1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: It's been a great morning already, and we are so 7 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: excited about what we have in store. I was talking 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: to Pastor Stephen yesterday on the phone and he was 9 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: telling me he's really excited about about two things right now. 10 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: Number one is he can't wait to be on this 11 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: stage preaching next weekend at his favorite place in the planet. 12 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: So when he's excited, spoilert you should be excited because 13 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: next weekend is going to be incredible. Are you excited 14 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: to have our pastor with us next weekend? And then 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: he was also telling me he was very excited that 16 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: we have Lisa Turkhurst in the house this weekend to 17 00:00:54,480 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: preach to us. Lisa and Art have been Elevators part 18 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: of our church for close to a decade now, very 19 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: faithful and committed participants in our church. We love them, 20 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: their family, their dear friends of Pastor Stephen and Holly, 21 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: And if you didn't know this, Lisa is a New 22 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: York Times bestselling author many many many times over. In fact, 23 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: her new book is It's Not Supposed to Be This Way, 24 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: It's out now. She's the president, she's the founder of 25 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: Proverbs thirty one Ministry. She preaches and teaches all over 26 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 1: the world, inspiring the church globally. And we are very 27 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: very blessed and honored that she is preaching at her 28 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: church home this weekend. So at every location, can you 29 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: please put your hands together and celebrate as we welcome 30 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: Lisa Turkhurst to the stage. Thank you so much. What 31 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: a joy and honor it is to be able to 32 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: be in my home church, and this is very exciting. 33 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: There's two things about elevation that I have seen across 34 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: the world as I'm out preaching and teaching in different 35 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 1: environments and different facilities, and it's this Number one, elevation 36 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,359 Speaker 1: worship is in every church conference I go to. And 37 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: what a gift it is that we get to hear 38 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: it in our home church. Can we thank God for 39 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: elevation worship? And the second thing is when people find 40 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: out that I get to sit under the teaching of 41 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: Pastor Stephen Ferdick every single week. They kind of wish 42 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: they could move to Charlotte and do the very same thing. 43 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: Can we thank God for our pastor? Amazing Pastor. Stephen 44 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: and Holly are good friends, and so that gives me 45 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: a unique opportunity to be able to see something that 46 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: I'm so blessed by is that you guys are incredible people. 47 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 1: Whether you're on the stage or behind the scenes, you're 48 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: good people. And I thank God for that. Can we 49 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: thank God for the gifts that we have in Castor 50 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: and Holly? Well, stay standing for the reading of God's Word. 51 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 1: We're gonna read first off from Revelation. In case you 52 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: haven't been to the Revelation in a while, I'm gonna 53 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: unpack a little bit for you. But let's read God's 54 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: word and be encouraged by it this morning. Revelation chapter 55 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: twenty one, starting in verse three, and I heard a 56 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: loud voice from the throne saying, Look, God's dwelling place 57 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: is now among the people, and He will dwell with them, 58 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: and they will be his people, and God himself will 59 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: be with them and be their God. He will wipe 60 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,839 Speaker 1: every tear from their eyes. There will be no more 61 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old 62 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: order of things has passed away. Come on, somebody, we 63 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: have a lot to look forward to. You right you 64 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: can be seated. And for those of you who are 65 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: note takers, and I hope that means most of you, 66 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: you'll want the title of the sermon right away, and 67 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: that is Life between Two Gardens. And that may sound 68 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: like a strange title, but by the end of my message, 69 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: I promise you will understand life between two gardens. You know, 70 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: as I read these verses in Revelation that gives me 71 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: great hope for one day. But I want to make 72 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: sure that I have great hope and great fate to 73 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: live out what I need to live out today, because 74 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 1: sometimes life can be hard. A couple weeks ago, Pastor 75 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 1: Preach an incredible message from a message entitled Invisible Prisons, 76 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: and he said something that really grabbed my heart. He said, 77 00:04:55,560 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 1: what God uses to develop your fate is disappointment, and 78 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: what the devil uses to destroy your faith is disappointment. 79 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: I want to dive into disappointment today because I think 80 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: it's something that we can all relate to. I want 81 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: to identify where does disappointment come from and what do 82 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 1: we do about it? And I'm also going to share 83 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: from my heart some very personal, deep devastating disappointments that 84 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: my family and I have walked through the past three years. 85 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: And I think and I pray you'll be able to 86 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 1: relate to today's message. Here's the deal. We've all either 87 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: just been through some stuff, or we're in the middle 88 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: of some stuff, or we're headed toward being in some stuff. 89 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: And you may say, well, Lisa, that's not very positive. No, 90 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: I'm positive we either been through some stuff, we in 91 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: some stuff, or we about to go through some stuff. Right, 92 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: And so I like to open up God's word and 93 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: discover what do we do about the disappointments that we 94 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: all face every single day. But first let's discover where 95 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: disappointment comes from. And to do that, we're going to 96 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: turn over to Genesis, the very first book of the Bible, 97 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: starting in chapter two, verse five. Now, no shrub had 98 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: yet appeared on the earth, and no plant had yet 99 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent the 100 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 1: rain on the earth, and there was no one to 101 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: work the ground. But streams came up from the earth 102 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the 103 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: Lord God formed a man from the dust of the 104 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, 105 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: and the man became a living being. Now, the Lord 106 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: God verse eight planted a garden in the east in Eden, 107 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: and there he put the man he had formed. The 108 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: Lord God made all kinds of trees to grow out 109 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: of the ground, trees that were pleasing to the eye 110 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: and good for food. In the middle of the garden, 111 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: where the tree of Life and the tree of the 112 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: Knowledge of good and evil. Skip down to verse fifteen, 113 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 1: the Lord God took the man and put him in 114 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: the garden of Eden to work it and take care 115 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, you 116 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: are free to eat from any tree in the garden, 117 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: but you must not eat from the tree of Knowledge 118 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: of good and evil, for when you eat from it, 119 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: you will certainly die. And I'm convinced at this point 120 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,119 Speaker 1: that the man did not write the one rule down, 121 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: because the very next verse, the Lord says, Ah, it 122 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: is not good for the man to be alone. I 123 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: will make a helper suitable for him. And women have 124 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: been making lists for their men ever since. Come on, 125 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: somebody say, amen, nahha, you know it's true. You have 126 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: a woman in the house today, So you know, just 127 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: a special gift for you there. And after that, a 128 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: helper suitable for Adam has looked for. So Adam names 129 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: all the animals, but no helper was found amongst the animals. 130 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: And so then God causes a man to fall into 131 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: a deep sleep and he takes part of a rib, 132 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: and from that he fashions a woman. And then God 133 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,679 Speaker 1: brings the woman to Adam. And listen to what he says. 134 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: It's so poetic. It's almost like rivaling any rap song 135 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: that you could hear today. This is now bone of 136 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be 137 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: called whoa man, for she was taken out of a man. 138 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: My friend Levi LESCo says that the original meeting of 139 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 1: that part of scripture right there is she had apple 140 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:44,839 Speaker 1: bottom jeans and boots with the fur. I can't find 141 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: that in all my research, but that's what Levi says, 142 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: verse twenty four. This is why man leaves his father 143 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: and his mother and is united to his wife, and 144 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: they become one flesh. And then one of my favorite 145 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: verses in all of the Bible, Genesis two twenty five, 146 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt 147 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: no shame. They felt no shame though they were standing 148 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 1: there completely vulnerable before one another and before God himself. 149 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:15,199 Speaker 1: But they could stand there feeling no shame and being 150 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: that vulnerable because they had no other opinion to contend 151 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 1: with but the absolute love of God himself. Can you imagine? 152 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 1: Perfection was everywhere? There was perfection in their relationship. There 153 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: was perfect communion with God. The atmosphere, the environment, all 154 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: of their surroundings were perfect. Everything was amazing. But then 155 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: we find Genesis three, verse one. Now the serpent was 156 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord 157 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: God had made. He said to the woman, did God 158 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: really say? And don't you kind of wish that the 159 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: woman at this point would have said, if you're so 160 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: interested in what God had to say, go ask him yourself. Right, 161 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: God has saved all of us a whole lot of trouble, 162 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't it, But that's not what happens. Did God really say? 163 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: And it Isn't it also interesting that the devil always 164 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: wants to make us question God's word. I mean, God 165 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: is the creator, but the enemy is the perverter. Not 166 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: only does he want to make us doubt God's word, 167 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: he wants to make us believe that God's word is 168 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: too difficult to understand and too hard to live out. 169 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 1: The Thing about it, though, is that the God of 170 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: the universe hand fashioned our brain. I'm convinced with his 171 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: word and mind, we were made to be able to 172 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: not only get into God's word, but for God's word 173 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: to get into us. Come on, somebody, that's amazing, right. 174 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 1: But the enemy wants to pervert that. And then look 175 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: at what he does when he quotes back what God 176 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: said his first three words, the enemy's first three words 177 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,839 Speaker 1: that he said God said was you must not now 178 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: what were God's actual first three words? God's actual first 179 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: three words? Or you are free? We serve a God 180 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: of freedom. But the enemy wants us to believe that 181 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: we serve a God of restriction. The enemy wants us 182 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: to believe that we serve it. You must not God, 183 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: but that's not true. We serve a God of freedom. 184 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 1: He has woven the theme of freedom. He wants his 185 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: people free all the way through the Bible. Now he 186 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:25,599 Speaker 1: does give us some restriction, but it's for our protection. 187 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: We serve a God of freedom. But look how the 188 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: enemy twists that. When he quotes God. He says, God 189 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: said you must not eat from any tree in the garden. 190 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: The woman said to the serpent, we may eat from 191 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: the fruit from the trees in the garden. But God 192 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: did say you must not eat from the fruit of 193 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: the tree that is in the middle of the garden. 194 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: You must not even touch it, or you will die. 195 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: Now that is not at all what God said. She 196 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: added that last little part. I think it's very dangerous 197 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 1: when we add our opinion on top of God's word. 198 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: I really, really do you know. So many times it's 199 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: like people will Lisa, what is your opinion about this 200 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: issue and that issue? And I said, why does my 201 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: opinion matter? When God's word is so very clear. We 202 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: got to get into God's word and let God's word 203 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: get into us. God will give us the answers that 204 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: we need. We don't need to be adding our opinion 205 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: to God's word. Verse four, you will certainly not die, 206 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: the serpent said to the woman, for God knows when 207 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and 208 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: you will be like God, knowing good and evil. And 209 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: when the woman saw that the fruit of the tree 210 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and 211 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: also desirable for gaining wisdom. Wait just one minute, So 212 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: I used to think as I was reading the story, 213 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: that's kind of challenging that God would put this tree 214 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: in the middle of the garden. The tree is the 215 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: knowledge of good and evil and hang on it fruit 216 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: that was so pleasing to the eye and good for food. 217 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: I mean, was this kind of like a super fruit 218 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: like brownie a mode fruit? How could she resist, right 219 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 1: and like to put that there with that amazing fruit 220 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 1: and then say don't eat from it. That just seemed 221 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: kind of complicated to me until I kept it in 222 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: the context that it's really in. And if you remember 223 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: when I read Genesis too, there's a detail about all 224 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: the trees in the garden. All the trees in the 225 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: garden had fruit that was good for food and pleasing 226 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: to the eye. They all had the Brownie ala mode 227 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: fruit hanging on it. Right, she was surrounded by God's provision, 228 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: but she stared at the one thing God said not 229 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: to have. And we will steer where we stare right, 230 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 1: same thing we want what we want, And when we 231 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: get fixated on something, even if God says no. We 232 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: try to say yes, because here's the thing. I think 233 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: sometimes we do think God's withholding something from us. God's 234 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: not withholding something from us. God is protecting us from 235 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: all that's contained in that fruit that we have no 236 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: idea that fruit was the knowledge of good and evil. 237 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: The human heart was never supposed to know the knowledge 238 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: of evil. It is too heavy of awake. God wasn't 239 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: withholding from us. He was protecting us. You know what 240 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: the knowledge of evil is. It's all those things we 241 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: experience and we say, it's not supposed to be this way. 242 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: A cancer diagnosis, infertility, struggle, betrayal, heartbreak, devastations that we 243 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: see on the nightly news. You're right, it's not supposed 244 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: to be this way. God never intended for us to 245 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: note the knowledge of evil. But Eve looked at the 246 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: one thing she wasn't supposed to take, and she took 247 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: some and she ate it, and she gave some to 248 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: her husband and who was with her, and he ate it. 249 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: Then suddenly the eyes of both of them were opened 250 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: and they realized that they were naked. I wonder what 251 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: that moment was like. Did they look down and go 252 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: all or did they look across and go, oh, no, bra, 253 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: you got to cover that up, like here you a 254 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: fig and a leaf. We got to do something about 255 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: all that. Right. I don't know. I wasn't there, but 256 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: here's what I do know. They weren't just physically naked. 257 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: They were also emotionally naked. They'd never felt the weight 258 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: of guilt before, but they do now. And they were 259 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: spiritually naked. They never felt the way of shame before, 260 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: but they do now. And think of all the things 261 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: now that God would have surely been justified in saying 262 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: to Adam and Eve. They didn't just unleash sin that day. 263 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: We're still living out that reality to day. Think of 264 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 1: the weight of that. So well, Adam and Eve are hiding, 265 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: here comes God walking in the cool of the day, 266 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: and I just imagine all he would have been justified 267 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: in saying. But he doesn't. He simply asked them two questions. 268 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 1: I'm stunned by this, and I think that maybe God 269 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 1: would like to ask us those same two questions today. 270 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: The first question, he says, where are you now? Their 271 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: physical location was not a mystery to God. He's God. 272 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: He knew exactly where they were located. But Adam and 273 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: Eve are hiding and they are afraid. The sound that 274 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: used to be such a delight to them when everything 275 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: was perfect, the sound of God walking in the garden. 276 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: It used to be like Daddy's home. And I imagine 277 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: them running through the garden and being so excited. But 278 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: if you were a child and you ever had your 279 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: mama say this to you, you just wait till your 280 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: daddy gets home, right, you know, the sound of Daddy 281 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: getting home on those days is not so nice, right. 282 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: And I imagine now the very sound that used to 283 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: bring them such joy as making them so afraid. And 284 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: so I think God is saying where are you? Because 285 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: they've lost their spiritual orientation. They've forgotten where to go 286 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: to when they're afraid. I think God asked me that 287 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: question some mornings when I wake up and I'm in 288 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 1: a funk. Have you ever been in a funk? Like 289 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: you just wake up and it's like no particular reason. 290 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: You just feel like the weight of the world's on you, 291 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: and you're just kind of grumpy, you know, And you 292 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:28,399 Speaker 1: know you should listen to a praise song, you know, 293 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: should read the Bible, but instead you're like, no, let 294 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: me just hop on Facebook for a minute. Let me 295 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: just hop on Instagram, and I'll hop on Instagram and 296 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: I'll start scrolling, and all of a sudden, it doesn't 297 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:42,160 Speaker 1: make my funk better. It multiplies my funk because suddenly 298 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: everybody else's thighs look thinner than mine, their marriage looks 299 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: more romantic than mine, their kids are getting more words 300 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: than mine. Their house is better decorated than mine. And 301 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: my two best friends got together and went out to 302 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: dinner last night. What they didn't even invite me? Right, 303 00:17:57,359 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: and my funk is multiplied. I think God would like 304 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: to say, Lisa, where are you? Where are you? Girl? 305 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 1: You need to get off of Facebook and get your 306 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: face in my book because that is where hope can 307 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: be found. I know what you need. Right the second 308 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: question that God asked them, who told you you were naked? 309 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: Remember that Adam and Eve and God are not the 310 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: only ones in the garden at this point. The enemy 311 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: is also there. And I know from reading Revelation chapter twelve, 312 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: verses ten and eleven, the enemy is called the accuser 313 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:38,679 Speaker 1: of the Brethren. He accuses us day and night, and 314 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: so I know the enemy is there, and I believe 315 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: the enemy would love for Adam and eve to believe 316 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: and for you and I to believe that we haven't 317 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 1: just done something wrong, that we are something wrong and 318 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 1: he accuses us so we can try to lock us 319 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: in chains of shame. Right just like Pastor was saying, 320 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,919 Speaker 1: the enemy would love for us to be in prison. 321 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: You know, just by all the stuff, I think God 322 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: asking who told you you were naked is really saying 323 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: who told you you were anything less than the amazing 324 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: child of the almighty God who told you you were naked. 325 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 1: You see, I think some of us have words that 326 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: have been sitting on us for a long time, and 327 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: pain that we carry around with us that was from 328 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: a long time ago. At some point in your life, 329 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 1: somebody spoke a line to you and it became a 330 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: lie that you believed about yourself. And then that lie 331 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 1: that you believed about yourself suddenly became a label that 332 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: you put on yourself and your identity. And now that 333 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: label has become a liability in all your relationships of today. 334 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: And somebody will say something to you today and it'll 335 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 1: offend you. But you have a way out of proportion 336 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: reaction to the offense at hand. Why, because you are 337 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 1: still carrying the pain of that line that became a lie, 338 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,640 Speaker 1: that became a label, and now is a liability. And 339 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: you are holding this person accountable for things they hadn't 340 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: even done. Who told you, who told you that you 341 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: were naked? We cannot let their words become the words 342 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: of our story. We got to let God's words become 343 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: the words of the story of our lives. Amen. Amen. Well, 344 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: after this, then God does have consequences for them, because 345 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: sin always comes as a package deal with consequences. There's 346 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: no sin that you commit where there's not a package 347 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: deal of consequences that come with it. And there were consequences. 348 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: But sin also demands a sacrifice. Let's look at Genesis III, 349 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: starting in verse twenty one. Then the Lord God made 350 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and he 351 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: clothed them. And with apologies to the animal activists, blood 352 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: of an animal was shed here. The animals were harmed 353 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:06,199 Speaker 1: in the making of this story. But this is appointing 354 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: really to Jesus because this day was the blood of 355 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,640 Speaker 1: the animal that would be the sacrifice to cover their sin. 356 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: And one day it would be the blood of God's 357 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: own son, Jesus Christ that would be shed, that would 358 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: drip from a cross to be the ultimate covering for 359 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 1: the sin of the world. And the Lord God said 360 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: verse twenty two, the man has now become like one 361 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be 362 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: allowed to reach out his hand and take also from 363 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: the tree of life and eat and live forever. So 364 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: the Lord God banished him from the garden of Eden 365 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: to work the ground from which he had been taken. 366 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: And I'll be honest, if we were sitting at my 367 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 1: kitchen table right now, I would admit to you that 368 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: that's hard for me to hear that God banished them 369 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 1: from the garden. If you ever read that, and kind 370 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: of thought, oh, that sits heavy on you, right. And 371 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: so I decided to do a little study, taking the 372 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,120 Speaker 1: word banished and going back to the Hebrew to see 373 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 1: what was the original intention of that word. And I 374 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:14,160 Speaker 1: found something so surprising. The root of that word actually 375 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: means sent out, not banished. In other words, God sent 376 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: them out, which tells me he was doing it for 377 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: a purpose a reason. Interestingly enough, the Hebrew derivative of 378 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 1: scent out is closely related to the New Testament Greek 379 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: derivative from John three point sixteen, when God so loved 380 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,679 Speaker 1: the world that he gave or he sends in his 381 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,239 Speaker 1: son Jesus. Again, it's appointing to what Jesus will one 382 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: day be able to do for us that we cannot 383 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: do for ourselves. But why did God send them out 384 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 1: of the garden? Why did they have to leave? Look 385 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: at the text, it's very clear. Remember there's another tree 386 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: in the garden, the Tree of life. They were allowed 387 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: to eat from that when they were in perfection. To 388 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: eat from the Tree of life meant that their lives 389 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: would be perpetuated for eternity, and that was good when 390 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 1: they were perfect. But now that sin has entered in 391 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: their body is in a state of decay and they 392 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,440 Speaker 1: are separated from God. If God would have left them 393 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: and they would have eaten from the Tree of Life, 394 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: then they would have been stuck in that state forever. 395 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 1: And God loved them too much to do that. So 396 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,479 Speaker 1: he sends them out and gives them a gift that 397 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: will feel nothing like a gift at all. He will 398 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: allow their physical bodies to die so that they could 399 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 1: trade that then for a spiritual body that, through the 400 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: forgiveness of Jesus Christ, that could enter back into that 401 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 1: perfect relationship with God. This was not an act of cruelty. 402 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:53,360 Speaker 1: It was an act of great mercy. Amen. Now let 403 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: me just point out one more thing though. From all 404 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: that we've read, I now know the human heart was 405 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: in the context of the perfection of the garden of Eden. 406 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,400 Speaker 1: So when Adam and Eve were sent out, God did 407 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: not strip from them that awareness of perfection. The awareness 408 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 1: of perfection is etched into the very dna of our soul. 409 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: We know perfection exists, but we can't find it. No 410 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: wonder we are disappointed. This is where disappointment comes from. 411 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: Have you ever been taking a picture with a group 412 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: of friends and you all smile, take the picture, and 413 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: then before they post it, you say, let me see it, 414 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: and then you hold it and you do like this, 415 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: who you looking at y'rself? Right? And if you happened 416 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 1: to be in the middle and you had your butt 417 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: out and your hips tucked behind the person beside you, 418 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: and you look real good, you'll be like, oh, yeah, 419 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 1: we got to post this one right away. It's good 420 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,399 Speaker 1: at everybody, uh huh. But if you were the sad 421 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: fool that got stuck on the end this way and 422 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 1: you I'm looking, oh you know what I'm saying, and 423 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: your arms are just not good, and chen something something happening, 424 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:16,199 Speaker 1: you will hit the trash can on their phone. You 425 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 1: will say it was blurry. Everybody's eyes were shut. Now, 426 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: let me get up here in the middle. Let's take 427 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 1: that picture now, right, we know perfection exists we keep 428 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,400 Speaker 1: looking for But even then, even if the picture's real, real, 429 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: good of us, we still crop it and we edit it, right, 430 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 1: we filter it, and that's not even good enough. Now 431 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: we got to post it and make sure other people 432 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: think it's perfect. Refresh, Refresh, refress. How many lights do 433 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: I get? Right? We know perfection exists, and that's where 434 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 1: disappointment comes from. So here's my question. Why didn't God 435 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: strip the awareness of perfection out from our hearts? Because 436 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: it's his way of drawing our heart to him, the 437 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: one who is perfect, the only one who is perfect, 438 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 1: the answer to every desire for perfection that we keep chasing. 439 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: And if lesser loves ever satisfied us, we would think 440 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: we had no need for God. So, my friends, that's 441 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: where disappointment comes from. We hold everything up to this standard, 442 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: this expectation of perfection, and then our experience hits right. Here, 443 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 1: and the fertile ground between those two is disappointment. Now, 444 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: if our disappointment, if the worst disappointment that we face 445 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: today is that we go through the drive through coffee 446 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: line and they frapay our latte and waylay our whole day, 447 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: we're like, oh, I'm just gonna put a little Jesus 448 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 1: on it and it's gonna be okay. We'll handle my 449 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: disappointment right. And that's good. That's good. But a lot 450 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,160 Speaker 1: of us are going through disappointments that are pretty serious, 451 00:26:54,560 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 1: heartbreaking actually, and it's not just disappointment, really, it's like 452 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 1: a devastation, a disillusionment. What do we do about that? Well, 453 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: we heard in Revelation that there will be a new day. 454 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: So let's turn back to Revelation because I want to 455 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: show you something else that I think is pretty profound. 456 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:24,879 Speaker 1: Let's go back to Revelation chapter twenty one, starting in 457 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 1: verse three and read that part again, and then we'll 458 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: keep going. And I heard a loud voice from the 459 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: throne saying, Look, God's dwelling place is now among the people. 460 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 1: He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, 461 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 1: and God himself will be with them and be their God, 462 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will 463 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: be no more death or mourning, or crying or pain, 464 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: for the old order of things has passed away. He 465 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:49,360 Speaker 1: who is seated on the throne said, I am making 466 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 1: everything new. Then he said, write this down. I think 467 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: because he's given the revelation to a man, he didn't 468 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: want them to miss it this time. Write this down, 469 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: for these words are trustsworthy and true. He said to me, 470 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 1: it is done. I'm the Alpha and the Omega, the 471 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: beginning and the end. And then look over at Revelation 472 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: twenty two, verse three. No longer will there be any curse. 473 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: You see. Let me give you a little spiritual orientation here. 474 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 1: We start out in the perfection of Eden, but we 475 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: don't live there anymore. So we live the anxiety of 476 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: the first Eden. In Revelation chapter twenty two that we 477 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: just read from my Bible says that's when Eden is restored. 478 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: So we not only live from anxiety of the first 479 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: garden of Eden, but we live in anticipation that the 480 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 1: perfection of Eden will return. But right now we're simply 481 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: doing life between two gardens. And I wonder if that 482 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: could help make sense of some of the disappointments, and 483 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 1: maybe we could stop expecting a perfection out of ourselves 484 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: and others and our relationships that not even God expects. Like. 485 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: I wonder if we could just give people a little 486 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: more grace, right, Stop expecting our jobs to be so perfect, 487 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:20,239 Speaker 1: Stop expecting church to be so perfect. Stop expecting your 488 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: neighbor to be so perfect, your spouse to be so perfect, 489 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: your kids to be so perfect. I wonder if we 490 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: could just step back a little bit and just acknowledge, yup, 491 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: I'm doing life between two gardens right. It's not always 492 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: going to be that way, but it is that way today. Now, 493 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: what do we do about it? To do that, I 494 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: want to turn to Mark chapter fourteen. There's a middle 495 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: garden in this life between two gardens. In Mark chapter fourteen, 496 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: Jesus has just had the last supper with his disciples, 497 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: and they've walked across the Kidron Valley, and now they've 498 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 1: gone to this place they would meet out often outside 499 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 1: the city, called the garden of Gasemone. In this garden 500 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: of Gsemone, Gisemone means the place of the pressing of 501 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 1: the olive verse thirty two. This is what Jesus says, 502 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: knowing full well that soldiers are on the way to 503 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 1: arrest him and take him on the road to the cross. 504 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: They Jesus and his disciples Verse thirty two, Mark chapter fourteen. 505 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: They went to a place called Goodsemone, and Jesus said 506 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: to his disciples, sit here while I pray. He took Peter, James, 507 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: and John along with him, and he began to be 508 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 1: deeply distressed and troubled. My soul, Jesus said, is overwhelmed 509 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: with sorrow to the point of death. He said to 510 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: them stay here and keep watch. I don't know about you, 511 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 1: but as I read these words of Jesus, I find 512 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 1: myself saying, there are no words of Jesus I can 513 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: relate to more than this, because I know what it's 514 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: like to walk through something and feel so overwhelmed with 515 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: sorrow that I say, I think this just might kill me. 516 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: Have you ever been there? That's where my family and 517 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 1: I have been the past three years. I know what 518 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 1: it feels like to come into church sit way back 519 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: there because I feel like I'm walking in and I 520 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:48,280 Speaker 1: can barely breathe. That's another reason I'm so grateful to 521 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 1: be sitting under teaching a Pastor Stephen, because when you're 522 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:57,640 Speaker 1: that overwhelmed, you can't remember whole messages. But sometimes it's 523 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 1: sentences within messages that change people's lives because we can 524 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: hold onto those sentences and we can preach back those sentences. 525 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,680 Speaker 1: And we have a pastor who cares so much about 526 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 1: our hearts that he writes messages with sentences that we 527 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: can remember and preach back to ourselves that are inspired 528 00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 1: by the Holy Spirit, where he spends time in the 529 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: text and he unearthed these truths that sometimes we can't 530 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: find for ourselves and for those of us are hanging 531 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 1: on by a thread. Dear God, that's what we need. 532 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: That's what I've needed. Some of you walked in church 533 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 1: today and you're right there just hanging on by a thread. 534 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: Can I tell to you I'm so proud of you 535 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 1: forgetting to church today. This is exactly where you need 536 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: to be. It's exactly where you need to be. And 537 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: those of you joining onlines is the best way for 538 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: you to spend your time. This is the best place 539 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,000 Speaker 1: that you could log on online. Of all the choices 540 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: as you have, you chose Elevationchurch dot org and that 541 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 1: was a great, great choice. You know, why Because sometimes 542 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 1: when we can't find footing in our faith, we got 543 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: to go stand on somebody else's faith. We got to 544 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 1: go stand on Pastor Stephen's faith. We got to go 545 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 1: stand beside somebody who's in a different season and they 546 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 1: are proclaiming the faithfulness of God in a way that 547 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 1: it shifts the atmosphere of our depression. It lives our anxiety. 548 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: We got to get ourselves to church. We got to 549 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 1: get in a place where we can be reminded that 550 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: our God is good, Our God is very good. You 551 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 1: see what my family and I have been walking through 552 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: in the past several years is that in February of 553 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, I found out my husband, my life partner 554 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: for over two decades, was being unfaithful, and it about 555 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:13,319 Speaker 1: broke me into just break me. It shattered me. It 556 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:17,080 Speaker 1: was the hardest thing that we've ever walked through as 557 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 1: a family. That's why I think Jesus says to disciples, 558 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: stay here and keep watch. I used to think it 559 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: was just because the soldiers were coming and he didn't 560 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 1: want to get caught off guard by the soldiers. But 561 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 1: Jesus is God. I mean, He's full divinity and absolute humanity. 562 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: He knew where their soldiers were. Now, maybe he didn't 563 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 1: want the disciples to get caught off guard. But I 564 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 1: think there's another meaning. I think Jesus is saying, stay 565 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:50,759 Speaker 1: here and watch how I do this life between two gardens. 566 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 1: Stay here and watch me, because you're gonna need this. 567 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: You're gonna need this. You're gonna need this when you 568 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 1: go through times of deep sorrow and deep heartbreak. Stay 569 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 1: here and watch me. Keep your eyes on me. I 570 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 1: want you to write down some verses that this week. 571 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 1: I want you to take some time and go read 572 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:17,360 Speaker 1: for yourself. It's in Hebrews chapter two, verses fourteen through eighteen. 573 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 1: In Hebrews Chapter two, verse fourteen says this, since the 574 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:25,879 Speaker 1: children have flesh and blood, he too, shared in their humanity, 575 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:28,760 Speaker 1: so that by his death he might break the power 576 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 1: of him who holds the power of death, that is 577 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,279 Speaker 1: the devil next verse verse fifteen, and free those who 578 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:38,120 Speaker 1: all their lives were held in slavery by their fear 579 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:42,400 Speaker 1: of death next verse. For surely it's not the angels 580 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 1: he helps, but Abraham's descendants next verse, verse seventeen. For 581 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: this reason, he had to be made like them, fully human. 582 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:58,320 Speaker 1: In every way. Make no mistake, Jesus was absolute divinity 583 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:02,080 Speaker 1: and full humanity at the same time, without sin, but 584 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 1: fully human. He knows what it feels like to be human. 585 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:10,719 Speaker 1: Now he hasn't experienced maybe the exact same circumstances as you, 586 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:16,080 Speaker 1: but the emotional turmoil that we experience. He knows what 587 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 1: it feels like to be betrayed, He knows what it 588 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:22,840 Speaker 1: feels like to be heartbroken. He knows what it feels 589 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,560 Speaker 1: like to be so very human and the weight of 590 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 1: all of that, and the reason God sent him was 591 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: not just to make an atonement for our sins, but 592 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: what a great gift that was, but also so that 593 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:43,239 Speaker 1: he could be a merciful and faithful high priest to us. 594 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: We can trust his teaching because we can know he 595 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:53,440 Speaker 1: felt what we feel. We can't listen to Jesus's words 596 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 1: and say, well, he didn't understand, because he's God after all, 597 00:36:56,560 --> 00:37:00,760 Speaker 1: no fully human in every way, we can Trust's teaching 598 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:05,319 Speaker 1: even when we're experiencing the deepest heartbreak, especially when we're 599 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 1: experiencing the deepest heartbreak going through the hardest stuff, because 600 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 1: Jesus knew what it felt like. Look at the very 601 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:15,839 Speaker 1: next words that he says verse thirty six, Going just 602 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:19,880 Speaker 1: a little farther so they could still see him. He 603 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:23,399 Speaker 1: fell to the ground and prayed, if possible, the hour 604 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:29,800 Speaker 1: might pass from him. I'm a father, he said, everything 605 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 1: is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Oh, 606 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:40,640 Speaker 1: dear God, I know, I know what this feels like 607 00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: to know that our God is possible and capable of 608 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 1: doing everything. God, everything is possible for you. Change this 609 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:57,040 Speaker 1: circumstance in my life. After I see you changing it 610 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 1: for other people. So, Dear God, change it or me? 611 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 1: And isn't it at this exact moment where our fate 612 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:08,400 Speaker 1: comes in conflict with our feelings? And it's so hard, 613 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:13,760 Speaker 1: isn't it? But never forget. These aren't the last words 614 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:17,960 Speaker 1: that Jesus uttered after he says, take this cup for me, 615 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,919 Speaker 1: change this God, make a different plan. I don't want 616 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:23,400 Speaker 1: this to be my life. I've uttered those words, But 617 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 1: now look at these nine earth shaking hells shattering, demon 618 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: quaking words. He says. Yet, not what I will, but 619 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:36,160 Speaker 1: what you will. In other words, he had a marked 620 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:42,320 Speaker 1: moment before going to the cross where he exchanged his will. 621 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: Take this cup from me for God's will, because he 622 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:51,319 Speaker 1: knew God's will was better. You see. Here's where I 623 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:56,520 Speaker 1: get in trouble sometimes with my faith. I know, even 624 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,800 Speaker 1: if God doesn't change my circumstances, I know my hope 625 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:05,080 Speaker 1: is that God will do or bring good from even this. 626 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:08,239 Speaker 1: I know that the scripture teaches us that. But here's 627 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: where I get in trouble. I then like to run 628 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,560 Speaker 1: ahead of God and write the script of good that 629 00:39:13,600 --> 00:39:18,080 Speaker 1: he should surely do right. And people will sometimes say, Lisa, 630 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:20,160 Speaker 1: have you prayed about this? Oh? You know I prayed 631 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:22,759 Speaker 1: about it, when in reality I have stressed about it. 632 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:24,680 Speaker 1: I have fretted about it, I have called my friends 633 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:26,480 Speaker 1: about it, I have cried in my bed about it. 634 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,480 Speaker 1: And then if I actually did pray about it, I 635 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:32,080 Speaker 1: was so busy making suggestions to God of all the 636 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:34,840 Speaker 1: ways he could fix it that I didn't really stop 637 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:38,239 Speaker 1: to listen to God revealing to me what he was 638 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:42,719 Speaker 1: actually doing. And I think it's so helpful for us 639 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 1: to stop holding God accountable to a good that he 640 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 1: never wrote. He will do good, but it will be 641 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,440 Speaker 1: his version of good, and his version of good is 642 00:39:52,640 --> 00:40:02,359 Speaker 1: always better. Amen. Here's how I have marked moments where 643 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:05,319 Speaker 1: I trade my will for his will. I stand in 644 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:07,799 Speaker 1: the middle of my circumstance and I say, God, you 645 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:11,640 Speaker 1: are good. God, you are good to me. This doesn't 646 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:14,319 Speaker 1: feel good and it doesn't seem good, and I might 647 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:16,680 Speaker 1: not be able to even see any good that's going 648 00:40:16,719 --> 00:40:19,640 Speaker 1: to come from this. But God, I know you are 649 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:23,839 Speaker 1: good and you are good to me. Other people might 650 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 1: not be good to me, but you are good to me, 651 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 1: and God, you are good at being God. So I'm 652 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:34,600 Speaker 1: going to lay down all my suggestions and I'm just 653 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:38,040 Speaker 1: gonna sit here and realize my job is to be 654 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:42,160 Speaker 1: obedient to God. God's job is taking care of everything else. 655 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 1: Everything else marked moments of trading my will for Thy will. 656 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:52,640 Speaker 1: And can I tell you I had to do that 657 00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:57,200 Speaker 1: the past three years, not just one time, not just sometimes. 658 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:00,759 Speaker 1: I had to do it every day, sometimes hour by hour. 659 00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:05,480 Speaker 1: And God has absolutely worked a miracle in my family. 660 00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:08,200 Speaker 1: But it wasn't that he ever listened to any suggestion 661 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 1: I made. We serve a good God with good plans, 662 00:41:12,239 --> 00:41:15,400 Speaker 1: and his plans are always better. And the miracle that 663 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:18,239 Speaker 1: God worked in my family was so much bigger and 664 00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:21,719 Speaker 1: so much better. He wasn't just after changing behavior in 665 00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:24,840 Speaker 1: my husband. He was after giving him a brand new heart. 666 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:28,640 Speaker 1: And can I just acknowledge today my husband is sitting 667 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:32,520 Speaker 1: on the front row and I thank God. I thank God, 668 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:45,600 Speaker 1: I thank God, I thank God for you. It is 669 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:50,799 Speaker 1: a miracle. It is a miracle. Some people say, LI, see, 670 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:54,120 Speaker 1: you're so courageous for sharing your story. I don't really 671 00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:57,920 Speaker 1: think I'm the courageous one. I think you're the courageous one, 672 00:41:58,040 --> 00:42:02,120 Speaker 1: art because you were man enough to humble yourself before 673 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,880 Speaker 1: the Lord, and in the face of so many people 674 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:10,640 Speaker 1: knowing you came home and you fought from my heart, 675 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:17,560 Speaker 1: I thank God for you. I think you're a shiny 676 00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:21,120 Speaker 1: example to many, and I do thank God for you. 677 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:25,880 Speaker 1: I remember one time we were in counseling and I 678 00:42:25,920 --> 00:42:29,400 Speaker 1: was supposed to write an impact letter talking about the 679 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:31,359 Speaker 1: impact that this had had on me. And at that 680 00:42:31,400 --> 00:42:35,520 Speaker 1: point I was not very hopeful that things would work out, 681 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:39,000 Speaker 1: and so I remember writing this impact letter and I 682 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:46,000 Speaker 1: remember saying that sometimes when you walk through broken times, 683 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 1: you look around and there's broken pieces, you golo them 684 00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:51,640 Speaker 1: back together, and then God's light and love can shine 685 00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:54,800 Speaker 1: through the cracks of that brokenness. We all love that story. 686 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:59,759 Speaker 1: We see Kumbai, yah and yay. Everything right in this 687 00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:03,239 Speaker 1: letter I wrote, but that's not our story. Because I 688 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:06,000 Speaker 1: look around and I don't just see broken pieces. I 689 00:43:06,040 --> 00:43:10,719 Speaker 1: see nothing but dust. And you can't glue dust. I 690 00:43:10,760 --> 00:43:15,080 Speaker 1: put a period, I signed it, I folded it up, 691 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:18,200 Speaker 1: threw it on the counter, and intended to end it 692 00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:25,600 Speaker 1: just that way. Here's the miracle, though, getting into God's 693 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:29,760 Speaker 1: word and letting God's word get into you. He'll chase 694 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:33,080 Speaker 1: you roualm. He'll remind you there's a different ending with him. 695 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:36,799 Speaker 1: And he reminded me from Genesis too. Of all the 696 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:40,320 Speaker 1: ingredients that God could have chosen to make his favorite creation, 697 00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:44,320 Speaker 1: and he had access to it all, God chose dust, 698 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:48,279 Speaker 1: and he picked up that dust, and he breathed into it, 699 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:55,600 Speaker 1: and life came from that dust. Oh my friends, No 700 00:43:55,600 --> 00:44:00,240 Speaker 1: matter where you are today, dust does not signify an end. 701 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:04,280 Speaker 1: Dust is often what must be present for the brand 702 00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:14,360 Speaker 1: new to begin. Amen, Amen and amen. Thank you for 703 00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:17,040 Speaker 1: joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give 704 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:20,000 Speaker 1: generously to this ministry. Is because of you that this 705 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:22,920 Speaker 1: ministry is possible. You can click the link in the 706 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:27,360 Speaker 1: description to give now, or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash 707 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:30,680 Speaker 1: podcast for more information, and if you enjoyed the podcast, 708 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:33,680 Speaker 1: you can subscribe you can share it with your friends. 709 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:36,279 Speaker 1: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 710 00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:38,439 Speaker 1: share it on your social stories and tag us at 711 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:46,040 Speaker 1: Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.