pronunciation, but you would. 0:09:36.160 --> 0:09:36.880 Lose your focus. 0:09:36.920 --> 0:09:40.439 Yet all of it is important because it is all 0:09:40.480 --> 0:09:44.000 the backstory to help us understand how Jesus came into 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:47.280 the world. Now, if you don't understand how Jesus came, 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:49.080 you will misunderstand. 0:09:48.360 --> 0:09:51.960 Why Jesus came. If we think he came. 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:54.720 Like our superheroes that we pay ticket prices to go 0:09:54.760 --> 0:09:56.480 and see, we will expect him to come in a 0:09:56.480 --> 0:09:59.480 certain way, and we will picture him in a way 0:09:59.480 --> 0:10:01.719 that will cause to miss him. When he really shows up. 0:10:03.160 --> 0:10:06.040 Where did you get your picture? Where did you get 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:09.040 your picture of God? What do you picture when you 0:10:09.080 --> 0:10:14.760 worship God? Where did you get that picture? Is he white? 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:16.720 Is he black? 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:19.319 Is he? 0:10:19.720 --> 0:10:23.640 Is he perfectly dialed to be an exact representation of 0:10:23.720 --> 0:10:24.760 every ethnicity? 0:10:25.480 --> 0:10:26.120 Is he a man? 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:34.640 Is he not a man? It is is your God? 0:10:35.040 --> 0:10:38.360 King Triton? Off the little Mermaid? Just zap and stuff? 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:45.280 Where did you get your picture? And what if he 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:50.080 isn't what you picture? Now, I'm gonna I'm really going 0:10:50.160 --> 0:10:52.200 to create some empty seats for next week. 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:54.800 Is going to be crowded for Christmas. Heaven is not 0:10:54.880 --> 0:10:58.480 going to be like you picture it right now. Let 0:10:58.480 --> 0:10:59.400 me tell you why. 0:11:00.320 --> 0:11:03.480 Some of the people that you can't stand are going 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:09.760 to be there, some of the people who don't believe 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:13.000 the right stuff, some of the people who didn't share 0:11:13.040 --> 0:11:15.440 the same denominational dogma as you. 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:17.560 When we get to heaven, a lot. 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:20.600 Of us are going to be surprised because it won't 0:11:20.640 --> 0:11:25.200 look like the picture. And so this is how the 0:11:25.240 --> 0:11:30.600 Birth of Jesus Christ came about. Matthew says, John starts 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:33.120 it differently. He says, in the beginning was the word 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:35.000 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:37.079 And he was there with God in the beginning, and 0:11:37.080 --> 0:11:38.880 all things were made through him collussion and says by 0:11:38.960 --> 0:11:40.000 him and for him. 0:11:40.360 --> 0:11:41.040 But Matthew is. 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:44.439 Starting with the human perspective of how Jesus Christ came about. 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:47.160 Of course, in verse seventeen, he says, thus there were 0:11:47.200 --> 0:11:50.679 fourteen generations in all, from Abraham to David, from David 0:11:50.679 --> 0:11:53.800 to the Babylonian exile, and then fourteen from the exile 0:11:53.800 --> 0:11:57.040 to Christ fourteen fourteen fourteen public school math. There's forty 0:11:57.080 --> 0:12:00.920 two generations of faith that brought Gesa into the earth. 0:12:02.360 --> 0:12:05.000 And yet the logos or the Word was with God, 0:12:05.040 --> 0:12:08.000 pre existent, pre incarnate God, was the Word of God. 0:12:08.320 --> 0:12:10.680 I promise you this is important, so please stay with me. 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:16.840 Because before Jesus was seen, he existed. Before he appeared, 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:22.000 he existed, just like everything in your life. 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:23.360 Before it is seen, it exists. 0:12:24.400 --> 0:12:27.200 By the time it becomes a behavior, it was a 0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:31.600 belief for a long time. By the time it becomes 0:12:31.640 --> 0:12:34.719 a feeling, it was a thought. So just like there 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:37.719 is a genealogy of Jesus, there is a genealogy of 0:12:37.760 --> 0:12:41.480 our emotions. There's a genealogy of our habits. There is 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:46.000 a pattern where where knowing how something started can help 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:50.160 you to trust when you don't see it in the process. 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:52.480 I'm preaching real good today. 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.440 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. 0:12:56.480 --> 0:13:01.320 His mother, Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, 0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:05.479 but before they came together, she was found. 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:08.480 To be with child through the Holy Spirit. 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:13.880 Because Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man and did 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:17.840 not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:22.440 in mind, Now I love this phrase. He had in 0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:27.440 mind to divorce her quietly or to put her away quietly. 0:13:27.920 --> 0:13:33.600 He had in mind. So much of the decisions. 0:13:33.240 --> 0:13:36.600 That we make in our lives that cause us confusion 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:41.360 are because we do what we had in mind before. 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:45.160 We consult God to see what he has in store. 0:13:45.960 --> 0:13:48.440 Now, can I keep going? 0:13:50.240 --> 0:13:56.480 But after he considered this, now, why because the Angel 0:13:56.480 --> 0:13:59.480 appears to him? But why did the Angel appear at 0:13:59.520 --> 0:14:03.760 this point after Mary was already bound to be pregnant? 0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:09.520 In other words, why did God let Joseph go several 0:14:09.559 --> 0:14:13.280 months without knowing what he wanted to do and what 0:14:13.320 --> 0:14:16.440 it was all about, and then appear after he had 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:19.760 already made his plan and had in mind what he 0:14:19.800 --> 0:14:23.720 wanted to do. After he had considered this, an angel 0:14:23.760 --> 0:14:25.440 of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:28.160 Joseph's son of David, do not be afraid to take 0:14:28.240 --> 0:14:31.760 Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in 0:14:31.840 --> 0:14:37.240 her is from the Holy Spirit. Why couldn't you tell 0:14:37.280 --> 0:14:45.880 me that six months ago? Why couldn't you have told 0:14:45.920 --> 0:14:47.840 me that before I. 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:49.200 Got the papers drawn up. 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:54.400 Why does God wait until after you have made a 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:56.520 plan to interrupt it? 0:14:58.000 --> 0:15:00.560 And this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. 0:15:01.920 --> 0:15:06.520 The greatest hope that the world was ever given, came 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:13.920 through the greatest disappointment that Joseph would ever know. And 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:19.520 I wonder is that happening in somebody's life today. This 0:15:19.720 --> 0:15:24.200 is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When 0:15:24.320 --> 0:15:27.200 Joseph had made up his mind how he needed to 0:15:27.240 --> 0:15:33.200 handle the situation, and yet God interrupts Joseph's plan to 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:38.480 fulfill a greater purpose. Now, if you go by your picture, 0:15:38.920 --> 0:15:42.840 you will make your plan. The only problem is God 0:15:42.960 --> 0:15:52.600 might have a different picture than you. I know y'all 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:58.200 don't like it, but it's the facts. This is how 0:15:58.200 --> 0:16:01.240 the birth of Jesus Christ came about. You know how 0:16:01.280 --> 0:16:02.480 we have our nativity scene. 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:03.120 It's got a. 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:07.160 Baby Jesus and the wise men. Well, first of all, 0:16:07.320 --> 0:16:10.720 no record that there was three of them, three gifts, 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:14.600 but I don't know how many how many magi were there, 0:16:14.920 --> 0:16:16.480 but I'll tell you this. They didn't get there when 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:18.960 Jesus was born. Jesus could have been two years old 0:16:19.040 --> 0:16:22.040 by the time they got there. But two year old 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:24.480 Jesus is and is cute on a nativity scene in 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:28.840 precious moments can't sell it, you know, toddlers aren't so adorable, 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:31.400 so they had to put little baby umbilical cord Jesus 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:33.720 on the major scene, but he was older than that. 0:16:33.960 --> 0:16:36.520 Now the shepherds are there in your nativity scene too, 0:16:36.520 --> 0:16:37.400 aren't they. 0:16:38.360 --> 0:16:39.920 The wise men and the shepherds weren't there at the 0:16:39.960 --> 0:16:42.040 same time. Let's see. 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:44.040 Now they want to sell you extra figures, so they 0:16:44.080 --> 0:16:45.880 have to put them all together at the same time. 0:16:47.040 --> 0:16:48.920 It's a profit margin issue, right, It's not. 0:16:48.920 --> 0:16:49.840 An accuracy thing. 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:56.920 And how you pictured Christmas is probably wrong. He wasn't 0:16:56.960 --> 0:17:01.200 even born in a manger. That's how we translated English. 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:02.960 It was more of a guest room that would have 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:06.359 looked more like a cave. But how are you going 0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:09.919 to sell a manger scene with a cave? You know, 0:17:11.359 --> 0:17:16.359 what if it isn't how you pictured it? What if 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:18.320 how God wants to use you is in how you 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:22.600 pictured him? What if the way he's going to work 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:26.080 in your marriage is and how you pictured him. And 0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:31.240 Joseph has this word from God to go from to 0:17:31.440 --> 0:17:35.040 understand by If he understands by his eyes, his sight, 0:17:35.520 --> 0:17:36.320 he's going to miss it. 0:17:36.920 --> 0:17:37.680 We always will. 0:17:38.080 --> 0:17:40.840 If he understands by his senses, his feelings, his emotions, 0:17:40.840 --> 0:17:44.280 he'll miss it emotionally and mentally. He has already decided 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:46.359 I'm done with this, And some of you came to 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:47.800 church today and you've. 0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:48.960 Already decided to quit. 0:17:49.600 --> 0:17:52.160 I'm giving up on this, I'm given up on joy, 0:17:52.320 --> 0:17:54.720 I'm giving up on peace, I'm giving up on hope. 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:56.360 That's why some of you aren't in the building. You're 0:17:56.359 --> 0:17:58.680 watching on a screen, because you gave up on even 0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:01.520 being a part of a church. Because when you picture church, 0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:04.000 you picture perfect people who would never hurt you. But 0:18:04.119 --> 0:18:07.359 guess what, we are imperfect, just like you. So if 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:09.200 you want to hook up, you got to understand we're 0:18:09.240 --> 0:18:12.120 screwed up too. But if you picture it as perfect, 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:17.040 then when this is the Lord, I hear you, Lord, 0:18:17.240 --> 0:18:19.119 I love it. When this happens, God show me exactly 0:18:19.200 --> 0:18:22.080 what he said. He said, the problem isn't your situation, 0:18:22.280 --> 0:18:30.679 it's your picture. The problem is not the situation, The 0:18:30.800 --> 0:18:34.600 problem is the picture. Mary had her dress picked out, 0:18:34.800 --> 0:18:37.160 but now she's not gonna get to wear it. She's 0:18:37.200 --> 0:18:39.800 gonna be way too big for this dress by the 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:43.400 time she walks the aisle. Joseph had his plan picked out, 0:18:43.640 --> 0:18:45.600 but now he's not gonna get to do it, which 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:48.920 is hard for a carpenter because carpenter's plan they make 0:18:48.920 --> 0:18:51.120 a living off of measuring and planning. 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:52.840 But after he had measured it. 0:18:53.080 --> 0:18:57.160 In his mind, God spoke to his spirit and said, 0:18:57.200 --> 0:19:01.200 what is in her is from me. I know it's 0:19:01.280 --> 0:19:04.680 not what you pictured, but it's me. I know it's 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:07.119 not what you expected, but it's me. 0:19:07.640 --> 0:19:09.919 I know it's not your preference, but it's me. 0:19:10.440 --> 0:19:13.480 I know it doesn't fit your tradition, but it's me. 0:19:14.119 --> 0:19:16.439 I know that you feel lonely and there. 0:19:16.280 --> 0:19:20.199 Are some missing pieces, but it's me. And are you 0:19:20.400 --> 0:19:24.120 trying to build your life by the wrong picture of 0:19:24.200 --> 0:19:25.920 what you thought it would be? 0:19:28.640 --> 0:19:31.000 Or why you think you're supposed to be. 0:19:32.560 --> 0:19:34.240 Wouldn't it be dumb to. 0:19:34.240 --> 0:19:36.960 Try to buy a puzzle to build it according to 0:19:37.000 --> 0:19:40.160 a picture that was on the cover of somebody else's puzzle. 0:19:42.440 --> 0:19:44.760 Try it if you go over to a friend's house 0:19:44.960 --> 0:19:48.000 and they have a puzzle. This analogy is a little weak, 0:19:48.040 --> 0:19:50.760 but bear with me. If you see a picture, go 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:53.400 buy a puzzle that doesn't match the picture, and try 0:19:53.400 --> 0:19:55.920 to open that box with those pieces and build. 0:19:55.680 --> 0:19:58.080 A picture, and see how much fun you have with it. 0:20:00.040 --> 0:20:04.360 God says, I gave you the pieces for the picture 0:20:05.080 --> 0:20:09.119 that I have in mind for your life according to 0:20:09.240 --> 0:20:11.280 my purpose before you. 0:20:11.280 --> 0:20:12.960 Were ever born. 0:20:17.280 --> 0:20:20.000 So I got the right pieces, I've. 0:20:19.800 --> 0:20:22.159 Got the right gifts, I've got. 0:20:22.040 --> 0:20:22.920 The right temperament. 0:20:23.000 --> 0:20:24.760 If I submit it to the Holy Spirit and don't 0:20:24.800 --> 0:20:27.240 let it get out of control. But this isn't what 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:34.720 I've pictured. Switched the picture. Switch the picture. When you 0:20:34.800 --> 0:20:37.879 have a picture of yourself as worthless. 0:20:37.560 --> 0:20:40.280 You will build your life according to that picture. 0:20:41.119 --> 0:20:44.800 You will sabotage yourself because you build. 0:20:44.520 --> 0:20:45.640 By what you feel. 0:20:49.600 --> 0:20:52.520 But now, if God says I'm righteous, if I switched 0:20:52.560 --> 0:20:55.439 the picture to what he sees, and if I assume 0:20:55.480 --> 0:21:02.840 that he's always working. If I switch the picture, Joseph 0:21:03.400 --> 0:21:10.520 is me, I started this. It's it's you that going 0:21:10.560 --> 0:21:15.680 to take Mary home, but it's me. And it's hard 0:21:15.720 --> 0:21:17.640 to believe as God when it doesn't feel good. 0:21:24.119 --> 0:21:30.439 Joseph is like, are you sure? Because he had to 0:21:30.440 --> 0:21:34.000 think about it, he had to ponder it. 0:21:34.119 --> 0:21:39.720 The Beautiful verse in the Bible, it says, Joseph, son 0:21:39.760 --> 0:21:42.600 of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home 0:21:42.640 --> 0:21:44.679 as your wife, because what is conceived in her is 0:21:44.680 --> 0:21:46.960 from the Holy Spirit. What's in her is from me. 0:21:48.480 --> 0:21:52.760 What's in her is from me. It's in her, but 0:21:52.840 --> 0:21:57.000 it's from me. God says, what's in you is from me. 0:21:58.640 --> 0:22:01.880 What's in you is from Me. And I'm just comforted 0:22:01.920 --> 0:22:06.240 by that because sometimes I feel pressure about what I 0:22:06.320 --> 0:22:11.280 perceive to be missing pieces. Even as a preacher, I 0:22:11.359 --> 0:22:13.960 always wish that I could that I could preach like 0:22:14.040 --> 0:22:16.560 other preachers that I see, And I tell you exactly 0:22:16.640 --> 0:22:17.600 who I want to preach like. 0:22:17.880 --> 0:22:19.639 You know, the guys that stand still. 0:22:21.880 --> 0:22:25.400 And they are just so profound, and they have one 0:22:25.440 --> 0:22:29.600 of the mics that never moves, and they just it's 0:22:29.760 --> 0:22:34.560 just so they're so calm, and I like that, and 0:22:34.600 --> 0:22:37.240 I go on Amazon looking for robes, and I think, man, 0:22:37.240 --> 0:22:40.760 that would be cool because it expends a lot of energy, 0:22:40.840 --> 0:22:41.959 all this moving around. 0:22:42.200 --> 0:22:43.440 And even sometimes I come. 0:22:43.400 --> 0:22:46.240 Up and I try to preach like one of them, 0:22:46.320 --> 0:22:49.600 you know, But then something just I can't. 0:22:52.000 --> 0:22:54.840 I mean, I really, I really don't plan. 0:22:56.240 --> 0:22:58.800 To freak out and spats out, and I watch myself 0:22:58.840 --> 0:23:01.040 back and I'm like, why you have to be like that? 0:23:01.080 --> 0:23:02.640 Why can't you be dignified? 0:23:03.200 --> 0:23:07.120 But something inside of me when I start doing. 0:23:06.840 --> 0:23:10.040 It, I just gotta do it. How I do it. 0:23:10.400 --> 0:23:14.320 I gotta do it like the pieces in my box are. 0:23:14.240 --> 0:23:17.800 Meant for the picture. Y'all won't help me breathe. 0:23:23.600 --> 0:23:29.160 What's in you is from God, what's in. 0:23:29.000 --> 0:23:34.520 Me is from Him. I got every peace I God wisdom. 0:23:35.040 --> 0:23:39.959 I've got strength, I've got anointing. I've got authority in 0:23:40.040 --> 0:23:43.760 the name of Jesus to overcome every. 0:23:43.480 --> 0:23:47.960 Wicked thing that rises to oppose me. Now, show three 0:23:48.000 --> 0:23:50.120 people say, it's in you. It's in you. 0:23:50.359 --> 0:23:53.679 It's in you right now, and it's growing and it's kicking, 0:23:53.960 --> 0:23:56.800 and it's meant to be and you're not missing anything. 0:23:57.240 --> 0:23:59.840 You got it all. You got every peace. 0:24:00.119 --> 0:24:03.520 For the picture, for in the beginning, what's the word? 0:24:03.680 --> 0:24:07.280 And the word's with God? And watch this. 0:24:10.040 --> 0:24:20.920 The word was God. So let me ask you a question. 0:24:22.520 --> 0:24:27.040 Let's take a vote. This is the first church vote 0:24:27.560 --> 0:24:31.080 that I remember in the history of Elevation Church. But 0:24:31.200 --> 0:24:40.080 let's be Baptist for the next thirty seconds. Who had 0:24:40.080 --> 0:24:51.399 the harder job? Mary or Joseph? Before you answer this, 0:24:51.520 --> 0:24:53.439 because in just a moment, I'm gonna call on you 0:24:53.480 --> 0:24:56.399 to raise your hand at every location. If you are married, 0:24:56.400 --> 0:25:03.360