1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: today and where your money can work harder. Now you 7 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 8 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 9 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 12 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: legal or tax advice. 13 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 14 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 2: can do more than take classes. You can take charge 15 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 2: of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 16 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: a degree you can be proud of, and get an 17 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 2: education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 18 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: go back to school, but to come back and move 19 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 20 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 3: He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 22 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 3: his birthday. 23 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 4: Wow, thanks Grandpa. 24 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 3: But He'll never forget how you invested in his future 25 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 3: with the units stapp. Wow. Thanks Grandpa. The units stap 26 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 3: makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 27 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 3: funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 28 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 3: Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 29 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 3: fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 30 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 3: when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 31 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 3: you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 32 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 33 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 4: Hi. 34 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 5: This is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 35 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 5: We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 36 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 5: leave Inspire. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages 37 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 5: every week. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the 38 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 5: ministry going. Enjoy the message. 39 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 4: God bless you. 40 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 5: It's always a joy to come into your homes. And 41 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 5: if you're ever in our area, please stop buying. Be 42 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 5: a part of one of our services. I promise you 43 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 5: we'll make you feel right at home. These are the 44 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 5: finest people in all of Houston, Texas. 45 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 4: Right here at Lakewood. But thanks for tuning in. 46 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 5: Thank you again for coming out and I like to 47 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 5: start with something funny, and I heard about this. Mom 48 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 5: she was cooking breakfast for her two young sons, Ryan 49 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 5: was five and Kevin was three. They begin to argue 50 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 5: over who should get the first pancake. She saw it 51 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 5: as an opportunity to teach them a lesson. She said, boys, boys, 52 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 5: if Jesus were here, he would say, let my brother 53 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 5: have the first pancake. Ryan turned to his little brother 54 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 5: and said, Okay, Kevin, you be Jesus. Hold up your Bible. 55 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 5: Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 56 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 5: I am what it says I am. I have what 57 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 5: it says I have. I can do what it says 58 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 5: I can do. Today I will be talked the word 59 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 5: of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my 60 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 5: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 61 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 5: God bless you. I want to talk to you today 62 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 5: about being real. It's easy to go through life. We're 63 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 5: in different masks. Instead of dealing with the issues that 64 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 5: we know are holding us back, too often, we keep 65 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 5: them covered up, pretending that everything is okay. We're more 66 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 5: concerned about the outside, what people are going to think 67 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 5: our image than we are the inside. 68 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 4: It takes a lot of work. 69 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 5: To deal with the inner issues, our character, our motives, 70 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 5: our attitude, our behaviors, things that we know are not right. 71 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 5: It's much easier to put on a mask and pretend. 72 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 4: And some people have a mask for every situation. They're 73 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 4: professional pretenders. 74 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 5: They have a mass for work, a mass for home, 75 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 5: a mass for this friend, even a mass for church. 76 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 5: They come in on Sundays. They're not speaking to their spouse, 77 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 5: mad at their neighbor, can't pay their bills, greet or 78 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 5: ask how you're doing. Blessed in highly favored. Couldn't get 79 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 5: any better, And I'm all for having an attitude of victory, 80 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 5: not being controlled by circumstances. 81 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 4: But in order to get well, you have to get real. 82 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 5: You have to take that mask off, get honest with 83 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 5: yourself and say, okay, I have some things to deal with. 84 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 4: This is not normal. 85 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 5: When you get down to the real you not to 86 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 5: pretend to you. That's when God can turn things around. 87 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 5: But it's sempting to go around. 88 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 4: We're in different masks. 89 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 5: We don't want people to think less of us, so 90 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 5: we hide behind that mask of pride. 91 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 4: I don't have any issues. I don't need any help. 92 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 5: God will not bless who you pretend to be. God 93 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 5: blesses people who are real, not people who are perfect, 94 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 5: not people that don't have any issues, but people who 95 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 5: are honest enough to say, God, I have this bad habit, 96 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 5: I need your help. I'm taking off the mask that 97 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 5: everything is okay or God, I'm struggling with my temper. 98 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 4: I made a mistake. I blew it. God. I need 99 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 4: your forgiveness. 100 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 5: When you're honest, you opened the door for God to 101 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 5: come in and begin to change things. But as long 102 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 5: as we're pretending, not dealing with the real issues, it's 103 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 5: not going to improve. This is what happened with the 104 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 5: Pharisees in the scripture. 105 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 4: They were the religious leaders. 106 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 5: They did the right thing, but they didn't get a 107 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 5: reward because they did it for the wrong reason. They 108 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 5: went to the temple each week like they were supposed to, 109 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 5: but they didn't go to worship. They went to be seen, 110 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 5: to be well thought of, to impress people. 111 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 4: They would pray. 112 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 5: These long, fancy prayers out loud, not because they were sincere, 113 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 5: they wanted. 114 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,479 Speaker 4: Everybody to hear them. They gave their money. 115 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 5: They supported the poor, but it was only to make 116 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 5: them look good. They were doing the right thing, but 117 00:05:58,360 --> 00:05:59,799 Speaker 5: they had wrong motives. 118 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 4: They were wearing masks. Here's the key. 119 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 5: Your inner life is more important than your outer life. 120 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 5: It's easy to put on masks and disguise what's going 121 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 5: on on the inside. 122 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 4: But Jesus said, blessed are the pure in heart. On 123 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 4: a regular basis. 124 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 5: We should ask ourselves why am I doing this? 125 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 4: Why am I being nice to. 126 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 5: This person because I like them and I want to 127 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 5: help them? Or do I want something from them? Am 128 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 5: I trying to impress them? Why am I working eighty 129 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 5: hours a week because I need the funds? Or am 130 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 5: I trying to prove to people that I'm successful, trying 131 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 5: to gain my self worth by what I do? Well, Joel, 132 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 5: I've been volunteering in the nursery for six years. Nobody's 133 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 5: told me thank you, nobody's given me any credit. Well, 134 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 5: somebody should thank you, But the bigger issue is are 135 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 5: you doing it for the applause, for the credit, or 136 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 5: are you're doing it to be pleasing under God? You 137 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 5: got to pull that mask back and examine your inner life. 138 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 5: Don't go like the Pharisees, year after year doing the 139 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 5: right thing, giving serving helping others but not receiving a 140 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 5: reward because you're doing it for the wrong reason. Facing 141 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 5: truth about ourselves can be uncomfortable. 142 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 4: It's hard to admit. Maybe I didn't have the right motives. 143 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 5: Maybe I am playing up to this coworker so they'll 144 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 5: put in a good word for me. Maybe I am 145 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 5: smiling on the outside telling my friends congratulation on your 146 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 5: big promotion. On the inside, I'm thinking you didn't deserve it. 147 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 5: That depresses me. You're just lucky. 148 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 4: You got to pull that mask back. 149 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 5: If you look inside and get honest, you can overcome the. 150 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 4: Things that will hold you back. I know people that 151 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 4: are very talented. 152 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 5: They work hard, they're doing the right thing, but they 153 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 5: can't seem to get ahead. It's because there's a problem 154 00:07:55,280 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 5: on the inside. They're not addressing the hidden issues motives, character, pride, jealousy. 155 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 4: Things like that. 156 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 5: Paul said in Second Corinthians four. We refuse to wear 157 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 5: masks and play games. We keep everything out in the open, 158 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 5: the whole truth on display. That's the kind of people 159 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 5: we should be. Our life is an open book. We're 160 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 5: not wearing any mask, thinking one thing and saying something else. 161 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 5: Our motives are pure We're not perfect, but we're dealing 162 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 5: with the issues, not pretending, not disguising it. 163 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 4: We're real. 164 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 5: When you live like that, open and honest, God will 165 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 5: make you and muld you into a vessel of honor 166 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 5: used for his highest purposes. 167 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 4: He'll take you further than you ever imagine. 168 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 5: In the parable of the prodigal Son, the young man 169 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 5: asked his father for his inheritance. 170 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 4: He went out and spent. 171 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 5: All of his money partying, living wild, hanging out with 172 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 5: the wrong people. 173 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 4: He blew his inheritance. What should have lasted years only 174 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 4: lasted a matter of months. 175 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 5: There came a great famine in the land. He had 176 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 5: no money, no place to live, and nobody to blame. 177 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 5: It was only his fault. The only job he could 178 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 5: find was working at a hog pen feeding the hogs. 179 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 5: It was hot, dirty, smelly. To make matters worse, he 180 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 5: ended up having to live in the hogpen, eating hog 181 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 5: food to survive. That could have been the end of 182 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 5: the story. Too bad, he brought the trouble on himself. 183 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 5: He missed his destiny. But the scripture says when he 184 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 5: came to himself, that means when he took off the mask, 185 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 5: when he quit pretending when he quit making excuses. 186 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 4: In other words, when. 187 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 5: He got real, he said, my father has servants that 188 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 5: live better than. 189 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 4: Me at home. 190 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 5: I would arise and go back to my father's house. 191 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 5: When the father saw a long way down the road, 192 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 5: the father took off, running toward him, gave him a hug. 193 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 5: He told his staff, let's have a party. My son 194 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 5: has returned home. The father represents God. He saw him 195 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 5: coming a long way off. That means he was looking 196 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 5: for him. When you take your mask off, God will 197 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 5: come running towards you when you get honest to say, God, 198 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 5: I need help with this addiction. 199 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 4: I need help with. 200 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 5: This anger, this temper or God, I've made a mess 201 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,119 Speaker 5: of things. I need help in my marriage. 202 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 4: God won't say I'm not going to help you. You 203 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 4: made the mess. Just the opposite. 204 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 5: He'll come running when you're humbled enough to say, God, 205 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 5: I've come to the end of myself. I can't break 206 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 5: this addiction in my own strength. I can't straighten up 207 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 5: my life just in my ability. When you acknowledge you 208 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 5: need God's help, He'll make things happen that you could 209 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 5: never make happen. 210 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 4: Are you wearing any man today? 211 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 5: Hiding behind a mask of pride, not wanting to ask 212 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 5: for help, too embarrassed to admit that. 213 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 4: Something is wrong. God is not going to fault you 214 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 4: for where you are. 215 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 5: He knew every mistake we would make before we ever 216 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 5: made it. He knows our flaws, Our weakness is our failures. 217 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 4: You don't have to pretend. 218 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 5: You can be honest like the prodigal. When you go 219 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 5: to God, you take off that mask. That's when you'll 220 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 5: see things begin to turn around. This is what David did. 221 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 5: You remember, he made a pretty major mistake. He committed 222 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 5: adultery with Bathsheba. He tried to cover it up, It 223 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 5: only made matters worse. He sent her husband out to 224 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 5: the front lines of the battlefield and he was killed. 225 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 5: Now that her husband was gone, he took Bathsheba as 226 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 5: his wife. David acted like nothing was wrong. Life is good, 227 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 5: no big deal. He was wearing the mask. Only he 228 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 5: and Bathsheba knew anything about. David tried to ignore it, 229 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 5: go about his business. But the problem is, when you're 230 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,559 Speaker 5: wearing masks, you step out of God's favor, you step 231 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 5: out of his protection, his blessing. For one year, David 232 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 5: was miserable, He was sick. He became weak. All kinds 233 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 5: of things came against him. Normally he could overcome them. 234 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 5: He had defeated Goliath, he had survived Saul chasing him 235 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 5: through the desert. He'd overtaken great armies. But now the 236 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 5: tables have turned deep down. David knew what the problem was. 237 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 5: He was smart enough to get honest with himself. He 238 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 5: took off the mask Psalm fifty one. He said, God, 239 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 5: I acknowledge my transgressions. I'm not covering it anymore. I 240 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 5: admit that I've done wrong. The first step to recovery 241 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 5: is you have to accept responsibility. 242 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 4: You have to own it. You can't over what you 243 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 4: want it meant. 244 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 5: And it's easy to go around hiding things, hiding an addiction, 245 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 5: hiding a failure, hiding an area that you struggle in, 246 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 5: Like David, what you hide, all that's going to do 247 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,319 Speaker 5: is eat away at you on the inside. 248 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 4: It's like poison. 249 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 5: It's much better to be real and go to God 250 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 5: and say I acknowledge that I've made this mistake, or God, 251 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 5: I acknowledge that I'm still struggling in this area. David 252 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 5: went on to say, God, you require truth in the 253 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 5: inward parts. He was saying, God, you require us to 254 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 5: be real. You require us to take off the mask. 255 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 5: You can't pretend and have God's blessing at the same time. 256 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 5: If you're covering the issues, not dealing with them, it's 257 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 5: not going to magically go away. 258 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 4: But there is a way out. 259 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 5: God is not holding your faults, your mistakes against you. 260 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 4: He has mercy, forgiveness, new beginnings. But you have to 261 00:13:59,160 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 4: do your part. 262 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 5: Take off the mask, quit pretending, and go to God 263 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 5: and be real. He already knows what you're dealing with. 264 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 4: It's not a surprise to God. 265 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 5: When you ask for his help, his forgiveness, his mercy, 266 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 5: that's when he'll begin to restore you and put you 267 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 5: back on the right path. 268 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 4: This is what David did. 269 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 5: He said, God, create in me a clean heart, restore 270 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 5: under me the joy of my salvation. He got it 271 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 5: out in the open, asked for forgiveness. God forgave him, 272 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 5: restored him. He went on to do great things. 273 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 4: God will do the same thing for you. 274 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 5: Not only did David take off the mask of pretending 275 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 5: everything was perfect when it wasn't. 276 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 4: Under that mask was a mask of shame. I can't 277 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 4: believe I did this. What was I thinking about I'll 278 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 4: never become who I was created to be. 279 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 5: The mask of shame can keep you from your destiny. 280 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 5: Voices will constantly with wih you can't take this mask off. 281 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 5: You're paying God back for your mistakes. You're showing him 282 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 5: that you're sorry. You should live guilty, ashamed, embarrassed, unworthy. 283 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 5: Look what you've done, friends, The price has already been paid. 284 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 5: You don't have to pay God back. You don't have 285 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 5: to live guilty and condemned. God has mercy for every 286 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 5: mistake you've ever made. He didn't disqualify you. He can 287 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 5: still get you to where you're supposed to be. Take 288 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 5: off the mask of shame. A friend of mine was 289 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 5: raised in a very dysfunctional home. His father was an alcoholic, 290 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 5: and when he would drink too much, he would become 291 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 5: angry and violent and mistreat his mother, bring all kinds 292 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 5: of turmoil in the home. 293 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 4: My friend, this young man. 294 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 5: Grew up just like his father, addicted to drugs, angry, violent, 295 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 5: couldn't hold down a job. But in his mid twenties 296 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 5: he gave his life to Christ and he had this 297 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 5: major turnaround. He ended up becoming the pastor of a church. 298 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 5: It's well respected in the community. He'd go around telling 299 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 5: people what God. 300 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 4: Had done, his story. But what people didn't. 301 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 5: Know is he still had this anger problem. He was 302 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 5: free from the drugs, from the addiction, but the smallest 303 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 5: things would set him off, Just like his father. He 304 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 5: would go into fits of rage and mistreat his wife, 305 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 5: his family. He knew it was wrong, but he was 306 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 5: too embarrassed to ask for help. His wife told him 307 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 5: again and again, honey, you can't keep living like this, 308 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 5: pretending everything is okay. He would answer, I know, but 309 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 5: I'm supposed to be the example. What are people gonna 310 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 5: think of me if they find out I have this 311 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 5: anger problem? Sometimes we're more concerned about what people are 312 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 5: going to think than we. 313 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 4: Are about what God thinks. 314 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 5: One day, like the prodigal son, he came to the 315 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 5: end of himself. He got tired of pretending. He found 316 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 5: trusted friend and went and told him everything that was 317 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 5: going on. The scripture says to do this, confess your 318 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 5: faults one to. 319 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:09,959 Speaker 4: Another, and you will be healed. 320 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 5: But if you keep hiding things, ignoring it, covering it up, 321 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 5: it's not gonna go away. 322 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 4: You have to take off the mask. Well, Joel, what 323 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 4: are people. 324 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 5: Gonna think if they find out I'm dealing with this issue. 325 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 5: What if my coworkers learn that I'm struggling in this area? 326 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 5: Can I tell you everybody is struggling with something. 327 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 4: There are no perfect people. Don't be embarrassed by it. 328 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 5: The enemy would love for you to go your whole 329 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 5: life wearing masks, pretending, not dealing with the real issues. 330 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 5: There is a freedom when you take that mask off 331 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 5: and you get real. 332 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 4: That's what my friend did. 333 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 5: He got involved in a good support group, something like 334 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 5: Celebrate Recovery that we have here today. He's totally free, 335 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 5: one of the kindest, most gentle people you'll ever meet. 336 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 5: But he would still be pretending, still be dealing with 337 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 5: that anger issue if he hadn't made the decision to 338 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 5: take off the mask. Paul said in Second Corinthians three, 339 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 5: we see God's glory with unveiled faces. 340 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 4: As long as your face. 341 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 5: Is veiled, as long as you're wearing that mask, you 342 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,679 Speaker 5: won't see God's glory. If you're wearing the mask of 343 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 5: perfection pretending everything is okay when it's not, Or like 344 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 5: my friend wearing a mask of pride not wanting to 345 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 5: ask for help. 346 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 4: That's going to keep you from God's best. I'm asking 347 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 4: you to take off the mask. You don't have to pretend. 348 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 4: When you're real, you'll see God's favor. 349 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 5: When there's truth on the inside, you'll see things begin 350 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,359 Speaker 5: to turn around. That same verse goes on to say 351 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 5: God changes us from glory to glory. Notice God doesn't 352 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 5: change us from shame to glory. If you're wearing the 353 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 5: mask of shame, you're gonna get stuck. 354 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 4: You got to take that mask off. 355 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 5: He doesn't change us from pride to glory, but from 356 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 5: glory to glory. 357 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 4: When you're not wearing any mask, you have God's glory 358 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 4: on your life. When you're open and honest, that's when 359 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 4: God can. 360 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 5: Change you and take you to the next level of 361 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 5: your destiny. But maybe, like my friend, you've been wearing 362 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,199 Speaker 5: a mask for a long time. You have some issues 363 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 5: you're not proud of. You don't want anybody to know. 364 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 5: The easy thing is to keep covering it, pretending everything's okay. 365 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 5: But the problem with wearing a mask your whole life 366 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 5: is you will miss your destiny. God will not bless 367 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 5: who you pretend to be, but he will. 368 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 4: Bless who you are false in all. When you're real. 369 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 5: An unveiled face doesn't mean that we're perfect. We're not 370 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 5: struggling in any area. Simply means we're an open book. 371 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 5: We're not pretending we're real. There was a man in 372 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,439 Speaker 5: the scripture named Zachis. He was a tax collector. They 373 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 5: were known for being dishonest and for cheating people. They 374 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 5: were looked down on, despised, nobody liked them. Zach Kius 375 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 5: was the chief tax collector. That means he was in 376 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 5: charge of all the dishonest people. You can imagine how 377 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 5: disliked he was. But Zachias was very good at what 378 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 5: he did. He was a wealthy man. One day he 379 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 5: heard that Jesus was coming through his city, and he 380 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 5: was so excited and couldn't wait to see him. But 381 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 5: the problem was Zachius was very short. He couldn't see 382 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 5: over all the people in the crowd. But being at 383 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 5: a disadvantage had never stopped him before. He knew how 384 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 5: to manipulate things and get his way. He went over 385 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 5: to a tree and started climbing up. 386 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 4: Wasn't easy. He had to work hard to strain, put 387 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 4: forth a law of effort. 388 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 5: Eventually he had the best seat of anyone Zakius was 389 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:59,360 Speaker 5: not only short physically, but symbolically. You could say he 390 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,120 Speaker 5: came up Lord. He wasn't making good decisions in life. 391 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 4: He was a fraud. 392 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 5: He had made his living by deceiving people. Now he 393 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 5: was up in this tree to make up for his weaknesses. 394 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 5: He looked good up there, impressive. Once again, he had 395 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 5: positioned himself for an advantage. People may not have liked him, 396 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 5: but they couldn't argue he had the best seat around. 397 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 5: His whole life, he had pushed others down to get 398 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 5: what he wanted. He didn't care about people. He cared 399 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 5: about position, about what's in it for me. He was 400 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 5: an expert at getting the upper hand. Finally, the big 401 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 5: moment arrived. Jesus came passing through the city. There were hundreds, 402 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 5: maybe thousands of people there, everybody screaming, waving, trying to 403 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 5: get his attention. About that time, out of all the 404 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 5: people there, Jesus stopped, looked up in the tree. 405 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 4: And said, Hazac Kiss. 406 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:01,120 Speaker 5: They had never met before, but Jesus called him by name. 407 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 5: Isn't it interesting that Jesus knew the main sinner in 408 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 5: the crowd. 409 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 4: This shows us the heart of God. 410 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 5: You may think that God would never have anything to 411 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 5: do with you. You made too many mistakes, you have 412 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 5: too much negative baggage, too many hang. 413 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 4: Ups, or just like zachia Is, God is calling your name. 414 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 5: He has a destiny for you to fulfill, an assignment 415 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 5: for you to accomplish. God will pass over all the 416 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 5: people that have it together, all the people that everybody 417 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 5: else would write off, to find that one person that's struggling. 418 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 5: That's why you're here today, That's why you're listening. It's 419 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 5: not by accident. God is calling your name. God looks 420 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 5: beyond the failures are mistakes. He looks beyond our mask 421 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,880 Speaker 5: what we pretend to be. God knows who you really are. 422 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 5: He's the one who breathed life into you. He puts 423 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 5: seeds of greatness on the inside. He sees your potential, 424 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 5: what you're capable of. No matter what you've done in 425 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 5: the past, God has not written you off. 426 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 4: He can still get you to your destiny. Zacheus was shocked. 427 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 5: He looked down and asked somebody, did he just call 428 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 5: my name? 429 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 4: They said yeah, he said, zach Kis. He scratched his head, thinking, 430 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 4: how does this man know my name? 431 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,120 Speaker 5: I'm not a religious person. I haven't lived an upstanding life. 432 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,199 Speaker 4: I'm a fraud. I've made a living cheating people. 433 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 5: Yeah I look impressive, I look important up here, but I. 434 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 4: Know this is not who I am. 435 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 5: He had worn that mask for so long, for so 436 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 5: many years, he had convinced himself that's who he was. 437 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 5: When Jesus called his name, he felt a conviction. Something 438 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 5: down in here said, this is not who you are. 439 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 4: You're better than this. 440 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:55,399 Speaker 5: What was happening, the mask was being exposed. See, God 441 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 5: knows who you really are, not who you pretend to be. 442 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 4: There will be. 443 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 5: Times like zac Kis, You'll feel conviction down in here. 444 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 5: You'll know this is not who I am. This anger, 445 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 5: this addiction, this compromise, this mediocrity. I've been covering it 446 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 5: up for years. But it's a mask. It's not the 447 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 5: true me. Zai Kis had to make a decision. Was 448 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 5: he going to get honest with himself and be willing 449 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 5: to make changes, or was he going to keep pretending. 450 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 5: Jesus looked up zach Kis, come down from that tree. 451 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 5: I want to go to your house and visit today. 452 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 5: Jesus was saying, I want to turn your life around. 453 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 5: I want to set you on a new path. But 454 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 5: as long as you're up there in the tree, as 455 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 5: long as you're trying to look impressive, covering the real issues, 456 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:46,919 Speaker 5: pretending everything is okay. 457 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 4: I can't do anything. 458 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 5: But if you'll come down to the ground, if you'll 459 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,399 Speaker 5: get real, if you'll quit hiding the areas where you 460 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 5: come up short, quit making excuses, If you'll come down, 461 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 5: then I'll come in. If you'll take off the mask, 462 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 5: all change areas that you could never change. I'll help 463 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 5: you break the addiction. I'll help you make better choices. 464 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 5: I'll help you live confident and secure. Maybe, like Zach 465 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 5: kis because of your shortcomings, your failures, your weaknesses, you've 466 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 5: climbed up in that tree, so to speak. You've worked 467 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 5: hard to gain an advantage and look impressive. Not let 468 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 5: anybody see your weaknesses. The easy thing to do is 469 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 5: stay up in the tree. It's safe, you don't have 470 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 5: to deal with anything. You can keep pretending, but you 471 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 5: have to come to that point where you say, I'm. 472 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 4: Tired of pretending. I'm tired of wearing these masks. I've 473 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 4: covered it up for years. I thought I have to, 474 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 4: but now I realize, like Zach. 475 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,920 Speaker 5: Kills, I have to come down. I have to get 476 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 5: real friends. God already knows what you're struggling with. You 477 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 5: don't have to cover up your inadequacies, your failures. 478 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 4: Come down out of that tree. 479 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 5: The people who get the help are the people who 480 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 5: are real, the people who are honest enough to say 481 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:13,120 Speaker 5: I don't have it altogether. I keep coming up short God, 482 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 5: I keep giving into this temptation, struggling in my marriage. 483 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 5: I'm dealing with this discouragement for God. I'm not going 484 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 5: to go around wearing any more mask. 485 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 4: I know when my. 486 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 5: Face is unveiled, I'll see your glory. I know that's 487 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 5: when you'll change me, make me, invold me. When there's 488 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 5: truth on the inside. God will change areas that you 489 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 5: could not change before. He'll make things happen that you've 490 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 5: not been able to make happen. Zachias came down from 491 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 5: the tree. Finally, he took the mask off, quit making excuses. 492 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 5: He admitted that he had been wrong. He didn't say, Jesus, 493 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 5: I don't have a good reputation. These people don't like me, 494 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 5: but really I'm a good person. 495 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,400 Speaker 4: No, he accepted responsibility. He owned it. 496 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 5: He said, in effact, I've cheated I've been dishonest, but 497 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 5: I'm ready to change. 498 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 4: I will pay everybody back four times that I've cheated. 499 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:13,880 Speaker 5: Jesus looked at him and said, today, Salvation has come 500 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 5: to your house. If you will be bold enough to 501 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,400 Speaker 5: come down out of that tree, be open and honest, 502 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 5: you will see God's favor in a new way. The 503 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:27,880 Speaker 5: pure in heart will be blessed. Are you wearing any 504 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 5: masks today? A mask of pride, a mask of shame, 505 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 5: a mask of trying to impress people, trying to be cool. 506 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 5: As long as you're pretending covering the real issues, it's 507 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 5: going to cause you to get stuck on a regular basis. 508 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 4: Examine your inner life. 509 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 5: Make sure your motives are pure, that you're doing things 510 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 5: for the right reason. If you'll make this decision with me, 511 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 5: that you're going to be real, I believe and declare, 512 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 5: like Zachias, Salvation is coming to your house today. That 513 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:05,160 Speaker 5: means freedom, breakthroughs, deliverance, healing, the fullness of your destiny 514 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 5: in Jesus' name. If you receive it, can you say 515 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 5: them in today? We never like to close our broadcast 516 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,680 Speaker 5: without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord 517 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 5: of your life. 518 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 519 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 4: repent of my sins. 520 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 5: Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 521 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 5: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 522 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 5: born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 523 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 5: God first place. 524 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 4: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed. 525 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to the Jolus Deine podcast. 526 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 3: Help us continue to share the message of hope with 527 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 3: those all over the world. Visit Jolus dein dot com 528 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 3: slash give Hope to give a gift today. 529 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 5: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 530 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 5: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 531 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 5: keep you. 532 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 4: Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 533 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 4: know God's best is steal ahead. We'll see you next time.