1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives you perspective to 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. Well, 6 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: be seated, and let's begin to study God's word. There's 7 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: a lesson today that I want to teach you, and 8 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: I believe I want to start at Luke chapter one. Really, 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: this will feel like you've got some a running start. 10 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: If you heard what I preached last week, it's really 11 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: going to have some momentum for you. We've been talking 12 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: about argue in control and we've been asking God that sometimes, respectfully, 13 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: we've been asking God, are you behind this? Are you still? 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: Are we still good? Is this still in your hands? 15 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: And we don't tell anybody that we come to church 16 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: and we hide all that stuff. We sleep it right 17 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: under the couch of our Christian vocabulary. But I know 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: what you've been thinking. I've been. God showed me. He 19 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: showed me some stuff that you've been wondering about. And 20 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: it's okay, as you're going to see today that puts 21 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: you in good company. But let's begin at Luke chapter one, 22 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: and this is I guess you could say Christmas is 23 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: coming early, because this is the passage that they normally 24 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: go to for Christmas. But since the rest of the 25 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: year is just so screwed up, I figured I would 26 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: just mix it up a little bit. And look how 27 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: the Bible says it in Luke chapter one, verse thirty nine. 28 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: At that time, Mary got ready and hurried to a 29 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered 30 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, 31 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled 32 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice, she exclaimed, 33 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: blessed are you among women? And blessed is the child 34 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: you will bear. Somebody in the chat say I'm blessed too. 35 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: I'm blessed too. But why am I so favored? You know, 36 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: we've been talking about questions that are in the Bible. 37 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: That's a great one. Have you ever seen that one 38 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: in the Bible before? I never did before this week? 39 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: Why am I so favored? Ask somebody? Why am I 40 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: so blessed? Ask him? Why are you so blessed that 41 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: you get to sit next to me? Have you thought 42 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: about that? Well? The mother of John the Baptist, Elizabeth, 43 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: as of her encounter with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, 44 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: She said, why am I so favored that the mother 45 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: of my Lord should come to me? As soon as 46 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby 47 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 1: in my womb leaped for joy verse forty five. Blessed 48 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill 49 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 1: his promises to her. Go to Isaiah fifty five. Isaiah 50 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: fifty five, Verse eight. My thoughts are not your thoughts. 51 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 1: Neither are my ways. Neither are your ways my ways, 52 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: declares the Lord. Let me read it again, see if 53 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 1: I can get it right. I didn't do that verse 54 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: appropriate service, All right, try again. For my thoughts are 55 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares 56 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: the Lord. One more verse as the heavens are higher 57 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, 58 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: and my thoughts than your thoughts. I want to talk 59 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: to you today about jumping to a new conclusion. Jumping 60 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: to a new conclusion. I was researching on Wikipedia, and 61 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: Wikipedia said that the world record for the long jump 62 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: is held currently by Mike Powell of the United States 63 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: of America, who in nineteen ninety one in Tokyo, Japan, 64 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: jumped twenty nine feet four and one quarters inches. Or 65 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: if you're in any country that is less arrogant than 66 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: America that has adopted the metric system eight point ninety 67 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: five meters, you know, we do our own thing over here. 68 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: But I don't know about that. I do know about this. 69 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: The world record for the long jump, no matter what 70 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:50,239 Speaker 1: Wikipedia says, is not held by Mike Powell. The world 71 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: record for the long jump, and I've never told you 72 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: this before, but the world record for the long jump 73 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: is held by my father, who is in Heaven watching 74 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: from the campus called Heaven today. When I tell you 75 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: that this man holds the world records in the ability 76 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: to jump to conclusions, nobody could jump to a conclusion 77 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: like Larry Ferding. And he's not here so we can 78 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: talk about it. And I'm going to use this man 79 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: as an illustration as payback for all the times I mean, 80 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: he could just he could get suspicious. Towards the end 81 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: of his life, he was really sick, so he was 82 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: on medication. So then he had performance enhancement drugs, and 83 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: he could jump to conclusion even more. Some of these 84 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: things I cannot tell you about because it would put 85 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: such a depressing fog over the sermon. But one of 86 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 1: them is kind of funny, and I never told Eric this. 87 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: Eric knew my dad really well, so he kind of 88 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: knows what I'm talking about. But some of the crazy 89 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: stuff I never even told anybody about. And then I 90 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: just find myself every year he's gone, remembering this stuff, 91 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, that was crazy? Was at real life? Well, 92 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: here's one of the things, And I just tell you 93 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: this is an illustration about jumping to conclusions. Y'all better 94 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: be lucky I had squats yesterday, or I would jump 95 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: across this stage to illustrate the message. I thought about 96 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 1: coming out to Van Halen with the synthpad, but I 97 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: figured YouTube might flag the sermon because somebody say, jump, 98 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: Oh my dad could jump. Now, he was not athletic, 99 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: but he could jump to a conclusion. Here's an example. 100 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 1: Case in point. When he was sick, he lived in 101 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: Monks Corner, South Carolina by himself for a period because 102 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,160 Speaker 1: he was estranged from the family. I've told that story, 103 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: don't really feel like telling that story again today. The 104 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: point is it was really really rough. And so one 105 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: day I remember thinking I need to go see him, 106 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: and I didn't have a lot of time. The church 107 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: was so busy, but I want to show him he 108 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: was more important to me than a busy church. And 109 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: Wes Watson said that he had this little plane where 110 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: he could fly us. It's not even really worthy to 111 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: be called a plane. I don't know what you were doing. 112 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: Let me get in the air in that. You must 113 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: not value the Man of God at all, this thing. 114 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: But he said it's only a three and a half 115 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: hour drive, so be a short flight. And I figured 116 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: me and Elijah, my oldest son, would go see my 117 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: dad and we could go spend four hours with him 118 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: and fly back and I could be back to preach 119 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: for church. I was traveling a lot during this time. 120 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: It was crazy times. So when I got there with Elijah, 121 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: and I guess Elijah was what like five five years 122 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: old or something like that. And so when I got 123 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: there with Elijah, my friend Sean Wood, who's a pastor 124 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: in Monk's Corner, picked me up from the Monk's Corner 125 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: International Airport. You Missapoy and so we fly in on 126 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: this little plane that doesn't it doesn't look like it 127 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: could make it to your row mean in the denim jacket. 128 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: But somehow we got to the monk's corner. Sean picks 129 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: me up, takes me to my dad's. He says, I'm 130 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: just going to stay around for a little while, and 131 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: you just text me. It was very tense with my 132 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: dad at that time. He said, so if it goes bad, 133 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: I'll be close by. He said, I won't go farther 134 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: than five minutes away, and then I'll take you back 135 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: to the airport. My dad was so honored. It just 136 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: made his day. He couldn't believe. There's the happiest I've 137 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: seen him in a long time. He was so happy 138 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: that Elijah and I found him important enough to get 139 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: on a plane and come see it. He said, you 140 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: flew here. I said, yeah, Dad, it's not like an 141 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: expensive thing. My buddy who's on staff at the church, 142 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 1: he had it, and he said, so you flew here 143 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: to see me. I said, yes, sir, I flew here 144 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: to see you. And we've been getting on each other's 145 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 1: nerves and he kind of kind of blew his mind. 146 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: Had a good visit. I went to RB's and got 147 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: him a jamocha shake. He seemed happy about that. A 148 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: few days later, I get a call from him, and 149 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 1: his opening line on the call is I know about 150 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:48,319 Speaker 1: the video. I said. What he said, I know about 151 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: the video. I said, I heard you, but I don't 152 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: know what the crap you're talking about. Now people just 153 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: start talking louder like that's going to clarify it. I 154 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: heard the English words you said. They have no meaning 155 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: to me. It's random. He said, I know about the 156 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: video that you shot for Shawn Wood while you were 157 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: here in Monk's Corner last week. I said, video for 158 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: Sewn What video for Shawn Wood? Oh? Oh, I shot 159 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,599 Speaker 1: a video for Shawn Wood four weeks ago for his 160 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: church anniversary. My dad, who's sitting around the house with 161 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: nothing better to do, talk to somebody who said I 162 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 1: saw your son on a video. Mom, I never even 163 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: told you this stuff. This is stuff I've been keeping 164 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: from you, just because to protect you from the craziness 165 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: of your husband. You know I'm right. This man could 166 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: make stuff up. They had shown a video that I 167 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: had made for Shawn's anniversary four weeks earlier in the 168 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 1: studio at elevation. My dad heard that there was a 169 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: video of me at Shawn's church, and he put two 170 00:09:53,080 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: and seven together and got six h and he said, 171 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: I know about the video. I know you didn't really 172 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: come here to see me. You put on this big 173 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: show like you gotta playing. You didn't come here for me. 174 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: I came here for Sean. I said, I did that 175 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: four weeks ago. Dad. He said, oh, you ever got you? 176 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: Ever got caught jump into a conclusion And all you 177 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: could say was, oh, nothing to see here, walk away slowly, 178 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: forget that ever happened. So move over. Mike Powell, Larry 179 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: Ferdick has the world record for the long jump. And 180 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 1: I think it runs into family because I I think 181 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: I have genetically the same ability to jump to a conclusion. 182 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 1: And and I want to share something with you today 183 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: that has been life changing for me that I realized 184 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: about my dad because I thought about that, that story 185 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 1: just came back to me. I was studying about John 186 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: the Baptist being born of Zachariah who was too old 187 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: to bear children and his wife Elizabeth was too old 188 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: to bear children, but God did it anyway, and just 189 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 1: remembering how that when Zachariah, who was a priest in 190 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: the line of Erin, was burning incense before the Lord, 191 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: which is in itself to go into the Holy of 192 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:33,319 Speaker 1: Holies a statistical improbability. There were eighteen thousand of these priests, 193 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: So for the lot to fall to you, to go 194 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: before the Lord and burn incense is an amazing thing. 195 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: Not to mention that while he was burning incense, the 196 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,439 Speaker 1: Angel Gabriel came to him and said, I am Gabriel, 197 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: and you shall bear a son. And Zachariah asked a question, 198 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 1: how can I be sure of this and see? Any 199 00:11:52,679 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: time you need certainty, it prohibits your ability to expect 200 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: theory in things that God has spoken over your life. 201 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: And the Angel Gabriel said, because you did not believe, 202 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: you will not be able to speak until this sin 203 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: is fulfilled. For the Angel prophesied a son who would 204 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: prepare the way for the Lord. You know him as 205 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: John the Baptist, but Zechariah just knew him as a 206 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: statistical improbability. How can I, and how can I? And 207 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 1: how can I? And see? What we've been learning this 208 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: year is as long as we try to stay in 209 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: figuring out how and knowing things with our minds, we 210 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: limit the ability of our spirit to know what God 211 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:46,680 Speaker 1: has already spoken before we were ever born. And the 212 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,439 Speaker 1: Lord gave me something to give to you. This is 213 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: a one point sermon. This is the whole point, and 214 00:12:51,400 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: then you can keep listening. The conclusion that you jumped 215 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:07,199 Speaker 1: to is based on the belief that you start with. 216 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say that again for the slow note takers. 217 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say it again for everybody who needs to 218 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: put down their cereal spoon and pick up a pin, 219 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: because the conclusion that you come to, and I'm going 220 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 1: to prove this through the scripture, the conclusion that you 221 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: come to is based on the belief that you start with. 222 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: Why did my dad spin a story that I put 223 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: on an entire sarade? I mean, think about the planning 224 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: that went into my visit from his perspective. Why was 225 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 1: it easier for him to be suspicious of his son? 226 00:13:55,880 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 1: I think somewhere, deep down he really didn't believe he 227 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: was worthy of all that. And I think it's possible 228 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: that deep down inside of yourself, there are some conclusions 229 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: that you keep coming to, and your imagination is amazing. 230 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: You know how. I know that because you can feel 231 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 1: your back molar in your mouth starting to hurt, and 232 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: convince yourself it's coronavirus. That's not even a listed symptom. 233 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: I never heard Fauci say that a molar. But you 234 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: can somehow take a cavity and turn it into corona because, 235 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: deep down, somewhere suspicious in your mind, you believe that 236 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: if anything bad can happen, is gonna happen to me. 237 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. That 238 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: might be Murphy, but it ain't Gospel. I love Elizabeth, 239 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: Elizabeth had. Elizabeth had a whole different spirit than Zachariah. 240 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: She said, why am I so favored? Why am I 241 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: so favored? Why am I so blessed? And the conclusions 242 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: that we come to over and over again are based 243 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: in the belief that we start with, can I prove 244 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: it to you? A few years ago, the ministry was 245 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: going through a testing season. It wasn't like twenty twenty 246 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: where everything is easy. And at this particular time, every 247 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: time that one of my main staff members would reach 248 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: out to me, it was typically with bad news. Now, 249 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: bad news creates bad beliefs if you're exposed to it 250 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: over again. The Bible says, whose report will you believe? 251 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: When you've got bad news after bad news after bad news. 252 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: So here's how this manifested in my life, and we're 253 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: gonna walk through this, also in John the Baptist's life 254 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: and in your life. But Wade Joy sent me an email. 255 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: This was in June twenty seventeen. How do you remember 256 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: that specifically? Because I pulled up the email while I 257 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: was getting ready for this sermon. I wanted to make 258 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: sure I remembered it right. And it said on the 259 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: email subject e w Updates Elevation worship Updates. I scrolled 260 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: through quick to see who quit, who quit? Who did 261 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: something stupid? But everything in the email was like about 262 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: good stuff. It was like, this song is doing great, 263 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: this new artist wants to take this song. Only King 264 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: Forever is charting on the radio. We had already quit 265 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: singing it in church, and that was on Christian radio 266 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: right on schedule, and so so so I looked, I said, 267 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 1: oh my God, And I looked back up at the 268 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: thing because I'm scanning through it to see what's wrong. 269 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: Nothing was wrong. I was in shock. I had a 270 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: heart attack that nothing was bad in the email. And 271 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: I went back to the subject line, and it actually 272 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: sat in the subject line fun ew updates. I literally 273 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: took the fun out of it. You've heard this expression 274 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: before me, and you take the fun out of it. 275 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: I literally took the fun out of it because I 276 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: was framing it by fear and not by faith. But 277 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 1: please be patient with me. I had experienced some bad 278 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: news over and over again, and the bad news trained 279 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: me to believe that it was gonna get worse. A 280 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: lot of us have running in the background of our 281 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: belief system. It's gonna get worse. It's gonna get worse. 282 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 1: Even when it's going good, it's gonna get worse. Sometimes 283 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: Holly will tell me, let's go on a walk. It's 284 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 1: beautiful outside. First thing I do check the weather app 285 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: because it's probably gonna rain in five hours. So we 286 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 1: can't walk around the block because what if we get 287 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 1: caught in the rain. She'll say, Baby, it's a walk 288 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: around the block. We're not going to hike the Appalachian Trail. 289 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: But there's something in me. I'm just being honest with you, 290 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: and I think it's a genetic. I can do this 291 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: long jump and I never told the church this before. 292 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 1: It's a skill it's a secret scop and keeping from you. 293 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: I am a golden medalist long jumper. I can jump 294 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 1: to a conclusion helpless. And now I'm gonna call the 295 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,639 Speaker 1: role every professional long jumper. Wave your hand at me, 296 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:55,360 Speaker 1: either physically or digitally. Somebody find me a long jump emoji. 297 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: Put it. If they don't make one, I don't know 298 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,439 Speaker 1: if they make one. Put a golden medal in the 299 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: chat for all of you who are gold medalists in 300 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:11,479 Speaker 1: making crap up in your mind. I don't know why 301 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: y'all are clapping for that. It's really not a good thing. 302 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: In the text that I read you, the scripture said 303 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 1: that Elizabeth, after finding out that she was pregnant with 304 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: the forerunner of Jesus Christ. I mean, think about this. 305 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: This is amazing news. She went into seclusion for five months, 306 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: and Mary, who was her relative, found out that she 307 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: was also pregnant with child. It's a wonderful I guess 308 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 1: you would call it a juxtaposition of Jesus and John. 309 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: And one of them is being born to a woman 310 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: who's too old, one of them is being born to 311 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: a woman who's too young. One of them is past 312 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: that point in her life and one of them is 313 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 1: a virgin and isn't ready for this yet. So in 314 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: that context, God brings the two of them together to 315 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: encourage one another's state. And one of the things that's 316 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: been bothering me is that you've been fighting some of 317 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:18,959 Speaker 1: the biggest battles of your life alone in this season. 318 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: After a while, like my dad, you can start going crazy, 319 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:31,360 Speaker 1: coming to conclusions that are killing you. I know them 320 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:35,360 Speaker 1: on it. I can tell because nobody's making eye contact 321 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: with me in the room right now. It's like, yeah, 322 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: I totally do this. I totally do that. I come 323 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 1: to a conclusion that is based in a belief. Remember 324 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: what Elizabeth said to Mary in verse forty five, blessed 325 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill 326 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: his promise to her. That amazing that it begins with belief. 327 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:13,239 Speaker 1: That behavior begins with belief. So why am I so 328 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: good at creating worst case scenarios? A lot of times 329 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: the conclusion I won't even say a lot of times, 330 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: I'd say all the time, the conclusions that I come 331 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 1: to are based in the belief that I start with. 332 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: What I have to get better at doing is identifying 333 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: where did those beliefs come from. John the Baptist was 334 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 1: a mighty man, eccentric wardrobe, no doubt. I mean, y'all 335 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 1: think I don't dress like a preacher. This guy running 336 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 1: around with some crazy belts. I mean, it wasn't just 337 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: a fashion statement for him though. He was representing something new. 338 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: He was preparing the way for the new era, the 339 00:21:55,680 --> 00:22:01,639 Speaker 1: Kingdom of God. It's amazing, though, because when Elizabeth first 340 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: reached Mary, and remember Mary would have had to travel 341 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: something like fifty miles to get to a relative. The 342 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,360 Speaker 1: first thing that she did when she found out she 343 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 1: was pregnant with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the 344 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: Messiah who would save his people from their sins, was 345 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: to get around someone else who was carrying something significant. 346 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: And to do that she had to go up the mountains. 347 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: I was thinking about how she was going to elevation, 348 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:27,919 Speaker 1: because anyway, I was just putting that in there as 349 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 1: a thing. But when she got there, an amazing thing 350 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: happened because something inside of her knew the thing that 351 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,199 Speaker 1: she was carrying, John the Baptist, which was to prepare 352 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: the way for the Lord, knew that what she was 353 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: in the presence of was significant. You know how you 354 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 1: just know some things. You know how you just know 355 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,199 Speaker 1: some things deep down. Some of the things that you 356 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: know are not true. I feel like I just flipped 357 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: you in a jiu jitsu map. You were like, well, 358 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:04,239 Speaker 1: God said it. I believe it. That settles it some 359 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: of the stuff you believe God didn't say. To begin with, 360 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you about twelve examples. About twelve examples, 361 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 1: and I might throw in at thirteen. All Right, some 362 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,640 Speaker 1: of you believe this, but it's not true. You believe 363 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 1: that who I am is what I do, and what 364 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 1: I do is who I am. The reason I know 365 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: you believe this is because I believe it. Every single 366 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: Sunday I get up to breach. Do you know that 367 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,239 Speaker 1: I feel a lot of times like I'm only as 368 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: good as my last sermon. And it's understandable I would 369 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:46,680 Speaker 1: feel that way because I grew up here in things 370 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: like God wants to use you, and usually when you 371 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: use something, that means it's a product. So I begin 372 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 1: to think that God wants to use me like I 373 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: might use this pulpit, or like I might like I 374 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: might use a fork, or like I might use a spoon. 375 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: Since I believe deep down that I'm really just something 376 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: that God wants to use, and I lose sight of 377 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,720 Speaker 1: the fact that before I was someone he wanted to use, 378 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: I was someone that he loved. It is easy for 379 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: me to jump to the conclusion. I hear Youie Eddie 380 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: saying jump, jump, but it's easy for me to jump 381 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,639 Speaker 1: to the conclusion that if I do not perform, that, 382 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: if I do not measure up to the expectation of performance, 383 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: I do not have worth as a person. So what 384 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 1: do you do when you lose the job that you 385 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: had identified with? The conclusion that you come to is 386 00:24:54,840 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 1: based on the belief that you start with. When we 387 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 1: say things that sound Christian but they're really not constructive, like, uh, 388 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 1: I'm just a sinner saved by grace, it's the word 389 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: just that bothers me if you don't believe that you 390 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 1: are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and that 391 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: all of your sins and your records. I know we 392 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,400 Speaker 1: live in cancel culture, but we forgot to talk about 393 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: the most important thing that was canceled, the record of 394 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: wrong that stood against me. That's what Christ canceled. That's 395 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: what the Cross canceled. That's what God canceled. But I'm 396 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 1: just a sinner saved by grace. And see to you 397 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: that feels so true because you have so much proof. 398 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: You got receipts. I can show you my sin. I 399 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: can show it to you. I'm just a sinner saved 400 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 1: by grace. If that's what you start with, If you 401 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: approach your father like a beggar, you will only ever 402 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 1: be able to receive crumbs. You won't come boldly to 403 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: the throne room. If you believe I'm just a sinner 404 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: saved by grace. It sounds so humble, but deeper down 405 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:42,719 Speaker 1: it leads us to look for God's judgment in places 406 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:49,479 Speaker 1: where he has promised us his grace. See, we are 407 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: highly suspicious of the nature of a God who we 408 00:26:52,560 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 1: secretly believe doesn't really like us. He loves you because 409 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,680 Speaker 1: Jesus is in your heart, but really unlike you. Really 410 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: he's really down with Jesus. But Jesus did the sign 411 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: co sign for your group insurance plan. And God's God's 412 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 1: gonna He formed me in my mother's womb. So every 413 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: weird thing about me, I mean every weird thing about you, 414 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:29,640 Speaker 1: cause I'm not gonna preach this like it doesn't apply 415 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,159 Speaker 1: to you. Every weird thing about you is included in 416 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: Ephesians too, and Ephesians two says you are God's workmanship. 417 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:43,880 Speaker 1: I haven't given you anything to put in the chat 418 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 1: yet this sermon, and I know I'm failing you. Just say, 419 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: take it up with the workman. I am God's handiwork 420 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,679 Speaker 1: so I know I'm weird. I don't mean to be weird, 421 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: but take it up with the workman. Now. The weirdest 422 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: thing about your weirdness, can I say this, is that 423 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 1: if you start with the belief that there's something wrong 424 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: with you, you will skip past the best stuff that 425 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: God has put inside of you. John, I can't say 426 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: it again. I don't remember what I said, wasn't in 427 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 1: my notes. But John remembered he was so unique, and 428 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: he was powerful because of his uniqueness, and God said, 429 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: he's he's going to prepare the way for the Lord. 430 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: And even in his mother's womb, he recognized the presence 431 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 1: of Jesus. You know, I know that verse forty four 432 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: it says that the baby leaped for joy. That's why 433 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 1: I called it jump. John was jumping around in the 434 00:28:56,320 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: presence of Jesus before he was ever born. God saw 435 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:09,320 Speaker 1: and knew and loved you before one of your days 436 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: came to be. Now you are looking at me like 437 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: you believe this for somebody else, but not for you. 438 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: You're looking at me like you believe this in theory, 439 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: but it's a different thing in practice. The conclusions that 440 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: we jumped to are not derived from what we believe theoretically. 441 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: They are derived from what we believe practically and personally. 442 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: So I've got to get this personal. I got to 443 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 1: get this personal to the point that I know that 444 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 1: God's purpose is working in my life and was working 445 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 1: in my life. What if you started with that belief. 446 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: What if you started with the belief that in your 447 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: pre natal state, God was already forming you according to 448 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: a purpose. What if you started with that How different 449 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: would you look to you in the mirror? How much 450 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: less would you hate the sound of your own voice? 451 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: How much less would you doubt the things that God 452 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: included to be a part of your destiny. I don't 453 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: know who I'm preaching too, but God said I started 454 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 1: this before you ever got here, and I will be 455 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: faithful to complete it in your life. John just knew 456 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: he's jumping around in the womb because he knows he 457 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: is in the presence of one who is greater. John 458 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: was jumping around, kicking around, never been pregnant before, but 459 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: heard about it and watched it and read about it 460 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: in the books and saw it on the movies, and 461 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,160 Speaker 1: next to me in the bed and Hollywood say feel that. 462 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 1: And I'd be like, I can't feel that, And she say, 463 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: can't you feel it? And I'd say, no, I can't 464 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: feel it, and she'd say why can't She did frustrate, 465 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: I can't feel it. I'm not carrying it. I'm trying 466 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: to experience something from the outside that you're experiencing from 467 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: the inside. So John, John is carrying this, this assignment. 468 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 1: He's carrying this this message repent, you know, repent. The 469 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 1: Kingdom of Heaven is near repent. He kept talking. Let 470 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 1: me show you this in the scripture, because it doesn't 471 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: stop in the in the in the womb for John, 472 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 1: he goes into the wilderness, in the wilderness, from the 473 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: womb to the wilderness. God's hand was on this. Why 474 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 1: in that pretty preaching, Jeff, from the womb to the wilderness. 475 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 1: God was with you before it got started. He's with you. 476 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: He was with you in the womb. He's with you 477 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 1: in the wilderness too. But John was preaching in the wilderness. 478 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: He went there by choice, and he declared, repent The 479 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. I got to show 480 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 1: you this. In Matthew three, verse eleven. This is part 481 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 1: of his message. He said, I baptize you with water 482 00:31:56,160 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: for repentance. Change turn, change, turn right. He's preaching about repentance, 483 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 1: but he said, after me comes one who is more 484 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,479 Speaker 1: powerful than I, who sandals I am not worthy to carry. 485 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 486 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 1: Who's he talking about? Is not a trick question. The 487 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: answer is Jesus. Jay E s Us. We love Jesus, 488 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: Yes we do. Yeah, Jesus his winnowing for it. Listen 489 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: to this. This is the part. His winnowing fork is 490 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, 491 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: gathering his wheat into the barn, burning up the chap 492 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 1: with the unquenchable fire. Somebody shall fire. John was expecting 493 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: for Jesus to come with fire. Now look at this. 494 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: In John's Gospel, Chapter one, I got so much scripture. 495 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 1: I hope you're hungry. John Chapter one, verse twenty nine 496 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: the Bible says the next day, John saw Jesus coming 497 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 1: toward him and said, look, the lamb of God who 498 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 1: takes away the sin of the world. This is the one. 499 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: This is the one. This is the one I meant 500 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: when I said, this is the one that my spirit 501 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: recognized before my frame was ever known. This is the one. 502 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: Somebody shout, this is the one. Shout it in the chat. 503 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 1: This is the one. This is the one I meant 504 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: when I said, a man comes after me who has 505 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: surpassed me because he was before me. Now, the conclusion 506 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: that you come to is based in the belief that 507 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: you start with. He's going all the way back to 508 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 1: what he knew in his mother's womb. He's going back 509 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: to that recognition that predated his cognitive ability to know 510 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: that there's something that I knew before my life, before 511 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:45,040 Speaker 1: my before my experience, before my lens of the world 512 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 1: begin to attain it. This is the one. There's something 513 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,920 Speaker 1: in you that has always known God was there. There's 514 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,560 Speaker 1: something in you that has always known that He loved you. 515 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: There is something in you. How many how many of 516 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:00,240 Speaker 1: you can testify there has been some even and it 517 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: was so dark and everything in you doubted there was 518 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 1: something in you, kicking, living, beating to let you know 519 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 1: there's a purpose for your life. This is the why 520 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 1: I myself did not know him. But the reason I 521 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed 522 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 1: to Israel. And then John gave this testimony. I saw 523 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and 524 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 1: remain on him, And I myself did not know him. 525 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,320 Speaker 1: But the one who sent me to baptize with water 526 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:38,360 Speaker 1: told me, the man on whom you see the spirit 527 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:43,239 Speaker 1: come down and remain is the one who will baptize 528 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 1: with the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord, I have seen 529 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: and I testified this is God's chosen one. The next day, 530 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: John was there again with two of his disciples, and 531 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:02,200 Speaker 1: when he saw Jesus fashion, he said, look the lamb 532 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:10,400 Speaker 1: of God. Look the lamb of God. He recognized Jesus 533 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 1: when he came toward him. He came to the conclusion 534 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 1: this is the one. Because he had a belief that 535 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 1: he went back to I wish I could tell you 536 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 1: that he held fast to that confession every moment of 537 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 1: his life. I wish I could tell you that he 538 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 1: and Jesus went on an arena tour. These are the 539 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:48,120 Speaker 1: two most popular prophets in Israel since Isaiah. I wish 540 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 1: I could tell you that John the Baptist was the 541 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:55,840 Speaker 1: opening act and Jesus was the headliner. Oh, Jesus packed 542 00:35:55,880 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 1: crowds in. He performed miracles, he taught, he did, demonstruted, 543 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:03,240 Speaker 1: He exemplified the Kingdom of God with authority and power. 544 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:08,000 Speaker 1: Drove out demons, spoke with such wisdom that the crowds 545 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 1: were amazed and his opponents were aghast. He healed men 546 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:19,880 Speaker 1: who were blind and they saw again. He cured the 547 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 1: lame and they walked again. He even had the audacity 548 00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 1: to touch lepers so that they could feel again. He 549 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 1: healed Peter's mother in law one time. Many believed that's 550 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 1: why Peter denied him. It's a little preacher humor. I 551 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: wish it was so simple that John and Jesus hand 552 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 1: in hand because he believed it. I wish it was 553 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:58,360 Speaker 1: so simple as to tell you that God called me 554 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:01,760 Speaker 1: to preach when I was sixteen, and I've never doubted 555 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 1: whether he called me. I wish I could tell you 556 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 1: that I didn't have a voice inside my head that 557 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:09,440 Speaker 1: tells me I'm a pathetic hypocrite, and I have no 558 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:11,600 Speaker 1: business being a preacher, even though I'm trying to live 559 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:15,839 Speaker 1: the best I can. I wish I could tell you 560 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:18,759 Speaker 1: that I always started with the belief that God is 561 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 1: for me, who can be against me? I wish I 562 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:23,839 Speaker 1: could tell you that I haven't woken up one time 563 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:27,080 Speaker 1: at three in the morning since the pandemic and wondered 564 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:33,799 Speaker 1: will we have a church left after this? I wish 565 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 1: I could tell you that I kind of wish the 566 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,400 Speaker 1: story ended right here. I wish this was the conclusion. 567 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: But one of the most disturbing questions in the Bible 568 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:52,800 Speaker 1: is in Matthew chapter eleven. What makes it so disturbing 569 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,279 Speaker 1: isn't necessarily the content of the question, but who it 570 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 1: came from. In Matthew chapter eleven, a question was asked 571 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: of Jesus, and this is just in verse four, please 572 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:09,279 Speaker 1: or actually, I want to read you verse three. Are 573 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:13,360 Speaker 1: you the one who is to come? Or should we 574 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 1: expect someone else? You know, that question wouldn't bother me 575 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 1: if it came from Nicodemus. He was a religious ruler 576 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 1: who came to Jesus at night for fear of being 577 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: put out of a synagogue, and he wanted to understand 578 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:33,680 Speaker 1: about being born again. It wouldn't bother me so much 579 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:36,200 Speaker 1: if that message came from the woman who was caught 580 00:38:36,239 --> 00:38:38,400 Speaker 1: in the act of adultery, or the Samaritan woman at 581 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:43,799 Speaker 1: the well, who really did see the Gospel the same 582 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 1: way that the Jewish people did. It wouldn't bother me. 583 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 1: Even if it came from Peter, who was always saying 584 00:38:50,680 --> 00:39:00,239 Speaker 1: stupid stuff. Peter's that kid, you just tune out. What 585 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:03,279 Speaker 1: makes that the question, that question so disturbing to me 586 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:10,400 Speaker 1: is that it came from the mouth of John, the 587 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:15,160 Speaker 1: same one who pointed him out came to a place 588 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:19,280 Speaker 1: where he started to doubt. Are you really the one? 589 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:24,279 Speaker 1: We can't talk about these things because all of the 590 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: A plus gold star Christians will start to judge us 591 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:31,919 Speaker 1: in the comments section if we do I never doubt, 592 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:37,759 Speaker 1: they say, isn't it interesting that the disciple who said 593 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:39,880 Speaker 1: that kind of thing at the Last Supper of Christ 594 00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:42,920 Speaker 1: was the one who denied ever knowing him before the 595 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:53,360 Speaker 1: rooster crode. The conclusion that you come to is based 596 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:57,640 Speaker 1: in the belief you start with. If you start by 597 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:00,440 Speaker 1: believing that the proof of your faith is that you 598 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:06,359 Speaker 1: never experience doubt, and the moment you experience doubt, your 599 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:13,160 Speaker 1: faith will fall apart. But I hope this sets you 600 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:18,760 Speaker 1: free today to know that John, the one who pointed 601 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 1: and said, look the lamb of God, he was the 602 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 1: first one. And you gotta get this. You really got 603 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:27,799 Speaker 1: to stop and think about it. You can't multitask this 604 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:30,560 Speaker 1: message and really get it. This is the one who 605 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:35,799 Speaker 1: announced this is the one. And now the one who 606 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:43,279 Speaker 1: announced it is asking. The one who made the announcement 607 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 1: is now asking the question that he had been answering 608 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:53,440 Speaker 1: just a year ago. But he's been in prison for 609 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 1: a year and he's only getting secondhand reports on what 610 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:02,839 Speaker 1: Jesus is doing. And when you don't experience it firsthand, 611 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:05,680 Speaker 1: when you just hear about it, when you can't really 612 00:41:05,719 --> 00:41:08,279 Speaker 1: see it, and you can't see the big picture and 613 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:11,000 Speaker 1: you kind of trapped in this place, it gets kind 614 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,400 Speaker 1: of hard to believe it. So then you start to 615 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:18,080 Speaker 1: believe different things. Then you start to forget what God 616 00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:20,440 Speaker 1: showed you in the spirit, and you start trying to 617 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:24,360 Speaker 1: figure it out in your mind. Now, wait a minute. 618 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: John said that he was coming to judge with fire, 619 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:32,160 Speaker 1: but when they brought him a report about Jesus, look 620 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,040 Speaker 1: what Jesus told him Matthew eleven, verse five. He said, 621 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:37,680 Speaker 1: go tell John what you see and what you hear 622 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:40,600 Speaker 1: verse five. Matthew eleven, verse five, go back and report 623 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:44,359 Speaker 1: to John. The blind receives sight the lane walk, those 624 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:48,360 Speaker 1: who have leprosy are cleansed. The death here the debtor raised, 625 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:50,799 Speaker 1: and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. But 626 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:59,640 Speaker 1: John wasn't expecting that. He was expecting judgment. So now 627 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:06,680 Speaker 1: he wants to know, are you the one when you 628 00:42:06,719 --> 00:42:10,080 Speaker 1: believe that God is a certain way and he has 629 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:15,440 Speaker 1: the audacity not to conform to the biography that you 630 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:23,440 Speaker 1: created with your belief, then you experience something that you 631 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:29,600 Speaker 1: never expected. I'm preaching now, I'm preaching. I'm preacing you 632 00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:35,000 Speaker 1: come to the conclusion that He's not with you because 633 00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:39,760 Speaker 1: the belief that you started with was that his presence 634 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:47,040 Speaker 1: would always accommodate your preferences. So I've been asking the 635 00:42:47,160 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 1: question in my prayer time lately, God, what are the 636 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:58,120 Speaker 1: things that I have been believing that are not true? 637 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:01,240 Speaker 1: We don't know the difference anymore were between the truth 638 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:07,719 Speaker 1: and our belief. We think that because we believe it, 639 00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:13,600 Speaker 1: that makes it true. I can jump off this stage 640 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:18,040 Speaker 1: right now, and land on my head, and I can 641 00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:21,959 Speaker 1: believe that the Lord will uphold me, and I will 642 00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 1: break my neck on international internet television for all of 643 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:29,200 Speaker 1: you to see that the truth has no respect for 644 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:33,640 Speaker 1: my wrong belief. But now let me ask you a question. 645 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:38,320 Speaker 1: What response does Jesus gift to John? And what response 646 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:40,799 Speaker 1: does Jesus gift to you? And when we have come 647 00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:44,319 Speaker 1: to this point where life has contradicted our belief about 648 00:43:44,320 --> 00:43:46,640 Speaker 1: what's supposed to happen to good people, or how your 649 00:43:46,680 --> 00:43:48,799 Speaker 1: kids are supposed to turn out if you raise them 650 00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:51,880 Speaker 1: a certain way, and they'll never make bad decisions and 651 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:55,880 Speaker 1: they'll never be like my sister's kids, and all of 652 00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:59,399 Speaker 1: these things that you believe. But when you run head 653 00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:06,480 Speaker 1: first into a truth that contradicts your belief, what is 654 00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:09,560 Speaker 1: the message of Jesus? And does Jesus have a message 655 00:44:09,600 --> 00:44:12,920 Speaker 1: for you? Does Jesus have a message for John, the 656 00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:15,799 Speaker 1: one who faithfully prepared the way, the one who said 657 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:18,600 Speaker 1: I must become less John three point thirty, he must 658 00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:21,719 Speaker 1: become greater, the one who was willing to go before him, 659 00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:25,640 Speaker 1: the one who knew him in the womb. Does Jesus 660 00:44:25,719 --> 00:44:28,880 Speaker 1: have a message for John? Does Jesus have a message 661 00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:31,840 Speaker 1: for you. Does God have a word for your life today? 662 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:38,239 Speaker 1: I believe he does. Matthew eleven, verse six. Blessed is 663 00:44:38,360 --> 00:44:45,680 Speaker 1: anyone who does not stumble on account of me? Tell 664 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:53,759 Speaker 1: John that. Tell John, don't stumble. Tell John, just like 665 00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 1: he went first in life, he's going to go first 666 00:44:55,760 --> 00:45:03,279 Speaker 1: in death. John went on to give his life in 667 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:07,759 Speaker 1: prison for the cause of righteousness. Jesus didn't assure him 668 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:13,239 Speaker 1: with a sweet platitude. Jesus didn't assure him with a 669 00:45:13,320 --> 00:45:18,319 Speaker 1: pinteresque link. Jesus didn't assure him with something that rhyme. 670 00:45:18,440 --> 00:45:25,520 Speaker 1: He said, blessed is the one who does not The 671 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:32,680 Speaker 1: word in Greek is scandalon. He calls it. In the NIV, 672 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:37,040 Speaker 1: they call it does not stumble, or a few other 673 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:40,919 Speaker 1: definitions to describe what happens to us when we run 674 00:45:40,960 --> 00:45:44,319 Speaker 1: into something in our life that doesn't match what we 675 00:45:44,360 --> 00:45:52,080 Speaker 1: thought would happen. It means to trip up to entice. 676 00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:56,640 Speaker 1: It means literally a stumbling block that may cause you 677 00:45:56,719 --> 00:46:02,719 Speaker 1: to trip and fall or to follow way. I just 678 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:05,200 Speaker 1: see it like a picture, So let me use your stool. 679 00:46:05,560 --> 00:46:09,239 Speaker 1: This may be too simple for you, but Jesus told 680 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:20,400 Speaker 1: John this is scandalion. This is offense. This is a 681 00:46:20,440 --> 00:46:26,520 Speaker 1: stumbling block. This is the thing that that is getting 682 00:46:26,520 --> 00:46:29,520 Speaker 1: in the way of you moving forward in your faith 683 00:46:29,760 --> 00:46:32,879 Speaker 1: in this season of your life against the odds. This 684 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:37,640 Speaker 1: is the thing right And and Jesus said, says to John, 685 00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:49,919 Speaker 1: don't trip, don't trip. What did you say? You want 686 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:52,440 Speaker 1: to come show me? You want to come show me? 687 00:46:53,160 --> 00:46:55,200 Speaker 1: Come on up, show show me, show me what you 688 00:46:55,280 --> 00:46:57,040 Speaker 1: just said. I wondered, who would get it because this house. 689 00:46:57,280 --> 00:46:59,680 Speaker 1: Come on up, Come on up, he said, he said, 690 00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:05,080 Speaker 1: don't rip, John, Just that's how I saw it in 691 00:47:05,120 --> 00:47:12,000 Speaker 1: my head. Now he said, so, so get a good 692 00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:15,920 Speaker 1: base and just John, just like you were doing in 693 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:23,480 Speaker 1: your mother's womb. I love the Bible. I love the Bible, 694 00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:27,080 Speaker 1: saying I heard God saying, somebody say it. Jump John, 695 00:47:28,120 --> 00:47:33,640 Speaker 1: Jump John, Jump John, Jump John, Jump John. Now, now 696 00:47:33,719 --> 00:47:37,800 Speaker 1: that is something that is something that can make you fall, 697 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:42,440 Speaker 1: but it is also something that can strengthen your faith. 698 00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:49,440 Speaker 1: So jump John, keep jumping. You know what's true. You 699 00:47:49,560 --> 00:47:53,680 Speaker 1: know who I am. You saw me before you knew me. 700 00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:57,880 Speaker 1: You saw the spirit like a dump. Don't get tired 701 00:47:57,960 --> 00:48:01,919 Speaker 1: in this place. Don't get tired in this trial. Don't 702 00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:08,200 Speaker 1: trip John. Just job, Just jup, Just jump John. You 703 00:48:08,360 --> 00:48:12,880 Speaker 1: know what to do. Just jump John, and keep jumping. 704 00:48:14,120 --> 00:48:17,359 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, this is so good. One 705 00:48:17,480 --> 00:48:21,520 Speaker 1: scholar said that when Luke said that the baby jumped 706 00:48:21,560 --> 00:48:25,240 Speaker 1: in the womb of Elizabeth, it was echoing when David 707 00:48:25,520 --> 00:48:28,839 Speaker 1: brought the arc back to Jerusalem, and when he got 708 00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:32,680 Speaker 1: the presence of God six steps. Guess what he did. 709 00:48:33,120 --> 00:48:37,160 Speaker 1: He started jumping. Because I got the presence of God back, 710 00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:41,160 Speaker 1: because I got the provision of God working in my house, 711 00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:45,160 Speaker 1: because I got the favor. I got the favor. Why 712 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:51,919 Speaker 1: aren't y'll praising God? God? Said? Jump shot John, Chop John. 713 00:48:53,200 --> 00:49:05,680 Speaker 1: If you believe, said George, still blessed? Shoff John, Tell 714 00:49:05,760 --> 00:49:10,840 Speaker 1: three people jump John, Zum jump John jump jump John, 715 00:49:11,000 --> 00:49:15,600 Speaker 1: Jump jump John jump Deep. Faiths can't get you from 716 00:49:15,680 --> 00:49:23,319 Speaker 1: trumping jump Jun jup Jun jump Shot Zum jump Ju 717 00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:34,839 Speaker 1: jumps jump Jun jump jump Don jump. Hey tell John, 718 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:40,200 Speaker 1: it would be a shame for you to trip over 719 00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:44,560 Speaker 1: something that's not even true. And the Lord said to 720 00:49:44,719 --> 00:49:52,040 Speaker 1: ask you, are you tripping over something stumbling blocks scandalon 721 00:49:53,239 --> 00:49:57,920 Speaker 1: that's not even true? Are you staying away from God's 722 00:49:58,040 --> 00:50:02,440 Speaker 1: presence because of an offense that you think he's holding 723 00:50:02,480 --> 00:50:07,800 Speaker 1: against you. Are you tripping over something that's not even true? 724 00:50:09,000 --> 00:50:11,640 Speaker 1: Are you running from a Jezebel who doesn't even have 725 00:50:11,800 --> 00:50:22,359 Speaker 1: the power to take your life? Are you tripping over 726 00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:30,040 Speaker 1: something that's not even true. The conclusion that you come 727 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:33,160 Speaker 1: to is based in the belief that you start with. 728 00:50:35,160 --> 00:50:36,880 Speaker 1: For all of us to think that God will love 729 00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:40,680 Speaker 1: us more later, maybe we need to be reminded what 730 00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:49,040 Speaker 1: the name John means. Anyway, his name means loved, So 731 00:50:49,200 --> 00:50:52,799 Speaker 1: in those moments when you can't feel it, I want 732 00:50:52,840 --> 00:50:58,080 Speaker 1: to encourage you to believe it by faith, and all 733 00:50:58,160 --> 00:51:01,360 Speaker 1: week long, a whole week long, I want you to 734 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:04,840 Speaker 1: jump in Your calf muscles are going to look like 735 00:51:04,920 --> 00:51:10,520 Speaker 1: they got bowling ball in plants when you come back 736 00:51:10,560 --> 00:51:16,040 Speaker 1: to church next week, because this week I'm jumping. I'm 737 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:24,640 Speaker 1: jumping to a new conclusion. Now I used to believe. 738 00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:29,960 Speaker 1: I used to believe that I wasn't enough when I 739 00:51:30,080 --> 00:51:34,080 Speaker 1: found out that His spirit in me is the same 740 00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:37,520 Speaker 1: spirit that raised Christ from the dead. Now that I 741 00:51:37,640 --> 00:51:41,680 Speaker 1: believe that the belief that I start with in every 742 00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:47,800 Speaker 1: situation determines the conclusion that I come to. And Jesus 743 00:51:47,840 --> 00:51:52,240 Speaker 1: said to John, and he says, to you stop tripping 744 00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:57,560 Speaker 1: over things that aren't true. In John's case, he needed 745 00:51:57,600 --> 00:52:02,960 Speaker 1: an upgraded expectation of the Kingdom of God, and he 746 00:52:03,000 --> 00:52:07,719 Speaker 1: would get one. He would get one if he didn't trip. 747 00:52:09,680 --> 00:52:14,960 Speaker 1: Are you tripping lately? Are you tripping over stuff that 748 00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:20,239 Speaker 1: isn't even true? I want to pray for you. I 749 00:52:20,320 --> 00:52:25,120 Speaker 1: feel like Isaiah fifty five eight is not only a 750 00:52:25,200 --> 00:52:28,600 Speaker 1: good place to start the sermon, but it's a really 751 00:52:28,680 --> 00:52:33,640 Speaker 1: good place for us to land. It's not only a 752 00:52:33,719 --> 00:52:36,840 Speaker 1: good place to jump from, it's a good place for 753 00:52:36,960 --> 00:52:41,320 Speaker 1: us to anchor it. And the Lord said through the prophet, 754 00:52:41,480 --> 00:52:46,560 Speaker 1: my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways 755 00:52:46,680 --> 00:52:50,360 Speaker 1: my ways. I'm going to do what you asked me 756 00:52:50,480 --> 00:52:56,319 Speaker 1: to do, but it won't be the way that you thought. Now. 757 00:52:56,400 --> 00:53:00,160 Speaker 1: For everybody who is dealing in your life right now, now, 758 00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:05,320 Speaker 1: with standing in front of something that was unexpected for you, 759 00:53:07,120 --> 00:53:08,440 Speaker 1: I want you to bow your head and make a 760 00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:13,359 Speaker 1: sanctuary in your heart. It would be such a shame 761 00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:17,440 Speaker 1: for the Lord to bring you to this moment and 762 00:53:17,560 --> 00:53:21,520 Speaker 1: to have plotted in purpose your life from your mother's womb, 763 00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:27,200 Speaker 1: for you to come to this and trip. You got 764 00:53:27,280 --> 00:53:32,120 Speaker 1: to believe, just like John that in every season of 765 00:53:32,200 --> 00:53:39,320 Speaker 1: your life, God is preparing. The one who prepared the 766 00:53:39,440 --> 00:53:46,080 Speaker 1: way for Jesus came to a stumbling block himself. Now, 767 00:53:46,160 --> 00:53:49,839 Speaker 1: what's standing in front of you today is not proof 768 00:53:49,880 --> 00:53:54,320 Speaker 1: that God doesn't want you to do it. If you 769 00:53:54,400 --> 00:53:58,160 Speaker 1: believe that, if you believe that, you'll stop, you'll lay 770 00:53:58,200 --> 00:54:02,479 Speaker 1: down and die right where you are. But somebody say, John, 771 00:54:04,040 --> 00:54:05,919 Speaker 1: You didn't say that, right. You got to say John, 772 00:54:06,960 --> 00:54:11,600 Speaker 1: like an athletic trainer say jomp. God, we instruct our 773 00:54:11,640 --> 00:54:15,880 Speaker 1: hearts today to be set on things above where Christ 774 00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:20,800 Speaker 1: is not unearthly things, to remember that eternal purpose of 775 00:54:20,880 --> 00:54:23,880 Speaker 1: companies and impregnates each moment with infinite potential because of 776 00:54:23,960 --> 00:54:29,480 Speaker 1: your spirit, and that spirit lives in us. I believe 777 00:54:29,520 --> 00:54:31,359 Speaker 1: that you sent me to the pulpit today for people 778 00:54:31,400 --> 00:54:35,600 Speaker 1: all over the world who need to jump to a 779 00:54:35,680 --> 00:54:39,600 Speaker 1: new conclusion, who need to be reminded of gospel truth. 780 00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:44,279 Speaker 1: Every sin is forgiven and every debtor rased. So we 781 00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:47,879 Speaker 1: thank you for it now in Jesus' name. Somebody who's 782 00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:51,200 Speaker 1: tripping off of a memory, somebody who's tripping off of 783 00:54:51,239 --> 00:54:55,800 Speaker 1: a hypothetical, somebody who is tripping over the torment of 784 00:54:55,880 --> 00:55:02,320 Speaker 1: what might happen. Lord, we believe what Elizabeth said, blessed 785 00:55:02,480 --> 00:55:07,800 Speaker 1: is she? Blessed is he who believed that what the 786 00:55:07,880 --> 00:55:12,799 Speaker 1: Lord spoke would be fulfilled. Look at me for a moment. 787 00:55:14,200 --> 00:55:19,719 Speaker 1: What Elizabeth told Mary, God is telling you. Blessed is 788 00:55:19,800 --> 00:55:27,200 Speaker 1: the one who believes that what God spoke he will fulfill. 789 00:55:29,200 --> 00:55:47,400 Speaker 1: Don't truth, don't trip, trust, don't trip trust moment by moment, 790 00:55:48,640 --> 00:55:53,680 Speaker 1: day by day. What I love about God is that 791 00:55:53,840 --> 00:55:59,279 Speaker 1: he already fulfilled it. And I thank God that in 792 00:55:59,360 --> 00:56:03,160 Speaker 1: my life he has already worked out, according to his 793 00:56:03,280 --> 00:56:09,000 Speaker 1: divine counsel everything that concerns me. Father, we thank you 794 00:56:09,080 --> 00:56:12,440 Speaker 1: that your word does not return void. It accomplishes what 795 00:56:12,560 --> 00:56:17,200 Speaker 1: you send it for everybody. With lifted hands right now say, 796 00:56:17,239 --> 00:56:25,120 Speaker 1: I believe that the Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. Again. 797 00:56:25,200 --> 00:56:31,440 Speaker 1: I believe that the Lord will fulfill his purpose for 798 00:56:31,680 --> 00:56:37,640 Speaker 1: me again. I believe that the Lord will fulfill his 799 00:56:37,920 --> 00:56:44,480 Speaker 1: purpose for my life. Now jump, John, jump, Come on, 800 00:56:44,640 --> 00:56:49,759 Speaker 1: get up there to heavenly places, seated with Jesus. Lift 801 00:56:49,840 --> 00:56:59,799 Speaker 1: those hands, lift the press, give him glory shop jup shop. Due. 802 00:57:02,560 --> 00:57:05,439 Speaker 1: So do you receive that word? Just know that we're 803 00:57:05,560 --> 00:57:09,080 Speaker 1: so thankful that you're a part of this ministry. Paul 804 00:57:09,160 --> 00:57:11,200 Speaker 1: called it the partnership in the gospel. That's the way 805 00:57:11,239 --> 00:57:14,320 Speaker 1: I feel. Thank you forgiving, Thank you for praying for 806 00:57:14,480 --> 00:57:17,800 Speaker 1: me and Holly and our church and this ministry. Thank 807 00:57:17,880 --> 00:57:21,400 Speaker 1: you for sharing. Make sure that you share this message 808 00:57:21,440 --> 00:57:24,000 Speaker 1: with someone this week. Sow it. It's good seed. It'll 809 00:57:24,040 --> 00:57:27,720 Speaker 1: make a difference in somebody's life, and make sure to subscribe. 810 00:57:27,960 --> 00:57:30,720 Speaker 1: And I believe God is bringing things to an expected 811 00:57:30,880 --> 00:57:33,040 Speaker 1: end in your life. Remember he knows the plans He 812 00:57:33,120 --> 00:57:35,640 Speaker 1: has for you, plans to give you a hope and 813 00:57:35,760 --> 00:57:40,080 Speaker 1: a future. So jump, John, Jump, I'll see you next time. 814 00:57:40,640 --> 00:57:41,040 Speaker 1: We love you.