1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 2: gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life. 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. If we haven't met before, my name 7 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: is said, I'm the pastor at our university city campus. 8 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: We'll go and uh, my dad is in the room, 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: and uh, let's say in front of everybody, Happy Father's 10 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: Day to my dad, to my father, I'll say this 11 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: theve the greatest gift. The greatest gift you gave me 12 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: wasn't a pair of shoes. The greatest gift you gave 13 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: me was me seeing you give your life to Jesus. 14 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: You see, I had the great opportunity to be able 15 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: to see my dad before Jesus and after. I'm not 16 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: saying he's perfect. I'm just saying it's better. It's much better. 17 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 1: It's much better. It's much better. And I'll tell you this, 18 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: if you're a god in the room, the greatest gift 19 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,199 Speaker 1: you could give your kids is for them to see 20 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: you following Jesus. It's for them to see you serving Jesus. 21 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: It's for them to see you running after His purpose 22 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: is for your life. And I have to take a 23 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: moment in honor the father of this house. Can we 24 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: thank God for our pastor, Pastor Steven, And while we're 25 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: at it, let's praise God for Holly too. God. The 26 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: thing that I gotta say about Pastor is is that 27 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: I just thank God that he is a pastor that 28 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: sees me, not only sees what I can do for him, 29 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: but sees what God is trying to do in me. 30 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: I thank God for my pastor seeing me. I did 31 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: not see myself standing on a stage being a pastor 32 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: at Elevation Church. This has all blown my mind. But 33 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: it's beautiful to be able to have a pastor that 34 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: sees you, that sees you coming. If you walk in 35 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 1: every Sunday and you're like my pastor been following me 36 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: around he bugged my phones. Thank God, Thank God for 37 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: a pastor that sees, that sees that season. Can I 38 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: sing to my wife, Whitney, I love you, Whitney, I 39 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: love you. Y'all Ready for me to get to my 40 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: scripture for today? All right, all right, all right, we're 41 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: gonna be in Mark chapter six, Mark chapter six, Mark 42 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: chapter six. You're gonna see the scriptures on the screen. 43 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: If you're taking notes, write down mark chapter six, verses 44 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: forty five through fifty one. We're gonna jump in right 45 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: here and praying and believing that God's gonna do it 46 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: only he can do today. God touch my mind, touch 47 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: my lips, God flow through me today. Open up the 48 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: eyes of your sons and daughters. We love you, We 49 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: thank you, And it's in the mighty name of Jesus, 50 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: I pray amen, verse forty five. You'll sit on the screen. 51 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: It says, immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat. 52 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: Can I just preach while I'm reading a scripture? I'm sorry, 53 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: but that just jumped out to me that a lot 54 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: of times in my life, the miracles that I experience 55 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: are on the other side of Jesus making me do something. 56 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's a push from God, not my plans, that 57 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: leads me to see so much that God is doing. 58 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: He made his disciples get into the boat and go 59 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: ahead of him. To best say it a while, he 60 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on 61 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was 62 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: in the middle of the lake and he was alone 63 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: on land. He saw the Disciples straining at the oars 64 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: because the wind was against them. Shortly before don he 65 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: went out to them walking on the lake. What a sight. 66 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: Imagine what that would have looked like. My favorite movie 67 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: right now is The Equalizer. I imagine he walked out 68 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: there like Denzel just I don't know about you, but 69 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: my Jesus walks like Denzel, walks like Denzel. He came 70 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 1: to them walking on the lake. He was about to 71 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 1: pass them by, but when they saw him walking on 72 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They crowd out, 73 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: They cried out because they all saw oh him and 74 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, take courage, 75 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: it is I don't be afraid. Then he climbed into 76 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: the boat with them, and the wind died down, and 77 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: they were completely amazed. The title of my message today 78 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: is called Straining to see. Straining to see on your 79 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: way to your seat, asked your neighbor. I asked him, 80 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: say when was the last time you got your eyes checked? 81 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: You can be seated. You can be seated. The reason 82 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 1: I asked, is because many of you were straining to 83 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 1: see the scriptures on the screen, and those of you 84 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 1: that wear glasses, how is looking over them? Lynz help you? 85 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: How does that help you see? Well? He me and 86 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 1: my wife we have identical twin boys, Carson and Carter. 87 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: They will be thirteen next month. I'm gonna have teenagers. 88 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: And yeah, pray for me anytime, anytime we have a 89 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: major shift like this, I get real nostalgic. I love 90 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: going back and looking at pictures. And here's a picture 91 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: from their preschool graduation right here on the screen. Their 92 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:40,239 Speaker 1: preschool graduation right here. Yeah, so sweet. Now, I'll be honest, 93 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: no matter how hard I strain, I can't tell you 94 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: who's who on this picture. I have no idea which 95 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: ones Carter, which ones Carson. I turned my head sideways. 96 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: I really don't know. I really don't know. And if 97 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: Whitney tells you she knows, she's live, she don't know 98 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: who it is. She doesn't know who it is. But 99 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago, my boys just finished sixth 100 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: grade and we were at their awards ceremony, and so 101 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: here's the picture for when they had all ab on 102 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: a row for the whole year. So proud of my boys. 103 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: Where did my babies go? Where did my babies go? Now, 104 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: if you pay attention to Carter, who's standing next to 105 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: my wife, Whitney, you see Carter actually has on glasses 106 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: in this picture. Okay, so just remember that. You'll freak 107 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: them out if you see him. You come up and say, hey, Carter. 108 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: You know it's Carter because he's the one with glasses. 109 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: You can pull you can pull the picture down. A 110 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: couple of years ago, we went to the doctor and 111 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: we found out that that one of Carter's eyes didn't 112 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: develop all the way and so he had to wear 113 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: patch for a little bit to strengthen the other eye. 114 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: And so we went to the doctor. They tested his 115 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: eyes and they were like, oh gosh, he's straining. He's 116 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: straining to see. You see my son Carter could see, 117 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: but he couldn't see well. My son could see what 118 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: he couldn't see well. And I remember when he got 119 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: his glasses for the first time. He did it three 120 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: sixty and he was like, did it always look like this? 121 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: Did it always? Did it always look so clear? So Chris, 122 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: but what happened? What happened? And God really spoke to 123 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: me because I don't know about you, but I want 124 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: to see all God has for me. I don't want 125 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: to miss anything, and I'm gonna preach about that for 126 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 1: a second. So get ready to praise God, because I'm 127 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: telling you God has some good things in store for you. 128 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: But this week, God gave me a real time illustration, 129 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: and I prayed and fasted on whether or I was 130 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: gonna show you this because I'm not gonna lie. It's 131 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: kind of embarrassing. And just to give some context, anybody 132 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: watched the show Ridiculousness. Okay, so this is one of 133 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: those videos that you could see on Ridiculousness. Somebody put 134 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: a pole in the office in front of Elevation Worship 135 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: Studios that I didn't know was there. I didn't know 136 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 1: it was there. I'm gonna show this video one time, 137 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: one time, one time. If you want to see it again, 138 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to go back and watch it on YouTube. 139 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: But go ahead and show them this video. Hey, I 140 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 1: could preach about the fact that I didn't stop after 141 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: I could hit. I could preach about it, but here's 142 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: the thing. I ran into that wall. Why because I 143 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: didn't see it. I got a question, what things are 144 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 1: you running into because you you couldn't see it? Are 145 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: you into bad relationships because you couldn't see it? Are 146 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: you running into horrible financial decisions because you didn't see it? 147 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: Are you making bad business moves running into things because 148 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: you couldn't see it clearly? Or it works the other way, 149 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: because some of you are missing miracles because you just 150 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: don't see it. Some of you your vision is blurred, 151 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: and so you're missing the blessings that God has in 152 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: front of you. And so I'm telling you, I don't 153 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: know about you. I want to see my family blessed. 154 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: I want to see my marriage blessed. I want to 155 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: see my ministry blessed. I want to see my church blessed. 156 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: I want to see my health blessed. I don't know 157 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: about you, but I want to see a full picture 158 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 1: of everything God has for my life. Here's the thing 159 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: about when you have resion, you don't see reality well right. 160 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: And when you don't see reality well, it gets delusional 161 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: and it gets real dangerous. And for some of you 162 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: been running into some things and missing some things for 163 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: far too long. And God sent me here today to 164 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: deal with your sight, tap your neighbors say, I'm gonna 165 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: see it today. I'm gonna see it today. I'm gonna 166 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 1: see it today. And so when we go back to 167 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: our text for it today, we see that the disciples 168 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 1: are in this boat, straining, straining to see what Jesus said. 169 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: You see, Jesus said, I need you to get into 170 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:47,559 Speaker 1: the boat, and I need you to go to best 171 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: say to where is Jesus sending you? Where's Jesus sending you? 172 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna tell you to that. I don't know 173 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,199 Speaker 1: about you. I'm gonna strain until I see what Jesus said. 174 00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: You see a lot of us, a lot of us 175 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: our times we read the Bible, we make fun of 176 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: the disciples. They're dude, usually doing something stupid, something foolish. 177 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 1: But in this text, in this text, I started to 178 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: applaud because when Jesus said get into the boat and 179 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: go to the other side, he left some details out. 180 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: He didn't tell them that the wind was going to 181 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: be blowing in the wrong direction. He didn't tell them 182 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: that they were going to be going against the grain. 183 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 1: And so I don't know about you. I would have 184 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: been a little bit frustrated at the fact that I'm 185 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 1: doing what Jesus told me to do, and it's starting 186 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: to get hard. So just for a second, I want 187 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,719 Speaker 1: to deal with your perseverance. Am I in a room 188 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: for the people that are fighters, that won't give up 189 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: at the first sign of trouble, at the first sign 190 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: of adversity. You see me and my wife, we just 191 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: celebrated sixteen years. Sixteen years in January. We got married 192 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: at twenty one. We got married at twenty one. We 193 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: had to strain through being dumb. We had to strain 194 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:07,560 Speaker 1: through some insecurity, we had to strain through some financial struggles. 195 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 1: We had to strain through some health scares, to strain 196 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: through some loss of loved ones. I want to take 197 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: a moment in front of everybody, whole church and just 198 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: tell my wife, thank you, thank you for straining with me, 199 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: because I knew when I stood at that isle. I 200 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 1: cried when she came down and she was laughing, she 201 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: was laughing, she was laughing, But I knew God told 202 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: me that my marriage would be blessed. I don't know 203 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: what you're dealing with or what you're going through today, 204 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: but God told me to tell you to strain to 205 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: see what Jesus said, strain to see it. Don't give up, 206 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,719 Speaker 1: don't throw in the towel. Some of you decided to 207 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: say at the first time of an obstacle that came, 208 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: some of you decided to stop at the moment that 209 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: it got difficult. Strain to see what Jesus said, Strained 210 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: to see what he said. Some of you are like 211 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: it said. I hear you, but I've been straining for 212 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: a long time, and if I could be honest, some 213 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: I'm getting tired of straining. If I could be honest, 214 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: I feel like I've heard this before. As I was 215 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: reading and I was studying, I found out that it 216 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: would have taken them anywhere from six to eight hours 217 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: to make it from one side of this lake to 218 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: the other side of the lake. Now the wind was 219 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: blowing against them, so that probably would have added more 220 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: time to their journey. Now in the Texas says that 221 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: Jesus saw them in the middle of the lake. They 222 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: have been straining at least five hours. I can imagine 223 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: they were tired. I can imagine they were exhausted. I 224 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: can imagine that Peter was like, hey, listen, let's go back. 225 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: This is dumb, this is stupid. Just let's stop. Let's stop. 226 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: And there's one thing, one thing that jumped out in 227 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: this text for me that I want to preach for 228 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: a second. Put up verse forty eight for me. Put 229 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: up verse forty eight for me. It says he saw 230 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: the disciples straining. Watch. It says at the oars, straining, 231 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: at the oars, he saw them. So here's the thing 232 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: that I want you to know right now. You probably 233 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: should write this down, is that don't strain alone. Don't 234 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: don't strain, don't strain alone. Don't strain alone. Don't strain 235 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: by yourself. And I'm trying. It was it was dim 236 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: it was day that were in this boat straining. Some 237 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: of you. You're not going far because you haven't invited 238 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: friends into your situation to I tell you the truth. 239 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: There's been some time in the sixteen years. I thank god, 240 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: I have some friends autumn come to the house. See 241 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: the Oh mah, we're gonna show up today. I've had 242 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: some friends that in the middle of some straining. Here 243 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: here here, I'll make it. I'll make it clear. You 244 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: need to have some friends that can take an oar. 245 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: You need you need to have some friends that will 246 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: take an oar. Because because some of you, some of you, 247 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: you've been straining for a long time, but you're straining 248 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: in circles because you're on one side of the boat, 249 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: straining by yourself. You've been circling some things for a 250 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: long time. Hey, can I can I go as far 251 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: to say this one's gonna hurt. You've been straining for 252 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: a long time and it's your fault. I'm going in 253 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: circles because I ain't let a friend take an oar. Hey, 254 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: can I make it plain? Let me tell you about 255 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:05,640 Speaker 1: an or oh oh, oh, oh oh, you feel overwhelmed. 256 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 1: I need a friend that can take me when I'm overwhelmed. Hey, 257 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: I got some anxiety. My hand's all over the place. 258 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 1: I need some friends that can handle me when my 259 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: mind's all over the place. In oh, I need some 260 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,880 Speaker 1: people that when I'm ready to give up, when I'm 261 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: ready to throw in the towel, they can take an oor. Hey, 262 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: can you take a moment and thank God for your 263 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 1: friends that have jumped in and helped you in the 264 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: moments that you couldn't give up, that helped you move forward. 265 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 1: And if you're here today, you were like I love 266 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: to have a friend that can take it off. I 267 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: love to have somebody jump into this situation with me. 268 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 1: Every Sunday, JJ stands on this stage at Valentine on 269 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: my campus, Bachelor stands on stage at their campuses. You 270 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: have chat zolo online and every single week you wanna 271 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: hear something about, Hey, we got an e group for you. 272 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: Hey join and eat team, start serving today. It's not 273 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: something that we want from you. With something we want 274 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: for you, you need to have some friends that will 275 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: take in or but also also also just like my 276 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 1: son couldn't see, well, maybe you need some glasses. Maybe 277 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 1: maybe maybe maybe you need some glasses. And there's two parts, 278 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 1: two parts, two parts the glasses. The first part, first part, 279 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: I want to explain. I had to take we had 280 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 1: to take my son Carter to the store to be 281 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: able to get his first set of glasses. I remember, 282 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: couldn't see and finally he was able to get his prescription. 283 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: And so I couldn't go with Whitney and the boys 284 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 1: to the store. I couldn't go with them. So Whitney 285 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 1: took them and you know when she she facetimed me 286 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: at the store and it was one of those face 287 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 1: times where she was like, hey, husband, I got an 288 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 1: for you, like she was done, Like she was done. 289 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 1: The boys was getting on her last nerves, on her 290 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 1: last nerves, on he last nerd, and I was like, hey, 291 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 1: what's going on, what's going on? What's going on? And 292 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,880 Speaker 1: so she explained to me what was going on. Those 293 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 1: of you that wear glasses or contacts, you you will 294 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: understand this. There's two sections, two sections in the store 295 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 1: where you get glasses. There's this section that the insurance 296 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: pays for. Sometimes this is square, but this is the 297 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: place that the insurance play pays for. My son, my 298 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 1: loving son with so much swagger. Where do you think 299 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: he's at the designer frames? My son is trying on 300 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:04,120 Speaker 1: Gucci frames and brittle frames like he has a job. 301 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: I told my wife, I said, hey, babe, if you 302 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: don't tell that boy to get over that to the 303 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: other side, that I'm leave and come over there and 304 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: get you. The reason why I bring it up, the 305 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 1: reason why I bring it up is because God spoke 306 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: to me. As I reflected on it is because my 307 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,439 Speaker 1: son was trying to let me know I can't do 308 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 1: cheap frames. It went right over their head. It went 309 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 1: right over their head. Some of you are looking through 310 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 1: cheap frames. And here's the thing I know about chief frames. 311 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: They're easily broken. Some of you, some of you, you 312 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: need a new frame today. You need something else to 313 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: frame what you're looking at, where you're going. And here's 314 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 1: the thing about frames. Put this up there. Frames give strength. 315 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: Frames give strength. Now, remember why are they on this lake. 316 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: It's not it why Jesus told them to go. You 317 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: want to know what's going to give you strength? A 318 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: word from God, A word from a word from God. 319 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 1: When he got tired, When they got tired and they 320 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: were ready to give up, somebody had a frame. They said, hey, hey, 321 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: we can't give up because Jesus said, we can't give 322 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 1: up because I got a word from the Lord. I 323 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: can't stop because he said go to best say them. 324 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: I can't throw in the towel because I'm heading in 325 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,639 Speaker 1: the direction that he's sending me to go to. That's 326 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 1: why it's so important to show up to church. It's 327 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: because you're getting tired, you're getting a weak and you 328 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 1: need a word from God. But that's why you have 329 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 1: a Bible, or you have a Bible at your house 330 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: that you can open up when you get tired and 331 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 1: you get weak, because you need a word from the Lord. 332 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: How far you go may be determined by how strong 333 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: your frame is. Now, who can stand up and maybe 334 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 1: praise God for a second, because I've seen God's word 335 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: never failed. I've seen God's word never go. I've seen 336 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:28,400 Speaker 1: him speak life and there was life. I've seen him 337 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: seak healing and there was healing. I've seen couples ready 338 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,719 Speaker 1: to walk the other way and God spoke about a word. 339 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: I've seen God's word works. Tell your neighbors say, hey, 340 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 1: I got a frame. I got a frame. I got 341 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: a frame. I got a frame. I got a frame. 342 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: When I look back over my life and I think 343 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 1: things over, I can truly say that I've been blessed. 344 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: I got a testimony. And guess where it started. When 345 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: Jesus said, when Jesus said, when Jesus said, you could 346 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: be seid, he could be sity, you could be seated. 347 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: You need a frame. You need a frame. You need 348 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,400 Speaker 1: a frame to give you strength. You need a frame 349 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: to give you strength. But not only that. I don't 350 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: know if you remember, back back in the early two thousand, 351 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: we used to think we were cool. We were wearing 352 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:20,959 Speaker 1: frames with no lenses, don't leaven by myself. Who else 353 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 1: did it? Who else did it? Who has did it? Was? 354 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: Who else did it? Who else did it? Who has 355 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: did it? So it's one thing to have a frame, 356 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: but you gotta participate in this, and so you need 357 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: a lens and so so so so we gotta we gotta, 358 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,919 Speaker 1: we gotta frame. That's what gives strength. And then you 359 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,479 Speaker 1: have a lens. That's what gives sight. You have a lens, 360 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: and that's what gives sighting. Something interesting happens in the 361 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: text that I want to use to break this down. 362 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 1: Look at this in verse forty eight. It says he 363 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,239 Speaker 1: saw the disciples straining at the ords because the end 364 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: was against them. Shortly before dawn. He went out to 365 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: them walking on the lake. They didn't recognize and they 366 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: was like, yo, that's Denzel. Yo, you saw equalized it. 367 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: That was that was him out there. So I'm walking 368 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: on the lake. They thought it was a ghost. They 369 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: crowd out because they all saw him and were terrified. 370 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: This is it says immediately he spoke to them and said, 371 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 1: take courage. It is I don't be afraid this. This 372 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: really really leaped out to me because Jesus was close 373 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 1: enough for them to hear for them to hear his voice, 374 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 1: but they still didn't recognize him. This this really jumped 375 00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 1: out to me. And as I was studying, I was like, 376 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: you know what, no disciples, they need to get their 377 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:07,479 Speaker 1: eyes checked too. You know. So if I was an 378 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 1: optometrist and I went to school for a lot of years, 379 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: I would have learned about this eye chart, this eye 380 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 1: chart that that they used to be able to test 381 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: your So let me let me show you this eye chart. 382 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: This is called the Snelling eye chart. It's called the 383 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: Snelling eye chart. And doctor Snelling he used this eye 384 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: chart to be able to test a lot of different things. 385 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: Some of you just remembered when you find out you 386 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 1: were blind. When you saw this, you just were triggered 387 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:39,199 Speaker 1: by this. You were triggered by this. And and I 388 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 1: was studying, and there's there's a lot of different things 389 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 1: that it tests. It tests ey sharpness, it tests eye movement. 390 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 1: You see the green in the red line, It tests 391 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:52,399 Speaker 1: whether or not you're your color blind. So if you 392 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: didn't see a green in a red line, there you go. 393 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: And here's the thing that really stood out to me. 394 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: Stood out to me, is you see see that there's 395 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: there's ten e's, ten e's, ten e's on this I chart, 396 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: there's ten letter E'SE. There are ten letter ease and uh, 397 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: those of you that are trying to count them, if 398 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:19,679 Speaker 1: you did not see the big E up top, I 399 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:24,960 Speaker 1: want to make it home today. So please don't don't drive. 400 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: Okay if you can't see the big E. But all 401 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: the way from the top, all the way to the bottom, 402 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: there are ten e's on this chart. And you know, 403 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,199 Speaker 1: as I'm studying, as I'm preparing and I'm praying, I 404 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: kind of got frustrated. I was like, why am I 405 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,639 Speaker 1: going down this rabbit hole? Like why? Why? Why? You 406 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: know people are gonna be looking at me like I'm 407 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,400 Speaker 1: crazy talking about the E and I'm not an optometrist, 408 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: Like God, what are you doing? And something really really 409 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: jumped out to me. I was really really blessed by 410 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,159 Speaker 1: what God spoke to me. And because you know, the 411 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,360 Speaker 1: E is, when you look this up, is actually the 412 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 1: most common letter in the English alphabet, the ears used 413 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,479 Speaker 1: more than any other letter. And it has this vertical 414 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 1: line in this three straight lines, which makes it harder 415 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: sometimes to be able to see. And and so here 416 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: here's Here's what God told me to tell you today. 417 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: I want you to write this down. He told me 418 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 1: to tell you to look for E. Tell me to 419 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: tell you look, look look for E. Look for Tap. 420 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: Your neighbors say, look for E. Look for em. Now, 421 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about E Edwards who plays the guitar. 422 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about Erica or Eric. God really spoke 423 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: to me. He said, Hey, I need you to go 424 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: back a little bit to the Book of Matthew, and 425 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 1: you're going to go to chapter one, verse twenty three, 426 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: and you'll see who he is. Put it up on 427 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: the screens for me. It says its behold, a virgin 428 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, 429 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: and they shall call his name em Manuel, which being 430 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: interpreted as God with us. Hey, some of you you 431 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: know Jehovah, Jirah, you know Jehovah Nieci, But some of 432 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 1: you today you needed to learn about E. You needed 433 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 1: to know about Emmanuel, God with us. I don't care 434 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:25,359 Speaker 1: where you find yourself. You can look around and find Eve. 435 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: I don't know what situation you're going through. Don't matter 436 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: how high you are or how low you are, you 437 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: better look for Ee. Some of y'all still didn't get it, 438 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: So let me make it plain. Hey, put up wedding, 439 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: Put up wedding, put up wedding. Anybody engaged in the room. 440 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: Anybody engaged in the room. Hey, I'll see y'all see. Okay, Hey, 441 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: on your wedding day, ask the pastor that's officiating to 442 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: do the three strand coord braid, because on your wedding 443 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 1: day you better look free. You see, one quarter represents 444 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: the husband, one quarter represents the wife. But I will 445 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: on my marriage to have e woven through it. But 446 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: some of you enemy just start trying to speak to 447 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:09,719 Speaker 1: your ear. You're like, hey, but I just walk through 448 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: a divorce. Here's the thing I know about divorce is 449 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: when you get all the way, come on, put divorce 450 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: up on the screen. Oh, somebody helped me preach today 451 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: when I get all the way to the end of 452 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: that divorce. I was sitting with my friend this week 453 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: and he was telling me about walking through a divorce, 454 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: and he said, at the end of it all that 455 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: Jesus never left him, that Jesus never forgotten about him. 456 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: He still saw his goodness, he still saw his grace. 457 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: Some of you might be going through some sickness in 458 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 1: your body. I'm telling you, if you find yourself going 459 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: through sickness, at the end of sickness, there's an E. 460 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: But some of you are like, hey, I will find 461 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 1: God when I get healed. He's there too. He's there too. 462 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: He's there too. It's always reflect on this. This is I 463 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: was reflecting on this. I remember back in twenty twenty one. 464 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: This is probably one of the hardest seasons of me 465 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 1: and my family's life. Last time I preached, I shared 466 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,959 Speaker 1: a little bit about this, that my mother was in 467 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: a horrible accident. Matter of fact, my mother is still 468 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: in a coma to this day. And and and we 469 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: flew out to Arizona to be able to see and 470 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: it was all kinds of craziness going on. It was, 471 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,479 Speaker 1: I'm telling you it was. It was. It was hard experience, 472 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: probably the most difficult experience of my whole life. And 473 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,479 Speaker 1: I remember, I remember when we got there, we went 474 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: into these hospital rooms and going back and forth, and 475 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: it was a lot. It was a lot. The moment 476 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: I came back home, remember this is twenty twenty one. 477 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: Moment I came back home, I wasn't even home a week. 478 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 1: I ended up catching COVID, and and when I got COVID, 479 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: it didn't get better. It kept getting worse. My oxygen 480 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: level had dropped all the way down to eighty nine. 481 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 1: And my wife looked at me and she said, you 482 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: go to the doctor. Men go to the doctor. Not 483 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: gonna be more elegant and than that. Goo. Go to 484 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 1: the doctor. Yes you're in God's hands, but yes it's 485 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: the doctor's in God's hands too. So I'm hying if 486 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,480 Speaker 1: you haven't going to get a yearly check up in 487 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: some years. I went to the doctor. I went to 488 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 1: the doctor. Finally, I went to the doctor. Mary, She's 489 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: gonna have to go. My oxygen level wouldn't go up. 490 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: And the doctor looked at me and he said, hey, listen, 491 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:39,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna have to keep you overnight. I'm gonna have 492 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: to keep you overnight. So I got oxygen and I'm 493 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: telling you. He closed the door. I start speaking and something, 494 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:47,840 Speaker 1: I'm getting out of here. There, Hallelujah, thank you God, 495 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: shout out like sheesus, I need you. I'm getting out 496 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 1: of here. I started remember Pastor Stephens prayers. I was like, 497 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: I've breathe you in Holy spirit, and your strength comes 498 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 1: suddenly I'm doing them all. I'm doing all I mean. 499 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm getting out of this hospital room. I'm 500 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: getting out of this hospital room. It was scary. It 501 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: was scary. It was scary. But God spoke to me. 502 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 1: Because I had seen more hospital rooms and more than 503 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: I had seen in my whole life. God spoke to me. 504 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: He says, you know what, every time you walked into 505 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: the hospital, there was a word on the door that 506 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 1: said entrance. I said. Every time you walked out, that 507 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: was a word that said exit. And here's the thing 508 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 1: that God showed me. It doesn't matter what you're walking into, 509 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter what you're walking out of. At every entrance, 510 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 1: in every exit, there is an eed. Hey listen, he listen. 511 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 1: I feel faith rising. If you're missing it, I'm so sorry. 512 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: You better look free. That's the lens. That's the lens 513 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: that you need to look through. There's no situation that 514 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: you'll find yourself in that you won't be able to 515 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 1: find your God. He'll never leave you, he'll never forsake you. 516 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: You gotta look for him. You need a frame, You 517 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: need a lens. The frame gives strength, the lens gives sight. 518 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: But all of that school, God minister to me. I 519 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 1: hope that minister to you. But that wasn't the biggest 520 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 1: thing that God showed me in the text. Can I 521 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:39,239 Speaker 1: show you, can I show you, can I show you. 522 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: The thing that really stood out to me was that 523 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: verse forty five. Put verse forty five up on the screen. 524 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: Put verse forty five up on the screen. Immediately, Jesus 525 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: made his disciples get into the boat and go on 526 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 1: ahead of him to best say that while he dismissed 527 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 1: the crowd forty six forty six, forty six forty six 528 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: after leaving, after leaving them, he went up on a 529 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 1: mountain side to pray. I wonder what Jesus was praying 530 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 1: on the side of that mountain as he climbed up 531 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 1: that mountain. I wonder what Jesus was praying. I wonder 532 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 1: what he was praying for. I think he was praying 533 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 1: for the disciples. I think he was praying that God 534 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: would give him strength. I think he was praying that 535 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:32,480 Speaker 1: they wouldn't give up. I think he was just praying 536 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: for them. But he went way up, way up, way up, 537 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,759 Speaker 1: way up on top of this mountain. Says that he 538 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 1: was on a mountain side praying your praying man right, 539 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: Praise God, Praise God. God knew I needed to pick 540 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:50,720 Speaker 1: this side. Jesus was up on the mountain side praying 541 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:53,680 Speaker 1: forty six, forty seven, let me see it, let me 542 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 1: see it. Later that night the boat was in the 543 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 1: middle of the lake and he was alone on land 544 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: forty eight he saw the disciples straining at the oars. 545 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:18,600 Speaker 1: That really blessed me because maybe this message isn't about 546 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: my sight. Maybe it's about Jesus. Remember, they had been 547 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: out there rowing for a long time, at least five hours, 548 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: into the middle of the lake, and Jesus is on 549 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:43,960 Speaker 1: top of this mountain, the mountain side praying. This blessed 550 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 1: me because it says he saw them. God wanted me 551 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 1: to tell somebody it doesn't matter how far you think 552 00:35:52,200 --> 00:36:02,440 Speaker 1: you are from God. He sees you. You you may have 553 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 1: to strain to see Jesus. He's never taking his eyes 554 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: off of you. And Proverbs, as this versus says, for 555 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: the people perish for a lack of vision. I've always 556 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: heard that and I was like, have a vision, have 557 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 1: a vision for your life. But when God was ministering 558 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:30,080 Speaker 1: to me today, I realized that I love that my 559 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:36,839 Speaker 1: life isn't built on my vision. I wist sit down 560 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 1: until they stand up and get the fact that it 561 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:47,279 Speaker 1: wasn't based on my vision. But it's his vision. That's 562 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 1: the only way that you won't perish. That's the only 563 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: way that you won't fall. Your sight may fail you. 564 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: But I praise God today that he's not straining to 565 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 1: see me. He's not straining to see you. Healed, He's 566 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:06,279 Speaker 1: not straining to see you all. He's not straining to 567 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 1: see you. Pleased, hallelujah, Thank you Jesus, all your neighbor. 568 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 1: Thank God for seeing me, thank God for seeing me. 569 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:24,520 Speaker 1: Stand up. I'm getting ready. I'm getting ready. I'm getting ready. 570 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 1: I'm getting ready to close. It's Father's Day. And as 571 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 1: I was, God just leaped to me and I saw, 572 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:35,719 Speaker 1: I saw this, and he said, hey, good, take them, 573 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 1: Take them to Luke. Take them to Luke Chapter eighteen, 574 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:41,560 Speaker 1: because I want you to see the father's loving this. 575 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:45,720 Speaker 1: Some of you I may know this story, the story 576 00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 1: of the prodigal Son. They're actually two sons, and the 577 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:55,480 Speaker 1: younger son asked his father for his inheritance. She says, 578 00:37:55,480 --> 00:38:00,319 Speaker 1: he give me my inheritance, and he ran off and 579 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:02,840 Speaker 1: it says that he squandered it all. Another way to 580 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 1: say he lost it all. He fumbled it all and 581 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:10,759 Speaker 1: got so bad that he's sitting in a pig pin 582 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: and he's so hungry that he wants to fill his 583 00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: belly with the pods that the pig eat. It's a 584 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,719 Speaker 1: low place. Some of you are like, I'm in a 585 00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:26,040 Speaker 1: low place, and I don't think he can see me 586 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:29,360 Speaker 1: that low. Some of you think the only way that 587 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:32,840 Speaker 1: he can see you is when you're standing up. But 588 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:34,719 Speaker 1: I love that he sees me when I might be 589 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 1: laying down and I don't know if I can get up. 590 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:43,799 Speaker 1: I thank God he sees me, and it's like nothing. 591 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: Put the verse on the screen. Put the first on 592 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 1: sc He says, I will set out and return to 593 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:53,200 Speaker 1: my brother and say the verse before this. I don't 594 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:54,399 Speaker 1: know if I gave it to him, but it said 595 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:58,520 Speaker 1: he came to a census. It's like he took the 596 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 1: crowd out of the middle of his That's what God's 597 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:07,920 Speaker 1: doing for some of you today. He came to a census. 598 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 1: Hold up, hold up, hold on. I can go back 599 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,359 Speaker 1: to my father's house. I can go back to my father. 600 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:17,400 Speaker 1: This is what blessed me. I'll said out, and I 601 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:19,760 Speaker 1: go back to my father's house and I'll say them, father, 602 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 1: I have sinned against you when he came to a since, yep, okay, 603 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:27,319 Speaker 1: I got you. Y'all went back and got the verse 604 00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:29,000 Speaker 1: for me. Y'all are amazing. Can we thank God for 605 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 1: the production team? Go to verse nineteen. Go to verse nineteen. 606 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,319 Speaker 1: He says, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 607 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:42,560 Speaker 1: Make me like one of your highest servants. Twenty. So 608 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:47,319 Speaker 1: he got up and he went to his father. But 609 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 1: while he was still up alone way off, how far 610 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:01,040 Speaker 1: look this blessed me. He blessed me because I saw 611 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:03,960 Speaker 1: Jesus up on the mountains side. And then I saw 612 00:40:04,040 --> 00:40:07,319 Speaker 1: his father sitting maybe on his porch. And while he 613 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:11,720 Speaker 1: was a long way, the son couldn't see his father yet, 614 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,239 Speaker 1: but the father sure saw his son. And I loved 615 00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:18,239 Speaker 1: what happened. While he was a long way off, his 616 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:21,879 Speaker 1: father saw him. He was filled with compassion for him, 617 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:29,399 Speaker 1: and he ran. He ran, He ran to his son. Hey, 618 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:31,319 Speaker 1: some of you went to a Pentecostal church and they 619 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 1: was running around the church praising God. But hey, some 620 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:39,160 Speaker 1: of you are like, I'm too tired to run. I'm 621 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:41,560 Speaker 1: too tired to run. When you're too tired to run, 622 00:40:41,719 --> 00:40:47,520 Speaker 1: he ran to you. He ran to you. Here's the thing. 623 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 1: Some of you saw God as he was just sitting 624 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:56,680 Speaker 1: there watching. Watching and seeing is two different things. I 625 00:40:56,719 --> 00:40:58,600 Speaker 1: thank God that I don't have a God that just 626 00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:01,759 Speaker 1: is watching over me, but that sees me, and he 627 00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:04,400 Speaker 1: has compassion for me, and then he runs towards me 628 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:07,359 Speaker 1: when I need him the most. I thank God for 629 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 1: seeing me. Then, just to typos, everybody's standing, everybody's standing, 630 00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:23,440 Speaker 1: everybody's standing Hebrews twelve, Verses one and two. It's just 631 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:31,640 Speaker 1: put everything into perspective for me. Here's what it says. Therefore, 632 00:41:33,239 --> 00:41:37,160 Speaker 1: since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 633 00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:41,200 Speaker 1: let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin 634 00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:45,560 Speaker 1: that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance 635 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:49,080 Speaker 1: the race marked out for us. What does it say, 636 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:55,520 Speaker 1: fixing our eyes on Jesus to your neighbor, you better 637 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:57,879 Speaker 1: look for E. You better look for E. You better 638 00:41:57,920 --> 00:42:02,920 Speaker 1: look for Eve. They here and perfector of our faith 639 00:42:04,560 --> 00:42:10,920 Speaker 1: the joy set before him. He endured the cross, scorning 640 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:15,880 Speaker 1: its shame, and sat down at the right at the 641 00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:18,040 Speaker 1: throne of God at the right hand of the throne 642 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:25,919 Speaker 1: of God. What a picture of my sight in God's sight. 643 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:33,920 Speaker 1: It's blessing me Church, because maybe maybe he was straining 644 00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:37,520 Speaker 1: to see me. Because it says where the joy set 645 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:48,399 Speaker 1: before him, he endured the cross, that that cross wasn't easy, 646 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:55,760 Speaker 1: and on that cross he had pain. On that cross. 647 00:42:57,160 --> 00:43:02,759 Speaker 1: The pierced his side on that cross. They mocked him 648 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:07,400 Speaker 1: on that cross. They spitted him. On that cross. He 649 00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:11,920 Speaker 1: was straining to take his loudice breath. But this gives 650 00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:14,319 Speaker 1: this blessed to me, he says. But the joy sat 651 00:43:14,440 --> 00:43:19,799 Speaker 1: before him while he was straining. He was seeing you 652 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:24,560 Speaker 1: saved while he was straining. He was seeing you delivered. 653 00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:29,360 Speaker 1: While he was straining. He saw you with hope. While 654 00:43:29,640 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: he was straining. He saw you with peace. While he 655 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:42,640 Speaker 1: was straining, he saw you. I'm gonna give an invitation, 656 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:47,480 Speaker 1: But maybe some of you are like, hey, why were 657 00:43:47,520 --> 00:43:50,799 Speaker 1: they going to Best Saida in the first place? Why 658 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:55,000 Speaker 1: was he so bent on them making them go to 659 00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:59,120 Speaker 1: best Sayda? They don't get to best Sada until chapter eight. 660 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:03,600 Speaker 1: And guess who was waiting on that waiting there for him? 661 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:13,640 Speaker 1: There was a bond man. There was a bond man. 662 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:19,560 Speaker 1: Maybe you're here today. And the reason why I strained studying, 663 00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:24,080 Speaker 1: I couldn't sleep well last night is because you were bond. 664 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:29,000 Speaker 1: You couldn't see. And today God was just feeling back 665 00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:33,080 Speaker 1: the scales over your eyes and he wanted you to 666 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:36,960 Speaker 1: see him. He wanted you to see his love. So 667 00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:39,839 Speaker 1: every one of our campuses, everybody's standing, where you're at, 668 00:44:39,840 --> 00:44:42,920 Speaker 1: if you're a home ony fam if you're everybody's standing, 669 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:46,960 Speaker 1: want you to bow your head, close your eyes, no 670 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:52,120 Speaker 1: one moving, no one moving. If you're here today and 671 00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:54,560 Speaker 1: you don't have a relationship with Jesus, you've never given 672 00:44:54,600 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 1: your life to him. For the first time you have 673 00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:02,560 Speaker 1: experienced God not on the door of your heart, you 674 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:07,560 Speaker 1: realize he's not just watching you. He sees you, not 675 00:45:07,600 --> 00:45:09,759 Speaker 1: only that he went to a cross to die for you. 676 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:12,440 Speaker 1: I want to give you an opportunity to give your 677 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,719 Speaker 1: life to Jesus today. Or maybe you're here today and 678 00:45:15,719 --> 00:45:17,359 Speaker 1: you used to walk with God. You used to talk 679 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:19,600 Speaker 1: with God, but you walked away from the faith. I 680 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:21,160 Speaker 1: want to give you a moment to come back home. 681 00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:24,040 Speaker 1: We're going to say this prayer together as a church 682 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:26,480 Speaker 1: family for the benefit of those coming to God. Everyone 683 00:45:26,520 --> 00:45:29,640 Speaker 1: to repeat after me, say I believe that Jesus Christ 684 00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:33,040 Speaker 1: is the son of God, that he died on a 685 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:36,600 Speaker 1: cross and a rose from the grave to forgive me 686 00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:40,239 Speaker 1: and my sins. So I'll give you my sins, I 687 00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:44,479 Speaker 1: give you my shame, and from this day forward I'll 688 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:50,279 Speaker 1: follow you. This is my new beginning. I am a 689 00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:54,640 Speaker 1: child of God. Oh he's about all os closed. If 690 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,319 Speaker 1: you just said that prayer, you meant it making good 691 00:45:57,320 --> 00:45:59,480 Speaker 1: decision to put your faith in Jesus or you're coming 692 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:01,680 Speaker 1: back to him. I'm gonna count to three, and when 693 00:46:01,719 --> 00:46:03,480 Speaker 1: I get to three, I want you to shoot your 694 00:46:03,480 --> 00:46:06,200 Speaker 1: hand up boldly so we can celebrate this moment with you. 695 00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:09,719 Speaker 1: Here we go one, two, three, shoot your hand up. 696 00:46:09,719 --> 00:46:13,560 Speaker 1: If you're making good decisions to where your faith in Jesus. 697 00:46:14,480 --> 00:46:18,600 Speaker 1: Come on, Come on, Doug. God bless you, God blets you. 698 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:23,879 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. 699 00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:26,640 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 700 00:46:26,719 --> 00:46:30,200 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 701 00:46:30,640 --> 00:46:33,200 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give now, 702 00:46:33,719 --> 00:46:37,600 Speaker 2: or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information. 703 00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:41,279 Speaker 1: And if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You 704 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:42,520 Speaker 1: can share it with your friends. 705 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:45,080 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 706 00:46:45,120 --> 00:46:47,239 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 707 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:48,120 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 708 00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:49,840 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. God bless you.