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Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick.

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Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast.

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Speaker 2: Be sure to subscribe so we can get you these

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Speaker 2: new sermons every week. I hope you're blessed today. Our

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Speaker 2: year end offering will be amazing. I hope that all

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Speaker 2: of you will participate. We ask each family that's participating

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Speaker 2: to choose a word that reflects what you're believing God

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Speaker 2: for in this season of your life, and then I

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Speaker 2: usually pick a word for our whole church.

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Speaker 1: And this year is going to be really simple.

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Speaker 2: Our word that we're gathering around for this offering is

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Speaker 2: the word trust. Touch your neighbors, say I trust in God.

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Speaker 2: Come on, tell them again, say I trust in God.

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Speaker 2: So we'll call it our trust offering, not like a

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Speaker 2: trust fund or something like that.

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Speaker 1: But in a way it is. In a way it

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Speaker 1: is is because it's.

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Speaker 2: Us believing that our God, our Jehovah Jirah, has stored

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Speaker 2: up for us everything that we will ever need is

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Speaker 2: in his hand. How many have a testimony that all

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Speaker 2: you have needed his hand has provided.

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Speaker 1: I trust in God.

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Speaker 2: Oh yeah, tell your neighbor, I'm not so sure about you.

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Speaker 2: I don't know if I can trust you, but I

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Speaker 2: trust in God, and I think it will be amazing.

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Speaker 2: So I trust in God. And that's kind of the

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Speaker 2: subject I'll preach around for the next few weeks as

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Speaker 2: we've moved this year to a close, and today I'm

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Speaker 2: excited to journey with you into the scripture.

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Speaker 1: We're excited to see, well, God will speak to you today, y'all.

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Speaker 2: I was running out the house and this is the

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Speaker 2: only Bible I could I could find close by it.

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Speaker 2: I didn't feel like going back downstairs and getting the

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Speaker 2: regular ones, so I got this big.

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Speaker 1: Boy today, big boy Bible.

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Speaker 2: Not to beat the devil half to death with this

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Speaker 2: Bible today, I believe.

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Speaker 3: It all right.

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Speaker 2: In Hebrews chapter eleven, there is a scripture that leads

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Speaker 2: to a scripture that leads to a scripture that I

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Speaker 2: never thought about before today. But I want to share

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Speaker 2: it with you because I think it's gonna help us

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Speaker 2: to trust in God for where he's taking us.

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Speaker 1: Hebrews chapter eleven, Verse six.

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Speaker 2: I thought about only reading a few of these verses,

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Speaker 2: but they're all so good I figured they would be

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Speaker 2: offended if we left them out. So we're gonna need

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Speaker 2: to do verses six through sixteen? Can you handle that

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Speaker 2: all right? Did you wear your elastic waistband today? For

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Speaker 2: this word that I'm gonna get you fat?

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Speaker 1: Off of.

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Speaker 2: Hebrews eleven verse and without faith, it is impossible to

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Speaker 2: please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe

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Speaker 2: that He exists and that he rewards those who earnestly

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Speaker 2: seek him by faith. Noah, when warned about things not

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Speaker 2: yet seen and holy fear, built an arc to save

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Speaker 2: his family. By his faith. He condemned the world and

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Speaker 2: became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

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Speaker 1: By faith.

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Speaker 2: Abraham, when called to go to a place he would

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Speaker 2: later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though

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Speaker 2: he did not know where he was going.

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Speaker 1: You don't have that much faith, do you. I don't

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Speaker 1: think I do. Didn't know where he was going, but

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Speaker 1: he went by faith.

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Speaker 2: He made his home in the Promised Land, like a

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Speaker 2: stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as

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Speaker 2: did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of

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Speaker 2: the same promise, For he was looking forward to the

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Speaker 2: city with foundations whose architect.

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Speaker 1: And builder is God.

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Speaker 2: And by faith, even Sarah, who was past child bearing

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Speaker 2: age was enabled to bear children because she considered him

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Speaker 2: faithful who had made the promise. And so from this

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Speaker 2: one man and he as good as dead, came descendants,

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Speaker 2: as numerous as the stars in the sky, and as

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Speaker 2: countless as the sand on the seashore. All these people

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Speaker 2: were still living by faith.

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Speaker 1: When they died.

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Speaker 2: They did not receive the things promised. They only saw

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Speaker 2: them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they

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Speaker 2: were foreigners and strangers on earth.

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Speaker 1: People who say such things.

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Speaker 2: Show that they are looking for a country of their own.

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Speaker 2: If they had been thinking of the country they had left,

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Speaker 2: they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were

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Speaker 2: looking for a better country. Somebody say, I'm believing for

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Speaker 2: a better one. I'm believing for a better one, a

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Speaker 2: heavenly one. Yeah yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.

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Speaker 2: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their god,

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Speaker 2: for he has prepared a city for them. Go back

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Speaker 2: to that first verse one more time. And without faith,

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Speaker 2: it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes

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Speaker 2: to him must believe that he exists and that he

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Speaker 2: rewards those who earnestly seek him. Before you take your seat,

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Speaker 2: look at your neighbor and say, hey, come on.

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Speaker 1: You gotta do it.

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Speaker 2: You gotta look at your neighbor, all right, look at

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Speaker 2: the other one, the other neighbor. Hey, Now, why did

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Speaker 2: you do that? Why did you say hey? You don't

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Speaker 2: know how they're gonna respond. You did it because I

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Speaker 2: said so, for no other reason, right, I said, say hey,

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Speaker 2: you said hey. Okay, that's our lesson today. How to

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Speaker 2: say hey by faith? Say hey by faith one more time.

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Speaker 2: On your way to your seat, tell your neighbor, hey,

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Speaker 2: you may be seated online.

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Speaker 1: Just put it in the thing.

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Speaker 2: Put hey with the thing, the moji, and say hey,

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Speaker 2: let us know where you're from. Hey, everybody say hey

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Speaker 2: back to everybody online, everybody on YouTube.

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Speaker 1: Just put a hay in the chat.

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Speaker 2: Hey, Blakeney, Hey, Lake Norman, Hey, everybody pull up my

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Speaker 2: phone real quick, get in the YouTube comments and see

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Speaker 2: who's saying hey to us today from.

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Speaker 1: All over the world.

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Speaker 2: I believe, by faith that they're saying hey all over

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Speaker 2: the world, don't you don't you amen? So anyway, y'all,

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Speaker 2: I think our phones have changed our relationship with faith.

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Speaker 1: Honestly, you agree? And what I mean by that isn't

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Speaker 1: just that your phone is listening to you?

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Speaker 2: And because why why did I just talk about it

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Speaker 2: three minutes ago and now it's all up in my phone?

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Speaker 1: If the phone isn't listening to me, why did I.

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Speaker 2: Talk to somebody about a tonal gym the other day

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Speaker 2: and there was tonal stuff on my phone? There has

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Speaker 2: never been tonal advertisements on my phone until three minutes

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Speaker 2: after I set it to a friend.

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Speaker 1: So why I don't trust my phone.

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Speaker 2: I don't trust Steve Jobs and he hadn't been alive

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Speaker 2: in several years, and I still don't trust him. I

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Speaker 2: think he's listening to me from somewhere right now, preaching

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Speaker 2: this message.

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Speaker 1: I don't trust any of it.

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Speaker 2: Okay, but that's not what I mean about the relationship

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Speaker 2: with our phone. I mean, there was a time where

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Speaker 2: if somebody called you on the phone, it took faith

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Speaker 2: to pick up the phone because you didn't know who

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Speaker 2: was on the other end of the phone. How many remember, Yeah,

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Speaker 2: it took faith before on the eighth Day when God

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Speaker 2: made caller id, it would take faith to pick up

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Speaker 2: on the phone because you didn't know who it was.

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Speaker 2: It could be your boyfriend, it could be a bill collector,

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Speaker 2: it could be somebody wanting you to help them move

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Speaker 2: next Saturday. It could be the person you've been dodging

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Speaker 2: on purpose. So then you get answering machine. You let

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Speaker 2: the answering machine pick up, You let them start leaving

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Speaker 2: a message you remember this, and then you pick up

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Speaker 2: like you just happened to walk in the house when

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Speaker 2: they started talking.

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Speaker 1: Because you're a liar.

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Speaker 2: Now, my mom did something one time that really takes

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Speaker 2: the cake. And I didn't ask her permission to tell this,

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Speaker 2: and I'm going to tell it to you to open

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Speaker 2: my sermon, because it's a good little story to set

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Speaker 2: up my premise. My mom had this one friend who

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Speaker 2: would call a certain time most every week, and when

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Speaker 2: it was around that time, within that window that that

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Speaker 2: friend would call, my mom would make me answer the

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Speaker 2: phone because she did not particularly enjoy talking to this friend.

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Speaker 2: So I kind of knew it was like my time

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Speaker 2: to be by the phone when this certain time rolled around.

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Speaker 2: And I'm not gonna say this woman's real name, but

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Speaker 2: let's call her Miss Martha. In the South, you use

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Speaker 2: mister and miss, and I know that's kind of old

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Speaker 2: fashioned too, but that's how you did it, Miss Martha.

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Speaker 1: Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

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Speaker 2: But when miss Martha call, I always knew when she

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Speaker 2: said is your mom there, that I had to.

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Speaker 1: Check with my mom before I said yes.

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Speaker 2: And so one day the phone rang around that time

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Speaker 2: and she said pick it up, and I picked it

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Speaker 2: up and I said, hell up and uh and I said, oh, hey,

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Speaker 2: miss Martha. And I looked at my mom to see

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Speaker 2: what's the move, because now she knows this, Miss Martha,

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Speaker 2: it's her move. And she's over there going and I'm like,

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Speaker 2: what do I tell her? She said, it is your

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Speaker 2: mom there, and she mouths to me, tell her I'm

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Speaker 2: in the shower. So I said, miss Martha, she's in

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Speaker 2: the shower. And then Miss Martha threw a curveball. She said,

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Speaker 2: all right, how about your dad? Now I got improvise,

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Speaker 2: and since I'm already lying, I just went with this, yes, ma'am, but.

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Speaker 1: He's in the shower too. She snatched that phone. Hey

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Speaker 1: Martha here. Anyway, we would take faith to pick up the.

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Speaker 2: Phone because it might be Martha, it might be Ed

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Speaker 2: McMahon calling you to tell you you want a million dollars.

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Speaker 2: But it doesn't take faith anymore because I know exactly

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Speaker 2: who this is. So I get to make a conscious

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Speaker 2: decision do I want to enter into this particular conversation.

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Speaker 1: It takes faith. This is what I'm trying to get

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Speaker 1: you to see. It takes faith to.

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Speaker 2: Enter into a conversation when you are not sure who

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Speaker 2: you will be conversing with. Should you choose to accept

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Speaker 2: the call? Shout amen, somebody? It takes faith. It takes

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Speaker 2: a certain amount of faith. And I know that a

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Speaker 2: lot of times we forget this, but even to say

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Speaker 2: that God is calling me to do something, it takes

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Speaker 2: a certain amount of faith to know that this is

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Speaker 2: really God on the other line.

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Speaker 1: Because what if it sounds like God, but it's really

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Speaker 1: just my ambition. What if it is kind.

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Speaker 2: Of like God, but I'm not sure if really it's

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Speaker 2: just me being delusional. What if while I'm preaching today,

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Speaker 2: something leaps in your spirit while I'm talking, and you

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Speaker 2: believe that it's God's will for you to hear that

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Speaker 2: and act on it. Because the starting place of faith

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Speaker 2: is the word of God. Write that down somewhere where

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Speaker 2: you can remember it later this week when you're like, well,

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Speaker 2: I don't know if I should do this or not. Well,

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Speaker 2: the starting place of faith is the Word of God.

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Speaker 2: We cannot treat every whim that we have as if

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Speaker 2: it's the word of God and just say I have

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Speaker 2: faith because the starting faith of place is the Word.

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Speaker 1: Of God, the starting place of faith. I say that

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Speaker 1: backwards the start okay, the.

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Speaker 2: Starting place of faith is the Word of God. In fact,

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Speaker 2: the author of Hebrews wants you to know that you

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Speaker 2: can't even come to God to begin with without faith

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Speaker 2: verse success, and without faith, it is impossible to please God.

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Speaker 2: Anyone who comes to him must believe.

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Speaker 1: It does not say.

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Speaker 2: That the prerequisite for coming to God is that he

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Speaker 2: who comes to God must behave a certain way, but

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Speaker 2: to believe a certain thing. I was talking to a

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Speaker 2: guy the other day who said, I need to get

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Speaker 2: right with God. I said, and what do you think

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Speaker 2: it will take for you to get right with God?

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Speaker 2: And he said, well, I need to change some things

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Speaker 2: in my life. And I said, indeed you may, and

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Speaker 2: indeed I do too. But the starting place of your

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Speaker 2: relationship with God is not changed behavior. The starting place

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Speaker 2: of a relationship with God is belief belief.

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Speaker 1: It begins with belief.

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Speaker 2: Every fear you're experiencing in your life today begins with belief.

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Speaker 1: Of faith. That you will ever take. Every step you will.

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Speaker 2: Make in the direction of God's will for your life

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Speaker 2: will begin with belief, or it won't be sustainable. If

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Speaker 2: it does not start with faith, it will not be sustainable.

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Speaker 2: Any New Year's resolution that doesn't start with faith depends

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Speaker 2: on you. If it depends on you, when you run

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Speaker 2: out of strength, you run out of stamina. Any goal

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Speaker 2: that I established in my life, now, look, this is

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Speaker 2: something I'm making up. This is a principle that the

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Speaker 2: writer of Hebrews is sharing with a group of people

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Speaker 2: who are standing in between their old belief and their

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Speaker 2: new belief. Their old belief revolved around being right with

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Speaker 2: God through the works of the law. By performing these

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Speaker 2: religious duties and by moving into these protocols, they could

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Speaker 2: approach God through the sacrifices of bulls and goats.

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Speaker 1: And now they've come into a.

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Speaker 2: Different relationship through Jesus, whereby we no longer come in

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Speaker 2: through our.

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Speaker 1: Works, but through our faith.

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Speaker 2: He says, anyone who comes to God must believe that

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Speaker 2: He exists.

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Speaker 1: And I know that you won't admit.

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Speaker 2: This, because when you come to church, you put on

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Speaker 2: your holiest face and you pretend like you have no

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Speaker 2: idea what I'm talking about when I say stuff like this,

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Speaker 2: But sometimes it takes faith just to pray, because you

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Speaker 2: wonder is anybody even really listening?

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Speaker 1: And does this matter?

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Speaker 2: That's why we can't sometimes pray for thirteen seconds without

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Speaker 2: losing our train of thought, because after thirteen seconds, I'm.

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Speaker 1: Like, am I crazy? Am I do?

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Speaker 2: I just have an imaginary friend, a grown up version

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Speaker 2: called God?

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Speaker 1: And is he really listening? If he is really listening?

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Speaker 1: And then what did my friend died last year?

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Speaker 2: He says, without faith, it is impossible to please God.

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Speaker 1: And not only is it.

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Speaker 2: Impossible to please God, but it's impossible to even.

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Speaker 1: Come to him.

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Speaker 2: Now, I show you this because I love it in

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Speaker 2: detail of a scripture, and you might have skimmed over this.

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Speaker 1: And I don't want you to. It says, without faith.

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Speaker 2: It is impossible to please God because he who comes

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Speaker 2: to God. So when you come to God, you don't

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Speaker 2: come to God because you were really good today and

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Speaker 2: He wants to hear from you because you.

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Speaker 1: Did really good today.

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Speaker 2: You don't come to God because you got something to

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Speaker 2: brag about and you want him to give you a

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Speaker 2: gold star for everything you did for him that day.

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Speaker 2: You don't come to God bringing him a list of

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Speaker 2: reasons that he should use you in, showing him your

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Speaker 2: resume for how valuable you would be for his kingdom.

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Speaker 2: You don't come to God because wow, if he could

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Speaker 2: really get hold of your life, then he could really

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Speaker 2: start changing the world. You come to God by by

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Speaker 2: by the very starting point of believing that I can

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Speaker 2: come to a God that I cannot see that he

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Speaker 2: is real. Somebody's shout, he's real. I need to do

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Speaker 2: a test. How many believe Jesus is real? I need

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Speaker 2: a few testimonies to happen. Just break out in every

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Speaker 2: section of the church. Look at your neighbors, say he's

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Speaker 2: real to me.

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Speaker 1: Tell him.

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Speaker 2: You can't make me doubt him. I know too much.

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Speaker 1: About him.

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Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, God is real to me.

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Speaker 2: God is realer to me than you are to me,

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Speaker 2: because you're in a body and.

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Speaker 1: You're a person, and you're sitting.

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Speaker 2: Next to me, and you might be here one day

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Speaker 2: and not hear the next. But God is real to

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Speaker 2: me because he is the one who was and is.

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Speaker 1: I feel like preaching today. Y'all help me pace.

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Speaker 2: My message, but just high five three people say he's real.

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Speaker 1: He's real.

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Speaker 2: So I come to God with the confidence that when

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Speaker 2: I roll over and see Holly in the morning, I

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Speaker 2: say hey, and I say hey to her because her

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Speaker 2: head is next to mine. I say hey because I

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Speaker 2: see her. When I turn to God, I have to

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Speaker 2: say hey, somebody say hey to somebody I can't see.

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Speaker 1: And not only can I not.

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Speaker 2: See him, sometimes I can't feel him. Will you be

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Speaker 2: real with me for fifteen seconds so I can start

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Speaker 2: this sermon today. It takes faith to start praying to God.

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Speaker 2: It takes faith to start declare. It takes faith to

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Speaker 2: believe that your sins are forgiven when you still feel

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Speaker 2: the guilt of Him. Because I can sing Jesus paid

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Speaker 2: it all. But it takes faith for me to say that,

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Speaker 2: because I'm carrying it with me and I still feel

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Speaker 2: a debt for the things that I did.

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Speaker 1: But He's real. I believe that we believe this.

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Speaker 2: The writer of Hebrews is saying to the church that

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Speaker 2: they're all new. They're all new to this, and so

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Speaker 2: they're in between a place of working their way to

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Speaker 2: God and believing in the God that they can't see.

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Speaker 1: And he knows that they need encouragement.

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Speaker 2: So he says, first of all, anyone who comes to

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Speaker 2: God must believe that he exists or that he's real.

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Speaker 2: And that second thing, give me verse six again, that

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Speaker 2: he is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek him.

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Speaker 1: He is a rewarder.

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Speaker 2: Now, if you believe that he's real, but don't believe

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Speaker 2: he's a rewarder, you won't pick up the phone when

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Speaker 2: he calls, because you'll be suspicious about what he wants.

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Speaker 2: And you'll be sitting over there silently like my mom

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Speaker 2: going and we'll be saying, we'll give your life to God.

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Speaker 2: And but what is he gonna make me do if

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Speaker 2: I do give your life to God? Well, where is

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Speaker 2: he gonna make me?

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Speaker 1: Am? I gonna have to go? We're gonna I talked

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Speaker 1: to God one time.

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Speaker 2: This guy has so much money, and he thought that

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Speaker 2: God wanted his money.

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Speaker 1: And I thought that was funny.

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Speaker 2: I thought that was hilarious, that God has a need

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Speaker 2: and he's gonna tell you about it.

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Speaker 1: So I'm trying to explaining about the streets.

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Speaker 2: Of gold and heaven. I was like, they pave what

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Speaker 2: we save. They paved the streets in heaven with what

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Speaker 2: we save up down here. And he was so concerned.

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Speaker 2: He was so concerned what God was gonna make him

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Speaker 2: give up because he didn't understand yet. He was starting

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Speaker 2: to believe that God is real, but he didn't see

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Speaker 2: God as a rewarder.

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Speaker 1: He saw the Lord as a liability.

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Speaker 2: And sometimes we are afraid to take the step that

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Speaker 2: God is calling us to take.

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Speaker 1: And accept his call because of what it might cost.

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Speaker 2: Into this premise and the tension. I would like to

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Speaker 2: talk to you about saying hey by faith, about the

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Speaker 2: fact that a relationship with God does not begin the

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Speaker 2: moment that you get your act together, but the moment

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Speaker 2: that you throw yourself on the mercy of God and say,

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Speaker 2: just as I am without one plea, but that Thy

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Speaker 2: blood was shed for me, O Lamb of God, I come.

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Speaker 2: That is the faith that it takes to enter into

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Speaker 2: the presence of God. And when God prompts your heart,

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Speaker 2: as he's prompting.

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Speaker 1: Many of you today.

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Speaker 2: To get right with Him, it is not a righteousness

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Speaker 2: that you go for. It is a righteousness that is

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Speaker 2: ingrafted in you and gifted to you from.

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Speaker 1: Time to time.

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Speaker 2: I think I need to say these things because when

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Speaker 2: we say faith, we mean a lot of different things.

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Speaker 1: For some faith.

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Speaker 2: It has come to me nothing more than an optimistic outlook. Well,

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Speaker 2: if that's your take on faith, it won't take much

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Speaker 2: to undo it, because when things don't turn out like

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Speaker 2: they looked in your mind, in your life, you will

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Speaker 2: abandon your faith. On the other hand, for some, faith

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Speaker 2: is a classification. They'll say it in a political sense.

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Speaker 2: These are the people of faith, the faith community, as

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Speaker 2: if faith were synonymous with a voting block, like people

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Speaker 2: of faith all vote one way, Like our God isn't

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Speaker 2: bigger than your little, petty, little political, little agenda driven

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Speaker 2: boxes that you try to get us to check. God

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Speaker 2: can't be contained that way, and neither can faith. For some,

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Speaker 2: faith means nothing more than the moment when you give

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Speaker 2: your life to Jesus, and then after that you're on

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Speaker 2: your own to work your butt off and show them

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Speaker 2: how grateful you are. So you receive Jesus by faith.

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Speaker 2: Good luck with the rest of your life. Hope you

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Speaker 2: make it to heaven. The writer of Hebrews is encouraging

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Speaker 2: these people to continue in the faith.

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Speaker 1: Now much what he does something so good.

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Speaker 2: He says, I know that what you're going through is

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Speaker 2: new to you. I know that this trusting in the

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Speaker 2: righteousness of Jesus.

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Speaker 1: Now this is the gospel in one sentence, he died Jesus.

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Speaker 2: Jesus died as if he sinned, so I can live

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Speaker 2: as if I didn't.

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Speaker 1: I love that when God showed it to me like that, because.

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Speaker 2: I think if we're going to say we're putting our

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Speaker 2: faith in something, we ought to know what we're believing.

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Speaker 2: And what I'm believing isn't just that the situation is

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Speaker 2: going to turn out or turn around or make me

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Speaker 2: happy or be everything I wanted it to be.

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Speaker 1: But what I'm believing is.

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Speaker 2: That Jesus died as if he sinned, so that I

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Speaker 2: could live as if I didn't. He died as if

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Speaker 2: he deserved to die, so I could live like I

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Speaker 2: could never deserve to live in his grace. He died

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Speaker 2: like a criminal so I could be called a child

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Speaker 2: of God.

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Speaker 1: That's what we believe. And so it begins with this.

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Speaker 2: We come to God and we believe that he exists,

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Speaker 2: and we believe that He is a rewarder of them

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Speaker 2: that seek him. So this week, when you don't feel

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Speaker 2: worthy to come to God, just remember he died so

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Speaker 2: you could live as if you never sin so you

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Speaker 2: could pray as if you never sin, so you could come.

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Speaker 1: Boldly in his face and tell him what you need in.

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Speaker 2: The time of your trouble, so that you can move

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Speaker 2: forward from your past and not be stuck back in it,

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Speaker 2: and not drag around a shame that he broke two

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Speaker 2: thousand years ago. This is what we believe. Somebody shout,

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Speaker 2: I believe by faith. And so the next time the

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Speaker 2: devil tells you you can't come to God and starts

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Speaker 2: putting condemnation in your face, remember Romans eight one. There

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Speaker 2: is therefore now.

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Speaker 1: No condemnation for.

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Speaker 2: Those who are in Christ Jesus. Then zilch zero zip nana.

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Speaker 1: When the devil tries to condemn.

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Speaker 2: You tell him, hey, devil, I appreciate what you're saying.

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Speaker 2: I probably did do something wrong. I know I did

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Speaker 2: stuff wrong. I can add some stuff to the list,

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Speaker 2: but I got the faith to say, hey, devil is

444
00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:57,480
Speaker 2: paid for in full. All right.

445
00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:58,359
Speaker 1: Let me run a pole.

446
00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,000
Speaker 2: How many of you the devil's been eating you up over.

447
00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:02,880
Speaker 1: Something this week? All right?

448
00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:03,800
Speaker 2: Do you have faith?

449
00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:08,400
Speaker 1: Did he die for you? Was his blood enough for you?

450
00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,359
Speaker 2: Did he satisfy the righteous requirements of the law in

451
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:16,320
Speaker 2: his body? Did the spotless Lamb of God lay down

452
00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,240
Speaker 2: his life for you.

453
00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:19,120
Speaker 1: You got faith.

454
00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:24,359
Speaker 2: You believe that you got the faith to say, hey, devil.

455
00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:26,520
Speaker 1: I hear your voice.

456
00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:30,840
Speaker 4: But it is silence in the face of a greater voice,

457
00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:34,359
Speaker 4: a greater grace, a greater coming at us.

458
00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:34,680
Speaker 5: Come.

459
00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:45,920
Speaker 2: He does something so good. He goes, I know this

460
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,720
Speaker 2: is new to you. How many of you live in

461
00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:50,480
Speaker 2: God's way? Is new to you. I just want to

462
00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:54,040
Speaker 2: see a show of hands. Yeah, it's just really you

463
00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:55,359
Speaker 2: want to talk to you, sir, about can go home?

464
00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:57,720
Speaker 2: Let's just stay here together for a minute.

465
00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:02,600
Speaker 1: And really, if you didn't raise your hand, you.

466
00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:07,800
Speaker 2: Haven't spoken with God lately, because it will always feel

467
00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:17,879
Speaker 2: new to you if you are going forward. The only

468
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,520
Speaker 2: way for you to stop feeling that feeling off.

469
00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:23,920
Speaker 1: And the writer describes it in a very particular way.

470
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:25,360
Speaker 1: He goes, Abraham.

471
00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,720
Speaker 2: Remember, Abraham was the guy who got this all started.

472
00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:32,679
Speaker 2: He was called the Father of faith, the father of

473
00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:33,320
Speaker 2: many nations.

474
00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:35,480
Speaker 1: That's what God calls him. That's not what he was.

475
00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:37,720
Speaker 2: He didn't have a single son when God called him that,

476
00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,000
Speaker 2: and he was seventy five when God called him. The

477
00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:43,560
Speaker 2: Bible says about Abraham and verse number eight put it

478
00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:44,399
Speaker 2: back up on the screen.

479
00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,160
Speaker 1: This is the verse that I thought was so annoyted.

480
00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,480
Speaker 2: It might break a yoke, and it might scare a devil,

481
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,800
Speaker 2: and it might bring somebody's heart back to a place

482
00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,840
Speaker 2: a beating again, and said by faith Abraham when called

483
00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,120
Speaker 2: to go to a place he would later receive as

484
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,600
Speaker 2: his inheritance, obeyed and went.

485
00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:05,400
Speaker 1: The more I studied this word, the better.

486
00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:09,000
Speaker 2: It got, because it actually is connected. Where it says

487
00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:10,840
Speaker 2: by faith Abraham when called to go to a.

488
00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:11,800
Speaker 1: Place he would later receive.

489
00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,480
Speaker 2: It literally is juxtaposed in the grammar that it's written

490
00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,160
Speaker 2: in in the Letter to the Hebrews as an immediate response.

491
00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,719
Speaker 2: So what it means is that as he was being called,

492
00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:28,280
Speaker 2: he went as soon as he was being called. So

493
00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:34,040
Speaker 2: now you can measure your spirituality in inverse proportion the

494
00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:37,919
Speaker 2: time that God tells you to do something, however long

495
00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:39,880
Speaker 2: it takes you to do it.

496
00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:43,840
Speaker 1: That's how immature you are in your relationship with Him.

497
00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:46,560
Speaker 1: And I've got a lot of growing up to do.

498
00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,560
Speaker 2: So I need this word because look at it again,

499
00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:53,760
Speaker 2: he was called to go to a place he would

500
00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,760
Speaker 2: later receive, So he's not going to get it right away.

501
00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:58,000
Speaker 1: He obeyed and went.

502
00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:03,440
Speaker 2: And this part will probably trip you up, even though

503
00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:08,920
Speaker 2: he didn't know where he was going. Going without knowing?

504
00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:16,560
Speaker 2: That is faith, isn't it answering and not even knowing?

505
00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,760
Speaker 2: Is this really God? Is this really going to happen?

506
00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:23,800
Speaker 2: At this point in the sermon, there are usually about

507
00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,400
Speaker 2: ten reckless people who just used this as an excuse

508
00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:30,600
Speaker 2: to quit your job and move to Canada.

509
00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,000
Speaker 1: That's not the essence of the text, though, is it.

510
00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:36,520
Speaker 1: Because it is not about a geographical location change. It

511
00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,480
Speaker 1: is actually about staying in faith.

512
00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,800
Speaker 2: Now, look, if we celebrate this text on the first level,

513
00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:45,280
Speaker 2: is good Abraham?

514
00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,840
Speaker 1: He went without.

515
00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:50,280
Speaker 6: Knowing?

516
00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,800
Speaker 2: That is that is worthy of our admiration that he

517
00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:58,080
Speaker 2: did that. So the writer of Hebrew says, I know

518
00:29:58,120 --> 00:29:59,640
Speaker 2: this is new for you. Let me call one of

519
00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,680
Speaker 2: your familiar characters that you know so well, that actually

520
00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,000
Speaker 2: is the hero of this entire faith system that you

521
00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,440
Speaker 2: are coming from, And let me use it to juxtapose

522
00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,880
Speaker 2: against what you now have in Jesus, that is the

523
00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:15,640
Speaker 2: new and living way opened by his covenant. He says, Hey, Abraham,

524
00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:20,520
Speaker 2: show us how to do it. Exhibit a exhibit Abraham,

525
00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:24,760
Speaker 2: as he gives us this this case study.

526
00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:27,400
Speaker 1: In faith. He says, by faith, Abraham.

527
00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:31,120
Speaker 2: Was called to go somewhere he did not know, and

528
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,280
Speaker 2: he obeyed and went by faith. Put the scripture back

529
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:35,719
Speaker 2: up one more time, because I don't think we're done

530
00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:38,240
Speaker 2: with it yet. It said he didn't know where he

531
00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:42,920
Speaker 2: was going. And don't we love to celebrate when someone

532
00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:48,280
Speaker 2: goes to something new. I don't really enjoy weddings.

533
00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:56,240
Speaker 1: Whatever. I really like him. I want to come back

534
00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:01,720
Speaker 1: in like seven years and have the big party. But

535
00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:02,720
Speaker 1: I know that's mean in.

536
00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:05,600
Speaker 2: Everything, because that's like pessimistic or something like that.

537
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:12,520
Speaker 1: Right, I just can't get too happy right yet, for y'all, I.

538
00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:14,760
Speaker 2: See everybody else's In many ways, I feel like I

539
00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:19,600
Speaker 2: have a very dark heart, and I'm probably I'm probably

540
00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:22,360
Speaker 2: confessing a very deep character flaw to you. But I

541
00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:24,920
Speaker 2: would be much happier for you, Like I would love

542
00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:28,080
Speaker 2: to show up at your twenty fifth thing. I would

543
00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:30,840
Speaker 2: love then the longer it goes, the happier I could

544
00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:33,920
Speaker 2: be for you, and the more inspired I can be

545
00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,600
Speaker 2: for you. But you know, the Bible says for this

546
00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,960
Speaker 2: call shaw man leave his father and mother, and there

547
00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,480
Speaker 2: is a leaving and a cleaving, right, And so I'm

548
00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:50,440
Speaker 2: really just confused why we so celebrate the leaving, but

549
00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:56,520
Speaker 2: the cleaving, the commitment that it requires, what it takes

550
00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:00,840
Speaker 2: to really cleave in your relationship with Jesus.

551
00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:05,760
Speaker 1: It is worthy to celebrate that you left.

552
00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:09,480
Speaker 2: A life of sin when you take a step of faith.

553
00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:13,760
Speaker 2: It is worthy of celebrating that you have now stepped

554
00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,840
Speaker 2: out into the unknown. And that's wonderful. And if God

555
00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:20,800
Speaker 2: tells you to go start a business, I'll clap for you.

556
00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,280
Speaker 2: But I'll clap for you, and I'll be happy for you,

557
00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:26,800
Speaker 2: but not as happy for you as I can be

558
00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:31,840
Speaker 2: when you call me in three years, five years and

559
00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,080
Speaker 2: you say it's been a recession. But I stuck with

560
00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:39,360
Speaker 2: it in the recession. And God showed me strategies for

561
00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,360
Speaker 2: this business in the recession.

562
00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:44,640
Speaker 1: And we had to lay some people off and we

563
00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:45,040
Speaker 1: had to.

564
00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:48,239
Speaker 2: Change a business model and that was really rough. And

565
00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:50,720
Speaker 2: I had an ulcer and I asked the doctor to

566
00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:54,360
Speaker 2: prescribe something for it, and it took three different medications,

567
00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,600
Speaker 2: and I had a hard time knowing when to be

568
00:32:56,680 --> 00:32:59,040
Speaker 2: home versus when to be at the office.

569
00:32:59,120 --> 00:32:59,920
Speaker 1: But here I am.

570
00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:04,560
Speaker 2: I'm still staying and standing and believing. And rains flew

571
00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:12,080
Speaker 2: and winds came and the house stood firm. What I'm

572
00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:16,120
Speaker 2: trying to say is that stepping out faith is great.

573
00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:22,360
Speaker 1: So is staying faith. So is staying faith.

574
00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:27,040
Speaker 2: Because in all the years I read about Abraham, I

575
00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,760
Speaker 2: celebrated that he had the faith to go. He obeyed

576
00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,800
Speaker 2: and went, And that's wonderful that he went. Here's all

577
00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,160
Speaker 2: God told him, I'm gonna bless you. I'm gonna make

578
00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,520
Speaker 2: you a great nation. All the nations of the earth

579
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,080
Speaker 2: will be blessed through you. You're gonna have descendants as numerous.

580
00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:44,880
Speaker 2: I gotta calmed down, I gotta come down. He said,

581
00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:48,280
Speaker 2: I'm gonna bless you. You're gonna have descendants as numerous

582
00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,160
Speaker 2: as the stars in the sky, the sand in the seashore.

583
00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:58,360
Speaker 2: And Abraham obeyed and went. What I never thought about, though,

584
00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:03,160
Speaker 2: was after he obeyed and went, Oh, in that wonderful

585
00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:05,640
Speaker 2: he went to a place he didn't know in' that wonderful,

586
00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:09,919
Speaker 2: what I never wondered was what happened when he got there.

587
00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:16,319
Speaker 2: Now look at verse nine. By faith, he made his

588
00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:24,040
Speaker 2: home in the Promised Land like a stranger. In my imagination,

589
00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:29,759
Speaker 2: I always kind of pictured Abraham go into the Promised Land,

590
00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:33,400
Speaker 2: and when he got there, there was a parade for

591
00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:37,120
Speaker 2: him in his honor. I know the Bible doesn't say that,

592
00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:38,920
Speaker 2: and I know that's a stupid thing to think, but

593
00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:40,680
Speaker 2: that's the way I thought of it. Maybe not an

594
00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,719
Speaker 2: actual literal parade, but you know what I'm saying. It's like,

595
00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,360
Speaker 2: you're here, Ding ding ding. You made it to the

596
00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:49,319
Speaker 2: Promised Land. You're here, Abraham, congratulations. You have the faith

597
00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:50,280
Speaker 2: to step out and I'll.

598
00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:50,600
Speaker 1: Come on in.

599
00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:58,040
Speaker 2: So when I read that by faith, he obeyed and went,

600
00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:01,640
Speaker 2: and it was followed by by faith he made his

601
00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,839
Speaker 2: home in the Promised Land. Like a stranger in a

602
00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:13,560
Speaker 2: foreign country. He lived intense. See, here's what I want

603
00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:18,280
Speaker 2: to tell you. It's possible to arrive at your promise

604
00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:32,160
Speaker 2: and live in a tent. It's this feeling of I'm here.

605
00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:37,680
Speaker 2: But this is way different than how it sounded when

606
00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:43,680
Speaker 2: I left. Anybody there, I'm here. Remember when you were

607
00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:46,400
Speaker 2: in seventh grade and all you wanted was your driver's license?

608
00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:47,000
Speaker 1: You're driving?

609
00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:54,879
Speaker 2: Where are you going? What you're going to do when

610
00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:59,719
Speaker 2: you get there? Now, two things happen. He got there

611
00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:04,960
Speaker 2: without knowing where there was. That in his self is complicated.

612
00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:09,000
Speaker 2: I've heard people say things and I don't mean to

613
00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:10,520
Speaker 2: pick on it. I'm sure I've said something like this,

614
00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:17,880
Speaker 2: if I could just have clarity from God, clarity from God,

615
00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:22,120
Speaker 2: and if he would just confirm his word to me,

616
00:36:22,719 --> 00:36:31,240
Speaker 2: and I am waiting for confirmation is what I'm waiting for. Okay,

617
00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:37,319
Speaker 2: confirmation comes after commitment.

618
00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:45,880
Speaker 1: Mike drop, I gotta tell y'all where the good parts

619
00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:46,759
Speaker 1: of the sermon is.

620
00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:49,560
Speaker 2: Because you're confused about it, that's the good part of

621
00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:54,040
Speaker 2: the sermon. He obeyed ask God was calling him like

622
00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:57,800
Speaker 2: it wasn't even complete yet. It wasn't even a destination yet.

623
00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:00,640
Speaker 2: It was just something that got moved bye. But then

624
00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:05,720
Speaker 2: he got there hundreds of miles with hundreds of people,

625
00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:09,719
Speaker 2: with a caravan full of people that he's responsible for.

626
00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:14,600
Speaker 1: And he lived in tents.

627
00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:19,000
Speaker 2: Have you ever had God bring you to a promise

628
00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:22,359
Speaker 2: and then make you pitch a tent.

629
00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:29,279
Speaker 1: It's like he brings you. Should we start passing out

630
00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:30,960
Speaker 1: caffeine in the communion cups at the door.

631
00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:36,359
Speaker 2: He brings you to a place, He brings you to

632
00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:41,880
Speaker 2: a moment, he brings you to a relationship, he brings.

633
00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:43,480
Speaker 1: You to a stage of life.

634
00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:47,920
Speaker 2: He brings you to your anointing, he brings you into

635
00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:52,239
Speaker 2: the area of your giftedness and you know this is it,

636
00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:59,960
Speaker 2: but then you think, is this it? I could understand

637
00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:04,279
Speaker 2: if he lived in a tent for a week while

638
00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:09,040
Speaker 2: the apartment least was going through. I could understand if

639
00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:12,200
Speaker 2: he lived there for six months while he found the

640
00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:13,920
Speaker 2: best school district in Canaan.

641
00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:20,920
Speaker 1: Abraham lived in tents the entire time he was in

642
00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:21,800
Speaker 1: the Promised Land.

643
00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:27,759
Speaker 2: So what I'm trying to say is you might be

644
00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:31,200
Speaker 2: a pilgrim in something that God called you.

645
00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:34,160
Speaker 1: To possess, and just.

646
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:37,560
Speaker 2: Because it doesn't feel stable doesn't.

647
00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:42,800
Speaker 1: Mean it's not secure. Whoever is for You're.

648
00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:45,840
Speaker 2: Gonna get it deep because I got it deep. Because

649
00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:50,239
Speaker 2: there's times where I questioned God and my faith gets low.

650
00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:52,279
Speaker 1: Did you really say to do this?

651
00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:55,719
Speaker 2: Did you really say to forgive them sometimes even.

652
00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:56,839
Speaker 1: When I get up here, God?

653
00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:00,000
Speaker 2: Did you really tell me to preach this just because

654
00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:03,359
Speaker 2: I don't feel it in the moment. Just because it's

655
00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,080
Speaker 2: foreign doesn't mean it isn't yours.

656
00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:09,120
Speaker 1: So here's what I.

657
00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:12,680
Speaker 2: Want you to declare by faith. Say it's mine.

658
00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:13,800
Speaker 1: It's mine.

659
00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:16,640
Speaker 2: Now that sounds selfish because we're not supposed to talk

660
00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:20,160
Speaker 2: in church about what we have and what God gave us.

661
00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:24,280
Speaker 2: It's supposed to be all about him, but he said,

662
00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:28,680
Speaker 2: I will bless you, he said I will make you,

663
00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:30,440
Speaker 2: he said.

664
00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:31,200
Speaker 1: I will guide you.

665
00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:37,640
Speaker 2: And it's not really Him that we doubt, it's us.

666
00:39:51,239 --> 00:39:53,040
Speaker 2: You ever had to hold on to the truth living

667
00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:59,800
Speaker 2: in a tent. You ever had to suffer from clinical

668
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:06,200
Speaker 2: depression and show up smiling at an office building. You

669
00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:11,239
Speaker 2: ever had your kid's not doing well, but you had

670
00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:17,279
Speaker 2: to be there for somebody else's kid. Have you, then

671
00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:24,239
Speaker 2: you've lived intents. It is being somewhere you're supposed to be.

672
00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:27,640
Speaker 2: Say I'm supposed to be here, I'm supposed to be here.

673
00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:30,800
Speaker 2: It's being somewhere you're supposed to be, but the accommodations

674
00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:38,600
Speaker 2: aren't what you imagine. I was reading some definitions of faith.

675
00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:39,680
Speaker 1: Check this out.

676
00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:43,360
Speaker 2: It said that faith not only is it about our salvation,

677
00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:45,520
Speaker 2: but there is a situational faith as well.

678
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:46,360
Speaker 1: Uh huh.

679
00:40:46,520 --> 00:40:49,080
Speaker 2: And it is a faith that defies all contradictions and

680
00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:54,760
Speaker 2: outward circumstances, but looks entirely to God and his promises alone.

681
00:40:55,760 --> 00:41:00,000
Speaker 2: It is a faith that defies all contradictions and outward circumstances,

682
00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:05,560
Speaker 2: but looks entirely to God and his promises alone.

683
00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:06,319
Speaker 1: One said.

684
00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:11,840
Speaker 2: Faith is living as if God's power for the present

685
00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,560
Speaker 2: is real and his promise.

686
00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:19,240
Speaker 1: For the future is secure. That's faith saving. Faith.

687
00:41:19,719 --> 00:41:23,399
Speaker 2: He died as if he sinned so I could live

688
00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:30,399
Speaker 2: as if I didn't. Faith is living as if I'm

689
00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:35,359
Speaker 2: gonna say this again. Faith is living as if who

690
00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:40,280
Speaker 2: am I preaching to right now? Faith is going forward

691
00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:44,640
Speaker 2: as if you knew where you were going, and then

692
00:41:44,719 --> 00:41:48,720
Speaker 2: going home and wondering am I there because you're living

693
00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:54,840
Speaker 2: in a tent. Faith is saying I am fully forgiven

694
00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:58,640
Speaker 2: by Christ, even as the waves of shame wash over you,

695
00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:01,800
Speaker 2: and instead of drowning in the regret of that shame,

696
00:42:02,239 --> 00:42:05,760
Speaker 2: you transform it by the power of grace into wisdom

697
00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:07,160
Speaker 2: so that you never make.

698
00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:09,040
Speaker 1: Those mistakes again.

699
00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:14,320
Speaker 2: Faith is showing up to church as if you knew

700
00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:17,320
Speaker 2: God had a word for you, even though you secretly

701
00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:21,200
Speaker 2: wonder is he talking to someone else. Faith is picking

702
00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:24,239
Speaker 2: up your tent and moving even though you don't know

703
00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:28,160
Speaker 2: how far you'll have to go. Faith is making your

704
00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:32,359
Speaker 2: home enjoy even though sorrow may last for the night.

705
00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:36,480
Speaker 2: Faith is giving God praise for who he is when

706
00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:40,240
Speaker 2: you can't even see what he's doing. Faith is reaching

707
00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:46,520
Speaker 2: on your inside reserves and pulling from your experience to say, Hey, God,

708
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:51,240
Speaker 2: I need you right now. Faith will stretch a stick

709
00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:54,160
Speaker 2: over the water. Faith will pick up a rock and

710
00:42:54,239 --> 00:42:57,880
Speaker 2: hit a giant in the head. Faith will say, hey, Jesus,

711
00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:02,600
Speaker 2: if it's you, tell me calm and Jesus will say back,

712
00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:05,680
Speaker 2: come and Faith will walk on one word.

713
00:43:06,239 --> 00:43:10,200
Speaker 1: Faith will step out on four letters. Faith will jump out.

714
00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:12,799
Speaker 2: The boat and say, God, hold me up.

715
00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:14,360
Speaker 1: By your righteous right hand.

716
00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:18,680
Speaker 2: If you had not been on my side, my enemies

717
00:43:18,719 --> 00:43:20,280
Speaker 2: would have swallowed me alive.

718
00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:26,240
Speaker 4: So here I am God. Hey, God, is your man verdict?

719
00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:29,600
Speaker 4: And I need you now? And I don't deserve it,

720
00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:31,839
Speaker 4: but I receive it man.

721
00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:35,719
Speaker 2: I claim it by faith. What do you need from

722
00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:39,879
Speaker 2: God today? Claim it by faith? What do you need

723
00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:41,240
Speaker 2: him to do in your body?

724
00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:43,600
Speaker 1: Claim it? Bye? Faith?

725
00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:46,120
Speaker 2: If what do you need him to carry you through?

726
00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:49,960
Speaker 2: Claim it bye Faith? Clap those hands.

727
00:43:49,960 --> 00:43:57,279
Speaker 1: If you've got a claim by faith. I don't have

728
00:43:58,640 --> 00:43:59,879
Speaker 1: what you think I need.

729
00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:06,440
Speaker 2: Oh, fath faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, Father, blessing the

730
00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:08,840
Speaker 2: name of Jesus, bless her right now. Everybody shall faith

731
00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,520
Speaker 2: by faith? Say by faith by faith? So how are

732
00:44:13,560 --> 00:44:16,680
Speaker 2: you coming to God? After everything you've done by faith?

733
00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:19,279
Speaker 2: How are you really believing that God is going to

734
00:44:19,320 --> 00:44:20,480
Speaker 2: redeem the years when you're the.

735
00:44:20,440 --> 00:44:25,680
Speaker 1: One who wasted them by faith? By faith? And here's

736
00:44:25,719 --> 00:44:26,239
Speaker 1: what I love.

737
00:44:27,560 --> 00:44:32,680
Speaker 2: He had to show up as a stranger to something

738
00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:37,919
Speaker 2: God gave him. Have you ever had to show up

739
00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:43,960
Speaker 2: as a stranger to something God gave you? I had

740
00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:47,000
Speaker 2: a friend invite me over the other day and nobody

741
00:44:47,080 --> 00:44:51,040
Speaker 2: knew I was coming. I was invited by my friend,

742
00:44:52,000 --> 00:44:55,440
Speaker 2: but I was treated as a stranger by the people

743
00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:58,200
Speaker 2: who had to let me in the door. They had

744
00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:02,440
Speaker 2: no idea who I was. I waited, and I waited

745
00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:06,160
Speaker 2: because I knew when my friend finds out I'm here,

746
00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:11,680
Speaker 2: I'm gonna walk right past all these people who don't

747
00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:15,359
Speaker 2: believe that I belong. I need three people to help

748
00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:17,960
Speaker 2: me finish. I'll finish if I get three people. Three people.

749
00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:28,640
Speaker 1: So he showed up as a stranger to a place

750
00:45:28,719 --> 00:45:30,040
Speaker 1: God gave him.

751
00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:35,200
Speaker 2: Is that not what Jesus did for us, who came

752
00:45:35,320 --> 00:45:38,520
Speaker 2: to his own and his own received him.

753
00:45:38,600 --> 00:45:38,680
Speaker 3: Not.

754
00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:41,239
Speaker 1: He showed up in the earth.

755
00:45:40,960 --> 00:45:45,320
Speaker 2: That he created, was rejected by the humans that he fashioned,

756
00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:49,239
Speaker 2: was crucified by the ones he came to save. But

757
00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:52,920
Speaker 2: because he showed up as a stranger, I could come

758
00:45:52,960 --> 00:46:06,080
Speaker 2: to him as his child. How many are grateful for access.

759
00:46:06,160 --> 00:46:10,800
Speaker 2: Just because it feels foreign doesn't mean it isn't yours.

760
00:46:17,320 --> 00:46:21,080
Speaker 2: When you've heard a long time healing feels for it,

761
00:46:21,080 --> 00:46:25,759
Speaker 2: it doesn't mean you won't be healed. You just might

762
00:46:25,800 --> 00:46:31,200
Speaker 2: have to live in a tent. A tent is an

763
00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:35,520
Speaker 2: interesting image because the New Testament also calls our mortal

764
00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:41,080
Speaker 2: bodies a tent and tewod Corinthians five to four. Paul

765
00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:47,160
Speaker 2: says that while we are in this tent speaking about

766
00:46:47,160 --> 00:46:51,799
Speaker 2: our bodies were grown and are burden. Wait, I thought

767
00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:55,799
Speaker 2: we were blessed. We're blessed, but.

768
00:46:55,840 --> 00:47:03,000
Speaker 1: We're burden because we're living intents. I don't know if

769
00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:05,040
Speaker 1: you're getting this or not. Help me. Are you getting this?

770
00:47:05,600 --> 00:47:07,879
Speaker 2: I want to help you. You're living in a tent.

771
00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:13,799
Speaker 2: It doesn't mean you're not in the promise. You're just

772
00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:21,680
Speaker 2: living in the tent. It takes faith to say hey,

773
00:47:23,520 --> 00:47:25,920
Speaker 2: It takes faith to welcome something into your life that

774
00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:27,400
Speaker 2: you've never had before.

775
00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:34,320
Speaker 1: And so often we are glorifying the goodbye.

776
00:47:35,400 --> 00:47:44,239
Speaker 2: But we're not saying hello to the promise. Imagine Abraham

777
00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:51,760
Speaker 2: walking through Canaan. Nobody knows who he is. He's living

778
00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:56,240
Speaker 2: like a nomad, but he's the father of many nations.

779
00:47:57,680 --> 00:48:01,000
Speaker 2: Can I prophesy this to you. You're bigger than what

780
00:48:01,040 --> 00:48:13,239
Speaker 2: you're living in the bondage the dysfunction. Abraham was the

781
00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:16,520
Speaker 2: most famous person that the writer of Hebrews could bring

782
00:48:16,600 --> 00:48:17,760
Speaker 2: up to illustrate faith.

783
00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:21,279
Speaker 6: But he showed up like a stranger.

784
00:48:22,560 --> 00:48:24,520
Speaker 1: It takes faith to show up like a stranger.

785
00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:28,640
Speaker 2: You think Abraham walked in Canaan and they were all like, Oh,

786
00:48:28,640 --> 00:48:29,959
Speaker 2: you're Abraham, take over.

787
00:48:30,600 --> 00:48:35,000
Speaker 6: This is great. He had to show up.

788
00:48:36,440 --> 00:48:36,960
Speaker 1: In a tent.

789
00:48:39,320 --> 00:48:40,080
Speaker 6: That's a stranger.

790
00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:43,480
Speaker 2: I see you coming into your promise. I see you

791
00:48:43,520 --> 00:48:46,320
Speaker 2: coming into your wholeness. I see you coming into the

792
00:48:46,360 --> 00:48:48,319
Speaker 2: next season of your life, but you're coming in as

793
00:48:48,320 --> 00:48:48,920
Speaker 2: a stranger.

794
00:48:51,840 --> 00:48:54,120
Speaker 6: Stay.

795
00:48:55,239 --> 00:48:55,600
Speaker 1: Stay.

796
00:48:57,160 --> 00:49:05,920
Speaker 2: Faith feels foreign. Stay joy feels foreign. Stay peace feels

797
00:49:06,040 --> 00:49:07,960
Speaker 2: foreign when all you've known is storms.

798
00:49:08,719 --> 00:49:09,759
Speaker 6: Is stay.

799
00:49:10,920 --> 00:49:17,879
Speaker 2: Because if you can stay in faith, watch what Abraham does.

800
00:49:18,239 --> 00:49:22,319
Speaker 6: Oh you're gonna love this mishe hollie, this so does.

801
00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:23,439
Speaker 6: I just appreached to her, y'all.

802
00:49:24,719 --> 00:49:25,399
Speaker 1: Look what he did.

803
00:49:25,400 --> 00:49:30,200
Speaker 2: In verse thirteen of Hebrews, Chapter eleven, all these people.

804
00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:32,280
Speaker 1: Were still living by faith.

805
00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:37,160
Speaker 2: When they died, they did not receive the things promised.

806
00:49:38,480 --> 00:49:44,200
Speaker 2: They only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.

807
00:49:45,880 --> 00:49:49,239
Speaker 2: I see you welcoming your dream from a distance. I

808
00:49:49,280 --> 00:49:51,960
Speaker 2: see you welcoming your prodigal child coming back home from

809
00:49:51,960 --> 00:49:55,359
Speaker 2: a distance. You can't really see it yet, spell it yet,

810
00:49:55,440 --> 00:49:59,239
Speaker 2: touch it yet, but it's coming from the distance. And

811
00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:01,959
Speaker 2: they admitted that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

812
00:50:01,960 --> 00:50:02,600
Speaker 1: And WA's what they did.

813
00:50:02,680 --> 00:50:04,680
Speaker 2: Not only did they welcome it from a distance. For

814
00:50:04,840 --> 00:50:10,280
Speaker 2: verse fourteen, people who say such things show that they.

815
00:50:10,120 --> 00:50:12,799
Speaker 6: Are looking for a country of their own.

816
00:50:14,000 --> 00:50:17,120
Speaker 2: So they saw it in the distance, and they had

817
00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:18,200
Speaker 2: the faith to say.

818
00:50:19,160 --> 00:50:30,560
Speaker 3: Hey, hey, joy, hey peace, Hey new beginning, Hey redemption.

819
00:50:32,600 --> 00:50:33,359
Speaker 1: I welcome you.

820
00:50:34,840 --> 00:50:38,359
Speaker 2: I'm not walking in it yet, I'm still living in

821
00:50:38,360 --> 00:50:39,160
Speaker 2: this tent for a.

822
00:50:39,200 --> 00:50:41,960
Speaker 1: Little bit, but I welcome you.

823
00:50:42,320 --> 00:50:44,440
Speaker 2: Will you welcome the Holy Spirit in your life in

824
00:50:44,480 --> 00:50:48,640
Speaker 2: this season. You're living in a tent, but you're not

825
00:50:48,760 --> 00:50:52,280
Speaker 2: your body. Some of you are living in a very

826
00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:57,200
Speaker 2: very hard situation, but you are not this situation. You

827
00:50:57,239 --> 00:51:01,120
Speaker 2: are bigger than what you've been living in. You're walking

828
00:51:01,160 --> 00:51:05,960
Speaker 2: as a nomad, but there are nations in you, purpose.

829
00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:13,239
Speaker 1: In you, glory in you. I'm bigger than what I'm

830
00:51:13,239 --> 00:51:19,959
Speaker 1: living in. So come on and say, hey, my faith.

831
00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:23,080
Speaker 2: I see it in the distance, I feel it. Sometimes

832
00:51:23,200 --> 00:51:26,000
Speaker 2: I get a glimpse of it. Sometimes I get a

833
00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:27,560
Speaker 2: little bit of freedom. Then I go back, I get

834
00:51:27,560 --> 00:51:29,720
Speaker 2: a little bit of relief. Then I come back. Welcome

835
00:51:29,760 --> 00:51:35,839
Speaker 2: it in. Don't just believe in it, believe it in.

836
00:51:37,280 --> 00:51:39,240
Speaker 2: Don't just believe in what he did.

837
00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:39,760
Speaker 1: On the cross.

838
00:51:40,040 --> 00:51:43,279
Speaker 2: Believe it in until it permeates you, until you.

839
00:51:43,280 --> 00:51:53,320
Speaker 5: Know I am what he says I am.

840
00:51:53,360 --> 00:51:57,720
Speaker 2: With everyone standing, there is an anointing on this word.

841
00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:06,560
Speaker 2: There is say, heavy anointing on this word. I don't

842
00:52:06,560 --> 00:52:08,719
Speaker 2: know who it was for. I don't know what you

843
00:52:08,800 --> 00:52:11,480
Speaker 2: are living in. I don't know what tent you are

844
00:52:11,480 --> 00:52:15,040
Speaker 2: disappointed by. I don't know exactly what God has called

845
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:16,000
Speaker 2: you to do or be.

846
00:52:16,920 --> 00:52:17,680
Speaker 1: But I know this.

847
00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:24,680
Speaker 2: If you will welcome it, you can walk in it.

848
00:52:24,680 --> 00:52:31,120
Speaker 1: It begins with you saying yes to God and to

849
00:52:31,239 --> 00:52:31,919
Speaker 1: agree with.

850
00:52:31,880 --> 00:52:37,920
Speaker 2: Him concerning what he sees you to be. Abraham believed

851
00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:40,080
Speaker 2: and so became. What might you become if you believe?

852
00:52:42,640 --> 00:52:44,800
Speaker 2: If you didn't go back to what you came from,

853
00:52:44,800 --> 00:52:49,759
Speaker 2: but said, hey, by faith, okay, God, this is a

854
00:52:49,800 --> 00:52:52,960
Speaker 2: new thing for me. But people who talk this way

855
00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:58,760
Speaker 2: are looking forward to a city with foundations whose builder

856
00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:04,480
Speaker 2: and maker is God. And since the starting point is faith,

857
00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:07,439
Speaker 2: I would like to invite you right now to pray

858
00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:13,000
Speaker 2: a prayer. This prayer is specifically for all of you

859
00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:17,560
Speaker 2: who have been distant from God. You don't bridge that

860
00:53:17,680 --> 00:53:21,600
Speaker 2: gap by good behavior. You bridge that gap by faith.

861
00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:25,360
Speaker 2: You put your total trust in faith in Him. Right now,

862
00:53:25,520 --> 00:53:28,160
Speaker 2: you call on him, he will save you. You call

863
00:53:28,200 --> 00:53:30,719
Speaker 2: on him, he will cleanse you. You call on him,

864
00:53:30,760 --> 00:53:33,240
Speaker 2: he will lift your life from the pit and crown

865
00:53:33,320 --> 00:53:36,920
Speaker 2: you with love and compassion. The Bible says it is

866
00:53:36,960 --> 00:53:41,040
Speaker 2: by grace. We are saved through faith. It's the gift

867
00:53:41,080 --> 00:53:45,600
Speaker 2: of God. It's the gift of God. Right now I

868
00:53:45,600 --> 00:53:48,400
Speaker 2: would like to lead you in receiving this good gift,

869
00:53:50,239 --> 00:53:53,560
Speaker 2: this gift of His grace, for a new beginning in

870
00:53:53,600 --> 00:53:56,399
Speaker 2: your life. With heads bowed and eyes closed. Maybe you've

871
00:53:56,440 --> 00:53:59,560
Speaker 2: never put your trust in Jesus Christ. Maybe you've done

872
00:53:59,600 --> 00:54:03,480
Speaker 2: that once, but you haven't said hey to Him in

873
00:54:03,520 --> 00:54:06,239
Speaker 2: a long time. And today He is calling you, and

874
00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:07,680
Speaker 2: today he is welcoming you.

875
00:54:09,600 --> 00:54:10,120
Speaker 1: Right now.

876
00:54:11,200 --> 00:54:13,120
Speaker 2: If the desire of your heart is to believe in

877
00:54:13,239 --> 00:54:17,200
Speaker 2: Jesus and turn from your old way of life and

878
00:54:17,239 --> 00:54:20,720
Speaker 2: give him your everything. I assure you that he exists

879
00:54:21,600 --> 00:54:24,319
Speaker 2: and that he is a rewarder of them who will

880
00:54:24,320 --> 00:54:27,759
Speaker 2: diligently seek him all over this church and online. I

881
00:54:27,760 --> 00:54:30,000
Speaker 2: want you to repeat this prayer after me. We're praying

882
00:54:30,040 --> 00:54:32,239
Speaker 2: all together out loud for the benefit of those who

883
00:54:32,280 --> 00:54:35,239
Speaker 2: are coming to God in this moment. Say, Heavenly Father,

884
00:54:36,680 --> 00:54:40,680
Speaker 2: I am a sinner in need of a savior, and

885
00:54:40,719 --> 00:54:45,240
Speaker 2: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God

886
00:54:46,160 --> 00:54:50,200
Speaker 2: and the savior of the world. And today I make

887
00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:54,440
Speaker 2: Jesus the lord of my life. I believe he died

888
00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:59,560
Speaker 2: that I would be forgiven, and rose again to give

889
00:54:59,560 --> 00:55:06,239
Speaker 2: me life. I receive this new life. This is my

890
00:55:06,400 --> 00:55:09,160
Speaker 2: new beginning. On the counter of three shoots, your hand

891
00:55:09,200 --> 00:55:12,160
Speaker 2: up if you prayed that one, two, three, all over

892
00:55:12,200 --> 00:55:13,799
Speaker 2: the room, hands going up before.

893
00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:15,160
Speaker 1: I even said three.

894
00:55:15,560 --> 00:55:20,400
Speaker 2: Welcome God, bless you. We receive you with open arms.

895
00:55:21,280 --> 00:55:24,360
Speaker 2: God receives you with open arms. This church receives you

896
00:55:25,239 --> 00:55:35,120
Speaker 2: with open arms. Congratulations on your new beginning. Congratulations for

897
00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:37,359
Speaker 2: all of those who just place their faith in Christ.

898
00:55:37,480 --> 00:55:39,800
Speaker 1: First of all, let's clap our hands one more time.

899
00:55:39,600 --> 00:55:47,960
Speaker 2: For them, it sounds like I plan this announcement with

900
00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:53,200
Speaker 2: my message. But if you'll stop by the tent on

901
00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:55,360
Speaker 2: your way out, there's a Bible we'd like to give you.

902
00:55:57,120 --> 00:55:59,759
Speaker 1: Stop by the tent. Touch three. People say stop by

903
00:55:59,760 --> 00:56:00,720
Speaker 1: the tim.

904
00:56:03,160 --> 00:56:07,080
Speaker 2: Because what nobody knew was in that tent was the

905
00:56:07,120 --> 00:56:20,520
Speaker 2: father of many nations. Say, hey, by faith, this is

906
00:56:20,560 --> 00:56:25,600
Speaker 2: not a dating seminar, but I believe there are some

907
00:56:25,640 --> 00:56:28,719
Speaker 2: things that God is bringing into your life that you

908
00:56:28,760 --> 00:56:33,440
Speaker 2: are welcoming from a distance, and it may take a while,

909
00:56:34,200 --> 00:56:38,880
Speaker 2: but don't let the tent fool you. By faith, it

910
00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:42,760
Speaker 2: shall be Clap those hands one more time, everybody who.

911
00:56:42,600 --> 00:56:48,080
Speaker 7: Receives it, Thanks for joining us today. We pray that

912
00:56:48,120 --> 00:56:50,320
Speaker 7: God has spoken to you in a unique and powerful

913
00:56:50,360 --> 00:56:52,719
Speaker 7: way through the message. Well, we are in our year

914
00:56:52,719 --> 00:56:54,880
Speaker 7: in offering season as a church where we get the

915
00:56:54,920 --> 00:56:57,799
Speaker 7: opportunity to reflect back on all the ways that God

916
00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:00,480
Speaker 7: has been faithful to our ministry this year, but also

917
00:57:00,680 --> 00:57:03,040
Speaker 7: to look ahead at what we're believing God for in

918
00:57:03,080 --> 00:57:05,360
Speaker 7: the upcoming year. And each year as a church, we

919
00:57:05,400 --> 00:57:08,239
Speaker 7: get to come around a special offering and offering that

920
00:57:08,280 --> 00:57:11,480
Speaker 7: contributes to both outreach efforts in local and global cities

921
00:57:11,680 --> 00:57:14,520
Speaker 7: and as well as the expansion of our ministry continuing

922
00:57:14,520 --> 00:57:17,280
Speaker 7: to reach people all over with the hope of the Gospel.

923
00:57:17,480 --> 00:57:19,680
Speaker 7: And we'd invite you to take part and participate in

924
00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:21,640
Speaker 7: our year end offering. To do so, you can go

925
00:57:21,680 --> 00:57:24,200
Speaker 7: to Elevationchurch dot org. Just click the banner there at

926
00:57:24,240 --> 00:57:26,280
Speaker 7: the top, and then you'll be able to see everything

927
00:57:26,320 --> 00:57:27,880
Speaker 7: that you need to be a part of our year

928
00:57:27,960 --> 00:57:30,800
Speaker 7: end offering. You'll see two options. The first is to

929
00:57:30,840 --> 00:57:33,800
Speaker 7: begin tithing. Maybe you've been wanting to prioritize God in

930
00:57:33,840 --> 00:57:36,520
Speaker 7: your finances, but you haven't taken that step to make

931
00:57:36,560 --> 00:57:38,800
Speaker 7: a commitment to doing so. This is a great place

932
00:57:38,840 --> 00:57:42,400
Speaker 7: to begin. Or perhaps you've been giving consistently in this season,

933
00:57:42,480 --> 00:57:45,080
Speaker 7: God may be challenging you to stretch above and beyond

934
00:57:45,080 --> 00:57:47,840
Speaker 7: the tithe to give a sacrificial gift to our year

935
00:57:47,920 --> 00:57:50,560
Speaker 7: end offering. If you're part of one of our physical locations,

936
00:57:50,600 --> 00:57:52,680
Speaker 7: you can choose your campus there, or if you're part

937
00:57:52,680 --> 00:57:55,360
Speaker 7: of our online ministry, of course, you'll choose Epham or

938
00:57:55,400 --> 00:57:58,000
Speaker 7: online and then enter the amount that you'd like to give.

939
00:57:58,440 --> 00:58:00,200
Speaker 7: We are believing for all the ways that God is

940
00:58:00,240 --> 00:58:02,360
Speaker 7: going to stretch our faith in this season through our

941
00:58:02,440 --> 00:58:04,400
Speaker 7: year end offering and we can't wait to see what

942
00:58:04,440 --> 00:58:07,080
Speaker 7: God does through you. God bless and we'll see you soon.