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NOTE
Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver
Episode: Pursuit
Publishing Date: 2018-09-09T06:00:44-07:00
Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca
Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/pursuit/

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So, is this on?

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It's on? Okay.

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So a lot of the things that were done today in worship actually point out to what I'm going to talk about today,

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which I found quite interesting because we never talked about it.

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And so I think God is really having something on his mind.

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I really found it interesting last week when Derek was talking about Daniel

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and how he engaged and changed the culture and society around him and the world around him.

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And I think one of the reasons why he was able to do that was because he was chasing after God.

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He was someone who really wanted to know more about God and that's why he acted the way he did towards the people around him.

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And that's actually what we're talking about today.

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We're talking about God-chasers.

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And what does it really mean to be a God-chaser?

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In Matthew 13, verse 44 to 46,

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Jesus says this,

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The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

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When a man found it, he hid it again.

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And then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

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Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls

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when he found a pearl.

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He was like a merchant looking for fine pearls.

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When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

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So here we see someone looking for treasures or pearls and finding them.

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But what gave him the idea to go and look for treasures or for the pearls?

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See, the interesting thing is this man or these people, they were chasing after something.

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But the interesting thing is even though it looks like they had the desire and made that decision in their own heart,

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it was actually someone else who initiated the chase.

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And in our case, the one who is initiating the chase is actually God himself, because he invites us.

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And we read in Proverbs 8, 17, it says,

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I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

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And in Acts 17, 27, it says, God did so that he would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him.

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So he's not far from any one of us.

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You saw the kids running around earlier and stuff, and there was a time when I was actually a nanny many years ago.

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And I was playing with little kids too, and we were playing catch and catch me if you can.

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And so I was pretending to run really fast so they couldn't catch me.

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And so they tried, and there were just a few steps behind me.

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But at one point, because they are of course cute kids, right?

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So I just turned around and let them catch me.

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And that's actually how God does it.

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God gives us, he shows us, okay, come catch me, catch me.

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And it's the heart that he sees in us that makes him want us to catch him, because he sees our heart.

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And so he always is there, and he has been there right from the beginning.

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Like with Adam, he said, hey Adam, where are you?

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Up to when Jesus called down Zacchaeus from the tree and said, hey Zacchaeus, come down.

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I want to have dinner with you tonight.

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To, hey Heidi, I think it's time you leave those communist ways behind you and you come and follow me.

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And so he was chasing me down, and he is chasing all of you, all of us.

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At a certain time in our lives, he was chasing us down.

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And then he was saying, hey come, I want to be part of your life.

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And even before that, he was nudging our hearts.

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And even now he's nudging our hearts and saying, hey, how come you're not moving forward?

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What is happening?

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What is happening if we don't actively pursue him?

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Then something really not so good happens, because our lives become stagnant.

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And we see that in another Bible verse, in Songs 5, 3-6.

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Let me just look at it quickly.

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Where are the songs? Come on.

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Yeah, there we go.

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So Songs 5, 3 and 6.

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We see here the beloved, and the beloved are we.

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And the beloved says here, hey, I want to be part of your life.

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We see here the beloved, and the beloved are we.

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And the beloved says here, I have taken off my robe.

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Why? The lover came to the door and knocked at the door and said, open the door.

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And the beloved said, I have just taken off my robe.

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Must I put it on again? I have washed my feet.

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Must I solve them again?

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And then in verse 6, after rethinking what to do, the beloved came and said,

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oh, I opened for my lover, but my lover had left.

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He was gone, and my heart sank at his departure.

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So we see there are times when we can miss the boat, because the lover has moved on.

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In the life of David, we see a story where the stagnation in his life actually led to sin.

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And we see that in 2 Samuel 11, verse 1.

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2 Samuel 11, verse 1.

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It says, in the spring, at a time when kings go off to war,

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David sent Joab out with the Kingsmen and the whole Israelite army.

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They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabba, but David remained in Jerusalem.

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So David was supposed to lead the army out, because that's how the kings did it at that time.

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But he decided to stay at home.

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So the victory actually was won by Joab, not by David.

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And the really bad thing was that David was sitting on the top of his roof, which is flat in the Middle East,

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and he looked over to the neighbors and saw Bacheba taking a bath.

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And she looked beautiful.

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And the result was that he eventually committed adultery and murder.

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So it doesn't have to be that bad.

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I hope nobody will ever be in that situation.

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But stagnation can lead to something that we don't necessarily like in our lives.

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And in order to not get to this point, I wrote down a few points of how our pursuit should actually look like.

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And I was encouraged when Derek used this board last week,

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and I thought if Derek can do it, then I can try it too.

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And please excuse the writing, but my job really has totally messed up my writing.

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But I tried to be really good, so you can read it.

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I even used a black pen so it's easier to read.

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The red pen was not so good.

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But anyways, so the first point is pursuit has to be consistent.

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Titus 2.7 to 8, and I'm giving you a lot of Bible verses here,

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because I think it's important to see what the Bible says about this.

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Titus 2.7 to 8 says,

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because I think it's important to see what the Bible says about this.

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Titus 2.7 to 8 says,

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I thought it was interesting when Derek shared this example about his trip overseas,

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and how God in a way corrected something,

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so that people still saw there's a consistency in his life that reflects God.

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And I think God once said in all of our lives,

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one of my colleagues, we have been working together for a long time,

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we moved from one unit to the next unit together,

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and one time I was really mad, like mad inside and cranky and all that,

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and I really thought everyone around me would notice of course,

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and so I actually apologized to her because she was the one who I was working with.

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And she was totally stunned because she said she never noticed that I was cranky or in a bad mood,

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but I really thought to myself, okay, so is that now?

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Because she said, I've never seen you in a bad mood all these years that we have been working together.

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And that is something that even though I didn't feel like,

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and I felt I need to talk about and confess to her that I was actually not that consistent as she thought,

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but she didn't notice, and that is something that God instills in us,

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that in everything that we do that we should set an example,

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in where we work, in the people that we hang around with, and he will help us.

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And the second one is pursuit demands purity.

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Daniel last week, if I can go back, he showed a lot of purity in his life,

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and it came through in the things that he did and said,

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and Jesus actually says in Matthew 5, 8, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

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And again, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6, verse 6,

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if you read the whole chapter from verse 3 to verse 13, which I will not read now,

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it says actually one of the things that was part of their ministry was doing things in purity,

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in understanding patience and kindness in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love.

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So again, there is the need to be pure in everything that we do and seek.

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The next one is pursuit is evidenced in foolishness and obedience,

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and we just talked about David, poor David, he got that bad rap,

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but you know there was one thing about him that we can really learn

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and see that he was not afraid to be foolish.

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In 2 Corinthians 6, verse 12 to 22, we read,

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12, okay.

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Okay, so David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Abed-edom

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to the city of David with rejoicing.

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When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps,

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he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.

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David, wearing a linen effort, danced before the Lord with all his might,

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while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord

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with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

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And his wife saw him doing this and she thought he was such a foolish guy

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and she pointed it out too, but the Lord loved it.

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See, there was one thing about David that was he was foolish in some ways

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and he was also obedient on the other hand, that is also important,

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that he was called a man of God, and he was called a man of God,

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and on the other hand, that is also important, that he was called a man

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after God's own heart, because he was not afraid to look foolish.

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Most kids, when they're little, they look foolish, but we laugh about them.

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We don't take it as something that is, oh, you're foolish, whatever.

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No, but David was doing something because he loved the Lord and he expressed that.

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I think that's something that we should know that we can be foolish.

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In 1 Corinthians 1.27, Paul says actually,

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but God choose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.

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God choose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

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And then Jesus also says in John 14, 23 to 24,

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He said, anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

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My father will love them and we will come to them and make our home with them.

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Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.

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These words you hear are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me.

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So both come together, being foolish but also obeying Him.

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That's part of the pursuit.

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That's part of the pursuit of chasing after God.

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Now, Don was just talking about how things are sometimes in difficult situations

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and how we can reach out to God and trust Him to come into that.

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And that's another one. It's to trust Him and to pursue Him even in difficult circumstances.

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It's best to pursue Him than not the outcome.

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So I had a few interesting weeks lately.

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A few weeks ago I had a mammogram done and then went away for a few days.

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And shortly after that mammogram while I was away,

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a number of phone calls or messages were left on the home phone to call the center, the mammogram center.

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And so I finally called them and they said,

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We saw something but it might be nothing. Just come back. We need to do more testing.

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And that was scheduled for a few days ago on Wednesday.

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I said, Okay, I'll come and do that.

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Then on Sunday night, last Sunday night I went to work and it was a real crazy night.

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And on top of it a patient threw up on me.

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I mean throwing up hit me all over the place to the point that I actually had to go to a merge

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because I was exposed to body fluids.

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And I'm like, Oh great. On a very busy night I have to leave and go to a merge.

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And they had to do all the blood work and did all the things and send it off to provincial health and that stuff.

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So on Monday, kind of on the way to work, I said, So Father, what is this all about? Circumstances.

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Circumstances. What do you, what should I do?

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Am I missing something? Am I, is there something?

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And then he said, You know what? It didn't come from me. I didn't send this to you.

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You run after me and things will be okay.

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And he showed me what to do in the process as well.

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Like he didn't leave me hanging. He also showed me, Okay, this is what you have to do.

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And I was then talking with him on the whole way to work.

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And it was a totally different night.

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Like it was quiet and peaceful and patients behaved.

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And so it was really good.

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So on Wednesday I went for my follow up mammogram and ultrasound.

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And I was told, We still see something.

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And he showed it to me. I said, Mm-hmm.

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And he said, You have to come for a biopsy.

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So I was scheduled for a biopsy two days ago, Friday morning.

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Wednesday evening we had house church. Everybody was praying for me.

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And yes, I was a little bit nervous about the whole thing when he told me on Wednesday, Okay, we saw something.

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But I remembered what he said.

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Hey, remember, remember what he has done.

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So I went to the biopsy on Friday morning. Don't wish it on anyone.

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But it's okay. It's not that bad.

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But it was better not.

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So she was getting the first sample.

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And then, and it is all under ultrasound.

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And then she said, Oh, it's collapsing.

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I'm like, Uh-huh. Okay.

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So if it's collapsing, then it's not like a tumor thingy.

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So it might be more like a tissue that we have to get a second sample because we just have to have it.

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And I said, Okay.

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So she did that.

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And I left the place.

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And I felt actually that it will be all good.

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And I don't have the result yet.

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I'm saying this in faith to all of you here.

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And that in seven days when I'm supposed to get the result, that it will be all good.

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But these are circumstances.

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And now your circumstances might be different than my circumstances from the last few weeks.

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But we still need to look at him, not at the outcome, regardless of how the outcome might look.

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And sometimes it might look scarier than it is.

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And it might turn out to be nothing.

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So, so yeah, so that's one of the things that, um,

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we need to, to see and trust him.

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Uh, pursuit also means that we must reach beyond our own means and bring us into a new place in God.

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And I know you, probably everyone here has had to reach beyond your own means in some way or another.

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I remember when Jacob said, um,

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10 years ago, okay, let's go to India for four days.

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And, um, okay, just four days to India and paying all the flight and everything.

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And God provided everything.

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And in the process, every time that he has sent me or others here from the church, from the body, he always does provide.

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And it's not just trips now.

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It's, um, it's other things in our lives where he provides, uh, where he stretches us.

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This is stretching.

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I know the young adults are going to Brazil in a few weeks and probably for some of them, this is a stretching in the way God provides for them,

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but also in what they will encounter while they're there.

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But God will do something with it.

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God will do something with it and he will bless you guys because he will, even though he will bring you beyond your means,

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he will bring, bless you in new places and with new experiences that he will be able to come home to and talk about and, uh,

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let everybody see how God really takes care of these things.

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Uh, the next pursuit is number six is it is an act of the will and, and not about feelings.

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Okay.

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Now we are all allowed to have feelings.

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Um, that's who we are, but, um, sometimes we have to, to do something, not because we feel good,

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:27.000
but because we know it's the will of God to do something.

00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:37.000
In Philippians three, verse 12 to 14, it says, not that I have already obtained all this or have already arrived at my goal,

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:43.000
but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:49.000
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it,

00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:55.000
but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

00:22:55.000 --> 00:23:02.000
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:05.000
Yeah.

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:10.000
What, um, Dawn said we look back to see God's faithfulness,

00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:17.000
but now we also have to move forward and press forward towards the goal that God has in front of us.

00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:26.000
Always remember how faithful he has been in the past and how faithful he will be in the things to come.

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:35.000
And the most important thing here is he requires us to feed on his word.

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:37.000
To feed on his word.

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:49.000
I went to Bible school a long time ago before I went into nursing, and the Bible school wasn't really that great.

00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:59.000
Okay, so it didn't really help me in a way that it introduced me to God the Father as he is in his character,

00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:04.000
and I almost kind of struggled a lot after leaving Bible school,

00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:12.000
but the one thing that was positive about the Bible school was that it instilled the reading of the Word.

00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:20.000
And in those certain passages in the Old Testament I wasn't so keen about, but we had to read them.

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:27.000
So it is a good thing. We had to read them over and over again, and I didn't like them any better,

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:37.000
but the good thing was eventually once I discovered who God really was, once I discovered his character,

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:46.000
it made much more sense. And suddenly the Word became more life.

00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:51.000
We see the story of Mary and Martha. You all know Mary and Martha.

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:57.000
Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to what he had to say, and Martha was cooking.

00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:03.000
I find myself sometimes like, Martha, hmm. But anyways, that's what he was looking for.

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:09.000
He was looking for Mary to sit at his feet and to learn from him directly, to read from him,

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:14.000
to listen to the words that came out of his mouth. That must have been so cool.

00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:19.000
I sometimes think this would be so cool, but we have it right here.

00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:26.000
The Word is right in front of us. We cannot chase God without chasing his Word.

00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:32.000
Psalm 119. Psalm 119.32 says,

00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:39.000
I will run in the way of your commands, for you shall enlarge my heart.

00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:45.000
You know, it's interesting that athletes have a really large heart.

00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:51.000
Their hearts enlarge as they go further, they train more, they run,

00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:58.000
the heart is able to pump more blood through their system. Their hearts get larger.

00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:05.000
And it's the same thing with us. As we go more into the Word of God and chase him in the Word,

00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:11.000
our hearts enlarge too. Enlarge more to what he wants to give us,

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:17.000
what he wants to enable us to do.

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:24.000
That thought just came to me actually before we came here. I thought, this is actually so true.

00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:33.000
So very true. Then there is also in Psalm 19, when we see Psalm 19,

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:39.000
and I want to read this because I made all these notes on my Bible.

00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:46.000
Okay, here we see, if we read the whole Psalm, and I will read this.

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:52.000
The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands.

00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:59.000
Days after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they display knowledge.

00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:03.000
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:10.000
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:17.000
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bright room coming forth from his pavilion.

00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:25.000
Like a champion rejoicing to run his course, it rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other.

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:33.000
Nothing is hidden from its beat. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:41.000
Isn't that cool? The law of the Lord is perfect. His words, they revive our soul.

00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:48.000
The statues of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:54.000
He gives wisdom if we need to make decisions. That's what he does through his word.

00:27:54.000 --> 00:28:00.000
He gives wisdom to make the right decisions. Sometimes it would be good if some politicians do that.

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:06.000
Anyways, the precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:11.000
See, he gives us joy in our lives through his word.

00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:16.000
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:21.000
It gives us revelation.

00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:26.000
The fear of the Lord is pure and enduring forever.

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:31.000
So we have a right standing in front of the Lord and of people.

00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:37.000
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.

00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:41.000
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold.

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:46.000
They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:52.000
By them is your servant warned. In keeping them there is greater reward.

00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:57.000
So the word of God also warns us of things.

00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:05.000
And it's for our own sake to keep us safe.

00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:11.000
It leads us into treasure and gives direction. Who can discern his errors?

00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:16.000
I'll just mention some of those.

00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:20.000
Keep your servant also from willful sins. May they not rule over me.

00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:25.000
They will be blameless, innocent of great transgressions.

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:33.000
It leads to treasures, gives directions. It's essential for bearing fruit.

00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:41.000
If we want to bear fruit we have to be able to hear him through his word.

00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:44.000
Abiding in his love and walking in impurities.

00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:54.000
All these things we talked about earlier, but these are important parts of feeding on his word.

00:29:54.000 --> 00:30:01.000
Now there's somebody who doesn't really like us to feed on his word.

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:08.000
And that is Satan who likes to snatch away seeds of the word by different things.

00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:14.000
And in Matthew 13 verse 19 we read,

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:20.000
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it,

00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:25.000
the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in the heart.

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:28.000
This is the seed sown along the path.

00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:33.000
And we know that Jesus was just telling them about the parable of the sower,

00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:39.000
how some of the seed fell along the path and the birds came and some fell on rocky places,

00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:42.000
and it didn't have much soil and so on.

00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:47.000
So there are certain places when the seed falls on,

00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:53.000
Satan comes and snatches away the word that has been sown.

00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:56.000
And how does he do it?

00:30:56.000 --> 00:31:07.000
He's blinding our mind through traditions of men, past experiences, pride, strongholds, false doctrine,

00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:13.000
and preventing us to hear the truth.

00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:23.000
When Jesus was saying in Matthew 13 verse 13 to 15, he says,

00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:28.000
This is why I speak to them in parables. He mentions that to the disciples.

00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:34.000
For seeing they do not see, for hearing they do not hear or understand.

00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:37.000
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah.

00:31:37.000 --> 00:31:41.000
You will ever be hearing but never understanding.

00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:45.000
You will ever be seeing but never perceiving.

00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:49.000
For this people's heart has become calloused.

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:53.000
They hardly hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes.

00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:57.000
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,

00:31:57.000 --> 00:32:04.000
understand with their hearts and turn and I would heal them.

00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:16.000
So there's a lot of this that can blind our minds to the truth, and we need to be aware of that.

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:24.000
Here we see also that they were abandoning the chasing of truth when it contradicts their understanding

00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:34.000
or when they are challenged of not able to comprehend or understand and then just walk away.

00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:39.000
That's what it says again in verse 19,

00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:44.000
when anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it,

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:47.000
and then the enemy comes and snatches it away.

00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:53.000
And in other places in the gospel we see when Jesus was saying the words

00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:58.000
and they were difficult to understand for them and he walked away.

00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:04.000
A number of disciples walked away because they couldn't understand, it was too hard for them.

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:11.000
And part of it was they missed out in chasing after the truth.

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:16.000
Instead they were chasing after the traditions of men and other things, their own experience.

00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:26.000
It's easy sometimes to fall back into our own experience, oh, 20 years ago it was different.

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:34.000
But no, but God is the God who speaks now with a now word through his word

00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:39.000
and we have to open ourselves up to what does he say?

00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:45.000
Are we chasing after this word that is true and important right now?

00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:51.000
So there is a misunderstanding or not willingness to understand.

00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:54.000
Another one is by a famine of hearing.

00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:58.000
In Amos 8.11 it says,

00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:04.000
The days are coming, declares the sovereign Lord, when I will send a famine through the land,

00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:11.000
not a famine of food or thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:18.000
So if we are not diligent to hear, then we are disadvantaged.

00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:24.000
So we have to ask, Father, oh, what is it you want to say?

00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:28.000
Is my ear open to what you want to say?

00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:33.000
Is it something that I don't want to hear?

00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:42.000
Because maybe there is some correction, maybe there is some correction from someone else,

00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:46.000
not just from the word, maybe somebody else says it.

00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:53.000
And I say, well, only Jesus can correct me, nobody else.

00:34:53.000 --> 00:35:02.000
And there is a reason why God has placed people into our lives to help us, not to put us down.

00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:06.000
If correction is done out of selfish reasons, don't listen.

00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:12.000
But if it's done out of God wanted to bring correction into your life,

00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:18.000
not to put you down, but to build you up and to help you back and to walk,

00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:27.000
then we have to be open for that too, because that's what God put into our lives.

00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:36.000
And I give a number of people permission to kick me if they notice that I need it.

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:44.000
And some of them have taken that. Sometimes not really good.

00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:50.000
But most of them have been okay. And it's a good thing.

00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:54.000
It's a good thing.

00:35:54.000 --> 00:36:01.000
So we have to be open for correction, because God has put them in for a reason into our lives.

00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:11.000
Not to harm us, but to build us up and to bring us back onto this pursuit

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:15.000
that is a good and positive pursuit.

00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:22.000
In order also to receive the sent word, we need to be open to receive the one who has been sent.

00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:28.000
See, in Luke 9 verse 5, Jesus sends out those disciples.

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:31.000
If you remember, they were sent out.

00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:38.000
And Jesus said to them, what was it? Luke 9, 5.

00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:46.000
He says, whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.

00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:53.000
If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town as a testimony against them.

00:36:53.000 --> 00:37:00.000
So how do we receive the ones that are sent to us to speak to us?

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:05.000
In a few weeks, Pastor Chad will be coming from Chennai.

00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:09.000
And I'm sure God will give him words for us.

00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:13.000
I'm sure he will be preparing him already probably.

00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:20.000
But he will know by the time he will come here and he will speak the word that God wants him to say.

00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:23.000
So he's the sent one by God to us.

00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:27.000
And he most likely doesn't know most of us.

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:30.000
But he will still speak the sent word.

00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:33.000
So are we open to receive it?

00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:36.000
Are we open to receive it?

00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:41.000
Hey, I was a little bit unsettled actually when Dawn was going on and on.

00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:44.000
I'm like, oh man, Dawn is going on and on.

00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:47.000
I'm probably running out of time.

00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:48.000
Anyways, no.

00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:52.000
But it was good what Dawn said.

00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:55.000
Because he reminded us of the important things.

00:37:55.000 --> 00:37:58.000
Next time, five minutes less, Dawn.

00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:08.000
Okay, but it was good what he said to remind us to look at the things that God has promised.

00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:12.000
To remember them and then to also move forward.

00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:18.000
And to see, okay, God was faithful then, he's faithful now, he will be faithful in the future.

00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:20.000
And he will carry us through.

00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:24.000
So these are words that have been sent to us being announced.

00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:31.000
And we have to be open and receive.

00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:37.000
And see what, oh, this is something that is helping us in pursuing him.

00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:39.000
Chasing after him.

00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:41.000
Looking more like him.

00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:45.000
And then there's one more point.

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:49.000
The deception of hearing the word but not doing what it says.

00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:55.000
In James 1, verse 22 to 24.

00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:11.000
You know, I always want to put James after just in front of Revelation.

00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:12.000
I don't know why.

00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:16.000
And with James 1, 22 to 24, it says,

00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:41.000
So we have to be also doer of his word.

00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:44.000
Hearing and then doing.

00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:50.000
And I know that sometimes it's not easy to hear.

00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:56.000
Even when we hear so many awesome teachings and words.

00:39:56.000 --> 00:40:04.000
And then to go and take it and say, okay, I want this to make it part of my life.

00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:06.000
I want to change, move around.

00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:12.000
I want to chase after him and following what I just heard.

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:19.000
Not leaving it just up here but let it go deeper so that, yes, my heart can enlarge much wider.

00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:28.000
And that I suddenly the circulation in my system in the way I move and follow God will be just as large.

00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:36.000
And I can experience him in another way, another realm, much deeper.

00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:43.000
So I just want to close it in a few points.

00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:49.000
So pursue him with holy awe and humility.

00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:53.000
Pursue him with holy awe and humility.

00:40:53.000 --> 00:41:00.000
Pursue him with disciplined reading, hearing and being taught.

00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:07.000
Pursue the spirit by obeying the first step so he can show you the second.

00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:10.000
Isn't that so cool? He doesn't jump steps.

00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:13.000
He wants us to do one step and then he can show us the next step.

00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:22.000
Because once we are ready to take the first step, we'll be ready to take the second step.

00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:28.000
Pursue being reliant on the body, not as an independent runner.

00:41:28.000 --> 00:41:30.000
This is so important.

00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:39.000
We are not, even though our society so much says, oh, we are the individual kind of decision makers.

00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:47.000
But in our lives, as followers of Christ, we are supposed to be part of the body.

00:41:47.000 --> 00:42:01.000
Because that will help us in our growth, in the way we walk and follow, in correction, in encouragement, in helping us to walk with him.

00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:10.000
So what do we do now? Chase after him. Run after him.

00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:17.000
And expect him to help you in your running because he's the one who's chasing you first.

00:42:17.000 --> 00:42:19.000
Diana has a question.

00:42:19.000 --> 00:42:31.000
Pursue him with disciplined reading, hearing and being taught.

00:42:31.000 --> 00:42:35.000
Did you get a third one?

00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:41.000
Okay, sure.

00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:46.000
Okay, the first one is pursue him with holy awe and humility.

00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:52.000
Pursue him with disciplined reading, hearing and being taught.

00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:59.000
Pursue the spirit by obeying the first step so he can show you the second.

00:42:59.000 --> 00:43:11.000
And fourth, pursue being reliant on the body, not as an independent runner.

00:43:11.000 --> 00:43:13.000
Okay.

00:43:13.000 --> 00:43:18.000
So as we go, let's chase after him. He loves it.

00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:21.000
He will turn around to catch us.

00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:26.000
And he will be happy if we run and chase after him.

00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:31.000
Even if we stumble, he will be still there.

00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:33.000
Sure.

00:43:51.000 --> 00:43:56.000
I think that's part of physical things too.

00:43:56.000 --> 00:44:00.000
I think that's part of physical things too.

00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:05.000
Our job is to believe that God will do his job.

00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:12.000
So one of them, one of the members sort of fits in with the teaching of the day and God is saying to somebody,

00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:18.000
your job is to believe that I will do my job.

00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:22.000
So I think that's part of physical things too.

00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:26.000
Our job is to believe that God will do his job.

00:44:26.000 --> 00:44:34.000
So Diana was saying just for the tape that our job is to believe that God will do his job.

00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:36.000
Okay. That sounds good.

00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:55.000
So know that for this coming week, God knows he's doing his job and we are supposed to run after him and chase him.

00:44:55.000 --> 00:44:58.000
Okay. So it is that time.

00:44:58.000 --> 00:45:04.000
There will be some people here to pray for you after if you need prayers.

00:45:04.000 --> 00:45:08.000
And otherwise I'll just send you off.

00:45:08.000 --> 00:45:18.000
So Father, I thank you that you are chasing us, that you always have been chasing us.

00:45:18.000 --> 00:45:23.000
From the moment we were conceived actually, you were chasing after us.

00:45:23.000 --> 00:45:25.000
And you never let go.

00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:32.000
And I thank you that you so love, love it if we chase after you.

00:45:32.000 --> 00:45:35.000
And you love to be, to be kind.