WEBVTT - Need Meeters 0:00:01.960 --> 0:00:04.519 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 0:00:04.760 --> 0:00:07.000 Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 0:00:07.040 --> 0:00:10.360 you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:12.400 it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:16.960 see God is moving in your life. Enjoy. The message 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:21.000 kind of unintentionally went into a mini series from Philippians. 0:00:21.000 --> 0:00:24.160 I want to share from chapter four, Holy Spirit, give 0:00:24.200 --> 0:00:29.240 me accuracy and precision to speak this word. May it 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:31.880 get through my mouth, but may it come from your 0:00:31.880 --> 0:00:35.800 heart Jesus Name, Amen, Philippians, Chapter four, and I want 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:38.680 to link this message with the other messages from Philippians. One. 0:00:39.240 --> 0:00:41.519 I'm not going to be dragging anybody across the stage 0:00:41.720 --> 0:00:45.320 in a chain this week. I figured it's a bad pattern. 0:00:45.880 --> 0:00:51.000 But I do want to go to this great passage 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:53.560 of scripture that was originally like a ps that Paul 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:56.800 put in his letter to the Philippian Church, and he 0:00:56.960 --> 0:00:59.040 just kind of tagged it on at the end to 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:02.040 thank them for the gift that they sent to help 0:01:02.120 --> 0:01:06.240 him with his defense, his legal defense, and from a 0:01:06.240 --> 0:01:09.080 prison cell, he writes, and he's like full of joy, 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:12.680 which is counterintuitive that you'd be in jail and have joy, 0:01:13.400 --> 0:01:15.720 or lose your job and still trust God and call 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:18.920 him your provider, or be single but still know that 0:01:18.920 --> 0:01:23.039 you're not alone. Or maybe be wronged, but know that 0:01:23.080 --> 0:01:27.000 God is even using that to ultimately bless your life 0:01:27.080 --> 0:01:30.119 and to use you. And all of this is taught 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:32.760 in the Book of Philippians. But I find myself coming 0:01:32.800 --> 0:01:36.520 back to this section, which is like a ps not 0:01:36.560 --> 0:01:41.120 only a PostScript to use an old letter writing term, 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:45.960 but also it's a perspective shift. So we're going to 0:01:46.040 --> 0:01:50.280 see the power of a perspective shift today. Philippians, chapter four, 0:01:51.880 --> 0:01:56.080 verse ten through nineteen. I rejoice greatly in the Lord 0:01:56.600 --> 0:02:01.120 that you at last renewed your concern for me. I 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:03.760 was laughing when I read that. He's like, thanks, I 0:02:03.760 --> 0:02:08.040 got your gift. It's about time. I didn't think that 0:02:08.080 --> 0:02:11.399 was very good etiquette, very good thank you note etiquette. 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:16.800 I got the gift finally, But then he clarifies, indeed, 0:02:17.880 --> 0:02:21.919 you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:25.600 I'm not saying this because I'm in need, for I 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:29.440 have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances. Just touch 0:02:29.480 --> 0:02:31.440 the person next to you and say I'm good, I promise. 0:02:34.080 --> 0:02:36.720 I know what it is to be in need, and 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:38.520 I know what it is to have plenty. I have 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:42.000 learned the secret of being content. I wasn't born this way. 0:02:42.639 --> 0:02:45.960 I was born screaming my head off. I was selfish 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:49.360 when I was two. But I'm maturing and I have 0:02:49.560 --> 0:02:53.880 learned to be content. I've learned that you can complain, 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:55.880 but it won't do any good and people won't like you. 0:02:56.760 --> 0:03:00.799 So I'm learning amen to be content, whatever the circumstances, 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:02.200 because I know what it is to be in need, 0:03:02.240 --> 0:03:03.560 I know what it is to have plenty. I've learned 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:05.880 the secret of being content in any and every situation, 0:03:05.960 --> 0:03:08.919 whether wealth that are hungry, whether living in plenty or 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:11.560 in want. And I can do all this through Him 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:14.840 who gives me strength. I call that the international bingch 0:03:14.919 --> 0:03:18.840 press verse where you see these posters in every Christian 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:22.560 school weight room all over the world. But it's got 0:03:22.560 --> 0:03:25.520 a little deeper meaning than that. It's about the sufficiency 0:03:25.520 --> 0:03:28.520 of God's spirit in every situation. And I just feel 0:03:28.520 --> 0:03:32.440 good today. I feel I feel relaxed and happy about 0:03:32.440 --> 0:03:36.520 this message. Verse fourteen. Yet it was good of you 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:40.200 to share in my troubles Moreover, as you Philippians know, 0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:43.760 in the early days of your acquaintance with the Gospel, 0:03:44.000 --> 0:03:47.520 when I set out for Macedonia, not one church shared 0:03:47.560 --> 0:03:51.080 with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you. 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:56.680 Only you were there for me. You were there for me, 0:03:56.800 --> 0:03:58.360 and I won't forget it, for even when I was 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:05.000 in Thessalonika sent me aid more than once when I 0:04:05.080 --> 0:04:07.960 was in need. It's kind of confusing because he keeps 0:04:08.000 --> 0:04:11.360 going back and forth. I don't need anything yet, thank 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:13.680 you for meeting my needs. But I don't need anything, 0:04:14.200 --> 0:04:15.600 And I'm like, well, Paul, if you don't need it, 0:04:15.600 --> 0:04:19.679 can we have it back because we need it. You know. Look, 0:04:20.040 --> 0:04:24.279 not that I desire your gifts. What I desire is 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:28.000 that more be credited to your account. I have received 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:32.680 full payment and have more than enough. I am amply 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:36.120 supplied now that I have received from a paphroditis that 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:41.120 gives you sent They're a fragrant offering an acceptable sacrifice, 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:47.479 pleasing to God, and my God will meet all your needs. 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:50.080 I wonder if Paul was just saying this to the 0:04:50.160 --> 0:04:53.720 church at Philippi, or will he say it to Elevation 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:59.960 Balentine today too? And elevation Toronto. And my God, in fact, 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:01.839 I wonder would you say this to the person next 0:05:01.839 --> 0:05:08.000 to you. My God will meet all your needs. And 0:05:08.080 --> 0:05:10.560 this part is important according to the riches of His 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:13.760 glory in Christ, because I don't have what you need, 0:05:14.240 --> 0:05:16.479 and I can't always be what you need because I 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:19.200 got my own needs. And that's why I'm tired all 0:05:19.200 --> 0:05:22.720 the time. Is because people want me to meet their 0:05:22.800 --> 0:05:25.720 needs and I've got so many of my own. If 0:05:25.760 --> 0:05:28.520 you only knew how much I'd needed, you would leave 0:05:28.560 --> 0:05:31.120 me alone. How many want to say this to your 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:33.839 kids every once in a while, not me. I love 0:05:33.880 --> 0:05:39.919 my kids, They're delightful. But I think that's the most 0:05:39.960 --> 0:05:43.359 misunderstood verse in the whole Book of Philippians. And I 0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:45.240 want to spend some time with it today. My God 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:48.400 will meet all your needs according to the riches of 0:05:48.440 --> 0:05:50.200 his glory in Christ, Jesus, and see if we can 0:05:50.200 --> 0:05:53.560 get a fresh hearing for this verse in Paul's presence. 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:55.800 And I want to speak to you today about need meeters, 0:05:56.800 --> 0:06:01.920 need meeters. Some things you learn about your spouse very 0:06:02.120 --> 0:06:05.599 quickly after marriage. Some things you know going in, Some 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:09.640 things you find out progressively. I will never forget on 0:06:09.640 --> 0:06:13.320 our honeymoon learning. Uh. I learned a lot about Holly 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:18.840 on our honeymoon. And yeah, and then and so and 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:21.120 but uh in church. The thing that I learned about 0:06:21.120 --> 0:06:24.240 her that I wanted to tell you about today is 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:32.080 we have we have very opposite vacation personalities. When she 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:40.320 gets relaxed, she gets quiet and and boring, And when 0:06:40.360 --> 0:06:45.240 I get relaxed, I get playful. Some would say silly, 0:06:45.440 --> 0:06:51.800 some would say obnoxious, but I say playful. And the 0:06:52.000 --> 0:06:54.160 reason I knew that this was going to be interesting 0:06:54.200 --> 0:06:56.880 in our relationship is because I thought she was mad. 0:06:57.360 --> 0:06:59.760 I thought she didn't like the cruise ship. And I 0:06:59.839 --> 0:07:02.200 was like, well, I know I couldn't afford the balcony room, 0:07:02.240 --> 0:07:06.039 but at least it's a princess cruise. I was proud 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:08.520 of it, proud of the princess cruse and nobody she 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:12.800 was happy, and she said something to me. I just 0:07:12.880 --> 0:07:15.720 remembered it when I was preparing this message. When I 0:07:15.760 --> 0:07:18.240 was jumping up and down on the bed in that 0:07:18.320 --> 0:07:20.120 little room that they give you on the cruise ship, 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:23.440 jumping up and down on the bed, maybe wanting to 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:28.480 arm wrestle and making animal noises. She looked at me, 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:30.840 and I've heard her say this to our kids, but 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:32.280 this was the first time I heard her say it. 0:07:32.320 --> 0:07:39.520 She said, do you need attention? And you know what 0:07:39.560 --> 0:07:43.840 I want to say publicly, Holly, Yes, Yes, I need 0:07:43.880 --> 0:07:50.040 your attention, your affection, your tender mercies. I need it all, 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:54.280 all of it, anything, y'all need it all. I don't 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:56.760 know what I need. That's one thing I know at 0:07:56.760 --> 0:07:59.440 age thirty eight that I didn't know earlier on. I 0:07:59.480 --> 0:08:02.520 don't even know what I need. I don't. She wants 0:08:02.520 --> 0:08:04.520 to be a doctor, so she's like, well, where does 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:06.760 it hurt? And I don't know. I just it hurts. 0:08:06.840 --> 0:08:12.160 She'll ask me this, what kind of headache? The kind 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:16.400 that hurts? And she wants to know you know, what 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:19.760 do you need? What do you need? And the frustrating 0:08:19.800 --> 0:08:23.720 thing about it is somebody can really love you and 0:08:23.840 --> 0:08:30.000 want to meet your needs. But two things. One, if 0:08:30.160 --> 0:08:33.760 you don't even know what you really need, how in 0:08:33.800 --> 0:08:37.880 the world would they know what you need and meet 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:41.480 your needs that you don't even really know. I can 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:44.360 see we've got some work to do today because some 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:46.360 of us want to act like we have no needs. 0:08:46.400 --> 0:08:48.880 You know. I almost thought that's where Paul was going, 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:51.880 I don't need it, but thanks, but I mean I 0:08:51.880 --> 0:08:55.280 don't need it. Sorry. And some people you can't even compliment. 0:08:55.320 --> 0:08:58.760 I'm real good. It's terrible to try to compliment certain people. 0:08:58.880 --> 0:09:02.200 They'll make you feel so awkwardy, especially in church, good 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:08.480 sermon it was God, Wow, it wasn't that good, pastor 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:16.080 it was just okay. And when we come to Christ, 0:09:16.160 --> 0:09:21.720 there's often an expectation, on realistic expectation, that He's going 0:09:21.760 --> 0:09:24.520 to take away our needs, and he doesn't. In fact, 0:09:25.200 --> 0:09:27.280 if you are a Christian, you still have the same 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:32.120 needs now that you did before you met Jesus, the 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:38.440 same needs, but they are now met in a different way. 0:09:38.960 --> 0:09:42.559 In other words, you still have the same need for approval, 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:46.480 but now instead of trying to get it from another 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:51.560 human who doesn't even fully like themselves, you are getting 0:09:51.559 --> 0:09:55.520 it from the all sufficient, all knowing, all seeing, ever present, 0:09:55.600 --> 0:09:59.439 ever living God who gives you breath and who intricately 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:02.360 knit you to together in your mother's wombs. So it's 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:05.200 not that I don't have needs. It's it's not that 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.880 I don't have wants. The Lord is my shepherd. I 0:10:07.920 --> 0:10:10.880 shall not want. That doesn't mean I never want anything, 0:10:11.000 --> 0:10:14.080 never need anything. It doesn't mean my appetite went away. 0:10:14.120 --> 0:10:17.400 It just means I go to a different buffet now. Amen, 0:10:17.480 --> 0:10:20.440 that means I eat off a different menu now. And 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:23.480 sometimes we are so focused on people's behaviors that we 0:10:23.520 --> 0:10:28.200 can't discern the needs that drive the behaviors. And a 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:33.160 lot of Christian teaching and preaching is focused on condemning 0:10:33.240 --> 0:10:39.720 behaviors without understanding the need. There is no need that 0:10:39.760 --> 0:10:42.400 you are currently meeting in your life that is an 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:46.600 evil need or a bad need. And many of us 0:10:46.640 --> 0:10:50.040 who have various addictions need to hear this exact point. 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:52.480 And maybe you can even leave after I say this, 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:54.920 because this may be the whole reason God brought you here. 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:59.120 You're not meeting the wrong need, You're just meeting it 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:09.920 with the wrong mess. Means this applies to overspending, overeating, 0:11:11.360 --> 0:11:16.560 over talking, over bragging, and yes, I hear you Facebook 0:11:16.600 --> 0:11:22.920 over sharing. It applies to every sexual addiction. You know, 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:26.400 there's a certain shame that comes with sexual addiction, but 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:29.880 there shouldn't be because all the addiction is is a 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:35.800 valid need trying to express itself. It's a need for connection, 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:39.240 which is very good and very God. It is not 0:11:39.320 --> 0:11:44.079 good for men to be alone. But loneliness, if left untreated, 0:11:44.280 --> 0:11:50.160 becomes lust. That's all lust is is the need for 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:54.480 connection being met through something that has no ability to 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:57.640 satisfy the need that it is trying to meet. So 0:11:57.720 --> 0:12:02.920 it becomes more and more and more and more and more. 0:12:03.280 --> 0:12:08.480 And Paul says, My God shall supply all your needs, 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:14.479 or meet all of your needs, not according to your resources, 0:12:15.200 --> 0:12:18.959 but according to his. And I'm I'm glad about it. 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:21.400 I'm glad that the only one who has what I 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:23.440 need happens to be the only one who knows what 0:12:23.520 --> 0:12:27.120 I need. How many are glad about that? Let's give 0:12:27.120 --> 0:12:29.760 God five seconds a praise for knowing what we need 0:12:30.480 --> 0:12:33.800 and for being what we need. The Lord is my 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:37.880 light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:40.840 is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I 0:12:40.920 --> 0:12:44.480 be afraid? Listen, Blakeney, when the wicked, even mine enemies, 0:12:44.520 --> 0:12:47.800 came upon me, even they stumbled and fell, he prepares 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.800 a table for me in the presence of my enemy. No, 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:54.400 he doesn't take the need away. He becomes what I need. 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:57.440 He meets my need. Some of us are waiting for 0:12:57.480 --> 0:13:00.200 God to remove the need. But if he removed the need, 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:04.439 He would remove the means by which he meets the need. 0:13:04.480 --> 0:13:12.719 To remind you that he is what I need. He 0:13:12.840 --> 0:13:17.240 not only gives it, he is it. Let's back up 0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:20.560 a little bit and let's talk about your need meter. 0:13:21.920 --> 0:13:24.040 You know, spell it different, just if we spell it 0:13:24.080 --> 0:13:27.760 like this need not that meters, but the other one 0:13:28.320 --> 0:13:32.800 need meter? Like how needy are you? Like? What's your 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:36.040 meter read? If we could read the meter on your 0:13:36.120 --> 0:13:39.520 need today, if it was right there on your forehead 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:44.560 when you came in the house of God, what would 0:13:44.559 --> 0:13:47.280 we see if we could read your meter? What we 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:50.760 could read your joy meter today? Not your happy meter. 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:58.720 Happy meter might be just caffeine Starbucks can make you happy, 0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:03.400 and yet there's this joy. This contentment is described in 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:07.679 the scripture. Oh, don't let people smile confuse you, because 0:14:07.679 --> 0:14:11.400 some people's bone structure is just arranged in their face. 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:15.560 They look like they're smiling. Okay, some people just have 0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:21.920 you know, resting, blessed face and they just look happy. 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:24.560 But it's covering up a lot of stuff. Don't worry 0:14:24.600 --> 0:14:29.280 about that. I'm saying, like the thing that we can't see, 0:14:29.320 --> 0:14:31.880 if we could see it, if you had a peace 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:36.480 meter on your forehead today and we could see your 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:42.600 peace meter, would it be like or would it be 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:45.320 like the gas gauge of a sixteen year old who 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:48.920 fills up five dollars at a time, you know, filling 0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:51.000 up five dollars at a time, A click at a time, 0:14:51.040 --> 0:14:52.880 a like at a time, a comment at a time. 0:14:53.400 --> 0:14:55.040 If we could see your meter, I'm gonna help you 0:14:55.120 --> 0:14:56.520 next week in triggered. I want you to come back 0:14:56.520 --> 0:14:58.960 and we'll discuss all of this in depth. Because here's 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:05.320 what I've learned about this. When joy is low, usually 0:15:05.320 --> 0:15:14.680 it's because entitlement is high. That's why the most joyful 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:18.080 book in the Bible, according to many, was written in 0:15:18.120 --> 0:15:20.440 a prison cell. Because Paul has come to the point 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:23.640 where he says I don't need it. I don't need it, 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:27.800 and he really means it. It's not like the one 0:15:27.800 --> 0:15:29.640 preacher who got up. You know, I don't preach for 0:15:29.720 --> 0:15:40.880 the praise him in amen, Amen, Amen. He's really he's 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:44.920 really found a place. He's really found a place of 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:49.520 freedom from what he thinks he deserves. And once he's 0:15:49.520 --> 0:15:51.920 set free from what he thinks he deserves and what 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:55.080 he expected it to be, ooh, that's good. That's good. 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:57.440 God just gave me that for this particular worship experience. 0:15:57.480 --> 0:15:59.800 I didn't say it any other time. Once he set 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:05.040 from what he expected, he can receive what he needs. 0:16:05.080 --> 0:16:09.520 And sometimes what blocks us from receiving what we need 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:13.960 is what we expected we would get, and when it 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:16.480 doesn't show up like we expected, we can't receive what 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:19.920 we need. Can I move a little deeper into this 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:27.920 teaching you good? Okay, find Acts chapter sixteen if you 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:29.600 can find it in your Bible or if you want 0:16:29.600 --> 0:16:31.400 to look it up on your phone. I always have 0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:34.040 a backup plan on the screen for you just in case. 0:16:34.400 --> 0:16:35.960 In case it was hectic getting out of the house, 0:16:36.000 --> 0:16:41.040 it'll come upon the screen. But we're flowing with last 0:16:41.040 --> 0:16:46.479 week's message, and we're linking that message of how sometimes 0:16:46.520 --> 0:16:50.480 God uses a no in our life. And I know, 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.880 yes sounds better, but sometimes the no is more important. 0:16:54.520 --> 0:16:58.240 Sometimes what God doesn't give you and what God won't 0:16:58.280 --> 0:17:01.640 allow is just as important as what He has given 0:17:01.680 --> 0:17:04.400 you and what He does give you permission to do. 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:08.800 And that was a really really interesting message even I 0:17:08.840 --> 0:17:11.920 could feel it as I was preaching it, this resistance 0:17:12.000 --> 0:17:15.439 to receive God's no with this same faith that you 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:19.280 praise Him for his yes. And when we get to 0:17:21.320 --> 0:17:26.600 married to our plans, we can miss God's purpose. And 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:30.800 so God does something unusual in Acts sixteen as Paul 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:33.480 is taking the gospel out. And you have to understand 0:17:33.520 --> 0:17:37.560 that Paul isn't writing the principles in Philippians in a vacuum. 0:17:37.920 --> 0:17:42.159 He's writing them in the context of historical relationship with 0:17:42.240 --> 0:17:44.680 people in the church, and he loved them, and he's 0:17:44.680 --> 0:17:49.400 writing saying, thanks got the gift, gonna use it, don't 0:17:49.440 --> 0:17:52.359 need it. What I'm excited about is how God is 0:17:52.400 --> 0:17:56.280 going to use your gift to bless you. That's what 0:17:56.320 --> 0:17:59.159 he's saying, and it goes all the way back to 0:17:59.200 --> 0:18:01.560 how he met them to begin with. And how many 0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:03.360 would say that some people in your life right now 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:05.920 don't understand you properly because they don't know your background, 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:09.439 and they expect you to be farther along in certain areas. 0:18:09.440 --> 0:18:13.200 But you're like, if you only knew how good I'm 0:18:13.280 --> 0:18:16.440 doing to even be as far along as I am. 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:20.320 I mean, I still cuss, but I used to beat people. 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:31.800 And why I think we really do Philippians four nineteen 0:18:31.800 --> 0:18:34.919 of disservices because we strip it of its context. So 0:18:35.280 --> 0:18:36.920 I want to take you through something. Hopefully it won't 0:18:36.960 --> 0:18:40.399 be boring. But one thing I love about you is 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:43.840 you let me lay a foundation when I teach. I 0:18:43.880 --> 0:18:48.040 don't feel the pressure to perform antics to keep you engaged. 0:18:48.080 --> 0:18:50.240 And I thought we needed to look at this real 0:18:50.320 --> 0:18:53.320 quick to understand the stuff we shout over. My God 0:18:53.440 --> 0:18:56.880 will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches. 0:18:57.480 --> 0:19:00.400 And I'm sad, but that verse sounds great, so I'm 0:19:00.400 --> 0:19:04.600 going to shout over top of my sadness. It's because 0:19:04.640 --> 0:19:08.720 we don't understand the means. We don't understand the means. 0:19:09.480 --> 0:19:14.399 So let's go back several years earlier. Paul is trying 0:19:14.440 --> 0:19:17.000 to get somewhere verse seven, when they came to the 0:19:17.000 --> 0:19:20.760 border of my sea. He's got Timothy with him, and 0:19:20.800 --> 0:19:24.400 they tried to enter Bathynia, but the spirit of Jesus 0:19:24.400 --> 0:19:27.199 would not allow them to wouldn't allow them to what 0:19:27.400 --> 0:19:31.919 wouldn't allow them to preach about Jesus. Jesus stopped his 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:38.840 own pr campaign. That's very very very unusual, very difficult 0:19:38.840 --> 0:19:41.160 for me to get my mind around until I get 0:19:41.160 --> 0:19:45.919 to the next versus. And sometimes you do not understand 0:19:46.040 --> 0:19:50.359 at all what God is doing in the moment, Graham 0:19:50.480 --> 0:19:52.960 is so funny. We're coming to church today and a 0:19:52.960 --> 0:19:55.480 lot of our staff kids went to camp last week, 0:19:55.520 --> 0:19:57.439 and we had a staff advanced last week, and I 0:19:57.520 --> 0:19:59.480 was sharing with the staff all week and it was 0:19:59.520 --> 0:20:03.200 just a fan bent and family affair. And Graham got 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:05.520 to play Joseph in a skit in a small group 0:20:05.520 --> 0:20:07.960 at camp. So he had the story of Joseph the 0:20:08.000 --> 0:20:10.560 Old Testament Joseph on his mind, and they sent me 0:20:10.560 --> 0:20:12.919 a video of him down on the ground when Potiphar's 0:20:12.920 --> 0:20:16.359 wife is accusing Joseph. Potiphar's wife is called Hottifer, and 0:20:16.960 --> 0:20:20.720 she was a She was accusing him of trying to 0:20:20.760 --> 0:20:23.159 make advances, and Graham was on the ground saying, no, 0:20:23.240 --> 0:20:24.760 I didn't do it. But Graham asked me something. He said, 0:20:25.080 --> 0:20:27.720 you think when the Bible says God was with Joseph, 0:20:27.960 --> 0:20:33.399 you think Joseph felt that way at the time. I 0:20:33.440 --> 0:20:37.240 don't know. It doesn't say how he felt. It states 0:20:37.240 --> 0:20:41.000 the fact after the fact. But you can't really know 0:20:41.040 --> 0:20:44.639 what God is doing until he's done it. And you 0:20:44.680 --> 0:20:46.639 don't really know what you need until you get what 0:20:46.680 --> 0:20:48.399 you want and find out it isn't even what you 0:20:48.760 --> 0:20:56.160 thought it was. So Paul wants to go to Asia blocked. 0:20:56.400 --> 0:20:59.560 Paul wants to go to Myceia blocked, and he does 0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:01.800 something that you got to learn to do when you 0:21:01.880 --> 0:21:06.800 don't know what to do. Instead of going home, he 0:21:06.880 --> 0:21:12.280 goes into the place of active waiting. It means God, 0:21:13.119 --> 0:21:16.359 I'm not just waiting for you to do something. I'm 0:21:16.400 --> 0:21:20.200 waiting on you. Like we used to not call them servers, 0:21:20.240 --> 0:21:24.960 it was waiters. I'm waiting on you, God, What would 0:21:25.000 --> 0:21:27.600 you like me to do in this season? So I'm 0:21:27.640 --> 0:21:29.880 praying for a new job, but I'm being nice at 0:21:29.880 --> 0:21:34.120 this one. Y'all don't want to help me preach. I'm 0:21:34.160 --> 0:21:36.919 praying for my kid's behavior to improve, but I'm not 0:21:36.960 --> 0:21:39.879 going to exemplify the exact behavior that I'm trying to 0:21:39.960 --> 0:21:43.920 correct by going off on them and demonstrating anger. While 0:21:43.920 --> 0:21:48.160 I'm trying to correct anger, I'm actively waiting. And this 0:21:48.200 --> 0:21:51.600 place is called trow Ass. Bible says that since they 0:21:51.600 --> 0:21:54.960 couldn't get into my Sea, they went down to troe Ass. 0:21:55.280 --> 0:21:57.520 This is a place of transition. It's a port city 0:21:57.560 --> 0:22:00.320 Asia minor one side, Europe on the other where we going? 0:22:00.359 --> 0:22:02.600 What's God doing? I don't know, but I'm not going home. 0:22:03.720 --> 0:22:06.600 I don't know, but I'm not giving up. I don't know, 0:22:06.640 --> 0:22:09.720 but I'm not losing sight. I don't know, but I'm 0:22:09.720 --> 0:22:11.399 not going to go into despair. I don't know. I 0:22:11.400 --> 0:22:13.119 don't know. I mean, I thought it was God, and 0:22:13.160 --> 0:22:15.120 I thought it was this, and I moved to Charlotte, 0:22:15.200 --> 0:22:17.120 or I moved to Raleigh, or I moved to Winston. 0:22:17.280 --> 0:22:19.600 And I had this idea and I had this plan. 0:22:19.880 --> 0:22:23.000 But God's purpose is greater than my plan. So I 0:22:23.040 --> 0:22:26.960 am in. I am in the place I'm positioned to 0:22:27.080 --> 0:22:32.520 hear God's voice, and God speaks to Paul in that place, 0:22:33.840 --> 0:22:35.680 God speaks to Paul. I believe He's going to speak 0:22:35.680 --> 0:22:39.440 to somebody here today too, during the night Verse nine, 0:22:40.359 --> 0:22:42.200 not in the daytime when everything is pretty and you 0:22:42.280 --> 0:22:45.159 can see what you're doing. During the night. This is 0:22:45.160 --> 0:22:47.840 a theme in scripture. Some of the greatest stuff God 0:22:47.880 --> 0:22:49.800 will show you will be when you can't see with 0:22:49.880 --> 0:22:54.480 your eyes, and when you can't feel with your emotions 0:22:55.240 --> 0:22:58.320 and you can't understand with your mind. During the night, 0:22:59.119 --> 0:23:05.880 Paul had a vision of a man, a man of Macedonia, 0:23:07.040 --> 0:23:12.080 this big region in Europe with people who were not 0:23:12.160 --> 0:23:14.920 yet reached by the Gospel. There were a lot of 0:23:15.000 --> 0:23:19.960 Jewish people in Macedonia, but not many believers yet, and 0:23:20.080 --> 0:23:24.200 certainly no church. And now I understand why God told 0:23:24.200 --> 0:23:32.439 Paul no, because God knew the real need. The plans 0:23:32.440 --> 0:23:34.840 of a man are in his heart, but his steps 0:23:34.880 --> 0:23:39.480 are ordered by the Lord. God has a purpose and 0:23:39.560 --> 0:23:41.879 you have a plan, and sometimes he has to do 0:23:42.000 --> 0:23:46.760 away with one to get to the other. I'm preaching 0:23:46.840 --> 0:23:49.840 right to your heart today, trying to get you to 0:23:49.880 --> 0:23:52.560 see this vision that Paul saw. It was a man 0:23:53.200 --> 0:23:58.640 of Macedonia, a what of Macedonia, a man of Macedonia 0:23:59.240 --> 0:24:04.679 standing in begging him come over to Macedonia and help us. 0:24:05.720 --> 0:24:10.040 Paul was looking for an opportunity. God showed him a need. 0:24:11.880 --> 0:24:15.600 Could it be possible that you've been asking God for 0:24:15.680 --> 0:24:19.879 an opportunity and God is showing it to you in 0:24:19.920 --> 0:24:24.560 the form of your greatest need. Would you be willing 0:24:24.600 --> 0:24:28.199 to receive that? Maybe the way God is speaking to 0:24:28.240 --> 0:24:31.280 you in this season is not by what you feel, 0:24:32.080 --> 0:24:34.920 and not by what you think, and not even by 0:24:34.960 --> 0:24:37.600 what you want. When you try to figure out your 0:24:37.680 --> 0:24:40.840 life and how others should act and how it needs 0:24:40.920 --> 0:24:43.520 to be, have you got to the place like Paul 0:24:43.560 --> 0:24:46.280 where you say I don't know what I really need. 0:24:46.880 --> 0:24:51.640 I need you to lead me. God. Somebody say lead 0:24:51.720 --> 0:24:56.040 me Lord. I don't want to lean on my own understanding. 0:24:56.560 --> 0:24:59.359 I need God to lead me. I don't need to 0:24:59.440 --> 0:25:02.680 lean on what I think I need because I think 0:25:02.720 --> 0:25:06.520 I need one thing when I really need another. That's 0:25:06.520 --> 0:25:09.280 how I gained weight when we got married. I thought 0:25:09.320 --> 0:25:13.520 I needed an oreo and I really need an exercise. 0:25:13.920 --> 0:25:16.679