1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. Be sure to subscribe 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: so we can get you these new sermons every week. 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: I hope you're blessed today. 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,759 Speaker 2: Come on, somebody help me lift the name of Jesus. 6 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: Come on, let's live the name of Jesus. 7 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 3: Please, sir, the name of the mo name jeess Listen. 8 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: Redeems Jesus. 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 2: Listen to these unifl savor Jesus worrias Lord. He's Manuel 10 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 2: God with us and his name. 11 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 3: Tell me call wonderful, come flor mighty, die everlasting mother, 12 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 3: dingle pe hend Lord of Lord. 13 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: What is this Jesus? 14 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 2: What is na Jesus? Je see. 15 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: She Esus. 16 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: I be coming to your name, Jesus, Jesus, Jesa. 17 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 4: Every time, healing in the name of Jesus, Salvation in 18 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 4: the name of Jesus, Freedom, in the name of. 19 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: Jesus, no other name but Jesus, the only name that saves. Father. 20 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: I thank you today that when I don't know what 21 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: to do, I know who to call. I ask you today, Lord, 22 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: show up for your people. They've called on you, they've 23 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: cried to you. We believe in your word. Your word 24 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: says that if we call, you'll hear us. In the 25 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: day of trouble. I pray right now, Lord that for 26 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: every storm that may be happening, whether it's a physical 27 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: storm that the weatherman was talking about, or whether it's 28 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: an emotional storm that no one knows of, that you 29 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: would speak peace to it. Peace, Be still, Peace, Be still. 30 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: Yours is the voice that doesn't need a sound system. Peace, 31 00:02:53,280 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: Be still. Yours is the power that never goes out. 32 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: Be still. But you reach around and hug seven people 33 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: and tell them this. The Lord is going to give 34 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: you extra blessings for being here today. Those of you online, 35 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: how are you doing? God is with you, mighty warrior. 36 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: Get out of the wine press, stop worrying about it, 37 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: and worship through it. God is with you in this storm. Yeah. 38 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: I don't care what the enemy is. The Bible says, 39 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: He'll prepare a table in the presence of your enemies. 40 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: Our God is great and greatly to be praised. Everybody, 41 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: say my God is great. Come on, either say it 42 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: with your lips or type it with your fingers, or 43 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: use your thumbs. Put it in the comments right now, 44 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: say my God is great. Tell them, yours is great too. 45 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: Come on, tell your neighbor we got the same God. 46 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: Tell him he likes me better, but we're both his kids. 47 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: How many secretly feel like you're one of God's favorites? 48 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: Just slip your finger up right here. I want to 49 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: welcome everybody that's a part of our church, our global 50 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: e fam around the world. Let's welcome all those who 51 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: are joining us online today. You know, it's an interesting dilemma. 52 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: We've been hearing weather reports an apocalyptic storm that may 53 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: be coming. And while we take that seriously, and while 54 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: we'll be working with our outreach partners to help all 55 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: of those who are affected and to minister to those 56 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: who are in need, you know, it gets kind of 57 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: hard sometimes because there's always a report, there's always a 58 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: reason not to do something. And when we heard that 59 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: the storm was coming right here through where we live, 60 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: it was a conversation, you know, should we cancel church? 61 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: And something inside of me was like, this is Elevation Church, 62 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 1: and if anything, we can't cancel it. If anything, we 63 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: got to sneak up on the devil day early. So 64 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: that's what we're doing. We gathered together about fifteen hundred 65 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: of the most safe, sanctified people, and the Carolinas, some 66 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: from Virginia. I mean, these are watch this, these are 67 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: holy ghosts filled believers in the room today. That's right, 68 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: that's right. We checked all the U Version Bible reading 69 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: plans in the church, and the people with the perfect 70 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: streaks got to come to church today. So we're sharing 71 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 1: this with you a little early. The Lord is in 72 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: this place, and it's been an interesting day here in 73 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: the room. It's been interesting. Not only do they say 74 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: a storm is coming, but something happened that's never happened 75 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,239 Speaker 1: in the twenty years of the church. The entire sound 76 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: system went out like five hundred times while we were 77 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: trying to transition into the sermon, and we kept on 78 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: having to sing the third and fourth and fifth verses 79 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: of songs that only have two verses. That was interesting 80 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 1: as well. And I started thinking about all of that, 81 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: and I thought, you know, Lord, well, maybe you didn't 82 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:30,679 Speaker 1: want us to bring this message today. Maybe you didn't 83 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: want me to preach today. All these distractions and all 84 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: these hindrances and all these obstacles. Maybe you didn't want 85 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: me to have this service today. Maybe you didn't want 86 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: me to preach this work today, and something inside me 87 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: said no, Maybe the devil didn't see. We misinterpret when 88 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: things go wrong. Now I don't even know if my 89 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: MIC's gonna work for this whole sermon, but I need 90 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: every prayer, warrior, pray that this word would reach right 91 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: where it's supposed to go. We welcome you into the 92 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: presence of the Lord today. Wherever you are, whatever you're 93 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: going through, God has a word for you. And no 94 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: word from God will return. Boy Isaiah fifty five says, 95 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: as the rain falls from the heaven and waters the 96 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: earth and causes it to flourish, so will God's word 97 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: be that comes forth from his mouth. It will not 98 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: return unto him void. It will accomplish what he said 99 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: it to do. How many are excited about the word today? 100 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: Come on, clap your hands on your couch. Re'll call everybody. 101 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: Puts your name in the chat, and open your Bible. 102 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: Please to Matthew chapter thirteen, Matthew Chapter thirteen, verses thirty 103 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: one and thirty two, and Matthew Chapter thirteen, verse forty four. 104 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: Share a little scripture today with you that is really 105 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: going to help you in your life. And if while 106 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: I'm preaching the microphone pops and struggles and strains underneath 107 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: the weight of this anointing. I will scream so loud 108 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: that the dude in the back row will fall down 109 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: the stairs from the shock, until my voice is raw 110 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: and the Lord will speak. Now listen to this. This 111 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: is Matthew chapter thirteen, verse thirty one and thirty two, 112 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: and Matthew Chapter thirteen, verse forty four. Jesus told them 113 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: another parable. He said, the Kingdom of Heaven is like 114 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: a mustard seed which a man took and planted in 115 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, 116 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: Yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden 117 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come 118 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: and perch in its branches. Wow verse forty four. The 119 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. 120 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: When a man found it, he hid it again, and 121 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: then in his joy, went and sold all he had 122 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 1: and bought that feel. I have a word from the 123 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: Lord for you today. The Lord told me to tell 124 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: you it's worth the dirt. It's worth the dirt. Father, 125 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: These moments in your presence are precious. We pray for 126 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: your protection and a hedge of your glory around each 127 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: of your children today, so that they can receive what 128 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: you speak, however it comes out. This is your word 129 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: and your church in Jesus' name. Amen, touch your neighbor 130 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 1: and tell him it's worth the dirt on your way 131 00:09:55,320 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 1: to your seat. I know you had to wait this sermon, 132 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: but it's going to be worth it. 133 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 5: Now. 134 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: I have a feeling that this microphone is not going 135 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: to hold up today. But I think what I'm going 136 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 1: to do is I'm just going to preach this as 137 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: awkward as it needs to be preached, unless that becomes 138 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: so distracting that we can't take it. And if somebody 139 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: wants to run the target and buy me a megaphone, 140 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: I'll preach through that as well. You know, God is 141 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: so good. He teaches us to discern in different seasons 142 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 1: of our life whether or not something is worth it. 143 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: And maturity is learning to see when something will be 144 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: worth it and embrace it, and when it's not worth 145 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: it to walk away. That's what maturity is. Being mature 146 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 1: in your faith. It's about recognizing when it's worth it 147 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: and when it isn't worth it, and not only recognize it, 148 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: but walk away when it's not worth it. Tell your 149 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: neighbor just practice real quick saying it's not even worth it. 150 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: It's not even worth it. Some things are, some things aren't. 151 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 1: For years, when I would go watch Graham wrestle, usually 152 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: I'll spend my saturdays in a sweaty gym that smelled 153 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: like boy, smelled like the worst parts of a boy. 154 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: By about two o'clock in the afternoon, it would be 155 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: cooking in that oven. The reason I know that it 156 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: was worth it is because the first time he ever 157 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: won a big wrestling tournament, I said to him afterwards, Man, 158 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: I'm so glad I was here to see it. Now. 159 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: The reason that I almost wasn't there was because I 160 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: had to bring in a guest preacher to preach for 161 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: me in order to be at this tournament. And there 162 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 1: was a part of me sitting there like, man, thousands 163 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: of people that need the gospel, and then my son's wrestling. 164 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: I don't know what to do. Is it worth it 165 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: to not preach to go watch him in this tournament? 166 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: So he wins the whole thing, right, and we're sitting 167 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: at Pizza Hut where all of my food addiction issues 168 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: began with the book at club, I'm serious. All of 169 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: my food reward issues started in the fourth grade, reading 170 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: The Babysitters Club and getting pizza for it. Shouldn't have 171 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: confessed that. Well, We're sitting there at Pizza Hut celebrating 172 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: his gold medal, and I said, man, I'm so glad 173 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: I came. What if you'd have won the whole tournament 174 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 1: and I hadn't been here to see it? And he said, well, 175 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: if you hadn't been here to see it, I probably 176 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: wouldn't have won it. If you hadn't been here to 177 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: see it, I probably wouldn't have won it. So every 178 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: time I'd be hauling my butt into a gym with 179 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: some boy's feet propped up on the bleachers behind me, 180 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: I mean, at a wrestling tournament, they turned the whole 181 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: gym into a locker room. It's awesome, it's incredible, And 182 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: in a room full of half naked men packed to 183 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: the gills and me sitting there in the middle of 184 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: all of it with my OCD, I'm going, it's worth it. 185 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: It's worth it. It's worth it. It's worth it. It's 186 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:56,839 Speaker 1: worth it, not just because he's going to go to 187 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: the Olympics, but because he told me it's worth it. 188 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: Tell somebody sometimes it's worth it. Sometimes you got to 189 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 1: preach with the mic popping because it's worth it. Sometimes 190 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: you got to come out the church a day early 191 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:17,439 Speaker 1: on a Saturday because it's worth it. Sometimes it's worth it. 192 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: And wisdom is knowing when it's worth it. Wisdom is 193 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: the ability to hear that little whisper that God will 194 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: give you from time to time and say. 195 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 6: It's worth it. Stick with this, it's worth it. Log 196 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 6: on church online today. It's going to be worth it. Yeah, 197 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 6: keep trying to fix that relationship. It's worth it. 198 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: And sometimes it's just a little whisper. God will encourage 199 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: you in the moment where you feel like giving up, 200 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: and he'll say, no, no, no, it's worth it. Keep 201 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: doing it. It's worth it. Just whisper to your neighbors, 202 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: say it's worth it. Now, Tell them to say it's 203 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: worth it when it's worth it. But you know what, 204 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: I had a moment the other day, and it happened 205 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: when I was bending down to tie my shoes and 206 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: Holly was in the other room laughing at me, and 207 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 1: she said, Babe, you tying your shoes like you are 208 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: eighty eight. And I said, I know babe, I can't. 209 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: I can't help it. That's the price that I pay 210 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: for this physique. It just comes with soreness. And she said, yeah, 211 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: but the trade off, like you look great, but do 212 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: you really have to do you really have to go 213 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: that hard on leg day that you can't tie your shoes? 214 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: And I had a moment standing there in the closet 215 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: listening to my wife mock me, a moment of maturity 216 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: where I decided, you know what, She's right, this is 217 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: not worth it, even though that lady at the gym 218 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: fifteen years ago made fun of me and said do 219 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: you ever do leg day? And created a complex inside 220 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: of me. While I was wearing my shorts, I was 221 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: bending down to tie my shoes, and something just hit 222 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: me real quick, like, you know what, nobody is looking 223 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: at your ham strings. Nobody, not even Holly wants to 224 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: see your ham strings, So just wear some and cover 225 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: your quads. What are you trying to be a quad model? 226 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: And that was the last day I ever did heavy 227 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: squats because it's not worth it. I came to set 228 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: somebody free from leg day today. You're too old for that. Now, 229 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: you're not supposed to be going down that deep. If 230 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: the Lord would have made you have been down like that, 231 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: he'd have put hinges on your hips. It's not helping anybody, 232 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: and nobody is looking at your calves. Cover them up. 233 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: It's not worth it. Wear some baggy jeans, tie your shoes, 234 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 1: and be happy. In Matthew chapter thirteen, what a transition 235 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: full of out all the stuffs today on snow day. 236 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: In Matthew chapter thirteen, Jesus is giving a very important 237 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: lesson to his disciples on what's worth it, because he 238 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: knows there will be a time soon to come when 239 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: he goes to the cross, and their commitment to him 240 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: will be challenged by that cross. See, they left a 241 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: lot to follow him. They left their fishing businesses, they 242 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: left their tax collecting agencies. Many of them even left 243 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: their family's approval to follow this wonderworking rebel priest named 244 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: Jesus of Nazareth, who is considered a heretic by many. 245 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: And at the moment that he could have called the 246 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: legion of angels to get him down off the cross, 247 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: and didn't, I wonder did they? Wonder? Was it worth it? 248 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: And I wonder who I'm preaching to today? That wonders 249 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: is it worth it? Is it worth it for me 250 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: to keep serving God? It doesn't seem to be doing 251 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: me any good. Is it worth it for me to 252 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: keep being pure as a teenager? Everybody else is having 253 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: more fun than I am? Is it worth it for 254 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: me to be the weird kid that doesn't get invited 255 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: to the parties Because I have a standard of purity 256 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: and I have a direction of destiny. I have learned 257 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: that this stage of my life, how important it is 258 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: that we are not driven by external and others focused 259 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: metrics of what matters. You have to decide what is 260 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: worth it from within. You have to, or else you'll 261 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 1: jump on every trend, or else you will burn yourself 262 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: out and then ask God to light your fire. But 263 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: God can't light a fire when you don't have the 264 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: priorities to put His presence first in your life. And 265 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 1: I think this is your year to decide what's worth 266 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: it to you and to commit to what is and 267 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: to walk away from what isn't. This is not permission 268 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: to quit your job because I bet you like that check. 269 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: That check is kind of worth. It is kind of 270 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 1: worth It's kind of worth your boss's bad breath, isn't 271 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 1: it the health insurance is kind of worth it that 272 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 1: dental insurance make you put up with a lot of stuff. See, 273 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: I think it's very difficult for us in the moment 274 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: to know is it worth it. 275 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 7: It's easy to look back and say that wasn't worth 276 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 7: it. It's easy to look back and say that was worth it. 277 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 7: Where the Holy Spirit comes in is to look at 278 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 7: something and to realize this is worth it, and the 279 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 7: Lord will whisper it's worth it. 280 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: I know it doesn't look like much, but it's worth it. 281 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: I know it's hard for you and nobody's appreciating you, 282 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: but it's worth it. I've called you to it, and 283 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: then the Holy Spirit will whisper to you. Sometimes it's 284 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: not worth it. I know you want to tell them off, 285 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: save your breath. It's not worth it. I know you 286 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,920 Speaker 1: want to put them in their place, and you can 287 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:44,199 Speaker 1: do it, but it's not worth it. You're going to 288 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 1: be sore tomorrow if you go off today. Now you're 289 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 1: going to have to apologize and create more work for yourself. 290 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:53,920 Speaker 1: Just put it in the comments. It's not worth it. 291 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: I learned that about leg day, but I'm still learning 292 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: it about life. I'm learning that it is not worth 293 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: it for me to respond to every criticism. I mean, 294 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 1: let's be honest, I've had my fair share of practice. 295 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: How many of y'all that go to this church have 296 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: ever heard somebody say something bad about me? How many 297 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: of you wanted to punch them in the mountain? I 298 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: love y'all. That's our real church right there. One of 299 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: my friends asked me one time, He's like, Pastor, don't 300 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: you feel like the staff you got around you is 301 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: too saved? Don't you feel like you need a few 302 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 1: barely saved, just out of prison ministry staff around you 303 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: just to handle the nonsense? I thought, No, it's not 304 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: worth it. Peter didn't get this. When they came to 305 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 1: get Jesus. He started cutting off ears, and Jesus said, 306 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: what is this? It's not worth it. Nothing can stop 307 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: me from going to the cross because that's what God 308 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 1: sent me to do. It's not worth it. That phrase 309 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 1: right there will set you free. It's not worth it. 310 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: It's not worth it because if I defend myself to 311 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: a critic and I win, what have I won? A 312 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 1: critic who changed their mind? What prize do I get 313 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: for changing their mind? If I change your mind, I 314 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,400 Speaker 1: get what see. I might win an argument, but it's 315 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: too expensive because it cost me my peace. So I 316 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: rather keep my peace than win an argument. Jesus is 317 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: helping his disciples to discern what's worth it. And that's 318 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: what he's doing in your life right now. He's allowing 319 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: some things to be pruned, he's allowing some things to 320 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 1: be moved. He's allowing some people that were in your 321 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,439 Speaker 1: life to move to a different circle. It's not that 322 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: you don't love them, It's just that you can't invest 323 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: in everybody in this season of your life. And so 324 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: God graciously moves people into different seasons so that you 325 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: can focus on what's right in front of you, so 326 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:55,640 Speaker 1: God can show you what's worth it. That's why God 327 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: lets you have that really bad hangover, so you could 328 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 1: realize this is not worth it. I don't want to 329 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: pass this crap on to my kids. I don't want 330 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: them to have to struggle with this addiction because it's 331 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 1: not worth it. And in Matthew chapter thirteen, we get 332 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 1: two parables of seven that are mentioned by Jesus in 333 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,679 Speaker 1: the Gospel of Matthew. They are the mysteries of the Kingdom. 334 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: One of those mysteries is the mystery of the mustard seed, 335 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,199 Speaker 1: and one is the treasure in the field. And what 336 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: they both hold in common to me is not a 337 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 1: parent on the surface. He told them another parable, the 338 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:33,199 Speaker 1: Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed which a 339 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 1: man took and planted in his field. That's a beautiful 340 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 1: scripture to me, because a mustard seed is indeed the 341 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: parabolic smallest seed that was known at the time, not technically, 342 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: but it was commonly accepted to say it's as small 343 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: as a mustard seed. Go on, though it is the 344 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 1: smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is 345 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so 346 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: that the birds come and perch in its branches. To me, 347 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 1: this speaks to the temptation that I feel so often 348 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: in my life to dismiss something that God is doing 349 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: because of a small beginning. Because of a small beginning. 350 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: I can think of so many examples in my life 351 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:30,880 Speaker 1: where it was little until it wasn't a little thing 352 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: that almost seemed so inconsequential, and it was little until 353 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: it wasn't, And I found out when God speaks to us, 354 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: he usually speaks little things. To us. It's worth it. 355 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: It's little until it isn't. What's the first thing that 356 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: Jesus told Peter to do, not leave your nets and 357 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: follow me. He just said, put down the nets for 358 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: a catch. Well, that's something that Peter did all the time. 359 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 1: It was little until it wasn't. Because when Jesus told 360 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 1: him to do the little thing, put down the nets 361 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: for a catch, Jesus had a big thing in mind. Oh, 362 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: somebody say, God's got something big for me. Come on, 363 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: say you got to say that with some volume. Now, 364 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:19,880 Speaker 1: God's God something big for me. Say it again, God's 365 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: got something big for me. It starts as a seed. 366 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 1: And if you dismiss the seed, you miss the thing. 367 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,719 Speaker 1: The Kingdom of heaven. What's it like, Jesus tell us 368 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,959 Speaker 1: what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. It's like the 369 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 1: smallest seed. It's almost microscopic, but it can be miraculous, 370 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: and it just takes time. Is worth it. It just takes time. 371 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: It matters. It just takes time. And I have a 372 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 1: phone full of proof that everything that God does big 373 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: starts small. I have a phone full of voice notes 374 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: that have songs that we sing in our church that 375 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: started as a little melody idea that we hummed into 376 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: the phone. If you heard it, you would think I 377 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: was having a nervous breakdown. It doesn't sound like a song, 378 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:14,920 Speaker 1: it doesn't sound like anything. It sounds like a mumble. 379 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 1: It sounds like a mustard seed. But God turns some 380 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: of those mumbles into anthems that people can sing when 381 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: they're looking at mountains. So now I remember, watch this. 382 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 1: It's little until it isn't. It's little until it isn't. 383 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 1: One day David was told by his father to carry 384 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: some cheese and bread to the battle lines to his brothers. Well, 385 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: that's a little thing. All he's doing at this point 386 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:46,680 Speaker 1: that I can tell is doing an uber driver's job 387 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: with a king's anointing. But David sets out to do 388 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 1: a little thing, and he takes his little cheeses and 389 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,159 Speaker 1: his little breads from watching his little sheep with his 390 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: little self, the smallest brother, and he shows up little. 391 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: But when he gets to the battle lines, he hears 392 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:05,120 Speaker 1: the shout of a big giant. This giant is nine 393 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 1: feet tall. So now all of a sudden, what was 394 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: little that morning, take this meal to your brothers turned 395 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: into the biggest opportunity. 396 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 5: Of his life, because it's little till it isn't. Say 397 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 5: it it's little, till it isn't. This side, say it's little, 398 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 5: this side, say till it isn't. 399 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: Elijah the prophet told his servant, go check the sky. 400 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 1: I hear the sound of the abundance of rain is 401 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: getting stormy. I know there's been a drought in the land. 402 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,119 Speaker 1: And the servant came back seven times and said there's 403 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: nothing there. And on the seventh time, not the six 404 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: to seventh, he came back and said, well, I see 405 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 1: a cloud, but it's it's little. It's just the size 406 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: of a man's hand. And Elijah said, well, you better 407 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: tell Ahab hitch up his chariots, because it might be 408 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,199 Speaker 1: little now, but it is loaded. And I came to 409 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,200 Speaker 1: preach to somebody's life. It might be little now, going 410 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: back to get your degree. It might be little now. 411 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 1: Having integrity on your job. It might be little now 412 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 1: making your first appointment with a trainer. It might be 413 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: little now. Putting the word of God in your kid's heart, 414 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:16,959 Speaker 1: dragging them to church. It might be little now breeding 415 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: a verse a day. It might be little now, but 416 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: little as much as God is in it. Little as much. 417 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: Jesus was preaching. One day the crowds were hungry. He 418 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: told the disciples to feed them, and he asked him, 419 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 1: what do you have? They said, just a little bit. 420 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,479 Speaker 1: There's a little boy with a little lunch and a 421 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,679 Speaker 1: big crowd with a few loaves. And what we have 422 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 1: is little and as little till it isn't. And when 423 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 1: he touched it, what was little became leftovers. Because it's 424 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 1: only little till it isn't. Come on, give God a 425 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: little praise, little pray, little praise, little praise, little prays, 426 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: little praise. I see a cloud the size of a 427 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: man's hand. I see it rising in your life. Or 428 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: maybe I should say, I see a cloud the size 429 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,919 Speaker 1: of a man's hand, and I see a seed the 430 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: size of a mustard seed. And Jesus said, some of 431 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: the most significant things God will do in your life 432 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 1: will be some of the smallest things when they start. 433 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 1: All right, if I send you all home right now, 434 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:35,359 Speaker 1: I think it was worth it just to encourage you 435 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:39,199 Speaker 1: with that much. It's little till it isn't. Can I 436 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: break that down a little more? Though? I want to 437 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 1: make it worth your while. Tell somebody it's worth it. 438 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,679 Speaker 1: It's worth it to come to church. It's worth it 439 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: to put on your uncomfortable shoes and your pants that 440 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 1: don't have an elastic wasteband and get in the House 441 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: of God and get in a place where you can hear. 442 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:58,919 Speaker 1: And it is worth it to devote yourself to the 443 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: word of God. And I'm gonna tell you something right 444 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: now about the mustard seed that became a tree. And 445 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: I don't know if you can kind of make this 446 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 1: jump with me, But it's not only true about the 447 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: kingdom that it's little until it isn't, But it's also 448 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: true about compromise. It's little till it isn't. It's one 449 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: glass of wine until you go through something that makes 450 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: you need three and five and seven. I wish y'all 451 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: would look at me like that, Well, I'm not allowed 452 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: to have a standard in my life. I'm not telling 453 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: you not to drink. What I am saying about this 454 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: is that I had people make fun of me almost 455 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: every year of my teenage and adult life when they 456 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: found out that I have chosen I can't handle alcohol, 457 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: and they're like, what do you think it's a sin? 458 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: I'm like, no, I don't think it's a sin I 459 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 1: just think for me is slippery. It's slippery because I 460 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: know me and I am already addicted to enough stuff. 461 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: I do not need to invite chemical demons into places 462 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: where I already have plenty of this funtion. You know 463 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, I'm not inviting a gang of demons 464 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 1: into my life. When my dad struggled with it, and 465 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: his dad struggled with it, and the Lord gave me 466 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: a real revelation about this. One day, I was watching 467 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: a famous celebrity and they were on a talk show 468 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: and they were celebrating like seventeen years of sobriety, and 469 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: everybody clatform. Everybody clapped. Seventeen years sober. That's amazing. Everybody clatform. 470 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: Everybody was clapping. The whole studio audience was clapping, and 471 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: I thought, that's it's crazy. They will clap for that. 472 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 1: But if a teenager decides I'm not going to drink, 473 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 1: everybody will make you feel like a fool. So why 474 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: do we celebrate after they have made such a mess 475 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: that they need a miracle to make it right? But 476 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: we can't celebrate when you put the measures in your 477 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 1: life to keep you from the evil in the first place. 478 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: So if we can celebrate recovery, we can celebrate precovery. 479 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: It means that I can make some little decisions in 480 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: my life that might keep a guardrail up for the future. 481 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: Because it's little till it isn't. It's little till it isn't. 482 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: And you're saying, what does this have to do with dirt? 483 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: You said it's worth the dirt, that's your title. What 484 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: does dirt have to do with decisions? I was looking 485 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 1: at these parables, you know. The one I preached about 486 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: a few weeks ago was the wheat and the weeds. 487 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 1: I preached about that, how the enemy will always do 488 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 1: something right beside whatever God does, in order to try 489 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: to get you discouraged and get you to give up. 490 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: And I do feel like that I'm preaching to a 491 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: lot of people today who are discouraged either by the 492 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: seeming insignificance of what God has called you to do. 493 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 1: I mean, good Lord, what parent in the room has 494 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: not been discouraged to think none of this matters. All 495 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: the little things you do for your kids, all the 496 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: things they don't say thank you for all the little 497 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 1: pieces of advice you try to give, all the little 498 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 1: things that you may do that go unnoticed, all of 499 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: the little ways you try to correct. There's nobody in 500 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: here who hasn't felt the idea of this isn't worth it, 501 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 1: or at the very least, this isn't working, and it's 502 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 1: not worth it. Because it's not working, it's not nothing's 503 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:55,680 Speaker 1: getting better. But notice something about the mustard seed. It 504 00:31:55,760 --> 00:32:05,360 Speaker 1: became what it was in an unseen place. Notice the 505 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 1: mustard seed was very small, the smallest of all seeds. 506 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: Yet Verse thirty two says when it grows, it is 507 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: the largest of garden plants. Now, I just need to 508 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: preach this like its Bible study. Okay, I'm gonna talk 509 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: to y'all, not like you're a Sunday morning crowd. I'm 510 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 1: gonna talk to you like you're a seminary class. It 511 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: doesn't say when it grows it becomes the largest of 512 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 1: garden plants. It says when it grows it is the 513 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: largest of garden plants. That means it already was when 514 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:48,000 Speaker 1: it went in the ground. It just needed somewhere to grow. 515 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: What made the difference between the mustard seed being this 516 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: big and being this big, What made the difference was 517 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 1: the we don't like dirt. We don't like dirt. We 518 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 1: like shine. We don't like dirt. We like dreams. We 519 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 1: don't like dirt. We don't like dirty churches. We go 520 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: around to churches, and if one church has a problem 521 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 1: with it, we'll leave that church and go to another church. 522 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: And you know, some of us, we're going from church 523 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: to church looking for dirt. And we are drawn to 524 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 1: the church because that church helped me and that church 525 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:34,760 Speaker 1: blessed me. But stay around any church long enough, you'll 526 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 1: find dirt. I mean, even the purest church, even the 527 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 1: church that says like we're the real church. We preach 528 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: the real gospel. We preach the real truth. They got dirt. 529 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: They've got dirt. I promise you. I have lived to 530 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:52,720 Speaker 1: see the days when some of the most judgmental people 531 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: that I ever met in my life turned out to 532 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: be the most jacked up people that I ever met 533 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,640 Speaker 1: in my life. And the reason they were mean is 534 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: because they were so messed up, and rather than admit 535 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: they were messed up, they just decided to be mean. 536 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 1: So let me go ahead and save you a lot 537 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:12,240 Speaker 1: of trouble. This church has dirt. The person you're sitting 538 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:15,840 Speaker 1: next to has dirt. The person that you're sitting next 539 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 1: to has some things that they carry with them that 540 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 1: they're not proud of that if you meet them in 541 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:23,319 Speaker 1: the wrong place, they might not have a good response. 542 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:29,240 Speaker 1: But notice in the passage that it was the dirt. 543 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:32,440 Speaker 1: I'm not glorifying sin, but it was the dirt. It 544 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 1: was something that we try to remove. It was something 545 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:39,720 Speaker 1: that we don't value that made the mustard seed become 546 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: something that you would not see on the surface. This 547 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 1: trial that you're going through, this shame that you're dealing with, 548 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:52,359 Speaker 1: this issue that you're pushing through. Whether or not you 549 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 1: grow from it depends on how you interpret the dirt. 550 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: Because if I see the dirt as a place to avoid, 551 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 1: I will never go through the processes that will make 552 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:08,720 Speaker 1: me grow, and I'll run from church to church looking 553 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:10,680 Speaker 1: for a church with no dirt. But can I tell 554 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:15,279 Speaker 1: you something, You grow in the dirt. You grow in community. 555 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,799 Speaker 1: You grow when you have to work through conflict, quit 556 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: switching people, and start letting God change you. It can't 557 00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:28,919 Speaker 1: grow if it never gets planted. You can't grow if 558 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: you never get planted. And yes, there come times to 559 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 1: leave jobs, and yes there come times to leave relationships 560 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: and yes, there comes time to leave churches. But I 561 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 1: want to tell you that some of us never produce 562 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 1: our potential because we are never planted in our purpose. 563 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:52,760 Speaker 1: And sometimes you just have to decide, this is worth it. Devil, 564 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: you can't have it. This is worth it for fighting 565 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: for me. Now that might not be devil. You can 566 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:02,200 Speaker 1: have that. I'll pay you to take it. This is 567 00:36:02,239 --> 00:36:08,920 Speaker 1: not worth it, but this is worth it. The word 568 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 1: of the Lord for somebody. Is this one's worth it? 569 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,000 Speaker 1: This one's worth it. I know it's small. I know 570 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:15,959 Speaker 1: you don't see it right now. I know it's taking 571 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:18,280 Speaker 1: longer than you thought. I know the momentum is tricky 572 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:20,359 Speaker 1: right now. I know the winds are against you. But 573 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: this one's worth it. This is not just anything. You 574 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:25,839 Speaker 1: cannot keep this cycle up of running from things when 575 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: they get hard, you will never grow that way. This 576 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 1: one's worth it. And I know it's dirty. I know 577 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 1: it's messy. I know is sloppy. I know it'll be 578 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:36,480 Speaker 1: easier for you to just hide. 579 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:42,280 Speaker 8: But this one is worth it. It's worth the dirt 580 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:46,680 Speaker 8: that's where it grew. It's worth the dirt that's where 581 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:50,480 Speaker 8: it learned to break through. It's worth the dirt. 582 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:58,080 Speaker 1: And yet there's another parable, another parable that Jesus told 583 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:02,919 Speaker 1: about dirt. He talked in Matthew thirteen forty four about 584 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:07,160 Speaker 1: how the Kingdom of Heaven is also like Now watch this. 585 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 1: In the first parable, he's talking about a tree that 586 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:15,239 Speaker 1: has to go into the dirt to become what it 587 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:19,800 Speaker 1: already is. In this parable, he's talking about a treasure 588 00:37:21,160 --> 00:37:24,239 Speaker 1: that is hidden in the dirt. But it does not 589 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:27,440 Speaker 1: lessen its value. For he said, the Kingdom of Heaven 590 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 1: forty four is like a treasure hidden in a field. 591 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 1: When a man found it, he hid it again, and 592 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:41,560 Speaker 1: then in his joy, he went and sold everything he had. 593 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:45,120 Speaker 1: He was happy, he was putting everything on e day, 594 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:48,239 Speaker 1: and happy because the Kingdom of God is like this 595 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:51,880 Speaker 1: is so precious, it's such a priority. The Kingdom of 596 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:55,360 Speaker 1: God is such a treasure. When he found it, he 597 00:37:55,520 --> 00:38:01,240 Speaker 1: sold everything he had and bought the treasure. Right. Wrong. 598 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 1: It does not say he bought the treasure. He bought 599 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:13,000 Speaker 1: the field. And the last time I checked, fields are 600 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: made of and the last time I checked in Genesis one, 601 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:26,800 Speaker 1: verse seven, you are made of dirt. And when God 602 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:32,440 Speaker 1: created you, he reached down into the dirt. God didn't 603 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:38,240 Speaker 1: make you from stars. God reached down into the dirt, 604 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:43,800 Speaker 1: and when he breathed on what was dirty, the breath 605 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:47,440 Speaker 1: of what is holy. In Genesis, it says that the 606 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:53,200 Speaker 1: man became a living being because God says, the dirt 607 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: is worth it. When I breathe on it, it's worth it. 608 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:03,200 Speaker 1: When I speak to it, it's worth it. Matthew thirteen 609 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 1: forty four taught me about marriage. It says that a 610 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,440 Speaker 1: man found a treasure. The Kingdom of God is like 611 00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 1: a man who found a treasure, and he was so 612 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:15,439 Speaker 1: happy about the treasure that he sold everything he had. 613 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 1: Number One, it taught me that marriage means I'm going 614 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 1: to be broke buying stuff I don't even want. Number Two, 615 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:26,040 Speaker 1: it taught me that when I bought Holly her ring, 616 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 1: y'all didn't know where I was going with that kind 617 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:35,520 Speaker 1: of marriage. Do y'all have, y'all? When I bought a ring, 618 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:38,279 Speaker 1: I spent every dollar I had on the ring three 619 00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:42,040 Speaker 1: thousand dollars. Three thousand dollars in two thousand and two. 620 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 1: Adjust that for inflation. Big money to your boy. But 621 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:50,640 Speaker 1: I did it. I was happy to do it. I 622 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:53,360 Speaker 1: met with this shady dude up in a pawn shop somewhere. 623 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:55,320 Speaker 1: I said, Now, how do I know it's real? He 624 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:59,680 Speaker 1: showed me all these papers. I believed him. Now I've 625 00:39:59,719 --> 00:40:04,399 Speaker 1: up her ring for every decade that she has dealt 626 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:09,360 Speaker 1: with me, just to remind her, Just to remind her 627 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 1: that is worth the dirt. Get that diamond a little 628 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:19,240 Speaker 1: bit bigger, just to remind her in case she forgets. 629 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:22,600 Speaker 1: I'm sure she doesn't. I've been looking back on that. 630 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:25,880 Speaker 1: Is anybody engaged in the room today, anybody engaged to 631 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:32,879 Speaker 1: be married for real? Where congratulations? You got a ring? 632 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:41,320 Speaker 1: In everything? A ring? Pop? Do you really have a fiance? 633 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:47,880 Speaker 1: Is that partra? Show me? Good job. I'm so happy 634 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 1: for you. But this is one thing I want you 635 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:52,480 Speaker 1: to understand, and I really want to use this as 636 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:56,399 Speaker 1: an example for everybody in the room. When I put 637 00:40:56,400 --> 00:41:00,239 Speaker 1: the ring on Holly's finger, I got done on when 638 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:07,440 Speaker 1: the Firman University, she said I do, But she didn't 639 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: say I do to the diamond. She said I do 640 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:17,600 Speaker 1: to the dirt. So I just want to I just 641 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:20,880 Speaker 1: want to say, you're saying I do to the dirt. 642 00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:24,239 Speaker 1: Because the men didn't buy the treasure, he bought the 643 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:29,759 Speaker 1: field that the treasure was at so when she said 644 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:32,760 Speaker 1: I do, she was saying I do to the dirt. 645 00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:35,400 Speaker 1: That would have been easy at that point in our 646 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:38,440 Speaker 1: relationship for her to say I do to my anointing, 647 00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:42,279 Speaker 1: because she'd seen me operate in ministry. She had seen 648 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:44,360 Speaker 1: me go and minister and I would I would preach 649 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 1: just like I preached. Now, I was always passionate, I 650 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 1: was I was, I was always edgy. I always said 651 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 1: things that I went back and thought later I shouldn't 652 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:53,799 Speaker 1: have said it like that. But I always had heart. 653 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:55,680 Speaker 1: And she would see me try to break through a 654 00:41:55,760 --> 00:41:58,560 Speaker 1: room and give people an opportunity to meet Jesus where 655 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:00,440 Speaker 1: they were. And I know that's one of the reasons 656 00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:02,000 Speaker 1: that she fell in love with me. And I know 657 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 1: that she was saying I do to my anointing because 658 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:07,120 Speaker 1: she felt like God had called us together to minister 659 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:09,440 Speaker 1: and it was a lifelong thing. And I know she 660 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:13,040 Speaker 1: said yes to my anointing, my treasure, But she was 661 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:19,080 Speaker 1: also saying, I do to my anxiety, because what she 662 00:42:19,239 --> 00:42:22,840 Speaker 1: never could have known is that behind the anointing to 663 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:27,759 Speaker 1: preach is the anxiety that is the constant companion of 664 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:32,960 Speaker 1: God's call. And when she said I do to the diamond. 665 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:38,759 Speaker 1: She was saying, I do to the dirt. And the 666 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:41,160 Speaker 1: woman that has sat on the front row to hear 667 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 1: me preach, and the woman that has been around the 668 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:46,600 Speaker 1: world to hear me preach, and the woman that has 669 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:53,760 Speaker 1: gotten two upgrades on her diamond goes home and accepts 670 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:58,439 Speaker 1: the dirt. Not that I'm a hypocrite, not that there 671 00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:01,160 Speaker 1: is a darkness in my life that is the result 672 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:05,800 Speaker 1: of me not knowing God. But everybody has a treasure 673 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:12,720 Speaker 1: and a field. Everybody has a diamond and a dirt. 674 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:14,920 Speaker 1: You know, she said to me last night. I said, babe, 675 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 1: I'm all out of whack. I'm preaching a day early. 676 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:20,239 Speaker 1: I don't know why I feel anxious. I'm sorry, I 677 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 1: feel anxious so much. She said, Stop apologizing for it, 678 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:26,760 Speaker 1: and tell me how I can help you. What she's saying, 679 00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:32,919 Speaker 1: she's saying. She's saying, I do the dirt. We need 680 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:40,480 Speaker 1: some people, whether it's husbands, wives, staff members at Elevation Church. 681 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:47,600 Speaker 1: We need some people Christians, believers, moms, dads, students. We 682 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:50,080 Speaker 1: need some people who will say, you know what, I 683 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:52,680 Speaker 1: don't just run around from field to field when it 684 00:43:52,719 --> 00:43:55,960 Speaker 1: gets dirty. I don't just run around from trend to trend, 685 00:43:56,080 --> 00:43:59,120 Speaker 1: chasing stuff to fix my life. I'm not a quick 686 00:43:59,200 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 1: fixed Christian. And I do dirt, and you will find 687 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:08,000 Speaker 1: me praising God, and you will find me fulfilling purpose, 688 00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:11,360 Speaker 1: and you will find me on my post. Because I 689 00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:14,400 Speaker 1: didn't just say I do to the diamond. I don't 690 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:17,520 Speaker 1: just show up when a shiny I show up with 691 00:44:17,640 --> 00:44:22,680 Speaker 1: a shovel. I do dirt. If the sound goes out, 692 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:26,439 Speaker 1: I'll say it again. If the snow comes down, I'll 693 00:44:26,440 --> 00:44:30,000 Speaker 1: preach it early. If hell breaks loose, I'll come out 694 00:44:30,040 --> 00:44:34,760 Speaker 1: on fire because I do dirt. If I go broke, 695 00:44:34,880 --> 00:44:38,200 Speaker 1: I've never seen the righteous forsaken. If they hate me, 696 00:44:38,320 --> 00:44:44,840 Speaker 1: he loves me. I go dirt because God does dirt. 697 00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:50,760 Speaker 1: God does dirt, not only in creation but in incarnation. 698 00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:55,480 Speaker 1: For God saw man in his dirt, in his filth, 699 00:44:55,880 --> 00:45:00,400 Speaker 1: in his blood, in his works, in his salvation less stake, 700 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:04,920 Speaker 1: in his worst moment, and God from Heaven sent Jesus 701 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:08,759 Speaker 1: from a throne, from a throne to a cross, who 702 00:45:08,840 --> 00:45:13,400 Speaker 1: would pay such a price for the sin of the world. 703 00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:21,160 Speaker 1: Here's your king crucified. What's he saying? I do dirt? 704 00:45:23,719 --> 00:45:27,800 Speaker 1: And when Jesus paid for you on Calvary, He didn't 705 00:45:27,920 --> 00:45:29,319 Speaker 1: just buy diamonds. 706 00:45:29,840 --> 00:45:45,000 Speaker 9: He bought dirt. I'm thankful for a God who does dirt. 707 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:49,879 Speaker 1: I'm grateful that He looks at me covered and all 708 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:52,120 Speaker 1: of the things that I should have cast off, and said, 709 00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:59,040 Speaker 1: it's worth the dirt. It's worth the dirt is worth 710 00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:03,919 Speaker 1: being misunderstood. Sometimes it's worth the dirt. This right here, 711 00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:10,759 Speaker 1: this one's worth it. This one ain't. This one is. 712 00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:19,720 Speaker 1: And when God whispers it's worth it, it's worth the dirt. 713 00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:27,520 Speaker 1: Like a treasure hidden in a field. Can't see it 714 00:46:27,560 --> 00:46:31,880 Speaker 1: on the surface. Write this down. You don't trip over treasure. 715 00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:39,839 Speaker 1: You dig it out. Stop looking for God to put 716 00:46:39,880 --> 00:46:43,799 Speaker 1: stuff on the surface. This one he dug for. It 717 00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:50,120 Speaker 1: was hidden. If it ain't buried, it probably ain't treasure. 718 00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:56,239 Speaker 1: And that's why in this season of your life you're 719 00:46:56,239 --> 00:46:59,080 Speaker 1: having to fight through some difficulties. You're having to fight 720 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:03,080 Speaker 1: through some dirt. But the dirt served a purpose. It 721 00:47:03,200 --> 00:47:08,440 Speaker 1: made the mustard seed. Watch this branch out now. Notice 722 00:47:08,840 --> 00:47:11,359 Speaker 1: the baby seed was so small you couldn't see it. 723 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:14,160 Speaker 1: But in the end of the parable, Jesus said, this 724 00:47:14,239 --> 00:47:19,600 Speaker 1: seed that is not big, it's little until it isn't. 725 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:22,120 Speaker 1: And by the end of this seed's time in the dirt, 726 00:47:23,520 --> 00:47:27,040 Speaker 1: it had branches coming out the ground, showing verse thirty two. 727 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:28,520 Speaker 1: I want you to see it with your own eyes, 728 00:47:29,200 --> 00:47:31,239 Speaker 1: he said, in The branches are so big that the 729 00:47:31,239 --> 00:47:35,759 Speaker 1: birds come and perch in the branches. I don't know 730 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:38,680 Speaker 1: if you can receive this or not, but the battle 731 00:47:38,719 --> 00:47:41,480 Speaker 1: that you have been going through in your life, the 732 00:47:41,520 --> 00:47:51,640 Speaker 1: battle is for the branches, because when the tree gets 733 00:47:51,719 --> 00:47:54,839 Speaker 1: done growing, it's going to be like this. Now it's 734 00:47:54,920 --> 00:47:58,280 Speaker 1: like this, And you've been wondering, why is the devil 735 00:47:58,320 --> 00:48:01,479 Speaker 1: picking on me? I'm nobody. Why is it so hard 736 00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:10,680 Speaker 1: for me? I'm nothing. It's because of your branches. It 737 00:48:10,760 --> 00:48:14,560 Speaker 1: is because that God wants to use you to bring 738 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:19,600 Speaker 1: generational blessing to people who will come after you. That's 739 00:48:19,640 --> 00:48:24,040 Speaker 1: what the battle is about. I look back on this 740 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:27,799 Speaker 1: time in our church when the devil was after us 741 00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:30,080 Speaker 1: when we were young, and I know why he came 742 00:48:30,120 --> 00:48:34,680 Speaker 1: after us when we were young, because of you. If 743 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:37,520 Speaker 1: we died while we were young, we never would have 744 00:48:37,560 --> 00:48:42,000 Speaker 1: reached you. If this church did not exist. If he 745 00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:45,120 Speaker 1: could have snatched the seed Matthew Chapter three, verse three, 746 00:48:45,480 --> 00:48:47,960 Speaker 1: if he could have taken the seed and scorched it, 747 00:48:48,000 --> 00:48:51,239 Speaker 1: with the sun Matthew, Chapter thirteen, verse five. If he 748 00:48:51,280 --> 00:48:54,000 Speaker 1: could have taken the seat and choked it out with 749 00:48:54,040 --> 00:48:56,920 Speaker 1: the worries of this life, it would not be spreading 750 00:48:56,960 --> 00:48:59,200 Speaker 1: to the earth today. And I would not be able 751 00:48:59,239 --> 00:49:01,960 Speaker 1: to look into this camera and tell you that Jesus 752 00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:05,799 Speaker 1: saves and Jesus cleanses, and God does dirt. And the 753 00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:11,319 Speaker 1: cross is God saying I came for this and the 754 00:49:11,360 --> 00:49:17,319 Speaker 1: battle was for the branches? Is that not true of you? 755 00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:20,360 Speaker 1: Did God not know what was in you when he 756 00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:23,880 Speaker 1: put you in the situation? And you've got to trust 757 00:49:23,920 --> 00:49:29,319 Speaker 1: that it's worth the dirt. See, because I've seen God 758 00:49:29,440 --> 00:49:33,040 Speaker 1: move mountains, I've seen God make ways, And now that 759 00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:37,480 Speaker 1: I've seen what a tree can be, I understand what 760 00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:41,080 Speaker 1: I am fighting for. I understand that the battle is 761 00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:44,920 Speaker 1: for your branches. You've got to get free. You've got 762 00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:47,840 Speaker 1: to get you've got to get back. You've got to 763 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:51,120 Speaker 1: bounce from this. You've got to recover, you've got to 764 00:49:51,200 --> 00:49:53,680 Speaker 1: move forward. You got to show them what it looks 765 00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:56,920 Speaker 1: like when we do it. Anyway, You've got to The 766 00:49:56,920 --> 00:50:01,120 Speaker 1: battle is not over your sea. The battle is your tree. 767 00:50:01,239 --> 00:50:08,200 Speaker 1: The battle is over your branches. And when I see 768 00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:11,160 Speaker 1: what God is doing in this church, even when I 769 00:50:11,200 --> 00:50:14,200 Speaker 1: see it in my own family. Do you understand that 770 00:50:14,280 --> 00:50:17,040 Speaker 1: the devil has fought me so hard through the years, 771 00:50:19,080 --> 00:50:22,080 Speaker 1: so many times I've wanted to quit. It's not worth it. 772 00:50:23,600 --> 00:50:25,880 Speaker 1: And I know you felt that way too. If a 773 00:50:25,920 --> 00:50:30,719 Speaker 1: preacher feels that way, surely you feel that way. I've 774 00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:33,800 Speaker 1: preached the souls for a living. Sometimes all you feel 775 00:50:33,800 --> 00:50:40,440 Speaker 1: like you do is organize chaos. But one night the summer, 776 00:50:42,120 --> 00:50:46,280 Speaker 1: I was walking through our house and Elijah and Graham 777 00:50:46,360 --> 00:50:50,719 Speaker 1: and Abbey were there upstairs. Down at the bottom of 778 00:50:50,719 --> 00:50:55,000 Speaker 1: the stairs on a Sunday night, there was this we'll 779 00:50:55,040 --> 00:50:58,799 Speaker 1: just show them real quick, this picture I want to 780 00:50:58,800 --> 00:51:02,279 Speaker 1: give you. I don't know if you can see it 781 00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:12,280 Speaker 1: real good. But that's shoes. That's the shoes of about 782 00:51:12,280 --> 00:51:17,719 Speaker 1: one hundred teenagers. Those shoes smell. 783 00:51:19,320 --> 00:51:26,200 Speaker 10: Like wrestling jem on a Saturday afternoon, same smell, And 784 00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:29,680 Speaker 10: all these shoes at the bottom of my stairs, and 785 00:51:29,760 --> 00:51:31,440 Speaker 10: all this noise in my house. 786 00:51:32,480 --> 00:51:37,880 Speaker 1: And downstairs were the shoes. And upstairs in our house 787 00:51:39,120 --> 00:51:44,520 Speaker 1: was Graham, Abby, Elijah's over there somewhere, my wife is downstairs. 788 00:51:44,520 --> 00:51:48,720 Speaker 1: The shoes are at the thing, and upstairs with some kids. 789 00:51:48,760 --> 00:51:56,400 Speaker 1: Now show them the video jumping, singing, praising the Lord. 790 00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:13,160 Speaker 1: And the ceiling was shaken too, And the ceiling was shaken, 791 00:52:16,840 --> 00:52:22,759 Speaker 1: and the ceiling was shaken. And I walked upstairs and said, 792 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:25,800 Speaker 1: y'all gotta get out. This is not the New Testament. 793 00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:28,000 Speaker 1: I know they tore off the roof in the New Testament, 794 00:52:28,080 --> 00:52:32,840 Speaker 1: but my homeowner's insurance doesn't cover it. Go outside. But 795 00:52:32,920 --> 00:52:37,200 Speaker 1: I got the picture that downstairs. Show them the picture. 796 00:52:38,880 --> 00:52:50,800 Speaker 1: Downstairs was the dirt, and upstairs, what's the worship? And downstairs, 797 00:52:53,440 --> 00:52:59,840 Speaker 1: what's the dirt? And upstairs, what's the worship? And downstairs 798 00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:07,080 Speaker 1: was the process, and upstairs was the praise. And I'm 799 00:53:07,120 --> 00:53:10,120 Speaker 1: trying to get you to see that you can worship 800 00:53:10,280 --> 00:53:25,160 Speaker 1: God because the turnt is worth it. God does. I 801 00:53:25,280 --> 00:53:27,920 Speaker 1: prepared this word today hoping that it would go out 802 00:53:27,960 --> 00:53:31,920 Speaker 1: online to our entire church community all over the world. 803 00:53:32,920 --> 00:53:34,440 Speaker 1: But if one of you today. 804 00:53:36,960 --> 00:53:44,920 Speaker 11: Needed to hear the whisper of God saying it's worthing, 805 00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:47,160 Speaker 11: then it's working. 806 00:53:51,719 --> 00:54:00,279 Speaker 1: Everybody does the diamonds, God does the dirk. With your 807 00:54:00,320 --> 00:54:03,719 Speaker 1: head bowed and your eyes closed, receive the mystery of 808 00:54:03,719 --> 00:54:05,840 Speaker 1: the parable of the mustard seed and the treasure in 809 00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:11,319 Speaker 1: the field. Is that God does dirt. No matter what 810 00:54:11,360 --> 00:54:14,040 Speaker 1: the enemy has thrown on your life. Just try to 811 00:54:14,080 --> 00:54:16,920 Speaker 1: stop you from growing. It won't work. It's only going 812 00:54:16,960 --> 00:54:21,200 Speaker 1: to grow you more. Yes, Lord, I'll say it again, 813 00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:27,040 Speaker 1: It's only going to grow you more. Whatever it is, 814 00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:32,000 Speaker 1: it's worth the dirt. It's worth you going through a 815 00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:38,759 Speaker 1: season of repentance to live a life healed. It's worth 816 00:54:38,760 --> 00:54:43,680 Speaker 1: the dirt. It's worth God stripping some things away so 817 00:54:43,719 --> 00:54:49,240 Speaker 1: he can bring some things for it. There is treasure 818 00:54:50,120 --> 00:54:52,600 Speaker 1: inside of you. I know people don't like it when 819 00:54:52,640 --> 00:54:54,359 Speaker 1: I preach like this. They say, oh, well, tell them 820 00:54:54,360 --> 00:54:57,080 Speaker 1: how sinful they are. You know that already. I came 821 00:54:57,120 --> 00:55:02,720 Speaker 1: to remind you. God does dirt. He breathes on brokenness. 822 00:55:04,960 --> 00:55:09,520 Speaker 1: It's worth it. Jesus stretched his arms because it's worth it. 823 00:55:10,360 --> 00:55:12,600 Speaker 1: I encourage you today, say I do to the dirt. 824 00:55:13,760 --> 00:55:15,680 Speaker 1: Make a commitment in your life. Lord, no matter how 825 00:55:15,680 --> 00:55:18,160 Speaker 1: long it takes me, I believe you can wash me clean. God. 826 00:55:18,200 --> 00:55:22,000 Speaker 1: Here I am again, dirty again, disappointed again. But I 827 00:55:22,040 --> 00:55:25,480 Speaker 1: heard you do dirt. I heard you came from heaven, 828 00:55:25,560 --> 00:55:30,239 Speaker 1: lived in a little town called Nazareth, and died on 829 00:55:30,280 --> 00:55:33,719 Speaker 1: a cruel cross. The splinters in your back, and the lashes, 830 00:55:36,160 --> 00:55:38,400 Speaker 1: the wounds in your side, the nails in your hands. 831 00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:41,319 Speaker 1: I heard you do dirt. Father. Would you take my 832 00:55:41,360 --> 00:55:44,759 Speaker 1: life today, all that I am, all that I'm not, 833 00:55:46,320 --> 00:55:51,959 Speaker 1: my little loaves, my little mustard seed life, and bring 834 00:55:52,000 --> 00:55:57,040 Speaker 1: branches forth from them. Father, I pray today for those 835 00:55:57,080 --> 00:56:01,879 Speaker 1: who are feeling alone or abandoned, or for say, maybe 836 00:56:01,880 --> 00:56:05,719 Speaker 1: they've even buried their hope. As I pray to you, Lord, 837 00:56:05,760 --> 00:56:08,440 Speaker 1: I'm reminded that the seed appeared to be buried, but 838 00:56:08,520 --> 00:56:13,800 Speaker 1: it was indeed planted. That means it served a purpose. 839 00:56:15,480 --> 00:56:17,240 Speaker 1: I thank you that the dirt is serving a purpose 840 00:56:17,280 --> 00:56:20,239 Speaker 1: in each of our lives. And I thank you that 841 00:56:20,280 --> 00:56:24,560 Speaker 1: there is a treasure that the world cannot touch. We 842 00:56:24,640 --> 00:56:26,800 Speaker 1: thank you that the Kingdom of Heaven is that treasure. 843 00:56:27,120 --> 00:56:30,200 Speaker 1: You're worth it, Lord, not just what you do for us, 844 00:56:30,200 --> 00:56:32,919 Speaker 1: but who you are to us. You are worth it. 845 00:56:33,640 --> 00:56:37,080 Speaker 1: You're worthy of our worship, you're worthy of our praise, 846 00:56:38,040 --> 00:56:43,240 Speaker 1: You're worthy of our lives. And now God, I commend 847 00:56:43,239 --> 00:56:47,839 Speaker 1: these treasures in a field to you, the diamonds and 848 00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:51,000 Speaker 1: the dirt. I thank you that you know what you're doing, 849 00:56:52,000 --> 00:56:54,840 Speaker 1: you know where you planted them, and I thank you 850 00:56:54,880 --> 00:56:58,439 Speaker 1: that they're growing by grace. Thank you for this word 851 00:56:58,480 --> 00:57:02,600 Speaker 1: that we receive today. We will never be the same 852 00:57:02,680 --> 00:57:05,560 Speaker 1: with head still bowed and eyes still closed. There's somebody 853 00:57:05,600 --> 00:57:07,520 Speaker 1: who's hearing this message today, and you need to give 854 00:57:07,560 --> 00:57:10,880 Speaker 1: your life to Jesus Christ. You don't have to clean 855 00:57:10,920 --> 00:57:13,759 Speaker 1: yourself up to come to God. That's why God came 856 00:57:13,880 --> 00:57:16,760 Speaker 1: to you. He does the cleaning, you do the coming. 857 00:57:17,720 --> 00:57:19,520 Speaker 1: You come to him like you are, and you won't 858 00:57:19,600 --> 00:57:23,919 Speaker 1: leave that way. Jesus will change you. Jesus will save 859 00:57:24,000 --> 00:57:26,360 Speaker 1: you to the uttermost. Call on the name of the 860 00:57:26,360 --> 00:57:30,600 Speaker 1: Lord and you will be saved. So I'm gonna pray 861 00:57:30,600 --> 00:57:32,560 Speaker 1: a prayer right now, and if you want to give 862 00:57:32,600 --> 00:57:35,680 Speaker 1: your life to Jesus, repeat this prayer after me. We're 863 00:57:35,720 --> 00:57:38,160 Speaker 1: gonna pray it out loud in the room for the 864 00:57:38,160 --> 00:57:41,040 Speaker 1: benefit of those all over the world who are coming 865 00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:44,000 Speaker 1: to Christ in this moment. Repeat after me, Heavenly Father, 866 00:57:45,280 --> 00:57:49,360 Speaker 1: I am a sinner in need of a savior, and 867 00:57:49,440 --> 00:57:54,040 Speaker 1: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God 868 00:57:55,040 --> 00:57:59,400 Speaker 1: and the Savior of the world. And today I make 869 00:57:59,520 --> 00:58:03,960 Speaker 1: Jesus the Lord of my life. I believe he died 870 00:58:05,080 --> 00:58:10,320 Speaker 1: that I would be forgiven was buried and rose again 871 00:58:11,320 --> 00:58:18,120 Speaker 1: to give me life. I receive your life. Here's mine. 872 00:58:18,520 --> 00:58:23,880 Speaker 1: I am a child of God. I am a new creation. 873 00:58:25,000 --> 00:58:27,000 Speaker 1: On the counter of three. If you prayed that prayer, 874 00:58:27,160 --> 00:58:30,400 Speaker 1: shoot your hand in the air one two, three, or 875 00:58:30,440 --> 00:58:32,680 Speaker 1: if you're watching online to put it in the chat, 876 00:58:32,760 --> 00:58:38,480 Speaker 1: say I receive Jesus. Come on, let's thank God all 877 00:58:38,520 --> 00:58:41,680 Speaker 1: over the world. All over the world, everybody who just 878 00:58:41,800 --> 00:58:50,920 Speaker 1: prayed that. Thank you Jesus for new beginnings. Hey, I 879 00:58:50,920 --> 00:58:53,880 Speaker 1: hope you enjoyed the podcast, and if you did, make 880 00:58:53,920 --> 00:58:56,520 Speaker 1: sure to share it and subscribe so we can get 881 00:58:56,560 --> 00:58:59,720 Speaker 1: you all of these new messages as soon as they're available. 882 00:59:00,120 --> 00:59:02,280 Speaker 1: I also want to take a moment and thank all 883 00:59:02,280 --> 00:59:04,520 Speaker 1: of you who are a part of Elevation. Whether you 884 00:59:04,560 --> 00:59:08,240 Speaker 1: support us financially, or serve with us, or just share 885 00:59:08,280 --> 00:59:10,920 Speaker 1: these messages, it's because of you that we're able to 886 00:59:10,960 --> 00:59:13,919 Speaker 1: reach people all around the world. And if you want 887 00:59:14,080 --> 00:59:16,600 Speaker 1: more information on how to be a part of Elevation, 888 00:59:17,160 --> 00:59:20,480 Speaker 1: click the link in the description. Thanks again for listening. 889 00:59:20,480 --> 00:59:23,800 Speaker 1: Make sure to leave a review, share the message, and subscribe. 890 00:59:24,160 --> 00:59:33,520 Speaker 1: God bless you.