1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: see God as moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: I want to look at a passage of scripture that man, 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: it was months ago God started speaking to me through 8 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: this text. It was at a moment in my life, Zach. 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 1: You remember I was real discouraged and frustrated about some 10 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: areas in my life where it felt like, rather than 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: moving towards what God had intended for my life, it 12 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: felt like I was moving away from it. And God 13 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,959 Speaker 1: really started to speak to me through this passage of scripture. 14 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: But if it's any indication of how much the devil 15 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: was fighting me these last few weeks as I was 16 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: working on this sermon, I believe that I am on 17 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: assignment today to release a word from God that will 18 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: catapult someone into their God given destiny and purpose. I 19 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: am fired up, ready to speak with God's put in 20 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: my heart to speak with you. But how fit, how 21 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: fitting that they would allow a Canadian to preach to 22 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: you on this holiday weekend. Yes, yes, yes, I know 23 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: it's Independence Day, Happy Birthday America. But did you know 24 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: that is also Canada Day. Yes, we're celebrating a birthday too. 25 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: I like your shirt right there, mister Canada. Someone's like, 26 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: what's Canada? It's kind of our birthday too. But basically 27 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: Canadians are going to just take Monday off to listen 28 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: to the new Drake album. That's what we're all gonna 29 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 1: do together. It's a good thing. But hey, since we're 30 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: both celebrating, look at the person next to you, let's 31 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 1: just make them blend them together, do a hybrid. Look 32 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: at the person next to you and say happy Independence Day. Hey, 33 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: that's right, that's right. Stay stand in for just a moment. 34 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: I want to jump into our scripture for today. We're 35 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: gonna be looking at numbers, chapter thirteen, just to give 36 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: you a little context before we look at our key verse. 37 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: Moses has led the Israelites out from under Egyptian slavery, 38 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: oppression and captivity. He's leading them somewhere, though, He's taking 39 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: them on a journey into the promised Land. This is 40 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: the same land that God had promised generations ago. To 41 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: their forefather Abraham. And after all that time in Egypt, 42 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: they're finally on their way and they get to the 43 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: edge of the land of Canaan, the Promised Land, and 44 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: God gives Moses an instruction. He says, send twelve men, 45 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: one leader from each tribe into the Promised land, and 46 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: he sends them in to explore for forty days. So 47 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: for forty days they are looking at the promise that 48 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: God had given them so many generations before. And they 49 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: come back to Moses after forty days, and they give 50 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: them a report on what they had seen. And this 51 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: is where we're gonna pick up numbers thirteen, verse twenty seven. 52 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,119 Speaker 1: It says they gave Moses this account. We went into 53 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: the land in which you sent us, and it does 54 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit. It 55 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: tells us earlier that they picked up a cluster of 56 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: grapes that was so big that it took two men 57 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: to carry a single cluster of grapes out, and represented 58 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: God's promises, God's provision. They lay that fruit in front 59 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 1: and Jesus are in front of Moses and said, here's 60 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: it's fruit. But the people who live there are powerful 61 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 1: and the cities are fortified and very large. We even 62 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: saw descendants of a knack there. The Amalekites live in 63 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: the Nagive, the Hittites chevy Sites and Amorites live in 64 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: the hill country, and the Canaanites live near the sea 65 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: and along the Jordan. Then Caleb silenced the people before 66 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: Moses and said, we should go up and take possession 67 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: of the land, for we can certainly do it. But 68 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: the men who had gone up with them said, we 69 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: can't attack those people. They're stronger than we are, and 70 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: they spread amongst the Israelites a bad report about the 71 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: land they had explored. They said, the land we explored 72 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: devours all those living in it. All the people we 73 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephelin there. 74 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: They were believed to be giants. These are some big people, 75 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: they said. We seem like grasshoppers in our own eyes, 76 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: and we look the same to them. My sermon title 77 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: for today's message is this, stay focused, and at any 78 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: point during my message that the person next to you 79 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: it looks like they're starting to doze off, or you 80 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: catch them checking Instagram, you have my permission to nudge 81 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: them in the side. Real hard right in the rib 82 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: and give them my title again. Stay focused. In fact, 83 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: why don't you practice right now at all our locations. 84 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: As you take your seat, hit the person next to you, 85 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: tell them stay focused, hey, real quickly. For those of 86 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,679 Speaker 1: you at are Valentine location, this is gonna be old 87 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: news because you probably see my boys running around the lobby. 88 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: But for other locations and those of you joining us online, 89 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: let me show you a picture of my family real quick. 90 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: Here we are up on the screen. That's a servant 91 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: dur in love week. I got two little boys. My 92 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: oldest his name is Zion, he's three and a half. 93 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: My youngest, his name is Elias, he just turned one. 94 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: And that's my wife Anna. We've been married for eight 95 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: years now, just celebrated eight years of marriage. That's pretty good. 96 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: She's my Georgia Peach. And as you're celebrating our anniversary, 97 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: it brought to mind right after we got engaged, held 98 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: the pastor who is marrying has set us down for 99 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: pre marital counseling, and uh, I remember one unspecific session 100 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: where he kind of cautioned us and he wanted to 101 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: let us know that well, every couple will experience conflict 102 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: in their marriage. He he suspected that we would experience 103 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,919 Speaker 1: a little bit more than usual. And here's why me 104 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: and Anna grew up very differently. We had very different 105 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: experiences growing up. I'm from Toronto, Canada. I have a loud, big, 106 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: obnoxious family. She's from rural Georgia. Her family's so sweet 107 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: and proper. Our experiences were growing up were so different, 108 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: and he just wanted to warn us that because of 109 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 1: our different experiences, we just might have a tendency to 110 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: experience some conflict. He thought we would see things a 111 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,919 Speaker 1: little bit differently. Let me give you just a couple 112 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: examples real quick. I was thinking about the first time 113 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: we met each other's family, because it was a culture 114 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: shock for both of us. The first time I visited 115 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: Anata's family in rural Georgia, I met one of her 116 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: friends who asked me if I wanted to go mud 117 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: in mud In. I thought he met mudbath. I'm like, sure, 118 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: sometimes you just gotta treat yourself, you know. But no, no, no, 119 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: mud in is intentionally driving your jeep through mud, trying 120 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: to get your vehicle as dirty as you possibly can. 121 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: I don't understand this, Chris. That was foreign to me. 122 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: But Anna's first time visiting my family in Toronto wasn't 123 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: easy either. I remember she got in on a late flight, 124 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: so I picked her up from the airport brought her 125 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: home to meet my family. It was her first time 126 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: meeting them. It was already late, so my parents had 127 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: been in bed, and I remember when I walked her 128 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: in the house and my dad came down the steps 129 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: in his raggedy white boxer breeze. I remember how awkward 130 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: she looked. I was like, Anna, this is my dad. 131 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: Nice to meet you. And just to clarify, that is 132 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 1: not a Canadian thing. That is strictly a Mark Joseph's thing. 133 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: But it was hard for her. It was hard for her, 134 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: and so the counselor wanted us to know. The pastor said, hey, 135 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: you might experience more conflict in your relationship, because it 136 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: would make sense that you would see things so differently 137 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 1: as you go throughout your marriage. He just wanted us 138 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: to be mindful of it. And that made sense to 139 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: me that two people with two different experiences would just 140 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: come to different conclusions about things. That made perfect sense. 141 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: But what's always been interesting to me is how two 142 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: people can experience the same thing and come to two 143 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: very different conclusions. You can be looking at the same 144 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: thing and come to a whole different set of beliefs. 145 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: You know this when you go home at Thanksgiving. You're 146 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: sitting around the Thanksgiving table and you think you're talking 147 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: about the same issue, but somehow your uncle Carl comes 148 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: up with some crazy theories and you're life, are we 149 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: even talking about the same thing here. We recently had 150 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: this controversy around our office. It got bad, It got 151 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: pretty heated. It was a particular issue where I knew 152 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: my opinion represented the minority, but every time the issue 153 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: would come up, I always felt like I had to 154 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: say something. I couldn't keep my mouth shut and listen. 155 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: As a Canadian, it goes against my nature to disagree 156 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: with people, but I felt like I needed to stand 157 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: my ground on this one. And it got bad because 158 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: people were like I had coworkers losing respect for me, 159 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: and they're like questioning my salvation, like do you even 160 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: you're God? Man? But I felt like it was such 161 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: an important issue. I felt like I needed to speak 162 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: my mind on it. And I don't want to cause 163 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: division at any of our locations today. I don't want 164 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: to create a problem for you Terry at the Uptown campus. 165 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: But I feel like it needs to be said, the 166 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: Greatest Showman was a really bad movie. It was a 167 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: really bad movie. No no, no, no, no no, it 168 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: was a really bad movie. I walked out of the 169 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: theater and I looked over and expecting her to be 170 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: just as disappointed as me, and she was smiling. She 171 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: was so happy. I was like, you loved it. She's like, 172 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 1: I loved it. It was so good. I was like, 173 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: Wolverine shouldn't be singing. Wolverine should be stabbing. That's why 174 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: he should be doing. I didn't understand it, same version 175 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: as everyone else. Two very different conclusions looking at the 176 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: same thing, two very different beliefs. That's what initially drew 177 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: my attention to this passage in numbers thirteen. Because for 178 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: forty days, spies, these twelve great men of faith, these 179 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: twelve leaders from one from each of the tribe, they 180 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: go into the Promised Land for forty days they're exploring. 181 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: This place is amazing. Can you believe that God said 182 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: He's gonna give this to us? Oh my goodness. Okay, okay, 183 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: over there, I see, oh man, those looks like some 184 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: some cities over there some big walls. But oh my gosh, 185 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: look at that. This place is flowing with milk and honey. 186 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: No one knew what that meant, but it sounded awesome. Well, 187 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: well what's that? Oh my, do you see that. That's 188 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: a big deal. Oh no, that's just a campus safety volunteer. Okay, okay, 189 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: oh no, no, no, no, whoa no, no, There really 190 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: are some big people in this land. They look like giants. 191 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: But whoa speaking a big Look at that. Look how 192 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:46,839 Speaker 1: big those grapes are touching your neighbors say, those are 193 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: big grapes. Those are massive. I can't wait to tell 194 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: Moses about these grapes. In fact, rather than tell them 195 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: about it, why don't we show them to them? And 196 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: so two of them carry this cluster of grapes and 197 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: pontomegranates and figs. They represent God's blessing and provision in 198 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: the land, and they bring it back to Moses, and 199 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: they set it down in front of them, and they 200 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: begin to give their report. Ten of the spies come 201 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: to one conclusion. They start talking about the giants in 202 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: the land, the armies, the walls that they would have 203 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: to bring down, and two of the spies, Caleb, and 204 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: the text would later tell us Joshua felt the same way. 205 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: They had a whole different set of beliefs. They said, 206 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: we can do it, we can take this place. God 207 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: is with it with us. How is it that two 208 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: people can be looking at the same thing and come 209 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: to two different conclusions. I've come to believe in my 210 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: life that what I believe is not a product of 211 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: what I see. It's a product of my focus. That's 212 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: how two people can get the same diagnosis from the 213 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: doctor and one of them be absolutely devastated, while the 214 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: other person experiences hope and peace and strength and God 215 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: like never before in their life. That's why I've sat 216 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,119 Speaker 1: down with two different couples going through the same situation 217 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: and once we're not gonna make it, We've got to 218 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: give up, and the other says, no, no, no, We've 219 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: got some battles to fight, but we can forgive each 220 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: other and we can move on, and we believe God 221 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: is with us and that God has something in store 222 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: for us. It's a matter of your focus. Your focus. 223 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: It's not that Joshua and Caleb were is more spiritual 224 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: than the others. All of these were leaders from each 225 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: of the tribes. There were great men of faith, and 226 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: maybe today you are standing on the edge of something 227 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: God has been trying to bring you into. It might 228 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: not look like canaan. It might look like peace, it 229 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: might look like joy, it might look like freedom, it 230 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: might look like healing. God is always trying to bring 231 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: you into something, But so often we stand at the edge, 232 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:48,959 Speaker 1: never possessing what God has promised us because we lack focus. 233 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,319 Speaker 1: And maybe you're here today and you've been so discouraged 234 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 1: and you feel like everybody else is winning and everybody 235 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: else is getting ahead, and you feel like, maybe I 236 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: don't have faith. I want to encourage you today. It's 237 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: not that you don't have faith. In fact, the Bible 238 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: says that God has given us each a measure of faith. 239 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: Jesus says that all you need is faith the size 240 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: of a mustard seed to be able to speak to 241 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: these mountains and say move. If you have just a 242 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 1: little bit of faith, he said, nothing would be impossible 243 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: for you. It's not that you don't have faith. It 244 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: just might be that you don't have focus. Even great 245 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: people of faith have weak moments, and I think that's 246 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: what happened to these tense spies in this passage forty 247 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: days staring at the promise, and somewhere along the way 248 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: they lost their focus. But I really believe that the 249 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: reason Joshua and Caleb were able to keep their focus 250 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 1: was because they practice so much discipline throughout this whole process. 251 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: And I want to look at three things today that 252 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: Joshua and Caleb did so well that I think will 253 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: help someone who's here today that God is calling you 254 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: into something. This might be the message that gives you 255 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: the faith either confidence faith in yourself or hope faith 256 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: in God to move forward and what He's promised. And 257 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: the first thing is this focus. What you think When 258 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: I was first started reading through this passage, I was 259 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: judging these spies so hard. Man, I was judging them. 260 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: I didn't understand how these ten men could spend forty 261 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 1: days staring at grapes and pomegranates and figs after all 262 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: this time in the desert. I would have thought they 263 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: would have been so excited to be finally coming close 264 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: to the promise God had given. I was judging them 265 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: because I didn't understand how they were so preoccupied with 266 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 1: these giants. Why do you keep talking about the giants? Man? Giants? 267 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: Sounded like Alan iverson practice giants. What you're talking about 268 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: these giants for They come back and they give their 269 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: report and they say, see, they give their report and 270 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: they say, Moses, look at these grapes. But then they 271 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: start going on about these giants and armies and the walls. 272 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: And I'm judging them because I'm like, I just don't 273 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: understand how they could miss the promises and be so 274 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: focused on the problems. And I thought about, I thought 275 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: about getting up here to appreciate you and be like, 276 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: if you just worry about devouring those grapes, God will 277 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: devour your giants or something like that. Don't tweet that, 278 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: but something like that. Judging these guys. But the more 279 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: I read through number thirteen, the more I was able 280 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: to get some context of what was going on in 281 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: their lives. And the more I got context, the less 282 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: I was judging them, and the more I was actually 283 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: able to relate to them. See. Context is a powerful thing, 284 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: because context is the key to compassion. It's real easy 285 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: to make snap judgments off of snapshots when you look 286 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: at someone's life, they should have done this, or they 287 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: should have done that. But if you can zoom out 288 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: and get some contexts. Instead of judging them, you start 289 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: having compassion on them. Look at your neighbors, say, if 290 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: you knew my story, snop, come on, say it. If 291 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: you knew my story, if you knew my story, you 292 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: wouldn't be judging me today. You'd be celebrating me today. 293 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: If you knew what I had been through, if you 294 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: knew what God had brought me through, how he kept me, 295 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: how he saved me, you wouldn't be standing here judging me. 296 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: You'd be celebrating me. You'd be thinking God for what 297 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: he'd in my life. Yeah. I know, I got a 298 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: waste to go, but by the grace of God, I'm 299 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: still standing here. Context is the key to compassion. And 300 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: I'm reading through this passage and I started to see 301 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: where things went wrong because at the beginning of numbers thirteen, 302 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: God speaks to Moses and he gives them a simple instruction. See, 303 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: you got to understand that Moses is, in an informal sense, 304 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: Israel's first king, but he's very much so a prophet 305 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: of mouthpiece to God, from God to the Israelites. God 306 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: would speak to Moses and then he would relay that 307 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: message to the people. And so at the beginning of 308 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: numbers thirteen, God gives him one specific instruction, take twelve spies, 309 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: send him into the land to explore one thing. So 310 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: Moses is writing down as to do list, to do 311 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: explore the land. Got it a simple instruction? You see, 312 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: God is always trying to bring us into things. But 313 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: God is not the author of confusion. God always makes 314 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: it real simple. We like to complicate our faith, but 315 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 1: God often just gives us one next step. He keeps 316 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: things real simple for us. He gives them one thing, 317 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: explore the land. Moses takes that list, and look at 318 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: this in numbers thirteen eighteen. Now he's passing on that 319 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: list to the twelve spies, and he takes the one 320 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: thing that God put on the to do list, and 321 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: he starts making things so complicated. Numbers thirteen eighteen. It 322 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: says what he says, See what the land is like, 323 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: and whether the people who live there are stronger, weak, 324 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: few or many? What kind of land do they live in? 325 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: Is it good as a bad? What are the towns 326 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: like that they live in? Is it on wall they're fortified? 327 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: How's the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there 328 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: trees in the land? Or not do your best to 329 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: bring back some of the fruit of the land. Moses 330 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: starts complicating the very simple thing that God asks them 331 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: to do. It's like when my wife sends me to 332 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: the grocery store to pick up salsa, and along the 333 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: way she starts texting me about diapers and bananas. Of 334 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: course I forgot the salsa. I can only think about 335 00:16:53,720 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: one thing out a time. I'm a simple person, Moses complicates. 336 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: It's the simple instruction that God gave them to pass on. 337 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,119 Speaker 1: The difference between God's lists and Moses's list is the 338 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,479 Speaker 1: difference between what dads have to think about when they 339 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: go on vacation and what moms have to think about 340 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: when they're packing. Moms are like, I need clothes for 341 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 1: myself and close for the kids, and towels for the beach, 342 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 1: and toys for the beach and snacks for the car 343 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: and a first eight kit, and dads are like bathing suit, toothbrush. 344 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 1: Are you ready to go yet? It's not fair. Moses 345 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: has them considering things that God never asked them to consider. 346 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: No wonder they were talking about armies and walls and giants. 347 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 1: Moses sent them into the land thinking about things that 348 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: God never asked them to think about. And what I've 349 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 1: realized in my own life is that so often my 350 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: self consciousness is a product of my failure to be 351 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: God conscious. When I start thinking about things that God 352 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: never asked me to think about, I start undermining the 353 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: very confidence that I need to move forward into what 354 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: He's called me to. We do what Moses did all 355 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,479 Speaker 1: the time. God gives us a simple instruction and we 356 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: start adding all kinds of considerations. God speaks to you 357 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: and he puts it on your heart. He says, I 358 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: want you to make church a priority because I want 359 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: you to set a legacy of faith for your family. 360 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: A simple thing, and we go, yes, God got it, 361 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: make church a priority. And then we start adding all 362 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: kinds of considerations. What's the weather like this week? And 363 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: how's the parking lot going to be? Is pastor Stephen 364 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: going to be there? Is it the Canadian guy again? 365 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 1: How were the kids? Were they crazy or extra crazy? 366 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 1: God speaks to you through his word and he says, 367 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: I need you to start trusting me with the tithe 368 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 1: And remember, every time God gives you an instruction, it's 369 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 1: not because he's trying to keep you from something He's 370 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: always trying to bring you into something. Every good and 371 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: perfect gift comes from God, so he puts it on 372 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 1: your heart. I need you to start trusting me with 373 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: the tithe and we go, yes, God, I got it. 374 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: I'll do what you say. And then we start considering 375 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: all these other things. Did I get the promotion I wanted? 376 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 1: What were the bills? Like? Do I have all this shoes? 377 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,360 Speaker 1: What kind of vacation do we want to take this year? 378 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: What kind of school do we want to put the 379 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: kids in? And we start considering things that God never 380 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,479 Speaker 1: asked us to think about. That's where the ten Spies 381 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 1: went wrong. They undermined the confidence that they needed. God 382 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: was sending them into the land because he wanted them 383 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 1: to bring back a report to be able to encourage 384 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 1: the Israelite community about what God had in store for them, 385 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: and instead Moses had them thinking about all kinds of things, 386 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: giants and walls, and instead of encouraging the people, they 387 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: discouraged the people because of what they were sent into 388 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: the land, thinking about, so what do we do real? Practically? 389 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: We need to focus our thoughts because I think so 390 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: many of us we have thoughts that end up dictating 391 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,719 Speaker 1: what we believe in the conclusions we come to, and 392 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: we never stopped to ask the question where did this 393 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: even come from? What would it look like if you 394 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: took time to actually think about what you're thinking about. 395 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: Look what Tewod Corinthians ten fives says at the end 396 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: of it. Paul says, we take captive every thought and 397 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: make it obedient to Christ. In other words, he says, 398 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,640 Speaker 1: every thought that passes through my mind, I grab hold 399 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: of it, and I make it to submit to what 400 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 1: God has spoken over my life. If God hasn't said it, 401 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: I don't need to think about it, because what I 402 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: believe is not a product of what I see. It's 403 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: a product of my focus. I need to focus what 404 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: I think. But the second thing that I see. The 405 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: two spies do so well in this passage, and this 406 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: is number two. Focus what you hear, because look what 407 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: happens in the text. They come back from the land. 408 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 1: They're giving their report to Moses, and they start talking 409 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 1: at first about the promises that he had given them, 410 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: and he says that they say this in verse twenty seven, 411 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: it says, we went into the land in which you 412 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey, 413 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,959 Speaker 1: here is its fruit. But but, but, but but the 414 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,360 Speaker 1: people who live there now they're talking about the problems 415 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 1: are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. 416 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:06,640 Speaker 1: But look what Caleb does. In verse thirty, he says, 417 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: shut up. He focused what he heard. He looked at 418 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: them and said, I don't need to hear all that. 419 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: It wasn't that Caleb wasn't aware of the giants and 420 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:22,959 Speaker 1: what was in the land. He knew about it. He 421 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,120 Speaker 1: had spent forty days looking at the same thing as 422 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 1: they did. But he looked at him and said, I 423 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 1: don't need to hear all that. Man. There are some 424 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: things in my life that things I need to deal 425 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: with that I am very aware of. I don't need 426 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 1: someone always coming in my ear just telling me about 427 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: all the things that are wrong. I need people in 428 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 1: my life who can speak God's promises over my life. 429 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: Tell me what God's declared over my life. God said 430 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: he would give us the slan. I don't need to 431 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: hear about all these giants. You gotta focus what you hear. Man. 432 00:21:57,119 --> 00:22:00,040 Speaker 1: And we pollute our faith, we pollute our hearts, we 433 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,959 Speaker 1: pollute our spirits because we expose ourselves by what we 434 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:08,919 Speaker 1: hear these ten spies come back, and they're talking about 435 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: grapes and promises at first, and then they're talking about 436 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: giants and walls. But in the moment they start sounding 437 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: like Sir mix a lot instead of men of faith 438 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: talking about butts. Caleb has the fortitude to say, stop 439 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:28,959 Speaker 1: talking about that, man, I don't need to hear all that. 440 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: Touch Your neighbors say, I don't need to hear all that. 441 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 1: See there are some of us in this place today 442 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: that God has put some things on your heart. There 443 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: are things that God has called you to. But the 444 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: reason you haven't had the confidence to move forward is 445 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: because there are still voices in your life that are 446 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: talking you out of what God is calling you into. 447 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: Dreams He's put in your heart, dreams he's put in 448 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: your spirit. And every time you get ready to believe 449 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: him in, every time you get ready to take that step, 450 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:03,159 Speaker 1: there's someone in your ear saying, but but but but 451 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: but but but but but but didn't the doctor tell 452 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: you wouldn't be able to conceive again? But but but 453 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: but but but but do you really want to put 454 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: yourself through all that heartbreak again? After what you've been through? 455 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: But but but, but do you really think you're qualified 456 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: for that job? And we let these voices talk us 457 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: out of what God is calling us into because we 458 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: lack focus. But you gotta become selective with your hearing. 459 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: Man like my kid, It's amazing how he can hear 460 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: me when he wants to hear me, and doesn't hear 461 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: me when he doesn't want to. You gotta become selective 462 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,399 Speaker 1: in your hearing because your faith is a product of 463 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 1: your focus. You gotta focus what you hear. The Bible 464 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,159 Speaker 1: says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the 465 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: word of God. In other words, my faith is not 466 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 1: determined by what I see. My faith is determined by 467 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,719 Speaker 1: what I hear. I gotta submit my life under the 468 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:57,400 Speaker 1: words that God has spoken over my life. I need 469 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: friends who will stand in my corner and claire what 470 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: God has said over my situation. God said, I belong 471 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 1: to him. God said he I'm a child. God said 472 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: no weapon formed against me would prosper and prevail. Hallelujah, 473 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: Thank you God. I don't need people to talk me 474 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,360 Speaker 1: out of the battle. I need friends who will come 475 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 1: into battle with me declaring what God has spoken over 476 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 1: my life. He said he would give it to me. 477 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: Faith comes by what you hear. What you hear, what 478 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: you hear. Encourage the person next to you. Look him 479 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 1: dead in the eye at every campus, and with faith, 480 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,120 Speaker 1: look at him. Say God is with you. No, no, no, 481 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: no no, say it with faith, God is with you. 482 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: You can do it. I don't know what it is 483 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 1: that God has calling you today, but God is with you, 484 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: and you can do it. I don't need to hear 485 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 1: all that. I'm a friend and mine school who is 486 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,360 Speaker 1: so good at pointing out people's little mannerisms that they 487 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: did things I would never notice. But he had a 488 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: way of picking up on those little things you do, 489 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: those little weird things you do. I remember one time 490 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: he was like, hey, do you notice how this guy 491 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: clears his throat between every other word? Hey man, how 492 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:18,400 Speaker 1: you do it? I never noticed it before, but once 493 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 1: he said it, it was all I could hear. And 494 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: we wonder sometimes why we're so focused on the wrong things. 495 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 1: It's because we haven't become selective enough in what we hear. 496 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:32,639 Speaker 1: I'm not saying you can't be friends with the person, 497 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: but I had a friend the other day who started 498 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: talking real negatively about something I care about. And it's 499 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: not that I don't want to be friends with him anymore. 500 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: I love the dude, but I just have to say 501 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: I don't need to hear all that. Some of you 502 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: wonder why you're so anxious, and it's like, maybe it's 503 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: because you're listening to the same news cycle every night 504 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 1: at eleven o'clock. Maybe you need to change up the 505 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: music you listen to, because faith comes through what you hear. 506 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 1: So if it's not pure, if it's not true, if 507 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: it's not excellent, if it's not praiseworthy, if it's not honorable, 508 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 1: then I don't need to be hearing that kind of stuff. Man, 509 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 1: Caleb silenced the people. Number three. This is my last point. 510 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: Focus what you say. There's a real difference between the 511 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 1: way that Joshua and Caleb talked about their situation and 512 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: the way the other ten Spies did. When I first 513 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,360 Speaker 1: started reading through this passage, I just assumed that those 514 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 1: ten Spies were lying about what they saw. I could understand. Man, 515 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: They'd already been through a lot. Maybe they just didn't 516 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: want to go into another battle. Maybe they didn't feel 517 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: like fighting again. So maybe they thought, hey, if we 518 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: just kind of exaggerate about what's in the land. Maybe 519 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: we can talk them out of it. You know, we'll 520 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: get there eventually, but we're just not up for it 521 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: right now. I thought they were maybe making up what 522 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: they saw, because Joshua and Caleb are saying, like, man, 523 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: we are stronger than they are. God is with us. 524 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 1: We should go up. We can certainly do it. And 525 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: they're saying, these people are so big, we seem like 526 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: grasshoppers in their own eyes. Who's right who's wrong? In 527 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: this situation? I thought one was telling them the truth 528 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 1: and one was lying. But then I noticed a small 529 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: detail in verse thirty two. Look at this, it says, 530 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 1: and they spread amongst the Israelites a bad report. Did 531 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 1: you catch that? A bad report? Not a false report, 532 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: not a wrong report, a bad report. What they saw 533 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 1: in the land was very much real. There were big walls, 534 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,239 Speaker 1: there were big cities, there were big people that they 535 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 1: would have to conquer. They weren't deceived in what they saw. 536 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 1: They were deceived in what they said because they spoke 537 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: about what they saw on the land, and then they 538 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: started saying all kinds of crazy things, like, man, we 539 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: are so small, we seem like grasshoppers. In their own eyes. Now, 540 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: how could they know that? How do they know what 541 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: they're thinking? They didn't know that. And often where the 542 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 1: enemy will deceive us in our life is he'll have 543 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: us looking out a very real situation but coming to 544 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: very false conclusions. And what you say is a reflection 545 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:10,479 Speaker 1: of what you believe. There's very little space between what 546 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 1: you say and what you believe. And the more they 547 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: started saying we're so small, we're so inferior, we can't 548 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 1: do it, we can't take them. They're bigger, they're stronger, 549 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 1: the more they started to believe that that's where the 550 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 1: enemy deceived them in what they said. And I am 551 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 1: so guilty about this in my own life, where I 552 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: can be looking at a very real situation, something that 553 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 1: I have to deal with and something that I need 554 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: to face, but I undermine the faith I need to 555 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 1: do it by the words that I say. And it 556 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: gets crazy sometimes. The other day we got into an argument, 557 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: just a little argument. Don't worry about us, just a 558 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: little argument. We got into an argument. But I remember 559 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: walking away saying to myself, like, I'll never be good 560 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: enough for Anna, I'll never be the husband she deserves. 561 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 1: I lost my patient with the boys picking him up 562 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: from school the other day, and instead of just saying 563 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: the easy thing to say, I'm sorry, you know what, 564 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: I started saying to myself in the car. They're gonna 565 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: grow up believing their dad's a hypocrite, and they're gonna 566 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: hate God, and they're gonna hate Church, and they're gonna 567 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: hate me. Crazy conclusions, real simple situation. But we inject 568 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: all these thoughts and we start saying things that contradict 569 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 1: what God has spoken over our lives. I need to 570 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: do something different. Yeah, I've got to deal with it. Yeah, 571 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: I've got to address it and say sorry sometimes, but 572 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 1: I need to declare over my life the truth of 573 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: what God has spoken. I am a good husband, I 574 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: am a good dad. See, there's someone today that you 575 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 1: are looking at a very real situation. But what God 576 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: is calling you to do is change the way you 577 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 1: talk about it. He wants to tell you to focus 578 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: what you say and make sure every word that comes 579 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: out of your mouth is in accordance with what He's spoken. 580 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: Paul Rowe, he said, I believe, therefore I have spoken. 581 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: What you say is a reflection of your beliefs. For 582 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: some of you, you're looking at a very real sickness. 583 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 1: But that doesn't mean you can't declare the truth over 584 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 1: your situation. I am healed by his stripes. I am healed, 585 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: I am whole, I am redeemed. Yeah, you might have 586 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: lost some years, but you can declare over your life 587 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: that my God is a redeemer, that there is nothing 588 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: too difficult for him, that my best days are ahead 589 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 1: of me. Yeah, you made some mistakes, that's real, But 590 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: you don't need to believe that God has done with you. 591 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 1: He has more in store for you. He has plans 592 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: to prossper you, not to harm you. Sometimes you gotta 593 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: look your situation right in the face and say, yeah, 594 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: I know you're there. But what Mike, God has spoken 595 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: is true. And if he said he would give me 596 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: the land, he will give me the land. Talking about 597 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 1: giant walls numbers fourteen eight, Joshua and Caleb speak up 598 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: and they say, if the Lord is pleased with us, 599 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: he will lead us into the land again. Talking about 600 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: the blessings, they say, a land flowing with milk and honey, 601 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 1: and look at this. They repeat the promise that God 602 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 1: initially gave to Moses, and even before that, gave to Abraham, 603 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: and he will give it to us. Don't rebel against 604 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: the Lord. Don't be afraid. We will devour them. See 605 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: the ten spots kept saying, this land is gonna devour us. 606 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: Surely God's brought us out here to die. We can't 607 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 1: defeat them. We're so small in their eyes. But Joshua 608 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 1: and Caleb, they focus what they said. They kept repeating 609 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:43,479 Speaker 1: the promise that God had said he will give us 610 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: this land. There's some things we're gonna have to fight, 611 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: There's some battles that we're gonna have to go through. 612 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 1: But if God said he'd give it to us, then 613 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 1: I believe that he'll give it to us. Stand to 614 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 1: your feet at all your other locations. I'm want to 615 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: close this thing down. See what you believe is not 616 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 1: a product of what you see. For forty days, they 617 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: were all looking at the same thing and yet came 618 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: to very different conclusions. Because what you believe is a 619 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 1: product of your focus. You got to focus what you think, 620 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 1: focus what you hear, and focus what you say. Because 621 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 1: what you believe is not a product of what you see. 622 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,479 Speaker 1: But get this, the way God works, what you believe 623 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: will determine what you see. For the ten Spies who 624 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: believe that they couldn't defeat them, who believe that they 625 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,959 Speaker 1: would die in the wilderness, who believe that God couldn't 626 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,479 Speaker 1: do it through them. For the tense Spies and the 627 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: entire generation of Israelites who believe their bad report, they 628 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: would never step foot into that promised Land again, because 629 00:32:55,040 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: what you believe determines what you see. But for Joshua 630 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: and Caleb, the ones who have the courage, the confidence, 631 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: the focus to believe God for what he had spoken, 632 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: because they believe God, they would see that promised Land again. Yeah, 633 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 1: it would take some time, and yeah there would be 634 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: some fights, but they would have the opportunity to lead 635 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: the next generation of God's people into the promise. Because 636 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: what you believe determines what you see. And there's someone 637 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: here today under the sound of my voice. You've lost 638 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 1: your focus. You've let too many voices talk you out 639 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: of what God was calling you into. You've been considering things, 640 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: getting all insecure, thinking about things that God didn't ask 641 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: you to think about, and you've been saying some crazy things. 642 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:47,400 Speaker 1: Yeah they're based on what you see, but they don't 643 00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 1: align with what God has spoken over your life. You 644 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,560 Speaker 1: need to focus what you say. I believe that God 645 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: is bringing you into something today. You're on the edge 646 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: of a breakthrough. You're on the edge of a miracle, 647 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:00,479 Speaker 1: You're on the edge of a blessing. Don't lose your 648 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:05,719 Speaker 1: focus now, because what you believe will determine what you'll see. 649 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: And if you would believe God for it, then by 650 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: His grace, you will see it. I don't know who 651 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:13,719 Speaker 1: this message was for, but it's for someone who was 652 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:17,399 Speaker 1: giving up, someone who felt so frustrated that they were 653 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 1: on the edge of something God had put in your 654 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: heart so long ago. Now it's time to possess what 655 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 1: God has promised. Focus, focus in his presence today, right now, 656 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 1: I want to actually give a very specific invitation for 657 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 1: someone under the sound of my voice. Maybe you're in Ashville, 658 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 1: Maybe and you're in Morrisville, maybe you're in Raleigh. You've 659 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 1: never made a decision to make Jesus Christ your Lord 660 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:47,399 Speaker 1: and savior. You've seen his grace, He's been in your 661 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 1: life the whole time. You've experienced his goodness and his mercy, 662 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,359 Speaker 1: but you've never surrendered your life to him. It is 663 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:56,720 Speaker 1: possible that you could have been looking at your savior 664 00:34:56,760 --> 00:35:00,720 Speaker 1: your hope all along and completely missed it. When Jesus 665 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 1: hung on the cross with a crown of thorns and 666 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: blood running down his face as he poured out his 667 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,760 Speaker 1: blood for our forgiveness, there was a thief on either side. 668 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 1: Two people looking at the same promise, the same promise, 669 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: one the same savior of the world. Two people looking 670 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:23,400 Speaker 1: at the same promise, but came to two very different conclusions. 671 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 1: One thief on the side of Jesus looked at him 672 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,719 Speaker 1: and said, if you're really the son of God, he 673 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 1: didn't have the faith to believe, and because he didn't believe, 674 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 1: he wouldn't see Jesus again. But on the other side 675 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: of Jesus was a thief who deserved to be on 676 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 1: that cross. But he looked at Jesus and said, I 677 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,799 Speaker 1: want to be with you in paradise. I believe in you. 678 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 1: I believe you're the savior of the world. And because 679 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 1: he believed, Jesus says, you will be with me today. 680 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: God not only wants to spend eternity with you, but 681 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: God wants to come into your life right now. God 682 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,320 Speaker 1: is with you in this moment. Don't miss him, render 683 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:02,760 Speaker 1: your life to him. Choose to believe it. That's you today. 684 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: This is your moment, your moment of salvation, your moment 685 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:07,799 Speaker 1: of faith. I want to lead you in a prayer 686 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 1: right now to surrender your life to Christ, to receive 687 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:14,240 Speaker 1: the promise of his grace and his forgiveness. With heads 688 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,160 Speaker 1: bowed and eyes closed, all over this place, pray with me. 689 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 1: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God 690 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 1: in the savior of the world. I believe he died 691 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: and rose again to forgive my sin and give me life. 692 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 1: I receive your grace by faith. Come into my life, 693 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:38,760 Speaker 1: made me new. I'll follow you with head still bowed 694 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 1: and eyes still close at every location. If you just 695 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,280 Speaker 1: prayed that prayer. When I count to three, boldly shoot 696 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:46,879 Speaker 1: your hand up in the air. Do it courageously. Man, 697 00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:49,320 Speaker 1: we want to celebrate what God's done in your life. 698 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: On three, one, two, three, shoots your hand up. Don't hesitate. 699 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:57,600 Speaker 1: Come on across all the locations. Let's celebrate the miracles, 700 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,840 Speaker 1: a new beginning. And Jesus said, come on, lift their voices, 701 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:05,880 Speaker 1: give God praising this play. He's so faithful his promise, 702 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:11,160 Speaker 1: still saying well. I hope you enjoyed the podcast today. 703 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,160 Speaker 1: If you did. There are just a couple of things 704 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:16,359 Speaker 1: I'd love for you to do. Number one, subscribe to 705 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:19,560 Speaker 1: our show. That way, the most recent episode will always 706 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: be in your feed, waiting for you ready when you are. 707 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 1: And Secondly, if this ministry has impacted you and you'd 708 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 1: like to help us continue to reach others, you can 709 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:30,919 Speaker 1: click the link in the description and you can give 710 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 1: now and I'll see you next time on the Elevation podcast.