1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,439 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. Hey, 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: you can remain standing for just a few more seconds. 7 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 1: By now you've figured out that I'm not Pastor Stephen. 8 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: My name is Larry Bride, but everybody calls me LB. 9 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: I'm usually up at University City. How are we doing U? See? 10 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: Love you, miss you, And I'm excited to open up 11 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: God's Word with everyone today. And it's less of a 12 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: sermon and more of just kind of like an insight 13 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: into my journal for what God's been doing in my life. 14 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: You see, about a year and a half ago, Pastor 15 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: Stephen preached this incredible series Work Your Window. How many 16 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: of you are here doing Work your Window? Like incredible series. 17 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: He was in week three of it, the Power of Potential, 18 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: Power of Potential. I could take you to the seat 19 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: I was sitting in when God spoke to me through 20 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: the voice of our pastor, and he spoke to me. 21 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: He said you have forfeited way more potential than the 22 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: devil will ever steal. He said, you'll give it away 23 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: before he'll take it, specifically hiding behind the shadow of shame. 24 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: And for the few minutes we have together today, I 25 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: want to talk on the subject of shame because I 26 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: think way too many of us are being dominated in 27 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: the landscape of our life by the shadow of shame. 28 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,199 Speaker 1: And I am here to tell the devil he is unnoticed. 29 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 1: No longer will you steal, No longer will you cause 30 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: God's sons and daughters to hide behind that place. Today 31 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: is the day that we're coming out out from behind it. 32 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: Every one of you have is or will struggle with shame. 33 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: It's universal, doesn't care about your bank account or your address. 34 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: It's an equal opportunity employer, and it will enslave every 35 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: single one of us. And the character that I want 36 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: to look at through the life, through her life is 37 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: this woman named Rehab. We find her story in Joshua 38 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: chapter two, and the context of the story is two 39 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: spies that just come into the land from the Israelites. 40 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: We're walking around the city of Jericho and they came 41 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: into her apartment. We pick up the scene in Joshua 42 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: two verse twelve to fifteen, says, Now, then, please swear 43 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: to me by the Lord that you will show kindness 44 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: to my family, because I've shown kindness to you. Give 45 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: me a sure sign that you will spare the lives 46 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: of my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters 47 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: and all who belong to them, and that you will 48 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: save us from death, our lives for your lives. The 49 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: men assured her. If you don't tell what we are doing, 50 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord 51 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: gives us the land. So she let them down by 52 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: a rope through the window. For the house she lived 53 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: in was part of the city wall. Here's the title 54 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: for today's message. You're ready for it. Give me a sign. 55 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 1: Say give me a sign. Now, look at your favorite neighbors. 56 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: Say give me a sign that's your love me. Now 57 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:50,839 Speaker 1: give out a couple signs of love. Give a couple 58 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: hugs at all of our location, give out a couple 59 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: signs Thank you, worship team. After you've given a couple 60 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: of hugs, you could be seated. Want to welcome all 61 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: of our locations. I specially want to welcome our EPAM 62 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: folks joining online from around the world. Now there's one 63 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: of them. Her name is Susie. Susie is in Ireland. 64 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: She is one of my favorite people to follow on 65 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: social media. She is a part of our E fam 66 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: with her Orange team doing chats on it. Check this out. 67 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: She has opened up multiple E groups in Europe for 68 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: different time zones to be able to participate with her. 69 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: That's pretty incredible, isn't it. And so, Susie, we love 70 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: you things for what you do. But I want to 71 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: get into this character named Rahab today. We don't know 72 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: a whole lot about her life, but we do know 73 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: a couple of things. One of the things we know 74 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: is her occupation. Now some would call her profession the 75 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: oldest occupation of profession on the earth. That is prostitution. Yes, 76 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: I apologize parents, if you brought your kids in here today, 77 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: you had d warning to take him into E kids. 78 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: But she is a prostitute. That is her profession. We 79 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: also know that she lives in this city of Jericho. 80 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: Jericho is a pretty small town. It's about fifteen hundred people. 81 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: It's I always picture this thing like this huge city. No, 82 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: it's about fifteen hundred to two thousand. Peace it's got 83 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: really high thick walls about thirty to forty feet high 84 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: all the way around the perimeter of the city. It 85 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: makes like a circle. Jericho is the city that the 86 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: Israelites marched around six times and yell in the wall 87 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: still that happens just a few chapters after what we're 88 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: going to look at today. And this is a small city, 89 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: and we know that that there's not a whole lot 90 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: of people in it, but we also know that in 91 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: this story there are two spies that happen to come 92 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: into the land. That's where we're going to pick up 93 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: the story here today. But I want to actually recreate 94 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: a little bit of what her house looks like because 95 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: it's really important. So our production team is going to 96 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: bring out some props for me right now, and would 97 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 1: you help me think our production team and our e 98 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: kids volunteers, and our parking team's putting up of your 99 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: bad habits out in the parking lot. They're incredible. And 100 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: what they're doing is they're wheeling out a door in 101 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: a window, And I want to recreate a little bit 102 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: of what the scene of Rayhab's house might look like 103 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: because it's really important because what it says is. It 104 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: says that she had a window on her house, thank 105 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: you guys so much, and outside of the city. So 106 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: the window is on the outer wall, so it's got 107 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: access to the promised land, and she could see out 108 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: out into the land. Now the door is on the 109 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: inner part of the city. This is where all the 110 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: activity of the city happened, and this is the life 111 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: where rehab lived. She lived in this space. I have 112 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: no idea if it's eight hundred square feet of hardwoods 113 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: or eight thousand square feet. All of us have a 114 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,359 Speaker 1: space where we live. It's not just our physical address, 115 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: but it's in our mind, it's in our heart, and 116 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: it's in these places. Every one of you lives somewhere. 117 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: And if we were to zoom in and take a 118 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: picture of there's some ugly places in my life. There's 119 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: some things that I would not want you to see. 120 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: So those places in my life, I like to put 121 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 1: those behind the door. I like living in places that 122 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: nobody sees what happens behind here, because all of us 123 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: like to have places where we hide behind closed doors. 124 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't want anybody to see my business, 125 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: So I put that behind the door. Now the window 126 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: is the play of things I want everybody to see. 127 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: This is like, Hi, how you doing doing great? H crap? 128 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: I had a bad day at work today. I feel 129 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: like such a loser. No, I don't want anybody to 130 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: see that. Like, hey, Instagram took a picture of my 131 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: kids on Father's They had to take it seventeen times 132 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: to get the right one, but we got it. I 133 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: like controlling what people see. The things that people I 134 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: don't want them to see. Now I put them behind 135 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: the door. I'm hiding behind these things. I mean, sure, 136 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: I might poke my head like hey, y'all, well's up, 137 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: how you doing? But then it's like, nope, you don't 138 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: see that. That happens behind closed doors. All have those spaces. 139 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: And I think the longer we live settling for living 140 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: behind closed doors, the more we're under the trap of shame. 141 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: I think that's where life has lived for way too 142 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: many of us. Sure you look good on the outside 143 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: because you just got the new outfit and out front. 144 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: I'm like, hey, brother, how you doing, But get behind 145 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: the closed doors. You're cussing out your kids. Now you're 146 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: talking to people on the way into church, like, brother, 147 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: the Lord's gonna move to a shut up I got 148 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 1: the parts that I want you to see, parts that 149 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: are behind the closed door. I realize I've spent more 150 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: of my life living behind a closed door than an 151 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: open window. That's where I've forfeited more potential than the 152 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: devil's ever taken from me. It's in this land of shame, 153 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: and it would be important for us to understand there's 154 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: a difference between guilt and shame. There really is. Guilt 155 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: is I am sorry for what I did. It's actually 156 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: a really healthy thing. It's actually a good thing. It 157 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: is a pattern that's established in healthy relationships. It really is. 158 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 1: It means I am sorry for what I did. Now 159 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: shame Shame is I'm sorry for who I am. One 160 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: is a look at my behavior. The other is an 161 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: indictment of my character. One is a gift that God 162 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 1: gives us for restoration. The other one is a scheme 163 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: of Satan that is meant to destroy you. I've got 164 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: to understand when I'm living in the past an open 165 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: window or a closed door, and when i am living 166 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: in the pattern of the closed door, I'm always under 167 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: the shadow of shame. Guilt is so healthy in relationships. Actually, 168 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: let's practice it the like right now because the language 169 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: of guilt sounds something like this, I'm sorry, would you 170 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: please forgive me? It's really healthy. Let's try look at 171 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: your neighbor or your spousor who's ever say I'm sorry, 172 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: would you forgive me? Now? How did that feel? Now? 173 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: Some of you you needed that because of the fight 174 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: you got in the park lot right before you came in. 175 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: I'm just the lord provided today. He's that's healthy. And 176 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:37,599 Speaker 1: then when someone says that to you, here's the language 177 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: of healthy relationships. Thank you for telling me I forgive you. 178 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: Now practice that. Thank you for telling me I forgive you. 179 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: Because here's the thing. What often can start as is 180 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: a healthy pattern of bringing it into the light actually 181 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: gets reinforced in the wrong way, and it forces it 182 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: into the darkness because the way it's received often determines 183 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: if it's repeated. And when your son comes to you 184 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: and says, Dad, I'm struggling, when they're met with how 185 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: dare you? You've just pushed him behind a closed door, 186 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: and they never want to come tell you it again. 187 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: That's what happens when we don't deal with things in 188 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: a healthy way. Shame is in this place of I'm 189 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: horrible it's not just I did something bad, I am bad. 190 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: It's not I had made a bad choice. I am 191 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 1: a bad person. And the language of those two sounds 192 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: so different. And often what happens in relationships and in life, 193 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 1: all of these little events can create cascades of big shame, 194 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: little things. I mean, like there's a mom. You know this, 195 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: you've felt this, This idea of shame. Shame is that 196 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: feeling that washes over you, like everybody's seen you, everybody 197 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: knows you, and they know you're fraud and they know 198 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: your hypocrite. That feeling, like that feeling know too well, 199 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: that causes us to hide. I mean some moms you 200 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,719 Speaker 1: experienced this. You're walking through Target and your four year 201 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: old decides to act out in the worst way, like 202 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: a temper chance, laying on the floor, screaming aha, And 203 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: it just so happens. At that time your best friends 204 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: come down there, like hey, sister, and you're so embarrassed, 205 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: you're so ashamed, and you're like, oh, I'm doing great, 206 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 1: and you just can't wait to get wait till get 207 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: you boomed, like get you behind this closed door, and 208 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: you're like, but nobody, you don't tell anybody about the 209 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: shame you feel. And now your child is fifteen and 210 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: they company and say, mom, Dad, I'm pregnant. That shame 211 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: that makes you behind the closed door and you don't 212 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: want anybody to see that stuff that place. And it 213 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: happens in relationships so insidiously. It's like, man, I'm sure 214 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 1: that none of you can identify with this. I'm actually 215 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: using this as hypothetical. This has not happened to me. 216 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: Like your wife sends you to the grocery store to 217 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: get some items and you're like, I don't need to 218 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: write it down. I totally got it. Like just some 219 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,839 Speaker 1: some sugar, like sweet grant, like white granules. Got it. 220 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: Then you get in the grocery store like, oh, some 221 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: pop and then some chips and oh yeah that looks cool. 222 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:05,319 Speaker 1: Now what did my wife want? Gosh, I'm so embarrassed. 223 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,719 Speaker 1: I don't want to call her. She just wants some 224 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 1: kind of sweetener thing. Yeah, sweeten low, sweeten low. So 225 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,959 Speaker 1: I bring it home and put it on the table 226 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 1: and she looks like, what is that. It's like, it's 227 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,719 Speaker 1: what you want me to get. No, it's not. You 228 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: should have been more clear about what you wanted me 229 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: to get done. You always do this and you never 230 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: get it right. I can never please you. It's fine, 231 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: and then you get behind the door. I can't believe 232 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: she we never I just suck as a husband. I'll 233 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: never get it right. Why did she marry me? She 234 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: probably doesn't even want to be married to me. See 235 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: how the language shifts so quickly. When you watch football, 236 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: you know how they put that microphone, the sideline mic 237 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: on the coach and on the players. If you were 238 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: to put a mic on Shame, here's what Shame is saying. Oh, 239 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: because Shame is in the grocery store with the husband 240 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 1: and he's whispering in his ear. See, you're never going 241 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 1: to get it right anyway. Don't admit to her that 242 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 1: you don't didn't take good direction, because if you admit it, 243 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: it's going to reinforce that she can't trust you. So 244 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: you just go with your gut. Because because Shame is 245 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: a little punk, tapping you on the shoulder before you 246 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: do it, saying it's not that big of a deal. 247 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: But after you do it, Oh, you dirty talk, you 248 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 1: are horrible. That's what shame does. It's subtle, it's shifty, 249 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: and it wants you to pull you into the shadows, 250 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: and then when you get home, shame is on the 251 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: white's shoulder, saying, oh yeah, he knows that you've been 252 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 1: struggling with body image anyway. He knows that you've been 253 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 1: wearing larger clothes. He actually bought the sweeten Loo because 254 00:12:54,559 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 1: he thinks you're fat. Maybe I'm the only person that 255 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: can jump to extremes. Why because shame is being exposed 256 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: and I'm projecting on them what I feel about myself. 257 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: Rather than having a language that's built on confession, it's 258 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: actually a conversation that's built on shame. That's what happened. Shame, 259 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: this divisive little thing that will come in happens in 260 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: all of these ways. I remember when I first learned 261 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:33,319 Speaker 1: that I was poor. I thought I was like growing 262 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: up as a kid like every other kid just yay, 263 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: Like I thought, everybody just eats, you know, free cheese, 264 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: and it's just seriously. I was like, h But then 265 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: I was like in seventh grade and I'm in lunchline 266 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: and missus Kelstrom, the lunch lady. I was like, I'm sorry, 267 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: Missus Kelshrram, I forgot my money to She goes, It's okay, 268 00:13:53,400 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: you're on the free lunch list anyway, what there was 269 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: for poor kids. And I I heard my buddy Steve 270 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: just yeah, you're poor. I'm like really, But I remember 271 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: the feeling of being like a piece of clothing on 272 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: the sale rack, not being good enough, second rate, second class. 273 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: It's funny how that shadow of shame, because shame is 274 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: his spirit, and it's like a piece of clothing. It 275 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: wants you to wear it. And I remember putting that 276 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: clothing on, and I carried that a large part of 277 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: my life, and I still have a tendency to put 278 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: it back on. It's really funny. As I was preparing 279 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: for this sermon last week, sure enough, shame rolls up 280 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: into my front yard. I'm getting ready. I'm here at 281 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: Balantine on Thursday, practicing my sermon, like getting ready to preach, 282 00:14:57,640 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: and I get a text from a friend of my says, hey, 283 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: I did some work at your house a couple months ago. 284 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: I was wondering if you have paid that invoice. It's like, snap, 285 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: I forgot I could. I smelled the grilled cheese in 286 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: the cafeteria. Don't You're not that far away from shame 287 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: that you can't run back to it. It's a spirit 288 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: and some of you front like you got it all together, 289 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: but behind closed doors, it is wasting you away. That's 290 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: what shame wants to do. Shame wants to destroy you. 291 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: It doesn't want to mess you up. It wants to 292 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: just completely take you out. It's in big things, like 293 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: we talked about it. Some of you, the reason you 294 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: do not want to go to the family gathering is 295 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: because your cousin violated you fifteen years ago. You have 296 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: never told anybody. You've hidden behind that door for fifteen years, 297 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: and you just tell them you're busy. But the real 298 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: reason is you have so much shame because you've never 299 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: been able to tell anybody. Shame wants you to hide 300 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: behind that door. It wants you to sit behind it 301 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: because what it wants you to do. It wants you 302 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: to sit behind it that you give up hoping and 303 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: believing on the promises of God. It wants you to 304 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 1: believe that that will never happen, all of those promises. 305 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: It's like windows shopping. You can look at it, but 306 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: you'll never touch it. You'll never get to it. That's 307 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: what shame wants to do. Shame is an instrument of 308 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: the enemy. It is a silent assassin, and it is 309 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: meant to destroy you. And it is a quiet epidemic 310 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: that is picking people off. And just because you have 311 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: given your life to Christ does not mean you're inoculated 312 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: against this condition and condition, by the way, Dustin Shradley 313 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: great sermon last week. Hey Rono, why don't you tell 314 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: Dustin Shradley you love them? That was awesome, so good, 315 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: But it wants to wipe you out. Shame is connected 316 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: to rates of depression, anger, addictions, eating disorders, and suicide. 317 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: The ultimate aim of shame is to get you to 318 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: the point that you give up hope and you want 319 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: to tap and you want to quit life. The second 320 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: leading costs cause of death for eighteen to twenty five 321 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: year olds is suicide. And some of you logging online 322 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: watching us or watching this at a later date or 323 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 1: at one of our locations, are only at church today 324 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: because this is like a last resort, it's your last option. 325 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: And some of you might even been saying, God, give 326 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,159 Speaker 1: me a sign that you know me, give me a 327 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: sign that you haven't forgotten me. Here it is, I'm 328 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: your sign. I'm not very tall, but I am loud, 329 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: and I want you to hear the voice of God. 330 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 1: He loves you. He's not mad at you, he's not 331 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: trying to hurt you, he's not punishing you. Please come 332 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: to him. And if you are struggling under the shadow 333 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: of shame, it is so dark that you want to 334 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: give up, please don't do it. Please invite somebody in. 335 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: You don't need to live under the shadow of that 336 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: any longer. That's what shame wants to do. And you 337 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 1: are not immune to it because of the car you drive. 338 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: You are you are, You are not outside of it, 339 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,640 Speaker 1: just because you live inside a really big house. I 340 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: think that's why God sent the spies into Rayhouse life, 341 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: because she was ready to tap out. I think she 342 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: was at a point that the shame was so overwhelming. 343 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: Think about this, She's a prostitute. Every day, the customers 344 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: would come in and out of that door, and everyone 345 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 1: that did it took a little piece of her dignity 346 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,640 Speaker 1: with them. And the more that they did that, the 347 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: more that she moved away that life could ever be different, 348 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 1: and the more that she didn't believe it could ever 349 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:36,959 Speaker 1: happen to her, and the more that she just settled 350 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: into this is all I'll ever be. And I think 351 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: God sent some spies in it, just the right moment 352 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 1: before she was wanting to tap out. I think God 353 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: sent me as a spy into your life today to 354 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: tell you that he is coming into your life. He 355 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 1: is tired of you sitting in the shadow of shame, 356 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: and he is ready for you to come out of it. 357 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: I've been a part of this church, my wife, and 358 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: has since we started to years ago, and I have 359 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: seen Pastor Stephen standing the stage every year for twelve 360 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 1: plus years and preach the word of God. And I 361 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 1: have become convinced that is I've studied these spies that 362 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: he is, in fact indeed a spy. He is a spy. 363 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 1: There's no way you could explain it. He has been 364 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: following you around your whole life. He's like reading your emails. 365 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: He is scouting where you go. How else can he 366 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: stand on stage and priests like, how did you know that? 367 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: Because he's a spy. I think he is a spy. 368 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: I think he's a Joshua of this generation who has 369 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 1: seen the Promised Land and he's coming here to tell 370 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: you and me that it's still available. You will get 371 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 1: in now. We gotta do some work. What'd you help me? 372 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: Thank our Pastor for being the ultimate spy, the ultimate man. 373 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: Incredible love. Our Pastor faithfully done it every year. And 374 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: these spies break into the city. It's at the cover 375 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: of night. The doors of the city had just closed, 376 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 1: and they're like, oh, snap, we're in trouble because they 377 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: were just gonna come in and look at the city 378 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: and get out, but the gates closed before they could 379 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: get out. So they start looking around the city and 380 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: I think they're looking for a couple of things. The 381 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: first thing they're looking for is access to be able 382 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: to get outside of the city. As they're sneaking up 383 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: to the city all stealthy, like you don't see me, 384 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: they noticed some windows on the outer wall of the 385 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: city and they're like, if we can just get to 386 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: the window, we'll be able to get out of the city. 387 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: So they start working their way around the inside of 388 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 1: the city like, oh, we got to get access. We 389 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: got to get access to a house that's on the 390 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: wall so we can get out the window. God is 391 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: looking for access, and they needed access to be able 392 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: to get out. You know why God is looking at 393 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: you because God needs access. God needs access to your life. 394 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 1: Because this story wasn't just about rehab. God needed access 395 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 1: to her father, her mother, her brothers, and her sisters 396 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: and all who belonged to them. Why are you in 397 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 1: that dysfunctional family? Because God says, I need access to 398 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: those people. I need access through your life. I know 399 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: you've been hiding behind closed doors for a long time, 400 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: but this is the moment that you now become a 401 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: window because the blessing of God is meant to flow 402 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: through you. You are a window and God is looking 403 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: at you because he needs access, because he's got to 404 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: get something through you. See what God can do through you. 405 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: You've been wondering why you're in that job you hate. 406 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: It's not about your income. It's about his access. He 407 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: needs to get his glory in and the only way 408 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: he's gonna do it is through your life. God is 409 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: looking for people to have access, but the access of 410 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: the glory of God will never be given out when 411 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: it's hidden behind closed doors. Hiding behind that door, God's 412 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 1: access does not come out behind the closed door. I 413 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: think the second thing they're looking for is someone they 414 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: can trust, say trust. What's interesting to me is they're 415 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: looking around this. They've never been there. They're outsiders. They're 416 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: looking at this whole deal. But they get said, we 417 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: got to find somebody that that we can trust, So 418 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,400 Speaker 1: let's pick the people that nobody else would trust. It's 419 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: funny because because in First Corinthians one twenty seven and 420 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: twenty eight it says this. And what's funny is you 421 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: know what God is into shame. He's into shaming shame. 422 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: He's into taking something that the world calls shame and 423 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: he's gonna throw some shade on it, and he's gonna say, nah, 424 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 1: I'm actually gonna shame the shame because he said in 425 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: First Corinthians one twenty seven says, but God shows the 426 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 1: foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He 427 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 1: chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 428 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: God shows the lowly things of the world and the 429 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: despise things and the things that are not to nullify 430 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 1: the things that are. And if you have been overlooked, 431 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: if you have been sitting under the shadow of shame, 432 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: you need to know that God is so attracted to you. 433 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: God is attractive to shame. Your shame is attractive. And 434 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: he's looking for somebody he can trust, because he says, 435 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: when my glory comes through you, somebody who's proud will 436 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: think they did it themselves, with somebody who's lowly will 437 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: know that it is only God that did it. That's 438 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 1: why God has picked you. He's looking for you to 439 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: have access, and you've always seen yourself untrustworthy because of 440 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 1: the shame. No God says, those are the conditions for 441 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: my blessing to fall in your life. But I wondered, 442 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: how did these men know that this is a prostitute. 443 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: I mean, they'd never been to the city, they didn't 444 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:25,919 Speaker 1: know anybody. They're hiding under the shadows of night, and 445 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 1: they're sneaking around because they don't want to be found. 446 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: I bet they were religious folks and they were like praying, like, God, 447 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: give me a sign. I mean, you've prayed that too, 448 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: But God, give me a sign. We keep asking God 449 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: for a sign to get out of something. Maybe he's 450 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: asking us for a sign to use us in the 451 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,919 Speaker 1: middle of it. Maybe that's what God's doing. And I 452 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: started to do some study about this because the way 453 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:52,199 Speaker 1: that prostitutes would advertise their open for business in ancient 454 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: cities was this. Have you ever heard the term red 455 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: light district. There's a real thing. It is a real thing. 456 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: And so what prostitutes would do is they would have 457 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 1: a court and this is like there, I'm open for 458 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: business sign, and so they would take the sign and 459 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: they would put it on the front door, advertising we're 460 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: open for business. So as the spies are coming through, 461 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: Lord give me a sign. They saw the sign. Now 462 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 1: this is the sign of her shame, but it will 463 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 1: become the sign of his salvation. I know you're ashamed 464 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:26,680 Speaker 1: of it, but God says, at the end of this, 465 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna hold it up as a sign of my glory. 466 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: And so these men show up and they it's darka 467 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: side there, time out little dating advice, ladies. It's the 468 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: only time that guy is calling you is after dark. 469 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,360 Speaker 1: You know he's not in it for godly game. Amen. 470 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: And so she thinks she's just welcoming in the first 471 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 1: customers of the night. Hello, because shame can't even look 472 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: somebody in the eyes at this point, she's not even 473 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 1: making eye contact. This is just in exchange, and she 474 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 1: welcomes them in first customers of the night. She did 475 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,400 Speaker 1: not know she was inviting the presence of God into 476 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 1: her life. Did not know these are the first men 477 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: that came in through the door. But didn't go back 478 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: out the same way they came. These men were going 479 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: to go back out through the window. Every other man 480 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 1: comes into your life to get something and leaves with it. 481 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 1: But the person of Jesus, the god man named Jesus Christ, 482 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:29,439 Speaker 1: is a man who comes into your life, but then 483 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: he goes through your life. And she has this encounter 484 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: with these men, and she realizes, yes, you are of God. 485 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 1: Yes I know I couldn't get to it, but God 486 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 1: came to me. I know I couldn't get myself over there, 487 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: but God came to me to get me there. So 488 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: it is with you. And she has these encounter and 489 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:50,119 Speaker 1: she recognizes these are men of God in life. Maybe 490 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: this isn't just a mirage. Maybe that could be a reality. 491 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 1: Maybe the thing I've been dreaming about my whole life 492 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: actually could become the promises of God fulfilled in my life. 493 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:04,400 Speaker 1: And she believes. But here's the fascinating part about this story. 494 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: This woman was a prostitute for years, decades, maybe even 495 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: every night the sun would set over the city, darkness 496 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: would invade her home and it would be filled pitch black. 497 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: Shame grows in the dark, shame grows in the hidden places, 498 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 1: and some of you are in a very dark place 499 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: right now, and you know it, and you can feel it. 500 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: You can feel the shame willing up. But then I 501 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 1: got excited. I knew the sun set and it was 502 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: darkness behind the door. But then I started to think 503 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,159 Speaker 1: about the window, and I started to think about the 504 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 1: way that God created the cycle of the earth and 505 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: how his grace works, and has started to realize, I 506 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,919 Speaker 1: know the sun is going to set, but I also 507 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: know that the sun is going to rise. And I 508 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: started to think about Lamentations three twenty two. It says, 509 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, 510 00:26:55,760 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: for his compassions never failed. They are new every morning, 511 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: and great is your faithfulness. And in the Good News translation, 512 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: it says, this fresh as the morning, as sure as 513 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: the sun rise. Here's the image. She went to bed 514 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: with shame for decades. Say every day, no, no, say 515 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: every day, and every day the grace of God would 516 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,120 Speaker 1: rise in her life. Every day the sun would illuminate 517 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 1: her apartment. So it is with the grace of God 518 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: it was available every day, Say every day, But this day, 519 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: say this day, this day, she just didn't look at it. 520 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 1: She was about to receive it this day. Some of you, 521 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:34,879 Speaker 1: you've been staring at it for years, thinking it was 522 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: for other people, people who are taller, better, not struggling 523 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: with shame. But today is the day, this day that 524 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: you are going to receive the grace of God. This 525 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 1: day you gonna move out of the shadows of shame 526 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 1: and into His marvelous light, because the grace of God 527 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: is greater than the darkness of shame. God is not 528 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: intimidated by your ugliness. He is not intimidated by your darkness. 529 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: In fact, he never looked away from it. You can't 530 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: look at it. But God never looked away from you 531 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 1: because He loves you, and he loved Rayhab and he 532 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: knew she couldn't get herself to the door. That's why 533 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 1: he sent some spies into the land to do it. 534 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: And these men encounter this woman and she realizes, Wow, 535 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: this is different. These men are not like other men. 536 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,479 Speaker 1: And she realizes, maybe, just maybe life could be different. 537 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: And then she releases them, and the story continues, and 538 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 1: she lets him out the window, and she goes. Now 539 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,160 Speaker 1: the men's had said to her, this oath we swear 540 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 1: to you will not be binding on us unless when 541 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: we enter the land. You have tied this scarlet cord 542 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: in the window. Through it. She let us down. Unless 543 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: you have brought your father, your mother, your brothers, and 544 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: your sisters, and all your family into your house. If 545 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 1: any of them go outside your house into the streets, 546 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: their blood will be on your heads. We will not 547 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 1: be responsible as for those who are in your house 548 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: with you. Their blood will be on our head if 549 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: a hand is laid on them. These men ready to leave, 550 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: and they say we need a sign. They looked at 551 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: her and said, give me a sign, the sign of 552 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: her greatest shame. They said, we want that that shame 553 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: you've been hiding behind, that shame that happened thirty two 554 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: years ago, when you have that abortion, and you've never 555 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: told anybody that thing that you said. I'd pray that 556 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: nobody ever else finds out. I know you don't do 557 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 1: background checks anymore because you don't want people to see 558 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 1: you had the DWI fifteen years ago. God said, I'm 559 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: ready to deal with that shame. I'm no longer going 560 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: to let you hide behind it. That thing that was 561 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: a sign of your greatest shame will become a sign 562 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: of my salvation. It will be a sign. I know 563 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: you're so ashamed behind it, and some of you are 564 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: in this room. You're like, there's some men in this 565 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: room that you know this feeling. That your son grabs 566 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: your cell phone and he's like, Dad, what's this And 567 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: your blood runs cold as you you had cleared your history, 568 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 1: and he just said, Dad, look at our fantasy football team. 569 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: And you're thinking, freedom is not being found out, freedom 570 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: is no longer hiding. God says, you couldn't do it yourself, 571 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: but I'm going to bring some people in your life 572 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 1: to do it. And she puts the cord in the 573 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: window and she's waiting, and sometime went by, days went by. 574 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: She could have been tempted to take the sign back 575 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: down and put it on the door, because I know 576 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: we're getting a little low on funds. God, so maybe 577 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: you're not going to come through. No, God said, put 578 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: it out and leave it there. You don't have to 579 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 1: return to the shadow of shame any longer. You can 580 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: live in my life. You can live in my glory. 581 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: And then she starts to hear the hundreds of thousands 582 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: of Israelites that were camped eight miles away, who had 583 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 1: just crossed the Jordan River. Were about to come into 584 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,680 Speaker 1: the Promised Land. And she starts to hear the sound 585 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: of God, and she starts to get excited. While everybody 586 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: else in the city was filled with fear, she had excitement. 587 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: I know your heart is running cold today because of shame. 588 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 1: There is a day coming where you will have great 589 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: joy and you will no longer be driven by fear. 590 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 1: That day is coming, and she's looking out at them 591 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: and saying, God, could it be? Could it be? There's 592 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,959 Speaker 1: a better day. And what's funny is the Israelites are 593 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: looking back at her. Joshua's out front with the two spies, 594 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: and they come over the crest of the hill and 595 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: they see the city and the spies like that, said Joshua, 596 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: that's the red cord. And all the Israelites saw it. 597 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: And here's where it hit me. You see, the Israelites 598 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,960 Speaker 1: had seen this before they got out of Egyptian slavery 599 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: forty years earlier. God did a mighty work in them 600 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: with a knight called the Passover. And at the Passover 601 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 1: they would take a lamb, and they took some of 602 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: the blood of the lamb, and they put it on 603 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: their house. And in Exodus twelve thirteen. It says, the 604 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: blood will be a sign for you on the houses 605 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: where you are, and when I see the blood, I 606 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you 607 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:55,040 Speaker 1: when I strike Egypt. This isn't the first time that 608 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 1: God did a sign like this, because they got it 609 00:31:57,560 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: on the front of their Store of the Israelites and 610 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: on the back end of their story. So it is 611 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: with grace. You are going to receive it, but then 612 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 1: you are called to give it. We breathe it in 613 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,959 Speaker 1: and then we breathe it back up. That's the cycle 614 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: of grace. God wants you breathing in because you need it, 615 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: but he wants you breathing it out because somebody else 616 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 1: needs it. The sign sign of shame can become God's 617 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 1: sign of salvation. And as God was looking to the 618 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 1: world to redeem it, God is into taking a sign 619 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: because he's into shaming shame. He's into taking a sign 620 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: the world would see a shame. He wants to flip 621 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: it some jiu jitsu on it, and he wants to 622 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 1: hold it up as a sign of his salvation. And 623 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: as God was thinking about sending his son Jesus to 624 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 1: the earth, he said, what sign could I pick, I 625 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 1: could pick any signs. What's the sign of the greatest destruction, 626 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: torture on the face of the earth. Oh, I got it. 627 00:32:55,280 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: God said, it's the cross. It's the cross. And God said, 628 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to take a sign sign of torture shame, 629 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 1: because at the time when Jesus died, nobody wore crosses 630 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: on their neck because it was an instrument of death. 631 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,720 Speaker 1: We do today as a sign of his salvation, but 632 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 1: at the time it was a sign of significant shame. 633 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 1: God wants to flip it. And the author of Hebrews 634 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: says this in Hebrews twelve. One says, therefore, since we're 635 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,640 Speaker 1: surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us 636 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: throw off everything that hinders in the sin that so 637 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance marked out 638 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 1: for us. And it started to think about that great 639 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,000 Speaker 1: cloud of witnesses that's referenced in verse one. There, it's 640 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 1: actually referencing chapter eleven of Hebrews. It's like the hall 641 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 1: of faith, these Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses. Wait now verse 642 00:33:53,280 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 1: thirty one. No, surely this is a typo by faithsute 643 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: reheb welcome the spies, was not you mean God could 644 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,799 Speaker 1: use somebody who's a prostitute to be a person of 645 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: great faith. Yes, you and me, God can use us 646 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,279 Speaker 1: as people of great faith. And verse two goes on 647 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,760 Speaker 1: Hebrews twelve two. It says, fixing our eyes on Jesus, 648 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: the pioneer and perfector of our faith, who for the 649 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:28,280 Speaker 1: joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, 650 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 1: and sat down at the right hand of the throne 651 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:35,319 Speaker 1: of God. God said, I'm gonna take that sign of 652 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: shame and it will become my sign of salvation. That's 653 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:42,480 Speaker 1: what God wants to do in your life. That thing 654 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:45,279 Speaker 1: you've been hiding behind, that thing that you're ashamed of, 655 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,359 Speaker 1: that thing that you hope will never be exposed. God 656 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: wants to hold it out with everybody standing at all 657 00:34:56,320 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 1: of our locations. At the end of the story, we 658 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 1: have verse twenty one. Rayhab is talking to the spies 659 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:13,920 Speaker 1: and she says this. She says, agreed. She replied, let 660 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:18,399 Speaker 1: it be as you say. You see, there's a lot 661 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:23,080 Speaker 1: of words that have been spoken over your life. Dumb, stupid. 662 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:26,480 Speaker 1: Some kid has been bullied, and you have come to 663 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 1: the point that you want to give up There's been 664 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:31,560 Speaker 1: a lot of words that have been spoken over you. 665 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,120 Speaker 1: But there is a better word that's been spoken over you. 666 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,480 Speaker 1: That's by our God saying he loves you. Say let 667 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 1: it be as you say. Say, Let it be as 668 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:46,399 Speaker 1: you say. Let it be the cry of your heart today, God, 669 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 1: let it be as you say. I know I'm hiding 670 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 1: behind the shame, says So she sent them away and 671 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 1: they departed, and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 672 00:35:57,080 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 1: You see shame, we want to keep on the inside. 673 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 1: We don't want anybody to see it. Hide behind it. 674 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 1: Freedom that it's not discovered. Freedom is that you no 675 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: longer hide behind it. God said, I want that. I 676 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 1: know you can't even look yourself in the mirrors for 677 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 1: some of the things you did. God said, I want that. 678 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 1: And you become like a woman at University City. Her 679 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:27,399 Speaker 1: name is Denise. She had an abortion many years ago, 680 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:30,800 Speaker 1: never told anybody, and hid behind it. Now she actually 681 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:33,520 Speaker 1: has an e group for women who are struggling with 682 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:35,840 Speaker 1: the same thing. What was a sign of her shame 683 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 1: became a sign of God's salvation. So what God wants 684 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: to do in your life, So God wants to do 685 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 1: in you it's possible. It's not just for the spiritual elite. 686 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 1: It's not just for the ones who get it right. 687 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 1: It's for the ones who give it to him. God 688 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 1: wants to take it from you, but you have to 689 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 1: give it to him. And so what we're going to 690 00:36:59,960 --> 00:37:01,719 Speaker 1: do in just a second, actually, would you buy your 691 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: heads and close your eyes? Very specific assignment dealing with 692 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 1: the subject of shame. The first thing you must do 693 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:12,920 Speaker 1: is give it to God. You can either settle to 694 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:16,399 Speaker 1: live behind shame or you can sacrifice it and see 695 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:23,240 Speaker 1: God's blessings. And if you need to give something to God, 696 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 1: would you just raise your hands up? If you're struggling 697 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:28,879 Speaker 1: under the shadow of shame, I want to know who 698 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: I'm praying for it all these locations. Just lift your 699 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: hands up. Then, the second thing you need to do 700 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:37,600 Speaker 1: so you no longer hide behind the shadow of shame 701 00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:40,480 Speaker 1: is to share it with somebody, one person, not everybody. 702 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,920 Speaker 1: Don't put it on Facebook, but invite one person in 703 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: who's earned the right to hear your shame. And I 704 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: want to pray very specifically that you would no longer 705 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 1: hide behind that shadow. The battles you fight today, dads 706 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:55,160 Speaker 1: are the battles your kids will avoid tomorrow. Don't hide 707 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: behind it and force them to fight it. Today is 708 00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:59,560 Speaker 1: the day you bring it out front. And so Father, 709 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 1: we come to you, We thank you. We take this 710 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:05,920 Speaker 1: sign of shame, and we hold it out as a 711 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 1: sign of your salvation. I pray for the courage of 712 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:10,960 Speaker 1: every man and woman and child under the sound of 713 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:14,520 Speaker 1: my voice, that they would no longer hide behind this 714 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 1: shame God, that they would lift it up and bring 715 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:20,560 Speaker 1: it to you. And when we do, God, we know 716 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 1: that you will take it from us. We know God 717 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 1: that when we stretch our hands towards you, you stretch 718 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:29,920 Speaker 1: your hands towards us, and it creates a great exchange, 719 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 1: a place where our shame can be exchanged for your grace. 720 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:36,680 Speaker 1: So give them the courage God, right now to invite 721 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:40,120 Speaker 1: somebody else into them, embolden them, Lord, to step into 722 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: your presence so no longer live behind the shadow, that 723 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:46,200 Speaker 1: they would step into the light of Christ. God, we 724 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:49,799 Speaker 1: honor you, we praise you, We thank you, and all 725 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:55,520 Speaker 1: God's people said, Amen, Now praise him, Now, praise him 726 00:38:55,560 --> 00:39:03,160 Speaker 1: now praising a praising you are who is well. I 727 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 1: hope you enjoyed the podcast today. If you did. There 728 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,920 Speaker 1: are just a couple things I'd love for you to do. 729 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: Number one, subscribe to our show. That way, the most 730 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:14,840 Speaker 1: recent episode will always be in your feed, waiting for 731 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: you ready when you are. And secondly, if this ministry 732 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:20,960 Speaker 1: has impacted you and you'd like to help us continue 733 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 1: to reach others, you can click the link in the 734 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:25,920 Speaker 1: description and you can give now and I'll see you 735 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:28,560 Speaker 1: next time on the Elevation podcast.