WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Prevailing Church : Divine Benefits Publishing Date: 2018-08-05T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/prevailing-church-divine-benefits/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 So we continue with talking about the prevailing church, 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:05.480 and it's the only kind of church that Jesus wanted to build. 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:08.840 And he said that in Matthew 16 when he says, 00:00:08.840 --> 00:00:10.880 "'On this rock I will build my church, 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:13.360 "'and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'" 00:00:13.360 --> 00:00:16.760 Prevailing is to engage, to contend, and to overcome. 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:18.520 And so we continue with that series. 00:00:18.520 --> 00:00:22.560 And today we talk about, so if you're a prevailing church, 00:00:22.560 --> 00:00:25.040 what should be made visible in you? 00:00:25.040 --> 00:00:27.640 There must be things made visible in you, 00:00:27.640 --> 00:00:29.600 and so we'll call it divine benefits. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:32.560 What are the divine benefits that a people 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:36.000 who belong to a prevailing church must exhibit? 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:37.320 What are the divine benefits? 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:41.400 Because everything must be made visible. 00:00:41.400 --> 00:00:44.320 The reason Jesus Christ came down to the earth 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:46.520 was so that God may be made visible. 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:48.440 The reason he left his body behind 00:00:48.440 --> 00:00:50.680 is so that God may be made visible. 00:00:50.680 --> 00:00:52.040 So what does it look like? 00:00:52.040 --> 00:00:53.560 What does it look like? 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:56.920 The queen of Sheba, when she went to Solomon and said, 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:00.040 I had heard of the things that people had said 00:01:00.040 --> 00:01:02.880 about how glorious your reign was, 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:06.160 but she said, my breath was taken away 00:01:06.160 --> 00:01:07.160 when I actually saw it. 00:01:07.160 --> 00:01:11.000 Now I know that what I heard is actually true. 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:14.200 And so what is the visible divine benefit 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:16.800 of following someone like Christ? 00:01:16.800 --> 00:01:18.160 What should the body of Christ look like? 00:01:18.160 --> 00:01:20.680 And it's not very complicated, it's very simple. 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:25.440 We'll just look at Psalm 103 and pick from that, Psalm 103. 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:28.720 And if we can even get the first five verses right, 00:01:28.720 --> 00:01:32.640 in terms of both receiving what God has for us, 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:36.120 then living it out and then giving it away freely, 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:40.960 you'll be surprised at how it'll be easy to portray 00:01:40.960 --> 00:01:42.680 what it means to be a prevailing church 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:45.040 that has God dwelling amongst them. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:47.240 This was what Israel thrived at. 00:01:47.240 --> 00:01:48.800 I mean, here is a people, 00:01:48.800 --> 00:01:51.640 almost a million people walking through the desert 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:54.920 and other nations that were far fiercer than them, 00:01:54.960 --> 00:01:58.280 far stronger than them, far more well-equipped 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:00.120 in terms of weapons than them, 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:03.920 would look at them and say, the dread of Jacob is their God. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:07.400 That's one of the names God was given by the nations around 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.400 because they wouldn't touch Israel 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:11.280 because they knew here was a people 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:13.960 in whose midst God traveled as a pillar of fire 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:15.200 or a pillar of cloud, 00:02:15.200 --> 00:02:17.000 that he took care of scorpions and snakes, 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:20.280 that he provided them food at three feet off the ground 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:23.760 and morning manna, that he brought out water out of a rock. 00:02:23.760 --> 00:02:26.200 There were divine benefits associated 00:02:26.200 --> 00:02:27.520 with the God of Israel 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:30.400 and he was God over the mountains and the plains. 00:02:32.640 --> 00:02:34.720 And so what are some of these divine benefits 00:02:34.720 --> 00:02:35.960 that we can make visible? 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:37.440 So if you look at Psalm 103, 00:02:37.440 --> 00:02:39.320 it starts with bless the Lord, oh my soul. 00:02:39.320 --> 00:02:40.200 And strangely enough, 00:02:40.200 --> 00:02:42.280 you would think that that's not a divine benefit. 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:45.760 But the whole idea of bless is to recognize 00:02:48.200 --> 00:02:53.200 the limitless riches, strength, 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:58.720 and grace of God. 00:02:58.720 --> 00:03:01.440 The first step is to recognize it too. 00:03:01.440 --> 00:03:04.280 The moment you say bless God, 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.600 I mean, half the time when we say I bless you Lord, 00:03:07.600 --> 00:03:09.840 we don't necessarily fathom what it means. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:14.840 But the whole idea is a sense of praise-filled thankfulness 00:03:15.240 --> 00:03:18.400 because you recognize the limitless riches, 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:19.720 strength and grace of God. 00:03:19.720 --> 00:03:21.500 And this is something Paul did often 00:03:21.500 --> 00:03:23.320 when he prayed his apostolic prayers 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:25.480 in Ephesians 1, 18 and Colossians 1. 00:03:25.480 --> 00:03:28.440 He would begin with acknowledging how wide, 00:03:28.440 --> 00:03:33.280 how limitless, how inexhaustible the riches, the wealth, 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:35.080 the grace, the power of God is. 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:38.560 Every prayer Paul prayed started with that. 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:39.920 So the first thing is to recognize 00:03:39.920 --> 00:03:42.600 the limitless riches, strength and grace of God. 00:03:42.600 --> 00:03:45.120 And then to also recognize Him 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.720 as your inexhaustible source, 00:03:47.720 --> 00:03:52.720 to recognize Him as your inexhaustible source. 00:03:53.760 --> 00:03:58.760 Inexhaustible source of life. 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:04.800 This is what Abraham does in Genesis chapter 14. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:07.480 So the king of Sodom is coming from one end 00:04:07.480 --> 00:04:09.920 and the king of Salem is coming from the other end. 00:04:09.920 --> 00:04:11.440 And the king of Sodom says, 00:04:11.440 --> 00:04:14.840 hey Abraham, keep all the money 00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:19.560 that you've gathered in this battle and give me the souls. 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:22.040 And the king of Salem is just standing there 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:24.760 and Abraham turns to the king of Sodom 00:04:24.760 --> 00:04:27.160 and he says to you, I won't take anything from you 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:29.560 because I don't want you to say that you made me rich. 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:31.880 And then he turns to the king of Salem and he says, 00:04:31.880 --> 00:04:35.240 I lift my hands to El Elion, 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:37.120 the mighty possessor of the universe, 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:39.680 who alone is my source. 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:41.480 And so the first thing is to recognize 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:44.380 the limitless riches, strength and grace of God too, 00:04:44.380 --> 00:04:46.560 to recognize Him as your inexhaustible source. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:49.440 And then here comes the third part, which is critical. 00:04:49.440 --> 00:04:50.680 Once you recognize this, 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:54.240 now comes the part where you express your gratitude. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.920 You express your gratitude and your delight 00:05:04.840 --> 00:05:09.840 in words, actions, shouts, grunts, 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:16.960 every possible method of expression. 00:05:17.960 --> 00:05:20.760 Israel was good at this to the point 00:05:20.760 --> 00:05:23.200 that there was a phrase coined, 00:05:23.200 --> 00:05:27.440 which simply said, the shout of a king is in their midst. 00:05:27.440 --> 00:05:30.800 It was so normal for Israel to acknowledge it 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:33.800 that Balaam, a false prophet said, 00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:37.160 I can't curse them because the shout of the king 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:38.040 is in their midst. 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:40.200 What is the shout of a king in the midst of a people? 00:05:40.200 --> 00:05:42.720 It's a people who recognize the limitless riches, 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:43.840 strength and grace of God, 00:05:43.840 --> 00:05:46.520 who recognize Him as their inexhaustible source. 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:47.960 And then they can't keep it quiet. 00:05:47.960 --> 00:05:50.520 So out from them comes a shout that expresses 00:05:50.520 --> 00:05:54.440 both the delight and the gratitude for who this God is. 00:05:54.440 --> 00:05:57.920 And it is so resounding, so normal, so habitual 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:00.480 that people say, oh shucks, there they go again. 00:06:03.280 --> 00:06:05.600 That is the idea of bless. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:08.160 Because we do the sanctimonious, I bless you a lot. 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.280 But it's so much more than that. 00:06:12.280 --> 00:06:14.400 I mean, go to Deuteronomy 8.10. 00:06:14.400 --> 00:06:15.840 Deuteronomy 8.10. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:17.560 Where's my Bible? 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:20.000 Can someone see my, yeah. 00:06:21.440 --> 00:06:22.600 Deuteronomy 8.10. 00:06:31.400 --> 00:06:34.640 Deuteronomy 8.10. 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:39.280 And here's what it says, reading from the NIV. 00:06:39.280 --> 00:06:41.360 When you have eaten and are satisfied, 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:43.480 praise the Lord your God for the good land 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:44.320 He has given you. 00:06:44.320 --> 00:06:45.680 Some versions will say, 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:47.560 when you have eaten and are satisfied, 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:51.480 bless the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:53.520 Psalm 145.10. 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:55.280 Psalm 145.10. 00:06:56.280 --> 00:07:02.600 Psalm 145.10. 00:07:09.800 --> 00:07:12.640 Other words for bless are extol, exalt. 00:07:12.640 --> 00:07:15.120 All you have made will praise you, O Lord. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:18.280 Your saints will bless you or extol your name. 00:07:18.280 --> 00:07:20.720 All you have made will praise you, O Lord. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:23.000 Your saints will extol or bless your name. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:25.920 Meaning it's supposed to be a habit for us 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:26.960 to bless His name. 00:07:28.080 --> 00:07:29.280 Next one. 00:07:29.280 --> 00:07:30.520 Psalm 96. 00:07:30.520 --> 00:07:33.120 Psalm 96, verse two and three. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:34.640 Psalm 96. 00:07:37.400 --> 00:07:38.560 Verse two and three. 00:07:41.320 --> 00:07:43.160 Declare His glory among the nations 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:45.520 His marvelous deeds amongst the people. 00:07:45.520 --> 00:07:48.480 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.280 He's to be feared above all God. 00:07:51.280 --> 00:07:52.920 Sing to the Lord, praise His name. 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:54.800 Proclaim His salvation day after day. 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:56.440 Declare His glory among the nations. 00:07:56.440 --> 00:07:58.600 His marvelous deeds amongst all the peoples. 00:07:58.600 --> 00:08:00.440 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. 00:08:00.440 --> 00:08:02.600 He's to be feared above all God. 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:04.160 Some versions will again put blessed 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:08.000 instead of worthy of praise. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.640 So I've taken it from the ESV and the NASB 00:08:10.640 --> 00:08:12.360 where it talks about bless. 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:14.040 But in the NIV they use different words. 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:15.960 But regardless, the idea is to bless. 00:08:15.960 --> 00:08:17.920 First Chronicles 29, 10. 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:19.880 First Chronicles 29, 10. 00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:22.640 Just check different versions. 00:08:22.640 --> 00:08:24.800 Unfortunately, I brought the NIV. 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:26.560 First Chronicles 29, 10. 00:08:27.440 --> 00:08:29.160 The ESV is on my phone. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:32.400 First Chronicles 29, 10. 00:08:35.400 --> 00:08:36.800 Donate. 00:08:36.800 --> 00:08:38.880 First Chronicles 29, 10. 00:08:39.920 --> 00:08:41.680 Where's the other one? 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:44.720 First Chronicles 29, 10. 00:08:49.240 --> 00:08:51.520 First Chronicles 29, 10. 00:08:51.520 --> 00:08:52.880 And here's what it says. 00:08:52.880 --> 00:08:57.880 It says, David, praise the Lord 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:00.360 in the presence of the whole assembly saying, 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:03.360 praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:05.440 From everlasting to everlasting again. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:07.640 The other version says, David, praise the Lord 00:09:07.640 --> 00:09:09.400 in the presence of the whole assembly saying, 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:12.320 blessed are you, O Lord, God of our father Israel 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:14.080 from everlasting to everlasting. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:19.080 One last scripture, Psalm 145, Psalm 145, 1, 2, and 21. 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:20.480 Psalm 145. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.440 Wherever you see the word exalt and extol, 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:27.640 they use the word bless. 00:09:27.640 --> 00:09:30.120 Psalm 145, 1, 2, and 21. 00:09:30.120 --> 00:09:32.040 I will exalt you, my God, the King. 00:09:32.040 --> 00:09:33.920 I will praise your name forever and ever. 00:09:33.920 --> 00:09:35.840 Every day I will praise you 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:37.320 and extol your name forever and ever. 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:38.480 Let me use the word bless. 00:09:38.520 --> 00:09:40.240 I will bless you, O God, my King. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.200 I will praise your name forever and ever. 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:43.440 Every day I will praise you 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:45.200 and bless your name forever and ever. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.400 Verse 21, my mouth will speak in praise of the Lord, 00:09:48.400 --> 00:09:52.080 let every creature bless his holy name forever and ever. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:54.120 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord, 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:57.200 let every creature bless his holy name forever and ever. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:01.000 Guys, why am I showing you these scriptures? 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:04.560 Because we need to understand that blessing God 00:10:04.560 --> 00:10:07.200 is basically these three things, 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:10.200 and this must be done outside these walls 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:11.520 when nobody is singing. 00:10:15.040 --> 00:10:17.200 Part of the agenda for prevailing churches 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:18.880 can be make God known. 00:10:18.880 --> 00:10:22.200 And part of the, one of the ways we make God known 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:25.120 is by announcing the one we adore. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:27.560 Announcing the one we adore. 00:10:27.560 --> 00:10:29.280 Announcing the one we adore. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.280 He must be made known. 00:10:32.280 --> 00:10:34.760 You can't bring people in here to be made, 00:10:34.760 --> 00:10:36.040 for him to be made known. 00:10:36.040 --> 00:10:39.520 I must, in my workplace, out there, 00:10:39.520 --> 00:10:43.000 for every little thing that happens to me, 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:44.960 have the boldness to now say, 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:47.200 ah shucks, guess what, Jesus did it. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:51.440 You don't have to use words like extol, exalt, bless, praise, 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:54.200 because they sound so unfamiliar to the world. 00:10:54.200 --> 00:10:58.160 So context determines the words we use, 00:10:58.160 --> 00:11:03.160 but begin to recognize verbally, with expression, with joy, 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:05.800 the limitless riches of strength, 00:11:05.800 --> 00:11:10.800 his strength, grace, and power. 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:14.680 Begin to recognize him as your inexhaustible source of life, 00:11:14.680 --> 00:11:16.640 and then in public, 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:25.360 using jargon that is legible, 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:31.360 express your gratitude and your delight 00:11:34.040 --> 00:11:37.280 in words, actions, shouts, and grunts. 00:11:39.400 --> 00:11:43.280 Hey, one of the best birthday presents I got, 00:11:43.280 --> 00:11:45.280 or two of the best birthday presents I got, 00:11:45.280 --> 00:11:48.040 and I've got a top 10 list, and some of you have cracked it. 00:11:48.040 --> 00:11:50.720 So two of the best birthday presents I got 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.480 was one when Derek took me on a chopper ride. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.600 Mark and I went with Derek up in a helicopter 00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:59.280 to Maple Ridge over the mountains, 00:11:59.280 --> 00:12:01.880 and that was the day that Brent Seabrook 00:12:01.880 --> 00:12:05.880 of the Chicago Blackhawks had taken the Stanley Cup up to. 00:12:05.880 --> 00:12:07.960 And so you could see the Stanley Cup up on the mountains. 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:10.880 It was a fabulous birthday gift. 00:12:10.880 --> 00:12:13.360 I was forever thankful to Derek. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.440 I mean, I kept thanking him for days on end. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:16.840 I couldn't stop talking about it, 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:20.240 because it was a great thing that was done. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:22.040 I mean, any favor that he still has in church 00:12:22.040 --> 00:12:24.120 is because of what he did three years ago. 00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:28.880 And then Mark did something else for me. 00:12:28.880 --> 00:12:31.240 He took me to the air traffic control tower. 00:12:32.280 --> 00:12:33.120 And so there I was, 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:36.000 and I half wanted to direct Cathay Pacific another way, 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:37.200 but I decided not to. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:38.320 But the point is this. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.880 These were two fabulous gifts I was given, 00:12:40.880 --> 00:12:43.120 and I'm still talking about them. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:48.000 If mere mortals, mere flawed, defective mortals, 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:49.280 is that good enough, Derek? 00:12:49.280 --> 00:12:50.120 Yeah. 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:51.680 Yeah. 00:12:51.680 --> 00:12:54.800 If mere mortals like Derek can give me a gift 00:12:54.800 --> 00:12:56.640 and I can talk about it forever, 00:12:56.640 --> 00:13:00.480 how much more do I need to acknowledge this publicly? 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:02.560 Wherefore, everything, it becomes natural 00:13:02.560 --> 00:13:04.760 for you to say things. 00:13:04.760 --> 00:13:06.280 Yeah, man, I don't know. 00:13:06.280 --> 00:13:07.960 I just went and talked to Jesus, 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:09.600 and guess what, this morning I got a, 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:12.160 I don't know, man, I just was talking to God, 00:13:12.160 --> 00:13:13.240 and look what God did. 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:15.760 Hey, guess what happened yesterday? 00:13:15.760 --> 00:13:16.800 And then they'll start saying, 00:13:16.800 --> 00:13:18.760 yeah, your God must have done something. 00:13:18.760 --> 00:13:20.760 It becomes part of conversation. 00:13:20.760 --> 00:13:22.400 This is how we change culture. 00:13:22.400 --> 00:13:23.520 How is culture changed? 00:13:23.520 --> 00:13:25.920 Culture is the, what is culture? 00:13:25.920 --> 00:13:27.360 Culture is the battle 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:29.560 for the collective thinking of a people. 00:13:29.560 --> 00:13:30.760 Culture is the battle 00:13:30.760 --> 00:13:32.800 for the collective thinking of a people. 00:13:32.800 --> 00:13:33.960 Culture is the battle 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:35.800 for the collective thinking of a people. 00:13:35.800 --> 00:13:39.480 How do you think we have ended up thinking the way we do? 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:42.120 Why is it that today, right now as we speak, 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:44.600 in downtown, people are parading naked 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:46.320 and it's completely okay? 00:13:47.920 --> 00:13:50.440 Men and women, men with men, women with women, 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:51.680 and it's completely okay. 00:13:51.680 --> 00:13:53.000 How come it's okay? 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:54.720 Because at some point, 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:56.440 our collective thinking was affected, 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:58.200 where it became all right. 00:13:59.800 --> 00:14:02.120 And why, how was it made all right? 00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:04.760 It was made all right by people paying the cost, 00:14:04.760 --> 00:14:08.400 paying the cost to say again and again and again 00:14:08.400 --> 00:14:10.520 that it's okay for a man to be married to a man, 00:14:10.520 --> 00:14:12.160 and they kept saying it, kept saying it. 00:14:12.160 --> 00:14:13.640 They paid a price for it. 00:14:14.520 --> 00:14:16.680 They were harassed, they were beaten up, 00:14:16.680 --> 00:14:19.160 they were made fun of, 00:14:19.160 --> 00:14:20.760 they still are being made fun of. 00:14:20.760 --> 00:14:22.640 In some places, they were beaten up, 00:14:22.640 --> 00:14:23.880 they were done harm to, 00:14:23.880 --> 00:14:27.840 but these men and women, for all the wrong reasons, 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:29.800 kept standing up and paying the cost 00:14:29.800 --> 00:14:31.760 so that it becomes normative. 00:14:35.760 --> 00:14:38.040 Why then can't I make this normative? 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:41.480 The only reason I don't make this normative 00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:45.040 is because I'm scared of people laughing at me 00:14:45.040 --> 00:14:48.480 talking like this, me acknowledging the source 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.040 of what and where I get things from. 00:14:51.040 --> 00:14:54.160 And that's a small price to pay compared to the price 00:14:54.160 --> 00:14:56.880 others have paid for things that are not godly. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:04.880 Gotta begin to think like this and talk like this, guys. 00:15:11.800 --> 00:15:12.960 It says, bless the Lord, oh my soul, 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:15.160 and all that is within me, all that is within me. 00:15:15.160 --> 00:15:16.320 And what's he trying to say? 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:19.040 With all that I am, nothing held back, 00:15:19.040 --> 00:15:21.680 with a degree of abandon, unselfconscious, 00:15:21.680 --> 00:15:24.920 willing to pay small prices and sometimes a big price. 00:15:24.920 --> 00:15:26.600 With all that I am, with my treasure, 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:28.640 with my strength, with my heart, with my soul, 00:15:28.640 --> 00:15:32.000 with my mind, with my thinking, with all that I am, oh God, 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:34.600 I will learn how to publicly bless you, 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:35.880 not bless you for two hours 00:15:35.880 --> 00:15:37.640 within the walls that are safe. 00:15:37.640 --> 00:15:40.040 This is the easiest thing to do, oh God. 00:15:40.040 --> 00:15:41.920 But to be able to be unselfconscious, 00:15:41.920 --> 00:15:43.960 to be relatively reckless, 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:46.080 to know how to speak with clarity, 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.240 and yet have a sense of abandon, 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.640 where my heart and my strength, 00:15:49.640 --> 00:15:51.680 and my mind and my treasure, 00:15:51.680 --> 00:15:55.200 and my emotions and my thoughts all go towards one end. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:57.280 Oh God, I have to let them know 00:15:57.280 --> 00:15:59.080 that you, oh God, are LLE, 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:00.840 you're the mighty possessor of the universe, 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:02.600 who is the source of my life. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:05.120 And out of you come everything in my life 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:08.320 is derived from you, my dignity, my security, 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:11.200 my possessions, my companionship, my intimacy. 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:13.440 There is nothing, oh God, nothing, oh God, 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:16.040 that's left out of Christ who said it is finished. 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:20.600 I have to have the same passion, the same loudness, 00:16:21.520 --> 00:16:24.600 out there as I presently do in here. 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:25.960 And I think it's possible. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:28.160 And it becomes so much easier 00:16:28.160 --> 00:16:29.800 when we do it as a people, guys. 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:36.280 Any questions? 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:39.880 Any questions? 00:16:39.880 --> 00:16:43.240 Any thoughts, any disagreements? 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:44.920 It's hard to disagree with this stuff, 00:16:44.920 --> 00:16:45.760 but if you have any, 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.320 it's doable, right? 00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:57.080 It's doable, guys. 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:08.200 We sing songs like, 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:10.640 Unto You Be Glory and Honor and Wisdom and Strength 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:13.240 and Riches and Blessings and, 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:16.600 it's all from Revelation 4.11 and 5.12, 00:17:16.600 --> 00:17:18.840 where the saints will gather before the Most High God 00:17:18.840 --> 00:17:21.120 and they'll say, Unto Him who sits on the throne 00:17:21.120 --> 00:17:23.040 and unto the Lamb be blessing and glory and honor 00:17:23.040 --> 00:17:24.640 and power and wealth and riches. 00:17:25.800 --> 00:17:28.320 I'm saying let's practice the end right now. 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:31.840 I mean, if I have to wait to get to heaven 00:17:31.840 --> 00:17:34.080 before I publicly declare who he is, 00:17:35.040 --> 00:17:36.480 that's pretty sad, man. 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:40.360 I've got to practice Revelation 4.11 and 5.12 now. 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:43.600 Because at the end of the day, everything you have, 00:17:43.600 --> 00:17:45.520 everything you have, the fact that you hear me, 00:17:45.520 --> 00:17:46.840 the fact that I can speak, 00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:48.600 the fact that my voice is being carried, 00:17:48.600 --> 00:17:50.680 the fact that your ears hear, 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:54.280 everything, the fact that you unconsciously drew a breath 00:17:54.280 --> 00:17:56.480 that you were not even aware of, 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.560 the fact that you're sweating, you're perspiring, 00:17:58.560 --> 00:18:01.800 the fact that you have a fan in your hands, 00:18:01.800 --> 00:18:03.640 the fact that your muscles are moving, 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:08.040 there is nothing that you haven't derived from him. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:11.880 It's crazy, man. 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:14.280 There is nothing that I can do at present 00:18:14.280 --> 00:18:16.720 that I don't derive from him. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:21.720 I mean, what can you do that you don't derive from him? 00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:22.600 Think of something. 00:18:26.560 --> 00:18:27.400 Even the, 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:31.720 there's nothing, man. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:37.160 It's not from him, but that you can do it, 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:42.320 that even the actions of sin 00:18:42.320 --> 00:18:45.240 are because you have the capacity to act 00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:47.520 because he gives you the free will to, 00:18:47.520 --> 00:18:50.360 and then the ability to control your muscles 00:18:50.360 --> 00:18:52.200 and your thinking to go ahead and do it, 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:54.800 and then the grace to forgive you for doing it, 00:18:54.800 --> 00:18:56.240 because you have the capacity to act 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:58.040 because he gives you the free will to, 00:18:58.040 --> 00:19:00.680 and then the ability to control your muscles 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:04.120 for doing it, which is nuts. 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:13.000 Hey, we gotta be a people who begin to speak publicly, eh? 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:15.800 Not just off our testimonies, but publicly. 00:19:15.800 --> 00:19:16.640 Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:19:17.560 --> 00:19:19.200 Yeah, God provides, man. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.240 Like, start with these simple comments, eh? 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:24.000 Create a culture. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:25.400 Create a culture. 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:27.840 Every culture started because someone had the guts. 00:19:29.560 --> 00:19:30.400 That's a crazy thing. 00:19:31.040 --> 00:19:33.240 Every culture starts because someone had the guts. 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:42.280 And then he goes on to say stuff like, 00:19:42.280 --> 00:19:44.600 forget not his benefits, forget not. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.800 Forget not. 00:19:47.800 --> 00:19:51.920 Hey, Derek, you know what I'm gonna ask for? 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:53.960 It's right where? 00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:58.080 Oh, this is the high-tech one, yeah. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:01.240 Okay. 00:20:15.760 --> 00:20:17.280 Forget not his benefits. 00:20:19.800 --> 00:20:22.520 Guys, to forget not is one to remember it, 00:20:25.320 --> 00:20:26.320 to speak it, 00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:29.760 to tell it. 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:35.400 That's the order. 00:20:36.520 --> 00:20:39.640 When God says, when David says, I will bless the Lord, 00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:42.760 I will not forget, forget not his benefits. 00:20:42.760 --> 00:20:45.640 You forget not by one remembering it, 00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:47.240 as in ah, shucks, yes. 00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:49.920 And then speaking about it, as in, hey, guess what? 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.080 And then telling about it. 00:20:51.080 --> 00:20:52.360 Telling carries a difference, 00:20:52.360 --> 00:20:54.160 and speaking, you can speak to yourself, 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:55.960 you can speak to a few friends of yours. 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:57.800 Telling is telling everybody. 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:00.560 Or telling anyone you meet. 00:21:00.560 --> 00:21:05.560 To forget not is to remember it, to speak it, to tell it. 00:21:06.760 --> 00:21:09.720 Speak first to yourself, you need to hear it too. 00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:12.000 We'll do that before the end of the day. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:15.320 We'll speak it, and then you have to tell it. 00:21:15.320 --> 00:21:17.080 Tell it is outside here, eh? 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:20.760 And what are we speaking and telling? 00:21:20.760 --> 00:21:22.880 We are talking about past benefits, 00:21:25.080 --> 00:21:27.000 we're talking about present grace, 00:21:27.800 --> 00:21:30.800 we're talking about future promise. 00:21:32.800 --> 00:21:36.160 So when I said over him that a day is coming 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:38.760 when he will do well as a businessman in Canada, 00:21:38.760 --> 00:21:40.000 why did I start off with that? 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:42.240 I could have said so many other things about it. 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:43.840 But the one thing I wanted to start off 00:21:43.840 --> 00:21:46.560 when I introduced him was to remind him, remind myself, 00:21:46.560 --> 00:21:49.160 remind us that here is a man who will one day 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:52.480 have a business that is quite successful in Canada. 00:21:53.360 --> 00:21:56.200 Talking about the promise of the future. 00:21:57.080 --> 00:21:58.080 Promise of the future. 00:21:58.080 --> 00:22:00.040 So these are the three things we talk about. 00:22:00.040 --> 00:22:02.360 This covers almost your entire life, man. 00:22:03.600 --> 00:22:06.240 Remember last week we had this happening here? 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:09.160 Where you guys came and talked about the miracles 00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:11.320 that God had done in your life. 00:22:11.320 --> 00:22:14.960 About 17 or 18 of you spoke, and we realized that, 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.960 oh shucks, this is normal for God. 00:22:19.560 --> 00:22:21.720 And that we get put off with one or two things 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:24.480 that haven't happened, and we inflate it 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.960 to the point that we forget, 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:29.360 and therefore it's necessary to remember. 00:22:29.360 --> 00:22:30.480 Then speak about it. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:33.080 First here so that we realize, 00:22:33.080 --> 00:22:35.160 Father, you've been doing this a lot. 00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:36.480 And in every life. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:37.920 And then you come to tell it. 00:22:40.280 --> 00:22:42.680 Past benefits, present grace, future promise. 00:22:44.560 --> 00:22:46.760 You realize suddenly why this is such an important part 00:22:46.760 --> 00:22:49.120 of Psalm 103, that usually we skip these 00:22:49.120 --> 00:22:50.520 and go to the other important things, 00:22:50.520 --> 00:22:52.160 like he forgives all my sins. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:55.200 But if nobody hears about it. 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:05.120 If you read Psalm 103, you'll see that David came up 00:23:05.120 --> 00:23:08.560 with 17 reasons to bless God. 00:23:09.560 --> 00:23:11.760 17 reasons to bless God, man. 00:23:11.760 --> 00:23:13.200 He lists them down. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:16.680 From Psalm 103, verse three to 19, 00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:19.360 he lists 17 things down. 00:23:19.360 --> 00:23:22.560 And then he gets so excited that in verse 20, 00:23:22.560 --> 00:23:24.240 he invites creation and the angels 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:26.000 to join him in blessing God. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:27.720 He can't take it anymore. 00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:30.400 He's just listed 17, and the song has to come to an end 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.720 because the church has to sing it. 00:23:31.720 --> 00:23:33.360 So he says, okay, all creation and the angels, 00:23:33.360 --> 00:23:35.240 join me in now blessing God. 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:36.280 That's how he ends it. 00:23:36.280 --> 00:23:38.400 That's the last verse, verse 20. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:45.800 The thing with this is, guys, 00:23:45.800 --> 00:23:48.880 there's a ripple expansiveness when you start blessing. 00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:53.000 There's a ripple expansiveness when you start blessing. 00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:55.080 Once it becomes my heart condition, 00:23:55.080 --> 00:23:57.720 it yearns to say things about him. 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:00.320 And once I begin to yearn to say things about him, 00:24:00.320 --> 00:24:02.120 it draws others in. 00:24:02.120 --> 00:24:05.200 I mean, this couple here, he was presenting a paper 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:10.960 two days ago on the meaning of life or something like that. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:12.760 Something heavy. 00:24:12.760 --> 00:24:16.400 And so one of the guys who was listening to him 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:17.760 came up to him and said, 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:20.320 even though you're an academician 00:24:20.320 --> 00:24:25.320 and you are talking about stuff like this, 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:29.320 you are not ashamed to hide your faith. 00:24:29.320 --> 00:24:31.280 You make your faith obvious 00:24:31.280 --> 00:24:34.360 even though you're presenting an academic paper. 00:24:34.360 --> 00:24:35.440 That's what he said. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:37.520 That's what some of the heroes said to him. 00:24:37.520 --> 00:24:41.400 The point is that it doesn't matter where I am, 00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:42.960 what circle I'm in. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.440 Once you make it your heart condition 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:48.480 to acknowledge, recognize, and give expression 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:51.320 to the delight of the experience you have in God, 00:24:51.320 --> 00:24:53.160 you begin to yearn for it every time. 00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:55.120 And when you begin to yearn for it every time, 00:24:55.120 --> 00:24:56.520 it begins to draw people in. 00:24:59.280 --> 00:25:01.160 I've had people come up to me 00:25:01.160 --> 00:25:03.320 in many different situations and say, 00:25:03.320 --> 00:25:04.160 so what happened next? 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:04.980 What happened next? 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:06.480 Because they want to hear the rest of the story. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:08.920 It's like that CBC program, the rest of the story. 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:11.120 What's the rest of it? 00:25:11.120 --> 00:25:12.600 How did this work out? 00:25:12.600 --> 00:25:14.920 It draws people in mad. 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:16.720 Guys, we've got to practice this. 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:21.920 Initially it'll be difficult 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:24.360 because to bring up God in any public forum 00:25:24.360 --> 00:25:25.760 is so not Canadian. 00:25:28.360 --> 00:25:29.640 But who sets the culture? 00:25:38.320 --> 00:25:39.520 It'll draw people in. 00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:43.720 They'll desire, if nothing else, to experience the same. 00:25:45.080 --> 00:25:47.040 And this is what man was made for. 00:25:47.040 --> 00:25:49.480 Doesn't matter whether you are in the church today 00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:51.480 or whether you're parading downtown. 00:25:52.760 --> 00:25:54.760 All of us were made in the image of God. 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:58.280 Every one of them was made in the image of God. 00:25:58.280 --> 00:26:01.720 Every one of them was supposed to deputize on his behalf. 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:04.800 Everyone of them was created for his glory as we are. 00:26:04.800 --> 00:26:07.000 Every one of them was chosen for his namesake. 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:10.800 Every one of them has their sins paid for in blood. 00:26:10.840 --> 00:26:14.840 Every one of them was marked to be saved 00:26:14.840 --> 00:26:16.160 for his everlasting praise. 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.520 Every one of them. 00:26:17.520 --> 00:26:19.960 The only difference is you know it and they don't. 00:26:21.600 --> 00:26:23.000 That's the only difference. 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:28.800 Gotta begin speaking, huh? 00:26:28.800 --> 00:26:29.760 Any questions, guys? 00:26:29.760 --> 00:26:31.720 Anything you want to add before I go on? 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.320 Any questions? 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:42.240 No? 00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:45.040 That's good. 00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:47.760 Okay, so now let's look at what else 00:26:47.760 --> 00:26:51.000 the divine benefit package includes 00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:53.120 based on what David is saying. 00:26:53.120 --> 00:26:56.240 The first one is he says he forgives all my sins. 00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:57.640 Forgives all my sins. 00:26:57.640 --> 00:26:59.760 There are different words David uses for sins. 00:26:59.760 --> 00:27:02.600 In Psalm 32, I think he uses the word sin, 00:27:02.600 --> 00:27:04.760 which means missing the mark or falling short. 00:27:04.760 --> 00:27:07.280 He uses the word iniquity, which means wickedness. 00:27:07.280 --> 00:27:08.920 He uses the word transgression, 00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:10.920 which means breaking boundaries. 00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:12.800 And he uses the word, 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:17.520 yeah, maybe that's all he uses. 00:27:17.520 --> 00:27:19.840 So at the end of the day, 00:27:19.840 --> 00:27:22.640 every one of my sins, 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:26.200 transgressions, iniquities, guilt, he forgives them. 00:27:27.160 --> 00:27:28.640 So here's what I'm saying. 00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:31.240 As we go through these divine benefits, 00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:33.560 one, I must receive them. 00:27:33.560 --> 00:27:35.720 I must receive them. 00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:36.720 I must receive them. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:38.280 And you can only receive these things 00:27:38.280 --> 00:27:40.560 by faith and by grace. 00:27:40.560 --> 00:27:44.320 Father, I really trust that despite how I'm harassed 00:27:44.320 --> 00:27:49.320 by the same reckoning sin or thought or guilt from the past, 00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:54.720 I receive by faith the grace that you wanna give me, 00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:59.560 saying I am forgiven and there is not one sin. 00:27:59.560 --> 00:28:01.480 And now that I know it, oh God, 00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:04.200 can I begin to sing that song that Gloria Gayter wrote, 00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:07.480 which says, it says what? 00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:11.520 I then shall live as one who's been forgiven. 00:28:11.520 --> 00:28:15.920 I'll walk with joy as one whose sins are paid, 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:17.360 whose debts are paid. 00:28:17.360 --> 00:28:20.720 I know my name is clear before the Father. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:24.800 I am His child and I am not afraid. 00:28:27.600 --> 00:28:30.200 I love the last line, I am not afraid. 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:33.360 It's the fearlessness that comes 00:28:33.360 --> 00:28:35.760 because of the purity you have 00:28:35.760 --> 00:28:38.360 before a fiery consuming God 00:28:39.880 --> 00:28:42.320 who strangely has the ability to love too. 00:28:43.760 --> 00:28:45.760 So He forgives all my sins and then goes on to say, 00:28:45.760 --> 00:28:50.760 He heals all my diseases, every one of them. 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:53.880 Work towards this being your experience. 00:28:55.760 --> 00:28:59.040 Work towards this being your experience. 00:28:59.040 --> 00:29:03.840 Anything less ain't good enough. 00:29:03.840 --> 00:29:06.080 Work towards this being your experience. 00:29:07.120 --> 00:29:10.440 If today I'm not there, tomorrow I'll work towards it. 00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:16.480 That He heals all my diseases, every one of them. 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:21.280 Do not settle for anything less. 00:29:22.560 --> 00:29:24.600 Do not settle for anything less. 00:29:24.600 --> 00:29:29.560 The world must see people who have these divine benefits 00:29:29.560 --> 00:29:30.600 working in their lives. 00:29:30.600 --> 00:29:34.080 If today it ain't there, tomorrow we'll push towards it. 00:29:37.320 --> 00:29:41.200 And one by one by one, an entire body, 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:43.520 maybe 10 years from now, maybe two years from now, 00:29:43.520 --> 00:29:46.080 maybe 12 months from now, maybe 20 years from now, 00:29:46.080 --> 00:29:49.920 an entire body will learn how to show the world 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:54.200 what a people in whose midst God dwells can live like. 00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:58.200 Hey, your children don't know any different. 00:29:58.200 --> 00:30:01.040 This is all they've heard since they were born. 00:30:01.040 --> 00:30:03.680 We are the ones fighting battles in our minds. 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:05.240 Your kids haven't heard different. 00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:07.680 Ryan has not heard different. 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:09.400 He came here 13, 14 years ago. 00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:10.840 It's the only thing that he's been told 00:30:10.840 --> 00:30:12.160 again and again and again. 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:14.160 God heals, God heals, God heals, God heals. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:16.160 He does not know how to think different. 00:30:16.360 --> 00:30:17.360 He forgives all my sins. 00:30:17.360 --> 00:30:20.360 He heals all my diseases, every one of them. 00:30:20.360 --> 00:30:22.920 Then goes on to say he ransoms my soul from hell 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:25.640 or he ransoms me, redeems me from hell. 00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:27.840 If you go to the book of Ruth, it's very interesting. 00:30:27.840 --> 00:30:29.640 Boaz is a smart guy. 00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:33.240 So Boaz wants to marry Ruth, but there's a problem. 00:30:34.760 --> 00:30:38.120 If he marries, there's someone else who is, 00:30:38.120 --> 00:30:41.520 there's a relative in town who is married to Ruth. 00:30:41.520 --> 00:30:42.360 He's married to Ruth. 00:30:42.360 --> 00:30:43.200 He's married to Ruth. 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.040 He's married to Ruth. 00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:47.480 There's a relative in town who is closer to Ruth 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:48.840 than he is. 00:30:48.840 --> 00:30:52.360 And that closer relative gets first dibs 00:30:52.360 --> 00:30:55.800 at Naomi's property before Boaz does. 00:30:55.800 --> 00:30:59.480 So Boaz goes early morning, he sits at the city gates. 00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:00.800 Early morning before anyone turns up 00:31:00.800 --> 00:31:02.840 and slowly people start turning up and he's sitting there. 00:31:02.840 --> 00:31:06.240 And the close relative of Naomi walks by and he says, 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:08.160 hey, by the way, did you know that Naomi 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:09.720 wants to sell her land? 00:31:09.720 --> 00:31:10.640 Smart guy, eh? 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:12.720 He goes about it in a roundabout way. 00:31:12.760 --> 00:31:15.000 Do you know that she wants to sell the land? 00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:17.000 Do you want to buy it? 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:19.240 Because if you don't want to buy it, I'm willing to buy it. 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:21.280 And the guy says, nope, I want to buy it. 00:31:21.280 --> 00:31:24.560 And so he says, sure, you can buy it, but just so you know, 00:31:24.560 --> 00:31:28.120 if you buy the land, you also have to marry Ruth. 00:31:28.120 --> 00:31:30.920 And your inheritance will go to her children. 00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:32.320 And immediately the guy backs off saying, 00:31:32.320 --> 00:31:33.760 no, no, no, no, no, not me. 00:31:34.760 --> 00:31:36.320 Now that he's frightened the guy enough 00:31:36.320 --> 00:31:38.080 and he's in love with Ruth, he now says, 00:31:38.080 --> 00:31:40.120 all right, now since you've given up, 00:31:40.120 --> 00:31:42.360 I'm the next closest kinsman 00:31:42.360 --> 00:31:46.240 and I am going to buy the land and I'm going to marry her. 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:48.760 And then he buys the land, marries her. 00:31:48.760 --> 00:31:52.440 And he is blessed by the city elders and they say, 00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:55.680 may you have children like Rachel and Leah had 00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:57.880 and may they prosper like Jacob's children. 00:31:57.880 --> 00:32:00.720 And he goes away happy and out of his line 00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:03.280 comes the Messiah eventually. 00:32:03.280 --> 00:32:07.760 The point being, the moment we say he redeems us from hell, 00:32:07.760 --> 00:32:11.000 what Jesus is saying is, hey, can I be kinsman redeemer? 00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:13.080 Can I be your closest relative? 00:32:13.080 --> 00:32:14.920 Because if I can be your closest relative, 00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:18.840 I can buy your land, I can buy you, I can marry you, 00:32:18.840 --> 00:32:21.920 I can have everything provided for you. 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:24.880 I'll take on your inheritance, you become mine. 00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:27.960 Everything that my name has becomes yours. 00:32:30.840 --> 00:32:32.440 And that's what he goes and does. 00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:36.680 Why talk about the story behind it? 00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:38.240 Because once we receive this, 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:39.880 we have to freely give it away. 00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:41.840 The whole idea of Psalm 103 is, 00:32:41.840 --> 00:32:44.800 receive it with faith, live it with faith, 00:32:44.800 --> 00:32:46.040 keep it away with faith. 00:32:48.040 --> 00:32:49.360 He ransoms my soul from hell. 00:32:49.360 --> 00:32:51.280 He surrounds me or crowns me. 00:32:51.280 --> 00:32:55.400 He surrounds me or crowns me with loving kindness, 00:32:55.400 --> 00:32:56.800 with compassion. 00:32:56.800 --> 00:32:58.600 He crowns me with mercy. 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:03.040 The message puts it this way. 00:33:03.040 --> 00:33:06.600 He wraps me in goodness. 00:33:06.600 --> 00:33:09.400 He wraps me in goodness. 00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:12.400 Guys, regardless of a bank balance, 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:16.000 if your God is God, then a life, 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:18.360 regardless of how much money you have, 00:33:18.360 --> 00:33:22.960 must show that you are wrapped in his goodness. 00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:24.920 You must show it, guys. 00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:26.480 Because your father is different. 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:27.360 Your father is different. 00:33:27.360 --> 00:33:28.480 You're not an orphan. 00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:31.360 It is not determined by how much I have. 00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:34.200 It is not determined by how much I have, guys. 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:36.680 If we say that he's a good, good father, 00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:39.280 we must also say that the Lord is my shepherd. 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:41.000 I have no want. 00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:43.760 You do not decide want by how much you have. 00:33:43.760 --> 00:33:46.800 You decide want by how much he has. 00:33:46.800 --> 00:33:49.560 There is no lack if he is my father. 00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:52.640 Just listen to me on this, guys. 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:55.240 There is no lack if he is my father. 00:33:57.480 --> 00:34:01.720 My pocket, my health does not determine who he is. 00:34:01.720 --> 00:34:04.040 He determines what happens to me. 00:34:06.520 --> 00:34:08.520 He determines what happens to me. 00:34:09.720 --> 00:34:14.720 My joblessness, my lack of health, 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:19.800 my lack of money, my fear, my present mental makeup, 00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:26.320 my emotional condition, my spiritual decline 00:34:27.720 --> 00:34:32.720 may all be true, but I don't, 00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:37.800 that doesn't determine who my father is. 00:34:37.800 --> 00:34:41.440 My father determines how these things work out. 00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:45.800 And he begins to have an easy path in my life 00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:47.400 when I acknowledge two things. 00:34:47.400 --> 00:34:50.680 One, you are a good, good father, 00:34:50.680 --> 00:34:52.400 and nothing changes that. 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:53.840 It is inviolable. 00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:55.120 It is inviolable. 00:34:55.120 --> 00:34:56.440 It is non-negotiable. 00:34:56.440 --> 00:34:57.600 You are a good, good father. 00:34:57.600 --> 00:34:58.440 It doesn't change. 00:34:58.440 --> 00:35:00.040 It cannot change because it is you. 00:35:00.040 --> 00:35:01.760 If you change, then you ain't God. 00:35:01.760 --> 00:35:03.760 So that is unchangeable. 00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:04.960 And on the other hand, 00:35:05.120 --> 00:35:07.720 he is my manager or shepherd. 00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:11.000 I have no want in any of these areas, 00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:12.840 though presently I lack, 00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:15.400 because he owns the candy store. 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:19.360 And if he owns the candy store, 00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:22.120 then his children have no lack of candy. 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:25.120 They may not have it in their pockets, 00:35:25.120 --> 00:35:26.400 but he owns the store. 00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:31.600 Therefore, it is possible through grace and by faith 00:35:31.640 --> 00:35:35.640 to appropriate what the father has for each of his children. 00:35:35.640 --> 00:35:37.200 This is how Jesus went about it. 00:35:37.200 --> 00:35:38.640 Was Jesus the richest guy? 00:35:38.640 --> 00:35:39.480 No. 00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:40.320 Was he the poorest guy? 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:41.160 Sometimes. 00:35:41.160 --> 00:35:42.000 Was he master? 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:42.840 Rarely. 00:35:42.840 --> 00:35:43.680 Was he slave? 00:35:43.680 --> 00:35:44.520 Often. 00:35:44.520 --> 00:35:45.840 Did he have plenty? 00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:46.680 No. 00:35:46.680 --> 00:35:47.520 Was he always supplied? 00:35:47.520 --> 00:35:48.360 Yes. 00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:51.760 He lived like this. 00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:53.680 His confidence came from one simple thing. 00:35:53.680 --> 00:35:55.080 But I know you, father. 00:35:55.080 --> 00:35:56.880 But I know you, father. 00:35:56.880 --> 00:35:58.680 But I know you, father. 00:35:59.680 --> 00:36:01.640 But I know you, father. 00:36:01.640 --> 00:36:04.080 Everything that is, here he is walking. 00:36:04.080 --> 00:36:06.120 He doesn't have much on him. 00:36:06.120 --> 00:36:07.920 He's supplied by women. 00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:11.560 Luke chapter eight says women supplied out of their plenty 00:36:11.560 --> 00:36:14.840 or lack for him and his disciples. 00:36:14.840 --> 00:36:18.560 Foxes have holes, but Jesus has no place to lay his head. 00:36:18.560 --> 00:36:20.360 And so he's walking around, 00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:22.880 but look at his conversation in Matthew chapter 11. 00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:26.000 Father, and this is a private conversation 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:27.320 he's having with his dad. 00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:30.240 Father, everything that's yours is mine 00:36:30.240 --> 00:36:32.280 and everything that is mine is yours. 00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:35.120 And I shared your glory before I came. 00:36:35.120 --> 00:36:37.000 And one day I'll share it again. 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:39.400 But I just thought I'll have this conversation with you. 00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:41.120 And when is he having this conversation? 00:36:41.120 --> 00:36:44.920 After Capernaum and Chorazin have chased Jesus out saying, 00:36:44.920 --> 00:36:46.120 you ain't the son of God. 00:36:47.200 --> 00:36:48.760 And instead of moping over it, 00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:50.720 he's having a conversation with the father 00:36:50.720 --> 00:36:53.200 because he gets his dignity from his father. 00:36:53.200 --> 00:36:55.640 And as he's having this conversation with the father, 00:36:55.680 --> 00:36:58.000 he suddenly turns to his disciples and he says, 00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:01.600 oh, by the way, if you're tired and weary, 00:37:01.600 --> 00:37:05.200 like I could have been if I focused on what happened 00:37:05.200 --> 00:37:06.720 in Chorazin and Capernaum, 00:37:06.720 --> 00:37:09.240 if you're tired and weary, then come to me. 00:37:09.240 --> 00:37:10.560 For I will give you what? 00:37:10.560 --> 00:37:13.640 I will give you the kind of rest that you don't even know of. 00:37:15.200 --> 00:37:16.640 Because there is a yoke I have worn 00:37:16.640 --> 00:37:18.040 since the foundation of the earth. 00:37:18.040 --> 00:37:19.440 And this is the yoke that I've worn 00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.760 since the foundation of the earth. 00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:23.440 Trust in my father, intimacy with my father, 00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:25.360 affection for my father. 00:37:25.360 --> 00:37:26.920 That's the yoke Jesus has been wearing 00:37:26.920 --> 00:37:28.000 since the beginning of time. 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:30.240 And he's saying, hey, come and share my yoke. 00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:34.280 Trust in the father, intimacy with the father, 00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:35.960 affection for the father. 00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:37.520 This is the yoke he's been wearing. 00:37:37.520 --> 00:37:39.640 There is no other yoke that the son of God 00:37:39.640 --> 00:37:41.600 has worn since the beginning of time. 00:37:41.600 --> 00:37:43.920 It is a yoke he's worn from eternity 00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:46.160 and it is a yoke he'll wear to eternity. 00:37:46.160 --> 00:37:49.040 And he's saying, hey, come, come, Jacob, share this yoke. 00:37:49.040 --> 00:37:52.280 Step into trusting the father like I do, I'll teach you. 00:37:52.280 --> 00:37:54.480 And here's the great thing in the message, it says, 00:37:54.480 --> 00:37:57.920 I'll go over it line by line so that you understand it. 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:02.120 Line by line he's willing to go over it 00:38:02.120 --> 00:38:03.760 so that you understand what it is. 00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:05.280 Jacob, to trust the father, 00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:07.760 to have the same intimacy that I had with the father 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:10.360 and to have the affection that I have with the father. 00:38:10.360 --> 00:38:11.200 Come. 00:38:17.720 --> 00:38:18.560 What a God, eh? 00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:23.840 Hey, how difficult it'll be for people to say no to this. 00:38:25.480 --> 00:38:28.480 This is the part people don't realize. 00:38:30.200 --> 00:38:32.840 It's very hard to resist these things 00:38:32.840 --> 00:38:35.240 and it'll have to happen in a relationship, eh? 00:38:35.240 --> 00:38:38.360 You build a relationship and then you talk about this. 00:38:38.360 --> 00:38:40.320 This doesn't happen in a crusade. 00:38:41.160 --> 00:38:42.760 It happens through relationship. 00:38:43.800 --> 00:38:45.320 But how can you resist this? 00:38:50.720 --> 00:38:52.280 And relationship takes time. 00:38:53.040 --> 00:38:54.440 And relationship takes time. 00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:59.760 But one life at a time we take and make disciples of nations. 00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:01.280 He wraps me in goodness. 00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:04.000 Some versions say he fills my mouth with good things. 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:07.080 Some versions says he fills my years with good days. 00:39:07.080 --> 00:39:09.440 As I get older, I find this to be truer. 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:14.080 He fills my mouth with good things. 00:39:14.080 --> 00:39:15.880 He fills my years with good days. 00:39:16.760 --> 00:39:17.920 What does it require of me? 00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:18.880 Opening my mouth. 00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:21.000 It actually says that, eh? 00:39:21.520 --> 00:39:22.760 Old Testament actually says, 00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:26.240 if only you had opened my mouth, I would have filled it. 00:39:29.800 --> 00:39:31.440 Fills my years with good days. 00:39:33.800 --> 00:39:34.640 Let me conclude. 00:39:34.640 --> 00:39:36.240 He renews me like the eagle. 00:39:36.240 --> 00:39:38.200 Renews me like the eagle. 00:39:38.200 --> 00:39:40.400 The strange thing is when you take Psalm 103 00:39:40.400 --> 00:39:42.080 and it says he renews me like the eagle, 00:39:42.080 --> 00:39:44.200 and then you go to Isaiah 40 verse 30, 00:39:44.200 --> 00:39:47.000 it tells you how you can be renewed like the eagle. 00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:49.240 Renewing like the eagle comes through 00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:51.360 waiting with eager anticipation, 00:39:51.360 --> 00:39:54.800 with craned neck, with expectancy on God. 00:39:54.800 --> 00:39:56.200 That's how you get renewed. 00:39:57.080 --> 00:40:00.600 Because Isaiah 40 verse 30 says that day that wait, 00:40:00.600 --> 00:40:03.320 as in when you're waiting at a railway station 00:40:03.320 --> 00:40:05.320 or an airport and your wife is coming back 00:40:05.320 --> 00:40:08.680 and Mike's got his little neck craned out looking for Karen. 00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:13.440 The little neck was a stab, just so you know. 00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:15.840 And so he's waiting, looking for her. 00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:18.120 It's the same kind of waiting that God is talking about. 00:40:18.120 --> 00:40:20.840 With great expectancy, where's Karen, where's Karen? 00:40:20.840 --> 00:40:22.400 It's that kind of expectancy. 00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:25.400 And God is saying, hey Jacob, 00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:27.920 you wanna be renewed like the eagle? 00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:29.160 Seek me out every morning. 00:40:30.520 --> 00:40:31.680 Come with expectancy. 00:40:33.160 --> 00:40:34.760 I'll tell you what you can eat at my table 00:40:34.760 --> 00:40:37.280 and then I'll tell you what to distribute off my table. 00:40:38.720 --> 00:40:40.520 Psalm 92 goes into effect. 00:40:40.520 --> 00:40:42.360 Even though they get old, 00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:45.480 they shall be like palm trees that flourish. 00:40:46.480 --> 00:40:48.800 In the church that they go to in South Africa, 00:40:48.800 --> 00:40:51.840 when the church was built, Eddie's wife, Yvonne, 00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:54.720 decided that she would take palm trees 00:40:54.720 --> 00:40:56.600 and plant it right at the gate. 00:40:56.600 --> 00:40:57.520 Two palm trees. 00:40:58.560 --> 00:41:00.080 To represent Psalm 92. 00:41:00.080 --> 00:41:02.960 That the people of God shall flourish 00:41:02.960 --> 00:41:04.920 as young ones before him. 00:41:04.920 --> 00:41:06.000 It's in Psalm 92. 00:41:07.680 --> 00:41:08.720 How does it happen? 00:41:08.720 --> 00:41:10.080 Through the single father. 00:41:10.080 --> 00:41:14.400 So I wanna renew my strength and I'll come and wait on you. 00:41:14.800 --> 00:41:17.080 I'll wait not as in a resigned waiting, 00:41:17.080 --> 00:41:20.840 but an eager, anticipatory, expectant waiting, 00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:22.640 saying, oh God, what's gonna happen? 00:41:22.640 --> 00:41:23.600 What's gonna happen? 00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:35.000 Use this, guys. 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:36.600 Ever since I started thinking about this, 00:41:36.600 --> 00:41:40.040 I've been three, four times a day going through it 00:41:40.040 --> 00:41:43.440 so that I get used to it in my head and my heart 00:41:43.440 --> 00:41:47.160 so that I can speak of little things and big things 00:41:48.800 --> 00:41:53.800 as God generated, God initiated, God sustained. 00:41:57.240 --> 00:41:58.120 Begin to do it. 00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:02.720 Show them what this divine benefit looks like. 00:42:02.720 --> 00:42:04.360 The divine benefits you walk in. 00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:08.440 Any questions? 00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:10.360 Any questions? 00:42:11.360 --> 00:42:13.800 Anything you wanna add? 00:42:13.800 --> 00:42:14.920 Anybody wants to add? 00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:19.320 Go ahead. 00:42:19.320 --> 00:42:21.600 I don't know, I think it's such a, 00:42:21.600 --> 00:42:24.360 also with this, you're thinking more of a 00:42:24.360 --> 00:42:27.480 you forget his benefits, you focus on problems 00:42:27.480 --> 00:42:28.560 versus the problem. 00:42:28.560 --> 00:42:30.000 Yeah. 00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:32.520 And the strange thing is when you begin to focus 00:42:32.520 --> 00:42:34.080 on the divine benefits, 00:42:34.080 --> 00:42:36.280 you know that the problems can be solved. 00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:40.920 Because there's nothing that he cannot fix, nothing. 00:42:40.920 --> 00:42:43.920 Hey, guys who are dying have been brought back to life. 00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:45.920 Where there was death, you brought life, Lord. 00:42:45.920 --> 00:42:47.720 Where there was fear, you brought courage. 00:42:47.720 --> 00:42:49.800 When I was afraid, you were with me. 00:42:49.800 --> 00:42:52.000 And you lifted me up, you lifted me up. 00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:55.080 God with us, God for us. 00:42:55.080 --> 00:42:59.160 Nothing can come against, no one can stand between us. 00:42:59.160 --> 00:43:01.040 My God, what a God man. 00:43:06.800 --> 00:43:09.240 We should get so used to it that as soon as a problem comes 00:43:09.240 --> 00:43:10.760 or as soon as something happens, 00:43:10.760 --> 00:43:12.320 the divine benefit kicks in. 00:43:12.320 --> 00:43:14.920 As in, oh shucks, this is my present situation 00:43:14.920 --> 00:43:19.160 but this is the final word that comes from him. 00:43:19.160 --> 00:43:20.360 And then you push towards it. 00:43:20.360 --> 00:43:22.000 What if you die halfway through? 00:43:22.000 --> 00:43:23.880 We'll give you a decent burial. 00:43:23.880 --> 00:43:24.720 How's that? 00:43:24.720 --> 00:43:25.560 Amen. 00:43:25.560 --> 00:43:26.560 Yes. 00:43:26.560 --> 00:43:27.400 Amen. 00:43:27.400 --> 00:43:28.240 Amen. 00:43:28.240 --> 00:43:30.080 Yeah. 00:43:30.080 --> 00:43:35.080 But we don't, guys, at the end of the day, everyone dies. 00:43:35.080 --> 00:43:36.320 Everyone dies. 00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:37.320 Yes. 00:43:37.320 --> 00:43:39.120 Oops, Don, you didn't know about that? 00:43:39.120 --> 00:43:43.120 Everyone dies. 00:43:43.120 --> 00:43:46.120 But it's not the death part of it, it's how you live, man. 00:43:46.120 --> 00:43:47.200 Yes. 00:43:47.200 --> 00:43:48.840 Displaying who he is. 00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:50.280 Let me end with this. 00:43:50.280 --> 00:43:51.680 As he is, so are we. 00:43:51.680 --> 00:43:55.640 First John 417, as he is, so are we. 00:43:55.640 --> 00:43:57.800 As he is, so are we. 00:43:57.800 --> 00:43:59.720 I'm taking the scripture out of context 00:43:59.720 --> 00:44:02.320 but I'm placing it in perfect context. 00:44:03.080 --> 00:44:05.080 As he is, so are we. 00:44:06.280 --> 00:44:08.000 As he is, so are we. 00:44:09.920 --> 00:44:12.440 That's in first John 417. 00:44:12.440 --> 00:44:15.960 In John 14, nine, here's what Jesus is saying. 00:44:15.960 --> 00:44:17.720 Hey, you wanna see the father? 00:44:17.720 --> 00:44:18.600 Look at me. 00:44:18.600 --> 00:44:20.680 If you have seen me, you have seen the father. 00:44:20.680 --> 00:44:21.960 And now it's our turn to say that. 00:44:21.960 --> 00:44:23.520 Hey, you wanna see the father? 00:44:23.520 --> 00:44:25.680 You wanna see what my God looks like? 00:44:25.680 --> 00:44:27.080 Look at me. 00:44:27.080 --> 00:44:28.280 Look at me. 00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:29.760 Look at my life, look at the way I drive, 00:44:29.760 --> 00:44:31.760 look at my home, look at my marriage, 00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:34.320 look at my children, look at the way I spend money. 00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:35.240 Look at me, look at me. 00:44:35.240 --> 00:44:37.640 And if you see me, you have seen the father. 00:44:37.640 --> 00:44:39.480 Come on, guys, we gotta get here. 00:44:40.400 --> 00:44:42.960 Look at me and you have seen the father. 00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:44.400 What a thing to say. 00:44:50.160 --> 00:44:51.560 And then the last one is, 00:44:54.600 --> 00:44:55.720 imitate me as I. 00:44:57.160 --> 00:44:59.240 Imitate Christ. 00:44:59.240 --> 00:45:01.640 Imitate me as I imitate Christ. 00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:05.000 Like I always say, guys, every year, 00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:07.880 may you have the courage to come up here 00:45:07.880 --> 00:45:09.520 at the end of the year or the beginning of the year 00:45:09.520 --> 00:45:13.040 at Acts 29 and say, hey, I wanna stand here and say, 00:45:13.040 --> 00:45:14.880 in this area, if you imitate me, 00:45:14.880 --> 00:45:16.760 you will be imitating Jesus Christ. 00:45:18.160 --> 00:45:19.600 Will that put you under scrutiny? 00:45:19.600 --> 00:45:20.920 Yes. 00:45:20.920 --> 00:45:22.480 But will that demand do you good? 00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:23.320 Absolutely. 00:45:25.040 --> 00:45:26.760 Will we watch and learn? 00:45:26.760 --> 00:45:27.600 Totally. 00:45:27.760 --> 00:45:30.360 Think of today at the end of this year. 00:45:30.360 --> 00:45:32.720 I pray, God, that I remember to ask you 00:45:32.720 --> 00:45:34.120 last week of this year, 00:45:34.120 --> 00:45:35.640 is there anybody who wants to come 00:45:35.640 --> 00:45:37.400 and talk about an area in your life 00:45:37.400 --> 00:45:39.240 where you're imitating Christ to the point 00:45:39.240 --> 00:45:42.400 that if we imitated you, we would be imitating Christ? 00:45:45.440 --> 00:45:47.000 That would be so cool, man. 00:45:49.360 --> 00:45:51.320 No, no, real, serious. 00:45:53.320 --> 00:45:54.640 I'm not imitating you. 00:45:54.640 --> 00:45:55.480 I'm imitating you. 00:45:55.720 --> 00:45:56.560 Serious. 00:45:58.120 --> 00:45:59.480 You wanna come up right now? 00:46:01.120 --> 00:46:02.440 Okay. 00:46:02.440 --> 00:46:05.560 Well, we'll do one in October then and then one in December 00:46:05.560 --> 00:46:08.400 so that Sue doesn't have to wait for six months. 00:46:08.400 --> 00:46:10.640 So you've got two months to get your act together. 00:46:13.440 --> 00:46:15.600 But this is where we're going, guys. 00:46:15.600 --> 00:46:18.560 So here's what we wanna do in response. 00:46:18.560 --> 00:46:21.920 Right now, write down 17 things 00:46:21.920 --> 00:46:23.880 that you find you can bless God for. 00:46:24.720 --> 00:46:26.720 17 things you can bless God for. 00:46:26.720 --> 00:46:30.600 You may not get past seven, but what if you get to 17? 00:46:30.600 --> 00:46:32.880 So let's just write down 17 things 00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:34.200 that you can bless God for. 00:46:35.880 --> 00:46:38.320 But do it with a degree of sincerity. 00:46:38.320 --> 00:46:41.440 As in, don't say flowers and stuff like that, or cats. 00:46:44.080 --> 00:46:45.680 Cats are okay, okay. 00:46:45.680 --> 00:46:47.080 So are flowers, man. 00:46:48.080 --> 00:46:50.640 But just write it down. 00:46:50.640 --> 00:46:51.880 I'll begin with my list. 00:46:53.880 --> 00:46:54.720 So. 00:47:13.680 --> 00:47:17.600 Use flowers and cats at the end when you can't get to 17. 00:47:19.320 --> 00:47:20.400 Start with elephants. 00:47:21.400 --> 00:47:22.240 My God. 00:49:23.880 --> 00:49:24.720 My God. 00:49:31.320 --> 00:49:32.320 Include him, too. 00:49:38.600 --> 00:49:40.400 I think we'll go over 17. 00:49:42.840 --> 00:49:44.480 Abel, you're writing? 00:49:44.480 --> 00:49:45.320 Okay. 00:49:53.880 --> 00:49:54.720 Okay. 00:50:23.880 --> 00:50:24.720 Okay. 00:50:53.880 --> 00:50:54.720 Okay. 00:51:23.880 --> 00:51:24.720 Okay. 00:51:53.880 --> 00:51:54.720 Okay. 00:52:23.880 --> 00:52:25.380 Okay, one more minute. 00:52:53.880 --> 00:52:54.720 40. 00:53:09.520 --> 00:53:10.360 40. 00:53:23.880 --> 00:53:24.720 40. 00:53:53.880 --> 00:53:56.920 One of the ways we forget not is by.