1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: Hey, don't start clicking off. I promise we're going to 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: get to the preaching in just a moment. But I'm 3 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: excited about this. This is a very special tradition at Elevation, 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: and we want to speak to all of you who 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: call our church home, especially our extended family, our EPAM 6 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: around the world, because once a year we have a 7 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: special series. It's really more than a collection of teachings. 8 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: It's a faith experience for all of the people who 9 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: are part of our ministry at Elevation, and this year 10 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: our theme is game Changer. I think one of the 11 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: most exciting things that God is doing in our ministry 12 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: is to open the doors of our ministry beyond our walls. 13 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: What I mean by that is we are amazed at 14 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: the thousands and thousands and thousands of you who are 15 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: letting us know that you're impacted by this ministry in 16 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: another zip code, in another state, in another country, maybe 17 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: eventually on another planet. But what I wanted to mention 18 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: to you is that you can be a part of 19 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: this beyond just consuming. Many of you have been blessed 20 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: by God to be a blessing. Now I wanted to 21 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 1: ask today, would you be willing during this special time 22 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 1: of year to make a one time donation to the 23 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,839 Speaker 1: ministry or maybe partner with us on a monthly basis 24 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: through recurring giving. I believe God could use your gift 25 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: to enable this ministry to continue to reach, to continue 26 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: to break paradigms, to continue to lift up Jesus. And 27 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you personally to go to Elevationchurch 28 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: dot org and you can see the ways to give there. 29 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: But most importantly, know that we feel a tremendousness of 30 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: responsibility to minister the word of God, not only to you, 31 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: but to challenge you to partner with us in reaching 32 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 1: people for the Gospel. I believe your gift today could 33 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: be a game changer, so don't put it off right now. 34 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: Elevation Church dot org you can find all of the details. 35 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy this message and thank you for 36 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: being a part of the family. I want to share 37 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: with you from a scripture that really demonstrates something that 38 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: I think is difficult to do in our lives will 39 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: be so helpful to us. We're in a season called 40 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: Game Changer, and so year in series, we're taking a 41 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: moment to pause, reflect and respond to God's goodness in 42 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 1: our lives, and so from the scriptural foundation today, I 43 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: want to help you see something that I think will 44 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 1: help you to carry forward with you into the next 45 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: season of your life momentum. For what God has already 46 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: done is something significant, and what he wants to do 47 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: is even greater. And I believe that, believe that with 48 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: all of my heart for myself and my family, and 49 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: for you and your family, and for our church. And 50 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: so with that spirit of faith, today let's go to 51 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: the Word of God Joshua, chapter four, verses one through nine. 52 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: And as I read this story to you over the 53 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: next few moments, I want you pay attention to the 54 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: details of it. Okay, because on the surface, the story 55 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: is really very simple. The people of Israel are crossing 56 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: into the Promised Land. They haven't fought any battles yet, 57 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 1: but it's already theirs because God has promised to give 58 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: it to them. So they're coming to realize what God 59 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: has already revealed, and he showed it to them for 60 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: many generations. But now they're coming into that moment where 61 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: they're having to actually believe that what God spoke in 62 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: their lives, and what God spoke that they haven't seen 63 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: come to pass yet is about to happen. And so 64 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: I think this is an appropriate scripture for where we 65 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: are as a church, and maybe for where you are 66 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: as well. And I pray that God will help me 67 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: deliver it today. Are you excited? I'll be honest, it's 68 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: not very convinced him, but I am. I'm excited enough 69 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: for all of us, So we'll do it anyway. Joshua 70 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: Chapter four, verse one. When the whole nation to finished 71 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, what choose 72 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 73 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: and tell them to take up twelve stones from the 74 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, 75 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: and carry them over with you and put them down 76 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: at the place where you stay. So Joshua call the 77 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from 78 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: each tribe, and said to them, go before the ark 79 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: of the Lord your got into the middle of the Jordan. 80 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: Each of you is to take up a stone on 81 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: his shoulder, according to the number of tribes of the Israelites, 82 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: to serve as a sign among you in the future, 83 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:27,839 Speaker 1: when your children ask you, what do these stones mean 84 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 1: tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut 85 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. 86 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 1: When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan 87 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:44,479 Speaker 1: were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial 88 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: to the people of Israel forever. So Israelites did as 89 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones in the middle 90 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes 91 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua, and 92 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: they carried them over with them to the camp where 93 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: they put them down. Joshua was set up the twelve 94 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan 95 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: at the spot where the priests who had carried the 96 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: arc of the Covenant had stood, and they are there 97 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: to this day. Would you look at the person next 98 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 1: to you and give them my sermon title, tell them 99 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: it's mine to manage. Look at your other neighbor. I 100 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: know they were your second choice, but they're important to 101 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: the Lord as well, and tell them it's mine to manage. 102 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: It's mine to manage. How many of you have children, 103 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: How many of you have children who have a phone 104 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: or an electronic device with a data plan. It's a 105 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 1: big debate around my house, when will our children be 106 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: old enough to be entrusted with data real first world problems. 107 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: I get it, but you know, parenting is challenging. It's 108 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: a great privilege, but I find it to be challenging, 109 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: and I find it to be exhilarating, and I find 110 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: it to be exhausting. And one woman rod me on 111 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: YouTube and said, I think you had kids too soon. 112 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: You're always complaining about them, And I prayed for her 113 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: in tongues. But you know, the more of a privilege 114 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 1: you see something to be, the more of a responsibility 115 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: you feel toward it. So complaining isn't always a sign 116 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: that you don't care, you're not grateful, you'd have an 117 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: attitude of gratitude. Gratitude is not an attitude. Gratitude is 118 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:32,119 Speaker 1: an action. And then the action of being grateful leads 119 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: to a feeling of gratitude. But God would not command 120 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: you to be grateful if gratitude was a feeling, because 121 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: you can't command a feeling. Doesn't work that way. God 122 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: instead instructs you to praise him. Once ps Alma said 123 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: it this way. He said, Ah, this is the day 124 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: that the Lord has made I will rejoice and be 125 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: glad in it. This is the day that the Lord 126 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Oh, 127 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: this is the day. This is the day that the 128 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: Lord has made. Hey, this is the day. This is 129 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: the day that the Lord has made. Now who made it? 130 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: Who made it? Now? I will rejoice. I will rejoice 131 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: and be glad in it. So God made it, But 132 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: I get to manage it. Touch somebody say it's mine 133 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: to manage. And what I do with this day is 134 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: up to me. So when I gave my oldest kid 135 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: his phone, I said, I wrapped it. It was his birthday, 136 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: and I rapped it, and I said, this phone has data, 137 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: and this phone is is yours? Not really for your birthday. 138 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: I am giving you my to use, which means that 139 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: this phone, the contents thereof, and the communications that shall 140 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: be initiated thereby, are under my jurisdiction. One good parent 141 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: clapped when I said that, And I dare you to 142 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: put a pass code on that phone that I don't know. 143 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: I dare you to put a pass code on that phone. 144 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: You change your passcode, and I will change your destiny. 145 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: But it was a principle in the modern age of stewardship. 146 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: That is really the same principle. You know that God 147 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: has been trying to teach us all along that it's 148 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: his to give and it's ours to manage. And the 149 00:08:54,960 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: moment you begin to understand that about your life, your money, 150 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: y'all don't like this sermon already. This is a motivational part. 151 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: It takes some of the pressure off to realize that 152 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: it's his to give, it's mine to manage. Say it 153 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: out loud, it's his to give, mine to manage. So 154 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: I didn't make the day, but I will rejoice in it. 155 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: So he gave me the day, and now it's mine 156 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: to manage. That's a really powerful distinction to know that 157 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: there are certain things that God has given you under 158 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: your jurisdiction. One of those things is your joy. I 159 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: will rejoice and be glad in it. And so this 160 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 1: is the day that the Lord has made, I will 161 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: rejoice and be glad in it, regardless of if the 162 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: traffic is congested. I don't manage the traffic, but am 163 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: i am. I like it this way. My joy is 164 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: my job. No matter what happens when I get to 165 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: my job, no one can steal my joy because my 166 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: joy is not under anyone else's jurisdiction. See what I'm saying. 167 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: It's mine to manage. And one time I made the 168 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 1: mistake of saying that somebody stole my joy, and the 169 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 1: spear of the Lord really corrected me on that, like 170 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 1: they stole your joy, your joy is not their job. 171 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: And if they stole it, you should have done a 172 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: better job locking the door so they couldn't get to it. 173 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,079 Speaker 1: You need a better security system. If someone else can 174 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: steal your joy, then you've got your joy hiding out 175 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: there in the open where anybody can see it and 176 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: snatch it. And so this principle emerges in the Book 177 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: of Joshua. Can I tell you a little bit about 178 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: this historic incident. I'm so thankful for the gift of 179 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: your attention today. I find it a great privilege that 180 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: you would lean into the word of God and allow 181 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: these words to be spoken. I think it's amazing. I 182 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: want to make it worth your why I want to 183 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 1: tell a little bit about this passage of scripture is 184 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: really amazing. What God is doing for his people here 185 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 1: because the nation of Israel is under new management, under 186 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: new management, and this promise that God began making generations ago, 187 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,079 Speaker 1: is now about to come to pass. This land that 188 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: they are going to possess is going to become theirs, 189 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: but it's really God's, but it's theirs. It's theirs to possess, 190 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: but it's God's to give. So it's Gods and it's theirs, 191 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: and Joshua is the person God is using to bring 192 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: it to pass. Now. Moses was the leader that brought 193 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: the people out of Egypt, where they spent several centuries 194 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: en slave to the systems of that nation. And now 195 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: they're no longer just wandering around in the wilderness like 196 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: they did under Moses for over forty years. But they're 197 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: coming into their own land. They're coming into their own 198 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: spacious place. They're coming into their own homes, and they're 199 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: coming into their own community that God has been in 200 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,599 Speaker 1: the process of forming. But it's going to require a 201 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: different mindset because up until this point in their life, 202 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: they have existed on the miracles that God provided, Like 203 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: God gave them mana when they were in the wilderness 204 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 1: because they didn't have quail like they had in Egypt, 205 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: that their masters would give them to feed them. But 206 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: now they're coming into their own and the mana that 207 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: used to fall from the sky. It was miraculous how 208 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: it came down. They would just walk out their front 209 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,439 Speaker 1: door and there it would be Amazon Prime on the doorstep. 210 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: The drone would drop it off and they would have 211 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: enough for the day. But the thing that's about to 212 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: happen to them in just a moment is that they're 213 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 1: going to cross over into this land where the mana 214 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: is going to stop coming, and they are going to 215 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: have to learn to manage in a different way. So 216 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: they're going to have to mature in their mindset. And 217 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: I guess one way that you could say it is 218 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: they're having to learn how to manage their miracle. And 219 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: this is something you don't hear taught enough in settings 220 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: like these, because we often tell you to expect a 221 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: miracle and to believe for a miracle, and to receive 222 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 1: for a miracle. But how many know that you are 223 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: responsible to manage your miracles. I'll prove it to you 224 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,199 Speaker 1: from the text, because you're acting kind of suspicious, and 225 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: I don't blame you. It sounds weird because a miracle 226 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: is something that God does. It's something that God gives. 227 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:48,199 Speaker 1: But the cooperation between Heaven and humanity has always been this. 228 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 1: It's God's to give, but it's mine to manage. It's 229 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: my father's to give, but it's mine to manage. And 230 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: so God is bringing his people through the Jordan River. 231 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: How many of you have something God has brought you 232 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:06,839 Speaker 1: through this year? Did God bring you through it? I'm 233 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: gonna give you twelve seconds to praise Him for something 234 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: that he brought you through. We all have a Jordan 235 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: that we came through. And the interesting thing about the 236 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: Jordan River is it's mentioned a lot in scripture, but 237 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: not because it's a big body of water. It's only 238 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: like fifteen yards wide at its widest points, and it's 239 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: not the deepest body of water. That's not what makes 240 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 1: it significant. What it symbolizes gives its biblical significance in 241 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: that the people of God saw the Jordan River as 242 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: representing transitions and new beginnings. You see it a lot 243 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: in the prophetic record, like Elisha God Elijah's mantle in 244 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: the Old Testament, and he crossed the Jordan River. It's 245 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: not a big river, but it's symbolic. It's significant not 246 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 1: because of its size, not because of its scope physically, 247 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: and not because of its geographical implications. But because of 248 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: what God did there. Now they're standing at this place, 249 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: this body of water, and God does something amazing and 250 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 1: does it in a very particular way. He tells the 251 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: priest to stand in the middle of the Jordan with 252 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: the arc of the Covenant. That's where they kept the 253 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: Ten Commandments. It represented the presence of God. And when 254 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: the priest put their foot in the water, the water 255 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: stopped flowing to provide passageway for the people to cross through. 256 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: God did not carry his people across the Jordan. He 257 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: enabled his people to cross over. This is how a 258 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: lot of us live, our lives waiting for God to 259 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: carry us over something when He is waiting for us 260 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: to cross you see me, def Leppard, It is true. 261 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: My kids one time, when they were real little, we 262 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: were at a public restroom and they were washing their 263 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: hands and they had their hands out like this, and 264 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: nothing was happening, because I realized they were used to 265 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 1: the fawcet being automatic, and it wasn't an automatic faucet. 266 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: And I watched, and I stood back to see how 267 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: long they would stand there with their hands under the faucet, 268 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 1: waiting for something to happen without turning the fascet on 269 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: and finally, in compassion, I told I told my oldest child, 270 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: I said, this is not an automatic faucet. I know 271 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: that you're used to the water just coming on like this, 272 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: seeing when you've had Man'm falling out of the sky 273 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: for so many years, You're used to just something falling 274 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 1: down out of the just because you put your hand there. 275 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: But it is going to require an action. It's gonna 276 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: require So the water didn't stuff flow until people start walking, 277 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 1: And when they start walking, the water stuff flowing. And 278 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 1: the people passed through, and the priests stood in the 279 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: middle of the Jordan, which must have taken faith for 280 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 1: them to stand in the middle of the Jordan, not 281 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 1: knowing if it was going to continue to pile up 282 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: in a heap or if it was going to flood 283 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: over them. But the leaders had the faith to stand 284 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: in the middle of the Jordan. In't that significant that 285 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: it said it was in the middle of the Jordan. 286 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: Isn't that the hardest thing in life to do is 287 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: to manage the middle? Because I understand that God has 288 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 1: made me promises and that he knows the end from 289 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: the beginning, But I don't I don't know the end 290 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: from the beginning. I know the plans I have for you, 291 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: declares the Lord plans to pross for you and not 292 00:17:57,119 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: to harm you, plans to give you hope and future. Well, 293 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: I'm glad that God knows the plans he had for me, 294 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: but I don't know the plans He has for me. 295 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: And so the challenge isn't believing that he knows how 296 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: this is going to end. My challenge is standing in 297 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: the middle and believing that what he spoke is indeed significant. 298 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: It's different when you're in the middle. It's a lot different. 299 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: It was. It was weird. A few weeks ago, they 300 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: had a baptism testimony on the on the screens, and 301 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: I love the baptism stories. Do you love those stories 302 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: that they tell? If it was your child, you might 303 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: love it, you know what I'm saying, Like if it 304 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: was somebody that you knew and loved. I try to 305 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: always picture like I always picture if that was my 306 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 1: brother or if that was my sister. And when I 307 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,919 Speaker 1: hear somebody share his testimony, I always listen for the details. 308 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: And one thing that I noticed that they normally share 309 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:08,400 Speaker 1: in their story. They'll share a sermon that where God 310 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:12,160 Speaker 1: spoke to them, and a few weeks ago, the young 311 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: lady sharing the sermon that she shared shared a sermon 312 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: that I remember preaching and thinking that it was the 313 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:22,360 Speaker 1: worst sermon that I ever preached, because it's different when 314 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:27,119 Speaker 1: you're doing it. Now, it was a year later and 315 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: she was talking about that story, that sermon, and in 316 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 1: her story she referenced that sermon as a turning point 317 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 1: in her relationship with God. And here's what I remember. 318 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: I remember how I felt while I was doing it, 319 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: and I realized that even though I felt nothing while 320 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: I was preaching it, she was sitting somewhere in that room, 321 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: maybe not even in the room where I was preaching it, 322 00:19:55,320 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: and she was having a completely different experience hearing it 323 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: than I was preaching it. But it's different when you're 324 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 1: in the middle of it, Huh. It's different when you're 325 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: raising your kids believing that they're receiving the values that 326 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: you're trying to impart to them. Because when you are 327 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: teaching your kids' responsibility, they do not thank you and 328 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: recognize you for being a voice of wisdom and an 329 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: encouraging force of good in their lives. Is different when 330 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: you're in the middle of it and see. The reason 331 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: that we can sometimes look at the biblical miracles and 332 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 1: experience them and celebrate them is because we know how 333 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,879 Speaker 1: they end. But it's different when you're in the middle 334 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: of it. It's different when you're in the middle of it, 335 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: when you are having to stand in the middle of 336 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 1: something and say, no, God, I know that you're faithful, 337 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: and I know that you're good, but I don't feel 338 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: that you're faithful, and I don't feel that you're good 339 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: right now. That's called a sacrifice of praise. That's where 340 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: you have to dig somewhere deeper than your feelings or 341 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: your knowledge, or your certainty, or your circumstance or your 342 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:17,159 Speaker 1: bank account. God, show me how to manage the middle. 343 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:20,439 Speaker 1: I have a hard time with that. I don't have 344 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 1: a hard time being excited about the beginning, and I 345 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: don't have a hard time celebrating the end. But this middle. 346 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: Teach me how to manage the middle. Ooh, ooh. One 347 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: of my best friends pastors of big church, and they 348 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: had three years where they didn't grow. In fact, they 349 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: went backward. I said, what was the problem in those 350 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: three years when you didn't grow? He said, middle management. 351 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: We got so large the organization got so big that 352 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,959 Speaker 1: there was a layer of people in the middle who 353 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: started to block the values that were a part of 354 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: the organization in the early days. And it was middle management. 355 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: It wasn't the people that were executing the job. It 356 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: wasn't the vision had changed. It was what happened in 357 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: the middle that almost cost us the momentum of what 358 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: God was doing. I wonder is that how it happens 359 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: in our lives. I wonder if sometimes the reason that 360 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:30,199 Speaker 1: joy stops flowing, the reason that faith stops growing, the 361 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 1: reason that sometimes we lose our sense of perspective about 362 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: who God is, is not the end. It's not the beginning. 363 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 1: It's middle management. We don't know how to manage the middle. 364 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,479 Speaker 1: We don't know how to deal with Monday. So we 365 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 1: shout good on Sunday. But I need a sermon. I 366 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: need an mma sermon. I need some Monday morning application. 367 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: I need something to help me manage this middle because 368 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: I'm not fighting the devil on Sunday morning. I'm fighting 369 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:04,399 Speaker 1: him on Tuesday at three point thirty seventh. So the 370 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: key to this, Joshua says, take twelve stones. Twelve stones. 371 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: January February March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, 372 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: twelve months, twelve stones, twelve tribes, twelve disciples, twelve everybody 373 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: say twelve, take twelve, Pile them up. And in the future, 374 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: when your children ask you, what's up with these stones? 375 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 1: Or like my kids ask me, what's up with these 376 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 1: cassette tapes? I still got some. When your children ask you, 377 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 1: tell them what the Lord did. Tell them, tell them, 378 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,120 Speaker 1: take them to the show the stones and tell them, 379 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: we didn't know if we were going to make it through. 380 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: But God did something only he could do. He made it. 381 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: Somebody shot, I made it. Tell the person next to 382 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 1: you you have no idea what I've been through. Look 383 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: at them right in the eye and say, and God 384 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: brought me over. And look at them one more time 385 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,439 Speaker 1: and say, how about you ask them, have you been 386 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: through anything? Imagine this? Imagine this. They come through the Jordan. 387 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 1: Let's play the story out for a moment. They come 388 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: through the Jordan. God brings them through. They set up 389 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,919 Speaker 1: the stones. God does a great miracle. They go on 390 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: to fight battles, but they set up the stones to 391 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: remember what God did in that moment. It's very beautiful. 392 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: And then they go forward into the land and they fight. 393 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: They fight many battles, and God gives them any victories. 394 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: But every once in a while, maybe they come back 395 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 1: with their kids and they show them the stones, because 396 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,719 Speaker 1: they left the stones in Gilgal, and then they moved 397 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:03,239 Speaker 1: on to conqurecate it. And you know how it is 398 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: when somebody is reflecting on something and they get nostalgic. 399 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: Maybe the parents start telling the children. We didn't know 400 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 1: if we were going to make it. Joshua was our 401 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:22,679 Speaker 1: new leader, and we had never we'd never been this 402 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 1: way before. And he told us. He told us that 403 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 1: if the priest would stand in the middle, the waters 404 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: would stand at attention until the people passed through. So 405 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 1: we hurried through as fast as we could. We ran through. 406 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: The Bible says in Joshua, chapter four, verse twenty one. 407 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 1: They hurried through. They didn't have a whole lot of faith, 408 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: just enough to get through it. They were dancing through 409 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: the middle. They were running through the middle. Let me 410 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:49,639 Speaker 1: tell you something, when you got the devil chasing you, 411 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: sometimes all you can do is get through it. You 412 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,920 Speaker 1: don't look flashy, you're not shooting, you're not flossing. You're 413 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: not doing nothing but running for your life. So they 414 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: got through it, but they say, God got us through it. 415 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: That was amazing, amazing because we didn't know. It was 416 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:08,359 Speaker 1: amazing and the arc was there and it represented the 417 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: presence of God. Oh I wish you could have been 418 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 1: their son. It was just so amazing and we didn't 419 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: know if we were going to be able to do it, 420 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: but we did. God did it. God it wasn't us. 421 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 1: Say God did it, okay, and they and they say that. 422 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: And then so maybe a few years go by, maybe 423 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,840 Speaker 1: they go back to the place again and they look 424 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 1: at the stones, but you know, maybe maybe the stones 425 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 1: are they're still there, they haven't gone anywhere. But the 426 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: story starts to get lost a little bit, and maybe 427 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 1: a few years later they're telling their children. They're like, oh, yes, 428 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: it's pretty cool. I mean we got through it. I 429 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: mean God did it, but we were the ones who 430 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,360 Speaker 1: had to walk because you know, like God didn't. God 431 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: didn't carry us through. But but we got through it. 432 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: And then a few more years passed and maybe they're 433 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: telling their kids again, making another trip and they're telling them, yeah, 434 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: those stones they're they're cool. Joshua made us get'm out 435 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:02,719 Speaker 1: the middle of the Jordan. It was weird. We were 436 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: ready to move on. But Joshua, let me tell you 437 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:08,640 Speaker 1: how I know that the story stopped being told because 438 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 1: when you get to the end of Joshua's life, you 439 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 1: read in Judges chapter to verse ten, just as verse, 440 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,000 Speaker 1: just as verse. I want to show you, and I 441 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: want you to think about the space between when Joshua 442 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: led the people through the Jordan and when the next 443 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: generation arose. Says it. After that whole generation, Joshua's generation 444 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up 445 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done 446 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 1: for Israel. Joshua's generation set up the stones. The next 447 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: generation didn't even know the story. What happened. Somewhere along 448 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: the way between Joshua Chapter four and Judges chapter two, 449 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: they stopped telling the story. Something changed about the story 450 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: somewhere in that space. And God, if I'm just preaching 451 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 1: this for one person, help me to do it now, 452 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: because they have been telling themselves the wrong story, and 453 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: now their faith is feeling feeble, and now their worship 454 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: has been weakened, and they are in a cycle of 455 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: dependence on false gods because they stopped telling the story. 456 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 1: The story of salvation is this. I was lost and 457 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: dead in my sin. I had no hope in myself. 458 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: I could not save myself. I could not help myself. 459 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: I could not lift myself. I would not have made 460 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: it if He had not reached down and with a 461 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: mighty hand and an outstretched arm, he died for me. 462 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: He came into my life, intersected me at the point 463 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: of my sin, and while I was still a sinner, 464 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: Christ died for me. Why are you screaming? Because I've 465 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: got a story that didn't start with me. It started 466 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 1: with the mercy of God. And the enemy doesn't want 467 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: you to tell this story. See he wants He wants 468 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: you to lose your testimony. They kept the stones, the 469 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: stones are still there to this day, but they stopped 470 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: telling the story. You know, you can have all of 471 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: of the the monuments of religion but lose your relationship 472 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: with God. You can have all the stones in the world. 473 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 1: You can come to church, you can you can still 474 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 1: live a a live this between the lines. But if 475 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: the truth we're told today some of us have stopped 476 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: telling the story, We've lost our testimony. You have a testimony. 477 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: There are things that God has done for you that 478 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: only He could do, and nobody else can tell it 479 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: for you, and nobody else can tell it like you. 480 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: It can happen. It can happen in your own heart. 481 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 1: It can happen in a generation. It can happen within 482 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: a lifetime. It could happen within three years. You can 483 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: actually have God do something amazing for you and have 484 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: the stones to prove it. Some of you are sitting 485 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: next to the woman that you ask God to give you, 486 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: but now you want out of your marriage. The problem 487 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: is in your marriage. It's your management. I'll go back 488 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: here because I'm not scared to say this stuff. We 489 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 1: need to manage our miracles. God has been good to us. 490 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: God has been more than enough. He is a provider, 491 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 1: He is the hope of Tyr. He did bring you through, 492 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: He did bless you, he did make a way. He 493 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:20,040 Speaker 1: is more than enough. He is else to die. He 494 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:27,840 Speaker 1: is a great king. He is a good father. Touch somebody, say, 495 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: manage your miracle. It compsta can't put us yours to manage. 496 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: I told Elijah, if you crack the screen, I'm not 497 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 1: replacing it. It's yours to manage. If you crack the 498 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 1: screen or if you here's here's what happens to me, 499 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:03,719 Speaker 1: let me tell you something. Say so that's tall. I 500 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: sometimes I stopped telling myself the testimony because to me 501 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: sometimes it seems small. You know, something happened between when 502 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 1: they crossed the Jordan. I don't know exactly what it is. 503 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: I think there's evidence to support this hypothesis. They fought 504 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: a lot of battles between Joshua before and judges too. 505 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: And I wonder if the battles became bigger in their 506 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 1: minds than the blessings. And I wonder if they started 507 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: telling themselves the stories that centered around their struggles rather 508 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 1: than God's sovereign hand that saw them through the struggles. 509 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: I wonder if they got in survival mode to the 510 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:57,960 Speaker 1: point that they stopped telling the story. And I wonder 511 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,960 Speaker 1: if when they saw God do all these other things, 512 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: I wonder I wonder if they just didn't go back 513 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,240 Speaker 1: to the stones they were placed on the bank of 514 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: the Jordan, back where they started. And sometimes when you 515 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: don't go back where you started and remember what God 516 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 1: did where you started, you lose perspective. When you get 517 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:23,719 Speaker 1: where you're going, Oh, man, I feel so guilty preaching 518 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: this point. It is so easy for me to get 519 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 1: caught up and consumed in my own convenience, my own drama, 520 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: my own insecurities, my own dysfunction, and a lot of times, 521 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 1: I'll be honest with you, I don't share what God 522 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: is doing in my life because it doesn't seem big, 523 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: because I can compare it to something else and it 524 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: seems small. It seems small like these stones. You know, 525 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 1: at one point in your life you're really grateful for it, 526 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: but then at some point it can lose its significants. 527 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 1: I was asking somebody the other day if I could 528 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: hear their testimony, and it's a church word, right, testimony. 529 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 1: People don't really talk like that except in courts and church, 530 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:14,319 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Like it's just a real 531 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:16,600 Speaker 1: churchy thing to say. And they were like, well when 532 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:18,759 Speaker 1: I was twelve and they were fifty three, I was like, 533 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:25,280 Speaker 1: not that testimony. I know, you can't fight today's devils 534 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: if you don't have today's testimony. There needs to be 535 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 1: a current work that God is doing in your life. Yet, Yes, 536 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: he saved me, and I want to talk about that, 537 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 1: but what is he doing in my life today, another 538 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,759 Speaker 1: generation that knew not the Lord nor what he had 539 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 1: done for Israel. This is your testimony. You know, it 540 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: can be a tiny testimony. It doesn't have to be 541 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,319 Speaker 1: a big rock. You can fight the devil with a 542 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: little rock. Ask David, you can fight a big giant 543 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,399 Speaker 1: with a little rock if you know how to throw it. 544 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: I said, you can fight depression with a little rock 545 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 1: if you know how to throw it. You can fight 546 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 1: discouragement with a lid, a tiny lid, a tiny testimony. 547 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,279 Speaker 1: I don't have a big testimony. I do pretty much 548 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,600 Speaker 1: on my life. I've been serving the Lord. I never 549 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:26,800 Speaker 1: was owned the drugs and women and running around pretty 550 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 1: much grew up and come on, man, you don't have 551 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 1: to have a met lab in your garage to have 552 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 1: a testimony. You don't have to be fresh off death 553 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:42,319 Speaker 1: row to have a testimony. You don't have to have 554 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:48,839 Speaker 1: fourteen children by fourteen women to have a testimony. A testimony, 555 00:35:49,239 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: it can be the smallest thing. Like a few weeks ago, 556 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:54,200 Speaker 1: I's getting ready come out and preach. I don't want 557 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 1: to tell you this because Joshua said, tell them, tell 558 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 1: them what God did for you, tell them him tell 559 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:04,000 Speaker 1: them about it. Preach it, teach it. You overcome by 560 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:07,480 Speaker 1: the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. 561 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: There is power in your personal testimony. So a few 562 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,479 Speaker 1: weeks ago, I was getting ready to preach. I didn't 563 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:22,320 Speaker 1: feel like preaching. Wo I love the Lord, I believe 564 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 1: his word, and I believe he's coming again. I just 565 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: didn't feel like preaching. On that Saturday night weather's nasty. 566 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 1: I didn't feel like preaching. So I was having a 567 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:36,640 Speaker 1: little pity party. I hate to tell you this, but 568 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:43,200 Speaker 1: I was. I was being so childish, and but then 569 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,400 Speaker 1: I had this moment. I was like, FaceTime one of 570 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:47,240 Speaker 1: your friends and get him to pray for you, because 571 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 1: the service was about to start, so the staff was 572 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 1: out doing staff stuff so they couldn't come pray for me. 573 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:55,480 Speaker 1: So I was gonna facet one of my friends who 574 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,400 Speaker 1: didn't have a Saturday night service, and he didn't answer. Apparently, 575 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: Judas Smith, I had better things to do than pray 576 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 1: for his friend. Pray that the Carolina Panthers will wreak 577 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:08,320 Speaker 1: havoc upon the Seattle Seahawks today to punish him for 578 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:10,880 Speaker 1: not being there. In my time of FaceTime, need you 579 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 1: don't want to FaceTime forerdict. I hope you go down 580 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:20,040 Speaker 1: today royally. Then I called Craig Groschell, that's my pastor, 581 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:23,800 Speaker 1: that's my guy. And he didn't answer, and he always answers. 582 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:27,839 Speaker 1: He didn't answer, and I was running out of time 583 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:30,400 Speaker 1: because I needed to get out there and preach. So 584 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:33,400 Speaker 1: I said this little pitiful prayer, you know, not the 585 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 1: kind I pray in front of people. I was like, 586 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:47,319 Speaker 1: oh Lord, since nobody wants to pray for me, I'm 587 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:51,200 Speaker 1: always praying for everybody else. I guess I'll go out free, 588 00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 1: shall I pray for myself? And I start praying. You know, 589 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 1: this real mumbly, grumbly, grumpy prayer, A little bad attitude prayer, 590 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 1: A little like kids going to make up to bed 591 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:04,680 Speaker 1: fun that kind of prayer. Have you ever had that 592 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:10,080 Speaker 1: level of faith where it's like, fine, faith, fine God, Fine, 593 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 1: I pray for myself. So I start praying Father in 594 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:17,399 Speaker 1: the Images out loud. I say that when I said 595 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:19,839 Speaker 1: Father in the name of Jesus the moment I got 596 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: it out of my mouth, Father name of my phone 597 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 1: rang my phone hardly ever, rang rings my phone. I 598 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:29,720 Speaker 1: mostly communicate my text I don't do a lot talking 599 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 1: on the phone, and my phone rings and it hardly 600 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 1: ever rings. It never rings at that time of day. 601 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:43,400 Speaker 1: And it said no caller id I but I'm not 602 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:51,279 Speaker 1: making this up. I said, I should answer this. I said, Hello, 603 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,800 Speaker 1: there's deep voice comes on the phone. What are you doing? 604 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: The voice of none other? It could only be Bishop 605 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:05,480 Speaker 1: TD Jakes. That's like my favorite preacher. Since I'm like 606 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:09,680 Speaker 1: this big, since I started wanting to be a preacher, 607 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:13,680 Speaker 1: this was my favorite preacher. And here he is calling me, 608 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:18,439 Speaker 1: what do you deal with? And I was like, hey, 609 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:21,719 Speaker 1: mis Jakes knows he is going on the preacher from 610 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:26,880 Speaker 1: Saturday night service. He said, oh, well, since this is 611 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:29,800 Speaker 1: a bad time, let me just pray for you before 612 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:32,799 Speaker 1: you go out there and preach real quick. Father, in 613 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:35,520 Speaker 1: the name of Jesus, but knowing him with your spirit 614 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:38,120 Speaker 1: and fill up with your wisdom, give him words to 615 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:44,959 Speaker 1: say from him. I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm 616 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 1: not waiting until something to me. I need to fight 617 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 1: the devil. Sometimes with a phone call. There are little 618 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 1: things that God has done for me. Moments where I 619 00:39:56,680 --> 00:40:00,359 Speaker 1: called his name and there was nobody there to add sir, 620 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden something from heaven with 621 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:07,839 Speaker 1: no caller id and God reached out, and God dried 622 00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:12,000 Speaker 1: my tears, and God strengthened me, and God upheld me 623 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 1: who in a mighty hand in and out stretched arm. 624 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 1: You need to tell these stories. You need to tell 625 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:31,960 Speaker 1: these stories. Stop telling yourself the story that nobody cares 626 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:34,600 Speaker 1: about you and that you're alone, and that it doesn't 627 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:37,399 Speaker 1: matter another generation who didn't know what the Lord had 628 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:42,560 Speaker 1: done for Israel because they stopped telling the story. And 629 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:46,839 Speaker 1: when you stop preaching the gospel to yourself and reminding 630 00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:50,920 Speaker 1: yourself that the Son of God accepted and chose you, 631 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:55,640 Speaker 1: and brought you out of Egypt, and brought you out 632 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:59,080 Speaker 1: of sin, and brought you through the Red Seat, and 633 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:04,800 Speaker 1: brought you through the Jordan, and brought down the Jericho walls, 634 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:08,160 Speaker 1: and brought you out of bondage, and brought you out 635 00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:16,800 Speaker 1: of fear. Please hear me. When you stop telling that story, 636 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:22,880 Speaker 1: you lose your strength. The children of Israel went through 637 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:31,600 Speaker 1: fifteen cycles of disobedience to God. And not only did 638 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 1: they go through fifteen cycles of disobedience to God through 639 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:38,520 Speaker 1: fifteen different judges, but they went through four hundred and 640 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:43,560 Speaker 1: twenty years of dependence on gods that could not save 641 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:53,160 Speaker 1: them because they stopped telling the story. What story have 642 00:41:53,280 --> 00:41:57,800 Speaker 1: you been telling yourself? What story have you been telling 643 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:02,520 Speaker 1: your children? What story? You know? What? I was thinking, 644 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:08,240 Speaker 1: what story is our church telling in this day? Because 645 00:42:08,719 --> 00:42:13,120 Speaker 1: God has done amazing things for us. But sometimes it 646 00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:17,000 Speaker 1: really rips my heart out when I see a campus 647 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:22,160 Speaker 1: pastor giving an invitation in our church and people get 648 00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:24,359 Speaker 1: up and start leaving so they can beat traffic out 649 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:26,840 Speaker 1: the parking lot while somebody's soul is on the line. 650 00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:30,160 Speaker 1: That really hurts my heart because when we started the church, 651 00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:33,480 Speaker 1: we weren't starting the church to have a Christian entertainment 652 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:37,480 Speaker 1: center where we could give people a little anecdote and 653 00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:39,920 Speaker 1: a little song and a little goosebump and they could 654 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:45,160 Speaker 1: get to lunch. Is that the story we're telling that 655 00:42:45,239 --> 00:42:49,400 Speaker 1: we gather together when it's convenient and we consume spiritual food, 656 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:52,960 Speaker 1: but we never contribute. This is why I think it's 657 00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:57,960 Speaker 1: important that we have traditions like our year end offering, 658 00:42:58,080 --> 00:43:05,120 Speaker 1: because God is inviting a new generation to tell the story. 659 00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:12,320 Speaker 1: And it's so vital in this moment that you realize 660 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:17,440 Speaker 1: that the gospel is God's story, but it's ours to 661 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:22,239 Speaker 1: manage we are stewards of the story that God is 662 00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:24,960 Speaker 1: telling in the world today. What a privilege it is. 663 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:34,120 Speaker 1: Come on, can we praise Him for the privilege? Do 664 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:39,760 Speaker 1: you do? You know the hemn? This is my story, 665 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:56,960 Speaker 1: This is my song praising my avery, this is my 666 00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:14,399 Speaker 1: sor this is my crazy mis say, stand to your feet. 667 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:19,680 Speaker 1: I want to pray with you. Now, just give me 668 00:44:19,719 --> 00:44:24,200 Speaker 1: a path. You're in the middle of a story right 669 00:44:24,239 --> 00:44:28,080 Speaker 1: now that God is telling through your life. You're in 670 00:44:28,080 --> 00:44:31,760 Speaker 1: the middle of it. The priests stood in the middle. 671 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,160 Speaker 1: The stones came from the middle. Everything good that God 672 00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:36,600 Speaker 1: does in our life comes from our ability to recognize 673 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:41,480 Speaker 1: it in the middle. And sometimes what happens, I know, 674 00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:45,160 Speaker 1: you feel like you've come to the end. You feel 675 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:49,000 Speaker 1: like is this for you? You feel like you get 676 00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:50,560 Speaker 1: to the end of something, You get to the end 677 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:52,440 Speaker 1: of your own strength. You get to the end. And 678 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:55,560 Speaker 1: sometimes the season shifts in your life, and and something 679 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:58,080 Speaker 1: is always ending as something else is beginning. The Jordan 680 00:44:58,239 --> 00:45:01,200 Speaker 1: is both it's it's their egg, it is from the wilderness, 681 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:04,160 Speaker 1: and it's their entrance into Canaan. It's happening all at 682 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:07,400 Speaker 1: the same time, right, and so you think you're at 683 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:13,200 Speaker 1: the end of something. Your ability to manage that emotion 684 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:17,839 Speaker 1: in the middle of it determines what happens next in 685 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:23,839 Speaker 1: your life. Remember this, Moses died on Mountain Nebo looking 686 00:45:23,920 --> 00:45:28,440 Speaker 1: at the promised land. Joshua led the people into the 687 00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:32,960 Speaker 1: land that God had promised Moses. The difference wasn't what 688 00:45:33,080 --> 00:45:37,720 Speaker 1: God had promised. God promised Moses and Joshua the same result. 689 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:43,240 Speaker 1: The difference wasn't the promise. The difference was how they 690 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:47,759 Speaker 1: managed the miracle in the middle of it. God gave 691 00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:51,240 Speaker 1: Moses a miracle, he parted the Red Sea, but Moses 692 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:54,760 Speaker 1: stayed stuck in what other people said, Moses managed according 693 00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:57,600 Speaker 1: to his fear, not his faith. God gave Joshua the 694 00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:00,600 Speaker 1: same promise, and Joshua said, even in spite of our fear, 695 00:46:01,040 --> 00:46:03,719 Speaker 1: even in spite of our failures, even in spite of 696 00:46:03,760 --> 00:46:05,920 Speaker 1: the fact that they're more out there than there are 697 00:46:06,000 --> 00:46:08,720 Speaker 1: in here, we're going forward in the name of the Lord, 698 00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:11,600 Speaker 1: with his presence as our banner. And we are standing 699 00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:13,880 Speaker 1: in the middle, and we will stand in the middle 700 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:18,400 Speaker 1: until everything that God has spoken comes to pass. I wonder, 701 00:46:18,440 --> 00:46:21,000 Speaker 1: is there anybody who's willing to get in the middle 702 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:24,800 Speaker 1: of it and take your stand and declare, I will 703 00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:28,759 Speaker 1: see the goodness of the Lord in my generation, in 704 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:36,080 Speaker 1: my life. That's what I want to pray for you about. 705 00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:38,520 Speaker 1: And if you lift your hands right now, I'll do 706 00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:43,560 Speaker 1: it because the Lord is in this moment. The Lord 707 00:46:43,640 --> 00:46:49,759 Speaker 1: is very present even in your pain, and I believe 708 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:52,400 Speaker 1: that God is even present in some of the mistakes 709 00:46:52,440 --> 00:46:56,600 Speaker 1: that you've made. Lord, right now, would you visit the 710 00:46:56,640 --> 00:47:02,760 Speaker 1: heart of each of your sons and daughters with a reminder, maybe, 711 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:06,879 Speaker 1: like those twelve rocks that the people piled up, give 712 00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:09,680 Speaker 1: us a rock of remembrance today that we can build 713 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:16,440 Speaker 1: on the firm foundation of your faithfulness. The victory is 714 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:24,000 Speaker 1: yours to give, but it's mine to manage. God, remind 715 00:47:24,080 --> 00:47:26,800 Speaker 1: me of the responsibility that you have given me, and 716 00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:31,239 Speaker 1: teach me to lean on your grace as I do. 717 00:47:34,080 --> 00:47:36,000 Speaker 1: Give me the faith to stay standing in the middle 718 00:47:36,040 --> 00:47:40,160 Speaker 1: with the waters all around me, and to worship You 719 00:47:41,520 --> 00:47:46,320 Speaker 1: in this moment, with our heads bowed and our eyes closed. 720 00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:50,920 Speaker 1: I wonder if there's somebody here today who needs to 721 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:56,200 Speaker 1: receive the grace of God for the salvation of your soul, 722 00:47:56,440 --> 00:47:59,880 Speaker 1: the forgiveness of your sin. I wonder if there's some 723 00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:03,479 Speaker 1: one here today who needs to begin a relationship with God, 724 00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:07,560 Speaker 1: or maybe you want to reconnect in that relationship with God. 725 00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:10,600 Speaker 1: You've been feeling for a long time like you're far 726 00:48:10,640 --> 00:48:15,719 Speaker 1: from him, but it's not true. He's near and if 727 00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:18,480 Speaker 1: you call on his name, he is in this moment, 728 00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:22,400 Speaker 1: and he longs to come and live inside of you. 729 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:27,239 Speaker 1: He longs to allow you to follow him, even when 730 00:48:27,320 --> 00:48:34,200 Speaker 1: you don't know what's next. It's very simple what the 731 00:48:34,239 --> 00:48:38,800 Speaker 1: Bible says about salvation. It is by grace that you 732 00:48:38,840 --> 00:48:41,120 Speaker 1: are saved through faith. It's the gift of God. It's 733 00:48:41,120 --> 00:48:45,319 Speaker 1: not of works, so that no one can boast that. 734 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:47,759 Speaker 1: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, 735 00:48:47,760 --> 00:48:49,879 Speaker 1: and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, 736 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:54,360 Speaker 1: you will be saved. As the promise of God doesn't 737 00:48:54,440 --> 00:48:58,320 Speaker 1: require good works. You can't stack enough stones to climb 738 00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:00,160 Speaker 1: your way to heaven and it doesn't work like that. 739 00:49:01,600 --> 00:49:04,200 Speaker 1: God's not watching your behavior to see whether or not 740 00:49:04,239 --> 00:49:07,120 Speaker 1: he will relate to you. He's already done through the 741 00:49:07,120 --> 00:49:09,239 Speaker 1: person of his son Jesus. All that needs to be 742 00:49:09,320 --> 00:49:11,960 Speaker 1: done for you to have a right relationship with Him. 743 00:49:12,719 --> 00:49:14,239 Speaker 1: And right now, in this moment, I want to pray 744 00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:19,080 Speaker 1: with you. At every location. We're going to pray out 745 00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:21,239 Speaker 1: loud as a church family for the benefit of those 746 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:24,759 Speaker 1: who are coming to God or coming back to God. 747 00:49:25,480 --> 00:49:29,319 Speaker 1: But we'll all pray out loud together. Repeat after me, 748 00:49:29,360 --> 00:49:34,960 Speaker 1: Heavenly Father. I believe in Jesus Christ is the Son 749 00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:39,840 Speaker 1: of God. And today I make Jesus the Lord of 750 00:49:39,840 --> 00:49:43,919 Speaker 1: my life. I believe he die to forgive my sin 751 00:49:44,719 --> 00:49:49,560 Speaker 1: and rose again to give me life. I receive this 752 00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:54,279 Speaker 1: new life. This is my new beginning. On the count 753 00:49:54,320 --> 00:49:56,200 Speaker 1: of three, if you just prayed that prayer, shoot your 754 00:49:56,200 --> 00:49:59,239 Speaker 1: hand up. I want to celebrate with you. One, two, three, 755 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:02,680 Speaker 1: come on as a testimony. Shut your hand on. That's 756 00:50:02,680 --> 00:50:06,839 Speaker 1: a lot of hands. That's a lot of hands. Let's 757 00:50:06,920 --> 00:50:11,200 Speaker 1: praise God for it. Come on, let's praise God for it. 758 00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:16,320 Speaker 1: I said, let's praise God for it. Today is today 759 00:50:16,320 --> 00:50:23,640 Speaker 1: of salvation. Said, let's praise God for it. Well, I 760 00:50:23,719 --> 00:50:26,160 Speaker 1: hope you enjoyed the podcast today. If you did, there 761 00:50:26,160 --> 00:50:28,440 Speaker 1: are just a couple things I'd love for you to do. 762 00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:32,160 Speaker 1: Number One, subscribe to our show. That way, the most 763 00:50:32,200 --> 00:50:35,400 Speaker 1: recent episode will always be in your feed, waiting for 764 00:50:35,520 --> 00:50:39,000 Speaker 1: you ready when you are. And Secondly, if this ministry 765 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:41,480 Speaker 1: has impacted you, and you'd like to help us continue 766 00:50:41,520 --> 00:50:43,560 Speaker 1: to reach others. You can click the link in the 767 00:50:43,600 --> 00:50:46,480 Speaker 1: description and you can give now and I'll see you 768 00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:49,120 Speaker 1: next time on the Elevation podcast.