1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 1: Church and. 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: This is our podcast. 4 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 5 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 2: Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 6 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 7 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: in your life. 8 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 2: Enjoy the message. 9 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: Are you excited for the Word of God today? Let's 10 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: get to it. Look at Hebrews Chapter ten, verse thirty 11 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: five through thirty seven, and this is a scripture that 12 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: is so loaded with power. I almost feel like I 13 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: could read it, drop the mic, walk off the stage 14 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: and not even say anything about it. 15 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 2: But I'm not going to do that. I'm and keep 16 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 2: the mic and talk about it for a little while. 17 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: Let me read it. 18 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: It says, so, do not throw away your confidence. It 19 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 1: will be richly rewarded. Now you need to perseverere so 20 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: that when you have done the will of God, you 21 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: will receive what He has promised. 22 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 2: Four in just a little while. Touch your neighbors say. 23 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: It won't be long now, It won't be long. Now, 24 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 2: in just a little while. 25 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: He who is coming will come and will not delay. 26 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: Instead of giving this message a title, I just want 27 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:25,919 Speaker 1: us to make a faith declaration together. 28 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: You're ready. 29 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 1: Now, I need you to say this loud and proud, 30 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: so you convince the devil that you mean business. Shout 31 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: out so loud your neighbor gets startled when you say it. 32 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: You're ready, Come on in every location, Are you ready? 33 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: Say this? 34 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: My confidence is coming back. Tell five people yours is too. 35 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: Yours is too my confidence. You may be seated, God bless. 36 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: You coming back. 37 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: It's coming back quickly. That God kind of confidence, not 38 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: that Instagram confidence posting something taking it down four times 39 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: if it doesn't. 40 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 2: Get enough likes in three minutes. 41 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: Letting half my body hang out of my clothes so 42 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: somebody will tell me I look good. 43 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: That's not confidence, that's compensation. I want a God kind 44 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 2: of confidence. 45 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: It's important that I say that because confidence has a context. 46 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: If I were to say it in a Biblical context, 47 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: it would mean something different than in a Kardashian context. 48 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: You just want to get no slightment to any Kardashians. 49 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: No Kardashians were harmed in the making of this sermon. 50 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: I'm just saying that context is important, and the writer 51 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: of Hebrews has a daunting task in that he is 52 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: trying to strengthen and reconstruct, in some ways, the confidence 53 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: of a group of Christians who are in crisis. In 54 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: order to do this, he employs to rhetorical devices. He 55 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: uses contrast and context. Contrast and context. He's speaking to 56 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: them in the midst of a trial, really a crisis 57 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: of confidence, and he's trying to get them focused on 58 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: Christ in their crisis. Because remember when Peter did that, 59 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: when he focused on Christ in his crisis, he transcended 60 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: the laws of buoyancy. 61 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 2: And it's amazing what you can get up above when 62 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: you focus on Christ in your crisis. 63 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: In order to bring them to this focal point of 64 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: Christ in crisis, he starts in Hebrews chapter one by 65 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: giving them a context of the superiority of Christ and 66 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: the New Covenant in this setting. In this context, he 67 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: presents them with a picture of a Christ who is better, 68 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: better than the angels theological term the superiority of Christ. 69 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: But we would just say he's better. He's better than 70 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: anything you can name. He's better than anything you can inhale. 71 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: He's better than anything you can snort. He's better than 72 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: anything you can chug. He's better than anything. 73 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 2: You can date. 74 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: He's better than anything that you can give your life to. 75 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: He's better. Somebody's shout, he's better. 76 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: He's better than the mediator of the old covenant. 77 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: That's Moses. 78 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: And it is in this context that he must present 79 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: to the people a motivation for perseverance by establishing their 80 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: confidence in crisis. And so not only does he provide 81 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: a contrast the mosaic sacrificial system and the. 82 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: Temple cultic law to the hope that we have in. 83 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, that the sacrifice has been made once and 84 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: for all. 85 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 2: You know how I know it's been made once and 86 00:04:58,880 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: for all. 87 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: I saw your car coming into the parking lot today, 88 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: and I didn't see any bulls or oxen on. 89 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 2: The bike rack of your vehicle. 90 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: I didn't see you with the knife to slit their 91 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: throats so that you could make atonement for your sins. 92 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: Why because you came in with confidence that Christ is enough, 93 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: that Christ is enough to atone for my sin and 94 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: to make write all of my mistakes. And the author 95 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: of Hebrews is re establishing the confidence of people who 96 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: have lost their confidence. I found out in life you 97 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: can lose a lot of things and get them back 98 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: if you keep your confidence. The devil cannot take your calling. 99 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 1: The Bible says that the gifts in calling of God 100 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: are without repentance. 101 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 2: He doesn't change his mind when you lose your way. 102 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: So since the devil can't take your calling, he attacks 103 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,840 Speaker 1: your confidence because if he can get you to give 104 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: him your confidence, he can keep you from functioning in 105 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 1: your calling. 106 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 2: If he can get you to believe that. 107 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: You're raising your kids just like your mom raised you, 108 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: and your mom raised you in a way that was 109 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: detrimental and destructive, he can get you to repeat the 110 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: patterns and miss the opportunity for progress. Because he stripped 111 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: you of your confidence. You can have a great calling 112 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: and no confidence. Joyce Meyer says, and she's coming for 113 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: a Code Orange revival, so maybe she'll tell you when 114 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: she comes. She said, a believer without confidence is like 115 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: a jet without fuel, sitting on the runway. All that equipment, 116 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: but no power to get up above the circumstances. That's 117 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: how sister Joyce said it. Ask your neighbor got confidence? 118 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: Remember they used to have got milk? Well, I want 119 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: to know got confidence? Christians without confidence? It should be 120 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: an oxymoron. I mean, the whole context of the Gospel 121 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: is confidence. If it doesn't make you more confident, it's 122 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: not the gospel. If you ever heard something preached to 123 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: you and you walked up from it like crap, you're 124 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 1: the gospel in the correct context. And the author of 125 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 1: Hebrews is giving some context to the crisis, perhaps he 126 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: should preach to our nation right about now, because I 127 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: hear people saying weird stuff. They say, this is the 128 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: worst it's ever been. Really, really, it's worse than it's 129 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: worse than slavery, worse than it's ever been. I mean, 130 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: there are some things that are bad, but can we 131 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: put it in context. One time I was at a 132 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: pastor's roundtable and a young white pastor who wasn't much 133 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: older than me spoke up and said, our nation is. 134 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 2: More divided than it's ever been. 135 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: And he shouldn't have said that in that context because 136 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: there was an older African American pastor, probably over the 137 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: age of seventy, who had lived through segregation. And he 138 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: spoke up and said, young man, I appreciate your sentiment, 139 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: but allow me to provide some context. And about fifteen 140 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: minutes later, that white guy wanted out of the room. 141 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: Asked me the other day he said, Daddy, are all 142 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: presidential elections this crazy? Because he's only ten and he's 143 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: looking for some context. And of course it took me 144 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: a moment to think through all of the presidential elections 145 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: that I've witnessed. In two thousand, it was pretty crazy. 146 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: We barely found out who was the president by the 147 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: time their term was over. I don't know if anybody 148 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: remembers that, but it was. It was crazy then. And 149 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: I've explained to him how in the context of you know, 150 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: other parts of the world, we have a pretty peaceful 151 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: transition of power when you put it in context, and 152 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: some cultures power doesn't change hands unless blood runs in 153 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: the street. So I want to give him a context. 154 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: Sometimes you've lost your relationships because you've lost your context. 155 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: That is, someone will do one thing to offend you, 156 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: and in the light of that one thing that they 157 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: did to offend you, you will walk away from the 158 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: hundreds of things that they did that caused you to 159 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: love them. The devil is a master of trying to 160 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: create a crisis in your life by causing you. 161 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,239 Speaker 2: To lose your sense of context. 162 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: I'm laughing because a lady over on my right side 163 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: was hitting a man I don't know what that was about. 164 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: But touch somebody and say, keep it in context. 165 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: That's what you. 166 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: Gotta do, Eve, because the serpent will come up to 167 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: you and say, did God really say you can't eat 168 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: from any tree in the garden? And you got to 169 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:27,959 Speaker 1: remember God didn't say he can't eat of any tree. 170 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 1: He said, don't eat of that tree. But the enemy 171 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: wants to take it out of context, to get you 172 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: to look at all the things you can't do and 173 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: miss all the things you can do, and to get 174 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: you to think that Christianity is boring, or that it's 175 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: about rules and regulations, to take it out of the 176 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: context of relationships. But how many of you know that 177 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: we have a great high priest whose name is Jesus, 178 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: and the author of Hebrews wants to help you get 179 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:57,959 Speaker 1: your confidence back. But you can't have confidence without context. 180 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: Could I would love to back up just a few 181 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: verses and provide a context for this admonition where he says. 182 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: Do not throw away your confidence see us a pretty powerful. 183 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 1: Admonition exhortation within itself, but when you give it its 184 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: full context, it's even more powerful. Would it be all 185 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: right if I backed up just a few verses and 186 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: give you some context. 187 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 2: I would love to give you the whole Book of Hebrews. 188 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: I didn't think it'd be good for us to do 189 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: the whole book in one day, but maybe we could 190 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 1: hit verse nineteen real quick, where he's encouraging this community 191 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: of faith that is an identity crisis, losing friends because 192 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:50,439 Speaker 1: of their faith, suffering loss in their personal life, in 193 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: their relationship with their possessions because of their faith. And 194 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: he says, therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have somebody shouted, 195 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 1: we have confidence. 196 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 2: Now. We may not be accessing our confidence right. 197 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: Now, but we have it. How many of you have 198 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: a phone? How many of you are talking on it 199 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 1: right now? Just because you have it doesn't mean you're 200 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: using it. Sometimes we think we need more confidence, when 201 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,719 Speaker 1: all we really need to do is use the confidence 202 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 1: that we already have by virtue of the power of 203 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: Christ in us. 204 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 2: I feel like preaching a. 205 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: Little bit today because somebody's going to get their confidence back. 206 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 1: By the time I put my microphone down, the Lord 207 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: told me some of you have been losing your confidence, 208 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: but he wants you to know that you have confidence 209 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: to enter the most holy place that was the place 210 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: where only the high priest could go. And even he 211 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: couldn't go in the wrong way, or he wouldn't come out, well, 212 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: he would come out. Body would have to drag him out, 213 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: because the presence of God was so strong in the 214 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: most Holy Place that if you. 215 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,239 Speaker 2: Didn't go in ceremonially clean. 216 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: You would fall down dead in the presence of the 217 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 1: glory of God. How many are glad for a new Covenant? 218 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 1: I think the whole top section of Blakeney would fall 219 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: over dead if you had to be clean to come 220 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: to church today, I think the whole I think the 221 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: preacher would fall dead on the stage if you had 222 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 1: to be clean to come to church. And so he's 223 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: he's talking about this new Covenant and he's excited about it, 224 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: telling them come on in to the most Holy Place. 225 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: How do you come in by the blood of Jesus, 226 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 1: by a new and living way open for us through 227 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: the curtain that is His body. And since we have 228 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: a great high priest over the House of God, let 229 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: us draw near to God with the sincere heart and 230 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: with the full assurance that faith brings our hearts sprinkled 231 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: to cleanse us from a guilty conscience. 232 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 2: And having our bodies washed with pure water. 233 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: I was only going to read verse nineteen, but the 234 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: context of this is so powerful. I think I ought 235 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: to keep going? How many think I ought to keep going? 236 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,839 Speaker 1: Come on, this is the covenant, the promise of God. 237 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: This is your relationship with him. Describe to find and 238 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: elaborated upon. 239 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 2: Let us hold. 240 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:28,439 Speaker 1: Unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised 241 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,959 Speaker 1: is faithful, He who promised is faithful. You hadn't always 242 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: been faithful to him, but he's always been. 243 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 2: Faithful to you. 244 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: And let us consider how we may spur one another 245 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 1: on toward good deeds, not giving up meeting together as 246 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another. 247 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 2: And all the more as you see the day approaching. 248 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: And so he's helping me before he tells me to 249 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: keep my confidence, He's helping me to see where my 250 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 1: confidence comes from. Let's talk about where Christian confidence comes from. 251 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:11,559 Speaker 1: Because there are three things he mentioned in the text 252 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: I just read, and they all start. 253 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:13,679 Speaker 2: With the letter C. 254 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: At least they will when I get done with them. 255 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: Helps me remember them better. He mentions, your conscience, it's 256 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: kind of hard to have full confidence when you have 257 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: a troubled conscience. It's kind of hard for me to 258 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: get up and preach to you when I have things 259 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: in my life, areas in my life where I haven't 260 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: been obedient. You know, there have been time before I've 261 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: been getting ready to preach, and before I could come 262 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: out on the stage, I had to make a phone 263 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: call and get something right, because if I come up 264 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: here in my conscience isn't clear. I don't mean that 265 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: I have to be perfect when I get up. If 266 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: that were the case, only J than Joseph will be 267 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: allowed to preach at Elevation Church. But I'm saying some 268 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: of you lost your confidence because you violated your conscience, 269 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: and so now in relationships you can't really look people 270 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: in the eye because of what you're hiding, because of 271 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: text messages you hope your wife doesn't see, because of 272 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: unresolved bitterness and forgiveness that God has initiated but you 273 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 1: have not completed. The devil is really masterful at this, 274 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: because if he can't get your calling without your confidence, 275 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: he'll get to your confidence through your conscience. So then 276 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: he will tempt you with something that he knows will 277 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: define or defile rather your conscience. And now, because you 278 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: have a defiled conscience, you have no confidence. To come 279 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: into the presence of God requires confidence. The presence of 280 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: God is the only place where your conscience can be cleansed. 281 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 2: We just read it in Hebrews. 282 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: He said that the most holy place the presence of God, 283 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 1: that place of surrender, that place of contact with God. 284 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: That's the place where the blood of Jesus is sprinkled 285 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: to purify your conscience. But if you don't have confidence, 286 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: you won't come in. So now the only place where 287 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: God can heal your conscience you don't go into. 288 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 2: Because you've lost your confidence. 289 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: You stop coming to church at the time when you 290 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: needed church the most. I'm gonna look at the camera 291 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: because somebody's watching me online today. You almost came, but 292 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: you felt guilty about something, and you let the devil 293 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: tell you that you couldn't come. But the context of 294 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: my relationship with God is not my behavior, is the 295 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: blood of his son. It was already shed. And when 296 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: those drops hit the crowd, mercy hit my life. Grace 297 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: covered my sin, His compassion cover all the wrong things 298 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 1: I had done, will do, and even the things I'm 299 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: doing right now, so I can come on in to 300 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: the presence of God with my head held high like 301 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: a child of the King. I'm not a slave to fear. 302 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: I'm a child of God, my spirit Christ. 303 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 2: How I'm a father. I needs your help. I'm in 304 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 2: a crisis. Come on in. 305 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,640 Speaker 1: Hear the voice of God saying to somebody, come on in, 306 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: Come on in. I know what you did last summer. 307 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: Come on in. I know what you did in your twenties. 308 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 1: Come on in. 309 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,640 Speaker 2: I know what you did at nine forty seven am. 310 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 2: Come on in. Tell somebody say, come on in. 311 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 1: We need you to know that the context of Christian 312 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: confidence is not your ability to conform to a set 313 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 1: of behaviors. 314 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 2: That's the old covenant. 315 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: That's bringing a turtle dove to church and sacrificing it. 316 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: But we have a great high Priest, and he is 317 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: the context of my confidence. A context of my confidence 318 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: is a clear conscience. And then you know what else 319 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: I need. I need a community. I know your confidence 320 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: has been shaken lately. 321 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 2: That's why you need some people. Would you tell the 322 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 2: person next to you, I need people like you in 323 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 2: my life. I really do, I really do. 324 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,160 Speaker 1: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are 325 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 1: in the habit of doing. 326 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 2: I need people in my life because. 327 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: I really believe if I hadn't grown up at Monk's 328 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: Corner United Method Church and it Jackie didn't tell me 329 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: God has a special plan for your life. When I 330 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: first got saved, I might have gone right back to 331 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: the way I was living. The temptation that is being 332 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: countered by the author of Hebrews is the temptation to 333 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:16,159 Speaker 1: turn back that no sooner do you get started in 334 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: the pursuit of a promise from God than you lose 335 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 1: your confidence and turn back. You lose your confidence because 336 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 1: certain people don't like it. Certain people don't understand it. 337 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: Certain people aren't going the same way as you. Certain 338 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,639 Speaker 1: people don't support or endorse your decision to be a 339 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 1: disciple of Jesus Christ. 340 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 2: That's why you need certain other people, certain other people. 341 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 2: You can't do this alone. 342 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: I like to say, back in the early days when 343 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: I first started preaching, you have to follow Christ for yourself. 344 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: But you cannot follow Christ by yourself. 345 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 2: So I need a new community. 346 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: I need a new community, somebody to look me in 347 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: the eyes from time to time and say I think 348 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: you still got it. 349 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 2: I think you ought to press on. 350 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 1: If you don't have those people in your life, there 351 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: is no hope for you holding on to your confidence. 352 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 1: Because everybody in their head has a little confidence committee. 353 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: They sit around that table, and you have the committee 354 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 1: member called past experience. 355 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 2: And boy, he'll speak up real quick when you decide 356 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:31,439 Speaker 2: to do something for Gott. You tried that once, how'd 357 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 2: that go? 358 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: He'll show you the treadmill that you bought, it's now 359 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: a cote rack. And then there's past experience. And let's 360 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: see who else sits at the table. You got past experience, 361 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: and maybe you got the committee. 362 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: Member of self loathing and doubt and all these people. 363 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,919 Speaker 2: If you don't have one time the profit. 364 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: Elisha needed to teach his protege faith because they were 365 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:10,719 Speaker 1: surrounded by enemies. And that's all that the protege could see. 366 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: That's all he could see, what was against him. I 367 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: took away his confidence. He cried out, oh my Lord, 368 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 1: what shall we do now? Sometimes that's that's the only 369 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: prayer you can pray. 370 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:31,679 Speaker 2: And Elisha gave him a different context. 371 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:36,719 Speaker 1: When he prayed, open his eyes, Lord, that he may see. 372 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 1: And when he blinked and opened his eyes again, nothing 373 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: had really changed except. 374 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 2: His vision opened his eyes. 375 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: The second time he saw that what was surrounding them 376 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 1: was surrounded by the armies of the Living God. 377 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 2: You know, I believe. 378 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 1: God wants to bring people in your life who can 379 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: surround what surrounded you until you see the protection, the provision, 380 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: and the promise of God coming to pass in your life. 381 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 2: I'll be honest. 382 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: There are certain people I look for when I preach 383 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: because they boost my confidence. 384 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 2: Certain people I look away from real quick Taylor secret. 385 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 1: The right side of this Valentine campus is really spiritual. 386 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: They will shout you down, only to be matched by 387 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: this intersection. 388 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 2: And the people in the. 389 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: Back as well as the left side of the room. Look, 390 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:41,880 Speaker 1: give me a wide shot. Can you show the other 391 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: campuses how we built this room. We built this Valentine 392 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: campus where you can't sneak in, you can't fall asleep. 393 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 2: Somebody will see you. We wanted you to know when 394 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:56,360 Speaker 2: you come to. 395 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: Church you're surrounded, because you might up to church in trouble, 396 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: and we and tempted and tested and try, but somebody 397 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:12,360 Speaker 1: shall I'm surrounded. Come on, tell seven people you're surrounded. 398 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: Even if you want to go back, I won't let you. 399 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: Even if you want to fall short. I'm not about 400 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: to let you quit. You've come too far by faith. 401 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:23,160 Speaker 2: We're gonna lean on him together. 402 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: We're going forward surrounded, got a community even within our staff. 403 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:32,479 Speaker 2: It shocked me. 404 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 1: On Wednesday, I've been teaching our staff and one of 405 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: the subjects I brought up was confidence. And in between sessions, 406 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: we were singing one of my favorite new songs that's 407 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: gonna be recorded for the new album, and we sang 408 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 1: it today in church. 409 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 2: Many of you be watching on TV and you won't 410 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 2: get to hear it yet. 411 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: But the song says, I believe I'll see you do 412 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 1: it again. I believe I'll see you do it again. 413 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: And we were singing it and the staff singing it, 414 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: and there's a line in that song that says, this 415 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 1: is my confidence. You never failed me yet, this is 416 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: my confidence. And the Spear of the Lord spoke to 417 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: me and said, go up on stage right now. And 418 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,199 Speaker 1: I was supposed to introduce Holly for her session, and 419 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: the Lord told me she won't mind. 420 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 2: She can wait and give an alter call for your staff. 421 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 2: And I said, Lord, you mean that I got staffed 422 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 2: that aren't saved. He said, well, yeah, probably that too. 423 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 2: But that's not the kind of alter call. I mean, 424 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 2: I'm skidded. 425 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: And he said, I want you to call for people 426 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: who are having a crisis in confidence. So when I 427 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: did it, I said, I want you to come forward. 428 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:50,439 Speaker 1: If you're having a crisis in confidence, I want you 429 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: to come to the stage. 430 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 2: I thought three people would come. 431 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: I turned around, and all of a sudden, they didn't 432 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,160 Speaker 1: come to the stage. They started coming on the stage. 433 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: They misunderstood my instruction, and it wasn't three of them. 434 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,120 Speaker 1: It was more people that came to the stage than 435 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: stayed in the seats. 436 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 2: And the next thing I know. 437 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 1: I was surrounded by these staff members and I went 438 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: through everything in my head. 439 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 2: I was like, did they hear what I said? 440 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 1: Because I didn't say if you struggle a little bit 441 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:21,199 Speaker 1: with your confidence, you know, because if you give an 442 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: altar call broad enough, you can get the whole room 443 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: to come. 444 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying. If you felt. 445 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: Defeated, come, you know, you could just stretch it out 446 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: if you're here today. 447 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 2: But I didn't say, if you, you. 448 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: Know, weren't outfit today and you're not feeling so good 449 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: about it anymore, you feel kind of fat, come on 450 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: to the stage and pray over your outfit. 451 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 2: I said, a crisis and confidence. 452 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 1: And over half my staff came and I prayed with 453 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 1: them for about twenty minutes, and I said, we are 454 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:58,159 Speaker 1: going to leave some chains on the stage today. But 455 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,160 Speaker 1: probably the best thing I did for him was turn 456 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,400 Speaker 1: around and give them some context that there are times 457 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 1: where the pressure to preach becomes so great, and my 458 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 1: doubt in my own ability to lead the church becomes 459 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 1: so strong. There have been times where I have fantasized 460 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: about just walking out on independence and hoping maybe a 461 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 1: truck will come. I know I seem confident up here, 462 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 1: and maybe I shouldn't tell you this. Some of y'all 463 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: are going to pray for me, write me a prescription 464 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: or something like that. I'm not saying I walk around 465 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: feeling that all the time. I'm not saying I'm suicidal. 466 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 2: I was just. 467 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:49,239 Speaker 1: Trying to get them to see that their lack of 468 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 1: confidence does not have to be the death of their calling. 469 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 2: And the Devil's got some of you right now. 470 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 1: You are at that Hebrew's ten crossroads of confidence, trying 471 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:12,159 Speaker 1: to decide whether to stay and raise your children or not, 472 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:18,479 Speaker 1: trying to decide whether continuing to pursue Christian values is 473 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: even possible, or should you just. 474 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 2: Give into the addiction and go back the other way? 475 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 2: Trying to decide. 476 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: I called my staff on the stage, and I even 477 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 1: shared that about my own life, because I have seen 478 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 1: too many callings abandoned at the crossroads of confidence. 479 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 2: And if you just would have pressed on a little more, 480 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 2: you would have seen the breakthrough. 481 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 1: The author said, in just a little while, he who 482 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 1: is coming, he who is coming, will come and not delay. 483 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 2: When the devil really puts the pressure on. 484 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: That's a side that you are in proximity to the 485 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: promise that you've been pressing toward. We're praying on the stage, 486 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: and I felt my confidence coming back, and it just 487 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 1: hit me. 488 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 2: If that was my staff, and they are paid to be. 489 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:24,879 Speaker 1: Christians, what's going on in the congregation, what's going on 490 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: out there? 491 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 2: What is the devil telling you? 492 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: If he's telling the preacher, you know, you probably preached 493 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 1: your best sermons by now, and they all heard everything 494 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 1: you got to say. You know, you built that Valentine 495 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 1: building too big, Never gonna fill that one up. That's 496 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: what he's saying to me. I can't imagine. I mean, 497 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: I'm the man of God. I can't imagine what he's 498 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: telling you. I can't imagine the mistakes that he's bringing up. 499 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: I can't imagine the dumb decisions that he replays in 500 00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: your mind. Just that five clip that runs randomly every 501 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: time you go to step out, I can't imagine. And 502 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: so he mentions, He says, you need a clear conscience, 503 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: and only the blood of Jesus can do that. And 504 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: you have the blood of Jesus. So be confident when 505 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: you come before God. Come before him with confidence. And 506 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: you need a community. 507 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: Guy says something to everybody who came to church. Oh God, 508 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 2: I know you're struggling a little bit. 509 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: I know you got some things, but you're around the 510 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: right people right now, and we're going to do this together. 511 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 2: But it's going to take consistency. 512 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 1: Don't give up meeting together. Encourage one another all the more. 513 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 1: As you see the day approaching. You see his biceps. 514 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 2: They didn't get like that one time in the gym. 515 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: The first time he went to pick up the forties, 516 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 1: they were real heavy and he it was grunting on himself. 517 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: Now he just picks up the eighties in the nineties 518 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: because he picked up the fifties and the sixties. Confidence 519 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: comes from consistency. Well, I guess you're not confident. You 520 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: only let me preach to you once every three months. 521 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: You only open your Bible on special occasions, Like, I 522 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:33,840 Speaker 1: guess you're not confident? How could you be? Confidence comes 523 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: through consistency. They were interviewing Serena after she won her 524 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 1: what was it, her four and thirty second Grand Slam title, 525 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: tied the record. They said, how do you deal with 526 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 1: the pressure of this big moment and rise to the 527 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: occasion as you have so many times? And I left 528 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: at her response, it was instant classic. She said, well, 529 00:30:58,480 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 1: I've played a lot of tennis. 530 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 2: I thought that was so great. How do you deal 531 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 2: with the big moments? Well, I played a lot of tennis. 532 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: You see somebody who has a lot of confidence, they 533 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 1: tell you how they got it. 534 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 2: They prayed a lot of prayers. 535 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, how softly Serena speaks after she wins, I played 536 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: a lot of tennis. 537 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 2: You see somebody who asked tremendous peace in their heart. 538 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 2: They forgave a lot of people. 539 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,440 Speaker 1: You see somebody who knows how to persevere through dry 540 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: seasons and hard times. They read a lot of Bible verses, 541 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 1: and so he sets confidence within the context of a 542 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: clear contest, within the context of a strong community, within 543 00:31:56,400 --> 00:32:00,959 Speaker 1: the context of a commitment to consistency. And now he says, 544 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: let me get to my preaching part. How'd you like 545 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: that set up? This won't take long, So do not 546 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: throw away your confidence. 547 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 3: It will be richly rewarded. Don't do it. Don't throw 548 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 3: away your confidence. It will be richly rewarded. 549 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: And you need to persevere so that when you have 550 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: done the will of God, you will receive what he 551 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: has problemise. Now, it's interesting to me that in order 552 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: to get them to press forward, he tells them to 553 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: look back. In verse thirty two, the writer says, if 554 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 1: you want to go forward, here's what you need to do, 555 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: remember those earlier days. This fascinates me because I've always 556 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: been told that the way to gain confidence is to 557 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:58,320 Speaker 1: not look back. You know, you can't think about the past, 558 00:32:58,360 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: can't think about what happened. 559 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:00,719 Speaker 2: You just got to even behind. 560 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: Well, in this particular instance, the author advocates a type 561 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: of memory management that will actually build your confidence. 562 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 2: Remember those earlier days. 563 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 1: After you had received the light, when you endured in 564 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 1: a great conflict, full of suffering. 565 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 2: He says, You've been through much worse than this, and 566 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 2: you made it. 567 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: Do you know what I know. I don't know what 568 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: you've been through. I don't know what it looked like. 569 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:26,440 Speaker 1: I don't know how horrible it was. 570 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 2: You could tell your story, I could tell my story. 571 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 2: I know one thing about you. You made it. 572 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: You're still here. I know that about you. I don't 573 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 1: even have to know your name. I just know by 574 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:42,719 Speaker 1: the fact, by the virtue of the fact that you 575 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,560 Speaker 1: showed up, that you made it. And so sometimes it's 576 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 1: just as simple as remembering that you made it. You know, 577 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:53,440 Speaker 1: when I'm stressed out and we're opening a new campus 578 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: and I just flew back from Australia and a jet 579 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: lagged and tired, and one of my best friends in 580 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: the ministry is going through a terrible crisis and I'm 581 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: walking through that with him, and all of it's hitting 582 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,600 Speaker 1: on the same weekend, and I'm coming out to open 583 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 1: a campus and police are being shot in the streets 584 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: and young men are being gunned down in the streets 585 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,919 Speaker 1: and I'm managing how to talk about that and open 586 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:16,840 Speaker 1: a campus, and you know, and my best friend is 587 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:20,400 Speaker 1: going through something, and everything's going and I haven't slept 588 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,240 Speaker 1: and I'm coming out and part of me is telling 589 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 1: God backstage, I can't do this, I can't do this. 590 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:26,400 Speaker 1: And you know, when I start talking like that, the 591 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:27,839 Speaker 1: spear of the Lord will speak back to. 592 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:29,839 Speaker 2: Me, and all he says, is this really. 593 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:37,200 Speaker 1: Because I thought I remembered you in a white jeep Cherokee, 594 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:42,200 Speaker 1: a nineteen ninety white jeep Cherokee where you would leave 595 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:44,839 Speaker 1: on a Thursday and you would go preach at. 596 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 2: A youth rally in Squirrelville, Georgia. And you would go 597 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:56,440 Speaker 2: preach at the youth rally Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Saturday night. 598 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 2: You would leave, stop. 599 00:34:57,719 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 1: At the gas station, get six diet and dues, drive 600 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:04,880 Speaker 1: back to Shelby, North Carolina, through the middle of the 601 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 1: night and get back and lead worship, be there for 602 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 1: the rehearsal at seven am and have everything set up 603 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 1: for the worship team and you would lead the music. 604 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:14,840 Speaker 1: And then Sunday night you go to Charlotte and do 605 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,480 Speaker 1: your little core team meetings for your church plan that 606 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:18,720 Speaker 1: you were asking me to bless. 607 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 2: And you would have the families there and no. 608 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: New people would have showed up, but you would pre 609 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: trite through it, and you wouldn't get discouraged, and you 610 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 1: wouldn't get defeated, and you wouldn't get disappointed. 611 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 2: But you'd just pretrike through it. 612 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: And you stand up and say things boldly, and then 613 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: you get up Monday morning with a hangover, holy hangover, 614 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:39,280 Speaker 1: and you would get in your write jeep Cherokee again 615 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:42,719 Speaker 1: and drive to Greenville. And sometimes you have Elijah three 616 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:46,120 Speaker 1: months old screaming in the backseat, and Holly and Elijah 617 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:48,000 Speaker 1: would go with you and you drop them off at 618 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,360 Speaker 1: your in laws house, and then you go to seminary 619 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:53,799 Speaker 1: and you'd sit there from nine am to nine pm 620 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 1: in a systematic theology class. 621 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:58,520 Speaker 4: And you get back to Charlotte and you do it again, 622 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 4: and you do it again. You do it again, and 623 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:03,320 Speaker 4: you did it before, and you can do it again. 624 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 4: And you did it before, and you can do it again. 625 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 4: You did it before, you can do it again. And 626 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,840 Speaker 4: some stands up on the inside of me and I tell. 627 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 1: The devil, I'm that same dude that ran up and 628 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 1: down the roads of I twenty six and I eighty 629 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:21,120 Speaker 1: five in a cheap Cherokee with the newborn baby. I 630 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:24,400 Speaker 1: believe God. Then I believe God. Now I saw him 631 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,920 Speaker 1: come through, then I'll see him come through again. 632 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:31,479 Speaker 2: I've seen him move a mountain, and I believe. Somebody said, 633 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:32,120 Speaker 2: I believe. 634 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:39,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna preach until your confidence comes back. 635 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 2: How do you get it back? You get it back 636 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 2: in the gap? Touch? 637 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:48,120 Speaker 1: Somebody say, you get it back in the gap? 638 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 2: Can I talk about the gap? 639 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:53,799 Speaker 1: Give me eight minutes? Come here, man, help me preach 640 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: about the gap. Please please please come here, JJ, help 641 00:36:56,920 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 1: me preach about the gap. Who else should help me 642 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:02,399 Speaker 1: preach about the gap? I think Jared Hogan's beard should 643 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: help us preach about the gap. 644 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 2: Come on, there's this gap. 645 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:09,640 Speaker 1: He said that after you have done the will of God, 646 00:37:10,239 --> 00:37:14,960 Speaker 1: you will receive what he has promised. So we're on 647 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 1: a journey and we're making progress. But in the midst 648 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,360 Speaker 1: of our progress we lose our confidence. Where do we 649 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:27,200 Speaker 1: lose it? We lose it in the gap. There's always 650 00:37:27,239 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: a gap, he said. There is a space of time 651 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:35,319 Speaker 1: between when you have done the will of God and 652 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 1: when the will of God becomes a parent in your life. 653 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 2: There's a space. There's a gap. So these gentlemen will 654 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 2: each represent something. 655 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:46,879 Speaker 1: JJ. 656 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 2: You represent where I want to be and you, sir 657 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:55,439 Speaker 2: name please LaMarcus. 658 00:37:55,680 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 1: LaMarcus is going to represent where I am, and I'm frustrated. 659 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:04,520 Speaker 2: In the gap. 660 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 1: Where I am is not where I want to be. 661 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: Who I am is not who I want to be. 662 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: I'm in the gap. So here I get discouraged, and 663 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,399 Speaker 1: here I get weary, and here I want to quit, 664 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: and here I want to withdraw. See, the church that 665 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,799 Speaker 1: the writer of Hebrews is addressing are not so much 666 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:40,120 Speaker 1: walking away from their faith as they are weakening in it. 667 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:42,720 Speaker 1: It's not a matter of we don't believe in Jesus anymore. 668 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:47,319 Speaker 1: It's a matter of wanting to withdraw from believing for 669 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:51,319 Speaker 1: the fullness of the promise of life in Him. And 670 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 1: I would think that's where most people in church struggle 671 00:38:54,480 --> 00:39:00,319 Speaker 1: is in this gap between where I am where I 672 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:06,000 Speaker 1: want to be. So there is another gap, and this 673 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:09,520 Speaker 1: is where Jared's gonna help us, because this second gap 674 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:18,399 Speaker 1: is the distance not between where I am and where 675 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:24,040 Speaker 1: I want to be, but this gap is the distance. 676 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 2: Between where I was and where I am. Come on, 677 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:33,279 Speaker 2: talk to me, somebody, talk to me. We're gonna put 678 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:37,239 Speaker 2: it in context today. We're gonna put it in context. Today. 679 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 2: You've been wanting to quit because all you see is this. 680 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,280 Speaker 2: But every once in a while, I'm almost done. 681 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:47,000 Speaker 1: Every once in a while, you need to look back 682 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:50,520 Speaker 1: over your shoulder, look back with me, and remind the devil. 683 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 1: I'm not where I want to be. I'm not who 684 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:56,839 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be, but I'm not who I was. So 685 00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:00,560 Speaker 1: I think if I already made it this far, if 686 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:04,640 Speaker 1: I've already seen this much, if I've already believed God 687 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:08,719 Speaker 1: through so much breaking and through so many battles, I 688 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 1: think I'll press. 689 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:13,560 Speaker 2: On and see what the end is gonna be. 690 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:23,359 Speaker 1: In that good, in that good, I got it back 691 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:24,000 Speaker 1: in the gap. 692 00:40:24,719 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 2: I got it back. 693 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 1: When I look back and realize that God is. 694 00:40:28,520 --> 00:40:30,719 Speaker 2: Still with me. And so you're gonna have to get 695 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:34,239 Speaker 2: your confidence back in the gap. Somebody shot My confidence 696 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:37,880 Speaker 2: is coming back, and I need you to understand that 697 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:39,480 Speaker 2: my situation didn't change. 698 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:42,759 Speaker 1: Yet, but the return of my confidence for seeing the 699 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:46,440 Speaker 1: improvement of my situation in just a little while, He 700 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,120 Speaker 1: who is coming will come and not delay. 701 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:50,440 Speaker 2: But I'm not waiting for. 702 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,440 Speaker 1: Him to come back for my confidence to be restored. 703 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:56,759 Speaker 1: I'm gonna raise him right now. I'm gonna bless him 704 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,399 Speaker 1: right now. I'm gonna believe that right now. 705 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 2: Come on, help, let me preach. 706 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:04,040 Speaker 1: The spirit of God is in this place, and my 707 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:13,440 Speaker 1: confidence is coming back. See because in that gap is 708 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:17,160 Speaker 1: every lion and every bear that I've already killed. So 709 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:21,800 Speaker 1: come on, Goliath, my confidence is coming back. 710 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:26,319 Speaker 2: My confidence is coming back. 711 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:32,400 Speaker 1: I don't know the way forward, but the same God 712 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:35,360 Speaker 1: who got me through that gap. 713 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 2: Is with me in this one. Clap your hands, get God. 714 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:43,919 Speaker 3: Praise. 715 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:50,400 Speaker 2: Come on, clap your hands, get God. Do you know 716 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:54,640 Speaker 2: what praised us? Everyone's standing, everyone's standing. Do you know 717 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:55,480 Speaker 2: what praised us? 718 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:07,240 Speaker 1: Praise puts your problem in context. When you praise God 719 00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:10,680 Speaker 1: with your mouth, when you praise God in your mind, 720 00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:15,840 Speaker 1: when you praise God in your heart, it puts your 721 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:21,680 Speaker 1: problem in the context of God's power. 722 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:29,320 Speaker 2: Some of you allowed your problem to weaken your confidence. 723 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:32,120 Speaker 2: This is beautiful the way the Lord gave it to me. 724 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:33,759 Speaker 1: I'd like to give it to you, and I get 725 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:34,879 Speaker 1: out of your way. 726 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:38,320 Speaker 2: He said, do not throw away your confidence. 727 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:43,040 Speaker 1: The reason that spoke to me is because a lot 728 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:46,920 Speaker 1: of us would blame life experiences and circumstances, and even. 729 00:42:46,719 --> 00:42:48,280 Speaker 2: The devil for taking our confidence. 730 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:54,280 Speaker 1: Something that happened to using someone said to us something 731 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:57,319 Speaker 1: someone did to us. But the author of Hebrews didn't 732 00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:02,520 Speaker 1: talk about other people or the devil. He said, your 733 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:06,440 Speaker 1: confidence is your responsibility. 734 00:43:07,800 --> 00:43:11,880 Speaker 2: Do not throw away your confidence. 735 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:15,480 Speaker 1: For those of you who have lost confidence in your 736 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:16,799 Speaker 1: life today, listen to me. 737 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:19,400 Speaker 2: Nobody took it from you. They can't. 738 00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 1: Nobody can take away from you what they didn't give 739 00:43:23,719 --> 00:43:30,440 Speaker 1: to begin with. When you lose your confidence, it's because. 740 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:33,040 Speaker 2: You gave it away. Here's the good news. 741 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:37,400 Speaker 3: If you're the one who gave it away, you're the 742 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:38,120 Speaker 3: one who. 743 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:42,239 Speaker 2: Can get it back. Come on, Church, take it. Take 744 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:42,840 Speaker 2: it back. 745 00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:49,080 Speaker 1: Take back your confidence, take back your hope, take back 746 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:53,120 Speaker 1: your future, take back your dream. 747 00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:55,880 Speaker 2: Take back your calling. Take it back. 748 00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:59,560 Speaker 1: In the name of Jesus, we have a great high priest. 749 00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:01,360 Speaker 2: The cortness rip. 750 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:04,880 Speaker 1: The veil is gone, the blood is set, The place 751 00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:08,160 Speaker 1: is me, The way is before you, the past is 752 00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:09,400 Speaker 1: behind you. 753 00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:10,760 Speaker 2: Get up a sell a friend. 754 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:24,880 Speaker 1: So we say with confidence Hebrews thirteen six. 755 00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:29,200 Speaker 2: The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. 756 00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:33,319 Speaker 2: No no, no, that's not how we say it. We 757 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:40,960 Speaker 2: say it with confidence. How would you say it if 758 00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 2: you were confident? Let me hear you try it. 759 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:56,760 Speaker 1: So we say with confidence. Now I'm not the devil, 760 00:44:58,040 --> 00:45:02,080 Speaker 1: but if I were, I would not be convinced. So 761 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:07,480 Speaker 1: we say, with the Lord is my helper, I will 762 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:08,560 Speaker 1: not be afraid. 763 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:12,520 Speaker 2: Let me see how that felt. I say. We tried 764 00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:13,279 Speaker 2: it at another time. 765 00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:17,080 Speaker 1: So we say with confidence, for. 766 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:20,879 Speaker 2: Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. Try 767 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:21,280 Speaker 2: it again. 768 00:45:21,719 --> 00:45:26,239 Speaker 1: So we say, with confidence, the Lord is my helper. 769 00:45:26,480 --> 00:45:30,040 Speaker 5: I will not be afraid. The Lord is my helper. 770 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:33,200 Speaker 5: I will not be afraid. For Lord you matter help 771 00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:36,560 Speaker 5: the devil. I will not be afraid. For Lord is 772 00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:40,680 Speaker 5: my helper. I will not be afraid. I will not fear. 773 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:43,600 Speaker 5: My God is still be My God. 774 00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:46,160 Speaker 2: Is still great. My God is too faithful. 775 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:49,560 Speaker 1: My God is too good, My God is too wise, 776 00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:51,560 Speaker 1: My God is too awesome. 777 00:45:51,880 --> 00:45:53,560 Speaker 2: It's gracious to a mason. 778 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:58,719 Speaker 1: I've come to the farm to quit, and my confidence 779 00:45:59,320 --> 00:45:59,800 Speaker 1: is coming. 780 00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:06,160 Speaker 2: Thank you for joining us. 781 00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:08,920 Speaker 1: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 782 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:12,480 Speaker 1: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 783 00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:15,399 Speaker 1: You can click the link in the description to give now, 784 00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:19,239 Speaker 1: or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for. 785 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:22,239 Speaker 2: More information, and if you enjoyed the podcast, you. 786 00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:25,120 Speaker 1: Can subscribe You can share it with your friends. You 787 00:46:25,160 --> 00:46:27,600 Speaker 1: can click the share button, take a screenshot and share 788 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:30,399 Speaker 1: it on your social stories and tag us at Elevation Church. 789 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:32,120 Speaker 2: Thanks again for listening. God bless you.