1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,920 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: And today I am starting a new teaching that is 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: really just a continuation of what I've been teaching. I'm 8 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: gonna talk about the free best questions that you can 9 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: ask in your life. Only if you're confused, uncomfortable, or uncertain. 10 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: If you are none of those three things, check your 11 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: pulse and watch something else. But if you've been asking 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: some questions lately and the answers are slow in coming, 13 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: God has a word for you. And this begins a 14 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: new teaching today. And to introduce it to you, I 15 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: wanted to show you a video that I made with 16 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: Abby when I showed her what my next sermon was 17 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,639 Speaker 1: going went to be and I caught her reaction on 18 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: my iPhone. Check this out. Many sermon series. Run Control, 19 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:18,199 Speaker 1: Run Control, Run Control. Look at it again? Are you 20 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: in control? Are you paid? My gosh, Oh my gosh, 21 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: that's awesome. It's awesome. Put it on the screen. Let's 22 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: go are you in control? Because haven't we kind of 23 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: wonder that lately? Are you honest? Are you? Are you? 24 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: Are you? Are you money? And you don't really say 25 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: it like that, You don't. You don't ask the Lord 26 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: if he's in control. You're scared to give you a 27 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: lightning bolt or a flat tire or hemorrhoid or something 28 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: like that, So you don't really say, Lord, are you 29 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: in control? You just kind of secretly wonder, like, Lord, 30 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: is still you on the thrown up there? Right? They 31 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: didn't They didn't kick you off, because it can make 32 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: you wonder. And even though we don't really put those 33 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: words around it, the question that we want to talk 34 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: about today is are you in control? And I want 35 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: to write it down just like that how it said 36 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: put it up one more time? Are you? And that's 37 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: how the Lord gave it to me. I put my phone. 38 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: I made a list of questions on my phone. I 39 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: was like, I wonder, what are the best questions in 40 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: the Bible? Because I got on this trajectory of realizing 41 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: that watch this, making progress in your relationship with God 42 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: usually looks like having less answers and better questions. So 43 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: how do I know if I'm growing in my relationship 44 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: with God? Usually you will know you're growing in your 45 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: relationship with God and your maturity in this world when 46 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 1: you have less answers and better questions. So the way 47 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: that I wanted to give it to you one more time, 48 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: I did it like that, are you in control? Because 49 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: it looks like run And the Lord showed me that 50 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: there are three questions that are running in the background 51 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: of your mind all the time, that are determining or 52 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: driving your state of mind. And to get there, we've 53 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: got to go all the way back to the prison 54 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: where Paul wrote Philippians. And I don't know what my 55 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: favorite book in the Bible. You know we're talking about questions. 56 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: I have been asked before, what's your favorite book of 57 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: the Bible. I don't know what's my favorite. I don't 58 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: know if you're supposed to have a favorite book of 59 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: the Bible. But the most functional for me in the 60 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: last few years has been the Book of Philippians. Of 61 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: all four chapters in the Book of Philippians, the most 62 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: functional chapter. What I mean is it's been working for me. 63 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: It's been working for me when I ran out of answers. 64 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: It helped me with my question. And I'm gonna show 65 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: you today the three questions. We won't get to all 66 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: of them today, but we're gonna look at three questions 67 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: that are controlling your life. And so when I asked 68 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: the question, are you in control? You're like, no, God's 69 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: in control. Let's go home, let's go eat some pot 70 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: roast and all that. But you do know that God 71 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: is in control. You're like, you're sitting me up or something. Yes, 72 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: I'm setting you up, because what I want to know is, 73 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: if God is in control, then why would anybody ever 74 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: be overweight? If God is in control, why would anybody 75 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: be addicted? If God is in control, why would anybody 76 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: ever be abused? And you wonder that too, but you 77 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: just don't ask it. You don't ask it because you're 78 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: scared to ask it because you think that God is 79 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: insecure like you are, and if you question him, he 80 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 1: won't have the answer. But God has the answer, so 81 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 1: he's not intimidated by your questions. What insults God is 82 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: when you think that he is so small and he 83 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: has some kind of ego where he can't handle your questions. 84 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: When you think about that question and I'm so excited 85 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 1: to share this with you because I believe as we 86 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: get this, it's going to be one of those series 87 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:08,919 Speaker 1: I want you to I want you to give me 88 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 1: all all three weeks. I think it's gonna take three weeks, 89 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: maybe two, maybe four. Maybe I'll just do it the 90 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: rest of the year. But when I started asking the 91 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: question are you in control? God? I realized that it's 92 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: a complicated answer. Yes, he's sovereign. How can he be 93 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: so sovereign and I feel so stuck? How can he 94 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: be so sovereign and some suffer so much? How can 95 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 1: he be so sovereign and some struggle so long? Of course, 96 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: I'm not confident enough in my professional competence to answer that. 97 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: That's why we're going to Paul in just a moment. 98 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: But realize that, God, maybe I could give it you 99 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: this way. Here's the first thing you could write them. 100 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: God is always in control, but he doesn't always take control. 101 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: God is always in control, but he doesn't always take control. 102 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: It's like when I gained fifty pounds in the first 103 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 1: eighteen months of being married. God never took any macaroni 104 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: off my plate. He let me eat as much macaroni 105 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: as I wanted to eat, and I was thinking about eating. 106 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: And I've said it a few times now because I'm 107 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: a little hungry, as I preached to be honest with you. 108 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: But the real reason I thought of it was portion control, right, Like, 109 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: God's not going to control the portion of food that 110 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: you eat or the portion of news that you consume. 111 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: Are you ready? He's not going to control the portion 112 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 1: of the Bible that you read. God will let you 113 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: watch as many episodes. What's that show Outer Banks, He'll 114 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: let you watch that is at the right show. He'll 115 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: let you watch. He'll let you watch every episode and 116 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: not read your Bible one time. God will let you watch. 117 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: God will let you scroll Instagram until you throw up 118 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: pictures of somebody else's vacation. He won't stop you. He's 119 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 1: in control. That doesn't stop you from scrolling, even Instagram. 120 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: I remember the first time God I felt sympathetic when 121 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: Instagram told me you're all caught up. I was like, there, 122 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: Facebook is trying to save me. They legally have to 123 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: tell me you've seen this crap already. So God doesn't 124 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: stop you from scrolling. God will not so so so 125 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: God is always in control, and I'm grateful, but he 126 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: doesn't always take control. Isn't that what we really want 127 00:07:55,760 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: is like a remote control God who we can tell 128 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: him what to do with other people, and from his 129 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: holy heaven he will make everybody do everything we want 130 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: to do. He is not a remote control God. He 131 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us 132 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: so that his spirit could live within us. And maybe 133 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: I could illustrate it this way for everybody who is 134 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: confused uncertain, like Paul was in prison. I came out 135 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: earlier and I said, let's show them with the cameras 136 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: to set up this idea of are you in control? 137 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: Like in the room right now, there are I think 138 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: eight cameras, maybe more. I don't know how many hidden 139 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: cameras there are security cameras, but I think there's eight, 140 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: so that this message can be brought to you you in 141 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: high definition, high fidelity, the Word of God and all 142 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: of his clarity. Right. But let's say like the way 143 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: it works, like there's different cameras that I look at, 144 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: and the way it works is like here's camera one, 145 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 1: and I think that's Bowser on camera on. Yeah, hey, 146 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: Bowser taking a break from throwing hammers at Mario for 147 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: a minute running the camera Jay Bowser, everybody. That's called 148 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: camera one. And I don't know if they call it 149 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: camera one because he's the most important one, but it's 150 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 1: right there. And if they put a scripture up, I 151 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: can see it and it's great. Okay, So that's camera one, 152 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: all right. And then over here on this camera it's 153 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: camera four or five or something like that doesn't matter. 154 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: The point is who's running this one today, Abraham, okay, Abraham. 155 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 1: And Abraham is over here. And if I go to 156 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 1: this camera right, you can see me. Now I'm looking 157 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 1: at the camera, and this is the way God gave 158 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: it to me, like a picture, just to make it 159 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: simple for what we're going to talk about over the 160 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: next few weeks. If Abraham's camera goes out of focus, 161 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: go ahead and make it blurry real quick, because sometimes 162 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 1: this happens as I'm moving around and everything like that, 163 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: and they have to focus the camera right, okay, and 164 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,679 Speaker 1: so you can't see me real good, and that's distracting, 165 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 1: and you're like, oh God, that looks horrible. It was 166 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: tithing elevation, but now I'm gonna give it somewhere else. 167 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: They don't even get the money in the equipment. So 168 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 1: then so then I'm like Bowser and I'm looking at 169 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 1: the camera, but nothing changed. What you have to understand 170 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: is he's behind the camera, but he's not controlling the camera. Furthermore, 171 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: let me come back over here where it's blurry. See 172 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: how you can't really see it, Like how your life 173 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: feels right now, how your plans feel right now, how 174 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 1: your future feels right now, how the outcome of certain 175 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: things in the United States of America feels right now, 176 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: How what God is doing in the world feels right now. 177 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: This house felt for a little while. And so Bowser 178 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: is on camera one, and it's like, Bowser, come on, man, 179 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: do your job. I'm looking at that camera. Give me 180 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: that camera. But he can't control that camera. That camera 181 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: is controlled in another room. The name of the room 182 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: is the control room. In the control room, somebody named Chelsea. 183 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 1: Chelsea has a headset and Bowser does not have the 184 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: capability to switch to that camera without Chelsea saying the 185 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: following words, take it. When Chelsea says take it, there 186 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: it is in focus. Now he's on the camera, but 187 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 1: he doesn't control the camera. So if I'm over here, 188 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 1: make it blurry again. Make it real, blurry, Abraham, make 189 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: it real blurry and is blurry and I look over here. 190 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: Come on, Bowser, do your job. Come on, Bowser, what's 191 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: wrong with you? Come on, Bowser? Are you distracted? Come on, Bowser, 192 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: just sleep in today forget to show up front. Come on, Bowser, 193 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: let's go, let's go. I can yell at him all 194 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: I want, but he's not controlling the camera. Until Chelsea says, 195 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: watch this, take it now. God says, you can stay 196 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: in a state of confusion. Make it blurry, Abraham all 197 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: you want, and you can complain about me all you want. 198 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: But God says, until see. God can give you a promise, 199 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: but until you take it, you gotta God to give 200 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: you peace. But you will feel unclear until you take it. 201 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: And I hear the spirit of God saying today I 202 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: have given you retention, restoration, and purpose, but you got 203 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: to take it. Are you in control? So there are 204 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: three questions in Philippians one that I think will help 205 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: us with our focus. For me, in the last six months, 206 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: focus has been a matter of survival. For the first 207 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: week of the global pandemic, I had news stations on 208 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: all around. I had to turn them off because I 209 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: realized that if I kept watching their news, I wouldn't 210 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: be able to preach good news the gospel. And I 211 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: found out why they call it breaking news, because it 212 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:11,719 Speaker 1: will break your brain. So Paul is going to talk 213 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: to us today in a situation where it seems like 214 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: God is maybe not in control? Are you in control? God? 215 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: Because here I am in prison and here you are sovereign, 216 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: and here I am stock. So this really helped me. 217 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: All right, you'll pray for me. I can read the 218 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: whole thing with no interruptions. How many believe that God 219 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: will give me the willpower to read all fourteen verses 220 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: and not stopping and rent around? Y'all don't believe I'm 221 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,439 Speaker 1: gonna prove you wrong? Okay? How many of y'all on 222 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: the chat believe in me? Say? I believe in you, Pastor. 223 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: I don't care about these other people. Fire them all, 224 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: fire your staff. We believe in you. Believe in Steve. 225 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: Here we go Philippians one twelve. Now, I want you 226 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to 227 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: me has actually served to advance the gospel as a result. 228 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: He's not okay, okay, just one, He's not focused on 229 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: the resistance. He's focused on the results. It has become clear. 230 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: It has become clear, Abraham, it has become Take it clear. 231 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: It has become clear. Situation is uncertain, but my purpose 232 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: has become clear throughout the whole palace, guard and to 233 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: everyone else, that I am in chains for Christ. And 234 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters 235 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: have become confident in the Lord, and they're all the 236 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: more to proclaim the Gospel, the Gospel, the good News 237 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: without fear. It is true. Somebody say facts that some 238 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: preach Christ out of envy, and right, I will read, 239 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: but others others out of good will. The latter do 240 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 1: so out of love, knowing that I am put here 241 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: for the defense of a gospel. The former preached Christ 242 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: out of selfish ambition, not sincerely supposing they can stir 243 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: up trouble for me while I am in chains. But 244 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: what does it matter? The important thing is that in 245 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: every way, and I've already given you the first question, 246 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: there are three. I've already given you the first one. 247 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: See if you can find all three. Two of them 248 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: are right there in the text, and one is implied. 249 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: He said, what does it matter? The important thing is 250 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: that in every way, whether from false motives or true, 251 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice, Yes, 252 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: and I will continue to rejoice. I'll rejoice in my bathrobe, 253 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: watching church in my living room. I will continue to rejoice. 254 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: I will rejoice without a job cut back on hours. 255 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: I will rejoice even as I wake up in the 256 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: middle of the night, in the middle of a full 257 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: blown panic attack. I will praise my way back to sleep. 258 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: I will breathe my way into peace. I will continue 259 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: to joye for I know that, through your prayers and 260 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has 261 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 1: happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I 262 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way 263 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: be a shame, will have sufficient courage so that now 264 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether 265 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: by life or by death. For to me, to live 266 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: is Christ and to die is Gain. If I'm to 267 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful 268 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do 269 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: not know. Torn between the two. Kind of want to 270 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: get out of here. It's crazy, but it's more necessary 271 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, 272 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: I know that I will remain and I will continue 273 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: with all of you for your progress, enjoy and the faith. 274 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: Isn't it funny that he calls it progress? Well, he's 275 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 1: in prison. He must be measuring something, he must be 276 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: asking a different question, and he does not give them 277 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: any of the answers that they would have asked for, 278 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: because I'm going to tell you what they wanted to know? 279 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: When are you getting out the church at PHILIPI is 280 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: like your kids in the car. All they want to 281 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: know is are we there yet? How many think that's 282 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: the second most annoying question that your kids ask. You're like, well, 283 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: what's the first? For me? Do we have to do? 284 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: I have to? I feel the spirit of slap your 285 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: tongue out of your mouth coming up? Do I have 286 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 1: to unload the dishwasher? Okay, no, you don't have to. 287 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: I will rip the dishwasher out, throw it in the yard. 288 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: You can wash it all by hand, and then after that, 289 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,120 Speaker 1: your mom will cook for me and you will watch, 290 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: so you don't have to. I used to hate it 291 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: when staff members would say, do we have to come? 292 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 1: Do we have to comb to Saturday night service. And 293 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes the Lord just has to take stuff 294 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: away for a minute for you to appreciate it to 295 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: get it back, and it's like, do I have to 296 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: be there? It's like, oh God, can I please come? 297 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 1: Can I please? And so that happens, that that happens, 298 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: that happens in our life. So the Lord was telling 299 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 1: me that there are some really bad questions that I ask, 300 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: questions that either he doesn't want me to know. My 301 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: mom used to always say, if I would have wanted 302 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: you to know, I would have told you. And so 303 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: the way Paul started the text, go back to verse 304 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: twelve real quick, he said, now I want you to know. 305 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: And then he doesn't tell them what they want to know. 306 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: When are you getting out? He tells them what he 307 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: wants them to know. That's like God. He tells you 308 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: what he wants you to know. God controls the flow 309 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: of information to our lives, and he doesn't owe us 310 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 1: an explanation for everything. My amens are fading fast. Oh, 311 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: my amens are fading fast. My amens are shutting down 312 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: right now. I feel like I'm gonna have to come 313 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 1: over here and preach this to Jenna now Jenna. I 314 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 1: specifically asked if you could be out on the stage 315 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: today because I was watching you worship the other day 316 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: and I realize that you are an example of someone 317 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: who never really asks for the spotlight. That blessed me. 318 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:40,239 Speaker 1: It blessed me because a lot of singers want to know, 319 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: like when am I going to get that? You know, 320 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: it's a dumb question, And I realized that the better 321 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: question isn't when am I going to get credit? It's 322 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: what is God calling me to do? Now? When God 323 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 1: does not give you an answer? How many of you 324 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,719 Speaker 1: are waiting for an answer from God about something in 325 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: your life right now? Okay, if you won't give you 326 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: the answer, ask him for a better question. You want 327 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: an example of this, when Moses asked God in Exodus, 328 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: chapter four, verse one. You remember he's called by God. 329 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: We discussed Moses a couple of weeks ago. I kind 330 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 1: of finished my sermon talking about Moses and how if 331 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: God asked you to do it, the proof that you 332 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: have it in you is that He asked you to 333 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 1: do it, because he won't ask anything from you that 334 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: he didn't first put in you. And I'm just reminding 335 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: you of that. But remember when Moses asked the first 336 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 1: thing he asked, he said, he said, what if they 337 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: do not believe me talking about the Israelites. Now, let's 338 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: isolate those three words. What if they? Okay, that's a 339 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 1: bad question. Anytime your question revolves around other people, it 340 00:20:55,920 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: is outside of the realm of your sovereign control. What 341 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: if they? I don't care what you say next, you 342 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 1: can't control it. What if they is a bad question. 343 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: So watch what God does. He answers Moses' question with 344 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: a question, But it's an upgrade. When I saw this, 345 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 1: I shouted, you ready, Moses, what if they? Look at 346 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 1: verse two, The Lord said to him, what is that? 347 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: So let's go. Moses said, what if they? God said, 348 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: what is that? Moses is asking about what he can't control. 349 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:42,120 Speaker 1: He's asking about a hypothetical scenario that involves others, and 350 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 1: God says, what is that? What is that? In your hand? 351 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 1: God will always point you to what is at hand. 352 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 1: And the more your questions revolve around hypothetical situations that 353 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: haven't happened and may not happen, the longer you are 354 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 1: going to spend in the absence of an answer, which 355 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: you will mistake for the absence of God. But God 356 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 1: ask a better question. It's not what if they? What 357 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: is that? When you focus on what God has given you. 358 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: I love this. I spend so much time asking the 359 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 1: question what if they or what if that? Or what 360 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: if this? Or what if that? But God says, I've 361 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: already given you a that no matter what they do. Ye, yes, 362 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 1: all right. So that's an example of what I'm talking 363 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: about the power of a better question. And so the 364 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: proof of my progress and my relationship with God is 365 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:50,200 Speaker 1: I have less answers better questions. The three questions that 366 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: are always running in your mind are what does it matter? 367 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: What does it mean? And what shall I choose? All 368 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: three are in the text. I'll be honest with you. 369 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 1: The first one caught me off guard when I was 370 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: just minding my own business preaching Philippians one, and I 371 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,439 Speaker 1: was standing on this stage. I will never forget I 372 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 1: was standing on stage. I didn't study for it or anything. 373 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 1: I was just reading through it. You know, there's some 374 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,959 Speaker 1: really good stuff in the Book of Philippians, some really 375 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 1: famous verses. Being confident of this that he began a 376 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: good work ca and you be faithful to complete it 377 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: to the day of Christ. That's a great verse. One 378 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: of them we read. For me to live is Christ, 379 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: to die is game. How about this one? God has 380 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: exalted Jesus the highest place, giving me the the names above, 381 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: every name that at the name of ges every name 382 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 1: to about and every time confessed geis Christ Lord, the 383 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:50,360 Speaker 1: glory of God the Father. These are like the famous 384 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: verses in Philippians, and they're good. So I always thought 385 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: those were the most important verses of the whole thing. 386 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: And there's some other ones too that you know. You know, 387 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,919 Speaker 1: these verses I kind to myself to have apprehended. But 388 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 1: this one thing I do forgetting what is behind and 389 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: pressing toward was ahead. I pressed toward the margaret, the prize. 390 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: You know how many times have you heard that on 391 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: New Year's Eve or something like that. I'm forgetting what 392 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: is behind, forget the past, pressed toward what's ahead. You know, 393 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Right, 394 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,719 Speaker 1: great versus in Philippians. And My God shall supply all 395 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: your needs according to His riches in glory. All those 396 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: verses I love. The one that jumped up and bit 397 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 1: me was in verse eighteen, or yeah, verse eighteen of 398 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 1: chapter one, where Paul says, what does it matter? And 399 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 1: the Lord arrested me in the middle of my sermon. 400 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: I was trying to get to another verse, and the 401 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: Lord said, stop right there. If you get that question wrong, 402 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 1: nothing else matters. So what does it matter? And then 403 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: if you drop down a little bit to verse twenty two, 404 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: Paul says, if I am to go on living in 405 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So 406 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: what does it mean? And then he asked a question 407 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: that you wouldn't think he's in any position to consider. 408 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: What shall I choose? And I love it because Paul 409 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: is such a control freak, and so am. I almost 410 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 1: called this message and maybe I'll put it on the 411 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: thumbnail to get some click bait and get people saved 412 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:20,919 Speaker 1: on the YouTube channel, but almost called it confessions of 413 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: a control freak. I'm reading Philippians and I'm just going along, 414 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: and I'm like, Paul is so used to calling the shots. 415 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 1: He doesn't realize that he's not gonna get to be 416 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: in charge this time. He's like, I've been thinking about it. 417 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 1: I might want to stay. It's like Caesar's going to 418 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: make that decision, buddy, And he's like, no, no, no, no, no, 419 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: it's the wrong question. I'm not talking about whether or 420 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: not I'm going to get out of this situation. I'm 421 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 1: talking about what God is doing in the midst of it. So, 422 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: so the moment that you take control of the answer 423 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: to these three questions, here they are again, what does it? 424 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,920 Speaker 1: What does it? What shall I? And you gotta say 425 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: shall because it puts a little King James authority on it. 426 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 1: What shall I choose? I'm telling you God doesn't control everything. 427 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: He gives you choice. And Holly said last week that 428 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:20,399 Speaker 1: the word rejoice comes in the Book of Philippians, like 429 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: how many times do you remember? Sixteen times? Joy rejoice? 430 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 1: So I thought the theme of the Book of Philippians 431 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: was joy, but I found out it's really freedom that 432 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: he is, that he is still in control of his 433 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 1: soul's state, even though he can change nothing about his circumstance. 434 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 1: And the Lord told me to appreciate because these three 435 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:52,199 Speaker 1: questions are running your life in a back room. In 436 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: a back room. Wow, So what's showing up on the 437 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,439 Speaker 1: screen right now is because somebody's on a camera. But 438 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:03,479 Speaker 1: the one who's on the camera is not controlling it. Okay, 439 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:08,119 Speaker 1: it doesn't start where you see it. You see it 440 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: on the screen. It doesn't start on a screen. That 441 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 1: camera has to capture this message and then send it out, 442 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: but he doesn't control it. And the way the Lord 443 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: showed me this, he was like, this is like your 444 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: feelings or your state of mind, your thoughts. So Bowser, 445 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:28,919 Speaker 1: you're not God in this analogy, You're just my thoughts. 446 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:38,679 Speaker 1: And then, Chelsea is my questions. Every thought that I 447 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:43,479 Speaker 1: have started with a question. And if I ask a 448 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: bad question, this is the worst question. What's wrong with me? 449 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 1: That is probably the most frequently asked question. If you 450 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: were to do a lobotomy of Stephen Verdicts FAQs, then 451 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: I ask myself, just over and over again, what's wrong 452 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 1: with you? What's wrong with you? Let me tell you 453 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:13,439 Speaker 1: what happens when you ask that question. All right, that 454 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: question will attract a million answers because the devil has 455 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: a list ready. Oh my god, that is the most 456 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 1: magnetic question in the universe. The moment you say what's 457 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,400 Speaker 1: wrong with me, here comes every demon from the time 458 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 1: that you were conscious, and they will line up with 459 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 1: the list. Oh what's wrong with you? Okay, you want 460 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: me to start? Okay, that's the physical appearance, okay, or 461 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: you need to it's the wrong question. How many of 462 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:54,959 Speaker 1: y'all are like me? What's wrong with me? What's my problem? Be? 463 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: So stupid, so stupid, so stupid, so stupid, so stupid. 464 00:28:58,400 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: And the Devil's like, I can tell you, I can 465 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: be so stupid. Your dad was stupid. Like, the devil 466 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: has a list everything. He'll show you everything from your 467 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 1: genetics to your jawline to everything. I mean, you just 468 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: take everything, but your questions direct the integrity of your thoughts. God. 469 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: So when Paul asked in Philippians one eighteen, what does 470 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: it matter? He is setting the direction of his thoughts 471 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: by controlling the focus of his priorities. What does it matter? 472 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: What does it matter? In his case, he's talking about 473 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: some people who are using his uniquely vulnerable situation as 474 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 1: an apostle who is in chains to capitalize on the situation, 475 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 1: you know. And he's like, ah, it doesn't matter, and 476 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, yes it does, Yes it does, because there's 477 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: something in me that always wants to like, you know, 478 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: I'm real quick to get offended. I'm just getting it 479 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: out there and telling you like this, so it's easier 480 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 1: to preach when I'm not up here hiding stuff from you, 481 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: so I am quick to get offended and I found 482 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: out of fence blocks my flow. I don't like it. 483 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 1: I don't like it. I wish I would have kind 484 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 1: of wish I would have talked to Paul sooner, because 485 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: he could have saved me so much time if he 486 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 1: would have taught me that human opinion doesn't matter as 487 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 1: much as I think it does. And it really changes 488 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 1: through the years. You know, when you're in middle school, 489 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: you're like that this is your biggest question, Like it's 490 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: like everything from how you dress to what you say 491 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: to what you don't say. It's like how can I 492 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 1: fit in? And then watch this you go to apply 493 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: for college. They're going to teach you how to put 494 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: something on your application so you can stand out. It's 495 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: like what to do? It's like all the questions are changing. 496 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: When I started the church, it was like how can I, 497 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: how can I how can I get people here right? 498 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: And then people start coming. I was like, how can 499 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: I keep doing this over and over against I don't 500 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: let anybody down. The questions are shifting, but I want 501 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: you to notice that that before he can get into 502 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 1: what does it mean, what you're going through? And where's 503 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 1: God in my situation? And God, what do you want 504 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:27,240 Speaker 1: me to do? The first question is what does it matter? 505 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: What does it matter? I guess so distracted, I get 506 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 1: so distracted, my focus gets so broken. Is actually even 507 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:40,640 Speaker 1: hard for me to sometimes look around the room when 508 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 1: I'm preaching, because if somebody looks like I remember one 509 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: time a guy looked really mad when I was preaching, 510 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 1: and it put me in an anger vibe of a gear. 511 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,960 Speaker 1: I started pulling up Bible verses about wrath and judgment 512 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 1: and the second Death. I didn't even know I knew 513 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 1: those verses. I'm just going for it. And they got 514 00:31:57,600 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: word to me later they said that man was going 515 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: through a divorce. They said he was going through a divorce. 516 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, okay, So I misinterpreted the situation 517 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: because I was asking the wrong question because I was 518 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: looking at him going like, why does he hate me? 519 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: And really he hated his situation? But I asked the 520 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: wrong question I was. I was starting with they why 521 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 1: do they? Why did they all? Why did they always 522 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 1: do that? Oh? You know, it's a bad question when 523 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 1: it includes the word always, Why do they always? They 524 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: don't always. Nobody always is what theology is better than 525 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 1: my grammar. Nobody always is anything. So so the question 526 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 1: starts with what does it matter? And this is where 527 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:47,920 Speaker 1: you have to write this phrase down, decide your distractions, 528 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: decide your distractions to realize that in this moment, the 529 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: only thing that matters in this moment to me is 530 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: that you connect to God and get the word that 531 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: He has for you. I would do anything to get 532 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 1: it across. I'll do camera tricks, camera angles, I'll run 533 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: around the screen. I would do anything to get it 534 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: across because I have come past the point in my 535 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 1: ministry now of thinking that the goal is to be impressive. 536 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 1: The goal is not for me to impress you. It 537 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 1: is to connect you to Heaven. If I connect you 538 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,720 Speaker 1: to Heaven, the ministry will flow through me and all 539 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,600 Speaker 1: of our needs will be mad. But it takes you 540 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 1: a little while to find out what matters, and usually 541 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: you don't even realize how much it matters until after 542 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: it happened. It that is sad. You think the wrong 543 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 1: thing matters until after it's over, and then you realize, oh, 544 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: it really wasn't that important. It really wasn't that important. 545 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 1: So I'm asking God to help me decide in advance 546 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 1: what are my distractions? And here's what Paul taught me. 547 00:33:55,440 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: Not every disruption is a distraction. Remember, this is the 548 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:04,840 Speaker 1: apostle that's taking the Gospel to the world, planting churches, 549 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:10,360 Speaker 1: and all of that progress has stopped. Apparently, Paul said, 550 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:18,759 Speaker 1: actually the gospel's moving forward. He decided what mattered? Did 551 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 1: you or did you outsource your priorities to a broken 552 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 1: world who doesn't know it's right from its left, it's 553 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 1: up from its down. What does it matter? What does 554 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:37,320 Speaker 1: it matter? I wish I would have talked to Paul sooner. 555 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 1: It would have been so good. I wouldn't have tried 556 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 1: to chase people to get them to like me, because 557 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,399 Speaker 1: I would realize that it's not really what they think 558 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 1: about me that matters. I would if I would have 559 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: talked to Paul sooner, I could have realized that a 560 00:34:53,239 --> 00:35:03,319 Speaker 1: human opinion is nothing compared to a divine seal. When 561 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: God puts his seal of ownership on you, people can 562 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:10,839 Speaker 1: think what they want, say what they want. I mean, 563 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: I'm just telling you. If I would have talked to 564 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: Paul sooner because I didn't know so because I didn't 565 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:19,759 Speaker 1: know I got petty. I got petty, I got jealous, 566 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: I got worked up, I got freaked out. I thought, 567 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,239 Speaker 1: oh my god, I mean, how many things if we 568 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: got to talk to Paul when we were starting the church, 569 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 1: how much time could we have saved worrying about stuff 570 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:33,759 Speaker 1: that didn't matter? Y'all? I got so possessed by this verse. 571 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 1: A couple of years ago, I made bracelets for the 572 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:40,800 Speaker 1: whole church. Instead of W WJD, I made it w 573 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 1: D IM what does it matter? But you know what 574 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,760 Speaker 1: it's not if it's on a bracelet, it's in your brain. 575 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:53,319 Speaker 1: It is your thoughts. And I'm still asking it does 576 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 1: it really matter? Does it really matter? Somebody told me 577 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 1: you should do that day and decade test. I was like, 578 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 1: what is that. They were like, well, if it won't 579 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,799 Speaker 1: matter in a day or in a decade, don't worry 580 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:09,000 Speaker 1: about it. That didn't help me too much, But here's 581 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:10,759 Speaker 1: what did help me. I didn't really get what they 582 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: were trying to say, but here's what did help me. 583 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:19,240 Speaker 1: I did some flashbacks to stuff that frustrated me so badly, 584 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:23,840 Speaker 1: and some stuff that had me so afraid that never happened. 585 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,800 Speaker 1: And as I was doing those flashbacks and realizing God's faithfulness. 586 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:31,360 Speaker 1: It was an exercise for me. It was an exercise 587 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 1: in asking a better question. The question what does it matter? 588 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 1: Will eliminate ninety five percent of my prayer requests right there, 589 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:43,439 Speaker 1: just by asking God give me your priorities. It will 590 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,360 Speaker 1: direct my resources. But it will start with the question. 591 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 1: It is a clarifying question. Make it blurry, Abraham, Come on, Abraham. 592 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: You remember Abraham and Sarah in the Bible. This is 593 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:58,240 Speaker 1: kind of crazy. In Genesis eighteen, Sarah was laughing because 594 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 1: God said that she was gonna have a baby. This 595 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:04,240 Speaker 1: is Genesis eighteen twelve, and it says that Sarah laughed 596 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:09,919 Speaker 1: to herself. So she did an lol. She how would 597 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:12,840 Speaker 1: I go? Lth? She lth? Do you see it on 598 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 1: the scripture? She laughed to herself, And look at this, 599 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,600 Speaker 1: she said, after I'm worn out and my Lord is old, 600 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:20,799 Speaker 1: will I have this pleasure? I don't see how this 601 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:23,360 Speaker 1: could happen now? And then the Lord said to Abraham 602 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,759 Speaker 1: take it. Why does Sarah laugh and say, well, I 603 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:27,360 Speaker 1: really have a child now that I am old? And 604 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,239 Speaker 1: here's a better question. Is anything too hard for the Lord? 605 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 1: See how that clarified it? You don't need an answer. 606 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 1: You need to quit caring about stupid stop hey, because 607 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:46,959 Speaker 1: I can worry about some stupid stuff. I can worry 608 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,400 Speaker 1: about some stupid stuff like ho and when and what 609 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 1: are they gonna say? And what if they That's what 610 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 1: Paul was saying. It really doesn't matter what their motive is. 611 00:37:56,760 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 1: It matters what God's purpose is. If it is God's 612 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: purpose in my life being accomplished, it doesn't matter. I 613 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,320 Speaker 1: feel something on this say I got too much purpose 614 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:12,760 Speaker 1: to be petty. I got too much purpose to be petty. 615 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:15,880 Speaker 1: I got too much purpose to be petty. Here was 616 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:18,120 Speaker 1: the key phrase to me, Are you ready? He said, 617 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:20,680 Speaker 1: I am put here for the defense of the Gospel. 618 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 1: Let's talk about that phrase. Who put this table here? 619 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: You don't even know what was it put here for? 620 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:40,880 Speaker 1: That's the important thing. Yeah, it was put here so 621 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:47,239 Speaker 1: I could preach, So write this down. Who put it 622 00:38:47,239 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 1: here isn't as important as why it was put here. 623 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:56,280 Speaker 1: When Paul says I am put here for the defense 624 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: of the Gospel, he could have just as easily said 625 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 1: I was put here by Caesar because Rome is so wicked. 626 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 1: But he didn't say any of that. He said Rome 627 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:08,839 Speaker 1: might be the reason I got here from a human standpoint. Now, 628 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:10,799 Speaker 1: this is for anybody who's trying to figure out why 629 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:13,360 Speaker 1: this happened and why that happened. That is a bad question. 630 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:16,759 Speaker 1: The better question is God, what are you doing right 631 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 1: now in my life? And not how long are you 632 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:22,320 Speaker 1: gonna leave me here? You notice Pauline asked that one time, 633 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 1: how long is God gonna leave me here? Instead, he 634 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 1: asked the question what am I put here for? I 635 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:33,360 Speaker 1: wonder what would happen if you asked that about your life? 636 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:40,600 Speaker 1: What was I put here for? Not who was I 637 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:45,680 Speaker 1: put here by? That's gonna make you bitter because you're 638 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 1: gonna start blaming people. You're gonna start blaming people who 639 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:53,200 Speaker 1: didn't support you. You're gonna start blaming people who didn't 640 00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: encourage You're gonna start blaming people who should have been 641 00:39:55,120 --> 00:40:01,960 Speaker 1: there for you. But what you were put here matters 642 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:08,640 Speaker 1: more than who you were put here by. I don't know, man, 643 00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: I just feel like God is annoying this message. God said, 644 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:17,759 Speaker 1: put a shrug emoji in the chat. He said, that 645 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:20,480 Speaker 1: is the official emoji of Heaven. Over most of the 646 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:23,880 Speaker 1: stuff you're stressed about. The Lord said, I need you 647 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:27,440 Speaker 1: to make a list, not a bucket list like I 648 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:30,439 Speaker 1: don't care list, like a list of like I'm gonna 649 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: quit caring about this so i can focus on that 650 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:38,040 Speaker 1: because I cannot care about everything. You know that, right? 651 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,839 Speaker 1: You know you were not designed to care about everything. Well, 652 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:43,440 Speaker 1: if you don't watch the news all the time? Oh, 653 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:48,200 Speaker 1: are you gonna be informed? My sanity matters more than 654 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:54,560 Speaker 1: my informdness. Talk to me back row, talk to me 655 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:57,400 Speaker 1: back row. And I'm gonna tell you another thing that 656 00:40:57,440 --> 00:41:01,000 Speaker 1: Holly said last week. She said, are you trying to 657 00:41:01,040 --> 00:41:04,160 Speaker 1: prove your point or you're trying to keep the relationship. 658 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 1: See Paul said, I don't matter. It doesn't matter what 659 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:11,640 Speaker 1: their motive is. It matters what God's mission is. So 660 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:15,000 Speaker 1: you got to decide in your life. You got to 661 00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:18,280 Speaker 1: decide what's gonna matter to you, what's going to matter 662 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:20,920 Speaker 1: to you in this season, what's going to matter to 663 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,359 Speaker 1: you in this moment? And you might have to come 664 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,799 Speaker 1: back to that a thousand times, Like I'm telling you, 665 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:28,080 Speaker 1: sometimes I just have to do this over and over 666 00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:31,319 Speaker 1: and over again. And I've got a flip phone. I've 667 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:33,000 Speaker 1: got a flip phone. I don't have a side chick 668 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:35,160 Speaker 1: It's not some sketchy thing like that. It's just like 669 00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:38,000 Speaker 1: I got a flip phone. Because sometimes I just can't 670 00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:41,640 Speaker 1: care about and process everything all the time, because it 671 00:41:41,719 --> 00:41:45,759 Speaker 1: matters more to me to be available to God than 672 00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:51,320 Speaker 1: accessible to everyone else. So I just can't care about everything. 673 00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:56,719 Speaker 1: What does it matter? People ask me sometimes, you know, 674 00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:59,920 Speaker 1: like did you see what they said? I'm like nope, 675 00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:05,799 Speaker 1: and they're like do you want to know? No, they 676 00:42:05,920 --> 00:42:08,200 Speaker 1: saw this thing about you, and you want to hear. No. 677 00:42:08,239 --> 00:42:24,120 Speaker 1: I don't hear control alt delete, control all delete, the 678 00:42:24,239 --> 00:42:30,440 Speaker 1: spiritual command function right control alt delete. So I have 679 00:42:30,560 --> 00:42:34,279 Speaker 1: got to change some priorities if I am going to 680 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:38,720 Speaker 1: expect God's resources and they are connected. When Paul says 681 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 1: I expect that through your prayers and the provision of 682 00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:43,799 Speaker 1: God's spirit that what has happened to we will turn 683 00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:48,120 Speaker 1: out for my deliverance, that doesn't happen unless he correctly 684 00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:54,800 Speaker 1: answers the question what does it matter? What does it matter? 685 00:42:56,239 --> 00:43:01,520 Speaker 1: The stupid stuff me free because I used to think 686 00:43:01,719 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 1: I embarrassed myself. I'd be like, oh, man, I said this, 687 00:43:04,239 --> 00:43:08,000 Speaker 1: or I said that. I'm embarrassed. They don't care. People 688 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:10,160 Speaker 1: are paying way too much attention to themselves, to care 689 00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:15,239 Speaker 1: about anything you mispronounced or said wrong. It's true. The 690 00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:17,960 Speaker 1: greatest way for you to stop being so self centered 691 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:22,080 Speaker 1: is to realize how self centered everybody else is. Everybody's 692 00:43:22,080 --> 00:43:24,040 Speaker 1: walking around going God, I can't believe I said that, 693 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:28,200 Speaker 1: Like they're going home and studying the scripture of what 694 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:32,080 Speaker 1: you said. What does it matter? I preached one week 695 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:35,200 Speaker 1: and my button was undone, and I didn't realize my 696 00:43:35,239 --> 00:43:37,879 Speaker 1: button was undone, And I bet I stressed about that 697 00:43:38,160 --> 00:43:43,680 Speaker 1: for three days, like the button police were watching my YouTube. 698 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:47,160 Speaker 1: You know how stupid is that? Here I am preaching 699 00:43:47,239 --> 00:43:51,880 Speaker 1: the Bible, telling people that Jesus Christ is Lord and sovereign, 700 00:43:52,120 --> 00:43:55,680 Speaker 1: and I'm stuck on a button. Now y'all are looking 701 00:43:55,760 --> 00:44:01,279 Speaker 1: awfully judgmental. I bet you've gotten stuck on stuff. So 702 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:06,279 Speaker 1: God said he will not control everything. He will not 703 00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:13,040 Speaker 1: control your priorities. You will. You will decide what matters 704 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:18,440 Speaker 1: to you. What does it matter? What does it matter? 705 00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:22,840 Speaker 1: Everything else is a distraction, you know? Does it matter? 706 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:26,120 Speaker 1: I'm so overflowing with things to tell you about this, 707 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:31,279 Speaker 1: Yet it would be irresponsible for me to not tell 708 00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:36,239 Speaker 1: you that that can work both ways, because just like 709 00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:40,960 Speaker 1: you care too much about some stuff, there's some other 710 00:44:40,960 --> 00:44:47,120 Speaker 1: stuff that you don't care enough about. Like for Paul, 711 00:44:47,400 --> 00:44:50,200 Speaker 1: he had it clear. Remember he said, it's clear to me. 712 00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:54,960 Speaker 1: The important thing is Christ is preached, good news, gospel, purpose, 713 00:44:55,160 --> 00:45:01,120 Speaker 1: all that stuff. Well, I think if the devil can't 714 00:45:01,719 --> 00:45:09,439 Speaker 1: distract you, he'll discourage you. I don't think he really 715 00:45:09,480 --> 00:45:11,359 Speaker 1: cares how he takes you out. He just doesn't want 716 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:16,440 Speaker 1: you to know why you're here. In my study of 717 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:19,680 Speaker 1: the scripture, pulse attitude reminded me a little of another 718 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:25,520 Speaker 1: prophet from the Old Testament called Elijah. He was really 719 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:29,000 Speaker 1: powerful dude, but he had a lot of insecurities, I think, 720 00:45:29,880 --> 00:45:33,200 Speaker 1: And I think that because it manifested in him tending 721 00:45:33,239 --> 00:45:40,000 Speaker 1: to perform well in public, but to have problematic conversations 722 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:44,359 Speaker 1: and ask the wrong questions in private. And I don't 723 00:45:44,360 --> 00:45:47,919 Speaker 1: know if you can relate to this, but he looked 724 00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:51,000 Speaker 1: really good on the outside, right, you know, it looked 725 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:53,480 Speaker 1: really amazing on the outside, and he looked really powerful 726 00:45:53,480 --> 00:45:56,759 Speaker 1: on the outside. But there is a scripture that was 727 00:45:56,760 --> 00:45:58,560 Speaker 1: playing in my head and I couldn't figure out why. 728 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:02,400 Speaker 1: I kept thinking about it until I realized that that 729 00:46:02,640 --> 00:46:04,520 Speaker 1: just like you need to ask what does it matter 730 00:46:04,719 --> 00:46:06,919 Speaker 1: about some certain things and push them to the side 731 00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:08,759 Speaker 1: in the season of your life. And I would ask 732 00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:11,520 Speaker 1: that what do you need to push to the side 733 00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:13,880 Speaker 1: that doesn't matter, that doesn't matter, that doesn't matter, that 734 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:15,960 Speaker 1: doesn't matter, to make room for the things that do. 735 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:20,600 Speaker 1: There are also some times where the devil will try 736 00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:24,800 Speaker 1: to convince you that something doesn't matter that actually really does, 737 00:46:26,719 --> 00:46:30,600 Speaker 1: like when Elijah called down fire on Mount Carmel and 738 00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:33,080 Speaker 1: the false prophets for all put to death with the sword. 739 00:46:33,200 --> 00:46:35,400 Speaker 1: You may know the story or you may not. Really 740 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:38,440 Speaker 1: does it really doesn't matter if you know all the details. 741 00:46:38,680 --> 00:46:42,040 Speaker 1: There was one specific moment that was really on my 742 00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:45,600 Speaker 1: heart to talk to you about because he went all 743 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:48,279 Speaker 1: alone after this great victory in his life, and he 744 00:46:48,320 --> 00:46:50,759 Speaker 1: went to a cave and he spent the night in 745 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:53,080 Speaker 1: a cave, and the voice of the Lord came to 746 00:46:53,160 --> 00:46:55,560 Speaker 1: him in the cave. And you got to remember, the 747 00:46:55,600 --> 00:46:59,600 Speaker 1: Lord didn't really shout. He whispered. And a lot of 748 00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:02,440 Speaker 1: times the Lord will be like a whisper, you know, 749 00:47:02,520 --> 00:47:05,520 Speaker 1: he'll be like a whisper. He's not a remote control god. 750 00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:07,920 Speaker 1: He's an up close god, so he'll be like a whisper. 751 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:10,600 Speaker 1: And the question that he asked Elijah, not with a 752 00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,520 Speaker 1: lot of decibel's, but with a lot of clarity. He said, 753 00:47:14,520 --> 00:47:20,480 Speaker 1: what are you doing here? And what Elijah said next 754 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:23,440 Speaker 1: reflects where his heart was at. He said, I have 755 00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:26,040 Speaker 1: been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites 756 00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:28,960 Speaker 1: have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, put your 757 00:47:28,960 --> 00:47:31,279 Speaker 1: prophets to death with the sword. I am the only 758 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:34,520 Speaker 1: one left, and now they are trying to kill me too. 759 00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:40,919 Speaker 1: I hear in his response the words of a man 760 00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:46,719 Speaker 1: who has done all that he can do and come 761 00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:50,879 Speaker 1: to the conclusion that none of it matters. I hear 762 00:47:50,920 --> 00:47:53,200 Speaker 1: a man that is at the end of his energy, 763 00:47:53,719 --> 00:47:56,040 Speaker 1: who has given everything that he can for the people 764 00:47:56,040 --> 00:48:00,799 Speaker 1: that he served. And I hear him, almost like the 765 00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:06,799 Speaker 1: opposite of Paul saying, what doesn't matter, It's never gonna 766 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:14,879 Speaker 1: get better, doesn't matter. Why even try you Remember when 767 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:17,680 Speaker 1: you preached, I'm tired of trying to change. I heard 768 00:48:17,719 --> 00:48:22,560 Speaker 1: Elijah saying that I'm I'm sick of this. It's not 769 00:48:23,480 --> 00:48:29,799 Speaker 1: it's outside of my control. I'm done, I'm drained, and 770 00:48:29,840 --> 00:48:35,120 Speaker 1: I'm the only one left. The irony of it is 771 00:48:36,040 --> 00:48:39,800 Speaker 1: that he had enough faith for his words to control 772 00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:47,600 Speaker 1: the weather system. He had enough faith to command the drought. Yeah, 773 00:48:47,680 --> 00:48:50,400 Speaker 1: but the question that would bring him out of depression 774 00:48:51,320 --> 00:48:55,600 Speaker 1: is the question you must ask, what am I doing here? 775 00:48:57,920 --> 00:49:02,560 Speaker 1: Paul asked that question, and he decided, I'm here for 776 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:06,480 Speaker 1: a purpose. And you know, that's a decision, that's an 777 00:49:06,520 --> 00:49:10,160 Speaker 1: interpretation that is not a fact on the surface, that 778 00:49:10,320 --> 00:49:14,239 Speaker 1: is a product of his faith. He decided that. He 779 00:49:14,360 --> 00:49:17,440 Speaker 1: decided that he could have said I'm here because it's unfair. 780 00:49:17,719 --> 00:49:21,120 Speaker 1: I'm here because the system is broken. But focusing on 781 00:49:21,160 --> 00:49:25,080 Speaker 1: what is broken will never set you free. I'm gonna 782 00:49:25,120 --> 00:49:29,000 Speaker 1: say it again, focusing on what is broken will never 783 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:31,839 Speaker 1: set you free. So as long as your question is 784 00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:34,879 Speaker 1: why today? And when will they? And how will they? 785 00:49:35,200 --> 00:49:38,160 Speaker 1: God said, what is that? What have I called you 786 00:49:38,320 --> 00:49:41,000 Speaker 1: to do? What has God called me to do? What 787 00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:44,040 Speaker 1: has God given me in this season that can't be 788 00:49:44,200 --> 00:49:47,400 Speaker 1: taken away? What can I control? What can I speak? 789 00:49:47,600 --> 00:49:50,520 Speaker 1: What can I activate? How can I move it forward? 790 00:49:50,920 --> 00:49:59,040 Speaker 1: What are the advantages? Who is this uncircumcised philistine who 791 00:49:59,160 --> 00:50:03,359 Speaker 1: dares to defe the armies of the Living God. They 792 00:50:03,400 --> 00:50:06,560 Speaker 1: saw Goliath and said, how can we kill him? He's big? 793 00:50:07,120 --> 00:50:09,919 Speaker 1: David said, how can we miss him. He's big. All 794 00:50:09,960 --> 00:50:12,960 Speaker 1: you gotta do, listen to me, Challigard. All you gotta 795 00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:16,520 Speaker 1: do is change the question, even if you don't know 796 00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:19,760 Speaker 1: all of the answers. And I feel like preaching because 797 00:50:19,800 --> 00:50:21,920 Speaker 1: God said, no, I'm not gonna give you an answer. 798 00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:25,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you a better question. What are you 799 00:50:25,200 --> 00:50:27,880 Speaker 1: doing here, you mighty man of valor? What are you 800 00:50:28,040 --> 00:50:31,120 Speaker 1: doing here? You unique daughter of God? What are you 801 00:50:31,239 --> 00:50:34,040 Speaker 1: doing in this place? After you've seen me time and 802 00:50:34,120 --> 00:50:37,360 Speaker 1: time again? Roll back the heavens and rend the sky 803 00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:40,520 Speaker 1: and come down and crush your enemies? What are you 804 00:50:41,360 --> 00:50:46,879 Speaker 1: doing here? See? He really wasn't running from Jezebel, who 805 00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:51,440 Speaker 1: threatened his life. He was running from himself because he 806 00:50:51,480 --> 00:51:01,880 Speaker 1: had gotten the question wrong. So I can't distract you, 807 00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:09,319 Speaker 1: he'll discourage you. And I want to minister to the 808 00:51:09,320 --> 00:51:13,320 Speaker 1: distracted people today and tell you that some stuff doesn't 809 00:51:13,320 --> 00:51:17,200 Speaker 1: matter as much as you think it does. Oh, but 810 00:51:17,280 --> 00:51:22,440 Speaker 1: I want to talk to some discouraged people today. You reckon. 811 00:51:22,520 --> 00:51:26,000 Speaker 1: Paul knew that we would make bumper stickers out of 812 00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:32,480 Speaker 1: stuff he wrote in prison. He didn't even know how 813 00:51:32,560 --> 00:51:38,960 Speaker 1: much it mattered, and neither do you. So stop waiting 814 00:51:39,400 --> 00:51:42,480 Speaker 1: on your seven year old to tell you you are 815 00:51:42,520 --> 00:51:45,600 Speaker 1: a father who is leaving a legacy, and everything you 816 00:51:45,640 --> 00:51:47,520 Speaker 1: are doing for me is good seed. And if you 817 00:51:47,600 --> 00:51:49,200 Speaker 1: train me up in the way that I should go, 818 00:51:49,239 --> 00:51:51,400 Speaker 1: when I am old, I will not depart from You 819 00:51:51,480 --> 00:51:58,160 Speaker 1: won't know how much it matters until after. So you 820 00:51:58,320 --> 00:52:04,000 Speaker 1: have to control your focus now. And as we minister 821 00:52:04,120 --> 00:52:08,160 Speaker 1: this word to you today, I wonder has the enemy 822 00:52:08,200 --> 00:52:10,240 Speaker 1: got you in a place where you started to believe 823 00:52:10,280 --> 00:52:16,719 Speaker 1: that I don't matter. I rebuke the spirit of rejection 824 00:52:17,440 --> 00:52:21,319 Speaker 1: off of your life. Right now, in this moment, by 825 00:52:21,360 --> 00:52:24,520 Speaker 1: the power vested in me by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 826 00:52:24,760 --> 00:52:29,719 Speaker 1: I minister to you that you matter so much. You 827 00:52:29,840 --> 00:52:33,120 Speaker 1: might not even know how much you matter until after, 828 00:52:34,280 --> 00:52:37,320 Speaker 1: but you got to have faith to believe in. Right now, 829 00:52:38,280 --> 00:52:44,840 Speaker 1: with everyone standing, your head bow your eyes closed, I 830 00:52:44,880 --> 00:52:48,360 Speaker 1: want you to realize that some of the stuff that 831 00:52:48,400 --> 00:52:56,800 Speaker 1: you think matters so much, it doesn't actually matter. Because 832 00:52:56,840 --> 00:53:01,120 Speaker 1: I want you to get your brain back so you 833 00:53:01,160 --> 00:53:05,839 Speaker 1: can enjoy some things. I want you not to take 834 00:53:05,880 --> 00:53:08,120 Speaker 1: it personal when people take out their pain on you. 835 00:53:10,280 --> 00:53:12,279 Speaker 1: I want you to stop thinking that everything that you're 836 00:53:12,280 --> 00:53:14,959 Speaker 1: missing is a mistake. Listen to me, child of God. 837 00:53:15,200 --> 00:53:20,600 Speaker 1: Some thing's God leaves out on purpose. Paul said, I'll 838 00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:23,640 Speaker 1: put here on purpose. I know what I'm doing here 839 00:53:23,680 --> 00:53:29,319 Speaker 1: because I decided that. I decided that everything else is 840 00:53:29,320 --> 00:53:34,440 Speaker 1: a distraction. Paul said, I know what's important. My peace 841 00:53:34,520 --> 00:53:39,040 Speaker 1: is more important, my joy is more important. I am 842 00:53:39,080 --> 00:53:42,839 Speaker 1: not going to let anything distract me from what matters. Now. 843 00:53:42,880 --> 00:53:45,000 Speaker 1: These questions are running in your mind all the time, 844 00:53:46,640 --> 00:53:48,919 Speaker 1: and we're going to talk about them in the next 845 00:53:48,920 --> 00:53:55,400 Speaker 1: few weeks. As we continue to minister this message to you, 846 00:53:55,400 --> 00:53:59,680 Speaker 1: you have assumed that maybe maybe God is not working 847 00:53:59,719 --> 00:54:01,880 Speaker 1: in your life, or he doesn't see you in your situation, 848 00:54:02,040 --> 00:54:04,040 Speaker 1: or maybe you've made a mistake so bad that he 849 00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:08,400 Speaker 1: can't use you anymore. That's all alive and the past 850 00:54:08,440 --> 00:54:11,879 Speaker 1: doesn't matter. You're in the presence of God. Now I'm 851 00:54:11,880 --> 00:54:15,600 Speaker 1: gonna tell you something about him. He can take things 852 00:54:16,160 --> 00:54:19,160 Speaker 1: that happen to you. He can take the time that 853 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:22,360 Speaker 1: you think you lost, and he is a multiplier and 854 00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:26,439 Speaker 1: he can give it back to you. But you got 855 00:54:26,440 --> 00:54:33,240 Speaker 1: to take it. Just like she tells the camera operator, 856 00:54:33,719 --> 00:54:37,359 Speaker 1: take it. I hear the Lord saying I want you 857 00:54:37,400 --> 00:54:41,040 Speaker 1: to have peace, but you got to take it. If 858 00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:43,160 Speaker 1: your mind is on the things that don't matter in 859 00:54:43,239 --> 00:54:46,560 Speaker 1: this season. You're gonna be so distracted. Oh God, it's 860 00:54:46,600 --> 00:54:53,359 Speaker 1: going to destroy you. But my peace is available to you. 861 00:54:53,440 --> 00:54:57,600 Speaker 1: What are you doing here? Never thought you'd be here, 862 00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:01,880 Speaker 1: You've certainly never been here before. What are you doing here? 863 00:55:01,960 --> 00:55:07,400 Speaker 1: Pull said, I decided I'm here for Christ? What have 864 00:55:07,480 --> 00:55:12,879 Speaker 1: you decided that? How amazing would the shift be? Can 865 00:55:12,920 --> 00:55:16,400 Speaker 1: you imagine if you just decided I'm here for Christ? 866 00:55:17,560 --> 00:55:19,399 Speaker 1: If you just started asking God, what are you doing 867 00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:23,640 Speaker 1: in my life? Right now? God? What do you I 868 00:55:23,680 --> 00:55:27,359 Speaker 1: can't control all of the input, but God, I can 869 00:55:27,440 --> 00:55:32,480 Speaker 1: control my response. So Lord, here's my life. Here's my 870 00:55:32,560 --> 00:55:39,520 Speaker 1: little prison, sell, here's my little limitation. All right? What 871 00:55:39,680 --> 00:55:44,759 Speaker 1: is that in your hand? It matters. It matters what 872 00:55:44,840 --> 00:55:49,960 Speaker 1: you say, It matters what you believe, It matters what 873 00:55:50,000 --> 00:55:53,000 Speaker 1: you take in. It matters what you meditate on. It 874 00:55:53,080 --> 00:55:57,120 Speaker 1: matters every second of your life, every season of your life. 875 00:55:57,120 --> 00:56:02,640 Speaker 1: You're answering the question what does it matter? And to 876 00:56:02,680 --> 00:56:05,080 Speaker 1: every thought that has told you lately, it doesn't matter, 877 00:56:05,160 --> 00:56:08,920 Speaker 1: and nobody would miss you, and the world wouldn't even all. 878 00:56:09,680 --> 00:56:13,799 Speaker 1: It's all a distraction. The devil doesn't want you to 879 00:56:13,840 --> 00:56:16,000 Speaker 1: know that what is inside of you is so much 880 00:56:16,040 --> 00:56:22,040 Speaker 1: greater than what is against you. Who is this uncircumcised philisty? Father? 881 00:56:22,120 --> 00:56:26,040 Speaker 1: I come into agreement with each person today to realize 882 00:56:26,080 --> 00:56:29,399 Speaker 1: the infinite significance of their life. That Jesus Christ would 883 00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:34,600 Speaker 1: die for them, how much they matter. Your blood told 884 00:56:34,640 --> 00:56:37,880 Speaker 1: me that once and for all, how much they mattered 885 00:56:37,960 --> 00:56:41,320 Speaker 1: enough for you to make them You need custom, desire, 886 00:56:41,480 --> 00:56:45,400 Speaker 1: custom tailor. Thank you, Lord. I am put here for 887 00:56:45,480 --> 00:56:51,680 Speaker 1: a purpose, and today we speak to each situation. In fact, 888 00:56:51,680 --> 00:56:53,480 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit, I want to give you just a moment 889 00:56:55,239 --> 00:57:01,520 Speaker 1: to give them a better question instead of why did 890 00:57:01,520 --> 00:57:03,480 Speaker 1: this happen to me? And why does this always happen 891 00:57:03,520 --> 00:57:07,600 Speaker 1: to me? What can you do through it? And as 892 00:57:07,600 --> 00:57:11,440 Speaker 1: you shift these questions, we expect to release from heaven 893 00:57:11,480 --> 00:57:15,320 Speaker 1: in our life. We thank you, Lord that your invitation 894 00:57:15,520 --> 00:57:21,680 Speaker 1: stands open for us, and if we ask, we will receive, 895 00:57:23,960 --> 00:57:29,680 Speaker 1: in Jesus' name, Amen, the power of a better question. 896 00:57:30,440 --> 00:57:32,720 Speaker 1: Give God praise in the place if you receive his word, 897 00:57:33,880 --> 00:57:37,480 Speaker 1: Come on, give him praise on every location, large or small. 898 00:57:38,960 --> 00:57:42,480 Speaker 1: Why not just offer God the space? Why not just 899 00:57:42,560 --> 00:57:46,400 Speaker 1: offer him a praise? Come on, He in habits the 900 00:57:46,440 --> 00:57:50,320 Speaker 1: praises of his people. He will set up shop anywhere 901 00:57:50,320 --> 00:57:55,280 Speaker 1: there is worship. Thank you Lord, How many are ready 902 00:57:55,320 --> 00:58:01,200 Speaker 1: for some better questions? What does it matter? What does 903 00:58:01,240 --> 00:58:06,240 Speaker 1: it mean? What shall I choose? So let me ask 904 00:58:06,240 --> 00:58:08,080 Speaker 1: you a question. Did you get something out of that? 905 00:58:08,800 --> 00:58:10,640 Speaker 1: I want to thank all of you who get to 906 00:58:10,720 --> 00:58:13,560 Speaker 1: this ministry so we can reach people on behalf of 907 00:58:13,680 --> 00:58:16,720 Speaker 1: everybody who was set free or delivered or encouraged or 908 00:58:16,760 --> 00:58:21,200 Speaker 1: inspired or led to Jesus through this ministry. Thank you. 909 00:58:21,200 --> 00:58:23,600 Speaker 1: Your giving matters when you share the link, it matters. 910 00:58:24,400 --> 00:58:27,200 Speaker 1: Every little bit makes a difference, And so I want 911 00:58:27,240 --> 00:58:30,520 Speaker 1: to thank you so much for being connected to this ministry. 912 00:58:30,680 --> 00:58:33,200 Speaker 1: I'm excited about going deeper into the teaching. I hope 913 00:58:33,200 --> 00:58:36,800 Speaker 1: you are too. God is always in control, but he 914 00:58:36,840 --> 00:58:39,600 Speaker 1: doesn't make our decisions for us. And I think you 915 00:58:39,840 --> 00:58:42,120 Speaker 1: made a good decision today to get God's word in 916 00:58:42,160 --> 00:58:45,160 Speaker 1: your heart. Now make sure that you obey what he 917 00:58:45,240 --> 00:58:48,240 Speaker 1: spoke to. You have the courage to take that step 918 00:58:48,560 --> 00:58:51,200 Speaker 1: whatever he's asking you to do. You know that He's 919 00:58:51,200 --> 00:58:53,640 Speaker 1: a rewarder of those who seek him. So I pray 920 00:58:53,720 --> 00:58:56,440 Speaker 1: for you in Jesus' name that this week will be 921 00:58:56,800 --> 00:58:59,760 Speaker 1: the week that you will ask better questions. God What 922 00:58:59,800 --> 00:59:02,040 Speaker 1: are you doing in this moment? What are you doing 923 00:59:02,040 --> 00:59:04,360 Speaker 1: in my life right now? And I pray that you'll 924 00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:06,960 Speaker 1: see him all around you as he presents you with 925 00:59:07,080 --> 00:59:09,640 Speaker 1: new opportunities to know him and make him know. We 926 00:59:09,760 --> 00:59:12,080 Speaker 1: love you, Holly, and I are praying for you. I'll 927 00:59:12,080 --> 00:59:12,880 Speaker 1: see you next time.