1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,239 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 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. Well, 6 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: my name is Chadhampton and I have the privilege of 7 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: being the campus pastor at our Lake Norman location. I 8 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: want to say, what's up Lake Norman. I love y'all. 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: Hope you're doing well. But it's an honor and a 10 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: privilege to get to stand up here today and declare 11 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 1: God's words to you. And I'm always grateful for a 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: pastor that would entrust me with this moment, that would 13 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: empower me to stand up on this platform where I 14 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: know such a big price has been paid so that 15 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,919 Speaker 1: this platform could exist. And I don't stand on a 16 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: pedestal today trying to display how good I am, because 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: a pedestal displays. But I want to stand on a 18 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: platform because a platform declares how good God is. And 19 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: so He's been good to me, He's been good to you. 20 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: I want you to believe that today. So we're going 21 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: to We're going to go to John chapter four, And 22 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 1: I believe that God wants to produce a faith in 23 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: you today that is greater than whatever fear you might 24 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: be facing today. So if you'll just lean in and 25 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: you'll receive what he has to say, John chapter four, 26 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: verses forty six through fifty three, it says once more 27 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: he visited Cana and Galilee talking about Jesus, where he 28 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: had turned the water into wine. And there was a 29 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When 30 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, 31 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: he went to him and begged him to come and 32 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: heal his son, who was close to death. Unless you 33 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: people see signs and wonders, Jesus told him he'll never believe. 34 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: The royal official says, sir, come down before my child dies. Go. 35 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: Jesus replied, your son will live. The man took Jesus 36 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: at his word and departed. While he was still on 37 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: the way, his servants met him with the news that 38 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: his boy was living. When he inquired us to the 39 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 1: time when his son got better, they said to him, yesterday, 40 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: Everyone say yesterday, yesterday. At one in the afternoon, the 41 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 1: fever left him. Then the father realized this was the 42 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: exact time at which Jesus had said to him, your 43 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: son will live. So he and his whole household believed. 44 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: Do you believe today? Do you believe that God's got 45 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: a word for you? Because I don't know where you're at. 46 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: I don't know what you're facing today currently. Maybe you're 47 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: standing in this place between hope and reality where you're 48 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: hoping to get to. But the reality of where you 49 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: are currently right now in the two seems so far apart. 50 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: But I've got good news. I want to declare something 51 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: over your life today that help is on the wind. 52 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: I want you to hide my three people say help 53 00:02:55,320 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: was on the wind. You may be seated. Thank you, 54 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: Worship team. Help is on the way. As I said earlier, 55 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: my wife and I we have the privilege of leading 56 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: at the Lake Norman campus, and so we thought it 57 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: would be fitting, since God had called us to lead 58 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: that campus, that we should live in the Lake Norman community. 59 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: So about a year ago we moved to Lake Norman. 60 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: My wife, jillis is here today. We've been married for 61 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: fourteen years. Fourteen years. I actually have a picture of 62 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: my family. You'll see Jill, you'll see my four kids. Yes, 63 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: I have four kids, McKenna, Ashton, Adeline, and Jude. And 64 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: so we recently moved up to Lake Norman. And I 65 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: don't know if you're like us, but you know, with 66 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: six people living under one roof, anytime, we know that 67 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: we're gonna have company over because we thought to ourselves, 68 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: if we're going to live in this area, we should 69 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: have some people over, get to know some people. That's 70 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: only fitting. And so we're having company over. And if 71 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 1: you like us, if you know that company's coming over, 72 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,119 Speaker 1: you go into a certain mode that's a little out 73 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: of the ordinary. You start to build this fake house, 74 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: like there's the house that we know exists during the week, 75 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: but then there's the house that you're only going to 76 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: see if you were to ever come over to our home. 77 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: And you know how it is is maybe you're a 78 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 1: couple and you're getting ready for company and you have 79 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 1: to make it look like you don't actually live there, Like, 80 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: don't sit on the couch. We can't make it look 81 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: like the couch has been sat on. Push all the 82 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: chairs underneath the table, because it can't look like we 83 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: actually eat at that table. It cannot look like we 84 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: live here. It has to be perfect because for some reason, 85 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: we think people will love us more if our house 86 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: looks lovely. And so we're getting ready to have people 87 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: over to our house, and Jill's doing an amazing job 88 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: working on the inside of the house. So I thought, 89 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: as the guy, I could do my part. I could 90 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: work on the outside of the house. And actually like 91 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: yard work. It's kind of therapeutic for me. So I 92 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: get home from work and I start mowing the lawn 93 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: and I start trimming the bushes. And as I'm working outside, 94 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: I look over at our house that people are coming 95 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: to in about two hours. I look over and I'm like, oh, no, 96 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: you see, We've got this covered porch on the front 97 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: of our house, and there's these covers, there's these panels 98 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: that had fallen down, hadn't fallen on the ground, there 99 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: hanging from the roof right over the front door of 100 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 1: our house. Now this is unacceptable. I mean, I don't 101 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: want people walking into my home and having to duck 102 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: because of the panels that are falling down. So I'm thinking, 103 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: I got to fix this, and so I find the 104 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: only ladder we have. It's like a three foot step ladder, 105 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: so it's not even a real ladder. And I go 106 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: to the porch and I climb all the way up 107 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 1: on the three foot step ladder, and I proceed to 108 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: push the panels back into place. But when I realized 109 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 1: that the reason the panels are falling down is because 110 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: the gutter is peeling off the front of my roof. 111 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: So I think, okay, I could just pull the gutter off, 112 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: push the panels back into place, push the gutter back 113 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: up against the house, and no one will know the difference. 114 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: It'll look as good as new. That's what I thought. 115 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: So I proceed to pull back the gutter, when all 116 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: of a sudden, not only does the gutter start to 117 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: peel off the roof, but the wood, the nails, the shingles, y'all, 118 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: the whole roof starts to come off the front of 119 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: my house. We've got company coming over in an hour 120 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: and fifty nine minutes, and I'm standing up on this 121 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 1: three foot step ladder and I'm holding this roof up, 122 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: and I'm thinking that all that comes to my mind 123 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:45,359 Speaker 1: in this moment is, oh crap, Jill is gonna kill me. 124 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: Some of y'all look at me like you don't believe this, 125 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: Like this is a great story to set up a sermon. 126 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: I don't know how john Ford ties into this, but 127 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: I promise this happened. I've got proof, because what do 128 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 1: you do when you're standing on a three step ladder 129 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 1: and the roof is about to fall on top of you? 130 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 1: What do you do? You let go with one hand, 131 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: You pull out your phone and you document this moment? 132 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: How dumb was I? So check this out. I got 133 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: a video real quick. Hey, what do you do when 134 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: you're just trying to make a minor repair to the 135 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: gutter and then the whole gutter falls off the front 136 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: of the house. What do you do? You stand here 137 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: on a three foot ladder and you hold it so 138 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: in that moment I did. I did what any smart 139 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: guy would do. In that moment, I didn't tell Jill, 140 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: and I try to fix it all by myself. So 141 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: I'm standing here holding up this roof, and I know 142 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: this is a silly story, and I'm gonna come back 143 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: to it, and we're gonna talk about John for in 144 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: this royal official I promise. But first thing I want 145 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: to do today is I really want to paint a 146 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: picture because I believe there's many of us here at 147 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: our locations watching online today. This represents an internal posture 148 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: that we're carrying right now, and it's a posture that 149 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: represents us trying to hold up the broken pieces of 150 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: our life right now, and it's getting heavy and I 151 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: don't know how much longer I can hold on, and 152 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: I know I need to reach out. I know I 153 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: need to tell somebody, but I'm worried about the reaction 154 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 1: of others if I let them in on this struggle 155 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: that's going on in my life. So I'm not going 156 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 1: to tell anybody. I'm just going to try to fix 157 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: it all by myself. And you know how that goes, 158 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: because that's what I tried to do with the roof, 159 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: and the more I try to fix it by myself, 160 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 1: the worse and worse at God. But I can't tell 161 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: anybody because it seems like everybody around me is being 162 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: celebrated right now and I'm struggling, and their celebration is 163 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: just magnifying this struggle that I have into And it's 164 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: not just let's be real, it's not just one circumstance 165 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: today that we're trying to hold up. We've got compounded circumstances. 166 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: It's one trouble on top of the next, on top 167 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:11,959 Speaker 1: of the next. And I'll say it this way, it's 168 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: not just what is happening in our life today, it's 169 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: when it's happening. It's not just the trials, it's the 170 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: timing of the trials. Really. I mean, it wasn't just 171 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: that the roof was falling off, but I got company 172 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: coming over in an hour and fifty seven minutes. It's 173 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 1: the timing of these trials. This couldn't have come at 174 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: a worse time. This royal official in John chapter four, 175 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,199 Speaker 1: he's a busy guy. He's a man of nobility, he's 176 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: a man of prestige. He's got a position. He's working 177 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: in Herod's government. He's a busy guy. He's got things 178 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: to do today. And now his son is near death. 179 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: Really another burden, another issue, another trial. And as much 180 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: as we're reluctant to reach out for help, help is 181 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: on the way. We've got to reach out for it. 182 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: As much as we're standing with this internal struggle, I 183 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,719 Speaker 1: believe that God can give you the ability today if 184 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: you'll let him, if you'll surrender, I believe that he'll 185 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: give you the ability today to flip the purpose of 186 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: this posture. This can go from a posture of struggle 187 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: to a posture of surrender, from a posture of struggle 188 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:29,959 Speaker 1: to a posture of surrender, because really, surrender is just 189 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 1: an outward response to an inward struggle, and surrender looks 190 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: like this today, you responding outwardly like this. Hell, Hell, 191 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: I can't do this anymore. I can't hold on much longer. 192 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: It's getting heavy, it's getting difficult. I need help. And 193 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: I'm here today because I heard this could help. I'm 194 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: here today. I need help because my home is hurting. 195 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: This royal, his home was hurting. His son is at home, sick, 196 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: near death. His home is hurting. He needs help. Somebody 197 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: needs help today. Help is on the way. But you've 198 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: got to flip that posture from one of struggle internally 199 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: to an oward response of surrender. And that word help 200 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: is so powerful, because really it's twofold. When we cry 201 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: out for help, we're acknowledging that we're hurting, but we're 202 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: also asking the question should I keep holding on? Yeah? 203 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: I'm hurting, but is this worth holding onto? In my marriage? 204 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: In that business that God told me to start. Is 205 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: this worth holding on to? Believing that God can heal 206 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: my body? Is this worth holding on to believing that 207 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: God will give us the family that we've been praying for. 208 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: Is it worth holding on to this life? Is it 209 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: still worth holding on to? I need help? So I 210 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: did the thing. I asked Jill for help. After about 211 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: ten minutes and me standing up on that ladder looking 212 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: like a fool, and I swear that Toyota camera is 213 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:10,720 Speaker 1: driven by three times. At this point, they know I'm struggling. 214 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,079 Speaker 1: They're not helping. And someone posted a picture I guarantee 215 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 1: it hashtag good luck. And so I'm just I need help. 216 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 1: So I'm like, Jill, can you come outside? She comes out, 217 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: She's like, what's going on? I'm like, the roof. The 218 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: roof is falling off the house. What the roof is 219 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: falling off the house? What'd you do? There's no time 220 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: to explain, there's no time to talk about it. We 221 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: just we got to do something. So she's like, what 222 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: are you gonna do? And if I can be honest 223 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: with you, I love my wife. I love my wife 224 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 1: with all my heart. She is my hero. But I 225 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: knew in that moment she's not gonna help me fix 226 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: this because we only had one ladder and I was 227 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: standing on it. It's not even a real ladder. So 228 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, she's not gonna be able to help me 229 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: fix this. That's nothing against my wife. I've seen her 230 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,719 Speaker 1: do things of superher real status before, Like like one 231 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: time our girls had these bunk beds, and she took 232 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: the top bunk bed off of the bottom bunk bed 233 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: by herself, all by herself, And then when I helped 234 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: her to put it back on top, I was struggling 235 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: helping her, like how did you do that by yourself? 236 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: Don't She's got like these these these mommy muscles or 237 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 1: something like God has gifted her with a specific anointing 238 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: and ability. But I knew she couldn't help in this 239 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: moment because she didn't have the resources. But I still 240 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: needed someone to come alongside me. And some of us 241 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: today we're not reaching out for help because we're looking 242 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: at the people around us who're going I don't know 243 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: if they can relate to my situation. I don't know 244 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: if they can fix my problem, So I'm not even 245 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: gonna reach out today. But here's the deal. You don't 246 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: need someone to fix the problem today. You just need 247 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: someone to come alongside of you and say it's gonna 248 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: be okay, you're gonna make it. We're gonna get through 249 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: this together. You've got to reach out for help. Help 250 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: is on the way. And so Ji's like, what are 251 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: you gonna do? I'm like, I don't know. What am 252 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: I gonna do? What am I gonna do? What am 253 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: I gonna? No? Wait, not what? Who? Who? Our question 254 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: needs to shift from a what to who in regards 255 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: to the help we're looking forward. Who who can I ask? 256 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: Who can I call? Who can I reach out too? Who? Who? 257 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: Wait a minute, Scott. I was like, Jill, call Scott. 258 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: She's like, who's Scott. I'm like, I just met Scott 259 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: two days ago at church. This is a real story. 260 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: I'm not making this up. I just met Scott two 261 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: days ago at church, and Scott owns a roofing company, 262 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: and Scott just told me how he just got a 263 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: job in our neighborhood fixing roofs. Scott's close by. Scott 264 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: can help. Help is on the way. So let me 265 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: talk about the royal official. The royal official we know 266 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: in John chapter four that he's in the presence of Jesus, 267 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: and he's asking Jesus for help. Jesus please come down 268 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: and heal my son. But stop. Hold on, How did 269 00:14:55,600 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: the royal official know that Jesus was close by. He's 270 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: living in Capernaum, Jesus is twenty miles away in cana 271 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: How did he know that help wasn't far away? Because 272 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: I believe he had to start with who he had 273 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: around him. I didn't get the revelation that Scott was 274 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: close by until I first surrendered and reached out to Jill. 275 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: The royal official didn't get the revelation that Jesus was 276 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: close by and Jesus could help until he first reached 277 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: out to those who were around him. God wants to 278 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: get his resource to you through the relationships he's placed 279 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: around you. That's why he's positioned you in a place 280 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: like this today. That's why you're sitting at Melbourne. That's 281 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: why you're sitting at Lake Norman, that's why you're sitting 282 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: in Morrisville. He's placed you in this place for a purpose. 283 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: He's put people around you. You just have to reach 284 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: out for the help. Help is on the way, and 285 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: so this royal official goes okay, Jesus can help. I 286 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: heard that he performs miracles. I heard he can help. 287 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: That's good enough for me. And this is where faith starts. 288 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: Do you see this? This is where faith begins in 289 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: all of us. Because I never saw Scott fix the roof, 290 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: but I heard he could. He owned a company. He 291 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: owned a really nice truck with the name of his 292 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: company on the side of that truck. The royal official 293 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: never saw Jesus heal anybody, but he heard he could. 294 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: Faith comes by hearing. And if you're here today because 295 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: you heard that maybe this could help, I've got good 296 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: news for you today. Help is on the way. You're 297 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: in the right place. Even if you just heard that 298 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: this could help, you're already walking in faith. So stick around, 299 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: keep listening. God's gonna help you today. He's got something 300 00:16:52,720 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: for you. Help us on the way. Faith comes by here. 301 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 1: And so this royal official takes his first step out 302 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: of what is known, out of what is certain, out 303 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: of what is comfortable. He takes his first step out 304 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: of Capernaum to cana. Oh. By the way, Capernaum means comfort. 305 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: God often calls us to step away from what is comfortable, 306 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,479 Speaker 1: what is known, what is certain, because I've learned this 307 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: that if I stay in the comfort of my gifts, 308 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: I limit the power of God's grace that is for 309 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: me in my life. This is where we step out 310 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 1: of our gifts into God's grace. I just made these 311 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: two crates gift and grace on this platform. I don't 312 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 1: know if you can see it, but we've got to 313 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: step out of our gifts. What we know, what we're 314 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 1: able to do, trying to fix it by ourselves. We've 315 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: got to step out of our gifts into God's grace. 316 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: Gifts say just do it. God's grace says, let me 317 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 1: do it. Gifts say just do it. Grace says, let 318 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: me do it. I just got that. Thank you, Holy 319 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 1: Spirit for that. So we've got to step out of 320 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: what is certain, what is known, what is comfortable. One 321 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:17,640 Speaker 1: of the greatest lessons that I've learned from our pastor 322 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: is this lesson of courage over clarity. You see, probably 323 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: the greatest prayer request I get from people when I 324 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,479 Speaker 1: ask them how can I pray for you, They'll say, 325 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:34,159 Speaker 1: I need clarity. Yeah, but what's the opposite of faith 326 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: clarity certainty? You don't need clarity, you need courage. You 327 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: need confidence in the one who called you to step 328 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,199 Speaker 1: out of what is comfortable, to step out of what 329 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: is known, and step into His grace and walk in faith. 330 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: I never saw him do it, but I heard he could. 331 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 1: That's good enough for me. And so this royal official 332 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: is now walking in faith towards Jesus to Cana, twenty 333 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: miles away to find help for his son, twenty miles 334 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: walking to Cana. And again, this is a man of position, 335 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 1: this is a man of title. I bet this was embarrassing. 336 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: I bet this was a little humiliating because here he 337 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: is hanging out in Cana and I'm sure people are like, 338 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: what's he doing here? I mean, normally he's here to 339 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 1: help us, and now he's asking us for help, and 340 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: he's walking around, Hey, can you help me? I need 341 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: to I need to find Jesus. Do you know where 342 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: I can find Jesus? Because help requires humility. I remember, 343 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: just a few days ago, I'm at the grocery store 344 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: with my son. My son asks. He's eleven years old, 345 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: and I'm at the store with him and we're picking 346 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: up food to grill out for the Fourth of July, 347 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: and I'm like, Asta, we gotta go to the store. 348 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna get some burgers, we're gonna get some brats, 349 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: and then I need to get a grill brush because 350 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: my grill is filthy. Can be cooking burgers and brats 351 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: on a filthy grill. So I know where the burgers 352 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 1: and brats are. But then we're going to try to 353 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: find the grill brush at the store. So I get 354 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: the burgers and brots. I'm like, okay, let's find the brush, 355 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: and Ashton's like, okay, why don't you just ask someone 356 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: for help. I'm like, oh, we don't need to do that. 357 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: I know where to find it. I know where this 358 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: brush is. So we're walking around the store. Five minutes 359 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: go by, Dad, why don't you just ask somebody where 360 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 1: the brush is? No, man, I mean, I just want 361 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 1: you to see all that this store provides. So that's 362 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:32,920 Speaker 1: why we're just we're going on this tour fifteen minutes. Dad, 363 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: just ask somebody for help, fine, because help requires humility. 364 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: So you know, I find a gentleman. I'm like, excuse me, sir, 365 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: do you know where the grill brushes are? And the 366 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: response I didn't want over all responses was uh, I 367 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:51,399 Speaker 1: don't work here. Well, you're wearing the same clothes as 368 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: everyone else that's working here. Tip if you shop at Target, 369 00:20:54,840 --> 00:21:00,680 Speaker 1: don't wear a red shirt and khakis. So I found 370 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: someone that worked there. They pointed me in the right direction. 371 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: I found the grill brush. Ask for help. Help requires humility, 372 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: and so this royal official he finally comes upon Jesus 373 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 1: because he asks for help. He says, Jesus, will you 374 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: come down heal my son? And look at Jesus's response 375 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 1: in verse forty eight verse forty eight of John four, 376 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 1: Jesus says, unless you people see signs and wonders, you'll 377 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: never believe. I mean, kind of harsh, Jesus, this man's 378 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 1: son is dying. But here's what I believe happened. You see, 379 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: as he's inquiring as to where Jesus is, and he's 380 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 1: asking all these people. This is the same town where 381 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: Jesus couldn't perform miracles because of the lack of faith. 382 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: So people are going, oh, maybe we get to see 383 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,479 Speaker 1: a show today. Maybe we finally get to see one 384 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:43,679 Speaker 1: of these miracles that we've been hearing about. So as 385 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: much as Jesus is talking to the royal official, I 386 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: believe he's also addressing the spectators, because one thing I've 387 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 1: learned about God, he's not as concerned with putting on 388 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: the show as he is with strengthening our faith. So 389 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: he's like, I got to get rid of these spectators 390 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 1: so I can speak to the one who's here because 391 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: of their faith. And so the crowd disperses. The royal 392 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 1: official leans in in verse forty nine, he says, Sir, sir, 393 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,719 Speaker 1: help requires humility. Some of us today we're asking for help. 394 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:21,360 Speaker 1: We're saying, so you're gonna help me. Help requires humility. 395 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: He says, sir, come down before my child dies. See, 396 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: in the royal official's eyes, he had authority above Jesus. 397 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: In his eyes, in his government, he was above the 398 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: person of Jesus. But he humbles himself. He comes under 399 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: the name of Jesus, because at the name of Jesus, 400 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: every needs shell bow, every tongue will confess that he 401 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: is lord. Comes under the name of Jesus and says sir. 402 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: He humbles himself, and he asks for help, come down 403 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: before my child dies. And in verse fifty Jesus says, 404 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: go your son will live. That's it. That's the response. 405 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:00,679 Speaker 1: I mean, if I could be honest, I might have 406 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: wanted something a little different. I mean, Jesus, I just 407 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,679 Speaker 1: walked twenty miles to find you. I just humiliated myself 408 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: in front of all these people to confind you. And 409 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: you're just saying go, You're just giving me a word. 410 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: Can you at least tell me when my son will live? 411 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:20,959 Speaker 1: Because I remember when I was up on that ladder 412 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: and Jill called Scott and she told me, Hey, Scott's coming. 413 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 1: I'm like, good, help us on the way, help us 414 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 1: on the way. My next question was when, how long? 415 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: When's Scott gonna get here? Because aren't we interested in 416 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 1: timelines when it comes to the promise of God in 417 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: our lives? But as I look back at that moment, 418 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 1: I'm so glad that Scott didn't give me a timeline, 419 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: because if you would have given me a timeline, my 420 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: faith and my focus and my confidence would have been 421 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: in the timeline of my help instead of the person 422 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: who said I'm gonna help you. If there's one thing 423 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: I've learned about our God, he is not a god 424 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: of timelines. He's a god of timing, God of timing, 425 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:05,400 Speaker 1: and his timing is perfect. His timing is everything. Timing 426 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:11,239 Speaker 1: is everything, And so this royal official it says he 427 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: takes Jesus at his word in verse fifty, he takes 428 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: Jesus at his word and he departs. If you notice 429 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 1: what it says, he took Jesus at his word. He 430 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: didn't just take a word. He took the word with 431 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 1: him on his way back to Cana. See, sometimes we think, oh, 432 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: he walked out of the presence of God. Yeah, maybe physically, 433 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: but spiritually, the presence of Jesus was just as with 434 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,439 Speaker 1: him because he had a word to walk on. And 435 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 1: I love his response how he just departed. He just 436 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: took Jesus at his word. He didn't sit around and 437 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: wait for a different word. He didn't sit around and 438 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: maybe wait for something that he was hoping for. Hey, 439 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,360 Speaker 1: maybe his word is better than my ways. So I'm 440 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: just gonna depart. I'm just gonna take this word and 441 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna begin to walk on it, and I'm gonna 442 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 1: begin to declare it over in my life. Jesus said 443 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: he'll live. Jesus said he live. So all the way home, 444 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure the royal official is saying he'll live. He'll live. 445 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:05,919 Speaker 1: Jesus said it. So I'm gonna see it. And this 446 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 1: is where the devil loves to get in our mind, 447 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: and he loves to play around. He loves to say 448 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: things like, I know God said it, but you haven't 449 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 1: seen it. I know God says you were healed, but 450 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 1: you don't look healed. I know God says you were free, 451 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 1: but it's only been a month. Things are gonna get difficult. 452 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: You're going to go right back to what you've been 453 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 1: depending on. And that's where we begin to declare the 454 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 1: word that Jesus gave to us over our life. We 455 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,199 Speaker 1: put it in the face of the devil. We say, listen, 456 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: I walk by faith and not by sight, devil. So 457 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,360 Speaker 1: the very fact that you're talking to me right now, 458 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 1: it's the proof that you're terrified about the word that 459 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 1: God has given me, because you know, if I begin 460 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: to walk in this word, if I begin to declare 461 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,640 Speaker 1: it over my life, if I begin to believe it, 462 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 1: something good might happen in my life. Heapens on the way. 463 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: So he's walking home. He's walking home, and look at 464 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: what happens. Look at what happens in verse fifty one, 465 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:00,200 Speaker 1: verse fifty one. While he was still on the way, 466 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 1: his servants met him with the news that his boy 467 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: was living. Help us on the way, Hold up, while 468 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: he was still on the way, help us on the way? 469 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: I thought I thought help was on the way. I'm 470 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: gonna I'm gonna sit here and wait for my blessing. 471 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna sit here and wait for my miracle. I'm 472 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: gonna wait for God to move. I love this picture 473 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: when when he asked Jesus to come with him, Jesus 474 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,680 Speaker 1: never moves. Jesus just gave him a word. We're waiting 475 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 1: on God to move. But his word is enough because 476 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: his word can move in our life. I'm not waiting 477 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 1: for my miracle. I'm gonna wait on. He wasn't waiting for. 478 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: He was waiting on. Help is on the way. To 479 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: wait for means to sit, to be inactive, to disengage. 480 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: But to wait on means to serve. It means to move. 481 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,399 Speaker 1: It means to trust in this word. Yeah, he didn't 482 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: get the response he was looking for, but he got 483 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: a war. And so I'm gonna serve this word that 484 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: Jesus has given me. I'm gonna wait on the word 485 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 1: that he's given me. Help is on the way. And 486 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: it reminds me of another passage in Isaiah, chapter forty, 487 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: verse thirty one. It says those who wait on the Lord, 488 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 1: not those who wait for the Lord. Those who wait 489 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 1: on the Lord shall renew their strength. And what I 490 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: love about this picture, what I love about this moment 491 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 1: is this royal official was walking. He was walking home 492 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: on a word that Jesus gave him. He's waiting on 493 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: the Lord. Help is on the way. What I love 494 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 1: about this picture. Those who wait on the Lord will 495 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: renew their strength. They shall run and not careery. They 496 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: shall walk all the way back home, all the way 497 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 1: back to Cana and they will not grow weak. Help 498 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: is on the way. I'm not waiting for help today. 499 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: I'm waiting on it. I'm not waiting for help. I'm 500 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:15,199 Speaker 1: waiting on it today. You're telling me that I just 501 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 1: need to wait on the word that God has given me. Yeah, 502 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: because that word can become a weapon in your life. 503 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 1: If you'll use it, if you'll wait on it, if 504 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 1: you'll declare it over your life, if you'll walk in it, 505 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: I'll never forget. January seventeenth of twenty fourteen, my son 506 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: Jude was two years old at the time, and we 507 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: woke up and Jude had gone into hypobylemic shock. That 508 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: means all the things that were supposed to be functioning 509 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:44,480 Speaker 1: in his body weren't functioning. And my son was dying 510 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 1: before my very eyes. I saw him turn gray, I 511 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: saw him get cold, and I'm like, God, Help, I 512 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 1: can't I can't control the outcome of this obstacle right now, 513 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: this is out of my control. God, What am I 514 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: gonna do? What am I gonna do? When we get 515 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: to the hospital and the doctors have no answers? What 516 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? And 517 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: I remember I got away. I locked myself in the bathroom, 518 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: not because I had to use the bathroom, but because 519 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 1: I just needed to get alone with God and say, God, 520 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: what are we gonna do? And I remember Psalm twenty 521 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: seven came to my heart. If will hide God's word 522 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: in our heart, we won't sin against him. And I 523 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: just begin to quote that word Psalm twenty seven over 524 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 1: my life and over my son. I begin to serve 525 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 1: the word of God in my life in that moment, 526 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 1: Help is I'm the way. I'm not gonna sit here 527 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 1: and wait for a miracle. God, I'm gonna wait on it. 528 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: Because I believe that You've already given me the victory. 529 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 1: If I'll just declare it over this situation, if I 530 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 1: walk in it so Psalm twenty seven. The Lord is 531 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 1: my life, then my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The 532 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 1: Lord is the stronghold of my life? Of whom shall 533 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: I be afraid? I'm not waiting for it. I'm not 534 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: waiting for help today. I'm waiting on it. The Lord 535 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: is my life, then my salvation, whom shall I fear? 536 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 1: And that word that begin to come out of my 537 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: mouth begin to change the condition of my heart, and 538 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: my faith begin to grow, and I begin to become stronger. 539 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: Some of us were trying to fix the situation. We're 540 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: trying to predict the outcome of God, saying, you just 541 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: need to be strong in this moment. I've been called 542 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 1: you to be successful. I haven't called you to prosper. 543 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 1: I've only called you to be courageous and strong. Let 544 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 1: me take care of the rest. You're waiting to get 545 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: strong before you take the first step. No, just step 546 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: out in the instruction that I've already spoken, and let 547 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:31,240 Speaker 1: me work in your life. When we speak that word 548 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: out of our mouth, the content of our conversation can 549 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: change the condition of our heart. This man walked on 550 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 1: a word all the way back home to Cana. I 551 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 1: believe Jesus told him to go so that his faith 552 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: would grow. I'm not waiting for help. I'm waiting on 553 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: it today, and I love what it says in verse 554 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: fifty two that when he inquired us to the time 555 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: his son got better, his servants said, and servants is 556 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: just another word for help. His help met him on 557 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: the way. His help told him yesterday. Everyone say yesterday. Yesterday, 558 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: at one in the afternoon, the fever left. And wait 559 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 1: a minute. So the word that God spoke over my 560 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: life yesterday has the same power today. It's just up 561 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: to me to walk in that word. It's just up 562 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: to me to declare that promise over my life. I 563 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 1: just gotta be willing. I've noticed something about the promises 564 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: of God that they're always first proceeded with an instruction. 565 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: Go instruction, your son will live. Promise. Seek instruction and 566 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 1: you will find promise. Knock instruction and the door will 567 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: be open. Promise. There's this word that keeps popping up 568 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: in all these promises. Will your son will live? God, 569 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 1: what are you telling us today. He's saying, I'm a 570 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:12,440 Speaker 1: God who is faithful. I will always respond, I will 571 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 1: always answer you. I will always give you the word 572 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: that you need in this season. But you've got to 573 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:20,720 Speaker 1: have the willingness to obey that word. You've got to 574 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 1: have the willingness to wait on that word, to respond 575 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:26,680 Speaker 1: to that word. Help us on the way to wait 576 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: on the Lord. They no d They're not so weary. 577 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: They will walk and not faith sin up on our feet. 578 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: At all our locations here in this place today, some 579 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: of us are waiting for a new word from God. 580 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 1: He's waiting for us to wait on the word he's 581 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: already given us. They said, I've been coming to church 582 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 1: for six months now, chat a year, two years. I 583 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 1: keep coming, keep arriving. But it's time to step from 584 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 1: arrival to application. Not just arriving, but applying this word 585 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 1: to your life. Walking out of this place today, some 586 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: of you are going to reach out for help today. 587 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 1: Help requires humility. You're gonna surrender and say, God, I 588 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 1: can't do this by myself anymore. I'm experiencing this struggle. 589 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: But as I surrender to you, you'll give me the strength. 590 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 1: It's the struggle surrender strength. Some of you today, you're 591 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: gonna go back to that word God spoke yesterday because 592 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,400 Speaker 1: it still has the same power today, and you're gonna 593 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: begin to walk in that word. And in that promise, 594 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:46,640 Speaker 1: verse fifty three. One last thing, Verse fifty three, it 595 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 1: says the father. The father realized this was the exact 596 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 1: time at which Jesus had said to him, your son 597 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 1: will live, so he and his whole household believed. Do 598 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:03,640 Speaker 1: you notice is being said in this verse the father. 599 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 1: I don't know if you caught it, but all throughout 600 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 1: this passage he's been called the royal official, he's been 601 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 1: known by a position, but he realized in this moment, 602 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 1: I can't work to help my position any longer. I've 603 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: got to walk on this word. And now he's known 604 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: as the Father because he believed, because he reached out 605 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:28,040 Speaker 1: for help, because he humbled himself. And some of us 606 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 1: were trying to help our position. We're trying to protect 607 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,440 Speaker 1: our position, our title. Today God saying I want to 608 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: take you from a place of position to purpose. If 609 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:39,080 Speaker 1: you'll just believe, if you'll just walk on this word, 610 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,440 Speaker 1: if you'll apply it, I want to give you purpose. 611 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,879 Speaker 1: Maybe you're in this place today, you're watching online, you're 612 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,319 Speaker 1: at one of our locations, and you're going Chad. You know, 613 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:59,799 Speaker 1: for me, I feel so far off because for me, 614 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 1: the roof fell down, the boy died in my story, Chad, 615 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 1: I feel so far off from the plans and the 616 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 1: purposes and the promises of God. Chatd what about me? 617 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 1: I feel so far off? Well, there's another story about 618 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 1: a father and a son in Luke fifteen, verse twenty. 619 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:25,839 Speaker 1: It's a son who took his inheritance that his father 620 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: had given him and he lost everything. He finds himself 621 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 1: in a place of shame, place of humiliation, a place 622 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: of sorrow, and he begins to talk to himself. He says, 623 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,480 Speaker 1: maybe if I go to my father, Maybe if I 624 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 1: go to my father, he can help chat what about 625 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 1: me today? Because everything's falling apart in my life. I 626 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:50,479 Speaker 1: want to give you the same instruction that Jesus gave 627 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 1: the father, the royal official, go home, go home today, 628 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: and go home. Well, all throughout this story in Luke fifteen, 629 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 1: the son never says I'm gonna go home. He says, 630 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go to my father, because home is more 631 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 1: of a person than it is a place. Will you 632 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:15,120 Speaker 1: run into the arms of your heavenly Father today because 633 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:18,799 Speaker 1: he's calling you home. He's calling you back to him, 634 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 1: and help is on the way. The verse says, while 635 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 1: the son was a long way off, you feel far 636 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: off today. While he was a long way off, his 637 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: father saw him. His father ran to him and embraced him, 638 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:33,399 Speaker 1: gave him a hug, gave a kiss, and said, welcome home. 639 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:37,440 Speaker 1: Go home today, Run to your father. Every head thought, 640 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:40,719 Speaker 1: every eye closed in this place. I want to give 641 00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: someone the opportunity to go home. To place your faith 642 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:48,239 Speaker 1: in Jesus in this moment you're watching online at one 643 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:51,400 Speaker 1: of our locations here at Valentine. If you want to 644 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 1: say yes to God, say yes to his plan, his purpose, 645 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:56,800 Speaker 1: if you want to reach out for his help, his grace, 646 00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: his mercy. I want you to pray this prayer out loud. 647 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:01,359 Speaker 1: We're gon we all gonna pray it with you as 648 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:03,640 Speaker 1: a church family. If you're praying it for the first time, 649 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,400 Speaker 1: or maybe you're coming back to God today, pray this 650 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: and believe it with all of your heart. You're going 651 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: home today. Say Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your 652 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: son for me. I believe that Jesus is Lord. I 653 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 1: believe he's the savior of the world. I believe he 654 00:37:24,120 --> 00:37:29,000 Speaker 1: died and was raised to life, giving me life, giving 655 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: me hope, and giving me a future. Today, I give 656 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:37,400 Speaker 1: you my life, Jesus, from this day forward, I'll follow 657 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 1: you had still boid, I still close. If you just 658 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,320 Speaker 1: prayed that prayer this moment, making Jesus the lord of 659 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 1: your life for the first time, on the counter of 660 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 1: three at all of our locations, shoot your hand up 661 00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 1: in the air. One, two, three, if that prayers for you, 662 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 1: shoot your hand up. Awesome hands going up, People making decisions, 663 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 1: people placing their faith in Jesus. Come up, church, Let's rejoice, 664 00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:01,799 Speaker 1: Let's wait on this worship. Let's thank you for his help. 665 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:05,600 Speaker 1: Let's think a mos goodness is worst grace he deserving. 666 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:10,000 Speaker 1: Come on, let's chant, let's worship it. Well. I hope 667 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:12,440 Speaker 1: you enjoyed the podcast today. If you did, there are 668 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 1: just a couple of things I'd love for you to do. 669 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:18,319 Speaker 1: Number One, subscribe to our show. That way, the most 670 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:21,520 Speaker 1: recent episode will always be in your feed, waiting for 671 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 1: you ready when you are. And Secondly, if this ministry 672 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:27,640 Speaker 1: has impacted you and you'd like to help us continue 673 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:29,719 Speaker 1: to reach others. You can click the link in the 674 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:32,600 Speaker 1: description and you can give now and I'll see you 675 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:35,240 Speaker 1: next time on the Elevation Podcast.