1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Hey, don't start clicking off. I promise we're going to 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: get to the preaching in just a moment. But I'm 3 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,799 Speaker 1: excited about this. This is a very special tradition at Elevation, 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: and we want to speak to all of you who 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: call our church home, especially our extended family, our EPAM 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: around the world, because once a year we have a 7 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: special series. It's really more than a collection of teachings. 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: It's a faith experience for all of the people who 9 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: are part of our ministry at Elevation, and this year 10 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: our theme is game Changer. I think one of the 11 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: most exciting things that God is doing in our ministry 12 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: is to open the doors of our ministry beyond our walls. 13 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: What I mean by that is we are amazed at 14 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: the thousands and thousands and thousands of you who are 15 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: letting us know that you're impacted by this ministry in 16 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 1: another zip code, in another state, in another country, maybe 17 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 1: eventually on another planet. But what I wanted to mention 18 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: to you is that you can be a part of 19 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: this beyond just consuming. Many of you have been blessed 20 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: by God to be a blessing, and I wanted to 21 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: ask today would you be willing during this special time 22 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: of year to make a one time donation to the 23 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: ministry or maybe partner with us on a monthly basis 24 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: through recurring giving. I believe God could use your gift 25 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: to enable this ministry to continue to reach, to continue 26 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: to break paradigms, to continue to lift up Jesus. And 27 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you personally to go to Elevationchurch 28 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: dot org and you can see the ways to give there. 29 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: But most importantly, know that we feel a tremendousness of 30 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: responsibility to minister the word of God, not only to you, 31 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: but to challenge you to partner with us in reaching 32 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: people for the Gospel. I believe your gift today could 33 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: be a game changer, so don't put it off right now. 34 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: Elevationchurch dot org you can find all of the details. 35 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy this message and thank you for 36 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: being a part of the family. I'm going to continue 37 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: this series from Matthew chapter six. I don't know if 38 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: i'll preach it all from the Sermon on the Mouth, 39 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: but it's a very good place to start, A very 40 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: good place to start. What's that from? Let's start at 41 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: the beginning, A very good place to start. What's that from? Okay? 42 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: Sound of music? That was unintentional. I don't like sound 43 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: of music. But anyway, we're gonna we're gonna look at 44 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: Matthew six, which I do like, and these profound, powerful 45 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: words from Jesus. And last week's message was intended to 46 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: help you evaluate your values. I was thinking that a 47 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: lot of times, if we if we play the game, 48 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: and even if we play the game well, but we 49 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 1: win at things that are not true to our values, 50 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: eventually we will get good at winning. But what are 51 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: we winning at? And what have we won? And so 52 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: in order to try to avoid all of this, this 53 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: empty sense of chasing after victories that are not meaningful, 54 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 1: we're getting into God's definition of success, God's idea of 55 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: what is worth winning at. And we're looking at this together. 56 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: And it was cool to me. When I was in 57 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: the airport Monday, I got the opportunity to meet one 58 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: of our new church members. He said, I've been coming 59 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: for a little while, been going to church all my life, 60 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: been learning a lot. It's been helpful. I said, what 61 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: did you learn yesterday? I put him on a pop 62 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: quiz and he said, oh, yeah, that was good yesterday. 63 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: When you said, shallow values produce empty victories. I was like, WHOA, 64 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: you got it exactly right. Usually people when they quote 65 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: back your sermon to you, they mess it all up 66 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 1: and they don't make it rhyme, and they switch the 67 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: words all around. Makes you mad. But he got it 68 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: just right. Then he started preaching other parts, and he said. 69 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: I went home and I told my wife and my kids, 70 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: I love y'all, but leave me alone the rest of 71 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: the day. And he's a successful person in his field. 72 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: His name is Stephen. I knew he was a great 73 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: man of God from that fact. And he said, I'm 74 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: really just dealing with emptiness. And in that emptiness, I 75 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: realized it's a lot of times because my values are shallow. 76 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: So I've been listening. I've been spending just since you reach, 77 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: he said, I've been thinking about my values, not what 78 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: I think they should be, not what I want them 79 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: to be, but what are my values, and then aligning 80 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: those values with God's values. So let's continue the process. 81 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: Let's go right on to Matthew chapter six, verse twenty five. 82 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: A very relevant scripture today that I want us to 83 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: look at together. Matthew six twenty five Jesus speaking Therefore, 84 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: I tell you, do not worry about your life what 85 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: you will eat or drink, or about your body what 86 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: you will wear is not life more than food, and 87 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: the body more than clothes. Look at the birds of 88 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,919 Speaker 1: the air. They do not sow or reap or store 89 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: away in barns. And yet I love that, somebody say, 90 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: And yet I don't deserve the grace of God. And 91 00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:01,359 Speaker 1: yet I don't have the educational background. And yet nobody 92 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: in my family ever broke this barrier. And yet I 93 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: made some mistakes in my life. And yet I just 94 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: like little stuff like that. When I'm reading the Bible. 95 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: Y'all do what you want to do. I'm gonna stop 96 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 1: for those little phrases and point them out to you. 97 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:23,359 Speaker 1: And yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not 98 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: much more valuable than they? Tell? Somebody next to you say, 99 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 1: I'm better than a bird. I might not be better 100 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: than you, but I'm better than a bird. I'm worth 101 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:42,119 Speaker 1: more than a bird. I know that much. Are you 102 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: not much more valuable than they? We're gonna come back 103 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: to that. Can any one of you, by worrying at 104 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: a single hour to your life? No, but you can 105 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: take some off or you can wish you were dead, 106 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: because more peaceful than being in this living hell called 107 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: your mind. Sometimes, so he asked a question, and I 108 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 1: notice how it starts with a command and then it 109 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: turns to a question. He said, do not worry. And 110 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: now he says, and why do you worry? Why do 111 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the 112 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: field grow. They do not labor or spend. Yet I 113 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 1: tell you that not even Solomon and all his gucci, 114 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: was dressed like one of these. If that is how 115 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: God closed the grass of the field, which is here 116 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: today tomorrows stone in the fire will heat not much 117 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: more cloth, you, oh you of little fate. So do 118 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: not worry. Stop telling me that you know. The worst 119 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: thing you can tell somebody when they're worrying is what 120 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: don't worry unless you know something that they don't. Because like, 121 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: I was watching a football game the other day, but 122 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: it was recorded because I missed it. But the person 123 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: that was watching it with me check the score, and 124 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: we were cheering for the same team. So while I 125 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: was watching the game, I was also watching them, and 126 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: when it got a little scary, I just watched them. 127 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: But when they didn't look scared. I didn't get scared. 128 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: So when Jesus says don't worry, I figure he's already 129 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: seen how this thing turns out. Come on this early 130 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: to have church. But if you are grateful that the 131 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: one who knows the end from the beginning is already 132 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: prophesied to this current moment and declared that God is faithful, 133 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: come on, give him a shout of praise. Don't worry 134 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink? Yeah, yeah, 135 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: hallelujah is right. That's the only thing you can say 136 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: when you think about this. This is good. This preaches itself. 137 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: I don't need to make a comment. I could just 138 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: read this over and over again for fifty minutes. We 139 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: go home. So do not worry saying what shall we 140 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: eat or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? 141 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: For the pagans run after all these things. These are 142 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: allow values. This is what the world worries about. You 143 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: want to worry about something, worry about something, worrying about 144 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: worry about teen suicide rates, You just gotta worry worry 145 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: about that. Worry about racism. You want to worry about something, 146 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: worry about that. I want to worry about something. Worry 147 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: about this crazy cycle of fear that we're all living in. 148 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: If you want to worry about something, but don't worry 149 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 1: about this, for the pagans run after all these things. 150 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: Your heavenly father knows that you need them. But see 151 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: versus kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will 152 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry 153 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day 154 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: has trouble enough of its own. The word God gave 155 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: me to give to you today is reverse your worry. 156 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: Reverse your worry. We're gonna get this thing turned around 157 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: for lunchtime today. Reverse your worry. Came in thinking one way, 158 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 1: going to go home thinking another. Reverse your worry. Turn 159 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: to somebody and say it's time to turn it around. 160 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: So why do you worry? That's the question. The command 161 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: is do not worry. And then the question is verse 162 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: twenty eight. Let's see it again, why do you worry? 163 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: And at this point, if it was anybody other than 164 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,959 Speaker 1: Jesus asking the question, I would say, sit down and 165 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: let me tell you. You You know. Oh, I got a list. 166 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: You want to know why I'll worry? Well, where do 167 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 1: you want me to start, like, first of all, let's 168 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 1: start with October in the stock market. If you want 169 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: to talk about worry, you want to talk about the 170 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: first week in November, you want to talk about if 171 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: you want, if you want, if you want to know 172 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: why I'll worry. Okay, I got I got a thirteen 173 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: year old and eleven year old and a seven year old, 174 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 1: and they have the Internet. That's why I worry, Jesus 175 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: because something tells me that they are not yet of 176 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: the emotional and mental health and capacity to have all 177 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: of the information in the history of humanity in their pocket. 178 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 1: And I'm worried about what they're going to access. And 179 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,319 Speaker 1: there's no Bible verse about how much time to give 180 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: your child on Instagram if it is, I didn't find 181 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: that somebody send me the scripture this week. That's why 182 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:30,199 Speaker 1: I'm worried. I'm I'm worried. You know, why do you worry? 183 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: Put the verse up again? Why do you worry? And 184 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: I think that's important that we stop and think about 185 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: the reasons that we worry, Okay, the reason that we worry, 186 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: and be really honest about it. Because what I worry 187 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: about more than anything is not what's happening to me. 188 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: But whether or not what's within me is enough to 189 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: hand it is whether what's in me is strong enough 190 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: to handle what happens to me. That's why I worry. 191 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: I worry because as a pastor, I am concerned that 192 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: maybe the way that I communicate would be more for consumption, 193 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: and that people would come and hear the word, or 194 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: tune in online and hear the word and then just 195 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: click off. But you know, it seems like more and 196 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: more that people are just coming to church for what 197 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: to get out of it, or just you know what. 198 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: I like that preacher, or I like that song, but 199 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: that's a really shallow reason to come to church. And 200 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: I worry that if people come from surface motivations, they're 201 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: gonna get surface results in their life. And if people 202 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: come from selfish motives, then they're gonna get empty, empty results. 203 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: So why do you worry? Let's talk about it just 204 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 1: me and you now it just us. Why do you worry? What? 205 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: What do you worry about more than anything else? What's 206 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 1: the thing that had you up at three point thirty 207 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:18,839 Speaker 1: this morning and your mind started spinning? Because this is 208 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: what happens. Your mind starts spinning some of us get 209 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: up to use the bathroom, and then we never quite 210 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:30,319 Speaker 1: make it back to a rested state because our bladders 211 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: and our brains are both under demon possession, and so 212 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 1: both of them are too full, And so we wake 213 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,719 Speaker 1: up in the middle of the night, and here we are. 214 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: And this is how it happens. For me, my mind 215 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 1: just starts spinning, spinning. And the way that it's constructed 216 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: in the original language. I've studied this passage quite a bit. 217 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: I've come back to it several times in preaching. Is 218 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: that it says, do not worry, that's the command. Or 219 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: take no thought. That's literal, take no thought. Think about that. 220 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: He's saying, A thought that presents itself to you can 221 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:14,559 Speaker 1: start you spinning in a direction if you take it, 222 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: but it can't start you spinning if you don't hold 223 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: on to it. I appreciate the whole message. One time 224 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:26,439 Speaker 1: called hold that thought. Hold that thought, and you get 225 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: a hold of a thought and you let it take 226 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: you somewhere. But where you take that thought, eventually you 227 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: find out it takes you somewhere. And for me, a 228 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: lot of times I end up in this spin cycle. 229 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: Do you know what I'm talking about? Talk to me 230 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: the spin cycle of stress. I've noticed this about worry. 231 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: Worry is circular. Worry is going round and round, is 232 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: not being concerned about something. That's not what Jesus means 233 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: by don't worry. This isn't Jesus Bob Marley moment, you know, 234 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: because I was reading it, like look at the birds. 235 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: You know, it almost sounds it almost sounds like Jesus 236 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: is telling me not to not to pay my bills. 237 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: Just look at the birds. Look at the birds and 238 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: the flowers and beautiful. Isn't God good? Isn't he just 239 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: the best? Don't you just love Jesus and his muchness? 240 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: You know? So is not what he's saying, you know. 241 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: You want me to be like a bird lord is no. 242 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 1: I want you to observe the birds. I want you 243 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 1: to consider what they know that you don't. And maybe 244 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: what they know that you don't is because they live 245 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: where you don't. At a higher altitude. Observe the birds. 246 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: If I could title this message something other than reverse 247 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: your worry, I'd call it look up, because in order 248 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: to consider the birds, you got to stuff looking all 249 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: around you to make sense of your life. You know, 250 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: because as long as you look around you, you spin 251 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: around and around and around and around. But when you 252 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: break the cycle and consider that there is a God 253 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: above you, who has gone before you, who lives within you, 254 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: who is always for you, and that you are spoken 255 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: for and known and named and called and chosen and 256 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: set apart, you see your life at a different level. 257 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: Can I praise a little bit? Because I've been doing 258 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: this a lot. It's funny that I just finished the 259 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: whole series about anxiety called Triggered, and here we are 260 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: back in this same idea, still spinning. It's still spinning. 261 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: Worry is is like this. It's around and around and around. 262 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: But notice one thing about all my spinning, other than 263 00:15:57,480 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: the fact that some of y'all are getting dizzy just 264 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: watching me do this, imagine how it feels to actually 265 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: do it. Imagine how it feels for me actually doing it. Well, 266 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: this is what it feels like when you're spinning, spinning, spinning, 267 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: lots of motion. But I keep ending up right where 268 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: I started. I'm right back here, Only now I can't 269 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: see straight. Now. That's what it's like to toss and 270 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 1: turn over stuff you can't control. Because after you've spent 271 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: all night spinning all day, spinning in your head, and 272 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: what if they And you know it starts with the 273 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: most innocent thought. It's not the devil. The Devil's been 274 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: at this a long time, sweetie. He's not going to 275 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: give you a bad thought. He's going to try to 276 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: give you an innocent thought and get you to take 277 00:16:55,560 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: it in the wrong direction. A scenario then, on the surface, 278 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 1: doesn't seem that bad, but it's the way you spin it. 279 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:09,640 Speaker 1: It's like you know, Fox News and CNN, It's it's 280 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:13,479 Speaker 1: one story they're telling, but it's spinning different ways, and 281 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: it's how you spin it that determines how you see it. 282 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: I am preaching Matthew Chapter six like it's my last 283 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 1: time today, because when you get in that spin cycle, 284 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,639 Speaker 1: it's just around and around and around and around, and 285 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't make any difference. I'm not getting anywhere, I'm 286 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: not working on it, I'm not making progress anywhere. And 287 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: the Devil gets me so dizzy that now by the 288 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: time that I'm facing my real life challenges, I don't 289 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: have the equilibrium to apply the effort in the direction 290 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 1: that would create a result. Because I'm so dizzy, I 291 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: can't find my balance and now I don't know who 292 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:57,959 Speaker 1: to trust, I don't know what to do. WHOA hang on, 293 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: I need a minute, I need a minute. I've been spinning, 294 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: by the way, That's why it takes you a few 295 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: minutes when you get to church to get your heart 296 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: in the right place for the caffeine to kick in 297 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: and for you to stop spinning. Yeah, Jesus said, look 298 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: up at the birds, and then look at the flowers. 299 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: The flowers. So when we look up, you want me 300 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 1: to look down. I want you to look both. I 301 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: notice something that the flowers don't do that your mind 302 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 1: has been doing lately, he said. When you look at 303 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 1: the flowers, notice how they do not labor or give 304 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: me the verse please twenty eight. They do not labor 305 00:18:48,520 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: or and yet, your father, they don't spin, they don't sew. 306 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: The birds don't store away, the flowers don't spend. Yet 307 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: look how God does that on that level? And if 308 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: he made you in his image, what makes you think 309 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: that you have to spin out in these cycles? You know, 310 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: these tormenting cycles, these confusing cycles where you start thinking, 311 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: you know, oh, oh my god, my my kid needs bracests, 312 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 1: and you know it's the littlest things isn't it. It's 313 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: the littlest things that gets you spending. My kid needs now, 314 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: the kid's only two years old, but my kid's gonna 315 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: need braceists because the first tooth grew in kind of crooked. 316 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: And now you're looking at one crooked tooth and your 317 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: two year old's got one little crooked tooth grown in. 318 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: Oh my god, they're gonna need braces. Embracests with inflation 319 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: is gonna cost four hundred and seventy three thousand dollars 320 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: and I won't have any money to send them in college, 321 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,920 Speaker 1: so they're only gonna have to resort to gang violence. 322 00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 1: And then my child's gonna wind up in prison. And 323 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:05,199 Speaker 1: I'm a visit. Now you're in prison. Your kid is too, 324 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: and your kids still too, and you didn't keep them 325 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: out of prison, and they're still gonna need bracests. So 326 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:19,159 Speaker 1: you've been going around and around and around in circles. 327 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: But God said today is your day to stop spinning. 328 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: If your mind has been doing this, I came to 329 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: preach to you, and the presence of the Lord is 330 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:36,719 Speaker 1: in this place, and your father knows what you need, 331 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 1: So stop spinning. Stop worrying about what God is already 332 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: working on and just worship him. Come on, take fifteen seconds. 333 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: I know you can't do it all the time, but 334 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: you're in the right place today. Let's give him praise 335 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: and honor and glory that our needs are men for 336 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: his need. This's great. That's all worship is. You know, 337 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: worship is worry in reverse. See, worry is when I 338 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 1: start with my situation and then I spin round and 339 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: round and round and round and round and round and 340 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 1: round and round. But God said, stop spinning, and instead 341 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: of starting your meditation with your situation, start with your source. 342 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 1: When you know who your father is, it sends you 343 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: spinning in a different direction. Come on, I know who 344 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: he is, I know what he's done, and I know 345 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: what he's gonna do. And stop spinning. Find seven people. 346 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: Tell him stuff. It's not working round and running circles 347 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: like the Israelites for forty three years. Why are you worried? 348 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 1: I would understand it if it was working. I wrote 349 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,719 Speaker 1: a country song one time, Well, not a whole song, 350 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: just a chorus. Okay, well that's never happened before. Yeah, 351 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: I know it's a ambrollor Father, bless me in the 352 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: name of Jesus. Well, it's like that, you know, like 353 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: worry is like that. It's like the and sometimes it's 354 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: going off, but you can't you can't do anything about it. 355 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's like that. It's like think think about think 356 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 1: about the day we live in where we're constantly being 357 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:12,479 Speaker 1: hit with breaking news, breaking news, Trump had lunch, breaking 358 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:19,959 Speaker 1: breaking news, and so it's almost impossible for us to 359 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: have priorities because we're being fed so much fear. When 360 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: your father feeds you, it builds your faith when you 361 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: start with who God is. You know, when you start 362 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,679 Speaker 1: with that, when you start with your source, you end 363 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: up where you started. And if you start with God, 364 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 1: you end with God. If you start with fear, you 365 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: end with fear. If you start with shortage, you end 366 00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 1: with shortage. If you start with your situation, you'll be 367 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: like Elisha's servant in Second King sixth. This is a 368 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 1: great Old Testament story to illustrate what I'm talking about, 369 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 1: because the servant woke up one day and found that 370 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: the camp was surrounded with the Aramians, who are the enemies, 371 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: and he woke Elisha. He's like, oh, my lord, what 372 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,199 Speaker 1: shall we do. That's exactly what the Bible says, and 373 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:28,719 Speaker 1: that's exactly what you've been saying. Oh, my Lord, you know, 374 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 1: like I'm surrounded and now this preacher is talking about 375 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,760 Speaker 1: birds and lily's and petunias and chrysanthemums, and here I 376 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 1: am trying to pay bills and my mom has Alzheimer's 377 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: and this dude's up here talking about birds. All right. Well, 378 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: Elisha could have prayed that God would destroy the enemies 379 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: that were surrounding the camp, but he didn't. He didn't. 380 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: He prayed something more powerful. And what he said is 381 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 1: what I'm praying for us in this game Changer series, 382 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: because this is the game changer, not that God takes 383 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 1: your enemies away, but that he enables you to see 384 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 1: beyond them, not that he takes your problems away, but 385 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: that he enables your faith to see beyond them. Now, 386 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 1: the first circle is the enemies, and they were real. 387 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: But Elisha prayed, Lord open his eyes that he may see, 388 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 1: that he may see what that there are more with 389 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 1: us than with them. So the first circle says, I'm overwhelmed. 390 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: The first circle says I'm outnumbered. The first circle says 391 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: there's nothing I can do. And on the surface, this 392 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: is the truth. But the second circle. When the servant 393 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: opened his eyes, he saw what had been there all along. 394 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 1: There was a host of angel armies surrounding the first circle, 395 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,399 Speaker 1: and what was on the outside was greater than what 396 00:25:54,560 --> 00:26:00,120 Speaker 1: was on the inside. Whatever is surrounding you, God is 397 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:06,679 Speaker 1: already surrounding it. And so much of our peace is 398 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 1: depending on whether we can perceive the second circle. When 399 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: you live in the first circles, it's always it's always 400 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: never enough. If you start with not enough, you end 401 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,640 Speaker 1: with not enough. If you start with El Shadai, who 402 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 1: is more than enough, you end with more than enough. 403 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: So reverse your worry. My Father knows what I need. 404 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: I have needs, but I don't start with the need, 405 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: because if I start with the need, I'm gonna end 406 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 1: with the need. But if I start with a God 407 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 1: who knows what I need, I will end with a 408 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: God who knows what I need. He is Alpha and Omega, 409 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: the beginning in the end, the first in the last. 410 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 1: So reverse your worry. Jesus says, look at the birds, 411 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 1: look at the flowers. You are more valuable than them, 412 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 1: and yet your father cares for the lesser. Will he 413 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: not much more take care of you? Means this, if 414 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 1: God is doing this level of detail. Don't you think 415 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:23,919 Speaker 1: that he has already determined your expected end. If he 416 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 1: can do that, surely he can do this. If he 417 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:34,439 Speaker 1: did that, he can do this. So there are some 418 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,199 Speaker 1: things in my life that God did, and if he 419 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: did that, he can do this. This is the second circle, 420 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 1: and this is where we've got to live. But in 421 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: order to do it, we'll have to reverse it, because 422 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: when we start with shortage, we end with shortage, time, energy, money, 423 00:27:56,760 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: any of it. Jesus says, here's the game changer. One 424 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: of the most famous verses in scripture, by the way, 425 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: But now that you've got it in context, I hope 426 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: it comes a life for you in a new way. 427 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: He said, if God cares for the lesser, he will 428 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 1: take care of the greater. If he takes care of 429 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 1: the little, he'll take care of the lot. You're the lot. 430 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: You're valuable to him. But you verse thirty three, seek 431 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:33,639 Speaker 1: first the Kingdom and his righteousness, not your own, not 432 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: your own ideas and appearances. What shall we eat? What 433 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 1: shall we drink? What shall we eat? What shall we drink? 434 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: And it funny that we're still posting today, two thousand 435 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 1: years later about the same stuff that Jesus said not 436 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: to worry about. In Palestine, what we ate and what 437 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: we wore is so circular, you know, like we're still 438 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: worried about the same things. How am I going to 439 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 1: make it? How am I gonna pay? How am I 440 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: gonna this and that and the other? You know? And 441 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: I've got my income taxes now went up in a bracket, 442 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: and God blessed me. But now I've got more taxes 443 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: or I'm waiting on God to bless me. What shall 444 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: we eat that survival? What shall we wear? That status? 445 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: And we go round in these circles over and over 446 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: and over and over and over and over and over again. 447 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: But if I start with the kingdom, God will give 448 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: me the things seek first His kingdom give them the 449 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: scripture verse. I want you to see this. More than 450 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 1: see it, I want you to believe it. If you 451 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, all these things 452 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 1: will be given to you as well. See you protect 453 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 1: what you prize, and your peace ought to be important 454 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: to you. But the only way to live in God's 455 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: peace is to have God's priorities. Now in my life, 456 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: every time that I have had a lack of peace, 457 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: it was because something was wrong with my priorities. And 458 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: the reason that I can prove that now is because 459 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: it wasn't the presence of problems that created the absence 460 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: of peace. Sometimes in the midst of my greatest problems, 461 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: I had the greatest peace. That makes no sense, I understand, 462 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: but it's true. Nonetheless, in some of the seasons of 463 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: my greatest problems, I experienced my deepest peace. I think 464 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: that's because sometimes problems help us to clarify priorities. If 465 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,479 Speaker 1: my priorities, if I don't seek first the kingdom and 466 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: I'm seeking the things, I will run after all the 467 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:48,640 Speaker 1: same things that the pagans run after, and it will 468 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: be like I don't even have a God in my 469 00:30:53,440 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 1: real life. Thanks Mom. That's like this. Somebody give me 470 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: your phone, Give me your phone. Somebody with an iPhone? 471 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: What is it now? Ten super another way for Apple 472 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: to get my money by changing the way I charged 473 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: this stupid device. You're a note taker. Oh thank God 474 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: for this guy. Will you send me these when the 475 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: servant's over. My notes are terrible. I don't even look 476 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: at them. They're horrible. Your notes are good. Oh, I'm 477 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 1: gonna ask you something. If you left your phone at church, 478 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: would you come back and get it? How about if 479 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 1: you left your phone an hour away, would you drive 480 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: an hour to get it? Two hours? Three hours? This 481 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: phone is important. I'm starting to wonder what you got 482 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 1: on this phone, what kind of business transactions? You trust 483 00:31:56,360 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 1: me a lot? Hand me this phone and you come 484 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 1: back and get it. But I noticed people will leave 485 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:12,120 Speaker 1: their peace just anywhere, and we would run back. I 486 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 1: see some of you while I'm preaching. You can't even 487 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: sit through a fifty minute message without reaching for your phone. 488 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: You breaking out, rashes, coming all up on. You can't 489 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: check your phone, the phone's buzzing any fun. But you 490 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: leave your peace just anywhere, and we would put more 491 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: importance on a possession, and we'll go back and get it. Oh, 492 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: I lost my phone, my phone, like you're not wearing 493 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 1: pants out the house or something like that. But you 494 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: won't even apologize to get your piece back and seek 495 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: the kingdom. Come get this phone. You got a snap 496 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: coming through that's from AA Steph. I don't know who 497 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: she is, how she's cute. So somebody shout, I want 498 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: my peace back, And the only way for that to 499 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: happen is for you to get your priority straight, friends 500 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: and family. This is why I teach tithing. Woo, A 501 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 1: wave of silence visited the church, because when I put 502 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: God first and I prioritize His purpose in my life. 503 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 1: Don't you see that in any aura of my life? 504 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 1: When I start with God, I end with God. So look, 505 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 1: it's not some Old Testament principle. It is a principle 506 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:59,640 Speaker 1: that when you trust God, you invest your treasure in 507 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: the one that you trust. So when I say God, 508 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 1: this portion has set aside for you. Guess what. I 509 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: start my resources spinning in the direction of God's kingdom, 510 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 1: and then I can trust him to take care of 511 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 1: my needs. That's why we bring the offering at the 512 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 1: end of the year. It's about trust. It's about training 513 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:31,440 Speaker 1: my heart to trust God. Aren't you sick of spinning 514 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 1: like this? Just like the world spins? I mean, really, 515 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,400 Speaker 1: people of God, if we are if we're gonna worry 516 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: like the world worries, how are we going to win 517 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:46,840 Speaker 1: the world that we worry? Just like I think the 518 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:49,839 Speaker 1: distinguishing mark of the people of God and the day 519 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: that we live in is a supernatural peace that will 520 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 1: become so attractive to people in the world that we 521 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 1: won't even have to preach to them. They will see 522 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:02,400 Speaker 1: our peace and they will want to meet the author 523 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:05,720 Speaker 1: of the giver of peace, the Prince of peace, whose 524 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 1: name is Jesus. And so in this season, I've been 525 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: asking God to start me spinning in the right direction, 526 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:26,400 Speaker 1: even the way I start my day. I need to 527 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 1: start my day spinning in the right direction. You know, 528 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 1: I really don't need to read the news within the 529 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:38,720 Speaker 1: first thirty minutes that I'm awake. And by the way, 530 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:41,319 Speaker 1: there are certain people that I don't need to talk 531 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 1: to for the first hour I'm at work because they 532 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 1: might start me spinning. Ah, tell somebody, stop spinning and 533 00:35:56,719 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 1: learn what the flower learned. If I stay planted, learn 534 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: what the bird learned, If I stay above it, then 535 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:14,440 Speaker 1: my guy will supply all my needs. Let's give him 536 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:18,439 Speaker 1: praise for it today. Come on, give him a good 537 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: praise like you think he deserves. Matthews, give him the 538 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:36,400 Speaker 1: prace you think he's worthy of, aw proved him and 539 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 1: or oh Jesus, Jesus, Prastus Jesus, Oh for grace. Now listen, 540 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:56,400 Speaker 1: how many of you would say, everyone's standing now, no 541 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:59,719 Speaker 1: one leaving, please? How many would say I am a 542 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 1: war old class worrior, like I am an Olympic level warrior. 543 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 1: Those of you here, if you could stand, I'm about 544 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 1: to pray for people. Thank you. I'm a wor waving me. 545 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,279 Speaker 1: If you're a world class warrior like, they need to 546 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 1: write a front page Sports illustrated about good news. Good news. 547 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: If you are a world class warrior, you have the 548 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: potential to become a world class worshiper. Because worship is 549 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 1: worry in reverse. Come on, spin around one good time. 550 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:41,640 Speaker 1: If you know God's got this. I'm not looking at 551 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 1: tomorrow worried about it. I will be confident in this, 552 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:48,680 Speaker 1: but I will see the goodness of the Lord. Come on, 553 00:37:48,760 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 1: take a good spin man. If you can stay, please stay. 554 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 1: I want to pray a blessing over you. When you 555 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:09,360 Speaker 1: start with God, you end with God. And the situation 556 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 1: that you're facing today is not necessarily going to lift 557 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 1: or remove. But the second circle is what God is 558 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 1: already doing. And I just thought it'd be good to 559 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:25,359 Speaker 1: join our faith together today. You know, I really want 560 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: to treasure these moments to minister, and that's why I've 561 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:30,080 Speaker 1: been asking, hey, if you don't have to leave, If 562 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: nothing is like going to burn your house or anything 563 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,160 Speaker 1: like that. While we're in here, please stay with us 564 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:39,839 Speaker 1: because sometimes you hear the word, but you don't seal it, 565 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 1: and you just let the devil take it, just take it, 566 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:46,920 Speaker 1: just take it. You just let him take take your 567 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,839 Speaker 1: word and snatch it and snatch it. But snatch it back, 568 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 1: snatch it back. This is a moment for you to 569 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,279 Speaker 1: take your peace back. This is a moment for you 570 00:38:56,360 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 1: to take your focus back. And I want to pray 571 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:07,239 Speaker 1: for that. But peace only comes through correct priorities. It's 572 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: not a feeling. It's a sense of ordering your life. 573 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:13,360 Speaker 1: Jesus said, if you build your life on the right foundation, 574 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: you can withstand any storm. And I just feel today 575 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:19,760 Speaker 1: that as I've been ministering, the spirit of the Lord 576 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: has been translating my feeble attempts to get this message preached, 577 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 1: putting it in the exact frame where you need to 578 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,319 Speaker 1: see what God is doing in your life. And I 579 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 1: want to ask you today if you have been spinning 580 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:39,200 Speaker 1: around trying to solve things in your own strength, and 581 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:41,719 Speaker 1: you want to steal your heart in the presence of God. 582 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:45,040 Speaker 1: One thing I love to do is lift my hands 583 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:47,040 Speaker 1: to my Father in heaven. Would you do that right 584 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 1: now and close your eyes, Oh you of little faith, 585 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 1: When you have a father how to feed you, you 586 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:07,759 Speaker 1: don't have to run to the world for scraps, and 587 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 1: you have a father who knows what you need, you 588 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:16,280 Speaker 1: can trust your deepest desires are being met in each moment. 589 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:23,160 Speaker 1: Greater than the breath that we breathe, greater than the 590 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:25,400 Speaker 1: song that we sing. The grace of God is in 591 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 1: this moment, Holy Spirit. I thank you for this ministry 592 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:35,080 Speaker 1: that has gone forth today. I asked that you would 593 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:40,759 Speaker 1: now enable it to become active in our lives, that 594 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:42,440 Speaker 1: not only would we be hearers of the Word, but 595 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:47,080 Speaker 1: doers also, and that this week you would show us 596 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 1: how to reverse. Instead of starting with what's wrong, what's missing, 597 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:56,120 Speaker 1: what's not, what's gone, we would start with who you are, 598 00:40:57,360 --> 00:40:59,920 Speaker 1: and that the peace of God that transcends all understanding 599 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:05,480 Speaker 1: would guard our hearts and minds. In Christ Jesus Well, 600 00:41:05,480 --> 00:41:07,839 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed the podcast today. If you did, 601 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:10,000 Speaker 1: there are just a couple things I'd love for you 602 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:13,279 Speaker 1: to do. Number One, subscribe to our show. That way, 603 00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:16,520 Speaker 1: the most recent episode will always be in your feed 604 00:41:16,719 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 1: waiting for you. Ready when you are. And secondly, if 605 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:22,759 Speaker 1: this ministry has impacted you and you'd like to help 606 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:25,239 Speaker 1: us continue to reach others, you can click the link 607 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:27,879 Speaker 1: in the description and you can give now and I'll 608 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:31,000 Speaker 1: see you next time on the Elevation podcast