1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives you perspective to 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: We prophetically declare that the favor of the Lord is 7 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: upon you and your household. We declare it over not 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: only you, but your children, and not just them, but 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: your children's children one thousand generations, the blessing of the Lord. 10 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: We bless you today in the name of Jesus. We 11 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: bless you in the mighty name of Jesus. We bless 12 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: you in the name that is above every name. Come on, 13 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,959 Speaker 1: lift your hands right where you're at and receive this blessing. 14 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: You are blessed in the city, in the field. You 15 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: are blessed. In your coming. You're going, you are blessed. 16 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: You are above and not beneath. You're gonna make it 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: because you're blessed. You can smile through the storm because 18 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: you're blessed. Allelujah. I just want to minister this to 19 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: you because it's not like a greeting card. Man. That 20 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: is the eternal word of God that we're speaking over 21 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: your life today. Now you receive them. You push all 22 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: that unbelief to the side. You push all of that 23 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: distraction to the side, and you receive it. Put your 24 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: bowl of cereal down and receive it. Those frosted flakes 25 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,919 Speaker 1: are blocking you from receiving the favor of God. Somebody, 26 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: but I'd rather have favor than frosted flakes. Tell Tony, 27 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: I said that too. I'm so excited about it because 28 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: right now as we put the blessing on you, I 29 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: do this for my kids almost every night, and you 30 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: can ask them, they're here, come here, Abbi every night. 31 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: Is that true? Can you see her in the camera? 32 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: Put the camera on. Have you real quick? Come here? 33 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: Do I? Is it true or not that at least 34 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: five out of seven nights, because kids will call you 35 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: out like every night they do not every night, not 36 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: every night. Kids will expose you five out of seven nights. 37 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: We put that blessing on you. We declare that over you, 38 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: that the Lord bless you and keep you, make his 39 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The 40 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: Lord turned his face toward you and give you Shalon 41 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: it's more than it's not the kind of peace that 42 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: means I don't have any problems, because you're gonna have problems. 43 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: Jesus said, in the world you will have trouble. But 44 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: take heart, I have overcome the world peace. I give 45 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: you my peace. I leave with you, and I do 46 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: not give as the world gives peace. And since the 47 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: world didn't give peace, the dal Jones can't take it away. 48 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: Since my job didn't give me peace, I'm preaching Lucia's 49 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: I'm preaching. I'm preaching. I say, preach your dad, preaching 50 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: march preach of daddy. Anyway, Come here, boy, don't I 51 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: put that blessing on you every single every single night, 52 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: two things we go. Don't go to bed without Rick 53 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: Biotto and the blessing. Now, y'all get out of here. 54 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: I gotta preach. Hey where you going? Hey, Hey, Hey, 55 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: come back, leve you. That's swiggy Lish right there, shwiggy 56 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: Lish and fou flush. That's their code names. What's your nickname? 57 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: Have you got a nickname? If you got a nickname, 58 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: put it in the chat. So I want to I 59 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: want to say also happy while you're putting your nickname 60 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: in the chat, there's like a twenty second delay. Happy 61 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: birthday to my brother today. He turns thirty seven years old. 62 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: His government name. Yeah, come on, guys, they're like pastors 63 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: kind of filter. Let's bring the table and maybe he'll 64 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: read a scripture and settle down. That's right, Thank you 65 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: so much. Amazing, And he turned thirty seven. He is 66 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: about to be a dad, and we're sending love to 67 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: Matthew Lyles Ferdick. His nickname is Maxwell Murder. I call 68 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: him that because of Rancid, but that's not in the Bible. 69 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: You know. Jesus changed names too, but he usually didn't 70 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: do it after punk rock songs. But I call him 71 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: Maxwell Murder, killing him. So happy birthday to my brother. 72 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: I would wish you a happy birthday too. Just let 73 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: me know when it is. I'll get you a gift 74 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: in the mail. What do you want for your birthday? Hey? 75 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: I got another question? And are we welcome in your home? 76 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: This is kind of intrusive. We just showed up in 77 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: your home here. We are just all up in your 78 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:50,160 Speaker 1: living room, all up in your kitchen. Some of y'all 79 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: are still in bed. It's kind of close quarters for 80 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 1: coming up in your bedroom. It's kind of unless you 81 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: welcome us. So if we're welcome, let's see, I'm seeing 82 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: some nicknames in here. Some of them look kind of sketchy. 83 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: I'm not going to say these out loud. This could 84 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: get out of hand. In the chat forget, I asked 85 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: that here's the question after we preach today. After we 86 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: preach today, Normally i'd welcome you to church. You're not 87 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: welcome in the church building right now. Never thought i'd 88 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: say that you're not welcome here. You are absolutely not 89 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: welcome in this church. But we're bringing church to you today. 90 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: If that's all right, If you make a little space, 91 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: we want to come in and bring you the Word 92 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: of God. Come on. The grass withers, the flower fades, 93 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: viruses come, things change, things close, but the Word of 94 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: God stands forever. So if you will open your home 95 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,039 Speaker 1: today and your heart, what I want to know is 96 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: what are we having to eat after I preach? What 97 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 1: are you cooking? If you were here in the South Charlotte, 98 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: North Carolina, where I preach from, or Monk's Corner, South Carolina, 99 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: where you saw an awesome outreach segment, shout out Pastor 100 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 1: Shawnwood and Freedom Church, All the saints and believers there 101 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 1: the church in Monk's Corner. But we would cook you 102 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: some boiled peanuts, some chicken bog. It wouldn't be low 103 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: car but it would be a blessing to your intestines. 104 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: So what would you cook if we were coming over, 105 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 1: if Tiffany was coming over, if Dom was coming over 106 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: with his drum kit and setting up in your living room, 107 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: what would you cook for us? Pot roast eggs sounds good, 108 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: brought sounds good, steaking bread holds post real quick. It's 109 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: coming fast. I'm getting a little sick to my stomach. 110 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: I'm eating too much too fast. Bacon, eggs, hash browns, 111 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: and pancakes. Pasta with homemade Marinera sauce. Amanda says, keep going, 112 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: let's see some more. What else is on the menu. 113 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: I'm going to decide whose house to come to, Zachiah, 114 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: I'm coming to your house. Indonesian noodles. That sounds delicious, 115 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 1: bow tie pasta, what you want to eat? Ale? We're 116 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: getting many invitations. Cracker barrel, Holly said, is what I've 117 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: got today. Hey, I'm so glad you're in quarantine that 118 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: the Lord gave me a wife that can cook we've 119 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: been eating good. We've been eating good at lockeh Haven. 120 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: Nothing to complain about their barbecue. Now, y'all can't cook 121 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: barbecue like we can cook barbecue. If you don't have 122 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: a mustard based barbecue, I'm not coming. I am not coming. 123 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: Just forget about it. I don't care how much you 124 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: love Jesus. If your barbecue is in mustard bass, your 125 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: experience with the Holy Spirit is limited. I'm not coming. 126 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: Steak tacos, ramen noodles on a budget. Okay, okay, Lord 127 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: bless their bank account. They're offering me the cheapest possible food. 128 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: Sloppy Joe's crab salad. You ever had crab salad skinner? 129 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: Did they make that in Minnesota? Sounds like a delicacy? Gone, 130 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: We'll just do this all day. I was gonna read 131 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: the scripture. But is this making you hungry? Oh? Man? Well, 132 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: I don't know what we're gonna eat in the physical, 133 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: But man, do I have a meal? I got food 134 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:26,239 Speaker 1: to eat? You know? Not Ally give us the mena 135 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: that comes from heaven. God, give us your words, feed 136 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: us till we want no more. In Jesus' name, I'm 137 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 1: excited about it. This is part two of a series 138 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: that we started last week. Last week was just the appetizer, 139 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: and here comes the main dish. This new teaching is 140 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 1: called looking forward to Normal, And no, I didn't get 141 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: it wrong, because I know we're supposed to be getting 142 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: back to normal when they lift the restrictions, or they 143 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 1: let us go back to work, or let our kids 144 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: go back to school so that they can actually learn 145 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: something instead of pretending to learn something while the door 146 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: is closed, like I'm sure mine are doing. But one 147 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: of the things that's so important for us is that 148 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: we learned the lessons of this season in preparation for 149 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: the next. And I don't know about you, but God 150 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: has really been teaching me some things in this season 151 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: and I can't wait to share the next installment today. 152 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,959 Speaker 1: If you would take your Bible real quick, and if 153 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: you have a physical copy of the Bible, grab that. 154 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: The reason I'm saying that is probably you're watching this 155 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: on your phone, so I don't want you to multitask 156 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: on the same device. Get your physical copy of God's Word. 157 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: If you can't, I'm going to put it on the 158 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: bottom of the screen for you in just a moment. 159 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: But what I'd really like you to do is to 160 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: have your own copies so you can underline and write 161 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: in it, and we bless you today and we speak 162 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: this word over your life. All right, I'll be calm 163 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 1: down now. Elbe's really happy to be here. He's been 164 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: cooped up in the house. You know what's funny about it. 165 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 1: I think some people would pay to come to church 166 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: right now. My oldest son, Elijah, he's a business minded guy. Apparently, 167 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: he was like, Dad, I think you could charge for 168 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: tickets when church starts back. He said, that might be 169 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: the new ways. Well, we're not going to do that, 170 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: but certainly is a privilege. I feel like it's a 171 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: privilege to minister to you, and I'm so thankful for it, 172 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: and I want to make the most of the time. 173 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: And even when somebody said, come on, man, get to 174 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: the word. What else do you have to do? Let's 175 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 1: hang out for a minute. I was actually driving yesterday 176 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: just to get somewhere point A to point B. Don't worry. 177 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 1: I had my you know, my hasmat suit on and 178 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: I was trying to get to somewhere and people were 179 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: driving crazier than ever, and I was kind of like, 180 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: where are y'all going in such a hurry people riding 181 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 1: up on me. I'm like, where are you going right now? 182 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: What are you in a hurry for? Unless you are 183 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 1: a first responder slowed down? The world is over. You 184 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: don't have to speed anymore. But it's just something about 185 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: the pace and the patterns, and it's really hard to 186 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: let go of something that you've never known any different then. 187 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,719 Speaker 1: So like, if you're used to a certain pace, or 188 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: if you're used to a certain set of priorities, or 189 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: you're used to certain principles that you have assumed to 190 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 1: be true all of your life, it can be very, 191 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: very difficult to embrace something new. And what I was 192 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: saying last week, you'll sit down because I'm going to 193 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: read a lot of scriptures today. But I was saying, 194 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: how when God's people left Egypt in the Exodus, And 195 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to pick right up there in Exodus fourteen, 196 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 1: and then I'm going to go right back over to 197 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,599 Speaker 1: Romans twelve. You're like, that's the same scriptures as last week. Absolutely, 198 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: revelation requires repetition if it's going to become real in 199 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: your life. They say in marketing, you need to hear 200 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:09,199 Speaker 1: it seven times. So I want to reinforce this message. 201 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: But actually I want to give even more context than 202 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: I did last week, and I want to back up 203 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: to Exitus fourteen, verse five, as God's people were coming 204 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: out of Egypt, and somebody put it boldly in the 205 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: Chat in all calves, I'm leaving Egypt. I'm leaving Egypt. 206 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 1: You know, Egypt was the place where they went to 207 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: be fed for a little while, but then they needed 208 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 1: to be freed from the place they were fed in. 209 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: And I think that's a powerful picture, is that for 210 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: certain seasons in our life, certain things meet needs. The 211 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: process of growing in God is the process of releasing 212 00:12:54,080 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 1: something in order to receive something. And while that sounds 213 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 1: really cool because I made it all start with the 214 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:06,679 Speaker 1: letter are, it is very difficult to do. And that's 215 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: why we really need to walk through this with the Israelites, 216 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: because we're like, come on, Moses led you out of Egypt, 217 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 1: aren't you grateful? Well, not exactly totally grateful. I'm kind 218 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: of fearful. I'm kind of fearful. And Exodus fourteen, verse 219 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 1: five gives us some detail. After the people of God 220 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: have left Egypt, remember how many plagues were their Graham 221 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 1: in the Bible. In Egypt, you had the frogs, remember 222 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: the gnats, all the plagues that God used. Remember, okay, 223 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: it's the same number as the commandments. How many commandments? 224 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: Ten commandments, ten plagues? And God did all of that 225 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: because he said, unless I force Pharaoh to let you go, 226 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:59,959 Speaker 1: he won't. Certain changes are not embraced. They must be forced. 227 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: They must be forced certain changes. If you want your 228 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: muscles to grow, you can't nicely ask them to grow. 229 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: That has to be forced. And the only way you 230 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: can force a muscle to grow is to bring it 231 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: to the point of failure so that the fibers break down. 232 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: Am I getting this right? Chunks and grow back stronger. Now, 233 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: I'm going to tell you an illustration of that that 234 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: I put on Instagram this week. But after I read 235 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: my scripture, the Bible says in Exodus fourteen, verse five, 236 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: are you ready for the word? I've already started preaching it. 237 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: When the King of Egypt was told that the people 238 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: had fled, that his entire workforce had left the building, 239 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. Underline, that changed 240 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: their minds. They changed their minds about them because remember, 241 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: Pharaoh didn't want to let them go. But then there 242 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 1: was one plague, two plagues, three plagues, four plagues, five plagues, six, seven, eight, nine, 243 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: ten plagus. And after the first borns died, the people 244 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: of God left. And I will point this out. It's 245 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: not my message, but I will point it out. What 246 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: represented death to Pharaoh represented freedom to God's people. It 247 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: was the same event, but Pharaoh's plagues became their freedom. 248 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: And the reason I point that out is I think 249 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: we have a choice how we viewed certain things. I 250 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: think we have a decision which side we live on, 251 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: to work with God or to work against God, to 252 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: cooperate with the things that He allows in our lives. 253 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: And someone may ask, well, did God send COVID nineteen? 254 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: Did God send coronavirus? I'll know you have to ask him. 255 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: I am not God's PR department. They'll always ask preachers, well, 256 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: where is God and all this preacher, and they're confused 257 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: because that's not my job. Here's one way that it 258 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: came to me. I don't work in God's PR department 259 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: where I'm trying to spend stuff like, oh, well, you know, well, 260 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: the Lord sent this, so the Lord did that. I 261 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: don't know what the Lord did. He didn't consult me 262 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: on any of this. If he had it, we would 263 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: be a lot different. And he consult you either before 264 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: you get all high and mighty. I don't think God 265 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: puts you on a zoom call either to check with 266 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: you about the last six weeks. Did he. If he did, 267 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: let me know, because we want to get a message 268 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: to you to tell him some other stuff that we 269 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: want him to do instead of the stuff he's doing 270 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: right now. But watch this. Here's the thing I found out. 271 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: I found out that it really doesn't matter who causes it, 272 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: if it's from God or if it's not from God. 273 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: And I don't really know the difference. Sometimes. What I 274 00:16:55,120 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: know is that through God, through it's kind of like 275 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: his hands. Whatever happens in our lives, it has to 276 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 1: pass through his hands. So whether it came from his 277 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: hand or whether it was from the enemy is not 278 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: the most consequential thing. The most consequential thing is will 279 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: I partner with what God is doing, even if it's 280 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: not what I prefer? Or will I resist it, or 281 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: will I push against it? Or will I go with it? 282 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: And so the Israelites are being set free from Pharaoh, 283 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: and just about the time that freedom is in sight, 284 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: just about the time that it looks like they're going 285 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: to make it to this landfloon with milk and honey, 286 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: the land of the Canaanites and Parasites and Hittites and 287 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: Jebuzides and Cellulites and all these enemies that we have 288 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:50,400 Speaker 1: to fight in this modron. That's a real enemy. That's 289 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: a real enemy, the cellulits. Some of y'all are fighting. 290 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: You're fighting the virus of overeating right now. But listen 291 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 1: to what happened when they got there. It's a serious moment, people, 292 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: you'll quick making light of the word of God. Pharaoh 293 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: changed his mind and said, what have we done? Now? 294 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,400 Speaker 1: Listen to this verse five. We have let the Israelites 295 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: go and have lost their services. We have let the 296 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: Israelites go and have lost their services. So we had 297 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 298 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: He took six hundred of the best chariots. The enemy 299 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: uses the heaviest artillery on the people who are carrying 300 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: the greatest purpose. Y'all won't shout, y'all won't put a 301 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: fire emoji in the chat. And so if a lot 302 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: is coming against you, that means God has put a 303 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: lot in you. And one of the things that God 304 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: is showing us in this season is what he put 305 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: in us. And you know how He's doing that by 306 00:18:56,080 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 1: shutting down everything around us. Because sometimes the only way 307 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 1: for you to see what is within you is that 308 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:08,239 Speaker 1: everything that is not within you. I put it like this. 309 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: When I preach to a crowd, I sometimes get carried 310 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 1: by their energy. But when I'm preaching and there's only 311 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: three people in the room, Alejandro on camera two and 312 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: Eric's sitting there like he's doing a job, but he 313 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 1: really just wanted to get away from his kids for 314 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: a few minutes. Something different has to kick in. Something 315 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: different has to kick in, And so we think a 316 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,160 Speaker 1: lot of the times, y'all stop with the fire emoji's 317 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: calm down for a minute. You're gonna turn down the chat. 318 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 1: But sometimes the Lord allows something around us to shut down, 319 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: to die, so that something within us can come alive. 320 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: And Pharaoh said, I changed my mind about letting them go. 321 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: The message titled today is called a lesson in letting go, 322 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: a lesson in letting go, And I just want you 323 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: to put that right there in the comments. If you're 324 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: watching this later on YouTube, just put this is a 325 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: lesson in letting go, because there's so much we're learning 326 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: right now. We may not know we've learned it until way. 327 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: On the other side of it, you don't really realize 328 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 1: life lessons until later. You know that, right, it's later 329 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: that you say, oh, it was good for me that 330 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: I was afflicted because this taught me that. Oh, it's 331 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: good for me that they told me no because I 332 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: didn't want to date them anyway. If I would have 333 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: married them, I would be in therapy right now. And 334 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: it's later that we see the lessons. A lot of 335 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: times it's later that we see the lessons. And now 336 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: we can read about Exodus fourteen. You know, the children 337 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: of Israel while they should have trusted God through the 338 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: Red Sea, and God was going to make away. But 339 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: it's easy to say that. On the other side of it, 340 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 1: it's so easy to look back and say, well, you know, 341 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: he made away where there was no way. But you know, 342 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: that's when you're looking back. What really takes faith is 343 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: to look forward at something and to believe that he's 344 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: going to make away when you can't see it. A 345 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: lesson in letting go. And God told Moses from the 346 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: beginning that freedom is not going to come easy. Certain 347 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: freedoms in our life have to be forced. That sounds bad, right, 348 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: but it's true. The only way that God sets us 349 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 1: free from certain things, so he has to take them away. 350 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: And sometimes what God allows to be removed from our 351 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,439 Speaker 1: life is just as important as what He allows to 352 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: be brought into our life. And yet this is a 353 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: season where a lot of us are having to learn 354 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: to appreciate things. Remember, like I said last week, the 355 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: things you were complaining about in February you would be 356 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:10,479 Speaker 1: praising God for in April, all of the annoying people. 357 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: You just wish you could have a different cast of 358 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: characters than the four you're stuck inside with. And I 359 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: figured out how much people are saying that they're finding 360 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: a rhythm in quarantine is depending on how big their 361 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: house is it's like, oh yeah, man, this is kind 362 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: of cool, or how grown their kids are, or some 363 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: people it's do they have any human interaction? And so 364 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,119 Speaker 1: I've been thinking a little bit about the fact that 365 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: a lot of times in my life, the lesson God 366 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 1: is teaching me is to appreciate something. Here's what I 367 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: want to ask you and maybe you can answer it 368 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: on chat. What is God teaching you to appreciate in 369 00:22:53,119 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: this season? Very simple but maybe worth some reflection. And 370 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to wait for you to respond, and we say, well, 371 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 1: God is teaching me to appreciate my livelihood. You know, honestly, 372 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 1: I had really gotten so caught up in what I 373 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: didn't like about my job that I forgot the fact 374 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,680 Speaker 1: that having one is a blessing that I can't take 375 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: for granted. Sometimes the only way that God gets us 376 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 1: to appreciate something is to allow it to leave for 377 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: a little while. That doesn't mean that this global pandemic 378 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: is a plague sent by God, but I think God 379 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 1: can use it to teach us to appreciate some things, 380 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,640 Speaker 1: don't you. I wish they would let us get back 381 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: in this church and sing rattle. I wish they would 382 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 1: the first time. I'm telling you, the first time Elevation 383 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 1: Church gets to come back and sing Rattle in person, 384 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 1: because I've been watching y'all online. Y'all are losing your 385 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: minds online. When we get in a building and sing it, 386 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: you better wear a motorcycle helmet. I wish they would 387 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:00,159 Speaker 1: let us get I wish they would let us le's 388 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,199 Speaker 1: get back together. Man, we're going to We're gonna really 389 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: have a good time. But you know what, the very 390 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: same thing that we long for today is something that 391 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 1: we had been living in for so long that God 392 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: is teaching me to appreciate some things. How about you. 393 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: He's teaching me to appreciate some things that I had 394 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: become so accustomed to, accustomed to used to. You get 395 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: used to the things that God gives you to the 396 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: point that you can become used to the people that 397 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 1: God gives you. You can get used to simple moments, 398 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: things that used to be annoying, You learn to appreciate. 399 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: Don't you What is God teaching me to appreciate in 400 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: this season? Isn't its interesting how the children of Israel, 401 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: all they wanted to do was get out of Egypt, 402 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 1: Get out of Egypt, get out of Egypt. But when 403 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: they went through the Red Sea into the wilderness, they 404 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: wanted the food that they had in Egypt. He took 405 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: leaving Egypt to really appreciate it. And now God was 406 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,360 Speaker 1: trying to bring them out of it. But there are 407 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: some things that we need to appreciate, and we can 408 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: only appreciate them in season sometimes where we don't quite 409 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 1: have them in the same form anymore. Does that make sense? 410 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: Because God is teaching me to appreciate some things. He's 411 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: revealing things to me that I did not appreciate enough, 412 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: like things I just took for granted, things I just 413 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 1: thought would always be this way. And so one of 414 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: the things that's happening in this season for all of 415 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: us is God is not only teaching us to appreciate 416 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 1: certain blessings, but He is resetting the baseline of what 417 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: we consider a blessing. Can I preach, Lucia? The Bible says, 418 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 1: let everything that hath a new car, praise the Lord. 419 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: Let everything that hath perfec circumstance, praise the Lord. Sorry, 420 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 1: it's been a while, maybe I'm rusty on the scriptures. 421 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: Let everything that hath bread. So that's the new baseline 422 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 1: for being grateful. That's the new baseline. Before God gives 423 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 1: us a new blessing. He wants to give us a 424 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: new baseline. Did you just breathe? Praise him? Are you 425 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: still here? Praise him? Did he wake you up? Praise him? 426 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: Did he sustain you? You might not like the taste 427 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 1: of Mena, but if you've got something to eat. Praise him. 428 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: You might not like who you're sitting next to on 429 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: the couch, but praise him that you've got somebody to 430 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: sit next to. Grab that hand and squeeze it and say, 431 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 1: if you've got a pulse, praise him, if you've got breath, 432 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 1: If he gave you another day, Why am I screaming? 433 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: There's nobody in the room. My new baseline to praise 434 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: him is just thank you for keeping me alive. You're 435 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: all over me. You kept me in my right mind. 436 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 1: I should be going crazy, but you did it anyway 437 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: in view of God's mercy, offer your body as a 438 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,680 Speaker 1: living sacrifice. I start with the fact that he kept 439 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:23,919 Speaker 1: me another day. I start with the fact that he 440 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: did not owe me real estate today. I start with 441 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 1: the fact that the boundary lines have fallen in pleasant 442 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 1: places for me. He is my portion, he is my strength, 443 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: he is my rock. And the storm can come, but 444 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: it can knock my house down. A new baseline for praise, 445 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: and then he's not only teaching me to appreciate some things, 446 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: and he's not only resetting some things, but he's teaching 447 00:27:54,560 --> 00:28:00,080 Speaker 1: me to release some things. Uh huh. If you are 448 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 1: a control freak and you want to stay that way, 449 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: log off right now. If you are a control freak 450 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: and you want to stay that way, you better search 451 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: dance videos cat videos in the YouTube box right now 452 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 1: and just get off this stream, because right now I'm 453 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 1: coming for every control freak because I is one. You 454 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: like my English, and God is homeschooling us right now. 455 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 1: God is teaching me some things about release. Now. I 456 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: promise you i'd give you this illustration because it comes 457 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: back to my mind all the time. Now, Chris has 458 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: been over to the little workout room that we have 459 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: at the house. I'm so thankful for that little workout 460 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: room because I hide there for like six hours a 461 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: day sometimes. Right now, I'm not too proud to tell 462 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: you that's one of my secrets to survival. Right now, 463 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: I'm not even lifting weights half the time. I'm not 464 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: even lifting weights one tenth of the time. Makes me 465 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: feel good to be around some dumbells, though, And honestly, 466 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: like certain sermon ideas come to me when my body 467 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 1: is moving, and so I kind of try to incorporate 468 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: the two. But I had the flashback the other day 469 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: from when I guess about three years ago, was it 470 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 1: three years ago, my elbow started hurting all the time, 471 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 1: and Chunk said, that's called golfer's elbow. Now, he used 472 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: to be a physical therapist. So I'm like, I know 473 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 1: you went to school for this crap, but I've never 474 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: played golf, so you're gonna have to explain to me 475 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: how I got golfer's elbow. I played golf twice in 476 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 1: my life with my dad after he had a six 477 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 1: pack of beer, and neither time did we finish the 478 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: nine holes because it went so bad. So I have 479 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: never ever in my life played golf as a grown man. 480 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: So you explained to me how I have golfer's elbow? 481 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: Is that right? Is a golfer's elbow? Yeah? I can 482 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: never remember his tennis elbow and golfer's elbow, and one 483 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: is one thing, one the other. But the thing I 484 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 1: wanted to say to you was my elbow hurt. And 485 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: I told him that my elbow was hurting because I 486 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: had been lifting too heavy. You know, isn't that a 487 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,959 Speaker 1: man's way of explaining things. Problem is, I've just been 488 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 1: lifting too much weights. It's these ninety five pound dumbbells. 489 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: I've just been pushing myself too hard, and he said 490 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: politely because I pay him, right, so he has to 491 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: say this a certain way. But he said, actually, it's 492 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: not the amount of weight that caused the injury. It's 493 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 1: not how much weight you were lifting. It is how 494 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: hard you were gripping it. I'm coming for the control freaks. 495 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 1: I'm coming for the people who, even when you pray 496 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: for your kids, you're not really praying. You're just giving 497 00:30:54,800 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: God a punch list of ways to make them. I'm 498 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: not in his image but yours. I'm coming for everybody 499 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: who had a plan for this first part of the 500 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: year and now you can't really find your rhythm, you 501 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: can't find your groove. And it's understandable and it's completely normal. 502 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: But what Chunks told me this is so powerful, and 503 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to say it way better than he said it. Okay, 504 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: but this is how I heard it. I heard him say, 505 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:27,240 Speaker 1: you could lift a lot more. If you will loosen 506 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: your grip, you can lift a lot more. How much 507 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 1: time do you'll have today? God said, if you'll hold 508 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: it differently, you can handle it. So here's what I'm noticing. 509 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: If I take it day by day, or hour by hour, 510 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: or moment by moment, I'm good. It's only when I 511 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: get too far out or too far back. Either one 512 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: is a mistake. I can handle Sunday on Sunday, but 513 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 1: I can't handle Saturday on Sunday. And I can't handle 514 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: Monday on Sunday. But this is the day, somebody say, 515 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: this is the day in the chat, this is the 516 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: day that the Lord has made forgetting what is behind. 517 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: I can't fix that. I got a grip on something 518 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:17,240 Speaker 1: behind me, and I can't go toward what God is 519 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 1: put in front of me. But I press toward the 520 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 1: mark for the prize of the high calling. God said, 521 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:29,960 Speaker 1: you can get there if you let go. Let go, 522 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: let go, let go. Oh man, that preach is so good. 523 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: Why is it so hard to do? Help? Let go 524 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 1: and let God? Uh huh, you're gonna pay my light bill? No, 525 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: but let go and let God. Well, God didn't offer me. 526 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: God didn't offer me a rent chet. I know, brother, 527 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: But let go and let God. Okay. I don't think 528 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:04,560 Speaker 1: it's really about letting go of your responsibilities. I don't 529 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 1: really think it's about what I think it's about releasing 530 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: is the things you could never control to begin with. 531 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 1: And all God is doing, and some of our lives 532 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 1: in this season is showing us how little control we 533 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 1: had to begin with. I just can't wait to get 534 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: back to normal. What you mean by that? We mean 535 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: by normal? All right? Are you talking about are you 536 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:37,640 Speaker 1: talking about your point of reference? Are you talking about 537 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 1: the way things were? And is that what you call normal? 538 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 1: Because the way things were is not necessarily what's normal. Okay, 539 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 1: the way that you were raised is not necessarily what 540 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: was normal. That's what you know, But that's not necessarily normal. 541 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 1: It was not normal for God's peace people to be 542 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: beat and mastered and miserable. But that's what they wanted 543 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: to go back to. Why that's what they knew. Now 544 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:13,440 Speaker 1: a lot of us, what we know is negative thinking. 545 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 1: So in a time where we are uncertain, what we 546 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:21,760 Speaker 1: have to unlearn is what we've known. And I'm glad 547 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 1: for everything that God teaches me. But one of the 548 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:30,080 Speaker 1: greatest lessons that I need in the season is not 549 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: what I need to learn, but what I need to unlearn? 550 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:42,280 Speaker 1: What do I need to unlearn? See, we're addicted to information, 551 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,480 Speaker 1: We're addicted to knowledge. We think, oh, I'm going to 552 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 1: learn this, I'm going to learn that, and so We're 553 00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:49,879 Speaker 1: not all going back to normal at any point. I mean, 554 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 1: just try to go outside right now and look at 555 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 1: everybody that has a mask on and gloves on, and 556 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,120 Speaker 1: tell me that you think in three weeks we're just 557 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:00,160 Speaker 1: gonna all go back to dapping each other up and 558 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 1: hugging each other. You go go to hug somebody and 559 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 1: they're gonna fight you like you pulled a gun on them, 560 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 1: because we're not going back to normal, at least not 561 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 1: for now. So now we have to find balance in between. 562 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 1: And that's where you have to find The balance is 563 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: in between. I'm not in Egypt, I'm not in Canaan, 564 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:18,240 Speaker 1: and there's something ahead of me that makes me uncertain. 565 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:22,160 Speaker 1: This is where we have to unlearn our point of 566 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: reference that we've called normal. So now husbands and wives 567 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,440 Speaker 1: are fighting more than ever before, and some are coming closer. 568 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,800 Speaker 1: What determines what becomes your new normal in this season? 569 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: Can I appreciate this real quick? Is not whether God 570 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:45,440 Speaker 1: changes your heart, but whether you change your habits. And 571 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 1: that's what I mean by a new normal. I'm not 572 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:52,480 Speaker 1: necessarily sure about when mass gatherings will be back, or 573 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 1: what the economy will do next. That's not my specialty. 574 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 1: But I know that what God is doing in this 575 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 1: season is trying to at me free from things that 576 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: I never needed to begin with. And I want to 577 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,960 Speaker 1: say this right to your pessimism. You don't need that anymore. 578 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:14,799 Speaker 1: You don't need that anymore. Certain things that were survival 579 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:18,240 Speaker 1: skills to you before are a death trap to you now. 580 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 1: And the only way you die here is if you 581 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: stay here. So we're looking forward to normal, right, Romans 582 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,759 Speaker 1: twelve one and two. Let's go back there for just 583 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 1: a moment. Put verse one on the lower thirds. Therefore, 584 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:38,280 Speaker 1: I urge you. You hear Paul, He's like, please, please 585 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: learn this lesson in this season. Please learn this lesson 586 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 1: of letting go. Now. For the believers, he's talking to 587 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:52,239 Speaker 1: the church at Rome. There's Jewish believers, there's Gentile believers. 588 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 1: And there's an old sacrificial system, you know, the blood 589 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 1: of bulls and goats that took away sin for a 590 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:03,320 Speaker 1: little while. But now Jesus Christ, who tore the veil 591 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,880 Speaker 1: by his sacrifice and paid the price once and for 592 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:12,440 Speaker 1: all for sin, who offers mercy freely, is standing before them, 593 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 1: and they no longer need to make those old sacrifices. 594 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:22,440 Speaker 1: But it's hard to let go of what you've been 595 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: holding on to for so long, even if it's not 596 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 1: working anymore. It's really hard to let go. It's like, 597 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:31,200 Speaker 1: but this is how we're used to it. He's going, No, 598 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 1: I beg you see it differently. I beg you. I 599 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:44,520 Speaker 1: beg you to let go. It's not normal. It's just old. 600 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 1: It's just old. That's just just because you're used to 601 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:57,879 Speaker 1: it doesn't make it normal. So after he gets done 602 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: telling them that there's a new way, somebody say, there's 603 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 1: a new way, a new way, a new way. That's 604 00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:04,840 Speaker 1: what he opened by his blood. That's what he opened 605 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,760 Speaker 1: on the cross. That's what he opened along with his tomb. 606 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:11,440 Speaker 1: He opened a new and living way so that you 607 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,799 Speaker 1: could be watched. This a living sacrifice. How does that 608 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:17,719 Speaker 1: even work? In order for something to be sacrificed, it 609 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: has to die, right, The old way has to die 610 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:25,399 Speaker 1: for the new way to come alive. And that's what 611 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: Paul is preaching in Romance. And then comes the verse 612 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:31,279 Speaker 1: that I really want us to sit with for a 613 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: moment in Romans twelve, verse two, Paul gives a didactic 614 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:44,280 Speaker 1: or a teaching or a lesson In letting go. He says, 615 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:46,759 Speaker 1: if you are going to hold on to the old 616 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:48,200 Speaker 1: way of doing it, and I don't know what that's 617 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:50,040 Speaker 1: going to mean to you. After I get done preaching this, 618 00:38:50,239 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: you will have to reflect on that. I don't know 619 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 1: if it's the way you communicate. I don't know if 620 00:38:56,000 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: it's something in this season that it actually quit working 621 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:03,560 Speaker 1: a long time ago. Man, we have like three clocks 622 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:05,880 Speaker 1: hanging around our house that haven't told time in years. 623 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 1: I don't know why they're still hanging there. It's probably 624 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:12,319 Speaker 1: more trouble to take them down. So we rather have 625 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: something that doesn't work on the wall than take five 626 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:18,080 Speaker 1: minutes and bring it down. And a lot of us 627 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 1: are stuck in something that is old, and we froze. 628 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:26,320 Speaker 1: We froze at a point in time where it's like, Okay, 629 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:29,120 Speaker 1: this is what I have to do. And for those 630 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:31,919 Speaker 1: of us who are used to doing it a certain way, 631 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:35,719 Speaker 1: when God brings us a new blessing, it looks like 632 00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:41,600 Speaker 1: a threat and we can't receive it because of what 633 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:45,799 Speaker 1: we can't release. I feel annointed like I'm seventeen years 634 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 1: old preaching my first sermon. I love the word because 635 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: he said, I urge you brothers and sisters in view 636 00:39:51,239 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 1: of God's mercy, to offer yourself living sacrifice. This is 637 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:59,680 Speaker 1: your proper and true active worship. So verse two in 638 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:06,520 Speaker 1: that context says, do not conform write that word down, 639 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:16,319 Speaker 1: conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed. LB. 640 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:17,759 Speaker 1: Don't push me. I don't want to preach right now. 641 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:24,799 Speaker 1: I want to teach. Be transformed. Conform transform now. You 642 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:26,120 Speaker 1: don't need me to do this for you, but I'm 643 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 1: going to do it anyway. I'm going to write both 644 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:32,280 Speaker 1: of those words on a flash card. Come on, we're homeschooling. 645 00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:39,360 Speaker 1: We're homeschooling. We're homeschooling. Graham present, I'd be present, Holly present. 646 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,760 Speaker 1: If you're here, say present. Come on, class is in session, 647 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:47,280 Speaker 1: Come on, classes in session? Say it in the chat present, present, present, present, present, 648 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:48,880 Speaker 1: I'm here, I'm here, I'm here, I'm here for it. 649 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:51,040 Speaker 1: I'm here for it. All right, I'm gonna write this down. 650 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:54,680 Speaker 1: Last week, y'all were making fun of my handwriting. Somebody 651 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: said that my R in the word normal looked like 652 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:01,839 Speaker 1: a twelve, and you're exactly right. The question is did 653 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:05,000 Speaker 1: I do it on purpose? To illustrate the twelve tribes 654 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:15,239 Speaker 1: of israel I. Guess you'll never know. Yeah, it's just 655 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:17,759 Speaker 1: two ways of looking at it. One is conform and 656 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:21,759 Speaker 1: one is transformed. I just wanted to write them down. Yeah, 657 00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:24,040 Speaker 1: please get past my calligraphy and get the point. Okay, 658 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:28,239 Speaker 1: this is the right way. This is the wrong way. 659 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:33,160 Speaker 1: And what makes it right and wrong is this one 660 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:36,920 Speaker 1: conform is the way the world works from the outside in. 661 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:42,920 Speaker 1: This one transform is the way God works from the 662 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:46,360 Speaker 1: inside out. And here's how the Lord was showing me 663 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,359 Speaker 1: the other day. He said, in this season, remember there's 664 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:53,879 Speaker 1: a lesson in letting go. In this season, I am 665 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:58,479 Speaker 1: teaching you to learn to set your agenda from within, 666 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:05,680 Speaker 1: to be guided by the Holy Spirit, to let me 667 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: fulfill my purpose for your life. Now that your plans 668 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:13,800 Speaker 1: have been interrupted. This is really hard because one of 669 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: the things we're having such a difficulty with right now 670 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:19,680 Speaker 1: is we haven't even had the funeral for what we 671 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:23,239 Speaker 1: expected this year to be. And now you've got a 672 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:27,040 Speaker 1: preacher up here talking about having faith for what's going 673 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:31,319 Speaker 1: to happen next. And this causes me to really sympathize 674 00:42:31,320 --> 00:42:34,359 Speaker 1: with the Israelites. You know, they were leaving Egypt and 675 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,399 Speaker 1: they had to rush out in the middle of the night. 676 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:41,440 Speaker 1: They had to leave so quickly they never got to 677 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:45,240 Speaker 1: say goodbye. You're like, well, they didn't want to say goodbye. 678 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,399 Speaker 1: Of course they did, even though it was killing them. 679 00:42:48,640 --> 00:42:53,600 Speaker 1: It was what they knew. So what we're dealing with 680 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:56,479 Speaker 1: right now is a lot of us. Our plans got 681 00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:00,399 Speaker 1: canceled and we didn't even get to say goodbye. Even 682 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: if it isn't really what we wanted, it's what we knew. 683 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:05,919 Speaker 1: And when you don't get to say goodbye, you don't 684 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:10,440 Speaker 1: get closure. So now I'm living in this space where 685 00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:12,799 Speaker 1: I thought I was gonna get to walk down the 686 00:43:12,840 --> 00:43:14,800 Speaker 1: aisle with my daughter and marry or this year. Not you, 687 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:16,719 Speaker 1: I'm telling somebody else. I thought I was going to 688 00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:19,120 Speaker 1: get to go, you know, be at my graduation. I 689 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: had some momentum in my business. I was working on 690 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:23,800 Speaker 1: this steal, I was working on that thing. I was 691 00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:26,080 Speaker 1: actually getting my act together. I had this and that 692 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:28,440 Speaker 1: and the other, and no sooner did the year start 693 00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:30,640 Speaker 1: until you had to bury it and trust God with it. 694 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:37,200 Speaker 1: And we didn't even get to say goodbye. So this 695 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:43,520 Speaker 1: is a challenge of letting go, letting go of something 696 00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:46,040 Speaker 1: when you don't even know what you're reaching for yet. 697 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:51,600 Speaker 1: I mean, if you if you asked me to let 698 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:55,280 Speaker 1: go of broccoli for briars, I can do it because 699 00:43:55,280 --> 00:43:57,320 Speaker 1: I like what I'm grabbing more than what I'm letting 700 00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:00,720 Speaker 1: go of. But what if it's a miss three bucks. 701 00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:04,040 Speaker 1: I don't know about this yet. I don't know you're 702 00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:06,560 Speaker 1: talking about a new normal. I don't know about that. Now. 703 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 1: We all have moments of both. We all have moments 704 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:11,280 Speaker 1: where we're like, man, this is actually kind of nice. 705 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:15,360 Speaker 1: Everything got canceled. It's kind of nice. I kind of 706 00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:17,359 Speaker 1: needed to get a break. Man. Now it's like a 707 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:19,920 Speaker 1: forced break on all of humanity. It's like a global 708 00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:26,359 Speaker 1: snow day unless you're sick or someone you love sick, 709 00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:29,080 Speaker 1: or unless something dries up that you were depending on, 710 00:44:29,719 --> 00:44:32,719 Speaker 1: or unless it might So we're going back and forth. 711 00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:35,040 Speaker 1: It's like, I want to get back to normal, but 712 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:38,480 Speaker 1: I kind of want to go into something new. It's like, man, 713 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:40,439 Speaker 1: I can't wait for everything to get started back again. 714 00:44:40,480 --> 00:44:42,640 Speaker 1: But it is kind of nice having meals with my family. 715 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 1: I wasn't doing that before. I kind of need some 716 00:44:47,560 --> 00:44:50,319 Speaker 1: job stability. But you know what, I've been wondering if 717 00:44:50,360 --> 00:44:52,640 Speaker 1: I really even want to work there anyway. I don't know. 718 00:44:52,719 --> 00:44:54,960 Speaker 1: I don't know which one. I'm trying to find my 719 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:58,440 Speaker 1: balance in between. Now, the lesson of letting go is 720 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:03,160 Speaker 1: not only that external events cause us to let go, 721 00:45:04,239 --> 00:45:09,880 Speaker 1: but the way God changes us is transformation from the 722 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:19,160 Speaker 1: inside out. Isn't that really relevant while you're stuck inside that? 723 00:45:19,160 --> 00:45:22,920 Speaker 1: That's the way God changes things, the way the world 724 00:45:22,920 --> 00:45:26,120 Speaker 1: works from the outside end. Oh no, what's the job 725 00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:28,960 Speaker 1: market doing, what's the economy doing? When are they gonna 726 00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:31,239 Speaker 1: lift this? And when are they gonna lift that? The 727 00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:34,840 Speaker 1: way God does it is like you got Paul and 728 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:39,000 Speaker 1: you got Silas and they are stuck in an inner cell. 729 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:43,120 Speaker 1: But when they are stuck in a tight space is 730 00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:46,760 Speaker 1: the moment that they understand We've got to give God 731 00:45:47,120 --> 00:45:51,800 Speaker 1: the greatest praise in the tightest space. This is a 732 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 1: time for more faith, more hope, more optimism. Your anchor 733 00:45:56,520 --> 00:45:59,520 Speaker 1: has really got to grab hold right now because you 734 00:45:59,560 --> 00:46:03,480 Speaker 1: don't know, oh what's next? And that's where God lives 735 00:46:03,480 --> 00:46:08,200 Speaker 1: in the mystery. And yet our our old mind, our 736 00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:12,080 Speaker 1: our our conformed mind, this is the way it's supposed 737 00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:14,839 Speaker 1: to work. Is it possible that God is trying to 738 00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:20,440 Speaker 1: get you to unlearned the way the world works, so 739 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:24,719 Speaker 1: you can see how he works. What does God want 740 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:29,120 Speaker 1: me to unlearn? I can't handle it anymore. Sure you 741 00:46:29,160 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 1: can if you listen your grip, if you believe that 742 00:46:34,080 --> 00:46:36,120 Speaker 1: He's with you, no matter what the next season looks like. 743 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:41,080 Speaker 1: You could bench press how much do you bench Chris 744 00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:44,400 Speaker 1: three oh five? You could bench press three ninety five. 745 00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:50,560 Speaker 1: You could lift it if you weren't gripping it so tight. 746 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:56,040 Speaker 1: You could lift it. You could lift it if you 747 00:46:56,120 --> 00:46:59,560 Speaker 1: weren't gripping it like this. He said, it's your grip 748 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:03,800 Speaker 1: that's heard you, not the weights. You're actually strong enough. 749 00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:11,160 Speaker 1: Christ is actually in you. You actually have a new nature. Now. 750 00:47:11,239 --> 00:47:16,240 Speaker 1: You just need a new normal. You have a new heart. 751 00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:23,120 Speaker 1: You just need new habits. What's in front of you 752 00:47:23,280 --> 00:47:28,040 Speaker 1: is greater. You just gotta let go of some things 753 00:47:28,040 --> 00:47:30,919 Speaker 1: that you know. And I don't want to do it either. 754 00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:34,799 Speaker 1: I like what I know. That's why I know. I 755 00:47:34,880 --> 00:47:37,319 Speaker 1: mean hamburger steak and green beans from cracker burrel, because 756 00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:39,479 Speaker 1: that's all I avery. I don't even have to ask 757 00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:43,359 Speaker 1: what she ordered me. I like what I know. God 758 00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:45,480 Speaker 1: do a new thing, but make it just like what 759 00:47:45,520 --> 00:47:50,719 Speaker 1: I've known before. And so when we get knocked up 760 00:47:50,719 --> 00:47:53,239 Speaker 1: our balance. That's that's from the inside. That's that's how 761 00:47:53,239 --> 00:47:57,920 Speaker 1: God transforms us. He destabilizes the outside in order to 762 00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:02,000 Speaker 1: strengthen the core. That's what he's doing in my life 763 00:48:02,080 --> 00:48:09,600 Speaker 1: right now. He's teaching me to release. Release. If you 764 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:11,560 Speaker 1: just do it physically, you could feel what I'm saying. 765 00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:14,200 Speaker 1: Get the tightest script you can right now, right there. 766 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:17,200 Speaker 1: I mean to the point where you feel your blood 767 00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:20,319 Speaker 1: and your toes cutting off because everything in you is constricted. 768 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:25,160 Speaker 1: And that's how your that's how your soul feels right now. 769 00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:29,600 Speaker 1: This is how your mind is. You're closed minded. Keep 770 00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:32,000 Speaker 1: the tight grip. Now, this is a this is an 771 00:48:32,080 --> 00:48:34,440 Speaker 1: illustrated point. This is a what do you call it 772 00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:37,560 Speaker 1: when you teach things by showing them? This is a 773 00:48:37,560 --> 00:48:41,040 Speaker 1: an object lesson that's it. That's it's an object lesson grip. 774 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:43,360 Speaker 1: It's so tight you feel like you can't take it anymore. 775 00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:48,759 Speaker 1: And I release. Release. That's what's going to happen when 776 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:51,400 Speaker 1: you look around at what you have left, instead of 777 00:48:51,440 --> 00:48:57,799 Speaker 1: dwelling on what you've lost, release what do you want 778 00:48:57,800 --> 00:49:02,839 Speaker 1: me to release? Pastor Stephen? Not the steering wheel. Don't 779 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:12,160 Speaker 1: release that, just release your need to know, and once 780 00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:21,480 Speaker 1: you release that, look how much strength you have. Look 781 00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:25,000 Speaker 1: how much praise you have. Come on, do it right there. 782 00:49:25,160 --> 00:49:28,280 Speaker 1: I wish somebody would start pressing something right now, forgetting 783 00:49:28,520 --> 00:49:32,359 Speaker 1: what is behind and straining toward what's ahead. It's not 784 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:36,360 Speaker 1: gonna be easy. Freedom is not easy, he told Moses. 785 00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:41,680 Speaker 1: It wouldn't be easy. He told him, it's not gonna 786 00:49:41,719 --> 00:49:47,600 Speaker 1: be easy when all you've known is bondage. Blessing seems 787 00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:55,840 Speaker 1: strange when all we've known is busy, busy, busy, busy, busy. 788 00:49:56,480 --> 00:50:01,759 Speaker 1: Rest feels like something to be resistant when all we've 789 00:50:01,920 --> 00:50:05,919 Speaker 1: known is worshiping idols. Worshiping the true and living God 790 00:50:05,960 --> 00:50:11,200 Speaker 1: who lives within feels foreign. But God said, you have 791 00:50:11,280 --> 00:50:13,839 Speaker 1: the strength that you need if you will release what 792 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:16,759 Speaker 1: you can't carry, what you can't control. That's what he's 793 00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:24,600 Speaker 1: teaching me. The lesson of letting go. Pharaoh did what 794 00:50:24,680 --> 00:50:30,600 Speaker 1: we cannot do, is that he changed his mind. Wow, 795 00:50:32,160 --> 00:50:34,799 Speaker 1: did you see that in the text. I never saw 796 00:50:34,800 --> 00:50:36,920 Speaker 1: it in my whole life until just when I was 797 00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:40,080 Speaker 1: preparing the sermon. And I promise you there's a lot 798 00:50:40,120 --> 00:50:41,680 Speaker 1: more inside of me than what I'm going to say 799 00:50:41,680 --> 00:50:43,360 Speaker 1: in this one session. So I'm going to keep the 800 00:50:43,360 --> 00:50:46,760 Speaker 1: teaching going another week after this, at least another week, 801 00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:51,000 Speaker 1: until you are so free from what you can't control, 802 00:50:51,360 --> 00:50:54,200 Speaker 1: until you are so free from the fear of what 803 00:50:54,239 --> 00:50:57,160 Speaker 1: the future holds, until you are able to stand in 804 00:50:57,239 --> 00:51:00,360 Speaker 1: this moment and bear the weight of your calling. Because 805 00:51:00,360 --> 00:51:03,160 Speaker 1: you're shedding everything that doesn't come from Him, You're shedding 806 00:51:03,160 --> 00:51:05,960 Speaker 1: everything that's not productive. You are pruned of everything that 807 00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:10,160 Speaker 1: doesn't serve a purpose in this season of your life. 808 00:51:10,440 --> 00:51:13,680 Speaker 1: So Pharaoh said, I don't want to I don't want 809 00:51:13,680 --> 00:51:16,880 Speaker 1: to let him go. Did you see in verse five? 810 00:51:17,200 --> 00:51:22,120 Speaker 1: He changed his mind and said, we have let them go. 811 00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:29,799 Speaker 1: You know what the Lord showed me, Holly. It took 812 00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:32,400 Speaker 1: ten plagues to get Pharaoh to let God's people go. 813 00:51:33,080 --> 00:51:36,879 Speaker 1: It wasn't easy. Stuff had to be killed, stuff had 814 00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:40,960 Speaker 1: to be eliminated, water had to turn to blood. God 815 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:43,919 Speaker 1: even had to tell the frogs to start croaking. That's 816 00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:46,560 Speaker 1: how much it took. God even had to bring in 817 00:51:46,600 --> 00:51:50,520 Speaker 1: the frogs to bring his people into freedom. It wasn't easy. 818 00:51:51,800 --> 00:51:55,040 Speaker 1: It wasn't easy for Jesus to die for me. He prayed, 819 00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:58,160 Speaker 1: if there's any other way, let this cup pass for me. 820 00:51:58,200 --> 00:52:03,280 Speaker 1: It wasn't easy. Jesus. Jesus did not purchase my freedom 821 00:52:03,320 --> 00:52:04,799 Speaker 1: at a low cost. It was free to me, but 822 00:52:04,840 --> 00:52:06,960 Speaker 1: it was costly for him. It was not easy for 823 00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:10,880 Speaker 1: him to set me free. But here's the crazy thing 824 00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:15,960 Speaker 1: about it. After the people were free from Pharaoh, they 825 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:20,200 Speaker 1: wanted to go back. And here's what I realized. It 826 00:52:20,280 --> 00:52:24,640 Speaker 1: was easier for God to get Pharaoh to let his 827 00:52:24,719 --> 00:52:28,480 Speaker 1: people go than it was for him to get his 828 00:52:28,600 --> 00:52:40,960 Speaker 1: people to let Pharaoh go. It was easier for God 829 00:52:41,719 --> 00:52:45,600 Speaker 1: to get his people out of Egypt than it was 830 00:52:45,680 --> 00:52:50,920 Speaker 1: for Him to get Egypt out of his people. It 831 00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:55,360 Speaker 1: is easier for God to change your heart because that 832 00:52:55,440 --> 00:52:57,919 Speaker 1: happens in a moment. You know the Bible verse. If 833 00:52:57,960 --> 00:53:01,759 Speaker 1: anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The 834 00:53:01,800 --> 00:53:05,040 Speaker 1: old is gone, the new has come. It's not God 835 00:53:05,239 --> 00:53:09,520 Speaker 1: making your heart new that is hard. It's making your 836 00:53:09,640 --> 00:53:14,399 Speaker 1: habits new to come into alignment with the new heart 837 00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:18,920 Speaker 1: that He's given you. And God said, in this season, 838 00:53:19,600 --> 00:53:23,840 Speaker 1: I want to shatter the patterns that have kept you 839 00:53:23,960 --> 00:53:28,440 Speaker 1: in prison and set you free in your life to 840 00:53:28,600 --> 00:53:33,000 Speaker 1: worship Me. Not just the three day journey into the wilderness, 841 00:53:33,520 --> 00:53:36,640 Speaker 1: not just out of Egypt, not just out of a location, 842 00:53:37,120 --> 00:53:39,759 Speaker 1: but out of a lifestyle, out of a way of 843 00:53:39,880 --> 00:53:43,200 Speaker 1: doing things, out of a way of gripping things. In fact, 844 00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:48,799 Speaker 1: God is trying to set me free from me the 845 00:53:48,840 --> 00:53:57,160 Speaker 1: worst master of all. How I overthink, overcompensate. God is 846 00:53:57,160 --> 00:54:00,239 Speaker 1: trying to set me free from thinking I have to 847 00:54:00,239 --> 00:54:04,960 Speaker 1: be the center. God is sending me free. And yet 848 00:54:05,800 --> 00:54:10,000 Speaker 1: it was easier, Nats Frogs, All of that was easy 849 00:54:10,040 --> 00:54:11,880 Speaker 1: for God. All he had to do was speak it, 850 00:54:11,920 --> 00:54:15,960 Speaker 1: and it immediately happened. It was easier for God to 851 00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:20,719 Speaker 1: get Pharaoh to let his people go than it was 852 00:54:20,800 --> 00:54:25,120 Speaker 1: for him to get Pharaoh. I messed it up, Chris 853 00:54:25,640 --> 00:54:29,560 Speaker 1: rewind it. It was easier for God. See, this is 854 00:54:29,560 --> 00:54:31,880 Speaker 1: so revolutionary for me. I can barely even say it 855 00:54:31,920 --> 00:54:34,200 Speaker 1: to you because God is just speaking this to me. 856 00:54:34,480 --> 00:54:36,880 Speaker 1: I've never seen it like this before. I thought, you know, 857 00:54:37,040 --> 00:54:38,520 Speaker 1: he will not let you go un less a mighty 858 00:54:38,560 --> 00:54:42,640 Speaker 1: hand compels him. That's external, that's conform. God's gonna make 859 00:54:42,760 --> 00:54:45,719 Speaker 1: him let you go. But what's harder is not God 860 00:54:45,800 --> 00:54:49,400 Speaker 1: making Pharaoh let you go. It's getting you to let 861 00:54:49,480 --> 00:54:53,200 Speaker 1: Pharaoh go. It's getting you to release the thing that 862 00:54:53,239 --> 00:54:57,040 Speaker 1: you thought you needed, and to say, if I have 863 00:54:57,120 --> 00:54:59,000 Speaker 1: God's presence, if I have God's power, if I have 864 00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:00,839 Speaker 1: his provision, I can stand on his promise. I can 865 00:55:00,880 --> 00:55:05,040 Speaker 1: stand on his word. I don't need to pay anybody back. 866 00:55:05,760 --> 00:55:09,359 Speaker 1: God's got me. See, if you're used to being bitter, 867 00:55:09,400 --> 00:55:13,120 Speaker 1: if you're used to getting offended, it is easier for 868 00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:16,000 Speaker 1: God to forgive you for your offenses than to get 869 00:55:16,040 --> 00:55:20,040 Speaker 1: you to start forgiving other people of theirs. It is easier. 870 00:55:22,000 --> 00:55:25,000 Speaker 1: It is easier for God to tell Pharaoh, let my 871 00:55:25,160 --> 00:55:28,520 Speaker 1: people go, than for God to tell his people, let 872 00:55:28,600 --> 00:55:33,719 Speaker 1: Pharaoh go, let it go. We have to let it go. 873 00:55:34,280 --> 00:55:36,960 Speaker 1: I don't mean that we can't take moments and feel sad. 874 00:55:37,120 --> 00:55:40,080 Speaker 1: I don't mean that we cannot appreciate certain seasons. But 875 00:55:40,160 --> 00:55:44,279 Speaker 1: God is teaching me in this season. I can't receive 876 00:55:44,800 --> 00:55:47,720 Speaker 1: what is now when I hold to what is old. 877 00:55:49,880 --> 00:55:54,919 Speaker 1: So God is setting me free in this season. He's 878 00:55:54,960 --> 00:55:57,360 Speaker 1: not telling Pharaoh to let me go. He already delivered me. 879 00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:01,560 Speaker 1: He's not telling Sins let me go. He already delivered me. 880 00:56:02,600 --> 00:56:05,400 Speaker 1: He's not telling Shane to let me go. He already 881 00:56:05,400 --> 00:56:08,839 Speaker 1: delivered me. He's telling me to let Shane go. Why 882 00:56:08,880 --> 00:56:12,000 Speaker 1: would I reach back and pull back down off the 883 00:56:12,080 --> 00:56:15,719 Speaker 1: cross sin that he already died. Why would I try 884 00:56:15,760 --> 00:56:21,000 Speaker 1: to purchase something that is already provided. Let it go 885 00:56:22,160 --> 00:56:26,640 Speaker 1: for I know the plans I have for you. You 886 00:56:26,760 --> 00:56:30,920 Speaker 1: don't know, you don't need to know. I know the 887 00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:36,040 Speaker 1: exceeding abundantly above all you ask or a mechant or 888 00:56:36,040 --> 00:56:40,319 Speaker 1: a plan or propheside. I know the plans I have 889 00:56:41,440 --> 00:56:48,480 Speaker 1: for you. So I'm not going back to normal. I'm 890 00:56:48,480 --> 00:56:54,359 Speaker 1: looking forward to freedom. I'm looking forward to freedom. Let 891 00:56:54,360 --> 00:56:56,960 Speaker 1: me see, I'm getting set free from petty in this 892 00:56:57,080 --> 00:57:03,319 Speaker 1: season stupid stuff. I'm not gonna worry about so much anymore. God, 893 00:57:03,360 --> 00:57:05,719 Speaker 1: if you will just let me out the house, I 894 00:57:05,840 --> 00:57:12,719 Speaker 1: promise you I will be nicer in target. It's so 895 00:57:12,880 --> 00:57:19,080 Speaker 1: crazy how we tell ourselves it's normal. But what if 896 00:57:19,120 --> 00:57:22,000 Speaker 1: it's just old. If anyone is in Christ, he is 897 00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:24,080 Speaker 1: a new creation. The old is gone, the newest come. 898 00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:29,280 Speaker 1: And now God is trying to give new habits for 899 00:57:29,360 --> 00:57:34,600 Speaker 1: a new heart. I don't know who needed to hear 900 00:57:34,640 --> 00:57:41,000 Speaker 1: this today, but it's a lesson in letting go. The 901 00:57:41,040 --> 00:57:45,080 Speaker 1: only way for them to step into freedom was to 902 00:57:45,080 --> 00:57:50,080 Speaker 1: completely leave Egypt. And I just think, in our own 903 00:57:50,080 --> 00:57:51,680 Speaker 1: way and our own hearts, we kind of have to 904 00:57:51,680 --> 00:57:53,760 Speaker 1: have a funeral look, I'm telling our staff right now, 905 00:57:54,640 --> 00:57:59,680 Speaker 1: we are not going back to church as usual anymore, 906 00:58:00,000 --> 00:58:03,480 Speaker 1: and we're going back to Best Buy to purchase a 907 00:58:03,520 --> 00:58:09,240 Speaker 1: cassette tape. We're not going back. I don't know what's next. 908 00:58:10,240 --> 00:58:13,520 Speaker 1: I don't need to know what's next. All I've got 909 00:58:13,520 --> 00:58:19,920 Speaker 1: to do is follow forward, watch this, loosen my grip, 910 00:58:21,360 --> 00:58:24,760 Speaker 1: and press toward what's next. I'm pressing toward us next. 911 00:58:24,760 --> 00:58:26,480 Speaker 1: I'm pressing toward us next. Do I have to tell you? 912 00:58:26,480 --> 00:58:29,240 Speaker 1: Put it in the chat press toward. I'm pressing. I'm pressing. 913 00:58:29,440 --> 00:58:32,640 Speaker 1: I'm pressing toward what's next. And I know that the 914 00:58:32,680 --> 00:58:36,560 Speaker 1: patterns of this world, the way that the world works, 915 00:58:38,000 --> 00:58:42,960 Speaker 1: was already weird. The way the world was wired was 916 00:58:43,040 --> 00:58:46,160 Speaker 1: already weird. If you take the word wired and scramble it, 917 00:58:46,200 --> 00:58:49,640 Speaker 1: you'll get weird. And the way the world was wired, 918 00:58:49,680 --> 00:58:53,160 Speaker 1: the patterns of this world keep playing, is soothing, the 919 00:58:53,200 --> 00:58:56,320 Speaker 1: way this world was wired, and it hastens me the 920 00:58:56,360 --> 00:58:58,240 Speaker 1: way and I got too much to say, so push 921 00:58:58,320 --> 00:59:00,439 Speaker 1: me to close because we got to get the next 922 00:59:00,440 --> 00:59:05,320 Speaker 1: people in the building. Apparently, Oh nobody's coming. The way 923 00:59:05,560 --> 00:59:11,400 Speaker 1: the world is wired is weird. The way the world 924 00:59:11,480 --> 00:59:18,440 Speaker 1: had gotten before this virus was already sick. We already 925 00:59:18,480 --> 00:59:22,240 Speaker 1: didn't know what and who was really important. We were 926 00:59:22,280 --> 00:59:25,120 Speaker 1: already so addicted to celebrity that we even turned our 927 00:59:25,160 --> 00:59:29,760 Speaker 1: government into a reality show. It was already sick, It 928 00:59:29,880 --> 00:59:33,560 Speaker 1: was already messed up. You want to go back to that. Now? 929 00:59:34,640 --> 00:59:38,120 Speaker 1: God is rewiring the way it works in our hearts, 930 00:59:40,560 --> 00:59:42,440 Speaker 1: the way that we talk to each other and speak 931 00:59:42,520 --> 00:59:46,919 Speaker 1: to each other with no civility. How divided we were. 932 00:59:48,480 --> 00:59:50,520 Speaker 1: How if you like this person, then I don't like you. 933 00:59:50,600 --> 00:59:53,600 Speaker 1: And if you support that person that was already weird. 934 00:59:55,240 --> 00:59:58,680 Speaker 1: God is bringing us into something that he sees as 935 00:59:59,240 --> 01:00:03,520 Speaker 1: or more normal, more than normal. What if what God 936 01:00:03,600 --> 01:00:06,200 Speaker 1: is bringing you into is more normal than what you've knowne? 937 01:00:06,200 --> 01:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Would you embrace that? Would you let go of your 938 01:00:09,240 --> 01:00:14,160 Speaker 1: expectations to receive a new grace, a new wind, a 939 01:00:14,200 --> 01:00:18,840 Speaker 1: fresh felling? Isn't it crazy? How for the last couple 940 01:00:18,840 --> 01:00:23,520 Speaker 1: of years, even in our cultural dialogue, we talk about 941 01:00:23,560 --> 01:00:29,760 Speaker 1: canceling people. Somebody says something we don't like, canceled, Somebody 942 01:00:29,800 --> 01:00:32,040 Speaker 1: does something we don't like. Cancel, Somebody says something that's 943 01:00:32,040 --> 01:00:34,440 Speaker 1: out of bounds with what we thought. Canceled, canceled, cancel, 944 01:00:36,120 --> 01:00:41,080 Speaker 1: and now that everything is canceled. It's like, oh, you'll 945 01:00:41,080 --> 01:00:45,400 Speaker 1: want to cancel stuff. Now everything is canceled, And I 946 01:00:45,400 --> 01:00:47,680 Speaker 1: can't help but think about Hebrews that says everything that 947 01:00:48,240 --> 01:00:50,800 Speaker 1: can't be shaken will be shaken, so that only what 948 01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:56,200 Speaker 1: can't be shaken will remain. There are certain things that 949 01:00:57,000 --> 01:01:02,520 Speaker 1: cannot be canceled. There are certain things that will always 950 01:01:02,600 --> 01:01:07,800 Speaker 1: be true. They've been true all along, but have they 951 01:01:07,840 --> 01:01:12,680 Speaker 1: become true to you? God wants to give us some 952 01:01:12,760 --> 01:01:16,360 Speaker 1: new truths to hold to in the season, some new 953 01:01:16,400 --> 01:01:19,880 Speaker 1: things to believe. It's not that the truth is new, 954 01:01:20,280 --> 01:01:24,400 Speaker 1: it's just new to you. Limitations are coming off in 955 01:01:24,440 --> 01:01:29,120 Speaker 1: this season. Thank you Lord. If I let go, if 956 01:01:29,160 --> 01:01:32,320 Speaker 1: I let go of what was limiting me. Sometimes it's 957 01:01:32,400 --> 01:01:35,840 Speaker 1: just a belief. Sometimes it's just a way of seeing another. 958 01:01:36,920 --> 01:01:39,360 Speaker 1: So Lord, I'm letting go of limitations. I'm letting go 959 01:01:39,400 --> 01:01:42,400 Speaker 1: of labels. What do I need to let go off? 960 01:01:44,960 --> 01:01:49,200 Speaker 1: Because I'll never make it to the other side if 961 01:01:49,200 --> 01:01:55,360 Speaker 1: I don't let go. I have to let go to 962 01:01:55,440 --> 01:02:00,480 Speaker 1: move forward. Thank you Holy Spirit for your ministry today. 963 01:02:01,520 --> 01:02:05,000 Speaker 1: It has been so good to receive from you the 964 01:02:05,080 --> 01:02:10,479 Speaker 1: things that you want to speak. We spend too much 965 01:02:10,520 --> 01:02:14,000 Speaker 1: time listening to every other voice but yours, and it 966 01:02:14,120 --> 01:02:19,200 Speaker 1: costs us because you're always speaking over our lives, that 967 01:02:19,280 --> 01:02:23,400 Speaker 1: which is pure, lovely, true, good, report, virtue, and praise, 968 01:02:23,520 --> 01:02:31,240 Speaker 1: always speaking. Sometimes we just need our minds changed. So God, 969 01:02:31,240 --> 01:02:32,760 Speaker 1: there are things we want you to change in our 970 01:02:32,760 --> 01:02:35,840 Speaker 1: world right now. People who are unemployed, we ask you 971 01:02:35,880 --> 01:02:38,520 Speaker 1: to give them a job. People whose bodies are not 972 01:02:38,560 --> 01:02:40,640 Speaker 1: functioning properly, we ask you to give them a healing. 973 01:02:41,760 --> 01:02:44,400 Speaker 1: People who need direction from you, or people who need 974 01:02:44,440 --> 01:02:47,880 Speaker 1: protection from you. Give it God, But while we're at it, 975 01:02:47,920 --> 01:02:55,080 Speaker 1: asking you to change stuff, change us, not just conforming 976 01:02:55,080 --> 01:03:01,720 Speaker 1: our situation, but transforming our minds. I put my mind 977 01:03:01,800 --> 01:03:05,520 Speaker 1: on the altar today. The way I think about others, 978 01:03:05,520 --> 01:03:07,280 Speaker 1: the way I think about the world, the way I 979 01:03:07,320 --> 01:03:13,360 Speaker 1: think about what's normal. Show me your normal, God, Show 980 01:03:13,400 --> 01:03:20,720 Speaker 1: me your normal. Pray that right now. Show me your normal. God, 981 01:03:20,760 --> 01:03:24,720 Speaker 1: Show me your normal. Show me what the garden of 982 01:03:24,880 --> 01:03:28,800 Speaker 1: Eden is like when they were naked and unafraid. Show 983 01:03:28,840 --> 01:03:30,760 Speaker 1: me what it's like to not have to hide behind 984 01:03:30,760 --> 01:03:34,040 Speaker 1: fig leaves. Show me what it means to be made 985 01:03:34,040 --> 01:03:36,640 Speaker 1: in your image. I thank you for your anointing, God 986 01:03:36,840 --> 01:03:41,320 Speaker 1: to bring us into a new normal. Help us to 987 01:03:41,400 --> 01:03:50,920 Speaker 1: let go of pharaoh, for perhaps we've become our own pharaoh, 988 01:03:51,280 --> 01:03:54,560 Speaker 1: keeping ourselves in a mindset that you're trying to deliver 989 01:03:54,640 --> 01:03:59,760 Speaker 1: us from. Give us the miracle of a new mind, 990 01:04:01,040 --> 01:04:06,720 Speaker 1: touch the way we think, new normal, new neural pathways, 991 01:04:07,600 --> 01:04:15,120 Speaker 1: new heart, new habits. Teach us to release this, to 992 01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:20,440 Speaker 1: release that grip on our future, release that grip on 993 01:04:20,480 --> 01:04:24,840 Speaker 1: our weaknesses, release that grip on controlling other people, release 994 01:04:25,000 --> 01:04:29,160 Speaker 1: that grip on things that we can't control, to receive 995 01:04:29,200 --> 01:04:34,640 Speaker 1: the strength that only you give. Heads bowed, eyes closed. 996 01:04:34,640 --> 01:04:37,840 Speaker 1: In every living room and kitchen, hospital room, prison, everywhere. 997 01:04:37,880 --> 01:04:40,000 Speaker 1: You're watching this right now in your car, you may 998 01:04:40,040 --> 01:04:41,600 Speaker 1: want to pull your car over because I want to 999 01:04:41,640 --> 01:04:46,200 Speaker 1: pray right now for somebody to become a new creation 1000 01:04:46,640 --> 01:04:54,160 Speaker 1: in Christ. The old has gone, the newest come. Jesus 1001 01:04:54,280 --> 01:04:58,760 Speaker 1: Christ died on the cross to save sinners, to deliver 1002 01:04:58,920 --> 01:05:02,680 Speaker 1: you from the body of death, to give you a 1003 01:05:02,760 --> 01:05:06,520 Speaker 1: hope and a future through his resurrection. Right now, if 1004 01:05:06,560 --> 01:05:08,680 Speaker 1: you want to give your life to Jesus Christ and 1005 01:05:08,800 --> 01:05:12,960 Speaker 1: let go and surrender your own strength, your own trying 1006 01:05:13,960 --> 01:05:15,960 Speaker 1: and receive his grace right now, in this moment, I 1007 01:05:16,000 --> 01:05:19,880 Speaker 1: want to pray with you praying out loud right now, Epham, 1008 01:05:19,920 --> 01:05:22,400 Speaker 1: all across the world, pray with me for the benefit 1009 01:05:22,400 --> 01:05:25,360 Speaker 1: of someone who is coming to Jesus Christ in this moment. 1010 01:05:25,400 --> 01:05:29,480 Speaker 1: Repeat after me, Heavenly Father. I am a sinner in 1011 01:05:29,560 --> 01:05:33,880 Speaker 1: need of a savior, and today I receive your grace. 1012 01:05:34,960 --> 01:05:41,200 Speaker 1: This is my new beginning. I believe Jesus Christ died 1013 01:05:41,240 --> 01:05:45,360 Speaker 1: on the cross to forgive my sin and rose from 1014 01:05:45,360 --> 01:05:51,160 Speaker 1: the dead to give me life. I receive this new life. 1015 01:05:51,400 --> 01:05:56,120 Speaker 1: I am a child of God. I am a new creation. 1016 01:05:57,120 --> 01:05:59,120 Speaker 1: Now on the count of three, if you just prayed that, 1017 01:05:59,480 --> 01:06:03,120 Speaker 1: I want you to put in the chat. I receive Jesus. 1018 01:06:03,440 --> 01:06:07,880 Speaker 1: I receive Jesus. One two three. Type it like you're 1019 01:06:07,960 --> 01:06:12,560 Speaker 1: raising your hand. Type it like you're surrendering. Type it 1020 01:06:12,680 --> 01:06:17,240 Speaker 1: like you're receiving. Come on a new beginning, like you're 1021 01:06:17,280 --> 01:06:21,680 Speaker 1: breaking out of the past, breaking out of shame, breaking 1022 01:06:21,760 --> 01:06:24,440 Speaker 1: out of the tomb, and coming out of the grave. 1023 01:06:25,000 --> 01:06:33,880 Speaker 1: I received Jesus. We rejoice, we rejoice, we rejoice. I 1024 01:06:34,080 --> 01:06:40,040 Speaker 1: receive Jesus. I receive Jesus. I see it flying across 1025 01:06:40,080 --> 01:06:44,000 Speaker 1: the chat all over the world. Let it fly, new beginnings, 1026 01:06:44,320 --> 01:06:47,520 Speaker 1: Come on, let it be God. Amen to the glory 1027 01:06:47,560 --> 01:06:50,400 Speaker 1: of God. Come on y'all to start clapping your hands 1028 01:06:50,440 --> 01:06:53,240 Speaker 1: if you can. If you can't jump up and down, 1029 01:06:53,600 --> 01:06:56,440 Speaker 1: if you can't jump up and down, wiggle your pinky toe, 1030 01:06:56,680 --> 01:07:02,680 Speaker 1: come on and give God praise for his glory. Thank 1031 01:07:02,720 --> 01:07:06,560 Speaker 1: you Jesus. I believe I could go ahead and preach 1032 01:07:06,680 --> 01:07:11,360 Speaker 1: next week right now. God is so good. God is 1033 01:07:11,400 --> 01:07:13,840 Speaker 1: so good. Look at all those people receiving Jesus. Look 1034 01:07:13,880 --> 01:07:18,680 Speaker 1: at that hey elevation Church, Epham. That's your giving that 1035 01:07:18,800 --> 01:07:22,280 Speaker 1: makes that possible. That's your prayers that makes that possible. 1036 01:07:22,600 --> 01:07:25,880 Speaker 1: That's what God is doing through you. The devil is 1037 01:07:25,920 --> 01:07:29,400 Speaker 1: a liar. Nothing can stop the Church of Jesus Christ. 1038 01:07:29,880 --> 01:07:35,400 Speaker 1: Nothing neither height, nor death, nor angels, nor demons, nor 1039 01:07:35,480 --> 01:07:40,080 Speaker 1: the present, nor the future, nor a virus nor anything 1040 01:07:40,200 --> 01:07:51,560 Speaker 1: else shall be abl Wow. So listen, I'm looking forward 1041 01:07:52,160 --> 01:07:54,920 Speaker 1: to normal. I don't know what it's gonna be, but 1042 01:07:55,440 --> 01:07:58,760 Speaker 1: my faith is trained to see God in crazy situations. 1043 01:08:00,040 --> 01:08:03,439 Speaker 1: See a red sea, I see a highway, You see 1044 01:08:03,440 --> 01:08:07,040 Speaker 1: a wall, I see a ramp, you see a staff, 1045 01:08:07,080 --> 01:08:10,560 Speaker 1: I see a water parting Baton. Come on, I dare 1046 01:08:10,600 --> 01:08:14,520 Speaker 1: you to stretch your faith with me. We're moving forward, 1047 01:08:15,160 --> 01:08:19,559 Speaker 1: step by step. A lesson and letting go. I need 1048 01:08:19,600 --> 01:08:21,799 Speaker 1: you to do me a favor in just a moment 1049 01:08:21,840 --> 01:08:24,120 Speaker 1: before we leave this room. Don't lug off. Don't lug off. 1050 01:08:24,640 --> 01:08:27,280 Speaker 1: Don't lug off. I promise you can heat it back 1051 01:08:27,320 --> 01:08:29,280 Speaker 1: up in the microwave. Don't log off, don't lug off. 1052 01:08:30,120 --> 01:08:33,000 Speaker 1: I need you to share this message with somebody if 1053 01:08:33,040 --> 01:08:37,760 Speaker 1: it blessed you. It's going live again. We're broadcasting this 1054 01:08:37,840 --> 01:08:40,920 Speaker 1: message like every two or three hours on this day, 1055 01:08:41,160 --> 01:08:43,360 Speaker 1: and if you're watching it later, you can share it 1056 01:08:43,400 --> 01:08:45,640 Speaker 1: from the archive. I have a feeling this message is 1057 01:08:45,680 --> 01:08:48,200 Speaker 1: going to be relevant for a minute. I don't think 1058 01:08:48,200 --> 01:08:52,160 Speaker 1: this is going to expire by next Thursday. So share 1059 01:08:52,200 --> 01:08:54,920 Speaker 1: this with somebody. Just tell them here is a lesson 1060 01:08:55,040 --> 01:08:58,479 Speaker 1: in letting go, and then let them know God's got 1061 01:08:58,520 --> 01:09:01,240 Speaker 1: this and send it to him and see how God 1062 01:09:01,280 --> 01:09:03,320 Speaker 1: will move and come back. You know what, Normally I 1063 01:09:03,320 --> 01:09:04,880 Speaker 1: wouldn't tell you to come back because we need to 1064 01:09:04,920 --> 01:09:09,000 Speaker 1: seek for you. Guess what we got to overflow. You 1065 01:09:09,080 --> 01:09:12,440 Speaker 1: can come back and get this again and take your notebook. 1066 01:09:13,800 --> 01:09:15,920 Speaker 1: Come on, she knows she's cooking good when we all 1067 01:09:15,960 --> 01:09:19,000 Speaker 1: go back for seconds. I believe this is a second 1068 01:09:19,040 --> 01:09:22,040 Speaker 1: helping kind of sermon, So get back on either now 1069 01:09:22,120 --> 01:09:24,600 Speaker 1: or later. Sit with this word, digest it. Some of 1070 01:09:24,640 --> 01:09:26,639 Speaker 1: you run off too fast. You just boom boom boom 1071 01:09:26,640 --> 01:09:29,559 Speaker 1: boom boom, eating all that gumboat and then just run off. 1072 01:09:30,400 --> 01:09:32,800 Speaker 1: Don't do it, you get a heartburn. Sit with this 1073 01:09:32,920 --> 01:09:34,599 Speaker 1: for a minute. Talk to each other. You know. One 1074 01:09:34,640 --> 01:09:36,800 Speaker 1: of the great new normals. You don't have to fight 1075 01:09:36,920 --> 01:09:38,960 Speaker 1: anybody in a parking lot right now to get out 1076 01:09:39,000 --> 01:09:41,880 Speaker 1: of church. You don't have to walk past any hyperactive 1077 01:09:41,920 --> 01:09:44,439 Speaker 1: greeters trying to get you to sign up for any group. 1078 01:09:44,960 --> 01:09:47,439 Speaker 1: Just sit and say, well, you need to let go 1079 01:09:47,520 --> 01:09:50,479 Speaker 1: of now. Listen. If you're doing this with somebody from 1080 01:09:50,520 --> 01:09:53,000 Speaker 1: your family, don't say here's what you need to let 1081 01:09:53,040 --> 01:09:57,840 Speaker 1: go of. Ask a question, or maybe men, men, get 1082 01:09:57,880 --> 01:09:59,679 Speaker 1: your family for a minute, say hey, sit down quitting 1083 01:09:59,720 --> 01:10:02,240 Speaker 1: each other, put that down, shut up, one up, shut up, 1084 01:10:02,240 --> 01:10:05,280 Speaker 1: put you one up. In the images, here's what I 1085 01:10:05,320 --> 01:10:07,439 Speaker 1: need to let go of and set an example and 1086 01:10:07,520 --> 01:10:09,160 Speaker 1: talk about the word of God. Let it be on 1087 01:10:09,200 --> 01:10:11,479 Speaker 1: your lips, dwell on it, meditate on it. That's how 1088 01:10:11,520 --> 01:10:15,400 Speaker 1: you get free. Lord. I thank you that your word 1089 01:10:15,439 --> 01:10:19,320 Speaker 1: went forth with power. I felt it. I felt it 1090 01:10:19,479 --> 01:10:26,920 Speaker 1: surging through the screen, touching situations, touching mindsets, and recreating routines. 1091 01:10:27,800 --> 01:10:29,920 Speaker 1: Thank you for the new paradigm you're bringing us into. 1092 01:10:30,680 --> 01:10:33,760 Speaker 1: The premises of this world are broken and limited, but 1093 01:10:33,880 --> 01:10:37,280 Speaker 1: your word lives forever. Thank you for it. I know 1094 01:10:37,320 --> 01:10:41,799 Speaker 1: it will not return voy in Jesus' name. Amen, somebody 1095 01:10:41,840 --> 01:10:44,160 Speaker 1: clap your hands right now, like you receive the reign 1096 01:10:44,200 --> 01:10:49,640 Speaker 1: of the Word of God. I just got out of 1097 01:10:49,680 --> 01:10:56,719 Speaker 1: the pulpit about forty five minutes ago. Holly and Graham 1098 01:10:56,840 --> 01:10:58,760 Speaker 1: and Ivy are waiting for me. I had to stay 1099 01:10:58,760 --> 01:11:04,400 Speaker 1: behind for a few minutes because out of what we 1100 01:11:04,560 --> 01:11:10,360 Speaker 1: just preached. God just keep speaking to me, keeps unfolding 1101 01:11:11,320 --> 01:11:14,519 Speaker 1: about the new normal. Oh man, I hope you're getting 1102 01:11:14,520 --> 01:11:17,680 Speaker 1: a lot out of this. This is like changing my paradigm, 1103 01:11:17,760 --> 01:11:21,200 Speaker 1: changing my life. I'm so thankful to be able to 1104 01:11:21,200 --> 01:11:24,080 Speaker 1: share these messages with you. I'm going to continue this message. 1105 01:11:24,080 --> 01:11:28,080 Speaker 1: If God gives me strength. Next week, I'm going to preach. 1106 01:11:28,479 --> 01:11:31,960 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, I don't know. Three new messages just 1107 01:11:32,040 --> 01:11:35,519 Speaker 1: came to me and I can't wait to continue it. 1108 01:11:35,840 --> 01:11:38,240 Speaker 1: I'm really thankful for how God is speaking in this season. 1109 01:11:38,960 --> 01:11:42,799 Speaker 1: We need his word more than daily bread. It's our weapon, 1110 01:11:43,200 --> 01:11:46,880 Speaker 1: it's our sword. And make sure that you're tuned in, 1111 01:11:47,680 --> 01:11:51,599 Speaker 1: locked into what God is speaking. Is my friend always says, 1112 01:11:51,920 --> 01:11:55,479 Speaker 1: stay locked in. Make sure you subscribe and like and 1113 01:11:55,560 --> 01:11:58,080 Speaker 1: share and comment, all these things to help us get 1114 01:11:58,080 --> 01:12:01,759 Speaker 1: the word out. Thank you for your general. Like I mentioned, 1115 01:12:01,760 --> 01:12:05,479 Speaker 1: is because of you that are Partner's Etham Church family 1116 01:12:06,160 --> 01:12:08,559 Speaker 1: that we can keep this going forward. The Word of 1117 01:12:08,600 --> 01:12:11,240 Speaker 1: God is greater than any challenge in the world. And 1118 01:12:11,479 --> 01:12:13,000 Speaker 1: I love you. I can't wait to share the next 1119 01:12:13,000 --> 01:12:14,200 Speaker 1: part with you. I'm going to have a lot of 1120 01:12:14,439 --> 01:12:16,960 Speaker 1: content coming your way in the meantime this week, so 1121 01:12:17,080 --> 01:12:19,880 Speaker 1: make sure to follow, subscribe, hit the bell, you know 1122 01:12:19,920 --> 01:12:23,439 Speaker 1: what to do. I see you soon. I love you.