1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast and I wanted to 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: Hope it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: to see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: This is very well known in church circles. I don't 7 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: know if you've ever heard it before. I hope some 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: of you haven't, because we want to reach people who 9 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: have never gone to church before. And so don't feel 10 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: bad if you don't know what this means. When I 11 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: read it and the church people all start shouting and 12 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: you're like, what, that's all right? But look at the 13 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: scripture in Revelation chapter twenty two, verse twelve. Look, I 14 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: am coming soon. My reward is with me, and I 15 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: will give to each person according to what they have done. 16 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:55,959 Speaker 1: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and 17 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: the last, the beginning and the end. I didn't give 18 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: them verse fourteen, but I bet they can put it 19 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: in after. Blessed are those who wash their robes. Verse 20 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: thirteen says I am the Alpha and the Omega, the 21 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: first and the last, the beginning, and the end blessed 22 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: are those who wash their robes. And I want to 23 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: preach about blessings today, but not just any kind of blessings. 24 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: There's all kind of blessings. I want to talk to 25 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:34,919 Speaker 1: you very specifically about beta blessings. That's my subject today. 26 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: Beta blessings, be eta beta blessings. And let's begin our 27 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: study of the Word of God. You may be seated 28 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: beta beta blessings. Put it in the chat, Beta blessings. 29 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: Say it out loud, Beta blessings. Y'all in the room. 30 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: When I say put it in the chat for y'all, 31 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: you don't have a chat right now, so you could 32 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: just say it all right, you can actual chat it. 33 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: It's a substitute for people who can't say it out loud, 34 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: but y'all can do it for real. So everybody say 35 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: beta blessings. Some are using thumbs, some are using tongues. 36 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: But beta, you know, Beta. I don't mean like a 37 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: sorority or something like that, alpha beta gamma. I don't 38 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 1: want to bring any flashbacks to the people of God. 39 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: I don't mean like blood pressure, like beta blockers. I 40 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: saw that on an infomercial. I don't mean that I 41 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: don't mean like like in the stock market where where 42 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: it measures the stock. Not that kind of beta. That's 43 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: not what I'm thinking of. Not the beta club that 44 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: I was in an eighth grade. How many y'all are 45 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: in beta club? I was in beta club. But that's 46 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: what I'm talking about. I'm talking like Chunks always does this. 47 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: He always signs up for the beta versions of software. 48 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: I guess he's like an early adapter. Which is so 49 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: funny because when he first started the church, he didn't 50 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: even know how to use a spreadsheet, and he was 51 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: the CFO. He had a notebook with a golden Retriever 52 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: on the cover of the notebook, and all the church 53 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 1: finances were in it, and there wasn't much to write down, 54 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: so it was all right. That was like the beta 55 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: version of Elevation Church, right, the beta version of our bookkeeping. 56 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: Now there's all this audits and committees and subcommittees and 57 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: everything like that. But now he's like always telling me 58 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: about the new software. Graham was laughing at me the 59 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: other day. He said, I needed the new iPhone. I 60 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: don't even know which one this is? Which one do 61 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: I have? The ten? The X? Do you call it 62 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: the X? Or the ten, and he was like, you 63 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: need the twelve and I said, I didn't know that 64 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: I missed eleven. He said, he said, you need the 65 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: twelve junior. What's it called? The mini MENI I love 66 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: to make them cringe. That's why I do that. I 67 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: pick out stuff I can say to make them cringe. 68 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: That's my favorite thing. It's just a privilege of being 69 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: the pastor and having your kids in church. The iPhone 70 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: twelve or they hated so much. I don't know. I'm 71 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: not a beta guy. Chunks will get all this new software. 72 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: It'll be the beta version, which means, of course it's 73 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: still being tested. And he likes it. And I'll be like, 74 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: is that good that new operating system? And he's like, 75 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: I don't know yet. This in the beta version. So 76 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 1: I put this sermon in my phone. I was looking 77 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: at the note in my iPhone X Senior. I put 78 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: this sermon in my phone beta blessings, and I checked 79 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: on the info tab on my ever note and it 80 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: said I put it in twenty eighteen, and it's been 81 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: that long in my phone. And then there comes a 82 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: time when God will ought me to release it and 83 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: preach it. And when I put it in my phone 84 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 1: Beta blessings. I was thinking about the things that God 85 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: does in our lives in certain seasons that at first 86 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: we're not sure if it's a blessing because it's in beta. 87 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: When I wrote this sermon down in twenty eighteen and 88 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: couldn't figure out exactly how to preach it, I thought 89 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 1: it was wasted. It wasn't wasted. It was in beta. 90 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: Can I preach like I've been waiting to preach us 91 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 1: for three years. We've been following the Israelites through the 92 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: wilderness and they are in between seasons. I read you 93 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: a scripture where Jesus said, I'm the Alpha and Omega. 94 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: That is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, Alpha 95 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: and the last letter Omega. That's why he says I'm 96 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: the beginning and the end the last book of the Bible. 97 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: He says, I am Alpha and Omega. I want you 98 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: to write this down. It's a little bit of a 99 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: long sentence, but Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. But 100 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: I need a beta blessing for the spaces in between. 101 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 1: Helped me. Holy Spirit. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, 102 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: God was with them. He never stopped being with you. 103 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: He's not waiting for you at some future destination. I 104 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 1: want to get closer to God this year. That doesn't 105 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: come five Bible books that you've memorized later and then 106 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,480 Speaker 1: a lot of times we'll be like, God, bring me 107 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: back to the love that I have when I first 108 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: met you, which is typically overrated in our imagination because 109 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: we weren't as holy as we like to tell ourselves 110 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: that we were when we first met him. So when 111 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: you say he's the alpha and the Omega, you've got 112 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: to also mentioned right that he is also beta, that's 113 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: in between alpha and omega, and that's where we need 114 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: his presence the most. How many understand that when a 115 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: new year changes and a new year begins and there's 116 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: so much excitement, or when a new year ends and 117 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: there's so much desperation, we've kind of missed the point 118 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: that some of God's greatest blessings are beta. Some of 119 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: God's greatest blessings are in the form of watch this Mana. 120 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've been watching the sermons or 121 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: slacking off, but I'll catch you up real quick that 122 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: I've been talking about Mana in the Wilderness that he 123 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: gave them mana, which means what is it? In that 124 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: cool they needed food and God gave them something, and 125 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: they didn't recognize it as a blessing at first. What 126 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: is it? That's what mana means. Everybody say what is it? 127 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: What is it? And then mana also means what it is? 128 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: It is? And I don't yet know what it's going 129 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: to be. And that's true about your life. And that's 130 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: true about the thing that you're praying about right now, 131 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: and that's true about everything that God has put inside 132 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: of you. I want to look at this real quick 133 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: because it's so powerful. In Joshua chapter five, it gives 134 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: us a picture of this transition. Put it on the 135 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 1: screen for me. Joshua chapter five, I could find it 136 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: in my Bible. We could do it quicker, it said 137 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: the day after the Passover, This is the Israelites, after 138 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: going through the wilderness for forty years, after dealing with 139 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: the situation for forty years. The Bible says that they 140 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: celebrated the passover and they ate some of the produce 141 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: of the land that God had promised. What kind of bread? 142 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: What did I preach about last week? I'm not going 143 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: to invite y'all back if y'all don't help me preach 144 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: about this last week, please tell me the sermons stuck 145 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: that law. So they came out of Egypt with unleavened bread. 146 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: They didn't have the time for it to rise, but 147 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: they had to go. And sometimes you've got to set 148 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: out with a word from God not knowing all of 149 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: the details. Even Abraham had to do this. God set 150 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: in Genesis chapter twelve to Abraham. This was before he 151 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: even had an h in his name. This was before 152 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 1: Vana White even sold him. This was before. This was 153 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: back in the times when Vana White used to manually 154 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: turn the letters. Some of y'all don't know, this was 155 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: a long time ago. This is back in the very beginning. 156 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: Did I just preach wheel of fortune by accident? Yes? 157 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: I did, Yes, I did. I did it on purpose too, 158 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:57,559 Speaker 1: for the real ones. And watch this. Before Abraham knew 159 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: where he was going, he had to leave what he knew. 160 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: Don't quit your job, don't sign a divorce paper. That's 161 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about abandoning your 162 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: way of thinking. And the Lord said in Genesis chapter twelve, 163 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: verse one, go from your country, your people, your father's household, 164 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: to the land. I will show you you notice how 165 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 1: specific God was about what he was leaving from, and 166 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: how vague God was about what he was going to. 167 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: That's where beta blessings are required. That's the beta version 168 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: of the blessing of God. And follow it a verse further. 169 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: This is God's original blessing to his people, coming through Abraham, 170 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: the father of our faith, to the nation of Israel. 171 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:48,559 Speaker 1: Would all come through this one man, but it was 172 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: still in beta. It would all come through one man, 173 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: but it was still in beta. And the Lord had 174 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: such a big vision for how he wanted to use 175 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: Abraham as a blessing. I will make you into a 176 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: great nation. I'll bless you. I'll make your name great, 177 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: and you will be a blessing. One more verse. Show 178 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: you how big this is. Let me show you how 179 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:13,599 Speaker 1: big this is what God had in mind to do 180 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 1: through Abraham. Let me show you how big this is 181 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: what God had in mind to do when he created you. 182 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: Let me show you how big the picture is that 183 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: God sees while you're so zoomed in on the part 184 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: of your life that you don't like. He said, I'll 185 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse 186 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:36,719 Speaker 1: you in all people's own earth will be blessed through you. 187 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: You see how big that blessing was, But it was 188 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: still in beta. Correct me if I'm wrong, Tesla. But 189 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,319 Speaker 1: when they have it in beta, they don't release it 190 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: to everybody. You have to sign up for that. God 191 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: was gonna bless the whole earth through Israel, not just them. 192 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,199 Speaker 1: But we encountered them the last few weeks in the 193 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: wilderness while they were still in beta. The Lord told me, 194 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:10,719 Speaker 1: I'm preaching to some people today who are in the 195 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 1: beta version, the beta version, and when it's in the 196 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: beta version, they're usually working out some bugs. Ask somebody 197 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: next to you, got bugs. That's why I don't put 198 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: it on my phone until later, because I want to 199 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:41,559 Speaker 1: wait till they get all the bugs out. And I 200 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:46,719 Speaker 1: wonder did God take his people through the wilderness for 201 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:54,559 Speaker 1: forty years, around and around in circles to get the 202 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: bugs out? And I wonder has God left some of 203 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: the things in our life in a holding pattern or 204 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: brought us into spaces where we're not getting what we're 205 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: praying for, or it's not happening as fast as we 206 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: wanted to, because maybe He wants to get the bugs out. 207 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: So I'm praying a prayer over my life this week. God, 208 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: get the bugs out, because I don't want to release 209 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: a version to the world. See, before I preached this 210 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: message to you, I preached it to myself so I 211 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: could get the bugs out. Because before I release it, 212 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: before I put it out on YouTube where everybody with 213 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: the broadband connection and an opinion can judge it, I 214 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: want to make sure it's what God wants to say. 215 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: I had it in my phone three years to preach 216 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: to you because God wanted you to have it right now. 217 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: But it wasn't wasted. It was in beta. God said, 218 00:13:56,559 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 1: there's some stuff you prayed for, there's some stuff you 219 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: asked for. There's some stuff I know you need. It's 220 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:14,239 Speaker 1: in beta. It's in beta. It's in beta. This relationship 221 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: isn't a bad relationship. It's in beta. It's in beta. 222 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: This song I'm working on isn't a bad song. It's 223 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: just in beta. That book I worked on last year 224 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: that's not ready to be released yet, it wasn't a 225 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: waste of time. It's in beta. I put it in 226 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: a box in my room to remind myself that Lazarus 227 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: might go in a box for a minute, but he 228 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: will rise again. What was the Lord telling me? I 229 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: gotta remember he was saying something about boxes in beta. 230 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: He was telling me, oh, when we get too attached 231 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: to the beta version, it puts God in a box. 232 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: Let's go deeper. Sit down, look, I'm not even standing 233 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: up well, and your step ahead. These aid Beta blessings, 234 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: Beta blessings. The mana was not meant to be on 235 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: the menu permanently. It was a seasonal provision. And when 236 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: the mana went away. I don't know if you saw 237 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: that in Joshua five. At first they thought this is 238 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: really bad. This is really bad. How many of you 239 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: had something in your life last year that you go, 240 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: this is really bad. This is really bad, y'all. There's 241 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: three people in the church who had a storm last year. 242 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: These are some Caribbean crews. Christians in here. Come. I'm 243 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: looking for some pirates of the Caribbean that had to 244 00:15:55,920 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: fight some battle. Beta. The manner was what God gave 245 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: them in between. That's what I mean by Beta blessings. 246 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: I'm someone who really fights for my relationships. I don't 247 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: throw people away. There's people in this room right now 248 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: that are on my staff. I should have fired him 249 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: fifteen times. I'm not looking at anybody more, and they 250 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: probably should have not, you know, been mad at me 251 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: and left. But you know I'm loyal. I really am loyal, true, 252 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: you know me the whole time, all right. Sometimes in 253 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: that effort to be loyal, not necessarily to a person, 254 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 1: I always want to be good to people. If I'm 255 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: your friend, I'm your friend. But sometimes I'm loyal to 256 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: something that the Lord used in one season at the 257 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: expense of something that he's bringing in this season. And 258 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: I want to take that off of people, and I 259 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: want to take that off of jobs. In all the 260 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: ways that we use sermons as an excuse to not 261 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 1: have perseverance, let us think in this is a This 262 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 1: is not a confirmation for you to quit, but it 263 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: is a command for you to grow, grow, grow, grow, 264 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: grow grow. Elevation church. They used to call it evolution church. 265 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: And I'm like, well, both are right. And I'm not 266 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: talking about Darwin or something like that, or from the 267 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 1: Goo to the Zoo to you or any of that. 268 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: I'm saying like changeing. It always changes. But isn't there 269 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,120 Speaker 1: a temptation? I read this thing from a rabbi wrote 270 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: this quote. He said that our wisdom is distinguishing between 271 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: those things which must remain unchanging in our lives and 272 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: those changes we should accept an embrace. I read it 273 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: over and over again. I wrote it out, I read it, 274 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: I wrote it, and I said, Lord, show me that 275 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: because in Joshua five, once Moses had taken the people 276 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: as far as they could go, he was I guess 277 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: you could say, in some ways beta, not like a 278 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: beta male. I don't mean it like that, like not 279 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 1: that he was passive. I'm saying he was what God 280 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: gave them to get them to a certain place. God 281 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: gives you that, He gives you instruments, He gives you provisions, 282 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 1: He gives you manna. When Joshua led the people to 283 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: the edge of God's promise, the man of stop, that 284 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: was bad. No, it wasn't. It was beta. And I 285 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: want you to shift your mind this week and see 286 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: things in your life that are in development and be 287 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: able to say, it's not bad. It's in beta. It's 288 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: not bad. It's in beta. And when the real product 289 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: gets finished, they updated. You don't keep the beta version 290 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: on your phone forever. When they came to the edge 291 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: of Canaan when God gave them the ability to sow 292 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 1: and reap, they couldn't go out their tents and just 293 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: collect the man anymore. Oh and by the way, this 294 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: is underscored so brilliantly in I believe it's Exodus chapter sixteen, 295 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: where it said they were to go out and get 296 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 1: the manna they needed for that day. When they tried 297 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: to keep the mana too long for the next day 298 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: and didn't have the faith that God would put it there, 299 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: it would rot, it would stink, and there would be 300 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:40,399 Speaker 1: maggots in the manna, maggots in the mana. That what 301 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 1: God gave them became infested with their lack of faith 302 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 1: when they kept the mana too long, when they kept 303 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: the beta too long, guess what got in it? Bugs? 304 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: Bugs us, Do you see it? It said the maggots 305 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: would eat the mana. But if they used what they 306 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: were supposed to use, if they did what they were 307 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 1: supposed to do, if they moved to the rhythm of 308 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 1: the voice of God, there would always be more mana. 309 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: And now, if we want to watch all of these 310 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 1: economic predictors, and we want to watch all of these 311 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: these social conclusions, and we want to watch all these 312 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: talking heads who say the worst things to keep us watching. 313 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: Then we will have maggots in our manna. God gave 314 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 1: us certain things for seasons, seasons, seasons, and it's time 315 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: to grow up. Y'all. Didn't shout over that. Y'all like 316 00:20:52,359 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: the magots better, y'all like the maggots better than the maturity. Oh, 317 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: I'm the worst about this. I'll find something that works 318 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: and I'll just keep doing it. I mean, when I 319 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: used to preach sermons series. I mentioned this earlier. There 320 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:16,920 Speaker 1: came a time where that was that was a blessing. 321 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: I told Holly the other day. I used to need 322 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,959 Speaker 1: to plan my sermon series twelve weeks in advance when 323 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: I started, so I could have time to study. I 324 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,560 Speaker 1: didn't know what I was doing. You still don't, thanks 325 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 1: a lot. I just say what. I just say it 326 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:37,159 Speaker 1: so nobody else can't. It's a deeply embedded insecurity that 327 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: manifested me being sarcastic on stage in front of thousands 328 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: of people, and so I used that as a way 329 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: to study. Okay, I'm going to preach on this and 330 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: that and the other, and it let me study over 331 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: the course of years. Though the way God began to 332 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:55,439 Speaker 1: speak to me, and I'm just using this as an example. 333 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: You would have your own I would start to use 334 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: that as a crutch, and it would keep me from 335 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 1: speaking what God was saying to me right now and 336 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 1: trusting Him in the moment, because I would rely on 337 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:17,199 Speaker 1: the structure, not the spirit. There's nothing wrong with sermons series, 338 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: and maybe God will use that again one day, But 339 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 1: right now, I've noticed that the Lord has me in 340 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: a different place, and to do that takes trust. Do 341 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: you remember Malachi three, Bring the tithe into the storehouse. 342 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: Some of y'all have PTSD over that scripture. You know, 343 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: bring the tithe or God's gonna curse you. Bring the tithether, 344 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: God's gonna puncture your lung. Bring the tithe and you 345 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: have flat tire. It's been all been done. I don't 346 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 1: think that scripture is about just tithing ten percent. It 347 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 1: is about that, but it's about trust. It's about trusting 348 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: God to transform you. It's about trusting God to teach you. 349 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: It's about trusting God and the transitions of your life. 350 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: So He's saying to the nation, I couldn't believe when 351 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 1: I saw this, this is what set it off for me. 352 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may 353 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: be food in my house. Test me in this test. 354 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 1: That's an important word. Test. That's what they do in beta, 355 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: they test the product. That's what God did in the wilderness. 356 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:25,359 Speaker 1: He tested his people, not because he didn't know. He 357 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 1: wasn't trying to get information about him. He wasn't doing 358 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: any at Graham on the Israelites. It's testing where the 359 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: bugs get worked out, where I learned not to be petty, 360 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: offended and paranoid, and to rely on God as my source. 361 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: He said, test me, test me, test me, He said, 362 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: test me. No, you test us. He's like, no, no, no, 363 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: I'm not the one who has bugs to begin with. 364 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: I'm just getting things out of you. Why why is God? 365 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: Why is God getting the bugs out of me? Right 366 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 1: now here? It is. See if I'm not throw open 367 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 1: the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing. 368 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: The test is to create space in my life, and 369 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: I'll put so much blessing that there will not be 370 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: room enough to receive it. Now, So Lord, I want 371 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 1: to have room to receive anything you bring into my life. 372 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: I want to have room to receive it. And I 373 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: can't do that. I can't have room to receive what 374 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 1: you're bringing in my life if every square inch of 375 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: my mind is occupied. And then the next verse said 376 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: something crazier. He said, test me. See if I won't 377 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: bless you and I verse eleven, you're not gonna believe 378 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: this will prevent pests. There's the bugs again. I'll get 379 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,880 Speaker 1: the pest out of your crops. I'll get the bugs 380 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 1: out of your thinking. I'm working things out of you, see, 381 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: because if I release it too soon, you won't be ready. 382 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: So trust me. In this space called the wilderness, God's 383 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: getting the bugs out. God's getting the bugs out. Some 384 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: of you have really good kids, they're just buggy. I asked, Chunks, 385 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: is that software good? Should I get it? He's like, 386 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: I don't know yet. It's buggy right now. But just 387 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: because it's buggy in beta doesn't mean it's not good. 388 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,879 Speaker 1: And when God gets done getting the bugs out of 389 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: your kids, the things that you spank them over, the 390 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: things that you put them in time out over, I'm sorry, 391 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: this is very politically correct Culture twenty twenty one. I 392 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 1: don't want to be canceled, uh, the things that you 393 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: encouraging them strongly to modify in their behavior. See how 394 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: many y'all raise your hand. We're just gonna do it. 395 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: Have a strong willed kid, at least one in your family. 396 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: Parents Fars Fars, Fars Fars fans, parents are how many 397 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: would say they're even borderline stubborn, borderline stubbornlin? Can I 398 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: get a stomer? Can I get a border lin stubber? 399 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 1: Can I get a word line stubber online online stubborn 400 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,120 Speaker 1: stumber and stubborn, strong, wild strong one? Okay, okay, okay, 401 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,159 Speaker 1: you know how right now it's an immature form, but 402 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: it's gonna be boldness. It's just in beta. It's in beta. 403 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: It's in beta. I got some bless ads, but they're 404 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: in beda right now. They feel like a burdad, but 405 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: it's a blessed God's getting the bugs out of my crops. 406 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: This here, my build will be a delightful wand my vine, well, 407 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 1: it's truth in season. How many of y'all got a 408 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 1: beta blessing right now? Something God is working on something. 409 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: God is doing something. God is perfecting something. God is 410 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 1: establishing something. He's completing something, he's revealing something, he's revising. 411 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,159 Speaker 1: You got it? You got it. I got it in 412 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:29,680 Speaker 1: beta already, know alpha. I know who started it already, 413 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: know Omega, I know who's gonna finish it. But watch 414 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: me right now, praise God. In the beta stage. Work 415 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 1: the fucks out, get the bitterness out, get the unbelievable, 416 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 1: get it out so that you will have room too 417 00:27:55,400 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 1: receive it. It's something in beta. It's just in between. 418 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:06,200 Speaker 1: It's just in beta. It's just in between. It's just 419 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: in beta. It's in beta. Are you blessed? Yeah, it's 420 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 1: in beta. Doesn't look like you're blessed. Doesn't look like 421 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: a blessing. Watch this some of the things that turn 422 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 1: out to be the biggest blessings when they're in beta, 423 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: they're the buggiest. How ma, y'all ever bought a boat? 424 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: It was a blessing for a minute, wasn't it. Back 425 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 1: when I was a little listen, we had a subscription 426 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: service for music called not Spotify, Columbia House, Oh my 427 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: wheel of fortune, Columbia House, saying shout him to God 428 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 1: with a voice of oldness, because they would sell you 429 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: twelve CDs p for a penny, that's practically free. I 430 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: heard the Israelites in Egypt talking about we had fish 431 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: for free in Egypt. Numbers eleven five. We had fish 432 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: for free in Egypt. We had fish for free, and 433 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: we also got beat half to death in Egypt. It 434 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 1: was free at first. You've already heard the masterful speech. 435 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: Free at last, but free at first. That's the things 436 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: that come into your life looking like a blessing, but 437 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 1: it's not. You would send off this little card, you know, 438 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: when you were sending off that car. It was the 439 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: first step toward a collection agency. I had a collection 440 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: agency on my back at age thirteen, twelve CDs for free, 441 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: and they were free at first, but then there was 442 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: a selection of the month. It was a negative billing 443 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: kind of situation where if you didn't send back this 444 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: card automatically here comes to your mailbox, not the CDs 445 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: that you wanted. Go to your mailbox, like, what's this? 446 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 1: Open it up? This is Michael Bolton? Who want Michael Bolton? 447 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: It was free at first. The Michael Bolton CD is 448 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 1: twenty five dollars. Going to your mailbox, open up the 449 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: package and they sent you Ace of Base, Like no, 450 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 1: I want a motor at Ace of Spades. This is 451 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: Ace of Base. Oh that she wants is you know 452 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 1: this is terrible, but it was free at first. It 453 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 1: was free at first. It was free at first. Then 454 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: they keep sending you stuff that you didn't ask for. 455 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:04,960 Speaker 1: It was free at first. I don't mean to get 456 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 1: up in your fortnication. It was free at first. I 457 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: don't mean to get up into things that you do 458 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: that are free at first. It could be a lot 459 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: of things. Let's just don't get on the sex stuff. 460 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: I could talk about manipulation, y'all like me saying fortnication 461 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 1: better than manipulation, because everybody in this room has tried 462 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: to manipulate what God gave you at one point in time. 463 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: And it works at first. It works at first until 464 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 1: you're looking down spice girls, wondering how am I going 465 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: to pay for this? The fish for free at first, 466 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 1: and they said fish in Egypt. Now my mind is 467 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: really weird. So I get on a theme and I 468 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: just stayed there until almost wear it out to death. 469 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: The fish in Egypt is what they wanted to go 470 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:06,360 Speaker 1: back to. Right, that's the same thing from the twelve 471 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: Tribes of Israel as the twelve Disciples. And I want 472 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: to show you this continuity, to show you a beta blessing. 473 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: Do you remember when Peter and I'll teach you this 474 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: story real quick. It's a good one. And Luke five 475 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: was fishing all night and caught nothing. That was a 476 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: really frustrating thing, but his lack of success was actually 477 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: a blessing because it set the stage for him to 478 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: meet Jesus. At that exact moment, he's putting the boat up, 479 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: and I know a lot of us have failed at 480 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 1: things I have, you have, and it's hard to see 481 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: those things as a blessing when they're in beta. And 482 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,280 Speaker 1: while he's washing his nets and cleaning out all of 483 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: the particles that would brought the nets so couldn't use 484 00:32:56,880 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: them again, the Lord goes and preaches in his boat 485 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: to be a disciple, and they went, listen, you want 486 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: to talk about a blessing. They went from empty nets 487 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: to sinking boats, and for some of you this is 488 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: going to be a year of boat sinking blessings. Do 489 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 1: you receive that some of those blessings will not come 490 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 1: in the form of material possessions, although if you need that, 491 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: may God do it for you. But some of those 492 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 1: blessings will come in the form of things that no 493 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,240 Speaker 1: material possession can be exchanged for and it is going 494 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: to be a year for some of us. I declare 495 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 1: this over your life, with no trace of sarcasm or manipulation. 496 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: This is going to be a year of boat sinking 497 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 1: blessings in your life, boat sinking blessings in your life. 498 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: And you know how they're going to come. Not when 499 00:33:55,360 --> 00:34:02,600 Speaker 1: you pray for a blessing, but when you obey. What 500 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,800 Speaker 1: took the nets from being empty to being so fool 501 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,439 Speaker 1: that they couldn't even stand the catch was when Peter said, 502 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: look at verse five, We've worked hard all night. This 503 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:18,240 Speaker 1: isn't working. But because you say so, pray to be blessed, fine, 504 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:26,920 Speaker 1: pray about it, but obey to be blessed. Obey so 505 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:33,440 Speaker 1: beta blessing works better. Obey to be blessed. Right, Not, 506 00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: I'll obey this when you bless me, lord, not if 507 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: you bless me Lord. No, just because it's the right thing, 508 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: just because it's who I want to be, just because 509 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,360 Speaker 1: that's what I'm supposed to do, not because of something external. 510 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:48,359 Speaker 1: This is who I am. That's why I'm kind, That's 511 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 1: why I'm going after it, That's why I'm still doing it. 512 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:54,320 Speaker 1: That's why I'm still surfing right out of obedience. And 513 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:57,480 Speaker 1: this is so awesome because they went from empty nets 514 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 1: to boats sinking blessings. And the the question is will 515 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 1: you have room to receive it? Peter didn't. He needed 516 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:11,520 Speaker 1: another boat, He needed more room to receive. When the 517 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: boats were so full of fish that they couldn't hold him, 518 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: he had to signal his partner. And for this stage 519 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: of your life, you are not going to be able 520 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 1: to stay in isolation. I know you used to do that. 521 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,000 Speaker 1: You did that to survive. That's how you did it. 522 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:28,279 Speaker 1: You were a fighter and you kept people off of you, 523 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:30,720 Speaker 1: and you did that, but that is going to prohibit 524 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:34,120 Speaker 1: you from receiving in this season. You've got to signal 525 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 1: the other boat in this ridge. You tom been thinking 526 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 1: about this in beta for three years just so God 527 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:50,880 Speaker 1: could release it to us today. Because we're in beta, 528 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,959 Speaker 1: aren't we come on with your buggy self, your little 529 00:35:57,080 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 1: buggy beta behind looking at me all angelic celestial. I 530 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: bet you were a beta boyfriend, JT. So wonder, Brittany, 531 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 1: aren't you glad that she looked past the bugs and 532 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: saw the beta that you could be. I'm in beta. 533 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 1: By the way, buggy boyfriends turn into messy men. So 534 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:26,799 Speaker 1: watch it, watch it, watch it, watch it. But should 535 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: we do with homework and all that? What a blessing 536 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 1: he is to you? What a blessing she is to you. 537 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,040 Speaker 1: And the more we allow God to do in our 538 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 1: own lives, the more ready we are to receive from partnership. 539 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: So much to it. They haul in all these fish, right, 540 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:51,560 Speaker 1: what a blessing. And then the craziest part of the text, 541 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:53,719 Speaker 1: I need you ready to receive this. Do you have 542 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:56,360 Speaker 1: room for a little more? Come on, say, I have 543 00:36:56,480 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: room to receive. I have room to receive it. So 544 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,520 Speaker 1: when they caught the fish, they saw Jesus for who 545 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: he was. When they caught the fish, he gave them 546 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:11,879 Speaker 1: a calling. They tried to push Jesus away. Peter said, 547 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: I'm a sinful man. Look at verse nine. I'm a 548 00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: sinful man. I'm a sinful man. Luke five nine, I'm 549 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:24,160 Speaker 1: a sinful man. No, you're not a bad man. You're 550 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:28,759 Speaker 1: just in beta. I got a plan for you. I 551 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:31,439 Speaker 1: got a work to do in you. You're just in beta. 552 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: Don't give up on yourself. You just in beta. I 553 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:47,560 Speaker 1: know you're buggy and whiney, but I'm just in beta. 554 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:50,000 Speaker 1: He's the Alpha and the Omega, and I'm in Beda 555 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:56,360 Speaker 1: and I'm blessed. Now what I saw next challenged everything 556 00:37:56,440 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 1: I thought I knew about the Bible, because I thought 557 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 1: that Jesus blessed them to catch the fish. And then 558 00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 1: what happened in verse ten, You got it. They were 559 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:14,640 Speaker 1: astonished by the catch of fish, and so were the partners, 560 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 1: and he said, don't be afraid. From now on you 561 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:20,239 Speaker 1: a fish for people. Verse eleven got me. They pulled 562 00:38:20,280 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 1: up their boats and left everything the blessing that they 563 00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:30,000 Speaker 1: just had. And I read it, and the Lord said, 564 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: that's because the fish wasn't the blessing. That wasn't the blessing. 565 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:48,600 Speaker 1: That was the bait. Coming right up in your kitchen. 566 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:54,040 Speaker 1: I'm coming right up in your kitchen. See that miracle 567 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:56,719 Speaker 1: that Jesus gave them. That wasn't the blessing. That was 568 00:38:56,840 --> 00:39:02,000 Speaker 1: the Now talking about beta, I'm talking about bait. Be a. 569 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:09,640 Speaker 1: I thank you, little buddy, of I said, what do 570 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:11,960 Speaker 1: you mean. It's like I'm having this conversation with the 571 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:14,160 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit, not out loud, but just thinking about it, 572 00:39:14,239 --> 00:39:16,040 Speaker 1: you know, just thinking about it, trying to go deeper 573 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: in it and go how did they leave the blessing 574 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:20,279 Speaker 1: that they just had, and how can we do that? 575 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:22,399 Speaker 1: And how can things be moving around in our life 576 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:24,200 Speaker 1: and it seems like good things are going away? And 577 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,120 Speaker 1: how can I be okay with that? How can I 578 00:39:26,239 --> 00:39:28,200 Speaker 1: move forward in that? How can I do it? See, 579 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:31,000 Speaker 1: the ketch a fish was just what God used to 580 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 1: get them to their calling. It wasn't really the blessing. 581 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:40,360 Speaker 1: It was just the bait. The man of was just 582 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:44,719 Speaker 1: the means to get them to Canaan. That's all it was. 583 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:50,399 Speaker 1: It was just the beta, the bait, the beta, the bait. 584 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:54,040 Speaker 1: It was the bait that God used. Like when I 585 00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 1: went to college, I got a scholarship, not a full scholarship, 586 00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:59,960 Speaker 1: but enough scholarship that God gave me to get there, 587 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:02,719 Speaker 1: and I thought that was a blessing and it was, 588 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 1: but it wasn't just a blessing. It was bait. Because 589 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: when I got to college, I went to BSU, which 590 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:11,759 Speaker 1: was the Baptist Student Union, and they asked me to 591 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:13,719 Speaker 1: be the greeter on the team. And I thought that 592 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:16,000 Speaker 1: was good. I have a good personality. What a blessing 593 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 1: that they want me to be a greeter. And it was, 594 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:20,880 Speaker 1: but it was also a debate because another person on 595 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:23,720 Speaker 1: the Greeter team, her name was Holly Boyknot, the artist 596 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:28,640 Speaker 1: formerly known as Holly Boy Knot. And so when I 597 00:40:28,719 --> 00:40:31,120 Speaker 1: met Holly boy Not, I figured, what a blessing to 598 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:34,239 Speaker 1: be on the welcome team of BSU with Holly boy Not. 599 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: But that wasn't really the blessing. That was just the 600 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:40,959 Speaker 1: bait because then they asked me to be the leader 601 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,520 Speaker 1: of a summer ministry impact team that would go across 602 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:45,919 Speaker 1: the state of South Carolina to preach to people. I thought, 603 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:48,840 Speaker 1: what a blessing. I'm the only freshman that Mason Easterlink 604 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:51,040 Speaker 1: ever asked to do this. What a blessing did I 605 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,400 Speaker 1: get to do it? But that wasn't even just the blessing. 606 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:56,040 Speaker 1: That was the bait because he also said I get 607 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: to pick my team members. So I circled back to 608 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:02,880 Speaker 1: the welcome Somebody, shout over your beta blessing right now, 609 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:07,560 Speaker 1: because I promise you God knows how to get you 610 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,960 Speaker 1: where he wants you to go. So I want you 611 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:14,320 Speaker 1: to know the thing that you thought was the blessing, 612 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 1: that wasn't even it. That wasn't even all. That was 613 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:25,480 Speaker 1: just the but dning. I have the OUTBA have the 614 00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:31,320 Speaker 1: old man. God, that's just the bait. That's just the beta. 615 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 1: You haven't seen your best self yet. You haven't seen 616 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:41,800 Speaker 1: your risen self yet. This is just a rough draft. 617 00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:51,000 Speaker 1: There will be revisions. I'm in beta, God said beta blessing. 618 00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:53,880 Speaker 1: He said, I got blessings I want to bring to you. 619 00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:57,680 Speaker 1: So I'm using things to to bait to get you 620 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:01,640 Speaker 1: in the places where I want you to be. I'm 621 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:06,719 Speaker 1: using the things that you hate to bring you into 622 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:15,080 Speaker 1: the blessings that you prayed for. It wasn't even the blessing. 623 00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 1: That was just the bait. It does not yet appear 624 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,160 Speaker 1: what we shall be. I just got a glimpse of 625 00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:28,040 Speaker 1: it right now. You think that acorn is sexy, there's 626 00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:38,480 Speaker 1: an oak inside that acorn. Oh you thought you thought 627 00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:41,799 Speaker 1: the beta was good, Wait till God gets thees bugs out. 628 00:42:42,080 --> 00:42:44,240 Speaker 1: And that's why you have to keep surviving and living 629 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:48,520 Speaker 1: and not kill yourself and not give into it. That's why, 630 00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:55,920 Speaker 1: because there is a blessing so big for Abraham, there 631 00:42:56,000 --> 00:42:58,239 Speaker 1: is a blessing so big for you that you are 632 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:01,000 Speaker 1: a part of, not just to you, but through you, 633 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:08,960 Speaker 1: for your family and your children and their children. And 634 00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:16,680 Speaker 1: so God, if you want to release me into the world. God, 635 00:43:16,719 --> 00:43:20,400 Speaker 1: I want you to get the bugs out, not to 636 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:26,399 Speaker 1: make me perfect. I'll never be perfect. Peter walked away 637 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:35,040 Speaker 1: from the fish, followed Jesus, saw miracles, lost his faith 638 00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:40,960 Speaker 1: at the cross, met him again after the resurrection. He's 639 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:45,000 Speaker 1: still in Beda, after all he saw. He's still in Beda. 640 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:49,279 Speaker 1: And you think you're supposed to be arrived by now, 641 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:57,759 Speaker 1: Please don't, please, don't put that pressure on yourself. I'm 642 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:03,000 Speaker 1: in Beda data. That's not an excuse for me not 643 00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:07,840 Speaker 1: to grow. It's the reason why I have to because 644 00:44:07,840 --> 00:44:09,319 Speaker 1: I want to see, don't you. I want to see. 645 00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:10,920 Speaker 1: I want to see what I can be if I'm 646 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:19,359 Speaker 1: really free. Minister LJ. It took me all the way 647 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 1: to John twenty one, and something real strange occurs in 648 00:44:24,760 --> 00:44:28,480 Speaker 1: the text, because it seems like in the Bible that 649 00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:33,400 Speaker 1: Israelites want to go back to the fish, that we're familiar, 650 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:39,200 Speaker 1: and it seemed like so did the disciples. And in 651 00:44:39,320 --> 00:44:44,800 Speaker 1: John twenty one, the Peter who would receive Holy Spirit 652 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:48,200 Speaker 1: power and preach on the day of Pentecost. Stop. You 653 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:49,800 Speaker 1: have no idea what God is going to use you 654 00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:54,800 Speaker 1: to do. You just don't know. You can't know what 655 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:57,399 Speaker 1: he's already done through you that you don't even know about. 656 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:02,560 Speaker 1: But Peter did what we always do in that beta 657 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:05,360 Speaker 1: stage of our life, you know, the in between the beta. 658 00:45:06,120 --> 00:45:09,840 Speaker 1: Alpha is great, it's exciting. Omega is great, it's fulfilling. 659 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:19,719 Speaker 1: But beta, that's really different. Middle school, mid life. What 660 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:24,560 Speaker 1: do these things have in common? They are both the 661 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:27,399 Speaker 1: stages of life where we talk about people losing their minds. 662 00:45:27,480 --> 00:45:35,920 Speaker 1: Why because it's the beta stage, the in between stage. 663 00:45:38,320 --> 00:45:40,239 Speaker 1: So when I saw this in John twenty one three, 664 00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:43,360 Speaker 1: I judged Peter because it said he'd already seen the 665 00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:47,640 Speaker 1: risen Lord, and he said to his companions verse three, 666 00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:55,439 Speaker 1: I'm going fishing. I'm going fishing, all right. The fish 667 00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:57,440 Speaker 1: represents what he was familiar with and what he was 668 00:45:57,480 --> 00:46:06,800 Speaker 1: good at. He's trying to go back to beta. Peter's 669 00:46:06,840 --> 00:46:10,920 Speaker 1: trying to be Simon again, fighting the battles like you 670 00:46:11,000 --> 00:46:12,879 Speaker 1: used to fight, doing it in your own strength, going 671 00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:15,120 Speaker 1: back to old stuff, old old stuff that's not even 672 00:46:15,160 --> 00:46:17,880 Speaker 1: part of the new creation. It's not even part of 673 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:25,000 Speaker 1: the original you. It's just layers. And I don't want 674 00:46:25,040 --> 00:46:26,680 Speaker 1: to judge him over a fishing trip. It didn't like 675 00:46:26,719 --> 00:46:30,760 Speaker 1: he went to the strip club. He just went fishing. 676 00:46:33,719 --> 00:46:35,560 Speaker 1: So I want to read it to you. Stand where 677 00:46:35,600 --> 00:46:37,719 Speaker 1: you are received this work. I want you to put 678 00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:39,479 Speaker 1: your body in a posture that you're going to receive 679 00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:44,680 Speaker 1: what I want to show you. They went out and 680 00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:48,640 Speaker 1: got in the boat that night. They call it not 681 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:55,400 Speaker 1: that sounds familiar, sounds like luke Fi. Sounds like a 682 00:46:55,440 --> 00:47:00,680 Speaker 1: few years ago, sounds like the wilderness, sounds like our 683 00:47:00,719 --> 00:47:03,760 Speaker 1: habits are addictions twenty twenty, twenty twenty one, twenty nineteen, 684 00:47:03,800 --> 00:47:09,319 Speaker 1: sounds like that you well. Jesus shows up again at 685 00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:11,560 Speaker 1: the point of what they've perceived to be their failure, 686 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:15,960 Speaker 1: but it was really his whole point. I speak it 687 00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:24,600 Speaker 1: over your life. Sometimes the failure is the goal because 688 00:47:24,600 --> 00:47:31,279 Speaker 1: of how positions you and the Lord waited till the 689 00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:36,480 Speaker 1: last man, till they got all the bugs out, till 690 00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:38,560 Speaker 1: they got their muscles sore, till they've done all they 691 00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:44,319 Speaker 1: could do. Jesus stood on the shore. The disciples did 692 00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:48,880 Speaker 1: not realize it was Jesus, and he called out to them, friends, 693 00:47:50,880 --> 00:47:55,440 Speaker 1: haven't you any fish? Pay attention to this verse? No, 694 00:47:55,600 --> 00:48:00,200 Speaker 1: they answered. Then he said, throw your net on the 695 00:48:00,320 --> 00:48:02,840 Speaker 1: right side of the boat, and you will find some. 696 00:48:03,120 --> 00:48:06,799 Speaker 1: When they did when they did something different, when they 697 00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:08,880 Speaker 1: did it a different way. God is saying, do it 698 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:14,400 Speaker 1: a different way, do it a different way. This is 699 00:48:14,440 --> 00:48:16,239 Speaker 1: what we've been talking about. This is what God has 700 00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:18,839 Speaker 1: had me walking us through. Do it a different way, 701 00:48:19,280 --> 00:48:21,839 Speaker 1: a different way, a different way to meet those needs 702 00:48:21,880 --> 00:48:23,879 Speaker 1: that were put there by God. One that doesn't push 703 00:48:23,920 --> 00:48:27,759 Speaker 1: him out of the picture. One that doesn't leave you 704 00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:31,680 Speaker 1: feeling worse. Fish you can eat that you don't choke 705 00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:35,560 Speaker 1: on the bones, things that don't make you feel like 706 00:48:35,640 --> 00:48:38,640 Speaker 1: crap in the morning, things that don't make you go 707 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:44,200 Speaker 1: further and further into isolation. He said, friends, haven't you 708 00:48:44,239 --> 00:48:47,320 Speaker 1: any fish? And then when they threw it on the 709 00:48:47,400 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 1: other side, they were unable to haul in the net 710 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:56,040 Speaker 1: because the large number of fish boats sinking. Blessing. But 711 00:48:56,160 --> 00:48:58,520 Speaker 1: then the disciple whom Jesus loves said to Peter, it 712 00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:01,719 Speaker 1: is the Lord. And as soon as Simon Peter heard 713 00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:03,800 Speaker 1: him say his the Lord, he wrapped his outo garment 714 00:49:04,160 --> 00:49:05,719 Speaker 1: round for you, taking off jumped in the water. I 715 00:49:05,800 --> 00:49:07,279 Speaker 1: want to preach about that. I don't preach about this. 716 00:49:07,719 --> 00:49:09,520 Speaker 1: The other disciple following in the boat towing the net 717 00:49:09,560 --> 00:49:13,600 Speaker 1: full of fish. The fish the blessing. They were not 718 00:49:13,680 --> 00:49:15,799 Speaker 1: far from the shore, about one hundred yards football field. 719 00:49:16,000 --> 00:49:18,880 Speaker 1: Now verse nine, when they landed they saw a fire 720 00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:24,320 Speaker 1: of burning coals there with fish on it and some bread. 721 00:49:26,719 --> 00:49:28,480 Speaker 1: I don't want you to miss the significant of this 722 00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:35,160 Speaker 1: for your life. Verse eight says they towed the net 723 00:49:35,239 --> 00:49:38,800 Speaker 1: full of fish, and verse nine says when they landed 724 00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:45,200 Speaker 1: they saw burning coals with fish already on it. So 725 00:49:45,360 --> 00:49:48,200 Speaker 1: then Jesus in verse ten says, bring some of the 726 00:49:48,280 --> 00:49:52,680 Speaker 1: fish you have just caught. Bring the blessing I just 727 00:49:52,760 --> 00:49:57,160 Speaker 1: gave you. Next verse, Peter climbed back in the boat 728 00:49:57,200 --> 00:50:02,520 Speaker 1: and dragged the net ashore. Peter's alpha male, Ah ah, 729 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:05,560 Speaker 1: I got a whole net. Ah ah. Always struggling this 730 00:50:05,719 --> 00:50:10,200 Speaker 1: you always trying. Ah. It was full of large fish 731 00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:14,640 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty three, who's counting. But even with 732 00:50:14,800 --> 00:50:17,120 Speaker 1: so many, This is the thing about God's blessing. It 733 00:50:17,239 --> 00:50:20,800 Speaker 1: didn't break the net. That's the thing about God's blessing. 734 00:50:20,880 --> 00:50:28,800 Speaker 1: It doesn't break the net. And I'll leave you with 735 00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:32,759 Speaker 1: this thought because I know you're full now and I 736 00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:34,839 Speaker 1: want you to be able to digest what you heard. 737 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:39,719 Speaker 1: But I should show you this. Jesus said, come and 738 00:50:39,840 --> 00:50:43,319 Speaker 1: have breakfast. None of the disciples dared ask him, who 739 00:50:43,360 --> 00:50:45,879 Speaker 1: are you? They knew it was the Lord. In Verse 740 00:50:45,920 --> 00:50:50,360 Speaker 1: thirteen says Jesus came, took the bread and gave it 741 00:50:50,440 --> 00:50:56,080 Speaker 1: to them, and did the same with the fish. So 742 00:50:56,239 --> 00:51:01,839 Speaker 1: the question is which fish? The ones they had just caught, 743 00:51:03,080 --> 00:51:07,200 Speaker 1: are the ones that he had already cooked. All the 744 00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:10,239 Speaker 1: things we bring to God in our effort to do better, 745 00:51:11,280 --> 00:51:15,319 Speaker 1: in our effort to be blessed, we find that when 746 00:51:15,320 --> 00:51:18,279 Speaker 1: we get to the shore and recognize him for who 747 00:51:18,360 --> 00:51:24,480 Speaker 1: he is, he's already cooking while we couldn't catch all night. 748 00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:32,640 Speaker 1: I don't know what our global church family is going 749 00:51:32,719 --> 00:51:36,080 Speaker 1: through because God doesn't see crowds. He sees people. But 750 00:51:36,239 --> 00:51:39,279 Speaker 1: he must see someone who has been fishing all night 751 00:51:39,360 --> 00:51:42,120 Speaker 1: and catching nothing. He must see somebody that's so frustrated 752 00:51:42,120 --> 00:51:44,200 Speaker 1: you're about ready to just put the nets up, go home, 753 00:51:44,400 --> 00:51:46,880 Speaker 1: quit quit being present, and all of that. Or he 754 00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:50,719 Speaker 1: must see somebody who's stuck in a version of you 755 00:51:51,840 --> 00:51:56,360 Speaker 1: that isn't really you. Because he had this message in 756 00:51:56,440 --> 00:52:01,560 Speaker 1: my heart for three years, but today this is the 757 00:52:01,680 --> 00:52:08,000 Speaker 1: release date for you for what you've been holding, for 758 00:52:08,120 --> 00:52:11,000 Speaker 1: the expectation you put on yourself that doesn't come from God. 759 00:52:12,480 --> 00:52:15,680 Speaker 1: Right now, with your hands to heaven, and I lift 760 00:52:15,760 --> 00:52:24,080 Speaker 1: mine too, let's just decide that. Let's just decide that 761 00:52:24,120 --> 00:52:27,080 Speaker 1: we're not going to let the blessing of God that's 762 00:52:27,120 --> 00:52:34,600 Speaker 1: in our life right now die in the wilderness. Lord, 763 00:52:34,680 --> 00:52:38,879 Speaker 1: I'm really thankful that you're the Alpha because you begin 764 00:52:38,960 --> 00:52:42,239 Speaker 1: the good work in me. I'm really thankful that you're 765 00:52:42,320 --> 00:52:46,600 Speaker 1: the Omega because you'll finish today. I want to praise 766 00:52:46,640 --> 00:52:51,200 Speaker 1: you for Beta, the second letter of the Greek alphabet, 767 00:52:52,200 --> 00:52:55,440 Speaker 1: the one that lets me know you're every step in between. 768 00:52:56,640 --> 00:52:59,680 Speaker 1: I pray right now for every man, woman, boy and 769 00:52:59,719 --> 00:53:03,520 Speaker 1: girl who's been in beta. Oh i've got this issue, 770 00:53:03,600 --> 00:53:06,320 Speaker 1: I've got this insecurity. Oh I've got this. I got it, 771 00:53:06,400 --> 00:53:08,239 Speaker 1: I got it. It's all right, it's all right, it's 772 00:53:08,239 --> 00:53:12,200 Speaker 1: all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's just Beta. 773 00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:16,680 Speaker 1: I thank you that your blessings are more than fish. 774 00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:19,960 Speaker 1: I thank you that your blessings are more than feelings. 775 00:53:22,040 --> 00:53:26,960 Speaker 1: How we long, Lord to eat the bread that doesn't perish, 776 00:53:27,239 --> 00:53:30,600 Speaker 1: the food that doesn't spoil, and that's your word. I 777 00:53:30,680 --> 00:53:34,319 Speaker 1: thank you for every blessing that you used and every 778 00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:37,200 Speaker 1: battle to bring us to the place where we are 779 00:53:37,320 --> 00:53:40,000 Speaker 1: right now. This is where we are supposed to be. 780 00:53:41,760 --> 00:53:46,680 Speaker 1: We praise you right now. We praise you with our mouths, 781 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:51,960 Speaker 1: we praise you with our hands. We praise you for 782 00:53:52,080 --> 00:54:00,239 Speaker 1: the beta blessings. We worship you, We worship uke. That 783 00:54:00,400 --> 00:54:04,920 Speaker 1: nothing is wasted, not a crawl, not one jot, not 784 00:54:05,200 --> 00:54:09,880 Speaker 1: one tittle, not one word falls from your mouth that 785 00:54:10,040 --> 00:54:13,719 Speaker 1: it does not produce. We thank you. Were on the 786 00:54:13,880 --> 00:54:18,080 Speaker 1: edge of Canaan. We are stepping into exceeding great and 787 00:54:18,200 --> 00:54:22,759 Speaker 1: precious promises. When that which is perfect has called, that 788 00:54:22,920 --> 00:54:26,600 Speaker 1: which is incomplete goes away. Oh God, we thank you 789 00:54:26,760 --> 00:54:30,719 Speaker 1: for the Manna. But today we're eating grapes. We thank 790 00:54:30,800 --> 00:54:35,000 Speaker 1: you God. We thank you God. We thank you God. 791 00:54:35,680 --> 00:54:39,320 Speaker 1: We thank you for the Law. But we're under grace. 792 00:54:40,400 --> 00:54:44,960 Speaker 1: We thank you for Moses. But Jesus is our Josuah. 793 00:54:45,640 --> 00:54:57,120 Speaker 1: We thank you, we honor you, we worship you. I 794 00:54:57,200 --> 00:54:59,400 Speaker 1: hope you received that blessing today and walk in it 795 00:55:00,200 --> 00:55:03,439 Speaker 1: the blessing in between, not waiting on a future state 796 00:55:03,719 --> 00:55:07,600 Speaker 1: to celebrate, not living in a past that's never coming back, 797 00:55:08,239 --> 00:55:11,640 Speaker 1: but celebrating God's presence with you right now. I bless 798 00:55:11,680 --> 00:55:15,320 Speaker 1: you in Jesus' name, His favor upon you, his presence 799 00:55:15,400 --> 00:55:19,240 Speaker 1: before you, his power within you. God is for you today. 800 00:55:19,800 --> 00:55:23,040 Speaker 1: Receive this blessing. Thank you for being a part of 801 00:55:23,120 --> 00:55:26,280 Speaker 1: our family. Thank you for giving to support this ministry. 802 00:55:26,760 --> 00:55:29,759 Speaker 1: Thank you for sharing the messages. You say it every week, God, 803 00:55:29,760 --> 00:55:32,440 Speaker 1: I mean it every week. It's such a blessing to 804 00:55:32,520 --> 00:55:35,200 Speaker 1: be joined with you and connected in ministry. I'll see 805 00:55:35,239 --> 00:55:37,600 Speaker 1: you next time. Make sure to subscribe. We love you, 806 00:55:38,120 --> 00:55:38,640 Speaker 1: We bless you.