1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,640 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 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,480 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 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. Amen. 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: The Bible says that when Moses had crossed over the 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: Red Sea with the Nation, he stretched his staff back 8 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: over the sea, the same sea that the nation had 9 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: just passed through, and that sea collapsed on their enemies, 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: killing every last Egyptian horse, killing every last one of 11 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: Pharaoh's chariots, rusting the wheels right off of Pharaoh's chariots. 12 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: And we believe that we are in a season today 13 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: where God has the ability, if we have the faith 14 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: to believe that He is about to flip the flow. 15 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: And that's my new series for the New Year. Touch 16 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: somebody say, God's about to flip it. God's about to 17 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: flip it. Amen. Amen. Amen, you know that sermon series 18 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: is from God because He gave it to me and TGI. 19 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: Fridays in the Miami Airport, I was reading from my 20 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: New Year's Eve sermon called Come Through dripping, and the 21 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: Lord told me to tell you to flip the flow 22 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: and to focus on different things this year. And so 23 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: we will work through these challenges together. We'll sit down, 24 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: we should get started. It's going to be a great 25 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 1: year in God's house. How many believe that. Welcome to 26 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: all of our locations and our epham around the world. 27 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: We thank God for you this year. From this house, 28 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: we declare that healing will flow, that restoration will flow, 29 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: that wisdom will flow, that the treasures of the Lord 30 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: will flow, that friendship will flow. We believe great things 31 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: are coming your way in twenty nineteen. This is the 32 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: year where you stop coming to church for what can 33 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: I get out of it? But what can I bring 34 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: to it? I brought God a praise today, a sacrifice 35 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name. 36 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: I brought it to Blakeney. I brought it to Matthews. 37 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: I brought it to Riverwalk. I brought it to my kitchen. 38 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: I brought it to my living room. I brought it 39 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: into the hospital. I brought a break touch. Somebody tell 40 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: him bring it this year. Nay, hey man, we are 41 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: so excited. Please be seated. Front three rows we are 42 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: so excited to flip the flow. Amen, And so we 43 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: want to go over to the New Testament Book of Matthew, 44 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: which parallels so nicely the Ministry of Moses and gives 45 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: us great continuity. Did you get a chance to listen 46 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: to the New Year's Eve sermon? If you did make 47 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: some noise? That thing is online for free. You don't 48 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: even have to buy a VHS tape. You can stream 49 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: it at Elevation Church dot org. And I keep on 50 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: rewriting my sermons, so I've got a lot of different 51 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 1: notes up here. And you'll bear with me for a 52 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: moment while I'm doing this. You go to Matthew fifteen 53 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: in your Bible, please, whether by digital device or the 54 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: old school. This Bible I call fat Cat. See how 55 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: big this Bible is. Abby gave it that name. She said, 56 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: I love fat Cat. I said, what's fat Cat? She said, 57 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 1: it's that big bible you preach from. And what I 58 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: do for my kids every seven years, I retire a 59 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: Bible from preaching, and then I saved it for them, 60 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: and so Elijah got the first one. And Abby knows 61 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: that this is her Bible, so she named it fat Cat. 62 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: And what I'm going to do. She's not in here. 63 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:33,959 Speaker 1: She was in here for the worship today. She wanted 64 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: to hear that new song that was saying, your love 65 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: won't give up on me. And she wanted to come 66 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: in and hear that song because she heard us working 67 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: on it, and she wanted to hear how it turned out. 68 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna put a cat on the front of 69 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: the Bible before I give it to her. I don't 70 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: know if that's unholy or anything like that, but I'm 71 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: gonna put a cat on it for my daughter. But 72 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: right now, take your Bible and turn to Matthew chapter fifteen, 73 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: and we're going to see Jesus and how he found 74 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: himself in an encounter not with the Red Sea, but 75 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: with the Pharisees. Yeah, that's really premium preacher humor right there, 76 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: new year, same old corny jokes. In Matthew chapter fifteen, 77 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 1: verse ten, Jesus is going to show us how to 78 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: flip it. You're ready? Are you ready? Jesus called the 79 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: crowd to him and said, listen and understand, what goes 80 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes 81 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: out of their mouth that is what defiles them. Then 82 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: the disciples came to him and asked, do you know 83 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this. Did 84 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: you look at the comments section of that post, Jesus, 85 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: where you said, what goes into someone's mouth does not 86 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: defile them, but what comes out of the mouth, that's 87 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: what defiles them. And Jesus replied verse thirteen, every plant 88 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled 89 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: out or plocked by the roots. Leave them, you know, 90 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: you need to do this year with some of the 91 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 1: stuff that you argued with last year and fought against 92 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: last year. Touch somebody say, leave it alone because they 93 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:20,239 Speaker 1: are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both 94 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: will fall into a pit unless they have a bird box. 95 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: And Peter said, explain, settle down, explain the parable to us. 96 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,559 Speaker 1: You're still so dull, Jesus asked him. Don't you see, 97 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: key phraise, don't you see? And the issue is that 98 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: they don't. They see only the surface. And Jesus now 99 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: reveals what cannot be understood with naturalize that whatever enters 100 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of 101 00:05:54,920 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: the body. What a vivid illustration. But the things that 102 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,559 Speaker 1: come out of a person's mouth, come from the heart, 103 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: and these defile them. For out of the heart come 104 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: evil thoughts, murder, adultrey, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 105 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: I think he got all of us by the time 106 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: he finished that list. These are what defile a person. 107 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: Eating with unwashed hands. It's gross, it's disgusting, it's unsanitary. 108 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 1: It's against the law if you work in a restaurant. 109 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: But eating with unwashed hands does not defile them. Touch 110 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: the person next you tell them flip it. Don't fix 111 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: things this year at the surface level. Don't fix things 112 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: this year at the level that you see the problem. 113 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: Seek the Lord and ask him to show you where 114 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 1: the sewage starts. Instead of just cleaning up crap all year, 115 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: ask God to show you where it starts. And here's 116 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: the interesting thing. And I won't preach long for this 117 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: opening sermon because we're going to be on this topic 118 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: for the whole month. So we'll just move in the 119 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: right direction today, and I pray that you'll make attendance 120 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: a priority this year. Is that where something comes out 121 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: is not usually where it comes from. That's what Jesus 122 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: was getting at with the Pharisees because they were offended, 123 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: and so he took their offense as an opportunity to 124 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: talk about the origin, and then he shared a little 125 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: bit about the outcome. And those are my three points 126 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: for today. Just in case you have to leave early 127 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: to watch a playoff game. I'll give you all three 128 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: up top offense, origin, outcome, and may this year be 129 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: the year that you take notes in church with the 130 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: elevation pen that our Tith's generously provided for you. Three 131 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: points the offense, the origin, and the outcome the offenses 132 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: this the Pharisees have caught Jesus disciples eating without any 133 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: hand sanitizer, eating without any purel eating without obeying their 134 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: oral tradition that before you eat the meal, you've got 135 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: to wash your hands. And I want you to watch 136 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: how Jesus flips it, because what we tend to do, 137 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: like the Pharisees, who were religious separatists, who felt the 138 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: need to identify their righteousness by appearance, because it's much 139 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: easier to do that than to cultivate righteousness through love 140 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: and compassion and selflessness. I'm saying something today, y'all, and 141 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: in fixing it at the level that it can be seen, 142 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: they fix it in a way that does not produce 143 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: or sustain real change. But Jesus is about to flip it, 144 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: and he does this every time the Pharisees challenge him. Now, 145 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 1: these Pharisees came to him, and they came all the 146 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,319 Speaker 1: way from Jerusalem. Look back at verse one, it says 147 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: that some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to 148 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 1: Jesus from Jerusalem. These are the major leaguers. These are 149 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: not the double a Pharisees. This is not the farm team. 150 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: This is the big boys. And they come to Jesus 151 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: and they ask, why do your disciples break the tradition 152 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat. 153 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: What's the question, why do your disciples break the tradition 154 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: of the elders? If you came to church last year, 155 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: you learned that Jesus is not only a savior, but 156 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: he also has the ability to be a savage. So 157 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: watch what he does. He takes their question why do 158 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 1: your disciples break tradition? And in verse three, Jesus replied, 159 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: why do you break the command of God for the 160 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: sake of your tradition? And God wants to know which 161 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: one is more important, the traditions of men or the 162 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: truth of God. And it's about time for some of 163 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: us to decide, are we going to spend this whole 164 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: year living out of tradition or living according to truth? 165 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: A challenger this year to flip it. It is so 166 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:26,359 Speaker 1: easy to live with an invisible belief system that regulates 167 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: your responses in situations and even your ideas of what 168 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: is possible in your life. An unquestioned belief system is 169 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: a dangerous thing. The phrases are significant because the Pharisees 170 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: are talking about the traditions of the elders, and Jesus 171 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: is talking about the command of God. One is tradition, 172 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 1: one is truth. And a lot of times we don't 173 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: know the difference, because for some of us we give 174 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: more attention to our traditions than we do to God's truth. 175 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: Now give you an example, may I Sometimes people would 176 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: rather I've noticed this, They would rather argue about things 177 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: that they don't agree about than work together on things 178 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: that they do agree about. Can I get you another example. 179 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: Sometimes in my life, ways of thinking have been handed 180 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: down to me, not necessarily by my parents I love you, mom, 181 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: but just by the culture that I live in, and 182 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: I never stopped the question where did this come from? 183 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 1: I want you to write that phrase down, if you're 184 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: the writing type, Where did this come from? Is this 185 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: really from God? What an excellent question to start our 186 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: year with? Where did this come from? Because where it 187 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 1: comes out is not usually where it comes from. And 188 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: sometimes we are living out scripts that we have not 189 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: even identified the author of. To wonder, why do I 190 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 1: think it has to be done this way? Why do 191 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: I assume that this is all I can be? Why 192 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: have I told myself the story that everyone in my 193 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: family was this way and I'm going to be this 194 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: way too, and it's just a generational curse or a 195 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: genetic defect. Why have I believed that up until this 196 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,599 Speaker 1: point it can't change, so it never will. This is 197 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 1: when I live according to tradition rather than truth. But 198 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: this is the year to flip it. Somebody shout, this 199 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: is the year to flip it. And this year I'm 200 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: not letting my truth flow from my tradition. I want 201 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 1: my tradition to flow from truth. That is, I want 202 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:47,319 Speaker 1: my life to reflect my values, not necessarily my habits 203 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: up until this point in time, and Jesus is so 204 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: brilliant in the way that he flips their tradition and 205 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: says that you are actually using God as a cover 206 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: up for your dysfunctional behavior. But he has the ability 207 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: to flip it because he is truth. See, they're talking 208 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: about truth. He embodies truth. They think they know the truth. 209 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,839 Speaker 1: He is the truth, the Way, the truth, and the life. 210 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: They study the Word of God. He is the Word 211 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: of God. They live in creation. He is the creator. See, 212 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: where he's coming from is different than where they're coming from. 213 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: So what he knows is different than what they think. 214 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: And his insight is greater than their opinion. And that's 215 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: why I want to know God's heart this year. God's thoughts, 216 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 1: his ways are higher than my ways. His thoughts are hot, 217 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: you can shout in the back of the room. His 218 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: thoughts are higher than my thoughts. So this is my 219 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: year to ask the question about what I believe and 220 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: the behaviors I've embraced. Where is this come from? That's 221 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: the origin the offense is this, they're not washing their hands. Well, 222 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: God never told the people you have to wash your 223 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: hands every time you eat. That's great for Osha, but 224 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: from God, it's great for your health, your well being. 225 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: But it's not in the Bible. It's in the tradition 226 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: because the elders would take the Law of Moses, and 227 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: then they would put layers on the law and layers 228 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 1: on the law, and so they passed it around by 229 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: word of mouth, and so they kind of started thinking 230 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: what they thought God meant by stuff, and they started 231 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: interpreting it according to their religious vantage point. And by 232 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: the time that Jesus showed up on the scene, there 233 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: were so many layers on top of the truth nobody 234 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 1: could get to it. That's why he had to come 235 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: to show us that the word became flesh and dwelt 236 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: among us full of grace and truth. Am I talking 237 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: all right this year? Flip the flowe and start with 238 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: what God says, what you see, because if I spend 239 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: this whole year fixing stuff at the level where I 240 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: can see it, Jesus said, it doesn't even work that 241 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: way in the human body. It doesn't. You put it 242 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: in your mouth. And I don't mean to be offensive here. 243 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: I mean Jesus was offensive, but I don't want to be. 244 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: But Jesus said, you put it in your mouth, but 245 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: it doesn't come out of your mouth. Do you get 246 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: the picture or shaw I continue. I mean, occasionally it 247 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: comes back out of your mouth, but typically, unless something 248 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: is really wrong, it doesn't come out where it went in. 249 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: It doesn't come out in the same place that it 250 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: came from. I've noticed this is true in so many 251 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: of the areas of my life where I'm trying to 252 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: see change and improvement, even in the area of my anger. 253 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: I wonder sometimes when I'm driving down the road and 254 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: something comes over me, a demon called legion comes over me, 255 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: and I will think to myself, there is no way 256 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: that that woman, that seventy three year old woman's turn 257 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: signal could have made me as mad as I just got. 258 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: I mean, if she were in my church, I would 259 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: hug that woman. And here I am thinking thoughts about 260 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: this woman, maybe saying some words about this woman, in 261 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: the safety of the sanctuary of my vehicle, and I've 262 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 1: been wondering, where does this come from? You know, that's 263 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: a great question to ask about the stuff in your life, 264 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 1: if we can it that way. Jesus said, it goes 265 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 1: in your mouth one way, but it comes out in 266 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: a different form. And a good question to ask about 267 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: that stuff in your life is where did it come from. 268 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: How did I How did I take that out on 269 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: somebody who didn't even do anything to me? See, because 270 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: usually where it comes out is not where it comes from. 271 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: We don't usually get angry and lose our temper with 272 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: people who were actually mad at We lose our temper 273 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:42,120 Speaker 1: with people who we know will forgive us. And now 274 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 1: you're taking out something on the people that you love 275 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: the most. But where it's coming out is different than 276 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: where it's coming from. And if we don't get honest 277 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: about what we need from God this year, we will 278 00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:00,360 Speaker 1: spend yet another year mopping up the floor without finding 279 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 1: the pipe that was busted that was causing the leak 280 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: to begin with. Come on, you know, this is the truth. 281 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,439 Speaker 1: A lot of times, when I'm angry, it's not really 282 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: even that I'm angry, It's that I'm afraid. And rather 283 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 1: than be vulnerable in my fear, I'd rather express my 284 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: fear through anger as a protective mechanism. And so I'm 285 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: trying to work on my temper. But really what I 286 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 1: need to work on is my trust, because if I 287 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: trusted God more, I wouldn't be afraid, And if I 288 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 1: wasn't afraid, I wouldn't find an expression of anger. Where's 289 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: this coming from. It's great to make a list at 290 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: the beginning of the year of the things that you'd 291 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: like to do differently, but it's better to find out 292 00:18:55,760 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: where it's coming from. Just recreate a different issue that 293 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 1: was caused by the same disease, because you only learn 294 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 1: to take ibuprofen for the symptoms, but you never underwent 295 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 1: the surgery to understand some of the beliefs beneath the behavior. 296 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:26,880 Speaker 1: Even in relating to people, I have to remember that 297 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: even the way they're treating me might not be a 298 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: reflection of how they feel about me. It might be 299 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: a reflection of how they feel about themselves. It might 300 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: be a reflection of what they're dealing with in their 301 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: own time alone in the way that they push me away. 302 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 1: And that's why you really got to be careful not 303 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: to let rejection take root in your heart, because sometimes 304 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: people are pushing you away not because of anything that 305 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: is undesirable about you, but it's actually that the person 306 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,640 Speaker 1: finds themselves so on desirable that they don't know how 307 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: to let anyone get close, Because to let anybody close 308 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: carries a risk with it that they will be seen 309 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: and found out to be less than which they already 310 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: believe that they are. And you are spending all of 311 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: your time trying to love someone who is unable to 312 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 1: receive your love, and the rejection is not proof of 313 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: your defection. It is proof of something in their own life. 314 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: But where it shows up is not necessarily where it starts. 315 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: And Jesus knew that. He knew that, which is why 316 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 1: he didn't go back and forth with these pharisees. He 317 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: knew better. He knew where he came from, and he 318 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: knew that every plant that my father does not plant 319 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 1: will be plucked up. So he knew that where it 320 00:20:55,720 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: comes from determines how it comes out. Reach a little 321 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 1: bit today. I know you've got a lot on your minds, 322 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: and you've got to pack lunches for the kids and 323 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: get back to school, and I know all of that, 324 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: but I want to stop and ask the question today, 325 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:16,719 Speaker 1: where did it come from? And in my life, so 326 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 1: often I have been dealing with things at the level 327 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: of visibility. And because I'm dealing with things at the 328 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: level of Jesus takes us inside. He says, when food 329 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: goes into the stomach and comes out the body. It 330 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: is like a thought that goes in the heart and 331 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: comes out the mouth. He's making an analogy, and there's 332 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: not a lot of scientific, you know, explanation. It's not 333 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 1: a biology lesson necessarily. He's not going into the small 334 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: intestine and the secretion of the fluids of the kidney 335 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: and the pancreas. Did that make any sense? But he's 336 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: giving us something to understand about how we metabolize our 337 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 1: thoughts and our lives and even our disappointments and our failures. 338 00:21:57,920 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: And I think it's so valuable because a lot of 339 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: started this year counting calories, counting carbs. Some of y'all 340 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: are on paleo and keto and counting macros. I still 341 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 1: don't know what macros are, but I heard a lot 342 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: of people have been counting them. And I wish you 343 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: the best with that, because we all got to count something. 344 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: We've all got to count something, or we're gonna keep 345 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: counting our waistline as it expands, like the prayer of 346 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: Jabez and God enlarges your territory. I gotta count something 347 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: at some point. Like when I first married Holly, she 348 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,679 Speaker 1: started the demon of fried Rice came into our house 349 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: like how everything's a demon today. The demon of Dorito's 350 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: got in our house. And when I got to size 351 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: thirty eight and it was bulging. I mean I had 352 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: a graded belt stretched across those size thirty eights and 353 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 1: I started size thirty eighteen months later, I said, I 354 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: gotta start counting carbs. I gotta start eating bacon. I 355 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 1: gotta get a healthy alternative. I gotta get the act 356 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: His diet. I gotta have a low carb lifestyle. And 357 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: you know what the Lord told me last year, because 358 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,159 Speaker 1: I was letting all this toxic talk and toxic thoughts 359 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 1: just get all in my spirit, and it had got 360 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: me to a real dark place. And God said, if 361 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: you would count your complaints like you count your carbs. 362 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: And it's funny because the majority of things we think 363 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 1: we need to do better this year have to do 364 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,359 Speaker 1: with putting stuff in our mouth. What we put in 365 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 1: our mouth, and maybe you do need to stop putting 366 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: some stuff in your mouth, but maybe the priority, flip 367 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: the flow, is what you put in your heart, because 368 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: where it comes from determines where it comes out. Now, 369 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: I'm not telling you what movies to watch or what 370 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: music to listen to this year I'm not that kind 371 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 1: of preacher. In fact, I think sometimes some of the 372 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: stuff that we put in our heart that hurts us 373 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 1: the most has nothing to do with bad words. Man, 374 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: I've heard I've heard Pagans speak a word of God 375 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 1: with bad language in it, and Christians curse without saying 376 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: a single four letter word. I've heard Christians say some 377 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:27,640 Speaker 1: of the most hateful, judgmental, fear inducing condemnation you've ever 378 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: heard in your life. And listen, this year, I'm guarding 379 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: my heart. And I don't mean that. I'm not watching Netflix, 380 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: and I don't mean That's not what I'm talking about. 381 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about reading the Old Testament before next Sunday. 382 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: I'm talking about really paying attention to the types of 383 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: a pattern of thought that you allow your heart to digest, 384 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 1: because your spirit has a digestive system. Jesus said, his 385 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: out your heart. That's causing you the real problem. You know, 386 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 1: Pharisees are like offended Jesus because you said that they 387 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,199 Speaker 1: don't have to wash their hands before they eat. Well 388 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: they don't. Only Aaron and the priests had to wash 389 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: their hands. But they put traditions on top of truth 390 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 1: and made it something that was never supposed to be. 391 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 1: You can wash your hands all you want. You can 392 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: break out your hands sanitizer every time pastor says touch 393 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: your neighbor and squirt it on. You know. I was 394 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: so offended the other day somebody came up to meet 395 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: me and they introduced themselves and they shook my hand. 396 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: I watched them walk away squirting stuff all over their hands. 397 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, hey, I didn't even want to talk 398 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 1: to you. Don't you wish they made heart sanitizer for 399 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: some of these people that we have to deal with, 400 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:55,359 Speaker 1: for some of these these thoughts, some of these memories, 401 00:25:55,400 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: some of these habits. Wouldn't that be? Can that be marketable? 402 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 1: I know how to wash my hands. I know how 403 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:11,239 Speaker 1: to make people think I'm doing okay. I know I 404 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: know how to smile and say I'm fine. I know 405 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: how to crop the picture twelve times and post hashtag. 406 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: Woke up like this. I know how to I know 407 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: how to wash my hands, But how do I wash 408 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: my heart? And this is where Jesus is greater than Moses. 409 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 1: Moses went up the mountain and came down with the law. 410 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: Jesus went up on a mountain and taught a sermon 411 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,679 Speaker 1: and said, I didn't come to abolish the law, but 412 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 1: I came to fulfill it. I didn't come to do 413 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: away with it. I didn't. I didn't come so that 414 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 1: the law would not exist. I came so that I 415 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: could flip it and watch this, that the righteous requirements 416 00:26:56,119 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: of the law might be fully met. In us bias. 417 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: For you to start this year thinking that there's a 418 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 1: future version of you that God will like more, or 419 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: a future version of you that can be happier, is 420 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: to negate the very nature of the grace you came 421 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 1: to celebrate. Because Jesus came not to require righteousness, but 422 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 1: to enable righteousness. That's what the cross was. You understand 423 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: that when Jesus died on the cross, the angels did 424 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 1: not get nervous in heaven. The angels didn't wring their 425 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 1: hands in heaven. The angels didn't start devising a backup 426 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: plan in heaven, because the angels in heaven knew where 427 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: Jesus came from. And when you know where it comes from, 428 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 1: you know how it comes out. And even when they 429 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 1: beat him, and even when they mocked him, my voice 430 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 1: is tired. I preached three times I could use some help. 431 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: Even when they buried him in the grave of Joseph Afarmatheum, 432 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:07,360 Speaker 1: Heaven didn't get nervous because we know where he came from, 433 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: so we know how this comes out. Even before I 434 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: go through the trial this year, I know how this 435 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 1: comes out, because He who began a good work in 436 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: me will be faithful to complete it. Shout for nineteen 437 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: seconds if you've got faith. That's why Joshua set shout 438 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: before the first brick hits the ground. I know where 439 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: the command came from, so I know how the battle 440 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: turns out. It's the spirit of faith to let you 441 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: know that if it comes from God, if he called you, 442 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: if he formed you, if your help comes from Him, 443 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: you can predict in advance how this comes out. Already 444 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: know the outcome. Even when I was reading the scripture, 445 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: God said, flip it because it said evil thoughts come 446 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: from your heart. And it's a hard thing to sort 447 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: through your heart to know what thoughts came from God, 448 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: and what thoughts came from Ego, and what thoughts came 449 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: from Grandpa, and what thoughts came from Fox News, and 450 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: what thoughts came from Bloomberg, and what thoughts came from Twitter? 451 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: And what thoughts came from? What thoughts came from? What's 452 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 1: the other one? CNN and Facebook and Uncle Ray and 453 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: Uncle Tim and Aunt Cindy and Aunt Martha. It's hard 454 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: to know. It's hard to know. It's hard to know 455 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 1: what's in your heart. That's why we need the Holy 456 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 1: Spirit this year. That's why we need Jesus. I know 457 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 1: it sounds simple, and maybe this teaching is too elementary 458 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 1: and some people are a little bored with it. But 459 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: I need help with my heart this year. I need 460 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: help because some stuff in there is from God and 461 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: some stuff is not, and I need help sorting it out. 462 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: Because I sent Pastor Craig some Christmas gifts this year. 463 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: Always send him clothes for Christmas in case he wants 464 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 1: to wear them to preach in the New Year. And 465 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: he's like one of my best friends, so it's not 466 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: weird when I send him clothes. He gets it. He 467 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: doesn't take it as an insult, like I think he 468 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: doesn't know how to dress, but he likes what I 469 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: send him. I keep it a little on the youthful 470 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: side for him. He's fifty one, but I feel like 471 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 1: I don't want to push him too far. I'm not 472 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: gonna have him up there dripping in off white, looking 473 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 1: ridiculous from head to toe, and so I don't know 474 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: just where to push him. So he trusts me. He 475 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: trusts me. That's the point I want to make. He 476 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: trusts me. And this year I sent him a nice little, 477 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: nice little box of clothes. His two shirts in the box. 478 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:27,480 Speaker 1: It was one of them was like a zip, kind 479 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: of like a zip sweater thing came right there. And 480 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:36,479 Speaker 1: then a shirt shirt, Burdberry shirt to put under the sweater. 481 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: And I told him in the note, Merry Christmas, here's 482 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: your clothes. You can wear it three different ways. The 483 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: sweater without the shirt, the shirt without the sweater, the 484 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: shirt under the sweater. You're welcome, Merry Christmas. I am 485 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: an efficient stylist. I'm thinking about having a side hustle 486 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: dressing preacher. But that's not the point. The point is 487 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:06,719 Speaker 1: he sent me a picture of him wearing the clothes, 488 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: and he put on the clothes. He put the first 489 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: of all, the sweater on, look good. Then he put 490 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 1: the shirt on, look good. Then there was a third 491 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: picture and he was wearing something I never saw before 492 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:26,000 Speaker 1: in my life. It was baggy, bright red am I 493 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 1: telling the truth because I sent it to Jess, who 494 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: works in my office now for almost ten years. I said, 495 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: we didn't send him this, did we? She said, no, sir, 496 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: I never saw that before in my life. And I 497 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: texted him back to good news. First, all the stuff 498 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:49,640 Speaker 1: I sent you is dope good news. The bad news 499 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: is that third thing you put on. I don't know 500 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: where that came from. But he trusted me so much 501 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: that he said, if it came from Ferdick, this is 502 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: real faith, y'all, he said, even though I think it 503 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: looks ridiculous if it came from Ferdick. And I said, 504 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 1: but it didn't come from Ferdick, not this one. I 505 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 1: am not taking credit for this fashioned decision. This did 506 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: not come from ferde You need to find out what happened. 507 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 1: And he found out what happened because one of his 508 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: staff members, who knew how much he trusted me, saw 509 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: the box that came from me and decided to go 510 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 1: in the box. Open the box. Can y'all believe this? 511 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: Find the ugliest sweater they could find. Stick it in 512 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: the box under the stuff that I picked. And they 513 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 1: knew he trusted me so much that he would wear 514 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: whatever he thought came from me. But the devil is 515 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: a liar. I texted him and I said, you need 516 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: to take out the box that was not from me. 517 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 1: I hear the spirit of God saying, you've been wearing 518 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:10,479 Speaker 1: some stuff in twenty eighteen that I did not put 519 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 1: in your box. It's time for you to go through 520 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 1: the box. And everything that does not look like joy 521 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 1: and the garment of praise, take it off. Everything that 522 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:24,240 Speaker 1: does not look like the armor of God, take it off. 523 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:28,520 Speaker 1: Everything that doesn't look like victory, take it off. I'm 524 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,800 Speaker 1: coming into a new year driven. I'm not coming into 525 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:35,760 Speaker 1: a new year wearing rags. His righteousness is my garment, 526 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: and his victory is my guarantee. Shut a hog her 527 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:50,799 Speaker 1: I fear the Holy come, so when they buried him, 528 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,879 Speaker 1: they didn't have to be afraid. When you know where 529 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,840 Speaker 1: it comes from, you know how it comes out. That's 530 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: how you get all ready. You put a smile on, 531 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 1: even though you're still going through the most difficult days 532 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:13,800 Speaker 1: of your life. And because my righteousness does not come 533 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 1: from me, or from washing my hands, or from sticking 534 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:24,399 Speaker 1: to my diet, or from losing twenty three pounds, Because 535 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 1: wouldn't it be a shame to lose twenty three pounds 536 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:32,480 Speaker 1: and still hate yourself because you've fixed it on the surface, 537 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: but you didn't receive it at the source. This year, 538 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna flip it, and I'm gonna stand in the 539 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:50,400 Speaker 1: reality that I am the righteousness of God, not because 540 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,239 Speaker 1: of what I've done. In fact, you can stand and 541 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: I'll pray that for you. Right now, no one leaving, 542 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,879 Speaker 1: no one moving. This is your year to flip it. 543 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:04,760 Speaker 1: This is your to evaluate your traditions, the empty traditions 544 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: that have told you layers of lies that there is 545 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:13,800 Speaker 1: something that you must do. You gotta wash your hands 546 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: before you're Jesus said, that's your tradition. That's not the truth. 547 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:28,359 Speaker 1: Watch him flip it. He said, Normally the unclean, if 548 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:32,000 Speaker 1: it touches the clean, it makes the clean unclean. But 549 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:35,439 Speaker 1: I'm not a high priest like Aaron. I'm a great 550 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:42,240 Speaker 1: high priest. So if I touch you, I don't become unclean, 551 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 1: You become clean. Somebody shall flip it. I want to 552 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:55,840 Speaker 1: change by grace this year, through faith, not of works, 553 00:36:57,280 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 1: because if I fix it at the surface, I have 554 00:36:59,160 --> 00:37:02,680 Speaker 1: to sustain it and my own strength, and so I'm 555 00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:07,840 Speaker 1: not going on a diet so that I will be likable. 556 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,520 Speaker 1: I'm going on a diet so my needs don't hurt. 557 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 1: See the difference. Flip it, flip it. I'm not going 558 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,040 Speaker 1: back to school to get my degree so I can 559 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:21,960 Speaker 1: finally stop feeling like an idiot. I'm going back to 560 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:23,960 Speaker 1: school to get my degree so that I can move 561 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,600 Speaker 1: forward into the opportunities that God has for me. Not 562 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: to earn approval or not to live up to a standard, 563 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:33,880 Speaker 1: but to live out what Christ has already given me 564 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:37,400 Speaker 1: and to me. This is the beauty of the Gospel, 565 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 1: that everything that needs to be done for me to 566 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:43,240 Speaker 1: be right with God has already done. Bow your head, 567 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:45,000 Speaker 1: I've said what the Lord told me to say, and 568 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 1: I pray that you've received it. This year year to 569 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 1: flip it. Over the course of the next several weeks, 570 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:58,480 Speaker 1: we'll be talking about some very practical things, some very 571 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 1: personal things. Maybe last year you attended church occasionally when 572 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 1: the kids didn't have a game and you weren't too tired. 573 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:10,319 Speaker 1: Maybe this is your year to flip it and to 574 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:13,239 Speaker 1: make a real commitment this year that I'm gonna I'm 575 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 1: going to sanitize my heart by being in the presence 576 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:18,640 Speaker 1: of God with other people, and really letting God's word 577 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:24,399 Speaker 1: cleanse me and uproot the things that have been destroying me. Lord, 578 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:27,840 Speaker 1: we thank you today for Jesus Christ who came to 579 00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:32,719 Speaker 1: earth to flip it. We thank you today that he 580 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:35,840 Speaker 1: who knew no sin became sin that we might become 581 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,680 Speaker 1: the righteousness of God. Somebody shout, that's what I am. 582 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:42,799 Speaker 1: And so now, Lord, may all that we do and 583 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:45,840 Speaker 1: don't do this year flow from a heart that has 584 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: already loved. Your word says that as the rain falls 585 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:55,719 Speaker 1: from the heavens and waters the earth and makes it 586 00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 1: bud and flourish and bring forth springtime, so shall your 587 00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:01,759 Speaker 1: word be that proceeds forth from your mouth. It will 588 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 1: not return to you void, but will accomplish what you 589 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:07,640 Speaker 1: send it to do. We thank you for sending your 590 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: word to us for a new year. We thank you 591 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:12,920 Speaker 1: for the flow of your word in this place today. 592 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:16,360 Speaker 1: I pray now that it would accomplish in our lives 593 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:22,000 Speaker 1: great harvest of righteousness for those who have been trained 594 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:26,000 Speaker 1: by it. Well. I hope you enjoyed the podcast today, 595 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 1: and if you did, there are just a couple things 596 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:31,200 Speaker 1: I'd love for you to do. Number One, subscribe to 597 00:39:31,239 --> 00:39:34,400 Speaker 1: our show. That way, the most recent episode will always 598 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:37,640 Speaker 1: be in your feed, waiting for you ready when you are. 599 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 1: And secondly, if this ministry has impacted you and you'd 600 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:43,480 Speaker 1: like to help us continue to reach others, you can 601 00:39:43,520 --> 00:39:45,759 Speaker 1: click the link in the description and you can give 602 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 1: now and I'll see you next time on the Elevation 603 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:49,800 Speaker 1: Podcast