WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Masterpiece Publishing Date: 2014-07-20T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/masterpiece/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.000 And it's called the community of the spirit and it's not what you're thinking. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:10.000 Okay, so you will be formally told. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:19.000 Okay, so community of the spirit is the topic that we're going to hopefully discuss over the next few weeks. 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:26.000 Guys, in Matthew 16 13, Jesus asks two questions. 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:35.000 Someone was asking if we could turn up the volume on the taping a little bit because they were finding it a little difficult. 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:38.000 Yeah, Matthew 16 13. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:43.000 And in Matthew 16 13, Jesus asks two questions in 13 and then in 15. 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:50.000 The first question he asks is, who do people say that I am? 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.000 That's the first question he asks. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:56.000 He's with his disciples and he says, who do people say that I am? 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:02.000 And then later on in verse 15, he says to his disciples, who do you say I am? 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:10.000 And guys, two important questions because this is how most of life is lived by us. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.000 Who do people say we are? 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:17.000 And then the second question is, who does God say you are? 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:18.000 Who do you say you are? 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:19.000 Who do people say you are? 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:21.000 Two vital questions. 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:26.000 Because, Ryan, I'll bring it down in a little bit. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:35.000 Because who do people say I am? 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:37.000 This matters a lot, eh? 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:40.000 It's such a part of who you become. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:43.000 It's so definitive of your identity. 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:47.000 Because guys, people do say distorted things about you. 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:51.000 Right from when you were a child, parents in sometimes in anger, 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:56.000 sometimes in a lack of understanding say things about you that are distorted. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.000 People can say cruel things about you. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:00.000 People can say hurtful things about you. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:04.000 People can say things that are humiliating or embarrassing. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:14.000 And what it does is it strips you of your dignity and then it begins to forge in you cynicism, suspicion, defensiveness. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:23.000 And so by the time we grow up to be 20 or 25, you're already shaped into something you are not. 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:25.000 That's so sad, eh? 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.000 As a pastor, I can do it to you. 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:36.000 Where my words or my approach or my attitude towards you can cultivate in you a degree of defensiveness, cynicism, suspicion. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:40.000 And so even as you sit in church, I shape you into something that you're not. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.000 And over a period of time, you come to church with that defensive posture. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.000 I can do that to you. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:48.000 Leave alone what our spouses can do to us. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:51.000 Leave alone what we can do to our children. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:57.000 Who do people say you are plays such an important part in your identity. 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:03.000 Because most things people say are distorted because they don't have the right perspective, 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:08.000 are sometimes humiliating or embarrassing, sometimes hurtful. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:10.000 That's how it works, guys. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.000 And it so makes up your identity. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:20.000 By the time you are 14 or 15, you already think who you are based on what people have told you. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:30.000 And yet the second question is vitally important too. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:39.000 Who does God say you are? 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:41.000 Who does God say you are? 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:50.000 Because Graham Cook said this and I was so affected by this line. 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:58.000 He says, your true identity is made up of how you think, 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:10.000 your true identity is made up of how you think you are known in heaven. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:22.000 Your true identity is made up of how you think you are known in heaven and who you are on earth. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:38.000 Your true identity is made up of how you think you are known in heaven and who you are on earth. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:43.000 So much matters in terms of how I think I am known in heaven. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:45.000 What does the father say about me? 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:47.000 What does the father think about me? 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:50.000 How am I known in heaven? 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:55.000 What does the father think about what I do presently? 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:59.000 How am I known in heaven? 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:05.000 Ponder on this because you will be surprised at how this never even occurs to us. 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:07.000 We don't think like this. 00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:16.000 And yet Jesus would have been half the man he was if he didn't have an understanding of how his father thought of him in heaven. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:19.000 Because he was being bombarded from all sides. 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:30.000 Illegitimate birth, father probably dead early, righteous ways that must have been annoying to the local bullies, 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:33.000 rejected by the very ones that he grew up with. 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:38.000 First time he picks up the Torah to read, he is almost thrown over a cliff. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:42.000 Mother and brothers think that he is crazy. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:44.000 Friends abandon. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:46.000 Twelve disciples, one betrays him. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:47.000 I can go on and on. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:48.000 You know the whole litany. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:57.000 A man will not be able to survive those things if he does not know how he is thought of in heaven and who he is on earth. 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:01.000 Develop this regardless of how old or young you are. 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:06.000 Because remember guys in heaven you are beloved. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:10.000 You are highly favored. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:13.000 You are always present before God. 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:15.000 This is how you are in heaven. 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.000 Just think of this right now at this moment. 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:21.000 In heaven I am in the beloved and I am beloved by God. 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:26.000 As in I am found in Christ the most precious and most precious of all. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.000 I am in the most precious priceless thing before God. 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:30.000 And I am in him. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.000 So in heaven I am always beloved. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:36.000 In heaven I am always present before God. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:37.000 I am always present. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.000 I am perpetually present before God in heaven. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.000 All because of Christ. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:46.000 And I am highly favored in heaven. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:55.000 See because I do not necessarily spend time developing the persona that I have in heaven, 00:06:55.000 --> 00:07:02.000 I live by the defaulted flawed personality that I have become here on earth. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:04.000 And so you are constantly before God. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:06.000 You are always present, highly favored. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:08.000 This is how God sees you. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:15.000 Every time he talks to you guys, it will always be in the context of how he sees you. 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:16.000 Listen to those words. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:20.000 Every time God talks to you, every time God deals with you, 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:25.000 He will always talk to you and deal with you in the context of how he sees you, 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:30.000 not how you see yourself. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:31.000 Let me say that again. 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:34.000 Every time God talks to you, 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:40.000 He will always talk to you and look at you in the context of how he sees you, 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:43.000 not how you see yourself. 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:44.000 How do we talk to God? 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:48.000 When we go to talk to God, we see ourselves a certain way. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:53.000 And so our entire conversation is molded by how we see ourselves. 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:58.000 So on some days, you will find yourself being very free with God, very joyous. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:01.000 And on other days, you feel like a worm. 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:06.000 Why? Because we only see ourselves the way we see ourselves and we approach God in that same way. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:16.000 But remember, in heaven, you are highly favored, always present before him, completely acceptable, beloved. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:19.000 And that's the only way God deals with you. 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:26.000 This is why it's important to think how you think you are known in heaven. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.000 We need to ponder on that. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.000 Because when we talk about the community of the spirit, 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.000 we're talking about individuals that make up that community. 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:38.000 And we individuals have to get this part right. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:43.000 Because what you think about God and who you perceive He is towards you, 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:51.000 affects your personality, affects your identity, affects your self-awareness. 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:54.000 It does. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:00.000 Let me give you another sentence which is pretty strong. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:09.000 When you know who you are, you are a person who is a person who is a person who is a person who is a person. 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:24.000 When you know who you are, you know how to live. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:29.000 When you know who you are, then you know how you are supposed to live. 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:36.000 Then you know how you are supposed to live. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:40.000 When you know who you are, then you know how you are supposed to live. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:51.000 Both with yourself and with others. 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:56.000 When you know who you are, then you know how you are supposed to live. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:02.000 Both with yourself and with others. 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:06.000 And here's a strange thing that will happen when this begins to happen. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:09.000 Other people will also recognize. 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:25.000 Other people will recognize your identity and act accordingly with you. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:49.000 So to sum it up again, who do people say I am so affects the way I live? 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:57.000 And usually people, sometimes ones that are close and sometimes ones that are away, 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:04.000 usually say things that right from when we are children to when we are married and when we are close to dying, 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:15.000 most of the things that people say are distorted, sometimes cruel, sometimes humiliating, sometimes hurtful. 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:24.000 And this plays such a role in shaping who I am because it forges in me cynicism, suspicion, defensiveness. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:29.000 There are ways I begin to respond. 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:35.000 It affects me so badly. How do I counter it? I have to figure out who God says I am. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:39.000 How do I go about that? By pondering on this question. 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:42.000 How you think you are known in heaven? 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:47.000 If I were to ponder on that question that how am I known in heaven? 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:50.000 How am I before the Father? And I mentioned the three things. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:57.000 That I am always before Him, perpetually before His presence, that I am beloved, that I am highly favored, highly accepted. 00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:06.000 And that in all His dealings with me, God deals with me as He deals with me as if I were in heaven. 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:09.000 That's the way He deals with me. He deals with me the way He sees me. 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:16.000 And the way He sees me is highly favored, acceptable, priceless, always before Him, beloved. 00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:24.000 So it does not matter how I see myself. It matters how He sees me. That's how He deals with me. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:27.000 That then begins to affect who I am on earth, guys. 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:32.000 And when that happens, when you know who you are, you know how you are supposed to live. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.000 Your living changes. The way you behave changes. 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:38.000 The suspicion and the defensiveness begin to lower. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:41.000 The cynicism begins to disappear. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:46.000 And as you change, people begin to behave with you differently too. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:53.000 Because they begin to see another identity and they recognize it and they can't behave with you the way they used to behave. 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:56.000 It just doesn't work. Just doesn't work. 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:05.000 You know, I saw this video that I'll play it twice and after that the kids can go for crafts. 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:10.000 But someone suggested that I watch this video. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:14.000 It's a video for always pads, okay? 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:19.000 So the people who produce this video are always the brand for feminine pads. 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:23.000 But it's such an amazing video, man. 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:27.000 Someone suggested that I watch it. I watched it and I thought, wow. 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:30.000 So watch it now. I'll play it twice through. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:32.000 It's what happens to us. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:36.000 Oh, don't worry about it. He didn't miss it. He didn't even know I added. 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:46.000 Yeah. Guys, so much of who I am is influenced by others. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:55.000 And one of the things that I'm hoping I'm going to change is to be careful in terms of how I treat you 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:59.000 so that nothing that I say to you will affect you adversely. 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:02.000 Because a pastor has tremendous influence in your life. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:05.000 Especially a pastor like me has tremendous influence in your life. 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:15.000 And if I don't make sure that what I sow into your life is free of anything that will diss you or tear you down, 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:19.000 you'll lose your defensiveness and go much further. 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:23.000 I mean, what are...Dana, you can take the girls...the guys out. 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:26.000 I'm thinking girls now after seeing that video. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:36.000 Two of the things that God says about you that you need to take to heart right now. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:49.000 Let me ask you this question, guys. 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:53.000 Aren't you affected by what your spouse has said to you? 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.000 Aren't you affected by what your spouse has said to you? 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:05.000 Hasn't that left such a deep impression in your life for the positive or for the negative? 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:09.000 Aren't you affected by what you... 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:13.000 Do you think your spouse has been affected by what you've said to her? 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:15.000 Tremendously. 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:22.000 It's the ones that are closer to us that have deeper impact, goes much deeper. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:26.000 Haven't the things that your parents have said to you affected you? 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:29.000 Don't they affect you even today? 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:40.000 Hasn't embarrassment completely changed the way you sometimes function? 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.000 That one embarrassing or two embarrassing incidents, 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:49.000 hasn't it completely changed the way you conduct yourself? 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:53.000 Haven't you developed immense defensive structures 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:57.000 because you're scared that you will be pulled out again and embarrassed? 00:15:57.000 --> 00:16:01.000 And our levels of embarrassment vary. 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:05.000 Some of you can't be embarrassed by anything. 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:12.000 Some of you can be embarrassed by the very things that others would see as normal. 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:16.000 Fascinating how our environment is changing. 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:23.000 Fascinating how our environment and how the people around us have so affected us. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.000 This is why one of the things I have to recapture is 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.000 how does God actually think of me in heaven? 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:34.000 Because it's the only way to restructure who I am. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:36.000 There's no other way. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:39.000 Guys, I have so many defensive mechanisms 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:44.000 that I probably need more than ten fingers to count them. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:48.000 Ways that I protect myself from scoffing, from scorn, 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:52.000 from being despised, from handling disdain, from handling criticism, 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.000 from being laughed at. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:57.000 Different ways I cope with it. 00:16:57.000 --> 00:17:01.000 Why? Because the one thing that perhaps I don't always focus on is 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:06.000 how am I thought of in heaven and who am I on earth? 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:09.000 Continuously compensating. 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:13.000 Here are two things perhaps that you can think of 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:15.000 that God thinks of you. 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:24.000 One, you are his brilliant masterpiece. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.000 Or I am. 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:30.000 I am. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:32.000 Ephesians 2.10. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:35.000 For I am God's brilliant masterpiece. 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:36.000 Why brilliant? 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:39.000 Because everything he does is done so brilliantly. 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:41.000 I'm his brilliant masterpiece. 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:51.000 I mean Job 33 verse 4 says that 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:57.000 I was created by the Holy Spirit and God breathed his life into me. 00:17:57.000 --> 00:18:00.000 So to begin with, I'm brilliantly created. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:04.000 David talks about that in Psalm 139. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.000 Wonderfully I was put together. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.000 So there's that Jacob. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:11.000 David wasn't talking about his pancreas and his liver 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:14.000 when he said wonderfully am I put together. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:16.000 He was talking about his person. 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:17.000 So to begin with there's that. 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:20.000 And then I'm created anew in Christ. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:22.000 I'm a brilliant masterpiece. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.000 You are a brilliant masterpiece of God. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:30.000 You are distinct, more distinct than snowflakes. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:35.000 They write poems about the snowflake and forget you. 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:37.000 More distinct than the snowflake. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:40.000 You're inimitable. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:43.000 You cannot be imitated. 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:46.000 You are irreplaceable. 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.000 We always say everybody is replaceable. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.000 No you're not. 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:51.000 You're irreplaceable. 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:54.000 Irreplaceable. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:58.000 And you are exceptional. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:06.000 I find it so hard to come to terms with words like exceptional and irreplaceable. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:09.000 I sometimes handle distinct and I know I'm inimitable. 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:15.000 But irreplaceable and exceptional are not words that I connect with myself. 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:23.000 But I am his brilliant masterpiece. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:25.000 I am his brilliant masterpiece. 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:29.000 If you can't handle the word brilliant because it seems to put the focus on you. 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:30.000 Take out brilliant. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.000 I am brilliant. 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:33.000 I am his masterpiece. 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:40.000 Inimitable, irreplaceable, distinct or unique, exceptional. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.000 Every one of you. 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:55.000 Every one of you. 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:59.000 Another beautiful word I've found that I want to talk about more next time. 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:19.320 time is he is the glorious inhabitant of my life. He so we talked about you being 00:20:19.320 --> 00:20:26.960 a masterpiece now let's talk a little about him. He is the glorious 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:34.880 inhabitant of your life. He is the glorious inhabitant as in not only am I 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:39.320 his masterpiece these are I'm just giving you just two things that you can 00:20:39.320 --> 00:20:44.840 ponder on. Not only am I his brilliant masterpiece he is the glorious 00:20:44.840 --> 00:20:51.240 inhabitant of this masterpiece. He is the glorious inhabitant of this masterpiece. 00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:56.160 So to begin with he's the primary maker the sustainer of this masterpiece and 00:20:56.200 --> 00:21:01.240 then he is a glorious inhabitant of this masterpiece. Galatians 4 6. In Galatians 00:21:01.240 --> 00:21:09.560 4 6 it says that because I am because Jacob is his son God sent the spirit of 00:21:09.560 --> 00:21:15.680 his son into Jacob's heart so that Jacob may cry out by the spirit Abba father. I 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:20.080 used to think that when I cry out Abba father it's all me no no no no no no 00:21:20.080 --> 00:21:27.320 because God loves Jacob so much God sent into Jacob his son the spirit of 00:21:27.320 --> 00:21:34.480 his son so that Jacob may cry out by his spirit and say Abba father I am his 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:40.200 brilliant masterpiece and he is the glorious inhabitant of this masterpiece. 00:21:50.080 --> 00:21:58.320 John 6 63 Jesus said in John 6 63 the first part Jacob remember this it is the 00:21:58.320 --> 00:22:03.720 spirit who gives life the flesh profits for nothing it is the spirit who gives 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:10.360 life the flesh profits for nothing. I am his brilliant masterpiece he is the 00:22:10.360 --> 00:22:16.680 glorious inhabitant of this masterpiece through his spirit. Galatians 4 6 God 00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:24.640 loved this son so much that he sent the spirit of his son so that this son may 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:31.200 cry out and say Abba father by his spirit the flesh profits for nothing I 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:37.880 am his brilliant masterpiece and he is the glorious inhabitant of my life. Next 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:42.920 time we'll talk about another word not only is he your glorious inhabitant he 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:50.920 is also your glorious inhibitor we'll talk about it next time but that's not 00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:56.000 for now see what you're gonna miss I mean Mariana would like to cancel the 00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:07.840 trip if you're willing. Guys we're talking about the community and the 00:23:07.840 --> 00:23:12.680 spirit Jesus you know when he trained his 12 disciples he's so brilliant he 00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:19.120 doesn't place his trust in his disciples he trained them but he didn't 00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:23.480 place his trust in them necessarily he placed his trust in the coming of the 00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:29.120 Holy Spirit to do amazing work through these 12 that he had trained in lives 00:23:29.120 --> 00:23:35.440 and situations in every town village home and city in the world. I got to 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:39.880 understand that over the next few weeks I am sure we'll understand that the flesh 00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:46.520 profits nothing that the flesh profits nothing. John 6 63 the first part I must 00:23:46.520 --> 00:23:51.400 remember what Jesus said it is the spirit who gives life the flesh profits 00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:56.280 nothing Jesus's trust was not necessarily in the disciples he trained 00:23:56.280 --> 00:24:00.280 them and brought them to a place and then said to them listen the spirit of 00:24:00.280 --> 00:24:04.880 God is going to come upon you his trust was in the spirit that would come and 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:13.840 transform these 12. Hopefully at the end of this course we will learn how to 00:24:13.840 --> 00:24:19.600 trust the spirit of God for our own lives for the lives of the ones we love 00:24:19.600 --> 00:24:25.680 for our wives for our husbands for our families and for situations. I know we've 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:31.680 occasionally touched on this whole idea of trusting the work of the spirit it's 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:37.160 the only hope we have guys that the spirit must act otherwise nothing will 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:45.440 bear change or fruit that lasts. The spirit must act otherwise nothing will 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:50.800 bear fruit or change that lasts. I have to trust the spirit of God with your 00:24:50.800 --> 00:24:56.520 life. I would like to see change in your life in every life sitting here if you 00:24:56.520 --> 00:25:00.440 came to me and asked me for one thing I could give you more than one which I 00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:04.920 want to see change in your life as I'm sure I do I've got 11 things for my life 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:09.520 at least two things for yours but see I've got to trust the spirit of God 00:25:09.520 --> 00:25:17.400 because flesh profits nothing. Philippians 2 13 says that God is the one 00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:24.200 who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill its purpose. Strange 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:29.720 verse let me put it simply the spirit of God is he who brings the desire and the 00:25:29.720 --> 00:25:36.360 effort so that you can fulfill God's pleasure. The spirit of God is he who 00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:41.920 creates the desire and then provides you with the effort required to accomplish 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:46.360 your purpose for God. I must trust the act of the spirit. 00:25:46.360 --> 00:25:55.240 Philippians 2 13 I mean I just told you that I've got these 11 areas where I 00:25:55.400 --> 00:26:00.800 these 11 prominent areas where I know I have to change. I can do everything I can 00:26:00.800 --> 00:26:06.880 and yet the spirit must act. The only thing I can control is my thinking and 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:11.360 that too the spirit has to replace desires. Then I can train myself 00:26:11.360 --> 00:26:15.360 consistently but it is the spirit that must act otherwise there's nothing I can 00:26:15.360 --> 00:26:21.200 do. The flesh profits for nothing. The flesh profits for nothing. The spirit 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:32.200 gives life. So invite the spirit into situations guys. This is what Moses did 00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:36.440 when he stretched out his staff over the Red Sea and then said things like stand 00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:41.740 and see the salvation of God. What was he doing there? Stretching out a staff and 00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:45.240 things are supposed to happen. The whole sea part because the breath of God 00:26:45.800 --> 00:26:52.800 came forth and began a part the sea. I must trust the work of the spirit. Flesh 00:26:52.800 --> 00:27:00.200 profits for nothing. It is the spirit that gives life. Any fruit, any change 00:27:00.200 --> 00:27:04.200 that is permanent has to be a work of the spirit who gives me both the desire 00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:10.160 and then gives me the effort required to bring to pass the pleasures of the 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:14.800 father in and through my life. I must trust the work of the spirit to change 00:27:14.800 --> 00:27:20.520 my spouse. I must trust the work of the spirit to change my children. Does this 00:27:20.520 --> 00:27:23.920 mean that we don't do anything? Obviously not but there needs to be a heavy 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:27.840 dependence on the spirit because in our lives there's an assumed presence of the 00:27:27.840 --> 00:27:33.360 spirit but there's a lack of an active dependence on the sheer work of the 00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:45.400 spirit. I must trust the spirit. I must trust him to feed the fetus of a habit 00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:50.360 in my life. I must trust him to cause that fetus of a habit to grow. I must 00:27:50.360 --> 00:27:54.600 trust him to turn the fetus the right way. I must trust him to have it now 00:27:54.600 --> 00:28:03.280 birth forth in my life. Everything is the work of the spirit. So here are four 00:28:03.280 --> 00:28:08.480 hindrances guys that usually prevents the spirit of God from doing what he 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:12.760 wants to. I've got to get out of the way so here are four hindrances that I want 00:28:12.760 --> 00:28:17.540 to touch on. One, four main hindrances to the work of the spirit in my life. The 00:28:17.540 --> 00:28:27.320 first one is pride or ego. Very often my pride or my ego gets in the way of what 00:28:27.320 --> 00:28:33.080 the spirit wants to do. My pride and my ego get in the way of what the spirit 00:28:33.080 --> 00:28:37.360 God wants to do. What I mean by pride and ego is sometimes the spirit of God 00:28:37.360 --> 00:28:45.840 wants to do a work and I'm too proud to be foolish to do it because it may 00:28:45.840 --> 00:28:53.840 embarrass me. People may say stuff so I won't do it. 00:28:53.840 --> 00:29:08.960 Sometimes he's unspectacular. Whenever I do something that is obedient I want it 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:13.200 to be unspectacular. I want it to be spectacular. Sometimes he's so 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:18.600 unspectacular. Yesterday I was talking to some guys in Bahrain and they were on 00:29:18.600 --> 00:29:25.040 Skype and they've stood in faith for seven months and what they expect has 00:29:25.040 --> 00:29:29.600 not happened yet and I told them that perhaps they need to go this way and 00:29:29.600 --> 00:29:36.400 they said no but then people won't hear the kind of testimony that should 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:40.440 come out of the stand of faith because every time we take a stand of faith we 00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:46.080 want something spectacular to happen. Paradise is our pride but we won't go 00:29:46.080 --> 00:29:53.000 there today. Second, sometimes guys my pride and ego gets in the way of 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:58.760 apologizing. You'll be surprised at how often the Spirit of God is not able to 00:29:58.760 --> 00:30:04.440 move because I can't have the humility to come and say to you that I was wrong 00:30:04.440 --> 00:30:12.120 and you were right. Pride gets in the way. James chapter 4 verse 6 says God 00:30:12.120 --> 00:30:16.680 opposes the pride and gives grace to the humble. He resists the pride. 00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:21.440 Apologizing is a hard thing. You don't have to do something wrong. Sometimes you 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:26.040 need to go to someone and say you know you told me that and I resisted 00:30:26.040 --> 00:30:30.040 you. I just want to tell you that I'm sorry you are right and I'm wrong. Very 00:30:30.040 --> 00:30:36.920 difficult to say that. Pride gets in the way. It gets in the way of spouses. It gets in 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:50.760 the way of friends. Thirdly, pride sometimes prevents me from acknowledging 00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:55.120 the work of others in my life. 00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:05.800 You know I really appreciate some of you when you come and come to me and tell me 00:31:05.800 --> 00:31:10.720 Jacob you said this and you did this for me and it changed my life. I really 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:18.560 appreciate it not because it stokes my ego because I think I'm past that but I 00:31:18.560 --> 00:31:26.200 really appreciate it because it shows your heart that you're willing to 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:31.520 acknowledge that someone else poured into your life and you are the fruit of 00:31:31.520 --> 00:31:38.200 it. Very difficult thing this is for some of us. I still catch myself not 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:43.280 being able to acknowledge the work of others in my life. I mean today when I 00:31:43.280 --> 00:31:48.920 quoted Graham Cook when I was making these notes I was thinking ah don't tell 00:31:48.920 --> 00:31:52.720 them where it came from. Then I don't know that's a brilliant quote. If you 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:58.480 quoted they'll think you came up with it. Give credit, acknowledge it. Just last 00:31:58.640 --> 00:32:03.560 week someone was saying something to me and I realized that they had actually 00:32:03.560 --> 00:32:07.480 said this to me but I didn't want to give them credit so I quickly went past 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:11.840 it till someone pointed out saying Jacob you're not willing to give credit. Some 00:32:11.840 --> 00:32:17.320 of you are brilliant at it. At coming and saying Jacob you did this or Jason you 00:32:17.320 --> 00:32:22.440 did this you spoke this or whoever you got something from and it changes your 00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:29.040 life but some of us don't. Why am I bringing this up? Because not so that you 00:32:29.040 --> 00:32:34.880 can stoke my ego or Jason's ego but so that that factor called pride may be 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:39.240 destroyed in my life and in your life because I've seen it rise up in my life. 00:32:39.240 --> 00:32:46.500 God opposes the proud. God uses people to affect our lives guys. It's get over 00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:50.800 this. Begin to acknowledge some of the stuff that I have done in your life that 00:32:50.800 --> 00:32:55.420 Jason has done in your life. Come up and say it and really not for your not for 00:32:55.420 --> 00:33:02.440 my sake for your sake. I'm giving you an exercise that will set you free because 00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:06.360 what can be more absurd than me asking you to come and tell me how wonderful I 00:33:06.360 --> 00:33:13.680 am. I mean that is a height of arrogance and pride and really I wouldn't do it in 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:17.280 a message. It doesn't come out right at all. This is to set you free. You should 00:33:17.280 --> 00:33:21.900 try it. Don't try it today. Think about it and try it over the next half of the 00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:24.080 year. 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:40.760 Sometimes pride and ego takes a form of dignity. Instead of being transparent we 00:33:41.040 --> 00:33:54.120 are obtuse because preserving dignity is more important. 00:34:02.520 --> 00:34:07.520 I've met people like this. The Spirit of God wants to do something but 00:34:07.520 --> 00:34:11.200 because they refuse to be transparent the Spirit of God can never end up 00:34:11.200 --> 00:34:16.080 doing what he wants because you will never open your life to anybody that the 00:34:16.080 --> 00:34:20.640 Spirit of God wants to use. The only way you will change is if a prophet comes 00:34:20.640 --> 00:34:25.520 from Timbuktu to tell you your problem. Otherwise you ain't going to tell anybody 00:34:25.520 --> 00:34:31.480 your problem. It really is time is what God wants to do. What are we talking 00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:36.800 about here? We are saying that the flesh profits nothing. The Spirit gives life. 00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:41.320 When the Spirit gives life may my pride and ego not get in the way because it's 00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:45.560 time is what the Spirit of God wants to do. Does he give up? No. He keeps working 00:34:45.560 --> 00:34:51.320 at it but sometimes in my attempt to preserve my dignity I choose not to be 00:34:51.320 --> 00:34:56.120 transparent because I don't want anybody the Spirit of God sends to help me. I 00:34:56.120 --> 00:35:01.040 want it to be from outside when nobody knows me. Pastors have this problem. 00:35:01.040 --> 00:35:07.440 Fortunately I don't but many of us do. 00:35:08.120 --> 00:35:18.640 Let's take move on from pride. Any questions on this? 00:35:18.640 --> 00:35:26.000 The last one. Yeah in many cultures and in many of our lives today there is this 00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:33.920 attempt to preserve or present a form of dignity that is exterior and so our 00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:39.880 lives are not transparent. So if the Spirit of God ever wants to help us he 00:35:39.880 --> 00:35:47.200 is not able to because you will not open your life to anybody. So the only way we 00:35:47.200 --> 00:35:50.720 will be helped is if Eddie comes from South Africa but now we know Eddie too 00:35:50.720 --> 00:35:54.000 well too so it'll have to be somebody else. Someone who we don't know who 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:58.040 comes from very far that is the only way we'll accept it and we'll only 00:35:58.040 --> 00:36:02.640 accept it if the person does it properly otherwise we are not willing to. Very 00:36:02.640 --> 00:36:10.440 difficult like that to change. It's dignity preserving pride it's not 00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:19.080 transparency. The next one which is a common one which we often refer to in 00:36:19.080 --> 00:36:27.320 this church. Next hindrance is thinking or mindsets. I'll tell you what this 00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:39.960 church would have a problem with. One reality causes us to opt for common 00:36:39.960 --> 00:36:49.440 sense instead of the Spirit. 00:36:55.360 --> 00:37:00.800 We're talking about things that block the desire of the Spirit in my life. One 00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:04.120 of them I'm finding in my life is my thinking and mindset and this sometimes 00:37:04.120 --> 00:37:10.000 so affects me where reality strikes and reality then forces me to opt for 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:14.680 common sense. Yesterday we were sitting with Mark and he was telling us how he 00:37:14.680 --> 00:37:19.080 hasn't found a place and I was struggling should I tell him about other 00:37:19.080 --> 00:37:25.560 ways of doing things because common sense sometimes rears up its ugly head 00:37:25.560 --> 00:37:29.560 because reality is so strong that you want to come up with common sense and 00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:38.320 in the presence you block the work of the Spirit. That's one of the things that 00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:43.320 will happen in this church and remember common sense will always try to massage 00:37:43.320 --> 00:37:48.600 things manipulate things take shortcuts because that's what common sense does. It 00:37:48.600 --> 00:37:54.880 tries to achieve an end through any means that is mostly legitimate and so 00:37:55.360 --> 00:38:01.160 the Spirit is opted out. Another mindset that we will struggle with here is our 00:38:01.160 --> 00:38:13.280 experience and our environment that we grow up in. That affects our thinking. I 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:19.960 see that in many of us. You're so scared to let go of your way of thinking because 00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:22.880 if you let go of it your whole world will collapse because you've been 00:38:22.880 --> 00:38:27.160 thinking like that for so many years that if you stop thinking like that you 00:38:27.160 --> 00:38:33.600 would have to start again and so you don't want to let go of it. Frightening 00:38:33.600 --> 00:38:40.520 huh? I remember when I thought women could not teach. I remember when I 00:38:40.520 --> 00:38:47.560 thought that tongues need not be interpreted. I remember when I thought 00:38:47.560 --> 00:38:54.120 that women were not supposed to be in any kind of ministry and even though 00:38:54.120 --> 00:38:58.960 people would bring up evidence from the Bible to show me I would resist it 00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:04.360 because so much of my way of functioning was built on it that if I agreed with 00:39:04.360 --> 00:39:08.320 you I'd have to break down many things I believe to start again and I can't 00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:16.240 afford that. Pardon? Because if I I knew I was kind of beginning to sound wrong 00:39:16.240 --> 00:39:20.440 but I had to hold on to it because if I let it go everything collapses. May I 00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:26.520 suggest to you that many of you, many of you and I'm looking at you I'm not even 00:39:26.520 --> 00:39:34.840 avoiding looking at you, many of you have a thinking or a mindset that has been a 00:39:34.840 --> 00:39:40.600 product of your environment and your experience. Terrible as it may have been 00:39:40.600 --> 00:39:44.900 that if you let go of the way you're functioning your whole world would 00:39:44.900 --> 00:39:52.060 collapse and so you have to hold on to it. 00:39:53.660 --> 00:39:59.300 And the Holy Spirit wants to change that but if you don't let go of it how is it 00:39:59.300 --> 00:40:03.700 possible for him to begin to work? Will he keep doing what he's doing? Yes. Is 00:40:03.700 --> 00:40:12.100 this message a way of letting you know? Yes. It is possible to resist the Holy 00:40:12.100 --> 00:40:18.660 Spirit. It is possible to resist the Holy Spirit. 00:40:21.300 --> 00:40:36.540 You know that right? He doesn't take over my will. Let's go on to next one. Oh the 00:40:36.540 --> 00:40:41.380 third one that affects my mindset is what you think and say. What you think 00:40:41.380 --> 00:40:49.980 about me. What you think about me affects my way of thinking. Like I go 00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:53.860 some places and I know they have a poor opinion of me so when I go to a place 00:40:53.860 --> 00:40:57.700 where they have poor opinion of me what's my mindset that I have to do 00:40:57.700 --> 00:41:03.060 everything to now impress them. Why don't I impress you? Because you have a decent 00:41:03.060 --> 00:41:09.460 opinion of me and you like me. So therefore a little bit and therefore I 00:41:09.500 --> 00:41:17.020 have no desire to impress you. I don't have to prove anything. But what if I go 00:41:17.020 --> 00:41:20.460 into a place where people don't have a good opinion of me? Immediately my 00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:25.220 thinking, my mindset, everything I do is now with this one thing in mind. I have 00:41:25.220 --> 00:41:29.460 to do everything in my mind to impress these people. What if I'm with somebody 00:41:29.460 --> 00:41:34.700 who has a tendency to make fun of me or to pull me down? Everything I do will 00:41:34.700 --> 00:41:40.860 either be very jokey because I want to be the center of laughter and the reason 00:41:40.860 --> 00:41:45.180 for the party or I'll be super careful because I don't want to be embarrassed 00:41:45.180 --> 00:41:48.620 or humiliated by this person. When I'm around that person I'm walking on 00:41:48.620 --> 00:41:54.300 eggshells. What if you're an angry person who loses your temper quickly? Again my 00:41:54.300 --> 00:41:59.620 thinking and my mindset changes. What if you're a suspicious person? Guys you and 00:41:59.620 --> 00:42:05.340 I have no idea how much this is our lives are influenced by the kind of 00:42:05.340 --> 00:42:10.780 people that we are around and how other people's lives are influenced by the 00:42:10.780 --> 00:42:15.940 kind of person you are. My sister recently told me that Jacob you're 00:42:15.940 --> 00:42:19.260 losing your temper too quickly. I'm beginning to walk on eggshells around 00:42:19.260 --> 00:42:25.780 you and so five minutes later I sent her this thing. I said I don't like who 00:42:25.780 --> 00:42:31.740 I'm becoming. I apologize your motives and intents were absolutely clean but I 00:42:31.740 --> 00:42:36.020 should not have lost my temper and I'm sorry I will try not to make it happen 00:42:36.020 --> 00:42:45.220 let it happen again. Our thinking and our mindset is so influenced by the people 00:42:45.220 --> 00:42:50.220 around us. This is why the Spirit of God I need him desperately because he's the 00:42:50.220 --> 00:42:54.720 only one who can give me some kind of an identity knowing how I am thought of in 00:42:54.720 --> 00:42:59.360 heaven. It affects who I am on earth and then I'm able to stand before you even 00:42:59.360 --> 00:43:03.640 when you're angry even when you're putting guilt on me even when you offend 00:43:03.640 --> 00:43:12.240 me this whole loving kindness things can begin to flow. I must have this. I must 00:43:12.240 --> 00:43:20.800 have this. How else will I live guys the way Jesus wants me to? It's impossible to 00:43:20.840 --> 00:43:25.720 be able to go and stand with someone who may hurt you or who may get angry and yet 00:43:25.720 --> 00:43:43.040 function joyfully. I so wish I could be joyful with everybody. Next one. 00:43:43.040 --> 00:43:58.920 Four hindrances two are done two more to go. Next one. This blocks the work of the 00:43:58.920 --> 00:44:11.200 Holy Spirit in me. Self-sufficiency. How do I define self-sufficiency? Successful 00:44:11.200 --> 00:44:38.800 living spawned by self-generated self-reliant skills and methods. That's 00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:43.040 how I'm defining self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency is successful living 00:44:43.040 --> 00:44:49.440 spawned by self-generated and self-reliant skills and methods. Isn't 00:44:49.440 --> 00:44:53.080 there a place for that though? Yes there is but because we are trying to swing 00:44:53.080 --> 00:44:59.520 the pendulum to the extreme I'm saying the flesh profits for nothing. The Spirit 00:44:59.520 --> 00:45:08.440 gives life where this becomes a very secondary thing in my life. I've read 00:45:08.440 --> 00:45:12.760 this to you before when I taught you thought about Yahweh Ezzer. I'm reading 00:45:12.760 --> 00:45:20.120 it again. As long as I have a self-righteous idea that I can do this 00:45:20.120 --> 00:45:27.560 thing if God will help me. God will allow me to go on till I break the neck of my 00:45:27.560 --> 00:45:33.960 ignorance over some obstacle. Listen to it again. It sounds so right and yet it's 00:45:33.960 --> 00:45:42.800 wrong. As long as I have a self-righteous idea that I can do this thing if God 00:45:42.800 --> 00:45:47.600 will help me. That is such a Christian way of going about things. As long as I 00:45:47.600 --> 00:45:54.320 have a self-righteous idea. Hi. 00:45:54.320 --> 00:45:59.640 As long as I have a self-righteous idea that I can do a thing if God will help 00:45:59.640 --> 00:46:03.800 me. That's how we normally think that I can do this thing. Father could you 00:46:03.800 --> 00:46:07.240 help me? As long as I have a self-righteous idea that I can do a thing 00:46:07.240 --> 00:46:12.520 if God helps me. God will allow me to go on till I break my neck of ignorance on 00:46:12.520 --> 00:46:19.880 some obstacle. The point being self-generated self-reliant skills and 00:46:19.880 --> 00:46:25.120 methods are what we do things with and we ask God to help it. That's not the way 00:46:25.120 --> 00:46:32.360 the flesh profits nothing. The Spirit gives life. It's a way to go guys and the 00:46:32.360 --> 00:46:36.240 thing with self-sufficiency you guys is whenever you're a self-centered person 00:46:36.240 --> 00:46:43.320 know that time will be your enemy. It will never be your ally. As in remember 00:46:43.320 --> 00:46:49.480 when Saul was told by Samuel in 1st Samuel 10, hey Saul make sure that you 00:46:49.480 --> 00:46:52.800 wait seven days before you offer the sacrifice. I will come and offer the 00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:56.840 sacrifice. But when you're a self-centered person what happens is when 00:46:56.840 --> 00:47:02.160 pressures begin to come you cannot wait for God's agent. You have to take it into 00:47:02.160 --> 00:47:06.720 your own hands. So it says in 1st Samuel 13, hey Saul could not wait longer. It 00:47:06.720 --> 00:47:10.680 was the seventh day he offered the sacrifice and along comes Samuel and 00:47:10.680 --> 00:47:16.920 says I hear the bleeding of goats. What happened here? Whenever 00:47:16.920 --> 00:47:22.520 you're a self-centered person there's a good way to measure it. How often time 00:47:22.520 --> 00:47:27.420 is not your ally when you're not dependent on God. Time is an enemy when 00:47:27.420 --> 00:47:33.900 you're dependent on God. Because the pressure of time begins to work. 00:47:38.340 --> 00:47:44.220 This blocks the work of the Spirit in you. This blocks the work of the 00:47:44.220 --> 00:47:57.020 Spirit in you. Any questions before we go on to the last one? I agree. So I'm just 00:47:57.020 --> 00:48:00.900 swinging the pendulum to the other extreme Matt because doing nothing is 00:48:00.900 --> 00:48:06.740 not usually what we do. Most of us in this church are people who want to take 00:48:06.740 --> 00:48:11.540 things and do them. So I'm just swinging the pendulum to the other extreme where 00:48:11.540 --> 00:48:17.540 let's learn that other way of not being successful based on self-generated 00:48:17.540 --> 00:48:21.620 self-reliant skills and methods because the flesh profits nothing and the Spirit 00:48:21.620 --> 00:48:27.700 gives life. Let's start at that end. Our skills and methods and doing things 00:48:27.700 --> 00:48:32.820 comes natural to us as humans which is why Jesus had to continuously say enter 00:48:32.820 --> 00:48:38.460 into rest, cease from striving because he knows that man's way of 00:48:38.460 --> 00:48:50.300 doing things is to work work work. Any other questions? I was telling Mark 00:48:50.340 --> 00:48:55.660 yesterday Matt that perhaps the only guy who can beat him in terms of hard work 00:48:55.660 --> 00:49:02.140 would be you. He's the kind of guy who would do the grouse grind three times in 00:49:02.140 --> 00:49:11.980 one day. Yeah that's what I'm saying he's the kind of guy who would do it too. His 00:49:11.980 --> 00:49:18.260 his greatest pleasures are swimming with salmon upstream and he was getting 00:49:18.260 --> 00:49:23.820 poetic about it as as Jason and I listened and Jason and I tried to 00:49:23.820 --> 00:49:30.060 pretend that we were impressed but it just didn't work. So I'm glad that he's 00:49:30.060 --> 00:49:38.220 working with Jason and not me when he comes. No because it was just three days 00:49:38.220 --> 00:49:43.820 ago when he called me on the phone and spoke to me for 45 minutes. Five minutes 00:49:43.820 --> 00:49:47.420 had to do with the real content of the subject. 40 minutes was spent on telling 00:49:47.420 --> 00:49:56.300 me how to set up a trail camera to catch deer. Yeah this is on tape now it'll go 00:49:56.300 --> 00:50:04.260 all over the world Mark. My name is Jason. Okay the last one is willing 00:50:04.260 --> 00:50:16.140 obedience. Guys my emphasis is on this worthy willing. Isaiah 119 has this 00:50:16.140 --> 00:50:20.980 marvelous line if you're willing and obedient you will eat the best of the 00:50:20.980 --> 00:50:24.300 land or the good of the land if you're willing and obedient. One of the 00:50:24.300 --> 00:50:30.620 hindrances or one of the things that blocks the work of the spirit in my life 00:50:30.620 --> 00:50:42.900 is sometimes obedience I can give but willingness only comes through 00:50:42.940 --> 00:50:52.020 relationship and relationship only comes through prayer and prayer is 00:50:52.020 --> 00:51:05.380 basically conversations that deepen the father-son I'm talking about God now 00:51:05.380 --> 00:51:10.820 father-son intimacy. 00:51:12.900 --> 00:51:22.020 So the emphasis is on willing. Now willingness only comes through 00:51:22.020 --> 00:51:28.060 relationship. Relationship can be only forged when one has a conversation where 00:51:28.060 --> 00:51:36.380 intimacy develops which brings us back to this whole thing of when I say the 00:51:36.380 --> 00:51:41.660 word prayer brings up this connotation of asking and A-C-T-S, adoration, this 00:51:41.660 --> 00:51:46.300 thing this thing this thing I'm not talking about that I'm talking about 00:51:46.620 --> 00:51:52.900 having a conversation with God and it begins to increase my relationship 00:51:52.900 --> 00:51:59.100 because it's a two-way street and I begin to hear and marvel at who he is 00:51:59.100 --> 00:52:03.380 and therefore the willingness of my heart increases. Joyful willingness is 00:52:03.380 --> 00:52:09.260 such an integral part of obedience and when the Spirit of God sees joyful 00:52:09.260 --> 00:52:12.380 willingness in you because of a relationship you have with the father 00:52:12.380 --> 00:52:17.500 his work is hindered less his work begins to flow because there's a 00:52:17.500 --> 00:52:24.300 reckless yielding a much-loved child I said this last week it's such a cool and 00:52:24.300 --> 00:52:28.540 I really don't know who said it so I can't give credit right now but the line 00:52:28.540 --> 00:52:35.060 there says the best people the best Christians I have known are Christians 00:52:35.060 --> 00:52:42.020 who live like much-loved children wow the best Christians I have known are 00:52:42.020 --> 00:52:47.780 Christians who live like much-loved children 00:52:48.060 --> 00:52:55.780 much-loved children what a definition of a Christian a much-loved 00:52:55.780 --> 00:53:02.620 child recklessly abandoned this is not you and me yet this is not you and me 00:53:02.620 --> 00:53:04.820 yet 00:53:10.180 --> 00:53:16.380 James 4 6 says the Spirit of God that he has caused to live in me yearns for me 00:53:16.380 --> 00:53:25.500 jealously yearns for me jealously. Willing obedience any questions guys any 00:53:25.500 --> 00:53:27.940 questions? 00:53:29.620 --> 00:53:32.220 okay